Tales from Talaveroth

“Oh your good..” she smirk devilishly at Twitch 

Once the party goes to bed, Si'Juul will fly up to rest in the leaves of one of the trees Twitch's hammock is suspended by.

Paren leads his new crossbow and sets it beside himself as he leans against a tree to meditate. 

In the morning, the Mobius pulls up to the dock, sailors leaping over the railing to secure the ropes.  Trillia is the first to walk down the gangplank, giving you an odd look as the sailors work to haul barrels and crates and sacks ashore.

"So eager for land that you swam ashore during the night?" she says. "I don't think I'd have risked the sharks and night lampreys and water boogumses. I had an uncle who took a swim in these waters at night, and only his top half ever got to shore.  He never did figure out what happened to the rest of him, but he could do chin-ups all day, and bragged for years afterward that he could thrash any man his height.  Until he met Shorty McThicky, the halfling pugilist. Shorty knocked his upper three eighths clear to the moon, and nothing was left of my uncle but a belt and a belly button. Spent the rest of his life grumbling that he'd been hit before he was ready, and demanding a rematch."  She looks up at the long, long, winding stairs to the top of the cliff and whistles. "Well, it's a dirty job, but I suppose someone has to do it. Glad it's not me." She winks at Twitch and wanders back to organize the foragers.

A sailor carries a heavy crate and puts it beside your tree. You hear the clink of bottles striking against each other inside.  "Good luck, mate! Hope you make it back in time for the pig roast." Down on the sand, you see Dottle setting up the field kitchen, ordering Ogg and Thogg to bring firewood, haul kettles and supplies, and help set up, as the two huge orcs complain, "But, Moooom, Captain told us to hunt piggies!"

Further along the beach, the Green Dolphin is keeled on one side, the scars in the hull being examined, and their carpenter managing repairs, while a squad is sent to scout the forest for pine trees that might make new masts.

The dwarves hit the beach, carrying lounge chairs and kegs. The children run off to the north, squealing, carrying buckets and small spades, while the druid marches off toward the forest depths with the grown-up version of much the same thing.

Paren opens an eye at the voice and says with a smile, "Well now you tell me. I was wondering what that was nipping at my toes last night. It's a good thing I'm faster than the average shark." 

Si'Juul crosses his arms.

"Do I even need to explain how I got here safely?"

Elhanna, being the only one who spent the night on the Mobius walks out on deck and yawn. She lean on the railing and wave to her companions. “Morning to ya! Slept well?” She give them a big smile.

She was finally back on solid ground. Although she didn’t get sea sick she didn’t fancy being on a boat. It made her feel trapped, and it forced her to ponder how small and insignificant she was in the world. 

She stretches and walk down the gangplank, kicks off her shoes so she can feel the sand between her toe and a feeling of freedom comes over her. 

Twitch grimaces as she's trying to lift the crate. It didn't look like she could carry this crate a couple feet, much less a couple hundred feet up some stairs. Looking at Si'Juul, Twitch approaches cautiously.

"Hi, Si'Juul… um... I hate to impose, but I won't be able to finish this task the captain has given me, but I don't want to give him that satisfaction. Now, If we split the crate up, might you be able to fly a couple of bottles at a time up to the top of the lighthouse? I imagine that to be easier than carrying the entire crate along the steps." Looking at the rest of her new friends, she gave a smile and said, "...And if any of you want to help, that'd be very much appreciated too. I thought we could put the crate on the fishing net and carry it between two or four of us to spread the load. But of course, if you need to do something else I understand."

Si'Juul glides down from his leafy lodgings and lands next to the crate. He looks to see exactly how many bottles are in the crate and how heavy the crate is for himself.

"Captain's just taking his anger against me poking a hole in his ego.....as I poked a hole in his boot....(Si'Juul smiles)...out on you. Isn't fair. How the crew haven't booted him off yet I'll never know."

There are twelve bottles in the case, made of extra-heavy glass for less breakage in shipping.  The whole thing weighs about sixty pounds.

Paren gets up and wanders over. "I'm willing to help if you need. If I've learned one thing in my life it's don't anger powerful wizards."

(60 pounds sounds something like Si'Juul could lift possibly, judgement call, otherwise vv)

"Hmm.....each bottle only weighs about 5 pounds.....could take a bottle in each hand if nothing else......another in a talon"

Twitch is already starting to divvy up the bottles: "I think I can take four as well… Two in my pack, with my bed roll in between so they don't clank together, and one in each hand. Or we take the other nine in the crate and share it between us, Paren." With that she looked hopefully at the Monk.

“Oh right.. I had almost forgot about your ‘mission’ Twitch.” Elhanna day with an irritated voice but quickly changes tone. “This is quite exciting! Meeting a real wizard! So, when do we leave?” 

Paren looks at Twitch and nods. "Not a problem at all." 

Si'Juul grabs a bottle in each hand and one in a talon and takes flight, hovering just a bit above everyone else.

"Unless we have something more important to do.....why not just get this over with?"

The four of you heft the wine bottles and begin the long trek up the steps.  Your legs get a great workout! Every now and then you pause to rest, and enjoy the fantastic view of the ocean...which you would probably appreciate more if you had not been in the middle of the ocean for a long time. 

At long last, you arrive wearily at the top of the rock column.  The edges of the mountain top are lined with boulders and shrubs that seem intended to form a sort of safety railing, in addition to pleasant landscaping. The central area is smooth stone, with a few water channels carved into it. There is a marble fountain here. A thick jet of water shoots from its top, high into the air, and pours down over the edges of three bowls, into the channels, and then down over the edge to become the waterfall you saw from below.. The tower stands at the north end of this plaza.  Its stonework is magnificent, but it looks neglected.  Ivy and jungle vines have grown up to almost cover it.  Behind the coating of leaves and vines, you can see that the oaken front door is cracked and broken. 

Once Si'Juul sees the door he immediately lowers himself close to the ground to place his bottles down and pulls out his pepperbox, lifting it a bit and waving it to signal the group and points it at the door.

Twitch carefully places the crate on the ground and gathers up the net, as she cautiously approaches the door. Once close enough, she tries to peek inside through one of the cracks. She's looking for any creatures mechanisms or other threats that might wait for them on the other side of the door.

Perception: 13

Twitch looks into what seems to be a comfortable, if small, living quarters.  There is a small stove and a shelf holding a few plates, cups, bowls and pots. A little table with a single chair stands in the middle..  Along the wall is a comfortable-looking sofa, curved to fit the wall, with an expensive-looking small rug in front of it, most likely a gift from some previous ship.Nautical decor hangs on the walls: a compass, a sextant, a ship''s wheel.  A few small plant pots stand on the sill of a window, but they look dry and dead, as if nobody has watered them for some time. And you notice the room is a bit dusty. A spiral staircase leads up through a hole in the ceiling.