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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rafael Ceurdepyr" data-source="post: 1600236" data-attributes="member: 16566">Part 5, in which we explore a shipwreckDuring his convalescence, Raef sends a letter to his father:Sir—I doubt you're anxious to hear from me, after the way we left matters between us, but for my mother's sake and the love you showed toward her, I am compelled to write you.I trust that you do not harbor such bitterness toward me that you would rejoice in news of my death.  But for a skilled chirurgeon and a powerful potion, this is the news you would have heard.  Several weeks ago, I was challenged to a duel, something which I know will not surprise you.  I killed my opponent, but, in contravention of all the rules of honor, I was shot with a poisoned ball.  The duel's illegal outcome was arranged in honor of the forthcoming wedding of Hidalgo Montecassino and Altagracia Thalasofrisi by Hidalgo's cousins and comrades.At one time, you were engaged in trade negotiations with the Montecassinos.  If you still are, I beg of you in the name of Order to cease any traffic with them.  They are far too dangerous and it would grieve me greatly should any harm come to you.Sir—for I am not certain I may still call you Father—I ask your forgiveness for my betrayal of the kindness and care you've always shown toward me.  My brush with the afterlife has led me to reassess my life and how I have treated those in it.  If we may not be friends, I beg that I may at least not count you among my enemies.  I realize I have made far too many of those in the course of 18 years.  While the life of a cantor is not what I'm best suited for—and I confess I still haven't figured out what I am suited for—you cared enough to want to give me a foundation for my life, and for that I thank you. Please accept my sincere apologies for my past behavior toward you, and heed my warning.  If you must deal with them—and I know how powerful and influential they are—at least go in with your eyes open.Sincerely,Your son, RafaelA few weeks after Raef's duel, Mr. G. goes to their house in disguise and says that he has work for them.  He reports that Castor ("Cask") and Turbinado, two of the men involved in setting up the duel, have been sent to Crab Island to break rocks.  The two Montecassinos were released.  Hidalgo and Altagracia's wedding is in about 3 months. He says that the poisoning had some significance.Mr. G. says that a few nights ago some of his people were in a large battle in a warehouse.  They thought it was cult members, but it was actually an ambush by traitors in the Red Guard, so now he's unsure if there's a spy in his organization.  He pulls out a large ruby with a golden flaw in it like a cat's eye that came from the machine the little girls were going to be sacrificed to—one of the legendary Eyes of the Serpent, a great statue in honor of R'znak.  The cult was trying to re-energize it.  After a lengthy search its mate was found in Raelsport.  The captain of the Stingray recovered the second Eye, but is long overdue for bringing it to Krakensfort.Reports are that a ship has sunk near Shark Island, a dangerous area.  Mr. G. wants them to investigate the ship, and if it is the Stingray, to recover the jewel and bring it back.  He can't give them much backup, but does arrange for a chartered ship for a supposed fishing crewed with people he can trust, and provides them with three jars of an extract of the kraken gland that when drunk allows them to breathe underwater for about four hours.  He says the ship will be ready on the morning tide.Ari senses he is desperate and a bit afraid. They set out the next morning, a chilly gray day, in the Brinewulf, captained by Captain Wulf.  It takes most of the day to reach the outlying cluster of a large island and a series of four smaller islands.  Sticking up between the islands in the clear blue water is a mast.  Levan and Raef notice several wrecks around the island, some older, but there doesn't seem to be any apparent reason for the wrecks.The wreck of the ship seems well-preserved and apparently sunk straight down, the upper deck only about ten feet down, resting on a sea floor thirty feet down.  They swallow the kraken extract and jump down into the water.  While they do find a chest of 10 small gold bars, each stamped with a 50 in a hollow behind the map in the captain's cabin, the ship has apparently been searched before them.On the lower deck, they see a ghostly figure looking down at the body of a well-dressed man crushed beneath the cannon.  They heave the cannon off him and the figure passes his hand through their heads, transmitting to them the image of a ship, sense of anticipation, wondering where someone was, a lurch of the ship sinking, things roaming through the ship, the crew screaming and the cannon crushing him.  