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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
  
  NPCs With Party:
  • Unk’toon – Goblin Warrior (War Chief)
  • Shalice – Goblin Archer (Deceased)
  • Brek’tor – Goblin Warrior
  • Kurston – Goblin Warrior

• Sindri jumps down to join the others, while Brek’tor and Kurston remain on the ledge
• Avacyn’s sharp half-orc ears pick up the sound of excited (or perhaps aggitated) Kuo-Toa making their way towards the treasure throne room and he quickly warns the others (Natural 20 on Perception!)
• Avacyn with his sharp perception is able to guess that it sounds like it could be about twenty Kuo-Toa headed for them
• Unk’toon quickly says, “We must go. We can not fight twenty of them! They will see their god and their priest dead, and be broken! But we must go!”
• Sindri uses Mage Hand and gives it his rope to move it to the hole above (marked “1” on the map, from their current location “2”)
• He uses Minor Illusion to tell Brek’tor and Kuston to tie off the rope
• The party debates running back to the hole above the throne room area, and try to climb up 20′ to where they’d originally jumped down from; but there was a good chance that the Kuo-Toa would reach the room before all of them got back up the rope (go from “2” back to “1”)
  
  

• Brek’tor and Kuston signal Unk’toon and let him know from where they are, they can see a small boat (marked as “3” on the map)
  

• The party decides to make a break for the boat – but not before grabbing something out of the pile of loot in front of the throne.
  • Sindri manages to get his hands on a wand, as well pockets 108 gold
  • Twilight pockets some gold, and manages to find a very large, nice, gem (Natural 20 Perception!) and pockets 145 gold
    • Gem also manages to find a gem of much lesser value
  • Avacyn manages to find a sword and pockets 144 gold
  • Arhian finds a Quarterstaff, as well as pockets 137 gold
  • Rettniss also finds a Quarterstaff, as well as pockets 58 gold
  • Hartmut pockets 105 gold
• Everyone then quickly decides that the row boat is the better option than climbing the rope and doubles their movement to the boat
• The party leaps in the boat and pushes off and notices the boat is taking in water, due to the weight in the boat (normally made for Kuo-Toa who don’t wear armor and have hollow bones)
• Sindri uses his last spell slot and casts Tenser’s Floating Disk
  • This spell creates a circular, horizontal plane of force, 3 feet in diameter and 1 inch thick, that floats 3 feet above the ground in an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see within range. The disk remains for the duration, and can hold up to 500 pounds. If more weight is placed on it, the spell ends, and everything on the disk falls to the ground.The disk is immobile while you are within 20 feet of it. If you move more than 20 feet away from it, the disk follows you so that it remains within 20 feet of you. It can move across uneven terrain, up or down stairs, slopes and the like, but it can’t cross an elevation change of 10 feet or more. For example, the disk can’t move across a 10-foot-deep pit, nor could it leave such a pit if it was created at the bottom.If you move more than 100 feet from the disk (typically because it can’t move around an obstacle to follow you), the spell ends.
• Rettniss and Twilight both climb aboard the floating disk to alleviate some of the weight on the Kuo-Toa boat, which provides enough for the boat to right itself
• Avacyn grabs one of the oars while Hartmut grabs the other and begin rowing however are not in unison (Hartmut giving everything, while Avacyn barely rows), so that the boat is slowly spinning in a circle, which Sindri tells them
• This gives the Kuo-Toa time to arrive and begin throwing spears at the party as their row boat does very slow donuts
• Hartmut and Avacyn begin yelling at one another to sync up and successfully do, and begin rowing the boat in the right direction
• The party manages to row the boat successfully near the goblin’s encampment where Unk’toon delivers the news to Biz’kan, that they had successfully defeated the Blue Holder and now their war with the Kuo-Toa is balanced
• That night the goblins have a large celebration, both celebrating the victory, and mourning the death of Shalice
• Sindri spends time examining his staff, while Arhian is next to him trying to examine her quarterstaff, Rettniss, worried about a Kuo-Toa retaliation sits at the edge of camp, where the fire light won’t impair his vision and watches the night intently
• Twilight attempts to speak to Biz’kan who tells her to enjoy the night’s festivities, and that he will speak with them all tomorrow
• Sindri takes this opportunity to use Minor Illusion to re-enact the battle against the Blue Holder to show all the goblins what had happened
• Twilight enhances the illusions by adding music through her hurdy-gurdy

• After most of the goblins have passed out from being intoxicated, Biz’kan approaches the party and asks to speak with them; they all agree, except Rettniss who insists on his quiet time and vigilance for a counter attack by the Kuo-Toa
• He informs the party that he and the goblins have managed to scrap together a small ship from the fragments of their crashed vessel; however, the problem is the Kuo-Toa have used their magic to protect the island and cause “distortion” and loss of direction when getting too close; however, after many years of being on the island, and repeated attempts to get off the island, Biz’kan believes he’s managed to make a magic compass that should counter the Kuo-Toa’s protection spell over the island.

