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• Arhian Vos – Human Monk
• Hartmut Helmsworth – Elf Monk
• Sindri Waggletop – (Forest) Gnome Wizard
• Rettniss Kulvith – Water Genasi Druid
• Avacyn “Jolyne” Uloth the Merciless – Half-Orc Paladin
• Twilight Skybane – Tiefling Bard

• Arhian and Hartmut, traveling together, soon meet Sindri, Rettniss, and Avacyn along their journey to Moontide Port in Tawaim, all five of them headed to the new continent.
• They travel together, encounter and fight several kobolds along the way, and forming a friendship, before arriving at Moontide Port

• The party books voyage aboard the ship called Destiny’s Courtship where they meet the crew; Krella Wavebreaker (a female minotaur) as the Captain of the Ship, Prellena Glintclaw as her Chief Engineer (a female Tabaxi), Rita Naom (a female Triton) as her First Officer, Whisper (a male Kenku) who resides in the Crow’s Nest (ironically enough), Haylin Stormlight (a male Aasmar) as her Chief Medic, and Lerderack Rumcutter, the Human (questionably positioned) “Cook.” Finally meeting the bard and entertainer on the ship, Twilight Skybane, who with her blue macaw (who tries to mimic the bard’s beautiful singing.. rather horribly) plays an interesting instrument called a Hurdy Gurdy, which looks like an unusual looking lute, guitar mixture.
• Boarding the ship, they discover they’re a part of about fifty other passengers aboard the Destiny’s Courtship headed for the new continent. Some look like aspiring adventurers such as themselves, while others look like families and business people, perhaps looking for a new start on the new continent.
• Krella explains to all of her passengers that the voyage will take about three weeks, and to help support the ship’s cost, they will be stopping a number of islands and commencing with some trade deals
• After several nights on the open see, the ship comes to dock at small island called Havar, which is a small mining island, rich with steel. Several people disembark to go around the island and see what the small mining town offers; but it isn’t much as there’s not much to see other than a large mountain and a mining town at its base.
  
  

• The ship next makes it’s way to a dwarven kingdom located on an island
• The island of Skyland is primarily dwarves, and when Sindri asks how dwarves came to be on an island, the Captain – Krella – explains that the story has changed each time she’s asked, but it all seems to center around that these dwarves had been enslaved, and a storm crashed their ship into this island – and the dwarves rebelled, killing those who had enslaved them; but with no real experience sailing or making ships, the dwarves adapted and simply made a life for themselves on the island, making a glorious home for themselves.

• Most of the paper ventured off of the boat
• Krella has her crew take the crates of steel she got from Havar, and trades them with the dwarves of Skyland
• Twilight and Sindri both went into the Stonecutter Tavern, where Twilight played her music (and earned some extra coin) while Sindri drank at the bar (most of the drunk dwarves, too intoxicated to notice it was a gnome sitting next to them and not a dwarf)

• Arhian Vos picked up a Dolcimer in the town (another musical instrument) while others picked up small pieces of equipment, including mason tools
• After leaving Skyland, Krella explained that they will be stopping at an island they simply call “Greenhaven” – the island is a massive island, with no known humanoid life – only beasts and fauna, and often used by many who travel this route to restock their food and medical supplies. Krella also notes that the ship is low on food, so it’s best if they also go hunting and herb gathering – because if they have to rely on Lerderack Rumcutter‘s cooking, most people are not going to be happy

