In the small inlet of an unremarkable island, waves slowly wash over the floundered wreck of the Brass Bird barely lit by the predawn light.
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, a peice of a map and a call to be at this very beach before dawn after the next full moon. While one side of the map piece contains a cryptic clue, the other repeated the urge for 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.
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"Hey, you ruffians. It's good to see you with all your blood on the inside. And not a broken bone among you."
Five years was not so long to S.B., but still, he feels good to see his old crewmates. Not that he would let them know.
"Let's keep it that way! I didn't pry myself out of that taproom in Vidrian, and take a ship all the way out here to pluck splinters out of your backsides."
Good to have my feet in the sand, and that breeze in my face.
Corvus was a "special guest" in Andover's prisons. Due to his small size and ability to constantly glow, he was in a special tiny cell for most of his jailtime. The few times he was allowed to stretch he found himself staring out the window, back to the ocean. The few books he could read about Gozreh kept him sane.
Once he was released he returned to the sea and set sail to his grove. Only his fellow druids lived there, and he continued to study the storms and clouds.
How did Cawlo find him? He wasn't sure, but the message told him what he needed to know. He wasn't longing for the ocean, he was longing for the Brass Bird.
Now he lays on a plank of wood, staring at the wreckage of his ship. He kept his light off until he heard a familiar voice.
"S.B.? Hey! Corvus. Down here." He flies up to the elf's eye level before tiring and falling back down. He begins glowing a dim orange. "Did Cawlo find you? That bird wouldn't stop squawking until I got here."
Grundle was one of the oddest looking goblins...even when he was suppressing his beastblood. This light-blue skinned goblin had a mouthful of razors that was always displayed in a cruel smile. However, meeting old crewmates lets him release the beast turning his ears into shark fins and enlarging his mouth into an even larger smile to showcase multiple rows of new teeth.
"If my mother wasn't a grindylow, I wouldn't believe what is before my eyes! The only bones I break are the ones that don't back down or try to sneak into my storerooms! Let me get a nibble of you all...AH HA HA HA!" he jokes with the group in a raspy voice as his jaws clatter together like a chomping shark.
Once he closes the distance he nods and unsheathes an elaborately designed dogslicer that he waves in the direction of Cawlo.
"Aye, he did. Surprised me while I was barreling up some fish and almost got the business end of my trusty seadog slicer, Wobbegong! Guess it is a good thing he didn't because this kind of business is never simple. Cawlo? How many more of us did you pester with your message?" he keeps yapping and swinging his blade around.
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Axutain slithered up to the beach head before giving himself a righteous shake down, his simple bone and shark hide clothing shirking off the water. The long claw paddle-like feet of the bizzare, by most humanoids, lizardfolk waded up to the long lost crewmen from ages past. Still the skink-like Iruxi hissed in greeting as he approached.
"Ahhh Sssso good to sssee you all again. Gryndle I hope you have been eating well? It'ss a great way to keep sssscales preened and shiny." He approaches uncomfortably close to Sawbones and gives him a once over. "This one has barely aged a day, though more sssun he could ssseek. Any new treasuresss to dredge up like the good ol' days?"
Catching the glint of Corvus the Lizardman's head snaps towards the tiny sprite and there is a brief moment you aren't quite sure he isn't going to lash out as if he saw a scuttling crab, before his lips part into a smile filled with jagged teeth. "Tiny Corvusss, Let usss not need to fish you out of any ssscale-siblings by the end of the day yes."
Aside from the adoring bone, tooth, and shark-skin, the lizardfolk wears a large runed macuahuitl upon his back, a faintly glowing shortblade at his hip that gives Corvus an off feeling, a seaweed wrapped spear, and a bundle of short javalins held in the quiver by sinew strings. "Sssound of pessky, but shiny poultry hard to miss, but familiar enough to me that I not snatch him from air. Find friends here on ssstrange beach. The years have been kind I hope?"
Catching the glint of Corvus the Lizardman's head snaps towards the tiny sprite and there is a brief moment you aren't quite sure he isn't going to lash out as if he saw a scuttling crab, before his lips part into a smile filled with jagged teeth. "Tiny Corvusss, Let usss not need to fish you out of any ssscale-siblings by the end of the day yes."
"Hey, don't remind me. Really, don't." Corvus shudders. "But yea, the years were good. Got to see my third home." He looks out to the Brass Bird and frowns. "First home has seen better days."
"Oh yeah, I keep this stomach nice and full! I take my share while scooping up fish for those passing through Port Peril...kind of have to when they like to stiff me on payment." he replies to Axutain while wrinkling his nose.
