Gregor says Nay. No proper burial. Burn them to ash. Then we are guaranteed no revival.
While searching the ghoul priestess you find a small snake skull around her neck as well as an magic amulet out of turle shells on a necklace.
She also wears a magical ring with a small blue gem.
Amulet of Natural Armor +1 Enhancement Bonus to AC
A ring of Swimming. It continually grants the wearer a +5 competence bonus on Swim checks.
The snake skull is probably her Holy Symbol.
The air in that part of the complex is very stale and you don't believe it is smart to burn them here.
So later after finishing up the other task you send Gelik and Davor up to get a few peices of canvas from the village, collect all the slain Ghouls and carry them back to the entrance where you create a huge, massively stinkiing bonefire. Unfortunaltely The draft is still not very good, so for the next few days the area around the lighthouse is stinking of burned flesh.
I added a few descriptions to the map so you know where you have seen things you might want to explore in more detail.
Father Kerndrew looks down the narrow cave behind where they fought the priestess. "We're going to have to check down there. It's a tight fit, and we'll definitely want light. Shall we?"
"Let's take her things for when we have time to analyze them at full, but this seems her holy symbol" Shalissa points out.
Once she has time to cast detect magic she explains "The amulet is one that will magically make stronger your skin"
"Yes, let's see what's at the cave" Shalissa renews the light spell in her trident and follows Kerndrew lightning for him.
When you search the room you find nothing useful.
When Shalissa studies the powers of the amulet and explains what it does he wishes that he'd thought to study magic before learning the little bit that he knew. "Sounds useful. Maybe you should wear it? My skin is already tougher for the magic that I learned when I got my little coral buddy!"
Moving in and seeing/smelling the mound of bones just makes Davor glad that the monster was dead. "How many years was she killing and eating people!?! Disgusting!"
Gregor says. Im all for checking out those submerged caves, but first lets double back and read the inscriptions we saw and investigate the temple further.
"I think Gregor should wear it then" Shalissa hands the amulet of natural armor to the ranger.
Returning to the altar room, the elf takes her books and notes and starts to research the inscriptions and symbols "This is very interesting indeed!"
"The images are very ancient likely contemporary with ancient Azlant!" the elf is surprised by the creatures depicted "These... these are ancient serpentfolk!"
"That would explain about all the nonsense the ghouls were saying... if this is true... this is one of the greatest findings in centuries..."
Ancient Serpent folk? What do we know of them? as he took the amulet and put it around his neck.
A close inspection of the eastern wall reveals that the carvings there are words written in Aklo. Shalissa can decipher the faint words—they read, “All glory to Great Ydersius.”
The cells along the walls contain a few very old skeletons, but are otherwise empty.
You also notice that the door leading to the inner sanctum is relatively freshly burned.
A low stone altar, its sides carved like coiling snakes and its top carved to resemble a yawning viper’s maw, sits in the center of this room. The walls of the chamber are carved with images of anthropomorphic serpents using strange, pointed megaliths of stone to work great feats of magic—transforming an army of humans into zombies, calling down flaming bolts of lightning from the stars, or parting the waters of the sea to dash human ships upon the exposed rocks of the seabed below. This final image seems to have been recently cleaned of dust, and several lines of text have been made more legible via the application of inks and perhaps blood.
THe images depict scenes here on the island.
The images are very ancient likely contemporary with ancient Azlant.
The creatures depicted are ancient serpentfolk
Ancient Serpent folk? What do we know of them? as he took the amulet and put it around his neck.
"I think I heard of them before. I Varisia there is an ancient fortress named Viperwall with inscriptions from an ancient race of serpent like being walking on two legs. Not much is known about them, but they are supposed to have been living in the time of the Azlanti people"
One of the images a picture of humans ships crashed on the rocks around the island by a rapidly receeding tide has been cleared in recent days and the inscription made legible again by an application and dust and maybe blood(?).
The inscription is so old, that even in this state it is hard to read, but after a while Shalissa is sure it means:
"To Command the Very Tides to Rise Up and Eschew What Lies Below:
Empower the Four Sentinel Runes with the Blood of a Thinking Creature Tempered by the Kiss of a Serpent’s Tongue.
Anoint the Tide Stone with Waters brought from the Sea in a Vessel of Purest Metal.
