“Incoming!”
“Prepare to fire!”
“Hurry, hurry, hurry!” Kildo shouted as he loaded a gigantic bolt into the massive ballista on the forward deck of the Emerald Eel. At 480’ feet out, three large hippogriffs were flying low through the air straight towards them; fast. The creatures had the body of a horse, with the wings and head of a hawk. Their forelegs ended in sharp talons similar to those found in birds of prey, while their hind legs had hooves. Their hides were a golden tan color with differently shaded feathers, while their beaks were a golden yellow. They were over 9’ feet long and had a wingspan of 20’ feet. Each had a Feathergale knight dressed in bright orange, red, and yellows. From this distance, they had long spears, like a lance that could skewer a wild boar.
The bolt locked into place with a solid ‘snap’.
“Steady,” Kai said moving the contraption and aiming it at the approaching flyers.
They were 360’ feet out.
“Fire!”
An audible ‘click’ followed, as Guo Gan pulled the trigger. The bolt ‘whooshed’ heavily through the air. It sailed for several seconds. The hippogriff veered, but the missile clipped its’ right wing. It reared collecting itself and continued its flight towards the vessel.
“Reload!”
The flyers were 240’ feet out.
Again, the three loaded, aimed, and fired the ballista at the same creature. The missile ‘whooshed’ out towards the hippogriff. It attempted to swerve, but it was slower due to its damaged wing. The bolt sunk into the flying beast. Mortally wounded, it crumpled. Its rider plummeted, but suddenly stopped and started to float like a feather, as the hippogriff fell from the sky and plunged into the unforgiving sea.
“Reload!”
A third bolt ‘whooshed’ from the Emerald Eel and cut, screaming through the air. The missile slammed into the second hippogriff’s chest. The creature squawked in pain as it tumbled from the sky. Like the first rider, dismounted, the Feathergale knight floated harmlessly down.
The last flyer was 120’ feet out. It nose-dived towards the deck of the Emerald Eel.
“What be that rider and his bloody chicken doing?” Kildo asked as he retrieved another bolt.
The Feathergale knight held a large orb aloft above his head. He threw it towards the main deck. It fell and the crystal smashed. The rider and hippogriff pulled out of its dive.
A moment passed as a whisk of smoke began to swirl from where the sphere shattered. The air around it began to expand. The wind picked up. Rolling black clouds formed above them and streaked with a sickly green tinge. The Emerald Eel was the focus of the storm.
Kildo stared in awe at the tempest before him.
“Get them riggings and sails stowed!” Captain Halfbeard ordered. “Things be getting real ugly, real fast!”
A wall of storm clouds continued to form and stretched out a mile in all directions. The wind howled and slammed into the ship. Everyone struggled to maintain their balance. The craft surged forward violently.
Looking out to sea, Kildo saw the two floating Feathergale knights fall into the waters. The waves were already rising and falling fast. They were quickly lost from sight. The third hippogriff rider, which dropped the orb also battled the gales and were blown around, like a piece of paper on the high winds.
The captain continued to shout orders, but his voice was shredded in the wind. However, Kai knew what to do. He ran towards the sails. He was going to lower them. However, things turned perilous as everything not nailed down on the ship’s deck became dangerous flying debris. The triton was struck in the head by a piece of wood. He was stunned for a moment. Shaking the effects off, he continued his task, but instead of lowering the sails, they were going the wrong way and up.
Guo Gan rushed over to Kai, also being struck by flying debris. Then between the two the sails started to lower. The monk then motioned to Kildo to get the other sail.
The remaining crew, as they were trained, all aided in battening down the ship in the midst of the magical storm. Secured, Captain Halfbeard motioned them hurriedly to go below deck and out of the almost hurricane like winds.
The crew climbed into their hammocks and pulled the netting tight around them. They all immediately began to sway back and forth with the movement of the ship. The hard thumping of rain hit the ceiling. After a few minutes, water dripped from a few cracks. Even below deck, all sounds were muffled by the storm.
