Quest 1: A Friendly Wager

[Dungeon Master]

Encounter 1

It was the dawn of a new day, and the heroes sailed the high seas on board the Salty Lass, a merchant ship bound for Aylesbury. The port would soon come into view as the Salty Lass completed its successful return voyage, but not without hardship. The captain of the ship made a few mistakes navigating and extended the voyage so that the ship’s food stores were exhausted. The crash of waves took a backseat to the sound of a collective growling from the stomachs of all the crew. It had been two days since any one has last eaten. Suddenly, the ship dropped anchor as men from below decks run up the stairs, armed and ready for battle. Mutiny!

One of the mutineers carried the severed head of a portly man all recognized as the chef. Another sailor stood at the front of the mob, and came to a halt as he arrived on deck. Many of the crew stood behind him. This sailor was a burly figure, bald and bearing a patch over his left eye. The captain, a pompous man, was dressed in finery and wore a big hat that slid down to cover his eyes whenever he moved

Lead Mutineer: "Oy, Captain! The jig is up! Its been two days since we had food and you've been holding out on us!"
Captain: "Of course not! I'd never do such a thing to you lads."
"Then how come when we went to check on Old Jonnie-"
"But you mustn't. I told you my quarters were locked, as I compassionately gave it over to him for his comfort and your protection. His fever could spread to the rest of the crew."
"Well, how come you check in on him so often? Wouldn't you be afraid of catching it? I think you would. So we tried talking to Old Jonnie through the door, and we didn't hear nothing from him. We picked the lock, saw him all wrapped up in blankets. But it wasn't Old Johnnie who was wrapped in those blankets."
"Now lads there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for what you saw. I was rationing-"
"If you was rationing why haven't we eaten in two days? So I went to the cook, and found him sneaking some pork. So I took it, and it didn't taste like the pork he served us two days ago. so I asked him, real sweet like-"
"P-p-perhaps it was a different recipe."
"And told me it tasted different because it was old-"
"You see? There. It was old."
"It was Old Jonnie. I think we oughta serve you up, to the Undertow. Carve you up real nice like, like you did to Old Jonnie, except you still be breathing while we do. Say lads, are you with me?"
"Hurrah!"

Most of the heroes decided to side with the mutineers, one of the dwarf passengers, however, used a magical blast of force to attack a mutineer but later claimed to have missed one of the crew defending the captain. A heavily armed and armored dragonborn passenger by the name of Quimby convinced the captain he had no friends on board, and after the loyalist crew were defeated, allowed him to attempt an escape on the lifeboat. The other crew members were not so lenient, and someone killed the captain regardless. The heroes then decided to ransack the former captain’s cabin, and a stowaway by then name of Howard found the captain’s stash. As he greedily rushed to see the loot, Howard didn’t find the booby trap and was stuck with a poisoned needle. The loot was split, and Quimby magnanimously distributed his share to the hungry crew.

[Dungeon Master]

Encounter 2

The Salty Lass made port at Aylesbury, a Lanun sea haven, and the crew promptly dispersed to drink away the memories of a bad voyage. When the heroes disembarked the ship, they found a messenger waiting for the captain at the docks. The governor had requested a meeting with the captain, however as the captain was dead the messenger said the heroes will do instead. Howard made a quick stop at a local apothecary, and bartered a potion of healing for an antitoxin. The Malakim tiefling called Journey was surprised to find an Aviary, and went in to show off his magnificent hawk, Aesir, to the shopkeeper.
The messenger was finally able to lead the group to the governor’s manor. The gruff governor was surprised the captain had not come himself, and asked if the heroes were his representatives. Upon hearing how the captain met his end, the governor commended the heroes on disposing of the depraved fool and demonstrating real leadership. The governor then gave captaincy of the ship to the seasoned sailor Dagfin, who promptly chose Quimby to be his first mate and assigned Journey the duties of quartermaster. Captain Dagfin thought it better to keep Howard as a mere deckhand until he further proved himself.

The governor has recently embraced the cult of the Undertow, officially recognizing the Lords of the Deep as Aylesbury’s patron gods since many of the pirate and merchant crews have come to embrace the religion, offering the governor another means of control. The local temple’s high priest has been known to give prophecy, and occasionally proves extremely useful to the governor. The prophet, as the priest is better known, recently foresaw a surprise visit by Hannah the Irin, leader of the Lanun, saving many of the governor’s secret projects that the Irin might have found threatening to her own power and profit. In the midst of revealing prophecy, the oracle had a seizure and then went catatonic.

