"No, you cannot, and we cannot let it go for that long." Magdi says grimly. "We've found ourselves a tight time limit, friends. A month is not long, and we need to prepare to strike back at these oppressors as soon as we can."
"what is this business with Dreamers, anyways? she seems awfully fixated on it. Have any of your people been having these dreams that you are trying to hide from her, or is she looking for something that hasn't shown itself yet?
Jonah agrees with Magdi. there isn't much time to figure out a solution if their oppressor is getting impatient for a Dreamer to be given.
"No big deal." Magdi says with a faint smile. "Then we probably want to prevent them from doing whatever it is they're trying to do. I'd say we should look into the thunderbird first. Ylimancha may offer me insight into it, should I pray for the right spells."
"Several of the enclave’s people have had such visions of late, and at first we denied it and tried to hide it from the Stormreaders, but they saw through our deception." explains Vancen "The thunderbird attacked us and killed dozens after our first refusal to give up our dreamers as tribute, and since then, I suppose we’ve been lucky in that a selfless few among our number have surrendered themselves to the Stormreaders for the good of the people..."
Vancen hears at your ideas and assents approvingly "My only fear is once you start to approach the thunderbird or the coven, they can attack as reprisal"
Mparu coughs to make herself be noted and adds "In fact, you could help us further if you find ways to protect the settlement while you search to stop the thunderbird and obtain more information"
Vancen nods approvingly "I guess, if you can bring powerful allies to protect the town or siege weapons to defend us from the thunderbird or other of the Stormreaders' monsters, we can remain safer in here in case of reprisal to your actions. If our homes are well defended, you can go bolder with your approach"
"A good plan." Magdi says with a nod. "Powerful allies, hm? Perhaps the locathahs we met earlier?" He suggests after a moment's thought. "Siege weapons, though... it'd be tough to find any that have survived the wet. Unless you know of the location of any such things?"
Jonah eyes Magdi skeptically. the locathah are not exactly what I would call strong allies. I can't see them doing much to a Thunderbird."
To Vancen Jonah asks
"Other monsters? what other creatures have they brought to bear in the past?
Setting up for a siege sounds risky to Jonah. If the party can come up with a good plan to free the thunderbird it might never come to an all-out fight, but as soon as they put siege engines into place a conflict is all but guaranteed.
"Once you start to bring your hand on the Stormreaders or their allies conflict is most likely unavoidable. The siege weapons can help us stand up better in case of an attack" Mparu comments and Vancen follows up "Not too far to the east there is a lagoon with a wreckage of old pirate ships we call the Wrackway. The battered husks of almost a hundred ships drift there. Numerous siege weapons can be secured there by the people of the enclave, but only once the undead and will-o'-wisps that haunt the area have been cleared out..."
Mparu nods to Magdi's idea "The locathahs or any other ally you can bring in will be of help by sure. For much weak we are alone, together we are stronger..."
"Some of the hunters have spotted a dragon near Saoc's Landing. It might be dangerous, but you know what it is said about dragons, if this one is not an evil one, he might do for a powerful ally" Vancen explains too.
"Undead and will-o'-wisps, you say? If we embark on the morrow, I will be able to prepare spells that might harm them more than I have had today." Magdi muses, before looking at Jonah. "As Mparu says, anyone will help, I think. They don't need to fight the thunderbird, only the people that might be aligned with the Stormreaders."
The mention of the dragon makes Magdi shift slightly, but he keeps his counsel to himself.
Adriana has been quiet, deep in thought as she goes over their options and how much could conceivably be done in a month. It was a lot of time, but it wasn't really.
They would have to make the most of it.
"Hmm. We have some allies, but I don't know if they're enough - assuming they agree to fight with us. The siege weapons might work..." Adriana is moderately confident they could handle clearing out some undead with a little preparation, and nods in agreement with Magdi. "The lagoon then? It's a solid starting point for us."
Mparu and Vancen nod happy to hear the group is on the move to help the settlement once more "Good then, let's celebrate tonight that we got one more month and rest so you can depart tomorrow early morning."