For the next hour the crew was helpless secured in their hammocks below as the Emerald Eel alone battled through the tempest. It was almost comical how they all swayed in tune and in unison. At first, Kildo enjoyed the movement, like swinging as a child. However, as timed passed, his stomach wasn’t thanking him for the constant back-and-forth.
The air wailed, wood squealed, and the sounds of splintering and snapping followed, like a lamentation of a ship’s death. The doors to the deck above flew open. A deluge of rain emptied from a black sky.
“We’re going down!”
Silence. As suddenly as the storm began, it dissipated. The sound was deafening.
“I be thinking it be over,” Kildo said as he cautiously rolled out of his hammock.
The crew began to emerge onto the deck, like cautious prairie dogs. It was a beautiful day. The sky was blue, the clouds white, and the sea calm. However, the same couldn’t be said of the ship. The main masts were cracked, but upright, like powerful trees in the forest. However, that was the only thing left standing. The stairwells were damage, the ballista was gone, as well as their row boat, and the steering wheel was broken off. All that remained was the base. They were drifting on the ocean.
The party then noticed Chutney Vic slowly climb down from the crow’s nest. His entire body was wet, his hair sagged, like a damp mop. His shirt was gone and his cloth pants were shredded. Held tightly in his hands was a long piece of rope that was looped around his waist several times. He gripped onto it, so hard his knuckles were white.
“Vic ye be up there the entire time?” Captain Halfbeard asked.
Chutney Vic, barefoot, walked shaking visibly as he walked past the captain and the crew not saying a word. He closed the door behind him as he went below deck.
“Alright lads!” Halfbeard barked across the deck of the Emerald Eel. “Get me ship back in some semblance of a working order! Check for damage, leaks, and get something rigged, so we can be steering me boat! This be all hands on deck!”
Johnny One-Bags then asked, “Captain, should I get Chutney Vic.”
“No, I think that one be through enough.”
The crew of the Emerald Eel spent the rest of the day repairing the ship. There wasn’t much to clean up on the decks, as everything not nailed down, and a few things that were bolted, were gone. While the steering wheel was missing, the rudder was still attached. The crew was able to make a make-shift navigation mechanism to turn the ship. It was difficult to steer and would need replacing. After the sun had set and there wasn’t anything further they could do that day, Kildo went below, removed his boots, crawled into his hammock, and promptly fell asleep.
* * *
As he slept Kildo felt dreams coalesce in his mind. The green flames return, filling his vision before slowly receding to find himself standing at the fortune-teller’s tent once again. She looked up, but not at him. Instead, her eyes were focused to his left.
"Welcome, Hammerhands," she says, "Come and choose your fate, if you are brave enough to face the cards."
He was about to walk forward when a figure stomped past him. It was a dwarf, clad in armor and exuding an aura of menace.
"Let's be getting this over with, witch." He heard his older brother's voice, Dildo. "I'm eager to see who has the best offer."
"Of course," the old woman said, flipping over the top card of her deck, "And as expected for a warrior of your skill, we first find the card of Battle."
"Cut the chatter, witch," Dildo interrupted, "Just be flipping me some cards, so I can be picking the most bad-ass looking one."
"As you wish," the old fortune teller sighed, quickly flipping five more cards in front of him, "The Enslaver, The Wyrm, The Eternal Hunger, The Healer, The Hag Queen."
"What be this weak ass healer shit doing in me selection!" Dildo demanded angrily.
"You didn't want any context," the woman replied tersely, "Now make your choice without understanding."
"Bah, this be easy enough anyway." He saw his older brother quickly reach out to touch a card, but he couldn’t see which one he selected.
"Of course," the hag shaked her head, "A shame, we could have done such great work together."