• He explains that no matter which direction the island turns you, the compass will always point True North
  • The compass operates similar to the Know Direction spell –
    • You instantly know the direction of north from your current position. The spell is effective in any environment in which “north” exists, but it may not work in extraplanar settings, or other locations without planetary magnetic poles.
• Biz’kan goes on to confess, he hopes that they’re never found or rescued. He explains that he never enjoyed being a servant to As’zar’vari’tium, the Beholder, whom he had served. He adds that while here on the island, they may be at war with the Kuo-Toa, but at least they are finally free
• Twilight thanks him for the compass and explains there’s still plenty of their treasure being held by the Kuo-Toa
• Biz’kan nods and explains that the goblins have been stranded on this island for so long, that there’s an entire new generation of goblins who were never servants to As’zar’vari’tium – and that they don’t even know the whole reason that they’ve been fighting with the Kuo-Toa. Biz’kan has no urgency to recollect the treasure that had once belonged to his master; he’s enjoyed the sense of freedom they all have now.
• He explains as the tribe elder, and one of the very few still alive, from the ship wreck (most of the original goblins died when the ship sank or in fights with the Kuo-Toa), he has not told anyone the true reason for the fight (to reclaim the treasure of As’zar’vari’tium in hopes they will be rescued) – only that they have always lived on this island and always been at war with the Kuo-Toa. He prefers the truth be long buried and hopes to find a new life on this island, free of the Beholder.
• Sindri, Avacyn, Rettniss and Arhian all notice the weapons they’d grabbed from the Kuo-Toa room all have runes on them; and all give off a sense of magic
• The following morning Sindri asks Biz’kan about the runes, and Biz’kan explains that they’re runes that identify that they belong to As’zar’vari’tium. He also admits that if the Beholder kept them, that they’re probably magical; but because the Beholder kept so much treasure, Biz’kan is unsure of what the weapons and items are able to do.
• Sindri offers to try and cast Identify – but explains he’d need another day to relearn the spell
• The party decides they will use this time to gather food; unfortunately, only Retniss, Twilight and Arhian are able to find much in terms of food
• The party spends another day gather food for the voyage and decides to check on Slyver, the Couatl some had seen; but the winged serpent is not to be found
• Sindri manages to identify the sword as +1 Longsword, both Quarterstaffs are +1 Quarterstaff, and the wand is a Wand of Holding.
• The party makes their way to the boat and Sindri takes the compass and stands at the front of the boat, using Minor Illusion to create a large red arrow to always point north according to the compass

• The compass finally leads through the magically protected island and the party sails on the seas… for two weeks.
• After two weeks at sea, Slyver appears and explains that the Kuo-Toa’s unusual protection spell can even distort it’s perception

• Slyver summons “its master” which is a Ki-Rin, a creature highly regarding by the Monks as one of the most powerful spiritual guardians
• The Ki-Rin introduces itself as Kalaris

• Kalaris says, “You’ve done a wonderful thing, slaying the Blue Holder. Now, for the goblins who helped you. In their time in serving As’zar’vari’tium, they have done great acts of evil in the past. What would you have me do? I can slay them all, or spare them.”
• The party quickly huddles together, and comes to the agreement, that most of the goblins don’t even recall or were born after the shipwreck – and hope to just stay on the island. And that they simply want their freedom and a chance to live life on the island. The party unanimously votes to Spare the Goblins.
• Kalaris smiles, and says, “Wise choice.”
• And suddenly everything changes, and a large vessel just barely misses their ship, when the familiar voices of Haylin Stormlight, Krella Wavebreaker, Prellena Glintclaw, Rita Naom – all members of the ill fated Destiny’s Courtship they’d all been on – calls from over the edge of a new ship and quickly helps the party onto the ship.
• Krella explains that she and most of her crew, and many of the passengers, washed ashore on a small island – and burned coconut palms when they saw a nearby trading ship. They boarded the ship (the one they’re currently on called Sea Mercy) and had been hoping to find other survivors during the Sea Mercy’s voyage and trade routes.
• The ship finally arrives at the Ivory Coast

