Session 9: Storms, Spores, and Shadowed Sails

General Summary

Draksday, Cythrea 18, 472 HE

  The storm finally passed, and with the winds calmed, the party set sail once more across the uncertain seas. Spirits were high, cards were shuffled—though not competently. Zindove, Ioane, and Dezzy attempted to play Gin Rummy, only to collectively realize they didn’t know the rules. After a comical struggle, they switched to a round of 21, where Dezzy, somehow both confused and lucky, took the pot. Meanwhile, Zaruk strummed his new lute like a true bardic brute, serenading the crew with surprising skill.   Clear skies brought fortune in the form of a merchant ship from the Mirrored Moon Trading Company. Its captain, Rimewater, warned of dangers both east and west, as any good sea captain should. Zindove attempted to ask where they were headed, but struggled with the names—was it Marinara? Menorah? Mirroronia? And was Ioane from Yoyo Ma? Uranus? Eventually, she pieced together Miranore and Eouma, much to everyone’s relief.   Zindove and Zaruk were invited aboard to trade. Zaruk sold his pearl for 100 gold, while Zindove went on a shopping spree worthy of a noble heiress: calligrapher’s supplies, a decanter of endless water, a gray bag of tricks, a medallion of thoughts, a pair of sending stones, a pearl of power for Ioane, and slippers of spider climbing (which she gifted to Dezzy with dramatic flair).   Dezzy, ever in love with cephalopodan antics, shapeshifted into an octopus and tried to sneak aboard… only to splat unceremoniously onto the deck. Zindove, ever opportunistic, used this moment of distraction to toss her beloved screaming rock, draw all eyes, and stealthily steal a folding boat from the cargo. Mission accomplished. Theft? Successful. Pride? Immeasurable.   As they left, Captain Rimewater offered a cryptic farewell: “Profit favors the patient tide. So don’t be in a rush to drown.” Zindove, feeling she had just won at life, practically beamed with purpose.   Another day passed with good weather—until Ioane spotted something unnatural in the dark sea: The Shadow’s Veil, a ghost ship known in legend. She roused the crew and Varnoth, grim-faced, shared the tale of a mortal who defied the gods and was cursed to sail forever with his doomed crew, tethered to the moonlight and regret.   The next day brought calm seas and floating horrors. A Leviatine Duskwyrm carcass drifted nearby, ripped open and infested with glowing Tether-spores. Dezzy recognized the fungus and, upon touching it, was hit with a memory—the beast’s final thoughts, pain, and panic. The spores were expanding.   Five Merrow arrived shortly after, suspicious but wary of the party. Zindove persuaded them to talk, and their leader, Kelthuun of the Fathomfold, offered a dire warning:   “There is a structure beneath the sea, older than this age. Black stone. It pulses like a heart. They called it the Eye-Root. A shrine, a prison, or both.”   In return for their aid, Kelthuun entrusted the group with four enchanted driftstones to mark future spore sites and call for Merrow support.   After more quiet sailing (and a bit of rain), the next morning brought chaos again—a sudden storm nearly swept Zaruk overboard. Ioane levitated to assist, while Dezzy lit the sea beneath them to guide the way. Then, with legendary recklessness, Mumpo tied himself to the ship and dove in yelling “I got you!”—nearly reaching Zaruk before Ioane ultimately secured the rescue. (According to Mumpo, of course, it was all him.)   Barely back aboard, there was no time to breathe before the sea rose up once again. A monstrous Tide Maw, large enough to block the horizon, rammed the ship with primal hunger. Dezzy tried speaking to it—unsurprisingly, its only thought was “Feed.” As Varnoth took the helm to catch a favorable wind, the battle for survival began...

Rewards Granted

• Slippers of Spider Climbing – Gifted by Zindove to Dezzy after their successful heist.
• Pearl of Power – Purchased for Ioane by Zindove.
• Decanter of Endless Water – Acquired from the merchant ship, useful for survival and creative problem solving.
• Medallion of Thoughts – Purchased by Zindove; allows surface thought reading—great for tense negotiations or shady vibes.
• Sending Stones – Enables long-distance communication; one given to the party, the other left with the dead sailor in the wreck.
• Gray Bag of Tricks – A fun and chaotic item with potential combat and RP use, now in party inventory.
• Calligrapher's Supplies & Themed Playing Cards – Purchased or looted, adding both flavor and utility to downtime scenes.
• Folding Boat (Stolen) – Acquired through Zindove and Dezzy’s distraction combo on the merchant ship.
• Enchanted Driftstones (x4) – Gifted by Kelthuun; these can be used to track Tether-spore corruption and call upon the Merrow for aid.

Missions/Quests Completed

• Driftstone Accord – Received enchanted driftstones from Kelthuun to track the spread of the Tether-spores and aid the Merrow in containing the threat.
• Merchant Exchange (and Shenanigans) – Acquired valuable magical items and supplies from the Mirrored Moon Trading Company... and also successfully stole a folding boat.
• Witnessed the Blight – Encountered the infected Leviatine Duskwyrm and confirmed that Tether-spores are spreading through the ocean.
• First Contact with “The Eye-Root” Threat – Learned of the ancient submerged structure linked to the blight and the being known as Zha’xilrath, the Sleeper Beneath.

Character(s) interacted with

• Captain Rimewater – Merchant captain of the Mirrored Moon Trading Company; shared warnings of dangerous waters and traded goods with the party.
• Merrow Leader Kelthuun of the Fathomfold – A cautious yet helpful aquatic guardian who warned of the expanding blight and entrusted the party with enchanted driftstones.
• Mumpo – Our favorite delusional Kobold stowaway, now a self-proclaimed sea hero after “rescuing” Zaruk.
• The Shadow’s Veil – A ghost ship seen in the distance, tied to a cursed sailor who defied the gods (via tale recounted by Varnoth).
• Varnoth Wender – Veteran captain of the ship and steadying presence during the journey and storm.