Session Twelve - Recap
With the jungle drums in the distance, Jax shouted an order: "Okay crew, time to loot and scoot!" The entire crew burst into activity, grabbing whatever they could of value from the small village. Sadie boosts Jax up and he pries the enormous gem free--a single point of plunder itself. The crew takes the unconscious priestess and the other captured women, along with all the goats of the tribe. They rush back to their ship, hearing the shouts of rage from the distance behind when the Mwangi men no doubt reached their sacked and empty village. Their shoreboats managed to cast off just as the enraged islanders approached, weathering a hail of spears and poison darts as they rowed to The Broken Promise.
Pretty much the experience.
On the ship, they searched the priestess and the natives for any further treasures. They found a rat tucked in the priestess' garb, and recognized the glint of intelligent behavior that marked a familiar. They took the rat far from the witch and locked it in a chest below deck. Shivikah and N'danho talked to the captive women, and learned the tale of what had happened. One of the women had become pregnant, an instance of great fear for the village. Babies in the past five years had all been born "wrong" and "bearing the white mark of evil on them". The group yielded little other useful information for the crew, saying only that the ritual was to "cleanse the village".
In the morning, the crew questioned the priestess when she awoke from her unconscious state. They learned that her name was Nu'oao, and they inquired about the sacrifice. The priestess told them that the children of the village were cursed, and that if they were not carefully slain with cold iron in their heart and the proper words spoken, they would erupt into horrible demons ("pepo" in the Mwangi tongue) that in turn attacked the town. The first such incidence was the firstborn son of the Chieftain. The boy was almost six years old, and suddenly one day he got upset and literally exploded in a shower of gore--leaving a horrible demon in his place. The demon's attacks started killing more children, who resulted in demons of their own. The village would have been destroyed had it not been for the brave Chieftain's might and Nu'oao's magical wardings. After that, there were more flare-ups: often when a child would get angry or hurt. Thus, the Chieftain declared that no one could have children any longer.
In the morning, the crew questioned the priestess when she awoke from her unconscious state. They learned that her name was Nu'oao, and they inquired about the sacrifice. The priestess told them that the children of the village were cursed, and that if they were not carefully slain with cold iron in their heart and the proper words spoken, they would erupt into horrible demons ("pepo" in the Mwangi tongue) that in turn attacked the town. The first such incidence was the firstborn son of the Chieftain. The boy was almost six years old, and suddenly one day he got upset and literally exploded in a shower of gore--leaving a horrible demon in his place. The demon's attacks started killing more children, who resulted in demons of their own. The village would have been destroyed had it not been for the brave Chieftain's might and Nu'oao's magical wardings. After that, there were more flare-ups: often when a child would get angry or hurt. Thus, the Chieftain declared that no one could have children any longer.
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Nu'oao, Priestess of the island and banisher of demons.
This rule was not always followed, as accidents would happen to even those who used precautions such as only having sex during the moonblood or smearing the highly acidic oils from a "pillpi hoho" on their genitals. The rite that the crew had interrupted was to safely dispose with a tainted child that had been accidentally conceived. As the crew talked with her further, they learned that these tainted children were all who were born five or fewer years ago. The crew inquired about the timing, and whether anything happened at that point. Nu'oao said that the only thing of note was that they moved the tribe: they had once kept their village near the shore, but constant raids from pirates forced them to finally move inward. Shivikah, who was translating, shared that he left out a number of extra-venomous words she used to describe such pirates.
The crew decided to sail around the island to the site of the old village, to try and figure out a reason why this might have happened. They landed and found the tattered and unkempt remains of a village, which was located around a large and very shallow lagoon. Out in the middle of the lagoon they could see part of a large statue protruding from the water. When they inquired with Nu'oao, she said that the statue had been the prior one that her tribe had worshipped. As it was far to heavy to move, they just left it behind when they went inland and raised tribute to a new god: the god of the land. Conferring with each other and Sandara, and using some detect magic spells, the crew immediately sorted out the root of the problem: the neglected and now-fallen idol was likely the source of the curse on the tribe.
