Session 46: A New Voyage & Discovery Report
General Summary
It is the 21st of Deep Winter (NOT SLAYING). The party is heading for Saltmarsh in the dark and rain when Bubbles and Riptide spot three shadowy riders atop dire wolves in the distance. The three riders are making straight for the party. After one of Virion's fireballs and Seklyn's distrubingly accurate dragon call, the wraiths and wolves flee.
Other than that encounter with the Grandmother's servants, they arrive at Saltmarsh unaccosted. Seklyn goes to the Faithful Quartermasters of Ithaqua and buys a Candle of the Deep along with a lantern, and is deeply disturbed by Captain Xendros.
Then the party goes across the bridge and up the hill to Keledek's Tower. Virion, as always, feels a little uncomfrotable on Sharkfin bridge. Before they can knock on the tower door, it opens. The Unspoken leans over from above and welcomes them up to the next floor. They discuss the robberies, and from Keledek confirm that these items were stolen by Keraptis and taken to White Plume Mountain; the largest of the Obsidian Isles. Seklyn trades understanding of why the dragons are gone from here with Keledek.
They then debate how to get to the isle, and ultimately settle on hiring a crew to sail the Sea Ghost there and then teleporting the crew back, and then after the expedition they teleport themselves back. The party goes to the Mariner's Guild to hire out Captain Losoya's crew, and Bubbles heads off to Hannah Rist. Hannah shares an iced drink with Bubbles, James scowling in the background. They also get to heat some Heath Hen Noodle Soup. Also, Bubbles shares with Hannah that they heard there might be a sea monster near the styes. Hannah relates that a solmor shipping vessel, the Golden Cur, is late and possibly missing.
Mystan uses Sending to check in with Elmo, Virion is going to follow up on a rumor he heard. Apparently, an unknown person has been coming and going from the Solmor estate at odd hours of the night. They plan to stake the house out. Seklyn sees a robed figure go west (away from the Solmor house), and then a few hours later east (towards the Solmor house). She says Keledek's name aloud to try and summon him, and instead gets an invisible imp angrily griping about Keledek being asleep. The imp explains that Keledek didn't enchant the town, he just has a bunch of familiars. Selina bribes the imp with a ration to follow the robed man, who they learn went into the servants quarters. The party then formulates a plan to get in and confront this nere-do-well.
After a lot of planning, the party finally has an approach. Mystan and Virion will go to the front door and approach truthfully & diplomatically while Bubbles and Selina/Seklyn sneak around the back.
Virion and Mystan are greeted by Skerrin Wavechaser in nightclothes, who brings them into a sitting room. When they tell him what's going on, he frankly responds that it was a covert errand to get Anders Solmor some medicine. The knights tentatively believe this after some back and forth. However, Bubbles and Selina sneak in through the servant's quarters to investigate the cloaked figure. Seklyn looks into servants quaters, and finds nothing, so goes up to Ander's room. Bubbles, meanwhile, finds Skerrin's room and confirms by the wet cloak that he was the cloaked figure. However, they also locate some commoner's clothes in Skerrin's size tha are crab-scented.
Unfortunately, both are busted by Skerrin who kicks them out angrily in the night. Bubbles takes the opportunity to flee to Crabber's Cove as a lead from the crab-scented clothes, and discovers that one of the buildings is locked up and has been cleaned out, used as a meeting place by someone! After breaking through two sets of doors and searcing an old pantry, they find a trapdoor into a hidden celler.
Descending into the dark cellar with a candle, Bubbles is surprised to find a prison-like cell in the darkness, within which is a oddly-shaped box full of dirt and an emaciated, pale man with matted stringy black hair, yellow eyes, fangs, and pointed ears. Bubbles - being from the ocean - doesn't realize that this is obviously a vampire. The totally-not-a-vampire relays via ramblings that he has been locked in here for at least a century, cursed by a "witch" to be here lest someone pure of heart lets him out. Bubbles realizes that he must've overeard everyone above, and they come to a deal; Bubbles (who is pure of heart) will let him out if he tells them everything he knows.
