"The Clouds of Death" - Tomb of Annihilation, Chapter 14

The Emerald Eye sailed into Port Nyanzaru forty days after the Brazen Pegasus left to go pirate hunting. Zindar the dragon harbormaster flew out to intercept. He did a reconnaissance flyby at range and saw Zeynap and the others waving hello. He landed on the deck and greeted them.

“Well if it isn’t the heroes of the mutiny of the Karanja! Welcome back!” He looks askance at Captain Moleman, “Moleman, I see you’re coming back with a different ship and crew than what you left with - a known PIRATE ship no less. What happened to the Brazen Pegasus?”

Upon telling the tale, Zindar slapped everyone on the back, “Well done! Well done! I’ll have a payment voucher drawn up for you in my office! As well as paperwork for salvage. Welcome back  to Port Nyanzaru. I wish I could welcome you under better circumstances but these are dark days, I fear! Clouds of death are almost a daily occurrence! They spontaneously manifest, seemingly at random, and through them pour horrid animated corpses with a taste for human flesh!  Anyone caught within the cloud is sapped of vitality! The people are beginning to panic! It is grim, indeed!”

“But I heard that you were working on a solution! Have you any news to report? Any progress?”

CHAPTER 14, "THE CLOUDS OF DEATH"

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 honker (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.

INTRODUCING!

• Argent Truth-Sayer - a golden azi knight errant of Bahamut (Dragonborn Paladin) in the service of Bahamut, sent on a holy mission to join the expedition to destroy the Soul Monger.

ARRIVAL
Xoc-Wik told Zindar that they had followed up on some promising leads and had discovered some new information. They learned that the Ophidians of the ancient Nagina Samrajya empire, thought extinct for thousands of years, had returned and had assembled the device known as the Soulmonger. They had brought the components into Chult via the pirate hideout known as Jahaka Anchorage and moved them up the river Tath and into the interior somewhere in Southern Chult. He also revealed that the Ophidians could assume human form and that a cult of human followers served their serpentine overlords. Zindar said he would keep a close eye for any suspicious activity that might be related to the Ophidians and their degenerate cult.

The ship was towed into its berth by macetail behemoths and was the expedition disembarked. It was late afternoon. The party went to the temple of Trapezitam to cash out their payment voucher but there was a line. Dozens of merchants and traders were cashing in their payment vouchers and each transaction took at least an hour. Unsurprisingly, although the priests and acolytes of the temple of Trapezitam were swift in welcoming donations to the god of wealth and trade, they proved inefficient at processing withdrawals. The temple closed with the setting sun and the party left empty-handed.

ARGENT TRUTH-SAYER
The party spent the night, as they normally do, at Kaya's House of Repose and woke feeling rested and refreshed. They entered the common room to find a golden-scaled azi, a member of  the draconic warrior-caste. He wore the raiment and armor of the holy order of Bahamut of Plaksha.

The dragon-man introduced himself as Argent Truth-Sayer, holy knight of Bahamut. He said he had sought out the party for he had heard of their quest to find the Soulmonger. He asked permission to join their mission. After introductions they agreed.

The party spent the day preparing for an extended expedition into the interior.

APPARENTLY'S DAY
Argent accompanied Apparently to the  blacksmith to have the ten ingots of adamantine they obtained appraised. They learned from the stocky pale-skinned blacksmith, a member of the race known as ochahuma,  that it bore the mark of the mine of Hrakhamar in the Kavrita mountains.
The adamantine was unfortunately insufficient to craft into weaponry. The blacksmith would need five times that amount. The diminutive ochahuman smith looked to the south and began to wistfully recount the story of how his people had once left tons of adamantine in the mine when they were forced to abandon it many decades ago.

"Let me stop you right there!" interrupted Apparently, "We already got too many side quests and distractions. Sorry, we don't need another one. How much can we get for this metal?"

The smith sighed, "100 gold coins."

"Deal!" said Apparently. She completed the transaction and left.

She and Argent then visited Ekene-Afa and purchased a number of enchanted arrows and two enchanted gladii.

While they walked down the street, Apparently heard someone shout "Look out!" She barely escaped being crushed as a large stone block fell off an overhead arch cracked the pavement in front of her with a thud. She looked up but could see no cause for the block to have fallen on its own.

Apparently and Argent split up so that Apparently could visit the edge of town. There she was reunited with Chak'sa, her devoted honker, who had been waiting patiently for her in the surrounding jungle. She then stopped by the stables and took on the services of two loyal apprentices who had heard of her skill at handling animals and wished to learn from her.

Meanwhile Argent visited Jobal and arranged for a guide. He selected Eku and paid her advance.

MISCELLANEA
The rest of the team tended to various other duties.

Xok-Wik visited Syndra Silvane to report on what they learned from their trip along the western coast.  Afterwards he sold the final paintings of Hasegawa Tōhaku for two hundred gold coins.

DM Note - I had Tohaku's player make a craft roll and used the rules for criminal activity from Xanathar's Guide as a guideline to determine the amount. 

Zeynap took the bag of magic stones to Wakanga Otomu to be identified. He head each stone identified and learned that all but one was a glyph of warding which exploded if used. Three, however, were  stones of sending. Only the owner of the stone would know which stone was the correct one.  The pirates used the stones to communicate with each other while at sea and coordinate their attacks. Two stones would communicate with the two other ships. The third was a mystery. He also learned that the all of the stones were created by an serpentine wizard from the ancient Chultan city of Hisarii, the City of the Ophidians.

Zeynap delivered the sending stones to harbormaster Zindar so that he could capture the remaining pirate or learn more about how they operated. Zeynap spent the rest of the day purchasing tons of supplies for the expedition - canvas, rope, insect repellent, tents, cooking equipment, etc.

With his leftover personal funds, Zeynap arranged to have payment sent to Eusebea to erase the debt held by his parents. Zeynap's unicorn patron was pleased at this gesture.

Bramble spent five hours in line at the temple of Trapezitam but eventually obtained coinage for the payment voucher. While in line he learned of the random nature of the clouds of death that had begun to strike the city. The run on the temple, in fact, was because everyone was withdrawing their money from the vault and evacuating the city on any ship on which they could book passage.

Zeynap spent the night before their journey celebrating his good deed. He made two new friends among the merchant class of Port Nyanzaru and learned from them two bits of previously unknown information about the jungles of Chult.

