Years ago, fearsome pirate lord Nevem Rimestone hid a hefty load of treasure on a deserted island amidst a lush tropical archipelago. Having come from the frozen north he loved the green trees and persistent warmth of the islands despite the occasional monsoons and the obvious inherent danger of piracy. Rimestone and his crew, in an act of suicidal daring, ambushed a heavily laden galley called Spectrosis that was transporting valuable magical items and art pieces meant to sell at an auction upon arrival at their destination. The sorcerers guarding the Spectrosis did not take the ambush lying down, and in the end almost all of Rimestone’s crew lay dead. Worse still, Rimestone’s own sloop Frostlight was damaged severely and sunk before he finally claimed the now hobbled galley as his own.
With barely any crew, and the galley severely damaged from the battle, Nevem Rimestone knew his treasure would not be safe while he made his way to port for repairs. The Spectrosis anchored near a small island and left the treasure behind, hidden beneath a massive and hollow stone statue they discovered left by the island’s long dead prior inhabitants. A hollow statue now inhabited by a massive hermit crab called “The Great Head That Speaks With Rumbles.”
The islands were once home to a civilization of peoples that worshipped the volcano spirits and sea gods that conspired to form the land, but alas, some calamity or famine has since extinguished their line, leaving nothing but the stone monuments they carved and built from lava rock left behind after the islands’ formation. The archipelago today is inhabited by roaming pirates, smugglers who use the atolls and coves as hideouts, and various monsters and creatures that find the land suitable for habitation long term.
One such group is a colony of leshies that are rather new to the islands, having only recently arrived after an ancestor’s seed spore floating along the ocean breeze took root at the base of a massive stone carving left to weather for ages… the very same statue that Nevem Rimestone decided was a suitable hiding place for his treasure.
Navigating the island is tricky due to thick undergrowth, steep cliffs, and an overall marshy environment. Consider using the following random encounter table to flesh out exploration while your players hunt for Rimestone’s lost treasure.
New colony of leshies have inhabited the island recently, and have begun worshipping a huge hermit crab as a strange silent god; they’ve taken to calling the crab “The Great Head That Speaks with Rumbles.”
Leshies are immortal spirits of nature, temporarily granted physical form. From the Pathfinder 2E: Lost Omens Character Guide:
“Leshies are as varied as the material used to create their vessels, usually appearing as a bizarre mishmash of various plants or fungi. Their bodies are vaguely humanoid in shape, with numerous characteristics of the plant or fungus from which they were made. A typical leshy is about 3 feet tall.”
They act as guardians and emissaries, ensuring that the needs of their environment are protected and met. The community here was formed by a Seed Leshy floating by on a breeze. They saw the island was devoid of protectors and awoke a pineapple bush to be the area’s primary caretaker. The bush, now known as Sprouts First Before The Sun, has expanded the community, calling forth additional spirits to help it guide the island’s prosperity. Sprouts First has named the little spirit village From The Sky in honor of the leshy that awakened them. Sprouts First is gregarious and tends to gossip, excited to meet newcomers and let them know the right way to care for the island: “No trampling! No spitting! Try the fruit!”
The other leshies in the community are:
The Great Head That Speaks with Rumbles is a huge hermit crab that has taken up residence in the giant stone head left behind by the island’s former residents. Originally carved in the likeness of the sea-orc Chieftain Mannahep, it has been exposed to the elements for so long that it is only vaguely recognizable as a likeness of a fearsome looking humanoid with an angry expression. Furthermore, the ground beneath the head where Rimestone dug to bury his treasure chest vents warm air from a geothermal pocket that the crab particularly enjoys resting upon.
The leshies know the creature within the head to be a grumpy, hungry personality that is incapable of normal language. Due to its immense size, impressive rumbling and impact on the ecosystem around it, they worship the head as a powerful force of nature, akin to a god. Adventurers who speak to the leshies are forewarned about the Great Head’s grumpiness, and are encouraged to walk very quietly and to take offerings with them.
The hermit crab is picky about what kind of offerings are brought to it, and what sort of behaviour it accepts in its presence. Any attempt to forcefully move the head, damage it, or alter it is met with extreme violence. Loud noises or other disruptions that would awaken the hermit crab abruptly are met with a quick snap of the claws before the crab huddles under the head, remaining there until forcefully disturbed, refusing all further offerings or interactions until the next morning.
The leshies aren’t sure why the crab likes some things and not others, and can’t give much more advice about it’s preferences than “It doesn’t refuse food.” However, the crab’s true love is for shiny, glittery objects. If offered a gemstone, the crab excitedly picks it up in it’s small claw and fondles it, examining the way the light glitters before hiding it away in its shell. Clever adventurers could use this knowledge to lure the crab away from the mound where the treasure is buried, albeit temporarily.
If combat with the crab breaks out, it fights until reduced to 25% of its maximum hit points, and then hides within its shell until the giant head is broken or destroyed, or until it recovers to full health the next morning. (You could optionally warn your party: “Adventurers should keep in mind that if they kill the crab, the leshies of From the Sky village will be very upset.”)
The best treasure is always treasure that suits your party, but here are a few items that may be among Nevem’s hoard:
