Hail and well met, friends! The Christmas season is upon us and despite the busyness of all the activities, our Quarantine Questers found the time to squeeze in a session before those wonderful holiday duties call!
Here’s the party basics.
Fiona: Lightfoot Halfling Rogue (Jenny)
Thalia: High Elf Wizard (Kurt)
Gallan (Sidekick): Wood Elf Fighter (Kurt)
Ahfa: Human Paladin (Brent)
Zulu (Sidekick): Dwarf Cleric (Brent)
When last we left off, the party had been exploring the shipwrecked ruins of the Compass Rose. Treasures had been acquired, puzzles had been solved, and zombies had been killed. Thus, the group was finally able to survey the rest of the wreckage in relative peace.
On the second level (the lower deck), the party now attempts to open the six crates strewn about, but of concern is the water level. The wreckage is at a tilt and about half of the lower deck is submerged in 6-18” of water, making movement a little more difficult but not impossible. The rogue, natch, has a couple of crowbars and hands one over to the fighter. Between the two of them, they find in the crates: a small leather scroll pouch, containing a spell of Command (as identified by the wizard), a 18-lb bag of whole cloves, a broken-stringed lute with a beautiful mother-of-pearl inlay handle, dragon-shaped candlesticks, and four bottles of wine.
Gallan then opts to descend to the hold via the stairs and, upon reaching the bottom, finds himself completely submerged in water. The forward-thinking fighter has removed his armor and has about 90 seconds to swim and look around. Fiona and Ahfa follow him, but not before the rogue ties a rope to the mast pole on the lower deck in case someone or something needs hoisted up. And it is clear rather quickly that this underwater fourth level is empty except for rotted and disintegrated debris AND one iron chest in the far corner. Swimming over, Fiona looks up and sees the hole in the floor above her that this chest fell through – probably from the captain’s quarters two floors above.
With a heroic group effort heave-ho, the chest is pulled up to the much-drier lower deck. And surveying the contents inside turns up the following items: a soggy, greenish pair of boots that will obviously need some drying out and loving care before they’re wearable again, a soaked cloth pouch containing 3 small turquoise gems, and a waxed fabric packet. Thalia opens the packet and finds a leather journal with the same compass symbol embossed upon it that was on the captain’s desk upstairs. All pages in the journal appears to ripped out except for one, which has a message hastily scrawled in it…in a nutshell, the captain writes of Aleithia’s gruesome death and her fervent prayers to the god Orcus to be reuinted with her husband. Just as the woman succumbs to her injuries, the captain notes fiendish movement in the dead sailors around him. Also, tucked into the journal is a macabre bookmark woven from blond and black strands of hair wrapped around a tiny finger bone. It would appear Aleithia had invoked a god of death (Orcus, Religion check provided by Zulu) to remain unparted from her husband, Brastos…but in doing so, the invocation had also sparked the zombie spawn curse that has plagued the island. If the talisman is returned to Brastos (and thus reunited with Aleithia), the curse is broken forever.
So, there’s that.
The team reascends to the main deck, and as they all do so, the most beautiful, unearthly song they’ve all ever heard greets their ears. DM has the party roll Wisdom checks, of which only one of the group (Ahfa with a natural 20) succeeds. The paladin immediately spots a heinously ugly winged creature atop the ballista at the far end of the upper deck. To his dismay, his four new friends are entranced, enthralled and are now stumblling towards the vicious vulture-woman. A man of quick action, he reaches for his javelin and hurls it at the figure. The spear glances her leg, dealing 4 pts of righteous gash damage, and is enough to break the concentration of her Luring Song. Unfortunately, the other four members have reached the stop of the upper deck steps and are within claw reach of the creature (now recognized as a harpy).
There is a bit of hacking and slashing and swiping and griping, but the harpy is bleeding and hurt when she finally lifts herself up into the sky. She screeches at the party that all she wants is her treasure. Our noble warriors are confused until the harpy claims she’s been burgled by them, as they stole the items out of her crow’s nest. Sheepishly, Gallan (or Thalia – substitute scribe’s notes confusing on this point) tosses the bracelet, earring, and gems back up to the vile monster who soon flies away into the distance.
Fiona seems a little disgruntled at the parting of treasure, as is fair for a person of her character. It is realized that the harpy’s Luring Song was probably what drew in ships to their doom upon the jagged rocks of Stormwreck Isle AND then, Aleithia’s curse is what turned dead sailors into zombies that terrorize Stormwreck Isle. Well, how about them apples?
