Leviathan's Serpent's Skull: Souls for Smuggler's Shiv

[Leviathan]

Serpent's Skull
Part I: Souls for Smuggler's Shiv



http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/5610/screenshot20120331at804.png

18 Desnus, 4710: Desolation Bay

It has been a long journey. More than a hundred days in all, and most of those at sea. The Jenivere has sailed two thousand miles south from Magnimar. It has passed through open ocean so desolate and grey that it seemed as if the merchant caravel was gliding over the endless glass of the Astral seas between the Spheres. It has sailed past towering cliffs that stood like fortresses against battering whitecaps, past desert coasts where sand met water, and past impenetrable jungle where strange faces peered out at the mysterious vessel. The Jenivere has seen a dozen ports, each more exotic than the last. Even its seasoned hands have gawked like children at the Arch of Aroden at Corentyn. Passing south through Ilizmagorti, Olo, Quent, Port Peril, the Jenivere took on passengers and cargo, all bound for the distant reaches of Sargava and its capital of Eledar.

Now the ship and her passengers are mere hours away from their final dock, and the mood is festive, even as a storm brews on the horizon...

----------------------------------

The Jenivere's mess hall is well-lit by a trio of lanterns hung from a crossbeam overhead. They sway in time with the vessel's motions, rocking back and forth as it is carried upon swelling ocean waves. At a long, thick wooden table in the centre of the canteen, the ship's passengers sit down at the communal benches to what they've come to accept as dinner - watery soup with sodden meat and the occasional withered carrot slice, served in pewter bowls that slide up and down the table slightly with each movement of the ship.

Nonetheless, there is much laughter. A finely dressed gnome, Gelik Aberwhinge, his pointed chin concealed by an equally pointed goatee, is a merchant travelling aboard the ship. He finishes with a ribald tale that has the off-duty crewmen laughing.

The ship rolls suddenly, more sharply than before, sending the candles in the overhead lanterns flickering, and splashing slop across the table from sliding bowls. A few moments later, the door to the mess opens. The wind howls outside on the deck, and rain splashes across the threshold. A tall, wiry man enters, his brown hair tangled and wet, yet he still manages to let a smile flash across his clean-shaven face. You recognize him as Alton Devers, the Jenivere's first mate.

"Felt a bit of a bump?" he asks casually. "Nothing to worry about. Bit of a squall outside, but we'll have you at Eledar safe and sound. You just sit tight and enjoy your, err, fine meal."

He strides over to the seamen in the mess hall, quietly murmuring to them. They stand as one. "See you once the storm's cleared," he adds by way of farewell, even as he turns and exits as quickly as he has come into the rain-lashed world outside, followed by the rest of the ship's crew.

Gelik looks concerned, stroking his beard and twitching nervously. "I say, that doesn't sound promising."

Introduce your characters! Provide a brief physical description so people who haven't had a chance to read over all the sheets know what you look like, and then jump into things! You can assume your characters would at least know each other's names from time already spent together.

[Giant Owlbear]

Severnus skewers a chunk of spongy beef from his bowl, lifting it up with his knife to inspect it. He places it between his teeth, pulling it off his knife. Then he bites down on it as if he's trying to kill it, chewing at it with a vengeance, looking up at Alton with an unreadable expression. A brief, curt nod is the only answer he gives the ship's friendly officer.

When the man leaves, he swallows and speaks, his head turning to look over at Gelik. His voice is a sharp baritone, used to command. "No, Aberwhinge, it does not 'sound promising'. The storms here will slice a ship to ribbons if her crew doesn't have their wits about them. So let us hope that the First Mate is good for more than calming the nerves of passengers."

Having said his piece, the sour Chelaxian goes back to his food, efficiently stabbing another chunk of meat as the process repeats itself once more. He looks around the mess, flint grey eyes appraising the other passengers. A boy who does naught but make japes, a girl with her head in the clouds, a shifty sort of man, and a boaster. He bites down hard on his latest victim. I'll be glad of this voyage's end.

[Blisstake]

A young man wearing a black bandana contently eats the ship's bland food while listening to the tales of Gelik. He scratches uncomfortably at his uneven stubble every now and then, and he makes a mental note to start shaving soon.

Karsis was picked up on the most recent stop at Port Peril, and as one would expect from a denizen of the unofficial capital of the Shackles, he was perfectly at home on the ship. The gnome Gelik, on the other hand seemed as if he had never had to sail through tricky weather before. "We'll be fine, Gelik. No need to piss your panties."

When he initially boarded, Karsis attempted to keep to himself so he wouldn't have to get his story mixed up between a number of crewmates and passengers. That grew tedious after a few days, so the naturally social ex-pirate threw caution to the wind and began chatting up whoever had the time. Gelik in particular had been quite entertaining, keeping everyone in good spirits, but that didn't stop Karsis from poking fun at the gnome's lack of naval experience.

[Mr. Turniphead]

"Don't fear, Master Aberwhinge!" A voice chirped from a little ways away. A petite little woman sat there at a table, no food in front of her, but a stack of garments, sailors clothes by the look, which she was mending wear and tear with the occasional softly uttered prayer. A well polished golden key hung around her neck.

"Boats are meant to get wet, and the wind? Think of it as Gozreh giving us a little extra nudge to make port." a genuine smile crossed her delicate features, her oft present cheery demeanor undimmed by the storm.

With a nod she moved a freshly mended pair of breaches onto a different stack, then paused, looking uncertain.

Wait... which one was the "done" pile?

[Leviathan]

Gelik puffs himself up at Karsis' remark. "My dear man, such impudence! Know that I'd never wet myself whilst talking to a lady. That's simply bad manners." The gnome gives a smirk, nodding back at Karsis to indicate just who he thinks is the lady. He strokes his waxed moustache, his concern momentarily forgotten. He keeps on chattering away. "Be that as it may, mademoiselle," he says to Adelaide, "I rather wish Gozreh could make his help less nauseating." As if on cue, a wave rocks the ship, more fierce than the last, and Gelik goes green.

With a clatter of pans, a pudgy man in a grease-stained apron emerges from the galley. An anchor tattoo sits on one of his meaty shoulders, while is face is stubbly and weather-worn. It's the ship's cook, Rambar Terillo. "Got some fine ale 'ere for ye, t' celebrate makin' port." He bustles about, handing out large mugs that slosh precariously each time the boat sways. "Best drink up 'afore it spills."

Thunder cracks in the sky outside the ship. Audible from the deck above the mess are the sounds of voices, nearly drowned out by the storm. "...Off course, sir... have to turn about..." It's followed by: "...the course. No turning yet... Have no fear..." Rambar grimaces slightly.

[Blisstake]

Karsis rolls his eyes at the gnome's comment, "Good one there, Gelik. Real clever."

When the ale comes out, Karsis grabs a mug and thanks the chef. The boat's movements were becoming increasingly erratic, to the point where even he was getting a bit nervous. "They'd better know what they're doing up there."

[RocketMan]

Jasper Ridleigh sits in one corner of the mess hall with a look of studied apathy upon his face, occasionally glancing up from a small book in his hands with a look of mild irritation at the sounds of the lashing storm. The young man has angular, delicate features and bright blue eyes. At last he lets out a little sigh and snaps the book shut, giving up the endeavour.

"It appears our crew isn't especially fond of this particular gift," Jasper says wryly, quirking an eyebrow as the shouts from above deck join the sounds of the storm. "Still," he shrugs, "it does sound as if they're trying to keep us from drowning, so if we do I can't say I'll begrudge them overly."

His nose wrinkles almost imperceptibly as the cook reaches his spot and hands him a mug. He shoots it a skeptical look but nods his thanks nonetheless to Rambar. "Well, this certainly looks fine," he says with a hint of sarcasm. "But it can't possibly be worse than the stuff I've been drinking since Corentyn, so what do I have to lose?" he smirks, taking a swig from the mug.

[Winterfell]

Gideon Drake stabs a sodden piece of carrot with his knife and brings it to his mouth. He is a tall man with a muscular build, bronzed skin, and cropped blond hair. "We could capsize and it wouldn't make this soup any more watery," he chuckles as he downs a spoonful. His green eyes dart toward the exterior of the cabin, and the man is half-considering going outside to help the crew. They must have encountered storms before and know how to sail through them, he thinks. Or else this ship would've sunk long ago.

Gideon laughs boistrously at Gelik's reply to Karsis. "Are you calling our friend here a lady, Mr. Aberwhinge? Because I myself can see stubble - a lot of it!" His grin only grows as the gnome goes green. "Better out than in," he snorts. "Just be careful where you aim."

The man takes the mug offered eagerly from Rambar Terillo. "To our arrival in Eledar!" he calls out loudly, raising his mug over his head before taking a huge gulp. "Terillo!" he calls out as an afterthought. "You should bring me Gelik's drink. After all, it's probably too big for him and he'll just throw it up anyway!"

[Mr. Turniphead]

"And what's wrong with being a lady?" the little cleric said sharply, though a faint smile betrayed her good humor.

"Master Karsis, you can be as stubbly of a lady as you like, and Master Drake will just have to accept it!" She nods a thank you to the ship's cook, accepting her mug and taking a polite sip to Gideon's toast.

By the vault this tastes terrible! She blanches at the taste then extends the mug in the boisterous ranger's direction.

"You can have mine, I need to keep my wits about me!"

[Giant Owlbear]

"Men or women, you're all acting like children," Severnus says, looking up from his meal. "And Aberwhinge, if you're going to be sick, do it on deck." At Adelaide's remark about having her wits about her, he lets out a disbelieving noise around the beef he's chewing.

He leans back in his chair, what counts as relaxing for the Chelish soldier. "I'll be glad to reach Eledar," he replies to Gideon, raising the mug he's given, though with none of the other man's boisterous enthusiasm.

[Blisstake]

"Master Karsis, you can be as stubbly of a lady as you like, and Master Drake will just have to accept it!"

"Oh, I'm sure he would," Karsis replies with a grin. "He seems the type to "accept" plenty of ladies."

