"Sailing is not a thing that Onye Dinta knows how to do," the amurrun says. "Rowing? Yes."
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"That's fine. I can sail decent enough and will take the controls." Sakuachi says as she sits at the back of the boat. "We need to reach the Jundlan Wrecks in the Lake of Mists and Veils. There, we can commandeer a vessel sturdy enough to make the rest of the trip across the Lake to the port of Egede on the western shore."
Each of you know a thing or two about the Lake of MIsts and Veils. The Lake of Mists and Veils is one of Golarion’s largest bodies of fresh water, separating much of northern Avistan from the Crown of the World and spanning hundreds of miles from west to east. It’s so named for the veil of fog which coats it like a shawl every morning and throughout much of the winter. Countless souls have gone missing in this fog, whether from pirate attacks, freak blizzards, or eerie phenomena which defy explanation altogether.
One of the most noteworthy sites in the Lake of Mists and Veils is the Jundlan Wrecks, a tangle of rimed Issian pirate ships along the coast of Jellicoe Bay. Undead and fey alike infest this sodden boneyard, and every rumor of the Wrecks’ supernatural haunts is absolutely true.
Your voyage to Winterbreak Bay is uneventful and takes just shy of 2 days.
The waters of Winterbreak Bay are choppy and cold. A dense fog hangs in the frigid air, making it difficult to see more than a few yards past the edge of the raft. The lake seems to push the raft toward the shore, as if repelling anyone from its center. With or without the crew’s direction, it seems as though the Lake is taking you straight to the Jundlan Wrecks.
Daehalya struggles to maintain her usual calm, what with being on the large body of water, and its seemingly inexorable pull toward the wrecks, as if the lake itself wishes to add them to the undead, or perhaps serve them up for the fey. They've had two days to rest, but it hasn't been at all restful.
She keeps her staff close and her eyes open, praying to the Guiding Hand to point them in the right direction.
"We should be ready for whatever we might face here," she whispers for anyone that might hear her as they approach the wrecks.
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It takes 2 days and 2 nights to reach the the out banks of the Wrecks. During this time Sakuachi tosses and turns in her sleep as she seems to fight off nighmares. During the last night she awakens with a start, drenched in a cold sweat as she seems to gasp for air.
She looks at Nicholo with wild eyes as she points north, in the direction of the ship graveyard. “By light of the moon, among the tolling of bells,” she says solemnly, as if reciting something from memory, “we must find a weeping mermaid.”
Alvarius feels the cold. He doesn't complain on the journey, but does regularly comment on how he can feel the cold creep into his bones. "Pretty sure that some of the ones I got are old bones. One or two of them could probably predict the weather, but they'd likely disagree."
---
Having not slept much, the skeleton looks at Nicholo after Sakuachi speaks. "You know what they're talking about?"
The amurrun slips on the wooden leopard mask as he is woken. "Onye Dinta does not understand what Sakuachi means," he says. "Sakuachi is sounding like Ezgara."
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"I often catch glimpses of events—past and present, near and far in my dreams. My elders tell me it’s a blessing,” she says. “Sometimes, though, I think it’s a curse.” She looks down mournfully at the bootom of the boat as it shifts on the small waves. "This vision was different though There was also a man,” she whispers. “He wore a terrible mask of white fur. He stood at the edge of my dream, writing in a book, like he was taking notes.” She shudders at the memory.
Each of you recognize this description of the dream visitor Sakuachi describes as the same figure who has invaded your own dreams many days ago.
She shakes her head as if trying to clear it. "As for my interpretation of the vision we should probably investigate the Wrecks at night, and should keep an ear out for the tolling of bells. Regarding the “weeping mermaid,” however, your guess is as good as mine."
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"Onye Dinta understands now," the amurrun says with a sage nod. "The gate cursed Ezgara to speak only in coded prophecy. Surprising how long this too Onye Dinta to see."
"We have also seen this figure in our dreams," Daehalya admits.
"Let us rest now, and we can begin at twilight. That is my goddess' time and having her watching over us will only help us. If we are to find a weeping mermaid anywhere, it would seem among the wrecked ships would be a good start."
