TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by From the LITANY OF KIN, an ancient Tiamatic text rejected from the chromatic canon at the Council of Iznik. 
   The flames that scar and do not warm.
The streams that dissolve and do not quench.
The winds that freeze and do not refresh.
The lights that burn and do not reveal.
The blooms that sting and do not restore.
The shadows that cut and do not hide.
The grips that crush and do not build.
The dead that hunt and do not rest.   
 


 
 Originally Posted by A letter from the black dragon Negniter to his cousin Tenebrous 
 Proud as we are, who can deny that we are less than we once were? Our own mother scoured us from the earth, and we live in exile on these changeable isles. The world that was once ours swarms with hairy bipeds -- solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. His Viridian Majesty has forbidden us to think of it, and the Storm-Veil'd Queen must not be mentioned. But how can we forget when our dead litter their shores? Our dead... we must always remember our dead. 
 

     
 [OOC] 

Lssthp, home of the Chromatic Empire, is one vast city-state, threaded with mountains and forests and wastes that separate districts but all one island, one continent, one land. To the north of this island lies Grand Hoard, the district of the Royal House and the great ports of the Navy and Merchant fleets. A bay like a vast bite taken out of the shore is fenced off, the Quay of Beasts where serpentships are constructed and sea serpents are bred and trained, adjacent to the miles and miles of docks and the mansions of the Black dragonborn, built out over the water to accomodate their slumbering amphibious masters.

From along this coast, you can look up along the bulk of the island and see Grand Hoard loom over you. Let lesser dragons hoard gems or gold; the wealth of his Viridian Majesty is in ships and warehouse and banks and temples. The Imperial Residence is that overgrown jungle of gardens there to the east; there to the west lies the Court of the Magistrate Lapis, the highest authority of the law, its marble towers licked by lightning and veiled in thunder. The high peaks in the distance are capped with snow, venting flame; in the magmalight you can sometimes make out the Great Library, where monks guard the gates to the Plane of Law.

With no sun or moon, life in the Empire is governed by the bells, and they're ringing now. It's Rising, and all over Lssthp laborers and servants are rising, shaping the world for the more leisurely awakening of the upper castes. Along the dock and quay and in the wyvern aeries, the druids come with their goodberries, feeding the waiting beasts. The intricate machinery of the Empire ticks over into a new day.

At one end of the dock, the warships that patrol the Calm around Lssthp; dreadnoughts constructed over the shells of dragon-turtles and trireme patrol boats rowed by conscripts. At the other, the merchant vessels float, huge and vulnerable, hauled through the Calm until they can raise their sails. In between lie the privateers, empowered by their letters of marque to build serpenthulls and hunt pirates and vikings. Some accompany merchants, frisking around the wind-bound, wallowing galleons; some hunt in packs or alone among the islands of the Hic Sunt.

 This  ship is the  White Cliff , a decommissioned military ship in service as a privateer these thirty years and serving the navy gods know how long before that. The tall ship mounted on the beast's back has the patchwork hide of an experienced vessel, held together by spit and kobold ingenuity. It's drawn by a thirty-meter plesiosaur, waiting for its breakfast. The crew of thirty was stirring already before Rising bell; everyone knows today they'll be leaving port, back to the hunt, and there's much to do before the Captain returns from her business on shore. Most of the officers are back already from their shore leave, but not all -- so long as they beat the Captain, all will be well.

First Mate Achelous, by all means already aboard, supervises the crew as they load supplies and swarm over the rigging, and even his sharp tongue finds little to criticize. There are hungover stumblers among them, but no layabouts. Most at least pretend to busy industry.

Beyond the docks, the sea spreads out in the perfect glass placidity of the Calm, a mirror of the dancing stars. Larger than the stars of the humanoid lands and burning in different colors, some move in stately gavotte and others swirl and leap unpredictably. One white star burns, far to the north, fixed and unmoving and piercing the stormclouds of the Hic Sunt that crowd the horizon. The Lighthouse is shining full on Lssthp; a good day to set out.
J-H
      
   <span style="font-family: Century

Gothic">  Servius Calventius Pamphilius  
  
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 12 / 15 (Mage Armor) HP: 22/22 
 PPer: 10 PInv: 16 PIst: 10  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating:   
 
  

Servius slithers back and forth on the poop deck [top rear / steering / command deck].  This will be his first time in command of others, possibly for battle.  Hed did not sleep well, and has been awake for a couple of hours already.  Servius is careful, however, to keep his long tail out of the way of the working sailors.  It is tough and muscled, but someone stepping on his tail is still an unpleasant experience.

Soon, they will find out where they are going.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg grumbled and stumbled up the gangplank. He had taken the time to splash water on his face and eat something hearty before leaving the tavern, but there was still a certain sway about him. He hauled with him the medical supplies and reagents he might need for the trip and made straight for the ship's small surgery.

On his way into the bowels of the ship, he briefly threw a salute towards Achelous.

After squaring away the medical supplies, Ttharg decided to find Tegu and see what kind of state she was in. Maybe she had some hair of the dog too.
TriciaOso
The ship's purser, quartermaster and cook-by-default is currently on deck, scattering a mixture of grain and bone meal into the cockatrice coop and eyeing the beasts beadily.
 They're handy for eggs and meat on a voyage, but their bites can be nasty.
 

She's a vast, sturdy lizardfolk woman, with a face like raw ground meat and two or three teeth missing. (They'll grow back.) She does, by chance, have a flask on her person of the liquor she distills in the noisome galley. Handing it over, she jerks her chin towards the poop deck staggered above and the pacing serpentfolk. "Yon's the new gunnery master," she grunts. "Man of the book, so I hear."

Most of the gunnery crew are warlocks and sorcerers; unusual to see a wizard in the job.
zylodrizzt
An ancient copper kobold is busy below deck reapplying a layer of sealant to the hull. His body gnarled and wiry. Eyes clouded over to a degree that you'd expect him blind. His body missing scales here and there as if he were balding but all over his body. He grabs tools from triceratool a mechanical triceratops of his own design. It's horns articulate and versatile enough to facilitate assistance brings him material while Mini cliff, a replica of the ship and fetcher, a tiny multi-tool resembling a pterodactyl, bring him tools and help with any delicate work.

He's been up for a while already making last minute repairs  Dam layabouts. Thats the problem with todays youth. Dont know a real days work  he thinks as triceratool brings him another bucket of sealant. It doesn't matter where they are going or what they are doing as long as the ship is in good shape.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "Ahoy, Tegu. How was ye shore leave?"   Ttharg greeted her.


 
 Originally Posted by TriciaOso 
 She does, by chance, have a flask on her person of the liquor she distills in the noisome galley. Handing it over, she jerks her chin towards the poop deck staggered above and the pacing serpentfolk. "Yon's the new gunnery master," she grunts. "Man of the book, so I hear."

Most of the gunnery crew are warlocks and sorcerers; unusual to see a wizard in the job. 
 

  "Thank ye."   Said Ttharg as he took a swig from the flask and handed it back to the purser. He looked up to the poopdeck and the new officer.   "Of the book, eh? Wonder what misdeeds he did to get lumped with us mangy lot. Landlubber, or did he serve with the Navy before?"  
Dirty
Fork made the final preparations as he shifted some items over from the mahogany desk to the side table in the captains office. The captain liked coming in and sometimes slam books, parchment and maps on the desk, and more than once Fork had to scramble to replace whatever glass or ink jar got caught in the maelstrom of paperwork and fell to the floor.

Fork was meticulous, he liked being thorough. He stepped back and surveyed the scene. He stepped over to tuck in the curtains a little better and the light hit the office just right as he exited.

He made his way up the command deck with his back straight and his uniform buttoned up. He breathed in the fresh air and it hit some primal part of his brain just right. As organised as he was, known for strictly following protocol and duty, there was another part of him that enjoyed the unbridled freedom of the sea. It was like hunting, speed and instinct instead of rules and regulations. Perhaps this was the reason he was so comfortable being bound by etiquette and procedure. He needed the balance in order to fully excel during a hunt. To reach his own personal best and transcend he needed to strive after a higher discipline. It was the only way he knew. His way of life, the way of his clan.

He breathed out and felt that duality of his nature on days like these, just before setting sail, and he felt energised.

He greeted Servius in a polite way, with an acknowledging nod like one would their peers. As Fork stood there with his back straight, waiting for the arrival of the captain he let out a sharp curt whistle.

Moments later, as Fork gazed over the deck of the ship to take stock of the crew, a small drake came soaring through the clouds and circled the ship twice before it landed gracefully next to Fork. It was only then that Fork looked sideways and when they made eye contact a smile between friends could be perceived. No words were exchanged. It was but a nod from Fork and the Drake took off again, this time circling the ship with a much wider diameter.

"A good day to sail." He said finally, to the Yuan-ti Mage.
Infernally Clay
      
     Kabett    
   Tortle Druid, Circle of Spores 
 AC:  19  | HP:  35/35  | Initiative:  +0
 Str:  -1  | Dex:  +0  | Con:  +3  | Int:  +4  | Wis:  +5  | Cha:  -1

 Spell Slots:   1st:  4/4 |  2nd:  3/3
 Wildshapes:  2/2
 Active Effects:  None
 Conditions:   None   
 
  

Kabett minded his own business. He wasn't the aloof sort, he just didn't think anyone would be that interested in an old shell like him. Least of all because his shell was a large fungus. Kabett had met many a squeamish sort who worried they might catch something from him. So he spent his days tending to the animal that ferries the ship, as his father had done and his father before him. To the rest of the crew, the animal may not even have passed notice. They might not even know its name, but Kabett does.

When the bells ring, signifying the start of the day, Kabett has already been tending to his duties and was kneeled precariously atop the neck of the plesiosaur as he kept it clean of barnacles and debris. When he finally returns to the deck, he spots a Yuan-To proclaiming it is a good day to sail. Kabett merely smiles and nods, saying "We are blessed by nature's bounty."
TriciaOso
First Mate Achelous, looking down the quay, spots something and vanishes below deck.

 
 Spoiler: Passive Perception of 12+ 
The slim figure of Captain Magyar, her white-scaled face gleaming above her fresh, dark-green uniform, is approaching; by her side is a Yuan-Ti woman of gorgon heritage, with dark mauve scales and her writhing hair gathered behind her in a bun. She wears spectacles and blue robes with a copper pentagon on the belt, and carries her own bag.

 
 Spoiler: Servius, or those with a Passive Investigation of 12+ 
These robes are identifiable to those in the know as the habit of a senior library monk of the Great Library.
 

 


 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
   Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "Ahoy, Tegu. How was ye shore leave?"   Ttharg greeted her.



  "Thank ye."   Said Ttharg as he took a swig from the flask and handed it back to the purser. He looked up to the poopdeck and the new officer.   "Of the book, eh? Wonder what misdeeds he did to get lumped with us mangy lot. Landlubber, or did he serve with the Navy before?"   
 

"He's not said," grunts the purser. She gazes up on the deck as the familiar shapes of Fork and Kabett join the Yuan-Ti. "Close-mouthed bunch, the lot of you." She gestures with her flask to the loose grouping on the poop deck. "Hello lads, and a merry greeting to our new Gunnery Officer. What brings ye down among us?"

But he does not get a chance to reply. Her flask vanishes adroitly as Achelous herds any hands remaining below up onto the deck, just in time for the Captain's appearance.


 


Captain Bendeguz Magyar is slim for a dragonborn, although as she moves into early middle-age you might be more inclined to use the word  spare . Her eyes are bright and attentive as they sweep over the assembled crew, and she tilts her head slightly to take the First Mate's report.  "Right,"  she says once, and then more loudly, projecting to the poop deck.

 "Right! Here we are again. I hope you've enjoyed your leave, because we won't see port again for a spell."  She gestures to the snakefolk woman. " This is Siduri Atropae, abbess of the librarian-monks and a professor at Chalcedon University. She'll be our passenger on the voyage. She's a scholar, of course, but her business is on behalf of the Empire and urgent." 
 
"We're bearing her to the Sunhome Isles, where she has an errand, and along the way and once we've got her there we'll give her every aid and comfort." 

Her eyes flick over Achelous.  "Along the way we shall do what hunting we find the chance for. If you've read the papers you know the squids and their orc janissaries have been spotted in the Hic Sunt in unusual numbers. If you don't read the papers, and Erathis knows most of you just flip to the pictures on Page 3, hear this -- we don't want squids around here. We don't want their drugs and we don't want their magical trash. Not at Home and not among the Isles. It may please the metallics to trade with them, but as far as we're concerned there are  no  legitimate flags of trade among the illithid and we  will  root them and their operations out of this side of the world." 
 "We will keep our wits about us and keep a weather eye for any other legitimate targets -- won't we just, Mr. Frkkk? -- but those are our primary and secondary missions. Take the librarian to the Sunhomes and sink any orcs we meet along the way."  She ranges her eyes along her officers and adds,  "Professor Atropae will join us at Officers' Mess tonight and those of you in responsible positions will have the chance for further briefing. For now, let's get under way. Cauda, a quick word with you about our heading, yes?" 

As the crew unfreezes and returns to their work, a pale and somewhat ethereal Yuan-Ti of the naga race joins her to discuss navigation out of the Calm, and the First Mate takes Professor Atropae below. The remaining officers -- Tegu, Frrkkk, Servius, Ttharg, Kabett, and Nibum -- find themselves assembled in the general area of the poop deck. The flask makes a re-appearance. Chains begin to rattle as the anchor is lifted.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
And we're under way! Feel free to talk briefly among yourselves or otherwise mark a little time before we pick up at exposition o'clock for dinner. Let me know here or on Discord about any checks you'd like to make.
 
zylodrizzt
One of the benefits of being an officer is nibum could tell someone to do something and in general they have to do so. He barks   one of you layabouts give me your paper. Quick now i aint got time to waste  . When one of them pulls out a paper he sends fetcher to grab it and bring it back taking a close look at it. He barely keeps up with anything normally but this time it might have something to do with this ship and he's not about to ignore it this time. While he takes a look he sends triceratool and the other two to search the ship for potential stowaways
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Newspaper (Inv Check 5+) 
There is an article about the increased bounties on the ships of the Kings Over The Sea, the name used by the illithid in their dealings with this world. The KOS trade with the native species of the world via their merchant-marine of orc slaves, selling magical goods and the illlithid drug known as ink. Decades ago, the KOS seized the human city of Spice Harbor as permanent foothold in this world.

The article recaps a story that has been unfolding over the last few months: some time ago, the black dragon Tenebrous attempted to liberate the city and establish a draconic colony in human lands, despite the law of the Empire. If he had been successful, it might have been forgiven. As it turned out, he fell into the hands of the mind-flayers. The liberation of Spice Harbor has been achieved, but it is back in human hands. The mindflayers have lost their favored port in this world, and seem to be trying to escape back over the ocean.

The gist of this article is that their only possible route takes them through the Hic Sunt, and thus the new and hefty bounties.

 
 Spoiler: Inv Check 15+ 
A related and minor story discusses the forfeit of Tenebrous's lands and wealth to the Empire for his failure, including the estates and titles of the Achelous, Delethe, and Stygian families.

Some of the land has been presented to the University of Chalcedon by the Emperor, and the article discusses the necessary relocation of an indigenous bullywug village as the climate dries up from swamp to desert--an inevitable result when land passes from black dragon control to blue.

 
 Spoiler: Nibum Only 
Nibum, you know that the old Negniter estates devolved onto Tenebrous when the family was wiped out and would be a part of that parcel of land.
 

 

 
J-H
 Servius 
After Nibum is done with the paper, Servius takes it.  He's read and helped print plenty of newspapers in his time...

 "It appears that the illithid will be passing through the Hic Sunt in larger numbers than usual.  We should have good hunting." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

As the Captain had boarded the deck and made her announcement, Ttharg had stood at attention dutifully. Once she had finished her announcement, Ttharg whispered to Tegu:   "A pair o' wizards joining us at the same time? Ain't that bad luck or somethin'?"   He shakes his head.   "Aye, but it doesn't matter now; we have our orders and we sail at our Captain's pleasure. I'll see ye at six bells tonight."  

Ttharg splits off from Tegu to approach Nibum and Servius.   "Ahoy mates."   He nods to Nibum in acknowledgement.   "So ye be the new Gunnery Officer then?"   He said to Servius.   "I hear ye be a wizard? Couldn't get a job aboard a fancy vessel? Harhar! I be Ttharg Krixkrux, ship's sawbones; but as a fellow officer ye can call me Ttharg. What do ye think o' this fine sea vessel?"  
J-H
 Servius 
Servius frowns.  It looks like he does that a lot.  With a dragonborn nearby, he raises himself slightly higher on his tail, seeking a slight positional dominance.   "This...employment... seemed a good way to see some different places, and put some distance between myself and some situations I would prefer not to be around.  It seems like an old ship, but perhaps fast.  Have you been aboard this ship long?" 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg nods, almost sympathetically.   "Well, ye picked a good place for it. This here's a fine ship, and a fine crew; but don't tell the scallywags that! It'll go to their scurvy heads! I've been aboard for many a year, but not as long as the Captain; or the Keeper."   He pauses thoughtfully.   "Ye might be seeing action on ye first voyage, mate. What was ye name?"  
zylodrizzt
Absentmindedly as he walks away you can have that  he says then mumbling and grubling as he leaves.

Nibum goes and search for the 1st mate
J-H
 Servius 
 "Servius Calventius Pamphilus.  I am new to sea travel and combat, but I believe I have conducted sufficient research to excel at my role.  What's the most interesting thing you have seen or learned at sea?" 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Absentmindedly as he walks away you can have that  he says then mumbling and grubling as he leaves.

Nibum goes and search for the 1st mate 
 

Having shown the Professor to a cabin below decks, Cocytus Achelous is now by the wheel, grimly watching the Navigator, Cauda, lay in her course. She is making elaborate reference to her Star Chart and taking readings of the dancing stars with strange instruments. At times she dances herself.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 10+; disadv for anyone not seeking them out 
Cauda is an excellent but idiosyncratic navigator, and her methods are clearly frustrating to the navally-trained Cocytus. It's the way she talks to her astrolabe, primarily.
 
zylodrizzt
Focused on the matter at hand nibum pays no attention to the navigator as he speaks directly to the first mate  I just got done with the paper... i dont understand. How can they do that? Can anythint be done? Does the scholar have anything to do with it?  he hisses the last sentence
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Focused on the matter at hand nibum pays no attention to the navigator as he speaks directly to the first mate  I just got done with the paper... i dont understand. How can they do that? Can anythint be done? Does the scholar have anything to do with it?  he hisses the last sentence 
 

Cocytus scowls, and pulls Nibum aside. "Tenebrous has offended the Emperor with his presumption. It has been forbidden to take land from the apes for centuries."

"They can do whatever they want to us now," he snarls.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  Servius 
 "Servius Calventius Pamphilus.  I am new to sea travel and combat, but I believe I have conducted sufficient research to excel at my role.  What's the most interesting thing you have seen or learned at sea?"  
 

  "Aye? Let me give you some advice lad: all the book-learnin' in the world ain't gunna prepare you for the maelstrom that is combat. The shouts, the screams, the splintering of wood, the blood on your boots... or tail...."   Ttharg almost seems lost in thought for a moment before resuming.   "It ain't something ye should be looking forward to; even with our orders. And then it becomes  my  job to patch everyone back together. So just ye remember that."  

Ttharg began to move off before turning back to Servius.   "Most interestin' thing I seen? How quickly sailors find and lose their faith out here."   Servius sees Ttharg absent-mindedly run a claw over an amulet on his neck.   "I'll see ye at six bells in the Mess. And if ye find yourself getting seasick, don't come to me to help ye; ye need to best that condition yeself."  

Ttharg then takes to pacing the deck, trying to wear off the rest of his hangover.
zylodrizzt
 
 Originally Posted by TriciaOso 
 Cocytus scowls, and pulls Nibum aside. "Tenebrous has offended the Emperor with his presumption. It has been forbidden to take land from the apes for centuries."

"They can do whatever they want to us now," he snarls. 
 

Stomping his foot  Thats outragous. How could they cast them down like that. Uproot so many lives so easily. What has university ever done hmm. All because they wanted to help and expand the empire. What sort of message does that send hmm. How day they. Cocytus if there is anything i can do just let me know. Ill be up to my usual duties of course. Not sure how I feel about having this scholar aboard now knowing all this now. You know i barely follow the news and barely leave the ship. . After cocytus response if any nibum turns to the navigator  hope im not distracting you but id like to know if we might be setting off soon? 
Dirty
Fork stood straight as usual as the captain made her speech. His stoic demeanor took in the information like a professional.  -- won't we just, Mr. Frkkk? --  To this he gave a single confident nod.

As the captain went below Fork looked out towards the horizon with anticipation. He turned back towards the officers collected around him.

"It appears that the illithid will be passing through the Hic Sunt in larger numbers than usual. We should have good hunting." Servius said.

"Good." Fork responded. "But a good hunt is also a practice of moderation.. Then again the captain isn't one to bite off more than she could chew."

He overheard Ttharg cautioning against glorifying bloodlust and he nodded. "Wise words, to be heeded for sure."

The young professional kobold named Frkkk (About 35 years of age if he'd have been a human, whatever that translates to for kobolds) made his way past large lizardmen and burly dragonborn and went up the crows nest. He climbed slowly and deliberately, he wanted to save his energy and soak up some sun while contemplating over the coming days.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Stomping his foot  Thats outragous. How could they cast them down like that. Uproot so many lives so easily. What has university ever done hmm. All because they wanted to help and expand the empire. What sort of message does that send hmm. How day they. Cocytus if there is anything i can do just let me know. Ill be up to my usual duties of course. Not sure how I feel about having this scholar aboard now knowing all this now. You know i barely follow the news and barely leave the ship. . 
 

"Don't be a bloody fool, Nibum," says the First Mate, and turns away.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 15+, adv 
It's clear that he's moved by this and doesn't know what to say.
 


 After cocytus response if any nibum turns to the navigator  hope im not distracting you but id like to know if we might be setting off soon?  

 "Time is an illusion,"  Cauda says dreamily.  "Did you know that stars are following you? How extraordinary." 

 The young professional kobold named Frkkk (About 35 years of age if he'd have been a human, whatever that translates to for kobolds) made his way past large lizardmen and burly dragonborn and went up the crows nest. 

The eerie flat sea of the Calm stretches out around Lssthp in all directions, becalmed by the exponentially-multiplied influence of the hundreds of dragons.

 
 Spoiler: Perception 10+, adv for your drake 
Fork can see a scattering of ships crossing the Calm, but few heading in this direction; the Sunhome Isles are a less popular hunting ground for privateers than the scattered islands to the north and west, and the merchants rarely head in that direction, either.

 
 Spoiler: Perception 15+ 
There is a faint smudge of ship on the horizon, about a day's travel in the direction of the White Cliff's heading. It's quite hard to make out any details, though.

 
 Spoiler: Perception 20+ 
A very, very keen eye could make out by the light of dancing stars off clouds of steam that it's a goblin steamship puffing laboriously towards Lssthp. It's truly impossible to see from this distance if they're flying a registered flag of trade, but they would be pretty suicidal not to be.
 

 

 
zylodrizzt
 
 Originally Posted by TriciaOso 
 "Don't be a bloody fool, Nibum," says the First Mate, and turns away.



 "Time is an illusion,"  Cauda says dreamily.  "Did you know that stars are following you? How extraordinary."  
 

Shocked at the scolding  nibum lowers his eyes and says in a whisper  Sorry sir.... wont happen again  he salutes the back of the first mate then turns to cauda.

In response nibum lets out a raspy chuckle Well i could use some more illusion never have enough honestly.  he jests.  What do you mean the stars are following me?No diffrently then everyone else right?  he asks full of confusion
TriciaOso
 "Your loyalty has made a galaxy of you,"  she says, which turns out to be the most coherent thing you can get out of her on this topic.


 


Some hours later, Officer's Mess convenes in the Officer's Wardroom; smaller desk are folded up into the walls and a long banquet table is lowered on chains from above to convert the room from a shared study and library to a dining room. Chairs are rearranged and food a cut above the crew's meals is produced; at the beginning of the voyage, at least, there are still fresh vegetables and meat to enjoy. Soon it will be salt flesh and dubious potatoes for everyone, or the occasional cockatrice that has had the misfortune to stop laying eggs.

Cabin boys serve at the Officer's Table, and cabin boys gossip, so the Captain does not turn to matters of business until the plates are cleared and an excellent wine from a lesser Imperial vineyard is served. She pours herself, having turned out the curious lads after dessert, and passes the goblets to Frrkkk to hand around.

She settles back into her chair and looks pointedly to Professor Atropae. As a naga, she does not have a chair but coils her tail beneath herself; now she expands her coils to shift to a standing posture. Her blue monk's habit is as crisp as it was when she came aboard. The living serpents of her hair are released from the rigid bun she came aboard with, and although she does not drink from her wine, occasionally one of them will dip its head and flicker a tongue into the goblet.

 "As the Captain has told you, I am Professor Siduri Atropae. I invite you to call me Siduri,"  she says.  I am not a sailor or an experienced voyager, and I must ask you to excuse my ignorance in your particular area of specialty. It is... uneasy ground for me, as it is usually my job to be an expert."

   
"My field of study is theological, and that is the subject I teach at Chalcedon University. I specialize in the early scriptures of the Pentiarchal faith. In the Library, I hold a position a greater responsibility, as the Keeper of certain dangerous and heretical texts that pre-date, or only shortly follow, the Cataclysm. I am considered an expert of the cults of Tiamat, Apophis, Umberlee and several other minor heresies." 
 
 Spoiler: History or Religion Check - baseline 
All of you would know that the dragons of Lssthp  became  the dragons of Lssthp after the Cataclym -- when Tiamat took offense at the independence of her children and tore the heart from the Plane of Fire, using it as a weapon to wipe out reptilian life in the continent of Daesic. The metallic survivors were those who had followed the prophet Bahamut out to sea some decades earlier; the chromatic survivors those who followed the Five Chromatic Gods to Lssthp just before the Cataclysm, in a betrayal of their vengeful tyrant mother. After the Cataclysm she was bound in the Fire Plane, beneath the central volcano of Sunhome Isle.

In the millennia that followed, the dragons and their servitor races took root in Lssthp, while the giants and their humanoid descendants claimed the wasteland that had been Daesic. The Five Gods were worshipped, not just in Lssthp, but in the human lands disguised as human gods.

 
 Spoiler: Cult of Tiamat (5+) 
Many of you also would be aware of the Tiamatic cult that claims that the Five were obeying the will of their mother, or are in fact faces she wears, and that the long history of Lssthp and Daesic has all been according to her plan. The cult is illegal, but not precisely unheard of. There is much distance, however, between those who worship the Mother of Dragons, and those who would actively seek to free her.
 

 
 Spoiler: Cult of Apophis (10+, or baseline for Yuan-Ti.) 
Fewer would be aware of the cult of Apophis, the snake god worshipped by the free Yuan-Ti of the Hic Sunt. Technically, only those serpentfolk who follow Apophis should claim the name Yuan-Ti. This faith is absolutely forbidden, as it is in many ways opposed to the Five Gods, but even in Lssthp, there are serpentfolk who serve Apophis by working against their draconic rulers in secret.
 

 
 Spoiler: 15+ 
These are far from the only secretive or forbidden religions of Lssthp. The most vile and mysterious are the worshippers of the Slaadi who ruled Lssthp before the dragons came.
 

 

 "Recently, the Library came into possession of some new texts--well. Not new. Very, very ancient versions of other texts that were merely old. But new to us; different. Certain passages that had been altered or removed entirely in the Diet of Iznik. Passages dealing with relationships between the gods long hidden, and certain rituals of binding and releasing." 

The leather face of First Mate Achelous reacts, very slightly, to this by creasing further.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 10+, adv for Nobim 
You suspect the texts came from the Achelous family estate that was transferred to the University.
 

 "These texts had been kept in a private collection for millennia, and now, they are loose in the world. The Library preserves and treasures all knowledge, but some knowledge is not for all eyes.  This  knowledge was seen by eyes that should not have seen it. By a traitor within the Grand Library."

"The Captain has told you our destination is the Sunhome Isles. This is not entirely accurate... I still hope we can catch up to the traitor before he reaches the volcano. I hope so very much." 

The Captain grimaces.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 10+, adv for Fork 
She seems to think this hope is feeble.
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 12 / 15 (Mage Armor) HP: 22/22 
 PPer: 10 PInv: 16 PIst: 10  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating:   
 
  
 "Professor Siduri"  (Servius falls back on old habits)  "Does this traitor have a name?  It sounds as though you are hinting at a goal of releasing Herself (or is it Herselves?) from her prison.  That would be catastrophic!  What kind of fool would seek that?"

Does this traitor have a name and a face, and perhaps a magical signature that can be traced?  Is the ship and departure date known?  Is this a mission of imprisonment to face justice, or are we seeking to bring back only a head?" 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  "Professor Siduri"  (Servius falls back on old habits)  "Does this traitor have a name?  It sounds as though you are hinting at a goal of releasing Herself (or is it Herselves?) from her prison.  That would be catastrophic!  What kind of fool would seek that?"

Does this traitor have a name and a face, and perhaps a magical signature that can be traced?  Is the ship and departure date known?  Is this a mission of imprisonment to face justice, or are we seeking to bring back only a head?"  
 

 "His name is Trionyx, a young tortle monk of my order. As a child, his lifeforce became bound to an artifact of Shetyw, one of the ancient and obscure deities we study in my part of the Library. He joined us because he burned with curiosity about the god that preserved him, but despite his best efforts, it seemed only fragments remained. He has been in the unusual position of the prophet of a god whose will is a mystery... a god who may not even exist outside the shard embedded in Trionyx."

   
"And now, we believe, he has become convinced that Shetyw is merely one more mask of Tiamat. All of that frustration and zeal, converted in a moment into an ambition to... well, an ambition to seek out the Sunhome, first and foremost. "

"We cannot be entirely sure what he intends there, but what you have spoken is indeed what we fear. In any case, he has stolen the text and taken ship for the Sunhome Isles. It is a book of dark magic and the foulest heresies. No good can come of it being loose in the world. Our primary mission must be to retrieve it; what becomes of Trionyx, I'm afraid, is of secondary importance." 

Her face is grim as she says this; it seems as if she regrets it, but has no doubt.

 "As for his ship... that is another little mystery. The frigate  Broad Fin  was in dock while the mount recovered from injuries sustained in battle. Her crew was ashore. Yet it seems he stole it--alone--and broke out of dock. It took some time to put the two disappearances together; we are a week behind him, or a little less." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "Would removing the artifact kill him? Or has it become part of him entirely?"   Ttharg mused for a second.   "He may be a week ahead, aye, but his ship's mount be crippled, and he be just one man. He must eat and sleep like the rest o' us. We'll catch up with him."   Ttharg says the last part whilst looking at the Captain, almost trying to assuage her fears.   "Why not simply destroy the book, if it drives men mad?"  
J-H
 Servius 
 "Destroy it?  But then how would we learn from it?  Or consider this:  There could be another copy out there, somewhere.  If we are ignorant of the contents, how would we know when someone else got the other copy and tried to do the same foolish thing with it?  Only by knowing what we face can it be opposed properly."   Servius seems offended at the idea of destroying books.
Dirty
Fork looked thoughtful as he took the information in. He tried to remember what he'd heard about the ship and mount they are now in pursuit of.

He couldn't answer the speculations about destroying the book, and right now he was like a bloodhound getting the first sniffs of its prey. This made him somewhat less inclined to spare the Captains feelings when he spoke up.

 "Trionyx needs to sleep, maybe, but the same cannot be said for the mount of the Broad Fin. It's sleep cycle can be pushed to the extreme and if he's mad enough to hijack the Broad Fin by his lonesome I fear the worst for the poor mount."  Fork looked over at Kabett and Nibum.  "What are we looking at here? Speedwise?" Assuming the worst, and he's got enough provisions on board. And he's somehow got enough control over the mount to have it do his bidding for the full duration.. 

He tried to remember if he's heard any shoptalk or gossip about the Broad Fin and mount during his time on shore.  "Any information we have on either the ship or its mount would be good to have."  Fork said to noone in particular.
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Memories of the Broad Fin, on a 10+ Investigation 
A frigate, the  Broad Fin  is smaller than the  White Cliff  but faster and more maneuverable. The mount is quite younger than the  White Cliff , and not trained to fight in its own battles; it would depend on warlock or sorcerer gunners for that. With a week's headstart, a healthy mount and a full crew in the rigging, it would be uncatchable, but of course it only has one of those. It needs less crew than a ship like the  White Cliff , but one man absolutely could not work the sails alone -- it would be fully reliant on the mount.
 

 "Well observed, Mr. Frrkkk,"  the Captain begins, but is interrupted.

"The book does NOT send men mad," Cocytus Achelous bursts out hotly. "It did no harm in the hoard of Tenebrous or his fathers, did it? And then you--"

 "Not helping, Cocytus,"  murmurs the Captain, and the First Mate clamps his jaw shut angrily.

"Ain't this all madness?" says Tegu, diffidently. She rarely speaks up at these kind of meetings. "One tortle,  not  a sailing man, no navigator, no time to take proper supplies, no mastery of the beast -- an injured beast -- belike we'll find him drifting in the Calm and eating his own boots."

 "There are spells,"  says the Librarian.  "Spells to conjure food, to conjure a crew perhaps, to grant knowledge, assuredly. All that would be beyond Trionyx normally, but as Servius points out, we simply cannot know what he found in the book. Yes, perhaps he simply ran mad -- I  pray  he ran mad -- but we cannot trust it is not worse." 
 "And yet,"  the Captain says.  "I think Tegu and Fork are both right. He cannot make the Sunhome on his own. I think he will drive his mount to its death, poor beast, to get out of the Calm, and then find passage on a metallic or trade ship. Either by trade or by compulsion... for there are spells for that, too." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg actually seems apologetic to the First Mate.   "Beggin' ye pardon, sir. I meant no offence to ye House."  

Ttharg thinks again.   "If this book and this Tortle lad have a relationship with strange and old Gods, be it possible he's conjured himself spirits of the dead to help him sail? Mayhaps he's even claimed the soul o' the poor mount? If so, he could keep it sailin' for as long as he's got power."  
zylodrizzt
Nibum has been working on some voice recorders this entire time. He hadn't seemed like he was paying attention but since cocytus had made mention of tenebrous hoard and how the book came from there not only made him seeth but also made him remember something tho perhaps it was hardly important. He calm says to the captain as he slides the recorders to him  i finished with the recording devices for any announcements you might have for the crew as the meeting takes place. I'll have mini cliff and fetcher deliver them wherever needed.  . He never understood why he was in these meetings and always hated them. He could be working. He takes a deep breath before speaking again. It comes out sharp as he says  it seems to me that once again those that think themselves intellegent have taken much too much time THINKING and not DOING now everyone is in danger. Cocytus is right why couldnt you have left it well enough alone obviosly it wasnt a danger before when it was in tenebrous hoard. You think he went mad ha what a laugh. I'm sure you recall the  litany of kin and surrakh heresy. Let me refresh your memory. This basically says shetyw may be the tyrant queen herself. And look here the shell is on its way to her. Probably the key to releasing her. Lets stop talking and lets start doing.  he ends starring daggers at the medusa. Maybe it wasn't the Medusa fault but none the less she represented in his mind the sacking of his home.
TriciaOso
 "Enough,"  the Captain says heavily.  "Enough. We are not here to argue about religion or the finer points of Imperial justice. The point of this meeting is to understand the mission and what must be done. Mr. Nibum, I believe you do understand the seriousness and the goals of this ship. Anything else you can take up with the Magistrate Lapis or the  Heirophant Carmine  upon our return."

"Right here and now, Professor Siduri is not a representative of the University or the Library, whatever you believe their sins to be."  Her angry look takes in not just the elderly kobold, but her First Mate as well.  "She is the person who knows what we need to know to complete our mission. End of." 
 "I do not accept the heresy of Sarrukh,"  the Professor says quietly,  "And so I do not accept that the shard of Shetyw is a danger to us. But the book--the book is bad enough, and that  is  our fault. My fault. I trusted Trionyx. His faith seemed to have nothing to do--I thought it was safe. It wasn't."

"But you've said something important, Mr. Nobim. He carries the shard. It is a part of him."  She looks to Servius.  "You asked about a magical signature. Trionyx isn't powerful enough to track by his own, but the shell--"  She looks now to Cauda, who seems as usual to occupy another plane of existence.  "Perhaps with your help, Mr. Pamphilius, and a Navigator's..." 

Tegu, silent up to now, mutters something under her breath.

 
 Spoiler: Perception 8+ 
It sounds suspiciously like, "All snakes together, is it?"
 


The Captain's expression is furious, no roll needed. And then the entire ship gives a splintering lurch, and an outcry rises from the deck.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Please roll for initiative and report in the OOC thread! If you didn't get a chance to ask your questions, well, it'll be a long voyage with Professor Siduri. :) With Christmas on the horizon I don't expect we'll actually get into it until after Christmas, but let's get started!
 
TriciaOso
The first officer on deck is Cauda, which is no one's preferred situation, but those who see only a vaguely smiling bohemian would be surprised...

She takes a deep breath, and as she does, the chaotic folds and fringes of skin around her head expand up and back, and a blaze of lights move under her skin, forming a constellation on the flaring cobra hood.  "BEAT TO QUARTERS,"  she screams.  "ALL HANDS ON THE EGG-SUCKING DECK." 

Another sea serpent has attacked the White Cliff; shreds of harness and scraps of wood and iron hang from its body, the remains of another living ship. Gigantic coils of muscled, sea-reeking flesh are looped three times over the ship, one over each of the raised decks and a third running amidships. This one looks the most dangerous, as it is pressed tight against the splintering mainmast. A solitary grung, high in the crow's nest bleats pathetically. At the stern, the two raging sea monsters snap at each other ineffectually.

Professor Atropae emerges from the door behind her, eyes wide.  "What is it -- Where -- In the Calm??"  Focusing:  "What do we do?" 

Drawing a shining bow from thin air, Cauda fires two bolts of light into the nearest rope of flesh, the one amidships; one scorches into the scales, while another deflects off. The attacker screams, then snaps its head down and eats a lizardfolk sailor off the stern in one bite.

The professor swallows and follows her lead, launching a series of attacks into the nearby coil.  "It's loosening!" she yells.  I think it's loosening!"   And indeed, the sea monster shifts its coils uncomfortably, trying to move the burn away from the pummeling fists of the librarian monk.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 

 https://www.dndbeyond.com/games/4879993 

Enemy attacks with adv (surprise) - hits and constricts White Cliff
Enemy attacks again with adv (restrained), hits
White Cliff hits Enemy with a legendary action
Cauda takes starry archer form; misses second coil with attack action, hits with BA
Enemy takes Legendary Action and kills one Scout
Siduri attacks four times, misses with 1, hits 3 against second coil
Damage to middle coil causes Enemy to loosen grapple - White Cliff is still grappled but no longer restrained

 Enemy Serpent: 
HP lost: 34 head / 0 first loop / 21 second loop / 0 third loop
AC: 17 + 2 for partial cover (doesn't apply to White Cliff)
Crew: 5 gunner, 4 scouts, 5 carpenters,  5 medics

 White Cliff: 
Mount HP: 141 / 170
Ship: 71 / 130 (damage threshold 15)

 22 - Enemy Serpent
19 - Siduri
18 - Cauda 
17 -Fork
16 - Ttharg
15 - Tegu / 4 Scouts / 5 Medics
10 - Nibum
8 - Kabett
4 - Servius
3 - Capt. Magyar / Cocytus / 5 Carpenters / 5 Gunners / White Cliff

 SPECIAL ACTIONS: 

Spells can be cast on the White Cliff's mount without having to touch the beast's skin; there's a reason it's called a living ship.

Kabett can use his action to command the White Cliff's mount to fight; otherwise Cauda will command it (losing her turn). Here's a statblock:
 https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/2...nt-sea-serpent 
(bite or breath attack ONLY -- the ship is in the way of the other attacks)

The rest of you can each use your action to direct the actions up to 5 members of the crew for various purposes.

Servius can direct a salvo from the gunnery crew, giving some of them advantage on their attacks. Otherwise, the First Mate will command them (losing his turn). The number of crew aided is determined by an Arcana check.
 https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/2...arlock-of-imix 

Fork can direct a melee attack from those trained as scouts, giving some of them advantage on their attacks. Otherwise, Tegu will command them (losing her turn). The number of crew aided is determined by an Insight check.
 https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/3...lk-scaleshield 

Nobim can direct a repair action from those trained as carpenters, who will each attempt 2 repairs. Otherwise, no repairs will be attempted.
(+4 to the check, 1d6+2 repair on a success, DC increases as the ship takes damage)

Ttharg can direct a triage action from those trained as medics, which will stabilize injured/unconscious crew and get them out of danger. Otherwise, crew will be left where they fall.

The Captain can take a morale action, giving inspiration to up to three crew members, in place of her action.
 
Dirty
Fork found his footing after the violent shaking and bolted for the door. He darted through the passageway past some crew and ran up out to the main deck. He had to blink to believe what he saw when he got there. It was but a split second of a moment before his training and instinct triggered.

He whistled sharply twice in a short burst. From up above the drake came soaring down. Fork didn't need to point and explain himself. The whistle and its intonation meant that his trusted companion knew what to do.

With a roar the drake fell upon the creatures head, harrying the eyes. (18 to hit, 5dmg)

Fork himself wasted no time and drew his shortsword and handcrossbow simultaneously. He spun around and then he noticed. "It's the Broad Fin Serpent!" He shouted, trying to be louder than the tumoultuous sounds around him.

"Scouts! Focus fire on the head!" He ordered the Lizardmen. (Insight roll: 20 total)
J-H
      
   <span style="font-family: Century

Gothic">  Servius Calventius Pamphilius  
  
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 12 / 15 (Mage Armor) HP: 22/22 
 PPer: 10 PInv: 16 PIst: 10  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating:   
 
  

Servius slithers away from the table and up the stairs as fast as possible, using the bannister to lever himself up as the steep steps are not designed for those who don't rely on feet.  As he reaches the deck and sees the situation he calls out  "Head, target the head!  Blind it!  If it's mouth is open, that's an un-armored target!" 

He doesn't even have Mage Armor running.... but as long as he can stay away from the sea serpent's tail, it shouldn't matter.
 
 Spoiler 

Arcana  (1d20+6)[ 25 ]  to assist the gunners in their spell attacks.
 
TriciaOso
  
 
Responding to Fork's command, the group of crew trained as scouts and marines swing into action, vaulting onto the stern to confront the sea serpent directly. One of their own just disappeared down its gullet, and their rage is palpable. The first round of attacks glance off the scales disappointingly, until one scout embeds a morning star right in the Broad Fin's eye. Salty black blood splashes over them, and three lizardmen go into a frenzy, tearing at the pleisosaur's throat with their teeth. All three clamp down, and two manage to tear loose chunks of flesh and gulp them down raw, howling with fury.

Their howls seem to ignite something in Tegu, who bursts onto the deck amidships with a huge iron-braced wooden mallet, ululating, and recklessly pounds at the middle coil of the beast, then takes her own tearing bite out of the flesh. " Sauirusoi omophagia! " she screams in an obscene war cry. "No offense to yer table, Cap'n but  I'm still hungry !"

The Broad Fin moans and writhes in pain. It beats its tail against the aft deck, causing more worrying splintering sounds up and down the ship, but no serious damage. In its agony, the coils around the ship loosen further.

With rather more discipline than the rampaging marines, Servius's scouts swing into action. Any of them inclined to look their new commander askance are swiftly brought in line by his discipline and tactical assessment. From across the deck, sorcerers and warlocks send blasts of fire sizzling into the wet flesh of the Broad Fin, aiming for the eyes as the man said.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
Fork commands the Scout crew; with a 20 on insight all 4 surviving scouts get advantage on their attacks.
Fork's drake attacks and hits for 5 damage
Scouts move into position on the stern and make 4 morningstar attacks with advantage (1 crit, 3 misses) and 4 bite attacks with advantage (2 crits, 3 hits, 1 miss) for 36 damage
The Broad Fin is bloodied at this point.
Tegu moves into position amidships and goes into a rage, attacking recklessly. Hits with her melee attack for 14 damage and her hungry jaws attacks for 8.
Legendary tail attack from the Broad Fin on the White Cliff -- 7 damage to the mount and 14 to the ship; however 14 damage fails under the damage threshold!
Servius commands the gunner crew; with a 25 on arcana all 5 gunners get advantage on their attacks.
Gunners make 15 Fire Ray attacks with advantage, with 6 hits and 1 crit for 32 damage.
Sustained damage to the head and middle coil cause the sea monster to reposition, losing the grapple entirely.

 Broad Fin: 
HP lost: 107 head / 0 first loop / 43 second loop / 0 third loop
AC: 17 + 2 for partial cover (doesn't apply to White Cliff)
Crew: 5 gunner, 4 scouts, 5 carpenters, 5 medics

 White Cliff: 
Mount HP: 134 / 170
Ship: 71 / 130 (damage threshold 15)

 22 - Enemy Serpent
19 - Siduri
18 - Cauda
17 -Fork 
16 - Ttharg
 15 - Tegu / 4 Scouts / 5 Gunners 
10 - Nibum
8 - Kabett
 4 - Servius 
3 - Capt. Magyar / Cocytus / 5 Carpenters / 5 Medics / White Cliff

 SPECIAL ACTIONS: 

Spells can be cast on the White Cliff's mount without having to touch the beast's skin; there's a reason it's called a living ship.

Kabett can use his action to command the White Cliff's mount to fight; otherwise Cauda will command it (losing her turn). Here's a statblock:
 https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/2...nt-sea-serpent 
(bite or breath attack ONLY -- the ship is in the way of the other attacks)

The rest of you can each use your action to direct the actions up to 5 members of the crew for various purposes.

Servius can direct a salvo from the gunnery crew, giving some of them advantage on their attacks. Otherwise, the First Mate will command them (losing his turn). The number of crew aided is determined by an Arcana check.
 https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/2...arlock-of-imix 

Fork can direct a melee attack from those trained as scouts, giving some of them advantage on their attacks. Otherwise, Tegu will command them (losing her turn). The number of crew aided is determined by an Insight check.
 https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/3...lk-scaleshield 

Nobim can direct a repair action from those trained as carpenters, who will each attempt 2 repairs. Otherwise, no repairs will be attempted.
(+4 to the check, 1d6+2 repair on a success, DC increases as the ship takes damage)

Ttharg can direct a triage action from those trained as medics, which will stabilize injured/unconscious crew and get them out of danger. Otherwise, crew will be left where they fall.

The Captain can take a morale action, giving inspiration to up to three crew members, in place of her action.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

The cries of battle, pain, the splintering of wood, and sweat and blood of men and women fighting for their lives and their ship. For a moment, Ttharg is transfixed, his mind elsewhere and nowhere. The moment lasts only a second until Ttharg is on his feet, moving with practised motion and surprising alacrity.

He moves up to the Captain, knowing that she is the most important part of this engagement (barring the ship itself of course, but he could leave that to the Keeper). He reaches out a scaly hand to her and, muttering deep and guttural words like the sound of a sinking ship cracking under the pressure of the waves, he casts Warding Bond upon her. The platinum rings upon both of their fingers glow brightly for a second, creating an almost invisible link between the two Dragonborn.

With the Captain safely protected by the Bond, Ttharg made his way up on deck and drew his Shield.

 
 Spoiler 
Move up to Captain and Main Action to Cast Warding Bond (2nd Level Spell) on her. We must remain within 60ft or the effect ends, so Ttharg would not want to get too far ahead of her, but he imagines that she'll head up the main deck as well, and so uses the rest of his movement to get up on deck at the entrance to the hold.
Free Action to draw Shield.

Warding Bond: Captain gains a +1 bonus to AC and saving throws, and it has resistance to all damage. Also, each time she takes damage, I take the same amount of damage. It is not Concentration, but lasts 1 hour, until we are more than 60ft apart, or if I fall Unconscious.
 
zylodrizzt
 "DONT YOU WRECK MY HOME YOU SON OF A SNAIL"  nibum yells as he rushes onto the back of triceratool his assistants beginning flying past him. They knew thier job was to assess the damage and help with hasty repairs. Nibum takes up a gear that he straps to his left are and a very large screw driver as he reassures the white cliff " Don't worry I'll not let the beastie destroy you my home and my friend" 
 
 Spoiler: summary 
acting before i reach the deck
Move: get on triceratool
Bonus: none

Triceratool and my 2 assistants can take move actions without command so i move them up to the deck
 


Once he reaches the deck he barks out orders  Yall just gonna stand around as this beast destroys our home. Get to fixin.  he says commanding the carpenters. Nibum sends minicliff to help with repairs (familiars providing help action). He moves next to siduri to keep her safe remembering the captains words.

 
 Spoiler: summary 
action: command the carpenters
Move: next to siduri
Bonus: command familiars to help with repairs

Basically at this point the ship should be getting heroism temp hp of 3 every round. My familiars should be able to do help action at least to 2 of the carpenters for 2 rolls (i think). I moved next to the siduri so triceratool can use its reaction to basically make the the first attack on siduri at disadvantage (because i cant do it for the ship i think)
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 12 / 15 (Mage Armor) HP: 22/22 
 PPer: 10 PInv: 16 PIst: 10  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating:   
 
  

Seeing that the creature's scales are hard to penetrate, Servius attempts another tactic:  Freezing the water inside its veins.
 
 Spoiler 

Frostbite  (1d6)[ 3 ]  cold damage and disadvantage on its next attack.
Con DC 14 negates
SS Con save  (1d20)[ 7 ]  plus mods.
 
Infernally Clay
      
     Kabett    
   Tortle Druid, Circle of Spores 
 AC:  19  | HP:  35/35  | Initiative:  +0
 Str:  -1  | Dex:  +0  | Con:  +3  | Int:  +4  | Wis:  +5  | Cha:  -1

 Spell Slots:   1st:  4/4 |  2nd:  3/3
 Wildshapes:  2/2
 Active Effects:  None
 Conditions:   None   
 
  

"Attacking us was an unwise move," Kabett says slowly, seemingly undaunted by the scene unfolding around him. He then kneels down, touching the ship and through his old friend carrying it, and says "Let us show this beast why."

 
 Spoiler 
Kabett commands the ship to use Rime Breath, aimed at the Broad Fin's head but without risking anyone on the ship. DC 18 con save, taking  (9d10)[ 25 ]  cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Kabett then moves closer to the head of the ship.
 
TriciaOso
The crew Nibum has trained as emergency carpenters swarm over the ship, patching and repairing as best they can to hold the ship together. But at the same time, the Broad Fin prepares to tighten its coils again and smash the ship apart. The tiny, hooded eyes of a living ship are normally wise and placid, but these are rabid pinpoints.

Before it can act, the White Cliff responds to Kabett's touch. It positions itself between the tortle and the other sea serpent and draws in a mighty breath. Just as the Captain and First Mate clear the stairs and come on deck, the White Cliff unleashes a torrent of freezing breath. It reeks of salt and fish and death, a wind out of the dark seas of Blackreach and the lands of Death beyond. Frost forms over the flesh of the serpent and crystallizes its glazed eyes, spreading down the throat already ravaged by the scouts.

The White Cliff thrusts its own head forward and bites down hard, shattering the frozen flesh and dropping the icy decapitated head into the placid sea of the Calm.

The sword in the Captain's hand slowly droops from its upright position. She looks around the splintered ship, still draped in the lifeless coils of the Broad Fin.

 "Report!"  she cries.

The tiny grung lookout, trapped in the crow's nest this whole time, scrambles down the rigging as the other hands start to free the ship from the Broad Fin's corpse.

 "I saw it all, Cap'n! It was lying in wait for us under the water!"  he pipes.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
The Broad Fin failed its save and the 25 damage finished it off.

 White Cliff: 
Mount HP: 134 / 170
Ship HP: 71 / 130 + 25 repair HP that will need to be made permanent
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum trying to correct himself from earlier reports  Well we took some not insignificant damage to the ship. Seems we killed a sea serpent that used to carry a ship. I imagine the repairs may take awhile depending on supplies or how many can cast mending. Likely we can scavenge some supplies and food from the serpent. White cliff seems to have been hurt but not too badly so healers might be able to patch them up in near no time. Not sure if I said anything you couldn't see yourself tho. I imagine you'll order me to begin repairs so I'll just grab the carpenters and get to work.   he signals his 3 assistants to assess the damage and get to work.   Clean up This mess you layabouts  he yells at the carpenters
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg puts his shield away and bows his head. He begins a quick prayer for the swallowed crewman.   "May ye find rest, that ye duty was done, on the Seas, Bahamut keep ye soul safe."   He then raises his head and shouts:   "Any o' the rest o' ye need puttin' back together? Sound off!"  

Seeing that the rest of the crew were uninjured, Ttharg moved to look over the side of the ship at the corpse of the Broad Fin. It was dead, which was unfortunate, but Ttharg hoped he might learn something with a keen eye.

 
 Spoiler 
Medicine and Investigation check both rolled a 15. Ttharg wants to look over the corpse and identify any additional wounds or anything odd about the Broad Fin that might give some clues as to what happened to it; and if anything might be salvageable from the wreckage of it's harness/hull.
 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Nibum trying to correct himself from earlier reports  Well we took some not insignificant damage to the ship. Seems we killed a sea serpent that used to carry a ship. I imagine the repairs may take awhile depending on supplies or how many can cast mending. Likely we can scavenge some supplies and food from the serpent. White cliff seems to have been hurt but not too badly so healers might be able to patch them up in near no time. Not sure if I said anything you couldn't see yourself tho. I imagine you'll order me to begin repairs so I'll just grab the carpenters and get to work.   he signals his 3 assistants to assess the damage and get to work.   Clean up This mess you layabouts  he yells at the carpenters 
 

With the help of the apprentice carpenters he's trained among the crew, Nibum begins to assess the damage.

 
 Spoiler: Repair Mechanics 
Ghosts of Saltmarsh offers the depressingly low rate of repairs at 1d6 per day, and requiring an Athletics check first. Since you have  mending , we will skip the Athletics check; with the assistance of your 5 helpers and your various pets, I will give you an additional +8 to the d6. And for the hasty repairs, I will treat making them permanent as a max repair roll, so one full day shift will give the ship back 14 hp.

Once the hasty repairs are all converted into permanent repairs, you will have to roll 1d6+8 per day.

The real limiting factors will be supplies; you only enough supplies for 5 days of steady repair efforts.
 


 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
   Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg puts his shield away and bows his head. He begins a quick prayer for the swallowed crewman.   "May ye find rest, that ye duty was done, on the Seas, Bahamut keep ye soul safe."   He then raises his head and shouts:   "Any o' the rest o' ye need puttin' back together? Sound off!"  

Seeing that the rest of the crew were uninjured, Ttharg moved to look over the side of the ship at the corpse of the Broad Fin. It was dead, which was unfortunate, but Ttharg hoped he might learn something with a keen eye.

 
 Spoiler 
Medicine and Investigation check both rolled a 15. Ttharg wants to look over the corpse and identify any additional wounds or anything odd about the Broad Fin that might give some clues as to what happened to it; and if anything might be salvageable from the wreckage of it's harness/hull.
 
 
 

Looking over the corpse, Ttharg can see that it was already injured before the fight began, an old wound that was not allowed to heal. Not much remains of the ship itself, just leather straps and chains of harness and a few scraps of wood. It looks like it was torn apart by being submerged. It looks much as if the Broad Fin had run wild, but that doesn't explain its behavior of lying in wait and attacking a larger and healthier sea serpent.
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 12 / 15 (Mage Armor) HP: 22/22 
 PPer: 10 PInv: 16 PIst: 10  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating:   
 
  

Servius addresses the warlocks.   "Acceptable shooting, but more practice is needed.  This was a big target, and small misses count for a lot against heavy armor." 

Looking over the side of the ship.   "So, this used to belong to another ship.  Any way to tell who it came from?  Surely there's a registry or book somewhere." 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
 Looking over the side of the ship.   "So, this used to belong to another ship.  Any way to tell who it came from?  Surely there's a registry or book somewhere."  
 

Cauda peers over the side at the great corpse, light filming over her eyes.  "His eyes opened but his heart in chains,"  she croons.

 "Cauda,"  says the Captain with flat irritation.

Sulkily:  "Divination, enchantment." 

"Mr. Fork said she's the  Broad Fin  herself," says Tegu. "So he sent his own mount back to 'wait pursuit? And bespelled to know who to attack?" She shakes her head. "If he gave up the  Broad Fin , he must have found another ship, or took passage on one. Nowhere to do that but Baratano."

Baratano is a pirate haven, the one located the closest to the Calm and thus most frequently raided by privateers and chromatic military.

"Might be we could catch his trail there, and resupply to boot."

First Mate Achelous scowls. "I disagree. We ought to hold course for Sunhome. Getting ahead of him is what matters."

The Captain considers for a moment, and checks her pocketwatch.  "It's late, and much to do before we rest. Cauda, adjust the course for Baratano. Everyone else, get to work."  The First Mate looks displeased, but does not speak further.


 

Eventually, you all sleep.

 
 Spoiler: Nibum 
   
Darkness. A looming, terrible draconic skull, gleaming in the shadows.

Hungrily:  The streams that dissolve and do not quench. 
 

 
 Spoiler: Servius 

   
A colossal, flame-lit cavern. Something too vast to understand, pinned beneath something vaster still. Muscular, writhing, an eternal struggle.

Ominously:  The grips that crush and do not build 
 

 
 Spoiler: Ttharg 
   
An endless shimmering geometric perfection, growing and expanding chaotically, fractally. A thunderbolt.

Sadly:  The lights that burn and do not reveal. 
 

 
 Spoiler: Frrkkk 
   
Glaciers and blind, blowing snow. Something vast, hunting in the white-out. Three stars, burning with cold.

Grimly:  The winds that freeze and do not refresh. 
 


 

It's just barely a long rest before you are awoken by cries from the crow's nest.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
All PCs are now level 5. It is a noticeable change.
 


"Goblin ship off the portbow!" Indeed, a goblin steamship flying a legitimate flag of trade has appeared as you slept.

 "We’ll stop briefly,"  the Captain decides.  "To ask for word of Trionyx. It must have been chugging in this direction for some time." 

"Permission to go aboard for a bit of shopping, Cap’n?" asks Tegu.

Humans think of goblins as savages and plague carriers, but the reptilians remember the height of their civilization, and the surviving goblin cities are still home to some of the finest artificers and creators of magic items in the world.

The Captain looks around at her officers.  "All right, but make it snappy." 

 

The ship is manned mostly by goblins, with a few hobgoblins and bugbears scuttling about, and quarters are a bit tight for the larger among you. The ship is a working ship, not a showroom, but they are willing to haul things out of the neatly-packed and organized cases to make a sale.

There are a few people among them who stand out from the busy, uniformed crew; Min, a young goblin woman in a toolbelt and civilian clothes, seems excited to be out in the world and is the main person who helps you find goods and makes sales.

Additionally, there is a moustachioed male hobgoblin and a female troglodyte, both in uniforms, but not sailing uniforms, who both radiate a sense of competency and sheathed danger. Captain Magyar, stooped in the narrow corridors, speaks briefly not just the captain of the goblin vessel but to them as well.

 
 Spoiler: Prices for Specific Items already mentioned - Inquire with Min for more. 

Sentinel Shield - 200 gp
All Purpose Tool - 150 gp
+1 shields/weapons - 150 gp
Mariner’s Armor - 200 gp
Luckstone - 200 gp
Clockwork Amulet - 50 gp
Bracer of Defense - 150 gp
Cloak of Protection - 150 gp
Assorted Scrolls
Magical Ink and Paper


   
 
J-H
      
   <span style="font-family: Century

Gothic">  Servius Calventius Pamphilius  
  
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 27/27 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 17 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating:   
 
  

Servius crosses to the other ship, cautiously balancing as he slithers across the planks laid as a bridge.  A long-time sailor with "sea legs" he is not.  After persuing the magic items, he spends his funds, and a bit of the Captain's, on a spell scroll, some inks to help him expand his spellbook in the future, and two items which make him more likely to stay healthy and protected against all manner of hazards.  After finishing, he returns to the ship, where he pulls out some of his old books and finishes a project he'd been working on for several days - copying a pair of common spells from a textbook into his personalized notation.
Dirty
   Some time before the tradegoblins show up:
  
Fork helped the Mariners collect the gear of the fallen scout. He carefully separated the package every scout had from their travel chest. The package he left into the care of the Captain. She'd see to it that it got back to the next of kin. It had some personal items, a letter and some coins. The Captain would no doubt add the wages owed, for the whole trip, as was customary.

The rest of the chest was weighed down with rocks and tied shut. In a short and silent ceremony every crewmember walked past and put their hand on the chest as they said a quick prayer, or something personal. Fork then took his own hand, blackened it with charcoal, and pressed his imprint upon the chest just before two large Lizardmen threw the chest in the water. They had no body to bury, but now in spirit too Able Seamen Riverdancer was committed to the deep.

The whole ceremony took about ten to fifteen minutes but all crew were on their best behaviour and everyone saw to it that it got done with the reverence it deserved. 

As the two ships meet to trade goods and information, Fork makes sure to put his scouts on alert in case of problems. He hoped nothing would go down because the boys were in a foul mood after the burial.

He didn't feel like socialising much himself, but forced himself out and about amongst the traders. He picked up a cloak and a crossbow that looked like it meant business. As he was browsing he made sure to keep his ears open about any strange happenings, and he asked the salesman if they'd seen the Broad Fin recently, or perhaps a goal oriented Tortle? He asked casually, like it wasn't a big deal either way.
zylodrizzt
 
 Spoiler: after the fight 
there was alot to do when it came to repairs. The serpent did a number on the hull and a crewmember was swallowed. Nibum paid more attention to his duties and the living then the things he couldnt change and the dead but knowing the funeral was immenent he took special time out to do his part. He made sure the chest was absolutely water tight and wouldnt deteriorate for a very long time. Never being the one to show much of any sympathy he took this time to say his goodbyes the man even though he barely knew him. Then returned to work. He was the last to finnish repairs and possibly the last to be awake even he again shows some empathy but this time to the ship  thank you lass and good night  he says deep in the bowls of the ship bending down to cast cure wounds. Before he heads off to bed he surveys the work done  That will do he says like every night taking pride in his work. He sets fetcher and triceratool to help keep watch paying special attention to the scholar. Wether good or ill nibum was keeping to captains orders.

(triceratool has an ability that prevents surprise and much of this nibum keeps to himself but if anyone wants to observe this go ahead. Nibum isnt stealthy)
 


The dream seemed a bad omen perhaps he'd speak to someone about that soon but now there was some exploring and learning to do.

When the merchant ship shows up nibum checks his pockets... he finds barely a few gold to scrape together and that's quite alright there isn't much he needs. He takes a break from his work to check out the merchant vessel and how it operates.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by Dirty 
 As he was browsing he made sure to keep his ears open about any strange happenings, and he asked the salesman if they'd seen the Broad Fin recently, or perhaps a goal oriented Tortle? He asked casually, like it wasn't a big deal either way. 
 

Min is happy to listen to Frrkkk's questions, but she is not very much help, unfortunately; she is out of the goblin city of Sheerfast for the first time and can only talk about her own adventures. She doesn't have any memory of a Tortle, but she is full of information about their ultimate destination (an extremely rare diplomatic delegation to human lands for a coronation), her shipboard romance (a stoker named Brom), and their other passengers (two 'bigshot Bounders' she calls Moustakas and 'your cousin.')


 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 He takes a break from his work to check out the merchant vessel and how it operates. 
 

Nobim has never been on a steamship before in his long life, and it's fascinating. The concept of a boiler and using steam to drive a wheel is obvious to anyone who has seen a teapot, but the problem is elemental spirits -- boiling steam in quantity attracts steam mephits, and steam mephits destroy things for the fun of it. Only goblins have the art of building steam engines that aren't elaborate bombs. The boiler is hung with large quantities of spirit traps that extract the mephits into glass and silver canisters. They make terrible faces at Nobim, and it occurs to him to wonder where they are disposed of. Mass banishment? Dumped into the Cataract of Steam? It's interesting.

   
Nobim and Frrkkk fall into stride beside each other on their way back to the White Cliff, and so it is that you are both approached by a uniformed female troglodyte. Unlike the occasional semi-feral troglodytes who scrabble up from the Underdark in Lssthp, this one is clean, upright and seems to have her smell under control; strong and unusual, but not actually offensive. Like those trogs, however, she is blind, led through the world by her nose. It's strange to see the double handcrossbows strapped to her narrow hips. But somehow she does look like she can use them. Other than her eyes, she doesn't look that different from an ordinary red kobold.

 "Word to the wise, lads,"  she says conversationally.  "Your captain was asking us about a tortle and a ship. Don't know much about tortles or ships, and I told her so. Asked if we've   seen  anything weird and I don't see -- much. But I've been doing some thinking and I might've left something out." 
 "There was a fella approached me in Baratano. Can't smell a shell, of course, much less anything about cracks filled in with gold, but he sure moved heavy. Smelled  bad , and that's me saying that, you know? Wanted me to bring him on the ship as a stowaway. Weird thing is, I thought about it. I thought about it hard. I've had some experience with enchantment, though--"  She touches a silver figure of a goat's head on a pendant--  "And I came to my senses and shot him down."

"Thought it might be the kind of thing you wanted to know. I'm Tomyris,"  she adds belatedly.
zylodrizzt
On his tour of the steam ship nibum was taking notes and thinking of ways to incorporate this into things like the shell or maybe landing or escape ships or perhaps even into triceratool itself.

After the trog had spoken. The gears in his mind spun into overdrive thinking of many revelations this simple conversation had. Lucky you werent tricked so easy. Do you suppose that charm you just touched had anything to do with it?  he said while considering who he should speak to first about this information.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

 
 Originally Posted by TriciaOso 
 "Mr. Fork said she's the  Broad Fin  herself," says Tegu. "So he sent his own mount back to 'wait pursuit? And bespelled to know who to attack?" She shakes her head. "If he gave up the  Broad Fin , he must have found another ship, or took passage on one. Nowhere to do that but Baratano." 
 

Ttharg looks grim.   "Then he knows we be after him. We'll get no element o' surprise with him. That's a bad omen that is. As fer bookin' passage with another boat; that be makin' a lot o' sense. Ye'd be making a date with Bahamut's Locker if ye attempted to take a wounded an' neutral flyin' living boat out into the Hic Sunt, 'specially around Baratano. The lad would need something less conspicuous."   It's clear Ttharg speaks with a level of confidence and knowledge on the subject, but others can see a slight discomfort about him.


 
 Originally Posted by TriciaOso 
 The Captain considers for a moment, and checks her pocketwatch.  "It's late, and much to do before we rest. Cauda, adjust the course for Baratano. Everyone else, get to work."  The First Mate looks displeased, but does not speak further. 
 

Ttharg salutes the Captain, but as he walks away it's clear he is also troubled about the prospect.


 


Ttharg was glad Bahamut (or at least he assumed it was Bahamut) had decided to gift him a dream rather than the regular nightmares he had. He pondered upon what he was being told. The dream of last night made him feel more empowered, as if Bahamut trusted him more. He felt that he could reach out to the skies and call the very lightning that set him on this path of faith and privateering.

As the Goblin ship pulls up for trade, Ttharg makes enquiries as to whether the vessel has any goblinoid liquor. He had already purchased all the necessary supplies he needed back in port, and having spare gold was always important in the Hic Sunt, but it was rare to see the Goblins and obtaining Goblin-made liquor was even rarer. Besides, he owed Tegu a drink anyway.
Dirty
Fork took stock of the woman that approached them and found that he liked what he saw.

 "Pleased to meet you, Tomyris. I'm Fork, this is Nibum."  He reached out to grab her hand for a heartfelt handshake.

 "You have no idea how much we appreciate you sharing this with us. I have but a few coins left after Min shook me down, but it would be my pleasure and honour if I could buy you a drink and a prime cut of meat." 

He wholeheartedly hoped she'd take him up on it, and continued jokingly.  "When you say you shot him down, do you mean his idea or did you plant a bolt between his eyes?" 

He looked at Nibum expectantly.  "What do you say my ancient kobold friend? A good meal is in order am I right?" 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
 As the Goblin ship pulls up for trade, Ttharg makes enquiries as to whether the vessel has any goblinoid liquor. He had already purchased all the necessary supplies he needed back in port, and having spare gold was always important in the Hic Sunt, but it was rare to see the Goblins and obtaining Goblin-made liquor was even rarer. Besides, he owed Tegu a drink anyway. 
 

Min doesn't have any liquor for sale, only magic items, but you are able to charm her enough to be put in touch with a stoker named Brom, who slips you some of the local rotgut in exchange for some of the product of your own ship's still.

Distilled discreetly in and around the engine, the clear alcohol he provides you seems to be always smoking hot. He explains that that's from the steam mephits who got boiled away in the distilling process.


 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 After the trog had spoken. The gears in his mind spun into overdrive thinking of many revelations this simple conversation had. Lucky you werent tricked so easy. Do you suppose that charm you just touched had anything to do with it?  he said while considering who he should speak to first about this information. 
 

 "Could be,"  she says, and repeats:  "I've had some experience with enchantments. I've got a special arrangement with a fae spirit of my acquaintance." 

 
 Originally Posted by Dirty 
 Fork took stock of the woman that approached them and found that he liked what he saw.

 "Pleased to meet you, Tomyris. I'm Fork, this is Nibum."  He reached out to grab her hand for a heartfelt handshake.

 "You have no idea how much we appreciate you sharing this with us. I have but a few coins left after Min shook me down, but it would be my pleasure and honour if I could buy you a drink and a prime cut of meat." 

He wholeheartedly hoped she'd take him up on it, and continued jokingly.  "When you say you shot him down, do you mean his idea or did you plant a bolt between his eyes?"  
 

 "No, no such luck. He was creepy and tried to put a whammy on me, but I didn't suppose it rated homicide. From what I'm hearing maybe I should've." 

 He looked at Nibum expectantly.  "What do you say my ancient kobold friend? A good meal is in order am I right?"  

Tomyris grins, not precisely at either of you, holding her head like someone who has heard about eye contact but never experienced it.  "I'll have to take you up on that later,"  she says. The Underdark has no word for 'raincheck.'  "I reckon both our ships have to be about their business."

"But for your kindness I'll give you one more piece of advice. My impression is, you're meddling with god business, here. There's folks who'll tell you little guys like us ought to stay out of that kind of thing, that we can't make a difference and can only get hurt. But that's not my experience. All I'll say is when gods get desperate, power is there for the taking, if you're brave enough to jump in the middle and tough enough to survive it."  She lays her hands on her crossbow stocks for a moment before walking away.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg took the Rotgut. Even if it wasn't something fancy, it might still be good. He'd have to try with Tegu later when they were on a rest shift. For now, he simply put the bottle away in his pack and thanked the stoker, before returning to the White Cliff.
zylodrizzt
As he replies nibum pulls out a small device  oh yes young lady thank you. Where does this vessel call home? Dont thunk we will have time to share a table for awhile. This information is vital and i must inform the captain and such  he says before speaking into the device  Captain i believe fork and i have come across vital information. Think we should talk as soon as possible.  before handing the device to fetcher. Fetcher heads off to find the captain and play the recording
Dirty
 
 Originally Posted by TriciaOso 
  "No, no such luck. He was creepy and tried to put a whammy on me, but I didn't suppose it rated homicide. From what I'm hearing maybe I should've."  
 

"I have a feeling you would have saved us a whole lot of trouble." Fork thought to himself, but held his tongue. He also kind of wished for this whole ordeal not to be over yet. The start of a hunt was exhilarating.


 
 Originally Posted by TriciaOso 
 Tomyris grins, not precisely at either of you, holding her head like someone who has heard about eye contact but never experienced it.  "I'll have to take you up on that later,"  she says. The Underdark has no word for 'raincheck.'  "I reckon both our ships have to be about their business."

"But for your kindness I'll give you one more piece of advice. My impression is, you're meddling with god business, here. There's folks who'll tell you little guys like us ought to stay out of that kind of thing, that we can't make a difference and can only get hurt. But that's not my experience. All I'll say is when gods get desperate, power is there for the taking, if you're brave enough to jump in the middle and tough enough to survive it."  She lays her hands on her crossbow stocks for a moment before walking away. 
 

"Spirits guide you." Fork said kindly. He watched her walk away and made note of her scent before getting back to business. "Right you are Mr. Nibum.. Lets go."
zylodrizzt
Heading back walking with fork riding on triceratool nibum begins cleaning and adjusting his glasses. He says to the younger kobold You know the olds purpose in life is to pass on thier wisdom to the young. Young man if ive heard right i believe i have heard of your family. Its hard to mistake one at least. Theyve been around as long as i can remember which is a very long time. Ive no idea what your time as a servant has been but i do know what its like to not have a purpose and as a loyal servant without purpose is awful. I found purpose with this ship.... er... where was i going with that..... oh yes. I think if ive heard right youll find yourself not as a servant any longer and i hope you might realize being of service isnt so bad. It gives purpose. I hope you have considered what your purpose will be. A kobolds life can prove difficult without patron.  
TriciaOso
It's not much longer until Goblin Steamship #749 is chugging into the distance and the White Cliff is cruising out of the Calm. The transition from the still waters around Lssthp and into the active weather of the Hic Sunt is subtle, but for the first time the sails begin to bell out and white-capped waves begin to slap at the stern. Overhead, the chaotic stars begin to dance closer and more frenetically, with the quiet, stable constellations shifting into the background. Cauda coils herself around the helm and begins the subtle and precise navigation to Baratano.

You pass one full round of shifts and are rising for the third day at sea when small rocks and islets begin to appear. Before long, the hills of Baratano begin to rise over the dim horizon, lively with lamplight and campfires. As the ship draws closer, the first local ships appear; no obvious pirates yet, but fishing canoes carrying bullywugs and their spears, and then one of the graceful, slim inter-island sailing ships of the Hic Sunt glides past, the metallic dragonborn crew playing the wind like an instrument.

   
 
 Spoiler: The Grin 
On the eastward, mountainous side of Baratano lies the quartet of peaks called the Grin. The highest point in the region, these peaks have been the home to a succession of copper dragons who have called Baratano home, often slain as a preliminary stage of destroying the pirate haven, but always replaced.
 

 
 Spoiler: Pierholt 
A port built out more on piers and bridges than the islands themselves, Pierholt is homebase for both honest traders of the Hic Sunt and the pirates of the Flagless Fleet. Innumerable taverns, chandler's shops, flyby night dealers and open-air brothels operate on the edge of between indoor and outdoor, land and sea. A military ship would never survive making landfall here, but privateers as always are an edge case. Don't start nothing, won't be nothing.
 

 
 Spoiler: Frogtown 
Frogtown is a collection of impoverished villages on the southern West Horn where the bullywugs and grung of Baratano live, displaced by the reptilian sailors who cluster in Pierholt and settlers who occupy the more fertile and sheltered lands to the north. They live on fish, memory, and spite.
 


Cauda guides the ship between the the scattered and broken islands of West Horn and the rising, spiky peaks of East Horn, towards the tangled forest of masts known as Pierholt. The Captain addresses her officers as the ship makes anchor.

 "All right, folks. We'll try to make our stop here quick, but I'm hungry to find some trace of Trionyx and what aid he might have acquired. He might not have landed in Pierholt proper, but if he wanted supplies or a place to rest or to find a new ship he must have passed through. The troglodyte on the goblin ship met him there, at least."

"Mr. Achelous and I will stay with the ship; we stink too much of the navy for these folk. Tegu will be taking on supplies for us, and Kabett healing up our mount. Cauda... is better served on the ship."

"I want the rest of you to get out there and hunt for the trail. Mr. Fork, trust your nose. Mr. Ttharg, I know you know these waters -- you can steer the others right. Mr. Pamphilius, maybe there's some magical trace to be found. Take Siduri if you think she can help you." 

She turns to Nibum.  "Mr. Nibum, I know perfectly well you'd rather stay onboard and finish patching up the ship, but you've got a keen eye and unusual tools. I'd like you to take a peek too. The four of you..."  She trails off.  "I'm hoping the four of you can stir something up. If all else fails, we can approach Shanidar, the dragon of these islands, but he'll be touchy. I'd rather see what we can turn up in Pierholt before we try the Grin." 
  Locations in Pierholt for Investigation or Social Checks:  
 
 Spoiler: The Corsair's Rest Inn 
A renowned tavern where pirates and privateers gather to share tales, recruit crew members, and seek out lucrative jobs. It's a hub of information about the chaotic waters and potential raids.
 

 
 Spoiler: Wyvern's Roost 
A less popular tavern for those who want to avoid scoundrels or keep a low profile; built on a high bridge that affords a panoramic view of the chaotic waters and nearby islands, serving as a lookout post and a beacon for ship's entering the crescent.
 

 
 Spoiler: Captain's Court 
An open-air forum where disputes among pirate crews are settled, alliances formed, and bounties proclaimed. It's a place where the code of the sea is enforced and respected... but the mood and interpretation of the code can change wildly from day to day based on who is dominating the crowd.
 

 
 Spoiler: The Gilded Galleon 
A permanently docked ship/casino where gambling, high-stakes games, and clandestine deals take place, attracting both fortune-seekers and trouble.
 

 
 Spoiler: The Platinum Spring 
Many islands across the Hic Sunt are marked with a platinum spring, a shrine dedicated to Bahamut as god of the sea. Adventurers might seek blessings or guidance here before embarking on perilous voyages. Located just outside Pierholt proper to the north.
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 27/27 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 17 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating:   
 
  

Servius considers the port area carefully.  Parts of it remind him of the areas just off-campus, where foolish but wealthy students were often separated from their money via application of strong drink.  He never had the funds to spare for that, and was too serious anyway.

 "Siduri, would you like to split up, or should we travel as a pair?  Anyone who looks like an unaware target may awaken the next morning with a headache and an empty purse." 

There are three areas he considers traveling to, in this order:
First, the area of the docks where living ships typically moor and are cared for.  If the Broad Fin docked here, someone is likely to remember it, and perhaps its lone passenger.
Second, the Captain's Court.  If another ship has been stolen, or if the monk had magically influenced someone, there might be knowledge of it there.  Even if it is an informal court, they will still have records, and he only needs to check a few days.

Third, as a last resort, the Wyvern's Roost.  Perhaps there is someone there who watches ships come and go as a hobby, or to make unofficial records that are for sale.  Some of the less personable individuals at the university - those less social than Servius and noted for making more social mis-steps - tended to have hobbies that revolved around obsessive specializations.

 
 Spoiler 

Ship docks
Investigation  (1d20+8)[ 11 ] 

Captain's Court
Investigation  (1d20+8)[ 23 ] 
Possibly plus a fee to access the records?

Wyvern's Roost
History  (1d20+4)[ 6 ]  to find "that guy" by way of excessive knowledge of obscure topics
 
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Servius 

 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  "Siduri, would you like to split up, or should we travel as a pair?  Anyone who looks like an unaware target may awaken the next morning with a headache and an empty purse."  
 

The librarian-monk has changed out of her habit and into a more typical sailor's garb, no doubt borrowed from some other serpentine crew member. She is now wearing visibly a pendant you haven't seen on her in the last few days; it looks religious in nature, but not immediately obvious what god.  "I don't know much about places like this,"  she admits.  "I'll follow your lead." 

 First, the area of the docks where living ships typically moor and are cared for.  If the Broad Fin docked here, someone is likely to remember it, and perhaps its lone passenger. 

Living ships are few and far between here, and no one seems to remember the Broad Fin. On the other hand, no one is  certain .


 Second, the Captain's Court.  If another ship has been stolen, or if the monk had magically influenced someone, there might be knowledge of it there.  Even if it is an informal court, they will still have records, and he only needs to check a few days. 

A little light bribery gets you access to the records of the Court; as Siduri makes conversation with the archivist about filing systems, you pour over the comings and goings of the last week. This confirms that the Broad Fin never docked at the port--Trionyx must have landed outside the port and sent the ship back, then walked into town. But more importantly, you find something very interesting about a minor spree of disappearances to the south.

Sailors venturing down into Frogtown haven't come back, and the grung and bullywugs insist they know nothing and have lost their own people. The disappearances started about a week ago and after a few days, they were reported to the Court by Captain Vaarth Pthax of the Broken Wing, whose own quartermaster had vanished into Frogtown.

The decision of the Court was not to send anyone to investigate--land business, not sea business--but the clerk studiously recorded that Pthax called them cowards and swore to investigate himself.

The Broken Wing left port a day later, about three days past.

The archivist mentions he has heard the disappearances have continued.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

During the remaining voyage to Baratano, Ttharg invited Tegu to sample some of the Goblin Rotgut with him to see what it tastes like proper.

As the Broad Fin docked in Pierholt, Ttharg was uneasy. He doubted he'd be personally recognised here, it had been years since he'd been here, but there was always a risk of some kind of recognition when operating in Hic Sunt waters. He saluted the Captain and the First Mate before addressing the others:   "Watch ye coin purse, be wary o' followin' strange men down alleys, act confident but don't be pushy. These sailors are here for rest and a good time, and to be away from the laws o' the world. Long as ye don't disturb that, ye should get on just fine."  

He considered the options available to him.   "If ye don't mind lads, I'll be headin' up to the Spring first. Be more appropriate to make me prayers with a clear head before heading to the taverns on this scalerotting island. Ye be welcome to join me if ye want."  

Ttharg's first port of call is the Platinum Spring. He approaches and strokes a claw over the amulet of Bahamut around his neck. He begins to pray for guidance and safety for himself and his crew at the shrine. Once completed, Ttharg then makes his way over to The Corsair's Rest Inn.

At The Corsair's Rest Inn, Ttharg makes a beeline for the bar and orders a drink. He drinks it quickly and orders another one. This one he drinks more slowly. As he drinks, he begins to ask the bar staff and nearby patrons if they've seen or heard about the injured Living Ship that docked here and it's Captain, and where he might have gone now. He'll freely share the story of how it was lying in wait for them and they had to fight it off, including the detail about the Lizardfolk being eaten up; but he'll avoid mentioning this took place in the Calm. He'll even go as far to suggest the ship may have had a crew of Undead to help it get to port (sailors love tales, even if they're tall-tales). He'll continue to buy drinks (and maybe offer to buy a few rounds) if the information is good and forthcoming.

(Let me know if you'd like me to make any rolls, and how much money I need spend)

If the Inn is a bust, he'll then head to the Roost and try a similar approach.
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Ttharg 

 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
 Ttharg's first port of call is the Platinum Spring. He approaches and strokes a claw over the amulet of Bahamut around his neck. He begins to pray for guidance and safety for himself and his crew at the shrine. 
 

The spring spills out of the rock and fills a stone basin at the base of the rock. You pass other sailors returning from the spring, and find a few worshippers here kneeling in the pool to offer their own prayers.

You feel the presence of Bahamut strongly here, and in the shimmering waters of the pool you see the same fractal pattern you saw unfolding in your dreams, torn apart and reconstructed by flashes of light as the spring spills into the water. You feel the will of the seagod to oppose Tiamat laying on you like a massive paw laid on your shoulder; you know your power has been growing recently, and you sense dimly that great potential has been granted to you and your companions to meet this crisis. The future feels ominous and heavy.

A little kobold beggar wrapped in a grey cloak offers you a clear flask of the waters of the pool for a few copper.


 At The Corsair's Rest Inn, Ttharg makes a beeline for the bar and orders a drink. He drinks it quickly and orders another one. This one he drinks more slowly. As he drinks, he begins to ask the bar staff and nearby patrons if they've seen or heard about the injured Living Ship that docked here and it's Captain, and where he might have gone now. He'll freely share the story of how it was lying in wait for them and they had to fight it off, including the detail about the Lizardfolk being eaten up; but he'll avoid mentioning this took place in the Calm. He'll even go as far to suggest the ship may have had a crew of Undead to help it get to port (sailors love tales, even if they're tall-tales). He'll continue to buy drinks (and maybe offer to buy a few rounds) if the information is good and forthcoming. 

You do pick up some gossip; no one saw a Living Ship land here, but you meet a salvager who tells you about discovering the wreckage of one just off the crescent of Baratano. When you describe the tortle with the kintsugi shell, you get some thoughtful looks; but before you can follow up with the bartender, you are recognized by an old crewmate from your days on a fishing boat. He insists on buying you a drink, and then another, and the delicate discussion is disrupted.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg kneels down to the beggar Kobold. He offers them a gold coin instead, takes the flask, and says:   "May Bahamut change the tides o' ye fate today."   He then leaves.


 


Ttharg was glad it was a distant crewmate who recognised him, and accepted their hospitality. Ttharg was genuinely curious how the old-salt was doing and inquired about their own recent experiences around Baratano; including any ships to watch out for in these waters.

(I'll knock off 2gp for the beggar and the drinks)
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Ttharg 

 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
   Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg kneels down to the beggar Kobold. He offers them a gold coin instead, takes the flask, and says:   "May Bahamut change the tides o' ye fate today."   He then leaves.


 


Ttharg was glad it was a distant crewmate who recognised him, and accepted their hospitality. Ttharg was genuinely curious how the old-salt was doing and inquired about their own recent experiences around Baratano; including any ships to watch out for in these waters.

(I'll knock off 2gp for the beggar and the drinks) 
 

In response to your questions, the crewmate (a gem dragonborn) tells you about a few of the more notorious pirates operating in the area lately--the Sea Viper, the Whispering Banshee, the Broken Wing. He mentions that the Broken Wing belongs to the notorious pirate Vaarth Pthax, after surviving the wreck of his last ship, relating it only as an interesting tall tale.

As you reach into your purse to pay, you find that all of your copper coins have been transformed into solid platinum.
 
zylodrizzt
To the captian. Yes captain understood  he says sadly. He then mumbles and grumbles in goblin about many things like how his time would be better spent on the ship or how he could take a look from the ship but it was best not to argue. He intended to investigate but he didn't have to talk to anyone so he decided to send minicliff ahead just a bit. He knew what sort of magic the tortle was using so nibum decided to start casting detect magic. He followed along with everyone else keeping his companions and his own senses open to it all for any hints that and you don't live as long as him without being a bit paranoid.
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Nibum 

 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 To the captian. Yes captain understood  he says sadly. He then mumbles and grumbles in goblin about many things like how his time would be better spent on the ship or how he could take a look from the ship but it was best not to argue. He intended to investigate but he didn't have to talk to anyone so he decided to send minicliff ahead just a bit. He knew what sort of magic the tortle was using so nibum decided to start casting detect magic. He followed along with everyone else keeping his companions and his own senses open to it all for any hints that and you don't live as long as him without being a bit paranoid. 
 

As you lurk along, you periodically peek through the eyes of Minicliff to look for anything suspicious, and you do indeed find it. You observe a muscular Yuan-Ti serpentfolk surreptitiously following Siduri and Servius as they move through the city. He follows them as far as the Captain's Court and then hangs back, fiddling all the time with a pendulum dangling from his fingers.

People use the term Yuan-Ti loosely to describe all serpentfolk, but it really refers only to those in the cult of Apophis. This is a  true  Yuan-Ti, with constricting brass bands stretching the neck and fused around the wrists, representing the coils of the great Constrictor. You circle back to detect magic at him and find lingering scraps of divination magic around him. Your familiar is able to follow him back to a run-down and nameless tavern squeezed between two other businesses.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg almost chokes on his drink when his old ship-mate speaks the name  Vaarth Pthax . He tries to recover quickly, asking where the Broken Wing was supposedly last spotted.

Ttharg quickly hides the platinum back in his purse - it's not a wise idea to be openly showing that kind of money here - but inwards gives thanks to Bahamut for blessing him.
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Ttharg 

 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
   Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg almost chokes on his drink when his old ship-mate speaks the name  Vaarth Pthax . He tries to recover quickly, asking where the Broken Wing was supposedly last spotted. 
 

He tells you the Broken Wing passed through Pierholt and only left a few days ago. He clearly doesn't know much about it, though.
 
Dirty
 
 Spoiler: Back on the Goblin Ship with Nibum: 

 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Heading back walking with fork riding on triceratool nibum begins cleaning and adjusting his glasses. He says to the younger kobold You know the olds purpose in life is to pass on their wisdom to the young. Young man if I've heard right I believe I have heard of your family. Its hard to mistake one at least. They've been around as long as i can remember which is a very long time. I've no idea what your time as a servant has been but i do know what its like to not have a purpose and as a loyal servant without purpose is awful. I found purpose with this ship.... er... where was I going with that..... oh yes. I think if I've heard right you'll find yourself not as a servant any longer and i hope you might realize being of service isn't so bad. It gives purpose. I hope you have considered what your purpose will be. A kobolds life can prove difficult without patron.   
 

Fork was silent for a moment. He nodded. "Thank you for sharing your personal wisdom, old friend." He said. "I am bound to little under fifteen years of service left. And I don't plan to regret a second of it." He was silent for a while longer.. "But the privilege of determining my own purpose after that time is something I hold dear, and it's something I will put a lot of thought to when that day comes."
 


Fork studied his quarry as much as he could in the short time before they spotted Baratano. The known items he was likely to have on his person, his looks, mannerisms and his most notable feature: his shell. When the crewmember in the crows nest finally signalled land in sight, Forks companion, the Drake, took off with purpose. Around his neck a leather tube with a letter in it.

As soon as the gangplank hit land, Fork was off as well. He made a beeline to the Wyverns Roost. He was dressed different. Gone was the stiff uniform. Instead he wore crocodile leather armour, straps and pouches. His blade and hand crossbows carefully concealed. His large crossbow, the one he'd bought on the Goblin vessel, was strapped to his backpack and visible enough to make ruffians think twice before harassing him. A dark cloak with a hood draped over him in a half concealing manner.

At the Roost, he took a side entrance. A small wooden door seemingly forgotten about.

It led to a narrow stairs going up and after a few curves another small door. He rapped a signal before he opened and entered the small office type building built onto the side of the Roost overlooking the south side of Pierholt from atop the bridge. A peculiar grung, bespectacled and with a few white hairs on the sides of his otherwise bald head sat at his desk, flanked by stacks of paperwork. Behind him more books, scrolls and stacks of paper. Several empty ink pots were strewn about and he was just about to dip his feathered pen in a fresh pot when he looked up at the intrusion.

 "Ah."  He said with a croaky voice.  "Sooner than expected." 

Fork threw his hood back and smiled.  "Archibald. You got my letter?" 

Archibald was a tight friend of the family, and quite the accountant. He didn't look like much, and it was precisely therefore he got around without much hassle. A staple in Pierholt in his own right and his connections with the FarSeers largely forgotten, there wasn't much that happened without the nosy old Grung knowing about it. If anyone could help Fork look in the right, or at least likely direction worth looking, it was Archie.
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: F'rrkkk 

 
 Originally Posted by Dirty 
  
 Spoiler: Back on the Goblin Ship with Nibum: 


Fork was silent for a moment. He nodded. "Thank you for sharing your personal wisdom, old friend." He said. "I am bound to little under fifteen years of service left. And I don't plan to regret a second of it." He was silent for a while longer.. "But the privilege of determining my own purpose after that time is something I hold dear, and it's something I will put a lot of thought to when that day comes."
 


Fork studied his quarry as much as he could in the short time before they spotted Baratano. The known items he was likely to have on his person, his looks, mannerisms and his most notable feature: his shell. When the crewmember in the crows nest finally signalled land in sight, Forks companion, the Drake, took off with purpose. Around his neck a leather tube with a letter in it.

As soon as the gangplank hit land, Fork was off as well. He made a beeline to the Wyverns Roost. He was dressed different. Gone was the stiff uniform. Instead he wore crocodile leather armour, straps and pouches. His blade and hand crossbows carefully concealed. His large crossbow, the one he'd bought on the Goblin vessel, was strapped to his backpack and visible enough to make ruffians think twice before harassing him. A dark cloak with a hood draped over him in a half concealing manner.

At the Roost, he took a side entrance. A small wooden door seemingly forgotten about.

It led to a narrow stairs going up and after a few curves another small door. He rapped a signal before he opened and entered the small office type building built onto the side of the Roost overlooking the south side of Pierholt from atop the bridge. A peculiar grung, bespectacled and with a few white hairs on the sides of his otherwise bald head sat at his desk, flanked by stacks of paperwork. Behind him more books, scrolls and stacks of paper. Several empty ink pots were strewn about and he was just about to dip his feathered pen in a fresh pot when he looked up at the intrusion.

 "Ah."  He said with a croaky voice.  "Sooner than expected." 

Fork threw his hood back and smiled.  "Archibald. You got my letter?" 

Archibald was a tight friend of the family, and quite the accountant. He didn't look like much, and it was precisely therefore he got around without much hassle. A staple in Pierholt in his own right and his connections with the FarSeers largely forgotten, there wasn't much that happened without the nosy old Grung knowing about it. If anyone could help Fork look in the right, or at least likely direction worth looking, it was Archie. 
 

Archibald has much to tell you, although he hesitates and wavers often. You rely on your insight into his fears and mindset to read his pauses and halts as clearly as his words.

He looks at your sketch of the gold-sealed cracks in the back of Trionyx, and nods gravely. "Yes, he's been seen. He  rbbt  tried to stay at the Roost and was pushed out. Quite  rbbt  a disturbing fellow, I'm told. Unwell-looking. Fires and lamps extinguishing themselves around him. Salamander hounds and wyverns  rbbt  unsettled. Nasty business."

"The Apophians tried to take him in--gods know why--but  rbbt  the neighbors wouldn't have it. They pushed him all the way out of town, into  rbbt  my people, with the other unwanted things."

He also shares a variety of other information which seems trivial at the time; only one of these becomes important later in hindsight: the Broken Wing was seen at anchor overnight at the cape south of Frogtown a few days ago.
 
Dirty
 "Many thanks, may the spirits guide your steps."  Fork closed the door behind him and took a deep breath. It was his first time connecting with Archibald and the stories about him seemed so much more real after having shared a space with the legendary Grung. If only half of the stories about him were true.. but Fork shook off such thoughts and focussed again.

Fork wasted no time and booked passage on a local fishing skiff towards Frogtown. He keeps a low profile and wraps the crossbow in cloth this time. Hunched over, to make himself smaller and unassuming he scours through the run down villages looking for signs.

He's keeping his ears open for glimpses of conversation, he's scanning the wildlife for signs of anomalies. And most importantly, he's aware of his surroundings at all times. He won't let haste risk a meeting with the crew of the Broken Wing.

If salamander hounds and wyverns are unsettled by the tortle, Fork will look out for the smaller cousins of these beast. The tiny salamanders scurrying about. The wingless snakes crawling through the marshes. If he sees such a creature, and is out of earshot from locals, he'll cast speak with animals to ask around about any creatures that might have left a bad impression on their olfactory senses.
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: F'rrkkk 

 
 Originally Posted by Dirty 
 Fork wastes no time and books passage on a local fishing skiff towards Frogtown. He keeps a low profile and wraps the crossbow in cloth this time. Hunched over, to make himself smaller and unassuming he scours through the run down villages looking for signs.

He's keeping his ears open for glimpses of conversation, he's scanning the wildlife for signs of anomalies. And most importantly, he's aware of his surroundings at all times. He won't let haste risk a meeting with the crew of the Broken Wing.

If salamander hounds and wyverns are unsettled by the tortle, Fork will look out for the smaller cousins of these beast. The tiny salamanders scurrying about. The wingless snakes crawling through the marshes. If he sees such a creature, and is out of earshot from locals, he'll cast speak with animals to ask around about any creatures that might have left a bad impression on their olfactory senses. 
 

You find both tracks and traces in the wilds south of Frogtown, and testimony from a small wild swampdrake. It definitely has seen scary, dangerous creatures moving around out here; a tortle who filled it with an unreasoning, unholy terror, and some sort of massive predator, which it fears for simple and rational reasons. It is able to confirm the story of the Broken Wing weighing anchor here and then sailing away, but did not see if the ship took on a passenger or let off raiders. The cape has become a no-go zone for most of the beasts. The tracks you find support and help you piece together this story from the rather simple-minded conversation of the swampdrake.

However, the drake has not seen the tortle in a few days, and seems to assume the larger predator ate or cached him as it did other creatures. It offers, tentatively, to show you one of the caches, although it seems very uneasy.
 
Dirty
Fork conveys his thanks to the swampdrake and shares his concern about the Tortle and the predator.

He promises food in return for the favour, and says he will  protect him if it would come to that. Fork says he cannot abide the nasty Tortle to poison the swamp and it's surroundings. Small drakes need healthy nests and Fork feels strongly about the natural order of things.  He will fight for this swampdrake like it's his own spawn. To put power to his words he fishes a small strip of meat out of his rations and tosses it over.

He's hoping to appeal to the animals pride and sense of drake-ness. A shared idea that eggs should hatch in good swamps, not bad ones. And please, to show him the cache.
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: F'rrkkk 

 
 Originally Posted by Dirty 
 Fork conveys his thanks to the swampdrake and shares his concern about the Tortle and the predator.

He promises food in return for the favour, and says he will  protect him if it would come to that. Fork says he cannot abide the nasty Tortle to poison the swamp and it's surroundings. Small drakes need healthy nests and Fork feels strongly about the natural order of things.  He will fight for this swampdrake like it's his own spawn. To put power to his words he fishes a small strip of meat out of his rations and tosses it over.

He's hoping to appeal to the animals pride and sense of drake-ness. A shared idea that eggs should hatch in good swamps, not bad ones. And please, to show him the cache. 
 

Reluctantly, the drake leads you to a corpse cached in a hollow log. It is a lizardfolk sailor, bloated with death. Its filmy eyes bulge strangely, and its scales seem to have begun to slough off, leaving a weird splash of red skin across the snout. The drake tells you that the predator has been killing and caching prey like this, but only the larger ones. It just eats the little ones. The drake doesn't understand why it is stashing so much.

You are able to view the cache and make it back to Pierholt without being seen by anything.
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum swallows his pride and buries his anger and speaks to siduri  Captain says im to work with you and so i shall. I must defer to you in this matter. Why might the cult of apophis align with Trionyx? Something to do with the heresy? 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Nibum swallows his pride and buries his anger and speaks to siduri  Captain says im to work with you and so i shall. I must defer to you in this matter. Why might the cult of apophis align with Trionyx? Something to do with the heresy?  
 

Her expression tightens and she fingers the amulet around her neck.  "Yes--this is what I was afraid of. The Litany of Kin claims Tiamat's authority over all reptilian gods, even those that have always been considered independent. If Trionyx can command the loyalty of the Apophidians and unite them with the cult of Tiamat, that alone would be a grave danger to us all. It was possible that the heresy would not persuade them, but... it seems we cannot hope that any longer." 
 "With this tome, Trionyx's power is waxing, and the cult recognizes power. The effects Fork described -- frightening beasts, quenching flames, disrupting sleep -- they attend only the most powerful artifacts. And the predator unleashed in the wilds... sometimes these powerful tomes are used to imprison enemies of the authors, and tampering can release them?"  She smiles weakly.  "We could hope it killed him, I suppose." 

She looks at the group.  "Do any of you recognize the creature from what Fork saw? If I had a bestiary..." 
 
 Spoiler: Religion or Arcana 15+ 
The cached, transforming body makes it sound like one of the slaadi, frog-like Outsiders of chaotic nature that reproduce by infecting humanoids. The slaadi were the original masters of the Hic Sunt and were driven out by the dragons and their inheritors, so one could quite plausibly be trapped in a lawful, Tiamatic tome.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

With the drinks and latest gossip consumed, Ttharg thanks his old ship-mate and stumbles out of the Inn and heads towards The Captain's Court. If Captain Pthax was operating again, there would almost certainly be a bounty on him from at least one injured party - even if they had no intention of collecting it themselves - and so the Court would be the best place to find information about the Broken Wing and perhaps Pthax himself.

Ttharg shuddered to think that Pthax had survived the terrible storm all those years ago. Perhaps others had survived? No... surely not... the Blind Sun had been broken in two. It was a miracle that Ttharg and Pthax had survived at all.

Once inside the Court, he made inquiries into the Broken Wing, Captain Pthax, and any who might have a grievance or, Bahamut forbid, an alliance with him.
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Tharg 

 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
   Ttharg Krixkrux  

With the drinks and latest gossip consumed, Ttharg thanks his old ship-mate and stumbles out of the Inn and heads towards The Captain's Court. If Captain Pthax was operating again, there would almost certainly be a bounty on him from at least one injured party - even if they had no intention of collecting it themselves - and so the Court would be the best place to find information about the Broken Wing and perhaps Pthax himself.

Ttharg shuddered to think that Pthax had survived the terrible storm all those years ago. Perhaps others had survived? No... surely not... the Blind Sun had been broken in two. It was a miracle that Ttharg and Pthax had survived at all.

Once inside the Court, he made inquiries into the Broken Wing, Captain Pthax, and any who might have a grievance or, Bahamut forbid, an alliance with him. 
 

You don't find anything new from what Servius found, looking at the recent events, but digging in on the subject of the Broken Wing in particular you find some background. Before Pthax the ship was in the hands of a Captain Bronzebeard. You find the case that Bronzebeard brought before the court when his crew elected Pthax to replace him as captain and put him ashore in Baratano. Bronzebeard lost the case, on the ancient pirate code that if the men won't have you as captain, no law can make you one. There's no record of Bronzebeard as captain of another ship, but he might have taken passage as some lesser rank on another ship.
 
J-H
 Servius 
Back at the ship, everyone shares their findings.  Servius sums it up.   "Concerning.  He may have left, or he may still be here.  We have no evidence that he is with those who follow Apophis now, but they are likely on his side.  There are so many stupid people in this world.  If he is here, he may be to the south, and if he is not, he likely left heading out that way.  I propose that some of us go to the area south of Frogtown to seek his trail there." 
Dirty
Fork nodded in agreement with Servius. "We should group up. I fear we're dealing with a Slaadi.. and it's been infecting people."
zylodrizzt
Finding something nearby that he feels is fixed improperly and starts redoing it he says  Whatever needs done to get me back to work since these... LAYABOUTS CAN'T SEEM TO GET ANYTHING DONE RIGHT WHEN I'M NOT AROUND   He yells as he finishes the job  I bet the captain will have me come along despite how much work i have to get done. Longer we wait or take the further the shell head gets away.  he says as he finds something else to get done.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg has an uncomfortable look when the crew gathers back up at the ship.   "We must be careful around Captain Pthax; he be a pirate o' some infamy and a merciless son of a grung. But aye, I agree we should focus on the area south o' Frogtown for clues."  

He looks to Fork.   "Never heard o' a Slaadi before, lad. What can ye tell us about them? Ye say they're infected the townsfolk?"  
TriciaOso
The captain grimaces at F'rrkk's words.  "The threat from Trionyx is potentially very dangerous, but the existence of a Slaad this close to the mainland is concrete and intolerable. And time is our greatest enemy."  She looks over her forces.

 "Mr. Pamphilius, Mr. Nibum, Mr. F'rrkkk, Mr. Krixkrux. I'm sending you as a strikeforce to neutralize the Slaad and keeping the rest of the crew to wrap things up in town. We'll meet you at the cape by 12 bells."

"Mr. Achelous, pull together a squad and go into Pierholt to raid these Apophidians. Take Siduri and find out what information they have or doctrine they've been fed to ally with a Tiamat worshipper. If the situation turns, fall back to the ship. Cauda and I will remain aboard and prepare for a hot exit." 

She turns to the four of you.  "Running these operations simultaneously, the four of you will be on your own for a time. It may all be over before we reinforce you."  She pauses, and only says,  "Good hunting." 

 


The four of you man the oars and paddle along the coast to the cape south of Frogtown, nosing into the swamp further than a deeper keeled ship could go. There's no clean line between the sea and the swamp, only brackish water muddily mingling with the land in a host of islands and hummocks. The salt marsh is lit by the dance of the chaotic stars, and it's darker than it was when F'rrkkk first came here. Caiman surface briefly to regard you, and sahuigin paddle hastily away at the approach of your prow.

You bump into the same dock where Fork spoke with the swamp-drake; the surrounding islands hold the caches pointed out and investigated, along with ruined huts and abandoned miscellany of the amphibious folk who live north of here. In the murky swelter of the salt marsh, the simple lights of Frogtown in the distance look downright homely.

     
 
 Spoiler: Perception Check 10+ 
There's a murky figure under a tree a few islands away, roughly frog-shaped and about the size of one of the kobolds.

 
 Spoiler: 15+ 
A bullywug swamp hunter is poking at the mud with his spear. In the water there are the swift-moving v-shapes of three or four larger predators, although they seem to be directed away from your landing, not towards you.

 
 Spoiler: 20+ 
The cache F'rrkkk viewed earlier has been disturbed.
 
 Spoiler: 25+ 
There are one or two ominous spots of too-still water, indicating a submerged predator that has  not  fled.
 

 

 

 


Ttharg, as you set foot on the little dock, you feel a silent thrum in your pocket from the vial of holy water from the Platinum Spring.

 
 Spoiler: If you take it from your pocket... 
you see the fractal geometric patterns dancing in the water, but can still see through it -- and through it you see phantom shapes moving over the dock like ghostly afterimages.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg regards the water and images, paying little attention to the outside world. He tries to focus on the individual images, looking to see if any look even remotely recognisable as a Tortle or, Bahamut forbid, Captain Pthax. He moves the vial around, using it almost like a primitive spyglass, trying to see what the water shows him from many other angles and parts of the small island they were on.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
   Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg regards the water and images, paying little attention to the outside world. He tries to focus on the individual images, looking to see if any look even remotely recognisable as a Tortle or, Bahamut forbid, Captain Pthax. He moves the vial around, using it almost like a primitive spyglass, trying to see what the water shows him from many other angles and parts of the small island they were on. 
 

You see, in fact, both; you see Captain Pthax move across the dock followed by some tough and ugly pirates in his wake; then a spark crosses the water, disturbing the shapes, and you see the Captain and his cohorts returning, minus two pirates but accompanied by a hunched and sickly-looking Tortle.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 10+ 
He looks more like an honored guest than a prisoner.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg sighs. It was too good to hope that Captain Pthax had merely passed this way; but it seemed as though he was now deeply involved in their quest.   "Aye, the Tortle lad was here alright; as was Captain Pthax. Pthax came ashore with a party, two died or were left behind, but our lad returned with them; freely it looks like. Seems like he be aboard the Broken Wing now. Perhaps this Slaad killed two o' the pirates?"  

He puts the bottle back in his pack and draws his Shield and Warhammer.   "No use standin' around here, where's the best place to look for a Slaad?"  
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 27/27 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 17 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating:   
 
  
 "There's a bullywug over there, past the ruins.  He might know something.  At the very least, if he can tell us what areas he was not attacked and eaten in, we know where to not bother searching." 
Servius looks down in disdain at the mud and muck.  He can glide across it easily enough without sinking in like a biped, thanks to his reduced ground pressure.  He'll have to clean his tail later, though.  At least there don't seem to be thorns or sharp rocks sticking out of the ground.  Those are the worst.
zylodrizzt
Sulking and generally not paying attention thinking about if he completed repairs or not or what is being ruined upon the ship. Actually looking around now.  What? where? When? How can you tell?  once he's able to see anything he readies for battle.

Nibum twists a portion of triceratools horn lifts his hand to his mouth and whispers  ward  in goblin. (He cast warding bond on triceratool). He then hands a potion to minicliff and fetcher. Then he readies to cast heroism (2nd level) at the first sign of a fight.  Lets get this over with 
Dirty
 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  "There's a bullywug over there, past the ruins.  He might know something.  At the very least, if he can tell us what areas he was not attacked and eaten in, we know where to not bother searching."  
 

Fork nods along and points out that the cache has been disturbed, along with the omnious spots of water.

He scans the area for Slaad activity. Now that he knows what he's looking for he keeps alert for tracks, unusual broken branches and the like..
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by Dirty 
 Fork nods along and points out that the cache has been disturbed, along with the omnious spots of water.

He scans the area for Slaad activity. Now that he knows what he's looking for he keeps alert for tracks, unusual broken branches and the like.. 
 

Ignoring the prints of caiman, salamander hounds and swamp-drakes, you find the footprints of three creatures. All three are heavy and have the amphibious feet of bullywugs or grung, with the occasional imprint of front paws; two large creatures and one medium, all with large claws. The large ones disappear fairly quickly into the muck of the swamp after shambling away from the disturbed caches, while the medium feet pad away across the islands, in the same direction of the bullywug under the trees. It looks far too light for the footprints, though.

Your keen eyes pick up not only the still patches of water flanking the island with the bullywug, but pierce the murk to make out slimy blue and red hides lurking under the water.

The little bullywug hunter continues jabbing his spear randomly into the muck, singing a nonsense song in burbling frogspeak.
zylodrizzt
While sending up minicliff to get a diffrent view nibum explains  Listen close i dont have the time to waste repeating myself. Slaadi are chaotic beasts they wont coordinate much. They resist nearly all elemental magic and heal amazingly quick so strike hard and fast. I hope you've come prepared with something else mainly weapons will be the best option. They have a good sense if smell and a fight with them might make you sick for a while. They are intellegent enough and will speak in your mind tho probably nothing too important. This will be a tough fight.   he whispers as he looks through mini cliffs eyes.

He resolves himself in his mind. He may not live through this but what he's accomplished on that ship will. Maybe he could do enough to ensure the younglings around him now can carry out the captains orders.  Lets make the captain proud  he says quietly to everyone.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "Thank ye for the tactical analysis, lad."   Ttharg says sincerely.   "I have prayers o' restoration prepared for today, but be warned I only have so many. Mind ye, if this creature resists Thunder an' Lightning that's a few o' me spells that won't do much for us. Me eyesight isn't what it used to be, it seems, so I'll follow ye lead."  

(Ttharg will continue to have his Warhammer and Shield out)
Dirty
Fork explained his outlook on the situation and his idea to the team and if he doesn't get any objections he gets busy.

Fork moved carefully so that he'd have a good sight on the bullywug. He checked if his crew was ready and then whispered the magic to the winds, to be carried to the creature.

"Quick. Run to the building. Danger. Go.. now!"

He readied his crossbow and waited for the bullywug to respond. Hopefully it would follow his instructions and the two lurkers would show themselves but it was all a gamble.. too late now anyways.
zylodrizzt
Nibum reacted quickly to the message finally activating two magnetized stones attaching one to triceratool and himself.  heroism  he says activating the devices with a twist. He then rides triceratool about 10ft in front of fork. He commands his familiar to hover over his shoulders. He then prepares to strike anything hostile that comes within short range of his thrown spear along with triceratool but within melee. He commands minicliff to distract (help action) anything hostile that triceratool strikes at.

 steady now. Stay behind me. 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 27/27 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 17 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating:   
 
  

Servius follows Fork south to the other island.  He still doesn't see anything, so maybe it's just swamp gas.  In case it's not, he holds a minor spell ready to slow down the frog creature.
 
 Spoiler 

Readied Frostbite, range 60'.  On a failed DC 15 Con save, the target takes  (2d6)[ 8 ]  cold damage and has disadvantage on its next weapon attack roll before the end of its turn.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Following Fork's advice, Ttharg ran across the island they were on and hopped over to the island with the huts. He pushed on to the hut's edge and quickly muttered a prayer for a weapon from Bahamut's armoury. In an instant, a slightly glowing blue flail appears in the air next to him, awaiting his command.

 
 Spoiler 
Move + Dash to be next to the hut.
Bonus Action to cast Spiritual Weapon and have it appear next to me
 
TriciaOso
The bullywug under the tree's head jerks up when at Fork's message; it shrieks, gibbers, and runs straight towards Fork instead of towards the hut, waving its spear over its head. (It splashes through the muddy water without losing any speed, a benefit of its huge flapping feet.)

 
 Spoiler: Fork, you hear a response to the message in your mind 

 --no desire for anything, and chaos is always order and the sea rise, it is not a sea, and not from the land and the-- 
 

 
 Spoiler: Passive Perception 7+ 
There is something strange about the bullywug's spear; it is not the crude stick-with-flint you might have expected, but instead something well-crafted, more like a halberd. The head is the strangest thing, as if two spear tips were welded together and bent back to almost touch.
 

 
 Spoiler: Passive Insight 17+ 
There is something crazed about the bullywug; it looks hostile, not scared.
 


To either side of the island, the red and blue creatures Fork glimpsed poke their heads out and growl, but there is just time for Fork and Servius to react before they move.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
 ACTIONS:  
Bullywug moves and dashes directly west. Responds to the message.

 DAMAGE: 
No damage yet.

 INITIATIVE: 
 21 - Bullywug 
18 - Fork
 15 - Servius  (no action, waits for enemies to close)
10 - Red Slaad
10 - Blue Slaad
10 - Ttharg
3 - Nibum
 
Dirty
A bit annoyed at the bullywug not following his instructions, Fork was quick to forgive. He figured the backwater hillbilly creature was confused. Understandable, really. Fork shook off the ravings of the bullywug, they made no sense to him and as far as he was concerned the bullywug was daydreaming just moments ago anyways. Fork figured the bullywug would see reason the moment he'd clock the Slaadi.

Besides, Fork's main focus was on the creatures lurking behind. That's where the danger was. Fork focussed his senses on the Red Slaad emerging from the water. He linked his senses completely to the creature. When he felt he was in the zone, Fork aimed his crossbow and took a deep breath. A moment later he fired.

Hunters mark and attack with heavy crossbow: (14 to hit, 15 damage)
TriciaOso
As the creatures emerge more fully from the water and lumber forward, their appearance becomes more clear. You can see as they waddle towards you that neither of the corpses have fully transformed into slaad yet; their metamorphosis in the caches was interrupted, and the huge froggy forms have burst sloppily from the corpses. The blue slaad has one leg too small for its frame, limping behind, and the red slaad still drags a lizardfolk's tail behind it.

   
As soon as they begin to move, Fork successfully puts a crossbow bolt in the red slaad's hide, followed closely by a scattering of ice from Servius's spell and the flight of Nibum's spear.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS:
Fork's attack hits; readied action spear attack from Nibum hits; Red Slaad saves against Frostbite from Servius.
Move and dash action from Slaadi to approach.

DAMAGE:
21 damage to the Red Slaad.

INITIATIVE:
 21 - Bullywug
18 - Fork
15 - Servius (no action, waits for enemies to close)
10 - Red Slaad
10 - Blue Slaad 
10 - Ttharg
3 - Nibum
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum screwdriver spear is highly versatile. As soon as he was able to he took aim and hit a switch. With a loud click the head of the spear flew off lodging itself in the malformed creature. In the next moment minicliff went to distract the creature by flying around in its face and sounding a loud noise while it was distracted triceratool charges attempting to knock the creature to the ground. Nearing the creature nibum hits the switch again as it flies back into place. Once he is into melee with the creature he pulls a trigger that begins to spin the head of the screwdriver like a drill as he plunges it in once again. Minicliff then returns to where it started next to fetcher that does its best not to get hurt.

