The Forsaken Sea-Mount - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 69

 

Corvid stood in a corridor somewhere within the Forsaken Sea-Mount, citadel of the aquatic hobgoblins known as Koalinth. He was hundreds of feet underwater, protected by his magical Cloak of the Manta Ray. He brandished his magical sword, Faithkeeper. The water was red with the blood of his fallen enemies. The bodies of slain koalinth and sharks drifted to the floor. 

Captain Alot and Cai'luin the bard had followed a fleeing koalinth into a side passage where they discovered more prisoners - merfolk, sea-elves, and locathah  - chained to a wall and forced to dig. 

Alot called out, "We have more prisoners to save!"

The main corridor ended at a metal door. An injured shark was trying to escape. 

Suddenly the door burst open. A dwarf wearing a skull mask and a wide-brimmed helmet adorned with dolphins smashed his war-pick into the shark's forehead, killing it. 

It was Patriarch Craig, High Priest of the Cult of Tristan.

"What are you doing?" growled the dwarf, "The exit is this way!"

CHAPTER 69

"THE FORSAKEN SEA-MOUNT"

The Crew of the Sea Ghost:

• 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.

DM Note-
There is a big adventure gap between the end of Tammeraut's Fate (level 9) and the beginning of the Styes (level 11) so I'm filling it with short adventures and side-treks and player's choice. 

This week, I'm adapting a low-level adventure called the Secret of Forsaken Peak, Part 1: the Goblin Mine. I moved the entire mine to a sea-mount underwater. I replaced all the goblins with koalinth and all the worgs with hunter sharks. All the regular wolves became reef sharks. All the ogres became merrows. The bullette became chuul. The fire elemental became an earth elemental. References to dragons and Tiamat became kraken and Olhydra. Etc. I also increased all the traps from 1-4th level to 10th level, increasing their damage and DCs. 

Patriarch Craig's player had missed the previous week so he was never imprisoned. I wanted to introduce him into the story as quickly as  possible. Luckily, the other characters were right there at the exit - though they didn't know it. So I just had Patriarch Craig open the exit door and say "Hey! The exit is this way!" 

An Escape Delayed

Corvid said to Patriarch Craig, "Not yet! I've got to help Alot free some more prisoners."

A pair of ogre-sized merrow who had been standing guard outside the exit noticed Craig and threw their harpoons at him. One harpoon struck the dwarf. He grunted against the pain as the merrow tried to pull the chain to drag the dwarf towards him. Craig pulled the harpoon out and grit his teeth. The dwarven priest created a mystical hammer and sent it to fight the merrow.

"Well, hurry up!" he growled! 

Corvid swam into the mine where Alot was freeing the closest prisoner with a key taken from the prison guard during their own escape. Cai'luin was also in the mine, "Here come the guards!"

Corvid said, "I'll take care of them. Go help Craig, he's guarding the exit!"

Cai'luin gave a quick salute and swam into the corridor to assist Craig.

The underwater cavern was unlit but Corvid's magical darkvision made out several humanoid shapes and two large forms swimming towards him from the opposite side.

Cai'luin joined Craig at the exit, "I'm here to help. What's happening."

Craig pointed down the sloping passage, "Two merrow. Take care of them. I've got to do something."

Cai'luin played a tune on his lute and his eyes began to glow with bardic magic. Outside the exit the two merrow, plus two previously unseen koalinth guards, clutched their heads and writhed in pain. The two koalinth passed out from the ordeal.

Father Craig put his hands together in prayer, "I wish that Corvid was the Holy Avenger of Tristan."

Inside the cavern, Corvid was wreathed in light. His body stiffened and he floated off the ground. The currents swirled around him and his sword arm raised upward. The magic sword Faithkeeper disappeared in a glowing aura that illuminated the cavern and momentarily blinded the koalinth and the two massive crustacean chuul that were approaching. 

When the glow faded, Corvid held in his hands the Holy Avenging Sword of Tristan - he had become the living servant of his god's vengeance!

DM Note-

I totally described in the game as a anime-style magical girl transformation with billowing hair, swirling lights, and hovering rotating Corvid. 

After the light show dimmed, the koalinth and chuul continued their approach. 

Alot had just freed a mermaid prisoner, "You there. I'm need to fight off these attackers. If I give you the key will you free the others?"

The mermaid nodded enthusiastically. Alot gave her the key, "Good, get to it!" He turned and engaged the koalinth guards and chuuls that had swimmed up out of the gloom.

The mermaid avoided the incoming attacks and began freeing the other prisoners. Though the koalinth tried to stop her, Alot would interpose himself to stop them. 

Reinforcements come from the Rear

With one hand Aells held onto the manacles that bound her prisoner, the marid known as Emir Farzad. The emir struggled against her at every step and she was getting tired of it. She was followed by a throng of twelve fellow escapees - locathah, merfolk, and sea-elves. It was a slog trying to get down the corridor towards the exit. 

She heard the approach of more koalinth from behind them - reinforcements. She ordered the fellow escapees to get past her into the corridor. They began to swim around her. 

The reinforcements came into view. Aella's eyes glowed with crackling lightning as she summoned a storm that filled the entire passage leading to their corridor. All of the reinforcements were caught within it. The chaotic currents slammed them into each other and bolts of lightning struck the largest among them.

Craig ordered Cai'luin to help Aella. The bard swam past the prisoners to join the Sea Witch. He played a mystical note and the corridor, already engulfed by a powerful storm, exploded with the force of his Depth Charge spell. The reinforcements were decimated!

Craig swam to help Allea move the emir, saying, "Go assist the others. I'll help Aella with this jerk!" 

 

Meanwhile, Back in the Mine

The koalinth guards split into two groups - one group and one chuul against Alot and one group and one chuul against Corvid. Corvid held his new sword before him and called forth a vortex of mystical ravens that tore into the guards attacking him. 

The guards abandoned Corvid to escape the aura of ravens and moved towards Alot. Corvid saw Cai'luin enter the cavern, "Help him. I'll go defend the rear in case more reinforcements come."

