Fearless head peeks up from his cot as Cats runs off talking about starting a fire. He looks worried and shares a glance with brother Butterfly and Mariner. "You ugh, don't suppose he is gonna start the ship on fire do ya?" He pulls his books in close to him an quickly begins to count them so as to make sure non were taken for kindling before going back to his reading as they set sail for their destination.
The Sellen Starling travels about 10 miles a day, but this speed is dependent upon prevailing currents (moving as much as double that speed when sailing downriver and half that speed or slower when sailing upriver) and whether the wind blows from a favorable direction, which can be unreliable while traveling through forested areas. The ship rests at anchor on all but the brightest nights, even when traveling downstream, in order to avoid running into obstacles. Because much of the 1,250-mile journey from Thrushmoor to Cassomir is downstream, the Sellen Starling can make the trip in just over 2-1/2 months.
Day 3 - Near Illmarsh
The crew mutters darkly as a chill fog rolls in, forcing the Sellen Starling to hug the coast of Avalon Bay more closely than they prefer in this region.
As the ship nears the village of Illmarsh you catch sight of cloaked figures on the Illmarsh wharves. These figures are passing a long, barbed chain from one wharf to the other, rendering the jetties unapproachable by ship.
”No ship receives a friendly welcome in that forsaken place.” Skywin mutters darkly. ”We should avoid it.”
PERCEPTION
Looking back, the Watchmen spy a longship with red sails looming out of the fog 1/4 mile behind the Sellen Starling, following in the keelboat’s wake. You catch a brief glimpse before ship is swallowed by the fog and lost to view.
You spot four shapes in the water moving rapidly toward the Sellen Starling from the direction of the red- sailed ship.
INITIATIVE
Suddenly four small creatures burst from the water beside the ship and pull themselves over the railings. Brightly colored and long-necked, these amphibians have six legs, a fanged snout, and numerous finlets running down their spines.
INITIATIVE - Surprise Round! *Only Brother Butterfly is not surprised
???
Brother Butterfly
Fearless isn't quite sure if he has seen these aquatic creatures before.
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Dearest Lady, The seas are unsafe for your assigned travelers. IllMarsh has indeed brought Ill. Grant us a fervor like none has ever seen.
Increase its speed by 30 feet.
Stand up as a swift action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Make one extra attack as part of a full attack action, using its highest base attack bonus.
Gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls and a +2 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves.
Cast a single spell of 2nd level or lower as if it were an enlarged, extended, silent, or still spell.
Brother Butterfly prays for a blessing as the creatures close in.
Fearless recognizes them as vooniths just as they open their mouths to howl!
Although they look like little more than wild beasts, vooniths are actually rather intelligent. While certainly not as sharp as the average human, a voonith is smart enough to know how to speak and often does so with others of its kind. Vooniths do not often choose to communicate with other creatures, giving rise to the misconception that they're little more than dumb animals, but on occasion, travelers in swampy regions tell tales of overhearing strange piping voices speaking among the reeds. Those few who know the secrets of the Aklo tongue can understand these words, although understanding of what the vooniths whisper in the night when they think no one else can hear is not always for the best.
The Mariner and Cats are set up by a flurry of teeth and claws, each taking injuries.
Skywin covers her ears and suffers multiple claw wounds as well, but is tougher than she appears and stays on her feet.
INITIATIVE
Vooniths
Brother Butterfly (60/60)
The Mariner (95/105)
Cats (41/52)
Fearless (46/46)
Skywin (-14)
"Vooniths!" Fearless yells, though he is sure it falls on deaf ears as noone else knows what they are and he is met with blank stares. "Read a book once in awhile..."
The howl cuts him short as he covers his ears. Unable to see what is happening on the other side of the ship Fearless' mind protects him from harm.
HP 46/46
AC 20
Spells: 1st 5/5 | 2nd 3/4
Inspiration 7/7
Tactician 1/1 (Rounds 0/3)
Challenge 1/1
Phrenic Pool 3/3
Wand of Magic Missile (3rd) 14 charges remaining
Round 1, Init 7
Will
”What the cat!?,” Cats grouses after stuck twice while others yell loudly.
