S&S GM's page

I am alive. Unfortunately, it's been exactly 6 months since gaming with you. I took over GMing a weekly home game with some friends, running the Kingmaker AP. It's a doozy for prep, what with it being such a sandbox campaign.
If you are still interested, we can pick up with y'all at the lighthouse (having no trouble making it back there) and securing it as your base of operations from this point.
If you aren't interested anymore, no worries - I understand that my flakiness is pretty terrible.
Hope you are well, and that you are looking forward to a good week.

Sorry man, Holy Week was a beast at church. I should have something for you later today.

Back in town later than I had thought. I'll follow up tomorrow. Hope you are well!

Ok, so need to write up the following rolls. I'll do this once im at a keyboard again.
Day 17: No fort saves (Ishirou is already inoculated)
Day 18: Fort saves for Gasha, Jask, and Theria
Day 19: Fort save for Gustav

Random Encounters will occur at the following times. Tell me who you want with you for each, then I'll tell you the opponent.
Day 18: Afternoon and Night
Day 19: Morning and Afternoon

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Ok, did the math, looks like it'll be about 22 hours of hiking. Unless you do a Forced March, it'll take 2.75 days of hiking to get there. I'll assume that you will walk normally for the rolls below.

Here is our Map.

The Red Stars are your starting campsite, Pezock's Site, and the Lighthouse. The Red Dashes are your travel line (best I can figure). The Blue Squares are where you set camp for the night. The Red Circle is where you figure Ishirou's treasure map leads.

No worries. So what I'll do right now is roll for some random encounters and chance that someone catches a disease. If nothing comes up, I'll just figure out the amount of time it would take you to get to the lighthouse (going for Pezock first) and then you can either put together a crew to go get the treasure, or start making craft(carpentry) checks. If there is a random encounter, we'll handle it Final Fantasy Tactics style: you will be in the fight with three others of your choosing from your party, since you have so many to choose from. Sound good? Here we go.

Just a reminder/FYI that I'll be out of town all next week, so this week is going to be a little crazy. I'm hoping that on the airplane and in the hotels I can get some WIFI for the iPad, but no guarantees.

Sorry, busy week.

Ishirou pulls out the map and shows you what is - essentially, a scrap of coastline with an 'x'. The map indicates that to find the spot where the treasure is buried, one must to climb to the top of the hill and wait for sunrise. At dawn, one must simply walk to a point atop the hill where the sun seems to be rising directly between the two spike-shaped rocks protruding from the sea to the ease.
As you look at the coastline and judge the distance, you realize that it is describing the portion of the island just south of where you found the raft that Ieana and Kovack had used to escape the ship, and just north of where you camped and encountered the ghost of captain Kinkarian.

"So, you have been over this island," Ishirou states. "Any idea where this might be?"

Yeah, I didn't figure that you were still carrying all, so thanks for clariypfying who has what and where.

Ok, thinking have them all here. Between Cyrioul and Jask, you have all magic items identified. If you could note which items you are wanting to carry, that's be great. If you want to know where something comes from,I can probably recall.

MWK Studded Leather
MWK Short Sword
A block of tackle
three large canvas sheets
two fishing nets
a grappling hook
two bullseye lanterns
12 flasks of oil
150 feet of rope
five shovels
24 trail rations
Jenivere's sea charts and maps
Bottle of Chelaxian Brandy
darkwood model of the Jenivere in a glass bottle worth 100 gp
1105.72 GP 
Ten potions of cure light wounds
a potion of cure moderate wounds
Six potions of lesser restoration
a potion of remove disease
a potion of water breathing
a potion of water walking
masterwork dagger - Jask
a suit of leather armor - Jask
two potions of cure light wounds - Jask
a holy symbol of Nethys - Jask
spell component pouch - Jask
gold locket worth 500 GP
+1 dagger
Brine Demon ledgers and journals
Darkwood coffer
MWK dagger
light wooden shield x12
41 javelins
scimitar x16
red pearl amulet x12 each worth 50 gp
wand of vampiric touch (8 charges)
heavy wooden shield
+1 scimitar - Aerys
Klorak's red pearl amulet worth 500 gp
three antitoxins
two smokesticks
three tanglefoot bags
a thunderstone
432 cp, 284 sp, 123 gp, and jewelry worth 250 gp
bracers of armor +1 - Cyrioul asks to use these after he identifies them
wand of mirror image (5 charges)
Nightvoice captain's log
Climbing kit

Yep! Permanent they are indeed. I'll try to remember when I hit you with a Compulsion spell, but do remind me just in case it happens. No worries re: Tuesday. I'll see what I can do this afternoon.

