Anyway, dear reader, while Fenrir and Veddic were having all sorts of fun in the 'FAMP' I was having a pretty unpleasant time on Midpoint Island.
To re-cap, my home at the Lost Refuge had been raided, my friends the Sharptooth Clan all slain and my ward, Molly, kidnapped by persons unknown who then sailed off on an invisible ship called the 'Anubis'.
I was magically in contact with Molly though and she had told me they were due to arrive at Midpoint some time soon.
Fate, it seemed, was being much unkinder to me, but I was doing what I could to rescue Molly.
DAY 457 (3rd Kythorn)(June) cont...
I flew out from Waterdeep. On the way to the island I saw a flotilla of ships, flying flags of the Waterdavian Navy and the flags of some of the Noble Houses. I saw supply ships too, and further north I saw a similar sized force of ships from Neverwinter.
I flew over them to the island and as I approached I could see that it was mountainous and rugged. It was evening, but I could still see some houses and smoke rising from cooking fires.
I was a giant owl, but I changed into a sea eagle in mid flight and eventually came to land in a tree on a mountain slope on the islands eastern coast.
I took some time to study the wildlife and plants. I saw rabbits, but not many insects.
The plant growth appeared to be new.
I observed two dogs go past, then a cat, some rats and a couple of crabs. A few birds flew past and I also saw a jellyfish that had been washed up on the beach, but overall the island seemed fairly sparse of life considering its location.
I talked to one of the dogs and he told me;
'I came on a boat with my master. My master is not well, so I am hunting for food.'
'Where is your master?' I asked.
'He is over that hill, in the wrong smelling place,' he replied.
I talked for a while longer and he told me of the settlement he had come from. He had not been there that long, although dogs do not mark the passage of time that well he had been there no longer than the length of the current summer.
I let him go about his business and cast 'Lay of the Land' to get an idea of the layout of the island. There was a campsite not too far away so I turned into a dog and went to take a look. As I got closer I could smell death and corruption and something else that was hard to describe, let alone identify.
I got closer and could see a group of people all lying around in various stages of sickness. There was a camp fire at the centre of their area.
I counted 18 people of mixed races. Two were female. All were dressed in undergarments only.
I could see that some of them had blue growths on them. The blue growths were not just on the people, but on the trees and rocks.
There were more packs and bedrolls than people and a path the lead away from the camp into the islands interior.
I got closer and listened to two men talking, quietly in their delirium.
'I can't believe they left us... made us go in... did ...'
I could make out little else.
I turned into a man and came closer. I saw a dead body. As I got closer I saw that he was covered in the blue stuff, but still alive.
I turned into a human and tossed him some food and water. He mumbled and muttered answers to my questions. I recorded as much as I could:
'We came under our free will, but we've been abandoned here and left.'
How did this all come about? I asked
'This is Midpoint Island... it appeared out of the sea a month ago. and all the rumours started... About treasure and magic items... I signed up on a ship, came out, looked around... It's stronger in the mountains, there is a cave two miles away... We took everything of value... But the big bosses never came onto the island, they only took a couple of things, they threw the other stuff in the sea...'
Where are you from? I asked.
'From Waterdeep, but some of us came from Neverwinter. There are other camps about... I've only been here a few days... Some rich blokes from Waterdeep hired us...'
I did what I could for him, but I could see the blue was inside him. He was as good as dead. He said his name was Arnauds. I offered to deliver a message, but he said he had no family.
Later I skryed Molly, she seemed fine. I also saw a man on a boat, in light leather armour, with a Waterdavian symbol on his armour.
I then skryed Gharlie, she was on one of the boats in the blockade, disguised as a man called Stannis.
A regular enlisted seaman.
I flew back to Waterdeep and took a look over the island before I left. I saw the cave, where Arnauds had said it was, a bright blue glow emanating from it.
DAY 458 (4th Kythorn)(June)
The next morning I told them all about what I had found out at the OJB. Corum arranged a Sending spell to Gharlie, but got no response.
I skryed Molly again. She was still on the ship, but wearing different clothes.
After that I went to New Olamn (in disguise) and talked to the bards. I asked about the ship "Anubis". I was told of the rumours that surrounded it, or a ship like it. A ship that could appear and disappear and travelled extraordinarily fast. It was know as the 'Ship of the Dead.' It was linked to an island called 'Ceres', some 200 years ago. It was a cursed island that had sunk beneath the waves.
Later that evening I scryed Molly again. The ship had a shimmer about it, like it was invisible to normal eyes. Fascinating vessel!
DAY 459 (5th Kythorn)(June)
I flew back to that annoying island again this morning. I took Rolanda with me. I am favouring the shape of Sea Eagle, or sometimes Giant Sea Eagle, at the moment. It is a wonderful feeling to be soaring high up in the sky, looking down on the vast blue sea, riding along on a gentle summer breeze.
I flew over the island looking at the camps. I found four in total, all with dead bodies in them. After that I moved on to the cave. The 'eruptions' of blue crystals from the ground was more intense around the cave. After observing the area for a while I landed and scryed Molly again.
A man was speaking to her. I caught the sentence:
'Once you've done that job, that's all you need to do, you'll be free to go.'
He then locked her in her room.
I checked in on Gharlie again, her situation had no changed.
Well, that's it for today, I think I'll fly back to Waterdeep. It will be in the dark, but that's fine, I can find my way by the stars.
DAY 460 (6th Kythorn)(June)
Another day plotting and planning at the OJB.
Had a conversation with Molly using Sending spells, purchased from a nearby temple. They cost 280 gold a time! Anyway, it went thus:
Me: 'Overheard man tell you that you had a job to do to get free. What is the job?'
Molly: 'Go into a cave on an island and bring back a blue gemstone.'
Me: 'The cave is very dangerous. I will be waiting on the island for you. Is there anything else I should know?'
Molly: 'These guys are very well funded. Heard them say your name a few times too. Please be careful.'
Whoever "these guys" were, they were starting to be very vexatious to me.
DAY 460 (6th Kythorn)(June)
Flew back to the island. Landed, scouted, camped and scryed.
No change in the situation of Molly or Gharlie.
It does look like the blue stuff is slowly spreading across the island.
I've set up camp on one of the smaller islands, it seems safe enough. If it wasn't for all this kaffuffle I would enjoy all this. Alone on an pleasant island. In happier times it would have been a nice place for a holiday.
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