This is technically a recap of two sessions, but it’s also a lesson in play-style as well as how to react to your players’ desires. The Five have become a bit more than I intended. There is this overarching plot around Lorebooks and Scholars and Proctors. But one of the things that they’ve really enjoyed is exploration. Sure, a few d20s and damage dice once in a while are fun, but tonight’s session was much more about discovering the World of the Everflow.
That’s what they wanted and needed. They boldly went where no player has gone before. They discovered parts of Sheljar long abandoned.
Back on Summer 16 a few of them (Mo, Saffron, Behn and Samul) freed some captives from Parun’s strike on the caravansary. It took a lot of effort and Parun and his two primary henchman escaped.
More importantly a few NPCs which treated The Five well escaped slavery and decided to settle into the no-longer haunted Sheljar. But the tiny island where The Five took over an inn is not large enough for a dozen commoners and nearly a dozen heroes.
Tonight’s session focused on exploring the bog-city. Aamar, Behn and Samul (with Boo) needed to find another relatively safe island in Sheljar for their loyalists. So they explored.
There was only one combat. It was swift. A mulgob fired a huge crossbow at Samul’s head and Behn tossed a fireball their way. The bridge was nearly destroyed, but the gobs (five of them) were all tossed aside like bowling pins.
But that isn’t what the session fun. What made it fun was island hopping and creating a space together. The PCs and DMs worked to build the city. It wasn’t procedural like a video game, or preplanned as store-bought settings are, it was built together.
Together they found an island that looks like it could be a secondary base – defensible and spacious. There is access to the sea, without large ships being able to pull along side.
Sure, there is the small problem of a gobkin encampment nearby, but no DM isn’t going to toss a problem or two (there are also tunneling nightmares on nearby isles) towards their players.
But it was the discovery and fellowship that made the session enjoyable. Not combat, just the pleasure of finding something new.
“Ho there! Sit, sit.” [She flings a cup of something at you. You look at the dark liquid with little flecks in it, raise an eyebrow.] “Yes, drink, drink! It’s rum… rum with something, don’t worry. It’s our old drink on the Charlatan. I hear you are interested in our societies. I’m out now, retired here, so maybe I tell you a bit. Nothing that will let those Royals know about them, but sure, I understand the appeal. We don’t have colleges, so how do bards study?”
The tale-tellers, minstrels and jack-of-all trades at sea ignore land-lubber colleges. There is little structure in an island port. These women and men do maintain connections with each other, sometimes even when their ships are at war. They will talk to Bards in Colleges, because maybe they’ll learn something useful. Those that sail under the black will never talk to those that sail under the crown.
Under a crown a sea-going Bard is a member of a Royal Society, often Valor as one of the officers. These societies adventure to learn, to discover and to stop the plunder.
Under the black the bards also have a society. They meet in pubs and brothels, dark corners where they swap tales and songs, wary of those with writs and honest eyes.
This is the second of my “pirate all classes” project. The first was Rogues and explains the concept and rules of the exercise.
Society of Lore
Silver always knew the next step. Whether it was a tale he picked up at a brothel, on another ship, or a story from his pre-piracy days, his knowledge helped us. No one really liked Silver, but we listened. Maybe a dozen of us are alive because of him. He’d never win a vote for captaincy, but no one wants him off the ship either.
You are the teller of tales, the knower of legends. No matter what officer or crew asks a question you know the answer. Sometimes your answer is true. Often it isn’t, but they believe you, this crew. You keep their spirits high during the storm, banging that drum, blasting the horn, or whistling the recorder. Your voice is a rallying cry. As a mere swabbie you rarely get the awful details, because others will serve for you. They’ve seen you bandage a wound, or fling a dagger. No matter what is needed, you are there. Maybe someday you’ll be an officer, but that would make port a lot less fun.
Take six skills, it doesn’t matter. Expertise should be in history or performance for the telling of tall tales. Athletics or Vehicles (Water) should be your other Expertise. You are a sailor.
Charisma is your key stat with Intelligence and either Dexterity or Strength in that order.
Society of Valor
There are better fighters than Flint. Not many, have you, but a few. He swings sword or first with the best of them. Plus, when Flint asks for help, you do it. His words, or sometimes even his look, is inspiring. He has no time for instruments, but his voice, those times he uses it, it gets you right in the heart.
The Royals (pure blooded fools) expose themselves through valor. You’re more about winning, always. Because you can fight you’ve earned your way from mere swabbie to a lower officer – boatswain or first mate. Without a doubt you will be a captain someday. You lead the boarding party at sea and defend the ship in port. You aren’t in charge, formally. Things just go better when you are around the crew. The last fight you lost was because you felt bad for the captain. He’s a good guy and you don’t want to run the ship.
Athletics is important as you leap from ship to ship. Acrobatics can be useful as well. Take the Soldier or City Watch backgrounds. You were once honest, but life at sea changes a man or woman.
Strength is vital. You are a warrior with extra talents as well. Charisma is a good second stat. If you expect to swim long distances boost your Constitution.
Flynn is interesting soul. He’ll never do anything simply. When he spins his blades it isn’t just defeat the enemy, or to inspire us, it is for art. One time he did this thing where he did this thing where he spun his dagger on top of his rapier and then with just a flick of his wrist it went flying off pinning the enemy captain to his cabin door.