Gelik happily permits copying, particularly a translation from the encoded journal.

There are no interruptions to sleep that evening, and you quickly wake.

Gustav appears to be coming down with something, and so both Jask and Theria attend to him. "We may want to use the potion in your satchel that cures diseases, if we wish to move now," Jask informs you.

Ishirou bows at your words, the Tian man quietly informing you that he fought off a disease some days past. Though it did not kill him, it did weaken him considerably for some days.
He pauses a moment, then offers, "There is another opportunity on this island, and from your tale you clearly have not found it. A treasure, to which I have come across a map. It will be time before another ship will retrieve us - would there be any harm in searching for a bit of treasure? I offer a split, 70 - 30. It is my map, after all. What say you?"

Yeah, Jask's was getting the papers off of the ghost captain's ship. This is Ishirou's (finding the treasure). Still working on the loot list.
You've gained the following benefits from completing quests:
Aerys - +1 to Will saves vs. Compulsion
Gelik - +1 bonus to the save DC of any charm or language-dependent effect a PC uses
Jask - +2 bonus on concentration checks
Sasha - +1 to Initiative

No worries, let me work something up, too re: loot and we'll compare.

You take the remainder of the day, and into the early evening, deciphering the text of the logbook while others pack up (as much as possible) their gear from the camp. The first watch is already underway by the time you finish, but you have pieced together an account most peculiar from the Captain of the Nightvoice.

The crew had been taking the astounding voyage of going around the southern end of Garund, and were well on their way home to Almas to report their findings to their lodge when a strange leathery pod they'd discovered in a seaside cavern burst open, infecting nearly the entire crew with russet mold spores—only Captain Havner Ames managed to resist the infection. As he watched his friends and crew succumb to the infection, he knew that he couldn't allow the strange bulb (which had closed up on itself and was pulsing with a foul life, as if replenishing its store of spores) to reach the coast. Yet the Nightvoice was now adrift on a current that would swiftly take it to the coast of Sargava. It was all Captain Ames could do to alter the large ship's course on his own so that it instead crashed against the rocks here. Delirious and mad, Captain Ames abandoned the wrecked ship and climbed over the island, hoping to find a place to hide the fungal bulb away where it could do no more damage. The final entries contain the captain's plan to "carry the blasphemous pod up to the top of a rock spire to the east of this island” in an attempt to hide it away from the prying eyes of humanity.

Gelik gives a low whistle at the end of the account, and begins selectively going back over a few entries of the book that had caught his eye earlier. "Such a log of travel... My friend, you have a treasure without compare in your possession here! You must help me return this to Almas someday, and on to Absolom, where we will enter the names of the crew on the Wall of Names, and so record their brave travels." He hops up and capers about. "This is it! Gelik is back in the Society! They'll never kick me out again, and they'd be right not to! There may even be a field commission in for you, Aaron - ha ha!" he cheers.

This display draws somewhat cross looks from others, who are preparing for sleep, and eventually Gelik settles down.

Gelik takes a closer look, and rubs a thumb over a symbol embossed into the cover. "The Glyph of the Open Road," he says, appreciatively. "My fellow pathfinders were into shipping, it seems." He begins flipping pages...
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
...and, though frowning, turns the book over in his hands. "This will take time to decipher. We Pathfinders are good at our codemaking. If you can't make a good code, people won't take you seriously. And they'd be right not to!" He plops down on a rock next to you. "Looks like we should put our heads together on this one!"

The others listen somberly to the news of Captain Kovack and his treachery, but perk up at the news of the lighthouse. Ishirou and Surtin look a little less frightened at the possibility of a more secure location.

Jask nods, and converses with Theria about everyone's health.

Gustav begins protesting about a long walk across the island, but eventually agrees that it is likely the best approach.

