Morrow's Savage Tide Adventure Path

[Morrow]

Dexter Learns To Read

Dexter learned to read. Read, Dexter, read! Veserin says it’s time to practice to write. Dexter doesn’t
like to practice to write. Dexter breaks his pen. Break things, Dexter, break! Dexter practices his letters,

• A is for axe. Dexter will chop many demons with his axe. Dexter will axe them a question. Dexter is funny.
• B is for battle. Battle makes Dexter happy.
• C is for charge. CHARGE!
• D is for Dexter. Dexter will smash his enemies beneath his feet. Dexter will kill every demon. Demons make Dexter angry. Devils and demons defy daring Dexter who deftly defies their designs and destroys them even though his is a dumb dwarf. Dexter borrowed Garnham’s dictionary for that one.
• E is for election. This is important for some reason.
• F is for fury. And fire. And foes. And ferocious. F is a good letter.
• G is for good. Dexter is good.
• H is for horror which Dexter will cause when the bad things see him charging at them coated in the blood of their friends.
• I is for injuries which Dexter will inflict on bad things.
• J is for justice. Dexter fights for justice.
• K is for kill. KILL!
• L is for lame. Reading and writing is lame.
• M is for madness. Gwynharwyff shows how to use the madness of battle to fight against evil instead of just killing everything you see which would also be fun but not as nice.
• N is for nice. Dexter is very nice. To his friends…
• O is for onslaught. Dexter is good at that.
• P is for pile. Pile is what you do with the bodies of your enemies.
• Q is for quash. Quash is like squash but without the S so it’s easier to write.
• R is for rage. Rage is what Dexter feels when someone who is supposed to be his friend makes him stay inside and practice writing when he could be outside in the sun chopping down trees and making things.
• S is for slay. Dexter will slay demons.
• T is for test. Don’t test Dexter.
• U is for uproar. It’s like roar only up.
• V is for violence.
• W is for waste. This is a waste of time. Dexter will waste his enemies. Too much ale goes to Dexter’s waste which he works off by wasting enemies. Then he celebrates with ale. Dexter is aware this is a vicious cycle and is working on it.
• X is for xterminate. Dexter doesn’t want to hear that’s not how to spell xterminate. He is almost done and if you don’t let him finish he will be very upset.
• Y is for yell. It’s good to yell in battle. It lets your enemies know where you are so they can come over to you so you can kill them.
• Z is for Zotzilla. Dexter should have killed Zotzilla when he had the chance but the volcano would have erupted and that would be bad.

 

[Morrow]

Young Love

(Setting: the evening before the Crimson fleet is expected. Elyosha is sitting in a tent she has erected at the edge of the jungle, where she prepares her spells.)

ELYOSHA: (muttering to herself in Elven).

KASKUS: It’s still strange to hear that fluid language come out of a dwarven mouth. Even such a lovely mouth as yours.

E: Kaskus! You are surprised. Why you here?

K: Am I not welcome?

E: Welcome--of course you welcome. Come in, come in. I make place to sit. (Elyosha clears several scrolls and parchments off a small stool. Kaskus sits down.) You are here to collaborate?

K: No, Elyosha. I think we have done all we can to prepare Farshore against the Crimson Fleet’s invasion. No, I am here to speak to you on more personal matters.

E: You want to check my Dwarven? I practice, Kaskus. (In Dwarven.) “Where is the outhouse? May I have the vegetable meal suitable for druids? Please speak more slowly.” (Once again in Common.) I do well, yes?

K: Yes, Elyosha, you are doing well. By the time we get back to Sasserine, you might pass for a very slow dwarf.

E: I have good education! The best among my people!

K: Yes, I know. I was teasing. I enjoy trying to make you laugh. You are even prettier then.

E: Kaskus, you blush me.

K: (Taking Elyosha’s hand.) Elyosha, I must speak to you seriously now. The Crimson Fleet will come soon. We have marshaled all our forces against them, but we may not be strong enough. You know this.

E: I hope only we have done enough.

K: All that we have done for Lady Lavinia may be lost. Residents of Farshore will almost certainly lose their lives. I may--or you--we may not be among the lucky ones.

E: You only tell me what I already know.

K: Elyosha, what I mean to say is that I must take this opportunity to tell you how I feel. I cannot--you must know--I do love you, Elyosha, and I wish you were not going into this battle. (Stands up.) I know I have no right to come to you like this, and you may throw me out if you wish, but I couldn’t face the Fleet tomorrow if I didn’t make myself plain to you now.

E: Kaskus--I--

K: Yes, I’ll leave. I’m sorry I had to shock you like this. Whatever happens--

E: (Stands.) Kaskus, do not leave. Do not leave. I--I love you, too, I have since I was elf and I thought you would never have me--

K: I have loved you almost since I met you.

E: --and I glad you have come to me now. But, Kaskus, I must fight for Farshore. So must you. We have given word to stand up for Lady Lavinia and these people. What kind of druid--what kind of person--would I be if I back out now?

K: (Holds Elyosha.) That is why I love you, that stubborn spirit to do what is right. We will join the battle tomorrow. Of course you are right. But stay with me here tonight, Elyosha. We have done everything we can for Farshore--let this night be ours.

(They kiss. Fade to black.)

 

[Morrow]

Tides of Dread 2 (Margaret)

Dear Diary,

After all that planning, the Crimson Fleet finally arrived today, but we were ready!

First of all, I have to say that having an undead army really comes in handy when you’re besieged by murderous pirates. They did an amazing job keeping those jerks at bay.

