Journal of Reiah Aisari –

Log Date: August 31, 2024

I left Sulward two months ago as a passenger on the Stalwart Mermaid, a 500 ft, three sailed galleon, captained by Cotton Bron.  It was a cargo vessel that from what I could gather taking on passengers for extra gold.  The passengers came and went, except for me and a short dark priest of some goddess of the dead, Wee Jas.  His name is Jasidin Roku and I think this is his first voyage outside the monastery as he could not stop gaping at me and Hazel.  We mostly ignored him, but every once in a while to make his day, I give him a smile.

Captain Bron was as old, grizzled sea hand.  I am not sure if he owned the Stalwart Mermaid, or he worked for someone.  The last couple of weeks of the voyage, he was holed up in his quarters coming out only for meals and to bark out a new setting, before disappearing back to his quarters, usually with a full bottle of wine.

I spent most of my days on deck, even though Captain Bron gave me my own cabin, he insisted really, which was very nice of him.  No one stays still on a ship. The crew were always cleaning, or repairing, or unfurling and furling sails at Captain Bron’s orders.  Nights were quieter and I watched Truf, the minotaur navigator, mark their course by the stars and moon. His constant companions, Pew, large red and blue tropical bird, and Culsruth, a water genasi, who the crew call “Cool Breeze”, were never far from his side.  Brother Genasi was the ship’s medic and can go on about Procan quite a bit, more so when the rum loosens his tongue, which seems to me is all the time.  I think he might sleep nestled up to a cask. 

I stayed out of the way for the most part spending much of my time near the stern of the ship, sometimes climbing the riggings to visit with the lookout, Jetty Flotson. He confessed to me that the captain had been acting mighty strange of late. 

Some nights the captain invites me and other passengers to dine with his officers.  The night of the shipwreck the captain invited Jasidin Roku, and me to dinner.  It was a fine meal, and I had polite conversation with the crew around me.  The captain mentioned the treasure of the Lost Tempest and before any could reply there was a low rumble to my left.  Truf began to tell the tale of how he was once stowed away on the pirate ship, The Lost Tempest. He was found by the cook, El Costa, and he became his assistant. He told of how the pirate captain, Two Eyed Jim, and the crew sailed to an uncharted island and rowed ashore while he and El Costa stayed aboard the ship. Later the pirates were captured and hung – all except El Costa and Truf. After Truf lost is hand and leg to a sea leviathan and failed as a fisherman, his old friend El Costa gave him a job on the ship Big Ferdinan as an assistant navigator, Pew and Culsruth in tow. The night before he died El Costa showed the three a treasure map and said Two Eyed Jim buried his treasure those many years ago on that unnamed island and this map shows the way.  When El Costa was found dead the next morning the map was missing.

As the tale ended the ship began to pitch and the captain ordered everyone to their cabins.  I followed the crew up on deck and stood letting the wind tangle my hair and the salt crust my cheeks. I heard Truf call out to the captain and then all went black.

I awoke on a beach, the Stalwart Mermaid listing on her side a few hundred yards on what I am assuming was a coral reef.  There were bodies washing up on shore.  I noticed the water was red with blood.  I looked to see if sharks were there but saw none.  Jasidin Roku was up and bustle among the bodies on the beach as Truf bellowed for the captain. Coconut and date trees lined the beach behind us.   Truf called to the sailors who are beginning to gather around him and the Quartermaster, Karg Kellraker, a tortle that the crew called Lockjaw.  I went to Truf’s side and offer my tracking services saying I would go investigate the beach to the east to see if I can saw any signs of more survivors and maybe Captain Bron. 

As I walked away, I noticed him telling Brother Genasi to stop looking for rum and to go to the ship to see if any souls were on board.   Jasidin Roku was helping a young blond passenger to her feet, and I saw her snatch her hand away from his grasp. He beckoned her to join him and the two went to check on the other passengers and crew on the beach.  I fear, based on the stillness of them he will not be finding any others alive.  

I walked about 100 yards and noticed drag marks.  They looked as if something heavy was pulled along the sand…reminded me of sea turtles pulling their bulk from the sea to dig their nests. It is the wrong season for nesting and the drag marks are too big.

I looked around a bit more but saw no more signs.  I headed back and told Truf of my findings and then headed west to see what I could see.  The beach ended along some jagged rocks and there were no more signs of survivors.  I noticed that the sailors were starting to make camp and a fire.  Some of the sailors were going through crates and barrels and Brother Genasi was coming back from the Stalwart Mermaid with a dingy full of goods that others helped him unload.  None of the sailors showed any sign of panic and they went about their duties just as they did on the ship, efficiently and with little conversation. 

I noticed a small school of sunfish in the shallows, and I quickly speared a mess of them to add to this evening’s meal.  As I brought them to the cook, I heard Lockjaw give the order to two of his sailors to go scout the east end of the beach.  I just checked that area. I narrowed my eyes at the tortle as he gave orders, but my thoughts were interrupted by Brother Genasi asking how I became such a good fisherman.  I shrugged and told him that I grew up with the sea so knew her ways well. He told how his people and the sea elves had a long tradition of friendship, and I nodded and called him brother.

I squatted down in the sand looking toward where the scouts went while I listened to Brother Genasi tell Truf he found the captain’s journal.  In a low voice, Brother Genasi said with a quick glance the only thing he saw about the treasure was a brief mention of an object the captain had.