He puts his empty bowl aside, amused at everyone's else's disgust over the meal. Clearly they were used to far more luxurious dishes; as far as ship food went, the soup and meat wasn't even that bad.

[Leviathan]

By the time Gideon shouts to the ship's cook, the man is already gone... to where exactly, is a mystery. He seems to have deposited his cups and then left as quickly as he came.

The Jenivere lists heavily to one side, and fearful shouts are heard up on deck amidst the whipping wind and lashing rain. Gelik looks up from his drink nervously, glancing at Severnus. "I say, I think that I'll do just that, and while I'm there, I'll see if we're all going to die," he adds with a weak laugh.

The gnome stands, wobbly, making for the doorway. The swaying lanterns that light the ship's mess hall give the gnome a crazed, blurred aspect, as though he's a Varisian dancer at some midnight carnival. But even when Gelik stands relatively still by the door, he still sways, his features blurry. It's not him, it's you. The room is slowly growing darker and fuzzier, your vision fading. Blackness is clawing at the edges of your vision. Gelik turns, a startled look on his face. "We've been locked inside," he manages weakly. Then the gnome falls backwards onto the floor, his entire body going limp.

Everyone
Roll a Fortitude save!

[Winterfell]

Gideon grins widely at Karsis. "Oh yes, I accept all kinds. You though... well, I'd need to be a bit drunker," the man laughs, taking another swig of his ale. His head starts to feel fuzzy and there's a buzzing sound in his ears. His brow furrows as he watches Gelik sway across the room. "What do you mean, locked us in?" he calls out, leaping to his feet, or rather trying to. His body feels sluggish and unresponsive. "Ugh..." he starts to slur. "That must've been some strong drink..." Gideon attempts to continue to stagger over to the doorway, trying to stop his vision from fading before he can reach it.

Fortitude: [roll0]

[Mr. Turniphead]

Adelaide's brow furrows in concern as the ship lists to the side, and remains that way as the Gnome staggers to the door.

Why am I getting fuzzy...? I only had... a sip. she think dully as her vision starts to blur. The cleric pinches the bridge of her nose, trying to stay awake.

Fort Save: [roll0]

[Giant Owlbear]

Severnus stands abruptly as the gnome collapses by the door. "It's not the drink. This is a trap." He reaches for the hilt of his sword, only to find that his blurred vision makes it difficult to find in the dim light. "Get that door open before we go like Aberwhinge." At first, he wants to speculate as to why someone is poisoning passengers. It makes no sense, he thinks to himself.

Fort: [roll0]

[RocketMan]

"If we're going to die, I'd rather you not spoil how it'll happen, Gelik," Jasper says with a airy laugh. He presses his lips to the mug, taking another gulp of the bitter alcohol. He frowns as the gnome speaks, announcing that they're locked inside. "What could they hope to gain by locking us in here?" he asks aloud. "It's not as if they can drown us inside this cabin - not without it ending rather unfortunately for themselves." Like Gideon, he starts to stand before stumbling, his vision starting to blur.

Fortitude Save: [roll0]

[Blisstake]

Karsis' eyes go wide, and he sluggishly moves over to the door. His head begins to pound and everything in his vision becomes indistinct and hazy.

"Dammit! Maybe we can get this door open? Would that even help?"

[Leviathan]

Only scant moments after Gelik has fallen, Severnus, Gideon, and Jasper collapse too, toppling over against the floor. Karsis makes it a moment longer, struggling to keep his feet as his body goes numb and sleepy. But he too succumbs to the encroaching blackness of unconsciousness. Whatever has befallen the travellers, Adelaide has escaped the worst of its grasp. The cleric's body goes numb just like the others, falling to the floor. But her mind, though sluggish, does not go entirely.

Adelaide
It's difficult to have any sense of time in your state, half awake, half asleep. But you hear a colossal crack, wood splintering, yelling men. A door bursts open. Boots are beside you. "Gods, what happened?" Someone is grunting near you, lifting, dragging, pulling. You're cold and wet now, on the rain-soaked deck. Men are hauling at ropes. All are drenched, some with blood. "Get them on the boat, get it to shore!" Someone sets you down with a splash, and everything finally goes black.


___________________________

Something bright awakens you, shining through your shut eyelids. You feel a great warmth on your face, and something coarse underneath you. Sand. You hear the gentle rolling of waves, in and out, somewhere very close. Further off, a light sea breeze rustles vegetation. Then you hear a strange chittering noise. A sharp pain lances through an extremity as something clamps down on it hard, and your eyes snap open.

You are on a white sand beach. In front of you, a thick jungle rises in a solid line where the sand ends. On either side, jagged arms of rock reach out around the beach, forming a safe cove amidst its razor-sharp surroundings. Nearby, the splintered remains of a rowboat rest. It looks to have only barely made it to the shore before succumbing to a gash across its hull.

But the more immediate matter: between the prostrate bodies of you and your colleagues scuttle huge crustaceans, like overgrown lobsters with a scorpion's tail, each the size of a dog. When they realize that their prey isn't carrion, they clatter their claws menacingly.

Round 1
Everyone take 1 damage for the wake-up attack.

All characters are prone.

Severnus, Jasper, and Gideon are sickened.

Everyone can act this round.

Map
http://s27.postimg.org/6ycjtgjpf/Picture_27.png

[Blisstake]

"Argh, no, five more minutes cap'n..." Karsis mumbles incoherently for a while before a sharp sting snaps him to attention. A big shelled lobster thingy was standing over his body, looking fierce. Karsis couldn't for the life of him figure out how he was in this situation, but that hardly mattered at the moment.

The rogue gets up as quick as he can, then swings at the creature with his hatchet.

Karsis will get up from prone (move), 5 foot step so he's flanking with Gideon (free), then Attack E4 (standard)

Hit (w/ flanking): [roll0]
Damage (w/ sneak attack): [roll1]

Hp: 9/10
AC: 15 without armor

[Mr. Turniphead]

Throughout the event that led to their current situation, Adelaide felt an overwhelming sense of confusion. In her dazed state, she played out the scene in her mind. That was, of course, until something very rude pinched her on the arm.

Adelaide snapped out of her reverie to see the monstrous looking lobster looming over her. A small noise escaped her lips as she scrambled to her feet, a hand went to her neck where, thankfully, her Abadaran Key was still hanging. She held it up.

"Lord Abadar, protect your servant so she may do your work!" She intoned, and a thin veil of light encircled her as she stepped a few feet toward the treeline.

Move: Stand up, take 5-foot shift towards the trees. Should provide flanking for Karsis and others.
Standard: Cast Sanctuary on self. DC 16 will save or cannot attack.
AC: 12 (without breastplate)
Spells prepared: Sanctuary (Used), Comprehend Languages, Protection from Evil
7/8 HP
7/7 Channel

[Winterfell]

Gideon lets out a groan of pain and groggy intoxication as the crustacean creature snaps at his leg. He kicks out at it with his boot as he leaps to his feet. Fishing his huge machete off of his back, he lashes out at the nearest creature.

"I like my leg, thanks," he growls as he slashes. "Think I'll keep it."

Stand and attack E4.

Attack roll: [roll0]
Damage roll: [roll1]

[Giant Owlbear]

Severnus wakes with a grimace. Sand. Not on the blasted ship then. He opens his eyes, beginning to process his surroundings when he is rudely interrupted by the crustaceans. "Lobsters," he grunts dismissively, getting to his feet despite his proximity to the things. "They'll make a fine dinner." He swings his sword down hard at one of them.

Free action to stand up.
Power attack on E5 (-2 for sickened): [roll0]
Power attack damage: [roll1]

[RocketMan]

Jasper's eyes flutter open a moment before his calf sears with pain, giving him scant time to take in the scene of the beach. "Get off!" he yelps, indignant at the attack on him. He crawls backward away from the enormous crustacean raising an arm and pointing a finger, out of which issues a bolt of electric blue arcane energy. The spell crashes into the monster.

Five-foot crawl away from E1 and cast magic missile on E1.

Magic Missile Damage: [roll0]

[Leviathan]

Karsis' hatchet crunches through the shell of one of the giant crab-things. Its many legs spasm as it's driven into the surf by the force of the blow, dead. Gideon follows suit with his machete, lopping a claw off one of the crustaceans. But while he stands, it has launched its stinger at the ranger, who, sickened and woozy, is stabbed in the side.

Gideon
1 damage. Fort DC12 or take 1 Con damage.

Severnus stands, a claw making a futile effort to get through his heavy armour. The warrior's sword punctures the carapace of his intended kill, but the beast scuttles back, severely wounded but still moving.

As Adelaide stands, one of the sea scorpions takes advantage of her distraction to jab its stinger into her arm. The cleric manages to cast her protective spell, though, darting around one of the ancient crustaceans. It does a half-turn, swivelling to follow her, clattering defensively.

Adelaide
3 damage. Fort save DC12 or take 1 Con damage.

Jasper uses his own magic to blast away at another as he crawls away to relative safety behind Severnus. Its armour smokes where the magic missile impacts, but it's not dead.

The beasts all scuttle forward to attack now. They're scavengers, but they won't pass up such a feast of fresh meat. The beach quickly becomes a flurry of clacking claws, flying stingers, and hissing monsters. A claw pinches Karsis' ankle hard. Severnus' armour proves an equal to the two animals that claw and jab at him, but the fourth pursues the crawling Jasper. On the ground as he is, it's difficult for the young wizard to escape. It clamps down on his leg with a claw, then jabs into his back with its sting.

Karsis and Jasper
Karsis takes 1 damage.
Jasper takes 2 damage. Fort DC12 or take 1 Con damage.

Round 2
Everyone is up!

Jasper
You feel the poison still coursing through your veins. Fort DC 12 or take 1 Con damage.

Map
http://s8.postimg.org/9qwhau8et/Picture_1.png

[Blisstake]

"Got one!" Karsis shouts as the first crustacean falls to his axe. In the corner of his vision, he notices one of the creatures claw uselessly at the protected Adelaide. He moves into a flanking position, and swipes at her assaulter.

