On the fourth day after setting sail from Port Nyanzaru, Captain Moleman picked up a mirror and reflected the sun towards a spot on the bare cliff to port. A tiny light flashed back. Soon a sleek Dalusian dhow could be seen on an intercept course.
"Here, sit down and pretend to be captured prisoners." The party did as they were told.
The dhow pulled alongside. Rotting severed heads dangled from its bowsprit. A voice called out over a brass megaphone, "Heave to and prepare to be boarded!"
Captain Moleman picked up his own megaphone and called back, "I beg ye pardon, sir! I have come bearing prisoners! They'll make fine ransom! At the very least they can be sold as slaves! I am, alas, unable to detain them myself but perhaps they can be housed in yer own fine and secure facility!"
There was a moment of silence, "What do you have?"
"I have a stout theran from unknown lands, a lithe b'alam hunter from Bres, and a middle-aged Chelonian from the Snout!"
"Ehhhh." bemoaned the other ship, "What else?"
"I have a blue-skinned beauty from the sky-tribes of Akasa!"
"Now you're talking! Anything else?"
"Yes! Of course!" He grabbed Zeynap by the shoulder and lifted him up, "I have that unicorn you were looking for!"
Zeynap snapped his gaze at the theran captain in astonishment!
Captain Moleman looked up at the Eusebean smuggler with an evil smile.
CHAPTER 10, "PIRATES OF THE EMERALD EYE"
- Bramble Wolf - a theran barbarian wise-man (Wildhunt Shifter Druid) searching for the legendary origin of his tribe.
- Apparently Jones - a blue-skinned demijin caravan guide and animal trainer (Air Genasi Ranger) from Akasa, the land of sky mountains. Having failed to find work in Port Nyanzaru as an animal handler, she has joined the expedition to the interior as a scout.
- Chak'sa - Apparently's parasaurolophus companion.
- Xoc-Wik - a b'alam warrior (Tabaxi Fighter) from the jungles of Bres, searching for those responsible for the destruction of his tribe.
- Zeynap Shiravadakar - a Eusebean smuggler (Human Warlock) bearing the spirit of a celestial unicorn.
- Hasegawa Tōhaku - a Horaian kamenin monk (Tortle Kensei Monk), a traveler, explorer, and artist. He was a friend of Nova Scotia Blackman in Akwa-Obio, the city of scholars.
UNICORNS FOR SALE
Xoc-Wik whispered to the others, "Okay. So, ah, what's the plan now?"
Apparently blinked and shook her head, her brain fever wearing off. "Um, what's going on?"
Tohaku said, "We're hunting pirates. We're pretending to be slaves and prisoners to lure them close."
She looked confused, "Wait, ARE we prisoners? Is this guy really selling us or pretending to sell us?"
Zeynap leaned over and said, "I'm not sure. I think he MIGHT be betraying us? I'm not sure how he knows about the unicorn."
Tohaku asked, "How does he know about the unicorn?"
Zeynap blinked, then turned to Captain Moleman, "Moleman, what makes you think I'm a unicorn? I mean, that's ludicrous!"
Captain Moleman replied in hushed tones, “Oh, Mister Shiravadakar, you HAVE lost yer memory, haven't’ you? Just like Lord Feldercarb said to me back in Port Nyanzaru! You really don’t remember me?
DM Comment - When I did Captain Moleman's voice, he sounded vaguely like Tim the Enchanter. However, when Tokaku's player did Captain Moleman's voice, he sounded like Mister Gopher from Winnie the Pooh, which was perfect! So I just started telling him what to say and he'd repeat it in a much better voice. However, as time went on, his voice shifted and sounded more like Gilbert Godfried, which was even MORE perfect! So when you imagine Captain Moleman speaking, imaging Gilbert Godfried's voice!
"It was I who was hired to transport a certain unicorn out of Eusebea. You and your crew were supposed to deliver a unicorn to me on one particular night a few moons back!"