As soon as Corvid left the cavern of the mine, a chuul swam up and grabbed Cai'luin in its piercer. It shoved the bard into its tentacled mouth parts. Cai'luin's body shuddered as the poison coursed through him.

Alot finished off the guards and chuul menacing the prisoners. One guard threw down his harpoon and surrendered.  Alot ordered the guard to start freeing prisoners. The guard removed the shackles from a locathah. The emancipated locathah picked up the guard's harpoon and impaled his former oppressor. The guard writhed but survived. The locathah joined the other freed prisoners in escaping. The guard threw down the key and swam away.

With all the guards fleeing or dead, Alot helped the mermaid free the remaining prisoners. They soon made their escape out of the Forsaken Sea-mount. As they left, each prisoner went their separate ways, swimming off in random directions. 

The helpful mermaid stayed behind. Alot said, "You are free to go, if you wish!"

The mermaid replied, "You have freed me. I owe you a great debt! I will stay with you until you, too, are safe!"

"That's great!" said Alot, "What's your name?"

DM Note- quick stop at the random mermaid name generator.

"My name is Kala-Ek," she said.

The Ascent

The crew of the Sea Ghost gathered together outside the exit. They were at the bottom of the sea with a large sea-mount at their back. It was dark. There was a faint dim glow of daylight far above them. 

Alot looked around, "Where are we?"

Cai'luin, who possessed an innate sense of depth and pressure, said, "We're about six hundred feed down. Judging by the light I'd say it was mid-morning."

Alot nodded, "Which way do we go?"

Corvid said, "According to our original plan, the Sea Ghost should be sailing directly overhead right about now."

DM Note-

Before their imprisonment, I told each player that instead of spending their Inspiration point on Advantage, they could instead spend it for a story ret-con in the form of a "Flashback" in the style of Blades in the Dark. In the previous session Cai'luin's player used a flashback to say he had hidden the bag of holding strapped to his back under his shirt. In this session, Corvid's player used his to say that they had arranged for the ship to sail over this spot at this pre-arranged time - because escaping now was always a part of the plan!

The team began swimming straight up. Aella was slowed by Emir Fazad who struggled the entire way in an attempt to escape. The rest of the team slowed their ascent to stay close to Aella. Only Kala-Ek swam ahead of the others. 

At a depth of about 330 feet, the escapees could see the dark shapes of large sharks approaching from below. The sharks carried koalinth riders armed with harpoons and were accompanied by smaller sharks.

DM Note-

My original Roll20 battlemap quickly proved insufficient so I called for a break and quickly created a new battlemap representing all six hundred feet from bottom to surface with lines drawn every 30 feet. I put the escapees at a depth of 330 feet. I put the pursuers sixty feet or more beneath them at the edge of their Darkvision. Here's the screenshot of the whole thing zoomed way out. It kind of looked like a football field and this was the weekend before the Superbowl, so when I put the players back, I sang the little NFL theme and described the scene like a football commentator.

Patriarch Craig fell behind and told the others he'd catch up. Craig made a hand gesture and said a prayer to Tristan. A great whirlpool miraculously appeared in the midst of the pursuers. The whirlpool pummeled those caught within it and drew all those within twenty-five feet closer to it. 

DM Note-

I had so many bad guys on the board, this was a nightmare for me to have to roll saving throws and athletics skill checks for each one of them! 

A handful of sharks and koalinth swam around the whirlpool and got close to Patriarch Craig. Cai'luin fell back to help the dwarven priest, uttering arcane whispers of dissonance to cause some to flee. Aella cast chaos bolt spells at the pursuers as she continued to carry Emir Farzad.

Cai'luin swam down to Craig's side and summoned forth a swirling vortex of magical musical notes that slashed anyone that got near them. Corvid joined them, creating his own vortex of spiritual ravens.

Father Craig dismissed the whirlpool and drew forth the waters into a mighty current to propel himself and his fellow escapees up towards the surface, outdistancing the pursuers. Craig continued this until they were at the surface. Kala-Ek was propelled so quickly that she breached the surface and flew into the air thirty feet. 

The Sea Ghost was nearby and threw lines to the escapees as it sailed past. Father Craig reversed the current beneath them, pushing the advancing pursuers away towards the bottom of the sea.

This act created a magical depression in the sea. When it was released, it snapped back and the Sea Ghost rocked and bobbed. Everyone was by this time on board and sailing away. 

Alot asked Kala-Ek if she wished to accompany them. The mermaid smiled and waved, "I will swim next to until you reach your home port, but then I will bid my farewell!"

Alot waved back in thanks and admiration.

Craig stood next to him looking over the gunwhale, and signed, "I'm going to marry that girl someday!"

Alot did a double take at the dwarf in momentary confusion, then shook his head.

Emir Farzad asked Captain Alot what was to become of the marid. Alot explained that they were taking him back to Skyhorn Lighthouse where he would be turned over to the tritons.

Emir Farzad once again pleaded for his freedom, offering a wish in exchange for removing the manacles. 

Alot held firm, "No."

DM Note-

Though it did prompt a lively discussion among the players about what they might wish for.

Meanwhile, Back in the Forsaken Sea-Mount

In the chambers of Archmage Zrunkuc, the pursuers reported that they had lost the escapees and that, in fact, all the slaves and captives used in the mines had been freed. 

Warlord Tuuk became enraged. He picked up a harpoon and impaled the messenger for the bad news. The other koalinth soldiers retreated half a step. 

Tuuk turned to the archmage, "As I feared, this was a ruse orchestrated by the sea-elves of Manaan. The daughter of the King of Manaan, Princess Aella, was among them, as was the nephew of the king. First they killed Warlord Zradrog at the Lizard-man games. And now this. We cannot let this stand!"

Archmarge Zrunkuc sat in his ornate chair and templed his fingers. He was struggling to contain his calm. 

"The sea-elves of Manaan have stolen my marid and have robbed me of a wish. This is an act of war. Contact our allies. Prepare the armies. It is time to destroy the sea-elves once and for all. This. Is. WAR!" 

To Be Continued...

DM Note-

I did that little cut-scene at the end of the night and it was great. Alot's player was like, "Yeah, I figured this was coming" and indeed others mentioned it during the escape, "But," he continued, "That's a problem for future us!"