Anyway, Sabine and Alyosha used a bunch of magic to get us ready for the battle which was very helpful. They did it just as the fleet was arriving. There were five ships: the Hag (which is a word I don’t like to use because it insults women, particularly women such as myself who enjoy going to taverns with their homosexual friends), the Sea Witch’s Curse (which I believe makes mermaids turned human mute), the Kraken’s Claw (which is a ship my grandmother told me all about, full of mean pirates, not like grandma), the Stygian Shark (I don’t know what stygian means) and the Brine Harlot (which is a much better name for a ship because it honors working girls like my other grandma who share their gifts with all sorts of folks, but I don’t know why anyone would want to brine a harlot).

Alyosha sent a wind storm out to sea which slowed them down, and I raised the water around the tenders they sent to shore. On the beach, Alyosha created spikes funneling most of the pirates toward the desecrated area with the caltrops and undead dinosaurs. It was a great plan, but then, some flesh golems showed up down the beach, so we had to take care of them. They weren’t that bad. We used fire to slow them down, and then we just hacked at them until they were all dead.

We noticed some explosions in town, and we received a message from town requesting that we take care of some of the ships’ cannons, so we teleported onto the Stygian Shark where we saw the mage Alyosha scryed. There were five Juan-ti onboard including the mage. Alyosha turned into an octopus, and Granham took the mage out with his whip. After that, the others didn’t pose too much of a challenge. We loaded up the front of the ship with blast discs, and I steered it into the Kraken’s claw, taking both of the ships out of commission. Gran would be so proud!

I sent a message ashore to find out what would help them most, and there were demons just near the Last Coconut, so we all swam to shore. I impressed the rocs with my righteous might, and Dexter took out one of them all on his own!

After we destroyed most of them, Garnham went toward the chapel to find Livinia, and Vanthus showed up all demony and tried to kill us. What a jerk! I really hate that guy. I’m glad he’s dead. Anyway, he had some kind of black Pearl which he dropped on the ground, and apparently it would have destroyed the world or something, but Garnham shoved it into the extra-dimensional space in my backpack. I don’t think Vanthus understood at first that my backpack wasn’t just an ordinary backpack, but I think he figured it out just before Dexter took his head off.

Anyway, that was pretty much the end of the fight, and I think my backpack is okay. Now that Farshore is safe again, all that’s really left to do is pick up the pieces and make it the best colony EVER!

Love, Maggie

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox!

 

[Morrow]

Tides of Dread 2 (Garnham)

From the journals of K. Garnham, Seeker as translated from the Valossan

An hour after dawn five caravels made their way to the Farshore harbor. They were met by a windstorm called up by Elyosha's magic.

The five ships of the Crimson Fleet pushed through, calming the winds with magic of their own. They set off their long-boats and aimed their cannon at our defenses.

Our defenses were well placed. Undead in the waters hindered their long boats and those pirates who made it assure found themselves herded by caltrop and spikestone to the waiting arms of our terrestrial undead.

We Beetles were poised to deal with situations as they developed.

The first such was a disturbance along the beach. We arrived and found what, at first glance, appeared to be four large undead humans rising from the waters. Sabine recognized them for what they truly were-- flesh golems.

At the first sign of combat Elyosha and Sabine had cast signifigant protective magics on us making this fight easier than it otherwise would have been.

After dispatching the golems Maggie teleported us to the deck of the Stygian Shark. The Shark had been launching fireballs into the town. Flares had been witnessed just prior to the fireballs indicating that a pirate had gotten through the defenses and had been marking targets for the wizard aboard the Shark.

The caster was yuan-ti and had several of his kind providing back up in addition to the human crew that waited below decks.

After we killed the yuan-ti and drove the human crew into Elyosha's watery embrace, Maggie rammed the Shark into the Kraken's Claw. Sabine peppered the Claw with fireballs. Blast discs attached to the front of the Shark detonated on contact sinking both ships.

Word reached us of demons attacking near the chapel so we made our way their with best speed. We arrived to find four vrocks engaged in a dance of ruin.

Dexter slew one in single combat. The rest fell.

As I was making my way to the belltower Lavinia passed me. She was looking to the skies.

Then Vanthus landed in all his demonic glory.

He made an overture to Lavinia. She told him he was so much filth wearing her brother's skin; her brother was dead as far as she was concerned.

Vanthus tried to magically command us to go help others, but we were immune thanks to our magical protections.

The fight with Vanthus went our way. Then, as he was badly bleeding, he pulled away from me, took out a shadow pearl and threw it to the ground.

Fortunately, Maggie had the foresight to purchase a handy haversack and the effects of the pearl went off harmlessly in another dimension.

Dexter removed Vanthus' head.

I comforted Lavinia.

Of the five ships that came to Farshore, two were sunk, the Hag and the Brine Harlot were captured by Captain Venkalie and only the Sea Witches Curse escaped.

 

[Morrow]

The Wedding (Garnham)

We open in the Farshore chapel. Most of the townfolk are gathered in their best clothing which varies from really nice to their regular clothing cleaned up a bit. At the front of the chapel stand the Silver Beetles, decked out in their finest outfits, arrayed in a line on the right hand side of the chapel. They are, in order, Garnham, Dexter, Maggie and Elyosha. Dexter carries an elaborately carved mahogany box.

In the front center stands Vesserin Catherly dressed in formal robes.

Maggie (speaking softly, as do the others in this exchange): I still say we should have done "naked wedding."

Garnham: No.

Elyosha: In Drusikstan no one has naked wedding. Is too cold, groom parts fall off. Bad for honeymoon.