Invoke the Lord’s Sacred Name to Wrap His Coils around the Sea Itself that He Might Lay Bare What Lies Below and Cast Down Your Enemies on the Waves above."
Shalissa nods to Gelik "Yes, Viperwall, that is, it seems as if... those creatures also lived here for a time... those depictions of bolts and humans are like if they were fighting with magic against the ancient Azlants! Maybe they were enemies" the elven gets ecstatic studying the ancient inscriptions and drawings.
"Look at this image... this is way more modern, some humans crashing in the island, this might be our Trune Fangs friends... and what is this inscription here..." Shalissa cleans it to see better and studies for long minutes before attempting a translation for everyone to understand.
"It describes a ritual... the Tide Stone... I wonder where that might be"
What does it mean though. It cant be good. Anyone good at deciphering cryptic comments?
"Do we need to decipher it, really? I mean, we're not trying to 'make the very tides rise up,' right?"
He points to the phrase "blood of a thinking creature" in the inscription as he continues. "Especially not if it involves that."
with a glance at Father Kerndrew that said no thats not what hes thinking he said No But it certainly would be nice to know what these evil snake people were thinking and if we have to stop some plan before figuring out how to get off the island.
"Well that woman who bewitched our captain is definitely not here. Although we know she was here and lookimg for something. If I am not mistaken it was that inscription why she crashed us on this shore and brought all this upon us."
After having checked out and thoroughly searched the temple you go back to the beach cave to check out the submerged tunnels
From the high Water Marks on the cave walls anfd other signs you assume its currently low tide.
You dive into the water and push forward with strong strokes. Following the bends of the tunnels is not easy but you go on. Just when you start thinking about the need to return before the air in your lungs runs out, you come up in a second cave where a pocket of air allows you to fill up again. Unfortunately its otherwise completely empty.
Fully refreshed you push forward and after another 30 seconds you notice the light getting brighter. When you decide to swim upwards you soon realize, that you are out of the caves and in the open sea somewhere below the cliff where the lighthouse stands.
[ooc]Swiming back is another DC 15 check or climbing up the cliffs is DC 10 but takes roughly 10 minutes. Please post your action in Spoilers
You dive into the water and push forward. Following the bends of the tunnels is not easy and so you soon realize that your air is running low. You decide to return before you get stuck in these tunnels.
You dive into the water and push forward. Following the bends of the tunnels is not easy and so you soon realize that your air is running low. You decide to return, but find truning in this tight spaces is not as easy as you wishe. When you don't mange at your first try and your Oxygen supply gets more and more depleted you are feeling panic rising.
If you have failed 3 checks
"It seems to describe some kind of ritual... and Gelik might be well right about it, Ieana probably came here looking after this knowledge... the captain note said she was interested in the Red Mountain, perhaps this Tidal Stone is located there" Shalissa observes while carefully examining the inscription and engravings "If we want to stop her, I bet we will find her in that Red Mountain"
Moving to the beach cave, Shalissa observes the water level "Mmmm... we are currently at low tide. We probably should hurry up before all this place gets sunk"
"I cannot brave those waves, but I can try to help if someone wants to swim them" Shalissa will provide guidance on anyone attempting to swim.
She also gives some verbal instructions to aid on where to swim better.
Gregor looks at the partially submerged caves and tells the others he will go check them out. Dropping his pack, and pulling everything off except a dagger, he dives in and taking a deep gulp of air he carefully swims out through the cave
He comes up. and says to the others as he breaks the surface water streaming down his face and his black hair and beard thoroughly soaked. This one goes out to the ocean. nothing else in there
"We've still got to find that witch. If she was able to bewitch the captain to sink his own ship, killing his crew and friends.... Who know what else she can do."
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After Gregor has come back you search the caves once more without turning up any new evidence. Ieana has probabaly been down here, but seems to have gone somewhere else before you could catch up with her.
When you return to the surface you find the others waiting for you in the central square of the village. When you tell them about your findings, Aerys remembers the omnious Lightning bolts over the Red Mountain a few days ago.
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Having actually forgotten about the strange lightning Davor thanks Aerys for the reminder. "Maybe the tribe here can work on the lighthouse while we go check out the Red Mountain? The lightning had to come from somewhere. Maybe it is a side effect of someone trying to activate the Tidal Stone? Or succeeding in activating it which would mean she has a big lead on us!"
