Coia: 13 - A Three Day Tour
General Summary
In the early morning hours, we returned to Yaldra's who says she will send one of her avowed to talk to the guards to scour the scene of the vampiric crime. Based on details it’s likely another General figure sent by Artor Morlin, the Baron of Blood.
Marching into Yaldra's study disrupting the conversation, Lord Mangdaor-Roth pays us 100G apiece for clearing the catacombs of the Naga threat. He has confirmed that we closed the portals in Altherstab and Wiggam and pays us accordingly. He then proceeds to modify the original contract that he and the group have. In addition to destroying the portals, he also wants us to confirm that the Rod of Rulership is safe in Coia City. He also wants us to escort his daughter Sachia safely up to her uncle DavidLee in Aveton. He offers us 50G apiece and notes that he’s already secured a ship and that Sachia will meet us at the docks at noon.
A Quick Catnap
Noting that we’ve been up all night and could use some rest, Yaldra brews us a strange-tasting catnap tea and we all quickly fall into a deep sleep. For most of us, it beings peaceful memories of simpler times. Sszardan remembers images of his pampered life in the Underdark as a Menzoberranzan family, a typical morning meal where he places a recently deceased frog in his empty porridge bowl for the scullery maid to find. His older brother Tathnyl and little brother Lesaonar both shake their heads in disapproval. Zen’s memory flashes to a crisp early winter morning just this past season, tracking a doe. The earthy smell of snow-covered dawn, the chilled air biting the skin on the rims of his nose. Nym remembers a warm summer day in the fields outside of the monastery in Durmchapel with Abbot Dain organizing games with the other boys. Emis recalls picnicking with his mother Raenis, not a care in the world. Moose dreams of foraging the game trails near his home outside of Herthe, his mouth-watering thinking about the hearty evening meal being prepared by his mother for him, his two older brothers, and his sister. Retta dreams begin peacefully enough as she dreams of harvesting vegetables for dinner behind their cottage on the outskirts of her small village. Her mother leans her torso out the low window, “Don’t forget the tomatoes & okra this time,” her face a golden red with the late afternoon sun dipping behind the low hills. But suddenly the colors change to blood red, purple & black bruises appearing on her cheek, a duo of puncture wounds revealed on her bosom, the result of a senseless, ignorant rage. The sun quickens its pace below the horizon and a cold wind cuts across field. A dark figure steps around the side of the cottage. The last rays of sunlight illuminate Marat’s face. “Something broke my connection to the other one, but you will suffice.You are one of Asmodeus’ ilk, small & weak. Help bring me what is mine and I can restore what, or who, you desire most. Or, you can perish like your parents did.” She recalls her mother slumped over the windowsill, motionless. Her father in bed, staring at the ceiling uncertain if he is breathing. “This troop of misfits is no family. They don’t trust you. This path you are all on is futile. It will end in certain eternal damnation…” with a crooked smile Marat proposes, “Our kind must stick together…” She awakes in a cold sweat.Let’s Go Shopping!
Mostly feeling refreshed, we decide that since we’re flush with cash and have a few hours to kill until the boat leaves, we head into town and split up to buy some gear. Nym heads over to the Pigment of Truth: Tattoo Shop which is part of the Thieves Guild. There he purchases a Ghost Step tattoo before noticing a wooden plaque with a painted carving of a red cloak. Inquiring about it to the shop owner Brylniss, she confirms that the plaque is a sign that they are part of the Red Cloaks Thieves Guild. They are mostly beggars, burglars, con artists, cutpurses, pickpockets, thugs, with the occasional spies & assassins. She’s aware that Soren Lorenson is currently up north in Aveton. Sszarden cries poor as usual and is trying to and bum cash off of Moose to buy something when he spots the Drow Priestess of Lolth from House Dhunnarn across the marketplace. He tries to follow her but loses her in the crowd. He explains to the group that his posh existence ended when House Dhunnarn murdered his entire clan in the Night of the Shattering.Back on Board
The group convenes at the docks, surprised to find it's their old buddies Captain Rondak Svatomir and First Mate Kanighar Rostik on the Horizon Reacher who are taking the princess to Avalon. Ron explains that the ship has been fixed up but it's a skeleton crew and he needs the group to work the ship and offers free room and board in exchange. The only others on board are the hired hand Geeloth Smote, and the princess who’s already locked safely away in her cabin. The first few days proceed fairly uneventfully. On the first night a mermaid jumped up onto the ship, but Sszarden yelled loudly at her and frightened her away. On the second night we docked in Bamby to re-supply but nothing much happened. On the third night, shit got real. During the first watch, they notice a ship coming up behind them. Sszarden says, "I think we're being followed". Emis looks back and shouts "inconceivable!". Retta turns into gas and accompanies Szarden’s owls to fly behind them and scout out a ship that coming up on them fast. Piloting the boat was a Merrenoloth who possessed an oar that glowed at the tip. Also on board were a Sea Hag, Sea Spawn, a Marid Water Genie, and a Water Elemental Myrmidon. Emis turns into a snake and swims toward their boat while he and Retta cast spells like Wall of Thorns that cause them to take damage as their boat gets closer to us. These spells mostly killed off their crew. Zen and Szarden shoot down the Marid but the Water Elemental Myrmidon is able to leap onto the Horizon Reacher. It’s able to do some minor damage to Kanighar before Nym, Moose and Zen kill it off. Retta floated behind the ship and had to swim to catch up while Emis swam to their the boat. As Retta got aboard and dried off, she found a note in her pocket. As Emis looted the boat hefound a message in a bottle. Neither revealed their contents. The group tied off their new boat to the Reacher and went to bed.
Sszardan T'Sarran
Zenhorn
Emis Faralei
Retta
Nym Lenore
Moose Knuckle
Report Date
30 Nov 2022