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Skull & Shackles (2E Conversion), solo campaign
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<blockquote data-quote="Crys" data-source="post: 8026798" data-attributes="member: 7024831"><p><strong><span style="font-size: 22px">Spoiler Warning: Many spoilers for the Skull & Shackles adventure path are contained within these story recap posts. If you don’t want your campaign spoiled, don’t read these!</span></strong></p><p></p><p>[hr][/hr]</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 26px"><strong>Session 13 – The Trade Lanes</strong></span></p><p></p><p>Dolce had done a double take when the crew had assembled in the morning on their first day out from Slipcove. There were at least <em>twice</em> as many halflings on board as she remembered, and now 32 crew. She supposed her stories must have gotten the attention of some of Captain Raffles’ kin while they were on Bag Island and it seemed Mirielle had felt they needed more crew.</p><p></p><p>She was, at least in part, correct. With the now four ballistae and two catapults on board they required more crew to man them. But the crew’s aggregate height had to have decreased by half, and the thought of that was amusing to Dolce and probably more so to someone like Nasha who already towered above the humans aboard.</p><p></p><p>Dolce didn’t get much opportunity to mingle with the new crew in their first days out. She was too busy hanging over the front of the prow getting splashed by waves as she carved at the figurehead. Mirielle had been all too happy to point out Dolce could have done this while they were in port, but Dolce just ignored her.</p><p></p><p>It did take a bit longer than she’d imagined, but… The image really came out as she worked the wood. The extra days were worth the effort as each detail of her ice-winged angel version of Mirielle came to life. Painting it would have to wait til the next time they made port… Which would likely be in Senghor… When she’d want to catch up with Gidras and buy more scrolls from him… She could manage both, surely.</p><p></p><p>The sixth day she finished her work and bid Mirielle look at it. The Captain looked at first surprised and in awe, and then amused. “I suppose I should have expected that..” she gestured at the angel’s halo.</p><p></p><p>“Aye, Captain, have to be true to your likeness,” Dolce said.</p><p></p><p>Mirielle snorted. “I don’t have wings.”</p><p></p><p>Dolce tilted her head, “What are those then?” She gestured up at the silken sails with their misty, ice crystal motif.</p><p></p><p>Mirielle followed her gesture and blinked, regarding her closely for a moment. Had she seen the poem in the captain’s log? Surely not. No. Dolce wasn’t snooping through her things. “I suppose a fair counterpoint, Dolce. Well done. I knew you wouldn’t disappoint.”</p><p></p><p>Another day passed in relative peace, but near the end of it the whistle sounded. This time the whistle blew long bursts. Dolce made her way to the prow, happy not to be dangling on a rope this time, and looked through her spyglass. In the distance, almost due east of <em>The Purr</em> was a column of smoke.</p><p></p><p>In the open ocean, that could only mean a vessel was burning. “Smoke, Captain.” Dolce nodded toward it as Mirielle joined her and looked through her own spyglass. “Can’t see just what boat is burning, but I’m sure I’ll be able to tell you when we get closer.”</p><p></p><p>And closer they did get. As they drew close enough to see properly Dolce could make out a single masted Chelish naval cutter and a brig. “Looks like someone’s already won the battle, but they’re busy with the crewmen.”</p><p></p><p>Mirielle smiled at Dolce’s words. “They’re still grappled with each other?” the captain asked. The elf nodded in response. “Good," Mirielle said, "I bet they don’t even see us coming with the sun setting behind us.” She kept them on their current heading.</p><p></p><p>Dolce, as they drew nearer, identified one of the vessels. “That’s <em>The Famished Mane</em>. She’s a pirate hunter. Likes to animate some of the crew from every pirate vessel she takes to hang over the side of her ship as a deterrent to those who would board her. Captain Tisserond selects five or six. The rest of the crew gets chained in the hold and they burn the boat.”</p><p></p><p>Mirielle shuddered. “Well that might put a damper on our boarding plans. Do you have a solution for it?”</p><p></p><p>Dolce smiled. “Oh aye, I can handle the undead, Captain.” The elf was grinning again.</p><p></p><p>[hr][/hr]</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Lightning</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p><p>Not a shot was fired as they made their approach. In fact, they were lined up to pull alongside with Dolce at the prow waiting for the perfect moment before they heard the enemy sound the alarm. Shortly after the elf completed the gestures and murmured the words of power required to summon a crackling bolt of electricity that bridged the gap from <em>The Purr</em> to <em>The Mane</em> and arced straight along her side and her dangling, animated corpses.</p><p></p><p>The undead were undone, hanging limp or falling apart when the <em>Lightning Bolt</em> finished its work. The rest of the crew boarded swiftly, met with armed resistance. Captain Tisserond had a compliment of six Chelish marines aboard, as well as a crew mostly on the vessel she’d captured. <em>The Purr</em>‘s surged from <em>The Famished Mane</em> onto the other vessel to contend with her crew another ship apart. Meanwhile, Mirielle, Revel, and Nasha engaged Captain Tisserond, while Dolce slipped to the side to line up another brutal <em>Lightning Bolt</em>, this time aiming for the marines.</p><p></p><p>The battle was harder than Mirielle had expected. Her healing magic and her halo granting great boons to Nasha and Revel. Dolce went almost unscathed until she let her second <em>Lightning Bolt</em> fly. Then she fell under the focus of the two marines that survived it while the Captain tried to deal with Revel and Nasha.</p><p></p><p>In the end, Dolce slew one of the marines and Revel tore Captain Tisserond’s throat out. The hobgoblin was getting unnervingly reliable at performing that particular sort of attack. Sure, she’d bite an arm or a hand, or even a leg if the opportunity came to her, but she seemed to aim for the throat when she was able.</p><p></p><p>The last marine, seeing his captain fall, surrendered. Mirielle gave the order to release the men in the hold to her crew, who quickly set about it, hurrying down below on the burning ship, but not before Dolce cast <em>Personal Rain Cloud</em> on Ambrose to help him contend with the heat of the flames.</p><p></p><p>She’d learned the spell on a lark, intending to use it to let people know when they’d annoyed her, and here she cast the scroll of it for a practical reason. The constant pattering of rain would dampen the heat for him.</p><p></p><p>Only eight were saved from below before Mirielle had her crew come aboard <em>The Mane</em>. They released the grapples in a hurry and they all watched as the <em>Vorsfang</em> sank into the sea, the fire damage taking too much of her to keep afloat any longer.</p><p></p><p>In total they had rescued fourteen, for Captain Tisserond had selected six to animate as undead. The <em>Vorsfang</em> pirates were grateful to be saved, and quickly set about working for Mirielle even as she dealt with the crew of <em>The Famished Mane</em>.</p><p></p><p>At least having the pirates in addition to their own crew made dividing <em>The Mane</em>‘s crew easy enough. Dolce and Revel captained <em>The Mane</em> while Mirielle and Nasha stayed aboard <em>The Purr</em> and they set sail for Senghor… Though, not before Dolce and Revel destroyed the undead hanging from <em>The Mane</em>‘s other side. Dolce had no love for Captain Tisserond's tactic and didn’t wish to listen to the chains rattle with their struggling while she was aboard.