"You are right Aerys!" Shalissa nods towards Davor "I convey. From the captains note, it is most probable we find the Varisian there. The lightning might mean she has already made that ritual. Who knows what that might mean for us... we are probably better making sure quickly that she is no danger"
"I agree we can let others deal with the lighthouse and the camp. If we press on we can probably sleep half-way tonight, and tomorrow early morning, we might be by that Red Mountain"
When you realize that Ieana still has an headway of at least 2 days you immediately begin preparations for the next journey. The path up the mountain is clearly visible and so you have no problem finding the way forward.
You pack rations for 5 more days and hope that you time on the island is drawing to an end before Gregors limitless supply of rations comes to an end.
After for hours you have reached the crossroad where the path up the mountains snakes off into the southeast. By now the night has fallen and you spent one more night in the caconophy of the jungle.
In the next morning you begin the slow climb up the mountain. the pth winds in serpentines through the jungle and gets steeper every hour.
Its almost noon when you finally reach a wide gorge where a river has dug itself into the mountainside. The path crosses the gorge via a ricekty looking rope bridge.
"Thanks for your help Gelik. Where we are going now is going to be even more dangerous. We cannot ask you to come, but if you are willing to brave it, I think you will be a strong help to the team" Shalissa conveys while looking at the others to see if they think on another of the shipwrecked ones to accompany them.
---
The next day Shalissa takes an hour before breakfast to make her prayers and asks for new spells for the day.
Orisons
light
detect magic
divine guidance
create water
Level 1 (4/day)
shocking grasp^
bless
protection from evil
summon monster I
Level 2 (3/day)
flame blade (electrical version)^
bull's strength
summon monster II
---
Observing the rope ahead Shalissa inspects it carefully "Let's be careful, this can be in a bad state, and Ieana might have left traps behind too"
Shalissa finds nothing out of the ordinary, just a wobbly bridge over a gorge. Below ou a river is flowing rapidly 30ft deeper.
Gregor loosk carefully at the bridge and across the way...says Perfect ambush point. Look. Ill take point. Let me tie a rope around my waist and you guys loop it around a tree, and feed it out as I cross. If anything goes awry and I fall, pull me back. Ill get the rope on the other side and check it out. Then we can get everyone else across
With that he tied a rope off around his waist and handed the other end to Father Kerndrew to loop it around a tree and feed it out. leaving Davor and Shalissa t cover his crosshing.
He started across looking carefully at the other side...up and down the canyon.
Gregor carefully steps onto the bridge and slowly moves across carfully casting his eyes to all sides at once. The Bridge creaks and moans but actually holds him well and he reaches the other side without any complications.
Davor holds the rope, worrying on each step. When Gregor reaches the other side he breaths a sigh of relief and scans the area. "There might still be enemy watching, wanting more than one across. I'll go next. Let's keep it to one at a time...."
Gregor draws his axes and sticks them in the tree as he holds the rope that Davor clings to.
Shalissa waits for Davor to cross, then, she very slowly and carefully makes her own attempt "Hey, I have no doubt I will make it, but what about Kerndrew? I won't say you have been eating too much but you look heavy my friend"
When she is almost there, she jumps over trying to reach Gregor and Davor, grasping them to ensure she does not fall.
You make double sure to secure the rope for Father Kerndrew to get across, and although the bridge is sagging mightily he makes it across without any mishap occuring.
After a few minutes collecting yourself you continue further along the path and up the mountain. " hours later you are halfway up the slope when the path is branching again. The right path leads up the mountain. and the left Path seems to lead downwards into a small lagoon.
Gregor holds up his hand so everyone knows to pause, then he leans over and slowly inspects the ground, then the surrounding foliage lookin for signs which way the last person who travelled through this went.
R3 +8 (+2/+3/+3) [+10 vs Humans tracking/+10 in Jungle/+12 Humans in Jungle]
Unfortunately you spot nothing.
In a puddle along the left path you find a single partial footprint.
Shalissa kneel in a puddle along the left path and signals a partial footprint "Does this answer your question Gregor?"
She looks at the lagoon, then up "I propose we first get up there and have a look. It might help us see better around the island and maybe even spot Ieana"
Gregor stands up and looks at where Shalissa pointed, having completely missed the footprint. Yeah was all he said. then after a few steps he said Thanks. Remember theres some fierce dragon kind of critter up here.
