Azimuth 2 - Session 47 - Battle at Sehakora’s Anchor
General Summary
Aktrout
Aktrout Ark
In the Aktrout Ark, Arwin, Romsca, Demitri, Gertrude, and Mortimr spoke with Deputy Oknar Dhnen. Next to him was Grand Matriarch Inkathu, a member of Keel’s Council, who Gertrude recognized as a powerful figure of the Zenethian faith in Tarteria. Inkathu seemed content to let Dhnen speak on city issues, though the group could tell she had the standing to brush aside Dhnen’s influence if she wanted and the ability to smack him at will. Dhnen asked what their business was and said he’d already spoken with and answered the Hands of Ore dwarves’ requests. Gertrude said that was not why they’d come to the Aktrout Ark. Demitri said they were the Lightbringers, and they were drawn here because of the fading of Chedae’s light. He said Gertrude’s life’s calling, and their purpose in Aktrout, was to return the light. Dhnen was uncomfortable, until Inkathu smacked him. Dhnen told the other civilian onlookers to leave, and they exited the Ark.Lortuk’s Lightbringers
Inkathu then said, “And what light are Lortuk’s Lightbringers carrying to Aktrout?” She had heard of them, and seemed to not have a favorable opinion of them, or of Lortuk. Gertrude said, “I’m sure that you know by now that Chedae’s light is extremely, extremely dim here, and all of our investigations on Tarteria has led us here. This is where the Prophets of Regression have utterly diminished Chedae’s light.” Dhnen didn’t seem to recognize the Prophets, but Inkathu looked dour at their mention. Romsca added, “Something they did here is what we are under the impression caused the problem. We might have the ability to fix it. I cannot promise that, but we came to look and see what we can do.” Inkathu asked how they aimed to fix it, and noticing the holy symbols on Gertrude, asked them to cast a spell. Gertrude replied that was not Inkathu’s business. She then asked about their dealings with Lortuk and what they thought Lortuk had said about their group. Gertrude said “Lortuk is out for Lortuk,” and they shared some of their grievances about him. Inkathu said, “Why should I trust that you are not here to take advantage of Aktrout’s situation?” There was a growing tension in the room, and seemingly Inkathu was intentionally redirecting them to Lortuk to anger them. Romsca cut her off, saying, “I am getting very tired of this bureaucracy everywhere we go.” She continued, “Lortuk’s nothing more than an information giver.” Gertrude said she was here on behalf of Bishop Rannyl Grimsunder, and Mortimr added, “Your grace, we weren’t sent here by Lortuk, we were sent here by Chedae.” Demitri agreed and said not to sully Gertrude’s mission with Lortuk’s name. Inkathu cooled a bit and said, “Lortuk’s a self-centered ass. The fact that you’re not willing to defend him lets me know that you don’t care about him. Which is good.” She said she was glad her apprehensions about their group’s ties to Lortuk were misplaced.Agreeing to Help
Gertrude asked for permission to investigate what the Prophets had done in Red Lake. Dhnen said, “There was a group of outsiders that came here eight months ago and now everything here has gone to shit.” Demitri confirmed that was the Prophets of Regression. After Dhnen said his father, Oknar Zhangon, had been investigating them, Arwin asked if his father had been assisting them or if they acted alone. Dhnen reacted to the insinuation and growled Oknar Zhangon wouldn’t be helping outsiders. Dhnen said, “I think our town’s hurting, and I know we could do this ourselves, but it’s more important that things get done soon rather than continuing to cause street fights.” Gertrude said, “My place on this continent is to fix this, and if you would like to help, I’m not trying to take that away from you. But this must be done. It will not get better. It is only getting worse, and your people are right on the center of it.”The Oknar’s Illness
Dhnen replied, “Even if you wanted to help, you can’t go under the water. It’s too dangerous.” Arwin asked who decides that. Inkathu and Dhnen were silent, but the group felt Dhnen’s words were a true warning of danger. Arwin said, “Is this warning that you’re foreshadowing the reason why one of your anchors is dislodged? Or is it just due to the water itself?” Frustrated, he continued, “Listen, Deputy, you’re a prideful race, and I respect that. I really do. But you have to come to an understanding of where the line is, where you need help, and where you are lost. Right now, friend, I say this with the most due respect, you are lost.” Dhnen replied, “My father would have put you in the Scow's Tower for that, but you’re right.” He warned them about trying to do what his father had done before he fell ill. Gertrude asked about his father’s illness. Dhnen explained it’s the oknar’s duty to protect the town, so after the attack on the chains, he went under the water deeper in the lake to find the source of the trouble affecting the town. Dhnen didn’t know where specifically he’d gone, though.Culturally Correct Repairs