The Marid's Ransom - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 68

Alot and his companions rowed the magical boat for several hours through the late night waters. 

Cai'luin, blindfolded, asked, "Are we close?"

Alot looked around at the endless expanse of sea, "Honestly, I'm not sure."

A few more hours later, there was a loud thump as something large bumped against the hull of their boat. There was another bump. Several goblinoids covered in sea-weed and barnacles popped their heads out of the water.

"Hyoo-mans! You are not welcome in this waters! You will leave or you will die!""

Alot said, "We wish to speak with Zrunkuc The Red, Archmage of the Koalinth to negotiate the release of a prisoner."

"No! You will leave or you will be destroyed!"

CHAPTER 68

"THE MARID'S RANSOM"

The Crew of the Sea Ghost:

• 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.

DM Note-
There is a big adventure gap between the end of Tammeraut's Fate (level 9) and the beginning of the Styes (level 11) so I'm filling it with short adventures and side-treks and player's choice. 

This week, I'm adapting a low-level adventure called the Secret of Forsaken Peak, Part 1: the Goblin Mine. I moved the entire mine to a sea-mount underwater. I replaced all the goblins with koalinth and all the worgs with hunter sharks. All the regular wolves became reef sharks. All the ogres became merrows. The bullette became chuul. The fire elemental became an earth elemental. References to dragons and Tiamat became kraken and Olhydra. Etc. I also increased all the traps from 1-4th level to 10th level, increasing their damage and DCs.  

Aella's Brush with Death

Two days ago, the crew of the Sea Ghost were sitting at a table at the Wicker Goat, staring at a deck of cards. A gleaming sword sat in its scabbard on the table next to Alot. 

Aella walked in and saw the others looking at the cards, "What's going on?"

DM Note-

Aella's player had missed the last three weeks so she was not present last week during the drawing of the Deck of Many Things. The group decided to give her an opportunity to draw as a flashback. 

Cai'luin explained, "It's a deck of magical cards. Draw as many cards as you want. Half the cards yeild fabulous treasures. The other half inflict terrible curses. We've each drawn one or two cards. Want to draw?"

Aella considered her options, "Okay, sure."

Corvid held up his pale hand, "Wait! Before you draw, could you maybe loan me three thousand gold pieces? I seem to have misplaced my coin and I have a horrible feeling that my footlocker will be similarly empty."

"Um. Sure?" replied Aella.

"In fact," added Cai'luin, "Its probably not a bad idea for you to sign over your land deed and all your possessions to one of us for  a while. Just in case."

Aella scrunched her face in suspicion, "I don't know..."

Corvid sighed, "Don't laugh. That's what happened to me. I have a feeling that whatever magic that powers the cards wouldn't fall for your legal trickery, Cai'luin."

"Just give me the cards." said Aella.

Aella drew two cards. She flipped over the first card. It was The Key. 

A magic dagger appeared on the table in front of her. 

She flipped over the second card. it was the Skull. 

A mysterious robed figure appeared in a flash of shadow and purple smoke behind her. The hood of its robe concealed a skull with glowing green eyes. It carried with it a scythe. It pointed a bony hand at Aella, "Avastana Kádár, daughter of King Pelagius of Manaan and Ma'om, You have summoned me for a contest for your soul. You must battle me. No others may aid you lest you forfeit." It prepared its scythe for a swing, "Now, prepare yourself for judgement!" The specter of death swung its scythe through Aella. It sliced through her chest, leaving a painful gash and a glowing purple wound. 

She counterattacked with a magical lightning bolt. The bolt struck the Avatar of Death in the chest. The robed figure arched its back in pain and disappeared in a purple burst. 

Aella had won. 

Lankus Kurrid, proprietor of the Wicker Goat tavern, shouted his annoyance, "Hey! No magic duels in the tavern!"

Aella apologized and summoned a tidal wave to douse the small fires that burned where her lightning bolt had struck the wooden frame of the tavern. The tidal wave flooded the tavern up to everyone's knees before subsiding, leaving everyone with wet feet and shins. 

"Sorry!"

She examined her dagger. It had a saw-toothed edge and a black pearl nested in its pommel. She took the dagger and shoved it in her waist sash with her other dagger. 

Koalinth Patrol

Cai'luin offered some advice to Alot.

The Koalinth soldier shouted, "The ol'daac scum will be silent or we will kill it!"

Alot whispered to Cai'luin, "Better keep it quiet for a bit. Let me do the talking. You too, Aella."

Alot turned to the solder and reiterated his demand to speak only with Zrunkuc The Red, Archmage of the Koalinth. He informed the soldier that he was expected and suggested that the archmage would be displeased with the soldier if it were discovered that the meeting was delayed because they were turned away. He showed the soldier that they came unarmed and unarmored. 

The soldier replied that the archmage would never come to the surface to meet with air-breathers. 

Alot informed the soldier that all present were, in fact, capable of meeting with the archmage on his own terms at the deepest depths. 

The soldier considered this and ordered the party to follow him to a neutral location in "the Old City".

Alot agreed. Everyone jumped overboard and Alot said the magic word that transformed the small boat back into a small wooden box which he promptly placed in a pouch. 

They followed the patrol down into the inky depths of the ocean. 

Warlord Tuuk

The patrol led the party to the ruins of an ancient underwater city - not a human city that had sunk beneath the waves - a city built underwater by koalinth long ago that now lay in ruins. They were brought into an old temple.

The soldier that led them said to Alot, "This was once a great city of our people - before it was destroyed by the ochs!" He glared at Cai'luin, "Before the Haar Shol'dec! The Great Culling! You will wait here while we send for the archmage. If he refuses to see you, we will kill you." 

About an hour later, a figure appeared through a rift in the back wall of the temple. It was an armored koalinth bearing a harpoon. He spoke in Common.

"I am Warlord Tuuk. What business do you have with the archmage?"

Alot replied, "We came here to speak with the archmage."

"I will determine if you will speak with the archmage."

"We have come to negotiate for the release of one of your prisoners - a Marid named Emir Farzad, the Most Opulent and Pearlescent."