You do not need an instrument. Your daggers and blades sing tunes. They can inspire fear, warm the heart or heal the soul. With a good blade in your hand, and your other hand, and on your belt, and on your boot, and in that hidden scabbard at the small of your back you can win any fight – mostly. When it is time to board another vessel you are one of the first. The regular crew follows you easily. They know that the opposing guards will head to you first. In port you work a stage or street corner juggling some blades or scarves.
Acrobatics is a must have skill. Prior to life at sea you were likely a Noble or Courtier or Inheritor. You enjoy the thrill of discovery, and showing off your blades.
Dexterity and Charisma are the most important attributes. You use finesse weapons, so Strength isn’t important.
I knew Sparrow before he had his own ship. I don’t think he was ever drunk, it was more an act to fool the rest of us. Fool, ha! That’s what he was and is. All jokes and cutting words, that Sparrow. Somehow he found a ship willing to put up with his constant humor.
When you work the rigging you make monkey noises. When you swap the deck you make certain it’s wet enough to trip that crew member you do not like. If you are on lookout you might tell the ship you see something that doesn’t exist. You aren’t the best crew member, but when a sail rips, or someone is trapped in the rigging you can fix that faster than anyone else. Your “drunkeness” gets you into and out of trouble in a dash. Some crews love you, others hate you. That often times has no relation to the ship you are currently working.
Performance, Intimidation and Insight are highly useful for the Satirist. Any background can inspire the woman or man that finds that the only way to deal with life is through jokes.
Charisma, and then some more Charisma. You likely have a high Wisdom, as you understand what makes people tick.
Character creation is one of my favorite things, which might be why I prefer to DM. By managing the game I get to create hundreds of characters – some fully fleshed out re-occurring NPCs and others are simple one shot monsters. For a friend’s campaign I needed to create a PC, something which I haven’t done often in the past two years (this is my second playable PC). While I do make a lot of NPCs with the rules for standard players, as it helps me think about how the more complex enemies and allies behave.
For my character I wanted to do a few things a bit different. As most of the players are new to 5th edition and some to D&D at all I wanted to be a support caster. I decided on a Cleric. I always like Krynn’s Minotaurs so went with that. Wanting to justify my greater player knowledge I thought about going with the Knowledge Domain. But where does a ocean going minotaur fit into the Forgotten Realms as a Cleric of Knowledge. My answer was as a pirate ship’s quartermaster. As a follower of Deneir Golrian Hershmakil the Quartermaster of Estadia keeps precise records, logs and maps of the Estadia’s forays at sea and land.
And then I thought, “what role would every archetype have on a pirate vessel?” This launched a ton of thoughts about a piracy campaign, which I have no time to run, but it lets me use creative processes that the current Everflow campaign does not.
Rules of the ‘Pirate All Classes’ game
Use third level
At least 50% of the concepts must have Vehicles (Water), Athletics (for swimming, climbing jumping) or Acrobatics (for working in the rigging)
Some may be Privateers rather than pirates, but the goal is to mostly represent those that were unsanctioned
Assume no gunpowder
Recognize that no ship will have every concept created so more than 1 can be a captain
Recognize that pirate life is as much about life in port as at sea
Don’t use stat groups, instead show the interaction between class, background and ship role.
Starting with Rogues as they are the most pirate-like by nature. The Player’s Handbook and Sword Coast Adventurers’ Guide includes the following archetypes – Thief, Assassin, Arcane Trickster, Mastermind and Swashbuckler.
Thief of the High Seas
On the ship you are a mild rigger working the sails, scrambling up and down the ropes faster than anyone else. Sure, when your boat needs to board another you are ready, swinging across either sneaking into quarters or taking out lookouts, but it’s in port where you make the real difference. Stealthily listening in on merchant captains, stealing keys or maps, or breaking into that jail to let your people free, you are the eyes, ears and rogue of the crew.
Take expertise in two of Stealth, Thieves Tools and Acrobatics. Also have Sleight of Hand, Deception or Athletics (for swimming) as well. Pick a background like Urchin or Sailor to try and get another way to get one of the key skills so you can make certain to have Perception. It’s great when you are 50+ feet above the ship and can see everything that happens, probably with Advantage.
High attributes should be in Dex and either Wisdom or Charisma depending on how much fencing (the selling kind) you do.
Assassin
Most of the crew considers you the cook, and you do that. But it seems when the ship is at battle you disappear. What you are really doing is seeking out the highest value target on the opposing ship as you swim over to it and get the drop from an unexpected angle. In port you slip into parties to pick up information from the authorities, maybe slipping a little poison into a glass or two.
Take expertise in Athletics and Stealth. It’s also handy to have Insight, Persuasion, Deception and Sleight of Hand. Any background is suitable, try not to be a sailor or pirate. You don’t have sea legs. Noble and Guild Artisan (Cook) can create great cover stories for yourself. Get Gourmand as soon as you can.
Charisma is an important stat with your role on land. A high Dex and Strength can both be useful too, especially if you choose to swim a lot.
Arcane Trickster
Being at sea for days and days and days can be boring. You know what brightens a day? Illusions and parlor tricks. That’s why most of the crew has you around, but the captain and quartermaster know better. They have you around because it’s a lot easier to get a good deal selling the ship’s “merchandise” through Enchantment or Illusion. Swabbie by day isn’t a fun gig, but your Mage Hand helps make the work go quickly, just not too quickly, then they would give you more work to do.
Expertise in Deception, Insight or Persuasion are key. Sleight of Hand can be useful as well. Take the Sailor (Pirate) background so that you know Vehicles (Water).
Charisma will be your key stat, but as for all Rogues one of your top two should be Dexterity.