• Hartmut and Arhian are both able to assist in finding wildlife to replenish the food supplies
• Avacyn, however – thinking she’s found the biggest bull on the island – discovers, in truth – the tracks she was following were none other than that of the ship’s captain, Krella. (Critical Fail on the Survival Check)
• Sindri and Rettniss as well as Twilight go look for herbs – but Rettniss and Sindri just come up with coconuts while Twilight shows up with herbs – and sighs, explaining what coconuts are to the two of them and how – if stranded on an island – they can be a good source of food and clean water
• Sindri, wanting to see the inside of the coconut, takes the one in his hand and successfully smashes it against a rock, and in one shot cracks it open, spilling the water contents out, but able to see the soft white insides of the coconut
• Meeting back at the ship, the ship takes off – and it’s a good thing that additional food was gathered, as Lerderack Rumcutter‘s dinner looked like partially ground up fish and bird of some kind, floating in a questionably colored and smelling soup
• In order to pass the next few days, where there’s no islands or trades, the crew passes their time playing cards on the deck
• Sindri joins against one of the crew, and loses one gold
• The others notice that Prellena Glintclaw seems to be doing pretty good at cards
• Rettniss decides to challenge her and pulls out three cards totally more than hers, earning a gold
• However Sindri, Avacyn and Hartmut all notice she has a deck of cards stashed beneath the table that her quick, feline reflexes allow her to draw from, almost unnoticed.
• Sindri inquires if he was also supposed to have a deck of cards under the table to draw from.
• The grew gets furious at Prellena, who hisses at Sindri (and it’s clear this isn’t the first time the quick handed Tabaxi has done this trick) – even Gem, the blue Macaw of Twilight, joins in its awful vocals at yelling at Prellena.
• The next few days aboard the ship to prove to be especially rocky as a dark storm churns and tosses the boat around
• Both Arhian and Rettniss find themselves feeling sea sick and vomiting
• After clearing the storm, Krella asks the party (since they handled themselves well on Greenhaven – her eyes drift questionably to Avacyn) if they could help her crew fix some of the damage done by the storm
• Sindri offers to use Mage Hand to easily help give out nails and boards to her crew hanging on the sides of the ship
• The two Monks – Arhian and Harmut offer to help – both feeling rather fancy leap off the opposite sides of the ship – and realize that the rope’s not tied to anything (both failed their Dexterity Check) as they flop into the water. Arhian is easily saved, with a rope tossed to him but Harmut struggles to pull himself up the rope, forcing Krella to have one of her own crew dive in the water and assist Harmut up the rope. She then thanks them for their “help” (essentially only thanking Sindri).
• A few days later, a mysterious fog rolls in the sea – and it seems no matter how much Krella steers the boat to go around, the fog seems to remain in front of her
• Sindri examines the fog from afar to see if there’s anything magical about it (Natural 20 on Arcana Check) and realizes, there’s definitely something magical – and there’s going to be no other choice but go through it
• Krella has her crew line the sides of the boat with bows and crossbows ready for a fight, but once inside the dense fog a song compels them to leap in the water and swim towards something
• Arhian can not resist and leaps in the water, Avacyn leaping in the water, rope tied around her waist, and striking Arhian with an Unarmed Strike, snapping her out of it and pulling her back into the boat.
• Sindri uses his Minor Illusion to mimic the music that he’d heard Twilight playing and manages to save every passenger from leaping into the water.
• The ship finally clears the mysterious fog – but just as it breaches out of the fog – a dark storm pounds the heavens and a bolt of red lightning splits the skies and strikes the middle of the boat with so much force, that it’s like breaking a twig in your hands, sending crew, passengers, and party members alike, flying into the air and splashing into the water

• Hartmut and Rettniss are so disoriented that they’re not able to find a board to cling to from the ship’s remains, while the others can, forcing them to fight against the towering, thundering waves, on their own. They do manage to stay close together, and finally are able to find a board for Hartmut and Rettniss to cling to, but they lose sight of Twilight who was next to them as she’s pulled under one of the tides.
• The party is adrift in the ocean, for what seems to be a little over a day, though it’s hard to tell because the sun never breaks through the storm’s bleak, dark, clouds.
• The process of being adrift, clinging to a board, and without food for over a day leaves Hartmut and Avacyn weak (failed Constitution rolls).
• The party eventually washes ashore onto an island.

• The party washes up at the north eastern tip of this island.

• Among those on the shore are some of the crew from Destiny’s Courtship, but none of the ones they’d interacted with – as well quite a few passengers. Searching the passengers, they find some trinkets and heirlooms, as well as some gold. Sindri takes the heirlooms and trinkets.
• Between the crackling sound of thunder – everyone but Sindri and Rettniss – catch the sound of what is clearly Twilight’s blue Macaw, Gem.

• As the party makes their way along the beach, they come across a ship that clearly looks like it’s been here for anywhere from five to ten years, based on the damage, and the fauna now growing on it.