During the evening you will be approached by different people in the settlement, all with a wide smile on their faces and offering all types of food, like oysters with a black sour sauce or seaweed bread, and trinkets like shells, bone hair pins and driftwood crafted into the shape of sea animals.
You know will o wisps are small air aberrations that feed on fear (which means they get fast healing when someone scared is at 15' distance).
They can fly and are naturally invisible.
Also they are immune to magic, except for spells that bypass Spell Resistance, and magic missile which affects them at full.
The next day you wake up early and Vancen has a seafood breakfast ready at your table "Good morning my friends. I hope the noise of the waves have let you slept well. It seems the storm is back today."
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Jonah wakes up feeling refreshed, even with the wet weather of another storm
"indeed, the celebration and the water worked together to make quite a restful night! We will be ready to head out shortly.
to the group he asks So, the wrecks to look for salvage then? Or to the draon to seek a very powerful but very scary ally? Always wanted to see a dragon. kind of like a flying dinosaur right?
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"Alright, so here's the deal with these wisps they're very small and kinda squishy like if had a really big mushroom and just grabbed a big handful yeah as much as your hand could hold and squeezed it that's what they would feel like except it would have to be an invisible mushroom because they're invisible where do you think invisible mushrooms grow they could be anywhere and we'd never know because we can't see them..." Tonny's voice trails off as he stares very intently with very bleary eyes at a small decorative table sitting harmlessly in a corner of the inn's common room. Without taking his eyes off the offending furniture, he raises a cup of steaming coffee to his lips and drinks the whole thing in one gulp. A half-filled beaker on the table next to him attests to how much he's already drunk. Looking closely, one might notice a small piece of driftwood carved to look like a jaguar floating in the beaker.
"Now, you'd think 'Oh they're invisible so I'll just use magic to make them visible again' wouldn't you but you can't they're immune to magic just like those mushrooms so you've got to use magic that doesn't affect them directly or something that doesn't care how hard they try to resist it like that glitter stuff Professor Gilburm was always going on about but Professor Lylloid always swore that she'd blasted one apart with a magic missile and that's what was in the big jar on her desk no you couldn't see it in there they're invisible remember and that's how they like it because it makes people scared and then they feed on the fear do you think that's why she kept it on her desk because she was the scariest instructor at the academy by far anyway I was experimenting last night and I'm not certain if these work because I didn't spot any invisible mushrooms in my room but they should work..."
"Good morning." Magdi greets their host with a nod before turning to his companions. "Wisps or dragon? I would say wisps will require less effort than negotiating with a dragon... and are definitely less risky than fighting a dragon."
"Invisible? Can they be hurt by normal weapons?" Magdi inquires. Upon getting the answer, he runs a hand through his hair. "I shall have to prepare spells to aid you all, then, for most of the spells I might otherwise use are likely to be ineffective."
Well I will not be of much use against invisible little buggers, but if you are able to help me see them that could be good. still, visible or not they sound less of a danger than seeking out a dragon!
he adds: though I suppose we'll end up doing both at some point anyways, right?
Vancen looks very impressed by your knowledge and clearly unsettled by Tonny's description "They seem scary things tough to deal with. Please do not risk too much. As long as the storms continue to blast through the flooded ruins, bows and slings are near useless, the ballistae will remain greatly effective, but bring them only if you can do it safely."
Once everyone is prepared, you pack your things in Tewa's ship and set sail towards the wreckage. The storm pours water all over you and tosses the vessel constantly, but thanks to Tewa's sailing skill and Vancen's advice, you find your way through with just some effort.
The battered husks of almost 100 ships drift listlessly in this windswept cove. A forest of masts looms over the derelict graveyard, their sails torn apart by powerful gales and extended neglect. Capsized hulls float among the upright ships, anchored in place by the remains of their masts driven into sandbars beneath the waves.
The floodwaters are shallow in the Wrackway, averaging 10 feet deep but with numerous submerged perils in the form of rocks, coral reefs, and sunken ships. Five pirate ships of various sizes (once ships in a small, loosely allied pirate fleet which made its living scavenging the Sodden Lands’ coastline) lie in a tangle next to a flooded stone building. The portions of the derelicts that remain above water can be navigated with relative ease—they’re stable in their positioning, although three of them have decks at awkward angles. Toppled masts provide impromptu “bridges” between the ships.
