Lost Journal of the Sea King

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The lizardfolk watched intently as Vesper pulled the spear away and drove it into the sand. Again the pseudodragon's voice filled his mind. His eyes narrow as his gaze passes across his captors before him. Then, nodding his head slowly he speaks "Yerkaratev..." he says in his harsh draconic. Carefully he sits up and sliding his leg beneath him he raises to his feet. Now at his full stature his wounds are more visible; dark blood drips from his wounds painting his chest and soaking into his clothing. “Ayo, duk’ uzhegh yek’: Dzknorsnery amenauzheghn yen!”


Vesper notices a single golden strand of sand leaking from one of the scaled man’s fist...
 
Vesper's eyes narrow. "'Yerkaratev'?" She becomes freshly aware of the salt on the breeze, of the oddly intimate closeness of the hunter, of the light that surrounded them all...

Of the fist closed around that basest element, representing a final hope for a desperate creature, and the end to which all would return.

As the hunter's harsh voice draws out his last sentence, but not quite before he finishes, Vesper reaches out with languid energy – nevertheless moving with a snapping speed, like a willow sapling yanked back by a child – and kicks at his knee. She follows with a driving elbow straight into his mouth, then falls back into a defense stance. Her left wing snaps out like a flag. "Ah, but you did not listen..." she hisses sadly.

Iniative: 16
Attack Action:
unarmed strike #1 = 17; dmg 7
unarmed strike #2 = 18; dmg 7

if knocked unconscious (brought to 0), Vesper's strikes were intended to knock the lizardman out, not kill him immediately.
 
Before Amadeus nor Hestia even got a moment to truly realize what happened, both too focused on the harsh phrases coming from the lizard creature, Vesper moved in a blur of feathers and talons, and suddenly the creature was left wheezing on the ground, a small handful of sand drifting from its grasp.

Watching Vesper stand in a defensive position, Hestia was in her own defensive position, arched like a cat on Amadeus' shoulder from the sudden movement, her tail and its stinger whipping around, ready to strike. "Uhm ... that was definitely impressive." Running a hand through his hair, "I guess that could have gone a lot worse, at least." He brought a hand towards Hestia, attempting to calm her down and making sure she didn't hit him with her stinger by accident. It had happened a few times in the past, and he was not keen for it to happen again.

"Hestia, my Hestia, calm down ... I don't think he'll be getting up for awhile," he murmured, running a finger along her slender neck, still stiff and arched. Mentally, he spoke to her, "What did they say?"

Slowly Hestia began to relax, still hissing towards the creature on the ground. "Name Longclaw -- said fishkind stronger. Lie! Proof, see! Quick!"

Reaching into one of his various hip-packs, Amadeus pulled forth a hempen rope, motioning towards the creature on the ground. "While I appreciate you were going the gentle route ... sometimes it doesn't work. Seems we at least got their name, Longclaw, and a threat: he apparently thinks the 'fishkind' are stronger than we are."

Moving forward, he knelt down, attempting to bind the unconscious creature before it woke once more. "We're gonna need to have a discussion with the others on what to do with this one ... the other one is ... well. I'll just let you find out yourself. Once we've gotten this one dealt with for the moment, we really need to start sorting through what we have available to use and get some work started..." Amadeus began muttering as he worked, Hestia the whole time looped around his neck, a little more tightly than he would have preferred, ocassionally hissing towards "Longclaw".
 
"Though I fail to see what benefit I may derive from such an endeavor. Proving innocence is unnecessary where there is no guilt." Sighing, he says, "Nonetheless, I recognize that cooperation is of some importance in this sort of scenario, so I shall consider your offer. Now, if you would rather not pay witness to my work, I recommend you make yourself useful in acquiring shelter."

"How about this then, for every 20 bodies you help me identify I will personally bring you a new body under one condition, I get to choose that body. I think that's fair compensation, don't you."

Serres turned away from the sight and walk along the beach scanning the area for a safe place to camp that night. The sun was still high up and she could feel the uncomfortable trickle of sweat down her back but they needed to set up shelter and the sooner the better. If that’s what attacked them in broad daylight, she shuddered to think of what happened at night.
 
As Amadeus and Vesper deal with their captured lizardman, Leothyc is nearly done with reanimating its dead brother. The body being a new species and therefore new biology to work with, Leothyc opted to slow down the process and draw as much information from the body as possible. Thus, necromantic energy shifts and pulses around the corpse, flowing and probing slowly through the corpse in contrast to the rapid infusion of 1372.

Finally, the body jerks, limbs flexing as a magical facsimile of life is forced upon it. Its eyes fly open, nictitating membrane drawing back to reveal a sickly green glow dissimilar to that of its scales, and a menacing snarl rips forth from its reanimated throat. Leothyc smiles, 'Nicely done, if I do say myself' he thinks before setting about programming his new thrall.