Mastermind
The crew handed over control of the ship to you a few ports ago. They understand that you understand and know command. The galleon practically leaps at your command. You can find wind where others are helpless. In port you can infiltrate parties, or go as yourself. You have a reputation. When your black flies, people tremble. Other sailors respect you for you have put in the work. They also know that when you are around you Help them.
Expertise in Intimidation, Insight or Deception are key. You are a ship’s Urchin, use the Urchin background, but modify it a bit. Rather than the Disguise Kit take Vehicles (Water) and replace Sleight of Hand with Performance. You grew up on this ship and now it is yours.
Charisma and Wisdom should be your two highest attributes. You do not get in fights, you prevent them or win them so quickly your opponent does not get to attack.
Swashbuckler
As the Master-At-Arms you lead the boarding party. With a blade in each hand you dart in and out of the battle. When not overwhelming those foolish enough to stand up to you are “training” the crew in the art of swordplay. Most of this involves you embarrassing them just enough to try harder. Most of the crew do not like you, but they respect you. You’ll never be a captain, but you will be feared and respected.
Expertise in Acrobatics and Athletics are vital for the fancy moves you do as you tumble from ship-to-ship or swing through the nets and ropes. Intimidation can be handy, and the little flourish with your blades show that you are tricky with your hands too (Sleight of Hand). Once a fancy Courtier (background from SCAG) you are now on a pirate vessel, raising funds so that someday you will have courtiers.
Dexterity and Charisma should be your highest attributes.
Above you have the start of a crew. A captain, a cook, a swabbie, a rigger and the master-at-arms may even be enough for a small sloop.
Searching for a second Lorebook has consumed much of The Five’s resources. During this search, with a goal of more power and the elimination of the Stench of Sheljar, they have acquired property in the abandoned bog city. They have earned the enmity of the Necromancer, a group calling itself the Proctors of Grace and maybe more of the GobKon. In session 21 one of those enemies dies. Spoiler alert: you already saw the headline.
Session Notes: Aamar starts at the Inn. His player is present. Mo and Ajhenas start at the Temple. Their players are not present.
Shonie is still in Telse, they think. Mansaray’s whereabouts are unknown. His falcon is remains at the inn, but seems aggravated lately.
Ghost Dog on the Bridge
As night falls Aamar is worried. His group is caught away from their inn, their safehaven, where no tunneling nightmares have appeared and no undead have come. He decides to leave the inn at night, with the blessing of Quar bringing daylight down from above.
He walks surrounded in the bright light of noon, something foreign in Sheljar with its fog and stench. On the long bridge to the central city island he sees a spectral dog. That dog sees him and runs. The guard at the temple, Ajhenas, also notices the dog as it runs through the wall of the Library of Glight.
Aamar, with the wisdom of Quar behind him, suggests that he join the group as they attempt to corner the Necromancer and take another Lorebook. This will also mean that The Five can use magic effectively, rather than sporadically. Ajhenas and Maurice, with their companions, head back to the inn to assure that none approach across the bridge.
Canceled Repairs
Samul is on the last guard. Up in the bell tower he watches. In the faint light of dawn, through the fogs he sees a couple goliath-sized skeletons approaching with wood, axes and a huge hammer on shoulder. They are accompanied by two human sized skeletons, one with a bow. They are walking towards the collapsed vestibule. They may be merely repairing the trap he’d sprung a few days prior, but they are also armed.
“Waken,” he shouts in his Mehmd accent. “More skeletons come to the entry.”
As the rest of the group rises, not bothering with armor, but grabbing their arms he leaps off the tower to the roof of the nave. He then leaps again attempting to chain-whip the largest skeleton. That attack hits, but throws off his balance and he falls prone, twisting an ankle.
Prior to his allies coming he takes out one of the large walking dead. As they come the little repair crew is ravaged. They cannot stand against the combined group of mystical powers, melee and teknology. Even without their armor they are hardly wounded. Only Samul’s fall is the significant injury.
Death of the Necromancer
It is dawn. A few moments to eat and prepare their armor. Then the group heads back to the Library of Glight. From the ghost dog to the sealing off of other exits they know that the Necromancer is there, though he’d somehow hidden from their previous search. Now they are healed. The power of the Lorebook of Cortez is with them. Aamar’s prayers to Quar continue to gain strength.
This portion of their quest will end for either Sheljar’s master of death, or for our heroes.
They take a frontal assault, but upon entering the Library split up. Behn leaps upon the tops of the bookshelves. Ixnyx, Aamar and Bernie take the hall along the wall closest to Temple. Samul and Boo (in skeletal ripper form) take the center aisle. Saffron turns herself invisible, with a devious plot in mind.
Spotted the Necromancer starts casting spells. Aamar responds. Bernie rushes the man in rather normal robes (the group already has his nicer robes and dagger from when they raided his temple-home). Ixnyx and Behn start shooting with their missile weapons.
Samul and Boo face the spectral dog. That ghost dog charges Samul and disappears into his body. Our Mehmdian Pit Fighter is possessed. Boo runs out of range.
Many blows are traded, some fighting the possessed body of their friend, others fighting the spell-caster, who is still weakened. Eventually Bernie, the bear, Boo, the skeletal ripper lizard, and Samul are down and out. Saffron slipped her Crown of Forgetfulness on the Necromancer as he took more blows from the rest. She also stole his folio sized Lorebook of Rohan.