Gelik looks intently at the book you are studying after he has collected his things, and asks, "Can I ask where you picked that up? It must be quite something to hold your attention."

Holy crap was that a lot of rolling on the side.

You take two hours to cross the mile wide point and reach the cliff leading down, with no incident. By lowering Jask with the ropes, you are able to all easily climb down with the aid of Pezock's climber's kit.

"Hello!?" Jask calls out and heads for the camp. "Are you there? It is us - we have returned! Hello?!"

You hear a hoarse male voice cry in response, "Hello!? Show yourselves! We'll not be fooled again!" 

This is followed by, "Hush, Surtin, don't be a fool. It's those idiots that left us to die here," coming from the aristocrat, Gustav." Yes, we are here! Come out! And do watch out for the snares. They really are for the more edible animals."

When you emerge from the trees, you see that the small encampment that you initially left has grown by a few shelters. All the others are there, though Surtin eyes you warily, and Ishirou appears downright panicked, but not necessarily by you - more a general state. Gustav snorts at you, then stalks over to one of the shelters. Cyrioul and Theria greet you warmly, glad to have you back. Gasha, the half orc, simply grunts and goes back to roasting an animal over a fire. Gelik bounds up and greets you with a quip, asking if you've come with a delivery of wine for the resort.

Cyrioul gives a rather quick account of the past twelve days, but it is mostly around the following actions by each of the NPCs:
-Cyrioul helped to defend the camp from wandering animals, all the while studying e immediate vicinity of the jungle.
-Gasha hunted and scavenged for food.
-Gelik kept the others entertained, and had a bad couple days of being afflicted by a disease.
-Gustav sat and refused to do anything until Sasha stopped feeding him. Then he turned to keeping the shelters clean and sanitary, more for his own sake than the others.
-Ishirou has not fared we'll on the island, and has apparently been scared out of his mind most of the time. He has helped set traps agains animals, but - on a bad day - whenever a trap goes off there is a chance that Ishirou will go running off for the trees, and one of the others will have to bring him back.
-Surtin recovered from the poison, and has guarded the camp.
-Theria has been the primary caretaker for all in camp, seeing to their ills and healing them.

Theria and Gelik recount that though they were mostly safe the first several days, perhaps a week ago they began having more attacks against the camp, including a constrictor snake, a wandering cannibal that managed to find his way here, a few vipers, and a pack of dire rats. "Not very tasty," Gelik makes a face, "No one would believe me if I told them I had eaten one - and they'd be right not to!"

"And what of you?" the Garundi wizard asks. "It has been a long twelve days in your absence, and you seem a bit worse for wear, but hopeful-looking enough."

Ok, caught back up! I think that rather than giving word for word sentences (unless you specifically ask for them), I'll mostly give you a general sense of how an NPC responds. Some may have specific questions, but I'm realizing now that in my desire to give you lots of NPC options, I gave you too many. Let me know what you tell them.

Day 8
1d100 ⇒ 69
1 Constrictor Snake
4d6 ⇒ (5, 1, 1, 4) = 11

Day 9
1d100 ⇒ 57
1d4 ⇒ 1 Cannibals
4d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 5, 1) = 12

Day 10
1d100 ⇒ 63
1d4 ⇒ 3 Vipers
4d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 5, 1) = 15

Day 11
1d100 ⇒ 4
1d6 ⇒ 5 Dire Rats
4d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 1, 6) = 18

Day 15
1d100 ⇒ 10
1d4 ⇒ 1 Giant Centipedes
4d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 1, 5) = 15