---

Still apprehensive with being near the holy man, even if he would like to meet the avian, Leothyc and his newly dubbed minion 1373 instead walk towards the guard, Serres, whom he spots crouched nearby examining some type of flowering plant as if judging its toxicity. "If you were considering consuming it to test whether it is edible, I wouldn't. There is far higher chance of death by poison than starvation with such an approach." he remarks, strolling up while 1373 lurches on behind. "I accept your proposition by the way, partly because I am curious as to how you will provide the specimens."
 
“Oh I think this island will provide you with plenty of unfriendly specimen.” Serres stood up patting the sand from her knees. “Speaking of which, I left my armor and pack near the jungle when we were attacked. I am going to get my stuff and try to scout a bit of the island while you start identifying the bodies. Be careful and stay vigilant to any more attacks. I don’t think the island is quite finished with us yet.”

Serres walked up to were she had left her stuff and noticed that Vesper and Amadeus had tied up the other lizardman. “He’s still alive then? Were you able to glean anything useful from him?” She started wearing her armor piece by piece. “I hope he can help guide us to some fresh water because we don’t have nearly enough with five people now.”
 
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Reaching into one of his various hip-packs, Amadeus pulled forth a hempen rope, motioning towards the creature on the ground. "While I appreciate you were going the gentle route ... sometimes it doesn't work. Seems we at least got their name, Longclaw, and a threat: he apparently thinks the 'fishkind' are stronger than we are."
Vesper nodded, a bit glum. She had tried so hard to give him a chance. Perhaps there was still a way. Still, she began to feel foolish and to berate herself in a raspy undertone. "Be'bék kro viin, nuut kshys räk'oshi olenli huhlūparkreezhat..."

She squawked roughly, irritated with herself. Why did she care so much? Was the fight not exhilarating? Did they not endeavor to provide a path to reconciliation?

All she said aloud, however, was, "Thank you, Amadeus. You have glimpsed as if before your face what once was far off – we approach great danger, but our eyes now pierce somewhat through the veil."

Moving forward, he knelt down, attempting to bind the unconscious creature before it woke once more. "We're gonna need to have a discussion with the others on what to do with this one[...] Once we've gotten this one dealt with for the moment, we really need to start sorting through what we have available to use and get some work started..."
Vesper shook herself and began walking back to her pack and harness. She began buckling the odd garment back on, drawing it around her back with sure, steady movements and then fiddling with the front while she spoke. "These 'fishkind' are concerning, as especially our Longclaw-friends are – eh, enthralled? Afraid?"

There. Back with me, my love – but always with me, you are. Vesper stroked the carefully bound black feathers attached to her harness. Oh, but she missed him. I felt you with me. Is my spirit soon to be winging back to you? Almost I hope so. But the Bringer of Storms watches over us, and I am here, and everything happens for a reason.

---

"Everything happens for a reason," Vesper murmurs as she returns to Amadeus and the captive. She greets Serres, catching her up on the little they had gleaned from the lizardfolk hunter.

As Vesper watches Amadeus work on tying the hunter up, however, she frowns. "That is not –" she begins, then coughs. The knotwork would not hold, but she did not wish to hurt her new companion's feelings. "Staunch the blood, that is what I will do now." Vesper and Amadeus work side by side for a moment in their care and restraint of Longclaw. Vesper manages to stop his bleeding and to ensure his pulse was strong enough. Then, as Amadeus began searching him, coming up momentarily with a curious stone bladetool, Vesper quietly undoes the cordage and reties it, using practiced maneuvers to restrain wrists, ankles, and arms securely. Then, standing up and stretching, she walks about, making a brief search of her own for anything that might be salvageable for their aid.
 
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Concerned about the sand he saw drift from the lizard, Amadeus hoped to make sure there were no more surprises. The other one he wasn't as concerned about, assuming by now Leothyc had finished his work and it was probably hobbling around the corner any moment now. He frowned slightly as he searched, wondering if the deal with Leothyc would be ... allowed. Finding a few objects, he held a small stone item, sharpened on one end like a blade. "Well, guess now we know our friend Longclaw still had some tricks up his non-existent sleeve. I'll be keeping this for now..." Amadeus continued, placing the small dart into one of his own smaller packs.

Seeing for now "Longclaw" was pretty much sorted, Amadeus decided to give another look through the various crates, pulling out the linens in an attempt to start them drying while they still had sunlight to work with. The cloth was heavy from the damp and he had to struggle to pull the sheets out -- but as he was pulling, he heard the faint clink of bottles for some reason. Placing Hestia on the edge of the crate, and Nemesis on the ground near him for now, he reached further into the crate, hand searching for the glass he was hearing.

Finally his hand wrapped around the slender neck of a bottle and he slowly worked it out from the linen, eager to see what he'd found hidden away. "Hmm... wine bottles, huh? Hidden in the linens, probably so they wouldn't be found." He pointed the bottle towards Hestia who sniffed it with faint interest, "At the least we have something to enjoy before things get worse, right Hestia?"

She turned her nose away before attempting to climb back onto his shoulders. "Tired ... want nap." She gave a small yawn, her jaw snapping shut when she finished -- similar to the crocodile with its large maw earlier. He gently rubbed her small head as he responded mentally, "I know ... but we've still got a lot a head of us before the day's done."

