“I be having a bad feeling about this,” Kildo muttered as Guo Gan, Mufi, and Imago pulled up next to the sailing vessel, the Sea Ghost, off the eastern coast of Scarlet Peek Island. Nighttime, fog had covered the area, like a blanket. It was thick, dull gray and hard to see through. Their boat ‘thudded’ against the left, port side of the ship’s hull.
A form from above leaned over the edge and called out in a deep, gruff voice, “About time you showed up!” A rope ladder flew over and hung down for them to climb up.
Kildo grabbed the ladder, stabilized it as Guo Gan and Mufi climbed up. “Imago, stay with the boat.” After receiving a nod, began to climb, but stopped. He seized one of the small casks of brandy from the cave, tucked it under his arm, and began to ascend.
“Arg, new faces again. Welcome, I’m the bosun,” said the brigand. He was a tall human with dark skin. A cowl covered most of his face, so only his nose and mouth were visible. His eyes were hidden in shadow. He wore leather armor that left his muscular arms and torso bare. A two-handed hammer rested over his shoulder.
“Aye, and we be bringing gifts,” Kildo said and handed the small cask to him. Looking around, they were on the main deck of the Sea Ghost. In the center was a thick mast, and a jolly boat turned over and secured. There was also an open hatchway leading down to the hold. Towards the aft of the ship were two doors, with steps going down. Off the port-quarter and off the starboard bow were another set of stairs leading to the upper deck’s aft and forwards sections. Towards the forward section of the ship were also three doors likely leading into the interior part of the vessel.
The bosun then stomped on the deck three times and yelled down from the open hatchway. “Oi, all set boys, come on up with the stuff.”
Kildo could feel sweat drip from his armpits, as besides the bosun, six brigands emerged from the aft section doors. Two of them were carrying a large box.
The bosun then asked, “So, uh. What happened to Sanbalet?”
“He was back at the cave gambling with a bunch of goblins,” Kildo said thumbing his thumb over his shoulder and back toward Scarlet Peeks.
“Goblins!? We’re dealing with goblins now?”
“Yeah, what are you going to do?” Kildo replied and he took the box from the brigands. It was heavy and he could hear items move inside.
Then the aft, northern door opened and a well-dress man emerged using an elegant walking stick. He had a sky-blue coat with yellow cuffs, over his off-white garb with a thick, dark blue leather tricorne hat that had a brim turned up on three sides. A hand crossbow was strapped to his shoulders with a mess of bolts to his side. Looking at the party, he yelled, “Who the hell are you guys?” Based on how the rest of the crew jumped as he spoke, he was the captain of the ship. He then looked to the bosun and continued, “Did they give you the password?”
The bosun looked to Kildo, who looked back. “Sanbalet didn’t give us any password. He was gambling with some goblins, and losing badly. He just yelled at us to get out to the ship.”
The captain pulled his hand crossbow. The rest of the crew drew swords. The pirates all began to growl.
“Boring conversation anyway,” Kildo said as he threw the heavy box at the bosun. It flew open and high-quality mining tools spilled out across the deck. The dwarven cleric pulled his warhammer and readied his shield. “Kai and Zzee, we’re going to have company!”
Guo Gan spun and batted murderously at his foe with his quarterstaff striking the first pirate in the temple. He dropped dead to the deck. Then using his staff as a pole, leapt over and kicked the bosun in the chest.
The fifth bandit leapt into the air, bringing his scimitar down in a powerful slash. Mufi was struck on the arm, but the druid’s leather armor absorbed most of the poorer weapon’s blow. The second bandit slashed in quick succession and hit Guo Gan twice. The bosun recovered from being kicked. He swung with his two-handed hammer, crunching into Kildo.
As the rest of the pirates moved against the three party members, Zee and Kai climbed up from the starboard side of the ship. Zzee aimed and shot the sixth bandit with his hand crossbow and then slashed the third brigand with his scimitar.
The captain seeing the two fish men board, aimed his hand crossbow and fired. Zzee was struck in the shoulder by the bolt.
Using his glaive, Kai lunged into the third pirate Zzee had just slashed. Radiant light burst forth from the glaive. The pirate shrieked in unbridled agony, as his skin melted, like butter, from his body until there was nothing left but the skull and eyes, which had the color of hard-boiled eggs.
