Jim Darkmagic and rescuing the kenku (session 25&26 or 38&39)

Dear Nori,
In my last letter I told you about the huge warmachine owned by Jiim Darkmagic approaching Fort Knucklebone. We were all standing outside, watching the machine. A slender man with sleek dark hair came rushing out of it, apparently meeting Mad Maggie. For a moment, we weren’t sure whether to follow the man, or go to the machine, but we decided the machine would probably be more interesting. We talked with Jerome, who is a bouncer for the show (I told you I expected a show, turns out I’m right). We tried to get tickets, but they aren’t playing at the moment, because the volunteers are used up. We’ve been talking to Jerome for a while, and then Jim came back. He got angry at Jerome because he wasn’t allowed to get outside the machine. After talking for a bit we got ourselves invited to a small preview of the show. Fenrir, Bertha and I wanted to go, Leo and Ron didn’t. “Fenrir and Caja get us into trouble again.” Like that happens that often. I don’t think me and Fenrir had done something together which got us in trouble. I mean, we’ve both done some stupid shit which got the group in trouble. But never at the same time. I think Ron and Leo just don’t want us to have fun.
Anyway, despite not wanting to go, Leo and Ron came with us into the warmachine. Before we entered Leo already warned us the theatre was filled with corpses. So we were a bit weary while walking around, and also started wondering about the ‘’real’ part in Jims name (you can use it to emphasise Jim or dark or magic, which all implies different things). Jim didn’t clarify and led us directly into the theatre, and pointed at some seats for us to take. Ron saw the seats had some kind of mechanism to trap and hold people, so we declined. Jim decided it wasn’t important for the preview anyway. He started the show with a lot of green flames (he got angry at Leo when Leo showed he could do that as well. Claiming it was copyrighted) and then turned all our heads into skulls. Which we didn’t like. After a lot of angry conversation, he turned us back to normal and sent us back to Fort Knucklebone.
At the fort we went back to Maggie and heard she had a reason to celebrate. Apparently Jim bought 16 new warmchines from her, which also meant she needs the Kenku back. Fenrir convinced her to lend us 3 bikes, although she did want some collateral to make sure we brought them back. At first she wanted an eye, but no one seemed too keen on losing it. I offered her a memory, remembering a devil in Elturel tried to convince me to bargain for it. She had to look inside my head to see if I had a memory worth it. Which I do. It is you, Nori. My memories of you are worth enough to serve as collateral. Then I started doubting myself. I don’t want to lose my memory of you. Slowly I was working out how this worked and what the consequences are but Fenrir saw my doubts and offered his eye instead. Maggie reacted way faster than I anticipated, and cut Fenrirs eye out before we had even realised he made a bargain. She did give one of her own eyes back though, so he isn’t half-blind. And to keep an eye on us. Then we went back to the marketplace again, to get more soul coins to power the bikes. We tried to convince the imp banker that Maggie told us we could get some coins for free, but unfortunately that didn’t work. So we bought some more soul coins. Then we continued shopping. I visited a fairy (the things she said kinda made her sound like a hooker, but she claimed she didn’t do that anymore) and bought some exploding flowers and a pretty one. They all came from the feywild, so that’s pretty cool. Fenrir bought a suit of armour from a metal machine-person without a head. However, the most interesting person at the marketplace was this fire-like woman, named Smolder, who sold all kinds of cool magic items. Me and Leo bought a satyr skull from her, Ron spell components and Bertha a magical lyre and some strings to fix her old one. Then there was this amazing magical bow, which had a prophecy and everything. Leo tried to convince Smolder to sell it to us, but he had to prove he was worthy. By shooting an arrow at a fireball she shot. He kinda failed. I tried to set Leo up with Smolder (with the fire and everything she does seem like his type), but she wasn’t interested. Normally I wouldn’t do this, but since Leo thinks he gets to decide who I sleep with, I should have a say in his dating life as well.
Anyway, after shopping we went on our way to save the kenku. Fenrir, Leo and I were driving. Leo shared his bike with Bertha, Fenrir with Lulu and I shared mine with Ron. Most of the road went smoothly, with the only exception when we just rode into the swamp. Fenrirs bike got stuck and it took a lot of effort to get it out again. After a day and a half of driving we reached our destination: a ship without sails which was beached at the Styx.
We approached the ship with the intent to ask the creatures on board (fly-like fiends called mezzoloths) if they had seen the Kenku. They answered in infernal that we had to leave and wouldn't tell us where they've seen them. We tried our best to have a conversation, but they really didn't want to talk. They attacked us. They had some magic, but Ron outdid them with his magic. Which attracted more mezzoloths. We were definitely besting them, which attracted another fiend, an arcanaloth. The arcanaloth was the boss of the others and ordered them to stop. And us as well, which we reluctantly did. He told us he had the kenku, but was willing to trade them for the devil shield. Which wasn't an option for us. So he came with a counter offer: my new dragon-sword. Which I didn’t really want to give up, but going for the peaceful option seemed like a good idea. So I put my sword in the ground, ready for them to pick up once the kenku were with us. The exchange seemed to go smoothly, but once we turned our back the arcanaloth attacked again. So we fought. In the end 1 mezzoloth escaped by jumping in the water (does that mean the water of the Styx doesn’t have the same effect on them as it has on humanoids? Is that the case for all fiends?) and the arcanaloth used magic to get the fuck out of there. The bastard is probably plotting his revenge right now. I really wish I had my sword back. I barely got to use it.
We talked a bit with the kenku, but they communicate with sounds and other peoples voices. It was pretty obvious they knew Lulu, since they said a lot of things she said. But before we heard the whole story we decided to check the ship for useful stuff. We found a few spell scrolls (which our wizard loved of course), some elemental gem, an iron flask and a lot of smut. We also found the actual captain of the ship, although she was driven mad by the fiends. I hope she comes to her senses again, and tells us some stuff. Especially since we found some notes about the ship and a Styx elemental, who can be used to steer the ship.
Now we are kinda stuck about our next move. Take the ship to mad Maggie, take the bikes to mad Maggie or find and destroy the arcanaloth. To be honest, I’m not too keen on sailing. I don’t think anyone has experience sailing, and I don’t want to get stuck in the middle of the Styx. That would just be a real sucky way to die.
Anyway, I hope you’re doing good, all things considered.
Keep safe, keep strong.
Your loving sister,
Caja