"Don't worry about me too much, I'm much more sturdy than this small frame would portray." Zarek says as he lifts another piece of the ship and attempts to bring it down on the skeleton.
Ky and Zarek easily destroy the final restless undead. While Cato gyrates to distract them.
A search of the ship nets you the following:
Fishing net (Yeah, I know.) Small steel mirror , Bullseye lantern. Block and tackle
Hourglass (1 minute), Folding ladder. 2 flasks of acid. Silver dagger. Spyglass and 50gp in coins
After searching and looting the ship you are able to get back to shore before the tide returns to get you really wet. Once on the beach however one of the daily rainstorms arrives to drench you.
"A spyglass! Excellent! This is just what we needed! Let's check and see if we can get a name on that other wreck up the coast on the way back to camp."
Ky packed as Cato spoke. She slipped the silver dagger into her bandolier and the fishing net into her pack along with the block and tackle. The small mirror she tossed to Cato. "You might want to fix your hair." She grabbed the lantern with her free hand, her boarding pike in the other, and stood ready to depart. "After you sweet cheeks."
"M. Zarek, would you like these flasks? Or the coins?"
"Yes, very droll," Cato says sarcastically. When no one is paying attention, he quickly checks his hair and smooths it out before returning the tricking to his head.
"I'll take the flasks, never know if a swarm of bees or something attacks us on this cursed island."
Zarek says half jokingly while stashing them away for later.
"We're here now and we've got a fishing net. Let's put it to some use."
After an hour of fishing Ky nets (Yeah I know) 9 man/Days of fish. It is an uneventful 2 hour trip back to camp.
Jask is very thankful for the evidence. ”You have my gratitude and I owe you all a great debt. I know a few tricks to help with mental focus. I will gladly share them with you.”
After enjoying a fine dinner of fresh fish and gathered fruit. The group is sitting around the fire, listening to some of Gelik’s humorous stories.
When suddenly rising out of the flames appears a nearly skeletal form, his bare bones picked clean by the fish and crabs, yet he still wears his dripping coat and tricorn hat. One of his hands is a gleaming metal hook, and his whole insubstantial form constantly drips with cold, brackish seawater that sizzles in the fire.
Striding out of the campfire he looks about. Then says.
”Thieves! Scoundrels! Return my beloved Aeshamara!” In a bubbling, gurgling voice.
Cato thanks Jask for the offer, "There was a study done by the Society about Tian mindfulness techniques, the benefits were reported to be considerable, yes, I think I'd like to learn your techniques, Jask." I only hope we can get off this island, then you'll really have your reputation back. My reputation? It's probably hopeless by now."
What in the abyss is that! Cato stands with a start. He thinks of readying his bow or drawing his rapier, but holds off. "Uh, I'm terribly sorry, who or what is Aeshamara?"
Kymani immediately scooted back away from the apparition on all fours. Instinct told her to summon her armor of force, but as it spoke, she paused.
"Why does that sound familiar? she wondered to herself.
Zarek stands and begins to take a few steps backward. Not knowing what he sees before him, Zarek is more confused than scared.
"Wait . . .what is a Aeshamara?"
The other castaways are all stunned at the sudden appearance of the creature.
Ayers Jumps up grabbing a torch in one hand and raising her cestus clad fist with the other. ”What is this thing?”
Gelik scampers for cover behind a log and begins to tell jokes. As he also studies the creature.
Ishirou stands and draws his Katana holding it defensively before him.
”It’s a bad spirit come to end us.”
Jask rises clutching his holy symbol and prepares to use his divine energy against the Undead.
Sasha rolls to her feet rapier in one hand and kukri in the other a manic grin on her face.
”Finally, something interesting happens.”
The creature's head swivels to survey the people around it. Pausing briefly when looking at Ky and Ayers before stopping and staring at Shasha. Raising a boney incorporeal hand toward her.
In a tearful bubbling whisper voice it says. “Aeshamara... is that you? Have you come for me?”
All the while its form continues to drip away as salt water.
"Aeshamara...Aeshamara..."
"OH! The locket!"
Kymani slowly stepped forward to where she had been sitting, dropped down to one knee and began sifting through her pack.
