Session 20 - Finding the Lost Souls Archipelago

General Summary

Interlude

You are once again feted as heroes (and heroines!) after your triumph in the mine and rescue of Basar and his fellow dwarves along with the other 20 miners who had been trapped. It will be some time before the mines are fully operational again but now that the Cave Drake has been killed the community at least has another route in from which to work.
Your conversation with Basar provided some additional information. You have a couple of days to rest before the supply ship will return and then you and Entar can make your way south towards Sunom. The plan is to alight at Melport which is a key staging port for Sunom now that the ancient capital itself has fallen so much into disrepair. You're interested to see what has happened to Sunom in the weeks since you were last there, have the Orcish tribes claimed a firmer hold on parts of the city or has the Nomarian Army re-established control?
Either way your route lies further south to the port of Paleran where you should be able to find passage to the island identified only as a cryptic reference.
It’s your last night in Yelna and after another heavy drinking session, you’re looking forward to some relaxation; with fair wind and tide the journey by ship should take no more than 4-5 days. Tripp awakes with a start in the night, it's 04:00, the moon has set and the night is still. For a reason he simply does not understand he has a clear picture in his mind of a number/letter combination. Y-613559
One thing at least you're certain of, it bears no relation to the unusual hexagonal container that you still haven't managed to open.
Later, upon reflection, Tripp has revised his story, it's not so much that he has a clear picture of Y-613559 rather that he feels he heard someone saying it, but he cannot remember where or when. As you all board the ship to Sunom, with Entar is enthusiastically musing about what trouble you'll get into and whether he's going to see that fucking enormous bird again, very much none the wiser.

