The Intrepid
The Sigmi Docks: Located right in the middle of the Lower and Upper Omarop Docks, the Sigmi docks are frequented by the ships of those nations and groups that fall outside of Moudon. Those coming into these docks are often treated as either repugnant outcasts or exotic mysteries. Those who dock here do not often stray from the area. Though officially part of the Gorouti District, most treat this area as though it were a district of its own. Expect most things being sold to those on the ships here to be overpriced, almost to lunacy. There is a separate harbourmaster office for this set of docks where the Harbourmaster Ambassador, usually entrusted to the naval officer least beloved by political powers. They are in charge of accepting and handling ships and goods from abroad. The current Harbourmaster Ambassador is Ferve Jostun, who hates his job but would hate losing it more.
The Intrepid: A merchant class vessel that has been docked at the Sigmi Docks for the past five days without a soul making contact or even lashing the ship to the dock. The anchor was dropped when it arrived in the dead of night, though by whom is unknown. Wary of the ship’s arrival HA Jostun has put the ship on quarantine but is not willing to lend any men or his own efforts to explore the ship. He is hoping it will go away just as it came. Two merchants have already filed complaints to have the ship emptied but lacked to coin to pry Jostun’s ass off of his chair.
If the heroes try to sneak aboard the ship they will have to succeed on opposed stealth checks against a guard of three at the beginning of the dock extension. If they fail they will have to deal with three City Guards that can be persuaded with coin or check (DC17) to get pass. Or there can be a fight.
Getting onto the dock extension, the group feels a strange sort of gloominess about the Intrepid. There is no movement or light aboard to indicate life. Anyone with the ability to detect undead definitely get the impression that are undead entities aboard. There is a low whistle that catches a wind and cuts deep into their soul. DC 12 wisdom check to avoid 1d4 psychic damage and being frightened back off the dock. Successful saves lead to clients feeling as though someone, or something, is watching. The gangplank is down and has been down since it arrived. Boarding the ship, the terrible feeling of being somewhere you should not be intensifies. For a perception check (DC 14) you notice: The ship is in relatively pristine condition; no battle seems to have occurred. It smells vaguely of spoilt fruit. There is a low whistle, like an undercurrent in the space. The doors and grates into the depths of the ship are all shut. The captain’s door is slightly ajar. Up by the navigation room lights up dimly as the party comes aboard.
Captain’s room: Inside the Captain’s room smells even more like spoilt fruit mixed with an organic smell that only an artificer, painter or woodworker can place as turpentine. Inside of the Captain’s room looks clean and well put together. There are two barrels of fruit, one lime and one apples? That have turned into a mushy mess. The desk is a bit messy with papers and a nautical map; there is also a cup of dark, thick looking liquid that seems to smell quite strongly of that organic smell. Marked on the map are seven locations, presumably stops along the way. The bed is made and looks slightly indented as though someone had laid on the bed after it was made. There is a gramophone with a record atop that reads “Operetta Sinestra”. The porthole windows are all closed but one, a cool breeze comes through and there is what looks like a cloth pinned to the inside and hanging out. The feeling of being watched does not fade in this room. As the party turns to leave the Gramophone starts up playing a haunting melody in some minor key.
Navigation room: For all of the pristine qualities of the upper deck, this room reeks of the blood and gore that paints almost every surface. There is a lone kerosene latern flickering in the room that goes out as soon as they come inside. The broken skeleton of some humanoid is lying up against the main controls. A medicine check (DC 17) tells you that the body is likely of a moon elf and the lumbar spine and downward are splintered. There are little bits of flesh hanging off of the corpse and it seems to be at least a few days old but the area is curiously devoid of bugs or their larvae. It is evident from gouges in the wood and metal that there was a struggle in here. The amount of gore suggests the possibility of more than one victim but there is no second skeleton. The longer the group stays the more the smell seems to nauseate. Constitution save (DC 10) to avoid throwing up. Another DC12 wisdom check as the party exists to leave and sees a message written in blood in the common script:
“Breathe it in and come join us!”
On a failed check take 1d4 psychic damage and compelled to drop any weapons in the room to grovel. For anyone who passes the check there is a flicker of something ethereal out of the corner of their vision that heads out of the Navigation room out of the opposite door that they came through and heads toward the upper deck. If the heroes follow they will see the wlll-o’-wisp go down into the lower levels with a low shriek.
