Session 242 - Ship of death
General Summary
29th to 30th Peonu (Second month of Spring) 725TR
The story so far
The heroes have arrived at the wizard's Kingdom of Melderyn and seek a means to block their enemies from tracking them.
This is the continuation of Session 241 - Ancient Secrets.
Location - City of Cherafir in the Kingdom of Melderyn.
Part 1 - White Hand Headquarters
Jolanta leads the party through the Telumar Godstone to the Cherafir Chantry of the Guild of Arcane Lore. She and the party meet with various arcane luminaries.
However, the party soon learns that they have been invited to dine with the heir to the throne, the Crown Prince of Melderyn, Prince Jevas Toron, and his wife, Princess Eriel Milaka.
Part 2 - The Dinner Party
Fortunately, Prince Jevas, Avon, and Acheron are able to placate her. They also learn that a couple of years ago, her spy network identified a Crimson Dancer knight clandestinely in the kingdom, and she sent an inquisition squad after the villain. This resulted in a blood bath, with the knight escaping unharmed (refer to Session 103 - The Massacre at St. Bergains).
The prince uses this meeting to, unofficially, inform the party that the Council of Eleven believes that dark forces associated with the Church of Morgath plan to place Marshal Kronas Elernin as supreme ruler of the Thardic Republic. This will likely occur during the Senate's next meeting this Winter. They expect the Marshal make good on this threats and launch an attack on the Kingdom of Kanday, possibly in alliance with the Kingdom of Rethem. To maintain peace, the Prince "suggests" the heroes find a way to intervene.
The party also learns that the Church of Morgath plans to corrupt Marshal Koronas with some demonic forces. The prince notes that the heroes have previously been responsible for thwarting several such schemes but must be on their guard for other attempts.
Part 3 - An Unwelcome Visitor
Prince Jevas also ask for the party's assistance. Recently, The Morski, a vessel from the distant Azeryani Empire, docked at the alienage, the city's walled port for foreign ships.
It stayed three days to resupply and was watched closely. Only crew disembarked; however, brown-robed Priests were spotted on board. Priests of the evil god of death, Morgath. When the Morski departed, dead fish and rats were found in the water where the ship was moored.
Strangely, the Morski traveled west and mysteriously abruptly stopped despite tides. No one can be seen on deck. The ship seems to disappear at night but appears entrapped in a menacing haze during the day.
This seems a mission appropriate for Acheron, a member of the Argent Order, who swore to combat the forces of evil and undeath.
Part 4 - Ghost ship
The next day, the party board a small vessel, the White Crab, supplied by the Prince, and travel to the mysterious ghost ship.
En route, twin sea serpents assault the White Crab. These kill one crew member but are destroyed by the heroes who crew the ship's ballistae.
The Morski appears deserted, although Acheron senses that it is surrounded by a field of evil, the Shadow of Bukrai. The party boards and investigates. It is deathly quiet although some characters believe they can hear the sounds of wolves from the hull below.
Inside the upper cabins, they find dead crew members, who twitch and animate and are soon joined by spectral forms that look like wraiths of Morgathic Priests surrounding the heroes. Jolanta unleashes her most destructive disintegration magic. With a burst of white energy, the undead monstrosities are devastated, as is much of the ship and what it contains. The animated corpses of the crew and priests are turned to dust, and the wraith-like forms are weakened and quickly finished off by Acheron's somewhat muted divine smites.
From deep in the hull, a pack of ghostly wolves emerges, terrifying and weakening Moneypenny. They are dispatched using vital magical resources, and heroes have a few moments of rest. Even so, they hear chanting below. Someone is using magic.
To be continued.
NPC Interactions
Jevas Toron - Crown Prince of Melderyn
Princess Eriel Milaka - Prince Jeva's wife.
Viran (Grandmaster) Ceredig Yerwold - Head of the White hand.
Arrilion the Lexigrapher- White hand Wizard.
Challenges Overcome
10 x Zombies and 3 x Greater Wraiths.
1 x Pack of Spirit Wolves.
Rewards
Nothing this week.
Created Content
Nothing this Week.
Related Reports
Primary Chantry of the Guild of Arcane Lore.
Player Character Status
Acheron- Human - Level 6 Devotion Paladin, Level 4 Hexblade, and Level 5 Divine Soul.
Jolanta - Human- Level 15 Evoker.
Avon- Half-Elf - Level 15 Thief.
Avon
Jolanta
Acheron
NPC Companions
Moneypenny
Avon's able assistant
Blaine
Jolanta's loyal and often drunk bodyguard.
Comments