Track 9: Born to Be Wild

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

In one form or another, through various secure channels, the investigators receive a brief, coded message.

TROUBLE HERE PLEASE HELP LOTA

Unfortunately, the communication stops at this point, without disclosing the nature of the problem, or even the location of the island.

[jp1885]

“Hmm, anyone up for an island jaunt?” Tony asks. “I’ll make a few calls and try to find out the location.”

[SunlessNick]

Zara is glad to have washed the dye out of her hair, and be back in her own clothes. She has spent most of the quiet period alternately painting and drinking at the Sospiri.

"The wolf guys were ok," she says to Tony's question. "I wanna make sure they're ok."

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, I'm up for it," says Liz. "It will be interesting to see how everyone's getting on, and I'd like to help if I can."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Tony's conversations with various hush-hush organizations reveals only that the submarine was headed in a southwesterly direction from San Francisco. (There's hardly any other direction it could go, after all.) Before radar contact was lost -- some kind of jamming device might have been activated when the vessel was in the open sea -- it was somewhere south of Hawaii, probably heading for some uncharted island in the area. (The boys and girls in the white coats used a room full of computers to calculate roughly how far the submarine could travel without refueling.) It will take some further research to figure out exactly where the place is located. There's also the question of transportation and supplies; it's a long way from the City By the Bay to this unknown Tropical Paradise.

[SunlessNick]

"Do we still have the zeppelin?"

[Mr. Handy]

"We'll need to find out what happened to it," says Liz. "Last I checked, it was moored on Alcatraz. Perhaps the Navy have taken custody of it and will let us use it. We'll have to ask them. There could be logs and charts aboard that would tell us where the island is specifically. We can also try good old Radio Direction Finding. If we sail or fly around the area and take readings from multiple locations, I can triangulate and locate it. There is that jamming device, but if we keep our distance it won't affect our readings, and I might be able to counter it."

[jp1885]

“Failing that, we could pack our bags for Hawaii and see what we can discover nearer the spot,” Tony suggests. “I’m sure I could spring for a couple of airline tickets.”

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

It takes several days for all the government red tape to clear, but eventually the investigators are designated as a special non-governmental operative team , due their recent strange experiences. (There's some haggling between the Impossible Missions Force and the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement over whose auspices the team will be working under. Due to the international nature of the members of the team, the latter wins out.)

The team is given instructions on how to operate the zeppelin, which turns out to be fairly simple to operate, given several automated controls. It is luxuriously appointed for a small number of passengers. Despite its small size, it's not a whole lot faster that the giant ones of yesterday. It takes a couple of weeks to reach the island, whose location is listed in the vessel's log.

Hovering over the island, all seems quiet below. Like many islands in this part of the world, it consists of a volcano, currently dormant, as far as one can tell. The caldera of the volcano is now a solid plain of hardened lava, and the only obvious place one could land the zeppelin; the rest of the island is covered with foliage.

[Mr. Handy]

"Looks like we'll have to set down on the caldera," says Liz. "We'll need to use climbing gear to get down to the jungle and back." She has dressed for the tropics, knowing that it would be warm here, wearing a leopard print minidress, with a bikini underneath in case swimming will be necessary.

[SunlessNick]

Zara spends the approach seeing and memorising every landmark she can. (This is probably the only chance she'll get to dress like a jungle girl, so she'll follow Liz's lead, but tiger-striped rather than leopard print).

[jp1885]

Tony spends more time admiring the girls’ outfits than the view, but still finds a little time to coordinate his light blue safari suit with a khaki slouch hat (brim turned up on one side) and a paisley cravat.

“Indeed, time for a rumble in the jungle, what?” he declares, swishing a machete rakishly.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Upon landing, it can be seen that the caldera is not completely dormant, although solid enough to permit walking on a firm surface of volcanic stone. Here and there steam emerges from a fumarole. Nothing grows on this comparatively recently formed land. The only clue of life is the sight of a few seabirds flying overhead. On all sides, the walls of the caldera rise high above the heads of the investigators.

[SunlessNick]

"Which way, do you think?" Zara says. "I didn't see anything artificial."

[jp1885]

“Hmm,” Tony squints up at the basalt walls around them. “I suppose we should find a way over or through these walls. We should have a good view of the island if we can see out. There’s bound to be smoke or other such signs of life.”

With that said, he marches off to poke around the walls.

[Mr. Handy]

"Looks like the only way is up," says Liz, following. She has a machete too, though it remains in a sheath on her belt. She also wears a pith helmet.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Spoiler:

DEX rolls Liz = 12, Zara = 13, Tony = 14[dice]0[/dice]

The frequent light, warm rains that occur here have made the walls of the caldera somewhat slippery. Liz, in particular, finds herself at a spot where the slick rock is impossible to climb, although she nearly makes it. Zara scrambles up like a pro, while Tony makes it to the top of the wall efficiently, if not with quite so much ease.

Spoiler:

Zara INT and WIs both 11, +1 Perception = 12[dice]1[/dice]

From her current position, Zara can easily see that a small lake lies to the north, surrounded by banana, coconut, and breadfruit trees. With her keen eye for details, she can tell that the lake is fed by a large number of rivulets running down the sides of the volcano, obviously fed by rainwater, so that it must contain fresh water (and is not, say, just a lagoon.)

Spoiler:

Tony WIS is highest = 11 + 3 sharp eyes = 14[dice]2[/dice]

Equally perceptive, Tony is able to detect a cultivated field to the west, which appears to be designed to grow root crops such as taro and cassava.

There are, as of yet, no signs of the inhabitants of this island in either of these two directions.

[jp1885]

Assuming Tony's reserves of wealth have provided them with the latest climbing gear, the detective plays down a rope so that Liz can climb up to join him and Zara.

"I see a cultivated field to the west, but no active signs of life," he declares.

[Mr. Handy]

"Cheers," says Liz when Tony lowers the rope to help her climb up and join him. "It's good that we've located a source of fresh water for when we need to refill our canteens, as well as food, but I think we need to check out that cultivated field first. That's a sure sign of civilisation."

[SunlessNick]

Assuming Tony's reserves of wealth have provided them with the latest climbing gear, the detective plays down a rope so that Zara can climb up to join him and Liz.

Hey!

"I see a cultivated field to the west, but no active signs of life," he declares.

"And fresh water there," Zara adds. "They must live near one or the other."

OOC:   Does the Island of Doctor Moreau exist as a novel in this setting?