SHADOW WAR: EBERRON MEETS DARKSUN MEETS RAVENLOFT MEETS EVERYTHING ELSE

[megamania]

SHADOW WAR
SEGMENT 015
“THE BLACKENED FRUIT ISLAND”
11/10/18


LHARVION 16, 1003

Tabask, Xar, Dorque, Jack and another sailor climb down a rope and wood ladder to a large row boat now tied to the side of the ship. The water is calm but waves can be seen rising over the reef. As before, the weight of the warforged causes the row boat to lift until Jack and Tabask climb to the very bow to “even” the weight out.

The water is clear but deep enough to see little below. It is not until they are about 75 feet above the ocean floor that they begin to make out things. Fish, coral, rock, timbers and sand liter the floor. The closer they get to the waves the more they see. Fish of many types, sizes and color can be seen. Jack tries to identify them and point them out to Tabask. As they get close enough to see a change of the sea bottom Jack sits up right and acts as the guide through the reef using the map. Their row boat would most likely be destroyed if it got caught on the coral. The Azure Dragon would be breached and take on water. There is no way to get any closer than they are currently and be safe.

They reach the beach and drag the boat across the sand into the brush. Tabask questions this, after all- why hide it if there is no one here. “Just in case.” Says Jack.

There are hundreds of chirping and squawking birds of every color imaginable. There are paths however. What has made these paths? Between Xar and Tabask, little gets past them. Something heavy, with four legs that are hooved is tracked. What kind of creature could this be wonders the kobold.

Hours have passed and there is no sign of civilization still. This includes markers for buried treasure. They discover a fruit tree. Jack picks one of the fruit. Nothing. Shrugs and takes a juicy bite of the apple. “Good.” He says. However, as the others reach for fruit, his begins to bruise and brown. Frowning, he tosses the apple aside.

On the way back they spot the source of the hoof prints- a small Dire Boar. “Something other than fish to eat!” calls out the sailor pulling out a spear from his pack. A crossbow bolt hits it, a sword, a great sword then two spears from Jack and the other sailor kill the animal.

They are quick to butcher the meat and leave the island. On the ship they check the meat over. It is still good but shows signs of aging. Though hesitant, everyone has some.

The sailor crew that checked out the reef find little danger. There are some dangerous anemone here but no signs of sharks or worse predators. The surf can be hard to tread near the surface but Captain Lucious is certain everyone can do it.

Ezzirra has decided which ship to explore first. Several gold and silver coins are found just under the sand near the ships location. Ezzirra has determined it is not a treasure ship but a Karnnathi Hunter ship. These ships hunted pirate ships and would sink them on sight. She suspects it is The Firehorn from roughly 825. Records had reported it sank closer to shore during a hurricane. Appears instead, it ran aground here or chased a ship to here.

Open to try new things Tabask asks to go tomorrow. Xar also wants to go. “No.” states the warforged.

 

[megamania]

SHADOW WAR
SEGMENT 016
“THE FIREHORN UPPER LEVELS”
11/10/18


LHARVION 17, 1003

“Drink half of the potion then pass the rest to another person.” Instructs Ezzy on the rolling boat. Tabask, Xar and two sailors do this. “This will allow you to breath under water as if you were a fish.”

“I will grow gills?” asks Xar as Tabask hands him half of the remaining potion.

“Less dramatic than that. Water in your mouth will release its air and you will survive on that.”

“There is air within the water?” asks a sailor.

“Fish farts?”

“Don’t worry about the details, it works.” Says the half-elf checking out Ezzy’s body. She is wearing a tied blouse and tight pants.

The Firehorn can be clearly seen on the reef. The stern is under water as the bow has been driven out of the water slightly on the reef. “These ropes are tied to shaped rocks. They will act as both an anchor and a line to swim up and down easily and safely.” And with that she signals for three rock rings to be sent over the edge. Xar watches with a mix of curiosity and fear as the line goes out and down towards the base of the reef near the submerged section of the large ship.

The upper deck’s rail is just a foot under the water. The row boat bumps against it repeatedly as the waves roll by onto the ship. There is slimy green moss and barnacles on the rail. Ezzirra nearly slips on the rail as she uses it as a step onto the submerged deck.

