Session 423 - Foiled Plots

27^th of Ilvin (Winter) 728TR

The story so far

A group of heroes battle the evils haunting the beleaguered Kingdom of Kanday.

Sir Odin, a former Erkan of the Order of the Checkered Shield, has been raised to knighthood.

Remy, a former master thief and active gambler, has won and lost fortunes.

Abaddon has traveled the wilderness, perfecting his impressive martial skills.

Edelina, a scholarly priestess of the god of Knowledge Save K’Nor, joins them on their adventures.

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This is the continuation of Session 422 - The Fallen Warlord.

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The mysterious litigant, Mylene of Sarin, has hired the heroes to assassinate Sir Maelston DuVyle, a war criminal and former warlord of the short-lived new Empire of Lothrim. This evil regime's orcish hordes devastated Kaldor several years ago.

His ship, the Razorwing, is docked in Aleath harbor, and the heroes have seized the vessel, killing DuVyle and his henchmen in the process.

Remy takes command of the Razorwing and the three crewmen who surrendered. Now, can he add this vessel to his smuggling operation?

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Location: City of Aleath in the Kingdom of Kanday.

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Part 1 – Dead in the Hold

The surrendered crewman informs Remy of Sir Maelston DuVyle's sinister schemes.

While the warlord’s men were in dock, they scouted the city, creating a map that recorded the deployment of defenders and likely places to plunder. DuVyle was planning a massive raid next summer.

Of more immediate concern is that the Razorwing is transporting a dangerous artifact for the Order of the Lord of Chaos, priests of the god of death and evil, Morgath. This black sphere, a Ara'Dunrangash, contains dozens of human sacrifices' stored souls and misery. This can be used as an evil power source for necromancers and death priests. The heroes are told that the undead protect this relic.

Edelina investigates the secure room containing the relic and the undead with her psionic Clairvoyance. In the darkness, she spots four shriveled but twitching semi-skeletal corpses. Several have had their hearts cut out; however, one more disturbingly looks like it has been cruelly tortured and starved before death seems much more malicious and alert.

The party prepares an ambush, and Remy unlocks the door. The undead burst out, intent on killing anything living. The starving dead screams with a soul-piercing wail of anguish as it tears into the heroes with emaciated claws, and the nearby characters feel weakened as if they haven’t eaten in weeks. Nevertheless, this evil aura is partially counteracted by Edelina’s healing magic, and after some hard fighting, the undead are vanquished.

As dawn breaks and after what seems an eternity of bloody and brutal combat, the adventurers can now rest.

Part 2 – Cleaning Up

With the Razorwing under Remy's command, he recruits a new crew. Mostly sailors with dubious pasts and morals.

Odin collects the Black Orb. He takes it to the church of Peoni, where his friend, Erdin Toradas, and the Shield of Belsirasin perform an exorcism on holy ground. The evil is drawn out of the orb and stored in a brightly colored box where the forces of light will slowly evaporate the evil stain.

Next, Odin informs the commander of the city guard of the scheme to raid the city so that precautions can be taken in the future to avert disaster.

Finally, the hero meets with the litigant Mylene of Sarin. Ever the showman, Remy presents her with the head of the warlord duVyle. She is shocked, appearing somewhat squeamish, but the heroes are sure this is an act. The head is thrown into her fireplace, and it will be destroyed, and the heroes are rewarded with a Dragonscale Amulet. An enchanted piece of jewelry protects against elemental and poison damage, especially from a breath weapon.

Part 3 - Remy’s Smuggling Operation is Expanded

Due to a tacit agreement with the crown, Remy operates a smuggling operation that involves selected members of the crew acting as spies and as couriers for the Kingdom of Kanday’s intelligence network in the nearby rival Kingdom of Rethem. He plans to add the Razorwing to his fleet.

After paying docking fees, the Razorwing departs the City of Aleath for Remy’s hidden pirate base on Analfa Island. Edelina does not join them, the scrupulous cleric who had nothing to do with criminal elements after her father’s merchant ship was sunk and looted by wreckers operating in the Barony of Sarkum and southern Kanday.

The trip in winter is especially hazardous; the weather and winds are extremely bad. Remy pays particular attention to avoiding the nearby reefs. They hear a buzz, and giant flying vermin attack as they avoid the notorious Deadwood Reef, an obstacle consisting of partially submerged petrified tree trunks. Giant vermin seem to haunt this strange reef (refer to Session 198 - Deadwood Reef), and they prove a handful; nonetheless, the wood-eating giant sawflies are soon disposed of.

Remy rendezvous with his old ship, the Aces and Eights, and Captain Smokey Burton guides the Razorclaw into the hidden cove, where the carpenters will modify it and change its appearance from a troopship/slaver into an unremarkable merchantman, renamed as the Snake Eyes, with a Medusa for a figurehead. During a discussion with Smokey, Remy asks if he knows anything about the wreakers operating in the Sarkum region. He does, they are a gang called the Cauldron's Scavengers and have a secret base in a warehouse in Castle Sarkum’s township.

With the new ship set up and a short-lived moment of good weather, the heroes return to the mainland and prepare to wait out the winter peacefully.

To be continued.

NPC Interactions

Mylene of Sarin, Aleath's best and most expensive litigant. 

Erdin Toradas, Exorcist.

Related Content

Shield of Belsirasin.

Deadwood Reef.

Ara'Dunrangash.

Created Content

Nothing this week.

Player Characters

Odin - Human - L13 Ranger

Background - Martial Disciple.

Archetype - Shadowdancer, Investigator, and Fighter.

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Abaddon - Elf - L13 Monk

Background - Martial Disciple.

Archetypes - Druid and Familiar Master.

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Remy - Human - L13 Aerokineticist (with Metal second gate)

Background - Acrobat.

Archetypes - Acrobat and Thief.

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NPC Companion

Edelina - Human - L13 Holy Sage Sorcerer

Background - Astrologer.

Archetypes - Psychic and Time Mage.

Next Session

Session 425 – The Giants Grotto.