Day 4
1d100 ⇒ 37
1d100 ⇒ 36
1d100 ⇒ 69
1d100 ⇒ 25

Day 5
1d100 ⇒ 95
1d100 ⇒ 56
1d100 ⇒ 52
1d100 ⇒ 98

Day 6
1d100 ⇒ 81
1d100 ⇒ 71
1d100 ⇒ 70
1d100 ⇒ 97

Day 7
1d100 ⇒ 13
1d100 ⇒ 32
1d100 ⇒ 44
1d100 ⇒ 46

Day 8
1d100 ⇒ 6
1d100 ⇒ 86
1d100 ⇒ 82
1d100 ⇒ 63

Day 9
1d100 ⇒ 31
1d100 ⇒ 81
1d100 ⇒ 1
1d100 ⇒ 80

Day 10
1d100 ⇒ 71
1d100 ⇒ 63
1d100 ⇒ 40
1d100 ⇒ 7

Day 11
1d100 ⇒ 13
1d100 ⇒ 40
1d100 ⇒ 10
1d100 ⇒ 36

Day 12
1d100 ⇒ 29
1d100 ⇒ 66
1d100 ⇒ 34
1d100 ⇒ 69

Day 13
1d100 ⇒ 62
1d100 ⇒ 49
1d100 ⇒ 15
1d100 ⇒ 96

Day 14
1d100 ⇒ 62
1d100 ⇒ 66
1d100 ⇒ 59
1d100 ⇒ 62

Day 15
1d100 ⇒ 87
1d100 ⇒ 64
1d100 ⇒ 6
1d100 ⇒ 69

After Week two:
Cyrioul: Hopeful
Gelik: Hopeful
Ishirou: Panicked
Surtin: Frightened
Theria: Hopeful

Cyrioul 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Gelik 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Ishirou 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Surtin 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Theria 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

Cyrioul 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Gelik 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Ishirou 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
Surtin 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Theria 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Cyrioul 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Gelik 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Ishirou 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Surtin 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Theria 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Cyrioul 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Gelik 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Ishirou 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
Surtin 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Theria 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Cyrioul 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Gelik 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Ishirou 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Surtin 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Theria 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Cyrioul 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Gelik 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Ishirou 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16
Surtin 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Theria 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Cyrioul 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Gelik 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Ishirou 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Surtin 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Theria 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

After Week One:
Cyrioul: Normal
Gelik: Normal
Ishirou: Frightened
Theria: Normal

Cyrioul 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13 +1
Gelik 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 -1
Ishirou 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4 0-1
Surtin 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10 0
Theria 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10 0

Cyrioul 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11 0
Gelik 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19 +1
Ishirou 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1 -1
Surtin 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13 +1
Theria 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18 +1

Cyrioul 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4 -1
Gelik 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12 0
Ishirou 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (6) - 1 = 5 -1
Surtin 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 -1
Theria 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10 0

Cyrioul 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14 +1
Gelik 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20 +1
Ishirou 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (15) - 1 = 14 +1
Surtin 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18 +1
Theria 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12 0

Female Human Oracle CR 1/2
CN Medium humanoid
Init +0; Senses Perception +0

Defense
AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 dex, +2 armor)
hp 6 (1d8+2)
Fort -1, Ref +2, Will +2

Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee longspear +1 (1d8+1, x3) or dagger +1 (1d4+1, 19-20, 10')

Statistics
Str 12, Dex 14, Con 8, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 17
Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 13

Feats
Human) Toughness
Level 1) Oracular Intuition

Skills
) Acrobatics +6
) Heal +4
) Perform (Sing) +4
) Sense Motive +6
) Spellcraft +7
) Stealth +6

Languages Common, Auran

Combat Gear leather armor, longspear, 3x dagger
Other Gear traveler's outfit

Special
Wind Mystery: Air Barrier
Haunted Curse

Orisons:
) Create Water
) Detect Magic
) Ghost Sound
) Mage Hand
) Purify Food and Drink
) Stabilize

Level One:
) Endure Elements
) Obscuring Mist
) Cure Light Wounds 1d8+1

Ishirou 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Cyrioul 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Cyrioul 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