(2hits 7 piercing 6 piercing)

 get behind me wet skin 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

As the creatures emerge and begin bearing down on the party, Ttharg charges up to the Blue Slaad and swings his Warhammer at it.

With a sharp click of his tongue, the Spiritual Weapon also moves in and swings against it.

 
 Spoiler 
Move up to the Blue Slaad.
Main Action Attack with Warhammer. (Not sure if I would be getting Advantage for Flanking with the Bullywug, so I rolled twice, but first roll was better.) 17 to hit for 4 Bludgeoning Damage.
Bonus Action to direct Spiritual Weapon up to the Blue Slaad and attack. 24 to hit for 7 Force Damage.
 
Dirty
As the spiritual weapon takes form, the Drake instinctively blows on it. A cold stream of icy air infuses the weapon and a glittering layer of frost covers it, then shatteres as it strikes.

(Drake reaction, to add 6 cold damage to the hit.)
TriciaOso
The bullywug hops back and forth from one big flapping foot to the other, then stabs its spear at the side of triceratool with a shriek; Nibum dives in the way and takes the blow instead. You can now all 'hear' it ranting telepathically:

 --nothing, and then something destroys, nothing to infinity, and chaos ceases, spirit dissolves and chaos ensues, matter, dance and spirit do not arise from one nature alone, but from the chaos of Spirit-- 

He drives the spear in again and screams in distorted, archaic Draconic,  "¡I wOnT gO bAcK iN tHaT bOoK!"  Scintillating chaotic energy sprays from the conjunction of the two points of the spear like an arc welder, and tears into the construct, rending its Order-infused metal hide.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS:
Bullywug attacks Triceratool with the Dilemma, but Nibum redirects and Triceratool imposes disadvantage. Still hits, for 10 damage. Nibum takes 10 force damage, reduced to 7 by his temp hp.
Bullywug attacks Triceratool again, and hits for 7 damage.  The magical weapon does double damage to constructs, but Triceratool has resistance via Warding Bond, so Triceratool takes 7 damage (reduced to 4 by his temp hp) and Nibum absorbs 7 over the Warding Bond.

DAMAGE:
21 damage to the Red Slaad.
30 damage to the Blue Slaad
4 damage to Triceratool
14 damage to Nibum

INITIATIVE:
 21 - Bullywug 
18 - Fork
15 - Servius
10 - Red Slaad
10 - Blue Slaad
10 - Ttharg
3 - Nibum
 
Dirty
Surprised and annoyed with himself Fork cursed loudly when he saw the bullywug tear into the triceratool.

He called out.  "Rumble! Attack!"  

Upon hearing it's name the drake perked up and jumped into flight. He closed in between the Red Slaad and Fork and started clawing and biting before he'd even landed. He was excited though, with all the commotion and ended up scratching in thin air instead. Almost landed on his tail too but managed to find footing, albeit less than gracefully.

Fork noticed the clumsy landing and threw a sharp whistle to capture Rumble's attention. Fork shot a bolt at the Red Slaad and Rumble didn't miss a beat as he breathed another stream of ice through the trajectory of the bolt.

The iced bolt struck home and exploded in shards of icy death.

 
 Spoiler: Actions 
(Attack: crossbow 21 to hit for 22 damage)
(Bonus action: Have Rumble attack, 1 to hit. Reaction spent on infusing Forks bolt)
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 27/27 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 17 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating:   
 
  

Servius looked at the hulking, frog-like brutes.  He does not want to get too close to them.  If only... well, the bullywug with the magic weapon at least seems to be able to understand him.   "The big Slaadi behind you wants to put you back in the book!  You should kill it, now!  It's more important than anything else!"  he yells, with an undertone of magic in his words directed at the bullywug.

If he feels like his spell took effect, he'll tell the others  "Leave the bullywug alone." 
 
 Spoiler 

 Suggestion , Wisdom save DC 15 or follow reasonable courses of action.  If any of us damage it, the spell ends.
Bullywug Wis save  (1d20)[ 11 ] +??
Also move 2 square left and 1 down
 
TriciaOso
Both of the bulky half-transformed slaad seem to regenerate before your eyes, growing taller and stronger. The blue slaad bellows and slashes at Nibum twice with his claws, but both attacks bounce off the kobold's armor. It tries to bite him as well, but the half-finished transformation of its head means it can't even manage to bite down properly.

The red slaad makes a mighty leap over the scrum and lands in front of Fork, biting down viciously. Its first claw attack falls to hit, though, and the other arm flails but doesn't make an effective attack.

The bullywug turns and jabbers in an incomprehensible language at the blue slaad, waiving his spear.

  
 
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS:
Bullywug fails his save and believes the suggestion.
Blue Slaad attacks Nibum, two misses.
Red Slaad hops over the scrum and attacks Fork, one hit and one miss. 8 piercing damage to Fork.
Concentration check for Fork (passed)
Red and Blue both regenerate.

DAMAGE:
11 damage to the Red Slaad.
20 damage to the Blue Slaad
4 damage to Triceratool, +3 temp hp
14 damage to Nibum, +3 temp hp
8 damage to Fork.

INITIATIVE:
 21 - Bullywug
18 - Fork
15 - Servius
10 - Red Slaad
10 - Blue Slaad 
10 - Ttharg
3 - Nibum
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "IF YE BE BLEEDIN' OUT AN' NEED A LICK O' HEALING, JUST CALL OUT!"   Ttharg bellows as he sees his crew mates start to take some hits.

He moves around the Blue Slaad's flank. The bullywug may not have helped him hit the Slaad, but Nibum and his construct should. Once in position, he swings his Warhammer again and directs his Spiritual Weapon to do the same.

 
 Spoiler 
Move into a Flanking position with Nibum/Triceratool.
Main Action Attack with Warhammer against the Blue Slaad with Advantage for Flanking: Critical Hit for 15 Bludgeoning Damage
Bonus Action direct the Spiritual Weapon to Attack the Blue Slaad: 9 to Hit for 10 Force Damage
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum growls out  BUT THAT SCALELESS SON OF A NEWT TRIED TO DESTROY TRICERATOOL!  but he listens and takes his frustration out on the blue slaad even more. He stabs into it and pulls the trigger for the drill once more (2 strikes 20 dmg altogether). Triceratool and minicliff tag team the blue slaad once more and once more fail to effect.
TriciaOso
As magical paranoia takes root, the bullywug looks wildly between his foes and his supposed allies. His telepathic ranting rises to a scream--

 --are all rich in every way, but your portion will increase in me, until my seed i WoNt Go BaCk I wOnT gO bAcK-- 

And he slams down the butt of his spear. Flame erupts and engulfs everyone but Servius, whose last movement took him just out of range.

   
The bullywug's own flesh is consumed in the fire, but as it burns away the true form of another slaad is revealed. This one is smaller, the size of Servius or Ttharg, and has a rough, pitted and grey hide. The two other slaads look bewildered and betrayed. Much of the detritus of their humanoid forms has burned away, and the underlying and unfinished, malformed slaad forms are, if anything, more disgusting than the shambling half-transformed corpses. They don't look like they can take much more damage.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS
The 'bullywug' unleashes a fireball, DC 14, doing 36 damage on a failure and 18 on a save.
Nibum saves for half damage, reduced to 15 by temp hp. Makes the concentration save.
Triceratool saves, no damage because of Mounted Combatant
Minicliff saves for 18 damage. Destroyed.
Fetcher saves, with evasion, for 0 damage.
Fork fails for 36 damage. This knocks him unconscious.
Rumble saves for 18 damage.
Ttharg saves for 18 damage.
Red Slaad fails and takes 36 damage.
Blue Slaad fails and takes 36 damage.
'Bullywug' succeeds and takes 18. It is 'killed' instantly (11 hp) and carries over 7 damage to its true form, halved to 3 by fire resistance.

TOTAL DAMAGE SO FAR:
49 damage to the Red Slaad.
56 damage to the Blue Slaad
4 damage to Triceratool, +3 temp hp
29 damage to Nibum
18 damage to Ttharg
3 damage to Grey Slaad
Minicliff is destroyed
Fork is unconscious.

INITIATIVE:
 21 - Bullywug 
18 - Fork
15 - Servius
10 - Red Slaad
10 - Blue Slaad
10 - Ttharg
3 - Nibum
 
Dirty
The explosion blast and heat rocked the scene. It was loud. Peoples ears were ringing moments after, and then their hearing got assaulted once more. As loud, or perhaps even louder, the shriek of Rumble pierced the air when the mystical bond between Fork and Rumble got severed. It was a desperate shriek. Full of anguish. The young drake didn't need to look behind to see the unconscious body of Fork laying in the muck. The drake reacted with a fierce bloodlust, a type of hatred unmatched as it clawed into the blue Slaad next to it.

Fork: Death save(18)
Drake: (15 to hit for 5 damage)
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: F'rrkkk 
  
 When the Five Gods divided the sunlit world between them, the white dragon god journeyed to the west, the land of the giants, the endless plains and skytouch peaks. He brought them war and law, the discipline of the Ordning. They called him Tempus.

It's cold here. Snow blows, obscuring a crystal sky. The sky is full of stars, endless stars, but three are massive and unmistakeable. These stars burn fitfully, forming a line, flaring up and almost guttering out.

F'rrkkk is used to being small; he hatched in the clutch of a dragon and grew to manhood among dragonborn. The hunter is larger than large; the knife in his hand is a mountain. He is skinning a beast, and the beast is bigger than him by far.

Quod capio, teneo, he rumbles in Draconic.  What I kill, I keep. 

One star dims, then firms, burning constantly and unfailingly.  
 


The tiny drake rips the throat from the blue slaad, and it sinks to the ground gasping fruitlessly.
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 27/27 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 17 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius is taken aback at the explosion, but also glad he didn't stand near it.  The grey one, a spellcaster... trusting the others to take down the badly injured red creature, Servius points at the grey Slaad.  Four magical darts fly unerringly from his finger to strike it.  Servius watches it carefully to see if it will use magic again.  If so, he will attempt to disrupt it as it weaves its spell.
 
 Spoiler 

Magic Missile  (1d4+1)[ 4 ]  x 4 at 2nd level.

Will Counterspell the Grey slaad if it attempts to spellcast.
 
TriciaOso
The Blue Slaad sinks to the ground, decaying rapidly into a pile of sludge. The charred remains of the grung it was once was are more recognizable. The Red Slaad, on the other hand, heals and seems to firm up, shedding the last remains of the lizardfolk host it gestated within.

 
 Spoiler: Passive Investigation 15+ 
As the last shreds of the lizardfolk fall, something drops from within its coat -- a heavily-bound book.
 


It lumbers forward, standing over Fork's fallen body, and attacks Servius three times. It is shockingly clumsy, and the snakefolk wizard is able to dodge its bite and first claw attack. The second claw attack, however, lands solidly.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS
Red slaad regenerates 10 hp. Bite (misses), claw attack (misses), claw attack (hits). 10 damage (unless Servius chooses to shield).

TOTAL DAMAGE SO FAR:
39 damage to the Red Slaad.
19 damage to Grey Slaad
Blue Slaad is dead.

4 damage to Triceratool, +3 temp hp
29 damage to Nibum, +3 temp
18 damage to Ttharg
10 damage to Servius.
Minicliff is destroyed
Fork is unconscious.

INITIATIVE:
 21 - Bullywug
18 - Fork
15 - Servius
10 - Red Slaad
10 - Blue Slaad 
10 - Ttharg
3 - Nibum
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg turns away from the explosion and shields himself as best as possible against the raging inferno.

As it subsides, he quickly pats down any parts of his clothing that caught fire and assesses the damage to the crew with a practised eye. He sees Fork on the ground, charred, but not burnt to a crisp. He is too far for Ttharg to use his medical kit or hands of healing, so instead Ttharg speaks words of healing power to him.   "O' the call o' the sea is mighty strong, it calls to ye and it calls to me!"  

Ttharg then begins to wade into the swamp water proper, to close with the new Slaad. He is forced to leave his Spiritual Weapon behind for a moment, but swings at the new Slaad with his Warhammer.

 
 Spoiler 
Bonus Action to cast Healing Word (1st Level) at Fork. He heals 5 damage.
Move Action to close with the Grey Slaad, including Difficult Terrain.
Main Action to Attack the Grey Slaad with Warhammer: 16 to hit for 6 Bludgeoning Damage.
 
zylodrizzt
Being a paranoid old crotchety kobold sometimes has its advantages such as knowing when to get out of the way... kinda... can't completely avoid an explosion right in your face. He's just glad triceratool and fetcher managed unharmed but minicliff sinks in flames to the ground. This makes nibum completely insane he wheels around triceratool (opposite and flanking with ttharg) and stabs hard into the Grey slaad. Once he scores a hit he presses the switch that would launch the head of the spear off to plunge it even more deeply into the beast.  HOW DARE YOU WART SKINNED LOOSE TONGUED CHAOS CRAP! ILL KILL YOU!  triceratool can't manage a hit with the wild thrashing on his back

He directs fetcher behind fork still holding the potion ready at a moments notice to give him the potion darting away from danger
TriciaOso
F'rrkkk, you open your eyes lying on the mucky swamp ground. Lying in the mud inches from your face is a heavy tome that reeks of ozone, fresh and sharp among the stink of the swamp and the reek of slaad. The battered red slaad is standing over both you and the book, snarling in the face of Servius.

You see the true face of gray slaad for the first time, still holding the scintillating spear known as the Dilemma even in this form. It is pinned between Ttharg and Nibum, who are both battering at it with their weapons. It seems to completely ignore Ttharg's warhammer, but Nibum's spear digs into it twice.

But even as it raises the Dilemma to take its own attacks, its wounds begin to close. Still hellbent on the construct, but realizing it won't be able to destroy it while Nibum still draws breath, it brings the polearm down on the ancient kobold. The burning edge of pure chaotic energy rips through Nibum once, despite Triceratool's attempt to dodge. On the second blow it clashes against the kobold's rusty shield, still bearing the crest of the disgraced Negniter family.

The gray slaad roars with frustration, then whips around to try and take a bite out of Ttharg, catching the cleric offguard. It chomps down its bit of dragonborn flesh and then sneers in its antique Draconic:

  
 "¿yOu StInK oF lAw LeSs  ThAn ThEm... bUt MuSt KeEp yOu GuEsSiNg, YeS?"  
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS
Fork is back up with 5 hp.
Gray Slaad takes 20 damage from Nibum, none from Ttharg.
At the start of his turn Gray Slaad regenerates 10 hp.
Two Dilemma attacks on Nibum. Disadvantage on the first one (26, 24) due to Triceratool reaction; still hits for 12; reduced by temp hp to 9.
Misses on the second one.
Bite attack on Ttharg hits for 6 damage.

TOTAL DAMAGE SO FAR:
39 damage to the Red Slaad.
29 damage to Grey Slaad
Blue Slaad is dead.

4 damage to Triceratool, +3 temp hp
18 damage to Rumble
38 damage to Nibum
24 damage to Ttharg
39 damage to Fork
10 damage to Servius.
Minicliff is destroyed


INITIATIVE:
 21 - Gray Slaad 
18 - Fork
15 - Servius
10 - Red Slaad
10 - Blue Slaad
10 - Ttharg
3 - Nibum
 
Dirty
Sweating and with a throbbing headache Forks worldview swirled back into the present. "What I kill, I keep." He whispered faintly as if unwilling to let go of a dream.

Then the stench hit him and he noticed the nasty feet of a red Slaad to either side of him. With a jolt, Fork suddenly remembered where he was and ignored the pain that was going through his entire body. He felt for his weapon and it was lying just there.. with a deep breath he rolled over slightly, freeing up his arm. He dragged the heavy crossbow, newly bought, up to his chest and aimed it upwards into an angle that was sure to hurt the slaad.

He pulled the trigger.

Then, without ever waiting for the outcome he released the mechanism and loaded another bolt. He didn't even consider aiming. The angle was still sort of similar and as soon he heard the mechanism shutting in acceptance of the second bolt he pulled the trigger again. Without pause he let go of the heavy crossbow and with his left arm pulled free a hand crossbow. In a similar style he shot from the hip as soon as he had the weapon raised. Like a porcupine Fork exploded with bolts shooting upward and it was a hot second before the light that had entered his eyes after falling unconscious started disappearing again.

A shadow closed in on Fork and then darkness engulfed him. He couldn't breath but all his senses were assaulted by a foul taste and smell. Bitter and evil. It was all Fork could do not to throw up.

Everyone else could see the Slaad fall over, then, a bit too long for comfort, Fork crawled out from under it. Gasping for air as he did so.
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 17/27 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 17 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius reaches down, his tail and body flexing as he pulls, helping Forkk get out from under the dead Slaad.   "Good shooting.  Only one left, but the most dangerous one."   With a staticky popping sound, three more bolts of force fly towards the Grey Slaad, striking it.
 
 Spoiler 

Magic Missile
 (1d4+1)[ 4 ]  x3
 
TriciaOso
   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS
Ttharg uses a reaction to inflict 14 thunder damage on Gray, halved to 7 because it makes a DEX save.
Fork fires two heavy crossbow attacks at Red, with advantage because of his position (essentially hidden). (11,11) misses. (13,16) hits, for 14 damage.
This kills the Red Slaad.
He fires his hand crossbow at Gray, still with advantage. (11,24) hits, for 9 damage.
Rumble uses his reaction to add cold damage; however, 1 point of damage, halved by resistance, is 0.
Servius casts Magic Missile and hits Gray for 12 damage.
Nibum's temp HP comes back up.

TOTAL DAMAGE SO FAR:
57 damage to Grey Slaad
Red Slaad is dead.
Blue Slaad is dead.

4 damage to Triceratool, +3 temp hp
18 damage to Rumble
38 damage to Nibum, +3 temp hp
24 damage to Ttharg
39 damage to Fork
10 damage to Servius.
Minicliff is destroyed

INITIATIVE:
 21 - Gray Slaad
18 - Fork
15 - Servius 
10 - Ttharg
3 - Nibum
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

As the Grey Slaad takes a bite out of Ttharg, Ttharg retaliates by shouting back in the Slaad's face, his voice amplified by his faith into a thunderous assault on it's eardrums:   "MAY YE SCALES ROT AND WITHER, BOTTOM FEEDER!"   The Slaad seemed to dodge out of the way of most of Ttharg's tirade, but couldn't avoid all of it.

For a moment, Ttharg was concerned when the Red Slaad collapsed onto Fork, but then the valiant Kobold crawled out from underneath it's corpse.

He looked around at the crew, who all seemed to be in various states of injury, including himself.   "Finish off this scaleywag! Hurry!"  

They needed to finish off this foe quickly, and so Ttharg quickly holstered his Warhammer, repositioned himself around the Slaad, and reached out to the sky above the melee.   "Bahamut, I call to ye! Strike me foe with your blessed lightning!"   In an instant, a small storm cloud appeared above the battle and a electricity crackled within the cloud. Ttharg took out his holy symbol of Bahamut and proudly displayed it to the sky. As if in response, a bolt of lightning struck the ground next to the Slaad with a sound that defined Ttharg's lineage:  krixkrux . Electricity arced towards the Slaad almost like a brilliant white claw reaching out for the creature; the power of which was increased by Ttharg's display of faith.

Ttharg then directed his Spiritual Weapon to attack whatever was left of the Slaad.

 
 Spoiler 
Move Action to move around the Slaad, getting out of the way of the incoming Lightning Bolt.
Free Action to Holster Warhammer
Main Action to Cast Call Lightning (3rd Level Spell) centred just to the north-east of the Slaad so that it will only hit it. Grey Slaad needs to make a DC 13 Dex Save or take 3D10 Lightning Damage. Takes half damage on a success.
Grey Slaad Dex Save =  (1d20)[ 20 ] +mods vs DC 13.
Regardless of whether the Slaad succeeds it's saving throw, Ttharg will use his Channel Divinity to deal maximum damage to it. So 30 Lightning Damage or 15 Lightning Damage depending on it's save.
Bonus Action to direct Spiritual Weapon to attack the Slaad: 21 to hit for 9 Force Damage.
 
TriciaOso
The lightning skitters over the Slaad's resistant hide, but in the brief heartbeat between the stroke and the sound, Ttharg, you feel a thrum from the vial of holy water; and then the loudest sound any of you have ever heard rips across the swamp and devastates the Slaad.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Bahamut transmutes the lightning to thunder damage. Everyone is deafened for 1d4 (4) rounds.

 
 
zylodrizzt
Relieved the hatchling fork is ok nibum can focus again. There's not much more he can do but to keep up the attack and keep trying to take down this creature like captains orders.He moves to flank once more and then he hits the switch to unlodge the spear head and stabs in again but the force of triceratools attack combined with how tired nibum felt in this moment had the thrust off its mark.

Fetcher remains vigilant of incoming attacks
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: As the thunder rings out across the islands of Baratano... 
As the thunder rings out across the islands of Baratano, startling wyverns into flight and sending swampdrakes diving for cover, Captain Magyar shouts to the crew to make way towards the cape. They leaving behind a smouldering ruin where the Asphodian lair was. But it's like she said -- by the time the White Cliff makes it to you, it will all be over. One more round of combat will decide things one way or another.)

At the same time, a bright copper figure takes flight from East Horn.

   
Shanidar, the dragon of these isles, sets out from his lair towards the source of the holy noise. As he does, the standing stones atop the foothills of the The Grin glow in sudden flares of starlight, and the ethereal music of woodwinds and bells is carried on the wind, although none of you could hear it. Across the bay in West Horn, where you fight for your lives, he is almost invisible against the twilight sky.
 


The gray slaad raises its spear in anger. It's badly hurt but still deadly, and each of you clings to the edge of life, too. Its huge eyes roll back and forth as its chaotic mind tries to calculate the odds.

You can't hear it speak -- you can't hear anything -- and the telepathic ranting seems to have stopped. The tension draws out... and then with a mighty leap that carries it away from your attacks, the slaad flees across the swamp and dives into one of the ruined huts. It's not much, but it does have a roof, and (more or less) walls.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS:
The slaad takes the disengage action and flees into a nearby hut.

TOTAL DAMAGE SO FAR:
85 damage to Grey Slaad
Red Slaad is dead.
Blue Slaad is dead.

4 damage to Triceratool, +3 temp hp
18 damage to Rumble
38 damage to Nibum, +3 temp hp
24 damage to Ttharg
39 damage to Fork
10 damage to Servius.
Minicliff is destroyed

INITIATIVE:
 21 - Gray Slaad 
18 - Fork
15 - Servius
10 - Ttharg
3 - Nibum
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 17/27 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 17 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius slithers north, dipping into the murky water in pursuit of the Slaad.  As long as it doesn't shoot lightning, he's fine with getting a bit wet.  He travels on a ship now, after all.  And again - more magical darts fly after it.
 
 Spoiler 

3 squares due north to get line of sight
Magic Missile  (1d4+1)[ 4 ]  x 3
 
Dirty
Fork darted after Servius in a similar direction and whistled once to indicate the chase was on.

Rumble followed the grey Slaad towards the building and as Fork released two bolts, Rumble infused them with icy death just before running into the hut and tearing into the slaad

 
 Spoiler: actions 

1st bolt: 8+9= 17 to hit for 18 damage (includes 6 infused damage)
2nd bolt: 15+9 = 24 to hit for 10 damage
Drake attack: 19+6= 25 to hit for 4 damage
 
TriciaOso
Perhaps, in its jumble of a mind, the gray slaad thought that the hut could give it shelter long enough to turn invisible and vanish into the swamp. It almost did. If it could've closed a door behind it...

But three weeks ago a bullywug spearfisher noticed the hut, while decrepit, still had a pretty serviceable door, and removed it from the hinges, and took it home.

Earlier this week, that bullywug spearfisher met his death, and was consumed, and became a face for the gray slaad to wear.

Perhaps, in whatever afterlife his amphibious kind believe in, he is pleased to know that for the slaad that killed him, death came through that open doorway.

The drake claws at its face, and as it wrestles Rumble away, there come darts of steel and magical force to pierce its bulbous eyes.

The two who can see the slaad see something strange--a flattening dissolution into thin air.

Servius, who got the killing blow, sees the last, inexplicable thing. He's seen etchings for print reproduction before, and that's what the slaad looks like; two dimensional, inverted, sketched out and contained.

 --no no not  THE BOOK -- 
   
Gone.  The Dilemma  thumps to the packed earth floor. To the victors go the  spoils .

Across the bay, sails are visible, with the distinctive living figurehead of the White Cliff. And in the sky, a coppery draconic silhouette approaches from The Grin.
Dirty
Fork clapped Servius on the shoulder when the Slaad finally croaked.

 "Nice blasting."  He said..

The adrenaline was leaving his body and he suddenly felt every wound on him, which were quite a few. He walked into the hut and hugged Rumble around the neck with one arm before petting him with his knuckles on Rumbles forehead with the other hand.  "Good fighting buddy. Just as we trained."  He said, proud of the drake.

When eventually Ttharg came into view Fork got serious again and walked over.  "I passed out there for a hot second. But something pulled me back.. I suppose that was you?"  If Ttharg reacted to be in any way confirming this suspicion, it would be followed by a sincere  "Thank you."  Before Fork pulled out a thick bladed bowie-knife and started skinning what he could from the Slaads laying around.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg had been prepared to cast another spell at the retreating Slaad, but the faces of victory on Fork and Servius stopped him.

He dug a taloned finger into his ear, trying to stop the ringing from happening, even though he knew it was futile. He moved up to the hut and the rest of the group who had already begun digging through the remains of the Slaad.

As Fork begins to speak, the deafness was still affecting him, and he had to bellow:   "WHAT WAS THAT, LAD? I CAN'T HEAR YE!"   several times before the ringing in his ears stopped and he could hear the Kobold.   "Aye, it were me who brought ye back from Bahamut's locker. Couldn't have ye dying before the battle was over now."  

Whilst the others looted or skinned the corpses, Ttharg took a quick look around the entire area with the flask of Holy Water; double checking they weren't missing anything further. Holding the flask in his hands, he felt a strange power about it, as if it were empowering him with Bahamut's blessing. He made a mental note to have one of the White Cliff's labourers fashion it into an amulet proper when they returned aboard.

(Ttharg will have the Holy Water made into an a wearable amulet, as per the Magic Item description, and will attune to it once back aboard the White Cliff)
J-H
Servius cautiously slithers over to where the grey Slaad fell.  He uses a piece of wood to poke cautiously at the book, then retrieves a second piece of wood.  Using the two as tongs, he carries the book outside and sets it on a dry fallen stone, where he carefully flips pages while looking at the contents for a while before being satisfied that it is safe.   "This is not the book that poisoned the tortle we seek, but a spellbook from one of the crew of the Broken Wing.  I can put it to use.  He took good notes." 

He studies the book, oblivious to the oncoming ship and dragon until someone actively interrupt him and points them out.
zylodrizzt
Nibum has fetcher bring him the spear. He examines it suspecting that it's from the negniter hoard after all the book they are after was. As he does so he says to fork  Im relieved your alive hatchling we arent done yet tho. Do you think you can find any more or all of the foul tadpoles? 

To everyone  Im beat. Think theres time to take a break? Old bones havent moved like that for awhile.  he weezes
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
 Whilst the others looted or skinned the corpses, Ttharg took a quick look around the entire area with the flask of Holy Water; double checking they weren't missing anything further. 
 

With more time to look around, you can follow the phantom footsteps of  Vaarth Pthax  and his goon squad onto the island, hunting slaad. You see their wraithly forms meeting with Trionyx, and at first the meeting is hostile, but then turns suddenly friendly. Two of the crew react badly to this--it would be really great to be able to  hear --but the others are loyal and cut them down ruthlessly. Then they return to the dock, treating Trionyx like an honored guest. If you wish, you can follow the passage of their boat back to the Broken Wing, and the Broken Wing out of the bay, before the ghostly images pass beyond the sight of your flask.

The visions only seem to follow Trionyx, so you can't see what becomes of the corpses, but it's not hard to deduce that they were found, infected, and cached by the gray slaad.


 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
 Servius cautiously slithers over to where the grey Slaad fell.  He uses a piece of wood to poke cautiously at the book, then retrieves a second piece of wood.  Using the two as tongs, he carries the book outside and sets it on a dry fallen stone, where he carefully flips pages while looking at the contents for a while before being satisfied that it is safe.   "This is not the book that poisoned the tortle we seek, but a spellbook from one of the crew of the Broken Wing.  I can put it to use.  He took good notes." 

He studies the book, oblivious to the oncoming ship and dragon until someone actively interrupt him and points them out. 
 

The book is a Fulminating Treatise, a gift the primordial Imix grants to his warlocks. They are incredibly rare, due to their tendency to self-immolate when the bearer dies. Apparently getting turned into a slaad is an edge case. It will take some deciphering and study to make use of it properly, but time is all you need, and time is in great supply on a long voyage.


 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Nibum has fetcher bring him the spear. He examines it suspecting that it's from the negniter hoard after all the book they are after was. 
 

You recognize the twin spearheads. Judges who serve beneath the Magistrate of Lapis carry these spears; ancient weapons of millennia past made of axiomatic steel and charged with the power of Order and Law. In the present day they are only used ceremonially, being antique and delicate. These look well-used but certainly not millennia old; the slaad must have been imprisoned with this weapon in the dawn of history.

Someone very clever and devious has placed them in opposition to each other, so that two opposing poles of axiomatic energy create a vortex that shreds Reason and chews through Order.


 To everyone  Im beat. Think theres time to take a break? Old bones havent moved like that for awhile.  he weezes 

The White Cliff cannot come all the way into this tiny dock, but you can see a landing party led by First Mate Cocytus approaching in another boat to discover what has become of you. Maybe they can help clean up the other cached bodies. It looks like the copper dragon, Shanidar, is going to make it here first, though.

 
 Spoiler: Perception 15+ 
At this distance you can just barely make out a tiny figure clinging to Shanidar's neck.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "Somethin' were promised to Captain Pthax. Somethin' that stayed his hand and turned some o' his crew against him. Maybe it were a charm spell or some such, but it's difficult to tell."   Ttharg said as much to himself as to anyone else.

Ttharg looks up to Shanidar as they approach rapidly.   "We won't have enough time to rendezvous back with the crew before the King o' these isles comes."   He points to the Copper Dragon for emphasis.   "There be someone hitchin' a ride with the King, though. Hopefully someone kind to our cause. We can only hope the King looks favourably on what we've done here. Maybe we could even petition him for information on the Broken Wing? In any case, Nibum, I don't think we have time for a rest, and if the King decides to fight us, we're dead anyway."  

Ttharg puts away his flask and stands in the open on the initial island they arrived on, as if inviting Shanidar to parley with him.
zylodrizzt
He grumles  Fine then if im going out im gonna go out seated with back support. Saddles got my back sore. Come on treceratool fetcher help me out  as he begins gathering up some supplies from the shack and setting up an improvised chair in the clearing tthrag went to.
TriciaOso
It's a good chair, although it really doesn't take that long. There are few things as fast as a dragon in a hurry.

Shanidar touches down neatly and quietly on one of the larger hummocks, which he takes up pretty much entirely. You are all well-accustomed to living among dragons, and it's clear he's an adult dragon, but maybe not long an adult. His copper scales are still largely untouched by green patina. He's big and bulky, with a heavy jaw and deep-set eyes that seem to gleam at you from under his cavernous brow.

  "How are you, now,"   he rumbles.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 12+ or History 10+ (adv for Fork and Ttharg) 
Shanidar is known as the dragon of Baratano, but he wouldn't say he ruled Baratano. Most metallic dragons don't like to make claims to authority like that.

It's true, however, that he's the strongest creature in Baratano, and the richest, and the biggest, and that his opinion carries a lot of weight in Baratano because of his strength and wealth and general largeness; not to mention longevity and cultural, traditional role.

No, he wouldn't say he's the *god* of Baratano, either.

 
 Spoiler: History 15+ (adv for Fork and Ttharg) 
The Grin is one of the longest continuously-occupied lairs in the Hic Sunt, changing hands frequently, and under Shanidar Baratano has thrived and enjoyed relative stability. He has smoothed the often-fractitious relationship between the natives of Frogtown, the pirates, the lizardkin fisherfolk, and even the less degenerate of the cultists.

Like any metallic dragon he is not friendly to Lssthp, but there are worse neighbors. Shanidar keeps order in Baratano, in a rough and ready way, and upholds certain unspoken principles. It's lawless, but not ruthless, brutal anarchy.
 

 


Almost unseen, a small copper figure drops from his neck and steps forward. It's a female copper kobold--a beautiful one, if you're the type of person who can see beauty in a kobold--and she looks a little friendlier.  "Howdy boys,"  she says.  "Rough day?" 
 
 Spoiler: Same roll (Insight 12+ or History 10+) 
This is Shanidar's older sister Zab. Rumor has it she's the brains behind his brawn.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg bows to the pair.

  "Ahoy Shanidar, ahoy Zab. Our apologies for the disturbance; but we heard tell o' Slaad in these swamps and came to investigate on ye's behalf. We encountered a few o' 'em, but, as ye can see, we dealt with 'em. Took a few blows across the bow we did, but we're still afloat. We don't think there's any more about; so we'll be takin' our leave as soon as the jolly boat gets here."  
TriciaOso
Shanidar's head snaps up at the mention of slaad, and he sniffs the air intently. He looks down at Zab, and she looks up at him, the kind of silent communication siblings excel at.  "Well, get after it,"  she says. He shoots a line of acid that crosses a couple of islands, dissolving two additional caches of infected bodies.

She turns back to Ttharg.  "Much obliged. More hands mean less work, right, little brother?" 

The dragon nods its huge head.   "If you can be one thing, be efficient."  
 "Youse did us a favor. And with that in mind we won't even mention that snake bar got burnt down in Pierholt, will we, little brother?" 

The dragon rumbles,   "Least said, soonest mended."  

She snaps a finger, and all your wounds are suddenly lightened.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Ttharg crits on both History and Persuasion.

Mass Cure Wounds, +27 hp.
 

 "There's your boat,"  she says, pointing at the dock.  "Pitter patter."  She tips you a wink.

 
 Spoiler: Message Spell to Ttharg 
  Come back and split a bottle with us sometime when you're not in such a hurry.  
 
Dirty
  Im relieved your alive hatchling we arent done yet tho. Do you think you can find any more or all of the foul tadpoles? 

 "That makes two of us Nibum, old dog."  He said as only response to it. To be honest Fork didn't know if he wanted to find more tadpoles.

------------------------------------------


As he set about skinning the hides, he followed the goings-on from a bit away. He finally tied together and slung the hides over Rumble's back to fly them to the ship and stepped up when the healing spell got cast over them. He felt instantly better.
 "Thank you kindly."  He said with reverence to Zab. Fork was absolutely the kind that was the type of person who can see beauty in a kobold.  "And pleased to make your acquaintance."  He said to the both of them.

 "Any idea where the Broken Wing is off to?"  Fork asked after Zab sort of sent them off of the island. He knew it was a risk asking for anything, and even revealing what their captain Magyar might be after was in and of itself a gamble. But something about the copper kobolds appearance seemed alright to Fork, and the way the pair conducted themselves right now made him take a chance.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg bows again to the pair.   "Thank ye from the bottom o' our hearts. May the winds and the water be kind to ye."   He smiles at Zab when she messages him and subtly nods.

Once the jolly boat arrives, Ttharg salutes the First Mate.   "Ahoy, sir! It be me pleasure to report a successful excursion. Best we be back aboard the ship for debriefing, aye?"  
J-H
      
   <span style="font-family: Century

Gothic">  Servius Calventius Pamphilius  
  
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 27/27 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 17 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  
The arrival of the dragon ruling the area is enough to jolt Servius away from his studies.   "My thanks,"  he offers in exchange for the healing.  It appears others have handled all the social niceties already.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by Dirty 
  "Thank you kindly."  He said with reverence to Zab. Fork was absolutely the kind that was the type of person who can see beauty in a kobold.  "And pleased to make your acquaintance."  He said to the both of them. 
 

Your courtesy nets you a flirtatious smile from the female kobold, and a low grumble from the hulking copper dragon.


  "Any idea where the Broken Wing is off to?"  Fork asked after Zab sort of sent them off of the island. He knew it was a risk asking for anything, and even revealing what their captain Magyar might be after was in and of itself a gamble. But something about the copper kobolds appearance seemed alright to Fork, and the way the pair conducted themselves right now made him take a chance. 

 "He's headed Sunward, I know that,"  Zab says.  "We saw them our way back." 
  "He's got friends in Cagway,"   says Shanidar unexpectedly.   "More'n he's got here, anyway. If you're hunting him, and he feels like he wants some back up, he might head there."   Zab gives him a surprised look, but the dragon says,   "If they're huntin' Vaarth Pthax, it's fine by me, Zab. I'd have sunk himself for two pins."  
 "Hard yes,"  she agrees.

 
 Spoiler: Cagway 
Cagway is the derelict remains of a once greater city. It was the center of reptilian life in the Hic Sunt before the migration of the chromatic dragons in the wake of the Cataclysm and the collapse of the utopian anarchist project of the worshippers of Bahamut. In the ruins of the great stone lairs built by metallic dragons in that lost age are bars, whorehouses, and auction markets selling stolen ships and goods, but never, ever slaves. Nothing infuriates a metallic dragon like slavery. It is further from Lssthp, within a few days of the Sunhome Isles.
 


 


Back on the White Cliff, Captain Magyar brings the officers (plus Siduri) together in her quarters. She has her own information from the raid on the cultists's lair to share.  "It seems like most of the Apophidians went over to Trionyx right away. He's got something in that book that swayed them. Not magical compulsion. According to our informant, he  convinced  them that serving Tiamat would serve Apophis. The Litany of Kin convinced them."

"The ones who protested the blasphemy were killed. Only one was bright enough to keep his mouth shut until the moment came." 

Tegu chuckles and fingers her blood-stained maul. "We were the moment."

 "Based on the lad's testimony, we believe Trionyx is bound for Malatra. If his doctrine is as successful with the Apophidians there, we won't need any supernatural trouble... an alliance between the cult of Tiamat and the cult of Apophis would be more than bad enough." 
 "That's what I've been most afraid of,"  Siduri admits.

 
 Spoiler: Malatra 
Malatra is a Yuan-Ti city that occupies the majority of an island (also called Malatra) within sight of Sunhome Qua. It is a great trade-port, a key junction between human lands and the empire of Lssthp. It is a city of great decadence and corruption; sometimes it seems they only pass laws as an excuse for bribes to change hands and to collect prisoners to sacrifice to Apophis.
 


Cocytus speaks up: "Captain, Shanidar believed Pthax may head to Cagway to find allies, first and foremost. It's my duty to pass that along... but I'll also say I've got my doubts. Pthax isn't in charge anymore, Trionyx is. If we guess wrong and they don't head to Cagway, we'll have lost the time for nothing."

The Captain considers that and looks to her officers.  "All right... so straight to Malatra, to try and get ahead of him for once? Or keep chasing him along the route to Cagway, assuming they  are  going there first? Opinions?" 

Both routes have their risks. The route to Cagway is home to many populated islands, ships of the Flagless Fleet, and metallic dragons. A direct route to Malatra will go through emptier waters, where the odds of encountering illithid ships is higher... which is no doubt why Cocytus favors it. But there will also be less chance to stop for repairs until you reach the Yuan-Ti city.
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 27/27 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 17 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius looks around.  If no others speak up first, he'll give his opinion.   "Malatra sounds like a certainty.  If we arrive first, we can research, and prepare to engage Trionyx on our own terms, plus keep him from having the opportunity to spread his heresy to more of my kind.  The only risk would be if he doesn't go there, and it takes us too long to realize it.." 
zylodrizzt
The encounter with the dragon
Nibum stood up of course and before he lowers his head he notices the relationship between the siblings. This confuses and irritates the ancient kobold. Perhaps the times are changing. He says nothing of it tho for that wouldn't be proper.  I hope we were of use  he says respectfully falling into old customs

During the meeting
He cares little for where they go but one thing is clear... wherever this tortle goes demons will follow and so he speaks up  So he can charm with and without magic. He releases ancient foes with ancient weapons (indicating delima) from books. I say we follow and at the very least try to warn those in his wake if not deal with the horrors he releases. I am confident we will catch up and stop him. If we try and get ahead of him what will it matter if we stop him if he's released 100s of other horrors.   he says ending looking at cocytus as if to apologize for disagreeing. He hated to do it.

 do the stars speak to you on this?  he asks the navigator.

He turns to Siduri  I had misplaced anger from something i had learned just before meeting you. I wanted to apologize for that outburst now if i hadnt. My memory isnt what it used to be. Knowing trionyx what do you suppose is his next port? 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "I hear that Captain Pthax is a vile taskmaster; helps him act on rumours o' plunder and get there before other pirates; or so I be understandin'. And now his ship might be boosted by whatever vile powers our Tortle lad has gotten his grippers on. Even with the White Cliff, I don't expect us to catch up with 'em before they reach Cagway. And I do expect he'll go to Cagway first, sir."   Ttharg says respectfully to the First Mate.   "The Tortle lad may be leadin' their voyage, but Pthax runs the ship and his crew, and like any scaleyrot pirate he'll want backup; 'specially if he's going to Yuan-Ti waters. I overheard at the Court that he'd convinced the crew to oust the old Captain. And now he's convinced 'em to work with a lad who releases Slaad and makes allies of cultists. He's got a force o' personality alright."   Ttharg shifts uncomfortably as he relays this information, scratching at this hands as he does so.

  "Headin' to Cagway won't get us very much. I say we head to Malatra."  
Dirty
Fork listened to it all and waited a bit before chiming in.

 "I don't have much to offer except for a strong instinctive urge to rush for Malatra."  He took a second before trying to explain his reasons.  "Pthax may not be in charge anymore but Trionix recruited him for a reason.. He needs him and his skill. He couldn't navigate the seas himself, we've seen this. And if there's the slightest chance we can catch up with them at Malatra, or spirits willing even get there before they do I think we should go straight for it. If we miss them there, I doubt the inhabitants there will be as helpful as they've been here.. and I don't want the trail to go cold." 
TriciaOso
  do the stars speak to you on this?  he asks the navigator. 

 "The stars of the Outer Edge are few and wild,"  Cauda says.  "Wherever we go I will do my duty. But I would stay where the paths are ones I have trod before." 

Tegu makes eye contact with Nibum and Kabett before she speaks up. "Fighting squids or fighting metallics, it's all the same to me, but speaking for them of us that have to keep this tub floating, I'd rather be where there's friendly ports for rest and repair and supplies easy to hand myself." Kabett nods.


 He turns to Siduri  I had misplaced anger from something i had learned just before meeting you. I wanted to apologize for that outburst now if i hadnt. My memory isnt what it used to be. Knowing trionyx what do you suppose is his next port?  

 "Please, don't worry about it..."  she murmurs, then considers the question.  "I am confident Malatra is his destination, after what we found here. But I see no reason to doubt the dragon of Baratano or Mr. Ttharg. Unless his impatience is mastering, he would trust the captain he has found. As for whether we should give chase or try to get ahead of him... I am not an expert in these matters, nor do I have a vote here. But I think your point about the dangers he might unleash along his path, whatever path he takes, is well-taken, Mr. Nibum." 
 "Agreed,"  says the Captain heavily. Tallying up the votes, she sees that the decision is hers, as it always really was.  "Those of you who think first of the ship chose Cagway. Those of you who think tactically chose Malatra. I need both sides, but in the end, I must favor mission. I am not a free woman. I serve the Throne."

"But giving a thought for those along the path to Cagway, and weighing secrecy against decency... I'll speak candidly with Shanidar before we leave. The metallic dragons along the route to Cagway must be warned."  She sighs.  "Set a course for Malatra, Cauda. And gods grant we choose right." 

 


She holds back the four of you who fought the Slaad for a moment.  "One last piece of business you gentlemen haven't heard of yet. As mentioned, there was one among the cultists who aided us in the raid and has given information since. He's a Yuan-Ti, a native of Malatra, and altogether horrified by Trionyx's religious opinions. Name of Orophias. I've brought him on board to fill our vacancy, in exchange for a lift home."

"He'll do for the triage corps, I think."  Even a junior Yuan-Ti priest tends to have a rough-and-ready understanding of anatomy, at least as it relates to human(oid) sacrifice.  "Break him in, Mr. Krixkrux, and you and Mr. F'rrkkk pick someone to get their step to Able Seaman and the Marines." 

All of this is routine staffing business, but she adds:  "The new lad is no born sailor, but he needs a ride and we need a cold body, and he knows more about Malatra and the Yuan-Ti than anyone else we have on board. He understands he's to be a resource to us, first and foremost, when he's not swabbing the deck. " 
TriciaOso
Cauda lays her course while the Captain speaks briefly to Shanidar, and Ttharg and Fork sort out the crew roster. Then you point the White Cliff out of the bay, and set sail for Malatra, along the Outer Edge.

   
The Outer Edge marks the boundary between the Hic Sunt and the outer chaos--the Plane of Chaos itself, the Far Plane and the space between worlds where the spelljammers fly. Visitors from Beyond must enter via the Outer Edge and navigate the Hic Sunt towards more stable waters. It is less populated than other areas of the Hic Sunt, with the reptilian and draconic population largely clustering around the Inner Rim in this quadrant. But the quickest path to Malatra from here will take you through it.

These waters are lonely and largely empty; bare rocks are spotted passing by, or distant silhouettes of dragons island-hopping. Cauda predicts sixteen to twenty weeks of travel to Malatra; Tegu starts a pool betting on how long it will be before anything interesting happens.

Everyone who bet on four weeks wins a tidy packet.
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 27/27 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 17 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Over the next few weeks, Servius spends some time working with Tegu.  She's nearly his opposite in temperament, so they don't spend too much time together - but she's bearable, especially in the morning before she has drunk much.  He spends some time working with her on his balance at sea, getting better at dodging and absorbing blows, while she works on her quickness using padded sticks.  It's not precisely fun, but Servius also didn't enjoy getting punched and clawed by a Slaad.  Until he picks up some means of teleportation, he'd best get better at surviving enemies that get too close.

Waking up early to work with the purser also means the food quality is slightly better; that which is served first is less burnt than the dregs of the pots and skillets.  Lemon or orange juice squeezed onto a dish every meal is an adjustment - it works for meat, but not so well for porridge - but the risk of scurvy is well-known and planned for by all competent captains, quartermasters, and students of the sea.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg wasn't best pleased at having to welcome a Yuan-Ti as an apprentice; but as the Captain had said: 'needs must'. He had selected one of his more clumsy assistants - Ttharg hoped that the assistant's clumsiness when it came to wielding a surgeon's blade would translate nicely into a killing blow eventually - to fill the marine vacancy.

As the Captain had mentioned, the Yuan-Ti already had a rudimentary understanding of anatomy and surgery; it was just a case of putting things back into a person rather than taking them out. He gave the apprentice the bare amount of training, trusting his other assistants to help buoy the new arrival's skills. Instead, Ttharg focused on improving the ship's surgery - making the space more efficient and organised. Towards the end of the month at sea, Ttharg appreciated his team needed a break, and decided to regale them with stories of his previous times in Baratano (omitting any notions of personal piracy, of course) as he passed around his bottle of Goblin Rotgut.

(All the others can now see Ttharg wearing the bottle of Holy Water as an amulet around his neck)
Dirty
A handshake between Ttharg and Fork had sealed the clumsy lizards fate.

Second chances were rare in this particular environment, but it was about making do with what they had and every man was going to be making himself useful. Besides, Fork figured, this particular individual at least has had some experience killing.. albeit patients, not enemies. It shouldn't be too awkward a transition for the fellow.

In order to make sure the new inductee found his place, and in order to tighten up the ranks, Fork set about with a brutal schedule for the marines. It was in part to make sure that the men knew that the fallen marine was taken serious and in part because they were sailing towards a possible heap of danger. He needed their heads in the game. Also, Lizardman mariners were harder to control if they were left unchecked. Their natural violent tendencies did not mix well with the boredom and routinised life onboard.
This meant four weeks of non-stop training and drills. Fork had them hang from both the sides of the ship for hours only to blow a whistle, where they had to scramble up and get to the other side as fast as they could. Patience, strength and endurance were tested. He had them completely do all their weapons and gear every day. Unpack, fix, clean and pack again. Discipline was demanded.

They dove from off of the head of the mount, had to swim under the White Cliff and be fished out along the tail end by four teammates. In full gear. This was particularly gruelling since it tested mettle, reaction and teamwork. It wasn't without danger. Fork came up with many ways to keep the Marines occupied during the four weeks. If they recognised the necessity of it or not, he didn't mind. A strict system was the only way he knew how to keep order on a long voyage. Tried and proven. He liked to think that they were glad for the distractions of boredom, even though he came close to testing their limits sometimes.

He needed them to be at their absolute best.
zylodrizzt
Nibum gathers together the carpenters. Standing in front of them he begins  It occurs to me that i cannot live forever. That i cannot care for this ship all by myself so... ive decided instead of just calling you hatchlings layabouts i decided id pass along wisdom so maybe one day youll be worth more then just labor. You all did reasonably well during that fight but your repairs were unfocused. I have been working in this ship since before anyone and i imagine before some of you lost your egg tooth....  yes like an old man he rattles on and on for a good while losing his point now and again but all in all he starts a regimine of exercises with spare supplies broken in various ways (in which he makes sure mending is applied so they can be reused) to focus the repairs to what really matters. At times he has to stop himself from yelling at the hatchlings and jumping in himself. He teaches them easier methods of quick repairs things they'd likely never learn from more modern craftsmen. He is actually really enjoying teaching and proud of his students but his reply anytime they finish something is a scowl and  you still got alot to learn hatchling 
TriciaOso
As the ship makes its way south and east, the weather becomes more unpredictable and colder. As Cauda warned, the stars themselves become fewer; only the most chaotic draconic spirits make their way to the Outer Edge, and the constellations behind the dancing stars fade away. In the dimness, safety lanterns multiply onboard. Nibum watches them narrowly. The job of lookout becomes tedious to the point of absurdity; there's little to see and they can't see it very well anyway. Fork still sends them up anyway.

But midway through your fourth week on this journey, a voice pipes from above:  "Sails ho!" 

Everyone scrambles to the railings to see.

 
 Spoiler: Perception 5+ 

 
Sure enough, a ship is coming into view. It's a lithe sailing ship, no harness for a mount but heavily rigged.

 
 Spoiler: Perception 10+ 
It looks much the worse for wear, like a ship about to break up and sink. Holes and scorchmarks stud the hull and the sails are tattered. It flies a white flag of distress.

 
 Spoiler: Perception 15+ 
Those of you who can see through the gloom to the deck can see ballistas and catapults, the mark of a ship too poor to employ spellcasters. No crew are visible on deck, which is eerie.
 

 

 
Dirty
Carefully monitoring the crews reaction time, and glad that he'd been pedantic about setting out watches, Fork peered put over to see what the commotion was about.
It didn't take him long to clock that something was off about the vessel.
"Take positions! Stay sharp and hold still." He ordered as he sent the newest marine running for the captain with the information that Fork could make out.

(Passive perception 16, i think he clocks all three of the notes?)
J-H
Servius moves to the forward deck to get a better view.  He has his warlocks distribute themselves evenly about the ship.   "Keep an eye out in all directions.  The ship may be in front of us, but it could be bait for an attack from behind, or below." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "ALL ORDERLIES PREPARE TO RECEIVE CASUALTIES!"   Ttharg bellowed. He directed two of his team towards the forecastle, and two towards the poopdeck. The last remaining medic, the new Yuan-Ti, remained with him on the main deck. Ttharg took a position towards the centre, ready to rush to whatever part of the ship needed him most. He drew his shield, but kept his warhammer holstered to keep a hand free.

He mentions to the Captain:   "Captain, if you need, I can amplify my voice to make a challenge from afar."  
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
 He mentions to the Captain:   "Captain, if you need, I can amplify my voice to make a challenge from afar."   
 

The Captain nods.  "Give them a hail." 

The other ship does not respond. All the time, the wind pushes you closer; the silent ship, its sails ragged and untrimmed, merely wallows. Cauda asks the Captain,  "Shall I have the White Cliff fight the breeze?" 

"I can take over a party in a boat to investigate," volunteers the First Mate.

"Or we could sink it from here," Tegu comments with a neutral voice.

 "It's flying a white flag, I'm not going to sink it,"  the Captain says.  "And if you get there and they still don't respond, Mr. Achelous, what are you going to do? No, we're in this together."

"Bring us closer, Cauda, with caution. At boarding distance, and try to take her amidships. 
Dirty
As the White Cliff moved closer, Fork decided he wanted a better view. He hurried up the ropes and climbed the long climb towards the crows nest. It was a cramped spot, and not ideal if things were going off, but he hoped the vantage point would give him more information to work with. As he got up he immediately started scanning the strange ship they were inching towards, as well as making a scan of the whole 360 degree view he had. Even the water got some attention, although the main focus was definitely the ship they were closing with.
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 27/27 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Warding Wind (10 minutes)  
 
  
Servius studies the ship as they come closer to it.  Something is off, but what detail...

The wind shifts slightly, causing the sails behind him to flap in the wind.  The sails on the ship they are approaching don't change, and in fact are rather full given the angle it's at.

Realizing what's wrong, he calls out  "There's something wrong about its' sails!  They aren't moving with our wind.  It could be an illusion of some sort... and what's underneath it?" 

He moves up to the front of the ship and hisses a precise incantation while gesturing for the on deck to come close to him.  A strong wind whips around them, warding Servius, his subordinate, and anyone around them from several forms of ranged attacks.
 (warding wind) 
TriciaOso
With Servius's words, the Captain swears and calls a halt. But as the ship stops abruptly, the sea behind you seems to drop suddenly, forming a whirlpool that engulfs the back of the ship and throws the whole deck into a mild but perceptible tilt.

At the same time, the illusion around the unmanned ship drops. It is the same ship, but rather than just damaged and raddled, it is hulled and ruined; a shipwreck hauled back to the surface, worm-eaten and soaked. Within the cavernous hole in the side, something moves, and emerges--

   
 
 Spoiler: Nature 5+ 
It's a giant crab. It seems to be wearing the shipwreck as a shell, like a hermit crab.

 
 Spoiler: Nature 10+ 
You've heard of crabs like this, but you didn't know it could create illusions.

 
 Spoiler: Nature 15+ 
You've heard of crabs like this, and you knew it could create illusions -- chronomancy illusions, showing the last moments of the ship's 'life' before it sank.

 
 Spoiler: Nature 20+ 
Don't sahuigin domesticate these things to hunt surface dwellers?
 

 

 

 


The ship lurches forward as the crab paddles beneath it, and the both claws lash out; only one manages to grab hold of the deck, crunching through the railing.

 
 Spoiler: Perception 17 (must be amidships) 
Over the sound of the whirlpool and the crab attack, you can hear something scrabbling on the side of the ship. If you look over either rail, you can see the sahuigin climbing up the side.
 

 
 Spoiler: Perception 12 (must be on the stern) 
Over the sound of the whirlpool and the crab attack, you can hear something scrabbling on the side of the ship. If you look over either rail, you can see the sahuigin climbing up the side.
 

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS: Someone creates whirlpool behind the ship.
The giant crab drops the illusion around the ship and moves forward. It is out of range for its bite attack, but makes two claw attacks.
One hits with a 17. 19 damage is inflicted, split between the hull and the mount.
Everyone is surprised for this round but Servius.

DAMAGE:
Mount - 9
Hull - 9

INITIATIVE:
 21	Cauda
21	Siduri
 20	Fork 
20	Enemies
18	Tegu
 17	Ttharg 
16	Kabett 
 13	Servius 
12	Captain Magyar
12	Enemies
 8	Nibum 
5	Cocytus
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 27/27 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Warding Wind  
 
  

Servius' orders to open fire can't be heard over the rushing wind surrounding him, but the roaring burst of flame that engulfs the crab and the ship it's hiding within should act as a sufficient beacon.
 
 Spoiler: Fireball! 

 (8d6)[ 25 ]  fire damage, Dex DC 15 half
Crab Dex  (1d20)[ 10 ] +??
 
TriciaOso
A great number of of things happen at once.

   
With the rocking of the ship, Fork tumbles from the crow's nest. Grabbing at rigging, he slows his fall and takes only scrapes and bruises.

Nibum reaches down and casts a spell on himself and Triceratool, bolstering them for the fight to come. At the same time, his familiars spot the sahuigin climbing up the side of the ship and let out blaring alarms to warn the crew.

As the sahuigin clamber over the rails, Siduri darts forward and strikes one of them three times, sending him back to the water with a broken neck. But two of the sahuigin move faster and more dangerously; equipped with thicker hides and heavier spears. One scuttles to Fork and jabs at him repeatedly as he lies prone on the deck. The other moves onto the helm; Cauda draws herself up, summons her radiant Archer form, and puts an arrow of light into his chest. He retaliates with two jabs that leave her barely breathing.

And then Servius' fireball detonates.

The point-blank explosion rocks the crab, and rips away some of the shipwreck that shrouds it. In retaliatory fury, it inhales a huge amount of water and then sprays it directly straight ahead, in a massive torrent.

   
The jet hits the warding wind and sprays, giving some protection for those in the line of fire. The White Cliff and Servius manage to dodge the worst of it, as does one of Servius' gunners. Two medics and a carpenter are blasted off of the stern and drop amidships, landing unconscious at Ttharg's feet as the jet blasts overhead. On the poopdeck, Cauda dodges but is still knocked unconscious by the spray, and two medics and a carpenter fare worse, knocked unconscious and carried off the aft of the ship to drop into the vicious whirlpool.

Four more sahuigin drop over the rails and onto the decks.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS:
Nibum casts Heroism on himself and Triceratool.

Fork falls out of the crow's nest. He catches some ropes on his way down and takes only 10 damage.

Servius casts Fireball on the crab. The crab fails its dex save and takes 25 damage. The shipwreck takes double damage; damage to the shipwreck lowers the crab's AC.

Nibum's familiars spot the sahuigin climbing up the side of the ship and alert the crew, preventing a second round of Surprise. Triceratool takes the dodge action.

Sahuigin begin to reach the railing of the ship and climb aboard. 2 Sahuigin champions and 5 regular Sahuigin.

Cauda takes Starry Form Archer (bonus action) and shoots her Starry Form attack as well as a guiding bolt (action) at the nearest sahuigin (Teal Sahuigin Champion). Starry Form hits for 9 radiant. Guiding Bolt misses.

Siduri attacks the nearest Sahuigin (gray Sahuigin) with two attacks and a Flurry of Blows. 3 hits. The Sahuigin drops.

Sahuigin Champions act. Teal goes for Cauda, who damaged him. Two of his three spear attacks hit, for 19 damage.

Orange Gunner gets an opportunity attack on Teal Champion as it passes; misses.

Green Champion attacks Fork, using its advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn’t have all its hit points. Two of his three spear attacks hit, for 21 damage.

The crab uses its Water Jet attack, hitting Servius (succeeds), Yellow Carpenter (fails), Green Gunner (suceeds), Green Medic (fails), Yellow Medic (fails), Blue Carpenter (fails), Orange Medic (fails), Cauda (succeeds) and Blue Medic (fails).

Yellow Medic, Green Medic, and Yellow Carpenter are pushed back 30 feet and fall into the main deck. The failing damage knocks all 3 unconscious.

Orange Medic, Blue Medic and Blue Carpenter are pushed back 30 feet and fall into the whirlpool. The falling damage knocks all 3 unconscious and they are being sucked into the whirlpool.

Cauda is knocked unconscious but does not get pushed back. Green Gunner takes 12 damage and is not pushed back. Servius takes 12 damage and is not pushed back; makes his concentration check for Warding Wind. The mount of the White Cliff takes 12 damage.

DAMAGE:
Crab - 25 damage
Shipwreck - 50 damage

Teal Sahuigin Champion - 9 damage
Green Sahuigin Champion - 0 damage

Green Sahuigin - 0 damage
Blue Sahuigin - 0 damage
 White Sahuigin - dead 
Yellow Sahuigin  - 0 damage
Orange Sahuigin - 0 damage

Fork - 31 damage
Nibum - 0 damage, +3 temp HP
Triceratool - 0 damage, +3 temp HP

Cauda - unconscious

Yellow Medic - unconscious
Green Medic - unconscious
Orange Medic - unconscious (drowning)
Blue Medic - unconscious (drowning)

Yellow Carpenter - unconscious
Blue Carpenter - unconscious (drowning)

Mount - 21
Hull - 9

INITIATIVE:
 21	Cauda
21	Siduri
20	Enemies 
 20	Fork 
18	Tegu
 17	Ttharg 
16	Kabett
 13	Servius 
 12	Nibum 
12	Enemies
8	Captain Magyar
5	Cocytus
 
J-H
      
 
   
 Servius Calventius Pamphilius

    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 15/27 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Warding Wind  
 
  

Servius blasts the giant crab again, this time aided by rays of flame from his gunners.
The wind around him keeps him from even noticing the sahuagin on deck.

 
 Spoiler 

Fireball!
 (8d6)[ 32 ]  Dex DC 15 half
Crab Dex  (1d20)[ 12 ] 
 
TriciaOso
The second blast of fire tears away more of the crab's protection, making it easier for the gunners to unleash even more flame on it. The shipwreck falls away from it in flaming debris, exposing its vulnerable thorax, and the crab moans aloud as it begins to cook inside its carapace. This prey is not as easy as the ships it normally preys on, and it begins to paddle uneasily backward.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg curses under his breath as his orderlies are blasted both onto and off the ship. Those on the deck would survive for a moment, but those knocked in the water would surely disappear and drown if Ttharg didn't do something.

Instinctually, he began to climb the rigging next to the mast. For a moment, his thoughts were lost in battles past, but he refocused and climbed harder. Once he had a vantage point for his two wayward orderlies, Ttharg called out to one of them:   "Let the salt of sea, cleanse ye wounds!"   Healing magic began to flow around the orderly and his eyes blinked back awake.

As soon as the orderly had come to, Ttharg shouted:   "TRIAGE, TRIAGE! GET THE OTHER ORDERLIES UP! MEN OVERBOARD! STOP GAWKIN' AND START PATCHING YOUR MATES UP!"   He looked down at the newest Yuan-Ti medic, the only one who was unharmed.   "THAT MEANS YE! GET TO IT!"  
 
 Spoiler 
Move Action to climb the rigging (Athletics 18) to get a vantage point for the two drowning medics.
Bonus Action to cast Healing Word at 1st Level on the Orange Medic for 6 healing.
Action to command the crew to use Triage, focusing on picking up other medics first.
 
TriciaOso
Amidships, the trainee medic attempts to stabilize one of the others, but his hands shake and he fails. Minicliff hovers over his shoulder and presses a clean rag into his hands and he tries again, successfully stabilizing one of the fallen medics. Fetcher, Nibum's construct, scrambles up and pours a potion down the third medic's throat, and he rises choking to stabilize the carpenter.

In the whirlpool, one of the medics suddenly opens his eyes and shoves his head above water, gasping for air. A wave crashes over his head and almost takes him back under, but he fights clear and grabs hold of his drowning buddy, getting his head above water, too. He grabs at the unconscious carpenter, but can't hold onto both of them.

Kabett follows your lead as well, running to the edge of the forward deck to sending a healing word back to Cauda, who writhes and then wriggles blearily upright.

Kabett also directs an ear-splitting whistle to the White Cliff. The sea serpent whips its head around and swallows a sahuigin whole. At the same time, the sea serpent's tail lashes out and raises the revived medic out of the whirlpool. He clings to his drowning friend and together they rise above the whirlpool.

The carpenter circles the whirlpool, drawn towards the sahuigin seashaper greedily awaiting him at the bottom of the funnel -- but Cauda jukes away from the sahuigin champions and leaps overboard, transforming into a dolphin as she does. She darts through the water, evading the grasp of the whirlpool but still battered by the waves. She loses her dolphin form, but manages to pull them both up onto the tail.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS:
Cocytus uses his action to command the gunners.
Fetcher administers a potion to Green Medic, back up with 8 hp.
Minicliff gives a help action to Purple Medic.
Healing word brings Orange Medic back up with 6 hp. He takes 5 damage from the whirlpool; still up with 1 hp.
Medicine check from Purple Medic for Yellow Medic w/ advantage - succeeds, stabilized at 0 hp.
Medicine check from Green Medic for Yellow Medic - succeeds, stabilized at 0 hp.
Medicine check from Orange Medic for Blue Medic - succeeds, stabilized at 0 hp.
Kabett heals Cauda with healing word, back up with 7 hp.
Cauda bonus action disengages, takes the shape of a dolphin and dives in to save Blue Carpenters. Take 14 damage from the whirlpool and returns to her original form.
White Cliff uses a tail attack and a legendary action tail attack to lift the drowning out of the water; Cauda and the Orange Medic holding the unconscious.

Blue Carpenter fails a death saving throw.

White Cliff kills Green Sahuigin with a bite attack.

DAMAGE:
Crab - 101 damage
Shipwreck - destroyed

Teal Sahuigin Champion - 15 damage
Green Sahuigin Champion - 0 damage

 Green Sahuigin - dead 
Blue Sahuigin - 0 damage
 White Sahuigin - dead 
Yellow Sahuigin  - 0 damage
Orange Sahuigin - 0 damage

Fork - 31 damage
Nibum - 0 damage, +3 temp HP
Triceratool - 0 damage, +3 temp HP

Cauda - 18 damage (5 hp remaining)

Green Medic - 17 damage (8 hp remaining)
Orange Medic - 24 damage (1 hp remaining)
Blue Medic - unconscious (stable)
Yellow Medic - unconscious (stable)

Yellow Carpenter - unconscious (1 failed DST)
Blue Carpenter - unconscious (1 failed DST)

Mount - 21
Hull - 9

INITIATIVE:
 21	Cauda
21	Siduri
20	Enemies 
 20	Fork 
18	Tegu
  17	Ttharg  
 16	Kabett 
  13	Servius  
 12	Nibum 
12	Enemies
8	Captain Magyar
 5	Cocytus 
 
zylodrizzt
Nibums cursing would have been alot worse had the ship taken more damage but he dealt with the immediate threat, a sea scale coming up over the side of the ship. He sent his minions to administer aid as soon as it happened and guided triceratool to the left of the nearest champion and channeling all his rage into a booming strike with his newly acquired spear. He has made some modifications to the spear and so when he strikes a speaker goes off and says as loud as a cannon directed mainly at the champion  WHOEVER CAN GET THAT DAM SHELLFISH DONT WANT THE SHIP WRECKED! . Triceratool takes a defensive stance.

(Crit booming blade on champion. Triceratool takes dodge action and moved a bit. Fetcher and minicliff aid in reviving downed crew)
Dirty
Fork had one of those classic: 'Oh no..' moments when he lost his footing as the ship got rocked from the initial impact. The fall down went in a sort of slowmotion way, where he felt hyper aware, however everything that happened was inevitable and he was hopeless to stop the events from transpiring. As such, the impact with the deck was expected but still came way too fast.

All breath was knocked out of him along with some teeth. The damage was mostly internal though and soon blood was escaping his ears, nose and left eye. He felt quite stunned for a moment, which is why the finer details of the goings-on escaped him. He maybe able to construe together the sounds of fireballs and waterblasts, and shouts and screams into a semi-cohesive account of what went down this day, but later, and only after much sleep and talking to people who can explain to him the events that transpired. Right now, in this moment, it was chaos and he was turned inward.
Therefor, it was a complete surprise to Fork when he suddenly got stabbed repeatedly. Pain had lost all meaning to Fork. The first one was a surprise, an unwelcome way to be prodded back into reality. His vision tried to show him what was happening but he was still seeing double. The second one was a nuisance, a total irritation. It was rude, and that pissed him off. He became aware of the Sahuigin. On his ship.. Stabbing him? His vision zoomed into focus again. Just in time as the third spear was aimed right at his head.

He turned his head and the spear narrowly missed him, thuncking onto the hardwood deck instead.

Fork rolled away and scrambled up. He scanned the deck. "Get those fish off of the ship!" He said weakly as his chest was still trying to handle breathing, and all that escaped him was blood and whisper. He fumbled in his right breast pocket and quickly blew his signal whistle. Once, sharp and loud, two seconds long. This whistle has been heard several times the last couple of weeks. Every marine that has been training the last four weeks would know what this particular order meant. It should come as no surprise.

-Kill all enemies.-

Upon hearing the whistle the marines should be left with no confusion. Someone else heard the whistle too. Rumble bolted towards the Sahuigin closest to Fork and attacked fiercely, as Fork fell down to one knee to grab his weapons. The slowness from the fall was replaced entirely with something else now. Routine and muscle memory, survival. He'd found his second wind and Fork was going to kill every last one of them or die trying.

 
 Spoiler: Actions 

Action: Command Marines
Bonus Action: Have the drake attack (to hit: 22, damage: 5)
 
TriciaOso
Even as Fork calls out, the Champion strikes him again and again, sending him unconscious. But the Marines roar and charge into their well-drilled action, sweeping the remaining lesser sahuigin from the deck. Tegu and the Captain assist, with some rage-fueled strikes of the maul and well-placed longbow shots, respectively. Rumble and a furious Tegu round on the Champion and tear him apart, both stooping to devour bits of fishy flesh. But Fork is bleeding out...

 
 Spoiler: Fork 
Whiteout. This is getting familiar. Three stars on the horizon, burning fitfully.

One winks out.
 


The crab seems to consider fleeing, but beneath the waves, a furious Sahuigin Baron whispers to it, and it turns to finish the job. It strikes twice at Servius, the source of the fiery pain inflicted on it, and with the second strike its claws close on an unconscious body and drag him away.

   
It takes a final bite out of the White Cliff, and receives a retaliatory blast of icy breath and a bite in return. It is barely clinging to life, but seems intent on finishing what it started, one way or another. Servius dangles from a claw... and then the call of a Healing Word from Kabett rouses him, albeit in a desperate position.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS:
Rumble attacks Green Sahuigin for 5 damage. Uses a reaction to add 9 damage to Nibum's attack on Green Sahuigin.

Yellow and Green Marines attack Yellow Sahuigin. 3 attacks hit, doing 22 damage. Yellow Sahuigin is killed.

Orange, Blue and Purple Marines attack Orange Sahuigin. 3 attacks hit, doing 11 damage.

Tegu rages and attacks White Sahuigin. 2 attacks hit, doing 25 damage. Blue Sahuigin is killed.

Orange Sahuigin attacks Orange Marine. 1 attack hits, doing 9 damage.

Captain Magyar uses a bonus action to give herself advantage on attacks and attacks Orange Sahuigin. 2 attacks hit, doing 15 damage. Orange Sahuigin is killed.

(Cocytus uses his action to command the Gunners.)

(Cauda uses her bonus action to disengage and her action to become a dolphin and jumps in the whirlpool; takes damage, loses dolphin form, grabs the Carpenter.)

(White Cliff uses a legendary action to pull Cauda and Blue Carpenter out of the whirlpool.)

Siduri attacks the Teal Champion. 1/4 attacks hits, doing 6 damage. It passes the Stunning Strike save.

Teal Sahuigin attacks Siduri. 1/3 attacks hit, doing 8 damage.

Green Sahuigin continues attacking Fork and hits 2/3 times, doing 16 damage. Fork is unconscious.

Sahuigin Baron crits on an Animal Handling check and the crab does not flee. Crab's Water Jet does not recharge. Crab attacks Servius, hitting with both Claws for 37 damage. Servius is knocked unconscious. Warding Wind drops. Grappled by the crab.

The crab then bites the White Cliff, hitting, and does 27 damage.

Fork makes a death saving throw and fails.

Tegu moves to attack the Green Champion and goes nuts, hitting 3 times with 2 crits; does 50 damage overall. Green is killed.

Kabett directs the White Cliff to retaliate with its Rime Breath. The crab makes the save and has resistance to Cold. 61 damage is reduced to 15. Healing Word on Servius for 4 hp.

DAMAGE:
Crab - 135 damage
Teal Sahuigin Champion - 21 damage

Fork - unconscious
Servius - 23 damage
Ttharg - 0 damage
Nibum - 0 damage, +3 temp HP
Triceratool - 0 damage, +3 temp HP

Cauda - 18 damage (5 hp remaining)

Green Medic - 17 damage (8 hp remaining)
Orange Medic - 24 damage (1 hp remaining)
Blue Medic - unconscious (stable)
Yellow Medic - unconscious (stable)

Yellow Carpenter - unconscious (stable)
Blue Carpenter - unconscious (2 failed DSTs)

Green Gunner - 12 damage (21 hp remaining)

Orange Marine - 9 damage (24 hp remaining)

Mount - 36
Hull - 9

INITIATIVE:
 21 Cauda
21 Siduri
20 Champions
20 Crab
 20 Fork 
18 Tegu 
 17 Ttharg 
 16 Kabett 
 13 Servius 
 12 Nibum 
8 Captain Magyar
5 Cocytus
 
TriciaOso
Cocytus marshals the gunners for a final salvo, and the crab collapses with an oddly-delicious smell rising from its shell. Servius is left clinging to the massive floating claw, but the sahuigin remaining beneath the waves are already fleeing. The whirlpool collapses.

As one, the crew turns to destroy the last remaining sahuigin champion. Arrows blossom from his chest as the Captain fires again and again, and Siduri ruthlessly turns his face into her petrifying gaze, then crushes the stony body in her coils.

Delicately, the White Cliff returns Cauda and the medics and carpenter to the deck, and extends its neck to lift Servius back aboard as well. Fork's vision of the blizzard and the great Hunter is blotted out as Ttharg returns him to consciousness.

The battle is over. And meat is back on the menu... crab meat, anyway. Crab meat until everyone is sick of it.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg finished up healing both the dying carpenter and Fork, hauling the latter to his feet.   "Gotta stop takin' a nap on the job, lad!"   Over the next few minutes Ttharg and his team patched up wounds, applied bandages, and set broken bones. The new Yuan-Ti apprentice had been shaky to start with, but was now adapting to the job nicely.

As soon as he had finished patching up the crew, Ttharg's amulet began to glow and he picked it up to look through it. He could see the ghostly after image of the crab firing it's deadly jet of water across their face which had sent crew tumbling. Bahamut's blessing began to flow through him and he felt as if he could also push his foes away if he ever hit them with the power of Bahamut's storms.

(Level 6 Tempest ability unlocked)
J-H
Servius rubs at his bruised and cracked ribs.  He'll be moving carefully for a few days.   "Thanks for the help,"  he coughs out to Kabett.

Despite the injury, he felt he did quite well in that battle.  Fire is truly the solution to many problems.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Over the next couple of weeks, Ttharg continues to improve the ship's surgery; even being able to incorporate some of the crab's shell into his own armour for added protection. Even though the surgery wasn't designed for the beast that carried them, Ttharg felt that his team would be able to respond better to treating the creature over time with the new upgrades.

(Finish improving the ship, Ttharg gains +1 AC when close to the ship via crab armour additions, and the mount gains +1 HD)

Ttharg then spends a few more weeks with Kabett, learning more about taking care of the mount and general druidic wisdom from them.
J-H
      
   <span style="font-family: Century

Gothic">  Servius Calventius Pamphilius  
  
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 38/38 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Warding Wind  
 
  

Servius resumes his training with Tegu.  Although his sore ribs keep hurting, he learns how to push through the pain better.  That's something they don't teach you in school, or at a print shop.  At least, not for anything beyond cramping hands or squashed fingers.

After this, he gets some scrap wood from Nibum and begins training his gunners to aim better, drilling them daily to shoot accurately at targets across the deck, preferably in heavier seas.
A few planks are scorched by the misses.
Then a few more.

Eventually, he decides to be less systematic about it, and makes it more fun.  Scraps of wood are floated out beside the ship to bob up and down on the waves, serving as moving targets.  The warlocks get competitive, and it soon turns into a tournament for bragging rights, with extra points awarded for shots made at long distance, at targets being moved by Mage Hand, and even a competition where Servius casts  Water Walk  on the gunners and they have to aim while walking on the moving waves themselves.

It is...fun.  They're pretty good at it, although not as systematic as Servius would like.
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Servius 
  There is a tide in the affairs of serpents which taken at the flood leads on to fortune... Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat; And we must take the current when it serves, Or lose our ventures.  

In the warm the warm fug in the apartments above, the voice of your father, reading the great authors of history from remaindered texts. The heavy thump of the printing press in the workshop below.


 

  In an honest service there is thin commons, low wages, and hard labor; in this, plenty and satiety, pleasure and ease, liberty and power; and who would not balance creditor on this side, when all the hazard that is run for it, at worst, is only a sour look or two at choking. No, a merry life and a short one, shall be my motto.  

Huddled around carefully guarded furnaces, the rough laughter of rough sailors, well-intentioned for all of that, telling stories of heroes of the sea. The rise and crash of the waves, fast becoming second nature.


 

 Servant. Serpent. Scribe.

I do not offer you obedience or service, safety or certainty. You know well certain ones, at certain times, have the opportunity to rise, to wax in power. Seize it while it lasts, and grasp in weeks what decades of study could not give you. But the bargain is this... danger, and great deeds, and great enemies. You will not be forgotten, a mere printer's son. And I, I will not be rewritten as an appendix of Her greatness... 

The dry, hissing voice of the god; the dry, eternal heat of the Near Fire. The endless coils of Apophis, and tangled and laced among them, huddled and writhing, the countless souls of the Yuan-Ti. The humans call it a Hell of Fire, but to a serpent's soul it's warmth and brotherhood and safety. And behind it, the scuffle and thump of the eternal struggle in these titanic caverns. Tiamat does not lie still, with the snake-god binding her limp as rope; they  struggle . For millennia they have struggled, and the sound of it fills your dreams.

   
You sail on, and you get stronger.
 
Dirty
 "Gotta stop takin' a nap on the job, lad!" 

 "Thank you.."  He said deflated. Even though he knew Ttharg didn't mean to, the words stung a little. Fork felt he was supposed to be better than this. There was something gnawing at his soul and it made him feel restless and uneasy. He also felt quite sick, in the physical sense. His insides needed time to rearrange themselves again.

The first week he tried pretending nothing was wrong and pushed the training onwards. The fight with the crab and its subsequent spoils had invigorated the marines, and they had witnessed first-hand the fruit of their labour. After the week though, Fork handed the training regime over to the squad leader, and things settled into a bit of a more routinised schedule.

The restlessness hadn't gone away.

He found himself wandering, and distancing one evening when he came upon Cauda. They never really had spoken but as Fork was gazing up at the sky Cauda made an off-beat remark which made something click for him. He asked about the three stars he'd seen. Not just twice when he'd fallen in battle but also in a dream not long before that. He asked about the stars and the vast frozen wasteland, the kill and the wind that blew but never refreshed.

They settled into a conversation that lasted for weeks on end. They'd stop when it was time to work, and pick it up like no time had passed. This took practice on Forks end, since Cauda wasn't the easiest to follow, but he managed. They compared, riffed, discussed and listened as they connected dots that hadn't been obvious. It was exactly the outlet Fork needed and he was grateful. It also grew his awareness and managed to keep him stable and grounded when he was feeling like he was losing his place in the only world he knew how to be anything.
zylodrizzt
After the attack of the crab nibum lists off all the work that needs done to the ship in front of the carpenters  ... and in conclusion leave it all to me cause i cant trust you hatchlings. Leave your tools wirh me and take off for a week but dont layabout too much cause im going to work your scales off when you get back.  he says grinning in his head. Once he collects up the tools and everyone has gone thier merry way nibum begins drawing up plans for what he's gonna get done during the week. Then servius shows up talking about games  seriously games thats what you think is important right now? Dont i have enough work? Does it look like i have time for that? Fine ill figure out something  secretly he really likes the idea but he'd never tell that to the hatchling gunnery coil walker. He draws up plans for some more armor for the sails... maybe a chain woven into them? During that week nibum and his assistants have a blast with all the work
Early to rise and late to bed. When his carpenters returned he not only kept ip with all the work but also made repairs and perhaps improvements to all thier tools.  You better make good use of these or else
 Now get your stuff and get in that rigging. Gotta add some metal thread to them sails  he says as he thinks about his next project.
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Ttharg 
The bond you feel with the sea serpent touches also the bond you feel with Bahamut, in his aspect of God of the Sea. You find yourself thinking and dreaming of the ancient past of the dragons, when they emerged from the chaos of the sea, moving towards the order represented by the land. Frogfolk becoming sea serpents becoming the first dragons.

In your dreams you see the carving away, the infinity of chaos giving way to the single, gem-like facets of identity. Bahamut is rooted in the sea, multivalent and shining with all colors from his platinum hide, but his teachings were a  return  to the Sea, an embrace of Chaos after Tiamat's overdose on order. You've never worried about these things, doctrine and alignments; your connection with Bahamut was primal. And that's how he likes it.

But now he needs you to understand. You see the first draconic spirit, a ball of infinite possibility, and how it came to know itself; how by defining itself, it broke itself into pieces, shedding identities like shed skins. You understand why Tiamat feels that all the other gods were once a part of her and could be again; all of them were a part of something greater once, and Tiamat, control freak that she is, still sees herself as that greater thing.

You see, however, that she, too, was cast away; Tiamat, Lawful Evil, and Erathis, Lawful Good, were the last masks to be cast away. (Erathis, your own progenitor as a blue dragon, and another god of storms...) And then all that was left was Primus, eternal order, perfect understanding, who departed the world forever.

   
And shattering that perfect order, the revelation of Bahamut. Bahamut led your people back to the sea, and taught them that only by embracing chaos and that total potential can you reach back to that ancient draconic spirit.

Tiamat thinks she can get there by eating all the gods. You understand Trionyx's heresy now, and are immune.
 
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Nibum 
When you tell the Captain what you have in mind, she hands over a parting gift from Shanidar, the copper dragon of Baratano; a stretch of shed hide, gleaming with coppery light that mirrors your own. There's not enough to reinforce all the sails, but you can stretch for now, and maybe you can get your hands on more down the line. Acid-resistant sails sounds good to you.

 
 Spoiler: Superior Ship Upgrades 
  Dragon Sails  
Dragon scales woven into these sails make them more resistant to damage. The sails gain a +3 bonus to AC, and they have resistance to a damage type based on the type of scales used to craft them, as shown on the Dragon Sails table.
 


Working with the copper scales make you think of the young dragon and the kobold he acknowledges openly as his sister. It isn't right. Isn't proper. Kobolds of the first generation--kobolds like you, not to put too fine a point on it--are born of dragons, yes. But they're born to serve, to protect, to preserve the next generation of dragons. It's unsettling to even think of it as... well...

 Your loyalty has made you a galaxy , Cauda said.

You dream a star comes down; not one of the silly metallic dancing stars, but one of the proper ones that should be at rest. The skull-like face, white bones emerging from black scales.

   
Not Orcus, after all. Negniter. Your brother. Who delved too deep into mysteries and paid the price, him and all of his house. And you too, of course. You too.

  You are loyal to a fault, Nibum. Loyal to the death. Lawful to your bones. But in the end you must decide... loyal to who? Who will you serve? It is a choice we all must make.

Orcus, Father of our Line, is loyal to Tiamat, his mother. In life I was loyal to him. And while I lived, you were loyal to me. But this ship has pledged life and honor to defeat her prophet, Trionyx. Are you loyal to our memory, Nibum? Or to this ship, and its crew, and its mission?

There is no wrong answer; no right answer. But you must  choose , my brother. You choose now for all of us.  

You've always had a metallic hide, not the ebony of your household. You still do. But for the first time, in the mirror, you see the bones of your face begin to stretch against the tarnished copper of your face. It looks... familiar.
 
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Fork 
Although she is serpentfolk, Cauda belongs to House Niobara just like you, and she's knowledgeable about the White God. And she loves the stars. She just... wanders.

 There's a story the humans tell about  Tempus . They call him a General, and they say the three stars on his belt are tokens of the human women who loved him. Some people say there was a fourth, and she had a metal man, or an army of metal men... So she was a kind of general, too, I suppose.

   
But to us he is always the Hunter. People think war and hunting are the same thing, but I don't know.

There's another legend the giants tell, that  three of their sons followed a white stag  into the east and became... changed. One chose life, one chose death, and one chose the sword. And elves and goblins and human beings came out of those lines. Do you believe that? How did they get so small? But I turned into a dolphin, after all. And there it is, three of them again..

They say in human lands the stars never change, and you can see those three stars all the time. I think that must be very sad for them. 

She sips her tea.  We know you were chosen, you know. We can all tell. You and Nibum and Ttharg and that new boy, the printer's son. You're changing. You're getting bigger all the time. And sometimes I wonder why it was you. I'm glad it wasn't me. Do you think the Captain minds? I don't think so. 

Later on it seems to you that the most important thing she said was that a sword isn't life and it isn't death, either. It's a third thing.
 
TriciaOso
This interlude last for five weeks. As they wear on, you draw close to furthest reaches of the Outer Edge. The stars are almost all gone, replaced by strange shapes and colors that move across the sky and beneath the waves. The water grows darker and colder and more perfectly transparent, until the horizon disappears, sea and sky merging together. You sail on a thin rime of glass with dim chaos above and below. You are approaching the threshold of the Plane of Chaos and all points beyond.

But the ship still floats, and the beast still swims, and wind still fills the sails, even if it's unpredictable which direction it will come from and what smells it will carry. Cauda steers the ship blind now, dead reckoning, and that's a little bit terrifying for all of you.

And then it comes again, the cry from aloft.  "Land -- that is, ship --- uh, Captain, I don't know what I'm looking at." 

You all wait as it comes into view. It's a sort of construct, a knot of piers and structures built out on them, sort of like in Baratano. But there is no solid ground to anchor the piers, just thrumming pylons of magic force, hovering just above the waves.

 
 Spoiler: Arcana 10+ 
It looks like an enlarged application of the principle of the Immoveable Rod, normally little more than a toy.
 


The piers and platforms and buildings on the platforms are matte metal, and studded with blinking arcane lights. A stalk or mast goes straight up from the central building, blinking with lights, but carrying no sails.

   
Arcanotech of this kind, so close to the border of Chaos and wildspace, can only have one source.

" Squids ," growls First Mate Achelous as he lowers the spyglass.

 
 Spoiler: Perception/Investigation 10+ 
You can make out no ships docked at this derrick, nor living things moving on the outside, at least right now.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg regards the structure with a mixture of wonder and concern.

  "We could spend all day pounding at these here platforms, but the core o' the structure would stay afloat. I don't see no squid ships about, docked or otherwise. I say we pass by; no reason to be invitin' a siege with just us here."  
J-H
 Servius 
 "It appears to be magically anchored.  The only way to destroy it would be to disenchant whatever keeps it fixed in place.  That would be a difficult task, possibly impossible, with the resources we have.  If we attack it, we may wipe it clean for a few weeks... but it could be re-occupied at any point.  It would be like wiping raindrops off a book while trying to read during a rainstorm - a temporary measure at best." 
TriciaOso
"Yes, but we know the illithid are on the run from Spice Harbor," Cocytus argues. "Removing one of their footholds right now isn't the same as doing it a year ago. And even if there are no ships docked right now, their station might have information about the movement of ships in the Hic Sunt."

"How many orcs can possibly they have it there? This is our  chance ."
J-H
 Servius 
 "It shouldn't take too long, then.  Our errand is urgent..."  (I had a dream, a dream of Apophis, he thinks)  "But surely we can take an hour or two." 
zylodrizzt
 Shouldnt take long at all. You see that there  he points to a turbine  taking out that is catastrophic. It doesnt look too busy id imagine we would be attacked already if there were many here.  he points to thier flag  they know our flag. We would strike a large blow and perhaps find some information. Isn't that this ships mission? Isn't this part of why we came this way?  

He thinks about his dream trying to make sense of it. His brother is behind him regardless but why did or why is nibum doing what he's doing? Perhaps he should speak with cocytus or his focus of affection clauda.
TriciaOso
"I'd kill some orcs," Tegu agrees. A cluster of lizardman marines are standing a few feet away on deck as the Officers deliberate, and they cheer at this; one of them shouts, "I'm surprised we're not killing orcs right now!" Discipline is suffering, nine weeks in.

"I'm with Ttharg," Kabett says. "We've got other places to be."

Cauda hems and haws, fidgeting with her star chart. She mutters to herself, looking up at the baffling auroras of the Chaos-infused sky.

 
 Spoiler: Passive Perception 6+ 
You can clearly hear her mutter the word,   "Maps,"   but aloud, she says:
 

 "Against. I'm against." 

As is her habit, the Captain says nothing while her officers deliberate, but watches with tidy discipline, arms tucked behind her.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 7+ 
Her eyes are particularly heavy on the four of you.
 
Dirty
Fork found himself looking up at the sky during the discussions. He got shaken out of his though process when he heard the lizardmen shouting at officers.

He walked up to them, straight, no hesitation. "Do you feel like shouting at your captain too? Perhaps you would like to decide where to take this ship next?" He did not wait for an answer. "That's a week on disciplinary rations for the five of you. Now get to work before you make it worse for yourselves." He looked the ringleader in the eyes and didn't break eye contact until they had acquiesced to his orders.

(If they did as asked:)
Fork walked back to the meeting.

"I feel strongly about wasting time during a chase, but if there is a chance on information about ships in these waters, we cannot let that slide. It's worth the risk and I think we should investigate." He said finally, avoiding Cauda's gaze.
TriciaOso
Most of the Marines quiet down and find something that needs done on another part of the deck, but the ringleader -- Able Seaman Snapscale -- holds your gaze an uncomfortably long time before he breaks away. Trouble's brewing there.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 10+ 
Tegu watches him go with contempt and a barely-suppressed rage. No one likes to see seamen talking back, but it looks like there may be violence the next time she has a moment alone with Able Seaman Snapscale. Lizardfolk accept a hierarchy whole-heartedly or not at all, and they enforce one with a heavy hand.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 15+ 
The Captain pretends to take no notice of squabbles at this level, but she's watching closely.
 

 

 "All right,"  the Captain says.  "Mr. Achelous, take a boat and a small squad. If this is going to succeed, it must be a mission of stealth, not a full-scale assault."

"Mr. F'rrkkk, Mr. Krixkrux, Mr. Pamphilius, Mr. Nibum. The four of you will go with him, but I want to speak to the four of you alone, first." 
 
 Spoiler: A moment alone in the Captain's Quarters 
   
" I'm going to speak frankly with you, gentlemen. It's no secret from anyone that in the nine weeks of this voyage the four of you have grown visibly in your abilities. Mr. Pamphilius, you're a young man, just out of school, but the rest of you are grown and we've sailed together before. You know this doesn't always happen."

"We don't like to speak of it... perhaps we're superstitious. But there is something that happens... a tide that lifts certain people at certain time, to rise to meet a moment. It doesn't last forever, and while it lasts you must grab it with both hands."

"When I was a young ensign I was shipwrecked on the southern tip of Meall, in Daesic; in the Feywild. I was the only survivor. I joined a group of individuals who found themselves lost there as well, and together we found our way out... but not before I had seen the marriage of Maebe, the May Queen. In fact, I think I can say that if we hadn't been there, the marriage, and subsequently the New Year, would not have come off."

"I grew more in those months than I had in years at the naval academy, or than I would in subsequent years as an officer. I was capable of more... while it lasted. I see that same fate has landed on you four. It's not an unmixed blessing. But while this lasts, great challenges and great opportunities will come to you. I think this is one of them, and so we take the risk."

"Finally, gentlemen, a piece of... of rare personal advice. The gods take notice of such things. You have been chosen for great things, and it may feel that as if  they  have chosen you. That you are under some obligation. They have not, and you are not. You have been chosen by something higher even than the Five, and they simply... want to get a hand on the ball. If you feel a connection to one of them, and you trust and desire divine guidance, then it can be a blessing. But they do not own you, or your power." 

She fingers the cuff of the vivid green uniforms she chose for her own ship; green, the color of the May Queen. Of romance and of poison.  "Remember that." 
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg listened intently to the Captain's story. She was sharing more here than she had done in the past, and that meant it was serious. When she was finished he bowed his head and spoke:   "Thank ye for sharin' such a personal story, Captain. I make no secret o' me worship of Bahamut; unusual though it may be. Me connection to him has grown a lot over the past few weeks, this be true. But as ye know, Bahamut is chaos, and I shouldn't presume to be some kind o' chosen one from such a being."   He pauses for a moment.   "The Heresy that we be followin', it won't sway me. All the Gods were once part of a single great thing o' potential, which broke down into all the Gods we know today. Tiamat wants to return to this single great thing by consumin' the other Gods; but she be mad with delusion and such a thing be folly."  

He stopped himself.   "Aye, but forgive an old salt his daydreamin'. Ye call for a stealth mission, Captain, so perhaps I should wait behind Mr Fork and the others."   His splint mail clinks and clanks as he moves around for emphasis.   "I be not built for sneakin' around."  
TriciaOso
 "You, Mr. Achelous  and  Mr. Nibum,"  she observes.  "But I don't think it's wise to separate you, and I  definitely  don't want to send the group without a healer."

"Just try to avoid sounding a general alarm and rely on Mr. F'rrkkk and Rumble for scouting." 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 38/38 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  
 "Thank you Captain.  That helps clarify a recent...dream... I had.  Nothing harmful, I think." 
Dirty
Fork listened intently to the captains words. He wasn't sure he was part of what she spoke about but he kept his mouth shut. He wasn't about to argue. Surely he was just a lowly kobold caught up in the slipstream of the others.. Even so, he would serve to or die trying. He shuddered. Quickly he tried to shake the idea of his mortality. There was no place for it on missions like this. He would take the orders given and execute them to the best of his abilities.

He heard the captains words and steeled himself.

*** "Just try to avoid sounding a general alarm and rely on Mr. F'rrkkk and Rumble for scouting." ***

"Aye Captain!" He said, immediately feeling better with the familiarity of following orders.

His mind on the mission ahead he made his preparations.
TriciaOso
The five of you load into one of the ship's boats and begin to row towards the derrick. It's a weary job but a quiet one, and you move over the dark and glassy waters like a ghost.

As you leave the ship you notice it vanishes behind you in a bank of mist rapidly; you weren't aware of the mist from the inside. It's strange, but seems positive...

 
 Spoiler: Nature / Arcana / Survival 10+ (Nibum or Fork have advantage) 
It reminds you, in fact, of the mist that surrounds the lair of a black dragon. Any place that becomes the home of a dragon for a long time can develop lair effects, but as far as you know there's no black dragon on the White Cliff.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 10+ (Nibum has advantage) 
You sense dimly a connection between this and the ancient copper kobold sitting in the bow of the boat with his machine companions. Did he always have that frill of boney horn on his cheek?
 

 


As the ship falls away behind you, the current catches you and takes over much of the work. Which is both good and worrying, when you think about the future. The current bears you towards the derrick, and soon it's close enough for Nibum to send his tiny mechanical model of the ship ahead of you to scout.

   
The station floats just above the water, supported on four great floating pylons. The lowest level is a great cloverleaf of twisting docks. They seem large enough to accomodate three or four illithid ships the size of the White Cliff or larger. The docks are at deck level, and look like they would require scaling, from a low boat like this.

From the center of the docks, a structure rises, perhaps three or four stories tall. You can see arcane defenses positioned on the roof; unmanned, or perhaps controlled from inside. They do not notice you. Above them rise several tall and illuminated communication masts.

On the underside of the docks you can see a complex network of chains and gears, crackling with arcane energy.

   
Descending from this down into the water you can see a huge, churning mill structure, revolving in the current, and you have to paddle fiercely to stay clear of it.



 
 Spoiler: Arcana 5+ 
The flow of magic seems to connect to the four major pylons at each dock and run up into the structure.

 
 Spoiler: Arcana 10+ 
The revolving mill must connect to something higher up to generate this much arcane force, then it flows back down into this distribution network.

 
 Spoiler: Arcana 15+ 
Just looking at this you can sketch in a loose map of the rest of the structure. There must be a generator on a higher floor where the arcane energy is being created, and that probably requires also another floor just to house the turbine housing and ventilation. The top floor, then, would be where the control rooms are located. At least, that's how you'd design it.
 

 

 


Minicliff sends word from ahead of what it has spotted. At the far end of the docks structure is a ramp that leads down to the sea. The reason this ramp exists is because there is a small tender boat docked there. It must move around the dock to service larger ships. It looks broadly similar to other illithid nautiloid ships, but is not much larger than your own boat, and doesn't seem to have any weapons. Minicliff doesn't report seeing anyone onboard, but they could easily be inside the shell-like cabin.
Dirty
Hearing the information Nibum and his contraptions came forward with, Fork hunched over, closer to the small team, and whispered barely audible.
"We board the small vessel, and from there enter the compound?" He suggests as much as asks and holds his breath while waiting for a response from the team.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg grunted as he rowed.   "The tender be fine, maybe we could even loose it as we leave; let it crash and burn into the mill?"  
J-H
Servius nods.  "Or take it,"  he hisses.
TriciaOso
You continue to row towards the tender.

 
 Spoiler: Servius 
You realize you can read the name printed on the side of the tender. It's not much of a name -- a series of letters and numbers -- but the strange thing is that you can read the squiggly illithid writing.
 


You make it within 15 feet of the tender when a single orc emerges from the shell and out onto the deck of the tender, wearing uniform coveralls and carrying a rod with a flanged head. His hand is to one ear and he is speaking in an unfamiliar language. There is a small gelatinous homonculus following behind him, tight at his heel.

  
  
 Spoiler: Servius 
The languge is incomprehensible to you, so you're not under the effect of Comprehend Languages...
 

 
 Spoiler: Nibum 
Nibum, you dimly recognize the language as similar to Goblin and attempt to extract some kind of sense from it.

 
 Spoiler: Int Check 10+ 
"No, I don't have eyes on it, I'm going to check now--"
 

 


He stops stockstill and stares at your boat, which must be pretty inexplicable from his perspective. You have a brief moment to act before he can finish his sentence or otherwise take action; only Fork is swift enough to take advantage of it.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
INITIATIVE
 16 - Fork 
15 - Orc
11 - Cocytus
 8 - Nibum
4 - Ttharg
2 - Servius 
 
Dirty
Fork took advantage of the orc trying to figure out what he was seeing by raising his crossbow over the bow and before the realisation had come to the poor fellow, he fired. The mystical focus he had, when hunting, he applied to this creature and Fork was now fully hunting this one particular orc. Even as the first bolt was soaring through the air Fork hit the reloading mechanism so fast that the second bolt was flying before the first even had impacted. The difference was that between firing the first and second bolt Rumble had shifted his weight to enthusiastically imbue the first bolt with ice, like he'd been trained to do so many times, and the second bolt therefore got a completely different trajectory than the first one.

Fork knew the score even before the second bolt obviously went astray, so he sighed but still managed to utter a complementary:  "Good boy."   Just before the first bolt shattered in icy damage onto the target.

 
 Spoiler: Actions: 


27 to hit on the first attack for:  5 +5 (infused) +2 (hunters mark) = 12 damage
Natural one on the second attack
 
TriciaOso
The other reason the second bolt misses is that the orc tumbles off the deck of the tender and into the water with the first shot. The tiny plasmoid vanishes, oozing into some crevice of the tender.

 
 Spoiler: Perception 10+ 
At the same time, you can hear muffled orcish voices and the clang of boots on the metal on the derrick above; they pick up speed as the orc on the tender cuts off mid-sentence.
 


Pressing a finger to his lips, Cocytus seizes the oars and maneuvers the jolly boat to hide behind the ramp. He drags the corpse behind the ramp with you, which is unpleasant for everyone in the boat but hopefully covers your tracks. The orc's (weapon? tool?) stick doesn't seem to be very dangerous, just a brief jolt of non-lethal damage.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
The additional orcs need 3 rounds of movement to get to you; you can take up to 3 actions out of sequence here until they show up.

INITIATIVE
17 - More Orcs
16 - Fork
15 - Plasmoid
11 - Cocytus
8 - Nibum
4 - Ttharg
2 - Servius
 
zylodrizzt
On the rowboat before the orc fell
Nibum didn't have much time to think about anything this day between his dream and this large rig in front of them. He itches his face feeling more molting coming probably due to old age and pulls away a clump of copper scales. He looks into a particularly shiny part on triceratool to see if he's bleeding and a bit of surprise shows on his face. His dream seemed not to be nearly as  much of a dream as he'd thought and so perhaps his brother had really reached out to him.

After the kill.  we gotta get on there. Give me a bit of time to check on this craft. It looks... useful.  he grabs up the thing that the orc was speaking into and shuts it off.  seems like we will have company soon so maybe prepare for battle. Ill check on this craft later. Perhaps we should find a place more defensivle or lay low? Ward  he says as he hops on triceratool and twists a nob on it and twists the ring on his finger. He glows gently for a brief moment before it fades. (Cast warding bond)
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Passive Perception 15+ 
Back on the tender, something weird is happening. The plasmoid emerges warily from the crevice, and four more ooze out from under the door. They converge and become a slightly larger plasmoid.

The strangest thing is all five of them are wearing tiny toolbelts, which seem to merge into one along with the plasmoids themselves.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg spotted the plasmoids emerging and merging together on the deck of the tender and whispered to the others.   "Hold fast! That there plasmoid be back with his mates, and they be joinin' together on the deck o' the tender! But we need to get our boat secure! Nibum, can ye get one o' ye mechanical mates to tie the boat to the ramp?"  

In the meantime, Ttharg drew his Shield and began quietly speaking a prayer to damage the Plasmoid if it took any hostile actions against them.

 
 Spoiler 
Draw Shield as Free Action.
Stay on the boat.
Ready an Action to cast Cantrip Toll the Dead on the Plasmoid if it takes any hostile actions against us.
 
Dirty
"I'm spreading out, going to see if I can't flank them as they come down." Fork whispers as he throws a grappling hook at the smaller platform to their left.

The metal grapples as intended and he tugged the rope twice to see if it held. As he climbed up he looked at Rumble. "Stick with the others." He said as he struggled up the rope.

With barely enough time to spare he made it up the platform as four orcs came running down.
He looked over at Ttharg and pointed a finger at him while he whispered faintly. "Four. Three workers, one guard." He said as he ducked down in the hope that they wouldn't notice him.

He started sneaking around the backside of the platform. Handcrossbow and shortsword drawn, crossbow slung on his back.

(Round 1&amp;2 climbing up. Round 3 casting message to Ttharg and sneaking around the platform.)
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 38/38 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius finds a place out of immediate sight so that when the others trigger the ambush, he can join in.  He will ready a spell that sucks heat and energy from its victim, dispersing it into the ether.

 
 Spoiler 

Stealth, if needed  (1d20+3)[ 5 ] 
Readied Frostbite at the better-armed orc soldier.
Frostbite  (2d6)[ 6 ]  cold damage and disadvantage on next weapon attack it makes before the end of its next turn
Con DC 15 negate
Orc Con save  (1d20)[ 2 ] +??
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

The narrow nature of the ramp made testing Ttharg's new ability to push foes with lightning or thunder damage too irresistible to pass up. The plasmoid didn't appear to be doing anything hostile, so Ttharg holstered his Shield and began to climb the rope after Fork.

After he reached the dock, he attempted to hide himself, thinking of the chaotic nature of Bahamut and doing something completely new and unexpected. By the grace of Bahamut, his armour briefly stopped squeaking and scraping and Ttharg was able to nestle himself into a crevice in the dock, out of sight, and redraw his Shield.
zylodrizzt
As usual fetcher and minicliff grab a potion after tying off the boat. Nibum prepares to cast frostbite if they have drawn attention of anyone. Minicliff prepares to run distraction (readied help action on an attack roll for someone) while fetcher prepares to draw some attention away from someone else if they become spotted (readied help action for anyone trying to stealth).
TriciaOso
   
As you make your preparations, the plasmoid oozes its way off the tender and onto the ramp. The vibrations of the boots of the oncoming orcs finally reach it, and in response it exudes a slippery goo all over the last ten feet of the ramp. As the orcs thunder down, they immediately hit the patch of grease and begin to curse loudly; you recognize some of the words, but all of them are very obviously obscene. None of them fall, but it's a near thing.

They round angrily on the little plasmoid, and one of the orcs in coveralls hits it with the little prod they carry. The plasmoid instantly splits back apart into five smaller oozes. The lead orc, carrying a heavy crossbow, swears once more and puts his hand to his ear and says something in a disgusted voice. He looks at the technicians with him and gestures towards the tender, but it's clear the urgency has gone out of his activity. He takes a moment to punt one of the slimes into the sea viciously.

 
 Spoiler: Passive Insight 12+ 
You can't understand the words, but his tone tells you everything you need to know; he is reporting back to his superiors and blaming the plasmoid and the grease patch for the interruption and disappearance of the orc guarding the tender. Has this happened before? They will check the tender to be sure but seem satisfied with this explanation.
 


And then, from the point of view of the orcs, all hell breaks loose.

Cocytus kicks things off with a blast of acid breath that catches three of the four orcs full in the face. Then Servius and Nibum's readied frost spells both hit the lead orc simultaneously. A frozen corpse tumbles into the water, and the kicked plasmoid squirms up onto it.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS:

 Last round of prep: 
Fork casts message.
Ttharg hides.
Cocytus readies an action to use acid breath.
Servius readies an action to cast Frostbite.
Nibum readies an action to cast Frostbite.
Plasmoids use the prep rounds to merge together, move onto the ramp, and cast grease.

 Current Round: 
Orcs arrive and Orc Supervisor and Orc Technician 2 step in the grease; make their DEX save. Orc Technician 2 tases the plasmoid and it breaks back into five parts. Orc Supervisor kicks one plasmoid into the water and calls in a report.

Readied actions go off; Orc Technician 2 succeeds on his save to avoid the acid breath. All other saves failed. Orc Supervisor takes 19 damage and drops dead. Orc Technicians 3 and 4 take 4 points of damage each. They are bloodied.

INITIATIVE:
17 - Orcs
 16 - Fork 
15 - Plasmoids
11 - Cocytus
 8 - Nibum
4 - Ttharg
2 - Servius 

DAMAGE:
Orc Supervisor - dead
Orc Technician 2 - 0
Orc Technician 3 - 4
Orc Technician 4 - 4
 
Dirty
Fork sneaked up to the balustrade and put his crossbow sniper style on the railing. He tookadvantage of the confusion down him by loosing two bolts after another and downed two technicians, while Rumble sank his teeth into the last one. Fork scans the area they came from for more orks.
TriciaOso
The orcs are all dead. The plasmoids take the opportunity to fish their friend(?) out of the water and re-merge, then ooze up the ramp.

Fork, you don't see any other orcs coming, but you do make out the dim shape of another plasmoid coming around the main ring to meet this one. It is of a similar size, a little smaller than Rumble.

Cocytus loosens the rope and rows you over to the tender and the foot of the ramp.

 
 Spoiler: Loot 
Each of the technicians has one of the weird little prods and an All Purpose Tool +1. Their overalls don't appear to be magical.

The supervisor has a +1 crossbow that looks different from but not any more effective than Fork's; his quiver also looks magical, but will need to be identified (Efficient Quiver, possibly with some added effects). He has a +1 mace as well. His light-weight armor is no stronger than Nibum's scale mail, but it looks much quieter (mithral scale mail). He also has a ring of keys that look useful.

Each orc has one of the little speaking-ear jewelry. You also find single-use tokens of Water Walk on three of them.
 
J-H
 Servius 
 Why can I read this?  I didn't study Quaalith back in school, did I?   Servius thinks to himself.  Then he mentally checks, doing some math and memory exercises to make sure nothing is beaming anything into his head or otherwise affecting him.
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Servius 
As you turn your thoughts inward you remember the disdainful words of a god;  a mere printer's son . Yet it appears there are some benefits of being the son of a scribe, as your power waxes.

At the same time, searching your mind for any external influence, you become aware of the tendrils of a powerful mind in the higher floors of the complex. It is not in your head currently, but you can feel its presence, like feeling the sun through closed eyelids.
 
J-H
 Servius 
 "Whatever is in charge of these orcs is up above.  We should move quickly."   If anyone else doesn't, he will pick up the tokens and the All Purpose Tools.  They may be useful.  The ear-communicators perhaps not, if they broadcast freely.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "Well done mates."   Ttharg says quietly.   "Seems like the plasmoids can get a little rowdy, and even though I couldn't understand 'em, the orc lads seem to be satisfied that it's just a rebel plasmoid on the loose. Lucky for us, that should help distract the crew whilst we get on with our mission."  

Ttharg helps secure the jollyboat to the base of the ramp with some rope and also returns the grapnel and line to Fork.

  "If ye want to keep up the scouting, ye can go on ahead a little, and the rest of us noisy lot will hang back a little and follow at a pace."  

Ttharg took a quick look around the tender, but didn't see much.

He picks up one of the strange cattle prods and stows it away.
Dirty
"You got it." Fork nodded once and moved upwards the ramp from where the orcs had come from. He kept himself half crouched, and Rumble was at his feet similarly trying not to make sound but still moving at a brisk pace.
He peeked around the corner.

***If he gets to the next sort of intersection without being spotted or noticing anyone, he'll message back to the group to move up to his position.***
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Fork, Perception 20+ 
Fork, as you ascend the ramp, you can see three other docks similar to the one where you hid; rings of metal, each supported by a central pylon that blazes with stored energy. They are connected to a central ring by ramps like this one, and from the center of the central ring a structure rises. Two of the docks are mostly obscured by the structure, and the fourth connects to the central close to where this ramp does the same. About three stories up you can see the lights of the roof -- arcane artillery emplacements and communication masts.

As you move closer to the structure, you immediately feel a strange tingle you haven't felt since Baratano. Your training and experience allows you to sense when a dragon is close; now you pick up a very faint sense of one. It's very, very weak -- perhaps a wyrmling, or an egg? Or one that is dying or held unconscious? It's definitely not the full-blown magnificence of a dragon, which even untrained people can often sense. But it's here, inside these walls.

Scooting ahead of you up the ramp is the plasmoid with its odd little modular tool belt. You realize it's converging with two other plasmoids up here on the central ring; one the same size, and one about twice as big. They seem eager to recombine; when you drive them apart with one of the orc prods they flinch away and mill around you.

Not far from here is a door to the central structure; a strange folded-up flower of gold metal. You could try the keys you took off the orc supervisor, but you would have to leave the plasmoids unattended.

   
 

 
 Spoiler: Servius &amp; Nibum, Investigation 50+ 
The two arcanists of the group move onto the tender to investigate it while Fork scouts ahead. It's a weird mix of the organic, the arcane, and the unfamiliar technology the illithid have created or stolen from other worlds. The main cabin is a huge nautilus shell, and tentacles depend from the other end, but the deck is solid underfoot and the shell has a door. There are furled gossamer wings to either side, which you are able to recognize as astral sails; this thing can move on invisible arcane winds.

   
The door is unlocked, but strange and tricky to open; Ttharg, of all people, points out where the switch is. The cabin looks big enough to accommodate one person comfortably or four in a slightly cramped fashion; if you piled people onto the deck it could maybe take eight total at a pinch. At a table with greasy boot prints you see the remains of some kind of card game the orc was playing; there are five other hands. Was he playing with his plasmoids?

You find a maintenance log that is incomprehensible to Nibum and perfectly clear to Servius; perfectly clear and fairly dull. Leafing through it and counting names, you can see that the orcs use a rotational schedule. From the doodles you can tell that tender maintenance is one of the more boring jobs on the rig. All in all, it looks like about 24 technicians and 6 supervisors rotate through, night and day, which means some of that thirty are likely asleep right now. Weekly, the log is countersigned by an overseer, and you see three different names. 33 orcs? Plus maybe more who aren't part of the maintenance rotation?

Mounted in the center of the cabin is a simple chair, bolted to the ground. When you gingerly sit in it, illusions spring to life in front of you. You are able to intuit fairly easily that these are controls for the tender. In addition to the astral sails, there is a water jet that can propel it through the water. The boat moves shell first, which is opposite what you might have imagined. You find controls for large tools that can operated by the tentacles; welders, saws, scrapers, buffers. It does not look like the tender is designed to leave the rig; you find a display for the battery level, which shows it is fully charged and indeed still charging while docked.

It looks like the tender  can  levitate above the surface of the water, but not far; no higher perhaps than the rings of the docks. There are definitively, no weapons.

Moving beyond the displays to look at the technology, it seems like power is stored in the spiral of the shell. You think between the two of you you could figure out how to charge it if you took it away from the refuelling station. You also find a bad-smelling hopper that seems to be composting organic material, perhaps for the living parts of the ship.

Tucked into a narrow gap you find a few vials of the drug ink; orcs are dependent on it, and it is dealt out to them in very limited quantities by their masters. Some orc has squirreled away a few vials here. Two of them are empty but two are full of murky evil fluid.
 

 
 Spoiler: Ttharg, Insight 10+ 
   
As everyone else splits off to investigate, you are left alone with the First Mate. The fury and impatience he has shown since the illithid structure appeared is still banked, but he paces back and forth on the ramp with suppressed energy. This is obviously a deeply personal mission for him.

"They can infect dragons, you know," he tells you in a bitter, fast monologue. "Not with one of their vile tadpoles, no, it takes a full elder brain to do it. But they can do it.  They could do it to our dragons, all of the Malaki. They could turn us into troglodytes or worse; degrade us like they did these orcs. They're an existential threat. Tenebrous saw that and set out to stop it and he paid the ultimate price. And then the Malaki add insult to injury and disown him!"

(The Malaki is the ruling body of Lssthp, the council of all the noble Dragon Houses. Recent centuries have added a lower chamber, the Council of Admirals, made up of dragonborn of high birth or wealth. But everyone knows the Malaki rule Lssthp... under the Emperor, at least. But the Emperor doesn't do a lot of day to day governing.)

"This should've been our whole mission," Cocytus continues to rant. "Scouring this threat from our waters. You know the islanders use ink freely. The metallic dragons don't  like  it but they love  freedom  too much to do what needs to be done. The metallics whining about freedom and the Malaki quaking in their lairs about the Mother of Us All, and all the time the squids are eating away at us..."

 
 Spoiler: Insight 15+ 
This is a deep and infected wound in the man's soul, and you realize it's hard to predict what he may do out here.
 

 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg notices the First Mate's agitation, but more than that, he notices how  personal  this situation is for him. Something happened to this man, or to people close to him, that rooted a deep and unshakeable hatred in him.

Ttharg was a religious man by chance, and had made no effort to study religion or the practises of men and women of the cloth, but he realised in this moment that he should be acting somewhat as a confessor. He had no idea exactly how to start such a process, and wasn't naturally charismatic either.

He made a quick, quiet prayer to Bahamut for Guidance, and then turned to the First Mate.   "Beggin' ye pardon sir, but it sounds like this be personal to ye. I understand the disgust at the betrayal of Tenebrous ye feel, but, if I may be so bold sir, there's something more to this that be weighin' ye down. The crew needs ye to keep a level head here, and in the weeks to come. If it'd make ye feel better to get it off ye chest to a priest, even one as unorthodox as I, then I'll listen."  