Romsca asked if the supplies to repair the Varg Barges chains and Zenthai’s Anchor were ready. She said she could fix it near instantly with her magic. Mortimr said, “With all due respect, though, we’re not here for that. We’ll help you, but we’re going in the water.” Romsca said she was willing to repair the docks and chains to build some good graces with the town. She frustratingly added, “When something needs to get done, it gets done. I don’t live long enough to fight about how it gets done.” Inkathu reacted to her words, and said, “Trifling over the way that it’s done is less important to me.” She explained the Hands of Ore dwarves had also offered their services, but would do it with dwarven materials and methods the shipwrights of Aktrout wouldn’t be able to recreate. Romsca understood and said to show her their way of making the repairs and what materials to use, and she would do it. Inkathu reacted positively, saying that offer was all the difference she wanted. Inkathu believed Romsca knew what it was like to have other cultures pressing on your own. She said, “Even Trip, Brigitte, and Grupe had allies to call on, others to help them on their tasks. We shouldn’t turn away a genuine hand reaching down to help us out of the dirt. What we take issue with is when that hand is aiming to keep us down.” She said that was the source of tension in Tarteria today. She thanked Romsca for her genuine offer of aid and looked expectantly to Dhnen. The deputy provided Romsca permission to do the needed repairs.Questions, Interrupted
In exchange, Arwin asked if Dhnen could provide passage to where his father had gone to investigate beneath Red Lake. Dhnen said his father was proud and hadn’t included him in his investigation. Demitri then astutely noted that he’d not made any mention yet about what illness his father was afflicted with. He said, “If it’s the same thing happening to the rest of the wildlife we’ve seen on our way down, it can’t be good.” Dhnen seemed hesitant to discuss his father’s weakened condition, so Demitri continued, “And if your father is sick, Madam Inkathu, I now suspect, based on your question to Gertrude earlier, is why you are here. You’re here to heal the oknar. I don’t know if you can right now.” In response, Inkathu lit the crystals in her staff with bright light, but the effect slowly faded after a few moments. She said they’d done their homework and again asked Gertrude if she could still access her magic. Gertrude said, “The answer is: barely. The last time I tried to feel Chedae’s light, it was almost yanked completely out of me. It is barely a flicker, but there is still a flicker.” Inkathu explained her own magic was nearly gone, saying the only light she had remaining was her own. Noises from the town were heard outside as Inkathu said, “I am not here for the good oknar’s health. Zhangon is a dick. The city’s going to be better off with his son. But the good oknar is the only one who knows what he saw under the water.” The commotion outside continued and a soldier rushed in. At his order the other queensguard quickly moved to surround Inkathu. The soldier said there was a commotion and combat at the dynamian anchor. Dhnen quickly said to the group, “Protect this town, and I’ll show you what you need to see.” They rushed out, following the soldier towards the sounds of fighting to the northeast.Attack on the Anchors
Buoy's Bagels
Meanwhile, at Buoy's Bagels, Romulus, Chaka, Ilmendwyth, and Ruslan continued to interact with Krickey and Na’roo. Krickey thanked them for their business, saying he wasn’t selling as much as he wanted in Aktrout. He was also running out of supplies, but was hesitant to purchase more fish and seaweed from the Wet Market. When Romulus asked why, he said some of the fish had strange limb-like growths. Romulus warned Krickey about the negative effects happening in the lake and advised him to keep Na’roo out of the water, if possible. As they talked, they saw Na’roo motion towards the murky water. Something large under the surface was making a wake as it moved rapidly. It passed them towards the southeast. Romulus quickly called Cinis and sent him with a message to alert the other group. He then Wild Shaped into a riding horse, Chaka mounted him, and the group started running over the docks after the moving shapes in the water.Sehakora’s Anchor
