In the kingdom of Talingarde, many crimes may send you to Branderscar Prison, but the sentence has but one meaning. You are wicked and irredeemable. Each of you received the same greeting when you arrived. You were held down by rough hands and branded upon the arm with a runic F. The mark signifies ‘forsaken’ and the painful scar is indelible proof that each of you has betrayed the great and eternal love of Mitra and his chosen mortal vassals. Condemned, you faced at best a life of shackles and servitude in the nearby salt mines. Others awaited the “gentle” ministrations of the inquisitors so that co-conspirators would be revealed and confessions extracted. Perhaps instead you came to Branderscar to face the final judgment.
In three days, the executioner arrives and the axe falls or the pyre will be lit, or so they told you, Through fire or steel, your crimes will be answered. Your old life was over, hope a fading memory. For each of you, justice would be fairly meted. They were wrong. Unexpected aid came in the form of a beautifully disguised fiend, though unwilling to free you herself, she gave you the opportunity for freedom to take for yourselves and take it you did. Not another soul remained alive at the end. Necks broken, chests run through, skin burning, the blue of the guard's uniforms soaked red. The rundown prison and the poorly trained soldiers were no match for your desperate resolve and cunning. You crossed the moor while evading the search parties and dogs to finally make it to the mansion which had awaited your arrival.
Here you found the true reason of outreach. An offer you knew you couldn't turn down. Thus you find yourselves recruited together into Cardinal Thorn's plans to change Talinguarde into a new better, more inclusive Talinguarde where those like you would not need to fear. For the next several months he trained you, as a team and individually, to work together and emerge victorious. You were forged into the Nessian knot. The 9th and final knot of his plan, each named after the respective layers of Hell. Of the other knots you were told nothing, only of the 7th you know a little from meeting them as they also reside in the mansion for the time being. Their purpose hidden but a rivalry established during your interactions may influence future events should you meet again.
You are to be the strongest and most pivotal part of the plan, but first you must prove yourself. You are summoned to Cardinal Thorn. During the banquet a ritual is performed. He summons forth a barbed
devil and offers to it a slave of your choosing. The devil gleeful rips the slave apart and feasts on the blood. Adrastus then draws forth some of the devil’s blood with a silver athame. Adrastus traces the unholy symbol of Asmodeus on the forehead of each of you in the mingled blood of devil and sacrifice. "Behold," he proclaims, "The Nessian Knot is forged." Tiadora, your part rescuer walks into the room to interrupt and nods to the Cardinal. "And just in time," Cardinal Thorn remarks. "My ship has arrived."
He signals to one of the slaves standing by who brings to him a tray holding four metal circlets. "My children," he says in a deep resonant voice that has an almost inhuman quality to it. "Training is at an end. You have proven yourself worthy. Now, it is time for you to use that training and begin your part of our mission." He gives to each of you an Iron Circlet. "These will aid you in walking among the people undetected."
"Your mission is war, my children. You will bring war to Talingarde. You have two objectives. First, you will see a shipment of munitions delivered to a bugbear chieftain named Sakkarot Fire-Axe. He makes his camp on the northern coast of Lake Tarik beyond the Watch Wall. With this shipment, the Fire-Axe will have resources enough to unite the barbarous humanoid tribes of the north and light the fire of war."
"Sitting on the dock as we speak is the longship Frosthamar captained by Kargeld Odenkirk. Tomorrow when the ship is resupplied it will be your transport. The captain is a ruthless mercenary and not to be trusted. He knows nothing of the specifics of our mission and you should keep it that way. He knows he is smuggling cargo to the north beyond the Watch Wall. That is all he need know. Once the cargo is safely delivered, he will take you just south across the lake under cover of darkness and land you near the town of Aldencross. There our contract with Captain Odenkirk will be concluded."
"It is shame how greedy he has proven. I had hoped to let the captain serve me again but it seems he is too much of a liability. Kill him. Kill his crew. Burn his ship and leave no survivors. It is crucial that no one suspects our involvement and that loose ends are taken care of. Be sure to reclaim the coin I gave him. Best not to be wasteful. That done, you will begin your second task. We will do more still to aid our ally the Fire-axe. The bugbears are mighty warriors but poor siege engineers. You will infiltrate the tower Balentyne, keystone of the Watch Wall, kill its commander and open the gate for Sakkarot’s horde."
