A glowering fist of rough granite rises from the jungle on the eastern end of the island. The Fist is approximately 50 feet high and is fairly easy to climb . An old beacon fire sits atop the summit of the fist. The beacon is some 10 feet across and consists of trees, branches, and old ship’s timbers, but is unlit. You also discover a store of six torches and a pair of tindertwigs in undergrowth nearby.
The summit of the Fist commands not only a fine view of the sea and the Man’s Promise, but also of the fields that form a break in the jungle, as well as the castaway’s stockade on the ridge to the west.
General view of Island
Earthsong collects what she can, takes careful note of where things are, and then descends to rejoin her newfound compatriots.
"There are fields in the distance that break up the jungle, not far from the stockades of whoever had been here before. There are also a few supplies they gathered, likely to alert passing ships of their presence."
The elf produces the torches and tindertwigs. "They've built a beacon, perhaps useful to signal your ship later?"
Rosanne sighs, of course the island has occupants.
So we've got inhabitants to worry about as well as Grindylow? Speaking of which where are those scum likely to set up camp?"
The druidess finds a stick or piece of wood and a bare patch of ground. Then she makes a quick sketch of the parts of the island she could see. "Grindylows? Sea goblins I believe?" Earthsong asks. Without waiting for an answer she points out a few spots on the map.
"I would guess they'd find a cave off of the beach or go upstream a bit. I couldn't see the whole island, so we would have to look around a bit. If there are still castaways the creatures haven't killed, they may know better."
"Scrounge the coastline for the clues yes to these missing crew. I doubt they be alive but if they are important to your ship it shall be prudent to search for them."
If you approach and search the mud huts you find not a one of them standing. Clearly abandoned for a long time. It is hard to tell if they were attacked or if a storm did the work.
Something glints from some mud. Buried under mud and a rotten plank, a rusted spearhead hides. Washing off the mud reveals a rusty worthless piece of metal.
The spearhead is familiar. The same crude but functional style that the Grindylows attacked you with the night before. If the rust is any indication, the island has been their home for a long time.
"Well, clearly no one lives her anymore." Tobias stating the obvious. Looking around, the aasimar asks, "Reckon we should circle the island, hoping they're still on the beach or head inland first?"
"Perhaps circling the island is best. You might find their trail where they came ashore?" The druidess suggests.
"Walk the outskirts of the island? I may not have honor I had back home but I am regardless in your debts and service," he says in a polite manner.
"Looks like someone has been living here. Might pay to check the interior first?" Rosanne suggest.
"The interior does seem to be easier to traverse. Is anyone here skilled in outdoorsmanship besides me?"
Jacques shrugs. "But no, not I. I was raised among sailors in a port city, and I have never been out in the wild before like this." He glares at the horizon, apparently angry at the admission. "Still, I may know much that is useful."
"The 'wilds' I'm used to are The Maelstrom", Tobias offered.
"Looks like yer in the lead Darlin'." Rosanne says to Earthsong, indicating she lead the way into the wilderness.
"Let us then forge this path to discover your compatriots," he says looking out towards the lush jungle terrain before them of the central island.
Our flame-haired druidess leads the way down the trail leading to the island's interior and into the jungle. Her bow is ready to hand, and she keeps her eyes and ears open for trouble, as well as signs of anyone else.
Tobias walks behind the elven druid, looking out for dangers unseen, rapier and dagger drawn and ready.
The sandy beach quickly turns into soaking wet jungle. Not a single tree, leaf or patch of ground is dry. The air is abuzz with insects. Flies, dragonflies, mosquitoes, all sorts of annoying minuscule creatures that sense your warm and dry bodies.
The ground is wet and marshy with the only solid ground being the well trampled path you are on. After half an hour of fighting through the overgrown path and swatting away innumerable insects the pathway slips suddenly into a large green bog. Remnants of an old wooden bridge cross the bog, but only short timber platforms on either side remain, leaving just the pilings jutting from the mud.
