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

[GROMkill]

Nodding at his friend's words, Takahaan spoke, as well. "It would be unwise for us to leave our sickly and injured companions here to suffer the fate of these malicious shores. If they comply, I say we should take them along with us to the wreckage. Their survival depends on our accompaniment and protection of them."

Addressing the poisoned, bruised, and weak passengers suffering from low-morale, Takahaan stoically questions them, "Despite the state you are in, will you agree to traveling with us? It is much safer than leaving you here, subject to this strange beach. If need be, I," Takahaan pauses, eyeing his comrades. "...or we, rather, can carry you."

 

[Mewness]

GM: GROMkill: you can give me a Diplomacy check for Taka. I'll try to update tonight.

 

[BenBrown]

Hú Lí begins playing her flute softly. The melody is slow and melancholy, but the effect is soothing.
[sblock=ooc]Song of Rest: at the end of a short rest, each ally may spend a healing surge and regain 4 extra hit points. This includes NPCs, if they're built with healing surges.[/sblock]

 

[Mewness]

[sblock=ooc]The NPCs do indeed have healing surges.[/sblock]
Sasha looks up at Takahaan. “I’m sorry,” she says, standing. “You--we all ate the same food. You must be feeling just as horrible as we are and you’re still doing all the work.” She drops her gaze, wipes her eyes, and finds her bow. Its string has been ruined by seawater, but she pulls a spare bowstring from her pouch and restrings it.

Aerys snorts. “This is pointless,” she grumbles. But she nevertheless gets shakily to her feet.

“I agree,” says Gelik. “Saving your lives is purely wasted effort.”

Aerys stares down at him for a long, long moment. “My word, but you’re a repulsive little troll,” she says finally, turning away to retrieve her weapons.

Oddly enough, Gelik laughs at this. He gets to his feet as well.

Ishirou stares blankly out to sea, still as a man cast in stone. He seems to pay no attention to Takahaan’s words, but when Aerys gets up he rises as well and picks up his katana.

The group makes its way slowly along the shore to the wreck of the Jenivere. The ship, a gaping hole in its hull, leans against the rock face like a legless drunk. Tied to it is a lifeboat, now splintered beyond repair. On the deck near the lifeboat lies the body of a crewman, face down.

Unfortunately, the tide has come in somewhat, and there is no easy way to get to the ship. It might be feasible to swim, though the prospect of nasties in the water might give one pause. One also might climb around the slippery rock face to reach the deck. Both options look dangerous. The safest method would be simply to wait until the tide goes out again in the evening, but that is many hours away.

[sblock=Getting to the wreck]Either swimming or climbing to the wreck requires a DC 17 Athletics check. If you fail, you still get there eventually, but you lose a healing surge.

Sasha will try to make the climb if you tell her to, but it looks pretty scary to her. None of the other NPCs will make the attempt (and Jade would never be able to succeed anyway).

Alternatively, you can just wait for the tide to go out, but that will happen in the early evening, and it’s only about 11am now.[/sblock]

 

[Pentius]

Noriaki flashes Sasha a smile, one coming easy to his lips as Aerys rebukes Gelik. When the little gnome laughs, too, Noriaki realizes he knows Gelik's type. "A warrior fights when battle presents itself. You need not be sorry. And anyway, I don't feel so bad, perhaps I received a lesser dose." he pitches his voice a little higher, and with a hint of playfulness, "But one is surprised the gnome fell ill at all. Surely he has poison enough in him to be immune by now?"

As they approach the wreck, Noriaki assesses the situation with one hand absently stroking his chin. He eyes the slippery rocks. "The rocks should be easy enough to traverse, though with those manacles on, I doubt Jade could make it. Still, that water isn't going anywhere, and the food stores could be important." He frowns slightly in thought.

[sblock=ooc]Naturally, right after I mention being hesitant to split up, a prime incentive to split up comes up. Waiting until the tide goes out could mean losing supplies to water damage and scavengers, but ditching the NPCs at the coast is also distasteful. What do you guys think? Wait? Go? Send a scout or two?[/sblock]

 

[twilsemail]

OOC: Heading into the ship now likely means leaving some PCs behind as well. A few of us are unlikely to pass that check. Hu Li, for example, would need to roll an 18 to not lose another surge.

When the others are gaining their feet, several of the Irregulars wordlessly attempt to help the gnome. When he's on his feet and his gear is recovered, they wander off.

"Looks managable to me. Noriaki, you're an able bodied young man... You can probably climb that rock..."

A grig and a piskie come running down the beach, carrying the vial they found earlier. The grig tugs on Takahaan's pant leg while the piskie catches his breath. "Mister Takahaan, we found this vial and it's kinda heavy. Can you carry it for us?"

Tugging on his eyebrow, the Captain considers their options. "Perhaps a few of us should guard the wounded while the others venture into our former vessel? Maybe we can find some materials for building a shelter as well..."

 

[Mewness]

"But one is surprised the gnome fell ill at all. Surely he has poison enough in him to be immune by now?"

Gelik laughs heartily at this and gives Noriaki a mock bow.

 

[Dekana]

After seeing the hesitation from some of her companions, Castile sighs and then begins to strip off her armor. As she lifts the chainmail over her head, she confidently says "I can manage that climb." She drops her shield beside the armor when she's done. "Alright Captain, we'll be counting on you. Try not to fall asleep on guard duty if any of those lobsters come back." She winks at him jokingly.

Castile turns to Noriaki before beginning her ascent. "Coming along?"

OOC: Lousy slippery rocks! 10/13 surges remain. Castile is still down 2 hp from the fight.

 

[BenBrown]

"I will stay here," Hú Lí says. "I am no great climber, and will leave this to those who are stronger."
She taps gently on her drum.
"I will keep watch here, and guard those wounded as best I can."

She shifts her robe so that her sword is visible, and takes up a post looking towards the island's interior, but seems a bit distracted and fiddles with her hilt for a while.
[sblock=ooc]Perception while others climb. (1d20+6=7)[/sblock]

 

[Mewness]

GM: Everyone started the day down two surges, so Castile has 10/13. I'll wait for Pentius, GROMkill, twilsemail, and Cleverusername to decide whether they're making the crossing or not before I update.