Dwal thinks hard about the unnatural creature he just witnessed. It didn't seem like an undersea creature, but rather like something more adapted to underground living. From his studies, he knows that things like what he saw can form as a horrible byproduct when an illithid colony collapses. The resulting abominations are known for their potent psionic powers, which Gerrard may have experienced a taste of.
Boko finds no writing or markings on the bottle - it is worn completely smooth. It's empty, its stopper long gone.
The wind begins to settle down to a stiff breeze, but the sky is still black with clouds. The journey northeast into Saltmarsh is long and slow and cold and miserable. It's early afternoon by the time you turn into the wide bay. You count three widely-separated boulders on the south coast of the bay with the painted visage of somebody resembling Dwal, paintings that clearly weren't there before.
The grim, stained wharves of Saltmarsh become visible. There is no welcome party here, just a few longshoremen drinking heavily and throwing garbage in the water.
Once they land Dwal will help the party ashore, lending a hand to each of them as they climb up.
"No drinkin' tonight lads an' lass." he says mustering his best fatherly tones. "I suggest we make our way ta tha cabins and take our rest there."
Dwal will do his best to guide everyone to the 2 cabins the party owns. If any of them want to go and drink their troubles away Dwal will say as kindly as he can:
"There will be enough time fer that. What is needed is rest from our short excursion." If there is too much protesting Dwal will tell them, as they walk along: "There was more than meets tha eye back there. I'm a thinkin' it through and have a few thin's ta sort out but, that thing that came out of tha water, was there fer a long time an' I ain't sure anyone knew about it. I am pretty sure ole Pegleg didn't, though I am pretty sure he wasn't on the up an' up with us. I figure we need a good rest an' time ta breath a bit 'fore we go thinkin' this or that."
If successful, Dwal will do his best to see that everyone gets settled in then take his rest. He will look at the little nest in his party of the cabin, a little sadness coming over him but he will say nothing. He will pat the nest, say a prayer thanking the Gods the group made it back and get some rest.
As they come ashore, Gerrard does his part to secure the craft. At Dwal’s suggestion, Gerrard responds, “A most kind suggestion, Brother Fiercehammer, and I will join you as soon as I may. But first, I need to go to the temple of Procan and warn them of this new threat deep beneath the waves. I will not be able to rest until the sea priests are properly warned.”
Gerrard moves off towards the temple, but does nothing to dissuade any who wish to accompany him.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
The party ties up and heads east. The town is unchanged – the potent smell, the slippery gap-toothed cobbles, the semi-vacant streets, the curious old faces leering from empty windows.
Passing the old mariner's guildhall, Gerrard and Boko head up the hill to the Temple of Procan. Dwal takes the old shore road to nearby Crabbers Cove at the foot of the bluffs.
An acolyte opens the door for you at the temple and leads you in. Old Brinehald is delighted to have company. "Hello there! Here for a gam or for services?" He looks you over. "Been asea?"
Dwal finds their cabins cold and dark, the door partially ajar, a buzzing drone audible. Opening it, he finds it black with thousands of flies, and the remains of a decomposing corpse on the floor in the center of the room.
Dwal shakes his head as Gerrard and Boko make their way to the Priests of Procan. "May that boy learn a bit of wisdom" he says in a short prayer. With that Dwal makes his way to the cabin, only to find the body and flies. His shoulders sink and he shakes his head. "There must be a lesson in all this." he mutters to himself. Exhausted, Dwal closes the door and turns, slowly making his way to find one of the local guards. He will deter any of the party from going to the cabins letting them know what he has found. Once he finds one of the guards Dwal will say: "Ya best come on." he tells the guard. "I just got back inta town an' opened my door ta find a dead body and a bunch of flies taken up residence." Whether the guard follows or not, Dwal turns and slowly walks back to the cabin.
By the time they're finally tied up and ashore Peri no longer has the desire to go out. Maybe Dwal's right -- maybe he should just get cleaned up, eat a hot meal if Armand can be persuaded to cook, and if he's going to get drunk it'd probably be best if he did it at home.
He has zero desire to talk to the old priest whose blessings don't seem to have done them much good. So he follows behind Dwal to the cabin. At the discovery of the corpse, his prior sensible choice is driven straight from his mind. "That'd better be Armand, or he's got some accountin' to do. You deal with the watch -- much good it'll do -- I'm going to get a meal, a drink or seven, and a bed that doesn't smell like death." He trudges across town toward the Goat, surprised he could despise this town more than he already did.
”Greetings, Father Brinehald,” says Gerrard respectfully, “Yes, we have just returned from a sea journey and have some unsettling news. May we enter and seek Procan’s wisdom on these recent…developments?”
Turning to Boko, he adds, “This is Mistress Boko, a recent traveling companion and quickly becoming a trusted friend and ally.”
