On Dark Tides

Geoffry sat in silence studying the others around the captain’s table.  One in particular had his attention.  The beautiful Ieana intrigued him because of her shifting demeanor.  At the beginning of the voyage Geoffrey had used his trained gift of seeing the evil intent of those he focused on.   Most of the crew and passengers seemed to be of questionable moral character but none seemed to have an evil nature.  That was until this evening when the tell tale signs started to appear upon Ieana.  Geoffry was taught that all who have this ability see evil differently.  For some it’s an eerie glow or skeletal visage while others don’t see anything; they just have a strong feeling.  For Geoffry the indicator is a dark mist that swirls around the forehead, chest, and/or hands of the individual.  The darker the mist the more evil the creature is.  What was initially confusing to Geoffry was that not all evil beings had the mist in all of these areas.  His mentor suggested he must be very sensitive and the difference may lie in whether the being is evil by nature (mist near their heart), had chose to be evil (mist near their forehead) or committed evil acts (mist near their hands).  In the two years since he left the monastery Geoffrey was starting to realize this must be the nature of his ability.

Ieana's true nature

Geoffry absently picked at his food while trying not to be rude to Gelick who was telling tales of his adventures with the Pathfinder Society (some of them for the second time).  A strange feeling of anxiety and actual fear began to grip Geoffry as the mist forming around the hands, head, and heart of Ieana became nearly pitch black.  Attempting to calm his nerves Geoffry drained his cup and took a deep breath before standing.  The accusation of Ieana’s true nature stuck in his throat as the world began to spin around him.  Her knowing eyes caught his just as his legs gave out and the floor came up to meet him turning everything dark.

 

He woke to the taste of salt and sand as water lapped over his body.  His head ached and the bright light of the sun caused the dull pain to sharpen right behind his eyes.  A terrible clicking sound seemed to be causing a searing pain in his arm.  As Geoffry tried to focus his eyes he only made out a red blur over his shoulder.  Panic quickly set in as he realized it was a giant crab using his arm to make that terrible sound.  Caught in the huge claw his right arm was useless, so he swung his left trying to fend off the creature.  The crab barely budged.  The pain was excruciating and Geoffry feared once the bone was broken there would be nothing to keep the crab from taking his sword arm.  Shaken and terrified he went after the weakest point he could think of; the eye stalks.  He grabbed one and pulled as hard as he could.  It came free in his hand but the crab didn’t flinch.  He went for the other eye stalk and as soon as he touched it the crabs own survival instincts must have kicked in as it let go of his arm and shuffled backwards.  Geoffry took his chance and forced himself to his feet.  He made for a piece of driftwood a few feet away and with it managed to club the crab to death.  It was then that he noticed the other ship’s passengers and crew scattered about the beach.  There were also more of the crabs, but he had the advantage now and used it to protect those who could not protect themselves.

Taiko

Several of the crew and passengers’ lifeless bodies were scattered along the beach, some drown and others the unlucky victim of a giant crab.  The survivors gathered and tried to figure out what happened and how they made it to the beach safely.  The most unusual thing was that most of their personal belongings were also on the beach stacked hurriedly into a pile.  Everyone was accounted for except the captain, first mate, ship’s cook and Ieana.  Geoffry found the unusual bird like creature, Taiko, helping comfort and revive the injured.  After praying over a departed soul and invoking the name of Iomeade, Geoffry notices the subtle gesture of the bird man as he flashes him the symbol of his god Milani.  Geoffry isn’t surprised as he remembers first meeting him aboard the Jenivere and feeling a strong spiritual connection almost immediately.  A woman claiming to have fallen off another ship that was sailing near the island the night before is also on the beach.  Geoffry isn’t sure he believes this story, but senses no evil intentions in the one who calls herself Akane so he decides not to press.  She is very quiet and doesn’t seem to ask the right questions or any for that matter, but Geoffry doesn’t really know how one should act after washing ashore.  The mysterious passenger named Uzeil has taken charge of organizing those still alive, although to Geoffry that seems ironic for some reason he can’t quite figure out.  The quiet man has never showed any of the indicators of being evil, but Geoffry felt like it was always right there under the surface.  In light of the changed nature of Ieana, Geoffry decided it would be best to go with Uzeil when he suggests forming a party to search the wreck of their former vessel.

Akane

Uzeil

  

 

The small party manages to get aboard the ship which isn’t too far off shore, but not without the loss of a crewman to the churning sea.  His red shirt was the last thing Geoffry could see of him as he was pulled under by the strong current.  The three remaining men discovered the whereabouts of the first mate and cook, but unfortunately both were dead.  It appeared the cook was done in by the one that poisoned everyone dining at the captain’s table the night before.  The first mate was found huddled in a closet with wounds that appeared to be caused by both weapon and giant crab.  Geoffry gets a strong feeling that it was the first mate that managed to get everyone and their belongings to the beach before succumbing to his wounds.  In the captain’s quarters a variety of loot, maps and documents are found.  Also found is a personal log which sheds more light on the mysterious end of the voyage.  It is discovered that Captain Kovack was under the influence of Ieana and her plot to land on the dangerous island Smuggler’s Shiv.  Geoffry silently vows right then that he will see that this creature is destroyed for her evil deeds.  

Confirmation of just how dangerous the island is comes later that night when the survivors are attacked by pirates long dead, with bleached bones shrouded in ragged cloth.  The party manages to destroy the evil creatures, but not before some of the crew are cut down.  Their bodies are respectfully blessed before being burned in order to prevent their own return as the walking dead.  Before setting out the next day to search the island Geoffry manages to find his second most prized possession in the stack of luggage.  He spends that morning reading his journal entries of the past several months before adding the recent events to clean pages.