Sir Beauregard swirls his cloak dramatically to the side and kneels in a smooth motion, bowing his head. “The Knights of the Ruby Rose make common cause with the earthly hand of Bahamut and are honored to remove this ugliness from your shore.  I hear and obey.”  After a suitable pause he rises and steps aside for the others to speak.

Morlock would also like to visit the library.

In response to Adda, Silver will chuckle at the rowdiness of the Kobolds, nodding in agreement and saying,

"Ah, completely understand. Best not to give them any ideas."

He'll put away his pipe with a wink.

-

In the temple, Augustus will nod along with his brow furrowed, chewing on the bit of his unlit pipe out of habit.

"Aye, it's oft a good idea to let be the mysteries of the deep, but in this case, it seems we must act before it gets worse. As much as those harpies may be causing problems for some ships, any sailor worth his salt knows how to avoid their song. To attack them at their nest when they aren't an active threat to us would invite a disruption to the natural order. That being said, with this investigation and any threats we may face, I'm happy to provide my services as a Noble-Man of Silver!"

Everyone else:

It's midday by the time all the gear is secured and library research is complete.

You can spend more time at the cloister if you wish, or head down to the rowboat and depart for the northern reef at your discretion. 

What would you like to do?

Sir Beauregard is sitting in the rowboat waiting.

"Interesting, " Ziegler says to Morlock, "but not information we can use this very moment. Perhaps we should meet up with the others. By the way, do you know what we're supposed to do with these carrots? I know of the wax, but..are these carrots for eating?"

Augustus will join Sir Beauregard at the rowboat to wait for the others, cleaning out his pipe in the sea water and giving it a scrub with a small bristled comb before blowing air through it to clear the water and repacking it with some fresh leaves. He'll recline a bit in his seat in the boat, and light his pipe, spreading a low-hanging haze over the surf. He'll offer the pipe to the Knight if he's interested. The "smoke" has no bitterness to it, smelling and tasting just like fresh peppermint (with a hint of sea salt).

"You seem a man of great honor. Well served by your mettle. And your metal!"

Silver will laugh heartily at his own joke, taking a bit too long to compose himself.

"Are you familiar with Clan Silver? Our smiths are artisans as much as they are tradesmen. They could forge you armor and weapons far beyond that of any you'll find south of the Spine. In beauty and in strength!"

The knight looks somewhat uncomfortable in the boat, but nods politely to Silver and tries to act as though they were sitting in a drawing room.  “Yes, my lord, your clan’s reputation reaches at least as far as the halls and holdings on the mainland here.  I have traveled very little but even my unlearned eye can see that your mail is of fine workmanship.”  As the others have not joined them yet, he leans forward and says quietly, “Lady Sune grants me some small ability to heal.  I doubt I could cure your … um … affliction, but I could certainly make the attempt.”

Vinn joins the group at the rowboat, and while waiting, swishes his hand back and forth across the water. He passively listens to ongoing conversation.

(If Vinn gets a chance to overhear Xiegler's confusion over the carrots earlier, he gives a lighthearted laugh and shares that the carrots can be for either eating or the harpies if they didnt take a liking to the wax given out earlier.)

Augustus cocks an eyebrow at the suggestion.

"My affliction, ey? Yer thinkin of my faintin' spells? I can assure you I'm right as rain. I made it through that battle fair enough."

He'll pause, then sigh before continuing,

"I consider myself a competent sailor, but I made a foolish mistake and found myself at the mercy of the waves, not too long ago now, and nearly lost my life. I remember the burn of seawater in my lungs and the darkness that comes from depths or death. Despite it all, I awoke again on land, sodden and adorned in seaweed, with a Moonsilver (coin) of my clan clutched in my hand. The faintin's been happenin' ever since. I'm not so foolish as to think I saved myself, or forsake whatever it was did the savin'. As all sailors know, it's best not to meddle in the mysteries of the deep, less ye become one yourself."

As he notices Vinn approaching, Silver will change the subject, commenting on some dark clouds on the far horizon and how they could mean trouble in their quest.

"Agreed" Morlock says. "As to the carrots. Hmmm. I do not know their purpose in any sort of magical or alchemical formulas I am aware of." (DM, please correct me if I am wrong and I DO know something ;-)  )

"We should bring them back all the same." 

Sir Beauregard nods to Silver.  He stares down into the water for awhile, thinking about beasts that cannot be slain, both within and beast below.  Eventually he perks up and raises his eyes to the heavens.  He reminds himself that without ugliness to vanquish, he would be of no use to Sune.  Somewhere up there among the beautiful rock spires of the island are foul creatures of evil that can be ended with a crossbow bolt.  His usual smile returns and he begins to whistle.  Once the others are assembled he puts the wax in his ears and begins to row.

