Session 21 Summary

[David Roomes]

Session 21 Summary

The Player Characters  (aka the "Heroes")

Winlock – orc/dwarf barbarian, wearing heavy chain mail armor and wielding a big war hammer
William – the party's wizard, human male, robed and armed with a broad array of spells.
Belkor – the dashing human swordsmen/mariner wielding twin scimitars
Listig – the elven thief/archer equipped with several different enchanted arrows

The Current Non Player Characters

"Humble" Almahdi - A likable Padashani beggar with quick wit. Talkative. Funny. Fluent in several languages. Street smart, but somewhat cowardly.
Halimir - An elven archer/ranger, who has fought along side the party from almost the beginning. Doesn't talk much. Very loyal to Listig.
Grim Rigor- A huge ogre warrior. A former slave and gladiator. Extremely tough. Good in a fight. Cured of a zombie infection by Belkor.


Having just saved the village of Badir twice in one day (once by killing the evil priests who had taken control of the village and once by destroying an horde of undead that was about to descend on the village), the party returned to Badir and was greeted as heroes.

The village cleaned up the aftermath of the battle and threw a festival to celebrate. The party stayed in the village for two days. During which time, they repaired armor, cleaned clothes, rested, ate and enjoyed the hospitality of the grateful villagers.

The party decided they were carrying too much of their wealth in coins and that it would be better to convert their wealth into a more portable form like gemstones. Fortunately, Badir was a mining town and had a decent number of gems on hand. The party traded 1,400 gp of their 2,000 gp total treasure into gemstones.

The party restocked their food and water supplies in the wagon and headed back out on the road, bidding farewell to the villagers.

They traveled for seven days southwest and then southeast, gradually working their way through the Broadlands and around the western edge of the Fekwar Hills. As they traveled, the land changed. Villages became sparse. The deserts of Padashan gave way to rolling grasslands dotted with small forests. The weather was noticeably cooler to the south as well. At the end of the seventh day, they reached the village of Abrisha. A day later they passed through the independent border town of Salhanrasha. The next day, they entered what Almahdi said was "juenta territory".

Almahdi explained that this region was once populated by many tiny kingdoms that shared a common language and culture. Each of these tiny kingdoms was actually little more than a central town and a few surrounding villages. Each of these town/kingdoms was ruled by a "kalizar" (king). Almahdi himself was juenta. They look very much like the padashani, only shorter and with curly hair.

The Padashan Empire had already conquered and absorbed several of the northern juenta kingdoms. There were only five juenta kingdoms remaining. Almahdi said that the largest of the remaining juenta kingdoms was called Herota. It was also a coastal kingdom with a tradition of fishing. It had many fishing boats and a decent sized harbor. The party had expressed an interest in taking a ship to the far eastern edge of Qeshir and Herota would be the best place to find a boat or ship.

The party passed through the first two juenta kingdoms (Balakrish and Gulhamat". At last the road turned south toward Herota on the coast.

Almahdi finally confessed something to the party. He told them that he was a wanted man in Herota. He told them a tale that surprised them.

Well, um, I was in love with the King's daughter, the Princess Kamala. And she with me. She asked me to steal a fabulous jewel for her from her father's treasury. The Star Scepter of Rashi. I did so. However, when I saw the size and beauty of the stone... I was overwhelmed. I got greedy and I fled with it. I sold the jewel and spent three full years living like a king in the imperial capital city, but alas.... I eventually drank, whored and gambled it all away. I was forced to flee the capital city for reasons that were not ENTIRELY my fault. I took refuge in the town of Visaal and lived there for four years. Fortune was not kind and I fell upon hard times and was begging and that's when you met me. I miss my Kamala very much and have regretted my decision every day since. (well, since the money ran out). The gods taught me a valuable lesson! The gift of humility. That is why I am Humble Almahdi. Despite my great wisdom now, the Kalizar of Herota probably still wants to execute me. The only way to avoid certain death would be to bring the Star Scepter of Rashi back to him. When we reach Herota, I shall stay in the wagon, or keep my face covered. It will be safer that way.

