"We are moving quite quickly through everything. We might want to go back and examine things in more detail. The lighthouse, the chapel, the glassworks.
We could look for tracks, for signs of violence, for evidence of recent habitation... I don't know exactly.
I don't mind looking at the ship right now, but I think there may be more clues at the places we have passed."
You examine the Linnorm longship. As mentioned earlier, the ship seems relatively new, but is partially destroyed and half sunken. A closer search of the ship reveals significant damage in the form of tremendous claw marks and what appear to be scorch marks from a powerful electrical attack.
- - -
Not quite sea serpent or dragon, this vicious beast is covered with shiny blue-green scales. Its arms serve as both wings and flippers. Sea drakes are up to 14 feet long from their noses to the tips of their powerful tails. They weigh 2,000 pounds.
While obviously the product of draconic inbreeding, the heritage of sea drakes is less clear than that of other drakes. Among the strongest of the drakes, sea drakes still lack the mental acuity of their true dragon forebears, though they remain as brutally cunning as other drakes. Although amphibious, sea drakes spend the majority of their time in shallow coastal waters.
You’ll get a fresh roll should you actually meet the beast - and can ask questions at that time. This roll is based on the effects you see, not the creature itself, and really just to determine what was attacking.
- - -
"We are moving quite quickly through everything.
We could look for tracks, for signs of violence, for evidence of recent habitation... I don't know exactly."
Mukluk looks at Durgan as if he had suddenly turnt into a silly halfling.
"What do you mean? You had all the time in the world when we were all standing right there," Mukluk questions, not sure if backtracking is necessary.
Mukluk is happy to guide back, but also they all done looked at what was there to look at.
"Nothing."
Mukluk glances over to Rory, then at the boat, at which point his eyes bulge.
Know (Arcana)
"That's not nothing. That's a sea drake attack right there!" Mukluk's eyes look to the skies, as if to make sure there wasn't a sea dragon making their way to the party. "Ain't that somethin'? Look at those markings from the battle!"
Mukluk examines such things a bit more carefully before nodding.
"As Moose will tell you, you don't want to be messing with sea drakes. And you'll know we're facing one if you see me high-tailing it the other direction if I can. Moose knows that's the best plan. That's for sure."
"What do you mean? You had all the time in the world when we were all standing right there," Mukluk questions, not sure if backtracking is necessary.
"I understand. And I was happy to move on thinking we might find some clues elsewhere, given that there was so much else to explore. I wasn't going to take 'all the time in the world' at the first place we found. But with nothing else to go on yet, I might want to backtrack. It is possible that we missed something. But as I said, I would be happy to check the ship first."
Turning back towards Durgan he asks, "What sort of clues do you think we should be looking for?" He furrows his brow, pointing up to the large castle. "Weren't the Kaijitsu some sort of high muckety-mucks? Wouldn't we have a better chance of finding out what happened to them searching the castle that's still standing instead of digging around at the docks, or the church or the blacksmith which have fallen down in disrepair?"
"As I said, I'm not sure what clues we should be looking for. Tracks? Signs of violence? Evidence of recent habitation? Objects out of place? And beyond that, I am not that confident in my judgment of where we should expect to find clues.
Sometimes evidence can turn up where you least expect it. I don't want to rely too heavily on assumptions or expectations."-----
As he arrives at the ship, he examines the ground along with Rory.
"No tracks that I can see."
"I concur, Mukluk. A Sea Drake seems the most likely source of this damage."
Kisaiya feels like she is just about to notice something when the others start arguing and she loses her focus. ”We are learning valuable information, such as the possibility of a drake in the vicinity. That said, I think it’s time to venture into the castle. We confirmed there are not foes waiting outside who might box us in once we enter, so I think we are safe to continue inside.”
Mukluk nods at Kisaiya, and begins to guide the party towards Brinewall. He stops for quick peek into the side building, just to confirm Kisaiya's suspicion that there aren't foes waiting to box us in.
Perception
As you move past this section, you come rather close to the lagoon. Once used mostly for fishing, this
algae-choked lagoon is only about ten feet deep at its deepest point. As you pass close to the water though - two creatures lunge from the shoreline to attack!
Blood-red spines run the length of these frightening creatures, which resemble lobsters in the front and eels in the back. They don’t move well on land - but they are quick!
Reefclaws are vicious predators. They possess greater intelligence than animals, but rely mainly on their strength and instincts to survive. They hunt fish, giant crabs, dolphins, and even land-dwelling creatures that come within a hundred paces of the water.
One question for each five you beat the DC as usual.
- - -
The Reefclaws, being quick little bastards (and having luck), immediately attack!
and Poison DC 13 or
and Poison DC 13 or
and Poison DC 13 or
and Poison DC 13 or
Storm and Kisaiya are each hit once - and Kisaiya is grappled!