"Oh? Oh!" Cato bites his lip and thinks a moment. "Uh, yes, Captain! We rescued her from, uh, dastardly pirates. But she is safe, you can, um, go back to sleep. Uh, sir."
Zarek slowly slides toward Sasha, just in case it tries to do something to her, and turns to talk to Cato out the side of his mouth.
"You think its wise to let it think that Sasha is her? What if it wants to take her away?"
"No, it's a terrible idea, I just couldn't think of a better lie in the moment," Cato Whispers back.
Sasha steps away from the Ghost behind Cato and Readies her weapons to attack if it moves after her.
”Uh.. I’m not ashe… whoever. Stay back’ While giving Cato a dirty look.
Zarek takes a 5 foot step closer to block off Sasha before pulling his dagger and enfusing it with Aeither and attacking the ghost.
Upon Zarek’s attack, which causes a small amount of its form to splash away. The ghost’s visage suddenly turns malevolent as he Shrieks.
“Mutineer!”, “Traitor!”
It then lunges at Zarek with a ghostly hand.
Finally looking at Sasha.
“No... No! You are not her! Damnable harpy!”
It moves through Zarek to stand next to the woman. Doing so causes more water to drip from the undead.
Ayers double moves to stand beside Sasha
Kymani finally fished the locket out of her pack and held it up as she stood.
"Here. Is this what you want? Your Aeshamara is here!" she shouted.
"Oh, dear, Mr. Zarek, you are correct, that was a very bad idea! Sasha, stay behind me, wait for the right moment!" he draws his sword and waves it in a classic fencing school defensive pattern.
Zarek winches in pain from the ghostly touch as the winds begin to swirl around him before coalescing around his blade. Zarek then strikes at the ghostly captain.
Magic
Jask raises his holy symbol and is about to unleash a positive energy burst at the Undead. When he stops short as Ky presents the amulet to the Ghost.
He stays his attack but stays ready to channel if needed.
Ishirou, still wide-eyed with fear, moves to stand next to the Cleric Katana at the ready.
Sasha hops behind Cato going fully defensive. ”Make it go away!” She screams.
The Ghost’s head snaps around when Ky offers it the locket. The Creature ignores Zareks attack.
Its malevolent visage fades. ”My Aeshamara. At last…Peace.”
The moment its ghostly hand touches the locket the creature drains away with a melancholy sigh. Leaving only a small puddle of seawater with the locket in the middle.
Jask steps forward. ”Oh Nethys. May The All-Seeing Eye grant this poor soul eternal rest.”
Current XP 5840
"Well, I suppose we shall not need to set a watch tonight. Since none of us will be sleeping after that, anyway." Cato says dryly. "Uh, Gellik? Maybe a few more jokes to break the tension?"
Kymani could feel her heart racing even after the ghost had dissipated. "Sleep. Right." She looked around at the others, her eyes settling on Jask.
"So Jask, you mentioned something about mental focus. I think now would be a good time..."
You spend a quiet uneventful evening at camp.
Jask shares the +2 bonus on concentration check, mantras and chants.
The treasure map. Shows the X is in L 14 atop a steep hill
From the camp escarpment you can see: To the south is a valley of lowland jungle. Farther south is water beyond which is another escarpment. Southwest,beyond the valley is another escarpment West is more lowland jungle and the lagoon. Southeast jungle and a hilly coastal region.
"We could blindly trapes around the island or we could follow a map. I vote for the map." Zarek says with a half smile.
"Well, what do you two think? We've been stuck here a while. I would kind of prefer doing something a little fun today. I agree, the treasure map." Cato says in the morning as he dons his tricorn.
"Well hold on. When we say blindly, are we talking full on blindfolds or what?" Kymani asked with a grin. "Yes, yes, let's follow the map of course." She slung her pack on, grabbed her boarding pike and made ready to leave the camp.
She looked back at the others. "Wish us luck, and try not to die. See you soon."
10% - 5% if medic
10% -5% if Medic
15% -5 per Guard
15%
The 2 1/2 hour trek through the jungle, other than being excessively hot, as usual.Is uneventful
Brings you to the base of the hill atop which the map indicates the treasure sits.
.
Before you is a 100’ cliff. However from here you can see to the west there is a gentle slope leading up. Starting in
[spoiler=PC Initiatives]
[spoiler=Perception]
You must be finally getting used to this island, because all of you notice the 7 foot long snake with black and yellow stripes hiding near some rocks.
