The Condessa's Party

I got the invitation to the party of the season!! I just know that if I have a few minutes, I can convince the Condessa to fund my next mission AND to provide help in the form of bodyguards or at least more manpower to help fight off the bandits that want the treasure more than the knowledge. I am announced and I make tracks for the food table. Everyone knows that the food on a dig is not great, and the nibbles here look delightful. I smell almonds in the air, and I am reminded of how she makes her money. The swirl of music matches the swirl of dresses as people dance and flirt and move around the room. I eat and enjoy watching people and then the Condessa is beside me and I can make my request. She is very favorable!! She even mentions that she has invited a variety of people here to see if they naturally form into groups.
 
I continue to walk around the food table - no reason to leave the area as the food is exceptionally good. Though I might be eating too much or too fast as I am feeling a bit light-headed. The music even seems to be going faster and then I see a swirl of gas in the air. I duck under the table and there is a device there! It has gears so I pop back up and grab a fork and stick it between the gears to stop them turning. Then I grab the device and run towards the stairs so I can toss it outside, but there is a brute squad there. So - I toss the device at them and turn back to the party to see if I can help anyone. Suddenly, the device is back at my feet - minus the fork!
 
I turn, grab a candlestick, and light that gas stream on fire and use the flamethrower I have created to run down the stairs to attack the brute squad. I attempt to convince them to run for their lives and finally manage to incapacitate them and clear a path for the people in the room to leave. By the time I manage this, another door has already been opened and most of the crowd has moved outside. The Condessa thanks me for the help and asks me to return the next day to discuss an opportunity. Interesting!
 
The next day I arrived to discover a doctor and a young fop had also been invited. She asks if we could assist with a small task. It turns out that a theft happened during the mayhem of the previous evening. A tome and a map had been stolen - well, half of a map. She wants us to go to the probable location the map shows and find the treasure and see if we can find out why the other half was stolen. We accept the mission and get on the ship and sail for a week or so and then decide to disembark in a narrows that is the closest spot to the 'x' on the map that we can get since there are some very steep cliff faces. We start making our way through the forest and suddenly we come to a man-made path. After some discussion, we decide to ignore the path and keep heading to the x.
 
When we arrive, I make my own map of the area and look for dressed stone, writing, or any signs of ruins. There is none............ I compare my map to the map we were given and the dimensions do not match. This area of the shore is not as thick as what my map shows. There has to be some explanation for that. We talk amongst ourselves and decide to follow the shore to see if the opposite side of the island might be the correct spot. As we walk along, we hear the sounds of battle. The doctor just turns and heads straight to the sounds of battle leaving the fop and I to shrug and follow him with our retainers. We catch up to him as some villagers are running off some inquisition guards. One of the villagers turn and shouts in their native tongue that the shaman needs help and points towards a side path. The doctor heads that way immediately, but I turn to the fop and advise him about where we are going. Then I follow the doctor. We find a cave and enter. The doctor focuses on the injured shaman, but since there is no danger in the cave, I am struck by the cave itself. I move to the center of the cave and try to determine why it looks so familiar to me. I have never been to this island. There is no reason that this cave should impact me in any way. I keep turning in circles and then suddenly - the map!!
 
I begin to frantically compare the contours of the island on the map with the contours of this cave and they match!! I check to see what the others in the cave are doing and the doctor has left, and the fop is pouring wine down the shaman - for medicinal purposes I am sure. I go to the alcove marked with an x on the map and I find an x engraved on the wall. I push and the wall slides open! I can see a few stairs going down and a small stream of water. Across the stream is a glowing medallion with a jewel as the eye of a crane. I silently pull the door to and go back to talk to the shaman about his religion and the purpose of the crane. His people have been here for centuries and the cranes which are prolific on the island have become their symbol of luck/prosperity/purpose. The doctor returns and gives him a native medicinal tea. I then share my findings with the group and we talk with the shaman. He does not seem to be upset at the thought of us removing the medallion from its resting place as we are those who walk in the light. If we promise to keep the medallion from those who walk in the dark, he is happy to let us get it. Well, the doctor is actually the one to go across and get it. Some disembodied voice required it to be picked up by someone who was not touching metal and there was no way I was going topless!!
 
We stayed in the village for a week or so to allow the doctor to get the villagers - and guards - back to health. Then we were asked politely to go back where we came from and take everyone with us. We went back to the ship and sailed home, giving the medallion and the guards to the Condessa as our prizes. I have a feeling she will be happy to fund my next excursion!