Recognising that Gillius is key to the first part of the mission, Pugwash accompanies him in his trek towards the grove.

Pugwash believes that his only course of action against the stone golems is to be a distraction, as even special crossbow bolts would do little damage against stone. So Pugwash will try to draw the attention of any stone golems that Gillius hasn't dealt with and lead them away from him. Pugwash believes stone golems are slow moving, so it shouldn't be that difficult.

Should additional monsters appear that can be harmed with crossbow bolts, Pugwash will shoot at them. If a group of monsters appear, Pugwash will shoot the group with a ston bomb bolt. He is in a magic grove (albeit cursed), so setting the trees on fire would not be viewed favourably by the spirits.

Stone elementals? There was no time to waste, those beings were so strong to fight!
If they attacked the crew, Durik activated his cannon:
"Dakka! Eat da stone enemi! But keep it.. don't burp it out or big turtle be angry!"

In any case, he fought with his cudgel any other foe around, expecially if they arrived too close to Argy or the magic users.

Mission 4 - Turn 5, Dragon Turtle
*Next turn starts 4 AM UTC, 25 November

The Awakening - Gothic Storm (Gilius awakens the Grove)

(roll dice) Count Karnstein circles behind the startled centipede while it is concentrated on Bellandra, waiting for it to lower its head. As the centipede lowers to strike at her, the Count jumps on it, mounting it like a horse. (roll dice) He plunges Frostbite between chitin plates right below the head, letting the blade do its work and the centipede rears up again, seeking to bash him off against the tree branches. (roll dice) Count Karnstein ducks and hangs on, reminded of a certain bad tempered mount he had once. Remembering Clíodhna instructing Aylar about the griffon, Count tries to maneuver the beast using his body, only much less gently, throwing his weight to the side while also pulling on the saber. (roll dice - Luck) The centipede throws itself in that direction and starts whipping its head back and forth, (roll dice - Luck) but the Count adjusts and throws his weight again while driving Frostbite deeper.

(roll dice) Having finished off the Giant Squid, Captain Baldbeard's pack return for new instructions and on seeing the centipede, immediately start to harry and drive it like a pack of hounds on a hunt. Seeing his plan might possibly work, Count pulls his saber and jumps off, (roll dice) swiftly moving to intercept and catch Aeshma before she possibly runs into the oncoming collision in her single minded focus to get to her goal.

(roll dice) Hounded by Captain Baldbeard's sharks, its brain now frostbitten, the centipede drives itself into one of the Stone Elementals, which proceeds to pound it into paste while the pack circles, awaiting further instructions from Captain Baldbeard.

Looking at the cloudy skies above (and hearing Aeshma's warning), Argy isn't very sure of the success of Grog'tial's tactics, but hopes it will provide a decent distraction in any case. She is surprised by the centipede's sudden appearance, and also by Bellandra's swift reaction, not having noticed Bellandra using the mirror to look around, which had given her a split second notice before Gilius' warning. (:P) Trusting her mateys will deal with the monster, Argy scouts the surroundings. (roll dice) Hearing something from above further into the trees, Argy looks up in time to spot a Harpy taking flight above them.

[per previous post intent] (roll dice) Bellandra dodges the centipede's attack and seeing the Count and the sharks turning it back into the Grove to finish it off, she uses the mirror to inspect the tunnel for anything hidden there. (roll dice) Nothing hidden shows there, but the tunnel seems to go under the Grove, but it is unknown where else it might surface. Looking around, Bellandra realizes Aeshma has already skirted around the group heading straight for the path through the Grove to the spring and Gilius is following her, both unprotected, while she feels a trembling in the ground and the rumbling of Stone coming from the end of that path.

Aeshma is moving quickly down the path hoping Gilius is right behind her when she suddenly runs into a strong swiftly moving object that sweeps her around off her feet to the side of the path and behind a tree. Catching her rather abruptly curtailed breath she looks up ready to give somebody a piece of her mind only to see the Count's intense eyes looking at her before inclining his head and nodding to the end of the path where she sees the centipede being driven into a large moving assemblage of boulders. "Okay. Fine. Thank you. But the magick underneath this whole place is moving, Something is coming and I have to get in there NOW. Any bright ideas how to do that?"