These group of pirate ships recently sunk must be the ones hunted Vancen referred to, and the ones loaded with siege weapons.
Magdi looks out over the wreckage, his expression tightening. "After that..." He looks to Tewa She and Adriana. "Who will be fighting the most against these wisps? In close proximity, I mean. I have a spell that should enable you to resist their attacks. For the other, I'll ward you."
You jump into the first ship, weapons up and ready. Immediately, four barnacle-encrusted walking corpses looking like zombies, but dripping with water and gives off a nauseating stench, come out of the back of the ship to face you. They carry pirate rapiers on their hands.
Tewa moves up to the front, calling upon a Shield of Mother Jaguar’s protection.
Magdi curses. "Draugr! Don't use fire on them, and if they hit you you'll feel sick!" He steps forwards, invoking Ylimancha's favor on Tewa. "Try not to stab them. Cut or smash!"
Jonah will hold off on drinking the potion form Tonny until they know something invisible is attacking them, just to make sure it doesn't expire before being useful.
cut and smash? sorry, don't have a lot of that!
Despite the warning, Jonah still likes his odds better with a volley of bolts. he starts with the Red one.
At the sight of the zombies, Magdi quickly identify them as Draugrs and gives good advise to the party.
Tewa invokes the Mother Jaguar's protection while Magdi offers further protection with his hexing look.
Jonah's volley flies in between the rotted ropes of the sailing rigging, two of the bolts clearly striking the first draugh. Despite the hard callous on its skin, the bolts harm badly the creature.
Adriana moves forward proclaiming a blessing to the Dawnflower, activating her judgement and requesting divine favor, the scimitar shines with the light of the sun as she reaches Tewa's position "I won't let you take all the fun!"
The Draugrs then attack ferociously, jumping over the broken deck and the myriad objects scattered around, until they reach Tewa and Adriana.
The two women fight ensemble, covering all the open points and not letting in any of the rapier attacks!
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“Ah!” Tonny jumps, clearly having been expecting invisible threats rather than visible ones. “Yes, they’ll make you seasick - or at least that was Professor Clikard’s working theory on the matter. I think it might have been due more to the smell based on firsthand accounts, but that’s not important right now! Those are rapiers, so dodge to the side rather than pulling back!” Carefully he inches forward and tentatively cracks his whip over the closest draugur’s head.
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Tewa grins at Adriana’s banter, then takes a mighty swing at the most injured draugr.
Jonah takes a five foot step to the side to try to have less allies he is shooting through, then aims and fires another volley of crossbow bolts.
Magdi grumbles. "Need to pick up a mace or something." He begins casting, carefully avoiding giving the draugr nearby any opening to strike. His focus proves more than enough, and he reaches out to give Adriana Ylimancha's blessing of protection.
Tonny covers Adriana with his whip while offering good advice to the party.
Tewa's slash goes with mighty strength but the lose of precision ends with the blade cutting only the air.
Jonah's first bolt strikes directly on red's skull that shatters. The creature falls and next bolt goes straight on cyan, lodging on a shoulder, but the third is lost in the air due to Tewa's cover.
Magdi's spell goes off, a shimmering glint of magic covers Adriana for a second.
Adriana gets distracted with Tewa's near hit and slides in the deck, missing her own opportunity.
Thanks to the combined efforts of Tonny and Magdi, and the divine protection of her goddess, Adriana ultimately manages to dodge the undead pirates.
The waves splash over the ships and from the water covering the southern ship stairs emerges another draugr, this one with the hat of a captain and wielding a longsword. The creature looks at you with mischief and test the fallen mast to cross towards your ship.
Magdi hesitates, but only briefly before he thrusts his spear at the draugr closest to him, hoping to limit its movements against Tewa. With that out of the way, he hastily retreats back, circling around her to hopefully find somewhere more useful to be.
Tonny valiantly strikes around with his whip, placing the enemies where they should be for the front-line to have an easier time.