</p><p></p><p>[hr][/hr]</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>New Beginnings</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p><p>Among the six Captain Tisserond had chosen to be animated were the Bosun and the Shantyman of the <em>Vorsfang</em>. The Bosun was peculiar. He dressed covered from head to toe in wrappings, wore a rather large hat, and even goggles. It made Dolce suspicious… Though, she likely would have been anyway. She trusted very few that weren’t her own crew.</p><p></p><p>The Shantyman, to Dolce’s delight, was a tengu. A race said to be good luck aboard a ship. Though she gathered this one had not come into the luck they were rumored to possess, for he told her that twice before he’d been the only survivor of his former crew.</p><p></p><p>Dolce didn’t have much more opportunity to get to know them as they both stayed aboard <em>The Purr</em>, but she wondered if she could convince Mirielle to recruit them both. She passed the idea along to Mirielle through a <em>Message</em> spell, and Mirielle agreed their expertise might be useful. Dolce would see what came of that in Senghor, she supposed. To be honest, she would have been just fine with them only recruiting Vixi, the tengu. But…. but if they recruited Shade and he was actually decent at the task of being Bosun, it would free up Rosie to be a full-time entertainer.</p><p></p><p>Dolce still didn’t trust Shade, but that seemed a fair trade off to her as someone who loved music. She was also working on convincing Mirielle and Nasha to learn to sing. The aasimar was more willing than the lizardfolk, but with persistence… Or perhaps by pulling rank… Dolce would win them both over.</p><p></p><p>[hr][/hr]</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>On the Purr</strong></p><p></p><p>Mirielle oversaw the usual work on <em>The Purr</em>. The prisoners from <em>The Famished Mane</em> were moved below deck and watched closely by Maheem, Fipps, and a few others. Ernald, the halfling who’d sited the smoke, had claimed Captain Cyvantras Tisserond’s hat as his prize. It would need to be adjusted.</p><p></p><p>It looked good on him, if oversized, and Mirielle quipped, “I think you’ve earned yourself a nickname with that prize, <em>Barb</em>.”</p><p></p><p>The halfling cocked his head to the side. “<em>Barb</em>? Why <em>Barb</em>?”</p><p></p><p>Mirielle smiled, “The pin. It’s a barbazu skull.” She tapped a silver pin on the captain’s hat. “Revel told me only those who do well at the Chelaxian Naval Academy are awarded these pins. This particular pin means she graduated second in her class. They are quite rare as a result.”</p><p></p><p>‘Barb’ looked quite please with this and shortly said, “I like it!”</p><p></p><p>Mirielle didn’t tell him, but Revel had also said some pirates collected the Chelaxian pins. She wasn’t especially interested in doing so herself, and anyway it was unlikely she would have the opportunity given captain’s hats were turning out to be a popular prize for sighting a sail.</p><p></p><p>Barb joined Mirielle and the other officers at dinner. There was lively conversation, though it always felt a bit quieter with Dolce and Revel aboard their captured vessels. The next day she discussed with Rosie her ambitions for the future. The halfling was quite displeased with her responsibility, but willing to continue shouldering it if necessary because it came with a bigger share of plunder. She also pulled Cog aside, who more or less informed her he was bored to tears doing inventory and staying locked up in the Quartermaster’s closet.</p><p></p><p>She decided this was a keen opportunity to try Shade and Vixi, since both she and Dolce had noted they’d saved the Bosun and Shantyman of <em>The Vorsfang</em>. She was a bit concerned Vixi would have Cog’s disposition regarding being a quartermaster, but she needn’t have feared. The tengu’s eyes lit up at the prospect of being in charge of all their shiny tools and expendables. Shade was impossible to read, covered as he was, but he said he was happy to perform the role of Bosun if required.</p><p></p><p>They both effectively went into a trial period, and Rosie soon filled the air with fiddle music while Cog was the <em>happiest</em> man working the rigging Mirielle had ever witnessed. Her spirits climbed watching this, and Vixi and Shade seemed to perform their tasks well.</p><p></p><p>[hr][/hr]</p><p></p><p><strong>!!! Trigger warning. This section regards an NPC who committed suicide. The act is not described in great detail, but the topic is of an understandably sensitive nature so I've chosen to put it in a spoiler. !!!</strong></p><p></p><p>[spoiler]</p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Foreign Customs</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p>On the third day after taking <em>The Famished Mane</em> Nasha brought the single surviving marine to Mirielle. She had considered recruiting this man, and was still entertaining the idea. She wondered if he had come to the same idea.</p><p></p><p>They stood by the wheel as he said, “Forgive me, Captain. I’m sure you’re quite busy. When we are accepted into the Chelaxian Naval Academy we are trained to live as a unit, and to die as one. I’m asking you for permission to fulfill the oaths I’ve made.”</p><p></p><p>Mirielle’s face fell as she took in his words. He wished to kill himself over some oath? She knew as someone raised to ‘fulfill a duty’ the power of such oaths, but they seemed almost anathema to her existence now, in rebellion of her family. She looked to Nasha and said, “We’ll speak in my cabin.”</p><p></p><p>The lizardfolk nodded and Mirielle had Shade step up to oversee things while she went into her cabin with the marine. Mirielle’s cabin was well appointed. Not only because it possessed Mr. Plugg’s <em>Hospitality’s Hammock</em>. There was a small table within as well as two chairs. Most often they were occupied by herself and Dolce or Jack Scrimshaw, her cabin boy. Mirielle noted he had followed her inside, but she shooed him away before regarding the Chelaxian.</p><p></p><p>“Now then. Explain this to me,” Mirielle said.</p><p></p><p>The Chelaxian looked perhaps a bit flustered, but also accepting of his position. He said again, “We are trained to live together and to die together. All of my comrades died. I cannot be the only one to survive this. There was a dagger among my things, its only purpose is fulfilling this oath, Captain.”</p><p></p><p>Mirielle leaned back in her chair and swept her hat off, balancing it on her knee. “But, you’d rather die than seek your own fate?” Her blue eyes were intense and quizzical. Realizing she may have come across as judging or mocking to him she said, “I’m sorry, it’s just.. Such a <em>foreign</em> concept to me… If you don’t mind, please expand upon <em>why</em>.”</p><p></p><p>The man took in a slow breath and nodded. “Beyond just wishing to fulfill my oath… I’m sure you have heard rumors of Cheliax. To advance within the nobility, we make pacts with devils. These pacts promise our souls not only in life, but in death, to the devils we make them with.”</p><p></p><p>Mirielle nodded. Her angelic heritage made her particularly aware of the dangers of such pacts. It only served to puzzle her further. “But… in dying you would…” she let the sentence trail off.</p><p></p><p>The man nodded, “I would, yes. I know what awaits me. And believe me…” He tried to steel himself, but his nerves showed through in the tremble of his hands. “I don’t <em>want</em> to do this. I must.”</p><p></p><p>Mirielle ran her finger along the feathers of her captain’s hat. She swallowed and said, “Why though? Surely the pact will still be binding if you die in thirty years. Wouldn’t you rather claim what you can while you can?”</p><p></p><p>He frowned and said, “My father made this pact for our family. He said, and I don’t know how true it is, that if we fail to serve the burden falls on the rest of our family. If I don’t do this, they will pay for it while I <em>claim what I can</em>.”</p><p></p><p>Now Mirielle rubbed her temples. That was quite a position to be in. One that might have even moved her to being dutiful, for she loved her sisters and her mother and father, even if she had no intention of returning to them. “I see. And you’re.. you’re sure about this?”