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• Arwynn Liadon (Half-Elf – Druid / Ranger)
  • Rides Horse: Laska
  • Pet: Mozilla (Fire Fox)
• Arrimar Oakroot (Wood Elf – Ranger)
  • Rides Horse: Goliath
  • Pet: Chrome (Silver Wolf)
• Briel Nailo (Half-Elf – Druid) – Has Not Special Guested Yet

Learn more about the origin of Shadow Island.

• Following the Mermaid as she telepathically pleads, “Please, follow me!” the two begin swimming – trying to adjust to the idea of having gills and breath water as naturally as one might breathe air
• Arwynn telepathically thinks back, “We will follow, but are we going to your town or village or city? I need rest – I am bleeding – and my mind is drained of magic.”
• The mermaid pauses, looks at her and says, “Follow me!” and continues swimming
• Arrimar points at the mermaid, shrugging
• The two struggle to see in the depths of the ocean where the light from the sun is consumed by the endless depths
• Eventually a magnificent sight comes into view as the mermaid turns and smiles, telepathically speaking, “My name is Coral. We’re almost there.”

• Coral leads the duo through the castle and eventually comes to stop in what is clearly the king’s chamber – where a beared merman sits on the throne looking at Coral and the two strangers she’s brought before him

• The “King” explains that he is not king; but here in the depths of the sea, he is Chief among his people and his name is Seatide – and that he is in desperate need of their help, explaining, “The Sea Witch and her four sisters have escaped the prison we had locked them away in.”
• Arwynn looks at Arrimar then back to Seatide, “That sounds terrible. Sea Witch and sisters… that sounds like hags.”
• “Indeed,” Seatide nods, pleased to see that he would not explain the danger of this Coven of Hags escaping could mean. “There is Jarnius, the Sea Hag; Keeluh, the Green Hag; Bortorada, the Annis Hag; Teurur, the Night Hag and the leader of the Coven of the Fallen Star, Chillarah, the Bheur Hag.”
• Arwynn asked, “Do you know why they’re attacking the surface?”
• Seatide explains that, Jarnius, the Sea Witch, has used her power to enthrall the Merrow, Trogdolytes, and Sahaugin both with her magic as well as the promise of treasure from surface dwellers. She is seeking a woman with a special mark. One who is said to be destined to defeat the Coven.”
• Arwynn asks, “What kind of mark is it?”
• Seatide explains, “From what my people have been able to uncover, according to their research – the Coven of the Fallen Star will be defeated by a woman who is born with the mark of a small star on her neck that has a line – an arrow almost – shooting through it.”
• Seatide nods after a moment, “We know where the Sea Witch is – she has remained behind to see if this woman is on Shadow Island, while her four other sisters have moved on, from what my spies have noted; probably to seek this specially marked woman in other areas.”
• He goes on to explain, “We know where the Sea Witch has holed up, but because she has enthralled the Merrow, the Sahaugin, and the Trogdolytes, a large force will lead to a bloody war… and in the end, she would probably just use them as a distraction and escape.”
• He pauses and looked at Arwynn and Arrimar, “Perhaps a smaller force is what is needed here. Perhaps the two of you could get to the Sea Witch and put her down once and for all? There’s no point in trying to capture her – I know her other four sisters would come and try to rescue her.”
• Arwynn looks to Arrimar who nods back
• “Excellent,” Seatide explains, and gestures to his side. “This is Sandwave, he can escort you to the den of the Sea Witch as he is my most trusted scout.”
• Arwynn explains that she is still badly wounded from the assault on the shore and that she’s been drained of magic for the day and requires a full rest
• Seatide nods and agrees that they can have a room, and explains to Coral to ensure that the two adventurers can also hear one another – not just the Merfolk – and Coral blushes and touches Arrimar and Arwynn – who then realize, now they can telepathically communicate with one another – not just the Merfolk – Arrimar flushes red and stares at Arwynn for a moment – but when she doesn’t react, the color returns to his face and he telepathically says, “I can hear you in my head now.” Arywnn briefly wounders what Arrimar had been concerned about, however she’s interrupted by Coral tugging on her arm.
• Coral then leads the duo to a room and opens the door – where there is one bed. “Go, rest, Sandwave will take you to the Sea Witch when you’re ready.”
• Arrimar begins to say, “Coral, there’s only one bed and we’re not a couple…” But Coral has already swam away. Arrimar looks at Arwynn, “You can have the big sea shell bed thing; I’ll sit on this whale bone chair thing over here.”
• Arwynn lays down on the giant shell bed and says, “Don’t be ridiculous. Come get rest.” But it’s a moment later, she is fast asleep and Arrimar can’t help but smile.
• After they both rest, they open the door and find that Sandwave is there and says, “Great. You’re awake. Shall we go after the Sea Witch now? Or did you want a tour of our wonderful city?”
• “The tour will have to hold, but do you have any healing potions?” Arwynn asks
• Sandwave nods, “We don’t have healing potions – but we have Vindecarea Kelp, which is similar to the plant you surface dwellers call Whistling Leaf. It behaves the same way, regenerating the body slowly.” He hands Arwynn eight leaves of the kelp, and she quickly stores them. Sandwave explains, “Due to the depth of which the plant grows, if it’s brought anywhere near the surface, it almost immediately ‘suffocates’ and dies, losing its chemical balance.”
• Sandwave leads the duo to a large set of underwater stalls and introduces them to two hippcampus (hippocami?)

