Thunderhorn: The Cartographer's Guild (IC)

[OneFamiliarFace]

Water, darkness, pain, thunder and sound. Silence. Heat. The cry of a seagull.

You become aware of the gritty feel of sand beneath your face. The heat of a sunburn on the other side. You are dry, but encrusted with sea salt. As you slowly peel open your eyes, the sun blinds you. As sight returns, you become aware that you are lying on a beach, surrounded by stirring or unconscious bodies. The splintered wood of a shipwreck is strewn about, along with your companions and the bodies of many people dressed in striped shirts with dark, ragged pants. You sit up and take in the scene. Off to your left, the treeline of a jungle, to your right, wreckage and strewn debris. Along the shore by the wreck, a huge, ape-like aquatic creature shambles. It looks like a large, upright frog the size of a gorilla with a ridge of sharp teeth and webbed hands tipped in claws. It has a sack made of rope slung over one shoulder and is stuffing shiny objects and what-not into it.

You do not remember how you got here. You are unharmed, but unarmed. What do you do?

You currently have none of your gear. Feel free to make Nature checks to recognize the creature (with advantage if you are native to Thunderhorn).

The people around you are most likely pirates of some sort. They have cutlasses nearby (scimitars) and many seem to be waking up at about the same rate that you are.

OOC Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?527861-Thunderhorn-The-Cartographer-s-Guild-(OOC))

Silas, the Beachcomber (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1240822)
Silikan Amakiir, the East Sea Trader (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1240818)
Nyssa Nackle, Gnomish Road Guardian (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1246347)
Balrash Zaffre, the Sorcerous Smith (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1224771)

[Aardvark 001]

Silas jumps to his feet lithely. He considers taking a scimitar, then berates himself for the thought. That was no longer his way. The fist of the wise man is greater than the blade of the fool, Silas. Still, the fist of the wise man is definitely greater than the fist of the fool. Silas snatches up a scimitar and tosses it away casually. That's one less to worry about.

He turns his attention to the beast he sees lumbering by the wreckage.

Nature check with advantage:
[roll0]
[roll1]

That's an auspicious start

He grins as he recognises the fellow beachcomber. He had met several during his years on the beach. He'd even managed to befriend a couple of them with gifts of shiny trinkets. They are not so different to him in many ways. A surrakar, He tells his companions as they awaken. They are peaceful creatures. No threat to us.

[Phelan Boots]

Nim woke up to Cloak's coarse tongue licking the salt off her face. She opened her eyes to the sight of furry little face staring at her.
Damn it's bright!
Spitting out the sand, she murmured to Cloak, "How ya doin, little guy?"

As she pulled herself to her feet, Cloak scrambled up her leg to hide in her hood, and a scimitar landed at her feet.

"Well, if you're nah gonna use it..."

Picking up the wide blade, she gave it a practice swing to test the balance. When her companion spoke, she realized what he was speaking about, and gave a startled squeak.

"It's a what, now? Doesn't look particular friendly. Where are mah things?

*messed up the dice thing.
+3 for Perception or +1 for Investigation

[Phelan Boots]

[roll0]

+3 for Perception or +1 for Investigation

[Mangles]

Balrash groans and slowly picks himself off the ground. He coughs a few times as he stands. On seeing the beast grabbing shiny junk off the ground he reaches out and a spectral hand grabs the closest shiny thing he can see bringing it back. He walks towards the thing.

"Hey, creature. Do you want this?" Balrash offers up whatever shiny he has, if it wasn't originally his.

[DJCamWozzle]

Silikan comes to, jumping up and quickly checking her surroundings. She does a quick pat down, noticing she is without any of her gear. She grabs one of the scimitars off the guard to arm herself.
It may not be mine but at least I know how to us-...what the hell is that!? the elf thought as she noticed the hulking beast grabbing objects. She listens to her partners before echoing Nim in her usual annoyed tone, "Yeah, where did my goods go?! Silas did your friendly wandering stack of ugly swipe or things while were under?"

[Aardvark 001]

It's possible I suppose, Silas says thoughtfully. Although I don't see why it should take our belongings and not these shiny cutlasses. Besides, I think we have more pressing concerns. He turns to the men who are walking up around them. Who are you and what is this place? Who brought us here?

