Category: Graveyard of Empires: The Islands of Curabel: Session Summaries

Session 123 September 7, 2016

11:00PM 3rd of Tanrilden, behind the Cock & Bull

Chuq, Edan, Ronan & Thorfus have a change of plans. Instead of delving in the sewers, they decide to interrogate Aardman with their liar box. The night’s carriage is hailed to return and they pile in. As the carriage heads to the Courthouse, we notice some sort of police action at the Marlborough Gambling Hall down the street. Curious that Ronan had visited the place shortly before…

The guards on the street outside the court house are on edge and nervous but allow us entry. We send the carriage to wait down the road by the University before meeting Lord Thorton in an office. We wait as he finishes some paper work. He listens to our plans then shows us a letter from the city’s Council of Elders directing him to refuse us access to Aardman with any magical items. He wants to follow the word of the directive but not necessarily the spirit. He agrees to conduct the interrogation while we listen and prompt from another floor via our Broachie Talkies.

The Night Court and Cap are still insulated by Thorton’s items but he does pass a liar box test. However, the Night Court can tell that the attendant guard, Gifford, plans to report our behavior to someone else after we leave. Chuq mentions this to Lord Thorton hoping the magistrate will be guarded with the guard in the future. Bellisonte demonstrate the liar box function by stating some outright lies. Boris is made invisible by Edan so that the familiar can follow Thorton clandestinely. Following Boris via the night cap, Chuq can locate Aardman’s mind when Thorton meets him in an interrogation room a floor below the room the party is occupying.

After many questions and back and forth, Thorton has no doubt the Aardman’s accusations against Perette and The Barldric/Starchie Boyz are all lies and that the Grells (Ardnan & Alaine) & Peter Thorell were slavers. Unfortunately, he doesn’t give up his benefactors, why he is changing his testimony at this time (except that he feels safe now) or who is feeding him information from out of the court house/jail. Serithos corroborates most of Aardman’s responses but admits something else is hidden. Thorton is curiously quite during the interview not following any leads on his own. At the end, Thorton puts on a show, vociferously herding us out of the courthouse. No doubt to cover his cooperation in the eyes of those guards reporting to the City Council or Admiralty.

Back at the C&B, one of our mercs reports that the Grey Cloaks busted up the Marborough gambling hall because fugitives were thought there. The Grey Cloak apprehended Rolth and a Magic User named Applebe. We have no idea if these two were the fugitive sought or for what crime, but the night’s events show that having Grey Cloaks loitering down the street from C&B also keeps an eye on us. Cannis’s pigeon swoop reports to Chuq that our submersible is still at the navy floating docks but that the Grey Cloak guard also includes a large woman now. Suspecting it’s Em in disguise, the party set’s off on foot for the docks to the south since the carriage is long gone.

The party is followed by a Grey Cloak as we pass the gambling house. Edan hides in shadows until the Grey Cloak passes and follows him as we travel to the docks. There we hire a row boat for 1 gold piece while our tail rushes back the gambling hall with Edan following. There the Grey Cloak confers with a city guardsman before the two split running in different directions. Edan follow one as Boris the other. Boris’ prey, the guardsman rushes to a watch house which quickly empties. The horde of guardsman run towards the docks. Edan’s Grey Cloak rushes to the paper bazar where he speaks with another Grey Cloak. This second Grey Cloak mounts a horse and leaves toward High Town. Edan steals another horse to follow until he sees a gaggle of Grey Cloaks running towards the docks. He then alerts Chuq, Ronan and Thorfus via the broachie talkie.

The three shadow step to the floating dock to get ahead of the guardsman/Grey Cloak posse, leaving Bellisonte at the dock with the rental row boat. The Grey Cloaks guarding the submersible threaten the three when they arrive, until Thorfus correctly answers Perette’s questions. Perette removes a protection ring allowing Chuq to confirm his identity with the night cap. We were correct, Em is with Perette and the Grey Cloaks, there plans is to escape the city.

Perette’s loyal Grey Cloaks told him that Aardman had changed his testimony. Thorton had issued a secret warrant for Perette’s arrest. He went into hiding because that was out of character for Thorton. He uncovered a plot to take him down and learned the Grey Cloaks were planning to capture EM. Realizing the risk, he acted first. Apologizing for bringing the authorities to his hide out, we talk over options on how best to avoid capture. When Ronan suggests Perette and Em could hide with Alainon Bartling the watch maker, we put our plan into action. The brilliance of Ronan’s plan is that Alainon is a known Islander sympathizer who was tortured by Perette in the past. He is also fiercely loyal to the islander pulp fiction hero, Em. Relying on Em’s notoriety and a good deal of coin to convince Alainon to help, it’s hoped the Grey Cloaks would overlook a former victim of Perette.

Perette hoped to escape on the Wrath of the Waves which is currently heavily guarded by the navy. We also want to use the Wrath but as a distraction to hide our escape from the floating dock. Thorfus realizes his autonotom control circlet will allow him to control the Wrath since the Navy has installed an electrical orb autonotom in the Wrath. To start, Chuq shadow steps to the bow of the wrath of the waves to cut the lashings. Surprisingly, he notices eyes watching him as he is within the shadow. As the lashings are cut, Thorfus commands the ship to take off catching the Monk by surprise. As the rear lashings burst free from the ships force, Chuq steps far away from the action happening on the nearby dock.

Ronan leads Em, Perrette & Grey Cloaks to the Midmark side of the floating docks where they meet up with Chuq & Thorfus. Perette’s four loyal Grey Cloaks are left on the floating dock as the rest shadow step back to Midmark. Telepathically, Bellisonte is tasked to retrieve the Grey Cloaks with the rental rowboat and the rest take the long way to Alainon’s.

SESSION 122

September 14, 2016

Thorfus’ Journal.

It’s been a long while I’ve tried to sort my thoughts on paper.

We’ve come back to Midmark in triumph, or is it? Have we been fooled this whole time? What does all this mean?

I’ve nearly finished training the young human, Ronan more about the fighting arts. He might be good at kneecapping giants if he keeps practicing. Even though he’s short for a human, he’s still much taller than I am. He should bend his knees more to get the right angle. time will tell with this one. He seems a good addition to our band.

