The summons was sudden and unexpected. One moment news was traveling around Absalom of the strange crystalline ship that appeared in Absalom’s harbor, defying the Harbor Guard’s defenses and attempts at interdiction, and the next instant a young Pathfinder, acting as courier, brought Venture-Captain Adril Hestram. The meeting occurred in the streets outside the Grand Lodge even as Hestram was coming. The facts of the matter were that a strange, seemingly derelict ship had indeed appeared in the harbor, it appeared to be of ancient Azlanti make, and the Pathfinders wanted the first crack at it. A clandestine meeting was set up at Harbormaster’s Grange with Hestram and the First Harbormaster.
Upon arrival, Goodman Hugen of House Candren, a Grand Councilman and First Harbormaster, looks up from his cluttered. He quickly shoos away his secretary and walks around his desk to point out his window towards an ominously shaped vessel floating far out in the harbor.
“Thank you for bringing them, Adril. The vessel first appeared at second watch. No one saw it enter the harbor and there was no warning of its approach through the Flotsam Graveyard. One instant the harbor was clear and the next instant it was there. According to the few eye witnesses we could find, it seemingly just faded into existence there in the water. Our gillmen and Wave Rider scouts reconnoitered it initially and reported there to be no signs of life on its decks and that it was seemingly constructed of a single piece of seamless, opaque white crystal. The Harbor Guard and Wave Riders immediately set up a cordone around the vessel to contain any threat it represented and the First Guard and Starwatch were placed on alert.”
“When no threat appeared imminent we sent a Harbor Guard boarding party. They reported the top decks to be completely deserted and all access to the ship’s interior to be blocked off by a single sealed portal. Indecipherable glyphs are incised all throughout the ship’s hull but there is actual writing on the bow. We took copies from the bow to the city’s sages, and the script was identified as Azlanti. It translates as King Xeros, which we believe to be the ship’s name. Old travelers’ tales tell of a ghost ship that wanders the Great Beyond; it is sometimes referred to as the King Xeros of Old Azlant, a magical vessel launched by the Azlanti shortly before Earthfall. We think this may be the very same vessel here in our own harbor.”
“This is where you Pathfinders come in. We believe the ship to be the self-same King Xeros and an artifact of the ancient Azlanti. We need to get inside the ship and find out what secrets it holds and if any danger exists. Since it’s old Azlanti, we figure it’s all kinds of magic and mysteries six ways to Oathday. The sages want a crack at it, but we think it’ll take more than just brains to get into it as it might be trapped or guarded. You Pathfinders are known for your ability to deal with this kind of prehistoric stuff and handle yourselves in a tight spot, so that’s why I’m turning to you. The last thing I need is a dozen dead scholars and some monstrosity from beyond time unleashed on the city. I need you to get on board that ship, find a way inside, do a bit of poking around, and figure out if this is something I should be worried about or if it just happens to be the discovery of the millennium. Your lodge has graciously extended the offer of your services if you’re agreeable, and you will of course have the opportunity to investigate and report on this phenomenon in your chronicles. I haven’t got a lot of time here, so I need your answer relatively quickly before this mystery turns into a fullblown crisis.”
|
"Breaking and entering? Removal of valuables? A place where I don't have a price on my head (yet)? No need to ask twice."
Reviewing briefly... "And not to worry - we'll exceed expectations. No dead dozen scholars. We'll ensure a score of dead scholars!" Merisiel gazes with a manic glint at Hugen. Holding the gaze for a moment longer than comfortable, Merisiel laughs a clear, pealing laugh - full of self-deprecating humor, and almost no manic edge.
|
"Master Hugen, many thanks to you for allowing the Pathfinders to aid in your most unfortunate time of trouble. May my companions and I resolve this issue for you in a most timely manner."
Gerri ponders the information given and tries to recall any details that he may of read while studying in the Grand Lodge's Libraries.
"Master Hugen, may the Most Magnificent Office of the Harbormaster provide us with a small craft to approach the vessel?"
|
The ranger, Bishop strokes his immaculately kept beard with one callused hand while his other scratches the shoulder of his horse-sized wolf. The ranger is Andoran through and through. He wears his Eagle Knight rank overtly via a brooch on his forest green cloak. Indeed, even the wolf - called Timber - is a suit of blue and gold barding. He watches the volleying conversation with eagerness. It is not until there is a solid pause in the conversation that he speaks. His voice is stentorian, but friendly. "Looks like the Society is taking this seriously. This is a solid mix of agents. Before we head out, and I do appreciate the use of the Gozreh's Galleon, I do have a couple of questions. First, when you say 'sealed', do you mean by magical means, or did you back off before attempting? Second, do we have any reason to expect this ship to vanaish again... with us on it?"
