Flamerule 17-18
Weather has been dry but warmer and windy, it takes us a day to sail to Darkwater Promontory. Aramil guides us safely and quickly to our destination, and we spot localized storm clouds. Another ship is drawing nearby, a caravel we know as The Cutlass, old rivals captained by Zan, a half-elf woman, who have beat us out of jobs before. Captain Bril believes that their half-orc first mate was the one following us in Raven's Bluff.
The Promontory is a tall black rock rising up about 60 feet, and there is an island with a small beach, swampy areas and small patches of forest. Aramil begins plotting a course around the whirlpool to get us to the island safely, and Abdul-Hafiz, informed that they aren't natural, offers advice on magical effects like the whirlpool. Aramil offers up prayers to Umberlee, but merely succeeds in getting her attention. Captain Bril tries to inspire the crew, and quickly begins lying to them in order to do so, but is less than convincing. The crew thinks we're going to die. Aramil steps onto the quarterdeck and begins offering up historical stories of success at sea, privateers overcoming the worst that Umbrelee could throw at them, which calms the crew somewhat. This allows Captain Bril to inspire the crew to action, as the ship begins plowing into the storm.
Captain Bril steers us into the storm, and we list into one of the whirlpools. As Breck calls out directions to escape it's pull, Reginald jumps quickly to the other side of the ship, giving orders, fastening the rigging and pulling the sails to get us out of the whirlpool. We land on the shore, somewhat roughly but successfully. Abdul-Hafiz leads the work gang that pulls the ship further off the beach so that it doesn't overturn when the tide goes out. Captain Bril orders the crew to make repairs while we're on land, and to signal us with sunrods if someone comes to board the ship. Aramil uses Nature to find a path to the Promontory, and Reginald sees a thatched hut nearby, causing him to tell Captain Bril that he believes the island might be inhabited.
Breck quietly sneaks over to the hut to scout it out, and she finds a nasty-smelling village full of Bullywugs. It looks like they've eaten some of the sailors that washed up on the beach, and they're chanting something which we can't identify as a major pantheon. Breck leads Abdul-Hafiz up, since he can understand Primordial (which they are speaking) and determine if they are casting a ritual to influence the storm. He doesn't believe it's a ritual, but examines the pictures they're drawing in the sand. Abdul-Hafiz recalls that Makthuum Ngtha is associated with the Far Realm. Breck reports back and, with urging from Abdul-Hafiz and Reginald, they decide to sneak up to join him and then ambush the Bullywugs.
Reginald mutters his Oath of Enmity quietly, selecting the Bullywug Mud Lord for holy vengeance. Aramil moves into position to see the targets. Breck runs out of the woods, charging one of the Bullywugs for 21 hp, bloodying him. Bril charges in next to him and attacks the same Bullywug for 3 hp. Abdul-Hafiz charges over and attacks the same Bullywug, but he misses.
Reginald moves forward and launches Radiant Vengeance on the Bullywug Mud Lord for 5 hp and gains 4 temporary hp. Aramil launches his Orb Master's Incendiary detonation, catching most of the Bullywugs in it for 6 hp and knocking them prone. Breck tries to use King's Castle on a downed Bullywug, but misses. That Bullywug stands and launches a spasmodic hop, flipping behind Breck and Abdul-Hafiz, and another next to the Mud Lord does the same, flanking Breck, and one of them hits her. Bril uses his vicious mockery on the downed and bloodied Bullywug, ending his life with a series of insults. Bullywug Muckers come to attack Abdul-Hafiz for 6 hp. Bullywug Mud Lord moves out of the fire, comes out next to Reginald and belches electricity at Reginald, Bril and Breck as well as one of the Bullywug Twitchers. Bril dodges, but the others all take 10 hp and dazes them. Abdul-Hafiz uses his Sword of Sigils to attack two Muckers and a Twitcher, missing the Twitcher, and then uses an action point to Sword Burst, hitting the other Mucker, and he has bloodied both of them. He places his Aegis of Shielding on the Twitcher.
Reginald attacks the Mud Lord with Aspect of Might, nearly killing him. He uses an action point to use Shared Madness on the other Twitcher for 14 hp, bloodying him and killing the Mud Lord as a secondary effect, and then saves against daze. Aramil moves into the bushes and fires Thunder Wave at Abdul-Hafiz (miss) and three of the Bullywugs for 9 hp, pushing the two Muckers into the fire zone. Breck shifts back away from the Bullywugs and saves against daze. Twitcher shifts back into the fire, the other one moves away, taking 2 hp from Abdul-Hafiz, and they both miss with javelins thrown at Abdul-Hafiz. Bril moves into the fire to attack the Twitcher with his rapier and misses. One of the Muckers takes fire damage, charges Bril, jumping onto him with a Bullywug rush and knocking them both prone for 12 hp, bloodying Bril, but Abdul-Hafiz's mark kills the Mucker. The other Mucker shifts out of the fire and attacks Abdul-Hafiz, missing. Abdul-Hafiz marks the bloodied Twitcher, uses Frostwind blade to kill the remaining Mucker and wound that Twitcher, then he moves over next to the other Twitcher.
Infused with holy energy, Reginald rushes over and flanks the Twitcher with Abdul-Hafiz and kills it with a critical Bond of Pursuit attack. Aramil strides into the flames and attacks the Twitcher with illusory magic, but it resists the effect. Breck takes his second wind. The last Twitcher moves away from Bril, drawing an AOO for 2 hp, and then he hurls a javelin at Abdul-Hafiz with a crit for 9 hp. Bril uses Majestic Word on Breck, removing her bloodied condition. Abdul-Hafiz rushes over to the Twitcher and hits him with a crit, killing him.