He plops down and keeps talking, "Where have you been diving lately? It looks like you might have a few new trinkets and, ooooh, some new teeth over there!" he says admiring Axutain's new adornments.
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The lizardfolk flicks his tongue through the air for a moment, and then gives a hissing laugh at Corvus. "Do not worry I will not let you drown. But yes ssship home has ssseen better years."
Setting his Macahuitl down Axutain looks to Gryndle, "Ah this one has seen warmer seas after our releases from the armsss of 'jussstice'. Sunken ruins near the sand-homes of Totra. Though they were not ruins of my ancesstors it as a good recovery. The fissshes were hungry but I got the last bite." With another raspy laugh he takes a seat next to the bladed plank, soaking up the heat of the sands and the sun. He played idle with the necklace of bone-charm around his neck as he often did contemplatively years ago. "What of you all, tiny corvus has been speaking with sea spirits again? And what of less tiny Gryndle beyond keeping belly full for people and ssself?"
"Did you know the Andorans have an enclosure just for tiny folk like yours truly?" Corvus gazes over the sea. "A hole on the side I couldn't see out of, just enough for fresh air. Sometimes they'd slip in some nuts, but usually they'd knock on it and laugh. Ask if Corvus wants a cracker." He sighs. "The only thing they'd let me keep were the Passages of Gozreh. I'd have lost my mind if I didn't have that."
"So yeah, you better believe I sought out my grove as soon as I got out. Cawlo found me out there. Don't know how. That damn bird." He kicks up a bit of sand.
"But the Captain... bless his soul. He listened to me. Listened to all of us. Respected us. So I need to find out why his bird is still around, and to pay my last respects."
The predawn light breaks as the sun starts to rise over the ridge surrounding this cove from the full fury of the mid morning sun. However, a crevice in that solid rock face lets the sun shine through and illuminates the deck of the wreck of your old home, the Brass Bird. A glimmer of light reflects off of something on the captain's wheel of the ship. Approaching closer, it proves to be Cawlo sitting and staring at everyone with an expectant look.
"Ah, there's Cawlo." Corvus stands up and marches across the sand. He flutters his wings occasionally to get a little bit of lift. "Time for a swim."
Captain Renlock always said "Corvus, you're small, but that doesn't mean you get small duties." And Corvus knew he had to do everything he could to keep up with every one else. Even if his wings didn't work the way they used to.
Swimming is a lot harder when you're the size of a boot. But he did learn to not sink like one.
"Bah, that hunk-a-junk can't make it easy on us." Gryndle laughs before hopping into the water.
As he swims you can hear him humming an ominous tune, *dun duuuuun, duuuuun dun, dun na du na*
"Right into the drink."
Time on land seems to have curtailed SB's enthusiasm for swimming, but he picks it back up quickly enough.
As he swims you can hear him humming an ominous tune, *dun duuuuun, duuuuun dun, dun na du na*
I hate when he does that song and swims under me! Corvus shudders.
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Axutain watched the others paddle their way out to the half-sunken vessel and waded back into the water quickly swimming to catch up to Corvus. "I sssee you have been practicing. If ever you need a break I may carry you." He then continues on swiftly using his paddle-like tail and webbed feet to quickly outpace the group grasping the side of the hull and hauling himself up.
The friendly Iruxi would offer a hand up for the crew as they approached the vessel.
It's no trouble for the old crew to make their way across the placid bay. Gryndle plays shark with Corvus but doesn't affect his swimming too much, and S.B. has a bit of trouble with remembering the motions for a crawl at first but quickly proves why he was the crew's fastest swimmer, discounting the near dolphin-like Axutain, who shows off by swimming to the far side of the wreck and climbing up the outside instead of just pulling himself onto the exposed deck like everyone else.
Having sunk many years ago, the slowly 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. Cawlo shifts on the wheel and with a clank opens his beak and plays an almost mocking recording of Captain Renlock saying, "SQUAWK!" The bird then gives his old playmate Corvus his 'Catch me if you can' look.
"Cawlo, you tarnished phony! Quit your bellyaching. I'm trying to orient myself." S.B. sweeps his gaze across the deck.
"Ah, the poor girl. All broken up now, lads. What could possibly still be here for us?"
"Thank you kindly, Axutain. But I wouldn't be great crewman if I couldn't handle this swim." He keeps swimming. "But I will take a hand to climb on board."
