Rammed on the Lake Report

General Summary

Attacked on the Lake

The party braced themselves as the strange ship approached and rammed into the side of their sailing vessel. They were ambushed by more of the automatons, bipedal and flying in nature. Their vessel began to sink and caught fire under the breath of a dragon, but the party was able to quickly dispatch the enemies. A snap decision led them to commandeer the enemy vessel. It had no sails on the multi-level ship, equipped with an attachment plated in metal out of the bow, fit for ramming. However, on the poop deck of the ship was a strange blue sphere atop a large shaft where the helm should be. The group rested as Uudar  studied the mechanism. Eventually, she discovered that moving it in certain directions propelled and turned the ship. She also discovered two buttons, but was unable to determine their function.

Contacted by a friend

Lehiri was contacted via the sending stone that Isla Heron had prepared. She informed the members of DAOMN that they had been attacked while sailing south along the Sancaster Islands. They fought the creatures back to an island where they encountered what she described as a strange stone ring. Lehiri knew immediately that they had discovered the third site. Isla then surprised Lehiri by informing her they should quickly join her, as they managed to capture one of the automatons.

A Brief Discussion with Francis

After reconveining with Isla, the party was pleased to find that Martiri had lead the attack pushing the creatures back onto the island. Further, she was able to capture one of the creatures. Some of the Deck Wizards from The Leviathan were able to work together to break the enchantment that was prevalent on the creature's neck, the very same spot Lehiri and Yendor De'sic noticed the mark of Celniana Inaxi Elsys Carnove. The creature sat, not responding, as the group attempted to speak to it. One of the party's newer members, Dewinn, impressed as he reached out to link minds with the creature. He brushed against ancient and deep memories, and the creature suddenly stirred. It did not speak telepathically back to Dewinn, but instead responded to the entire party.
Lehiri, interested in the origin of the creature and it's name, found they did not have one, or remember it. Lehiri bestowed the name "Francis", and Francis was more than happy to assist the party in any way possible. Deeming him not much of a threat, they invited him to assist them. The party decided to head to the center of the triangle of sites, near where the enemy vessel rose out of the water to attack them. Thinking The Town on Macaran relatively safe, being made of old soldiers, they set out to determine what was sending these things after them, Isla joining to see this conflict to it's end.

Deep under the lake

After some mishaps of communication with Francis, the party maneuvered back to the center of the lake. However, the whirlpool did not reappear. After a bit of discussion, Francis was instructed to the buttons on the control module. Suddenly, the whirlpool began to open as a platform rose out of the water. Francis believed he was doing what the party wanted, and settled the vessel onto the mesh platform. The platform moved nearly a mile beneath the surface, and metallic doors shut above them, containing the lake water behind thick metal.
As the party descended, they saw a tunnel and nine pipes running down the stone passage. The boat was settled onto a small pool of water, with an attached passage that lead into a massive natural cavern. The cavern held bioluminescent mushrooms, glowing blue and giving the area underwater an eerie glow. The pipes from the three sites met underwater and exited to the stone tunnel. Four other similar boats were also spotted, but the party estimated there was room for up to 20 of these vessels. Francis was instructed to stay with the ship, and the party followed the pipes down to the tunnel.

The Laboratory

The party followed the pipes and tunnel for what was estimated to be a half mile. As they neared the end, the tunnel opened to reveal many more of the automatons, lifeless and standing in rows along the walls. Dewinn attempted to connect with the creatures, but found them lifeless. Maitar Stewar investigated graffiti he found on the walls behind the creatures, speaking of a "return to balance", and bearing the mark of the Cult of the Fanged Eye. Unfortunately, the party knocked over a few of the creatures, creating a racket that echoed through the tunnel. Isla attempted to send Madame Kitty Puss-Puss back to Francis to inform him, but the communication between a recently awakened sentient machine and a cat familiar seemed lacking.
Stepping into the laboratory, the party found mounds of research notes, books, exotic tinkerer's inventions, and machines. They studied briefly, spotting a familiar chest on a desk, and also noted the glass floor beneath their feet which led to a darkened area. After a brief moment, the lights came on below them, and they were overlooking a surgical suite. Inside were five creatures attached to gurneys vertically in varying states of disembowelment and torture, three half-orcs, and two elves. One half-orc in particular was laid horizontally on a central table as the Gnomish artificer Celniana looked up at the party and taunted them. He spoke as he drew a glassy shard, much like the one found stuck in the Wyvern's jaw, that glowed a sickly purple and black, and drove it into the half-orc on the table, eviscerating his soul from his body and sending it screaming into the pipes out of the room.

I apologize for my hasty departure my friends. Lehiri, Yendor, it is good to see you again, but I fear you've delivered the last things I'll need you to. I appreciate you bringing me this lovely artifact. I'll be going now, but you and a dear creation of mine have plenty of time to get acquainted.

— Celniana Inaxi Elsys Carnove

As Celniana spoke, automatons loaded the four living creatures onto another vessel and escape tunnel near the surgical suite. A great grinding of stone shook the laboratory, as the party looked to the western wall. A long, serpentine creature that resembles a cross between a centipede and a crocodile - and which is made entirely of clockwork, crawls menacingly out of the wall, rears up, and roars at the party.

Campaign

The Fanged Eye Gnashes

Protagonists

Yendor De'sic

Level 5 Wood Elf Chaotic Good Ranger
(Folk Hero)

13 / 35 HP

Uudar

Ian Gantheon

Lehiri

Level 3 Tiefling Chaotic Neutral Rogue

/ 24 HP

Maitar Stewar

Report Date

08 Sep 2021