"Once the shaggy monstrosities pierce the Watch Wall, the bugbears will pillage and lay waste to the townships of the north and the local garrisons will have no choice but to meet the Fire-Axe in the open field. Sakkarot is the most brilliant, gifted and murderous bugbear of his generation. I expect these battles will go poorly for the knights and yeoman of fair Talingarde."
"Do all of this and then when your task is done, break this clay seal." He hands you a delicately carved clay seal adorned with a tangled knot of thorns surrounding the holy symbol of Asmodeus. "I will have more instructions then. Succeed and I will see you rewarded handsomely. Fail or betray me and you will pray for the comfort of Hell before I am done with you. The mission you start upon today is a holy mission. The people of Talingarde think they have seen the last of the mighty Asmodeus. Soon enough we will remind them that there is no escaping the grasp of Hell. Let us toast our success." He pours one glass of deep red wine for each of you and then finally pours one for himself. He raises the glass and offers a toast. "To war."
"And filthy goblins are more trustworthy than smugglers?" asks a bearded, long-haired man as he frowns. "Eh, I suppose there's another plan to deal with them. No matter. We ain't all in this for the 'holy' of it. Shame about the scuttling, though, I wouldn't mind a personal boat."
"To war. To Lord Cardinal Thorn. And to the Nessian Knot." Carnadine is tall and slender with well-defined musculature replies to the toast and adds his own. He appears statuesque with a milky white complexion and unearthly human beauty. He wears his jet black hair swept back to form a widow’s peak, but it’s his piercing blue eyes that first grab your attention.
Thorn looks down the table at Marvin and his comment, "All thing shall have their use. Do not toss away a useful tool Marvin. The boat must burn. Do not deviate from the plan or risk facing dire consequences."
Tragershen accepts the circlet with a slight bow.
At Marvin's comment about the vessel, Tragershen replies "I suspect before we are done, you can have a fleet at your command. It sounds like our series of missions may take us inland; if the vessel is left intact and left behind, it may fall into the hands of our enemies. The Cardinal's logic is sound." At that last comment, he gives another slight bow to the Cardinal.
He silently raises his glass at the toast and savors the wine, closing his eyes as he enjoys it.
Luna accepts the circlet with curious glee, and as she fits it upon her head, her clothes immediately shift from the simple traveler's clothes she has on into something more lavish and expensive, with colourful blues like the night sky, and the circlet itself taking the form of a seemingly gem-stuffed hair band. For her, the circlet bears more promise than merely obscuring her identity; it's a glamered chance at feigning the lifestyle she desires, an endless and gorgeous wardrobe seemingly at her fingertips to the outside world. A vain illusion of wealth, but she will make do with pretending for the time being.
She listens to the cardinal and his plan, listening intently to the details of what needed to be done. His grand proclamations about Asmodeus fall on deaf ears as she listens to them, faithless and simply looking for a second chance at life, but she shows enthusiasm upon her face, willing to endure sermons and as much proselytizing and as the Cardinal's lungs can bear if it means seeing her vengeance wrought. "To war," she says proudly, raising her glass high
Tragershen tucks the circlet away in his pouch after he accepts it. After the toast, he murmurs a syllable and reaches toward the clay seal. In response, the seal, slides at a casual pace across the table to the elven wizard . He tucks it carefully in his pouch as well, careful in its placement so as to minimize the chance of an accidental break.
"Lord Cardinal, would you please share with us what you have specifically told the Captain about us, so we can align our stories. In addition, what are the specifics of the shipment of munitions, such as how will it be delivered to the Frosthamar; are there any details of its transaction that we need to handle; and how big and fragile are the packages, in order to ensure its safe delivery." Carnadine politely requests more details of the plans.
"Yeah, alright," Marvin muses. "I guess there's a lot of things we can burn."
The Cardinal seems pleased with you all and soon the banquet ends with a reminder to meet at the dock tomorrow. "Tell him what stories you please Carnadine. He knows naught but that you four are to accompany the cargo north."
