The Aftermath

[OGRE MAGE]

Surviving The Crabs

Killing the remaining crustacean easily, and escaping the clutches of the others now fleeing for their lives, the party has a moment to regroup on the stony beach. Looking around, they don't see any signs of washed up flotsam or any other indication of survivors from their wrecked vessel.

Each member of the group is injured in some way, a few severely. All of you are dehydrated and sore from your extended time in the sea. Checking over your gear, it seems that most of you are now carrying a lighter load, with a few offerings of items and equipment left behind on the bottom of the ocean. Looking around the shoreline, there is no food or fresh water to be seen, but looking into the massive forest just off the beach, there is hope to find something eventually.

As you shake off the recent occurrences, trying to make sense of it all, Valkrina comments that the dead crabs will provide enough meat for one good meal each, if you can figure out a way to prepare them. Staring at her carved wooden totem, certain that the unusual magical item most certainly had something to do with their miraculous survival, the soaking wet esquimaux girl wonders where they are now.

While you try to get an idea of your next move, a maniacal laughter can suddenly be heard getting louder and louder, coming from behind the one huge lone rock near the edge of the forest. The voice sounds human, and vaguely familiar to your shriveled skinned ears.

Actions?

position map:

0F99F409-53F5-499E-80DF-D0534A8D56D4.jpeg (56.94 KiB) Viewed 356 times

Apollonius AC:8 1/5 2/2
Valkrina AC:6 4/8 1/1
Drest AC:7 1/7
Euripides AC:5 4/7 2/2
Xenos AC:5 3/9 1/2

[Rex]

Drest

"Is that the captain? If so he had the cask of water, which would be very handy right now."

[shaidar]

Xenos

"Let's not hesitate, we need that water...and answers"

He heads off towards the laughter.

[Rex]

Drest

Drest will follow along, keeping his eye out for wreckage that might contain something useful.

[Bluetongue]

Valkrina

Apollonius, help me with these if you don't mind."

She turns one of the dead crabs over onto its back and grips one of the claws. Taking a firm grip she twists until it comes off. Thinking she takes a drumstick from her pouch and sharpens an end into a point using the crab claw edge to cut the musical utensil then sticks that into the meat inside the amputated crab leg to scrape it away from the shell and pull it out. She repeats the process for the other legs.

Then she peels off the stomach carapace from the crab and tosses aside the 'dead man's fingers' (crab lungs) before seperating the browner meat from the white, leaving the cartilage on to hold it together. She spoons the yellow heptopancreas organ into a separate vial.

"Both the meats are good but you cannot eat them raw. The organ is nutritious and more of a delicacy. Keep the largest claw, it can make an adhoc dagger."

She studiously goes about the work while the others seek out Lazereth, holding back to complete the task but also to speak privately to the former slave.

"I have a feeling that Lazereth knew all along the sea journey would end that way. A rickety ship with expendable sailors. Making a covenant with 'the Deep' to vomit us on shore like ambergris while others drown. The party have been engaged by a sorceress, our oaths sworn to follow her commands without question. To scour this island for lotus blossoms whose seeds and leaves are components in her necrotic spells.

You however have made no such oath to a sorceress. I chose you from among the slaves as you seem most quick witted and intelligent. The totem saved you life as it doesn't distinguish between souls as prudently as I.

I have a hope that when my life is in the balance during this expedition, my prudent choice in planning for eventualities will prove so."

After she gathers all the meat she joins the others.

[Paladin]

Apollonius Triton

The Atlantean falls to his work without comment, aiding Valkrina in processing the crabs and pondering her line of reasoning. He nods once, cocking one ear toward the mad laughter.

If possible, he will do as she suggests and retain the largest claw for an improvised weapon.

Would Apollonius have any idea what specific spells a sorceress might use such ingredients to prepare?

"I owe you," he says finally, his voice low and measured. "I pay my debts." When they finish, he will also rejoin the others.

[Scott308]

Euripides Nereos

The Atlantean readies his sling and follows along with the others. I do have a spell that allows me to create water. I usually use it so I can spend some time in the water, but I guess I could cast it so we can drink. After all, I can head back into the sea whenever I have to.

[Rex]

Drest

"That is very handy, I will keep an eye out for something we can use or modify to hold water."

[OGRE MAGE]

Lazereth Returns

While the seasoned hunter Valkrina along with the newcomer Apollonius tear apart the fresh crab meat for later, saving one claw to use as a dagger, the others move towards the rocks where they hear the crazed laughter emanating.

Before they can move around to the back side, their former captain leaps up onto the top of the outcropping. Still clutching his prized water cask, the disheveled and waterlogged man begins to shout very loudly. "Did you feel that? How fast do you think we were moving at the end there? That had to be the fastest any ship has ever traveled, even if it was short lived."

He hands the cask down to whoever is willing to grab it. "Get yerselves a drink er two outta this! But don't break it! This ol' cask has saved my bacon several times over the long years!" Anyone wishing for a drink finds the water to be cool and refreshing, and as quickly as any liquid from the cask is drained out, it refills itself again magically.

The ship-less captain holds the carved idol he took away from Kumaglak out in his hand, staring at it longingly. "So these things are what saved us, eh? I knew these had some special magic in them, but I didn't think they would allow us to live through anything as dangerous as we just survived. I wonder what else they can do."

Looking around at the sorry beach, he continues. "Well, I have no idea where we are now, but we sure as hell aint in Zangerios anymore, eh friends?" This comment is followed by more loud, insane laughter. It is beginning to seem that the captain isn't quite all there anymore.