DM Note - Used the carousing rules from Xanathar's but with a compressed timeframe. 

THE CLOUD OF DEATH
The party gathered the next morning outside the west gate in the Old City. It was gently raining and mist clung to the muddy ground. The macetail, whom despite Apparently's efforts Bramble refused to name, and the honker Chak'sa bore heavy loads of supplies and equipment. There they met the Chultan guide Eku. A few locals were going about their morning rituals preparing for the day.

Suddenly a black cloud shot through the crackling bolts of purplish energy formed out of mid-air a mere thirty feet away! Eku prepared herself and shouted a warning to the others, "Be aware! It is the cloud of death!"

Several locals were caught within the cloud. They screamed as if they had caught fire then abruptly fell silent as what sounded like animals ripped apart their flesh.

With blinding speed, Xoc-Wik climbed to the roof of a nearby building and prepared to loose an arrow at anything that emerged from the cloud.

Argent Truth-Sayer stepped forward to the edge of the cloud and held his holy symbol high, ready to call upon the blessings of the god of dragons. Suddenly clawed hands with gaunt grey skin appeared from the cloud and grabbed Argent by the shoulder, sinking its claws into the dragon-man's flesh. Argent inhaled sharply and was pulled into the cloud!

DM Note- I had just killed Hasegawa Tōhaku last session. I had previously killed Nova Scotia Blackman. The player was starting to wonder if I had it in for his characters. Now, on the debut of his third character, I paralyze him and drag him into a cloud of death! Everyone thought he was going to die on his VERY FIRST TURN. The irony was commented upon and not lost on me.

A line of animated corpses and skeletons emerged from the cloud and rushed the party. Bramble turned into a bear and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the skeletons while Eku called on the spirits of the forest to protect Aregent before she transformed into a large winged serpent and took on some zombies. Zeynap and Apparently held their own with hex and sword while Xoc-Wik took aim from his sniper's nest. Chak'sa joined the fight and helped protect Eku while the two animal handlers moved the macetail to the rear. One of the skeletons climbed the building to get to Xoc-Wik. The b'alam archer was forced to abandon his post and climb down. He continued placing arrows into the heads of zombies from range behind the line of combat.

Zeynap managed to find an opening in the line of zombies and skeletons and deftly made his way into the cloud where he was able to find Argent. Zeynap momentarily lost his breath as the cloud of death sapped his very strength and vitality. He could only imagine how Argent might be feeling. He channeled the heavenly powers of his unicorn patron to heal the dragon-man and helped him escape from the cloud.

DM Note - The cloud was 40 feet by 40 feet. Anyone who ended their turn in the cloud lost 1 maximum hit point and had to make a Constitution Saving Throw vs. 13. On the first failure you went Prone. On the second failure you were Restrained. A success ended the Restrained condition but you had to stand up from being Prone.  

Upon defeating the first wave of undead monsters, a second wave appeared from the cloud. A sound of alarm rose up from the city behind them and the gates were closed and barred. By the time a militia of volunteers from the Old City arrived, the incursion had been stopped and the cloud dissipated.

The party was thanked for their contribution to the defense of the city and were rewarded with several gallons of tej - a distilled spirit made from honey - and a potion of healing.

When asked about her shape-changing ability, Eku simply replied that she was a guardian of the forest like Bramble and, similar to his abilities, could change her shape into the creatures of the jungles of Chult.

After an hour of rest and recuperation, Eku stood and inquired, "Excellent. Are we ready to begin? Where would you like to go first?"

TO BE CONTINUED...

"Escape from Jahaka Bay" - Tomb of Annihilation, Chapter 13

As Tōhaku and Bramble readied the heavy chest filled with pirate treasure for transport, Apparently coughed a few times and acquired the vacant gaze of someone afflicted with Brain Fever! The pair sighed and told her to follow them and stay out of their way. Tōhaku and Bramble each took a handle of the chest and carried it together up the rough hewn steps of the subterranean passage.

They made their way out of the twisting serpentine tunnels of Snake's Head Cavern. They took a few wrong turns but quickly reoriented themselves. One of the wrong turns led into a passage with an unstable floor. The floor crumbled and fell away beneath Tōhaku's feet and threatened to send both into the darkness of a seemingly bottomless pit. Luckily the pair were able to catch their fall and back out of the dangerous passage.

DM Comment- Dexterity Save vs. 15 or fall 100 feet!

They made their way around using a different passage, following the arrows left by Captain Al-Saryak to verify the path to the exit. Down one side passage Bramble heard the sound of heavy frustrated panting - the kind a lost and frightened animal might make. They had just decided to take a different path when they heard Zeynap cry out, "Ah! Oh Shit!"

CHAPTER 13, "ESCAPE FROM JAHAKA BAY"

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.

A COMPANION FALLS
They put down the heavy chest and rushed towards the the sound. They encountered a three-way intersection where the passage widens. They saw the large vulture-like creature they encountered earlier in the chamber of the nagina wizard. It was a shang demon and it was released!

The shang demon looked injured and lost, perhaps desperately seeking the exit. No doubt it was accidentally freed by the naginas and fought its way here. Across the way they saw Zeynap and Xoc-Wik back-lit by a glowing blue-white spell of illumination. Xoc-Wik was already drawing his bow and Zeynap was preparing his celestial hexes. They instructed Apparently to stay behind and hold the torch.

Xoc-Wik loosed a magically-charged arrow at the shang-demon. It struck with an explosion of magic, leaving the shang covered in vines that held fast to the ground. The shang forced its way through the weeds and vines that held him down and made his way towards Xoc-Wik and Zeynap! The pair quickly found themselves in close quarters with the shang and were forced to relocate.

Tōhaku charged the creature and fought it hand-to-hand though his attacks had little effect on the extra-dimensional horror. Bramble channeled the spirits of nature into his staff creating a magical shillelagh.

The shang demon took a deep breath and held it. Suddenly a disgusting plume of noxious gas emerged from its posterior and enveloped everyone within fifteen feet, catching Zeynap, Bramble, and Tōhaku. Zeynap and Tōhaku coughed but were otherwise unaffected. Bramble, however, began retching and staggered a step. The shang laughed a raspy wheezing guffaw and proceeded to perform the same disgusting maneuver.

Tōhaku took a defensive stance, hoping to draw the creature's attacks away from his unarmored companions.