The vampire agrees, but will only tell Bubbles if they let him out. Bubbles breaks the lock and fireman carries him up the ladder, and once in the meeting room the vampire tries to angle to leave and get some food ("soup", he explains with exctasy. It's creepy), but Bubbles reminds him of his end of the bargain. Finally, he relents, and the two exchange names - Bubbles (in aquan), and Xolec.
Xolec then explains the following:
Xolec then just fucking books it, eager to finally eat something. Bubbles also flees, realizing that they have just very obviously broken into the meeting place of a powerful conspiracy that Skerrin Wavechaser is obviously the leader of, whom they just royally pissed off. First they go to the Snapping Line to talk to Hannah Rist, but instead are greeted by James Rist, who is pissy and a jerk but answers Bubbles' question: who would you go to for illusions? He tells them to talk to Virion Sylvenne or The Unspoken. Bubbles decides Keledek is a good bet, and makes for the tower.
Once there, Bubbles hurridly explains the situation to Keledek, who panics and tells Bubbles that Xolec is almost certainly a vampire. They need a plan: the party and Keledek are almost certainly at risk of assassination, especially given they think they're in the endgame what with their leaders at White Plume Mountain with the weapons and all. They agree that the party needs to leave asap, but also that somebody has to help Captain Fireborn deal with everything here! Plus, the Order of Raan needs to be called in almost certainly. No matter what, Bubbles thinks the party is safer in the Tower than the Saltmarsh House. Keledek agrees, using Sending to call for Mystan.
Following this message, Mystan, Virion, and Seklyn make for Keledek's Tower. However, as they exit their house they are stopped in the street by an angry Skerrin who demands to know why Selina & Bubbles had broken in. Seklyn thinks fast and covers for the knights, explaining that the break-in was his idea and that Mystan and Virion had no idea. Skerrin nods, approaching to clap Seklyn on the shoulder and congragulate her on being so worried about Andor and protective of his friends - and foolish. He drives a dagger into Seklyn, but he dodges. Before the party can react, there's a gunshot from behind, the bullet whizzing past Mystan. He turns, only to see a second Skerrin Wavechaser standing behind him!
Initiative:
Other than that encounter with the Grandmother's servants, they arrive at Saltmarsh unaccosted. Seklyn goes to the Faithful Quartermasters of Ithaqua and buys a Candle of the Deep along with a lantern, and is deeply disturbed by Captain Xendros.
Then the party goes across the bridge and up the hill to Keledek's Tower. Virion, as always, feels a little uncomfrotable on Sharkfin bridge. Before they can knock on the tower door, it opens. The Unspoken leans over from above and welcomes them up to the next floor. They discuss the robberies, and from Keledek confirm that these items were stolen by Keraptis and taken to White Plume Mountain; the largest of the Obsidian Isles. Seklyn trades understanding of why the dragons are gone from here with Keledek.
They then debate how to get to the isle, and ultimately settle on hiring a crew to sail the Sea Ghost there and then teleporting the crew back, and then after the expedition they teleport themselves back. The party goes to the Mariner's Guild to hire out Captain Losoya's crew, and Bubbles heads off to Hannah Rist. Hannah shares an iced drink with Bubbles, James scowling in the background. They also get to heat some Heath Hen Noodle Soup. Also, Bubbles shares with Hannah that they heard there might be a sea monster near the styes. Hannah relates that a solmor shipping vessel, the Golden Cur, is late and possibly missing.
Mystan uses Sending to check in with Elmo, Virion is going to follow up on a rumor he heard. Apparently, an unknown person has been coming and going from the Solmor estate at odd hours of the night. They plan to stake the house out. Seklyn sees a robed figure go west (away from the Solmor house), and then a few hours later east (towards the Solmor house). She says Keledek's name aloud to try and summon him, and instead gets an invisible imp angrily griping about Keledek being asleep. The imp explains that Keledek didn't enchant the town, he just has a bunch of familiars. Selina bribes the imp with a ration to follow the robed man, who they learn went into the servants quarters. The party then formulates a plan to get in and confront this nere-do-well.