Cats draws his elven sword and uses BB's magics to swipe thrice at the foe (purple) facing him.
to hit;
slashing damage.
to hit;
dice]1d10+6[/dice] slashing damage.
to hit;
slashing damage.
AC: 19
HP: 42/52
LoH: 0/4 used
[ dice]1d20+10+1 damage.
[ dice]1d20+8[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d8+8[/dice] damage.
Mini Smite: 0/1 used: Once per day as a swift action, you can add your Char=
isma bonus to your attack rolls and deal 1 additional point of damage for e=
ach class level you have against evil creatures for 1 round. You must have =
a good alignment to take this trait.
+6 Bab +4 Dex +1 magic +1 PBS -2 DA -2 Rapid= +8/+8 to hit
+2 Str +1 magic +4 DA+1 PBS = +8 damage
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With his well trained mind and and thick skull, The Priest of Desna doesn't even flinch at the sounds these things make. He is a man of power and not about to be shaken or scared by these things.
Desna, show these things the errors of their ways! Nay, shall they grab the ships occupants and submerge them into the watery depths. FOR SHAME to the interlopers who should hunt seafolk upon seafolk for their sustenance. Landfolk to hunt landfolk is the way of world.
Spells in effect: Blessing of Fervor - 6/7 rounds.
Freedom of movement -- whole combat.
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”What?! Shrieking Eels?!!! Where?!” the Mariner turns to Fearless’ voonith identification just an instant before he gets the shriek and thrashed by one. He calls to the crew, ”To arms! Get these things off the ship!"
Only armed with his magical sword, he draws it double handed and lays it across all three gathered the creatures.
Brother Butterfly prays for freedom as the Mariner lays about with heavy blows from his sword. He injures two, but just misses the third, his blade taking a chunk out of the side of his ship.
Cats injures one of the creature and Fearless batters another one with psychic energy.
Skywin draws a small rapier and stabs deftly at the closest enemy, her blade piercing its throat and sending it flopping to the decks.
The rest of the vooniths fight on with tooth and claw, and another one raises it’s head to howl.
INITIATIVE
Vooniths (orange -13, yellow -16, purple -9)
Brother Butterfly (60/60)
The Mariner (78/105)
Cats (33/52)
Fearless (46/46)
Skywin (-14)
The Mariner doubles back on the sword swing!
Fearless rushes around the corner and sees several more Vooniths. "How many are there?" Grabbing his dagger as a trio of magical missiles spring forth from the end of the dagger.
HP 46/46
AC 20
Spells: 1st 4/5 | 2nd 3/4
Inspiration 7/7
Tactician 1/1 (Rounds 0/3)
Challenge 1/1
Phrenic Pool 3/3
Wand of Magic Missile (3rd) 14 charges remaining
Round 2, Init 7
Will
”Wow, they howl more than a cat on a hot tin cat!” Cats grouses after stuck thrice.
Cats draws his elven sword and uses BB's magics to swipe thrice at the foe (purple) facing him.
to hit;
slashing damage.
to hit;
slashing damage.
to hit;
slashing damage.
healing LOH
to hit;
dice]1d10+6[/dice] slashing damage.
to hit;
slashing damage.
AC: 19
HP: 40/52
LoH: 1/4 used
[ dice]1d20+10+1 damage.
[ dice]1d20+8[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d8+8[/dice] damage.
Mini Smite: 0/1 used: Once per day as a swift action, you can add your Char=
isma bonus to your attack rolls and deal 1 additional point of damage for e=
ach class level you have against evil creatures for 1 round. You must have =
a good alignment to take this trait.
+6 Bab +4 Dex +1 magic +1 PBS -2 DA -2 Rapid= +8/+8 to hit
+2 Str +1 magic +4 DA+1 PBS = +8 damage
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rounds.
