Brannart disembarks, polearm in hand.
"It is not my place to give orders, but I would suggest you all let me go in front."
You scan the beach, but it seems completely desolate, only a lonely gull tapping a clamshell offers any life. A well-worn path in the grass rises up a slope toward a cluster of buildings to the east. The buildings are arranged in a rough triangle, with each point ending in a wooden circular enclosure with rectangular notches cut intermittently, like battlements. These round enclosures are clearly meant to be three points of a wooden palisade fence, which would enclose this first group of buildings once completed. The palisade fence, however, is complete only along the southeastern side of the triangle and is obviously unfinished elsewhere. The grass around the settlement looks like it was cropped at one point, and many paths exist between locations in the settlement, but in less well-trafficked spots, the grass has started to regrow.
All the buildings are constructed of either rough timber or mud bricks set in a wooden frame, and have pitched thatch roofs. Many have open windows, but only a few have actual shutters or even a canvas curtain for privacy. Doors are basic, wooden affairs, too simple for locks, and some buildings lack them entirely. The construction is new, quite rough and unfinished.
Out of the boat and free to move around now, Fenna takes a look at Sho's injury.
"Ow, that looks like it really hurts! Here, I'll see what can do."
She places her hand over the the wound, "sulje ja korjaa", and and a faint glow of positive energy bathes it.
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Fenna finds a place in the middle, behind Brannart, as they start toward the partially built fort.
Malakar makes note of the items and rummages the area to see if there is anything else before coming to surface.
"There is a sunken canoe, a rod and a basket sunken beneath the dock. Something is not quite right here. I will join you on the front Brannart I can brace my spear against charges."
Realizing Razor can offer no help here Malkar makes a signal and noise for him to follow the Ship to the alternate camp.
Vexas frowns at this new information.
Are there any other clues within the canoe? Signs of it been loaded up and ready to go? A struggle? Or simply sunken because it was swamped and left unattended?
Before Malakar Surfaces . . .
Malakar notices a canoe partially exposed on the seafloor. He moves to inspect it by rummaging around.
Malakar feels a wave of magical energy permeate from the canoe as he starts to inspect it. He starts to feel tired, and his eyes droop for a moment. But then he shakes the feeling away and is very alert.
If you will both be upfront let me help one of you out with a quick hex. Kowal will say as they bring the ship onshore and he moves toward Malakar.
Malakar has not surfaced yet after the fight with the grindlylows. You start to wonder where he is . . .
I think I am gonna hero point that. Tired of missing lol.
What!
The creature is humanoid in shape and about two feet in length. Its feet remind you of raptor talons with three front claws and one back claw connected to greenish legs. Its body is covered in shells reminiscent of armor. Its hands form two giant lobster-like pincers, while its face is doglike and connected to webbed ears.
It swims at Malakar in a fury and bares sharp canines. Opening its pincers, the creature jabs at the Undine and snaps its claws shut.
Malakar swims defensively, avoiding the creature's attacks.
if allowed razor moves in and attacks.
Edit: A bit of meta since this is a tiny creature does it not have to move into my space to attack and thus provoke an aoo from me for doing so? If so
While she's waiting, Fenna takes a look over in the direction of the dock. She's wondering what taking so long. When she sees the turbulence she starts running that direction. She calls to everyone as she goes. "Something's happening under the water over there!"
Vexas follows Fenna drawing his rapier.
Can you see into the water? What is it?
It recovers quickly, pulls something from inside a shell on its body, and throws it at Malakar.
looks like a distortion in the water maybe it’s Malakar kowal will call out well moving to the other size of the dock
"Malakar's in a fight with something, not a grindylow." Fenna concludes from peering into the water.
"Going in!"
Fenna jumps from the dock into the water to help out.
Brannart moves to follow Fenna, but he does not run.
"Be on guard!"
"How far down are they, Fenna?"
Brannart has his Ranseur, so he might be able to fight from the dock, but will jump in if he has to.
Malakar will make another stab and than go up for air.
Once again, Malakar is able to avoid the lobster claws. The creature screams in frustration causing bubbles and swirls to form in the water around it.
Fenna views the battle taking place below her and jumps in the water to engage. After her earlier bloodbath, the water feels cool and refreshing. With her pike, she swims down to enter the fray.
Shortly after Fenna jumps in, Brannart, Vexas, and Kowal make it back to the dock. They can see Malakar swimming to the surface while Fenna drops herself in the sea depths. A creature below her, about seven feet down, is humanoid in shape and has giant lobster like claws as hands.
Free action."Some kind of tiny magical creature and some sunken flotsam"
Vexas stops at the edge of the dock and looks down. He looks up and over at Brannart to see if he jumps in too.
I'm not... the strongest of swimmers. I may only get in the way down there; if all else fails I will try.
"I think Malakar and Razor have this handled..."
Nevertheless, Brannart tries stabbing down at the creature with his polearm.
Fenna doesn't need to dive deep to get at the lobster creature. Her pike is long enough for her to stay well out of its reach. She thrusts the pike downward like she's trying to pin it to the floor.
As Malakar swims to the surface for air, Razor comes in from the side. With his jaws wide open, he grabs hold of the creature's side and rips it apart. Blood pours out and pieces of flesh break off and float around the immediate area as the body slumps to the seafloor.
Fenna arrives moments later to witness the shark's power.