"I have never heard of him. We have no such prisoner. But if we did, such a prisoner would be very valuable and such a request would come at a great price. What would you offer as ransom?"

"What would you desire?" asked Cai'luin.

"THE FILTHY OCH WILL NOT SPEAK! That we tolerate the presence of the filth in our most sacred of temples is a courtesy - but DO NOT ALLOW THE FILTH TO INSULT US WITH ITS POISONOUS SPEECH!"

Alot looked at Cai'luin and cleared his throat. Cai'luin became silent.

Alot apologized and restated the question.

Warlord Tuuk replied, "You could start by killing every filthy sea-elf in the Azure Sea and destroying the palace at Manaan."

"That is not on the table." replied Alot.

"Then perhaps we would be satisfied with the death of King Pelagius, his children Aegon and Nix, and allow us to execute Princess Aella here and her companion, Master Cai'luin, nephew to the king."

Aella and Cai'luin exchanged worried glances.

"Oh, I know exactly who you are, your highness! You see, we know everything that happens within the royal palace of Manaan, for we have spies living among you."

Alot interrupted the warlord, "Perhaps you can name a ransom that does not involve the sea-elves."

"That is our price!" demanded Tuuk.

"Look," said Alot, changing tactics, "Since you don't know about the marid prisoner, it is obvious you don't know what's really going on. We came here to speak with the arch-mage.  He is expecting us. We are willing to wait as long as is necessary. If you want, as a sign of our good faith and our intentions, we would surrender ourselves to your custody. Keep us in a prison cell until the arch-mage is ready. As you see, we cane unarmed and unarmored."

Warlord Tuuk countered, "You are armored!"

Alot said, "I am a sentinel. I cannot remove my armor. I cannot help that."

Warlord Tuuk considered this, "Very well. My soldiers will escort you to a prison cell. I will decide what to do with you later."

Two Hours in a Koalinth Prison

Captain Alot and the others were bound and their heads were covered by hoods. They were taken inside an underwater structure. When the hoods were removed they found themselves placed into prison cells. Each cell was ten feet square. They were separated from each other but each shared a cell with another individual. Althrough their hoods were removed they remained manacled. Alot was placed with a locathah. Cai'luin was housed with an sea-elf named Bubo.  Aella found herself with a mer-man named Salas. Corvid was placed with another sea-elf.  The cells lined the wall of a large room with a large pillar in the center that blocked visibility to the far side of the room. The guards could be seen outside the bars at the entrance in one corner of the room.  They came with no weapons and armor though Cai'luin's lute and magical bag of holding had been confiscated.

The team spent two hours waiting in their cells. Cai'luin and Aella got to know their cell-mates. Corvid ignored his cell-mate and spent most of the time unsuccessfully trying to break his manacles. Alot tried to interact with his locathah cell-mate but the fish-creature said only "Murr". As a result, Alot started calling him "Murr".

After two hours a guard entered the cell-block with a box. He went from cell to cell opening the box. The box was full of chum, entrails, blood, and small scurrying fish. The prisoners lapped up the billowing mess and caught the small fish. 

When the guard came to Alot's cell, Alot reached one arm out of the cell and grabbed the guard, pulling him close and putting him in a choke hold.

DM Note-

There are no rules in D&D for a choke hold. So I had Alot make a Grapple, which he succeeded, and follow up on subsequent rounds with unarmed attacks. Only, instead of punches, we described it as a hold with hit point loss from being choked. 

The guard called out in alarm and ineffectually punched back at Alot but was soon choked to unconsciousness. Alot was dismayed to learn that the guard carried no keys. 

From across the cell block Cai'luin waved his hands and said a magic word and Alot's cell door magically opened. Alot put the guard in the cell and asked Murr to join him. The blank-faced glassy-eyed fish-man simply muttered, "Murr" and stayed in his spot. Alot shrugged and turned to face the next problem.

The guards at the entrance heard the commotion. One guard banged on a loud gong while the other grabbed his weapons and swam in to engage Alot. Cai'luin waved his hand and said another magic word and the koalinth guard stopped banging the gong. He looked off into the distance with a vacant stare and a slight smile. 

Cai'luin magically opened Corvid's cell. Corvid exited and made a gesture with his hands. He formed a sword of shadow out of thin air and killed the guard. 

A hulking brute of a mer-man - an aquatic ogre known as a merrow - emerged from a nearby corridor in response to the banging gong. He quickly entered the cell block to engage with the escapees. Cai'luin sang a song of dissonant whispers and the merrow became frightened. The merrow retreated to the far corner of the cell block. Alot and Corvid converted on the merrow and attacked with fists and shadow-blade. Aella created a magical tidal wave resulting in a massive hammer of water that slammed into the ogre-like merman. Corvid finished him off with his deadly blade of insubstantial shadow. 

Corvid retrieved keys from the fallen guards and opened Cai'luin's cell. Cai'luin removed the bag of holding he had hidden on his back under his shirt, within which he had been carrying the following items:

1. Alot's magical dragon warhammer
2. Corvid's magical sword "Faithkeeper"
3. Corvid's plate armor
4. Cai'luin's magical rapier "Robots are Tone Deaf"
5. 1 packet of dust of disappearance
6. 1 potion of lesser restoration
7. 2 potions of greater healing
8. Aella's gauntlets of ogre power
9. Aella's wand of magic missiles

The weapons had been carefully wrapped in blankets to prevent the rupture of the bag of holding.

DM Note-

 I allowed the players the use of Flashbacks - a rule I ported over from Blades in the Dark. They could spend their inspiration point for a flashback in which they reveal that something that had happened earlier was, in fact, part of a clever ruse that they had planned for.

In this case, I had earlier told Cai'luin that they had confiscated his bag of holding containing everyone's gear. At this moment, Cai'luin's player said, "I use my flashback!" With the help of the others, he told me that the bag they had confiscated was in fact a fake! It was filled with some rocks and gold coins to keep them occupied and fooled. He had actually tied the real bag of holding with everyone's equipment to his torso and it laid flat against his back under his shirt, Die Hard style! 

GENIUS! It was EXACTLY how I was hoping they'd use their flashback!

