Arrrr! Our Halloween story comes to an end: the players unanimously decided to launch the ship. Well then, go right ahead, brave adventurers! :) ___ The first mate isnt the most fragile when it comes to keeping his composure. Despite his feeble appearance, the crew always regard him as a confident and decisive fellow, determined never to let his weaknesses show. "Hey! You alright?" repeats Fuhrer_51[RUS], patting the lad on the shoulder. "Yeah... Yes, I can do it. Just give me a moment to recover," you reply, shaking your head slightly. "Alright. Were starting. Come over once yerve pulled yerself together," proclaims the second mate after watching you for some time. You nod. "Do yer best not to mess up, aye?" he adds as he turns to leave. A whirlwind of sounds and sensations is raging in your head. You need to get it together, right now. Yet another push from within sends a jolt of stabbing pain to your temples, squeezing your eyelids shut. Your legs almost betray you, and you barely manage to catch yourself. You bury your head in your hands, cursing silently, "Get it together, will you? GET IT TOGETHER!!! This is not your first time sailing, and you chose this ship yourself!" Youre not going to let circumstances make you give up. Its not your way of doing things. The fog in your head starts to clear. You can still feel echoes of the jabbing headache, but youre finally able to stand on your feet and think straight. With confident steps, you head towards your mates, who have already started their preparations. The launch goes smoothly, theres nothing peculiar about it. You hear your mates scurrying above. A few sweeps of the oars later, silence sets in, interrupted only by the splashing of water and the crews strained breathing. According to the map and the compass in the second mates hands, youre in the middle of the ocean, many hours away from the nearest island. Nonetheless, the ship gets stuck ashore, and the color of seawater definitely points at a nearby current of fresh water. A few minutes later, one of the oarsmen gets the oar out of the oarlock and dips it in the water. "Thats the bottom," he announces matter-of-factly, even though everyone has noticed the silhouette of a mountain in the fog by now. You splash your face with salt water, and your head feels lighter. Youre definitely feeling better. You look around in silence and realize that the fog is dispersing, as though blown away by a wind you cant sense. The rocky shore, covered with a scarce, dark and coarse sand, is soon replaced with a dark forest a few steps away. The crooked trees create a thick wall, but a broad path lies straight ahead. You cant believe your eyes, but it really is a path, broad enough for two men to walk alongside each other. What in the actual hell? An uncharted pirate island? And wheres this ominous glow coming from? You leave two sailors behind to watch the boat, and head down the path. Somethings waiting for you down there. Bloodthirsty natives? Cruel bandits? Or something even more horrid? Its pitch dark under the trees, but you keep walking, speeding up as your intuition commands. Will-o-the-wisps appear here and there behind the trees, helping you find your way down the twisting path. "Just how large is this island? How come nobody has found it and put it on the map?" someone grumbles behind you, his voice followed by a shout, "Hey, slow down and watch your step!"
You glance down to see intertwined branches, twisted roots, and... whoa, more keys! Someone mustve been diligent in gathering such a large collection. The call within you gets stronger, and you rush ahead in the dark. Suddenly, the trees are left behind, revealing a vast clearing before a huge crag stretching up into the sky. There is a fanged cave entrance right in the middle of the rock face, with several smaller hollows above it, the familiar orange glow visible from each one. The clear night sky overhead is filled with constellations youve never seen. How much time has passed since you reached this land? Night fell without you noticing it. The noise behind you informs you that your mates have caught up at last and are now taking in the eerie view. The mountain resembles a deathmask or a glaring face, its fangs bared. Then, one by one, they look downwards, seeing more of those keys. Thousands, millions of keys, new and old, crumbling in your hands and as if freshly made by the jeweler. The sailors pick them up to examine them, and their gaze grows more voracious with each second. The second mate lays his hand on your shoulder and nods towards the cave entrance. "Wish the captain couldve seen that," he exhales. "Lets go check out this maw." You try to ignore the crunch and clatter under the soles of your boots as you approach the grotto. It turns out to be tiny. Inside, you find several odd-looking lanterns with ugly smiles carved into them and a pedestal with a casket. A small, ornate casket made of stone. You understand youve finally reached the destination youve been seeking your entire life. Whatever is happening is right. Your mission in this world is complete at last. Your friend reaches for the casket, picking it up from the pedestal ever so carefully. You exchange a glance with a knowing smile. You are content. You hear water splashing under your feet as you advance, and the fading light casts a mesmerizing reflection on the walls. A hard slap on the face forces you to regain your senses. You see the captain before you, his face distorted with anger and fear. Hes yelling, but you cant make out a single word. Your friends are lying all around. You notice that their pockets are full of keys; one of the men even tried to swallow them. Fuhrer_51[RUS] is clasping the casket to his chest with one hand, and trying to fend off the second crew with the other. The water is rising higher with each passing second. All you know is that you must flee. And thats exactly what you do. ___ Your rescue was nothing short of a miracle. You swam for your life towards the lifeboat, then helped carry aboard those who were still unconscious. The island was sinking so fast the ship was laboring heavily, sending you flying from one side to another. A few crew members fell overboard, but your crew wouldnt leave their mates to their fate. You barely remember making your way to the ship, climbing up the ladder to the deck, and following the captain into his cabin. "You nearly died out there," he cant keep his voice from wavering anymore. "That island only exists for one day a year. It gives the visitors something valuable and takes a life in return. Ive heard some tales, but I never believed them. If we hadnt saved that man, if he hadnt told me everything, Id never have come for you. Their captain tried to find that island, but the spirits will never let those who seek it approach. On the contrary, they lure in whoever they want. Thats why that ship will remain a prisoner of the spirit waters for all eternity, and we wont. Fortune smiles upon you, son. Today, that is. As the captain speaks, you can see the second mate sitting in the corner of the cabin, stroking something angular under his cape, an item the size of a casket. You stick your hand in your pocked and nearly burst out laughing. The island did leave you something to remember it by, even if you didnt notice it. Soon this story will become yet another sailors tale, one youll be recounting in dock pubs, in exchange for a discount. And thats quite apt, too, considering that tonight is Halloween. ___ Congratulations, friends! You survived and even grabbed something in this spooky adventure! Thanks for joining us on this voyage! By the way, Fuhrer_51[RUS] gets an extra treat from our team for role-playing in the comments section. And now, welcome back to dry land! A holiday sale has started on Steam! Up to 90% discount on HeroCraft games! No need to sacrifice your life for them ;) https://store.steampowered.com/app/418180/Tempest_Pirate_Action_RPG/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/1073630/Tempest__Pirate_City/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/746820/Tempest__Jade_Sea/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/651020/Tempest__Treasure_Lands/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/527010/Tempest__Original_Soundtrack/