Mufi then began casting; Guiding bolt. A flash of light streaked towards the captain. Striking him, he began to glow. The druid then began to change. His body became luminous, as his joints glimmered like stars in the heavens. Glowing magical lines connected each point, as if on a star chart. Bright light shed out from Mufi, as he became a constellation of an archer with a great bow. An arrow appeared magically, as he pulled it back. A luminous missile hurled at the captain. It struck him in the arm.
Three more pirates came out from the aft, southern doors interiors, but two were different.
The first mate was a male human, cleanly shaven bald wearing a suit of chainmail armor wielding a longsword. He wildly slashed at Zzee, but missed as the lizardfolk dashed behind the mast.
The second was female and had a wizard’s robe. The hood was pulled over her head. Brown locks of her hair could be seen coming out from the front, but were greasy. It had been sometime since it was washed. She began casting; Melf’s Acid Arrow. It streaked towards Kildo, but missed exploding on the railing. However, part of the acid splashed onto the dwarf, sizzling as it burnt his thick, red hair off his arm.
Guo Gan then leapt in front of Kildo, his quarterstaff glowed from the bless spell striking the Bosun. Two additional blindingly fast kicks dropped him to the deck.
Meanwhile, Mufi held off two pirates with the captain shooting from the aft section northern door. The fifth brigand struck Mufi twice, while the sixth pulled out the crossbow bolt shot by Zzee and slashed, but missed. The captain behind him then slapped him on the back of the head hard and yelled, “Do better!”
“Yes, sir!” Motivated he slashed again and struck the druid.
The second bandit stepped over the fallen bosun and lunged at Kildo, but it was blocked by his shield. The third bandit moved over towards Kildo and climbed on the overturned skiff in the middle of the deck. The fourth bandit moved up and slashed, striking Guo Gan. The monk succumbed to his wounds and fell to the deck.
Zzee and the bald first mate danced around the main mast, slashing and lunging at each other. The lizardfolk slashed at the weaving pirate, but none of his strikes landed. However, the captain loosened another crossbow bolt, striking Zzee again. The lizardfolk hissed hatred at the captain, who was quickly reloading his hand crossbow.
Kai spun around the mast and lunged with his glaive, which glowed from Kildo’s bless, striking the fourth brigand. Then like before, radiant light burst forth from the glaive. The pirate screamed in unbridled pain, as his skin melted, like an ice cube in a furnace, from his body until there was nothing left but his shrieking skull.
Another guiding bolt and a starry arrow slammed into the captain from Mufi. The captain was severely hurt as his clothes were burnt in at least two places, but he stayed on his feet.
“Life is death! Death is rebirth! Rebirth is life! Get up!” Kildo shouted as a wave of healing struck Guo Gan. The most grievous of his wounds sealed themselves.
The monk slowly rose, but took in the battlefield in an instant. The seventh brigand, who charged out with the first mate and wizard, failed to see Guo Gan rise behind him. The monk quarterstaff glowed from Kildo’s bless and struck the pirate and with two follow-up fists of fury dropped him hard to the deck.
The entire party felt their hairs stand on end as the deck became electrified. Power was being drawn into existence.
“Do you know what happens to a gecko that is struck by lightning?” A black bolt of energy from the female wizard then raced across the ship and struck Zzee. The lizardfolk began to shake uncontrollably as he convulsed under the spell. “Same thing that happens to everything else.”
There was a cheer from the remaining pirates.
Then a dwarf brigand dropped from above holding onto a rope. He had been in the mast above the deck. A black coat with salmon colored trim covered his studded leather armor. A curved drinking horn was on his belt, which had a silver buckle of a dwarf’s skull. He was bald with a chest length brown beard. Thick eyebrows raised in sinister delight. Ready for combat, he was rearing for a fight, but even more, he was looking for his equal. “Ha, you fishmen never expect the Crow!” He then slashed the surprised Kai with his sword.
“Crow! Crow! Crow!” chanted the fifth and sixth brigand as they slashed at Mufi. The blows were staggering. The half-dwarf, half-orc slowly fell. However, before his knee could touch the wooden deck, he rose back up.