The stratagem worked and the vulture-like shang turned its attention towards Tōhaku. The creature roared in rage, grabbed Tōhaku's shell with both hands, and ripped with all its might, tearing the shell apart! The foul demon then plunged its toothed beak and head fully inside Tōhaku's shell and mutilated the tortoise-man's fleshy interior! Tōhaku died instantly and gruesomely!

DM Commentary - Tōhaku paid ki for a defensive stance which made all attacks against him at Disadvantage. This, plus a high Armor Class, was a safe bet for the player and should have worked well for him. Unfortunately, I rolled two natural twenties for the claw attack! 4d10+2 damage! That put him below zero hit points. Being a demon, I followed up with the bite attack. Since Tōhaku was "dying" and had the helpless condition, that gave the demon Advantage on the attack and a hit meant automatic critical. I obviously hit. This meant 4d6+2 damage. Tōhaku was reduced to -27 hit points, which was more than his positive hit points. He was killed instantly! 

I described the death as gruesomely as possible, with the Vrock ripping the shell apart like a crab shell and plunging his head into the meaty insides.

Bramble transformed himself into a giant octopus and grappled the vulture shang, restraining the demon. Zeynap and Xoc-Wik released attack after attack against the bound target until it began to disintegrate into ash!

They had defeated the foul demon but at a great cost.

DM Comment - The demon was a vrock. A full-powered vrock is way to high a challenge rating and would have likely wiped the floor with the party. The vrock instead had half-hit points and had already expended its daily screech power. Even still, it was a dangerous opponent and killed Tōhaku!

RETURN TO EMERALD EYE
It was in somber silence that the surviving members of the party dragged Tōhaku's remains down to a nearby chamber and tossed them into the seemingly bottomless pit. They exited the caverns into the grey haze of day in the valley overlooking Jahaka Bay. They returned to the camp they used the previous night and rested. Xoc-Wik took Zeynap's watch and allowed him to recuperate.

The next day they hiked down the slope to return to the Emerald Eye. They took the rowboat and the newly crafted home-made canoe back to the waiting ship.

DM Comment - Okay, long story. 

Before I reunited them with the vrock fight, I asked Zeynap and Xoc-Wik's players, "Okay, the only rowboat was on shore. How did you get from the Emerald Eye to shore?" 

They said, "We made a canoe out of the ribs and hide of the spinosaurus we killed!"

Okay, longer story. Last week, I used the Random Encounter tables in "Jungles of Chult Factbook" to generate some encounters. The two encounters I rolled were:

1. Kraken
2. Spinosaurus 

We joked about the Kraken. It's a CR 23 encounter! At the time I said they saw a kraken heave out of the water near the horizon followed by storms and squalls. 

We also joked about finding the spinosaurus swimming fifteen miles from shore, exhausted.

So when I asked them where they got the extra boat, they said they had coaxed the tired spinosaurus to the side of the boat, harpooned it, and used its hide and ribs to make a canoe.

I said, "Sure, okay, why not." So they wrote that shit down.

At the time we thought spinosauruses were strictly land dinosaurs. But just now while looking them up I just learned that they were aquatic like crocodiles, living in rivers and estuaries and maybe some coastal areas.  I guess that random encounter was legit!

From National Geographic

They set sail back to Port Nyanzaru. On the second day, hurricane strength winds blew from the west, clearing the mist and forcing the Emerald Eye to drop anchor to wait out the storm. Zeynap scanned the shore for any sign of the secret pirate hideout but found nothing.

Once the winds died down the ship resumed its journey. On the morning of their fifth day under sail, a dolphin swam around the ship playing and vocalizing. The dolphin looked like it was trying to communicate something but no one could figure out what it was trying to say.

DM Comment - As it happened, Tohaku spoke Aquan but alas.

The following morning, the ship sailed past a giant seahorse floating sideways in the water as if dead. The poor creature was exhausted and starving but alive. Bramble jumped overboard and swam to the dying creature. Captain Moleman shouted curses and invective at having to lower the sails and stop the ship. Bramble healed the giant seahorse and fed it a magic berry. The seahorse was rejuvenated. It stuck out its long tongue and licked Bramble's face before it swam away.

DM Comment - I assume, based on no information, that since the snout of a sea-horse resembles the snout of an aardvark, that the two disparate animals share a similar tongue anatomy. Assuming sea-horses even HAVE tongues.

On the tenth day of their journey home Captain Moleman was able to take advantage of storms to the west and get better speed out of the sails, reducing the length of their voyage by a day.

GHOST SHARKS

On the 14th night of their return journey, Zeynap was on night watch while the ship traveled slowly at half-sail in the dark. The only light came from the three dim lanterns on the deck. Ahead of the ship he thought he saw a dim glow. As they approached the dim glow resolved itself into another ship - a ghost ship!

The ship looked like it had been sunk and resided at the bottom of the sea. It was covered in coral and trailing seaweed. Then, to Zeynap's shock and amazement, he saw five ghostly reef-sharks swimming through the air around the ship! As they drew near, the ghostly reef sharks turned their attention to the Emerald Eye, swimming right at Zeynap!

Zeynap rang the alarm bell. The skeleton crew took cover in the hold while Bramble and Xoc-Wik came on deck and took positions on the stern to prepare for the attack.

"What are those?" asked Xoc-Wik.

"Ghost sharks!" answered Zeynap.

"What??" yelled Xoc-Wik incredulously.

"How are they above the water?"  wondered Zeynap dubiously.

"THAT'S what confuses you??" replied Xoc-Wik.

Zeynap directed celestial hexes at the phantom sharks as two surrounded and bit at him.

Xoc-Wik loosed a magically charged arrow at one of the ghost sharks and it exploded into ectoplasm and slime. One also swam through the air towards Bramble. Bramble took the form of a large bear and engaged the ghost sharks in close combat. 

Zeynap maneuvered in and around the two sharks until Xoc-Wik could destroy another one with a charged arrow. Zeynap then destroyed the other shark at the bow.

Soon afterwards, Bramble, with Xoc-Wik and Zeynap's help, was able to render the remaining two ghost sharks into incorporeal slime.

AREMAG'S DUE
20 days after the party left Snake's Head Cave, the Emerald Eye arrived in the Bay of Chult. The gargantuan dragon turtle Aremag rose before the ship and demanded tribute. Xoc-Wik put all the 1600 silver coins from the pirate treasure into a sack and threw it overboard.

Aremag considered the offering and demanded, "MORE!"