A salt river oozes through the swamp here, forming a solid barrier of quicksand and marsh some 70 feet across. The mire is composed of quicksand, making it dangerous to cross, but Earthsong and Tobias notice the tree canopy overhanging the mire.
Tobias points up at the canopy. "What say you? Does it look like the canopy could support some of us climbing through it to get over his river?"
"It seems to be our best choice for continuing. Let me see."
You are able to climb up a tree, but climbing across the canopy will be more difficult.
Rosanne suggests her idea, taking her coil of rope off her back. "Lets tie two ropes together. Red and I can climb over and set the other end."
Rosanne will climb with Earthsong, keeping a careful eye out for anything hiding in the area.
Looking at the canopy with concern, Earthsong secures a rope to the trunk of the tree she's climbed before tying the other end off around her body as a safety line. Then she attempts to work her way out into the canopy.
Unfortunately, no path makes itself obvious to her.
"Unless you're an expert climber, which I admit I am not, moving through the canopy will be difficult at best, impassable otherwise." The druidess calls down.
"Many of us cut our teeth-- as you say-- by climbing to the crow's nest on the ship when we were first taken." He smiles at Tobias. "You were very spry and nimble back then, weren't you capitan? Feel like leading us again today? We will surely follow where you go."
"Well, the better climbers could take the canopy. I, for one", Tobias smiled at his friend and shipmate, Jacques, "will cross the river this way." The young pirate begins his journey across the sludgy river, leaping from platform to platform.
"I shall follow close behind you,"Amuro says as he begins to climb the tree right after, using his skills in the navy to climb the tree and then vines and branches above. He wondered wither they could forge some sort of thing to let their compatriots follow behind them.
Rosanne and Amuro successfully climb and take a rope across the canopy.
Tobias hops across the wooden pylons that remain of the bridge.
2 giant frogs surface from under the water, noticing Tobias and one of them attacks with its tongue.
It misses, but the second one nearer the other side of the river lies in wait.
Jacques frowns, but gamely attempts to follow Tobias across the pylons.
"It seems we have some company," the druidess points out as she sees the frogs.
Rosanne is comfortable up in the tree line, as opposed to being down with the frogs. Locking her legs around a branch she takes out her crossbow and lines up the closest Giant frog and snaps a shot at him. "These things are tasty if'n you cook them right." She remarks casually.
An arrow from Rosanne pierces the 2nd giant frog and it croaks, submerging back under the water, invisible again. Tobias quickly crosses.
Jacques crosses partway next, with Earthsong still on the north side. The first frog takes a lick at Jacques this time but misses again.
Jacques prefers to fight the giant amphibians safely from land, if at all. He continues following Tobias across.
Feeling himself slipping, he quickly steadies himself with his special sword-fighting footwork.
Taking out his shirt bow, Amuro takes aim at the other Frog that seems to see his newfound compatriots as flies.
Jacques gets across after almost slipping.
An arrow from Amuro pierces the other frog and it too croaks and submerges agains, leaving it safe for Earthsong to cross.
Earthsong climbs down again, realizing the canopy is too tough a task for her climbing skills. "I suppose I'll have to try the lower route."
She then tries to get across the water the other way.
And into the water she goes....
Earthsong stumbles into the river and finds the water not very deep. Unfortunately the bottom is like quicksand.
The druidess swims a bit better than she climbs and makes headway against the waters without much trouble.
Tobias effortlessly jumps back over to assist the Elf Druid, and offers his hand. "M'lady?"
Tobias slips in his grip of Earthsong's hand. Luckily, Earthsong is able to 'swim' close enough to one of the posts sticking above the water and pull herself up.
Now thoroughly soaked, the druidess tries to hop from pillar to pillar, only to fall back into the water again.
Tobias once again traverses the pillars with ease, and offers positive assistance to Earthsong.