They reached Sehakora’s Anchor at the southern end of the city. As they arrived, two giant crabs coated with metal scrap and holding strange, fish-like koa-toan riders emerged from the water. On the red crab, the fishy creature seemed to be a commander and the other, on the blue crab, held odd ritualistic symbols. As they headed towards the anchor, Romulus carried Chaka forward while Ilmendwyth quickly climbed onto a roof to cast a spell on the red rider. The seaweed drew around it, and it began glowing. The kuo-toan noticed the approaching group, and Chaka heard the red rider urge the other forward in a strange, watery language. The blue crab climbed onto the anchor platform and attacked the metal chains attached to the wooden pyramid. Then, the other rider drove the red crab towards the party. At its command, the metal on the crab’s shell began to pulse. A massive surge of magnetic energy erupted, pulling everything metal towards it. Chaka didn’t want to let his helmet go, and he was stuck to the crab by the energy. The rider than attacked Chaka while he was restrained. In response, Ruslan ran forward and grabbed onto Chaka. With a heave, he pulled him away.Inspiration and Bad Luck
As the magnetism pulse faded, the party responded. Chaka inspired Ilmendwyth with “Work #33: Landscape of the Frozen Fleet Post”, then jumped across the docks to reach the anchor platform. Ilmendwyth started firing well-aimed stone arrows from his position down at the kuo-toans. Romulus reached for his magic and cast towards the metal coating on the blue crab attacking the anchor. The metal grew hot and started to burn the crab. It writhed in pain and the shaman rider quickly dismounted to get away from the heat. As Chaka got close, the shaman directed the crab to leave the anchor and attack him. While the shaman cast Bane onto Ruslan, the blue crab rushed and attacked Chaka. Meanwhile, the red crab and rider attacked Ruslan, but his new armor proved effective protection. After, the red crab jumped back into the water. Ruslan didn’t want to follow, so he tried to reach the anchor as well, but the Bane on him caused him to fall into a fishing boat. He carefully stood, saying, “I hate boats!” Chaka tried to cast spells, but they were ineffective on the shaman and blue crab. Frustrated, he pulled on the green energy of his neck glyph and fired a Witchbolt at the kuo-toan fighter under the water. In response, the kuo-toans urged the crabs on. The blue crab magnetically pulsed. Ruslan’s spear and shield were ripped from him, leaving him defenseless. The red crab resurfaced and the rider and crab attacked Ruslan in the boat. With a massive hit, Ruslan was taken down.Slaying the Fish
The shaman tried to retreat to the water while throwing its spells, but Ilmendwyth shot a stone arrow into its jaw, silencing it and sending it sinking into the water. Romulus summoned Cinis back. The bird shot fiery feathers into the last kuo-toan, immolating it in boiling water. The crabs were now riderless and seemingly acting only on instinct. The red crab attacked Romulus as he rushed to Ruslan’s side, before it jumped into the water and sank out of sight. Chaka then cast a grand illusion spell on the last blue crab, making it see a massive predator in the water. As Romulus’s fire continued to burn it, the blue crab unleashed another magnetic pulse. Chaka’s helmet flew off his head, revealing him, and the crab then fled deeper into the town. As the sounds of combat moved away from him, Ilmendwyth noticed two cloaked people watching the fight and whispering in thieves cant. As the crab moved towards them and finally burned to death from the heated metal, Ilmendwyth saw them leave to the east.Rose Petals
After the fight, Romulus quickly healed Ruslan. He came to and asked if they’d won. Romulus helped him to shakily stand and asked which of the crabs had taken his equipment. Ruslan pointed towards the dead blue crab and said, “That one took my sister’s spear.” As he did, there was a flash of pink in his eyes, and the spear flew from the crab across the anchor to his hands in a flurry of rose petals…
Report Date
30 Apr 2025
Primary Location
Secondary Location
Related Characters
26 Adroth 5A 352