The theran captain continued, "We all had specific instructions to not look at the unicorn, and by no means were we to TOUCH the unicorn! I knew that if you touched it, it would use you to escape!
"Well yo never showed up with the unicorn, did you? And your mates, they went back to the guild master, didn’t they? They said they found you alone with no unicorn and a bump on yer noggin! Plus you're all itchin to set out and do right and stop my employers. I ain’t no scholar but even I could read the writing in THAT book!
"You may not be a unicorn, but I’m bettin' the buyers could still use you to SUMMON a unicorn! Maybe all the unicorns they need!
"Now play along or they’ll discover the ruse!”
The dhow came close enough to see the captain on the stern deck. He was an obese theran with two large tusks like a walrus. He wore a fancy green coat studded with emeralds. He had a green gem set into his left eye. His hair was thinning and his jowls were unshaven. He bore the countenance of a fat barbarian covered in disgusting bits of food and rivulets of reeking sweat.
To the captain's right was a tall primitive looking orlok with red skin. To his left was a beautiful Chultan woman.
She ship was painted dark green. Severed heads dangled from the bowsprit.
Captain Moleman told the others, "That's the Emerald Eye under the command of Captain Zaroum Al-Saryak."
Captain Al-Saryak called back over the megaphone, “A unicorn? You’re too late, Moleman! They already GOT a unicorn! We sold it to them two moons ago!”
Moleman replied, “This is BETTER than a unicorn! He’s got unicorn blood or something. It gives him some kind of connection to the Fairy Realm of Aeon! It gives him magic powers! Easier to transport! I’m sure that’s worth something!”
Captain Al-Saryak shouted, “The buyers got what they need, Moleman! They aren’t coming back! Your magic man and the rest of your little mongrels are worthless! You’ve done nothing but annoy me! For that, for wasting my time, we’re going to take your ship, your cargo, and your little pets! See those heads on my bowsprit, Moleman? That’s where I’m going to hang YOUR head! ATTACK!”
A BATTLE AT SEA
He gave the wheel to the Chultan woman and shouted orders to the red orlok. The orlok, apparently the first mate, shouted orders to the two bosuns to prepare grapples for boarding and crossbowmen to attack.
Captain Moleman ordered his crew to hoist sails and prepare to flee. The Brazen Pegasus was at least three times as fast as the Emerald Eye and could easily outdistance her and get away. Zeynap asked Captain Moleman to circle the Emerald Eye at a range of about a hundred feet. The party wished to pepper the Emerald Eye with bows and ranged spell attacks. Captain Moleman wanted instead to make speed and had to be convinced to go along with Zeynap's plan.
"I thought you wanted to INFILTRATE the pirates! What happened to that?" shouted the theran.
"We changed our mind. We want to capture that ship and take the captain alive!" replied Zeynap.
"That was not our agreement! I do business with these people!" said the captain.
"They were just now about to take your ship!" argued Zeynap, "Do you still want to do business with them?"
The captain reluctantly conceded the debate and did his best to circle the Emerald Eye at a range of 100 feet.
As the Brazen Pegasus made a wide parabolic arc around the bow and starboard sides of the Emerald Eye both crews exchanged missiles. Xoc-Wik and Apparently loosed arrows from their longbows. Xoc-Wik's shots were especially impressive at long range as he was able to hit accurately through light cover.
The pirates took cover behind the side rails and returned in kind with crossbows. Zeynap used his celestial magic to send magical rainbow bolts against the pirates. The orlok first mate and other pirates without ranged attacks went below decks to ready their grapples.
The Brazen Pegasus came passed the stern of the Emerald Eye within thirty feet. Tohaku took a long running leap from the deck and his 400+ pound chelonian body sailed through the air and landed on the stern deck near Captain Al-Saryak and the Chultan pilot. A number of pirates ran from hiding and threw grapples onto the Brazen Pegasus.
Xoc-Wik loosed a magically charged arrow that detonated a fiery explosion, sending a bosun and several sailors flying. The grapplers were momentarily startled and failed to secure their lines. They were dragged off the deck and into the water by the retreating sloop at full sail.
