They had been back on the Naked Isle for only two days, when the itch to adventure called them back to the open sea. The damage to The Ranger was repaired, and Urgesh hired an elf to paint the name of the ship on either side of its bow, a serviceable job, though in no way fancy. Ollie offered to weave a unique flag for the ship. He struggled at first to comprehend the half-orc’s vision.
Jerker arranged to attach a ballista to the deck of The Garlic Frog. He also filled three barrels of rocks and lashed them to the deck to use as ammunition.
Tienarth and Hocsupo left the island on an unspecified mission with a brief note about returning in a week. The party did not want to wait. With water barrels refilled from the river, they were ready to set sail. However, some time was spent on the morning of departure (4/18) to observe a sermon given by Zhargrave and a consecration of the druid grove.
Two Sermons
Jerker and Nate felt a duty to attend Zhargrave’s sermon, one which marked an important holy day of the church of the Anointed One. With an abundance of donated wealth, Zhargrave and constructed a magnificent church surrounded by lodging for his growing mission. The paladin and fighter found spots in the pews and listened intently.
Friends, brothers and sisters in the light of the Anointed One, let us take a moment to reflect on the path we walk. Life, as we know, is not always smooth. We encounter storms, our feet stumble on rough ground, and shadows may seem to engulf us.
Think of the farmer who diligently sows his seeds, yet must wait through long seasons, facing drought and hardship, trusting that the Anointed One, through the bounty of the earth, will provide a harvest. His faith is not in vain, for the sun returns, the rains fall, and life springs forth.
So too, in our own trials, we must hold fast to our faith. When the winds of adversity blow strong, do not despair, for the Anointed One watches over those who keep His commandments. He does not promise an easy journey, but He promises to be our strength in the journey.
Just as a shepherd guides his flock through treacherous valleys to green pastures, so too does the Anointed One lead those who follow His way. Endure with patience, knowing that His guidance will bring you to a place of provision and peace. Trust in His wisdom, even when the path ahead is unclear, for He will never forsake those who remain loyal to Him. Let our lives be a testament to this unwavering faith, and we shall surely see the blessings of the Anointed One unfold before us.
Elaria who stood between two worlds, the religion of her husband and the traditions of her native druids, was interested in attending the consecration on the other side of the island, and the couple hurried their way to the grove.
The high druid, Heliraro, stood before the newly consecrated grove, a place where young saplings reached towards the sky, their leaves a vibrant green in the warm tropical sunlight. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, creating a soft, whispering sound. He wore a simple robe of woven plant fibers and held a staff of oak, adorned with fresh mistletoe. He raised his hands, palms open to the sky, and his voice, though not loud, carried clearly through the assembled elves. “Children of the World Tree,” he began, his gaze sweeping over the expectant faces, “the season of dormancy has passed. The land awakens, and life flourishes anew in every leaf and vine of our sacred isle.”. He lowered his hands slowly, his eyes lingering on the base of a particularly vibrant sapling. “Like these young trees, we too emerge, invigorated by the rest we have known. The waters of renewal have flowed, a necessary act to awaken the very essence of life around us.”.
A young elf maiden, her hair adorned with vibrant tropical blossoms, stepped forward slightly. “Great Heliraro,” she asked, her voice filled with reverence, “what does this time of flourishing teach us in these times of… change?” Heliraro turned towards her, a gentle smile gracing his lips. “It teaches us of resilience, little one. Of the enduring power of nature’s cycle. Just as the World Tree may lose some leaves only to regrow them stronger, so too must we adapt to the winds of change that blow upon our island. Remember the ancient ways, the balance we strive to maintain, and let the vibrant energy of this season fill your hearts with courage and connection to all living things.”. He gestured to the grove. “Feel the pulse of the earth beneath your feet, hear the whispers of the wind in the branches. This grove is a testament to our devotion, a place where the spirit of the World Tree may flourish. Nurture it, as you nurture your own spirits.”.
Another elf, an older warrior, his expression thoughtful, then spoke. “And what of the… new voices, Heliraro? The talk of other gods and strange beliefs?” Heliraro’s smile faded slightly, replaced by a look of solemnity. “The path of the World Tree is ancient and wise,” he stated, his voice firm but without anger. “Like invasive vines, foreign notions may try to take root. But remember where our strength lies – in the harmony of nature, in the cycles of growth and rest, in the sacred bond with the very source of all that lives. Observe the delicate balance of the jungle. Does a single, brightly colored bloom overshadow the strength of the ancient banyan? No. Let us remain steadfast in our traditions, drawing strength from the earth and the wisdom of the World Tree. This time of flourishing reminds us that true life comes from deep roots.”
It’s unknown whether any who attended thought of the parallels between the words spoken by the two holy men. It’s unlikely, because Tienarth’s Raider, minus old elf himself, were quick to pull up anchor and sail east.
Battling Gogglers
The trip to Malb’s Island was uneventful. The most significant occurrence was Urgesh catching two fine bonefish. They sailed three days and arrived in the late afternoon (4/20). The party boarded the longboat that usually hung from the back of The Garlic Frog and rowed to the smooth beach. One man of Jerker’s crew helped row the boat. The rest of them had no appetite for returning to the island where they spent many days of terror, hiding from gogglers.
Aderian lead the party up the the beach and into the jungle. The path curved through thick brush, and presently they were mere yards from the cave entrance. Ten goggler guards were there, attacking immediately. This battle was brief, primarily due to Elaria tossing a fireball, with no casualties suffered by our heroes. They filed into the narrow volcanic tunnel.