I divided my troops into shifts to keep an eye on the townhouse behind the Cock & Bull. Those not on duty we sent out into town to gather information in town about us, and to quietly seek after a mage to enchant items. The whole goal for them is to be subtle and not let on that the information is for us.

Chuq and Canis have barely started new training. I hope they bring even more of their particular powers to our next outing.

Edan finaly figured out that magic rope of Canis’. You can’t cut it and knots won’t slip. It’s made of the hair of elfmaids. Strange stuff indeed. One wonders where wizards get their ideas for mixing together such things.

Drayz sent his flunky Owen to deliver a message. That fool human is blunter than a flat stone. He’ll manage to get us all in the wrong sorts of trouble any time now. Hopefully Drayz heeds my suggestion for a more subtle messenger in the future. That mind-reading fish has some suggestions for how we might get the device to the merfolk. I suggested that it might be better if we meet with him. Drayz also was interested in using the device as a bargaining chip at a peace conference he wants to organize, to offset the dragon orb of the break away faction.

We later learn that our insistence that the devilfish leave shipping in peace is bearing fruit, but only encouraged the bounty on devilfish, resulting in a lot of dead fishermen.

We make ready at the appropriate time to dress and travel to the banquet at Thornton’s. When we arrive, we are greeted by many scowls, the worst seem directed at me. I know these humans don’t tend that way, and their scowls is not usually a normal thing. I turned the tables on an admiral Rogerete Dufeld. He let on that our association with Peter Thorell implicated us in the slavery ring and that many suspect that Grell is in hiding to avoid a false charge that should be levelled against us.

What nonsense is this? These foolish humans! I thought I had enough of this grousing and backbiting among the clans back home. It makes me wonder why I ever sought to restore my birthright. I’d be better off a lone adventurer than a clan leader. That’s enough of those thoughts….

Perrette stands accused by Ardman of a coerced and directed confession that Peter Thorell and the Bargemen and Grell should really be thorell, the bargemen, Perette, and the Starchy Boyz! Why the sudden change? That’s a question yet to be answered.

Furthermore, Perrette is charged with kidnapping Em! That poor girl! Is Perette truly a traitor, or has he been replaced by an inquisitor seeking to do a favor for Grell? I suspect the poor girl wished her child was her loves, but I fear it is Grells’. Whether true or not, perhaps Grell suspects the same, and wants to continue the family name?

It might also be an elaborate ruse to draw me and any who follow into a trap. I wonder if instead, Perette is our loyal friend, who is out to protect Em. He may have taken her to a place she despises from her first captivity, but is the only place I can think of that makes sense for him to take her. I hope we can find her and keep her safe.

I also wonder if our mini-sub is safe and might be used to secretly take someone out of Midmark, if they can get to the island and the Greycloak controlled building…. Chuq suggested to admiral Dykenson to keep an eye on it, just in case. She was reluctant to do more than observe, since it is under the control of the Greycloaks.

We suspect, Chuq and I, that Thornton and the Lord Mayor might be inquisitors. Chuq and Thorfus question Aldus Runnelbrook and he doesn’t think his descendant is other than who he says he is. We learn that he served in the militia, rather than the navy, and only got into politics from the tales of Aldus’ son Feri about the tortures on Feri’s mother, and Aldus’ first wife.

Chuq and his helm learned that he could not read Thornton or the Lord Mayor, so after all kinds of questioning to get to the bottom of things, we act on an elaborate plan. We manage to get Edan’s cat to claw at the face of Thornton and the Lord Mayor and both are wounded. The Lord Mayor is indeed a soft fellow and fell unconscious from a cat scratch. The Patriarch himself came and healed him. From our questioning of Aldus, we knew that Thornton has items to keep his mind concealed and gave similar items to the Lord Mayor. Chuq removed the items on the lord mayor while he was unconscious. When he came too, Chuq learned that he was thinking of Perette and the lies being perpetuated about both Perette and us.

We leave in haste back to the townhouse. I insisted that the others not interrupt their training, and he suits up and gathers Bellisent and the five hirelings on guard. Edan is not in training, and can also come with us. I also take along the 8 monkeys, just in case…. While preparing things, Ronan goes off to see what he can learn. I’m not sure who he talked to [Cutter’s Mad Dogs], but he confirmed what we had learned. It had the added bit of knowledge that the relations between colonials and natives are now even more strained. Mairenni Bleirodt is the name of a mage in Low Market that is said to be able to enchant items. [He tells them that the experimental ship runs on holy water, and that an acolyte of Lysander poisoned the servant of Merendur a week or so ago.]

I hope I am right and that we find Perette and Em safe in the sewers, perhaps the goblins are still there. Perette and Em would be known to them. I am the last, other than Galron, and maybe the lost boy….

If Perette is the Perette I know and strangely now trust, then that is the only place I can think of to find him. I hope no one else reads my mind and gets to them first. There is far too much of that. I need some way to block my mind and control these automatons at the same time. All this mind control is something that should be on the enemies before me, and not used against me!

I don’t know why I wrote this down, perhaps ancient dwarven is good enough to keep it secret, at least while it might do us harm. Perhaps I should burn this account…..

Session 121 September 7, 2016

11pm 28th of Jourilden, aboard the Bitter Horse

Cannis and Bellisonte start the night’s activities by healing Thorfus of his wounds. Captain Evenwode has organized the sailors to rescue the X Ship into land and boat parties. With Edan levitating the beached end, Cannis smoothing the path into a smooth sloped ramp, and Thorfus & his monkeys excavating more stone from under its keel, the x-ship is freed on the first attempt.

Evenwode plans to get under way in the morning. During the night, Edan identifies Ronin’s ring of swimming, the mirror frame of teleportation and Sword of Dagon. Unfortunately he learns nothing of Cannis’ enchanted rope. The fleet sets off for Midmark the next morning, a journey that should take three days since he plans to lay at anchor every night.

When we notice Admiral Dyconson is staying on board the experimental ship and that several vats of holy water were transferred to it, Chuq, Edan and Thorfus shadow step on board to investigate what’s happening. After some pleasantries and Thorfus determines there aren’t any electrical autonotoms on board, he and Chuq leave Edan there and return to the Bitterhorse for the rest of the trip to Midmark. Edan reports his activities daily via the Broachie Talkie while Thorfus begins Ronin’s Hero training.

