A
detect poison spell reveals that the globes are full of poison gas. Nolin’s
legend lore reveals what kind, when he learns,
- “Lungbane shrivels,
Not from nature,
Chokes the flesh and
Slays the soul.”
Good thing they figured it out, too; they were very close to
dimension dooring into one of the force globes, which might have been disastrous. After several plans are checked by Tao’s use of divination magic, an easier solution is conceived. Velendo casts
neutralize poison on one of the globes. A
detect poison orison indicates that the spell has apparently made the air inside completely safe. Agar
disintegrates the globe surrounding the five sea chests, and the gleeful looting begins.
Meanwhile, TomTom’s research using
clairtangency on the desk papers is producing slow results. He finds dirt on three of the major Eversink houses, including House Clearwater. He finds proof that the youngest son of House Roaringbrook attempted to have the trade delegation ship first carrying the Defenders (and a hold full of flowstone) to Eversink sunk by minotaur pirates; apparently, he was acting to disrupt the trade negotiations between the two countries. TomTom also finds commodity bonds, a deed to a dockside bar and adjoining flophouse, a sea rutter detailing navigational instructions, a spellbook, and several other odds and ends.
When the other globe is
disintegrated, TomTom begins experiencing a disturbing psionic buzzing. He quickly tracks it down to the smallest of the five chests, and he orders Mara to take it hundreds of feet away. Tao uses her helm to cast
clairvoyance inside the chest, and using the
darkvision granted by Agar’s spell sees a large, hairy spider surrounded by some sort of crystallized goo, almost like a fly trapped in amber. The group decides not to open the chest.
The other chests are full of interesting things, once TomTom disarms the poison needle traps protecting them. One is full of a shimmering, sliding heap of 6000 golden coins, more than 120 lbs of foreign treasure. Another contains rare antiquities from around the world: a magical tinderbox, ivory statuettes of warriors, an exquisite jade statue of a naked woman with lobster head and claws, beaded gnomish vests, halfling wooden carvings, an infernally-forged pirate hook, and various other trinkets. The fourth chest is extremely large and radiates conjuration magic; when opened, Agar and TomTom stare down into an endless void as butterflies launch themselves from the inside of the lid. In the miles of empty space they can see clouds, birds, and a deep blue sky. “Elemental plane of air,” says Agar definitively. “This is a free-standing portal. Quite valuable!” He takes a pull on his pipe, the aromatic smoke being blown away by the sharp breeze blowing from the open sea chest. “Fascinating….”
The last sea chest contains swashbuckling clothing, a parrot skeleton, a magically sharp hook, a treasure map depicting an unknown island shaped like a shark, and a solid wooden box wrapped in a Jolly Roger flag and marked with the symbol of Psorga, God of the Seas. Excited, the group tries several things with the box including getting it wet, and steps back hurriedly as it begins to expand: chunk! chunK! chuNK! chUNK! cHUNK!
CHUNK! Within seconds, a huge two-decked pirate ship named “The Bloody Grail” eclipses the sky, before slowly toppling sideways on the sun-drenched grass of the Beastlands, still covered with barnacles and the ragged scars of her last battle. Nolin has heard of The Bloody Grail before – she’s infamous for striking fast and then disappearing – and if the Defenders can fix her, they now own her.
About this time the group’s attention is caught by the nearby standing stones, which serve as a
portal to Sigil, the city in the center of the multiverse. The portal hums, crackles, and a man steps through. No, not a man… golden skin, huge white wings, pure white robes, and golden eyes like the wrath of God itself: an angel. His eye is caught by the rather unusual sight of the pirate ship toppled over on the veldt. Tao strides towards him as he turns, and he almost starts at the aura of divine radiance coming from her as well.
“Greeting, sister,” he rumbles; his voice is like the clarion call of a hundred trumpets.
“May I be of assistance?”
“No,” answers Tao matter-of-factly. “We have everything under control.”
“Very good,” says the angel.
“My greetings to your Goddess, and my blessings on your endeavors.” With a thankful smile from Tao, he beats his wings once and swirls into the air in a hurricane of wind. Within seconds he has flown out of sight, and everyone lets out a long breath.
“Wow,” says Agar.
No one can figure out how to close the pirate ship back up, though, so they expand their unique
Daern’s Instant Fortress (known as the Flickering Needle) and try to grab some sleep. They agree that in the morning a few people should walk through the nearby portal to Sigil, with the intention of selling the
elemental air chest and several other items, and commissioning or buying several items that the group would like to have. Their sleep is interrupted by a group of planewalkers leaving Sigil and intending to investigate the beached ship; warned off by a Defender trying to be intimidating, they hastily head somewhere else. And eventually, although the sun has not changed position in the ever-blue sky, morning comes.
…to be continued…
Next: Bursting a bubble, a brief trip to Sigil, a visit to the Aeotian Mother Church, and a very unpleasant surprise for Mara!