Finding the Lost Souls Archipelago

The sea voyage is uneventful, with no storms or strong winds, except from Digby. After five days we debark at Melport close to Sunom. Other troops have been sent to help the Nomerian army, but the city is overrun with Orcs, Ogres and Trolls, and it is not clear why they are banding together. Baka wonders if it is the work of the Serpents of Amnos. She also wonders what happened to the figure on the dragon, and if they all ride dragons, but that is a train of thought that she does not want to continue.
We leaver Melport aiming to get to Paleran from which we hope to get another ship to the island. It is a 10-day ride. As we get closer to the city there is more traffic on the road and we can see troops with the flag of the Sunom Protectorate. Other travelers tell us that Paleran maintains its own armed forces and is self-governing and that there is an agreement that other army units do not enter its territory. We hear that it is a large, rich city due to its extensive trade with elves and orcs among others. The island that we are going to is part of the Lost Souls Archipalego, the lost souls being a break-off group of elves from Maertheryan. The elves call this breakaway group the Soa, meaning filth in elven. There is a huge amount of animosity between the two elven groups with the normal elves hating the Soa’ns more than they do orcs. The orcish kingdom is a rich source of iron and precious stones, especially now that the dwarvish mines are no longer productive. The Lost Souls trade in timber and medicines, and are said to be highly skilled in poisons and magic.
Paleran has sent no troops to aid Sunom to maintain its neutrality. Security is tight in the city and justice is swift. As we get closer, we see signs saying “You are leaving the Sunom Protectorate” and there are red posts which mark the border. Soon the traffic ahead of us slows down and we can see a guard post and we can see that some groups are being stopped while others are being waved through. We cannot work out how that is being decided, other than supposing some of the people are known to the guard.
We get off our horses as we approach and Riele sits on the saddle pommel of Baka’s horse. A guard asks our reason for coming and Baka tells him that we came from Sunom, where we did some fighting and that we are originally from near Calatan. She continues on to say that we are here for trade, and healing herbs, and he asks to look thru her saddle bags. Finding Gurk(?) he calls someone over and who tells her that this is a rare herb which will fetch a good price. This guard tells us that you can find anything to buy in Palenar and tells us of the street of herbalists. One guard approaches Riele, recognizes her as an Entar hawk and says to Baka “where did you get the hawk?”. “We have had hawks in my family for generations”, Baka replies. The guards hand us a list of punishments, with shows that murder is punished by death. The sheet also says that authorization is required to enter the Docks.
We are allowed to enter and continue down the track to the town. We hear from the travelers around us that Nomar, Dwarven and Elven ships can use the main Docks, but not Orcish or Soa’n ships. They tie up against two offshore landing stages which have narrow causeways out to them. This enables separation which keeps the Docks peaceful and Orcs and Soa rarely come into the town, if they do it is the captains and traders. Some traders have a special license that allows them to sell on the causeways which are two wagons wide.
Entering the city, we soon come to Suncross which is where the wealthier traders live. The roads are crowded and we even see people tidying up the copious dung from the numerous horses. There is an acrid smell, the strength of which varies and another which we cannot place yet. We ask someone for the street of the healers and are told of the long street in Suncross where the most reputable healers do their business. Lilrie looks into the Forever Flask and notices that at some point it has filled up with the Reglan moss potion. Lilrie decides to check more frequently next time it is used to understand how quickly it refills.
It is early afternoon and we see a building with a sign saying “Suncross Rooms and Stables” which looks reasonable and is in a good location. We enter, Riele sitting on Baka’s shoulder, and are told that food, lodging, stabling for each of us is 1sp per day so with other expenses it will be about 1gp per day. They have a safe which he says we can use. The innkeeper recognizes that we are new to the city and says we can ask him anything. Tripp asks him about fletchers and he points us to the Hay Yard. He looks at us since we stand out, and it is the same on the street. Soldiers in particular notice us.
The innkeeper tells us that by the Docks we can get excellent seafood. He recommends the Oceanside Brewing Company, and says that the Red Herring and Sea Eagle do great food. The Windlass Inn does some of the best Elven food in the city. Tripp says that they would have to rename The Windlass Inn after we go there, but Lilrie patiently explains that a windlass is part of a ship and not an absence of wind.
On the way we notice that many people are armed, including the stevedores, even if it is just a machete. We noticed some arguments, but soldiers soon sort them out without bloodshed. Entering the Oceanside Brewing Company, we make our way to the bar and ask about the beers. One called “Basilisk”, since if you have too many of them and you turn to stone. We order the Dark Ale Tremor and start talk to the barman, asking what we need to know about the city and the region and he tells us to keep out of trouble and try the seafood. We ask about good healers, but he doesn’t know about them. He says that there are ships from all parts of Nomar and from all over Ellios including the Archipelago. Brovar asks him what that is and he explains that some people call them the Soa, meaning filth. He says that many of the herbs in the streets of the healers will have come from those islands. They also trade in special hardwood trees.
Deciding that we have to try it once we order “Basilisk”, taking the opportunity to ask whether the Soa’n look any different to the normal elves. The barman says that the elves from the Archipelago die their hair black, but that otherwise they look pretty much the same. Brovar asks why it is called the Sea of Suffering and is told that the seas are particularly treacherous with many storms. The barman tells us that the Soa’ns will not let us land on the islands and that the names are Emris, Sholis, Koral and Panar, the first being the main one. It is rumoured that Panar is inhabited by a sect which are the most knowledgeable about herbs and poisons. It is also said that there are sea trolls there, which are aquatic with webbed hands and feet.