Cai'luin distributed the smuggled equipment and Corvid returned to the bard his lute. 

The gong-guard was still under Cai'luin's spell. Cai'luin asked him to confine himself within a cell. The guard happily complied. Afterwards they went cell-to-cell searching for their target- the Emir.

Escape

Alot went cell-to-cell with the keys. He found no marid. The cells did match the vision he received in the magic mirror so he was confident he was in the right place, though he could not be sure in which cell the emir had been kept. 

He picked the cell he thought was the most likely candidate. Alot asked the mermaid within if she was the emir in disguise. She refused to speak. Alot told the mermaid that they had been sent to free the emir and that it was safe to reveal his true identity.

The mermaid disappeared in a cloud of air bubbles and coalesced into the aquatic djinn known as a marid - it was the Emir Farzad! 

"Alot! My good friend! It is so wonderful to see you again! Please, if you could my old friend, remove these pesky golden manacles so that I might be on my way."

"No can do," said Alot, "First you have to put on THESE golden manacles."

Farzad looked aghast, "Oh, HE sent you to collect me, did he? No! I will not join you!"

Alot said, "You'd rather stay here as a prisoner of the arch-mage? Your prison back at the lighthouse didn't seem too bad."

Farzad narrowed his eyed, "You do not understand. I escaped the will of the SHAH! For that I will TRULY be punished! I do not anticipate a friendly reunion!"

"Look!" said Aella, joining the conversation, "We're escaping now. If you want to come with us, you'll have to put on these manacles."

Farzad sighed, "Fine!" He held out his wrists. Alot clapped the Shah's manacles on top of the manacles of the arch-mage. Farzad rolled his eyes.

With all the prisoners, save that idiot Murr, freed from their cells and the surviving guards locked within, the crew of the Sea Ghost, with their marid captive, and twelve escaped prisoners, made their way out of the cell block.

Koalinth Patrol

The large group moved out of the cell block and up the inclined corridor to a Y-shaped intersection. There was a door to the right and one to the left. They chose left. Behind it was a small guard post with two koalinth. The two guards were quickly dispatched and the large group was told to stealthily but hastily move ahead. 

The found a corridor at the read of the guard post turned right and presented a door ahead and a corridor to the left that sloped up.  They took the corridor and and opened a door. They were in a four-way intersection where a long wide hall met the beginning of a rough-hewn mine that sloped down. Ahead of them was another long corridor. The corridor ahead and to the right contained several koalinth guards holding onto riding harnesses attached to large man-eating sharks. The harnesses allowed the koalinth to hold on with one hand and be carried along with the sharks as well as direct the shark's movement and actions.

The guards rushed the escaping prisoners at the door and brutal melee ensued.

The door became a choke point as the crowd of escaping prisoners prevented escape to the rear and the press of sharks and guards prevented advancement in the front. To make matters worse, Aella and Cailuin were busy preventing the emir Farzad from escaping. Their position at the bottom of the inclined corridor prevented them from gaining line of sight on the fight at the intersection. 

More sharks and guards joined the fray from the mines to the left. Soon the intersection was filled with billowing clouds of red blood in the water, dead koalinth, and dead sharks as Alot and Corvid carved a deadly path through the defenders. 

Cai'luin spoke a magical charm and one of the sharks became friendly. Cai'luin spoke to the shark, an ability many sea-elves possess, and convinced it to turn on the other guards to protect its new friends. 

With the advanced of an additional wave of reinforcements, Corvid said a prayer and was soon surrounded by a swirling vortex of spiritual ravens. The ravens tore into the sharks and guards, clearing the way. To Cai'luin's dismay, the ravens killed his new shark friend. 

The entire time, Emir Farzad made repeated attempts to pull against Aella's grasp and escape. He managed to escape a few times but each time Cai'luin and Aella were able to quickly grab him.

DM Note-

Farzad would succeed at his escape attempt, no small feat against Aella's gauntlets of ogre power, but each time he'd try to move away Aella and/or Cai'luin would make a grapple as an opportunity attack and re-establish the grappled condition. But he kept trying in the hopes that one time they'd fail.

Aella was finally able to make her way up to the top of the corridor where she was able to cast a magical lightning bolt down the corridor before them, killing several koalinth guards and sharks.

The one surviving guard and shark made an escape down a side passage to the left. The only remaining shark fled to a door at the end of the corridor but was unable to escape.

Into the Mines

Corvid followed the escaping guard down the corridor and into the mines. There he saw a large dark cavern. In the distance he could hear the sound of dozens of prisoners digging and two lumbering shapes used as underwater pack animals.

The paladin of death was soon joined by Alot and Cai'luin. The trio killed the escaping guard. Alot looked around at the additional prisoners, each chained to the wall so that they could not escape their labor.  

Alot sighed in frustration, "I guess we have more prisoners to free."

To be Continued...

The Return of the Crab-omancer - Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Chapter 67

 

Alot broke open the seal and removed the chains. He opened the cellar doors and descended the steps.

The cellar beneath the house was flooded and covered in algae. It smelled like rotting crab meat and dead fish. A pile of rubble lay at the bottom of the stairs. 

A pile of heavy stones were piled against the wall opposite the stairs. 

Alot reached the bottom of the stairs followed by Cai'luin, Corvid, and Father Craig. They spread out through the small cellar. The water was knee-deep. Alot moved to inspect the pile of stones against the wall. 

Suddenly the water erupted as over a dozen giant crab, each easily the same size as a man, burst out of their hiding places beneath the scum. Only they weren't ordinary giant crab - these crab were the tattered and decaying remains of long-dead crab animated by some unnamable power!

CHAPTER 67

"THE RETURN OF THE CRAB-OMANCER"

The Crew of the Sea Ghost:

• 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.

DM Note-
There is a big adventure gap between the end of Tammeraut's Fate (level 9) and the beginning of the Styes (level 11) so I'm filling it with short adventures and side-treks and player's choice. This week, it's a player's choice adventure as the crew sails back to Saltmarsh and investigate the mysterious abandoned house in Crabber's Cove.