Maggie: Why not?

Garnham: The only person I want to see naked will be walking down that aisle in about five minutes. When the naked part happens it's going to be between us.

Dexter snorts and smiles at his brother.

Elyosha: Not good for bride parts either.

Maggie: You should open your self up to more experiences Garnham.

Garnham: There are a lot of fine people out there today that I wouldn't want to experience even if I weren't getting married.

Elyosha: In Drusikstan no one gets naked on honeymoon either. Always wear hat.

Garnham: This feels weird.

Dexter: Getting married?

Garnham: No. Standing up here in front of all these people. I've spent most of my life trying to stay hidden. This is weird.

Dexter: Don't sweat it. In a few minutes no one's going to be looking at you.

At this point Rowyn Keilani, who had been playing background music on the violin, plays the musical cue that signals the coming of the bridal party. The Beetles stand to attention. Rowyn begins playing Tcham im Lithicarnia a traditional bridal march.

The members of the bridal party proceed to march down the aisle.

First up is Hevrik Adwattle.

Next is Gina "Redfoot" Fiddlebiter a relatively tall halfling woman in her thirties dressed in a fashionable yet comfortable outfit.

Next is Sabine Taskerhill. She carries a box identical to the one held by Dexter.

Finally Lavinia Vanderboren walks down the aisle. Walking beside her, in lieu of her deceased mother, is Telda Syren a half-elven woman who was very close to Lavinia's mother Larrissa.

Telda walks Lavinia up to her place in the front of the chapel, hugs her warmly and stands beside Vesserin.

Rowyn stops playing.

Vesserin steps forward.

Vesserin: We are gathered here today, on this happy occasion, to join and witness the joining of Lavinia Vanderboren and Kai Garnham in the estate of matrimony. To these two young people, this marriage signifies the birth of a new spirit, a spirit which is a part of each of us, yet not of any one of us alone. This "birth of spirit" reminds us of spring, the season when all life is reborn and looms again. It is appropriate, therefore, that this wedding of
Lavinia and Kai be in the spring, Kai, Lavinia, I bid you look into each others eyes. Lavinia, Will you cause him pain?

Lavinia: I may.

Vesserin: Is that your intent?

Lavinia: No.

Vesserin: Kai, will you cause her pain.

Garnham: I may.

Vesserin: Is that your intent?

Garnham: No.

Vesserin: (to both) Will you share each other's pain and seek to ease it?

Both: We shall.

Vesserin: And so the binding is made.

Vesserin steps back letting Telda move to the spot that he has vacated. Dexter offers the box to Telda. She opens the lid and extracts a silver chain from inside. Garnham raises his right hand revealing a golden bracelet. Telda attaches the chain to the bracelet. Lavinia raises her left hand to reveal an identical bracelet. Telda attaches the other end of the chain to Lavinia's bracelet.

Vesserin: Lavinia, Will you share his laughter?

Lavinia: Yes.

Vesserin: Kai, Will you share her laughter?

Garnham: Yes.

Vesserin: (to both) Will both of you look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?

Both: We shall.

Vesserin: And so the binding is made.

Sabine offers her box to Telda who opens it, removes a silver chain and uses it to link Lavinia to Garnham.

Vesserin: Lavinia, Will you burden him?

Lavinia: I may.

Vesserin: Is that your intent?

Lavinia: No.

Vesserin: Kai, Will you burden her?

Garnham: I may.

Vesserin: Is that your intent?

Garnham: No.

Vesserin: (to both) Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?

Both: We shall.

Vesserin: And so the binding is made.

Telda takes another chain from Dexter's box and binds Garnham to Lavinia.

Vesserin: Lavinia, will you share his dreams?

Lavinia: Yes.

Vesserin: Kai, will you share her dreams?

Garnham: Yes.

Vesserin: (to both) Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes?

Both: We shall.

Vesserin: And so the binding is made.

Telda takes a chain from Sabine's box and binds Lavinia to Garnham.

Vesserin: Kai, will you cause her anger?

Garnham: I may.

Vesserin: Is that your intent?

Garnham: No.

Vesserin: Lavinia, will you cause him anger?

Lavinia: I may.

Vesserin: Is that your intent?

Lavinia: No.

Vesserin: (to both) Will you take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this union?

Both: We will.

Vesserin: And so the binding is made.

Telda takes a chain from Dexter's box and binds Garnham to Lavinia.

Vesserin: Lavinia, Will you honor him?

Lavinia: I will.

Vesserin: Kai, Will you honor her?

Garnham: I will.

Vesserin: (to both) Will you seek to never give cause to break that honor?

Both: We shall never do so.

Vesserin: And so the binding is made.

Telda takes the final chain from Sabine's box and binds Lavinia to Garnham. She steps back allowing Vesserin to return to his original place. He places his hands on the six chains linking Lavinia and Garnham.

Vesserin: The links of this binding are not formed by these chains but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop them, for as always, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union. (Vesserin removes his hand from the chains. Garnham and Lavinia join bracleted hands.) I now pronounce you husband and wife.

The couple embrace and kiss. There are some hoots from the assembled townsfolk and some of the members of the wedding party. Rowyn starts a spirited song on the violin. The couple walk up the aisle hand in hand under a rain of the hats thrown into the air by the congregation.

 

[Morrow]

Reception (Garnham)

Scenes from the reception (in no particular order)


1. Dancing

The main festivities are taking place in and around The Last Coconut. Tables have been set up outside and the town square has been set aside for dancing.