• The party draws near and can see something small and humanoid looking moving around on the ship

• The party uses stealth to get closer, but the lack of light makes it difficult to see what’s on the ship so Rettniss uses his natural ability to take to the water and try to remain hidden in the water to see if he can see what’s on the ship; but the stormy weather has churned the waters so much that seeing anything through the water proves difficult
• They finally get closer and see it’s monkeys running around the ship – but they also notice some of the damaged boards floating in the water – one of them with a very distinct symbol on it…

• Sindri – and especially Harmut (Natural 20 on History Check for Harmut!) – are all too familiar with this symbol. Quickly they realize this ship must have belonged to the very powerful Beholder Crimelord – As’zar’vari’tium – A powerful and supposedly ancient Beholder who has spent its time collecting the many treasures of artifacts in the world. Learning of this new continent where new artifacts were surfacing, As’zar’vari’tium used his great wealth to purchase a boat, hire hill giants to move it and goblins to guard it – and had his treasure relocated to the new continent. However, news never reached As’zar’vari’tium of the ship’s successful voyage, indicating that his treasure may have been lost at sea.
• The party hears the singing of Gem again and moves into some trees and spots Twilight tied to a large dead tree on top of a hill – and spots ten goblins

• Sindri, failing to see the goblins (blame the hills and the gnome’s short stature), begins running towards Twilight and even as Arhian tries to grab their gnome friend, he proves to be too quick and too wet to easily hold
• As Sindri rounds the top of the hill, however, he spots the goblins and quickly turns around snapping at the party as to why they didn’t tell him there were goblins over there!
• Hartmut sneaks forward and approaches the goblins, arms raised – and since he speaks goblinoid explains that the Tiefling is their friend and would like her released
• The others, seeing the goblins draw their weapons, quickly rush over – but an elder goblin (which is an extremely rare sight) named Bizkan tells the goblins to calm down

• He explains that these are the allies that Twilight spoke of (although she technically assumed her crewmates would have survived and come to save her, not this rag tag party).
• The chief of the goblins, one adorned in tattered pieces of armor named Unk’toon sighs at the fact there’s more delays to the fight

• The goblins agree to free Twilight, on the basis that the party will help with their problem
• Twilight shares the following, as she took speaks Goblinoid and had – for all intents and purposes befriended, the much calm Bizkan.
  • When she washed ashore, and come to – she found herself surrounded by goblins. Realizing there was no way to win the fight, she surrendered. The goblins tied her up, and she found other people that were on the ship (none of her crew specifically) tied up to posts as well – as far as she could tell, it would have appeared that she may have been the only survivor.
  • As she was tied up, she listened to the goblins – and there seemed to be some war between the goblins and “the fish people” (is what it seems to translate to).
  • Seeing no harm in sharing this, Bizkan explained to her that he was a part of a crew who were sailing across the sea to the new continent, ten years ago, protecting a hoard of treasure belonging to a Beholder named As’zar’vari’tium. The ship was waylaid by a mysterious storm that slammed it into jagged rocks and that the Hill Giants all drowned in the sea, incapable of swimming, and too heavy to hang onto the driftwood. Only the goblins had managed to survive, and for years, fought to recover the treasure from the “fish people” who had taken it, finding it before the goblins had.
  • Most of the goblins, over the years, have forgotten that that’s what the fighting was originally about. Now, they simply accept they’re stuck on the island with no way off, and just remember with their short memories, that they hate the “fish people.”
• Bizkan continues the story explaining that the fish people had attacked them, proclaiming that their god had sent them this wonderful treasure and that it was rightfully theirs
• The fish people out numbered the goblins by quite a bit and so the goblins were forced to flee (he explains that they’d made their ship their base, awaiting for their master to return, but had been forced to abandoned that when the fish people took it over and took everything)
• And, he goes on to explain, they follow a mad god – and Bizkan goes on to describe it as a blue beholder

• Well versed in the arcane, Sindri is puzzled because he’s never heard of a blue beholder before
• After “agreeing” to help the goblins, the party scouts around the area, and Arhian and Hartmut, good friends from the Old Order, walk together to discuss their options when they’re greeted by a mysterious creature