5 foot step directly below E3 to get flanking.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

HP: 8/10
AC: 15 (no armor)

[Mr. Turniphead]

"Ouch!" Adelaide cries out, but quickly recovers. Emboldened by Karsis' successful strike, she attempts one of her own with her dagger.

Attack E3: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

HP: 4/8
Spells Prepared: Sanctuary (Used), Comprehend Languages, Protection from Evil
Channel: 7/7
AC: 12 (Unarmored)

[RocketMan]

Jasper yelps dramatically as the poisoned stinger stabs into his back. Continuing to crawl down the beach and toward the surf, his mind races furiously to think of a useful spell. The Chelish warrior, Severnus, stood close by, swinging his sword severely at the crustaceans. "I don't suppose you could get these infernal creatures away from me?" he hisses. "I'll even help you do it." The young wizard extends a willowy hand and touches the warrior's ankles. He begins to grow taller and taller. Jasper smirks.

Five-foot crawl toward the water, then casting Enlarge Person on Severnus.

HP: 4/7

[Giant Owlbear]

"What's this, boy?" Severnus snaps as he grows, the giant crabs on the beach now looking somewhat more proportionate. "I'm not some blasted ogre brute," he growls. Despite his protests, though, his sword is very long now. He stabs it down at one of the crabs with a grunt.

Enlarged: +2 str, -2 dex, -1 AC, -1 attack.

Power attack on E1: [roll0]
Damage on E1: [roll1]

AC for the round: 16

[Winterfell]

Gideon grunts in pain as the giant crab-beast's stinger lashes his side, leaving a bloody gash that burns at the acidic venom's touch. "Gods damn it!" he spits, shaking his head as he manages to resist the poison's debilitating effects. "Nice try, but not good enough," he says in an undertone to his shelled opponent as he hacks at it a second time.

Attacking E5.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Leviathan]

Between them, Karsis and Adelaide land good hits with their weapons. Karsis' axe chops into the base of his foe's stinger, while Adelaide's knife punctures its maw. Somehow, though, the beast isn't dead. Its legs shudder, trying to support its weight, but it isn't down. Severnus, magically enlarged to tower over the crustaceans, spears one into the surf with the point of his bastard sword. That one is dead, its white fleshy innards exposed as the blade is withdrawn. Meanwhile, Gideon's machete misses his target by an inch, skidding sideways off the hardened carapace of the one-clawed menace with which he battles.

Jasper manages to crawl his way to the dashed rowboat, climbing into its broken hull as he makes his escape.

There are three of the creatures remaining now, and two of them have already been wounded badly. The one caught between Karsis and Adelaide launches a final swipe of its stinger at Karsis, before scuttling desperately toward the sea to escape. It doesn't make it far: Gideon, Karsis, and Adelaide all hack it to pieces.

The one-clawed monster which has proved troublesome for Gideon stands its ground. Weakened, its attacks are easy to evade, and the jungle guide does so without much trouble.

The final crustacean backs slowly toward the clear blue waters, making a slow circle around Severnus. As it moves, its claws both clamp down on one leg between the plates of his armour. Its stinger is deflected off his breastplate, though, harmlessly.

Severnus
5 damage

Round 3

Map
http://s11.postimg.org/oebrmfff7/Picture_2.png

[Winterfell]

Gideon grins cockily as he dodges the creature's swipe and then helps to take down one of the fleeing beasts. It helps soften the blow to his ego from missing the previous attack. He tries again, attempting to deliver an uppercut to the crablike animal's fleshy underbelly.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Mr. Turniphead]

With a softly whispered prayer, Adelaide races between Karsis and Gideon and moves into the surf, positioned behind one of the fleeing crustaceans.

"No fear, Master Severnus!" She chimes, trying her best to aid the old soldier with her dagger.

Free Action: Activate Agile Feet domain ability. 6/7 (Ignore difficult terrain for 1 round, no penalty for moving through it.)
Move: Moving into flanking with Severnus, in the square directly to the right of E2
Standard: Attacking with dagger [roll0]

[Giant Owlbear]

Severnus grimaces in pain as his leg is crushed between a pair of sharp claws, his old war wound flaring up sharply with the pressure applied to it. "Die, creature," he grunts, swinging his sword in an arc down at the one that just attacked him.

Power attack on E2: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

HP 8/13

[RocketMan]

Jasper's hands clasp the hilt of his wand, relieved to find the thin piece of wood intact despite the storm and their mysterious landing. Standing up with admirable grace considering he was just chased, crawling, across the beach by a giant lobster, the young man points the tip of the wand at one of the beasts doing battle with Severnus. "I'd take this moment to disparage you," he says lightly to the crustacean. "But since you wouldn't understand I doubt it would do either of us much good." He shrugs and flicks the wand, sending another magical missile spiralling toward the beast.

Using Bonded Item to recast Magic Missile on E5.

Magic Missile: [roll0]

[Blisstake]

With the creatures closest to him gone, Karsis looks for any more that still need a good axing.

Looks like they're all dead. If not Karsis will run up to any still alive.

Hit: [roll0] (add 2 if I can get flanking)
Damage: [roll1] (add [roll2] if I can get flanking

[Leviathan]

The last of the crustaceans don't make it far before they're cut down. Gideon gets his revenge, while Karsis, Severnus, and Jasper take down another in a furious series of attacks. The last of their twitching ceases, their shells cracked and misshapen. The rolling waves lap at them. Soon the scavengers themselves will likely be food.

With the immediate danger passed, you can turn your mind to where you are and how you got here. You are standing on a white, sandy beach, facing an imposing wall of dense jungle, the tops of its trees drenched in bright sunlight. Far away, turned blue and pale by the distance, you can make out the shape of a single peak rising from the greenery. From the sun's position in the sky, you ascertain that it sits to the south, while the ocean is to your north.

The coast curves up to the north on both sides, forming a gentle cove. It rises too, growing jagged and rocky. Sharp spikes of granite stab outward from the shore like a wall of pikemen. As you look down the coast, you can make out the shape of a ship, listing sideways heavily, wedged against a sheer cliff, speared upon those deadly rocks. Or rather, half a ship: only the stern seems to have survived relatively intact. Judging by the vessel's size and shape, it's not hard to reason that it's the unfortunate remains of the Jenivere.

You're off the rails here! Let me know what your characters do. Feel free to make skill checks of any kind you think might be applicable (e.g. determining where you are), to move toward the shipwreck, or to do something else entirely).

[Blisstake]

"Ah..." Karsis looks around on the beach, taking advantage of the calm to try and recall what happened on the ship. He had a few cuts and scrapes, but he was relatively unharmed compared to the rest of the group. Still, they hurt enough to tell him that he wasn't imaging this whole misadventure.

"Nope, not a dream. Well, ****."

[Mr. Turniphead]

With the last of the danger passed, Adelaide took a deep breath, her hands resting on her hips briefly.

"Is everyone alright...?" Gray eyes scan those assembled with practiced ease, assessing injuries. With a nod, she reaches up and brandishes her key once more.

"May the keeper of the First Vault provide healing to those in need." She intones much like before, and a pulsating golden light emanates from the holy symbol, sealing wounds and dulling the pain of those assembled.

Channeling Positive Energy twice: [roll0]
5/7 left for the day. If the two are insufficient to fully heal everyone, she will expend another use which I'll roll in the OOC.

[Winterfell]

Gideon looks down at his bleeding side as the last of the creatures falls into the surf, gritting his teeth at the sight of the red gash in his shirt. "What a welcome to... wherever the Hells this is," the man says, his head tilting up as he scans the island, his gaze sweeping from the tangle of verdant plant life that rises from the sandy beach up toward the distant summit of the island. He tries to think, but winces again at the stinging venom in his side.

Then Adelaide casts her spell, bathing the party in the holy light of Abadar. He wound closes, skin and muscle knitting together. "Ughh," Gideon groans in relief. "Don't think I've ever appreciated Abadar as much before. Guess you're not just a pretty face," he grins roguishly at Adelaide.

Healed, Gideon paces across the beach, his brow furrowed and arms crossed over his muscular chest. "So, where are we?" he wonders aloud. "We were close enough to Eledar, so we must be somewhere in the bay - but what's this island?" he says, squinting up at the mountain top.

He then turns back toward the rolling waves, spotting the wrecked remains of their ship. "Well, it looks like The Jenivere had an even rougher night than we did," he grimaces. "So I guess we're going home with a different lady than the one we brought to the dance," he chuckles.

[Giant Owlbear]

Severnus glares at Gideon, punctuating his steady, annoyed gaze with a short nod of thanks to Adelaide. He wipes down his sword with a rag, then sheaths it. Casting his gaze over the group's surroundings, his brow furrows. "Wherever we are, it's nowhere good. Our first priority should be reaching the ship," he declares authoritatively. "Drake's right, it's going nowhere, but there may be other survivors. Failing that, food and perhaps a map."

He strides over to the broken boat on the beach. "The other thing I'd like to know is who put us here." He rifles through the wood planks of the boat with a boot, as if it will give up its secrets with a good kick. "And where 'here' is."

Untrained knowledge (Geography) for our location: [roll0]
Perception: [roll1]

[Blisstake]

"Well that's handy," Karsis comments as his minor wounds begin to fade. "If I had to be shipwrecked today, I'm glad it's with you lot. A priestess, a wizard, and some nice strong sturdy types. Yup, sure lucked out."

The man takes a glance at the shore where the Jenivere crashed. "Still got some stuff on there, like my armor. We might wanna salvage what we can. Don't think I want to eat lobster tonight if it can be helped."

[RocketMan]

Jasper brushes himself off, letting out a sigh of relief as his wounds close up. With a flick of his wand, the sand and blood flies off of his clothing, spattering on the beach. "Isn't this lovely?" he remarks dryly, sweeping the beach with the look of someone rather unimpressed, though not particularly alarmed. "An unexpected tropical vacation; just what I've always wanted. How long, do you suppose, before we all revert to cannibalism?" he asks flippantly.