There are ropes, pullies and cords draped from the masts reaching into the water that are tripping hazards. To make it worse, patches of the floor are missing and / or covered by seaweed and growth.

“I’m surprised the ship is still intact. Are you sure it is over 150 years old?”

“Magic. Even then, magic was used to strengthen ships from the elements.” Answers the mage as she pushes through the water. The stairs leading from the “high” ground to main deck is angled and submerged. The explorers prefer to swim instead.

Everyone, including Ezzy, have a moment of panic as they finally step under the water’s surface and try not to drown. Due to his size, the kobold was first to deal with this. It is not what he wants.

Looking into what was the Captain’s cabin, they find the furniture has slid to the back into now broken windows. It is a dangerous mess to move about.

The bow’s cabin is largely empty as the goods inside have been swept out into the sea through the doorway.

They are careful entering the lower levels. The stairs are damaged and part-way out of the water. Again, they prefer to lower themselves into the water avoiding the use of the stairs. It is much darker here. Pieces of planks on the wall are missing allowing many small holes and cracks under the water. It is very distracting as thousands of small two inch fish come and go depending on the actions of the waves and how close the explorers come to the school.

Debris made of cannons, wood and metal crates and barrels have all shifted to one side as the ship didn’t settle straight up. Poking about the one sailor spooks a predatory animal- a large Moray Eel.
It doesn’t last long under the concentrated counter attack.

Surprised by it- Tabask says clearly- “Be careful. This is their boat now- not ours.”

 

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The PCs trying to get onto the Fire Horn

 

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Moray eel attack !

 

[megamania]

SHADOW WAR
SEGMENT 017
“THE CHASE BACK IN SHARN”
11/10/18

DRAVAGO 7, 1003 12th BELL, SHARN

Many sailors give wolf whistles and lecherous comments to Dawn as she tries to hurry to the lifts and then down to the docks. It is not too often a woman dressed like hurries through the docks. One sailor makes a mistake of stepping in her way to talk to her. He is swimming still.

“Where are they ?!?” the ditzy secretary grumbles. She begins to ask questions of people on the docks she feels will not attempt to touch or worse grope her. How hard is it to miss a kobold and a very large warforged followed by a dire weasel?

Men point, the women of the docks offer directions for money. They met up with others and are taking a ship out into the sea. She reaches the dock where the row boat was tied but no boat. Asking about the boat she learns they are on The Azure Dragon captained by Lucky Luke- a strange man with little sailing experience but plenty of money.

Angry she pulls off a high heel and throws it towards the ship while growling. A quiet ‘plink’ is heard as the shoe lands 10 feet from the dock’s edge. “Errrrr…… now look at what you made me do.”

Limping, the secretary makes her way back to Professor Zilshire’s office. It is time to get answers. Time he learns his ditzy secretary is a Royal Eye sent here by the Queen of Aundair to learn and locate the damned evil tome.

15th bell…..

“I don’t get kids these days. They think they can read one book and know everything. It is unreasonable and short….sighted…..” He opens his door and inside his office is his secretary (he thinks) and two rough looking men with orc blood somewhere in their bloodline.

“Ah Professor Zilshire…… it is time we had a talk. SIT.” She demands.

 

[megamania]

SHADOW WAR
SEGMENT 018
“THE FIREHORN LOWER LEVELS”
11/24/18


LHARVION 17, 1003

They are much more careful now when searching the ruins of the ship. Ever dark area hidden in shadows could be hiding an eel, a dangerous fish or something not even thought of. Since Tabask and Xar had never even seen the ocean before Sharn…. There are many dangers they may not think of.

Poking a bit more, they find a few more lose coins and mundane cups and pots. Ezzy finds a bronze crank partially hidden by seaweed. She studies the mass of gently waving grass over the debris. She gives the crank a tug…. Then another. An area about 3X3X3 begins to twist and move. She motions for Tabask to check it out. Thirteen globes on thirteen turning rings move about. Neither make a connection at what it is (tracks moons…. 13?). Being too cumbersome, they leave it begin and move down to the stern where a door is.