Zzee’s movements slowed under the witch’s bolt. He slashed the first mate and snapped his jaw at him, but missed.
“Ya ain’t taking a bite out of me gecko!” the first mate shot back.
Too hotly engaged trying to get a mid-battle snack, he forgot about the captain. A bolt slammed into Zzee’s chest. He fell to the ground.
Seeing the lizard folk fall, Kai growled at the Crow. He rushed the pirate slamming into him trying to knock him into the ship’s hold. However, as the Crow fell backwards, he grabbed onto a rope, swung around the mast, and his boots landed squarely on the deck. “Ha! Ha! Ha! The Crow lands a perfect 10! You’re good fish man…as good as the Crow!”
Seeing things turning against the party and on his last leg, Mufi cast his last guiding bolt and starry arrow. Distracting by his shot downing the lizardfolk, the captain saw the druids attack too late, as both slammed into him. The druid cringed as the power of the blow struck home. The pirate leader flew hard backwards through the doorway. The captain’s tricorne hat hovered in the air for a mere moment, before falling to the deck.
“I’m captain, y’all!” the first mate shouted in glee as his longsword struck Guo Gan. The monk fell under the blow.
A wave of healing energy flew from Kildo to Guo Gan. The dwarf then tried to use his shield to shove the second pirate overboard, but the brigand’s heel caught the railing and maintained his feet and exclaimed. “I have my sea legs, dwarf!” Exposed and open from the shield bash, the bandit reposted and struck Kildo in the shoulder.
Rising again from the deck, Guo Gan said, “I’m getting too old for this shi-” The first mate, now acting captain, came within the monk’s range. Not expecting the elf to rise again, he learned a valuable lesson, as he was struck with his quarterstaff.
“Captain!” shouted the female mage. “You’ll pay for this druid!” A bolt of powerful black energy struck Mufi. He began to convulse uncontrollably as he fell to the ground.
“Why won’t you just die!” yelled the new acting captain as he lunged and missed Guo Gan, twice.
“The Crow will get him, captain!” Crow shouted, but he too missed the elusive monk, who dodged and weaved from the attacks.
“There can be only one…” Guo Gan bellowed and continued, “…captain on this ship!” The monk then swung his quarterstaff. The pirate was struck in the head.
As he fell to the ground, he bemoaned as he died, “I was only captain for 8 seconds.”
Guo Gan didn’t stop as he expertly flipped over the body, landed, and charged the two bandits surrounding Mufi. Two swift kicks downed the sixth bandit already wounded by Zzee’s prior bolt.
“Time to check out your sea legs in the sea!” Kildo yelled as he slammed his shield into the second bandit. The brigand was surprised the dwarf tried that tactic again. He tumbled over the railing of the craft.
There was a resounding splash and a muffled cry of, “I can’t swim!”
Snorting in satisfaction, the dwarven cleric then sent a wave of healing energy towards Zzee. The green blood coming from the lizardfolk stopped and the fighter’s eyes fluttered open. While the dwarf was helping turn the tide of battle in their favor, he drew the attention of the female wizard. A black and powerful Witch Bolt sailed over his head. He could feel his hairs stand on end from the electricity. Cursing that she missed, the wizard ran up the stairs to the upper deck.
The fifth bandit charged Kildo and slashed, but the dwarf blocked it with his shield.
“The Crow has found his match! Your arch-nemesis will finish you off, fish man!” the Crow bellowed, but missed Kai as the paladin block the blow with his glaive.
As the fifth brigand and Kildo squared off, he failed to notice Zzee approach from behind. A slice from his scimitar finished him off.
Guo Gan dashed over and struck Crow from behind. As he turned, the monk bellowed, “Get away from Kai you bitch!” He then punched Crow in the face. The pirate fell backwards into the ship’s hold yelling, “I’ll be back!”
Watching the Crow fall, Kai said, “I don’t have an arch-nemesis.” He then rushed over to Mufi and muttering a prayer, healing energy flowed into the druid. His eyes snapped open.
“That witch shocked me!” Mufi said raising and casted; Frostbite.