The crab harvesters try to ignore the ramblings of the crazed captain, hearing a light rustling coming from the forest area near them. (Can I get a percentile roll from Val and Apollo along with your next actions, please?)

Actions?

position map:

65D9833E-8703-42AF-83D0-55835B1A43F6.jpeg (17.87 KiB) Viewed 325 times

Apollonius AC:8 1/5 2/2
Valkrina AC:6 4/8 1/1
Drest AC:7 1/7
Euripides AC:5 4/7 2/2
Xenos AC:5 3/9 1/2

[shaidar]

Xenos resists a very strong urge to punch the captain in the face and instead takes a drink from the cask, noting the magical effect. As he drinks he tries to surrupticiously assess the physical state of the captain to determine how much fight he might have left in him.

[Rex]

Drest

Drest takes a drink. Keeping his bow at the ready.

[Bluetongue]

Valkrina

Finishes collecting the crab meat,

Valkrina random % roll [1d100]=82

She hears the rustling which appears more than the sea breeze wafting the branches. Not sure if she can discern any creature stalking or eyes watching she hurries to the rock and avails herself of some water.

"We should get off the beach at least and look for shelter then plan from there.

If the ship is truly gone then we must hope to find another or trust the other two viking boats will arrive eventually. I suppose Lazereth that between the feathers and whirlpools we advanced our journey here considerably?"

Valkrina reasons we are in the island destination sought by Kazeffron, the totems channelling us here as well as securing our lives at sea. So therefore the 'quest for lotuses' still remains.

She suddenly thinks that we might be on the Crab Archipelago after all. Hmm .... being seen eating crabmeat might not go down too well with the locals if so.

"We should bury the crab carcasses and cover our footprints in the sand before we move on though the unseen cause behind the rustling in the forest may already have seen us."

[Paladin]

Apollonius Triton

Provided that nothing rushes immediately from the forest to devour them, Apollonius will edge toward his companions and the crazed captain and take a turn at the cask, slaking his thirst and clearing his dry throat.

He will continue eyeing the treeline, though, and quietly warn the others. "Something in the forest."

[1d100]=17

[Scott308]

Euripides Nereos

The young Atlantean drinks from the captain's barrel. Looks like I don't need to create water right away, huh? Captain, any idea where we are right now? Do you think Sassafrass knew our ship would wreck? How are we going to get back if we find the flowers we're supposed to look for?

[OGRE MAGE]

Lazereth Returns

Valkrina continues harvesting the good crab meat as Apollonius move towards the others, wishing to get himself a drink of the proffered water. He keeps his eye on the rustling noise he heard near the tree line, eventually spotting a humanoid shape hiding there in the bush, motioning with his arm for the Atlantean to come closer. He quietly mentions what he sees to the others, keeping his voice low while the captain continues to shout. Xenos watches the crazed captain closely as he too slakes his thirst, easily discerning that the man is not acting normally. His shouting in this unknown environment is becoming even more concerning with each word, and the crazed look in his eye as he stares into the idol is even more unsettling.

Drest and Euripides drink form the cask too, slowly turning in the direction of Apollonius's concerned stare, spotting a human arm in the nearby bush beckoning them to come closer. Lazereth answers the young priest of Rel as best he can under the circumstances. "Wherever we are son, I don't think we will find any flowers here! You of all people should understand that. Do you not feel the calling from the idol? Clear your mind and give in to its power." The crazed captain points out over the vast ocean in front of you as he cradles his stolen idol tightly in his wrinkled hands. "We need to be out there! That way! The idol will show us the way to the Men of Mu!"

Valkrina doesn't notice the shape in the forest as she joins the others for a drink. She warns them that they should probably get off this open beach before they are spotted by something worse that their blabbering former captain, who continues to shout from atop his rock. "We are far from where we were. But not too far! Helios tells me that we remain somewhere near the Isle we seek. But not too near."

Actions?

position map:

9A104B95-5141-4D3B-A535-80A3C8947075.jpeg (58.6 KiB) Viewed 297 times

Apollonius AC:8 1/5 2/2
Valkrina AC:6 4/8 1/1
Drest AC:7 1/7
Euripides AC:5 4/7 2/2
Xenos AC:5 3/9 1/2

[Rex]

Drest

Whispering, "I am in no shape for a fight right now. Should we risk checking out whoever that is trying to lure us over there." He says with a nod in the arm's direction.

[shaidar]

Xenos addresses the captain

"Be quiet you lunatic! You'll surely bring some fell beast down upon us with your crazy outbursts"

[Bluetongue]

Valkrina

"Getting off this beach is more important than getting off the island right now." The Esquimaux rues the lack of ice for an igloo, doubting sandcastles will suffice.

"Shelter and a fire."

The hidden humanoid is less than a stones throw away so we are not going to leave unnoticed. She would investigate but has some reservations.

A human arm in the bush waving at us? She has a grizzly thought that actually the arm is the last part of some unlucky sailor washed ashore and he is being nibbled on by some carnivorous plant or camouflaged savage.

Determining without any evidence that is so, she points her spear to the east.

"Let's go this way for a while. Maybe others are washed up in need of help or supplies have drifted like flotsam or we can find a cave to camp in." she says and starts walking that way.

[Scott308]

Euripides Nereos

The Atlantean sees the arm waving from the bushes and goes over to investigate. H- hello. Who are you? Can we help you with something?

[Paladin]

Apollonius Triton

Cocking his head and readying a spell in his mind, Apollonius accompanies Euripides (from a few feet behind him, of course... ) to investigate the newcomer. He remains silent, eyes open and scanning the brush nearby.