Suddenly we hear a commotion outside and we follow others out onto the street. We see a ship entering the harbour, with two of its three masts broken in half and signs of fire. It seems to be an elven ship and people are moving to get a closer look. We follow them and see it is called Tanulia and we overhear that it visits regularly. It appears to have been attacked and there are few people on the deck. “The captain of the Tanulia knows what he is doing”, someone close by says, “I bet they gave as good as they got”. Soon the elves start debarking with their injured, one missing his forearm, and eight corpses. We push forward and see someone who seems to be the captain.
Lilrie pushes thru the crowd and offers to help and Digby joins her to lay hands on one of the injured who is bleeding. Lilrie does Minor Fracture Repair on two of the injured with bones and seeing this people make space for them. Digby then moves on to the others and after an hour the injured are all stabilized. We notice that we are directly outside The Windlass Inn and see the Captain is watching as Lilrie and Digby finish up. “It seems I owe you my thanks, you must let me buy you a drink in the inn” he says. He tells us that he is called Nemeryn, and that he is the master of the Panuliar. “Why did you not bury them at sea” ask Digby, “that is not our way” he replies. The bodies are taken off in wagons, seemingly to be cremated. The injured are taken back on the ship, as Nemeryn and one of his crew lead us into the inn.
Nemeryn explains that they were sailing from Uelion, their home port, to trade silks and that this is a regular run. They normally stay inshore, away from the Archipelago, but this time storms drove them close and they were attacked by the Soa. He spits on the floor as he says their name. They were attacked by three ships attacked, two from Emris and one orcish galleon, and he was surprised that they collaborated. As he talks, we can see that he eyes starting to brim with tears, and he downs his beer to hide it. His crewmember takes over telling us that they sank the orcish galleon and that one of the Soa ships, the Cinder, was badly damaged. The crewmember continues to tell us that during the fight Nemeryn’s only daughter, Ayla, was kidnapped by some Soa who boarded the ship. They know she will be ransomed but for each month of delay they will send one of her fingers, and once those are used up, they will move onto her toes and then her eyes. Since the Soa’n are such good healers, they can keep people alive even when they are doing this. Nemeryn suspects that the ships will go to Emris and, looking at us soberly, he says “if you help me, I will be forever in your debt”.
Looking round our group, Nemeryn focuses on Baka. “How did you get the hawk?”, he asks. “My family has had connections with them for generations”, Baka replies as if it is not important. “How many generations?”, he asks again, with obvious interest. “I don’t exactly know”, she says, not looking to give away any more information. He knows that we are not telling him everything and we get the feeling that he also is not being entirely truthful with us.
At that moment we hear more commotion outside and one of the crew comes in and reports to Nemeryn who rushes outside with us hot on his heels. At the remoter landing stage there is a damaged Soa’n ship tieing up alongside. Nemeryn identifies it as the Cinder and we can see it is over 100 foot in length. “This is our way in”, he says, a look of hope in his eyes. “How many of the crew are left aboard?”, Brovar asks. “There can’t be more than 20”, Nemeryn replies. “That is doable”, says Sai Kyo, earning a raised eyebrow from Nemeryn.
We will not be allowed onto the causeway so we know that we will have to get out to the landing stage under cover of darkness. Nemeryn wants to go tonight in case the Cinder takes off and says that he can help us with supplies. He says that he and three of his crew will join us. Given that we will be working closely with him, and suspecting that he might have some useful information, we tell him our backstory. Showing little surprise, he says that the place we are looking for is Dragon Rock, attached to Emris by a stone bridge and that not even the Soa go there. There is a legend that only death awaits people who go there. Legends even say that some of the plants are carnivorous. In his early days he sailed past it and he remembers it is heavily overgrown, with the remains of some buildings, and one dome-like in structure. “If you help me get my daughter, I will help you get onto Dragon Rock”, he promises us.
With little time to prepare we head first to the inn to get our gear, and pay for a week’s lodging. After that we go to the street of healers to buy some herbs, before quickly returning to the Docks. In the meantime, Nemeryn has prepared a long-boat for the 10 who are going, and we wait until it is fully dark before moving off towards the partially lit landing stage. The elves are superb oarsman and take us in silently, in a wide arc, so that we approach it from the sea. A Soa’n stands at the top of the stairs to the top of the landing stage, looking towards the shore, his back to us.
The elves bring us in and Sai Kyo climbs to attack the Soa’n preparing Adrenal Speed. Tripp readies his bow and fires two arrows, the signal for Sai Kyo to attack. His first arrow hits for a 13C puncture critical, the second arrow does a 24E puncture critical, doing 7 more hits, stunning him for two rounds and making him bleed. One of the elves whispers something, which we learn is “nice shot” in elvish, which from an elf is a great compliment. Immediately after the arrows strike, Sai Kyo attacks twice doing 17E and 19E criticals, and 9 more damage. He can hear the Soa’n’s rib cage cracking as he sags to the floor dead, the sound softened by support from Sai Kyo. He lays him out of sight, down the steps and in the moonlight, he can see the top of the landing area and eight Soa’n standing around, none looking in his direction.
We position ourselves for attack as Digby and Baka cast Shield, and Nemeryn and his elves climb up the stairs. Sai Kyo stalks to get behind the closest Soa’n who is standing alone. Baka also prepares Shock A and we all let rip together. Tripp’s first arrow hits for 33 and E and A criticals, nailing the Soa’n’s lower leg, smashing muscle and cartilage, stunning him so that he is unable to parry for two rounds, on putting him on -50. The second arrow hits for a 15D critical, going straight thru his leg, severing his femoral artery, spraying blood everywhere as he collapses, unconscious. Behind him he can hear another elf saying something in elvish, and he recognizes the same word as before. Digby is up next doing firing his arrow for a 10B puncture critical and 2 more hits. Baka fires off her Shock A hitting the Soa’n in the chest stunning him for two rounds. Brovar fires next doing a 26E puncture critical for 3 more damage. Lastly Sai Kyo hits his target from behind for a 38E strike critical, breaking a bone in the Soa’n’s foot, doing 5 more damage, stunning him for 5 rounds and putting him on -50. Not a bad start.