The flames surged before he could reply, devouring the scene of the past, replacing it with the dark interior of a ship. He could tell the waters outside were choppy, as the deck sways beneath his feet. The wood around was pitted with age, and covered in cobwebs. Nothing had walked these boards in a long time. He moved forward, trying to identify the sound he was hearing. It was not normal for a ship, but perhaps it was due to the obvious lack of maintenance of the vessel. He felt a tingling sensation run up his spine, the touch of fear.
He watched as the door ahead creaked open on its own. Beyond was only darkness, but the sound was louder and growing closer. A figure steped forward into the light, a short, misshapen creature that was more mouth than anything else. It turned its beady eyes towards him and felt its hunger. He readied his war hammer when more of the aberrations steped into the light, marching forward from the darkness that seems to reach beyond the walls of the ship, into the depths of the Abyss itself.
Another surge of the flames, faster this time, and Kildo could see himself inside a familiar dark chamber. Seven cloaked figures stood around a table. The figures begin speaking:
The brown cloak turned to the yellow cloak, "Having trouble at the Spire, Kalinoth?""
The black cloak nodded, "I hope Merosska was not your keyholder."
The yellow cloak snaped back at this remark, "The location of my key is none of your concern!"
The red cloak interjected, "More importantly, which of us did this?"
The green cloak winked in your direction, "Why do you assume it was one of us?"
The purple cloak spoke, "The Keystone flared."
The blue cloak looked left and right, and then said, "Really? None of you knows who they are?"
* * *
“Ship Ahoy!”
Kildo woke. He was back in his hammock in his quarters. His nightshirt was drenched in sweat. Changing back into his armor, he joined the rest of the party above deck. In the distance, was a ship; dead at sea. Even this far out, the vessel’s masts were shorn off. It was riding low and either filled with heavy cargo, or more likely water, as it listed to the left, port side. Soon within visual distance, the decks were clear and it appeared to have had suffered the effects of a typhoon. The hull still looked intact. They didn’t see any missing boards. Passing the forward section of the craft, the wooden figurehead, used by sailors to protect them from the sea was hacked and disfigured. Something a storm couldn’t have done, but an axe could. Also, on the side, the name of the ship was clear; Emperor of the Waves.
Captain Halfbeard commented, “Yar, that be some ship damage, but that not be from a storm. That kind of damage ye only be getting some a sea going creature. Be cautious. Since we be losing our dinghy, we be getting ye close, so ye can get on over. You’ll have to signal when ye be ready for pick up, as I’ll not stay near this haunted boat.”
The rumble of thunder echoed in the distance. Turning back, black storm clouds were forming and moving their way. Flashes of light could also be seen. The seas began to lap against the Emerald Eel, as the water became choppier.
“Ye better make it quick. I’m not sure how many more days this boat will stay afloat,” Captain Halfbeard said eying the storm in the distance.
Guo Gan tied one end of heavy rope to the mast of the Emerald Eel and the other to his waist. Getting a running start, the monk sprinted across the deck. His Boots of Striding and Springing twinkled blue and he landed one foot on the railing, and sprang with magical agility across the short distance to the Emperor of the Waves. He landed in a superhero pose. He then tied the rope to the most secure part of the railing still intact.
In short order, Kai, Scomatch, and Kildo joined Guo Gan on the ghost ship’s deck. The party had to consciously maintain their footing as the upper deck sloped to the port. The Emerald Eel released the rope connecting the two ships, as their rescue sailed away. They saw Captain Halfbeard watch them and nodded their way. The signal was clear, while gone, he wouldn’t abandon them.
Glancing around the upper deck, the ship was a disaster that already happened, which was clear by the rhythmic creaking of the badly weathered timbers. The Emperor of the Waves had seen better days and a memory of her former self. Although the salty, cold sea had done its part, there were signs of damage at the hands of something yet seen. The ship stood upright, for the most part, as tattered sails hung ripped and hung motionless in place. There were no signs of the crew or any remains. Either they were below, or equally possible, the waters took them. All was quiet.