Corvus looks around the ship and relaxes for a moment. That's the nook where he slept when he didn't want to be bothered. There's the spot that is still soaked with rosemary oil and reminds him of home. There's the Captain's wheel, with lots of shouting. Did Captain Renlock shout at him from here?
Corvus is ready to check out the remains of the crow's nest when Cawlo opens its mechanical beak again. "That bird..." He gives chase, at least to shut it up. "What is it, Cawlo? We're here, now."
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Axuatain delighted in helping Corvus up and went about looking at the old ship. The vessel had seen better days for certain and he was a little surprised that the Andoran Navy hadn't seized her for their own use those years ago. Heading over to the back of the ship behind the wheel he gave a sigh for what was once his favorite sunning spot.
"Perhapsss there isss aught in the hull ssstill yet to be claimed. I would have a dive before we leave at the very least." He kneels and places a palm on the deck, "May you sssail upon dissstant shoresss."
Cawlo plays hard to get with Corvus for a second as the old crew gathers around the wheel, as soon as he sees everyone near, he swoops in with a happy chitter and lands on S.B.'s shoulder for a second. His gears get caught in the elf's hair and he quickly takes off again trying out both Gryndle and Axutain's shoulders but finds both of them too slick to balance on with out hurting the men. The bird gives Corvus a long look, judging whether he should even try those shoulders. With a seemingly dejected air, the bird settles on the railing of the ship instead.
His beak pops open and from the small bird Captain Renlock, in his normal voice, greets the group. “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, as he further buries himself in his new nest.
The wheel itself hasn't changed a lick from when Renlock last stood at it. The grooves of his hands upon the various handles that he liked to hold in different ways for each one, the compass rose that was engraved on the outer ring and the swirling tides on the inner ring.
"Ahah, it wouldn't be fun if it was easy. Now...is this a riddle or does old Captain Renlock expect us to hit the seas again? I just came from dangerous Port Peril which should be the first of the destinations. Cawlo! Got any more of his voice hiding inside you?" he calls out to the mechanical pet.
Cawlo gives a huff and a squeak that is both a 'Yes' and an 'I ain't telling.'
Gryndle is definitely able to tell this ship is not going anywhere with out some seasoned lumber, a drydock and a shipwright, all of which the crew doesn't have.
"A riddle, I'd say. Would the captain steer us wrong? I think it has to do with our ship's wheel here."
S.B. refreshes his memory on the wheel's carvings.
"Varisia's North from Port Peril, of course. And then we return to the South. Absalom is, what? Northeast of the Shackles, as the crow flies? Then the River Kingdoms East of there?"
"Follow my dream... follow my dream? Oh!" Corvus pulls up his shirt to reveal a scrap of paper. He unfurls it across the deck and uses a piece of wood to hold it down. He reads the message on the bottom.
Begin your journey going with the tide, then against, with and finally against.
"Alright. So the tide is going..." Corvus tries to make sense of the directions.
S.B. gives some terrible puns as he tries to recall the relations between the various places that the Captain mentioned in his recording and gets a good approximation of where he should stop the wheel.
Corvus then shows that he might have a hint to how this is supposed to work and with a piece of a map and a cryptic clue that might have to deal with this puzzle or might not. The small man is able to recognize there is a tide mark flowing across the center of the wheel spinning to the right.
"Looks like a spin to the North tidewise, then back anti-tidewise to the South. Tidewise again to the North(east?), and finish up anti-tidewise to the East(?)."
S.B. congratulates Corvus. "You'll guide us straight. Glad you had that clue. You never know what might happen if we fiddle with this blind. I tended enough people after the captain's pranks to know his sense of humor wasn't harmless."
"Ah, the wheel is the trick? That would have had me stumped and traversing all of Golarian. Glad to have yall watching my fins! AHAH!" Gryndle says laughing and chomping at the same time.
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Axutain tilts his head at the strange piece of paper, "Tell usss tiny Corvusss. Where did you get this map pieccce?" He scratches his scaly chin as they all examine the wheel.
"Dessspite my time with the Captain, and the crew, I can not sssay I know what is truly the home of piratesss. I defer that to you."
The Iruxi would then head down, onto the deck to check the ship to see how much she has rotted over the years beached upon these sands. Perhaps there were more clues, perhaps the ship was more salvagable than they all believed?
"That bird gave me this. Told me it might be useful." Corvus shrugs and rolls it back up. "One of you should hold onto it. It's a lot easier on you than me."