Aamar, Behn and goblin Ixnyx finish off the Necromancer in a mix of sorcery, prayer and teknology. Much healing is needed. Betwixt vials of the Everflow, Quar’s gift, and Aamar’s prayers the group heals. They flee back to their inn – as conquerors. Four zombies try to stop them and fail.
It is over. They’ve acquired a second Lorebook and one set of robes they have yet to identify. Victory is theirs, just maybe they can control all of Sheljar soon.
Smaller merchants are willing to move goods. Those unfamiliar with local histories and legends are also more willing to move those goods to an area where normal humans would be afraid. This is the tale of a small-time merchant, rare smuggler who took a job that may beyond his abilities.
Session Notes: This is a first time player who is also testing my Uncommoner concept. They started at 4th level because they will be joining The Five, eventually.
It is also a solo session.
Hiring
Wandering past the Fine Market in Telse, Doceo is approached by another halfling. This one is from the west, probably Telse. She is strong, lithe. Doceo just sold a few goods that he’d picked up on the way, and has yet to approach the House of Quar.
This new one sees the empty cart, points and offers more work. Bargaining takes place with warnings to not be followed, as there is a slaver trying to track the group down. Doceo gets a higher rate via the negotiations.
His cart is loaded. In the next ten days he must head into Sheljar, a supposedly haunted city, to deliver some basic staples. Two messenger pigeons are sent with him and full payment will be given upon delivery.
Attack of the Worgs
Three nights out Doceo and his two mastiffs are attacked. As the previous nights they head well off the main road. On this eve they find some sanctuary. If not for his loyal companions Doceo’s little smuggling operation would be over quickly. But the three of them take down the two worgs. It is a rough fight and takes some time to recover. These are not normal wolves. The Western Wildes surrounding Telse are stocked with the unfamiliar.
Feral orchards
Another day north towards Sheljar, now half way on his journey, Doceo notices an encampment out to the east. This camp with four tents and several fires is at the edge of sight. There are a variety of races present.
He leaves the road and heads into a feral apple orchard. Continuing on lane in the orchard that parallels the road the halfling feels undiscovered, until he notices a raven that stays about four trees in front of the small cart.
Doceo attempts to scare it off, but all that does is get the raven to stay another few trees away. But it still shadows the cart.
At the edge of the apple orchard there is a small rock wall that demarcation about eight inches tall. The next orchard is pears. Doceo notices the old homestead. He sets a false trail to the barn there, starting a small fire as the storm errupts overhead. The heavy rains, clouds and thunders should provide him cover.
Then he hurries off on the real path. At the next demarcation he doesn’t have time to take down the rocks, instead he finds an old cart and uses it as a ramp. The player suggested this in a moment of player agency.
The spaces between the vines runs east-west rather than north-south. Doceo hurries to the west and the gully at the edge of the property heads up a few lanes and then hides inside the vines. Looking back he notices two humans, a scent dog and a raven. They look confused. They’ve lost the trail and Doceo has escaped these hunters.
As Saffron gets to know Behn and Samul she wrote a song celebrating their homeland.
Night pours over the rolling dunes. First, pink and purple, swallowing the sun-soaked sky. Then red to match the blood-soaked hands. And a whisper in the wind decries: nothing remains now except stars and scars.
Dawn breaks the black horizon. We are thirst, and thirst is all we know. We are sand, wind, sun, and burning sky. We are.
Here, in the desert, We cannot be claimed nor owned. Carried by winds, A mirage of heart and bone And memories built by hand.
I turn toward emptiness. I see nothing, hear nothing. Yet through the silence something throbs.
Here, in the desert, Ahid wraps tight around our ribs Preparing us for battle. We stand at the gates, Men and women, Myths and legends. Ready to fight.
The Five keep growing in size, but are far from completing their quest. The fogs of Sheljar have them on edge. They fear another tunneling nightmare striking their inn-home. Furthermore, the dead walk the night and there is the problem of their still hidden master wandering the bog-city.
Session Notes: A guest player is here on a one-shot. They are playing a non-humanoid. Ixnyx remains at the inn, working on an unknown project.
Shonie is still in Telse, they think. Mansaray’s whereabouts are unknown. His falcon is back with Ixnyx.
Stumbling back from the battle at the temple the group is weary. They fear going back to the island with the city center and its Library of Glight. Over the next day they will set a watch. Sure, the Necromancer will have some time to recoup, but the group needs the health and energy, especially if more wights or tunneling nightmare’s show.
During their rest day Saffron goes fishing with her mage hand. Ajhenas’ heron helps gather fish as well. Samul is mourning the loss of Boo, his trusty lizard. Aamar is in the main room of the inn. Behn took a perch on top of the storage shed to paint the faint images seen through fog. Mo is up there as well.
Encounter: Pet Shop Boys
Limping through the thick fogs is a skeletal form. It has a spear it uses as a staff and a cape. Beside it is the ghostly visage of a massive warhound. Next to that is a tiny skeletal creature. Ajhenas is fishing at the base of the bridge and orders the skeleton to stop. This works, just short of the alarm zone.
“Stop!” Ajhenas shouts. The skeleton and its companions stop. “Approach,” the scout from Kirtin says. A few steps forward. The start and stop commands continue. Leaning on the staff like a weak old man the skeleton does not seem threatening.
Ajhenas mistimes his start-stop commands and the non-enemies, they cross Ixnyx’ alarm system. No longer is Ajhenas audience the two halflings on the storage shed, but the whole group, coming out into the courtyard seeing the creatures on the edge of the bridge.
When Samul exits the building the tiny skeletal lizard sprints towards the massive gladiator, leaping up into his leather shirt’s inner pocket. This thing is, was?, Boo.
