Ambergris Cays exploration:

[Inferno]

Elijah Crowthorn, sea priest:

"That be good work there, lads." Old Eli says as he spears sleeping lizards before they awaken.


Is the difference between a creature vs. a monster, demihuman, animal or humanoid ever properly explained in the rules? If not, I would take 'creature' to represent all of the above, including the caster's allies.

[OGRE MAGE]

Ah, to be lost in the grey areas of AD&D.......

Siggard can only stand by and watch as the creatures are slain. He wonders how many of these things there are out here in the dark as he continues looking around the place while the grisly work is done. He tries to spot some more fuel for the fire off in the distance now that they seem to have a campsite.

[Spearmint]

since it is written, elves are immune to sleep spells, J take it that it may be cast on characters and humanoids also.

Siggard can scavenge enough wood for a fire from old tree branches and roots while the others kill reptile and crab to secure the camp area.

"Ah, The Crab n' Lizard. Good name for a seaside restaurant for when I retire." Van de Poel says making a bigger windbreak and wiping a square rock clean to use as a pillow. He has years to go unless striking it rich can mean he retires early.

Checking the shoreline reveals that the crabs submerge to 'nest' in crags and holes in vicious and deadly short encounters with lizards who emerge to feed and defend their territory. Few crustaceans make it so far inland up the incline to the camp.

Set a watch and tell me what folks do over the 'rest' time. Those who need prayer and study, when you do so. Put in your 'memorized' spell list what you wish to cast for the following day. VdP volunteers for the first watch, it is midnight now, sunrise at 5.00am.

[Inferno]

Elijah Crowthorn, sea priest:

Four of us = two hour watch shifts, and up to 6 hours sleep each? If yes, Eli watches from 6am-8am, after spells are replenished:

Old Eli will sleep now and wake with the dawn. The wizzened prophet will face the ocean, praying to Lord Poseidon. Then he'll stand watch til 8am, chewing on leftover strips of smoked crab. At 8am, he'll say, "Get up, lads! We've work to do!"

[GreyWolfVT]

Pocc "Aye! Alright guess we have some good crab for meal tonight then." the druid after finishing his work gets up and starts to wonder whom would be the best to cook the crabs. Odd that he is thinking with his stomach rather than his ethical want to save nature...

[OGRE MAGE]

Siggard

"Before we sleep, is there anyone here that is injured? I have a bit of healing that I could offer yet today." Its only one CLW but its better than nothing.

The mage agrees to take third watch, spending most of that time studying by the firelight for his new spells of the day.

CLW
MM
Sleep

[Spearmint]

The four make a rough camp, keeping warm alongside a sparse fire and taking turns watching for anything sneaking up. Occasional croaks and rustles alert you to 'things in the dark' until during the second watch of the night a huge mottled crab comes out of the shadows. It's carapace shell must be at least the size of a shield and large crushing claws clatter snapping in front of it. Enticed by the smell of fresh blood it grabs a prize bounty if dead lizard and begins to pull itself over rock and brush into the night shadows.

The sun rises early, with a little light rain and stiff breeze. Unmolested you may board your boat or explore Little Ambergris Cay.

actions please. VdP will follow what you decide. Describe how you search and if folk want to dive into the surrounding coral reefs.

[Inferno]

Elijah will likewise heal anyone that needs it before sleeping.

At dawn, Old Eli makes a sundial and lets the men sleep til 8am. Then "Get up lads! We've work to do! Where be these natural formations?"

[OGRE MAGE]

As soon as he is awake, Siggard looks to see if the animals have all fled. If so, he begins searching the beaches where the boat is tied.

What does this puke look like again? I don't suppose it will be very easy to find, but you never know.

[Spearmint]

Ambergris in differing states

[GreyWolfVT]

Pocc "We should be able to spot it though you never know.I'm sure Van de Poel will be able to spot it quite well."

[Spearmint]

'Gin' Van de Poel,

nods as he begins then to trawl along the coastline look for specimens of ambergris or any other valuable flotsam washed ashore. "I've heard of folk finding stuff but not this 'whale puke' stuff. Guess we have got to strike it lucky like some pan handler sieving for nuggets. You are a mage Mr Blyth, got any spells to help us?" he asks.

Unless you pair up or comb in different directions I will narrate that the group circle the island as a line of four walking around.

This is a typical coastline scene around the island with a view across a few miles of open ocean to the slightly larger Big Ambergris Cay. So you have a reef that you may wade into, several sections have small patches of thicker fauna and seaweed covering, occasion copses of sea willow, sycamore fig and sisal hemps and other small trees dot the landscape. But it is mostly cracked rock with plenty of ankle turning clefts. A few small sandy coves, enough to bring in a boat close to land circle the island.


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typical coastline scene.jpg (34.86 KiB) Viewed 3175 times

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http://mapcarta.com/19499548/Map[/ooc] gives a great birds eye view of the island. You landed on the north side.[/ooc]


The foursome begin a search to beachcomb the coast and reef areas, ever watchful of unseen dangers lurking in the coral beds or larger lizards and crabs such as they have already encountered beginning to stir. It is a slow process, each one perhaps reminiscing of happier times doing such with family and friends in safer waters as children, picking crab and shell. Now as dutiful sailors, they hope to strike a lucky nugget and bring enough trove to find some sloop repairs and perhaps a bit to pocket themselves. Thoughts of what happens if we do hit a mother lode cross each persons mind? Desert the sloop and row away? Who would know, you might fake being lost at sea for a time. Pushing such temptations aside the group press on. A trawl is an apt description of their mornings labours. You find nothing though way, way out to sea the promise of whales keeps your focus.

Search check [1d100] = 68 [1d100] = 14 [1d100] = 63 [1d100] = 5

At the end of a four hour find and seek, you rest, sweating and thirsty from you task.

Pocc you notice several shadows in the water, floating over the coral and flitting in and out of the shallow banks of fauna. The feed on smaller fish which they suck out of the foliage or nibble mouthfuls of smaller crustaceans caught out in the open sea beds. You can estimate that by the number of moving shadows you think there are more than a dozen of these man sized rays.

let me know any actions you wish to take.

[GreyWolfVT]

silly question can Pocc speak with the rays using his Speak with Animals spell?

Pocc informs the others of the rays he discovered in the waters.

[Spearmint]

Pocc, has the spell memorised. The druid version of the spell varies slightly from the clerical one only by increasing the radius of effect to 40'ft. You will get two rounds of action with the spell.

A check against your marine knowledge tells you this collective of rays is a greater number than normally gather together.

You would have to get into the reef to communicate with them.

[OGRE MAGE]

Siggard responds to Gin.

I am afraid that I do not, sir. As you might have noticed last night when I saved the group from certain death, my magic is normally for fighting, not for finding things.

I suppose we will have to continue to conduct our search the old fashioned way unless the local fauna seen here can be coerced to lend aid?

The brown skinned man drinks some water and eats some fruit as he takes a quick rest, periodically dropping small pieces into the top of his back pack and wishing it was safe to let his little friend run around freely.

[OGRE MAGE]

If we didn't find anything on a roll of 5, it looks we are going to be out here for a while.

[Inferno]

Old Eli holds a thin wrinkled hand at his furrowed brow and squints at the horizon.
Then he turns to Pocc, "Beast master, p'rhaps these manta can tell ye o' th' whale treasure we seek. Can ye speak wit' them?"

[GreyWolfVT]

Pocc "Ah yes I was just thinking the very same thing, though I will have to get quite close to them for my means to communicate with them to work at all. Here goes nothing." the druid will wade into the reef to attempt to communicate with the rays to gather more information from them if possible. Yes I'll be using that speak with animals spell to try and communicate with the rays.

[Spearmint]

What do you say and how do you say it?

[GreyWolfVT]

Pocc communicating to the rays "I don't wish to harm you but I am seeking your aid my friends. I'm searching for Ambergris which you might not understand what that is, simply whale puke. I also wounder why are there so many of you here in this reef?"