Gilius steps immediately back to dodge the incoming centipede. Assessing the situation and feeling the fading of his weather control spell, he decides to avoid it and leave it to his crewmates to handle. He circumvents the centipede and follows Aeshma towards the path through the Grove. Hearing the rumbling of stones ahead, Gilius recalls fond memories of his old pal that he lost after his adventures in the cursed dungeon and joining Admiral Polly. But this time, there are two of them and they are unfriendly.

Calling on his Nature Sense and dwarven intuition of earth and stone, Gilius tries to feel the elementals and the energy that animates them. (roll dice) Remembering Clíodhna's words to him, he checks for Old Magick and finds it twisted by a corruptive force. To even have a chance to reach out to the Stone Elementals or have his Staff possibly use the roots to help, he will have to try to address and repair what he can of the Old Magick running beneath the Grove. (roll dice-Luck) Bringing old memories of his connection to his old pal to the surface again, Gilius reaches deep within, using his connection to nature and the Dragon Turtle's impending motherhood to call upon the Old Ways and the Mother of Earth and Stone, Tree and Grove. He senses the grove's life essence, feels how it behaves, its connections with the life forms around, draws on it to tell him its ills, drained, parasites, cursed. (roll dice) He feels something ancient respond sluggishly, hurting, drained and poisoned, twisted in the root and soil through the water of the corrupted Spring. The Spring would have to be Aeshma's part, but Gilius does what he can, untangling roots, easing pathways and flow, nudging the magickal web which interconnects it all while interfering with the node's corruptive influence and turning it back where he can. (roll dice) His quartz pendant begins to glow as he channels its purifying essence to follow his concentration and intent, spreading outward as the Grove begins to respond. (roll dice) Even the unmagicakal among the Crew can feel a heaviness lifting, a lighter look to the trees, a not quite so menacing feel.

Gilius focuses his intentions and memory to the Stone Circle and finds more sleeping Stone Elementals. He turns his attention to the Elemental beating on the centipede, looking with a Druid's sight. (roll dice) There! A small black implanted stone in a mid-joint shows an unnatural force working on the Elemental. The other one probably has one also. If he can just get that out, the Stone Elementals should return to neutral, or possibly become Allies! He yells to Aeshma that the Grove is now healing and he's almost ready to accompany her to the Spring, but first he shouts to the Crew about looking for the small black stones inserted into a crack or joints of several of the Stone Circle Elementals and to remove them quickly if they can!

Recognizing that Gillius is key to the first part of the mission, Pugwash accompanies him in his trek towards the Grove. Pugwash believes that his only course of action against the stone golems is to be a distraction, as even special crossbow bolts would do little damage against stone. The moment either of what he believes to be stone golems come toward them Pugwash decides he will try to draw them away from Gilius. He believes it shouldn't be too hard as stone golems are slow moving. Aren't they? He watches over Gilius as the Druid goes into a type of trance, ready with his crossbow to take on any additional monsters that might appear, while also very aware that they are in a magic grove (albeit cursed), so setting the trees on fire would not be viewed favorably by the spirits.

Stone elementals? There was no time to waste, those beings were so strong to fight! Durik activated his cannon:
"Dakka! Eat da stone enemi! But keep it.. don't burp it out or big turtle be angry!" (roll dice) Durik feels a much stronger pull then before with Dakka, and then a struggle and thumping on his back before a final "Whuump!" and everything seems quiet. The Stone Elemental that had been coming towards himself and Argy was now safely stored in Dakka, ready for when Durik needs a very substantial cannon ball! ;)

(to be continued below ...)

(... continued from above)

After dropping off Aeshma and Gilius on the island, Grog'tial suddenly realizes that he's now found himself all alone with the half-elf who gave him a dressing down in front of the entire crew, and an awkward silence ensues. The only upside is that he's far away from the spider which he imagines the Count will be summoning any moment now (he shudders), as well as from all of his half-brother's suspected agents. Such thoughts leave his mind when they spot the massed Chuul, and swiftly he's all business. They make a fearsome sight. He's almost tempted to land in the middle of them and blow his shell, but the way they're spread out now, his shell wouldn't quite reach all of them, and he figures that it's prudent to keep it in reserve while seeing how many more Chuul might appear from the various structures. They have to balance the desires to thin out the Chuul, and to stay out of harm's reach themselves. He asks the captain to steer the Griffon beyond the Chuul in the direction of the barns, and once beyond them, to hover for a bit or to at least not make any sudden turns so he can get a good shot in. Watching as he sees the Chuul excitedly banding up and all intent on them, he suggests possibly heading East. Ideal would be if they can split the Chuul up, so that they could attempt a swift landing, allowing for engaging one in isolation.