Gasha 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

Ghasha
1d100 ⇒ 40
1d100 ⇒ 92
1d100 ⇒ 38
1d100 ⇒ 100
1d100 ⇒ 41

1d100 ⇒ 39
1d100 ⇒ 51
1d100 ⇒ 14
1d100 ⇒ 8
1d100 ⇒ 59

1d100 ⇒ 53
1d100 ⇒ 24
1d100 ⇒ 64
1d100 ⇒ 13
1d100 ⇒ 76

Cyrioul
1d100 ⇒ 7
1d100 ⇒ 30
1d100 ⇒ 57
1d100 ⇒ 85
1d100 ⇒ 36

1d100 ⇒ 35
1d100 ⇒ 89
1d100 ⇒ 68
1d100 ⇒ 35
1d100 ⇒ 62

1d100 ⇒ 83
1d100 ⇒ 75
1d100 ⇒ 63
1d100 ⇒ 5
1d100 ⇒ 71

Ishirou
1d100 ⇒ 82
1d100 ⇒ 65
1d100 ⇒ 90
1d100 ⇒ 9
1d100 ⇒ 99

1d100 ⇒ 39
1d100 ⇒ 94
1d100 ⇒ 87
1d100 ⇒ 90
1d100 ⇒ 74

1d100 ⇒ 66
1d100 ⇒ 86
1d100 ⇒ 32
1d100 ⇒ 48
1d100 ⇒ 68

Dangit, yeah, I did. Well, I dropped the Skull and Shackles game back when I disappeared last fall due to work, and did not pick it up again, and Weynolt is a whole separate login from my primary one. Kept me from impulse buys for a while, but then I got this one logged back in across devices. The KMGM one I'm running to "test out" kingmaker because I may be running it for friends in RL here within the year or so, and wanted to check some things for balance. Still mostly trying to get posts in every 36 hours or so, but apologies that I've been behind this week. Tidying up some of the writing now for the next post. Should have it for you in a couple hours.

Gelik has been unconscious for three days when the party returns.

1d100 ⇒ 37

1d3 ⇒ 1

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Gelik
1d100 ⇒ 14
1d100 ⇒ 100
1d100 ⇒ 10
1d100 ⇒ 35
1d100 ⇒ 94

1d100 ⇒ 48
1d100 ⇒ 92
1d100 ⇒ 65
1d100 ⇒ 10
1d100 ⇒ 26

1d100 ⇒ 42
1d100 ⇒ 100
1d100 ⇒ 67
1d100 ⇒ 65
1d100 ⇒ 61

Surtin
1d100 ⇒ 65
1d100 ⇒ 26
1d100 ⇒ 72
1d100 ⇒ 13
1d100 ⇒ 58

1d100 ⇒ 77
1d100 ⇒ 26
1d100 ⇒ 13
1d100 ⇒ 36
1d100 ⇒ 48

1d100 ⇒ 100
1d100 ⇒ 95
1d100 ⇒ 66
1d100 ⇒ 72
1d100 ⇒ 41

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

1d100 ⇒ 91

1d3 ⇒ 3

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

For self reference:

Gustav
1d100 ⇒ 43
1d100 ⇒ 45
1d100 ⇒ 28
1d100 ⇒ 92
1d100 ⇒ 49

1d100 ⇒ 75
1d100 ⇒ 80
1d100 ⇒ 50
1d100 ⇒ 28
1d100 ⇒ 61

1d100 ⇒ 36
1d100 ⇒ 53
1d100 ⇒ 5
1d100 ⇒ 96
1d100 ⇒ 64

Aerys smiles, and all start chuckling good natured-ly at your later words.

"After this ends," Sasha laughs, "If I do anything, it'll be to stay off of boats! Sorry, Aaron, I'll be on your crew, as long as that boat is on land." She gives you a pat on the shoulder as she leads the group north.

Sorry for delay. Big events a church with Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day. Prepping for the "big return" meeting with the other NPCs here today , while I have the day off. Hope to have something for you before EOD or tomorrow AM.

It takes but a few moments to get to the cliffs, and you are soon on your way up the 100 foot climb.

At 1/4 normal speed, it's a mind-numbing 13 climb checks. Since the rolls were kind and no enemy is attacking you on your way up, you, Sasha and Aerys are able to Take 10 on your Climb Checks. With the climber's kit, this is a challenging but manageable task.

Jask readily admits that he is not strong, or a good climber, and requests to be pulled up once you have all reached the top. It isn't easy, but the three of you are able to accomplish it after some time.

After perhaps a half hour of strenuous activity, you all stand panting at the top of the ridge.

"Well, now for the way back down on the other side," Sasha pants. "Maybe a mile through the jungle to get there?"

Aerys blows out a hard blast of air, then says, "All right! Let's get back to the others and get ourselves out of here. Ready to go, Aaron?"

During your watch, you note little other than the book. The cryptography within is very dense, and you are only beginning to notice patterns in the work before you realize that your watch has come to an end, thankfully without incident.

Do you stay awake and keep working?
Or get rest to be fully prepared to scale the cliff the next day!

