Episode 1: A Helping Hand

The arrow whistles past the harpy's wing, barely brushing aside a feather, but unfortunately does no further harm.

Haesh connects solidly against the sailor's jaw, especially since the man was already being restrained by the crew. The blow jars the sailor awake from whatever dream-state he was under. Through the combined efforts of the first mate and other sailors, those under the influence of the song are freed.

The sailor next to Tordek swims for the Red Cutter, following the other men who have reached the main vessel and have begun climbing up the net.

Parallel finds himself 40 feet from the spire, and 50 feet away from the jolly boat, treading water. He can see the body of the dead sailor upon the rocks, but he does not see any harpy. In fact, no one else can spot any sign of the creature.

Everyone does hear something, however. A furious screech, a chaotic clash of wings assaulting the air, followed by another scream. The unearthly song has ended, leaving the sounds of cacophonous activity taking place behind the spire.

Those inside the jolly boat pull both Tordek and Parallel inside, as the two of them combined would not strain the capacity. It is cramped, however, and there is a bit of fumbling as everyone quickly tries to settle themselves to row back to the Red Cutter. The crew onboard the ship manage to subdue and free their compatriots from the grip of enchantment, and begin to retrieve everyone back onto the main deck.

Captain Yokgrumli gives the order to weigh anchor, and most of the crew busy themselves for the task, while a few help carry their unconscious shipmates below deck. The first mate flits about, urging each man to quicken their pace so that the Red Cutter can get underway.

The absence of the unearthly song has left an eerie silence, as though the constant crash of ocean waves and wind no longer harness your attention. Indeed, it does not take much to draw your focus to the body of the fallen sailor in the distance. As the flames from the arrows begin to dim, a slender and almost-impossibly long arm reaches out to grasp the man's shirt, wicked claws digging into the flesh and dragging the body into the darkness.

The Red Cutter lurches forward and the captain keeps a wide berth from the spires to the west. Soon, even their rocky and jagged silhouettes fade into the night. The crew work in silence.

As the ship continues on, the adrenaline begins to wear off. Several sailors are visibly fatigued with hunched shoulders and dark circles around their lidded eyes. As their tasks are completed, each man heads below-deck to collapse into sleep.

Captain Yokgrumli approaches you as the first mate takes over the wheel. The dwarf claps a hand on Golwen's back. "Mighty quick thinking there, elf. I dare say you must'a saved half me crew with that bell afore you all dove in to get those weak-willed bastards." He shakes his head, willing away the morbid imagination of what would have happened had you not been onboard.

"I don't want t' think about what might'a happened had you all not been onboard. I know we lost one, bless his soul, but we pro'ly would'a lost more," says the captain. "I don't know what you got planned at Jyehm Cay, but you all earned a place on this boat. You ever need me, you just let me know.

"Get some rest. We'll be at your stop come morning."

The next day, it is well past mid-morning before the ship's lookout calls attention to the sighting of Jyehm Cay. By your estimates, this island falls extremely short of ordinary, looking like a simple mountain rising 10,000 feet out of the ocean, capped with frost and cloaked in forest. However, as you draw closer, you start to see how the rest of the island flattens out to create over 4000 square miles of rolling foothills and plains. The captain and navigator pay close attention to the map, while the crew busy themselves with other preparations. Mindful of the shoals, the Red Cutter makes its way closer to the island.

A few small boats, no bigger than two- or three-person fishing skiffs, can be seen in the water as you come around the point. Each boat has at most two people onboard, who seem entirely focused on your arrival instead of their catch. One person stands, waving their arms to call attention.

On the shore, a wide swath of man-made structures becomes visible, a sequence of single-story homes with thatched roofs and wooden walls, resting on stilts. Several people on the island can be seen tending to nets that hang from scaffolds, busying themselves with boats pulled onto the sand, or conducting other business one might assume from a village so close to the water. All stop what they're doing as the Red Cutter sails into view, and many run down to call attention.

Captain Yokgrumli turns the ship near to the bay, coming up alongside the closest fishing boat.

"Ahoy!" hails a voice from the small skiff. It is a woman, perhaps 15, dressed in simple clothing with a straw cloak and wide-brimmed straw hat to keep out the sun. She stands in her boat, sun-soaked face looking up at the crew while shielding her eyes with weathered hands. "Thank the Blue you've come! Reckon you're here t' help, eh?"

"Yeah, this is it," she calls out. "You want t' see the Skipper!" She points to the village on the shore.

The Red Cutter drifts past the girl, and it sets anchor off the coast of the island. Yokgrumli orders his men to prepare the jolly boat for launch, and the first mate is set to accompany the party. "We'll wait here long enough t' resupply," says the captain, even as several of the fishing boats (including the girl's) approach via push-poles with their own wares for possible trade. "The boys will want to rest their legs f'r a bit, too."

"Thank you for the safe passage and hospitality, Captain. Hopefully we see each other again soon. In the meantime, safe travels and fair winds." Golwen gives a slight bow to the Dwarf as he begins gathering his things to disembark.

When the group appears ready, he calls Rhevia to his shoulder, slings his bow over the other, and makes for the gang plank rope ladder.