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gaeleth:campaigns:campaign_ix:recap_18

Recap 18, Campaign IX

Morning of the 23rd of Trical, 1331 Avard.

Dolon was missing. A quick search of both the Dellistar and the Final Sunset revealed that he was well and truly gone. Meredith told the group that Dolon had dived off the Dellistar – and then used Johannes' ability to transform himself into a creature, and turned himself into a shark before swimming away into the deeps. Johannes was quite upset, having intentionally never taught Dolon that druidic ability, despite Dolon's request to do so.

Worse, the Shield and the Dagger were gone. Dolon had left a note for Hadarai, in which the linguist deplored hurting them and yet felt he had to. Dolon also warned Hadarai that, should the mage return to Rakore, he should leave as soon as possible. The enchanted pack they had all received from Lok Magius was still there, as were most of its contents – but the two Eights of Serendin they had worked so hard to retrieve, were gone.

They discussed the situation with Captain Nallya and Captain Mirage. Nallya had been talked into not hanging Captain Narfom immediately, and going back to Teras to do so. The group of them figured that there was little else they could, but return to Teras. They broke one more token to get Master Horbe's attention – but there was still no response.

It took three weeks to return to Rakore, and Teras. They easily evaded Kur Maen Inquisition patrols, thanks to Prince Ihoaea's detailed patrol book on both Kur Maeth and Rakore. During that time spent at sea, Grania fumed and prepared her weapons against the day she could use them on Dolon for his betrayal. Johannes, Meredith, and Hadarai worked together to study both the arcane and divine aspects of several rituals, discussing among themselves the finer points of study of Arpelos, Olorin, and Brigain, respectively.

They made it back to Teras on the 13th of Sad, the first day of Winter. The crew was happy to see land, again – what crew were left, anyway. Both the Dellistar and the Final Sunset docked not far from one another, and those members of the two crews that had shore leave set out to party together.

Johannes hired a fast ship and several mercenaries to head immediately to Avris on Mad Dog Island, and find out what had happened to Master Horbe.

Hadarai used his rank to get in to see the Duke of Teras quickly, and explained the situation with regards to Captain Narfom, and the treachery of Dolon Uther. The duke knew who Dolon was, and seemed unsurprised by the treachery. The duke also agreed to grant Captain Nallya a rare exemption. On the high seas, a captain has the right to high justice – execution. In Teras and inside Rakore, though, only a Duke or higher had the right to executions. The Duke of Teras agreed to grant Captain Nallya dispensation to execute Captain Narfom on her yard arm. Captain Mirage was granted dispensation to execute Bosun Magnol from his yard arm. The executions took place at dawn the next day.

Captain Narfom went to his death willingly, seeming to have found peace and perhaps faith in Arpelos, with Prior Johannes reading him his last rights. Bosun Magnol was forced to the noose, kicking and screaming and biting and cursing. Narfom's death was quick; his neck broken when the plank was dropped from the rail. Magnol slowly suffocated to death, Captain Mirage sending a message on behalf of the fallen crews of both the Dellistar and the Final Sunset.

Hadarai and Johannes then opted to travel to Lok Magius, and Meredith decided to come along; Grania opted to remain behind 'drinking and whoring' in her words.

Though the weather was cold, the three prepared well in Teras, catching a sloop going upriver to Rilan. Once in Rilan, they used the Silver Gauntlet and Hadarai's status as a master mage to teleport immediately to Lok Magius. From there, it was a simple matter of looking up Hadarai's old master, P'Arkon. After relating their tale to Master Arkon – and making Meredith realize that most mages were crazy – they proceeded to tell their tale again to Mistress Brin. The head of the academy indicated that no one had seen Horbe in some time, nor had there been any real progress on the Eights of Serendin.

Thedlar, the huge barbarian that ran the Hoard and the armory, was of somewhat more help. One of the many enchanted mirrors in the Hoard was able to find Horbe – who was bound and gagged inside of a trunk in some small, dingy room. One of the trunks bore a sigil from one of the many pirate princes, though which one, Meredith was unable to specify.

Johannes worried about the adventurers he had hired.

Thedlar's mirrors were unable to find Dolon, showing only images of the dark and the deep.

The barbarian master of the Hoard was easily able to show them the Ring and the Circlet of Serendin, still safe in the heart of Lok Magius.

They were able to outfit themselves a bit from the Hoard, with Thedlar's help, before leaving Lok Magius. Knowing that they had some days yet before the hired mercenaries made it back to Teras, they travelled for a few days along Johannes' old parish circuit. The circuit let them sleep at two different farm-holds, each hold being some fifty or sixty people, well-fortified, and nearly a town in and of itself. Johannes was well received, and Hadarai and Meredith got a feel for how well he truly treated his flock.

When the three returned to Teras, they inquired as to Grania's location – and Meredith's talks on the streets quickly found the warrior woman in jail. Grania had spent two days in jail with an eight-foot goliath called Lo-Kag. Kag spoke only a smattering of the common tongue, but was fluent in dwarven – which Grania also spoke well. The two had gotten along quite well, despite their time in jail together.

