Session 9 - The great Azure Sea Report
General Summary
Waterday 5 Patchwall
The Tryhard Misfits are gathered in the common room of The Snapping Line when a dwarf enters and scans the crowd. Seeing you, he approaches and in a gruff voice states, "Mistress Copperlocks has requested your appearance in her office. She'll see you at your earliest convenience this afternoon." The party intrigued by the summons leaves their drinks and heads across the Sharkfin Bridge to meet Manistrad in the home that operates as her in town office. Upon arriving at the Dwarven Mining Commission's office, the party is escorted through the house into Manistrad's office. She rises greeting the party, "Good afternoon Misfits! I hinted at this last week during Councilor Primewater's party, but now it's come to a head. A few weeks ago, a new drill bit was being shipped to my mine when it disappeared. We were hoping it was just running slow, but yesterday I received a ransom note from a group based out of the Sea Prince holdings that states they are willing to sell it back to me for 3000 gold pieces. I'm not thrilled at this added cost, but it's still the most reasonable course of action. I want you to go in my stead. I'll provide you with the gold to ransom it and let's say an added 50 gp? Do we have an accord?" Leeroy responds, "We're interested, but how do we get to this group? Are you providing a ship and crew? I also assume you'll provide me directions on how to find them?" "I can provide a ship," responds Manistrad, "but it'll just be asking captains down on the docks, since I don't have a ship under direct employment. Don't you already have a captain that you prefer? And of course I'll provide information on how to get there. Does that answer all your questions?" "Do you care how we handle this?" inquires Leeory. "For instance, what if we find another way to liberate it? Do we need to return your gold?" Manistrad smiles knowingly, "I've already written this off as the cost of doing business. If your group finds a creative way to return my equipment, well, I don't need detail. I just need my drill bit so we can get deeper into the mine. Do we have a deal?" "Not just yet," Leeroy declares, "Yes we will do this for you, but let us check with our captain to see what other concerns there might be. We do have the The Sea Ghost, but he may feel that she's not sturdy enough for this trip. We'll discuss with him and return afterwards. Is that okay?" Manistrad nods in agreement while standing and ushering the party onward. As the Tryhard Misfits head back toward the docks, the party discusses Capt O'Donahue, his salary, and if they can get more from Manstrad to cover the costs of the venture. Reaching the dock, they find Capt O'Donahue on his fishing vessel with a couple of deckhands offloading the day's catch. Nar shouts out, "Captain! Permission to board?" Jimmie scans the docks and seeing Nar along with the rest of the Misfits booms out, "Aye! It be good seeing you again! I'm assuming you brought more of that claw wine to soften me up for somethin'?" "Well, there might be a few bottles on me," replies Nar. "as perhaps we've come to discuss a venture. Do you have the time for us?" "Aye, Ah'll make the time," responds O'Donahue. "You've done right be me so Ah'll hear what ye've got to say. Come down over here." As the group squeezes into the bridge, Leeroy explains the mission to the Captain. Afterwards the captain mulls it over in his head, then states, "Aye the Sea Ghost can make that trip easy. However, you'll be needin' a few extra hands to sail her. You not be sailors so we need at least a first mate and then Ah'd say a couple of deckhands. Ah think Ah can provide them all from my crew, but we'll be needing to get paid, upfront too. For myself, Ah'll be asking 30gp a day. The first mate'll need half that and the deckhands'll want 2gp each a day. All said, Ah think we can just call it 50gp/day for the entire crew. So now ye will be wantin' to know how long the trip'll take. Ah figure with good winds and smooth seas, we be takin' about 4 days to get there. Howev'r, if we face a storm or something else be slowin' us down, then it'll be 5 days we travel. All said and done, Ah figure it'd be a 9 or 10 day voyage, roughly 500gp for the crew. How's that strike your fancy?" Leeroy nods and says, "Well it seems Manistrad low-balled us. We'll end up losing money to do this." "She did say she'd hire a ship," Mina interjects, "Perhaps we could ask her to fund our crew instead. Surely, it'd be cheaper than hiring a random ship and crew." "You've got a point. I guess we head back to Manistrad" declares Leeroy. "How long until we can sail Captain?" "Oh we can be shovin' off with the mornin' tide if it all be good" responds the Captain. "I'll be seeing you at dawn then." The Misfits head back up over Sharkfin Bridge to Manistrad's office and request an audience. When she's able to see them, the party explains the costs involved and Manistrad states that she'll cover the costs. She then provides them thirty-five hundred gold pieces and wishes them safe travels.Earthday 6 Patchwall
