Those who are invited, know.
Five years.
That was the last time the four of you sailed together aboard the Brass Bird, pursued by the Andoran navy. It was the last time any of you saw Captain Renlock. Fortunately, you were set free after only a few months, but Renlock wasn't so lucky. He spent his last years in jail until an illness claimed his life.
You learned of Renlock's death from his trusted companion, a clockwork parrot named Cawlo that remained ever at his side. Just a few weeks ago, the bird sought you out to deliver the bad news — and a piece of a map. While one side contains a cryptic clue, the other suggested you to travel to this beach on this morning to find the "captain’s most-prized treasure." So here you are, along with three others, staring at the partially sunken remains of the ship you once called home. The smell of the surf and rotting wood hang heavy in the air, the silence broken only by the screech of far-away gulls on this lonely island north of the Shackles.
"Caw Caw!" Says the Tengu sailor!
First to arrive, maybe a half an hour before the rising sun, Kaako looks at the remains of the half-sunken ship that was his home for so long. Memories return to the tengu as he gazes on the wreck he thought he would never see again.
"See something shiny?" Lavanna calls out as she approaches.
She smiles.
"Caw! Not yet. Too bad to hear about Renlock's death, but I'd like to find his most prized treasure. I just hope it's more than a bottle of rum. How about you? Any sign of that crazy parrot, Cawlo?"
"My old friends. I have much to explain and much to atone for, but it is so good to see you all again, despite the circumstances."
"Has anyone seen Elfsir?"
Lavanna's smile breaks into a grin at the sound of Jadren's voice. She runs to give him a hug.
"No", she chuckles. Then she checks her purse. "Nope, it's all still there."
"I'm here." A decidedly more frail shell of the Elsir you knew approaches.
"I hope this is worth it, I'm running low on.... well everything." He gives a heartfelt nod to Kaako, and a simple one to the others.
"So, here we are."
"Cards on the table. I assume we all got one of these?" Lavanna draws a scrap of parchment from her pack. She reads aloud, "Lost at sea, remember that the one that is worth the most, always goes last"
She looks the rest of her former crew in the eyes. "Anyone else?"
"Yep, I got one too."
Elsir coughs slightly and rubs his temple, "Hey Lavanna, you mind?" He extends his hand to test the various angles of fit between their pieces to see if there's a match."
Lavanna hands the elf her piece of the map. "Here. I was never any good at puzzles."
She looks at Kaako and Jadren. "Come on boys, cough 'em up."
Elsir puzzles the two together, and roughly half a map is formed.
"I received one as well. If Elfric hadn't made it we would have no chance of solving this puzzle. I am please you are here."
He hands his piece to the elf whose name he can't quite remember, hoping he got it right this time.
"Lavanna I think you may be teasing Kaako. She has had enough of that at our hands over the years. If I could take back all the times I called her "Assfeather" or "momma chicken" or even worse names, I would. She should be treated with respect. I am pleased The Inheritor has provided me this chance to repay Kaako for those mistakes."
Jadren's piece fits with the other two, and all eyes turn to Kaako...
"Alright, alright! I have one too. However, we must agree, if we find something good, we all split it equally."
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"No offense intended, Assfeather" Lavanna winks. "Maybe the treasure is the friends we make along the way."
With Kaako's part, you have the assembled map!
You can make out the outline of the Brass Bird sketched in place, and several areas beyond the cliff face. But you don't see an opening anywhere...
Just then, Lavanna spots Cawlo flying into the inlet, clicking and whirring as it flies. Sunken Brass Bird! Squawk! Sunken Brass Bird!
It heads directly to the Brass Bird and vanishes from your line of sight.
"Any of you learned how to fly since we last met?"
"Seems to me like we have to wait until the tide goes out, because I sure as s#+% can't fly." Elsir looks at the verse on the map, then promptly sits down, a bit tired.
“Lavanna I think you may be teasing Kaako. She has had enough of that at our hands over the years. If I could take back all the times I called her "Assfeather" or "momma chicken" or even worse names, I would. She should be treated with respect. I am pleased The Inheritor has provided me this chance to repay Kaako for those mistakes.”[/b]
”Its alright, Jadren. I did fail to recognize the witch hidden among the passengers of that fateful ship we plundered. However, I think at last I’m ready to be our jinx breaker once again. The teasing just keeps me on my toes.”
”According to the parchment, We have to start by going with the tide, then against it, with it, and finally against it. Maybe we can find a boat to ride the tides.”
"Sure." The word is noncommittal, but Elsir does start looking around.
"If the tide goes out and we follow it into the boat wouldn't we be going with it? I am unsure of the meaning. I wonder if Allfear has the right of it."