</p><p></p><p>He nodded resolutely, only the tremble of his hands betraying his fear.</p><p></p><p>“I will allow you to do this, though I wonder if it isn’t folly.” Mirielle put her hat back on and stood, moving to her bedside and withdrawing her captain’s log. She flipped to the back of the page and tore a sheet of parchment from it. “Here then. You will pen a letter to your family. I will see it sent.”</p><p></p><p>The man nodded, though he seemed hesitant. When Mirielle inquired he informed her he wished to send two letters if it wasn’t too much to ask. Mirielle provided him an additional piece of parchment. “I will be outside with your dagger when you are ready.”</p><p></p><p>She stepped out of her cabin, where Nasha and Jack Scrimshaw were lingering. “Nasha, go and find the marine’s possessions. Bring his dagger to me.” Nasha nodded and departed. To Jack she said, “I believe Ambrose could use some help in the kitchens. Why don’t you run along and see?” It was nearing lunch time and Mirielle felt certain Ambrose would keep the boy busy for long enough.</p><p></p><p>Nasha returned with the dagger and when the man opened her cabin door Mirielle saw he’d left the two letters composed on her desk. She nodded and said, “You did not tell me your name.”</p><p></p><p>The man looked surprised. “It’s Vulpius Scariano, Captain.”</p><p></p><p>Mirielle nodded. It was not a name she would soon forget. She said to Nasha, “Escort Vulpius to the head. He wishes to maintain his oath and protect his family, and I won’t deny him that. When the deed is done, return to me.”</p><p></p><p>Nasha nodded. Mirielle couldn’t bring herself to watch this, for in her mind it was a tragedy. He sentenced his soul to hell and servitude where she would have fought to find a way out of such an obligation. But then, his reality was a far cry from her own. And her own reality was far cry from what it had been. Would she have been the same as this man if she’d been raised in Cheliax?</p><p></p><p>Mirielle returned to the wheel, as far from the scene as she could be, and watched as Nasha took the man forward and sent sailors away from the scene. When Nasha returned the man had gone through with his grim task. The lizardfolk said, “He asked me to tell anyone that asked that he died bravely.”</p><p></p><p>Mirielle nodded.</p><p></p><p>“He was crying,” Nasha said.</p><p></p><p>Mirielle smiled softly but grimly. “Sometimes bravery is not the absence of fear, but acting when you are faced with it.” Nasha nodded. “What of his body?”</p><p></p><p>Nasha said, “He said it was just a husk. I have pushed it overboard. Narwhale and Giffer and swabbing the deck. I kept this.” Nasha held out the dagger, thankfully clean of blood.</p><p></p><p>Mirielle took the blade from her friend, her own hand trembling now. Mirielle said, “I will keep this.” Nasha nodded. “Go tend your duties. And… thank you.” Nasha nodded again and strode off.</p><p></p><p>Further inspection of the dagger revealed it bore minor magical energy. It’s single property, to ensure that any attempt at ending one’s own life with it was successful. It’s very existence sent a shudder down Mirielle’s spine, but she would keep it all the same, to remember this man who was so… so opposite of she. There were many brave deaths Mirielle imagined she would be willing to face for friends and family, but dying for a pact she was not certain required it of her at that very moment? She wasn’t sure she would have done that.</p><p></p><p>She found herself turning the blade over in her hands and wondering… Did she still love her family? Her father? And would she truly still die for them? It seemed to Mirielle that she would have once, but that now she had a new family… And before she would die for the old family or the new one, she’d fight tooth and nail to survive for them and to lead them and heal them.[/spoiler]</p><p></p><p>[hr][/hr]</p><p></p><p><strong>OOC Notes 1</strong></p><p></p><p>I rolled the craft check for the figurehead as Dolce was making it. She named herself first mate specifically so she could duck out of duties to pursue other activities for a time, but in this instance Mirielle imposed upon her freedom and she spent six days working on the figurehead. Her total was a 32 (a 19 on the die) on her craft check and they spent 1000g on materials… So <em>The Lady’s Purr</em> currently has one of the best made figureheads on the seas.</p><p></p><p>My husband came up with Barbazu skull pin signifying how well the captain performed at the naval academy. I really enjoyed it as a nice touch since Cheliax is quite heavily themed with fiends and devils.</p><p></p><p>[hr][/hr]</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 26px"><strong>Session 14 – Senghor</strong></span></p><p></p><p>Dolce saw what had transpired on <em>The Purr</em> through her spyglass and had since spoken to Mirielle about it. The captain informed her it was the man’s wish to fulfill his duty to his family and his country. Dolce couldn’t help thinking the man was a fool for the latter. Sacrificing himself would only ensure he toiled in the fires of Hell for eternity. She could tell, even from the brief correspondence <em>Message</em> allowed, that Mirielle was shaken.</p><p></p><p><em>‘Still too soft for her own good,’</em> Dolce thought. A day out from Senghor they saw an abandoned boat. Rather than board it with the full crew, Mirielle signaled Dolce and Revel to join her and Nasha and the four of them went aboard. Soon they found themselves fighting off a sahuagin ambush, but it posed little trouble for them. They had made the boat look as though it were sinking and had cleaned up the signs of their combat with her previous crew.</p><p></p><p>Ultimately the trouble of transporting the boat would have only netted them a small profit and it could only carry a small crew. Mirielle allowed the twelve pirates from the <em>Vorsfang</em> to claim it and to leave with it to make their own fortunes. They were grateful for the opportunity and to have a boat at all, and so they named it <em>Miri’s Kiss</em> in her honor.</p><p></p><p>Dolce was amused at the name and was pretty sure it made Mirielle blush. They continued to Senghor, once again being subject to detailed searching of their two holds and interviewing of the crew of <em>The Famished Mane</em>. They made port and allowed the Chelaxian pirate hunters off the ship. Dolce magically mended, cleaned, sealed, and painted <em>The Lady’s Purr</em>‘s figurehead, taking the time to visit Gidras for more scrolls…</p><p></p><p>Only the bastard didn’t sell her scrolls. He made her copy the spells from his spellbook. And when she made a mistake he rapped her knuckles with the long rod she’d seen him wield against his students before. It was infuriating being treated like a child in Dolce’s mind, but he was the single best source of spells of the like she was seeking in all of Senghor.. At least, of those that would willingly deal with pirates. Also… irritatingly… he helped her master spells she might not have by stopping her from making foolish mistakes.</p><p></p><p>Dolce also noted while in Senghor, when she sang their tales in taverns at night, the common populace were more eager to hear them. They remembered them from before. And that brought a smile to the elf’s lips. Soon enough they set sail again, leaving Senghor behind them.</p><p></p><p>[hr][/hr]</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Prey</strong></p><p></p><p>This time they were only two days out from Senghor when the short bursts of the whistle pierced the day’s doldrums. Soon after a female halfling’s voice, “SAIL!!” She was gesturing to port.</p><p></p><p>Looking through the spyglass, Dolce saw a Rahadoumi schooner. Not a pirate vessel, nor a pirate hunter, nor any other ship Dolce knew by name. “Rahadoumi. Sails as white as clouds… And.. something big on deck.” Dolce couldn’t see clearly enough to identify what the big thing was.