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At the end of the second day of traveling through Winterbreak Bay, distant shapes slowly coalesce into masts and hulls in the mists ahead. The rough water becomes supernaturally glassy, though here and there the raft bumps into increasingly large ice floes. At the edge of a rather large sheet of ice, the water suddenly opens up, and the mist thins just enough to reveal dozens of half-ruined ships of all shapes and sizes. You have reached the Jundlan Wrecks.
Just east of Acuben Isle, in a portion of the Lake of Mists and Veils called Jellicoe Bay, is a section of water avoided and feared by all sailors of the Lake. The Jundlan Wrecks, as it’s known, is a tight collection of broken ships and ancient corpses frozen in thawless ice. The Wrecks are the remnants of a violent naval clash between Issian pirate lords whose names have long been forgotten. It’s said that a dreadful curse maintains the ice here all year round, and the ghosts of cruel buccaneers keep stern watch over their tattered ghost ships.
As you drift through the wreckage on your little raft, you float past ships in various states of decay. Some poke out of the floe at odd angles, while others are frozen under large mounds of ice. Occasionally, you spot a rag-clad skeleton at the helm of a ship, its skull surely staring right at your boat, and the frozen remains of a first mate staring down from a crow’s nest. But the only actual movement you sees comes from little whirlwinds of snow kicked up by the wind. An occasional flicker of ghostly light in the distance—will o’ wisps, probably—completes the creepy vignette.
The dense fog that shrouds the Jundlan Wrecks makes the waxing moon appear even brighter than usual.
The temperature of the air around the Jundlan Wrecks is severely cold.
Daehalya sighs as the temperature drops to a more reasonable level, and as the ice floes make her feel home. As a twilight speaker, she knew she would need to leave home, but she never thought she would miss it as much as she has. Lost in reverie, she doesn't keep as close a watch as she should.
Alvarius, who bought cold weather clothes from the Smiling Wolves before they left, stares back at each skeleton that they see. The attire, which covers him head to toe, makes it seem as if he is a normal human. "Great. Another unfriendly place filled with the dead. It's like being back in Eox all over again."
He nonetheless does his best to find a ship that could serve them going forward.
The catfolk listens to Nicholos' description of what they need and then turns his eyes toward the wrecks as they sail past. "There! Is that what the tribe needs?"
Each of you recognize this description of the dream visitor Sakuachi describes as the same figure who has invaded your own dreams many days ago.
The masked yaks! Even-toed ungulates again. Insanity!
Ezgara hunches in the stern, peering about, muttering to himself but perfectly content in a light woolen shirt in the icy air. He whispers to himself, the hypnotic ramblings muted in the mists.
Inured. The flavor of primal sorcery… old, dark, icy cold. The flavor of my wisdom, sharp as an icicle. Thin as a skeleton's finger-bone. Hanging in the spars, creaking in the wind, a spike waiting to impale my enemies. He stares at the skeleton in the crow's nest and flaps his rags back at it. Heee heee!
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Slowly drifting through the wrecks Grundle begins to hear the faint sound of someone sobbing. Following this sound, you come upon a ship called the Mermaid’s Tears.
In contrast to the wreckage all around, the one-masted ship ahead is still upright and looks to be in fine condition, though it’s stuck in thick ice. The vessel’s figurehead, an oaken carving of a beautiful halfling woman with long hair and the lower body of a fish, is the apparent source of the weeping. Impossibly, actual rivulets of tears stream from the sculpture’s eyes. A nameplate beside the figurehead spells out the ship’s apt name: Mermaid’s Tears. On the ship’s port side, a gangplank has been lowered to create a ramp between the main deck and the ice floe in which the ship is trapped.
"Incredible. That ship is, despite the hundreds of years its seen, seaworthy. There must be magic holding it together!"
Alvarius will whisper a simple spell to detect the presence of magic, aiming his gaze at the ship as they get close.
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Nicky shivers and rubs his hands together to generate as much heat. He even moves his arms within his shirt to keep as warm as possible when away from a fire source.
He rummages through his stuff every hour, looking for more clothing or some item that the party might have collected that he forgot about.
Dang it's cold. I'm an idiot for knowing we'd be this far north and not getting the right gear. Also, a part of me expected that crazy contraption that gave me Ezgara's ears would have also given me some of his insulation from the cold.