The party was surprised by this confession, but Almahdi was too much liked for reprimands. They agreed that it would be best if he stayed hidden in the wagon.

The party reached the town/kingdom of Herota. The party headed straight for a tavern for drinks and talk to the locals. They were careful to check the walls for wanted posters of themselves. King Dalmoran of Anquar was still searching for the party, his armies and fleet scouring the world and showing wanted posters of the party to everyone, it seemed. The party wasn't sure if the Anquaran army would have come this far with the wanted poster that had seemed to hound them for the last thousand leagues.

There was no wanted poster of them. However, there was a wanted poster for Almahdi! The party feigned ignorance and questioned the bar keep about the wanted poster. The bar keep confirmed Almahdi's story saying that "some young whelp made off with the Kalizar's prized scepter". Neither had been seen in seven years, but the Kalizar had never given up hope of one day recovering the scepter and punishing the thief. That is why the Kalizar had ordered the  wanted posters for Almahdi stay up.

Listig asked the barkeep about ships. The barkeep said there were only two large vessels in port at the moment. One was the kalizar's pleasure yacht. The other a foreign merchant ship.

Listig (with the help of a Tongue's spell cast by William) joined two men and engaged them in conversation. Both sides had a lot of questions. The two locals were curious about the group (obviously they were outlanders from the look of them) and Listig asked questions about the region, the "wanted scepter thief" and if they might be able to get passage on a ship. The party was careful to not give away their destination, only that they were seeking a boat or ship for a long sea voyage.

The two men indicated that there were only two true ships in port at the moment – the Kalizar's own personal yacht and a Magrakian cargo ship. The rest of the vessels in the harbor were fishing boats of various sizes, none of which were suitable for a long sea voyage.

There was a curtain covering an entrance that led to a back room in the tavern. A man standing behind the curtain caught the eye of both Listig and Mark. He seemed to be trying to get their attention. When the two men talking to Listig turned, the man behind the curtain hid. It seemed he was trying to hide from them. The conversation with the two men eventually ended and they left the bar. Listig went through the curtain and confronted the man who had been tryin to get his attention.

The man said he needed to talk to Listig urgently, in private. The two went around to the back of the tavern. The man spoke quietly and quickly, looking over his shoulder several times.

My name is Sadi. You are in danger. I can help you. I owe a man here in town 200 fumata. I have no money and if I stay, he will kill me. I think perhaps we can help each other. You are all so wealthy. Help me pay my debt and save my life and I will save yours.

Listig asked how much 200 fumuta was in padashani coin. It was about 75 ujan. He hand over 75 gold coins.

Three days ago, a black ship sailed into port. From distant Anquar. A half dozen soldiers got off and spent several hours in town. They bought supplies, food and water for the ship. But they also were showing around a wanted poster that had sketches of you and your friends. They were looking for you. They were asking questions... asking if anyone had seen you. Pale skinned outlanders. They said there was a reward for information leading to you. But no one in the town knew anything about you. So the soldiers left. Said they were going to the next town. I think they are searching the whole coast for you. They sailed out and down the coast. But they said they would return.

Those two men you were talking to... they work for a man in town named Fazeel. A bad man. He is the leader of a gang of thugs, thieves.. Those two men are, no doubt, heading to Fazeel now to tell him of your arrival in town. They will try to ambush you and kidnap you. Most likely imprison you until the black ship returns and hand you over to them for a reward.

Listig thanked him for the information and they parted ways. Listig met back with the rest of the party at the wagon and told them what he had heard. The party decided that they were not going to spend one more minute in this town. They were going to go down to the docks, find a ship and put out to sea as soon as possible.

Down at the docks, the party saw dozens of fishing vessels, but none of them were very large and none were suitable for a long sea voyage. There were, however, two large vessels. A sleek two masted vessel painted green and with gold trim. Based on the barkeep's description, this green vessel was the Kalizar's personal pleasure yacht. It was large enough for the party, but seemed too small to transport their wagon. The Kalizar would, no doubt, be unwilling to sell it.