[OneFamiliarFace]

The creature seems briefly taken aback by the floating hand, but after a look around, it darts forward and snatches the brass doorknob, wedging it into its pack. As it turns to head back towards the ship, you can see through its rope-bound pack, and it doesn't look like your gear could possibly be in there. Someone must have removed it from you before or after they somehow got you aboard that piece of wreckage that used to be a ship. If your gear is going to be anywhere, it must be inside.

The men lying around come to, some still sitting, but others standing, cutlass in hand. One of them, a large woman with grey-green skin, tusks, and bulbous eyes answers Silas. "What brought ya here? Same as us, I surpose! The biggest storm I ever saw! Can't believe we survived!" She kicks the impaled corpse of a man next to her. "Well, most of us... Eh, never liked him anyway." She snaps out of her reverie and gets a look around. "Until the stars are out, I ain't gonna have the slighest as ta where we are. But as for you? You was our prisoners. Don't suppose that matters much now. Sorry about the bump on the noggin though." You all do seem to have rather large knots, now that you think about it. "Name's Pilbog, by the way."

While this lady seems nice enough, the others are starting to grumble and seem wary. Pilbog seems pretty fatalistic about the whole thing, but the others seem like they feel they may have gotten a raw deal. As you look around, you see a hill off in the distance which could provide a better vantage. Some of the be-cutlassed men are heading back towards the ship and don't seem too happy about the surrakar's looting.

[Phelan Boots]

"Well Pilbog, seein as I don't remember ya doin it, or anythin about the past few days for that matter, apology accepted. Does anyone remember how we got on a boat, or why?

Looking at the hulking wreck, Nim brushed some of the sand off and slowly started walking that way, giving the surrakar a wide berth.

"As this is me first time at sea, I cannot say I'm much a fan yet. Anyone care to join me in recoverin our belongins?"

[Aardvark 001]

I for one am not concerned, Silas says. We seem to be stuck here together so we may as well make the most of it, although I must warn you that I don't take kindly to being captured by anyone, so you may want to desist from doing so again. He frowns.Also I would advise everyone to stay away from the beast. It has not done anyone any harm so far, but be warned that surrakar have an almost legendary strength, and will not hesitate to pull you limb from limb if aggravated. Let us examine the wreck and see what we can find.

[DJCamWozzle]

"Save the lack of concern for yourself Silas, I need my stuff back! What did you do with our stuff Pilly, I've got some valuable things that cause people to lose their hands if they touch them." Silikan belted the blade she swiped and started moving towards the ship to check it before the mystery people could, just in case.

[OneFamiliarFace]

Pilbog holds her hands up. "Hey, I ain't lookin fer trouble. No captain, no pay. Ya get me? I'd imagine yer stuff is back in the ship. We usually just store prisoner gear in a locked chest in the hold to sell later."

As Nim nears the wreckage, she sees that two levels are still about half in tact, with the deck above and the hold partially buried in the sand. She can't see up on the deck, but the hold is filled with detritus, some waterlogged corpses, and some sand-logged fish.

It becomes clear that the pirates are discussing attacking the creature, which has currently clambered its way onto the deck of the ship. Grumbled words of "Food" and "Our booty!" If the creature has trouble discerning small, fleshy bidepal creatures from each other, this might not be a good thing for the party. On the other hand, it could drastically shorten this island's supply of ne'er-do-wells.

[Phelan Boots]

Pilbog, perhaps you could show us where in the hold our things are. Unless you intend to join your comrades fightin 'im..."

[roll0]

With that, Nim steps through the hole, into the hold, and casts Minor Illusion behind her to make the hull to appear intact.

[Aardvark 001]

Silas follows behind. He frowns at the conspiring pirates. Well, if they want to get themselves killed then he isn't going to stop them. He gave them fair warning after all.

[Mangles]

Balrash mage hands the creature another shiny. Smiling and approaching it slowly. "Hey there friend. Lets stick together and find you some more shinies."

[Phelan Boots]

Hoping her companions are smart enough to follow through the illusion, Nim starts looking for her things among the bodies and flotsam.


