"A good haul indeed. We should rest here the night to recover ourselves and our magic before tackling the cave. We also need to divide these goods as there are items here that may help us defeat the Demon. Throw the dead into the ocean, and then let us stretch out and recover our strength in the comforts this ship offers... at least the creatures wont try stalk us surrounded by water"
1. Lesser Rod of Metamagic: Merciful
2. Lesser Rod of Metamagic: Enlarge
3. Ring of Protection +1
4. Cloak of Arachnida
Ho! Mercus! Good thinking lad! Keep those eyes peeled!
Kabal then took the time to clean his sword properly and shedding his armor before beginning the wise task of dumping the dead overboard.
As an aside to Winter: "Spare a thought for whether you think it's worth me slipping back to Croat and coming back with a claim crew."
"Croat has always been fair and reasonable in my dealings with him; if you believe he might have men to spare to get this ship back to Riddleport then it would be a great outcome, the Pirates won't be able to steal the ship as they have insufficient crew... so its not going anywhere"
Caterine looks to the others to ken their interest in Croat being made aware of the ship.
The big man didnt like the idea of letting Croat have the boat but that could just be a gut reaction...What does it really matter either way?..
Bah! Make that pig faced bastard pay us for it or cut a deal with Aaron. Still it does make a good place to whole up for a night.
His mind spoken he gets back to tossing pirate bodies over the side.
Mercus soon finds a comfortable position in the crow's nest and shouts back
Yeah! Will keep my eyes open - just in case these cowards are driven off of the island by the akata-things!
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"I would like the magical feather token, and the wand of magic missile if no one else lays claim to them. We should keep the scrolls, beyond that I will take a share of coin once everything is sorted and sold."
Sable looks up towards the boy. "I shall join you, the nest would be most comfortable. Caterine, if you feel you have a chance to slip past the akata and reach Croat or Aaron you should take it, but I would request you take at least one with you."
After deciding what to do, Sable with take 20 climbing up beside Mercus.
Sebastian comes up wearing one of the Captain's piratey=styled coats and helping carry the spoils from below. "Let's hold off on the burning if we can. There is a load of fine silks down there, that the woman of Riddleport would be quite appreciative to see."
Looking over the haul, "Winter, you should take the healing wand since Sable and I already carry one. And I believe I have enough stage fencing to put either magic sword to use. But This is just fascinating." Sebastian experimentally pulls the stopper in and out for a few seconds each time crating slightly larger wafts of smoke each time. The last time long enough to obscure him before he emerges from the cloud brandishing his new sword and coat. A-Ha!...I can definitely see the dramatic potential of this marvelous little item....can I keep it?"
All thats realloy left of the island is the big puch at the Drow I presume.
"Well," She says, hoping down off of her crate and sliding her dagger into its sheath.[/b]"I don't really care what we do with the boat, but if we involve Croat, we'd better be looking to make sure we get our proper share."[/b]
She begins checking over the bodies as Kabal prepares to toss them over the edge. Offering to help hoist the weight by grabbing the arms if he'll grab the legs.
Mercus grins as Sable enters the crow's nest
Somehow I though you would reach this place from above, not below, heh.
He points at Kabal and Cat who have just begun to abseil from the ship's flank.
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The warm water washing over the reef feels good at first, but once it has become salt incrustations, you will begin to hate it...the walk back to the camp is surprisingly easy, not a single akata crosses your path and besides some birds, the pirate guards at the camp are the first living beings you meet
Aye, who's there?
one of the men calls as he hears you approaching.
Caterine keeps silent on the stalk back to camp, though is thankful to have the angry one there if there was cause for conflict. To the sentry she calls "It's Caterine... we need to talk to Aron, assuming Croat's still out of it."
Nope, de boss is back...has sent most 'o de men to a sea cave he saw in some kind of crazy vision...guess he has become loco loco, heh! Aron is with him, only a handful of us are left.
Cat mutters "Crap" before following up "Is Sven here?"
To Kabal "If they've gone to the drow, then they could be dead or worse. I'd say we need to gather the ones left behind and get them to the ship... only way to keep them safe."
Sven? Ummm...wait.... the man turns round, peers over to the tents and nods
Aye, over dere, next to his tent.
Kabal had been thankful for the quiet trip to the camp. This was typically a talkative bunch and no that he didnt always have an opinion; he just preferred to brood in silence.
Sounds like a plan. Will they follow you or do we need to crack some heads to get them moving?