[action intent via PM] As they have been flying Aylar tries to get a better understanding of the Griffon and how to communicate intent to it better. On the way to the drop-off he tries the knee trick once or twice, then a slight lean, getting his balance. At first Grog'tial is thankfully silent, allowing Aylar to concentrate more on the Griffon. (roll dice) Then he feels Clíodhna in the link, keeping one eye on Kyp and the Ship and the other on him. She begins to exert a very subtle guidance and he feels something barely nudging, showing him how to adjust as she gently makes a better connection for him with the Griffon under him. 'Feel the wind, Aylar. See it in a new way - not the storm, but with various currents not unlike the sea. The wings be your sails, Captain. They tack and catch the thermals and drafts. Your body be the wheel now. Someday when this is over, I will show you how to sail the sky.' He feels her joyfulness as she looks forward to introducing him to 'real flight' ... then an underlying sorrow creeps in before she clamps it abruptly down and gets serious again. His Phoenix Charm begins to warm and Aylar feels the influx of power. The Chuul below immediately seem to respond. Well they certainly notice him now. Grog'tial evidently notices also and starts making comments, requests, questions and plans.

Aylar agrees to head towards the east then to circle up to the barns, but as to the rest. "We nae be landing nae getting down. T'would be tactically suboptimal as our advantage be in the air. We be focusing on getting the lay of the land, where Chuul be, where good spots to bottleneck a large group of them be." He points out to Grog'tial the possibility of funneling them into spaces between the buildings to the east, or between the barns as good options to use explosive bolts, while steering the Griffon in such a manner to give the lad the best pick'o' targets and shots possible.

(roll dice) Aylar circles the Griffon east, then south and Grog'tial waits for the Chuul to mass between the buildings to take a shot. (roll dice) The explosive bolt manages a hit and takes off claw, while also causing damage to the head of the one next to it, but that is all. The explosive bolts were meant for beheading zombies or softer targets and the Chuul's natural chitin armor means it is unlikely an explosive bolt will actually kill more than one at a time. Disappointed, Grog'tial reloads as Aylar circles the Griffon again, keeping it as steady and slow as possible for him as Griffons cannot truly hover more than a few wingbeats, and that while bobbing up and down with each powerful beat. (roll dice) He makes his second shot with a hardened bolt, and it hits and penetrates better than the explosive shot, straight through the heart, dropping the Chuul instantly where the other two are wounded but still alive. Then Grog'tial thinks of another idea and asks Aylar how comfortable he is in use of the locket. Does he think he could safely teleport from the ground to the top of the Griffon while it's in the air?

Aylar feels an immediate leap of fiery fury through the link. 'NO. Do not attempt it.' The feeling comes to him that Grog'tial is suddenly on very thin ice with a phoenix ready to ignite it if he thinks to get her Captain killed. On this she is relentless and absolute. Her underlying thoughts on how many ways fire can be shaped and played with let him know that while her protective guardian spirit may be uppermost, it is matched by a will to avenge when due that echoes his own. Aylar feels her reach out to his underlying connection to the Griffon. "I be thinkin' that do likely be a no," he tells Grog'tial, having the distinct impression the Griffon has just been given its own orders about any shenanigans regarding abandoning a certain Captain anywhere on the ground alone!

Both Aylar and Grog'tial notice the Chuul from the pier have now joined the others near the barns and some are climbing over the others onto the rooves, trying to reach them. (roll dice) Then Aylar spots two figures rising from the Grove heading their way. A sudden tug at the link causes him to look seaward SE where two more are coming in from the crow's nests of a portion of the Ships' Graveyard. His half-elf eyesight identify them even as the first notes of their song confirm it. Harpies! As all four head straight for the Griffon there is no doubt who they have been sent for.

-----
Kyp tries to think of a soft joyful song and decides to go with a traditional wedding song. While he plays his accordion he reaches out with his mind communicating feelings of warmth and comfort. In a calm manner he sends to the Dragon Turtle, "We are trying to help you. Please relax as we help ease your discomfort and fix the world around you." (roll dice) He continues to play, feeling his music and his inner voice slowly begin to penetrate and get through. (roll dice) Then Kyp feels a darkness intruding into the Dragon Turtle's thoughts. Concentrating hard, he feels something torturing her and he follows her subconscious thought as she shows him. There is something jammed into her right ear, whispering nightmares and a poisonous mental influence into her mind. He must get it out!