The party decides to return to Dragon’s Rest, being late in the afternoon. They are accosted by no zombies, thank the Maker, and the cloister seems quiet. Only when the party arrives to the dining hall do they see most of the residents taking their early evening meal. When one of our brave crew holds up the waterlogged boots and asks about them, one of the kobolds stands up. Myla is her name, and judging by her different apparel, she is the resident scientist, alchemist, tinkerer, etc. She states directly that these are Boots of Elvenkind (advantage on Dex/Stealth checks when worn), and that, yes, they need a little repair before the magic within them will work. She promises to return them as soon as she finished, likely within a day or so.
Again, Fiona, although left with little choice, is concerned about the amount of booty either being given back to its original thief or being given away, period. However, she does seem sympathetic to Myla the kobold, who lets slip that she’s lived on the island for some time; once upon a time with her two brothers, who are now no longer with her. Fiona presses the matter, but Myla does not give up any information about her past.
The party then decides to find Runara and find out more about this curse thing. Thalia interrupts the old woman in Bahamut’s temple, as she appears to be meditating. Mildly irritated, she informs the group that Brastos has been dead many years now, as he came here to wait for his beloved Aleithia to return. Runara then tells the party they may make the journey to his grave, if they’d like. The group seems reluctant at first to take on a task they feel is not their responsibility, but eventually, they head out on the 45 min walk to the northeast coast of the island.
The narrow path is visible, but clearly is not traveled often, as the team discovers. They wind their way through a rocky, forested incline and about 20 minutes into the trek, Zulu and Fiona roll decent Perception checks and can hear the rushing of falling water nearby. Also, there is a feeling of calm and peace about them and as the party rounds a bend of trees, they can now make out a small waterfall and clear spring in the trees some yards off to their left.
Thalia, feeling brave, walks to the water’s edge and takes a sip. Immediately the party notice a change in her demeanor. She seems little taller, her hair and skin are luminescent and beautiful. Ahfa decides to follow suit and as he drinks, he feels some kind of growth on his forehead. In amazement, he realizes he’s grown a third eye…with the ability of True Sight up to 60 days. Fiona rushes in to take a drink and she is incredibly pleased to find lovely, fragrant, vibrant flowers sprouting from her head. The flowers will last seven days, and will give her advantage on Charisma checks. Zulu is no fool-u and heads on down to the new water fountain. He seems to draw the short straw here as his ears suddenly grow and lengthen until they resemble a donkey’s ears. However, the new ears sharpen his senses and he will enjoy advantage on Wisdom/Perception check for the next 3 days. Gallan passes on the whole water-drinking caper and the party continues on.
Upon reaching the gravesite, they see the grave was constructed on a jutting edge on the northeast point of the island. The Compass Rose shipwreck, where his beloved Aleithia met her doom, is well within sight of the headstone. The hair-braided talisman is laid upon the grave of Brastos, and almost immediately, a great bank of fog rolls through the area. After a couple of minutes, the fog clears and the Compass Rose shipwreck has vanished. The party returns to Dragon’s Rest and the cloister path is busy with traffic as the inhabitants have finished their meals and are tending to their evening duties. Upon returning to the temple (with the use of an approaching bell), they see Runara and are surprised to see a soft look of amusement on her face. “Ah,” she says gently, “I see you’ve found my special enchanted spring.” Indeed.
Runara heals Thalia (who’d taken the brunt of the harpy damage) and suggests they return tomorrow with other inquiries, as the sun is on its journey beyond the horizon. As the party comes down the path from the temple, they are suddenly flooded with a sense of health and power – they realized they’ve leveled up. And there is much rejoicing at this revelation. Shortly after this, Frub the exuberant kobold runs up to the party, happy to see them alive and well. Like a small child, he asks Fiona excitedly if she brought him anything, to which she answers in the affirmative, presenting the book of poetry. Alas, Frub says he cannot read very well, but he is very appreciative nevertheless, and asked if perhaps Fiona will read some to him sometime?? He then explains it has been a day for returns, because Tarak (one of three humans who live here amongst the kobolds) has come back from an overnight mushroom-hunting excursion. But, Frub noted, Tarak seemed especially disheartened by his recent trip – not the usual reaction Frub sees when Tarak comes back from these gathering expeditions.
Hmm.
Later that night, the party retires to the cell they were given and everyone sleeps well; Zulu, however has a dream that night in which he feels the love and approval of his god at the work he is undertaking on the island.
As ever and ever your scribe,
Heather (and Brent)