Digging through the rest of the crate, Amadeus managed to find another eleven bottles of wine, depositing them in the shade near where Longclaw had been moved while he slept off Vesper's blows. He also managed to find a crate of hardtack -- at first he was excited, it could potentially help with the food concern, but when he opened the lid he was hit with the strong smell of sea water with an aftertaste of mold. Annoyed he closed the crate again, and moved down the beach towards the water, trying to see if there was any trace of where the attackers had come from. Unfortunately to him, it just looked like water, so he returned towards Vesper as she began her own search attempts.

"I think we've pretty much got this bit of beach sorted ... and I want to get a better idea of the island itself. However, I don't really want to just go charging off into the trees." He motioned to Hestia, "I have a way I can scout it from above, but I'll basically be defenseless until I finish. Can I ask you to ... basically guard me I suppose? I won't be able to see or hear while I'm scouting -- I'll be essentially 'riding' with Hestia, mentally."

Vesper nodded, a practiced gesture, and said with a minimum of fuss, "No harm will come to you. Ride the winds with your companion. Aerdrie Faenya will watch her, and I will watch you."

Amadeus bowed his head slightly, "I'm unfamiliar with the name you say, but I appreciate it all the same." Moving towards where Longclaw sat, Amadeus took a moment to try and find a nearby tree where he could make himself comfortable -- he wasn't sure how long he'd be scouting with Hestia, but he knew how distracting it could be if in the back of his mind he couldn't ignore a crick in his back. Holding Hestia on his hand, he explained the plan mentally, "Right, Hestia my Hestia, let's see what this place looks like from above. I'll be riding with you, so focus on flying, I'll focus on the looking -- and let's stay a bit above the trees, yeah? I don't doubt the rest of the lizards here have ranged weapons."

Hestia flicked out her small tongue towards Amadeus as she leaped up and took flight. He watched her gain height until she was above the tree and closed his eyes. Before he "joined" her, he spoke aloud again, "I'm thankful for the guard -- if you need my attention, grab my arm or something and I'll return."

Before Vesper could respond, Amadeus shifted his focus towards Hestia, the senses and sensations shifting as the sound of the wind past her small ears began to filter in, his sight changing from how he normally saw, to matching hers as she glanced around constantly -- flicking back and forth on anything that managed to catch her eye in that split second.

Once she finally got to the height Amadeus instructed, she began her long circle of the island. He could sense she had mixed feelings -- on one claw she enjoyed flight, on the other, she didn't like to be so far away from her 2-leg. As she dealt with her thoughts, Amadeus silently looked through her eyes, taking note of the various rock outcroppings around the island, though there did seem to be one larger mass towards the center.
 
“Oh I think this island will provide you with plenty of unfriendly specimen.” Serres stood up patting the sand from her knees. “Speaking of which, I left my armor and pack near the jungle when we were attacked. I am going to get my stuff and try to scout a bit of the island while you start identifying the bodies. Be careful and stay vigilant to any more attacks. I don’t think the island is quite finished with us yet.”

Leothyc quirks his eyebrow at Serres' reply as to the source of his specimens for the forseeable (and hopefully temporary) future. Many call him evil, yet even he is not so obviously discriminatory of 'monstrous races'. Granted, a disdain for all is not much better, but the moral highground belonging to him is ironic if nothing else.

Sighing as she walks off, he notes with amusement that though she instructed him to identify the bodies, she neglected to inform him of several needed points. Namely, how he was to identify them without a manifest or descriptions, how he is to catalog them, and what exactly he is to do afterwards. He shrugs. Seeing as how he was not provided a time limit, he was free to ignore the task for as long as he needed. He can procure his own specimens if required.

---

Determining that wandering around alone, though accompanied by an open-mouthed undead lizardman, would be unproductive, Leothyc decides to check in on the paladin and the avian. The unlikely group needed coordination and a plan if they are to survive and escape, and involving himself in the process should ensure the plan does not involve praying for divine intervention. Additionally, he has yet to formally introduce himself to the avian, as interesting a specimen to observe on the ship, and he would prefer to prevent any slander the holy man might share with her.

Having instructed 1373 to trail further away, Leothyc strolls over to the lawful duo in all his clean, well-dressed, elven splendor. Noting Amadeus sitting against a tree, seemingly meditating, he remarks, "Well, I was hoping we would not need to pray for help, but it seems I spoke too soon." Nodding to Vesper, he says, "And you must be the fourth member of this merry band. Leothyc Sylwen, a pleasure to meet an avian." Pausing, he looks to the quiet form of the paladin, so much less judgmental when sleeping, before reaching out and plucking two hairs from his head.
 
The beach is littered with wooden crates and pieces of the Red Valiant that can be repurposed along with the linens that Amadeus has found. Nothing turns up in the form of a ship log or manifesto. Amongst the nearby palms, Serres and Vesper spot large round fruit high up at the base of the fronds. The sailor in Vesper easily identifies these as coconuts, a decent source of food and hydration. Looking past the trees, the Aarakocra also sees a dark space in the side of a rock mass... perhaps a cave?