Magdi likewise follows in with his spear, limiting even further the space of the draugr, who almost has to throw itself over Tewa's blade to avoid the menace!
Slipping on the deck and almost dropping her scimitar, Adriana scrambles to her feet and shakes the cobwebs from her mind - they had to shift the tide of battle before the draugr captain could reach them.
With renewed purpose and locking eyes with the draugr captain, Adriana flicks her wrist and with divine guidance from the Dawnflower, lashes out at the draugr attacking her as both warning and a threat.
That one looks important! Jonah says, half to himself as he shifts aim to fire at the captain-looking zombie
Tewa takes a deep breath, focusing her entire being on her slash.
With a resolved swing Adriana chops the head of the draugr in front of her!
Jonah's bolts fly over to the southern ship, one of them striking true on the chest of the captain! The bolt does some less damage than expected but lodges on the thick skin.
In a parallel swing to the Sarenrite, Tewa chops away the head of another draugr, quickly decimating the undead numbers!
Tonny's and Magdi's help was put to good use as the front-liners are pilling undead bodies on deck.
The remaining draugr responds with a stab at Adriana.
But her faith protects her this time, and the rapier is deflected without reaching her.
The Captain manages to cross the fallen mast and looks to engage Tewa with a powerful attack of his sword.
But the draugr loses balance as he steps on the deck and his unprecise slash is easily dodged by the sailor.
Jonah doesn't have much else to try, even knowing that his arrows aren't quite doing full damage. he keeps shooting!
Magdi chants another word, gesturing with his free hand and unleashing the blessings of Ylimancha in a burst that encompasses all of his companions. He holds back for the moment, unwilling to continue advancing.
Jonah puts two good bolts into the lesser draugh, one of them lodges directly into the eye socket!
Tonny helps Tewa with his whip, with a nearly perfect slash!
Meanwhile, Magdi's words envelop the party. Everyone feels their weapon guided to higher heroics.
With one draugr already struck down and the captain's assault faltering, Adriana presses their advantage and continues her strikes against the closest standing draugr.
Tewa grins as the undead fall one-by-one. She takes Tonny’s assistance and slashes at the most dangerous looking foe.
Adriana's scimitar cuts with ease through the callous skin of the draugr, sending the once pirate to the true death!
The movement is followed by Tewa's own swing that decapitates the captain with a single strike!
Things do not remain calm for much time, as soon more undead get out of the waters coming to inspect the noises of combat. Five more draugr emerge on the ship deck to the east!
You spot a strange translucent thing quickly approaching from the south-eastern deck!
You are though ready for trouble by now and quickly react to the emerging creatures.
"There's a wisp." Magdi growls, pointing it out to Tonny . "Tewa. Here." He chants a phrase, gesturing and carving magic from the winds and the waters. With a light touch, he protects her from any electrical attacks.
Jonah hears Madi's warning, and decides that this is a good time to stop firing to drink that potion, figuring the others should be able to hold off the zombies.
He pulls out the see invisibility potion and downs it quickly.
With the draugr and their captain struck down and allowing for a quick respite, Adriana looks around for anything more out of the ordinary than usual and tenses when Magdi warns of the Wisp, closing her eyes and offering a quiet prayer of revelation before opening her eyes to truths revealed.
Magdi alerts the party about an approaching will-o'-wisp and raises a strong elemental protection around Tewa.
Jonah quickly reacts downing his own special concoction to perfectly spot the invisible creature.
Adriana follows with her own magics to sense the creature.
Tonny also downs his own potion.
Tewa does something heroic!
The draughs drag their feet towards you howling with high pitched tones and jumping over the ship railing to face you.
One of them fails to and stumbles with the railing failing prone near your feet!
The will-o'-wisp, visible to your magically enhanced eyes, flies over the ships in a charge that ends with the strange energy crackling electricity over Adriana.
The zap is only weak but it already makes the hair of the inquisitor to go wild.
Magdi takes a swift step forwards, one hand crackling with the power of the storms above as he lashes out at the draugr closest to Tewa .
Now able to see the invisible creature, Jonah shoots a volley at the Wisp