Fang reaches up to Mushu perched on his shoulder and says quietly to the pseudo dragon “Guess we’re going to be fighting undead in the jungle.”

Shae would suddenly get the urge to pick up some tools she hasn’t in a little while. Her cooking tools. She didn’t quite have the same finesse Faekin had, but she definitely had the desire to put her heart and soul into feeding the others something yummy. Unfortunately she hasn’t tried making something more suited to Frang’s pallet. Would anything beyond the simple raw be enjoyable? Would sushi still be too much? She began to wonder. Was there anything she could do to try to connect more with him in some way? Humming softly to herself, Shae would set out to begin making a meal.

With you all discussing the future plans for each of you over the meal, another day at sea finds its end. At first, many of the crew are suspicious of the raw fish, but after seeing how enthusiastically Shae and Three Earrings started to dig in, the rest quickly followed suit, delighted by the fine food before them. As you bed down according to your habitual shifts, a quiet night passes. That is, until early in the morning, when Brax rouses Thasselandra, the Professor, and Shae.

"Sorry to wake you all, but we've entered the Bay of Chult, only I can make out an island in the distance that isn't on any maps." Looking to Shae to confirm what he said, his gaze finally settles on the Professor. "With your warning yesterday, I thought I'd let you know as soon as possible. What should we do?"

Glasses:

”That could very well be the Dragon Turtle,” says the Professor.  “Without treasure to give it or prior knowledge of the best way to approach it, we have a few options,” he continues, “with probably the safest but most annoying being avoiding it and the bay entirely, beaching the boat, unloading the cargo, and transforming it back into a box.  That makes our final leg of the journey over land and heavily laden.”

Fresh as flower Maxine left her "laboratory" and was enjoying the morning when troublesome news hit her ears. "Captain, do you think it's safe to keep closer to the shore? Always though dragon turtle is just a myth - ships do not need to be eaten to disappear. But if the myth is true... It has to be huge, right? If we keep in shallow waters, we should not be harmed?"

Glasses:

”The information I have comes from the magic mirror, which indicates that the Dragon Turtle will indeed attack those who do not pay or try to trick it,” says the Professor.

"There is trade with Chult, right? And Port Nyanzaru is the biggest trade city here. The beast can not be that dangerous or at least must be able to be reasoned with. Not sure I want to meet it, if avoiding is possible, but if we do - it might not ask for too much, or it would be hunted down long ago. We do have some magic items to trade, right?"

Burrus comes to the rail looking towards the "island"

"Fer sure fightin tha beastie be no option"

Shae would rub her eyes and blink a few times before finally registering the details of the situation. Without question she'd definitely take a look to see if she could in any way confirm Brax's suspicions. Either way, it was worth the conversation and considerations of their options should they come into contact with the Dragon Turtle. "I would agree it's best to avoid ir, and to prepare ourselves should an interaction occur." Shae would nod. "Is there any other knowledge available about the Dragon Turtle besides what the mirror reflects?" Shae would ponder out loud. Curious. Then would feel a little silly, figuring the Professor would have exhausted all available resources.

Glasses:

The Professor will show Shae the entry in the Gazetteer, saying, "This is the entry that I saw about the bay that mentioned the Dragon Turtle, so I knew to use the Mirror on it."  

"Thank you Professor." Shae would smile a little sheepishly and would brush herself up on what the Professor's shown her. She supposes she might have been curious to know what kind of historic deal could have been struck in Corrin's story, should it be true. Could she, should she, even try picking Kam's brain about it? It could very well be as simple and firm as Snively states. Still, she didn't want to go poking the turtle.

Thessalandra looked to the others: "Well, I can take us back onto land, but that'd throw us back further than we were two days ago, in terms of making our way to Port Nyanzaru, and by an overland route around the Bay, we'd be looking at another five days to a week of foot travel. If we can get past the turtle, we could be in port by tomorrow. Now, I don't want to mess with the dragon turtle and have a second ship under my command broken up, but Maxine's right, there's too much trade flowing through the city for the turtle to be a major hazard. Professor, you say you think the turtle could be bribed? We have enough food to last us a month, as well as other equipment. I think we might have some magic items or the like, if necessary. 

If you'd rather travel by foot though, I'm not going to question that either, after all we wouldn't have made it so far if we didn't follow your ideas."

Glasses:

”I’m fine with trying to negotiate with the creature,” responds the Professor, “but I suggest trying no deception.  The images in the mirror were...disturbing...for those who tried to trick the bay guardian.”

