Session 7 - Sailing East - Zellandria's Notes
West Marches 25/8/19 - Sailing towards DESTINYYYYY
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Brief rundown of new characters!
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Eeihoure is like, a bird-bard! This is exciting. She used to perform for nobles..
I wonder if she ever sang at house Orien. Hm.
She met Razzie after leaving working for the houses as a performer.
Razzie Tequila the halfling monk is my new hero.
The law is more of a guideline for her.
She definitely got fired from her last job and now runs a bar with Holly and Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Holly’s knows Razzie from the time she spent drinking in her bars.
She’s lovely and wholesome but also a criminal so you know, that’s not great.
They might have a fighting pit under the tavern as well..
Intriguing.
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So like, dumb Boris is back in dumb port with his dumb ship.
We all meet at the Lighthouse Tavern and try to remember where we saw the group of sea devils off to the east.
So like, let’s commandeer a ship and go or something.
Forge: That would be called mutiny.
Whatever.
Heading to the docks The Ospery sits in the harbour, Boris chilling on the deck looking off into the distance thinking he looks majestic or something.
Boris: Ee! Will you be on the lookout again today?
Ee: Will you give gold?
Boris: I’ll give you 1 gold for each sea devil you spot!
Ee puff her chest out and walks proudly onto the ship.
Forge: Would you like to show Boris your acquaintance's map?
Razzie: Of course!
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2 days sailing? Jeez, these boats are slow.
Gotta get that lightning rail down here.
Ee stares at Zell for a bit and wonders if she’s performed for her house.
History check!
NATURAL ONE.
She has no idea, but Zell seems nice?
Holly settles in and pulls out a set of cards and Zellandria sits down and starts betting on her hands.
Holly definitely cheats.
Zell keeps frustratingly loses and keeps betting until she’s lost 3 gold.
Forge has been sitting on the deck silently and watching the sea until he’s rudely interrupted by Boris.
Boris: Forge! Remember that figurehead you helped me put on last time?
Forge: Yes, it was very heavy.
Boris: Yeahhhh.. I don’t know what happened to it but it’s all wrong…. You said you worked with stone?
Forge: I can work stone, yes..
Boris awkwardly shuffles up to the front of the deck to where the sculpture of himself is wrapped up in sailcloth.
It’s a perfect likeness.
Forge: It is a perfect likeness.
Boris: It is.. Not what I looked like.
Forge has cut a flat plane across the stomach.
Same with the jowells.
Everything that had large areas now has sections cut clean off.
Zell: Looking trim, Boris.
Elenora: Marvelous, Forge! You’ve captured the role as captain. The captain stands stalwart on the tiller. It’s beautiful and very poetic.
Boris: You think?
Elenora: Of course! The captain weathering the trials and tribulations of the day.
Boris: I.. I mean I was thinking of dropping it into the ocean...
Forge: Boris, do you say you do not enjoy the labour that I have poured my craft into?
OH NO.
Boris: no! No no no! It’s growing on me. All that strong chiselled captain words.. Thing..
Forge: I could reattach the stone if you like.
Boris eyes off the sailcloth again.
Forge: Mm.
Elenora: I had done some reading, they do speak some level of common but they do have their own language “sauhaguen” but I do not know anyone who speaks their particular language.
Razzie seems to be looking a little less seasick today which is nice.
On the second day we’re heading closer to the islands and they’re becoming more visible on the horizon.
Boris points out the crows nest to Ee and she sets up a little base there while she flies around scouting the area.
Perception check!
NATURAL 20.
She’s confident that nothing has slipped past her gaze over the last day and heading closer she can see the larger island rising behind the smaller set of islands.
The large island seems pretty mountainous?
After midday Boris starts slowing the approach down as we’re about a kilometre out from the smaller islands.
Boris: Right. Talking about how we’re going to do this, exactly? We.. um.. Well.. I don’t know many sea devils but they’ve not been friendly from what I’ve seen so far. So bringing a.. Er.. large ship like this.. Close.. Not a great idea.