My bad, busy weekend and Monday. more here in a bit.

My bad. Thought I had posted this, but turns out I did not.

You travel most of the rest of the day, but encounter no dangerous wildlife. You pass once more one of the camp sites you had previously explored, and the strange, yellow-fungus filled area where you fought the zombie. Past giant crabs scuttling in the shallows, and near twilight, you make it back to the base of the cliff where you first descended after climbing over the cliff.

"How long has it been since we saw the others?" Aerys asks.

"Nearly two weeks, by my reckoning," Jask offers.

"Ha! Enough time to get themselves killed, I suppose," Sasha chortles, to the consternation of the others.

The four of you go about making camp, the now-familiar routines taking but an hour to complete a very serviceable base camp.

Which watch of the night would you like to cover?

No worries, will post in the morning.

He cocks his head back and forth a few times again, then squawks, "The north beach? Haven't been there in years. Cliffs between here and there." He rummages about for a while in a back portion of the crab, then pulls out a sack and sets it at your feet. Inside are ropes, pitons, hammers, and other items for climbing, enough to make it somewhat easier on all those who attempt to traverse the cliffs. "Use this, yes? Then bring it back to me, I'll meet you here and we will go south. Yes?"

Pezock puffs up with pride when you complement the state of his hut, and Sasha does her best to look away and not show a laugh. He ticks his head back and forth for a bit, as though literally weighing thoughts in his head, before making a decisive nod and bustling about his hut. "Yes! Yes! A new home would be better than this old crab, yes. Perhaps I can be the new lighthouse operator here on the island! Keep it working, and no more will come to be here as I have."

He sighs a bit, then picks up something from a makeshift table. "Here," he hands each of you a portion of smoked fish, "Eat first, then we make plans, yes? Must make certain that you are not more ghosts come from the surf, no, no, no, that wouldn't do. Nor would it be..." he trails off as a concerned look comes over his face. "Those ghosts have never talked to me before, but, then, it has been long since I have seen the one ghost that doestalk, though he only ranted and raved about some woman. Pfaugh!"

He throws his hands up a moment, then continues bustling about the hut. "So, you eat, then we go to the lighthouse, yes?"

Oh, yeah! Wow, my bad, sorry for forgetting that one. Yes, you definitely still get the point. My apologies for forgetting.

The crabs movements pause for a moment as you call out your greeting...
1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Dang, that's your diplomacy roll. Nice!

A squawking voice calls out, "Gone? Gone?! You have slain them all! Ha HA HA HA HA! They are so many! And the great captain Zoventai, queen among the Tengu, could not, but you have!" There is a clattering for a bit, before a strange figure emerges from the main portion of the crab. A black feathered Tengu dressed in rags, carrying a sawtooth sabre and a dagger slung at its hips careens forward, clapping and cheering. "Ah, the cannibals never speak to me, and I can tell the truth of your words! Come in, come in from the heat of the day! And take refreshment, come come! I am Pezock, your grateful host. Cme come!" He begins capering back out toward the crab.

The others look at you, grinning, and turn to follow. Sasha snorts quietly, "Zoventai was not a Tengu. Better watch this one, he might be a little... off."

Sounds fun! I'll take a look here in a bit.

EDIT: did your ability scores change? I recall a different array.

No worries! I understand completely

Jask steps forward, about 60' from the crab, and casts a spell. He stands there, concentrating for a few moments. "There is definitely an intelligent mind here, not just e crab. It is wondering why it is being bothere, what will happen to it, whether we will eat it, if it is going to ever see Mediogalti again, if it will honor the memory of a captain Zoventai... It is going on at length on these things, including a tirade against cannibals that does not bear repeating." He shakes his head and turns back to all. "Perhaps if we convince it that the Cannibals are dead? Sasha, you boarded at Mediogalti, I understand. Do you know this captain Zoventai?"

Sasha nods. "She was a cruel captain, but effective. I recall that her ship had a... mascot of sorts, a tengu that cloned around most of the time."

Jask adds, "We'll, whatever we say, it should be calm and peaceable. This mind did not appear to be the most... sound, let us say."

Ok. Don't really have time to homebrew, and most AP content is relatively high magic.

I'll get back to you if possible.