The Arrelion family have set up their instruments on the eastern corner of the block. Galliana is playing the only piano in Farshore, a family heirloom brought over from Sasserine. Tehrik plays guitar, Dantrik is on drums and Gerriss plays cornet. They aren't as good as Rowyn, but they have the advantage of playing after the liqour gets served.

The newlyweds have their first dance and everyone else is invited to join them.

Numerous couples begin to dance.

Tilden, looking quiet dashing in a new suit, offers his hand to Ruby the Weaver. She smilingly accepts.

Ruby: So you're TIldenacre Medcap.

Tilden: At your service.

Ruby: Quiet a mouthful.

Tilden: My friends call me Tilden.

Ruby: (looking over at the Garnham and Lavinia) They certainly make a nice couple.

Tilden: That's what I thought when I introduced them.

Ruby: I thought they met...

Tilden: ....when Lady Vanderboren hired the Silver Beetles? That's the story that they want you to believe. The truth is much more complicated. Back alley deals and derring-do just a bit too sordid for the average person.

Ruby: Really!?

Tilden: Absolutely. Perhaps I can tell you about it later at my place.

Ruby gives him a knowing smile and they dance on.

Elyosha and Keskus might be dancing together. It's hard to tell with all of the humans in the way.

On the edge of the dancing sits Y'Kern. The young Ohlman man sits on the ground watching the foreigners dance. Gertie Bessand walks up to him. She's balancing two plates of food and a cup of wine. She hands one of the plates of food to Y'Kern.

Gertie: I got you a plate.

Y'Kern: Thanks. I was going to wait for the line to thin down before I got anything.

Gertie: I figured. (she sits and begins to eat)

Gertie: You like the dancing?

Y'Kern: It's a bit tame for a wedding.

Gertie: It looks fine to me.

Y'Kern: Ohlman dancing is more spirited than this. More energy. Less clothing.

Gertie: Oh. (long pause) I was wondering if maybe you'd like to dance with me. After we eat of course.

Y'Kern: You'd need to ask my grandmother.

Gertie: I don't want to dance with her, I want you.

Y'Kern: (shrugs his shoulders) There is a proper way to do things. Grandmother is very big on the proprieties.

Gertie: Oh.

Telda dances by with Rhyner.

Telda: So you're Garnham's foster father?

Rhyner: More or less. I watched over him since his mother passed. He could have turned out worse I suppose.

Telda: You're being modest. I think you did an excellent job with him.

Rhyner: Thank you.

Telda: How long are you here for?

Rhyner: Just the wedding.

Telda: How did you get here?

Rhyner: It's complicated. You see...

They dance off, Rhyner's explanation lost in the crowd.

Dexter and Rowyn dance by.

Dexter: Thanks again for playing the fiddle.

Rowyn: What can I say, weddings bring out the romantic in me. Play your cards right and you could get lucky tonight.

Dexter: We're going to play cards?

Rowyn: Why not. Ever play strip poker?

The gnome Urol Forol and the dwarf Gunnlodda Sellis dance by. Urol has his eyes fixed on his feet obviously not familiar with the steps to this, or probably any other dance. After he manages to get four consecutive steps in a row right he meets Gunnlodda's eyes, his face in a huge eager puppy dog grin.

Gunnlodda: Don't get cocky yet, the fast stuffs coming up. (She proceeds to twirl him around the dance floor.)

Captain Ulvar Kabbanja and Ilsa Baldrick dance by.

2. A Wedding Present

At a lull in the festitvities T'zon comes up to Lavinia and Garnham bearing a wooden club. The club features an image of a (presumed) fertility goddess. T'zon extends the club to Lavinia with both hands.

T'zon: A present to you Lady Vanderboren on the day of your wedding.

Lavinia: (accepting) Thank you. (examining it) What is it?

T'zon: It is traditional for new brides to receive this on their wedding day. This (she point to the fertitlity goddess) is to insure children. And this (she turns the club around revealing bits of what must be the Ohlman version of the Kama Sutra) is to insure pleasure. And if your husband gives you neither (she grasps the club as if to attack) then he gets this.

Lavinia: (smiling) You've had to use it yourself then?

T'zon: My second husband. I had to let him go. He couldn't find the capstone of my womanhood with a map, a compass and a pair of hunting dogs.

Lavinia: I'm not sure that I could either.

T'zon: Dear Lady, I had forgotten that you lost your mother. She was a good woman. We spoke many times. It was her responsibility to tell you of your body, but I can do this in her stead.

Lavinia: That's alright. I..... have an aunt in Cauldron. Probably.

T'zon: All the better. It is best that family do this.

Lavinia: Yes. Thanks again for the present. I hope you don't mind if I just put it in the other room.

T'zon: That is probably best. That Bessand girl has her eye on Y'kern, and I don't want to put any ideas in her head.

Lavinia: Maybe we'll have another wedding in a few years.

T'zon: That's between her and me.

3. A meeting of the minds

It's later in the evening. The band is still playing, but it is obvious that they are using alcohol to fuel themselves at this point. There are a few couples still dancing in the square, but more are just relaxing, chatting, sipping drinks.

The main room of the Last Coconut is mostly empty. The only occupants are Zan Oldavin, Jeran Emrikad, Bill Gan, Avner Meravanchi and Gina Fiddlebiter. There are several decanters of wine and other spirits on the table. The five are all at least two sheets to the wind.

Zan: I don't even know why I'm here?

Avner: This is a bar, if you can't figure it out then you're not trying hard enough. (he empties his glass.)