• Krella explains to the party, as they depart from the Sea Mercy that she and her crew will be doing odd jobs in hopes of acquiring enough money to purchase another ship
• Just then, Gem chirps, “Rawrk! Treasure on island!”
• Krella turns to the party and asks, “What treasure?”
• Immediately, Sindri goes into very deep, rich detail of the ordeal with the goblins, the Kuo-Toa, the treasure room, flying snakes and flying horse-unicorn things and how he has a magic compass, and they will just need to sail directly south in the weird magic fog
• Arhian quickly tries to stop Sindri by covering his mouth and explaining that he’s delusional
• Sindri fails to notice (failed DC Perception check!) that the sneaky Prellena Glintclaw has bumped into him, and relieved him of the magic compass he mentioned was in his pocket
• Prellena nods to Krella and Krella says, “We should all go to the tavern and get a drink and celebrate that we’re all alive.”
• The party heads for The Lion’s Pride which is both an inn and tavern, and one of the main places adventurers go, when first arriving at the Ivory Coast to get both a comfortable room, good food and information about the new continent
• As the party is walking to the Lion’s Pride, Sindri asks Krella how familiar she is with the Ivory Coast; and she explains she’s quite familiar since this is one of their main stops since the news broke out about these relics being found
• Sindri asks her about a great library or somewhere to find a lot of information; she explains that further west there is a massive town called Ridgecrest which will have exactly what he’s looking for; there’s a Great Library there with tomes of books
• Sindri asks if there’s any temples to the god of knowledge (Drakenfiel, god of Wisdom) and she explains there may be; there’s temples to various deities scattered about the Ivory Coast
• Sindri then asked her if she’d heard of Enidda Pleasantleaf, and she said she had not
• Twlight excuses herself, mentions there’s some … friends… she wants to see
• Sindri offers to tag along, but Twilight warns him – he can come along – but he can’t come inside; because if he does, the “store keeper” would not take kindly to it
• Sindri excuses himself and decides to head for The Lion’s Pride
• Arhian stops at a tanner and purchases a strip of leather for 5 gold to wrap around the markings of his Quarterstaff; as does Sindri to cover the symbols on his wand
• At her “connection” Twilight sells the larger gem for 800 gold (valued at 1,000) and keeps the other gem (valued at 25 gold) and pays the “informant” 25 gold for his services.
• Back at the Lion’s Mane, Krella waves to the bartender and introduces the party to him; the bartender looks over the party and smiles, “Oh! Friends of Krella? Would any of you like a drink of Dragon’s Breath?”
• Sindri, Hartmut and Avacyn all partake
• Sindri and Hartmut seemingly black out after one drink (as far as they remember), but what actually happens is the two of them begin fighting with other patrons in the bar (and the bartender watches and smiles, despite furniture being destroyed
• Arhian tries to stop Hartmut and gets punched for it; while Twilight – familiar with the results of Dragon Breath, sits back and just plays music on her hurdy gurdy.
• The fighting is eventually broke up and the party returns to their rooms, which Krella pays for (due to the inconvenience of their passage ship being shipwrecked)
• However, each of them shares the same dream – the sensation of something prying open their skulls and their minds – shimmering at first before becoming clear

• The unusual creature whispers in a haunting voice, “Disappointing. You’ve ruined my game. They were all my little toys – twisting, turning – making them believe. Now I’ll find you. Twist you. Turn you. Make you believe.” before simply vanishing from their minds
• The following morning, despite finally having slept in a comfortable bed; none of the party feels entirely rested. Each of them experience odd sensations, as if being watched, or their skin crawling, or fleas or bugs climbing on their skin
• Sindri and Hartmut both suffer 8 hours of Perception Checks at Disadvantage for suffering the effects of Dragon’s Breath, the following morning
• Before any of them can say too much, a female bursts through the tavern door, her clothes ripped and torn, cuts and bruises on her face and arms, and she says, “I need help! They’ve taken my husband!”