Mo’s shortbow and Behn’s crossbow remain trained on the human skeleton. Ajhenas notices the cape is from a different light infantry unit than his own, one that was eliminated during the Awakening. Saffron asks the undying soul if it can talk, it shakes its head. She then follows up seeing if it can write.
Through a long conversation with a skeleton carving words in the dirts of an abandoned isle the Five learn that the skeleton’s master is angry about the destruction of the temple, but extends the offer of an animated Boo as a symbol that the two parties may be able to communicate with less violence. They arrange a meeting with the Necromancer. Tomorrow, the Five will see this man across the collapsed bridge that once connected city center to the grand market. There will be a gap between the adversaries, so while missile and spell fire could happen, retreat into the fogs will be possible.
Encounter: Enter a dragon
With time to prepare the Five (it’s not five, but this adventuring party hasn’t named itself) build a second rope bridge over the gap between where the old massive stone bridge fell apart. That rope bridge is about 60 feet above the water. The stone bridge had a massive rise so smaller sea-worthy vessels could round the market isle.
The also construct a couple simple defenses for the ranged fighters to use as cover. They’ll be shooting at shadowy objects through the fogs, but the cover provides some felling of safety. There are two of these. Some of the group is set to prevent a flanking action. Then they wait.
Marching in step two banks of four skeletons walk to the edge of the bridge. Taking a knee and placing their shields in front the first row provides defense for the second row and their bowman. These are all human sized, but the skulls indicate that not all are human. Two mulkon zombies stumble forward from the rear of the military unit to the edges of the rope bridges. Their massive forms holding the giant morning stars that are common among their living race.
These walking dead provide a defense for a large pitch black cloud of darkness that walks forward. This is powerful magic, not some mere illusion but a black that makes night seem like broad daylight. The group of adventurers is tense. If this meeting comes to violence they have a chance, Behn always thinks they have a chance.
Greetings are exchanged. Interrupting the pleasantries is a resounding screech comes from the sky. The skeletons aim their bows up, as does the group. This is something different – a third side to the potential conflict.
A winged form, somewhat related to the flying lizards of Mehmd comes into view, a second screech. There is a rider.
“DRAGON!!!!!!!” screams Saffron and she sprints away, cowering in an abandoned merchant booth.
And the fight starts. Bolts, arrows and spells fly out at the beast. The rider flings spells back. While in the air the wyvern does a spin move to avoid one of Behn’s spells. Its rider is flung aside into the water. Ajhenas runs down to the shore and Maurice leaps off the bridge chasing the stout form.
The rest focus their efforts on the winged beast, eventually slaying it. When it dies the Necromancer and his companions are gone. That group of Behn, Samul, Boo, Saffron and Aamar look down to the water.
Between the quick thoughts and strengths of Ajhenas and Mo they’ve captured the man. He is about 4 feet tall, with broad shoulders and a beard. He is a spell caster, once using a spell to get away from the group, but they recapture him. He has heavy armor, a hammer and is quite angry to find his mount is dead.
While interrogated he declares that he is a “Proctor of Grace.” He displays some contempt for the “pathetic” spells used in the conflict, and disgust specifically for Behn. Some of the group take this Proctor back to their inn. The rest field dress the fallen wyvern and take its venom from the stinger.
They now have a prisoner who can cast spells beyond what they do (he claims), wyvern parts and are no closer to learning the identity and disposition of the Necromancer.
The loss of Boo still haunts the group as they consider their next move in the audience of a few dozen decomposed bodies. The skeletal remains of a congregation loom over the party, their open eyesockets unmoving but seemingly following each nervous tic, every sideways glance.
Session Notes: The player running Ajhenas wrote this recap. This is the first recap written from a single player’s angle and thereby gives new insights into the story. Samul and Maurice are absent from the session, but they remain in the temple nave. Maurice also helps open a lock. Shonie is still in Telse, they think. Mansaray’s whereabouts are unknown. His falcon is back with Ixnyx. Ixnyx is back at the inn setting some alarms.
Given the disastrous, carefree door opening of Samul only moments prior, it is instead the recently revived Ajhenas who is entrusted with opening the doors of the temple. The Kirtin man still hasn’t fully recovered from the severe head injury that left him floating alone miles downriver. Silently he curses himself for not sensing the earlier trap that left much of the party injured. After due diligence, Ajhenas opens the left door into a back room, with Aamar, Behn and Saffron close behind. Injured and traumatized, Maurice and Samul wait in the rubble. Ajhenas’ heron remains outside on watch. Mitzie, Edgar and Barkley stay with the barbarian and rogue. If the skeletons animate the halfing and human will have some help.
Beyond the door the party finds a simple set of rooms and a pair of staircases. In one room lies a table with a set of unfamiliar books; Behn notes that the books have been disturbed recently. As much of the party examines the mundane items scattered about, Ajhenas goes to a window to look more closely at the side of the church farthest from where they entered.
To his astonishment, the thick fog that hindered their progress earlier appears to have completely lifted in the direct vicinity of the church, allowing him to see outside. There, ten yards out from the church, is a lone pole with a pennant hanging from the very top. A gruff word calls the others to the window, where no one is able to recognize the peculiar symbol adorning the flag. Behn takes note of it for later.
Having seemingly seen all that is there to be seen, the party considers the stairs and decides to travel downwards first. Their descent leads them into pure darkness, greeted only with a nasty stench not unlike a sewer. Saffron and Ajhenas light torches in an attempt to make sense of the room, but to no avail. It simply isn’t worth the risk, and an exploration of the basement is abandoned.