Brother Butterfly hears the howls, at just the same time as it's blast hurts his ears, the ship rocks in the sea waves. He loses his balance and hits his head hard against the side rail.
THONK!! makes the sound of his coconut shaped head whacking against the hard grain of the wooden guardrail.
Brother can only stagger back to his feet. Keeping both hands on the rail and both feet under him. Another wave or rocking of the boat and BB could be sent sprawled on the deck or over the side and into the water!
Fearless's mind is a bit overwhelmed by the baying sound comeing from the creatures and it dazes him.
Half of the Watchmen succumb to the voonith’s awful howl. Perhaps Brother Butterfly should have prayed for silence or courage.
Only Cats manages to keeps his wits and fight back, slashing open the belly of the one he faces. It gurgles and collapses.
Skywin stabs another to death, leaving only one left on the Mariner.
INITIATIVE
Vooniths (orange -13)
Brother Butterfly (60/60)
The Mariner (72/105)
Cats (39/52)
Fearless (46/46)
Skywin (-14)
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Round 3, Init 7
Cats steps up and swings at the remaining crooner.
to hit;
to hit; (luck)
slashing damage.
to hit;
to hit; (luck)
slashing damage.
to hit;
to hit; (luck)
slashing damage.
to hit;
dice]1d10+6[/dice] slashing damage.
to hit;
slashing damage.
AC: 19
HP: 40/52
LoH: 1/4 used
[ dice]1d20+10+1 damage.
[ dice]1d20+8[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d8+8[/dice] damage.
Mini Smite: 0/1 used: Once per day as a swift action, you can add your Char=
isma bonus to your attack rolls and deal 1 additional point of damage for e=
ach class level you have against evil creatures for 1 round. You must have =
a good alignment to take this trait.
+6 Bab +4 Dex +1 magic +1 PBS -2 DA -2 Rapid= +8/+8 to hit
+2 Str +1 magic +4 DA+1 PBS = +8 damage
Fearless' whole body begins to shake in fright. Though he knew of their ability and effect of the howl, it was one thing to read about it but another to actually live through one. He uses his hand to steady himself against the wall as he rounds the corner.
Feebly raising his dagger defensively a trio of magical missiles spring forth from its tip.
HP 46/46
AC 20
Spells: 1st 4/5 | 2nd 3/4
Inspiration 7/7
Tactician 1/1 (Rounds 0/3)
Challenge 1/1
Phrenic Pool 3/3
Wand of Magic Missile (3rd) 14 charges remaining
The Mariner winches at the rear splitting sound as he chops down at the neck.
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Brother staggered, but still standing, reaches out his hand to Cats. Touching him and imparting the great blessing from Desna. To give Cats the luck that is the backbone of the Desnian faith.
Brother hlolds onto the rail. Moving toward the back of the boat. Both to get away from the things- which he is very fearful of, but also see if there's safety or more danger at the back of the boat.
The Mariner, Fearless, and a very lucky Cats take down the last voonith before it can harm anyone else.
"Did you say you recognized these monsters?" Skywin asks, poking one with her rapier to test its deadness. "I've sailed these waters for years and never seen their like, and we've seen some pretty strange sights, right Captain?" She looks to the Mariner for confirmation.
Cats looks around the waters to make sure no more honking hornooths are swimming and about to board as well. When the coast is clear (literally, I guess), he will clean his blade and retrieve his bow.
"Mariner, unless these are eating fish, help me toss them overcat?" Cats grabs a pair of claws and waits for Mariner to do the same, helping heave each body overboard.
"I don't know what they are, but I'm not much of a sailor."
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Fearless nods. "Yea, I read about them in these books." He points towards the cabin. "One called a Bestiary or Monster Manual. Doesn't matter, but if you guys read a book once in awhile."
Placing his hands on his hips he looks at the other halfling in the face. "Kind of a coincidence that you never seen one and now all of a sudden they show up." He smacks Mariner on the arm. "She out to get me too?" He asks the big man before moving off to bandage up any of the wounded.