The party meets Capt O'Donahue at the Sea Ghost as the sun begins to rise over the eastern rocks. "There ye be! Tides comin' nicely now, so we'll be shovin' off shortly. This here be me first mate, Junior. Ah've got charts to go over, so he'll be showin' ye around till we shove off." As you turn toward him, Jimmy Jr speaks up, "Good morrow to you. I've been working with the Captain for years. We're both called Jimmy, but on the ship most just call me Junior. Let me introduce you to our deckhands Chad and Chris, twins, that have been with us a few years. They'll help with most tasks, but we're relying on each of you for routine duties." Leeroy flexes while stating that he'd be great working the ropes and sails. Mina volunteers to navigate, while Karia climbs to the crow's nest as a lookout. Kyra will forecast the weather and Nar offers to entertain each day. As the morning tide starts to ebb, the ship heaves off her mooring and glides outward to the deep waters of the Azure Sea. Saltmarsh grows smaller as the ship plies southward and the waters transition from the silted brown waters of the docks to the crystal blue waters of the open ocean. Mina and Kyra collaborate to provide a bearing and forecast that favor the journey. Freeday and Starday pass without incident as the Sea Ghost sails onward.Sunday 9 Patchwall
A ruddy sun breaks across the horizon as a new day of travel begins. The structured chores commence and all appears to happen again as it did before. As the sun peaks, several fins are seen encircling the Sea Ghost. As the crew curiously looks on, first one and then several sahuagin leap from the water unto the deck and attack. Capt O'Donahue yells out "Arggh! The Sea Devils be upon us!" as the largest of slashes repeatedly at him with a spear. Wounded, O'Donahue retreats toward the stern with Junior coming to his aid. Nar reacts first using her arrows to attack the two on the bow menacing Chad and Chris who appear defenseless. Kyra backs against the berths on the main deck as she tolls the dead hoping to inflict additional damage. The other sahuagin warriors embattle the party striking quickly. Then Leeroy moves into the fray and disrupts their advance with his halberd. As the battle heightens, The Misfits are hard pressed with the ferociousness of the sahuagin, but the tide slowly turns in their favor. After clearing the deck of the bodies and gore, Mina yells "Land Ho!" like a proper sailor as the northern edge of the Sea Princes realm. Kyra and the Captain quickly take a sextant reading and determine heading westward will land them at the pirate's outpost before dark. As the Sea Ghost ties up at the Sea Princes dock, Grog, a hulking half-orc and the captain of the docks, hails out "All persons seeking audience should leave their weapons aboard ship." "You must be mad!" retorts Leeroy, "You want us to be unarmed in the middle of pirates?" "Aye," replies the half-orc, "Boss say no weapons, so no weapons. You want weapons, stay on ship." After several retorts on both sides, Grog sends for their leader, Tenon, who comes out explaining, "We find it helps sooth high energy negotiations. We've often had people who don't agree with our business plan and therefore try to, shall we say, liberate their property without compensating our efforts. You can certainly keep your armor, but the negotiation table is one of peace and therefore we don't want weapons there. Does this satisfy your concern? You are here under a truce of negotiations and we will honor it." Leeroy insists that one of the Sea Princes group be a guest on the Sea Ghost as a method of equality. Tenon agrees as Grog volunteers to relax during the negotiations. Nar offers to play warden while the rest of the Misfits head into camp. As the group sits down at the table, Mina calls forth the divine energies of a spiritual weapon shaped as a teapot and pours a cuppa for herself and Tenon. Seeing the display, Tenon chuckles and states that the mining equipment is 3000 gold pieces. Feigning shock, Leeroy responds, "Copperlocks provided only 2000 for the equipment." "That's a shame," replies Tenon, "I guess she doesn't need this equipment and I'll just sell it to another interested party. All my information stated that Copperlocks is a business person and therefore would handle this fairly, but I suppose not. Ah well, thank you for your time. We'll just escort you back to your ship and not delay you further." Leeroy protests that finding a different buyer would take time and there are risks, but Tenon holds firm that he'll get the price he wants. Eventually, Leeroy switches tactics and suggests that perhaps there's a task that could be completed instead of the extra 1000 gold. Tenon leans backward in his chair quietly muttering, "hmmm, yes. yes perhaps there could be a task well suited to their talents. It's certainly risky, but that'll be their problem." Louder he states, "I do believe there is a mutually beneficially task you can do for us." He then quickly outlines that there has been a crocodile lingering a short distance from their fort that interferes with overland shipments when it's overly hungry. This Crocodile, known as "Thousand Teeth", has become a legend among his folk. If the party is able to destroy it and bring proof, then his group would be willing to discount the price of the machinery. Leeroy looks at each of the remaining party members receiving visual affirmation, then accepts the offer, "Assuming we're allowed our weapons when we do so, we'd happily take care of this Thousand Teeth for you." With hearty handshakes around the room, the party returns to the Sea Ghost and finds Grog and Nar playing poker on the deck. One glance at the betting tokens shows that Nar is clearly winning.Moonday 10 Patchwall