As Hestia climbs into the sky the island lays bare before her. Early theories were correct, the island is not very large, about quarter-mile in width. It doesn’t take her very long to circumvent, several outcroppings of rock dot the island which is densely occupied with palms and other tropical plant life. If there is a Lizardfolk tribe living on the island, they must keep their village well hidden beneath the canopy. Just as the pseudodragon is completing her loop she swings a little bit closer to a large rock mass at the very center of the island. As she gets closer some figures begin to come into focus for Amadeus... five or six Lizardfolk? Survivors from the Red Valiant? It’s difficult to determine, especially when the Aasimar’s concentration is broken by a sudden pain in his head.
 
Serres continued looking up with her right arm shielding her eyes from the sun. “What are those?” ‘Those’ being big, spherical, brown objects hanging from the odd skinny trees that populated this island. “Is this even a tree? Are these leaves or odd green branches?” This island proved to be an endless source of confusion to poor Serres.

Amongst the nearby palms, Serres and Vesper spot large round fruit high up at the base of the fronds. The sailor in Vesper easily identifies these as coconuts, a decent source of food and hydration.

“Well, any source of food is good news. The rations are better kept in case of emergency. I guess I can try climbing this structure and cutting down some of the, what did you say they were called again Vesper, coco-nuts? Are they fragile? Will they break if they land on the sand?”

Serres walked to the tree and patted its trunk. It was oddly rubbery in texture. She swung her arms and legs around the tree and expertly scooting upwards to the top of the tree.

With a swipe of Hertz, she hacked down some of the round fruit and watched fascinated as they tumbled down to the ground with a muffled thump. She cut away till she got all the fruit then started the long scoot down the palm tree to meet with rest.
 
Amongst the nearby palms, Serres and Vesper spot large round fruit high up at the base of the fronds. The sailor in Vesper easily identifies these as coconuts, a decent source of food and hydration. Looking past the trees, the Aarakocra also sees a dark space in the side of a rock mass... perhaps a cave?
Vesper points out the coconuts, trilling in happy surprise. "Ai! See you those fruit, like great eggs hiding in the treetop? Coconuts! It is a great boon, indeed, to have these. With a cleaver or awl, the meat and water inside will nourish us well."

She squints at the rocks. "Serres, a glimpse I have of a curiosity: do you spy those rocks? A hollow or... a cave, perhaps, lies there. I dare not leave Amadeus without his promised guard. Would you care to check?"
“Well, any source of food is good news. The rations are better kept in case of emergency. I guess I can try climbing this structure and cutting down some of the, what did you say they were called again Vesper, coco-nuts? Are they fragile? Will they break if they land on the sand?”
Vesper shakes her head. "Fragile they certainly are not! Husk it first, then your sword-arm must deliver quite some chops to get to the meat. The husk shards and fibers shall serve us for hrish tch'e, for burning."

Footsteps, very light. Turning, Vesper finally beholds up close the personage of the fourth survivor. He was younger in the face than she had expected from his deliberate bearing and the fine clothes she had espied afar off earlier in the day. His blue eyes strike her as quite pretty (like a clean sea at midday with no fear upon it, she thinks), but though he looks at her steadily, there is something somber about his gaze.

Nodding to Vesper, he says, "And you must be the fourth member of this merry band. Leothyc Sylwen, a pleasure to meet an avian."

"T'juulo orënsh'ki tü – winds guide you! Call me Vesper. Good it is to –"
Pausing, he looks to the quiet form of the paladin, so much less judgmental when sleeping, before reaching out and plucking two hairs from his head.
Vesper involuntarily utters an Aarakocran oath, a deep, sudden, rasping word: "Sh'hwaaq!" She interposes a sharp-clawed hand between Leothyc and the back of Amadeus' auburn head to protect it from further unlooked-for tonsuring. "What mean you? This one is trancing, kytheri, to scout for us. Sh-ir, sir, please refrain." She sputters a bit, her accent stronger in her confusion.
 
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'Hm... Interesting dialect. Hints of a northern accent.' He had observed her on the ship, of course, but had not spoken. Research was usually better conducted when the specimens did not know you were observing, otherwise it would skew the results. He would have liked to collect data on how those of her species remain airborne, but alas, judging by the stump that should be one of her wings ('Punishment for something?') that will not happen.

Leothyc quirks an eyebrow towards the sputtering avian. Without looking away, he pulls out and flips open one of his small books, before inserting the hairs between the pages, snapping it shut, and tucking it back in the bag in a smooth motion. "No harm done." he remarks. "Merely a few strands of hair. Nothing he would not miss."
 
It was difficult to focus on the island and actually get a good lay of the land since Amadeus' sight was linked to Hestia's, and though he adored her, her attention span tended to be short and her eyes flicked wildly towards anything that caught her interest in the moment. Elsewhere on the island Amadeus felt his body sigh slightly in frustration as the wind continued to whistle past Hestia's small form.