How do you stand so close to the water's edge and not shiver to bits Ezgara and Daehayla?
-------------
As they approach the beautiful ship. Nicky exclaims!
The Weeping Mermaid isn't an actual mermaid! It's the figurehead!
and it's weeping because it's butt ass cold here and she's stuck in ice!
Grundle rummages through his backpack.
When did I get a backpack?
He removes and dons a set of cold weather clothing.
In this merciless embrace of cold, these garments woven for such harshness become not just a comfort, but a necessity. Each layer, each woven fiber, stands as a silent guardian against the relentless, icy fingers of this unforgiving climate.
Have I always had this staff?
He admires his Staff of the Mentalist, swinging it around carefully. He taps Alvarius' shin. Do you know those skeletons? I believe I can see a slight family resemblance?
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Nicky is a bit jealous at the cold weather clothing that Grundle has. He actually feels EXTRA cold as Grundle begins to talk about the virtues and near magical qualities of cold weather gear.
That was the final straw.
He makes a quip about Alvarius's skeleton family being here, in reply to Grundle's remarks:
I believe I can see a slight family resemblance?.
Just as he's rummaging through the community goods pack, he pulls out a piece of blank parchment and waves it in the air.
Didn't you know Grundle? This here's the Family reunion invitation Alvarius got!Nicky, reading as if the parchment has formal and elegant writing on it.
Dear Master Blackthorn, you are cordially invited to the 105th annual Blackthorn reunion at the lovely Lake of Mists! You'll get to see your long lost relatives and bask in the lovely terrestrial beauties of this special location! Remember, bring a swim suit and since it's the 105th anniversary, the themes are emerald and gold (55 + 60 anniversary themes).
Nicky finishes and laughs at his creativity. Giving a look to Alvarius just to make sure he didn't overstep any bounds with his brand of humor.
Putting the blank paper back into the group bag,
Nicky pulls out and activates the Onyx dog, asking it to stay next to him to help keep him warm. Nicky basks in the warm fur of the Ulfen Husky dog.
Ah, that feels better. Hey, what should we name Fifi here? Anyone have a pet dog name that works?
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Alvarius grumbles. "You know that not all skeletons look alike. And anyhow, I don't remember who my family was. Your memory is something that's often lost when you die. So maybe cherish those family moments. Because they're not forever."
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Daehalya smiles at Nicky's question. "We were raised in the Crown of the North. It would hardly have been a place of safety for the Ilverani if we weren't used to a little cold. I'm sorry you don't have furs to keep you warmer, my friend, but perhaps we can find or acquire some somewhere."
She quiets at the attempt at humor, that Alvarius clearly wasn't amused by. They still know so little about their new companions, much less each other. How much life has changed since they went through the gates.
"We should gather everyone and go see if we can free this ship. Though be wary that the man in the terrible mask of white fur that Sakauchi saw may be there too."
She hefts her staff, ready to employ it once again if she needs to.
Grundle whacks Alvarius' other shin.
Then, in this shared journey, we have become family, you and I. The memories I once held have long ago faded, like the color that once graced my hair.
"Fine, but can you ease up on my shin bones? These ones are a little brittle, and I haven't found good replacements yet."
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As soon as you board the Mermaid’s Tears, the capstan suddenly shutters to life, spinning around and drawing the anchor up onto the deck as it winds up the anchor to swing it at you trespassers.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Nicholo
Animated Capstan Swabbie
Alvarius
Onye
⠀⠀Uhu
Daehalya
Grundle
Ezgara
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Hey Gorgeous halfling! Your tears have broken our hearts to the point we've come to see how we can help you! Don't go throwing anchors at us! You don't need to be selling the drama with us! We are the good guys and can get you out of this ice! Pinky Swear promise!
◆ Make an impression- Glad -Hand
◆◆ Lore Check
if not occultism, then religion at +9 or Sailing Lore at +12. or Arcana at +12.
◆◆◆Raise Buckler to help my AC. 22
Free Action: That's Odd.
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Nicholo's words have little effect on the mindless object, though he has little idea what else will work so he raises his buckler. Nicholo does notice something odd though. Seems nearly every aspect of this ship is animated in some way, shape, or form to help it sail all on its own.