Once the waves had subsided, Xoc-Wik added 40 gold coins to the offering. Aremag considered this a long time and reluctantly accepted.

The Emerald Eye sailed into the harbor of Port Nyanzaru. Zindar the dragon harbormaster flew out to intercept but was delighted to see not pirates but friendly faces. He welcomed the party home and congratulated them on their mission. Once they had docked and made their way to the harbormaster's office, Zindar wrote them a payment voucher for two thousand gold coins which they could exchange at the Golden Temple of Trapezitam.

They received their payment and paid Captain Moleman one thousand, as agreed. They bade farewell and retreated to Kaya's House of Repose to rest.

TO BE CONTINUED...

RIP Hasegawa Tohaku

"The Treasure of Snake's Head Cave" - Tomb of Annihilation, Chapter 12

Bramble Wolf, Hasegawa Tōhaku, and Apparently Jones stood around a table in the captain's cabin on the pirate dhow known as the Emerald Eye. They were examining a detailed map of an inlet at the mouth of a river. A dashed line led inland and halfway up a mountain to an X with the words "Snakes Head". 

Captain Moleman walked in rubbing his over-sized hands in a towel and announced, "Good news! I've got the pump working! With men working on every shift we'll have all the water pumped out of the hold in about two days. After that, it'll be about ten days to sail this this tub back to Port Nyanzaru. By the way, did any of you see the inside of the hull? The hull of this ship is LASHED to the bulkheads with ROPE! There's not a nail on this entire heap! This ship is SEWN TOGETHER!"

"Hmm, interesting," replied Bramble, not paying attention.

Captain Moleman glanced at Xoc-Wik the B'alam warrior sitting vacant eyed in the corner. Next to him stood Zeynap, likewise staring off into the middle distance.  "What's wrong with them?"

Tōhaku replied, "Hmm, Brain Fever I believe it is called, hmm."

"Didn't he just get over that?" the theran captain asked, indicating Bramble.

"Hmm, yes,  we've all had it at one point. Hmm."

Moleman recoiled, "It's not, you know, CONTAGIOUS, is it?"

"Hmm, oh no, I do not think so. Its cause is mysterious."

Captain Moleman cautiously let down his guard, "Okay then... Say, I been wondering. What do you people call yourselves anyway? Are you a a band? A group? A league or assembly? Do you have a team name or a mascot or something? What word should I use to describe you when I write about you in my log?"

"Hmm, we avoid labels, we like to keep it informal."

"Right. Well, we're all set to make way north to Port Nyanzaru like we planned."

"We're heading south!" declared Bramble, clapping a weight down on the maps.

"Wait, what? We had a deal! We're going back to Port Nyanzaru and claiming the bounty on this ship! You promised me half!"

"We promised you one thousand gold!" interjected Apparently.

"The bounty - is - two thousand - gold - pieces!" replied Moleman, deliberately pausing between each word for emphasis, "One thousand is half of two thousand!"

"We promised you one thousand, specifically. It's important in case we get a bigger reward." said the blue-skinned scout.

Captain Moleman pinched the bridge of his nose and furrowed his brow. "Why would - ?" He cut himself off, "You know what? Never mind! If we're not going to Port Nyanzaru, where are we going?"

Bramble replied, "Jahaka Bay."

"If you're looking for the secret pirate hideout, good luck. Only the crew you took on from the Dragonfang know where it is and they swore a blood oath to protect its secret. Plus, they said that even if they got you close, only the captains knew how to pilot the ships past the rocks that shield the entrance."

"We're not going to the secret base." said Bramble.

"We're not? I thought that was why you hired me in the first place?"

"No. We're looking for hidden treasure!"

CHAPTER 12, "THE TREASURE OF SNAKE'S HEAD CAVE"

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.

JAHAKA BAY
Two days later, the Emerald Eye sailed past the mountaintop lookout that surveyed the ocean for leagues around. They had some means of sending messages from the mountaintop to the secret anchorage but it meant nothing. There were no ships currently docked in the hideout. The Dragonfang was alerted when the Emerald Eye was taken and its subsequent counterattack proved unsuccessful. There simply wasn't anyone at the anchorage to warm. Besides, the Emerald Eye wasn't sailing for the anchorage.

Mist poured slowly out of Jahaka Bay like a gaseous glacier. The mist created a thin fog that forever enshrouded the bay and limited visibility to less than two miles. Captain Moleman sailed the ship slowly and always kept the dark silhouette of the shore in view. If they sailed past the hidden anchorage they had no way of knowing.

THE ANCIENT LANDING

They continued along the coast for another three days. They eventually arrived at the mouth of the River Tath. Tath poured over a waterfall into the bay. Mountains flanked both sides of the canyon from which the river flowed.

On the north shore near the waterfall was an ancient stone quay covered in moss and ferns. Overgrown stone steps formed a path up the side of the mountain. The base of the mountain where it met the bay was covered in jungle but a league beyond the mountainside was bare of trees and covered in tall grass, ferns, and rocky scree.

Captain Moleman opted to anchor the ship off shore. Bramble, Apparently, and Tōhaku took the rowboat captured from the Dragonfang to the quay. They disembarked and hauled the rowboat ashore.

SNAPPING TURTLES
The path leading up from the quay was steep. The path was at the bottom of a ravine. The banks to either side of the path rose sharply and were covered in ferns, palms, and small trees. To the left the path widened where a sink-hole had collapsed and was now filled with black water covered in leaves.

The expedition had barely started up the path when a snapping turtle the size of a hippopotamus skidded down the bank through the undergrowth from the right. The beast blocked their path and approached menacingly.

Apparently stepped forward and attempted to calm the giant reptile. Suddenly another snapping turtle emerged from the sinkhole and attacked Bramble and Tōhaku. Bramble immediately transformed himself into a bear and engaged the creature in hand-to-hand battle!

Apparently did her best to distract the turtle blocking her path. She would occasionally let down her guard and the giant turtle ineffectually snapped the air near her.

DM Comment - I let Apparently user her actions to make "Animal Handling" rolls against the creature's Armor Class. Why Armor Class? Why not? One DC is as good as another. Anyway, on a success, she held out her hands palms out like Chris Pratt vs the Velociraptors in Jurassic World and the turtle made no attack. On a fail, it would attack her normally. She failed a few times. As it happened, every time it attacked her it missed. 