The Frosthamar is a single-masted knarr with a square sail. It is similar to a Viking long-ship but wider and with a deeper hull better suited to carrying cargo. And the Frosthamar is obviously loaded with cargo. Sitting heavy in the water, she holds twenty four tons of weaponry, arrows and shields emblazoned with a flaming axe. The captain is a grizzled north-man with a wiry beard, pale blonde hair and countless scars. This is Kargeld Odenkirk and he is, as promised, a ruthless mercenary with little thought of anyone but himself. His crew consists of a half dozen grim sailors who speak little of the common Talirean tongue.
"You will guard our boat all the way north, yes?" he asks of whomever seems to stand at the forefront of your group. If answered yes, then he grunts his assent. "Then I will take you to the cursed north past hope and life." That is about the extent of grim Kargeld’s small talk. For all Kargeld’s grimness, the Frosthamar is a fine ship, seaworthy and strong hulled. Its clinker-built hull is resilient but flexible and well suited to surviving the rough icy seas of the northern ocean. It is smartly rigged and lovingly maintained. Kargeld, it seems, loves nothing save for this ship. And if you want to immediately earn Kargeld’s undying enmity all you need but do is insult her even once.
The first leg of the journey is placid and peaceful. Everyone has plenty of time to gain their sea legs and get acclimated to shipboard life. The Frosthamar may be a fine ship but it is not a ship that caters to delicate sensibilities. It has no cabins and everyone must sleep under the stars with the rest of the crew. There are no garderobes or chamber pots. The crew simply relieve themselves over the railing. The rations are hardtack and small beer, though Kargeld does stop a couple of times to hunt deer along the wilder part of the coasts.
It takes half a day to sail down the Varnyn River and out into the open ocean. The Frosthamar hugs the coast and from the ship you can see countless farming communities and fishing villages go by. More than a few fishermen wave at the Frosthamar. Kargeld is always sure to wave back. "Wouldn’t want ‘em to get suspicious, eh?" he says with a glower. The Frosthamar is not swift so heavily-laden and averages about forty eight miles a day. It takes a week for the ship to pass along the settled coast of Talingarde passing the great city of Daveryn, the largest center of civilization along the western coast. Kargeld is quick to squash any talk of stopping there. "This is no pleasure cruise. Besides, I won’t get our cargo within a mile of a Talirean harbormaster."
Marvin passes the time by whittling; mostly toy weapons and twisted-looking animals. At night, though he is no carouser, he does what he can to move among the crew, trying to learn every sailor's name and face.
The crew seem distrusting of you but names are able to be given, though little real conversation with the crew can be had unless one can speak their language of Norspik.
Appearing as a human from southern Talingarde, Carnadine introduces himself as a mercenary named Garret. He settles his warhorse on the ship and stows his heavy armor and greatsword near the gear of his warhorse, so all can be connected to the warhorse quickly in case of emergency. He wears his wooden armor pajamas and arming sword (gladius) aboard the ship.
During the days, he spends some time feeding and grooming his horse with a dandy brush.
Once friendly, he asks the rats if there are any places aboard the ship where they cannot get into. Specifically, he is looking for a sealed hold through a process of elimination.
After tending to his warhorse, he spends time with the captain and different crew members gathering information. He offers that he knows Norspik and many stories, because he has traveled throughout Talingarde with a band of troubadours (true). He wants to know what they know about the north side of the lake where they are going, to start with a neutral topic. Then, he wants to discover if there is any internal crew conflict that he can exploit. He of course has time and does not push anything with a quick smile and a laugh. Meanwhile, he'll entertain the crew with monologues of their favorite tales.
Tragershen takes the week to carefully explore the ship. He will take note of how many crew members there are, and if any exhibit abilities such as spell casting. He'll try to note what weapons the crew carries on them and where additional weapons are stored. And he'll poke around the cargo holds to see exactly what is being carried. He will make liberal use of detect magic; by the end of the week he hopes to have scanned the whole ship and crew for any magic.
