As he neared the ship the trash shifted. Three figures- vaguely humanoid but with lumpy blubbery translucent skin like that of a disgusting jellyfish - rose from the trash. They lifted cheap javelins which they hurled at Alot.
Alot nodded and retreated from the bridge. Javelins bounced harmlessly off his thick armor plating.
"Well, this looks like the place. We should come back at sunset. There's a greater chance more cultists will be here."
The party left and returned to the docks on the outer edge of the slums.
Rashlen was friendly and outgoing, lavishing Aella and Cai'luin with personal attention and praise while showing subtle disdain for "the lower classes". He ordered Cirdaere to make tea and finger sandwiches for his guests. Cirdaere sighed and went to the kitchen.
The mystery woman's tone became more accusatory, "While you stand here debating and wasting time, Mister Dory is aware of your investigation and is at his warehouse taking steps to obfuscate his corruption and obstruct your inquiries. Instead of standing around planning a party, you should be stopping the destruction of important evidence."
CHAPTER 73
"DORY'S WAREHOUSE"
The Crew of the Sea Ghost:
We begin the mystery of the Styes in earnest. But first, I needed to back up and give the players some more detail about what happened to them during the week they spent in Poniard.
- Alot Aname - Neutral Good Warforged Fighter, ancient sentinel of a wizard's fortress, spent several decades deactivated underwater, Captain of the Sea Ghost.
- Avastana "Aella" Kádár - Neutral, Half-Elf Outlander and Storm Sorceress from Ket, daughter of the king of the sea elves, deck sorceress and first mate of the Sea Ghost.
- Patriarch Craig "Blunderbuss" Oxworth - Lawful Good Dwarven Priest of St. Ogden (Cleric), sailor and shipwright, bosun of the Sea Ghost.
- Cai'luin Manaan - Chaotic Good Sea-Elf Bard, member of the royal family of the tribe of Manaan. Cook of the Sea Ghost.
- Corvid Ravenson - Neutral Good Fallen Aasimar Paladin of Vengeance and Divine Soul Sorcerer, sent to Oerth to avenge those who wronged his angelic "brother", Auric Ravenson. Second mate of the Sea Ghost.
We begin the mystery of the Styes in earnest. But first, I needed to back up and give the players some more detail about what happened to them during the week they spent in Poniard.
Hopen'er Asylum
On their way to the docks they ran into Constable Jute whom they had met the previous morning. Jute was cordial but professional. She informed the crew that she and the other constables were barred from further inquiries regarding the Ghost Lantern murders and that she was officially obliged to ask them to end their inquiry. She looked around nervously as if she were being watched.
When asked who gave the constables that order, she informed them that it was Mister Dory of the city council. Alot nodded sagely.
Before saying goodbye, Jute informed the crew that, the night before he was executed, Jarme drew unusual chaotic patterns on the wall of his cell in Hope'ner asylum and further informed them that the cell was scheduled to be painted over today - again on orders from Council-person Dory.
The crew thanked her and hired a gondola to ferry them to the High Quarter. They disembarked and entered the imposing stone structure of Hope'ner Asylum.
The building was originally built as a prison and it still resembled one architecturally. Several decades ago it was turned into a hospital filled with patients suffering from chemical burns, blindness, and withered limbs caused by pollution from the Alchemist's Quarter and those suffering debilitating mental illness.
The hospital was woefully understaffed and the crew were unable to summon the attention of someone from the staff. They were eventually greeted by a peculiar individual - a young man with bulging eyes.
The young man stood in the middle of the room intently staring at them. When Patriarch Craig asked the young man if he could help them, the man just stared in silence with a strange grin. Eventually the young man blurted, "I am Brey!"
Patriarch Craig struggled to keep his polite composure, "Yes, is there anyone around here in charge of-"
Brey blurted, "You want Doctor Trantor! I'll get her!" Before anyone could respond he spun around and ran off into the crowded hospital.