What he did manage to see over the course of Hestia's flight was informative, however he didn't see what he was truly hoping for: a gap in the trees that might have hinted towards some inland pond of some sort, still hoping for a source of fresh water on the island. If Longclaw had been telling the truth and there was a whole tribe on the island somewhere, he was pretty sure they couldn't live off saltwater either. Unfortunately the island seemed to have a thick covering of trees ... though he couldn't entirely ignore a large rock that seemed to be almost dead center of the island. Hestia swung slightly closer to it, working her way back to her 2-leg, and as he tried to focus in as much as he could on what seemed to be figures near the rock, he felt a sharp pain in his head.

It distracted him in the moment, and Hestia flew past the rock before he could get a good look. Elsewhere he frowned slightly, mentally asking in his mind, "Mykiel ... was that you...?" He waited, wondering if she was trying to warn him or was attempting to speak to him for some reason. Not hearing any response, he recalled he had told Vesper if she needed him to try and get his attention by touch. Maybe she had misunderstood what he meant?

Hestia was busy on her returning flight as Amadeus began shifting his focus back into his own body, the wind fading and being replaced with the tail end of a conversation:
"...Nothing he would not miss."
That sounded like Leothyc ... Amadeus shifted his position as he opened his eyes slowly, jumping slightly in a delayed reaction as he realized how close Leothyc was to him. Shakily he stood, using the tree to help, since his legs had started to fall asleep. "What would who not miss...? What?" He looked at Leothyc confused, "I'm ... I guess glad you're finally with the rest of us, but why were you so close? And who interrupted?" He sighed, running a hand through his hair, "I think I almost saw something important when I got distracted..."

As he leaned against the tree, waiting for the pins and needles in his legs to fade, Hestia glided past Leothyc, circled the tree Amadeus was leaning against, and landed on his shoulder, rubbing her head against his jaw. "Left? Why leave?"

Stomping his feet in the sand a little, Amadeus began laying out what he'd seen: "I know a few mentioned scouting the island, but before we did that, I was hoping to get an aerial view, maybe get an idea of the layout, if there were any visible structures or signs of other survivors." He looked inland as he continued, "Unfortunately, the trees are pretty damn thick, so anything on the ground has almost perfect cover from the sky. The one area that wasn't covered in trees was this ... weird rock chunk towards the center of the island. I think I saw some ... people maybe? Or maybe more like our friend here," he gestured towards Longclaw, "but before I could get a good look, something brought my attention back here. That's all I could manage for now ... how've things been here while I was 'gone'?"
 
Serres bounced around the foot of the tree piling the precious fruit together. She admired the pyramid for quiet moment before jogging back to the group. "That's the food taken care of for the time being. Now Vesper told me she might have spotted what could be a cave in the nearby rock outcropping. We should probably check that out before the sun gets down so who's down for further probable danger?" She looked happier than might have been appropriate but Serres had always been one for action and now that they had a plan, things didn't seem as bleak to the cheerful half-elf.
 
A madman? The heat, perhaps? T'chka, but these poor elves are susceptible to it.

Vesper listens while Amadeus reported Hestia's findings. There was much to consider; currently, however, Vesper is matching Leothyc stare for stare. She resettles her inward energy – a practiced technique nearly as automatic to her now as various flight maneuvers once were – and, voice steadier, speaks to the group.

"Our Serres can brighten our thoughts with her news, I deem. Food she has found, Amadeus, while you were a-tranced, and possibly shelter."

She manages to repress a shudder. The thought of dark, airless places caused most any aarakocra's heart to quail.

"As far as the rest – introduced ourselves, Leothyc and I have." She hesitates but a moment before continuing. "Sir Sylwen has something of yours. It may seem a trifle but our air is, eh, fogged. Lest we founder on the shoals of mistrust, I beg that a fresh breeze of honest speech clear the way. Then, yes! We should complete our efforts to find protection."
 
Shakily he stood, using the tree to help, since his legs had started to fall asleep. "What would who not miss...? What?" He looked at Leothyc confused, "I'm ... I guess glad you're finally with the rest of us, but why were you so close? And who interrupted?" He sighed, running a hand through his hair, "I think I almost saw something important when I got distracted..."

Taking a step back and silently observing the priest rise, Leothyc smirks in response to the addled questions. "Survival in numbers." he replies with a shrug. "And it's nothing you need concern yourself with." Noting the flat, disbelieving stare he received in response he merely stares back with a smile that does not reach his eyes.

---

Leothyc had assumed the priest was meditating or praying, but scouting was nowhere on his list of possibilities. And judging by his use of first-person, he hadn't merely had the creature report to him. 'Fascinating.' There was no questioning it, with the interaction between the pair, the creature was the man's familiar, not pet. However, no conventional spell or ritual he knew of allowed such capabilities to the bond. Truly, the man was much more fascinating than any other associates of the churches Leothyc had encountered.

As for the report itself, it was interesting, for want of a better word. The island's foliage makes for an excellent cover for all manners of things. And the rock at the center of island was certainly ominous, a prime location for many a ritual or focus. Leothyc did not state any of this out loud and instead appears deep in thought, as their current concern was the acquisition of food, water, and shelter. Fortunately, the avian then reports that one of the necessities has been filled, along with a possibility for another. "Proximity to a water-source is important. Shelter can be made in the trees if need be." he remarks.

