Session 24 - Wilvert's Bad Day

General Summary

Fenrir finishes carrying a load of salt onto The Seawolf just as Iva hoists the sails. Hoping to make a profit off the mineral, the young entrepreneur takes a look at the others on the ship. Ghostclaw broods near the prow, keeping an eye on Radolf, newly revealed as part demon. Skara talks with Trixon always trying to glean new information. Volos and Wilvert help Iva safely steer the ship from port, while Azul climbs the mast and soars down at an annoyed Malifax.
Memories flood their minds as the group sails past Darkpool, now swallowed by the ocean, leaving only its lighthouse. They pass the al Shabaab Oasis, its harbor now a ship graveyard. Cannons and archers line the walls of the city, and Iva gives it a wide birth. Ghostclaw talks with the imprisoned Saphielle and tries to build trust.
On the twelfth day, they find the smouldering ruins of a fishing hut with a distress flag. Stopping to investigate, they find five survivors. A leader, Margrave, steps forward and tells their tale. He was sent by House Kernwith on a diplomatic mission to Sandpoint, but demon attacks have pushed him and his men ever further south. Guerrilla attacks and defending nearby villages have allowed the demon spawn to slowly pick off his men. A man, who claims he is "The Phoenix," has moved an army into Kernwith territory, and he fears what they will do to his people. Now he even fears the wolves hunt his small group. The only good news is that the ship that seems here to save him is under the command of none other that Lord Volos the man he was sent to find.
Ghostclaw informs Margrave that wolves hate demons and probably protected them. Wilvert uses magic to talk to Pung the Garrulous, a Goblin knight that lost his ability to speak. Fenrir hears a tale of hidden treasure from Grognebena, a dwarven woman. Skara listens intently to a warning of treacherous whales from Delmont, an old fisherman. Wilvert tries to give medical attention to a soldier injured by an Imp, but accidentally kills him. The four survivors ask to be taken to Crotola, and as they were headed there anyways, the group obliges.
For two days they sail until entering a thick fog bank in the early morning hours. Ghostclaw can see something troubles Iva. She asks him to tie off one of the sails when suddenly The Seawolf lurches. Volos is nearly thrown from the ship as a large galleon rams into their starboard side. Woken up, the rest of the group climbs on deck looking for guidance from their captain, but Iva is nowhere to be found.
Skara, Ghostclaw, and Radolf are the first to climb onto the deck of the mysterious ship. They are met by rotting sails, rusted swords, and pitted cannons. Surprised by the strong timbers of the deck, Ghostclaw investigates them and finds that they are Ironbark planks, the strongest wood in the world. Wilvert pulls himself up on deck, but gets his foot tangled in a rope. A cannon creaks and rolls off the side of the ship, the rope is attached to it! Just before he falls to a watery grave, Ghostclaw looses an arrow and saves his gnome friend.
"Ghosts," Wilvert yells.
"Not ghosts. You just need to be careful," Ghostclaw retorts.
Skara climbs to the top of the crows nest to try and get a better view. The fog blocks his view, but he finds a necklace with a egg shaped stone. After climbing down, he asks Trixon to identify it. The mage asks for 50 gold. The money evaporates and knowledge flows into his mind. Its called a "Luck Egg," kiss it for luck.
Suddenly the group hears a scream and a howl; its Saphielle and Malifax. The Seawolf is sinking, a hole caused by the Ironbark timbers ramming them. Everyone swings into action, and most of the supplies are moved to the mysterious ship. Ghostclaw asks Saphielle is she has had a change of heart, and she agrees to help them. Withing fifteen minutes The Seawolf disappears into the briny depths.
Stuck, the group begins to explore. They enter the captain's cabin and find him dead in his chair, run through by a dozen swords. Investigating the room, they find an enchanted looking glass that can see through the thick fog. Ghostclaw determines that the fog is magical and the ship must be enchanted. An ear horn around the dead man's neck indicates that he was almost deaf. Volos checks the books on the captain's desk: a manifest, a magical tome on warding, and a compendium of nautical creatures. Fenrir looks at the weapons driven through the dead man; they fly at him, and a rusted sword nicks the young man's neck. The startled group leaves the captain's room, and see his specter on the quarterdeck.
"Hoist the colors men, and to your stations. The beast thought me weak willed, but we bow to nothing, we give no quarter. Let no man take what we have bled to capture. Now arise and remove these picaroons. Let them dance the hempen jig with Jack Ketch."
Skeletons climb out of the water and onto the deck, ready to attack the invading mortals. Skara chains lightning and destroys a Skeleton. Ghostclaw lines up a shot, and leaves behind five piles of bones. Azul picks up one of the Skeletons and drops it into the ocean. Ghostclaw kills another with an axe, while Fenrir fells one with his sword. Skara kills the last one as the ghost captain returns to his body.
The group heads below deck, and split up. Skara and Volos enter the galley, and are tricked into drinking poisoned wine by vengeful spirits. Wilvert, Fenrir, and Ghostclaw enter the first mate's room and encounter his spirit. Trapped in a shadow of his past, the first mate confuses the group for his men, and plans a mutiny.
"The captain thinks he can keep it from me, from us. He's a damn fool, and a dead one at that. When the deed is done meet me below," and with the the first mate sinks into the floorboards.
Wilvert finds a magical flask full of a drink that charms people, useful for a merchant. Radolf finds a room used for storage filled with ropes and sails. He begins to bring them up on deck.
The rest of the group and Trixon continue down to the dark dank hold of the ship. Fenrir wisely tells the group to snuff out their torches as the pass the powder room, and Volos casts fairy lights to light up the room. Rotting crates sit in 6 feet of bilge water, and some treasure is found. The whole ship has been explored, but Iva is nowhere to be found. Volos cast water-breathing on the group and dive into the water. As they approach the back of the hold, they find a door under the water leading to another room.
The group climbs a small staircase and find a bring with three cells. Iva sits in the water crying softly to herself.
"I've seen this ship before. My whole crew turned on each other here," she explains, "It crashed into us almost five years ago. We stayed aboard for three days trying to fix it, but her call was too strong."
Wilvert and Ghostclaw see a mummified corps of a Siren surrounded by a magical orb. Trixon explains that the captain must have tried to seal its magic, but only trapped it. He begins to unravel the spell that keeps the spirit of the Siren trapped. Suddenly, a captivating song permeates the silence. Wilvert instantly falls asleep in the water, saved by Volos' water-breathing spell. Fenrir is able to resist the Siren's song, and watches in fear as the Drowned Corpse of the first mate rises from the water. Fenrir draws his sword and moves to attack, but is stopped by Volos and Skara, captivated by the siren.
"You are attacking me?" Fenrir asks with a smile, "big mistake."
The warrior skillfully defends Trixon, and strikes down the Drowned Corpse. Skara neutralizes Fenrir by turning him into a frog, just as Trixon releases the ward allowing the Siren's spirit to pass on.
Freed from the ghosts haunting it, the group begins the arduous process of making the ship seaworthy.

Report Date

25 Jan 2020