Round 1
Mukluk moves over to help Kisaiya, knowing that felling one foe is better than having two weak ones. He draws his heavy pick as he moves.
to hit;
piercing damage
[ dice=Trepanator]1d20+1[/dice] to hit;
[ dice=]1d6[/dice] cold iron piercing damage
[ dice=MuleBite]1d20+2[/dice] touch to hit;
[ dice=Divine]1d4[/dice] damage
[ dice=MuleKicks]1d20+2[/dice] touch to hit;
[ dice=Force]1d4[/dice] damage
AC: 12/12/10 + 1 w/shield
Fort/Ref/Will: +1/+2/+7
HP: 12/12
Focus: 0/3
Hero Points: 0/3
Speed: 20'
Luck? 0/1 used
Mule bites: 0/7 used
Kisaiya has to dig deep to fight off the poison, but she’ll be damned if she starts a day of adventuring with poison in her system. She enters her battle stance and swipes at the reefclaw holding her with Saya.
HP: 18/22
AC: 21/12/19
Saves: F5/R2/W5
Hero Points: 1
Smite Evil Used: 0/1
Lay on Hands Used: 0/3
Second Chance
Spells/Effects Active: Shield Gauntlet Style, Grappled
[ dice]1d20+6[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d6+3[/dice] damage.
"Reefclaws!"
Durgan moves to assist Kisaiya, drawing his axe and striking a powerful blow.
If the creature still lives, he will cast Liberating Command on Kisaiya, granting her an immediate-action Escape Artist check with a +4 bonus. (Her normal modifier is a -2, making this a net +2 total.)
Kisaiya struggles to no avail, even with the assistance of Durgan’s spell.
Rory and Storm keep orange at bay - though the creature seems remarkably tough to trip (immune in fact). Mukluk draws his heavy pick and swings, but swings wide of the mark merely impacting sand. Kisaiya also misses, but comes closer. Durgan carves out a whole claw, but like a lobster it keeps on coming! He also tries to free Kisaiya but to no avail.
and Poison DC 13 or
and Poison DC 13 or
The reefclaw pins Kisaiya in the sand and squeezes!
Round 2
Mukluk moves to flank and tries to kill the reefjerk.
to hit; (flank)
piercing damage
[ dice=Trepanator]1d20+1[/dice] to hit;
[ dice=]1d6[/dice] cold iron piercing damage
[ dice=MuleBite]1d20+2[/dice] touch to hit;
[ dice=Divine]1d4[/dice] damage
[ dice=MuleKicks]1d20+2[/dice] touch to hit;
[ dice=Force]1d4[/dice] damage
AC: 12/12/10 + 1 w/shield
Fort/Ref/Will: +1/+2/+7
HP: 12/12
Focus: 0/3
Hero Points: 0/3
Speed: 20'
Luck? 0/1 used
Mule bites: 0/7 used
Durgan strikes another blow with his axe, taking advantage of Mukluk's distraction.
Mukluk does indeed slay the reefclaw, however it lashes out wildly in a death throw!
and Poison DC 13 or
and Poison DC 13 or
Wasting its attacks it then begins to bleed.
Kisaiya is no longer grappled and is free to move and attack orange. Durgan, presumably, does the same.
Durgan does, in fact, move north and attack the other Reefclaw.
Kisaiya has a direct line to the remaining reefclaw, so she decides to charge it down.
HP: 16/22
AC: 19/10/17
Saves: F5/R2/W5
Hero Points: 1
Smite Evil Used: 0/1
Lay on Hands Used: 0/3
Second Chance
Spells/Effects Active: Shield Gauntlet Style, charge
[ dice]1d20+6[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d6+3[/dice] damage.
Rory smacks orange once again, further wounding it. Mukluk takes out the southern reefclaw which thrashes about in death. Kisaiya moves up and smacks the northern one - finishing it! It lashes out with its death throws before Durgan has a chance to close.
Poison DC 13 or
Poison DC 13 or
Rory is hit once by the thrashing for just a scratch, but the poison settles into his system perhaps.
"Ah, take that again, you slimy mongrel!" Mukluk picks down again at the reefclaw in case it gets back up.
piercing damage
"Haw! Haw! Haw!" Mukluk cheers. "Those griefclaws weren't nothing." He looks over to see how the rest are doing and wondering if the wand is needed.
Durgan heals Kisaiya's wounds.
He then looks in the lagoon where the Reefclaws came from, mainly looking for remains of victims.
Kisaiya nods at Durgan’s healing. ”Thanks. I appreciate it.”