The female mage’s cloth robes froze over and ice formed on her eyebrows, nose, and hair.
Kildo then began casting; Toll the Dead. The sound of a dolorous bell filled the air around the mage. The wizard began to cringe and whimper seeing the entire party focus on her. She knew she was doomed. Blood seeped from her nose.
“Miss me?” Zzee asked and he stepped foot on the upper deck with the female wizard. There was an audible ‘click’ as the bolt flew into her eye. She dropped, like strings being cut from a puppet.
Looking around all the bandits lay dead. There were no more threats.
A hand grasped the railing as Imago emerged and landed on the ship’s deck and nodding to Guo Gan said, “Good job Fire Team Flaming Orchid. Hold position.”
“Come on we need to make sure the rest of the ship is secure,” Kai said as he headed to the four aft section doors where the pirates emerged. The north and south one appeared as quarters for the captain and likely a senior member of the crew. The two in the middle opened to stairs leading down. The party split and carefully descending each, they both led into two more crew cabins. There were exits out of each to the west, which led into the belly of the ship. The moon provided minimal light, which highlighted at least 52 casks and 18 bolts of silk cloth. A quick check saw that they all were branded by an intersecting double “LL”. However, the body of Crow was not there.
“I found blood!” Mufi called out as he examined where the bolts of cloth were stacked. “They must have cushioned Crow’s fall.”
“We need to find him,” Kai called out.
“Yes, we can’t have your arch-nemesis running around,” Guo Gan said.
“He’s not my arch-nemesis,” Kai shot back.
As the party searched through the casks and bolts in the room, Mufi continued to follow drops of blood. It led him to a door on the other side of the room.
At seeing this Kildo ran back upstairs to the main deck, weapons drawn. Expecting to see Crow trying to make an escape with the overturned skiff on the ship’s deck, it was quiet. He leaned over the side of the vessel to see if Crow might have tried to make off with their rowboat, but it was still there. However, something didn’t feel right in his dwarven bones. On the main deck and looking to the aft part of the ship, it stuck out further than what he remembered below. Running to the stairs leading down and the cabins below and back to the railing on the main deck, the hold extended out further than what the rooms would imply. “Sneaky dwarf.” Gripping his warhammer and shield, Kildo ran back down bellowing, “I be thinking there’s a secret door!”
The group met in the two cabin rooms and began searching.
Kildo knowing what he was looking for found the far wall didn’t perfectly line up. Running his fingers across the boards, one was soft to the touch. Pressing in, a panel opened up.
The area inside was small and cramped. There were 8 large irregular shaped bundles. Pulling them out, they were heavy and ‘clanked’ with metal. Unrolling them, there were 10 morning stars, 10 longswords, 20 javelins, and 10 shields stacked in the corner.
“They’re smuggling weapons?” Kai questioned, but more out loud than to anyone in particular.
“This not be a lot of weapons for arms dealers,” Kildo stated examining them.
“Zzee found another zecret door!” Zzee exclaimed as there was a resounding ‘click’ and the back part of the cabin opened up.
Inside, a slim humanoid figure was visible in the light. It was a sea elf. Unconscious, but alive.
“Can you help him?” Kai asked Kildo.
“Right, I be knowing what to do,” Kildo said and he went back into the cabin. Looking around, his eyes fell on a cup full of liquid. Sniffing it, he nodded and returned. He threw a cup of water on the sea elf.
Starting to stir, he groggily sat up and opened his eyes. The elf had deep blue skin, which matched his eye color, with white stripes and patches with short, tussled green hair the color of moss. His skin appeared thick, likely to help protect him from the cold of the ocean. His limbs, fingers, and toes were about twice as long as a human with thick webbing between them. However, his most distinctive feature was the visible gills in his neck and ribs.
Shaking his wet head the sea elf said, “I was sleeping. I’d shouldn’t have expected anything less from a dwarf! What do you want?”
“The proper response be ‘you’re welcome’,” Kildo snorted.
Kai bent down to his knees and asked, “What’s your name?”
“Oceanus.”
“I’ve never seen you before. Are you my new jailers?” Oceanus asked.