After a lot of planning, the party finally has an approach. Mystan and Virion will go to the front door and approach truthfully & diplomatically while Bubbles and Selina/Seklyn sneak around the back.
Virion and Mystan are greeted by Skerrin Wavechaser in nightclothes, who brings them into a sitting room. When they tell him what's going on, he frankly responds that it was a covert errand to get Anders Solmor some medicine. The knights tentatively believe this after some back and forth. However, Bubbles and Selina sneak in through the servant's quarters to investigate the cloaked figure. Seklyn looks into servants quaters, and finds nothing, so goes up to Ander's room. Bubbles, meanwhile, finds Skerrin's room and confirms by the wet cloak that he was the cloaked figure. However, they also locate some commoner's clothes in Skerrin's size tha are crab-scented.
Unfortunately, both are busted by Skerrin who kicks them out angrily in the night. Bubbles takes the opportunity to flee to Crabber's Cove as a lead from the crab-scented clothes, and discovers that one of the buildings is locked up and has been cleaned out, used as a meeting place by someone! After breaking through two sets of doors and searcing an old pantry, they find a trapdoor into a hidden celler.
Descending into the dark cellar with a candle, Bubbles is surprised to find a prison-like cell in the darkness, within which is a oddly-shaped box full of dirt and an emaciated, pale man with matted stringy black hair, yellow eyes, fangs, and pointed ears. Bubbles - being from the ocean - doesn't realize that this is obviously a vampire. The totally-not-a-vampire relays via ramblings that he has been locked in here for at least a century, cursed by a "witch" to be here lest someone pure of heart lets him out. Bubbles realizes that he must've overeard everyone above, and they come to a deal; Bubbles (who is pure of heart) will let him out if he tells them everything he knows.
The vampire agrees, but will only tell Bubbles if they let him out. Bubbles breaks the lock and fireman carries him up the ladder, and once in the meeting room the vampire tries to angle to leave and get some food ("soup", he explains with exctasy. It's creepy), but Bubbles reminds him of his end of the bargain. Finally, he relents, and the two exchange names - Bubbles (in aquan), and Xolec.
Xolec then explains the following:
They call themselves the Brotherhood of Keraptis. There's at least ten of them. There's always a man who speaks in a monotone voice. He seems to be their leader, call him "mask", and has ties to the council, specifically one Anders Solmor. There was also a man who spoke very rapidly, they called him "Doctor". The guy was crazy, I haven't heard him in a few weeks. He was also a newer member, and definitely was human based on the accent. Thirdly there was a dwarf who always had insight into the Mining Company's finances, and seemed to be close with Mannistrad. They just called him "Miner". Or Minor", couldn't say. But "Miner" makes more sense. The fourth most promiment man was also human, local I'd say. Sounded like a military man. He ran for office recently but lost, they were pretty pissed about that. They just called him "Candidate."
The group, however, has their fingers in everything. They had Ingo the Drover blackmailed into cooperation, and had him raid "the Unspoken's" after Doctor "went missing". They also seemed to have taken control of the winner of the election, via their fifth member. She was light - the floorboards didn't creak under her - and she had a strange accent I didn't recognize. They just called her "Cook", and she apparently let one of their operatives into the winner's house to kidnap someone valuable to the winner. Said hostage was planted somewhere else, "two birds with one stone" the masked man said.
There are three other operatives who I think are humans, known simply as "Manos", "Ojos", and "Orejas". Manos has a deep voice, Ojos's is squeaky, and Orejas's is soft. If I had to guess, Manos is a man, Ojos and Orejas are women. I think they're lower level, usually directed to deliver messages and arrange meetings. Ojos was the one that found out about Ingo the Drover, and some time ago Orejas gave the masked man information about a "Ned Shakeshaft", who could be used for a "haunted house." The other two came in very rarely, I don't really know anything about them.