Davor follows along. When he hears the word dragon he scans the skies. "Dragon? There's never an army around when you need one!?!"
The shadows are slowly growing longer as you continue your climb up the mountain, but you manage to reach the top with about an hour of daylight to spare.
Once you reach the summit you find another grizzly sight. IN front of another of that Bone idols you find a sacrificial mound. From the amount of bones and cadavers you guess they came here quite regularly, although at least some of the carcasses seem to be from animals.
When you look carefully at the remainsyou notice that they were eaten by a wild animal not a human being. Something with sharp teeth and claw marks had its feast here.
When you are able to take your eyes from the altar and look around you are able to see all of smugglers shiv from your vantage point. The Lighthouse to the west, The grassy hill were you found the pirate treasure chest to the north east. The broken down villages, where the cannibals ambushed some unfortunate survivors. And the sore thumb of that dead island up north were Shalissas erstwhile companion found his death. You also spot another half dozen wrecks dotting the coastline which you have not yet found. [Occ]Will mark them on the map in the coming days.[/ooc]
With the lingering word 'dragon' still floating in his mind, Father Kerndrew points out that the carcasses they're looking at were not feasted on by humans--like what they saw earlier--rather, that these show signs of sharp teeth and claw marks.
"I'm sure it's something quite... normal... right?"
Gregor looks over the bones, the teeth marks. the claw marks. Thinks of what he saw...tries to match that up with his knowledge of nature before answering Father Kerndrew I dont think its anything natural!
"These have been eaten by an animal, not a human being... Something with sharp teeth and claw marks had its feast here." Shalissa looks around, taken by the sight of the whole island "It seems ages since we unearthed that treasure there... and there are more ships wrecked that I had imagined... something is unnatural" she then goes silent and mourns at the sight of the island where his guard died.
"This might be the place where the ritual shall take place" Shalissa then looks down to the lagoon, trying to see any trace of the Varissian woman or what she might have done there.
The distance is quite big, bute there might be something like a stone circle down there.
Apart from tzhe view there seems to be nothing here for now, so you decide to hurry back down before the dragon decies to come back to look for new sacrifices.
You just manage to reach thesafe canopy of the jungle again before night falls. Davor and Gregor are able to find a safe resting spot and you prepare for the next night on the island.
But this tiem you have trouble finding sleep, as the flapping of huge leathery wings can be heard multiple times circling over this part of the island.
In the morning you still feel tired but nevertheless break up camp and continue your way down the mountain and along the other path.
Shalissa wakes up perturbed multiple times by the wing flapping, trying to guess if the dragon is going to attack or not. The next day she wakes up a bit tired, but prays his god like yesterday then attempts to identify again the cannibals red pearl amulets.
"Gosh, if that dragon is to attack, I hope it does to the Varissian woman, not us" then putting herself again into the armor and picking up her bags and trident she readies herself for the day "I guess it is time to go down and discover what that circle is and what is there in the lagoon"
[ooc] around 10 o'clock you finally reach the bottom of the path in front of you the river runnings next to you is dropping of into a gorge. Along the sides of the gorge various ledges connect by more iof these rope bridges lead downwards towards the waterfront.
To the left of the gorge Four stone monoliths appearing as jagged stalagmites of rock protrude from the grass at the edge of the bluff. all facing a three-foot-high pyramid-shaped block of stone at the center of the four surrounding spires.
The vegetation and soil surrounding this pyramid has been trimmed back and excavated to expose the strange block fully to view.
Not fully refreshed by the night's sleep, Davor still does his morning routine to ready his magic and pack his weapons and gear. Walking along with the group he continues scanning the skies. If the dragon is sighted before it spots them they might have a chance to duck under cover and avoid a confrontation.
Reaching the stones of what almost has to be the tide stones he moves forward to examine them.
"If this is it, what's next? Blood of a thinking creature?"
A weathered, snakelike rune is carved into the inner face of each of these stones, all facing a three-foot-high pyramid-shaped block of stone at the center of the four surrounding spires.
The peak of the central pyramid has a cup-shaped indentation—channels run down the four sides into empty basins at the base of the pyramid.
Davor spots traces of blood on the serpent runes on the outer stones.
While Davor explores the monoliths, Shalissa approaches to the tip of the ridge to observe the water body "Ieana probably made the ritual already. By the lightning bolts seen some days ago, she was successful. I wonder what happened afterwards..."