The next morning dawns with clear skies. Feeling watchful eyes upon them, the party comes ashore and heads out through the village's main gate. Heading northward on the narrow winding road, the party looks for the landmark that Tenon stated was near the crocodile's lair. Around mid-morning, the party spots the moss covered rock and finds the game trail heading deeper into the jungle. The Misfits slowly trek forward toward a pond. Leeroy's looking through the brush to isolate where the crocodile might be. Suddenly, the brush explodes with rows of teeth bearing down on him. The party quickly responds, but two constrictor snakes surprise people from the tree tops. During the battle, Leeroy works to stay between the major threats and the rest of the party and receives the brunt of the damage. Karia and Kyra work to stay outside of melee, but the speed of the croc nearly traps them more than once. Meanwhile, Nar has scaled a tree and attacks from the cover of the trees. Mina, on the other hand, finds herself healing more than attacking, including reviving an unconscious Leeroy trapped within the coils of a snake. The battle finally comes to a close as Nar makes a leaping attack killing the final snake while it's squeezing Leeroy. Nar then successfully skins one of the two snakes while Karia pulls out several large teeth from the crocodile. Leeroy uses his halberd to sever the heads of the snakes and the croc and the party heads back toward the pirate outpost. Tenon greets the Misfits at the outpost gate as a loud cheer rises from the camp. As the party lugs the heads to the dining hall, Tenon offers a celebration feast in their honor. As multiple trays of food are brought out from the kitchen lightning streaks across the sky. Rain begins to drizzle as the party relates the battle to the pirates. As Leeroy describes the death of the last snake with Nar leaping like a wildcat from the branches, Nar pulls forth one of the snake heads telling how the snake heads were severed from their body. Tenon quickly shrinks back replying, "ummm no thank you. I'm feeling just a bit emasculated imagining heads being cut off. You have done us quite the service and we're happy to load the equipment onto your ship in the morning. For tonight, let us rejoice in freedom!" The feast lasts well into the night.Godsday 11 Patchwall
The morning dawns bright with dew left from the night's storm. The pirates rise slowly, but then quickly organize and load the ship. As the Sea Ghost pulls away from the dock, the party resumes their roles on the ship with Kyra plotting a course and Karia predicting clear skies.Freeday 14 Patchwall
A couple days pass without incident. On the third day, the day dawns with inky red rays barely piercing a fog bank. As the party works to ensure a steady course, a large ship drifts out of the bank. Mina cries down from the crow's nest that it's the Emperor of the Waves. A ship thought lost to a storm several years ago.Starday 15 Patchwall
By late afternoon, you can see the coast of Keoland and the Sea Ghost deftly docks in Saltmarsh through the skillfull hands of Capt O'Donahue. The party reports back to Councillor Manistrad that her equipment is available for unloading and then head to The Snapping Line to decompress. Nar's feeling inspired so she sings the tale of your most recent adventure and ends with the mysterious sighting of the Emperor. As she returns to her seat for yet another draught of Claw Wine, a stranger approaches. "Did you actually see her?" the stranger pleads. "Tell me truly is this some bardic twist to gain more coin or is she truly still floating?" Nar gives the stranger a quizzical look, "Of course it's true. Why lie about ghost ships in the fog?" "Because I'm her rightful master and her loss was very dear to me. I am Aubreck Drallion and I need what's in her hold," states Aubreck .Rewards Granted
50 gp from Manistrad
10 gp saved from quick travel
1000 gp saved by resolving Thousand Teeth
Total:1260gp
10 gp saved from quick travel
1000 gp saved by resolving Thousand Teeth
Total:1260gp
Missions/Quests Completed
Missions:
Face the Sahuagin
Reach the Pirate Outpost
Secure the mining equipment
Bonus: Defeat Thousand Teeth
Witness Emperor of the Waves
Experience Points:
Total Monster Xp: 3500
XP/person: 700
Travel system:
Xp/person: 50
Total Adventure Xp Person: 750
Campaign total XP: 2431
Face the Sahuagin
Reach the Pirate Outpost
Secure the mining equipment
Bonus: Defeat Thousand Teeth
Witness Emperor of the Waves
Experience Points:
Total Monster Xp: 3500
XP/person: 700
Travel system:
Xp/person: 50
Total Adventure Xp Person: 750
Campaign total XP: 2431
