the Jester
Legend
To the Aquan Pyramid
The trip to Shorult from the lair is about 140 miles; it’s a 35-hour journey by way of the Sea Hag, and really, how else are our heroes going to travel? As usual, on the way they pass Chanticleer around. (They are pirates, after all, and she is the self-appointed ship’s tail. Though- granted- there hasn’t really been much piracy yet.) Their lair needs supplies and they’re low on money; and, even more important, the group’s getting bored. It’s time to go pirating- unless something better comes along, Malford thinks.
Haart, naturally, is morose, but it’s hard to read his expression now that he’s missing the lower half of his face. He has grown grotesque to look upon; his face really is a mess. Galliger snickers every time he sees it; Lyr just sees it as a sign of the gods’ capriciousness.
As the vessel sails towards the town, Dexter has a strange dream in which he sees an ancient text- he gets the impression that it’s the very first copy of the Galadron- falling into vague evil hands, and he sees the famous witch-hunter Hendrick in the pirates’ lair. When
Upon reaching Shorult our heroes set about provisioning, drinking and buying supplies. Dexter wanders the streets thoughtfully on his own, increasingly bitter at the treatment the others are giving him, especially Galliger. I thought he was my friend, Dex thinks bitterly. But since I turned to the Light, he’s been so hateful to me! Doesn’t he understand- I had no choice, they tortured me! They would have killed me! And I’m sure they have a way to monitor me- they’ll know if I go back on it.!
Struggling with his own inner demons, the young Dexter spends a lot of time by himself.
The elves of Gorel- for Shorult is one of the coastal towns of Gorel- are clearly not happy to have a strong Forinthian presence garrisoning their island. The Law of the Light is strictly enforced; at one point Chanti purses her lips and glares angrily as an elf is whipped for speaking the name of Galador. Our heroes don’t like it, especially being- again, except for Dexter and perhaps Rajah- avowed enemies of the Light. Finding that there’s a new Galadorian temple being built in town, our heroes scout the scene and consider some sabotage; but being easily distracted by elfin wine, they never quite get to it.
While they drink in a local human bar, an interested party catches site of Rajah. Taking care not to be noticed, he simply observes, drinking his beer. Elcruche will want to hear about this; it’s about time they picked up the scent again!
After a few nights in Shorult, Malford tells the group that he’s found an intriguing opportunity. “I was contacted by a merchant named Esel,” he tells the others, “who would like to hire us for an interesting-sounding job. Seems there’s this pyramid that only emerges from the water every seventeen years for a few weeks, and he’s interested in obtaining historical artifacts from it.” He glances around. “It’s not piracy, but I think that it might be even more lucrative. It’s a good way to start.”
So they set sail for the Aquan Pyramid, and in its honor Chanti composes a new sea chantey:
A magical pyramid
On a cold, briny sea
Full o’ treasure lay in wait
For my companions an’ me
So we adventured forth
Into treacherous depths
Burt thanks to my faith
My confidence never left
Our success was inevitable
Due to this I doth speak
Twas the fact that we were favored
By our beloved god Bleak.
Thanks to Bleak, Bleak, Bleak
(clap, clap, clap, clap)
I give my thanks to Bleak
For he’ll protect my always
In all the adventures I’ll seek!
With the exception of Dexter, everyone claps along. Galliger seems both proud of Chanti and eager to use her to slake his lust, and as always she’s willing to accommodate him. He is her priest, after all.
And Captain Malford frowns to himself. How long will someone like Galliger be content to be first mate if he starts to have a dedicated following?
So Malford begins a little project to split Chanti from Galliger. Secretly, when she’s alone, he uses a combination of phantasmal force and audible glamer* to send her a ‘visitation’ from Bleak... and to tell her that Galliger is straying from the path and must be watched.
Meanwhile, as they traveled towards the Pyramid, another vessel, colored to match the water and with a very specialized, low-profile hull, sleekly pulled from a hidden cove not far out of Shorult. Elcruche and his cronies were in pursuit of their target, still and always.
*That’s silent image and ghost sound these days, or at least roughly so.
Next Time: (Probably, anyway)- the Aquan Pyramid!
