The Lost Tomb of Ahuatl
Across the The Warmwind Sea lies an island chain that is avoided by sailors entirely. They are a superstitious lot, sailors, and they believe the volcanic archipelagos to be haunted by flesh eating spirits.
There was once a sturdy boat called the Endeavor, a research vessel that, at the time, had been studying the mating habits of certain large mammals for the vaunted and venerable schools at The Bardic College Campus, was blown far off course by a sudden, unexpected squall that turned into a full blown hurricane within the space of twelve hours. They ran aground on one of the outer islands.
It took six weeks to repair the vessel, and during that time they had to fend off attacks from angry indigenous peoples. Being a Bardic College mission, the crew and researchers were well trained, and did not kill needlessly. They did have to use lethal force to defend themselves numerous times, however, and after a time (just before they left) some of their men went missing.
Now it had been going around the camp, while they labored to fix the stricken vessel, that the natives were hiding hoards of gold and gems forced to the surface of the world by the volcanic activity around the area. There had been more than one rumble coming from the bowels of the mountains all around them, and everyone was eager to get the heck out of there, but the captain insisted they make a sortie into the islands interior in an, at least perfunctory, effort to find and return with their shipmates.
Rising out of the jungle in the island's interior is a man-made structure called a ziggurat; much like a very steep pyramid, but with several tiers. It was completely overgrown with jungle; the ship's navigator and surveyor estimated it to have been abandoned at least a thousand years ago. They did not have the time or resources to explore. And, when they found the heads of the missing researchers, shrunken to the size of a man's fist and with their eyes and mouths sewn crudely shut with rough spun thread, they turned tail and ran back to their ship.
Plot points/Scenes
Various forms of travel, jungle encounters, volcanic caverns.
Themes
Jungle, bugs, constant danger, outdoorsmanship
Structure
Exposition
Waking up in the drunk tank!
Plot type
Chapter, overview
Subplots
Related Characters
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