(Guidance for 1, Persuasion Roll 10, for 11)
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
   Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg notices the First Mate's agitation, but more than that, he notices how  personal  this situation is for him. Something happened to this man, or to people close to him, that rooted a deep and unshakeable hatred in him.

Ttharg was a religious man by chance, and had made no effort to study religion or the practises of men and women of the cloth, but he realised in this moment that he should be acting somewhat as a confessor. He had no idea exactly how to start such a process, and wasn't naturally charismatic either.

He made a quick, quiet prayer to Bahamut for Guidance, and then turned to the First Mate.   "Beggin' ye pardon sir, but it sounds like this be personal to ye. I understand the disgust at the betrayal of Tenebrous ye feel, but, if I may be so bold sir, there's something more to this that be weighin' ye down. The crew needs ye to keep a level head here, and in the weeks to come. If it'd make ye feel better to get it off ye chest to a priest, even one as unorthodox as I, then I'll listen."  

(Guidance for 1, Persuasion Roll 10, for 11) 
 

Coctyus Achelous stops and looks at you, with an expression compounded of surprise and disgust. "Mr. Krixkrux. The loss of Tenebrous has been the downfall of several noble families, mine included. Three seats in the Council of Admirals struck down, our lands forfeit to the University, and my own naval commission -- all gone into the Abyss with him. And I find myself lowered to this extremity -- to serve as a privateer --and on a ship of considerable irregularities and disgraces. Not the  least  of which is the absence of any orthodox priest of the Chromatic faith. You have distinguished yourself in combat and as the ship's medic I must needs depend upon you -- but your faith in the Platinum Mendicant is nothing but repugnant to me. Pray remember that."

"This is the only task I have been given in three months that is not a waste of my time and my blood, Mr. Krixkrux. No one will find me wanting in its execution."
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg actually found the First Mate's response to be rather measured. This was good and bad. Good that the First Mate was, at least for now, capable of reason and focusing on the mission. Bad that the hatred and anger had been incorporated into the First Mate's psyche rather than simply manifesting as emotional outbursts (and thus, perhaps easier to deal with in the long-term).

  "Understood, sir."   Ttharg replies. There is no bitterness or sarcasm in his voice.

In many ways, the two Dragonborn were the opposite sides of chaos. Whereas Ttharg's life had been spared and given a second chance due to random fate, Cocytus's life had been shattered and doomed to mediocracy by events outside of his control. Idly, Ttharg wondered if Bahamut made a point of trying to balance the chaos he delivered upon the world: exacting one good fate for every bad fate that was set into motion, and vice versa. For a brief, dark moment, he wondered if his own fate had been 'paid for' by the decline of the First Mate's fate and felt ashamed that, indirectly, he was responsible for Cocytus's situation. The moment was quickly dispelled however: Ttharg was attempting to find logic in a God of change, and he realised the folly and insanity such a route would take those who truly tried to make sense of such cosmic things. His mind shifted to Trionyx, and the madness that had overcame him. Perhaps ignorance truly was bliss?

  "We should move up to Mr Fork, sir; he says the way is clear up to the next section."   Ttharg says, beginning to make his way up to Fork.
zylodrizzt
This is exactly the sort of thing nibum was good at which is why he made little complaint about going this time plus the ship wasn't damaged too badly. He poured over the controls of the tender. Went over the earpieces turning them off and making plans to do something with them later. He strapped on the new armor feeling much more free to move. He wasnt sure what he'd do with the cattle prod yet but he took some of them too. After all that was done he joined up with the group  So take out the guns and then signal the ship? 
TriciaOso
As you ascend the ramp, you can see three other docks similar to the one where Fork and Ttharg hid; rings of metal, each supported by a central pylon that blazes with stored energy. They are connected to a central ring by ramps like this one, and from the center of the central ring the main structure rises. Two of the docks are mostly obscured by the structure, while the fourth connects to the central close to where this ramp does the same. About three stories up you can see the lights of the roof -- arcane artillery emplacements and communication masts.

Not far from here is a door to the central structure; a strange folded-up flower of gold metal. Fork is standing a few feet from these doors, jabbing one of the prods at three plasmoids. You can see the one from the tender, another one about the same size, and a third about twice the size of it. They seem intent on merging, and Fork seems just as intent on not letting them.

  
 
J-H
 Servius 
 "What's going on?" 
zylodrizzt
 woah hatchilng they just helped us... or is it just one? Anyways... can you speak?  he says trying the languages he knows
TriciaOso
The two smaller ones stretch into a vague homunculus shape in order to shake their heads. The larger one, however, burbles,   "Yes."  
  "Split,"   it says, and stretches pseudopod arms out to the other two plasmoids.   "Forget."   Then:

  "Merge."   They suddenly lunge to reunite with each other.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Roll DEX saves (DC 16) to try and prevent them from merging, or an attack roll (AC 11) with the prod to zap them back apart. Or -- allow it.
 
Dirty
Fork looked behind him as the team caught up. He shrugged. "Alright." He whispered. These globs were getting on his nerves but he didn't want to admit it.

He quickly darted past them as they started merging and rounded the corner into the interior (Where it says 'to level 1')
TriciaOso
The three plasmoids collide immediately as soon as nothing is stopping them and merge into a single entity, with a drain-rattling cry of  "Goronglix!"  It wobbles itself into its homunculus shape; at first at the size of a kobold, but then lurching taller. It forms a basic stick-figure of a shape, tall but stretched very thin. It looks emaciated, but mutters,  "Yes, yes,  goronglix "  to itself, in what seems like (mostly) Draconic. Then it rushes after Fork into the structure.


 


Unfortunately, the first thing Fork sees as he unlocks and opens the metallic door, is another tiny plasmoid, scooting urgently towards the larger one. The first thing you  hear  is someone screaming out an orcish battlecry.

Beyond the plasmoid, at the end of a long gantryway, is another supervisor orc. Behind this orc is a blazing ball of light about sixty feet across. Fork is standing on a sort of balcony that continues to the left and right, circling all around the interior of the structure; it is connected to the center by gantries like the one in front of you, like spokes on a wheel.

   
In between the radiating spokes are complex arcano-tech, capturing the light generated in the center and channeling it downward, to a space below the station that glows too bright to look down into.

 
 Spoiler: Perception 12+, disadvantage on first entry because of the light 
In addition to the orc supervisor (teal box) at the end of the gantry, there are four orc technicians (orange) ranged along the back balcony and two other orcs; one on the central ring, beyond the supervisor, and one just entering the room at the end of a different gantry. They are both equipped better than any orcs you have seen so far; one dressed for combat with a whip of starlight in his hand (white), and one dressed in the lighter bracers-and-staff of a battlemage (gold).

   
 
 Spoiler: Insight 12+ 
The technicians look frightened; the supervisor looks grim, and the overseer with the whip looks furious. The mage looks extremely stoic.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 15+ 
But deep down, you think he's excited to finally see a little action.
 

 

 


The orc supervisor at the end of the gantry looks down the barrel of his crossbow as if he's been ready for someone hostile to walk through this door, although maybe not this short. He adjusts his aim and fires, landing a bolt in Fork's shoulder.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 

ACTIONS:
Fork enters the room.
Readied action: battlecry from orc overseer.
Reading action: Crossbow bolt from orc supervisor (with advantage). Hits Fork for 9 damage.
Goronglix follows Fork into the room.

DAMAGE:
Fork - 9 damage

INITIATIVE:
17 - Orcs
 16 - Fork 
15 - Plasmoids
11 - Cocytus
 8 - Nibum
4 - Ttharg
2 - Servius 
 
Dirty
Fork took the impact of the bolt with a curse. "Chumsucking softmeats!" He shouts as he hit  the deck on one knee and raised his weapon to return fire. The first bolt hit its mark and the supervisor fell over. He aimed the crossbow at the battlemage but it flew past. Fork indicated to Rumble to go after the same target.

"We've got contact!" He shouted at the others.
TriciaOso
Goronglix the plasmoid, continuing to act according to their own mysterious directives, dashes forward to the rail and oozes over into the blazing light of the deck below. All the smaller plasmoids, unattended by their technicians, ooze through the gantry and drop below as well.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 12+ 
You can't tell if Goronglix is friendly or unfriendly yet; all you can tell is they appear to be hellbent on merging with the tiny plasmoid assistants the technicians have following them around. What you may have initially seen as a familiar or homonculus may have a darker explanation.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 15+ 
They're all pieces of them, scattered around the ship and forced to help the orcs in their maintenance and repairs.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 20+ 
It seems like they're getting smarter and remember more as they re-absorb them...
 

 

 


Cocytus charges into the generator room as well, but squints furiously at the artificial sun. "Where are they?!" He hurries down the gantryway, although the supervisor is already down.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg charged into the room. He briefly eyed Fork as he passed him, making sure he wasn't in danger of immediately dying, but he seemed relatively ok. He continued to thunder into the room, locking eyes with the orc mage and feeling the excitement in his gaze.

(Double Action Move)
zylodrizzt
Nibum not sure what the glob is up to but it hasn't hurt him or the rest of them so he tosses out a quick sanctuary spell to grant it a bit if protection. The device lands on and then into the slime and begins to blur its form. He then spurs triceratool towards a mage while he unleashes a frosty Grenade type thing from a launcher he's attached to delima much in the same way he attached that speaker as well. His familiars follow as close behind as they can but fetcher lags behind about 20ft being a bit slower.
TriciaOso
As you get closer, Nibum, you realize a few things about the orc mage.

   
1) She's a she. Her bare arms and legs are tattooed with the sinuous illithid script.

2) She just walked out a small door that seems to lead to a tiny room. Was she just standing in there waiting? Or does the doorway somehow connect to other parts of the station?

3) She is floating just above the ground.

Your grenade hits her in the face and does enough to damage to kill one of the technicians or bloody a supervisor. She wipes the snow away and says in badly-accented Draconic:  "Nice snowball, little vun." 

4) She is definitely the most dangerous thing you have encountered on this station so far.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS:
Fork enters the room.
Readied action: battlecry from orc overseer.
Reading action: Crossbow bolt from orc supervisor (with advantage). Hits Fork for 9 damage.
Goronglix follows Fork into the room.

DAMAGE:
Fork - 9 damage
Orc Battlemage - 6 damage

INITIATIVE:
 17 - Orcs
16 - Fork
15 - Plasmoids
11 - Cocytus
8 - Nibum
4 - Ttharg 
2 - Servius
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 38/38 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius enters the room just behind the others.  Taking the situation in at a glance, he moves towards the floating figure, firing a burst of magical darts at her.
 
 Spoiler 

Move 20' northwest to get closer.  Magic Missile  (1d4+1)[ 5 ]  x3
 
TriciaOso
The mage flinches back from Servius' arcane darts, then vanishes, seeming to slip through space and reappear halfway down the gantry. She floats the rest of the way to the central ring.

As your eyes adjust to the glare, you can see that the axle of the turbine below runs up through this room and into the ceiling, with an open revolving cage in the center of it where the artificial star is generated. Both the mage and the overseer have half-cover behind it. The overseer moves in front of her and readies an attack with his whip.

 
  
The technicians ranged around the balcony hurry towards the other door; they want no part of this.

 
 Spoiler: Perception 15+ 
From below you hear shouts, gushing noises, and the familiar splash of a man overboard.
 

 
 Spoiler: Summary 

ACTIONS:
Mage uses starlight step to move 30 feet, then flies another 60 to take cover.
Overseer moves up in front of her and readies an attack.

DAMAGE:
Fork - 9 damage
Orc Battlemage - 21 damage

INITIATIVE:
 17 - Orcs 
16 - Fork
15 - Plasmoids
11 - Cocytus
8 - Nibum
4 - Ttharg
2 - Servius
 
zylodrizzt
 Stick around find out what else i can do!  as he continues the chase and attempts the same trick which is easily resisted taking out some of the wind from nibums sails so to speak. Minicliff continues to keep up and fetcher catches up by using the gap.
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 38/38 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius moves closer.  He's heard tales of orcs and illithid, but this is his first in-person encounter with him.  The orcs aren't too bad, but he's also not interested in finding out just how skilled their wizard (or sorcerer? do orcs have sorcerers? he doesn't recall) is... so he unleashes the most powerful spell in his arsenal upon her and her guard, placing it to avoid hitting anything else that might explode.

  Fwooosh  
 
 Spoiler 

 (8d6)[ 38 ]  fire Damage, Dex DC 15 half
Mage  (1d20)[ 7 ] +??
Whip  (1d20)[ 20 ] +??
Slither 30' northwest
 
TriciaOso
The fireball detonates, and some of the magic is funneled away down into the distribution nodes, but it doesn't seem to have made it any less hot for the two orcs in the center ring. Coytus continues charging forward, bellowing furiously, but still doesn't reach them.

   
 
 Spoiler: Insight 19+ 
The battlemage is overplaying how much the fireball hurt, in fact; but she doesn't have a hair out of place.
 

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS:
Mage uses starlight step to move 30 feet, then flies another 60 to take cover.
Overseer moves up in front of her and readies an attack.

DAMAGE:
Fork - 9 damage
Orc Battlemage - 59 damage
Overseer - 19

INITIATIVE:
 17 - Orcs 
16 - Fork
 15 - Plasmoids
11 - Cocytus
8 - Nibum 
4 - Ttharg
 2 - Servius 
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg continued to move towards the centre of the room. Sparks and lightning flashed from the mysterious arcane equipment; lightning Ttharg could use.

Using his free hand, he grabbed hold of his Amulet of the Devout and made a prayer to Bahamut for control over the arcane storm raging within this platform.

He then pointed at the Mage and directed a bolt of lightning to strike at her. As the bolt struck, Ttharg directed the wrath of Bahamut into the strike, hoping to deal a significant blow.

 
 Spoiler 
Move Action to move 30ft towards the centre.
Main Action to cast Call Lightning at 3rd Level, centred in the middle of the room. As part of the spell, I'm targeting the Mage with a bolt from the storm.
Amulet of the Devout gives me a +1 DC to spell DC, but Half-Cover gives the Mage +2 to Dex saving throws (I'll factor that into the roll). Normal spell DC is 14, so DC is 15. Saves for Half.
Mage Dex Save vs 15:  (1d20+2)[ 16 ] +dex mod.
Regardless of whether she passes her dex check, Ttharg will use a charge of his Channel Divinity to deal maximum damage, so 40 Lightning Damage or 20 if saved.
Finally, the Mage is pushed 10ft away from me, hitting the deck.
 
TriciaOso
The warmage writhes as the lightning hits her. However, she does not move backwards 10 feet, but stays hovering in place.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 13+, advantage 
This is an illusory double. The real mage is invisible somewhere else in the room.
 

 
 Spoiler: Ttharg, Fork 
Ttharg, as you channel magical energy away from the power core, your connection to Bahamut and focus on the core leads you to sense a weak draconic presence hidden inside the flames of the artificial star. Fork, you have been sensing this presence since before you entered the room, but now know it comes from inside the core.
 
zylodrizzt
Things didn't match up in nibums mind so he peaked around and noticed something off over the flower or as near as he could describe as one. He shouts  she is over here somewhere  pointing with delima.
Dirty
Fork looked over to where Nibum pointed and scanned the area for inconsistencies. He wasn't confident about shooting just yet so he ran down the ramp towards the middle. Meanwhile Rumble continued along the outer ring, both were closing in on their prey like a pair of wolves.

Something was tugging on the edge of Forks senses though. Then it hit him.  "The star! The Core! They've got the essence of dragon in there!"  He hoped the others could hear him.  "Don't blow it up!" 

He was surprised by himself, since he normally wasn't extremely nurturing. But in this scene, this place, it felt perverse and wrong whatever was being done up there. Fork couldn't make out where the mage was so he looked ahead of him and targeted the overseer for a kill, becoming hyper aware of the orcs moves, stance and what he had for breakfast.

 
 Spoiler: Actions 
Action: Move¨
Move: Move
Bonus action: Hunters Mark on the visible orc
(Perception: 11 to find the mage)
 
TriciaOso
Then the battlemage drops invisibility, and it's no longer necessary to search for her. She hovers above the blue flower-like structure, and puts out a hand to deflect a jet of arcane energy being absorbed by it. She redirects it at Nibum and his entourage in a blast of scintillating energy.

She laughs nastily, then vanishes in another space-warping blip. At the same time, her illusory duplicate ducks fully behind the generator. A moment later, both of her drift out from behind it and take up station over two different blue flowers.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 9+ 
The one on the right is real.
 


At the same time, the overseer charges out of cover towards Cocytus and Ttharg and lays about with his starry whip. He passes the First Mate to attack Ttharg with his whip; his first strike misses, but the second cracks against him nastily, and leaves a glimmering starlight halo outlining the cleric.

Cocytus, infuriated beyond belief by being ignored, pursues the overseer; he coats his blade with a blast of acid and brings down two heavy blows against the overseer, shouting: "ORCUS! Another soul for your hoard!" It doesn't quite send the orc to the Abyss, but combined with the fireball the overseer has gone from a healthy green to a pale muddy grey.

   
Meanwhile, the technicians continue their gradual escape from this enormous room; it would be funny if it wasn't so grim. Nibum, you feel your Sanctuary drop, but it's difficult to say whether it was because of the damage you took or because Goronglix has gone on the offensive instead of relying on Grease traps.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS:
Mage drops invisibility. Uses Radiant Beam against Nibum, Triceratool, Fetcher and Minicliff for 17 damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Only Minicliff succeeds. Warding Bond halves Triceratool damage and does the same to Nibum. Starlight step behind the generator core; illusory double hides behind it too, then both move out. Which is which? Insight 9 to detect.

Overseer moves past Cocytus to attack Ttharg. Misses once and hits once, for 7 damage and leaves some kind of glowing trace on him.

Ttharg and Nibum both make concentration saves; however, Sanctuary drops as Goronglix starts attacking people below.

Cocytus hits the Overseer an opportunity attack and adds a smite; then moves to hit the Overseer with his action, using Channel Divinity to gain advantage and putting a Hunter's Mark on him. This hits as well, and also adds a smite. 20 and 17 damage respectively. The Overseer is bloodied.

Technicians continue their dash actions towards the door.

DAMAGE:
Nibum: 23 damage
Ttharg: 7 damage

Triceratool: 8 damage
Fetcher: destroyed
Minicliff: destroyed
Fork - 9 damage

Orc Battlemage - 21 damage
Overseer - 61 damage

INITIATIVE:
 17 - Orcs 
16 - Fork
 15 - Plasmoids
11 - Cocytus 
8 - Nibum
4 - Ttharg
2 - Servius
 
Dirty
Fork drops to one knee again in his signature run, drop to knee, fire crossbow stance everyone has come to love. He's momentarily confused by the images of the mage appearing but a hint of light hitting the 'wrong' one in a strange angle had him aim and fire two bolts at the real mage.

After seeing one bolt hit home, he grabbed his dual crossbows and jumped to his feet again.

(Edit: Rumble runs towards the middle)

 
 Spoiler: Actions 

19 and 15 to hit -
for 13 and 9 respectively

Bonus Action none.
 
zylodrizzt
It was a longshot but nibum took up delima thrust it forward attempting to implant into the mages mind the origin in which he discovered this weapon. The realm of the slaad and a whole hoard of them but sadly the mages will was to strong to succumb to the trickery. After his familiars had fallen and after feeling the might of that spell he decided he might be at a disadvantage fighting her so he turned his attention to the overseer and taking out his frustration he charges hard and pouring what he's got into it. If one threat goes down the other might not have as much of a chance and perhaps he can get a breather. He's an old lizard he gets tired easy. He yells  DIE YOU INKY MINDED EMPTY SCULLED PIG  that channels in through the speaker as he activates a light focused through a lense that he'd normally use for targeting but he calibrated it for deadly force this time searing and marking the pig.

(Triceratool gets us to the overseer. Nibum casts branding smite and makes a booming blade attack)
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 38/38 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Melf's (4/6)  
 
  

The two images don't match.  Servius is close enough to her now, and farther away from both entries, so his positioning is right.  He conjures up several balls of flame that orbit around his head, sending two at the mage.
 
 Spoiler 

You create six tiny meteors in your space. They float in the air and orbit you for the spell’s duration. When you cast the spell — and as a bonus action on each of your turns thereafter — you can expend one or two of the meteors, sending them streaking toward a point or points you choose within 120 feet of you. Once a meteor reaches its destination or impacts against a solid surface, the meteor explodes. Each creature within 5 feet of the point where the meteor explodes must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 2d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Meteor 1  (2d6)[ 7 ]  fire damage, Dex DC 15 half
Mage  (1d20)[ 15 ] 
Meteor 2  (2d6)[ 4 ]  fire damage, Dex DC 15 half
Mage  (1d20)[ 7 ] 
 
TriciaOso
Her deception not going so well this time, the orc mage looks frustrated and furious. She's struck by a crossbow bolt and a ball of flame in close succession and howls with rage, allowing the illusory duplicate to vanish.

  
 The overseer looks not just frustrated but badly injured, as the Dilemma goes home. The mage touches her earpiece and barks something in Quaalith; the doors of the tiny room she emerged from close, and there's a faint hum.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 

DAMAGE:
Nibum: 23 damage
Ttharg: 7 damage

Triceratool: 8 damage
Fetcher: destroyed
Minicliff: destroyed
Fork - 9 damage

Orc Battlemage - 41 damage
Overseer - 78 damage

INITIATIVE:
 17 - Orcs
16 - Fork
15 - Plasmoids
11 - Cocytus
8 - Nibum 
4 - Ttharg
 2 - Servius 
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg grunted as he was hit with the whip; but it barely bothered him. What bothered him was the draconic spirit trapped inside the core. Almost everything else lost meaning.   "FORK BE RIGHT! THAR BE A DRACONIC SPIRIT IN THIS HERE MACHINE!"   He bellowed in agreement.

He was dimly aware of the mage, but had enough sense to try and focus her down as the biggest threat in the room.

He maintained his control over the arcane storm in the the room, but this time he reached out to explode the area the mage occupied in a thunderous boom. Once again, he focused on channelling the destructive might of Bahamut into the prayer.

He then moved aggressively up towards the Overseer, hoping to trap him between himself and the First Mate.   "We'll be sending ye to Bahamut's locker, ink suckling smooth skin."  
 
 Spoiler 
Continue concentration on Call Lightning.
Main Action to Cast Shatter at 2nd Level, aiming to catch just the Mage and none of the station's equipment.
Amulet of the Devout gives +1 to save DC, normal save DC is 14, so 15.
Con Save for Mage:  (1d20)[ 16 ] +mods vs 15.
Save for half. Will use my 2nd Channel Divinity to again do max damage. So 24 full damage, 12 half damage.
Mage is NOT pushed.
Move Action to flank the Overseer.
 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
   Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg grunted as he was hit with the whip; but it barely bothered him. What bothered him was the draconic spirit trapped inside the core. Almost everything else lost meaning.   "FORK BE RIGHT! THAR BE A DRACONIC SPIRIT IN THIS HERE MACHINE!"   He bellowed in agreement. 
 

 "Oh, you noticed that?"  the battlemage sneers.  "Once she hatches she'll make a lovely host for a brainstealer, but for now, the extra power is just a bonus."  She gathers a ball of arcane energy in her hands once more and considers her targets.

The overseer lashes at Ttharg ineffectually, and the glow around the cleric fades; the potential for additional damage lost. The battlemage looks at the wounded overseer and sighs.  "Borgan, I  knew  giving you that thing would be a waste."  She looks towards the humming elevator; and then with a complete disregard for her own ally, she swoops over to the catwalk and fires a beam of scintillating light in a straight line across everyone but Servius.

   
The Overseer crumples to the ground, smoking. The elevator keeps humming... and then the lights flicker, the axle slows and then picks back up speed -- and the hum stops. The battlemage puts a hand to her ear and barks, again, in Quaalith. She sounds a lot less smug this time.

 
 Spoiler: Nibum 
A message spell delivers to you:

 Thanks for the sanctuary, mate. Feeling much more like myself now. Part of me is still in the system so I locked things down... thought we could use a chance to catch our breath! Not that I breath... 
 


The technicians who had just made the door pound fruitlessly; it's locked itself.

Cocytus shifts his hunter's mark and runs at the Battlemage, spitting a blast of acid as he runs that she dodges cleanly.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS: Overseer misses on two whip attacks.

Battlemage fires a radiant beam that hits Nibum, Triceratool, Rumble, Fork, Ttharg and the Overseer. 17 damage, DC 16 to halve. Only Nibum saves. Triceratool has resistance, and Nibum takes the same damage (Warding Bond). Cocytus and Ttharg make concentration saves.

Goronglix takes control of the station from inside and locks down the doors and elevator.

Technicians move towards the door, which is now locked. Another elite orc is trapped in the elevator.

Cocytus shifts his hunter's mark and runs the Battlemage, spitting a blast of acid as he runs that she dodges cleanly.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 39 damage
Ttharg - 24 damage
Fork - 26 damage
Cocytus - 17 damage

Triceratool: 16 damage
Rumble - 17 damage

Orc Battlemage - 53 damage
Overseer - killed

INITIATIVE:
 17 - Orcs 
16 - Fork
 15 - Plasmoids
11 - Cocytus 
8 - Nibum
4 - Ttharg
2 - Servius
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum brunts the majority of the damage then returns the favor rushing in for a thrust  BETTER THEN A SNOWBALL TUSKMOUTH WITCH!  he shouts from the speaker again  Try and run again i dare ya  he says with delima still lodged in her

To the slides message  welcome. Anything more you can do from there? 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg snatches up the whip from the ground where the Overseer's body now lay smoking. As he turned, he spit a gobbet of blood onto the corpse.

 Ttharg is bloodied. 

He moved towards the Mage, and as he did so he called out once again to the storm raging in the centre of the room. A bolt of lightning struck out at the Mage, but she once again weaved herself out of the way of the worst of it.

Finally, Ttharg muttered a prayer for the group at large; with the exception of Servius who hadn't been hurt at all.   "Bahamut, keep us strong and let us hold fast against our foe!"  
 
 Spoiler 
Free Action to pick up Constellation Whip.
Move Action to move towards Mage.
Main Action to use a Bolt from Call Lightning (concentration is still maintained). Mage makes her Dex save, so she takes half of  (4d10)[ 12 ] .
Bonus Action to cast Mass Healing Word (3rd Level) on Ttharg, Cocytus, Rumble, Nibum, Triceratool, and Fork. I believe Triceratool is a Construct and therefore doesn't benefit, but may as well target them anyway. Everyone heals  (1d4+2)[ 4 ] 
 
Dirty
Fork felt the connection he had to the overseer fade before even he himself had recovered from the blast. He tucked and rolled sideways while putting his focus and attention solely on the mage. He was in close combat again, but he steeled his nerves. He wouldn't visit the eternal hunting grounds today, he thought as he gritted his teeth. He aimed quickly and smoothly, and put a bolt from each of his hand crossbows into the mage.

 
 Spoiler: Actions 


Hunters mark on mage (BA)
Attack on mage 2x (A)
I forgot to look in dnd beyond but I think it came to a  21 and a 23 to hit  or something, for 5 and 8 damage, and 1 and 3 for hunters mark for a total of:  17 damage  if both bolts hit
 
J-H
      
   <span style="font-family: Century

Gothic">  Servius Calventius Pamphilius  
  
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 13 / 16 (Mage Armor) HP: 38/38 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Melf's (2/6 remain)  
 
  
Flames lash out at the orc mage - one ray and two balls of flame, one of which bursts with a loud concussive bang.
 
 Spoiler 

Fire Bolt  (1d20+7)[ 18 ]  for  (2d10)[ 8 ]  fire damage
Melf's
 (2d6)[ 8 ]  fire damage, Dex DC 15 half
Orc Dex  (1d20)[ 8 ] 
 (2d6)[ 11 ]  fire damage, Dex DC 15 half
Orc Dex  (1d20)[ 18 ] 
One of those does an extra  (2d6)[ 10 ]  force damage and knocks her prone (Fulminating Treatise reaction, 1/3 for the day)
 
TriciaOso
The battlemage screams and crumples to the ground, smoking. She's dead.

A wave of acid washes over the cluster of orc technicians; when it passes away, they are all dead and Goronglix stands there. It appears your plasmoid friend isn't interested in taking any prisoners.

Goronglix looks healthier than when you last saw them; the tall stick-figure form they've taken on still seems gaunt, but not utterly emaciated. Somewhere along the line they picked up a pair of goggles; maybe the orcs working below, in the blazing light, wear eye protection. They still wear their modular toolbelt, which has now developed a sort of bandolier as well. One arm spreads out into a shield and the other ends in a curved blade. They raise this arm in a greeting and begin to ooze towards you.

 
 Spoiler: Fork 
Looking at the battlemage's scimitar, you realize it's made partially from the horn of a dragon... although not one that's familiar to you. It makes you wonder what kinds of dragon they have in wildspace, and about the egg incubating inside the generator.
 

 
 Spoiler: Loot 
4 Orc Technicians - stun rods, All Purpose Tools +1
Orc Supervisor - mithral scale mail, +1 mace
Orc Overseer - Constellation Whip, +1 mithral half-plate
Orc Battlemage - Boots of Flying, 'Elven' chain shirt, Crystal Blade (Scimitar)

All of them have earpieces; all of them but the Battlemage have tokens of Water Walk.
 

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
DAMAGE:
Nibum - 39 damage
Ttharg - 24 damage
Fork - 26 damage
Cocytus - 17 damage

Triceratool: 16 damage
Rumble - 17 damage

Goronglix - 33 damage
 
Dirty
Fork carefully picks up the scimitar and shows it to the others. "Look here, this looks like horn of dragon. I vote against destroying anything until we figure out what it is we're destroying."
TriciaOso
Cocytus says, "You heard the witch, talking about  hatching . They've got a dragon egg somewhere they want to use as an illithid host."
TriciaOso
Regrouping with Goronglix, you get a fuller picture of the installation from someone who has been here for years.

 
 There's one elevator that goes between the nodes, the generator/docks, and the ventilation room, and another elevator between the ventilation room, the control room and the roof. 
 To get up to the ventilation room without using the elevator you would have to go up the side of the building. There are intake vents sucking in cold air to cool the axle and output vents venting hot air from the room; intake vents would be the safer way. 
 There is a simple data console in the generator room, and more complex one in the ventilator room, and the full control room has the full controls and communications. 
 

Goronglix can also give you the full staffing - in addition to the 33 technicians, supervisors and overseers, there are three more orcs tasked with communications and traffic control, and four elite orcs in command of the station, plus the control brain. You've killed about half of the technicians/supervisors/overseers and one elite orc --

 "--but Shirish was the most dangerous one. There's also a storage vault on the ventilation level -- that's where they've got my spelljamming helm, I'm sure of it! Along with gods know what other goodies." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "If ye give me a moment, I can patch some of ye wounds up."   Ttharg puts down the whip with the other loot and breaks out his healer's kit. He methodically goes around his wounded crew mates, including himself, patching up what he can.

 
 Spoiler 
Ttharg has the Healer feat and is using one of his healing kits. Recipients gain 1D6+4 HP, plus HP equal to their HD; which is 6, so +10. Each usage is an Action. I am able to use the feat on Constructs.
Nibum heals:  (1d6+10)[ 12 ] 
Triceratool heals:  (1d6+10)[ 12 ] 
Fork heals:  (1d6+10)[ 15 ] 
Rumble heals:  (1d6+10)[ 14 ] 
Cocytus heals:  (1d6+10)[ 13 ] 
Ttharg heals:  (1d6+10)[ 11 ] 
 

  "If we want to set an ambush for the elite Orc, we can certainly do so now. But how do we release the draconic spirit from the generator?"   Ttharg asked the plasmoid.
TriciaOso
Goronglix looks at the scimitar.  "This looks like a solar dragon horn. Poor critter, solar dragons are very nice, friendly fellas..."  They look around and at the generator.  "Like to lay their eggs in the corona of a sun.... if these orcs stole a solar dragon egg and wanted to hatch it, I reckon they could use the generator to do it."

"I don't know exactly where they'd put it..."  They shrug apologetically.  "Ain't been payin' proper attention since they cut me into eighty pieces, seems like." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Despite the plasmoid not knowing where the egg was, Ttharg's attention was brought back to the core and the spirit within, and his control over the storm that still lingered around it.

Ttharg could see patterns emerging in the static and lightning that surrounded the core, as if the spirit were trying to communicate with him in the only way it could. The lightning arced over several nodes, almost forming a path for Ttharg to follow. Instinctually, he followed it to a small node just off of the main core ring.

Here, he found the egg. He called his companions over and with their help extricated the egg from it's prison. Ttharg checked the egg over carefully, reverently turning it in his claws to inspect it without damaging it. He didn't have much experience with egg health; but there were occasions in the past when crew had gotten pregnant at sea, or he had been the nearest doctor to a clutch when on shore leave. Thankfully, the egg looked healthy. He made some space in his backpack, wrapping the egg in his bedroll for safety, and put it inside.

  "The egg be good, me hearties. It'll take longer to hatch now, but it be safe."  
TriciaOso
   
Cocytus tears his eyes away from the backpack, with an effort. Strong, dragonbred instincts are screaming at him to get the egg away to safety.

"I don't have much in the way of ranged ability, but I'll stand between you men and the orc," he says, steering his mind back to combat. "Slime creature, what can you tell us about the orc trapped in the little room?"

 "Huh? Sorry, the guys up in the control room were trying to... had to... Okay, all good now."  Goronglix focuses up.  "Uh, Banjirim. He got his start as a shock trooper, I hear, but unlike most he survived it to become a bigshot. Still dresses like he's gonna break a siege single-handedly. Gave one of me half a sandwich once, so. You know, not a total filament." 
J-H
 Servius 
Servius picks up the lightweight chain armor.   "I've read of this.  It sits like clothing, but will turn a blade.  This armor may be worth more than my parents' printing press." 
Gently, he puts it on while the others deal with the egg - something he doesn't have strong feelings about, although rescuing a dragon is  always  worthwhile in terms of making the important people happy.
 
"I'd rather face this big, heavily armored orc from a hundred feet away, by himself, than move on and let him find a way out of the elevator.  Goronglix,"  (the studious wizard easily pronounces the unusual name)  "Can you release the elevator to open on this floor once we are ready?" 

If the group agrees, he'll suggest they take up positions around the center area, far from the elevator, and prepare to blast the orc as soon as the doors open.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg agrees to Servius' plan. He prepares to cast the cantrip Toll the Dead if/when the Orc gets into range (60ft).
Dirty
Fork looks with reverence as Ttharg takes care of the egg. "This is a good sign." He said, not knowing if what he said made any sense really. He's been hanging with Cauda too long for sure.

He donned the half-plate armor as the other discussed and only chimed in with a "Yep. Works for me." every now and then.

With the crystal blade hanging from his belt, he tied his new boots and they felt extremely comfortable. Fork felt like a warrior kobold all of a sudden, and a newfound confidence that he was missing was starting to grow within him.

Even so he positioned himself slightly within 100 feet of the elevator door, with his heavy crossbow trained at the centre.

"I'm ready." He said to the others as he took aim.
zylodrizzt
Nibum collected up the odd bits of things like ear pieces tools and probably a token or two (hopefully one for him and triceratool but grabbing anything nobody else put in inventory really.) Before preparing to cast frostbite at the orc. In the midst of all this nibum wonders  Your not attached to this place are you goronglix? 
TriciaOso
 "Me? Not bloody likely,"  says the plasmoid.  "Was a spelljammer before the squids caught up with me; couple stars west of Faerun, that was. Will be again once I get my bloody helm back."

"All right, lads, I'm cutting him loose..."  Cocytus claps Nibum on shoulder as the elevator begins to hum.

The doors open, and the orc inside is simply enormous.

   
As citizens of Lssthp, you are used to sharing space with intelligent creatures many times larger than you. But it's clear Banjirim the Shock Trooper shops in the hippo section of Wildspace department stores. He roars and charges forward, straight into the teeth of your prepared actions, and yanks a grenade from his bandolier.

 
 Spoiler 
ACTIONS: Readied action by Shock Trooper to dash out of the elevator as soon as the doors open. Moves 30 feet. This puts him within 70 feet of Servius, Ttharg and Fork, 55 feet from Nibum and Cocytus.
Readied actions from Servius, Ttharg, Fork and Nibum.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 12 damage
Ttharg - 13 damage
Fork - 11 damage
Servius - 0 damage

Triceratool: 6 damage
Rumble - 3 damage

Cocytus - 5 damage
Goronglix - 33 damage

Shock Trooper - 0 damage

INITIATIVE:
22 - Orc Shock Trooper
16 - Fork
15 - Plasmoids
11 - Cocytus
8 - Nibum
4 - Ttharg
2 - Servius
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17 HP: 38/38 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Melf's (4/6 remain)  
 
  

Servius fires a jet of flame as the enormous orc charges out.
 
 Spoiler 

Attack  (1d20+7)[ 18 ]  for  (2d10)[ 7 ]  fire
If it hits,  (2d6)[ 11 ]  force damage and knock prone
 
Dirty
Bolts follow the flame in a race to see who hits the orc first.
Rumble infuses the bolt with icy goodness

 
 Spoiler: Actions 


Readied action: Attack
25 to hit for 19 damage
11 to hit for i suspect 0 damage
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum had a Grenade readied as well that he launched from delima a soon as the doors slid open (readied action)
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

As the Orc bounded it's way towards the party, Ttharg took the opportunity to let loose another bolt of lightning from the raging solar storm.

 
 Spoiler 
DC 15 Dex save from Elite Orc:  (1d20)[ 15 ] +mods for  (4d10)[ 23 ]  Lightning Damage, save for half. He is also pushed 10ft away from me, regardless of save.
 
TriciaOso
The barrage of elemental attacks knocks the stormtrooper to the catwalk and sends him skidding backwards almost back to the elevator doors. He roars and heaves himself to his feet, barreling forwards once more, although he is staggering. He hurls his grenade towards Fork, and the explosion catches Nibum and Ttharg as well.

 
 Spoiler: Nibum 
You hear a psionic cry in your head from Goronglix at the last moment and dodge a shard of shrapnel coming at the back of your head.
 


Cocytus lets out his own roar and charges to meet the shock trooper.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 

ACTIONS: Shock Trooper merges from the elevator and moves 30 feet. Crossbow bolt hits for (19 dmg). Call Lightning (passes save, 11 dmg) knocks him back 10 ft.  Firebolt hits (18 dmg) and knocks him prone.

He rises from prone and moves forward 15 feet. Frostbite is triggered and he fails the save (8 dmg). He uses his bonus action Aggressive Movement to get within 60 feet of the back row.

He then uses his action to throw a grenade, which catches Fork, Nibum, Triceratool and Ttharg. (16 dmg, halved on a DC 15 DEX save. Only Fork saves initially (8 dmg); however, Goronglix uses his reaction for Flash of Genius, so Nibum also saves. Triceratool has resistance (8 dmg) but passes the same to Nibum (total of 8+8=16 dmg). Ttharg takes the full damage (16 dmg).

The shock trooper is bloodied. He is 45 feet from Nibum and 60 feet from the back row.

Cocytus moves 30 feet and uses his action to dash, ending toe to toe with the Shock Trooper. He uses his bonus action to shift his hunter's mark.

Goronglix uses his action to maintain control of the station systems (Investigation Check, 9). Elder brain tries to take control (spell attack roll, 17). Goronglix rolls an Int Save to stop it, and uses his reaction on Flash of Genius again to make the save and maintain control.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 28 damage
Ttharg - 29 damage
Fork - 19 damage
Servius - 0 damage

Triceratool: 14 damage
Rumble - 3 damage

Cocytus - 5 damage
Goronglix - 33 damage

Shock Trooper - 56 damage

INITIATIVE:
 22 - Orc Shock Trooper 
16 - Fork
 15 - Goronglix
11 - Cocytus 
8 - Nibum
4 - Ttharg
2 - Servius
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17 HP: 38/38 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Melf's (4/6 remain)  
 
  

Two of the four balls of flame leave their orbit around Servius' head, exploding just behind the armored orc, even as frost spreads across his armor.

 
 Spoiler 

 (2d6)[ 10 ]  fire, Dex DC 15 half
Orc dex  (1d20)[ 16 ] +?
 (2d6)[ 3 ]  fire, Dex DC 15 half
Orc dex  (1d20)[ 13 ] +?

Frostbite  (2d6)[ 6 ]  cold damage, Con DC 15 half rather than no damage
On a failed save, disadvantage on next attack roll.
Orc con  (1d20)[ 8 ] +?
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg bore the brunt of the explosion, trying his best to protect the egg in his backpack.

 Ttharg is bloodied. 

In response, he hurled another bolt of lightning at the Orc, aiming it to avoid hitting the First Mate.

He also began moving away from the line of fire for further grenades or a charge.

 
 Spoiler 
DC 15 Dex save from Elite Orc:  (1d20)[ 5 ] +mods for  (4d10)[ 17 ]  Lightning Damage, save for half. He is also pushed 10ft away from me, regardless of save.
Move 30ft to the left to hopefully avoid further grenades.
 
zylodrizzt
When hit with the Grenade nibum had the thought to record that sound. The sound was already deafening and he was going to amplify it. Even before the explosion was done him and triceratool were rushing toward the thrower. With a thrust nibum brings delima against the armored head. What can one do when unable to pierce armor? Vibrate it violently and with that nibum unleashed the amplified explosion against the helm. The figure drops its things to grasp at its armored head still vibrating from the attack echoing and bouncing between the metallic surfaces causing many types of injuries to the figures head like concussions or lacerations from the intense vibration. The figure was still grasping its head as it fell to its knees and then to the floor blood leaking from the helm in a pool.
TriciaOso
Cocytus doesn't wait for the body to stop twitching before he picks up the fallen orc's tremendous greatsword. Almost as an afterthought he grabs the two remaining grenades as well. His looting is interrupted by Goronglix, who engulfs the body and vanishes it within their gloopy interior. Turns out they've got, or are, a bag of holding.

 "'Strewth that was fast, lads! Love to see it! But no time for looting, they're fighting me hard for control..." 

They quickly lay out the situation on the next two floors, as they can discern it from communication chatter.

 
 Spoiler: Ventilation 
An elite orc, Flamon is up there, with the remaining 2 overseers and 3 supervisors, waiting to mount a last stand. They will likely be waiting at the top of the elevator. Flamon is a melee warrior with some psionic ability:

   
  The squids liked this guy so much they turned him into some kind of psionic ghost when he got too old. Dunno how he wound up out here, though. His luck must have changed.   
 

 
 Spoiler: Control Room 
The last elite orc, Oroduin, is there, with the illithid brain that controls the station. She is on standby to evacuate the brain if the others fail, using a helm of teleportation. The remaining orc technicians are there; they are not much use in a fight, but the brain won't hesitate to use them as fodder while it escapes. If it does, it will surely trigger a self-destruct.

   
  Oroduin's a slippery character. Spy, rogue, face-changer. Tell you true, there's a bit of a chance she'll take the helm of teleportation and scarper without the brain!  
 

 "Now, we just met and I don't know what all you're here for. Me, I just want my helm and some kind of wreck to strap it to so I can bugger off back to wildspace. Maybe kill every orc who got aggressive with the ol' stun stick on my way out the door. But if you want anything from the control room, we'll have to be fast, because they don't want anybody getting their hands on that info." 

"I will not suffer an elder brain to escape into the world," says Cocytus through gritted teeth. "Not if I can stop it in any way."
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg made a quick prayer to Bahamut to heal his own wounds, and the Blue Dragonborn's cuts and bruises began to stitch back together.

 Ttharg is no longer bloodied. 
  "A dash for the Control Room then, lads? I could always create a cloud o' fog either around us in the elevator or upon the Orcs once we're at the top. Mind ye, if they have more grenades that might be a problem. Perhaps we could send the elevator up empty, but with the cloud o' fog, bait them into throwing their grenades early?"  
Dirty
"I like the idea of sending the elevator up without people in it to bait them." Fork said as he looked at the large orc-turned blender in front of him. "We would be running into a similar trap up there and that.. was.. brutal." He said with reverence to Nibum. "Remind me to not get on your bad side old man." He joked as he considered the options in front of them.

"I want to stop that brain at all costs. And dropping all of us through the roof just might be the most direct way to achieve that. If you're in for a bit of a climb?"
zylodrizzt
Nibum pulls out some tools and lays then out relatively quickly after a quick assessment of damage on triceratool grumbling about the work he has to do. Just before starting he lights up something like a cigarette and pours some coffee like substance from his thurmice. He puts on a hood and starts sparking on tricatool sealing a gash. He finishes with grinding that triceratool seems to enjoy but hard to say. As he does this he says loudly over the clatter  goronglix we are here to kill pig men and such things relating to the squid brains. It occurs to me that this is some cool arcano tech and perhaps there is a way to get visual on the other floors? Think i could lend you a hand on that if so. If they are waiting by the elevator I don't think a catraption would survive to deliver its payload but i do like the idea of diversion. We might miss the sneaky swine tho 

He might have a grin on his face as he says to fork  maybe ill show you more someday. Lots of clever ways to end someone. 
TriciaOso
As you enter the elevator, you notice it has been severely damaged by the shock trooper during his time trapped in it. This includes apparently punching out a trap door in the roof and several large dents in the doors. Through the trap door, you can see the shaft extends for about one hundred feet above; the generator room is huge.

Goronglix's response lags, as they seem to stare into space thinking.  "Huh? No, no images. Probably better for us there aren't, really. But I do think I can cut their comms for a bit, so they can't talk between levels. Let me know when you want it." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg decided to go over the plan one last time.

  "So, we hide on the roof o' this elevator. I'll create a cloud o' fog inside the elevator to try an' make the ink brains fire their weapons and grenades at it. Once that happens, ye can cut the communication Mr Goronglix. We will drop down from the roof, and head towards the east of the room for the other elevator; that be right as we leave the elevator. Try to use grenades an' powers on the right-most Orcs and I'll create a storm o' snow on the main group to slow 'em down and keep 'em guess. We run as fast as we can towards the elevator, get on it together, send it up, and then try to jam it to prevent the other smooth skins followin' us. Then we take out the scaleyrot Rogue and the Bahamut-forsaken brain. Sound correct lads?"  

Once confirmed, Ttharg ascended onto the roof of the elevator through the trap door (I'm sure we can boost each other up, then reach down to pick others up, without too much issue). As soon as the elevator is set into motion, Ttharg will create a Fog Cloud that fills the elevator.

 
 Spoiler: The Plan 

Get on the roof of the elevator.
Once it is in motion, Ttharg will cast Fog Cloud inside the elevator.
As we reach the vent room and the doors open, wait for the Orcs to use any grenades/readied actions to attack the space inside the elevator.
Goronglix should cut communications at this point.
After this, jump down from the trap door, begin running towards the west of the room, using any grenades/spells/ranged attacks on clearing the eastern-most Orcs so that we have an unimpeded path to run to; aiming to run as quick as possible towards the next elevator. Ttharg will also cast Sleet Storm on the main body of Orcs, catching as many as possible whilst still giving us a safe path to the western side.
With any luck, we'll all reach the next elevator and can ascend to the next level.
Goronglix can hopefully jam the elevator once we've reached the top to prevent the other Orcs from following.
Attack the Rogue and the Brain.
 
zylodrizzt
 sounds about right but i think a bit more is needed. Goronglix is there a way to make these earpieces just hear each other? That would make it easier to signal each other. Triceratool get that body upright and put it in the elevator  nibum begins trying to figure out a way to make the dead orc keep standing. Perhaps just a rope being held through the hole in the roof.
Dirty
Fork climbed up the elevator roof as well, and helped out with the ropes holding the large orc. With ropes connected to his arms he even looked like a real meat puppet and they could wave his arms around a bit.

"I can also ask Rumble to hide behind it, to help prop it up and charge out as soon as the doors open?" He looked at his friend, knowing that it was a big ask, but both Fork and Rumble knew that the Drake could take a hit and while it was uncomfortable to get shot, the drake would simply visit the spirit realms where he came from until Fork summoned him again. The whole process of being apart was not something they enjoyed, quite the opposite. But it was also something they knew they could overcome. Besides, Rumble might clear the elevator without issue.. "One less on the roof here too."
J-H
 Servius 
Service coils his tail and leaps up, using the boost to grab the top of the elevator with his arms.  He holds himself in a pull-up position while curling the tip of his tail up until it also reaches through the gap, resting on the far side.  This lets him straighten himself until he's completely out of the elevator, then roll to one side to be on solid ground.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
  sounds about right but i think a bit more is needed. Goronglix is there a way to make these earpieces just hear each other? That would make it easier to signal each other. Triceratool get that body upright and put it in the elevator  nibum begins trying to figure out a way to make the dead orc keep standing. Perhaps just a rope being held through the hole in the roof. 
 

 "Too late for that now, mate,"  Goronglix says, regurgitating the body for your macabre puppet show. They ooze up onto the roof without difficulty.  "I've got to stay focused on what I'm doing." 

As the elevator begins to rise, Ttharg's Fog Cloud fills it with mist. Crouched on the roof of the elevator, Ttharg, you feel a pulse of warmth from your backpack that spreads to fill the tight space. Those of you with wounds feel them healed completely in that moment.

The ride is brief; the elevator stops just short of the roof of the shaft, forcing you all into a tight crouch, although Goronglix just gets shorter and fatter.

The elevator doors slide open silently, and a hail of crossbow bolts strike the corpse and the back of the elevator. The mist begins to rapidly dissipate, drawn in by the ventilation systems of the room, but initially it blows directly into the faces of the waiting orcs. The noise of the ventilation system and the whirring axle of the turbine is incredible.

Goronglix speaks into all your minds.   Comms are down. I've locked them out of the system entirely now.  

Then a different voice crackles over the mental bandwidth:    Check it out.    Those of you peeking through the hatch can see one of the supervisors cautiously step inside and examine the body.

   
"IT'S BANJIRIM," he shouts over the ventilation system. "THEY AREN'T HERE!"

Dead wrong.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

--The egg gave off a radiant pulse that healed 19 damage for everyone but Triceratool.
--Goronglix scored a crit on his hacking check and has locked the orcs and brain out of the system entirely.
--Climbing down from the roof will use half your movement, like rising from prone.
--The vent room is very noisy and full of winds, as if the entire room was under a Warding Wind spell, although the room is  not  difficult terrain. This includes disadvantage for ranged attacks.
--In the winds, the Fog Cloud will move and also disperse over several rounds; it can't be stopped from moving, but Ttharg can make concentration checks each round to hold it together, DC 15.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 0 damage
Ttharg - 0 damage
Fork - 0 damage
Servius - 0 damage

Triceratool: 4 damage
Rumble - 0 damage

Cocytus - 0 damage
Goronglix - 14 damage

INITIATIVE:
16 - Fork
15 - Goronglix
11 - Cocytus
8 - Nibum
4 - Ttharg
2 - Servius
1 - Orcs
 
Dirty
From the fog, the large orc tumbles forward. From out behind it a monstrous winged shape emerges.

It jumped over the large body growling, and bolted out of the elevator. Simultaneously Fork hit the ground and ran out of the elevator. Past the orcs, hopefully confused and blinded by the fog, and in the general direction described to him. In the chaos he fired his hand crossbow from the hip, left-handed and the whistle let Rumble know to infuse the general direction of the bolt.

The satisfying sound of a 'Kathunk' was the only indication that Fork had hit anything, but he did not stop to admire his shot. He ran for all he was worth.


 
 Spoiler: Actions 


Move: move 45ft
Action: Dash

Bonus action: Fire a hand crossbow bolt. disadvantage lowest was: 22 to hit for 6 damage total

Rumble: Just runs 80ft
 
J-H
Servius drops to the ground with a thump and slithers as fast as he can.
 
 Spoiler 

Dash for a total of 45' movement.  I assume we are moving left/west on the map once out of the elevator in the most direct route to the circular elevator.
 
TriciaOso
Goronglix sends another mental message:

  I've got my own business in the vault. Don't worry, I can control the elevators from there. And I'll try to activate the rails!  

They drop from the top of the elevator and ooze to the east, headed for the small room that houses the vault. They take an opportunity attack but don't slow down, ducking through the door and extending a pseudopod to the controls beside the door to lock it behind them.

Cocytus follows the rest of the group, barreling to the west, and positions himself in a narrow gap between a cart of materials and the roaring vent. He raises the orc's over-sized sword and bellows something.

 
 Spoiler: Perception 12+ 
"I'll hold them off! Get to that brain!"
 
zylodrizzt
Sticking to the plan nibum rides triceratool through the hole in the ceiling. He grabs tthragg as he rushes past
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

The ruse had worked, and everything was going to plan so far; especially with the unexpected help from the solar egg. Ttharg jumped down from the roof of the elevator and began moving in the direction of the next elevator. His movement was assisted by his allies, and at the last moment he turned and called forth a storm of snow and sleet to cover the area the orcs occupied. The cloud of fog he had called earlier disappeared in an instant.   "Keep moving lads!"   He called.

 
 Spoiler 
Move Action to jump down and move as far as possible towards the next elevator. Movement assisted by the party.
Main Action to cast Sleet Storm (3rd Level) to cover the Orcs. Save DC is 15. Fog Cloud disappears.
 
TriciaOso
As the orcs feel you brush past, they snatch at you fruitlessly, then try to give chase. But the sleet storm comes. There is a horrible, unearthly clatter as the Orc Commander collapses, his hollow armor chiming unpleasantly. There are more thuds as several of the other orcs go down as well, although the blinding sleet makes it hard to tell which ones. One of the Orc Supervisor lunges out of the sleet and swings at Cocytus with his mace, but he is still blinded with ice and misses. The Orc Commander looms at the edge of the icy storm, unable to reach you, but then he hurls his shield. It ricochets between the walls three times, but fails to hit Nibum every time before returning to the elite orc.

   
Cocytus flings a grenade into the sleet storm, past the orc in his face. It detonates, the fireball engulfing the space right up to the paladin's face, but he doesn't flinch. The orc in front of him is killed instantly. The Commander goes down again, a clangor that echoes in the mind. A cart, loaded with supplies, is knocked off of the rail by the explosion and skids across the ground, shoving Triceratool and Nibum back a few feet.

The floor of the room is damaged too, a twenty foot section burnt and sagging dangerously, especially as the ice begins to build up on it. The floor creaks under the weight of the orcs, and through a crack you can see the light of the generator room below. It seems to only be supported by the rail running along the floor here.

"Nibum!" Cocytus shouts. "Drag the end of that cart around and we'll bottleneck them! I'll hold them here!" He backs up a few feet to block a narrow path between the nearest vent and the other end of the cart. It only need to be moved a little bit...but it still looks really heavy.

 
 Spoiler: Goronglix 
Two of the orcs, an overseer and a supervisor, follow Goronglix, having felt them brush past. The supervisor scored a hit against them, but the plasmoid kept going, dodging into the room to the east. The overseer keeps her head in the sleet storm and follows them to the door, bashing through it.

Inside, Goronglix is typing hurriedly at a console against one wall, then dives away, landing on a cart in the middle of the room.
 


Suddenly, all over the room, the line of tracks leading through the large space burst into glowing life.

   
One end of the cart, the one still on the rail, begins to hover, making it a lot easier to pivot the whole cart. (DC 5 Athletics check, as an action)

Sparks spit and jump from the icy rails within the sleet storm, and the floor groans ominously.

   
 
 Spoiler: Hovertrack mechanics 
Because of Goronglix's ridiculous hacking check, you can ride the hoverrails  25  feet for each 5 of movement you have to spend.  It is 150 feet from the nearest track to the elevator, so a full move or dash action should get you to the elevator.

However, to turn any corners you must make a DC 15 DEX save. On a failure you fly off the rail and into the wall, taking 2d6 damage, and your turn is over.
 

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
Most of the orcs fail the DEX save and go prone, severely limiting their movement. Movement is halved even for the ones who succeed.

Only one orc reaches the group, an Orc Supervisor who reaches Cocytus. He attacks with disadvantage and fails. The Commander makes three ranged attacks with his shield. An orc overseer, chasing Goronglix, makes it to the door to the east and makes a DC 15 Athletics check to break down the door. However, he is out of movement.

Cocytus uses his attack to throw a grenade. The orc supervisor is killed outright; the orc commander falls prone and takes the full damage. The orc overseer makes the save and takes half damage. The cart is blown off the track and falls against Triceratool for 1 damage.

In the eastern room, Goronglix moves ten feet to a console and uses his action to make another hacking check. He rolls with advantage because he is at the console and has locked out the brain. He rolls two natural 20s, reactivating the tracks that run around the room to move materials. He then moves another 15 feet to a levitating cart on the track and jumps on, gliding down to the vault door.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 0 damage
Ttharg - 0 damage
Fork - 0 damage
Servius - 0 damage

Triceratool: 5 damage
Rumble - 0 damage

Cocytus - 0 damage
Goronglix - 14 damage

Orc Supervisor 1 - dead
Orc Supervisor 2 - 0 dmg
Orc Supervisor 3 - 0 dmg
Orc Overseer 1 - 13 dmg
Orc Overseer 2 - 0 dmg
Orc Commander - 26

INITIATIVE:
16 - Fork
 15 - Goronglix
11 - Cocytus 
8 - Nibum
4 - Ttharg
2 - Servius
 1 - Orcs 
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg began moving towards the hover rail, sensing that it would help propel him and the rest of the party toward their ultimate goal quicker.   "Never thought this old sea drake would be using squid tech to get around, but here we be."   He says to himself.

Before he gets to the hover rail he turns and calls back to Cocytus, who appears intent on staying behind to cover the party:   "Are ye really just going to stand there and let a follower of Bahamut beat ye to first blood on the Elder Brain? Come on and show me the wrath o' Tenebrous!"  

He doesn't wait for an answer and instead hops onto the hover rail, which sends him speeding down the track towards the T junction. He jumps off just before the turn, not wanting to risk sliding off and putting the solar egg at risk.

 
 Spoiler 
Move Action + Dash to get to the Hover Rail, get on and ride it to the T junction, jumping off before the turn to not worry about a Dex Save. Continue Concentrating on Sleet Storm. DC 15 still.
 
TriciaOso
The dragonborn doesn't move, but positions himself more squarely in the gap between the cart and the vent. "Nothing matters more than stopping that brain," he shouts over the din. Goaded by Ttharg, he finds he is explaining himself to the rest of you, since Ttharg is no longer here. "They have to be held here so you can get upstairs and stop it from escaping, and someone has to buy the time. We understand these things in the Navy."

His eyes drop to the damage section of floor, now held up mostly by the rail that crosses it. "Besides, I might still have a trick up my sleeve."
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17 HP: 38/38 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Melf's (2/6 remain)  
 
  

Servius fires the last two meteors back at the orcs before slithering forward and hopping onto the rails, riding them to the end before rolling off, a bit unsteadily.
 
 Spoiler 

I think I can only hit one orc, so I'll go with the teal one closest to the First Mate.
 (2d6)[ 5 ]  and  (2d6)[ 7 ]  fire damage Dex DC 15 half
Orc dex  (1d20)[ 4 ] 
Orc dex  (1d20)[ 6 ] 
Dashing, and riding the rail all the way down to the turn before hopping off.
 
TriciaOso
The fireballs hit the Orc Commander and gong off his hollow armor -- and the bursts of flame damage the rail, which sends up a shower of sparks. In combination with the explosions, it rips the last chunk of floor panel free from the bent and melted rail and the entire piece of ground, 20 feet in diameter, drops down into the Generator level. It takes the Orc Commander, still prone, and an orc overseer with it. Sleet sprays down through the hole into the generator room.

Cocytus says an unprintable Orcusian blasphemy and throws up his hands, then collects himself to run towards the rail.
Dirty
Fork runs up and kind of tony hawk style grinds the rails on his tail to get as much speed going as possible. It's a sweet experience, right up until he forgets to slow down for the corner.

"Wow this is kind of cool guys, check me out. Oh fu.."

 
 Spoiler: Actions 
Actions: Full move, hit the hover rail and slam into the wall in the first corner for 5 damage
 


Before Fork could stand up, Rumble crashed similarly right into the wall. The two looked dumbfounded at each other for a moment before sharing a laugh and a quick hug.

 
 Spoiler: Actions 
Actions: Full move, hit the hover rail and slam into the wall in the first corner for 7 damage
 
zylodrizzt
 Well... dont think you gotta plug the hole anymore. Lets head up. Cant do it without you sir.   as he pushes the cart in hoping to hurt the orcs more. He then turns to jump in a cart.
TriciaOso
Cocytus follows the rest of the group, riding the rail to the curve and then jumping off to avoid the corners; running to the next straightaway and gliding the last twenty-five feet to the elevator. He takes his place inside and prepares for an attack when they emerge in the control room.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 10+ 
Cocytus is experiencing a lot of emotions; he knows he's been largely deadweight on this mission, a mission that is very important to him personally. He was prepared to die to see it succeed, a moment ago; prepared to live, too, if his 'ace up his sleeve' had worked. Then that moment disappeared and he's left with the hangover.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 15+ 
Servius accomplished it without even intending too, barely even looking. The fact that his grenade laid the groundwork doesn't feel like enough. He knows the four of you are in the grip of some force, are getting stronger all the time, and he knows that he's not, and that's hard to swallow for an old-school traditionalist dragonborn like himself.
 


He is enjoying watching you kill orcs, though.
 

 
 Spoiler: Out of your sight 

 
 Spoiler: Goronglix 
Goronglix glides on the cart for a dozen feet, more or less, and leaps off at the vault door. The overseer is hot on their heels, and a supervisor follows them into the room. They both use the rail to catch up to them, but the plasmoid dodges all the attacks, then flattens out and oozes under the vault door. Knowing the overseer has a key, they attempt to fuse the lock mechanism with their tools, but a spark jumps from the circuits and the door opens wide.

 "Ah. Hello. So what had happened was--"  the plasmoid begins nervously... but the orcs are lying slumped on the ground. Not dead; unconscious. Goronglix extends a pseudopod to their airways to rectify this as they try to figure out what is happening.

Back at the console on the other side of the room, a small plasmoid homunculus detached from the larger mass of Goronglix emerges from hiding and waits to reactivate the elevators when the reptilians call for it.
 

 
 Spoiler: Commander Flamon 
Commander Flamon extends his will to the orcs he has led here for many years. His psionic energy form is nearly extinguished, but as he draws the lifeforce from his nearest subordinates his flame grows tall and straight once more. (Upstairs, the remaining orc overseer and supervisors slump over unconscious, and in the control room one of the communications specialists falls face first into her keyboard.)

He rises from prone and stumps towards the elevator to wait, sword and boomerang shield in his hands. His communications to the control room are cut off and he can't get to the invaders in time; whatever happens in the control room will happen. Either he's waiting for the all-clear... or for vengeance.

When his power is full-ripe again, he extends his will once more and calls up the minds of three of the orcs who have died here today. They were born to serve. They will continue to serve.
 

 
 Spoiler: Infiltrator Oroduin 
Infiltrator Oroduin waits upstairs for the sign to go or stay. The comms are down, but it has only been a few moments. Surely Flamon and his men are still fighting. Around her, the comms specialists are working to download everything from the station's computers onto a travelling crystal. Orc technicians roused from sleep man the guns on the roof or try desperately to regain control of the elevators or simply bar the door to the brain.

And the brain waits, expectantly. It doesn't want things, feel things, like an orc or a reptilian or even a true illithid. It just... knows things. Thinks things. Commands things. It has commanded her to save it, and all the data from this station, if the invaders make it this far.

She's... considering it.
 

 
Dirty
While Forks doubts about belonging in the group due to him coming close to dying had been put to the back of his mind for the time being, the feeling about slowing the team down and being dead weight was recognisable to him.

"To sacrifice for a just cause is commendable, but the highest virtue lies in a lifelong commitment to it. Set aside the green-eyed monster of jealousy, and let selfless service be the guiding light."

Fork simply stated so Cocytus could hear. There was too much going on so there was no time for a pat on the back or even eye contact to see if his words were taken as intended. Fork just spoke words true to his own beliefs. A life of servitude, brought on by a clan who's whole existence revolved around serving, these words were more than a simple chiding in the moment. They were his dogma.

 
 Spoiler: Actions 


Move the rest of the moves necessary to get to the elevator.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg was glad Cocytus was with the group again: it was important they stay together. He moved and made use of the Hover Rail once again and made it into the elevator. He then raised his Shield and braced himself for what they might discover when the doors reopened on the floor above.

 
 Spoiler 
Move into the elevator, Dodge Action
 
J-H
      
   <span style="font-family: Century

Gothic">  Servius Calventius Pamphilius  
  
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17 HP: 38/38 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius hurries to the elevator, riding the last straight patch of rails again.  He prepares to cast a 2nd level Magic Missile at the most dangerous target (preferably the brain) when the doors open.
zylodrizzt
Nibum waits for the elevator delima in hand ready to throw if an orc manages to be in the elevator when it arrives
TriciaOso
As the doors open, you look out into a short corridor with rounded walls that takes a sharp right angle turn almost immediately. In that corner, an orc technician waits, clearly a lookout poised to shout to the others.

   
Yet before he can speak, Fork's crossbow bolt punches into his throat and he slumps to the ground.

You can hear orcish voices from further into the control room, although only Servius can speak Orcish.

 
 Spoiler: Servius 
  "How much longer until the information is loaded to the Chronicle?"  

"J.. just a little longer, Infiltrator Oroduin."

  "Any progress getting our communications back up?"  

A different technician, resigned: "No, Infilitrator. The slime is still in control."

The elite orc swears fluently in Quaalith.
 


It does not form words, but all of you can feel the psionic presence of the illithid brain ahead. It feels... anxious. As you creep up the hallway and turn the corner, you can see into a larger room with several doors opening off of it. They appear to be barracks, small pod-like rooms containing hastily-abandoned bunks. At the far end of the room double doors lead into another space, but at the nearer end is an arch. The voices come from there. So does the anxious psionic presence.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
We skip ahead a round to get to the end of the hallway. The barracks rooms are deserted. When you step into view of the orcs in the control room proper, they will be Surprised and you will have one round of actions before they can react; Fork will have a second action.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 0 damage
Ttharg - 0 damage
Fork - 5 damage
Servius - 0 damage

Triceratool: 5 damage
Rumble - 7 damage
Cocytus - 0 damage

INITIATIVE:
16 - Fork
12 - Orcs
11 - Cocytus
8 - Nibum
4 - Ttharg
2 - Servius
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17 HP: 38/38 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius follows the others out to the archway, staying near the rear.   "I'll clear the way."   As most of the group advances, a head-sized ball of flame accelerates past them, exploding with a low roar that injures many of their foes.
 
 Spoiler 

 (8d6)[ 30 ]  fire damage, Dex DC 15 half.
20' radius, hits the brain, the infiltrator orc?, and 3 techs
Brain  (1d20)[ 3 ] +?
Facechanger  (1d20)[ 1 ] +?
Tech 1  (1d20)[ 5 ] +?
Tech 2  (1d20)[ 10 ] +?
Tech 3  (1d20)[ 16 ] +?
 
TriciaOso
The explosion rocks the farther room, killing the three technicians standing in the doorway as a living shield outright. The Infiltrator turns her body against the explosion to ward off what damage she can, but the explosion is point-blank for her and the flames ripples her cloak and blow back her hood.

The station brain, bolted as it is the terminal, takes it even worse. Cracks craze and spread across the tank and thick drops of inky fluid leak out. You feel another pulse of psionic panic ripple out from the brain and the technician orcs at their terminals scream and cover their heads.

   
Cocytus, with no ranged options left to him, simply runs to the crystal data repository and takes up a guard position over it to prevent any orcs from trying to grab it and bring it to the teleporter.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
The three technicians blocking the doorway are dead. The infiltrator fails her save but takes half-damage because of evasion. The brain fails and takes full damage. It is bloodied.

Cocytus moves to take control of the crystal chronicle. He doesn't know how to detach it from the pillar but is physically blocking the orcs from doing so, either.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 0 damage
Ttharg - 0 damage
Fork - 5 damage
Servius - 0 damage

Triceratool: 5 damage
Rumble - 7 damage
Cocytus - 0 damage

Orc Inflitrator - 15 damage
Station Brain - 30 damage

INITIATIVE:
16 - Fork
 12 - Orcs  (Surprised)
11 - Cocytus
8 - Nibum
4 - Ttharg
 2 - Servius 
 
Dirty
Fork ran into the room, dropped on one knee and worked his crossbow like he was an extension of the weapon. He released two bolts and like he himself was clockwork he ran forward, dropped to the knee again and released two more. The drake was his shadow, around him and by his side to protect Fork from orcs in the room. When Fork dropped to his knee the second time the drake jumped in front of him in the middle of the doorway, roaring as loud as it could.

 
 Spoiler: Actions 


surprise turn: hunters mark on the brain, 2 attacks on the brain. Full move forward.

Attack 1:
Natural 20 to hit for 14+6+6 = 26 damage (Hunters mark and Rumbles reaction)
Attack 2:
17 to hit for: 6 + 3 = 9 damage

Forks second turn: 2 attacks on the brain and bonus action shift hunters mark onto the elite orc (if the brain dies) otherwise Rumble will bite one of those orange orcs instead for bonus action. Full move forward.

Attack 1:
12 to hit for 19 damage
Attack 2:
16 to hit for 17 damage

If the brain still lives and hunters mark is still active on it rumble bites an orc:
13 to hit for 9 damage
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg charges into the room, barrelling towards the Elder Brain.

As he draws closer to the brain, he sees that Fork has already finished it off. Instead, he turns his attention to the final Elite orc. He once again calls out to Bahamut's armoury and one of Bahamut's many flails suddenly appears next to the Rogue. It spins and then strikes at the them.

 
 Spoiler 
Move + Dash to get as close as possible to Elder Brain. Bonus Action to cast Spiritual Weapon. It will appear next to the Rogue.
17 to Hit for 9 Force Damage.
 


EDIT: Brain is already dead, Spiritual Weapon retasked to the Rogue.
zylodrizzt
Nibum sees his opening and launches triceratool into action. As quick as a bullet triceratool arrives near the elite orc and bucks some. When he bucks nibum is ready and also jumps at the orc delima out for a stab. Delima hums even more dangerously then normal since nibum found a way to get the bident blades even closer together for a moment upon impact vibrating violently as it digs in and nibum quickly drops a tiny speaker that amplifies the vibration/Hum. It has another use as well tho. It will trigger again if it doesn't sense something within a very short distance.  I wouldnt go anywhere if i were you.  he says as he lands tho he feels a bit exposed without triceratool nearby. (Not to mention his potion carriers/helpers)
TriciaOso
Infiltrator Oroduin looks down at Nibum. The volley of arrows, the strike of the flail and the tines of Dilemma have left her the worse for wear, but she still clings to life.   "But you're not me, little lizard. You're not me."   She spits blood on the floor and puts a hand to the side of her head, touching one of the gems on the incogrous helm she wears under her hood.

As black inky fluid gushes from its shattered tank, the brain lets out a final death-burst of anguish and fear. It blasts out from it in a widening cone of pain, and also crackles along all of the earpieces that patch into its psionic field. Every orc in the control room screams and slumps forward over their console or drops to the ground. Nibum, Triceratool, Ttharg, Fork and Rumble are all caught in the blast as well.

   
Caught in the last blast even as she vanishes, Oroduin screams. She drops her rune-inscribed chain, and while she vanishes, the helm of teleportation is left behind; a twisted and smoking piece of metal, the gems dimmed and cracked. The botched teleport leaves a momentary hole in space through which you see ancient castle battlements and a busy street of surprised reptilian onlookers as the orc infiltrator collapses into the cobbled road. Then it closes.

The control room is eerily silent, broken only by a  ping  from the crystal chronicle as it finishes downloading the data from the station systems.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 

ACTIONS: The Orc Infilitrator activates the helm of teleportation and vanishes, taking a teleportation mishap. The brain lets out a death-burst in a 60 ft cone and transferred along the earpieces, for 14 damage, DC 14 Int Save. Nibum, Triceratool, Ttharg, Fork and Rumble are caught in the blast; Nibum has disadvantage because of having an earpiece. Ttharg, Rumble and Fork all fail and take 14 dmg; Nibum and Triceratool save and take 7. Orc Technicians all fail and die.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 7 damage
Ttharg - 14 damage
Fork - 19 damage
Servius - 0 damage

Triceratool: 12 damage
Rumble - 21 damage
Cocytus - 0 damage

Orc Inflitrator - 112 damage (killed?)
Station Brain - killed
Orc Technicians - killed
 
Dirty
Fork and Rumble roll over on the floor when the agonizing pain hits them. Fork then comforts Rumble even as blood trickles from his own nostrils. "What happened to that orc?" Fork asked confused as he searched this floor for any hidden enemies or other surprises.


 
 Spoiler: Investigation 

Investigation: 7
 


"Seems like its all clear" Fork stated as he turned to the others. "Do we have what we need?"
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg clutched his head at the psionic death scream from the brain and then looked around. All the Orcs appeared dead, none of the party were down or dying. It appeared as though they were victorious. Despite the sweet taste of victory, Ttharg doesn't look joyous; instead he looks somewhat solemn at all this life lost.

  "Any danger we be in, after that brain up and died"   He asks.   "And do ye think that plasmoid lad made it out alright?"  
TriciaOso
You hear the elevator activate again; there is a long tense moment, but then Goronglix oozes into the room, themself moving cautiously.

 "Wow, you blokes really didn't come here to mate with gaj, did you? All clear up here?"

"I nicked some short-rest-in-a-tin potions from the vault. Tastes bloody awful and you'll crash hard in a few hours, but it'll keep you going if you're hurt bad. Bit of other loot I don't need as well. Reckon this is your claim, rightfully, and I've got a spare boat token and me helm back so I'm bonzer." 

They slap their midsection, indicating the extradimensional storage space they carry inside their slime. They hand over a bag of holding with the rest of the gear recovered from the vault; Cocytus immediately stashes the crystal chronicle into it.
J-H
 Servius 

Servius slithers forward, glad that he wasn't caught in the death-cry of the brain.  His head swivels from side to side as he eyes the bodies to make sure none of them will get up and attack him.

He picks up the broken teleportation helm after someone describes what happened to him (he didn't have line of sight).   "A psionically induced mishap?  That separated the helm from its wearer?  This is a rare occurence."   If there's time, he'll pull out some paper and a pen, and will ritual-cast Detect Magic to study the helm and the traces left behind.  Information on this type of event is relatively rare.  He could probably sell it to a scholar or enchanter...

After finishing his studies, he looks to the others.   "Did one of you check to make sure the tender is fueled, before we alter the controls of this place to make it catastrophically overcharge?" 
zylodrizzt
The only way nibum could tell if he was hurt anymore was to check for blood so he did so. He usually hurt being as old as he was so he was used to it tho this day seemed particularly painful. He walks over to triceratool  Thanks pal ill grease your joints here  he saddles up on triceratool and begins greasing up his joints (mending) as triceratool took them back to everyone else.  well no cant be sure how to do that i dont think   he says as he tries to recall the images he saw  perhaps goronglix can help us out there as well as with these ear pieces. 

After a moment  Eh didnt we have to deal with those gun towers? 

Once he feels it's appropriate  so goronglix what brought you here and whats next for you? 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
  perhaps goronglix can help us out there as well as with these ear pieces.  
 

 "No worries, mate. Now that you've done for ol' Wrinkles you'll need a new psionic hub, but that crystal chronicle will work a treat for that. Give me a mo'."  He tinkers with the earpieces and the crystals and sets up your own communication wavelength.


 After a moment  Eh didnt we have to deal with those gun towers?  

The plasmoid shrugs, sinuously.  "Well, they won't fire without someone on those consoles." 

 Once he feels it's appropriate  so goronglix what brought you here and whats next for you?  

 "I'm a spelljammer, me. Born on a damselfly, nursed on giant hamster milk. Well, not really."
 
They consider whether that was a helpful thing to say, and starts over. They explain, briefly, the concept of wildspace if you are not familiar, and explain that they were an independent spelljammer captured by an illithid ship. They were sliced up into pieces and enslaved on this station years ago. As eighty-some small plasmoids, they were not able to think or coordinate very well, but they did learn a lot about the station.
 
"Any time I could get five or more of me in one place, we'd merge back up and try to make some mischief, but they'd just zap me back apart again. Today's the first day I've been able to think clearly in yonks, mates, and I'm grateful as nine hells." 

Their plans for the future, they say, are to install their spelljamming helm onto the spare boat they found in magical storage in the vault.  "And then its me for the great void and unfamiliar stars, mates. Nothing against your world but it looks it a bit backward for my taste. If you want, I can take that egg to a handy star or find a solar dragon to adopt her." 

"That is our affair," Cocytus interjects. "We are the servants of the dragons of Lssthp and cannot simply entrust a dragon egg to a stranger, although you have been stalwart."

 "No worries,"  Goronglix says easily.  "Only it won't never hatch unless you can get it in a solar corona. But you've got a sun here, same as anybody, I reckon. Your business, right enough." 

Meanwhile, Servius, your examination of the ruined helmet is interesting but not immediately helpful. All of the illithid arcano-tech seems to be work on psionic lines, and the sudden, uncoordinated blast while the helm was in mid-teleport seems to have totally ruined it. The charges of the helmet were wiped and the gems that held and recharged the charges shattered. The core enchantment of the helm seems to be intact, more or less, but there is no direct way to power or trigger it. You think you could perhaps get one more teleport out of it, with some effort and Nibum's help, but it is beyond true repair.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "Thank ye for ye assistance, Goronglix. Fair winds and waters to ye."   He pauses for a second.   "Or whatever passes for wind and water wherever ye be going."  

He looks around the room for access to the outside of the derrick.   "I can call in the White Cliff for pick up and support before we worry about doing anything dangerous or difficult."  

(Ttharg will find an access hatch to the outside/roof and use Thaumaturgy to signal the White Cliff to come in for pick up.)
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Ttharg 
The same elevator that brought you up from the ventilation room takes you up to the roof.

   
It is crowded with the gun emplacements and communication masts rising up in the dark skies. From here, you can look into the Plane of Chaos where the water meets the sky and leaves the material plane.

You can also see the loops and curves of the docks that surround the central installation. At the head of the ramp down to the tender, you can make out four dim purple lights that you don't remember seeing there before.

 
 Spoiler: Perception 17+ 
   
 

 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg rushes back to the control room before Goronglix leaves and does not alert the White Cliff just yet.

  "Avast lads, that Orc commander we faced in the vent room be still alive. He's down by the ramp we came up in. He's got some spirits with him or somethin'. Goronglix, are ye able to target 'em with this rig's guns? Otherwise we should be dealing with this lad sooner rather than later."  
TriciaOso
Goronglix shakes their head.  "The station defenses are meant for fighting ships -- we could probably point a gun at him, but we'd blow a hole in the station too." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg nods.   "Aye? Well, scratch that plan then. I could perhaps push him off the ramp with me lightning breath. I've held off on calling the White Cliff for now; but we need to deal with him quickly in case he tries to cause some kind o' sabotage."  
Dirty
***Fork liked Goronglix but when he mentioned taking the egg Fork chimed in. "I'm inclined to agree with Cocytus there." He said. "We'll see it safe ourselves."***

***He walked up to Cocytus and said. "Some things were said in the heat of the moment there.. no hard feelings?" ***

Ttharg came down with the news of the surviving orc and Fork and Rumble sprang into action. "I like the sound of that. I can provide cover fire from a higher platform and we can see if Rumble can't bait them into attacking him for a tactical withdraw so you get the most out of your breath attack."
TriciaOso
Cocytus gives Fork a curt nod, which doesn't convey much.

"A sortie out onto the dock with cover from the vents above seems tactically sound," he says. "Slime creature, will one of these potions you mention allow me to attune to this blade faster? I think its powers may be welcome."

 "It should,"  Goronglix says.  "Just remember, it takes a few minutes to take effect and you're gonna really need a kip in an hour or two."

"I can come along if you want me, but my tank's pretty dry. Or if there's anything you want done up here, I know their systems pretty bloody well by now. You tell me, lads." 
J-H
 Servius 
 "Can you turn off the vents so we don't get sucked in or blown out?" 

When the group is ready, Servius will take his station at the vents and wait for a pre-arranged signal, or the sounds of fighting, before leaning out and casting Magic Missile at the enemy leader.
 
 Spoiler 

 (1d4+1)[ 3 ]  x 3
Last charge on Treatise to do  (2d6)[ 3 ]  bonus force damage and knock it prone.  Hopefully right after its turn!
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg gets into position by the door and raises his shield against any prepared attacks coming his way.

 
 Spoiler 
Moving to block the doorway (or standing side-by-side with Cocytus if it's wide enough). Take the Dodge Action.
 
TriciaOso
When the vents cut off, the Orc Commander looks up sharply, and psionically commands his forces to ready themselves. Without control of the doors or the elevators, they are at a disadvantage, but they can move into position, and ready attacks, and they do.

   
It's Fork who kicks things off with a volley from the vents, but Cocytus is the first through the door, having backed up to get momentum behind his over-sized blade. One of the wraiths is bowled over.

 
 Spoiler: Headfirst Charge 
If the wielder moves at least 20 feet in a straight line and ends within 5 feet of a Large or smaller creature, that creature must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.
 


Cocytus ignores the easy prey, however, and concentrates his attack on the Commander; the sword clangs off the wraith's shield. But at the same time, darts of arcane force pepper the Commander and knock him off his feet.

The wraiths who are still standing move to attack Ttharg; only one attack hits, however.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS: Cocytus attacks the Commander and misses; the Commander attacks Cocytus and misses. Servius's readied spell hits and the Commander is knocked prone. One wraith is knocked prone. The other two attack Ttharg at disadvantage; one hits for 11 damage.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 7 damage
Ttharg - 25 damage
Fork - 19 damage
Servius - 0 damage

Triceratool: 0 damage
Rumble - 21 damage
Cocytus - 0 damage

Commander - 9 damage

INITIATIVE:
 19 - Orcs 
16 - Fork
 11 - Cocytus 
8 - Nibum
4 - Ttharg
 2 - Servius 
 
Dirty
Fork fires twice but has a hard time aiming while trying to avoid his comrades. Both bolts jam into the platform near his target and Fork cursed silently. He didn't even have to whistle for Rumble to know that it was go time. The brave drake pounced and clawed at the leader with reckless abandon.

 
 Spoiler 


Fork misses twice,
Rumble has 21 to hit for a possible 7 damage
 
J-H
 Servius 
Servius fires a jet of flame at the commander.
 
 Spoiler 

 (1d20+7)[ 15 ]  for  (2d10)[ 12 ]  fire damage
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

As the Wraith hits Ttharg he channels the storm within him and lightning arcs out to zap the Wraith that attacks him, pushing it back.

 Ttharg is bloodied. 
 
 Spoiler 
Reaction to use Wrath of the Storm against the Wraith that hits me. Dex Save of 13 for Half Damage:  (1d20)[ 15 ] +mods for  (2d8)[ 8 ]  Lightning Damage, the Wraith is also pushed 10ft away from me regardless of the save (assuming it does actually take damage).
 


Ttharg points to a spot just beyond the party and calls forth another destructive thunder trap to destroy the wraiths and the commander.

 
 Spoiler 
Main Action to cast Shatter (2nd Level) at a point which catches the two wraiths in front of me and the commander, without catching any of my allies.
Since the Wraith's appear to be non-organic, they might make their saves at Disadvantage for Shatter, likewise with the commander if he's technically made up of psionic energy. I will roll twice for each of them, but you can accept the first roll if you want to rule they are organic.
DC 15 Con Save for Half Damage (no-one is pushed).
Wraith 1:  (1d20)[ 20 ] +mods or  (1d20)[ 9 ] +mods.
Wraith 2:  (1d20)[ 9 ] +mods or  (1d20)[ 17 ] +mods.
Commander:  (1d20)[ 16 ] +mods or  (1d20)[ 4 ] +mods.
For  (3D8)[ 17 ]  Thunder Damage.
Will stay where I am, no Bonus Action used.
 
zylodrizzt
 I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO OUR SHIP  He yells stabbing down with force. Triceratool tries to pin him to the ground but ghosts aren't so easy to pin
TriciaOso
The strike with Dilemma shatters the Commander's shield, and he turns his fury on Nibum, psionically calling the wraiths to his aid as well.

His first strike goes amiss as Triceratool jigs out of the way, but the second blow slices into the old kobold and unleashes a storm of psychic damage. Nibum throws up a magical shield as he reels from the blow; the Commander and the wraiths pound at it ineffectively, except for one strike from a wraith which not only punches through the shield, but passes incorporeally through Nibum's armor and chest to nearly stop the ancient kobold's heart. But after a long tense moment, Nibum takes a deep shuddering breath and continues to fight.

Cocytus continues to swing at the Commander, but just can't penetrate his defenses.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS: First hit from the commander has disadvantage from a reaction by Triceratool. ( 18 ,8), misses.
Second hit from the commander is a 25. Hits for 19. Nibum's reaction for shield, AC is now 23.
Third hit from the commander is an 18, misses with shield.

First hit from wraith 1 is a 26 (crit); hits for 16. Everything else (17, 15, 15, 18, 12) misses. Because the wraiths used their bonus action attacks, attacks on them have advantage until their next turn. Wraith 1 and the Commander are bloodied.

Cocytus attacks the Commander and misses.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 42 damage
Ttharg - 25 damage
Fork - 19 damage
Servius - 0 damage

Triceratool - 0 damage
Rumble - 21 damage
Cocytus - 0 damage

Commander - 53 damage
Wraith 1 - 24 damage
Wraith 2 - 8 damage
Wraith 3 - 0 damage

INITIATIVE:
 19 - Orcs 
16 - Fork
 11 - Cocytus 
8 - Nibum
4 - Ttharg
2 - Servius
 
Dirty
From up on the ledge Fork cried out, scared the old man was getting ripped apart. "Nibum!" He was reloading quickly and shot another bolt. Miss. That was the third shot he missed. Fork took a deep breath. Worked the mechanism, the bolt locked into place and Fork fired. Before the bolt hit its target Fork knew it would strike true. He whistled and Rumble blew his cold infusion into the air with expert timing. The bolt passed through the cold icy breathstream and exploded into icy shards when it found its target.

"Finally". Fork said as the muscle memory was already placing new bolts into the loading mechanism. Right after the bolt struck, Rumble jumped up and clawed hard exactly where the bolt had struck.

 
 Spoiler: Actions 


Attack: 1st misses, 2nd attack 22 to hit for 17 damage
Bonus action: Rumble attacks 23 to hit for 9 damage
 
J-H
 Servius 
From his perch up above, Servius winces.  It's too bad he can't do more than  Magic Missile  the commander.
 (1d4+1)[ 3 ]  x 4
zylodrizzt
Shield: nibum activates a switch that instantly seems to make his shield at least twice as much surface as he gathers behind it. It snaps into place with a metallic clang and returns to its normal size just after the onslaught with another metallic clang.

Softly with wheezing cough blood splattering as he speaks  That was a good hit squid lover... *cough*... you may kill me yet...*cough*... but youll die too because we are  WHITECLIFF   his voice gathering strength as he stabs delima like a last great act of defiance and hopefully inspiring the others
TriciaOso
Cocytus Achelous feels no true loyalty to the White Cliff, but hearing the ancient retainer of his family line stand so defiant moves something in his scaly black heart.


 To sacrifice for a just cause is commendable, but the highest virtue lies in a lifelong commitment to it. Set aside the green-eyed monster of jealousy, and let selfless service be the guiding light. 

It's all in the hands of the cleric of Bahamut now, but he is hemmed in by enemies. Nibum's mount can bear him far from the melee, but he has the same problem.

Cocytus makes a choice. Attack has failed him; now he does what is repugnant to him, and runs. Straight through the pack, drawing four attacks of opportunity. Spectral maces and the psionically-humming blade of the Commander clang off his armor -- but none of them manage to harm him. Stars gleam on his looted suit of mithral half-plate.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

The situation was looking dire: Nibum was on their last legs, Coctyus had baited the attacks from the enemies, and his own divine energy was waning.

He mutters a quick prayer to Bahamut to ease a little of Nibum's pain:   "Turn not to the darkness, but stay here where thar be light and freedom."  

With the prayer done, Ttharg moves around the side of the Wraith to his left, lining them, the other Wraith, and the Commander, all up nicely. He hopes Rumble would be able to avoid what is about to happen, but Ttharg is operating on instinct now.

He inhales deeply, sparks of electricity arcing between his teeth and building in the back of his throat. Exhaling forcefully, a line of lightning issues force from Ttharg's mouth, catching the Wraiths and the Commander; pushing them away just as the Crab had done to the crew before.

Ttharg steps into the gap created, standing next to Nibum.

 
 Spoiler 
Bonus Action to cast Healing Word (1st Level) on Nibum:  (1d4+2)[ 4 ] .
Move left, no AOOs since Cocytus triggered them all.
Main Action to use Breath Weapon on Wraith 1, 2, and the Commander. Up to you if you want to include Rumble.
Dex Save 12 for Half Damage, everyone is pushed 10ft away from me. Damage is  (2d6)[ 8 ]  Lightning Damage.
Wraith 1 Save:  (1d20)[ 12 ] +mods
Wraith 2 Save:  (1d20)[ 16 ] +mods
Commander:  (1d20)[ 18 ] +mods
Move next to Nibum with the space created by the forced movement of the Wraiths.
 
TriciaOso
The Commander is shuddering, barely holding his armor together with the psionic energy within. Nibum's blows, though not as mighty as some he's taken, seem to have chipped away some last vital mechanism. He is struggling to hold himself in this world even as the blast of lightning catches him from the left.

Rumble presses himself flat to the deck as the lightning licks over his slaad-skin coat, doing no harm. The wraiths and their Commander are blasted backward, the Commander right up to the edge of the inner ring of the docks. He stumbles over the drake, and drops ten feet to the ramp below. Perhaps he could've caught himself if he wasn't hit in that moment by the arcane darts from Servius.

Instead he lands flat on his back with a dreadful clang, for the fourth time today. He is a figure of terror among both the orcs he commands and the enemies he has fought across wildspace; Commander Pigu Flamon, the terror of Matrim's Cluster, the victor of Blood Ridge, the slayer of the gith Star Warden. He has never, in his long, unnaturally-extended life, been so comprehensively clowned on.

The lightning doesn't kill him. The magic missiles don't kill him. It's not even the fall that kills him.

It's the sudden stop at the end.

Clangorously, his armor collapses and rolls away down the ramp. The wraiths scream and flicker out. The Outer Edge is close not just to the Plane of Chaos, but the Planes of Death, and the spirit of the orcs are gathered by the Black Guardian Xuanwu and carried into the Abyss.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
DAMAGE:
Nibum - 42 damage
Ttharg - 25 damage
Fork - 19 damage
Servius - 0 damage

Triceratool - 0 damage
Rumble - 21 damage
Cocytus - 0 damage

Commander - 106 damage - killed.
Wraith 1 - 28 damage - unsummoned
Wraith 2 - 12 damage - unsummoned
Wraith 3 - 0 damage - unsummoned
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg remains on guard for a moment longer, waiting to see if there's any more tricks from the Orc Commander. Once it's clear that the threat is over, Ttharg exhales long and hard; which causes snaps of electricity in the immediate air around his mouth but is otherwise harmless.   "I hope that's the last o' em."   He says. He turns to Cocytus and says:   "Thank ye, sir. Ye bravery allowed this victory to happen."  

Ttharg wanders over to the edge of the ramp.   "I think now it's time to call our ship and rest our weary bones."  

Unless anyone has any objections, Ttharg uses Thaumaturgy and calls out the agreed code phrase to bring the White Cliff in. He'll stand somewhere visible on the ramp/docks and wave, so that anyone with a spyglass on the White Cliff can see him.
J-H
 Servius 

Servius spends some time studying the logs.   "There are several illithid ships coming back to this area a few days from now.  They are damaged." 

He ponders.  "If we were to stay, we could perhaps ambush them, but five on one would be hard.  If we destroy this facility, they will have no place to repair.  They'll still be weakened." 
Servius is plainly in favor of not staying to ambush them.
TriciaOso
Goronflix heads up to the roof, working on installing his spelljamming helm into a spare tender. In place of the usual throne or wheel of a spelljammer his helm is a kind of a glassy tank from which he can control the ship.

Fork and Ttharg grill him, in a friendly way, for any information that might be relevant to the hunt for Trionyx, but he has nothing to give you. He's seen very little of this world outside of this station and wasn't in much shape to gather information while he was here.

On the subject of the in-bound illithid ships, he is a little more knowledgeable.  "Limbo is dangerous to navigate,"  he says  "Especially when you don't have any friends among the gith or in the Fractal Metropolis. They'll be following their own nav beacons, aiming for this place to find the right gate out, so you're right, taking out the station'll make their odds a lot worse." 
J-H
 Servius 
 "How many beacons could we alter from here?  Could we point them someplace dangerous for them?" 
TriciaOso
 "Just the ones in your world's Plane of Chaos... if we tried to hack into the larger illithid brain network we'd be outclassed. But with control of this station we can still do a lot of damage not just to these ships, but to anyone who makes it past the blockade." 

Goronglix oozes into a seat at one of the consoles and examines the communication equipment.  "Just by disabling this station, they're going to be stuck doing some guesswork to exit. Call it a 75% they still make through to here, and a 20% chance they wind up in a random patch of ocean or the wrong plane entirely. Maybe 5% they do themselves some serious mischief..."

"The more beacons we can balls-up, the worse their chances get. I can show you blokes how to do it."  

This is said optimistically; after a few minutes of trying to explain, it becomes clear they can shows Servius and Nibum how to do it, at least. Ttharg, Fork and Cocytus are tactfully sent to toss the barracks and mess hall for whatever of value might remain.

 
 Spoiler: What Remains 
In the mess hall, a year's worth of vile-tasting orc MREs.

From the barracks, a rather sad haul; pornography, board games, lucky charms, and much-folded letters from home.
 
J-H
Servius attempts to alter one of the beacons.
 (1d20+7)[ 25 ] 
zylodrizzt
During nibums alterations he looks at the locations they guide the dimensional ships and begins randomly switching the guidance locations and then erases any tampering to make it appear it was never altered

After he completes that he goes to the room that the witch came out of to search and take a short rest. He finds a pearl for identify spell and quickly starts identifying things that needs it.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

As Ttharg waits on the docks for the White Cliff to pick them up, he reflects on the events of today.

He appreciates how this entire station uses the very sea itself to generate power, and how the orcs and squids have a certain mastery over water. It is a power that Ttharg feels should be rightfully his, as a follower of Bahamut: control over the waters he treads.

He also remembers how effective the Sleet Storm was in the vent room, and how useful it was that the floor took so much damage that it collapsed and allowed the party to advance unhindered towards their final objective. He hoped that he would be able to empower such a storm in the future to be especially damaging to those caught in it's wake.

As if to answer his reflections, Bahamut seemed to bless Ttharg with the power to control water, and to amplify the effects of his sleet storm: turning the sleet to damaging ice. Ttharg bowed his head reverently, thinking back to what the Captain had said earlier about them acquiring power at an alarmingly fast rate. He hoped he would be able to fulfil his role in the destiny Bahamut had laid out for him.

 
 Spoiler 
Level 7 Cleric, gain Control Water and Ice Storm as Domain Spells. Gain a 4th level spell slot. Nothing else for this level.
 
TriciaOso
One beacon leads to the next, and Goronglix does his part, and soon the entire illithid navigational network through the Plane of Chaos is thoroughly trashed.

 "Two thirds of these routes will feed them straight into the Elemental Chaos,"  Goronglix says with satisfaction. They seem like a cheerful enough collective slime creature, but their hatred of the illithid is palpable.


 


Unlike the orc technicians, who were hot-bunking it, the four elite orcs did have their own living space. In the battlemage's bunk you find a pearl used for identify; apparently identifying magical items was her job. Now it's Nibum's.

You find three of the items inside a box from the Vault, set aside. The box is clearly labelled in orc and Quaalith, two languages Nibum cannot read.

 
 Spoiler: Servius 
It says  DANGER - CURSED ITEM STORAGE - DO NOT USE 
 


The box itself seems to have some abjurative properties.

Other than that, you have truly brought in a haul, but most of it seems to be mass-produced and not hiding any secrets. The custom items seem mostly to have belonged to the elite orcs, like the crystal blade made from a solar dragon's horn.

You do find, however, a common thread in five of the items -- said Crystal Blade, the first Efficient Quiver Fork claimed, the mithral half-plate Cocytus claimed, the Constellation Whip you took off the Overseer, and one of the three shields you've now accumulated. Each of them is considerably more delicate than the illithid mass-produced stuff, and marked with patterns of stars.

Goronglix looks the items over.  "Cor... This is the gear of a Star Warden. Must have been a servant or protector of the Solar Dragon they killed. Bloody  bastards ." 
J-H
Servius is quite satisfied with the results.  He helps translate the Quaalith language, alerting everyone to not directly touch the items in the warded box.
TriciaOso
It takes about an hour for the White Cliff to approach; a little longer to prime the generator to explode, to say goodbyes to Goronglix and safely ensconce the solar dragon egg in the Captain's Cabin. Cocytus has a long talk closeted with the Captain. Servius, you are able to pull updated navigational charts from the Crystalline Chronicle, and Cauda says excitedly that this will cut weeks off the journey. Accessing them, you realize there is a wide encyclopedia of information about your world and the multiverse archived there as well. You share out the haul of magical items among the other officers.

By dinner time, you've gotten far enough away to see the station go up as a mushroom cloud on the horizon.

All told, it's been four hours since your approach. The dishes you left out from breakfast are still there. Everyone but you has had a long, tense day of routine work and playing cards and wondering. Able Seaman Snapscale has a broken arm that needs treating and Tegu has a smug look. It's bizarre to pick up the threads of the day after what felt like a lifetime creeping through the illithid station. It's even more bizarre to plunge back into the boredom and grinding routine of shipboard life, time going from the brutal second-to-second strobe light of combat to a blurry montage of passing days... but that's exactly what happens.

The Outer Edge is a triangle with the Prime Material plane on one side, the Plane of Chaos on the second, and the Plane of Darkness and the Dead on the third. As you sail on, the days get colder but the sky becomes crowded with stars, a river of stars flowing away to the void beyond life. Some of them will submit to judgment and be consigned to afterlives; some, more chaotic, go their own way and make their own hell or paradise beyond the waters of Blackreach. It's hard to remember when you last saw an island. But Cauda is confident she knows the way.

The cold is the real problem; brumation is nipping at all of your heels. People make excuses to spend more time in the aft, nearer the solar egg. In part because of the charismatic effect it has on all the dragonborn and kobolds on board, but also because it's noticeably warmer in the back half of the ship.

Four weeks pass.

 
 Spoiler: Five illithid ships 
Five illithid ships, turned back at the edge of wildspace by an army of warforged, follow their beacons back towards the world of Daesic. Led astray into the Elemental Chaos, only one escapes, crashing out of the Plane of Chaos and into the opposing plane of Mechanus. The modrons do not tolerate incursions from Limbo, and there are no survivors.
 
zylodrizzt
As soon as it begins getting cold nibum draws up plans to vent the warm air from the captains cabin to spread it around the cabins and deck so he and everyone else won't be so miserable. He also considers how the crew may be a bit ripe so he rigs up a sort of hot bath for everyone aboard.

Nibum gives all the carpenters some anytools and gets them to finish reinforcing the sails.

The last week of the journey nibum decides to train with cocytus and after making him chase him down decides that perhaps delima might be best for his cousin. Before he gives it up he restores it to halaberd size  Here. This is no weapon for craftsmen but i believ this is a weapon more suited to paladins. You can throw it and you may also cause confusion not to mention the reach. . He knows cocytus is a competent warrior so the sparring isn't truly about training its more about perhaps reconnecting with... really anyone again and perhaps it would be easiest with someone going through something very similar to him not to mention he is family even distantly. He talks to him about several things like...

 back in baratano we met the copper who ruled there but it seemed more like his sister was calling the shots... that felt wrong and uncomfortable. Im copper too as you can see. I was born of black negniter so why would i be copper youd think. Its because kobolds serve. If we were black we might think ourselves equal but we arent. Its why in my clan we only have 1 name not a last name. To remind us. What could i do with the name anyways? You know I was the first born and the last alive. Lost my home 3 times and built a home here. Yes I miss my home my family but just cause it's so doesn't mean I can't get used and maybe even love my new home and life... not that I do...   did I ever tell you what exactly happened to negniters? As you know there was much hoarded knowledge in our vaults. Forbidden knowledge ancient knowledge. Lich are made with trapping thier own souls within a phalactary but what if you just trapped your soul inside yourself and never let it escape? Lichdom is tough to do. Changes your whole being as well. So imagine what might happen if you botched trapping your soul inside yourself? It wasnt pretty. Anyways I'm sure our efforts will bring good fortune and glory. Oh im not sure if i told you but it seems perhaps ive had a visit from negniter some weeks back so maybe its possible tenebrous will speak to you as well. Where do you suppose orcus and such would stand considering our current objectives? I dont know im torn. Anyways... these are things that been on my mind. Sorry to speak out of turn.  the rambling of an ancient kobold.

(This might be several conversations during breaks but it's hard to do posts on phone. Probably some mention of whats going on between cocytus and cauda)

Nibum wants to speak to the scholar but for the most part has avoided it. Same to most the crew really. He's not really been very good with words always letting the work speak for itself. He thinks better of speaking out more then cocytus at this time. He's not even real sure what to say. Siduri represents an organization that is robbing his home... or is it his home anymore. Regardless the knowledge they obtain there is dangerous and they aren't being as careful as they should just look at the mess it's caused now and back then. He keeps wanting to try to talk to cauda about what they meant some weeks back but that was weeks back and well... ever since he found out cocytus and her might be a thing. Weird he didn't know scalykind mated outside thier own species. The world is real diffrent than near a century ago.
J-H
 Servius 
Over the next few days, Servius works to finish identifying the remaining magical items and document their properties.  The cards are particularly vexing, as there are many of them.  Once that studying is done, he begins to document their visit to the Illithid charging station, making particular note of how it works, the defenses, and how the beacon system seemed to work.

Servius writes formally, for he knows that this will likely be reproduced - perhaps even published formally - when he gets home.  He does this during his break periods.  Much of the rest of the time, he's using his new-found experience to teach the Warlocks of the crew - the gunners - to aim more accurately.

Once this is done, he takes his notes, and makes an offer to the interested members of the crew:  Those who have artistic talent - or who believe they can - may provide pictures, maps, and diagrams based on what he and the others saw, as well as what they perceived when the White Cliff came to pick them up.  Those who are judged the best will have their artwork included and credited in any eventual publishing of the documents he creates.

Once this is up and running over the next two weeks, Servius splits his time, working on getting the stolen Spelljammer tender to recharge.

 (Total: 2 weeks crew training, complete!; 1 week entertainment; 1 week on the ship) 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
  back in baratano we met the copper who ruled there but it seemed more like his sister was calling the shots... that felt wrong and uncomfortable. Im copper too as you can see. I was born of black negniter so why would i be copper youd think. Its because kobolds serve. If we were black we might think ourselves equal but we arent. Its why in my clan we only have 1 name not a last name. To remind us. What could i do with the name anyways? You know I was the first born and the last alive. Lost my home 3 times and built a home here. Yes I miss my home my family but just cause it's so doesn't mean I can't get used and maybe even love my new home and life... not that I do...   did I ever tell you what exactly happened to negniters? As you know there was much hoarded knowledge in our vaults. Forbidden knowledge ancient knowledge. Lich are made with trapping thier own souls within a phalactary but what if you just trapped your soul inside yourself and never let it escape? Lichdom is tough to do. Changes your whole being as well. So imagine what might happen if you botched trapping your soul inside yourself? It wasnt pretty. Anyways I'm sure our efforts will bring good fortune and glory. Oh im not sure if i told you but it seems perhaps ive had a visit from negniter some weeks back so maybe its possible tenebrous will speak to you as well. Where do you suppose orcus and such would stand considering our current objectives? I dont know im torn. Anyways... these are things that been on my mind. Sorry to speak out of turn.  the rambling of an ancient kobold. 
 

Cocytus seems moved, both by the weapon and by Nibum's decision to confide in him. He allows the old man to wander to the end of his thoughts before trying to mount a reply.

"I myself feel much like this weapon, Mr. Nibum. Two truths sharpened to a razor's edge and pointed at each other, to tear the world apart between them."

"I came on this voyage to hunt orcs. When I heard about the University's interests... I hold no ill will towards those who worship The Mother of Us All. Tiamat punished our people once for their disobedience. Now they say she may return to power. Should our goal not be to show ourselves to be better servants than our ancestors? Instead, we seek to bar the door, so our mistress cannot come home and see what we've done in her absence. Folly."

"That is how I thought when we set sail from Lssthp. But this voyage has shaken my faith in so many things. Even the dragons of the Malaki fear her... they have forgotten how to serve. They rule us so easily, but they forget they are only one link in the chain that connects us all. If they will not serve when called, why should we? If Tenebrous defied his Emperor, and the Emperor defies Tiamat..." There is something shaky in his voice here, as he edges on blasphemy.

"What is it all for? What loyalty did Negniter show you, you and all the kobolds and dragonborn of his house, in exchange for your undying fealty? Have we forgotten what good order means? That loyalty is a sword that cuts both ways? And will Tiamat, vengeful from her long imprisonment, be any better?"

"I see a loyalty and brotherhood on this ship that is much... rougher... than I have been accustomed to. But truer, perhaps, than I have any right to. If I had died on that derrick I would know it was in the right cause. But now we sail into uncertainty, cousin. At least we sail together."
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  Servius 
Over the next few days, Servius works to finish identifying the remaining magical items and document their properties.  The cards are particularly vexing, as there are many of them.  Once that studying is done, he begins to document their visit to the Illithid charging station, making particular note of how it works, the defenses, and how the beacon system seemed to work.

Servius writes formally, for he knows that this will likely be reproduced - perhaps even published formally - when he gets home.  He does this during his break periods.  Much of the rest of the time, he's using his new-found experience to teach the Warlocks of the crew - the gunners - to aim more accurately.

Once this is done, he takes his notes, and makes an offer to the interested members of the crew:  Those who have artistic talent - or who believe they can - may provide pictures, maps, and diagrams based on what he and the others saw, as well as what they perceived when the White Cliff came to pick them up.  Those who are judged the best will have their artwork included and credited in any eventual publishing of the documents he creates.

Once this is up and running over the next two weeks, Servius splits his time, working on getting the stolen Spelljammer tender to recharge.

 (Total: 2 weeks crew training, complete!; 1 week entertainment; 1 week on the ship)  
 

The winner of the contest turns out to be Orophias, the Yuan-Ti cultist the ship picked up in Baratano. He is a jurmen, a hulking, muscular sub-species of serpentfolk, and a  mediocre to passable medic, but with a pen in his massive hand turns out to be a bit of an artist. He confides in you that he did his own tattoos. (The most devout Yuan-Ti cultists tattoo themselves with the coils of Apophis from head to foot; his are certainly more decorative than most.)

It's obvious he's more comfortable with you, as a fellow serpentfolk, than with his crewmates, but of course he has had no call to speak to officers other than Ttharg. He works up his courage eventually to tell you something, a speech that has the ring of long rehearsal in his hammock.

  "Begging your pardon, sir, but as we get closer to my home I hope you and the other officers don't forget my offer to share what I know of Malatra. The temples, and the  traebol  families, and the guilds... it can be difficult for outsiders to navigate, especially if they, uh, stand on two feet. My family has no pull in Malatra, to be sure, but I know the ins and outs."  

Your analysis of the tender goes pretty well. The arcane energy used to fuel it doesn't seem materially different from the magic of your spells. And out here you go to bed most days with hours worth of charge left unusued. What you need, however, is some kind of device to funnel unused spell energy into the storage coil of the nautiloid shell.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Unused spell slots from casters can be used to re-charge the tender, at a rate of one hour of operation for each spell level. The battery has a maximum capacity of 8 hours of continuous use. It will take another week of research to build the necessary spell funnel.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

During the next few weeks of tedious voyage, Ttharg continues to spend time with Kabett; discussing more about fate and the Druid's views on such things.

After a couple of weeks, Ttharg feels that he has become slightly wiser for having listened to, and appreciated, a Druid's vision and thoughts on the world.

With his new found wisdom (but still lacking any sort of charisma), Ttharg began to tentatively probe and prod at the First Mate's insecurities and anger. Ttharg understood them, of course, but he was concerned that such feelings might eventually lead Cocytus down a dark path or get him into a situation where he and perhaps the crew were doomed. Ttharg had never considered himself a confessor, or a spiritual guide, or any such authority on religious matters; but something compelled him to  try .

Towards the end of the month, Ttharg decided to help his team relax with a bit of boisterous fun. He took the orc pornography (and a healthy serving of alcohol) they had stolen from the derrick and held an 'educational' seminar on orc anatomy, where he encouraged the medical team to rate the orcs by various 'health' parameters and made a game of suggesting where these orcs might be now. Such a display also allowed the crew to talk about their own love lives - the conquests they had, the missed opportunities - and share 'advice' for any of the 'greener' medics. It was a welcome break from the monotony of the voyage.

During the voyage, Ttharg's mind drifted back to his time serving under Captain Pthax. He remembered Lissy, a feisty Kobold raider. Ttharg chuckled as he remembered her: despite her feisty nature she insisted that she cover herself in a rainbow of different fabrics and paint. It was almost like she was a jester at some royal court. Instead she was a dexterous raider who darted amongst enemy crews, slicing tendons and cutting throats. Her rainbow would often end up stained red by the end of an engagement; but this didn't seem to bother her at all. In fact, such was her adventurous attitude that she would often strip naked to wash herself in front of the crew; not seeming to care at all. Despite her merciless nature, Ttharg couldn't help but admire her confident spirit and desire to stand out and be seen in her own unique way.  'We may all be stars in a night sky, but that doesn't mean we can't try to shine the brightest.'  - She had told him one evening. The last Ttharg saw of her was when the Blind Sun had been broken in two by the storm that had set Ttharg on his path to Bahamut. A piece of the mast had splintered and had crashed down hard on poor Lissy as she desperately tried to hop from what little buoyant flotsam remained as the ship sank. Her colourful outfit was impossible to miss, even in the maelstrom, and Ttharg vividly remembered it turning red for the last time and then disappearing into the darkness of the sea.

 
 Spoiler 
2 weeks training with Kabett, increase Wisdom by +1 (which increases my modifier). 1 week spent in a Personal Activity to help Cocytus be at peace with his situation in life. 1 week spent to restore morale.
 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
 With his new found wisdom (but still lacking any sort of charisma), Ttharg began to tentatively probe and prod at the First Mate's insecurities and anger. Ttharg understood them, of course, but he was concerned that such feelings might eventually lead Cocytus down a dark path or get him into a situation where he and perhaps the crew were doomed. Ttharg had never considered himself a confessor, or a spiritual guide, or any such authority on religious matters; but something compelled him to  try . 
 

The problem, of course, is that as Cocytus said before, there is no one he is less inclined to approach for spiritual guidance than a cleric of Bahamut. His responses are, at least initially, coldly correct and acidic. But to your now-heightened Insight, there is a pattern even to his barbs. It is clear that he is troubled, for the first time in a long life of unthinking fealty, by the defects and betrayals of the Lssthpian hierarchy. He has built his life on the cornerstone of service and obedience, and it's as if he's only just realized that you can give undying loyalty to master who will throw you away on a whim.

He's by no means ready to embrace Bahamut's doctrine of independence and self-determination, but there is clearly something about the more informal bonds of loyalty on this half-pirate ship that both attracts him and brews a dreadful conflict with what he perceives as his duty.
Dirty
Immediately when they got back Fork wasted no time to keep the Mariners on their toes. A tight routine and strict discipline. At the same time he knew he couldn't just ride them hard without giving them the opportunity to blow off some steam. Games were hosted. Friendly but brutal competitions of strength. Murder-Tail being the most popular but there was a whole assortment of different games and gladiatorial competitions hosted throughout the week.

Fork spent time with Cauda as well, and gradually naturally rounded off their open forum philosophical chats but a friendship of respect had grown from Forks side at least. He liked the deeper way to view the world around him and he would always be appreciative of this person that opened his eyes to it.

After the adventures on the platform Rumble had grown into his wings. Fork found this out the day he started experimenting with his boots of flying. The drake had Jumped right after him and after a heart stopping moment where Fork feared the drake would fall into the icy waters, Rumble suddenly soared through the air. The two have been flying and training in the most playful of ways together every single day thereafter. Fork and Rumble, both kin with the white species of dragon kind, noticed that Rumbles breath had a fiercer cold to it. His bites were instant frostbite and more lethal because of it. At the same time Fork found that he could stand the cold much better than most on the ship and he knew enough to know it was his bond with Rumble that facilitated the tolerance to the cold elements.

This allowed them to be outside for much longer and because of their flying abilities Fork and Rumble started taking care of the hard-to-reach spots on the mount of the WhiteCliff. Directed by Kabbett they set about scraping barnacles and applying oils and salves. Fork, who already had affinity for animals, found these chores extremely rewarding and took pride in the otherwise oftentimes tedious work.

Between them growing into their own during the past two weeks, Fork had shaken off doubts about belonging and his imposter syndrom seemed to have calmed itself in the far recesses of his psyche. Maybe it was the playful way him and Rumble had interacted again for the first time since a long time, or maybe it was Cauda who had opened his eyes to astrology and stories of the Blackreach with it's thin veil to the land of the dead, but Fork felt connected to a part of himself he had pushed away deeply. The stars even lined up the same way to when his brother had died if his calculations were correct. It might have done too the day Rumble came into his life he wasn't sure. But Fork had not been this carefree and playful ever since that day and in a bittersweet way it felt like a fitting way to honor his twin brother, and grieve him in a way he couldn't have imagined.

If nothing else, their flights were good for a few tears too. Angry, bitter and joyful. Fork was not sure of his own emotions but he took the opportunity to roar at the stars in a way that few would imagine a kobold of his size would be capable of.

The last week stood mostly in the light of the Murder-Tail Championships and was a serious occasion where a cathardic violent end had the winner walk away with a custom golden spiked band around his tail. Runes on it enscribed to tell the tale of his glorious victory.

 
 Spoiler: Downtime 

Week 1: Moraleboost
Week2: Improve Officers (Cauda)
Week3: Improve Ship
Week4: MoraleBoost
 
TriciaOso
It's on one of these exploratory flights with Rumble that Fork's keen eyes spot the storm on the horizon. Cauda frowns and adjusts course, but the storm seems to adjust its course to yours.

 "It's not a natural storm. Well, it couldn't be, out here,"  she murmurs.  "Ice and lightning, death and chaos... but this didn't just happen. This was  sent ." 