No magic of the local priesthood nor any contemporary healers could wake the prophet. The governor knew of only one who could heal such maladies, a reclusive druidess living on her own private island renowned for her miraculous herbal remedies. The governor offered top dollar for the priest’s cure, so he may hear the prophecy. A scribe was ordered to issue the heroes a Letter of Marque and point out on a map which island belongs to the druidess. Captain Dagfin signed a contract (with lots of fine print) to sail the Salty Lass, agreeing to pay 100 gold per month of use. The governor then mentioned to the heroes they ought to head to the tavern to find a crew.

Once there the group rounded up a crew and dug up rumors about the druidess, hearing multiple disturbing things. One dishrag said, “I hear she curses those who displease her, transforming them into bugs, then eats them. And nobody who sees her lives to tell the tale.” A tavern wench told them she heard the druidess was, “a very private and turns everyone away, unless they bring her a gift. It may not guarantee you her help but at least she’ll talk to you. Or that’s what they say anyway. Her hut lies at the center of the island, a day’s journey through goblin infested jungle and bewitched wilderness.”

Journey attempted to show his prowess at cards but lost his wager. Howard then came over and cleaned up, impressing the other card players enough to agree to join. Quimby and Dagfin worked the room, recruiting several ruffians, the tavern’s chef, and even pressganged one of the bartenders. The dwarven merchant tagging along spent most of the time drinking. Having successfully found a rowdy crew, the heroes set sail the next morning without the drunken dwarf.

[Dungeon Master]

Encounter 3

The Salty Lass traveled two days by sea to the island. Howard, now the designated lookout, spotted a ship wreck off the eastern coast. None of the heroes were willing to pass up a chance for loot, and boarded the shipwreck. They found the hull hollowed out, and at the bottom two treasure chests. They tied a rope round Howard and lowered him down to retrieve the chests, but it was a trap. As he opened the chest he found it to be sitting on very slippery kelp and counterfeit coins spilled out into a the water. A harpoon flew from the large gap in the bottom of the shipwreck and started pulling Howard into the water. A tug of war ensued with Howard in the middle. Journey daringly tied the other end of the rope to himself and jumped to the water, planning to be Howard's counterweight and bring him to the surface. It worked when the rope was let go by whatever was holding it under the water. A Merrow came forth attacking Journey. Quimby jumped in to help, while Dagfin called for help with getting Howard to safety. When the unconscious rogue was in safe hands, Dagfin jumped in to. The heroes were able to fight off the Merrow, who retreated when it found itself to be outnumbered. The second treasure chest turned out to full of real copper coins, some potions, and a handful of pearls. Howard barely survived, and needed much time too recover.

But the Salty Lass pressed on to the southern coast of the island, and spent the better part of a day finding the druidess' lonely hut. They found no goblins to speak of, but stumble across the mysterious ruins of a city. There was no telling of who once lived there, or how old they were. For some reason the mysterious ruins have not been claimed by the jungle nor buried beneath the sands of time.

Eventually they found the druidic witch, who appeared in the form of a pseudodragon, and communicated with the heroes via telepathy. When they asked her to help the prophet, she replied, “I refuse. The “prophet” is an unscrupulous fellow. The last I saw of him, he refused to make good on a wager we had. I see no reason to help him." But the heroes told her they were on a mission for the governor of Aylesbury. She said, “The governor you say? Of Aylesbury?” After a pause, “Why didn’t you say so in the first place? I think he is a man most deserving of my...help. But first, you must do something for me. You must make good on the prophet’s wager. Do you agree to this?” They asked her what they then had to do. She answered them, “After the prophet lost his wager to me, I won from him a particularly special magical artifact. Yet he refused to give it to me, and I had no means to compel him to do so. “He then foolishly wagered the same artifact again with another who had the leverage to make him pay up. This man was once a bloodthirsty pirate , he took no prisoners and gave no mercy. Eventually with his blood money he purchased amnesty from the government of Innsmouth, and lives out his days on his lavish estates. now in possession of the artifact. You will retrieve the artifact from his possession and deliver it to me. I will then give you a potion that will awaken any from an unconscious state.