The rope and heavy anchor whips out at Onye.
The rope sweeps Onye from the ground as the anchor smashes through the boards next to his body.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Nicholo
Animated Capstan Swabbie
➤ Alvarius
➤ Onye
⠀⠀➤ Uhu
➤ Daehalya
➤ Grundle
➤ Ezgara
Daehalya tries to make sense of this ship, unsure if there's some better way to "fight" it.
Grundle peers deeply into the mind of the--
mindless object
They say to fight fire with fire. In a similar vein, I will attempt to fight ship with ship.
He first attempts to restrain the capstan with a Ghostly Grasp*.
Grundle then looks foe the nearest unattended object and hurls it at the capstan.
The masked catfolk yowls as his feet are pulled out from underneath him. Twists back to a standing position and begins a chant, "Tha spioradan àrsaidh a’ chruthachaidh, a’ gabhail còmhnaidh nam chorp."
At the conclusion of his incantation, his body is enveloped in a mist. As the mist recedes, it reveals a snow leopard standing in his place.
Ezgara reaches back through the maze of his mendacious mind to remember any ancient folktales of capstans attacking sailors.
Alvarius too tries to make hears or tails of what's going on, trying to remember if he knows anything of this sort of magic.
"Let's not break this ship! We need to free it and sail it away from here!"
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Alvarius has the information on the tip of his mind. If only it was rotted out months ago. Onye transforms inot a mighty snow leopard as his body contorts and shifts.
Daehalya recognizes quite a bit more about this Capstan. She believes it to be haunted and Vitality positive energy may harm it. Ezgara seems to disagree slightly and believes it to be immune to such tactics and should be dealt with the old fashionsed way. He tosses a ball of fire into the Capstan. It spatters across the wood, scorching it slightly.
Grundle sends out an near invisible hand as it grasps around the Capstan to try and slow it from drawing the anchor in again.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Nicholo
Animated Capstan Swabbie
➤ Alvarius
Onye
⠀⠀Uhu
➤ Daehalya
Grundle
Ezgara
"Vitality should weaken it," Daehalya calls out. Not having any ability to generate such power, however, she decides to try the tried and true method. Vaulting over the railing, she brings her staff to bear against the capstan.
Alvarius opts to use magic to claw at the capstan, hoping that it can be repaired afterwards.
The magic fizzles out as he botches the incantation.
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Seeing Onye turn into a snow leopard, Nicky exhults.
YEAH BUDDY! An Ass kicking is on the way Capstan. Onye only does this when he either wants to chew bubble gum or kick ass -- and I know from rummaging in his backpack that he doesn't have and gum sap!
He then points and commands the Onyx dog to do stuff.
Fifi! Copy what the snow leopard does! Attack!
◆ Command Dog
◆ ◆ DaS-
Fire
◆◆◆ attack
I'm gonna check our stockpile and see if there's magic items that have "vitality" as Daehalya said!
Perception +7; low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet
Skills Acrobatics +5, Athletics +7, Survival +5
Str +2, Dex +2, Con +2, Int -4, Wis +2, Cha -1
AC 16; Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +5
HP 20
Buck [reaction] DC 17
Speed 35 feet
Melee [one-action] jaws +7 [+2/-3], Damage 1d6+2 piercing
Pack Attack The dog’s Strikes deal 1d4 extra damage to creatures within the reach of at least two of the dog’s allies.
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Alvarus's spell backfires, nearly splintering his hand as the spell creates a loud pop in the air.
Daehalya's staff smacks hard into the capstan's post, leaving a dimple. Nicholo's eye beams miss, scorching the ice-rime on the surface of the boat as the guard dog leaps ont the anchor.
Twirling the anchor back up and ready to strike again. Just then a glwing but yet translucent halfling ghost floats out of the Captains quarters before your fight gets too deadly. The ghosts malevolent eyes turn from you to the Capstan. "Stand down Swabby! That be enough. These be guests. Not invaders." He orders the Capstan to surrender.