• Sandwave introduces Arrimar and Arwynn to the sea creatures, and almost immediately, Arrimar discovers – despite being a ranger – riding horse is something he’s never truly become accustomed to – since he spent most of his time living in the trees, as both he and Arwynn try to get a feel for the animals, and Arwynn seems as if she’s ridden sea horses all of her life, while Arrimar struggles

• Arwynn looks at Sandwave and telepathically communicates, “I was just thinking – some of my spells require me to speak verbal words… will that be a problem?”
• Sandwave thinks for a moment – swims off and returns a short while later, with a sea creature that resembles a smaller man-o-war. The tentacles attach to Arwynn’s flesh, and much to her surprise, do not sting – and her head, now inside the man-o-war like fish, she finds with the air trapped in there, she can talk. “They’re called suflare,” he explains seeing Arwynn’s astonished appearance. “Their close resembles to actual man-o-war is a part of their survival evolution.”

• As they ride, Arwynn scratches the sides of the Hippocampus and notices the scales change colors and react to her; and she talks to Sandwave who explains that the Merfolk use the Hippocampus are beasts of burden – and that the Merfolk have formed telepathic bonds and can share simple commands with them. He explains that greens and blues for scale colors indicate joy, peace; while red and pink scales, show signs of anger, or concern
• With Arwynn’s trick by summoning food for the Hippocampus Arrimar was struggling with; it quickly responds positively to her and Arrimar

• As the party rides on, Arwynn’s eyes quickly spot a small number of the creatures that had harpooned her and tried to pull her into the ocean. She quickly points them out and Sandwave telepathically speaks, “A Merrow patrol.”

• Sandwave telepathically explains, “We can fight them – or, right there – there’s a broken ship and we can take shelter there.”
• Arwynn explains, “I would rather not spend magic or time fighting them – as one may quickly try to escape and raise an alarm.”
• Due to Arwynn’s Natural 20 on Perception – the trio have the advantage to take the action of hiding and quickly make their way into the broken ship, never alerting the patrolling Merrow

• Once in the shelter, Arwynn turns to Sandwave and asks, “How many patrols are often around here?”
• “Since we’ve seen the Sea Witch, the patrols have increased, and I believe it’s related to the mark Chief Seatide,” Sandwave explains.
• At that moment Arrimar’s eyes open wide as the water moves about, and it suddenly reveals a small mark on her neck – that resembles a very tiny star with a line through it, no bigger than his pinky nail
• “What?” She tries to see her own neck. “When did that happen? I’ve not had that! And my parents never said anything.”
• “It’s been there for awhile,” Arrimar admits. “I noticed it a few times when we were camping in the woods. Not that I,” he suddenly flushes red, “stared at your neck. Listen, it was just like, when I was watching,” he shakes his head, “not you – the surroundings. But the fire. Camp fire. And,” he suddenly looks at Sandwave, “is that the symbol?”
• Sandwave looks, “That’s a very, very, very small mark. That could be a star with a line through it. I do not know how big this mark is supposed to be. It could be similar to The Bigby Effect – where you start to see something that’s not really there.”
• Arrimar is almost thankful when suddenly Sandwave’s ankle is entangled and he’s pulled toward a large creature

• Sandwave warns telepathically that it’s a Sea Carrion (Hooray for more Homebrew Monsters!)
• Despite being ready for combat and already on edge, Arrimar quickly discovers, fighting underwater with normal weapons is difficult (Natural 20 on Initiative, however Disadvantage with normal weapons underwater didn’t work out so well)

• Sandwave upset that the Sea Carrion had struck him, strikes back – delivering a critical strike (Natural 20!) – and quickly telepathically tells Arrimar and Arwynn to grab the harpoons that are discarded inside the ship

• The Sea Carrion bites Arwynn, but she’s able to avoid it’s very dangerous poison effect

• However, as combat continues, the Sea Carrion becomes flustered and Critical Fails, accidentally poisoning itself – paralyzing it

• The battle turns in favor of Arrimar, Arwynn and Sandwave – with Arwynn delivering the killing blow
• Arwynn notes that these creature with their poison could extract their poison glands; and Sandwave agrees and is able to extract the creature’s poison gland

• Sandwave leads the duo into a large bed of tall kelp known as ollmhor kelp which can reach heights of 100 to 175 feet tall and creates a dense forest like structure on the deep, ocean floor – the three move through it stealthfully, avoiding patrols of the “Sea Witch”
• The party makes their way closer to the mountain base, where they see the cavern that the Sea Witch has taken up as her home; and just outside two Merrow keep watch – one on each side of the cavern

• Arwynn asks if the Hippocampus can be used to topple some of the loose rocks just above the Merrow and Sandwave explains it’s an excellent idea; as they are beasts of burden who are used to do exactly that, he communicates to Undertow and Riptide who follow Sandwave’s commands, not even alerting the Merrow, because Hippocampus are native to these oceans
• One of the Merrow dodges the falling rocks; but the other was able to avoid it; however, the other three quickly move in and attack, and take down the Merrow
• Quickly moving inside, they encounter the Sea Witch – the Sea Hag, Jarnius!