Going up a set of stairs to the aft section of the ship, Kildo noticed the ship’s steering wheel was intact. Inspecting it, it spun loose. An indication it was no longer attached to the rudder. Examining the base, it would detach and something the Emerald Eel desperately needed.
“Oi!” Kildo exclaimed. “Guo Gan, give me yer rope. We be taking this with us.”
Securing the navigation wheel, the party explored the rest of the deck. There was a heavy grate of iron in the middle. Peering down, the square size openings were covered with cobwebs. There was movement below. Spiders. They were the size of a person’s fists and fortunately too large to come up through the grate.
Towards the aft section was a southern door leading into the interior of the ship. Kai had to lean his shoulder into it a few times to get it to open. As the light flooded in, it was a mess inside and everything was covered in spider webs. Garbage and debris littered the floor. Furniture and crates were smashed. Dried mud covered the floor. Tracks led to a staircase descending further into the ship. There was also a weird looking stone block in the middle of the room, which didn’t have any obvious purpose.
Kai and Guo Gan led inside the room. Their boots quickly became entangled in the thick webs. Kicking, they easily broke themselves out.
The shadows began to move. There was movement in the webs. Audible ‘hissing’ and ‘clicking’ grew louder.
“Look out!”
Hundreds and hundreds of spiders fell from the ceiling onto the paladin and monk.
A giant spider emerged from the debris. Its’ eyes void and soulless. Black, brisling hair grew out of its eight legs. Fangs like daggers, ‘clicked’ together and ready to sink into their next meal.
However, another creature emerged from the shadows. It easily stood 6’ feet tall and resembled a hunched, grey-purplish humanoid with distended white underbelly, spider-like face with fangs and eyes, and two sharp, black chitinous claws instead of hands and feet. It was an Ettercap.
“Life is death. Death is rebirth. Rebirth is life. Let’s fight!” Kildo chanted as he, Kai, and Guo Gan glowed from his Bless spell.
Kai began to recklessly swing with his glaive smashing a countless number of the creatures as they crawled over him.
The giant spider and ettercap ‘chittered’ to each other. The ettercap moved up and they both spat webbing at Kildo to trap him in the doorway preventing their pray from escaping. Each stream sailed over the dwarf’s head.
However, the ettercap drew into Kai’s range, as the paladin slashed the humanoid spider with its blade and was also struck by the weapon’s blunt end.
Scomatch then began casting; Snilloc’s Snowball Swarm. A flurry of hardened ice snowballs magically appeared and pummeled all the spider creatures in the room. Most of the initial swarm of spiders where crushed, leaving their numbers severely depleted.
Seeing the ettercap wounded from Kai’s attack, Guo Gan unleashed a flurry of blows and punches, with the last smashing its skull. Black ichor flew from the creature’s brain. The humanoid spider collapsed into its own webbing.
Kildo moved into the room and smashed several of the larger spiders in the swarm and seeing several more on the back of Guo Gan, used his kite shield to knock them off. However, the tenacious creatures scurried back to make a meal out of the elven monk.
Kai engaged the giant spider and the creature snapped out biting the paladin, but the poison in its fangs failed to penetrate through his heavy plate armor. The paladin twirled his glaive into the air, which glowed due to Kildo’s bless and cut deep into the spider’s chitin armor. He then casted divine smite. Radiant light blasted through the arachnid, cutting it in half. Ichor flew from both halves.
With the two main threats gone, the party using blunt hammers, heavy boots, and a timely casted acid spray finished off the remaining spider swarms.
Searching the room, it was a repulsive endeavor as webbing covered everything and stuck to anything touching it. Pulling open a drawer to a desk, missing all its legs, were two books. One, the ship’s ledger and the other, Captain Cromwell “Two-Toes” Pendleton’s log. Also, was a small sack and upon opening it, 10 finely-cut rubies ‘tinkled’ out, each worth 100gp each. Kildo put all the items into his shabby hat of holding.