She looks over the reefclaws, curious as to whether there is anything of use to harvest for crafting, such as carapace for armor or blades for weapons, as well as whether they are edible as Rory suggested.
Durgan would know they understand, but cannot speak, the common tongue. They use it to eavesdrop on fisherfolk so as to better target them. So... intelligent? Or just crafty? Hard to know.
The party searches for loot or other signs in the lagoon, but find nothing in particular. Kisaiya feels that no one has passed this way in some time, though the reefclaws look well fed.
As the party is quite close to the cemetery, Durgan goes there for a closer look.
He carefully opens the iron gates, and walks through, looking for tracks, recently-disturbed graves, or anything out of place. He looks for dates and names on the stones.
Mukluk waits for Durgan to check out the cemetery, and will guide the party up if nothing of interest is found.
Kisaiya follows after Durgan, keeping an eye out for any restless dead or signs of their passing. They have already faced undead connected to this place once, so she considers it all-the-more likely there will be more.
The 15’ tall cemetery gates open with some difficulty, and with a metal on metal shriek that echos throughout the otherwise quiet region. It is clear no one has used these gates in at least a few seasons. A small flock of multi-colored birds rises to the air from beyond the gates, startled by the sound. You see the cemetery beyond.
This clearing consists of a low hill containing a couple of dozen graves. A stone crypt sits atop the hill to the east. The entire graveyard is unusually well tended - the grass appears to be weeded and the gravestones are quite clean. Someone has been caring for this area, and recently.
It looks like a marvelous garden. You find the cemetery to be quite beautiful nestled in the forest as it is. Peaceful.
Kisaiya searches for tracks, but despite the clear care someone, or something, is making with the garden, there are few clues. However, in one muddy spot near a moss covered, but well tended grave stone, she does spy a tiny set of booted footprints.
Mukluk will inch forward with the group. He wishes Moose was there. Moose loves overgrown areas as much as he does eating well-tended grass.
"Pretty nice graveyard," Mukluk notes, looking around and trying to be respectful.
She holds a hand up so nobody walks where she is looking. ”Footprints. Tiny. With boots.”
”Footprints. Tiny. With boots.”
Mukluk begins to laugh. "Oh, that could be Moose. Moose loves a good prank! HAW! HAW! HAW!!" He looks around. "Moose? You out there?! You got her good, you done did! Good job Moosey! This was a good one! HAW HAW HAW!!"
Mukluk waits for Moose to reveal himself, the jackass.
As the shrieking gates may have drawn attention, Durgan scans the area for any signs of movement.
Perhaps someone might come to investigate - better to find out that way if the castle is occupied.
The party carefully makes their way into the graveyard, except for Storm who bounds ahead and makes a circuit of the place. Rory will notice, beyond the crypt, what looks initially like a gravestone, might actually be a small shrine. At speed, he didn’t get a good look.
Mukluk doesn't see Moose. He must be very good at hiding!
Durgan sees no movement from the direction of the castle, though nearby it seemed to startle the wildlife, so there’s quite a bit of movement until the creature relax again. Nothing seems to get closer to the party however - just away.
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Mukluk waits for Moose to come out, braying with delight at the very good joke.
Seeing that Rory has stopped to examine something, Durgan will come up and take a look at the stone or shrine.
Rory looks at the footprints, and they are much too small for even his kind. Each print might even fit into the depression of his big toe!
You pass the crypt, and head to the shrine Rory found. It is clear to Durgan, that it is a shrine to Desna, with plenty of butterflies in the motifs, and a small marble statue of the deity holding aloft a small copper bowl.
The bowl is currently about half full of rainwater, but strangely the water is crystal clear. No insects, debris, or other detritus can be found in the water of the bowl. It is quite pure.
Perception checks if you please. You can take 10 if you want.
"Whatcha all doing? You find Moose yet?" Mulkuk looks around. "I bet he's here someplace."
Perception
"That's Desna, Rory."
He is clearly uncomfortable with the savage beast being allowed to lick the shrine water, but says nothing. Desna might be fine with it, who knows?
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"That's Desna, Rory."
Mukluk looks around for Desna, and is thankful not to see her because he's pretty sure that Moose would have a hard time pulling off a trick like that.
"Ceci n'est pas une pipe," Mukluk responds in dwarven.
Kisaiya is too distracted hearing an unexpected language, not to mention her continuing anxiety about Ameiko.
Spotting the shrine at least, she begins wondering if there is any significance to it being here and the propriety of partaking of the water.
Mukluk almost misses it, but he catches sight of something tiny, bright, and butterfly lookin flying behind one of the nearby tombstones. It was peering at the party and ducked behind the large stone just as he looked. Still, he’s sure there’s something there.
Storm laps up some of the water happily, and does not turn into stone or anything unusual.