"As far as the rest – introduced ourselves, Leothyc and I have." She hesitates but a moment before continuing. "Sir Sylwen has something of yours. It may seem a trifle but our air is, eh, fogged. Lest we founder on the shoals of mistrust, I beg that a fresh breeze of honest speech clear the way. Then, yes! We should complete our efforts to find protection."

Leothyc chuckles at her not-so subtle hint that he should confess. If it is honestly she desires, he sees no reason to hide. "Well," he starts, mentally commanding 1373 to step, or rather lurch forth. "In the spirit of honestly and openness, I should like to point out that I am what you may call a Necromancer, though I prefer 'researcher of life and death'." He smiles faintly, knowing full well the reaction the title invites. "Will that be a problem?"
 
"And it's nothing you need concern yourself with." Noting the flat, disbelieving stare he received in response he merely stares back with a smile that does not reach his eyes.

"That's the food taken care of for the time being. Now Vesper told me she might have spotted what could be a cave in the nearby rock outcropping. We should probably check that out before the sun gets down so who's down for further probable danger?"

"Proximity to a water-source is important. Shelter can be made in the trees if need be." he remarks.

Amadeus gave Leothyc a questioning look as he adjusted his smallcloak and checked his pouches while listening to the rest of the conversation, watching as the other lizardfolk came ambling into sight, its eyes dull and with a tinge of green Amadeus recognized as part of the magic keeping it moving. His headache began to pulse the longer he looked at it, which he knew meant he was probably going to be yelled at later, but for now he had other priorities. Hestia gave a small tongue flick of disapproval towards the thrall. "Kill again?"

"We've already ... discussed things a little, between Leothyc and I. I leave it to you others to decide where you stand on, well," Amadeus waved a hand towards the latest thrall, "that." Glancing towards the captive he continued, "If we do attempt to make allies however, I doubt they'll enjoy seeing one of their own like that, but that's a bridge to cross when we get there."

Amadeus looked over the trees nearby, tall slender palmtrees and looked back towards Leothyc slightly amused. "How exactly do you figure we'd make shelter in the trees? These aren't great oaks where we could rest in the branches... besides, if there's a cave, I'd rather know what's in it just so we're not ambushed again. I'd rather know there's rock behind us, even if it might mean we're trapped later. If there's only one entrance, means we know where to lay any traps as well."

Raising a hand slightly and speaking towards Serres, "I'll help investigate the cave if you want," he paused as he shot a glare towards Leothyc. "I can have Hestia stay in case Longclaw wakes up again, she can act as a translator, and share any news if we find anything, or anything finds us." Hestia gave a sad trill as she squeezed around Amadeus' neck for a moment, then leapt through the air towards Vesper once more, taking a wide arc around Leothyc. She snapped her tail like a whip towards Leothyc before settling on Vesper's shoulder, sending Amadeus various sad messages: "Don't like ... be safe ... Want go with..."

Swinging down towards the ground Amadeus picked up Nemesis again, shouldering it as he faced the cave, looking to Serres, "Shall we? Unless there are any objections?"
 
“We shall.” Serres giggled and hooked her arm with Amadeus’. “Keep watch over our pal here and look out for any further of his kin.” She called back to the other members.

They walked in unison towards the cave with Serres chattering away in the silence. When they reached the area she started scouting the land around the cave keeping her eyes peeled for any danger lurking by in the rocks or the jungle.

“So how long have you got Hestia? Or shall I say how long has Hestia got you?” She trailed her fingers lightly over the rocks looking for any strange inscriptions or recesses in the hard surface. “I had a kitten once. My step-brother used him as target practice. Poor Blinket.” She stood still for a moment before crawling around the perimeter of the rocks looking for anything out of the ordinary. Satisfied there was nothing to worry about near the entrance she got up rubbing the dirt and sand from her hands. “He was avenged of course. May his tiny soul rest in peace.”

“Can’t beat this piece of real estate. It overlooks the beach and everything.” She pointed towards the opening. “Shall I go ahead to see if there are any friendly pals there thirsty for our blood first? Wait for my signal first before following me. If you don’t hear anything in 5 minutes get the rest and don’t come alone.”

Serres steeled herself for a moment before entering the dim, dark cave. She waited a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dark. She poked around the cave corners for a bit before concluding that it was safe. “Amadeus! Say hello to Château La Grotte, our new temporary residence on this island.”
 
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When Serres hooked her arm with Amadeus he had to prevent himself from pulling away out of habit. He wasn't keen on physical contact, but decided if it was only temporary, he could deal with it for now.

Serres seemed eager to chat -- he wasn't sure if it was nerves, or just her nature in general.
“So long have you got Hestia? Or shall I say how long has Hestia got you?” .... “I had a kitten once. My step-brother used him as target practice. Poor Blinket.” .... “He was avenged of course. May his tiny soul rest in peace.”