“No, we liberated the ship from the pirates. It seems they were part of a smuggling ring,” Kai said.
“Yes, they were smugglers.”
“How did you get here?”
“The last thing I remember is I was swimming tracking their ship and they captured me, and I woke up in these chains.”
Guo Gan asked, “Why do you care about this ship?”
“It was sailing near the shores at night, which is dangerous due to rocks, so they didn’t want to be seen. So, I was sent to keep track of this vessel. I saw they were picking up weapons, so I wanted to find out where they were heading to ensure they weren’t going to be used against us.”
“Do you have a community near here?” Guo Gan asked.
“Yes, but with the ring crushed, I’d rather get back home. Who can I say helped free me?” Oceanus asked.
“The crew from the Emerald Eel, captained by Quint Halfbeard,” Kildo replied.
The party moved back to the main deck to check the doors on the forward section of the ship. Going through the southern door, they found the ships galley, supply stores, and then it circled back around to another door. There was a distinct odor coming from it similar to a marsh. Kai opened the door and there were three lizardmen resting in hammocks. They were powerfully built reptilian humanoids. They had clawed hands, with a multi-colored casque on the top of their heads, a long tail, and a protruding face with a lizard's nose and sharp yellow eyes along with a set of massive toothy jaws. They each had primitive, heavy clubs.
Kai said backing out of the room, “Zzee, want to talk to your kin?”
Scoffing, Zzee entered the room and said, “Ah, my lizard brothers.”
“Who are you?” the largest and likely the leader asked.
“I’m first mate.”
“As first mate, you should do you job and keep the noise down to a minimum. When will our delivery be done?”
“Almost all of these crewmen are poor at their jobs. They wanted me to ask to confirm what you are expecting?” Zzee questioned.
“Is this a negotiation tactic?” snarled the leader. “So, they bring in another lizard to act as our friend. A lizard I’ve never seen before on this ship. Are you that female wizard changed to look like us? This does not make us happy.”
All three rose from their bunks. Their multi-colored casques went erect and began to grow brighter in color. The leader said raising his weapon, “You’re tricking us. You don’t smell like us. You smell like mammals.”
“Mammals!?” Zzee snarled as he slashed the first lizardman.
In return, he clubbed Zzee and tried to take a bite out of him.
“Stop fighting! Stop fighting! We don’t mean you any harm!” Kai pleaded.
“I do!” Zzee shouted.
“Stupid fishman!” the third lizard man said as he rushed and bit Guo Gan.
Mufi casted poison spray on the leader and then the druid began to change. His body became luminous, as his joints glimmered like stars in the heavens. Glowing magical lines connected each point, as if on a star chart. Bright light shed out from Mufi, as he became a constellation of an archer with a great bow. An arrow appeared magically, as he pulled it back. A luminous missile launched, but missed.
Zzee and the lizardman leader squared off with the lizardfolk missing, but his opponent hit him with his heavy club. However, Zzee was too hotly engaged to see the second lizard man move in from behind. His jaws clamped down on the lizardfolk’s shoulder and shook his head viciously, as he fell. The third lizardman moved past the combat and engaged Guo Gan swinging and missing.
Kai attacked. His glaive lunged forward with incredible swiftness and power striking the third lizardman. Green blood spirted from the wound.
A ‘giggling’ sound came from behind Kai. Turning, the dwarf brigand Crow appeared from behind. “See fishman. I said you never expect the Crow!” He then slashed at the surprised Kai with his sword, but missed.
Guo Gan continued to engage the third lizardman smashing him with his quarterstaff and following up with two swift kicks. In return, he missed with a swipe of his club, but was able to bite the monk’s arm, as he brought his quarterstaff back around.
A starry arrow flew over Crow’s head and slammed into the lizardmen’s leader. The dwarf then wildly slashed again at Kai, but missed.
Kildo then moved to engage the Crow. However, the cleric then heard. “You should never turn your back on a lizard.” Those words rang true as the leader clubbed and bit into Kildo’s chain armor.
Ignoring his arch nemesis, Kai lunged again at the third lizardman, who was just horribly wounded a moment before. His glaive penetrated his scaly chest and felled the creature.
“Stop your arch nemesis!” Guo Gan shouted.
