Oh thank the gods! Rycider exclaims as soon as she catches sight of Aradurk. We thought you gone!

When she reaches the boat she gives him an affectionate kiss on the forehead.

How long have you two been waitin'?

Hox heads to Wes, "Bolt gave shiny rock, is magic rock?" He asks.

Aradurk shrugs

“I dunno. Time passes  so weird for me now. Napping and working out while I waited. Everyone ok?”

"I will be, with a little rest. Or a long rest," Killian says. "Is there any food?"

Gruun helps get everything back on the boat that they needed, letting Bolt out of arms reach where he had been tailing him. "Everything is strange of late, do we continue back into the sea now or after we all rest at anchor? Killian I have rations in my pack. Does anyone else need any?"

Rycider is already preparing a picnic, getting the automotons to help if they're willing.

Let us have a wee rest before any more of our gallantry. Sit, eat and rest Mah Lovelies. And ahm sure these... gentleman will stick around to keep us safe. If not I shall take first watch.

Wes pulls himself away from the conversation with the locals as you return. "Oh, I would say it's been around four hours since you left," he answers, accepting the small crystal from Hox. "Well not inherently magical, per se, but if we can locate the rest of the pieces that are missing, then it should align with the glyph upon their surface and transmogriphy," he answers, seemingly unaware of the vocabulary of his target.

"Wonderful!" he exclaims after looking it over. "That's one more Staff of the Magi, and another chunk of this crystal staff. Now if we could only locate Denorian..."

Hox was lost when Wes spoke of inherently, but does nod at the mention of 'rest of the pieces', "Find more shiny rocks then, yes. Hox like the shiny." 

"Well, fill us in," Wes says. "Did you come across any sign of Denorian? I must admit that most of what I have learned from the locals has been related to their isolated society...they claim not to know of Denorian. But they truly are fascinating! Mechanical sentience, a barter-based trade system based mostly around repairs, I don't even know where to begin! They seem to have little concept of time, which makes them perfect for these islands, truly, but anyway I am rambling again. What have you found?"

The day grows late as you rest and catch up with your companions, though the sun is still a few hours from setting. The eerily still Dark Waters cast onward as far as the eye can see from the stony beach.

OOC: Aside from conversation, if there is any identification, attunement, or light activity that anybody wants to do during this short rest, let me know in your next post.

OOC: I got nothing, ready to advance

OOC > Killian would like a Long Rest as soon as is opportune. ;)

OOC: It sounds like the short rest is passing with minimal conversation. Character sheets have been updated with the benefits of a short rest. If you would like to roll any hit dice, please do so in your next post.

We are still a few hours away from sundown, but when Maverick sets sail and where you take a long rest is up to the party here.

Hox sleeps among Beast's feed.

"Rather than sailing in the dark, should we rest here and carry on with the new day?"

Killian speaks up from where she is eating. “I would be for sleeping here, then continuing in the morning. I can take a turn at watch.”

If needed, she will take the last watch before morning. 

Ah am most in favour of restin' overnight says Rycider, dabbing at the holes in her neck with a kerchief. Ricky will take first watch.

DM Screen:

Night falls, and the hours pass quietly on the beach as the eventful day comes to a close. The consistently overcast sky and drab weather remain when the sky gives way to dawn. The sound of tinkling music arrives and fades with the wind.

Rycider and Tanakir awaken refreshed, their strength returned to them from the effects of their vampiric enemies.

Wes emerges from the hold and stifles a yawn. "Where is our next destination, everyone? I must admit I am curious to sail backwards into the Dark Waters, to see how the flow of time has changed the other isle we have been to, but we could also press onward toward another island in the ring," he asks.

OOC: Characters have gained the benefits of a long rest. Rycider and Tanakir's hit point maximum has been reset.

"In these waters, either way is likely to bring us somewhere new, or somewhen, I suppose," Killian says as she loads her gear aboard the ship. "Given that, I say forward."

Tanakir stretches, ridding himself of the night’s stiffness, “Onwards, until we have evidence that turns us to another direction.”

 Maverick sets "sail" early in the morning. As usual in the stillness of the Dark Waters, the sails are all but useless, so the rowing of those below deck is all that carts you across this area of the Trackless Sea. After following Wes's bearing for a few hours, you once again hear a faint sound of music, something like bells or a music box.

Suddenly, an island shrouded in mist, with a massive ruined stone spire jutting skyward, appears out of nowhere - one second, the sea ahead of you is clear, then the next time you peer ahead, the island is just a short distance away. Maverick could make landfall in a matter of moments.