He looks at Severnus. "Unless any of you were in a significantly better condition than I was last night, I doubt any of us rowed to shore. Given that there's nobody else here, perhaps we were left adrift in this boat during the storm?" he frowns, pondering. "But why? To kill us? That seems the likely outcome of dropping a rowboat in the ocean during a hurricane. Or because our mystery friend knew the Jenivere was sinking and wanted to give us a chance, however infinitesimal?" The young wizard stares out toward the Jenivere's wreck contemplatively. "Given the fact that we were poisoned, it does seem more likely that we were meant to be no more. In which case, we're all extremely lucky."

He tilts his head to one side, looking at Karsis. "And I'm sure you'll be good for something too."

[Mr. Turniphead]

Adelaide merely smiles in response to the various acknowledgments to her healing, leaving her holy symbol to dangle around her neck.

"I agree, survivors should be a main goal. The ship's gotta have someone left on it! And if we go back, I can collect my other things, there's a coin purse in there with enough money to resupply us all if we find a town..." Her voice trails off towards the end.

A town? Not likely. We may be completely isolated... She thought ruefully.

"And... er... I don't think the crew was responsible for poisoning us, exactly." The young woman looked around at the others, "I didn't quite pass out on the ship. We were carried into that lifeboat, someone gave the order to get us to safety."

"But uh... I'm not exactly experienced in wilderness survival, so I'll defer to someone else and their better judgement. I can keep us stocked on fresh water though!" She shifted from one foot to another, waiting to see what the others decided.

[Leviathan]

Severnus
Unfortunately, on your trips to and from Eledar, you've picked up very little on the geography of Desperation Bay and the surrounding waters.

Looking to the Jenivere's remains, you can see no signs of movement or life, though the wreck is several hundred meters down the coast.

Gideon
You look around slowly, taking in your surroundings. Far in the distance out to sea, you think you can see a faint line of land, barely even visible. Which means you're on an island... And there's one island that's known for sinking any ship that treads too close. Smuggler's Shiv.

I've put an information section on Smuggler's Shiv into the first post of the OOC thread. You know everything that's posted there.

[Blisstake]

Assuming Gideon reveals where we are.

"All right. Gideon seems to know what he's doing, so I say we follow him for now. Should I call you Captain Drake?" Karsis grins and absentmindedly kicks one of the dead lobster things they fought. He didn't seem as concerned with the situation as he ought to be, but then again, about a week ago his only goal was to get out of Port Peril. If it wasn't here, he'd be struggling to find what to do in Eledar.

[Winterfell]

Gideon's face darkens visibly as he checks the sun's position in the sky versus the top of the mountain. He scowls and points back over his shoulder to the north, out over the sea.

"If you squint real hard, you might be able to make out the mainland, which means we're on an island in Desperation Bay. And lucky for you, I think I know which one..." he says with a grin. "Smuggler's Shiv." He lets the words sink in, obviously under the impression that his audience should gasp or react dramatically.

"If you don't know, it's wrecked so many ships that it's got a reputation for being cursed - and haunted. Probably bull**** made up by drunken sailors," he laughs heartily, before shrugging. "But I've seen stranger things."

He turns practical again, his cocky demeanor undiminished by the prospect of a haunted island. "The peak of the island is to the south, so we must be near the northern tip, on the seaward side rather than facing the lagoon. Not that it matters much: no settlements anywhere on the island."

Gideon looks across his companions, listening. "So we're off to the Jenivere to round up anyone still alive? Sounds good, so long as you lot are up for a swim. And you can call me Captain Drake if you like, Kars, but I normally save the fake titles for when I'm trying to bed someone above my lowly station." He grins.

[Leviathan]

Having healed your wounds and identified your unfortunate location, the task remains to investigate the Jenivere's wreckage. You pick your way toward the ship along the water's edge. The sandy beach on which you awakened gives way to increasingly jagged and steep rocks. The waters grow rougher as you leave the sheltered cove, splashing up in a spray of cold salt as waves crash on the rocks. Soon you're a considerable distance above the sea, the shore ascending into a short cliff. Rising up to meet you is the Jenivere's mast, crooked, its sails flapping raggedly in the afternoon breeze.

You realize you're actually slightly above the ship from your position atop the cliffs. Looking down, you get a closer look at the severity of the damage to the vessel. It appears to have run straight into the rocks, and the entire front of the ship has splintered to pieces. Only the rear remains intact. It's buffeted by the waves, but it's trapped sufficiently by the rocks all around it that it's in no danger of sinking or coming free.

The sun beats down harshly overhead, and its light on the water illuminates an unpleasant sight. Bobbing on the waves, pressed up against the cliffs again and again with each swell, are at least a dozen bodies. A few more lie strewn across the deck.

To get a closer look, though, it's apparent that you're going to have to descend the cliff onto the deck.

If you'd like to get down, it's a 40 foot distance from the cliff to the deck. A DC 15 Climb check can get you down without a rope. With a rope tied to the cliff-top, it's DC 5. You're free to try other methods too.

[RocketMan]

Jasper listens to Adelaide's explanation of what happened that night intently. "So, we do indeed have a mysterious benefactor after all - how wonderful. Still, someone poisoned us," he remarks with a sigh.

He arches a slender eyebrow as Gideon speaks, sharing their location. He looks surprised and more than a little impressed. "I suppose you're actually a guide then, rather than simply a braggart? Perfect." The wizard looks up and down the beach skeptically. "It doesn't look like this island is plagued by spectral sailors, though must say I hope it is. If we're going to die here, I'd much rather it was an interesting experience."

Jasper walks alongside the party, traipsing idly along the rising, rocky ridge. "I'm starting to think you didn't dream up our savior in a drug-induced haze, Adelaide," he says, peering down at the sharp rocks. "Otherwise we'd probably have been dashed to pieces on those crags." As they reach the precipice over the Jenivere, Jasper stares down at the scene.

"It seems our crew - at least most of them - met unfortunate fates," he says, his face impassive and still. After a long pause he gestures down to the deck fourty feet beneath. "Shall we?"

[Mr. Turniphead]

"Hey! I wouldn't just make something up." She remarks to Jasper on the trip over, though, she had to admit that it was a possibility that she misremembered. He doesn't need to know that!

As their hike came to a close at the top of the cliff, Adelaide stepped forward enough to see onto the deck below. A hand raised to cover her mouth, and her eyes hinted at the potential for tears, for the young woman had never seen devastation like this before. She had seen death, of course, working as a healer in the temple it was no stranger to her, but so many in one place filled her with sorrow.

"Protect their souls..." she murmured mournfully, before giving herself a hard shake, lightly smacking her cheeks.

"Alright. How best to get down? I need to do last rights, and we need to see if anyone is still alive." She seemed determined now, though she waited patiently for a solution to their descent.

[Winterfell]

Gideon grins widely at Jasper. "You doubted me?" he askes, laughing. "But you got it half right. I'm the best guide working in the Expanse, and to boot I'm a braggart."

He stops laughing as they look over the cliff at the bodies bobbing in the water. "Sorry Miss, but I think those men are dead," he says, looking down without seeing any sign of movement or struggle.

I'll still try a perception check. Anyone moving down there?

[roll0]

"Here," the man says, retrieving a large loop of heavy duty rope from his back and passing one end to Severnus, who looks the sturdiest of the remaining party members. "You all hold this here, maybe find something to tie it to. I'll climb down with the other end and fasten it to the deck. Make it easier for the rest of you the climb down after me," he grins. Gideon ties the rope around his waist before looping the remained around his muscular arm with a flourish. He begins to climb down the cliff face, holding on to the surface tightly.

Climb check. Hopefully the others can support him if he falls.

[roll1]

[Giant Owlbear]

Severnus looks down with distaste at the shipwreck. His mind flashes back momentarily to his youth. Bodies floating in the sea, ships dashed to pieces. He shakes his head to clear it. "There's no use in mourning the dead yet. We'll see to ourselves and what survivors there may be," he proclaims. Privately, the splintered ship gives him little hope as to the latter.

He accepts Gideon's rope, holding it with both fists, his gauntlets closing tightly around it. He looks around for a tree or outcropping of rock on which to anchor it, testing any object he can find to make sure it is firmly in place before tying off the rope.

[Blisstake]

Gideon looks across his companions, listening. "So we're off to the Jenivere to round up anyone still alive? Sounds good, so long as you lot are up for a swim. And you can call me Captain Drake if you like, Kars, but I normally save the fake titles for when I'm trying to bed someone above my lowly station." He grins.

"Pretty sure I'm below your station here, so I should be safe."

Karsis looks at the wreckage below, and sighs when he sees the bodies. He was trying to get away from pointless death, but it seemed to follow him around. The cliffside had enough handles; couldn't be too different from climbing up and down a ship's rigging, right?

"Wonder why we're still alive. Hm, one of you might want to stay up here in case something happens to the rope."

Karsis procedes to follow Gideon down the cliff in case he needs any help tying up the rope.

Karsis can take a 10 for 15 total. We're not in any immediate danger, so that shouldn't be an issue, right?

[Leviathan]

Gideon and Karsis descend the cliff without much trouble, the former of the two trailing his length of rope behind him for the others. Atop the cliff, Severnus finds a thick palm tree growing near the cliff edge among clumps of dry grass and gravelly rocks. A few tugs on it suggests that it isn't liable to give way easily, and so the soldier secures his end of the rope to it. So prepared, climbing down onto the derelict Jenivere's deck is a simple task for anyone of able body.

Since you can all manage the DC 5 check by taking 10, feel free to assume that you make it down to the deck.

You alight on the broken ship's deck, your feet crunching against shards of wood and rock that litter the planks. A half-dozen seabirds squawk indignantly, their scavenging interrupted by your arrival, taking to the air. The bodies of four sailors and dislodged nautical debris – barrels, canvas cloth, a mop – sprawl out across the deck.