</p><p></p><p>Mirielle gave pursuit, ordering their course changed. This one proved elusive, staying out of firing range for a whole two days of their chase. When finally they drew closer the large thing they had on deck took flight.</p><p></p><p>Dolce’s hair stood on end. She’d learned the spell <em>Earthbind</em> and prepared it every day, but this was because she’d seen large avians in the distance one day when they were entering a storm. She hadn’t anticipated anything flying off of an enemy ship. She looked through the spyglass, by the size of it, at this distance.. Perhaps a hippogriff, gryphon, manticore, or wyvern. None would bode well for ship combat.</p><p></p><p>“FIRE GREED!” She heard Revel shout triumphantly. They’d closed the distance considerably and her hobgoblin friend was beaming at having beaten Nasha to the order. The lizardfolk took no delight or dismay as she started preparing to aid reloading. Greed was loaded with chain shot, and when the sails were met they were thoroughly shredded, part of the mast collapsed.</p><p></p><p>Dolce didn’t have time to dwell on that though, for the creature had drawn closer. It was a manticore! “Captain, that one will have dangerous spikes it can fire at us from a distance. Might want to ready the ballistae, though I do have a contingency.”</p><p></p><p>Mirielle looked from the catapult to the flying terror and said, “Do what you can. I mean to cripple that ship!” She ordered another fire of Greed as soon as she was ready.</p><p></p><p>Dolce nodded, weaving her magic as soon as the manticore was close enough. The magic worked, weighing down on the beast and dragging it into the sea, but unfortunately it was more resilient than Dolce hoped, shaking off the effect and taking flight again after a brief struggle.</p><p></p><p>The second shot of Greed was fired and shortly after whistling reached them from the other ship. Their mast was completely gone now, and they were dead in the water. The manticore seemed to heed their whistles well, for it turned and flew toward the ship.</p><p></p><p>Mirielle wasted no time in boarding the enemy, who promptly requested a parley. She said she would hear them out.</p><p></p><p>“It is in your best interest, Captain, to agree to our terms. We propose you take the bounty in our hold and let us leave with our ship.”</p><p></p><p>Mirielle raised an eyebrow. “Why would I do that?”</p><p></p><p>“Because we’ve scuttled it,” the Rahadoumi captain said with confidence. “She’s taking on water even now.”</p><p></p><p>“Mm. Dolce, if you woul-” Mirielle began, but the enemy captain must have realized she meant to ask the elf to mend it for suddenly she drew her blade and combat erupted on the deck.</p><p></p><p>The manticore acted swiftly, taking to the air and landing on the bowsprit. It launched a volley of its deadly spines at Mirielle and struck her true. She didn’t fall, but barely kept her footing. Dolce sprang to action, tumbling through the legs of one sailor to line up a <em>Lightning Bolt</em>. Her spell hit two marines, the captain, and the manticore. The marines died from the spell, but the captain took it better than they had. The manticore was unharmed.</p><p></p><p>Nasha and Revel advanced next, not allowing the enemy captain time to close on Mirielle. They surrounded her, and with claw and fang tore her flesh. She was nothing but a dead body at the end of it.</p><p></p><p>Mirielle turned her focus on the manticore. The ship’s morale had broken, her crew were fleeing and jumping into the sea. Not wanting to try and withstand another barrage of spines, Mirielle called upon her own magic and said, “Flee,” as she invoked the spell, <em>Command</em>. The authority of her voice rang true.</p><p></p><p>The creature, as it caught it’s breath, took in the scene but briefly before taking flight and turning away, just as it had been bidden. “Very nice, Captain. Are you alright?” Dolce asked, moving to Mirielle’s side.</p><p></p><p>“I will be fine. You tend the boat.” The enemy crew was still trying to flee themselves, and Mirielle, beleaguered by her injuries and the needless combat said, “WAIT! If you try to swim only death awaits you! We have no intention of killing you!” But the crew didn’t listen. They swam for an island in the distance. Near enough some would surely make it, but not large enough to support the life of man upon it.</p><p></p><p>Mirielle sighed as she called upon her angelic heritage, her halo glowing around her head. She knit her wounds with magic, watching the spines eject from her arm where some had lingered. It took a number of spells to fully heal her, and yet not as many as if it had been Revel who had been so injured.</p><p></p><p>Dolce magically mended <em>The Sandbalot</em>, but it required true repair work to be done if it were to be seaworthy again. They would need wood for that, which meant anchoring at a distant shore. And so, with magic keeping the ocean at bay in the bilges, Mirielle and Dolce set a course due east to the shores of Sargava.</p><p></p><p>Eveth, meanwhile, was allowed first choice of the non-magical items onboard <em>The Sandbalot</em>. She took an item from the captain’s cabin, though she would not tell anyone what it was. She did, of course, submit to a <em>Detect Magic</em> spell so they could verify it hadn’t been of a magical nature. But beyond that, she wouldn’t say a word.</p><p></p><p>[hr][/hr]</p><p></p><p><strong>Old Wounds</strong></p><p></p><p>Literally the day after <em>The Sandbalot</em> another sail was sighted. This one was engaged in combat. It also flew a jolly roger. Dolce chuckled. “That’s <em>The Devil’s Pallor</em>. Believe her captain is Gortus Svard. You might-“</p><p></p><p>“What?” Revel’s voice cut Dolce’s jest short.</p><p></p><p>She sounded so angry Dolce wondered if her teeth were already bared. She lowered the spyglass. “You know him?”</p><p></p><p>“Yeah, I know that cur. One of the bastards that left me in Port Peril.” Revel was seething.</p><p></p><p>Dolce looked back at <em>The Devil’s Pallor</em>. It was a Shackles drekar. Its prey was a galleon Dolce didn’t know. She cast her gaze toward <em>The Lady’s Purr</em>. Mirielle was at the wheel, but on the side closest to Dolce, allowing their communication via <em>Message</em>. “Are we engaging, Captain?” The elf could practically feel Revel’s gaze intent upon her as the magical message whisked away and returned Mirielle’s answer just as quickly. Dolce looked at Revel. “Our crew’s spread too thin.”</p><p></p><p>“UGH!” Revel slammed her fist into the railing and Dolce swore she heard it splinter. She’d be sure to mend that. “Of course we find the man while I’m stuck babysitting a sinking ship!” Revel turned on her heel and strode down among the crew on <em>The Sandbalot</em>. They were all <em>Purr</em> crewman, for the Rahadoumi had all fled.</p><p></p><p>Dolce looked back toward <em>The Pallor</em>. She’d remember that about Gortus Svard. Mirielle was right not to fight him. Dolce’s ship was currently undermanned and <em>The Purr</em> had only exactly as many hands as was needed to pilot her aboard at the moment. But perhaps in some future port or trade lane…</p><p></p><p>As it was, Dolce was using all of her most powerful spells just keeping <em>The Sandbalot</em> afloat. Every eight hours she had to cast <em>Shipwright</em> lest they take on too much water, and she was eager to make landfall and get repairs underway.</p><p></p><p>[hr][/hr]</p><p></p><p><strong>OOC Notes for Session 14</strong></p><p></p><p>Gidras granted Dolce a +2 to her efforts to copy spells into her spellbooks with his harsh instruction and it <em>did</em> make the difference in her succeeding or failing with two of the spells she copied.</p><p></p><p>Also, the girls got to pick a favored port where it is easier to gain Infamy and Disrepute (mechanics for their pirate shenanigans) and they chose Senghor. They get a +2 to story telling there now.</p><p></p><p>You may remember that Mirielle’s aasimar quality is the authority of her voice. We made the DC to impersonate her higher as a result. We also gave her a +1 to her DC when she uses the spell <em>Command</em> because her voice rings with authority. Ironically, in this instance, the manticore made its save, and Mirielle knows this. She did not enlighten the crew, and just let them believe she scared the creature away with her magic.