The PC's are approached by one Kakal Heavypurse (middleaged, overweight,well dressed and bejewed, upset). He is a succesful merchant based in Pavis with many investments including a small (three) merchant fleet based at Corflu with interests ranging the lenth of the S. Genertelan coast. His daughter, Mirand, runs this operation on the ground and often accopanies these trading ventures. Last year she met a Sir Kalgern of the Du Temerine's of Notchet and despite objections from his family, they fell in love and were on their back to be married in Pavis.
A week ago they were hit by a storm and thier accopanying ship saw them run aground and their ship dashed to pieces on an island known as the Isle of lost Souls. Divinations seem confirm that Mirand is dead although they are far from clear - a fact that a distraught Kakal has seized upon. He wants to hire the party and bring back Mirand alive if possible or is dead then for decent burial.
The Isle of lost souls is a small ( approx 2km x 0.5 km) rocky island, about
5 key miles out from Defenders Shore and the center a long and treacherous
reef that has claimed many lives. During the Second Age the Jrustelli built
a small outpost here called Shellholm. This survived the destruction of the
Empire continued as a tiny and secritive God Learner enclave all the way to
the Closing. The Closing was catastrophic for the Isle which survived
almost entirely on food harvested from the sea. Within a few weeks the
entire population was dead and the last to die was a bitter mage called
Canastus. Canastus, raging against his fate, cursed the island and all who
came near it.
The effects of this curse are that anyone who dies on the Island or the
reefs will return as ghosts to haunt its rocky shores. Many of these
unfortunates have gone insane. Anyone wandering the island will find
themselves attacked by these mad ghosts.
Local sailors will avoid the island both the reefs and because of dire
rumours - hence the name the Isle of Lost souls. Many have survived a ship
wreck only find themselves stranded on this haunted rock without hope of
rescue.
There are the remains of two villages on the island - Shellholme and Fishhaven. Shellholme is the larger of two and has the easiest harbour for the PC's to approach and beach their boat in. The small, squat granite cottages look almost intact from outside but inside most perishables have rotted away and the remains of villagers can sometimes be found. PC's will find themselves harried by insane ghosts.
The center of the island is a coverd in a thicket, the small trees stunted by the saline soil and twisted by the sea wind. Three sane but malicious ghosts haunt this area - Vormainian Pirates who are desperate to seize a live body and flee this place and prey on the seas once more.
Fishhaven is even smaller but otherwise similar it Shellholme. While here the party are approached by a ghost. Appearing to be around 60, and smartly dressed, he introduces himself as Maltar Tojonsman (he has been saving his last rune spell- mindlink- for just this chance), valet to a Tojon the welltravelled of Pavis. He met his end while delivering news of Tojon's wife's death of a fevour in Karse and her last letter to her husband. He beseaches the PC's to deliver the news and letter to his master. The letter is nearby on Maltars rag hung bleached skeleton. Protected in a stout leather scoll case, the letter is dated 1581 - all the relevant parties are long dead but Maltar does not realise this and will be very upset if he is told.
Not far from Fishaven stands Cornastas's tower. Built in classic 3 story Jrustelli fasion, it is guarded by a bizzare sorcerous creation of Cornatas's (huge and bearlike with a sickly mauve coat and a frightningly human face, it's left arm ends in a long, wickedly sharp and slightly curved bony projection). He informs visters that "the Master is not in just now, please come back later" and will fight anyone who tries to force entry. Inside the tower, along with some minor magical loot, the PC's find the dairy of Cornastas's last days. By the very end he was quite clealy insane. The dairy explains the curse.
Near the tower the party will be drawn by the sound of weeping. On a pebbly beach the semi-transparant ghost of a striking raven haried young woman (matching a small portrait of Mirand that Kakal supplies the PC's with) sits crying in utter despair. When disturbed, she begs the party find the body of her fiance, Sir Kalgern, and bury her body (nearby) next to his. If the PC's refuse, she tries to possess on of them and do the job herself.
The wreck of the ship in which lies Kalgerns remains lies around 500 yrds
along the coral ridge running out from the island and around 15 ft below the
surface of the sea. While the PC's search amoung the wreckage a shark turns
up but does
not attack unless severely provoked (should be good for a laught tho!).
When the body is found and brought ashore Kalgerns ghosts appeares and has
an emotional reunion with Mirand. When the bodies are taken off the island
the ghost fade away thanking the PC's. On returning the bodies to Pavis
Kakal's greif is tempered by an account of this story.
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