The Dreadful Nuisance of the Forbidden Island: A Rather Rowdy Trek to the Temple | Jan Teschner

Camp Sonoma, the Forbidden Island – Deva and Marina awoke in Camp Sonoma feeling a bit under the weather, only to find two faces looming above them: Mad Matt, an unpredictable comrade who is quite a handful, and Mikhail, a local expeditionist-slash-merchant. Mikhail warned of a curse emanating from the Forbidden Island's temple, which was spreading weariness and an unnatural sleep among the locals - a dreadful inconvenience for everyone involved.
Returning to their ship, Deva and Marina discovered their companions – Selah, Tiyana, Mabel, and Ace – were all quite tucked up for a nap, deeply affected by the curse. A feathery face from the past greeted them near the ship: Dingo, the Traveling Bird Barbarian, had arrived at Camp Sonoma during his wanderings. Dingo eagerly rejoined the party, ready for a spot of adventure (and hopefully a nice cuppa later).

A Rather Grim Ritual
Mad Matt’s monkey familiar, Sir Spencer, drowsily attempted to climb onto Matt’s shoulder. Disgusted by what Matt saw as a lack of discipline, he commanded his crew to fetch his longsword. When no one complied - as they were all rather preoccupied - Dingo brought it to him. What followed was quite distressing, if I'm honest.
Before the stunned party, Mad Matt executed Sir Spencer, ceremonially slicing the monkey in two. It was a very messy business; blood drenched Dingo’s feathers, leaving Marina hiding behind Dingo’s wings in complete shock.
“I have freed Sir Spencer from the weakness of the flesh,” Matt proclaimed, as dark blue flames consumed the monkey’s remains. When the flames subsided, Sir Spencer returned as an undead skeletal familiar, with glowing red eyes set in his sockets. Quite unsettling, really.

Preparations for the Forbidden Island
Seeking answers, the group consulted Mikhail, who explained that the curse originated from the temple on the Forbidden Island. Once confined to the island, the curse had recently spread to Camp Sonoma, which was becoming a bit of a bother for the town. Mikhail offered adventuring supplies, including emergency stimulant syringes priced at 100 gold apiece. Marina negotiated fiercely, as one does when trying to avoid being overcharged, reminding Mikhail that without their success, the town might be doomed. Relenting, Mikhail sold the party both stimulants and a raft for half price - a proper bargain - with Dingo footing the bill. Before their departure, Mikhail advised caution: the island’s rivers were rather treacherous, with rapidly shifting currents and water levels. Armed with this knowledge, the crew set sail for the Forbidden Island, bracing themselves for the damp.

Navigating Perilous Waters
The journey through narrow gorges and surging streams tested the party’s resilience, though the weather was predictably grey. At one point, Dingo spotted a treasure chest along the riverbank. Inside were a pearl necklace and 150 gold coins. A slight dispute over the spoils arose, with Mad Matt demanding all the gold as “payment for his employees.” The others disagreed, insisting on splitting the treasure evenly in an orderly fashion.
Nearby carvings resembling eyes caught Deva’s attention. Consulting Auralis, the golden idol explained that such designs were not part of the Golden Heart religion’s iconography - how very odd.
Guided by Auralis, the party pressed on. Marina demonstrated her incredible strength, freeing the raft when it became stuck, and expertly navigating tricky currents – though she did receive some rather unnecessary criticism from Mad Matt, who eventually took over steering with a huff.
Disaster struck when the water receded suddenly, lodging the raft on a rock. Marina was thrown into sharp rocks nearby, bleeding into the water. Moments later, a swarm of piranhas appeared, drawn to the scent - an absolute nuisance, truly.

Battle on the River
The piranhas struck fast, drawn by Marina’s blood in the water. Dingo swooped to her rescue, carrying her to a nearby rock, while Deva and Mad Matt defended the raft with much more decorum. Dingo returned, cleaving through the swarm with his axe – until it slipped from his grip and sank. Unsure what to do, he was snagged by one of Matt’s summoned tentacles and pulled underwater! Dingo broke free of the tentacle, recovered his axe, and launched himself back onto the raft, sending Matt face-first into the piranhas. Marina rejoined the fray, but her own axe was lost to the depths in the chaos - a terrible shame. By the end, Dingo silenced the last struggling piranha, but Deva demanded that Matt and Dingo make peace. Dingo admitted he was a bit reactionary, but Mad Matt remarked that "the fishes need to eat too, but the bird won today." Marina simply shook her head, muttering, “Boys will be boys.”

A Narrow Escape
The river narrowed into a rapid stream, speeding towards a roaring waterfall. Dingo perched on a tree trunk across the river, while Deva created a vine net to secure the raft. Marina’s immense strength saved the party once again, hauling the raft and her companions onto the trunk and then onto solid ground, much like pulling oneself out of a muddy puddle. Now safe, they tied off their raft and prepared to descend a 15-meter drop to the lower water level. Using a rope and careful maneuvering, the group reached the jungle floor, looking somewhat dishevelled.

Approaching the Ziggurat
Ahead lay their destination: the ziggurat temple, its silhouette framed by the waning light. The journey was far from over, but with Auralis guiding the way, the adventurers steeled themselves for the challenges to come, hoping there might be a nice spot for tea once they arrived.