Zan: I mean Farshore. Was a time when being a Jade Raven meant something. Now the Lady's got herself new favorites.

Bill: And she ups and marries one.

Zan: Exactly.

Gina: A thief like you.

Zan: I'm notta thief. I'm an adventurer. He's a thief. What am I doing in this drenhole town.

Jeran: Having an adventure.

Zan: Not me. We're part of the B team.

Gina: And you fought for us just as well as the Beetles.

Jeran: Look at me. Past my prime and still full of dreams. You're doing it kid. You don't see me going off to fight troglodytes or sword fight pirates.

Avner: There is too much liquour here for that much depression. (He refills Jeran and Zan's cups.)

Gina: So Bill, they tell me that you're a pacifist.

Bill: A couple years ago I nearly died in a fight. Saw me a vision from on high. Told me to stop fighting.

Gina: Even in self defense?

Bill: Yeah.

Jeran: Which god was it?

Bill: Dunno. I'm not a particular religous man.

Avner: Let's keep religion out of this. Tonight is about drink and women.

Gina: If that's the case you boys better drink up cause I can guarantee you that the only person at this table going to bed with a woman tonight is yours truly.

Zan: Can we watch.

Gina: I meant that I'M a woman and I'll be in bed. By myself. Gods Zan, are you this pervie when your sober?

Zan: Ask me when I'm sober.

Avner: None of us have the lifespan to wait that long. (Avner drains his glass and looks to Gina.) Now what's this you say about going to bed alone.

Gina: It ain't happening longshanks.

Avner: You do realize that what they say about human men is true.

Gina: That you're twice as disgusting as halfling men? Figured that one out on my own.

Jeran: Not all of us are that bad.

Zan: You're one of the good ones Jeran.

Bill: My god, whoever they are, just told me not to fight. Said nothing about celibacy.

Gina: Avner, you've been in Farshore a few months and you've already seduced and abandoned all of the local girls who'll have you. You know what they say about men who womanize like that?

Avner: That we're blessed by the gods.

Gina: No. They say that men like that are trying to hide something. Trying to hide the fact that they like other men.

Zan: You know he has been looking at me awful funny all night.

Avner: You're a man? I'm sorry, my mistake.

Zan lunges at him from across the table. The half-elven rogue knocks the young wastrel back. Jeran, Bill and Gina stare back and forth at each other.

Bill: I'm a pacifist.

Jeran: I'm too old.

Gina: I'm betting 5 silver that Zan kicks his sorry ass around the island.

Bill and Jeran look at each other.

Bill: My god didn't say anything about gambling. I'm in.

Jeran: Me too. Except the deity speaking to me part.

The three refill their cups and turn their chairs around to watch Zan and Avner go at it. From outside the Coconut we here the following:

Dexter: Look out, I'm coming through.

Maggie: NAKED WEDDING!!!!!!!! WOOOO HAAAAAAAA!!!!

4. The end of the evening.

Garnham and Lavinia are walking into the manner holding the hands that are still linked by their wedding bracelets. Lavinia has T'zon's club in her other hand.

Garnham: You know, they used to take the chains off at the altar.

Lavinia: And then the bride and groom ended up getting pulled apart every five minutes during the reception. I like it better this way. I have you all to myself for at least one day.

Garnham: Amen to that.

They walk through the main hall and up the stairs. Stopping at the threshold to there room.

Lavinia: This is it.

Garnham: Yeah.

Lavinia: We walk through that door and that room transforms itself from my parents' room to ours.

We'll be the grownups then.

Garnham: That's a scary thought. (he pushes the door open with his left hand) I'm ready if you are.

They walk into the room. Just inside the doorway is a small wooden stand upon which sits a mahogany box almost identical to the ones carried by Sabine and Dexter. On the top of the box there is a small golden placard that reads:

"Kai Garnham and
Lavina Vanderboren
United together
In love and friendship
This April 14th XXXX"​

They step forward to the box. Lavinia opens the top.

Garnham: So I undo you.

Lavinia: And you undo me. It's good luck.

Garnham undos one of the chains on Lavinia's bracelet. She undos the same chain on his bracelet and places it reverently into the wooden box. She then undos one of the chains on his bracelet, he reciprocates and places that chain into the box. They continue until all of the chains are in the box.

Garnham closes the box and Lavinia picks it up and carries it to a shelf along the left hand side of the room. She places it there beside an almost identical box bearing the names of her parents.

Garnham embraces Lavinia.

Fade to black.

 

[Morrow]

What I Did On My Summer Vacation (Garnham)

From the journals of K. Garnham, Seeker as translated from the Vallossan

It seems that the last journal that I deposited with the guild was damaged in a freak accident and that I will need to provide an overview of the last few months at the begining of this new volume.

The most important thing to happen during this time was my marriage to Lavinia. I'm not certain how they did it, but my friends managed to get Rhyner to Farshore for the ceremony.

The service went smoothly, and aside from a fist fight and some drunken streaker, the reception went well. We spent a week in Mora for the honeymoon.

All of this has gotten me interested in family. I've asked Rhyner to ask around about the current whereabouts of my father Emil Black and any other possible children he might have had. With any luck I'll be getting word when the Nixie returns.

My chronicler will also arrive with the Nixie. I'm not so certain about this, but will try to have an open mind.

Shortly after returning from my honeymoon the Silver Beetles set out to find the legendary 8th Village. Between Elyosha's and Maggie's divinations we were able to quickly locate the remnants of the old village, somehow dragged underground by the power of the ape idol.