It becomes apparent that the White Cliff is going to have to ride it out. At first it's just that the sea gets rougher, and then the icy mist begins to fall, leaving an unpleasant rime on everything. Lightning crackles on the horizon, then closer. There is something eerie and horrible about the thunder that booms out, like the cry of a banshee. Horrible winds blast down the length of the deck, as if intentionally trying to scour the crew overboard.

The lightning illuminates the clouds, and ominous shapes loom against them, like shadows on a curtain.  "There are creatures in that storm,"  the Captain bellows over the wind.  "They're ahead of us, and we'll have to get through them to escape this."  She looks to the four of you.  "You're our best chance. Protect the men from whatever is out there, and trust the rest of us to handle the ship." 
 "I'll stand with them,"  says Siduri.  "I'm useless, otherwise." 

Another flurry of lightning and bone-shaking rumble of thunder rolls past.  "Hold fast,"  the Captain says.  "We don't have to defeat them all... just make it to the other side. There must be another side." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
On initiative 20, the storm takes an action:	

 1 	Flash of Terror. Lightning strikes the ship and inflicts 3d10 damage on the hull. The thunder carries the toll of doom; each creature that can hear it must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be Frightened.	
 2 	Sleet Storm. Until the spell ends, freezing rain and sleet fall in a 20-foot-tall cylinder with a 40-foot radius centered on a point you choose within range. The area is heavily obscured, and exposed flames in the area are doused. The ground in the area is covered with slick ice, making it difficult terrain. When a creature enters the spell’s area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC 18)	
 3 	Gale. The giant creates a 60-foot-long, 10-foot-wide line of strong wind (or strong current within water) originating from a point anywhere in its lair. Each creature in that line must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet in the direction the wind is blowing. The gust disperses gas or vapor, and it extinguishes candles, torches, and similar unprotected flames in its area. Crew members who roll a natural 1 on the Str Saving Throw go overboard.	
 4 	Change Direction. Reroll the bow encounter.

	1	Nibum
	2	Ice
	3	Ttharg
	4	Water
	5	Servius
	6	Lightning
	7	Fork
	8	Tempest
 

 
 Spoiler: Initiative 

20 - Siduri
20 - Storm Action
19 - Nibum
16 - Ttharg
10 - Fork
6 - Servius
 
TriciaOso
 Round 1 
 
 Spoiler: Storm Action: 2 
 Sleet Storm.  Until the spell ends, freezing rain and sleet fall in a 20-foot-tall cylinder with a 40-foot radius centered on a point you choose within range. The area is heavily obscured, and exposed flames in the area are doused. The ground in the area is covered with slick ice, making it difficult terrain. When a creature enters the spell’s area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC 18)
 


The five of you crowd together in the bow of the ship as ice and sleet hail down on you, showing you how the orcs must have felt. Through the storm, you see an elemental presence moving towards you; a huge creature of cloud and ice and wind, almost a furious personification of the storm. Siduri tries to move towards it, but crashes prone in the ice.

   
 
 Spoiler: Initiative 

20 - Siduri
20 - Storm Action
19 - Nibum
19 - Tempest Spirit
16 - Ttharg
10 - Fork
6 - Servius
 
J-H
 Servius 
(before the battle)
Servius takes Orophias up on his offer.  They spend several hours sitting together, while Servius writes down a primer on the society and structure of Malatra to share with the officers.  Perhaps Orophias should go with them while they dock?  He encourages Orophias to speak with the others more, and thanks him for his information.


Servius has the gunners gather amidships, each tying a rope to an anchoring point - including himself.   "If we get washed overboard, even the tokens we got to stop from drowning won't be enough!" 
zylodrizzt
Just as triceratool charges forward it slips and falls.

As nibum stands up and climbs up on triceratool he slips a device on them both that buzz to life providing some added protection.
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Arcana/Nature 10+ 
The storm is an unpleasant mix of necrotic and elemental magic, swirled by the chaos of nearby Limbo. The storm cell is woven with Conjuration magic -- it's clear why Cauda say it didn't just happen, it was  sent.  But it doesn't look summoned or enchanted, both of which could be dispelled. It looks like all the latent elements of a storm in the area were thrown together and hurled at you.

 
 Spoiler: Arcana/Nature 15+ 
By chance or by intent, the first encounter to come toward you out of this storm was the face of the storm itself. All the threads of this storm lead back to the tempest spirit before you; the reins of the storm are in his hands.
 

 


The tempest spirit howls and hammers at Nibum with a fist of thunder and lightning, following up with a jab of ice and wind that goes astray.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 

ACTIONS: Multiattack on Nibum. First attack at disadvantage misses, second attack hits. 16 dmg.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 13 dmg
Triceratool - +3 temp

INITIATIVE:
 20 - Siduri
20 - Storm Action
19 - Nibum
19 - Tempest Spirit 
16 - Ttharg
10 - Fork
6 - Servius
 
J-H
      
   <span style="font-family: Century

Gothic">  Servius Calventius Pamphilius  
  
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17 HP: 38/38 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius yells over the wind and thunder.   "This one's in control of the whole storm.  If we can kill it, we'll probably weaken the storm!" 
 
 Spoiler 

Dex save to avoid falling, DC 18.
 (1d20+4)[ 19 ] 
Fireball  (8d6)[ 20 ]  fire damage, Dex DC 15 half
+  (2d6)[ 6 ]  force damage from Fulminating Treatise, maybe prone it if that's possible
 
Dirty
Fork was sitting on Rumbles back when all hell broke loose. He jumped off to grab his gear when the sleet storm hit and Fork slipped, lost his footing and fell flat on his back. When Servius shouted his finding Fork looked up and could see the wizard blasting the storm with a fireball. That was all the direction Fork needed. He scrambled to his feet as good as went with the sleet blowing around him. He braced himself and aimed the crossbow. The first bolt was to gauge the general direction and distance as well as he could and when he felt he had a grip on it he activated the quiver, loaded up a dark red bolt and said a small prayer. Fork wasn't all that sure the thing wouldn't blow up in his face but it fired sure enough.
The bolt itself burst into flames as it shot off into the storm. Fork couldn't even see for sure if he had struck anything.

"This is messed up!" He shouted at his party. He didn't have anything intelligent to add to this situation at the moment but still felt the need to communicate something. "How do we kill it?!"

 
 Spoiler: Actions: 


First attack: 12 to hit, 9 damage
Next he'll do bonus action for flames on the xbow (He'll use the +1 crossbow he bought from the goblins if possible
Thats 16 to hit (or 17) for 18 damage (or 19)
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

As the undead tempest elemental bears down on them, Ttharg tries his best to remain on his feet, but slips and ended up on his back. He swears deeply and hauls himself back to his feet. He draws his shield in one hand and takes hold of his holy symbol of Bahamut in the other. He takes a step forward towards the face of the storm. He holds the symbol aloft and cries out:   "Back to the deep with ye, unnatural horror! The wrath of Bahamut compels ye!"  
 
 Spoiler 
End up prone, use move to Stand Up, draw Shield, and move slightly towards the Face.
Action to use Turn Undead. I can use a charge of Channel Divinity from the Amulet of Devotion without expending one of own channels, so will do that. Wisdom saving throw from the storm is 14 + 1 from the Amulet, so 15. Save is at Disadvantage due to Tempest Cleric (Discord reasoning).
Storm Wisdom Save:  (1d20)[ 11 ] +mods or  (1d20)[ 11 ] +mods vs 15.
On a pass, nothing happens.
On a fail, it is turned for 1 minute or until it takes any damage. It must spend its turns trying to move as far away from me as it can, and it can’t willingly move to a space within 30 feet of me. It also can’t take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there’s nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.
 


If the Storm is successfully Turned, Ttharg will cry out:   "HOLD FAST, HOLD FAST! ANY DAMAGE IT TAKES NOW WILL BRING IT RIGHT BACK TO US! LET IT RUN!"  
TriciaOso
The Tempest Spirit is not turned; but the storm itself reacts to the turning effect, and you feel suddenly the absence of a prickly feeling on your skin you were not aware of. You realize that the necrotic winds of the storm would've prevented healing effects from touching you, and now that has been lifted. Its gaze on Ttharg is furious.

 Round 2 

Siduri, seeing that the Tempest Spirit is not fleeing, rolls upright and launches her attacks at the Spirit. Recognizing its elemental nature, she does not try to petrify it, just lands blow after blow with her bare fists. The Tempest Spirit recoils.

 
 Spoiler: Storm Action: 4 
 Change Direction.  The winds change direction and the encounter shifts. Roll 1d8 to determine the new encounter. When the Tempest Spirit leaves the field, it can choose the encounter.
 


The winds of the storm begin to change direction; the sleet storm and the Tempest Spirit are carried away, and a different bank of cloud is swept towards the bow of the ship. From the cloud, five skeletal pirates of lizardfolk and draconic blood leap from the cloud and sweep across the bow to attack you; two more spectral pirates, dragonborn dressed as officers, hang back. Lurking behind the two of them is a smaller ghost, a small kobold woman, that does not move yet.

   
 
 Spoiler: Ttharg 
You recognize your friend Lissy.
 

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS:
3 Drowned Blades attack, making three attacks each, on Servius, Ttharg and Nibum. Attacks on Servius all miss. Attacks on Ttharg all miss. First attack on Nibum misses with disadvantage from Triceratool's reaction; second attack hits, a critical hit, for 17 damage; third attack misses with shield.

2 Drowned Ascetics attack, making 3 ranged spell attacks each on Ttharg. 1 hits, for 7 damage.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 30 dmg, +3 temp
Triceratool - +3 temp
Ttharg - 7 dmg

INITIATIVE:
 20 - Siduri
20 - Storm Action 
19 - Nibum
16 - Ttharg
10 - Fork
6 - Servius
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg growls as he sees Lissy. He knows the apparition for what it is, but the sight still causes him to grumble at the memory.

As the skeletons begin to swarm the deck, Ttharg moves up beside Nibum to block any further advances on him. Quickly, he pulls out some healing salves and ointment and applies them to Nibum, easing the worst of the pain. He then summons one of Bahamut's flails to assist him whilst he works on other things.

The flail swings at the skeletal creature to Ttharg's immediate North-West.

 
 Spoiler 
Move next to Nibum.
Main Action to use Healer, using a charge of my Healer's Kit, to heal Nibum for  (1d6+11)[ 14 ] .
Bonus Action to cast Spiritual Weapon. Direct it to attack the enemy to Ttharg's immediate North-West:  (1d20+7)[ 14 ]  for  (1d8+3)[ 11 ]  Force Damage
 
TriciaOso
The flail makes solid contact with the skeletal pirate as Ttharg moves away.

Lissy cries out to you silently, her image wavering as if she is less present than the other ghosts. She has a kukri in her hand, but makes no move to attack.

 
 Spoiler: Insight or Religon 12+, Ttharg has advantage 
This apparation is different from the others. It wants to help you, but needs your invitation.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Despite his grumblings, something about Lissy and the way she silently called out to him gave Ttharg pause. He was well aware of spirits and sirens attempting to lure sailors to their death by accepting or listening to their laments; but this was different. For whatever reason, Lissy's spirit had returned from the deep and wanted to help, but it was bound by certain rules: she had to be invited to help.

Ttharg looked at her and called out:   "Help us, Lissy! Show us how you used to 'dance'!"  
TriciaOso
Lissy grins at you, her old wicked grin, and sweeps through the other drowned pirates and officers to your side, her blades flashing and whirling as she tumbles forward.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS: Lissy moves twenty feet, attacking each spirit she passes as she does.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 16 dmg, +3 temp
Triceratool - +3 temp
Ttharg - 7 dmg

Drowned Blade 1 - 8 dmg
Drowned Blade 2 - 21 dmg
Drowned Blade 3 - 10 dmg
Drowned Blade 4 - 9 dmg
Drowned Blade 5 - 13 dmg
Drowned Officer 1 - 5 dmg
Drowned Officer 2 - 6 dmg
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17 HP: 38/38 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Storm Sphere  
 
  

Servius summons a storm within a storm, a wind-blow ball of tempest that engulfs many of the enemies.  A bolt of lightning crackles internally, going after the more damaged officer.

 
 Spoiler 

Storm Sphere, 20' radius.  Looks like I can place it to hit 1, 4, 5 and officers 1-2 and guard the port bow.
 (2d6)[ 12 ]  bludgeoning damage on a failed DC 15 Str save.
Blade Str 1  (1d20)[ 20 ] +?
Blade Str 4  (1d20)[ 11 ] +?
Blade Str 5  (1d20)[ 6 ] +?
Officer Str 1  (1d20)[ 11 ] +?
Officer Str 2  (1d20)[ 19 ] +?
BA Lightning bolt attack on officer 2, advantage because he's within the sphere.
Attack  (1d20+7)[ 23 ]  or   (1d20+7)[ 12 ]  for  (4d6)[ 9 ]  lightning

Anyone ending their turn within the sphere has to make a Str save or take 2d6 bludgeoning damage again, and it's difficult terrain.
 
zylodrizzt
No time to consider the new ally he turns his attention to the new threat driving triceratool to try to knock the undead before them down but the deck is still slick so triceratool can't gain any leverage. Nibum on the other hand seems to have luck clobberring the thing with his new mace.  GET OFF THIS SHIP! 
Dirty
Things were going off around Fork and he could barely believe his senses. "This is messed up, this is messed up." He chanted in a whisper as he reloaded his weapon as fast as he could without even thinking, he grabbed ammo from the quiver. He considered joining the fray in hand to hand combat but spotted what he imagined to be a grin on one of the officer spirits in the back.

"Eat ****." Fork said only loud enough for himself and those closest to him to hear. He fired his weapon twice and again he this time the magical bolt had some type of energy. Fork felt instinctually that he could redirect the energy he took from the spirit to something else. He didn't have to look far. Nibum had gotten a bit of a thrashing, so he willed the power to aid his friend.

 
 Spoiler: Actions 


Fork is going to fire at drowned officer no:2  Oh and use the balance feature of the Starshot xbow to heal Nibum.

1st attack: 24 to hit for: 14 damage + 5 cold damage from Rumbles reaction.
2nd attack: 18 to hit, for 9 damage.
Nibum heals: 7 hitpoints.

Moves: Fork doesn't move but Rumble will move into contact distance of drowned soldier no.2
 
TriciaOso
Siduri moves to focus fire on the Drowned Blade near Nibum, but only one of her blows lands; punching ghosts is hard. Your attacks have begun to wear them down, however, with several of them beginning to find it hard to hold their ghastly forms.

 Round 3 (-1) 
 
 Spoiler: Storm Action: 3 
 Gale.  The storm creates a 60-foot-long, 10-foot-wide line of strong wind (or strong current within water) originating from a point anywhere in its lair. Each creature in that line must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet in the direction the wind is blowing. The gust disperses gas or vapor, and it extinguishes candles, torches, and similar unprotected flames in its area. Crew members who roll a natural 1 on the Str Saving Throw go overboard.
 


The ship rises on a great wave, then crashes back down, straight into the path of a brutal, razor-edged wind. The gales catches nearly all of the defenders on the bow and carries them over the railing, crashing amidships into the desperately-laboring sailors. Only Ttharg is spared; he looks down to find Lissy has caught hold of his hand, and the wind blows through him as it does the spectres, leaving him unharmed.

The crew battens down, grabbing ropes and rails and masts; one of the medics is carried over the side by the wind and vanishes beneath the waves.

Wait. No. The Captain looks at him, hard, and luck itself twists. He stumbles but stays aboard, and that alternate possibility fades from everyone's mind. But as if as a direct result of her manipulation of fate, Captain Magyar is caught full-force in the gale and hurled backward into the stern rail, which splinters as she strikes it.

She grabs ahold of the remains of the railing and keeps herself aboard, but the wheel spins wildly, and the ship drifts off-course. As it does, the gale carries away the drowned sailors, and the ship drives hard into a floating chunk of ice. A chunk of ice that extends long arms and clambers onto the deck, accompanied by three twisting serpentine forms made of water.

The Water Weirds strike at Siduri and Triceratool, grapple them in their twisting forms, and hurl them overboard. Triceratool manages to hook his horns into the wood of the ship and dangles precariously, but Siduri crashes into the waves with wide eyes.

   
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
You know that when the Captain regains the wheel (init 20), she will pull the ship back on course, and carry you away from these enemies and back towards the Drowned Sailors - but Triceratool is dangling above the sea, and Siduri is over the side!

Everyone but Ttharg is prone; climbing back on the bow deck takes 5 ft of movement. Lissy will act on Ttharg's turn.
 

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS:
Siduri takes 4 attacks on Drowned Blade 3; only 1 hits, for 6 dmg.

Storm Action 3 - Gale. Everyone but Ttharg and Triceratool fails the Str saving throw and is pushed 15 feet. Everyone pushed except Siduri falls off the bow and into amidships, taking 4 points of damage. One crew member, a medic, rolls a Nat 1.

The Captain uses Silvery Barbs to give herself disadvantage on the Str save and gives him advantage; he rolls a 15. The Captain is blown overboard, but catches the railing (dex save 20). The ship's wheel spins out of control, triggering another change in encounter.

The Drowned Sailors are swept away and replaced by a Rime Hulk and 3 Water Weirds. The Rime Hulk takes two attacks on the ship itself, for 22 damage. Water Weird 1 attacks Siduri; misses. Water Weird 2 attacks Triceratool and hits for 14 damage. Water Weird 3 attacks Siduri and hits for 9 damage. Both of them are grappled and pulled 5 feet towards the Weirds, which takes them overboard. The Water Weirds release the grapple, dropping them. Siduri rolls a nat 1 on her DEX save; Triceratool grapples the hull with a 12, doing 9 damage.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 10 dmg
Ttharg - 7 dmg
Servius - 4 dmg
Fork - 4 dmg

Triceratool - 11 dmg
Rumble - 4 dmg

Drowned Blade 1 - 8 dmg
Drowned Blade 2 - 21 dmg
Drowned Blade 3 - 30 dmg (bloodied)
Drowned Blade 4 - 21 dmg
Drowned Blade 5 - 25 dmg (bloodied)
Drowned Officer 1 - 5 dmg
Drowned Officer 2 - 43 dmg (bloodied)

Hull: 31 dmg

INITIATIVE:
 20 - Siduri
20 - Storm Action 
19 - Nibum
16 - Ttharg
10 - Fork
6 - Servius
 
J-H
      
   <span style="font-family: Century

Gothic">  Servius Calventius Pamphilius  
  
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17 HP: 34/38 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Storm Sphere  
 
  

Servius sends another lightning bolt from the sphere at the "Rime Hulk," followed up by a volley of force missiles.
 
 Spoiler 

Attack  (1d20+7)[ 18 ]  for  (4d6)[ 22 ]  lightning damage
Magic Missile  (1d4+1)[ 4 ]  x 3
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg nods to Lissy as she helps keep him on his feet. He sees Siduri and Triceratool dragged overboard and begins to command the sea to obey him:   "I am a conduit of Bahamut! The sea will obey me!"  

The water bubbles and surges and a great geyser pushes his two allies back onto the deck, albeit very ungracefully. With the crew back on board, Ttharg directs his Spiritual Weapon to attack the Hulk next to him, whilst keeping the water as a defensive measure.

 
 Spoiler 
Main Action to cast Control Water (4th Level), using it to push Siduri and Triceratool back onto the deck and use it to help control the effects of the storm.
Bonus Action to use Spiritual Weapon against the Rime Hulk (with Advantage due to Control Water):  (1d20+7)[ 14 ]  or  (1d20+7)[ 21 ]  for  (1d8+3)[ 4 ]  Force Damage.
 
TriciaOso
Lissy's ghost slashes at the Rime Hulk as well, but her spectral kukris are less effective against the elemental than they were against the other undead. She curses fluently. As Triceratool staggers back to its feet, its help allows her to make a more successful strike. Cracks form through the living iceberg's body.

Captain Magyar drags herself upright and staggers back to the wheel.
zylodrizzt
As nibum is thrown from triceratool he tells it  GO HELP THAT CORPSE KILL YOU USELESS CHUNK OF METAL . Triceratool pushes into the ice beast keeping it still long enough for the corpse of tthrags friend to do some damage.

Nibum lands just at the bottom of the stairs and immediately stands up and charges into the fray again next to siduri smashing as hard as he can on the chunk of ice that is busting up his hard work.
Dirty
Blissfully unaware of his captains predicament Fork tapped the earpiece. "Forget about sailing through this madness! Get me eye to eye with the spirit of this tempest and I'll rip it's heart out!" Fork requested, as polite as he could manage in this chaos.

Fork fired his crossbow twice at the Rime Hulk trying to give everyone time to run back to the front of the ship. Two bolts and then he sprinted forward, climbing back over the railing. Rumble similarly ran up and over the railing and attacked the Rime Hulk.

 
 Spoiler: Actions 


Fork fires at the Rime Hulk twice:
19 to hit for 8 damage, 20 to hit for 7damage

Rumble attacks the Rime Hulk:
17 to hit for 6 normal damage and 4 cold damage

Move back to front of the ship.
 
TriciaOso
 Round 4 (-2) 

Siduri - half-drowned, half-frozen, fully pissed off -- rolls upright and attacks the Rime Hulk. Her first two blows glance off, and then with a scream of rage that recalls her feral gorgon ancestors, she headbutts it, all her viperous hair standing on end. The cracks spreading through the Rime Hulk spread, fractal, and it disintegrates into a fine powder on the deck.

Over the earpiece, you hear Cauda calling out headings to the Captain. She pauses, mutters a prayer, and then finishes with more confidence. Captain Magyar steers the ship into the worst of the storm, searching for the Tempest Spirt.

 
 Spoiler: Storm Action: 1 
 Flash of Terror.  Lightning strikes the ship and inflicts 3d10 damage on the hull. The thunder carries the toll of doom; each creature that can hear it must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be Frightened.
 


A blue-purple bolt of lightning descends towards the deck, but is caught in the sphere of control Servius has exerted over the deck. The wizard swings his arm and redirects the lightning out to sea. And then the furious Tempest Spirit is upon him.

It looms over the rail of the ship, eyes only on the wizard who thwarted his will; the crew members crowded on the deck yelp and flinch away from Servius. The huge Spirit pulls back its arm and punches the wizard twice; the lightning fist is inhibited by the same storm spell, but Servius is still reeling. And then the Tempest Spirit calls down a brutal hailstorm, centered on Servius but engulfing much of the main deck of the ship. Siduri and Fork are caught in the edge of the storm as well.
 
  
The decks of the ship are chaos. A quarter of the crew are unconscious; almost all of them are thrown to the deck and badly injured. Without the training you have done with them over the last few weeks, many would have been killed outright.

Tegu calls out orders to clear the deck, but many of the fallen are those trained as medics, and chaos ensues. Cauda's hood flares with the constellation of the Chalice, as she begins to hand out healing, and Cocytus does what he can as well, although badly battered himself. Carpenters run to and fro trying to patch damage. Only a ragtag crew of the gunners man the ship, which would otherwise be adrift. Hailstones ping off the copper-reinforced sails.

Collapsed amid the chaos of the deck, Servius is unconscious.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS:
Siduri takes 3 attacks on the Rime Hulk; 2 misses, one crit. The Rime Hulk is destroyed.

Cauda makes a Navigation check with help from Captain Magyar. With advantage and guidance, it's just enough to find the Tempest Spirit. The Water Weirds fall away as the ship redirects.

Storm Action 1 - Flash of Terror. Since this is a lightning effect, it triggers a Concentration save for Servius. Nat 20. The lightning is averted.

The Tempest Spirit appears on deck. It makes two successful Lightning Fist attacks on Servius. Damage is halved because of the Storm Sphere, but it still does 11 and 10 damage respectively. As a bonus action, it drops a Hailstorm on deck. All of the crew are caught in it. The ship makes a saving throw for the crew (6) and they take full damage, 29 points, and are knocked prone. This downs some of them and leaves others barely standing. Tegu gives an order to clear the decks, occupying another 25% of the crew. Cauda takes her Chalice form and starts healing; Cocytus is using Lay on Hands. DC to navigate the ship through the storm is 25 for this round.

Servius fails the check and takes 29 damage, knocked prone. Unconscious. Fork fails the check and takes 29 damage, knocked prone. Siduri makes the check and takes 14 damage.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 10 dmg
Ttharg - 7 dmg
Servius - unconscious
Fork - 33 dmg

Siduri - 29 dmg

Triceratool - 11 dmg
Rumble - 4 dmg

Tempest Hulk - 38 dmg

Crew: All medics are unconscious. All other crew take 29 damage and fall prone.
Cocytus - 29 dmg
Cauda - 14 dmg
Tegu - 29 dmg
Hull - 45 dmg
Sails - 14 dmg
White Cliff - 14 dmg

INITIATIVE:
 20 - Siduri
20 - Storm Action 
19 - Nibum
16 - Ttharg
10 - Fork
6 - Servius
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg was fully aware of the destructive nature of natural storms. This was an unnatural one. Memories of his own ship's demise came flooding back, unbidden, into his own mind as lightning strikes the deck; and for a moment this isn't the White Cliff: it's the Blind Sun.

  "We need to be out of this storm as soon as possible!"   He cries, fear evident in his voice. As the Tempest Spirit returns, Ttharg musters up what courage he can and raises his Holy Symbol again.   "Bahamut is with us! You shall find no victory here!"  

Gingerly, Ttharg moves away from the Tempest and towards the other side of the bow, where he can look over the railing at the ailing crew below. He prays for their survival, helping them to come back to consciousness.   "Ye blood may soak the deck, but that just means more scrubbin' for the rest o' ye if ye don't get up!"  
 
 Spoiler 
Main Action to try Turn Undead again. DC 14 Wisdom Save, Tempest makes it at Disadvantage. I know they have +9 to saves.
Tempest Wisdom Save:  (1d20+9)[ 12 ]  or  (1d20+9)[ 14 ] .
Move away from the Tempest and get LoS on the crew below.
Bonus Action to cast Mass Healing Word on Servius and the 5 medics. Everyone gets  (1d4+3)[ 5 ] .
 


If the Tempest is successfully Turned, Ttharg will call out:   "DON'T ATTACK IT UNLESS IT COMES BACK! IT WILL FLEE FROM US, GIVING US TIME TO HELP OURSELVES!"   (He will do this after the Healing Word, so that the unconscious people hear it)
TriciaOso
The Tempest Spirit howls and flinches, and with him, the entire storm recoils. Suddenly, the White Cliff finds itself in the eye of the storm. All around the horizon, the storm rages, but around the ship all is clear. Even the dark sky is visible overhead.

A ripple of relief goes through the crew as wounds are patched up, emergency repairs are made and crewmates lever themselves upright.

Lissy stands on her tiptoes to kiss Ttharg on the cheek before fading away.

   
J-H
Servius stands woozily, grateful for the help.  He chugs one of the pep-up potions to help the aches go away and let him focus again.
 
 Spoiler 

From 0hp:
+5 MHW
 (1d6+11)[ 17 ]  healer's kit
 (4d6+8)[ 24 ]  hit dice
Arcane Recovery my 4th level slot back.
 


He commends the gunners for their work on damage control, and briefly goes below to retrieve more ropes.  As many as possible should be tied to the ship to prevent their being washed or pulled overboard.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg has a mixture of feelings towards Lissy as she departs: although he remembers her fondly, she is a remanent of his past; a past Ttharg has been trying to avoid during his life in service to the White Cliff and Captain Magyar. He made a mental note to avail Tegu of her 'stocks' later that evening.

With the Tempest temporarily gone, Ttharg gets to work patching up the worst of the officers: Servius, Sidori and Fork. He breaks out the remaining salves, tonics, and bandages from his Healer's Kit and sets to work on them. Once he's finished, the Kit is empty and he discards it; luckily he had the forethought to purchase a 2nd one before the voyage. He directs the Medics to assist with injuries and general ship duties as best as they're able.

As Ttharg is patching Fork up he mentions to the Kobold:   "I know ye see a problem and you want to attack it and defeat it; but this storm will claim the lives o' the crew if we don't make every effort to push through as quickly as possible. You and I might survive to destroy it, but what kind o' victory would that be if the crew are dead?"  

To make his point, Ttharg reports to the Captain and reiterates:   "Captain, I recommend we attempt to push through this storm as soon as possible. We are very lucky Bahamut is with us and allowed us this reprieve, but if we try chasing this storm down we'll end up with dead crew."  

Ttharg does not take a Short Rest Potion, and his own actions for preparation to meet the edge of the storm is to cast Spiritual Weapon just before contact so that it is ready for combat when they are engaged.

 
 Spoiler 
Use Healer's Kit (and Healer Feat) to heal Servius, Sidori, and Fork. Servius has already rolled healing.
Sidori gets  (1d6+4)[ 6 ] +her HD in level back.
Fork gets  (1d6+11)[ 16 ]  back.

Ttharg does not take a Short Rest Potion. He will cast Spiritual Weapon (2nd Level) just before they reach the edge of the eye, so that the Spiritual Weapon will be able to act on the first round of combat (without having to cast it).
 
zylodrizzt
Nibun hops up on triceratool and charges the tempest smashing it with his mace and triceratool lands his charge.  Leave us alone!  before the tempest is driven away from the ship for a short time.

Almost as soon as the calm starts he starts patching things up on the ship  Good job carpenters but work quick else we wont have a place left to stand.  with a spare moment he patches up triceratool as well  there you go heres some anti rusting oil. 

If any one tries to heal him he declines  ill be fine yall have fussed enough over my well being help the others  he says continuing repairs as if they didn't even say anything to him at all
Dirty
Fork was up on the side of the ship,  he had drawn his scimitar and was moments away to jump overboard and attack the spirit.

Then Ttharg urged restraint. For a split second Fork considered pretending not to have heard him. He wanted to. But his common sense won in the heat of the moment.
He couldn't put himself before the ship, the crew and most importantly, his partymembers.

He took hold of the spirits essence by taking in its scent and movements. Hyper aware of the being Fork wouldn't let it get away so easily next time. (Casts hunters mark)

He turned his attention to the crew and his comrades as the calm set in all around them.
He commended the marines for their actions and directed them to aid the carpenters and the medics where they could. To shield them, and protect them because the worst was still to come.

"If we cut the head of that spirit we kill this madness." He said to the captain and the party. "I don't know how much more we have to endure to sail through the storm and outrun it but if we're in the eye of it it will be at least as much as we had to endure already.. possibly more."
TriciaOso
The Captain confers with the four of you, as well as Siduri and Cauda, before making her decision.

 "We'll fight our way clear of the storm and not look back. I'm sorry, Mr. F'rrkkk, but that thing is just too strong. May Xuanwu gather it back to the Abyss in his time,"  she says, invoking the great dragon-turtle that guards the boundaries between life and death.

You position yourself back on the bow and prepare for another series of encounters in the storm.

 

The White Cliff bears you across the eye of the storm, driven primarily by your mount; the copper-gleaming sails hang slack here, although the circle of protective wind on the bow sends occasional ripples through them. As you get closer to the edge of the storm, the sleet picks back up, occasionally hardening to full hailstones or softening to spitting rain. Fitful winds begin to fill the sails.

And then you cross some invisible boundary, and the storm is upon you again.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 

ACTIONS: Ttharg maintains Control Water and prepares his Spritual Weapon (at 2nd level).
Servius casts Warding Wind to protect the bow.
Nibum recasts Heroism on himself and Triceratool.
Fork maintains Hunter's Mark on the Tempest Spirit.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 10 dmg
Ttharg - 7 dmg
Servius - 0 dmg
Fork - 17 dmg

Siduri - 17 dmg

Triceratool - 0 dmg
Rumble - 4 dmg

Tempest Hulk - 51 dmg

Crew: All crew are half health
Cocytus - 14 dmg
Cauda - 7 dmg
Tegu - 35 dmg
Hull - 39 dmg / 39 temp repairs
Sails - 0 dmg
White Cliff - 0 dmg

INITIATIVE:
20 - Siduri
20 - Storm Action
19 - Nibum
16 - Ttharg
10 - Fork
6 - Servius
 
TriciaOso
 Round 1 of 4 
As you cross into the storm, Siduri takes a deep breath and takes up a combat stance, prepared for attacks and ready to launch her own.

 
 Spoiler: Storm Action: 3 
 Gale.  The storm creates a 60-foot-long, 10-foot-wide line of strong wind (or strong current within water) originating from a point anywhere in its lair. Each creature in that line must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet in the direction the wind is blowing. The gust disperses gas or vapor, and it extinguishes candles, torches, and similar unprotected flames in its area. Crew members who roll a natural 1 on the Str Saving Throw go overboard.
 


As you cross into the storm, a vicious blast of wind comes straight for you once again -- but Servius has already invoked his magic to control the winds around the ship, and it howls impotently around you. Servius, you realize you can redirect this wind to send away one of the encounter that lurk on the horizon if you wish.

One them rushes towards you on a dark necromantic cloud even now. What emerges from the storm is an enormous patch-work creature, woven together from the bones and hides and offal of perhaps a dozen deadly beasts. The jaws of a tyrannosaur, the massive arms and tearing claws of a acrocanthosaur, the spines of a great burrow-drake, the horns of ceratopsian cattle, the clubbed tail of an anklysaur.

Notches from swords, weathered arrows, and the broken hafts of spears bristle from it. It is the wretched refuse of a hunter's life, all the offal left behind in the wilderness woven together into the vengeance of the prey. Hunters, deep in the woods at night, tell ghost stories about the Anhkolox.

   
And lurking behind it, almost stalking it, is the tiny figure of a ghostly young kobold with a bow.

Siduri has braced herself to attack immediately, and lunges forward, but the Anhkolox catches her in the air with a massive claw; she aborts her attack and throws herself flat to avoid it. Unfortunately, it follows up with the other claw and impales her deeply, then drags her towards it. Its rib cage opens like a massive bear trap and snaps closed around her, impaling her on spears of bones. The librarian-monk drops into unconsciousness, imprisoned inside its body.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS: Siduri takes Patient Defense and readies an attack. She rolls a natural 1 on the attack. The Anhkolox attacks twice with its claws and once with Entrapping Rend, at disadvantage. One claw attack and Entrapping Rend hit. She takes 24 and 25 damage, falling unconscious, and autofails the Str Saving throw, becoming grappled in the Anhkolox's rib cage. The Anhkolox steps onto the bow.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 10 dmg
Ttharg - 7 dmg
Servius - 0 dmg
Fork - 17 dmg

Siduri - unconscious

Triceratool - 0 dmg
Rumble - 4 dmg

Crew: All crew are half health
Cocytus - 14 dmg
Cauda - 7 dmg
Tegu - 35 dmg
Hull - 39 dmg / 39 temp repairs
Sails - 0 dmg
White Cliff - 0 dmg

INITIATIVE:
 20 - Siduri
20 - Storm Action 
19 - Nibum
16 - Ttharg
10 - Fork
6 - Servius
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17 HP: 44/44 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Warding Wind  
 
  

Servius disengages, backing up from the big creature.  If it attacks him, he will die.

(Disengage, back up 10')
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

As the Undead abomination consumes Siduri, Ttharg rushes forward to attempt to wrest her out of it's body. He could see Rumble coming forward to help, so he waited a split second for them to assist him.

(If he successfully extricates her, he'll put her down behind him so that Ttharg is standing between her and the monster; he won't leave melee range of it)

Ttharg also calls out more healing words to Siduri:   "Ye journey's not yet done, get up!"  
 
 Spoiler 
Move up to the monster.
Main Action to attempt to rescue Siduri from the monster, if necessary I'll Ready to do so with Help from Rumble.
DC 18 Athletics check to free her, with Advantage from Rumble:  (1d20+6)[ 24 ]  or  (1d20+6)[ 23 ] .
Bonus Action to cast Healing Word (1st Level) on Siduri for  (1d4+3)[ 7 ] .
 
zylodrizzt
Not sure if siduri death will spell doom for thier quest nibum does what he can to get the creatures attention instead after siduri rescue  YOUR'RE ONE UGLY DISEASED BLOATED SMELLY ROTTING CORPSE!  He says as he swings. Triceratool proves effective his horns lancing out and into the beast. Nibum has triceratool move next to tthraag and siduri
Dirty
Fork hesitated. Through all of the mayhem he had lost his breath and time seemed to slow down. S.. S Ssspurnnn? He stammered. Then, slowly, the reality of the situation started moving again and his senses caught on. Ttharg was running up and trying to free Siduri from the clutches of this abomination. Rumble, unhindered by the visage of Spoon had sprung to aid Ttharg in his attempt. The foul smell of rotten breath hit Fork. The shouts and screams, the wind whipping around them.

Fork felt like he was four again. He drew his sword. "What I kill, I keep!" He shouted loud, challenging his brother in the way they used to do. "Show me what you've got!" They were always hunting together, trying to out-do each other. In the most intense friendly rivalry this side of the stars Fork once again challenged his brother. Fork hacked away at the monsterous being.

 He attacked with a reckless abandon unbecoming of the kobold officer, usually so in control of his actions. Tears were streaming down his face. He couldn't look at anything else. The thought of seeing Spoon here. The bittersweet memories. It was a source for Fork to draw strength from, he was fighting his past as much as the monster in this moment.
As if reacting to Fork, his blade started shining bright and the second time Fork struck true the energy fed him through his fighting arm straight into his heart with a healing power.

 
 Spoiler: Actions: 


17 to hit for 10 damage (1 radiant)
24 to hit for 11 damage (4 radiant)
Spend one charge to heal 4 hp through the scimitar

Bonus action: Rumble helps Ttharg
 
TriciaOso
At your invitation, your brother rips off a clean salute and draws his bow. The ghostly kobold looks very much like to Fork -- but not entirely, because time has left thumbprints on F'rrrk and Ssspurnnn is untouched since his youth.

He fires off two arrows; one deflects off the bogeyman's thick skull, but the other penetrates into a joint.

 Round 2 of  4  3 

Under Servius's control, the gale swings behind the White Cliff and bells out the sails, launching the ship forward with a brief spurt of haste.

Siduri struggles back to conscious and hurls herself at the Anhkolox, burning through her remaining  ki  points and trying desperately to leave a mark on the beast. Her first two blows glance off its skeletal armor, but then she centers herself and lands a brutal punch that cracks bone, and follows up it with a second strike. She closes her eyes and reads the aura of the undead beast in a flash as she does.

  "He doesn't like the radiant!"   she shouts.   "I don't think it's really undead -- it's some kind of fear-beast from the Shadowfell, taking this form!"  
 
 Spoiler: Storm Action: 3 
 Gale.  The storm creates a 60-foot-long, 10-foot-wide line of strong wind (or strong current within water) originating from a point anywhere in its lair. Each creature in that line must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet in the direction the wind is blowing. The gust disperses gas or vapor, and it extinguishes candles, torches, and similar unprotected flames in its area. Crew members who roll a natural 1 on the Str Saving Throw go overboard.
 


The brutal gale continues to blow, and Servius continues to redirect into the straining, copper-reinforced sails, gritting his fangs to hold concentration on the spell giving him mastery of the wind. The ship lurches forward once more, and now you can see the edge of this dangerous knot of elemental and necrotic magic at the heart of the storm. In just a few seconds you should be out -- not completely out of the storm, not yet, but out of this brutal series of encounters.

 Round 2 of  2  

But the Anhkolox is still here. And so is Fork, and this beast of fear and death was born to target him, as the drowned pirates were sent to haunt Ttharg. Just as it did with Siduri, it seizes him in its claws and shoves him into the cage of its ribs. Eyeing the approaching edge of its territory, it prepares to leap back into the swirling clouds.

  
  
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS: Spoon takes two longbow attacks; one misses, but the other hits for 8 radiant damage.

Servius redirects the gale to remove one round from the countdown.

Siduri takes four attacks; two miss and two hit. One is a crit. She does 17 damage. The Anhkolox makes two saves against Stunning Strike. She uses her reaction to Extract Aspects. The Anhkolox is vulnerable to radiant damage.

Storm Action is #3, the Gale, again. Servius makes a DC 18 Concentration check to retain control and redirects the Gale to push the ship once again. This is the last round.

The Anhkolox makes two Claw attacks and an Entrapping Rend attack; Fork takes 43 damage and is trapped in the rib cage. It backs away, opening itself to opportunity attacks from Ttharg, Nibum, Triceratool and Rumble, but preparing to retreat and take Fork with it.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 10 dmg
Ttharg - 7 dmg
Servius - 0 dmg
Fork - 56 dmg

Siduri - 32 damage

Triceratool - 0 dmg
Rumble - 4 dmg

Anhkolox - 59 damage

Crew: All crew are half health
Cocytus - 14 dmg
Cauda - 7 dmg
Tegu - 35 dmg
Hull - 39 dmg / 39 temp repairs
Sails - 0 dmg
White Cliff - 0 dmg

INITIATIVE:
 20 - Siduri
20 - Storm Action 
19 - Nibum
16 - Ttharg
10 - Fork
6 - Servius
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

The monster snatches up Fork and begins to move away. Ttharg desperately swings at the fleeing creature with his bare fist. He's not trained in martial arts like Siduri is, but he's been in a few bar fights before. He realises how efficient he would be if he could have his shield and his weapon out at the same time, and he hopes that Bahamut will bless him with such a power in the days to come.

Both Ttharg and his Spiritual Weapon advance up to the fleeing monster, with Bahamut's flail taking a swing at it before Ttharg arrives. He reaches out to save Fork, as he does so he calls out to the spectre, who seems attached to Fork:   "Help me save him!"  
 
 Spoiler 
Reaction to AOO on the fleeing Anhkolox. 20 to hit, for 4 Damage.
Bonus Action direct Spiritual Weapon to attack the Anhkolox:  (1d20+7)[ 23 ]  for  (1d8+3)[ 7 ]  Force Damage.
Move up to the Anhkolox.
Main Action to attempt to rescue Fork, DC 18 Athletics check, with Help from Spoon.
Athletics:  (1d20+6)[ 16 ]  or  (1d20+6)[ 9 ] .
Once again, if Ttharg successfully grabs him, he'll deposit Fork behind him to keep himself between Fork and the Anhkolox.
 
TriciaOso
In response to Ttharg's pleas, the ghostly kobold lets out an ululating hunting call that sends a shiver up the spine of everyone in hearing, then fires two shots, which burn into the bones of the Anhkolox.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
Spoon uses Draconic Cry to grant everyone advantage on attacks, which in this case will include grapple checks. Fires two shots and hits for 10 radiant damage, doubled because of vulnerability.
 
J-H
      
   <span style="font-family: Century

Gothic">  Servius Calventius Pamphilius  
  
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17 HP: 44/44 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Warding Wind  
 
  

Servius fires a volley of purple bolts at the creature.
 
 Spoiler 

Concentration if needed  (1d20+4)[ 16 ] 
Magic Missile  (1d4+1)[ 2 ]  x 4
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum struggles to pull the hatchling free but doesn't give up. He's an old man but this desperate times he gains the strength of a giant and with a humangus effort and a good shot from triceratool nibum grabs the hatching YOULL NOT TAKE THIS ONE!  as he pulls free placing fork behind him
TriciaOso
As the elderly kobold drags the young one out, Siduri springs forward and makes two strikes directly against the Anhkolox's spine. The edge of the storm's heart is so close.

From the other ominous clouds of the storm's heart, you can see undead silhouettes writhe and stretch out grasping, futile hands after the escaping ship. The Anhkolox's bones begin to rot and crumble...

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
Two hits from Siduri for 15 more damage. Anhkolox has taken 130 damage.
 
Dirty
Rolling out of the carcass Fork looked as if he'd been ripped to shreds. He vomited some blood as he worked himself up but the grip around his scimitar intensified. He lurched out to the monster once again. Almost with equal intensity to his earlier series of attacks, although the swings now had more of a desperate feel to them and were less calculated.

 
 Spoiler: Actions 


1st attack: 11 and 12 so 12 to hit for: 11 damage (4 of which radiant)
2nd attack 21 and 9 so 21 to hit for: 8 damage (1 of which radiant)

Bonus Action:
Rumble attacks the thing:
16 to hit for: 9 damage (6 of which cold damage)
 
TriciaOso
The Anhkolox is almost shattered, almost destroyed, and as you cross the boundary of the heart of the storm, it begins to disintegrate... but it draws back its claws for one last swipe before it goes, almost certain to take one or more of you with it.

From the depths of the storm, you see the gigantic figure of the Tempest Spirit striding towards you, lightning in his fists and fury in his eyes. He is accompanied by an army; the elementals are still bound by Ttharg's command of the sea, but the undead are riding with him. A host of dragonborn bodaks and kobold wights, distorted horrible faces that Nibum can recognize. The drowned pirates of the Blind Sun.

Flying beside the Tempest Spirit are two powerful figures. The skeletal figure of a Yuan Ti lamia, wrapped in a ragged cloak and carrying a staff. Gems of red and black flash from its eyes and power is wrapped around it. It flies on his left hand.

   
The other is an ancient black dragon, but terribly changed. When a living creature is touched by dreadful horror, brushed by the wing of Orcus, its soul can be destroyed forever, leaving a bodak. A bodak is creature of withered flesh, gaping jaw, empty eyes. A draconic bodak is particularly awful. The bodak of Negniter, his failed phylactery set in his forehead like a third eye, flies on his right hand.

   
As they leave the heart of the storm, the lesser undead are destroyed by the crossing. But the three leaders emerge. The Tempest Spirit. Negniter's Bodak. And a flameharrow Servius somehow knows immediately is named Dominus Veritas Veneficus.
TriciaOso
Nibum, Negniter's voice whispers in your mind, faint. Barely a memory.

It says,  "Nibum... you must release me. You have carried our spirits for long enough. Forgive yourself and move on.  Release me. " 
 Your loyalty has made of you a galaxy. 

As you hesitate, it rises to a familiar roar of command.

 "YOU ARE OUT OF TIME!  RELEASE ME! " 

And Nibum whispers,  "Yes." 
TriciaOso
The ruined phylactery shatters. Negniter turns on the Tempest Spirit, at the same time destroying the Anhkolox with an almost casual swipe of his tail.

As the two titans battle off the stern of the ship, Servius, Dominus Veritas Veneficus turns the glittering gaze of his gem eyes on you. One of those eyes... winks. Then he raises his staff, and vanishes.

 
 Spoiler: Arcana 16+ 
Conjuration magic. He's teleported away from the battlefield. Another enemy loose in the world.
 


Negniter tears into the Tempest Spirit with fangs and claws, and almost destroys it right there... but he doesn't, and the Tempest simply raises a hand and dismisses the undead spirit it itself conjured. For a moment, Nibum glows like a sun, as a stream of stars arise from his body and stream into the black sky. Negniter's form fades away from the world, as does Spoon's. The young kobold gives his brother a last salute.

The Tempest Spirit sails over the top of the ship and stands before you. Almost destroyed by the ancient black dragon. Almost. But not quite.

Around you the storm twists and screams, following in his wake. This is the end of the line.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
As you attempt to flee the battle, the Tempest Spirit follows, with all of the undead encounters. The smaller undead do not survive leaving the heart of the storm, but the Tempest Spirit continues with a draconic bodak and a flameharrow/Eye of Fear and Flame.

Negniter, Nibum's old master, calls out to the ancient kobold to release him. Nibum does, and the bodak recovers its memories long enough to savage the Tempest Hulk, doing 121 damage, critting twice. It also destroys the Anhkolox with a legendary action.

The Tempest Spirit uses its action to dismiss the bodak, which vanishes. The flameharrow uses this moment to teleport away, escaping into the world. The Tempest Spirit moves to the bow of the ship in one last attempt to try and destroy you.
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17 HP: 44/44 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 18 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Warding Wind  
 
  
Servius conjures a ball of flame, sending it shooting forwards to detonate inside the tempest spirit.

 
 Spoiler 

Fireball!
 (8d6)[ 26 ]  fire damage, Dex DC 15 half
save  (1d20)[ 14 ] 
 
Dirty
Fork is momentarily awestruck by the spectacle in front of him, but the hunters mark tugged at his senses. He aimed his crossbow to fire, but suddenly spotted Spoons goodbye. Forks stance fell slightly as he completely lost focus. He didn't even register squeezing the trigger and the bolt going wild, over Rumbles head a bit too close to comfort.

"Goodbye." Fork whispered sadly.

Rumble, who had looked back annoyed at almost getting shot by Fork, now roared as he tore into the spirit. The sound of this jolted Fork back into the situation at hand and he fired once more.

"FOR SPOON!" He shouted as the bolt struck true, hoping his brother could hear.

 
 Spoiler: Actions: 


Critical miss for the first attack, 26 for the second for 15 damage total
Rumble is a 22 to hit for: 5 damage

(not bothering with the cold damage)
 
TriciaOso
The arrow goes home in the eye of the Tempest Spirit, and then the fireball detonates from deep inside his chest. He disintegrates in a spray of ice and wind.

With his death, the fight goes out of the storm. The waves still churn and the rain still pelts down. But the palpable malice, and the dangers, have passed.

Captain Magyar speaks over the earpieces.

 "We made it. We did it. Reduce the crew to normal levels, based on severity of injury. Medics, help sort out the worst-injured and don't forget yourselves. Mr. F'rrkkk, Mr. Nibum, Mr. Krixkrux, Mr. Pamphilius -- well done. Now get below. Siduri, you too." 
 
 Spoiler: Insight 10+ 
It's unusual for the Captain to use Professor Atropae's first name. Something odd about the way she said her name, too.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 15+ 
Does the Captain sleep in her cabin anymore, since solar egg was put in there?

 
 Spoiler: Insight 20+ 
Actually, does anyone know  anything  about the Captain's personal life back in Lssthp?
 

 

 


"Captain, you've been at the wheel for hours--" says Cocytus.

 "And you and our Navigator were nearly killed by a hailstorm, First Mate Achelous, so at the wheel I will remain for a little longer. Get below, Tegu and I have the helm. Mr. Kabett, sound off if you're still alive out there." 

The White Cliff raises its head above water, lifting Kabett with it. With an exhausted shudder, the Tortle stops concentrating on Alter Self and climbs back on deck, spell slots spent on healing.

 
 Spoiler: Nibum 
Nibum, a young silver kobold seaman approaches you, carrying the shattered remains of Pteradactool and MiniCliff.  "Here you are, sir. They were a great help until the ice got 'em. Um. Sir, if you--later on, I had an idea, to protect them..."  he says cautiously.  "We can talk about it later. You should rest, we've got the ship." 
 

 
 Spoiler: Fork 
It's Able Seaman Snapscale, the gold band still gleaming on his tail, bruises on his face and chest, who comes to the dazed and bloodied Fork.  "Time for a rest, sir. Come along of me. Never seen a man fight like that,"  he rumbles.
 

 
 Spoiler: Ttharg 
Ttharg, the katabatic storm melts into a gentle rain. This ship has endured the tempest. It is not the Blind Sun. You have held this ship in the palm of your hand, by the power of Bahamut, and now you can pass it over to him. You exhale and release your Control Water spell.

Tegu remains on deck, but you know where she keeps the goblin liquor. Right now hot steam coming out of your ears sounds glorious.
 

 
 Spoiler: Servius 
Servius, your thoughts are still haunted by the undead yuan-ti creature you saw flying beside the Tempest Spirit. It's something that bears researching, perhaps using your Crystalline Chronicle.

 
 Spoiler: Investigation 5+ 
There was something awfully familiar about it; about the bones of its face. But didn't Siduri say something about fear spirits? Maybe it just put on your face... your bones... to scare you.

 
 Spoiler: Investigation 10+ 
You are able to identify it as a Flameharrow, or an Eye of Fear and Flame. It's yet another way a wizard can escape death, like becoming a lich or vampire. The fear of death and the desire to escape it seems to obsess wizards of a certain age.

 
 Spoiler: Investigation 15+ 
It's not possible that the Flameharrow is you, your future self. That's not possible. A Tempest Spirit may be able to call the dead and spirits of the Shadowfell, but not from the  future . Right?

Your calculations show the flameharrow could not have teleported anywhere but Malatra.

 
 Spoiler: Investigation 20+ 
Scouring the crystal for spirits of fear, you find a description of a Fetch.  This spirit takes on the terrifying visage of its target's future self, reflecting the terror of an ill-fate. Once a fetch chooses a form, it will hold it until the target is dead or it is destroyed. It will hunt its target relentlessly.

A Fetch is particularly dangerous to the conjurer, as its strength is determined by the fear of the target -- it is impossible to know how powerful of an entity is being called up until it chooses a form. 

How much do you fear death? Will you find out when you reach Malatra?
 

 

 

 

 

 
 Spoiler: Rewards for Victory 

Siduri reaches level 7.

Servius receives  Flameharrow's Wink .

Ttharg receives  Lissy's Kiss .

Fork receives  Spoon's Salute .

Nibum receives  Negniter's Blessing .

These are each intangible boons. Your lowest ability score (choose if there is more than one) improves by +2. Determine what was learned or resolved by this encounter that caused you to overcome a weakness.
 
Dirty
Fork followed Able Seaman Snapscale without question. He wasn't even sure of what direction his own tail was pointing right now. He followed down below and sat himself on a barrel, grabbing the bottle of snakevenomXXX, a particularly nasty whiskey Snapscale had handed to him.

Moments later Fork had drifted off. The adrenaline had worn off and he had slipped into a hazy dream. Spoon was there, and they were hunting. It was a chaotic dream, dark and disturbing, but there was some form of comfort there too. Fork was processing that last goodbye. Having never really dealt with the loss, he came out of it more mature. Stronger. He knew how to carry himself better now.

In the following weeks Fork and Rumble continued their care for the mount of the White Cliff. This also meant a close connection with Kabbett and Fork found he had a lot to learn from the peculiar Tortle.
He made sure to spend time with the Marines too. Training together seemed to improve morale somewhat too so there was a lot of overlap there. Fork basically made sure that they got the attention they deserved, both for enforcing discipline and to make sure they blew off steam sometimes.

 
 Spoiler: Administrative information: 


Dumpstat (strength) +2
Wisdom (From Cauda) +1

Downtime:
Improve ship Mount 1x
Improve officer Kabbett 1x
Improve Crew 1x
Maintain morale: 1x
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg delivered many thanks and prayers upon Bahamut for saving their ship and their lives. A storm had changed his live forever, but now he was able to face such storms with a measure of confidence and power. Still, seeing Lissy and his old crew mates (a fact that Ttharg didn't share with his living crew) continued to open old wounds, and Ttharg's evening was spent at the bottom of a bottle.

Lissy was equal parts dexterity and charisma (almost certainly a Swashbuckler Rogue), and her kiss had reminded him of her words about shining bright in a sea of stars. He nodded to himself at her words, and vowed to do his best to be more charismatic like her.

During the remaining part of the voyage, Ttharg continued to try to act as counsel for Cocytus, hoping that Lissy's confidence would assist in some small way. He also began to train the Medics, seeing how they had struggled during the storm: he had them running simulated casualty drills and triage (especially focusing on themselves first before others). Finally, as the White Cliff was on it's final week towards Malatra, Ttharg and his newfound charisma decided to engage the Medic crew in a handful of jovial sea shanties.

 
 Spoiler 
Ttharg's Dexterity and Charisma are both 10, so boosting Charisma with Lissy's Kiss.
2 weeks of Downtime to Train Medics.
1 week of Downtime to continue the personal project of helping Cocytus be at peace with his lot in life.
1 week of Downtime to Maintain Morale by singing shanties.
 
J-H
 Servius 

Later...

 "That undead that got away... it wasn't a permanent part of the storm.  It's a Flameharrow, kind of a violently-created version of a lich.  I don't know how they are made, but they are smart and dangerous, and usually have their own agenda."     He spends some time looking up data in the Crystal Chronicle, but isn't super successful (Inv: 10).

Tying himself to the ship, and instructing his gunners to do the same, had kept them all from being swept overboard.  He thought of his subordinates, he commanded them, and they obeyed and benefited.  Servius feels like he's becoming a better leader, or at least a bit more considerate.   (Cha 10-&gt;12) 

Servius splits his time researching, and talking with Kabett about the storm and the natural flows of energy, versus the way they are documented in arcane literature.
The most obvious use case beyond their own spells is the White Cliff's breath weapon, which the Captain gives them permission to trigger and study a few times.  They document it extensively, and begin to work out ways to smooth the flow of its energy, and perhaps even add some supplements for some extra thaumaturgical punch.  It's an ongoing project (4/5 weeks: Advance breath weapon!)
zylodrizzt
Very little could shake nibum. He'd seen just about everything and frankly... he was ready to die. This shook him greatly all the diffrent meanings seeing his brother meant. If it were real... if what that negniter said was true... then it was nibums fault. His loyalty kept his brother from an afterlife trapped him here. He was asked to betray his house by letting them go and he did so....  my loyalty makes galaxies  How so? What's that even mean? And yet he'd seen... something with his weary eyes. This is just the few thoughts raced to his mind reacting to what he just witnessed. Nibum always had some pain constantly so the physical never really bothered him wether sore muscles or random injuries from working on things but this seared him straight thru. The true weariness of 90 years seemed to hit him all at once. He didn't register what the captain had said. He showed no interest in the carpenter that approached him with an idea. He merely went to his quarters dazed full of feelings he'd never wanted to deal with. In the next weeks before they made land nibum was a bit more thoughtful with what he'd say to crew he didn't interact much with anyone tho. Once the work was done he would go back to his quarters.

The crewmen that brought nibum the pieces of his assistant came back and brought it up again after a while.  Thank you for the idea... uh...  he said realizing he never bothered to learn names.  Crewmen... you have potenial. Would you like to help me with some projects?  and with that nibum set about improvements to triceratool and his assistants. He didn't just have the one carpenter help either he had all of them help as he gave guidance. He worked on the tender making it more mobile on land, giving it weapons and making sure it could stay fueled with an alternate fuel source. He went to kabett to see what the tortle could make of the short rest potions. No matter what he did tho his heart was still in pieces. He wanted to throw himself off the ship. He tried to hide it but it likely shone thru with his change in habit and demeanor.

He didn't go ashore often and knew their destination so he decided to go to the yuanti medic that came aboard to talk about his homeland  If youd be so kind just start telling me about where you are from  he asked not only trying to take his mind off things but also preparing himself. He stops the yaunti any time something unusual happens.

He spars with cocytus when he or him feel antsy but not like before. He talks about his own conflicts from what's transpired and also decides to broach the subject of him and cauda  So you and cauda seem close...  he leads. Beyond he also specifically mentions about the captain not sleeping in her quarters  Is there somerhing wrong with her quarters? My men and i can fix anything. 

In an attempt to keep his mind on what it's been on nibum approaches tegu. They weren't really on social terms and nibum thought to change that  Tegu... how do i start... i know perhaps i may cost the ship alot considering my demands for the best and id like to come and apologize for that. Also to ask if maybe perhaps you had some (insert this worlds fantasy weed here) that we could share. Im not a drinker you see. 

Realizing a bit about holding onto things like grudges and such nibum speaks to siduri  I think maybe ive held onto a grudge with no purpose. I cant say im happy with how things have turned out where i once lived and all but i can say that i can see its no fault of your own and everyone... even me though i dont like to admit it make mistakes. So in order to make up for it is there something i could perhaps work on for you? 

He's not sure what to say to the captain her word is law after all but he does go to her to see why she doesn't sleep in her quarters  Captain... you gotta rest. I dont think youve been to your quarters at all. Is there a leak or something? Too hot. Whatever it is we can fix it. Im old and i know for a fact if you dont rest then you will rest and it wont be at a time of your choosing. 
 
 Spoiler: thoughts 
sorry its alot. Thought id wrap up a few things idk
 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 The crewmen that brought nibum the pieces of his assistant came back and brought it up again after a while.  Thank you for the idea... uh...  he said realizing he never bothered to learn names.  Crewmen... you have potenial. Would you like to help me with some projects?  and with that nibum set about improvements to triceratool and his assistants. He didn't just have the one carpenter help either he had all of them help as he gave guidance. 
 

With assistance from Able Seaman Viclean you are able to rebuild Pteradactool and Mini-Cliff with the ability to dock with Triceratool in times of danger. While you are installing the upgrades in Triceratool, you also take the opportunity to incorporate the over-size orc greatsword. Instead of making it another horn you beat it out on the anvil and make an upgraded shield for his head so he can bowl over enemies.

   

 He worked on the tender making it more mobile on land, giving it weapons and making sure it could stay fueled with an alternate fuel source. 

The first thing the tender needs is what Servius described as a spell-funnel, to channel magical potential into the battery. Drawing on your knowledge of spell-storing rings and the like you are able to build this without much difficulty. The tender is designed to skim along the water, venting magic from the battery into the astral sails. Getting it to go on land means angling the flow of magic upward to add lift. You lose a little speed this way and the journey will be bumpy, but you are satisfied.

Arming the tender isn't difficult; it is already equipped with tentacle arms that can manipulate tools it carries, much larger versions of your own toolkit. Modify them into weapons is an old, old trick for you. Ranged options are harder. Tegu hauls an ancient ballista out of the cargo hold--the White Cliff never uses it because it requires three men to fire and magic is easier, but the tender has three tentacles. It just needs some elbow grease. You also cast some iron rods into javelins and build in one of the efficient quivers.

   

 He went to kabett to see what the tortle could make of the short rest potions. 

Kabett is reluctant to commit; orcish short-rest potions are one of their top-selling products, highly sought after on the black market or where ever the illithid trade. If it was easy to duplicate them, it would have been done long ago. However, he agrees to spend the rest of the voyage experimenting. He takes your dwindling supply of potions to experiment with.


 He didn't go ashore often and knew their destination so he decided to go to the yuanti medic that came aboard to talk about his homeland  If youd be so kind just start telling me about where you are from  

Seaman Orophias is helpful, but there's so much information to retain. Conferring with Servius, it's agreed there should be a senior officer's meeting to share this information, which seems to make the Yuan-Ti nervous, but he agrees.


  So you and cauda seem close...  he leads. 

"Me and the Navigator?" Cocytus frowns. "Not especially. I think she hates me. No doubt deserved, for the attitude I had when I came aboard." He seems more relaxed lately, and a little rueful.


 Beyond he also specifically mentions about the captain not sleeping in her quarters  Is there somerhing wrong with her quarters? My men and i can fix anything.  

"I hadn't noticed that, but I think you're right... strange."


 In an attempt to keep his mind on what it's been on nibum approaches tegu. They weren't really on social terms and nibum thought to change that  Tegu... how do i start... i know perhaps i may cost the ship alot considering my demands for the best and id like to come and apologize for that. Also to ask if maybe perhaps you had some (insert this worlds fantasy weed here) that we could share. Im not a drinker you see.  

Tegu apologizes, but she is a drinker herself.  "Just hold on a little longer... the best stuff comes from Malatra anyway,"  she says. She's right; both nicotine and cannabis are grown in the sunlit world, and trade with elves and humans is lot easier from the Sunhome Isles where you're headed.


 Realizing a bit about holding onto things like grudges and such nibum speaks to siduri  I think maybe ive held onto a grudge with no purpose. I cant say im happy with how things have turned out where i once lived and all but i can say that i can see its no fault of your own and everyone... even me though i dont like to admit it make mistakes. So in order to make up for it is there something i could perhaps work on for you?  

The medusa is gentle.   "I don't know that I noticed any such thing, Mr. Nibum. I'm not used to sailors or life on the sea and I wouldn't know the difference between a grudge and an ordinary gruff old salt, I'm sure. My wife is a taciturn old thing herself, sometimes. But thank you."

"You're referring the old Negniter estate, aren't you? It recently passed to the University after everything that happened with Tenebrous. I understand it had stood empty for a long time."

"You are doing the University and all of Lssthp a great service on this journey. Would it please you if that land could be set aside by the University, to train artificers perhaps? I have some sway with the Board, and you deserve a reward. I think we saw quite clearly what trouble we would be in, if I were undertaking this quest alone."  

 He's not sure what to say to the captain her word is law after all but he does go to her to see why she doesn't sleep in her quarters  Captain... you gotta rest. I dont think youve been to your quarters at all. Is there a leak or something? Too hot. Whatever it is we can fix it. Im old and i know for a fact if you dont rest then you will rest and it wont be at a time of your choosing.  

 "Mr. Nibum,"  the Captain says, then pauses.  "There is nothing wrong with my cabin, per se. It is quite warm with the egg there, and I find it gives me strange dreams, of strange stars. I admit I have found other places to rest, but it wasn't my intention to draw attention to it." 

Another long pause.  "Professor Atropae is my wife,"  she says finally.  "It's not something I have shared with the crew because I don't want to--I value professionalism, and clear boundaries. This is a job we have undertaken for the University and the Emperor. Siduri is the best expert we have on the matters at hand. She brought the matter to me and I have, I hope, undertaken it professionally. There should not be even the slightest whiff of preferential treatment."

"But since the egg has joined us, I admit I have not been sleeping in my own cabin. I am so often at sea."  She says the last sentence very quietly.


 If it were real... if what that negniter said was true... then it was nibums fault. His loyalty kept his brother from an afterlife trapped him here. He was asked to betray his house by letting them go and he did so....  my loyalty makes galaxies  How so? What's that even mean? And yet he'd seen... something with his weary eyes. 

Over this month, Cauda approaches you as well one evening. She is--as she often is--smoking something, and is very willing to share it.  "Your aura appears much lighter, Mr. Nibum,"  the navigator says, in her dreamy way.  "And yet you carry yourself like a weary man."

"I saw Negniter, too. He was lost... a bodak. They say those touched by Orcus lose everything that makes them weak, individual, and become his perfect instruments; a cruel sort of reward. A triumph of Order, of a sort. But I don't know that a soul can ever be truly lost." 

She gestures at the stars, which religion tells you are the souls of dragons.  "You preserved his star when Orcus tried to destroy it. And so many other, lesser lights. A galaxy, I think I said once. You carried them when no one else cared, and you brought them to the edge of life and death, and you released them."

"Do you know what that kind of storm is called? They call it a katabatic storm, when the wind blows out of Blackreach like that. Because a katabasis is a descent into the Underworld. Only the great heroes do that. Many great heroes descend into the Underworld and try to bring souls back, but that never works. But you--you brought lost, damaged souls with you, and returned clean. The dragon Negniter fought one last great battle as himself, and then went where he belongs." 

She points to a fixed star that burns with a dark purplish light. You have never seen it before.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  Servius 

Later...

 "That undead that got away... it wasn't a permanent part of the storm.  It's a Flameharrow, kind of a violently-created version of a lich.  I don't know how they are made, but they are smart and dangerous, and usually have their own agenda."     He spends some time looking up data in the Crystal Chronicle, but isn't super successful (Inv: 10). 
 

You try to calculate how far the flameharrow could have teleported. It takes a few weeks, but you conclude that unless it stranded itself in the endless ocean, it must have made it to Malatra. Cagway is just too far way.

One thing that continues to haunt you is the idea that the Flameharrow is you, your future, undead self. But that's not possible. A Tempest Spirit may be able to call the dead and spirits of the Shadowfell, but not from the future. Right?

Scouring the crystal for spirits of fear, you finally find a description of a Fetch.  This spirit takes on the terrifying visage of its target's future self, reflecting the fear of an ill-fate. Once a fetch chooses a form, it will hold it until the target is dead or it is destroyed. It will hunt its target relentlessly.

A Fetch is particularly dangerous to the conjurer, as its strength is determined by the fear of the target -- it is impossible to know how powerful of an entity is being called up until it chooses a form. 

How much do you fear death? Perhaps you will find out when you reach Malatra. Unfortunately there is very little time left to prepare.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by Dirty 
 Fork followed Able Seaman Snapscale without question. He wasn't even sure of what direction his own tail was pointing right now. He followed down below and sat himself on a barrel, grabbing the bottle of snakevenomXXX, a particularly nasty whiskey Snapscale had handed to him.

Moments later Fork had drifted off. The adrenaline had worn off and he had slipped into a hazy dream. Spoon was there, and they were hunting. It was a chaotic dream, dark and disturbing, but there was some form of comfort there too. Fork was processing that last goodbye. Having never really dealt with the loss, he came out of it more mature. Stronger. He knew how to carry himself better now.

In the following weeks Fork and Rumble continued their care for the mount of the White Cliff. This also meant a close connection with Kabbett and Fork found he had a lot to learn from the peculiar Tortle.
He made sure to spend time with the Marines too. Training together seemed to improve morale somewhat too so there was a lot of overlap there. Fork basically made sure that they got the attention they deserved, both for enforcing discipline and to make sure they blew off steam sometimes. 
 

The respect of your men is rock-solid, now that they've seen you in action.

As you draw close to Malatra and the Sunhome Islands, your dreams change. The solar egg dreams constantly of the sun, and as you draw closer to Daesic's, its draconic will grows stronger. You receive blurred second-hand memories of the egg's former Guardians, the ssurans, the four-armed reptilians who wielded these weapons on behalf of the egg's parents to guard the star where it incubated. Dragon eggs call reptilians to preserve and nurture them. It is built into your bones by your creators.

You all claimed the egg out of instinct, mostly, but now as you grow closer to Sunhome, you really must consider how to hatch it...
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
 During the remaining part of the voyage, Ttharg continued to try to act as counsel for Cocytus, hoping that Lissy's confidence would assist in some small way. He also began to train the Medics, seeing how they had struggled during the storm: he had them running simulated casualty drills and triage (especially focusing on themselves first before others). Finally, as the White Cliff was on it's final week towards Malatra, Ttharg and his newfound charisma decided to engage the Medic crew in a handful of jovial sea shanties. 
 

Cocytus's demeanor continues to soften, although he remains a stiff and somewhat bigoted old cuss. Still, he no longer calls you an agent of irresponsibility and chaos, so that's something. He challenges you on points of doctrine about the Bahamite faith that you, frankly, are unprepared for. Siduri is willing to help you study up and come back with your replies, though.

As a result, you gain a rough beginning of the formal education in your faith that you never had. Bahamut was a prophet who taught a message of freedom, personal responsibility and compassion over strict rules; he moved among draconic society pre-Cataclysm and convinced a sizeable minority to join him in the earliest colonies in the Hic Sunt. He fought and restrained Tiamat in the Pit at the center of the Fire Plane. You knew these facts vaguely, the same as any reptilian on the street, but now your knowledge firms up and becomes bolstered by quotations from the Codex Platina and other scriptures.


  A long time ago, the Umber people crossed a large river in a boat and it happened that their father fell into the water. His sons rolled up their sleeves, seized his head, and turned him upside down, forcing the water out of his mouth, thus bringing their father back to life. Now, to seize one's father's head and turn him upside down is certainly not very filial. Yet they could have done nothing better to save their father's life.  If they had folded their hands and practiced the norm of filial sons, their father's life would have been lost in the waters.   

In other words, rejecting formal structures of loyalty and filiality is in fact  more  loyal and filial, because you are teaching liberation through your disobedience to the people who demand your obedience. To obey them would be to reinforce their illusion that it is possible to control the world through controlling others, instead of through controlling yourself, as Bahamut teaches.

Cocytus does not buy this, but they are good conversations.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Advantage on Religion Checks going forward.
 
Dirty
 
 Originally Posted by TriciaOso 
 The respect of your men is rock-solid, now that they've seen you in action.

As you draw close to Malatra and the Sunhome Islands, your dreams change. The solar egg dreams constantly of the sun, and as you draw closer to Daesic's, its draconic will grows stronger. You receive blurred second-hand memories of the egg's former Guardians, the ssurans, the four-armed reptilians who wielded these weapons on behalf of the egg's parents to guard the star where it incubated. Dragon eggs call reptilians to preserve and nurture them. It is built into your bones by your creators.

You all claimed the egg out of instinct, mostly, but now as you grow closer to Sunhome, you really must consider how to hatch it... 
 

While working with them, Fork will grill Kabbett about the intricacies of hatching a Solar Dragon egg. He will ask Cauda about it too, seen as she is quite knowledgeable about the solar system, perhaps she's got ideas or useful stories.

Mostly he will carefully gauge the Captains ideas on how to handle the egg, and if she's standoffish about it to him, he will be as curious and insistent about it as his position allows, to the point where he's skirting the borders of insolence by asking about it if need be.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by Dirty 
 Mostly he will carefully gauge the Captains ideas on how to handle the egg, and if she's standoffish about it to him, he will be as curious and insistent about it as his position allows, to the point where he's skirting the borders of insolence by asking about it if need be. 
 

The Captain is quite eager to talk about it, actually; she's been having the same dreams.

 "I do see the claw of fate in this... we are heading for the Sunhome Isles, one of the few places where we could access the sun of this world. But in truth, it's not something I know much about. I know that it is controlled now by the supreme god of the humans, and that is something we will have to negotiate eventually. There is nowhere else in this world for this egg, that much is for certain."

"I'm not sure what else we can do but keeping moving forward. We are being drawn into the affairs of gods already... what's one more?"  she says wryly.
Dirty
Satisfied with the Captains intentions Fork looks ahead one evening from the crows nest and does something he normally wouldn't do.

He shoots a prayer up to the stars.

"Wind and sea, earth and fire hear me. Mighty spirits of old. I am root of your root, soil of your soil. Bone of your bone and blood of your blood. Be with me in this moment and guide me along my path with a cool head and a clear mind."

Forks belief was very much tied up in his purpose. Servitude to the Dragonborn he was spawned from. Those dragonborn, in turn, had their own belief structure and of course the kobold clan had adopted much of it, however perhaps because their devotion was so direct, clearly defined and tangible in time a lot of the actual belief and faith had grown towards animism. A worldview and practice that acknowledges relationships between nature and the animal world that have power over us and must be respected. The clan had adopted religious rituals, sometimes as form of environmental care or respect of their ancestors. It was their own though, and as such very close to Forks heart especially after the encounter with Spoon.
TriciaOso
Of course, you never have to look far for connection to these spirits. Rumble lays his head on your knee as you pray, and your bond, always close, intensifies further.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Your 'favored terrain' travels with you, as long as Rumble is within 30 feet of you.
 
TriciaOso
When you are within a week of Malatra and starting to see the first isolated rocks, the Captain convenes an Officer's Meeting. Seaman Orophias is also invited. The hulking Yuan-Ti looks uncomfortable among you, but shows up.

 "I'm going to start by going over what we know for sure, and what we believe to be the case, as well as what our goals are."  says the Captain.  "It will help get Seaman Orophias up to date, and it will help us organize our minds."

"What we know: Trionyx is a Tortle who came in contact with an ancient and powerful text. It's turned him into a prophet of Tiamat, and since he got it he's been making a straight line in the direction of the Sunhome Islands. He is extremely persuasive -- rhetorically, doctrinally, and magically -- since he got this book. Along the way he commandeered a pirate captain, Vaarth Pthax, and his ship the Broken Wing. Pthax has a reputation as an extremely vicious man, and he has allies among the pirates of the Hic Sunt."

"What we believe, or suspect: Trionyx intends to come to Malatra and the Sunhomes, to try and preach his message that Apophis and Tiamat are one, or at least on the same side. We think he is travelling by way of Cagway, where Pthax can gather his allies. We think if he is turned away diplomatically, he may come with a pirate fleet. We think he doesn't intend to stop in Malatra or with evangelism... he will go onto the Sunhomes and try to interact with Tiamat directly. We believe he has grown quite powerful as he studies this book."

"Finally, what we are hoping to do in Malatra -- Make contact with the Yuan-Ti religious leaders there. They rule the island outright, it's a theocracy, so they're the people to talk to. We want to persuade them not to allow Trionyx to enter Malatra or go any further, and we want to help them turn aside his fleet if necessary. Ideally, we'd like their support in capturing him and recovering the book."

"Any additions or corrections?"  She looks around the table.
TriciaOso
 "Trionyx knows we're after him,"  says Kabett.  "He set the Broad Fin as a trap, and I'll be damned if he didn't send that storm, too. A storm like that doesn't just happen -- it's made." 

Cocytus stirs as if he is about to speak, but then he doesn't. And then he does.

"We know more than that," he says. "There are dragons in the Malaki, both red and black, who knew about Trionyx before he left Lssthp. Powerful dragonborn who serve them as well. One of them is my older brother." His spine is very straight and his tone is flat as he barks out the information, but his talons bunch in fists as he speaks.

"He is indeed headed for Sunhome. There are five secret routes down to the Pit, where Tiamat is bound and he has the passwords and maps for two of them. They are guarded by the Yuan-Ti and he will need military force or collusion to overcome them."

Finally, in a low voice: "I was sent on this mission to sabotage it. I will accept the Captain's justice."
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg growled briefly, but released the tension in his jaw quickly: Cocytus may have joined the crew to sabotage it, but now he was making a decision for himself; and Ttharg couldn't help but feel a tiny bit responsible for such a change.

  "What made ye want to confess now? Have ye had a change of heart?"  
TriciaOso
Cocytus opens his mouth to speak, but Siduri calls out:

  "Wait!"   She looks absolutely furious, the vipers of her hair all bristling on alert. She slithers closer to Cocytus and tells him,   "Don't try to resist this. Don't dare."  

Her fingers dart out, tapping pressure points in the dragonborn's neck and chest. She watches him closely, then nods, easing away.   "He can't lie now."  
 
 Spoiler: History/Nature DC 11+ 
This is a secret technique of the Librarian Monks that makes it impossible to lie.
 


Cocytus exhales slowly. "I don't know what the right thing to do is. My family... the dragons of my race... even the black god are all on one side, urging my obedience in this. Calling on my loyalty." His eyes move over the group, lingering on Nibum and Ttharg most of all.

"But how can the price of loyalty be treason? I am a simple man, and these matters of gods and their nature are beyond me. But I have fought beside you all, beside this crew, and I know I cannot do what they want." He hangs his head.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg can't help but smile.   "It is the greatest gift Bahamut gave us to be able to decide for ourselves what is right and what is wrong. Your masters demand your obedience simply because o' your birth - a fact you had no hand in. We all joined this crew for various reasons, but we have chosen to stay. Our loyalty was earned through the trials and triumphs we faced together. You are an honourable man, and sometimes being truly honourable is disregarding an unjust order and making a stand for yourself."  
zylodrizzt
Nibum knew exactly what his cousin meant.  Cousin if no one else will forgive you know that i do. I know the tear between your feeling. Whos to say what will happen if we are doing the right thing or not. Every scale side does what they think is best and i think you deserve liency. Hopefully we can reverse any troubly your tear has caused with your help. Captain if you are to punish cocytus ill share the same. 
Dirty
Fork stood dumbfounded when Cocytus had his say buy when Siduri moved in to attack him, Fork drew both his handcrossbows and pointed them at her.
He didn't have the heart to shoot her, and he never would given the Captains leniency to her but it wasn't her place to silence Cocytus..

" He can't lie now"  How were they to know Siduri wasn't up to her own shady practices? Fork shot a quick sideway glance to the captain and lowered his weapons but only the slightest. One of them pointed at Cocytus now too.

"You step back from him." Fork said finally to Siduri. He was sure about the fact that whatever was to happen to Cocytus, it would be his Captains call. Not some librarian.


"Don't be so hasty to throw your lot in with him Nibum." Fork said. "Tell us what sabotage you've achieved this journey. "And don't you dare leave anything out."
TriciaOso
"Don't," Cocytus says, raising his hand when Fork goes for his crossbow. "It is well. I cannot lie now."

 
 Spoiler: Fork, Insight 13 
He seems to be a broken man, with no idea how to proceed from here.
 


Siduri withdraws to the side of the Captain.

 
 Spoiler: Fork, Insight 9 
She is hard to read; angry, that's for sure. She is hard to look in the face when she's angry, with her medusae heritage.
 


"I haven't done anything yet. Nothing to the ship, or the mount." This seems to mollify Kabett, somewhat. "I have counseled a slow pace and focusing on other priorities, both among the officers and with the crew, hoping we would be unable to catch up to Trionyx. I tried... Gods help me, I tried to die honorably on the illithid station so I would not face this choice."

 
 Spoiler: Fork, Investigation 12 
You think back over the restlessness and rebelliousness of your Marines and try to decide if any of it can be blamed on Achelous. Maybe their restlessness for action, unwillingness to understand why a swift chase was more important than hunting other malefactors. But the bumptiousness and ego are common to lizardfolk.
 


"Until now there has been nothing I could do to assist or to hinder him, really. But there is one other thing..." He draws from his breast pocket a talisman, woven cords of red, black, white, green and blue. They're common enough tokens of the Five Gods. But his cords are bound together in a heretical knot, burned to melt the threads together; a secret sign of Tiamat worship.

"This is how he has known where we are; divined on us." He spits on it, and the acid in his saliva begins to dissolve it in his hand.

 "So that storm was your fault!"  snarls Tegu.  "I should gut you as you sit there, you worm." 
 "Stop,"  says Captain Magyar.  "Lives were almost lost in that storm, Achelous. If they had been, I would hang you right now." 

The black dragonborn looks pleadingly to Cauda. "I fought to save them with my healing," he says. "You saw me."

 "Yes,"  says the Navigator serenely.  "I was watching. All along, I was watching."  She turns to the Captain.  "He stood at the very brink, but he did not fall, Bendeguz. I watched him." 

The Captain rubs her temples.  "Cocytus Achelous. Will you help us hunt Trionyx? Will you forswear Tiamat? And will you, when we reach the Embassy of Lssthp in Malatra--will you name names?" 

The First Mate swallows. "I don't..." His claw comes up to rub the pressure point Siduri struck. "I don't know if I can promise that."
zylodrizzt
Nibum bites the acid back he takes a breath Fork its not like that. Anyone who tries to change deserves the chance. If one expects loyalty one should give loyalty. I know his conflict... ive shared his conflict. Im trying to change as well... besides... hes part of my family... ive not much family left... besides the crew 

Biting back more acid before speaking to the captain  asking someone to give up thier faith is much diffrent then giving up names or giving help in something. Would you ask your wife to give up the university and library? 
Dirty
Nodding at Nibums words without really understanding them, Fork really just respected the old kobold too much to argue with him.

Himself Fork was very much in agreement with Tegu but knew enough to hold his tongue this moment. He bit his lip and reminded himself it wasn't his place to be passing judgement.
They maybe didn't lose anyone in the storm but they definitely lost some time. What else had they lost or missed?

Looking at the melting talisman Fork asked in a restrained quiet manner. "So Trionyx knows now that we know about you I take it?"
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by Dirty 
 Looking at the melting talisman Fork asked in a restrained quiet manner. "So Trionyx knows now that we know about you I take it?" 
 

"When he next tries to scry on us, he will know something has happened," Coctyus says. "That the talisman is destroyed, one way or another."


 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Biting back more acid before speaking to the captain  asking someone to give up thier faith is much diffrent then giving up names or giving help in something. Would you ask your wife to give up the university and library?  
 

Nibum's question throws the table into even more confusion--many of the officers don't even know that the Captain is married, let alone to Siduri--and the Captain's temper hits its breaking point.  "ENOUGH."  She slams her palm on the table.  "Enough. Achelous, go to your quarters. Mr. Nibum... go with him. I don't think he should be alone right now, and I don't particularly want to see your face right now, either." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg was a little confused by Nibum's comment about the Captain's wife: as far as he knew, the Captain wasn't married. Still, he inwardly shrugged, he hoped that her wife was well back at the university.

He was a little disappointed with how this meeting had ended. He had hoped that Cocytus's willingness to come clean and confess would mark a turning point from which to rebuild their trust; but it seemed like the meeting had ended with more emotion than it had started. A bad omen, to be sure, on the eve of landing at Malatra: a place they'd need to keep their wits about them, especially as their quarry now knew where they were.

The situation with Cocytus would take time to mend, which was an unfortunate truth; however the situation with the Captain's anger had to be remedied quickly. He resolved to try and speak with the Captain privately once the formal meeting was over.
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Nibum 
The Captain's quarters are spartan. Cocytus's quarters are more than that, completely bereft of personality. As first officer, he rates a room of his own, but he has left almost no imprint on it except for a naval soldier's seachest under his hammock and three books on a shelf. It smells strongly of acid (an oddly nostalgic smell that you used to be surrounded by constantly) and the polish for his armor.

"You shouldn't have done that, Nibum," he says, sinking onto the hammock. "You shouldn't have tied your life to mine. You haven't done anything wrong. I don't think they'll execute you, but I don't want you to lose another home because of me." He covers his face with his hands.
 


The Captain closes her eyes briefly.  "All right. We will have to reschedule this meeting. Seaman Orophias, I apologize for what you've seen." 

The young Yuan-Ti looks like, if a man could sicken from awkwardness, he would be dead already. He mumbles something and slinks out of the room. After a brief pause, so does Siduri, leaving only the officers.

The Captain says quietly:  "I will speak with Cocytus Achelous. It seems his crimes, wretched young man that he is, were mostly in his head up to now. If he can give me satisfactory answers about his intentions, I will keep him, at least for now. We don't have time to--we simply don't have any time."

"If anyone has a problem with that, this is your chance to speak."  The Captain has issued that invitation many times; it has never been less... inviting than it is right now, looking at the bleak glacial cliff of her face.

Tegu grumbles, but does not speak; Kabett shakes his head, and Cauda is far away as usual.
zylodrizzt
Nibum sighs  Cocytus i once believed there was only 1 ĺife and one home. I hated that i had to change and change again but if there is one thing ive learned its like this ship it can be rebuilt perhaps even better with some hard work at time. *pulls out a hammer* this is my first hammer... its a bit worn but otherwise good condition. Ive spent time creating many things with this hammer invested alot of time with things i believed worthy of it. Passed on what i can which until recently was just my crafts. Now i try to pass on what i know so others dont struggle as much. Yes i may very well lose my home once again but i belive my time is worth it. Ive not alot left *he chuckles*. Youve been worth my time *he tries to hand cocytus his hammer*. If i can help it youll have time so what will you do with it? I know i can ramble on so i hope ive made my point. Now ive got to get the carpenters down here since i cant go to them.  he ends his long speel. Nibum then gets on the radio for the carpenters.

Once the carpenters arrive nibum stands in the doorway and addresses them by name rather then just crewmen or layabouts or hatchlings.  well you all are probably wondering why i called you here well... ive gotten myself in a bit of trouble. Who knows what is in store for me so ill try to make this quick. I know ive not been the nicest to you all and im sorry. Thought id say that before anything happens to me like id no longer be in command or you. Having said that i think it wise if you all decide who might be next to be in charge. Thats really about it. Oh... uh... im proud of you all.  he ends up mumbling the last sentence.
Dirty
"I have concerns to raise and some might be redundant but I'd like them said either way." Fork replied to the Captain. "We didn't lose any people in the storm, but we did lose time, who knows what more. Perhaps they planned for this admission of guilt in the unlikely case we'd survive the storm and would reach Malatra. To what end I do not know. Maybe just to let us know that he knows where we are and give us a sense of control now that we found the reason he knew our location? A trinket like that could have been hidden anywhere on the ship and who's to say Cocytus dissolved the only one? Furthermore by destroying the trinket he made it impossible to reverse locate through the charm. It annoys me that he took the liberty to do that, we maybe could have used it. Maybe they did it in this moment to mess with our focus."

Fork takes a second to collect his breath only to continue.

"Even if he feels guilt and had a change of heart, we cannot possibly trust him again? I will follow your direction, captain, naturally. But at least let me and the Marines scour the ship on the off chance we find something."
TriciaOso
The Captain nods.  "It's true. However, our interrogation was cut short -- whatever happens, there are longer conversations in his future. Please make the search, Mr. F'rrkkk." 

 


Eventually, there's a knock on the door of Cocytus's cabin. He opens it for the Captain.

She nods to you both, hands tucked behind her.  "Mr. Nibum, on my way to this cabin, I was stopped three times by seamen you have trained, begging me not to relieve you of your position. I know you are not entirely used to people listening to you, but as an officer you really must guard your tongue better in the future. These baseless rumors simply can't be allowed to spread."

"I must ask you to return to your quarters and meditate on the meaning of the word  discretion . I believe you will find it in your dictionary between  dedication  and  duty . After that you may return to your post."

"I need to speak with Mr. Achelous alone." 

 


The conversation lasts for several hours. But the next day, First Mate Achelous is at his post, and the ship sails on towards Malatra.

 
 Spoiler: Flashforward 
Over the next week, Nibum, you notice Cocytus conferring often with your carpenters, and more than once hear a hammer working at the ship's forge when you are otherwise occupied. Just before you land in Malatra, you find a  weapon  waiting in your cabin. It is clearly forged from Dilemma, but the two points are no longer in violent opposition. You also recognize elements of the spell funnel you crafted incorporated into the weapon.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg waits until late evening for the Captain to conclude her private business with Cocytus, and then heads to her cabin. He knocks on her cabin door:   "Beggin' ye pardon, Captain; but I was hopin' to speak with ye. It's Ttharg."   He was sure the Captain would recognise his gruff voice, but it never hurt to properly identify oneself.

Assuming she lets him in, Ttharg will enter.

  "It seems we've evaded one storm, only to find ourselves trapped in another."   He says, struggling to find a way to begin, but making an attempt anyway.

  "I've never been too good with words, as I'm sure ye know, but as ye said yeself, we're all changing so quickly. I was content to be the ship's medic and that's it, and now Bahamut, or whatever forces you choose to believe in, are pushing us to do things an' become things we never thought we would be. "   Ttharg paces the cabin, taking in the Captain's personal effects and memories; some of which Ttharg was no doubt present for and others that were before his time.

  "Everyone deserves a second chance to change who they are; to alter the course o' their destiny if they so choose. I believe Cocytus wants to change, and we can help him do so. But that is just what I believe."   He fingers the amulet around his neck subconsciously.

  "But I did not come here to continue to argue the case for Cocytus. I came here because I wanted to check on me Captain. The sting of betrayal was sharply felt, but for ye there was an added sting."   He raises a claw to stop any response to this.   "I do not need to know why it stung, if ye wish to keep that private. What matters to me is that it caused ye pain. As Captain, ye are forced to behave in a certain way in front o' the crew; but I come to ye now as a friend, not an officer. Ye saved me life, and I want to help ye if ye are in pain. Ye need a way to unwind an' release that pain an' anger before it takes over ye. For me, a stiff drink and a tavern brawl would often do for me."   He chuckles and then grows serious for a second.

  "If ye feel it would be helpful, strike me."   Magyar can see that Ttharg is being serious.   "Ye've had to show a lot of restraint, not only around the crew, but in the application of ye duties. If it would make ye feel better, strike me. I promise ye, I will not take offense, and I will be fine: I've taken many a blow before. Sometimes attacking somethin', or someone, can help relieve a lot of anger an' frustration; and I'd rather ye do that to someone willin' an' able. If that's not somethin' ye want to do, I can listen to ye woes if ye want; or I can leave; whatever would help."  
zylodrizzt
Nibum respects the time put into the alteration as well as skill. Something that ancient isn't so easily changed... but it was once an ancient weapon so nibum has mixed feelings. He decides to go and thank cocytus  I do truly appreciate this cousin but what will you use now?  he says halfway expecting the answer.  I see well i hope you find that works for you and found something enjoyable to do with your time. Speaking of time... captain spent a good deal of time with you after... you know... are you ok?  he says hoping to prompt him into spilling but mainly just worried about the state his cousin finds himself in.

The egg seems to provide heat to the ship which is true bug it came from... well space as close a approximation nibum could come up with. He decides to converse with cauda on this and other matters as well as perhaps smoke a bit more.  well ive come to thank you for your words about my family past if i hadnt done so. Ive not quite the memory i had in my youth. Well... also to see if you had more elfweed.  he pulls out his pipe. After awhile of puffing you pointed out my brothers star and i was wondering how i might always know where he is. I mean they are always moving around right? Ive not paid them much mind before and things seem to keep wanting me to look skyward more and more these days. Perhaps just telling me to look up from my crafts once and a while to enjoy myself *he chuckles*. You know i wonder if there were a way to visit him up there? Of course id have to drop that egg off along the way two bird one stone and all. Speaking of travels im not sure where you are from? Are we heading there now?  this conversation is broken up however you like.

He gathers the carpenters together i appreciate your efforts... seems i was in no real danger tho. Seems we will make our destination soon so remember to conduct yourselves properly  he says remembering what happened at that meeting

He's not sure what to say to the captain as usual so he just starts with an apology.  Captain i apolgise. I momentarily forgot your wishes on the matter when i felt my cousin was in danger. I cant promise that it wont happen again however i can promise i will do my upmost to be more aware of discretion. I hope you werent too hard on my cousin tho. 

He had considered siduri proposal from before and thought he might have a hesitant answer for her.  First id like to say i apologizefor the other day. If the offer is still up tho i do believe i can accept that the negniter estate could be put to use for training purposes tho id prefer if not too much changes about there. How do you feel about coming to the land of snakes? 

Besides that nibum would like to ask the npc spellcasters (PC too) if they will help keep the tender topped up and or sythisis
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
 Ttharg paces the cabin, taking in the Captain's personal effects and memories; some of which Ttharg was no doubt present for and others that were before his time. 
 

Much of the Captain's quarters are taken up by the solar egg and the copper tubing Nibum has installed around it, but even before that it was spartan. A long line of books; pressed and framed blossoms of otherworldly flowers; a stone tablet, a brush and a bowl of water; an box engraved with the seal of the Imperial navy; her bow and rapier.

 
 Spoiler: Investigation 10+ 
Most of the books are military history or tactical in nature, although there are a few that are out of place; a volume of poems from the metallic dragon poet Calamite, who wrote allusively of scandalous love, hundreds of years ago.

 
 Spoiler: History 15+ 
 Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes. 
 

 

 
 Spoiler: Nature / Arcana 10+ 
The flowers are from the Feywild.
 

 
 Spoiler: Religion 5+ 
The stone tablet, brush and bowl of water are elements of worship of Maebe, the green goddess; you paint images on the tablet, creating ephemeral art as a meditation on the goddess in her aspect as muse.
 


 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
   "But I did not come here to continue to argue the case for Cocytus. I came here because I wanted to check on me Captain. The sting of betrayal was sharply felt, but for ye there was an added sting."   He raises a claw to stop any response to this.   "I do not need to know why it stung, if ye wish to keep that private. What matters to me is that it caused ye pain. As Captain, ye are forced to behave in a certain way in front o' the crew; but I come to ye now as a friend, not an officer. Ye saved me life, and I want to help ye if ye are in pain. Ye need a way to unwind an' release that pain an' anger before it takes over ye. For me, a stiff drink and a tavern brawl would often do for me."   He chuckles and then grows serious for a second.

  "If ye feel it would be helpful, strike me."   Magyar can see that Ttharg is being serious.   "Ye've had to show a lot of restraint, not only around the crew, but in the application of ye duties. If it would make ye feel better, strike me. I promise ye, I will not take offense, and I will be fine: I've taken many a blow before. Sometimes attacking somethin', or someone, can help relieve a lot of anger an' frustration; and I'd rather ye do that to someone willin' an' able. If that's not somethin' ye want to do, I can listen to ye woes if ye want; or I can leave; whatever would help."   
 

The Captain smiles faintly.  "Mr. Krixkrux, I am not going to strike you. I am well. I was upset with Mr. Achelous, yes, and moreso because the meeting got out of hand. Weapons were drawn, people became indiscreet in their anger, and all in front of a junior seaman who we know only intends to stay with us through Malatra before returning to his church. Meaning everything that happened in that room will soon be in the ears of the cult of Apophis. It was... not how I would have wished to find out. If he had come to me in private..." 

She shakes her head.  "I confess, it is infuriating that it was Cocytus Achelous, with his snide remarks about Imperial discipline and the standards of our ship. I am more formal than most privateers, I know. I was trained in the same schools as he was, under the same discipline. I still hold myself a certain way because of it, and I suppose I always shall. It is not a burden to me, Ttharg. It is a shield, and when chaos breaks out, it is shivered."

"A ship's crew is an unusual thing. We are bound together neither by blood nor by choice, not truly choice. It is more like a family than a friendship, if we must call it one or the other. Certainly not like any other job under the gods. We spend months locked up together, each depending on each for our survival. Not one man is inessential, because if he were, he wouldn't be here. The ship has no room for waste. We learn to love each other because if we did not, we would kill each other a week from port." 

She pauses, as if collecting herself back from that train of thought.  "All will be well, Ttharg. Thank you." 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Nibum respects the time put into the alteration as well as skill. Something that ancient isn't so easily changed... but it was once an ancient weapon so nibum has mixed feelings. He decides to go and thank cocytus  I do truly appreciate this cousin but what will you use now?  he says halfway expecting the answer. 
 

You notice Cocytus is carrying a shield now. From his belt, he draws an old workman's hammer, although there is a faint aura of something more around it now. He smiles at you.


  I see well i hope you find that works for you and found something enjoyable to do with your time. Speaking of time... captain spent a good deal of time with you after... you know... are you ok?  he says hoping to prompt him into spilling but mainly just worried about the state his cousin finds himself in. 

"I am all right, Nibum. The Captain and I spoke of many things. She is... a remarkable person, truly. There is much I did not know. And I still have my commission. What more could I ask?"


 The egg seems to provide heat to the ship which is true bug it came from... well space as close a approximation nibum could come up with. He decides to converse with cauda on this and other matters as well as perhaps smoke a bit more.  well ive come to thank you for your words about my family past if i hadnt done so. Ive not quite the memory i had in my youth. Well... also to see if you had more elfweed.  he pulls out his pipe. After awhile of puffing you pointed out my brothers star and i was wondering how i might always know where he is. I mean they are always moving around right? Ive not paid them much mind before and things seem to keep wanting me to look skyward more and more these days. Perhaps just telling me to look up from my crafts once and a while to enjoy myself *he chuckles*.  

 "No, he will be easy to keep track of. A very orderly soul, he was and is. Only the metallics choose to dance so wildly."  She shows you how to spot the dark purple star in the future.


  You know i wonder if there were a way to visit him up there? Of course id have to drop that egg off along the way two bird one stone and all.  

 "I don't think my stars and the stars the little one dreams of are the same... these are ghosts, memories of the past, and they dance in the darkness beyond life. Its stars seem more like the sun humans worship, or the suns of other worlds. I don't know much about such worlds, but I know it's where the illithid and the Beauty come from... a frightening place, it seems to me." 

  Speaking of travels im not sure where you are from? Are we heading there now?  

She shakes her head.  "I have lived all my life in Lssthp, in the household of the dragon Niobrara. We do not all come from Malatra, for even Malatra was founded after the Cataclysm. I know all serpentfolk have the right to settle in Malatra, but the faith of Apophis is not the one I know. I have been content in Lssthp." 

 He had considered siduri proposal from before and thought he might have a hesitant answer for her.  First id like to say i apologizefor the other day. If the offer is still up tho i do believe i can accept that the negniter estate could be put to use for training purposes tho id prefer if not too much changes about there. How do you feel about coming to the land of snakes?  

  "Uneasy,"   she says, frankly.   "My parents left there before I was born, for sound reasons. But to quote the poet Calamite, 'Not I, nor anyone else can travel that road for you. You must travel it by yourself.' We go where the journey takes us."  
TriciaOso
The Captain allows a little time to pass so everything can settle after Cocytus's revelation, but it really is necessary to have this meeting about Malatran culture before you arrive. You are seeing more islands now, some capped with ice and others glowing volcanically. There is a strange yellow-white glow in the sky ahead that last for a few hours every morning now; Malatra is in sight of Sunhome, and you can see the light of the sun rising each morning from the volcano before it sets off across Daesic.

You are reconvened in the officer's wardroom, and Orophias holds forth. He is anxious at first, but soon settles into his subject.

   
The first thing you must understand is that Malatra is not like Lssthp, where the dragons of the Malaki rule. In fact, it might be fair to say that Lssthp is a draconic society, with reptilian vassals living among them. But the naga, couatl, and other Great Serpents of Malatra do not involve themselves in the day to day of Malatran life. They receive sacrifices and bestow patronage on their followers, but hold themselves largely apart.

Malatra is a society of the Yuan-Ti. And the Yuan-Ti, Orophias explains nervously, has both a religious meaning and a biological one. Yuan-Ti worship Apophis, either singularly or among other gods. And true Yuan-Ti do not go on two legs. The serpentfolk who walk on two feet--which includes most of those in your crew--are called malisons. Loosely, the same term applies to any reptilian or humanoid who does not have a snake-like lower body; all of you except for Servius, Siduri and Cauda. And in Malatra, malisons are a permanent underclass, laborers and serfs. The true society of Malatra is the serpentine.

  "You spoke, Captain Magyar, of approaching the Temple of Apophis about your concerns. I am afraid that plan will... uh, will not work,"   Orophias says wretchedly.   "Firstly, because as a malison and outsider, it would be very difficult for you to arrange a meeting with anyone of importance. And secondly because... it is almost impossible for  anyone  to come in from the outside and influence the decisions of the Temple. The only people with that kind of leverage are the  traebol  families."  
Dirty
Fork listened intently.

"What type of sacrifices do the Great Serpents receive?" He asked to start with. "And what level of hospitality can we expect, assuming we do our best to respect the customs there?" He paused for a second but continued almost straight away. "What's common courtesy there that you haven't seen us do, or what do we do that would be considered offensive there?" He barely gave the poor Yuan-ti time to answer as he continued the waterfall of questions. "Do we have anything to offer the would get us in their good graces? What's their level of technology like, and arcane prowess? How do they fight, and how would they settle disputes?"

The more Fork asks the more questions seem to pop in his head like he's trying to study a species of animal almost.

"How do they court each other, and mate?"

He continues if they let him asking about how they entertain their children, and what alcohol they drink. Some questions are banal, others near offensive but his aim is obviously information and he's not judgmental about it.
TriciaOso
Orophias stammers but tries to answer everything.

 
 The sacrifices are animal, sometimes intelligent beings convicted of crimes against the Temple. Sacrifices are public and highly-attended. 
 Hospitality should not be an issue, as much as mobility and access to power. People will be polite, but unyielding if you try to jump the social queue. It will be safest to travel with a serpentine companion any time you leave the Malison Quarter near the docks, to avoid (polite!) inquiries from temple police. 
 Malatra Yuan Ti, moreso even than others of their species, favor indirect and subtle communication. 'Getting straight to the point,' speaking roughly to people as if you are all equals, pushing and demanding are all viewed disfavorably. 
 Money goes a long way, but favors and influence-trading go further, especially among the  traebol  families who have the most leverage in society. 
 Their technology and magic are about on a par with Lssthp, and they are proud to believe their University is as good if not better. 
 Among the upper classes, they mostly prefer to resolve disputes indirectly, whether socially or even physically; paying someone to deliver a beating is still keeping it at one remove. Even among the common people, direct confrontation is uncommon. If a Yuan Ti is willing to insult you to your face, he is probably moments away from physical violence, too. 
 Arranged marriage is common, especially among the upper classes; although love matches are not unheard of. However, a sensitivity to how things look and how others will be impacted, how it will change your standing or the your family's, is very normal. 
 

Overall, the picture he sketches is of a society powered by innuendo, gossip, social maneuvering and poison words. There is a reasonable diversity of religious belief, all under Apophis and usually along racial lines, but most Yuan Ti are deeply involved in their faith one way or another, and young Yuan Ti of no particular family (like himself) often go out into the world as missionaries or agents of the Temple. The stratification into families of importance or unimportance is not binary; anyone can wax and wane, but usually over generational time. There are many families who are called  traebol , but only a handful powerful enough to have the ear of a bishop or pontiff such as you would need.

  "And of course, this is all about the Yuan Ti folk, of whatever level. My parents were nothing special, laborers on the Hox Estate farms, but even so we did not mix with malisons. Their culture is quite different."  
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

(Ttharg concludes the private meeting with the Captain, quietly pleased that she indulged herself in poetry - especially such saucy poetry as this - and with a little knowledge about the Captain's personal faith.)

Ttharg grumbled to himself at the meeting.   "All these subtleties an' social protocols. I admit, me hearties, that I may have to keep quiet for most o' this venture; lest I slip me tongue an' get us into trouble. I can, however, help with money."   Ttharg displayed his personal wealth: 200 platinum coins and almost 100 gold coins.   "It may not be a fortune by any standards of these noble families; but perhaps it'll lace a few o' the right scales to get us what we need?"  
TriciaOso
The young Yuan Ti's eyes widen at the purse full of platinum.   "Yes, that will get you a long way! I thought you might have a longer road of trading favors to move from the lesser families to the greater, but this should cut a path for you."

"You will be able to hire a favor-broker to put you in touch with the right people, and have plenty left for bribes. "  

It simply  must  sound less blunt in the Yuan Ti language.

  "But the real currency for the  traebol  is favors and influence. You have no influence, but I have seen you in combat... you have much to offer them, if they have need of that sort of thing. And the truth is, they always do."  

He hesitates.   "One thing. They are not  nobles , as you understand it. It is not a matter of bloodlines...  traebol  is earned. It is prestige. Families rise and fall."   He looks imploringly at Siduri.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 10+ 
His knowledge about  traebol  is perfect. The problem is he doesn't know enough about Lssthp to explain to you. He is a fish trying to explain water.
 


Siduri sighs.   "The Atropae are a very minor  traebol  family. My parents left Malatra before I was hatched, so my knowledge is second-hand. But perhaps, having seen both worlds, I can explain. Orophias, please tell me if I go astray."  

The  traebol  are not just families; they are industrial, commercial or agricultural combines that employ much of the Malatran populace, in one industry or another. It's just that these combines are controlled primarily by people who are related to each other.

They maintain the roads, the steam infrastructure, the port; they organize the markets and sanitation and they deal with unrest and other social problems. In return they have special privileges from the Temple that allow them to do these things unchallenged.

The Temple is not for the people; it is for the gods. Involving the police in a crime will send someone (probably the nearest malison) to a sacrifice pit, but this may not actually solve the problem. Petitioning the Temple about a pothole will, in the best case, be ignored. In the worst case it will invite their attention to your family, your temple attendance, your unconfessed sins...

When the people need something, they look to the families. Little of what they do is actually illegal; but it might be illegal for other people. Bribery is not a crime in Malatra, and the law is not always a blunt instrument. Not where the  traebol  are concerned.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 10+ 
Siduri's bluntness and outsider perspective makes Orophias quite uncomfortable at points, but he never actually speaks to contradict her.
 

  "There are hundreds of  traebol  in Malatra, but I know when my parents spoke about it, they were talking about five families. The ones with real power. Is that correct?" 
 
Orophias nods.   "Perhaps  six , these days."  
Dirty
Fork whistles, impressed by Ttharg's stash. "We may need to talk about a raise one of these days Captain. Seems to be a bit of a wagegap there somewhere." He jests while giving the captain a wink and a smile.

"Thank you for sharing all this with us." He said to the yaun-ti who had been extremely open and forthcoming. "If being mercenaries gets us some clout, then that's probably our best bet. All we need is someone to spread the word a bit, and it sounds like these favor brokers are the way to go about that? Or we could prove ourselves by picking a fight somewhere, whichever comes first."
J-H
 Servius 
 "It sounds like providing aid in combat is our most likely path to becoming people worth dealing with in a short time.  However, don't count out building a reputation.  Did we not just destroy an illithid outpost?  The University's library may be interested in what I've documented and had illustrated, and perhaps Madame Siduri will have some things to contribute there as well." 
TriciaOso
Siduri nods in agreement.   "We should visit the University in any case, for its information and magical resources; I certainly want to speak to their diviners. If we have no better leads, that's a good a reason as any to start with the Majari."  
 "I'll want to visit their markets, too,"  says Tegu.  "Reckon I'll need a snakey chaperone so my mouth don't get us in trouble, but we're damn low on some of our supplies, and this is the first real port we've seen since home." 

The Captain says,  "There's an embassy in the docks, I believe; we should check in there. I should be able to get a draft against Niobrara's marque so we can pay out the crew. Should I expect any issue with using the banks, Seaman Orophias? As a... malison?" 

He shakes his head.   "Gold is gold, captain, and an ancient dragon's letter of marque will open those doors, if not the Temple's."  
 "All right,"  she says.  "It appears we have the rudiments of a plan. Does anyone have further questions for Seaman Orophias? Or concerns to voice before we adjourn?" 

Cocytus hesitates, but gathers his nerve. "Only one. Spells of sending exist, and other lines of communication between worshippers of Tiamat, where ever they may be. We've discussed Trionyx's ability to gain allies in Malatra--but we cannot assume that he doesn't  already  have some in place, prepared for his arrival... or for ours. She has her worshippers among the Malaki; certainly she must among these  traebol , as well. We must be on our guard."
zylodrizzt
Not really looking forward to trying to convince the slither foots to help nibum chimes in  Perhaps we should start by trying to draw out the allies already here?   he says building off cocytus  Is there any likely to be allies or more likely to fall under trionyx sway here orophias? 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "Mercenary work be fine."   Ttharg says simply.   "If I needs to spend coin to get us in the door, I can do so."   He puts his coin purse away.

At the mention of supplies:   "I'll be needin' a Healer's Kit. Do we want to go shoppin' for supplies before we introduce ourselves, or do we leave that to Tegu?"  
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Not really looking forward to trying to convince the slither foots to help nibum chimes in  Perhaps we should start by trying to draw out the allies already here?   he says building off cocytus  Is there any likely to be allies or more likely to fall under trionyx sway here orophias?  
 

Orophias says,   "There are certainly worshippers of Tiamat among us in Malatra... some profess to worship Tiamat and Apophis both, in some doctrine similar to Trionyx's, and some hide their allegiance. It's illegal, but they send their emissaries among us."   Orophias does not seem to see any irony in his own role as a missionary of Apophis in saying this.

  "It's most common among the typhoni, the hydra-headed ones, but they aren't the only ones. The Cnidaria are the most powerful typhoni family; they claim to renounce Tiamat, but they certainly won't be willing to help us."  

 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
   Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "Mercenary work be fine."   Ttharg says simply.   "If I needs to spend coin to get us in the door, I can do so."   He puts his coin purse away.

At the mention of supplies:   "I'll be needin' a Healer's Kit. Do we want to go shoppin' for supplies before we introduce ourselves, or do we leave that to Tegu?"   
 

  "It will take a few weeks to arrange a meeting, even with a substantial gift to a favor-broker. You should have time for such things."  
 "I can get ye a healer's kit,"  says Tegu.  "But if you've got partic'lar desires beyond an ordinary restock ye oughtta come with me,"  she says, addressing the table in general but Nibum particularly.

 "I'll need licorice root,"  says Kabett.  "I've cracked those orcish potions but I need more of that to brew 'em." 
 
 Spoiler: Short Rest Potions 
Kabett can brew one per week, for a cost of 100 gp in supplies. He is able to restore your supply and one successful homebrew, for a total of four on hand.
 

 "Thank you, Able Seaman Orophias,"  says the Captain.  "You may go. The rest of us have a few more logistics to discuss." 

The Captain discusses the expectations for shore leave in Malatra. Since it is not a home port and you do not know when Trionyx may arrive, liberty will not be as relaxed as usual, with a rotation of crew staying on board for maintenance and security. From experience, many of the crew who are on leave will return to the ship and sleep aboard to save money for drinking.

Officers will maintain a rotation to supervise the crew and will be focusing on the Trionyx problem in their free time, but she recommends that you still find time for rest and personal goals as well. Opportunities for liberty are few and far between.  "I know some of you will want to take lodgings elsewhere on the docks or in the Malison Quarter. I don't blame you for wanting a cabin big enough to turn around in and a bed instead of a hammock. Just keep your earpieces on you and don't stray far."

"Finally, be ready for things to change. Once Professor Atropae speaks to the diviners we'll know more, hopefully. Cauda, how are we doing?" 

The navigator blinks owlishly, then dials in.  "If the winds hold, we'll be in Malatra tomorrow." 
 "Right. Start making preparations for port, then, everyone. Thank you for your time." 
Dirty
 Early one morning, three days before the arrival at Malatra harbour, on the stern deck of the White Cliff: 

 The young officer that left Lssthp a couple of weeks ago stood equally straight this day, as the day they set sail. There were some significant changes though. Most notably in his get-up. The green uniform with its polished brass buttons and subtle insignia had incorporated the mithril half plate and the light metal shone bright where the light hit it. From his waist, the fancy scimitar was hanging in a dark green coloured leather scabbard and on the other side with leather straps the magical quiver had taken the place of the standard issue quiver he had on him when they left.
Beneath the greaves that belonged to the mithril plate armour, he wore a pair of fancy leather boots with feathered wings on the side that seemed to bristle with life, even though they just moved when kissed by the wind.

On the small outdoor table, incorporated at the back of the deck he was oiling up and checking the strings on his crossbow, a mechanical marvel he bought from the goblin traders. On the table was also a leather tube, with metal bands clasped around it. A protective casing for the telescope that he'd got from Cauda. He moved it to make place for the loading mechanism and considered putting it on the floor so he wouldn't knock it off while he was working but he hesitated. This item was perhaps his most prized possession. He took it out and peered through the lens for a moment lost in thought, chasing the glint and glitter of the morning stars over the dark waters.

As he stood there, lost in his own world for a moment, other subtle changes became obvious. The deeper appreciation for the world he inhabited that he'd developed during this short time had given him a calmer demeanour. The way he handled his equipment and took care of the things in front of him was less of a rigorous discipline and more of a caretaking thankfulness. The deeper meaning of these items, and why they had arrived in his care, and how he treated them meant something different now. It was a newfound responsibility to the consequences of his actions and he handled it with a confidence that had been missing, or rather hadn't awakened yet. It was new, but he hoped he had the wherewithal to keep this feeling, and to develop it.

The young officer, normally very aware of his surroundings had not noticed the captain joining him on the stern-deck.

 "Normally we salute when a senior officer joins us on deck."  She said with a stern voice. But she noticed that the young officer didn't fumble with his telescope when taken by surprise in this moment, like he might have when they had just set sail. Instead he lowered his telescope and placed it back in the tube with care.

 "Apologies Captain."  He said, meaning every word.

He turned around to give a formal salute but she waved him down.

 "I've been meaning to speak to you."  She said in a formal manner.  "I noticed you drew a weapon on my wife."  The casual dropping of the last sentence did take Fork by surprise and she was glad to see he lost composure, albeit slightly.

 "But.. but captain.. it.."  Fork started stammering. His mind was racing with all the ways how he could explain the reasoning to his actions. That it was instinct and duty that had him draw his weapons and that that was exactly what he was on this ship for. But the Captain cut him off by simply raising a finger. Fork stopped talking.

  "I have waited to take this matter up, because while it bugged me in the moment, I see the reason for your actions. However there is something that escaped me in the moment because of the intensity of the situation.. but it came to me when I noticed you handling your gear just now. I now understand why that moment still bugs me."  She paused and Fork was all ears. He was hanging on every word and felt a bit lost in the pause she took. He had no idea where she was going with this and clueless that this was by the Captains design. She had chosen her words to exactly have Fork where he was right now.

 "It bugs me that you weren't fast enough."  She said coldly.  "Siduri could have slit his throat, or administered a lethal poison and you were late on the draw. As my Marine Officer this is simply unacceptable." 

It was starting to dawn on Fork that there was more to this private dressing-down, and that perhaps there was a lesson to be learnt here. Besides, he had laid notice to the glint in the Captains eye the longer she continued.
 "Apologies again Captain, it pains me to know I have been performing unsatisfactory. What do you have in mind, what can I do to improve?" 

