As Kildo slept, his dreams of plump and robustly bearded dwarven women while eating massive amounts of food were interrupted. An inrush of green flames quickly parted to expose the now familiar meeting room of the robed conspirators.
The Black robed figure was just finishing a line of commentary, "...so obviously, with our sacred weapon stolen by adventurers, we must agree to follow your ascension to leader."
"Thank you," a smug Thurl Merroska, unhooded in his Yellow robe responded, "Now that you ALL submit to my superior position ABOVE the lot of you, I suggest new hobbies are due for the lot of you."
"Careful," Captain Vanifer, in her Red robe warned, "Your rank is not secure until you complete the summoning. And I'm the only one at this table who will always come at you from the same position."
"My dear child," the woman in the Green robe, her hood still over her face, condescended, "How dreadfully boring your life must be in just the one position."
"When," the Purple robed figure quietly intoned, "Will the ceremony commence, Merroska?"
"In other words," the Blue robed Captain Shatterkeel reacted, "How long do we have to find new intelligent weapons?"
He saw the green flames slowly roll over the scene. As they did, he noticed sparkles of red amongst the green. The flames covered everything in view, and once again he heard the voice resonate from them:
Heroes, where have you been? The Rhed Loheb grows more aggressive with each passing day! Have you selected a replacement for the missing Divinity? The solstice is nearly upon us! The fate of the world depends on the actions you take in the next few weeks! The most important part to remember is your chosen ally must-
The wall of green flames bursts open, and little flickers of green fire sputter out across his vision. Before him now stood a vision of an endless void of darkness, with tiny star-like lights far off in the distance.
All things come to an end. That is the cycle of life. We can only help others to reach that end as soon as possible. Then there can be peace - the peace of knowing your enemies are gone forever. Wield me. We can bring that peace together.
* * *
“Kildo…Kildo…Kildo!” repeated a feminine voice.
He woke up and it took a moment to remember where he was. He was out of Keraptis’s House of Fun and back in the upper levels of Scarlet Peeks. Turning over, he saw Copperlock’s face. She was resting on an elbow staring down at him.
“Ye be dreaming and a right fierce one at that. It be seeming I be doing ya a favor by waking ye?”
Rising from the bed, Kildo remembering the last part of his dream, glared at the long, black box that contained the sentient weapon Blackrazor. He had placed several heavy stones on it, which would be impossible to move without waking him. Seeing everything was still in place, he kicked the box in annoyance. He then started to scan the floor for his trousers.
“Looking for these?” Copperlocks asked holding the garment up. As Kildo reached for them, she pulled them away playfully a couple times, before tossing them to him.
“Thank ye lass. I better be getting back to the group. We’ll be wanting to make our way back to the Sea Ghost,” Kildo said as he began to gather his clothes.
“Ye not even be staying on fer breakfast. Ye got yerself a big pair of stones on ye dwarf,” Copperlocks snapped.
“Stone’s ye be liking last night,” Kildo nodded with a wink and at seeing her eyes narrow, continued. “Of course I be staying fer breakfast. Especially with the lovely hospitality ye be showing me last night.”
* * *
The dwarven miners of Scarlet Peeks served a breakfast fit for a king, but for Kildo and his dwarven upbringing this was a normal meal as working the mine would demand a hearty meal to start their day. They were served a savory stew, marinated carved goat, and earthly root vegetables and all served in a family style of robust portions. The tables had thick loves of warm dark bread for dipping, as well as laden with ales and mead, as it simply would not be a dwarven meal without them.
After eating and saying some private good-byes, the party trekked their way back to town. It was late morning when the first buildings came into sight. The town somewhat resembled what they remember. The town was in much better shape, built with mahogany wood rooftops, shingle walls, and structures that appeared reinforced to protect it from mighty winds, both natural and magical. The main attraction was the warehouse district that was once again active. Entering Scarlet Peeks, the party noticed that each of the buildings had a highly elaborate printing of the letter ‘L’ over the doors. The ‘L’ was surrounded by a laurel wreath.
“Lex Luthor,” Guo Gan commented.
They found the Broken Swords Tavern in its previous spot. A post held the bar’s sign, which displayed two crossed-but-broken, long swords. Entering, smoky lamps lit the interior room with dingy yellow light, revealing a tavern full of patrons at lunchtime. A bartender and three barmaids weaved throughout to take and fill orders. Besides the welcoming aroma of barley and hops, sweet smelling, thick wooden logs fueled the hearth, which also acted as an insect repellant. It was an expensive, but welcome commodity on the island.
Finding an empty table, one of the barmaids soon walked up to take their order. Her traditional brown and off-white dress flowed from top to bottom with a sweetheart neckline. The cotton buttoned up fabric of her dress covered her stomach where the continuous flow was broken up by a slender cloth band worn high around her waist. The sleaves were slightly shorter than her arms and a little narrow.