“Knock it off!” Kai replied pulling his glaive from the dead lizardman. He then scoffed under his breath, “No one has an arch nemesis. At best we are rivals.”
As Crow continued to follow Kai, swinging at the retreating paladin, Kildo and Guo Gan struck simultaneously at the pirate dwarf. Both warhammer and quarterstaff landed on the opposite side of his head. Then like a grape, being smashed between a warhammer and quarterstaff, his face, skull, and brains exploded.
The lizardman leader opened his mouth to bite Kai, but Mufi casted poison spray. The gas went straight down his throat. He began gagging and clawing at his neck, as he fell dead to the ground.
A starry arrow from the monk then slammed into the second and last lizardman.
“Do you really want to keep the fight going?” Kai asked as the party began to surround the creature. “It doesn’t have to go this way.”
Snarling the lizardman spat, “I’m offended you tried to tell me what to do mammal!” He then swung with his heavy club, but missed the paladin as he backed away.
Drawing his longsword, Kai turned his weapon to the flat side and bashed the lizardman on the snout. It drew blood, but didn’t cause any lethal harm. The paladin then shouted, “Don’t kill him! Use the flat side of your weapon!”
“I’ll be using the flat end all right!” Kildo said as he used his warhammer’s flat and lethal end as he bashed the lizardman.
Guo Gan then leaped in swinging with his quarter staff and lashed out with his feet, but missed him. However, it forced him right in front of Mufi, who casted poison spray. It engulfed the lizardman, as he fell to the ground.
“Good job! Let’s get the second most malevolent lizard up,” Kai said.
Guo Gan replied, “What? We just poisoned him?”
“Right, I be getting him,” Kildo said and he went over and stabilized Zzee.
Kai and Guo Gan dragged the unconscious lizardman to the mast.
“We need to wake him up,” Kai said pondering down at the creature.
As Zzee recovered and bandaged by Kildo, the lizardfolk limped over to the scene. He then kicked the prisoner a few times, but it was a solid punch on the snout that brought him around.
“I want you to tell us your plan,” Kai started.
Spitting green blood, the lizardman said, “You are weak.”
Zzee responded, “Shame on you for allying with the evil ones.”
“Bah, you have no honor lizardfolk.”
“Why are you dealing with weapons,” Kai asked.
“For war. Her war.”
“Who is she?”
“My queen. I attack where she tells me to attack.”
“Who has your queen told you to attack,” Zzee asked.
“I’m not saying anything to a race traitor who sucks at mammals’ tits.”
“Why did you attack us?” Kai asked.
“My boss told me to kill you.”
“You have one last shot to tell us who you are to attack,” Zzee stated.
“I have nothing to say to your kind,” the lizardman spat.
“Last shot,” Zzee snarled and gripped his scimitars tightly.
Struggling against his bonds, the lizardman said, “Give me a weapon to fight that race traitor.”
“Yeah, not going to happen,” Kai said.
“Then I declare eternal hatred on you,” spat the lizardman as he began to use all of his strength to break the rope.
Zzee attacked, his scimitars wielding with malevolence. The blades disemboweled the lizardman as he slumped to the deck.
Guo Gan then turned to Oceanus and said, “Those lizardmen are the ones receiving the weapons we found on this ship.”
Scowling in disgust at the lizardman, Oceanus said, “Thank you for defeating them. They were evil creatures and were wanting to use those weapons against someone, which might even include my people.”
Kai asked, “Have you been having problems with lizardmen?
“No, we haven’t. They live on the coast and not under the water where we dwell,” Oceanus replied.
“Are there any big lizard communities around here?” Guo Gan asked.
“Yes, on another island northeast from Scarlet Peeks.”
“How familiar are you with the community? Is this lizardman part of it?” Kai questioned turning to look at their former captive. However, the paladin cringed, as he saw Zzee had cut off his casque and began to work on his eye. “Stop it! We are not going to desecrate the dead.”
“I don’t know what lizardmen are from the tribe?”
Guo Gan questioned, “What is the island called?”
“The Island of Kyrox is where the lizardmen are from. The eastern part of the island is marsh.”
“What about yourself,” Guo Gan asked.