Lower decks A: It is dark down in the lower levels and smells of things dead and rotting. There are a curious absence of flies despite the smell and no obvious damage to the quarters. In fact, if not for the smell and the gloom of things, nothing would seem out of the ordinary. The small globe of light hovers just in the distance, toward the ladder heading to the lowest level. This floor starts with a room that is furnished with two long bench and table sets and shelving/hooks to carry clothing and personal goods. Plates, mostly empty still sit on the tables with half-empty flagons. The food is starting to turn a bit. Peoples coats and effects sit organized on the sides. Perception check vs. Stealth check reveals that a coat closer to the end of the room rustles a bit but there is no particular breeze down here.
Possible battle: Creatures: Boneless x 2 Treasure: a bag of gem dust (diamond) worth 100 GP, 44 GP and 120 SP, a +1 Dagger, and an assortment of personal odds and ends.
If the team investigates, they find a couple of leather coats with strange hair patterns on it. Within 5 ft of the coats, they lash out revealing themselves to be a pair of boneless. At the end of the fight, medicine or religion checks (DC 14) tell the party that they are made out of the skins of two humanoid creatures, bloody and gory on the inside like they were fairly freshly skinned. They have been animated in a state of Undeath by some unknown source. The most curious thing is the absolute absence of bones. The feeling of being watched intensifies in the passing moments.
Travelling closer to where the light hovers above the ladder, the party finds the galley. A small range and countertops reveal a meal that was abandoned. Floating in the congealed soup is a severed hand, bloated and inert. The food has spoilt, of course. In here is a cookbook sitting on an island. The cookbook is a barely bound set of pages that are stained with old food and some dark substance. A perusal of the book reveals a loose sheet that is hastily scrawled:
“We are mere hours away from Sigmi Dock but Boss decided to open the last keg so we could all have a good drink. It will be a while until we all get a bit of good hospitality anyway. When he opened it though this awful smelling sludge came out instead. Of course we didn’t drink it. Hell we even threw it overboard but the smell still lingered, smelling like something harsh and chemical. The coxswain says that it smells like turpentine. No matter what we do the smell still lingers. Jonas is feeling sick from it and threw up, a lot. Now I have to clean this shit up but the ship sounds quieter than it ought to and I am fairly sure that I need to write down some of this before we dock. The fortune teller Iniba told me that I would have trouble on this voyage and I am beginning to think I have found it.”
The note is not signed but there is a spray of some dark stain across the bottom of it. The feeling of being watched intensifies along with a new vague feeling of impatience. The party can continue to look around or even scrounge for some kitchen knives (daggers) and such but the end result is pretty much the same, whoever wrote this is no longer in the kitchen and likely not of this world any more.
Following closer to the light, the party go into another room with hammocks and two locked chests. In each of the hammocks is a bloody skeleton.
Battle ensues: Creatures: Skeletons x 4 Treasure: In the chests are 120 GP, 2 PP. A small bag of gems totalling 50 GP, personal effects of the crewmates including portraits, clothing, and baubles of sentimental values. One journal of a sailor named Roso whose writing seems to match that of the letter found earlier.
In the aftermath of the fight the heroes now see the light floating downstairs gently. The party has enough time to gather themselves but the feeling of impatiences persists even without the feeling of being watched. Once the team progresses further, they come down the ladder into the cargo area. The smell of rot intensifies all around them. Cages with dead, bloated corpses of livestock sit, stewing in their juices. It is warmer down here and there are some flies buzzing around this detritus. Ahead is the light. Exploring and coming further there is a feeling of insistence that they come toward the main barrel and crate area. The light giggles as they near, a dark shape rustles behind them. Dex save (DC 12) to avoid a surprise round.
Possible battle: Creatures: 1 x Will-o’-wisp, 1 x Boneless. Treasure: Box of Vkor’s Leaves (quest item), 4x Potion of Healing, 250 GP worth of transportable gems, spices and cloth.
In the aftermath of the battle, the team has achieved their quest, they have found the cargo that Vkor had requested. Bringing back the leaves and some goods is not impossible for a group of 4 but will take the better part of an hour to get it back to the Reszich Lodge. In the crate area, someone with a keen nose or perception may notice that they smell that turpentine smell quite strongly. Though there is no money in return the heroes are told to keep any of the items that they managed to find on the ship other than the leaves, unless they wish to donate them or bring them to those they were owed to.
Only the most perceptive (DC 21) may notice that even though they have destroyed the will-o’-wisp, they still feel the sensation of being watched. If the team decides to stay at the Lodge, they are able to sleep soundly. If the party decides to stay outside or in another establishment (other than Thessa’s Inn), they will find that their rest is a hellish one. Sleep is fine for the first four hours but in the dead of the night the party collectively wakes up as they all have the sensation of being watched. As they look around they are in a perception vs. Stealth roll with the true enemy of their quest.
Possible battle: Creature: 1 x Nothic Treasure: 1 x ruby worth 300 GP, wand of smiles.
