She was just outside of a farm, that looked like any other until she walked closer to the fence. She noticed all the farm animals were bipedal, not much different than her elegant, lizard-human hybrid race of the Vishkanyas. As she leans in to hear the whispers of humanoid-cattle she is repelled as they whisper "just for the masters...waiting for the masters...masters are coming" but can't hold attention too long as her head jerks towards where someone was screaming her name: it was Skrim. The male ratfolk had a leash around his neck, and was clawing at the ground to try and stop being pulled into the barn behind him. He yells repeatedly for her to run, and uncontrollably, she does just that.
It was then morning and the ambassador/amateur innkeeper, the ever-pleasant but down on himself Therion, had made them a meal made from hardtack and ham, and a drink of his own creation. Kahlo, made from rum, light coffee beans, coca and banana was just up Quinn and company's alley (all but Castillo, who couldn't stomach it). Sitting down in the long, ranch-style inn, Chuntaka noticed Skrim isn't at breakfast. Back in the open sleeping room, Skrim could not be wakened. As the rat rolled to the side the fox noticed a dart in the side of Skrim's neck, no longer than 3/4". He pulled it out and Skrim slumped in his hammock, no sound could be heard save for Kane, Skrim's riding husky, whimpering, knowing that something was wrong with his master and best friend. By this time everyone had made it back to the hammocks. Talking about what to do, Quinn notices a similar dart in the neck of Dali, who becomes dizzy and has to take a seat when it's pulled out. Upon everyone freaking out looking at each others necks, they notice Castillo and Quinn don't have one, only Chuntaka and the other two. Bringing the three darts to the magic shop after Chuntaka and Dali recover, the potionsmith whispers intently that they are arcane in nature, but would need much further inspection to figure out what they do, given most of the animal-hybrid adventurers didn't react too badly.
Therion giving his promise to take after Skrim, the party leaves for the dock to pick up their adventure gear. Upon arrival Captain Saber asks where the rat was, and after the party hinted that his sickness was not natural, Verdana threw a fit yelling at them to not let Skrim stay alone on this island. Chuntaka and Castillo bolt towards the inn, competing against each other for Verdana's approval. The challenge is too much for Castillo, resorting to tripping and pushing the kitsune out of the way, which the fox-boy dodged easily. Back on the dock with the unconscious Skrim, Verdana was standing her ground against Uncle, stating that there was no way the ratfolk wasn't getting on board with them.
Once on board the Athan Miere with New Zephyr behind them, Captain Saber cheered up a bit, but before he could tell the crew what was in store, Chuntaka asked to see him in his quarters. In the dim light the kitsune brawler revealed the gleaming golden box with the serpentine cat embellished upon it. After answering Saber that he had found it in the monkey's alarming huge treasure trove, the captain answered Chuntaka's questions. This was the spice, a drug for the wealthy and privileged, unlike any other. Saber did not know what it did, or how much it actually cost, but he was delighted to know what it actually looked like. He told Chuntaka they were headed for a small, caved island in search for the burnt orange, black and bright yellow tea leaf-shaped spice. Telling the crew and adventurers they were trying to go in to business for themselves, trading spice across the seas, becoming wealthy and affording a fleet of ships, they went on to play liar's dice until they arrived at the island.
Chuntaka, being mischievous and cunning by nature, went on a campaign to infuriate Castillo by flirting with Verdana, the windfinder of the Athan Miere. Castillo was pushed to the point of making a bold move on Verdana, who wants nothing to do with him. As she prepared a spell to cast on him, he took the opening to attack her lips, landing a kiss before he was teleported onto the sailboat being pulled by the Arythean ship, slamming into the deck from 50 feet up. The rest of the adventurers, along with Captain Saber, joined him on the small sailboat when the island cave was in sight. Saying that these islands, and land in general, were damned, the captain did not accompany them, but reminded them of what they're looking for. Walking into the cave circumscribed by azure-blue waters, Dali lit the way with her dancing lights and the sunrod the party received in their adventure pack earlier. They reached a beach inside the large cave entrance, which a flock of giant crabs was hiding in. After a gritty battle of shooting off claws and escaping pincers, the party agreed the only way further into the cave was to dive into the water. Dali and Chuntaka volunteered, swimming 60 feet under before reaching the beach on the other side, made completely of pummeled rock. After telling the others where to go, they reached the cavern with little problem, reaching the rocky inner shore and shining their lights over their head.
What they found looked like a last stand and a massacre mashed up together. Skeletons laid about that showed exactly what they were doing in their final hour. Two had dice cups still turned over, four more had bottles in their hand around a campfire long gone out, human bones scarcely piled in the cauldron from no doubt their last meal. As the adventurers' eyes lock in on the treasure, they saw a pirate captain still embracing his treasure horde as if it were a warm bed. Quinn O'Malley's curiosity got the best of him, going over to the dice cups to see what their rolls were, and to his surprise the hand grabbed him. As the skeleton crew reanimated back into life, the dead captain announced no one is getting near his treasure, given it's rightfully his even in death. Chuntaka, Quinn, and Castillo leapt into a swashbuckling fight, the strikes of the kitsune, the gunslinging of a buccaneer, and the dazzle of a rapier/dagger combo against the rusty cutlasses of the long dead. Dali began to cast offensive spells, felling the bones of those touched, as the onslaught of the massive skeleton crew ensued. Panic comes to Castillo when the bones of a scallywag skeleton began to rise again shortly after cutting it down. O'Malley used his cutlass and pistol as Chuntaka engaged the captain. The damned man swung at the fox with a large falchion, and Chuntaka answered with furious swipes, leaving the captain in pieces as the other skeletons turned to dust. The adventurers began to look around, Chuntaka and Quinn finding a pair of skeletons with their heads together, one bullet hole entering a skull and exiting the other. Quinn grabbed the pistol and rifle, broken as they were, and hoped he had better luck the next time he repaired a firearm. Dali warned the party the treasure had a curse on it, sensing the magic that came from within the trove. Castillo, Quinn, and Pokko the monkey paid little heed as they laid out the items and had Dali check them individually. She found only one truly cursed item, a topaz the size of a man's fist, in which Quinn and Castillo argued couldn't possibly be cursed because it's so large and worth so much.
Finding the pirate treasure of a lifetime consisting of magical weapons and a ring, gold and rubies, the crew swims and walks their way back to the sailboat where Saber waits. After explaining there was nothing in there that resembled spice, the captain is even more puzzled about what the spice is, saying that the box it's in on the ship is too light, and has wards and magic all around it. As they climb back on to the ship, Skrim is just gaining some consciousness, Kane licking his face from the spot he hasn't left the entire time. With a bit more loot, and a lot more questions, they begin to circumnavigate the chain of islands looking for a harbor for the expedition of spice, and the seemingly untrustworthy but profitable South Zephyrian Trading Company.
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