The other ship was a large, stout-bellied, three-masted cargo ship. The bowsprit was fashioned in the likeness of a canine belching forth a cloud of something... perhaps a hell hound? But the name on the side of the vessel was the "Retching Dog". The crew on board was magrakian. A couple of the pig faced humanoids were on deck, tending to ropes and cargo.

As the party was about to engage the magrakians in conversation, two groups of thugs ran out from between dock side store houses and onto the docks. The thugs charged and attacked. In a flash, swords and spells were out. The party was outnumbered 2 to 1, but the thugs quickly realized they were outmatched. In just a few seconds, nine of them were dead on the ground. The remaining six fled.

The magrakians on board the ship had stopped their work to watch the fight but made no attempt to intervene. Instead, they cheered the fight on. Several other people around the dock had backed away or fled. Two city guards on the far side of the port ran for help.

Wasting no time, the party asked the magrakians permission to come aboard. The party explained their need for a ship and their need to leave immediately. The magrakian first officer, a fat magrakian named Ragnoth, said that their captain had been arrested during a tavern brawl and that they weren't going anywhere without him. The party didn't have time to mess around. William pulled out the Talisman and used its powers on Ragnoth and the whole magrakian crew. A combination of charm and memory alteration soon had the crew compliant and ready to carry the party wherever they wanted to go. All but two of the magrakians succumbed to the power of the Talisman. Those two were left on the dock with a small bag of gems and instructions to tell the captain that they would return the ship and with more payment.

The gang plank was quite wide and they were able to bring the horses and wagon up on to the ship's deck as the magrakian sailors worked to get the ship moving. As soon as the wagon was on board, they left immediately and put out to sea. They did load provisions or check supplies or anything. They simply left.

Only when they were out of sight of land did the party stop to check the ship. It was mostly empty of cargo and supplies. They had only a week's worth of food and water and we're facing a two week journey. So, the party realized that they would need to stop somewhere for supplies. The magrakian sailors suggested a small town on the isle of Kazadeem.

They travelled for five days before reaching the town of Pujar on Kasadem. They only stayed there a few hours to purchase food and water for the rest of the trip. The magrakians interacted with the townsfolk and the party stayed on board the ship. They did not want to be seen lest that information somehow get back to the black ship that was searching for them.

They left and continued east for a three days. Half way through the fourth day, they saw grey skies to the east and a black sail on the horizon. Through their spyglass, they could that the symbol of Anquar on the sail (as expected) and that the ship was approaching them, heading west.

They decided to trust to anonymity. They were aboard a magrakian cargo ship and there was no way the enemy could possible tell that they were on board. The party was still protected by the anti-scrying device.

As they two ships got close to one another, the party took up positions on deck where they could effectively hide but keep an eye on the Anquaran ship. The other ship swung around and looked like it was going to come up along side them.

For a few tense moments, the two ships sailed parallel to each other. On board the Anquaran ship were soldiers like the ones that they had seen weeks earlier at the ruins of Doth in the swamp. There recognized the armor of the soldiers, the heavy armor of the huge soldier, the "mage knight" and so forth. One of the ranger types was in crow's nest. A half dozen sailors were manning the ropes.

The mage knight stepped forward. He wore the same metal mask and cloak and carried the same metal staff that they had seen the other mage knights wield at the battle of Doth. He raised a hand and stared at the magrakian vessel. Slowly, his raised hand swept from the bow to the stern. The party realized he was casting a spell. Probably a divination spell. Ha! That won't work, they thought. We're shielded by the anti-scrying charm. He'll get no reading. No reason to board us.

However, the masked mage barked an order at the sailors who began pulling out long poles with hooks and grappling lines. They were going to board the magrakian ship.

This was what Belkor had been waiting for. He suspected they might try to board. The instant he saw a grappling hook, he summoned a fireball with his enchanted gauntlet and threw it. The fireball detonated in the middle of the Anquaran ship's deck. It engulfed several soldiers, sailors and the main mast. Men died screaming as rigging, tar and pitch when up in flames.

As soon as the fireball detonated, the rest of the party sprang into action. William cast a Fire Wall spell and used it to form a circular wall of flame, wrapping it around the main mast. More screams and more rigging went up in flames.