That leaves only the upwards stairs. At the top, nothing greets them save for a few more books with more strange symbols, and two more doors facing towards the back of the building. Behn presses his ear against the right-most door, and hears nothing living. Ajhenas is wary nonetheless, and opens the door with an axe at the ready. And sure enough, upon opening the great wooden wall, a wight blows by him to attack the rest of the party. In a moment of weakness, Ajhenas attempts to bring one of his trusty handaxes down on the nasty ghoul only to get it stuck in the doorframe. An encounter with the other leaves him badly wounded as a rusty sword slashes his chest.
Behn and Aamar have similarly poor luck despite seemingly excellent preparation. An attempt to disarm the opponent leaves both Behn and this new enemy without weapons.
Bernie, Aamar’s bear cub, rushes forth swiping at the wight attacking Behn. Saffron stands back in support. The fellow Kirtin-ite drumming inspiring beats, with secondary rhythm that place that same wight at a disadvantage.
Calling upon his long military career, Ajhenas attempts to isolate this armed creature from the rest of the party. The cut he sustained was deep, and the man has seen how man and beast alike fare with such wounds. His shield equipped, Ajhenas pushes his attacker deeper into the room from which it came, blocking the door with his body. He attempts to push it closed behind him, but fails; a most fortuitous fail.
In the other room, the party appears to have the wight in hand. A series of swipes and spells leave it all but defeated. Behn considers finishing it off, when out of the corner of his eye he sees the struggling Ajhenas alone, staggering with his shield high. Behn calls on one of his most powerful spells (I silently pray for good aim) and fires a bolt over the shoulder of the Kirtin man into the face of the looming creature. The wight lets out a horrific scream, barely clinging to the world of the living. Everybody looks on, anticipating that Ajhenas will run his longsword through the blight and earn his bravery.
But the man is too weak, a lumbering strike misses wide and his body is left open to a critical strike, which falls swiftly after. Ajhenas crumples to the ground, wondering if this is the day he dies, surrounded by foreigners in a foreign land for a cause he doesn’t fully understand. He thinks of his blacksmith parents, of his bonded bird, the halls of the academy and of the many mountains he will never traverse. It’s only when he feels the healing salves on his lips that he realizes just how overly dramatic he was being.
Helped to his feet, Ajhenas sees the smoking remains of the two vestiges of death. The man is not one who speaks, but Behn earned a few words of gratitude. Also to Saffron and Aamar, for their generous use of healing Everflow.
By now the light struggled to survive through the island’s fog. The party checks the accompanying door, which was gratefully empty. Ignoring the remaining upwards steps the party returns to the first floor, where Behln stops just before the party reunites with Samul and Maurice. He reminds the group of the pennant flying outside and how it appeared to repel the fog. After some discussion, Behl bursts through a window and (with help) retrieves the cloth. As soon as he does though, the fog that was held back as if by a glass bowl flows back into the empty space, and a sense of dread envelops the group along with the thick air. Replacing the pennant does nothing. Ajhenas calls for Laurel, who through speaking with Aamar informs them that a green cloud is approaching from that side of the building (and also that it’d be a very good time to leave.)
The group reunites in the main chamber, ready to pack up and go. But the skeletons still sit in their pews, waiting for the sermon that will seemingly never come. Tired, wounded and annoyed, Ajhenas calls for the whole damn building to be burned down. But that idea doesn’t fly. Instead, Aamar sends the others on and lets forth a powerful spell from the center of the room which thunderously shatters the remaining bones.
From there it’s a race to get off the island, away from the now apparent green cloud, and to the party’s base of operations. But as they cross the long bridges that connect the haunted village to the mainland, a bell rings in front of them. Ajhenas mentally braces himself for another fight, particularly when a goblin approaches excitedly. It’s all the party can do to keep him from throwing an axe at the monster. It makes the coming introductions between hottie Kirtin outsider and former captive turned Five member Ixnyx rather awkward.
The green fog approaches no further, the group returns to the inn and the party settles down for rest at last.
Hiding in the abandoned bog city of Sheljar The Five found an home. The once thriving inn is a rare building within the fogs that is in a decent state of repair. As Behn and Ixnyx scouted the city square the others remained on their new tiny island.
Aamar and Bernie rid the store room of a swarm of rats. They also found two vials of the Everflow. Both were from prior to Bishop Ollium’s reign.
Samul repaired or built systems that could bar the doors and shutter the windows.
Saffron and Barkley scouted the east side and the docks, noticing an island across the faster flowing water.
Maurice and Edgar headed out the western trail following it through the garden. Mo found two wheels for the dog-cart and down near the orchard a land broken by pockmarks.
We return to table play.
When the gobkon and Sorcerer return from their trip they are short the mulkon. They speak of an encounter with some dire beast that trips creatures and tosses them into its gaping maw. It is also the source of the Stench of Sheljar. The two do not know if there are more of this bog kraken.
Wounded and needing to heal, Mo recognizes the description of the holes from those whipping tentacles and leads the group down to where he scouted. But on the way along the eastern path Barkley barks at the river. Then Mitzie joins in as well. Floating down in the chill water, at night is some kind of man. A large heron is circling above. That bond clearly still active.
The two dogs jump into the water on command. Their attempts to drag the man to shore fail, but they do slow him down. Aamar sprints ahead and uses his thorn whip to pull the poor soul to shore. That action and the dogs get the man into the dock area.