He flies over to the wheel, inspects the mark on it and heeds S.B.'s words. "S.B., I like your plan. Turn the wheel North, South, Northeast and then East again. With the tide, against the tide, with the tide and against the tide again. Can you spin it? I would, but..." He wraps his arm around one of the spokes. "Hard to control."
S.B. recalls that the River Kingdoms would almost directly be north of Absalom. He tries spinning the wheel 360 degrees tidewise so that Norht is up again, then anti-tidewise 180 degrees so that South is up. He spins back tidewise to Northeast, but the wheel seems to lock up after only 90 degrees so that East is up. It however freely spins back anti-tidewise 270 degrees so that North is up.
A faint musical sound echoes around the inlet as some rocks on the cliffs nearby shudder open revealing a secret passage. The shift rocks however dislodge some giant vipers that were sunning themselves on the rocks and they land in the sand and give angry sounding hisses.
The snakes still disconcerted from being dropped to the sand, take a moment to get themselves righted, allowing everyone to react first. However they do seem to catch sight of the glow coming from Corvus, and clearly have marked the small sprite as a tasty treat.
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Axutain
S.B.
Gryndle
Corvus
Snakes
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Current map
"You did something and it made some other somethings angry. Have at yee, I got fangs too!" Gryndle bears his teeth at the black scaled snake then dashes forward and off the ship.
Then he heaves his blade into the air and down onto the snake, aiming for the head.
If Axutain can't calm the snakes down, S.B. will fling a broken board from the wreck at the same one Gryndle is attacking.
"Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes?" Corvus shudders.
He tries to recall information about the snakes. Especially if they're poisonous or if they have any particular vulnerabilities.
He flutters to the stern of the ship and pulls a bit of light from his glowing form. The light bursts into flame as he aims at the viper threatening Gryndle. "Hungry? Eat this and leave us alone."
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Axuatain hisses and clicks towards the slithering swarm in an attempt to coax them from attacking the group.
Gryndle jumps off the ship, sacring one of the snakes as he goes. He then gets right up next the said snake and lops its head off with one clean strike.
S.B. waits a moment to see what happens with the snakes and see if he needs to do something. In the mean time, Corvus takes to the bow of the ship and see what he know about these creatures.
He remembers that when the snakes have a moment to coil themselves they can reach pretty far and strike with a surprising amount of speed. They also have a poison in their fangs that can hurt and drain someone of their energy. He then fires a bolt of fire at the snake still alive and singes it slightly.
Axutain then steps up and proves that he is actually part reptile by speaking in a hissing tongue at them.
The other snake pauses for a second and considers the words, before cautiously slithering off to find a warm sunny spot and sooth his small burn.
"Yeah, you better run!" Corvus puffs his chest as the snake flees. "Poisonous creatures, they love snapping from afar and eating things my size."
He flutters to the cave entrance, landing occasionally to walk across the sand and give his wings a break. He pauses and flexes his back before giving up. He calls upon the wind to give him the power of the winds to speed him up for the chunk of the day. He keeps his light burning as they enter the cave. "Well then. Shall we?"
"It will take more than some snakes to slow us down. Let's see what the captain has in store for us in there."
S.B. points to the cave and casts light on piece of driftwood.
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Clambering down from the ship and going over to the beheaded snake he picks it up. "Were that you took a moment before ssstriking." The Iruxi took a bite from the still warm stringy body of the snake and worked his jaws at it for a bit. He looked to the others, "Wasste not want not. I believe is how you warm-bloods sssay it?" Following Sawbones into the entrance of the cave he looked ahead.
"I would sssuggest I take point in the cassse there are more... unexpecteds. That is if we are all in agreement on that matter?" He snacks on the snake as they all deliberate.
"Oh...I forget you can talk to the scaly ones. Somethings never change, like my hot head. At least it gave us a snack!" Gryndle says apologizing in his own way and taking a bite himself.
He nods when Axutain wants to take the lead, "I will be right behind ya!"
Man, these two will eat anything. I bet Gryndle's eaten rocks before. Corvus buzzes ahead.
Axutain takes the lead, chomping on some snake, he quickly realizes that up ahead something is skittering about. He peers around the corner with Gryndle and realizes that a giant ant has burrowed into the chamber ahead, in fact it seems that a whole colony has accidentally found this place. There's no idea how many ants there could be, but sneaking past might work.
"Ssssslither by all ssssneaky like." Gryndle suggests through his teeth attempting to be quiet.
Corvus focuses and holds his light inward, turning off his light source. He nods and Follows the Expert, Axutain. Gryndle could swim and pull me under, and Axutain could eat slurp me up, quiet as the night...