The pocket of the captain's coat has been torn out and is empty.Going further below, they see there are four holes in the bottom of the ship, upward and inward.  Bodies are strewn about below.  Levan sees something moving and they are suddenly attacked by dark humanoid creatures like underwater ghouls.  After a short battle, they kill them.Through one of the holes in the bottom of the ship, Levan sees glitter in the silt.  They find a trail of a rapier, piece of chain and a hat, with more debris beyond it, leading toward the island.  After recovering the chest of gold, they cough the kraken extract up and discuss what they saw below.  The Faith teaches that the creatures are the cursed leftovers of those who led evil lives.  Most don't hurt ships, feeding on corpses.Captain Wulf loans them a boat and a bosun and they row toward the island.  As they near the beach, Levan sees something moving among the trees up against a cliff.  After landing, they fight a mass of six undead creatures dressed as pirates, including a lizard man.  The undead creatures seem to focus on Levan and Ari, and when Raef catches one on fire, it attempts to run through him to the water, as if it doesn't see him.After disposing of the undead, they find a cave behind piled brush in the cliff.  Inside is a vaguely circular cavern filed with piles of bones and dead and dismembered corpses of humans and goblins.  They find in another chamber two of what appear to be evil merfolk, fighting back to back.  One has just struck the head off a zombie, and both are severely wounded.  Raef shoots one with his crossbow and it throws a spear at him, striking him.  The other, wounded by Ari, falls over dead from its wounds when Levan suggests talking to them first. When Raef tries to speak to it, the creature howls and attacks him, pinning him to the ground.  Levan kills it.  In another chamber, they find stuff piled up—bones, armor, tools, pieces of metal, and hundreds of tiny crabs climbing over everything.  On the shore of an underground lagoon are more piled bodies and metal—chests overflowing with jewelry, figureheads, coins, niches—and an altar, behind which is a bas relief of a black shark.  On the altar is a ruby surrounded by blue figures.They hear crunching sounds in the shadows and see a large skinny black figure with sharp teeth that has been dining on a kuo toa.  It hisses and says "Mine."  Ari and Levan attack.  Raef tries to get to the altar and grab the ruby, but as soon as he reaches it, he screams and is stunned.  After quite a battle, Ari kills it.  Most of the bodies around are kuo toa.  Raef remembers that the Faith associates worship of sharks with R'znak.  Levan is able to pick up the ruby, although it hurts him to do so, and Ari gathers up other jewels, although Raef, believing them to be cursed, tries to convince her otherwise.  The trip back takes about six hours.  Raef and Ari sleep, while Levan stays up, on guard.  During the night he hears someone creeping around the door several times.They arrive in Krakensfort around dawn and tie the scarf to the post to signal Mr. G.  He appears soon in his guise of an old woman.  They tell him what happened and give him the ruby, which he picks up and puts in his pocket.  He says that before the jewel left Krakensfort, the ritual was completed, but as long as it's being held by a warm body, it's okay.They attend an auction.  Raef's schmoozing with an older woman gets them the inside track on the bidding.  Ari gets an electro-jewel for her sword and Levan gets a pair of bracers.Raef receives a letter from his father:Rafael Ceurdepyr,I remind you, you are not My Son. As such you have neither right nor cause to send me unsolicited correspondence nor, especially, advice. You have never demonstrated the slightest understanding of matters greater than yourself nor the least desire to be careful of others and, while you claim some beginnings of enlightenment, the fact that you continue in this ignorant self-absorbed fashion is entirely evident to me in your rash and ill-considered comments. However, your death would give me no cause for joy, and for the sake of your mother’s memory – she would no doubt be as ashamed of you as I have had cause to be – I will say this to you: the Family Montecassino is both venerable and puissant, not to mention canny.  Their star is in the ascent, and they gather to themselves allies of the highest sorts.  Their position is Changing. Any person, regardless of pedigree, would be foolish to spread spurious allegations of such a Great House, especially without evidence that cannot be produced –as none exists.Remember the songs your mother used to sing to you and heed her advice: “Old, old is the wind that blows, and highest among the trees.  There it shakes the tender fruits, and then it shakes the seas.” Small plums are easy windfall in great storms.With Regrets,Antonio du Tempesti</blockquote>

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