The crew decided to sail around the island to the site of the old village, to try and figure out a reason why this might have happened. They landed and found the tattered and unkempt remains of a village, which was located around a large and very shallow lagoon. Out in the middle of the lagoon they could see part of a large statue protruding from the water. When they inquired with Nu'oao, she said that the statue had been the prior one that her tribe had worshipped. As it was far to heavy to move, they just left it behind when they went inland and raised tribute to a new god: the god of the land. Conferring with each other and Sandara, and using some detect magic spells, the crew immediately sorted out the root of the problem: the neglected and now-fallen idol was likely the source of the curse on the tribe.
A sunken and neglected idol is a dangerous thing.
The crew called for a block and tackle, as well as some sturdy men. Jax and Scolvus did the calculations, while Shivikah, Turd (Murd), and Jaundiced Jape did the heavy lifting. As they drew the statue upright, Sandara gasped. It was an ancient statue depicting the "mother-of-the-deep" version of the goddess Besmara. Sandara explained the connection between Besmara and the town's troubles to Nu'oao.
And with that, the crew hatched a plan. Jax suggested that they might be able to spin this all in a way that established a safe port for them as well as a place that can produce goods they can bear to the larger cities. They decided to have Sandara teach Nu'oao the real rituals of Besmara, and then to send her as an envoy to the village in the hills. She would explain about the anger of the neglected idol, and say that the disappeared women and livestock were taken for their safety. Under Nu'oao's leadership, they would move the town back to the shore--with the understanding that The Broken Promise would frequent the port and protect it from external raiders. The agreement would be sealed with a feast on the beach, and Captain Sullivan suggested that the village should be named "Besmara's Cradle"--an idea which everyone immediately agreed upon. And so Nu'oao set out to deliver this message to the tribe's menfolk.
This left the crew with a few days to cool their heels on the shore. They began by watching Sandara's demonstration of the Besmara rituals, painting elaborate murals on the bellies of herself and Portia D'Angelique and submerging them both in the waters. While Sandara knew that both she and Portia were pregnant with Jax's child, the rest of the crew just thought it was more of Sandara's sea-belief peculiarity.
The other events of the first day of shore leave were less auspicious. Jack Scrimshaw shyly presented Sadie the Goat with the carved tusk of her former pet walrus Petunia. On the ship, Portia returned from the ritual and helped Scolvus appraise the massive red gem they had taken from the inland village idol. While the gem was very valuable (a full Plunder point itself), Portia was preoccupied. She asked Scolvus what was between Jax and Sandara. She explained her own recent history, that she had sex with Jax, and believed that she might be pregnant. She ended by asking Scolvus to talk with Jax for her--which left him rather uncomfortable. Meanwhile, Maheem approached Captain Sullivan and attempted to talk about the ship's strategy. He urged caution when casting their lot with the so-called "holy" power of Besmara. While Maheem recognized his bias (having grown up in Rahadoum, where all religion is illegal), he still urged the Captain to not fall into the spell of the "sea-witch".
That night, there was dancing and celebration on the beach. Samms Toppin was dancing closer and closer with Jax, with whom she had flirted a fair amount in the past. Between the rum and the music and the elation of some shore leave on a lovely island, she seemed swept up in the moment--culminating in him joining her in the nearby bushes. And another woman of the crew was added to the list of those Jax had sex with, Meanwhile at the celebration, Murd was a little drunk. He sat down on a log next to Druna, and started talking with her. She talked of her escape from Highhelm and other dwarf things. Murd asked "where's your beard?" to which Druna replied that "not all girl dwarves have beards... though Sadie does. She just shaves." With a laugh, Murd began to warm to Druna despite their past clashes. He talked of a map, and produced a ship-in-a-bottle which he said was a treasure map made by Poxy "Peg" Pearls. He passed out from the drink, and Druna took a look at the map (which depicted a spot that was four islands up of the big Motaku island in the Shackles). She then tucked the bottle into Murd's coat, and went and informed Captain Sullivan that they might speak to Murd about a treasure map.
In the morning, they formed an exploring party to search around the area and see if the village had any valuable resources located near by. As they got deeper into the jungle, Captain Sullivan discovered some Star Mangrove trees which could be harvested and regrown, and might turn a fair profit for export. As they searched, Scolvus tried to talk with Jax about the "Portia and Sandara situation" as he called it, but he had difficulty articulating his point and ended up saying little. He was unable to explain further, as suddenly a mated pair of Dire Apes came crashing down after swinging up via the copious vines in the jungle canopy.