The men came back and said they found debris along the tree line.  I could not believe I missed that!  I asked one of the sailors if he would take me to the spot and asked Brother Genasi to join me. He brought his cask of rum.

As we passed Jasidin Roku I saw he had already buried the dead and was carving something in a large stone.  The blonde hair passenger was standing a little way off looking out to sea.

We found the debris the sailors spoke of and noticed an arrow drawn in the sand point passed the tree line. I also found a large fishhook that had some dried blood on it.  We headed back to Truf and reported our findings. The Master Navigator and Jasidin Roku were holding a large golden coin in their palms. I watched as Pew threw his in the air and then swallowed it.  As we got closer both Brother Genasi and I found the same coin glowing in our pockets.  The moment we touched it we knew instantly that it was one of the infamous Luck Token of the Pirate King.  In his deep barreled voice Truf rumbled on that we were now in possess of 5 of the 13 known coins and legend had it that it would help us in our darkest hour.  He also added that the dead Pirate King was known to still be searching for his coins.  Truf said our shipwreck was no accident and said he felt that magic was used to bring us here, where here is nobody seemed to know.

Jasidin showed us another treasure he found in an old chest – a bluish green potion and a fine gem.  Truf said he had the ability to gleam what type of magic that potion might be but needed a fine pearl and alas, he was fresh out.

I took my leave, feeling as if we were being watched.  I positioned myself on one of the large rock outcroppings that gave me a good vantage point of the beach and tree line, as well as what remained of the crew and passengers of the Stalwart Mermaid.  Brother Genasi was handing out sabers, Truf and Pew were in deep conversation, and Lockjaw was ordering the crew to get the camp shipshape for the evening.

I squatted and smiled slightly as Pew half flew-half fell off Turf’s shoulder and started stumbling along the beach, his tattered wings outstretched.  He managed to get airborne by furiously flapping his wings until he got slightly higher than the treetops.  He was about as graceful in the air as he was on land riding the current as one would ride an untamed horse.  I watched him disappear past the tree line where we found the debris.

It wasn’t long before Pew came flying back, his landing no more graceful than any other part of his flight.  He almost landed in the water but was able to stop himself…with his head.  He shook the sand from his feathers, and I jumped down from my rock to see what he found as he was gesturing with his wings and talking loudly to Turf, but I could not catch what he was saying.

When I arrived, Truf was already talking to Lockjaw and forming a scouting party.  Pew had found a small oasis just past the tree line where the tracks ended.  I volunteered to come as did Jasidin Roku stating there may be injured or dead for him to attend.  Brother Genasi of course was coming.

It was a short walk, and we noticed the large rock that towered over the watering hole like a guardian.  At first, I thought the water might be fresh – which would have been helpful in our predicament, but it was salt – probably tunnels that led out to the sea.  I saw another hook and it was attached to a torn piece of netting.  Truf snorted and said he has seen that type of netting used to capture slaves. Jasidin Roku pulled off the fishing hook and cast a spell, so the hook lit up.  Using rope, he threw it down and it lit up the bottom which seemed to be about 40’.  Below was a body.  There was also a circle hole next to the body.  When Jasidin put the hook into the hole it made a sucking noise when he pulled it out.  We threw a few stones down and they made the same sound. I wondered if that hole led to caves and whoever took the other crew and passengers.  Brother Genasi dived in and grabbed the body. It is one of the crew, a young blood hair lad that looks to be freshly dead and they knew him as Freddy Mackincoff, a deck hand. 

We decided that whoever lives in that hole would be back tonight to take a few more of us for their larder. We figured the path we followed would be the one they would probably take.  We told Lockjaw about our findings, and he agreed that an ambush should be set at the entrance of the tree line by a large rock.  I stay close to Turf and Pew while Jasidin Roku scampers up the rock face and Brother Genasi takes position below it.  Lockjaw and the rest of the crew stayed back to protect the camp.

As night drew in small lizard-like creatures seem to suddenly appear at the top of the rock next to Jasidin Roku and two more came toward us from the ocean.  We heard fighting in the direction of camp, so knew they too had visitors.

Without a moment’s notice Turf went running toward the two near the ocean, his one horned head down in full sprint, well as fast as a peg legged Minotaur could run. Pew hung on for dear life, his wings flapping.  Turf hit one of the lizard folk goring him with his horn and knocking him to the ground. Pew squawked out some words in a strange language and the other lizard grabbed his head as if the bird had just stabbed him in the ear. 

Jasidin Roku wisely scampered back down the rock and hid behind Brother Genasi who was trying to avoid the sharp points of the lizard men’s spears. I saw the priest chanting behind Brother Genasi whose trident was true and came back bloody.  He climbed up the top of the rock face as I threw my harpoon and it hit the last lizard man atop the rock, though the rope is dangling above me.  I jumped and grabbed the rope end to pull the lizard to me, but he was too strong, and I battered against the rock and let go of the rope.  Brother Genasi skewered him for me, his trident lifting him up and throwing him off the rock. We rushed back to camp to see the fight there was done as well, though one of the crew had fallen.  Jasidin Roku buried him with the others.

The creatures did not have much in the way of treasure, a small spiral horn, some polished bone jewelry, feathers and fingerbones of some creature – not human.

The drums have stopped and the crickets begin their chirping along with the occasional howl of a monkey in the trees beyond.  The moon is up and sheds soft white light on the beach and I see swarms of bats fluttering above our heads.  The waves lap quietly and then we hear a large splash coming from the oasis.