Bramble and Tōhaku fought the snapping turtle until it retreated into the sinkhole. Bramble dove into the water and finished it off. He transformed back into a human and felt around the bulk of the dead beast, searching the mud for any coins or items that may have belonged to previous victims. He managed to pull a handful of coins out of the mud and returned to the surface.

Tōhaku moved to assist Apparently with the other snapping turtle. They injured the beast and Apparently managed to coax it into climb up the bank and return from whence it came.

DM Comment - Once the thing was bloodied, I ruled that Apparently could convince it to retreat on a successful Animal Handling check. As a Ranger with the "Caravan Master" background, handling beasts is kind of her big thing, so I want her to be able to shine at it.

Tōhaku, who as a chelonian himself could hold his breath for up to an hour, dove in to search around. He scooped out more coins. Tōhaku returned to the surface, coughing. He had managed to accidentally swallow some water.

To their disappointment they managed to scrounge little more than a few dozen copper and silver coins. They gathered up their muddy loot and continued up the path.

Tōhaku began coughing and cleared his throat.

THROAT LEECHES
During their hike up the mountain, Tōhaku began coughing and hacking uncontrollably. Bramble gently grabbed his arm, turned him around, and examined him closely. Bramble lifted Tōhaku's head and squeezed the tortoise-man's throat. Tōhaku coughed and expectorated on the ground. Bramble took a close look. Tōhaku had coughed up a tiny leech.

"Did you swallow any of the water back there?" asked Bramble.

"Hmm. Yes, possibly."

"You've got throat leeches. I can't do anything about it now. Will you be okay until tomorrow?"

"Hmm. I'll do my best. Hmm."

SNAKE'S HEAD CAVERN
The area indicated by an "X" on the pirate map corresponded with the location of a mine on Apparently's map of the coast of Chult so the expedition expected to find an abandoned mine.

When they arrived, they instead saw a massive serpent's head carved from the stone of the mountain. The entrance resembled a cave that led down the snake's throat.

"That's a mine?" said Apparently, incredulously.

"Hmm. I believe this structure was created by the ancient Nagina Samrajya, the ancient serpents that once ruled the world."

"I guess they had mines too," quipped Bramble, "Well, there's plenty of day left. Shall we go in?"

"In THERE?" said Apparently, "That goes under GROUND!"

"Yes, that's the idea," said Bramble, "Is there a problem?"

"No! I mean, well, it's under the GROUND! I don't like not having the sky over me." explained the blue-skinned demijin, daughter of an air-spirit.

The party made preparations to enter. Apparently lit a torch. "Great," she complained, "I'm going to die underground."

They entered the serpent's gaping maw. The passage was circular like a turned left. They came across a chamber to the right. The chamber contained a funnel like pit filled with writhing snakes.

Apparently sniffed, "Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?"

Tōhaku examined the pit. "Hmm. I don't think so," he rasped, still uneasy from the leeches living in his throat. They continued down the passage to the left.

They encountered another brank and kept left. At the third branch, the way left was blocked by rubble from a cave-in. Daylinght peeked through the gaps in the fallen boulders. They went right and encountered a twenty foot wide chamber with passages going left and right. The left passage obviously connected to the collapsed area they saw earlier. They entered the chamber and disturbed a colony of bats living on the ceiling. The bats swarmed and clawed at each member of the expedition as they fled the chamber.

They took the passage to the right. They soon entered another chamber. This chamber was created by a cave-in and the floor was filled with rubble. They kept to the right side of the wall, avoiding the rubble, and continued. The passage appeared to loop back the way they came. They soon found a small five-foot wide tunnel dug into the right wall of the passage.  There were steep but shallow steps crudely cut into the floor.

SERPENTINE GUARDIANS
They climbed the steps and emerged into a wide passage heading left and right. Before they could enter the passage, they were attacked!

The two attackers were roughly humanoid with a thin sinewy body, a long serpentine neck and head sporting vicious fangs, a snake-like tail, with ropy clawed arms and legs. The two creatures acted as guardians and tried to prevent anyone exiting the narrow tunnel.

The creatures fought savagely with no tactics and no regard for their own safety. Their claws tore deep rends and their fangs stabbed like twin daggers! They were terrible opponents but were eventually overcome.

The party quickly caught their breath after the battle.

"What were THOSE things?" demanded Apparently angrily.

"Hmm. I'm not sure. I believe they are the Nagina Samrajya. I have never seen one and until recently thought them a legend."

"Great!" spat Apparently, "I'm going to die. Underground. Killed by SNAKE things!"

They group pressed on, taking the way to the right. A narrow side passage to the left emitted a horrible odor and was bypassed. They eventually rounded a corner and entered a long chamber shaped like an arrowhead.

Within the chamber were four of the horrible serpentine creatures and a human woman wearing nothing more than a small layer of thin silk over her breasts and lap! To the horror of the expedition from the surface, the woman had slit eyes like those of a snake! They strange group bore no source of illumination and seemed at home in the total darkness of the subterranean passages.

The woman pointed at the expedition and cried out, "Intruders! You must defend the master! Let them not enter beyond that point!" She hissed and a long forked tongue shot out.

Battle ensued! Tōhaku took the right flank while Bramble took on the form of a bear and engaged the woman to the right. Apparently threw the torch onto the ground and loosed arrows from her bow at the attacking snake-creatures!

The human looking woman sprayed Bramble with poison and attacked him with an scimitar! Bramble soon defeated her, rending her to shreds with his long ursine claws.

Bramble and Tōhaku had a more difficult time fighting the other more bestial serpentine creatures. They were pushed back the way they came. Bramble was forced to resume the form of a human and retreat to aid his companions. At different points both Apparently and Tohaku had fallen before the snake-thing attacks only to be rescued by Bramble.

As they retreated, the snake-things seemed to halt and allow them to leave. The party slowly withdrew. On their way out, Apparently drew her bow and loosed an arrow at one of the snake-things, striking it. The snake-thing broke its formation and chased her down.

Apparently screamed, "NO! Not underground! I don't want to die underground!"

Apparently was saved by Tōhaku and Bramble who intervened to defeat the snake-thing. The remaining two snake-things allowed them to withdraw without further incident.

Repulsed, the expedition retraced their steps and exited the caves. They decided to exit through the collapsed tunnel, squeezing through the tumbled rocks. On their way out they were swarmed and bitten by nasty insects. They managed to escape the caves. It was late afternoon and they were two hundred feet to the left of the snake's head entrance.