The group seems to think the local area is the true territory of an eastern mage from myth, Keraptis. They're trying to take over the council, the leader has superiors he gets orders from. I don't know who. They've only been working here for a few decades - that was when the crabs came - and they hated how the Cobalt Reconquista didn't allow them to destabilize the region enough to do their coup. They've masterminded the assassinations and coverups of lots of people. During the war they loved to kill people and frame it as a casualty of war; a ship would sink and be blamed on the other side, someone would be shot by a soldier who was really working for the Brotherhood, etc. They have money - and power. Access to the criminal underworld and government. They want to take over the Salmon Coast Colonies, and seem to think the natives have access to his old magical artifacts, which they can use to connect to Keraptis.
They were very excited when some kind of "Obsidian Isles" were located, and are keeping a close eye on the "Unspoken One" who is apparently investigating them. They think it has something to do with Keraptis, who they believe is still alive and can be contacted. They need magical conduits for it. They think the Natives' artifacts will help them with that, either to find the true conduits or act as conduits.
Xolec then just fucking books it, eager to finally eat something. Bubbles also flees, realizing that they have just very obviously broken into the meeting place of a powerful conspiracy that Skerrin Wavechaser is obviously the leader of, whom they just royally pissed off. First they go to the Snapping Line to talk to Hannah Rist, but instead are greeted by James Rist, who is pissy and a jerk but answers Bubbles' question: who would you go to for illusions? He tells them to talk to Virion Sylvenne or The Unspoken. Bubbles decides Keledek is a good bet, and makes for the tower.
Once there, Bubbles hurridly explains the situation to Keledek, who panics and tells Bubbles that Xolec is almost certainly a vampire. They need a plan: the party and Keledek are almost certainly at risk of assassination, especially given they think they're in the endgame what with their leaders at White Plume Mountain with the weapons and all. They agree that the party needs to leave asap, but also that somebody has to help Captain Fireborn deal with everything here! Plus, the Order of Raan needs to be called in almost certainly. No matter what, Bubbles thinks the party is safer in the Tower than the Saltmarsh House. Keledek agrees, using Sending to call for Mystan.
Following this message, Mystan, Virion, and Seklyn make for Keledek's Tower. However, as they exit their house they are stopped in the street by an angry Skerrin who demands to know why Selina & Bubbles had broken in. Seklyn thinks fast and covers for the knights, explaining that the break-in was his idea and that Mystan and Virion had no idea. Skerrin nods, approaching to clap Seklyn on the shoulder and congragulate her on being so worried about Andor and protective of his friends - and foolish. He drives a dagger into Seklyn, but he dodges. Before the party can react, there's a gunshot from behind, the bullet whizzing past Mystan. He turns, only to see a second Skerrin Wavechaser standing behind him!
Initiative:
- 20: Virion
- 19: Enemies
- 15: Seklyn
- 13: Mystan
- 12: Bubbles (Absent)
Character(s) interacted with
- Keledek the Unspoken
- Captain Esmeralda Losoya
- First Mate Citali Darkarch
- Quartermaster Gun
- Bosun Tl'l'hwtko
- Hannah Rist
- James Rist
- Butler Skerrin Wavechaser
- Xolec
Related Reports
Notes
The Brotherhood of Keraptis was behind almost everything that has thus transpired in Saltmarsh. They sent and assassinated Ned Shakeshaft. They were behind Lankus Kurrid's election bid. They kidnapped Tomas Primewater. They were the ones who stole Dr. Cauce's stuff, they tried to have Ingo the Drover killed. All of it, it was them, the whole time.
And now their sights are set squarely on the party.
And now their sights are set squarely on the party.
Bubbles
Virion Sylvenne
C/N Wood Elf (Noble)
Wizard 2
Wizard 2
7 / 12 HP
STR
12
12
DEX
16
16
CON
13
13
INT
16
16
WIS
14
14
CHA
14
14
Co'oquilan Mystan
Bronze Dragonborn (Acolyte)
Cleric 3
Cleric 3
10 / 24 HP
STR
14
14
DEX
11
11
CON
14
14
INT
13
13
WIS
16
16
CHA
13
13
Seklyn/Selina
Report Date
09 Jun 2023
Primary Location
Secondary Location
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