Professor and Berrus, as you watch over to the fire, you notice that Faekin's already gone to sleep, bundled up under his blankets. Throughout the evening's discussions, he seemed hurt, but it looks like he's trying to sleep on things after your words. The rest of the crew has started to bed down again, after putting their gear in order. Since your night in the swamp, everyone has started to sleep with their weapons close by, and anyone taking over a watch shift made sure to put their armour on while the other person was still around. Although born out of caution, it seems to just have become part of your routine, similar to Cliff and Bertrand checking any potential campsite for snakes and spiders before helping set up in the evenings.

-------------------

Shae, as you commune with Kam, he seems to mirror your concern:

"Threatening?"

-------------------

Testing out the folding boat, you place it waist deep into the water near a flat piece of sandy shore, and speak the first command word. It causes the box to unfold into a boat 10 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 2 feet deep. The boat has one pair of oars, an anchor, a mast, and a lateen sail. The boat can probably comfortably hold about half of you. You're discouraged at first, but then remember, that the box had a second command word as well.

The second command word causes the box to unfold into a ship 24 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 6 feet deep. The ship has a deck, rowing seats, five sets of oars, a steering oar, an anchor, a deck cabin, and a mast with a square sail. It looks like the ship can hold over a dozen people and their provisions comfortably. Glad that you won't have to leave anyone behind tomorrow, you speak the third command word to return the boat to its boxed-up form, before going to sleep, plans and logistics circling in your mind.

-------------------

Fang, you are fascinated by the repetitive sound of the smal waves washing ashore. The sound is rhythmic, beautiful. Steady, but still always individual. So very different from the croaking of the frogs, the buzzing of insects and the bubbling of the mud flats near Palebank.

You're also fascinated by the stars, visible in all their magnificent glory, unobstructed by mist, clouds or canopes. You're determined to soak all of this up, whilst going over the upcoming decision to either stay behind and return to Palebank, or to follow this group back to their home villages and see where your journey will take you from there onwards.

Your first watch passes smoothly and quickly, and you hand over your shift before bedding down yourself.

Once Shae is asleep Berrus will say softly. "Kam, whoever or whatever you are know i will protect her til me last breath"

Sensing Kam echoing her concern, Shae would pause with thought. Everything felt like smoke and mirrors, but the one detail stuck out to Kam at least. Threatened. He said. Almost threatening, Shae said. The voice didn’t directly threaten her per se. But Shae was definitely instilled with fear. It was a warning of some sort, Kam... She says you are closer to being hers. I was filled with fear both during our interaction and investigating her history. 

The scholar felt as if madness was knocking at her door with all these unknowns. The more questions she asked, the more she was left with. Shae was more certain of what she felt and sensed than what the actual facts were. And for an academic with fellow intellects like Maxine and Snively, facts were key. Those details would allow Shae to make her decisions regarding this new entity with certainty. Right now she was working herself up over it. Was it exactly that? Was she overthinking things?

I know in the end I’ll need the help of my friends. But I need to know I can keep them safe. The consequences should be mine, and mine alone.

But if there was anything she could feel for certain, if there was one thing she should be acknowledging, was Berrus, grounding her. Each time. He’s sworn to follow her to the hells if he had too, despite his own quest that she meant to help him with... Not the other way around...

And with those thoughts, Shae began to wonder again. Kam noticed the difference in her because of Berrus, without her even thinking a word of it. Kam even praised it. ‘...lets you see the light beside me.’...

‘I need you, not the other way around.’....

Are these entities of light and dark connected to her emotions?....

Does she give them their power over her?

Kam's presence still strong within your mind, he responds:

"Shae, my champion, why were you afraid? There's no point in fearing fate. You can accept it, or challenge it. There might be a point in fighting fate, but there's none in fearing it. If you can change it, then that which you fear might never come to pass. And if you can't change it, then fearing the inevitable is preventing you from accepting the coming changes. 

Your friends are there to help you, and you can draw strength from that. You keep them safe more through your knowledge and experience than through your magic, so even if you were to lose that, you could still keep them safe, in a more reliable way even."

As if to answer your silent question, he adds: "When you first felt my presence, why did you trust me? What's different about her?"

Why was she afraid? Was it the unknown? Shae was left in fear. Left trembling both times. Was it even voluntary? It’s not like she chose to be afraid, did she? Again, as Kam began to give her wisdom over the Fates. It was no different than consequences in a sense. It was just there. It existed. Again, it was all about choice. And although she understood it, was she just challenging it, not willing to accept it? The more Kam spoke to her, the more silly she felt. The more she felt like he was saying to her... What’s the problem Shae?... There’s no problem Shae... Was she just making one for herself?

Thinking back to her first encounter with Kam, she didn’t really think about it at the time. She didn’t really remember making the choice. It was almost as if it were thrust upon her. She trusted Kam because he saved her life, whether she wanted it at the time or not. To her, that was more simple. As for the Queen... Darkness? Shae would answer with a silly obvious response. Then she’d sigh, trying hard to think. She’s misunderstood. Was the only thing she could think of.

Shae, you feel Kam's presence growing weaker: "Shae, I can't make decisions for you. I can't tell you to trust her, or me. All I can try and do is give you more courage to face the unknown." With that, Kam fades, and you slowly return to a natural meditative state, before you hear Berrus quietly swear to protect you until his last breath. With a smile on your face, you start nodding off, still feeling unsure, but at least safe.

---------------------------

You're greeted by a splendid dawn across Refuge Bay, but the dark clouds on the far horizon seem to suggest that a storm might be brewing off the coast. For now though, you make the most of the dry weather, and quickly start to stretch out your muscles, donning your armours and starting with breakfast. Only as you start to gather for tea do you notice that Faekin is still asleep, bundled up under his blankets.

