Category: Graveyard of Empires: The Islands of Curabel

Session 113 June 29th, 2016

25th of Joureldon 2:50 pm, about ½ hour after the battle.

While mopping up, Admiral Dyconson comes ashore and asks to speak privately. She says the best time to move the experimental vessel would be the 15th of Tanrildon with an secondary alternative 4 days from now. Both days will have higher tides that will help unbeach the vessel. We suggest that Cannis and Edan can magically extricate the vessel sooner without the higher tides. She returns to the Bitterhorse expecting our help the next day as we prepare to enter the tunnel below the broken tower.

We pile our gear and ourselves into the rail cart and have the monkeys push us along the tunnel at a walking pace. About two hundred feet into the tunnel, the arching walls are suddenly sheathed behind a clear 5” thick substance. Edan and Kalgunn discuss the discovery and speculate it might be a strengthening reinforcement or leak proofing of ancient dwarven crystalline technologies. 50’ further along we notice a light glowing from tunnel walls, whose source appears behind the actual walls. Another 50’ and we find a shaft of light cast from the ceiling of the tunnel. Eventually we realize the tunnel is no longer lined with stone but is simply the clear coating and above us can be seen the dark murky waters of the hidden cove.

The tunnel is sectioned every 50 feet by an opened transverse doorway as wide and high as the entire tunnel arch. When we can see beyond the clear sheath around each doorway, we see a stone adjunct extending 10’ perpendicularly to the tunnel in either direction. Undoubtedly the opened doors are nestled within the stone adjuncts. Near each transverse doorway are smaller hatches in the tunnel arch that have circular handles. The hatches alternate at each doorway, either to the left or right sided walls. We bar each hatch as we go along after Edan divines how to do so.

The terminus of the tunnel is 450 feet beyond the lift shaft. Here a transverse door occludes the tube. A larger shadow looms over the stone adjunct. Later we learn the shadow is the broken hull of the Dusty Gnome. We investigate the hatches next and discover a 10’ square alcove beyond each. The alcoves contain ancient dwarven helmets and environmental suits meant to be used with the canisters we found at the lift shaft base. We collect a total of 8 each. Unfortunately, the suits are all dwarven sized. Each alcove has another hatch that must open to the water beyond and curious holes in the floor.

We spend the night camped on the top floor of the tower. The next morning, we speak with Admiral Dyconson and Captain Evenwod explaining freeing the vessel might take longer than expected. They are somewhat dismayed, but we assure them we will work hard to finish by the 4th day. We want to spend the interim exploring. To placate their concerns, Cannis does some perfunctory stone shaping around the vessel. Edan studies the mechanics of the vessel some more. His mind is awash with design possibilities. His avarice mirrors Thorfus’ for Xen’Khel.

Setting off from the wreck in a long boat, Chuq uses his Manta Ray cloak to survey the waters. This is when we first discover the actual wreck of the Dusty Gnome. The wreck broke evenly across the tunnel with the bow resting on the western side and the aft the eastern. The impact must have flooded the tunnel section below it. The ancient dwarves obviously designed the tunnel to sequester failed sections in such an event. The tunnel continues beyond the Dusty Gnome, perhaps going as far as the small cliff island that hides the hidden cover. Strewn over the seabed are items or cargo among the kelp. There are no bodies to be found except a pile of bones near the aft section. After surveying the bow, Chuq returns to the surface to report his finding and enlist Cannis to investigate the aft.

The two note 5 different chests worth recovering from the bottom before they investigate the wreck. As they both swim towards the lowest deck, Chuq ESPs hate, anger and anticipation in the shadows. Cannis grabs hold of Chuq as they swim quickly to the surface. We strongly suspect at least one Sea Hag and as many as four Sea Trolls lie in wait, likely with murderous revenge in mind since we massacred their brethren the day before on the beach.

We do what we do best and analyze the danger with an open debate. The consensus is leaning to exploring the tunnel beyond the wreck with the hopes of discovering the fabled sonic weapon to use against these foes.

Session 111 June 1, 2016

24th Jourilden 2:00 pm at Anchor 2.5 miles away from the hidden cove.

Admiral Dyconson and Captain Evenwod spend some time explaining the details of the experimental ship and how best to disable it’s propulsion in case it get’s away. They also detail what they know of Grell’s fleet, which isn’t much. We also learn that Grell had boarded the Leering Sheriff with over 100 men while some of her crew were on shore investigating a devastated Kaligan. With our discussion over, Chuq begins his underwater reconnoiter.

On the way to the hidden cover, Chuq is ambushed by undead Sharks. He is seriously blooded and shadow steps out of danger. Another step followed by another bite takes Chuq to the cliff face of the small island blocking the hidden cove about 30’ above the water line. Refreshing with his only healing potion, he steps to the NE finger of the cove. Now he can overlook the whole cove.

What he sees is somewhat horrifying. There is ship debris mixed with floating bodies all about the water. In the SW pocket of the cove can be seen the beached experimental craft with a large gaping hole in it’s hull. On the small sandy beach are more bodies amongst several completed burnt out buildings. What can only be Sea Hags are strolling about the corpses occasionally feasting on the dead flesh.

Steps to motu and spends the night on the leeward side waiting for the fleet the next day. The party is worried Chuq is captured. Swoop the pigeon is sent at dusk to look for Chuq. MIssing the Monk, Swoop claims Chuq is dead. After speaking at length, Cannis tries to convince Capt Evenwod to sail sooner. The captain insists on sticking with the plan to attack at dawn.

The next morning, Thorfus punches Chuq as he steps onto the Bitterhorse deck. Reporting the condition of the cove, the Bitter Horse enters the cove expecting trouble from undead or Sea Hags. A sailor notices the word Gnome on a piece of debris. The sailors feel the bodies have been floating for several days, (no more than 3 or 4). The bodies are checked for undead, then we dock at a pier. The party searches the beach for trouble.

Within the imperial tower ruin we find Vain Potak, the former Grey Cloak’s body suspended by his ankles hanging over a central hole in the floor. Inside the pit, three feet below the edge, we see an Ancient Dwarven control panel. Lowering a lantern on a rope, we determine the pit is 130’ deep. One body found on the second floor is clutching a piece of quality red cloth. More indication the Empire is responsible for this massacre.

A quickly shut door to a shed to the east prompts us to rush to investigate. Inside is Peter Razlin hiding amongst the wood piles. Peter claims to be a hostage shipwright originally from Sea Breeze. His story was that Imperials were to meet with Grell out on the water. Grell turned on his crew then the Imperials attacked the cove, slaughtering everyone but him.

Once finished ashore, we examine the beached experimental vessel. The mysteries within prompts Edan to consult Kalgunn. They agree the ship uses an electrical sphere autonatoms as a power source. Kalgunn claims the design of the control box for this ship is his own!