Captain Magyar allowed herself a slight smile now, glad to see her young officer had caught on.  "We're going to train, officer." 

The next two days Fork and Captain Magyar shared their techniques. Fork was not an initiate, he had some skill already. But while techniques were one way to approach archery and ranged combat, Captain Magyar started teaching Fork the philosophy of Zanshin: the Art of Attention and Focus.

After night had fallen, the two returned to the deck where they'd been practicing before. Magyar walked to her usual shooting location, now with the target hidden in the dark. She proceeded through her normal routine, settled into her firing stance, drew the bow string tight, and released the first arrow into the darkness.

Fork knew from the sound that it had hit the target.

Immediately, Magyar drew a second arrow and again fired into the night.

Fork jumped up and ran across the courtyard to inspect the target. Where he discovered to his amazement that the first arrow was lodged full in the middle of the black, while the second arrow had splintered the butt of the first and ploughed through the shaft before embedding itself beside it.

Magyar had hit a double bullseye without being able to see the target.

Great archery masters often teach that “everything is aiming.” Where you place your feet, how you hold the bow, the way you breathe during the release of the arrow—it all determines the end result.

In the case of Captain Bendeguz Magyar, she was so mindful of the process that led to an accurate shot that she was able to replicate the exact series of internal movements even without seeing the external target. This complete awareness of the body and mind in relation to the goal is known as zanshin.

Zanshin is a word used commonly throughout Lstpph martial arts to refer to a state of relaxed alertness. Literally translated, zanshin means “the mind with no remainder.” In other words, the mind completely focused on action and fixated on the task at hand. Zanshin is being constantly aware of your body, mind, and surroundings without stressing yourself. It is an effortless vigilance.

In practice, though, zanshin has an even deeper meaning. Zanshin is choosing to live your life intentionally and acting with purpose rather than mindlessly falling victim to whatever comes your way.

This lesson would possibly set Fork on a path of an act of living with alertness regardless of whether the goal has already been achieved. Captain Magyar left him with these words to chew on as the crewmember in the crowsnest called  "Land Ahoy!" 
 "The enemy of improvement is neither failure nor success. The enemy of improvement is boredom, fatigue, and lack of concentration. The enemy of improvement is a lack of commitment to the process because the process is everything. One should approach all activities and situations with the same sincerity, the same intensity, and the same awareness that one has with bow and arrow in hand. The point is not to worry about hitting the target. The point is to fall in love with the boredom of doing the work and embrace each piece of the process. The point is to take that moment of zanshin, that moment of complete awareness and focus, and carry it with you everywhere in life.It is not the target that matters. It is not the finish line that matters. It is the way we approach the goal that matters. Everything is aiming. Zanshin." 

She said as she set about directing her ship, leaving Fork to take in the lesson. 
J-H
When the White Cliff makes landfall, Servius divides the gunners up into groups and makes sure that they stick together, with him or another officer accompanying them for the first few days.  They have money and energy to spend, and no doubt their Patron has some ideas - but he makes sure they keep a clear head, enforced by morning wake-ups and practices whether hung over or not.

As time allows in the first few days, Servius will attempt to find a scroll of  Scorching Ray  to copy into his spellbook, as well as some magical spellcasting equipment that might be cheap enough to equip his gunners with.
TriciaOso
As you approach the island of Malatra, it is at first a mountainous shape on the horizon of tundra white and surprisingly vivid green. Lava flows and thermal vents flare red in patches, too. The cone of a great volcano on the more-distant island of Sunhome juts above the horizon, a promise of what lies beyond the island.

Every morning a giant ball of fire erupts from this cone, and sets out over the human world. For a few hours, its light shines on Malatra before it recedes into the sky, headed west over Daesic. This is your first taste of daylight as the humanoids know it.

In the Captain's cabin, on this first day of true sunlight, every one of you feel the solar dragon stir. You are its guardians, and its mind touches you all. You feel a ripple of warmth and vitality from the egg as it thrills to the proximity of this world's sun.

 
 Spoiler 
While in Malatra and beyond, everyone in the crew receives temp HP in the amount of their level each morning at sunrise. While the temp HP lasts, you have resistance to radiant and necrotic damage.
 


As you sail into port, the city of Malatra rises above you. The docks are located on a bulging peninsula, crowded with shanties and buildings that are notably cheaper the main city. This is the Malison Precinct, crowded with foreigners and with snakefolk who go on two legs. A great amphitheater used for sacrifices lies not far from the docks.

   
The roofs of the city proper are shingled and the walls are whitewashed where they aren't vast stone fortifications. The city is dominated by the huge castle-like Temple of Apophis, and the castle and the Temple Precinct in its lap are bathed in sunlight. Lying in the shadow of the Temple are the Market and River Precincts, and stretching away to the north, following the great paved road, is the Westering Precinct. Flanking the Temple on the other side, its buildings grand but dwarfed by the architecture of the Temple, is the University and the precinct surrounding it. Steam and magma glow rises from the great steamworks in that corner of the island.

As your mount paddles into a slip in the dock, you can see medusae port officials slithering down the pier. But winging ahead of them on the morning thermals is a feathered and winged kulkan, who perches on your bowsprit and wraps her tail around it. A flying snake shining like a rainbow lands on her shoulder.

 
  "Hello the ship!"   she says cheerfully in Draconic.   "Hello, hello. The harbormaster is on the way for his bribe, but never fear, my friends from foreign shores... Tohil Kiche is here to help you  negotiate ."   She says the last word as if it tastes good in her wide, grinning mouth.   "A 15% commission buys you a friend who never fails.  Shall  we be friends?"   She offers her hand to the Captain. She is no bigger than Nibum or Fork, but her position on the bowsprit helps her reach.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 1 - 25 
She is a brilliant favor-broker and would love to help you negotiate this bribe and perhaps many more to come. You are lucky to get her at this price.

If she sees your attempt to Insight Check her, she will flare out and rattle her gorgeous peacock-like wings, giving you a d6 of Inspiration. She has nothing to hide.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 26+ 
She is a brilliant favor-broker and would love to help you negotiate this bribe and perhaps many more to come, but would probably do it for a 10% commission.
 

 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg's time spent travelling aboard the White Cliff had made it abundantly clear his need to be able to concentrate on spells whilst having his hands full. Over the weeks at sea, he had been practising this in his off time, and as they reached the docks at Malatra, he finally felt confident he could master such a technique. Additionally, he felt he could infuse his weapon strikes with thunderous power; increasing their damage.

 
 Spoiler 
Level up to Level 8, take Warcaster as a Feat. Gain Divine Strike from Tempest Cleric. Can Destroy Undead up to CR/1 now.
 


 

 
 Spoiler: Before Disembarking 

Before disembarking, Ttharg pulls Orophias aside.   "Thank ye for ye services Mr Orophias. I understand ye be getting off here. Fair wind and waters to ye. If ye need a recommendation to another captain, guild, or family; let me know and I'll give it."   Ttharg makes all the necessary arrangements to pay Orophias (if that was agreed - I imagine Ttharg will pay him out of his own pocket and just recoup the loss from the salary the Captain is going to pay out) and have him removed from the ship's log as per standard practise. If Orophias does want a recommendation, Ttharg is happy to either write one up or accompany Orophias, in a few days, for a personal recommendation.
 

 
 Spoiler: Day 1 

Ttharg's shore leave begins, as any shore leave does, by finding the nearest tavern of ill-repute and settling in for the night. He invites Tegu to join him and promises her he'll accompany her shopping tomorrow, if they can wake up! He'll pay for her first drink, and makes sure the pair have quarters squared away. If she insists on sleeping on the ship, he'll shrug and just get quarters for himself.

During the night, Ttharg wants to reminisce with her about why she joined up with the White Cliff, and whether she has any plans beyond privateering.

If it looks like a physical confrontation with tavern patrons is possible, Ttharg heartily joins in. He has no intention of killing anyone and doesn't draw any weapons/cast any harmful spells. He'll even cast some Cure Wounds on people after the fact if necessary; and pay for damages/bribes (let me know how much that might be). Although he does this for fun, he also hopes the fight might begin to spread rumours about him in the local area; which might help them secure a mercenary job.
 

 
 Spoiler: Day 2 

Waking up with a hangover, as usual, Ttharg drinks some hair o' the dog and tries to find Tegu to go shopping with.

He intends to buy (with their book price):
 
 Healer's Kit - 5gp 
 Augury Bones - 25gp 
 Divination Incense and Sacrificial Offerings x4 - 25gp each for 100gp (Ttharg will leave any live offerings in the care of Tegu on the ship until he needs to use them) 
 Diamonds x2 - 300gp each for 600gp (the diamonds can be groups of diamonds collectively worth 300gp, or a single diamond worth 300gp - they're for Revivify) 
 

He also wants to inquire about taking on the services of an extra Medic (to replace Orophias). Ttharg is not above visiting the slave markets (if there are any).

If anything costs extra, let me know and I'll pay accordingly (assuming it's not an outrageous mark-up).
 

 
 Spoiler: During the week 

Ttharg will continue to drill the Medic team whilst they're in port, hopefully with their new member so that they can all get acquainted.

He will also be available to accompany the party to visit Favour Brokers if they have need of his wealth.
 
zylodrizzt
While working on something on the hull and once nibum hears Tohil make thier offer he looks over his shoulder  Back in my youth friends wouldnt charge friends near as much they would a stranger so long as they still make a profit. Im not the final say but im not sure how good of friends we would be if you charged that much.  he finishes his sentence and finishes his work changing the channel of the earpiece to make sure he can speak to the captain  Captain there is someone who wishes to make a deal and perhaps friendship with us.   he then busies himself with another part of the hull

Nibum does go with tegu to shop and sell if nothing more then protection but will put in his requests welcome or not. Just like during his previous shore experience he keeps his eyes and ears out for any trouble. They probably use the tender for what they for easy transport of goods.

1st week of downtime
Before shore leave nibum gathers the carpenters together  Crew i know youve been looking forward to shore leave but the ship needs some repairs. You may go ashore after they are complete.   he lists off and assigns people to tasks while he aids so they can get done faster

At the end of the week once the job is done  good work. Remember in this time you represent the ship in a place thats not at all like home. In fact they may even be hostile a bit. You might find an easier time here if you find perhaps a tour guide of sorts. Make sure you keep appraised of the goings on here. Keep an ear out for trouble. Uh... thats all i think.  he walks away.

Week 2+
Nibum trains with cocytus on mounted combat as well as more crafting stuff and some pointers for wielding a hammer and shield. Nibum believes that continuing to show care loyalty respect and the like will prevent cocytus from being so conflicted in the coming conflict. It's also a good chance to improve his and cocytus skills while testing the new improvements.
Dirty
Fork took in the sights and smells with a genuine interest. Something in seaman Orophias' tales about Malatra had awoken a curiosity in him and he was all about exploring the city. He rode around on Rumble, who at first had been a little skittish but soon even Rumble strode around at a leisurely pace. They took it easy and did their best not to get in anyone's way. The warmth took some getting used to but they kept their cool by moving through the city without hurry.

The first day they were simply just getting the lay of the land. The taste and smell of Malatra resonated somehow. They ate a bit from the occasional street vendors, looked around at the architecture and fashions.

In his free time, when not accompanying the Captain to the favour broker or training with the marines Fork would basically roam. He'll start with the markets and circle his way through the city. Seemingly aimless but two or three times a day he'll make his way back to the White Cliff. He's scouting for animistic little stores. The Asian style voodoo type shops. Where curses are handed out just for thinking or saying the wrong words, or ingredients to magical spells can be purchased if you know what to ask for. The type of shops that are hidden in tight little alley ways behind a screen of haphazardly hung up laundry drying in the open.

He goes through a slew of trinketry type shops and simple herb salespeople, that look like they are what he's looking for but aren't the real deal.

Then one day he meets a really old looking Yuan-Ti lady. In full traditional dress, like old people do sometimes, clinging to memories and habits long left by society, she said a few words to him. This in itself was special because Fork had gotten used to being ignored at best. He followed her into a little teashop built into the side of a canal under a bridge. They chatted a bit, both being very patient and openminded with the peculiar creature in front of them. It was a surreal experience the first time but Fork had a bowl of boiled meats and herbs, they were spicy, and a cup of tea with a heavily ginger blend going on. Between that and the heavy use of incense, and the conversation his head was almost spinning by the time he made his way back.

He went back every day around the same time if he could manage and managed to purchase two gilded acorns that contained a feather, tuft of fur, and fish tail inside. The lady seemed pleased with the offer of coin but when Fork put five hundred gold on the counter in front of him looking questionably, she slid a hundred back to him taking only four hundred.
This resulted in Fork trusting her and they seemed to cement their newfound friendship. Mostly they just played a boardgame together over a cup of tea. It had ivory bricks with intricate symbols on them and it took Fork a good minute to work out how it was played but the lady was forgiving and patiently played with him.

It was Forks rest and relaxation hour, here in this cramped little shop. Sometimes they sat by the canal, sometimes hung out at the counter. Most times there was a board game in between them but at all times a steaming hot beverage within arms reach.

After a few days Fork came back wearing a rather large bamboo sunhat. He wore it unironically and was rather pleased with himself. A grey hakama followed short after. He was doing his best to blend in, and definitely enjoying himself.

Every time he got back to the ship he shared a moment with Kabbett to exchange potions, oils, roots, fruits, bones from exotic animals and other things Kabbett needed. They took the time together to work on the mount of the White Cliff and bonded over that. Fork was the errand runner Kabbett needed and Kabbett directed and shared much of his knowledge to take care of the mount.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 While working on something on the hull and once nibum hears Tohil make thier offer he looks over his shoulder  Back in my youth friends wouldnt charge friends near as much they would a stranger so long as they still make a profit. Im not the final say but im not sure how good of friends we would be if you charged that much.  he finishes his sentence and finishes his work changing the channel of the earpiece to make sure he can speak to the captain  Captain there is someone who wishes to make a deal and perhaps friendship with us.   he then busies himself with another part of the hull 
 

Tohil laughs and shrugs in a charming, 'you got me,' way. She and the Captain quickly settle on a 10% rate, and you have a favor-broker. She's quite young, and often cruises the dock looking for foreigners in need; her reputation isn't what it should be, yet. But when she realizes how much help you all will need you can see her eyes light up, and she attaches herself to the ship. Her persuasive efforts are a huge help with haggling, and as she begins to understand what you need she starts to build a menu of favors large and small you might be able to provide.


 


Fork, over the first week of your association with Tohil there are a couple of times you catch an impression of... something... flying overhead. Never closer than sixty feet or so, sometimes even further, but there are a definitely a couple of glimpses of something green.


 
 Originally Posted by Dirty 
 In his free time, when not accompanying the Captain to the favour broker or training with the marines Fork would basically roam. He'll start with the markets and circle his way through the city. Seemingly aimless but two or three times a day he'll make his way back to the White Cliff. He's scouting for animistic little stores. The Asian style voodoo type shops. Where curses are handed out just for thinking or saying the wrong words, or ingredients to magical spells can be purchased if you know what to ask for. The type of shops that are hidden in tight little alley ways behind a screen of haphazardly hung up laundry drying in the open.

He goes through a slew of trinketry type shops and simple herb salespeople, that look like they are what he's looking for but aren't the real deal.

Then one day he meets a really old looking Yuan-Ti lady. In full traditional dress, like old people do sometimes, clinging to memories and habits long left by society, she said a few words to him. This in itself was special because Fork had gotten used to being ignored at best. He followed her into a little teashop built into the side of a canal under a bridge. 
 

It takes about a week for the green blur to resolve itself into a small feathered kulkan with a resemblance to Tohil, but when it does it does so with a bump; he is walking out of the shop when you approach.

 

He is tense and ready to flee, but the old woman--Madame Bothrops--bustles out and insists that you sit down to tea together. She seems to know him well.

He turns out to be Tohil's brother. She is the face, and he keeps his distance with an eldritch blast at the ready. He is often invisible, but of course with how much the White Cliff is engaging her these days he can't keep that up all the time. He reluctantly agrees it will be easier to bodyguard her if you know he's doing it, although it's clear he doesn't prefer the limelight.


 


 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
 Ttharg's shore leave begins, as any shore leave does, by finding the nearest tavern of ill-repute and settling in for the night. He invites Tegu to join him and promises her he'll accompany her shopping tomorrow, if they can wake up! He'll pay for her first drink, and makes sure the pair have quarters squared away. If she insists on sleeping on the ship, he'll shrug and just get quarters for himself.

During the night, Ttharg wants to reminisce with her about why she joined up with the White Cliff, and whether she has any plans beyond privateering.

If it looks like a physical confrontation with tavern patrons is possible, Ttharg heartily joins in. He has no intention of killing anyone and doesn't draw any weapons/cast any harmful spells. He'll even cast some Cure Wounds on people after the fact if necessary; and pay for damages/bribes (let me know how much that might be) 
 

What Orophias said about subtlety and manners doesn't seem to apply here; either because it's on the docks, and full of foreigners, or because the culture of the malisons is different than the serpentine. It does seem like you're getting a little powerful for these cheerful brawls; you're able to knock many of the sailors and stevedores out with a single blow.

As you hustle around cleaning up after yourself, you meet an tough old lizardman healer coming the other way, rousing his buddies. He comes from nearby Gavia's Jaws, and after a night of drinking together you managed to persuade him to join up with the White Cliff.


 


Shopping takes you all out of the Malison Precinct and into the larger city, which is a dramatic difference. The roads are paved, steam pipes clank and hiss as they snake from house to house, and once the sun recedes into the distance in the morning, lamplighters slither around and light the lampposts. The houses are brick or stone.

The market is on the far side of the temple, stocked by a continuous flow of barges coming up the river from the bargehead up at the mouth. Tohil's haggling is a sight to see, lapsing into the rapid hissing native tongue of Malatra, and carving a fifth to a third off of every purchase. She manages to fight all of Ttharg's purchases down to 700 gp even, and also negotiates from the vendor of divination supplies a scroll of Commune he was reluctant to give up, let alone at this price she gets. This Tegu pays for out of ship's funds.

Nibum, you hit the jackpot on the shopping trip -- there is a whole host of ship improvements. They are pricey and will take some time to install, but the glut of funds from all the magical equipment you took from the orcs is equal to buying one or two.

 
 Spoiler: Ship Upgrades 
You can afford one major upgrade and one minor upgrades, or three minor upgrades:

 Major Upgrades 
 Churning Hull 
A tempest rages within these rune-etched, iron chains. Raiders and pirates who operate under the blessings of a storm god sometimes make use of this upgrade.

By draping the chains over a ship’s hull, the storm’s fury thrashes into the water around it. The water within 210 feet of the ship is difficult terrain for everything other than this ship.

 Reinforced Hull 
A master shipwright can use superior materials and clever design to make a ship’s hull more resilient. Such reinforcement doubles the hull’s hit point maximum.

 Defiant Sails 
These sails glitter with a fine coat of mithral treated with abjuration magic. While the sails are unfurled, ranged weapon attacks made against the ship and anyone aboard it are made with disadvantage, as a result of the sails’ protective magic. This drawback doesn’t apply if the attacker is aboard the ship.

 Minor Upgrades 
 Dragon Sails 
You find the copper scales necessary to complete the upgrades to the ship's sails.
Dragon scales woven into these sails make them more resistant to damage. The sails gain another +1 bonus to AC, and they have resistance to acid damage.

 Vigilant Watch 
A row of crystal orbs, each filled with viscous liquid and a beholder’s eyeball, is mounted along this ship’s hull. Invisible creatures are visible while on the ship or within 120 feet of it.

 Totem Figurehead 
Carved by master lizardfolk craftsmen of Gavia's Jaws, in combat, this figurehead imbues a protective aura over the crew of the ship. There are several options:

 Crocodile.  While the figure is active, your crew has resistance to all damage except psychic damage. The spirit of the crocodile makes you tough enough to stand up to any punishment.

 Alligator.  While the figurehead is active, other creatures have disadvantage on opportunity attack rolls against the crew, and the crew can use the Dash action as a bonus action. The spirit of the alligator makes you into a predator who can weave through the fray with ease.

 Komodo.  While the figurehead is active, crew have advantage on melee attacks when they are within five feet of each other. The spirit of the Komodo makes you into a vicious pack.
 
Dirty
Over a cup of tea Fork conveyed to the skittish kulkan that he understood the need to protect a sibling. He told Tohils brother about spoon, and how he wished he could have flown invisible around him that day. It was a noble thing and Fork promised integrity in the matter. He asked for the kulkans name, and about what other things kept him busy to see what made the protective brother tick. Himself Fork revealed he was a hunter, and loved nature and animals, and recently astrology too.
J-H
 Servius 
Servius engages Tohil's services to determine where he can best get his notes, diagrams, and illustrations on the illithid structure copied and sold - with the originals of course being kept for use back home.  He then attempts to use this to get admission to the university - a few donated copies, and perhaps making himself available for interviews by any researchers who want to speak first-hand.  Perhaps the tender would also be of interest to local shipbuilders....

While there, he also copies Scorching Ray into his spellbook.

He and Kabett also finish their researches, purchasing necessary supplements to help the White Cliff's breath glands grow more powerful (1 week invested to complete).
zylodrizzt
Just after the battle with the storm
Nibum being the sentimental fool he was collected up what he could of the shattered gemstone phalactary that managed to land on deck. Yes he released his brother but that doesn't mean he had to forget.

He later fashioned one of the larger pieces into a figure on a chain on his neck in the likeness of his brother. He saved the other smaller pieces for something special later.

Upon reaching land while shopping with tegu
He kept his and his companions heads on a swivel looking out for danger and he isn't subtle about it at all. He wouldn't be able to keep from looking all around anyways. With his goggles there was much to look at. He let tegu decide the crafting supplies this time but gently reminded them to make sure to get some elf weed. When they arrived in what appeared to be a ship outfitting place he examined the magical ship components carefully before telling tegu which would be best. He selects the crocodile head and the defiant sails. Tohil negotiates a price and even manages a good instalation fee that nibum fronts the money for  Please friend do a good job  he says as he hands over the 75gp. Nibum asks tohil if they could direct them to someplace that would enchant things with protective magic. When he arrives he lays down the remnants of the philactary.  I think these can still be useful.  he says and proceeds to explain what he'd want done to them. Basically enchant them as a set so that when he inlays them into triceratool they would protect him better. After they are enchanted triceratool gets +2 ac. Not having alot left nibum seeks to restore his small stash of potions. Nibum also selects some components for a memorial later.

Nibum sets up a memorial which is nearly like speak with dead but he doesn't have a body instead he places the necklace down. He doesn't actually have the power to cast the spell but he thought it might make him and perhaps others feel better. He invites everyone to place a token within the ritual and speak to whomever they wish with or without an audience.

 Brother... i tried to keep our home and i tried to keep you safe even after your madness. I tried to protect the vault. In the end tho in all that you chose to protect me... i should have stopped you as a child but you were so bright and ambitious. The things you did to yourself for the "good of everyone" youd say were so dangerous. I had complete faith in you because you did everything with respect and caution for the old magic and traditions. So... even tho you are gone you are not forgotten. Ill try to carry on the negniter legacy.... im sorry i couldnt protect you... thank you for protecting me and my home. I'll watch your star whenever I'm able.  

Nibum asks thragg  I saw what appearrd to be a kobold help us... i believe you called her lizzie? Would you like to speak about her with me?  he asks gently. He doesn't want to pry but he realizes he has been... let's say gruff with people and he'd like to change that.

He also asks fork about the same thing but about spoon.

Nibum asks servius  I believe ive heard you are a printers son is that right? What made you want to take this position and how do you like it sofar? 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Nibum asks thragg  I saw what appearrd to be a kobold help us... i believe you called her lizzie? Would you like to speak about her with me?  he asks gently. He doesn't want to pry but he realizes he has been... let's say gruff with people and he'd like to change that. 
 

Ttharg exhales hard through his nostrils, causing static to arc out from the blue Dragonborn's nose.   "Lissy, aye. She was someone I knew a long time ago. She was graceful an' boisterous in equal measure; yet she was felled by the same storm that set me adrift until the White Cliff, an' Bahamut's intervention, came an' rescued me. Part o' me wonders where she'd be now, where I'd be now, if that storm hadn't happened. But to dwell on what could o' been is a terrible curse, an' not a curse I wish to put upon meself. I be here now, an' I must make the most o' it."   Ttharg thinks for a second.   "In case ye were wonderin', naw we weren't an item. Lissy was far too wild to be tamed by the likes o' me. But what about ye, Mr Nibum? Have ye a haughty broad back home that ye yearn to return to?"  

 


Returning to the ship, Ttharg informs the officers that he's secured a scroll of Commune and can use it to ask Bahamut three yes-or-no questions. He is open to any suggestions about what to ask; including questions such as:

 
 Will Trionyx arrive in Malatra within 4 weeks? 8 weeks? Etc. 
 Will the fleet Trionyx arrives with have more than 10 vessels? 
 Are there any families already allied to Trionyx's cause here in Malatra? 
 

 


In the meantime, Ttharg continues to drill the medical team, along with the new arrival. Once he's finished, he feels the team have really begun to bond and take to their duties more effectively. In the final week of the month, he has the medical team perform routine maintenance on the ship to keep them disciplined.

 
 Spoiler 
2 extra weeks spent Improving the Medical team, upgrading them to Quality 5. Final week to Maintain Discipline by performing Routine Maintenance.
 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by Dirty 
 Over a cup of tea Fork conveyed to the skittish kulkan that he understood the need to protect a sibling. He told Tohils brother about spoon, and how he wished he could have flown invisible around him that day. It was a noble thing and Fork promised integrity in the matter. He asked for the kulkans name, and about what other things kept him busy to see what made the protective brother tick. Himself Fork revealed he was a hunter, and loved nature and animals, and recently astrology too. 
 

Ajaw is taciturn and squirrelly by nature; he has a charm and personal magnetism that operates almost in defiance of his personality and clearly makes him uncomfortable, while his sister revels in it. Nevertheless, the parallels with you and Spoon draw him out, and you come to understand that he and Tohil are orphans, raised by one of the Greater Coatls and making their living on the docks from an early age. Madame Bothros has shown them some kindness and, you come to realize, is their tap into the shadier side of business in Malatra.

Ajaw has a massive green feather woven into his cloak that you presume must come from his patron.

   

 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 He kept his and his companions heads on a swivel looking out for danger and he isn't subtle about it at all. He wouldn't be able to keep from looking all around anyways. With his goggles there was much to look at. 
 

With the goggles equipped, it doesn't take Nibum long to spot Ajaw either. Fortunately Fork takes you aside and explains the presence that seems to glide overhead whenever Tohil is with you.

However, this doesn't explain the  other  presence you occasionally glimpse. Ajaw and his power are celestial, tied to his patron; you can see the same kind of aura around the flying snake that accompanies Tohil everywhere. But there is a necrotic presence that lurks and spies as well. It keeps its distance, but you see the traces of magic through your goggles, and occasionally a hooded serpentine form.

   

 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Nibum sets up a memorial which is nearly like speak with dead but he doesn't have a body instead he places the necklace down. He doesn't actually have the power to cast the spell but he thought it might make him and perhaps others feel better. He invites everyone to place a token within the ritual and speak to whomever they wish with or without an audience.

 Brother... i tried to keep our home and i tried to keep you safe even after your madness. I tried to protect the vault. In the end tho in all that you chose to protect me... i should have stopped you as a child but you were so bright and ambitious. The things you did to yourself for the "good of everyone" youd say were so dangerous. I had complete faith in you because you did everything with respect and caution for the old magic and traditions. So... even tho you are gone you are not forgotten. Ill try to carry on the negniter legacy.... im sorry i couldnt protect you... thank you for protecting me and my home. I'll watch your star whenever I'm able.   
 

For a moment you can smell the peaty smell of the bogs of your home. It's not what most people would call pleasant, but it was the background of your entire life for so many years, and so different from the salt sea smell or the crisp hint of snow off the mountains here, or the sulfur fug of the hot springs. Negniter is with you.

   

 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  Servius 
Servius engages Tohil's services to determine where he can best get his notes, diagrams, and illustrations on the illithid structure copied and sold - with the originals of course being kept for use back home.  He then attempts to use this to get admission to the university - a few donated copies, and perhaps making himself available for interviews by any researchers who want to speak first-hand.  Perhaps the tender would also be of interest to local shipbuilders.... 
 

Siduri spends some time with the diviners while during the visit and returns looking trouble.   "Seven weeks,"   she says.   "They were not able to see with any great detail... they said a caul hangs around Cagway right now, so Trionyx must be there. They can track that blind spot... and it will be here in seven weeks."  

Before Servius and Siduri leave the University, they are approached by a graceful Yuan Ti woman with four arms. She carries a spellbook like a wizard, but also enough blades for twice as many limbs.

   
She bows to Servius. "Thank you for your gracious gift to our scholarship and our self-preservation. There are those who see profit in trade with the illithid, but my family has never been able to trust them. Please take this  token of our appreciation , and please return any time."

Tohil has to explain to you that you met Bala Majari, eldest daughter of the family that owns the university.

 "Ai! I have let you wander too much on your own."  She calls an emergency meeting at a hot springs bath. The Captain will attend, and Siduri, and the four of you.
TriciaOso
Malatra has a lot of thermal vents and hot springs across the island, and particularly here in the capitol. The industry of the Clel family has piped hot, sulfur-smelling water into the homes of many of the serpentine inhabitants of the precincts, but Malatrans still like to gather in the large public baths; since home plumbing has become ubiquitous, it's a sign of wealth and status to visit one of the few remaining resorts.

Here in the Malison Precinct, it's different. Steam heat and hot water plumbing doesn't run down here, and there's one large public bath tucked away in a corner of the island; little more than a network of caverns. However, for malisons who can flash some coin, there are private grottos; and like the other hot springs, the privacy of such locations is sacrosanct and guaranteed by the serpentine gods, who gave their children the gift of a place to plot and scheme against each other in private.

   
Here, in the stultifying, glorious heat, Tohil explains the favor game to you all.

There are six major families who can introduce you to the Minister of War within the Temple; to do so, they would need to owe you a major favor. Not every family  needs  a major favor right now, at least not one you can provide; and not every family will trust you to do one, yet. Minor favors are a way to get that access, but also can be done on a quid pro quo basis, for an immediate reward.

It will take at least a month to get the meeting, no matter what you do.

 
 Spoiler: The Vrael Family 
The Vraels are the peak of traebol and utterly enmeshed with the governance of the church of Apophis. They are true zealots, insanely wealthy, and there is little they need from outsiders. There are no minor favors on offer.

The one thing they would love you to do is one thing no one on Malatra will touch -- a major assassination against the leaders of the Kanikau family. An open assault on the Kanikau estate will be a bloody battle, and burn your bridges with most of the other factions, but the Vrael will love you, and you will get your meeting.
 

 
 Spoiler: The Kanikau 
The Kanikau are a smaller lamia family, more nimble and recent in their ascension, but a growing threat to the Vrael. Their chief enemies are their own cousins among the Vrael, and knowing that, their alliances are pragmatic and wide-reaching. Their wealth is rooted in speculation and trade, but particularly in the mines and land-holdings in the far tundra beyond the city.

It is well-known among the favor-brokers that the Kanikau have some kind of problem with one of their newest mines, away in the Westfjords. The exact problem is not known, but it seems to be messy and magical. The opportunity to help out the Kanikau is hotly contested among the other families already. To get your foot in that door would require a gesture of trust.

You could gain that trust with an assassination of a Vrael official. This would be a much smaller scale action than the raid on an estate the Vrael want; he is a minor priest, but he has been a thorn in their side. They are also offering a bounty on his head in the form of a small sphere of ancient technology recovered from one of the mines, but that would not get you closer to a meeting with the Minister. The problem with this 'small favor' is that it would require offending the Vrael.
 

 
 Spoiler: The Clel 
The Clel family are jurgen who have ascended through their dominance in the manufacturing, construction and waste disposal industries. They constructed the hot spring and steam infrastructure of Malatra. Muscular and never particularly subtle, there is always space for a faction willing to throw its weight around; but they will never be at the top of the game of  traebol .

The Clel don't need a major favor from you; in fact they are competition for some of the others. However, their expertise runs to muscle, not magic. Tohil has discovered they would love to do a favor for the Kanikau, but would love even more to subcontract it to people more suited to the arcane -- a different way to get access to the mine job, and a different door into the room with the Minister.

The Clel do not require a minor favor for this alliance, but they need one anyway; the youngest son of Lotan Clel, has converted to Bahamutism. The family is dismayed, but Lotan loves his son, and is looking for a Bahamutian priest to baptize the boy. The Clels have access to a spring sacred to the Platinum Dragon that was buried when their steamworks was built and cannot otherwise be accessed. It is said to have mystical powers.
 

 
 Spoiler: The Majari 
The nagini Majari family’s wealth and power is rooted in the Malatran university and their magical prowess. Because they represent the interest of polytheistic Apophidians in opposition to the monotheistic Vrael, they aggregate a great deal of power they would otherwise not wield. They are viewed as one of the very top families, keeping the Vrael in check.

You have already done a minor favor for the Majari by sharing the plans to the illithid station. They covet arcane knowledge and also dislike the illithid, a sentiment less common here than elsewhere in the Hic Sunt. (Yuan Ti are resistant to poison and find ink merely entertaining.)

They like you already, and have a major favor available -- a supply train bearing arcane components from the deep tundra was attacked east of the River District and needs to be recovered and the threat dealt with. You could scoop this job from the Clel, at the cost of some bruised feelings.
 

 
 Spoiler: The Stheno 
The Stheno family have powerful shipping interests because of their affiliation with the lizardfolk of Gavia’s Jaws. The medusae families are strongly divided between the penitent and accursed factions, and accursed families like Stheno are currently ascendant. Theologically, the accursed are strongly opposed to the Five Gods of Lssthp, especially Erathis, who they believe cursed their ancestor. Penitent families like the Atropae share this belief but have sought to make amends with the Blue goddess.

The Stheno do not like you; they know an Atropae is travelling with you, and they are friendly with the illithid traders. You would have to get back in their good graces to get a major favor from them. Nibum's idea of sharing the formula for short rest potions would do the trick. (You could also trade for the formula for an upgrade to your ship.)

Their major favor would require an expedition to a temple of Gorgo on Gavia's Jaws, a few days sail away; a risky prospect at this time. They've lost contact with their temple and missionaries among the lizardfolk and want an investigation.
 

 
 Spoiler: The Cnidaria 
The Cnidaria are typhoni, descendants of Tiamat; they could not have risen to their current level of power and influence without disavowing her, but most doubt their sincerity. They are information brokers, spies and assassins; their ears are everywhere and their information is always worth the price. They are not well-loved, but they are needed, and they prosper by pitting their enemies against one another.

They already hate you, Tohil warns, and have been spying on you. They will not help you speak to the Minister of War. However, they will offer information in exchange for a minor favor; they want you to gain access to the fountain of Bahamut and profane it. In exchange, they will share information about a danger to you. They have offered a name already: Dominus Veritas Veneficus
 


You can do as many minor favors as you like, although they may have repercussions on your standings with the other families. You only have time for one major favor. Tohil counsels you to keep in mind that, while meeting with the Temple has to be the highest priority, the more  traebol  support you have, the more the Temple will be able to do for you. Making enemies will work against you, but it may be impossible to please everyone.

   
J-H
 Servius 
Servius graciously accepts the gift from one who is his superior in social status, and in many ways in breeding as well.  It's too bad she's decided to use her extra hands for fighting instead of weaving multiple spells at a time...

He directs the gunners to take advantage of some of the classes on offer at the university, improving their knowledge of magical theory and practice for a few hours a day.  Much of their training had been "on the job."  Adding a formal understanding of why they do what they do will help them get better at it, and perhaps pick up some new techniques along the way.

While there, Servius seeks out whoever seems to know the most about Necromancy, and relates the tale of what happened with the katabatic storm, and the possible future alternate undead self.  He's glimpsed it out of the corner of his eyes... but how dangerous is it?  How can it be lured in and disposed of?

He keeps a proverbial ear to the ground to find out about any other problems around the University, or ways he can gain favor with the Majari.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  Servius 
While there, Servius seeks out whoever seems to know the most about Necromancy, and relates the tale of what happened with the katabatic storm, and the possible future alternate undead self.  He's glimpsed it out of the corner of his eyes... but how dangerous is it?  How can it be lured in and disposed of? 
 

Understanding this being is a bit of a doublebind, because it's two things at once. In its immediate appearance and powers, it is a flameharrow, an undead creature. But its fundamental nature is that of a fetch, an elemental being of fear from the Shadowfell. The university's professor of necromancy asks you which aspect of its nature you would prefer him to start with. He's an elderly serpent, and you fear you will only have time for one.

 Choose one insight into Dominus Veritas Veneficus: 
 
 Spoiler: Flameharrow 
A flameharrow is similar to a lich, unkillable while its bejewelled skull remains intact. However, unlike a lich with its phylactery, it cannot hide this vulnerability. Removing the eyes from a fallen flameharrow will stop it from returning.

It is a master of both evocation and necromancy, especially spells related to producing fear. Its mastery of necromancy makes it immune to turning. The spells it casts would be based on the spells it learned in life, or pursued in undeath, but it could certainly cast spells of up to the fifth level.
 

 
 Spoiler: Fetch 
A fetch is a spirit native to the Shadowfell. However, once it has chosen a target it cannot be banished while that target lives, or until the form it has taken is destroyed. If it is not banished then, it will select a new target and return. The power of a fetch depends on the power of the target's fears; if it has taken the form of your own demise, you should look to your own spell preferences and personality in combat to understand it.

A confrontation with the fear it represents can weaken it, but since it tends to represent lethal things, this can be more dangerous than a straight-up fight.
 
zylodrizzt
To thrag  Hard to imagine what could have been knowing what is. I know if negniter hadnt perished is still be by my brothers side serving and no... theres no one... never has been one... not much life left in me now so probably will never be anyone and thats ok. I think despite tge hardships this life has been worth living as i have. You've seemed to have gone through much as well and seems you have came out better for it. Would you change how things have turned out?  


Some time after training with cocytus nibum asks tohil to set up a meeting with the harbormaster. Once in front of her he sets the potion in front of her  Im not sure you recognize what this is so if you dont just give it a try. On my life i believe you will be interested. Give it about 5 minute.  during that 5 minutes he explains all that happened to aquire this potion  Do you feel that? Feel refreshed right? Full of energy. When i try it i feel 50 years younger. Be careful tho because after a few hours you will feel exhausted so you shouldnt drink these without good reason.  He pulls out a notebook about the ingredients and quantities as well as technique to brewing.  Here i have just how its made and i offer this to you in friendship. 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 To thrag  Hard to imagine what could have been knowing what is. I know if negniter hadnt perished is still be by my brothers side serving and no... theres no one... never has been one... not much life left in me now so probably will never be anyone and thats ok. I think despite tge hardships this life has been worth living as i have. You've seemed to have gone through much as well and seems you have came out better for it. Would you change how things have turned out?   
 

  "It's good that ye don't have regrets about such things. It's a terrible thing to pass on with regrets."   At the mention of 'coming out better for it', Ttharg laughs heartily.   "Perhaps better, perhaps not; but different, aye. Bahamut saw fit to change me fate, an' I took that opportunity. This is the path Bahamut has laid before me, and I be walkin' it gladly; so nay, I would not change anything."  
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Once the favours have been outlined to the crew, it's obvious that Ttharg should take advantage of the Clel's request and baptise their son in accordance with their wishes.

Inwardly, as always, he's keenly aware of his lack of formal religious education, and the fact that he's a sailor rather than an established member of a temple. Still, he had been blessed by Bahamut, and in some ways perhaps it is more appropriate for the young man to be baptised by a man who had also come to his faith out of chance, rather than any sort of familial expectation or societal demand.

He has the materials necessary to cast a Ceremony spell (he always had some on hand if he was ever called upon to perform funeral rites or even a wedding at sea); but he figures it might be appropriate to secure some priestly robes for such a formal occasion.

He approaches Tohil and let's them know of his desire to assist the young man get baptised. He asks Tohil if he can recommend a good tailor in Malatra to get him some formal robes for the occasion; and whether he might be allowed to spend some extra time in the Spring after the baptism is complete.

Ttharg also makes an effort to speak more with Siduri and perhaps visits the temples/university to be better versed in how a formal baptism is supposed to go.

(Let me know how much a formal set of Bahamut priestly robes might cost)
TriciaOso
 Nibum 

The harbormaster is not ready to drink a strange potion presented to her by a malison she has never met before, but her serpents crane to look at it with interest. (Her actual face is hidden behind a veil, like many of the medusae who belong to the accursed sect.) She hisses something to Tohil, who translates.

 "She will show it to her alchemists and see if it's legitimate. She thanks you. She says if it is what you say she will offer you a gift of the medusae to improve your ship, as they do their own." 

The potion must indeed check out, because the next day a crew of medusae workmen show up and prepare to improve the hull of the White Cliff. They use their gaze to transform the surface of the hull into a shallow layer of petrified stone; the increase in weight is not enough to slow the ship considerably, but the thin coating of armor will make the hull survive more damage and make lesser blows glance off.

 Ttharg 

Once you are dressed in the vestments of Bahamut and have done your research, Tohil escorts you to the Clel Estate. Most of the great families make their estates near the source of their wealth, yet removed enough for luxury. The Clels have hewed closer to the former than the latter; their manor house is large and beautiful, but it is nestled up against the unlovely bulk of the Steamworks. All down the coastline here, volcanic vents and mineral springs erupt from the stony ground, and this long stone building harnesses it and pipes steam and hot water all over the city for the benefit of Malatra and the enrichment of the Clels.

The house is dark and wood-paneled; as far as an old pirate knows, it's in good taste. Not too ostentatious about the money, but everything looks faintly expensive and shiny-new. In a dim and atmospheric study, Tohil introduces you to Lotan Clel, the patriarch of the family.

 

From the waist up, Lotan Clel is a powerfully-built old man; age has turned him iron-hard instead of brittle. From the waist down, he is a 12-foot long anaconda as thick as your arm even at the narrowest point of his tail. His clothes, like everything else, have that faint whiff of new money, but he looks like he's lived long enough to get comfortable in them. His rings, however, are gaudy with jewels. One of them appears to be a needle-sharp fang set in silver.

 "Thank you for coming, Father,"  he says.  "We of the jurgen are descended through Sseth, the eldest son of Apophis. I know one of the fountains in our steamworks is supposed to be sacred to Bahamut, there are various relics and things we've accumulated along the way, but never has my family taken an interest in such things. Now my boy, Seir, tells me Bahamut is in our ancestry the same as Apophis. This is news to me, but okay. I am willing to go to the Temple, to get a dispensation for his worship. I am able to do these things for my family and it's my pleasure to be able. But now my son tells me he needs to be baptized, submerged in the water like a merrow or the conversion isn't proper with your god. So I find for him a man of his faith to do it. It's a blessing to me to be generous with my children, and with my friends. For you to do this for me, we'll be friends, for all that you stand on two feet."

"I see you have the finery of your kind, and that's very good. It's good for things to be done right and proper. For you also I have  this stole  to sort of complete the look. It's a relic of a real Bahamutian priest, or so my grandfather told me. My family acquired it when we took ownership of the spring. A long time ago."  
 
 Spoiler: Insight 10+ 
His ancestors very definitely killed the priest who guarded the shrine.
 

 "I don't know the way of these things, but we have the Spring and I can bring in Seir to meet you. Only first I wanted to see you and take your measure, begging your pardon. My children are precious to me and always there are enemies." 
 Fork 

The Kanikau do not send anyone to meet with you; they don't want the killing to be traced back to them so easily. They pass the name to Tohil, who passes the name to you, and explains who he is.

 "Eztli Vrael is the priest who oversees the sacrifices at the Labyrinth, the sacrifice pit most used by Apophidians who worship gods in addition to Apophis. The main pit in the Temple is for the monotheists. He's a Vrael himself, so he does his best to keep the Labyrinth poor and shabby. But of course supervising a poor and shabby temple isn't a job you give to an important man. The Kanikau believe when he's dead they can maneuver their own priest into the job." 

To kill him, you will have to follow him home from the Labyrinth to wherever he lives, somewhere in the Temple Precinct. Ajaw offers to accompany you, in case you run into trouble as a malison moving around the main city. Tohil looks surprised but pleased when he speaks up.

 Servius 

You have done your small favor for the Majari, and find yourself a bit at loose ends while waiting for them to call you back to discuss a larger one. Orophias approaches you, his sea chest slung over his broad shoulders.  "So, I am leaving the ship and returning to the Temple,"  he says.  "I wanted to say goodbye, and thank you for your encougement. I wish you and the crew all the best." 

He pauses diffidently.  "You are one of us, but you grew up so far away. Can I show you something of our city before you must leave? Perhaps a sacrifice at the Temple?" 
J-H
 Servius 

Servius readily accepts Orophias' invitation.   "Yes, I'd be happy to come along, Orophias.  I have not been particularly devout, but with what we are chasing... perhaps I should be." 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  Servius 

Servius readily accepts Orophias' invitation.   "Yes, I'd be happy to come along, Orophias.  I have not been particularly devout, but with what we are chasing... perhaps I should be."  
 

There are three major sacrifice pits in the city of Malatra: the Coliseum in the Malison Precinct, where the malisons worship and condemned criminals fight for their lives; the Labyrinth on the eastern shore, where the polytheists offer sometimes-willing sacrifices to their many gods alongside Apophis; and the Great Dome, in the Temple of Apophis itself, where only the World Serpent is worshipped and only the worst criminals, traitors and heretics, are sacrificed. The last is where Orophias brings you.

It is strange, after a lifetime in Lssthp, to be in a city built for and filled with your kind. There are no chairs in the dome, only ranked risers ascending from the Pit itself. The Pit is a fifty foot circle of sand, with walls rise sixty feet sheer and straight up before the risers begin. Doors are set in the walls intermittently all the way around. Orophias's family pew is near the great tarnished copper dome of the roof, and the figures in and around the Pit are small and toy-like.

It's a late afternoon ritual in the middle of the week, and the priest who comes forth to speak to the congregation is no one of any importance, no great orator or evangelist. Still, the Yuan Ti in the half-full dome listened to his magically-magnified voice attentively as he leads a chorus of praise for Apophis; his size, his crushing trength, his virility, his power in shaping the world in the dawn of civilization and his enduring resolve to restrain Tiamat. They pray for unflagging strength like people who can see the volcano where Tiamat will return if he ever relaxes.

Then the sacrifices begin. Animals are first, released from one set of doors onto the sand of the Pit. The goats, chupacabras and cockatrices mostly run in frightened circles or wander obliviously as pythons, asps and cobras are released to feed on them. Then larger beasts are released; owlbears, titanotheres and elephants are presented to the  nagas  and their spirits offered up to Apophis in the Pit of Fire. A few of these put up a good fight; one of them, an ancient buck titanothere, actually manages to slay a naga.

 

A great moaning prayer goes up from the assembled Yuan Ti, but when it concludes Orophias takes a moment to reassure you.

 "It's all right. A naga cannot remain dead for long. His spirit will return from Apophis with wisdom for us, and the titanothere will live to serve another day. Some day, he will fall, and his spirit will be exceptionally strong... a feast for Apophis!" 

Finally, a Yuan Ti slithers out onto the sands. He is less humanoid-looking than some of your race, with a triangular, ophidian face and black eyes. The stammering priest proclaims his name and his crime; Zirco Crotalus, arrested for an attempt on the life of the Yuan Ti priest Eztli Vrael. Orophias whispers to you that Eztili is the chief priest of the Labyrinth, and that the Crotalus family are related to the more high-profile Kanikaus. Everyone knows the Kanikau put Crotalus up to it, but he has refused to talk. Refusing confession is another crime laid on him in the oration.

He stands on the sand, ready to fight, with his bare hands if necessary. His tail rises in a defiant rattle. The priest addresses the crowd,  "W-will anyone arm this traitor against his fate? Or do we condemn him to fight with only the weapons granted him, by a g-god he despises?" 
 

A roar of disapproval goes up from the crowd, but  someone  throws him a sword out of the stands. He catches it and rises up, baring his fangs, and shouts:  "I do not despise Apophis, but only--" 

And then the sand erupts beneath him. No door opens this time; a gigantic purple wyrm rises up out of the sand and swallows the unfortunate Crotalus whole. Standing erect from the sand, it reaches more than twenty feet above the top of the Pit, and gasps and shrieks go up from the audience. Its blind face and gaping maw are directly before the priest of Apophis, who no longer seems so insignificant as he stares it down, calling on the hundred names Apophis spelled out in his coils for himself;  Jormengandr, M'daess, Asgorath, Shekinester, Jazirian... 

Incredibly, the purple wyrm bows... and sinks back beneath the sand. The aghast silence of the stands explodes into ecstatic worship; Orophias is weeping.

Of Zirco Crotalus, nothing remains.
Dirty
 ***He also asks fork about the same thing but about spoon.***

Fork has a hard time talking about it but instead he put an arm around Nibum and bows his head in a grieving way. "He taught me everything I know." Fork said eventually. He knelt and pulled an old looking arrow from his quiver. "I've been holding on to this." He said. "It's the last physical memento I have of him. "He plucked one of the three feathers from the shaft of the arrow and put it at the altar. After another moment of silence Fork just said: "Thank you."

In the following week the Marines that all had known loss and tragedy, not in the least their comrade that had died on this voyage stopped by the altar and left bits and bobs out of faith and respect. 

Fork accepted the mission with the reverence it deserved. This was a dangerous game but prey was prey and Fork was a hunter. That's how he was taught to see it, it was dogma. Nevertheless, even though he'd consider himself a seasoned hunter Fork happily accepted Ajaws offer to keep an eye out during the proceedings. He needed the protection scouting out the area, route and had to find a good location to strike from. He needed to be able to roam this restricted area somehow and riding Ajaws coattails would be just the ticket.

Together they set out, mapping the route and scouting out good spots for Fork to set an ambush. Fork considered attacking from above too, as his boots made roof walking a literal breeze. Fork and Rumble made a great pair of gargoyles from above too. It all depended on the situation and how crowded it was but Fork set about to do his homework.

After hours, Fork asked Madame Bothros if she didn't know of any particular way to incapacitate a Yuan-Ti as he figured that trying to poison a snake probably wouldn't have the desired outcome.
J-H
 Servius 
It is indeed refreshing to be among the tailed exclusively.  No stairs, no steps, no sharp cobblestones in the streets, and the streets themselves are kept cleaner; without boots, animal manure and other pollutants are much harder to ignore.

The sacrifices are... strangely wasteful... yet also entertaining, as bloodsports tend to be.

The final execution is of course the most dramatic.  Servius knows that the task Zirco Crotalus took on was one that the White Cliff and her crew could perhaps have taken part in.  There is no fighting a purple worm, not in this sort of scenario.  Sword or no, this was a political execution, and a statement.

 "Thank you, Orophias.  I have not seen this aspect of the worship of Apophis before.  I'm more used to the books and the quiet rituals.  It's easy to forget his...consuming nature... at times." 
 And yet, he coils around Tiamat, where Servius may yet go.  If so... better that Apophis feed than the 5-headed dragon god be released. 
TriciaOso
 Fork 

 
 Originally Posted by Dirty 
 Fork accepted the mission with the reverence it deserved. This was a dangerous game but prey was prey and Fork was a hunter. That's how he was taught to see it, it was dogma. Nevertheless, even though he'd consider himself a seasoned hunter Fork happily accepted Ajaws offer to keep an eye out during the proceedings. He needed the protection scouting out the area, route and had to find a good location to strike from. He needed to be able to roam this restricted area somehow and riding Ajaws coattails would be just the ticket.

Together they set out, mapping the route and scouting out good spots for Fork to set an ambush. Fork considered attacking from above too, as his boots made roof walking a literal breeze. Fork and Rumble made a great pair of gargoyles from above too. It all depended on the situation and how crowded it was but Fork set about to do his homework.

After hours, Fork asked Madame Bothros if she didn't know of any particular way to incapacitate a Yuan-Ti as he figured that trying to poison a snake probably wouldn't have the desired outcome. 
 

Cold, Madame Bothros tells you. The Yuan Ti are more sensitive than most reptilians to cold, hence the need for steam heat piping. She also tells you something else of value.

You know it would be impossible to kill Vrael in the Labyrinth, surrounded by his gods, and unwise to kill him in a crowded dormitory of other priests, guarded by Yuan Ti Templars. But when he walks between them, or shops in the Shade Market, he seems entirely vulnerable. He doesn't wear armor, and he does not seem powerful enough to have more mystical protections. It seems like an arrow from cover with all your enchantments would be all it would take.

Madame Bothros tells you that this assassination has been tried before; a minor gangster named Zirco Crotalus. Crotalus killed him up close, with a knife, in a Market Precinct alley. The Templars undertook a search, and Crotalus was arrested in a sweep along with assorted other Kanikau family hangers-on. And then he was identified -- by Eztili Vrael.

 "The Vrael brought him back,"  she says in her whispery voice.  "What's a diamond to them?" 

But, she tells you, there is a way. Once a week, he dons plain clothes and takes a barge across the inlet, to see a woman he keeps in the Malison Precinct. Madame Bothros knows, because she found the woman for him.

 "Kill him on  this  side, in an situation unbecoming a priest, and the Vrael won't waste any more diamonds on the likes of him."  Or if his body goes into the water and is never found... well, he's not worth  that  much.
zylodrizzt
Nibum goes with tohil to buy the ingredients for a short rest potion and then head to a place of study tohil leading the way. Don't think he will get in otherwise. He does this everyday for seeming forever just pouring through things hoping for some answers about this whole situation they find themselves in not really knowing what will happen or where they need to go. He tells pterodactyl what they should search for while he reads tome ofter tome tho many he doesn't even know how to read since they are diffrent languages some. Pterodactyl guides his other 2 assistants to retrieve certain tomes or scrolls seemingly making a manufacturing line back and forth. Nibum makes use of the catalog to help pterodactyl look.

Nibum takes a break at some point for a smoke break. He's not truly been the type to ask for help or even pray or anything of the sort but in this matter he's willing to try about anything so he puts his hand up on negniters figure and silently asks for help while searching for negniters star. He goes back in and resumes study. He falls asleep at one point and when he wakes up he realizes he never told his assistants to stop bringing things and he finds the table he's been using is just spilling with books and scrolls.
TriciaOso
 Servius 

Orophias is heading home to visit his parents before going out on a new mission for Apophis, so you part ways outside the Great Dome. As you head back towards the narrow spit of land that connects the mainland to the Malison Precinct, you move through a great press of Yuan Ti finishing their days. Somewhere, on the other side of the humanoid world, the sun is descending into the Hell of Fire to make its way back to you.

Here in the Temple Precinct, the vast majority of Yuan Ti you see are lamia like yourself, mixed with a fair number of jurgen like Orophias and peppered with other bloodlines. It would be unusual to see more than a few feathered kulkan or multi-armed nagini or multi-headed typhoni on this short slither back to the ship.

By the time you register the fourth typhoni in the crowd, headed towards you, two of others have bracketed you and one is behind cutting off your retreat. Your passive perception may have let you down, but your passive investigation is high, and you understand what's happening immediately.

The one in front of you is the leader; you can tell from their body language, and because he has the most heads.

 
 "Please, don't be alarmed,"  says one of his heads. The voice is reedy and nasal, not what you might have expected.  "We just want to talk. There's an offer on the table between us, is there not? I am Ladon Cnidaria." 
 Nibum 

 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Nibum goes with tohil to buy the ingredients for a short rest potion and then head to a place of study tohil leading the way. Don't think he will get in otherwise. He does this everyday for seeming forever just pouring through things hoping for some answers about this whole situation they find themselves in not really knowing what will happen or where they need to go. He tells pterodactyl what they should search for while he reads tome ofter tome tho many he doesn't even know how to read since they are diffrent languages some. Pterodactyl guides his other 2 assistants to retrieve certain tomes or scrolls seemingly making a manufacturing line back and forth. Nibum makes use of the catalog to help pterodactyl look.

Nibum takes a break at some point for a smoke break. He's not truly been the type to ask for help or even pray or anything of the sort but in this matter he's willing to try about anything so he puts his hand up on negniters figure and silently asks for help while searching for negniters star. He goes back in and resumes study. He falls asleep at one point and when he wakes up he realizes he never told his assistants to stop bringing things and he finds the table he's been using is just spilling with books and scrolls. 
 

The Yuan Ti have the responsibility - have taken the responsibility - of guarding the passages into the Hell of Fire. Naturally they don't like the information about the passages into the world beneath the volcano to be too available. Most of what you can find is at the mythical, poetic level.

As member of Negniter's house, you've always known that the Black God, Orcus, had a secret path down to Tiamat on Sunhome. That the other four Chromatic Gods each have their own path, too, isn't that surprising. You find brief information about the Yuan Ti military outposts at each of the openings. Each of the initial caverns is brief, ending in an impenetrable wall of gold, silver, copper, brass or bronze, set with gems and engraved with runes. That much is public knowledge. The fortifications of each cavern, you know you will not be able to find. What lies beyond the walls, it's unlikely anyone has seen in thousands of years.

You search more than anything for the passwords to pass the walls of metal. If it was stated plainly, it would be hidden, but maybe it's obscured in here somewhere...

As you reach for one book, you graze a different one with your claw, and feel something from your pendant. Seizing the other book, you leaf through it, looking for anything else that triggers that feeling. You find an etching, a reproduction of a copper plate found in a sunken city near Blackreach. The runes on it seem incomprehensible at first, but as you stare at them with weary eyes, you notice the mathematical pattern. Most of the runes are just there to obscure the important ones.

 

One rune at a time, you pick out the word  Tutthaka .

Although it's written in Draconic runes, it's not a word you've ever heard before. It sounds maybe Primordial? You find a Primordial dictionary, and find the definition:  blue vitriol, a kind of copper-based acid used in alchemy.  Yes, you've heard of it, but not under this name. You hear Negniter's voice in your mind, repeating the syllables.

 Tutthaka .

You search for any similar finds, similar plates from Blackreach or from anywhere, but come up with nothing.
J-H
 Servius 
Servius reluctantly assents.   "I believe there is, yes."   As they move out of the lines of traffic, he tries to position himself with his back against a wall.   "However, I am not the captain of the ship, so I can, at most, relay information."   He waits.  Their move...not that Servius plays chess or anything like that.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  Servius 
Servius reluctantly assents.   "I believe there is, yes."   As they move out of the lines of traffic, he tries to position himself with his back against a wall.   "However, I am not the captain of the ship, so I can, at most, relay information."   He waits.  Their move...not that Servius plays chess or anything like that. 
 

 "Oh, but you are the one that  he  is hunting, Mr. Pamphilius,"  says one of the other heads.

 "Besides, your Captain... the female malison, yes? I know some people pride themselves on the ability to talk to beasts, but my studies never ran that way."  The other heads chuckle at this.  "You're an intelligent Yuan Ti. I feel like you're someone I can speak to."

"When you leave the protection of this city, the undead  will  come for you. We can help you, but you've rejected our help. At least do me the courtesy of a counteroffer." 
 "Or..."  A third head takes up the conversation. " You could stay. Just stay here, and let it happen."

"This is your home, Mr. Pamphilius. It is the home for all Yuan Ti, no matter how far they've roamed. No undead can enter here. And when Tiamat returns and razes Lssthp fivefold for their treason, this will be the capital of a new, ophidian world." 
The Commander
 
 Originally Posted by TriciaOso 
  Ttharg 
 "Thank you for coming, Father,"  he says.  "We of the jurgen are descended through Sseth, the eldest son of Apophis. I know one of the fountains in our steamworks is supposed to be sacred to Bahamut, there are various relics and things we've accumulated along the way, but never has my family taken an interest in such things. Now my boy, Seir, tells me Bahamut is in our ancestry the same as Apophis. This is news to me, but okay. I am willing to go to the Temple, to get a dispensation for his worship. I am able to do these things for my family and it's my pleasure to be able. But now my son tells me he needs to be baptized, submerged in the water like a merrow or the conversion isn't proper with your god. So I find for him a man of his faith to do it. It's a blessing to me to be generous with my children, and with my friends. For you to do this for me, we'll be friends, for all that you stand on two feet."

"I see you have the finery of your kind, and that's very good. It's good for things to be done right and proper. For you also I have  this stole  to sort of complete the look. It's a relic of a real Bahamutian priest, or so my grandfather told me. My family acquired it when we took ownership of the spring. A long time ago."  
 
 Spoiler: Insight 10+ 
His ancestors very definitely killed the priest who guarded the shrine.
 

 "I don't know the way of these things, but we have the Spring and I can bring in Seir to meet you. Only first I wanted to see you and take your measure, begging your pardon. My children are precious to me and always there are enemies."  
 

Ttharg felt uneasy at being called 'father', but then again this whole ceremony had him feeling uneasy. He supposed that this was, in a roundabout way, Bahamut again pushing him in a new direction; even if only temporarily.

Ttharg bows to Lotan.   "I be... am Ttharg Krixkrux."   Ttharg begins, trying to rid himself of his sailor's accent in these formal surroundings.   "It is an honour to meet you, and perform this service for you and your son. I would very much like to become friends."  

Ttharg accepts the scarf, placing it reverently around his neck. If there are mirrors in Lotan's office, he tries not to catch a glimpse of himself; imagining himself to look ridiculous.   "Thank you, sir."  
  "The Spring will certainly be the best place for such a ceremony. I have the necessary materials to conduct the ceremony as well. I would be happy to meet with Seir beforehand if they wish to speak with me before the ceremony proper; and I can understand your caution in inviting an outsider to such a delicate event."  

Ttharg then wants to go over the order of service for the baptism - checking with Lotan about how many people he expects to come (family/friends/etc.), whether Lotan intends to provide his own security for the event (which Ttharg is fine with) or whether Lotan wants to provide food/drink/a reception as well.

Ttharg suggests that the ceremony would begin by Ttharg leading a prayer to Bahamut, explaining Bahamut's role and a very brief history of their existence, and then leading Seir into the Spring to be submerged and reaffirm their decision. Ttharg assures that Seir would only be fully submerged for a few seconds, and intends to inform Seir of this when he meets him to make sure he's comfortable with that. After resurfacing, Ttharg will anoint Seir with powdered silver to complete the ritual. Ttharg emphasises that he needs to remain within 10ft of Seir for the duration, and the ceremony itself should take an hour. (Ttharg intends to cast the spell 'Ceremony', which takes 1 hour and the target must remain within 10ft of me throughout the duration. 'Dedication' seems like the appropriate ceremony type for Seir, so Ttharg will go with that. He has the powdered silver necessary to perform it).
TriciaOso
 Ttharg 
 

Seir Clel is an earnest young man, in appearance very similar to his father but far separated in age. He is tall and strong, like any jurgen, but lacks the hugeness and sense of coiled power that surrounds the older man.

Of course, he is Lotan's youngest son, but you can't help but wonder if Seir's egg was an unexpected blessing for a man who thought the days of diapers and early morning squalls were behind him. He is lacking the ritual tattoos the worshippers of Apophis wear, and it's strange how quickly seeing those on the Yuan Ti around you has become normal. He looks rather brand-new and naked without them.

His faith seems sincere; he tells you of discovering the boarded up and disused spring as a child, and how he would return there again and again for the sense of peace and power that he felt submerged in the waters. When he discovered the history of the sacred spring, his conviction came upon him like a thunderbolt. He is unsure how he wants to express this faith in his life, only that he wants to live in the path of Bahamut.

The spring itself is not especially impressive, although the grotto is beautiful and the pool is crystal clear. The room has clearly been unused for decades, and ancient pipes cross the room, groaning and hissing with steam. Someone, most likely Seir, has taken some pains to clean and hang lanterns. It is simple, but the power of Bahamut is palpable here. There were no mirrors in Lotan's office, but the platinum waters of the pool are a perfect one, and you see yourself well. You actually look rather authoritative as a servant of Bahamut in these vestments.

Only Lotan and Timna, Seir's mother, attend. She is quite a bit younger than her husband, and it seems unlikely she was the mother of all his children, but that's neither here nor there. She seems, like her husband, politely baffled but supportive of her son's religious bent. There is no security; deep within the Steamworks, you are as secure as anywhere can possibly be in the domain of the Clels. No reception is planned for the ceremony, but Timna invites you to join their family meal afterwards.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
As part of the ceremony, roll a Skill check and add proficiency.

-If you talk about Bahamut as a historical figure, a philosopher and warrior, roll INT
--If you focus on his great deeds and might, roll with advantage (The Path of Zeal)
--If you focus on his good deeds and kindness he showed, double your proficiency (The Path of Mercy)

-If you talk about Bahamut's teachings, his practices and traditions, roll WIS
--If you focus on his teachings as a personal ritual and path to enlightenment, roll with advantage (The Path of Discipline)
--If you focus on his teachings as a tool for communities and peoples, double your proficiency (The Path of Tradition)

-If you talk about a personal relationship and devotion to Bahamut himself, roll CHA
--If you focus on Bahamut as an ancestral figure, a patriarch, roll with advantage (The Path of Ancestry)
--If you focus on Bahamut as a confidante and ever-present support, double your proficiency. (The Path of Patronage)
 
Dirty
Fork usually brought some little gift with him when they'd have dinner and a game. Something nice and thoughtful, small and fitting. Sometimes a bottle of fire wine, sometimes flowers. This time Fork went out and got Madame Bothros a fur coat from a winter wolf, from a shifty trader who had unusually good items for too high a price. He offered the coat and a pair of golden ear-rings in the shape of curved daggers as a thank you for the meal that day.

During the subsequent game of bones they played he carefully tried to see how much information the gift was worth. He inquired about the day and time of the next visit, the name of the girl that the priest would be seeing and what she looked like.

He scouted out the barge, the route and the building.. keeping an eye out for possible witnesses or hindrances.
TriciaOso
 Fork 

Madame Bothros is quite forthcoming; both for the sake of your gifts and for your friendship with both her and Ajaw.

There are three paths you believe you can undertake fairly securely:

1. To kill him in the Malison Precinct, in as compromising a situation as possible. This has the advantage of being the easiest, but almost certainly invites negative attention for his malison lover, and he could still possibly be revived, depending on how the Vrael judge the disgrace.

2. Killing him on the barge is more difficult,  as you have to anticipate his movements. But you can throw his body into the inlet, where it is unlikely to be found.

3. Alternatively, you could bring the body back to the White Cliff to feed the sea serpent.  There's no chance of revival, then, but the risk is higher.
TriciaOso
 Servius 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 

You could roll Insight or investigation; obviously investigation is stronger for you, but they will give you slightly different answer on a success.

You rolled a 19 on Investigation. This is high enough to begin to overlap with Insight; you realize that of all the factions, they are the most genuine in their faith and their bargaining all revolves around that, rather than petty rivalry or self-enrichment. Anything you give them will have to aid their cause in one way or another. It's not about abstract value, it's about value to Tiamat.

On a 19 you get 3 options, each more likely to persuade them:

5+: The same arcane/illithid information you gave the nagini of the University. Valuable in a general sense, to any magic users.
10+: The illithid navigation data. Not especially valuable to the Cnidaria, but as information brokers it might be something they can sell to sea-traders.
15+: Giving up the fact that Cocytus confessed and shared the names of Tiamatic dragons back in Lssthp would let them warn their co-conspirators.

Whatever you decide on, you can make a Persuasion check; the DC will adjust based on your offer.
 
J-H
 Servius 
Servius shrugs his serpentine shoulders.   "I don't have much to trade... navigation data we took from some illithid is about it.  Is that worth enough to get your help knowing when and where the Flameharrow will attack?" 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  Servius 
Servius shrugs his serpentine shoulders.   "I don't have much to trade... navigation data we took from some illithid is about it.  Is that worth enough to get your help knowing when and where the Flameharrow will attack?"  
 

The heads exchange thoughtful looks, and then Ladon shrugs in return, and the primary head grins.  "It's not everything I would've hoped for, friend, but then again 'when' and 'where' isn't everything that we know. To keep negotiations open, I'll make that trade. If you decide you need to know more, think about what more you can offer." 

Tohil is dismayed they approached you without her to mediate, but handles the hand-off of information. In exchange for the charts of the waters around Malatra, you get the following message:


  The  when  and  where  depends, in part, on you. The wards around the city won't allow an independent undead to enter. If he sees or senses you leave the boundaries of the wards, he will come for you, but you can try to avoid his gaze, or you can pick your ground and wait for him to come.

He is waiting in the bay for your ship to leave harbor, and scrying periodically to detect if you leave the city by other means. You may find an amulet or spell of nondetection to be helpful in these circumstances. That should help you set the terms of your next engagement.  
J-H
 Servius 
Servius approaches the captain and the other officers, who have been kept informed of all of this.   "Apparently this thing is out there.  If we wait until Trionyx arrives, then if we have to flee or pursue him, it's a complication we won't have time for.  I think we should try to deal with it now.  Should we involve the White Cliff, which gives us more firepower but also risks our ship, or would you prefer we leave the city on foot to bait it out?" 

(note: does our planned major favor on the supply convoy take us beyond the wards? if so, we should definitely deal with the Flameharrow first)
Dirty
There was a thick mist that had rolled over the waters between the districts. Something with the cold waterflow and the volcanic activity that made these ominous banks of grey-blue banks. Through the fog a barge slowly emerged. A skipper, who guided the barge through the waters with a professional disinterest born from doing this exact same thing a thousand times before, and a passenger. They weren't speaking, both comfortable to be just what they were in this moment. A skipper, and a passenger. No words needed between the handing over of fare and the thanks and goodbyes that were dictated by common courtesy.
Both their minds were pre-occupied with private, earthly matters. The skipper had just had a big fight at home and he was wondering if it was all worth it. He could make out the forms of the larger ships and wondered what life would be like on a longer voyage. But he had a nest at home with a bunch of eggs soon to be hatched and he knew his wife would bite his head off and curse the ship sideways if he split. So he focussed on getting paid, and maybe getting a drink at the crooked fang later. Throwing some darts and hitting back a few venom-scotches would do the trick.

The priest had his mind on his destination. He was looking forward to the warm embrace to reinvigorate his soul. It wasn't easy, dealing with the **** he dealt with on a daily basis and he really needed to get his rocks off.

Quietly the barge glided over the water and slid into another mist bank. The skipper went on complete autopilot, he could do this in his sleep. He had done, on occasion. But he was awake today, and even though he couldn't see his own shoes he wasn't worried. Then he heard a splash and a soft "thud" sound. The boat rocked a bit but just slightly. He tensed and listened a bit. This was unusual but it happened so fast that he didn't have time to react or even be overly worried. Was it a fish nearby the boat?

As the barge slid out of the thickest mist to his dumb surprise the skipper noticed that he was alone on the barge. There was no priest. Had he fallen overboard? He was unsure about what to do. He waited a bit, but soon figured that he wasn't going to alert the authorities. He didn't want any trouble with the temple and he wasn't going to explain what he was doing sneakily ferrying clergy across. He circled back and half expected to find the priest splashing about in the water but as much as he strained, he didn't hear a thing. When he came to shore he tied up his boat and decided to go home instead. This was strange and he felt uneasy.

As the skipper slithered into his bed next to his wife hugging her and hoping she'd calmed down a bit, a skiff paddled by two familiar figures in the form of Fork and Rumble came around the White Cliff. They dumped a humanoid sized tarp, rolled up, from the skiff and the large mount slowly but deliberatelty dipped his head underwater and devoured the Yuan-Ti tasting sushi roll in one happy bite.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg begins the ceremony with a prayer to Bahamut, which includes casting Bless on everyone present. Although this spell will wear off extremely quickly, it is done simply to set the intention for the ceremony.

Ttharg then begins to talk about Bahamut's existence and role within our universe. He talks about how the Dragon Gods were once one, but broke apart to form the Gods we know today; including Bahamut. He talks about how Bahamut bound Tiamat in the coils of Apophis and trapped her in the Plane of Fire. He talks about the revelation of Bahamut, his teachings about self-determinism and change, not anarchy. He quotes the scripture that many would take out of context:

 
 Spoiler: Scripture 
 'Erathis said to Bahamut, O Wise One (sarcastic), you teach freedom from the Law. Yet without the Law, dragons will kill one another, rob one another, ravish one another and devour each other's eggs. How will you prevent this?

Bahamut said, This morning I arose and I have killed every dragon I wished to kill; stolen every treasure I wished to steal; ravished every female I wished to ravish; and devoured every egg I wished to devour. You wish to be master so that dragons obey you and not their evil impulses. I will teach them to master themselves and put aside evil impulses.

Erathis said, And what if they do not learn?

And Bahamut said, Then I will kill them. This, too, is part of freedom.

Erathis said, This seems crueller to me than to make them obey.

And Bahamut called out to Sardior, saying, Sardior, is it better to be a slave or to die?

And Sardior said, I hate it when you two drag me into your fights.' 
 


He finishes the sermon by advocating a return to the sea from where we were once borne, to one day return to that great draconic spirit.

  "Bahamut comes to each of us differently. For some, they've known their entire lives that they wish to dedicate themselves to him. For others, their faith only comes in the last moments of their lives. Some will see the signs that lead them to worship. Others will only realise them after a long reflection. Bahamut gives us opportunity through change. He opens doors we never knew could be open, if only we are brave enough to step through them. Law and tradition are important, yes; but if we bind ourselves too tightly to the ideals of the past then we will never grow. And if we cannot grow, we cannot improve ourselves and be better than we once were."  

Ttharg approaches Seir.

  "Seir Clel, you have felt the power of Bahamut and wish to be baptised, here, now. Is that correct?"   (Ttharg waits for an affirmation)

  "Seir Clel, is it your wish to live your life in accordance with the teachings and wisdom of Bahamut?"   (Ttharg waits for an affirmation)

  "Seir Clel, will you defend your faith and it's ideals against all who would choose to challenge them?"   (Ttharg waits for an affirmation)

(Assuming an affirmation for all three) Ttharg leads Seir to the water's edge. They both step into the Spring and Ttharg has Seir kneel, his head still above water.

As Ttharg is about to submerge Seir, he can't help but think of his own drowning experience when Bahamut intervened in his life. The lightning strike had forced Ttharg into the water and, weakened as he was, he had begun to sink. His old life had drowned, along with his former crew mates, there and then; but a sailor from the White Cliff had dove in and rescued him from true death. In many ways, this was Ttharg's baptism. Nothing about it had been formal, but Ttharg was sure, in this moment, that Bahamut had chosen to baptism Ttharg himself: forcing him into the water, letting the old Ttharg die, and having the new Ttharg pulled from the water by the crew that would become his new family.

  "A baptism can take many forms under Bahamut's blessing. For some, it is a formal ceremony, in a place of power, handled by a man of faith. Other times it is done alone, on the sea, with great fear. In both cases the person is transformed: the old returning to the water's depths and the new resurfacing to take it's first breath. In both cases, Bahamut smiles upon them. Let him smile upon you, Seir Clel, as we submerge you and let your old doubts and fears be washed away to be replaced with new hope and opportunities for the future."  

At this, Ttharg gently pushes Seir onto his back and into the water. He holds him there for a couple of seconds, ensuring he's fully submerged, and then gently pulls him back above the surface.   "Take your first breath as a man of renewed dedication and may Bahamut bless all your future endeavours."  

Ttharg helps Seir step out of the Spring and then applies powdered silver across Seir's body, which begins to mix with the water of the Spring and disappear into the skin of Seir. Once finished, Ttharg takes a step back and bows to Seir.   "Let me be the first to greet you as fellow follower of Bahamut. Congratulations!"  
 
 Spoiler 
Ceremony Spell completes, 25gp of powdered silver is used up (the material cost of the spell).

Seir is under the effect of 'Dedication': 'You touch one humanoid who wishes to be dedicated to your god’s service. For the next 24 hours, whenever the target makes a saving throw, it can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the save. A creature can benefit from this rite only once.'

Ttharg will have hoped to sway Seir into more a Barbarian role with his talk about self-determinism, opportunity, bravery, and a removal of fears and doubts; as well as an emphasis on strength.

Ttharg will have been focusing on the wisdom revealed to him by Bahamut and on his own experiences converting to Bahamut. If I'm allowed to roll Wisdom, I will do so. I'd like to take the Double Proficiency Bonus, and then use the Inspiration I have to also have Advantage (really want to nail this roll).

If so, that would be +3 Wisdom, +3 Proficiency (doubled to +6), so +9, with Advantage from Inspiration:  (1d20+9)[ 29 ]  or  (1d20+9)[ 10 ] 
 


 


Ttharg accepts of the offer of a meal after the Ceremony. He politely asks about the family's history and their current ventures. At some point during the meal, Ttharg mentions about Trionyx and his own quest to stop him. He mentions the party's plan to speak with the Minister of War and whether the Clel family would voice their support for such a petition; even if they wouldn't personally sponsor it. Ttharg also asks whether it would be permissible for him to use the Spring briefly to Commune with Bahamut regarding Trionyx's impending arrival and the forces he is likely to bring.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
 Ttharg accepts of the offer of a meal after the Ceremony. He politely asks about the family's history and their current ventures. At some point during the meal, Ttharg mentions about Trionyx and his own quest to stop him. He mentions the party's plan to speak with the Minister of War and whether the Clel family would voice their support for such a petition; even if they wouldn't personally sponsor it. Ttharg also asks whether it would be permissible for him to use the Spring briefly to Commune with Bahamut regarding Trionyx's impending arrival and the forces he is likely to bring. 
 

The Clels are very pleased by the results of the ceremony, especially because Seir's thoughts are trending in a more martial direction. Lotan knows where he is with a barbarian, even if it is a  Zealot barbarian . And what mother doesn't want a son who can't be killed by ordinary means? Seir himself looks at you with hero worship. You have the support of the Clels, and they see no problem in allowing you to return to the Spring.

But it's not only the Clel who are pleased. As you reach for the scroll, you feel the presence of Bahamut move across the water, and the platinum mirror of the pool transforms into a scrying pool.

You look down from above onto the busy pirate port of Cagway.

 
 Spoiler: Cagway 
Cagway is the derelict remains of a once greater city. It was the center of reptilian life in the Hic Sunt before the migration of the chromatic dragons in the wake of the Cataclysm and the collapse of the utopian anarchist project of the worshippers of Bahamut. In the ruins of the great stone lairs built by metallic dragons in that lost age are bars, whorehouses, and auction markets selling stolen ships and goods, but never, ever slaves. Nothing infuriates a metallic dragon like slavery. It is further from Lssthp, within a few days of the Sunhome Isles.Cagway is the derelict remains of a once greater city. It was the center of reptilian life in the Hic Sunt before the migration of the chromatic dragons in the wake of the Cataclysm and the collapse of the utopian anarchist project of the worshippers of Bahamut. In the ruins of the great stone lairs built by metallic dragons in that lost age are bars, whorehouses, and auction markets selling stolen ships and goods, but never, ever slaves. Nothing infuriates a metallic dragon like slavery. It is further from Lssthp, within a few days of the Sunhome Isles.
 


You see the Broken Wing in port, and on deck stands Vaarth Pthax, supervising the mustering of a pirate fleet. Between his fearsome reputation and Trionyx's power, he has pulled together at least a dozen ships, assembled under the five-headed flag of Tiamat. More ominous than that are the two undead metallic dragons circling over the fleet, keeping watch. Ominous in their own right, and in what they mean -- the metallic guardians of Cagway would not stand for this, so they are dead or driven away. Or dragooned.

The ships are taking on supply and swearing in crew. It takes time to supply and man a fleet, and time to sail from Cagway to Malatra. But you know you have only a few short weeks.

You see two figures standing with Pthax on the bridge, clearly in command. One looks like a female ruby dragonborn, in the rough leathers of someone who relies more on speed and dexterity than armor. Her weapon hangs at her belt, a rune-carved length of chain. She might be a stranger... but you've seen that armor before, on an orcish infiltrator who escaped, barely, with her life.

The other, huddled in meditation some little length away, is a tortle who looks deeply unwell. His head nods over a heavy tome -- then snaps up to look up at the sky, up at you.

 

Trionyx makes a gesture, and the vision breaks. You are alone in the steamy grotto.


 


 
 Originally Posted by Dirty 
 As the skipper slithered into his bed next to his wife hugging her and hoping she'd calmed down a bit, a skiff paddled by two familiar figures in the form of Fork and Rumble came around the White Cliff. They dumped a humanoid sized tarp, rolled up, from the skiff and the large mount slowly but deliberatelty dipped his head underwater and devoured the Yuan-Ti tasting sushi roll in one happy bite. 
 

The next day, again without ever meeting face to face, the Kanikau send you your prize, a piece of magical apparatus salvaged from their troubled mine in the Westfjords. You open the wooden crate to find a strange bronze sphere about the size of your head. It is clearly designed with apertures and ports to connect to something greater.

 

You have no idea what this is. You will need to speak to your more arcane-inclined crewmates.


 


And soon, you have your chance. Your appointment with the Majari is in the next few days; Trionyx is, at your best estimate, three weeks out. You assemble once again in the wardroom to discuss your disparate adventures in Malatra. Servius goes first.


 Servius approaches the captain and the other officers, who have been kept informed of all of this.  "Apparently this thing is out there. If we wait until Trionyx arrives, then if we have to flee or pursue him, it's a complication we won't have time for. I think we should try to deal with it now. Should we involve the White Cliff, which gives us more firepower but also risks our ship, or would you prefer we leave the city on foot to bait it out?"  

The Captain considers this.  "I would give you any support you need, Mr. Pamphilius. My concern is this: the creature did not trouble us between the storm and our landing in Malatra. I wonder if it fears to attack us when it would have to go up against the whole ship at once. If it is meant to be... you... then it knows our situation. It can wait for the battle with Trionyx to insert itself when we're at a disadvantage."

"If we take the White Cliff out into the bay with no other objective but to hunt it, I fear it will flee and bide its time a little longer. But if you set out in the tender, ostensibly to deal with the Majari's issue in the deeper tundra, it might think its odds are better and show itself." 

"I wonder if this creature might not be connected to the disruption of their supply train," says Cocytus, hesitant to speak at the table but eager to be of use. "They are transporting arcane materials, correct? And this is a being of arcane might. It might be a coincidence, but... it might not. Do we know the details of what was being transported?"

Siduri shakes her head doubtfully.   "I've picked up around the university that the Majari have a workshop in the deeper tundra where they manufacture arcane material components too delicate to construct in the city, but that's all. We would have to formally enter negotiations with them to find out more. If I had to guess... something related to their Planar Observatory? I know the University of Malatra has always been jealous of the Library's portal to the Plane of Order. And planar instruments are sensitive to vibration while they're being forged."  
Dirty
As Siduri said that, Fork put the wooden box on the table and opened it. "Would this be one such an arcane material component?" He asked the room but look mostly at Servius when he did.
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Arcana 10+ 
This was definitely not constructed recently; it looks extremely old but well-preserved. The metal looks like bronze but you suspect it's not. It looks similar to the illithid arcano-tech you have seen, but less organic and with a different design philosophy; some other race's spelljamming technology, perhaps.

 
 Spoiler: Arcan 15+ 
You could definitely install this into the tender with a little bit of work to bridge the two different types of arcano-tech.
 

 
J-H
 Servius 

Servius studies it, his eyes glowing as he analyzes the magical pathways.   "No, this isn't like what they're making now,"  he says absently.   "More like... something to fit the tender, or another spelljammer.  It's not made by the illithid, and it doesn't follow our kind of enchanting either.  This is more foreign in nature.  I don't understand some of the design choices, but the inputs and outputs are clear enough.  We could use this on our little stolen spelljammer." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg takes some time to enjoy the Spring privately - what sailor wouldn't enjoy a nice hot spring bath once in a while? Quietly he wonders if Seir Clel will involve himself in the battle to come.


 


At the meeting, Ttharg is out of his formal robes, but still has the platinum scarf on hand. With the ceremony out of the way, he fashions it as a bandana around his head as opposed to a scarf around his neck (better for the heat). He adds what's he's discovered.

  "Completed that favour for the Clel family. We can count on their support. Also had chance to Scry on our Tortle lad. Aye, I saw Trionyx an' the fleet he be bringing with Captain Pthax. At least a dozen ships, flying the five-headed flag o' Tiamat. Worse though, is two undead dragons that circle with the fleet. Sad to say lads, but that'd mean the free peoples and dragons o' Cagway are no more - Trionyx and Pthax have either killed o' press-ganged 'em."   Ttharg seems genuinely saddened by this.   "They be taking on supplies now, but they'll be underway in a few short weeks. Aside from Pthax himself and Trionyx, seems like they picked up a new officer: a ruby Dragonborn lass, possibly a rogue, with the same equipment we saw that Orc rogue from the derrick usin'. I reckon the Orc teleported to Cagway where she was promptly captured or killed, then this lass got her stuff."  
  "If ye need me to ask any further questions, I still have this scroll o' Commune. Maybe ye want me to ask about this Arcane business?"   He suggests.
TriciaOso
 "That was your prize from the Kanikau? Gods damn, what  have  they got going on in that mine o' theirs?" 

The Captain waves this away, as Ttharg reports back.  "I agree with Mr. Pamphilius that taking out the flameharrow should be a high priority. If it groups up with our other enemies, the odds get worse; if we can take it out now, it's outnumbered."

"A Commune scroll is a powerful tool, but the narrower the questions, the more helpful the answers are likely to be. It might be wise to use it for this situation and take one enemy off the board." 
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Installing the Sphere 
With your combined Arcana checks of 50, it is not hard to wire the sphere into the circuitry of the tender.

The immediate effects are:
 
 Enhanced battery capacity of 4 more charges 
 The ability to cast Pass Without Trace on the tender for 2 charges 
 

It appears that with further integration, you can unlock more capabilities. These two categories (Enhanced Battery and Enhanced Stealth) each have one more upgrade. There are two more categories of upgrade, Enhanced Spellcasting and Enhanced Movement, which have 2 upgrades each. Each further upgrade will take one week of downtime to unlock.

 
 
TriciaOso
The Malatran University is neither as large or as impressive as the one in Lssthp. The buildings are grand, but dwarfed by the immediate proximity of the Temple to the south, and the eastern end of the campus abuts on the noise and mists of the Steamworks. The campus is subdivided into dozens of colleges, some representing only a handful of graduate students; the Yuan Ti instinct for secrecy and sectarianism coming to the fore.

They have a large and well-stocked library, as some of you have seen, but it’s difficult to compete with a library that is the antechamber to the Plane of Order itself. You catch Siduri smiling a touch condescendingly when she compliments it as the greatest library of the Hic Sunt.

Bala Majari’s office is quite impressive, though. She is too young to be the acknowledged head of the Majari family, but as Dean of the University she holds most of the real power. When you have four arms and a twelve-foot tail, you are graceful or clumsy, no room for in-between, and Bala Majari moves like a dancer. She is a bladesinger, known as an accomplished mage and duellist.

Tohil handles the introductions and invites the Dean to expound on her problem.

 
 “Last year, we began construction on our planar observatory. You can imagine the utility of access to the outer planes in matters of arcane study,”  she says. Siduri’s smug little smile flickers back out just for a moment.

 “With the proximity of the Steamworks and the Great Ones moving in and over the earth, we found it impossible to construct the Planar Resonance Device we required on campus. Such arcane instruments are very sensitive to vibration, as you may know.”  She nods to Servius.

She explains that a Planar Resonance Device is an instrument like a tuning fork, but on a larger scale. Just as a tuning fork can be used to cast plane shift, a Resonance Device can be used to open rifts to an Outer Plane for divination or conjuration.

 “To that end we constructed a workshop on some Majari territory deeper inland. The thermal vents are also useful for the high heat and rare ores we sometimes require, and it has become a profitable sideline in producing magical supplies.”

“The initial plans for the observatory were completed, but we always planned that it would expand. Over the last year our workshop has completed seven additional Devices for the expansion, and they were dispatched on a supply train along with other inventory. However, the delivery was attacked and never arrived.”

“We require seasoned adventurers with real arcane expertise, to go forth, retrieve our goods and determine what caused the attack. It is important both to eliminate the threat and to retrieve and stabilize the Devices. They are not designed to be manhandled or jarred, and in their current state may pose considerable risk.” 

She makes a graceful gesture.  “Retrieve our devices and eliminate the threat to our supply route, and you will have your meeting with the Minister of War.” 
J-H
 Servius 

Servius dips his head in a quasi-bow.  "Thank you for being willing to trust us with this.  Do you have any suspicions or indications as to what may have caused your supply convoy to be come...lost?  I'm assuming some of the typical divinations have already been attempted."
(and after she responds)
 "What hazards are likely be present?  Feral creatures, beasts, and the like?"
"What will be required to stabilize the devices?  Do we need any special supplies or spells, such as a floating disk?" 
I'm assuming she's going to describe what the devices look like or give us a drawing as well.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  Servius 

Servius dips his head in a quasi-bow.  "Thank you for being willing to trust us with this.  Do you have any suspicions or indications as to what may have caused your supply convoy to be come...lost?  I'm assuming some of the typical divinations have already been attempted."
(and after she responds)
 "What hazards are likely be present?  Feral creatures, beasts, and the like?"
"What will be required to stabilize the devices?  Do we need any special supplies or spells, such as a floating disk?" 
I'm assuming she's going to describe what the devices look like or give us a drawing as well. 
 

 "Divinations, as well as an initial expedition from the University. Unfortunately we lost contact with them as well, which is when we decided we needed outside help. We are unsure what attacked the shipment, but the supply train was not unprotected. There  are  beasts and feral creatures in the tundra, and they were prepared for such ordinary threats. We lost an shipment to a wild hydra once and increased our security after that. Our best guess is enemy action, but if we have offended any other faction to such a degree, I was not aware of it."

"A floating disk, or other means to convey the crates without excessive vibration, would be good. The crates are normally packed to dampen vibrations, but if they have been damaged that may not be enough." 

You should be able to stabilize the Devices with an Arcana check, once you can lay hands on them. They are being shipped in five-foot cube crates.

When you ask to see a Device, she nods, and escorts your group to the Planar Observatory. A large quartz sphere suspended over the Device itself contains the rift being generated, and you see academics and students gathered around the sphere behind a railing to observe. The sphere is currently showing a scene from a Lawful plane, where giant bees move across an infinite hexagonal plane.

 
 Spoiler: Arcana / Religion 10+, Servius has advantage 
This is Arcadia, also known as the Hive of the Mellifera. The Planes of Law are, naturally, highly organized, and this area segregates Lawful Good souls and Outsiders who are inclined more to Law than Good. It is an afterlife primarily for humanoid beings. The bee-like melifera produce axiomatic honey and empirical wax, natural materials with a powerful lawful bent, and are sometimes cultivated in hives on the Prime Material plane. The University in Lssthp has a considerable apiary.
 


Under the sphere you see the Device itself. It is about four feet square at the base. It resembles a hybrid of a music box, gyroscope and tuning fork, and is composed of a silvery alloy. It does not appear to have an internal power source, but is fueled by its own vibrations. By observing it for ten minutes, you will have advantage on stabilizing similar Devices.

 
J-H
 Servius 
Servius observes the device for a while, and also asks if he may copy a spell of  Floating Disk  from the library.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  Servius 
Servius observes the device for a while, and also asks if he may copy a spell of  Floating Disk  from the library. 
 

You are granted permission to do so free of charge.

 "What about maps?"  asks Cauda.

Bala Majari explains that the workshop is located deep in the Southern Region, and transported overland to a small dock near a fjord along the southern coast, then moved by ship around the Southern Peninsula to the Southern Region.

 
 "Negotiating the bridges and the descent to the coast from inland is the most difficult part of the journey, and that's where we lost contact with our own expedition -- almost immediately after they left the dockhead and began negotiating the fjords." 

She is able to give you a more detailed map of that location specifically.

 
 "Some of the bridges there are quite ancient or fallen down, but those are the ones too steep for us to use in any case. The ones we use regularly have been recently reinforced and should be safe to traverse, but you should be cautious of any sabotage." 
Dirty
"Any chance we could get a local guide along? And what can we expect as far as wildlife goes?" Fork asked as he looked over the maps.
zylodrizzt
During the meeting.

Informing everyone of what was found Ive done some research and found the password to the black path so if we dont stop trionyx before we can chase him in...tho in either case... its quite tempting to take a peek so to speak. Probably been 1000 years or more since anyone has been inside. Who knows what we could find. But i understand our priorities and imagine few share my curiosity.  he says

Once the sphere is revealed Hmm i may have seen something like this in the negniter vault. Never really knew what it was for until i seen the tender up close. Servius is correct this could do quite alot of things for the tender with some work. Im eager to get started once i have a chance.  he says coming up with potentials all the while.

When servius reveals the flame harrow having its eyes on him  Do you know why its after you?  Some discussion about luring it our later  I certainly can make something appear distressed without any true harm to the vehichle. Just a few adjustments. Smoke is easy enough. Cosmetic damage is easy enough. Are you sure it cant see what we are up to? I mean scrying is a possibility. We could chip in to get protections. 

When thrag mentions his scrying  see. Does trionyx know what we have seen? I think it hardly matters to him but at this point it might be prudent to have our own protections right? Especially people hes familiar with...  he tries not to look at anyone in particular but likely someone caught nibum quickly dart his eyes to siduri and cocytus before quickly darting away. He knows how cocytus feels about what he's done and knows siduri likely feels awful about trionyx as well but it doesn't change the fact that either.... in this case.... could be liability.

Visiting the university mainly nibum listens intently and tries not to offend. He knows himself well enough that he could easily bring someone to a boiling point without meaning to. So he busies himself with notes.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
  I certainly can make something appear distressed without any true harm to the vehichle. Just a few adjustments. Smoke is easy enough. Cosmetic damage is easy enough. Are you sure it cant see what we are up to? I mean scrying is a possibility. We could chip in to get protections.  
 

Servius, from your research you know it certainly has been scrying on you; that is the reason for the flashes of awareness and brief visions of it stalking you. However, it cannot watch all the time.


 When thrag mentions his scrying  see. Does trionyx know what we have seen? I think it hardly matters to him but at this point it might be prudent to have our own protections right? Especially people hes familiar with...  he tries not to look at anyone in particular but likely someone caught nibum quickly dart his eyes to siduri and cocytus before quickly darting away. He knows how cocytus feels about what he's done and knows siduri likely feels awful about trionyx as well but it doesn't change the fact that either.... in this case.... could be liability. 

Cocytus clears his throat with a rumble. "The talisman I destroyed was intended to strengthen his ability to target us, but you're right that he may be capable of it without one. He has known we are coming for him from the beginning."

The Captain nods.  "They should have such enchantments at the University. The ship's purse can cover it. I'm just afraid that Trionyx may have grown powerful enough to punch through such things... but there's nothing we can do about that." 

 


 
 Originally Posted by Dirty 
 "Any chance we could get a local guide along? And what can we expect as far as wildlife goes?" Fork asked as he looked over the maps. 
 

Bala nods.  "There is a small village along the coast, below the cliffs; Marilfjord. That is where our dock is. We can have someone meet you there. We have not lost touch with them, at least." 

As for wildlife, she explains, the main thing you will see is small coatl and other flying serpents. Deeper inland, if you go into the woods of the eastern cliff, you can find salamanders and, very rarely, wild hydra. The beach and fjords are also home to creatures that live on both land and water, such as seals and walruses. They cannot reach the upper faces of the fjord, but if you have to go down to water level, you may find them on the rocky shores.


 


As you begin preparations to set out, Cauda approaches the four of you.  "I would like to put myself forward to accompany you,"  she says, seeming marginally less dreamy than usual.  "I can't hope to match you in combat, but I am a navigator and can handle most sea vessels, however unearthly... and while I'm no Kabett, I  can  talk to animals and move among them, to gather information." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "Aye, Trionyx knows about the Scry; but as the Captain says, he could spy on us at any time."  

Ttharg begins to prep his spells for today, including a rite of banishing and a prayer to dispel magical effects. In response to Cauda's offer to join them, Ttharg heartily accepts:   "Ye rarely get much time off o' the White Cliff; so we'd be happy to have ye."  
TriciaOso
 "I've been studying the maps the Majari gave us with Be--the Captain,"  she says.  "There's a few places that seem good to stage a breakdown."

"We can go up to the mouth of the river and then follow the coast. Once we leave the River Precinct, we'll be beyond the wards of the city, but still within sight of the bay. There's a black sand beach there, before the cliffs start rising, that should be a good place to make a stand. There's ancient lifting stones there, Orophias told me the jurgen use them to--" 

She shakes her head and breaks off from her wandering, not without effort.

 "But if we want to make some progress towards our other mission and Marilfjord, we could set out across the bay. I'm not sure if fighting over the water is what you want to do, but there's an island on that I marked... it's called just called Flat Island on the charts, it's not really anything, but it's on the way and puts solid land under us. The journey around the peninsula to Marilfjord would be shorter." 

Or, of course, you could just fight in the middle of the bay.
J-H
 Servius 
After further discussion, the group decides to simulate a malfunction in the tender, causing it to ground atop some cliffs overlooking the bay.  Either the Flameharrow... the could-be future Servius... would have to approach via flight, or from a known direction on land.

Servius skips breakfast that day.  His stomach twists and coils nervously, and he can't stop the tip of his tail from twitching.  To go from a university student to deliberately acting as bait for a future undead version of himself, with an intent to kill it or die trying... it's only been a couple of months!  Perhaps after this is over he can go try the University here.  Something safer, maybe.

His spells are prepared, as best as he can decide.

The tender crosses the bay, then ascends the sides of the cliff, slowing as it reaches the top, and extending a couple of its tentacle-like arms to pull itself up to the top.  It then creeps along at quarter-speed for another minute, turning slowly inwards before settling to the ground with several sprays of sparks created by the  Prestidigitation  spell.

Someone else is to keep watch surreptitiously from atop the cabin.  Servius gets down and circles the ship, pretending to inspect it.  He'll have to do this regularly to make sure he is visible.  Every dislodged pebble echoes in his mind, and the swish of grass makes him want to turn and look.  If he had hairs, they'd be standing up.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg stays close to Servius, acting as the 'muscle' for any panels or tools that need to be lifted/moved around; but wanting to stay close to be able to cast Protection spells on him at a moment's notice.
Dirty
Fork took a wide berth around the tender to scout for signs of the flame Harrow. Scorch marks, smoke..

He sent Rumble out to cirkle the tender from up high. Himself he found a good spot with a view of the tender and layed a blanket on the ground. He shovelled sand and rubble on the blanket and got underneath it like a scout-sniper in waiting.
zylodrizzt
Nibum stays in the cabin monitoring the area with various sensors readying to fire off one of the tenders weapons at a moments notice. He has triceratool stand on deck keeping an eye out as well with the help of his 2 assistants who are tucked and merged with him.
TriciaOso
The side of the cliff is home to a large horde of nesting feathered serpents; when you first arrive they take off with racuous cries and mill around overhead, but eventually settle back down. Cauda wildshapes into one of their kind and joins them, and the cacophony of calls rises again as she mobilizes them into an army of surveillance, swooping over the bay and watching for the flameharrow.

She joins them for a while, but when her wildshape time limit runs out, she returns to the tender and relieves Nibum if he wants to go outside; otherwise, she will man one of the other stations. It is a bit of a wait; Servius's displays of smoke and sparks are impressive, but are only just enough to catch the flameharrow's gemmed eye. It takes three hours before Rumble spots it on the move, swooping towards the cliffs. Its cloak is cast back in ragged wings that bear it towards you, revealing its skeletal undead silhouette.

   
It makes no attempt to hide from you, but glides straight towards the cliff. However, when it gets within fireball range of the cliff, it drops suddenly, dipping below the cliff edge to break your line of sight. The feather sea serpents erupt up once more with maximum volume.

 
 
 Spoiler: Summary 

ACTIONS: At 150 feet, just before fireball range, the flameharrow drops below the cliff edge and out of your sight. At his rate of speed, unless he teleported or has some other way of speeding up, you should have one or two rounds until he reaches the cliff to buff or ready an attack. Fork has the opportunity to take one round of attacks if he wishes -- the flameharrow was created before he had Sharpshooter, and did not anticipate that he could shoot without disadvantage from 400 feet.

DAMAGE:
None.

INITATIVE:
20 - Cauda
15 - Fork
12 - Ttharg
10 - Servius
8 - Nibum
 
Dirty
When the being comes into his field of vision Fork tenses up and lying on his belly carefully tried to judge the distance. As the nightmarish thing drew closer he took aim. His finger squeezed the trigger moments later.

2 bolts flew through the air and when the flame-harrow dipped down, Fork was on the move. He ran to parallel to the cliffs edge, as fast as he could and after a sprint skidded down and hid behind a piece of rock.

 
 Spoiler: Actions 


1st attack 26 to hit for: 10 damage 2nd attack: 19 to hit for 8 damage

He runs and changes position. Stealth roll: 19
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

As the Flameharrow comes into view, Ttharg reaches into a pouch and dusts a claw with powdered silver. He then places it on Servius's shoulder.   "May ye be protected from all creatures unnatural."   He intones as he blesses Servius with Protection from Good and Evil. Knowing that Servius himself is a fan of Fireball, and expecting it from the Flameharrow, Ttharg runs to separate himself from the other members of the party. He draws his Shield as he moves.

 
 Spoiler 
Cast Protection from Good and Evil (1st Level) on Servius, using 25gp of powdered silver.
Move Action to move 30ft away and draw Shield.
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 50/50 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: Blink (1 minute) 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

"Thank -" Servius blinks out of existence after finishing a spell.  "-you."  He reappears a few moments later, and a few feet to the side.
 
 Spoiler: Roll for being blinked out at the real start of the fight 

 (1d20)[ 20 ]  on 11 or higher, on ethereal plane
 
zylodrizzt
 cauda, lets get this balista loaded up.   he begins loading.  Everyone i can repair the tender try and use it for cover if you can. Fork do you think rumble can bring it to the ground? No telling what defenses it has but i dont think it has a response to everything so try not to copy what someone else did.  he says over the earpiece. Triceratool hops down and gets next to servius and the tender trying to put itself in the way of both. Nibum guides the tender in front of servius for cover (as well as everyone it seems I think)
TriciaOso
Cauda moves her hands over the controls of the tender, directing the tentacles in action. At the same time, the wings unfurl and it glides towards the edge of the cliff to provide cover. Triceratool scrambles off the deck as it does. You can see further beyond the edge of the cliff from here, but the flameharrow is still not visible, and all Nibum can do is ready an action to aim the ballista when he comes in view.

Moments later, it does; it must have been hugging the cliff wall itself. You would have to be on the very edge to see it lurking. Nibum aims the ballista, and Cauda takes a steadying breath and reaches for the controls to fire--

As the undead creature swoops upward into full view, it scans the battlefield;  first picking out Fork hidden in the snow. It glides over to position the tender ship between itself and the ranger. Servius, its gemstone eyes see you on the ethereal plane and lock with yours, but it cannot reach you there. It turns its gaze finally to the tender. Touching one of the black stones that stud its skull, it summons a spirit, a shapeless thing of smoke and mist, which dives towards the tender and passes through the wall.  "Kill the pilot,"  Dominus Veritas Veneficus calls after it. Then it drops back below the edge of the cliff.

Nibum and Cauda are suddenly confronted by the shapeless thing; its gaze sweeps the tender, then locks onto Nibum, and suddenly it isn't shapeless at all. Suddenly what lurches towards you, Nibum, is one of the mindless undead of Castle Negniter; you know this isn't Lord Arrhenius, you  know  you freed his spirit, but the taunting, ghastly face is his, and it freezes your marrow.

It claws at you twice with its ghastly hand, pawing ineffectually at your armor. It does no harm, but Nibum is trapped in the pilot's seat, unable to pass it.

Cauda is unable to fire on the flameharrow as it moves out of view, so she turns her attention to the undead horror haunting the inside of the tender. She takes one of her Starry Forms, lights spreading on the inside of her hood in the constellation of the Archer. She draws an ethereal bow and fires bolts of radiant energy at the spirit.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
Cauda uses an action to load the ballista and uses her bonus action for Steady Aim. Nibum moves the tender and readies an action to aim the ballista.

The flameharrow moves above the cliff edge. His Perception spots Fork and he positions himself so the tender blocks Fork's line of sight. He casts Spirit of Death and summons a Spirit of Death, directing it at the tender and ordering it to kill the pilot. Then he moves back below the cliff edge.

The Spirit of Death moves into the tender through the wall. It uses a bonus action to Haunt Nibum and attacks twice. Both attacks miss.

Cauda uses a bonus action to take Starry Form: Archer and attacks the Spirit with a ranged spell attack, then casts Guiding Bolt. The Guiding Bolt misses but the ranged spell attack hits, doing 11 radiant damage.

Nibum starts his turn within 10 feet of the Spirit of Death while it is Haunting him; he rolls a 5 on his Wisdom saving throw and is Frightened as a result. A frightened creature has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while the source of its fear is within line of sight. The creature can’t willingly move closer to the source of its fear.

DAMAGE:
Nibum +8 temp HP
Servius +8 temp HP
Ttharg +8 temp HP
Fork +8 temp HP

Cauda +5 temp hp

Flameharrow - 18 dmg
Spirit of Death - 11 dmg

INITIATIVE:
 20 - Cauda 
15 - Fork
12 - Ttharg
10 - Servius
8 - Nibum
4 - Flameharrow
 
J-H
      
 
   
 Servius Calventius Pamphilius

    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 50/50+8 thp &amp; resist

radiant/necrotic while thp lasts 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: Blink (1 minute) 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius blinks back into existence.  He raises a finger to his forehead.  This foe, he does know, somehow.  He carefully intones the name "Dominus Veritas Veneficus", and a shimmering lance of light streaks out of his forehead as the spell energy is discharged.  It travels over the tender, then over the cliff before making a sharp turn to impact the undead, out of sight.  Servius repositions slightly, and does not blink out of the material plane.
 
 Spoiler 

Raulothim's Psychic Lance

You unleash a shimmering lance of psychic power from your forehead at a creature that you can see within range. Alternatively, you can utter a creature’s name. If the named target is within range, it becomes the spell’s target even if you can’t see it. If the named target isn’t within range, the lance dissipates without effect.

The target must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 7d6 psychic damage and is incapacitated until the start of your next turn. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t incapacitated.
DC 16
Damage  (7d6)[ 31 ] 
Int save  (1d20)[ 11 ] +???

Servius moves 5' right and 10' down on the map, still next to Triceratool.  Pretty sure the tender is moving right to left with the tentacles in front.

And blink roll  (1d20)[ 2 ] 
 
Dirty
Fork kicked his boots off the ground and sped up into the air hoping to get a bead on the target.

Rumble ran over the ground towards the edge and when he spotted the flameharrow he inched backwards, but his tail was straight as an arrow and fork knew from looming at Rumble that it was there.

Fork didn't see it yet so he raised and aimed his crossbow in anticipation.

 
 Spoiler: actions 
move actions as discussed, and ready attack action
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg is not afraid and charges towards the cliff edge. He doesn't head directly for the spot that the Flameharrow dropped down from, instead opting to look down from about 10ft away from where he saw it disappear.

Assuming he does he see it, he calls forth to Bahamut to shatter the creature and pours his destructive wrath into it, hoping to destroy it quickly.

Regardless of what happens, he then retreats 10ft away from the cliff edge.

 
 Spoiler 
Move 20ft to look over the cliff edge.
Assuming I see the Flameharrow, cast Shatter at 4th Level, and use a charge of Channel Divinity to do max damage. Flameharrow needs to roll a Con Save. I'm not sure if it's technically made of inorganic material; so I'll roll twice (for Disadvantage), but you can take the first result if it's normal.
Flameharrow Con Save vs DC 15 =  (1d20)[ 8 ] +Con or  (1d20)[ 3 ] +Con, for 48 Thunder Damage, save for half.
Use remaining movement to move 10ft away from the cliff edge.
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum orders triceratool to get close and protect thraag realizing that thrag is concentrating on protection spell on servius. He then tells minicliff and pterodactool to detactch briefly. Minicliff takes a lap getting eyes on the flameharrow but that doesn't help much. Nibum casts warding bond through pteradactool on triceratool. Nibum man's the controls deftly and positions the tender where its longest tentacles can strike over the edge if anything comes out.  Cauda if you see the flame harrow nab him with the grappling arms. Everyone i located the flame harrow (says position) . Minicliff mission complete merges with triceratool but channeling that spell keeps pteradactool from remerging so he flies into the tender as it draws closer for protection. Nibum reaches and grabs a potion to hand pteradactool and the little bot takes it from him.
TriciaOso
The flameharrow swoops up above the cliff edge again, and peeks over the top of the tender. Seeing that Servius has returned from the ethereal, it fires off a tight and intense ball of flame in his direction. The fireball briefly engulfs the wizard, but warded by the Protection from Evil, it cannot take hold and set him aflame.

Even as he swoops into view, Fork fires off his readied attack. Although the damage is minor, you can see that the series of attacks and spells has left the undead creature near destruction already. It tries to sweep back behind the cliff face, but a tentacle from the tender lashes out and holds him in place.

 "I got him!"  Cauda cries out in excitement. She takes a deep, steadying breath as she directs the remaining tentacles to aim the ballista at the restrained flameharrow.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
Readied Action from Fork: 16 to hit, for 6 damage.

The Flameharrow moves up to the cliff edge, looks over the top of the tender and sees Servius is visible. He casts Immolation. Sevius makes the saving throw, and takes 16 damage. The flameharrow decides to risk the opportunity attack to move back behind the cover of the cliff, but is hit by the tentacle for no damage, but is restrained.

Cauda uses her action aim to the ballista. She uses her bonus action for Steady Aim, giving Nibum advantage on the attack roll if he chooses to fire the ballista.

DAMAGE:
Nibum +8 temp HP
Servius -8 dmg
Ttharg +8 temp HP
Fork +8 temp HP

Cauda +5 temp hp

Flameharrow -87 dmg

INITIATIVE:
 20 - Cauda 
15 - Fork
12 - Ttharg
10 - Servius
8 - Nibum
4 - Flameharrow
 
Dirty
Fork didn't waste a second when he clocked the flameharrow getting grappled by the tentacles. He sped forward and while doing so gave a curt whistle which had Rumble running instantly too. As Fork got overhead the flameharrow, he unleashed his crossbow and fired two bolts. Rumble, in his jump, blew his frost on one of them and started to tear up the flameharrow from up close. As the second bolt hit the creature, Fork went invisible.

 
 Spoiler: Actions: 


 24 to hit for 11 damage;
17 to hit for 8 damage;

Rumble 19 to hit for 8 piercing and 1 cold damage;
infuse Fork bolt for: 3 cold damage
 
J-H
      
   <span style="font-family: Century
Gothic">  Servius Calventius Pamphilius  
  
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 42/50 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: Blink (1 minute) 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius ends his Blink spell, ensuring that he's able to Counterspell the Flameharrow if it leaves.   "I don't know what you wanted, but you won't get it!"   He moves west.
 
 Spoiler 

20' right, 10' down.  End Blink so I can Counterspell.
 2nd level Magic Missile,  (1d4+1)[ 2 ]  x 4 

Will definitely Counterspell at 4th level if he tries to DDoor.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Although having the tender grab the Flameharrow was useful in keeping it visible, it also meant that Ttharg has to be careful about what spell he cast, not wanting to damage the tender with another spell of explosive shattering. Seeing as the horror was almost defeated, Ttharg decides to stop focusing on the protection he had granted to Servius and instead to focus on striking the abominable thing down. He points to the sky, intones another prayer to Bahamut, and storm clouds begin to form above the battle. As soon as the clouds form, a streak of lightning arcs down and strikes at the Flameharrow; with Ttharg again channelling his God's destructive wrath through the bolt. He could also push the Flameharrow, but he chooses not to.

 
 Spoiler 
Stay where I am.
Main Action to cast Call Lightning (3rd Level), this will drop Protection from Good/Evil on Servius. Create a Storm Cloud directly above the Flameharrow.
Bring Lightning down onto it (the spell mentions that any creatures that are within 5ft of the strike zone also get hit, but I'm not sure if the tender counts as a creature. I'm also not sure if it's technically within 5ft if it has an extended grapple, but I could also position the bolt to be slightly behind the Flameharrow to avoid hitting the tender too; to avoid the worry altogether.).
Use my second Channel Divinity to do max damage on the bolt. Flameharrow Dex Save 15 vs  (1d20)[ 19 ] +Dex for 30 Lightning Damage, Save for Half.
Ttharg will choose NOT to push the Flameharrow.
 
zylodrizzt
The shock and adrenaline made nibum forget to thank cauda so he says so now  Thanks cauda. You're the best. Cant do this without you.  he says. Minicliff comes in the cabin for a potion and return bieng telpathically instructed. He turns on the speakers to address Dominus  How dare you mock negniter like that! How dare you target servius! Ill see you sent straight to hell! Triceratool charge!  He pulls a lever to launch a balista bolt just before triceratool crashes into Dominus.
TriciaOso
After Ttharg's lightning bolt and the barrage of attacks from Fork and Rumble, the ballista is the last the flameharrow can take. The massive bolt smashes, more than punctures, its clavicles and spine. The fanged, bejeweled head rolls off the shattered shoulders and is trampled under Triceratool's iron feet. A loose collection of bones and equipment is left wrapped in the tentacle's grip, but the serpentine lower body slips free and falls down the cliff, already disintegrating.

From the ruined skull, a phantom of mist and smoke escapes. This is a fetch, a formless spirit of fear and dread. It was conjured from the Shadowfell by the Katabatic Storm, and took the shape of the flameharrow, as a harbinger of Servius's death. Now it is shapeless once more, and for a moment, its misty form is a mirror held up to all of your fears. Then, with a moan, it vanishes back into the Shadowfell like smoke dissipating.

Operating the tentacle gingerly, Cauda sets a bundle of fabric and smoking bones down on the cliffside.

 
 Spoiler: Remains of the Flameharrow 
Most of the remains of the flameharrow seem to have turned into smoke and blown away, but these few items must have been 'real' items it scrounged or received from the Cnidaria. It was keeping them in its rib cage.

There is a  Crystal Ball .

There is a harness or armor of matte grey metal and glowing flywheels that appears to have been woven through and around the creature's rib cage. You recognize it as a modified version of one of the Majari Devices. It seems less delicate, as evidenced by the fact that it hasn't sent you into another plane yet.

 
 Spoiler: Arcana 15+ 
It appears to have been stolen and refitted to protect the wearer from Banishment spells. The fetch did not want to be sent back to the Shadowfell. It seems to have been ruined for its original purpose, and it is hard to imagine how anyone with internal organs could wear it in this form.
 


There is a strangely heavy black stone, about the size and shape of the Crystal Ball. If a single individual tries to lift it without magical assistance, it is a DC 20 Athletics check to do so. With assistance from magic or another creature it is merely very heavy.

 
 Spoiler: History / Religion 15+, Ttharg has advantage. If no one makes the check, Cauda knows. 
It is a  jurgen  lifting stone, used as a test of manhood for young Yuan Ti of that race. This is not the largest one. It  should  be located on one of the black sand beaches not far from here.