Each day brings new sights on the waves. We pass near a monstrously big Manta Ray that the Night Court assures Chuq is a mindless vastly distant cousin. A magical display of eerily calm seas draws our attention when we see feminine watery spirits cavorting in the air above the dead calm. Evenwode expresses intense disinterest demanding the fleet has one duty, to return the experimental vessel to Midmark safely. The fleet sail on, our curiosity left unsated.

It’s Evenwodes singularity of purpose that prompts Thorfus and Chuq to shadow step spontaneously to an abandoned open boat bobbing in the water the next day. They discover three adult bodies and a cowering little boy in the fishing boat.

The boy’s name is Hughe, son of Hughe. The bodies are of his Uncles, slain by a “Mirror Man” that wore the false face of Hughe’s Father, undoubtedly another damn Imperial Inquisitor! Terrified that the Dwarf and Monk are also Mirror Men, the two convince the lad he is safe. Evenwode has dutifully ignored the goings on the little boat, so is surprised and somewhat miffed when the two Boys return to the Bitterhorse with an actual little boy. The crew are sympathetic to the lad’s plight and show him proper sea faring decorum. Evenwode agrees to send word to Hughe’s home island about his survival and the fate of the fishing boat once the fleet has returned to Midmark. Seems not a single vessel can be spared…

The fleet arrives late evening, all ships save the Javelin are moored at the navy military dock with little fanfare. That is until a longboat arrives from the City. Naval brass and several Grey Cloaks, including Perrette board the Bitterhorse, congratulating the Captain and her crew. The mood is jovial and somewhat festive. Perette confers with the Boys privately on the Bitterhorse’s deck. He offers a personal invitation from Judge Thornton who plans to host a banquet in our honor the next evening. Never one to turn his back on free drinks, Cannis voices his acceptance before everyone else has a chance. Accepting Perette’s invitation to return to the City via the longboat he arrived in, everything and everyone except the Sword of Dagon and Hughe are piled in. Perette arranges a Grey Cloak guard for the sword before we leave.

During the trip he tells of the New Town troubles, the lowering price and supposed haunting of the Grell estate, the new harbor master’s Devil Fish Bounty of 500gp per tail, Silver Throne’s open call for adventurers to explore a collapsed section of the tunnels below Xen Khel, apparent Harbor Triad victory in Vargen, Em’s good fortune and the literary summation of the Talon pulp fiction series where the brave hero sacrifices his live to save his Bride’s life. Edan is inspired by that one…Perette parts with us when the boat ships at Midmark, leaving us with a written invitation for Thorton’s banquet.

We make our way to the Cock and Bull for round on Thorfus. Our hirelings are sent to stow our gear before they can carouse in the common room. Thorfus speaks at length with Alanon Bartley, learning the man’s hands were mangled by Grey Cloaks for suspicion of printing anticolonial literature. Alanon witnessed a man that matches the description of Jarden the Imperial Inqusitor before the explosion of Desric’s lab. The rumor mill tells of islander disenfranchised after the last elections since their candidate was disqualified, a flying serpent (not dragon) seen over the forest north of the city, that the man in the houseboat in Midmark bay is surrounded by devil fish & fishmen and that the cult of Fishwick religion is growing his camp in the swamp is swamped with new adherents. The night ends late with full bellies and swollen heads. It’s good to be among friends and not shark men….

Session 120 – August 31, 2016

Noon, 28th of Jourilden in the Sonic Weapon manufactory flooded dome.

A happy and well-fed Charchus greets Chuq and the party. He tells the feast was great and that only a few small younglings were killed in the feeding frenzy. He enthusiastically accepts Chuq’s appointment as Adjutant to Chuq – Dagon’s Champion & the voice of Victory! Through his interpretation, we organize the Sharkmen war party into an escort and Sword of Dagon porter team. A shiver of sharks also join us. Charchus suggests we circle around the cove motu via the south moving at our best speed which is as fast as the ancient Dwarven submersible will move.

As we approach the cove from the south, Chuq towing water breathing Cannis and Ronin, split from the submerged war party and surface to greet the Bitterhorse which is keeping station at the mouth of the cover, coincidentally over the Dusty Gnome wreck. Once her crew hails the three bobbing in the waves, they approach swimming along the surface. Captain Evenwode and Admiral Dyconson lean over her gunwale and speak to the monk after he climbs aboard a row boat tied to her hull. As ever Evenwode asks after freeing the wrath of the waves and Dyconson wants word about Alain Grell. Glossing over their concerns, Chuq explains the Boys have returned with sharkmen & shark allies to exact justice on the man-eating trolls & hags lurking below the Bitterhorse. They agree to not interfere and are happy to hear we plan to free the Wrath that night.

Cannis doggie paddles to the Wrath of the Waves to study the night’s challenges. Chuq and Ronin direct the Sharkmen to secret the Sword of Dagon among the kelp shallows below the piers at the beach. Once secured, he informs Belisonte of the party’s return and plans for the day. She tasks Pons with policing the camp and making ready to depart. Edan needs her healing touch, she and a few other Mercs row out to the Bitterhorse where Thorfus and Edan have supervised the hoisting of our submersible onto her deck. Those shark men not hiding the Sword of Dagon establish a perimeter about the Gnome’s wreck on the ocean floor. They were told not to engage the Hags under penalty of death.

The Boys ingest enough water breathing coral to last the fight before sinking below the waves. Charchus has the shark men and sharks rally behind the aft of the wreck while the Boys mount the ruin of the collapsed tunnel overlooking the open decks of the Gnome’s rear half wreck. Ronin and Chuq swim decoy across the broken hull and succeed in luring the Trolls into the open. As the three monsters charge across the sea floor, Cannis entangles them with the plants littering about. Though one breaks loose and assaults the party on the top of the collapsed tunnel, it falls after a fury of blows from the Boys ending with a skillful skewer from Ronin from behind! Edan strikes the entangled with a blinding lightning flash. Then Cannis enters the entangling plants to dispatch each in kind.