Aamar uses a full vial of the Everflow to help the hapless soldier of Kirtin. Saffron having recognized the insignia on the light infantryman. Later, she escorts him back to the inn. Ixnyx had already turned one table into a work bench. She was working on some promised alarm system for the bridges. So Saffron took Ajhenas to one of the bedrooms to heal. They also discussed Kirtin, his presence in Sheljar and a certain volcano.
Mo leads Behn, Samul and Aamar down to the pockmarked land. It is immediately familiar to the Sorcerer of Gate. He again speaks to how he won that previous encounter, with Ixnyx and the mulkon doing a bit themselves.
A watch is established when the return. Ixnyx, Behn and the new arrival Ajhenas allowed to heal.
In the morning Ixnyx declares that she needs to install those alarms, and even has a messenger flitter ready for Saffron. This small device will return to a single location with a short message. That location is the fireplace mantel in the inn.
Saffron suggests the group head through the thicker fogs to the east. She wants to avoid that dangerous beast, maybe finding a new path to the city square. It takes two trips in the rowboat to get everyone across. They explore an island market, mostly failed and decaying. The fog is so thick they cannot see too far, but both the Rogue and Behn see Samul pocket a bar of silver.
Heading to the northeast edge of the island there is a huge dockyard. No boats are left, but this is a place where great ships came to Sheljar. There is also a bridge that rapidly rises from the land, heading towards the city square. It ends in an abrupt slice through the stone. On the edge of vision they see the other part of the partitioned bridge.
Saffron and Aamar want to take the rowboat across. Samul and Mo think there is a way between the Barbarian’s great strength and the Rogue’s quick feet they can build a bridge. Behn points out that their dogs couldn’t cross such a rope-bridge. Ajhenas is stuck chuckling as this group that has just accepted him argues.
Done with words the Bard and Cleric of Quar head back to the row boat. Samul is offering to tie a rope to Maurice and just throw him across the gap. But then little Mo sprints up the bridge leaps the gap. The tiny halfling from Ooshar tumbles to his feet with a little flourish. Then he ties off the rope. Samul comes across the rope bridge while Behn rides Mitzie to let the fans of more traditional transportation know what happened.
Now on the island square Behn “leads.” He isn’t in front of the group, but he is describing the things they see. Across the square is the Temple. The group decides to edge around it, but to the right of the open doors is a cemetery. The grounds and graves broken open. The group avoids that and instead goes straight to the steps.
Two gargoyles swoop upon them. Aamar and Samul do most of the work to take them out. All aided them, but the two were the primary targets of the living stone. A bit shaken, a bit weary the pit fighter enters the vestibule through the open doors. Between the nave and vestibule is another set of doors.
A bit naive the Mehmd native flings the doors open and the ceiling gives way. Behn, Mitzie, Aamar, Bernie and Samul survive the crush of stone and wood. Little Boo, Samul’s lizard, is smashed. Aamar’s spells cannot help the little bearded dragon, but they do heal Mitzie and Bernie.
Now, the group proceeds with caution. Mo checks the door. He looks into the nave, and it is occupied, but nothing is moving. There are no more traps, just 16 skeletal heads staring towards the altar.
They enter. Mo again looks for traps in the nave. He finds none, though there are two doors on either side of the altar behind the lectern. As the group fans out none of the skeletons react. There are five more smaller ones, that look like the face of Ixnyx. The larger ones a mix of human and those hobkon that captured their ally.
Frightened that the undead could rise at any moment in a Obscon temple guarded by traps The Five ponder their next move.
Updating progress for The Five has been difficult for a bit. This shall sum up their activities over the last four sessions. Mansaray is still somewhere in the Western Wildes as his falcon is stays close to Aamar. Shonie stayed in Telse and works to provide some information to her companions via messenger pigeon to the caravansary.
Saffron and Aamar arrived at the caravansary on the scheduled date. Maurice stayed in Fort Ooshar a day longer and discovered that his father’s old friend Willan’s children are part of local gang of thieves that have been ordered to follow him. At last check Willan may, or may not, be in Qin along the Southern River. Mo then slips out of Ooshar and catches up to his companions.
At the caravansary The Five (Aamar, Behn, Maurice, Saffron, Samul) head off to Sheljar, and the supposed safety from harm that a place that is either haunted or cursed offers. Along the way there they happen upon a broken repeating crossbow the size of a siege weapon and some marks of a scuffle. This reminds Behn and Samul of their previous conflict so the group heads down the gully.
Working along the path the group finds that it runs up a gully. As they walk this gully the find tracks of a subject that was drug back along the “path.” As they head down they are ambushed by two more giant, tusked humanoids with those immense crossbows. Those two slow the group, but are not a significant threat.
Continuing up the path they notice an encampment with two defensive positions, a few tents, a cave at the far end, a giant thing tied to a stake and a tiny mouthed halfing inside a cage. This is now a rescue operation. The group hates slavers. It doesn’t matter that these are not Kin being kept.
Through a combination of flanking, frontal assault and luck The Five manage to stay alive despite large numbers of opponents. There are three different sizes and two genders they fight. A few run back to the cave and block the entry, leaving the two captives to The Five.
Ixnyx is a goblin. She was held in the cage and works as the translator for herself and the mulkon. Both agree to work with The Five in the near term, as they are now free due to their help. Though a few of the rebel goblins remain unadressed, Isnyx agrees that hiding within Sheljar will prevent other powers from following The Five, because no one would be insane enough to enter this cursed city.