Caterine adds as an aside "Lets see to getting Sven onside, with him and ye cracking a whip then we'll be doing well."
Drawing up to Sven's tent Caterine greets the Ulfen and asks what he knows of Croat and Aron's plans.
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"Although I could have soared into the nest with you, I need to keep those winds in reserve for more practical uses against these alien foes and my ebon kin. But here we can pass the night, and have a fair view of ongoings."
Sable drapes his heavy cloak over the boy's shoulders and gazes out from horizon to horizon.
"Do you know the tongue of the elves? My companion would gladly converse with you, say hello, Korax."
The tongue of the elves? No sir, have to admit that I'm not even sure that I've ever heard it... he pauses for a moment and his gaze becomes lost as he looks up to the sky What do you mean - you have to reserve these winds? Can't you use your magical power whenever you want?
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Sven quickly throws some half-finished(and pretty crooked) arrows away
Bah, Croat should look for a bowyer - not the kind of work an Ulfen pirate should do. Good to see you two - what, Croat's plans? Heh...suddenly he stormed out of his tent and shouted something like "No one - especially no elf - has the right to screw Boss Croat's mind up!"...yeah, and then he assembled the men and they went to the cliff - don't ask me, guess he's totally nuts.
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"When I was younger I would speak to the winds, they sent me Korax to guide me and lend me magicks to further my goals. To call upon that power takes energy, just as it did for us to fight those sharp beaked cannibals. As I journey, the winds tell Korax more secrets of power that he shares with me. Some learn these powers by books and manuscripts, others feel it in their blood, others still channel the power of the gods. Very few mortals have limitless magic, or at least none that I have met or heard of. When the mind is rested, there is magic to unlock for those that know how, and fortunately for us, there are many keys to those locks. Winter calls his power from Mighty Erastil, Sebastian's spells flow through his performances, mine are gleaned from my corvid companion."
Sable runs his fingers over Korax as he explains his magic to the boy.
Sebastian heads back below. He is looking for the Captain's logbook. He figures a detailed account of the Pirate's travels might be an interesting study, or at the least, worthy of dramatization.
Later he spends time swinging the new sword, getting used to its balance.
Once Bree is dry, while they await the return of Kabal and Caterine, Bree tucks herself back behind some crates and other such things to get the salt off of her body. She removes her top, setting the two daggers she carries on he upper half on top of it before she begins brushing her the salt from herself. Once her top half is complete, she puts her shirt back on and secures her blades before doing the same with her lower half.
Once finished, she pads back out into the opens holding her boots and wet stalkings in hand. She lays them out atop of a crate and then perches beside them. She lets the braid loose from her hair, and wrings any excess moisture from it, scrapping salt from her scalp. As her hair and stalkings dry, she uses a bit of scrap cloth to clean the salt residue from the crevices of her blades. She appears quite peaceful, a rather odd look for Bree.
"Bugger... thought as much but this confirms it. That sea-cave is full of drow and worse... so Croat's either turned or dead by now... and everyone in this camp could be next." licking her lips as she carefully considers her next words. "We found a ship Sven.. and her previous crew were happy enough to disembark after aggressive negotiations. Come back with us with any of the others with any sense. Any luck and Croat doesn't know it's there and it'll keep ye free of the drow and safe besides. Once we've dealt with the sea cave ourselves then we'll be back and we can sail back to Riddleport. What do you think? - many of the other bastards worth trusting?"
As an afterthought "'Sides, if ye come we ken wrangle ye up some straight arrows..." smirking companionably.
"Nice to see you finally feeling at home Bree" Winter has already magicaly refreshed what food and water was to hand, and the clean sustenance laid on in abundance for the party.
"Out in the hills and mountains we work the land for a living the way Erastil guides us, and a good mark of a prosperous and safe habitat is how those that do the daily toil conduct their jobs and maintain their tools. I note you do both quite well. It's true this is no farm, however the principles are the same... surround yourself with a good family of decent folk who know the value of their tools and the meaning of a hard days work carried out with vigour and one need never worry about where their meal or shelters might be coming from each night. So here I am, and there you are, and we have food and shelter again this night. Small miracles eh?"
Winter goes back to prodding the little fire he has the food warming over.