There was nothing else of value in the room. However, there was something interesting. The large stone covered in dried mud with strange symbols and strange markings.
“Any thoughts?” Guo Gan asked Kildo.
“Damnit monk, I be a cleric, not a religious…Oh,” Kildo began, scoffed, and bent down to examine it further. “Interesting.”
“What?”
“It be a heavy rock with strange marking that don’t mean anything to me,” Kildo explained.
“It’s a dedication to a spider cult or god,” Kai said behind Kildo. “I’m getting rid of it.”
“Why don’t we just smash it?” Kildo asked as he dropped his war hammer hard on it. A large piece broke off, leaving one side with a sharpened angle.
“No, it’d make too much noise. I’m dropping it into the sea,” Kai answered and began to push it, but it quickly got caught in the room’s webbing. The party then all joined in and half-carried, half-scraped the stone across the main deck to a section of the ship where the railing was missing. With a final shove, it tumbled over with a resounding splash into the depths below.
* * *
A mile below in the murky pits of the ocean, a leviathan slumbered. It was contented, as it dozed lightly, sedated by a pleasantly filled belly. It rhythmically waved its numerous tentacles across the sandy bottom. The sand felt good crossing its suction-cups. It slightly opened its massive beak. Small fish swam in and cleaned it of flesh from its latest meal; surface dwellers from the ship above. It had not known this type of fulfilled peace in over a decade.
It heard a splash in the far distance. Normally, it’d investigate, but it was too comfortable. It slightly opened one of its eyes. An object was seen, but it was small and of no bother. It went back to its torpor. It heard the sound of something approaching. Opening its eyes, the sharpened edge of a large rock pierced into it. It thrashed angrily. A massive tentacle twirled around the object stuck in its eye and pulled violently. Blood and ichor flowed from the wound into the water. It brought the offensive thing towards its now, one good eye. It had seen this marking before from the surface dwellers. Crushing the stone in its muscular grip, the kraken turned its raging gaze upwards.
* * *
Wiping his hand clean of the spider-god totem, Kai headed to the north door on the ship. Turning the handle, it didn’t budge. Putting his shoulder into it, led to similar results.
“Something is holding it shut, like a barricade,” Kai said. “Help.”
Kai, Guo Gan, and Kildo with Scomatch cheering on, pushed and slammed into the door. It started to move. It was pitch-black inside.
Kildo retrieved the glowing, blue gem from his weathered hat of holding. He held it aloft. The room inside was choked with webbing and was holding the door shut. Looking in, anything past 10’ feet appeared to be nothing but a vague shape, like looking through thick fog.
“Let’s burn it!” Scomatch blurted with glee. “I burned old webs as a kid and they go up quick.”
“Are ye daff, halfling? Ye be catching this boat on fire and us with it,” Kildo scolded.
“No, the planks are too wet to burn,” Kai stated.
Snorting, Kildo looked at the wet wood and continued, “Still not be a good idea to be lighting things on fire on a boat.”
Guo Gan said, “I’m sick of dealing with spiders, let go down the stairs in the southern room, as we know this blue box Scaren wants us to retrieve is in the cargo hold.”
The rest of the party nodded and went down the flight of stairs. They found themselves in the ship’s galley. Old knives and other kitchenware hung from hooks. Webs were present and filled with tiny spiders, but nothing like the other rooms they’ve seen. The floor was cluttered with bones and debris, but the stench of rotting flesh filled their nostrils causing them all to gag. There were two exits, besides the stairs they climbed down. One to the north, which had been shut with iron spikes. The other was a trap door going down further into the lower level. All nodding in agreement that there was a reason why someone used iron spikes to seal the entrance, they all moved towards the trap door. The rotten smell was worse down there. However, knowing their cargo was likely below, they didn’t have much of a choice. Descending further, Kildo used the blue gem to light the way. They were in the cargo hold of the ship, which ran the entire length of the vessel and into darkness. Crates, both broken and intact, littered the area to the port side of the ship. Water about 2’ feet high sloshed with the waves outside rocking the ship. The sea water filled the room and noticeably indicated the ship was indeed listing to the port side.
