[Adventure] Serpent's Skull: Souls for Smuggler's Shiv (DM: Mewness; Judge: THB)

Mewness · Apr 6, 2012

Kane can't recall anything else concrete about the Thrune family. The family name is occasionally used by Allarian sailors as a byword for being cursed, but Kane has never heard any actual stories about ancient evil spells on the family line or anything like that; their misfortunes may well have been entirely owing to bad luck (or perhaps inbreeding).

A possible outpost on the Shiv became something of a pointless glory project after the fall of the Empire--such an outpost would have been of little practical use, but completing one would have been a way to make one's reputation after so many failures.

[sblock=Hú Lí (forgot to put this in earlier)]You noticed before entering that the skulls and bones piled up outside the hut have little nicks and abrasions on them, as well as what modern archaeologists would refer to as "pot polish."

The path leading to the hut shows some signs of use, but not very recent use. It looks as though people come here from time to time without going inside.[/sblock]

GM:

If you want to move your camp, there will still be time to do so after the rain ends (you just have to pick a spot).

jbear · Apr 7, 2012

OOC:

The closer hilltop?

Pentius · Apr 8, 2012

Noriaki looks at Kane with a slightly raised eyebrow as he relates the details of history. Perhaps there was more to this man than met the eye.

jbear · Apr 12, 2012

Kane pokes his head outside of the hut as the rain begins to subside. He pops back in with a grin.

"S-so ... w-what's the p-plan?"

OOC:

Do we need to put it to a vote or shall we just say that we agree to move camp to the next hilltop for now? The other option is to leave it where it is til we have explored and reduced threats in the south. I'm easy. I don't see a great need to move camp, but I'm more than happy to agree with a consensus.

Mewness · Apr 12, 2012

OOC:

I'd like to see more opinions but I'll take it as consensus if there aren't any.

You mean the hill in between the one the camp is currently on and the one with the sinister hut, correct?

Pentius · Apr 13, 2012

OOC:

I'm pretty neutral on moving the camp. If you guys wanna move to another spot, so long as we have a water source, I don't mind.

jbear · Apr 13, 2012

OOC:

I'd like to see more opinions too

As they say: "A good game is a fast game": [MENTION=6676989]GROMkill[/MENTION] [MENTION=1642]BenBrown[/MENTION] [MENTION=57009]Dekana[/MENTION]

Dekana · Apr 16, 2012

Castile looks warily at the hut.

"I don't know about moving the camp to here, but I think we could move closer at least. It seems like we're spending all day walking to and from the rest of our party."

OOC:

I think it's time for a change. Let's move camp. Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.

Mewness · Apr 17, 2012

The rain passes with the adventurers sheltering inside the cramped hut.

They return to camp to find Sasha sitting against a tree with her chick on her lap, chewing up pieces of meat and then feeding them to the creature. “Dartmoor says it has to be softened up first,” she explains. “Actually he suggested ... another way to do it, but I wasn't going to try that.”

Jade is grinning from ear to ear, having finally found the evidence he was seeking in Kinkarian’s books. He is eager to explain, but it turns out to be somewhat complicated. Apparently, there are certain kinds of goods that have a special ceremonial status in Magari culture. When these goods are given in tribute to the king, they are given special names. “Kinkarian does not know us very well,” Jade says, chuckling. “He must t’ink dat the special name means somet’ing about de quality of de goods, you see, or rarity. So, Kinkarian records de names in his books--perhaps it benefits him, because his customers are fool into t’inking de same. But de name is purely ceremonial--it means only dat it is given in tribute to de king, and so it is sacred. De king would never sell such t’ings, so it is a proof dat Kinkarian sells stolen goods. So all I have to find is a record of his accomplice’s name, and I have it, I have it finally!”

The group sets to work on packing up the campsite and moving. When they reach a likely-looking spot, Alkas and Sasha begin rebuilding the shelters while Dartmoor divides the Irregulars into squads and sends them off to scout the area.

The new campsite goes up surprisingly quickly; a great deal has been learned since last time. Night has fallen by the time it is finished, but the entire group is in high spirits, despite the hard work.

Jade turns his attention to the cookpot while the others examine the old journal. “Allarians?” Aerys asks Pezock, in a tone of sardonic incredulity. “The nutty cannibalistic thugs you’ve been dealing with are Allarians?”

“I don’t care what they are,” Pezock mutters.

“But ’Nylithati’ is no Allarian name,” says Gelik. “Who--or what--do you suppose she is? Someone who came along with the expedition, or someone who was here all along? It sounds as though whoever wrote this trusted her, at least initially.”

“I think I’ve seen this ‘grey, silent island’ from a distance,” muses Pezock. “Where was it, Pearl? Northwest of the crab? But we didn’t try to cross over there. Just looking at it--We weren't that curious.”

“There’s not a lot to go on,” says Aerys regretfully, paging through the journal again. “If he found anything useful, I can’t make it out. ‘Not just bodies stranded here, but souls.’ What a cheerful thought. Not that I was planning on dying as a means of escape, but still...”

“It would be nice to have the option,” says Gelik, with a faint smile.

Ishirou, who has barely said a word all day, laughs. “It would,” he says simply.

OOC:

First page isn't updated yet, but I wanted to get this up as food for thought and roleplay.

jbear · Apr 17, 2012

Kane's eyes narrow at the mention of the 'silent island'.

"P-pez ... c-can you take us t-to this place?"

Kane's coin spins into the air but his face looks quite serious, more serious than usual.

"I h-have a h-hunch that is where you will f-find you c-captain and the woman. And that is where w-we f-find a way of the Sh-shiv. I'll p-put c-coin on it!"