To Sea

"The magic Syssul was harnessing was served up to her on a silver platter by someone. I know this magic. It is the magic of shadow, of the underworld beyond the shroud that separates the living from the dead. The magic my sister Black Alice used. Not just necromancy, that is kiddy stuff compared to this, this is the real deal. The very fabric of the spirit. The magic that brought doom to Annwyn back in the day. In short, some majorly bad shit

It took me and both my sisters to put it back in its bottle the last time it got out and even that was a near thing. Now someone is letting it loose again.

I suspect my sister has something to do with this, god knows why but it smells of her, we will talk about that later. However despite my best efforts to work my way into Sysuul’s graces  I was unable to uncover the source of it. And then Sysuul grew too strong for me to hold her for longer so we brought that line of investigation to an end.

You will need a good ship. Firebeard has the one you need, on the Opal Coast 

Now go get that ship and sail it over the sea to unknown lands in the uttermost west. Find my idiot shit for brains sister Black Alice and ask her “what the fuck?” for me, pretty please . And if she doesn’t have a good answer, you know what to do .

Interlude

Back in Old Valoria, our heroes discover that the Opal Coast lies over a thousand leagues away, across a pirate infested sea. The overland journey would take months if it wasn't all but impossible due to the Midland War, which is still raging after twenty years. They also hear rumors of a complication, that the infamous pirate Firebeard and his ship the Lady Jezebel have been captured by Baron Hightower. A petty king ruling a small kingdom on the Opal Coast. The ship is magical though and the Baron can’t figure out how to work it, despite having his spymaster, Mr. Skulk work Firebeard over pretty hard. He will crack eventually though. Time is of the essence

Fortunate the Halfling RickMo was a smuggler in a former life and has the connections to not only find a good ship headed the right direction but also get the lowdown on the Baron. While the main body of the massive yearly trade fleet from the Thousand Isles hasn’t arrived yet, the westernly trades have been blowing for a month and a handful of fast ships have already reached harbor. There is always a merchant trying to get an edge on the competition. They usually are short a few hands, good way to travel the coast in style

The band of adventures locates the Flyute Prosperity, out of the Thousand Isles and headed to the Opal Coast. While RickMo mostly has experience on river craft, he's quite impressed with the Prosperity, she is noticeably more advanced then the ships he is used to!

The Captain, Jerick, seems a daring sort

and is planning to take a shortcut through the Islands of Non rather then travel the long way around

"I've a deep water ship and a deepwater crew, no need to hug the coast like it was me mammas tit, I'm not a Valorian babe! But we are sure to encounter brigands in those waters. While I imagine a lesson in cannonry will drive off the savages, some extra muscle would be welcome! "

A deal is struck

And the party packs their things for the beginning for what promises to be a long journey

Aboard the good ship Prosperity

Since the city of Valoria is  nestled along the shores of a lake, thirty miles from the sea, the Prosperity has to take the underground river that drains the Golden Lake. Originally a rough and tumultuous journey,  the gnomes who control it have been hard at work crafting the thirty mile long passageway, and it is now an easy sail, and thing of grandeur and beauty. And high tolls.

Once they reach the open sea however, RickMo the thief and Whisperleaf the Druid find the motion of the ship to be unlike anything they have experienced. They spend quality time watching the contents of their stomachs go over the scuppers 

The Voyage to the Islands of Non is uneventful, but provides a good opportunity for our heroes to get their sea legs and learn their way arond the ship and the basics of how cannon operate.

Both Marus and Whisperleaf love climbing high in the masts. Marius' magical eyesight can see for tens of miles from atop the mainmast and she soon earns a reputation as the best lookout on the ship

 

Whisperleaf also takes the opportunity to study the local sea life, and demonstrates his mastery of shapechanging delighting the crew by changing into dolphins and sharks and racing the ship.

The Sturg on the other hand quickly gravitates to manning the ships great wheel

"This is a place where muscle matters son, especially in a storm" an old salt advises him

Dakhir remains aloof but careful studies how best to use his magic to defend the ship as needed.