Scomatch stayed near the opening, as he’d be swimming in the murky water and seemed to have no intention of getting his feet wet.
Wading through the water, in the middle of the hold was a large crate. Kai approached and upon shining light on it, the markings of ‘LL’ were clearly listed.
“Lex Luther,” Kildo breathed out.
Opening the weakened crake, there was a large, heavy looking blue metal box inside. Pulling it out required both Kai and Kildo. Examining it closer, there was no obvious way of opening it. It was sealed shut with no latches, no openings, and no lines indicating where it would even expose its contents. It was a solid blue box.
The sounds of ‘gurgling’ water resonated just to the north. Four, foul creatures appearing more or less humanoid, but had mottled, decaying flesh drawn tight across clearly visible bones rose from the stagnant water. These hairless creatures had a carnivore’s sharp teeth and jagged claws. Their eyes burned, like hot coals from a furnace, in their sunken sockets. The stench of death and rot lingered around their clearly undead forms and strong enough to immediately cause nausea to churn in the party’s stomachs. These were ghasts.
Guo Gan immediately attacked, smashing his quarterstaff into the third creature and kicked it away.
Kai dropped the blue box and lunged with his glaive, striking the fourth ghast and use divine smite, as radiant light blasted into the undead creature’s body where the blade struck.
Holding up his holy symbol of an ankh of Rigga, the Mother Goddess, Kildo chanted with slight fear in his tone, “Life is death. Death is rebirth. Rebirth is life. Get back!”
All four ghasts ignored the cleric and advanced. One slashed and raked its claws across Kildo. He felt his body seize up. His muscles went tight, as if he was fighting against himself. However, no matter what he did, he was unable to overcome the paralysis traveling through his body. The only part of his body that wasn’t frozen was his eyes. To his horror, he saw another ghast also attack Guo Gan. The monk’s body also went immediately stiff. The undead then converged on Kai. The paladin took numerous blows, but he didn’t become paralyzed by their attacks. Magical ice balls then slammed into all of the ghasts. He couldn’t see it, but Scomatch had entered the fray. They crushed the skulls of the already wounded third and fourth ghast.
Kai brought his glaive back around and lunged. The blade bit into the stomach of the second ghast, as holy radiant light blasted out its back. It crumpled and fell into the murky water. He then slammed the butt of the other end into the first ghast, as it tried to attack from behind and attempted to bite him.
A moment later, a fire bolt exploded into the back of the undead. It stumbled, but remained standing, until the blade of Kai’s glaive hewed the head from its body. The headless corpse fell sideways and splashed into the water.
Kildo then felt pinpricks across his entire body, like a thousand-thousand needles poking his figure. It was starting to wake back up. He was recovering from being paralyzed. He noticed Kai breathing hard and bleeding. “Life is death. Death is rebirth. Rebirth is life. Heal up.” Glowing, restorative energy passed from the cleric to the paladin’s body.
Nodding thanks, Kai said, “Now, let’s get this bloody box out of here.”
A heavy, groaning creaking of wood traveled the length of the ship. It was like the very vessel itself was groaning in pain. A sickly, snap of timber followed the rush of water flowing into the hull of the ship.
“Move!” Kai shouted and he and Kildo picked up the blue box.
The torrent abated a moment. They all looked, as the sound of wood being twisted echoed throughout the hull. A massive, tentacle slithered and birthed its way quickly through the opening, thrashing angrily. It smashed into the crate that previously held the blue box. More appendages blasted holes into the ship. They grasped and flailed at anything they could grasp. The ship began to shake violently. It rocked back-and-forth. It was taking on water fast. It was sinking.
“Zzee not be lying! It be Tromokratis!” Kildo yelled in full on panic.