"Well, in that case I'll let you think of how to handle the beastie, me and mine will try to keep the ship going for Port." With that, Thessalandra returns to her duties, ordering Brax and Falx to take their positions. You sense that she is somewhat shaken by the prospect, but trusts you all enough to be confident in any plan you come up with. Is there anything you'd like to do or prepare?

Glasses:

"What magic item can we spare--that manual we spoke of earlier?" asks the Professor.  "And who do we want to do our negotiations?  I can speak Draconic if we like, but others may be more persuasive," he offers.

Maxine went to count the items she has and can spare: a few potions, Wand of Secrets and Manual of Flesh Golems. She can talk if it's needed - if only out of curiosity mostly.

Remembering what Maxine had shared with her about Corrin's story, Shae would decide to ask him to retell it to her. She'd want to gauge and discuss his belief in the validity of the story and consult if there were any other details surrounding the deal that was struck.

Whether she learned anything new from this conversation, Shae would return to the discussions with the Professor and the others. She'd look down to her bracers, "I'm willing to offer up the illusionist's bracers. It could be a gesture of good faith that we have no desire to deceive or distort the truth." And after a moment she'd add, "I'd also be willing to present them and participate in negotiations."

Glasses:

"I leave it to you capable ladies, then," responds the scholarly gnome, "though if you need translation, I can offer my services there."

The captain, satisfied with eaving you to settle the plan between you, goes back to helm the ship and continue straight on your path. Brax is still keeping a lookout for the small island in the distance, but over the next two hours, it approaches rapidly, until there is no doubt that the island is somehow moving on its own. With the rest of the crew now awake and seeing the source for the tension on board so clearly before them, the captain just utters a quiet: "It's been keeping its distance so far, and if it approaches, we figure we might get past it somehow." At the last, she casts a glance towards Shae, Maxine and the Professor, equal parts reminder and hope.

You stay tense for another hour, but the dragon turtle doesn't seem to get any closer for the moment, instead trailing your ship at about half a mile and seemingly matching your speed. You all try to enjoy your lunch as best you can, but it is difficult to not focus on the gigantic beast on your tail. It's all the more surprising when you return to your posts after eating, and the island has disappeared.

You keep sailing on, still very much on edge, and keeping a lookout for the dragon turtle, when suddenly you hear Corrin in the crow's nest, stammering quietly: "I-i-it's b-b-b-b-below us r-r-right now!"

Almost immediately after he says this, the water around your ship starts to churn, and the wake starts to shake the ship from left to right, until a jet of steam and water erupts about thirty feet into the air about a hundred feet before the ship, and out of the ocean rise several rocky pillars, then trees, hills, the entire island. As the water parts , waves crashing against the bow of the ship, you see the head of the dragon turtle, about the size of a rowing boat, slowly lift out of the water, and turn in your direction. It's eyes, the size of wine casks, scan across the deck- or more precisely, one eye. The other stares at you blindly, the eye itself milky white. A tremendous gale blows across the ship and pushes it back several feet, as the dragon turtle exhales, and you can feel the heat of its breath on your skin. Then, slowly circling your ship clockwise, you hear a sound like an avalanche or a mudslide, heavy, and rolling, ancient. It takes you a bit to hear the structure:

"Nomenoi re sia pabi, tikil svaust dolruth rigluin ekess xikin asta regipre. Svabol tir wux tepoha ekess majak?"

Professor, Fang and Maxine, you understand this to be an archaic form of draconic, and it translates roughly to:

"These are my waters, and any who wish to pass must pay tribute. What do you have to offer?"

 It was like talking to the mountain - a scary mountain, a mountain that intents to eat you up. Maxine realized that even after all deadly adventurers they have being through, there is still something on this island that can scary her. She wished she could let Shae do the talking and be just the sniper at the back - alas, the language barrier was an unpleasant ... well, barrier here (and also an idea for a new mix she had to think about days ago!)

"Fekiikiri jennu qumado ssissth." As politely as she can greeted Maxine The Turtle, trying to shake not too visibly. "Svabol shilta wer ssissth di wer pab nomagqe tuor de moxt qumadonests? Yth shilta ashne hesi achthend, sjek batobot tribute geou qe clax?"

("The turtle asked what can we offer" whispered Maxine to others around who did not understand the language. "I offered food. For now.")