• Rettniss and Avacyn approach the woman, who explains what had happened; that her husband makes swords and that he often trades with the Dwarves of Blue Mountain; but for some reason their passage had been collapsed; so they were forced to turn around and return home. They spent a night in Ridgecrest then continued to their home just outside the Ivory Coast when they were suddenly ambushed by Hobgoblins. The Hobgoblins took their wagon, weapons, husband (Duriden Stormblade), and both of her kids (Leran Stormblade, age 8; Bran Stormblade, Age 12); and she herself was just barely able to escape.
• Twilight, hearing this gets Niela, food, water, wine and some healing
• Arhian asks if Hobgoblin attacks are a common occurrence; and she explains there’s always been Hobgoblins about; and they have attacked passing caravans in the past; but of late, their attacks have become more frequent and far more brazen
• The party gathers around and agrees to help Niela; Arhian speaks with the bartender and asks if there have been other survivors of the Hobgoblin attacks; and the bartender explains there’s an old retired soldier just outside of town named Goris Trailbreaker who has been used to help protect caravans going to and from Ridgecrest and Ivory Coast and he’s survived two of the Hobgoblin attacks.
• After speaking with Niela, and informing her that they plan to help her; Krella, and her crew come down the stairs, and once again say they’re happy to see them all alive; but that they had booked passage on a boat to leave the Ivory Coast today; and that perhaps their paths will cross again; it’s quite noticeable how wide Prellena Glintclaw’s furry smile is as she waves a clawed farewell
• Twilight tells Gem to fly back to Krella; however, Gem flies to her, nuzzles against the large, female Minotaur’s face, then flies back to Twilight. Krella smiles and says, “Ever since you came aboard and sang; that damn bird thought she was a bard, too! Keep her. And may she help you, where ever your oceans leads you.”
• Sindri asks the barkeep, as he gets a sausage for the road (hey, his words, not mine) if he’s heard of Enidda Pleasantleaf
• The bartender thinks about it and says, “Yes! Yes, I have! But… that… that’s been long ago!”
• Sindri knows this would have been several hundred years ago; and the human could not possibly have seen her; perhaps heard of her; but not seen her – he’s stunned, but hears the party calling for him so he tells the bartender that he will be back to ask about this!
• The party decides to get some need equipment, and rations, since some of that was lost during the shipwreck experience
  • Arhian mentions needing Thieves Tools, since he’s proficient in them; and has Twilight take him to a weapon vendor, where she raps her fingers on the table in a specific pattern and says, “We need some special equipment.” The vendor nods and slides over a black bag and says, “Sure, this should do the trick for 25 gold.” Which Arhian pays for, as well as 3 healing potions (15 gold each), from the local alchemist.
  • Sindri purchases a wide brimmed hat, to block out the sun, for 1 gold. He also purchases four regular healing potions, 15 gold each.
  • Hartmut purchases a longbow for 50 gold as well as one bundle (20 arrows) for 1 gold.
  • Twilight purchases a light crossbow for 25 gold, and three bundles (60 bolts) for 3 gold, as well as 3 healing potions (15 gold each).
• As the party begins walking towards Goris Trailbreaker’s home outside of the Ivory Coast, Sindri begins practicing an illusion on the Ki-Rin they’d seen, and eventually makes an illusion of the thing he saw in his dream
• Arhian asks how Sindri knows about the creature from the dreams
• And Sindri explains he had a dream about it last night and it said something about ruining its plans
• Arhian tells Sindri he had the same exact dream
• Hartmut is able to determine the creature resembles something similar to humanoids called “Mind Flayers” or “Illithid” – the problem is – those creatures are an urban legend, as no one has ever seen one; anyone who claims to have seen one, always has a different idea what it looked like – though all of them, despite the hundreds of variations – all looked humanoid, and had some kind of squid-like appearance (whether it was their face, their hands, in the middle of their chest, on top of their heads, their legs were tentacles, etc)
• The party travels for a mile, and just as the barkeep had mentioned, Goris’ home was on the left side of the trail. A small, quaint wooden cabin, with stables in the back with horses.

• Goris welcomes the party once he learns they’re here to help deal with the recent Hobgoblin attacks; he confirms what they’d heard previously, that in the last few months, the attacks have come with greater frequency, and far more brazen, even going as far as attacking during daylight, which they had not really done previously
• He shares an old map with the party and explains the 1, 2 and 3 markers were where they most frequently used to ambush. In the first attack he was at, he was captured the first time but broke free – but was being dragged near mountains on the “1” marker – the second time he was attacked, it was at the “3” marker

• Sindri asks if Goris could come along, but Goris shows his wounded leg that he got from the third attack, indicating he’s fully retired now and could not walk for long, and probably couldn’t fight for long either
• They ask Goris about his horses, and he says each of them is 75 gold; and while the group discusses on whether to get them or not, Twilight uses money earned from the gem to purchase five horses, allowing Sindri to double up with someone
• During the first day of travel, Sindri tries to use his innate ability to Speak with Animals on Gem to keep an eye out; but Gem either keeps singing or randomly insults animals she can see, proving to be of little help
• After a day of riding, the party stops (marker 3 on the below map)

• Sindri and Rettniss take first watch and nothing happens
• When Hartmut takes the second watch, later into the night, he begins to hear what appears to be a crying sound
• He quietly wakes up the others to warn them of what he hears
• Rettniss tells the party that he’s aware of Will-o-wisps which can mimic sounds; but that they’re not typically found out in the grasslands and Sindri believes that it could be one of Niela’s children who perhaps escaped
• The party approaches and finds a young boy; and it turns out to be Bran Stormblade, the twelve year old son of Niela. As the party is trying to decide on how to proceed, since Bran says he doesn’t want to go back to the cave, he whispers, “Please. Help my brother and father before they eat their brains.”
• The party stops and stares at the child, their mouths, agape at what he has just said.

To Be Continued!