The sailors and soldiers of the Anquaran vessel threw their grappling lines and caught the railing of the Retching Dog at various points. They began hauling the two ships together even as magrakians ran to cut the lines.

Listig, who was hiding in the crow's nest, leaned out. He was well hidden with his stealth ring and camouflage cloak. He drew a hammerhead arrow in his bow and let it fly. He was too high up and the two ships were now too close together for him to get a broad side shot at the hull, so he aimed at the deck near the bow. If you remember, the hammerhead arrows increase both size and weight as their fly. By the time it struck the deck, it was larger, heavier and faster than a cannon ball. The hammerhead blew through the deck, punched through the lower deck and continued on. Listig's hope was that it had enough energy to punch right through the hull of the ship.

Seeing William cast a spell, the Anquaran stalker fired an arrow at William. Both William and Listig recognized the telltale blue streak of an arcane disruptor arrow. (Listig had used them in the past). The arcane disruptor hit the deck between William's feet, sending out a pulse of anti-magic energy. Instantly William felt the magic field around him go dead.

The infernal knight (I'm just going to refer to the masked mage knights as "infernal knights" from here on out because that's their title) turned and cast a spell on the roaring fires of the main mast. Instantly, the fires went out.

Belkor, however, was having none of that. He stepped out from his hiding spot and threw another fireball from his gauntlet. This one landed again in the middle of the Anquaran ship and reignited the fires that the infernal knight had just doused. More wails of pain from sailors and soldiers, most of whom were hauling on taut grappling lines.

The infernal knight glared at Belkor and then took a step back. He looked to see William and Winlock both on the deck of the other ship. The knight hesitated for only a second and then began yelling new orders at his men. To the surprise of the party, the enemy soldiers drew blade and began cutting the grappling lines. The sailors began running to ropes. Belkor realized that they were trying to flee.

Comprehension dawned on all four party members at the same time. The mage knight recognized them and was attempting to flee so that he could report back to Anquar. He, no doubt, had some magical means of communication.  Belkor yelled "Kill the Knight". William cast a potent bold of acid spell at the mage knight. It splashed on the man's armor and cloak. Both began to melt.

Before the fight, Listig had given Winlock one of his two teleport arrows. They took advantage of this now. Listig yelled down to Winlock to get ready for the spell as he drew the other teleport arrow and fired. He planted it right between the infernal knight and the big armor plated soldier. Instantly Winlock was teleported to the Anquaran ship, catching both enemies off guard.

Winlock swung his warhammer at the infernal knight and hit him in his chestplate. The knight was knocked back into the wooden door behind him. The armored tank soldier began trading blows with Winlock.
At this moment, Belkor threw another fireball from his gauntlet (leaving him only one left after this). The fireball detonated in the middle of the ship deck, once again engulfing the main mast. It also engulfed the mage, armored soldier and Winlock even as they struggled. All three took damage, but kept fighting.

Listig yelled down from the crow's nest, calling out for Halimir and Grim to join them in the fight. Those two had been hiding on the lower deck out of sight. Both raced up the stairs toward the main deck of the Retching Dog.

Seeing Winlock momentarily distracted by the armored tank soldier, the infernal knight turned and retreated through the door and into the bowels of the Anquaran ship. The armored soldier, seeing this, followed.

Halimir and Grimlock came out on to the deck to survey the situation.

The fire on the deck of the Anquaran ship spread into the rigging and sails. The remaining Anquaran soldiers and sailors fought desperately to put out the fire even as they traded blows with the magrakians, now that the two ships were railing to railing.

Listig and the stalker, both in the respective crow's nest, were firing arrows at each other. Scorch head arrows, glowing white hot, streaked back and forth between the two ships.

Winlock charged through the door in pursuit of the knight and soldier. Within was a large room and wooden stairs down. He went down and found both of them on the lower level. The infernal knight was in the middle of a large room. The far end of the room was filling with water and the deck underfoot was slanted noticeably toward the bow.