A few minutes later Brey returned dragging a harried woman of middle age wearing a long white robe. She protested Brey's handling of her. Brey dragged her to the crew and blurted, "Trantor! These are the ones! Just like I said."
Doctor Trantor sighed and said, "Yes, thank you Brey." The woman looked tired and overworked. Her face was a picture of stress and compassion. "Hello, I am Doctor Trantor. I oversee this facility. How can I help you?"
Aella said that they had heard that Jarme, the Ghost Lantern killer, had drawn on his cell wall the night before his execution. He asked if they could study it. She explained that they were a delegation from Saltmarsh and wished to learn more about how someone might become a killer like Jarme.
Trantor said that they'd have to hurry. Council-person Dory had ordered that the cell be cleaned and painted today. Trantor led them down some steps into the underground dungeon. She led them to a long corridor lined with heavy iron cell doors. She explained that they kept the most dangerous subjects in these cells. Jarme didn't seem dangerous but the cell was requested by the city council.
The smell of sweat and feces and rotting meat was oppressive. Even Trantor held a scented cloth over her nose and mouth. She led them to the last cell.
The walls of the small cell were covered in smeared drawings and patterns made with charcoal from a burned stick. The drawings were a chaotic mess of swirls and lines and shapes.
Cai'luin knelt down and studied the patterns up close. He said, "Hmmm-"
"What is it?" asked Alot.
"Well, it looks like a mess but its actually three different drawings overlaid on top of each other. See here - these spirals are like flailing arms or tentacles from some octopus with three eyes - or perhaps a fish. Its shackled at the bottom of a deep pit and dragging down these little people. Yes, those are people. These shapes look like buildings, this long one here kind of resembles the old lighthouse, Frother's Lamp - see, these buildings match specific buildings in the Styes - sorry, Poniard. Anyway, over here there are more of those tentacle things and they're destroying the city."
"Aboleths" said Aella.
"What?" said Alot.
"I recognize them. The fish things are called Aboleths."
Rashlen Manor
Outside the hospital, the crew gathered to plan their next move. They decided that they wanted to confront the members of the town council. Aella said, "I think I have an idea on how to do that."
The crew crossed a marble bridge over a canal towards the walled compound belonging to Rashlen, the member of the town council whom Aella had become acquainted with earlier in the week. The villa's ground-level windows had been bricked up so the outer perimeter gave the appearance of a walled fortress. Statues of elven warriors made of terra-cotta stood guard along the roof-line.
It was late morning, towards noon. The elven servant, Cirdaere, answered the door and led Aella and Cai'luin to the sitting room while he summoned Master Rashlen. The rest of Aella's "servants" would have to wait in the servants' area.
Rashlen Manor was once on opulent villa made of fine marble and imported wood. The current state of the manor showed several decades of decay and neglect. It was clear that much of its valuable décor had been long ago sold off leaving a bare almost spartan appearance. It was also clear to those waiting in the servants' area that the villa, once served by a staff of dozens, was reduced to a skeleton crew staff of butler, cook, and scullery maid.
A few moments later, the flamboyant elven aristocrat, Rashlen, burst into the sitting room to greet "Princess" Avastana Kádár and Lord Cai'luin, his "water-breathing elven cousins from Manaan".
Aella informed Rashlen that she wished to throw a dinner party and hoped Rashlen could host it in his manor. She wanted to invite the wealthy merchants and aristocrats from Poniard and especially wished to invite the members of the city council.
Rashlen was thrilled at the prospect of hosting a party, especially if he didn't have to pay for it. However, he warned Aella that the other members of the city council would be reticent to attend. Madame Sliris is never seen in the evening, Madame Thornwell detests such frivolities, and Mister Dory, well, he has that skin condition.
Aella and Cai'luin thanked their host for his hospitality and promised to return to see to the party details. Rashlen insisted they take their uneaten sandwiches with them - a suggestion that made the servant Cirdaere subtly wince for he and the remainder of the staff were looking forward to the leftovers - and take a gift bag. Cirdaere reminded Rashlen that they had no gift bags to offer at the moment. Rashlen flashed his servant a stern look of outrage before genially apologizing to his guests. As they were leaving, Aella and Cai'luin were certain that the terra-cotta statues of elven warriors flanking the entrance were not present when they arrived.