Apparently scouted the countryside and found a safe place to camp. There they rested and healed their injuries.

TRY AGAIN
The trio woke at dawn on the shadowed western slope of the mountain. They gathered their equipment and made their way back to the entrance of the caves.

This time they decided to avoid the passage to the left and took their chances with the pit of snakes. Tōhaku was feeling better. He had coughed up the last of the leeches during the night and gotten plenty of rest. They made their way around the edge of the pit with ease.

There were two exits from the chamber of the snake pit. They took the exit tot he right and soon encountered - another snake pit!

They  made their way around the edge but Bramble and Apparently both fell in. Luckily they were able to crawl out before they could be bitten by any venomous snakes at the bottom.

They look a long winding passage and looped back around. They came across a wide chamber with no floor. The bottom simply sank away into darkness. Several pillars of stone rose in the middle of the chamber, requiring one to leap from pillar to pillar. One could not see the far end of the chamber in the dim torchlight.

Tōhaku, who weighed over four hundred pounds in his shell, said, "Hmm. No." and they retraced their steps. They followed another long winding passage that looped back around to the chamber with no floor. They took a passage to the right which immediately branched left and right like a "V". The path to the left looked cracked and unsafe. The floor was uneven and covered in rocks. The walls seemed loose. The ceiling looked ready to collapse. Tōhaku advanced cautiously and was able to avoid the collapsing rocks from the ceiling.

This time it was Bramble who said, "No. Let's take a different way."

They took the passage to the right which zig-zagged and branched again. The way to the right bore a foul odor so they went left. The passage ended at a "T" with a passage to the left and a passage that led down crudely cut steps that descended steeply to the right.

At the bottom of the steps they encountered another branch. They took the left which zig-zagged again. There they found a curious section of cavern wall cut smoothly with right angles that formed a rectangle.

Bramble and Tōhaku simultaneously exclaimed, "Secret door!"

Tōhaku found the mechanism that opened the door. The wall swing outward revealing a rectangular room.

At the center of the room was a large circle drawn in chalk. Tall black candles surrounded the circle. Foul smoke that smelled of brimstone emanated from the center of the circle, filling the room with a malodorous miasma. Within the circle was a large beast, loathsome to behold. It resembled a humanoid vulture with black skin, scales, long clawed arms and feet. It was one of the Shang - Extra-dimensional demons from the Abyss of Gadha!

On the other side of the the shang was a muscular human-like figure of a man. But it was no man! It bore the head of a massive cobra and its skin was covered in scales! The cobra-man hissed at the interlopers and immediately called for help in its hissing guttural tongue!

The trio moved into the corner of the room. Apparently loosed arrows at the cobra-man while Bramble called upon the spirits of the forest to create a large sphere of flame! The cobra-man cast an enchantment upon the trio but only Tōhaku was affected. Bramble smacked Tōhaku on the head in order to snap the tortoise man out of his reverie.

The cobra-man moved around the hideous shang and engaged the trio in hand-to-hand combat. The cobra-man wielding a long scimitar. Whenever it struck, it drained life force from its victim. Bramble was soon laid low by the scimitar which seemed to reinvigorate the cobra-man. Apparently restored Bramble's health with a wilderness spell of healing. The trio counterattacked and soon defeated the cobra-man but was forced to quickly flee the room when the called-for aid arrived at the room's entrance. 

Apparently tried to listen to the door but could hear nothing so the trio continued their search for the pirate treasure.

At the next branch they went left. They immediately encountered another branch and went left again. They immediately came across a third branch. Both paths led down crudely cut steps. They went left but encountered a dead end.

"Why would anyone build steps to a dead end? It doesn't make any sense!" complained Apparently.

Bramble simply shrugged.

They retraced their steps and went right. The steps descended into a grotto with a deep body of water. Apparently continued holding the torch while Bramble entered the water. The water was clear and he could see in the dim light from the torch. At the bottom of the pool he saw a closed treasure chest. He also saw two giant octopuses resting nearby.

Bramble exited the pool and transformed himself into an octopus. He then took the end of a rope and returned to the water. The two octopuses left the third octopus alone. Octo-Bramble tied the rope around the carrying handle on the chest and Tōhaku and Apparently hauled it out of the pool.

They opened the chest. It was filled with hundreds of gold and silver coins, four vials of liquid and one smaller philter of liquid, and a sealed scroll case.

TO BE CONTINUED...

DM Comments
I threw this side-quest into the campaign because I could tell my players were getting tired of not having a dungeon crawl in a while. The story was getting pretty complex and even repetitive with all the pirate ship attacks lately so I wanted to give them a good old fashioned delve.

I was originally going to adapt a generic mine map into a dungeon but then I remembered I had this stand-alone dungeon I designed way back in 2014 for Dungeon Crawl Classics. It was even written as a location for hidden pirate loot! I never got to use that dungeon so I dusted it off and updated the creatures.

I'll post the full dungeon as soon as they escape.

So, whenever I essentially ad-lib a session I wind up missing several opportunities that I didn't consider until days later.

This time I wish I had tied this better to earlier campaigns in the same setting. Instead of a Vrock in the summoning circle, I should have made it a naga, specifically Explictica Defilus from when I ran Against the Cult of the Reptile God.

Also, I should have had any ranged attack that went across the circle break the binding and release the demon, and any melee fighting adjacent to the circle should require a Dexterity Saving throw to avoid breaking the circle. Alas, I played it too safe.

Also, Yuan-Ti Broodguards are EFFING TOUGH, YO! They're as bad as Pterafolk in their ability to deal out damage in a turn.

Finally, I had made a prop for the players that served as a kind of secret guide that Captain Al-Saryak would have used to navigate the tunnels to find his hidden treasure. I totally forgot I even made it until I found it when I started writing this blog after the session.

The drawing represents the passages and branches, indicating which branch to take, left or right, that would take you to the treasure. I really wish I had remembered this and handed it to the players when they found the map. 

"Dragonfang" - Tomb of Annihilation, Chapter 11

DM Comments - 
Before we begin, some unfinished business. 

While searching Captain Al-Saryak’s cabin last week, the party came across the following:

• A drawer filled with smooth palm-sized stones. Each stone had a rune carved onto it. There were over two dozen stones, each with a different rune. No one recognized the meaning of the runes or the stones. 