Stepping onto the ship, Luna's traveler's clothes remain distinctively those of a traveler, but nicer and cleaner than the real suit beneath. Experimenting with the ability to better hide herself, her facial structure becomes blander and her hair takes on a sandy, straw-like yellow. She hopes that with the greater emphasis on her clothes as her beauty is hidden beneath a more plain appearance, she might gain a little measure of anonymity. Although perhaps the large, black-furred cat walking by her side in leather armor ruins that appearance a little.
Picking up on their distrust, Luna is as friendly as can be, smiles and gestures being what little she can manage to convey to them, but as she settles down and finds little to do, she begins to sing, if only for the sake of passing the time doing something to quell her boredom. She doesn't know any rowing songs or sea shanties, but she hopes that she can perhaps draw some attention with her voice, sweet and soft, so that she can weather that distrust and find an easier time sinking a blade into their backs.
At night, in hushed whispers and as away from the captain as possible, or even any of the crew on the off chance they know even a smattering of common, she asks her companions, "How do you want to do this? Should we wait until we've set foot on land, or spring it on them a few seconds earlier, when they're least expecting it? Even with Lethe we're a little outnumbered, but if we get the drop on some of the sailors while they're still rowing, we can even those odds up before anybody can react."
The rats can get anywhere in the ship and there are no hidden places or rooms aboard the ship.
Tragershen you don't notice any spellcasting among the crew but they notice yours, "Inspecting my ship hey? Ain't nothing here but yer weapons. Ain't my ship you needa be worrying about." The captain doesn't stop you but also doesn't seem to like you trying to search his ship. You detect no magic except coming from the captain's great axe and his iron chest, chained and locked up.
The sailors don't mind listening to Luna's songs, even though they laugh or do not understand. Some of them watch or stare at you but never try to talk to you. Sometimes they start up songs of their own, coarse sailors songs. Carnadine would notice one they like to repeat is about a mysterious red headed woman that left many broken(and bleeding) hearts behind her.
In total there are 15 crew plus the Captain. The crew have short swords and short bows. The captain a great axe and a couple throwing axes.
"Do any of you know how to land a ship?" Marvin asks the rest of the party. "If so, we don't need a crew, and it would be nice to not worry about screams or runaways. But I don't want her sinking before we get off-board, so without any training that might be an issue."
Whenever the sailors start up their own songs, Luna instead shifts to sing the melody beneath their coarse shanties, the underlying core of which is in the language of music and transcendant of barriers. The songs are easy to work through, even if likely coarse and sung by sailors with little sense of pitch or the ability to stay in key, and her voice steadily acclimates to it, attempting to add an undercurrent of pleasant melody beneath their voices. Anything to seem more friendly as her eyes continue to appraisingly feel out the situation. All the while, she keeps steady to her disguise.
"I've never been on a ship in my life," she confesses. "Anything we do before landing would have to be moments before, but I do believe there is a window in there.."
Luna's musical ability seems to go across well with the sailors, they still keep their distance from all of you, never approaching. Perhaps they are cautious? Shy? Maybe they have orders.
Around midday Tragershen sees to the northwest of their position another larger ship. Several seconds later Captain Kargeld has also seen it and calls out, "Ship ahead!" He grimly pairs down their options, "She’s seen us, sure as damnation. And there is no way the ‘Frosthamar’ will outrun her loaded like this. One look at our cargo and they’ll know us for exactly what we are – weapon smugglers. They'll be on us in about 10 minutes." He turns and gives orders to his crew, several of whom begin checking the weapons crates and making sure everything is covered correctly.
"So... what," Marvin asks. "We disguising it all? Are we supposed to fight?"
Biting down on a remark about how brilliant these weapon smugglers are for having absolutely no contingency plan or ability to hide their cargo, Luna makes a quick check at all of her various weapons to make sure they're all in place and ready, including her contingency knives waiting in her loaded gauntlets. "Do they fly the flag of Talingarde?" she asks, peering over toward the other ship despite her utter lack of knowledge about what a military ship of the kingdom would look like. "We may be able to talk our way out of this, if we can come up with a sufficient enough lie to get them off of our case. Soldiers and a noble, perhaps? Unless, of course, a week at sea has you all rather bloodthirsty, in which case I am fine with steel."
Marvin unceremoniously hides himself behind a door on deck, being no fast-talker, but ready to pop out if things get dangerous.