This is a common Krait snake. Aggressive, and highly venomous.
"Oh look, another snake. Who woulda' guest." Zarek say shaking his head with a mix of disappointment and apathy. He then lifts a heavy rock and attempts to smash the snake with it.
"Back to venomous snakes, I see. Bungarus caeruleus, known more commonly as a krait." Cato says as he watches Zarek throw a large stone at it before following up with and arrow shot, just to be sure.
Ky moved to stand in front of the others. Seeing the wisdom in striking from afar, she hurled a glob of acid at the snake, not wanting to feel it's fangs.
"Well, at least we have something for lunch." Zarek says with smaile.
The attacks from the three of you results in a smashed, punctured and acid burnt, very dead snake.
You then continue up the hill. The crown of this hill is one of the few areas on the Shiv that’s not jungle—the entire hilltop is an open area of tall grass overlooking the island’s eastern shoreline.
The map indicates that to find the spot where the treasure is buried, one must climb to the top of the hill and wait for sunrise. At dawn, one must simply walk to a point atop the hill where the sun seems to be rising directly between the two spike-shaped rocks protruding from the sea to the East.
You wait as the sun rises over the island. Allowing you a brief moment of beauty and peace on this otherwise unpleasant island. Finally the sunrise shows you the spot to dig.
The digging takes you 3 hours of hard work but at least there is a nice breeze up here. You finally strike a floor of planks laid across logs set into the walls of shaft.
The wood barrier has hardness 5 and 90 HP Break DC 30
Ah! Excellent, we are halfway to the treasure!" Cato exclaims upon seeing the wood beneath the soil. Looking st the others, he adds, "We need to be careful, dig around edge to give ourselves a solid platform to break through the floor. Who knows how far down everything is."
"Sounds like a solid plan." Zarek says while wiping the sweat off his brown. "Some keep an eye out, who knows what suprises this island still has for us." Zarek then coninues to dig away
Kymani sighed and rolled her shoulders. "Well, I guess we keep digging then." She tilted her head right, then left, cracking the kinks in her neck before resuming.
Just after you resume digging around the platform you find a skeletal body of a Dwarf clad in rotted leather armor.
You notice a slash through the back of the armor that also damaged several ribs.
The body has no other items other than the rotted armor and clothing.
Once you complete the digging. You can see there is indeed a deep dark shaft beyond the platform.
The shaft continues down another 40 feet ending in a pool of dark water.
"Just as I thought. He's dead, and there appears to be some water down there" she said, pointing down the shaft.
The walls of the shaft are shored up by wooden bracing—it’s a DC 10 Climb check to use this bracing to descend to the water below. Or DC 5 with a rope.
With the hole opened up, Zarek hops out and reaches into his pack and pulls out a rope and begins to anchor it to large rock or tree.
"Who's first? Zarek says while tossing the other end
"I will head down first. Mr. Zarek, please be ready to use your brain to hurl rocks at anything that tries to harry me on my way."
Kymani rolled her eyes. "Alright pretty boy, but next time, I go first. My fists aren't ranged weapons."
Cato easily descends the 40 feet and is soon just above the pool of murky foul smelling water. The light down here is dim. You are unable to tell how deep it might be.
"I hope this isn't cold..." Cato mutters to himself before entering the calm waters.
Upon entering the water Cato is immediately aware of three things.
First, the water is cool but not cold.
Second, the water is deeper than just a few feet.
And Third, he is not alone in the water, Something else is here as well., two somethings in fact.
These humanoid creatures have long, sharp needle-like teeth, and their pallid flesh is stretched tightly over their starved frames. Additionally they sport spines and fins.
Rising quickly from deeper in the water the creatures converge on Cato. Each swiping a single clawed hand at the Half-Elf.
Miss!
Hit!
One of the attacks connects.
Focusing all his efforts on protecting himself so his allies can kill the ambushes, Cato draw his rapier and does his best to defend himself. "Mr. Zarek? A rock on one of their heads would be really helpful right about now!" he shouts as he beats his legs to stay high in the water.
"Will Do!!" Zarek answers Cato's request. Zarek then wraps several strands of Aether around the largest rock he can find and proceeds to drop it one of the creatures head.