Aella and Cai'luin rejoined their "servants" on the street outside the fortified villa. Patriarch Craig eyed the statues on the roofline suspiciously. They huddled in a circle to plan their next move.
Madame Thornwell
Aella told the others about her conversation with Rashlen and the group brainstormed about the best way to contact Madame Thornwell of the city council.
An unfamiliar voice in the circle replied matter-of-factly, "Madame Thornwell has no interest in parties."
There were a startled moment as everyone suddenly realized an unfamiliar woman had joined their huddle. She was a severe woman with slick straight hair. She wore a black and red leather cape over her black and red leather.
Alot, Aella, Cai'luin, and Craig exchanged glances. Corvid never took his eyes off the mysterious woman in red leather.
"Um, who are you?" inquired Alot.
She backed away from the huddle, "That is not important. In fact, I was never here. I never spoke to you. Do you understand?" She walked around the corner of Rashlen Manor and vanished.
"Um, was that Madame Thornwell?" asked Alot.
Aella shrugged, "I- I think so."
Mister Dory's Warehouse
The crew quickly made their way over to the Alchemist's Quarter. They paused around the corner and out of sight from Dory's Warehouse and formulated their plan. They decided to go straight to the boat suspended from a giant crane over the muddy lagoon of the Hemlock Pit. Captain Alot sprinkled a packet of magical dust over them and they became invisible. Alot then wrapped his arms around Aella and Cai'luin while Corvid held on to Patriarch Craig. Alot and Corvid then activated their magical flying boots and zoomed through the mustard yellow sky to land on the deck of the suspended boat.Their landing caused the boat to rock slightly and kick up some powdery yellow dust. The door to the shack located at the base of the crane opened and a humanoid figure wearing a long coat and wielding a spear emerged. The figure had strange rubbery translucent skin and three red eyes. It left the shack and approached the plank leading from the shack to the deck of the boat. It obviously sensed something was off and it studied the deck intently. Two other translucent creatures, each wearing long coats and hats to hide their identities, warily emerged behind the first.
DM Note-
I had everyone in the crew make Stealth checks with Advantage. Some wore heavy armor so their rolls were normal. There were some real stinkers, well below the Passive Perceptions of the skum guards on watch duty. So I had the skum come out to make an active roll and they rolled incredibly well!
Aella used her magical storm powers to create a tidal wave that washed over the three mysterious guards, knocking them back and over. Corvid leaped across the gap to land on the platform surrounding the shack at the base of the crane. He impaled one of the skum on his holy sword - "Faith Keeper".
DM Note-
Natural 20 with smite damage! Total of 55 damage in one attack!
Alot likewise leaped across onto the platform and engaged in the strange guards with his magical sword "Defender".
The translucent humanoids responded by forcing Alot over the railing. Alot was flung into the air. The other translucent humanoids fought with Corvid and Aella.
Alot likewise leaped across onto the platform and engaged in the strange guards with his magical sword "Defender".
The translucent humanoids responded by forcing Alot over the railing. Alot was flung into the air. The other translucent humanoids fought with Corvid and Aella.
Suddenly Alot rose up in mid-air, rising above the railing on the platform. He was suspended by his magical flying boots. He re-engaged the translucent enemy.
After an intense battle the three translucent humanoids were eventually defeated. Their bodies raplidly disintegrated into liquid leaving nothing but bare human skeletons.
The Pendent Vessel
By this time all members of the party were now visible but their battle atop the crane platform had gone unnoticed.
