"The Offer of Syndra Silvane" - Tomb of Annihilation, Chapter 9

A woman sat in a comfortable chair. She wore long loose white silk garments. A silver mask concealed  her face. Her head and neck were concealed by a habit. She spoke in a Eusabean accent.

"I am Syndra Silvane. Thank you for coming. Please, sit. Would you like some wine? Fruit?"

They accepted her hospitality and became comfortable.

"I would like to hire you to find and destroy the Soulmonger."

CHAPTER 9, "THE OFFER OF SYNDRA SILVANE"

THE EXPEDITION

• 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.

THE OFFER

"We're listening," said Bramble, warily.

"Before I tell you who I am, please, tell me about yourselves." the mysterious woman replied.

Each member of the party introduced themselves. Apparently coughed quietly and withdrew to the back of the room. 

DM Comment - Damned Brain Fever!

"I am a member of an organization known as the Erelim."

"Did you say the Erelim?" said Zeynap.

"You've heard of us?" she answered.

Bramble looked at Zeynap incredulously.

"Yes, they're some kind of covert brotherhood. They also called 'the Watchers'. They oppose those who try to take over, or destroy, the world. They also collect and destroy dangerous artifacts." explained Zeynap.

"How do you know this?" asked Xok-Wik.

"Ah, you know, I hear things." explained the former smuggler of dangerous artifacts.

DM Comment - Guess who rolled a 20 on their history check!

"It's true," said Syndra, "and I have come to Chult in search of the Soulmonger. You see, our agents have tracked the collection of several powerful magical artifacts smuggled from locations throughout Antara - a live unicorn from Aeon, a crystal lens from Bres, meteoric jade from Plaksha, Residuum from Agartta, and others. The theft of any of these artifacts would be cause to worry. However, together they form the components of a fearful device - the Soulmonger."

"Yes, we've heard of it." said Zeynap, the knot on his forehead throbbing angrily at the mention of the live unicorn.

"Indeed?" responded Syndra, intrigued.   

"As I said, I, ah, hear things."

"I see. My agents learned that all of the objects were all bound for some secret pirate port on the west coast of Chult."

"What does this thing do?" inquired Bramble.

Syndra explained, "It acts as a kind of magical energy source. It drains life from the living and stores it for use in powerful necromantic rituals."

"..and let me guess, when you die from having your life drained, your body becomes a zombie." he interrupted. 

Syndra was visibly taken aback, "Y-yes. How do you know this?"

Bramble explained, "You won't find your parts in the pirate port."

"Why not?" asked Syndra.

"We have reason to believe the parts were taken to the interior, somewhere in southern Chult." said the theran druid, "and that it is assembled and activated."

Syndra Silvane tensed and grabbed the sides of her chair, "How do you know this?"

"The dead are rising in the jungles. We've encountered them. A witch woman in Mbala told us that the Soulmonger was responsible. She said the power emanated from somewhere in the south. What's worse, it's growing."

"Where is this witch woman?" inquired Syndra.

"We killed her." replied Bramble coldly as he stared intently at the figure in the silver mask. 

There was an awkward silence. 

"That it has already been activated is unwelcome news. As its power increases so too will its influence. Soon it will spread across all of Chult. It will keep expanding until it has encompassed Atlantis, Bres, Meropis, Avallonis, and beyond. It will one day drain all life from Antara."

Again there was an awkward moment of silence. Someone cleared their throat.

"You must destroy the Soulmonger! I will pay you each fifty Eusebean gold coins up front if you take the job. You will be each paid five thousand gold coins upon proof of its destruction."

"Give us a moment to discuss this." said Bramble. Bramble looked around the room, "Do you have a table?" 

"Please," said Syndra as she gestured with her hand toward a nearby desk.

Bramble, Xok-Wik, Zeynap,  Hasegawa Tōhaku, and Apparently gathered around the table. Bramble swept all the clutter off the table and brought a candelabra over. He spread out a number of maps on the table and the group began to collaborate on a plan. 

