Quest #21 "Island Hopping"

[Quonundrum]

Tlachtga

"Cats on a beach? Easy answer is fish parts from the fisherman, rats from the boats, and occasional bird or egg. Not to mention people in general have always attracted cats."

Andron clambers over the side of the boat and moves up to a position behind Lerrick. Pivoting his head to look back at Tlachtga he responds to her insight about the cats.

I would agree with your assessment mistress of nature, if this beach was near to a large seaport like Saltmarsh. With all due respect though, this is but a small island easily circumnavigated by rowboat. Despite the abundance of fruit there are no people who live here, no fishermen except those from the main island who might brave the danger. He motions to the two men in the boat who ferried them here. No piers for large boats and scant enough birds to feed hundreds of feral cats. It seems most unnatural to me.

[OGRE MAGE]

Back To Cat Turd Baech
Moonday, 15th of Goodmonth
Early Morning, Rainy, Misty, Humid

Now completely soaked from the rain, the boat filled with eager adventurers (and one sleeper) slowly makes its way around the tiny island. The shoreline looks much the same as it did the last time Alordan made this trip, revealing nothing but a rocky shore with trees and other vegetation growing right up to the edge of the water. Though there are other places to disembark through the thick jungle along the shore, there is no good area to beach the dinghy. Nothing out of the ordinary is seen or heard on their circumnavigation, so Joe suggests heading to the cat filled beach again, remembering it as a safe place to wait for the party the last time.

Pete pulls hard on the oars until the boat is jammed far enough into the soft, clumpy sand that the others can disembark safely. Lerrick hops out and quickly climbs the nearest tree with ease. The fishermen stare at her movements in amazement, but her aerial view offers her little more than it did on the ground. She can make out the stone ring in the center of the island, but cant spot any details through all of the thick foliage.

Saracen hops out as well, asking Joe how long they will wait for them to return. "We'll wait till just afore dark, then we row back ourselves, iff'n ye aint back yet, that is. Unless ye got some other instructions fer us?"

Looking around at their immediate surroundings, most of the cats seem to be sticking to the underbrush this morning, likely avoiding the worst of the drips so they don't get wet. Other than the hundreds of sandy, thumb sized lumps on the wet beach, the coast inland looks clear.

Actions?
map:

67073BC8-C913-499D-ABB9-97F29D9377D9.jpeg (764.48 KiB) Viewed 429 times

Marching order?
Maag 12/12
Sir Crestbrook 11/11 LoH
Saracen 33/33 5/5 1st 2/2 2nd
Gramble 16/16
Lerrick 11/11 4/4 1st
Alordan 18/18
Andron 6/6 3/3 1st / CL, DM, RM 1/1 1st
Tlachtga 8/8 4/4 1st
Cu AC:3 13/13

[Jernau35]

Maag

"Well if yer do 'ave to leave, don't forget to come back for us der next mornin'. We don't wanna get stuck out 'ere just coz we got a bit lost on der way back."

[Rex]

Tlachtga

Tlachtga and Cu disembark to the beach. To Cu "Fuirich".

"Stay"

She then wanders over to the nearest cat with a piece of fish out in her hand and cast Speak with Animals.

"Meow, purr..."

"Hello friends how are you today? Can you tell me why you are on the beach?"

Speak with Animals (Druid version) all of 1 animal type within 4" radius, lasts 2 rounds.

[OGRE MAGE]

Maag

"Well if yer do 'ave to leave, don't forget to come back for us der next mornin'. We don't wanna get stuck out 'ere just coz we got a bit lost on der way back."

Joe looks surprised at the half-orcs comment.

"Overnight? Nobody comes here ta stay overnight!!! An fer just how many days would ye like us ta come back an check on ye?"

[OGRE MAGE]

Tlachtga wanders over to the nearest cat with a piece of fish out in her hand and cast Speak with Animals.

"Hello friends how are you today? Can you tell me why you are on the beach?"

A fat looking orange and white tabby slinks out to sniff the dead fish with a disgusted look on his tiny face.

"Lousy!"

"We aren't on the beach. Because its raining out! That's why we are hiding in here. And just who are you people then?"

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"Meow purr..."

"I am sorry to hear about the rain. We are here to help with the snake lady. How did you get to this place? Do you know where the snake lady lives by chance?"

[ravenn4544]

Alordan interjects with the boatmen, "We'll be back later today. Please wait for us."

[OGRE MAGE]

Alordan interjects with the boatmen, "We'll be back later today. Please wait for us."

"Oh yes sir, Mr. Alordan, sir. We will wait, just like last time."

"I am sorry to hear about the rain. We are here to help with the snake lady. How did you get to this place? Do you know where the snake lady lives by chance?"

"Ya, it sucks getting wet! Snake lady? What is that? I don't know anything about any snake lady around here. Hey! How is it that you can talk to us? Are you a wizard, too?"

