04 - Recovery of the Delilah

General Summary

Kasim asks the party to investigate an automated distress signal from a nearby ship in trouble.

After a nice rest Kasim approaches the party to ask them if they could assist in something else. He explains that the reason he and Sergeant Darin have been a bit stressed and are having trouble with the roster is because they've send a group of 4 experienced sailors from the Clockwork Colossus to investigate a distress signal the day before the raid. It is not unusual to assist other ships, and its even required by international law. They expected the sloop to return within a day, but it has been two days now since the sloop left, and there is still no sign of them. The party is willing to help, but inquire what kind of reward they can expect. Kasim responds that for all their hard work with the investigation of the raid and if they're willing to assist with the ship in distress, they can expect about 300 gold pieces per person. Also, there are regulations for assistance of ships in need, and they can probably expect a reward from the owner of the ship if they can recover the vessel. The reward is dependent on the circumstances of the problem, but he expects it to be about 1000gp for the party in total.
The party likes the sound of that, and are accompanied by two of Kasims men. Giovanni Rossi, in charge of the rescue, armed with a large heavy crossbow, and Otto Fischer, an experienced sailor. After a few hours sailing they reach the Delilah. The other sloop is attached to the rear of the ship, but there is no sign of the other crewmembers of the Clockwork Colossus, nor of the crew of the Delilah.
The sloops are sailing vessels, the Delilah is powered by a combination of magic and steam, just like the Clockwork Colossus. The party carefully board the sloop and then the ship. Gio and Otto stay behind, alert and ready to cast off if there is a sign of trouble. The adventurers explore the ship from top to bottom and notice a few weird things:

• You find a heavy crossbow aboard the other sloop. Standard Aegyrian navy issue, the same as Gio has.
• Pillar finds a discarded, opened but not bloody, straight razor, with a nicely worked silver handle.
• The ship is a lot colder than the surrounding air. It makes no real sense.
• In the galley you find a severed, frozen, hand. It looks like it has been violently torn from the arm with something like sharp teeth or claws. There is not enough blood, and the blood you find is frozen.
• You try starting the ship, it seems to be quite in order, except that the generator in the engine room doesn't seem to respond.
• While hanging around on the bridge, Pilar sees a shape on the front deck near the large crossbow. But then it's gone. It was roughly humanoid in shape, but off somehow.
• You discover in the captains quarters (behind the bridge) that the captain is called Li Wei, and that the ship is owned by Julia Fabia, of the rich and noble Fabia family from Lucetia.
• The captains quarters is quite organized, except for a bunch of papers on the desk and the rest of the shaving kit (missing a straight razor) has been tossed on the ground.
• You discover on the bookshelf mostly nautical stories and myths, besides boring bookkeeping books and cargo logs. On the desk is a small book with the Saga of Ganna.
• Pilar has heard of this saga, it's originally from Nordheim. It tells the tale of Ganna Gesh, a legendary explorer. She fought against a mythical creature during her journey. Ganna was known for her silver bow. She tries to remember more, but can't really remember more details.
• On the front deck you find that someone has pried open a crate and created two molotov cocktails from strong liquor.
• There is a very large crossbow mounted to the bow of the ship. It appears that it has not been fired. Julius cranks the handle and loads a large bolt, just in case.
• Reaching the lower deck the party discovers two small bedrooms, one with a matrass soaked in blood (and subsequently frozen), and frozen blood hanging like icicles from the ceiling. John finds a hidden stash of small gems underneath one of the beds and pockets them. Julius finds nice leather armor worked with delicate silverwork in a nautical motive. In another room you find a scroll in a scroll case, with the Knock spell inscribed on the parchment.
• The first door to the rear compartment is fine, but the second door has been smashed in with force. Crossbow bolts stick from crates and the doorposts. A heavy crossbow, just like you've found on the sloop and like Gio is using, has been cleanly sliced through, and this swipe seems to have severed the main cable running from the generator of the ship to the other machinery.
• You estimate that, with the spare components you found, replacing this cable would be quite easy.

The moment the party approaches the front of the lower deck to check out the chamber in the bow, you hear a scream from above. The party rushes up, and see Gio, dead and frozen on the deck of the sloop, surprise on his face. Otto lies next to him, hacked to pieces, both clean cuts and brutal dismemberment. He has a look of pure horror on his face. He is clutching a silver amulet depicting the Godly Aspect of Radiance; Tempestus, the Storm Warden. Julius takes this amulet, to show or give it to Kasim upon returning. When the brave adventurers looks away from this slaughter, John sees a movement in the corner of his eyes, up upon the bridge, and Julius sees a fleshy, horrific humanoid creature. The party rushes to confront this monster, but upon reaching the bridge, it's gone. The door you've closed behind you to the brige stands open. Looking down towards the sloop they all see this creature, this thing from the deep, consuming the bodies of Gio and Otto, unhinging its jaw and shoving their body parts into its maw. A long purplish tongue licks up the blood. It looks up with his large green eyes, and dissapears.

Report Date

21 Mar 2024

Related Characters

• John Liu
• Pílar Hilká Holmqvist
• Veridius Claudius Julius Smit

Related Historical Events

• 1225 AEA
  Recovery of The Delilah