The Isles of Non

But the easy voyage is up the civilized coast of Valeria is not to last. Eventualy the towers of Fort Grimm are sighted off the eastern gunwale and all realize they have reached the boundaries of civilization. The ship turns westward, heading out over the sea into the windswept and desolte Isles of Non

"We are guaranteed to  get in a scrap out here boys, but never fear, the Prosperity is a taunt ship and true and armed to the teeth with cannonry the likes of which these devils will have never seen. Keep your nerve and we will send them to the Lady's bosum quick enough, never fear" 

says Captain Jerick

Privately the  Captain pulls our heroes aside

When the fighting starts I need you lot among the crew to steady their nerve. I trust my Havenites, but some of these new Valerian recruits, I don't trust at all, they may even be in league with the pirates, so watch them close. You, spellcaster, stay with me and keep your big friend on the helm"

Whisperleaf goes to the prow and Radiant Lightbringer takes the waist, while Marus takes position high atop the mainmast. Dakhir and the Sturg remain on the poopdeck near the Captain 

This channel is quiet, too quiet murmurs the bosun.

Man atop the cliff face to port! sings out Marus

Suddenly a signal fire blooms atop the high rocky island

Beat to quarter! thunders the captain, Run out the guns! They are coming

The two longships, packed to the gills with dwarven pirates spring out from behind their rocky hideaway

Heading right at us, mean to board says RickMo, an evil grin on his face. We can use that to our advantage Captain! No knowledge of what we can do. Let them get close then rake them bow to stern. 

Aye, the Captain says, All wait for my word and then we fire a full broadside and Dakhir, do your magic on them, all together now.

 The ships head straight toward eachother, while all wait with baited breath. The dwarves loose some long range archery, one of the sailors falls with an arrow in his chest. Quickly, Lighbringer rushes to the injured sailors side and begins chanting a healing spell

Dakhir readies his spells 

Turn now! The captain bellows! Hard to starboard!

The Sturg spins the wheel mightily, his great thews forcing the Prosperity about,

All on the lead ship. Wait for it.....FIRE

The broadside rings out. Dakhir chants an infernal incantation, and from his hands a ball of hellfire streaks toward the enemy ship, accompanying the flying lead. The lead dragonship vanishes in a haze of smoke and death, and then emerges, drifting aimlessly, the few surviving dwarves screaming and trying to get the ship back under control, outnumbered by the dead bodies of their companions

The first longship veares crazily away from the fight, the few crew remaining, desperately working the sweeps to escape, trailing smoke and bodies. But the second longship keeps coming

The crew of the Properity lets out a mighty cheer

"Got some fight in them yet. Reload those guns barks the captain

The crew works quickly to reload the larboard guns, pushing themselves as the remaining longship sprints toward them

Waist and stern guns on the second, foremast guns finish me the first

Fire!

Another thunderous broadside 

The second longship shudders as the tons of iron crash into its light hull. It wavers then turns away. The first, already damaged, is ended now, a burning hulk

Let the second escape. says the Captain. Carry the word to their brethren

Boarding the burning pirate ship, the crew is rewarded with a a chest of gold! 

As the Captain predicted the rest of the voyage passes uneventfully, the word is out that the Prosperity is a tough nut and not worth the losses. The crew gives Dakhur a wide berth and make the horns when he isn’t looking, but Lightbringer becomes quite popular with them. He makes several converts to Mithra. Brothers, let us pray 

Arriving

Finally after a month at sea, Marus spies a massive structure creeping above the horizon. This leg of their long journey is completed. They have arrived at Hightower Bay.

Hightower Ahoy!

And in the harbor a strange, tall ship with sleek lines lies anchored . Clearly the object of their quest, The Lady Jezebel

That’s the symbol of old Annwyn on her sails and stern murmurs Dakhir. Strange to see that in this day and age 

Somewhere in this fortress, Firebeard lies imprisoned. How to find him? How to get him out? How to take back his ship? How to make their escape? Clearly brute force is not the answer, this will take guile and cunning and more then a little magic.

And perhaps the little monkey with the blunderbuss is the key

Credit to Carlos Fernandez and Sarah Lavois for painting all the hard bits