Legless, with solid white eyes and wild hair, the ghost captain is likely a frightful sight, and his eerie wailing doesn’t help matters. However, the wail soon transforms into a groan of frustration. Taking a stray piece of wood, he bangs at his capstan swabbie lightly, admonishing it.
“Welcome aboard the Mermaid’s Tears, mateys! I’m Adney Tinhill, captain of this fine vessel. Me and my crew have been trapped in this godsforsaken ice for more years than I care to count. Now, I don’t know what kind of ship brought you lot to this floe, but I’d hazard a guess you approached the Tears hoping to commandeer a superior vessel!”
“Well, perhaps you’d like to make a deal with this old salt? Here it is, then: help me break free of the ice, and I’ll take you anywhere the water touches!”
"Seems a fair deal to me. Any suggestions for how we get the ship free?"
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Grundle sidles next to the animated aggressor of anchors.
"Look at me," he hisses, "I'm the capstan now."
Hazardous journey. No wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Dubious. Yes.
Ezgara stares at the ship mumbling to himself about folktales of malevolent ice floes in the polar regions waiting to trap foolhardy captains. He giggles. Teeth shifting, grinding, gnashing, biting, chewing mighty fleets and the pride of admirals alike — to kindling!
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Freeing this vessel from the ice is something we would have done for the pure moral good of the action. This beautiful ship of the line is like a phoenix in a bird cage. Would not a passer bye do what it could to release such a noble and beautiful entity to the freedoms of Golarian?
But, since you pro-offer a deal that helps both our interests, I gladly accept on behalf of myself- at least. I hope to have a conversation and get the rest of my party to agree too! [b]
He moves over to the aft of the ship and looks down at the ice and the ship and how bad things are logistically.
[b]Now, let me look at the predicament from the right perspective. Maybe my observations can help my friends come up with solutions.
Dang! back to back 20's on Diplomacy!
Daehalya watches, warily, wondering what the captain might suggest.
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The Captain watches as Grundle assumes command and full authority over the mindless animated object. The ghostly captain looks proudly at his boat. “A life’s work. I spent all my days salvaging arcane shipwrecks, hiring crew with occult know-how, and engineering every inch of this watercraft. Now, she practically takes care of herself. Nearly every bit of her i animated to operate on its own.”
"Unfortunately the potent magic of these wrecks is the cause of the ice here. Breaking it or melting the ice simply won't work." Nicholo confirms this chipping away at some of the rime it quickly comes back just as thick as before. "Though being dead this long I have had some time to thnk. There is an evil naiad queen named Pholebis in a shrine nearby that may know a spell that could free the Mermaid's Tears. If you can defeat her I will personally escort you wherever you wish to go on my ship."
"Not far from here, she built a temple of bones dedicated to some fey sea serpent or other. She’s capable of powerful spellcraft, but guards her magic fiercely, and won’t give it up without a fight. Pholebis possesses a ritual that allows her to turn entire ships into ghosts,” Adney says. “We can use that ritual to free the Mermaid’s Tears from this ice.”
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"As someone who also has been dead for some time, I can say that I really wish it wasn't always an evil naiad queen. But if we can convince her to let up and free your ship from the ice, you have a deal."
He looks at the group. "Not like we have any other ideas, right? Or do we?"
Grundle leans on the former capstan.
To avoid any irreversible mistakes, I just want to confirm that we should take care to not accidentally kill this evil naiad queen, correct?
"How is she evil? Do you know anything else of her?" Daehalya asks.
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A look of pleasant surprise crosses Nicky's face.
That is a pleasant surprise. A Naiad queen. A worshipper of Ragadahn. See, I was fully expecting a witch in a gingerbread candy house that kidnaps children.
I'm pleased the person to be smited is a Naiad princess- because it sounds like calling her a queen is giving her extra ...what's a good word for it...cache? I think you need to lead people or a country to be called a queen. Princesses are a dime a dozen.
Anyway, Naiad is better than ginderbread house kidnapper.
Nicky nods his head as if his logic is irrefutable and logical.
He then leans down and moves closer to the brains of this outfit - Daehalya - and whispers her a question.
You know what a Naiad is? or who Ragadahn might have influences over?
Nicky's go to is to consult his teammates. But he also takes a moment to catalogue some of his prior experiences to see if he has insights he can help use.