• A ledger detailing a list of ships and data for each ship:

1. Ship name
2. Captain
3. Port (Port Nyanzaru or Fort Belaurian)
4. Date and time of departure, some dates as recent as yesterday (One of the ships listed was the Brazen Pegasus). 
5. Destination (the destination of the Brazen Pegasus was listed as Jahaka Anchorage)
6. Cargo
7. Nationality (Ys, Avallonis, Eusebea, Thither, Atlantis, etc. Ships from Ys were underlined)

• A guide book showing the flags of the major city-states of Antara

• A book on how to speak Ysian 

• Several maps:

1. The coast of Chult (identical to Apparently's map)
2. Medium sized island (in case the players want to change campaigns and play Isle of Dread instead)
3. The coast of Dalu
4. Map of entrance to River Tath with X

When we left our heroes, they had transferred everything from the Brazen Pegasus to the larger Emerald Eye and the sloop was being towed behind the dhow. A 36-hour storm smashed both ships into the rocky coast of the Mist Cliffs. Because they were operating with an insufficient crew of 11 (the Emerald Eye required a crew of at least 20+ and no one was on the Brazen Pegasus), the Emerald Eye suffered some hull breaches and the Brazen Pegasus was smashed and began to sink.

The storm finally passed but the Emerald Eye was taking on water. Apparently and Tohaku sealed the hull breaches but it was going to take days to pump out all the water from the hold. The crew, exhausted from fighting a storm and making repairs for 48 hours with no sleep, decided to try to get some needed rest while the flooded half-submerged ship foundered. They figured they start manning the pump tomorrow.

Xoc-Wik was on night watch when a dark silhouette slid into the lantern light. Grapples were thrown across and the two ships  were lashed together. Dozens of evil looking men stood on the deck of the unknown ship with weapons bare. The prow of the ship bore a painting of a dragon's head with overly large incisors.

CHAPTER 11, "DRAGONFANG"

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.

LIKE SHIPS IN THE NIGHT

Xoc-Wik immediately rang the ship's bell to wake up the crew but pirates on the other ship had already laid gangplanks and were streaming across. Zeynap and Bramble were in the fore of the ship. Xoc-Wik, Apparently, and Tohaku were aft. Spike the macetail was tied down on the mid deck. The only light came from the three lanterns fastened to each mast on the Emerald Eye. The approaching ship and all the men aboard were shrouded in darkness.

Xoc-Wik ran down to the nearest gangplank in a flash and managed to throw it overboard. A tall muscular bald man wielding a massive serrated blade jumped out of the darkness and landed on the deck near the b'alam archer. Xoc-Wik ducked under the swing of the wicked sword, backed away, and climbed up the stern mast. Xoc-Wik produced his bow, drew his arrows, and began raining attacks upon the attacking pirates.

Captain Moleman screamed in panic. He ordered his men to not interfere. He held his hands up and cried, "Please! Spare us! We surrender! We surrender to your  mercy!" Apparently rolled her eyes and tied Captain Moleman to the stern mast.

Bramble moved behind the macetail, using it for cover from crossbowmen lurking on the pirate ship. 

The muscular bald man was a Chultan with dark black skin. He shouted out orders to the other pirates like a captain in a heavy Chultan accent, "Remember! Capture them alive! We need to take them back to the Anchorage! But be careful! They're dangerous! Do not hesitate to defend yourself!"

Zeynap called to the captain, "Hey! Listen! We won't surrender but maybe we can come to some kind of understanding. Stop fighting for a minute!"

The bald captain hesitated, "Alright. Men, stay your hand!" He looked directly at Zeynap, "This is your last chance. Surrender now and your lives will be spared!"

Zeynap yelled to his compatriots, "Okay okay! Hold off! Nobody do nothing until we get this figured out!"

Bramble hesitated from his position behind the behemoth. Tohaku stood still. Xoc-Wik paused high atop the stern mast.

For a quick second all was still. Two of the big bruisers climbed the ladder towards Apparently.

Apparently loosed an arrow at one of the bruisers!

The captain bellowed and  transformed into a hideous man-shaped warthog! 

Apparently shouted commands to Spike the macetail, ordering it to defend itself. The great behemoth rose to its feet and began to swing its heavy tail about, knocking several pirates off the deck and into the sea. 

Apparently and Xoc-Wik loosed arrows at the warthog-man-thing. The arrows sunk into its flesh. The captain, unfazed, simply ripped the arrows out and the wounds healed instantly. The warthog captain rushed against Spike in an attempt to make his way to Bramble.

ZEYNAP

Zeynap stood on the stern and cast attack spells at the onrushing pirates. He fought bravely and eliminated many pirates with his magical bolts of force. The tide of the oncoming pirates eventually  forced back to the starboard deck rail. Bramble, taking cover behind the macetail, did his best to defend Zeynap using his spiritually-charged staff.  The two bruisers proved too much for Zeynap. The Eusebean warlock was clubbed over the head with heavy maces and fell to the deck, dying.

DM  Comment- At this point, I informed Zeynap that the difficulty for Death Saves was not 11 instead of 10. Please make a note of it! I plan on slowly increasing the Death Save DC over time as the Death Curse slowly expands. 

APPARENTLY

Meanwhile, a lithe figure emerged from the darkness over the starboard rail at the stern of the ship. The figure was a woman wearing a short black hooded cloak. She stepped on a crossbow bolt in the deck which made a snapping noise. Apparently turned just in time to notice the figure  and dodged away from the assassin's attack.

Apparently drew her short sword and attacked. The assassin withdrew and made her way down the starboard ladder to the stern. 

Xoc-Wik loosed arrows from his perch in the crow'st nest. From this vantage he was able to see the stealthy assassin trip over one of Moleman's crewmen on the deck below.

DM Comment- I kept rolling badly on her Hide checks. She could NOT get a sneak attack in!

The assassin retraced her steps in an attempt to catch Apparently off guard. Apparently was waiting for her and struck with her short sword. As Apparently ran her sword through her attacker, the assassin's  cloak fell back, revealing the countenance of a woman crazed, her mouth contorted into a rictus grin and her eyes wide and wild. She cackled insanely as she slid off the blade and into a lifeless heap on  the blood-soaked deck.

Meanwhile two massive pirates climbed the port ladder and threatened Apparently. Apparently did her best to hold them off but she was eventually knocked unconscious. The two bruisers picked her up and began to carry her back down the port-side ladder.