Looks like it is finished
"The thing was hinding under a sunken canoe with a basket and a fishing pole. Could be a coincidence but it is worrying considering what else is going on.
Malakar will take another dive and further search the wreck of the canoe.
Eww. That's not dinner, is it?
Vexas quips as he sheaths his rapier.
We were given provisions, but I suppose we could make it into a stew if you desperately wanted.
Kowal shoots back
Fenna surfaces and pulls herself up onto the dock.
"Trust me, that thing's not for eating."
On Malakar's dive, he does not find anything other than the canoe, wicker basket and fishing pole. Inspecting the canoe further gives the impression that the construction is recent and the hole was made from inside the boat. Malakar, while no expert, believes that with the right tools, the canoe could be salvageable.
"Nothing else down there. The damage to the canoe is on the inside but it could be salvaged if we think we will need it. Probably best to start looking for the settlers though." Malakar says this while climbing onto shore and shaking the excess water off. He puts his shield and spear away and takes out his quarterstaff. "I can do more damage with this on land."
Well, we're traveling on foot for now so the canoe is of no immediate use. I suppose we could pull it up on the beach and repair it later if that changes.
He starts back down the doc toward the beach, presuming they are departing momentarily.
"I have some skill at ship-building. I should be able to fix the canoe, and I do have tools. Let's get it out of the water to prevent further damage, and then keep exploring."
Fenna regrets getting soaked for no particular purpose a few minutes earlier so she lets others bring up the canoe. While she's waiting on the edge of the dock.
She continually scans her eyes across the area inland and narrates her thinking aloud for the benefit of those otherwise engaged.
"No bodies to be seen. To my mind that makes something like pirates or raiders less likely. They're not known for cleaning up after themselves. But if everyone just relocated for some reason I'd think they would have sent a spotter since they knew when to expect us. That's especially true if they had moved due to some danger, but true even if not."
"We don't really know how big the island is, or if it's otherwise inhabited. They could have been captured and taken inland. There's still the problem of no signs of a fight, but if they faced overwhelming odds maybe they surrendered without one."
"I can't think of may other situations that would leave this place completely intact and empty. It really seems to me that if they would have someone here to meet us unless they weren't free to do so."
"Well.. but if they were raided and they repelled the raiders, they might have buried any dead and moved to a more defensible place. And that might explain why we're not seeing a single soul. They could be watching us to be sure we're the ship from Andoran before making contact..."
Inspecting the canoe, Brannart is very confident that he could repair the canoe given the time and material.
Fenna ends the debate regarding eating the creature while scanning the area and thinking out loud regarding possible reasons for the deserted colony.
Eventually and you make your way up the path. Your feet welcome the giving texture of the sand, and the sun and slight breeze aid in drying those that are wet. Before reaching the palisade, off to your right are several partially intact tent-like structures. Upon moving closer to inspect, you see seven canvas pavilion tents were set up here, all of which are large enough to shelter two to three people each. All but two tents have collapsed due to wind, rain, and the lack of maintenance. The two that remain standing lean haphazardly and do not appear to have been entered for a long time. Grass has begun to grow around them.
Vexas stalks forward, stopping at one of the tents and peering in with his sword in front of him.
There are supplies in here. We could make the tents work. Some cooking supplies. Water skins.
He pokes his sword in the sand where he notices an unnatural shape occurring, tracing it until the sand gives way to reveal the vials of blue liquid.
Fenna, Kowal, can you identify these? They look useful.
After investigating the pavilion tents and considering if this would be a good spot to rest, you decide that the day is still young and there are plenty of buildings to search. You make your way to the north end of the colony. The palisade is absent in this area, offering no protection if an attack from the water would occur.
This rectangular building is constructed of mud brick walls. The building has a simple door facing east, but unlike all other buildings in the colony, it lacks any windows. A heady smell of dried plants, herbs, and dried meat lingers in the air.
Brannart is not much for small talk at the moment. He is alert, looking for trouble, with his polearm in hand. He guards the party while Fenna and Kowal hopefully try to identify the flasks of blue liquid that Vexas found.
Let me take a look at them kowal says as he pulls out his deck and murmurs a hushed chant drawing from his tarot deck
Malakar will move up to the door quarterstaff in hand.
"You all think we should check inside? I am fine going first."
Brannart will back up Malakar.
Brannart is AC 18 at the moment, with his buckler not equipped (and AC 16 flat-footed).
"missä on taikuutta".
Since Kowal seems to have the vials covered, Fenna casts a cantrip and carefully looks through the other things found in the tents. She pays special attention to the shirt since its perfect condition seems odd to her.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Fenna takes the rear since her pike is long and she doesn't want to crowd the front.
Kowal takes the vials from Vexas and lays them down in the sand. Dropping to his knees, he lays out his deck of cards, closes his eyes, and begins to chant in archaic tongues.
Vexas can see the air shimmer above the kneeling and chanting elf as if millions of tiny diamonds were spinning and reflecting off the sun.
Suddenly Kowal opens his eyes.
As Kowal and Vexas are focused on the vials, Fenna takes the shirt that seems to be unaffected by the environmental conditions. Using her own type of magic, she holds the shirt in front of her with one hand and wiggles her fingers with the other while enunciating arcanum. Spiraling golden flecks of runes dance upon Fenna’s fingertips, then swim through the air and encircle the piece of cloth.
It looks like these are potions of bulls strength. Kowal says as he stands having collected the vials and hands them back to Vexas