The Nothic reeks of turpentine or something like it. It has mean hooked claws coated in blood in various states of drying. It sounds like a whimpering dog for the most part, or a gibbering child. Killing it closes off The Intrepid’s issue but there are still other things to be done for the Lodge, and even the city itself.
Refer back to Omarop Cove for greater detail.
The Intrepid: A merchant class vessel that has been docked at the Sigmi Docks for the past five days without a soul making contact or even lashing the ship to the dock. The anchor was dropped when it arrived in the dead of night, though by whom is unknown. Wary of the ship’s arrival HA Jostun has put the ship on quarantine but is not willing to lend any men or his own efforts to explore the ship. He is hoping it will go away just as it came. Two merchants have already filed complaints to have the ship emptied but lacked to coin to pry Jostun’s ass off of his chair.
If the heroes try to sneak aboard the ship they will have to succeed on opposed stealth checks against a guard of three at the beginning of the dock extension. If they fail they will have to deal with three City Guards that can be persuaded with coin or check (DC17) to get pass. Or there can be a fight.
Getting onto the dock extension, the group feels a strange sort of gloominess about the Intrepid. There is no movement or light aboard to indicate life. Anyone with the ability to detect undead definitely get the impression that are undead entities aboard. There is a low whistle that catches a wind and cuts deep into their soul. DC 12 wisdom check to avoid 1d4 psychic damage and being frightened back off the dock. Successful saves lead to clients feeling as though someone, or something, is watching. The gangplank is down and has been down since it arrived. Boarding the ship, the terrible feeling of being somewhere you should not be intensifies. For a perception check (DC 14) you notice: The ship is in relatively pristine condition; no battle seems to have occurred. It smells vaguely of spoilt fruit. There is a low whistle, like an undercurrent in the space. The doors and grates into the depths of the ship are all shut. The captain’s door is slightly ajar. Up by the navigation room lights up dimly as the party comes aboard.
Captain’s room: Inside the Captain’s room smells even more like spoilt fruit mixed with an organic smell that only an artificer, painter or woodworker can place as turpentine. Inside of the Captain’s room looks clean and well put together. There are two barrels of fruit, one lime and one apples? That have turned into a mushy mess. The desk is a bit messy with papers and a nautical map; there is also a cup of dark, thick looking liquid that seems to smell quite strongly of that organic smell. Marked on the map are seven locations, presumably stops along the way. The bed is made and looks slightly indented as though someone had laid on the bed after it was made. There is a gramophone with a record atop that reads “Operetta Sinestra”. The porthole windows are all closed but one, a cool breeze comes through and there is what looks like a cloth pinned to the inside and hanging out. The feeling of being watched does not fade in this room. As the party turns to leave the Gramophone starts up playing a haunting melody in some minor key.
Navigation room: For all of the pristine qualities of the upper deck, this room reeks of the blood and gore that paints almost every surface. There is a lone kerosene latern flickering in the room that goes out as soon as they come inside. The broken skeleton of some humanoid is lying up against the main controls. A medicine check (DC 17) tells you that the body is likely of a moon elf and the lumbar spine and downward are splintered. There are little bits of flesh hanging off of the corpse and it seems to be at least a few days old but the area is curiously devoid of bugs or their larvae. It is evident from gouges in the wood and metal that there was a struggle in here. The amount of gore suggests the possibility of more than one victim but there is no second skeleton. The longer the group stays the more the smell seems to nauseate. Constitution save (DC 10) to avoid throwing up. Another DC12 wisdom check as the party exists to leave and sees a message written in blood in the common script:
“Breathe it in and come join us!”
On a failed check take 1d4 psychic damage and compelled to drop any weapons in the room to grovel. For anyone who passes the check there is a flicker of something ethereal out of the corner of their vision that heads out of the Navigation room out of the opposite door that they came through and heads toward the upper deck. If the heroes follow they will see the wlll-o’-wisp go down into the lower levels with a low shriek.
Lower decks A: It is dark down in the lower levels and smells of things dead and rotting. There are a curious absence of flies despite the smell and no obvious damage to the quarters. In fact, if not for the smell and the gloom of things, nothing would seem out of the ordinary. The small globe of light hovers just in the distance, toward the ladder heading to the lowest level. This floor starts with a room that is furnished with two long bench and table sets and shelving/hooks to carry clothing and personal goods. Plates, mostly empty still sit on the tables with half-empty flagons. The food is starting to turn a bit. Peoples coats and effects sit organized on the sides. Perception check vs. Stealth check reveals that a coat closer to the end of the room rustles a bit but there is no particular breeze down here.
