Chapter 3: Onwards!

Tereze spends what few hours she has left in Jigow in the local temple to Sehanine. Praying for her subtle guidance across the sea. That she might pull the tide in a favourable direction.In the morning, as they push off, Tereze stands on the top deck of the ship, letting the fresh sea wind rush through her hair, the air messily whipping it around as if it were flames in a blazing campfire. She always liked travelling, especially setting off - it felt like progress. She looked back at her companions and smiled to herself. It was a good bunch to be holed up with.

---

Tereze turns around from her sea gazing to face the dolphins, no- fish-humans? what were these things? She shakes her head and grabs her warhammer. Whatever they were - they didn't belong on this ship.

She runs towards the grey druid. But, their appearance had brought with them gallons of water spilled out on the deck and while she manages to reach her target, her slipping and sliding cost her opportunity to strike.

The druids each stomp their feet on the wet deck and bellow a feral screech. The portside druid's voice booms into wet rings of pounding air until BAM! and concussive blast erupts from around her, blasting into Faelen, Tereze, and Douglaa. Some of the floorboards around the portside druid snap and break, and the ground becomes rickety around the four of you.

Tereze and Faelen must make DEX saving throws DC12 if they choose to move on their turns to avoid stepping on broken planks and falling below deck. Just thought that would be cool lol :)

Answering the call of the starboard druid by half-climbing, half-flopping over the edge of the boat onto the deck comes a hideous crab-dolphin-serpent creature that looks like it just awoke after millennia of taking the wrong paths of evolution. With one crusty claw waving over its head, a slithering, mucus-covered tail, and a smooth belly and pair of fins, the thing tumbles and laboriously pulls itself rather quickly to be between Ardeth and Faelen.

The creature takes a swipe at Faelen... but just clanks its giant claw off his armor.

BATTLE MAP (link)

Noticing that Kailani is still entangled and easy prey while he himself is fighting on two fronts, the half-drow has to make a grave decision. He calls to the "drow"-bard: "I'll be back. Take cover from a little glamour!"

Then he vanishes.

Not really - instead of himself the Shadow he had summoned pops up in his place and vice versa. Conjouring little flames in his hand the drow warrior - now infront of his warlock friend -pures the bluish light over their opponents - and unavoidable Ardeth - to mark them for easier hits.

But the fighter has only a meager sucess as his magic just takes hold on the newly arrived creature.

Non the less he brandishes his rapier infront of the bluescale druid, while the Shadow takes its blade twice to the starboard druid, in the hope of breaking its concentration on the summoned beast. To no avail - the crab-dolphin-serpent creature still clicks its claws menacingly while shining in a wavering blue light.

Tereze staggers on the broken deck, taking a moment to secure her footing. She spits on the floor, frustrated over losing her target unless she fancied dodging through the splintered ground ahead.

Instead, she turns to the nearer druid and swings out at her, channelling some frustration into the blow. It seems to be a good strike.

As the druid recovers from defending from the strike, Tereze takes the opportunity to survey the others' progress. It seemed like a lot of eyes had laid on Faelen. With a quick flick of her free hand, she casts a light aura around them. It swirled and rotated strangely - hopefully it might be enough to redirect some strikes against them.

With the demise of the greyscale, the blasted seaweed disappears as well and Kailani doesn't miss a beat when focusing all her destructive energy on the remaining druid. She aims for the midsection and feels her energy sear the opponent's flesh.

Blow after blow, the druids are handily defeated. With its summoner dead, the hideous creature scuttles off the side of the boat, leaving a trail of sticky slime as it goes. You all hear a kerPLUNK and a small splash of water rise above the side of the boat as it splashes back into the sea, hopefully never to be seen again, by anyone or anything ever again.

Douglaa shrugs and places her warhammer aside, "Well, that was easy, especially with you folks. You certainly can pull your weight around here." She begins hauling the druids' bodies over the side of the ship, spitting into the sea after each one.

---

The rest of the day passes without incident, though clouds roll over the sunny sky and the incoming horizon is growing dark, not just from the day winding down, but also from a brewing storm, likely to reach you sometime in the night or the next morning. Douglaa reassures you all that you are making good time, and that the ship will reach the shore of the Barbed Fields in the morning.

Later that night, Douglaa and her crew are playing betting games, passing around the same 50 copper from round to round. It seems likely that the only game that matters is the last one before docking, anything else will just get redistributed before they have a chance to use it. They play like this is the case too, fast and loose with the rules and generally just to have an activity to do, no real stakes.

Whether you are playing in the card games, swimming beside the boat, alone in a room, or cleaning the hull, as soon as the sun disappears beneath the horizon, a sudden crimson red hue fills the sky. Your shadows elongate and deepen. Your attention is, by instinct or magic, pulled up to the sky. From the lower floors, the crew streams onto the deck to catch a glimpse. Hanging in the sky like a watchful eye is Ruidus, flaring a mean, bright red. Faelen feels a sense of fear, panic, and hopelessness emitting from the artifact around his neck as the sight of Ruidus turns on you.