After a brief rest, we head deeper into the island. Some of us notice that Aramil and Bril are sinking into quicksand. We throw them ropes, but they exhaust themselves pulling out of the quicksand. We all carry a rope between us, and despite Abdul-Hafiz's insistence that quicksand is everywhere, Reginald keeps us free of any further traps. As we move into a clearing, we can see that the Cutlass is pulling around near the other shore, with torn sails, and they are have not yet reached the island. We begin climbing the hill, and Aramil and Reginald slip, taking some damage on the way up.
As we reach the top of the point, we are sixty feet above the ground and can view the entire island. Reginald sees another ship on the island, and Captain Bril looks through his spyglass and believes it to be a larger pirate ship. Neither Aramil nor Breck sense any spell plague nearby, despite what they were told about the area, but he does spot defensive wards that have broken. Hewn rock stairs lead down into the island. Abdul-Hafiz prepares a sunrod, but Captain Bril, with his darkvision, leads the way. Breck reveals his spellscar when he activates his Sight of the Unseen spell-scarred ability, leading Aramil to tell him "We need to talk."
The ceiling features an elaborate planetarium covered in moss and lichen, and kobold bodies are strewn about the floor, with crabs chewing on them. Abdul-Hafiz scoops up some crabs in a bag, and they begin shrieking, so he slams them into the wall to quiet them. When he sees that they are mottled and cancerous, he dumps them out onto the floor and lights up his sunrod. Reginald doesn't find any signs of injury on them other than the crabs, it looks like they died of natural causes. There are more stairs spiraling down, and doors on the south and west face. Aramil determines that these constellations don't belong to modern-day Faerun, suggesting that they are very old or belong to a different culture.
Sunday, June 06, 2010
Wyvern's Wake Recap 1: How bold? Kobold.
Flamerule 13 - Flamerule 17
Bringing wine from Aglarond all the way up to Vesperin. It is cooling down, and is dry, only a few clouds in the sky, calm winds making us go a bit slow.
We find destroyed Cormyr ships, pull up some provisions floating on the surface and give them to our cook. We weigh anchor and send a boat to the rocky outcropping. Aramil uses the captain's spyglass to determine that the sailors on the outcropping are Cormyrean navy, and determines that there are pirates in the water. It looks like a pirate vs. Cormyr navy engagement.
We take a skiff out to the rocky outcropping, and a small, rust-colored ship emerges from cover manned by kobolds. We make for the island, with Breck and Abdul-Hafix rowing somewhat ineffectively. They fire a ball of pitch from their catapult, which misses us, but sends Bril into the water, where sharks nip at him. Aramil creates the ghost sound of the rowboat being hit and destroyed to try and draw the kobolds in. Abdul-Hafiz knocks the sharks away from Bril, allowing him to climb onto the shore.
Breck climbs aboard the island stealthily, keeping the 20 foot peak between herself and the kobolds. Bril brings the boat around to keep it hidden from the kobolds and draws his crossbow. Reginald runs across the island, staying behind the rocky hills. Aramil climbs up onto the 20 foot peak and stays down, trying to avoid being seen. Abdul-Hafiz climbs to the 10 foot level and draws his scimitar. The kobolds pull alongside the island, one of them may have seen Aramil.
Breck throws a dagger with a Deft Strike at one of the kobolds for 13 hp. Bril runs up to the shore to stand behind Breck and shouts out "Rock stranded sailors! Swim to us and gain passage if we live!" Reginald does a flip onto the ship. Aramil holds out his orb of imposition and creates an explosion of flame at the base of their foremast against three kobold sailors, hitting all three of them for 8 hp, bloodying the wounded one. Abdul-Hafiz summons the winds and flies over, landing in the midst of the flame.
Breck leaps onto the ship and uses Riposte Strike on another kobold for 19 hp, bloodying him. Kobold wyrmpriest sends a drake into the air and throws a fiery orb at Abdul-Hafiz for 6 hp. Bril uses vicious mockery on the wyrmpriest, calling out "You height-cursed vermin, if you were a foot taller I'd piss in your face!" Reginald moves up next to the wyrmpriest and calls out his oath of enmity on him, and attacks him with Bond of Pursuit, but he misses. Aramil stands, and with the sea breeze wafting his hair dramatically, he uses illusory ambush on the drake, but he misses, uses his action point to try again and misses again. Abdul-Hafiz uses sword burst to kill one of the bloodied kobolds, wounding the other one. The other wounded one tries to flee and takes an AOO from Abdul-Hafiz. They both move out of the fire and attack Reginald, one of them hits and bloodies him. The kobolds try to release their dogs, but they won't come up into the flame.
Breck uses Riposte Strike on the marked kobold for 13 hp, bloodying him. Kobold wyrmpriest waves his staff, healing them and letting them shift away from our heroes, then breathes fire on Reginald (miss) and Breck and the bloodied kobold for 12 hp, re-bloodying him. Bril climbs up, casts majestic word on Breck and she is not bloodied anymore, then uses stirring shout on the wyrmpriest, but misses as the explosion of pitch causes his words to be lost. Reginald hits the wyrmpriest for 14 hp, gaining hit points from Bril's stirring shout and promises to follow him if he tries to escape. Aramil draws upon his sun elf heritage to teleport to the top of the wyrmpriest's cabin, summons thunderwave on wyrmpriest and marked kobold, but spends an action point to do it again, knocking the marked kobold off the ship, where he grabs onto the edge, and the fire goes out. Abdul-Hafiz draws an AOO from kobold for 9 hp, moves aegis onto wyrmpriest, then uses frostwind blade to hit the bloodied kobold who hit him, and the burst of frost from the wind bloodies the wyrmpriest. One kobold climbs back up and attacks Breck, dodging her riposte strike but missing her, the other kobold hits her for 4 hp. Dogs burst from underneath the deck, drawing AOOs from Breck, and she kills two of the four. The other two bite at Breck for 8 hp.