At the second question, Timber tilts his head to the side and offers up an incongruously meek "rrh?"
|
|
Casting a jaundiced eye on Savage, "Bishop, I have to concur about our 'solid' group - though perhaps overwound, and somewhat humor impaired." <harumph> "As for the ship... of course it may whisk us off to lords-knows-wheres. How much less interesting would it be without that element of surprise?"
"It's like a jack-in-the-box... ♫ ba dum da dum da deededede..♫♫ ba dum da dum da daaa dee ♫. "
|
|
The ranger is Andoran through and through. He wears his Eagle Knight rank overtly via a brooch on his forest green cloak. Indeed, even the wolf - called Timber - is a suit of blue and gold barding.
"Ah, so you're Lance Corporal Bishop Sheperd! Colson, eh I mean... Major Maldris spoke very highly of you! If I find your performance equally impressive I could recommend you to the Gray Corsairs if that's something you fancy!"
The halfling walks towards the wolf trice his size and rubs his belly.
"By the way, Timber seems like a very good boy, but he might be a bit big to move freely on a ship. He'd either be blocked by allies or blocking allies, neither of which is good. With Gozreh's help I could reduce his size a bit if you'd like!"
|
|
"Your ship ready Aquila?"
"My ship is always ready! It has a very expierenced crew and as the war against slavery never sleeps we're able to jump into action at any time!"
"The real question is, do we have all the information we need. As a captain I know it's important to know your crew and to know your enemy. I think I've got a decent idea what the other partymembers can contribute, but I have no idea what we'll be facing on a mystery ship that appears once every other.., century?"
"Let's see what Gerri remembers... I think we'll still have to hurry as the ship might dissappear, so a long trip to the library might not be a good idea."
"I have a barge standing by," says the harbormaster. "I'll give you an hour at most to collect your things. Then we have to get moving. It's quiet out there for now, but for how long, who knows?"
Gerri is aware of the following:
mystics and seers may have gained some inkling of the
coming Earthfall, though if so they failed to grasp the
true magnitude of the imminent disaster. Nevertheless,
in those days many strange and mysterious endeavors
were undertaken in the dweomer-shrouded halls and
planes-spanning observatories empowered by occult
and little-understood energies. Planar travel was a wellknown
if not overly common practice then, yet nothing
of the advancements and experiments done in this field
could match the christening of the King Xeros.
The King Xeros was an ether ship, a strange vessel grown
from mystical crystal designed to pierce the enigmatic
veil of the Ethereal Plane and plumb its inscrutable
gray depths. Its mission was shrouded in mystery, and
its passengers and cargo a closely guarded secret. When
the ship was launched and slowly faded from its home
waters into the ether, its mystery became legend and soon
sank into distant myth, for upon leaving on its maiden
voyage the King Xeros was never seen by the Azlanti again.
Shortly thereafter Earthfall erased Azlant from the face
of Golarion and the King Xeros of Old Azlant became just
an obscure bards’ tale carried on by those steeped in
ancient Azlanti lore.
Despite its disappearance from known Golarion history,
the King Xeros was not erased entirely from the annals
of time, for it continued to roam the Ethereal Plane on
its endless mission. Reports began to trickle into planar
cities and Material backwaters of a crystal ghost ship
that plied the gray mists, appearing unexpectedly and
disappearing just as suddenly. Boarding parties never
found any trace of the original crew and many vanished
altogether as the ether ship made a sudden disappearance.
Many an Ethereal treasure hunter sought the King Xeros
and the fabled riches or eldritch secrets it was said to
carry, but only the occasional report from some itinerant
traveler told of sightings of the lost ship as it slipped
through the Deep Ethereal.
|
|
My Esteemed companions, I recall reading within the Great Libraries of our Society, of legends of the most mysterious and wondrous ship. Please for you to indulge me as I repeat what my humble mind can recall for you.
Gerri relates all that he can remember, leaving out no details.
In the final days of ancient Azlant, a few powerful
mystics and seers may have gained some inkling of the
coming Earthfall, though if so they failed to grasp the
true magnitude of the imminent disaster. Nevertheless,
in those days many strange and mysterious endeavors
were undertaken in the dweomer-shrouded halls and
planes-spanning observatories empowered by occult
and little-understood energies. Planar travel was a wellknown
if not overly common practice then, yet nothing
of the advancements and experiments done in this field
could match the christening of the King Xeros.