TOHAKU

Tohaku took a running start and hurled his massive frame through the air. He landed on the dark aft deck of the  opposing ship with a splintering of deck planks. He was immediately surrounded and set upon by hostile pirates.

A thin woman climbed the ladder to the aft deck. She carried a harpoon like a staff. She had greenish-brown skin and her hair was made of seaweed and she wore a dress of torn fishing nets and hooks. She possessed one narrow yellow eye and one large bulbous eye. Her teeth were mishapen and yellow. She hit her harpoon-staff onto the deck and her skin became magically covered in a thick layer of shells, sand-dollars, and sea-stars. 

She faced Tohaku and the other pirates backed out of her way. She approached the chelonian monk and thrust her harpoon in his direction. There was a clap of thunder and Tohaku was struck by a massive wave of force. 

Tohaku attacked the sea witch but could not pierce her armor of shells. She thrust her harpoon at him again. The wave of thunder shoved Tohaku back into the starboard rail at the stern of the pirate ship. The rail cracked behind him. He recovered and attacked the witch once more. Her third wave of thunder cracked Tohaku's tortoise shell and he fell to the deck. The witch ordered the other pirates to see to Tohaku's wounds so that he could be taken alive.

The sea-witch moved to the main deck in order to support the rest of the crew.

XOC-WIK 

Xoc-Wik's perch near the top of the aft mast gave him great visibility. He charged an arrow with magic which exploded on impact with the deck, eliminating several of the attacking pirates with one shot. This made him a target of all the crossbowmen on the attacking ship. Xoc-Wik was struck with several crossbow bolts and fell to the aft-deck. 

BRAMBLE

Things were beginning to look grim. Bramble was alone and taking cover behind Spike the macetail behemoth. The two bruisers who had taken down Zeynap were making their way towards him. In truth, the theran druid was neither hiding nor afraid. He was biding his time. The time had arrived.

Bramble closed his eyes and summoned forth a wolf of spiritual energy. The spirit wolf manifested out of thin air and glowed the color of the moon. The spirit animal moved gracefully through the air, passing through the fallen body of Zeynap, filling him with healing spiritual energy.

Zeynap's eyes popped open. He stood up and resumed hurling magical bolts of celestial force at his foes. Bramble's spirit wolf joined with Zeynap, infusing him with its healing spirit. Zeynap quickly eliminated the two bruisers that had previously overwhelmed him and turned his attacks to the warthog-captain.

SPIRIT WOLF
Bramble directed his ethereal spirit wolf across the deck of the ship. It passed through Xoc-Wik and restored him to consciousness. Xoc-Wik put an arrow into one of the bruisers carrying Apparently. The other bruiser dropped her to the deck. The spirit wolf moved through Apparently and she opened her eyes and rejoined the battle.

The spirit wolf flew across the gap between the ships and made its way to Tohaku. The man-tortoise was healed and jumped back to his feet.

The warthog captain returned to human form and shouted additional orders. He saw the tide of battle turning against his crew and ordered them to withdraw, raise anchor, and shove off. He then ran into the captain's quarters of the Emerald Eye.

The warthog captain emerged from the cabin in human form with a satchel full of maps and stones. He threw the satchel to the sea-witch.

Zeynap immediately cast a powerful celestial hex against the sea-witch. Her armor of shells was shattered and she fell backwards onto the deck, her harpoon-staff spinning away, the satchel spilling its contents revealing a number of maps and rune stones. 

Bramble transformed himself into a large bear and engaged the warthog captain in hand-to-hand combat. Tohaku joined in while Xoc-Wik and Apparently loosed arrows at the captain. Their weapons slashed and stabbed and pierced but to no avail. Every wound healed instantly. Only Zeynap's magical bolts seemed to have any effect on the captain. During the fight both Apparently and Bramble were wounded by the warthog captain but the spirit wolf was nearby to heal their injuries. 

The pirate captain was surrounded. Zeynap smiled at the captain's predicament and shouted from the fore deck, "This is your last chance. Surrender now and your lives will be spared!"

Frustrated and angry, the captain leaped back across the gap to his ship and helped his crew push away with long poles. The pirate ship began to drift away as the anchor was raised and the sails unfurled. The captain was becoming annoyed at Zeynap's magical bolts so he took cover in his own cabin.

AN ABUNDANCE OF SPITE

Bramble transformed back into human form and called upon the spirits of nature to produce a sphere of flame among the main sails of the retreating ship. Zeynap created his own sphere of flame using celestial unicorn magic. Both spheres fell fell down the masts and onto the deck of the ship, setting the deck ablaze. 

The crew grabbed buckets and did their best to put out the flames but the spheres continued to roll around creating more fires. Xoc-Wik and Apparently continued picking them off with arrows as they futilely tried to save the burning ship.

Tohaku leaped back across to the burning ship and saved the maps and stones from the deck. He then leaped back to safety.

The ship continued to drift away and the flames grew higher and higher. Soon it was an inferno. The surviving crew jumped off the far rail to protec themselves from the party's storm of arrows.

The last thing the party saw on the deck of the ship was the warthog captain seething in rage. The masts fell and the captain was lost from view.

PERHAPS SOME MERCY IS IN ORDER

The party saw the surviving crew treading water in the night, their ship burning into the waves. Xoc-Wik called out, "If any of you want to live, swim to our ship!"

The surviving pirates hesitated. Zeynap wondered, "What's wrong with them?"

Tohaku suggested, "Perhaps our continued archery attacks while they were trying to put out their fire has caused them some level of concern about our intentions."

Apparently and Xoc-Wik exchanged guilty glances. Bramble rolled his eyes, "We PROMISE we won't kill you! PLEASE swim to us!"

The handful of swimming pirates eventually swam to the Emerald Eye and were helped on board.

Apparently went into the captain's cabin. Their captive, Captain Al-Saryak, was dead. He had been killed by the warthog captain.

Captain Moleman sheepishly approached the blood-soaked party, "Well, looks like we got a full crew finally, eh?"

The others slowly turned and glared at the theran captain. He shifted his feet and cleared his throat. "So, ah, back to Port Nyanzaru then?"

TO BE CONTINUED...

DM Commentary - In retrospect I should've had the Pirates use nets to restrain them and capture them.

"Pirates of the Emerald Eye" - Tomb of Annihilation, Chapter 10

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"

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.

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.

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...