Xoc-Wik pinned the captain to the mast with an arrow while Tohaku killed the Chultan helms-woman (whom the players dubbed Sails Magee) and fought a terrific fight with the orlok first mate and one of the bosuns.
Apparently and Zeynap fought and defeated a boarder at the bow of the ship while the other two chased the captain from the tiller. The sloop careened wildly and Xoc-Wik eliminated one of the rear boarders with an arrow. Zeynap and Apparently rescued the captain from the third boarder and the Brazen Pegasus was once more secure.
Upon defeating the first mate and bosun, the remaining three pirates surrendered. The party had captured the Emerald Eye and taken its captain prisoner!
OKAY, NOW WHAT?
Captain Moleman ordered his crew of six to lower the sails and come alongside the Emerald Eye. Tohaku had tied up the wounded captain but was tending to his wounds. Zeynap came on board and set about healing the surviving crew. Apparently and Xoc-Wik dragged the dead crewmen to the side and heaved them into the water.
"Congratulations!" shouted Captain Moleman, "You caught the Emerald Eye! Now what?"
"Now we set sail to return to Port Nyanzaru to collect the bounty!" replied Zeynap.
"With what crew?" exclaimed the captain, "A ship this size needs a minimum of twenty crew. You killed all but three of them and they're not likely to serve you willingly! That leaves the five of you! Do you know anything at all about sailing a ship?"
Zeynap, suddenly worried, looked around at the carnage and scratched his head.
Tohaku suggested, "Um. Maybe we could use some of your crew?"
Captain Moleman glared at the tortoise man, "Mister Hasegawa, let me ask you a question. What is the minimum crew complement for a sixty foot sloop? Go ahead, guess. I'll wait."
There was an awkward pause and Tohauku tentatively answered, "-six?"
"SIX! The answer is six! How many men are in my crew? Please count them."
The tortoise man sighed and answered, "six."
"SIX! You are correct! I need MY crew to operate MY ship! Besides, do you remember when we arrived earlier? How I signaled the coast with my mirror? The pirates have a lookout up there. I signal them, they signal the other ship. That's how I arrange my meetings with them. Well, GUESS WHAT? They've been watching this entire battle! They know that the Emerald Eye was just attacked by MY ship! They've got another ship in their secret anchorage. That ship is no doubt being prepared to come out and hunt me down! I have no desire to stick around! So I am going to take MY crew and MY ship and set sail at top possible speed! Do you understand me? Good luck!"
"Wait!" pleaded Zeynap, "If we get this ship back to Port Nyanzaru, we'll be paid two thousand gold coins. What if we cut you in on an equal share?"
Captain Moleman sputtered, "Equal share? I would do no such thing for any amount less than half the total bounty - one thousand gold coins!"
After some further deliberation, Captain Moleman agreed to help the party bring the Emerald Eye back to Port Nyanzaru.
Their first task was bringing the Brazen Pegasus alongside the Emerald Eye. They transferred all the supplies from the smaller sloop to the larger dhow. They carefully moved the six-ton macetail onto the larger ship using leather straps and a series of heavy cranes, counterweights, and pulleys.
Upon seeing the behemoth in the larger hold, Apparently commented, "Spike should be more comfortable in here."
"Did you just name it 'Spike'?" asked Zeynap.
"I did."
Zeynap chucked, "Bramble will not approve."
Once everything had been transferred to the larger ship the sloop was rigged behind the Emerald Eye so it could be towed. This arrangement, along with the inadequate crew, reduced the Emerald Eye's speed to about one knot.
They hoisted sail and began their journey north.
A QUICK INTERROGATION
Xoc-Wik and Tohaku joined the bound Captain Al-Saryak in the hold with the behemoth. They had already taken his emerald-studded jacket appraised at over a thousand gold coins and they had taken his emerald-studded sledge hammer appraised at over five hundred gold coins. Captain Al-Saryak was fuming. Hate dripped from his every pore.