Forge: Are you concerned for the ship, Boris?
Zell: Are you going to be leading the charge? Accompanying us, Boris? We’d hear so many things about your amazing adventures..
Persuasion check.
19.
Boris: Er.. well.. I’m retired.. But I’ll be here for you if you need to get out in a hurry..
Zell: Right.
Boris: So.. what I’m saying is.. Zellandria.. How would you like to own a boat?
Zell: Well, one captain to another, Boris, house Orien thanks you for your generosity.
Boris pales a little.
Boris: Yes. You have been good.. letting us use the
Razzie: Woah, rich people are so polite.
Boris: Hey now! I’m not rich! I’m salt of the earth. Just like you lot.
Razzie: You own a boat.
Zell: So do I now. Holly, you’ve been promoted to first mate.
Holly: Woohoo!
Forge climbs into the little skiff.
Everyone holds their breath.
The boat sits VERY low in the water.
Ee reassesses the situation and decides to fly behind.
Zell sits down and frowns at the amount of water in the bottom of the boat.
Forge takes one oar and Holly takes the other like a goddamn champ
Elenora and Ee keep eyes out on the shoreline
Elenora looks towards the sheer rocky cliffs and sandy bay.
Ee in the sky catches sight of an old stone lookout that’s over the bay.
It’s covered with canvas? maybe covering it from the elements.
There appears to be a flash of movement as a hand pulls away some cloth and a dark figure peers out from the lookout.
After Ee mentions it, Elenora catches a glimpse of the worn stone tower
Elenora: Ah, there! You have much better eyesight than I do but there’s definitely someone there..
Ee soars back up to the sky and looks further across the islands
There’s a larger, rocky island at the back, might need climbing?
We could approach from the back if needed.
There’s a sandbank between the two islands.
On that sandbar between the islands appear to be buildings? Constructions?
A large, dark shape juts out of the sands and across the other side seems to be a wall holding back the ocean
Maybe a man-made sea wall?
Potentially protecting the structure.
We could maybe climb around the back.
What are we going to do?
Stealth or direct approach?
Razzie: Last time we met the sea devils they, you know, tried to murder us.
Ee: And they broke our window!
Holly: They did. That was worse than the murdering.
Razzie: They didn’t really kill the person though, but they DID kill the window.
Forge: I believe the
Elenora: There seems to be some kind of pumping station up there.
Ee: Why would they be pumping water out of the ocean?
Elenora: Could be something that needs cooling? Forge dear, you know more about construction..
Forge: They could be using it for many things..
Zell: We’ll try being stealthy and then when it all goes wrong we’ll barge right in?
Forge and Holly make athletics rolls.
Forge: 14.
Holly: 5.
Razzie goes to help Holly
Holly: 5.
Holly: I am.. Not strong…
Forge: Small persons, I will help
He takes both oars and keeps rowing.
Ee swoops lower and flies near the boat as they come into the cove.
Zell: Forge, park the boat.
Forge: I will dock the vessel.
Zell: That’s what I said. Also do you have any rope?
Forge: Rope!? I am like medieval-fucking-Batman and you ask if I have rope.
Zell: Whatever man just park the boat.
He does.
Ee watches the cliffs as we disembark the boat.
Razzie leaps out of the boat and for the first time in two days looks relieved.
Elenora climbs up and immediately looks towards the roughly cut stone steps in the cliff.
Elenora: These seem to be dated within 200 years.. Not Giant make though.
Stealth checks!
Zell: 20
Holly: 12
Elenora: 8
Forge: 13
Ee: 7
Razzie: 16
Oh boy.
Forge: While we are attempting stealth, I assume you do not want me to announce our presence?
Holly: Does that normally happen?
Zell: Yes. All the time.
Forge: It is polite and has saved us from many a potential scrape by using diplomacy.