Its weight is at least partially supernatural, and it carries the blessing of Sseth, firstborn son of Apophis.
 

 
 Spoiler: Athletics 20+ 
A blessing of Sseth coils around you. You gain expertise in Athletics.
 

 
zylodrizzt
Noticing the lifting stone should not be there and knowing that he'd never be able to lift it he urges triceratool to move it onto the tender so it can be returned  Im sure someone is missing something so we ought to return that. Triceratool grab it and put it on the tender. .

Triceratool gets its multifunctional horns under it rears it's neck back as it digs in shaking and shuttering in great effort. Tho it causes no real damage nibum feels it through the warding bond and winces/strains with his mount. Triceratool gets it off the ground and pauses frozen for what felt like a great while but merely a few seconds. Triceratool looks confused for a moment but resumes what he was told loading it onto the tender. He returns to nibums side bumping him much harder then intended. Nibum could tell something was up with that stone but hadn't the faintest idea what.

Nibum pulls out his anytool for examination the goggles spinning and adjusting to see what he can about the crystal ball knowing there's all kinds. He casts identify with the goggles
Dirty
Fork landed next to the tender and the invisibility dropped. He told Rumble to fly a perimeter to see if they hadn't attracted any unwanted attention.

"Is everyone okay? Are you alright Servius?" He asked over the comms.

He pulled out his maps and notes and started looking at things like the weather and other relevant survival type things. When the group gathered he pointed at the two different routes. "This is by land, this one by sea." He clarified. "We could arrive at the site just before midnight if we're lucky. That's if we set out now. If we travel overseas we can make Marilfjord early tomorrow morning, gather some intel or supplies and then set out to the site. I prefer the sea-route myself, what do you all think?"
zylodrizzt
 Driving this thing isnt the most comfortable so id love the break. I trust cauda and you to handle the navigations in any case. Wherever we go i imagine everyone would like thier things back.  indicating the rock.  Not sure what was in that bag of bones entirely but could they be some ot those materials that went missing? 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "Har! We did it lads! Chalk another bilge rat off our hit list!"   Ttharg cried.

He looked over the items left by the Flameharrow. He didn't know half of them, and by the time he had identified the Jurgenstone it was already being stowed away.   "Pretty sure those stones come from the beach. I've seen them used in taverns for contests between sailors, an' sometimes for pranks. Flameharrow might have just swept one up on it's way here, or it could be owned by someone. Mind you, it doesn't appear to have any markings of ownership on it; so it's difficult to say. As for the Ball..."   Ttharg gestures at the Crystal Ball.   "I be already full o' magic items, so one o' ye should take it."  
  "A morning arrival would give us time to rest, aye."   Ttharg replies to Fork.
J-H
 Servius 

Servius sags in relief.  It's dead.  He ensures that they take the gems and separate or destroy them, so the creature can never come back.  Surely he won't end up like that... and it was alone, while he has allies.

 "I should be able to use the crystal ball to scry on an area if we suspect enemies.  It takes time, but is a way to gather more information." 

Once the jurgen-stone is aboard, he tries lifting it, just to see if he can.
Athletics  (1d20+2)[ 13 ] 
 "The sea route seems better.  We're less likely to give away our position." 
TriciaOso
Cauda does not attempt to lift the jurgen-stone, but studies it, her old dreamy expression stealing back over her face as she does.  "I wonder why he stole it... would Trionyx have wanted it, do you think?"  Triceratool eagerly nudges her side when she says this, and she coils low to look the construct in the face.  "Oh, he spoke to you? Hmm..."  She tilts her head as if listening to Triceratool, although he is silent other than the whirring of gears and springs. Then she nods and rises.

 "We must return this stone to its place on the beach. Then Sseth will be appeased, and we can be sure he will not join with Tiamat, no matter what Trionyx steals. The minor gods can grow jealous, you know... we must keep that in mind. But he has pledged his aid to Triceratool, so long as we return the stone." 

It is hard to tell if this is the conventional Cauda weirdness or a real insight. Nevertheless, the five of you load into the tender and make your way back down the uplands to the beaches. A bit of poking around allows you to find the spot where the jurgen keep their magic stones and return it. It is a lonely stretch of black sand beach; the stones are unguarded. You can see why Sseth might be a bit on the jealous side.

   
From there, you turn the tender back into the bay, picking up speed as you skim over the water. Following the route Cauda mapped out beforehand, you easily navigate the peninsula separating the Capital Region from the Southern.

  
 Sleeping in shifts in the shell is cramped, and your two serpentine crewmmates cannot do it at once. Sleeping out on the deck is more pleasant, except for the intermittent splash and spray of curious young sea serpents and the whuff of offended walruses. You have plenty of spell slots to keep the tender's battery topped up, and cruise into the tiny harbor of Marilfjord just as the sun erupts from Sunhome in the distance behind you.


 

Marilfjord is a village, the first location in Malatra you have visited outside of the urban core. It is set on a low, rocky coast, which rises abruptly into the cliffs of the fjords beyond. Unlike the cliffs you climbed near Malatra Qua, however, the cliffs here are broken into islands connected by low wooden bridges, which seem like the only way to ascend. The cliff-face beyond the village is sheer.

The terrain on top of those cliffs seem heavily wooded and dusted with snow, while the islands are more desolate. Viewed through the tender's magical sensors, you can see a brooding tangle of Conjuration magic around islands... the site of the wrecked convoy from inland.

Marilfjord's harbor is small and simple; there is only one real dock, where a Malatran ship flying the flag of the University is anchored. The rest of the harbor seems to be made up of fishing boats, which are a swarm of activity at dawn. You see both malisons and serpentine Yuan Ti mixed in the harbor, a breakdown of the segregation you have experienced in the city. Almost all of them have four arms.

The village itself is a mix of low stone houses, the rocks piled up by hand, and more recent weather-beaten wooden buildings. None of them show any of the exceptional architecture of Malatra Qua, except for a domed temple in the center of the village. Standing tall in front of this building is a sort of statue or totem of Maril, the goddess of the nagini and the mother of mariliths. The bottom and tallest segment is a pillar of stone, chipped in an elaborate pattern to imitate scales; the upper segments are wood, and seem to have been carved and replaced over the decades. Some are much more weathered than others. Each segment has two outstretched arms, and real instruments of war and building have been wired to the wooden hands. A hammer and a sword; a bow and a fishing spear; a skull and a lantern. At the top is a segment made of copper, plated green with a patina and with only the suggestion of a face. A bonfire burns perpetually in front of the totem as a beacon to the fishermen.

Cauda parks the tender tidily along the dock beside the university ship. You have attracted attention from the fishermen, but nothing official. A battered shack sits at the beach-end of the dock.
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 50/50 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  
Servius packs away the Fulminating Treatise alongside his regular spellbook.  Curled up within the cabin, he focuses on the crystal ball, and begins to repeatedly project his awareness out through space, looking at the bridges, the wreckage, and the interference that had previously been visible from the tender.  He repeats the spell several times, methodically searching the area just as one would study an entire textbook.
 
 Spoiler: Scrying, relevant parts 

...the spell creates an invisible sensor within 10 feet of the target. You can see and hear through the sensor  as if you were there . The sensor moves with the target, remaining within 10 feet of it for the duration. A creature that can see invisible objects sees the sensor as a luminous orb about the size of your fist.

Instead of targeting a creature, you can choose a location you have seen before as the target of this spell. When you do, the sensor appears at that location and doesn’t move.
I'll start at the closest bridge that appears to have "stuff" going on around it and work my way up in hops of about 100' at a time.  This may take a few hours.
 
TriciaOso
Concentrating and making reference to the map provided by the Majari, you are able to get a good map of the bridge area and confirm that the damage to the convoy happened during that descent. It is hard to tell if the wreckage was purposely scattered around the islands, or the disruption of the delicate devices has blasted them through space. Several of them are in the water, and the currents may have contributed, too.

   
A few of the bridges and stairs are quite ancient and collapsed, but the main route climbing up to the cliff is in good repair. Each island is higher as you travel southward.

Debris is scattered widely, but with patient study you find all six of the remaining devices. Several of the crates have fallen into the shallows at the base of the islands. Only one, D3, of them seems to have been deliberately secreted on a tiny island on the other side of a ruined rope bridge. One of them (D4) seems to have been recovered and left for transport near the road down to Marilfjord. D5 lies in a bay sheltered on three sides by cliff walls; you will have to approach from the west if you come in by the water.

You do not see any bodies of the hostlers or of the expedition from the University. You also cannot see any rifts opened by the damaged devices -- the crystal ball only shows you what it is here in the material plane. The sensors of the tender indicate that there almost certainly some transplanar rifts around the crates that you cannot see in the crystal ball.


 

While Servius is poring over the crystal ball and the map, an elderly malison with four arms approaches the tender cautiously from the shack. It seems to have taken him quite a while to work up the courage. He is dressed in the same rough clothes as the villagers, but wears a cap with a badge of the Majari family crest on it. He stands out on the dock and hails the tender nervously.  "No sssquidss wanted,"  he shouts in rough, accented Draconic.  "Get along now. Yer not wanted here."  He is clutching a wand of some kind in one hand.
zylodrizzt
Nibum hears the old Madison and comes out arms raised tho not particulary sure what to say. Triceratool first comes out flanking him but then steps in front of him defensively. Uh... sorry... we are no friends to squids. Destroyed one of thier landings and made off with this impressive piece of arcanotech. We are here on the university behalf looking into disappearances of materials... I think we met met a member of your family there... Bala I believe... my she's done well for herself bringing honor to your family. How are you related?   he says hoping the old man energy eases the mind of the snake man.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Nibum hears the old Madison and comes out arms raised tho not particulary sure what to say. Triceratool first comes out flanking him but then steps in front of him defensively. Uh... sorry... we are no friends to squids. Destroyed one of thier landings and made off with this impressive piece of arcanotech. We are here on the university behalf looking into disappearances of materials... I think we met met a member of your family there... Bala I believe... my she's done well for herself bringing honor to your family. How are you related?   he says hoping the old man energy eases the mind of the snake man. 
 

 "Oh!"  cries the old man.  "Beggin' yer pardon, then. Not a member of my family, no... I'm jusst an old vasssal of the Majari family, they sstationed me out here to mind the harbor. For these shipmentss, you know." 

He waggles the wand.  ""They tol' me you'd be comin' but they didn't mention you had ssuch a sstrange boat. Mind if I check in with the universsity? Wand o' Ssending."  If you don't stop him, he will cast the spell and have a quick conversation, then relax noticeably, the pits of his upper lip flexing as he nods to himself.

 "All right then! Welcome to Marilfjord, then, folkss. Glad to have ye, glad to have ye... sstrange timess itss been lately. You can call me Djodi." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "Ahoy, Djodi."   Ttharg says in greeting.   "I be Ttharg. Did ye see what happened here?"  
TriciaOso
 "No ssir, didn't ssee anything, not to ssee it. When the convoy dint arrive I called the universsity, and when the other fellass came out I took them far as the sstairss. And when they never come back I called the university again. But we've heard ssome sstrange thingss coming up from that way ssince all thiss began, here in the village. Aye, and sseen some sstrange thingss, washin' up on the shore."

"Mosstly I reckon itss thingss what were in the shipment... candless, glasss rods, that ssort of thing. But one o' our fisherss caught the damnedesst thing in hiss net t'other day... well, I better show ye, ssame as I showed the other fellas." 

He begins to stump back towards his old shack. He returns with a rather odd fish. At first glance it resembles a large fish such as a salmon, covered with shiny silvery scales. However, on closer inspection the scales are made of actual metal, and there is a slot in the fish's belly from which a portion of a gear wheel is visible. Its eyes are balls of glass and it has no mouth. It looks like an attempt by Nibum to create a fish.

   
 "Fella from the universsity said itss from ssomewhere outsside... ought to have gone back where it came from when it died, but it din't." 
 
 Spoiler: Nature 15+, Arcana 10+ (Nibum has advantage) 
This is a clockwork fish from the plane of Mechanus, a living construct. It does not live in water, but travels along the gearpaths of Mechanus; travelling clockwise with the paths of the gears winds its mainspring, which uncoils at the end of its life to drive it counterclockwise against the flow of the gears back to its birthplace to spawn a new generation of fish.

 
 Spoiler: Nature 20+, Arcana 15+ (Nibum has advantage) 
It is not dead, but shuts down when it is out of contact with the cosmic drive train of Mechanus, no longer in constant motion.
 

 
Dirty
"Fascinating." Fork said, trying to look smart but he had no idea what he was looking at. He set about looking at the route and general area for things to keep an eye on while travelling this terrain. He asked about loose rocks being a problem, or landslides. Geysers maybe.

"Apart from fishing, how does Marilfjord sustain itself?" He asked curiously. "And what's with the totem out front?" He was curious about the villagers connection to the land they lived on.
TriciaOso
 "Fascinating." Fork said, trying to look smart but he had no idea what he was looking at. He set about looking at the route and general area for things to keep an eye on while travelling this terrain. He asked about loose rocks being a problem, or landslides. Geysers maybe. 

 "The main bridgess and roadss out to the workshop are in good condition thesse dayss... the universsity payss to keep 'em sso, and I hire reliable local folk to maintain 'em and keep the pathss clear. 'Lesss whatever happened to the convoy damaged them, too, you shouldn't ssee much danger of landsslide or debris." 

 "Apart from fishing, how does Marilfjord sustain itself?" He asked curiously. "And what's with the totem out front?" He was curious about the villagers connection to the land they lived on. 

 "Apart from fishin', we don't!"  the old man chuckles.  "What we can't get out of the ssea, we mostly tradess our fish for. That and the money from the Majari family. Thiss iss all their land, truth be told, but they're good landlordss." 

He gestures at the totem with one of his four hands.  "That there iss Maril. One of the daughterss of Apophiss, bit of a wild sstreak to her. Givin' with one hand, ssee, and takin' with the other. She am the mother of the nagini people." 
 
 Spoiler: Religion/Arcana 10+ 
"A bit of a wild streak" seems like an understatement. A chaotic evil deity, she is also the mother of the demons known as  mariliths .
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg studies the mechanical fish for a moment.   "Aye, this be odd. This here fishy be from Mechanus; plane o' absolute law and order. These things swim through the gears o' the plane, not water. Now that it's not on Mechanus, it's not active; but returning it should give it motion again. Why is it here though?"   Ttharg muses.

Ttharg then regards the totem with a level of unease. Whilst Djodi, at least, seems amicable, Ttharg hoped that the totem was here simply as a way of remembering heritage rather than actual worship.

  "Servius, can we just grab the boxes out o' the water, or do we need to be careful with them and collect 'em in a special way?"  
zylodrizzt
Nibum takes the fish examining it with his goggles. Triceratools face kinda shifts to something that might  resemble a recliner of sorts. Pteradactool spreads out thier wings interlocking them while holding onto nibums belly in sort of a desk type way and nibum takes out a notebook to take notes in. Minicliff holds the fish for examination following nibums instructions. Submerged metal in salt water..... how does it prevent rust... lube gears.... propulsion... buoyancy.... where did it come from...  why is it still here.... he writes furiously sloppy notes about various things. He asks Triceratool to hold up the harness that the flameharrow had and asks minicliff to hold the fish to it.  Im suspecting that the cargo has either been tampered with to cause some such occurance as this fish or the cargo is somehow effecting this envirom.  as an after thought almost absent minded lost in his thoughts about the fish and planar travel  What plane is she associated with? What is her domains? 
TriciaOso
 "Well, she's a goddess of givin' and takin', as I said,"  Djodi explains.  "Justice, if you like, but not of the courts or the law. I s'pose she dwells with Apophis in the Fire Plane like t' other gods... she's a bit willful but still a child of the Father. Goddess of mothers and families too, strange as it might seem. She's Life, really. It's good to be alive, but damn if Life don't get its kicks in, too. Sometimes life is downright mean."

"It's like this, since you're curious... Apophis had many brides, and most o' them weren't too kind to their children. Maebe tried to wipe out the lamia, and Apophis stopped her. So they don't worship nobody but Himself and don't trust even their own kin, not truly. But Lolth never meant Maril any harm, just left her to be raised by her father and moved along, so we of the nagini are less fearful of other gods and of depending on one another." 

Nibum, tinkering with the fish, you are able to see that it must have swam into this world from Mechanus via a planar rift, like the one you saw at the University. At least some of the devices must have been activated by the damage they took, resonating at random. They will need to be stabilized before you can transport them safely.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg could sense there was an opportunity to get Maril's blessing; or at least prevent Maril from entering the conflict on the side of Trionyx.   "Aye, we encountered one o' those Jurgenstones an' received a blessin' from Sseth; returned it to the proper beach as well. We be on a grander quest to stop a tortle lad..."   Ttharg explains their quest briefly.   "Could we beseech Maril for their blessing in our endeavour? An' what would be the best way o' doing that?"   Ttharg asks Djodi.
TriciaOso
Djodi scratches his chin.  "Now there be a funny thing. The head and the tail of our totem are permanent, but we replace the ssegmentss in the middle as they age... jusst before all this other trouble sstarted ssomebody sstole one of the ssegmentss. We carved a new one -- jusst reckoned it wass misschief -- but what you ssay about Sseth's sstones being taken givess it a different complexion. Might be wisse to find what became of it." 
J-H
 Servius 

Servius studies the fish.  The plane of Law is said to be less dangerous, at least for those who understand its rules, compared to places like Limbo.  Still, they'll need to move carefully.   "It probably slipped in through a small planar rift.  When we approach the devices, we will need to be cautious.  We don't want to inadvertently travel elsewhere, or have just our fingers go somewhere else while we stay here.

I'll probably need to study each one before we get too close, to determine where the rifts might be.  I can conjure a floating disc to carry them, although we'll need to still lift them onto them." 

He tunes back in to the conversation with Djodi in time to hear that something was stolen.  There's a good chance it lies in the direction they are going...
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "Could ye describe the sections that were taken? Or are they exactly like the ones we see now?"  

Ttharg appraises where the crates are in relation to the party.   "I could control the water around some o' these crates to bring them to us, but not all o' 'em."  
TriciaOso
 "They're each a  little  different,"  Djodi said,  "but not sso you couldn't recognize it. The one took had a ladle in t' one hand and a dagger in t' other. If you'd like to have a peek and a word with the Lady up closse, that would be fine too, sso long as it'ss resspectful-like."

"Iss there ought elsse you need from me? I ssee you've got a fine map there."  He peers at it.  "I'm glad to take ye as far as the uplandss and the firsst bridge, but all you really have to do is follow yon shore..."  He points down the beach, where the terrain steadily climbs, following the curve of the cliffs.

 "That'll bring ye to the northern edge of thiss map. Or ye can go back out to sea and come at 'er from the wesst, comin' at the waterss o' Bridge Cove firsst, and if ye're concerned of misssin' it I'll accompany ye. I'm at your sservice, gentss, jusst ssay the word." 
Dirty
"Good to know Djodi, thanks. We'll let you know once we figure out what route we'll take." Fork said politely after Djodo offered his services. He rolled up the maps and walked over to the totem, looking around and investigating the area as he did. He regarded the totem with interest.

"So someone stole from you.." He mused to himself. "A ladle and a dagger. I wonder what significance that holds." He said to the gang. "Strange thing for these stones to be displaced just before we get here. I wonder if there's a mayor or constable that can tell us more.

If he didn't get much argument from the party he'd head into Marilfjord seeking out some form of official government to parlay with, with whoever wanted to join along.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

At the suggestion of talking to the 'Lady' up close, Ttharg mulls it over for a second - on the one hand he was a cleric of Bahamut, his faith and service was already secured by another deity, but on the other hand perhaps he was the best suited to ask as he was more closely connected to the Gods than the other members of the crew.   "Aye, I might do just that. Give me a moment lads."   Ttharg begins to trudge up to the totem.

He approaches the totem to stand in front of the bonfire, looking up at the face of Maril.   "I'm only used to speakin' with Bahamut, so I beg ye forgiveness for any offence I might accidentally cause; but I understand someone stole part o' ye presence here. We believe we may be huntin' the lubbers who stole it. If ye could help guide us to ye missing piece we will endeavour to return it here."  
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by Dirty 
 "Good to know Djodi, thanks. We'll let you know once we figure out what route we'll take." Fork said politely after Djodo offered his services. He rolled up the maps and walked over to the totem, looking around and investigating the area as he did. He regarded the totem with interest.

"So someone stole from you.." He mused to himself. "A ladle and a dagger. I wonder what significance that holds." He said to the gang. "Strange thing for these stones to be displaced just before we get here. I wonder if there's a mayor or constable that can tell us more.

If he didn't get much argument from the party he'd head into Marilfjord seeking out some form of official government to parlay with, with whoever wanted to join along. 
 

The village is largely deserted; it seems like most of the village who aren't too old, too young, or too infirm go out with the fishing fleet. The few who linger on the shore -- cooking, repairing nets or boats, gathering herbs on the edges of the village -- do not speak Draconic.

However, comparing the totem to the fishing boats that remain on shore provides a small insight. The boats are narrow canoe-like vessels, formed from a single tree trunk. The likely source is the evergreen forest on the top of the cliff. It looks like each segment of the totem is carved from the stern of a canoe that is no longer serviceable, and the arms crafted from oars. There was nothing intrinsically valuable about what was stolen -- you could easily steal the raw materials for three or four more right now. You also see many ladles, fishing spears, knives and bows just like the ones held by the totem.


 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
   Ttharg Krixkrux  

At the suggestion of talking to the 'Lady' up close, Ttharg mulls it over for a second - on the one hand he was a cleric of Bahamut, his faith and service was already secured by another deity, but on the other hand perhaps he was the best suited to ask as he was more closely connected to the Gods than the other members of the crew.   "Aye, I might do just that. Give me a moment lads."   Ttharg begins to trudge up to the totem.

He approaches the totem to stand in front of the bonfire, looking up at the face of Maril.   "I'm only used to speakin' with Bahamut, so I beg ye forgiveness for any offence I might accidentally cause; but I understand someone stole part o' ye presence here. We believe we may be huntin' the lubbers who stole it. If ye could help guide us to ye missing piece we will endeavour to return it here."   
 

You open your mind to the divine, and receive a brief flash of images in response. The totem lying struck to the ground, with only the stone pillar of the tail still standing, as a hooded, flying figure stoops over the pieces. Skeletal hands placing the totem segment on a log in a rude shelter. A vision of yourself, placing the stolen segment in the beacon fire that burns in front of the totem.

Examining the beacon, you see in addition to the huge pile of wood a mix of charred bones from burnt offerings, mostly fish. Mostly. Although you cannot see the remains of any previous segments, you know instinctively that they are burned here once they become too weathered to hold up the tarnished copper head.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg nods in response to the vision. He regroups with the rest of the party and reports on what he's seen.   "I saw a vision of a hooded, flying figure sabotage the totem. Saw skeletal hands placing the segment down somewhere sheltered. Almost seems like someone was taking it to start their own private worship or somethin'. In any case, we need to return the segment and burn it in the brazier. In any case, one of our foes be someone capable o' flight."  
J-H
 Servius 
 "It sounds like Dom - ... the flameharrow.  I don't know what an undead would want with that, but whatever shrine it was making is likely around here.  Let's keep an eye out as we retrieve the devices.  If we don't find it, we can search afterwards." 
Dirty
"Interesting place this, but it's giving me the creeps somehow." Fork shared his opinion about Marilfjord as they gathered to plan their approach to the mission at hand. "Let's hit the sea first?" He asked to confirm with everyone.

"I hope we don't encounter another one of those flameharrow of your Servius, that thing was an abomination."
J-H
 Servius 
 "That should be the only one.  I agree... it sounds like the totem is on land somewhere, so we can check the sea and then proceed up the cliffs from there.  With easy access to flight, the flameharrow probably placed it at a higher altitude." 
Servius suddenly ponders... why doesn't he have the  Fly  spell?  He should branch out.
TriciaOso
 "I don't think we should take Mr. Djodi,"  says Cauda.  "He seems a pleasant fellow, and very knowledgeable, but if these rifts pose any danger I'd be more worried about him than anything." 

Now that you have agreed on a course of action, she steers back out into the bay and towards the area known as Bridge Cove. As you enter from the West, the sun is just beginning to shrink out of sight as it rolls over the world beyond the Hic Sunt. The islands rise before you to varying heights, forming a loose stair-step up to the high cliff of the inner shore, which is thick with trees and snow. The water between the islands is shallow; it's low tide.

 

As you begin to pass beneath the first of the intact bridges, you can see one of the crates bobbing in the shallows about 100 feet ahead. To the north by about sixty feet are the fallen ruins of another bridge or staircase.
J-H
 Servius 
Before they approach further, Servius takes several minutes to consult his spellbook.  His eyes take on a faint glow as he begins watching for signs of magic.
(Ritual cast Detect Magic, makes magic within 30' visible).  Using this information, he guides them on a safe path as they disembark from the tender and approach.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  Servius 
Before they approach further, Servius takes several minutes to consult his spellbook.  His eyes take on a faint glow as he begins watching for signs of magic.
(Ritual cast Detect Magic, makes magic within 30' visible).  Using this information, he guides them on a safe path as they disembark from the tender and approach. 
 

As you move towards the crate, you can see that the crate has partially smashed, revealing part of the device and shedding packing material in to the water. There is a low warbling hum coming from the damaged crate, and through Detect Magic, you can see a tangled haze of Conjuration magic around it at a radius of 10 feet.
J-H
 Servius 
 "Now for the tricky part.  It's part in this world, and part in..."   Servius approaches it slowly, his arms extended to keep it as far as possible from his face while he makes the necessary adjustments.

Charisma save  (1d20+3)[ 23 ] ,   (1d20+3)[ 20 ]  (advantage on saves vs spells and other magical effects)
TriciaOso
As you wade closer to the damaged crate, you become aware of a faint buzzing that underlies the warbling-saw-blade noise of the rift around it. Soon you can see bees swarming around the spot; fat, golden and thumb-sized. Nibum, you recognize them as the Mellifera, the bees of Arcadia. When they touch the wander they vanish with a sizzle. Occasionally, one of the feather serpents who nest on the cliffs swoops down to snatch one out of the air, but extraplanar beings aren't edible, either. Their frustrated cries are deafening.

Cauda looks thoughtfully at this and then wild-shapes into one of the sea-wyverns, flying up to socialize.

As you approach the 10 foot radius of conjuration magic around the crate, Servius waves you back and takes the lead. Servius, as you enter the magical haze around the crate that only you can see, you feel a giddy sort of lurch. For a moment you see not the shallow waters of the cove, but an endless tessellation of hexagons filled with wax and honey, stretching into the infinite. You get an impression of  much larger  bees circling the crate on that side, but only for a moment.

A wisdom save is an effort of will and self-knowledge; an intelligence save a test of cleverness and mental fortitude. But resisting conjuration magic uses a charisma save, a test of your personal identity and sense of self. Bolstered by your victory over a pale shadow of your future, Servius, you are able to assert yourself over this magic: you know who you are, and you know where you belong, and you are able to tell the universe, and the universe listens.

As you carefully defuse the wildly resonating device, you feel the magic pluck at your sleeve again and again, but you hold firm to the sea cove and the darkening sky. As you work, you realize the smash wasn't sufficient to create this effect; someone else has worked on this device and set it conjuring this rift, for some reason. Still, the defusing goes smoothly; you feel like the changes are intuitive, and at times it feels like someone else is working alongside you just out of sight. It takes you less than a minute to stabilize the device. At the last moment you have a brief, vivid flash of a short, stout humanoid figure with a face that is a blank disc of woven wicker, working on the device with you; and then the haze of conjuration magic fades away.

 

This device is stable.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Each unstable crate is surrounded by a rift with a radius of 10 to 40 feet. The CHA save DC is 15 when you are at the outer edge of the rift and increases by 5 with each 10 feet of movement until you reach the crate at the center. You repeat the check every round you are in the rift, until you roll a natural 20 or fail.

Stabilizing the device is a cumulative Arcana check of 10d10+50, made over successive rounds. Anyone proficient in Arcana can contribute each round. A natural 20 will give you advantage on all following checks for that device; a natural 1 will give you disadvantage and counts as failing the CHA save.

This crate had a radius of 10 feet and a stabilization DC of 108. It took 6 rounds to stabilize this one (16, 21, 29, 15, 26, 10 = 117)

The crate can now be loaded onto a floating disc with a DC 15 Athletics or Sleight of Hand check. One person needs to make the roll, but it can be assumed they have the help action.

Three devices remain down here. About 120 feet to the south, crate D1 is jammed among some man-sized rocks, while crates D5 and D6 lie inside a small pool further east, each about 150 feet away.
 
J-H
 Servius 
 "It is stabilized... it was shifted partway into a giant bee-hive of sorts.  Strange.  Would someone help lift it, please?" 
Dirty
"You sure it's stable?!" Fork asked as he gingerly walked up to Servius to lend a hand. He rolled up his sleeves in a very machismo way, and together with Rumble and some ropes he started pulling but the crate.. that wouldn't move an inch. After several painfully long moments of intense exertion, he had to give up.
zylodrizzt
Tho the crate is too large to move with the diminutive bots they can drape a rope and tighten it for triceratool. Triceratool pulls and pulls til the crate is aboard. Once the floating disc is conjured triceratool places it upon it for added stability
TriciaOso
A flying snake spirals down, transforming back into Cauda.  "Oh my, they've seen a lot, these gull-snakes,"  she says.  "A 'big flapping thing' came here and set up a nest. Sounds quite like our flameharrow."  She points up to one of the island cliffs, the one across a ruined stair from the uplands. (The home of crate D3.)

 "It was here  before  the shipment came, but when the cart did come along the 'flapping thing' attacked it." 
 "Apparently, when the expedition from the university came to investigate, the Yuan Ti from the university were crossing the stair towards the nest when a fireball destroyed the stair. The bodies are still in that wreckage."  She gestures north.  "They may have been, er, nibbled a bit." 

She looks contemplative.  "I wonder why he came here. I know he was waiting for us to leave the port, but there are so many other lonely places he could've used as a lair, where he never would've run into anyone. Did he  want  one of those devices? Maybe so he couldn't be banished?"  She shakes her head.

 "Which way next? The gull-snakes say the crate to the south is more dangerous. They give all the crates a wide berth, but that one... well, they didn't really have the words for it, of course, but I think they meant that the rift around that one is much bigger. It bangs against those rocks when the tide comes in, that can't be good for it." 
J-H
 Servius 
 "Let's get another less dangerous one first." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "Maybe someone's been seekin' allies or artifacts from the other planes?"   Ttharg muses.

Ttharg makes himself available to help move crates; but his Arcane knowledge is somewhat lacking and he follows Servius' lead on whether it's safe to approach crates or how to handle them.
TriciaOso
You proceed into the sheltered pool on the far eastern edge of your map, where two of the crates are located. You navigate past another fallen bridge; this one's destruction is much older, and much of the wreckage has been cleared or washed away. Still, it's a tight fit for the tender, and you leave it there and return to wading through the ankle-deep water. The water here is strangely warm, warmer than the rest of the cove.

One crate is about fifty feet to the north, near a small sandbar peeking out of the water; it's probably covered at high tide, but right now you can see that several of the silver fish-automatons are beached on it, lying still.

The other crate is about the same distance to the south. Steam is rising around the sides of the crate. Servius, if you get within forty feet of either, you can see that their aura of conjuration magic only extends to about ten feet, like the one you already defused.

 
J-H
 Servius 

Servius approaches the one with mechanical fish beached near it.
 
 Spoiler 

1
Cha save, adv from being Yuan-ti
 (1d20+3)[ 21 ]  or  (1d20+3)[ 12 ] 
Arcana check
 (1d20+9)[ 25 ] 

2
Cha save, adv from being Yuan-ti
 (1d20+3)[ 10 ]  or  (1d20+3)[ 8 ] 
Arcana check
 (1d20+9)[ 27 ] 

3
Cha save, adv from being Yuan-ti
 (1d20+3)[ 23 ]  or  (1d20+3)[ 12 ] 
Arcana check
 (1d20+9)[ 13 ] 

4
Cha save, adv from being Yuan-ti
 (1d20+3)[ 14 ]  or  (1d20+3)[ 8 ] 
Arcana check
 (1d20+9)[ 13 ] 

5
Cha save, adv from being Yuan-ti
 (1d20+3)[ 5 ]  or  (1d20+3)[ 9 ] 
Arcana check
 (1d20+9)[ 18 ] 

6
Cha save, adv from being Yuan-ti
 (1d20+3)[ 12 ]  or  (1d20+3)[ 11 ] 
Arcana check
 (1d20+9)[ 13 ] 

7
Cha save, adv from being Yuan-ti
 (1d20+3)[ 11 ]  or  (1d20+3)[ 21 ] 
Arcana check
 (1d20+9)[ 22 ] 

8
Cha save, adv from being Yuan-ti
 (1d20+3)[ 11 ]  or  (1d20+3)[ 20 ] 
Arcana check
 (1d20+9)[ 11 ] 

9
Cha save, adv from being Yuan-ti
 (1d20+3)[ 12 ]  or  (1d20+3)[ 12 ] 
Arcana check
 (1d20+9)[ 15 ] 

10
Cha save, adv from being Yuan-ti
 (1d20+3)[ 14 ]  or  (1d20+3)[ 19 ] 
Arcana check
 (1d20+9)[ 14 ] 
 
TriciaOso
Servius approaches the crate and begins to defuse and still the reverberating device. He detaches a flywheel and sets it carefully aside, steeling his sense of sense of self to remain anchored to the material plane.

 25/105
 

As he makes his second repair to the apparatus--

 52/105 

--the flange arm phases straight through his fingers, startling him, and in the moment of broken concentration the conjuration magic engulfs him and he vanishes. The  rest of the group is left staring at the half-phased crate in shock.

 
 
 Spoiler: Servius 
Suddenly, the water around your tail vanishes and the sand beneath your scales turns cold, hard and solid. The little pool in Bridge Cove is replaced by a landscape of cogs and gears, stretching infinitely to the horizon and across the sky in complex patterns and intricate symmetry. It is similar to the brief vision of the infinite honeycomb, but instead of that organic vista, this is a sky of endless clockwork. The smooth whirrs and clicks of a mechanical universe turning cleanly on its axle are undermined by the unearthly warbling of the Majari device, which seems twice as loud and incredibly upsetting on this side of the divide.


 Code: 
 Halt. 
Says a voice. It is not a language you know, but it's a language so innately logical and obvious that you understand the words immediately.

 

You look around hastily, still trying to process everything to see following your sudden re-location. The speaker appears to be a strange creature; it looks like a large mechanical snake, with nine robotic arms and a single giant organic eye and weirdly organic lips. There are also two other creatures present, flanking the crate; one is standing upright while one seems slumped on the ground. Your impression of the standing one is a brain in a jar, set atop a short squat construct to which it is connected by a thick knot of cables and hoses that proceed from the front of the tank and hang down over the construct's chest. If you were a mammal, it might resemble a beard to you.

The speaker says:


 Code: 
 Step away from the device. Are you responsible for this trespass? 
 

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
INITIATIVE
 22 - Fork
20 - Nibum
19 - Algorith Dwarves / Nonaton Modron
15 - Cauda
8 - Servius 
3 - Ttharg
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 42/50 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: Blink (1 minute) 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  
Servius raises his hands, but does not move away.  He speaks firmly and plainly, without hurrying.   "No. The device was lost and damaged several days ago.  I am attempting to repair it, which will return it to its proper place within the planes.  Completing the repairs should not take long.  May I proceed?" 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg wasn't sure where Servius might have ended up, and he could be in trouble. He wades closer to the crate.   "Servius? Servius! Can ye hear me lad?!"   He turns to the rest of the party.   "I'm going to see if I can find him an' bring him back. At worst, I may have to spend a day whether he has ended up; until I can banish myself back here."   He attempts to be pulled into whatever plane Servius ended up being pulled into (he'll fail his Cha saves).
TriciaOso
Cauda follows on Ttharg's heels, and both of you vanish from the pool and appear near Servius in the infinite gearscape.

You are able to see, now, that the slumped construct body beside the crate is a similar creature to the standing one, but the tank on top has been smashed and the brain is gone.

In response to Servius's statement, the living construct--the Algorith Dwarf--barks something in an unfamiliar language at the snake-like modron.
zylodrizzt
Knowing kinda what happened nibum spurs triceratool forward willing himself to let the conjuration magic effect him.  Dont resist  he says to himself as much as triceratool. Perhaps he hoped somewhat that this would happen. The fish the bees what else might he find?
TriciaOso
The nonaton modron surveys the group, which grows visibly as it watches, and then seems to lock in on Triceratool.

 

 Code: 
 Greetings. Are you aware there is a reptile on your back? Are there more tresspassers incoming? 
It appears to listen to something none of you can hear, then continues addressing the construct.


 Code: 
 Two (2) of these contraband devices have interposed themselves on our plane.
One was repaired and sent back by repair modrons.
This one has drawn the attention of a fugitive at large in Mechanus.
Multiple repair modrons, and now this algorith dwarf assigned to stand guard, have been attacked. 
The other algorith dwarf, its brain still intact and floating in its jar, says something in a language none of you speak. It sounds like a curse.

 

 Code: 
 The fugitive arrived here on a crashing interplanar vessel.
It is an illithid and relies on the consumption of cerebral tissues.
It has consumed the brains of its fellow fugitives.
It has has now begun attempting to nourish itself on axiomatic tissue.
This has resulted in mutation and deviation.
It must be destroyed.
This contraband has been designated 'bait,' as the fugitive greatly desires to leave this plane.

It attacked these two guards earlier, but retreated after seizing one (1) brain.
It will return.
I am supplementing this guard until a suitable replacement is assigned.

We recognize the reason for your trespass and it will not be sanctioned.
Go in peace.
Your contraband will be returned when the mission is completed. 

 
 Spoiler: Perception 20+ 
You catch a glipse of something pale and strangely textured, moving between the gears below.
 
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg watches the strange creatures and slowly sidles up to Servius.   "Ye alright lad?"   Seeing Servius is unharmed, Ttharg turns his attention to their location in general, and spots the strange thing; he points it out.   "Ho, there! Be that what ye lookin' for?"   He cries, directing the others to where he's seen it.
TriciaOso
   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
INITIATIVE
22 - Fork
20 - Nibum
19 - Cubist Illithid / Algorith Dwarf / Nonaton Modron
15 - Cauda
8 - Servius
3 - Ttharg
 
Dirty
Fork crouched down, confused with his surroundings. He listened as the others discussed and when he looked over he almost couldn't believe his eyes. It took a moment before it computed in his own mind that this was in fact a mindflayer.

In a sort of muscle memory kind of way he cast hunters mark on it. Then, without further fanfare, he proceeded to start blasting bolts at it as fast as he could.

The mechanisms in his crossbow seemed to respond exceptionally well in this environment, as the first bolt he fired was pure mechanical perfection. One second it was laying in the chamber, the next it was gone.. leaving a space to be occupied by the next bolt and the gears had whirred and clicked along as if the first bolt was never there.

Rumble gave the bolt a little kiss of cold as it sped through the air, eager to perform its function of damaging.

 
 Spoiler: actions 
Bonus action: cast hunters mark
Actions: Attack action; 1st attack: natural 20 to hit for 26 damage (6 cold). 2nd attack: 21 to hit for 12 damage.
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum rides past the modron politely and carefully and as politely as possible. Triceratool carefully picks its way toward the mindflayer with as much speed as possible. With all the moving parts nibum just manages to score a hit. He hits a button on triceratool and he spits out a small device that will activate if the mindflayer moves from that spot.
TriciaOso
As you approach the distorted mind flayer, you can see that he is just concluding a spell of some kind directed up through the gears. As Triceratool bears down on him, he turns to face you, but can't stop the glancing blow that plants the little proximity mine on his polygonal armor.

His tentacles writhe in a strange way; angular, blocky and jerky, as if the organic rubberiness of his tentacles is at odd with the progressive pixellation overtaking him. It makes them hard to dodge, and one wraps around your throat and squeezes, lifting you from the back of Triceratool. You feel a crushing weight of information rush through your mind as it makes physical contact, but you're able to process it all without being incapacitated.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
You gain advantage on Religion checks for 24 hours.
 


Up on the armature, the spell hits the algorith dwarf. Red lights blink and flash on his torso, and the cables and hoses attaching the brain-in-a-jar to the construct begin to pop free. The construct turns and attacks the nonaton modron with his radical axe; the modron, screaming, undergoes the painful process of being rooted. The nonaton splits apart into three tridone modrons. One of the tridrones is instantly destroyed by the axe.

 

The other two jab wildly at the algorith dwarf. Only one of the spear attacks manages to go home, causing the brain-in-a-jar to wobble on the construct's shoulders; it bobbles, but does not fall off. You feel a wave of willpower emanate from the brain, and the construct slumps over. The hoses and cables begin to snake up and re-attach, but it is slower to restore them than to detach, and looks as if the dwarf is out of the fight for now.

Cauda rears up, her hood expanding and glowing with the constellation of the Archer. She fires two bolts of light down at the mind flayer; one that glances off his armor and one that hits, burning his flesh and wreathing him in a glowing light.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
The polygonal mind flayer makes three tentacle attacks against Nibum; one hits. Nibum is grappled (Escape DC 17) and makes an Intelligence saving throw against being incapacitated by Information Overflow. He makes the save and is not incapacitate, instead gaining advantage on Religion checks for 24 hours.

The mind flayers lifts Nibum off Triceratool's back in a successful contested Athletics check, untrained on both sides.

Before he was spotted, the mind flayer cast a spell on the Algorith dwarf. It takes effect on the dwarf's turn, causing the brain of the dwarf to lose control of the construct and be in danger of falling off. The construct body attacks the nonaton modron three times, hitting once. The nonaton fails a constitution check and is  rooted , splitting into three tridrones. The tridrones attack the dwarf ineffectually, making only one hit. The Brain makes the dex save to stay aboard the construct.

At the end of its turn, the brain attempts to regain control of the construct. The construct fails a save to resist. The construct is incapacitated for one turn as the brain re-establishes control.

Cauda uses her Wild Shape to take on Starry Form: Archer. Her bonus action attack misses, but her Guiding Bolt against the mind flayer hits. The next attack on him has advantage.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 19 dmg (grappled)

Mind Flayer - 44 dmg
Algorith Dwarf - 5 dmg (incapacitated)

INITIATIVE:
 22 - Fork
20 - Nibum
19 - Algorith Dwarves / Tridrones
15 - Cauda 
8 - Servius
3 - Ttharg
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 42/50 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius casts a spell, calling down to the illithid.   "There's better food up here.  You should come closer so you can enjoy it." 
 
 Spoiler 

Suggestion (racial) so Wis DC is only 12.
Illithid  (1d20)[ 16 ]  + ??
Hoping it'll put Nibum down and try to come over...doubt it has 40' move speed!
 edit blah, no effect 
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg looks down at the strange mind flayer grappling with Nibum and begins to summon one of Bahamut's flails. It appears and moves to attack the creature. After it strikes, Ttharg attempts to call Bahamut's bell inside the flayer's head.

 
 Spoiler 
Move up to the edge of our current gear.
Bonus Action to cast Spiritual Weapon (2nd Level) and direct it to attack the Mind Flayer:  (1d20+7)[ 21 ]  for  (1d8+3)[ 9 ]  Force Damage.
Main Action to cast Toll the Dead (Cantrip) at the Mind Flayer. Wisdom save from the Flayer DC 15:  (1d20)[ 13 ] +mods for  (2d8)[ 6 ]  Necrotic  OR   (2d12)[ 18 ]  if it is missing any HP. Save negates all damage.
 
zylodrizzt
Still reeling from the overload nibum attempts to fight back but is too distracted to do anything. Minicliff detaches flying at the mindflayers face distracting from the main body if triceratool ramming hard into its side causing nibum to be dropped from its grasp. Nibum quickly scrambles onto triceratools back and they both move back into melee with the creature.
Dirty
Rumble glided down, wings outstretched but not flapping. Ready to attack and claw the creature as Fork kept on raining bolts down.

 
 Spoiler: Actions 


1st attack: 16 to hit; for 22 damage
2nd attack: 22 to hit for 10 damage
Bonus attack: rumble attacks 9 to hit (miss)
 
TriciaOso
The mindflayer staggers away from Triceratool, allowing the momentum of the push to carry him beneath the revolving gear and out of line of sight from above. It allows Rumble to claw at him, but it shelters him from the possibility of a counterspell. Struggling to let go of his fixation on consuming Nibum's brain, he embraces Servius's suggestion.

"Yes," it hisses. "I will come up there." He vanishes from before Nibum and Rumble's eyes and reappears up on the armature.

   
With a shriek, he unleashes his mutated Mind Blast on the group. All of you feel your mind flooded with information, overwhelming you; Cauda and Servius crumple, incapacitated by the blast, but Ttharg and Fork weather it intact, although their minds are flooded with a barrage of data. Both tridrones are vaporized by the blast, and the dwarf construct's error lights begin to flash erratically once more. It staggers towards the mind flayer, but as it tries to raise its axe, it flails helplessly and babbles intensely in dwarvish. The Mindflayer reaches out and smashes through the glass jar, ripping out the dwarf brain and shoving it into his maw.

Cauda's high, dazed voice pipes out as she recalls an ancient poem about the White Hunter:

 I ha' seen them 'mid the clouds on the heather. And the white wind breaks the morn. ''Tis the white stag, Fame, we're a-hunting, Bid the world's hounds come to horn! 

Her voice is trembling; blood trickles from an ear hole. She fires another bolt of light at the mindflayer from her bow nonetheless, and it sizzles home. The mind flayer looks very much the worse for wear, but as he finishes gobbling down the dwarf's brain, you can see the fresh cerebral tissue healing his wounds. It snarls and fires three darts of Magic Missile at Cauda, and she collapses to the ground.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
Mindflayer uses a bonus action to Misty Step up to the armature and uses his altered Mind Blast. Fork gains advantage on Arcana checks for 24 hours. Ttharg gains advantage on History checks for 24 hours. Servius gains advantage on History checks for 24 hours. Cauda gains advantage on Religion checks for 24 hours.

Fork and Ttharg make the save and take 13 damage, and can act normally. Servius, Cauda and the dwarf fail the save; they take 26 damage, and can only use their action to make Intelligence checks in their highlighted skills. They can move or take bonus actions normally.

The Algorith dwarf moves to attack, but is forced to use its action to make a Religion check. The mindflayer uses two legendary actions to Extract Brain on the Algorith Dwarf and devours its brain.

Cauda uses her action to make a Religion check, then uses her bonus action to fire her Archer attack, doing 8 damage.

The mindflayer uses his last legendary action to cast a magic missile at Cauda.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 19 dmg
Servius - 26 dmg
Ttharg - 13 dmg
Fork - 13 dmg

Cauda - 26 dmg

Mindflayer - 97 dmg + ??? healing

INITIATIVE:
 22 - Fork
20 - Nibum
19 - Mindflayer
15 - Cauda 
8 - Servius
3 - Ttharg
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum quickly clocks the squid head spurring triceratool to give chase. He tosses a contraption that appears to be a form of robotic arm with a shield over to cauda for protection. He discounts triceratool to get into melee with the mindflayer and slashes and stabs furiously trying to take the creature down before it can kill anymore while pteradactool fires a nail at the squid.
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 16/50 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  
Servius manages to disrupt the illithid's Magic Missile spell, but that's all he does.   "Counterspell is a name given to a family of spells, which all share the common function of disrupting the arcane flow of energies, and thus dissipating a nascent spell.  It requires line of sight, but not identifying the specific spell being cast.  It is said that, at some point in the past, the predominant technique was to counter-cast the exact spell being disrupted, but in an opposite direction.  However, thanks to our draconic patrons, a more generalized version of the technique has been developed into the 'counter-spell', which functions well against almost any type of magic, although not psionics." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg was no stranger to headaches, and although the mind flayer's data assault on his brain was painful, he was able to weather it very well. Bahamut's flail was very far from his foe, so instead Ttharg attempted to shatter the space it occupied, but tried to avoid hitting the gears of this place. He moved his Spiritual Weapon closer anyway, and took up a position in front of Servius and the group, making sure his Shield was out and ready.

 
 Spoiler 
Main Action Cast Shatter (2nd Level) at the Mind Flayer, but attempt to do it at a point in space that doesn't damage the local area at all. Con Save DC 15 for Half:  (1d20)[ 10 ] +Con for  (3d8)[ 13 ]  Thunder damage.
Bonus Action to move Spiritual Weapon 20ft towards the Flayer.
Free Action Draw Shield.
 
Dirty
Almost as soon as the mindflayer appeared, Fork knew where it was. The mystical connection with his prey clueing him in. He managed to get a bolt off just before the wave hit him.

Fork shrugged it off, or so he thought, but as the second bolt clicked into place it fired out of the crossbow wildy off target. This had to do with the fact that Fork was now mumbling incoherent nonsense and drawing air symbols with the tip of one of his bolts, desperately trying to get the extra information out of his mind.

At that exact time though, Rumble slammed into the mindflayer with abandon.

A winged demonic creature with icy claws and razor-sharp teeth. A chaotic force of nature, the world's fiercest guard dog set upon the flayer with a wrath so great it was almost frightening to behold. Clawing and ripping and tearing at the fleshy bits. Scratching and pummelling and pulling at the metal bits.

 
 Spoiler: Actions 


1st attack: 25 to hit, 23 damage
2nd attack: Critical failure

Rumble: critical hit: 15 cold damage
 
TriciaOso
Studded with arrows like a porcupine and ruptured by Ttharg's spell, the mind flayer dribbles ink from his mouth as he tries to stagger forward, driven by his hunger.

At the same time, Triceratool desperately scrambles up the gears to reach the armature. When he gets to the last wall, he can't scramble up, and Nibum has to leap up to the metal platform to slash at the mind flayer.

But the last blow comes from a humble source, as Pteradactool swoops up after Nibum and fires a single nail into the squid's forehead. The mindflayer drops.

Triceratool completes his scramble up onto the armature as Cauda casts a healing spell on Servius.  "You saved my life with that counterspell,"  she says. She also does some healing for Nibum, and puts her remaining spell energy into Synthesis to charge the weapon.  I'm afraid that's all the spells I'm good for today,"  she says ruefully. She also looks about to drop, badly battered by the mind flayer's psionic blast.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
The hyperfixation stun on Servius and Cauda wears off on their next turns. Based on the earlier Arcana rolls, it will take three rounds for Servius to finish fixing the device, or two rounds if Nibum works with him.

Cauda will also use her once-per-day Suggestion spell to give Nibum two charges for Synthesis. She is completely out of resources (wild shapes, spells) and has 7 hp.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 11 dmg
Servius - 16 dmg
Ttharg - 13 dmg
Fork - 13 dmg

Cauda - 26 dmg
 
zylodrizzt
 Thank you cauda. You should rest now. When we get back you should probabky stay in the tender.  Nibum stretches with a loud popping and a groan of an old man trying to stand up from sitting for a long time (second wind). He then goes and examines the equipment and bodies or what could be considered bodies of the deceased.
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 34/50 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  
 "Thank you, Cauda.  Defeating such creatures is a team effort."   He looks around.   "Although I had hope to speak further to the modrons.  Magic follows laws, so they must have some insight."   He joins the others in assessing what may be salvaged before repairing the device.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg keeps watch whilst the others work, but asks:   "Do we rest here, or back on our native plane? Do we even want to take a rest, or I can patch ye all up now?"  
Dirty
Fork also keeps an eye out, not at all at ease in this environment. "I don't mind getting out of here." He said with a wary look on his face, half expecting more mind flayers to pop out of the gears here.
zylodrizzt
Tho clearly facinated with things here nibum says Its probably best if we go back. They dont want this rift here it seems  he pulls out his anytool to help him fix the rift. If no one else tries to use the armor nibum does and if no one grabs the axes he puts them in the bag of holding  I think tegu may like one of these.  he says. Before leaving he does check the fish to see how it reacts to being here.
TriciaOso
The fish seems to jump out of your hand, drawn magnetically towards some of the finer-toothed gears. As it meshes back into place it leaps away down an escapement, restored to life now that it is back in its ecosystem.

Triceratool turns its head to the sky, and says:


 Code: 
 ... 
and then


 Code: 
 01001001
00100000
01110011
01100101
01100101 
and then


 Code: 
 I see a flying craft headed this way.
It may be the dwarven reinforcements the nonaton was waiting for. 
It looks up at Nibum as if awaiting orders.
zylodrizzt
Nibum shrugs his shoulder at dropping the fish. He had thought to study it more and meant to return it anyways. Doubting the arrivals will make anything easier for them considering the circumstances nibum wastes no time stabalizing the cargo from this side. With tool in hand he works furiously but delicately as he can I hate to leave them like this but i doubt this will be friwndly encounter  he says huffing in exertion.  Triceratool they seem to think you are a native here. If we dont finish with the stabalizing in time perhaps just tell them what happened. Delay them at the least.... if you want to stay...uh... you can... i can make a copy of you... (he says holding back emotion). If you dont then as soon as i say its finished then hurry back as soon as you can.  nibum really didn't want to leave any of his companions especially triceratool. They'd been together longest of anyone.
TriciaOso
Triceratool says:


 Code: 
 I don't want to leave you. 
It is hard to read anything beyond bare facts in the immediacy of Axiomatic language, and Triceratool does not have a face to look at, but it shifts its bulk to bump against Nibum with these words.

It only takes a little while to repair the device, and with the rift closed you find yourselves back in the Bridge Cove of Malatra.

   
Cauda looks around.  "If we want to rest before moving forward, this little island seems nice enough,"  she says.  "And then... I think I would be less of a liability if I went and used the tender to retrieve those bodies trapped under the bridge wreckage. I'm sure the Majari would want them back." 

About 100 feet to the south, another crate sits in a cloud of steam, as the planar energies around it heat the water.
J-H
 Servius 
Servius coils his body lower to the ground.   "We're not in a rush.  Let's take some time to prepare before the next one." 
 
 Spoiler: Short rest 

Hit dice  (2d8+4)[ 13 ] 
 
TriciaOso
You are able to take about an hour of rest. By now, the sun has fully vanished into the distance of the human world, and the cold has settled in; Cauda builds a fire on the little island.

You are well into the hour of rest when Cauda pauses and looks up as if someone has spoken. She holds up her hand and whispers  "Sending spell."  She begins to speak to the air, counting on her fingers.


  Understood, Kabett. Well, not really, but you know what I mean. We'll be back as soon as we can. I hope everyone is all--  

 "--right."  She frowns.  "Oh dear, is 'all right' one word or two?" 
J-H
      
 
   
 Servius Calventius Pamphilius

    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 47/50 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  
 "Cauda?  What's wrong?" 
TriciaOso
 "I'm not sure. Kabett only had twenty-five words... he said they will meet us in the bay, not in the harbor. He said it was important that we should finish the job, but we should come back as soon as we can once it's finished." 

She pauses.

 "He said the Captain has been arrested." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg growls deeply.   "No doubt the family, or families, already allied with Trionyx seeking to weaken us before their arrival. As ye say, we should finish up here as soon as possible an' then head back."  
J-H
 Servius 

Servius utters a curse in an obscure dialect of Draconic.
zylodrizzt
Once they return  Im grateful you stayed triceratool. (Hugs) 

During the short rest before the sending nibum makes the devices he has that projects the negniter crest and begins using tools to make that crest permanent on his equipment. He sets up a device that packs some mud or sand into a ball for his assistants to chase and attack as they take turns keeping an eye out.

When the sending is relayed  This can wait right? We should go.  
TriciaOso
Cauda looks torn.  "Kabett said we should finish here before we returned,"  she says.  "It's a ten hour journey."

"But if you think we should go back now... I'm worried about Bendeguz, too." 
zylodrizzt
 No... just worried about the captain. Lets finish this as soon as we can and get the captain out of jal.  he says as he finishes up the etching. He gets prepared to start working on the shipment
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "I still have the scroll o' Commune. I could ask Bahamut about the Captain, an' who may have arrested her. Maybe if we're suspicious about one family, I can ask if they took her. I can also make sure she won't be executed before we finish here. What do ye think lads? I don't know how long it'll take to stabilize these devices, or how to do it; so I'll just be keepin' watch as usual."  
TriciaOso
Cauda thinks about it, turning her star map over in her hands.  "It has to be those Cnidaria, doesn't it? They're the only ones who have a reason to really hate us. Unless the Vrael found out about the assassination, but that was all kept pretty darn quiet."

"We've stayed clear of them, mostly, so I don't know how they could have framed Bendeguz... but we don't really know what she was accused of, yet. And they could've traded some favor to do it indirectly, anyway. In fact, I'd bet my fangs they would do it that way, coming at us sideways by bribing someone that had the opportunity." 
Dirty
Fork was pacing up and down visibly worried. "What was said exactly Cauda? Did the captain tell Kabbett to tell us to continue, or is this Kabbetts interpretation of what he thinks the captain wants us to do?" He paced and before she answered he was talking again. "I suppose it doesn't matter. Kabbetts assessment is probably better than ours at this point."

He suddenly stopped pacing.

"Why would she be arrested?..." he didn't finish the thought as Cauda laid out that he himself could be the reason. If that was it he'd never forgive himself.

"I can't think." He said, losing composure slighly, responding to noone but himself. "But I'm not coming back empty handed. I agree." He said to Nibum. "If we need pull in that damned city we need everything we can possibly get. I say we haul tail and get those boxes safe. We'll organise transport but hurry back ourselves once we have them all repaired. Let's go, rest is for eggs and iguana's."

He picked up his backpack and loaded his crossbow.

"Cauda, can you go to Marilfjord and rangle up a bunch of people to help move those crates? Spend coin. We can manage securing them. Who's with me?"
TriciaOso
Cauda, never that mindful of propriety, hugs Fork briefly. All of you are close to the Captain, but she and Fork come from the same draconic household as the Captain back in Lssthp.  "I'll take care of it. Good luck, lads." 

As you approach the crate south of here, the warm currents in the water grow hotter and hotter. You are at the base of the cliffs that lead deeper into the tundra, but heat bakes out of the space around the rift. Whatever plane is on the other side of the rift, it's a blast furnace. Maybe it's a literal blast furnace in the Mines of Misery.

   
The aura of the rift begins 10 feet out from the crate. Two of you can work on it at once, with double the speed but also double the chance of falling through and discovering what exactly is burning on the other side. Or Servius can take his chances alone again, and the rest of you can ready actions to rush in after him if he vanishes.
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 47/50 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  
Servius approaches the device, steeling himself against... well, whatever.  There's no reason to expect waiting will make anything better, and they're on a time crunch.
 
 Spoiler 

Cha saves w/ advantage against magic effects, &amp; Arcana checks
1
Save  (1d20+3)[ 23 ]  or  (1d20+3)[ 4 ] 
Arcana  (1d20+9)[ 22 ] 

2
Save  (1d20+3)[ 18 ]  or  (1d20+3)[ 10 ] 
Arcana  (1d20+9)[ 10 ] 

3
Save  (1d20+3)[ 4 ]  or  (1d20+3)[ 16 ] 
Arcana  (1d20+9)[ 14 ] 

4
Save  (1d20+3)[ 19 ]  or  (1d20+3)[ 16 ] 
Arcana  (1d20+9)[ 13 ] 

5
Save  (1d20+3)[ 23 ]  or  (1d20+3)[ 22 ] 
Arcana  (1d20+9)[ 28 ] 

6
Save  (1d20+3)[ 22 ]  or  (1d20+3)[ 15 ] 
Arcana  (1d20+9)[ 17 ] 

7
Save  (1d20+3)[ 17 ]  or  (1d20+3)[ 7 ] 
Arcana  (1d20+9)[ 28 ] 
 
TriciaOso
Servius sets to work on the device with his mind steeled to anchor himself in the present, his sense of self strong and locked in, and rapidly detaches the main flywheel and closes the rift. There are a couple of moments that come close, and a vision of the other side seesaws in and out of his vision, but in the end, it takes less than a minute to complete the work.

 
 Spoiler: Servius 
You have a brief vision of the city on the other side; a vast city of canals, filled not with water but flowing magma. The city sits in the palm of a hand of rock, five peaks rising around it; beyond these peaks is pure fire. The ground underneath heaves and rolls periodically. You've seen this landscape before, in your dreams. This is the city of Dis, built on the back of Apophis as he struggles to restrain Tiamat. Once a shelter for his descendants, it's become a magnet for the souls of evil humans with a lawful bent to their mind.

The architecture of the city of is baroque and unpredictable; parts of it resemble Malatra, but there seems to be a welter of different visions that various architects have tried to impose on it since. It's not chaotic in the sense of organic, but in the sense of dozens, perhaps thousands, of intense and specific visions butting against each other without the possibility of compromise. Half of the towers and battlements are in the progress of being torn down by their detractors or by the earthquakes. No wonder the humans see this as a place of punishment; the punishment is natural, inevitable in their natures, chaos birthed out of conflicting order. A city of tyrants with no followers, constantly building up and tearing down each other's grand visions.

For a single moment, a marilith on a bridge nearby catches your eye; built like a nagini, but twice as tall, with an extra set of arms. But before she can act, you are finished.

 
 


The next crate lies 130 feet to the south and west, jumbled on the rocks of the southern cove. Its aura spills out three times as far as the others, and the sound of metal striking metal rings out from the rift.

 
J-H
The group moves swiftly towards the next one.  Metal on metal...  "Limbo?  The plane of earth?" 
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Arcana / Religion 20+ 
The Device at the University was tuned to a lawful plane, and so far all these rifts have shared this. The clang of metal on metal suggests you are looking at a rift to the Mines of Misery rather than, say, the Lawful Good Celestial Heaven.

 
 Spoiler: Acheron 
The Plane of Law, Nirvana, was once singular. But over the millennia, as it has become a resting place for souls more lawful than anything else, those souls have naturally segregated themselves. Arcadia, the Hive of the Mellifera, became the home of the Lawful with a good bent; Mechanus, the Gears of the Modrons, the home for the most purely lawful. You haven't yet encounter the Mines of Misery, Acheron, but you know that the souls there are slavers and enslaved, bound to excavate cruel concepts from the giant metallic cubes of pure iron-hard reason that orbit and intersect there. It's not quite as punishing as the truly evil City of Dis; If you love hard work and clear orders and hard work, you might even enjoy it in a grim way. But they are less likely to countenance trespassers than the modrons, that's for sure.
 

 
J-H
 Servius 
 "Acheron, perhaps?  Be prepared for fiends." 
If anyone has Protection from Evil, he'll ask for it to be cast on him first.

 
 Spoiler 

1
Cha save  (1d20+3)[ 5 ]  or   (1d20+3)[ 21 ] 
Arcana  (1d20+9)[ 28 ] 

2
Cha save  (1d20+3)[ 14 ]  or   (1d20+3)[ 6 ] 
Arcana  (1d20+9)[ 26 ] 

3
Cha save  (1d20+3)[ 11 ]  or   (1d20+3)[ 23 ] 
Arcana  (1d20+9)[ 12 ] 

4
Cha save  (1d20+3)[ 4 ]  or   (1d20+3)[ 23 ] 
Arcana  (1d20+9)[ 21 ] 

5
Cha save  (1d20+3)[ 22 ]  or   (1d20+3)[ 21 ] 
Arcana  (1d20+9)[ 14 ] 

6
Cha save  (1d20+3)[ 6 ]  or   (1d20+3)[ 17 ] 
Arcana  (1d20+9)[ 29 ] 

7
Cha save  (1d20+3)[ 23 ]  or   (1d20+3)[ 16 ] 
Arcana  (1d20+9)[ 13 ] 

8
Cha save  (1d20+3)[ 22 ]  or   (1d20+3)[ 5 ] 
Arcana  (1d20+9)[ 16 ] 
 
TriciaOso
This time, Servius slips through the rift almost immediately. You charge after him into the plane beyond.

Yes, this is definitely Acheron.

   
Giant cubes move through the sky in graceful orbits, joining and separating. Their surfaces are marred by the mines, very much like the one you're standing in right now. You are in a narrow valley, a mine that is open at the top but with tall walls to either side where lemures work to chisel out axiomatic metal.

   
Your crate lies about twenty feet ahead, but seems to have already been claimed by the overseers of the mine. They don't look especially friendly.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
INITIATIVE:
21 - Fork
18 - Servius
14 - Chain Dwarves
11 - Automata Devil
7 - Lemures
6 - Nibum
2 - Ttharg
 
Dirty
Expecting trouble, Fork fell to one knee and started shooting at the nearest chaindwarf.

"It's a lot of them!" He yelled as he fired and reloaded.

 
 Spoiler: Actions 


(Bonus action hunters mark)
1st attack:13,  13 damage
second attack: 22, 17 damage

Rumble moves on square in front of Fork as to growl and guard dog his ranger buddy.
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 47/50 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

The big one will be the most trouble.  Perhaps some enchantment is called for.   "We really just want our item back, sorry.  If you leave, we won't attack you." 
In the meantime, he shoots a shimmering ray of energy at the six-armed creature's head and slithers slightly backwards.
 
 Spoiler 

Psychic Lance  (7d6)[ 27 ] 
The target must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 7d6 psychic damage and is incapacitated until the start of your next turn. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t incapacitated.
Int save  (1d20)[ 1 ] +?? vs DC 15

5' move north on map
 
TriciaOso
Fork's first arrow tangles in the chain dwarf's iron beard, but the other goes home in his flesh. His bellow is nothing compared to the tortured shriek of the automata devil, which drops its knees, incapacitated by Servius' spell.

The injured chain dwarf steps forward and lashes out at Fork with two of his chains, but both go wide.

The other chain dwarf stretches out its hands, and the chains binding each lemures together in a chaingang animate and slither out of their shackles, rising up in the air like angry snakes.

The lemures, now unrestrained, shriek and gibber and mill about uselessly. Some of them respond to the shouts of the chain dwarves by making feeble attacks on you, while others simply try to flee or hide.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 

Chain Dwarf 2 makes two attacks on Fork; both miss. Chain Dwarf 1 uses Animate Chains and animates 4 spiked chains, but can't use them to attack this turn. The Automata Devil is incapacitated. The lemurs use their movement to mob you, but miss on all their attacks.

DAMAGE
Chain dwarf 2 - 17 dmg
Automata Devil - 27 dmg

INITIATIVE:
21 - Fork
18 - Servius
14 - Chain Dwarves
11 - Automata Devil
7 - Lemures
6 - Nibum
2 - Ttharg
 
zylodrizzt
Being swarmed tends to put you on the defensive and so nibum was tho less for himself and more for others.  GET BACK YOU WORTHLESS MASSES OF MUCUS!  he cries (dragon cry)out as he swings away at the one in front of servius. Triceratool shields himself preparing for an attack and preparing to defend others (auto dodge if not given an action).
Dirty
Fork stood up as the enemies drew close.

With less than seconds to go he let go of his crossbow and drew a shiny scimitar from the scabbard on his hip with his righthand. He spun round and his cloak billowed. The fabric bellowed up to its full circumference before he dipped, ducked and dove and dodged.

His moves were deliberate and calm and executed with frightening speed.

His loose ronin-style clothes and cloak followed suit giving the whole a surreal calm, like a school of fish maybe could come across frantic but in a way all together quite chill.

He slashed, blocked, stabbed and danced around the strange creatures, looking for any opening to hurt them. When he found one moment of respite, he whistled. And just as one of the creatures wondered if maybe it had an opening to hurt Fork back, Rumble slammed into it clawing and biting.

 
 Spoiler: Actions 


Fork attack action on the creature in contact with Servius:
19 to hit for 8 slashing damage + 8 radiant + 6 extra cold damage = 22 damage

Second attack on the lemur below him:
8 to hit for 6 slashing and 3 radiant damage

Rumble attacks the Lemure directly under Fork and to Rumbles right.
Rumble 14 to hit for: 9 damage + 3 cold damage = 12 damage
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 47/50 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius moves slightly closer, extending one arm over rumble's head.  A shockwave erupts with an ear-splitting KA-BOOM, blowing the closest dwarf and the lemurs back.
 
 Spoiler 

5' south
I think the white wolf is rumble?
Thunderwave, 2nd level.   (3d8)[ 18 ]  thunder damage, 10' pushback, Con DC 16 save half.  Sculpt Spell excludes rumble.
Dwarf takes  (2d6)[ 6 ]  bonus Fort damage and is knocked prone by Fulminating Treatise.
Con saves
Dwarf [roll]1d20[roll]  18 
Lemure [roll]1d20[roll]  17 
Lemure [roll]1d20[roll]  15 
 rolled in Discord 
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

In an instant, many of the creatures around him are dead to the party's assault. Knowing that they may be needed back in the city, or may need to husband their strength for future fights, Ttharg elects to simply attack the chain dwarf in front of him with his Warhammer.   "DIE, SCALEYROT FIEND!"   He cries. As the Warhammer comes down, whatever it strikes unleashes a loud booming sound as thunder discharges through the head of the hammer.

 
 Spoiler 
Main Action Attack with Warhammer +1 on the Chain Dwarf in front of me (not sure if it's prone or not, probably not, but I'll roll twice anyway you can take the first or relevant result):  (1d20+7)[ 15 ]  OR  (1d20+7)[ 26 ]  for  (1d8+4)[ 11 ]  Magical Bludgeoning +  (1d8)[ 2 ]  Thunder Damage from Divine Strike (Level 8 Cleric feature).
 
TriciaOso
You make short work of the crowd of lemures--the lone survivor flees--but the chain dwarves and their master take the opportunity to drive closer. You are hemmed in now by chains, floating in the air and dangling from the bodies of the mutated dwarves.

The automata devil lashes its chain-whip at Servius, furious over being incapacitated. Its wraps around the wizard and drags him closer, straight over Rumble's back, into the devil's central maw. Despite his struggles it shreds him with churning gears, razor teeth, and whirling blades.

The Automata Devil tosses the unconscious Servius aside and lunges at Rumble. Its teeth find the drake's throat and bite down, hard. At the same time the nearer chain devil whips at Rumble with his chains, and the drake vanishes like melting frost.

The other chain devil has hung back more, using the distance and his animated chains. He makes a barrage of attacks. Tharg is bound in chains; Nibum throws up a shield, but still is wrapped up and dragged from Triceratool. Only Fork manages to dodge every lash.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
Automata Devil makes a whip attack on Servius and hits with a 22, doing 14 damage and dragging him 10 feet towards the Devil. He follows this with a Shredding Maw attack. Servius fails the Str save with a 6 and takes 45 damage, falling unconscious. It makes a bite attack on Rumble and crits, doing 33 damage.

Chain Devil 1 makes a multiattack with his chains. He attacks Rumble first (disadvantage from Triceratool's reaction) and hits with an 19, doing 14 damage. Rumble is down. Second chain attack on Fork with a 14, misses.

Chain Devil 2 makes a multiattack with his chains and the four animated chains. He hits Tharg for 14, Nibum for 9, and Triceratool for 27 with a crit. (25 to hit against Ttharg, 22 and then 26 against Nibum, 28 against Triceratool, 16 and 12 against Fork.)

Tharg, Nibum and Triceratool are restrained by the animated chains (Escape DC 14). They take 2d6 piercing damage at the start of their turns. Each animated chain is an object with AC 20, 20 hit points, resistance to piercing damage, and immunity to psychic and thunder damage.

 A restrained creature's speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed.
Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature's attack rolls have disadvantage.
The creature has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws. 

DAMAGE
Fork - 0 dmg
Nibum - 9 dmg
Ttharg - 14 dmg
Servius - unconscious

Triceratool - 27 dmg

Chain dwarf 1 - 0 dmg
Chain dwarf 2 - 39 dmg
Automata Devil - 27 dmg

INITIATIVE:
21 - Fork
18 - Servius
14 - Chain Dwarves
11 - Automata Devil
7 - Lemures
6 - Nibum
2 - Ttharg
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum commands minicliff to feed a potion to servius and return to his post while nibum thrashes about ineffectualy. Triceratool stands there tools come out from his body making some repairs. Things look dire indeed.
The Commander
 Ttharg Krixkrux 

As the Chain Dwarf hits him, Ttharg retaliates and courses thunderous power through the chains that wrap around him.

 
 Spoiler 
Reaction as Chain Dwarf 2 hits Ttharg to use Wrath of the Storm. DC 14 Dex Save for Half Damage:  (1d20)[ 1 ] +mods for  (2d8)[ 5 ]  Thunder Damage.
 


Ttharg couldn't stay wrapped up in these chains, so he attempt to use his strength to burst out of them. He saw Minicliff moving to aid Servius to turned his attentions back toward the enemy.

Whether or not he was actually free, he calls out once again to Bahamut's armoury and requests his flail. It appears and Ttharg directs it to attack Chaos Dwarf 2 (if it's still alive, otherwise it'll target the Automata).

 
 Spoiler 
Main Action to attempt to escape the chains, escape DC 14, Athletics check:  (1d20+6)[ 23 ] .
Bonus Action to cast Spiritual Weapon (2nd Level). Appear next to and attack Chaos Dwarf 2, if it's still alive. If not, attack the Automata.
If Ttharg is still bound, I guess I'd technically be making the attack at Disadvantage; but if you think that shouldn't apply for SW then ignore the second roll.
 (1d20+7)[ 12 ]  OR  (1d20+7)[ 19 ]  for  (1d8+3)[ 11 ]  Force Damage.
 
Dirty
Forks smooth moves disappear when Rumble gets hurt. His wavey attacks and straight cuts turn into more of a street brawlers punching and flailing. Tears run over his face as he hacks and kicks and even draws his handcrossbow to fire a bolt from up close. Some attacks hit, some go wide but only one swing really did enough to do some damage.

 
 Spoiler: Attacks dwarf no.2  


26 to hit, 11 slashing 3 radiant = 14 damage
9 to hit, 12 slashing, 2 radiant = 14 damage
Bonus action handcrossbow: 11 to hit, 9 damage
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 9/50 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius jerks awake and pulls himself upright and to the side before unleashing another thunderous explosion at the enemies near him.
 
 Spoiler 

Stand, move 5' north.
2nd level Thunderwave,  (3d8)[ 10 ]  thunder damage and 10' knockback, save for half &amp; negate knockback.
If we're allowed to have cubes that run diagonally across the grid, I can hit both dwarfs and the big guy.
 (2d6)[ 5 ]  bonus force damage &amp; prone on the big guy.
Con saves, DC 16
Big  (1d20)[ 12 ] +? or  (1d20)[ 9 ] +? if he has magic resistance
West Dorf  (1d20)[ 17 ] +?
East Dorf  (1d20)[ 10 ] +?
 

If he can do so safely, he then moves 10' further north.
TriciaOso
The thunderous blast sends the automata devil flying backwards; he crashes into the crate and smashes it almost flat, an almost unbearable whining hum rising from the apparatus. Padding in the crate blasts out to either side as the automata devil goes down heavily, and the badly injured chain dwarf lands on top of him.

Even as the blast goes off, Servius propels himself backwards, almost to the edge of the area encompassed by the rift. You can feel a strange uncertainty under your tail, like the stone shifting to water and sand and then snapping back.

A pulse of conjuration magic fires through the rift; the automata devil and the heavily injured dwarf both vanish. The one controlling the chains steels himself, and he and his chains many remain in the crevasse. Nibum and Fork are both carried away in the pulse as well, and Triceratool immediately follows, not even bothering to resist, with a cry of:


 Code: 
 Master! 
Ttharg, you are out of your element, in a plane in every way opposed to your god's alignment. As the chains fall away from you, you know exactly who you are and where you belong. Servius, caught on the edge of the rift and accustomed to resisting these twists and turns by now, you are also able to decide which plane will hold you.

The remaining chain dwarf bares his teeth and rattles his many chains at the two of you. In unison you decide the Prime Material Plane would be a better place at this time of year.

 

 


Back in Bridge Cove, Fork and Nibum, you find yourselves standing up to your waists in the cold water; the perils of belong to a short race. Triceratool appears behind you a moment later. Nibum and Triceratool both left their chains behind in the other plane, and the free ones don't seem to have made the trip either.
A moment later, Servius and Ttharg appear as well.
 
One badly injured chain dwarf remains before you, and the automata devil is slumped over the crate, apparently stunned. The dwarf is still conscious, but appears dazed by the sudden shift; he whips his chains at Nibum, completely ineffectively.

There is a  pop  hiss  from your earpieces as you return to the material plane, and Cauda says over hers,  "Hello? Are you back? Should I bring the tender?" 
 
 Spoiler: Summary 

Automata Devil is knocked back 10 feet and crashes into the crate. Chain Devil 2 is knocked back 10 feet and into the Devil, into the crate.

A pulse goes through the rift. The Automata Devil, Chain Devil 2, Fork and Nibum are dropped back in the cove. Triceratool voluntarily fails his save.

Chain Devil 1 makes his save. He and his animated chains remain in Acheron.

Servius and Ttharg make their saves, but voluntarily fail. Automata Devil is stunned for one round. Chain Dwarf 2 attacks Nibum and misses twice.

DAMAGE
Fork - 0 dmg
Nibum - 17 dmg
Ttharg - 23 dmg
Servius - 41 dmg

Triceratool - 29 dmg

Chain dwarf 2 - 69 dmg
Automata Devil - 42 dmg

INITIATIVE:
21 - Fork
18 - Servius
18 - Cauda
14 - Chain Dwarves
11 - Automata Devil
6 - Nibum
2 - Ttharg
 
zylodrizzt
 If your close we got company from another plane here. Got pulled back.  he says before triceratool rushes past him. Triceratool scoops him back into his saddle and rushes the dwarf and just flattens him. The extra pairs of eyes helping him find the best opening with the assistants help. Nibum readies synthesis for further flurries unleasing all its stored power to obliterate this creature draped over the cargo.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Having been shunted back to the prime material plane, Ttharg quickly takes advantage of the devil's predicament. He charges forward, warhammer at the ready, whilst also directing Bahamut's flail towards the creature.

 
 Spoiler 
(All rolls from D&amp;D beyond)
Move up to the Automata Devil.
Main Action to attack with the +1 Warhammer: 26 to hit for 5 magical bludgeoning
Bonus Action to direct Spiritual Weapon to attack as well (ignore this if it isn't with us): 18 to hit for 9 force damage
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 9/50 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius needs to get farther away - but also stay close to the device.  He dithers for a moment and stays where he is, magically launching another psychic assault on this dangerous foe.
 
 Spoiler 

Psychic Lance  (7d6)[ 21 ]  psychic and incapacitated for 1 round, INT save half / negate
Enemy INT save
 (1d20)[ 20 ] 
possible advantage  (1d20)[ 10 ] 
 
Dirty
Fork felt nauseous and confused getting thrown back onto the material plane but as his team ganged up on the unconsicous devil he wasted no time to join the hacking.
'
 
 Spoiler 


1st attack: 9 and 10
2nd attack 19 to hit
Bonus action: Hunters mark
7 slashing, 4 radiant
 
TriciaOso
 "On my way!"  says Cauda, with a forced cheerfulness.  "I'm bringing along a, a, new acquaintance who would like a favor from us." 
 
 Spoiler: Insight 10+ 
Cauda would clearly rather not be bringing this new acquaintance, but they insisted.
 


The tender is just cruising into sight as the automata devil struggles to its feet. It seems to be on its last legs, but still furious. From the top of the crate, it leaps over your heads and lands in the middle of the group.

 

Surrounded by foes, it starts trying to pick off as many as possible. It lashes at Servius with a chain whip, trying to bring him down again. Turning to the group surrounding it, it seizes Nibum and bites him. The claws scrape over Nibum's armor, but the bite crunches into him.

 
 Spoiler: Perception 10+ 
You may be too distracted by the Automata Devil to notice, but Cauda has apparently brought a Marilith to the party. It stands on the back deck of the tender and its head peeks over the top.
 

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
Automata Devil moves to get within 15 feet of Servius and attacks Servius with his chain whip. Triceratool imposes disadvantage but it still hits; but Servius shields and blocks it. He bites Nibum and makes two claw attacks. The bite hits even through shield, the first claw attack hits (but not shielded) and the second misses. 22 damage from the bite to Nibum.

DAMAGE
Fork - 0 dmg
Nibum - 39 dmg
Ttharg - 23 dmg
Servius - 41 dmg

Triceratool - 29 dmg

Automata Devil - 137 dmg

INITIATIVE:
 21 - Fork
18 - Servius
18 - Cauda, Marilith
11 - Automata Devil 
6 - Nibum
2 - Ttharg
 
Dirty
The chains flying any which way, his allies falling in front of him and worst of all, Rumble not at his side. Forks scimitar only finds air. He felt he was getting frustrated so he steeled himself and took a breath as he pulled his handcrossbow, aimed and fired. The small bolt found flesh.


 
 Spoiler 

 Action: Attack action  
To Hit: 1d20 (5) + 6 = 11
Damage: Waiting for roll...
To Hit: 1d20 (1) + 6 = 7
Damage: Waiting for roll...
 
Bonus attack: handcrossbow attack 
To Hit: 1d20 (14) + 8 = 22
Damage: 1d6 (4) + 3 + 6 = 13
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum hits a button as the beast lashes out causing the crest on triceratool to expand and it just cant manage to get past (reactions)Minicliff knows the drill fly in front of its face to distract the creature and rerturn after nibum strikes. Nibums adranaline is wearing out and he swings sythasis the best he can. He sees a gear that if disabled the creature may cease moving so he targets that exclusively and as luck would have it he manages it. The creature ceases to move and falls.Triceratool did its best but just can't manage a clear shot through the chains even with pteradactools help.

Once the excitement is over  Guess we had it *huff* who'd you bring *huff*  he says breathing hard
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg smacks at the automata devil a few extra times to be sure it is dead.   "What now? Do ye need to stabilize the crate? I can begin plugging holes in people in the meantime."   Ttharg mentions, beginning to pull out his healer's kit.

(If no-one objects, Ttharg will use his Healer's Kit on the wounded, including himself)

 
 Spoiler 
Healer Feat + Healer's Kit to heal people, each for an Action. This works on Triceratool too.
Nibum -  (1d6+12)[ 15 ] 
Ttharg -  (1d6+12)[ 16 ] 
Servius -  (1d6+12)[ 15 ] 
Triceratool -  (1d6+4)[ 8 ]  + the number of Triceratool's HD, so if they have 8HD they get an extra 8HP healed.
 
TriciaOso
Over the earpieces, Cauda says,  "That's Qippoz, she's-- oh shoot--" 

The marilith launches herself off the back of the tender and slithers rapidly through the shallow water towards your group. The marilith are the larger Outsider cousins of the nagini, the elder daughters of Maril. They are -- Qippoz is -- twelve feet tall, with six arms, and  a stoic warrior's face.

   
   "Who is the one who will return me to the bosom of my mother?"    she demands imperiously.    "Who is the one called Ttharg?"   

Although she is garlanded with swords, in her primary hands she holds an old tin ladle and a small cooking knife.

You can see she is wearing a breastplate similar to what the flameharrow made, crafted from a re-purposed Majari device. The one the flameharrow wore was made for someone with a hollow rib cage, and this one seems to be the same design; protrusions and flanges of the apparatus go into her flesh in a way that looks exceptionally painful. Her expression is stoic, however.

 
 Spoiler: Insight 20+ 
It is, in fact, exceptionally painful.
 


Cauda has a more complicated job getting out of the tender, but catches up quickly.  "This is Qippoz,"  she interjects hurriedly.  "I told her we could help her go home in exchange for, er, her not killing us all. I think it will need a wizard  and  a medic to get her out of that thing, and then... well, Ttharg, you can cast Banishment, right?" 

Cauda is keeping her tone light, but the anxiety in her eyes is not well-hidden.

   
J-H
 Servius 
Servius slithers over.   "Interesting.  I didn't know this sort of arcane magic could even be used this way - I mean, with the undead, sticking it in the ribcage was reasonable, but it really shouldn't just embed like that and still have the same effect all over the body."   He pulls out a journal to make a few quick notes and drawings.  This is a unique application and the Majari will probably be interested, although displeased that it's probably another device that they won't get back.

He tries to figure out if this was done to her, or if she did it to herself.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  Servius 
Servius slithers over.   "Interesting.  I didn't know this sort of arcane magic could even be used this way - I mean, with the undead, sticking it in the ribcage was reasonable, but it really shouldn't just embed like that and still have the same effect all over the body."   He pulls out a journal to make a few quick notes and drawings.  This is a unique application and the Majari will probably be interested, although displeased that it's probably another device that they won't get back.

He tries to figure out if this was done to her, or if she did it to herself. 
 

The marilith hisses in pain if you touch it at all. On inspection, it seems very clear it was done  to  her, and by a familiar hand... something about the methodology is familiar, as if you are seeing your own work but for the first time. It seems to be penetrating her, not surgically, but dimensionally; she is partially occupying the same time and space as the intrusive elements in a planar overlap.

   "The undead creature found me when I wandered into this cove, and bound me to protect its nest,"    she growls.    "But the little sister here came to me with the tokens of Mother Maril, and we made a bargain."    She gestures with the ladle and knife.

 "I sent a familiar up to scout out the nest you had labelled D3,"  Cauda volunteers.  "Fortunately. And also fortunately, I had found the ladle and knife in the ruins of the staircase. I think he used the totem segment in binding her." 
J-H
 Servius 
 "Well, anything he could do, I should be able to un-do."   Servius starts getting to work, his eyes glowing after he casts  Detect magic .  He deliberately avoids talking about who the  he  he referred to is, or its relationship to himself and his future.
 
 Spoiler 

Do I need to expend a slot? I do not want to wait 10 minutes to ritual cast - don't think the marilith is up for that.
Arcana rolls?
 (1d20+8)[ 24 ] 
 (1d20+8)[ 21 ] 
 (1d20+8)[ 21 ] 
 (1d20+8)[ 19 ] 
 (1d20+8)[ 13 ] 
 (1d20+8)[ 27 ] 
 
zylodrizzt
 No need to cast detect magic. I can see the auras and i can help  nibum explains what he sees and where as any of the procedure is being preformed (help action servius for arcana)

 Just tell pteradactool and minicliff what you need. They can help.  he says to thragg (help action thragg for medicine)
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

When the marilith asks for him by name, there's a moment where Ttharg stays quiet, trying to judge her intentions and perhaps also keep himself and his crew alive if it's intentions were cruel. Instead, he calls out:   "I be Ttharg."  

He listens to Cauda's explanation.   "Aye, I still have the power to do such a thing."  

He addresses the marilith:   "Your mother has bid me to burn the stolen segment in her brazier back in the village. I need it from you before I banish you back to her."   (Would just the ladle and the knife be enough to burn, or would I actually need the entire section to burn?)

He sets to helping Servius, with aid from his companions, remove the armour. (Medicine rolled in D&amp;D Beyond with Advantage for a total of 21)
TriciaOso
Working together, you ease the armor free of its planar collision with her body.

The marilith grunts in pain and says,    "The totem is with me. It is how he ensnared me."   

As the armor passes through her, you see what she means. The breastplate is strapped around the log totem, and her body has been conjured using it, causing both the log and the armor to be magically embedded in her flesh. As Servius rotates the breastplate through arcane dimensions, you have a sudden insight into how to use the Banishment spell to separate it from her without further injury, despite the armor's attempts to anchor her to this plane. By twisting the armor more fully into this plane, and turning her in the opposite direction--

With a flash of nonlight, the tin ladle and kitchen knife clatter to the wet gravel underfoot. The marilith is gone, and you and Servius are left holding the breastplate and totem. Cauda lets out a ragged sigh of relief.

Cauda has successfully recovered the bodies of the previous expedition, and you have recovered 3 stabilized crates; 3 more of the devices have been badly damaged or transformed by the flameharrow, but you still have the remains. You are easily able to load up the most recent crate and return to Marilfjord. You journey quickly to the uplands to pick up the final crate, already stabilized by the previous expedition, and stop at the bonfire to burn the totem with appropriate ceremony. At the same time, Djodi and some youths from the village transfer the crates to the Majari ship, where they will be appropriately cushioned, and you are able to leave the final transport in their hands. Djodi using his wand of Sending to tell the Majari the job is complete, as the barge moves slowly, following the coast.

It's a little past mid-day by the time you manage to leave Marilfjord. It is a ten hour journey by sea... or perhaps a little less, since you will be meeting the White Cliff in the bay. Squeezed into the tender together, there is just barely time and space for a long rest, if you wish.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg hopes that their assistance in such matters is enough for Maril to grant the crew her favour; or at least stop her from assisting Trionyx.

He takes the time to get a short rest whilst on the journey back to the ship.

  "Well done, Cauda, an' well done lads - that was a tricky little expedition we went on. Let's hope we don't end up flung to another plane again anytime soon!"  
Dirty
Fork was keeping an anxious eye out as Servius freed the oversized snake lady, finger on the trigger. He gave a sigh of relief when they managed to free her without any altercation.

While the others packed up, he set out and found a quiet, pristine patch of rock with an idyllic view. He sat down, cross-legged, and started to meditate. It took him a while before he found the threads of a connection in his consciousness that had recently been brutally severed. But it was there within him, and it was also trying to find him somehow.

He tried to mentally connect to the great white frozen plane that he'd seen in fever dreams near death.

He walked the wasteland, seemingly devoid of life if you didn't know what to look for.

Fork said prayers of respect, pleaded with the spirits of the hunt, begged the mother of dragons.

He whistled once. A long and carrying whistle.

It seemed to echo over the entire landscape.

The echo's faded and then for some time there was nothing...

...
.....
...

Until far away from beyond the valley an answer came.

The sound of a storm,

The sound of a Rumble.


Forks eyes opened with a start, and in his own world a familiar shape could be seen flying towards them with a hurry.
zylodrizzt
There are many dents in triceratool and nibum uses the tender to mend him up. On the tender he asks ive never knew u can speak, is that new? Can you stll speak?  lots of other questions and thoughts race through his brain as well but like a flow chart it depends on the answers given if any at all.

On the tender he has the assistants massage him and anyone else who wants it by rapidly vibrating and warming to pleasant temp. It's crowded on the tender so some relaxing is in order especially as unsure relaxing will be in the near future
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
   Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg hopes that their assistance in such matters is enough for Maril to grant the crew her favour; or at least stop her from assisting Trionyx. [/COLOR][/B] 
 

After you burn the totem, Djodi gives you the knife and the ladle as tokens of Maril's blessings. Their magical auras are faint but unmistakeable.


 
 Originally Posted by Dirty 
 Forks eyes opened with a start, and in his own world a familiar shape could be seen flying towards them with a hurry. 
 

Rumble tackles you, bumping his head against yours. As always, he has returned uninjured, but you can see the pattern of the chains as a faint matte scuffing of his glossy white scales, coiling around his torso.


 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 There are many dents in triceratool and nibum uses the tender to mend him up. On the tender he asks ive never knew u can speak, is that new? Can you stll speak?  lots of other questions and thoughts race through his brain as well but like a flow chart it depends on the answers given if any at all. 
 

Triceratool says:

 Code: 
 Yes, Master, I can still speak.
The construct in Mechanus spoke to me in the universal language of logic and machines.
Once I knew it existed I knew at once I could speak it. 

 


It is full night by the time you reach the White Cliff; not that the sky is any different here, but your bodies know the score. As Kabett told Cauda, the White Cliff is floating in the bay, some miles out from the harbor, anchored but ready to move with a moment's notice. You climb aboard while crewmen secure the tender.

Cocytus is on deck, with a handful of furious-looking crew members. No need to worry about shore leave softening their edge anymore. Cocytus approaches you all immediately. "Thanks the gods you're back. We've got about half the crew back, the rest were on leave away from the ship. Now that you're back we can use the earpieces to call them back and give instructions. Kabett is below with the rest of the men."

His expression is dark. "Professor Atropae left the ship after the embassy refused to help us. She has family in Malatra and she went to them... the Atropae and the Stheno are at war already, I fear, and it could spread to all the penitent and accursed medusae families." He pauses. "Tegu went with her. I don't know which one of them was more furious."
J-H
 Servius 

Servius looks around.   "What happened?  All we know is that she was arrested, but not why or whom." 
zylodrizzt
Nibum does the practical thing first and calls back whomever he can. It might be best if they don't take means of communication with them next time they travel far from the ship.

Perhaps jumping to conclusions  That guide seemed real good with thier words and too eager for cash do you think she had anything to do with this? Why are the two at war? 
TriciaOso
Cocytus sighs. "Right. Sending. Twenty five words."

He scrubs his thorny brow with a hand. "One of the workmen who opalized the ship claimed to have found a cache of documents. Scriptures and pamphlets promoting the Five Gods, specifically Tempus, and denigrating the gods of Malatra. They took these papers to the Templars and claimed to have found them hidden in a secret panel of the ship."

You all know that evangelism wasn't anything the Captain was interested in; and Ttharg and Fork, you both know for a fact that the Captain worshipped Maebe first among the Five Gods, despite being a white dragonborn. "They arrested her for proselytizing and blaspheming Apophis. Her last orders were to ignore it and move forward with speaking to the Minister of War about Trionyx. Professor Atropae and Tegu found that order... hard to obey."

He sighs again. "I went to the embassy immediately, but the envoy there was a red dragonborn. Someone I've met before, a friend of my brother. He told me there was nothing they could do... then he made the sign of Tiamat with his hand and winked at me." He demonstrates by clawing his five talons together; his expression is a snarl of loathing.

"Siduri and Tegu blame the Stheno, since the ship-working crew were sent by them. But I  know  the Cnidaria or someone else from the cult of Tiamat were involved. They must have threatened or bribed the workman somehow."


 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Nibum does the practical thing first and calls back whomever he can. It might be best if they don't take means of communication with them next time they travel far from the ship.

Perhaps jumping to conclusions  That guide seemed real good with thier words and too eager for cash do you think she had anything to do with this? Why are the two at war?  
 

"Gods, I hope not," Cocytus says, looking sick. "If she's against us, how can we get anything done? We still have to work with the Majari to speak with the Minister of War, and we'll need a favor-broker for that."

"The accursed and penitent medusae are always on the brink of open conflict. Siduri is an Atropae, even if she was hatched in Lssthp, and the Atropae are the biggest pentitent family. If she's started taking Stheno heads, her family will back her, and the Stheno will retaliate. And of course the biggest shipping  traebol  going to the mattresses is the  last  thing we need if a naval battle is coming."
J-H
 Servius 
 "Perhaps the Majari can help.  We just did some work for them, and if anyone is likely to have useful divination magic to find the truth of the matter out, they would." 
Magic can solve...well, not everything.  But it's a reliable servant.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Something about the Captain being falsely accused of her true worship grinds something deep down in Ttharg's soul. Bahamut teaches freedom of choice and self-determinism, and everything about this situation flies in the face of it. He crunches his teeth together and paces back and forth on the deck for several minutes before finally composing himself and issuing orders for the return of the rest of the medical crew.

  "Do we know where she be held?"   He asks through gritted teeth.   "I'm of a mind to ask Bahamut who it was who orchestrated this... an' feed their gizzards to the gulls."   Almost subconsciously he pulls out the Scroll of Commune from his backpack.   "If ye give me time to rest an' pray, I can also ask for a divination too. We owe it to the Captain to get our target an' course o' action right."  
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  Servius 
 "Perhaps the Majari can help.  We just did some work for them, and if anyone is likely to have useful divination magic to find the truth of the matter out, they would." 
Magic can solve...well, not everything.  But it's a reliable servant. 
 

"Yes, we should keep our meeting with them regardless, whatever we use the favor for," Cocytus agrees. He glances at Nibum. "And our favor-broker should be there for the meeting, too, if someone can bring Zone of Truth."


 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
   Ttharg Krixkrux  

Something about the Captain being falsely accused of her true worship grinds something deep down in Ttharg's soul. Bahamut teaches freedom of choice and self-determinism, and everything about this situation flies in the face of it. He crunches his teeth together and paces back and forth on the deck for several minutes before finally composing himself and issuing orders for the return of the rest of the medical crew.

  "Do we know where she be held?"   He asks through gritted teeth.   "I'm of a mind to ask Bahamut who it was who orchestrated this... an' feed their gizzards to the gulls."   Almost subconsciously he pulls out the Scroll of Commune from his backpack.   "If ye give me time to rest an' pray, I can also ask for a divination too. We owe it to the Captain to get our target an' course o' action right."   
 

Cocytus rubs his face again. "Of course, you should all rest. There's nothing we can do in the middle of the night. A Commune would be amazing, Mr. Krixkrux." He looks at the four of you. "Will you go to talk to the Majari tomorrow? With the Captain gone, and I -- I should stay with the ship. Kabett and Cauda and I can hold it together."

Cauda stirs. She has been frozen in deep thought; now she coils low to embrace Fork. When she rises, she tells Ttharg:

 "She'll be held in the Coliseum, near the docks. That's where they execute malisons,"  she says.  "What a wicked place."  She turns to Ttharg.  "I will help you with your Commune, if you wish. I have never followed the Platinum Dragon, but I know something of faith."  You know, because the spell is beyond your normal abilities, you will need to make an extra effort to use it.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
DC 15 Wisdom check
 
J-H
 Servius 
 "Commune, and a discussion with the Majari first thing, then." 

That night, Servius whispers a prayer to Apophis.  He's had the dreams, and now someone is directly accusing the Captain of being unfaithful to the scaly gods.  It must be part of the plot to free Tiamat, whom Apophis is helping to imprison.  He beseeches Apophis for guidance and direction, as well as power to destroy Trionyx before he gets any closer to succeeding.
zylodrizzt
Nibum is frustrated but everyone was making reasonable points which is the only reason he wasn't already at the colussium busting out the captain. He was fairly sure it wouldn't take much convincing of much of the crew or officers tho. He grumbled in his old man way but decided he'd instead just make something useful and spending time with triceratool minicliff and pteradactool. He says while working with the help of his assistants  Guess im expanding the negniter family with you guys and well... suppose your younger siblings. . When it's finished he puts a pack upon his back and tries it out. First he brings his anytool to him little drones come out and turn invisible or perhaps they were just so small you'd miss them but either way they reached the target and his anytool reached him. Then he activated the drones again the tiny bots resembling (if you can get a good look) very tiny black dragons go over to triceratool and gently move him over as far as they could manage. In his workshop/room with his companions he says What do you think of that brother? Family of constructs and shipmates. A name for this collective... how about... toolions? Eh work in progress . The device worked by siphoning excess power from the user and building more/powering the collective. It was controlled with thought. The troolions would convert small parts of various matters into whatever they needed to build more. He does ask before he goes to bed  did you two learn to speak as well?   he was curious. It was unlikely minicliff did since they could communicate telepathically but perhaps pteradactool cool as far fetched as that seemed. If pteradactool needed to say something they either would have already or had one of the other 2 speak for them.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Nibum is frustrated but everyone was making reasonable points which is the only reason he wasn't already at the colussium busting out the captain. He was fairly sure it wouldn't take much convincing of much of the crew or officers tho. He grumbled in his old man way but decided he'd instead just make something useful and spending time with triceratool minicliff and pteradactool. He says while working with the help of his assistants  Guess im expanding the negniter family with you guys and well... suppose your younger siblings. . When it's finished he puts a pack upon his back and tries it out. First he brings his anytool to him little drones come out and turn invisible or perhaps they were just so small you'd miss them but either way they reached the target and his anytool reached him. Then he activated the drones again the tiny bots resembling (if you can get a good look) very tiny black dragons go over to triceratool and gently move him over as far as they could manage. In his workshop/room with his companions he says What do you think of that brother? Family of constructs and shipmates. A name for this collective... how about... toolions? Eh work in progress . The device worked by siphoning excess power from the user and building more/powering the collective. It was controlled with thought. The troolions would convert small parts of various matters into whatever they needed to build more. He does ask before he goes to bed  did you two learn to speak as well?   he was curious. It was unlikely minicliff did since they could communicate telepathically but perhaps pteradactool cool as far fetched as that seemed. If pteradactool needed to say something they either would have already or had one of the other 2 speak for them. 
 

Pteradacool looks at you blankly, until Triceratool says:


 Code: 
 Say hello, Pteradactool. 
The familiar tilts its head and says:


 Code: 
 Hello, Pteradactool! 
It seems clear that while all the constructs can use the universal language, not all of them have something interesting to say. However, at intervals until you sleep the familiar chirps brightly:


 Code: 
 Hello, Pteradactool! 

 


Servius, you reach out to Apophis; and perhaps in response, you dream again of the blasted landscape and furnace heat of Dis; again, what would be stultifying and stark to a human is pleasant to your reptilian sensibilities. Although the landscape seems similar to your previous dream of the Fire Plane, you stand before the gate of the city you glimpsed through the device, rather than the visible battling forms of Tiamat and Apophis. The only signs of the godly combat are the rumble of the ground under your feet and the five towers of stone around the city; like five fingers... or the five heads of Tiamat.

The city before you is alive with the sounds of battle and construction. Humans believe the Hell of Fire is for those who loved power and the exercise of it over their fellow man; and perhaps the presence of Tiamat and Apophis draws those souls as well. In the city before you a thousand thousand conflicting visions of tyrants and misunderstood geniuses do battle; towers rise and fall even as you watch.

Looking up, you see, distantly, a tiny opening of blue sky. Somewhere up there is mouth of the Sunhome Peak. You can also see the crowns of all five pillars of stone, though at the ground level, you are only close enough to see the bases of only two. You see huge gates of gold and of bronze at the base of those pillars, and your keen intellect remembers Nibum's description of the five gates of the gods, to which Trionyx has the passwords of two.

The tops of the five pillars are mostly bare, vague shapes of stone that might resemble heads if you were imaginative. But one of them is occupied. Even from here, you can see the heaps of treasure that mark a draconic horde. It is at the top of the pillar with gates of gold.... the gate of Rukon, the red dragon god.

Looking at this landscape, you wonder; are the Malatran defenses around those gates the  only  reason why Trionyx needs an army of pirates? Or will he need to pass through this city of thwarted tyrants to reach his goddess? Food for thought, at least.

The last thing you see is a gigantic ball of fire rolling through the air and towards the mouth of Sunhome. As you slept, the sun of the human world has crossed the Fire Plane and is preparing to emerge once more, bringing morning. After a long life under the astral skies of the Hic Sunt, the giant ball of flame seems somehow vulgar. But through your connection with the solar dragon egg you feel a wordless cry of exaltation and longing. That's where the egg wants to be.

Trying to stare into the flames, you have the vague of impression of a huge royal court, a courtyard and ramparts and pavilions carved out of the flame, and a blinding throne you cannot bear to look directly at. Attempting it, in fact, is what jolts you up from sleep.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg finds a cabin with a window to conduct the Commune ceremony in, with the aid of Cauda (and anyone else who wants to assist/be present for the results). He lights incense underneath the window and stares out at the sea and the night sky; framing the window in the cabin almost as a window into the divine realm of Bahamut. He inhales deeply from the incense as it burns away slowly beneath him. Gently, reverently, he unrolls the Scroll of Commune and begins to read aloud the ceremonial prayer for guidance. He opens his mind and his heart to Bahamut as he intones the prayer.

(Assuming it is successful - Wisdom Check of 24)

Ttharg asks of Bahamut three questions:

  "If we do not intervene, is our Captain likely to die before Trionyx arrives here?"  
  "Are the Cnidaria traebol directly responsible for framing our Captain?"  
  "Is our guide here, Tohil, betraying our trust?"  
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
   Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg finds a cabin with a window to conduct the Commune ceremony in, with the aid of Cauda (and anyone else who wants to assist/be present for the results). He lights incense underneath the window and stares out at the sea and the night sky; framing the window in the cabin almost as a window into the divine realm of Bahamut. He inhales deeply from the incense as it burns away slowly beneath him. Gently, reverently, he unrolls the Scroll of Commune and begins to read aloud the ceremonial prayer for guidance. He opens his mind and his heart to Bahamut as he intones the prayer.

(Assuming it is successful - Wisdom Check of 24)

Ttharg asks of Bahamut three questions:

  "If we do not intervene, is our Captain likely to die before Trionyx arrives here?"   
 

You feel your holy symbol, the vial of water from Bahamut's spring, grow warm; it seems this is how Bahamut is communicating a  yes . And then another pulse of warmth; and another. 13 in all. Perhaps Bahamut is cheating a bit to tell you how many days until the Captain's trial by combat.


   "Are the Cnidaria traebol directly responsible for framing our Captain?"   

Another pulse of heat, this one only lukewarm. You suspect the word 'directly' is the ambiguity. The Cnidaria do nothing by direct action... but Bahamut seems to indicate they are certainly at the root of this.


   "Is our guide here, Tohil, betraying our trust?"   

Ice cold.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg bows his head in thanks to Bahamut's guidance. He gently blows out the incense and turns to the party:   "Bahamut has given his answers. Our Captain will face a trial by combat in 13 days. Without our help, she will likely die."   He grinds his teeth before continuing:   "The Cnidaria traebol are the root o' our problem. They used to worship Tiamat, an' perhaps they hope that they will be rewarded for their actions to hinder us."   He calms slightly:   "Tohil isn't betraying us, at least; so we can continue to use their services without worry."  
  "We need to contact Siduri and Tegu an' let them know the Stheno aren't to blame for this; at least not directly. The last thing we need is for them to start guttin' Stheno over a mistake."  

(Is there anyway we can contact Siduri and/or Tegu? Do they have radios?)
zylodrizzt
      
      nibum    
 AC: 19 HP: 79/79 
 PPer:15 PInv:17  PIst:15  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Nibum already packed and ready.  Right lets go. Speak to the majarl then destroy the cnidaria then to break out the captain.  if tegu is present he has his toolions dig into the pack for one of the axes  Youll be wanting this. 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg attempts to contact Siduri and Tegu over their earpieces.   "Siduri? Tegu? It's Ttharg. We need ye to return to the ship immediately. We have information about what happened to the Captain an' who's responsible. If ye are going after who we think ye are going after, ye will be makin' a mistake, an' makin' the situation worse. Besides, we work best as a crew; not tryin' to get revenge by ourselves."  

(Persuasion of 11)
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
   Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg attempts to contact Siduri and Tegu over their earpieces.   "Siduri? Tegu? It's Ttharg. We need ye to return to the ship immediately. We have information about what happened to the Captain an' who's responsible. If ye are going after who we think ye are going after, ye will be makin' a mistake, an' makin' the situation worse. Besides, we work best as a crew; not tryin' to get revenge by ourselves."  

(Persuasion of 11) 
 

There is no response from Siduri.

Tegu answers, eventually, saying:

 "Aye? Well we have information of our own. Come into town in the morning and we'll compare notes, sawbones." 
Dirty
 Cauda stirs. She has been frozen in deep thought; now she coils low to embrace Fork. When she rises, she tells Ttharg:

"She'll be held in the Coliseum, near the docks. That's where they execute malisons," she says. "What a wicked place." She turns to Ttharg. "I will help you with your Commune, if you wish. I have never followed the Platinum Dragon, but I know something of faith." You know, because the spell is beyond your normal abilities, you will need to make an extra effort to use it. 

Fork reciprocated the embrace the way a friend would. He wasn't sure if she needed a hug or if she felt that he needed one, or both but he obliged her. He shivered a the word execute and any and all comfort he'd received from her dissipated instantly.



 Ttharg bows his head in thanks to Bahamut's guidance. He gently blows out the incense and turns to the party: "Bahamut has given his answers. Our Captain will face a trial by combat in 13 days. Without our help, she will likely die." He grinds his teeth before continuing: "The Cnidaria traebol are the root o' our problem. They used to worship Tiamat, an' perhaps they hope that they will be rewarded for their actions to hinder us." He calms slightly: "Tohil isn't betraying us, at least; so we can continue to use their services without worry." 

Fork sighed of relief hearing Tohil was not in league with their enemy. "I'll look for ways to hurt the Cnidaria and see if we can't put a dagger up their throats somehow to force them to release the Captain. If anything, we need some leverage. Do we know who are running the Colloseum?" He asked, thinking out loud.

During the trip back he rested, although it was a hard fought rest, almost forced. The rest of the time was spent, thinking plotting and hoping. Lots of hoping.
TriciaOso
Morning comes; the blaze of light over Sunhome, the short-lived blue skies overhead, the warm glow of temporary vitality from the solar dragon egg.

More of the crew has returned over night. A handful of stragglers are making apologies over the earpieces and looking for fishing boats or water taxis to carry them out to the White Cliff, or asking to return on the tender. The lizardfolk shaman Ttharg recruited here in Malatra has not made it back nor responded, and no one is sure if he had taken an earpiece or not. He may have taken fright at the arrest; he's hardly been on the ship long enough to have any loyalty to the Captain.

You make your way into the docks while the sun is still visible in the sky. Tohil and her brother Ajaw swoop down when they see you.   "Hello hello,"   she says, in a grimmer version of her usual rapid-fire chatter.   "Very bad news about the Captain, very bad misunderstanding. I don't understand this, this is not normal at all. If the Templars want to arrest you for something like this, they send word ahead, some money changes hands, oops, the ship is gone when they come. Hardly ever, they actually catch you.  This kind of crime, only people without money get arrested for this."  
Dirty
Fork shook the siblings hands. "We're being set up, they're going above and beyond to make sure we can't interfere with Trionix. We need our captain back as soon as possible."

He put his arm around Ajaw and led him a few steps away from his sister. Not so that she wouldn't hear it, but more a respect of privacy sort of thing to give the both of them plausible deniability. "Can you do me a massive favor? I need you to check in with Madame Bothrops and find us ways to really hurt the Cnidaria. They've put a knife at our throats and I want to return the favor. I want them to deliver our captain back to us with a bowtie and an apology served as soon as possible. Find us a way to do that."

Fork knew it was a long shot but there was no stone he wouldn't leave unturned to get the captain back.

He made his way below deck to adress the marines, or those that were onboard at least. Fork just wanted to make extra sure they were ready at a moments notice.. for anything. And he made it their responsibility that the whole ship and its entire crew were armed to the teeth and ready for business. This was martial law as far as Fork was concerned.

He returned to the group. "I'm extremely curious about what Siduri and Tegu are up to."
TriciaOso
Ajaw nods and swoops away, gaining height over the Malison District.

At the mention of Tegu, Tohil nods vigorously.   "Yes! Got her message, Tegu. She will meet you at the Malison Baths. Said she'll be there all morning."

"If you want to see her, I can go ahead to the jail, shake the right hands for a prisoner visit. Should be able to pay extra for a private meeting, but I don't know... The Templars are being extra nasty."   She puts out her own hand for gold to pave your way into the Coliseum cells.

By now a few of the remaining crewmen are filtering into the docks, and Able Seaman Snapscale volunteers to guard the tender until your business in the city is done.
zylodrizzt
To tohil and brother if we break our captain out what is in store for us?  quite simply to the the point. Once answered  what is the jail like? 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg had continued to try rousing Siduri and Tegu for a location to meet them; but when they did not respond further Ttharg cursed and slammed his claw into the wooden railing of the ship. There was no way they'd be able to find the pair in the city before dawn, and they needed rest. Ttharg retreated to his quarters and downed what was left of the Goblin Engineer's Rotgut to help him sleep off the anger and worry.

As if sensing Ttharg's discomfort, Bahamut blessed Ttharg's sleep, and upon awakening Ttharg felt a closer connection with Bahamut than before. He felt he could now communicate with Bahamut as he done with the scroll before; but this time using his own prayers and devotion. His morning prayers included several prayers for guidance: Ttharg knew they were going to need them in the coming days.

Returning to the deck, he saw the transaction taking place with Tohil.

  "How much gold would it take for such a meetin?"   He asks Tohil, already pulling his own purse from a pocket.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 To tohil and brother if we break our captain out what is in store for us?  quite simply to the the point. 
 

Tohil's feathers stand up, but she quickly calms herself and hustles you onto the tender for a more private conversation.

It is possible to break out the Captain and still go through with your plan to work with the Ministry of War against Trionyx. The important thing is  timing .

If you do break out the Captain, the Templars will hunt you and anyone from your ship relentlessly. However, their authority ends at the water's edge. You may not be able to come back to Malatra, at least not for a while. Tohil and her brother may need to lie low for a time. But if you have done everything you needed within the actual city, they can't pursue you further.

If you are able to convince the Minister of War of the threat, he can decide to work with you regardless of how the Templars feel. The Minister of War may even be able to calm the Templars down -- although  you can't count on that.

But he certainly will not take a meeting with wanted men, even with the Majari's leverage. If you still want to work with the navy against the pirate fleet, you should put off any breakout until  after  you have met with the Minister of War.


 Once answered  what is the jail like?  

There are different kinds of jails in Malatra, but in this case the Captain is being held at a sacrifice pit. They are virtual fortresses, guarded by templars, clerics, and--most importantly--all the dangerous beasts and monsters held there. There are three different sacrifice pits; the Captain, being a malison, will be at the nearby Coliseum. The jail cells, like the monster cages, are located underground, beneath the open-air arena where criminals are sacrificed to the gods in the trial by combat.


 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
   "How much gold would it take for such a meetin?"   He asks Tohil, already pulling his own purse from a pocket. 
 

Ten gold should do it. Perhaps even less, but the Templars are unusually hostile on this one. Maybe she can find out why while she's greasing palms.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg hands over 10  platinum  coins.   "Spare no expense. Let me know if ye need any more."  
zylodrizzt
Following up with those answers  can one get placed into the same group as lets say the captain? For instance ourselves? If so what are the rules like... keep our equipment for instance? 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Following up with those answers  can one get placed into the same group as lets say the captain? For instance ourselves? If so what are the rules like... keep our equipment for instance?  
 

Tohil shakes her head. Sacrifices are individual, and prisoners are stripped of their equipment. They are armed only with what merciful audience members may throw to them.

You *could* jump into a fight already in progress, if you wanted, but you would need a good strategy to get away afterwards.
TriciaOso
While Tohil goes ahead to smooth your way at the Coliseum, the rest of you cross the Malison District to the public baths.


 
 Originally Posted by TriciaOso 
 Malatra has a lot of thermal vents and hot springs across the island, and particularly here in the capitol. The industry of the Clel family has piped hot, sulfur-smelling water into the homes of many of the serpentine inhabitants of the precincts, but Malatrans still like to gather in the large public baths; since home plumbing has become ubiquitous, it's a sign of wealth and status to visit one of the few remaining resorts.

Here in the Malison Precinct, it's different. Steam heat and hot water plumbing doesn't run down here, and there's one large public bath tucked away in a corner of the island; little more than a network of caverns. However, for malisons who can flash some coin, there are private grottos; and like the other hot springs, the privacy of such locations is sacrosanct and guaranteed by the serpentine gods, who gave their children the gift of a place to plot and scheme against each other in private.

   
Here, in the stultifying, glorious heat... 
 

...Tegu is waiting for you. She has reserved a private grotto.