[Jernau35]

Maag

"We're plannin' on goin' back today", Maag points out. "But we might get lost in der dark like last time".

"Wot about if we light a fire? If we get stuck overnight, der next mornin' we light a fire. When you see der smoke, you come an' get us".

[Storm11]

Saracen waits for the druidess to complete her talk with the locals.

He nods when the others agree that the group are planning to head back to bugsville before the day is done.

He will keep an eye open for any dangers, looking at the sand for any signs of tracks, bipedal hoof prints in particular

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"Meow purr..."

"I am a Druidess, not a wizard, I was sent here by one of the Old Gods. I do not yet know why. Do you know how you got here by chance?"

Turning back to the boat, "Do you have a tarp I could purchase?"

[Quonundrum]

Tlachtga

"Meow purr..."

Andronichishche
Andron watches with fascination as Tlachtga communicates with the cats. Interesting ...

"Overnight? Nobody comes here ta stay overnight!!!"

Turning back briefly to the oarsmen, surprised at the latter's exclamation ... Indeed? Why is that? What happens at night?

Andron will also investigate the beach in the vicinity of the boat, particularly looking for anything he would expect to find on a beach; driftwood, clam shells, seaweed, etc.

[wolfpack]

Gramble gets out and hefts his axe watching the parties back while everyone gets ready.

[kruk]

Sir Crestbrook the Mighty

The paladin looks towards the path to the cave. He's ready to move. Cooooraaaaaa

Lerrick

The cleric climbs down the tree and heads towards the others. I'm afraid I have nothing new to report. The foliage blocks my view.


:

[Jernau35]

Maag

Maag dumps three of the bamboo poles onto the sand, retaining the fourth himself. " 'elp yerselves. Guaranteed to find pits an' tripwires. An' we can make a stretcher to carry Cora back". He looks around. "Unless anybody fancies luggin' a three day old corpse over der shoulder".

With that done, Maag draws 'arry the Bastard's sword. "I s'pose I'm at der front again?"

[kruk]

Sir Crestbrook the Mighty

The paladin stows his shield and taps Maag on the shoulder. I'll take the lead. He reaches out with his left hand for the pole, having his sword in his right hand. Oh sweet sweet dear Cora...we will be there soon.

[wolfpack]

Maag

"Unless anybody fancies luggin' a three day old corpse over der shoulder".

Gramble lays Labrys across his shoulder and crinkles his nose in disgust.

Better to set it on fire and bring back the ashes

[Storm11]

Maag

"Unless anybody fancies luggin' a three day old corpse over der shoulder".

Gramble lays Labrys across his shoulder and crinkles his nose in disgust.

Better to set it on fire and bring back the ashes

Saracen agrees. She would more likely have wanted this kind of concern for her when she was still breathing,” he says sadly. We should make a pyre and cremate her and sprinkle the ashes over the cleansed altar to Athena maybe, for her redemption. Unless you know of someone powerful enough to raise her from the dead. That is beyond my strength.

[OGRE MAGE]

Back To Cat Turd Beach
Moonday, 15th of Goodmonth
Early Morning, Rainy, Misty, Humid

The less than thrilled cat continues its strange conversation with Tlachtga while the others prepare to head inland again.

"An old god told you to come here but you don't know why? Ok."

"Well, we were all abandoned here by our old human. And we don't know why, either." The cat rears up on its hind legs like a prairie dog to show off his wet belly. A distinct pattern in the cats colorful fur spells out the word Mittens across his underside. "I'm Mittens, if you couldn't tell."

Joe nods at the plan of heading back to town again today, then agrees to watch for smoke in the morning if you don't return. He responds to Andron's question. "Well, because its even more dangerous in the dark, of course."

To the druids question: "And I am sorry, but we didn't bring any tarps along. Should we row back and get one you could buy?"

Saracen is no striding ranger of the northlands, but he figures that any dummy could spot tracks in wet sand. The hideous half-orc stares at the ground and searches the area, finding only cat tracks, lumps of sandy turds, and the occasional thin line in the sand where a crab must have traveled. Andron does find a few small shells and a bit of seaweed, but no driftwood is seen on the shoreline.

Maag hands out his long bamboo poles and readies the troops to head back into the jungle of statues. Sir Crestbrook insists on taking the lead as they make ready to depart.

Actions?
map:

E7F886AF-40A9-4BC0-9CB8-9845A8006815.jpeg (764.48 KiB) Viewed 370 times

Marching order?
Sir Crestbrook 11/11 LoH
Maag 12/12
Saracen 33/33 5/5 1st 2/2 2nd
Gramble 16/16
Lerrick 11/11 4/4 1st
Alordan 18/18
Andron 6/6 3/3 1st / CL, DM, RM 1/1 1st
Tlachtga 8/8 3/4 1st SWA:1
Cu AC:3 13/13