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"Um, no" the Mariner confirms Skywin's question, although he doesn't remember a damn thing about the local aquatics. "I saw them in the other pamphlet we found in the mansion and gave to Fearless. I think it was called Fish Folio." He grabs a tail end to Cat's head end and flings it off the boat, "Not even gonna try eating them, throw it back in the Styx."
The Mariner hadn't thought about how there are two halfings on the boat, who happen to be one male and one female. As surely as Fearless would deny, halflings are probably more precocious than they let on. "Yes - yes she is."
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Skywin gives the kind of look the Watchmen have become used to. The kind that means “ooookay...” or “these guys are a little crazy - better not rock the boat.”
The bodies are quickly tossed overboard as chum for the river-sharks.
Looking around, there is no sign of the red-sailed ship seen just prior to the attack.
Fearless begins to wonder if his eyes were playing tricks on him. "Anyone else see those red sails back there?" He points off board far into the distance. "Just before the attack." He looks over the horizon and into the fog.
"You saw it too!" the Mariner was just glancing at the horizon when Fearless spoke, "Red sails, right?" In his mind, the red sails unfurl in the wind and turns black, making him wonder which color it actually was.
"Red sails, you say you saw, Catiner?" Cats looks back to see if his sharp eyes see anything.
Perception
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If there is a question to be answered, then with the blessing of Desna, it might still be answered!
Oh Desna, allow me to spring into the atmosphere and investigate.
With that, he casts his spell and flies into the air. Avoiding the work of disposing the bodies. He tries to check out the mysterious boat with the red sails, from which the enemies sprang. The enemy captain had to intend to hang around to claim their prize; not realizing how heartily it was defended by The Watchmen.
He flies into the air, headed towards the direction he first saw it.
Hey Mariner, any advice you can give on movement of ships and how far to search?
Brother says this as he starts heading in the wrong direction.
The Mariner looks up curiously at Butterfly. "What the hell is he doing? -he's flying around like a fairy." he says to Cats and Fearless, then calls up to Brother. "I saw it in that direction, but it was on the horizon. You're not gonna chase it from here! Come down -you're scaring the crew."
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”You want me to shoot him down, Catiner?” Cats says, readying is bow. ”I can probably wing him, but no guarantee he’ll land on the boat. We may have to cat him out of the water.” He has a wry smile on his face.
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Fearless looks up with disappointment as he is already halfway loading his crossbow. "Oh...you were kidding about shooting him down?" He lowers it to the deck, stomping away a bit further down the deck as he drags the end of the crossbow across the wood, watching the waters from another angle.
From within his hazy memories the Mariner recalls figures wrapped in robes, like Weiralai, traveling aboard red-sailed ships
Brother Butterfly takes to the air. The sailors in the ship look up in confusion. One mutters “F@#% me, the fatman can fly.”
As he begins to fly off his companions try to talk sense into him...
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Brother Butterfly smoothly glides into the air, he heads off toward the fog and where the ship was last sighted. But he veers a bit left (and the ship had tacked right) and so Brother moves just to the outer edge of the fog bank. He spies left. He spies right.
Not seeing a ship, or leviathan, or even more swimming vooniths, he turns back.
Brother's shoulder shrug on where the ship may have come from or where it may have gone.
He lands, with delicate but finely booted feet on rough ship timber.
Nothing that I can see. It is probably still a danger - but it's not in our wake or trying to sneak up our bilge pump.
With that last use of "double-entendre", he winks at Mariner. Satisfied and knowing that he's super smart and knows all that sailor lingo.
Cats relaxes after Brother’s report that there will never, ever be danger from any red ships and that the party shouldn’t worry about it.
”Alright, sure,” Cats quips. ”Now for a cat nap.” Cats will find a place to curl up, probably in the sun, for a few moments rest and leaving the sailing to the others.
