Session Twelve - Recap

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.

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.

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.

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 and Disrepute Tracker

Infamy Score: 11
Disrepute: 11

Port Infamy list:
Rickety's Squibbs: 2
Bloodcove: 1 (favored port)
Besmara's Cradle: 2

Session Eleven - Recap

Session Eleven - Recap

The ship left Bloodcove in the morning, sailing back West further from the shore hoping to prey on the more cowardly merchant vessels that preferred to bank on a wide berth and extensive provisions rather than cutting closer to land. They spied one target in the distance after a week, but it was a Chelish merchant marine and the Captain and crew judged that they best let that one pass. They got further and further out, cutting North and West until they were even with the outermost "tip" of the Shackles, though still five days at sea from that point.

As the sun set that night, they caught a sudden glimpse of a ship's profile against the setting sun. It looked like a whaler that sat heavy in the water. With thoughts of plundering blubber and bone, the crew of The Broken Promise turned their heading to pursue. Yet as the sun sank under the horizon, they lost sight of the quarry. That left a bad feeling in Jax particularly, which deepened when he realized the whaler had been sailing against the wind when it was spotted.

The crew grew more discouraged as the next day was heavy with fog, starting shortly after noon. It thickened to the point where they were simply adrift, unable to sail effectively. The crew roamed the deck impatiently, hoping for a break and ability to sail safely. As night fell,they heard the clanking of a rusty ship's bell. The crew ran to the gunwhale and were shocked to see the hulk of a huge whaler loom out of the darkness above them. The boards were pitted and rotten, and they spied the ship's nameplate on the bow: Deathknell. Then as suddenly as it appeared, the ship was gone.

Panic spread through the crew that night and morning, fueled by the name on the ship. Crimson Cogward shared the definitive version of the tale; The Deathknell was supposedly a haunted whaler, crewed by the undead and lead by the ruthless and undying Captain Whalebone Plik. The ship is said to sail the seas to feast on pirate crews, stalking its prey for two days prior to attacking in order to instill fear in their prey. With dull menace in his voice, Cogward said "the fear makes the flesh taste better".

Whalebone Plik, the cursed whaler captain, was said to relentlessly pursue a massive bullhead whale to the point that his crew was ravenous from lack of rations--Plik refused to abandon the pursuit to refresh his stocks. The whale finally turned on them, sinking the ship and killing all the starving men. 

Anticipating the legends to be true, and expecting an attack at sundown, the crew of The Broken Promise prepared themselves for battle. Captain Gilbert hoped that perhaps the crew was simply hungry and that Captain Plik might be placated with a claim of "we got him" and a gesture to the whale skull mounted on their aft (actually Scolvus' strange scroll).

That dusk, with a fine spread laid out on the deck of The Broken Promise, the crew waited in anticipation. As expected, the massive whaler suddenly emerged from the water, and a crew of strange zombies cast boarding grapples. Whalebone Plik himself stood at the helm of The Deathknell, manically clanging the ship's bell and throwing a harpoon which magically returned to his hands after striking targets. As the zombies boarded the ship, the crew had a flicker of hope they would sit and dine. As one of them sank its fangs into the shoulder of a crewman they realized that this would be a fight. Scolvus launched a blast of lightning using his whale skull, burning down a number of the attackers. Sadie attempted to order her newly trained Walrus companion (Petunia) to attack, but the beast refused to engage the spoiling corpses at first.

Captain Gilbert decided to use a silence spell on the deck of The Deathknell, stopping Plik from the incessant clanging that seemed to drive the zombies forward. This sent the undead captain into a rage. He flew forward, his body half incorporeal, and savagely pursued Captain Sullivan. Gilbert was "luckily" knocked out of the way of Captain Plik's ghostly strikes by Petunia who slid through the grease of one of Scolvus' grease spells. Instead, Captain Plik latched his ghostly hand onto Pluck's chest, seeming to squeeze the life out of the bird. At the last moment, Druna was able to bull rush Pluck to safety before the air was drawn entirely from its lungs. Meanwhile, Captain Sullivan cast a curative spell and touched the undead Captain--the positive healing energy inflicting destruction on the unliving form, turning Plik into a pile of ashes and a dropped harpoon.

Jax swung over to the deck of The Deathknell, hoping to find plunder. Instead he found a hold stacked with dead bodies. They all remained lifeless, tho each had the look of the undead crew that had assaulted their ship. Jax turned and pried the ship's bell free from it's post where Plik had been ringing it. He also ran to the front of the ship and wrenched loose the rotten and pitted nameplate of the ship (earning the crew 2 Infamy points).

As suddenly as it came, the fog lifted as The Deathknell sank rapidly under the waves. The crew rested the night and bandaged their wounds, having lost three deckhands to the attack with many others injured (the losses were three green pressed hands from their latest trip to Bloodcove). The next morning they sailed for the nearest island in the South Shackles, Scolvus, unnerved by the ship's bell, recognized it had a magical aura. He studied it the following day, and realized it was enchanted with something similar to a magic jar spell. With a gasp, Scolvus realized it was a phylactery, and that Whalebone Plik was likely to reform and re-awaken if the bell were not destroyed. Bringing it to the deck, Galfire smashed the bell with his Tiberolith greatclub and ended the threat of Whalebone Plik for good.

Sailing for three more days, the crew reached the Southwestern Shackles islands. Soon they saw smoke rising in the sky from the center of a small island. Looked to be cooking fires from a moderate-sized village up in the jungle. Druna transformed herself into a bird and flew to investigate. She found a small village there in the jungle. Notably, in the center of the village was an enormous idol with a fist-sized red gem embedded in its chest. Reporting this to the crew, they began to plot an attack. N'danho taught the crew the word for "surrender" in Mwangi, and the sailors landed with a plan to surround and attack the village to take crew for their ship.

The massive idol, a strange demonic-looking figure, which dominated the center of the village. 

Arriving at the town, the crew found that only the women of the village were present. They were gathered in the center of the town around the idol, performing some sort of ritual. Leading the ceremony was a priestess of some sort, her necklace adorned with feathers and gems. As they watched with horror, the priestess was handed a small baby. She drew forth a cold iron dagger from an alcove in the idol, and in a split second uttered some words and plunged the dagger into the chest of the tiny child. She continued chanting, and at this the crew lost the plan of waiting for the rest of their sailors and instead attacked the murderess.