Breck moves to flank bloodied kobold with Abdul-Hafiz, dealing 14 hp and leaving him just barely standing. The wyrmpriest tries to jump onto the boat, and Reginald crits him with an AOO thanks to his oath of enmity, and he falls into the water, but avoids being eaten by sharks and clambers onto the small boat alongside. Bril gives another Majestic Word on Breck, healing her almost to full, then uses vicious mockery on one of the dogs, killing it. Reginald leaps onto the edge of the boat, balancing on the tip, attacks the wyrmpriest with Focused Fury. Aramil uses illusory ambush on wyrmpriest and misses. Abdul-Hafiz runs down, drawing AOO from kobold and dog, but kills both of them with a Sword Burst. Remaining kobold hits me, pushing him down the stairs, unconscious. Breck quickly avenges him, taking out the last kobold as he tries to jump, then she moves down below and sees a kobold dog keeper filling a bucket off water, she tries to heal Abdul-Hafiz but can't quite wake him up.
The wyrmpriest tries to row and throw Reginald off the boat, knocking him slightly off-balance but he stays on board. Bril runs up onto the ship to use vicious mockery on the wyrmpriest, killing him, orders someone to grab the dog handler. Reginald starts rowing back to the boat, gets to the deck. Aramil uses a gangplank to make a bridge to the island, uses a light spell belowdecks to help with healing. Abdul-Hafiz makes his death save.
Breck tries to stabilize Abdul-Hafiz and gives him his second wind. Bril shouts for the dog keeper to surrender and come with us, and he does so, and Bril orders him to "take me to the captain's hoard." Abdul-Hafiz runs off the ship using Aramil's gangplank. Bril and Breck take the treasure off the ship. Reginald picks up the Cormyrean sailors with the rowboat, and we all head back to the Wyvern's Wake.
The Cormyreans are suspicious of the Drow captain. LJ asks Breck about the treasure chest in Bril's quarters. Bril offers a cask of wine to the crew if they'll get us to our destination on time, then goes to try and make diplomatic overtures to the Cormyrean sailors. The sailors resist his overtures, and he puts Reginald in charge of them for the duration when he expresses concern. LJ and Breck go into the captain's cabin to try and pick the lock on the chest, and they just barely succeed in avoiding the poison trap. LJ steals 5 gp, but Breck resists, leaving 47 gp, a magical amulet and a tome featuring dissected sea creatures.
Later on, Breck "unlocks" the chest for the captain. The amulet of protection +1 goes to Abdul-Hafiz, the tome appears to have anatomy of Sahaugin, Kuo-Toa and other sea creatures. Reginald spends time ministering to the Cormyrean sailors, who worship Torm and appreciate his help, and ask why they're sailing with a drow captain.
Reginald learns that this was a major action to trap pirates, and several of their ships left in pursuit of the pirates. It was a pitched battle and several Cormyrean vessels were lost in the attack. Abdul-Hafiz and Bril play good cop-bad cop with the kobold dog keeper, and we decide, after some debate, to set him on an island with a dagger and a week's worth of food, according to the code of the sea. We sail for three days to reach Raven's Bluff, arriving on 16 Flamerule.
We arrive at the dock, where we have a contact to meet named Kurt Longstride. Raven's Bluff is a very cosmopolitan city, with many races, and Aramil knows that there are entrances to the Underdark, causing him to warn that there is danger, but much opportunity here. LJ and Breck go to gamble, with Reginald as their chaperone. Abdul-Hafiz draws 21 GP from the ship's treasury to send back home, but first he goes with Aramil and Bril to meet Longstride.
Longstride has a dragonborn bodyguard, we meet Longstride, a human with five o'clock shadow and a happy demeanor. The "burst" barrel we gave to the crew causes him to try and dock 40 Gp from our 200 GP price, but Bril negotiates it down, trying to sell "stains" on the ship unsuccessfully but getting us 190 GP and an offer of another job.
Longstride tells us about a Daleship that intercepted the kobold ship that was notified by the bird messenger. He tells us about Darkwater Promontory, a relatively obscure landmark not far from where we were, which is a big tower of rock that was hit by Cormyrean War Wizards, opening up some sort of site. The kobold scavenger ship went there and saw something they wanted, possibly some kind of magical relic. They believe it had something to do with the Spellplague. Longstride works for Lady Nessa, a rising merchant dabbling in spellcraft. Longstride denies us a meeting with Lady Nessa. Captain Bril offers him 30% as a "Finder's Fee" for bringing him the relic. He counter-offers 40%, and Bril asks for provisions to outfit the ship so we can leave tomorrow, and we get to meet Lady Nessa when we get back with the item.
Abdul-Hafiz meets Assam with his 21 gp. He gives me sad news Shelim al-Cador, that the last two caravans of freed slaves have gone missing. Abdul-Hafiz uses history to try and help them find a safer route for future caravans. Captain Bril finds the gamblers, and LJ has gambled and cheated his way to 10 gp. They believe they are being shadowed, but don't spot them, and LJ and Breck agree to help check the streets for information on the relic during the night. They find out a little bit about the Darkwater Promontory, are warned to watch out for the strange weather. Reginald befriends the Cormyrean sailor Ensign Lormac, and then returns to the ship, where he delivers an effective sermon to motivate the crew.