The King Xeros was an ether ship, a strange vessel grown
from mystical crystal designed to pierce the enigmatic
veil of the Ethereal Plane and plumb its inscrutable
gray depths. Its mission was shrouded in mystery, and
its passengers and cargo a closely guarded secret. When
the ship was launched and slowly faded from its home
waters into the ether, its mystery became legend and soon
sank into distant myth, for upon leaving on its maiden
voyage the King Xeros was never seen by the Azlanti again.
Shortly thereafter Earthfall erased Azlant from the face
of Golarion and the King Xeros of Old Azlant became just
an obscure bards’ tale carried on by those steeped in
ancient Azlanti lore.
Despite its disappearance from known Golarion history,
the King Xeros was not erased entirely from the annals
of time, for it continued to roam the Ethereal Plane on
its endless mission. Reports began to trickle into planar
cities and Material backwaters of a crystal ghost ship
that plied the gray mists, appearing unexpectedly and
disappearing just as suddenly. Boarding parties never
found any trace of the original crew and many vanished
altogether as the ether ship made a sudden disappearance.
Many an Ethereal treasure hunter sought the King Xeros
and the fabled riches or eldritch secrets it was said to
carry, but only the occasional report from some itinerant
traveler told of sightings of the lost ship as it slipped
through the Deep Ethereal.
Gerri continues, "With this information, may I suggest that once we board the ship, we make haste in our investigations."
Gerri pauses for a second and then smiles as he remembers a minor detail for this fellow Society members. "Many pardons my new friends, do any of you carry upon themselves unquiqe potions that I am look at. My meager learnings have revealed a technique to share these potions with many others."
|
|
Gerri looks the potions over and sees nothing floating or swirling through the liquids. "Master Vengeance, you honor one most undeserving to hold pristine potions. It has been many months since I have carried such as these."
Gerri reaches into his pouch and produces two vials, both show signs of dry liquid that has run done their sides and you could swear one of them even has something floating in it.
Holding up the potions with the floating item in it Gerri explains, "This, most noble of barbarians, is a potion of Heroism. It has been used many times by others not measuring you magnitude."
Holding the other potion up he continues, "This miserable excuse of a potion is a potion of Fly. I most humbly ask that if you use this potions to take a moment to acclimate yourself to flight before spitting it back into it's vial."
You're definitely not going to be in an urban environment. Your non-com can come along if you want him to.
|
|
"Most excellent. Let's look at the ship, and then decide if fit makes sense."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Your Harbor Guard sloop makes its way slowly and cautiously out towards the mysterious visitor. As the sloop draws nearer, details of the vessel become clear. It only superficially resembles a ship, with a symbol-covered hull of quartz glowing with a rosy tint in the wan light of evening. A tall aft castle of strangely faceted crystal rises from its stern sprouting from its sides giant winglike sails of the same crystal that hang parallel to the water. It bears a split bow, between the halves of which rises a gigantic black spike that towers 60 ft. above the deck. It is the only portion of the ship that does not seem to be made of the same opaque crystal. The main deck is uneven, broken into several subdecks. From a distance, one can make out the faint lines of decks and compartments through the crystal hull, but these fade quickly on closer inspection.
Arrayed around the vessel at a distance of a quarter mile is a ring of Harbor Guard Vessels, from sloops to cutters to dinghies; they seem to have turned out everything that could float in order to contain this potential menace. Within this cordon of vessels can be seen the forms of hippocampus-mounted Wave Riders patrolling closer in and even under the derelict hulk. A single accommodation ladder hangs over the port side, just abaft of the fore deck, a shallow-draft barge moored at its foot, a sign that at least one patrol of the Harbor Guard still remains on board of the upper decks, keeping watch over the mystery ship.
The lapping of the water over the ship's hull is drowned out by the sounds of sudden screams from the ship's deck, and flaring bursts from fiery explosions suddenly illuminate its superstructure. The Harbor Guards already aboard appear to have come under attack and cries of pain echo over the waters of the harbor.
The Harbor Guard barge in which you are riding is sixty feet out. It will come under the accommodation ladder (from which you can begin your climb, no climb check needed) in two rounds. The fire and screams continue on deck.
Any preparations before arrival? Any alternate means of approach?
|
|
Gerri hearing the screams and seeing the explosions, will quaff an Elixer of Elemental Body I, turning into a small Air Elemental and flys to the edge of the Mid Deck.