Gideon and Adelaide
As you survey the deck, you notice that a piece of parchment has been tacked with a long nail to the base of the mast. The harsh glare of the sun and the sea spray haven't done its legibility any good, but you can make out some of it.

To whoever finds this... survivors... have made for shore, heading south... think we are on S... Be cautious...

Sincerely...

The aft of the Jenivere's deck divides into two separate areas. A flight of stairs on the starboard side leads up to the ship's quarterdeck. Captain Kovack's room's took up the entirety of that deck, with glass windows allowing him to look out across the ship. Now the glass is shattered, and the door swings open, creaking every time the merchant vessel's bones sway on the tide.

On the port side of the main deck, another set of solid wood stairs leads down into the hold. A trail of coagulating deep crimson blood coats them. Someone either came or went with a serious injury.

[Blisstake]

Karsis walks across the deck of the ship, being careful not to step on any sharp fragments of debris. "Blood, huh?" Karsis looks at the trail leading into the hold with some concern. "None of us were bleeding when we woke up, right? So whose do you think this is?"

[Giant Owlbear]

"One of the crew's," Severnus replies tersely to Karsis, his steely eyes drifting over the bodies to assess whether any of them have obvious wounds. His hand hovers on the hilt of his long sword."But speculation is a fool's game. I'm going down to find out." His sword comes free of its scabbard with the scrape of metal on metal. "Someone see to the captain's quarters. I don't want to be on this wreck any longer than necessary."

Sword drawn, he'll move into the hold, readying an action to attack anything non-humanoid.

Perception if necessary: [roll0]

[Mr. Turniphead]

Once on the deck of the Jenivere, Adelaide slowly moved amongst the dead, a small frown on her lips. As the others move about and discuss where to search she stops to examine the bodies.

"Call me if you need me, I will perform a quick last rites ceremony. Oh, and if you could recover my things, I should have some useful supplies down in the hold." Her tone was distracted as she kneels next to one of the bodies, a prayer on her lips.

Taking a 10 on a heal check for these guys, for a total of 18. Additionally, Adelaide will take time to say prayers over the dead, as well as one for those floating in the water unless interrupted.

"May the lord of civilization have mercy on you, and may Pharasma judge you kindly." she murmurs.

[Winterfell]

Gideon descends easily enough to the deck, the rocky outcroppings of the cliff providing ample handholds. He jumps the last few feet, landing skillfully on the deck, which creaks ominously.

"Right," he nods at Severnus. "You and Karsis go and check out that blood. Jasper, come with me. Let's have a look in the captain's quarters." He looks at the others. "Anyone find anything, bring it back up here. Survivors, we bring 'em to Adelaide up on the deck, yeah? Good." He nods decisively and sets off across the splintered deck toward the captain's cabin. "Right, let's get to work."

Gideon will enter the cabin. Perception as necessary!

[roll0]

[Blisstake]

"Aye aye."

Karsis follows Severnus down into the hold, keeping an eye out for anything unusual.

Perception check if needed: [roll0]

[RocketMan]

"Right. I suppose this is preferable to the blood-smeared hold," Jasper drawls as he follows Gideon into the Captain's cabin. He stretches out a hand and lights a pale orb in it, sending the sphere to hover in mid-air nearby as the pair look around. "I wonder if our dear captain will be in here," Jasper says quietly. "You know, I don't recall seeing him floating with the rest of the crew. Where has he got to?"

Dancing Lights to let us see (in case the cabin is dark).

[Leviathan]

Gideon and Jasper: Quarterdeck and Captain's Cabin
The door to the Captain's quarters swings open limply, creaking in protest. The cabin itself is a disaster. A jagged hole has been punched in the side of the hull, and the ship's crash has dislodged most of the loose paraphernalia of the room. A bottle of wine lies smashed on the floor here, a pocket-watch there, a coat-stand upturned to throw a few jackets and tricorne hats onto the bed.

A handsome darkwood desk has been upturned, its burnished surface badly scratched.You slide open its drawers one by one. The topmost contains a key, nondescript copper, with no indication of what it opens. The second drawer houses Captain Kovack's maps and sea charts, along with a leather-bound journal marked as 'Captain's Log: Sargavan Merchant Ship Jenivere'. The third drawer is locked, and the key you just found doesn't open it.

You've found:
-the key
-A map of the west coast of Garund with the Jenivere's route plotted.
-a map of Desperation bay
-the Captain's log

Adelaide: Main Deck
Bending over each corpse in turn to murmur your prayers for the parted, your nose is filled with the stench of death and salt water. The hot sun will quickly have these bodies bloated and rotting, and already there are the bloody marks of small pecks from the departed sea birds across their eyes and faces.

Turning your attention to what killed them, you find that each body is covered in numerous black bruises, likely created by a sharp blunt impact. Feeling them, you find that underneath the skin, bones have been cracked. One man's neck has snapped. Another's spine is twisted. Despite the evident trauma, you find no marks suggesting a struggle with some other creature: no claw or weapon marks, and little external bleeding. In all, it seems as if these men were killed by the impact of the Jenivere running aground.

Severnus and Karsis: Ship's Hold
You descend the bloody stairs, finding yourself in the familiar mess hall, your last remembered location before your blackout and recovery on the beach. The tables have skidded across the floor, chairs have toppled over, and flies buzz around half-eaten food. More of the insects buzz around something more gruesome: slumped against the door to the supply room is the ship's first mate, Alton Devers. He's not breathing, and it doesn't take long to conclude that he's dead. His brown hair falls around his pale face. His chest is stained red with blood, which has also pooled around his body. In one limp hand he still holds a short steel blade, its tip red with blood. Moving him aside, you have access to the supply room behind him: a walk-in closet filled floor to ceiling with everyday tools and equipment.

If you're bold enough to loot him, Alton has a suit of masterwork studded leather armour and a masterwork shortsword.

The supply room has:
-Building tools (saws, hammers, etc)
-Several large planks of wood
-a block and tackle
-three large canvas sheets
-two fishing nets
-a grappling hook
-two bullseye lanterns and twelve flasks of oil
-150 feet of hemp rope
-five shovels

As well, any equipment you didn't carry on your person would have been stored here.

Aside from the flies, the lower deck seems to be deserted, and so you search it thoroughly. Adjoining the mess hall is the ship's larder. It's a cramped room that smells of smoke and vinegar. Its pots and pans dislodged in the crash: ladles, knives, and other cooking implements are scattered haphazardly across the counters and floors. Fortunately, the large cabinet where much of the Jenivere's food supplies were stored seems to have survived. You open it, immediately feeling a heavy weight push outward on the doors. They swing open, and out tumbles a hefty body, clad in an apron and greasy shirt. You recognize him at once as Rambar Terillo, the ship's cook. He is definitely dead, though it's not immediately clear from what: there are no obvious wounds on his body.

Behind Rambar's body, there are 24 meals worth of rations that have survived intact.

[Blisstake]

Karsis grimaces as he sees the bloody mess in the ship's hold. It wasn't the first time he saw a dead body, but the sight still isn't something he could just glance at impassively. He tentatively walks over to the first mate's body, examining the impressive wound across the chest.

Damn. What the hell happened down here? This is where we were when we blacked out, yeah? Don't see why we're still breathing when everyone else on the ship's dead."

At least there was one bright side; all of the ship's supplies were theirs for the taking. Karsis snatches Alton's shortsword while he appraises the goods. "This should last us for a bit. Let's grab what we can outta here... and maybe show Adelaide the cook's body to find out what killed him? Unless you got any ideas."

Karsis will grab his equipment, return Adelaide's equipment, and take the masterwork shortsword.

[Giant Owlbear]

Severnus' eyes narrow and his jaw clenches at the sight of Alton's dead body. He does a wary turn around the room, scanning for threats. When none emerge, he looks back at Karsis. "We were placed on that boat by someone, whether to save us or kill us," the soldier replies tersely. "That is why we're here and they are not. But whatever happened to the rest, the sea didn't take Devers."Without much ado, he kneels down in front of the dead man, concealing a wince as he bends his bad leg. He pulls off his armour to inspect the injury.

"I had the cook figured as our poisoner," he growls. "Yet here he is, stone dead, with all the rest. Regardless, we'll call down the girl and she can look at him." He makes a shout for Adelaide.

"Girl, another two for the gods."

We'll take everything. We can use the wood boards to carry stuff if we need to do so. Also, now that Alton's armour is off for purely necessary reasons, we might as well keep it :small cool:

[Mr. Turniphead]

Adelaide looks up from her work when she hears the old soldier's call. Picking her way carefully, she makes her way down into the hold of the ship, a sad expression spreads across her face when she sees the First Mate. He had been a nice man, particularly kind to her on the journey. Wounded by combat? She thought, as she knelt next to his body, looking over at her companions.

"These injuries seem strange, compared to the others. I'm starting to worry that our enemies may be among the survivors." With that, she took to examining Alton, before murmuring her prayers for his soul.

Taking a 10 on heal checks for both Alton and Rambar, for an 18 total.

When finished, she makes her way over to the fallen cook, a look of consternation on her face as she too had suspected the man of being responsible for their poisoning.

"Whatever the truth, this is all I can do for you." She says, offering up one final prayer for the cook.

Afterwards she stands and looks back to Karsis, and Severnus. "Is there anything else you need?" Adelaide manages a smile.

[RocketMan]

Jasper moves slowly through the Captain's ruined quarters, running a hand languidly along the overturned desk. He reaches down and pulls open the drawers, beckoning Gideon over to take a look. He unfurls the two maps in turn, looking at each briefly. When the wizard comes to the third drawer, he tries the copper key confidently. "Damn," he exhales as it refuses to turn inside the lock. "I wonder what's hiding in there. Wait, I have an idea..." he smirks, a glint of amusement in his eyes. He turns to Drake, eyeing him up and down. "You must be very strong," he says slowly, half flattering and half mocking, as if speaking to a child. "Why don't you give those muscles a vital task - sating my curiosity," he coos, pocketing the copper key as he gestures imperiously at the stuck drawer.