Ziegler goes to where the rowboat awaits.

"Permission to come aboard?, " he jokingly says with a smile.

(When allowed on-board, he'll take a post/seat at the front or back, knowing he lacks the strength to row any distance, but can be a good lookout.)

Sir Beauregard nods to Ziegler.  “I’ll man the oars and Lord Silver can point me where to go.  You’ll make a fine lookout.  Make a flapping motion with your hands and point if you see a Harpy.  Point at the water and look scared if you see an undead octopus or the like.”

"Aye, lad. If you've a keen eye, you'll be quite useful! I have a feeling our scale-y friend may be buried in a new book for some of our journey."

Augustus will move to another seat with a set of oars, facing forward, to help with rowing the armored party of 5, pushing his furs up to his elbows to allow for greater range of movement and, following Sir Beauregard's lead, he will plug his ears with his wax/carrot earplugs as they push off the shore. He'll use hand signals to communicate which way to go.

Northern Archipelago

Mid-Afternoon

As described, the journey to the northern end of the island takes roughly two hours. However, your sense of time gets lost under the sun-snuffing cloud-cover that seems to linger over this corner of the island. 

The archipelago is a tangled forest of broken masts and overturned hulls interspersed between a gargantuan ribcage of a long-dead creature. A faint odor of rot wafts on the sea air, along with the sound of screeching seagulls and the roar of the surf. You can almost feel the reef beneath you teaming with ocean life... and a faint, uncanny chill tells you that not all of it is entirely natural. Vinn's elemental origins senses an unpleasant stillness the air... more like the air of a crypt than the open sea. Sir Beauregard also feels the change on his skin. Gone is the rose-tinted warmth he felt in and around Dragon's Rest, replaced by something clammy and sinister. Scanning the skies you see nothing but flocks of seagulls moving from one ship to another. Fortunate enough... for now.

You take some time navigating the great sailing behemoths searching for your quarry. Augustus notes styles of craft that are hundreds of years old, including some so familiar that they could have been built by his own kin. Morlock your eyes remain locked on the serpentine draconic skeleton that still glimmers slightly underneath the ages of coral growth that covers it.

Ziegler keeps thinking he's hearing whispers on the air... but they're not distinct enough to be sure... It would be premature at this point draw the other's attention to them or alert them to the sound. Nonetheless, you find yourself barely-consciously trying to seek out their source as you help at as lookout, navigating through this treacherous maze of broken wood, bone and rotted rope.

Finally, as if you'd been making a direct bee-line for it the entire time, you find yourself approaching a fairly intact (albeit broken and canted) shipwreck wreathed in mist. Tarnished words pronounce the ship's name along the side... The Compass Rose.  A tangled mess of tattered sails and rigging hangs off the starboard side of the main deck, offering one possible way to climb aboard. At the stern, you can make out a gaping hole in the hull beneath the water line.

You're able to pull the rowboat to the south (starboard) side of the ship and easily tie your craft to the derelict’s rigging if you'd like to climb onto the main deck. Or, if you'd like to explore options, you're welcome to try that as well.

What would you like to do?

Augustus will signal to stop rowing as the boat draws alongside the ship. Adjusting his furs is response to the chill that's more than temperature, he'll lift a hand and point at himself, then the rigging, offering to climb first that way.

Vinn stares at the ship, and does a dramatic headshake to the group, a clear and nonverbal "nope." He gestures at ship with both eyebrows raised, and mouths a pronounced "DEFINITELY HAUNTED."

When Augustus points to the rigging, the genasi frowns before giving the dwarf a tentative touch on the shoulder, casting guidance.

Vinn then does a salute, perhaps to say bye, good luck, or a bit of both. He reaches into the depth of his pocket and stretches the last piece of wax between two carrots to plug both his ears. He waits to see what the others do, and checks their surroundings for any sea, sky, or undead creature lurking about.

Morlock, switching his gaze from the sea below to the 'ghost' ship in front, says "Vinn, I would agree with your inital thought on a haunting. There may be undead a foot over there. Best we be careful."

With the Guidance of Vinn, Silver will give the group a solemn nod and grasp at one of the lower hanging ropes dangling from the destroyed rigging, giving it a short tug to test its hold. Once satisfied, he'll begin to hand over hand his way up the rope, as he has so many times before on previous voyages. He'll attempt to climb to the point where he can see over the railing onto the deck, but stay low enough as to remain somewhat hidden.