• The Coutal introduces itself as Slyver, and explains that there is a great evil on this island that must be destroyed
• Currently the evil is mad with insanity, but will continue to grow in power as the Kuo-Toa continue to believe in it, making it ever more powerful – if it’s not stopped, it will quickly become even more powerful than the Beholder, whose form it appears to have taken.
• Slyver explains that the Kuo-Toa have an ability, as a community to make things “happen” if they put their minds to it – and found a board with the Beholder symbol and believed it to be their god – it’s color, blue, as a symbol of the sea.
• The party gathers back at the goblin village, and despite the odd comforts and non stop rain, the party is able to get a full rest that night.
• The following morning, Hartmut and Arhian explain their encounter with the Coutal named Slyver, and what it had told them.
• The party agrees now that assisting the goblins against the “fish people” is the better route.
• Learning the true name of the “fish people” from the Kuo-Toa, from Hartmut and Arhian’s story, Sindri is able to piece together – the Kuo-Toa are a fish looking humanoid race who are inherently evil and believe the world is theirs – and that everything else on it is meant to be sacrificed to their chosen gods.
• Bizkan offers 4 Healing Potions to the party, and explains he can make more if they go gather supplies.
• The party returns with enough supplies for Bizkan to make nine more potions.
• Bizkan warns the party that the ship also contained a number of exotic animals which may or may not have survived the voyage – such as, but not limited to: Cockatrice, Rust Monster, Galeb Duhr, and various Oozes.
• Following Unk’toon, the party moves from the village in a west, then south west direction up into a small mountain area

• As the party makes it’s way – they spot unusual chicken tracks – and no sooner than that, a Cockatrice emerges from its hidden position in the rocks and attacks!

• The unusual beast startles Arhian and Rettniss (bother got a Critical Fail on Initiative)
• Harmut strikes the beast with his shortsword then follows up with a critical strike with his unarmed strike, rocking the beast’s senses
• Sindri strikes it next with Ray of Frost
• The beast attempts to strike back at Harmut, but fails to do so
• Twilight uses her rapier, and delivers another critical strike
• With Hartmut delivering the killing blow shortly after
• Hartmut attempts to harvest the Cockatrice feathers, knowing some more powerful mages might make use of their potential use of magical components, but fails to harvest them
• Unk’toon admits he’s impressed with how the party handled the Cockatrice and continues to lead the party forward

• He leads the party to a small 3’x3′ hole in the side of the mountain and explains that’s how they will gain entrance to the fish people’s lair
• Avacyn and Rettniss have difficulty fitting themselves into it and squeezing through the thin hole that goes for about 20′ feet before dropping into the inside of the cavern
• Darkness consumes the area, and those without Darkvision can’t see well, so Sindri casts Light upon one of their staffs to use as a light
• The party comes to a bridge, which the goblins have already crossed, and awaiting the party on the otherside

• The bridge seems study enough to hold each party member; and they decide to cross using six feet distance in the order of: Avacyn, Hartmut, Arhian, Sindri, Twilight and then Rettniss bringing up the rear
• As they cross the bridge, Twilight notices that Rettniss has gotten unusually quiet, and when she turns she sees a beast had taken over him!
• A Darkmantle has surprised Rettniss from above!

• However, in it’s attempt to capture Rettniss, it has a Critical Fail on Initiative (so it will not get a chance to attack, and rather spend it’s turn adjusting itself around Rettniss)
• Rettniss attempts to break free, but unable to
• Arhian throws a dart at the beast and strikes it for some damage
• Hartmut attempts to use Athletics to get around people to get to the beast, but fails, taking a step off the bridge and falling into the placid river below for some small damage
• Avacyn successfully uses Athletics to get around the others and strike the beast for some significant damage
• Sindri delivers a hit with Ray of Frost, while Twilight uses her rapier, both striking, followed up with another dart from Arhian which also lands a hit, killing it
• The least releases the druid, and falls into the river below, slowly floating by Hartmut who sighs as he makes his way up the small cliff, to rejoin the party on the bridge.

Session One ends, for now!