As he does, a Sea Hag emerges from the dark of the wreck, her gaze flinging death at Edan – no doubt her greatest threat. Thank the gods, Edan stutters and clutches his chest before he demonstratively shakes her look from his gaze. His eyes alight with the fire of life, his and his alone! Elf is not on her menu today. She swings her look at the company of shark men and sharks answering the summons from Chuq to join the fight. Most shark men cower where they swim, refusing to fight such a fearsome sight. She was right, Edan’s missiles of Pure Energy send her soul to the afterlife. Her corpse and the trolls’ quickly disappear into the bellies of our shark allies.

Realizing the wreck is now empty of any thoughts, the Boys search the refuse, bodies and interior. Edan slyly notices a poison needle trap on a chest that Chuq overlooked. The trap is disarmed allowing Edan to collect the weakened poison needle and the loot within. Other booty is found but ultimately, not the body of Alain Grell, he must have escaped with the Imperials. Before returning to the surface, Chuq rewards the four Shark Men that did not fright from the Sea Hag with titles and a bauble souvenir. Their pride is apparent. Charchus’ is embarrassed he also was afraid until Chuq assuages his ego. Those that were feared are shamed into attending the Boys until the Sword is secured for the trip to Midmark.

The Boys return to the Bitterhorse after the water breathing wears off. Cannis rests in preparation for stone shaping the rocks holding the Wrath of the Waves. Word is sent to the beach so the Mercs would return to the fleet. Next challenge, releasing the Wrath into the cove….

Session 119

Midnight, 28th of Jourilden, 26 hours before the first high tide before the double high tide.  

The party collects itself at the cafeteria centered in the largest underwater dome. While they deliberate with each other, the shark men linger about curiously. Chuq demonstrates the curse is lifted by moving a severed giant squid tentacle within the zone of animation. The shark men are relieved and eager to move south to the sword of Dagon dome.

We decide to investigate the ‘metal fish’ before leaving, At the NW diving well, we learn how to shift the metal fish slung in its cradle about the room by via tracks in the ceiling where the sling is anchored. When the ventral side hatch can be reached, Thorfus and Edan explore within the metal fish. Behind the hatch is a 4’ x 4’ space with a windowed hatch leading further forward into the fish. Past the windowed hatch is another 4’ x 4’ space with a dorsal viewing port looking mostly forward and a control surface with 10 buttons lit with power next to a lever flanked by two pairs of seats. Behind a panel if the fore wall is where Edan discovers the fish’s power supply. Indicator lights imply the fish has less than a quarter capacity remaining.  

Edan also discovers a hidden panel that telescopes out with a crystal cylinder containing a plant within labelled as O3 generation micro-algae carbon scrubber — 294314. When asked, Kalguun suggest Nola Davendoor of Xen K’hel would know more about this devise. Edan and Thorfus teach themselves how to control the fish by observing how it responds when actuating the controls. The two decide to take a ride in the submersible and wait patiently as Cannis, Chuq and Ronin do their best to free the craft from it’s cradle. They can hear the three fumble about via the Broachie Talkie. Eventually the ruckus attracts the shark men who express their desire to report to Sha-Ki. Ronan frees the fish by severing the cradle’s chains allowing Thorfus and Edan with most of the gear and monkeys to drive south as Cannis, Chuq and Ronan swim with the shark men.  

Sha-Ki is happy to see us, especially since our success fulfills Dagon’s promise. His fervor waxes as he encourages us to take the sword of Dagon to ‘strike down the surface dwellers who do not follow Dagon”. We are invited to join their celebratory feast of the recently undead.

Moving our meeting to the hanging air pockets so that Chuq can speak to Carchus without the ESP skull cap, we convince Sha-Ki’s people to run off the sea hags and trolls guarding the wreck in the cover, move the sword of Dagon to the beach for us, collect any unclaimed treasure from the now clean waters about the domes to the north and deliver much more water breathing corral. Chuq promises to tell our tale only to Carchus, so that he has first distribution and copy rights. Carchus also learns that Cannis ‘isn’t so dumb’ either!

The shark men excuse us from their feast which lasts for some time. The feeding frenzy bloodies the water and causes collateral damage to the smaller, younger or weaker shark people. Left to ourselves, Ronan agrees to wear the skull cap to speak with the night court. Considering he is the least threatening if they possess the wearer like Brice had.

Our parley is long. It bears validations and confirmations as well as new troubles and options.

The Night Court, speaking through Serithaz only this time, is doing fine and the one before (Brice Hissel) is contained, their transfer into the skull cap went well. They have ‘spun out’ Brice into many iterations: one that was broken; one that was tortured; one that is mindless and the original. They can also collate the iterations into a version that can answer any questions we have.

Probing further, Serithaz shares with us what the Night Court has learned from Brice: She died quite young at 254 years old in her first and only consecutive life. The timing of this death coincides with when the party slew her in the under city of Xen K’hel. She was found by Marchmain as an acolyte and was raised by him when he gave her the holy symbol that allowed Xeno Tel to speak with her remotely. Her first mission was with a previous group that she had ambushed then planned to do the same to us. Her Holy Symbol was made of same material as the information reliquaries which allowed Xeno Tel to speak with her directly. Before her death, Xeno Tel cultivated her as his agent and encouraged her help in his plans. Marchmain had decided the Starchie Boys would be the best bet to find the lost anti-virus cure. We had a better success rate than Marchmain’s own soldiers. Brice was meant to deliver the anti-virus to Marchmain herself or subsequent to her death, via a possessed Chuq.

Brice knew Marchmain had initially died when the crystal tower fell and that the dwarf we met was that ancient soul in a new body. After her death, Brice within the ESP skull cap, used Chuq’s body to communicate with Marchmain about our anti-virus adventure. He was unconcerned that we overloaded the pathogen research facility and slew the catatonic Praxilthalmus, expressing only slight annoyance. Since the party acted precipitously, he couldn’t respond in time. Whenever the party returned to Xen K’hel, Chuq’s possessed body would contact Marchmain to report on our adventures below the city.

Xeno Tel had recently awoken sometime during the last Tenrilden, contacted by ‘those beyond the stars’. He was forced to sequester himself within a section of his orbital palace to escape Praxilthalmus’ virus. Xeno and Marchmain are concerned about the magical orbs that prevent their transports from reaching Xeno Tel’s orbital palace, since Praxilthalmus’ virus turned them against Xeno Tel.