Captain Gilbert cast a silence spell again, and the priestess looked in horror as she tried to intone words of magical power while holding the child--but the words went unspoken due to the magical interference. Jax began sapping women to knock them unconscious, while Captain Gilbert ran up and attacked the priestess herself. She seemed shocked, silently shouting something at Gilbert while pointing at the baby. He looked down and saw that it was indeed dead with the dagger right in its heart. As the battle ensued, more and more Mwangi tribeswomen were taken with nonlethal force.

Then the silence spell stopped, and everyone recognized the words that the priestess was shouting. Even though they didn't speak the Mwangi dialect, they knew enough to know that she was yelling "No! Oh no!" over and over. There was a strange burning smoke rising from the form of the slain infant in her arms. With a gasp, she threw it at the feet of Captain Gilbert. With a boiling rush, the baby seemed to almost "open". From inside crawled something enormous, so massive and dreadful to not be believed it came from the tiny form. Scolvus quickly recognized it as a Nabasu Demon, a great bat-like being from the Abyss.

Awww, isn't it a cute little baby? Goochie goochie goo. 

The beast suddenly screeched an unholy scream, causing everyone to shudder as if their souls were being torn from them. Two of the village women died instantly from the attack. Then more horribly, one of them started to lurch upward with her body animated with necromantic energy. The crew rushed into battle with the demon and its newly raised ghoul, managing to interrupt it as it tried to summon a second demon. Petunia the Walrus rushed up and managed to gore the demon badly. However, the demon turned its necromantic energy on the great beast, using an enervation spell to slay the walrus outright.

The demon's Abyss-hardened skin left it nearly immune to the strikes of the crew's weapons, but Scolvus' barrage of magic missiles managed to wound the creature. It turned its attacks to him, flinging objects at him with telekinesis magic. While Scolvus protected himself as best he could with castings of mirror image, the rest of the crew started to find their marks, with Captain Sullivan managing to land two critical strikes on the beast and Jax's sneak attacks inflicting pain as well. Finally they overwhelm the creature with small strikes, unable to get past its damage resistance (not realizing that the cold iron dagger in the baby's breast was exactly what they needed to strike true).

As the crew panted and bandaged their wounds after the fight, they looked at their plunder. Most immediately a number of Mwangi women lay unconscious or were held by their crew--including the priestess. It was at the point when they started wondering about where the men were that they got their answer: the sounds of drums in the distance. They looked and saw a column of the Mwangi menfolk, garbed for war and likely returning from some ritual in the mountains, snaking back down toward the village. They had to decide quickly whether they would stay and fight, or flee with their captives. And all the while the sound of the jungle drums grew closer.

And it sure wasn't the dulcet tones of the Morton Gould Orchestra...

Infamy and Disrepute Tracker

Infamy Score: 8
Disrepute: 8

Port Infamy list:
Rickety's Squibbs: 2
Bloodcove: 1

Session Ten - Recap

Session Ten - Recap

Questioning their newly-pressed crewman, the Motaku islander N'dahno, he tells of "the Lava that Walks as Man" on the island, but also an enormous lost pearl that could be recovered. The crew of The Broken Promise proves to be somewhat wary of this, and decides to seek their fortune instead around the large stretch of open sea south of the large island.

Soon enough, the crew came upon a lugger riding low as it made its way southward. The ship was flying colors of the Aspis Consortium, which Scolvus knew the name of but little information about--other than basing their operations in Azir, a port north of the perpetual hurricane Eye of Abendego. Deciding to pursue the prey, The Broken Promise closed the distance to the smaller craft quickly.

When they got close, Druna's aerial reconnaissance and Jax's telescope revealed the ship to be a slaver--with a deck packed with cages and enchained slaves baking in the hot sun. Unable to return fire, for fear of harming the miserable enslaved captives on the ship, the crew of The Broken Promise had to weather crossbow volleys before swinging across to the deck of the smaller ship.

Unfortunately, this played right into the trap of the Aspis Consortium ship. The crew landing on the deck fought the Aspis sailors, and found them fighting strangely--very defensively and using delaying tactics. Also, they noticed that the slaves on the ship proved to be dummies; they were wooden carvings dressed in tattered clothes, enhanced with a powerful illusion spell to make them seem more real. The attacking crew were left wondering why the ruse--and were quickly answered.

In the form of an Aspis Consortium Fire Mistress Mage

The Aspis Consortium Captain and First Mate suddenly emerged from invisibility on the aft deck of The Broken Promise. Sadie the Goat, who was piloting the ship, was laid into by the Aspis Captain, while the First Mate used the same fly spell that enabled their sneak attack to fly up to the rigging and set it ablaze with a fireball spell. As dead and dying crew of The Broken Promise fell to the deck, and the rigging burned, Sadie the Goat was cut down and lay bleeding on the deck. Captain Sullivan, Jax, and Druna rushed back to their own ship to try and stabilize the situation. Meanwhile, Scolvus turned his arcane energy to stop the enemy Captain's attacks. Finally the crew closed upon the Captain, slaying her. The First Mate fled, using the remaining time on her spell to try and make land--her white cloaks streaming behind her as she flew through the air.

Checking through the damage, the officers found that four of their crew had died to the gouts of flame from the Aspis First Mate: two more of those pressed when Portia D'Angelique's ship was captured, and two of those they hired/pressed at Senghor. Searching the captured ship, they found it laden with treasure. The Captain's quarters contained a log of attacks, seeming like this ship has purposefully been preying on pirate vessels--drawing them into traps and slaying their command, then taking their goods for the Consortium. In the hold, they found plunder of spices, salt, and copper bars.

With the Consortium lugger fit with a prize crew, the two ships made their way toward Bloodcove, with the intention of selling their plunder and the captured ship. In the two week journey, the crew worked hard at their respective tasks. Portia set herself to work with Scolvus appraising the captured ship as well as the plunder. Jax approached her one afternoon in the Quartermaster's office, and informed her that if she wished, she could try going on shore leave this time at Bloodcove, provided she remain with him--as she still had to pay off her ransom. Plus, the pair had been flirting considerably since her arrival on the ship. N'danho, the self-poisoned Motaku islander proved to be rather weak and accident-prone, but he tried hard--and he quickly mastered the Common tongue thanks to work with Captain Sullivan and Shivikah. Turd meanwhile found a friend in the galley, with his anger problem and resentment about authority resonating with Galfire. Finally, the crew decided to use one idea from their encounter with the Aspis Consortium, deciding to take two of the carved mannequins and setting them up adjacent to the wheel to confound foes attacking their pilot at range.