It was a little difficult for him to get a word in edgewise as the conversation seemed to move faster than he could attempt to speak up, but still he made an attempt. "Heh, I suppose it probably is closer to her having me, considering how she acts. She's been chirping in my ear for quite awhile now." He paused while Serres worked her way around the entrance, "I must admit I'm a little concerned your ...step-brother, was it? It's concerning he would use a small animal as target practice. Though," Amadeus glanced towards Serres as she continued searching, "it sounds like he's not an issue anymore, if I understand your meaning correctly." His hand worked its way towards his crystal necklace as he looked at the twin swords on her hip until she started speaking again and moved into the cave.

He readied Nemesis in case she was needed, keeping an eye on the area outside of the cave while trying to make sure he could catch any sounds from inside. Once she gave the all clear he gave one last look around the outside before heading in as well.

Entering, it took a moment for his eyesight to adjust, and for a moment he wondered Serres was going to ask if he needed a light to see. Part of him thought maybe he should comment along the lines of, "Oh but it's so dark in here!", but decided against the charade. Instead he spoke softly, aware of how things could echo in large empty areas from all his time in the Temple, "I'm not sure I'd speak so loudly just yet."

It was an interesting shape to the cave -- seemed about thirty feet deep, and ten feet high, give or take. He couldn't shake the feeling of how strange it was the cave appeared to be empty and began attempting to do his own search of the inside, checking the ceiling, and trying to see if anything seemed to have come in or out of the cave. Just because it was empty now, didn't mean it'd be empty later.

------------------------------------------------------------​

Looking around for few minutes as Serres seemed to do her own investigation, Amadeus noted a few things here and there that hinted towards something living in the cave, though he couldn't find any skeletal remains like might have been left by a predator. Eventually he returned towards Serres, informing her, "Well, I'd still like to know what lives or lived in this cave, but it seems pretty clear from what I can tell. I'll have Hestia let the others know we've scouted it out so we can try to bring our stuff here and try to set up camp potentially."

Keeping an eye out towards the cave entrance, Amadeus sent a mental message to Hestia: "Tell the others we've scouted the cave and seems to be all clear. Not sure what was here, it's just a long tunnel, but doesn't seem like a predator used it in any case."

Elsewhere, as Hestia was still trying to get comfortable on Vesper's small shoulders, her small head perked up, facing towards the cave. "Yes, will tell -- come soon?"

Amadeus smiled to himself, "Yes, you'll be putting holes in my armor again soon enough."

Hestia shifted her telepathic link to Vesper, as she wasn't entirely keen on the elf that had been watching her 2-leg earlier, and spoke mentally, "Amaadayuss -- my 2-leg -- say cave safe. Empty. Go?"
 
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A pained hiss slips from Longclaw as he begins to rouse from his induced slumber. His body stretching out in the sand to the extent the bindings allow. The slow writhing soon gives way to sudden jerking motions as the Lizardfolk becomes conscious of his situation. Frantically he convulses on the ground trying to break his bindings. “t’vogh Lanjkun gna, p’ap’uk: dzknatesak kgtnek’ dzez: dzknatesaknery kul yen talis dzez:” the reptile man spits at his captors.
 
"In the spirit of honestly and openness, I should like to point out that I am what you may call a Necromancer, though I prefer 'researcher of life and death'." He smiles faintly, knowing full well the reaction the title invites. "Will that be a problem?"
As the necromantic horror that was "Specimen 1373" approached, Vesper froze. U'ulo nai krenyrmo-vsk... Bright gods, it can't be. Aloud she muttered, "No – krei'vaire rii, not this." She looked from the zombie to Leothyc, who seemed to be watching in smug anticipation for a response, and then at Amadeus and Serres, whose expressions she could not read. "You two know of this? That committed this darkness, Leothyc Sylwen has?"
"We've already ... discussed things a little, between Leothyc and I. I leave it to you others to decide where you stand on, well," Amadeus waved a hand towards the latest thrall, "that."
Vesper said nothing. She felt Hestia on her feathered shoulder, shifting slightly for better purchase and flicking her tail-stinger about. She guessed that the small dragon was none to pleased to be left, but found herself grateful for the reassuring weight and life of the creature's presence.

The reanimated lizardfolk body was truly a repulsive sight. It took all of Vesper's focus not to strike it down immediately. Their situation suddenly seemed much more dire: besides the corrupted mockery of life that the zombie represented, how could they trust a necromancer?

---

Serres calls out blithely over her shoulder, “Keep watch over our pal here and look out for any further of his kin." Once she and Amadeus, arms linked (May her winsome spirit save her from the perishing!), have ventured off, Vesper regards Leothyc once more. Other than the slightest breeze and the sound of the waves, there is little to be heard other than the zombie's gurgling.

"So, this is our path now. Taught, I was, and proved in hard training, that a warrior ought to walk his path, doing harm to none except in defense of the defenseless – that his enemies, if trained he is, can be sh'hir yk'yrai n'tuuk pelelur: moved back to their own path. Without death."

She pauses. Longclaw seems to be stirring.

