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Against the Storm Part II: Luskan

DM_Matt

First Post
After another day of traveling, your ship exists a sea cave. There are other ships nearby, the the river's exit is unfortified.

Rufus explains "It's in the interest of both sides that the smugglers do their dirty work, and the Underdark River is too difficult to conquer anyway. So both sides use it and neither side tries to regulate it. It helps 'em both and it hurts 'em both. Lets hope that this time it really hurts 'em."

Its dark outside, so you will not see sun for another several hours, but you see the stars and the open sky for the first time in a week. Your draconic guide is true to his word, describing carefully the patrol schedules and strengths (which you note for later), and leading your ships past them into Luskan's massive harbor.

You have no good way of securing a mooring, however, although if you can get to shore on your own, Rufus can turn back and restock at the nearest Underdark outpost. You are cruising about 50 yards from shore.

Luskan is most clearly on a war footing, with at least a few dozen warships either in port or on patrol. Islands near the harbor's entrance are heavily fortified with towers and cannon, as is the shoreline. The military vessels are segregated from the civilian ones, docked in places that link to onshore military buildings.

In the center is the civilian district of the harbor, and the borders between military and civilian are formed on both sides by the two temples that are your targets. The temple of Umberlee is a tremendous structure of Ice (there is probably something stronger underneath) that looks like a tidal wave facing the sea, with four huge spires that look like waterspouts visible behind. The buildings below them you cannot see from the sea. The temple of Gond is a complex construction that seems to be comprised of a large main rectangular building with many spires and towers of odd shapes, and many moving gears on the outside that are probably just for show. In the center is a huge clock tower, also with almost definately extraneous huge gaud gears. It also features (next to it and slightly inland, toward the military structures), an enormous covered docking area with a channel out to the sea blocked by a huge door.

You see a drow walk out of the main building of the temple of Gond and move accross the docks. His hair is long and matted, his skin a pallid dark grey, and he is wearing a flowing black cloak over a reddish tunic. He cuts an impressive, strong figure, and you recognize his face just before he turns away: It appears to be the leader of the Kraken that fled your ship....
 

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dead_radish

Explorer
Elone considers the situation. "It seems we are near dawn, when I pray for Solonor's Gifts. Among the things he can grant me are the ability to stride across water, as though it were land, or the ability to breathe the water as air. I am sure others of the faithful among us could do the same. For myself, I can travel beneath the waves - my equipment is waterproofed, and my spells will last longer that way."

OOC: Water walk: 1 creature, 10 mins/lvl. Water breathing, 2 hours/lvl, divided among all creatures. I could give us 18 hours of water breathing, divided up among 6 people is 3 hours each... Water walk would be harder, but I have 3 3rd lvl slots I could devote to it. That's 1.5 hours of travel for 3 characters...
 

DM_Matt

First Post
Meanwhile, the dragon is in human form on your ship. As a human, he is tall and muscular with a reddish tinge to his skin. He has only slighlty visible boney protrusions on his back and shoulders, and a boney ridge over his red eyes that make them slant downwards somewhat, giving him sometihng of a feral look.

He dons a cloak and hood, and says "I'm going on shore. You know how to reach me. And here's a free tip:<gestures to the Kraken leader>. Stay away from that guy. Major bad@$$. "

Prepares to jump into the water unless someone says anytinhg to him first.
 


garyh

First Post
Akharos, uncomfortable with the evil dragon as a travelling companion, waits for one of the more well-spoken members of the group to tak the lead.
 

DM_Matt

First Post
garyh said:
Akharos, uncomfortable with the evil dragon as a travelling companion, waits for one of the more well-spoken members of the group to tak the lead.

The dragon sees that he's unwelcome and decides to leave the uncomfortable situation as soon as posible.

"Too good for the likes of me, I see. Well, you know how to reach me..."

He jumps overboard.
 

garyh

First Post
"I'm not sorry to see the likes of him go," the Half-Dragon muttered, "but so far he has kept his word."
 
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dead_radish

Explorer
Elone nods. "Indeed. That one is far outside Solonor's sight. Still, he seems to understand it would be best not to betray us."

She peers at the drow. "That is the one that lead the assault against us, is it not? It leads me to wonder if those river attacks were less than random...."
 

Elric

First Post
"We must proceed with great caution. There are probably evil priests of Gond who support Storm. The leader of the Kraken is almost certainly involved with these clerics. He might have been hired by them, if they are aware of our quest. It is also possible that he might have figured something out about us that relates us to the Church of Gond's interests. This does not have to be our quest. The powerful weapon that Rufus used might be very valuable to these artificers."
 

DM_Matt

First Post
The drow walks into a seaside restrauraunt, and soon is seen on the second floor balcony looking out to sea with a telescope.
 

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