Abdul-Hafiz secure ropes and pulleys, along with provisions, for the trip. Captain Bril goes looking for local theaters to do some research for his bardic trades, and he finds some naughty entertainment. We sail on the morning of Flamerule 17.
Bringing wine from Aglarond all the way up to Vesperin. It is cooling down, and is dry, only a few clouds in the sky, calm winds making us go a bit slow.
We find destroyed Cormyr ships, pull up some provisions floating on the surface and give them to our cook. We weigh anchor and send a boat to the rocky outcropping. Aramil uses the captain's spyglass to determine that the sailors on the outcropping are Cormyrean navy, and determines that there are pirates in the water. It looks like a pirate vs. Cormyr navy engagement.
We take a skiff out to the rocky outcropping, and a small, rust-colored ship emerges from cover manned by kobolds. We make for the island, with Breck and Abdul-Hafix rowing somewhat ineffectively. They fire a ball of pitch from their catapult, which misses us, but sends Bril into the water, where sharks nip at him. Aramil creates the ghost sound of the rowboat being hit and destroyed to try and draw the kobolds in. Abdul-Hafiz knocks the sharks away from Bril, allowing him to climb onto the shore.
Breck climbs aboard the island stealthily, keeping the 20 foot peak between herself and the kobolds. Bril brings the boat around to keep it hidden from the kobolds and draws his crossbow. Reginald runs across the island, staying behind the rocky hills. Aramil climbs up onto the 20 foot peak and stays down, trying to avoid being seen. Abdul-Hafiz climbs to the 10 foot level and draws his scimitar. The kobolds pull alongside the island, one of them may have seen Aramil.
Breck throws a dagger with a Deft Strike at one of the kobolds for 13 hp. Bril runs up to the shore to stand behind Breck and shouts out "Rock stranded sailors! Swim to us and gain passage if we live!" Reginald does a flip onto the ship. Aramil holds out his orb of imposition and creates an explosion of flame at the base of their foremast against three kobold sailors, hitting all three of them for 8 hp, bloodying the wounded one. Abdul-Hafiz summons the winds and flies over, landing in the midst of the flame.
Breck leaps onto the ship and uses Riposte Strike on another kobold for 19 hp, bloodying him. Kobold wyrmpriest sends a drake into the air and throws a fiery orb at Abdul-Hafiz for 6 hp. Bril uses vicious mockery on the wyrmpriest, calling out "You height-cursed vermin, if you were a foot taller I'd piss in your face!" Reginald moves up next to the wyrmpriest and calls out his oath of enmity on him, and attacks him with Bond of Pursuit, but he misses. Aramil stands, and with the sea breeze wafting his hair dramatically, he uses illusory ambush on the drake, but he misses, uses his action point to try again and misses again. Abdul-Hafiz uses sword burst to kill one of the bloodied kobolds, wounding the other one. The other wounded one tries to flee and takes an AOO from Abdul-Hafiz. They both move out of the fire and attack Reginald, one of them hits and bloodies him. The kobolds try to release their dogs, but they won't come up into the flame.
Breck uses Riposte Strike on the marked kobold for 13 hp, bloodying him. Kobold wyrmpriest waves his staff, healing them and letting them shift away from our heroes, then breathes fire on Reginald (miss) and Breck and the bloodied kobold for 12 hp, re-bloodying him. Bril climbs up, casts majestic word on Breck and she is not bloodied anymore, then uses stirring shout on the wyrmpriest, but misses as the explosion of pitch causes his words to be lost. Reginald hits the wyrmpriest for 14 hp, gaining hit points from Bril's stirring shout and promises to follow him if he tries to escape. Aramil draws upon his sun elf heritage to teleport to the top of the wyrmpriest's cabin, summons thunderwave on wyrmpriest and marked kobold, but spends an action point to do it again, knocking the marked kobold off the ship, where he grabs onto the edge, and the fire goes out. Abdul-Hafiz draws an AOO from kobold for 9 hp, moves aegis onto wyrmpriest, then uses frostwind blade to hit the bloodied kobold who hit him, and the burst of frost from the wind bloodies the wyrmpriest. One kobold climbs back up and attacks Breck, dodging her riposte strike but missing her, the other kobold hits her for 4 hp. Dogs burst from underneath the deck, drawing AOOs from Breck, and she kills two of the four. The other two bite at Breck for 8 hp.
Breck moves to flank bloodied kobold with Abdul-Hafiz, dealing 14 hp and leaving him just barely standing. The wyrmpriest tries to jump onto the boat, and Reginald crits him with an AOO thanks to his oath of enmity, and he falls into the water, but avoids being eaten by sharks and clambers onto the small boat alongside. Bril gives another Majestic Word on Breck, healing her almost to full, then uses vicious mockery on one of the dogs, killing it. Reginald leaps onto the edge of the boat, balancing on the tip, attacks the wyrmpriest with Focused Fury. Aramil uses illusory ambush on wyrmpriest and misses. Abdul-Hafiz runs down, drawing AOO from kobold and dog, but kills both of them with a Sword Burst. Remaining kobold hits me, pushing him down the stairs, unconscious. Breck quickly avenges him, taking out the last kobold as he tries to jump, then she moves down below and sees a kobold dog keeper filling a bucket off water, she tries to heal Abdul-Hafiz but can't quite wake him up.
The wyrmpriest tries to row and throw Reginald off the boat, knocking him slightly off-balance but he stays on board. Bril runs up onto the ship to use vicious mockery on the wyrmpriest, killing him, orders someone to grab the dog handler. Reginald starts rowing back to the boat, gets to the deck. Aramil uses a gangplank to make a bridge to the island, uses a light spell belowdecks to help with healing. Abdul-Hafiz makes his death save.