</p><p></p><p>Revel’s backstory was that she was left in Port Peril at a very young age. I created her without knowing there were any hobgoblins statted out in the adventure. My husband thought it would be cool to have her recognize the name of this pirate as one of the hobgoblins that abandoned her in her youth. It was not an expected plot twist, but quite a fun one to me.</p><p></p><p>In 1E you could use the <em>Mending</em> spell to repair a ship, but in 2E it is quite limited by the size of items it can repair, so my husband made a homebrew spell called <em>Shipwright</em> to allow for the same sorts of things <em>Mending</em> could do in the original adventure path. Casting it can either restore 15 HP to a section of the ship, or can prevent sinking for 8 hours. Dolce is currently using all three of her 3rd level castings to keep <em>The Sandbalot</em> afloat. No <em>Lightning Bolt</em>s for her until she’s done with that.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Crys, post: 8026798, member: 7024831"] [B][SIZE=6]Spoiler Warning: Many spoilers for the Skull & Shackles adventure path are contained within these story recap posts. If you don’t want your campaign spoiled, don’t read these![/SIZE][/B] [hr][/hr] [CENTER][SIZE=7][B]Session 13 – The Trade Lanes[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER] Dolce had done a double take when the crew had assembled in the morning on their first day out from Slipcove. There were at least [I]twice[/I] as many halflings on board as she remembered, and now 32 crew. She supposed her stories must have gotten the attention of some of Captain Raffles’ kin while they were on Bag Island and it seemed Mirielle had felt they needed more crew. She was, at least in part, correct. With the now four ballistae and two catapults on board they required more crew to man them. But the crew’s aggregate height had to have decreased by half, and the thought of that was amusing to Dolce and probably more so to someone like Nasha who already towered above the humans aboard. Dolce didn’t get much opportunity to mingle with the new crew in their first days out. She was too busy hanging over the front of the prow getting splashed by waves as she carved at the figurehead. Mirielle had been all too happy to point out Dolce could have done this while they were in port, but Dolce just ignored her. It did take a bit longer than she’d imagined, but… The image really came out as she worked the wood. The extra days were worth the effort as each detail of her ice-winged angel version of Mirielle came to life. Painting it would have to wait til the next time they made port… Which would likely be in Senghor… When she’d want to catch up with Gidras and buy more scrolls from him… She could manage both, surely. The sixth day she finished her work and bid Mirielle look at it. The Captain looked at first surprised and in awe, and then amused. “I suppose I should have expected that..” she gestured at the angel’s halo. “Aye, Captain, have to be true to your likeness,” Dolce said. Mirielle snorted. “I don’t have wings.” Dolce tilted her head, “What are those then?” She gestured up at the silken sails with their misty, ice crystal motif. Mirielle followed her gesture and blinked, regarding her closely for a moment. Had she seen the poem in the captain’s log? Surely not. No. Dolce wasn’t snooping through her things. “I suppose a fair counterpoint, Dolce. Well done. I knew you wouldn’t disappoint.” Another day passed in relative peace, but near the end of it the whistle sounded. This time the whistle blew long bursts. Dolce made her way to the prow, happy not to be dangling on a rope this time, and looked through her spyglass. In the distance, almost due east of [I]The Purr[/I] was a column of smoke. In the open ocean, that could only mean a vessel was burning. “Smoke, Captain.” Dolce nodded toward it as Mirielle joined her and looked through her own spyglass. “Can’t see just what boat is burning, but I’m sure I’ll be able to tell you when we get closer.” And closer they did get. As they drew close enough to see properly Dolce could make out a single masted Chelish naval cutter and a brig. “Looks like someone’s already won the battle, but they’re busy with the crewmen.” Mirielle smiled at Dolce’s words. “They’re still grappled with each other?” the captain asked. The elf nodded in response. “Good," Mirielle said, "I bet they don’t even see us coming with the sun setting behind us.” She kept them on their current heading. Dolce, as they drew nearer, identified one of the vessels. “That’s [I]The Famished Mane[/I]. She’s a pirate hunter. Likes to animate some of the crew from every pirate vessel she takes to hang over the side of her ship as a deterrent to those who would board her. Captain Tisserond selects five or six. The rest of the crew gets chained in the hold and they burn the boat.” Mirielle shuddered. “Well that might put a damper on our boarding plans. Do you have a solution for it?” Dolce smiled. “Oh aye, I can handle the undead, Captain.” The elf was grinning again. [hr][/hr] [CENTER][B]Lightning[/B] [/CENTER] Not a shot was fired as they made their approach. In fact, they were lined up to pull alongside with Dolce at the prow waiting for the perfect moment before they heard the enemy sound the alarm. Shortly after the elf completed the gestures and murmured the words of power required to summon a crackling bolt of electricity that bridged the gap from [I]The Purr[/I] to [I]The Mane[/I] and arced straight along her side and her dangling, animated corpses. The undead were undone, hanging limp or falling apart when the [I]Lightning Bolt[/I] finished its work. The rest of the crew boarded swiftly, met with armed resistance. Captain Tisserond had a compliment of six Chelish marines aboard, as well as a crew mostly on the vessel she’d captured. [I]The Purr[/I]‘s surged from [I]The Famished Mane[/I] onto the other vessel to contend with her crew another ship apart. Meanwhile, Mirielle, Revel, and Nasha engaged Captain Tisserond, while Dolce slipped to the side to line up another brutal [I]Lightning Bolt[/I], this time aiming for the marines. The battle was harder than Mirielle had expected. Her healing magic and her halo granting great boons to Nasha and Revel. Dolce went almost unscathed until she let her second [I]Lightning Bolt[/I] fly. Then she fell under the focus of the two marines that survived it while the Captain tried to deal with Revel and Nasha. In the end, Dolce slew one of the marines and Revel tore Captain Tisserond’s throat out. The hobgoblin was getting unnervingly reliable at performing that particular sort of attack. Sure, she’d bite an arm or a hand, or even a leg if the opportunity came to her, but she seemed to aim for the throat when she was able. The last marine, seeing his captain fall, surrendered. Mirielle gave the order to release the men in the hold to her crew, who quickly set about it, hurrying down below on the burning ship, but not before Dolce cast [I]Personal Rain Cloud[/I] on Ambrose to help him contend with the heat of the flames. She’d learned the spell on a lark, intending to use it to let people know when they’d annoyed her, and here she cast the scroll of it for a practical reason. The constant pattering of rain would dampen the heat for him. Only eight were saved from below before Mirielle had her crew come aboard [I]The Mane[/I]. They released the grapples in a hurry and they all watched as the [I]Vorsfang[/I] sank into the sea, the fire damage taking too much of her to keep afloat any longer. In total they had rescued fourteen, for Captain Tisserond had selected six to animate as undead. The [I]Vorsfang[/I] pirates were grateful to be saved, and quickly set about working for Mirielle even as she dealt with the crew of [I]The Famished Mane[/I]. At least having the pirates in addition to their own crew made dividing [I]The Mane[/I]‘s crew easy enough. Dolce and Revel