Finally they got close to Bloodcove. As they drew near, they spied another vessel leaving-also flying a pirate flag. As is frequent with rival pirate captains, the two ships eyed each other closely. The other ship was identified as The Limestone, a ship captained by the bloodthirsty Captain Rockhyde. Captain Sullivan recognized his massive form strolling the deck as they passed, and told the crew stories of the huge Stone Giant captain. He was once a member of the Shackles Council in Port Peril, and attempted an unsuccessful attempt at forcefully gaining Council Captaincy. His attack was repulsed by the sitting Hurricane King, Captain Kerdak Bonefist, and Captain Rockhyde was banished from the council and from good standing amongst the Free Captains. While technically not a Free Captain himself after his coup attempt, Captain Rockhyde is simply physically powerful enough, and his crew nasty enough, to still hang around the edges of the Shackles.

Captain Rockhyde, former Free Captain and scourge of the southern edge of the Shackles

At Bloodcove, the crew are released in three waves for leave--keeping the ship well-manned as Bloodcove is one of the more notorious ports besides Port Peril itself. On the first day in the port, Captain Sullivan, Scolvus, and Portia set themselves to selling the captured prize ship. Seeking out potential buyers in various taverns, they finally get some interest with Free Captain Daquaa--a broad-set woman with a slightly piggish nose, who commands the schooner The Child O'Mine. While she seemed interested at first, things changed when they brought her to view the ship. When she set eyes on it, her prior friendly demeanor suddenly changed. "Oh no, no no," she said, glancing around as if worried about even being seen looking at the ship. She ended with the cryptic comment "take a minute to get a few extra water barrels for your ship," as she walked away.

At the same time, Jax took Sandara Quinn to seek out a prosthesis for the arm she lost to the giant crab. They went to Master Lilliput's sawbones, a shop that specialized in various replacements for lost limbs. The shop carried a range of different products, spanning some very fancy detailed porcelain options all the way to utilitarian pieces good for work on a ship. Jax buys her a fancy hand, as well as a couple of utilitarian options. They traveled to a tavern for a few drinks, then retired to an inn room together. Lying together naked and recovering, Sandara said to Jax: "So, have you thought of any names?" Taken by surprise, Jax spat out a mouthful of the cheap port wine he was drinking from the glass on the nightstand. He inquired about what she meant, and learned that she was pregnant. He expressed disbelief, to which she responded: "But you knew the rituals, you know what we did?" Jax said no, and tried to express that he was taken unaware by the situation. Sandara seems to almost not hear what he's saying, and keeps talking about the fated rituals of Besmara, and that Jax was chosen in his role of fathering the fated child of the deep mistress--words which drove Jax deeper into the jug of wine by the bedside.

The next morning, the crew chose to squibb their captured Aspis Consortium ship themselves, tearing off the symbols and adjusting the lines of the ship. Captain Sullivan and Scolvus turn to selling their plunder, while Sadie took the shell of the the giant crab to an armorsmith to get a suit of banded armor made from the creature's sturdy shell. Jax took Portia on her promised day of leave, sharing a day exploring the port and an evening drinking in the Burly Bear Tavern. 

On day three in the port, Scolvus finished selling the remaining plunder while the rest of the crew endeavored to sell their newly-squibbed prize. They found a rather rough character in Captain Ile, a sailor who was the sole survivor of a recent wreck. He agrees to take the boat at night, knowing that while the ship is changed in look that everyone in town knows exactly who owned the ship before they did. He agreed to sail it off in the middle of the night, and leave the second half of the payment hidden on the dock near their ship. The rest of the day was spent repairing The Broken Promise and purchasing replacement sails. That evening, again Jax went with Portia out drinking--this time at The Westward Nun Inn--which involved much flirting, but didn't end with anything more.

The fourth morning, the crew awoke to their prize ship being gone and a payment hidden in a rope coil near their ship. Deciding a fourth day in town was needed, the crew continued to relax and plan their next moves. Captain Gilbert regaled the crowd at The Westward Nun with tales of the battle with the giant crab and his raging cook. Word spread of this tale, increasing the crew's Infamy in Bloodcove. In discussing their situation and reputation that evening in the Captain's cabin, Sandara suggested to Captain Gilbert that he select some sort of gimmick to to help him become more memorable as a Captain. And meanwhile, Jax took Portia on a picnic dinner to the wooded hill above Bloodcove, finally moving from flirting to sex, as the Pirate's moon yet again hung low and red in the horizon above.

Nope. No ominous foreshadowing here.

Infamy and Disrepute Tracker

Infamy Score: 6
Disrepute: 6

Port Infamy list:
Rickety's Squibbs: 2
Bloodcove: 1

Session Nine - Recap

Session Nine - Recap

Making haste to put the Chelish Pirate Hunter The Dominator in their wake, the crew of The Broken Promise cut up into the southern portion of the Shackles, spending a week cutting near island shores outside of general shipping paths that Chelish might patrol. This enabled them to continue their search for signs of Mancatcher Cove. After that week, they spied sails and closed on the ship. Recognizing the sign of the Three Birds on the mainsail, the crew relaxed slightly--it was a ship in Captain Merrill Pegsworthy's fleet. Hailing at distance, they met the ship on friendly terms. The Captain, a lanky elf man named Hibiscus Drue, was cordial and friendly, saying his crew had received word that the symbol of the broken pierced heart was that of Captain Gilbert Sullivan, a friend of their Fleet Lord. They retired to a nearby shore, and shared a sumptuous meal of roast pig and fine alcohol from Captain Drue's personal stock. Drue told them more about Isabella "Inkskin" Locke's history, but little proved to give any more lead on where Mancatcher Cove or her allied sahuagin might be. Jax and Scoluvus shared their tale of disabling The Dominator, and much laughter was had at the expense of the Chelish. The evening ended as the fire dwindled with tales of shipping lanes and how best to dodge the pirate hunting fleets.