“It’s not Tromokratis!” Kai shouted back, a moment before one of the creature’s massive arms slapped the paladin away. He splashed into the water and sank in his heavy plate armor.
The limb lashed and thrashed out at Kildo. The dwarf slammed the point of his kite shield into the ship’s wood and angled it. The tentacle was incredibly powerful, but slick and slid off the cleric’s block. However, it took everything he had. His grip slipped from the blue box. It slid into the water. “The box!”
“I got it!” Guo Gan grabbed it before it disappeared completely under the waves. He then yelled, “Scomatch get up the stairs…” However, the halfling was nowhere to be seen. Instincts taking over, the mage had already left.
Kildo reached out and helped push the box up the stairs.
Another flailing limb lashed out at Guo Gan, but missed the monk.
The air in the hull of the ship wailed, wood squealed, splintered, and snapped. It was the lamentations of the Emperor of the Waves’ death. The sea poured in. It was unstoppable. The waves churned and rumbled furiously taking on a life of its own, pulling everything under without prejudice. The vessel listed another 30’ degrees to port. The ship was going to break apart.
Kai’s head emerged from the water, coughing. He reached out towards Kildo. The dwarf extended his hand. It was slippery, but the cleric’s grip was firm. A tentacle smashed into the paladin. Kai was ripped from Kildo’s grip. The triton’s body slammed into the hull of the ship. Kai’s eyes fluttered, as he sunk beneath the waves.
The hull filled fast. The water visibly rose up Kildo’s body. He didn’t relish the idea of swimming in chain mail armor. In a few moments, the room would be completely underwater. Kildo saw Kai’s unconscious body. In the last few seconds before the room completely filled, he grabbed his holy symbol. He mumbled a prayer to Rigga. A wave of healing energy raced from the cleric through the water and to the paladin. His eyes fluttered open. While panicked, the dwarf could see Kai naturally breathing under the waves. The paladin then hurriedly motioned for him to go, as he turned and swam through a hole the sea creature had opened. Kildo climbed the stairs and slammed the trap door shut. It held tight for a moment, before water began to bubble up from the cracks. There was no stopping it. The galley would soon fill. He couldn’t see Guo Gan or Scomatch. More importantly he didn’t see the blue box. They were able to drag it up. The shipped creaked and groaned. His slick feet slid to port. He grabbed onto a solid table already pinned against the far wall. Frantically, he grabbed at anything and everything to pull himself across the room to the far stairs. His hands threatened to slip with each movement. Using objects bolted in the ship’s kitchen, he was able to pull himself across the slanted room and to the stairs. Water began to rise quickly. He couldn’t see the trap door in the floor. All of the lower levels were likely flooded. He crawled up holding onto the wooden steps for dear life, as any slip could be fatal and this boat would be his tomb.
Reaching the top stair into the southern spider room, he was on the main level. However, a seen of horror greeted him. There were three squat, maw demons with enormous sharp, toothy slavering jaws split from the top of their heads. Their mouths made up over half the length of its body, which traveled into a giant gullet. Their ugly hides were a shade of blue and purple. It had four stubby arms ending in three talons and four squat legs ending in four sharp toes. One demon was feasting on a recently killed ettercap, while another was shoving multiple hand-sized spiders into its maw. The third thrashed wildly in the middle of a spider horde, led by two giant spiders that in turn were attacking it. Numerous dead spiders were left in the demon’s wake.
To Kildo’s surprise, there was an orc on the main deck. Its leather armor had a spider motif. It seemed to be in panic, but he wasn’t sure if it was due to the sinking ship, all of the dead spiders, or the several tentacles that were thrashing out from the water and slithering across the deck of the ship. The suction cups tightened, causing wood to snap and squeal. The Emperor of the Waves was doomed.
Looking out to sea, in the distance Kildo could see the masts of the Emerald Eel racing towards them. On the horizon behind them, a massive storm was forming. He thought Captain Halfbeard must have seen their plight here. However, the dwarf doubted they’d be rescued in time.