Next round Baka, Lilrie and Brovar rush to attack the two Soa’ns standing close together. Sai Kyo attacks the lone Soa’n with a 9A strike critical for 3 more damage. One of the elves is attacking the same Soa’n and opens him up from groin to throat with a long, sharp knife. Brovar is attacked with a falchion, but he is able to side-step the swing. One of the Soa’n fires at Nemeryn missing, then drops his bow and draws his falchion. Brovar attacks with his long sword doing a 4A crush critical, for 12 more hits, stunning the Soa’n for 3 rounds making him unable to parry. He follows up with his mace closely missing. Baka strikes next doing a 17E slash critical, for 3 more damage and putting her target on 1 hit per round. One of the Soa’ns runs for Digby and Tripp lines up on him. His first arrow does a 15D puncture critical, cuts straight thru his neck severing his spine. His second arrow hits for a 10C puncture critical, going thru his shoulder severing the muscles. I don’t think he will reach Digby. Meanwhile, screaming curses, Nemeryn uses his long, sharp knife to gut another of the Soa’n with practiced ease.
More Soa pour out of the ship and what must only be a sea troll climbs onto the landing ripping apart one of the elves. We didn’t expect that. Sai Kyo starts running towards them, but seeing the sea troll he slows down taking cover behind some barrels. He is not so stupid after all. Brovar and Lilrie join him and they form a line, as Digby draws his battle axe and runs in to join them. The remaining elf of the two who ran towards the ship has been killed but not before taking out two Soa’n. Tripp is in his element, firing his first arrow at the sea troll doing a 33C puncture critical, and his second doing a 15B puncture critical, putting it on 8 hits per round, -50 on all actions, and doing 11 more damage. Baka does a feeble 2 damage to the stunned orc, barely hitting him with one of her poorest strikes in the adventure to date. The elf beside her does more damage to it, as Nemeryn fights the other Soa’n on our side of the landing stage.
As the new Soa’ns approach, Sai Kyo, having prepared with Adrenal Speed, attacks and does 4 damage with his first attack, and a 14C strike critical with his second stopping the Soa’n attacking this round. Brovar is up next doing a 4A slash critical with his long sword, and a 7B crush critical with his mace, for 6 more damage, putting the Soa’n on 1 hit per round, and stopping him attacking as well. Digby attacks the sea troll with an amazing strike (307!!), doing a 72C and B slash criticals, putting it on a total of 14 hits per round, doing 10 more damage. That was simply awesome. Lilrie attacks with her morning star, but misses. The sea troll attacks Digby doing 10 damage with its claw and 7 with its bite, finally missing with its falchion, but doing 6 more damage and putting him on 3 hits per round. Tripp fires at the sea troll, his first arrow doing a 16D puncture critical, the second doing a 15D puncture critical, for 3 more damage. Baka attacks her Soa’n for a 10C crush doing 5 more hits and taking it out. One of the Soa’n attacks Digby doing a 13B crush critical for 10 more damage, putting him on 56 hits.
We are gaining the upper hand as Brovar attacks with his long sword doing a 14C crush critical for 9 more hits, his mace doing a 13C crush critical, for 9 more hits, killing the Soa’n. He is nothing if not consistent. Digby attacks the sea troll again, landing a 29A crush critical, 1 more damage, and gaining initiative next round. Sai Kyo strikes for 5A a chop, felling his target to the ground, stunning it and making it unable to parry for three rounds. The Soa’ns are fighting back doing 1 damage to Brovar and hitting Lilrie with a 14B slash critical, putting her on 3 hits per round and doing 7 more damage. Tripp aims for the sea troll once more, but fumbles with his first arrow, not letting it fly, but making up for it with his second shot which is perfect doing a 34C puncture critical adding another 1 hit per round, finally taking it out. We are all relieved to see it go down.
Soldiers are looking at us from the causeway, but they do not seem to be interested in getting involved. Unfortunately, they are close enough to be able to recognize us, so that will make coming back to Paleran difficult, but that is a worry for another day.
Brovar is up first next round, his long sword doing 32 E and A slash criticals, for 6 more hits stunning his opponent for 4 rounds in total, and getting +10 for his mace attack which is a 5A crush critical, for +5 to his next swing and 3 more hits. Sai Kyo strikes doing a 38E critical and there is an audible crack as the Soa’n’s ribs cave in, and it drops to the ground. Digby attacks, his battle axe doing a 35E slash critical, for 8 more damage, stunning his opponent and making it unable to parry for 2 rounds, putting it on 2 hits per round, and -10 to all actions. Tripp fires two arrows at point blank range into the back of a Soa’n in melee with Brovar and he drops, a look of surprise on his face. The Soa’n in front of Lilrie backs off and drops his weapon as Nemeryn and the last elf finish off the remaining Soa’ns, including the one who dropped his weapon. Nemeryn decapitates that one with a flourish, cleaning his blade on the body as the head still rolls off to one side.
We all take a breath and look around to see what is next. The priority is to stop the bleeding so Digby lays hands on himself and Lilrie to ensure their hits do not decline further. We then board the Cinder and at first there appears to be no-one else on board. From outside we hear a shout and we are soon joined by the injured crew who escaped from their ship since soldiers came to arrest them. Worrying that they will come for us soon, the elves prepare the ship and within moments it is underway.
Nemeryn wipes his brow which is drying quickly as the ship moves out of the harbour. Going after his daughter was the only choice he had, but at first it was an act of sheer desperation. However, looking around at his six new crewmembers, he gets a feeling that they might pull it off. There is something different about them, they are focused and unyielding, and although they told him the brief outline of their story, he wonders how much they left out. As far as he was concerned this was a major battle, but they seem to be treating it as just another day.
On first meeting them he had written off the one with the gut as a wastrel, but he showed enormous skill with the bow, and what a bow! And then there is the big guy with the battle axe who went toe to toe with a sea troll and walked away victorious! That is almost unheard of. Equally impressive was the dual-weapon wielder. His sword and mace were never still and cut chunks out of the Soa’ns. And the others are equally proficient. The healer is extremely skilled, having saved many of his crew already, but even she went in to fight with a very special-looking morning star. The monk is a fast, silent killer, deadly with his fists, who finished the fight completely unmarked. And then there is the leader, the lady with the hawk. She fights, she is a magician, but what else can she do? With them at his side, he feels a lot more optimistic about saving his daughter.