Through Serithaz, the night court agrees to work with us against Marchmain and Xeno Tel. Their first priority is to keep the Anti-virus cure away from Xeno Tel’s orbital palace. If it was delivered and successful, Xeno Tel could then prepare the way for the others beyond the stars. Those others wish to visit Media to the detriment of all non-Dwarves. (Thorfus is somewhat taciturn during this part of the conversation) Not a person or dwarf, Xeno Tel is the machine that controls the orbital palace or the gate keeper. Perhaps if the need were great, delivering the night court to the orbital palace might allow them to overwhelm/confront Xeno Tel maybe even wresting control of the palace from him! Admittedly, this possibility is only conjecture at this time. Since Araquel has animated the dead similarly to how they have, it is thought the secrets of the virus can be unlocked from Praxilthalmus’ corpse. Allowing Marchmain other attempts at an Anti-Virus cure.  Angry that Praxilthalmus left with Araquel, Marchmain told Brice was to immediately contact him if the party found her body again. Marchmain is worried that she is alive.

Next we speak of Kalgunn the Elder. He knows more than want they have learned but currently has defenses up. Kalgunn has lied (has always lied) about his abilities and intentions, knowledge of Xeno Tel and the cataclysmic event(?). Like a machine manipulating us for what is coming. His primary goal is survival and secondary dominance. He wants electricity from Xen Khel but they don’t know exactly why. Kalgunn is strong but they might bluff him to reveal more. Sounds like a job for Edan. Whatever the cataclysm is, it approaches soon. Kalgunn is worried he won’t survive this cataclysm which is why want to know what it is.

Araquel’s power, like their own, comes from Lysander. Lysander, the ancient dragons who’s sloughed off scales are what they are??? They are what’s left of Lysander so they are one with her. When asked about the Dragon Orb in Gronk’s possession, they dismiss it’s risk since the ancient Dragon Orbs where never powerful enough to effect the Ancient Ones: Azreal (Dragon Emperor); Prixithalmus (Emperor’s Consort), Lysander & Dagon (deity of the Shark Men, lost to the deepest deep). The dragon orbs only control the Dwarven bioforged wingless dragons like the river dragons under Gronsk’s sway. The monk feels a little dragon envy at that….

The night court and Brice don’t believe Kalgunn has spoken to Marchmain. Marchmain is aware of Kalgunn from Brice and told her he doesn’t want Kalgunn near the anti-virus cure. Since Kalgun regards Marchmain as a rival, it makes sense to us.

Marchmain’s designs hinge on transporting the cure to the orbital palace. Protecting the magical orbital orbs from the anti-virus or any other threats is our best course.

Xeno Tel is the original program controlling the orbital palace. Xen Teler is the corrupted program resulting from Praxithalmus’ virus. Azreal did not know Xeno Tel had survived.

They are curios why Drays & Gronsk are involved with Mermen succession and will advise us after we have parleyed with Drays when we return to Midmark.

SESSION 118 – August 3, 2016

27th Jourilden

We bound a hanging dervish and retrieved a magical rope and a note explaining that his companions were going mad, killing themselves and then rising from the dead.

***********

NOTE: … told Fenc that the motive force was unstable; the machinery put too much … has locked the north tunnel and … exit is overrun — the containment has failed — we go mad then kill ourselves then rise … must prevent another detonation to protect our work if Baldric’s treason is … ow suffocation should suffice. May the Drag…”

Note: Other notes show that Jharlus Fenc was the Brood Master / Inquisitor

(the dead wizard writing notes we killed)

**********

We moved the body to the NE diving pool and Chuq took the body outside and weighted it down.

We explored the rest of the level, and didn’t find anything.

We found nothing in the upper level of the dome, but the dead tree seemed to have an intelligence.

We retrieved the gem eyes of the dwarf and dragon from the giant statue.

We then went north found 3 diving helmet and suits.

We finally met 5 devil fish idols and parlayed with them.

We learned that Brice’s intelligence was in Chuq’s skullcap and lots of lies from Kalgun.

We agreed to free them into the skullcap which we did, and the undead dropped. We retrieved three carts with platinum surgical items and 5 information reliquaries with unknown information, since there is no power.

A dead whale fell and cracked the dome, we hastily headed south, closing the emergency doors behind us.

We returned to the cafeteria where we discussed what remained to be done in the two days until we can free the experimental ship.

1.) recover the sub

2.) recover the sonic weapon

3.) deal with the sea hag(s) and sea troll(s)

4.) free the ship

5.) return to Midmark and meet up with Drayze

Session 117

27th Jourilden, 2:50pm

We continued to clash with the undead, underwater monstrosities. Thorfus and Chuq are bloodied, and the dwarf and Canis are about to find themselves in a difficult situation.

In an effort to deal with the bigger nasties, Edan stepped forward and begins a chant to cast a Lightning Bolt. Thorfus deigns to keep on fighting, in a effort to see if we can win. So with arrow, hammer, sword and monkey claw we laid into the enemies. Unfortunately the advancing automonkeys draw sight on even more creatures approaching from around a corner, alerting Thorfus to thier presence. In response, our fearless leader beheads the humanoid in front of him, followed by Edan unleashing a bolt of lightning into the troll and spider, killing the latter.

Whilst we keep fighting, how illustrious wizard switches from lightning to ice, dropping a sheet of it onto the troll, though the beast seems to power through it and merely tries to smash a monkey with its fists. From the east, a number of sea urchins roll into view.

Simultaneously, the humanoids, including the headless one begin repeating the words ‘No Escape’ over and over, the troll growling a long with it. In his head, Chuq mentally picks up part of a conversation in Ancient Dwarven, and he quickly passes it on to Thorfus and Edan to translate…

[Insert Speech Here]

Shards of glass rain down on Chuq, but he preternaturally avoids getting cut to shreds by them. Another burst of shattering glass comes from above Giacomo, who is less fortunate. From above, eight searching tentacles drop towards the party, presumably the appendages of the giant squid. Chuq quickly grabs Edan and Ronan, stepping behind the troll to relative safety, where Ronan is able to bring it down with his bastard sword. The tentacles grab the nearest targets available, wrapping up a monkey and Giacomo.