“Wee!” Scomatch squealed out as he skidded across the deck towards the port side, which had now reached water level. The halfling slid under a giant spider, which attempted to snap at him. A moment later, a fire bolt blew through the bottom of the creature and up the top.
“Scomatch! Quit playing around and get off the boat!” Guo Gan yelled at the halfling. He elf had fashioned a strap and the blue box was tied to his back, which caused him difficulty, as he slumped over due to the weight.
Kildo was about to help Gou Gan, but a massive tentacle swiped and sent the monk flying out to sea. Following the trajectory, the elf splashed into the water and a moment later surfaced. However, he was struggling with the weight of the box. Giving one last parting glance to the chaos on the deck, he ensured his Helm of Underwater action was strapped on tight. He jumped off the listing craft into the water. He immediately went under. Instincts took over and he held his breath. He had to remember to breathe. He hated this part. It wasn’t natural. Closing his eyes, he took in a breath. Air filled his lungs, but the magical helm gave him the sensation of breathing, but like when water was being poured over his head. He could do it, but it felt weird. He was right about not wanting to swim in chain mail. It was a struggle and took considerable effort to remain afloat. However, while he could drop it, he didn’t relish trying to find it at the bottom of the sea or when he’d be able to replace it. He continued to swim and made it to where Guo Gan floated. The monk held onto the blue box, which was surprisingly buoyant. It made a good life preserver. They both hung onto it.
The two looked back. The sea monster had completely covered the Emperor of the Waves in its massive tentacles. Wailing of wood filled the air as the beast crushed it in the middle. They could see the remaining inhabitants of the vessel get sent flying into the air. They splashed into the water.
“We probably don’t need to worry about them. I don’t think spiders can swim and I suspect orcs and demons wouldn’t fare much better,” Kai said as his head surfaced right next to them. “Where’s Scomatch? Did he make it?”
“I’m right here, behind you!” the halfling mage called out.
Turning, the three saw the child-like figure. To their amazement he sat cross legged on the navigation wheel from the Emperor of the Waves. Using it as a flotation device, it bobbed up and down in the water.
“I thought we might need this.”
* * *
True to his word, Captain Halfbeard returned and the crew of the Emerald Eel fished the party out of the water. They also pulled up the Emperor of the Waves’ navigation wheel. The crew took it to replace their missing one. After drying off and removing their water-soaked armor, they met in the captain’s quarters and examined the blue box. However, there were no hinges, latches, or secret compartments to open to see inside. They concluded Scaren was right that likely Mr. Andrews and the owner would be able to open it.
“Anything else ye be finding on that boat?” Captain Halfbeard asked.
“Some gems,” Kildo said.
“Bah, those be a finder’s fee and yours. Anything interesting?”
Kildo then pulled out the ship’s ledger and Captain Cromwell “Two-Toes” Pendleton’s log.
Halfbeard’s eyes lit up and began thumbing through the two books.
“Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Ah, here we go. There be a terrible storm. They be separated from their escorts. When it abated the lookout spoted something. A creature in the deep is following them under the waves. They are able to stay ahead of it, but barely. The beast won’t give up. Yada, yada, yada. Food and water running low. They be finding an uncharted island and a bay where the shadow can not follow. They are saved. A scouting party is sent out, but didn’t return. Their captain sent another larger landing party. The island be inhabited by orc riding spiders. The crew acted heroically and defended and beat off the first wave, but then a horde of them creatures came,” Captain Halfbeard summarized.
Kai asked to see the log, scanned it, and read the last page. “They have taken the main deck and the first level. We have barred the doors, but can not hold on for long. The boat shakes. Chittering, chittering all around.” Setting it down in sorrow, he finished the last line. “We can not get out. A shadow moves under the waves. We can not get out. They are coming.”
09/18/2021 – Treasure
· 10 rubies worth 100gp each = 1,000gp
Party Split:
· 1,000gp / 4 = 250gp
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