Ready to enter the keep, the warden reaches toward the gate with intent to open it a bit further so they can enter. As his fingers brush the metal, the senses of The Lost are overwhelmed as things change. Bright stabbing light returns, blinding them all for the moment. The sounds of the jungle not far behind them return. The chatter of monkeys and the squawking of birds can be heard again. The pounding of the surf sounds less ominous than before, like it was before the zombie attack and the storm.
As their eyesight returns, something more spectacular becomes known. The ground on which they stand is no longer the bleached bone, but grey stone. The ruins themselves have disappeared, to be replaced with empty ground ahead of them. The sound of cracking timbers is heard by Stellan. The shifter points toward the water.
A ship! It is three-sailed and there were people scrambling around on deck. They were found! Their glee is short-lived. They soon realize the ship is stuck on the reef, and the way it is listing to one side means it's taking on water.
[sblock]
Stormreach
Eliza d’Lyrandar stood on the docks of Stormreach watching the men of the ship haul crates of supplies aboard. She did not fret over pickpockets or other people of ill repute. Her faithful companion, Rex, a dog immense stature and strength stood at her side. It was a long and dangerous journey from Sharn to Stormreach, and even longer and more dangerous from here on out.
Eliza had long blonde hair pinned in a neat bun. The fine silk dress she had on in Sharn was left in her cabin aboard the ship. The captain had ordered her to change, her appearance was distracting the men. Ordered, HER, a wealthy heir of Lyrandar. Unmarked, though she was, she had a smooth tongue, and quite beautiful. She was in charge in many of the business dealings of her house, and her aptness for her job had earned her much money. This venture though was not for business, but for personal matters.
Her brother, damn him, was a sorcerer of some repute. His latest search for power came from looking for a specific dragonshard, called The Tear of Siberys. It was slightly larger than a closed fist, shaped like a teardrop and immensely magical. He had hired a historian from Morgrave who was also obsessed with the Tear to help him locate it. The last contact Eliza had with her brother was from Stormreach, he was to sail west around the continent, thinking he had found the location of the Tear. Shortly thereafter, the historian had disappeared, leaving more questions. Thinking her brother in danger, she spent considerable coin to follow in her brothers footsteps.
* * * * *
Eliza lay in her bunk, a terrible storm had come from nowhere, they were perhaps a week into their journey around Xen’drik.. The ship lurched suddenly, and the splintering of wood could be heard. She quickly threw on her borrowed clothes and rushed to the deck.
She came out to sunlight and a light wind. The storm had completely disappeared. Only then did she realize the steady rocking of the ship was no more. Crew members were rushing around to the captain’s orders. She saw the captain, and hoped to avoid his gaze, so she went to the rail. Looking out, she could see what appeared to be a ships graveyard. Dozens of ships, caught upon rocks and reef, were half submerged around them. No more than a few hundred yards from their location was an island. Even from this distance, she could make out some people standing on a rocky outcropping.
Rough hands grabbed her arm, spinning her around. It was the captain. His dark eyes were bloodshot and angry. “Look what ye did girl! Ye got me ship stranded on the reef, no city in sight!”
Eliza pulled free of the man’s tight grasp, her arm was already bruising. “What do you want me to do about it? You knew the dangers of our voyage! If your watchmen and firstmate were better at their jobs we wouldn’t be in the predicament.”
He grabbed the woman’s hair and pulled her head back, exposing her throat to a dagger he had drawn in the blink of an eye. He spoke in a cruel whisper, his breath stinking of alcohol and fish. “Dangers! I knew of ‘em, pirates, unfriendly creatures from beneath the waves as well. We came prepared for that! Not this! Not storms that appear from nowhere. Not islands, that aren’t on any map that do the same! There be sorcery involved here, and we’ll have none of it. I’ll tell you what you are gonna do.” The captain finally let go of Eliza’s hair, though he still held his dagger.
“Ye and two of my men gonna row to shore. Then you gonna use that sweet voice of yers and convince the group on the island that we want to know where we are, and that you’ll pay well for them to go to the nearest city to get supplies fer us to repair me ship. Then we be goin back to Stormreach. Yer brother can rot.” He shoves her hard against the rail, and she stifles a gasp of pain.
Already the pair of sailors were in the small craft that they were going to row to shore. As she was ready to climb aboard, she turned suddenly. “What about Rex? If those on the island are unfriendly, I’ll need him to protect me.”
“No,” the captain said. “He be collateral, to make sure ye be coming back. Now get a goin before I change me mind about lettin’ you live so long.”[/sblock]
[/sblock]