After what could seem like seconds or hours, the flare fades. Catha, the large white moon, reemerges from behind a cloud, casting white light over the waves once again. Ruidus shrinks back to its normal state, a small red dot in the sky, before being covered by a cloud.

Having spent the last few days mostly by himself, Faelan seemed a bit distant to the others. In his cabin or up in the crow's nest; his gaze was fixed on the horizon and the Rosohnian appeared to struggle with something. Maybe a decision? Or maybe he prepared himself for the things to come?

In the tranquil nights the words of the lady of the temple haunt him. What to do? What to do?

Only just at the last leg of their journey, the noble comes out of his self-imposed exile, just in time to witness the marvel Ruidus displays in the night sky. Standing between the sailors and enjoying the spectacle with wonder in his heart. This causes the surprise all the greater as the jewel around his neck floods his mind with all the negative emotions at this sight. Going completely stiff for more than a few heartbeats, the fighter wonders if this is a dire warning.

Turning to his friends, he asks visibly shaken: "What was that?" For all one knows somebody has a bit of obscure knowledge about a prophecy or something similar.

Kailani catches her breath as the rest of the crew does. A bad omen indeed. She gazes out to sea, the eternal darkness and peace below. She smells the wind. Dark work lies ahead.

The young woman then rids herself from the gloomy thoughts threatening to swallow this fine night out at sea. She shakes them off, looks around once more. Morale can decide whether a crew survives or whether it perishes...

She bangs her hands together and creates three sparkly fireflies, the magical dots flit around the others, lightheartedly drawing their attention away from the curious sky above. Kailani stomps her feet. Once. Twice. Then she starts withan old rhyme of the Water Children. She starts in Naush, then continues in the common tongue. The tune is well known amongst sailors and the Ashari claps and moves while she starts singing it. Right now they are in the bosom of the ocean, the sky and its omens can remain where they are and scare other people. The ocean will take care of them tonight and they must remember it.

Oh, we'd be alright if the wind was in our sails
Oh, we'd be alright if the wind was in our sails
Oh, we'd be alright if the wind was in our sails
And we'll all hang on behind

And we'll roll The Coral Demon along
We'll roll The Coral Demon along
We'll roll The Coral Demon along
And we'll all hang on behind

The magical bugs fly around playing on the rails, the masts and each sailor on deck. They shoot up into the sky, then explode and glitter down into the calm waters around them.


Well, a drop of Green Tear Whiskey wouldn't do us any harm
Well, a drop of Green Tear Whiskey wouldn't do us any harm
Well, a drop of Green Tear Whiskey wouldn't do us any harm
And we'll all hang on behind

And we'll roll The Coral Demon along
We'll roll The Coral Demon along
We'll roll The Coral Demon along
And we'll all hang on behind

As she feels more confident that her distraction works and the seafaring folk remember that life is there to be enjoyed while it lasts, Kailani steps up to Faelan and puts her hand on his arm. He seems terribly far away. Although she does not speak, she lets him know she is there for him, then offers him a draft of the whiskey she has brought in her little flask. He'll talk when he is ready.

Startled by Kailani's sudden, unexpected show of song and dance, Faelan observes her with a flabbergasted look on his face, until a smile steals itself in his eyes. Taking her flask thankfully, the fighter from the capital city takes a deep swig before handing it back. With a blush to his ashen grey cheeks, he asks: "Really? Green Tear Whiskey?" while smiling broadly.

Savouring the taste for a few moments, he turns to his comrades and looks what is up with them.

Tereze stretches her arms into the air, releasing some tension in them from playing cards. She had just about managed to come out even and her back was getting stiff so she called it a day, clapping the sailor to her left on the back as she gets up.
"I hope you can do as well now without the aid of peeking at my cards!" She jokes as she lifts herself up.

It seemed her mind was at ease once again, having settled into the flow of life on a ship. She wandered up to Faelan and Kailani, her sea legs working better than they had in the fight. "You have a good set of pipes" Tereze compliments Kailani. The crew down there were lapping it up!"

She looks back beyond the rear of the ship. "Do you think we'll see them again?" She asks wistlessly. "The other competitors? I think I saw them arguing over the gold we gave them as we set off. Poor Dermot will probably get walked all over."

At the flare Veliath's form fades away into the the comfortable form of Ardeth as the changeling stares up at the sky. As Kailani starts up a song she pulls out her lute and tries to match the beats to aid the song.

As it trails off though she looks back to the sky, searching her memory of anything similar happening before, her hand straying once more to her satchel and thing within.

With Kailani's aid, the crew shakes from their momentary stupor and gets back to drinking and playing games. And thus it continues on through the night. Though, the storm clouds festering on the horizon do come out to meet the ship at some point in the night, leading to a loud and anxious night for those not accustomed to being on the water during a light storm. The rain greets you in the morning, gentle rain that lands in the tiniest of drops, but just enough that visibility is extremely low.