Breck tries to stabilize Abdul-Hafiz and gives him his second wind. Bril shouts for the dog keeper to surrender and come with us, and he does so, and Bril orders him to "take me to the captain's hoard." Abdul-Hafiz runs off the ship using Aramil's gangplank. Bril and Breck take the treasure off the ship. Reginald picks up the Cormyrean sailors with the rowboat, and we all head back to the Wyvern's Wake.
The Cormyreans are suspicious of the Drow captain. LJ asks Breck about the treasure chest in Bril's quarters. Bril offers a cask of wine to the crew if they'll get us to our destination on time, then goes to try and make diplomatic overtures to the Cormyrean sailors. The sailors resist his overtures, and he puts Reginald in charge of them for the duration when he expresses concern. LJ and Breck go into the captain's cabin to try and pick the lock on the chest, and they just barely succeed in avoiding the poison trap. LJ steals 5 gp, but Breck resists, leaving 47 gp, a magical amulet and a tome featuring dissected sea creatures.
Later on, Breck "unlocks" the chest for the captain. The amulet of protection +1 goes to Abdul-Hafiz, the tome appears to have anatomy of Sahaugin, Kuo-Toa and other sea creatures. Reginald spends time ministering to the Cormyrean sailors, who worship Torm and appreciate his help, and ask why they're sailing with a drow captain.
Reginald learns that this was a major action to trap pirates, and several of their ships left in pursuit of the pirates. It was a pitched battle and several Cormyrean vessels were lost in the attack. Abdul-Hafiz and Bril play good cop-bad cop with the kobold dog keeper, and we decide, after some debate, to set him on an island with a dagger and a week's worth of food, according to the code of the sea. We sail for three days to reach Raven's Bluff, arriving on 16 Flamerule.
We arrive at the dock, where we have a contact to meet named Kurt Longstride. Raven's Bluff is a very cosmopolitan city, with many races, and Aramil knows that there are entrances to the Underdark, causing him to warn that there is danger, but much opportunity here. LJ and Breck go to gamble, with Reginald as their chaperone. Abdul-Hafiz draws 21 GP from the ship's treasury to send back home, but first he goes with Aramil and Bril to meet Longstride.
Longstride has a dragonborn bodyguard, we meet Longstride, a human with five o'clock shadow and a happy demeanor. The "burst" barrel we gave to the crew causes him to try and dock 40 Gp from our 200 GP price, but Bril negotiates it down, trying to sell "stains" on the ship unsuccessfully but getting us 190 GP and an offer of another job.
Longstride tells us about a Daleship that intercepted the kobold ship that was notified by the bird messenger. He tells us about Darkwater Promontory, a relatively obscure landmark not far from where we were, which is a big tower of rock that was hit by Cormyrean War Wizards, opening up some sort of site. The kobold scavenger ship went there and saw something they wanted, possibly some kind of magical relic. They believe it had something to do with the Spellplague. Longstride works for Lady Nessa, a rising merchant dabbling in spellcraft. Longstride denies us a meeting with Lady Nessa. Captain Bril offers him 30% as a "Finder's Fee" for bringing him the relic. He counter-offers 40%, and Bril asks for provisions to outfit the ship so we can leave tomorrow, and we get to meet Lady Nessa when we get back with the item.
Abdul-Hafiz meets Assam with his 21 gp. He gives me sad news Shelim al-Cador, that the last two caravans of freed slaves have gone missing. Abdul-Hafiz uses history to try and help them find a safer route for future caravans. Captain Bril finds the gamblers, and LJ has gambled and cheated his way to 10 gp. They believe they are being shadowed, but don't spot them, and LJ and Breck agree to help check the streets for information on the relic during the night. They find out a little bit about the Darkwater Promontory, are warned to watch out for the strange weather. Reginald befriends the Cormyrean sailor Ensign Lormac, and then returns to the ship, where he delivers an effective sermon to motivate the crew.
Abdul-Hafiz secure ropes and pulleys, along with provisions, for the trip. Captain Bril goes looking for local theaters to do some research for his bardic trades, and he finds some naughty entertainment. We sail on the morning of Flamerule 17.
Saturday, June 05, 2010
Game Schedule June - September
June 11th - No Gaming (Jamie, Ben, Paul out)
June 18th - No Gaming - Randy, Paul out of town
June 25th - No Gaming - Randy, Paul, Jamie & Joe out of town
July 2nd - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
July 9th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
July 16th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Jamie, Chris, Randy) - Need to end at 11:00
July 23rd - Wandering Wolves (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Nate, Paul or Dan)
July 30th - Wandering Wolves (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Nate, Paul)
August 6th - Wandering Wolves (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Nate, Paul)
August 13th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
August 20th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
August 27th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
September 3rd - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Nate, Paul, Dan)
September 10th - Tomb of Horror (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Nate, Paul, Dan)
September 17th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
September 24th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
June 18th - No Gaming - Randy, Paul out of town
June 25th - No Gaming - Randy, Paul, Jamie & Joe out of town
July 2nd - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
July 9th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
July 16th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Jamie, Chris, Randy) - Need to end at 11:00
July 23rd - Wandering Wolves (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Nate, Paul or Dan)
July 30th - Wandering Wolves (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Nate, Paul)
August 6th - Wandering Wolves (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Nate, Paul)
August 13th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
August 20th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
August 27th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
September 3rd - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Nate, Paul, Dan)
September 10th - Tomb of Horror (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Nate, Paul, Dan)
September 17th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
September 24th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
CoL Recap: Cultists in Stormhome
Dravago 27, YK 1000
We have repaired the ship and arrived at Stormhome. We are staying in Stormhome, but not at the resort.
