Chapter 1 - The Skin Chart

Keekik was not the best at following the speach-patterns of their crewmates, and felt somewhat lost having seen no clue to indicate marking on the ektus flesh in question. However, as to the question posed, Keekik could offer another thought dangling in suposition. "Markings can communicate... A marked back might be nothing... but if coveted so, We know of only one thing more valuable... a chart." They did not mean to sound so ridiculous in their guess, but there was not more to go on regardless.

Keekik left the bodies to listen into the halls to the lower decks, while the rest of the crew finish looking around here.

'To hide something perhaps? about why there were targeted ...but then no reason to take one eye only

Tektek gives the idea of a skin chart a thought, rustling his spines. He had a personal interest in charts, often gathering them throughout his endeavors.

"I see, that would be a possibility. But I fail to see the relevance of the iris blossom."

Tektek decides to search the room and the bodies for any clues as to what religion these ekti belong to. It would be best to send these bodies off according to their preferences.

They could likely continue guessing, but the end of their information was reached a few steps back. Moving to assist Tektek as the corsair required. Though not religious, They chose long ago to allow respect for those who were possessed of faith. This was a sad thing, and if spirits exist, it was at least courteous to observe the wishes of the dead.

Guessing what religion these ektus might have followed is an almost impossible task considering the vastness of the wildsea and how little connected different settlements are. Most likely, they follow a spirit or creature that is unique to their home town.

Tektek does manage to find something, however, that seemingly confirms Keekik's wild theory. The backs of the stronger ektus, the ones dressed in dark, practical clothes are unmarked but the second one dressed in brown, identical to the one whose back was taken, is a different story.
As Tektek carefully lifts up their shirt, he finds a strange pattern carved into the green flesh of the ektus. The scars are old and long healed but still visible and they seem to display an abstract chart of the surrounding waves. Tektek notices that somehow, all lines seem to converge on two spots on it, a start and end point to a journey. And if he reads the chart correctly, this point where the ektus' ship was attacked and its crew and passengers were killed lies right between these two points, though much closer to the starting point than the end point.

Cyathus meanwhile notices that their animal companions appear to be particularly disconcerted by the ektus that is missing an eye. Judging from their reactions, they seem to fluctuate between fear and pity at the sight of him. And in fact, the wild sailors also feel something when they turn their attention to that particular victim, a strange sense of wrongness, as if what has been done to him is much worse than what was done to any of the others, even if they can't find any clue as to why that is.

Tektek shows the others, pointing at their current location.

"There's a chart. We are around here."

He notices the distress of the animals, and looks at the mutilated Ektus. Instinctively, his skin bristles in discomfort.

"...This one disturbs me the most. Charts of skin explain one, but not the other."

He fingers a set of crude handmade prayer beads, counting his way around the bracelet. During his time as a hermit, he pondered matters that disturbed him by emptying his mind with repetitive tasks. When he empties his mind, moments of clarity provide insight into the situation.

A sudden flash of clarity comes to Tektek as he empties his mind and consdiders the dead ektus and the removed iris blossom. It has been taken for a ritual, a dark and evil ritual, that had effects not just on this world but on that of the spirits as well. The reason you feel so uncomfortable around the corpse is that even if you can't see the spectral, you all instinctively feel that something is wrong there.

Tektek shares his relevation with the others.

"Perhaps the iris blossom was stolen for some ritual. I've heard that ekti with iris blossoms are considered blessed. Perhaps there is more to that saying than meets the eye."

'If they were taken for a chart, then why not this one?' Cyathus tilts their head even as they try to calm their companions. By now almost all thoughts of salvage were gone. They were beginning to agree the two had the right idea.

'Unless...a prophecy? Somehow... if this one marks where this attack happened.. or does it make an area in which the ship patrols, and therefore was not needed?'

The Gau had no spine, but still felts chills at the thought of a ritual. Anything that required the eye, and life, of another was not good. Even if it did not work, those willing to go through with it where those to be cautious of.

The revelation that there was actually a chart drew Keekik back to see. They were a cartogriphile, but to have one remain? Perhaps a clue to be used. But what were they really doing here? In response to Cyanthus, Keekik settle nearby to look at what chart was left behind to see what else might be gleened. "Charts to calculate bearing, there is more behind this hunt I'd wage."

[not sure what else to use, or the limits of Sense(3) and Scrutinize(2)?]

Keekik leans over the skin chart to try and find out more about it or its significance.
The cuts into the ektus' flesh are old, at least a few weeks, though it's impossible to be more precise than that. It could have been made three weeks ago or a year, so it can't be in relation to anything recent happening. The two points on the chart, the nearby starting point and the farther end point, must have deep significance to the ektus if they allowed it to be cut into their own skin. Keekik is fairly certain that they could follow the chart to either of the two points without too much difficulty as the lines, while artistic and elegantly curved, are clear and easy to interpret for an experienced wildsailor.

Keekik nods to themselves in answer to the unasked question lingering in the room. "The cuts are old... what of the blood?" Half-spoken or perhaps in thirds, to the crew to themselves and to the fireflies, the question was posed. A wondering, was their anything out of place, now that the swarm was considering this murder for access to the missing chart. Regardless of the crews decision of what to do with the information, the Tzelicrae was going to attempt to make a replica of the chart for guidance. Their cartographika was handy, if needed.

Keekik can draw a replica of the chart without much trouble. It looks far less artistic on paper than it does on ektus skin but they are certain that it is just as usable.

If there is any cargo in the hold, Tektek will make note of it. If not, he'll go to the helm.

The cargo hold contains mostly some food and water.
On closer search, Tektek also finds some glass artworks in one box, mostly vases and spheres, generously decorated with patterns in multiple colors. They might be worth something in a trade but even if they had been stolen, they wouldn't have made a pirate attack worth it.

Tektek holds up some of the articles so that the others know what the ship is carrying.

"Gonna salvage."

He then starts carrying the food and water back to the ship first.

It seems the most logical choice of acts, assuming the danger was over here. No disturbances up top, so Keekik just follows their crewmates lead, looking through the rations and goods as they begin hauling them out. "We can check the helm next... they look long-gone. Are we considering scrapping the boat?" The motion of it's head-designated space makes motion toward their rattlehand, asking Cyanthus directly. ((if they are there still...?)) Having not idea of the time it might take compared to the stablity of the damaged ship.

The scavenger part of the Gau starts to take other as the more usual processes of salvaging start. 'If there is anything of use, I will go and search. They had a feeling that anything found could possibly be useful in tracking down whatever or whoever had done this, as they expected their crewmates would choose to do. They start to go look for anything else they can salvage from the ship.

Tektek leaves the delicate items to the other crew mates. He instead decides to salvage parts of the ship itself, walking around the ship and punching off any parts of that look like it could be useful, using his harness to hold the pieces.