Heading over, Maxine notices with shock, that he's bundled up some of his gear to give the appearance that he was still there, when in fact he disappeared. With an anxious look, you turn to the captain. "That traitorous bastard! He's made off with the boat. As you check, you also notice that some of your rations are missing. Alltogether with what he probably had himself, he's taken enough rations for ten days and the boat.

Brax and Falx quickly start fighting, since the both give the other the blame for not paying enough attention during their watch, the Captain looks distraught- before she then quickly runs to the crest of the sanddune, to look out for the sail on the boat. "Damn, I can't see him from here. He left tracks down to the beach though, so he can't have been gone for long." She turns to Fang at the last remark, as if for confirmation: "Right?"

Survival 16

Fang, you can tell that he must have been carrying something on his right shoulder, as the prints on that side sink in deeper. Although a slight wind is blowing, the morning dew has made the sand moist enough to leave pristine prints, with almost no crumbling around the edges of the prints. You estimate that he had set off at most three hours ago.

The captain gives a disappointed sigh. "With that breeze, he can easily make three miles an hour. He might already be ten miles away from here, heading gods know where."

Upon hearing that. "Well theres nothing ta be done about it now.  Guess tis by foot back then"

Glasses:

“We were right to be suspicious of him, but he must have been too sneaky.  It almost makes me regret the great effort we went to in saving him from Koro-arak,” says the Professor.  “Still, not leaving one of our own to die was the right thing to do, even if he turned traitor later.  Right, Berrus, by foot it is then,” he concludes, and Snively heads off to start the ritual for the floating disk.

Fang heads over to the shore line looking for any sign of the boat or a direction it might have traveled. Then tries to find a shark to kill. 

Perception: 24

"Do ye rekkon stayin along th coastline be best?

Fang, you're scanning the horizon far and wide in all directions, but you see nothing but clear sea for three miles or so. Remembering Maxine's attempt to scout out the coastline two nights ago, you run back to the edge of the forest to climb a tree and have a look from there, but the next five miles around you are empty too.

About a mile or so out, you see the edges of the sunken village of Ishau as dark geometric shapes under the water, with the occasional shark fin poking through the waves.

If no one is in a hurry to get moving in any particular direction Fang gets to work making a raft.

Glasses:

”I’m no survival expert, Berrus, but that seems wisest to me unless the coastline becomes too treacherous,” says the Professor when he is finished with his ritual.  “Harder to get lost and more sources of food—plus we might see a passing ship that could give us a ride to port,” he reasons.

(I thought we were about to sail to the Port first thing in the morning, no?)

Quote from BlueBayou >>

(I thought we were about to sail to the Port first thing in the morning, no?)

 
Unfortunately, Faekin stoke the boat during the night and left.

(Terribly sorry, missed the whole section)

And another hope crashed. But by now they all used to moving on foot. Maxine just agreed with Berrus about keeping along the coastline. (Mandatory potion: 2  Transformation. The drinker’s body is transformed as if by the alter self spell. The drinker determines the transformation caused by the spell, the effects of which last for 10 minutes.) No happy thoughts - no happy potions, it was as useless as yesterday preparations to departure.

Shae would wake suddenly at the shouting. She'd sit up rubbing her eyes when Berrus would speak up to discuss with the others. Getting a piece of sand in her eye, the medic would blink and wince with one eye, trying desperately to get it out. She'd mutter complaints under her breath. Although she was struggling with the morning, she was content with her sleep, even if they woke up without a boat. One of them mornings eh?  She was listening. The Professor spoke words of truth for her. She still would have done the same thing because it was the right things to do.

Staring up at the sky after a moment, Shae felt freed of the piece of dirt. She'd blink a few more times to make sure before finally looking around the camp. Her expression would soften in sorrow for those who were so close to freedom. Shae's eyes would land on Maxine. She'd really look to her friend. "I'm sorry Maxine... And not just just for the whole Faekin and no boat thing... I mean for yesterday. You reached out and it may have appeared I shut a door in your face. I may have overreacted and panicked over a realization you helped me come too. I appreciate every word you said." She'd offer a small smile hoping it wasn't too little too late. "Not that it's ever a good time..." Obviously right now may not be? She couldn't tell if they were about to set out after Faekin, or continue their morning routine, perhaps get Fang his shark? After all, her and Maxine could still fly. They could make use of the meat and rations. And who knows what other fancy things Fang could craft with its parts! The fact that he made sure nothing went to waste amazed her.

Shae would continue to Maxine, "Nor do I know if it's a good idea to tell you all about her. But... I decided." It was not the light, or the darkness inside of her that she needed to trust. Shae needed to trust herself and the trust she had in the people around her. Instead of constantly looking in and battling with herself, she had all the support she needed outside, around her. And she needed to recognize that, trust it, and everything would be okay. Every time things got hard here in the Chult, they made it easier. Better. Even, fun. "I will tell you everything new. If you still want to know. I'll answer your questions to the best of my ability. I have a lot of my own questions unanswered." The warlock would pull out the black feather. She'd smile.

The medic would poke at Fang to ask him for a scrap of string or thin leather strap. Starting on the left side of her scalp, she'll begin a french braiding a section of her hair back just to the tip of her ear, then she'd switch to a regular braid down the rest of the length. She'd weave the stem of the feather with the string and her hair before wrapping it a few times before tying and securing it in place. Inspired by Fang, her own trophy of sorts. A part of her wished she had something to represent Kam to put along with it. But she did always have her tome.

Fang would give Shae the requisite item. Then seeing Glasses having finished the floating disk ritual “Are we setting off again so soon? I had hoped I might kill one of those sharks”