Session V: To Looter's Cove

Vox's Dream

Late into the party's sleep, Vox felt himself awake below the deck of their new vessel. All around him, the hammocks were empty, and a terrible noise of battle was coming from above deck. He stepped out onto the main deck and was immediately met with a scene of carnage. Still on the Sudden North, he saw the Paku’wat kobolds desperately defending themselves from an entire crew of cutthroat pirates across the ship. He looked over just to his left right as a familiar ogre sent its greatclub into full swing, crushing an entire group of them. The only sounds he seemed to hear at this moment were the dying and painful cries as kobolds breathed their last.
The next thing he knew, the ogre is directly in front of him and glaring down with murderous intent. It began to raise its weapon to crush him like it did the others. As Vox felt the rage well up inside him, when he called upon it, light filled his eyes, and when next he could see, the ogre was roaring in anger. All across its body, the corpses of these kobolds, now glowing in a bright spiritual color grabbed and clung to its arms, legs, and neck, stopping it from moving. It strained and writhed to break free and attack, but it could not. Vox saw only the glow from their bodies, yet he could feel their gazes locked on him. He felt something in his hands, then, and when he looked down, he found his glaive there, glowing with that same energy. All around Vox, the voices of the kobolds rang in his head, screaming to avenge them.
He raised his glaive to strike. The moment his glaive touched the ogre’s skin, there was a flash and light filled his vision again, and everything went quiet. When next he could see, warm sand was beneath his feet as he suddenly found himself back on Solitary Island. In front of Vox, he saw the ranks of these still-glowing kobold spirits, some sitting and some standing, but all looking his way. Beyond them, encompassing the entire sky in god-like grandeur, a dragon with scales colored all manner of gleaming metal among the clouds. Its mouth did not move, but Vox heard its voice fill the air.

“Do not be afraid.” The dragon started. “These are the spirits of my kin, young Vox. Most choose to pass on from the Veil and be reborn through me. Yet, there exists a powerful bond, extending from these kin to you. I have heard their pleas, and so now are you summoned here. From the deepest reaches of their conscience, they wish for your victory. They request to serve at your side whenever you should call upon them. Young Vox, your answer will be your own. Will you honor their request?”
Being of a simple mind, Vox accepted with child-like innocence. “Then, it shall be.” The dragon’s

last word echoed for a long time as everything suddenly faded away. Vox wasn't sure if it was an instant or an eternity, but then he felt himself wake up just as the morning hit. A strange new power welled inside him as he could feel the spirits of the lost Paku'wat.

A Day of Repairs

The party's new ship would not be fully repaired until later in the evening. In the meantime, the party did some shopping, picking up a few new items from Daggon at the Fireball Forge; for Arves, a powerful runic square, for Corellia, a magnificent magical belt, and for Zephyrion, a magical ring. Corellia also hired a basic crew that was in town that could help man the ship for when they set sail.
Evidently, this crew has once manned their own ship back out west. But, Corellia learned from them Scally Bay had very recently come under attack by the Ravennian Navy, who had sieged the pirate town and left it very badly damaged, sinking many ships in the process, including this crew's.

Rumkeg's Departure

Early in the day, the party witnessed the Dragon's Hoard and the Triton's Revenge leave port, sailing north. The captain's hobgoblin first mate, crew name Skuttles, was left in town to run things while Rumkeg was gone. He met the party at the docks, letting them know he was on his way to settle a deal with Flintround. Skuttles was also told to leave them a new crewmate that he'd brought with him. It turned out to be a small fairy perched on his shoulder, dressed very colorfully and wielding two battle-axes.
Her name was Aria Swiftblade, and she was evidently kicked out of Rumkeg's crew for "being a nuisance." She was haphazardly left with the party whether they wanted a say in it or not.

A Heading

In the evening, the hired workers of Manmoga finished the repairs on the ship, and the party plotted a course for Looter's Cove soon after to take care of Ann "Hex" Tawny. They sailed through the night, and along the journey in the next day Corellia managed to finish helping the Paku'wat achieve basic proficiency in Common.
Despite being east of Darkwater, the party also noticed the presence of Ravennian naval vessels patrolling the waters, seeing both a galleon and then a cutter a while later. Despite Ravenna and the islands being at war in name, culturally, they knew the navy was more focused on fighting the radical pirates like the ones in Silverking's territory. Trusting in that, they ignored the Ravennians and they ignored them.

The Ravennian Navy

Commanded by Commodore Rowan Heckett, a drow with a notable military history, the Ravennian navy in this period is considered to be the jewel of the kingdom's power. It fields everything from small galiots up to entire frigates. It is the policing force that is at war with the Pirate Lords of the Silver Piece Islands.