Hadarai and Johannes, with Meredith aiding, managed to unruffle the court's feathers and get the two out of jail after paying their fines. Kag had a barbarian's ideals, and coming from a goliath culture and a dwarven attitude, a small bar had paid the price for a fight Grania had had to finish.

Johannes took some time to hire Captain Mirage for a fair sum of money. The eladrin captain would take the Final Sunset to Kur Maeth, and search for Captain Magnol's son Krevin. Captain Mirage was given as good a description of Krevin as Johannes could provide, and perhaps where to find him. Johannes paid for the young man to be apprenticed aboard a ship, in as high a position as he could manage to serve well. Captain Mirage was willing to take on the search, having a high respect for the prior's abilities with his handling of Captain Magnol.

Johannes, Hadarai, Grania, and Kag went to the Red Flagon – the biggest tavern in all of Teras. Captain Mirage paid for it all, leading them along, and betting that Kag could at least win him a few coins at a game of Seige. Seige was founded in the Red Flagon, wherein dwarves would take turns tossing tomanths at one another. The dwarf that was knocked back by a hurled tomanth had to pay for the next round of drinks among the contestants – and the winning tomanths received a bit of chicken broth, which served as a bit of a drug to them. Kag proved a poor throw at Seige, but was an immovable object that no hurled tomanth could budge. Captain Mirage managed to stumble out with just a few more coin than he went in with.

Kag, Grania, and Johannes all tried Lead Gut – a brew so strong that dwarves respected it highly. Kag and Grania both got a bit lit on the Lead Gut, while Johannes' fortified constitution seemed only tickled by the poison. The five of them together stumbled out of the Red Flagon, Grania, Hadarai, and Johannes fairly in charge of their senses, Kag with two tankards in each enormous hand.

While the crew of the Dellistar had to use the crane to hoist Kag down into the hold, Hadarai took Captain Nallya below deck. He said little, but used his hard-researched ritual to regenerate the captain's lost eye. Captain Nallya asked what, if anything, she could do to repay him – and Johannes merely waved her offer aside, trusting that Arpelos would provide.

Hadarai, Meredith, and Johannes then opted to get off the Dellistar for a while more, and see to some things there in Teras. On the next day's tide, the Final Sunset would leave for Kur Maeth – and the hired mercenaries should return with news from Avris, and perhaps a date on when Master Horbe had gone missing.

Evening of the 22nd of Sad, 1331 Avard.

XP Awarded

Each player received 1000 experience points for playing.
Hadarai Jelenneth: 17000 XP (9th level)
Johannes Whermak: 16555 XP (9th level)
Grania: 16505 XP (9th level)
Meredith: 12000 XP (7th level)
Lo-Kag: 11000 XP (7th level).

Notes

The following notes represent the 'behind the scenes' and 'post op' actions of the players and the Dungeon Master.

Joe / DM

We met at my place on 02SEP2009WED, with a 'bring your own' dinner. My school pacing has been horrific the past week or two, and I'm lucky if I can feed myself! Ross was a bit late coming in from El Campo, but things worked out just nicely, anyway. I feel I short-changed Meredith and Johannes a bit on the role-playing aspects, but I'm still trying to balance things out on this shorter schedule. My apologies to John and Sommer! I owed John a map of Johannes' parish, and the locations of those farm-holds; hold me to it, and remind me! And I notice no character asked Grania if she did as she'd said she would in Teras.

Ross / Lo-Kag

I changed a few of the item inconsistencies: Dolon took the Shield and Dagger, leaving the Ring and Circlet in Thedlar's possession.

Also, I think if you ask Kag, you'll find Grania didn't lie!

Joe: I should've mentioned this sooner, but I don't think there's any way Thedlar could've shown the group Serendin's Ring. The party found that immediately before being teleported out to go for the Shield, so Thedlar never saw the Shield or the Ring. To me, that means Dolon had to have taken the Shield and the Ring. I haven't gone back over the other recaps, yet, but I imagine all the clues are in there to lead us proper-like.

Ross: You're right, in recap 11 we recovered the ring, and in recap 12 we were just teleported near the shield. This means that Dolon actually has THREE Serendin items… I vividly remember him exchanging the circlet for the dagger because we (the party) were afraid of leaving them all in one place. So, Dolon carried the dagger on the way to get the ring, then they were ported directly to the shield…*ominous music*

Fred / Hadarai

No comment.

John / Johannes

No comment.

Jalinda / Grania

No comment.

Sommer / Meredith

Hey - Meredith didn't tell them he turned into a shark. Ross told them that out of character. Also, Meredith went to the Red Flagon as well - she just left early. Good recap, all in all. :)

gaeleth/campaigns/campaign_ix/recap_18.txt · Last modified: 2021/09/28 15:51 (external edit)