Alain circulates amongst House tradesfolk asking around about dragonmarked individuals, and finds out they're more common in the villas. He recently saw a person in the port area last night getting off a rowing skiff, noticed that he was moving furtively and had some sort of dragonmark. Xau and Xiu hit the streets looking for information, but they're out of their element amongst the very wealthy. Torgen sits on a bench with Magnus to think, remembering our encounters with Brenner, and thinks that he is probably delivering something here, and that we need to be looking for where Brenner is going to meet his contact, or who is his contact.
Xau and Xiu decide to ask around about where a covert meeting might take place, there are docks where House Lyrandar magewrights work on airships and galleons. Underneath that dry dock, a dragonmarked Lyrandar heir is meeting with someone less important, so it is a good possibiilty. Magnus, with assistance from Alain, uses his knowledge of the underground, investigates the sewer system for easy covert entry and exit, and spots three such places in this district.
Xiu checks in with Drenna's message at Sivis, which is dated yesterday, "Brenner arrived Stormhome late last night. Currently in hiding near butcher's at intersection of Dragon & Lightning. On overwatch awaiting further instructions."
Xiu sneaks up to Drenna's hiding spot on the roof of a nearby tanner, spying on the butcher's shop. She finds out he has made one trip to the Sivis message station from the boat, and hasn't left the shop since. With assistance from the group, Magnus casts Thief's Lament on the butcher's shop, while Alain builds a pair of blinding bombs. Xau goes into the Sivis message station as Brenner, retrieves a message for him that says "Agreed. 10 PM. Plaza of the Three Mermaids. -Lord." We have about seven hours to plan. Xiu, with Xau and Magnus, forges a message from Sivis to Brenner, a perfect duplicate of the message that was sent. The message sends him under the dry dock at 8 PM.
Magnus goes to the area, claims to be on a mission for the captain of the Lightning's Fury, and sets a snare ritual. Xau poses as a half-elf in a cloak, but Brenner spots the snare and throws a dagger at Xau, starting the fight.
Xiu charges and pushes Brenner into the snare trap, triggering it and snaring Brenner. Torgen moves in and attacks Brenner, missing. Brenner stands, attacks Torgen and misses, saves and gets free of the snare. Xau crumples to the ground, Alain recognizes that chaos is flowing into him from the dagger in his side. Alain draws an AOO, is blinded, swings and misses with Greater Magic Weapon. Magnus comes in, hits him with a Kneebreaker, bloodying him and slowing him, spends an action point to use inexorable advance and knocks him out.
Torgen grasps the dagger in Xau, pulls it out and is in battle of wills with the dagger. Alain heals the chaos storm wound in Xau, who is stable but unconscious. Magnus grabs dagger sheathe from Brenner, slams it onto the dagger in Torgen's hand and tries to use nail of sealing, which explodes in reaction to the magic. Magnus searches Brenner's Deep Pocket Cloak and finds the sheathe for the dagger, a bolted and magically sealed coffer, and about 7,500 gp, which he turns into platinum using his magic box.
Xiu delivers Xau to House Jorasco, and he is put into their care. We wrap his Deep Pocket Cloak around the dagger, Magnus takes that and the box to House Kundarak and hides it in the sewer system, sending a Sivis message to House Kundarak with clues to its location. Torgen takes Brenner somewhere safe to stash him and leaves Drenna to guard him. Alain hires a Deneith protector to guard Xau and goes to meet him and Xiu at House Jorasco, but they have more than a little trouble convincing Xiu to leave Xau and go to the rendezvous with them. Finally Alain half-badgers half-convinces her by offering the help of Cannith in exchange for Xiu's help fighting "Lord."
Near the Three Mermaids fountain around 10 PM, Xiu and Alain are outside watching, Magnus and Torgen are in the nearby pub. We see someone moving up, he sees that Xiu is not Brenner and summons elementals using his dragonmark of storm, then summons cyclones.
Xiu attacks elemental for 23 hp, killing it, and uses her action point to use Wild Tumble Cut on Lord for 27 hp. Magnus runs out, kills the other elemental minion and summons his armor. Torgen runs out to confront huge Cyclone, finds out one of the "civilians" is armed, and attacks him for 17 hp, before Torgen attacks the Cyclone and misses. Alain recognizes the "civilians" as Stormfront Cultists, and he believes that "Lord" is Torval Enchiliost, head of the Storm Walkers, the cloak & dagger arm of Lyrandar during the war. Cultist fires at Xiu and hits her for 15 hp lightning whip, dragging her back away from Torval. Other Cultist hits Torgen, but can't slide him. Huge Cyclone draws AOO from Torgen, then uses storm burst on Alain and Magnus and misses them, moving next to Xiu. The other Large Cyclone attacks Xiu. Alain is caught in two auras, but moves up and fires flaming crossbow bolt at Torval, hitting him and igniting flame weapons for Magnus, Xiu and Alain.
Torval moves back, summons a Chillfire destroyer in the path. Xiu moves in on the Huge Cyclone and attacks him. Magnus attacks Huge Cyclone, activates Reign of Steel and uses come and get it on Chillfire Destroyer and Cultist, missing both. Torgen is fairly sure that when we smash the Chillfire Destroyer, it will explode. He runs up to the Huge Cyclone and summons Wrath of God. Cultist attacks Torgen with rapier and misses, other Storm Cultist moves up, fires his bow and misses. Huge Cyclone uses stormburst and hits Magnus, Torgen and Stormfront Cultist. Chillfire Destroyer misses Magnus. Alain uses Greater Magic Weapon on Cultist, bloodying him and giving magic weapon to Magnus and Torgen, then shifts away from Chillfire Destroyer.