The door literally caves in as Ezzy pushes on it. A cloud of 1000’s of shiny zig-zagging small fish dart in and out of a gapping hole. Fish seeking nutrients found in the sundered door disorient her briefly. Much of whatever was in this room is now gone. The entire bottom and back wall is torn out. Perhaps the ship hit the reef here.

Xar and a sailor check out the stairs leading down. It leads to the storage area that would have once held tons of rock used as ballast. Instead now it looks empty with pieces of dead coral thrusting through the floor in areas. Near the back- going deep is piled stone work and a small open area of the back wall. The bottom was ripped out and/or collapsed.

They go back to the top of the canon level to the room at the bow. It is hard to get leverage. The water is nearly ceiling height here. As such, the algae makes it hard to get leverage. What leverage the get is from very hard and sharp barnacles and pockets of shelled animals.

Tabask tries to push open the door here but has no luck. With their heads being above water, the half-elf calls out to the other half-elf. “I can’t push through but maybe I can get in from above.”

“Okay.” The magic user says to the cleric. Tabask pulls himself up onto the wet rotting deck. The boards are soft from damp rot as he struggles to climb the 30 degree angle deck to the door. Inside he stomps on the floor and begins to break into the room.

What a mess- The furniture and storage here has slid down into the door where Ezzirra is waiting. The kobold and sailors are hanging on the deck enjoying breathing like a normal person. Tabask drops down into the dark water. With a painful landing, he falls onto two foot water covered debris. Suddenly the door bursts before the wizard and sundered soaked and rotting goods and door burst and sinks into the canon room.

Ezzy is covered with slimy rot and debris. The five of them begin to sort the just uprooted goods. It is hard as the large school (swarm) of fish seek food in the thick murk. They still find a Short Sword +1 and many coins and a few gems.

Success !!!!

That night, eating pork and potatoes, they talk about the eel and the strangeness of swimming and breathing within the ruins of a sunken ship. The sailors that traveled to the island tried to collect fruit but the mangos rotted before they reached the beach. They also speak of feeling watched. Superstious sailors think Tabask. Dorque stayed on the main ship. He will not admit it, but he is concerned about sinking. He doesn’t need to breath but he will sink. How will be resurface? He will someday go to the island…. But never the ruins of boats.

 

[megamania]

SHADOW WAR
SEGMENT 019
“THE EIGHT ARMS OF DEATH”
11/24/18


LHARVION 18, 1003

The dire weasel continues to collect anything shiny and unattended. Someone will be looking for their glasses soon.

Dorque looks over the railing as the row boat collects the land crew. They go out with equal intentions of getting food and of exploring the back end of the island along the beach and edges of grasslands. Another boat is lowered on the opposite side. Tabask watches Ezzy from behind as she stretches her leg up and over the rail. He likes what he sees. He then watches her climb down the rope ladder. Once more, he enjoys what he sees. The Captain interrupts him. “Many a man has wanted to go down on her…. Many a man has only gone down. But the chase is fun.” And he laughs and claps the cleric on the shoulder. With a weak smile, Tabask climbs over the railing. A few of the sailors watch him.

Xar pats the weasel. “I will return in a few hours.” The bounty hunter then climbs / hopes down the ladder. They watch the ship seem to slide away as they row it back to the reef. “We’re here late- Tide is down already.” Comments the watchful sailor at the bow.

A foot of reef is visible above the cresting waves. Seagulls call out and either circle about or seem to hover as they ride the wind just above the coral hoping for some food. Tabask watches not the reef and birds but the island. He is curious about the curse and how it works. Food seems to rot once picked or killed. This rotting is quick but stops once on board the ship. How far does the curse reach out from the dry land? Can it be stopped?

“We’re there.” Says Ezzy as she begins to hand out potions. “Remember- drink half. I have a limited number of these and 4-5 hours is all we need to explore a single ship.”

“We’ll be fine. You do good work.” Flirts Tabask. She merely smiles- drinks half, and licks the fluid off her lips. Tabask feels warm inside.