"Doubt I that you can be dissuaded from your own path without violence." Her eyes flash. "And though I exult in the fight – k'rai auziin! how I do – I am loath to do so. Compansions, are we; survivors. I do desire you to practice your death-arts no more, for how can we hope to thrive and to save these," here she indicates Longclaw, who is now writhing and staring desperately about, "who could be allies and are thralls themselves, even in life?"

She falls silent. There is so much more that could be said; she fears that words will not avail. She stares at Longclaw, who is now spitting and rasping out some words of contention, though she does not know what he says.

She waits for Leothyc and stands, silent, in the sand, pondering the situation, unsure what to do.
 
Leothyc had merely watched on with an amused eyebrow raised at the avian's nearly comical reaction. That she was religious did not bother him, he had encountered and dealt with far too many troublesome holy men already. But these reactions always amused him. People may promise to be understanding, but the fools always revealed themselves as hypocrites eventually. How can they preach understanding when they hinder any attempt at understanding the world itself?

"Doubt I that you can be dissuaded from your own path without violence." Her eyes flash. "And though I exult in the fight – k'rai auziin! how I do – I am loath to do so. Compansions, are we; survivors. I do desire you to practice your death-arts no more, for how can we hope to thrive and to save these," here she indicates Longclaw, who is now writhing and staring desperately about, "who could be allies and are thralls themselves, even in life?"

Leothyc shrugs, smirk still adorning his face. "My path is not that of a violent psychopath thirsting for conquest, as many before you are so keen to believe as the standard. If I may repeat myself, I am merely a researcher of the arcane, though I shall admit my ambitions are far from modest." he says. Smirk fading, he shifts his posture to lean slightly on his staff. "In that regard, one might say our goals are the same. However, mine are rather..." he pauses, hand meandering in the air as he searches for an appropriate phrase. "Long term, I suppose. These things," he continues, gesturing to 1373 with a sweep of his hand. "Are a stepping stone."

"If the secrets of life and death require some to die, then so be it. One cannot make an omelette without breaking a few eggs after all." He pauses, then looks back to the avian. "Ah, forgive me." he says, smirk returning. "Rather inappropriate expression considering the audience."

She was correct in one regard. Whether they liked it or not, they were companions for mutual survival. But that was no reason for him to bow his head and be a meek little follower. If they killed him, it would be a tremendous tragedy, but it would only prove to him they would not survive alone. Thus, he was allowed his fun.
 
Vesper shakes her head in weary dismay. This man seemed to enjoy goading her, even mocking – and yet, there was a sincerity behind his words when he spoke of "research". She knew she could not dissuade him, but still... Befogged again is our course. Fathers and mothers before us, please guide me.

Amadeus said:
When the lizardfolk on the ground began speaking again, Hestia looked at him, her head tilted slightly as she listened. She hissed back, her tail snapping as she spoke to Vesper mentally: "Threaten! Fishkind -- tssh! They find, we kill! Devour them!"
Considering Hestia with one golden eye, Vesper nods slowly. She murmurs quietly in her throat, avian-fashion, a low purring trill as she pondered the little dragon's translation.

"Thank you, Hestia. A queenly creature, you are. I am not easy in my heart about this one," and here she indicates Longclaw with one hand, "nor understanding do I have. He feels we have treated him, eh – unfairly, I deem."

"Leothyc Sylwen, there is much hidden in you. Gladly will I speak more with you, of your research, of why this path you seem compelled to walk. For now... I do not know. We should rest, and plan."

Closing her eyes in brief thought, the aarakocra woman considers things for a moment. Unbidden, a rhyme half-heard from her days of youthful wandering – from some bard of the docks, or a scribe turned sailor, perhaps – rises from her heart to encounter present thought:

The sun, the moon, the breeze, the sky;
Earthbound or princes of noon;
All sorrow in turn and die too soon –
The world itself is passing by.

Is't cruelty, this life, to make us wait,
Accepting the fancies of Madame Fate?
Or can there be meaning discovered before
We sigh, and sleep, and breathe no more?

What beauty surrounds us, persistent and fierce;
What painful joys invade this gloom!
If grief shall not wane, then let fall that doom
That temptingly offers our hopes to pierce.

But stay: though mysterious it was to give,
I will accept this bright sorrow, and live.​

---

Vesper opens her eyes again. She reaches up a hand to stroke Amadeus' familiar under the chin.

"Hestia, little dragon: please tell Longclaw – Yekaretev – that we will not eat him. We – I – want him to live. Tell him to show us the fish-kind. Will you please, Hestia? Longclaw," she turns her small frame to face the captive. "Yekaretev, tell us about the fish-kind. Because if find us they can...

...find them, we will."

Everything happens for a reason.
 

Longclaw takes advantage of the sea travellers’ banter to work on his bindings. His reptilian muscles flex and mustering all of his strength he feels them begin to strain. Finally, as Vesper turns her attention and speaks to him, the scaled one’s bonds burst as he rolls over bringing his limbs down into the sand. With an alarming amount of speed he runs on all fours through the sand and towards the ocean.
 
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