Tragershen will pull the iron circlet from his pouch and place it upon his brow. With a thought, he alters his appearance to that of an average human crewman. He'll position himself near the railing on the side closer to the approaching vessel.
"It looks as one of the patrol ships guarding the coast near the watch wall. They're sure to have twice our number. My men are well trained though and we fear no man. There is no running today if it comes to it, unless we could disable her somehow. Isn't this the sort of thing Thorn put you on my ship for?" The Captain seems to be keeping his calm.
Carnadine asks the captain, "you've been inspected before, right? How does this usually work?"
Seeing Marvin and Tragershen take cover, Carnadine looks to Luna and says, "what do you say m'lady? How can we convince them to ignore us?"
"Not with this much illegal cargo. They inspect ONE crate and they'll know we're smuggling weapons. Thorn should have payed me more for this."
Carnadine goes to prepare his warhorse and gear. He prepares his 5 pints of oil to be thrown and stores them in his belt pouches (bandolier). Then, he straps on his greatsword and uses his iron circlet to make his gear disappear, such that he looks like a crewman with the same human face and body shape that he wore when he boarded the longship.
Lastly, he attaches the rest of his gear including his armor to his warhorse and untethers it in case it has to fight or to abandon ship and swim.
The "Blade of St. Martius" is a fully rigged Pinnace about 100ft. long with a crew of about 30, all soldiers. As they come closer they call out for the Frosthamar to "Heave to in the name of the king!" Kargeld and his men comply, slowing the ship and awaiting the approach. The Blade stops alongside of the Frosthamar and a ladder is secured over the 5ft. gap allowing the captain and four armed sailors brandishing spears to climb down and board the Frosthamar. "I am Captain Sambryl, I demand to speak to whoever is in charge."
Captain Kargeld Odenkirk remains silent for the moment.
They are tasked with patrolling these waters for pirates, smugglers and raiders. Not a task that the an influential or connected man would be in charge of.
Knowledge (local)
If he can do so without being obvious to the approaching vessel, Tragershen will say
Carnadine will follow Luna toward the inspecting captain as a first mate, in order to aid in a bluff or get into melee.
Luna steps forward in her noble disguise revealing herself as the leader of this expedition with Carnadine following behind her. "M'lady I must ask what it is you are doing here and what is the nature this voyage? We must inspect your cargo. Do you have official documents sanctioning your voyage?"
Luna fumbles in her reply as she is also unable to produce any document or lie to satisfy the Captain. "I must insist upon inspecting your cargo. If it is as you say then we will have to return to the nearby port of Estyllis and get you your documents so this isn't necessary in future." He is obviously suspicious of you and orders two of his soldiers to open the nearest crate.
"Guess this game's up." Kargeld says quietly and pulls out his Greataxe. At the same time one of the crossbowmen watching from the other ship shouts and points out Kargeld and his dangerous weapon. "Captain look out!" 12 crossbows are suddenly lifted and point towards you.
Kargeld shouts and raises his axe as he charges the short distance to the closest soldier, bringing his axe down and through the soft leather armour and biting deep through his right shoulder. The soldier was unable to react or cry out and crumpled to the ground leaning against the crate, not moving an inch. The enemy soldier near him looks in horror and fumbles to bring his spear to bear.
Tragershen raises a hand and whispers an arcane phrase. In response, the pinch of dust between his fingers explodes outwards, engulfing much of the deck of the other vessel. He then moves to a nearby crate, using it for cover.
Carnadine offers a similar prayer as that used by the fighting priests of Mitra. With a wave of his arm, a translucent barrier glimmers around him.
Marvin sticks his head out of hiding and whips his hair around, preparing to take down anyone who comes too close.
Tragershen's glitterdust covers 3 of the enemy crossbowmen and a couple of the remaining soldiers who had been close enough and run to see what the shout was about, they are all blinded. Shouts go up around the ship, all soldiers alerted and coming to join the battle.
9 crossbows loose, 1 whizzes by Carnadine and Luna who are out in the open, the others hit the deck or crates, several close to Kargeld. Then they begin to reload.
