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Bingus, Pendleton, Phineas, and Sasha locate the path they followed to initially enter the forest and make their return trip back to the sandy beach, and ultimately the Devil's Mistress. The group, speaking little, manages to make it to the beach safely and turn south, heading back towards the ship which they guess is still a couple hours away by foot.

Then they see, in the general direction of the ship, wisps smoke billowing into the air. Perhaps the crew was able to successfully hunt and they're roasting their kill over a fire on the beach?

It isn't until they draw to within a couple hundred yards that they realize the smoke is not coming from a fire aboard the beach, but from the ship itself! Hearts sinking, the group hurries their pace and closes the distance between themselves and the ship. Sure enough, something significant has happened to the ship, and it appears to be severely damaged. Heading inland somewhat to seek cover behind a section of overgrowth, the group watches the ship for several minutes, waiting for any sign of Captain Raleigh or his crew.

Suddenly they see movement aboard the ship's wreckage. The average-sized, muscular humanoid they spy -- with a strip of wild reddish hair atop its head, and thick brands of it growing from its face, almost like antenna -- with heavily tattooed hide or skin, doesn't resemble any of the crew members of the Mistress they remember.




Actions?

Phineas T. Codswallop, impresario:

Codswallop was about to say one more rotte thing when the billowing smoke plume left him speechless, for now at least.

There goes my ticket out of here, he thought as his heart sank. Then he starting calculating whether he was better off with these three or without them. When he was done laying odds, he whispered, "I'll reconnoiter forwardly."

Keeping within the treeline, the little man quietly, slowly crept closer to get a better look.

Can he recognize the species of humanoid? Is there any visible damage on the ship that clearly renders it unseaworthy? Any bodies on the beach? Any unusual sounds? Thanks.

Pendleton regards the scene with consternation. "I hope the captain and his crew are not hurt," he says with an uncertain tone in his voice.

Staying behind the cover of outgrowth, Pendleton watches the ship for several more moments to see if any more humanoids are on the ship than the one they had spotted so far.

Sasha shrugs, knowing quite well that the ship being attacked was always a distinct possibility.

She speaks to nobody in particular.

What was the ship called that the captain was running from? I wonder if that crew came ashore and attacked our friendly seaman.

"It was Pirate Robins that chased us here," answers Pendleton, who has excellent memory skills. "I don't know if those are pirates or natives. I don't see any other ships, however."

Dave, can Pendleton tell from looking how the ship was damaged? Does it look like cannonball fire? Is the damage mostly on the side toward the water, for example?

"Unless that is the only hostile entity aboard or near the ship, we clearly cannot hope to retake the ship ourselves at this time. Not until Bingus and I have had a chance to sleep and study. Therein lies our most pressing problem, in my opinion: with the Mistress damaged and occupied, where do we go for an uninterrupted night's rest?"

"I hope the captain and his crew are not hurt," Pendleton says with an uncertain tone in his voice. Staying behind the cover of outgrowth, he watches the ship for several more moments, and failes to spot more than the single humanoid that currently appears to be searching the ship. "What was the ship called that the captain was running from?" Sasha asks quietly. "I wonder if that crew came ashore and attacked our friendly seaman." she ponders. "It was Pirate Robins that chased us here," answers Pendleton without interrupting his surveillance. "I don't know if those are pirates or natives. I don't see any other ships, however," the mage observes.

"I'll reconnoiter forwardly," Phineas offers. Without pause, the little man slowly creeps forward, keeping within the treeline.

While awaiting the hopeful return of Phineas, Pendleton momentarily allows his focus to shift from the humanoid to the ship, and the damage the watercraft sustained. "With the Mistress damaged and occupied, where do we go for an uninterrupted night's rest?" he allows himself to wonder aloud.


Actions?


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"That's cannonball damage," says Pendleton. "Look—there is a huge cannonball hole on the starboard side, facing the beach, then a hold that's only slightly smaller on the port side near the beach. Could a cannonball have passed all the way through her?"

"If there is only one foe, perhaps we could retake the Mistress and see whether any of the crew may yet be saved. But I leave that decision to the fighters."

Sasha spends some time looking around at the beach. She tries to determine if the stranger on the ship came from the trees or from the water.

If one man took out the entire crew, maybe we better spend some more time watching before we attack?

"I would be surprised if one man took the entire crew," muses Pendleton. "More likely, the crew was injured in the attack from the pirate ship and this person is scavenging. Or there are more like him below decks or out of our sight."

The humanoid continues to rummage about aboard the wrecked Mistress, and fails to notice that it is being observed. From your distance, it's difficult to make out details, but it appears almost as if it is looking for something.

There continues to be no indication that the humanoid has any company.

Phineas T. Codswallop, impresario:

The unlikely little scout returned through the foliage and quietly reported to the others, "The solitary scavenger is a water-logged dwarf, embellished in tribal tattoos, possessing an axe, and rummaging the schooner. Incredibly and preposterously, he's evidently unaccompanied. Of the crew, there's nary an indication."

"There exists 100 yards of unprotected, open terra firma between we and he. We can bushwack the wee warrior now, after a treacherous charge. Or wait post-vespers and advance imperceptible, giving you two comrades the opportunity to convalesce and rejuvenate... and the dwarf improved possibility for any of his hypothetical associates to materialize.
"Take action or surcease?"

Sasha

Well, I'm thinking we should try to find an advantage and take this thing out. However, after seeing these two and their fighting skills, maybe we better rest somewhere first and just observe this thing for a while.

"If he's a scavenger," says Pendleton, "he might not even be hostile. Perhaps we should try to parlay with him? Codswallop, keep your bow at the ready and stay under cover. I will hail him from afar. If he makes a hostile move, do your thing."

Pendleton quietly emerges from the cover of the brush and steps away from it and forward far enough, he hopes, that he won't draw any attention to his companions. "Hello there!" he calls out in the direction of the Mistress. "Looking for something?"

Sasha smiles as she shakes her head.

He sure ain't a coward, I'll give him that!

Phineas T. Codswallop, impresario:

Zhym wrote:"Codswallop, keep your bow at the ready and stay under cover. I will hail him from afar. If he makes a hostile move, do your thing."

The pragmatist tries to stop the theoretician in time, "My personal projectile weapon system has not the reach to target the dwarf from undercover of this verdant canopy! Desist!"

"That's okay," whispers Pendleton as he leaves. "If he is hostile he is likely to come to me to attack, so long as he thinks I am alone. So stay well hidden, and if he charges me, wait for him to come into short range, then fire."

Before Phineas can caution Pendlteon about the lack of ranged cover, the wizard steps out of the clearing and calls out to the humanoid aboard the wreckage of the Mistress. Upon being hailed, the humanoid cocks its head and crouches down lowering his profile, maybe reaching down for something. It turns its head to look towards the direction of the sound.

There's still a little over a hundred yards separating the parties.

"It's okay!" shouts Pendleton. "I'm friendly if you're friendly! I'm just wondering what you're doing on the ship! Can we talk?"

The humanoid is clearly listening, and remains unthreatening, but the two are still at too far a distance to conduct a conversation.

Pendleton walks about 25 yards toward the ship. "Any chance you'd like to come over and talk?" he shouts.