Looking at the map, Bramble suspected that the hidden pirate port was located in Jahaka bay. This suspicion was based on statements made by the attempted mutineers as they entered Chult and a statement made by Zalma Haik who claimed to enter Chult via "Jahaka". Bramble also concluded that the Heart of Ubtao was important to the plot and made that landmark their primary target. 

The team discussed several options - travel back up the River Soshenstar to Camp Retribution and from there head to the Heart of Ubtao. They decided that their best bet would be to follow the smuggling route. For that they'd need to find this secret pirate port. To do that, they'd need to make some inquiries around Port Nyanzaru. They also figured that any journey to the south of Chult and back would take more than a hundred days and they would need to provision accordingly.

"So are you accepting my offer?" asked Syndra.

Bramble looked around and everyone nodded, "Yes, I guess we are."

"Then let me share with you a parting gift. In exchange for taking this job, I will bestow upon each of you a magical gift." She produced several boxes.

"For you, Xok-Wik,  a magical arrow. It will not break."

"For you, Zeynap, a shard of the Eye of Heaven. It possesses angelic spells."

"For Tohaku, a vial containing any spice you may require."

"And for you, Bramble, if give you this potted plant. I have been growing it for several weeks."

Bramble took the gift with a quizzical look, "Is this because I'm a wise man of the forest?"

"It is a magical plant. It comes alive and can move about at your command."

Bramble reassessed his gift and was impressed. He nodded in approval, "We thank you for these gifts." 

ERRANDS

They exited the stiflingly hot confines of Silvane's dark quarters into the wet humid streets of Port Nyanzaru. They had work to do.

Their first task took them across town to the Hall of Gold - the gleaming temple to Trapezitam, the Ysian god of merchants. The temple stood atop the highest hill in Port Nyanzaru. The temple interior was ostentatious. Music played and female dancers clad in gauzy chiffon writhed on pedestals near the entrance. There were paintings of the beautiful high priestess in her dress made of black and gold plates that resembled rectangles, triangles, and eyes.

They exchanged their vouchers from the Knights of the Circle for gold coins and concluded their business. From there they descended the hill through the Red Bazaar. They exited the city gates and emerged into the Tiryiki Anchorage outside the city walls. There they perused the available livestock in search of a beast of burden. They finally decided to purchase a macetail (aka- an ankylosaurus).

"What should we name it?" asked Xok-Wik.

"We're not going to name it!" replied Bramble, curtly, "Don't get attached to it. We may have to eat it or abandon it to save our lives. We're not risking our lives for this thing because we gave it a name!"

Xok-Wik raised his hands in surrender.

ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION

That afternoon the party took their newly purchased macetail over to Malar's Throat in search of the b'alaam scouts named River Mist and Flask of Wine. They hoped the scouts might know something about the smuggling scene in Port Nyanzaru.

As they descended the steep muddy trails past the ramshackle buildings they heard a shout and a crash. Xok-Wik and Tohaku barely jumped aside as a massive barrel filled with rain water came rolling down the path towards them. The barrel crashed into the ravine below. At the top of the hill Bramble saw the fleeing form of Lord Feldercarb as the mage disappeared behind an uphill structure.

"Should we chase him?" asked Zeynap.

"No, let him go. We have other things to do." replied Xok-Wik

They found River Mist and Flask of Wine sitting in an open-air tavern built on a wooden platform over the ravine at the bottom of the throat. They exchanged pleasantries and answered questions about their recent adventure upriver. When asked about smuggling in Port Nyanzaru the two wilderness scouts admitted that they knew nothing about that. They suggested instead that the party talk to Zindar the harbormaster.

THE BRAZEN PEGASUS

The party made their way to the docks, macetail in tow. There they found Zindar, the humanoid dragon, busy directing stevedores in the unloading of a ship. He finished his work and paused to speak with them.

When asked about smuggling in Port Nyanzaru, Zindar proudly proclaimed that he ensured there WAS no smuggling in Port Nyanzaru! Pirates, however, was another matter! He spat and complained that pirate ships plagued the seas beyond the Bay of Chult. Everyone knew there was some kind of secret pirate base somewhere on the west coast but no one knew where it was. He lamented that the Merchant Princes had no navy to protect their shipping and relied too heavily on Aremag the Dragon-Turtle to protect the city from attack. He also noted with pointed suspicion that the Ysian ships that trade at Fort Belaurian seem to never suffer a pirate attack. He informed the party that there was a bounty of two thousand gold coins for ever pirate ship brought into port plus an extra five hundred gold coins for each pirate captain arrested and submitted for justice in Port Nyanzaru.