Captain Sambryl comes to the aid of his soldier and calls for more soldiers to join him. He slashes at Kargeld giving him a minor scratch on the arm. The other three soldiers go to aid their captain and surround Kargeld giving him several more cuts.
Kargeld's sailors bring out their shortbows and fire back at the crossbowmen, one of whom is unlucky enough to be hit by several arrows. He falls forward over the gunwale and screams on the way down ending in a splash.
Kargeld laughs at the soldiers surrounding him, "Ello Cap'n. Here's your official documents." While defending himself from several spears he sees an opening in the captain's defenses and closes in cutting a serious wound through the captains armour.
Carnadine strides forward toward a guard drawing his greatsword from its hidden sheath. When he gets to the guard, he demands, "beg for mercy."
He slashes his blade down.
Marvin charges one of the soldiers around the captain, activating his arcane pool.
Tragershen will cast flaming sphere and have it appear on the opposing ship. Rather than send it at a crew member, he'll push it at flammable materials hoping to distract some of the crossbowmen.
Luna in her noble costume begins a battle hymn, inspiring those around her as she brings out her weapon. The combined work of Kargeld and Carnadine brings Capt. Sambryl to the ground. Shouts go up that the Capt. has fallen and at the same time shouts of one of the ships masts on fire. 5 more soldiers appear at the top of the ladder intent on getting to their captain . 9 Crossbows are reloaded as 3 of the crossbowmen still fumble around trying to get the blinding dust out of their eyes unsuccessfully.
The 3 remaining soldiers aboard your ship wave their spears around almost like recruits and none of their thrusts or cuts hit anyone.
The sailors fire their short bows again, 15 arrows fly towards the soldiers preparing to climb down the ladder. One of them falls over board bouncing off the ladder on his way down, another is wounded.
Luna comes up behind one of the soldiers poking at Marvin, stabbing him straight through the neck with her rapier at the same time Kargeld's axe carves through another soldier's helmet, leaving only 1 soldier remaining near you.
With only one nearby soldier, Marvin spellstrikes using Brand, lashing out quickly twice with his quarterstaff.
Tragershen will activate his archaeologist's luck, cast Vanish on himself, and move across the ladder to the other ship. That leaves the flaming sphere sitting where it is for its second round of existence (one more before it whiffs out).
Carnadine ducks down behind some cargo to let the crew of the Frosthamar take the next volley from the heavy crossbowmen.
Marvin flourishes his quarterstaff and with a blow to the leg cripples the soldier who falls to his knees. A swift blow to the head knocks him out. No soldiers remain on your ship. The fireball in the enemy's mast is really starting to catch on and will spread.
The crossbowmen finally finish cranking their weapons and set new targets. Many go wide and pierce the deck or a crate but 2 manage to find targets. Luna cries out as a bolt pierces her thigh and another stabs into Kargeld's shoulder. Then their crossbows drop to reload once more. 3 more crossbowmen appear alongside their fellows. The 3 sodliers that were ready to climb down last round proceed to do so and stand on board the Frosthamar with spears ready and intent on the body of their captain who may still be alive. 3 more soldiers show up at the top of the ladder.
The crew of sailors respond again with a volley of arrows and take out 2 more crossbowmen who fall backward to lie on their own deck.
Kargeld in a furious rage throws one of his two throwing axes, splitting the skull of the crossbowman that hit him. He smiles and then charges forward, jumping off the edge of the Frosthamar and flying through the air to grab onto the side of the Blade's gunwale with the hook of his axe then with his immense strength pulls himself over to stand amidst the enemy with his greataxe ready.
Luna continues her battle song and advances on the new boarders with her rapier lunging forward but is parried by their spear.
Climb
Tragershen is as graceful as an elf should be as he invisibly darts up the ladder.
Round 3.
Now on the enemy ship and knowing his temporary invisibility will wear off soon, Tragershen sends his flaming sphere into one of the crossbowmen before it dissolves away. DC 17 reflex save of he takes damage.
He'll let his luck drop off this round (relying on the invisibility from his Vanish spell (round 2 of 3) to protect him), and for his standard action, he'll cast Mirror Image, creating images of himself. He'll 5' step toward any grouping of enemy troops that he can see.