The crew cast some lines and within the hour there is fresh fish served for breakfast to the entire crew. While most everyone is enjoying breakfast on the deck, a large, twisting spire of rock emerges from the fog so tall its top is not visible. The thin, smooth tower scraps the side of the boat viciously and throws it off balance. The crew drops their breakfasts and rushes into position to slow the ship down, for the shore had come sooner than expected! A few more close calls later, and the ship arrives at a dilapidated dock. A single boat slip juts out into the water, with half of its planks missing and the other rotten near to the core. It is clear that this dock is rarely used now, if it ever was.

Douglaa and the rest of the crew say their goodbyes and help you get safely onto the dock, then wait to make sure you get to land before the entire structure collapses beneath you. They shove off the boat slip and wave to you as they try to dodge the spires once again.

As soon as your foot touches land, the fog and rain evaporate from the air around you, forming a wall of fog mystifying the sea behind you, and before you sprawls miles and miles of dusty, cracked, jagged, rocky ground. Piercing out of the ground and dozens of feet in the air are more of those massive rock spikes.

Welcome, to the Barbed Fields of Xhorhas.

Astonished that nobody of their small crew seemed more intrigued by the behavior of the two celestial bodies, Faelan keeps to himself for the last day, as he had done before.

Saying goodbye to Douglaa the half-drow is more than a little happy by himself that they could leave the ship and be on solid ground again. As he gets out of the narrow boat, he plants his feet in the soil and breathes in the moist of the continent. Barbed fields it is. On the other side of this fields stands his hometown. Proud and delightful Rosohna, the reborne metropolis with its everlasting twilight and lanterns beyond count.

Coming up the shore, the noble is careful where to place his steps, before coming to a halt. Looking at his friends, he asks with a smile: "Does anybody know the way to Bazzoxan?"

"Hmmm..." KAilani shields her eyes from the sun with one hand and turns in a circular motion. Then she stops and points: "Let us go South." She shoulders her pack and starts walking.

Tereze laughs to herself. They had traveled the whole way here and hasn't planned this far ahead. "Well as long as it's not that way", She chuckles pointing back across the water.

"Perhaps we'll find a settlement where we can pick up a local map or guide" . Tereze picks up her bags and begins following Kailani

Still grinning the warrior nods and adds in a wry tone of voice: "South sounds good enough." while shouldering his field pack. "Yeah, a settlement would be nice. It should take us no longer than a day or two to reach Bazzoxan."

Turning around one last time, the half-drow looks back at the sea and wonders if their competitors from Jigow would cross their path again. Some feeling tells him that their rivalry isn't quiet over yet.

As a trained fighter Faelan takes the lead and keeps his eyes open for anything out of the normal. This are the infamous Barbed Fields and their brief journey through a tiny part of them has the potential to become very serious. Better to keep their eyes open.

The group continues traveling in a south-southwest direction towards Bazzoxan. While the outpost of a city is not visible on the horizon yet, there are plenty of other sights to behold in this wasteland. Occasionally, shadows pass over you of large, feral-looking birds of prey and dive behind pillars and stones so as not to be seen. Once, the ground trembles and shifts slightly beneath your feet, giving the feeling that somewhere below you, something is tunneling or burrowing its way through the earth. The hulking figures of groups of sometimes mammoths, sometimes Udaaks (demonic monstrosities that have roamed the Barbed Fields since the Calamity) wander and meander far off in the distance, searching for their next meal.

These lands might be a desolate wasteland, but they are certainly not dead.

While staying on course is rather easy, the landscape being full of noticeable landmarks with high-distance visibility, it is clear that there is no established path through these lands. But every time the group begins to stray from their course, Faelen feels a pull in the correct direction, coming from Jewel.

---

It's nearly dusk on the first day of travel when the group spots a chaotic scene on the ground up ahead of them. From a distance, it is clear that there are two large things on the ground, with several smaller shapes strewn around them. One of the larger shapes looks like it may be some kind of crashed, broken carriage, while the other shape looks more organic, but it's hard to tell the nature of it. There are glints beaming from some of the smaller shapes, giving the impression of metallic skin or armor. There is no discernable movement in the scene, saving for the gentle flapping of fabric in the wind.

Becoming aware to the tug in his head, Faelan informs the others: "The Jewel requires us to follow this path." when they are at a crossroad, or are uncertain where to head next. "An odd sensation." he confesses to them after a short while. Musing what the jewel could be he asks: "Do you think it is gift from the betrayer gods?"

As the day comes to an end, the small circle of friends stops to look at the ground up ahead of them. Putting up his hood over his snow-white hair, the warrior falls into a crouch and starts to sneak forward. Maybe take a look without being seen overs some wisdom how to proceed further?

'...I hope not..otherwise we should end our journey here...' Ardeth mumbles at Faelens comment.

As they spot the object in the distance she shifts form.

'Let me sneak close, they won't see me at...and there he goes...' The haughty drow raises an eyebrow as Faelen already stars to sneak off. She grumbles slightly then goes to follow, determined to to be shown up.