-----
NOTE - Harpy song is similar to Siren, but not quite as potent. It is a Charm spell, seeking to pull victims to them. Elves are naturally immune, Aylar and Kyp are already immune, Grog'tial's dirk gives some resistance. The harpies have mainly been sent to grab or unseat those on the Griffon.

-----
Your current inventory can be found in Post 2 (loaner books are read and returned)
Argy = Northside Grove near Durik
Aylar = Griffonback (barns)
Bellandra = Northside Grove near Gilius
Captain Baldbeard = Northside Grove
Count Karnstein = NE Grove w/Aeshma
Durik = Northside Grove near Argy
Gilius = NE Grove w/Pugwash
Grog'tial = Griffonback (barns)
Kyp = Aboard Ship
Mighty = Northside near Grove
Pugwash = NE Grove w/Gilius

NPC
Aeshma = NE Grove w/Karnstein

Count Karnstein can't believe this stunt really worked but instantly regains composure when his eyes meet Aeshma.

- Ha! Have ye seen it, m'lady? No better riders than Karnsteins in the whole world. I shall tell ye once 'bout my family's famous stable 'n that beautiful, mischievous mare - Millarca. You'll love it. But what on earth were ye thinkin' goin' there alone?
- Okay. Fine. Thank you. But the magick underneath this whole place is moving. Something is coming and I have to get in there NOW. Any bright ideas how to do that?
- My, aren't ye one eager vixen. Hey, ye even kinda look like a red vixen, ain't ye? Ha, that's a good one! I think I may just stick to it. - Count grins. - But for now, please, be more careful.

Count turns to elemental beating the centipede, looking for black stone Gilius was screaming about. He decides now it's the time to summon the spider. If it'll be a small one, Count will distract elemental while commanding spider to climb on it and pull out the stone. If it'll be a big one, he will command it to distract elemental while himself will try sneakily remove the stone.

After this elemental is dealt with and Count sees more of them awakening, he will try to do the same as above with next one while yelling to Baldbeard to command sharks to distract another, and to Bellandra to stop few more with the Sextant.
If the elementals are still inactive by then, he will proceed to remove as many stones he can.

When he'll get the first stone, he will toss it to Aeshma. Maybe she could do something with it.

Argy quickly enters the grove and makes a signal to Pugwash, pointing at the harpy above: "I think mateys above need yer keen eye an' bolts."

She returns then near Durik, looking anxiously at her surroundings. Things are going quite fine for the moment, but she can feel some ominous tension floating in the air. She holds a tight grip on her pan, just in case, and hands Durik her Mental Resist Potion. "If things get outo' control, start singin' with me again, matey"

(If she notices the harpies' song is starting to affect other crewmembers nearby, she'll start singing. Meanwhile, she'll stay alert)

GM NOTE TO CREW: Time to Vote Your MVP
Voting ends: 7 PM UTC, November 30, 2023

We are now in the final mission of the Voyage of the Cursed Crew - Part 1 and it is time to vote for your Most Valued Pirate (MVP) Player award. Who do you think best exhibited camaraderie, stuck to the Code of the Grog Brethren, was helpful to the Crew and kept a weather eye on teamwork while furthering the goals and helped make things fun? Voting will be open to all Cursed Crew who actually sailed with us (including the perished) until 7 PM UTC on November 30, 2023. You may vote privately thru PM if you like, or publicly in the Pirate Day GA Thread. Only Cursed Crew as listed in Post 2 of this thread are eligible to vote.

The Pirate Day GA will be concluding and games awarded sometime on December 1, 2023 even if we still have a turn or two left in the Voyage - Part 1.

Grog'tial warily eyes the massed Chuul. He's glad that the rest of the crew don't have to deal with the combined mass of these beasties, but thinning them out sure is going to take a while at this pace.

As he becomes aware of the incoming harpies, he mourns the short-lived air-superiority which they'd had for just a bit there.

"Captain?" He says, "Ye think ye can steer this griffon in such a way as to have most of those harpies reach us around the same time? If they close, I can blow me shell, and we can see if they continue flapping their wings while mesmerized!"

If a single harpy reaches the griffon well ahead of the others, Grog'tial will fire an explosive bolt at it, figuring that a blown-off wing will be just as fatal as a heart-shot, and much easier to accomplish. Otherwise he'll wait until at least all but one of the alive harpies are within range of his shell, and then blow it with all his might. If the harpies don't plummet from the sky, he hopes Aylar can fly close to them and kill them with his cutlass while they're mesmerized (and/or somehow ask the griffon to assist with its claws or beak?)
If a harpy arrives late (and thus isn't mesmerized), he'll fire an explosive bolt at it.

Mighty

Mighty made aware of the magic stones attached to stone elementals, decides to help the Count in deactivating them. If Karnstein moves from golem to golem clockwise , Mighty will move counter-clockwise. He instructs Cracker to fly around each golem before he approaches it and then point stone to him. He will then use his Claw as pincers, to province a good grip and pry the stones out. Mighty hopes the Harpies will not affect him for now, if any will come in his range he will try to dispatch it. He is also ready to defend himself with a cudgel.

Gilius will command roots to entangle the stone elemental close to Karnstein and Aeshma to make it easier for them.
Immediately after, he will continue using his quartz crystal to purify the grove as long as he thinks it will still help.

Once done, he will try to finish clearing the path ahead for Aeshma if it's not fully clear already.

After that, he will run to help Karnstein and Mighty to try and remove the power stones on the remaining elementals. He will try to deactivate the sleeping ones as fast as possible before they wake up. Should one wake up before he has time to remove the stone, he will fall back towards his closest ally (except Aeshma) for some help in dealing with it.

Once there are no more sleeping elementals with a power stone, Gilius will try to connect with them through his druidic powers and try to animate them to gain them as allies.

If however Aeshma has trouble in the center, Gilius will immediately run to her and try to provide her any help he can.

Pugwash hears Argy and quickly moves to a spot where the treetops do not obscure the view and scans the sky for Harpies. If he sees one, he will shoot at it with ordinary bolts. (Explosive bolts were considered, but Pugwash does not believe his bolts explode on proximity, so a direct hit would still be needed to down a harpy).

To protect against the harpy call, Pugwash will listen to the music box.

Should there be no Harpies in sight or in range, Pugwash will scan the area for potential adversaries or monsters. If he sees one, he will alert the rest of the crew by the grove.

"Sure tiny, we can sing again. But keep potion, me have one already."
Durik will keep an eye on Argy, but will also try to fight the enemies around, like the harpies.

"Maybe if me distracts rock dudes, Tiny fast to climb back and remove black gem?"

Aylar eyes the harpies. "No promises that we get them all, but we be able to circle round the clearing and the tree-edges, that ought to bunch them", he says, trying to judge the proper distances and trajectories. He quickly takes out a strip of cloth out of his pocket, loops half of the length round his left hand, then prepares his cutlass, letting the cloth go once or twice through the grip, then looping the rest of the strip. While he be doing so, as the Griffon needs to move, he'll steer it away from the barns, wanting to get some distance from the roof-piles of Chuul before they get a chance to stack up, and start to circle round the clearing (if it turns out that a bit larger circle is needed, he'll circle around the shore as well), trying to get several harpies together, disdain towards the approaching enemies mixed with the anticipation of a poised strike be clear in his mind. If any Chuul follow the Griffon into the open space, he be keeping an eye out to make sure that any nae be turning in the direction of the Grove.

If during that period of time a harpy gets within striking range and attacks him or Grog'tial, he will defend and retaliate.

Note to Crew -

Tonight's Turn posting will be late as there are still posts (and PMs) incoming due to a lot of unavoidable inconvenient RL delays.

Not to mention a whole lot happening this turn .... :P

Kyp communicates through feelings, ideas and words (if the dragon turtle can understand them) that it should bring it's head up out of the water, and that if it is tired and has low strength at the moment to keep air in it's face to help the head float. Kyp will also tell the turtle that it must remain calm and rested and brave, since the unknown might be scary but in the end everything will be ok.

Kyp will then tell the turtle that if it has strength to tilt it's head to drain it's ear. Kyp will have his net ready to catch whatever comes out of it's ear. If nothing comes out of the ear he will go into the ear and be ready to fight the evil within (without awaking the dragon turtle)

If the turtle does not have strength to tilt head to empty ear he will get the person driving the ship to bring the ship closer to the ear and will be ready to extract the evil within (without awaking the dragon turtle)