Shipwrecked 1752

[Kensen]

Kayode

It was a tough climb. His muscles ache, he bumped his knees a couple of times, he got scratches from sharp rocks. He nearly slipped a few times, but he made it to the top and secured the rope. (-2 luck points)

Everyone else

With the rope and Kayode helping you, you make it to the top relatively easily.

You can see that the island is mostly rocky and barren, with only some bushes and grasses growing in patches here and there. A strange mist is rising from the center of the island, blocking view to the other half almost completely. Perhaps there's a crater in the center.

From what you can see, you estimate that the island is about two-three miles in circumference and the highest elevation is about 300-400 feet. The island is roughly circular in shape.

Annabelle finds a plank on the ground. Someone has carved a single word on it: "ayúdame".

[Voshkod]

Captain Mandrake

The Captain put his hand on Kayode's shoulder. "I won't forget this, Kayode, when we're back in civilization."

He turned to the others. "Right. Spread out to search for cover and water. Lord Robert, Mister Plunkett, head off that way." He points to the left. "Kayode and I will go to the right. Padre, please stay with Miss Richmond and protect her."

[Organozinc]

Annabelle

The climb was long, hard, and thanks to her skirt, completely degrading. Thankfully, it was over, and everyone had gotten up fine, including Kayode, the African man. Once everyone was up, the captain seemed rearing to split up and find shelter before the storm hit. Before they left, however, Annabelle spotted a plank obscured by a nearby bush, and open investigation, found it to have the word "ayúdame" inscribed on it. Not that she knew what that meant.

Just before the group splits up, Annabelle returns with the plank. "Before you all go running off, lets see what we can see from here, now that we have a view." With that, Annabelle sets down the plank and pulls out the telescope she had managed to hold on to during the wreak. She gives the island a good once over, then passes the scope to the captain so he might as well. There had to be somewhere on this blasted island they could take shelter from the storm.

[Kensen]

This is what you can see:

?????????????????
_#\|/????????|/#_
_#-^-.??????\^#__
_#-^-..????-^\#__
_#/|\..??../|#___
_#**#.....*.#____
__##_#...*..#____
_____#.....#_____
_____,##..#______
______,,###______
_________________

# you are here

_ water
, beach
. relatively level rocky ground (altitude 75-150 ft)
# steep slope / cliff
/ gentle slope
^ summit (altitude 300-400 ft)
* vegetation (sparse)
? view blocked by mist or hills

You're not sure which way north is, but your guess is that "up" on the map above is north.

With her telescope, Annabelle spots some openings in the hillsides that may well be cave entrances.

[Feirgon]

Kayode

Still sore from the climb, Kayode bends over, resting his hands on his knees, to catch his breath as the others look through the spyglass. It is here that he takes note of the piece of wood Annabelle had been carrying and subsequently placed on the ground.

Miss Richmond, did you find something of interest? He asked gesturing toward the piece of wood.

As his breathing once again found its normal rhythm, Kayode returned to a standing position.

[Krrth]

Michael

Padre? No, I'm not a priest, although I'm afraid I am the last thing too many of my fellows saw. Musket balls leave injuries that wait for no man.

[Organozinc]

Annablle

"Yes, I did." Annabelle replies to Kayode's question. "A plank of lumber, which seemed odd enough at it is to be at the top of this cliff. Furthermore, it has something written on it, although I don't understand it. Can you read it?" Which that, Annabelle passes the plank to Kayode, hoping that maybe the language is one that he will at least recognize.

[Feirgon]

Kayode

Kayode takes the plank and looks it over.

Unfortunately, I do not understand the word on this plank. However, I do wonder how such an item could reach up here. This is indeed strange.

He takes a closer look at the markings to see if he can tell if they are fresh.

[Kensen]

The markings looks quite fresh. It's definitely been carved within a month, perhaps within a week or even today. As far as Kayode can remember, he spotted the boy close to the bush where Annabelle found the plank.

[Voshkod]

Captain Mandrake

"May I borrow your telescope, Miss Richmond, for a moment? Perhaps I can get some bearings." Presuming she consents, he looks out to sea, looking for anything familar, and the sweeps in across the island.

[Kensen]

Captain Mandrake cannot see any familiar landmarks. The shape and size of the island does not correspond to any islands on the maps he can remember seeing on his maps, and there are no other islands of significant size to be seen. Visibility, though, is rather poor at the moment due to the rain.

He can see more debris and bodies of drowned sailors floating in the sea.

OOC: The island looks pretty much like the map above. If you want more details about the geography of the island, please ask.

[Organozinc]

Annabelle

After giving the captain a moment to try and locate any landmarks, Annabelle points off in the direction of the caves she had seen. “Perhaps we can start our search for shelter over in those caves, Captain? Over in the hills there, just past the bushy part. At least until the storm lets up, and we can get a better view of things”

[Voshkod]

Captain Mandrake

"Quite right, Miss Richmond." He hands her back the telescope. "Come along, then. Shelter and fire are a short walk away." He tried to keep his voice light, as if this were a Sunday trek instead of a matter of life or death.

[Kensen]

"Alright, let's go," Will says, "I'll keep an eye out for trouble," and patting his gun he adds "and my pistol ready."

Calmly, but with a sense of urgency, Captain Mandrake leads the group towards the cave. The rocky ground is relatively level, but you have to watch your step because there are holes and sharp rocks on the ground, and the rain has made the ground slippery. The cave is only about 650 yards away and it takes about 15 minutes to reach the entrance to the cave.