captained [I]The Mane[/I] while Mirielle and Nasha stayed aboard [I]The Purr[/I] and they set sail for Senghor… Though, not before Dolce and Revel destroyed the undead hanging from [I]The Mane[/I]‘s other side. Dolce had no love for Captain Tisserond's tactic and didn’t wish to listen to the chains rattle with their struggling while she was aboard. [hr][/hr] [CENTER][B]New Beginnings[/B] [/CENTER] Among the six Captain Tisserond had chosen to be animated were the Bosun and the Shantyman of the [I]Vorsfang[/I]. The Bosun was peculiar. He dressed covered from head to toe in wrappings, wore a rather large hat, and even goggles. It made Dolce suspicious… Though, she likely would have been anyway. She trusted very few that weren’t her own crew. The Shantyman, to Dolce’s delight, was a tengu. A race said to be good luck aboard a ship. Though she gathered this one had not come into the luck they were rumored to possess, for he told her that twice before he’d been the only survivor of his former crew. Dolce didn’t have much more opportunity to get to know them as they both stayed aboard [I]The Purr[/I], but she wondered if she could convince Mirielle to recruit them both. She passed the idea along to Mirielle through a [I]Message[/I] spell, and Mirielle agreed their expertise might be useful. Dolce would see what came of that in Senghor, she supposed. To be honest, she would have been just fine with them only recruiting Vixi, the tengu. But…. but if they recruited Shade and he was actually decent at the task of being Bosun, it would free up Rosie to be a full-time entertainer. Dolce still didn’t trust Shade, but that seemed a fair trade off to her as someone who loved music. She was also working on convincing Mirielle and Nasha to learn to sing. The aasimar was more willing than the lizardfolk, but with persistence… Or perhaps by pulling rank… Dolce would win them both over. [hr][/hr] [CENTER][B]On the Purr[/B][/CENTER] Mirielle oversaw the usual work on [I]The Purr[/I]. The prisoners from [I]The Famished Mane[/I] were moved below deck and watched closely by Maheem, Fipps, and a few others. Ernald, the halfling who’d sited the smoke, had claimed Captain Cyvantras Tisserond’s hat as his prize. It would need to be adjusted. It looked good on him, if oversized, and Mirielle quipped, “I think you’ve earned yourself a nickname with that prize, [I]Barb[/I].” The halfling cocked his head to the side. “[I]Barb[/I]? Why [I]Barb[/I]?” Mirielle smiled, “The pin. It’s a barbazu skull.” She tapped a silver pin on the captain’s hat. “Revel told me only those who do well at the Chelaxian Naval Academy are awarded these pins. This particular pin means she graduated second in her class. They are quite rare as a result.” ‘Barb’ looked quite please with this and shortly said, “I like it!” Mirielle didn’t tell him, but Revel had also said some pirates collected the Chelaxian pins. She wasn’t especially interested in doing so herself, and anyway it was unlikely she would have the opportunity given captain’s hats were turning out to be a popular prize for sighting a sail. Barb joined Mirielle and the other officers at dinner. There was lively conversation, though it always felt a bit quieter with Dolce and Revel aboard their captured vessels. The next day she discussed with Rosie her ambitions for the future. The halfling was quite displeased with her responsibility, but willing to continue shouldering it if necessary because it came with a bigger share of plunder. She also pulled Cog aside, who more or less informed her he was bored to tears doing inventory and staying locked up in the Quartermaster’s closet. She decided this was a keen opportunity to try Shade and Vixi, since both she and Dolce had noted they’d saved the Bosun and Shantyman of [I]The Vorsfang[/I]. She was a bit concerned Vixi would have Cog’s disposition regarding being a quartermaster, but she needn’t have feared. The tengu’s eyes lit up at the prospect of being in charge of all their shiny tools and expendables. Shade was impossible to read, covered as he was, but he said he was happy to perform the role of Bosun if required. They both effectively went into a trial period, and Rosie soon filled the air with fiddle music while Cog was the [I]happiest[/I] man working the rigging Mirielle had ever witnessed. Her spirits climbed watching this, and Vixi and Shade seemed to perform their tasks well. [hr][/hr] [B]!!! Trigger warning. This section regards an NPC who committed suicide. The act is not described in great detail, but the topic is of an understandably sensitive nature so I've chosen to put it in a spoiler. !!![/B] [spoiler] [CENTER][B]Foreign Customs[/B][/CENTER] On the third day after taking [I]The Famished Mane[/I] Nasha brought the single surviving marine to Mirielle. She had considered recruiting this man, and was still entertaining the idea. She wondered if he had come to the same idea. They stood by the wheel as he said, “Forgive me, Captain. I’m sure you’re quite busy. When we are accepted into the Chelaxian Naval Academy we are trained to live as a unit, and to die as one. I’m asking you for permission to fulfill the oaths I’ve made.” Mirielle’s face fell as she took in his words. He wished to kill himself over some oath? She knew as someone raised to ‘fulfill a duty’ the power of such oaths, but they seemed almost anathema to her existence now, in rebellion of her family. She looked to Nasha and said, “We’ll speak in my cabin.” The lizardfolk nodded and Mirielle had Shade step up to oversee things while she went into her cabin with the marine. Mirielle’s cabin was well appointed. Not only because it possessed Mr. Plugg’s [I]Hospitality’s Hammock[/I]. There was a small table within as well as two chairs. Most often they were occupied by herself and Dolce or Jack Scrimshaw, her cabin boy. Mirielle noted he had followed her inside, but she shooed him away before regarding the Chelaxian. “Now then. Explain this to me,” Mirielle said. The Chelaxian looked perhaps a bit flustered, but also accepting of his position. He said again, “We are trained to live together and to die together. All of my comrades died. I cannot be the only one to survive this. There was a dagger among my things, its only purpose is fulfilling this oath, Captain.” Mirielle leaned back in her chair and swept her hat off, balancing it on her knee. “But, you’d rather die than seek your own fate?” Her blue eyes were intense and quizzical. Realizing she may have come across as judging or mocking to him she said, “I’m sorry, it’s just.. Such a [I]foreign[/I] concept to me… If you don’t mind, please expand upon [I]why[/I].” The man took in a slow breath and nodded. “Beyond just wishing to fulfill my oath… I’m sure you have heard rumors of Cheliax. To advance within the nobility, we make pacts with devils. These pacts promise our souls not only in life, but in death, to the devils we make them with.” Mirielle nodded. Her angelic heritage made her particularly aware of the dangers of such pacts. It only served to puzzle her further. “But… in dying you would…” she let the sentence trail off. The man nodded, “I would, yes. I know what awaits me. And believe me…” He tried to steel himself, but his nerves showed through in the tremble of his hands. “I don’t [I]want[/I] to do this. I must.” Mirielle ran her finger along the feathers of her captain’s hat. She swallowed and said, “Why though? Surely the pact will still be binding if you die in thirty years. Wouldn’t you rather claim what you can while you can?” He frowned and said, “My father made this pact for our family. He said, and I don’t know how true it is, that if we fail to serve the burden falls on the rest of our family. If I don’t do this, they will pay for it while I [I]claim what I can[/I].” Now Mirielle rubbed her temples. That was quite a position to be in. One that might have even moved her to being dutiful, for she loved her sisters and her mother and father, even if she had no intention of returning to them. “I see. And you’re.. you’re sure about this?” He nodded resolutely, only the tremble of his hands betraying his fear. “I will