Torval summons raging aura of electricity that hits Torgen, Magnus and Alain (crit). Xiu attacks Huge Cyclone with Rogue's Luck and bloodies it. Magnus shifts next to Chillfire Destroyer and Huge Cyclone, uses Thicket of Blades on both of them, bloodying the Chillfire and releasing its fire aura. Torgen lays hands on himself, moves up to Cyclone and Chillfire, swings and hits Cyclone. Cultist hits Alain with rapier, bloodying him. Magnus kills the Huge Cyclone with Reign of Steel, Large Cyclone uses stormburst, hitting Alain (crit) and knocking him out and also damaging Torgen and Magnus, then teleports next to Torgen, Magnus and Xiu. Chillfire attacks Magnus. Alain makes a 20 on death save with Rescuer from Magnus, is prone but awake.
Torval moves forward, casts earth rage spirit on Magnus and Torgen, knocking them prone and doing 23 thunder damage. Xiu drops her Brenner disguise to become an elf and handspring assaults Torval and moves behind him. Magnus attacks the Chillfire Destroyer and kills it, causing it to explode in flame and magma. Torgen uses Majestic Word to heal Alain up from bloodied, then lays hands on himself and attacks from prone against the Large Tornado. Stormfront Cultist attacks prone Alain with rapier, bloodying him again. Windfiend Fury (Large Tornado) takes Reign of Steel damage, attacks Magnus with lightning strike and misses. Chillfire Destroyer core explodes, missing Magnus and Alain, hitting Torgen and nearly killing him. Alain spends action point, stands, throws Runic Resistance and Life-Tapping Darts at Torval, uses Restorative Infusion on himself.
Torval misses Xiu with psychic attack, tries to flee and Xiu crits him into unconsciousness. We kill one Stormfront Cultist and the other one gets away. The guards arrive as we are trying to carry Torval away and catch the remaining cultist. The colonel escorts all of us, including Torval and the cultist, to the palace where we'll be treated and interrogated. We're escorted into the court of the Baron of Lyrandar, where she hears evidence from Alain and House Cannith against Torval, with Brenner as a witness. Magnus makes a deal with Brenner for information and the money inside the casket as proof, in exchange for immunity. Brenner admits to hiring House Thuranni to steal Karrnathi funds at Torval's direction, with written notes to back it up. Torval is stripped of his title and his post and held for execution, she apologizes and rewards us, instructing her Seneschal to reimburse Karrnath for 1.4 million gold, gives us 6,000 gp in gems and 10,000 gp in Lyrandar travel. She presents Alain with a suit of Shockweave Armor +3.
We have repaired the ship and arrived at Stormhome. We are staying in Stormhome, but not at the resort.
Alain circulates amongst House tradesfolk asking around about dragonmarked individuals, and finds out they're more common in the villas. He recently saw a person in the port area last night getting off a rowing skiff, noticed that he was moving furtively and had some sort of dragonmark. Xau and Xiu hit the streets looking for information, but they're out of their element amongst the very wealthy. Torgen sits on a bench with Magnus to think, remembering our encounters with Brenner, and thinks that he is probably delivering something here, and that we need to be looking for where Brenner is going to meet his contact, or who is his contact.
Xau and Xiu decide to ask around about where a covert meeting might take place, there are docks where House Lyrandar magewrights work on airships and galleons. Underneath that dry dock, a dragonmarked Lyrandar heir is meeting with someone less important, so it is a good possibiilty. Magnus, with assistance from Alain, uses his knowledge of the underground, investigates the sewer system for easy covert entry and exit, and spots three such places in this district.
Xiu checks in with Drenna's message at Sivis, which is dated yesterday, "Brenner arrived Stormhome late last night. Currently in hiding near butcher's at intersection of Dragon & Lightning. On overwatch awaiting further instructions."
Xiu sneaks up to Drenna's hiding spot on the roof of a nearby tanner, spying on the butcher's shop. She finds out he has made one trip to the Sivis message station from the boat, and hasn't left the shop since. With assistance from the group, Magnus casts Thief's Lament on the butcher's shop, while Alain builds a pair of blinding bombs. Xau goes into the Sivis message station as Brenner, retrieves a message for him that says "Agreed. 10 PM. Plaza of the Three Mermaids. -Lord." We have about seven hours to plan. Xiu, with Xau and Magnus, forges a message from Sivis to Brenner, a perfect duplicate of the message that was sent. The message sends him under the dry dock at 8 PM.
Magnus goes to the area, claims to be on a mission for the captain of the Lightning's Fury, and sets a snare ritual. Xau poses as a half-elf in a cloak, but Brenner spots the snare and throws a dagger at Xau, starting the fight.
Xiu charges and pushes Brenner into the snare trap, triggering it and snaring Brenner. Torgen moves in and attacks Brenner, missing. Brenner stands, attacks Torgen and misses, saves and gets free of the snare. Xau crumples to the ground, Alain recognizes that chaos is flowing into him from the dagger in his side. Alain draws an AOO, is blinded, swings and misses with Greater Magic Weapon. Magnus comes in, hits him with a Kneebreaker, bloodying him and slowing him, spends an action point to use inexorable advance and knocks him out.