After creeping down the straight tunnel, they came once again to a larger chamber with several, large boulders arranged on the rough floor. Gogglers were ready for them, lead by a champion who strode forward, issuing an incomprehensible challenge in the language of the fishmen. There were 20 warriors with spears supporting the champion, who wore plate armor made of lobster shell. He held an impressive mace made from a giant lobster claw.
Urgesh, ever ready to brush aside danger, rushed forward. Nate stepped into the room and cast a paralyzing spell on the champion, fixing him in place. Urgesh cut him down in one blow. Meanwhile, the remaining warriors put up a feeble fight, eventually attempting to flee. By the aid of a haste spell, none escaped death. Elaria produced another fireball in this fight which hurt some of companions.
Despite a casual word of caution from Ghevont, Jerker grabbed the mace from the champion’s deathgrip and found it to be magic in a most unfortunately way. It held firmly in his hand and could not be put down. This discouraged interaction with the armor, and no other valuables were found on these gogglers. The party moved onward.
They returned to the second chamber where they found the same glowing star shapes on the walls and ceiling. They also found ten gogglers impaled on spikes. None were missing heads, a detail pointed out by Jerker in reference to their previous taking of a goggler head for questioning. Presumably, that head was now rotting in the hold of The Ranger along with Malb’s skull.
In the third chamber, they round another group of gogglers attending to a huge starfish, or what appeared to be a starfish. Its skin emitted a sickly, citrine glow. The gogglers appeared to be priests with one high priest standing beyond the starfish.
In this battle, Ghevont found himself silenced by the goggler high priest, which he cleverly used to his advantage by rushing up and neutralizing further spellcasting. Urgesh also rushed up to stick the priest with this spear. The other gogglers moved forward to attack Elaria who was obviously a spellcaster. The fighters stayed back to protect her. Jerker moved into the room and activated his cube of force.
After a few moments, the starfish awoke and began battering anyone within its reach. It could not damage the cube, but neither could any of the heroes damage it. Urgesh took the worst of the violence from the starfish, perhaps coming close to death before the gave into his desire to rage. Jerker stepped back, deactived the cube and then rushed up to envelope the barbarian and Aderian in the cube. Else, Urgesh would surely continue fighting the starfish and be slain.
Meanwhile, Aderian had stepped up and delivered the deathblow to the high priest. No adversaries remained but the starfish. Urgesh regained his composure and slumped in exhaustion. An attempt was made to push against the starfish with the cube and the force of the other magically-enhanced fighters. The strain appeared to stress the cube, as the walls crackled with energy.
Presently, Aderian produced the flask containing oil of slipperiness which he poured over the starfish. This neutralized any hold it had on the floor, and the massive form was shoved aside to reveal a cache of coins, jewelry and a map tube. These were gathered up while the starfish was held at bay. With all gogglers dead and treasure recovered, they left the tunnels and returned to the ships.
Returning to the Naked Isle
The next day (4/21), they turned the ships around and sailed back to The Naked Isle, arriving after three days (4/23). On the trip, Ollie completed the flag for The Ranger. It was woven with tough fibers of various natural shades. It displayed the skull of a fish with the face of a man, with swords crossed behind.
Also, the map from the treasure hoard was unrolled, though it was not immediately decipherable. It seemed to show an island west of the Island of Lonesome Shoulders. It seemed like a treasure map with some inventory of the treasure stored there, but that list could not be read by mundane eyes.
End Notes
- Days
- 4/18 – 4/20 Go to Malb’s Island to fight gogglers
- 4/21 – 4/23 Sail back to Nake Isle
- Treasure (48,522 gp total, 6.5 shares of 7,465 each):
- 2200 cp
- 1000 ep
- 2100 gp
- 8000 pp
- Fluorospar (1000 gp)
- Anklet (1000 gp)
- Brooch (1600 gp)
- Earring (500 gp)
- Brooch (1000 gp)
- Comb (400 gp)
- Necklace (400 gp)
- Map to Treasure
- Cursed Lobster Mace +2
- Combat (9590 xp)
- 30 Goggler Warriors (100 xp each)
- Goggler Champion (1390 xp)
- 10 Goggler Accolytes (406 xp each)
- Goggler Priest 1150 xp
- Characters (6.5 shares of 1199 xp)
- Aderian (fight, lead) 1652 xp
- Elaria (hireling half share) 738 xp
- Ghevont (preach) 1490 xp
- Jerker (fight) 1490 xp
- Nate (fight, protect) 1652 xp
- Ollie (rugged, underground, %5 bonus) 4705 xp
- Urgesh (action-oriented, fight, rage) 1593 xp
- The Ranger (Caravel)
- HP 75/75 hardness 8
- Crew (10)/Passengers: 10/3
- 10 elven sailors
- Jonja
- Dwarf youth
- Urgesh
- Cargo: 18 of 75 tons *
- Food: 126 man/weeks
- Water: 880 gallons
- The Garlic Frog (Caravel)
- Hit Points: 75/75 hardness 8
- Crew (10)/Passengers: 10/ 13
- 10 human sailors
- 7 extra human sailors
- Aderian, Jerker, Elaria, Nate, Ollie, Ghevont
- Cargo: 57.5 of 75 tons *
- Food: 0 man/weeks
- Water: 5000 gallons
- 22 tons of sugar, 5 tons of cocoa, 5 tons of cotton
- Ollie earned a 5% bonus for making a game-enhancing illustration.
- This session began a trial of a new initiative system. For small, theater-of-the-mind battles, we will use init by side. For larger battles, we’ll use the new system that uses three declaration phases.
* See Ship Cargo for figuring cargo needed for goods and people
Approximately 5 lbs / day / person of roc meat eaten for 36 people over 6 days, exhausting it.