 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg enters the grotto and approaches Tegu.   "Ahoy, Tegu. Any word from Siduri? We be gettin' concerned about her wellbeing an' what she might be up to. What did ye learn?"  
TriciaOso
Tegu snorts.  "Oh, she be in fine form. I didn't know that wee streak had this much fury in her."

"We've found the fool who reported the Captain, if you call that progress. Miserable dockworker that he is... he owed a debt to one of the Sthenos in addition to being in their employ, and the debt was forgiven once he lied his lie."

"Now we're bound to lay our hands on the man who gave the order. Humbaba Stheno he is. No one of great account until just  before  all this business went down, when he suddenly up and presents his betters with a map of the waters of the Outer Edge...  our  bloody map, boys. Made him all sorts of popular among the Stheno, sea traders and sailors that they are. And his first order of business is, he forgives some back rent... and then a dock man opens his bloody mouth to the Templars." 

She grins nastily.  "When we lay our hands on Humbaba we'll know where he got the map, eh? Maybe a bloody black-scaled traitor the Cap'n should've fed to the sahuigin long before we made Malatra?" 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg listens to Tegu's report.   "Aye? An' what guarantee do we have that the Sthenos themselves aren't bein' framed by the real threat? Or maybe they just be caught in the middle. They be the easiest scapegoat, after all. Bahamut himself revealed the root o' our problem be the Cnidaria - it be them who we should be focusin' our energies. In fact, havin' us fight with the Sthenos might be part o' their plan."  

Ttharg nods at the implied accusation.   "Aye, it would be makin' sense that the medic we took on before, could be involved. On that front, the replacement for him is also missin'. Don't know if the lad just got cold feet with all this business or is more directly involved; but it hardly be matterin' now."  
  "Seein' as we need to do some more diggin', I prepared a good amount o' divination spells today an' we be headin' to the diviners themselves today anyway. Given our enemies be targettin' us, it would be wise to keep together. Are ye able to contact Siduri an' have her return to the ship, or at least be with allies? Wouldn't want her gettin' billy-clubbed in an alley or somethin' o' the like. That goes for ye too; no disrespect meant o' course."  
  "If ye like..."   Ttharg mentions to the group at large.   "I could ask Bahamut about the Stheno directly. See how deep their involvement runs."  
TriciaOso
She shrugs.  "Comes down to it,  somebody  fed Humbaba Stheno this map in exchange for doing our Cap'n the dirty. We can deal with the somebodies in their turn as well, but a Stheno got the Captain into quod and they can get her out, can't they?"

"They need to know, we ain't to be trifled with like that--and the way to do that is to collect Humbaba Stheno's head."

"As to who the somebodies were... sure, the Cnidaria. I'll buy that. But who gave them our map? Throw out all the theories you like, but our 'First Mate' was loyal to Tiamat until about five minutes ago."

"You asked about Siduri... She's safe with her family. And given the choice between takin' orders from Cocytus Achelous or stickin' by the Captain's wife, I know where I stand." 
zylodrizzt
 I know we have had our differences in the past tegu so whatever i say may not mean much but regardless of what you think or feel about this right now you are in a foreign land of unknown hostiles. You are a member of the crew no matter who you dislike for whatever reason. You are your own person as well so do whatever you like i guess but if you dont come back to the ship your pressence will not only help you to be safe but others that you claim to be loyal to. No one can help you to be safe if you dont. If you dont come back well whos gonna keep an eye on cocytus as we figure out how to free the captain? I'll point out tho that the captain herself has decided to trust cocytus and that her orders are to carry on as usual... I believe if you do anything further youd be disobeying . Anyways come back or dont i do have something i think youd want. Maybe multiple if you think youd need it. Keep safe.  nibum reaches into bag of holding to get out one of those axes. Nibum really hopes tegu returns but completely understands. He isn't thinking the most logically either. He's desperately clinging to his leader as he had done so many years ago.
Dirty
Fork stood silently by, listening to everyone talking. He couldn't fit all the pieces into the puzzle yet but he was paying attention to everything and everyone right now.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
  I know we have had our differences in the past tegu so whatever i say may not mean much but regardless of what you think or feel about this right now you are in a foreign land of unknown hostiles. You are a member of the crew no matter who you dislike for whatever reason. You are your own person as well so do whatever you like i guess but if you dont come back to the ship your pressence will not only help you to be safe but others that you claim to be loyal to. No one can help you to be safe if you dont. If you dont come back well whos gonna keep an eye on cocytus as we figure out how to free the captain? I'll point out tho that the captain herself has decided to trust cocytus and that her orders are to carry on as usual... I believe if you do anything further youd be disobeying . Anyways come back or dont i do have something i think youd want. Maybe multiple if you think youd need it. Keep safe.  nibum reaches into bag of holding to get out one of those axes. Nibum really hopes tegu returns but completely understands. He isn't thinking the most logically either. He's desperately clinging to his leader as he had done so many years ago. 
 

Tegu takes the axe with appreciation.  "We're all a long way from home and lost our cap'n,"  she allows.  "Everyone's trying to figure out the right of it themselves."

"But Siduri's a long way from home and lost her  wife , and she ain't no soldier or sailor by training, neither. I lent her my aid and I've got to stick by her."

"I'll tell her what you lads had to say, though." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg listened to what Tegu had to say. In many ways, he would have been like her - hot-blooded and spoiling for a fight - but it seemed the voyages recently had begun to temper him. Perhaps he would return to that same hot-blooded Dragonborn in due time? Such was a life led in the guidance of Bahamut.

  "Maybe it'd be best to see the Captain together. It'd be safer if we all went together, an' we can also check out the area she's held. Maybe we can work out a plan o' how to break her out if it comes to that once we see what we be dealin' with. We already have Tohil arrangin' a meeting; an' before ye start worrying, Bahamut says they're not betrayin' us. We can wait for Siduri here, an' in the meantime I can speak with Bahamut again."  

(Assuming the party is willing to wait for Siduri, and Ttharg who needs eleven minutes to Ritual Cast Commune)

Ttharg begins the process of contacting Bahamut once again. This time, he does it from the memory of the scroll and also takes more time to intone the proper prayers and spread the incense around the room. The steam from the grotto mixes with the smoke of the incense, creating a heady, smoky atmosphere. After eleven minutes passes, Ttharg closes his eyes, takes hold of his Holy Water Amulet, and asks Bahamut his three questions:

  "Did either Orophias, or his lizardman healer replacement, have any involvement in revealing our map to the Sthenos?"  
  "Do the Stheno know they received the map from an agent working with, o' for, the Cnidaria?"  
  "Are any current members o' our crew, not including the new lizardman healer replacement or Cocytus, involved in betrayals against us?"  
TriciaOso
Tegu agrees and uses her earpiece to contact Siduri. Judging by the lengthy conversation, the monk seems reluctant to show herself, but finally agrees to meet you at the Coliseum.

In the mean time, Ttharg sets up for the ritual. Instead of feeling the response of Bahamut through your holy symbol, this time the entire pool of hot springs water seems to shift in temperature in response to his questions.


   "Did either Orophias, or his lizardman healer replacement, have any involvement in revealing our map to the Sthenos?"   

The water is ice cold.


   "Do the Stheno know they received the map from an agent working with, o' for, the Cnidaria?"   

The water warms slightly, but seems to hover in the lukewarm range; ambiguous, but at least partially positive. Perhaps not  all  of them, but someone.


   "Are any current members o' our crew, not including the new lizardman healer replacement or Cocytus, involved in betrayals against us?"   

Ice cold again. And then the warmth begins to filter back into the water
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg thanked Bahamut for the shared wisdom.   "The medics, both past an' present replacement, aren't involved in our map being stolen; an' we have no additional traitors in our midst, thank Bahamut. Some o' the Stheno know they're dealing with the Cnidaria; others don't. Maybe we can leverage the idea o' a power-play to the Stheno - let 'em know the Cnidaria are workin' with Trionyx to release Tiamat an' they be using the Stheno family as pawns. We'd 'ave to confront Humbaba, o' course, an' pray that the Stheno heads see our way o' thinkin'."   He sighs.   "Sadly it means that Cocytus  could  still be betrayin' us; or the map was stolen by someone else right from under our noses. Or perhaps the dockworker wasn't  entirely  truthful. I take it he be takin' the deep sleep in Bahamut's locker now?"   Ttharg asks Tegu, assuming that both she and/or Siduri killed him after he 'confessed'.
TriciaOso
Tegu snorts.  "Nothing a greater restoration won't fix."  Which is to say, petrified, but not destroyed.

With the divinations complete, you all make the journey across the Malison District to the Coliseum. With no sacrifice happening right now, the foot traffic is light As you approach, you see three individuals waiting for you; Tohil, flitting from side to side with her usual nervous energy and talking animatedly with her brother, and then Siduri standing slightly removed from the group. Her face is veiled, in the fashion of Malatran medusae, and her mood is hard to read. She certainly is not talking to the two kulkan guides.

 "News!"  Tohil chirps, returning 8 platinum to Ttharg.  "News, news." 

Ajaw reports back first, speaking primarily to Fork but for once loud enough for everyone to hear. He paid a visit on Madame Bothrops, only to find her shop smashed up and her injured. She traditionally pays her protection money to the Stheno, who control the docks, but this was done by a Vrael-affiliated street gang. They told her the monthly payment would be going up, and going to the Vrael family from now on, because she owed a debt to Eztli Vrael; the priest Fork had assassinated for the Kanikau family, with information provided by Madame Bothrops.

Tohil nods vigorously.  "This is what the Templars say, too! Vrael are mad, mad, mad at you."  In addition to the charges for proselytizing, the Captain has had resisting arrest and assault on a Templar added to her list of charges while she is locked up. But for enough money, one of the guards was willing to admit these charges were trumped up and added by the direction of the Vrael, who have the majority of Templars on their payroll.

 "So even if the Stheno withdraw the charges, now, they won't release her,"  Tegu says, speaking directly to Siduri.  "They must know about Eztli... but not so they can prove it, or they would charge her for that, too." 
  "Is everyone against us on this gods-forsaken island?"   Siduri says bitterly.

 "Not everyone!"  Tohil says hurriedly. She does her job as a favor broker, summarizing the complicated situation for you:


 The Majari owe you a major favor, and the Kanikau and Clel both got good value from their smaller favors. Those three families are all reliably on your side.

The Cnidaria are directly opposed to you, as they always would have been, worshipping Tiamat. They seem to have manipulated the Vrael and Stheno into picking fights with you; a member of the Stheno family (Humbaba) incriminating the Captain in exchange for the map, and feeding the Vrael information about the assassination so that they are determined to punish the Captain in retaliation. But neither the Vrael nor Stheno support Tiamat in the least, and the Stheno as a family are not responsible for Humbaba's decision.

All of the families will be present at a meeting with the Minister of War, as they all contribute ships to the forces defending the island. You may not be able to convince the Vrael to release the Captain -- an eye for an eye is very tempting -- but they might still cooperate in defense of the island. And it may still be possible to convince the Stheno to blame Humababa and the Cnidaria rather than you for the events that have unfolded. 

 "If the fighting stops,"  Tohil says, glancing at Siduri. Siduri says nothing to that, and awkwardly, Tohil continues:

 "But! I did arrange a visit. Guards will be there, so speak careful, but the Captain is available and wants to speak with you all." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg actually appreciates the genius method of 'disposing' of the dockworker - he isn't dead and can't be 'revived' very easily; and, given the right materials and time spent in prayer, Ttharg himself could bring him back to 'life' - allowing the worker to be used as a potential hostage or witness depending on the situation.

Ttharg takes back the coin.   "Good work, Tohil."  

He turns to Siduri.   "Ahoy, Siduri. There's a few things we should catch up on; but know that we all want the Captain back safe an' sound."   Ttharg then proceeds to fill her in with the details of what he's learned through Bahamut (same as what he's said to Tegu, rather than typing it all out again).

  "As Tohil says, we need to be on our best behaviour in there; but we should also be lookin' for ways to free the Captain if we need to break her out later. Bahamut tells me she'll face her trial by combat in twelve days, so we have twelve days to come up with a plan; an' one that causes the least problems for the upcoming battle. It be no good freein' the Captain just to have to fight Pthax's fleet alone."  
TriciaOso
Siduri turns her head to Ttharg, her face and snakes hidden behind the veil.

  "I came here because I was told I could speak to my wife,"   she says bitterly.   "Not to argue with you."  
 "Yes, yes, come on,"  Tohil hurriedly, and escorts you all inside. Your constructs and pets stay behind with Ajaw.


 

The main gates of the Coliseum are wide doors to stairs leading up into the stands, but Tohil escorts you to a small side door that leads to dungeons beneath the arena. She has a brief argument with the guard about the number of people, and Ttharg is obliged to cough up another platinum piece.

The guard is himself a malison, with a viper's face line with heat-sensitive pits over the lip. He carries a stout cudgel.  "This is a place of holy sacrifice, dedicated by blood to the will of Apophis,"  he warns.  "Swear your peaceable intentions or ya can't enter. Don't try to summon anything or teleport anything, because ya can't. And if you get troublesome, any guard can send you to isolation with a thought, ya hear? Yer Cap'n has a proud bearing, but we keep more dangerous beasts than that... than any of ya... in this dungeon. Understand?" 
 
 Spoiler: If Detect Magic is used 
You can see the evidence of the powerful spell he speaks of, a complex working of abjuration and conjuration. It's similar to the spells Forbiddance or Hallow. No other conjuration magic can be cast here, and those who fail the saving throw can be sent to a designated location by a touch from the guards' weapons. By swearing to your peaceable intentions, you voluntarily fail the saving throw.
 


Siduri and Tegu swear, with a bad grace. If any of you do not, you are not admitted.


 

Those of you who do, are led down under the arena in a spiral of torchlit stone. You go past the cages of sacrificial and consecrated beasts first; the smell is powerful and wild. The sacrificial beasts vary, drakes like Rumble and a variety of mammals, gryphons and wyverns with clipped wings, all the way to huge and dangerous dinosaurs and megatheria. The consecrated hunters are uniformly serpentine, and vary from great constrictors to hydras to the powerful charismatic presence of nagas. There is no cage for the purple worm Servius saw in the Great Temple.

Below this level you come to the cells that house the malison prisoners; you are not taken any deeper down this spiral of misery, but taken into a cramped interview room under the watch of a different guard. The guard who admitted you goes to get the Captain, and returns with her. When she enters the room, Siduri chokes on a sob.


 

   
They've shaved her hair close to her scalp. In a shapeless brown garment, the Captain looks thicker and less trim and graceful than in her  tailored and impeccable uniforms. She still holds herself with the same pride and stoic dignity, but it's clear the Templars have not been gentle. One eye is blacked and she's lost a fang or two, giving her mouth a piratical tilt. There is a cuff around her wrist marked with arcane runes.

The first thing she says is:  "Siduri, my love. I'm blessed to see you, but I wish you hadn't seen  me . Not like this."  Her voice sounds hoarse, but full of affection in a way you've never heard.

Then she turns her attention to the rest of you, taking on the brisk business-like manner you know.  "Hello lads,"  she says wryly.  "Last I saw you you had two missions. Success?" 
TriciaOso
The Captain glances at the guard.

 "My officers. First and foremost, I'm going to repeat my final orders. This arrest changes nothing about the urgency of our meeting with the Minister of War. We have to stop that fleet.  Everything else we worry about  later .  As for personal remarks... I don't have the time or privacy to say what I'd like to you right now, but I  have  had time to think about what I'd like to tell each of you, as best I can within these limitations." 

She looks at Tegu first, and takes her claw.

 "My dear Quartermaster. Always a ready hand with that axe, and we need your strong hand.  But wait for the right stroke, eh, Tegu? Wait for the right stroke. We've still got days until the trial comes. " 

She turns then to Fork, and takes his hand in turn.

 "Mr. F'rrkkk, I appreciate your loyalty and years of service more than you can know. I know this is a cruel ending. But I take comfort... and I hope you'll take comfort... in one thing. They put me here in this Coliseum because they see me as lesser, but the truth is this is the only sacrifice pit open to the air.  At least I'll go to my trial able to look at the sky one more time. You're a man of the vast plains and open skies, Fork, so you know what that's worth. " 

She squeezes your hand for the last couple of sentences.

Then she releases your hand to take Nibum's.

 "Mr. Nibum. I appreciate everything you've done for  your  ship, and I hope you've come to see us as more than just parasites who ride around on her.  And I am amazed by what you've done with that tender. I hope you keep working on it. With a little more tinkering, I'd say the sky's the limit. Promise me you'll keep going. " 

And then to Ttharg:

 "Mr. Ttharg. You've come a long way since we fished you out of the sea.  In my cabin you'll find a tablet, a devotional object. I know you don't worship the Green Goddess, but there are no hands I trust more to carry it to the right person. " 

To Servius:

 "Mr. Pamphilius, you haven't been with us long, but I appreciate your service. You are a brilliant mind, and  I will always remember your ability to put the pieces together when others don't even know there's a puzzle. " 
 
 Spoiler: DC 20+ Insight or Investigation check 
The Captain is dropping hints for an escape plan, to be executed when the time is right. The tender can be upgraded to fly with the Kanikau sphere, and the Coliseum is open to the air. She wants to you to interrupt her trial from there, and bring her her devotional tablet to Maebe at that time.
 
J-H
 Servius 
Servius suppresses a smile.  They'll be wanted individuals if they pull that off.  It'll be a great trick though, and far better than any prank any of the small-minded came up with back home.   "Yes, Captain.  I understand, and we'll work to obey your orders.  Trionyx is more of a threat to everyone, including those in this city, even if they don't see it." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg did his best to take mental notes of the route they were taking, side doors and passageways, levers or switches for doors and cages, and the amount, position, and routes of guards, as they were being led down to see the Captain.

When Ttharg sees the Captain, he salutes in the same way he's done to her hundreds of times before.   "Ahoy, Captain."   His voice is still full of respect, just as any other time he's spoken to her.

  "Aye, success on both fronts."   Ttharg nods.   "We got the message about this 'orrible situation, an' we returned as soon as that business was squared away. Everythin' else be on track."  

As the Captain speaks to Ttharg, he takes the words at face value.   "I'll keep it safe an' close, Captain; mark me words."  
zylodrizzt
Nibum clearly isn't going to go anywhere without seeing the captian perhaps to get more insight or orders from her. He swears he isn't up to no good and enters. He tries to look for any points of weakness from security or structure

 You talking like your resigned to dying. We are gonna figure out whos responsible and bring them to justice. Freeing you of your charges. Its your ship and youve given me the oppertunity to work on it and make a home... ive become fond of this family. 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Nibum clearly isn't going to go anywhere without seeing the captian perhaps to get more insight or orders from her. He swears he isn't up to no good and enters. He tries to look for any points of weakness from security or structure

 You talking like your resigned to dying. We are gonna figure out whos responsible and bring them to justice. Freeing you of your charges. Its your ship and youve given me the oppertunity to work on it and make a home... ive become fond of this family.  
 

The Captain smiles crookedly, and reaches over to squeeze Siduri's hand.  "Not resigned. Never resigned." 
 
 Spoiler: History 12+ 
 You recognize the allusion. 
 


Siduri says something hoarsely, in Sylvan.

 
 Spoiler: Sylvan 
  "More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world."  
 


The Captain responds in the same language, and nods in the direction of the four of you.

 
 Spoiler: Sylvan 
 "I am neither intelligent, nor witty, nor brave enough for 'was', my love. Trust me. Trust them." 
 


Perhaps this chatter in a language he doesn't speak angers the guard; in any case, it's not much later until he cuts the meeting short and hustles you out of the room. As you gather yourselves on the street, Siduri turns her veiled face to Ttharg.   "I apologize. As a child my parents told me many stories of this island... why they left. I thought being locked up in a Malatran prison waiting to be sacrificed was my worst nightmare, until this happened. Do you really have a plan?"  
J-H
 Servius 
"Yes, yes we do.  I'll explain the Captain's strategy when we get to someplace quieter."  Servius taps next to his ear-hole.

 When they get back to the ship... 
 "The captain emphasized certain words in what she said.  Think back, and remember that she mentioned waiting and time, and then looking up at the skies from the arena, and then the work that we've done with the tender, and an item in her cabin.  We have plenty of time to modify the tender to fly high and turn invisible, aided by the focus in her cabin.  We can fly right over the arena, drop down in the middle, and rescue her before flying off.  We'll just need a ladder or two.

That'll make the Templars mad, but I don't think that will bother you at this point, will it?

This is what she wants us to do.  We can get in position early on the day of in case the schedule changes, and there's much less risk than doing some sort of death-charge or attempting to break into a prison where any guard can send us to meet a purple worm face to face with a single word." 
Persuasion  (1d20+2)[ 15 ] 

Aside from a few trips off-ship when the party has meetings, Servius is going to be ribs-deep in the tender the next two weeks...
TriciaOso
Siduri agrees to return as far as the tender to hear the plan, and is convinced. Not happy, but convinced. She returns to the ship with you, and with the rest of the crew, who have made their way back to the tender -- including Eye-of-the-Storm, the new lizardman medic. He looks hungover and unaware of what's happened.

Tohil agrees to conclude matters with the Majari and let you know when the meeting with the Minister of War is arranged. She borrows an earpiece to let you know. Later that day, she comes back with an appointment in about a week -- and more news from the favor-trader's gossip mill.


 
 Originally Posted by Tohil Kiche 
 So so so... we made sure word got back to the Stheno you calmed things with the Atropae and they are very grateful, oh my yes. They got much bigger problems, very happy to not have to worry about that anymore.

Remember that job in Gavia's Jaws for them, the favor you didn't do? They've got a Temple to Gorgo out there?

Word just got back to town from out there... a few days ago, even before the arrest, an undead dragon turned up out there, caused all kinds of problems, temples smashed up... sounds like your man is already making some moves!

The lizards got it in the end, but, oh my are the Stheno are mad about their Temple. Gonna be very  open-minded  at this meeting, I bet. Tell Miss Siduri if she still wants Humbaba Stheno's head, she can probably get it. 
 

That's also one of the two undead metallic dragons that Ttharg saw taken off the board, hopefully.

One week until the meeting with the Minister of War. Two weeks until the Captain's trial. Three weeks until the fleet arrives. Time runs out fast.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

 
 Originally Posted by TriciaOso 
 As you gather yourselves on the street, Siduri turns her veiled face to Ttharg.   "I apologize. As a child my parents told me many stories of this island... why they left. I thought being locked up in a Malatran prison waiting to be sacrificed was my worst nightmare, until this happened. Do you really have a plan?"   
 


 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  Servius 
"Yes, yes we do.  I'll explain the Captain's strategy when we get to someplace quieter."  Servius taps next to his ear-hole. 
 

  "No need to apologise, lass. I been called far worse in me time at sea, an' ye spoke out of passion for ye love. Havin' ye freedom taken away be one o' the cruellest fates, aye."  

 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  Servius 
 "The captain emphasized certain words in what she said.  Think back, and remember that she mentioned waiting and time, and then looking up at the skies from the arena, and then the work that we've done with the tender, and an item in her cabin.  We have plenty of time to modify the tender to fly high and turn invisible, aided by the focus in her cabin.  We can fly right over the arena, drop down in the middle, and rescue her before flying off.  We'll just need a ladder or two.

That'll make the Templars mad, but I don't think that will bother you at this point, will it?

This is what she wants us to do.  We can get in position early on the day of in case the schedule changes, and there's much less risk than doing some sort of death-charge or attempting to break into a prison where any guard can send us to meet a purple worm face to face with a single word."  
 

  "Ye may be one o' the latest editions to the crew, Servius, but ye sure do pick up things quickly. I'm glad ye be with us. An' that's a fine plan that ye propose. The open sky o' the coliseum also make it a fine place for a storm, wouldn't ye say?"  

When there is time, Ttharg enters the Captain's cabin and reverently takes the tablet she mentioned. He keeps it on his person at all times.

Ttharg is glad to see the lizardman medic return. During the week, he makes himself available for use of Commune and Divination from any of the officers who need it; as well as making himself available to assist with any projects the other officers are working on.
zylodrizzt
 That was basically what i had planned had no one had another plan. Captains orders. Getting to work now. Capenters lets get to work.  he yells to the carpenters as well as triceratool and his assistants. Quickly and furiously as he can nibum works on the tender with help.

(Working on invisible and Flight)
TriciaOso
It happens during the first week, as Ttharg is drilling the medics on moving about the ship at full sail in an emergency. One of the prime dangers in such a situation is the swinging of the booms as the sails are trimmed; on a living ship, this is less common than a true sailing ship, but it's still a risk.

The danger is proven when in the midst of an exercise, Eye-of-the-Storm takes a boom full in the face and is knocked across the deck, dazed.

   
Even in the midst of this chaos, the Orc Infiltrator almost pulls it off. No one but Ttharg catches the brief moment of shock when a female orc's face is visible before her psionic disguise as the lizardfolk shaman is perfectly in place again.

   
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg wastes no time with subtleties. He strides onto the main deck straight towards the spy, drawing his shield as he goes. Channelling the power of Bahamut, he blasts a potent wave of destructive energies towards the infiltrator. As soon as the prayer is finished, he presses a hand to his earpiece to contact the other officers, speaking loudly so that the medics around him can also hear his words:   "The lizardman medic we picked up be an Orc infiltrator! Main deck!"  
 
 Spoiler 
Move Action to move 30ft onto the main deck, drawing my Shield as I go.
Main Action to cast Destructive Wave (5th Level) at the Orc, only targeting the Orc, and using one use of Channel Divinity to maximise the Thunder Damage.
Orc Con Save DC 16 for Half Damage:  (1d20)[ 7 ] +Con mods. If they fail the Save, they are also knocked Prone (they remain standing if they succeed). Damage is  (5d6)[ 18 ]  Radiant Damage and 30 Thunder Damage. Since it's Thunder Damage I can't push them.
Free Action to alert the crew.
 
TriciaOso
The blast slams the orc into the wall of the ship with bone (and wood) crunching force. She drops her illusion entirely, and you can see that this one blast nearly killed her outright. But she reacts with incredible presence of mind, springing to her feet and dashing through the door to the Captain's cabin.

 
 Spoiler: If you follow her in... 

   
The Captain's cabin was all but abandoned even before she was arrested, home only to the radiant eggs and a complex tangle of pipes it nests within in order to pipe heat to the rest of the ship. Even when it was occupied, it was a pretty Spartan space.

The orc infiltrator Orodruin, the same one you saw teleport away from the illithid station, now stands besides the bed with a cutlass poised to hack into the solar dragon's egg.

She looks like someone who has taken a hostage, not a desperate assassin.
 

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Movement - 15 ft to stand from prone, 15 feet to move across the deck and enter the cabin; Bonus action - dash to the egg; Readied action to destroy the egg if anyone makes a hostile move.
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum has triceratool drop him by the door and he steps into the doorframe  We meet again... your under a geas right? This isnt your war do you really want to help trionyx free tiamat? Perhaps die against your will? He's doing what the mindflayers did to you right? We could help you know... if you just lower your weapon. Besides we are kinda at a stalemate id say so maybe we could talk a moment.  he says in a kindly old man fashion. He's prepared tho with his toolians if something goes awry.

(Hoping I can cast mage hand and kinda hold off on using the push or the mage hand to do anything until I see how they react to this)
J-H
 Servius 
From the upper deck, Servius sees some of this.  He recalls the names from the logs, and casts a spell, whispering the name  "Orodruin. "  A bolt of invisible power flies through the deck at the orc.
 
 Spoiler 

 (7d6)[ 28 ]  psychic damage and incapacitate, INT save half/negate debuff
Int  (1d20)[ 20 ] +??
 
TriciaOso
She sneers at Nibum's attempt to calm her, and opens her mouth for a response... when she suddenly drops the cutlass to grab her head and falls over, struck dead. Nibum, the goggles allow you to see the bolt of psionic energy that strikes her unconscious, and then an eruption of necrotic energy from one of her fangs that fully kills her a moment later.

 
 Spoiler: Loot 
Her arms and armor are the standard issue for a medic like she is posing as. The only intriguing things on her are a ring of keys; they are quite similar, long-barreled simple iron keys of the kind used for doors and chests and other normal locks. But she has several, all very similar, but with minutely different heads to each of them. Examined through the goggles, there are traces of abjuration and conjuration magic on the barrels; signs that they have been used in one or more magical locks.

   
Additionally, one of her fangs is blackened by a discharge of necrotic magic and still bears traces of a spell.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

As the Orc infiltrator drops dead, Ttharg's first concern is for the Egg. He dashes forward to take hold of it and shepherd it away from the dead Orc. He checks it over for any sign of damage. Whilst he does so, he calls out over the earpiece (and loudly so the crew nearby can here):   "The scaleyrot Orc be down! Everyone begin a sweep o' the ship for anythin' suspicious lookin' an' report any findin's immediately!"  
zylodrizzt
Nibum scans the tooth and keys  Pity...she could have been quite useful...good job servius (said over the officer channel). Seems the mindflayers magic was still active as well as the geas. Look at these keys... where is that chest she brought?  he says.

He asks on the officer channel  anyone think she is worth questioning? If not i guess feed her to white cliff otherwise... revive and imprisn? Can that even be done?  
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 He asks on the officer channel  anyone think she is worth questioning? If not i guess feed her to white cliff otherwise... revive and imprisn? Can that even be done?   
 

  "I  could  revive her right now; but it be a costly ritual to perform an' I do not see the benefit o' doing so. She be our enemy. I could also speak with her corpse, if ye gave me a day to prepare the necessary prayers; but she be under no compulsion to tell us anythin' since we killed her. If ye have questions I can ask Bahamut."  
TriciaOso
Ttharg, the egg is unharmed. As you check it over, you feel a pulse of warmth and gratitude, flavored with a sort of inarticulate curiosity and concern about the orc.

 
 Spoiler: Medicine 10+ on the Orc 
Examining the orc, you find scars and markings of some kind of arcane ritual, all surrounding a diamond embedded in the flesh of her back. She was dying when she left the station.

 
 Spoiler: Religion or Arcana 10+ 
It looks like Trionyx had to go to some unusual lengths to bring her back. Putting the soul beyond resurrection or interrogation is likely another function of the necrotic spell that killed her, but Trionyx has access to dark magics of his own...
 

 


Servius, examining each key, you see Quaalith letters hidden in the embellishments -- each key of the 8 keys has a unique letter. The sea chest is brought on deck where it can be examined. The lock is magical, and although the abjuration magic masks anything further it might do, the traces on the keys of conjuration give you a good clue. This is a Chest of Many Faces, a trunk with different interiors depending on the key used.

 
 Spoiler: A 
Turning this key in the lock, the chest does not open, but begins to glow with Transfiguration magic. It becomes a mimic and attacks you!

You are strong enough to put it down easily, but it's probably a good deterrent against casual thieves. Once it's defeated, the chest is a 'normal' chest again.
 

 
 Spoiler: B 
Turning this key in the lock, the chest does not open, but begins to glow with Transfiguration magic. You are able to change its appearance; because you do not have any particular appearance in mind, it transforms from a battered old sea-chest into something sleeker and more obviously of illithid design, probably its original shape.
 

 
 Spoiler: C 
When this key is turned in the lock, the trunk shifts into the ethereal plane, leaving only a lock, which weighs about a pound. The lock can be moved around and even stored in a pocket. Turning the key again brings the chest back.
 

 
 Spoiler: D 
This is the first key that actually opens an interior. It contains the curled up body of Eye-of-the-Storm, the lizardman she was posing as. He is wearing two unusual rings, which bear further examination.

-The first is a ring of Gentle Repose which keeps the body intact.

-The second is a ring of Speak with Dead, which allows you to interrogate a freshly-dead corpse.

The logic here seems obvious.
 

 
 Spoiler: E 
This chamber contains the orc's personal effects. Most of them are mundane and uninteresting, such as clean socks.

You see the armor you saw her wearing; it is of a different design but functionally identical to the Serpent Scale Armor sold in Malatra. There are some daggers, which are not obviously magical -- you remember that the spiked chain she dropped in the station wasn't directly magical either, just a channel for her psionic energy.

Finally, there is a holy image of an orc goddess, but it is cracked in two and wrapped in paper at the bottom of the trunk. Siduri identifies it as the Orc Goddess Luthic.
 

 
 Spoiler: F 
In a leather bag, you find several items that radiate powerful divine energy. There is a single grey pearl, etched with an eye and pupil, and several ivory teeth strung in a necklace. You are able to connect these to the divine items tampered with by the flameharrow, and Siduri, an expert in reptilian religions, confirms; these were stolen from Gavia's Jaws. It all fits together with the undead dragon seen there, and the damage reported to temples.

 
 Spoiler: Investigation 10+ 
It seems clear the undead dragon brought Orodruin to Gavia's Jaws, and while it distracted the locals she despoiled the temples for Trionyx. Then she took ship for Malatra and arrived just ahead of the news. She must have replaced Eye-of-the-Storm then and come aboard in his place.
 


The pearl is taken from an idol of Gorgo, the medusa goddess.   "The Stheno would be ecstatic to get that back. Or if I kept it... my ability to petrify enemies would be dramatically improved."   She hesitates.   "No... I remain pentitent. Give it back to them at the meeting, it will go a long way."  

The teeth are from the ceremonial garb of the lizardfolk shamans, and carry powerful energies of rage and hunger. Tegu has no such qualms and grabs these for herself.
 

 
 Spoiler: G 
This chamber is simply full of gold, platinum and gems, no doubt plundered from the hoards of the metallic dragons of Cagway.
 

 
 Spoiler: H 
This chamber seems to be unused.
 
J-H
 Servius 

Servius assesses the chest and its contents, documenting them all.   "I don't think I've ever read a description of such an item before.  It would be valuable to... well, many people. We may have use of it yet, though." 

He checks it over.  Could a live person fit in it?  They could get someone in or out of someplace with it - although the guards... no, they have a plan already.  Best stick to it.  The captain's been doing this longer.

He starts documenting it in his spare time, getting pictures drawn of it as well.  It will make a nice appendix to his book.

Someone else not busy with matters arcane can return the items.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg returns the Egg to the Captain's cabin once the Orc has been checked and removed. He checks over the Orc's body and notices the diamond embedded in her back, but has no idea what it does. He invites the more studious officers to take a look and discern what it might do.

When they find the real 'Eye-of-the-Storm' in one of the chests, Ttharg lets out a deep sigh.   "He was barely onboard for a week, an' it cost him his life. May ye soul forgive me for puttin' ye in this position."  
  "Aye, returnin' the Stheno artefacts will help give us the leverage we need over them to convince them to side with us."   He says in response to Siduri.

  "Slowly, but surely, we be whittlin' away our foes. As usual, if ye need me to ask any questions o' Bahamut, let me know."  
zylodrizzt
After tthrag mentions reviving her nibum takes a closer look  Doesnt matter anyways. Basically unusable. Likely unrevivable. Dark powerful magic and not just from the squids. 

He takes a look at the lizardfolk  I definitly think that ring preserved him enough to revive him.... perhaps that was the plan... or perhaps just to keep asking him questions tho thats a slow process. Either way i imagine hed respond favorably to reviving. 

He asks the corpse to see if he can respond  Would you like to be revived? 

(Just imo I don't think these rings go to anyone specifically. think they might be good to keep around tho. Might say that about any magic item tho.)

Nibum sits down with servius  Hmm i wonder if we can replicate the cycling spaces on a larger scale on the tender. Would make it a bit more comfortable wouldnt you say? Maybe we should put this chest on the tender....  as various other thoughts cross his mind.
TriciaOso
Nibum is correct; the body seems as if it was killed only moments ago. Orodruin must have put the rings on him and began interrogating him immediately, then shoved him in the trunk in case she needed any further information. Even at three questions a day, she's had at least a week to wring information out of him for her pose.

  "Yes!"   croaks the corpse.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Realising that the medic had been kept just fresh enough to be revived, Ttharg quickly goes to grab the diamond needed for such a ritual. He pulls the lizardman out of the chest and sets him the deck. Holding the diamond in one outstretched hand and placing a hand on the dead lizardman, Ttharg beseeches Bahamut to return the lizardman to life:   "Bahamut, hear me plea! Release this man's soul from ye locker an' let him return to this body to live again!"  

(Assuming the spell is successful)

The diamond in Ttharg's hand disappears as the offering to Bahamut is accepted. He will then use healing magic to assist the recovery of Eye.
J-H
 Servius 

In preparation for their meeting, Servius decides to research records, preparing a short report on the devastation an invading fleet of this size could cause, as well as the destruction that an un-chained Tiamat could cause.
History  (1d20+10)[ 12 ] 

Correlating with this, he reviews Trionyx's actions thus far, and how every single ship, faction, or person he has worked with has been used up and discarded or destroyed.

Given his affinity for the Majari, he will couch his presentation in an orderly, scholarly way.
TriciaOso
It's a few days later that your meeting with the Minister of War is held. The full leverage of the Majari family and a truly huge bribe is needed to make it happen and to convey the seriousness of the issue, but you get a full meeting. The Minister of War himself is there, and representatives from each of the major  traebol  families. The Minister explains that the ships of the Malatran navy are supplied and crewed by the family. He himself can commander a certain number of ships to aid you, but to get a full fleet response you will to convince everyone.

On your side of the table, Ttharg, Servius and Nibum are lined up behind Tohil, who has agreed to be your representative. This is a major feather in the cap of the favor-broker, her first meeting with a government official of this caliber, and she goes over the evidence and directives with all of you over and over in preparation. Before the meeting, she finds a moment with the Stheno family and returns the pearl from the idol in Gavia's Jaws. The medusae mutter among themselves, and send a minor functionary off with it immediately.

She begins with a persuasive case simply establishing the facts for all of the representatives. The Clel and Majari are on your side from the beginning, and do not hide it. The Stheno and Kanikau ask some probing questions, but Tohil fields them expertly. The Vrael are stubborn and dug in. They are the lone family among the  traebol  you have not tried to court, with the greatest sense of their own importance, and the Cnidaria have clearly been working on them. They make a veiled reference to your assassination of Eztili Vrael, and openly discuss the arrest of your captain for proselytizing. They hate Tiamat, but you simply have failed to convince them of the reality of the danger in the face of the manipulations of the Cnidaria.

Tohil takes a more subtle tack and begins to draw out the Cnidaria, blending the truth of their involvement with the old grudges and spite between the families. Once again the Clel and Majari are eating out of your hand, and the Stheno are now fully onboard. It's the Kanikau, actually, who see through this tactic, and smile subtly to themselves. They see through the manipulation. The Vrael are contentious, pressing Tohil hard, and she counters with a devastating array of facts about the movements of the Cnidaria lately. She calls Nibum into the conversation to outline the results of his investigations. It's a very, very close thing, but finally the Vrael nod, and begin to looks sideways at the Cnidaria with suspicion.

She closes by attempting to drive home the threat of Trionyx's fleet, and of him reaching Sunhome and freeing Tiamat; she is pressing for a full fleet action. Here you lose the Clel and the Stheno; they are too proud of their own strength to truly believe the dire predictions, although they remain convinced of the need to intervene, they will not commit all their ships. The Majari are all in. The Kanikau are wavering, have only committed one ship so far, but Servius's presentation of the dangers of Tiamat sways them. The Vrael, jealous and paranoid, are easy to intimidate, but still harbor malice towards you. In the end it's Ttharg who pushes it over the top. He makes an impassioned plea, pointing out that Apophis and Bahamut have never been allies, but he stands before you a man of the Platinum Dragon begging for your assistance.

The tone is wrong for this audience, too blunt and too much a reminder of Bahamut's involvement, but it's just enough. It's just enough for the commitment of a second ship from the Vrael. All told, eleven ships will join the White Cliff, against Pthax's ten ships, one undead dragon, and any other surprises Trionyx has cooked up.

The Cnidaria were never going to raise arms against Tiamat, but throughout the conversation Tohil watches them from the corner of her eye and elaborates on everything your crew has accomplished in Malatra, establishing what Trionyx is up against. Reminding them indirectly that the status quo has been good to them, and that taking a direct action in support of Tiamat will make them the target of all five families. In the end, their confidence has wavered, and you suspect that although they will continue to work indirectly against you, they do not dare commit any ships to the pirate fleet.

On the way out, Tohil finds a moment with Merr Vrael and edges towards the subject of the Captain's imprisonment, now that the Vrael are convinced of your bona fides. She is shut down, hard. The Captain will pay for the death of Eztili Vrael; an eye for an eye. It is, Merr Vrael makes clear, a completely separate matter from the pirate fleet.

The Stheno functionary returns with a gift for Siduri Atropae, a square box a foot on each side. The Stheno warn you no one but a medusa should look inside.

 
 Spoiler: If you look... 
It is the head of Humbaba Stheno. DC 14 Constitution saving throw to resist petrification.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg returns to the White Cliff and removes his formal priests robes (which are the fanciest clothes he owns, and thus were what we wore to the meeting). The victory they've achieved today should be celebrated. He makes a request to Tohil to bring food and drink appropriate for a ship-wide celebration. Whilst it's true that their Captain remains in captivity and the threat of Trionyx looms nigh, it does no good to dwell on the doom and gloom and instead find joy and comfort in whatever moment can be found, and Ttharg intends to try and push that idea. (He will cover whatever cost Tohil deems appropriate, and Tohil is invited to partake in the celebration of course).

Ttharg would want to check in with Cocytus, making sure that he still feels capable in himself and to try and cut loose for an evening if possible.

Later during the festivities (we can change the timing if it's more appropriate), Ttharg discovers Nibum's petrified body. He briefly inquires as to how this happened. Regardless, there is nothing Ttharg can do to help him in this moment. He makes a request to Tohil to go shopping for Diamond Dust worth at least 100gp (Ttharg will overpay if Tohil thinks it's necessary). He sequesters Nibum in the Captain's cabin for the time-being. He informs the other officers that he can cast Greater Restoration tomorrow, assuming he has the components.
zylodrizzt
His last thoughts were "why am I like this" and "sure hope someone can restore me" as he looked at his hand turn to stone. He says to his assistants  please go get someone. 

When restored he takes a deep breathe as he falls over seeing as how he can't balance well with the stiffened joints. When he stands up he dusts himself off and stretches his back.  Thats how it feels to get old. So...did i miss the rescue. Sorry that i caused trouble. Seems like siduri got some if her revenge. 
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Commune Results 
As the week between the meeting and the Captain's trial-by-combat goes on, Ttharg continues to petition Bahamut daily for information about the oncoming pirate fleet. Gradually you are developing a picture of what lies ahead.

10 ships, all pirate vessels from allies of Pthax. Some of the allies are controlled magically, some are there out of loyalty to Pthax, and others bribed liberally from the hordes of the metallic dragons of Cagway. You ascertain that Pthax himself is also under a geas spell; the others are controlled with lesser spells of compulsion. All of them are sailing ships, at the mercy of the winds, unlike the White Cliff; but the same is true of the Malatran ships, so any weather-based shenanigans could cut both ways.

Commune does not reveal any other high powered lieutenants among those Captains and crew; by destroying the flameharrow and the infiltrator, you have destroyed 2/3s of Trionyx's most powerful allies, with only Pthax remaining. However, in addition to the fleet, Trionyx retains command of one ancient undead dragon. One other was destroyed bearing Orodruin to Gavia's Jaws.

You ask Bahamut if Trionyx will be with Pthax on the Broken Wing, but are unable to get a clear answer. Perhaps the tortle has not yet decided himself. Commune confirms, at least, that he is still between Malatra and Cagway; he has not found some other route to get ahead of you.

As time goes by and you are still rich in your ability to question Bahamut, you rack your brains trying different creative possibilities for additional tricks or unforeseen gambits from Tiamat's prophet. But if there are hidden pieces on the board, you aren't asking the right questions. 10 ships. 1 undead dragon. 1 week remaining.
 
TriciaOso
  One Week Later  

The Coliseum where the malisons offer their sacrifices to Apophis is packed. They rarely get the best here -- sickly pythons picking off frightened antelope, gorgons herded to their death in the manifold jaws of a hydra -- but everyone has heard about the dragonborn captain.  She'll  rate a powerful foe; perhaps even the Great Worm himself. The crowd has sat through the mediocre routine sacrifices restlessly, impatient for the main event.

The priest officiating is himself a malison; his arms become serpents below the elbow, and these twin mouths speak for him.

 "Enter, the condemned! Bendeguz Magyar, of Lssthp!" 
  "Enter, the condemned! Bendeguz Magyar, of Lssthp!"  

The Captain enters, still in the shapeless brown garment of a prisoner; the shackles are removed.

 
 "Will anyone arm this corrupter against its fate? Or do we condemn it to fight with only the weapons granted it, by a god it despises?" 
  "Will anyone arm this corruptor against its fate? Or do we condemn it to fight with only the weapons granted it, by a god it despises?""  

The Captain raises her head; she seems to be staring into the sky above the open-air Coliseum. The brief Malatran morning is still alive, and the view is clear blue and unobstructed.

 "What weapons I have don't come from Apophis,"  she says. Out of uniform, her head shorn, she still projects every inch of dignity and power she did on the deck of the White Cliff.  "Nor from Tempus, Lord of War.  Maebe, Queen of May! I am, and have ever been, your champion !" 

Though she has no friends in the crowd of the coliseum, she thrusts up her hand, as if with perfect confidence a weapon will come to her. At the same time, the ground begins to rumble....

   
The devotional tablet seems to drop out of the clear sky, and as it touches her, both her and it are  transformed .

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 

ACTIONS: Fork used his action to throw the tablet down to the Captain.

INITIATIVE:
 19 - Fork / Tender 
18 - Pitmasters &amp; Priest
16 - Nibum
12 - Servius
8 - Captain Magyar
4 - Ttharg
1 - Purple Worm
 
J-H
 Servius 

A glowing green hand with lizard-like like fingers appears in the sky and descends to form a platform on the ground next to the Captain.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

The arena's magic defences made it difficult for Ttharg to call out for Bahamut's aid, and the distance from the Captain also made Ttharg's choice of assistance limited. Instead, he chose to assist his companions. Hefting his Shield up, he called to the Skies to Bless the party.

 
 Spoiler 
Use the Shield of Sky and Stars to cast Bless at 3rd Level. Everyone in the party + Triceratool is Blessed (+1d4 to attack and saving throws)
 
zylodrizzt
 Im going to cover the captain.  Nibum says before leaving the cabin on triceratool. He has triceratool leap from the tender as a set of sails pop from triceratools tail slowing thier decent onto the hand conjured below.  Hello captain. Heads up. 
Nibum tosses a small canister at the captains feet that releases millions of tiny toolians to cover the captain (santuary). He then takes up a defensive posture behind his trusty shield (dodge).
TriciaOso
Nibum, as you leap, Fork sends Rumble after you, directing him to protect the Captain.

As first the hand and then Nibum and his entourage emerge from thin air, the priest officiating the combat screams out:

 "Light the lanterns!" 
  "Pitmasters! Stop them!"  
The crowd are on their feet, screaming.

 
 Spoiler: Perception 20+ 
Among them is Merr Vrael, the head of the Vrael family, who demanded a life for the life of Eztli Vrael. She looks  furious .
 
 


The Captain leaps onto the hand, stabbing her rapier into the ground momentarily and drawing an arrow.   "Good to see you, Mr. Nibum."  

She nocks the arrow and takes aim at someone up in the stands; she strikes the woman in the center of her chest, and Rumble lends his icy breath, but the Captain's mouth quirks in a frown.   "If you could have been anything but poison, Milady,"   she mutters, snatching up her rapier again.

 
 Spoiler: Perception 12+ 
You recognize her target as Merr Vrael, the head of the Vrael family, who demanded a life for the life of Eztli Vrael. She looks  furious .
 
 


It is at this point that the worm attacks. As it charges towards the Captain, the swarm of nano-constructs strikes at it, causing it to roar; as it redirects its attack a flash of illusion magic shimmers out from the Captain's rapier, and the worm, lunging hard to reach...

Attacks the high priest.


  Fool's Rapier 
  Misdirect.   When a creature within 60 feet of you targets you with an attack roll, you can use your reaction to require that creature to make a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the attack instead targets another creature of your choice that is within the attacker’s reach. Once this reaction has been used, it can’t be used again until the next dawn. 

The jaws of the worm close around the priest and swallow it instantly. Its stinger springs from the dirt at Nibum but Triceratool smacks it down.

  "I take it back,"   says the Captain, laughing giddily.   "Never change, o May Queen. Praise you with great praise."  

The Captain seems different, in this transfiguration; her eyes bright, her voice fey and merry. Exhilirated with the thrill of battle. Like someone who has resisted temptation a long time on a beautiful and wild bender.

The woman in the stands that the Captain targets leaps from the benches and transforms in mid-air into a serpentine form of cloud and lightning. At the same time, the invisibility around the tender drops. (The crowd shrieks at the sudden appearance of an illithid vessel.)

The flying storm serpent coils and twists just off the rear deck of the tender, and tries to coil around Servius.

   
Fork hesitates between invisibility and the ballista, but the serpent is already aboard. He fires the ballista into the storm serpent. He directs the tender downward, to get within range of the hand and away from Merr Vrael. The storm serpent strikes at it, but fails to damage the shell of the nautioloid. She is left behind as the tender drops another thirty feet.

Panicked and confused by the disappearance of the Priest, the Pitmasters mill around for a moment confused. Rumble hurls himself up to the parapet where they are stationed and savages one of them. This Pit Master retaliates against the drake; one other shoots a ball of flame up towards the upper wall of the coliseum, lighting one of the huge lamps that light the arena once the brief morning passes. Slaves direct the spotlight onto the ship, bathing you in the light of a giant lantern of revealing.

The other four use their cudgels to call forth couatl, flying serpents, from the dungeons beneath the stadium. They mill above, not attacking but blocking your exit from the arena.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 

ACTIONS: The Captain spots Merr Vrael with a 20 on Perception, and fires her bow at her. She hits with a 15 and does 6 damage from the arrow, 3 poison damage (halved) and 6 damage from Rumble's breath weapon. The Captain climbs onto the hand.

The Purple Worm attacks. It fails the Wisdom save and cannot attack the Captain. The Captain uses a reaction and her Fool's Rapier to redirect it's attack to the priest. It hits the priest with a 31. The priest fails the DEX save to avoid being swallowed and is swallowed. It attacks Nibum with its stinger, with disadvantage from Triceratool, and misses.

Merr Vrael, having rolled a disgusting 20 on her initiative, uses her action to cast dispel magic at the tender. She rolls a 16, dispelling invisibility. She uses a bonus action and two wild shape charges to transform into a serpentine air elemental. She moves towards the tender with a speed of 90 and reaches it.

Fork fires the ballista and moves 30 feet, to be within range of the hand. The ballista hits and does 22 damage to the air elemental. air elemental gets an opportunity attack and hits with a 25, doing 12 damage to the tender, which is under the damage threshold of 15. Rumble uses his bonus action to attack a Pitmaster, doing 7 damage.

One of the Pit Masters attacks Rumble and misses three times. One Pit Master uses Sacred Flame to light a giant lantern of revealing, pointed at the tender. Four Pit Masters use their cudgels to summon Couatls to block your escape.

DAMAGE:

Merr Vrael - (13 dmg) 22 dmg
Malison Priest - 25 dmg
Pitmaster 1 - 7 dmg

INITIATIVE:
20 - Merr Vrael
19 - Fork / Tender
18 - Pitmasters &amp; Priest &amp; Couatls
16 - Nibum
12 - Servius
8 - Captain Magyar
4 - Ttharg
1 - Purple Worm
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 9/50 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Bigby  
 
  

The spectral hand lifts the Captain and Nibum up to the tender (60'), balancing near the rail so they can easily climb aboard.  With his other hand, he points at the elemental-formed Vrael, shooting a grey-white rippling ray at her.

 
 Spoiler 

BA move hand 60'

Psychic Lance.   (7d6)[ 20 ]  psychic damage and incapacitate for 1 rd, Int save DC 17 half/negate debuff.
Vrael save  (1d20)[ 12 ] +??
Adv?  (1d20)[ 19 ] +??
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg considers his choices of target, both above and below them. He decides the best target is the one that will allow them to escape easier: the lantern that is preventing them from becoming invisible. He mutters a prayer to Bahamut and directs his destructive energies into the lantern's housing, hoping to topple or outright destroy it.

 
 Spoiler 
Main Action to cast 2nd Level Shatter on the Lantern that's preventing us from becoming invisible. No save, since it's an object. If you want to make saves for the attendants moving it please do, DC 16 Con Save for Half Damage. Damage is  (3d8)[ 7 ]  Thunder Damage
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum astride triceratool enter the cabin  Lets give that worm some more to eat.  as he makes his anytool fit into a slot as a large spool of metallic wire forms. He hits a button nearby after taking aim and something much like a harpoon digs deep into two figures nearby unlit lanterns as they are forcefully ripped from the walkways into the pit. He then heads back out to continue defending his captain.
TriciaOso
The Captain steps from the hand onto the deck of the tender and claps Servius on the shoulder.   "Good man. I knew you understood me."   She draws her bow once more and fires two shots into the air elemental.

 Meanwhile...  The shatter strikes the spotlight and it crazes, spraying glass and hot coal into the audience. The thunder itself strikes down several of the attendants pointing it. One of the fallen slaves collapses against the capstan and the spotlight swings wildly, away from the tender.
 
Meanwhile...  Nibum's grapnels shoot up and drag down two of the pit masters, throwing them into the pit with the purple worm. The worm, unconstrained by the priest and ravenous, lunges and gulps one of them down immediately. The other it strikes with its poisonous stinger, but the pitmaster is immune. Rumble dodges the attacks of the pit master he has engaged and returns to the tender.

Merr Vrael in the storm serpent form descends on the deck of the tender and engulfs everyone standing there. She unleashes a barrage of vortex winds... but everyone stands strong and weathers the storm. She shrieks frustration and dives under the door into the tender, an icy wind under the door. Everyone on the deck strikes as the wind as it passes, but it's not enough to destroy the elemental.

Within the cabin, she engulfs Ttharg and Fork; despite the whirling winds, Fork keeps his head and reactivates the tender's invisibility and steps on the gas. The tender shoots up 120 feet, blasting past the couatls. Three of them feel you passing and lash out, trying to constrict the ship, but all fail.

The tender, invisible, blasts away into a clear blue sky. One pit master leaps into the pit and strikes the purple worm with his cudgel, banishing it back to the dungeons and spilling the swallowed priest and pit master onto the sand. The others up on the wall hurl balls of flame, igniting the remaining lanterns, and the slaves search the sky for you fruitlessly.

If it weren't for the angry druid in the tender, you'd be home and dry.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS:
Nibum's Grasping Vine throws Pitmaster 2 and Pitmaster 3 into the Pit. They each take 7 falling damage and are prone.

The Captain attacks Merr Vrael in air elemental form with her bow. Both attacks hit, doing 16 damage, plus 3 cold from Rumble's reaction. She uses her bonus action to inspire Servius.

Ttharg's Shatter spell kills some of the malison slaves manning the spotlight outright. One of them falls on the capstan and swings it away from the tender. (Nat 20 luck check)

The Purple Worm attacks (at advantage) and swallows Pitmaster 2. He takes 18 damage. It attacks Pitmaster 3 with its stinger (at advantage) and he takes 21 piercing damage, but is immune to the poison. The swallowed Priest takes 24 more damage.

Merr Vrael descends and engulfs the group on the deck. She uses her Air Elemental Whirlwind ability, but everyone (Servius, Captain Magyar, Nibum, Triceratool) make the DC 13 saving throw. No one is thrown off the deck, but everyone takes 8 bludgeoning damage. She moves into the tender, taking opportunity attacks. She takes 13 damage from the Captain; 5 damage from Servius; 7 damage from Nibum; 8 from Triceratool. Within the tender, she engulfs Ttharg and Fork. She uses a bonus action and a 5th level spell slot to heal 28 hp.

Rumble moves 30 feet back to the deck of the tender; the pitmaster's opportunity attack misses. Fork uses his action to restore invisibility. He moves 60 feet and then bonus action moves another 60, escaping the stadium.

Pitmaster 1 moves to the purple worm and hits it with his cudgel. It is banished back to the dungeon. 3 other pitmasters light 3 more lanterns, but they cannot find the tender against a Stealth of 38. With nothing better to do, the couatls attack the hand, doing 8 damage.

DAMAGE:
Servius - 8 dmg
Nibum - 8 dmg

Captain Magyar - 8 dmg
Triceratool - 8 dmg
Hand - 8 dmg

Merr Vrael - (27 dmg) 45 dmg
Malison Priest - 49 dmg
Pitmaster 1 - 7 dmg
Pitmaster 2 - 25 dmg
Pitmaster 3 - 28 dmg

INITIATIVE:
 20 - Merr Vrael
19 - Fork / Tender
18 - Pitmasters &amp; Priest &amp; Couatls 
12 - Servius
11 - Nibum
8 - Captain Magyar
4 - Ttharg
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 9/50 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius drops his concentration on Bigby's Hand, and it winks out.  Slithering over to the door, he opens it and blasts the elemental-formed druid with another psionic ray... turning the tools of the illithid on the party's foes, as it were.
 
 Spoiler 

Int DC 17 for half damage and to negate being incapacitated for 1 round
 (7d6)[ 12 ]  psychic damage
I'll hold on to the BI.
 
TriciaOso
The air elemental shrieks and falls prone to the floor of the tender. It is a strangely insubstantial thing when it isn't moving.

  "Merr Vrael,"   says the Captain.   "I warned you when you came to the prison not to interfere in this business. It's not your god's will for us to fail right now."
  
  "She's incapacitated?"   she asks, looking to Servius.   "Good. Let's throw her overboard. We need the Vrael intact for this battle, not fighting over who will lead them."   She taps her rapier against the air elemental's cheek, and adds:   "If it weren't for that, you'd find out where Eztli Vrael went yourself, Mistress. But I, at least, know how to prioritize. If you really want to settle scores, I'm happy to try this fight again when Trionyx is defeated. Any time."  
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg wastes no time in beginning to try and push Vrael out of the tender. He holsters his shield and places his claws on her serpentine bodies and heaves.

 
 Spoiler 
15 (or 20 with Advantage) Athletics to push/help push Vrael out of the tender
+1 extra if Bless is included
 
TriciaOso
The Captain grabs another coil, and with help from Nibum and Triceratool, they begin to drag the air elemental towards the door. But she fights back with shocking vigor, slamming them all into the walls. The space inside the tender is cramped and not meant for this kind of brawling; she throws both Ttharg and the Captain off entirely, and as she begins to regain her focus, she draws herself up at the end of the tender, ready to fight to the death.

  "Eztli Vrael will be avenged!"   she hisses.   "He may have been a minor official to you, to the Kanikau, to everyone, but he was my blood and I knew him from the egg! I hate Tiamat as much as right-thinking any Apophan but  there is a blood price to be paid!  Go ahead and kill me, and prove you care about your lives than this supposed threat!"  

Fork has sprung up from the pilot's seat and the Starshot Crossbow is in his hands... but he hesitates. He looks at the Captain, and at the rest of the crew, lingering especially on Servius.  "I killed Eztli Vrael,"  he says finally.  "Not the Captain. You held her responsible because you didn't know who in the crew did it, but it was me. I will pay the blood price." 
  "Fork, no!"   says the Captain.

He holds up a hand.  "I've been learning about your culture. I will pay the blood price... in the blood of your enemies. A great battle is coming; you've seen what kind of warriors we are. I'll leave the White Cliff and serve on one of your ships in the battle, and kill in the name of Eztli Vrael. In return, the Vrael drop their vendetta against the White Cliff and her crew, against Madame Bothros, against anyone who helped us. We'll be even. We'll be able to return to Malatra."  He looks sideways at Servius.  "Some of us might want to come back someday, anyway."

"It's the best offer you're going to get all day, Mistress." 
  "He's right,"   growls the Captain.   "Because the #2 bid is dying ugly."  

The Yuan-Ti druid hesitates... then drops her air elemental form, and inclines her head in agreement.

Fork looks at you all.  "Take care of the egg. Put Trionyx in the ground. I'll be back."  He looks at the Captain and pauses.  "The new look suits you, Sir." 
  "Come back alive,"   says the Captain.   "I've got debts to pay in the Feywilde now, and I'll need you, Mr. F'rrkkk."  

He bows, first to her and to you all.


 


The Captain is silent and broody on the ride back to the White Cliff, but when she steps off and into the coils of her wife, she brightens. She looks around at the crew.   "'I no doubt deserved my enemies, but I don't believe I have deserved my friends,'"   she quotes.   "One week. We have one week left."  

One week passes so quickly...
zylodrizzt
 Well hatching... dont forget whete you came from... if it feels right tho guess ill see you around... dont die  he says the last part quietly and sadly before parting ways. He silently asks negniter to watch over fork.

While drilling with the carpenters and his assistants the next day he is approached by cocytus asking him for his assistance locating and capturing a beast called a jaculi.  You know cauda would probably be the one to ask.  cocytus relayed what cauda told him.  I see very well let me see what i can come up with. carpenters keep up the practice... I'll know if you dont minicliff will keep an eye on you. I'll be back.   he leaves to work on this project.

The first thing to do is devise a device that can both restrain and keep the thing from biting cocytus so the basic idea would have been like a mancatcher but there is potential for damage to the creature so he divises a wire loop fed through a long cylinder. The loop portion has some softer bits on it for some comfort. He'd have to come up with a saddle once cocytus could break the thing.

So the day came cauda aided as... bait. She turned herself into some form of distressed bird that it preyed on and led it through the loop where cocytus lay in wait. It went well enough. Cauda calmed the thing and soon enough cocytus had made the beast his paladin mount bareback. It was time to get to work on the saddle and bridle.

He had to come up with a way that those mounted wouldn't be too far back that they would be tossed as the beast drug itself across the ground but not so close to the head that it would become cumbersome that the beast couldn't strike. There would be problem with bridle but nibum soon realized cocytus could communicate with it telepathically. So the basic design was two straps connected by 4 flexible wires where the saddle rested similar to how a trolley would. The saddle was stabilized by a gyroscope inside 2 omnidirectional wheels with flexible arms. It could travel where needed with the riders feet along about half the snake. The points it was connected to the wires had a sway joint to reduce the amount the sway of the snake would toss the rider about. Nibum took time to teach cocytus how the saddle worked and then proceeded to spar with him to get him used to the saddle.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg bids farewell to Fork, proud of him for taking responsibility for his actions and doing something about it. Inwardly, he worries about the coming confrontation with Pthax and his own involvement in such nefarious things.

Over the course of the week Ttharg continues to offer prayers to Bahamut and makes requests for guidance and knowledge as the days pass. He takes any confessions from the crew and prayers for/with them if they request it. He checks in with the officers individually; making sure they're feeling ready for the battle to come.

On the day before the battle, Ttharg makes a final. private prayer to Bahamut:   "Tomorrow we be facin' me ol' captain. Ye gave me a second chance at this life, an' I be grateful for it. If tomorrow is the day ye send me to ye locker for good, then I accept this. I ask ye to look after this ship, this crew, her officers, an' the captain; whatever happens."  
J-H
Servius spends the week working on the Tender and funneling spell energies through it.  The extended range and other options are quite exhilarating to experiment with on the days when they take it on a test-flight out of the harbor and out of sight.
TriciaOso
With 15 more questions to ask Bahamut, you are able to hone in over time on relevant information.

 If we stop the fleet, does Trionyx have any other way to reach Tiamat?

 Yes.  

There are five known paths down beneath Sunhome, one for each of the five chromatic gods. Each of them is manned by Malatran troops and siege defenses; not to mention supernatural defenses beyond the gate That's why Trionyx needs a fleet, to break through. You know there are other paths to the plane of Fire, Plane Shift and the like, and begin to push questioning along those lines.

You ascertain that a simple Plane Shift to the plane of Fire wouldn't be enough. There is a particular subplane Trionyx needs to access; there is a key to this plane shift and Trionyx does not have it; it lies outside the Hic Sunt.

With this information Siduri is able to sort through some books and find a clue.   "It might be related to the human god, the Sun King. He claimed the ember Tiamat used to wipe out draconic life outside the Hic Sunt as his sword. It was once the heart of the Fire Plane, so it's possible it could be a key to the Pit that was left behind, where Tiamat is imprisoned."  
  "Could Trionyx get his hands on it?"   asks the Captain.

  "I don't see how. It's a relic of the human realms, his heirs still pass it down as proof of their right to rule. Solus is a long way from here--another six month journey at least past Sunhome."  
  "But if he had it, he could go straight to Tiamat?"   asks the Captain.

Siduri shakes her head.   "Trionyx would be in the Sun King's Court, facing his solars and other celestials. He'd have a hard fight, at least as hard as taking one of the doors."  

The Captain frowns.   "I don't like this, it's a wild card. But the fleet is too massive a commitment of resources to be a feint. Trionyx has to be with them."   Another Commune confirms this is so.

The problem with Commune is, of course, that can't qualify the Yes or No answers with, "but it's a long shot!" Still, no one is happy about a wild card.
TriciaOso
As time runs out, the Malatran fleet assembles in the bay, coalescing around the White Cliff. Each of the families except for Cnidaria has sent a mix of capital ships and smaller frigates to support them. Only Majari has sent three ships, the others reserving some of their strength to defend Malatra if the fleet changes course from Sunhome to raid the city; or any other eventuality.

 
 The Vrael ships are large and expensive ships in good condition; Nibum is captaining one of the two men of war, and is able to give you a good report. The Vrael are paranoid, insular and hostile to the surrounding families; their ships are prepared at any moment for civil war. It doesn't make them comfortable neighbors but they're certainly prepared for this.
 
 The Clel ships are also both heavy, serious men-of-war, and their capital ship is equipped with an arcane cannon. The Clel must have taken that job for the Kanikau that you turned down and been rewarded with this.
 
 The Stheno ships are opalized like the White Cliff, brilliant and almost blinding during the brief daylight period; fast clippers, well-armored but built more to run than fight.
 
 The Kanikau's two ships are the smallest, but retrofitted with arcano-tech recovered from their mysterious mine up in the tundra.
 
 The Majari are the only faction have sent three ships; they seem lightly armed, but their sails and rigging are... unusual. 
 
 
 Spoiler: Arcana 10+ 
The knots and pattern of their rigging are designed to create a summoning circle to conjure supernatural allies, and the sails have conjuration runs woven into their fabric.
 


Including the White Cliff, you have 5 capital ships and 7 frigates. And one souped-up illithid tender.


 


The strategy you've agreed upon is that the tender will go ahead; it can move twice as fast as a sailing vessel, and has the advantages of invisibility and flight. Then fall back to the fleet once you've done as much damage as you can do safely.

  "Safely,"   emphasizes the Captain.   "Remember to reserve enough spell energy to make your retreat."   She shakes each of your hands.   "And remember -- if Trionyx makes a break for Sunhome and some other route to Tiamat, forget us and go. You're the ones who can keep up with him, and the ones chosen by the gods to defeat him. I'm more sure of that than ever."  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Each of you have a bardic inspiration from the Captain that lasts longer than normal. For up to 24 hours, the creature can add it to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. This can be added after seeing the roll, but before knowing the outcome.

If a creature has a Bardic Inspiration die and casts a spell that restores hit points or deals damage, the creature can roll that die and choose a target affected by the spell. Add the number rolled as a bonus to the hit points regained or the damage dealt. The Bardic Inspiration die is then lost.

A creature that has a Bardic Inspiration die can roll that die and add the number rolled to a weapon damage roll, or, when an attack roll is made against the creature, it can use its reaction to roll the die and add the number rolled to its AC against that attack, after seeing the roll but before knowing whether it hits or misses.
 


 

 
 Spoiler: Servius 
You are approached by Bala Majari. She wants to thank you personally for your assistance in retrieving the devices, and extend an invitation to you to attend the University for post-graduate study. Your knowledge and exposure to illithid tech is invaluable to them. She also gives you a scroll of immolation, from the University library. You should have just enough time to scribe it into your spellbook before you reach the pirate fleet.
 

 
 Spoiler: Ttharg 
You are approached by Seir Clel. You can see that in the weeks since your baptism, he has begun to process of ritual tattoos adult Malatrans mostly have, but the coils that embraced him shimmer platinum.

 "I had a dream,"  the earnest young man says.  "Bahamut told me to tell you, to bring the egg, even into the teeth of the battle. Its destiny lies with you."  He looks hopeful, as if part of him wants to believe that the 'egg' in question is himself. You, however, know better... you have only a few last moments to secure the radiant solar dragon egg in a cargo compartment.
 

 
 Spoiler: Nibum 
You have a last minute inspiration that drives you into the tender with a wrench and wild look in your eye, just before setting out. Ripping out the spelljammer hull, the seat that pilots the ship, you are able to connect it to Triceratool's saddle and link your mount to the illithid vessel. There is just space for you, in all your shortness, to cram into the pilot's space with your Steel Defender. The tender shudders like a living thing as you gain increased control and dexterity with the built-in weapons and equipment; seeing through its senses and feeling its pain.
 


 


And so you set out. The pirate fleet is approximately three hours away in your tender, judging by the moving black hole that blocks divination. The weather is strange; when you left the Malatrans, it was at your back, a good wind for your friends. Perhaps a gift from the Sealord. But as you sail towards the pirates, contrary winds begin to blow, creating strange eddies and slowly-twisting clouds. Tiamat has her own gifts, and as the two collide, the gods wrestle for mastery of the weather, and the outer edge of the fleet's progress is marked by an ever-advancing storm front.

You pass through the driving rain into an area of glassy calm. It reminds you of the Calm around Lssthp, the competing auras of the five great chromatic races combining to completely neutralize the atmosphere. If not for your arcane engines, you would be becalmed. Yet the ships, mere dots on the horizon, are growing.

   
J-H
 Servius 
Servius surveys the enemy ships, looking for the dragon or signs of Trionyx from the tender's position, a thousand feet or more above the ocean.
TriciaOso
Looking over the enemy ships, you see a motley crew of pirate ships from diverse ports of call and several distinct designs, but all large and well-equipped. Additionally, through the senses of the tender, you can see they are indeed blessed by Tiamat for this voyage. You easily pick out the Broken Wing, but it appears to no longer be Pthax's flagship, bringing up the rear.

Each of the five greatest ships has a draconic figurehead in one of the colors of the Five Gods.

The flagship is a great man-of-war, in the lead position, with a flaming red figure head. Its sails and rigging are burnt, sketchy ghosts of shadowy rope and canvas. The whole aft of the ship seems to be in flame, blasting it forward like a rocket. Hanging just astern is a ship with a black dragon's figurehead, a moldy ghost ship, crewed by dead sailor and driven by ghost winds.

The ship bearing the green dragon's figurehead is carried on a great tangle of seaweed and kelp, a great living beast of plant matter bearing a ship lashed to it with vine. The blue dragon's ship has a sail and rigging, of cloud and lightning, and seems to generate its own wind in the eerie calm. And the white dragon figurehead is on a ship encased in ice, drifting behind the others but moving with the deceptive speed and inevitability of an iceberg.

A sixth ship, with a figurehead of shining crystal, seems to float above the waves, driven by invisible forces.

The other four ships seem to be sailing normally, although each has a figurehead of its own. One of iron, the crew moving as if in a dream; one of copper, the fastest in the fleet; one of purple, on a ship and even crew overgrown with fungus; one of fang and horn, bristling with weapons.

You do not see the undead dragon, although you catch a glimpse of something moving through the high air with you; something just on the edge of your truesight that moves away and vanishes into the upper skies. But for a moment, at least, it was within 120 feet of you.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "We must stop Trionyx. Without him, his plans cannot come to fruition. All other concerns are secondary. If we must give our lives to do, then so be it."  

 


Ttharg thanks Seir for their vision and gently encourages him to find a place amongst his family's ships - if the enemy fleet closes to within boarding distance, Seir Clel would be best served defending his family's ships and crews, and perhaps will be the first to counterboard the enemy ships. He does as the Clel Barbarian foretells and brings the solar egg with him. He feels extremely awkward, bringing it with them into the very thick of battle, but he trusts in Bahamut.

  "If ye want me to Shatter any ships or the dragon, ye will have to get me to within 60ft o' em."   Ttharg calls out as they scan the battlefield.
zylodrizzt
The inspiration was from finding a sort of internal tentacle type thing that seemed to communicate with nibums mind. It gave him directions that allowed him to connect triceratool as well. A mindflayer would have had no trouble with controlling the tender this way not only because the tender was designed/bred this way but because the mindflayers had a mental capacity/psionics capable of such things. It was kinda difficult to pilot this way but because he had 4 minds to control this it eased the strain on nibum and besides he made the controls able to be directed through triceratool.  How yall holding up?  he asks his assistants out loud but also speaking to the other officers in the tender with him. Yes he could feel what the tender felt but it wasn't just 'feeling' it was as much just waves of information as math and math was like another language nibum spoke. With the help of his assistants handling other portions of the piloting reporting to nibum and as nibum made sense of it all the piloting became as near as natural as it could be with the hacking the tenders systems.

With the slight sight of the dragon nibum followed after intending to get everyone in range to engage.
TriciaOso
You are able to pursue the undead dragon, keeping it in view but not gaining on it as it moves backwards and north.

For the first time, you can see Trionyx in the flesh, the servant of Tiamat. He looks barely alive, the corpse of a tortle animated by divine rage and arcane force. In one hand he clutches the tome that started all this trouble. He raises a claw and casts a spell at the tender, dispelling your invisibility.

In response, you can see creatures rising from the five great chromatic ships below. They are shaped like wyverns, but have the amorphous flesh of elementals; animated breaths of fire, acid, cold, electricity and poison.

   
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

As their foe comes into view, Ttharg hefts his Shield of Sky and Stars high and allows it to Bless the party. He also begins to prepare the tender for fast manoeuvres.   "We need to take care not to burn out all our charges in this opening engagement!"   He calls out.

 
 Spoiler 
Main Action to use Shield of Sky and Stars to Bless everyone in the tender. D4 to attack rolls and saving throws.
Bonus Action to help the Tender to Dash
 
TriciaOso
As the tender moves forward, the dragon continues to flee, but you are closing... until Trionyx turns and hurls another dispel back at the tender.

Suddenly the levitation spell cuts out, and the ship is free-falling towards the sea and the rising tide of animated breath weapons. The black dragon ghost-ship is immediately beneath you.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS
The dragon uses two legendary actions to move forty feet. Trionyx uses three legendary actions to cast a spell. The tender loses its levitation and instantly drops 500 feet.
 
J-H
Trusting one of the others to adjust the controls, Servius uses the psionic linkages of the tender to amplify the range of his spell beyond what even a sorcerer could do... whispering "Trionyx."
 
 Spoiler: Psychic Lance 

 (7d6)[ 25 ]  psychic damage, incapacitated until start of Servius' next turn.  Int save DC 17 half/negate debuff.
Expending a 4th level slot.
Casting with the tender extends spell range to 1200'.
Trionyx save  (1d20)[ 7 ] +??
 
TriciaOso
Through the sense of the tender, you can see that the spell strike him -- and see the book expend kind of magical resource to protect him, at some cost. More cracks spiderweb through his shell, doing perhaps more harm than if the spell had been allowed to do its full damage. It's clear this isn't something he can do freely, or without paying the price.
zylodrizzt
With the help of his assistants nibum reactivates the flight and calmly flies toward the dragon once more.6
TriciaOso
As you move out of range of truesight, you lose sight of Trionyx and the dragon again, hidden in Greater Invisibility. You have a much better view of the ships below, however, and the animated breath-wyverns rising to meet you. The ships maintain their course towards Sunhome; beneath you is the one carrying a draconic spirit of fang and horn.

   
You can see that many of the elemental wyverns coming up from the ships carry pirates, raiders who are sent to board enemy ships. Ttharg, with your high perception and keyed-up awareness of him, you spot Varth Pthax riding on one. The Pirate Captain -- now Admiral -- looks much as you remember him, but then in your memory he is always larger than life, strapping and terrifying. In place of the greataxe he once carried, you see a huge iron maul, and the senses of the tender show you it is heavy with enchantment magic. He himself is under multiple spells--enchantments crowded around his head, and a spell of haste hangs around him like a mantle.

 

Seated behind him on the wyvern is a female dragonborn with silvery scales that look slightly oily or wet; a descendant of a rare mercury dragon. You know little about her, but from her armor and the enchantments around her, she is a spellcaster.

 

This is made all but certain when she grips Pthax's shoulder and dimension doors them both onto the deck of the tender.

   
The door of the tender bursts open, and Varth Pthax strides in. He sneers as he looks at you, Ttharg, and hefts his maul. When you knew him, Ttharg, he had an aura of storms and the sea when he raged; now he carries a different aura, also native to his race of dragonborn, of exhaustion and weariness. Each of you feel it hit you like a hammer. Nibum resists, but Servius and Ttharg each feel their head swim with exhaustion.

Moving with blurred speed, he takes a large bag from his belt and hurls it to the ground. Coins and gems begin to spill out, slowly at first, but rapidly flooding the room with the stolen hoards of Cagway.

Then he raises his maul and strikes twice at Ttharg. One blow misses, but the other strikes a shattering blow -- and discharges a pulse of magic.

  "On your feet, sailor,"   he growls.   "Yer Captain's back."  

The pulse of magic tries to cloud your will... but your soul is pledged to Bahamut. The spell does not take hold.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
The ships sail onward, 60 feet. The animated-breaths rise another 60 feet and move towards the ship. From the back of an animated breath, Hydrargyrum and Varth Pthax dimension-door onto the tender's deck.

Pthax enters, hasted. As a bonus action he rages, activating his Aura of Exhaustion. Servius and Ttharg fail, each taking a level of exhaustion. Pthax uses his action to attack Ttharg, missing with one attack and doing 16 damage with the other. He also uses five charges from his Maul of Throne's Command to cast Dominate Person on Ttharg, giving him disadvantage on the save and doing 5d8 additional damage (20). However, Ttharg saves with a 23 and a 27.

With his second action he throws down a bag of holding which begins to spill treasure into the interior of the tender.

DAMAGE
Ttharg - 36 dmg

INITIATIVE
Enemies
Ttharg
Servius
Nibum
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

It was just like old times - Captain Pthax boarding another vessel and immediately beginning dominating the battlespace, not just with his martial prowess but with his fearsome charisma. There were terrifying differences now, though, and much bigger consequences. Ttharg is lost in a moment back on the Blind Sun and is only brought back to reality as Pthax's maul cracks him across the face.

Ttharg spits blood onto the gold piling up around him and looks hard at his former captain.   "The Gods tried to drown us, that night. Maybe they saw where we were headin' an' chose to wash us away. But Bahamut saw fit to give me a second chance, an' if it's time to for me to pay me debts to him; so be it. But before I take me rest in Bahamut's locker, I'll be sure to drag ye down with me!"  

Ttharg circles Pthax and draws his Warhammer, trying to delicately balance on the mountains of coins, until he is at the doorway and can see the mage accompanying Pthax.   "But before I deal with ye, I need to see off ye wench!"   At this, Ttharg exhales suddenly in the direction of the mage. Little bolts of lightning arc from droplets of Ttharg's blood expelled from his mouth as he roars at her, forming a searing bolt that threatens to throw her over the edge of the tender.

As he takes in his next breath he mutters a prayer to Bahamut for healing:   "Bahamut, let ye power change the fate o' me wounds, so that, in turn, I can change the fate o' the world."  
 
 Spoiler 
Bless is down.
Difficult Terrain Move Action 30ft to get to the doorway of the tender, remaining in melee contact with Pthax, draw Warhammer as I move.
Main Action to use my Breath Weapon against the Mage. DC 13 Dex Save for Half Damage:  (1d20)[ 6 ] +mods for  (3d6)[ 12 ]  Lightning Damage. Assuming the Mage takes (any) damage, she is pushed 10ft away from me automatically.
Bonus Action to cast Healing Word at 4th Level on myself:  (4d4+3)[ 12 ] 
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 56/56 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius sends another pulse of magic at Trionyx, attempting to disable him.  "Up, back up!"
 
 Spoiler 

Can I move the tender up with the dashing thing, or does that take my action?
Psychic Lance  (7d6)[ 28 ]  psychic damage, incapacitate until start of next turn.  Int save half, negate incapacitation. DC 17
Trionyx save  (1d20)[ 6 ] +??
Casting through tender, using one of its charges and I believe we are still above 10.
 
zylodrizzt
 Your no captain. Your a lapdrake for trionyx  nibum says. He continues the pursuit of trionyx. His saddle and him spin around to face the berserker. Nibum activates a winch and harpoon type projectile that launches from triceratools tail. As it fires minicliff launches at the berserkers face distracting him and he's yanked toward nibum. Minicliff returns to its slot before Nibum charges up synthasis with thunderous sound and drops one of his sound Grenades that fizzles out. Triceratool with the help of pteradactool fire the ballista at the mage mid fall.
TriciaOso
The ballista strikes true, impaling the mercury dragonborn sorcerer in the thigh. She curses, and hurls a spell as the tender even as it follows the fleet and the undead dragon westward. Dispel magic, boosted by metamagic, once again cuts out the levitation and the tender fall towards the ship immediately beneath them, which bears a fang dragon's figurehead.

   
Fang dragons have no breath weapon, and neither does this ship; it did not send up any elemental wyverns. It is made for martial feats, and down both sides of the ships the crew fire ten harpoons up at the tender blessed with the dragon's strength. Only one misses the mark, although two fall back with insufficient force to penetrate. Seven other harpoons penetrate the tender, tethering it to the fang dragon ship with ropes.

 
 Spoiler: Harpoon Mechanics 
Each rope is a DC 10 Str save to break, triggered each time the tender tries to move. The ropes can also be attacked; they are objects with AC 10 and 5 HP.
 


Inside the free-falling tender, the spill of treasure from the bag of holding slowly stops, leaving you all ankle-high in gold and gems.

Pthax hears Servius speak Trionyx's name as the target of his spell, and takes a step towards him.   "We all be someone's dog, little yapper,"   he sneers at Nibum.   "But when Tiamat returns I will rule the seas in her name. So aye, I protect the prophet from those worms as would harm him."  
   
He raises his maul and bashes down at Servius; Nibum interposes himself and his shield on the first one, but is driven back by the blow, and the next two smash into the wizard, nearly dropping him.   "Rise, guardian of the hoard,"   Pthax commands. And the gold and gems begin to funnel together rising into the form of a living tidal wave of treasure.   "Kill these intruders."  

In response, it roars like a jackpot paying off.

 
 Spoiler: Triceratool can understand it... 


 Code: 
 What...
My master...
I don't understand...
Intruders?! 
 

 
 Spoiler: Arcana Check 14, Nibum has advantage 
Hoard Golems are created by dragons so that their hoard can guard itself. It is quite unusual for one to serve the one who slayed its master; these constructs are normally undyingly loyal and must be dispelled to claim the hoard, even if the dragon is already dead. But Trionyx has stranger magics at his disposal.
 

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
The ships sail onward, 60 feet. The animated-breaths rise another 60 feet and move towards the tender. Trionyx is incapacitated. Undirected, the undead dragon continues 200 feet west, off the map (80 move + 80 dash action + 40 from legendary actions). Hydrargyrum drops another 60 feet, still under the effect of feather fall.

The tender moves 120 feet west and up, ending at 680 feet. This puts the tender 240 feet from Hydrargyrum. Using Distant Spell, she casts Dispel Magic on the tender, canceling Levitation and causing it to drop 500 feet to 180.

The fang dragon ship fires 10 harpoons at disadvantage. 9 hit, but two don't roll well enough to beat the damage threshold and bounce off. The other 7 harpoons do 19 damage and lodge in the tender, tethering it to the fang dragon ship.

Pthax moves five feet to the right and attacks Servius three times, doing 53 damage. 9 damage is cancelled by Nibum's Interception. He uses his bonus action to command the Hoard Golem to activate; it takes one round to rise before it can attack.

DAMAGE
Ttharg - 24 dmg
Servius - 44 dmg

Tender - 19 dmg

Hydrargyrum - 13 dmg
Pthax - 2 dmg

INITIATIVE
Enemies
Ttharg
Servius
Nibum
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg grits his teeth and directs a blast of Bahamut's destructive wrath at the harpoons anchoring the tender to the enemy ship below.

He begins to move towards Servius, seeing him badly wounded, but isn't able to call on Bahamut to provide more aid in this moment. Instead, he pulls a level and pushes a button to try and force the tender to break out of the remaining harpoons.

  "Ye fool, Pthax! Tiamat will devour the world, an' she'll start with ye!"  
 
 Spoiler 
Main Action cast Shatter (2nd Level) on the harpoons. They take  (3d8)[ 13 ]  Thunder damage.
Move Action in Difficult Terrain to move towards Servius.
Bonus Action to direct the tender to move/ascend.
 
zylodrizzt
Triceratool speaks to the golem   think back. Your master was a true dragon. His hoard wasnt on a ship. That dragonborn killed your master and stole you from him. We have not touched your masters hoard.   says as it gets the engines fired up again.

As it does so nibum continues his assault on pthax trying to pull his attention away from servius.  Those seas wont be yours. They will be hers. Everything will be hers... everything left that is. 

(25 vs pthax control on hoard golem. 9 damage [if booming blade]. He has disadvantage if he strikes at anyone but me and if he moves [assuming booming blade] he takes 2d8 thunder damage)
J-H
      
   <span style="font-family: Century

Gothic">  Servius Calventius Pamphilius  
  
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 12/56 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  
Servius is thrown backwards by the impacts, and would back up, but there's a wall in the way.  Wordllessly, he tries frantically to disrupt the mind of his attack.
 
 Spoiler 

Psychic Lance from a spell slot,  (7d6)[ 26 ]  psychic, incapacitate 1 round, INT DC 17
Pthax  (1d20)[ 11 ] +??
 
TriciaOso
Pthax roars, sparks flying between his teeth just they did from Ttharg's. He absorbs the impact of the spell and channels it through his body, every muscle rigid as he forces the magic to obey his will. The magic flows down his arm and into his maul, replenishing the charges.

 
 Spoiler: Will of Iron 
As a reaction, Pthax expends a rage to substitute his CON save for the INT save. If he succeeds, he can channel the spell into replacing charges in his maul, one for each spell level.
 


 


You, Trionyx and his dragon, the ships and the elemental wyverns all continue west. You continue to climb, chasing Trionyx; the wyverns rise, chasing you. You are outpacing the ships and wyverns, but Trionyx is outpacing you in turn.

   
Then Trionyx casts teleport.


 


As your course brings you over the ship with the copper dragon figurehead, a volley of longbow shots arise from the deck. Even at disadvantage, 8 of the 10 shots go home, guided by the power of the spirit possessing the warship. None of the 8 arrows do enough damage to penetrate the tender's hull, but the ship shudders and Triceratool makes an unhappy buzzing as the controls go sluggish. Copper dragons have the power of slowing their enemies.

 
 Spoiler: Slowed Vehicle 
An affected target's speed is halved, it takes a −2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and it can't use reactions. It can't make more than one action during its turn. If a crewmembers attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action through the tender, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn't take effect until the creature's next turn, and the creature (and tender) must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can't, the spell is wasted.

A creature affected by this spell makes another CON saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, the effect ends. The pilot can expend an action to reboot, forcing a success but losing movement for the round.
 


 


In the midst of its distress, Triceratool is hailed by the intelligence of the ship with the crystal dragon figurehead.


 CRYSTAL SHIP: Unknown ship, identify yourself or be destroyed.

TRICERATOOL: This ship does not have a designation.

CRYSTAL SHIP: Pilot, identify yourself, then.

TRICERATOOL: I have a name but, uh, I don't think I should do that.

CRYSTAL SHIP: Identify yourself!

TRICERATOOL: I'm hanging up now... 


 


Inside the tender, Pthax snarls at Servius, but first pivots and swings his mace at Nibum. The kobold activates his enhanced shield and stops the blow, but the second swing smashes through his defenses. Pthax unloads the magic from the mace and Nibum vanishes. With the interfering kobold gone, Pthax grins and one-handedly smashes the maul into Servius's face, too fast and hard for a shield spell to stop. Servius slumps to the ground.

Pthax turns to face Ttharg.   "So, laddie, once again it's just you and me. Ye were always weak. It's a mystery to me how time and again ye've survived. Perhaps I did teach ye something."

"But I'm afraid we've come to the end of that voyage."   He grins nastily.   "Guardian of the hoard, kill the intruder!"   he shouts.

But the hoard golem only swirls in place like a restless, jingling sea of gold.


 Code: 
 I'm not sure I should....
Confused...
This isn't right. 
Pthax roars in fury.

   

 

 
 Spoiler: Nibum 
   
Nibum, you find yourself in a great palace of blinding solar light. The construction is unfamiliar to you, being human in culture. At least, the beings who move before you look human -- soft, pale or dark hides of scaleless flesh, strange hair growths on their heads. A king crowned in the light of the sun sits on a throne before you, with a woman dressed in beauty like the night beside him; she holds a silver mirror in her hands. She wears a veil that covers all but a crescent of her face.

The left of the throne is a tall, older man in heavy armor, wearing a belt with three stars hung on it. To the right is a magician or counselor in red robes, with a corona of flame around his hand.

The Celestial Court of the Sun King is crowded with courtiers and great war-like angels, and for the moment no one sees you. A messenger, clad in all the colors of a rainbow, darts into the room.   "Great Sun King!"   she calls out.   "The ship from Solus carrying your mortal heir is under attack! They had almost made Sunhome when an undead dragon appeared!"  

Consternation spreads though the room, and the older, armored man bows his head.   "My Lord, it is as I feared. Tiamat is interfering with the coronation. We should never have allowed the sword to be brought to Sunhome at this time!"   Looking at him, for a moment you see a momentary vision of a great white dragon, there and gone.
 


 

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
Pthax uses his Iron Will reaction and succeeds, taking half-damage and absorbing the spell energy into his maul.

The ships sail onward, west 60 feet. The animated-breaths rise another 60 feet and move towards the tender.  The undead dragon continues 200 feet west (80 move + 80 dash action + 40 from legendary actions). Hydrargyrum drops another 60 feet, still under the effect of feather fall. She casts Dimension Door, returning to the back of her mount.

The tender moves 120 feet west and up, ending at 300 feet.

The copper ship sends up a volley of 10 longbow arrows. 8 hit. None of the arrows beat the damage threshold. However, they trigger 8 CON saves for the tender; it fails two. As a result, the tender (not the people within) is  slowed .

Pthax attacks Nibum twice; the first attack misses when Nibum shields, but the second hits. He unloads all four charges from the maul, doing 41 damage and casting banishment. Nibum fails the CHA save and is banished. He uses his third attack to hit Servius for 18 damage.

DAMAGE
Ttharg - 24 dmg
Servius - Unconscious
Nibum - 41 dmg

Tender - 19 dmg

Pthax - 15 dmg

INITIATIVE
Enemies
Ttharg
Servius
Nibum
 
TriciaOso
 
 Spoiler: Servius 
Servius, unconscious, you see once again a vision of the city of Dis; a vast city of canals, filled not with water but flowing magma. The city sits in the palm of a hand of rock, five peaks rising around it; beyond these peaks is pure fire. The ground underneath heaves and rolls periodically. You've seen this landscape before, in your dreams. This is the city of Dis, built on the back of Apophis as he struggles to restrain Tiamat.

A marilith on a bridge nearby catches your eye; built like a nagini, but twice as tall, with an extra set of arms. It is Qippoz, the marilith you helped in the cove.

   "Our time together may be brief, if your life is saved,"    she says.    "But because you carry my mother's blade, I have this moment to speak with you. I can lend you no strength; only knowledge and understanding of what is underway."

"Apophis and my mother Maril bid me warn you... you have struck directly at Trionyx and he has chosen a more reckless plan in response. He will come to the place where Apophis restrains Tiamat by another route than he had planned, and it will cost him dearly. Yet he felt this was wiser than trying to face you with all his fleet."

"The fleet will try to meet him, but you have gathered strength against this, and deprived them of his power. Many ships have expended resources they should have spared for the Malatrans, defending him. If his fleet cannot seize one of the old gates in Sunhome, I do not believe Tiamat can escape at this time. But even so, Trionyx could bring her the Litany of Kin, and the power of the gods he has gathered and pledged to her. She will try again, and next time her strength will be greater."

" If you live, you have a choice... to ensure the fleet fails to seize Sunhome, or to pursue Trionyx wholly and trust to the Malatrans and your own ship to defeat the fleet. The first is certainty Tiamat will not escape today, but sows seeds for future battles and future champions. The other offers total victory... or total failure."

"The gods have their opinions. Apophis is a creature of cunning and patience. My mother and I prefer action... we would take the risk. But in the end, the gods act through their agents. Trionyx... Pthax... you and your crew. The decision is yours."

"If you live..."   

Your first death saving throw is a success.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "Fate brought us together again, aye...."   Ttharg begins, carefully backing away from Pthax, still trying to keep his footing on the piles of animated gold around him.

  "Bahamut, let me crewman awaken, it be not time for ye to take him to ye locker yet."   He whispers, channelling healing towards Servius. The healing doesn't seem as potent as Ttharg is comfortable with, but the ladle on Ttharg's person tinks against his belt and the magic is ever so slightly reinforced.

  "But we can always fight against our fate. We can always change it."   He finishes to Pthax whilst stepping out onto the deck of the tender, his arms raised out to challenge Pthax.   "If we're going to fight, let the fleet see it. Unless ye be afraid?"   Ttharg taunts Pthax, whilst moving to the side of the tender's deck.

 
 Spoiler 
Main Action Disengage
Bonus Action to cast Healing Word (1st Level) on Servius for 6 points of Healing (rolled on D&amp;Dbeyond and using the ladle to reroll the healing)
Move Action (in difficult terrain) to move out of the tender, taunt Pthax, then move to the side of the deck
 
TriciaOso
Pthax laughs drily.   "Aye, a public execution be good for morale. I saw what you did to yon wench, Krixkrux. But ye might find me made of stern stuff."  

As he crosses the tender, he does not notice your whispered prayer, or hear Servius stir over the sound of his boots moving through the gold of the hoard golem. It is still unwilling to act, yet unable to overcome what Trionyx has done to its magic.

The tender falls silent as Triceratool does the only thing it can -- cut the engine to clear the slow spell, and hope that Nibum can resist the spell.


 


The tender moves not at all. The ships all continue west, bringing you back over the deck of the fang dragon ship. The wyverns rise, chasing you, and the front rank are in melee reach of the tender. Mounted on the lead wyvern, Hydryargyrum has somehow, improbably, made it back to the tender. She raises her hand and blasts the tender three times with venomous green beams of energy; the tender is immune to poison, but the toxic nature of the mercury dragonborn withers the flesh of the tentacles and corrodes the curling shell of the cabin.

   

 

   
  "All right, then, my little lad,"   sneers Pthax.   "Time to take your medicine."   He brings down his maul in a crushing blow.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS
Triceratool cuts the engine to break the slow effect. The tender does not move this round, but is no longer slowed. Nibum succeeds on his CHA save to return (15 + 5 on the Captain's bardic).

The ships and wyverns all move sixty feet. The front wyvern is caught up to the tender, but used its action to move. Hydrargyrum is the mounted boarder. She hits the ship twice with 2 of her 3 Withering Blasts, doing 42 damage. The tender is now bloodied.

Pthax attacks Ttharg. His first strikes hits Ttharg's AC exactly (23) and does 21 damage.

DAMAGE
Ttharg - 45 dmg
Servius - 50 dmg
Nibum - 41 dmg

Tender - 61 dmg

Hydrargyrum - 13 dmg
Pthax - 24 dmg

INITIATIVE
Enemies
Ttharg
Servius
Nibum
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

There would be pain, Ttharg knew this: he was trying to be hit after all. The world turns black for a second as his head is thrown back by the force of the blow. In the brief darkness, he sees the same fractal spark of energy, of potential, of chaos, that he has seen in his visions. The spark grows in intensity, filling his mind with ephemeral electrical energy. A voice in his head, Bahamut perhaps, tells him:   "Be the lightning. Strike true, strike fast, and strike hard."   In the blink of an eye, Ttharg brings his head full force into Pthax's face; unleashing the electrical discord in his mind into the face of his enemy. Lightning erupts from the collision, sending Pthax sprawling backwards and over the edge of the tender.   "Sometimes the tide retreats from the shore, Pthax, but that's only because a tidal wave is coming."  
 
 Spoiler 
Reaction from taking damage to use Wrath of the Storm on Pthax. Pthax fails his Dex save and takes 16 Lightning Damage (but reduced because of his heritage). He is pushed 10ft away from me.
 
TriciaOso
Pthax does not roar, or curse. He looks utterly betrayed, as a man does when he has absolute confidence in his own might and gets suddenly, utterly, beclowned by someone he did not respect.

He flies off the deck of the tender; Hydrargyum extends her hand to cast Feather Fall, and he falls slowly towards the fang dragon ship and the sea below, fuming.

   
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 6/56 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: Exhaustion 1 (disadv ability checks) 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  
Servius woozily sticks a hand out, firing a blast of disruptive energy to stop whatever the enemy sorcerer is casting (Counterspell).  He follows it up with a stream of magical bolts that hit her, knocking her down and possibly off her wyvern mount.

 
 Spoiler 

Magic Missile, 1st level,  (1d4+1)[ 5 ]  x 3 and expend a charge from fulminating treatise to knock her prone and dealing  (2d6)[ 11 ]  extra force damage.
Is she mounted on the wyvern's saddle, or just kind of standing on it?  Maybe she'll fall... depends on how big it is.
 
TriciaOso
With Featherfall counterspelled, Pthax drops three hundred feet directly to the deck of the fang dragon ship below. The magic missiles blast Hydrargyrum from her mount and she follows him down. Covered with horns, spikes and weapons, it is perhaps the worst ship in the fleet to land on.

By virtue of his rage and resistance, Pthax survives; Hydrygyrum is less fortunate. Also less fortunate is the ship itself; from three hundred feet up, a falling barbarian is like a catapult volley. The hull is not destroyed, but severely damaged by the short rain of bodies.

Without magical support, Pthax cannot make it back to the tender even if he wished. With your superior speed, there is nothing to stop you from escaping back to the Malatran fleet. But the distance between the two fleets is shrinking steadily... and Sunhome and Trionyx and the gates down to Tiamat lie even further west, another several hours away from the battle.

You must consider the options the marilith gave you. And the hoard golem taking up the main cabin; you need to consider that, too.
zylodrizzt
Coughing slightly Your former captain is... pleasant... for a rage drake.  he grins in a joking manner before lighting up some elfweed (second wind before short rest)  when i was banished it seems you all handled things well enough. I also discovered that trionyx is on his way to retrieve the sword i think. I appearered in the celestial court i suspect. Seems we have a guest.   he looks over to the golden golem  triceratool you can speak to him right? Feel him out and see what he wants like to be free or to help or some other thing. 
 it seems our mission was a failure... we were woefully unprepared and perhaps overconfident. It seems we will have to give chase or stand and fight with the fleet. 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg does his best to squeeze back into the crowded interior of the tender as they make their escape from the battle. He is wary of the hoard golem, but it seems like it will be brought under control and so Ttharg allows himself to slowly relax. He's quiet for a moment before responding to Nibum:   "There be many things from me past that I be not proud of. It was too much to hope that the storm that brought me to the White Cliff would see off Captain Pthax as well. In many ways he be just the same as he always was: a murderous blaggard; but now he be under the spell o' Trionyx. Bahamut willin' we'll put him a stop to him. I can only hope I have proven worthy o' the second chance Bahamut gave me."  

Ttharg rests on the tender as it moves away from the battle. He offers to bandage up any of the others if they need it.

Ttharg's encounter with Pthax give him a lot to contemplate on. It was almost destiny that they were due to meet again. Perhaps they would both continue to fight against each other for the rest of their days: two storms clashing together when the conditions were right. Whatever the case would be, Ttharg could feel the eyes of Bahamut upon him. The connection to his deity felt personal now, as if Ttharg could petition Bahamut directly for aid. Perhaps Ttharg would have to do so soon enough.

  "We need to go after Trionyx, if we don't stop him then the world ends."  
TriciaOso
Triceratool communicates with the Hoard Golem, and relays the conversation to you. The Golem remains confused about... almost everything since it was taken from Cagway, its fundamental spells having been tampered with by Trionyx, corrupting the concept of possession of a hoard and insinuating the concept that all hoards belong ultimately to the Mother of Dragons and that defending the hoard meant defending her servants.

However, with Servius and Nibum's magical insight into constructs and the spell affecting it, you are able to clear its programming of this influence. The confusion clear, the Golem sinks for a time into deep grief for his creator, an ancient copper dragon of Cagway. After taking some little while to process this loss, the Golem offers you a choice. It is glad to contribute to the fight against Trionyx, but sees little point in its own existence now.

If you shut it down completely, you are welcome to the treasure that makes up its body, including a few magic items it managed to withhold from Pthax. On the other hand, if you would prefer it to fight for you, it will do so. In that case, someone will need to contribute some item of value to its hoard in order to command it in the coming fight.


 


As you get within communication range of the White Cliff, you are able to share and receive some valuable information. The Captain thanks you for your intel, and for exhausting so many of the enemy fleet's resources.

Fork wishes you luck. He shares with you a vision from Tempus, the white dragon god.


  He spoke to me... He told me that if you are victorious, you will see him before the end; that he can offer a home in the heart of the sun for our egg; and that the sword Trionyx stole, in the hands of the Sun King, can destroy the Litany of Kin.

He said Trionyx will not use the sword until the Sun is in the right position. You must reach Tiamat's prison  before  the Sun passes over the Pit and prepares to emerge from Sunhome. That will be just before the next sunrise, 16 hours from now. That's when Trionyx will be able to pass through the Celestial Court and emerge in the Pit.

What he  didn't  say is how long the roads under Sunhome to the Pit will take... I asked Siduri and she's been conferring with the Malatrans, but it sounds like no one knows for sure. You might have a long night's march ahead of you. The Church of Apophis has sent a message ahead that the three of you are cleared to approach the Copper Gate, so that won't be an issue. But there's no telling what to expect beyond it.

I wish I was going with you, lads. But with Pthax still running free out here, maybe it was always our destiny to split up. I'll get him for you, Ttharg, if you swear to spit in Trionyx's eye for me. Gods protect you all.  
J-H
 Servius 
Servius presses his lips together.  If he was human, they'd be pale and bloodless; scales conceal the flow of blood much better.  "Nibum, you have shown a better choice in allies than your captain, and thus shown yourself to be a better person.  Ttharg, I believe you just saved my life.

So it comes down to a chase, a passage to a place of legend.  Although I wish we had been able to catch Trionyx and his dragon, we shall see such sights!  We must intercept him and we shall, for we have no choice.  Does it not make your blood quicken?"

Servius stops, and ponders.  It seems he has caught the disease known as "battle fever" or "a desire to adventure."  There will be time for libraries, but only later.

After they have studied the Hoard Golem, Servius approaches it cautiously, withdrawing a wand he no longer uses.  He extends it to the golem, while keeping a small strand of magic tied to it.   "I have scales, a tail, and the ability to blast my foes with the elements themselves.  With the right magic, I can even fly for a little while.  I am no dragon, but am I close enough for you to work with?" 
 "What is your name, or designation?" 
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  Servius 
Servius presses his lips together.  If he was human, they'd be pale and bloodless; scales conceal the flow of blood much better.  "Nibum, you have shown a better choice in allies than your captain, and thus shown yourself to be a better person.  Ttharg, I believe you just saved my life.

So it comes down to a chase, a passage to a place of legend.  Although I wish we had been able to catch Trionyx and his dragon, we shall see such sights!  We must intercept him and we shall, for we have no choice.  Does it not make your blood quicken?"

Servius stops, and ponders.  It seems he has caught the disease known as "battle fever" or "a desire to adventure."  There will be time for libraries, but only later.

After they have studied the Hoard Golem, Servius approaches it cautiously, withdrawing a wand he no longer uses.  He extends it to the golem, while keeping a small strand of magic tied to it.   "I have scales, a tail, and the ability to blast my foes with the elements themselves.  With the right magic, I can even fly for a little while.  I am no dragon, but am I close enough for you to work with?" 
 "What is your name, or designation?"  
 

The hoard swirls, bows, then coalesces, flowing into the multi-dimensional sea chest taken from the orc infiltrator, finally at rest now that it has a master again. At the top of the heap is a huge ruby shaped like a heart.

   
It speaks, cautiously, in the universal language it has been absorbing from Triceratool.

  In my long existence, I have rarely met other beings than myself, the hoard, and my master, the master. I know living creatures have names, and that there are other hoards, but it has never been a concern of mine. At the heart of all my spellcraft lies the gemstone called the Star of Fury. I suppose you can call me... Gem. 
 

 


Hours pass as you journey towards Sunhome. You know the two fleets must already be clashing, but there is no word and nothing you can do. The volcanic island rises before you, lush and green and steaming in the icy sea, portal to the Fire Plane. The sun is already far over the world beyond, but light in the sky still lingers here; you have left the Hic Sunt and crossed into the daylight world of humans, elves and dwarves.

As you follow the coast towards the location of the Copper Gate, you come across another small fleet, this one in some disarray and ruin. These are great sailing ships of a design not familiar to you; instead of the flat-bottoms you are used to, these ships have deep keels. They are human ships, and the greatest of them is also the most stricken, its sails burnt away, hull stove in, rapidly being evacuated by the other ships. The crew and passengers seem a mix of wealthily-dressed nobles and stern armed men. Bodies also float in the sea... and the greatest of them all is the corpse of a copper dragon, the undead mount of Trionyx. There is no sign, however, of the tortle himself.

Oddly, among these ships of human make you also spot the squat, familiar shape of a goblin steamboat, helping with the evacuation of the sinking ship. You think--no, you are sure--it's the same one you encountered at the beginning of the journey. You recall suddenly that the goblins  told  you they were journeying to human lands for a coronation.

If you engage the invisibility, you can pass by these other sailors without getting involved; otherwise you will probably need to make some account of yourselves, especially in an illithid craft. With your ship's superior senses the decision is up to you.
zylodrizzt
 It looks like we are nearing the end of this voyage. Dont think any of us expected to be saving the world. ] he says facing the controls guiding the tentacles to make repairs with the help of assistants. He pauses a moment trying to consider the words  Im old. Possibly older then i should ever have been. This time here on this ship seems to have effected me for the better. Wanted to say thank you for that. If it comes to it... and you have to make a choice... dont choose to save my life. Finish this. My life for the lives of all no longer just because i wished to die. If you can revive me after do so but i suspect i wont return.  triceratool and the others make a fuss. Minicliff in nibuns mind. The toolians coming out buzzing angerly. Triveratool verbally with pteradactool parroting him. The tender seems to protest in its own way. Hush you all. Ive made up my mind. I care for you all like i would my own children. Id like you all to keep the ship up if you want but you will be free to do as you wish ultimately. Dont worry i dont just plan to die tho. This old kobold has never just gave up. Servius... id like to ask you some favors if thats ok. I know we havent known each other much more then this voyage but ive grown to like you. You write right? Even if i survive this id like you to write about this and about the negniter family... my life if there is room in there. Id also like to ask if youd make sure siduri ...should i die... make good on her promise to me about the negniter estate an artificer college.  

To thrag I know i go against orcus wishes this entire time but do you think there is a way to justify it to the god or to my faith? Im not the most devout as you can tell but its hard to break habit i suppose. I guess ill try to appease him with a sacrifice of trionyx but if i fall can you do so by dipping them in acid? 

Upon discovering the wreckage and spotting the steam ship nibum says  Im stopping  he gets outside of striking distance with onboard weapons and gets on the speakers  This is not a mindflayer vessel. This is a stolen vessel claimed by the white cliff. We were aboard your vessel many months ago. Please do not fire on us we are coming aboard.  nibum leaves the controls to triceratool and steps out onto the deck for the steamship to view.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
 "Ttharg, you have shown a better choice in allies than your captain, and thus shown yourself to be a better person. I believe you just saved my life. 
 

  "I can only hope me actions since me youth have been better spent. Me life doesn't have to prosper at the suffering o' others. We each save each other whenever we get into these engagements; ye've saved me plenty in return."  

 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 To thrag I know i go against orcus wishes this entire time but do you think there is a way to justify it to the god or to my faith? Im not the most devout as you can tell but its hard to break habit i suppose. I guess ill try to appease him with a sacrifice of trionyx but if i fall can you do so by dipping them in acid?  
 

  "I can't square away ye faith for ye. That's something ye will have to come to yeself. But remember ye can always change, an' ye be not a slave to the divine - ye be ye own man. Acid might be hard for me to come by, lad; but I'll see what I can do."  

 


As the group approach the wrecked flotilla, Ttharg is hesitant:   "We should make all speed to head Trionyx off, an' we have little that could aid the smoothskins that we don't need for ourselves. But if ye feel it's wise...."  
TriciaOso
A delegation of humans are on the steamship, meeting with the moustachioed hobgoblin who leads their expedition.

 
 Spoiler: If you examine the delegation... 
They are mostly richly dressed in what is probably religious garb, carrying staves and holy symbols, and wearing masks for some reason. The color scheme tends to the solar, yellows and oranges, but there is some white and silver and stark red peppered in.

There is also a small human child among them, who looks very overwhelmed. They treat him with deference but do not speak to him, and the conversations of politics and war swarm around him like a beehive.
 

 Tomyris , the troglodyte Bounder from the goblin city, is with this group. At Nibum's call she sniffs the air and grins toothily. While the humans mostly look askance at you and your strange craft and continue their business, she says a quick word to the hobgoblin and hustles over to the tender to exchange gossip.

 "You know, as soon as I heard that creepy tortle was involved in this mess, I wondered if I'd smell the likes of you again. Still chasing him after all this time?" 

You are able to exchange some valuable intelligence. The steamship was docked at Sunhome, waiting to trade with the approaching human delegation, and puffed back out into the open water after the battle was ended. The dragon came straight at the flagship and while it was occupied with the dragon, the tortle somehow got onboard and took the Sun Sword from Prince Royal on his way to be 'crowned'.

 "Which wasn't hard because he's about eight and pees himself when he gets scared,"  she adds.  "The Church likes their Princes young, nervous and in need of advice." 

The Prince Royal was unharmed, although his regent was slain in taking the sword. "And then he disappeared. Left his mount to get torn apart by their ballistas and sea-sorcerers." Ugly enough to turn a freedom-loving metallic dragon into an undead slave; uglier still to abandon it on the battlefield.

 
 Spoiler: If you look closely at the floating corpse... 
Sadly, you recognize the lantern jaw and heavy brow of  Shanidar , the lord of Baratano. You can't help but wonder if his sister knows, and if she is alright.
 

 "The humans are searching for him with all their firepower... if he's stays on this plane I reckon they'll find him, but of course a powerful cleric has tricks to get other places,"  she says. She glances at the island.  "Maybe you've got business ahead on the island and we shouldn't keep you too long, eh? If they don't get their sword back, things might get ugly here." 
 
 Spoiler: History 15+ 
If they don't get their sword back, the humans will almost certainly declare war. Getting back the Sword of the Sun is maybe the one thing that could re-unite the Principalities of Solus under one banner. They may not understand on who, exactly they are declaring war on-- they mostly deal with lizardfolk raiders, not any real country of the Hic Sunt -- but it will surely get bloody. And of course, Malatra's navy is even now suffering losses....
 

 "That said, if you're in need of help, we would hate to let our friends down,"  she adds, thoughtfully.  "You do smell like you've been through the ringer." 
 
 Spoiler: If you are candid about what you've been through today with Tomyris... 
The troglodyte grabs the goblin saleswoman Min, who provides a couple of potions of Greater Restoration for your exhausted cohorts, and asks,  "On a scale of one to ten, how big are the stakes of all this business?" 
 
J-H
 Servius 
 "They'll want the sword back and Trionyx dead... and so do we.  Perhaps they'd like to send a few warriors with us to help?" 
TriciaOso
She grins wryly.  "Wouldn't it be a lovely world if we could all trust each other like that? As far as they're concerned, reptilians stole their sword. They aren't going to trust reptilians to help get it back.  I  believe you, mostly because I met Trionyx independently and then you warned me about him six months ago and then, whoops, here we are."

"But they don't trust you, and frankly I'm just another lizard to them. They trust my boss a  little  more--he got them not to fire on your craft--but not really. Half of them think he's going to give them the plague and the other half keep telling him how good his Common is."

"Although the Prince Royal has been insisting on meeting you... But he's not the king yet, and he's also four or whatever." 

(He's probably about eight.)
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg prays silently for Shanidar. He was a dragon Ttharg knew personally, as well as his sister, and to be forcibly taken against their will and discarded just as easily is insulting at best, sacrilegious at worst. He hopes Zab is alive, but given how easily Shanidar was taken it makes Ttharg reluctantly believe she is likely dead. If nothing else, she will be distraught and fearful at the loss of Shanidar: his might helped keep Baratano in check and now there is very little to stop factions vying for power in the vacuum; if anything of Baratano still remains standing.

Ttharg thanks Min for the Greater Restoration potion and quaffs it; feeling immediately better.

  "There'll be war if they don't get their sword back. But that will be a moot point if Trionyx be successful. Tiamat will return an' devour the world. So, perhaps a solid 9 on the serious scale. Not a 10, o' course: we still have the rum."  
  "Aye, I wish Tohil were here. Meetin' with royalty be somethin' we ain't accustomed or good at; let alone a smoothskin child. But there be nothin' we can do about it now."  
TriciaOso
Min nods at Ttharg's words and steps away, a thoughtful expression on her green face.  "Be right back." 
 "If you're willing, I'll get him,"  says Tomyris.  "I do think it's worth hearing him out." 

 


There is clearly some debate about allowing the little boy to speak to you, but it appears that he shows some sign of royal backbone, because he does get his way. His expression is weirdly serious for his soft face and youth, flushed and streaked with tears as it is. Despite the emergency and the sinking ship, someone has taken the time to dress him in pomp and gold brocade, but he's been wiping his nose on the red velvet sleeve. He is accompanied by two wizened old men. One of them is dressed as a superior servant, and the Prince Royal is trying not to cling to him too obviously; the other is a stern priest who seems very disapproving behind his mask. There are also several soldiers.

The boy seems strangely unafraid of you; in fact, he looks up to the old men and says something, excited and urgent. A half-second behind, a translation spell:

  "It  is  them! I told you! I told you!"  

The priest looks pained.

  "Yes, your majesty. But perhaps  not  a third level spell slot. I  do  speak the reptilian tongue."   He looks at you and says in absolutely butchered Draconic, mixing high language with the slang of the lizardfolk raiders:

 "Look you, this him big fella belong Sun, potentate our hoard. Small boy, baby, tiny tiny boy. Does not know anything, does not even know elementary runes. He covetous to give you look his creation." 

The little boy is clenching a scroll in his fist.   "I dreamed of, of the bad one who took my sword. He had the hurt shell. You killed him. But when he died, it was like he was an egg... like something hatched from his shell."   Tears are beginning to roll again, and the servant squeezes his shoulder.

  "Your majesty, as I have told you repeatedly, those particular prophecies are meant for older eyes. And perhaps not before bed."  