“Ah, more adventures. Back from adventuring? I’m Amelia, what can I get ya?”
“There have been more adventures arriving back in Scarlet Peeks?” Guo Gan asked.
“Oh yes. They are all doing well. Let’s see,” Amelia said turning her eyes up in thought she continued. “The Revengers tracked down a bunch of raiders harassing Scarlet Peeks to their base and put an end to them along with their leader, Captain Grizzlebeard. Then the Ruby Spiders, who were working for Sheriff Eliander put the dead back into undead when they defeated a necromancer and his terrifying champion the Wright Knight.”
“The White Knight, as in color?” Cube questioned.
“No, the undead type. A wright. As in its eyes glowed like white-hot embers with mummified flesh-covering its body with hands ending in deadly claws. However, its armor was white, so the play on words wasn’t lost.”
As the party nodded in understanding, Amelia continued, “Then there was the Five Wheels, who sailed out to an island and beat up a group of evil druids.”
“Aww, I be wanting to do that,” Kildo lamented.
Ignoring the dwarf’s comment, Amelia said, “There was rumor of a vast goblin horde forming on another island that the Goldenshields went to investigate. Turns out it was just a crazy goblin shaman stirring up trouble and they put the creature down.”
Kai then asked, “What about the Baseball Furies?”
“Baseball Furies? No, never heard of them. They must be new. Speaking of, what is your group called?”
“The Emerald Eels,” Kai proudly said sitting up a little higher in his chair.
“Emerald Eels? Are you new?”
“New? Lass, we be winning this year’s scavenger hunt. We won the bloody blue gem,” Kildo stated.
“Oh, how nice. Now, what can I get you?”
* * *
After drinking a single round and still full from the dwarven breakfast, the party paid their tab and headed back to the docks. In the harbor was the anchored Sea Ghost. Her sails were down and appeared in good shape. From the shore they could see movement on the ship. Paying to be rowed out, a person leaned over as they grew closer. He had curved horns, a swishing tail, pointed teeth, and cloven feet. His skin extended past normal human color into a reddish hue with hair a dark blue. His eyes were solid orbs of black. He definitely had fiend blood in his veins, likely a devil. It was Odium.
“Oh, your back!” The tiefling lowered a wooden ladder for the group to climb aboard.
As Kildo’s boots hit the deck, the first thing he noticed was the ship was clean of any mold and mildew. It smelled of vinegar and the planks were swollen and pressed tight against each other to prevent leaks or water seeping in. The Sea Ghost had never been in such great shape.
“Where’s Imago?” Kai asked.
“Captain, Imago is on shore. He’s been there for quite some time,” Odium replied. “He’s on a retreat.”
“Then who’s in charge?” Kai questioned.
“I’ve been in charge. I took the duty upon myself to ensure the Sea Ghost was in tip-top shape worthy of Belial himself. I’ve been cooking for the crew and ensured the stores are full of tea, rum, and water and supplies.”
“Alright,” Kai said hesitantly. “Assemble the minions.”
Odium pulled out a whistle and blew. A high-pitch airy sound that changed in pitch with the middle note being lower than the initial and subsequent blast. From the crow’s nest above and emerging from the lower decks and across the ship, the crew assembled. Lining up horizontally with Odium at the far-left end. Following the tielfling were the humans. Chutney Vic, Johnny One-bags, the orc CragEar, Duarte, the dwarves Rukh Glitterstone, Squat Hank, Red Fred, and one new addition to the crew.
She was a female high elf with slender and sleek features. Shorter than the crew, but only slightly taller than the dwarves, she might have weighed 100 pounds soaking wet. Her coloration was pale, with straight blond hair touching her shoulders. Piercing ice-blue eyes stared back at them. Sharp pointed ears poked through her straw-like hair. A simple golden tiara donned her forehead. Her clothing was simple and dark green with gold trim. It fit her snugly and made of excellent quality and free of any tears, snags, or holes. A stern expression was forged on her chiseled face.
Kai stood over the diminutive elf and looking down asked, “Odium, who might this be?”
“This is Gyne. She’s our newest crewmember. She’s a cabin girl and helps Johnny One-bags clean the deck. As the ranking officer, I approved her joining the crew,” Odium said.
Closing his eyes, the paladin used his divine sense to detect any evil. “Congratulations, Gyne. It seems you are not a celestial, fiend, or a member of the cursed undead.”
“She also not be holding out any magic either,” Kildo confirmed, as he cast Detect Magic.
Gyne scoffed and shifted her weight from one foot to the other brooding over the conversation about her.
“So, why do you want to be a member of the Sea Ghost,” Kai asked.