allow you to do this, though I wonder if it isn’t folly.” Mirielle put her hat back on and stood, moving to her bedside and withdrawing her captain’s log. She flipped to the back of the page and tore a sheet of parchment from it. “Here then. You will pen a letter to your family. I will see it sent.” The man nodded, though he seemed hesitant. When Mirielle inquired he informed her he wished to send two letters if it wasn’t too much to ask. Mirielle provided him an additional piece of parchment. “I will be outside with your dagger when you are ready.” She stepped out of her cabin, where Nasha and Jack Scrimshaw were lingering. “Nasha, go and find the marine’s possessions. Bring his dagger to me.” Nasha nodded and departed. To Jack she said, “I believe Ambrose could use some help in the kitchens. Why don’t you run along and see?” It was nearing lunch time and Mirielle felt certain Ambrose would keep the boy busy for long enough. Nasha returned with the dagger and when the man opened her cabin door Mirielle saw he’d left the two letters composed on her desk. She nodded and said, “You did not tell me your name.” The man looked surprised. “It’s Vulpius Scariano, Captain.” Mirielle nodded. It was not a name she would soon forget. She said to Nasha, “Escort Vulpius to the head. He wishes to maintain his oath and protect his family, and I won’t deny him that. When the deed is done, return to me.” Nasha nodded. Mirielle couldn’t bring herself to watch this, for in her mind it was a tragedy. He sentenced his soul to hell and servitude where she would have fought to find a way out of such an obligation. But then, his reality was a far cry from her own. And her own reality was far cry from what it had been. Would she have been the same as this man if she’d been raised in Cheliax? Mirielle returned to the wheel, as far from the scene as she could be, and watched as Nasha took the man forward and sent sailors away from the scene. When Nasha returned the man had gone through with his grim task. The lizardfolk said, “He asked me to tell anyone that asked that he died bravely.” Mirielle nodded. “He was crying,” Nasha said. Mirielle smiled softly but grimly. “Sometimes bravery is not the absence of fear, but acting when you are faced with it.” Nasha nodded. “What of his body?” Nasha said, “He said it was just a husk. I have pushed it overboard. Narwhale and Giffer and swabbing the deck. I kept this.” Nasha held out the dagger, thankfully clean of blood. Mirielle took the blade from her friend, her own hand trembling now. Mirielle said, “I will keep this.” Nasha nodded. “Go tend your duties. And… thank you.” Nasha nodded again and strode off. Further inspection of the dagger revealed it bore minor magical energy. It’s single property, to ensure that any attempt at ending one’s own life with it was successful. It’s very existence sent a shudder down Mirielle’s spine, but she would keep it all the same, to remember this man who was so… so opposite of she. There were many brave deaths Mirielle imagined she would be willing to face for friends and family, but dying for a pact she was not certain required it of her at that very moment? She wasn’t sure she would have done that. She found herself turning the blade over in her hands and wondering… Did she still love her family? Her father? And would she truly still die for them? It seemed to Mirielle that she would have once, but that now she had a new family… And before she would die for the old family or the new one, she’d fight tooth and nail to survive for them and to lead them and heal them.[/spoiler] [hr][/hr] [B]OOC Notes 1[/B] I rolled the craft check for the figurehead as Dolce was making it. She named herself first mate specifically so she could duck out of duties to pursue other activities for a time, but in this instance Mirielle imposed upon her freedom and she spent six days working on the figurehead. Her total was a 32 (a 19 on the die) on her craft check and they spent 1000g on materials… So [I]The Lady’s Purr[/I] currently has one of the best made figureheads on the seas. My husband came up with Barbazu skull pin signifying how well the captain performed at the naval academy. I really enjoyed it as a nice touch since Cheliax is quite heavily themed with fiends and devils. [hr][/hr] [CENTER][SIZE=7][B]Session 14 – Senghor[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER] Dolce saw what had transpired on [I]The Purr[/I] through her spyglass and had since spoken to Mirielle about it. The captain informed her it was the man’s wish to fulfill his duty to his family and his country. Dolce couldn’t help thinking the man was a fool for the latter. Sacrificing himself would only ensure he toiled in the fires of Hell for eternity. She could tell, even from the brief correspondence [I]Message[/I] allowed, that Mirielle was shaken. [I]‘Still too soft for her own good,’[/I] Dolce thought. A day out from Senghor they saw an abandoned boat. Rather than board it with the full crew, Mirielle signaled Dolce and Revel to join her and Nasha and the four of them went aboard. Soon they found themselves fighting off a sahuagin ambush, but it posed little trouble for them. They had made the boat look as though it were sinking and had cleaned up the signs of their combat with her previous crew. Ultimately the trouble of transporting the boat would have only netted them a small profit and it could only carry a small crew. Mirielle allowed the twelve pirates from the [I]Vorsfang[/I] to claim it and to leave with it to make their own fortunes. They were grateful for the opportunity and to have a boat at all, and so they named it [I]Miri’s Kiss[/I] in her honor. Dolce was amused at the name and was pretty sure it made Mirielle blush. They continued to Senghor, once again being subject to detailed searching of their two holds and interviewing of the crew of [I]The Famished Mane[/I]. They made port and allowed the Chelaxian pirate hunters off the ship. Dolce magically mended, cleaned, sealed, and painted [I]The Lady’s Purr[/I]‘s figurehead, taking the time to visit Gidras for more scrolls… Only the bastard didn’t sell her scrolls. He made her copy the spells from his spellbook. And when she made a mistake he rapped her knuckles with the long rod she’d seen him wield against his students before. It was infuriating being treated like a child in Dolce’s mind, but he was the single best source of spells of the like she was seeking in all of Senghor.. At least, of those that would willingly deal with pirates. Also… irritatingly… he helped her master spells she might not have by stopping her from making foolish mistakes. Dolce also noted while in Senghor, when she sang their tales in taverns at night, the common populace were more eager to hear them. They remembered them from before. And that brought a smile to the elf’s lips. Soon enough they set sail again, leaving Senghor behind them. [hr][/hr] [CENTER][B]Prey[/B][/CENTER] This time they were only two days out from Senghor when the short bursts of the whistle pierced the day’s doldrums. Soon after a female halfling’s voice, “SAIL!!” She was gesturing to port. Looking through the spyglass, Dolce saw a Rahadoumi schooner. Not a pirate vessel, nor a pirate hunter, nor any other ship Dolce knew by name. “Rahadoumi. Sails as white as clouds… And.. something big on deck.” Dolce couldn’t see clearly enough to identify what the big thing was. Mirielle gave pursuit, ordering their course changed. This one proved elusive, staying out of firing range for a whole two days of their chase. When finally they drew closer the large thing they had on deck took flight. Dolce’s hair stood on end. She’d learned the spell [I]Earthbind[/I] and prepared it every day, but this was because she’d seen large avians in the distance one day when they were entering a storm. She hadn’t anticipated anything flying off of an enemy ship. She looked through the spyglass, by the size of it, at this distance.. Perhaps a hippogriff, gryphon, manticore, or wyvern. None would bode well for ship combat. “FIRE GREED!” She heard Revel shout triumphantly. They’d closed the distance