We encountered heavy resistance from Aranea. Unlike Lirithia we were unable to reason with them and were forced to kill them in our own defense.

In the end there was enough valuables to fill Maggie's haversack. Approximately half of what we found was wanted by the other seven villages, the other half (including the ape statue that started this whole mess) was seen as cursed by the Ohlman and will be sent to the north once a ship is available.

Things have been remarkably quiet aside from settling into married life and killing 8 foot long spiders.

I sent word to the Seeker Lodge in Fort Blackwell about the mysterious goings on with our false priest and the agents he met there.
Rowyn has taken over control of the Last Coconut. Witnesses confirm that the previous owner, Malfus Fariwind, was killed by three pirates in the attack on Farshore. My worse, if wiser, self reminds me that Rowyn's magics allow her to look like someone else.

I have spent my time doing the daily business of the Lodge and becoming more a part of the social/ political side of things. The latter seems to be some help to Lavinia as she goes about her duties as mayor.
The first Black Lodge has been built. We've had a number of new members join. Mostly temporary militia members who want to defend their homes, but who aren't interested in the military life.

I'm learning the Ohlman language.

I have also formed a research group. Jeran, Sabine, Adwattle and myself have been trying to work through a number of things. The Skin Walkers, the Yarrash birthmark that Dexter and I have and the history of the Island.
There is the matter of the teeth of Dahlver-Nar.

Dahlver-Nar was a human cleric who, through means unknown, came to possess the teeth that now bear his name. Each tooth grants the "wearer" a link to a particular being of great power who is either dead, trapped or otherwise inaccessible. If a particular tooth is destroyed then it is somehow recreated elsewhere.

It's unclear if the full set of teeth would be able to be permanently destroyed.
The tooth we have is that of Ahazu the Seizer, demon lord of the night and abduction, Ahazu is assosiated with the seventy-third layer of the Abyss, the Wells of Darkness as Ulricon the Necromancer called them.
This is how Ulicron describes the realm:

"The Wells of Darkness is habitable, but abandoned by most demons. The stony ground is littered with inky black wells, spots of pure darkness at the bottom of each shaft beneath a steely blue sun. Each well is said to contain an imprisoned demon, god, or corpse. Some of the prisoners were overthrown by rivals, while others failed spectacularly in their conduct of the Blood War.

Those who wander from the marble path that winds through the Wells of Darkness risk incurring the wrath of the Abyss itself. Those who linger more than a few hours risk gaining the attention of the Custodians, utterly silent wardens who relentlessly patrol the layer, dealing death with their baleful gazes.

Although it is possible to escape imprisonment in one of the Wells of Darkness, such escapes usually require the Lords of Woe or the intervention of a greater deity. Those known to have escaped the Wells of Darkness include Bayemon of the Unhealing Wound, the marilith queen Shaktari, Siragle the Ineffable, and vaunted Zzyczesiya."

Now Ahazu is missing (presumed hoisted by his own pitard) and we have his tooth.

The string of events that led us to the tooth.

1.) Before leaving Sasserine Urol is sold a treasure map that will eventually lead to the idol.
2.) Sometime during our journey to Farshore the idol is stolen from the temple of Zotzilaha.
3.) The idol (somehow) ends up in the Ohlman ruins on Urol's treasure map.
4.) We find the idol.
5.) We return the idol to Zotzilaha.
6.) The representative of Zotzilaha seems surprised that the Tooth is among the items he offers us as a reward.
7.) He tells us to take it away.
8.) We do.

Who took the idol in the first place? Who put the Tooth in Zotzilaha's collection plate? Why us? Why do they want us to have the Tooth? After all these months I'm just running around in circles trying to figure it out.
What we can safely accept as fact:

1.) Whoever did this is at least as powerful as we are, probably more so. At the very least they had to magically transport the idol hundreds of miles away. I don't know how well guarded the idol was when it was taken.
2.) Whoever did this is familiar with us. They knew who would be important enough to be able to negotiate a visit to the island, but gullible enough to buy a treasure map.
3.) They plan long term.

One theory is that this is a plan to release Ahazu himself. Perhaps there is some ritual that needs to be performed, something that we are qualified to perform.

I don't like this one. It would have to be a pretty damn powerful ritual given the power usually required to escape the Wells.

The flip side of the coin is that someone wants to make certain that Ahazu stays in the Wells permanently. Maybe there's a way to permanently destroy the Tooth on the Isle of Dread and doing so will make it impossible for Ahazu to escape.

Too many leaps in logic for me to be happy with this theory.

Or this could have nothing to do with Ahazu beyond his dentistry.

Frustruating.

I have recently discovered a secret compartment in the Brine Harlot. It contained Vanthus' log. There are many interesting bits and I suspect that Lavinia will ask us to deal with a few of it's revelations.

 

[Morrow]

The Lightless Depths part 1 (Garnham)

From the journals of K. Garnham Vanderboren-Black as translated from the Vallossan

With the expected return of the Nixie in a month's time I decided to make a final inspection of the ships that we would soon be the core of the Farshore fleet. While going over the captain's quarters of the Brine Harlot I came upon a hidden compartment that I somehow missed the first time.

Within was a log kept by Vanthus detailing some fairly disturbing goings-on in other parts of the island.

It mentioned the Fleet meeting with Emraag the Glutton, a monstrous dragon turtle said to sink ships and eat whole crews. It referred to a payment made to the beast in order to access the beach of Gallivant Cove. It was on this beach that they met with the leprous Lords of Dread and received the Shadow Pearl that Vanthus tried to destroy Farshore with some months ago.