It is only a bit harder to take that first breath under the water. Peering into the water, Tabask notes colorful fish working the reef looking for food. Parrot fish is there name. They have hard parrot-like beaks for mouths that they use to break and crack open coral and shells for food.

He follows the anchor line down to the sandy floor. Here, he sees a few aged metal cups within the sand. A good sign says Lucious. Once everyone is down, they begin to walk to the ship. The ship they are going to is smaller, smaller than ever The Azure Dragon. It has sank within a pocket of reef. They can not bring the boarding boat to it safely.

Xar and Tabask swim slowly to the base of the reef. Bright colors of different species of Coral and animals form this wall of the reef.

As Ezzirra and three sailors group up at the anchor the kobold and half-elf move ahead of them. They can just see the submerged ship. Many lose items are in the sand peeking out- some seem shiny. Perhaps this is part of why neither of them saw the creature.

A large octopus, camouflaged against the dark shadows at an over-hang of reef attacks. Four tentacles reach out- two for each swimmer. Tabask avoids one but is caught with another. The kobold is struck solidly by one and entangled with another. Critical damage is done (Did 37 dam to his 33 hp with him grappled)

Clutching his unique focus item, Tabask calls on the power of the Traveler and jets free from the crushing tentacle. The kobold has no such advantage. Bubbles mixed with blood burst from his mouth as he is squeezed (-10 in truth…. DM Cheat….-7). Ezzirra calls up her most powerful attack spell. The water is distorted behind the large octopus and crushes his main body. Being boneless, it takes damage but survives easily the sudden increased water pressure. Even as she does this again, two sailors draw weapons and one a curing potion.

With a second crush of the water pressure, the octopus lets go of the dying kobold and jets away into inky darkness. The potion fails to do much as it mixes with the salt water. But it is enough (heal 3- stabilized at –9). They take up to the surface quickly even as one of the sailors spots a shark seeking the source of the blood. They climb aboard the boat and Tabask begins to heal the kobold even as a few fins appear on the other side of the exposed reef. They go back to The Azure Dragon and call it a day. The Captain is disappointed but agrees to it. Maybe something good will come of the land crew.

Hours pass and finally Dorque and Rat spot people on the beach. They do not seem alarmed. They have no food however.

The land crew circled the entire island. Reef and wrecks can be seen on all sides. Other wise, there is no signs of intelligent life- just pigs, birds and a few turtles. No fresh water.

Not the best of days.

 

[megamania]

LAND LOVERS DISCOVER THE CREATURES OF THE SEA

 

[megamania]

SHADOW WAR
SEGMENT 020
“EVIDENCE OF INHABIATANTS”
11/24/18


LHARVION 19, 1003

“Are you sure?” asks Tabask.

“Yes.” Answers Dorque.

“You will join us today?” comments Xar.

“Yes. Explore island.” Answers the warforged as he steps towards the rope ladder hanging off the rails of the ship. It is not pretty but the warforged carefully climbs over the rail. It creaks as he adjusts his grip to descend the ladder to the boat below. Jack is uncertain of this. He remembers how the boat stressed under his weight when leaving Sharn.

Ezzy and a few sailors have already left and gone back to the ship from yesterday. So far, they seem to be doing okay.

Due to the extra weight, It is only Tabask, Xar, Dorque and Jack going. Jack works the boat away from the ship and towards the reef. Dorque doesn’t seem to have any interest in the reef or the creatures below. Xar checks out a 4 ft long sea turtle as it glides by them a mere three ft under the water’s surface.

“So much life is here. Strange with the curse.”

“Perhaps. I am trying to figure out this curse. What is it’s function?”

“To keep people away.” Comments Jack as he rows the boat carefully away from some reef that is less than three feet away.

“Exactly. To keep people away…. Much like this reef. It is a deterrent.”

Silence.

“Most assume curses are either caste by evil magic users or are a product of magic gone awry. What if it was done on purpose…. Not for evil but protection.”

Silence.

Tabask decides this is not the time nor the group to discuss this with. They clear the reef and soon find themselves at the beach. They pull the row boat far up the beach. Dorque places it by a tree and waits for the next task to be done.