considerably and her hobgoblin friend was beaming at having beaten Nasha to the order. The lizardfolk took no delight or dismay as she started preparing to aid reloading. Greed was loaded with chain shot, and when the sails were met they were thoroughly shredded, part of the mast collapsed. Dolce didn’t have time to dwell on that though, for the creature had drawn closer. It was a manticore! “Captain, that one will have dangerous spikes it can fire at us from a distance. Might want to ready the ballistae, though I do have a contingency.” Mirielle looked from the catapult to the flying terror and said, “Do what you can. I mean to cripple that ship!” She ordered another fire of Greed as soon as she was ready. Dolce nodded, weaving her magic as soon as the manticore was close enough. The magic worked, weighing down on the beast and dragging it into the sea, but unfortunately it was more resilient than Dolce hoped, shaking off the effect and taking flight again after a brief struggle. The second shot of Greed was fired and shortly after whistling reached them from the other ship. Their mast was completely gone now, and they were dead in the water. The manticore seemed to heed their whistles well, for it turned and flew toward the ship. Mirielle wasted no time in boarding the enemy, who promptly requested a parley. She said she would hear them out. “It is in your best interest, Captain, to agree to our terms. We propose you take the bounty in our hold and let us leave with our ship.” Mirielle raised an eyebrow. “Why would I do that?” “Because we’ve scuttled it,” the Rahadoumi captain said with confidence. “She’s taking on water even now.” “Mm. Dolce, if you woul-” Mirielle began, but the enemy captain must have realized she meant to ask the elf to mend it for suddenly she drew her blade and combat erupted on the deck. The manticore acted swiftly, taking to the air and landing on the bowsprit. It launched a volley of its deadly spines at Mirielle and struck her true. She didn’t fall, but barely kept her footing. Dolce sprang to action, tumbling through the legs of one sailor to line up a [I]Lightning Bolt[/I]. Her spell hit two marines, the captain, and the manticore. The marines died from the spell, but the captain took it better than they had. The manticore was unharmed. Nasha and Revel advanced next, not allowing the enemy captain time to close on Mirielle. They surrounded her, and with claw and fang tore her flesh. She was nothing but a dead body at the end of it. Mirielle turned her focus on the manticore. The ship’s morale had broken, her crew were fleeing and jumping into the sea. Not wanting to try and withstand another barrage of spines, Mirielle called upon her own magic and said, “Flee,” as she invoked the spell, [I]Command[/I]. The authority of her voice rang true. The creature, as it caught it’s breath, took in the scene but briefly before taking flight and turning away, just as it had been bidden. “Very nice, Captain. Are you alright?” Dolce asked, moving to Mirielle’s side. “I will be fine. You tend the boat.” The enemy crew was still trying to flee themselves, and Mirielle, beleaguered by her injuries and the needless combat said, “WAIT! If you try to swim only death awaits you! We have no intention of killing you!” But the crew didn’t listen. They swam for an island in the distance. Near enough some would surely make it, but not large enough to support the life of man upon it. Mirielle sighed as she called upon her angelic heritage, her halo glowing around her head. She knit her wounds with magic, watching the spines eject from her arm where some had lingered. It took a number of spells to fully heal her, and yet not as many as if it had been Revel who had been so injured. Dolce magically mended [I]The Sandbalot[/I], but it required true repair work to be done if it were to be seaworthy again. They would need wood for that, which meant anchoring at a distant shore. And so, with magic keeping the ocean at bay in the bilges, Mirielle and Dolce set a course due east to the shores of Sargava. Eveth, meanwhile, was allowed first choice of the non-magical items onboard [I]The Sandbalot[/I]. She took an item from the captain’s cabin, though she would not tell anyone what it was. She did, of course, submit to a [I]Detect Magic[/I] spell so they could verify it hadn’t been of a magical nature. But beyond that, she wouldn’t say a word. [hr][/hr] [B]Old Wounds[/B] Literally the day after [I]The Sandbalot[/I] another sail was sighted. This one was engaged in combat. It also flew a jolly roger. Dolce chuckled. “That’s [I]The Devil’s Pallor[/I]. Believe her captain is Gortus Svard. You might-“ “What?” Revel’s voice cut Dolce’s jest short. She sounded so angry Dolce wondered if her teeth were already bared. She lowered the spyglass. “You know him?” “Yeah, I know that cur. One of the bastards that left me in Port Peril.” Revel was seething. Dolce looked back at [I]The Devil’s Pallor[/I]. It was a Shackles drekar. Its prey was a galleon Dolce didn’t know. She cast her gaze toward [I]The Lady’s Purr[/I]. Mirielle was at the wheel, but on the side closest to Dolce, allowing their communication via [I]Message[/I]. “Are we engaging, Captain?” The elf could practically feel Revel’s gaze intent upon her as the magical message whisked away and returned Mirielle’s answer just as quickly. Dolce looked at Revel. “Our crew’s spread too thin.” “UGH!” Revel slammed her fist into the railing and Dolce swore she heard it splinter. She’d be sure to mend that. “Of course we find the man while I’m stuck babysitting a sinking ship!” Revel turned on her heel and strode down among the crew on [I]The Sandbalot[/I]. They were all [I]Purr[/I] crewman, for the Rahadoumi had all fled. Dolce looked back toward [I]The Pallor[/I]. She’d remember that about Gortus Svard. Mirielle was right not to fight him. Dolce’s ship was currently undermanned and [I]The Purr[/I] had only exactly as many hands as was needed to pilot her aboard at the moment. But perhaps in some future port or trade lane… As it was, Dolce was using all of her most powerful spells just keeping [I]The Sandbalot[/I] afloat. Every eight hours she had to cast [I]Shipwright[/I] lest they take on too much water, and she was eager to make landfall and get repairs underway. [hr][/hr] [B]OOC Notes for Session 14[/B] Gidras granted Dolce a +2 to her efforts to copy spells into her spellbooks with his harsh instruction and it [I]did[/I] make the difference in her succeeding or failing with two of the spells she copied. Also, the girls got to pick a favored port where it is easier to gain Infamy and Disrepute (mechanics for their pirate shenanigans) and they chose Senghor. They get a +2 to story telling there now. You may remember that Mirielle’s aasimar quality is the authority of her voice. We made the DC to impersonate her higher as a result. We also gave her a +1 to her DC when she uses the spell [I]Command[/I] because her voice rings with authority. Ironically, in this instance, the manticore made its save, and Mirielle knows this. She did not enlighten the crew, and just let them believe she scared the creature away with her magic. Revel’s backstory was that she was left in Port Peril at a very young age. I created her without knowing there were any hobgoblins statted out in the adventure. My husband thought it would be cool to have her recognize the name of this pirate as one of the hobgoblins that abandoned her in her youth. It was not an expected plot twist, but quite a fun one to me. In 1E you could use the [I]Mending[/I] spell to repair a ship, but in 2E it is quite limited by the size of items it can repair, so my husband made a homebrew spell called [I]Shipwright[/I] to allow for the same sorts of things [I]Mending[/I] could do in the original adventure path. Casting it can either restore 15 HP to a section of the ship, or can prevent sinking for 8 hours. Dolce is currently using all three of her 3rd level castings to keep [I]The Sandbalot[/I] afloat. No [I]Lightning Bolt[/I]s for her until she’s done with that. [/QUOTE]
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