I do think searching the beach would be a good place to start.
"The old girl's seen better days, huh? Time to go home, boys."
Lavanna plods toward the ship.
If it isn't in the deep, Jadren agrees and follows.
"Iomedae, protect my friends from any evils that may lurk in these depths."
Lavanna leads the way toward the Brass Bird.
Having sunk many years ago, the rotting hulk of the Brass Bird brings back memories of your time aboard, sailing up and down the coasts of Avistan and Garund, chasing fame and fortune. But dreams of that glorious past have faded and now all that remains is the half-sunken hulk of Captain Renlock's prized ship. Even now, you can see the wheel where he steered the ship, shouting orders to you and the other crew members as you chased fortune together. You can still hear his final call to stand down as the Andoran ships closed in. The call that likely saved your life.
As the sun crests the horizon, a single beam illuminates the captain's wheel of the half-sunken boat, Lavanna can see Cawlo perched atop the wheel, its mechanical wings fluttering. The wheel looks to be in much better shape than the rest of the vessel.
Lavanna looks at the ship, her eyes scanning up the length of the deck.
She looks down at her character sheet, then back up at the deck.
She scratches her head.
Finally, she pulls a rope from her backpack. "Anyone want to give a girl a lift?"
Kaako makes his way toward the wheel and attempts to navigate the sloped deck to get a better look.
Kaako has no issue. He sees that four symbols have been emblazoned on Renlock's wheel, indicating the cardinal directions (north, east, south, and west), while the center has a wave pattern (cresting in such a way as to indicate that the tide is going clockwise).
Cawlo flaps his wings and opens its beak, and out comes the voice of Captain Renlock!
My friends! It pleases this old pirate's heart to see you gathered once again on the deck of the Brass Bird. Although my time has passed, I have found one last treasure for you to plunder! But to ensure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands, I have placed a few challenges in your way. Don't worry, I am sure they are nothing you can't handle.
To open the way, you must sail from the home of the pirates to plunder the coasts of Varisia. Return home, but then make your way to Absalom to spend your loot. Finally, follow my dream and sail to the River Kingdoms and retire in peace.
After that cryptic clue, Cawlo grows silent and stares at the old captain's wheel.
So, steer clockwise from here(?) towards Varisia, counter back home, then clockwise to Absalom, and finally counter to the River Kingdoms?"
She scratches her head again. "Or where else would the home of the pirates be?"
Not really feeling the effort, Elsir waits for a complete run down from the others. Hearing Lavanna's plan he shrugs, "As good a guess as any."
Lavanna steps up on a rock and points, doing her best impression of their late captain, "Come on lads, hard to starboard, riches await! I like my prey like I like my women! Large and slow! And Varisia's got the largest and slowest of them all!"
She waits for Kaako to turn the wheel.
"Let's give it a try. Everyone onboard just in case."
"Ugh, this is going to end poorly."
Elsir follows Kaako onto the deck, moving surprisingly nimbly.
As Kaako reaches out to grab the wheel, he lets out a cry as a pair of snakes the size of a hog emerge from the sodden deck, unhappy at the tengu's presence so near their home!
Round 1
Kaako -- GO
Lavanna -- GO
sneks -- TBD
Jadren -- TBD
Elsir -- TBD
Kaako draws his rapier, moves into flanking position, and strikes the green snake!
plus plus
"We've got snakes on the deck!"
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"Get these monkey fighting snakes off our Monday-to-Friday boat!"
Lavanna weaves her hands in a complex pattern and speaks a handful of words in a florid tone.
A trident of pure force pops into existence on the boat, between the snakes. As if wielded by an invisible warrior, the weapon rears back and strikes.
Kaako critically hits Green with his rapier, skewering it all the way up to his hilt! The snake wriggles its last there!
Lavanna weaves her spell, directing a three-pronged crown trident at Blue! Her strike, while lacking the impact of Kaako's, nevertheless deals a good blow!
Blue slithers over and lashes out at Elsir!
It then coils up in antici...pation!
Round 1
Kaako -- crit kill
Lavanna -- spell
snek -- bite
Jadren -- GO
Elsir -- GO
Lavanna will Recall Knowledge to see what she knows about these Monday to Friday snakes.
Lavanna knows these to be giant vipers, essentially overgrown snakes. Their bite is venomous and they can react with a bite of opportunity when coiled.
Jadren does his best to make his way onto the deck.
Things do not go as planned.
Jadren gets up from the deck and tries to move forward again.
He fails to make progress.
Round 1
Kaako -- crit kill
Lavanna -- spell & recall knowledge
snek -- bite
Jadren -- whoops!
Elsir -- GO