Fearless almost looks a bit surprised, no matter how much he attempts to hide it, as Brother Butterfly lands back on the ship. The man was an absolute marvel and strangeness that he could not explain.
He scampers off back to his books to continue his research, hoping to find an answer to their questions.
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No further sign of the Ship with Red Sails and eventually the Watchmen find themselves returning to their hobbies, whether they be sailing the Sellen Starling, cat-napping, fighting the endless war against five-o'clock shadow, or sifting through Lowl's trove of research.
Only two of these endevours produce meaningful results.
Days pass as the boat sails the As Lowls’ obsession with researching the location of Neruzavin and delving deeper into the Dreamlands grew, his writing became more erratic. Finding consistent threads among Lowls’s scattered notes and scrawled marginalia is a daunting task, requiring days of meticulous research across disparate sources. As Fearless examines the materials taken from Lowls’s manor, he learns that their erstwhile master used what he called a "Dreamlands Excursion Occult Ritual" to visit several locations in the Dreamlands to gather boons for a mysterious figure known as the Mad Poet.
Among Lowl's research, Fearless finds a few noteworthy books. One is a book of the loremaster with two scrolls of psychic surgery inside. Another book has been converted into a clever hiding spot: the centers of the book’s pages have been removed, leaving a space about 6 inches square and 4 inches deep that is undetectable when the book is closed. Inside this space is a miniature staircase masterfully carved from horn and ivory. This sculpture is exceedingly valuable—worth 25,000 gp—and it is requried as the component for the Dreamlands Excursion Occult Ritual.
Fearless digs heavily into Lowl's Journals for the day, trying to remain as uninterrupted as possible.
At the end of the day he stretches, his entire body aches from sitting and rocking in the chair for the day, though he goes to share what he has learned.
Cats looks over to where Fearless is reading.
”Hey Catless, you need help looking for nudie drawings in those books? I can help with that...or if there is something else you want me to cat for while I’m thumbing around?” Cats will sit next to Fearless and ‘read’.
to aid
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Fearless' face turns beet red at the mention of nudie drawings. His foot innocently slides the corner of a painting containing Brother Butterfly and his fling further into his bag so as to not be noticed. "Sure, take this one." He grabs a book from the middle of the stack.
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Lying in the most comfortable (only) bed on the whole ship, Brother Butterfly has invaded Mariner's room and made himself at home. Yes, one day he might get forceably booted from these lavish-- well sort of lavish given the particular environment -- accommodations.
He has his hand constantly in the barrel of dried nuts that every ship has in the galley or cargo. He reaches in and gets the "regal/royal" legumes and puts back the "peasant" nuts. Chewing on the cashews and the almonds, but tossing back the peanuts and walnuts that are randomly drawn.
He pens a letter to his girlfriend. The letter he has set up is in 3 parts. Today starts part one. When satisfied, he begins to cast.
Dearest Enchantress, Voyage dangerous. Watchmen triumphant just days near Illmarsh. Danger due to land of dreams. Lake beautiful, but you are gorgeous. More tomorrow. Kiss.
with that,his sending magics complete themselves and the love letter is posted and delivered.,
*******
Brother spends the days painting, studying the paintings that they have in the bag of holding(from Llywelyn) for clues to the Dreamlands.
Digging into Lowl’s research, Fearless makes a breakthrough early the next day.
Lowls’ notes indicate that his journeys occurred in the Dreamlands, a vast and relatively stable section of the Dimension of Dreams. Lowls planned to reach a mysterious hermit in the Dreamlands known as the Mad Poet. This Mad Poet was dangerous unless appeased, and Lowls focused his investigation on how to best approach this inscrutable— and certainly sinister—figure.
Lowls selected a caravanserai in a vast Dreamlands desert as his initial destination. Here, he planned to talk with other dream travelers to gain information about how to locate and appease the Mad Poet.