Few creatures are more savage in the jungle than a pair of apes defending their territory.
The one of them tore into Scolvus, its massive thumb finding his eye socket and ripping out his eye with a rending swipe. As Scolvus fainted, Druna shouted advice to the group about territory and ape behavior. The group manages to get Scolvus back on his feet and ease their way backward with heads cowed in a submissive stance. The apes screamed and beat their chests, but didn't follow the group any further.
Back at the ship, they found a temporary eyepatch for Scolvus. Captain Sullivan set to work using his experience as a tailor to sew a nicer one for his Quartermaster. Scolvus, traumatized by the event, hid himself away below decks. Jax noticed this, and talked to Shivikah who spoke with the captured Mwangi women. They explained that Scolvus was in need of "cheering up." One woman, named Ovoala, explained that she was in a bad situation back in the village. Her father was poor, and thus any match she would get would be unfavorable at best or abusive at worst. She agreed to "cheer up" Scolvus if they promised to take her with them when they left the village. It was explained to the other village women, all of whom agreed that Ovoala's prospects were dire in the village. They agreed to cover for her, saying that she was eaten whole by the demon. Jax agreed as well, telling Ovoala that she needed to be "very persuasive" with Scolvus because of his injury. She went to Scolvus' berth below deck, and answered his "who are you?" by taking off her clothes. When he didn't protest to her undressing him, the two climbed into the pile of bedding on the floor and spent the night together.
In the morning, Nu'oao returned to the site of the prior village with the men of the village. The crew returned the goats and the captured women to the tribe, explaining that a few were killed by the demon. A beggarly old tribesman gnashed his teeth and cried when he was told that his daughter Ovoala was slain as well. Sandara and Nu'oao then led an example ritual for the tribe, to show them the new way to worship at their new village. She picked Samms Toppin seemingly at random from the assembled crowd to be her subject--as if Sandara somehow knew that Samms had slept with Jax the night before.
The tribe then exchanged gifts and arranged the rebuilding of the village as a small port with the crew. The Chieftain presented Captain Sullivan with a masterwork beaded shirt as a gift of thanks for rescuing his tribe and returning their ability to have children. The Captain also buys a tourmaline ring set in coral to use in his pirate wedding ceremony at Tidewater Rock. Seven young Mwangi men and three Mwangi women agreed to join the crew as well. Many tales were told,with the story of the titanic crab and Sandara's lost arm, and the tale of the hugely bloated grindylow they called The Whale impressing the villagers the most (a gain of two Infamy over two days of celebration). Finally the crew decided to depart, as they planned on returning to Tidewater Rock for the Captain's wedding--confident that they were now renowned enough to be an agreeable match for Lady Smythee. As they sailed to the Rock, Scolvus talked with Jax again: this time about Ovoala's actions. He gets little from Jax, but Shivikah proves more helpful. Shivikah explains that Ovoala had limited options, and that Scolvus can certainly tell her that her sexual servitude is unneeded.
Back at the ship, they found a temporary eyepatch for Scolvus. Captain Sullivan set to work using his experience as a tailor to sew a nicer one for his Quartermaster. Scolvus, traumatized by the event, hid himself away below decks. Jax noticed this, and talked to Shivikah who spoke with the captured Mwangi women. They explained that Scolvus was in need of "cheering up." One woman, named Ovoala, explained that she was in a bad situation back in the village. Her father was poor, and thus any match she would get would be unfavorable at best or abusive at worst. She agreed to "cheer up" Scolvus if they promised to take her with them when they left the village. It was explained to the other village women, all of whom agreed that Ovoala's prospects were dire in the village. They agreed to cover for her, saying that she was eaten whole by the demon. Jax agreed as well, telling Ovoala that she needed to be "very persuasive" with Scolvus because of his injury. She went to Scolvus' berth below deck, and answered his "who are you?" by taking off her clothes. When he didn't protest to her undressing him, the two climbed into the pile of bedding on the floor and spent the night together.
In the morning, Nu'oao returned to the site of the prior village with the men of the village. The crew returned the goats and the captured women to the tribe, explaining that a few were killed by the demon. A beggarly old tribesman gnashed his teeth and cried when he was told that his daughter Ovoala was slain as well. Sandara and Nu'oao then led an example ritual for the tribe, to show them the new way to worship at their new village. She picked Samms Toppin seemingly at random from the assembled crowd to be her subject--as if Sandara somehow knew that Samms had slept with Jax the night before.