The servant looks at you all, and then makes the decision to speak out of turn.   "Begging your pardon, Your Holiness, but he is the Heir of the Sun King. All of the prophecies are his to read, and indeed his to add to. And it does seem that he was correct."  
  "You presume too much, Ezrim!"  

But the servant takes the scroll from the boy, smooths it, and hands it to you.

On one side of the scroll is an illuminated manuscript in the human language, but the boy has painted an image on the other side. The artwork is surprisingly good. It shows a creature with the shell of a dragonturtle, the powerful limbs of a dragon, and five heads; like Tiamat, but not. The colors are wrong, for one thing.

   
  "'The prophet will fall; there is no hope for him. But from his heart will hatch the Beast, the Spawn of Tiamat. Beware it; the jaws that bite, the claws that catch.'"  

Servius, you see he is quoting the first lines of the illuminated manuscript on the scroll, which you can read thanks to your comprehension of all written languages. The prophecies continues, describing the Beast; this may well be very useful information.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
This is an OOC choice -- you may gather from the prophecy  either  the Beast's Immunities, Resistances and Vulnerabilities, or his Legendary abilities.
 


It is clear that the priest is fed up, and that this interview is over; also that the servant--Ezrim--may be looking for another job when they return to human lands. But he looks stiffly dignified at having done his duty, and the boy gives you a shy wave goodbye.
J-H
 Servius 
Servius summons up what diplomatic skills he can as they depart - this is a king.  A scared, young king, but one who could launch a war if offended.  He also keeps his vocabulary on the simpler side.

"Thank you for this.  We have been hunting the bad one for many months.  He committed crimes against our people and seeks to release the 5-headed god herself from the sacred coils of Apophis.  We now know what we will face when we kill him.  If we succeed, we will return the sword to you or your people."

 
 Spoiler: Persuasion 

 (1d20+2)[ 5 ] 
 
TriciaOso
As you are returning to the tender, Min hurries back with a bottle.  "It's not rum,"  she says breathlessly.  "Mead, actually, from axiomatic honey. Potion of Second Thoughts. Dekenna'll be furious, but I was gonna jump ship in Kingseat anyway." 
 
 Spoiler: Potion of Second Thoughts 
A distillation of axiomatic honey, the Potion of Second Thoughts allows the drinker to minorly alter the flow of time to have made different choices -- as long as those choices have not yet impacted the timeline. Mechanically, this will allow the user to change the spells they selected for the day or other selections made at the end of a long rest, without taking a long rest.
 


Finally, Tomyris uses her warlock spell slots to fully charge the Synthesis for Nibum.
zylodrizzt
 Thank you   he says to tomyris after they fill synthesis charges.

Nibum is reminded of when he took care of negniter when he was a hatchling when looking at the young lord. He tinkers with some junk he keeps on hand making a sort of projector with a small screen. He uses triceratool to be kinda a table as his assistants and toolians help him put it together. He scans the image the young lord drew and scanned some simple drawings of the tender as well as thrag servius himself and triceratool. He then animated a small scene where they were victorious over the drawing the young man had drawn and gives them the young man. It makes noises that kinda mimic fighting but small and some might consider cute like a puppet show. (Using the special artificer cantrip like ability)

He tells the young lord before he goes hoping it can be translated This wont last more then a day. I hope it comforts or entertains you for a while. I once used such a thing to entertain and teach my lord when he was smaller then me. He grew quickly and powerful as you will.  
TriciaOso
The Prince Royal is delighted. (The high priest looks exceedingly sour, but it would take a bigger army than he has to separate the boy from it.) He waves after the tender, shouting,   "I will pray for you!"   It is perhaps all he can do for you.


 


The tender skims away over the sea towards Sunhome. As you make landfall and head up onto the tropical beach, Ttharg, you receive a terse Sending from Fork.

 
 Spoiler: Ttharg 
 
 Victory!
flagship sunk, white cliff plus one disabled.
fiftyish casualties;white cliff lost 4, no officers
five enemy ships surrendered, five sunk
Pthax dead
Good luck! 

 
 


 


It is exceedingly hot on Sunhome Island, hot enough to forget that you are in the waters of the north, hotter even than the volcanic territory of the red dragon clans in Lssthp. The directions from the Malatrans send you up the steep side of the volcano, through dense jungle, until it suddenly gives way to a wide cleared area that holds a military encampment.

The soldiers here serve Apophis for life, to keep the secret of the location of the gates; it is a sacred but not especially desirable duty. The most variety they get is a rotation between gates. Many of them were born here, to previous generations of guards, or have been here for decades. It's perhaps unsurprising that they turn out en masse to see the novelty of your ship, although few of them know that you are being allowed down into the tunnels they have dedicated their lives to guarding.

At the front of the gawking crowd of Yuan-Ti is the one person who does know, the Captain of the Guard you are here to liase with; Captain Boidae, a short but powerfully built Yuan Ti. He slithers forward to meet you as you disembark.

  "Greetings. I'll be your escort as far as the tunnel entrance. I've sworn a binding oath to Sseth to never enter the tunnels myself, but I understand the seriousness of your mission and will do my best for you while you are above ground. Is there anything we can do for you or provide before we head out?"  
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg nodded as he heard the message in his head. Those were surprisingly good numbers. He formulated a response to Fork in his own head.

 
 Spoiler: Sending Response 

Pthax survived worse.
Will surely see again.
Congratulations to all!
Safely at Sunhome now.
Humans want their sword returned or war.
Failure not an option.
 

  "Just received a message from Fork. The battle went well - Malatrans lost their flagship, an' a couple o' ours got disabled, including the White Cliff, but half the enemy fleet got sunk an' the others be disabled. A handful o' the crew of the White Cliff were lost, but all the officers be ok."  

Before stepping off the tender, Ttharg swaddles the Solar Dragon Egg as best as he can and puts it in his pack.   "Ye be gettin' a front row seat to the battle o' a lifetime, young'un; an' ye won't even remember it."  

Ttharg was glad they'd be heading underground soon - his plate armour wasn't doing much good to keep him cool; but at least the Platinum Scarf made a fine bandana.

  "Do ye have any diamonds, crushed or otherwise, ye can spare? Any potions o' healing, o' other such potions?"   Ttharg asks directly. Whether or not the Yuan-Ti can provide any such items, Ttharg then asks:   "What about a stiff drink? Could be the last time any o' us get the chance an' it be a bad omen not to have a drink with ye mates before the end."  
TriciaOso
The guards are able to outfit you with climbing gear, some rations, seven potions, three scrolls of Spiderclimb, and about 500 gp worth of loose diamonds. Captain Boidae also hands over a flask of stiff liquor distilled from the bananas native to the island. The rations also have a strong banana component, along with jerky of some nameless jungle beast. The potions are 4 standard healing potions, 2 greater and one superior.

Boidae leads you up the slope to a cavern entrance. The plant growth is twisted and unusually thick, giving up a heavy mist that obscures sightlines, and there are reeking mudpits and fouled pools he has to lead you around. By the time you reach the entrance, it is full dark, and you know you have only eight hours until the sun crosses the Pit and Trionyx has his chance.

  "Once these gates were guarded by greatwyrms, and their lairs still lie between the entrances and the doors themselves. They are long abandoned, but the defenses of dragons have a way of lingering. This was a lair of a black dragon, of course, with all that entails -- swamps, acid, the undead. What lies beyond the doors, no one living knows -- they may lead straight to the Pit, or further tunnels and dangers may lie beyond."

"May Apophis keep you, and,"   he raises his hand in a salute, his hand closed tight in a fist.   "Hold fast."  

The cave entrance lies before you; it is a natural crevice in the black volcanic rock, but someone has patiently etched figures into the obsidian stone. The doorway is flanked by figures of Bahamut and Sardior; Tiamat's five heads rise above the opening, and Apophis encircles the whole.

   
Darkness lies beyond the door, but you can hear (and smell) the pop and hiss of jets of rank steam from within.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg takes the opportunity to crush some of the Diamonds into Dust, with his Warhammer, for the ability to cast Greater Restoration, if needed later. He takes a moment to propose a toast to his fellow officers:   "It's been a pleasure servin' with ye lads, here's to us, to the White Cliff, an' to savin' the world."   He downs the fruity alcohol.

As they approach the entrance, Ttharg bows his head to the carving of Bahamut in respect before plunging into the darkness with the others. The darkness is immediately dispelled by the light from the egg, which Ttharg is grateful for; being unable to see otherwise. He draws his Warhammer and Shield, ready to take on any threats.

The first threat, however, is getting past the acid vents. With Nibum and Triceratool leading the party, it made navigating the treacherous space a little easier, but Ttharg wasn't dexterous. Before reaching the end of the tunnel, Ttharg's scales had been lightly burned by the acid.

 
 Spoiler 
Failed Dex Save, take 9 Damage
 
J-H
 Servius 
Servius gratefully takes one of the potions.  He also drinks the potion that clears exhaustion, and spends a bit of time speed-reading in his spellbook.

 "Thank you for your aid.  If our quest goes poorly... you will know.  May Apophis protect you." 
zylodrizzt
Using his experience nibum carefully picks his way thru guiding the other two but no matter how much experience he had this was a dangerous endeavor. With triceratool and his assistants help nibum guided everyone thru with minimal damage
TriciaOso
   
The tunnel is dark and treacherous, with many blind alleys and dead ends. Despite twists and turns it bears you inevitably towards the center of the island and down deeper into the earth. Intermittently, vents in the walls and ceiling send of blasts of acidic mist.

In your favor, you have Nibum's experience with the lair of black dragons, a radius of light around the egg for thirty feet in each directions, and the acid-resistant frame of the hoard golem, which was created by a copper dragon.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
  Corrosive Vents.  The vents spew acid in short, irregular bursts. Each creature who traverses the tunnel must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw (with advantage), taking half of 18 (4d8) acid damage on a failed save, or no damage on a successful one. 
 


You pick you way through the tunnel carefully and after three weary hours, the space before you begins to widen. The stone floor underfoot begins to soften to packed earth, and the rank, sour smell of a swamp is in the air. Nibum, you know from a lifetime of experience that black dragons almost always hide the entrance or entrances to their lair beneath the murky waters of a swamp or bog. The swamp of the black greatwyrm that inhabited this place must lie ahead.

   
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "I can't see anything beyond what the egg's light be providin'. Where to now, Mr Nibum?"  
J-H
Servius stares out across the underground swamp.  Near the borders of the planes, rational geography gives way to strange blends.  His Darkvision only reaches so far.  Perhaps there are tracks...
Investigation  (1d20+10)[ 14 ] 
TriciaOso
Servius and Nibum, peering into the dark cavern beyond with your dark vision, you have the impression of a huge open space. You can see the stone walls to the left and right, but not the ceiling, and not straight ahead.

   
An expanse of black liquid forms an unnatural swamp that seeps up this cavern’s walls—thicker than water, but thinner than muck. Ripples occasionally disrupt the viscous surface. Obsidian, plant-shaped formations jut up out of the liquid.

You can also make out dim shapes floating in the air, like enormous airborne jellyfish.

   
 
 Spoiler: Nature/Survival 12+, Nibum has adv 
You recognize the lighter-than-air swamp fungus known as a rot angel. There are four of them drifting slowly over the surface. They are mushrooms the size of a humanoid that inhabit swamps, scavenging dead creatures and seeking out prey smaller than themselves. Their movements are largely random on the air currents, but they can steer a bit.

 
 Spoiler: Nature/Survival 19+ 
The way they move reveals a strange air current high on the northeast wall.
 

 


Servius, your scrutiny of the room reveals a path forward, at least partially. Along the path the muck and water are no more than ankle-high, while stepping off could plunge you into deeper pools. Nibum, you know these deeper pools could well conceal a path deeper into the lair -- it is a common strategy for black dragons -- but can also hold dangers and traps, or simply grow more acidic as you descend.
J-H
 Servius 
 "There are shallow patches or paths.  We should be able to wade through this, but we'll have to be careful.  There are also a lot of deeper patches where the water is darker." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "I'll follow ye lead. Anythin' else to watch out for?"   Ttharg asks.
J-H
 Servius 
 "There are a few things floating in the air, like jellyfish or flumphs.  Creatures with numerous tendrils or tentacles tend to be hunters rather than plant-eaters, but they aren't very big.  We may be too large for them to consider prey." 

There's not a lot of time to waste, so unless anyone has a reason to not, the group immediately walks/slithers into the water.
zylodrizzt
Pteradactool to inspect the northeast air looking thru its eyes when it gets there. Careful to avoid the creatures floating around hoping that the non-organic life that is pterodactyl won't attract thier attention.

 We could take the path forward sure but theres another possibility... or 2 depending on what i see in that corner over there *pointing*. Those deeper pockets might lead somewhere as well tho with it comes danger of course...might not lead anywhere at all considering there is more then one. Traps and acid all the ingredients needed for defending a black dragons lair. If we arent prepared it would of course put as at an extreme disadvantage.  
TriciaOso
Pteradactool swoops to the far end of the cavern, avoiding the rot angels, and is able to perceive a crevice high on the far wall to the northeast. It looks narrow, but you know dragons can be deceptively able to squirm through tight spaces. It is definitely big enough to pass through, rather than a simple air vent. It's high enough and hidden enough that it may be a second hidden entrance; it seems inconvenient to be a main entrance, but it's impossible to say. Maybe the greatwyrm just didn't have a lot of servants.

You move forward across the swamp, trying your best to remain on the path and relying on your rings of water walking.

   
As you move past the center of the swamp, you are able to see the far wall. To the northeast lies the wall leading up to the crevice; to the northwest is a deep, deep pool. Nibum, you recognize it as the most likely candidate for an underwater entrance.
J-H
 Servius 
Servius sinuously bends down to sniff at the water.  He looks up at the crevasse.   "I'd rather go up than try to hold my breath through this." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg nods.   "Going up be better, aye; especially if there's acid involved."  
TriciaOso
Using the water walk tokens, you are able to cross the swamp to the far northeastern wall. The rock is sheer and sharp-edged obsidian; the crevice is up out of your sight, but Pteradactool was able to report that it's about 100 feet up.

The rot angels drift in this direction, interested in a vague fungal way in your movements.
zylodrizzt
Nibum sends his assistants and the toolians up to tie off some rope. They had always come in useful for those hard to reach spots

(Hadn't looked at mage hand so not sure it's range is enough. If not just flavor)
TriciaOso
You linger on the swampy water long enough to secure ropes and hook Triceratool up to a winch of sorts; he leads the procession up the wall about forty-five feet and belays there, driving a piton into the glassy obsidian. The crevice is still not visible from here, the ropes leading up into darkess.

The rot angels continue to drift closer.

Nibum goes up after him, his old bones complaining the whole time. Without the construct's solicitous help he could not make it to the belaying point. Ttharg swarms up the rope after him with ease.

Servius comes last, having returned the hoard golem to the seachest. Resting on the surface of the water, he sees shapes moving beneath the water, and alarm puts extra speed into his muscles.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
You can climb the wall securely with the rope, moving at half speed. You can then add your Athletics roll to the movement; however, you cannot move past the person ahead of you and can assist others with your roll if you wish. Triceratool rolls a 24 and Nibum a 2, so between them, using their actions to dash, they get 30 feet up the wall and then another 13. Ttharg rolls a 13 and Servius a 16, keepingup.
 


From beneath the water, ancient lizardfolk corpses preserved by the bog begin to surface and grope towards the ropes. The rot angels cluster above you, and three of them drift by, moving with surprising swiftness.

   
They reach out their tentacles for Nibum, ignoring the non-organic constructs. Triceratool noses one of them away, and Nibum's fractal breastplate confuses a second, but the third enmeshes the kobold painfully. They then drift away.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS:
Nibum, Triceratool, Ttharg and Servius use their actions to dash and make Athletic checks, climbing 43 feet. Bog bodies climb out of the swamp and begin to follow up the rope, dashing as well and moving 30 feet total. Three rot angels are able to get within reach and attack Nibum. Triceratool imposes disadvantage on the first attack, which misses; the second attack is critical hit, but Nibum uses his reaction to turn it into a 15. The third is a second critical hit. It does 50 damage to Nibum. All three then withdraw to ten feet away from the rope.

DAMAGE:
Nibum - 63 dmg
Ttharg - 9 dmg

INITIATIVE
Nibum
Ttharg
Servius
Bog Bodies
Rot Angels
 
J-H
      
 
   
 Servius Calventius Pamphilius

    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 62/62 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Warding Wind  
 
  
Servius thinks back, recalling a spell he memorized every day for months.  It takes some effort, but he summons up a howling wind to surround himself and those close by.  With luck, it'll keep the floating fungi from flaying friends.
He also climbs as fast as he can, although the rope sways violently in the wind.
 
 Spoiler: Warding Wind DC 17 

A strong wind (20 miles per hour) blows around you in a 10-foot radius and moves with you, remaining centered on you. The wind lasts for the spell’s duration.

The wind has the following effects:

    It deafens you and other creatures in its area.

    It extinguishes unprotected flames in its area that are torch-sized or smaller.

    The area is difficult terrain for creatures other than you.

    The attack rolls of ranged weapon attacks have disadvantage if they pass in or out of the wind.

    It hedges out vapor, gas, and fog that can be dispersed by strong wind.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg is quite at home climbing ropes. As the strange creatures close in and swarm Nibum, Ttharg reaches up with a free hand and mutters a prayer for healing on the kobold.   "Climb quickly, lad!"   He calls.

 
 Spoiler 
Athletics 15 to climb
Main Action to cast Cure Wounds at 3rd Level for 24 points of Healing
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum reels from the blows just barely managing to survive let alone keep his grip. He feels the wind all around him being familiar with this spell he looks down to servius and sends his toolians to go and protect him (sanctuary wis save dc18 no concentration). Him and triceratool continue the ascent careful to stay within the protective winds of servius. He drops a timed frost grenade at one of thier pursues for good measure (dc 18 frostbite for 5 damage)
TriciaOso
The ice forms on the lead bog body's face, and he roars and claws it away.

The four of you scramble hurriedly up the rope, pausing to shift Servius into the center of the group to protect you all with the whirling winds. It's a good thing you do; the twitching, swaying rope makes the climb difficult for everyone, but your wizard struggles the most, fighting to wrap his serpentine lower body around the rope. Still, with help from the rest of you, he holds on, and you all make it another thirty feet up the rope.

Behind you, the bog bodies climb grimly, mindlessly, hungrily. Their undead muscles are strong, but they cannot cooperate, and they cannot think clearly enough to control the bucking rope. Still, they swarm forty feet up the rope, gaining on you.

...which is when the rot angels descend, hungry for carrion flesh. The lead body is consumed almost entirely, bits of bones and viscera raining down on the others, who only fare a little better.

   
Those of you with dark vision can see the crevice from here. You make a last push for the exit while the fungi are busy, and crawl into the opening. On this last stretch, Nibum's grip fails him entirely, and the elderly kobold has to be pushed over the lip of the entrance by his assistants. Behind you, the rot angels continue their grim feast until nothing remains of the bog bodies.

You find yourself in a low, small corridor through the rock; it looks like it was melted through by acid. It is a short passage, leading almost immediately to an opening in the ground with a metal pole descending; a more comfortable method for Yuan-Ti than a staircase. Peering down through the opening you can only see glimpses of what looks like a furnished room within a cavern.

   
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

As Ttharg crests over the lip, he starts to pull in and stow the rope. If the Bog Bodies (which Ttharg might not be able to see at this point) still cling to the rope, Ttharg gets ready to shove them off as they approach the lip.

Once the rope is stowed, Ttharg turns to Nibum to continue addressing his wounds. He pulls out his healer's kit and applies a briefly stinging liquid to the cuts on Nibum before wrapping bandages around him.   "Jellyfish an' the like tend to have toxins; the ointment I put on ye should neutralise most contact toxins."   Ttharg states matter-of-factly.

Once the treatment is finished, he redraws his Warhammer and Shield.

 
 Spoiler 
Healer Feat heal on Nibum for  (1d6+14)[ 17 ] 
 
J-H
 Servius 
 "That was more exciting than I would have liked.  I think it's safe to assume something lurks in the room ahead...but what?" 
Winds continue to whip around him.
zylodrizzt
Nibum slumps against the wall and as he gets patched up he sends minicliff to scout the region periodically peering thru its eyes.  Yeah black dragons arent direct. They are clever. Wear you down long before you arrive. Whatever is up ahead im sure will be designed to weaken us further. So should we use resources now or wait? I sent minicliff to scout... lets hope they spot the danger before the danger spots them. 
TriciaOso
Swooping through the room below, Minicliff encounters no immediate danger. Looking through its lenses, you are able to examine the space thoroughly.

It appears to be an arcane laboratory; the level of craft and artifice looks strange set in this rough, acid-hewn cave. There are work benches, alembics, retorts, tomes, distilleries... all the marks of a busy arcane mind. On one workbench lies a collection of leather straps, flexible tubing, glass cylinders, and plates, bracers, and fittings made from a strange iridescent metal alloy, all assembled into a harness. An entire cabinet of potions takes up one wall, each row marked with a different arcane rune.

The manufacture on the devices is sophisticated but unfamiliar; magitech of the ancient world. If it resembles anything it's the sphere the Kanikau recovered and gave to you.

   
Also incongruous is a large gold sarcophagus parked against one wall. It looks like the kind of thing you'd see in a temple or pyramid, not lying askew on a workbench. It is about ten feet long, and if the sculpted lid is true to life holds a Yuan-Ti with a proud, sour expression. One of the hands from the arms crossed over the effigy's chest is missing, and so is one of the jeweled eyes.

Two crumbling stone statues of Yuan-Ti flank the only other exit from the room; Mini-Cliff's keen senses detect their eyes shifting to watch it search, but they do not otherwise move. Beyond the doorway you can glimpse a dark vertical shaft lined with thick creeping vines, but you can't see anything more without passing the statues.
J-H
 "Jewel, why don't you go down first?  If the statues are hostile, they might not even recognize you as something they should attack."   Servius conveys his intent mentally for Jewel to descend and move about the room, looking for anything that could be a trap, useful treasure, or otherwise interesting or dangerous.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg slaps another Cure Wounds prayer on Nibum as they watch the golem scout the room.

 
 Spoiler 
Cure Wounds at 3rd Level on Nibum for 22hp healed
 


Seeing the golem move around without hassle, Ttharg makes the decision to drop into the room himself. He steadies himself and waits a second to see if anything reacts to his landing before moving over to the saprophagous and inspecting.

Ttharg doesn't want to open the lid, but he wants to check the missing hand and eye - does it look like the pieces were pried out of the original structure or does it look like the hand and eye were purposefully designed to be placed and removed?
TriciaOso
Dropping into the room, you feel a wave of dizziness, but it passes almost at once.

It looks as if the sarcophagus was made that way purposefully, perhaps modeled on an individual missing those body parts.
zylodrizzt
Minicliff returns to its post and nibum mounts up and move into the room. He peers at the statues at the edge of his detect magic vision. He gets his toolians ready (cast mage hand) to touch things. He then peers at other things with his detect magic.
TriciaOso
Nibum, you look around the laboratory. The papers are written in an ancient form of Draconic, antique even to you. The potions seem to be racked by types of element, which makes sense because they appear to be potions of resistance. Many of them are curdled, but there are many that are still good; five of acid resistance, three each of necrotic, fire, lightning, cold and poison resistance, and one each of psychic, radiant and thunder.

The apparatus will take some further study.

The statues at the door radiate extraplanar energy; they are not statues at all, but some kind of fiend. The sarcophagus is glowing with magic of the necromantic school. It pulses, twice, and suddenly your perspective is a  
 Spoiler 
close-up of Ttharg peering down into your face. You are looking out through the single eye of the sarcophagus, unable to move or speak. You recognize this immediately as the magic jar spell.

So who is in your body?
 


Ttharg, you do not recognize the figure. Since you are still on the periphery of the lair, it is possible this is someone whose only significance was as a servant of the greatwyrm who lived here, and was entombed with his master.

You notice that Nibum has gone very still and is looking around the room in a different way now; almost proprietary, his eyes lingering on you and the constructs, not the arcane mysteries.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg approaches Nibum.   "Everything alright, lad?"   He asks.   "I felt dizzy for a second dropping down, but figured it was somethin' magical examinin' me."  
zylodrizzt
Nibum telepathically tells minicliff to bump into both servius and thrag getting thier attention and then land on the sarchaphagus.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg notices Minicliff's behaviour and heads back to the sarcophagus.   "Ye want me to open it?"   Ttharg says aloud so that everyone can hear.
J-H
      
   <span style="font-family: Century

Gothic">  Servius Calventius Pamphilius  
  
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 62/62 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  
Servius slithers over to inspect the potions, oblivious to the odd behavior.    "These will be handy against the beast of Tiamat." 
TriciaOso
Nibum, or someone, clears his throat. The voice is Nibum's, but the accent and dialect are certainly not.

 "If you were humans like the warriors who ssslew my master, I would sssurely kill you all where you stand. But as you are of the ssscalykind and count among your party one of my race, I will allow you a moment to explain your presence, before I declare you  trespassers  in his domain." 

At the word  trespassers , the two statues stir--only briefly, but unmistakably.

 "If your answer does not sssatisfy, I will leave you to the lacunae as their natural prey. But perhaps you come in good cause, or in sssimple ignorance, after centuries of sssilence. I ask you once and once only... why do you seek the Door of Copper?" 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg turns back to Nibum, or whoever is possessing Nibum and straightens up.

  "A tortle by the name o' Trionyx is here, or will be here very soon, an' seeks to free Tiamat an' unleash her upon the world. We seek to stop him from doing so. We have no interest in freein' Tiamat; only in stopping that from happenin'."   Ttharg announces.
TriciaOso
Through Nibum's rheumy eyes, the undead spirit studies you piercingly... and nods.  "Very well. In the centuries sssince the wyrms who guarded these doors fell or deserted their posts, other guards must perforce have arisen. I have ssslumbered long here, and there must be much I have missed."

"I do not desire to impede your quest, as you describe it, and indeed I could aid it if I chose... I could sssimply withdraw to my coffin and let you proceed, but if you wish for my help, I will offer you a bargain. Ssspare me one of your entourage to bear my sssarcophagus out of this place, and I will ssspeak the password to open all gates and ssstill all traps in this place. I grow weary in my vigil." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg considers the offer, but has questions.   "We would need to come back for ye, once we were finished stopping the tortle. But wouldn't ye be needed to defend this place in the future? I am sure there will be others besides Trionyx who seek to free Tiamat in the future. And once we got ye outside, what would ye plan to do then? Wouldn't ye need to possess a body like ye be doin' now?"  
zylodrizzt
Nibum has been in a spot like this before when he was imprisoned so he stayed calm. He knew he still had options tho he felt for the being that was currently in his body. How awful to be trapped like that. None the less they had a mission and nibum knew the answer. He telepathically told minicliff to go over to the blue acid and tap on it a whole lot getting at least triceratool attention.

Hearing what the body of his master just said and watching minicliff freak out over that acid triceratool gathered that nibum was trying to tell everyone something.  "Tutthaka? My master... the one who's body you are in went to great lengths to find that word." 
TriciaOso
A pulse of magic runs through the room and out into the lair at the pronunciation of the word  Tutthaka ; the lacunae slump and crumble, and the vines lining the mine shaft fall still. The spirit possessing Nibum cries out abortively and is forced back into the sarcophagus. Nibum, you return to your body.
J-H
 Servius 
Servius jerks in surprise.   "Wow, good work." 
Yet another illustration of the power of working together instead of alone.  Perhaps he should have tried study groups back at the university... but then he might not be here, now.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg carefully approaches Nibum after this display.   "Is that ye back in there lad?"  

Seeing that Nibum appears ok:   "Good work with the password! Now we can proceed an' the defences still be intact for the next tomb robber."  
  "Do we take anythin' from here to aid us in our fight?"   Ttharg asks.
zylodrizzt
 Yeah the password brought me back tho I doubt he will be willing to help any longer.   as he goes over to the coffin  isnt that right? Sorry we just dont have any time to waste here.  nibum goes over and collects the apparatus and to have more of a look around for useful things before they head out.

 Seems like that password will make our way easier. Keep it on the tip of your tongue.  he says taking the lead once more
TriciaOso
There is a small cupboard underneath the sarcophagus, apparently unlocked by the password, which contains a  strange leathery cloak , a potion of acid immunity, and the mage's spellbook. A preserved forked tongue is sewn to the cover.

Proceeding into the shaft, you pass the fiendish statues without incident and find a narrow spiral path leading down around the interior of the shaft. The vines along the wall stir but do not move to attack you.

About halfway down the shaft, there is an opening. Coppery light spills out. Another opening is visible several turns further down.
zylodrizzt
Nibum sends minicliff to scout ahead... hopefully not to its demise.
TriciaOso
The first doorway appears to be the heart of the lair. The remains of the Greatwyrm's hoard are here, but it has clearly been stripped of all his killers could carry -- no obvious magic items, and picked clean of small, portable valuables such as gems. Heaps of coinage (although far less than a greatwyrm would boast of) and bulky, inconvenient treasures are all that remain. In the back of the room, half-hidden, is a small copper door which stands ajar, filling the room with blinding light and baking heat. What lies beyond it is unclear.

The doorway at the bottom leads into a larger complex of rooms. One side borders on a swampy pool; diving in would likely lead back to the central swamp cavern. There is a large room at the bottom with a grand copper gate, huge enough for even a greatwyrm to enter, locked and barred. This room holds puddles of acid and the bones and gear of  lizardfolk warriors, and the titanic bones of a black greatwyrm.

In a smaller, blood-stained chamber off the main room, someone has built a cairn big enough for several bodies and an altar to the human Sun God.

   
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg looks over the horde, and whilst the coins are appealing to take he realises that they have other priorities right now and turns away from them.

He looks over the makeshift altar to the Sun God. He considers defacing or destroying it, but the people who built this altar are long dead and the greatwyrm with them. Destroying the altar would only give a petty sense of revenge. He turns away from the altar too.

  "Do we scout the half-hidden door in the treasury room? O' press on past the big door?"  
zylodrizzt
 We dont know how much further after that gate we will need to go. We only have a few more hours. Maybe we can explore if we survive. I dont think satiating our curiosity will mean anything if the world ends. The quicker we get there the sooner we can prepare for the final battle. 
TriciaOso
(While this discussion happens, the hoard golem lingers in the dragon's hoard room. It seems to comfort the construct in some way, which is perhaps not surprising. If not ordered away, it will move into and mingle with the hoard, visible only as a ripple in the piles of treasure.)
J-H
 Servius 

Servius studies the small open door.   "This leads directly to the Plane of Fire.  Where on it is beyond my knowledge, but it's a few slithers in the right direction for certain.  How does the barred gate look?  What is it guarding against and keeping out that we might let in?" 
TriciaOso
Nibum, examining the gate closely with your goggles, you can see openings in the abjuration, which is why you can make out a faint trace of conjuration behind it. These openings are like keyholes, but they are keyholes in the magic, not the physical door. There are 8 keyholes.
 
  
Examining the room at large, you can make out little shining points of abjuration magic submerged in the acid pools, about a dozen overall. You think these are 'keys' that could fit into these keyholes. You try to fish one out with mage hand, but the magic is repelled by the abjuration.

It seems you can either stick your hand into the acid and pull them out, or work out a safer way to get them out physically, which will take more time. There may also be ways to use more powerful magic to get to them.

You think that if you unlock the gate, it will planeshift you somewhere. This is opposed to the small door, which seems to be covering a tunnel into the rock that gradually shifts to another plane, like when you walked into the planar openings from the Majari devices.

   
J-H
 Servius 
After Nibum determines that the gate could likely place them more precisely, and that the keys are in the pools, Servius touches one of the acid pools.  Perhaps it had grown less potent with ti-  "Ouch!"   He draws his finger back, the outer layer of his scales now dull and sore with a mild burn.

He thinks for a moment, sitting down into a restful curl, before moving back out and to the other room.   "Jewel, we need to get some keys out of some pools of acid.  Can you help with that?  I know it doesn't hurt you nearly as much, and you can pick up some of these coins to regenerate yourself with,  right?" 
TriciaOso
The golem nods; it is reluctant to leave the hoard, but eventually follows you further down the spiral.

It starts with six keys from the centermost pools. Examining the keys, you find that are they are inscribed with Primordial runes; you have recovered keys marked with the letters K, H, T, Q, L and T.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Jewel takes 20 damage.
 
zylodrizzt
Looking at what was fished from the acid  If we need to spell the password again i think we need 4 more letters. 
TriciaOso
Jewel dives back through two of the remaining acid pools and comes up with four more keys. Inspecting the runes, you see you have enough to finish unlocking the gate.

However, before you proceed through the gate, you direct the hoard golem to return to the black greatwyrm's hoard and absorb some of the treasure to heal the damage from the acid. As you climb back up the ramp, you notice the strangling vines in the vertical shaft are beginning to stir. All this climbing up and down and examining spells and digging through acid takes time, and the protections on the lair are starting to reset...

Jewel absorbs some of the hoard just to heal up. However, there is easily two to three times as much treasure in the reduced hoard as in Jewel's composition, and as the golem begins to move through the hoard and absorb the treasure it grows  larger and larger, and more and more powerful... 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg was glad to be with two much smarter sailors than him for these kinds of puzzles.   "Ready to turn the keys when ye lads are ready!"   Ttharg offers.
TriciaOso
You allow Jewel to absorb the hoard, and then order the living hoard to pack itself away in the Trunk of Many Faces. As the piles of coins clear themselves away, the small copper door is no longer obscured.

Returning to the large room with the gate takes another little bit of time, and by this time you have to actively avoid the increasingly restless vines of the shaft. In the large room, the skeletons of lizardfolk stir and scrape against the stone, still deactivated by the password but waking up. Three hours remain until sunrise, when the sun will pass through Tiamat's prison and give Trionyx his opportunity.

Placing the last four keys in the gate, the plane shift activates and you are swept away to---

   
--a cavern encircled and lit by a stream of magma. The copper gate is at your backs. Looking overhead, the ceiling is a rough dome of the same volcanic rock that makes up the walls.

Before you, a giant winged serpent wrestles with a five-headed draconic entity, which twists and writhes to escape the grapple. There are humanoid skeletons being crushed beneath their battle, tiny in comparison. Yet tiny in comparison to you, too -- it seems that you are at approximately the same scale as these entities battling before you. They are larger than you, to be sure, but in the same way a dragon or sea serpent is, not the titanic entities you have seen in your dreams.

Currently, they seem engrossed in their battle and ignore you.
J-H
 Servius 
Before the keys are turned...
 "Feeling better, Jewel?  You look like you've eaten some." 

After..

Servius takes in the sight before him, then bows deeply, his spine bending in a way a human's couldn't.   "My lord Apophis,"  he whispers, unwilling to distract Apophis from the battle, or disturb him.  Although the size difference is strange, perhaps a function of a distance or perspective-warping effect, it is clear that they have arrived where they need to be, and that there will be no chances for any further failures.

Servius begins opening the chest to allow Jewel out.   "Let's set up here.  Are there any traps we can arrange?  My knowledge of abjurations is sadly lacking." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg looks out upon the unending struggle before them in a mixture of stunned awe and fear. Knowing that they may come up against such monsters was one thing, but actually seeing them up close was quite another. Subconsciously, his hand reaches for the vial of holy water that acts as his amulet of devotion to Bahamut and he grasps it tightly.   "Bahamut give us the strength an' the wisdom to change the outcome of fate that threatens to destroy us all."  

Overcoming his shock, Ttharg quietly asks the others:   "Based on the legends, they be locked in an eternal grapple. I don't think we should be disturbin' that. Do we try to rest? Do we think Trionyx will appear here?"  

Ttharg moves to position himself as far back from the grapple as possible, both to remain unseen and for the best possible cover from any debris or wild attacks from either legendary being.
TriciaOso
Nibum,  (Investigation 16)  you begin to inspect the gate, trying to ascertain how--if--you can return home after this ordeal. Your initial inspection of the room does not pick up on any exit from the room  other  than the gate, but looking at it through your goggles you see traces of conjuration magic. It's possible using a Banishment spell in conjunction with the the gate could get you back, but you would need time to figure out how to make it work. However, with Servius's help and a bit of time you could probably do it.

Something else nags at you -- not a direct consequence of your search, but related.

 
 Spoiler: Nibum - Passive Investigation 19 
There's no way for the sun to get in or out of this room. Isn't the sun supposed to pass through the Plane of Fire, crossing through Tiamat's prison as the last step before emerging from Sunhome? Perhaps it shifts through the planes, but something about the lack of openings to the plane or to the sky seems... off.
 


Servius,  (Survival 17)  as you move over the rocky ground to unpack the hoard, the impossibly tiny skeleton crack and hurt under your lower body, like stepping on broken pottery.

 
 Spoiler: Servius - Passive Investigation 20 
As you bend to bow, you see them close up. They look surprisingly crude, close-up; not clumsily-made, exactly, but not organic, not natural either. Not clumsily-made, but made. These are not real skeletons.
 


Ttharg,  (Religion 21, critical success)  as you regard this awesome sight, something feels... wrong. Off. You've had brushes with the gods before on this journey, but never this close-up. And now here you are, and yet there is no sense of the numinous, of the titanic, scale of the conflict.

Your vial is ice-cold in your hand.

Your formal education in religion is thin -- it is all for all of you -- but details begin to nag at you. Why doesn't Tiamat use her wings in the struggle? Why are her forefeet so thick and clumsy, so unlike the delicate, dextrous hand-feet of the dragons you've known? Hard to imagine this--yes--beast, writing any kind of book. Have you ever seen a depiction of Apophis with wings?

 
 Spoiler: Ttharg - Passive Insight 21 (+5 for advantage granted by a successful Religion check) 
This is a trap, a false ending to trick anyone foolhardy enough to come to try and confront or aid Tiamat directly.
 


None of you are able to communicate the understandings that dawn on you individually, because after forty-eight seconds the serpent ( rolls a critical failure on the grapple check ) is muscled off and bitten savagely by the multi-headed dragon. It falls to the ground. The draconic creature roars, with an accompanying gout of multi-colored flame from its mouths, and then--

 
 Spoiler: Perception 19, Nibum has advantage for the goggles 
That chromatic flare -- that wasn't fire, ice, acid, poison or lightning. That was an illusion.
 


--it charges you.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 

INITIATIVE
17 - Servius
13 - Big T
6 - Nibum
2 - Ttharg
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 62/62 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

"Something is off, here...inconsist -- "
Servius just barely has time to turn around and cast a quick enchantment, a grey bolt flying at the five-headed creature.
 
 Spoiler: Psychic Lance 

 (7d6)[ 26 ]  psychic damage and incapacitated until the start of Servius' next turn.  INT DC 17 half &amp; negate debuff.
Int save  (1d20)[ 1 ] +??
 
zylodrizzt
Yelling over the roar The sun cant get in! False dead end!  before consumed by... the illusion? The creature still seemed very real and reflexively he attacks slashing sythasis and urging triceratool to attack too. He took one of its heads this seemingly false tiamat. Wait.... it shouldn't have been so easy to kill a gods head... yuanti.... is this a disguised hydra!?

 Disguised hydra!  he yells as 2 heads fall relatively easily
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg was still overcome with shock and awe, even though he began to be aware that this felt wrong, when the 'creature' attacked.

As Nibum cried out, Ttharg confirmed:   "Aye, this be no Tiamat; this be a trap. Can ye get us out o' here? No reason to fight this if we can just leave!"  

Ttharg swings out at one of the creatures heads with his Warhammer.

 
 Spoiler 
Main Action Attack with Warhammer:  (1d20+8)[ 13 ]  for  (1d8+4)[ 7 ]  Magical Bludgeoning and  (1d8)[ 8 ]  Thunder Damage (Divine Strike)
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 62/62 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius slithered 10' back from the creature after his spell affected it last round.  He fires a bolt of flame at it.   "If it's a Hydra, let's keep burning the injuries with fire or acid!" 
 
 Spoiler: Fire bolt 

Attack  (1d20+9)[ 19 ]  for  (2d10+5)[ 13 ]  fire damage.
 
TriciaOso
Now that you are thinking about it, the creature does have a hydra-ish look... the wings and multi-colored heads grow less convincing by the moment, as you all begin to see through the illusions. In any case, there is no apparent regeneration once you burn it.

   
With one head lopped off and another dangling useless, it launches three attacks at Nibum. He is able to fend off the blue head, but the black and green heads sink their teeth into him. There is no aura of acid or poison around either bite, however.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS
The hydra makes three attacks; one miss, one hit, one crit. This does 27 piercing damage.

DAMAGE
Nibum - 51 dmg
Ttharg - 9 dmg

Hydra - 83 dmg

INITIATIVE
17 - Servius
13 - Hydra
6 - Nibum
2 - Ttharg
 
zylodrizzt
 No way to leave til we fight this!  the ancient kobold yells slashing at the beast (26 and 27 to hit for 13 and 13 everyone has adv on hydra. Hydra has dis against everyone but me and dis on first attack vs me)
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  
  "Aye? Then we best put it down quick!"   Ttharg cries as he swings at the creature again with his Warhammer.

 
 Spoiler 
Main Action Attack with Warhammer, with Advantage from Nibum:  (1d20+8)[ 25 ]  or  (1d20+8)[ 19 ]  for  (1d8+4)[ 6 ]  Magical Bludgeoning and  (1d8)[ 5 ]  Thunder Damage (Divine Strike)
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 62/62 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius launches another bolt of fire at it.   "Jewel, we're in the wrong place... please pack back up."   His distraction, and the tiny spiky skeletons, cost him his aim.  He misses.
 
 Spoiler 

With advantage,  (1d20+9)[ 11 ]  or  (1d20+9)[ 11 ]  for  (2d10+5)[ 15 ]  fire damage
 
TriciaOso
Nibum manages to bring down the green head, only to be savaged by the other two. Without any fire damage, two new heads spawn from the stump. With two green heads, one blue, and one black--the others have withered away--it no longer looks much like Tiamat. It just looks like a large, pissed off crocodile with too many heads.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS
The hydra makes two attacks on Nibum, the first at disadvantage. Both hit, doing 21 piercing damage.

At the end of its turn, the hydra grows two new heads and heals by 20 hp. Despite this, it's still bloodied.

DAMAGE
Nibum - 72 dmg
Ttharg - 9 dmg

Hydra - 100 dmg

INITIATIVE
17 - Servius
13 - Hydra
6 - Nibum
2 - Ttharg
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 62/62 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  
Servius looks over his shoulder, just to make sure nothing's sneaking up on them.  He conjures up a liquid arrow of shimmering acid, magically launching it at the hydra's neck-stumps.
 
 Spoiler 

Acid Arrow,  (1d20+9)[ 26 ]  to hit.
  (1d20+9)[ 23 ]  if there's advantage from somewhere.
On a hit,  (4d4)[ 9 ]  acid damage, and  (2d4)[ 4 ]  at the end of the hydra's next turn.
On a miss  (2d4)[ 6 ]  acid damage
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

With the 'creature' still tearing into Nibum, Ttharg switches tactics towards triaging the ailing Kobold. He briefly holsters his Warhammer and plucks a scale from the Platinum Scarf he is using as a bandana. He crushes it in his claw and whispers   "Breath o' life."   and then gently blows the debris of the scale over Nibum. The debris of the scale washes over Nibum, sealing up the cuts and bloody wounds he has.

 
 Spoiler 
Free Action to holster Warhammer
Main Action to use a charge of Platinum Scarf to heal Nibum for 10D4, using Ladle of Maril as well, for a total of 26 healing for Nibum
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum continues to furiously defend the others. He calls on minicliffs aid to distract a head enough to land a blow while pteradactool helps guide triceratool in for a slam
TriciaOso
Still sizzling with acid, the hydra attacks Nibum with all four heads, but manages only one glancing blow. Its strength is clearly flagging.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS
The hydra makes four attacks on Nibum, the first at disadvantage. With a 16, 12, 21, 12, only one hits, doing 6 damage.

At the end of its turn, the hydra does not regenerate due to the damage from acid arrow. It then takes the additional damage from acid arrow, stopping its regeneration for the upcoming round as well.

DAMAGE
Nibum - 52 dmg
Ttharg - 9 dmg

Hydra - 134 dmg

INITIATIVE
17 - Servius
13 - Hydra
6 - Nibum
2 - Ttharg
 
J-H
 Servius 
Servius follows up with another fire bolt.  This creature is clearly outmatched.  What about the one behind it?  He shifts, trying to peer past the hydra.
 
 Spoiler 

Attack  (1d20+9)[ 26 ]  for  (2d10+5)[ 18 ]  fire
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Seeing the creature slowly falling under their sustained assault, Ttharg redraws his Warhammer and makes another swing at the creature.

 
 Spoiler 
Free Action to draw Warhammer.
Main Action to Attack with Warhammer:  (1d20+8)[ 16 ]  for  (1d8+4)[ 5 ]  Magical Bludgeoning and  (1d8)[ 2 ]  Thunder Damage
 
zylodrizzt
Nibums getting desperate and his age shows. breathing hard he makes another push to end the battle triceratool pushes pteradactool to fire arrows while he holds down necks to for nibum to chop. Minicliff makes 2 heads bang together and again nibum chops another head and finally the beast falls. (Mini cliff and pteradactool doing help actions just flavored how they did so)

 alright... think we... can find... a way... out now...  having trouble getting his breathe (second wind)
TriciaOso
The slain hydra falls heavily to the ground, a tangle of scaly necks and limbs. The illusory wings have faded away entirely.

For a moment, there is no sign of the winged serpent that was previously in this space. Then, in a flash of teleportation, it returns. Viewed with a more skeptical eye, it has the same general shape and body plan as the winged couatls you saw in the coliseum; the difference -- the resplendent rainbow of scales, the more-pronounced musculature, the faint aura of glory around it--could all be illusions.

  "Blessings upon ye!"   it says in a sonorous voice.   "You have slain the Tyrant Queen, Mother of Dragons. This world owes you heroes a great debt! Go forth, and proclaim the good news!"  
 
 Spoiler: Insight 19+ 
There is a faint thread of doubt in its voice, as if it knows you aren't going to buy this but it has no other cards to play.
 


Nibum, through the goggles you see a flash of enchantment magic from the serpent with its voice, yet the words sound compelling enough to make you wonder. Maybe you did slay Tiamat?

Servius and Ttharg made the save and are not impressed.
J-H
 Servius 
Servius is indeed unimpressed.   "No, we haven't.  I don't think your illusion is so convincing up close.  However, Tiamat might get free if we don't stop someone who is trying to free her.  I expect your job is to try to stop that sort of person by providing a fake version of Apophis, just as the hydra was a fake version of her.  Are you going to help us actually stop the person trying to free Tiamat, or are you going to hinder us, and thus serve her?" 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg keeps his Warhammer and Shield drawn.   "Enough o' ye tricks. We'll be leavin' to deal with the real threat; unless ye plan on stoppin' us? Ye have no confidence in yeself anymore; but we need not fight."  
TriciaOso
The couatl sighs heavily, letting the last remnants of illusion fall away.

 "I'm really not supposed to let anyone through this way. All the other gates have a misdirect to here, it's supposed to be a dead-end. No one is supposed to interfere in the Great Constriction, even with good intentions. It's too delicate of a situation." 

It hesitates, weighing your input.  "I can give you passage to the Temple Ecumenical, but you must to swear you won't descend and interfere or allow anyone else to. It is a place where the realms of Tiamat and her five inheritors overlap with the domains of Bahamut, Sardior and Apophis... and these days, that damned upstart Sun King's travelling Court intersects with it, as well."

"When your business is concluded there, you can ascend from the mouth of the Sunhome Volcano from there and return to mortal concerns. Do you give your word?" 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg puts away his Warhammer and Shield.   "Our purpose is, an' always has been, to stop Trionyx from interfering in the Great Constriction an' releasing Tiamat upon the world. It be not our place to do battle with Gods, one way o' the other. Our fight is with Trionyx, an' Trionyx only. Wherever he may go in this Temple, we must follow to stop him. We expect he will use the travelling Court to gain access."  

Ttharg half presents, half grips his Amulet of Devotion; a show of making a solemn oath.   "I swear before ye an' before Bahamut, we will not interfere with the Great Constriction. An' once Trionyx has been defeated, we will leave the Temple."  
TriciaOso
The winged serpent bows sinuously.  "Let your yes be yes, and your no be no. So too did Bahamut swear, at the end of the Age of the Sarrukh and the imprisonment of Tiamat."  The vial of blessed water glows briefly with your magical oath.

It pronounces an ancient Primordial word    sāmarthyaḥ   , and the stones of the far wall reshape themselves, opening a door that was invisible up to now and creating a bridge over the river of magma.
 
"This road will lead you through darkness, through the earth and under the earth, and bring you to the Temple Ecumenical in Dis. It is a forbidden place where no one has stood these thousand of years. There are chapels to each of the Five Gods, each with a door of its own, but this door, the door of Apophis, has been kept a secret since the beginning. It will take you to the altar laid down as a pledge by the three great ones, to hold Tiamat fast that she could never again wipe out her children."

"Go with the blessing of Shekinester, keeper of the door." 
 
 Spoiler: The blessing of Shekinester 
Roll 2d4. Recover that many Hit Dice OR a number of spell slots whose levels add up to that total, or a mix of both.
 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg bows to Shekinester and begins to walk across the bridge created for them.

As the group are crossing, Ttharg plucks another scale from the Platinum Scarf and heals Nibum again.

 
 Spoiler 
Nibum heals 29hp
 
TriciaOso
You proceed into the tunnel. Unlike the door upstairs, this door leads into a space that is dark and comparatively cool, after the room of magma rivers. The tunnel is narrow and low, and goes on for a long time. Unlike the gate, there is no clean moment of transition; instead, you slide gradually between demiplanes as you proceed.

You lose another hour in the tight, claustrophobic tunnel. Just when you think you have gone down another blind alley, you reach the end. A small stone door swings open at your touch, and allows you to enter the Temple Ecumenical.

   
The space you enter is gigantic. You are in a central chamber with a large altar, from which the door has opened. It slides shut behind you as if it never existed. The material of the altar is enormous gemstones bound in platinum, open at the top like a well. From this opening come the sounds of a titanic battle, and the whole room trembles with them. With every grunt and groan, the multicolor stones of the temple fight to rip free of the mortar, but moment to moment, the temple holds.

The central chamber rises in a wide chimney, and far off in the distance above you, you see a disc of black sky, set with stars. Partway up the chimney is a huge circular opening melted in the stones. This appears to be the gateway by which the sun enters the temple and rises up to emerge from Sunhome.

Around the central chamber, it opens into five chapels, each with their own altar at the far end. Immediately in front of you lies a chapel of black stone, ending in an altar of copper and amethyst. You can make out a small copper door set in it. Similar chapels of red, blue, white and green are set regularly around the room. Each of them rise in a separate chimney or peak of their own. You cannot see up these chimneys without moving into the chapels for a better look, however.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg takes a knee in front of the altar, keenly aware of it's part dedication to Bahamut, and prays:   "Thank ye Bahamut, for allowin' us to get this far. Give us the strength an' the wisdom to face our foe an' emerge triumphant."   He doesn't dare look down into the altar proper.

Standing up, Ttharg looks around the giant room.   "We may have enough time to rest an' prepare for Trionyx's arrival. I be bettin' he's got to get to the altar, so we should take up position around it. I can use up the last o' me Platinum Scarf to heal ye, Nibum, an' then make use o' the flying cloak ye picked up."  

For the third and final time, Ttharg plucks another scale from the Platinum Scarf and heals Nibum.

Once they have time to rest, Ttharg takes the time to sever his connection with the Platinum Scarf and instead form a connection with the Wings of Flying.

At the conclusion of the rest, Ttharg takes up a defensive position by the altar, with Shield of Stars and Sky and Warhammer at the ready.

 
 Spoiler 
Use last charge of Platinum Scarf to heal Nibum for 31 points.
Take Short Rest and use HD to heal back to maximum.
Unattune from Platinum Scarf, Attune to Wings of Flying.
 
J-H
 Servius 

Servius immediately helps Jewel unpack and set up.  He doesn't have any injuries to tend or spells to prepare, so while others are resting he slithers around the temple looking for interesting things to read.  There must be inscriptions to go with any art.
He starts with the central altar, and can't resist peering over the edge and looking down.
zylodrizzt
Nibums is not sure what to make of all of this but he is of course pragmatically cautious keeping an eye out for trouble. He sends minicliff around to check as much as they can. He is ready to cast some spells as time draws near.
TriciaOso
 
 Originally Posted by The Commander 
   Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg takes a knee in front of the altar, keenly aware of it's part dedication to Bahamut, and prays:   "Thank ye Bahamut, for allowin' us to get this far. Give us the strength an' the wisdom to face our foe an' emerge triumphant."   He doesn't dare look down into the altar proper. 
 

As you pray, water springs from the platinum settings of the altar, in the third and final holy spring of Bahamut you've encountered on this journey. The water is ice cold and refreshing; although it is does not seem to be magical in any obvious way, the weariness and hunger of this long, long day is relieved. You haven't slept in more than 24 hours.


 
 Originally Posted by J-H 
  Servius 

Servius immediately helps Jewel unpack and set up.  He doesn't have any injuries to tend or spells to prepare, so while others are resting he slithers around the temple looking for interesting things to read.  There must be inscriptions to go with any art.
He starts with the central altar, and can't resist peering over the edge and looking down. 
 

What you see in Pit below the altar does not resemble a couatl strangling a hydra. It's hard to explain what it looks like, except that you've seen it in your dreams before now. Titans big enough to be landscapes writhe and convulse below. Perspective can play tricks on the eye, but the scale of the battle is evident in the way the stones of the temple quake and try to escape, but are restrained in the embrace of the mortar. The temple is the last barrier of symbolism and distance from the colossal battle of opposed yet equally terrifying forces unleashed below.


 
 Originally Posted by zylodrizzt 
 Nibums is not sure what to make of all of this but he is of course pragmatically cautious keeping an eye out for trouble. He sends minicliff around to check as much as they can. He is ready to cast some spells as time draws near. 
 

Examining the temple, it seems evident that no one has been here in centuries upon centuries. Each of the small chapels has an outlet to some other plane through the chimney above, but perhaps it is too well-guarded or simply inaccessible there. The influences of ten gods weave together here, and looking through the goggles the sheer noise and confusion of magical signatures is almost blinding. The central chimney is the only exit to the Prime Material plane you can find.

You do find one evidence of living things -- vines and ivy cover the walls of the green chamber, growing down from the peak in a dense profusion, extraordinary flowers blooming down and dying here in the Pit where no one ever sees them. It's incongruous, and beautiful, and they seem to react to your presence, subtly.

As time goes by, the radiant egg gives off subliminal pulses of eagerness; it can feel the sun drawing closer. The light through that portal begins to intensify.
J-H
 Servius 

Jewel gets set up and spread out into a comfortable array about the altar.  Servius slithers about nervously.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg takes a moment to inspect/listen to the Egg's pulses. Something about them pulls his attention over to the beautiful plants of the green chamber. He takes the Egg and heads over to the plants. Cautiously, he places the Egg within/next to the flowers (wherever would be appropriate to hold/shield the Egg) and then backs away.

Returning to the altar, Ttharg prepares for Trionyx's arrival by preparing to call upon Bahamut to provide a storm above the altar from which Ttharg can hurl bolts of Lightning at Trionyx.

 
 Spoiler 
Ready an Action to cast Call Lightning at 4th Level - the trigger is the arrival of Trionyx
 
TriciaOso
The foiliage of the green chapel closes around the egg and bristles with thorns, protecting the altar and the egg.

A voice from the green whispers:   ...tell your Captain I will await her in the Grove of the Kings...  

The three of you make what preparations you can; there is nothing but bare echoing space in this massive unused temple, nowhere to hide or prepare an ambush unless you hide in one of the side chapels, a hundred feet or more from the central altar. Jewel does deploy the enhanced hoard, prepared to bury Trionyx in a storm of gold; you could probably lie prone under a heap of gold if you wanted.

As time goes by, the radiance from the opening the sun has melted grows brighter and brighter. Time is running out for any last preparations...
J-H
Servius downs two potions.  Just before the sun emerges and Trionyx is able to pass through, he conjures a great clawed hand that glows green.... one, oddly enough, named after some barbarian called Bigby according to older books.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Just before the Sun reaches it's zenith, Ttharg lets the energy from the Call Lightning spell materialize. A storm cloud develops in the huge cavernous space. Bahamut may not be here himself, but the storm cloud is a fierce reminder of his stake in this battle as it crackles with potential energy within.

Ttharg also takes the opportunity to drink the Potion of Fire Resistance.

 
 Spoiler 
Call Lightning at 4th Level is cast, radius of effect is on the map, Concentration and lasts for 10 minutes
Drink the Potion of Fire Resistance
 
zylodrizzt
Nibums internal clock let's him know the time draws near. He casts a few spells to buff and drinks a potion of acid resistance. He uses a scroll of spider climb on triceratool. He casts warding bond and heroism. He casts jump for good measure on triceratool as well.
TriciaOso
A blaze of light fills the Temple Ecumenical as the Sun emerges from the gap and fills the chimney overhead. Over the next hour it will climb up into the mortal world, but for now it hangs above you, moving too slowly to perceive, and soaks the Temple in light and heat. Even in this demiplane, where space and scale are distorted, it is difficult to look at directly.

But you all can't help but notice as an eruption of flame drops a black shape out of the ball of fire and to the ground of the Temple.

   
For the second time, you are face to face with the tortle Trionyx. When you met him in the skies over the fleet, he was the worse for wear from having worn Tiamat's curse. Now, having crossed the Celestial Court to get here, he looks even worse. It's hard not to sympathize with the sickly cloistered scholar who had the misfortune to pick up the tome all those months ago.

The cracks in his shell have widen, jagged and gaping, showing the meat beneath. He clutches the Litany of Kin, the cursed tome that started all this, in a grip so profound it seems like his fingers are melting into the leather cover. Evidence of the gods whose power he has claimed for Tiamat drip from him -- fungal growths from the deep dragon god drip from him, his face is distorted by thorny growths from the grey dragon god, and scales of copper and iron grow on him not like part of his own tortle skin, but barnacles. One leg, formed entirely of semi-transparent crystal, drags as he staggers towards the altar.

 " My   lady ,"  he moans.  " I   have   such   gifts   for   you ." 

The ground of the Temple trembles and convulses at the touch of his feet.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
INITIATIVE
20 - Lair Actions
19 - Nibum
18 - Ttharg
17 - Trionyx
10 - Servius
 
TriciaOso
Triceratool charges forward and goes to rip the book from Trionyx's hand; with the might of Sseth's blessing, the construct succeeds, taking several fingers with it.

As the cursed book changes hands, magic crackles out from the pages to engulf Triceratool and with an inarticulate cry, it fades into a sketch of itself and is dragged into the book.
 
  
Nibum spills to the ground, as do his two docked assistants, and the book flies back to Trionyx's maimed hand.

For a brief moment, as the book leaves him, Trionyx looks vacant and lost, no longer ruled by the will of the Litany of Kin. But as it returns to him, having now consumed the strength of Sseth, the malice and awareness returns to his eyes.
zylodrizzt
 GIVE HIM BACK YOU ROTTING SHELLED DRAGON DUNG! TRICERATOOL DONT GIVE IN! DONT GIVE UP! COME BACK!  Nibum cries slashing heavily into the walking dead amplifying his scream. He drops a proximity mine below trionyx and holds his ground. Nibums final stand.
TriciaOso
Nibum's attack severs the tortle's already maimed hand, and one again he drops the book, which falls to the floor of the temple with a horrible fleshy noise. He staggers a little, and the confused and miserable look returns to his eyes.

  "Wha... I..."  
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Almost like a conductor, Ttharg gestures to the storm cloud whirling above and points the head of his Warhammer at Trionyx. A streak of brilliant platinum lashes out from the dark grey cloud to strike at the Tortle: hitting him and sending him reeling back. Ttharg adjusts his position to better stand between the altar and Trionyx, but otherwise does not advance into melee.
TriciaOso
Trionyx skids backward across the trembling floor on his damaged shell. Smoke rises from his body from the lightning strike and his head lolls back, then shrinks into his shell, in unconsciousness.

On the floor, the book flops open as it heaves itself towards him, but he has moved out of range of its ability to return to him. It trembles like a living thing, open to a page that resembles the Beast drawn by the human princeling. Triceratool is grappled tight in its muscular tail.

   
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 62/62 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius sends his spectral hand into the book to retrieve Triceratool.  It twists and warps as it shrinks, entering the miniature reality contained within the highly magical tome.  He fires three bolts of magic at Trionyx, and moves 30' back and to the side.
 
 Spoiler 

BA: Bigby's Grapple  (1d20+8)[ 20 ]  if my PB applies, +12.  Spell doesn't specify PB use.
vs Defender  (1d20)[ 6 ] +??

Move 30' SE to get out of Fireball formation.
Magic Missile  (1d4+6)[ 10 ]  x 3 force damage
 
TriciaOso
The grapple plays out in miniature on the page, as the large green hand wrestles the construct away from the Beast and retreats. Triceratool is damaged but still functioning, and scrambles off the hand to limp to Nibum's side.

The three magic missiles strike the unconscious tortle and end his life; it would be nice to think where ever he is now, at least he is finally free of Tiamat. But his life was consecrated to the minor god Shetyl, still trapped within the pages of the Litany of Kin. The tome heaves and strains, the surface of the pages convulsing like a boiling kettle.
zylodrizzt
As triceratool limps back the two assistants do some minor repairs (flavor for triceratools self healing) before re docking with him. Nibum climbs back aboard triceratool and urges him toward the book to wait for the beast to arrive (ready action to attack the beast).
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg stays focused, ready for the Beast to emerge. The storm cloud above the battlefield crackles with anticipation.

 
 Spoiler 
Ready an Action to bring another bolt of Lightning from Call Lightning down upon the Beast (or any other hostile creature) that emerges from the book
 
TriciaOso
The Litany of Kin heaves, convulses, and then bursts like a boil on the surface of reality, birthing an enormous and horrible creature into the world.

   
 
 The  frame  of The Beast is the tortle god  Shetyl , an armored carapace of Unbreakable Defense and powerful limbs with deadly claws. Scalding steam vents from beneath its knuckles as it claws the ground. 
 The  first  of its five heads is the head of the copper dragon god  Hlal ; her lithe copper scales crusted in green-white corruption, her charm and trickster humor corrupted to madness and sadistic glee. Acid drips from her jaws, and time shifts and warps around her. 
 The  second  of its heads is the head of the iron dragon god  Lendys ; his dense heavy iron scales bound in rust and pitted with corrosion, his zeal for justice corrupted to make him Tiamat's judge and executioner. Lightning sparks between his teeth,  and exhaustion hangs around him like a pall. 
 The  third  of its heads is the head of the crystal dragon god  Hrodel ; her crystalline scales are mazed with cracks and yellowed with impurities. Psychic vibrations of jealousy and malice leak constantly from her shattered and enslaved mind. 
 The  fourth  of its heads is the head of the deep dragon god  Falazure , sleek purple scales skeined with fungal growths. The consort of Zuggtmoy, demon queen of Fungi, he has been seduced and bound in service by Tiamat. Even from here, his toxic breath makes you reel. 
 The  fifth head, and wings, and powerful clubbed tail  belong to  Zarquon , god of the mighty fang dragons. His scales are grey and leathery, his teeth are scythes, and his tail is a battering ram. Horns and spikes of thorny bone jut from his flesh. He has never before been tamed, but Tiamat has put a collar around his neck. 
 

As Nibum and Ttharg attempt to unleash their readied actions, Hlal barks a laugh, and time turns syrup-slow. The Beast flaps its wings lazily and glides forward in a movement of frozen time, easily dodging the slash and the bolt of lightning. It swoops down on Servius before alighting on the altar in the center of the Temple.

 
 Spoiler: Inexorable Escape 
Invoking the Slowing power of a Copper Dragon, The Beast moves away at half its speed as a reaction, before you can complete your action. Using your reaction, you may re-target as long as it is still in range. .
 

   
Servius is able to dodge a powerful but clumsy swing of its tail, but the red-hot claws of a dragonturtle slash down and carve up the wizard.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTIONS
The Beast uses two legendary actions for Inexorable Escape and dodges Nibum and Ttharg's readied attacks. (They fail the save with an 18 and an 8). They cannot redirect because the readied attack already burned their reactions. The Beast move twenty feet to the center of the room and attacks Servius with two claw attacks and a tail attack. The claws hit with a 24 and 25, doing 31 slashing damage. The tail misses with a natural 1.

DAMAGE
Servius - 31 dmg
Triceratool - 3 dmg
Nibum +5 temp hp

INITIATIVE
20 - Lair Actions
19 - Nibum
18 - Ttharg
17 - Trionyx
10 - Servius
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 31/62 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Bigby's  
 
  

Servius aims a tremendous blast of cold up at the beast, firing the cone over the heads of his allies.   "Freeze!" 
"Now, Jewel!"
 
 Spoiler 

Action:  Cone of Cold,  (8d8+5)[ 33 ]  cold damage, DC 17 half.  using Reaction to trigger book for + (2d6)[ 8 ]  force damage and auto-prone the Beast.
Beast Con save  (1d20)[ 15 ] +?
and maybe advantage  (1d20)[ 7 ] +?
It is vulnerable to cold and resistant to force.
Move:  20' south, farther away.
BA: Activate Hoard Golem.  Acts on 20.

1.    Armor of Wealth. During a Storm of Gold, the master of the hoard gains 2d12 temp hp per round, as the hoard moves to protect its master. Any damage that reduces this temp hp provokes a concentration check by the hoard; if the hoard loses concentration, the Storm of Gold ends and the hoard is stunned for one round, unresponsive to commands. The hoard adds +11 to this concentration check. A concentration check can also be provoked by an AoE within the space of the hoard; the hoard rolls its saves against AoEs using the statistics of the hoard golem.
2.    Hail of Riches. During a Storm of Gold, each hostile creature within the space of the hoard must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 7d10 bludgeoning damage + 3d8 force damage. On a success, a creature takes half the damage. If the master has no temp HP, the creature automatically succeeds. Alternatively, the Hail of Riches can simply cancel any regeneration the enemy is capable of. The master decides which when invoking the Storm of Gold.
 
TriciaOso
Furious about the failed tail strike, Zarquon jaws snap angrily at Nibum, but even as he does the withering blast of cold engulfs The Beast and it slips, falling heavily prone on the well of the altar. The bite attack goes amiss. As it sprawls, Servius is able to slither even further away, into the entrance of the Ice Chapel; a white stone altar surrounds a silver door, and a freezing draft whips down the chimney.

From deep within the altar comes a greedy moan that trembles every stone in the Temple Ecumenical, as Tiamat inhales and begins to consume the power of The Beast. You only have so long to defeat it until the power of six gods is added to the five Tiamat already controls. But this place is the lair of Apophis as well, and a thick band of stones roils up from the floor to restrain The Beast, holding it in place. It heaves again, and rips free of the restraining stones.

 
 Spoiler: Lair Actions 
Tiamat, Apophis and The Sun King each count this space as a lair and can take lair actions, recharging on a 5 or 6. Only one god can take action per round. Tiamat has priority, then Apophis, then the Sun King.
 


At the same time, the coins and gems of the hoard begin to fly through the air, viciously pelting the Beast. An eddy of coins swirl around Servius, protecting the wizard with a flying shield.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTION: The Beast saves against Cone of Cold with a 24; it takes 33 cold damage as well as 4 force damage and goes prone. It uses a third legendary action to attack Nibum, but misses with a 16.

Tiamat skips her lair action in order to begin siphoning power from The Beast. Apophis therefore has priority and uses his lair action to restrain The Beast; it rolls a Str save, but fails with a 22 and uses a Legendary Resistance to succeed. It succeeds on a Dex save against the hoard with a 19 and takes 41 bludgeoning damage and 9 force damage. The hoard also grants Servius 12 temp hp.

DAMAGE
Servius - 31 dmg, +12 temp hp
Triceratool - 3 dmg
Nibum +5 temp hp

The Beast - 87 dmg

INITIATIVE
20 - Lair Actions
19 - Nibum
18 - Ttharg
17 - The Beast
10 - Servius
 
zylodrizzt
Nothing left clever to do. Only fight a battle only gods were meant to fight. Perhaps this is why he lived so long.  Charge triceratool! In the name of house negniter! In the name of the whitecliff! Die you piecemeal shellbacked mutant!  slashing with abandon releasing a charge from sythasis
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg seems the Beast attempting to draw power from the altar and cries out:   "GET IT OFF THE ALTAR IF YE CAN, LADS!"  

He directs another bolt from the storm cloud above unto the Beast. This time he channels the destructive power of Bahamut into the strike, hoping to deal a more significant blow to the creature, as well as push it back from the altar slightly.

 
 Spoiler 
Main Action to throw another bolt of lightning at the Beast. Using Channel Divinity to maximise the damage.
Dex Save DC 16 for Half Damage:  (1d20)[ 19 ] +Dex Save for 40 Lightning Damage.
Beast is Pushed 10ft away from me if it takes any damage.
 
TriciaOso
The Beast dodges the worst of the lightning bolt, but the thunder of it knocks him backward ten feet, skidding over the floor and clinging to the well of the altar. As it rises back to its feet, wounds and burns begin to close all over its body as its hydra-ish nature causes it to regenerate. It leaps back over the altar to claw at Ttharg and lash with its tail, but luck is against it in every strike.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTION: The Beast saves against the Lightning Bolt with a 16; it takes 20 lightning damage and is pushed back ten feet, still covering the altar.

On its turn, it stands up from prone and regenerates 50 hp. It attacks Ttharg and misses three times. It regains 3 legendary actions.

DAMAGE
Servius - 31 dmg, +12 temp hp
Triceratool - 3 dmg
Nibum +5 temp hp

The Beast - 99 dmg

INITIATIVE
20 - Lair Actions
19 - Nibum
18 - Ttharg
17 - The Beast
10 - Servius
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 31/62+8thp 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Bigby's  
 
  

A grey-and-white speckled line leaves Servius' forehead as he intones one of his more useful spells to disrupt the mind(s?) of the beast.  His spectral hand then tries to shove it further off the altar.
 
 Spoiler 

If we're trying to shove it south, move NW to stay within the hoard area but to not be pushing it towards myself.
 Psychic Lance  
The target must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 7d6 psychic damage and is incapacitated until the start of your next turn. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t incapacitated.
 (7d6)[ 28 ] 
Int save  (1d20)[ 20 ] +??
Possible advantage   (1d20)[ 2 ] +??
Not sure we've seen much intelligence out of this, but it's probably magic resistant.

 Bigby's Forceful Hand: 
(BA)
Forceful Hand. The hand attempts to push a creature within 5 feet of it in a direction you choose. Make a check with the hand’s Strength contested by the Strength (Athletics) check of the target. If the target is Medium or smaller, you have advantage on the check. If you succeed, the hand pushes the target up to 5 feet plus a number of feet equal to five times your spellcasting ability modifier. The hand moves with the target to remain within 5 feet of it.

Hand  (1d20+8)[ 23 ] 
Beast  (1d20)[ 8 ] +a lot?
On a success, push it 30'.
 
TriciaOso
The confusion of The Beast's enslaved and six-part mind makes a poor target for Servius's Psychic Lance, but Bigby's hand is more successful; the green hand drives The Beast back from the altar as Servius wriggles out of the way, carrying it all the way back against the southern wall. (A cry of rage echoes up from the well, as Tiamat loses her connection.) As it is dragged away, it thrashes its tail violently, launching javelin-sized quills around the chamber.

   
 
 Spoiler: Volley of Spines 
The Beast flings quills from its tail, forming a 60 ft cone. On a failed DEX save, targets takes 12d4 damage, or half of that on a successful save.
 


All of you are badly skewered; Servius's armor of wealth protects him, but the hoard itself takes the damage hard, and falls unresponsive. Everyone on the battlefield is studded with huge spines and quills.


 In a ship far away, the Prince Royal says sleepy prayers at dawnlight, as he does every day. For the first time in millennia, a human boy prays for the success of reptilian warriors, fighting a battle of consequence far from any human eye... 

A gout of purifying solar flame erupts from the sun hanging in the volcanic chimney overhead, and for a moment strips all protections from The Beast, rendering it vulnerable. Before you can capitalize on it, The Beast claws back his protections--but more cracks form in its shell as it pits itself once again against a true and potent god. Five heads roar defiance. The blinding light washes over all of you, and although your kind do not love the sun, the warmth of it fills your blood and envigorates you. From within the nest of thorns, you hear a wordless cry of joy from the radiant dragon egg.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTION: The Hand shoves The Beast backward 30 feet and breaks the connection between it and Tiamat. It saves against the Psychic Lance, then halves again because of its resistance to psychic damage, for 7 damage.

The Beast uses a Legendary Action to attack everyone with Volley of Spines. Everyone falls the DEX Saving Throw. Ttharg, the Hand and Servius takes 33 damage. (Servius has 12 temp hp, taking 21 real damage. Because of Mountain Combatant and Warding Bond, Triceratool takes 8 damage (3 after temp HP); Nibum takes 41 (36 after temp hp). The hoard fails its concentration check and is stunned for one round, unresponsive to commands. Ttharg fails his concentration check and loses Call Lightning. Servius succeeds on his concentration check.

Tiamat fails to take a lair action. Apophis does not roll to recharge his lair action. The Sun King takes his lair action, Purifying Flame. The Beast fails with a 6 on the Charisma save, gaining vulnerability to all damage and losing all resistance and immunities; but it uses a Legendary Action to succeed. You each gain 5 temp hp from the solar dragon egg.

DAMAGE
Servius - 52 dmg, 5 temp
Ttharg - 33 dmg, 5 temp
Nibum - 36 dmg, 5 temp

Bigby's Hand - 33 dmg
Triceratool - 11 dmg, 5 temp

The Beast - 106 dmg

INITIATIVE
20 - Lair Actions
19 - Nibum
18 - Ttharg
17 - The Beast
10 - Servius
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum sends pterodactyl to grab the sword... it might be useful in the coming fight. When it returns nibum puts it away and upon touching it there is a short mental exchange. nibum asks   can you help us in any way?   nibum senses it did help in some way. After nibum charges in dodging blows with triceratool snaking it's way there and minicliff running minor interference but it wasn't enough the iron head managed to bite down on nibum and nibum retaliated stabing sythisis into its neck to make it let go. His nerves fried from the jolt that was sent through his body he still managed to leave tracking mine in the iron dragon hear. Triceratool stays close but just a step further from the powerful creature.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg winces in pain from the dozens of spines that protrude from his body. He starts towards the Beast, holstering his Warhammer briefly to take out a healing potion from his pouch. He quaffs it quickly, and then turns his attention back to the Beast.

Ttharg briefly considers trying to bury, or at least bludgeon the Beast by collapsing part of the wall it's next to; but remembers the promise he made not to interfere with Tiamat's prison. Instead, he focuses the destructive energies of Bahamut into a devasting assault on the Beast directly.   "Bahamut will unmake ye, monster!"  
 
 Spoiler 
Move Action to move between the Beast and the altar (yes I know it could just step over me, it's the thought that counts!).
Free Action to holster Warhammer.
Bonus Action to drink Standard Healing Potion for  (2d4+2)[ 7 ]  health.
Main Action to cast Shatter at 5th Level on the Beast. Using Channel Divinity to maximise damage. Beast must make a DC 16 Con Save or take half damage:  (1d20)[ 9 ] +mods for 48 Thunder Damage.
 
TriciaOso
The Beast roars back in defiance of Bahamut, five times over. Then it turns pounces on Nibum, clawing the kobold viciously. As it turns to return to the altar, it whips its tail behind it and smashes the badly mauled Nibum off of his mount, unconscious.

It swoops back to the center of the Temple, heedless of the animated hoard or Ttharg; all it cares about is that altar, feeding its power to Tiamat.

   
But as it moves away from Nibum the proximity mine goes off and shatters the dragonturtle shell surrounding it; shards of red-hot metal crumble away from its body. Shetyw, tortle god of healing, is freed from The Beast. The turtle spirit moves to Nibum's side and touches him with healing.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTION: Nibum attacks with advantage and hits; The Beast takes 10 slashing and 6 psychic damage, halved to 3 (13 total). The Sun King recharges his lair action as a result of Nibum's prayer.

The Beast takes a legendary action bite attack against Nibum and hits with a 25; it does 13 piercing and 4 lightning damage. 5 of this is temp, for a total of 12 real damage.

The Beast saves against Shatter with an 18; it takes 24 thunder damage.

On its turn, the Beast attacks Nibum with 2 claw attacks and one tail attack; 26, 27 and 30. All together it does 31 slashing damage and 18 bludgeoning. Nibum goes unconscious, losing Heroism and Warding Bond.

As the Beast returns to the altar, Booming Blade triggers for 10 thunder damage. The Beast is now bloodied and loses one of its captured gods; on a 6, it loses control of Shetyw, the tortle god of healing.

Shetyw uses his healing touch on Nibum for 22 points of healing.

DAMAGE
Servius - 52 dmg, 5 temp
Ttharg - 26 dmg, 5 temp
Nibum - 66 dmg

Bigby's Hand - 33 dmg
Triceratool - 11 dmg

The Beast - 153 dmg

INITIATIVE
20 - Lair Actions
19 - Nibum
18 - Ttharg
17 - The Beast
16 - Shetyw
10 - Servius
 
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 10/62 +5 temp 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Bigby's  
 
  

Servius is close to death, but the Beast has lost some power and shown weakness - and healing is now available!   "Come on Jewel, you can do it!"   He encourages the hoard golem to attack again.  Servius uses his summoned hand to try to knock the beast off the altar, but it's not strong enough.  He then engages the Mizzium apparatus, which lights up as he attempts to manipulate pure magical energy, repurposing his Storm Sphere into an Ice Storm.... but it's too unfamiliar and fails.
 
 Spoiler 

 Bigby's Forceful Hand 
Forceful Hand. The hand attempts to push a creature within 5 feet of it in a direction you choose. Make a check with the hand’s Strength contested by the Strength (Athletics) check of the target. If the target is Medium or smaller, you have advantage on the check. If you succeed, the hand pushes the target up to 5 feet plus a number of feet equal to five times your spellcasting ability modifier. The hand moves with the target to remain within 5 feet of it.
Hand  (1d20+8)[ 16 ] 
Beast  (1d20)[ 16 ] +??

Mizzium Apparatus:  DC 18 to cast Ice Storm with a 4th level spell slot.
Arcana check  (1d20+9)[ 11 ] 
If successful,  (2d8)[ 13 ]  bludgeoning +  (4d6)[ 12 ]  cold damage, Dex DC 17 half, plus reaction to use Fulminating Treatise to do  (2d6)[ 6 ]  force damage and knock the beast prone.
Beast Dex save  (1d20)[ 16 ] 
On a failure, spell slot is expended and nothing happens.
 
TriciaOso
As The Beast struggles with Bigby's Hand, a burst of necrotic spores explode from the neck and head of Falazure, filling the center of the Temple.

 
 Spoiler: FUNGAL AURA 
Necrotic spores fill a forty-foot sphere and attempt to infect living things within the radius. DC 18 Con Save. On a failed save, the target takes 3d6 damage and gains vulnerability to psychic damage. They may repeat the save at the end of each turn to remove this vulnerability. On a successful save, the target takes half the damage and does not gain vulnerability.
 


As you all choke and cough, the stone of the floor itself rises up again to restrain The Beast. It struggles in vain, but reserves its last legendary resistance, content as long as it remains over the well of the altar. As the animated hoard begins to rise and pelt it with coins, however, it cannot dodge, and must deploy the last of its godly power to ward them off. Another eddy of coins begins to orbit around Servius, protecting the battered wizard once more.

 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTION: The Beast takes a legendary action, Fungal Aura. Nibum saves and takes 6 necrotic damage; Ttharg fails and takes 13 (5 temp, 8 real); Servius fails but has resistance to necrotic, taking 6 (5 temp, 1 real). Servius and Ttharg have vulnerability to psychic damage until they can make a DC 18 Con save.

The Beast regenerates for 25 hp. It is no longer bloodied.

Tiamat skips her lair action to begin siphoning energy from The Beast. Apophis regains his lair action and uses it immediately. The Beast is grappled and restrained.

The hoard reactivates and grants Servius 9 temp hp. The Beast rolls its Dex save with disadvantage and fails, forcing it to use its last legendary resistance. The Beast takes 33 bludgeoning damage, doubled by vulnerability but halved by its success. It also takes 11 force damage, halved and halved again to 2.

DAMAGE
Servius - 53 dmg, 9 temp hp
Ttharg - 34 dmg
Nibum - 66 dmg

Bigby's Hand - 33 dmg
Triceratool - 11 dmg

The Beast - 113 dmg &amp; -50 max hp)

INITIATIVE
20 - Lair Actions
19 - Nibum
18 - Ttharg
17 - The Beast
16 - Shetyw
10 - Servius
 
zylodrizzt
 Wasted your power on me. Im old. I expect to die here or soon after. I dont think it wise to revive your child but whatever you do make sure it helps free those others trapped in that body there before it frees the mother of dragons.  he says getting to his feet and re mounting. He felt all the weariness of his age but still managed to ride once again into battle. Nibum sends minicliff to help servius pour a potion down his throat. He slashes anything he can reach on the collasal beast triceratool does his best to make openings but the beast is so massive it does little.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

The Beast once again tries to set itself upon the altar, and Ttharg once again tries to push it away. He inhales deeply and unleashes his lightning laced breath toward the Beast.

Ttharg then moves to ensure he is within shouting distance of both Nibum and Servius, and speaks a word of encouragement and healing:   "Stand fast, lads! The Beast falls today!"  
 
 Spoiler 
(Using the save modifier from the Beast stats, if this is wrong please correct)
Main Action to use Breath Weapon on the Beast. Must make a DC 13 Dex Save:  (1d20+5)[ 18 ]  for  (3d6)[ 12 ]  Lightning Damage, Half on Success. If it takes any damage, it is also pushed 10ft away from me.
Move Action to move within 60ft of both Nibum and Servius.
Bonus Action to cast Mass Healing Word (3rd Level) - Ttharg, Nibum, and Servius all heal  (1d4+3)[ 6 ]  - Constructs are unaffected. Ttharg will include Shetyw as well, but I'm not sure if it needs/can be healed.
EDIT: Rolled for the Beast's disadvantage on Discord, it got higher with that roll, so the roll in this post is the one that applies (still saves).
 
TriciaOso
Ttharg's lightning breath slams into The Beast, but Apophis's restraint stops him from being moved. Instead, he is crushed against the stone by the thunderous blast.

Shetyw looks after Nibum as he once more tackles the Beast, and the god hesitates. His immediate desire is to go and cast raise dead on Trionyx, his charge since infancy. But Nibum's words and bravery weigh on him...

The Beast snaps at Nibum with its crystalline head, but is distracted by a juke from Triceratool. A claw attacks shreds the already battered kobold, but Nibum gets his shield up and blocks the next claw and the battering ram of its tail.

Shetyw makes up his mind.  "I am sorry, my son..."  He turns his head from the body of Trionyx and crosses the battlefield and heals Servius with a touch of his claw.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTION: The Beast is pushed by Ttharg's attack but restrained by Apophis; pushing against the restraint causes an addition 4 thunder damage on top of the 6 lightning damage.

The Beast takes a legendary action and attempts to bite Nibum at disadvantage; natural 1. Nibum is hit by one claw attack but shields to block the other claw and tail. 17 slashing damage in total.

Shetyw heals Servius for 24 hp.

DAMAGE
Servius - 8 dmg, 9 temp hp
Ttharg - 28 dmg
Nibum - 77 dmg

Bigby's Hand - 33 dmg
Triceratool - 11 dmg

The Beast - 123 dmg &amp; -50 max hp)

INITIATIVE
20 - Lair Actions
19 - Nibum
18 - Ttharg
17 - The Beast
16 - Shetyw
10 - Servius
 
J-H
      
 
   
 Servius Calventius Pamphilius

    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 54/62 +9temp 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: Bigby's  
 
  
 "Thank you."   Servius thanks the turtle.  It seems pretty nice... why don't the tortles still venerate it at all?  Apophis is still better, though.

His clawed hand of force punches the beast, and he activates the Apparatus once more, causing a massive wall of water to appear out of nothing, slamming into the creature before vanishing.
 
 Spoiler 

Bigby's Punching Hand [roll]1d20+9[roll]  17 in Discord  for  (4d8)[ 17 ]  force damage.
Arcana  (1d20+9)[ 23 ]  vs DC 16 to conjure up a Tidal Wave.
On a success,  (4d8)[ 17 ]  bludgeoning damage &amp; prone, Dex DC 17 half.
Beast Dex  (1d20)[ 13 ] 
MR?  (1d20)[ 19 ] 
On a failure,  (1d6)[ 2 ] 
 
TriciaOso
Bigby's Hand strikes at The Beast and fails to hit, but manages to grab the purple dragon head, Falazure by the throat. As the wave crashes over The Beast, Apophis's restraint fades and the Beast crashes prone --- and the Hand rips the purple head clean off!

The Beast channels the pain into a:

 
 Spoiler: Psychic Lance 
Int Save 18. On a failed save, take 5d12 psychic damage, or half on a successful save.
 


The crystalline dragon head, the head of Hrodel fixes her eyes on Ttharg and unleashes a blast of psychic rage and pain; consumed first by Sardior and then her last remnants captured by Tiamat, her madness is incredibly deep and raw, and the fungal spores open Ttharg's mind to it further. The psychic blast sends the cleric to the ground.

From deep within the well comes a rumble, rising to a scream, as a tidbit is ripped from the jaws of the Queen of Dragons. All five of the chapels of the Temple Ecumenical are suddenly blasted with the power of the Mother of All. Flame fills the chapel to the east, thunder rings out as lightning crackles in the chambers to the west; poison gas floods the chamber to the southeast and acid rains down from above to the north. And in the chapel to the southwest, where Servius has tucked himself away, an avalanche of ice and snow crashes down from the shaft above. The turtle god is half-buried under the snow, and Servius is entirely lost to sight.

Furious damage to its new master, the animated hoard rages against The Beast, slicing it to ribbons with coins and gems. It lops off the head of the copper dragon god Hlal; the totem of that god was stolen from its master's hoard on Cagway, and the vengeance is sweet. The battered body of The Beast collapses, momentarily defeated but still pulsing with divine power. It still posses the power of three gods, and cannot be killed yet. It slumps across the altar, trembling with every breath.

   
 
 Spoiler: Summary 
ACTION: The Beast takes 17 bludgeoning damage from Tidal Wave and is bloodied. It loses its 4th head, Falazure the purple dragon god. It loses 50 max hp and other stats are impacted.

The Beast takes Legendary Action: Psychic Lance on Ttharg and he fails with a natural 1; 30 damage is doubled to 60 by psychic vulnerability. Ttharg is unconscious.

The Beast heals for 20 at the start of the new round. Apophis's lair action ends, but recharges. Tiamat uses her lair action, filling the chapels with her Chromatic Flare. Servius is in the Ice Chamber. He fails a DC 27 Dex save and takes 67 cold damage (9 of it temp, 58 real). He is unconscious. Shetyw also fails and take the same 67 damage; he is bloodied.

The hoard passes a concentration check to remain active; The Beast fails its Dex save against the hoard, and takes 66 bludgeoning damage, doubled to 132 by vulnerability, and 15 force damage, halved to 7. This removes the copper dragon head, Hlal, and sends The Beast unconscious. The hoard, having completed its third round, deactivates.

DAMAGE
Servius - Unconscious
Ttharg - Unconscious
Nibum - 77 dmg

Bigby's Hand - 33 dmg
Triceratool - 11 dmg
Shetyw - 67 damage
Hoard - active, requires a bonus action order from Servius to act again

The Beast - Unconscious &amp; -150 max hp)

INITIATIVE
20 - Lair Actions
19 - Nibum
18 - Ttharg
17 - The Beast
16 - Shetyw
10 - Servius
 
zylodrizzt
Nibum sees the other two fall but also the beast. Now was his chance. He sends minicliff with another potion to heal thrag knowing that he'd need help and healing for servius. Desperately nibum and triceratool thrash 2 heads off freeing another 2 gods. Not much more now.  Brother, trapped gods, lend you strength to end this threat! Prevent this beast from freeing the tyrant queen!  his voice hoarse. His breathe harder then it's ever been to catch but he must go on... at least a little longer then it doesn't matter if he joins his brother or not... he did his part.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

As the Psychic Lance blasts Ttharg, his body falls unconscious and his mind is transported back to the flotsam he found himself on all those years ago. Starving, dehydrated, wounded, at the mercy of predations from opportunistic carnivores that prowled the waters around him, it was the darkest moment in Ttharg's life. Such was the power of the Lance that Ttharg's body responded to the memory - drying itself out, thinning rapidly, and suffering the wounds of splinters and the impact of a vessel tearing itself apart around him. Ttharg was in danger of being lost in this memory, and his body withering away as a result.

But Ttharg had been saved: in part by Bahamut, in part by the crew of the White Cliff. Again, now, he was saved. He splutters as the healing potion ran down his throat, coughing up seawater, and then rises to his feet.

Ttharg sees that the Beast is down, it is hurt, and calls out to Bahamut to strike down the abomination, but instead of invoking Bahamut's name; Ttharg instead calls out:   "For the White Cliff!"  

Giant shards of icy rock begin to form above the Beast and then slam down into it with a terrifying ferocity.

 
 Spoiler 
Move Action to Stand Up
Main Action to cast Ice Storm at 5th Level on the Beast. Beast must make a Dex save DC 16, however it is Unconscious and therefore automatically fails (it would be save for Half). The ground that the spell covers is Difficult Terrain until the end of my next turn.
The Beast takes  (3d8)[ 9 ]  Bludgeoning Damage and  (4d6)[ 18 ]  Cold Damage.
 
TriciaOso
From the well below comes a scream of frustrated malice and rage. The Temple shakes viciously one last time, then lies still.

Ice and snow from the Chapel of Tempus, the ice chapel, and the water of the tidal wave flowing out of the last Spring of Bahamut, merge together into a blinding haze of white; the last head of The Beast, the iron dragon god Lendys, rusts and freezes and rots.

As the flesh of The Beast withers away, the shape of the Litany of Kin emerges; at the same time, the heads begin to disintegrate, forming back into the divine tokens that Trionyx claimed along his blasphemous pilgrimage.


 An iron anchor; a copper tablet engraved in a lost language; a tiny crack crystalline figure of a dragon; an obsidian statue so encrusted with fungal growth that its features are obliterated; a huge petrified fang. 

Shetyw draws Servius out of the ice with a healing touch, and then passes to Trionyx's body; becoming a shower of gold, he rains down on the monk, hijacked all those months ago, wiping away Tiamat's disfiguration and refilling the cracks in his shell. The clock starts ticking on a spell of Raise Dead.

And the mountain of ice and snow pulls together and becomes a shape, an enormous draconic figure, and Tempus the White Dragon god is among you.

His voice is gigantic, and fills the room with thunder:

 "I told my prophet, the one called F'rrkk: that if you were victorious, you would see me before the end; that I can offer a home in the heart of the sun for your egg; and that the sword Trionyx stole, in the hands of the Sun King, can destroy the Litany of Kin. See now, that I am not a liar. The book is here; where are the sword and the egg?" 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Although Ttharg does not worship Tempus, it's hard for him not to kneel in reverence to the White Dragon God.   "The Egg is protected by the energies o' the Black Dragon lair; whilst we did battle with the Beast."   Ttharg gestures to the area he left the Egg in.   "I will retrieve it for ye now."   Ttharg heads over to the patch of vines he left the Egg within, hoping that he can retrieve the Egg safely and produce it for Tempus.
TriciaOso
The vines and brambles in the Green Chapel retract, leaving the Solar Egg sitting safely on the altar. It pulses with joyous vibrations in the presence of the Sun.

As you retrieve it, you hear the whisper from above Maebe, goddess of Green Dragons -- and trickery, illusions, and the Feywild:

  Your Captain owes me a debt, man of faith. Do not be faithless; do not fail to remind her. She owes a debt, and I will await her in the Grove of Kings...  
zylodrizzt
Nibum never put too much thought into the divine but there are things he just couldn't do himself. He unlanches the saddlebag he stored it in during the battle and approaches the dragon.  So... you made it after all eh? Wish youd have made it sooner but nevermind that. Heres the sword.  all the while having his three assistants grabbing the dropped artifacts from the fallen beast.
J-H
A tidal wave of ice slams into Servius, knocking him out.  The great summoned hand disappears, and with it, his chances of removing the Beast from its position, feeding Tiamat and helping her overcome Lord Apophis.

He's had flickers of dreams before when unconscious and at the door of death... but this time is different.  He dreams of the Here and Now, aware in a hazy way of the whirlwind of coins slamming into the Beast like a hailstorm, joined by Ttharg's spell after the cleric is healed in a more literal storm.

Healed by the almost-forgotten Tortle god, he pulls his torso off the ground.  The cold HURTS, even though... it's mostly a dragon now.  A  big  one, a deific one.  Best to be polite and respectful.  Addled, he has to pause and think as his mind continues to regain focus.

 "To clarify, Lord Tempus, can the sword destroy the Litany of Kin  when  wielded by the Sun King, or is it the sword that was in the hands of the Sun King that can now destroy the Litany of Kin?"   Looking around at the rest of the room, he points at the tortle.   "Also, I think Shetyw is going to bring Trionyx back to life.  Do, ah, even if the book was affecting him, I think he should face justice.  He killed only a few of our people but is responsible for the deaths of many others."   Servius looks at Nibum and Ttharg, tilting his head in a question.
TriciaOso
He takes the sword in one massive claw, and a change sweeps over him as he does. The dragon of ice and snow melts away, becoming a humanoid figure in silver mail, with three stars burning on his belt. He is still quite large -- a giant of frost -- but not the titan he was a dragon; the sword looks small in his hand, but not invisible. He holds the egg in the other hand. He, perhaps conspicuously, does not touch the book.

 "Yes, he was a potent tool for destruction in the hands of Herself. I can say only that he is a living relic of Shetyw; to kill him will be to kill a small and forgotten god. But then, gods too die, if they cannot change. Time does one or the other... and time is the one force none of us can withstand."  He pauses thoughtfully.

 "They do say between the worlds beyond are dragons who have mastered Time, as this child has mastered the heat of stars. But I have never seen such a thing."  He shakes his head, shaggy with the white fur humans get on their chins sometimes. He looks at Servius and answers his other question:  "Yes, the Sun King himself. Only he can wake the fire long sleeping in this blade... and no god or mortal with any trace of the draconic should attempt to touch this tome, whatever their intentions, lest they become another arrow in  Her  quiver. "

"I wanted to greet you in the form I am accustomed to in these lands, rather than the one he knows me in, but he awaits above. Your kindness to his heir has touched him, and he is willing to help, but no mortal concerns can slow the dawn." 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg listens closely to both Maebe and Tempus. Just yesterday Ttharg had been a sailor, now we was talking directly to Gods. Bahamut must be enjoying this, he thought to himself.

Ttharg considers the Tortle and Shetyw.   "He himself was not responsible for those deaths. He was a puppet o' Tiamat. If he be lucky, he will remember nothin' o' his time under her spell. It be a damnable thing to live with painful memories...."   Ttharg seems lost in himself for a moment at those words.   "I say he deserve a second-chance to make somethin' o' himself an' do right by Shetyw. Perhaps he can start again somewhere new?"   Ttharg offers this alternative to the room at large.   "I know there be a lot o' people out for his blood, an' even if we were to let him go, he be a hunted man in these waters for all his life."   Ttharg ponders for a second.   "But maybe we should be askin' him what he wants."  

Changing the subject back to the book and the sword:   "Is there anything we need do to fulfil the King's part in destroying the book? Or are we just waitin' for the right time?"   Ttharg looks around the vast cavern and the destruction within.   "Will this place repair itself? I swore an oath not to interfere with the Binding, an' wish to leave this place as I found it. We would also need a way to leave; can ye o' the Sun King provide that?"  
TriciaOso
Tempus--the Celestial General--nods slowly.  "Wise words. You have made it this far. I will leave the fate of Trionyx in your hands."

"Apophis has the keeping of this place. Now that the danger is past, his coils will settle more firmly around Her once more, and the Temple will be restored."  Already the mortar that binds the multicolored stones is weaving the Temple back together.

  "Once the Celestial Court departs with the dawn, you will be able to leave through the caldera above. I believe... yes... my little prophet is on his way for you even now. We will hold the gate for him for a little while." 
 "As for the Sun King, he comes even now."  A spot is forming on the surface of the sun overhead, and gives birth to yet another god. Your impressions of him are vague, because his primary quality is blinding light. Compared to the light, the heat is almost gentle, comfortable; but you will never understand how humanoids spend their life in this radiance. His shape is smaller yet than Tempus, only a little larger than life.

Tempus kneels, and offers up the sword and the egg. The Sun King takes the egg first, and all of you can feel the thrill of joy that runs through it as it finally returns to its proper environment.   "Hello, child."   It pulses gladness in response.

  "I will foster this little one, heroes of the Hic Sunt, in the hopes for peace between your people and mine."  
 "A dragon of the Celestial Court,"  says Tempus drily.  "Whoever heard of such a thing." 
  "But if that peace is to be, you must return this sword to my heir,"   the sun god warns, taking the blade in his other hand. It flares to sudden life as he does, unlocking the power latent in the blade. Suddenly this is the Heart of the Fire Plane again, the weapon that Tiamat used to almost extinguish your race, re-forged.

He drives it down into the vile leather-bound book, and despite your long quest every single one of you feels an urge to rush forward and protect it, claim it for your own; to defend the Mother of All. Something baked into your reptilian bones. Servius and Ttharg, you feel yourselves begin to step forward, but Nibum's hands close on your arms, and sanity returns.

Even Tempus flinches at the blow. But the Sun King doesn't seem to notice. As flames consume the Litany of Kin, a keening wail comes from the well of the altar, and then is extinguished.

The Sun King does not offer any one of you the sword, but leaves it planted in the stones, in a little heap of ashes.   "Come, my General. The dawn awaits us."  

The light grows briefly even more intense, and when you can see again, the gods have departed and the sun itself is floating up the shaft towards the world beyond.
zylodrizzt
Recently nibum has been witness to a few redemption cocytus.... his own.... negniter even but was this a redemption or was this uncontrollable actions?  we all felt the pull from that book so this could have been any of us in that tortles shell but did he begin this willingly or did he unwittingly participate? Would it make a diffrence to those lives he destroyed or would he be at all remorseful? Many questions and only he can answer so i agree with thrag. Lets ask him  he says pragmatically as he pulls out the ring of speak with dead.
J-H
 Servius 
 "Trionyx almost freed Tiamat and undid thousands of years of Lord Apophis' struggle with her.  He's responsible for the deaths of hundreds or thousands of people.  We can't just let him slither away!"   Servius prepares to counterspell Shetyw's magic.   "We can make it up to Shetyw another way.  Surely he has a holy book that can be copied and distributed to find new worshippers, perhaps among the malisons or other areas where there is an un-filled need for healing." 

Tharg's words stay his spellcasting, but only for a moment... and then Nibum produces a way to arrive at an answer.   "We can wait long enough to get answers, I suppose." 
TriciaOso
The Raise Dead spell is weaving around Trionyx, gradually erasing the deformities brought on by his long possession of the book; the crystalline and metallic scales crumbling away and the fungal growths withering. When the ring is slid onto his finger, his eye open and his beak parts slightly as he awaits the first question.
zylodrizzt
5 questions.... 5... to determine a tortles fate. Do these questions really matter? His fate won't be much diffrent. If he remembers he will have to atone. If he doesn't he's still to be hunted like thrag said. Might be best just to let malatra use thier justice system would be just as fair and probably servius would prefer that. Perhaps the old nibum was rearing his head for he thought about just taking the ring off right then and letting the tortles fate be sealed. 5 questions wasn't alot in the infinity of possibilities so nibum carefully considered them and a question popped into his head from an unlikely source... pterodactyl. Nibum went with that.  Before today when was the last time trionyx was in control of the body and mind?  he asked. He had to start somewhere and this might lead the rest of the questioning.
TriciaOso
A sigh passes from his parted beak. His voice is dispassionate, distant, as if in a trance.

  "All of my life I have been the servant of a god. Shetyw saved my life as a hatchling, and ever since then he has been a part of me, guiding me and speaking to me. But he has never been... a heavy burden... he asked very little of me. He was simply... a companion. Because of him I dedicated my life to the monastery of the Library and the study of obscure and lost gods."

"When I read in the book that Shetyw was yet another mask of Tiamat, I should've rejected it. I should have been able to reject it. But the curse that fell on me in studying the Litany of Kin affected both me and my god. My companion became colder. Crueler. More demanding. And when I looked to the place where my conscience should have been, I found only obedience. Perhaps my sense of right and wrong always came from Shetyw. Once Tiamat seized hold of him, I was lost."  
J-H
 Servius 

Servius settles on his coils.   "He says he drew his sense of morals from elsewhere, instead of from himself." 
Directing his question to Trionyx:   "Were you, Trionyx, the one making the choices about how to carry out your goals of getting here and trying to free Tiamat?" 
TriciaOso
The body hesitates.

  "At first. I was ruthless... single-minded... impatient. Nothing mattered to me but sharing her truth and gathering power for her. I didn't have a plan to to get past the Malatrans. In truth, I had very little idea of what my journey would look like, I had never left Lssthp before, but she was whispering to me, directing me... once I met the pirate and forced him to serve her, too, he had his own ideas of what that should look like. It seemed like... at the time it seemed like as good a way as any to bring my revelations to more people and more gods."  
zylodrizzt
Nibum addresses the turtle god before continuing questioning  This is your child... which means you forgive him right? Had this been anyone else then one of your children how would you treat them? 
TriciaOso
Although Shetyw has all but vanished, melting back into the golden kintsuigi of the tortle's shell, the god's voice speaks from Trionyx's beak.

  "I am not a god of wrath or punishment, or even the justice of your Blue Lady. I was a healer and a protector of the young. All the sea's children are my children. I did my best to protect and prepare them, to weave a fate that gave a clear path across the sands. I waited in hope for them to find me."

"Perhaps that is why I was never a very popular god."  
J-H
 Servius 
Servius frowns.  Justice is demanded, and Apophis would seek vengeance, yet Trionyx is not wholly culpable.  There's time, and he's familiar with almost every common and uncommon form of magic.   "Perhaps... a geas, a permanent spell to guarantee his behavior?  Either he works to repair the damage he's done, serves the interests of our kind, and tries to better the world, or he dies.  He keeps his tail clean and away from serving evil, or he dies.  He stays a servant of others and does not seek personal power, or he dies.  It is a life-long sentence, but one that acknowledges that he was under the influence of others in addition to his poor choices."   It's a slower, subtle form of justice, one that lasts longer and may prove both harsher and lighter.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg considers Servius's proposal, then slowly nods:   "This be an acceptable compromise for me. Even so, it may be best for him to avoid places like Cagway. People will be out for vengeance regardless. Still... plenty o' work needs doing."  
J-H
 Servius 
 "Would Shetyw consent to placing Trionyx under a permanent Geas to ensure his future behavior is acceptable?  Doing so would also provide him a certain measure of...security."   Servius lays out his summary of what he and the others had hastily discussed, trying to make it sound as palatable to Shetyw as possible.
zylodrizzt
Nibum is mainly on board with the idea but there is something else he would like to know and he asks as he ties up the currently dead tortle  Once you are amoung the living, assuming you wish to live, what will you do? 
TriciaOso
A sigh escapes the beak of the dead tortle.  "I don't know. I don't know where I could go that I wouldn't be despised for what I've done..." 

At the same time, Shetyw speaks through him:  "Yes,"  says the voice of the god.  "I will vouchsafe for his good conduct. I think he is right that he must leave the Hic Sunt once and for all; he cannot be forgiven here."

"There are people of our kind, reptilians, who live among the humans. They are not well-loved, and their lives are hard. In desperation, many of them serve Tiamat in their secret hearts, hating the warm-blooded who do not welcome them. Perhaps we can bring a message of peace between our peoples, and oppose the will of the Tyrant Queen by ministering to them, by telling the tales of a dragon adopted by the Celestial Court." 

With your fifth question, the metal of the ring of Speak With Dead goes dull and lifeless, and so does Trionyx's slowly healing body.
J-H
 Servius 
Servius keeps his arms crossed, swaying from side to side slightly.  Tension leaves his spine.  That is settled.
Ttharg had mentioned something earlier in their discussion about the dead dragons...  it seems an improbably difficult task, but the last few months have been filled with things Servius would have considered improbable or impossible a year ago, back when he was still a student.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Trionyx had been given a second chance to make something better of himself, even in exile; and this pleased Ttharg.

With the matter of Trionyx settled, and now in the hands of Shetyw, Ttharg turned his attention to the matter of the dead dragons. Cagway was likely a ruin, with many dead. Although Ttharg wanted to beseech Bahamut to restore all of the dead, he knew that such a request would be too much to ask of his deity. Instead, Ttharg focused his request on bringing back the dragons slain by Trionyx during his campaign of evil. With the dragons returned, at least, there would be a level of normalcy returned; even if there was still much death, despair, and work to repair all the damage and loss of life.

Ttharg knelt before the altar and prayed.   "O' Bahamut, mighty an' wise. I ask for ye intervention in our mortal lives. In Trionyx's campaign o' evil, he has slain many a dragon. Without the strength an' wisdom o' these dragons, I fear the people o' our world will be lost without guidance an' may turn to fear an' violence. I ask ye, o' Bahamut, to restore the dragons killed by Trionyx, so that they may look after these lands an' the sea once more."  
TriciaOso
Prayer is usually a private business, between a man and his god, and often there is no sign the god is even listening. A matter of faith.

This isn't that.

As you pray, the platinum of the altar glows, becoming almost liquid. As the glowing reaches a peak, you hear a bellow of rage from below, as Tiamat sets her will against Bahamut's. The gems of the altar begin to shine as well, almost blindingly, as Sardior lends his might to Bahamut's, and the stones of the temple tremble as Apophis exerts himself as well. The light of the Sun pulses from the shaft above as well.

Yet Tiamat's voices rise in rage, opposing the four gods all alone. From each of the chapels power begins to radiate, as the five gods she bore defy or reinforce her will. Lightning fills the chapel of Erathis, black flames in the chapel of Rukon, and on and on.

A battle of divine intention rages around you all, 7 gods opposed to three, but one of the three is Tiamat, and her strength is fivefold. Even the artifacts you've recovered, the blessings you've received lend their strength, but they are minor gods, almost forgotten or subordinated to another power.

In the end, the sound and fury passes, and the world is unchanged. The gods are powerful, but their power works at cross-purposes, and often the result is that only the will of mortals can make a change. You all know this. You just rarely have such a front row seat to that truth.

The light and noise dies away, after some unbearable duration. When the echoes and afterimages clear, the sun has left the Temple Ecumenical and set out across the human world. And it's only a moment later that you see, with inexpressible relief, the tender ship descending.
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

Ttharg is momentarily disappointed at the outcome of his prayer to Bahamut, but he realises that one of Bahamut's tenets is self-determination: the world has been changed and it is up to the survivors to figure out how to rebuild and live. Perhaps, just perhaps, this change will eventually be good; but for now the world will mourn the dead and very few will be aware of what has just transpired.

  "I need a drink...."   Ttharg eventually says, awaiting to board the tender.
TriciaOso
  The End  
  Epilogues  
 Trionyx , raised from the dead and no longer under the curse of the Litany of Kin, is virtually unrecognizable. In the joy and good feelings engendered by returning the blade of the Sun King, the humans are willing to make space for him on their voyage west to human lands. His exile begins, and so to does the worship of the Solar Dragon of the Celestial Court.

Your success sends other ripples through the human lands. The young king's defiance of the priests who would control him is validated; the friendship of the goblins, long-despised as plague carriers and vandals by humans who met only the most desperate of them, is affirmed for vouchsafing you. For goblins and reptilians and one little boy with a heavy crown to bear, you change things for the better before you return to the Hic Sunt. Home to you; a realm of impossible mystery and magic to the human world.

   
You find the White Cliff in port in Malatra, undergoing a thorough refit and restock.

 
 Bendeguz Magyar  is not surprised to hear she owes a debt to Maebe. But she is grateful to know her destination. With the assistance of the Majari and the University, she arranges for a portal to be opened to the Feywild.

 
Naturally,  Siduri Atropae  is at her side.

 
 Cauda Unkulhai  joins her, too. They will need a navigator.

 
She extends the offer to  Cocytus Achelous  as well. A way out of facing justice in Lssthp. For her sake, he would do it. But there are names to be named, from his older brother to the highest reaches of the Malaki. He does the hard thing, and sails with the  White Cliff .

 
Another difficult parting lies between her and  Frr'kkk . His loyalty lies to her. But she insists the time has come for him to stand alone. She signs over the commission of the  White Cliff  to him, to be confirmed by Niobrara on his return to Lssthp.

 
 Tegu  remains with the ship. The new Captain will need some seasoned officers to stick with him. So does  Kabett , although there was never much chance of separating him from the  White Cliff . New officers are chosen from among the crew who distinguished themselves in the battle against the fleet, but Fork-- Captain  Fork--makes it clear there are places for you if you wish for them. The voyage home -- perhaps by way of the Cataract of Mists? -- lies before you. A diplomatic visit on the gem dragons may be wise, after the recent events.

Your former Captain extends an invitation as well. Perhaps you would wish to accompany her on a journey through the Feywild -- if you aren't sick to death of the business of gods.

And finally, the mages of the University offer you a third possibility for adventure. One of their gyroscopic planar devices, fitted onto your tender, could make it worthy of planar and interplanar travel. A whole multiverse awaits...

 What will you choose? Will you all choose the same adventure? And what other epilogues remain for the friends and enemies you made along the way, as Privateers of Lssthp? 
The Commander
  Ttharg Krixkrux  

It can be a difficult thing when family decides to go their own separate ways. It is certainly difficult for Ttharg, who owes his life in equal part to Magyar and the crew of the White Cliff. Eventually he settles on staying with the White Cliff: they still need a competent surgeon on board, the newly christened Captain Fork will need all the help he can get, and the dread pirate Captain Pthax is still out there. He says his goodbyes to the former Captain and the crew and officers that join her. He hopes she will think of him when she looks at the platinum ring on her finger, that he gave her many, many months ago for protection; as he will do when he looks at his own ring.

Ttharg came to his faith through chance and necessity. Over the weeks and months with the White Cliff he slowly began to lean more into the spiritual side of Bahamut's teachings. With the world in turmoil and hurt, Ttharg makes it a personal mission to assist people to get back on their own two feet (or tail) whenever there is an opportunity to do so. In particular, he pays a very sombre visit to Zab, Shanidar's sister. The two spend time mourning, in their own ways, in Baratano.

Ttharg pays very careful and serious attention to rumours and information regarding Captain Pthax. With a lot of dragons gone and ports savaged in the wake of Trionyx's campaign, the danger of piracy is at an all time high; and Pthax would certainly take advantage of that. Ttharg advocates for investigating any worthwhile lead on the dread pirate, in the hopes of stopping him once and for all.

Ttharg's life is lived out on the sea, where he has always felt most at home. Although the dragons and dogma of Lssthp can be incredibly rigid, Ttharg stands as a testament that anyone can change if given the right encouragement and a second chance.
J-H
      
      Servius Calventius Pamphilius    
 Yuan-ti Evoker 
 AC: 17, 18 if within 5 miles of White Cliff HP: 0 
 PPer: 11 PInv: 19 PIst: 11  
 Conditions: -- 
 Concentrating: --  
 
  

Servius considers carefully what to do.  Many paths have opened up for him, and even a vision of a possible future of him as a lone, powerful spellcaster... without his allies and friends, and crew.  In the end, this tips the balance.  He chooses to remain with the White Cliff, for now.  With the tender attached, the White Cliff is stronger than before, and although many have moved on, many others remain.

He could have gone back to the university... back to books, and towers, and every day being like the next.  Even if he'd be recognized as a contributor, there would still be prejudice against him, and it would be boring.  On the White Cliff?  He's already written one useful book, and who knows what else he'll find?
What have those who stayed behind, who didn't leave and see the wider world save through words on a page, accomplish in the last year?  He has already surpassed them, and it's possible that some of those who pranked him will be assigning  his  book to read to students a decade from now.  His success will speak for itself, without Servius tying himself down there.

Extraplanar travel was tempting - not so much the feywild, as Servius has had enough politics to last for a while - but seeing the stars and other worlds was quite interesting.  Perhaps later.  For now, he has found strength in his friends, like Frkkk and Ttharg, and the crew.  There is fulfillment in being unified in purpose with others, although he hopes that the next year or two will have a less breakneck and desperate pace than the race against Trionyx.

Malatra will probably be their next port of call, and Servius can spend some time with the Majari broadening his knowledge and documenting what he saw - or at least, as much of it as seems wise to share.  Giving someone sufficient knowledge to attempt to  Teleport  to the Temple Ecumenical would be foolish.  There's also the Tender.  Perhaps a case can be made for an occasional trade visit to the humans?  The White Cliff's master has been extremely hands-off, and as long as it produces a profit, what does a dragon care?

He takes with him a copy of the book of Shetyw.  The Majari librarians employ an old spell called  Amanuensis  - terribly antiquated, slow to cast, but useful for copying books.  He spends a day or two in the Malison district, leaving behind two dozen copies of Shetyw's nearly-forgotten teachings, and a spark of hope of comfort for some of the lowest of society.  Servius still follows Apophis, but a debt was owed.  If a shrine or temple is to be constructed, he'll help fund it or advocate for it.

After this - a long visit to some of the hot springs to stretch his coils for a few days.  The White Cliff has more crew to take on and new prey to find a course to - perhaps Pthax, or perhaps some more illithid.

It has been an unexpected, stressful, and rewarding journey.  He wouldn't have missed it, not for all the books and titles at the university.
zylodrizzt
Nibum was sorley mistaken things would go back to normal after this whole thing and he plain didn't like it. Tho his home still stood those he'd come to care for nearly as much as his brother negniter were splitting up going thier own ways. Nibum raged against it showing the old nibum and ultimately he accepted each departure... each loss. He made a small gift for everyone.  Please take this and keep it on you... i want to know where you are and if you are well.  he says. It's just a very basic beacon. Nibum also decides it's time to say goodbye to the whitecliff as well before he does he outfits the ship with the same sort of device that connected the earpieces. Nibum had felt negniters presence still so he decided to take the university up on outfitting the tender with the planar device. He bid anyone left farewell and from time to time he may come visit them but ultimately nibum felt it was time to go back to the beginning where he was most happy... back to his brothers side. He didn't know if it were possible. He didn't know if he'd see the day after all he was an ancient kobold but there was much to see.