Possible battle: Creatures: Boneless x 2 Treasure: a bag of gem dust (diamond) worth 100 GP, 44 GP and 120 SP, a +1 Dagger, and an assortment of personal odds and ends.
If the team investigates, they find a couple of leather coats with strange hair patterns on it. Within 5 ft of the coats, they lash out revealing themselves to be a pair of boneless. At the end of the fight, medicine or religion checks (DC 14) tell the party that they are made out of the skins of two humanoid creatures, bloody and gory on the inside like they were fairly freshly skinned. They have been animated in a state of Undeath by some unknown source. The most curious thing is the absolute absence of bones. The feeling of being watched intensifies in the passing moments.
Travelling closer to where the light hovers above the ladder, the party finds the galley. A small range and countertops reveal a meal that was abandoned. Floating in the congealed soup is a severed hand, bloated and inert. The food has spoilt, of course. In here is a cookbook sitting on an island. The cookbook is a barely bound set of pages that are stained with old food and some dark substance. A perusal of the book reveals a loose sheet that is hastily scrawled:
“We are mere hours away from Sigmi Dock but Boss decided to open the last keg so we could all have a good drink. It will be a while until we all get a bit of good hospitality anyway. When he opened it though this awful smelling sludge came out instead. Of course we didn’t drink it. Hell we even threw it overboard but the smell still lingered, smelling like something harsh and chemical. The coxswain says that it smells like turpentine. No matter what we do the smell still lingers. Jonas is feeling sick from it and threw up, a lot. Now I have to clean this shit up but the ship sounds quieter than it ought to and I am fairly sure that I need to write down some of this before we dock. The fortune teller Iniba told me that I would have trouble on this voyage and I am beginning to think I have found it.”
The note is not signed but there is a spray of some dark stain across the bottom of it. The feeling of being watched intensifies along with a new vague feeling of impatience. The party can continue to look around or even scrounge for some kitchen knives (daggers) and such but the end result is pretty much the same, whoever wrote this is no longer in the kitchen and likely not of this world any more.
Following closer to the light, the party go into another room with hammocks and two locked chests. In each of the hammocks is a bloody skeleton.
Battle ensues: Creatures: Skeletons x 4 Treasure: In the chests are 120 GP, 2 PP. A small bag of gems totalling 50 GP, personal effects of the crewmates including portraits, clothing, and baubles of sentimental values. One journal of a sailor named Roso whose writing seems to match that of the letter found earlier.
In the aftermath of the fight the heroes now see the light floating downstairs gently. The party has enough time to gather themselves but the feeling of impatiences persists even without the feeling of being watched. Once the team progresses further, they come down the ladder into the cargo area. The smell of rot intensifies all around them. Cages with dead, bloated corpses of livestock sit, stewing in their juices. It is warmer down here and there are some flies buzzing around this detritus. Ahead is the light. Exploring and coming further there is a feeling of insistence that they come toward the main barrel and crate area. The light giggles as they near, a dark shape rustles behind them. Dex save (DC 12) to avoid a surprise round.
Possible battle: Creatures: 1 x Will-o’-wisp, 1 x Boneless. Treasure: Box of Vkor’s Leaves (quest item), 4x Potion of Healing, 250 GP worth of transportable gems, spices and cloth.
In the aftermath of the battle, the team has achieved their quest, they have found the cargo that Vkor had requested. Bringing back the leaves and some goods is not impossible for a group of 4 but will take the better part of an hour to get it back to the Reszich Lodge. In the crate area, someone with a keen nose or perception may notice that they smell that turpentine smell quite strongly. Though there is no money in return the heroes are told to keep any of the items that they managed to find on the ship other than the leaves, unless they wish to donate them or bring them to those they were owed to.
Only the most perceptive (DC 21) may notice that even though they have destroyed the will-o’-wisp, they still feel the sensation of being watched. If the team decides to stay at the Lodge, they are able to sleep soundly. If the party decides to stay outside or in another establishment (other than Thessa’s Inn), they will find that their rest is a hellish one. Sleep is fine for the first four hours but in the dead of the night the party collectively wakes up as they all have the sensation of being watched. As they look around they are in a perception vs. Stealth roll with the true enemy of their quest.
Possible battle: Creature: 1 x Nothic Treasure: 1 x ruby worth 300 GP, wand of smiles.
The Nothic reeks of turpentine or something like it. It has mean hooked claws coated in blood in various states of drying. It sounds like a whimpering dog for the most part, or a gibbering child. Killing it closes off The Intrepid’s issue but there are still other things to be done for the Lodge, and even the city itself.
Refer back to Omarop Cove for greater detail.
Subplots
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