Adventure Notes 11

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The party returns from Skotland, successfully defeating the demon, as well as Lord Vernar who was abducting young women to keep his own wife’s beauty flowing; against her will. When the demon was defeated, Lady Gale perished, her body suddenly rapidly aging, leaving only ashes behind.

The party successfully identified a Rod of Demon Summoning, which had been used to control the demon Lord Vernar was using. There was also a mysterious glass sphere and a book with demonic writing on it; the party opted to cover these up and prepared to return this to the Mages in the Tower of Magi to study, and undoubtedly, lock away forever. The party sifted through the now deserted home, and recovered some coin, jewelery and fine art; but encountered the towns people, who were there to thank the heroes. Once they saw their hands full of items that once belonged to Lord Vernar and Lady Gale, they asked the party to leave that behind. All of them obligated to the request, save for Bodrag and Omen.

Back at Guardstone, King Guardstone has returned to his castle and begun cleaning up the areas with crew. He summons the party, explaining that they have been very effective in doing the various tasks that he has asked of them; and now there is one of great importance that will strengthen the alliance between Minotaurs and King Saric; and that is the return of a political prisoner; a Minotaur named Alark Bloodhorn, who is accused of murdering several key, political figures (as well as a very extensive history of piracy).

The party agrees, and meets at Moontide Port, where they board The Silver Eel. They meet the Captain of the ship, and are soon sailing into the ocean. One the second day, Tenjii, Bodrag and Argo go below deck to speak with Alark Bloodhorn about his crimes. He explains that he is indeed guilty of murder; but it’s actually Doppelgangers that he’s been killing, and that one of his crew had developed a crystal ball that allowed one to see them for their true selves, since Magic could not detect them. He explained one of his crew has the crystal ball now. The party members there make an agreement to help Alark Bloodhorn, if he surrenders the crystal ball to them, when reunited with his crew. Alark agrees, and the party members begin to set him free.

Above deck, the alarm rings, and Alark Bloodhorn’s crew has come from the fog, and with them bringing a magical storm that one of the mages aboard the Tide Breaker is wielding to control the weather. A fight above deck breaks out with party members attacking Alark’s crew members who are boarding the Silver Eel, while down below party members are attacking members of the Silver Eel trying to get Alark safely to his own ship. In the chaos, the Captain of the Silver Eel shoots the mage aboard the Tide Breaker and the mage drops the crystal ball used to control the storm, causing magic to run wild. The Tide Breaker and Silver Eel collide into one another, and the ships begin to sink!

The party successfully manages to grab debris, and for three days float exposed in the sea, until Luna is able to summon ocean aid to pull them to the nearest island. Once on the island, Argo is able to hear birds known throughout several regions; oddly collected on this single island. Luna is also able to tell that the island does not feel “right” though she’s not able to pin point exactly why. The island is hot, muggy, and dreadful; but it’s not long before a storm makes landfall. The party begins making shelter, and harvesting water, since their rations were destroyed out in sea. While Argo and Bodrag were out gathering wood, the others found themselves being attacked by an unusual beast; a black panther, whose form shimmered, and had two barbed tentacles from its side. Omen is pulled away from the camp and severely injured before Luna and Tenjii are able to slay the beast; leaving Ariana in the camp, being attacked by a second beast of the same nature; a Displacer Beast. It drags her away from the camp, and badly wounds her before Luna and Tenjii come to her aid.

In the morning, the party is able to see a high mountain a distance away on the island, which may provide a good vantage point to see where they are. Argo is also able to find tracks in the mud that indicate other, potential, survivors from the shipwreck may have washed ashore and still survive on the island. Following the tracks, which also seem to be heading for the high mountain, the party enters a swamp, where Argo brushes up against an all too familiar Shrieker; he quickly dispatches it before frog-like humanoids, known as Bullywogs appear and attack the party. The party is able to dispatch of them quickly.  Moving through the swamp, the scent of death attracts an unusual creature; a Peryton swoops down, hungry for flesh and attempts to attack Argo; and only through the grace of Ariana’s prayer is Argo spared from being hit. Detecting great magic in the Priest, the Peryton dives for Ariana and strikes her, lifting her into the air. Arrows fly, and Ariana strike’s the creature, and kills it before she can be taken to its nest to be devoured; but the end result is falling; quite a bit; thankfully the swamp water softens the blow considerably. Resting a moment before pressing on, they reach the base of the mountain where they see hundreds of caves, small holes in the face of the mountain. Unusual creatures called Gibberlings howl as they charge from the caves, their constant howling disorienting the party. Luna manages to launch a fireworks spell which frightens and chokes the unusual beasts; but also draws the attention of another island resident; an Ettin who swings and does some damage, before being taken down.

The party decides to back away from the mountain and rest for a moment.