The Road So Far...

Po After meeting each other on the briny shores of Saltmarsh our heroes gathered together to investigate a supposed haunted mansion. They discovered that a smuggling ring was running out of the tunnels beneath the condemned abode, using the town's superstition to their advantage. The heroes made quick work of the smugglers and returned to their employer Anders with the news. After a day of getting to know each other and exploring the city our heroes were summoned to the council hall by Anders' servant. They were sent to put an end to the ring for good by apprehending the rest of the smugglers who the council believed would be returning by boat in a few short days. They watched for a few days before catching sight of the ship the Sea Ghost waiting in the bay. Being joined by two members of the Marsh Shield guard they set out to board the ship and take care of the smugglers. They arrived at the ship and a fight quickly broke out against the crew of the ship. The battle was difficult, but our heroes were victorious and took hold of the ship, with the help of their new allies, Kel and Shen. They discovered a band of lizardfolk who had made a deal with the crew for some weapons. The heroes, having no quarrel with the warriors, let them leave with their bounty. They also found the rest of the ship's crew hiding below decks. The crew was rounded up to await arrest. While searching the ship, they discovered a hidden cell housing a broken and tortured sea elf named Oceanus. They liberated him and brought him above deck. They also discovered several ominous magical artifacts, including an orb that seemed to have a connected to something sinister.
The crew was handed over to the Marsh Shield and Oceanus was taken in by the group. Not speaking any common, communication was difficult, but they discovered he knew other languages in common with them.
The group had a few days to relax before they were approached again by the Commander of he town guard. The prisoners the heroes had turned in had escaped and ran beyond the guard's jurisdiction. The Commander asked for their help in apprehending the men again, and the heroes asked permission for their new friends to join them. They were given use of the commandeered Sea Ghost and they made chase.
They followed their clues to an uncharted island off the coast of Saltmarsh. Inside they found much treasure, and also signs of torture and maiming. At the center of the island they were met with a daunting figure, a sleek looking man covered in jewels who looked at them through slitted pupils. At his feet lay the fugitives.
He was revealed to be Helios, one of the seven Pirate Princes. He was extremely powerful and overtook our heroes quickly. In a display of force and terror he murdered Ora, the party's paladin, before their very eyes, and vanished.
The party rushed to a temple to try to revive their lost friend, but to no avail.
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Several weeks later, spent taking odd jobs, gathering information, and just generally trying to understand the magnitude of what they had just angered, the party attends a festival for the start of the Harvest. There they meet a tiefling, who they discover, has aligning goals with theirs, and has some information on a lead that could help them find Helios.
However their lead meets a roadblock when the council member rumored to have information on the Prince disappears in the night, seeming to have run. Frustrated the party agrees to go on a diplomatic mission to meet with the very lizardfolk they had met aboard the Sea Ghost.
They assist in forming a tentative alliance between Saltmarsh and the lizard tribe in order to defend against the growing threat of the Sahuagin. The party gets wind of the missing council member heading to Stilben.
They also hear rumor of missing ships that leave from the other port town, and decide on their next destination. With the council's help, they gather a crew and set out. Not long into the trip down the coast, they encounter a sea monster, that tests the skill of the crew, and nearly takes the life of two of the party's allies.