Also, this week I downloaded and installed Clownfish Voice Changer application which allows me to modify my voice using various electronic effects and add sound effects to Discord to enhance the NPC experience. It worked great for the Crab-omancer and got great reviews from the players.

The horrid crab-things clicked their claws and began to hiss. Then, to everyone's shock and horror, the hissing became a voice - a voice shared among all the crabs.

DM Note-

I pre-prepared several paragraphs of dialog for the crabs based on anticipated questions. I can't capture word-for-word what was said back and forth in the game but I can describe the gist of it.

"Visitors! It has been so long since I felt the presence of living souls so near! Tell me, visitors, have you come to free me from my eternal prison? Have you come to right the wrong inflicted upon poor Zenopus so long ago?"

The crew of the Sea Ghost looked at each other in confusion. Corvid finally glared at Alot as if to insinuate, "Okay - you're the captain!"

Alot introduced himself and his companions and asked the voice to identify itself.

"(click)(click) I am the wizard, Zenopus. I lived in the tower built upon the hill across the Janustream. I was imprisoned here via the treachery of that fiend, Keledek! Keledek! My own apprentice! Now I seek only to escape! Escape so that I may impart my vengeance upon that traitorous Ketan!" (click)(click)" 

Alot asked, "Where are you?"

The crabs replied, "(click)(click) "I am at this time imprisoned in the chamber beyond. Bound here by a curse." (click)(click) "I seek your aid, brave heroes. Your assistance can free me of this baleful imprecation. Have you any interest in providing aid to a victim of insidious malfeseance? "

Alot looked to his companions for advice. Corvid replied, "Hey, I am all about the vengeance. So count me in!"

Cai'luin looked aghast, "You can't seriously be thinking of setting him free?"

Alot looked to the priest, "Patriarch Craig?"

Patriarch Craig replied, "Well, we don't like Keledek."

Cai'luin interrupted, "Okay, sure, we set this guy free and he kills Keledek. Then what? He'll be worse!"

The crabs interjected, "(click)(click) If my freedom alone is insufficient cause to help me, if my vengeance against the loathsome wizard does not persuade you to my cause, then I offer this further inducement. In my lonely imprisonment here I hear the comings and goings of those in the domicile above me. I sense their presence. I hear them through my servants. I know of the Scarlet Brotherhood and their agent the Serpent's Tooth. I am privy to all his clandestine encounters. Free me and I will tell you anything you want to know of his cunning schemes and machinations (click)(click) (click)(click) "

Corvid closed his eyes and tried to detect the presence of the undead, demons, or devils. The crabs around him were undead but that was all he could sense. 

Corvid told the others, "The crabs are obviously undead. I can't get a sense for anything behind the wall."

DM Note-

Divine Sense

Class: Paladin

The presence of strong evil registers on your senses like a noxious odor, and powerful good rings like heavenly music in your ears. As an action, you can open your awareness to detect such forces. Until the end of your next turn, you know the location of any celestia⁠l, fiend, or undead within 60 feet of you that is not behind total cover. You know the type (celestial, fiend, or undead) of any being whose presence you sense, but not its identity (the vampi⁠re Count Strahd von Zarovich, for instance). Within the same radius, you also detect the presence of any place or object that has been consecrated or desecrated, as with the hallow spell.

The key part there - THAT IS NOT BEHIND TOTAL COVER. So Corvid could not use Divine Sense on anything behind a wall.

So I told Corvid's player, "You are surrounded by undead crab, but the chamber beyond would be behind total cover and not visible by your sense."

The crabs replied in unison, "(click)(click) These wretches? These are but my loyal homunculi. I created them, you see, to protect and defend me in case Keledek ever returned! They serve me. But like me they are bound to this place." 

Alot asked, "So, how would we get you out?"

"(click)(click) The stones. The stones imprison me in this wretched cell. Remove the stones so that I may become free once more."

Alot once more looked at the others. Corvid and Craig shrugged. Cai'luin sighed and resigned himself to releasing the elder evil.

Alot and Corvid moved aside the stones revealing a plain door. It was unlocked.

They opened the door and found a small room, flooded like the rest of the cellar. In the center of the room was a square stone slab. On top of the slab was a crab - bleached white but otherwise ordinary.

The crabs in the previous room became excited. "(click)(click) Excellent. See that crab there? The pale crab sitting upon the stone slab? That is I! I am confined to this pitiable form! Slay me! Crush me with your hammer! Stab me with your sword! Break me in half like the pitiable crab I am! End my life so that the spell might be broken and I LIVE AGAIN! I will be free to wreak my terrible vengeance upon those who have wronged me!" 

 

"No", said Alot, "We have freed you. First you'll tell us about the Scarlet Brotherhood."

The crabs then spoke, "Of course."

Zenopus, speaking through the crabs, told the crew everything he had overheard in the abandoned house above. He told them that the agent of the Scarlet Brotherhood in Saltmarsh was known as the Serpent's Tooth and this his true identity was Skerrin Wavechaser, butler to Anders Solmor. He told them that the Scarlet Brotherhood wished to destabilize the monarchy in Keoland and sow discord in order to mount strikes against several coastal fortresses - including Seaton - just like they did in Monmurg. 

They also wished to cause disruption to the undersea nations. To that end the Serpent's Tooth orchestrated a failed assassination attempt against King Pelagius of the sea-elf kingdom of Manaan in an effort to turn the sea elves against the surface kingdoms. 

He also told them that Skerrin had accompanied Baron Solmor to the capital city of Niole Dra to attend the royal court for the summer - where he planned to poison the royal family and blame it on agents of Iuz. 

"Now, strike me down! Free me!"

"Wait!" said Cai'luin, "First you have to promise - you have to swear on something you hold dear that you will cause no harm, directly or indirectly to any resident of Saltmarsh - other than Keledek, and that you will allow no harm to be done to a resident of Saltmarsh by any being or creature you create or control."

"Fine! I promise by my darkest magics!"

Cai'luin, satisfied, allowed Alot to proceed.

Zenopus became even more excited, "Yes! Do it! Kill me! Free me! Hurry! Kill me now! Crush me! Destroy me!"