A moment later a horn sounds from the cliffs.
Zell glares at Forge.
A few heads pop up from the upper levels of the cliff and train crossbows on us.
Zell glares harder at Forge.
ROLL INITIATIVE.
Holly: 22
Elenora: 19
Sahuagin Scout: 18
Forge: 14
Sahuagin: 11
Ee: 8
Zell: 7
Razzie: 6
Holly snaps up first and grabs a shortbow off her back
She fires an arrow in the direction of the one with the crossbow.
Yo, is it like too late to use diplomacy?
Elenora fires an arrow at the nearest scout but a gust of wind blows it out of path.
A crossbow bolt whistles towards Holly and pierces into her thigh.
The devils shout nervously.
A few words in common: Sneaking.. Intruders. Under attack!
Forge probably glares at Zell here.
He goes to try and climb the cliff below the sea devil nearest us but the rocks give way under his grasp.
Ee leaps up into the air and tries to spot which of the two seems to be more in charge here.
The one closer that had been sounding the alarm seems to be more senior.
Ee looks up and calls out to him: Plz, we don’t want to fight.. Only just … looking around.
Persuasion check.
12.
She bonus action smiles and goes to see if Razzie needs a boost
Zell: No, like, we’re tourists. Here to see the beautiful scenery. Or whatever.
Persuasion check.
19.
Sea Devilus The First: You.. Sneak.. Around.
Razzie: Yeah, I have a terrible fear of towers. So.. we had to come this way to see this beautiful island..
Zell: Yeah, totally, she’s super scared.
Ee: Yes, yes!
Persuasion check for Razzie with advantage:
6
9
Nice.
The sea devil looks confused but still has his shield raised.
Devil: You.. Lie..
Whatever, I guess we’re going to kill them all now.
Holly tentatively knocks another arrow.
Elenora sneaks alongside the cliff wall and goes to climb up.
Athletics check.
0.
Oh no.
Elenora: Climbing… Sports.. Yes.. I … I might just find another path.
The Sahuagin in the back makes his way back to the
Forge: I understand you are hesitating. We just want to ask question about Khet Predat.
Persuasion check.
21.
Shiiiit.
Sea De’vil: Khet Predat?
He looks over his shoulder and swears.
He sprints away.
Sahuagin Jr. releases a chain on a cage?
RELEASE THE CRAB.
Oh no.
Give em the arrows.
Zell moves towards crab and locks eyes with it.
Zell: I hate seafood.
She rages.
The bridge starts to smoke oh no.
Forge takes 2 fire damage oh no.
The crab charges towards Zell oh no.
Razzie screams and runs up the stairs and leaps across the gap.
Athletics check!
17
She 3 point lands still screaming and then swings her right fist where a flash of metal gleams across her hand.
Brass knuckles bitches.
NATURAL 20.
Razzie keeps screaming as she slams her fist into its eye for 7 damage.
NOICE.
She keeps screaming.
HIT HIM AGAIN.
Razzie hits the crab again.
Two more swings as she pummels the soft skin beneath the shells.
Holly releases the arrow she’d had knocked and catches the Crabalin in the shoulder for 6 damage.
She darts lightly up the steps and fires towards the big old crab again for 11 damage.
Forge: Pick on someone your own size.
He brings the warhammer down like someone cracking open.. Well.. a crab..
SMITE!
22 damage motherfucker.
Ee flies up to near Holly and glares at the Crab
Ee: Pick on someone your own size! We are losing our crust-patience with youuu.
Vicious Mockery
1.
It fails.
Zell skirts around Crabzilla and goes to give it the glaive
Reckless both attacks miss woo
It takes 2 fire damage and things start to smell like cooking seafood.
It swings at Zell and restrains her in its claw.
Aw man.
Razzie looks at Zell and looks at the crab and dives underneath it and punches its soft belly
5 damage!
She ponch again
6 damage!
While screaming, Razzie slides out the other side.