Jasper turns and rests himself idly on the side of the desk. "While you do that, I think I'll, oh, flip through this," he says, carelessly rustling the pages of the Captain's Log. "Let's see... once upon a time, I, Captain Kovack," he reads aloud in a sing-song voice, "was a boring Captain on a boring boat making the same boring journey I'd made a dozen times before. Then one day something interesting happened and I probably ended up dead," he laughs darkly. Then with a sigh begins to actually read it.

[Winterfell]

"Damn," Gideon says dejectedly, looking mournfully at the smashed bottle of wine on the cabin's floor. "Good vintage too. What a waste," he chuckles. As Jasper checks out the contents of the emptied desk, Gideon paces around the perimeter of the room, doing a scan for anything valuable or interesting.

Perception [roll0]

As Jasper unfurls the maps to quickly glance at them, Gideon looks over the young wizard's shoulder, his green eyes staring down at the maps. "Nice maps, bad Captain," he sighs.

Knowledge: geography to see if Gideon notices anything about the maps? [roll1]

Gideon flashes Jasper a grin, either ignoring his mocking deliberately or else simply relishing the compliment. "Oh, I could smash it open, sure," Gideon winks, giving his biceps a flex. "But I'm also pretty good with my hands," he chuckles, kneeling down beside the drawer and pulling out his lock tools from his pack. "Here, let's see about getting this open..."

Disable device [roll2], taking a 10 if possible. If that doesn't work, he'll try to break it in.

[Leviathan]

Adelaide, Karsis, and Severnus: Ship's Hold
Adelaide inspects both bodies while she says her prayers, and the two men move to gather up all the supplies that they can find – rations, rope, gear, armour.

Adelaide
Alton Devers was killed by a thrust from a pointed weapon into his stomach and up under his ribs. Rambar Terillo's death is more mysterious, but a thorough inspection reveals two marks along his neck. They're small but deep, and the spacing and alignment suggests that they were a pair of long fangs sinking into him. You find traces of venom in the wound.

Gideon and Jasper: Captain's Cabin
Gideon isn't able to get the bottom drawer open, try as he might. It's too sturdy for him to yank open with his hand, but he could try something stronger to break it.

Gideon
The maps appear to be accurate. The map of Desperation Bay has several pencil marks across it in arcs and lines, as if the Captain were using it to make course corrections recently.

Jasper, meanwhile, picks up the Captain's Log. It's a long, winding read, recounting several years worth of journeys, mostly along the same coast. So he flips toward the back...

Captain's Log
Captain’s Log
You scan the final pages of the document, which recount the last voyage of the Jenivere. At first, Kovack keeps his dates and places meticulous and precise, recording passengers embarking and disembarking, fees paid and outstanding, crew wages, and weather patterns.

Calistril 12th: Prisoner Nevah behaving well, considering history. Only two attempted provocations toward crew. Nevertheless, will be relieved to place her in Sargavan custody.

Calistril 20th:Arrived at port in Corentyn. Took on cargo and bills of lading, re. Porter & Sons of Cheliax to Grand Colonial Club, Eledar; re. West Empire Shipping to Sargavan Port Authority (direct to Aspis Consortium Liason).

Pharast 5th: Navigator informs me of clear weather for next week. Should make excellent progress. Took on passengers. Rigger slipped from topsail during tack change; assigned to light duties during recovery.

Pharast 16th: All but one passenger berths presently booked. Full passenger list: Aberwhinge, Gelik; Drake, Gideon; Falkenhayn, Severnus; Ridleigh, Jasper; de Stephanos, Adelaide. Final berth to Sarpele, Ieana.

Pharast 19th: Passenger Sarpele remains distant from others. Will extend invitation to dinner.

Gozran 1st: Passenger Sarpele’s company has been most enjoyable. She is a scholar studying Mwangi history. Here shyness is truly endearing.

Gozran 10th:Ieana is perfect. If only her focus were not on her studies. I cherish her smiles when she looks up from her books, but I fear that she does not see me as more than her carrier.

Gozran 12th:Poor weather today. Ieana could not write for all the tossing of the ship. I will get her flowers in Port Peril, if such things can be bought there.

Gozran 14th:The prisoner Nevah caused a disturbance. Devers demanded I do something about it. My Ieana is more important than his nonsense, though. I’ve made it clear that he can run the ship as he sees fit in my absence.

Gozran 17th:I’ve seen the eyes of the men on Ieana. Alton’s too, and Drake’s. They all want her. I’ve started bringing my love her food personally so that none of them can see her.

Gozran 22nd:Alton told me to my face that I was derelict in my duty. I see through his piety, though. He’s after my Ieana. He’s jealous of me. He may need to have an accident; I cannot risk him stealing my love away.

Gozran 23rd:Talked of Alton to Ieana. She is right as she always is, that I cannot kill Alton yet.

Gozran 28th:I have scarcely spoken to my love in days. Alton hounds me. The crew mocks me behind my back. I begin to think that Ieana has taken up with one of the others in secret.

Desnus 3rd:Today Ieana spoke to me once more! She has told me of a great secret her research has uncovered, and requested that I set a course for the island of Smuggler’s Shiv. That island is death.

Desnus 4th:My love for Ieana transcends death.

Desnus 17th:This will be my final entry in this log. Ieana has used her magic to keep the navigator from suspecting our true course. I have assigned Alton to duties which will keep him off the deck. The crew rumbles, but it does nothing. Tomorrow night we will reach Smuggler’s Shiv. My love and I will make for its shores while the rest of the jealous crew hungry for my bride will be dashed to pieces on its rocks. It is as it should be.

OOC Credit to SanguinePenguin for the Captain's Log in his game on these forums, which formed a very direct basis for mine!

[Giant Owlbear]

Slinging the ship's provisions over his shoulder, Severnus strides up the stairs to the top deck, squinting in the bright sunlight. His heavy eyebrows crease in a frown. "Hrrm," he grunts, looking inland at the mountaintop at the middle of Smuggler's Shiv.

An island, nothing more, he thinks, scowling down at one of the dead seamen. Moreover, we aren't superstitious thieves and sailors washed ashore naked. But we'll need a plan.

[Mr. Turniphead]

Adelaide inspects and reinspects the cook's neck wounds. Venom? He was bitten by something?

"Master Karsis... look at this..." Her tone was one of concern, and her eyes flit about the room to be sure that some wayward viper was not preparing to strike.

"He was bitten by something, and the venom killed him I think, and Master Alton was slain by a blade to the stomach. I don't understand..." She looks at the former pirate. "Do you think it's related to what happened to us?"

[Blisstake]

Karsis considers Adelaides questions. There weren't a whole lot of conclusions they could make given their limited information, but the rogue could take a few guesses. "Well... we know whatever happened was before the ship got here, so whoever (or whatever) did this must've been on the ship, yeah? The door was locked when we tried to get to the deck. Could be Alton was trying to protect us from something? Let's see if Gideon and Jasper got anything else we can work with."

[Winterfell]

Gideon shakes his head as the lock refuses to budge. "Keep reading," he says to Jasper, sounding somewhat embarrassed by his failure. "I just need a little longer and I'll have this open," he grunts, eyes narrowed in concentration, resolving to focus to the best of his abilities.

This time, if possible, Gideon will try to take a 20 on his Disable device check to pick the lock. If that still fails...

"Well ****, this desk sure is shut tight," he laughs, pulling out his machete. Suddenly sinking into a combat stance, we swings with all his might at the drawer!

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Leviathan]

Severnus: On Deck
Just as you look out across Smuggler's Shiv, you see a large shape in the distance, flying through the air in front of the reddish slopes of the distant mountain peak. It's not easy to tell, but it seems to be coming slowly toward the Jenivere's wreck.

Gideon and Jasper: Captain's Cabin
Gideon tries the lock again, working at it with nearly painful slowness. But his meticulous efforts pay off, when, after many minutes, the locked drawer clicks open. It's a good thing the ranger didn't have to break it open, since inside he finds an expensive bottle of fine brandy, not likely to have withstood his machete.

Pulling out the drawer's other contents, it becomes clear that this was where the Captain kept the crew's pay for their journey and the collected profits from each port. At an estimate, there's five hundred gold in coins, neatly stored in an oak coffer.

A long leather satchel fills the rest of the compartment. It clinks as it's moved, and appears to be an emergency stock of potions.

Contents:
-A bottle of brandy
-500 gp
-4 CLW potions
-1 CMW potion
-4 lesser restoration potions
-1 remove disease potion
-1 water breathing potion
-1 water walking potion

[RocketMan]

At first, Jasper reads aloud from the log more to pester Gideon than anything else. He expects it to be dreadfully dry, and initially it is. "Oh, look," he drawls. "On this day they picked up even more grain," he sighs. His slim fingers begin to riffle through the pages, flipping toward the back of the log. It's still far from scintillating.

"And here's where we came aboard, much to our assured regret," he says, pointing at a passage before reading it. As he continues reading he starts to smirk, his tone becoming more dramatic and salacious. "It seems our dear (likely departed) Captain Kovack was rather infatuated with this woman Ieana," he says. "See, look: 'Ieana is perfect. If only her focus were not on her studies. I cherish her smiles when she looks up from her books, but I fear that she does not see me as more than her carrier.' If he had wanted to impress her, he should have worked harder at being a good carrier, instead of dashing us all on this desolate island."

Jasper reads the final entry aloud, his eyebrows pinching and the colour draining from his cheeks. "The jealous, lovestruck fool deliberately stranded us on this island!" he exclaims indignantly. "I'm quite certain not a one of his crew, however grubby they might have been, laid so much as a solitary finger on his Ieana. Obviously this man was the pinnacle of mental stability," he remarks with a bitter, sardonic twist in his voice.

"And worst, they're both gallivanting around this very island now. That does seem like something we should put an end to."

[Mr. Turniphead]

Adelaide merely nods at his suggestion, standing up and dusting herself off.