Patriarch Craig opened the hatch on the side of the boat leading into its super-structure. A burst of hot steam emerged that stung the eyes. The cabin was located near the stern of the boat and was filled with foggy steam. There was a large metal cauldron placed on top of a gas-flame boiler. Water was constantly delivered into the cauldron via a pipe connected to a nearby building that hung over a grate in the ceiling of the cabin. The walls and floor of the cabin were slick with disgusting slime and mold. The slippery floor was treacherous to cross. Craig entered the cabin and made his way towards the door in the back.
Three naked translucent humanoids emerged from the cauldron and attacked Craig with tridents.
Three naked translucent humanoids emerged from the cauldron and attacked Craig with tridents.
Patriarch Craig summoned forth a spiritual war-pick to attack the creatures while Aella created a magical swarm of snowballs that pummeled the creatures in the back of the cabin.
Cai'luin looked inside the cabin and cast a Shatter spell upon the cauldron. There was a tremendously loud bang as the large metal cauldron split down the side. Hot water began to spray out of the crack and fill the cabin. Corvid immediately took the elven bard to task, "That was too loud! What part of stealth mission do you not understand?!" In response, Cai'luin simply smiled and shrugged. As punishment, Corvid ordered Cai'luin to help him pull the gang-way away from the platform, separating the boat from the warehouse.
Alot made his way into the cabin to help defend Craig. A pitched battle ensued with hot water spraying at high pressure against the wall of the cabin.
Corvid and Cai'luin soon returned. Corvid created a magical bonfire behind the creatures fighting Alot while Cai'luin sang bardic songs of vicious mockery.
After another long and pitched battle, the three translucent creatures were defeated - their bodies rapidly decaying to liquid and bone.
The Flooded Hold
Alot opened the door in back of the cabin. Water that had flooded the cabin began to pour into the next section. The deck of this section had been removed revealing an open chasm down to the ship's bilge. The entire bilge was flooded ten feet deep with dark cloudy water. The water from the cabin poured into the water of the flooded bilge. A long plank crossed the chasm and connected the door to another door leading into the aft cabin. Once again the air of the section was foggy with acidic steam.
A human body floated face down in the water in one corner of the section. Dark forms swam menacingly under the water.
DM Note-
I rolled Stealth checks for the skum with Advantage but I rolled miserably.
Aella poked her head into the room and created a magical ice storm that whipped up the water and pummeled the area with heavy hailstones. The frost and hail floated on the surface and made the icy plank treacherous to cross.
Patriarch Craig and Alot carefully made their way out onto the plank towards the aft cabin. Translucent hands reached up and grabbed Craig's ankle, pulling him off the plank and into the cloudy water. Craig and his opponent were little more than dark nebulous colors under the surface. Alot jumped into the water and was soon attacked by another translucent enemy.
The floating body suddenly sprang to life and attempted to assassinate Alot from behind. The assassin soon found Alot's magical armor impenetrable.
Alot, would had no problems fighting underwater, engaged his two opponents while Craig, wearing a magical helmet that allowed him to breathe normally underwater, fought valiantly against his lone foe. Aella, standing in the doorway, would pepper the opponents with small attack spells as she could.
Alot and Craig soon dispatched the two translucent enemies. The human assassin surrendered and begged for mercy!
The assassin said his name was Harid and that he was sent by his dark lord, the Whisperer in the Dark, Servant of Tharizdun, to spy on Dory. His dark lord lacked confidence in Dory and that he was sent to kill Dory if he proved incompetent or disloyal. Harid was willing to sell out the city council if they allowed him to leave.
He told them that Dory was in the aft cabin packing up. Dory knew about the investigation and was panicking and preparing to leave the city. He told them that Dory was defended by some kind of automaton made of flesh and that he commanded special abilities granted by their dark lord, but he was no spell-caster in the traditional sense.
Harid then made an attempt to flee past Cai'luin in the forward cabin. Cai'luin, who had not heard the conversation in the flooded hold, whispered a magical incantation and the assassin retreated back into the hold.
Alot swam up to the assassin and knocked him unconscious.
The crew then gathered together and prepared to open the door to the aft cabin where Mister Dory was waiting.
To Be Continued...
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