Thorfus steps forward and slams the door shut, quaffing a healing potion at the same time before trying to reason with the voice, calling out in Ancient Dwarven. He asks why they attack, that we aren’t there to cause trouble. In the other room, the captured monkey lashes out, but gets crushed tighter by the tentacle before the creature’s giant beak simply crushes the automaton. Other tentacles simply begin beating on the door or smashing more of the glass, dropping more creatures in.

In the corridor, the urchins begin firing spines at the automonkeys, though in the chaos of combat only succeed in skewering the human, who the monkeys bring down moments later.

The squid succeeds in bashing down the door behind us, sending the entire thing smashing into the desk moments after Thorfus moved away. Three tentacles reach in afterwards, just feet away from being able to hit us, but instead grab the desk a simply smack Canis with it. Luckily for the Druid, the old furniture is brittle enough to simply break around him without causing much damage.

Over the battle, Edan hears a voice say, “Interesting, not dwarf. It doesn’t even understand.”

Whilst several party members deal with the nearest dead creatures by dismembering and seperating the body parts, Edan moves over to unleash a cone of cold from the wand at the tentacles and creatures beyond the door. The blast of freezing cold air withers the three tentacles in the door way, and as they drop, we can see two more as well as several merfolk have been similarly affected. The tentacles crack and shatter off of the rest of the squid.

Moments later, there is a blast of dust and debris, which clear to reveal the statue of the dragon having fallen through the ceiling alongside the main body of the squid. For it’s troubles it merely gets another Cone of Cold from Edan’s wand. To the east, Canis, Thorfus and the monkeys keep fighting off of the undead underwater menagerie.

Angered at all the magic blasting through the door at it, the squid lashed out with a tentacle and grabbed Edan, despite Canis’ best efforts. A second tentacle grabs a broken monkey, taking it away, whilst a third grabs Ronan. A third Cone gets blasted from Edan’s free arm, shattering more of the creature’s tentacles. It’s shell pitted and scarred, laced with frozen water, Chuq and Ronan let loose a flurry daggers and arrows, a final arrow from Ronan finally splitting the squid’s shell. It’s throes of pain knock the statue of XenoTel, causing it fall onto the beast, crushing the life out of it.

“So you survived. You should come and see us.” The voice says to Chuq, now in stilted and broken Common.

He asks for directions, but get no response, so we take the time to collect ourselves. The two undead Imperials only carried what they wore, armour and robes. In one of the rooms, we find some more research notes. Giacomo’s corpse is recovered, as are the broken monkeys, one of which is currently beyond repair.

After an hour, we start branching out to continue exploration, finding more dormitory rooms and a privy. Another tapestry depicts the Dragon Emperor on his throne, with two entwined Red Dragons above. At the end of one corridor, we find a room with a pool similar to the room where we found the odd vehicle, this one empty. Attempting to use the controls is met with no reaction, evidently there is no power in this room either. We leave the room and spike the door.

Returning to the central chamber, we decide to look at the eastern door next. Chuq feels wild frustrated emotions and hears banging beyond the door. The room beyond appears to be a kitchen of some kind, bearing similarities to kitchens in Xen’Khel. A creature with a humanoid torso and squid-like lower half is pinned by tridents, allowing Chuq to easily dispatch it.

Still detecting similar emotions to the east, and still hearing banging, Chuq leads the way there, whilst Edan checks the cupboards, finding petrified foods. Any of the food preparation machinery seems to have been gutted.

Down a hallway, the banging seems to be coming from the first door, and only dies down as we move around, preparing for battle. Popping the door, we see a monstrosity of flesh and scales. It rolls out of the door, simply barrelling over the automonkeys, Thorfus and Ronan, tendrils and appendages wrapping around them.

Chuq retaliates by smashing bottles of holy water into the abomniation’s hide. Ronan, trapped practically inside it, desperately tries to cut his way out, Canis attempting to assist.  A flurry of blows from Thorfus and the automonkeys cut away a lot of appendages, but it continues to writhe around for a short while more before the sheer number of blows down the creature.

As it falls to a stop, we notice a large number of items either caught up in the mass or worn by appendages within; stones, scroll cases, scraps of clothing and rings. We collect the items and look into the room it came from, which appears to have been a storeroom of some kind, with shelves lining the walls.

The Sahuagin who come to gather the thing’s body seem to be averting thier gazes, refusing to meet our eyes.

The final room is also seemingly empty. A single human corpse is hanging from a grate in the ceiling by the neck. His body is covered with tattoos, very much like a Dervish’s. It is currently swinging about the room, reaching out for us as it does so. Oddly, we notice that but for the odd length, the rope hanging it appears for all the world to be made of hair which glows slightly in the dim lighting. Knowing we need to be careful about how we deal with this, we ponder a course of action.

Session 116 July 7, 2016

10:30 am 27th of Joureldon, in the larger dome where we first met the Sahuagin fighting the undead.

Cannis and Chuq supervise the shark men removing the undead pinned to the walls. They establish a butchering spot south of the marked animation line near the cafeteria. A monkey autonotom notices crabmen to the north who quickly take note of us. The pair are felled easily. Then Chuq and Ronan discover a flailing sea lion behind another door to the north. It bloodies their noses before falling to Thorfus’ sword.

Ronin discovers notes about the Sword of Dagon. We meander about to allow Edan the time to copy text from the crumbling aged papers. We explore a diving well room north easterly adjacent to the dome. Above the pool of sea water is a 10’ x 20’ metal cigar shaped tube suspended by chains attached to the ceiling. It has fans on one end and a clear window on the opposite end of a downward facing hatch. There is a panel on the eastern wall of this room that has five unlit buttons.

Markings on the cigar attract Edan’s attention. He consults Kalgunn who identifies the word Telergy as some sort of sigil for a specific group of Ancient Dwarves. Kalgunn explains Telergy (or Xeno Telergy) was short hand for a group that used the ancient dwarven metal found in circlets, cubes and portals to control living things. They had a complimentary group that used the same metal to control constructs like monkey, repair and assembly autonatoms. This other group was known as Xeno Teler.

Continuing our exploration when Edan is done, we find a man with the face of a manta ray. Once he sees us, he begins to casts a spell. A hail of missiles and blows ends his days. Another silver inquistor mask falls off its skull, which we pocket. We find his spell book(s), a silver passkey and notes that talk of an imperial discovery and exploration of the domes. There was minimal power at that time. The Imperials found mad devil fish elders in containment which shortly died. They conducted more experiments on freshly caught devil fish. Eventually, the Imperial researchers went mad and had to be put down.

