Session 04: Lone Ship Report

General Summary

 

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    Recap     Found evidence of a smuggling ring. We got 200 gp for clearing it out and running it down. I go see Andrew and he has no real info. Smuggling was accepted, but not the kidnapping.   Few days go by… At the temple we are to go to a council meeting.  

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      At the Council Meeting:   In the next part of the adventure, the council asks the characters to take the fight to the remaining smugglers.   A few days after their triumphant return from the destruction of the smugglers' ring at the haunted house, the characters are hastily summoned to an emergency meeting of the Saltmarsh Town Council. Here it is explained to them that, though the land-based operation of the smuggling ring has been quashed, there must be a seagoing vessel by which the contraband was originally conveyed, and this is still at large. The council, fearful that any surviving smugglers could seek to reestablish their operation from some other base, asks the characters to apprehend this vessel and put an end, once and for all, to the smuggling.   A reward of 400 gp is offered to the characters for the successful conclusion of the mission.     The Plan The council reasons that the smugglers on the vessel are, as yet, unaware of the capture or death of their land-based colleagues, and a return visit by them might well be expected. Since the last consignment was offloaded only a short while ago, another one is not expected for some time—perhaps during the next new moon, which begins in about two weeks' time.   The council arranges for members of the town guard to patrol the potential rendezvous points each night for the next two weeks in case the smugglers return earlier than expected. If the ship is sighted, the council is unwilling to risk the lives of volunteers by ordering them to take the ship and its crew by force. As soon as an approaching vessel is spotted, the council expects the characters to perform the actual task of boarding.   Once the characters accept the undertaking, the council puts a small fishing boat at their disposal and provides them with any reasonable amount of nonmagical equipment that they feel they require. The boat is large enough to accommodate the entire party plus two. The council also provides the services of two members of the guard to sail the boat for them when needed. They are not willing to board the Sea Ghost with the characters, though they defend themselves and the fishing boat if it is attacked.   The Signaling System If the characters discovered the bullseye lantern and the parchment in area 22 of the haunted house, they have a big clue to how the smugglers communicate. You might require the characters to make a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check to determine how the system works—although certain facts are not written on the parchment. Alternatively, you can allow the characters to experiment with sending signals when the ship comes back.   The signaling system utilizes the bullseye lantern to communicate the following messages by combining long and short flashes:   Long–short–short–short: "Is it safe?" (The ship initiates the exchange with this signal.)   Short–long–short–long: "Everything safe." (The smugglers respond with this signal.)   Long–long–long: "Ready to unload; come to the ship." (The ship confirms a reply with this signal.)   The arrangement calls for someone aboard the ship to flash the first signal. The shore party replies by flashing the second signal, after which the third signal flashes from the ship. It drops anchor and waits for the arrival of a boat from shore. A small group of smugglers approaches the ship in a rowboat. When it arrives, the ship sends a boat in the other direction. These two vessels alternate in transferring contraband between the ship and the shore, with one of them remaining in the shore cave at the end of the operation.     Because of our operation. Goods are coming in from somewhere, and they ask us to locate the ship whit them and we are to sneak aboard and find info. Is this the ship?   Their contacts are worried. The ship is located a few times a month, pretty routine. Stays off the coast. New moon and gone by morning.   Willing to pay us 400 gp $$   At Winston's Goods we bought some stuff and turns out he is an old pirate I scared him when I whispered about The Revelry in Thieves Cant.   I then went back to the Empty Net. Taking a drink and taking in the room.   "smuggling. Goods, rendevous. Meeting night fortnite -- talking about Gellan Primewater."   I have been "resting" with trances in back alleys. The ship is here. It has 2 guards, but won't fight and will defend the boat. It's far enough east so the town won't notice. We are to return to the house we investigated.   I use the signal and lantern with the morse code. The ship responds. I respond. They responde.   Long short short -- is it safe?   Long Short Long -- everything is safe.   Long Long Long - Ready to unload.   They want us to send a boat out and we go with Ziva in the water and Bloke above.   We get to the Sea Ghost. We see Bloody Bjorn and Captain Siegert Snakeeyes   I used my spell to look like Sanbelth and we were confronted by the captain, and I tried to bluff. I failed.

Rewards Granted

 
 

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Missions/Quests Completed

   

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Character(s) interacted with

CHARACTERS

_{campaign npcs}  

• Bloody Bjorn
• Captain Siegert Snakeeyes

   

CREATURES

   

   

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Created Content

0000

MONTH 01

 

1/3/0001

  ...  

— Timeline of BASTARDS

   

IMPORTANT LOCATIONS

• Winston's Shop (28)

 

ITEMS OF NOTE

 

FACTIONS

• Council of Saltmarsh

 

MISC

 

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