A Shipwreck

The party found a shipwreck during their travel, long torn apart and lodged up amid a reef and spear-like rocks. Interested to see what still might be found inside, Corellia, Zephyrion, Arves, and Aria flew in to take a closer look; Vox remained on the New Management II. A few crates and barrels — still visible — could be seen out of the water. But, swimming in and out of the ship's holes beneath the waves, they spotted a small school of hunter sharks.
Wishing to explore the submerged half of the ship, Vox distracted the sharks by chumming the waters with food on the ship, managing to pull most, but not all sharks away. The rest of the party fought the remaining sharks and explored the rest of the ship. They found a few spell scrolls, a potion or two, coins which remained scattered, and a treasure chest still sealed deep inside the captain's quarters. They took it back to the ship, smashed it open, and became two-thousand gold coins richer.

Reaching Looter's Cove

Looter's Cove, one of the few colony settlements with an imposing array of stone walls to protect its interior. Unlike Manmoga, run by Captain Rumkeg, or Darkwater, run by Pirate Lord Silverking, Looter's Cove was under the thumb of the mighty githyanki warlord, Pirate Lord Weaver. Every ship in port — four of them — flew Weaver's colors. One of the ships was Weaver's ship itself, the Ja'alath Hellflower.
One of the other ships, a galiot named the Featherweight, started sailing towards the party's ship. They made sure their ship was not flying Silverking's colors. On their approach to the docks, the party saw the ship hoist a red flag; Corellia understood it was a message which said, "Prepare to be boarded."

Being Boarded

The party was at first very resistant to the order. The ship came closer, and they saw it was captained by a different githyanki man, who barked orders at his crew like a general, and made it very clear to the party if they did not comply they would be labeled enemies of Pirate Lord Weaver and would open fire. Assured the githyanki's crew would only surround the main deck of the New Management II and secure it, the party reluctantly backed down.
The githyanki's name was Osaidus, and he questioned the party on their reason of arrival. At first, they were dodgy in answering the question, saying they were only here to gather supplies for the ship. But, Arves, thinking being honest and up front was the best course of action, got Osaidus' full attention when he said they were here to collect Hex's bounty.
As it turned out, Hex had been attacking Looter's Cove during the night on many nights. The party was told she always appears out of the darkness, and in the moment any ships set out to pursue her and answer the attack, it vanishes in a similar veil. Osaidus and others always heard her exclaiming she would not loved until Tide Witch Clarissa was handed over, the prominent noble woman of Looter's Cove.
Convinced the party was here to do something that would also help Weaver's territory, the party was permitted entry into Looter's Cove.
To be continued...

Report Date
March 9th, 2024
In-Game Start Date
Eadriscus 14th, 1301 AC
In-Game End Date
Eadriscus 15th, 1301 AC

Player Characters

Zephyrion Skyblade - An owlin fighter.
Vox - A hill dwarf, emerald kobold, ancestral guardian barbarian.
Corellia Emberfin - A tiefling-triton fighter.
Aria Swiftblade - A fairy champion fighter wielding duel battleaxes.
Arves - A vedalkin scribe wizard.

Non-Player Characters

Keic "Skuttles" Brigham - The hobgoblin first mate under Captain Rumkeg.
Osaidus - The githyanki pirate captain of the Featherweight.

Magic Items

Big Ali’s Summoned Pile-Driver

Wondrous item, uncommon, 750gp (requires attunement by a wizard)
This small runic square stone depicts an image of a massive hammer in the center of its slate. Strange arcane incantations are inscribed around it in a circle.
Summon the Pile Driver (A). This has three charges. While holding this, you may use an action to recite the incantation and summon an incorporeal maul to smash a 15-foot square, centered on a space you can see within 30 feet. Each creature in the area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw, suffering force damage equal to 3d6 + your Intelligence modifier on a failed save, or half as much damage on a success. The DC equals 8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus. This regains all charges after you finish a long rest.
Ascended. The pile driver deals an additional d6 of force damage whenever you use it.
“Get BASPD. The S is silent.”

~ Big Ali

Ring of Destruction

Ring, uncommon, 800gp (requires attunement)
This ring is a dark gray stone, with the headpiece of an angry, mourning man.
Anisian’s Jealousy (A). While wearing this ring, you can use an action to target a 10-foot by 10-foot square on the ground you can see within 30 feet of you and conjure destructive energy there. Each creature in the area must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or suffer 2d8 force damage.
Ascended. The DC of Anisian's Jealousy increases by 1 and it deals an additional 1d8 force damage.
“They took her from me… why do they make me do this?”

~ Anisian, the Jealous

Smooth Talker

Belt, common, 150gp (requires attunement)
This small belt is made of silver links of roses forged in different shades. Transmutation glyphs are engraved into the center of each one. In light, each link gleams brilliantly.
Gilgamesh's Glamour (A). While you wear this, whenever you make a weapon attack, you may use your Charisma modifier in place of any other modifiers for the attack and damage roll.
Ascended. While you are attuned to this, your Charisma score increases by 1, as does your maximum for that score.
"En Garde!"

~ Gilgamesh