Two days later, the crew spied a trawler askew and riding low in the water. Shivikah--the ship's carpenter--said that it could potentially be repaired but he would need a closer look. The officers rowed over to the listing ship, and see that it is indeed partially submerged. There was no sign of lifeboat, but there was a clear hold in the hold which water continues to seep into with each wave. Just as a few of them clamored onto the deck, without warning a number of sahuagin rose from the cluttered underwater portion of the ship's deck, menacing them with their bone-carved tridents. To make matters worse, two others riding sharks and brandishing crude crossbows surfaced between the crew and The Broken Promise. 

Evil creatures of the sea that walk as man

Scolvus' mirror image spell managed to confound the attackers enough to let the crew get the upper hand in the battle quickly. It was soon clear that the shark-riders were the greater threat than those battling on the deck of the ship itself. Galfire, incensed by the sharks (his leg was bitten off by a shark after all), attempted to leap at them and attack in a single jump off the bow of the dinghy. Unfortunately his balance was off, landing him in the drink far from his target. Druna followed suit with the plan, except she was able to reach the foes and knock one off his shark mount. As the crew killed the dismounted rider and the remainder on the ship, the final shark rider fled into the deep ocean. Watching him go, the crew noticed a sunken life boat in the water below--belying the fact that this was a trap baited by the promise of recovering a ship.

They searched their foes and the ship, and found one of the sahuagin wore a strange necklace. It seemed to be thick platinum, but with deep darkened whorls in the metal that were somehow mesmerizing and off-putting at the same time in their suggestion of cosmic nothingness. The bait craft proved to be unsalvageable as a sailing vessel, but Shivikah suggested they tow it to shore and take what good wood remained as stores to repair their own ship. Agreeing to this, the crew towed the boat to a nearby island's shore. Hauled with a great deal of sweat and hard work, they manage to heave the ruined vessel up onto land, and prepared to cannibalize the timbers. As the crew began their work, Druna assumed the form of an eagle and scouted the island. She spied a small cove on the northern side of the island, about an hour away if the crew took the pilot cutter.

As night fell, Galfire prepared a sumptuous bonfire cookout of fish and shark over pork-fat seasoned rice, with a hearty helping of the numerous crabs which crawled the shore. He finished the dishes with blackened starfish, which the crew raved about. During the evening revelry, Jax took the opportunity to speak with Portia D'Angelique, starting with a discussion of the sahuagin and the strange platinum necklace. She identified it as deep platinum, and told that the creatures of the sea depths revered it for its supposed magical connection to the great sea God Leviathan. Portia explained that a jeweler she worked with had a small piece once, and was told when he bought it from a sailor that supposedly the metal is mined from poisonous vents on the very bottom of the ocean floor by strange beings known as Aboleths--strange intelligent icthyoids that were the only creatures that might swim so deep as to retrieve it.

Dark dreams of the rising Aboleths surfaced as they stared into the night fire

Jax turned the conversation to Portia's prisoner status, and whether she would consider working on the ship to reduce her ransom amount (though unknown to her the letter of ransom had not even been sent yet). She agreed to speak to Captain Sullivan about the matter. They came to an agreement, that she would provide her considerable skill at appraising and antiquities as an assistant to the Quartermaster. In exchange, she would work until her pay reached the value of two magic swords (4630 gold pieces, or present for 20 plunder points distributed to crew)--once she earned half the amount she'd be free to decide to work the rest off or go free on her promise to provide the rest. Captain Sullivan and Jax take her to Scolvus and instruct her to start her work in the morning.

In the morning, Portia and Scolvus went about the ship, having her appraise everything from the ship to its contents and crew. While her appraisal of Druna--"akin to a wire rake for a fireplace"--earns her a rope bash, she proves to do good work. Concerned a bit about Portia walking the ship free, and in contact with her former crew who are impressed, the officers of The Broken Promise decided to recruit a few trusted crew to keep their eyes out for any insurrection. Druna recruited Ratline Rattsberger, while Captain Sullivan enlisted Crimson Cogward. Jax approached Jaundiced Jape, suggesting to him that as a mute he might often be overlooked. A knowing nod later Jape too agreed to keep an eye out on the crew.

The next morning the crew took the pilot cutter to explore the cove on the northern side of the island. They found it to be quite hidden from the sea view, but inside it was a thin tidal cove with crystal clear water. More worrisome, they saw a great stone head near interior of the cove, as if an enormous stone giant had been buried up to his shoulders. Scolvus identified it as potentially one of the Tiberoliths: enormous stone constructs the giants who once lived on the islands created to defend their structures. He shared tales of whole islands full of them, ancient guardians left purposeless violently turning on crews who dare land on the shore. Giving the massive head a wide berth, the crew pushed into the jungle beyond the cove.

They came upon a set of massively huge cyclopean stairs, left from the same ancient civilization of giants that must have placed the stone head. Climbing the stairs was an endeavor, both because they were built for a creature vastly larger than them, but also because they were overgrown with roots and vines. Reaching the top, they found a stone plaza with more massive ruins choked with overgrowth. To cover the area, they split into groups to search for any treasure.

It may not be Mancatcher Cove, but there is sure to be some treasure under all these plants and vines

Eventually, the crew found a single entrance amid the ruins to space beneath the huge flagstones. Lighting torches, they proceeded cautiously into the dark. Jax led the way, searching for traps. Soon he shouted for the group to stop, as he realized that he was standing on a floor tile that was indeed a trap trigger. Yet made for giants, his weight wasn't enough to even trigger the mechanism. Showing the group what to avoid, they pushed onward where they found another oversized trap. This time it was a thick rope that would have been correctly placed to trigger for a giant, but was utterly obvious for a human. Looking about, Jax saw the holes lining the walls in which hidden spears were set to emerge on the victim--the lowest still being too high up to even give one of their group a haircut.