Holly fires at the crab again and our sea-food-themed friend looks to be having a bad time.
Elenora quietly steps towards the fray.
Elenora: Best give him the old fisticuffs.. Ey?
She quickly flicks her rapier into the shell that’s been cracked by Holly’s arrows with the old Booming Blade.
NATURAL 20.
Holy shit ok 25 damage.
As she rips the blade out a spray of blackish ichor splashes across Zell’s face.
Gross.
Ee watches the two sea devils on the cliffs who seem to be watching the situation.
She fires from her shortbow.
The aim was true but the arrow breaks on the shell
Gross gross gross
Crabgonzola grumbles and crushes Zell further
14 damage is a number.
Cheers to rage though
It roars sea spray and gross spit and crab juice.
Crabgamesh roars again and shoves Forge off the bridge.
Oh dear.
Make an acrobatics check, Forge.
7.
Welp.
He falls off the bridge.
Razz tries some dope monk shit and punches it in the claw holding Zellandria.
Holly fires an arrow again and then heads up to the ridge where the Sea Devils were heading towards.
Elenora: It’s rather a shame Mafaldine isn’t here.. There’s quite a lot here..
19 to hit.
16 damage.
How do you want to do this?
She lunges forward and stabs the crab just near it’s sternum and the shell splits and falls in two just how you’d cleanly split open a crab for cooking preparation.
Elenora: I hope no one is allergic to seafood. Aha!
Aha!
Razzie groans as she pulls the craw from around Zell’s torso.
Thumbs up fam.
Forge gets off his ass.
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Holly looks towards the sandbar between the islands where there seems to be a lot of figures mobilising.
Perception check.
19!
There’s maybe 7-8 of them?
The shape in the middle of the sand bank where the sea wall was seems to have been part of a large ship.
Holly: So bad news, maybe we should have been more stealthy?
Zell: I personally blame Forge.
Forge: I have told you repeatedly I am not stealthy. I am literally made of metal and covered in metal and carrying metal all over me.
He begins to hack at the crab to return to Mafaldine.
Ee: Maybe we should try to speak with them? They seem more scared of us..
Holly: They threw a giant crab at us!
Forge: We can try and call down from above if you like ..
He casts thaumaturgy.
Forge: Hellow my friends, I believe there has been some misunderstanding. I would like to talk about Khet Predak.
Welp they heard him.
From atop the sea wall a figure turns left and then makes its way towards a red leather clad sea devil.
The fabulous sea devil touches the shoulder of the one who appears to be the leader.
Ee keeps watch and notices that the leader-y type has an extra pair of arms.
Ok cool.
Their voice booms loud in return.
Leadery person: I am Leggait Rinza of the Deep Empire. This cowardly attack will not succeed. Identify yourselves. Who are you?
Forge: Leg-gate-Rim-zar. We have come to talk. If any of your people are injured I am more than happy to lend a healing hand. As to your second question my name is Forge from the local settlement known as Beacon.
Rinza: You are very far away. Come closer and we can talk. Four of you and four of us- wait, how many are you?
Ee steps forward and bows slightly
Ee: There are four of us here now, however there are two more down the ridge.
Rinzar: Good. Come meet us down here. Weapons sheathed.
Forge: Very well.
Razzie is just staring at them openly.
Forge: We have invitation, would you like?
Ee: Razzie, you ran faster than any of us would you like to fetch the others perchance?
Razzie: I mean I have little legs but ok.
She goes and finds Holly who has been salvaging some of her fired arrows while Zell has been furiously scrubbing crab blood out of her jacket.
Forge and Ee take the lead as we all make our way down towards the shipwreck meeting point.
Elenora knows a bunch about them. They can be xenophobic, can be bought off by traders to not raid their ships which is nice. I guess money talks.Their empire is quite large. They’re certainly not stupid though.
I mean this would have been good to know before I tried to convince them that we were here on holiday.