“I live deep in the water where all the cool people live,” Oceanus replied.
Kai then said, “Cool as in temperature? Never mind. In the meantime, tell your people that there were some weapons smugglings going on and we stopped the lizardmen from getting these. However, we still don’t know why they want them.”
“Thank you, I’ll let my people know that this arm smuggling ring was broken up by the crew of the Emerald Eel captained by Quint Halfbeard,” Oceanus said, bowing deeply, and jumped over the side of the Sea Ghost into the dark waters below and disappeared under the waves.
Kildo walked up to Kai and handed him the pirate’s captain’s tricorne hat that had a brim turned up on three sides and asked, “Where to captain?”
“Back to the Emerald Eel.”
The sun was breaking dawn when the harbor of Scarlet Peeks came into view. The party spotted the familiar shape of the Emerald Eel, but what was immediately noticeable was even a larger vessel anchored in the bay. Themed black, it had three black sails with the center one with a drawing of a multi tentacled kraken. Its bow had the design of an octopus wrapped around the front with arms stretching to almost the middle of the vessel. Along each side were seventeen ballistae. It was a war galley.
Bubbles from underneath the waves came up from the depths below. A creature burst from the waves and landed on the deck of the Emerald Eel.
The crew drew their weapons ready to attack.
“What’s going on guys?” Kai said as he flung water from his body.
“Arg, don’t ye be seeing that death ship over there,” Captain Quint Halfbeard said clutching his chest. “Did ye find someone to buy that blue rock? Ye’ve been gone for a few days.”
“Well, here’s the thing. There was this house…” Kai began and filled in the captain and most of the crew about the haunted manor, the battle of brigands, and the taking of the Sea Ghost. “That’s pretty much it. Smugglers zero and Emerald Eel’s one.
“So, ye be saying you have a ship and it be full of booty? “ Halfbeard asked.
“Yes and there’s some weapons too.”
“Humph. If we want to be selling that stuff, we’d need to get pretty far away to do it. However, there might be a reward depending on what guy it belongs too.”
“Captain?”
“Aye?”
“So, what’s up with that big honking ship out there? Do you know who that is?” Kai asked.
“Aye,” Halfbeard sighed. “That be a problem. That ship be the Howling Hatred. It be a pirate vessel and her captain be a right prick too.”
“Any idea why they are here?”
“Don’t be knowing, but the odds are pretty bad that they ain’t be any good.”
“What should we do about the bolts of silk and casks of brandy?” Kai asked.
Turning his eyes up in thought, Halfbeard said, “I’d be incline to be getting out of here, but we don’t want to be sailing out of port with our holds full of cargo. That captain of the Howling Hatred would be seeing our ship riding low in the water. However, we can be making gold off them one way or another. If it be belonging to someone on the island we can be seeing if there be a reward.”
“What if we split the haul in the two boats, so they aren’t riding low?” Kai questioned.
“We don’t be having the crew to man two boats. I be sending Ghald Fourarms back to the Sea Ghost with you and some of the crew. Maybe, he can be helping see who might be the owners of them items,” Halfbeard replied.
“How about recruiting people from town to help sail the Sea Ghost?” Kai asked.
“Oh, you be knowing which people are part of a cult do ye?” Halfbeard snorted in amusement. “Them same people that be wanting that blue gem you still need to be selling?”
“Good point,” Kai nodded in agreement. I’ll head back. We still need to talk to Anders and his personal assistance Scaren for the reward for exploring the House on Haunted Hill.”
A short while later, the party was back on the Sea Ghost to plan their next move. The group heard the sounds of rumbling under the waves. Multiple bubbles broke the surface. There was movement under the waves. Gripping their weapons, the surface exploded as a large monster landed on the deck. It was green-skinned with black spots and darker on the back and lighter on the belly. Easily clearing 6’ feet tall he was fish-like with webbed feet and hands, gills, and a finned tail. There was additional webbing down the back, at the elbows and, notably, also where human ears would be. It was a four-armed sahuagin baron.
“Sorry, hope I didn’t surprise you,” Ghald Fourarms said as he shook himself dry. He looked squarely at Kai, who had his glaive ready. As the party relaxed, he continued, “I heard you had some booty that needs identifying.”