Bramble's eyes grew wide. He looked at his companions and they all shared the same thought - PIRATE HUNTING! It was suggested that Silvane's mission could wait, depending of course on how quickly the effect of the Soulmonger spread across the world.

DM Commentary - and thus the campaign took a 90-degree turn from the intended plot. Okay, maybe only 45-degree. They're still headed in the right direction. 

There was a small crash elsewhere on the docks and Zindar cursed. He excused himself and flew off to attend to the newest minor crisis.

The party looked around and the various ships in the harbor. They saw the Karanja. Captain Abasi was recruiting a new crew. They did some quick math, assessing how long it would take to sail down the western coast. They figured twenty days at sail to reach Jahaka Bay.

A raspy voice spoke to them, "If it's speed ye want, then ye should ignore that old garbage scow. Ye'll be wanting a fast ship! My ship! The Brazen Pegasus! We do ye need to go?"

They turned to see a short theran, no taller than a man's chest, with light brown velvety skin, an elongated face, short arms, and large hands with long muscular fingers that terminated in thick claw-like nails. He wore dark goggles over his eyes and large incisors stuck out under his up-turned upper lip. He had a hunched posture and held his long hands with his fingers pointing down in front of his chest.

"Jahaka Bay," replied Bramble.

"Jahaka Bay you say?" the short sailor inquired suspiciously. He scratched his scruffy head with long fingernails, "I see." He acted like he understood a joke no one was telling. "Lots of pirates near there. The Brazen Pegasus can outrun any pirate ship!"

"Actually, we were hoping to find the pirate base."

The wee captain jumped back, "Ye gods! Whatever for?"

"What do you know about," Zeynap looked around conspiratorially, "smuggling?"

The captain looked offended and coughed defensively, "I, uh, that is, well, look, yer not working for Zindar, are ye? If  ye are, by law ye have to tell me!"

Zeynap held his hands palm out, "Absolutely not, my friend!"

"Well, let's just say I may have facilitated the transport of goods into and out of Port Nyanzaru."

"Look, I get it," said Zeynap, "I've been there myself. And of course you've never sold pirated goods in Port Nyanzaru. Nothing, say, you may have acquired from some pirates at their secret base."

The captain came in very close, his nose twitching. He hissed through his teeth, "Okay, mebbee I did. Mebbee I know how to contact the Jahaka pirates. Mebbee I've been to their secret hideout, but I tell ye, they take yer ship, blindfold ye, and pilot ye in. I couldn't find it if I had to."

"Well that's not necessary," said Bramble, "Just get us in contact with them. We'll do the rest. How long will it take us to reach Jahaka Bay in your sloop?"

"Four days!" bragged the captain.

Bramble was genuinely impressed, "Excellent! How much?"

"Ten gold coins a day for the lot of ye. Plus another six a day to transport ye wee beast there!"

"Deal! What's your name?"

"Captain Jannes Moleman, at yer service!"

THE MIST CLIFFS

The sea voyage south along the west coast of Chult was uneventful. The Mist Cliffs loomed everpresent to the left. Fog poured over the tops of the cliffs like a waterfall of cloud. The sloop was a small craft, sixty feet long with a shallow draft and many large sails. There was only one cabin and it belonged to the captain. The crew of six slept on deck. The small area below deck was devoted to cargo which was currently occupied by the unhappy macetail. The passengers slept on the open deck with the crew.

On the fourth day, Captain Moleman  picked up a mirror and reflected the sun towards a spot on the bare cliff. A tiny light flashed back. Soon a sleek Dalusian sailing ship could be seen on an intercept course.

"There they be," said Captain Moleman, "Here, sit down and pretend to be captured prisoners." The party did as they were told.

The Dalusian ship 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.

TO BE CONTINUED...