Heavy is the Head

"Another raises his flag... Prove yourself, or die here unworthy."

-Almos Korvallis

Deck Party of the Century

In the aftermath of the battle, Anton von Rheintach elected to celebrate the Kassothi corsairs' victory as well as his newfound overcaptaincy by throwing a massive party at the docks. After most of the fires throughout the city were put out, the entire surviving population of Crimsonhold eventually turned out to the deck party centered around the Mangy Dog.
During the party Anton was approached by Jameson Harper, a merchant sailor with an interest in sailing under the free flags of Kassoth. Taking stock of the powerfully-built fellow, Anton welcomed him to his crew and offered him a position on the Darrington which would soon set sail for Ar-Jan'ai.
In the course of the party, Anton learned from John Foote and Mary McCormac that the next day he would have to engage in a ritual known as "the Descent," an ordeal every past overcaptain has had to endure. Foote said that he did not know what exactly the Descent entailed as it was a closely-guarded secret, but that he would escort Anton to it. Foote also told Anton that he would be able to bring his crew with him. Before long, the deck party began to die down and the crew went to sleep.

Going Below

In the morning Anton attempted to rouse his crew but only Elria, Jameson, and Mute Bob were sober enough to stand, with the rest aggressively hungover. The four of them sought out John Foote, eventually finding him passed out in a cart of cabbages. After waking himself with a pouch of snuff, Foote guided them to a cave at the base of the mountain the Scarlet Fortress was built upon. Foote said that he could not accompany them any further, and the group cautiously entered.
The cave led into a long tunnel that eventually opened into a large underground cavern. In the center of the cavern was a lake of silvery-blue water that housed a small island at its center. The party took some time to try to find a way across before deciding to simply wade through the waist-deep water. Midway through, they began to regret their decision as pale, silvery hands began to reach out from the water, attempting to pull them below the surface. The party made haste and managed to reach the island where they found a small silver orb floating above a pedestal.

Ghosts of Captains Past

As Anton moved to touch the orb, the cavern filled with whispering voices as incorporeal forms began to appear. They identified themselves as the spirits of all past overcaptains, stating that Anton would have to prove his worth before moving to attack him. The four fought tooth and nail against the ghost pirates, eventually emerging victorious. After the battle, Anton felt called to the orb again and moved to pick it up.
As soon as he touched it, he found himself suspended in a dark vortex of seawater. A powerful female voice rang out from the water's depths which identified itself as that of the Drowned Mistress, a dark goddess of the seas. She told Anton that pirates are dear to her as they bring terror to the seas, and granted him a powerful boon called the Eye of the Drowned Mistress. At her instruction, Anton tore out his left eye and placed the silver orb in its place. He then found himself back in the cavern among his crew, and together they left and returned to the Mangy Dog.

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Heavy is the Head"

---

Previous Chapter: The Battle of Crimsonhold

Next Chapter: The Shimmering Gulf

---

Ingame Date: 21-22^nd of Rainseed, 1855
Real-Life Date: March 27, 2021
Protagonists:

• Anton von Rheintach
• Elria Sylvistra
• Jameson Harper

Featured NPCs:

• Mute Bob

Locations:

• Crimsonhold