There doesn’t seem to be any specific notes on the outcome of Lowls’ search, or what he may have learned from the Mad Poet, but Fearless is certain that with another day or two he could gather enough information among to the notes to piece together the Dreamlands Excursion Occult Ritual. Then, if they dare, the Watchmen would have the means to travel to the Dreamlands themselves, and perhaps discover what became of their memories.
As Fearless reads his eyes droop more and more with each waking hour. Though soon he finds what he had been searching days for. His eyes go wide, he reads it again and again and again... "Holy shit...."
He leaps up, tossing his hair far behind him as it bangs around the ship. He runs right past Cats with the book in his hand. "Get the others. Get them quick....Get them now!"
*****
Once the Watchmen are gathered Fearless points towards a few passages in the book. "I found it. It is right here...under our noses this whole time!" He smiles and realizes he has explained nothing. "Our memories. I found how to get our memories back!" He sets the book down and begins to explain everything he learned. "With a few more days I think I can learn the ritual."
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"Our memories. I found how to get our memories back!
To which BB partially agrees.
Good work Fearless. No, I must give you props for excellent work.Yet, when we go to ..this other place... we must remember that The Mad Poet is a demon. We also need to remember that it's our souls that have been stolen; our memories are a byproduct.
Brother returns to his regular status of being lazy, but mentioning that, Tell me when we are ready for this ritual, in the meantime, I will pray to Desna for insight on help in the Dreamworld.
Cats listens to what Fearless explains and is pretty impressed.
"Wow, I didn't think you were good at anything...but you sure can cat a book, can't you?" Cats celebrates Fearless' efforts.
Cats looks confused about getting his memories back. He's not sure he wants them back.
"Uhm...remember how I made a *lot* of bad decisions when I had those other memories? Uh...maybe I don't want them cat. Maybe I'm a better cat now than I was then?" Cats explains, less excited about that part of the halfling's research.
Fearless tries not to let Cats diminish his parade. "Maybe with what you know now and what you find out of your past will make you an even better person. Finding out what happened before isn't going to change who you are now. We are the Watchmen after all." Fearless cracks his knuckles. "I need a small break for the rest of the night. My brain is getting fried." he digs through the bag and finds a few magic items that had been perplexing him.
With a good nights rest and an even better lead Fearless is read to dive into learning all he can about this ritual. It is after all getting it right or breaking each of their psyche's in the process.
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Brother Butterfly holds up the beautiful and artful Ivory Staircase.
He whistles a cat call.
This thing is extraordinary! I mean, it's worth a Noble's ransom from pirates.
This can be sold and I could buy A Grand Manor with 10 rooms on a hundred acres and a deluxe stable and barn.
Sold, it could outfit a platoon of men with magic weapons or armor! Or buy a magical belt that dramatically augments abilities.
Selling this can buy 10 bags of holding.
To give even more exclamation, he fondles the bag at his waist. Highlighting how it is also a bag of holding.
But, his shopping list of things he can buy from selling the Ivory Staircase and how valuable it is stops. Leaving an uncomfortable, and long silence.
He stops because his brain thinks about how he could buy a whole lifetime of wine and live a comfortable existence doing nothing but getting and staying drunk.
That thought, the urge to drink (Ben Sanderson style) had not crossed him mind before. But the thought of him having that kind of money and living that lifestyle buzzed in his brain.
The silence is awkward until. He puts the staircase Back in the safeguarded book.
He also digs in his beltpouch, producing a stone.
Shazaam!
and places the stone on top of the book. It sticks to it like glue.
Brother urges Fearless to hide the book again.
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The Mariner moves about the ship, making the rounds on the crew and the Watchmen. He finds Fearless pondering, weak and weary, over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, while he nodded, nearly napping, the old captain leaves him grasping. He then finds Cats in the crow's nest, then on the forecastle, then under the gunwhale, then next to the stern - just as one would find any cat. Lastly, he finds Brother, in the captain's bed, with a trail of salted nuts scattered about. He first thought was to dump him over. Then with a sigh, the Mariner slumps against the corner and fitfully snores like a gasping flounder.