“I wanted off the island. Hiring on a ship seemed like a logical step to achieving that goal. Odium was there and after offering my talents, he brough me on board,” Gyne replied.
“What talents do you bring to the Sea Ghost?” Kai questioned. “What are you good at?”
“I’m good at mopping and as you can see, the ship is spotless, I can handle myself in a fight, and I’m well versed at insulting people.”
“I see,” Kai said as he circled the high elf. Standing in front of her again, asked, “How would you insult me?”
Gyne scanned Kai up and down. Glancing at Kildo, her gaze went past both to the flesh golem 9 of 5. She held eye contact with the construct for several heartbeats. “So, you travel with a flesh golem?”
“Arg!” 9 of 5 sounded in delight at being mentioned.
“Odium didn’t say anything about a flesh golem,” Gyne quipped and brought her hand to her nose, which crinkled at the slightly pungent odor of decaying flesh.
“Arrrg,” 9 of 5 whimpered at Gyne’s unkind action.
“Long story, but we won him,” Kai explained. “Now, back to the question at hand. How would you insult me?”
Thinking a moment, Gyne said, “In a round of marry, procreate, kill with you. I’d kill myself.”
Kai folded his arms across his chest, but then began to laugh. “Well done. I can see the ship’s deck is in decent shape, so let’s see how well you fight.” The triton pulled his longsword from its sheath.
Odium retrieved a longsword and handed it to Gyne. The high elf took it and tested its weight twirling the weapon with her wrist. Several moments passed. “Well, are you going to fight me or just stare at me?”
Kai’s brow crinkling in confusion, Gyne slashed suddenly with her longsword. The blade nicked Kai’s elbow.
“Ow!”
Gyne shrugged in haughtiness.
Kai lunged with the flat end of his blade. The blunt metal struck her left thigh and then her right arm hard.
“Put some cheese into it!” Guo Gan bellowed.
The crew then began to holler and place wages on the combatants. They formed a circle around the two fighters giving them room to fight and cheering them on. They began to root for their respective champion.
Guo Gan shouted over the din to Kildo. “Go on! Make things interesting! Stir the pot!”
“Sure, I can be casting bless…on the elf,” Kildo replied.
Gyne feinted and then sprung viciously forward with her longsword. The blade struck Kai’s right forearm drawing blood. It was a superficial cut. Kai retreated from the hit checking the wound.
“Ah, she’s holding back!” Guo Gan yelled. “Give him a good wallop! Don’t hold back! You don’t get a ribbon for participation! Boot his triton flippers off the ship!”
Raising an eyebrow at the monk’s words, Gyne began to circle Kai for an opening.
The paladin rushed in and attempted to grapple the smaller elf. His arms wrapped around her lithe body. Twisting and dropping to the ground. She rolled backwards between Kai’s legs and sprung back to her feet. Turning around, the point of her blade was at Kai’s throat.
“That’s good enough for me. I yield,” Kai said raising his hands. “She’s a good swords woman and I welcome her to the crew.”
The winners cheered, as there were groans amongst the crew as the losers handed gold off to settle their bets.
Examining his cut elbow, Kai said, “Your fighting skills are better than expected.”
“I guess,” Gyne shrugged in indifference.
Guo Gan came up to the pair and said, “Odium indicated you made him hire you.”
“Correct. I told him if he didn’t hire me, I’d tell the soldier some unsavory things that would surely get him arrested, if not worse,” Gyne replied.
“Why?” Guo Gan questioned.
“As I indicated, there are not a lot of options off the island and your ship was the best choice.”
Studying the high elf for a moment, Kai said, “At some point you’ll need to tell me why you are truly here. Now, do you have any questions?”
“I’ve heard about the renown that is Fire Team Flaming Orchid. How do I become a member and receive a badge?” Gyne inquired.
Clearing his throat and deliberately showing his Fire Team Flaming Orchid emblem, Guo Gan said, “When I deem you are ready.”
As the crew began to disburse back to their duties, Kai stopped Odium. “Pirates of the Sea Ghost. You all did a commendable job maintaining the ship. You performed your duties and pulled your weight, as expected. We too pulled our weight and therefore in return share the rewards. Three days shore leave for everyone!”
There was a resounding cheer throughout the deck of the ship.
“However, how can you enjoy your shore leave without a little spending coin,” Kai stated. He then motioned over to Kildo.
Bending down, Kildo pulled out the hat of holding from his backpack. Reaching in, he pulled out a heavy sack. It made a cheerful coin sound as he placed it on the deck. “There be 40 platinum pieces and 250 electrum pieces for the crew share.”
There was approving nods and murmurs of satisfaction throughout the crew.
“Odium, you stepped up and took the initiative and led this crew while we were away,” Kai continued and nodded to Kildo. “Ensure the money is divvied out evenly to the crew. However, I think we did better than that didn’t we?”