Eventually they reached a large, locked door. Propped on Druna's shoulders, Jax was able to reach his arm right into the lock and manipulate the tumblers with his fingers. Swinging the door open, they found a large chamber inside, which would have been a small store room to giant sensibility. In the room was an enormous decaying treasure chest. The chest stood as tall as Galfire, and while the wood was decayed the metal bindings and lock were intact. Opening the lock, the group found a pile of Gohl-gan gold coins: huge dinner-plate sized currency used by the long lost giant race of Golarion. They couldn't be directly spent, but they made an impressive plunder! They also found a strange greatclub, which would have been a smallish club for the ancient race but was nearly unweildable by Galfire. The club seemed to be composed of the same strange sandstone as the Tiberolith head, and had a strange heft--there seemed to be liquid inside the club. It appeared to have some sort of acid inside, that once swung enough would start to weep out and provide a corrosive weapon effect for a while (until the acid finally ate through the item and ruined it).

Deciding they wanted to take the chest fittings and re-build the massive chest with new lumber for their ship, Druna used a warp wood spell to remove them simply. The crew then drug the fittings out of the chamber and up to the surface, content with their exploration and plunder.

The full crew in front of their massive chest (L-R): Jax, Druna (with Pluck above), Sadie the Goat, Captain Gilbert Sullivan, Scolvus, and Galfire

Outside the dungeon, the crew was laughing and congratulating themselves on the ease of this exploration when the reached the hidden cove. Unfortunately, the found a bloody scene. A massive crab, no doubt hidden in the sand when they had arrived, had apparently emerged. It snipped one of the sailors left the guard the pilot cutter clean in half. As they watched, it was menacing Sandara Quinn, who had climbed a tree to safety. Seeing the tree was coated in blood, they spied that her hand had been cut clean off by the crab's massive pincers. As they watched it take another hunk of the tree out with its pincer, and Sandara drop even closer to certain death, the crew rushed the beast. Galfire got caught in its pincers first, with his ribs shattering and leaving a horrible scar across his chest (minor scar). Struggling free and leaving the crab's massive pincers free, Galfire crawled to safety while the pincers found Pluck the Parrot in their grip. Druna, screaming Dwarven obscenities plus "my bird" hit it squarely and shattered its shell with a single thud of her club.

"Are you okay?" Scolvus asked Sandara, to which she quickly replied "I know I'll have to bear a worse pain yet this year. Burn it." Tending to her wound, the crew burned the stump of Sandara's arm while taking the big pieces of the crab's shell for components for druid armor. A quick service for the slain sailor later, the crew made their way back to the ship, and headed off along the island chain once more.

A few days later, Scolvus happened to catch Sandara away from Jax and inquired about how she was feeling and what she meant by her cryptic comment. She revealed to him that she was pregnant with Jax's child. She said that she presumed that he knew that she was pregnant, as she performed all the proper rites to Besmara both before, during, and a fortnight after their copulation. Scolvus said that maybe she should check with Jax, as he might be less familiar with the practices of the faith than she was.

After about a week of hunting, the ship came upon a small village on the big island of Motaku Isle's southern shore. Seeing potential prey for their attacks, the crew landed in force up the shore and then attacked the village at dusk. The villagers fled except for a few defenders, who beset the crew with vicious trained dogs and poisoned darts, led by a strange witch doctor whose curse magic proved to be hard for the crew to overcome. The witch doctor was finally killed by Jax, who had snuck around the side of the brawl to strike from the shadows. Once the witch was slain, the others' resolve to fight crumbled and they mostly perished or fled. One remained lying comatose, having accidentally poisoned his own foot, and the crew pressed him into service. Back on the ship they found out from Shivikah, that their new sailor's name was N'dahno. With a hold now full of agricultural goods, and a new sailor, the crew set off yet again to find their fortune in the seas of the Shackles.


Infamy and Disrepute Tracker

Infamy Score: 5
Disrepute: 5

Port Infamy list:
Rickety's Squibbs: 2

Session Eight - Recap

Session Eight - Recap

The crew set a course for Senghor, deciding to pass by Tidewater Rock as they go. They see a simple fort on an a tiny island, with a single small cove to fit one ship, and note that the place is very well defended. They sail on, with about two weeks of relative calm before arriving at Senghor: the largest city south of the Shackles.

Releasing the crew for three days, Quartermaster Scolvus and Captain Gilbert first focus on selling their plunder, before turning their thoughts to selling the captured Absalom Barque that was formerly captained by their now-prisoner, Portia D'Angelique. Asking around, their first lead is that a gentleman named Sheriff Moran has taken up residence in the Rusty Anchor Bar, and that the Sheriff is looking to buy a ship outright. They head to the bar, get an introduction from the barkeep, and speak to him in his room.

"It's an expedition! Ooooh yes! An expedition, it is!"

Sheriff Moran quickly, and routinely, informs the crew that he is indeed on an expedition and in need of a ship of his own. The expedition is for Pirate Deadeye's treasure, on a hidden cove somewhere in the Shackles. From the sounds of it, the Sheriff is either duped or absolutely ignorant (or both). Yet he is flush with cash, and pays the crew not only a handsome fee for the boat, but also 10% of his find when his "expedition" locates Deadeye's buried stash.

That evening, asking around the bar, Scolvus learns the full story of the origin of Tidewater Rock: that it was initially a base for a Pirate Queen named Stormeyes, who was so successful after taking it as a base that it became lore that the island itself was the source of her luck. Successive pirates who conquered the Rock likewise had runs of good luck. The most recent pirate conqueror was Iron Bert Smythee, who had a run of good luck untill a run-in with Captain Barnabas Harrigan--who sunk most of Smythee's ships and killed Smythee himself. That left Smythee's young wife, Lady Agasta Smythee in control of Tidewater Rock but without a fleet to defend it. The question of who would be the next to "crack the Rock" was rampant amongst the seedier types in Senghor's taverns.

The next day, the crew improved their ship by purchasing two heavy ballistae which they installed on the forecastle and a smuggling compartment hidden next to the bilge. Quartermaster Scolvus and Sadie the Goat also procured ten pigs, thinking that they might be useful food or potential bargaining chip with Tidewater Rock. Finally, they also increased their crew, by hiring on a few new hands (and pressing three others in a lucky bout of evening drinking).

Setting out the next morning, the new crew were explained the run of the ship by Captain Gilbert, Boatswain Jax, and Master-at-Arms Druna. When assigning duties, it quickly became clear that ballistae duty was absolutely unwanted, owing to the danger of the position. The crew decides that the punishment detail would be the ones who man the bows should prey be found. As they sail back north, cutting deep to sea to potentially find merchantmen loaded with goods, the routine of daily life on board a ship set in. While most of the new crew was effective, one sailor in particular seemed to be slacking--one of the impressed sailors from Senghor named Murd. Druna quickly turned to disciplining him: knocking him unconsious, starving him, and hanging him upside down on the yard.