The trip to Shorult from the lair is about 140 miles; it’s a 35-hour journey by way of the Sea Hag, and really, how else are our heroes going to travel? As usual, on the way they pass Chanticleer around. (They are pirates, after all, and she is the self-appointed ship’s tail. Though- granted- there hasn’t really been much piracy yet.) Their lair needs supplies and they’re low on money; and, even more important, the group’s getting bored. It’s time to go pirating- unless something better comes along, Malford thinks.
Haart, naturally, is morose, but it’s hard to read his expression now that he’s missing the lower half of his face. He has grown grotesque to look upon; his face really is a mess. Galliger snickers every time he sees it; Lyr just sees it as a sign of the gods’ capriciousness.
As the vessel sails towards the town, Dexter has a strange dream in which he sees an ancient text- he gets the impression that it’s the very first copy of the Galadron- falling into vague evil hands, and he sees the famous witch-hunter Hendrick in the pirates’ lair. When
Upon reaching Shorult our heroes set about provisioning, drinking and buying supplies. Dexter wanders the streets thoughtfully on his own, increasingly bitter at the treatment the others are giving him, especially Galliger. I thought he was my friend, Dex thinks bitterly. But since I turned to the Light, he’s been so hateful to me! Doesn’t he understand- I had no choice, they tortured me! They would have killed me! And I’m sure they have a way to monitor me- they’ll know if I go back on it.!
Struggling with his own inner demons, the young Dexter spends a lot of time by himself.
The elves of Gorel- for Shorult is one of the coastal towns of Gorel- are clearly not happy to have a strong Forinthian presence garrisoning their island. The Law of the Light is strictly enforced; at one point Chanti purses her lips and glares angrily as an elf is whipped for speaking the name of Galador. Our heroes don’t like it, especially being- again, except for Dexter and perhaps Rajah- avowed enemies of the Light. Finding that there’s a new Galadorian temple being built in town, our heroes scout the scene and consider some sabotage; but being easily distracted by elfin wine, they never quite get to it.
While they drink in a local human bar, an interested party catches site of Rajah. Taking care not to be noticed, he simply observes, drinking his beer. Elcruche will want to hear about this; it’s about time they picked up the scent again!
After a few nights in Shorult, Malford tells the group that he’s found an intriguing opportunity. “I was contacted by a merchant named Esel,” he tells the others, “who would like to hire us for an interesting-sounding job. Seems there’s this pyramid that only emerges from the water every seventeen years for a few weeks, and he’s interested in obtaining historical artifacts from it.” He glances around. “It’s not piracy, but I think that it might be even more lucrative. It’s a good way to start.”
So they set sail for the Aquan Pyramid, and in its honor Chanti composes a new sea chantey:
A magical pyramid
On a cold, briny sea
Full o’ treasure lay in wait
For my companions an’ me
So we adventured forth
Into treacherous depths
Burt thanks to my faith
My confidence never left
Our success was inevitable
Due to this I doth speak
Twas the fact that we were favored
By our beloved god Bleak.
Thanks to Bleak, Bleak, Bleak
(clap, clap, clap, clap)
I give my thanks to Bleak
For he’ll protect my always
In all the adventures I’ll seek!
With the exception of Dexter, everyone claps along. Galliger seems both proud of Chanti and eager to use her to slake his lust, and as always she’s willing to accommodate him. He is her priest, after all.
And Captain Malford frowns to himself. How long will someone like Galliger be content to be first mate if he starts to have a dedicated following?
So Malford begins a little project to split Chanti from Galliger. Secretly, when she’s alone, he uses a combination of phantasmal force and audible glamer* to send her a ‘visitation’ from Bleak... and to tell her that Galliger is straying from the path and must be watched.
Meanwhile, as they traveled towards the Pyramid, another vessel, colored to match the water and with a very specialized, low-profile hull, sleekly pulled from a hidden cove not far out of Shorult. Elcruche and his cronies were in pursuit of their target, still and always.
*That’s silent image and ghost sound these days, or at least roughly so.
Next Time: (Probably, anyway)- the Aquan Pyramid!