"Indeed. Here I am, and there you are. Food and shelter. For one more night." She hops down off of the crate, sliding the last of her freshly cleaned daggers home. She ambles over to Winter, bare feet and all to look over the food he's preparing. The normal three feet or so she keeps between herself and others when possible, diminished to a mere foot and a half as she stops besides the Aasimar. A hint of a playful smile dances across her lips as she asks, "You're certain we're not eating people tonight?"
"Fairly certain, but it was a bit dark when I started cooking I suppose..." he pokes at the meat suspiciously, then bursts out laughing. After he wipes his eye off he gets back to cooking, "A shame those Pirates chose to draw steel on us rather than listen to reason, but then good that it was us they drew it on and not some helpless innocents with no way of defending themselves. I pray that woman turns over a new leaf and her fellows can follow her fine example, though I accept that some days a toad is a toad no matter how hard one tries to believe it could be a prince."
Winter maintains watching the fire, avoiding any movement or sign that Bree might warn Bree to raise her guard again.
Bree startles slightly at the abrupt laughter, but soon finds pleasure in seeing the big man without the weight of the world on his shoulders. "Aye, better us, though I can't say I blame them much we did come aboard their ship without invite, we didn't even announce ourselves." After a pause, "Perhaps she will. Maybe you'll find her again some day, and she'll thank you for helping her to find a better path in life."
Caterine had made a good point and one worthy of some worry. Croat and his men being killed by the drow was something that wouldnt bother the mercenary at all. He wouldnt even raise an eyebrow over the loss. But if they were turned tobe in league with the dark hearted devils then the group was in for quite the fight when they breached the cave again.
And Sven, you lot need to move fast. No telling what's happening in that cave and we can't afford to dally in gettnig in there and cleaning it up.
Mercus looks at Korax as if the bird was the kind of puzzle you won't ever solve
The raven...I mean Korax gives you magical power? I understand that Winter gets his power from Erastil and that Sebastian is so cool that the magic just comes to him, but a bird? That's weird!...Weird in the fantastic way, you know?!
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Sven grins as the vision of him being helmsman becomes more and more palpable
Keep yer arrows, lass. Tell you what: I drum up the men and we march to your ship - hey, it's a big one, isn't it? And then you can follow Croat into that s~@*hole of a cave.
Caterine returns the smile and helps Sven to gather all willing to come. Once ready, she'll join Kabal in leading them back to the ship.
The men are flabbergasted as they reach the reef and spot the beached Teeth of Arkasha. Sven wipes the sweat from his forehead and looks at you with an expression of disbelief
Erm...you found that ship? Ummm, Cat, that's Captain Grudge's ship...it already has an owner...one famour for his long memory...
Caterine doesn't pause in her stride, responding non-chalantly "Oh aye, it had a Captain... but he disagreed with Kabal here"
Sven looks at Kabal - it takes some moments until he realizes what you hinted at
You killed Captain Treeg? Wow...I guess his grudge for that will be eternal, big man...you better not meet him in hell, heh.
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Kabal had made the trek in his typical brooding way but at Sven's warning he couldnt resist breaking his silence.
Hell is something I'm very looking forward to then.
He had a vague memory of already having been there judged by some damn drow of all things!
He'll just have to get in line and when I get to him I'll cut him down again. He didnt put up much of a fight the first time and I doubt he will the second.
Kabal waved towards the ship hoping Mercus was still keeping watch in the crow's nest.
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Mercus stands up and flies the Jolly Roger he found in the crow's nest. A black flag with a skull and crossed cutlasses on it.
He prods Sable with his elbow and points at Kabal and the others
They're back - with guests! I'll tell the others.
and so the boy calls down to the deck that Cat and Kabal are back.
Looks safe. Let's get going.
Kabal leads the way wading out to the ship and then up onto it. He'll waste no time gathering the others and filling them in on whats happened.
Croat got a wild hair up his arse and has taken most of his men on to the cave leaving these few. We reckoned they could hold the ship and stay stafe while we clean up that nest of drow. I dont think we can afford to dally either.
Caterine listens to Kabal's explanation and finds it adequate, refraining from any further details. Her thoughts turn to the awaiting sea-cave... and the perilous journey across the slippery rock path...
Bree listens as Kabal informs them of Croats whereabouts before asking the newcomers, "How many men exactly did Croat take with him to face down the drow?"
"So tomorrow we will no doubt be rescuing Croat amongst other things... with luck the Demon might not be there at least"
"Or on the bright side, it will be well fed and not very hungry when we face it."
Or Croat's and all have been turned and we have to cut them down along with the drow. It will be ugly either way.