The tribe then exchanged gifts and arranged the rebuilding of the village as a small port with the crew. The Chieftain presented Captain Sullivan with a masterwork beaded shirt as a gift of thanks for rescuing his tribe and returning their ability to have children. The Captain also buys a tourmaline ring set in coral to use in his pirate wedding ceremony at Tidewater Rock. Seven young Mwangi men and three Mwangi women agreed to join the crew as well. Many tales were told,with the story of the titanic crab and Sandara's lost arm, and the tale of the hugely bloated grindylow they called The Whale impressing the villagers the most (a gain of two Infamy over two days of celebration). Finally the crew decided to depart, as they planned on returning to Tidewater Rock for the Captain's wedding--confident that they were now renowned enough to be an agreeable match for Lady Smythee. As they sailed to the Rock, Scolvus talked with Jax again: this time about Ovoala's actions. He gets little from Jax, but Shivikah proves more helpful. Shivikah explains that Ovoala had limited options, and that Scolvus can certainly tell her that her sexual servitude is unneeded.
A return to the fort at Tidewater Rock, with hopes that they can finally seal the luck that was promised to them so long ago.
The seas grew rough as they skirted the southern ends of the Shackles toward their destination, and both Portia and Samms were spied throwing up over the side of the gunwhale. They blamed different things (Portia the goat meat from the beach, and Samms the high quantity of rum from the night before), but it was odd as neither has been so sick before--and no one else in the crew showed signs of illness. In other news, Druna informed the crew that Murd was no longer on punishment and didn't have to be called "Turd" any longer--though no doubt a few of the crew might still use that nickname.
Finally after a week of sail, they returned to Tidewater Rock. Again, Jax was taken as a hostage to ensure good relations between island and crew. Jax found that the cell was much more nicely appointed, and there were two glasses and some fine brandy waiting there. Meanwhile, the Captain met with Lady Smythee in the great hall above. The Captain attempted to be quite charming, producing the tourmaline ring and being caring for the good Lady. She in turn seemed flattered that he wasn't treating it as simply a match of convenience. This became more evident when she presented him with a very handsome bridegroom gift: a magical "Farglass" telescope, that could "hear" what was seen once a day if the words "Bert's blessing" were uttered (a clairaudience effect). The evening was spent at a fine dinner, though it was marked with one bit of bad news: the goatherd of the island, Mardu, was attacked and injured by some sahuagin a day prior. The evening ended and pleasantries were exchanged, as the crew went back to their boat for the night. Jax, in the cell, expected Lady Smythee to arrive, but she did not. He sat with a shrug and drank brandy by himself instead.
In the morning, the wedding ceremony was planned to be held at the shoreline--the bride and groom would be barefoot in the water in pirate tradition. Jax was freed from the cell, and all assembled to wish well Captain Sullivan and Lady Smythee. In the milling about prior to the ceremony, Jax took moment to inquire with Lady Smythee and her aid Royster McCleagh about whether Sandara Quinn could convalesce at Tidewater Rock with them while she was expecting a child (a son to be named Halliard, or Hal for short). They seemed inclined to this, and the matter would be settled after the wedding--which Sandara was officiating.
Captain Sullivan and Lady Smythee wore their best clothes and were decked out for the wedding, standing under an arched trellis with their bare feet submerged in water. Sandara had run the ceremony, uniting them in the fashion of a true Pirate Wedding. Just as she reached the point where she said "Speak now for forever hold your peace," there was an eruption of splashing in the nearby water. An ambush party of Sahuagin attacked the crew and the wedding party. Lady Smythee was injured, and Captain Sullivan jumped to her defense. He taunted the strange fishmen to attack him rather than her. The crew quickly finished off the sahuagin, but were rattled by the attack. As they wiped the blood from their weapons and sleeves they wondered if this "red wedding" was a bad omen. But in any case, the bond was sealed and the crew of The Broken Promise had indeed "cracked the Rock" (earning them another point of Infamy).
A Red Wedding, but not The Red Wedding thank goodness.
Infamy Score: 11
Disrepute: 11
Port Infamy list:
Rickety's Squibbs: 2
Bloodcove: 1 (favored port)
Besmara's Cradle: 2
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