The harsh discipline caused a ripple of rumbling through the crew, and Jax and Druna come to an agreement about punishment on the ship--trying to strike the right balance of strict yet fair. Jax informs the crew that order can be a little loose, but it'll be hard work when sails are in sight. Druna informs them that "this sailor's name is no longer Murd. It's Turd. Until he works, and works well, he'll be Turd." Assigned to bilge duty and ballistae order, but at least fed again, Turd sets about on the ship with slightly more ability and effort. After two weeks of sail, they arrive back at Tidewater Rock.

"Good fortune and sure sail await what one can crack the Tidewater Rock." - Free Captain Merrill Pegsworthy, upon christening The Broken Promise

Sailing into the small landing under a flag of peace and trade, a representative of the guard from the small fortress emerges and asks the crew's business. Captain Gilbert says they're there to offer trade and re-supply of the fortress. The steward, a man named Royster McCleagh, agrees to invite the officers in if one is held as hostage. Jax is chosen as the hostage, and accompanies McCleagh into the castle. He meets the Lady of the island, Lady Agatha Smythee, and as always, Jax cannot resist flirting with her as the terms are given to him: he'll be locked in the dungeon and under guard, and will be killed should his mates prove foul.

With Jax in the cellar, the rest are invited in for dinner. There, Lady Smythee proves to be quite perceptive, inquiring if this is a mission to size up her forces before invading. With the crew stammering just a bit, she says that she appreciates the fact that they at least came open and honest and brought actual trade goods (the hold full of hogs). After a pleasant set of exchanges, and a set of mutual appreciation of each other's situation--an isolated island without a fleet and a new captain and crew seeking to make their name in the Shackles--Lady Smythee makes an offer of a pirate's marriage. Should the fame of Captain Gilbert and The Broken Promise rise, she will agree to such an arrangement: a situation where she and the Captain would be married for a term of one year, with assets and gains held in common for that time. After the year, should the arrangement be promising, it can be continued. Gilbert gets the clear sense that this is merely a convenient contract, not a matter of sex or love. Brushing it off with a pun, they agree to return when their infamy has increased amongst the Shackles.

Whether good fortune comes to one who can crack Lady Agatha Smythee's "Rock" is another matter

As The Broken Promise will moor overnight with them, Jax is held in a cell overnight. Surprisingly, late in the night Lady Smythee comes to him and tells a tale of her needs and wants going unfulfilled since her husband was drowned years ago. With that, Jax spends the evening together with her in her bedchamber.

In the morning, at breakfast of spit-fired bacon on the beach, discussion turns to the sahuagin the crew encountered. They discuss an infamous Free Captain, Isabella Locke, who is rumored to work with the cruel fishmen. Nicknamed "Inkskin", she was once a slave to a great pirate Captain who had a map to an ancient treasure tattooed upon her shoulder and back: the legendary lost location of Mancatcher Cove and the hidden fortune of Captain Cyrus Wolfe. Once escaped from her captor, and allied with the sahuagin, she has made a name for herself as a pirate on her own in the area. As breakfast concluded, the crew agreed to search for Mancatcher Cove and perhaps put an end to Inkskin's foul alliance with the sahuagin. Walking away, Captain Gilbert remarks to Jax about the Lady Smythee: "I think she took a shine to me," which Jax answered with only silence about his own night "shine" with the Lady.

The crew began searching some of the southernmost coasts of the Shackles, looking for Mancatcher Cove in the general vicinity of where they were ambushed by sahuagin before. Sailing up one deep river inlet that fails to yeild their desired cove, they moor upstream as Galfire hunts some new food to diversify their meals. As they prepare to sail back down the river, they luckily spy tall masts downstream. Scouting as an eagle, Druna realizes that a massive Chelish Pirate Hunter has moored at the mouth of the river. The ship, with five sails and three levels of deck, dwarfs The Broken Promise and would easily sink her in a direct engagement or overwhelm her with swarming marines in a boarding action. The crew hatch a plan to disable the massive ship, by severing the tiller line that such a large ship would have between wheel and rudder. Scolvus, using his affinity with water, swam Jax to the ship under the cover of darkness. As Jax climbed up the rear of the ship with knife clenched in his teeth, he sees a massive carved nameplate: The Dominator. Slipping into the the quarterdeck via a small window, Jax located the tiller rope apparatus. Taking care that it drops silently, a few slashes with a sharp axe disabled the rope and left the ship unable to maneuver. Just at that moment, the door to the Quarterdeck opens, and in walked an officer in full Chelish regalia.

Vice-Commander Kyan Kain, famed officer and pirate hunter

Drawing boarding axes at the same time, Jax managed to dodge the vicious and lightning-fast swings of the officer. Jax's own strikes prove ineffective, his own axe embedding in a timber along the roof. Abandoning his stuck axe, Jax tumbles away to the rear of the cabin. With a quick "Au revoir" he crashed through the decorative lattice window work, turning his jump into a smooth dive in the darkness of night. With shouts of alarm ringing through The Dominator, The Maiden's Promise emerged from the river with perfect timing for Scolvus and Jax to rejoin their own ship. A single heavy catapult shot from The Dominator's aft deck proved to be the only damage taken, and the crew managed to slip into the ocean at dawn, leaving the temporarily crippled Chelish pirate hunter in their wake.

Infamy and Disrepute Tracker

Infamy Score: 5
Disrepute: 5

Port Infamy list:
Rickety's Squibbs: 2

Session Seven - Recap

Session Seven Recap

The first morning outside of Rickety's Squibbs arrived with a loud whistle and a shout of "Out or down!" from Jax in the crew quarters. Those who were slow to rise were met with a slashed hammock and quick journey to the floor of The Broken Promise. After about a week of sailing southward, the crew finally found their first prey: a small fishing trawler working near to the coastline.

As their much larger ship closed in, the officers of the crew gathered on the decks leaving Sandara Quinn at the helm and their boarding parties waiting in the rigging for the ships to draw near. The animal companions of the druids lead the way, with Pluck managing to knock a sailor from the prey vessel right into the water, while Sadie the Goat's newly-recruited Walrus leaped onto the deck with a deafening bellow. The officers themselves were slower in making their move onto the enemy ship, and Captain Gilbert Sullivan learned that even the rough men of fishing boats can use a crossbow, as he fell to their counter-barrage as the boats closed.