Post-Session Update

As The Cinder slips across the waves and Paleran shrinks away into the darkness you count your blessings. Everything seemed to go right from Tripp's first bow shot, Sai Kyo's stealthy first strike and Digby's devastating blows with his trusty Two handed battle axe. Maybe it's just easier when you outclass your opponents.
Whilst two more crew of the Tanulia were lost Nemeryn shows no lessening of his desire to kill every Soa'n elf he can. Below decks you find more evidence that cements his hatred and makes you wonder exactly what the nature of this splinter group of Elves truly is.
Two elven captives that Nemeryn and his shipmates had thought lost overboard are nailed to planks on the lower decks, both are high on drugs, conscious and screaming in pain from the screws and bolts driven into their limbs, screaming but for the fact their tongues have been ripped from their mouths and hang lifeless from the deck timbers a few inches from their faces.
Nemeryn ends their suffering without hesitation.
So, when you find a cowering Soa'n youth in the chain locker it takes the combined strength of Brovar and Digby to restrain Nemeryn; the six of you find yourselves facing off against the surviving eight shipmates because you recognise this young boy may hold information you can use to your advantage in your intended assault on Emris. What's eight to ten thousand Soa'n elves when you're in such good form?

• Kitty
• Session start – 1132 gold, 187 silver
• Income – none
• Expenses – 5gp for seven days lodging, herbs 240, 210, 80, 195, 500 = 1230 gold
• Session end – minus 80 gold!

Report Date

29 May 2021

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  Paleran and the Lost Soul's Archipelago