DM Note-

I really thought that would give them more pause, but apparently not.

"Wait!" said Patriarch Craig. The priest said a prayer and a brilliant light radiated from his shield, bathing the dank chamber in the light of day.

Zenopus faltered, "Wait! What?"

Alot crushed the crab with his hammer.

The crab disappeared in a puff of magical smoke, reappearing as a naked muscular man with pale wet green skin, covered in kelp. He had long stringy hair and a greasy unkempt beard. He bared his teeth and recoiled from Craig's miraculous daylight, "Agh! Put it away!" He held out his bony clawed hand towards Alot, "You! Do as I command!"

For a moment, Alot felt like helping the wizard, but he shook off the sensation and said, "No."

Zenopus hissed his displeasure.

Cai'luin played a strum on his lute and Zenopus recoiled in horror into the farthest corner. Alot smashed him with his hammer as he fled.

Zenopus became enraged, "This is treachery! You will all pay!" He darted towards Cai'luin. Alot gave chase, smashing him repeatedly with his magical hammer. Craig swung his dwarven war-pick into Zenopus. The wizard collapsed, disappearing into a puff of green mist. The green mist, in turn, began to sparkle and dissipate under the daylight. It soon vanished and was gone. 

DM Note-

ONE ROUND!

They defeated my tough vampire encounter in ONE STINKING ROUND! Stupid Daylight spell. 

In truth, this entire encounter was built to allow them to use the Scrolls of Daylight they got a million years ago. Unfortunately, Aella's player had to miss this session and she carried the scrolls. Of course, Patriarch Craig is tenth level and he can cast that now. 

If it hadn't have been for Daylight, that would have been a MUCH different encounter!

In retrospect, I should have just let Zenopus peacefully leave and get his revenge on Keledek and have the player characters face him later. 

"Huh" said Alot, "Who knew he was a vampire?"

Corvid raised his hand.

The giant crabs in the cellar quickly retreated from Patriarch Craig's daylight. Continuous exposure caused them to shrink and wither and eventually crumble. The crew exited the cellar of the abandoned house in Crabber's Cove. The crabs that swarmed the house, that once moved in unison, were now ordinary crabs. 

After they left, Corvid used a mending orison to repair the seal of Saint Cuthbert so that no one would know of their entry into the cellar. This might be useful for spying on the agents of the Crimson Brotherhood in the future.

Shah Javad Khorasani, Eye of the Tempest and Lord of the Thousand and One Bright Pearls

The next day was a cool and sunny spring morning - a sharp contrast to the late season chill of the previous day. The crew of the Sea Ghost were down at the docks making preparations to sail to Niole Dra. 

There was a sudden commotion as a great swelling of water approached the docks from the sea. It was as if a low hill of water was pushing its way towards the docks. The sailors, longshoremen, stevedores, and fishers fled from their boats to shore as the mass of water split off two smaller masses.

The mass of water in the center rose higher and higher until it was twenty feet high and forty feet across. It engulfed the end of the center dock while the two smaller masses covered the ends of the docks to the left and right. The ships and boats tied to the docks rocked under the swell. 

The three masses of water drained away, leaving behind several humanoid figures. In the center group stood a lavender humanoid, twenty feet tall, wearing fabulous jewelry and adornments. The giant wore a living sea snake around his neck as a necklace and a living sea snake around his right wrist as a bracelet. He carried a trisula - a kind of curved trident. He looked regal and imperious. He was accompanied by two armored water elementals. Before him stood four tritons. The flanking groups consisted of an armored water elemental and two tritons each. 

The invaders surveyed their surroundings. They did not appear to be openly hostile yet they also did not seem to be particularly friendly.

The giant spoke in a voice that shook the sea, "Citizens of Oerth! I am Shah Javad Khorasani, Eye of the Tempest and Lord of the Thousand and One Bright Pearls, Ruler of the City of Glass. I come seeking the miscreants that did deprive me of my prisoner, the marid known as Emir Farzad the Most Pearlescent and Opulent, from his cell beneath the Skyhorn Lighthouse. Come! Show yourself so that I might demand my retribution!"

Alot stepped forward, "Yes, we did that."

Corvid asked surreptitiously, "We did?"

Alot waved him back, "Yeah, I think so."

The Shah Javad Khorasani looked down at Alot, "I demand the return of my prisoner and the return of the treasure taken from my fountain - a value equal to five thousand and five hundred of your gold coins! In addition to this, once the previous demands are met, I demand as punishment that you be executed for your crimes!"

The head triton turned to look at the Shah, "You magnificence, we are here to adjudicate your claim and to negotiate a fair settlement. We will now hear from the defendants."

The triton approached Alot. Alot and the others showed the triton their badges indicating their status as honorary triton inquisitors. The triton accepted these badges. He had met them during the incident at Skyhhorn Lighthouse several months previous.

"What say you to these charges?"

Alot replied, "We did free - (pause) - that person you said. We also took your treasure. At the time we had assumed it had been abandoned. We apologize for the error. We will return to you your prisoner and your treasure - but we will not accept our execution."

The head triton turned to the Shah. The Shah considered this, "Fine! I find your counter-offer acceptable. Return to me my prisoner and my treasure within a full cycle of your primary moon and I will be satisfied. However, if by that time I do not have my prisoner and my treasure, I will destroy you and will raze this village and this entire coast!"

The triton inquisitor grimaced at the Shah. "You can raze this village! Not the entire coast!"

The Shah rolled his great eyes, "FINE! This village then!"

Alot said, "Agreed. Where is this prisoner now?"

The triton inquisitor shrugged, "If we knew that, he'd be in custody."

Patriarch Craig said, "Don't worry, I know how to find him."

Alot nodded, "Okay, how do we catch him? Won't he just teleport away?"

The Shah took the snake from around his arm and transformed them into a pair of golden manacles, "Take this. Bind his arms in these manacles and he will be unable to use his powers and so that you can return him to me."

"Got it!" said Alot.

The Shah said, "I leave you now! I will return in one fully cycle of your primary moon! BEWARE MY RETURN!"