They begin to go deeper into the island. A few trails made by boars can be found. The two trackers feel it is a mix of normal and dire boar that have used this trail. Possible food. Mid day they find an old pack. It is very weathered and has holes in it. Checking it out, they find damaged clothes, a CLW potion and one where the potion container was broken. Seems to be maybe 2-3 years old. Curious.

Coming out of a thick grouping of brush, they enter a field and see something new. There are three unicorns grazing. One picks its head up and watches the group intently.

“Horses with a horn.” Comments Dorque- completely without emotion.

“This is a good omen.” Adds Xar cupping his eyes to better see them. From his vantage point, he can just barely see them through the tall grass.

“Creatures of good. On a cursed island. This island is very curious indeed.” Comments the cleric to no one.

They watch the majestic animals for several minutes before the unicorns snort and wander back into the brush and no longer can be seen.

Turning back, they come into a new clearing. On the other side of a clearing is a moving mass of purple, yellow and white. They avoid it rather than investigate it. [DM NOTE: 1000’s of harmless butterflies]

They return to the boat and then the ship. As they near The Azure Dragon, they notice the crew is looking over the water team’s row boat. It looks damaged. They were caught with a rogue wave that pushed them into the exposed reef. It takes on water now. It will take a few days to repair. Tabask looks it over and uses a spell he has prepared in case this occurred to them- he magically mends it.

The Captain and crew are happy. Also happy when it is learned a small chest of coins was discovered. The coins date back to the Galifar government ruling. The coins are several hundred years old.

 

[megamania]

SHADOW WAR
SEGMENT 021
“WE ARE NOT ALONE”
11/24/18


LHARVION 20, 1003

“Are you kidding?” Says Ezzirra to Xar and his eager weasel.

“Yes. He really wants to go to the island. It’s been over two months since he set his paws on earth.”

“Let the animal go. Maybe Morrus can get some rest finally. It has been a most trying trip for him.” Adds the Captain.

Tabask smirks as the animal paces and races around the kobold. “Guess he is going.”

Dorque says nothing and only pauses when he begins to climb down the ladder and Sarfuold hops down onto him. He happily paws at the air as if to say goodbye to Tabath and Xar whom watch from The Azure Dragon.

The row boat moves along to the shore easily enough. They pull the boat up away from the shore to safety. It is Xar, Tabath, Dorque, Sarfuold and a sailor named Hienes. It is not long before they find two regular boars searching for roots underground. Food!

It is killed quickly and they cut off a leg. Hienes is to take it directly to the ship immediately while the meat is still good. The sailor doesn’t argue and goes with his bloody mess. He will return and wait for them on the beach.

Going along they go deeper into the jungle-like forest. They spot a ledge and climb up to it to look around further. On the way they spot something odd ahead of them. Sarfuold bounds into the grass to check it out first. Curved wood. Worked curved wood. “What is it?” asks Xar standing next to it patting his weasel companion on the shoulders.

“I don’t know. It is clearly man made…. Manufactured.”

“Why the ring?” asks Dorque.

There is a large bronze and adamantine ring worked into the tip of the curved wood piece. It seems very much out of place here.

Looking about, they find a few more pieces of wood leading towards the center of the island. Looking they spot a trail leading nearby to the point they wishes to look at.

“Oh.”

From this point, one can clearly see The Azure Dragon, the reef and ship wrecks- even the submerged ones. Xar spots something more ominous. A footprint.

It is of a medium sized creature with three toes and the toes are clawed. Someone or something has been watching the activities of the ship. Most likely their own activities.

“Two days ago, they said they were being watched.” Begins Xar.

“…FELT like they were being watched. This is closest thing to any proof we are not alone.” Adds Tabask.

“Not Alone.” Follows the warforged as he begins to swivel and watch the brush more intently.

“Hienes is coming back.”

“Can we follow the tracks?” asks the cleric.

Looking around a bit the kobold nods and gives a strong “Yes”.

“I think so- especially if your companion helps. We both can track and he can sniff what ever we miss.” Adds Tabask as he begins up the trail.

“…but Hienes….” Begins the kobold looking out to the water.

“Will know when to return to the ship. We will get back tomorrow.”

“Ah.” Answers the kobold looking to the trail.