They asked him about the parts of the Soulmonger. Captain Al-Saryak replied that he knew nothing of anything called the Soulmonger. They listed some of the components and asked about the buyer. He said that the buyers were robed men from the interior. At least he assumed they were men for they concealed their faces in shrouds. They paid in ancient Chultan gold coins. He said they smelled of rotting death. They paid for their items and returned to the jungle via the Gorge of Death. That was three moons ago and he hadn't seen them since.
Xoc-Wik exchanged a knowing glance with Tohaku. Their benefactor Syndra Silvane wore a mask and smelled of rotting death. Was she connected? Did she represent a rival faction?
Captain Al-Saryak began spitting curses and insults soTohaku stuffed a gag in his mouth to shut him up.
Xoc-Wik examined the captain's gleaming emerald eye. Captain Al-Saryak's silent look reeked of anger and defiance. Xoc-Wik held the Captain's head and plucked the emerald from the eye socket. Captain Al-Saryak clenched his meaty eyebrows and pinched Xoc-Wik's feline paws. Xoc-Wik drew his hand and the emerald away with a yelp. He examined the emerald. It slowly grew dim and became a dull grey stone. Captain Al-Saryak screamed angrily into his gag. Xoc-Wik shrugged and placed the grey stone back in the captain's eye socket and was once again angrily pinched by the theran's muscular eye-brows. They left the captain bound and squirming in the hold.
They hoisted sail and began their journey north.
A QUICK INTERROGATION
Xoc-Wik and Tohaku joined the bound Captain Al-Saryak in the hold with the behemoth. They had already taken his emerald-studded jacket appraised at over a thousand gold coins and they had taken his emerald-studded sledge hammer appraised at over five hundred gold coins. Captain Al-Saryak was fuming. Hate dripped from his every pore.
They asked him about the parts of the Soulmonger. Captain Al-Saryak replied that he knew nothing of anything called the Soulmonger. They listed some of the components and asked about the buyer. He said that the buyers were robed men from the interior. At least he assumed they were men for they concealed their faces in shrouds. They paid in ancient Chultan gold coins. He said they smelled of rotting death. They paid for their items and returned to the jungle via the Gorge of Death. That was three moons ago and he hadn't seen them since.
Xoc-Wik exchanged a knowing glance with Tohaku. Their benefactor Syndra Silvane wore a mask and smelled of rotting death. Was she connected? Did she represent a rival faction?
Captain Al-Saryak began spitting curses and insults soTohaku stuffed a gag in his mouth to shut him up.
Xoc-Wik examined the captain's gleaming emerald eye. Captain Al-Saryak's silent look reeked of anger and defiance. Xoc-Wik held the Captain's head and plucked the emerald from the eye socket. Captain Al-Saryak clenched his meaty eyebrows and pinched Xoc-Wik's feline paws. Xoc-Wik drew his hand and the emerald away with a yelp. He examined the emerald. It slowly grew dim and became a dull grey stone. Captain Al-Saryak screamed angrily into his gag. Xoc-Wik shrugged and placed the grey stone back in the captain's eye socket and was once again angrily pinched by the theran's muscular eye-brows. They left the captain bound and squirming in the hold.
STORMY WEATHER
The storm arrived on their second night of travel and didn't let up for thirty-six hours. They trimmed the sails and tried to heave-to but were pushed into the storm cliffs.
Captain Moleman did his best to steer through the rocks below the cliffs but he was unable to prevent the Emerald Eye from smashing against them. The hull was breached and the dhow began to take on water. The unmanned Brazen Pegasus was likewise smashed against the rocks.
DM Commentary - I rolled some ocean random encounters from the DMG and didn't get anything more interesting than "the ship comes across some wreckage". However, I rolled a d20 for the weather and got 19 three rolls in a row. I quickly adapted the rules for avoiding the rocks of Jahaka Bay. Roll a d20 three times. On a roll of 11+ nothing bad happens. On a roll of 5-10 the ship takes damage and gets stuck. ON a roll of 1-4 the ship begins to sink. I had Zeynap's player roll three times with Disadvantage to represent the bad weather and insufficient crew. He got 7, 4, and over 11, I forget the specifics.
