A7: Shipwreck and Kir Sabal

10 July (Flamerule): As we plunge deeper into the forest we soon begin to see a wooden dome. As we get closer we realize it is the upside down hull of a ship; barnacles decorating its outside. Its name on the upside down prow, "Narwal." We make note for later reference in Nyanzaru’s logs; maybe records of a lost ship. But why is a sailing ship wrecked this far inland?! Crates neatly stacked beside the hull suggest someone lives here, which prompts Daisee, “Hello? Anyone Here? Cleared to come aboard?” A voice rings out from the top of a tree behind us, “Look alive mates; there be pirates come to plunder our missus!” A man can be seen peering thru the branches. Shredded clothing, unkempt beard, crazed look. But still a striking resemblance to Wakunga back in Nyanzaru. Our guess he’s been alone for some time, abandoned out here.

Kevar assumes command trying to be diplomatic, “Stand down captain. We are your harbormasters come to inspect your grand ship. Check your manifest. I’m sure everything is in order. Just formalities.” The tree rustles as "Waze" climbs down, “Well, well. Glad to see you. Me and my boys were beginning to wonder if we’d been forgotten. [Blowing a whistle] Stand to boys; Line up for inspection.”

At first we thought him crazed talking to memories, but then his ‘boys’ did exit the ship and lineup…a squad of veggie-pygmies. Potato-eyes follow Kevar as he walks the ranks as if inspecting. Then permission to examine the ship. We scour the ship stem-to-stern looking for anything not already claimed. While looking thru the captain’s quarters, Diero in spider-form to climb the ceilings (floor) notices a loose 2by4 inch wooden plate. He calls Dyxon in case it trapped. A pouch of 2 vials (healing). Nothing else can be found. Back outside, Dyxon wants to claim “contraband” so we can just take it, but Sudieman barters with the captain for the goods found.

13 July (Flamerule): Sun glints off crystal shards embedded in the stones of a shrine ahead. We edge closer to a pool before it. Creeper vines cover the grounds, stones, and surroundings. A long forgotten monument to some deity. Kevar is drawn forward per its archeological aspect. Dyxon is drawn to the chance of treasure. Daisee is just happy to explore rather than just walk.

The monk already descending into the pool to gain access to what looks like the outline a door. But the murky water comes alive. “Piranha!” Dyxon tries to climb out of the pit but the vines slack to his grasp, as if he’s pulling them into the pool. Diero is already jumping to his rescue in the form of an alligator that proved piranha-resistant in Sudieman’s rescue days ago. Dyxon climbs his back escaping the razor-sharp teeth snapping at his exposed skin. Using his tail as propulsion and push against the pool bottom, the gator climbs out.

Meanwhile Daisee has circled the shrine. “There is writing on the stone and the outline of a door. And withered plants before it. As if poisoned.” An announcement of caution. Decipher of the writings hint of a dragon. Dyxon strides thru the plants no concern for poison (his resistance) but cannot find means to unlock the secret door. “Maybe the dragon spews poison to activate it.”

And that’s when Daisee suggest boiling the plants to extract the poison that killed them. Soon the door creaks open. An empty small chamber barely large enough to provide shelter for the group. But closer inspection reveals a loose stone. A leather pouch behind it. Gems. Some diamonds. As the group gathers their backpacks and gear to continue toward their destination, Diero realizes, “I guess I could have used my ‘Poison Spray’ cantrip.”

14 July (Flamerule): Encounter gorillion trying to break a wand. Kevar willing to leave it alone; Daisee sends Flit to steal wand. Gorillian pounds chest, charging Sudieman. Spells and blade (critical) kill it before it can do same to our cleric. Kevar claims the slightly broken 'Wand of Many Things'.

16 July (Flamerule)-Kir Sabal: Before us rises a cliff-side with wooden walkways and buildings cut into its side; a monastery at the top. Our aarakocra guide announces our arrival, "May I present my home, Kir Sabal. Asharra is the leader of our monk community." 

We are led to the inner chamber where Asharra converses with humans, "May I introduce the last descendants of the royal line of Omu; prince Na and princess Mwaxanaré."

The young princess seems to take a liking to Kevar, "If it's not too much to ask, when you enter Omu, please retrieve my chalice, skull shaped." Asharra voices her own request: return a mapping of the garden palace Nangalore where we can also find a black orchid (used to create a fly spell).

19 July (Flamerule): With FaKeem as lead scouting ahead, he signals stop at the sound of leaves rustling. He peers thru the undergrowth then quickly retreats. “Snakes! Damn snakes. Hundreds of them gathered around the base of some statue.”

We stealthfully angle away from the statue but Daisee has to have her own look, “I wonder what could be so attracting? Is that a huge snake statue?” She sends Flit to investigate. Her allies whispering, “What are you doing?! We don’t want to face hundreds of them!” But she remains focused on the scene. "Flit says the statue answers questions. What do you want to know?"
1. How to defeat the 'death curse'...destroy Soulmonger.
2. Where is the cradle of the death god?...west.
3. Where is pirate captain Zaroum Al-Saryak?...one too many questions.

And that's when the hundreds of snakes slither and commingle to form a chute from the mouth of the statue to the ground 6 feet away. We are unaware Flit enters the chute being guided to the ground. Too many snakes obscuring the ground to see Flit dig at the dirt to uncover something. But moments later, we do see a dagger floating thru the air toward us. Daisee handles the blade, “It feels tingly; I think magical.” She hands it to Kevar who confirms it a ‘Venom Dagger’. He then hands it to Diero, “I think you might like this.”