“Aye, captain. We sure did,” Kildo responded. He then reached in and started to pull out sack after sack, each almost bursting at the seams. They made a heavy ‘thunk’ as they were dropped on the deck. A total of nine large bags were pulled out. “I believe that be an additional 9,000 gold pieces due to the crew.”
A resounding cheer bellowed forth from the crew. They all began jumping up and down and hugging each other. They enthusiastically began shaking the party’s hands. The slightest of smiles even crept at the edges of Gyne’s mouth.
“Oi! Make that 9,437 gold pieces!” Kildo roared and then dropped a smaller sack on top of the nine larger ones. It rolled down the pile and as the string holding it closed opened, gold coins spilled out.
Like trying to keep starved animals at bay, Odium quickly regained order from the crew. They began to take the massive treasure haul to the situation room to be divvied up.
Guo Gan came up to Kildo and nudged him. Motioning to Odium, the monk said, “I don’t like all that devil stuff, but I’m starting to like that guy.”
Kildo folded his arms hard across his chest. The dwarf snorted in annoyance as he glared at the tiefling leading the crew to split the treasure. Under his breath, he murmured, “That’s how it starts.”
* * *
“I’m promoting Odium to quartermaster,” Kai said out loud, but to no one in particular. It sounded like something he was thinking but forgot his inner monologue.
“Woit!” Kildo roared. The party was rowing from the Sea Ghost towards the far western shore of Scarlet Peeks to visit The Gardner. Guo Gan wanted to visit the reluctant hermit and share what they have encountered to see he had any additional insight into the cults, or if he had obtained any additional information. Needless to say, the revelation that the cultist of Belial was rising up in ranks on the Sea Ghost was concerning. “He be the cook!?”
“Cook and now Quartermaster,” Kai corrected. “I know you don’t have strong feelings about-”
Interrupting the paladin, Kildo said, “Oi, I have very strong feelings about that tiefling.”
“Meaning, I understand your concerns. However, Odium has proven to be very helpful and really took the initiative while we are away aboard the Sea Ghost. I believe he deserves a chance to prove himself,” Kai explained.
Kildo was about to continue arguing, when Guo Gan moved between the two and said, “There’s the Gardner’s hut.”
Grumbling as they pulled the boat to shore, the small structure was built from wood and a thatched roof made of palm leaves, branches and sealed with mud. There was no sign of the hermit.
“Hello!” Guo Gan called out, but there was no answer.
Opening the door, it looked the same as they remembered. Sparse of belongings, but tidy. However, the sleeping cot wasn’t tucked in like before. The blanket was ruffled, as if being slept in. Kai stayed outside as Guo Gan and Kildo entered further. The monk pulled back the covers and underneath was a large pile of fine gray ash. The underside of the blanket nor the cot were singed. Sniffing the contents closer, it didn’t smell like burnt wood.
“What in the nine hells happened here?” Guo Gan questioned as he looked around the room for additional clues.
Kildo sat on the floor in front of the cot. He touched his holy symbol of Rigga the Earthmother of Life, Fertility, and Family. He began to cast Divination and chanted, “Life is death. Death is rebirth. Rebirth is Life. Rigga answer me. Is this pile of ash in the bed the remains of the hermit known as The Gardner that lived here?” A beam of light and a warming of the air washed over the cleric. He heard an object shaking and water sloshing. A moment later, he clearly heard a feminine voice enter his mind. “Signs point to yes.” Opening his eyes, he saw a large orange rabbit come in the door of the hermit’s dwelling. It looked at him and tilted its head and stared straight into his eyes. There was a flash of light and Kildo was in the same room, but there were differences. It was dark and the small fireplace was lit. The Gardner was sitting crossed legged on the bed staring at the fire. A gust of wind blew, and the flames turned from a yellow-orange to green. The hermit focused on the fire. Sweat started to form on the side of his temple and forehead. However, it didn’t seem to be due to the heat of the flames. Within the fire a scarlet patch formed, and an eye pushed through. Hovering for a moment, a thin beam of green shot from the orb and struck the Gardner. A second later, there was nothing remaining of the hermit, but thin fine dust. The eye then snapped towards Kildo, as if it could see him.
The dwarf’s eyes snapped open and Kildo was back in the hut. He could feel sweat form on his brow and drip from his armpits. The orange rabbit at the door was gone. Turning towards the small fireplace it was unlit and cold.
“What happened?” Guo Gan asked. “You were in distress, as if you were in a nightmare, but I couldn’t decipher what was happening. What did you see?”
“A beholder.”
Total Party Split and Crew Split – Chapter 33, 34, 35, 36, and 38:
• 40 pp
• 9,437 gp
• 250 ep
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