Session 16: Dinghies & Deception

General Summary

  The Hornet limped into port in Armadell and the party disembarked. Micah remained behind to guard the battered vessel while the rest of the group headed into town to refresh supplies and charter a boat to bring them to the island on Jinn’s map. While Bartleby negotiated terms to book the Corsair’s Pearl, Jinn and Chari were drawn to strange ship seemingly made of thin crystal. The owner introduced herself as Tabitha Burke. After some conversation, it was decided that Tabitha’s vessel (and company) was preferable to that of Captain Morris and the Pearl. Following a screening by her aasimar companion, Aered, the party was welcomed aboard.   A few days into the journey the party awoke to a halted ship. A small dinghy had been spotted floating adrift nearby. On approach they realized there was a man inside, starving and wild-eyed. He begged them to take him away, claiming his ship harbored a great evil. Concerned that whatever had driven this man to abandon ship was still at large, Bartleby insisted the party investigate, leaving Micah to guard the the Aeree Delight and its crew.   Inside, the group was met with eerie stillness. Nothing seemed out of place. It was as if everyone had simply vanished. A diary revealed that someone—or something—had been picking off the crew one by one. Moving deeper into the hold Jinn and Bart came across an alarming sight. Hidden behind some crates was the man they had rescued from the dinghy. He begged them to help him, saying whatever had taken the crew was still out there.   Realizing the situation, they rushed to return to the Aeree Delight before it was too late. Onboard they found a nightmarish entity had dominated Micah’s mind. Forced to fight their companion, the party was horrified to discover their attacks upon the creature injured Micah as well. Using some creative thinking, and with Tabitha’s assistance, the group destroyed the beast for good.   The remainder of the journey passed relatively uneventfully and, after a few more days of travel, they arrived at the island ready to find whatever it was that they were looking for.