Torgen grasps the dagger in Xau, pulls it out and is in battle of wills with the dagger. Alain heals the chaos storm wound in Xau, who is stable but unconscious. Magnus grabs dagger sheathe from Brenner, slams it onto the dagger in Torgen's hand and tries to use nail of sealing, which explodes in reaction to the magic. Magnus searches Brenner's Deep Pocket Cloak and finds the sheathe for the dagger, a bolted and magically sealed coffer, and about 7,500 gp, which he turns into platinum using his magic box.
Xiu delivers Xau to House Jorasco, and he is put into their care. We wrap his Deep Pocket Cloak around the dagger, Magnus takes that and the box to House Kundarak and hides it in the sewer system, sending a Sivis message to House Kundarak with clues to its location. Torgen takes Brenner somewhere safe to stash him and leaves Drenna to guard him. Alain hires a Deneith protector to guard Xau and goes to meet him and Xiu at House Jorasco, but they have more than a little trouble convincing Xiu to leave Xau and go to the rendezvous with them. Finally Alain half-badgers half-convinces her by offering the help of Cannith in exchange for Xiu's help fighting "Lord."
Near the Three Mermaids fountain around 10 PM, Xiu and Alain are outside watching, Magnus and Torgen are in the nearby pub. We see someone moving up, he sees that Xiu is not Brenner and summons elementals using his dragonmark of storm, then summons cyclones.
Xiu attacks elemental for 23 hp, killing it, and uses her action point to use Wild Tumble Cut on Lord for 27 hp. Magnus runs out, kills the other elemental minion and summons his armor. Torgen runs out to confront huge Cyclone, finds out one of the "civilians" is armed, and attacks him for 17 hp, before Torgen attacks the Cyclone and misses. Alain recognizes the "civilians" as Stormfront Cultists, and he believes that "Lord" is Torval Enchiliost, head of the Storm Walkers, the cloak & dagger arm of Lyrandar during the war. Cultist fires at Xiu and hits her for 15 hp lightning whip, dragging her back away from Torval. Other Cultist hits Torgen, but can't slide him. Huge Cyclone draws AOO from Torgen, then uses storm burst on Alain and Magnus and misses them, moving next to Xiu. The other Large Cyclone attacks Xiu. Alain is caught in two auras, but moves up and fires flaming crossbow bolt at Torval, hitting him and igniting flame weapons for Magnus, Xiu and Alain.
Torval moves back, summons a Chillfire destroyer in the path. Xiu moves in on the Huge Cyclone and attacks him. Magnus attacks Huge Cyclone, activates Reign of Steel and uses come and get it on Chillfire Destroyer and Cultist, missing both. Torgen is fairly sure that when we smash the Chillfire Destroyer, it will explode. He runs up to the Huge Cyclone and summons Wrath of God. Cultist attacks Torgen with rapier and misses, other Storm Cultist moves up, fires his bow and misses. Huge Cyclone uses stormburst and hits Magnus, Torgen and Stormfront Cultist. Chillfire Destroyer misses Magnus. Alain uses Greater Magic Weapon on Cultist, bloodying him and giving magic weapon to Magnus and Torgen, then shifts away from Chillfire Destroyer.
Torval summons raging aura of electricity that hits Torgen, Magnus and Alain (crit). Xiu attacks Huge Cyclone with Rogue's Luck and bloodies it. Magnus shifts next to Chillfire Destroyer and Huge Cyclone, uses Thicket of Blades on both of them, bloodying the Chillfire and releasing its fire aura. Torgen lays hands on himself, moves up to Cyclone and Chillfire, swings and hits Cyclone. Cultist hits Alain with rapier, bloodying him. Magnus kills the Huge Cyclone with Reign of Steel, Large Cyclone uses stormburst, hitting Alain (crit) and knocking him out and also damaging Torgen and Magnus, then teleports next to Torgen, Magnus and Xiu. Chillfire attacks Magnus. Alain makes a 20 on death save with Rescuer from Magnus, is prone but awake.
Torval moves forward, casts earth rage spirit on Magnus and Torgen, knocking them prone and doing 23 thunder damage. Xiu drops her Brenner disguise to become an elf and handspring assaults Torval and moves behind him. Magnus attacks the Chillfire Destroyer and kills it, causing it to explode in flame and magma. Torgen uses Majestic Word to heal Alain up from bloodied, then lays hands on himself and attacks from prone against the Large Tornado. Stormfront Cultist attacks prone Alain with rapier, bloodying him again. Windfiend Fury (Large Tornado) takes Reign of Steel damage, attacks Magnus with lightning strike and misses. Chillfire Destroyer core explodes, missing Magnus and Alain, hitting Torgen and nearly killing him. Alain spends action point, stands, throws Runic Resistance and Life-Tapping Darts at Torval, uses Restorative Infusion on himself.
Torval misses Xiu with psychic attack, tries to flee and Xiu crits him into unconsciousness. We kill one Stormfront Cultist and the other one gets away. The guards arrive as we are trying to carry Torval away and catch the remaining cultist. The colonel escorts all of us, including Torval and the cultist, to the palace where we'll be treated and interrogated. We're escorted into the court of the Baron of Lyrandar, where she hears evidence from Alain and House Cannith against Torval, with Brenner as a witness. Magnus makes a deal with Brenner for information and the money inside the casket as proof, in exchange for immunity. Brenner admits to hiring House Thuranni to steal Karrnathi funds at Torval's direction, with written notes to back it up. Torval is stripped of his title and his post and held for execution, she apologizes and rewards us, instructing her Seneschal to reimburse Karrnath for 1.4 million gold, gives us 6,000 gp in gems and 10,000 gp in Lyrandar travel. She presents Alain with a suit of Shockweave Armor +3.
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