The notes mention that the containment would not be taken off line until further notice, likely to keep something dangerous sequestered. Other notes talk of the promising nature of the sonic explosive in another dome and their intent to use the manufactory facility to make more devices. Seems the imperials where planning to turn on the manufacturing machines a next morning but we deduce the written rumor of Baldrich Evekeel learning of the research domes when he had captured the Dervish Citadel on Lonely Isle put a timely stop to that plan.

Edan reads the following Spells in the book(s):

1st: Jump; Friends; Shocking Grasp; Magic Missile; Read Magic

2nd: Mirror Image; Web; Invisibility; Darkness 15’ Radius

3rd: Haste; Fireball

Monkeys are tasked with repairing the lift doors in the undead magician’s room so that we aren’t surprised. Ronan climbs the lift shaft to peer at the floor directly above. He sees a dead withered garden centered with a giant heroic statue of a dwarf champion standing over a vanquished sinuous winged dragon. The garden is capped by the crystal of the underwater dome. Draped over the statue is a giant squid, no doubt undead. Strewn about the garden are about 10 flopping undead beached Mermen.

When asked, Kalgunn tells us that the statue is Xeno Tel standing victorious Lysander the green dragon, a common motif for Imperial Statuary. After the monkeys have repaired the lift door, we return to the central cafeteria to explore further west. The squid and Merman seem more than we can chew at this time.

Imagine our surprise as we leap upon a lonely undead man behind a deak, he survives our initial assault and is quickly joined by a horde of undead creatures. Oh, and they brought a sea troll.

Session 115 July 13th, 2016

6:00pm 26th of Jourelden – surrounded by sharks and Sahaugin (shark men).

Later the next day, we learn our attendant Shark Man is named Sah-Jin. He arrives shortly after Ronan’s victim is chum in the water. Miming at the party and repeatedly pointing at our sleeping druid, Cannis, it appears he wants us all to sleep while his brethren munch on the soon to be dead Gooter the Kaligan slaver. After our slumber, somehow, we will then speak with Carchus and a shark man lord/leader. Sah-Jin’s attention makes Gooter uneasy. We are loath to giving another man over to them. Well, that is all of us except Ronin. Feigning our possible heroic intervention, Thorfus encourages Gootter to talk to save his own skin.

Gooter talks about Alain Grell’s plan to sell the experimental vessel to SilverThrone but they weren’t interested. It is curious that they didn’t feel the need to keep the propulsion method out of the empire’s clutches. Grell had called the experimental vessel the ‘Wrath of the Waves’ though we didn’t notice any armament or armor on board her. About a dozen independent pirate ships and crews that plague the waters about Angmar’s Folly were ostensibly allied with Alain. His personally commanded fleet was five vessels that included the Cranky Archer & the Pale Hydra (both likely lost during the Empire’s naval attack).

Gooter describes a tall, skinny, old, white goateed man with a cultivated accent known as the Gardener, no doubt an Imperial contact who had enlisted the dervish assassins responsible for Thorrell’s murder. Chuq shares Gutter’s personal impression of the Gardener with Thorfus, who recognizes the man as Jardin. Gootter claims the Gardener sails under sails with the Red Crescent, an Imperial sigil.

Pragmatically, Chuq explains the mortality of Gooter’s imminent future and offers the Boys will hear his last words and consider fulfilling any last wishes. Gootter says his last words and asks that his soon to be widow, Virginia be comforted. Since Thorrell is now dead, any potential solace will only likely come from us. At best we might visit her closure if we find ourselves back in Vargen. Edan ends the interview by stabbing Gutter with a dagger at the top of his spine. The body drops below our pen as a shiver of young shark kids frenzy over the still warm body. Sah-Jin expresses pride over the antics of one of the kids, sharing images of it’s cannibalistic origins with Chuq.

The party spends the next few hours waiting on Carchus’ return. Some sleep while Chuq and Thorfus keep watch. During this time, Chuq speaks with a random shark. We learn the local shaman shark man, Sha-Ki has foretold of land dwellers cleansing the ‘bad water’ for Dagon’s children. Unfortunately the local lore doesn’t have a parallel to the Mahdi, so Chuq fails to persuade the sharks he is the actual true Voice of Dagon.

Edan’s rest is uneasy though. When he wakes, his mind is distracted by wailing and lamentations of being shut from the world within a dark quite chest. He grumbles about other fantastic visions but doesn’t share the details with us, his only true friends.

Eventually Chuq senses the overly proud and chipper sand shark arrive within the dome. Not long after that, Sah-Jin delivers more water breathing corrals to the party. The party swims to an enclosure hugging the southern dome wall where we meet Carchus and the aforementioned Sha-Ki, the shark man lord imagined by Sah-Jin. Carchus and Chuq interpret so that Sha-Ki and the Boyz can parley. As per the random shark’s story, Sha-Ki expects us to ‘clean the bad water’ in exchange for the sword of Dagon, which he expects us to ‘to conguer the surface in the name of Dagon’.

The sword of Dagon is a large lozenge suspended over the floor by chains in the room we are in. Based on our visual inspection and Sha-Ki’s answers, we deduce the Sword of Dagon is actually an ancient Dwarven underwater sonic weapon (more like a mine or bomb) and that this particular dome is not only a testing/proving ground but also a manufactory for the weapon. We attempt to parley not only the sword but the entire dome as payment for our services, but Sha-Ki is reticent to abandon the Dagon’s ‘promise land’. We plant the seed that they just might have to if we are expected to fulfill the ‘conquer the surface in the name of Dagon’ part of the prophecy. The ‘bad water’ as described is undoubtedly another Kaligan/BioForge undead curse, albeit possibly the largest we have encountered to date. Confident we are the men for the job, we agree to cleanse the water after suggesting the Shark Men turn over all terrestrial items they found when settling within the domes. Sha-Ki agrees to the logic that Dagon likely left those items for our benefit. Besides clothing and other trifles, the shark men hand over a small fortune in imperial platinum coins and statuaries.