The triton inquisitor ordered his fellow tritons to follow the Shah and his armored elemental warriors back into the sea. Before the inquisitor dove off the dock, he turned and gave a friendly salute to Alot and the crew, as if to say, "See you later!" He returned to the sea and disappeared.

The Deck of Many Things

That night, Captain Alot went into the bow of the Sea Ghost to consult with the magical mirror of Saint Cuthbert - a holy relic that had been salvaged from the Wreck of the Marshall. He gave the proper honors to Saint Cuthbert and asked the mirror to show him  the current location of Emir Farzad the Most Pearlescent and Opulent. 

Captain Alot saw the marid in a cramped stone holding cell, underwater, behind bars. His hands were bound by golden manacles. He was being addressed by a koalinth wizard from outside the cell. The wizard told the marid that he was to remain a prisoner of the koalinth for a year - at which point the only way to gain his freedom would be to grant the wizard a wish. There was no point in trying to escape, the magical manacles bound him and prevented his escape. Only he, Zrunkuc The Red, 

Archmage of the Koalinth, could grant him his freedom! The marid looked sad. Zrunkuc smiled and turned away, leaving the marid to stew in his loneliness. 

Captain Alot returned to the others and told them what he saw. They were sitting around a table at a local inn and talking about a deck of cards that Cai'luin always carried with him. 

No one knew where the koalinth prison might be. Captain Alot said, "I know who might - Princess Orthokent. They invited the koalinth to join their coalition. She must know how to contact them. We'll consult with Princess Orthokent. Wait. What are you doing?"

"We're trying to decide what to do with this deck of cards." said Cai'luin.

"Yes, and-?" said Alot.

"It's not just any deck. This is a magical deck. It's called the Deck of Many Things. Drawing a card from this deck can bring fabulous wealth."

"Or it can kill you and erase any evidence that you ever existed." grumbled Corvid.

Alot joined the lively debate about whether to use the Deck of Many Things. 

DM Note-

No, seriously. The players have been debating this since they got the deck back at Skyhorn Lighthouse. Tonight they debated it for a full forty minutes. They'd commit to using it, only to back away at the last minute. We've drawn from the deck in other campaigns. The results had a habit of ending campaigns. People got too rich. People died suddenly. People lost all their wealth. 

I tried making a rollable table in Roll20 to simulate drawing from the deck. It made them interested. But it didn't have the tactile effect I wanted. 

So I quickly purchased a pre-made Deck of Many Things from the Roll20 Marketplace for $7.99. 

Once the actual deck was on the virtual table, once they could see an actual thing to draw cards from, the players were hooked. 

Cai'luin finally said, "Enough talk! I draw!"

He drew the Star. He suddenly felt even MORE charismatic and likable!

DM Note- +2 to one stat.

Corvid said, "Fine! Me too!" He drew Ruin and Jester. 

DM Note- Corvid lost all his non-magical belongings. Jester grants you +10,000 XP. We're not tracking XP so I just let him level up. 

Patriarch Craig drew the Euryale and the Moon. 

DM Note- Craig now suffers -2 to all Saving Throws but got 1 Wish. 

Alot said, "No. I won't." Then, after a long pause, he drew the Star and the Key. A gleaming magical long-sword appeared on the table.

"What is that?" asked Craig.

"Don't know." said Alot. I'll tell you tomorrow.

DM Note- Alot got +2 to one stat and a random rare or better magical weapon. Alot's player doesn't know what it is yet - because I hadn't decided until just now. I'll tell the player at tomorrow's game so you all will just have to wait until next week to find out.

Corvid said, "Well, that could have been worse."

The Citadel of Princess Orthokent

The Sea Ghost set sail the next day. They sailed west towards the citadel of the Princess Orthokent. They were met by sea-sentries as they approached. They immediately recognized Alot as an honorary member of the Marshwater tribe. They called him by his Lizard-folk name Aryte Litrix and welcomed him home.

The ship was allowed to anchor near the entrance to the citadel. Alot was allowed to enter but the others would have to stay with the ship.

Princess Orthokent was busy so Alot was unable to speak with her directly. He was, however, able to consult with Sauriv, the lizard-man scholar. Alot asked Sauriv about the koalinth and where he might find them - specifically Zrunkuc The Red, Archmage of the Koalinth.

Sauriv told Alot where he might find the Koalinth Archmage. It was inside a sea-mount to the south, just northeast of the city of Monmurg. He warned Alot not to share this information with any sea elves and that he should blindfold Cai'luin to prevent his knowledge of the location. If the sea-elves were to learn of the location of the koalinth stronghold, it would mean war.

In addition, Sauriv said that the koalinth would not allow any surface ships near their sea-mount. They needed to approach by stealth or in a small boat. 

Alot thanked the learned lizard-man and returned to his ship.

Alot set a course south towards the location indicated by Sauriv. Late that night, Alot produced a small box that magically unfolded into a medium-sized boat. He and the other officers boarded the magical boat and left the Sea Ghost behind with orders to sail away and return the following day. 

Alot and his companions rowed the magical boat for several hours through the late night waters. 

Cai'luin, blindfolded, asked, "Are we close?"

Alot looked around at the endless expanse of sea, "Honestly, I'm not sure."

DM Note- Alot failed his navigation check.

A few more hours later, there was a loud thump as something large bumped against the hull of their boat. There was another bump. Several goblinoids covered in sea-weed and barnacles popped their heads out of the water.

"Hyoo-mans! You are not welcome in this waters! You will leave!""

Alot said, "We wish to speak with Zrunkuc The Red, Archmage of the Koalinth to negotiate the release of a prisoner."

"No! You will leave or you will be our prisoners!"

Corvid, Craig, and Alot leaned in to huddle. Corvid said, "Hey, aren't we trying to break into their prison anyway? They'll take us right to him."

Alot said, "I'm still hoping we can negotiate or something. I say we go with them."

With nodding heads, they agreed. Alot told the koalinth, "We surrender! Take us to your leader!"

The koalinth was confused for a moment. This wasn't supposed to happen.

"Surrender all your weapons! We take you prisoner!"

Alot shrugged, "Okay."

Cai'luin, still blindfolded, said, "What's happening?"

To be Continued...