The Emerald Eye was stuck. Massive waves kept pounding over the side rails, flooding the deck. Spike the macetail had become anxious and was beginning to panic. Apparently ran below decks and soothe the behemoth. Once soothed, she coaxed the beast into rocking back and forth. The motion of the behemoth freed the ship from the rocks.
DM Commentary - I asked the group how they would get themselves unstuck. Apparently's player suggested the rocking maneuver. I asked her to roll Animal Handling with a DC of 15 and she succeeded.
The ship was free but still taking on water. It was foundering. Apparently and Tohaku both tied lines to themselves and went overboard with some emergency repair supplies. Apparently's jin parentage granted her the ability to hold her breath indefinitely. Likewise Tohaku, as a chelonian, was adapted to the water. They went underwater and fought the pounding waves to apply tar and caulk to temporarily seal the hull breaches.
DM Commentary - Another spot-ruling. I asked them to make Athletics or Acrobatics checks vs DC 15 because, like, what the hell skill would you use to repair a ship? So, I went with brute force or finesse.
The emergency repairs had sealed the holes but the bottom decks were flooded. Although the ship was now free of the rocks it could make no headway. After a few more hours the storm subsided.
Later that night, Xoc-Wik stood watch while the exhausted crew and party slept. The ship was half-submerged and listing heavily. The hairs on Xoc-Wik's necks bristled and he looked around. To his surprise the dark silhouette of a sailing ship slid slowly out of the night and into the lantern light of the deck of the Emerald Eye. A dragon's head was painted onto the bow of the other ship's hull. There were many evil looking men standing on deck, weapons drawn.
TO BE CONTINUED...
The storm arrived on their second night of travel and didn't let up for thirty-six hours. They trimmed the sails and tried to heave-to but were pushed into the storm cliffs.
Captain Moleman did his best to steer through the rocks below the cliffs but he was unable to prevent the Emerald Eye from smashing against them. The hull was breached and the dhow began to take on water. The unmanned Brazen Pegasus was likewise smashed against the rocks.
DM Commentary - I rolled some ocean random encounters from the DMG and didn't get anything more interesting than "the ship comes across some wreckage". However, I rolled a d20 for the weather and got 19 three rolls in a row. I quickly adapted the rules for avoiding the rocks of Jahaka Bay. Roll a d20 three times. On a roll of 11+ nothing bad happens. On a roll of 5-10 the ship takes damage and gets stuck. ON a roll of 1-4 the ship begins to sink. I had Zeynap's player roll three times with Disadvantage to represent the bad weather and insufficient crew. He got 7, 4, and over 11, I forget the specifics.
The Emerald Eye was stuck. Massive waves kept pounding over the side rails, flooding the deck. Spike the macetail had become anxious and was beginning to panic. Apparently ran below decks and soothe the behemoth. Once soothed, she coaxed the beast into rocking back and forth. The motion of the behemoth freed the ship from the rocks.
DM Commentary - I asked the group how they would get themselves unstuck. Apparently's player suggested the rocking maneuver. I asked her to roll Animal Handling with a DC of 15 and she succeeded.
The ship was free but still taking on water. It was foundering. Apparently and Tohaku both tied lines to themselves and went overboard with some emergency repair supplies. Apparently's jin parentage granted her the ability to hold her breath indefinitely. Likewise Tohaku, as a chelonian, was adapted to the water. They went underwater and fought the pounding waves to apply tar and caulk to temporarily seal the hull breaches.
DM Commentary - Another spot-ruling. I asked them to make Athletics or Acrobatics checks vs DC 15 because, like, what the hell skill would you use to repair a ship? So, I went with brute force or finesse.
The emergency repairs had sealed the holes but the bottom decks were flooded. Although the ship was now free of the rocks it could make no headway. After a few more hours the storm subsided.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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