The cave seems quite spacious. Its width at the entrance is about 6 feet and height a little more than that. Due to the clouds and rain blocking most of the sunlight, you can only see the first 10 feet of the cave. But judging by the echoes that your footsteps make, it's probably quite a long cave.

[Krrth]

Michael

*looking around*

Does anyone have a light source, or know how to make a torch? If we're going to be stuck here for a while, I'd like to see what's back here.

[Feirgon]

Kayode

Kayode looks at the plank of wood still in his hands.

We will need wood to start a fire. And if we cannot find any other sources of wood, then perhaps we should use this. Though I would like to know its meaning before we start burning it.

Kayode looks near the entrance of the cave for any other pieces of wood: dry or not.

[Kensen]

No, there are no pieces of wood nearby. As seen on the map, there's some vegetation nearby, but burning wet bushes is likely to create more smoke than heat.

[Voshkod]

Captain Mandrake

"Well. It's warm enough that a fire is not critical. I'd suggest we try to get some rest. A rough day behind us, and the Lord alone knows how many ahead. We'll need to set watches, just in case there are natives. I assume the gentlemen are prepared to assist with that?"

[Kensen]

Will nods. "Good idea. I'll take the first watch. I'm not tired or anything, just really bloody hungry! Have you still got the fish, eh, Kaydee?"

A little later, the shrill shriek of some animal echoes in the cave. It's hard to tell how far the animal is from you, perhaps 100-200 feet down the tunnel. Robert thinks it's a bird, but he's never heard a bird make a noise so anguished... and hateful.

[Krrth]

Michael


Wake me when it's my turn.

*pause*

I'd recommend a shot of rum for everyone when they turn in for the night. It should help calm everyone.

[TheThan]

Lord Robert McDonnell
Holding the torch from the fire Annabelle managed to start, the hunter stoops to enter the cave. Drawing his tomahawk, he takes the lead into the cave and stops a short distance.


I’d like to explore this cave more, but I’m not in the mood to go caving, besides I don’t have the right gear with me. Ahh, this looks like as likely a spot as any.

He indicates a roughly flat spot in the rocky cave floor. Noticing his wet clothes for the first time today, Lord McDonnell heads back out to gather some wood for the fire. When he returns, he builds a campfire up using the torch, making sure the fire is out of the wind, but not too deep into the cave as to choke and blind anyone. Once he’s finished he begins to strip off his wet clothes and ring them out.

Striped clear down to his waist, the hunter suddenly he stops and stairs right at Annabelle.
Oh, I forgot we had a lady amongst us. My sincerest apologies Miss Richmond,
The indomitable British lord says almost sheepishly, pulling on his torn, wrinkled and still damp shirt. He leaves his knee high boots and his vest near the fire to dry though.

The squawk from the cave startles the hunter, only momentarily though as he had his tomahawk out and ready in an instant.

That almost sounded like a bird. Curious though, it almost seemed to be in pain. In all my travels I’ve never heard anything quite like it.


He stands, well as far as the tall man can in the cave and heads to the back, and sits next to Will.
I hope the powder in that is dry, we may need it before we’re rescued.
he says to Will, indicating his pistol.

[Kensen]

Will looks at Michael and says "Maybe you got some sense in your head after all." He takes a swig of rum. "Besides, I shoot better when I'm drunk." He takes another swig, hands the bottle over to Robert and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

As Robert enters the cave with his torch, the shrieks get louder. Now that you have some more illumination, you also spot a satchel on the cave floor some 20 feet from you.

[Krrth]

Michael

*looking around*

Home, sweet home. At least it's dry.

[TheThan]

Lord Robert McDonnell


What could this be I wonder?
The hunter reaches over and gingerly lifts the satchel from the floor, and then explores its contents.

[Kensen]

As Robert picks up the satchel, he notices some blood stains on it. Inside the satchel he finds a book.

Diario del capitán Juan Francisco de Rivera y Moncada.

It appears to be a log book or diary. Apparently a ship called Maria Celeste left Cádiz with Cpt Juan Francisco de Rivera y Moncada at the wheel. The last entry was written on Junio 6, 1752.

[TheThan]

Lord Robert McDonnell

After flipping through the logbook, Lord McDonnell calls over the captain.

captain, I believe you should have a look at this!

[Voshkod]

Captain Mandrake

"Yes, Lord Robert? What do we have here?" The Captain took the logbook and read it, looking for anything unusual, or anything that might give them an idea of where they were."

[Kensen]

Captain Mandrake

Unfortunately everything's written in what you think is Spanish. You recognize many names of cities. It looks like the Maria Celeste sailed along the Spanish coast for a short bit and continued west across the Atlantic Ocean towards the Caribbean.

Several persons are mentioned in the entries, but towards the end, fewer and fewer person names appear in the entries. The last entry reads:

Junio 6, 1752

Sr. Esteban y Miguel no han vuelto. Me siento solo.

Meanwhile, the more shrieks echo in the cave and they're getting louder. Whatever is making the noise is getting closer.

[Krrth]

Michael


Anything we need to know, Captain?

*looking down the cave as the shrieks get closer, Michael draws his knife.*

I don't know about you, but we should probably arm ourselves, just in case.

[Kensen]

Will releases the safety lock on the hammer of his pistol. "If I fire my pistol here in the cave, your ears will be ringing for a long time. Trust me, you don't want that. So I'll shoot only if it is really necessary."