Seventh Coil Yuan-Ti?

Lavinia has had grave concerns about the safety of the Nixie and other ships traveling to and from Farshore for some time. The Glutton's home is on the other side of the island, but it can range out far enough to be a serious threat to our shipping lines.

Manthalay hadn't wanted to negotiate safe passage with the monster, but Lavinia wanted to ensure the safety of Farshore's supply lines by whatever means necessary.

Since coming back from our honeymoon Lavinia had heard the rumors of a Vanderboren family curse that had been spreading among the townsfolk. She wanted things to run smoothly for the colony so she loaded the Dragon down with treasure and asked us to deal with the Glutton by bribery or brute force and then investigate the source of the Lords of Dread.

To summon the beast we were provided with an Ohlman musical instrument called a sea skirl, a long pipe that is placed half underwater while the musician blows through the other end. Rowyn was convinced to join us and play the skirl.

There was strong debate over the approach we should take with Emraag, diplomacy or the sword. I was more in favor of killing the beast than bartering, but was uncertain if we had the strength to defeat it.

We sailed for five days before reaching Gallivant Cove. We dropped anchor and had Rowyn play the skirl. In a few minutes the Glutton rose from the deep.

He is far larger than any dragon turtle that I'd read about, gross and fat with power. Dexter could confirm his evil nature.

We made an arrangement. The treasure we offered him now for a year of safe passage for all ships sailing the Farshore colors.

The beast also directed us to the pier that Vanthus had travelled to when he came here months ago and mentioned the lizard folk that lived in the caves just off of it.

We arrived. Elyosha scouted the area and found tracks that indicated that they went to the pier regularly to fish accompanied by a large quadroped dinosaur.

Elyosha and I scouted into the caves, soon coming across a cavern guarded by the large dinosaur. There was a passage off the cavern leading further in, but it was blocked by a metal gate.

Elyosha (in cat form) continued past the gate. After a short while she came to another room. This one had four snake people. After that room there was a sloping passage covered in pictograms that suggested that the Shadow Pearls were created by the the snake god Yig.

Elyosha magically neutralized the dinosaur. We were then able to stealth closer to the snake people and confirm that they were evil.

We fought the four snake-men priests.

They didn't survive.

One point of interest. The dinosaur and the snake men priests showed signs of deformity. Their skins had scaled and scabbed over. There was evidence that this was due to a disease or possibly the effects of Shadow Pearl exposure. Amongst the belongings of the dead were several applications of black pulp poultice and bilestone geodes that were large enough to contain Shadow Pearls.

Sabine and I have secured a sample geode apiece for study by the Seekers and Witchwardens.

We then traveled for four miles when we arrived at a great cavern filled with small huts. We discovered that most were filled with snake-people in various stages of the shadow-scourge. Some were so cancerously overgrown that they couldn't pass through the entrance of their homes.

We discovered six other priests attending a modified statue of Yig. A second head had been added to it; the head of a toad.

We came upon them as they were about to sacrifice an Ohlman man before the tainted effigy of Yig. The priests died, the Ohlman man didn't.

While we were tending to the wounds of the feral Ohlman man we heard the sounds of someone still alive among a pile of dead shadow scourge victims. We pulled a snake woman from the corpse pile. Interestingly she was not evil and showed no signs of the condition that had effected her fellow snake people.

She told us that she was a former priest of Yig who had proven immune to the disease that now ravaged her people. She was to be sacrificed to the abomination that had been made of her deity and was most grateful that we had saved her life.

She told us that the Shadow Pearls come from the temple of the Ancient Ones and that her people receive the pearls from Kopru. She offered to lead us to the temple.

We rested for the night. The Ohlman man, it turned out, had been under the effect of a Feeblemind spell and required serious magical healing in the morning.

Maggie was able to restore his mind and he told us his tale.

His name is J'Kara and he is from an Ohlman village closer to the central plateau not associated with the Seven Tribes.

He had encountered a missionary from Farshore named Noltus. Dexter knew of Noltus from his time in the temple. Vesserin had spoken of him and was concerned that he hadn't heard from the missionary since he left Farshore to explore the heart of the island.

Noltus is a worshiper of the sun god Urian.

J'Kara was impressed by Noltus' faith and dedication for the elimination of dark powers. J'Kara is himself a demon fighter. The faiths meshed closely enough that J'Kara even had the symbol of the Church of the Whirling Fury tatooed on his back..

Noltus had asked J'Kara to take a message to Vesserin. While crossing the plateau J'Kara was attacked by a band of skinwalkers. He managed to beat them back, but not before one of them had cast Feeblemind on him.
J'Kara wandered off and was eventually captured by the snake people to be used in their sacrifice.

Both Maggie and Dexter have proven very interested in the Ohlman demon hunter. Dexter for religious matters and Maggie for, I assume, more carnal pursuits. The two have been a bit snippy with each other as regards J'Kara's attentions.

We set off with N'Tel and J'Kara. Providing them with what equipment we could before pressing further.

In the one fight we've had since they've joined us they've proven their worth. J'Kara with a bow; N'Tel with warlock abilities.

 

[Morrow]

The Lightless Depths part 2 (Garnham)

From the journals of K.Garnham Vanderboren-Black as translated from the Vallossan

We decided to send J'Kara back to the Dragon. Dexter had concerns about his safety and wanted to ensure that he relayed his message from Noltus to Vesserin.

N'Tel continued to guide us through the tunnels and caverns of her homeland giving us good intelligence of a roper and steering us through a barrier seemingly made up of the spirits of Ohlman warriors that whispered to us in their native tongue.