Forge: I am always happy to take the lead. As I said- not a cartographer but I believe the little bird is smoother of tongue.
Ee: Thank you.
A small delegation of Sea Devils with Rinza walk forward to greet us.
One set of her arms are behind her back while the other set holds a large serrated sword.
She seems to be looking like she owns the place as she crosses her arms.
Forge steps forward.
Persuasion: 11
Forge: Thank you for being so inclined as to open a level of discourse with us. As I mentioned we wanted to learn of Khet Pradak. We have across the knowledge that you know where it is.
Rinza: Firstly you may call me Legate. Khet Pradak is no concern of yours. What is Beacon and who do you serve?
Ee: Legate,apologies for the perceived trespassing as you have astutely garnered, Beacon is very newly established and thus we are unaware of the local areas as of yet.
Persuasion: 19.
Elenora: Are you aware of the town of Westport? It was razed to the ground not long ago.
Rinza: Westport? I am not familiar with this town? The mostly human settlement to the west? Is it inhabited again?
Elenora: Not by people who were previously there. As happens, several of us have tried to establish a base of sorts.. Not connected to the surroundings.
Rinza: Not connected at all?
Elenora: I can only speak for myself of course.. I can speak for my party that we have come here with honest intentions and explorations.
Persuasion… 18.
Rinza: Honest intentions. That is very rare. I am pleased that you are not connected with the previous inhabitants. I do worry that you will give me the same trouble. You enter through the back, unannounced, trying to
Ee: Again, I do apologise for that, my companions do spook easily. The term I’ve heard is.. As you would say.. A knee jerk reaction?
Forge: With all due respect our vessels have been attacked.
Rinza: I am told you fired first.
Holly: In my defence, I felt threatened. But I’m.. sorry?
Persuasion …. 19
Holy shit these persuasion rolls.
Rinza: Politeness. We appreciate this. As for your ships - desperate times call for desperate measures. If this is simply for historical curiosity
Elenora: It’s a touch more than just a curiosity.. I am a part of the Ereni.. Well..
Rinza: If you are here looking for Khet Predak you are somewhat lost.
Elenora: I fear then we are lost. I would be happy to share notes however, though a quick summary would be quite impossible.
Elenora: What if I were to say.. That perhaps the commonly told story of Khet Predak wasn’t perhaps the correct version of affairs?
Rinza: That.. that would interest me quite a lot. The story we know was that it was the site of an ancient battle between the giants and their slaves. Beyond that we know it as a site of great artifice and resources.
Elenora: It certainly is, but that’s just starting to scratch the surface, dear.
Rinza grins a shark like toothy smile.
She turns and says something in sauhagen
Rinza: Other than the unwelcome intrusion, you have been polite, seem to know considerably more than you have let on and you definitely have no contact to the previous residents of the town, correct?
Elenora: Considering they are somewhat deceased I do not know anyone here particularly skilled in Necromancy.
Rinza: They are deceased? This is good. We have been preoccupied elsewhere.
Forge: We are not certain, they have vanished. It is as you would say, a mystery.
Rinza: If you are here searching for history
Ee: if I may also utilize this opportunity to suggest.. perhaps we may learn from you as well... as we are now essentially your neighbours. If we could learn of some of your custom to prevent some of your previous negative engagements. I am happy to boast that the new settlement has a little more diversity than just humans and more open to customs and cultures.
Persuasion check
21.
Damnnnn Ee with the persuasion rolls.
She points at herself as an example of not a human.
Rinza: It is less the presence of humans that bothers us and more the concerns of closed minded neighbours not willing to talk. I think we can discuss matters, can’t we?
Both sets of her arms are folded across her chest.
Rinza: How would you feel about a temporary partnership or alliance?
Forge: This would be very beneficial to us all.
Razzie: Well yeah?
Zell: I mean these beaches are pretty great.
Elenora: Of course.
Rinza grins again, that too-wide toothy smile
She’s going to eat us in our sleep.