“As we speak, this criminal is transporting several of his profits and secured cargo across the sea to the Bank in Jubilee. The cargo ship is an innocuous merchantman called the Incandescence. I have been following its journey, and can give you the exact route the ship will follow. If you leave now, you can catch up with it by dawn. How you retrieve the artifact is up to you.” Not completely trusting, Quimby asked what the nature of the artifact was but was met with, “That is my business. Yours is retrieving it for me.” The heroes also wanted to know why the prophet fell unconscious. She said, “I suspect the problem is a malalignment of mana...hmm...we’re going to need to fix those blank stares. Every mortal soul is composed of every kind of mana. Each sphere of magic isn’t simply its physical elements, but a representation of deeper facet of the human psyche. Ice isn’t about cold weather, it is stasis, stubbornness. The sphere of fire is not simply heat, it is passion. Water always seeks harmony, it is calm, contentment. Now look at the Undertow cult. Its draws power from the ocean, yet embraces insanity. What does that tell you about the world? Ah, more blank stares. The sphere of water is being corrupted, and only the gods know why Danalin, god of water, has let this come to be. In other words, that fool ‘prophet’ is tapping into something of great power and completely discordant with his soul. Whatever he has seen, it is of the malevolent flames.”

The heroes then returned to their camp and the next morning departed for their ship to chase down the Incandescence.

[Dungeon Master]

Encounter 4

After a fierce chase the Salty Lass caught up to the Incandescence and exchanged cannon fire. Captain Dagfin steered alongside the enemy ship initiating a boarding action. The crew fought valiantly, and the Captain ended the fighting with a thunderous wave of air magic. He confronted his former captain, and Erik laughed at him for pirating the Governor of Aylesbury's own ship and cargo. Dagfin cut his throat.

On board Quimby saw silver dragonborn, named Jass, who hid belowdecks during the fighting. She was a former neophyte in the Ordo Draconum like Quimby. While on assignment hunting down rumors of dragon bones, word reached her at Innsmouth about the fall of their order. Jass decided to pursue her own happiness and became determined to find the Kuriotate lands, having heard that they are friendly to all races their. She hoped to start over, and invited Quimby to join her. She had been traveling with another member of their order, named Shakith, a white dragonborn, who turned north looking to continue his mission. She was persuaded by Quimby to recommit to their order and join the crew of the Salty Lass.

The ship then sailed to the druidess' island and turned over the artifact to her. It was a glowing glass orb filled with black smoke. By the warning of the druidess the heroes were careful not to touch the orb directly. Her hut was empty, but inside was a stoppered potion. The crew fulfilled their obligation, as opposed to double crossing the druidess and leaving with both items. Their next stop was Aylesbury, where they promptly reported to the governor, who lead them to the temple of the Overlords, which previously did not admit anyone. At the door stood a man in heavy robes, yet completely drenched as if he were in a downpour. Strands of wet hair obstructed his bloodshot eyes. The zealot’s called himself His-Freedom-Is-Found-In-Nightmares. He lead them past the public place of worship, a coral altar rising from a shallow pool of water in the center of rounded pews forming a complete circle, into a large chamber through massive marble doors. Inside was an even large chamber covered in marble floors. A pillar stood in the center of the room, made of coral. Throughout the room raised paths meandered around shallow pools. Each had a disciple of the Overlords, asleep as they floated in water. A few were heard to be muttering. One of the dreamers shouted, “Despair is washed away with blood!” And the rest of the acolytes who tend to the dreamers, all repeat. Then an acolyte comes over to help the dreamer out of her shallow pool. The heroes were finally lead to the end of the chamber, where a much larger pool lay. Lilypads floated along its surface around the sleeping Prophet. One of the acolytes took the remedy and administered it to the prophet. Stepping away, they all stood patiently waiting for him to recover.

Eerily his mouth opened as voices escape from him, voices that were not his own. One said, “All is dust! All is dust!” Another drowned out the first voice saying “We are the Overlords! Bow down to me!” The two voices started arguing, “You are nothing! I am the creator of all!” “Bow down or die!” Then they subsided. An otherworldly voice dominated, booming forth from the prophets mouth, which is open, but unmoving.

"Hear me mortals, and heed me well. Whispers of forgotten lore have found my ears, the currents of time flow through my veins with every beat of my heart and bear visions of death and despair. As the wickedness of man takes hold, darkness will begin to engulf the world. At first he will see nothing. Only a few of the most gifted will even sense the change. The world will go on as it has, for a time, but the seed of its downfall has been sown..."

After hearing the prophecy the governor muttered, “useless.” He then agreed to pay the heroes 100 gold each, and mentions since they heroes are using a ship he owns, he expects them to make down payments to purchase his ship. 100gp per month of use, to be paid whenever they make port at Aylesbury, if the heroes fall more than 6 months behind, he will send bounty hunters to repossess what is his. The heroes are always free to purchase it outright, or if coming into possession of another ship return his ship and pay its dues.

The heroes then bought a shipment of bananas on credit to be delivered to a Doviello port in the north, where they are now heading.