[roll0] Perception
[roll1] Investigation

[OneFamiliarFace]

Balrash sends up another piece of eight to the lumbering collector who takes it, again haltingly, but seems to not have yet made a connection between the ghostly hand and its sender. The pirates, on the other hand, know whose gold that is AND whose ghost hand. Two of them turn on Balrash. "Yar, that stuff belongs ta us!"

Pilbog doesn't seem too keen on getting near the beast, so Nim heads into the wreckage herself. She doesn't see the gear right away, but after a short time rummaging about, she finds an old chest with the lock mechanism broken from the crash. Inside it is everyone's gear, which is intact, if a bit wet. Silikan and Silas file in after and are able to load up.

Donning armor is going to leave Balrash to deal with the pirates by himself, which he will have to do for at least a round or two during the rummaging. But other than that, Silas, Nim, and Silikan can grab up their gear for carrying out or usage.

Good idea on the Minor Illusion. It fools the Surrakar for sure, as long as the creature isn't still around after a minute.

To make it a bit easier to understand what is going on, could everyone preface each post with a bold line with their name and where they are located or roughly what they are doing. Examples:

Nim - Inside the Wreck

Silas - Punching a Dude

[Aardvark 001]

Silas - In and out of the wreckage

Silas grabs his quarterstaff and saunters outside casually twirling it between his fingers. If you used your brains for a moment,
my dear ruffians, you would realise that it may be best to keep the Surrakar on good terms. Imagine how many ships have wrecked themselves on these beaches. Now imagine how much wealth they must all have carried. Now imagine how rich this surrakar's nest must be. Need I go on? Surely you can afford to lose a few paltry pieces now, considering the prize it may buy you later?


Since Silas doesn't wear armour in guessing he'd be out earlier. I'm not sure if I'd need a persuasion roll given how brilliant my argument was :smallcool: but here goes

[roll0]

[Phelan Boots]

Nim - Inside the wreck

Nim grabs her backpack, shoves her armor in it, straps her daggers to her hip, and checks the crossbow she took from that poacher years back. Hearing the commotion outside, she sets up in a position behind her illusion to try and get a bead on the pirates.

Acquire my stuff
Skip putting on armor for now, puts my AC at 13
Grab combat stuff
*hopefully* hide behind my illusion
Otherwise just move behind it.
[roll0]

[Mangles]

Balrash - Peeving off pirates outside the ship.

Balrash shushes the pirates and mage hands another piece of shiny, this time the mage hand merges with his own, dropping the object into his hands. He offers it directly to the beast.

[OneFamiliarFace]

The two pirates rush Balrash. "We told ya that treasure be ours!" Just as a cutlass seems poised to lop off Balrash's extended arm, a clawed, amphibious hand closes around it and the man screams before being launched into the sea. At this, the other pirate begins to shake, turns around, and runs off screaming towards the jungle. The creature snatches the shiny out of your hand and quickly retreats back to the ship.

The remaining four pirates take up position on the opposite side of the ship from the creature. Pilbog lets out a single guffaw.

The surrakar is friendly towards Balrash, but lack of ability to communicate with it is going to mean that isn't much help right now unless maybe you need to trade a piece of gear for a less desirable piece of detritus. At this point, its pack is basically filled with anything that would be useful from the top of a ship (rope, wheel, metal pieces, etc.)

You guys have your gear back, and the pirates don't seem to want any more to do with you. They might have some more info if pressed, but seem pretty dumb.

[Aardvark 001]

Silas smiles at the pirates' reaction. Well, now that we have dealt with the matter how about it we go to that hill there? he gestures with his staff. It'll give us a better vantage point to scout out the terrain. What do you say, Pilbog?

[DJCamWozzle]

Silikan watches the beast send the man flying like a sloppy drunkard, taking a minute to outfit herself in her armor, finally feeling safe again. She tightens her belt, checking to make sure she isn't missing anything. "Hah, idiot sailors didn't take any of my gear. Although, i guess that's a pretty smart of them not to take our things." She grabs her whip and stands next to Silas, looking as intimidating as an elf that woke up not to long ago in wet armor.