Rinza points towards the ship with one arm.
Rinza: This vessel.. Pardon, my ancient giant is not very good. It is.. “Cuts forever through the waves”. We believe it has links to Khet Predak and believe it will grant us access into the city. Do you know where it is?
Elenora: That’s the difficult thing with history, dear, piecing together multiple sources from multiple results takes a bit of detective work.
Rinza: We believe it is in the mountains of the barrier island. We believe the city is occupied.
Holly: Uh.. by what?
Rinza: As best we can tell - a family of cloud giants. He calls himself the Sky Father.
Neat.
Rizzie: Rigghhhttt.
Rinza: We have engaged in some trade with them
She gestures to her sword
Rinza: We were surprised and pleased
Rizzie: How did you get them to trade with you?
Rinza: It was simple. They needed food.
Rizzie: They don’t have enough?
Rinza shrugs.
Rinza: We expect giants eat a lot.
Elenora: And they’ve been there?
Rinza rolls her eyes.
Rinza: If you listen to their stories “the almighty sky father has been there and seen the world and blah blah blah”
Forge: I would like to be clear on the diplomatic implications here.. What is your ultimate intention here with seeking Khet Pradak? Dislodging these being from the site?
Rinza steps close to Forge
Rinza: Once I can prove that the treasures of an ancient giant civilisation, the Deep Empire will see that this outpost was worthwhile and we will flood the oceans and take this post.
Forge: I do not mean to imply anything underhanded, but your people are specialised with poisons and you are supplying them with food.
Rinza: All that would do would cut us off. After recent times we are struggling ourselves. But what we have found is a potential backdoor. A way and under their mountain and into the city.. Without their knowledge.
Man she’s really being open with us.
Can’t wait for her to eat us in our sleep.
Forge: I am intrigued.
Rinza: This, my new friends, may be where you come in to assist us. There are two keyholes on this door. One of the keys will be with us shortly. Our agents up north have been searching.
Rizzie: Er.. um. Where up north? When?
Rinza: Our agents will be back shortly. We believe the other key is on this ship. But we have been unable to break the warding while its underwater.
Zell: we could just set it on fire.
Rinza: It would require a very hot fire.
Looks to Forge and waits for him to take out a blowtorch.
No dice.
Forge: We may be able to find alternative way in. Otherwise I am happy to assist in pailing of water.
Rinza: We have limited experience with giant sites, we understand there is danger.
Forge: I would be certainly glad to help. I am not afraid of your boat.
Forge is not afraid of anything.
Ee: We would all be happy to be of assistance and would be happy to learn from your people during our time here.
Rinza:
Ee: I understand your scepticism
Rinza: Speaking of that, I have been out of the water for far too long. We will retire and discuss. Now, if you wish to talk to my people you can or camp and recover. And as I am aware, you dealt with our little pet?
Zell: Oh no.. Did it have a name?
Soldier 1 looks a bit sad: Big Crabs..
Rinza: It was a tool. It was not named Big Crabs.
Rizzie: So it didn’t have a name?
Rinza: No it didn’t have a name.
Forge: I am happy to help with the ship
Elenora: And I am willing to have a look through and see if there are any traps or issues once we are inside.
Rinza: This would be good. Ha ha ha. I am laughing. I hear it sets friends at ease.
Holly: Sometimes?!
Rinza: Ha ha. I am glad it is working.
She heads off with several of her guards.
Forge: I like her. She is direct and as I was saying, you give kindness and you receive it.
Holly takes Rizzie and Ee aside and is like..
Holly: Hey.. do you think our key is like her key?
Rizzie: YEP YEP YEP DON’T SAY IT OUT LOUD EVER AGAIN
Holly: Ok ok I just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page
Rizzie: YEP OK
Holly: Ok cool just making sure.
Rizzie: Yep ok cool maybe they shouldn’t know about the map.
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END SESSION
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