First into the fray

The Captain of the prey ship, a cruel and salty looking dwarf in a fancy, former-military-cut coat, led the defense but suffered the combination of three hydraulic push spells, which forced even his stubborn dwarf frame over the edge of the boat. They spotted him swimming far too easily toward the near shore, and thus Sadie ordered her walrus to give pursuit. The two dived under the water, and only the walrus' bloody corpse floats to the surface after some time. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew was put to the sword by the officers and Slippery Syl (who seemed to really relish the fighting). Only two Mwangi sailors survived the battle on the trawler's side, and are pressed by the crew. Documents in the captain's quarters seem to suggest that the escaped Dwarf was named Captain Vesgal Falkirk, though the group learned little else about him. The holds of the fishing trawler held only fish, hardly even a single cargo load's worth. So the crew turned to salting the fish as their own provisions. Questioning the two surviving sailors, they found they were sailing to Senghor--the next major port down the coast past Bloodcove.

After another week of sail, The Broken Promise found a tiny village on the Sargavan coast named Dthai. Trying to sell the fishing trawler to the locals, they found themselves frustrated by an internal squabble between the two main fishing families in the village. The crew manages to broker a deal where the aging patriarch of the one family marries the considerably immense daughter of the other family, allowing the two families to pool enough income to pay for the trawler--buying it into their own fleet.

Another day of sailing passed by when they caught eyes on another ship, this time a Barque from Absalom. They give chase, as the ship cuts northward and out to sea--back in the direction of the Shackles. The chase took almost five days, but they finally caught the ship it as they neared the archipelago. Sadie the Goat used powerful hails of magical stone to pummel the decks of the ships, sending the crews diving under the cover of the deck. The fight becomes one of close quarters below decks, where a number of the Absalom merchantmen crew were waiting with flasks of acid to burn the invading pirates. Jax called for the crew to join the officers, recognizing that the close quarters fight favored numbers. Crimson Cogward was one of those who rushed forward, only to be rewarded by catching  crossbow bolt in his right eye socket. The blow didn't kill him, but he wouldn't see out of that eye again. While Druna provided a nigh-impervious shield against crossbow fire (unable to progress deeper due to a grease spell from Scolvus), Jax clamored over the stowed cargo in the hold to menace the enemy Captain. The instant he held a knife to her throat, she surrendered (and humiliatingly wet herself out of fear in doing so). The rest of the crew surrendered with her.

Questioning their new captive, they found that Captain Portia D'Angelique was a terrible captain buy an amazingly shrewd businesswoman. Her merchant family owned the boat and gave her command, with her brother as first mate (slain by Scovlus' magic missile in the fray earlier). The ship contained a whole hold full of newly made products from Eleder, a port in the far south, to be faked as antiques back in Absalom--where Portia's family could make a bundle on the perceived "exotic" look of such "ancient" designs. Captain Sullivan recalled a merchant from Absalom he sold textiles with, a man named Fildus Beene, and thus thought that the crew might do well to ransom Captain Portia. They made her write a letter (twice) of ransom to her family, and suggest to her that they sent it, though they did no such thing at that time. The rest of her crew were pressed into their service.

"Can I borrow a cup of Halfling?"

The crew decides to resume their southward sweep, again passing by the southernmost isles of the Shackles. That night, Jax and Sandara were busy snuggling under the bowsprit, while Sadie the Goat was attempting to teach Ratline Rattsberger how to steer the ship. At that moment, a pair of deadly fishmen called Sahuagin slipped onto the rear of the ship in the moonlight, and attacked Ratline and Sadie. They seemed to be trying to take the two of them captive and abduct them, tho for what foul purpose the crew didn't know. A call of alarm rouses the rest of the crew, and Captain Sullivan led the charge. With a shout of "NOT ON MY BOAT!" he swung his cutlass and beheaded the Sahuagin in a single swipe. The other one tried to steal away with Ratline, but a well-placed grease spell again proved to be effective from Scolvus, causing the fishman to drop the squirming Halfling sailor. That remaining Sahuagin seemed to think better of his abduction plans with the rest of the crew arriving, so he dived back off the end of the ship into the night sea. The crew stood on the aft deck, wondering what the fishmen were doing and whether they might have to face more such menaces before dawn arose.

Infamy and Disrepute Tracker

Infamy Score: 5
Disrepute: 5

Port Infamy list:
Rickety's Squibbs: 2

Session Six - Recap

Session Six Recap

The new Captain of the ship, Gilbert Sullivan, began his captaincy by discussing the officer positions on the ship. Some are by volunteer, such as Galfire who indicated his wish to be the cook--saying "I'll cook for you and the crew, but I reserve the right to beat the shit out of you at any time" to the new Captain. Jax was made Botswain, promising to run the ship with a hands-on approach to the sailing. Druna requested the position of Mistress-at-Arms to provide security and punishments on the ship. Scolvus inquired about being Quartermaster, which all agreed that he, with one of the more educated minds on the ship, would be ideal at that position. Sadie the Goat was asked by Captain Sullivan to be the sailing master, counting on her knowledge of the seas, nature, and ability to magically sense the direction north. Shivikah was asked to be the Carpenter/Surgeon, to which he agreed. Finally Dovan of Nisroch, another candidate for Captaincy was given an "appeasement" position as Master Gunner of the ship--appeasement owing to the fact that the ship had not a single gun or artillery piece to fire anyhow. Then came the question of what to do with Maheem, the one of the former crew who sided with Plugg. After a sharp talking to, and statement of expectations going forward, Maheem opted to comply with the commands of the new Captain and officers, and joined the riggers without further fuss.

Jax then spoke to the assembled crew, getting a sense of their likes and dislikes for tasks on the ship. He then started them on their tasks and gets sailing toward Rickety Squibb's (using Maheem's knowledge of the exact location) to refit and disguise their ship. That evening at dinner--fresh caught shark prepared by Galfire--Sandara Quinn joins them at the officers table and talks about what sailing life will be like after the squibbing. Her advice seems well received: Captain Sullivan should seek to become recognized as a Free Captain, getting a letter of marque from the Hurricane King. In order to do so, it would require a fair amount of infamy as a crew to get that recognition.