N'Tel told us about an isolated village called Barbas that she believed would be the last possible sanctuary before we made it to the temple of the Ancient Ones.

Barbas, from what she knows, is populated by mongrelfolk and a few members of other races.

We traveled to Barbas. Elyosha steered us through a series of poisonous molds that seemed to have been grown specifically to ward out intruders. As we grew nearer we became aware of six hook horrors that awaited outside the gates of the town.

We convinced the guards of our peaceful intentions and were allowed in. We were met by an albino mongrel man, heavily scarred, missing part of his right ear who introduced himself as Vertrum, the headman of the village.

The citizenry seemed a bit put off by the strangers in their midst. We did some trading with them and chatted. Every once in a while you could catch them whispering the things that you had just said in your voice. Weird.

We were treated to a feast in our honor. I think one of the components of good diplomacy is a strong stomach. Their delicacies were ..... an acquired taste. Nothing wrong, just very different. Still nothing worse than the phanaton feast we attended.

Vertrum told us a bit about the history of Barbas. Many generations ago the forefathers of Barbas were held as slaves to demon-fish in the city of Golismorga. There was a great war with the demon-fish and a tear from the rain god forced the water out of the demon-fish city.

The slaves, now free, formed the village of Barbas and took up the worship of the Snake Father, a god that doesn't seem to actually exist as far as Maggie can ascertain.

We spent the night in Barbas only to have our sleep disturbed by an assault from an umber hulk, two hook horrors and a grell. They died.

The next morning we spoke again with Vertrum. With the assault on Barbas the night before he had decided to relocate his village. We contacted Lavinia via Sending to see if Farshore would take them in. We told Vertrum that we might have a place for his people and gave him some basic survival tips for the surface before we continued on.

Before we left he showed us one of the devil-fish. He said that it still lived and that particularly brave souls had placed their ears to it's side and can hear it's evil heart still beating.

It turned out that the devil-fish was an aboleth. Without water it seemed to have dried up and become inert. Knowing what evil it was capable of we killed it.

We traveled a day and came to the cavern N'Tel spoke of. It was mostly submerged in water. I'm not certain how this much water was supposed to be here given what we were told by Vertrum about the tear. Perhaps it's a sign that the old magic is failing.

Upon entering N'Tel walked to the center and said "They are here, the heroes you wanted."

The spirit of a serpent-folk materialized over the water and said, "Thank you my daughter, you have served me well."

He then proceeded to introduce himself as Seth and explained that the Shadow Pearl production could be stopped by reflooding the city and forcing the Kopru out. He referred to the item holding back the waters as Tlaloc's Tear and that we would need to destroy it to stop the pearls even though it would reawaken the aboleth.

He also said that Demogorgon was behind the Shadow Pearls.

On arriving in the cavern we had noticed unusual writings on the walls and ceiling. Most noticable of these was a rune on the ceiling that seemed to share some properties with aboleth glyphs. Elyosha examined it with her monocle and determined that it suppressed an aboleth's ability to magically enslave others. She was also able to tell that the serpent-folk spirit that we were talking to was an illusion.

We confronted it and it revealed itself to be an aboleth. It tried to convince us that we needed to destroy the Tear to get rid of the Pearls and it tried to convince us that it's people wouldn't be a threat to us for hundreds of years.

We fought and killed it.

We traveled on and have now camped on the edges of the fetid city of Golismorga.

 

[Morrow]

Dear Mom,
Sorry I did not rite you sooner. I meaned to but since I riting is hard and you can not read good I
did not think you would mind so I waited til now cause we are gonna maybe die soon so I wanted
too rite a letter now while I still can. Do not worry. Things are good. If we die it will be cause of a
bout a hundrid dozen evil creatures we are about to fight. So that is good.
Things in Farshore are good. We are still working for Lady Vandahborin. She sent us to give
presents to a evil giant turtle so it would stop eating our boats. Remember those bad things I told
you about that those bad guys are gonna use to do bad things to where you live and where I live?
Garnham says I should not menshun names in my letter in case it is interseptid. We found out
where they are from and are trying to fix it.
I made a new friend on the way here. He is part of the same church as me. I could not talk to him
much because Maggie has a crush on him and she got jellis when he and me were talking about our
favorit way to kill evil things. Speaking of killing evil things we killed a lot of them on the way here.
Some of them were really neet. There were all these snake peepul that had dizeezis. And a spike with
tennacles. And there were giant bugs and then other giant bugs and there was a brain with a beak
and tennacles. You would have liked it. I know you do not approve of me always killing evil things
but most of the time they started it and I made sure none of them are your relatives.
We found an underground city of strange men. The longer I am a dwarf the more I like it
underground. It is kind of strange. Sometimes if I put my head on the ground I can almost hear
things in the rocks. I kind of like it. They were nice and we are bringing them to Farshore so they
can live with us.
We are going to go kill a bunch of giant evil mind control fish and snaky tennacle faced evil cult
guys now so I got to stop riting now.
I miss you. My girlfriend Rowan is doing good. You would like her because she is evil like your
favorite aunt Mildrew. Not just like Great Aunt Mildrew though because she doesn’t try to kill me
every time she sees me like Aunt Mildrew used to. Not every time anyway. Even though she is evil
Rowyn is usually nice to me. She is really good at things that Garnham says it is not propreet to put
in a letter to my mom so I will tell you all about it in person nest time I can get home to visit.
I will send you this letter as soon as I can unless I die furst.
Your son,
Dexter Black