Everyone returns to the caravansary for a brief reloading of consumables, and they head back out on the path to Sheljar. Now seven strong (3 halfings, 2 humans, 1 gobkon, 1 mulkon) with several animal companions they enter the deep fogs that have surrounded the former empire. There is no stench, but there is this thick fog and apprehension.
As they descend toward the bog-city the fogs get thicker, the definition between river and decaying city disappears. But there is a clear entry from the Sheljar Road into the city proper. It is a wide and kept bridge. The span crosses a formal moat of brackish water.
Samul and the mulkon lead the way. The mulkon makes Samul look small. Samul is well over six feet and has a pit fighter’s muscles. A few dozen feet onto the bridge two helmed horrors with their reddish eyes trapped inside a blackened armor that screams death fly into their path. It takes some time, with Ixnyx and Maurice jumping into the water to hide, getting off shots, some of Ixnyx bolts are on fire.
After the horrors are defeated the group knows they will need a sanctuary to establish as a home while in Sheljar. These kinds of creatures, plus the two goblins talking about undead walking at night and a mysterious stench that swallows the Kon, mean fear rules. But, Ixnyx knows there is a square where the airxips landed. It has a library and a temple. They are well defended, but could contain either the power that rules Sheljar (Xelgar) or a Lorebook.
Moseley Bog and Joy’s Wood Local Nature Reserve – Coldbath Brook by Elliott Brown at https://flic.kr/p/dCZmcC
They all head off to the northeast. It is a wandering path through dry land, some fords, some bridges, some walkways. Everything is in disrepair. The stone bridges can hardly hold the mulkon. The fords mean walking through a water where bones rest at night. These bones are of Kin, of Kon, of beasts.
Death is everywhere. They continue walking until there is a stench along another bridge to the northeast, where Ixnyx says his expeditionary flight landed, and later fled. But that stench is a cue. If they continue along that path someone, probably everyone, will die.
The next most direct route is a wooden bridge to the north, except that odor is there as well. As a group they’ll need to find a longer route to the city center. Down to the southwest they find a rickety bridge leading to away from the stench. They cannot see the land where it ends due to the fog, but it is the only path that does not include death. They take it.
After a walk through the deep fog, and a few broken planks, The Five arrive at a place that used to be an inn. It has has a small dock off the common room, place for a animal companions, a storage room that currently hosts a family of rats, but has a decent roof to use as a lookout. Plus there aren’t any piles of bones or old cemeteries on this patch of land. It’s old orchard and garden is currently feral, but may have some food that they can use.
Samul declares this the capital of his kingdom, which brings some surprisingly good humor to the group. They start to create defensive positions. Behn volunteers himself and the two goblins to head out on a scouting mission along the only other bridge. They do take the rowboat, but follow that bridge.
On deadline, hoping to return to the soon-to-be sanctuary prior to sunset they find their way to the city center, which is a triangular space where most of Ixnyx flight landed. The open square fit the main ship and two of the tenders. Another landed off to the northwest. Three buildings flank the area – a library, a temple and a government office. Ixnyx lets Behn know that expedition never got past the entries of the library or temple due to the amount of skeletons and zombies there. They did clear the office of government before the fleet fled the volcano.
Behn targets the temple for their first visit. They have about an hour before they must return to safety, they hope it is safety. Ixnyx has the mulkon picking up some of the remains of Ixkon’s fleet’s visit. She thinks they can build a couple messenger devices, as well as convert more crossbows to the repeating style she thinks is standard.
As Behn and Ixnyx approach the temple two gargoyles swoop down attempting to prevent entry. It’s a tough contest, but with the advice from Ixnyx Behn is able to fight well. A few well placed spells and the fiery bolts from Ixnyx’ crossbow take down the animated statuaries.
The excitement of victory doesn’t last long.
Shortly after the gargoyles are destroyed the mulkon comes running “the stench is coming.”
A small tendril of thing shoots out of the ground whips at the mulkon’s legs, tripping the large fighter. A gaping maw shoots up from the ground a few dozen feet away from Ixnyx and Behn. Small tendrils reaching to the sky. Two larger ones flank the many-toothed mouth slapping the ground nearby with a thwack-thwack beat.
Ixnyx fires a fire-bolt at its mouth-body. Behn leaps on Mitzie to ride the dog, hoping that rapid movement will keep the two safe, or at least together. Eventually the sorcerer locks onto the flaying beast with his witch bolts. Mitzie leaps a few of the whipping tendrils, while the mulkon shoots the mouth with its huge spear sized crossbow bolts and they try to stand up, getting immediately tripped back to the ground.
One of those slappy tentacles trips Mitzie, but the halfing is able to concentrate on his target. Mitzie does not get grappled. The mouth of this dire creature opens and vomits bones at the mulkon. This spew of former victims rips and slams into the poor fighter.
The fight seems a bit repetitive, until the mulkon is incapable of moving. Somehow the bog beast’s little appendages grasp the 9+ feet of muscle, bone and tusk, tossing it into the air towards the gaping mouth. That many-toothed mouth closes on the mulkon, who is swallowed.
Behn, Mitzie and Ixnyx survive the fearsome creature, who on death causes many dozen of tiny tendrils to pop out of the ground and the chewed remains of the mulkon can be seen in the maw, among the teeth.
The group flees, before some noxious cloud can come and to avoid the walking death of night in Sheljar. They return via rowboat to the old inn. Their hearts full of fear, disgust and some sorrow.
Full Moon Storytelling 