The infernal knight seemed to be casting a spell. The armored soldier turned and stood his ground, intent on protecting the  knight from Winlock. The two warriors swung and duck and moved in a dance. The soldier kept moving to position himself between Winlock and the knight. Winlock noticed that the knight had finished his spell and was now talking, rapidly and urgently, in a strange language. He did not seem to be speaking to anyone in particular.

Winlock swung his hammer wide and into the soldiers chest plate. The metal cracked and the man was thrown violently to the side. He did not get back up. At that moment, two of the Anquaran soldiers came down the stairs and bursting into the room. They engaged Winlock, preventing him from getting to the infernal knight, who continued to talk, seemingly to himself.

Meanwhile, back up on deck, Belkor used his magic boots to leap from the Retching Dog to the Anquaran ship. He then turned and raced for the door through which Winlock had just chased the knight and soldier.

William cast a fireball and targeted the front of the Anquaran ship, talking out most of the remaining crew. The rigging and sails were flaming tatters by now and the main mast was completely engulfed in flame. The magrakian first officer began barking orders at his men and they began pushing the two ships apart.

Belkor ran down stairs to assist Winlock and the two of them, fighting side by side, faced off against the two Anquaran soldiers. When the first one dropped, Winlock saw an opportunity and charged the infernal knight. He swung and brought the warhammer down hard and crushed the knights skull completely. The man dropped dead instantly. The hammer also destroyed the iron mask he wore.

Belkor killed the last remaining Anquaran soldier. The room was filling up fast with water. Belkor ordered Winlock to grab the mages body, his mask, staff, everything. At the same time, Belkor searched the bodies of the dead soldiers as quickly as he could. He grabbed as much armor and weapons as he could. Both men began hauling what loot out that they could and began moving it over to the other ship.

Listig, Halimir and Grim were all firing arrows at the stalker. The man already had six arrows in him. The stalker finally died when one of Grim's big arrows impaled him through the chest. The impact of that oversized arrow knocked the archer backwards out of the crow's nest and he landed in the sea on the far side of the ship.

William used his telekinesis spell to fish the body of the stalker out of the water (Belkor envied the armor that Listig had taken off of the last stalker and wanted armor just like it).

Now that the battle was over, the party quickly began to salvage as much good loot from the Anquaran ship as possible before it sank. The magrakians helped. The two boats were about 10 feet apart. They threw items over one at a time. They managed to grab some food and kegs of fresh water. They grabbed a few weapons and pieces of armor.

As the rest of the party and crew was looting the sinking ship, Belkor ran into the Anquaran captain's quarters and began searching through his office. He searched until he found the captain's log. He then found a more luxurious suite and figured it must have been where the infernal knight slept. He quickly searched that room and grabbed three other books and a large rolled up scroll and fled as water began rushing into the cabin.

Everyone began jumping over to the Retching Dog. Belkor was last off. They all stood at the railing and watched the Anquaran ship sink into the bubbling, churning water.

The Retching Dog then resumed it's journey east with all possible haste. To the east, the sky is grey and brooding. The ship is heading into what looks like a storm.

This is where we ended.

[tanis]

Finally, some real payback. I like it.

One question, though. What ever happened to Nassan? Did he leave/die, or did you just neglect to include him in the list of current party NPCs?

[David Roomes]

He left the party. I may have forgotten to put that in the session summary. Nassan stayed in the city of Qazadeen to help with the manufacture and distribution of the antidote and to help the city recover from the zombie plague, to tend to the wounded, the refugees, etc.

The party decided ton continue on their journey without an NPC cleric because they had successfully acquired the Talisman of Blood, the second missing Talisman. And, according to the information they have, it has potent healing abilities. Of course, it's going to take time to unlock all of its powers, but as the next few sessions go by, they will get more and more healing ability out of it.

[tanis]

Ah, yeah, who needs a squishy meatbag cleric when you've got Artifact-level magic on hand, amirite? XD

I'm glad to hear Nassan's doing something noble, though, and isn't dead. I mean, his nickname doesn't exactly imply he was much fun, but still, once a party "member", always a party member, right?

[David Roomes]

Yep. Nassan the "Dour". He was a prickly and grumpy kind of fellow, so no one was really sorry to see him go.