[Phelan Boots]

Nim carefully decocks the crossbow. As she handles the deadly weapon, Cloak climbed up (and through) the frazzle of red braids and frizz. The little mongoose stood on his hind legs on took stock of the situation. Deciding the danger had passed, he jumped down and in to Nim's backpack, and pulled out a dried meat ration. As he nibbled away, Nim put on her armor as well.

"The hill is a good idea. I think Cloak is right too. We should look out for some food while we're moving. What happened to your friend Balrash?

[Mangles]

Balrash is glad to have his tools back and joins the group heading for the hill. He keeps an eye on his bestial savior.

[OneFamiliarFace]

Wind sweeps over the beach. A lumbering creature finishes its search and moves off into the water. Four small figures plod through the sand in the high sun towards a dune. Upon reaching its modest summit:

A giant, smoldering mountain looms in the distance over the jungle, billowing smoke out of its top. It dominates the skyline and comprises a large portion of the island they are on. As they stand in awe, a slight tremor rumbles through the dune, and everyone must take a stronger stance to stay on their feet. There is no particular physical evidence of this, but they get the sense that something is somehow angry with them.

As they take stock of the rest of the surrounding area, they see that the area behind them is ocean as far as the eye can see. The jungle and volcanor are to their northwest. To the northeast is a large structure which appears to be made of old wreckage (the surrakar swims this direction). Off to the southwest is what looks to be a few small huts comprising a tiny village. The whole island seems to move uphill as it goes to the northwest and west.

At the sudden feeling of being lost, the party feels a powerful thirst.

Map coming tomorrow.

The pirates stay behind, but Pilbog follows you guys. She whistles when she sees the volcano.

You have the rations that were in your pack (though they all taste briny now), but no fresh water to speak of. Where would you like to head?

[Aardvark 001]

Shall we go for the village? Silas asks. There's no telling what the natives will be like, but we might be able to get an idea about where we are, at least.

[DJCamWozzle]

Silikan interjects, "Or possibly a way to set sail again. I don't know about you guys, but I'm not the biggest fan of staying in one place for to long." She speaks in a somewhat raspy tone, her breaths being cut short due to her thirst. Of course, she would never admit her needs to anyone else.

[Mangles]

"Let's make a start there, but don't forget that creature. Perhaps the beast picked up an odd or end that could get us off the island. Never know what a small trinket he thinks is a shiny might contain big magic."

[Phelan Boots]

"Well I certainly don't like stayin lost somewhere at sea for long, no. It seems like the village may be our best bet, assumin they eent gonna try and eat us. May I suggest we go slowly and look for water and food? Then as we get close, we take a look before introducin ourselves?"

Nim, feeling right at home in the wilderness, sets off in that direction, keeping an eye out for danger and water.

[Phelan Boots]

[roll0] Survival check
[roll1] Perception to look out for danger. Natural explorer lets me do both at the same time.

[Aardvark 001]

Silas follows behind, falling in step with Pilbog as they make their way towards the village. So. You still haven't told us: how did we come to be on your ship in the first place? Why are we captured?


Persuasion to make her tell us (if required) [roll0]
Insight regarding her answer or lack thereof [roll1]

[OneFamiliarFace]

Pilbog does decide to follow you guys, for lack of anything better to do. When you ask her, she shrugs, and answers as if she were a blacksmith telling you how she made a horseshoe. "The Cap'n told us ta jump ya and bring ya aboard. So we did. He pays the bills after all. Bein' the strongest and sneakiest of that terrible lot, I were the one ta bonk ya's on the head, and we took ya aboard. There was a particularly bad storm and we crashed into some moving island in the middle of the sea. Woke up here just like you."

Upon approaching the village, you notice that it is eerily quiet. It is comprised of six wooden huts with thatch roofs. There are a few fishing boats off a poorly made dock, but they seem to be partially sunk in the water. The door to the hut nearest you swings slowly open and shut in the wind.

Your survival check doesn't actually gather any food or water. It DOES let you know that if you want water, then you will have to either wait for a rain or search for some kind of fresh water source. Food will just take time by catching it in the water.