Edan and Kalgunn examine the sonic weapon, learning a bit of its inner workings, controls and likely usage/testing here in this dome. They interview Carchus about the adjacent tunnel and the sea floor beyond the tunnel. They figure the tunnel leads to a proving ground for the weapon. Carchus description tells that the weapon indiscriminately effects everything in a very large radius. After Carchus mentions a fresh attack on the Midmark navy moored in the hidden bay, we decide Chuq should return topside to assess their condition.

Using his cloak of the manta ray and shadow stepping, Chuq covers the distance ahead of Carchus. Bellisonte and Captain Evenwode tell that while the Bitter Horse was answering a call for help from the Dirty Maid north of the hidden cove, Sea Hags and Trolls boarded the Javelin and slew the entire crew. Worse even, the Bitter Horse wasn’t able to save the Dirty Maid from an assault of undead sharks and shark men. She sunk with a great loss of life. Also, Humprey the cleric has not been seen since yesterday and presumed missing.

Understandably, Captain Evenwode holds the party responsible since his fleet is waiting for either a high tide or our help to free the Wrath of the Waves. Chuq’s assurances that the party is trying to fix the undead problem fall on deaf ears. The captain does agree to the suggestion that the fleet and mercs abandon the cove at dusk to spend the night in safer waters. Pons has ‘volunteered’ to hide in the tower every night on the beach. It’s hoped he will use his hiding skills to observe the beach overnight and alert the returning fleet and mercs if trouble is afoot in the morning.

While the monk is away, the party prepares for our assault. Our monkeys are repaired via the material littered in the dome and more water breathing corral is collected. We set off the next morning joined by a shark man clean up crew and Carchus after Sha-Ki has blessed us all by anointing our persons with fresh killed meat. Funny how their idea of success tends to include red salty water….

Session #114:

26th of Jourelden – evening, somewhere deep under the bay.

The day started well, yet I find myself trapped in an air bubble, inside a glass-like dome under water. So much for my uncle’s prediction that I’d get bored and come back to the “business”… bored I am not.

We started the day realizing that there’s no feasible way for us all to explore the depths of the bay (and avoiding those dreadful sea trolls) without some of the helmets and air-tanks we found in the facility.

At the shore, Lord Thorfus instructed his mec-monkeys to gather the equipment as we discussed our options – or rather they did. My mind was wondering how to adapt the engine scheme used by the MidMark’s experimental ship to propel a vessel UNDER the waves. It’s possible! I just need to find how the dwarves created that clear strong crystal and how they filled those tanks. See sketches 75 through 84 for the concept.

I digress – equipped with helmets, suits and air-tanks we make our way back near where the Bitter Horse is anchored and prepare Thorfus for his descent. Lowered by rope and watched over by Chuck in manta-form, he and and a mec-monkey eventually make it to the bottom and thanks to the broachie-talkie we’re able to confirm with Thorfus that the way is clear.

To be honest – I didn’t think that the suit, helmet and tanks would still work after more than 1000 years, but ancient dwarven workmanship has a surprising ability to resist the ravages of time.

It wasn’t long before Thorfus finds the “hatch” and mentions that a button near it is faintly glowing green – confirming that there is a power source of some kind.

Without much prompting, myself, Canis and Giacomo “the great” (he makes me laugh that one – if only he knew) head down ourselves.

While we descended – Thorfus later explained to me – he pressed the faint green button near the door and noticed the room beyond it filling with water, allowing him to open the hatch and entering. Hitting the button on the inside allowed for the water to be drained out – likely by way of an automated push-pump of some kind (i’ll have to take a look if the opportunity presents itself).

The inner door also had a glowing button next to it – red when the the room was filled with water, green when emptied. The whole system works like the river locks near home, except they let you go from water to air. Ingenious!

After a little while we all eventually end up on the dry side of the room – a rather long corridor (~500 ft) which ended at a dome-topped building.

Chuck and myself scouted ahead, finding a room much like the at the bottom of the pit near the beach. In my haste I immediately moved forward to inspect a strange blue glow coming from one of the damaged the engines… and promptly paid a hefty price, shocking myself TWICE! Resulting in a rightly deserved scolding from Kalgunn. I must be more careful, I’ve learned much in the last few months, and apparently I have much more to learn – provided my mistakes don’t kill me. I at least discovered that they were purposely damaged – recently.

After the sting I probed further finding several shark-like bipeds and one decomposing human pined to the south walls with tridents. They were still moving, like the abominations from the research facilities. Seeing no other threats (they’re pinned!), but hearing combat in the distance I reported back to Thorfus and the others.

Seems that the Company have encountered similar “undead” in the past – something about the bodies being under the influence of some kind of DevilFish idol. The only way to destroy them is by dismembering them and then getting them away from the idol.

Moving into the larger space – Chuck “senses” that there are beings desperate to survive coming from where I heard the fighting. After a quick search of the room and those adjacent, Chuck and Thorfus determine that we should try to come to the aid of whomever might need it.

I think we may live to regret that decision. Entering the room from which the sounds of battle emanated from resulted with us facing a large group of undead shark-people and large crustaceans. The battle was harsh – but we prevailed thanks to Thorfus’ mec-monkeys, some excellent bow skills from Ronin and Thorfus and a flash from my recently acquired wand.

The rest is rather still fresh – the surviving live shark-people manage to rudimentary communicate with Chuck, giving us the impression that they’re grateful and that they also know Chuck’s shark-friend.

They had us follow them past their defensive line and eventually to underneath the main dome, where we find ourselves trapped, along with two, well, one of Grel’s crew. Ronin had a “talk” with the other one – the conversation ended rather bloodily I’m afraid.The survivors told us some very interesting things about the last hours of Grel’s fleet – we’re still not sure what happened, but we’re fairly certain Grel was double crossed by the Imperials.

Our prison is similar to a wasp’s nest – made of some organic material and filled with breathable air and fixed to the crystal dome out of which we can see and a hole in its bottom allowing us to swim out if we dare.

OH! Before I forget – the trip to this dome was long and completely under water. The shark-people had us swallow a strange stone which lodged in our throats (rather painfully at first) and allowed us to breathe water and only water, attempting to breath air while still having the stone in one’s thought is not a good idea. I wish I could study one further – unfortunately they dissolve after roughly 2 hours allowing use to breathe normally again.

So that’s we’re sit right now, and I see that one of the shark-people is coming… I’ll continue later.