That evening, Sandara pulls Jax aside to speak with him on the fore deck. She points out that it was exactly two weeks after she and Jax first slept together, and asked him to do so again--this time under the absent moon. The session included some strange rituals, including reading some words from a paper in a language Jax didn't understand, but he complied and had a fine time in the pitch black night.

A fine port for a squibbing

After a further week of sailing, the crew arrived at Rickety Squibb's, a port hidden by the coastline just past the southern end of the isles that formed the Shackles. Signalling their peaceful intent, they sail into the hidden cove. A small launch sails out to meet them, and aboard is an old man named Rickety Hake, the proprietor of the squibbing dock and governor of the small town. He offered the crew safe port and repair, if they prove to be friendly and can pay for the latter. Scolvus goes ashore to start the selling of plunder assisted by Jax. They met Chandra, a halfling druid, who runs the village store and conducts the business transactions of buying plunder for Rickety Hake. They take her on a tour of the ship and their goods, where she seems quite enamored with both the cargo and Jax himself (leading her to make a somewhat suggestive remark about one of the dire tiger fur rugs). They processed the business transaction with her, and get the ship into dry dock to change the lines and look of the craft to hide it from Captain Harrigan.

That night, most of the crew gathered in the small tavern in Rickety's Squibbs, where Captain Sullivan told tales of being swallowed by The Whale and his nasty scar, increasing the crew's infamy. Jax spoke privately with Chandra, which leads to her inviting him back to her place for the evening.

Rickety Hake, master of interior design and the ancient Tian Xia art of ship-board color balance

The next day Rickety Hake takes Captain Sullivan, Jax, Sadie, and Scolvus on a tour of his dry dock. He worked with them to pick out some design elements for their ship, to set it apart from others--ultimately deciding upon a succubus masthead design and vulture-themed sails.

Meanwhile, Galfire and Druna hiked out the finger peninsula to see the watchtower that guards the small cove. On the way, they ran into a mated pair of wild boars rooting along the trail for food (as the drought has been bad). The pair quickly slew the wild hogs, then stopped to dress and skin the pair for food which they carried  along to the watchtower. Upon arrival they met Lyle Goodwin, the lookout, and his parrot Rotgut (who seems only able to say "Shoo fly don't bother me"). Roasting one of the boars with him, they had a generally pleasant time talking about books and the sea, Lyle's two passions.

Upon returning to the rest of the crew, Galfire roasted the other boar and presented a sumptuous feast upon the shore of the cove. Turning to the makeshift tavern again, Druna started an arm-wrestling contest to try and win a few coin. Unseen by most, she enhanced her strength with magic before her matches, but she still only managed to break even in the process. Captain Sullivan spread tales of sea-faring daring-do, again raising the group's infamy yet again among the dry dock workers and few stranded sailors of Rickety's Squibbs.

In the morning at breakfast, a dockworker comes dashing into the longhall where people are eating and shouted "There's a Chelish Warship, sailed right into the cove, no warning!" Sure enough, a big ship is anchored in the small cove, with a shore party climbing aboard the docks as people watched. While others hung back, Captain Sullivan boldly strode out the dock to the new arrivals with a cocksure "Hello." Sharp eyes quickly spotted that the new arrivals were not in Chelish marine gear, but rather were rather rag-tag. The leader of the landing party, a tall Andoren man with a peg leg, introduced himself as Merrill Pegsworthy.

Once you loose a leg, it's nickname time...

Captain Pegsworthy said that he didn't get any signal from the watchtower so he just sailed right in--hence the cautious attitude and his sailors' dirks drawn. Rickety Hake reached the docks at about that point, and was concerned about the lack of his lookout sending word to the docks of the approaching ship. The crew of The Broken Promise offered to check up on Lyle Goodwin the lookout, which Rickety Hake said he'd sure appreciate and reward them for if they find something amiss.

Heading up to the lookout's spot to check on Lyle, the crew finds no answer when they call out. Climbing up to the lookout perch they are greeted with a gruesome sight. Lyle's body lies there, horribly swollen and clearly dead. Investigating the body, they do find evidence that he was stung numerous times, but it wasn't venom that killed him. Rather, the loss of blood from huge sword-size stingers did the job.

Presuming some sort of giant insect, the crew searched into the headlands of the peninsula. There they found a giant sloth stung to death, and a huge wasp nest torn to bits by the creature in it's death throes. Unfortunately, there were only giant wasp larvae and a few dead insects--not nearly the number that would likely to be present with a hive of this massive size. Suddenly the crew became very nervous about where all the wasps were.

Running back to Rickety's Squibbs the crew find the town beset by the giant wasps. They leaped into immediate battle, and while a few get stings they manage to finish off the last group of wasps. Many of the villagers were injured from stings and a few died from multiple strikes. Their crew assisted, along with Captain Pegsworthy's, in defending the town admirably. Most were okay or only superficially hurt--though Jaundiced Jape suffered about eight stings and was absolutely swollen with poison. He managed to mutter his particular hiss-like laughter and give a thumbs up with the hand that wasn't swollen stiff.

After spending the evening resting and tending for the wounded of the village, the next morning the crew found Rickety Hake ready to launch their modified ship. For good luck, Rickety suggested that an existing free captain like Captain Pegsworthy christen the launch. Pegsworthy agreed to do so, saying that the bravery the crew of The Broken Promise showed in defending the village and his sailors made him owe them a debt of gratitude. He said that his ships all fly the sign of the Three Birds, and that they'll be informed to run fair with The Broken Promise as long as it does the same. At the rechristening, Captain Pegsworthy offers a toast, saying in part that "Good fortune and sure sail await what one can crack the Tidewater Rock." As the crew board their ship and ease out into the ocean from Rickety's Squibbs, they wonder whether they should turn their eyes to preying on merchants, pillaging fishing villages, seeking out buried treasures, or taking a chance at what Captain Pegsworthy suggested: attempting to control the small fortress island known as Tidewater Rock that marks the southern point of the Shackles.

Infamy and Disrepute Tracker

Infamy Score: 5
Disrepute: 5

Port Infamy list:
Rickety's Squibbs: 2