[DJCamWozzle]

Silikan stops and looks around, weary of the tense situation. She put her hand on her rapier, ready to draw at a moments notice. "What happened here..."

Silikan takes a perception check to see if she can notice anything suspicious going on here.
[roll0]

[Phelan Boots]

As they're walking, Nim listens to Pilbog's explanation.

"Wait, did ya say "movin" island? What do ya mean movin?"

As they approach the village, Nim pulls out her crossbow and tries to hide in the wood line to get a better view.

Stealth [roll0]
Perception [roll1]

[Mangles]

Balrash heads in with the others.

[OneFamiliarFace]

The Fished Fishing Village

As the party enters the door, they immediately noticed the bloody corpse thrown against the back wall. It is barely recognizable as a person, but is a person nonetheless. As Silikan bends down to examine the corpse, she imagines this must have happened within the past day. The body seems to be partially eaten. The rest of the room is austere, with a few empty clay pots. It looks like it was ransacked, as some of the pots are broken, the straw mattress is torn apart and strewn about. The herbs that were drying on the ceiling seem to have been ripped down.

The room is eerily silent, but Nim picks up on the sounds of banging and rummaging in the farthest house. She quietly signals the rest of the party, and they head outside. As they pass each house, they see similar scenes, many with blood on the doors. A few with families. Just as they get to the last house, the sound stops. A moment later, the front door bursts open and something jumps out!

An old, leathery woman stands defiantly, her sea-salted hair done up in a messy top. Her clothing seems to have been repaired multiple times, with some parts being replaced with netting. She has a pack slung over her shoulder with what are probably the belongings of the various houses, and with bloodstained hands she wields a blackened, double-sided oar like it is a staff. "By the fires, more pirates! Stay off my island!"

[Phelan Boots]

As Nim steps out of the woods with her crossbow in hand, she looks at the old woman indignantly. Cloak stares out at the scene while perched on Nim's shoulder and under her hair.

"You get a lot of Gnome pirates around here, do ya? I eent a pirate. Besides, this were my first time even bein on a boat, and we end up shipwrecked here. Where ever here is? Pilbog, was this your crews work?"

[Mangles]

"Come, sit around the fire, tell us what is going on." Balrash points with his pliers and creates a small fire in the center of the village, and invites the woman to its comfort.


casting Create Bonfire
trying to persuade the woman [roll0]

[Aardvark 001]

Silas simply smiles but he is worried. He had heard many tales of strange women with dark powers who lured young sailors to their doom. It was a favourite sunniest of conversation among his comrades in the navy. Of course, those women were usually young and beautiful... But then you never knew with sailors. It would be best to keep cautious.


Trying to see what I can make out about the woman
Perception [roll0]
Insight [roll1]
Investigation [roll2]

[OneFamiliarFace]

Ruined Fishing Village - Meeting Guban

To the gnome, she grimaces. "Pirating is a profession, not a race, small one. I've seen cutthroats who could walk between your legs that get ya when you're sleeping." The old lady seems to trust Balrash almost immediately, but she stays as far from Pilbog as she can. "A follower of the Forge, I see. Well, my name is Guban. And I am the survivor. My village..." She gestures around her, more with fatalism than sadness, "...is dead. And no, this was no pirates. They don't eat their victims. I was out. And I came back to this. I decided to pack up my supplies and leave." She sits at the fire and pulls on some dried fish with her teeth, then points at Pilbog with the fish. "For not being pirates, you sure keep interesting company. I know that weathered skin, the gaunt look, the raggamuffin clothing. What business have you on my island?"

Pilbog just shrugs. It looks like she could eat this woman for breakfast and still have room for dessert.

Balrash, she likes you. Good work (but let's see just a bit more schmoozing than making a fire and roll in your next post.)

Silas You don't see anything untoward about her, but you don't think you are missing anything. She has some tattoos that may be of some significance, but such a thing is not uncommon among islanders. A Religion check might help there. Your Insight tells you that she is on edge, but doesn't seem too worked up about the subject of the villagers. She responds more strongly when the topic of invading pirates come up. And she paused significantly when she said she was "out." That said, you believe her when she says she is a native and from this village.