"I agree... and then let's get off this sad tomb." She picks her way carefully through the hold, ascending the stairs with Karsis.

Once on deck, she looks to Severnus, pacing over to the other man as he has their supplies bundled nearby.

"Are the others still in the Captain's Quarters?" She asks, glancing towards the aforementioned room while opening her supplies and carefully removing her crossbow.

[Winterfell]

Gideon grits his teeth as another of his lockpicks breaks. There better be something worth my time in this damned desk, he thinks angrily, trying again. As he kneels and fiddles with the lock he listens to Jasper read. He starts to scowl deeply as the wizard reads the increasingly disturbing passages.

"This Ieana woman," he says, frowning as he tries to remember her. "I wonder what the Captain saw in her... couldn't have been more than the third or fourth most attractive person on the ship," he grins, finally feeling the lock click under his ministrations. The drawer slides open, revealing his contents. The glimmer of gold and glass distracts him momentarily. "Well, look at this," he laughs. "Looks like his lady-love distracted Kovack so much he forgot all about his gold." With a deft motion of his hand, he pushes it into his rucksack. Holding the brandy aloft he smiles slyly at Jasper. "Don't tell the others about this and I'll even split it with you," he chuckles, stowing it away. The potions he also collects for distribution to the others.

Finished looting, he turns his attention back to the journal. "Look," he says with a drawn smile. "If half of that's true, I'd like nothing better than to feed Kovack to the sharks, one piece at a time. But we have bigger problems. Haunted or not, we need to figure out how to get off this island. Vengeance can come later."

[Blisstake]

"Probably," Karsis responds to Adelaide. "Let's go check."

Karsis makes his way over to the captain's quarters to see how Gideon and Jasper are doing. "Hey. First mate and the chef're dead: one got stabbed, other was bit by something poisonous." His eyes wander over to the potions that Gideon found in the drawer. "Ah, some potions, nice. We managed to snag some rations and other supplies. We could last a while on them; longer if we take up fishing."

[Giant Owlbear]

Severnus looks over at Adelaide, then back at the approaching flying creature. "Yes," he replies shortly to her, his hand on the hilt of his sword once more. "Tell them they've outstayed their welcome." He nods off in the distance at the shape, frowning darkly. "Something's coming. Large, if I can see it from this distance. Another scavenger come to pick our bones. I would rather fight it on solid ground rather than on a rickety deck, so tell them not to dawdle."

[Leviathan]

Everyone who comes up on deck can see the far-off flying shape soaring ever closer to the Jenivere. The bright sunlight flashes in your eyes, preventing you from getting a good look at it. But you can hear the flapping of heavy, leathery wings and a territorial roar as it draws closer...

[Blisstake]

"The hell is that?" Karsis nervously grips his new sword as his heartbeat begins to quicken. "You think we should run? Fight it?" The crustaceans they were rudely awakened to weren't the kind of fight Karsis was accustomed to, but at least they were small and manageable. This thing looked like trouble.

[Mr. Turniphead]

The young cleric peers at the approaching creature before hastily assembling her supplies. She keeps her crossbow and bolt quiver out, strapping the latter to her hip.

"Do we have time to get off the ship?" She asks, readying a bolt carefully as she looks at the others.

[Leviathan]

Adelaide's question is answered as a man-sized beast lands on the stricken Jenivere's deck, right by the edge that's been shorn away in the crash. It's a lizard-like creature, with dark scales and flapping bat-like wings. A man of spikes runs down its back, and a nasty maw full of teeth snarls at you. Its claws dig into the deck, leaving long scratches in the wood, and it emits another loud roar. Its tail swishes angrily. Perhaps more ominously, its weigh sets the wreck rocking slightly.

Knowledge (nature) DC 14
The creature is known as a chupacabra. It's a tropical reptile that some scholars speculate are distantly related to true dragons. They prefer to scavenge dead meat to live prey, and have a voracious appetite for blood. It's likely this one is here for the bounty of carrion available to it.

[Blisstake]

With the creature already on the ship's deck, it didn't seem likely they would be able to get away. Plus they needed the food and supplies. "Guess we're fighting. C'mon."

His new sword was already covered in blood; a little more couldn't hurt.

Going to wait until someone else moves in, then go for a flank.

Hit: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

HP: 10/10 AC: 18
F: +2 R: +6 W: +3

[RocketMan]

Jasper steadies himself as the deck creaks, pulling out his wand and pointing it at the strange, winged creature. "I haven't the faintest idea what that thing is," he says, perhaps in answer to Karsis's earlier question. "But in any case, I doubt it's here to welcome us to the island. Perhaps," he murmurs, "it fancies a swim." He gives a sudden flick of his wand and beneath the beast's clawed feet an opalescent pool of shimmering oil suddenly appears, slicking the deck and making it precarious for any unwary person caught on the slippery surface.

Casting Grease at its feet.

[Winterfell]

"Nobody on this damn island has been happy to see us," Gideon remarks, casually unholstering his machete and giving it a whirl in his calloused hands. "Careful on the deck - not sure it can hold up that ugly thing, let alone all of us." Unwilling to charge over the shaky deck, Gideon stands his ground, holding out his blade warily.

Ready to power attack the creature if it moves into melee.

Attack roll: [roll0]
Damage roll: [roll1]

[Mr. Turniphead]

Gods that thing is ugly! Adelaide readied her crossbow as the beast landed. Her aim, not the truest was best served before her allies closed with the creature.

"Mind your footing!" she calls out, firing a bolt at the beast.

Standard Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
Move: Reload

[Giant Owlbear]

Severnus holds his sword raised up to strike, glaring at the chupacabra. He shifts his weight onto his front leg, taking a slow step closer to it. "More beasts to kill. Wonderful," he grunts dryly.

5 foot step closer to it then readied attack.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Leviathan]

The winged reptile keeps its feet as Jasper makes the deck slick with magical oil, digging in its claws. Adelaide's crossbow bolt thunks harmlessly off its scales, and that seems to rile it up. It opens its jaws wide, showing pin-like fangs and a forked, curling tongue. It beats its wings together, then bounds forward aggressively. But it meets its match on Gideon's sword. A deep gash is carved into its flank as it pounces at the ranger, splattering the deck with thick red blood. The monster roars in pain, its eyes locking on Gideon with a peculiar intelligence, as if it's vowing vengeance against him. It backs off slightly, tail lashing against the Jenivere's planks, then takes to the air with a last bellow.

The sudden departure of the giant lizard sends a jolt through the husk of the Jenivere, the wreck's precarious perch disturbed by the redistribution of weight combined with the waves crashing against it. As the wounded beast flies off into the horizon, one leg hanging limply down below it, the ship shudders again. A loud cracking noise rends the air, and the remnants of the vessel lists sideways slightly.

Needless to say, it's probably time to leave...

Everyone
I'll need acrobatics checks from all of you to keep your footing on the shifting deck. DC10 to reach your rope dangling down from the cliffs. Failing means you can't climb up. Failing by 5 or more means you actually fall down prone. Succeeding by 5 or more means you can add an aid another result to someone else's check.

[Blisstake]

"Well crap," Karsis mutters as the ship begins to sway from their brief combat. "C'mon, let's get outta here!"

Being an ex-pirate certainly comes in handy when navigating the deck of a ship; Karsis practically lived on one for the last few years. He helps the others get to their feet, and heads off toward their salvation; the rope they left dangling off the cliff. Hopefully no scavengers decided it looked particularly tasty...

With that new studded leather, Karsis actually doesn't have an armor check penalty!

Acrobatics: [roll0]
If he's able to provide aid: [roll1] to whoever gets the lowest result

[RocketMan]

"I don't think it likes you very much, Mr. Drake," Jasper says, trying to keep his cool as the creature departs. He isn't able to stifle a yelp, however, as the wrecked boards of the Jenivere creak and shake suddenly at its taking off. He tries to steady himself, stretching out both arms. "I think the ship's about to fall apart!" he calls anxiously, attempting to make his way over to the rope.

Acrobatics: [roll0]

[Giant Owlbear]

Quickly sheathing his sword while the ship begins to rock dangerously, Severnus makes for their rope. "Move," he barks. "Get up, quickly now." He himself grips the rope tightly in his hands, bracing his feet against the cliff wall to begin his climb up its side.

Acrobatics hnnngh: [roll0]

[Winterfell]

"Let's go!" Gideon shouts over the roaring of the beast and the creaking of the ship. In his state of near-panic he has no time to think about the malevolent stare that the creature had given him. "Grab the rope, unless you want to take a swim."

Acrobatics: [roll0]

[Mr. Turniphead]

Soundlessly, Adelaide races after the others, jumping to grab the rope, just in time it seems. She risks a glance at the retreating form of the creature.

"Careful!" She calls up the line.

[Leviathan]

The stranded heroes rush for the edge of the Jenivere. The ship's rocking intensifies as the starboard side of its shattered hull is hit by a particularly fierce wave. Salt sprays up across the deck as, with a sickening lurch, the wreck frees itself from the rocks. Severnus, Gideon, and Adelaide grasp the rope, bracing it and pulling themselves up to the clifftop. Jasper nearly slips on the deck as it lists precariously to the side. But Karsis has the young wizard's back; with the pirate's assistance, he makes it up the rope. Karsis himself is the last one up, cutting the tail end of the cord free of the ship.

Looking down from the island's rugged edge, you see the Jenivere's remains, freed from the rocks impaling it against the shoreline, slammed against the rocks once more by the waves. With a thunderous crack, the hull gives way, a massive fissure splitting apart its frame. The pitiless waters of Desperation Bay flood into the broken ship. In a matter of minutes, it's been reduced to little more than drifting planks and a mast jutting up above the waterline. A terrible testament to the legends surrounding Smuggler's Shiv.

You now stand on the coast, sun-dried yellow grasses blowing in the sea breeze and white gulls circling overhead. To the south lies the island's interior, a thicket of dense jungle that rises up perhaps a hundred feet from the cliff's edge. With the most pressing matter of searching the ship finished, you're now faced with your dire situation...