A moment later, a rowboat was seen approaching the Sea Ghost. On it were six crew members from the Emerald Eel, along with Imago.
Getting everyone on board the party with went into the hold with Fourarms. The sahuagin examined several of the bolts of silk and casks. Gliding his clawed hands across a barrel he said, “I’m seeing tiny overlapping ‘LL’ on all of these items. Likely belonging to a merchant on Scarlet Peeks.”
“Makes sense. We were about to head to Scarlet Peeks to speak with Anders and Scaren about the reward. We’ll make inquiries to see if we can tell who is ‘LL’.”
Rowing to shore, the group made their way through the dock area and up to Hillside Manor. Approaching Ander’s estate, Scaren was there and motioned them inside.
“How did it go?”
“Excellent,” Kai said.
“What did you find? What was the sinister secret of Scarlet Peeks?”
“There were no ghosts, but we did find some undead. Including, the alchemist. However, the haunting was a smuggling ring being run out of that coastal house. They were faking the haunting to keep people away. It was a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma,” Kai explained.
“What about the smugglers?”
“Dealt with.”
“So, they are dead?”
“Yes.”
Guo Gan asked, “Do you have any plans for the haunted house?”
“I’ll have to send someone up to see if it’s safe. It’s not anyone’s property any longer, but if any heirs show up, they’d have title to the land. However, I suspect it would be cheaper to build a new structure than have the old one repaired.”
Kai said, “We couldn’t figure out what they were really smuggling. We found weapons, mining tools, bolts of silk cloth, and casks of brandy.”
“ Now, only if we know who was sponsoring them. I’m sure someone on the island is responsible,” Scaren pondered.
Kildo then added, displaying a torn piece of silk cloth, “We be seeing this overlapping ‘LL’ on them bolts and casks.”
Getting a closer look, Scaren said, “Yes, that would be Lex Luthor’s mark. Those items belong to him. Lex was never thought of as a kind and gentle individual, but never thought he’d be involved in smuggling either.”
Guo Gan then asked, “Does Lex Luthor have a reputation of working with lizardmen?”
“Not that I’m aware, but what he does in his private time is unknown. I just know his business face,” Scaren said.
“What kind of business he be in?” Kildo asked.
“Deals with luxury goods. His business enterprise is off the island,” Scaren answered. He then shifted from one foot to the other in what appeared to be anxious energy. “Have you been doing alright on the island?”
“Yes, why?” Kai questioned.
“The hippogriff riders from the Spiral island were asking about you. Well, they were more subtle inquires,” Scaren answered.
“Subtle?”
“Well, about as subtle as when they flew down and left feces on the yard for me to pick up. They were asking about those nosey, meddling kids,” Scaren replied and pulled out a heavy pouch that was on his belt and handed it to Kai. “However, enough about them. I do owe you 200 gp for a job well done. You are welcome to count it if you like.”
As Kai took it, the pouch made a nice coin jingling sound.
“So, do you folks plan to stick around?”
“Depends on Captain Halfbeard,” Kai said. “For now, we’ll head back to the Emerald Eel.
“Not to impose, but if you do find yourself here on Scarlet Peeks for a longer period of time and in need of work, let me know,” Scaren said and then added in a serious tone. “Remember, you’ll always have a friend in me.”
07/31/2021 – Treasure
· 20 electrum ingots – 100 ep each or 50 gp each
· 50 gp
· Wizard’s scroll.
· Wizard’s spell book
· 2 potions of healing
· 1 dose of anti-toxin
· Maps of the surrounding islands, including Kyrox.
· Green Book. Grog hovels, taverns and inn, suitable for pirates.
· 50 bolts of silk
· 40 casks of brandy
· 40 casks of wine
· 10 boxes of mining tools
· 10 morning stars, 10 longswords, 20 javelins, and 10 shields
· 72 gp
· 2 suits of studded leather, chainmail, light hammer, hand crossbow x40, and 2 longswords.
· 200 gp reward for solving the Sinister Secret on Scarlet Island.
Party Split:
1,322 gp / 5 = 264 gp.
Experience for Level 3.
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