[Blisstake]

"So... what now?" Karsis takes one last glance at the wreckage of the Jenivere. He hadn't boarded on it for very long, but it always sad to see a seaworthy ship make its last voyage.

Their immediate danger was gone, but they still had to think in the long term how they were going to get off of the island. "Guess we'd better make a camp, yeah? See if we can get any fish or game or something. We could probably last a while, but we gotta think how we're getting off this rock."

[Giant Owlbear]

"Karsis is correct." The old soldier wipes sweat from his brow. "We'll need a source of running water first of all. Perhaps our bold explorer would be good enough to find us a stream."

"As for leaving, it's clear from the fate of our ship that there's no sense in building a raft or some such thing. It would never survive the waves. Perhaps a large enough signal could attract a passing vessel. A bonfire." He scowls. "Or they may think us merely savages dancing around a fiery idol and avoid us entirely."

[RocketMan]

This post is based on the assumption that Gideon relayed all he knew about Smuggler's Shiv. If not, please ignore this!

Jasper breathes deeply as his feet touch the top of the cliff once more, having been hoisted up by Karsis. "You have my thanks," he says, with a trace of embarrassment. "However disappointed your parents might be that you didn't become a doctor, I for one am glad for your nautical skill with ropes," he continues, giving a little bow.

"Food and water are our most pressing concerns. People deprived of them do seem to have the unfortunate tendency of dying." He pauses, looking out to sea. No ships are visible against the clear blue waters. "Severnus is right, I think. If our goal is be rescued, we need a beacon. Mr. Drake, you mentioned a lighthouse? What could be more perfect for our purposes?"

[Mr. Turniphead]

Adelaide takes a moment to catch her breath after their rapid ascent up the rope. While doing so, she listens to the others as they formulate a plan. Digging into her pack, she produces an empty waterskin, and waits patiently for a decision.

"We shouldn't have to worry about water, Abadar provides." She says, finally. Murmuring a soft prayer as clean water begins to fill the container.

"I can do this all day, if needed. As far as food goes, I'm not exactly a hunter, but my crossbow is available for anyone who can use it." She offers a small smile at that, the young cleric finally back to her usual self it seems.

[Winterfell]

Gideon hauls himself up the rope with ease, grinning widely as the whole party manages to clamber up as well. "Nicely done, everyone," he says as they watch the Jenivere shatter on the rocks. "Find anything useful in the hold? We only found out that the Captain was so in love with another passenger, Ieana, that he crashed us on this island on purpose. To help with her research." He shakes his head disbelievingly. "If they made it through the storm, they'll be somewhere nearby."

He nods at the practical direction of the conversation. "Right. We should make camp first - no point wandering the jungle after nightfall." He looks impressed at Jasper's suggestion. "Huh, that's such a good idea I'm surprised I didn't think of it. Now I wished I knew where this lighthouse was, exactly..." he chuckles. "But I guess that gives us somewhere to start in the morning."

[Blisstake]

"Crashed on purpose? Hm... the captain sounds crazy, but he (or at least the dame he was with) wouldn't strand himself here, right?" A glimmer of hope shines in the rogue's eyes as he continues. "Which means they must have a way of getting back. We find them, we find a way off, right?"

[Giant Owlbear]

Severnus nods authoritatively, as though the decision is his to make alone. "Then we make camp and in the morning scour the coast for any sign of this love-stricken captain and his harlot. He is not simply a way off the island but also a murderer of his own men. He'll help with the former and pay for the latter."

[Leviathan]

Everyone
If you're going to set up camp, I'll need survival checks from everyone who's helping. You can roll any skills you think might be a substitute (e.g. knowledge (engineering)) as well.

[Blisstake]

"Sorry to say it, but I'm out of my element here. Just let me know where you need me, yeah?"

Karsis doesn't have any naturey skills, and unless someone can think of a use for Profession Sailor, he's probably best off helping set up camp. Take a 10 on survival for aid another. (If I can't for whatever reason, [roll0]

[Winterfell]

Gideon is normally in his element in this sort of situation. He must have set up camps hundreds of times, though admittedly it wasn't common for his camp gear to be soggy and wet or entirely non-existent. "We'll need tents, or at least one large enough for all of us. Won't that be fun," he winks dramatically. "A fire-pit too, and we'll need some wood for that. Dry is best, but we're in the tropics and that can be hard to come by, so if we have to we'll put it out in the sun for a few hours first." He continues giving commands as he himself springs into action as well.

Gideon will take a 10 if possible for 16, but if not:

Surival [roll0]

[Giant Owlbear]

Severnus raises a hand to his brow, shading his vision from the sun while he looks around. He decides to make his way down to the beach where the party originally landed to scavenge the remains of the row boat there for anything useable.

Survival: [roll0]

[RocketMan]

Jasper nods at Adelaide. "Useful trick. We might be trapped here for who knows how long, but at least we won't shrivel into desiccated husks," he says, leaning casually against one of the palms that stands nearby.

"If we're building a tent, we'll need fabric - or leaves. Obviously the former is preferable so that we retain some vestige of humanity. I'd hate to descend into barbarism after only a few hours." He looks over his companions. "I don't suppose anyone found any fabric inside the ship?"

Jasper continues to idle by the tree as Gideon and Severnus work. He smirks as he watches the two burly warriors lug logs up the beach. He lets his mind wander as he twirls his wand carelessly between his fingers.

In case knowledge: history or knowledge: local would be of any use at all to identify interesting features or resource locations on the island?

History: [roll0]
Local: [roll1] edit: that should be +9, so 26

[Leviathan]

It takes hours to properly assemble a camp. Gideon goes off in search of wood, scavenging the edges of the dense forest for fallen branches. He returns with a bundle of sticks, some of them wet and springy, but others dry and brittle. The ranger knows enough woodcraft to lay the former kind out on rocks for the sun to dry tomorrow.

Severnus gets to work hauling the remains of the Jenivere's lifeboat up to the cliff top overlooking the spot where your vessel once rested. Though it's far from intact, the boat's planks can be striped away for use as poles for tents and crude furniture.

Karsis makes himself busy preparing the campsite. His sailors' skills prove useful. He folds, cuts, and twists the canvass recovered from the wreck into heavy drapes. He builds simple frames for tents, over which he lies those covers. The tents are arranged in a semi-circle around the central fire-pit that Gideon has dug out.

Jasper
Instead of putting hard labour into building the camp, you take a few hours to collect your thoughts. You recall that Chelish histories of Sargava note that during that country's naval battle against the newly independent colony seventy years ago, one Chelish ship was driven onto the rocks of Smuggler's Shiv. The crew were all listed as killed by the navy, though less orthodox historians have suggested that designation may simply have been a way of saving face in light of the navy's inability to rescue it's own men.

By the time the campsite is complete, night has fallen. The ocean wind keeps the worst of the insect life of Smuggler's Shiv away, but in the dim and humid twilight, you can hear the buzzing of mosquitoes around your ears and neck. The shadow of a hunting bat occasionally flutters overhead, blocking out a tiny portion of the night sky for an instant. Gideon's fire burns low, heating some of the rations you've recovered.

Looking down at the beach, you can see the dark waves crashing against the cliffs and beaches. The moon- and starlight overhead shine down, illuminating the waves. It might have been your imagination, but you think that you see something moving against the tide. It could just be the moonlight rippling against the lapping waves. But the longer you look, the more you cannot help but see a pale shape drifting against the current, just below the waterline. A glimmer of light hits it, and you think that you can see a ghostly human face, serene and unseeing, beneath the black water.

[Winterfell]

Gideon grunts as he hammers in the last stake for the tent. By that point, the sun is low over the horizon, casting an orange glow over the sea. The ranger starts to build a fire. Hopefully it'll attract attention, he thinks, emerald eyes gazing out over the waters. Then he glowers darkly, as if sensing the looming trees behind him. Hopefully the right kind of attention.

Gideon eats the heated food so ravenously one would think he hadn't eaten in weeks. The ship's biscuits are hardly a delicacy but they'll have to do. He looks out to sea again, given that his companions are quiet. "By the gods," he hisses, his eyes wide. He has sprung to his feet, staring at the moonlit surf. "Please tell me the rest of you see that," he whispers, pointing at the ghostly figure beneath the waves. Then he shakes his head. "Must be a body washing ashore," he says grimly, coming back to his senses. "Let's go check it out," the man says. Despite the heat he feels chilled. He brings along his machete, just in case.

[Blisstake]

"That's probably not good," Karsis mutters. "Still better check it out, though. Don't want it watching us while we sleep."

[RocketMan]

Jasper stands up, his face pale. A slowly swirling orb of light materializes in his outstretched hand, bathing the dimly lit campsite in brighter light.

"You know," the young wizard says quietly, "I can't really blame the sailors who claim this island is haunted. I'll admit it: that's a sight to make one an insomniac."

He moves forward carefully, picking his way over the rocks and sand, orb of light still brandished as he creeps toward the beach.

[Giant Owlbear]

Severnus' worn face is creased with dark shadows as he sits by the fire. When Gideon rises, he does the same, pulling his gauntlets over his fingers. "A body washing ashore," he says shortly. "It will be carrion by morning. Still, we may as well deal with it down, before it stinks to the lowest Hells." He conceals his uneasiness beneath a taciturn mask; corpses are known to rise up, and he'd rather Adelaide or Jasper not see their first undead tonight.

[Mr. Turniphead]

Adelaide ventured an attempt at cheer as camp went up. Bringing water to the others as they worked, helping haul planks, and generally attempting to be helpful throughout. The young woman chatted with the others throughout, largely filling silence, but to a practiced eye it was easy to see she was trying to soothe herself as much as the others.

As night fell, she settled around the fire with the others, and grew quiet until Gideon pointed out the eery sight at shore.

"W-watching us while we sleep?" She says, blinking at Karsis.

"Yes, we should go see to it. I should give it rites at the very least..." She says, trying to ease the tension in her voice as she followed the others.