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Gerrard and Boko: "Yes, yes, come in," patters Brinehald, flapping a hand to an assistant for tea. "What is it? A wreck?"
Peri: Peri recrosses the town, making his way to the inn at the northern gate, the Wicker Goat. Lankus is out; his teenaged assistant is watching the empty bar and desk. Rooms and drinks are readily available. There are no customers currently.
Dwal: Dwal finds a pair of guards loitering in town. One seems to be hitting a bottle pretty hard; the other looks at Dwal with suspicion. But they soon accept his story and begin to follow Dwal back to the cabins. However, upon learning that the cabins are in Crabbers Cove, they appear to change their minds. "We'll make a report at th' tower. Jus' drag the body into the ocean fer now," they suggest. "Keep the crabs happy 'til we sort this out," jokes the other.
It's mid-afternoon. The mid-winter shadows would be long if there were any; the unseen sun will soon set behind the thick dome of dark clouds.
Not answering immediately, Gerrard waits until they have privacy, "Well, it did start with a shipwreck--two, actually. You may recall we went to find the Empress for the merchant Aubrek? Well, we found the ship and a lot more besides, but we ended up adrift on a skiff with no sail and little provision. The gods smiled on us and we saw the top of a tower just over the horizon. As it was the only landmark in view, we made for it and found it inhabited by a friendly hermit named Peleg, who gave us food, water, and directions. He told us he was magically unable to leave his island tower due to a curse put on him by evil cultists and anchored to a glass globe with a replica of the tower inside--a key that was hidden in the catacombs beneath Abbey island."
Nodding at Boko, he continues, "After a sojourn in my hometown and an attempt to rescue Mistress Boko here from an Aboleth-worshipping cult hidden there, we departed and sailed to Abbey island, where we fought cultists of Thazidun, another ancient horror worshipped those of dark intent--but apparently different than the one who prompted the gnoll attack here on Saltmarsh. After several fierce combats, we cleared the island of threats and took a few prisoners, intending to bring them here to face judgement. In addition, we found the glass globe. Rather than break it immediately as Peleg suggested, we decided to sail back to the tower to offer him a ride back to the mainland."
"I want to make it clear at this point that it was I and I alone that insisted we do as the old man asked out of obligation for his kindness to us, so I alone am to blame for what follows. We sailed back to the sea tower this morning and visited Peleg. Once he was ready, we broke the seal imprisoning him--but it imprisoned something else much larger! We tried to escape as the tower fell down upon us, but Peleg and another were thrown into the sea. The creature that wrested itself from its rocky prison was massive, easily fifty feet high, with powerful tentacles and a piercing presence that addled my mind. It swallowed Peleg whole and dove to the depths of the sea. The only reason we survived is that it found us beneath its notice," he concludes softly.
Handing his Bag of Holding to Boko, he says, "The coin we found is in here. Make sure everyone gets a fair share."
Turning back to Father Brinehald, Gerrard bows his head and says, "Though I did not intend it, my actions released a powerful and dangerous sea creature in close proximity to Saltmarsh. I thought it urgent that the servants of Procan be informed so you can prepare for any repercussions--and perhaps even recover the prisoners. I surrender myself to you and to the town council for judgement."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Not overly surprised at Peri's running off, Dwal makes his way to find the guards.
Dwal is more surprised by the town guard's actions and reaction to the point he says nothing. Dwal shakes his head and decides to make his way to the Mariner's Guildhall. Once there he purchase a meal and a bunk for the night. Dwal will say little to the other patrons, eat in quiet and sleep. putting off the things that may need to be done till after a rest and replenishment of his magic.
If he gets a full rest, he will wake, leave the Guildhall and make his way to a secluded spot, The Leap possibly, and will conduct his prayers and get a birds eye view of Crabber's Cove.
On Dwal's agenda: Sell the scale mail armor and shield he has been carrying around. Go to Hoolwatch Tower and find out why the guard are apprehensive to investigate the dead body in the cabin. Return to the cabin and figure out who is lying dead inside and what to do about the body.
Peri is glad Lankus isn't manning the bar; he has no desire to explain his return to the inn. He asks for a room, a bath, a mug of beer, and a bowl of stew. He downs the beer and carries his things to his room before hitting the bathtub. The water is only lukewarm, but the hot stew he eats as he soaks makes up for it. Feeling clean and fortified with food and drink, he doesn't really want to get drunk in the common room so he goes to his room to meditate. To meditate, not to sulk! he thinks.
He settles into a comfortable position on the bed and starts his process. It takes a long time -- possibly hours, though he has no objective sense of time -- but he sets aside his tumultuous feelings one by one, trying to reach a place of pure enlightenment. Suddenly he feels his awareness shift -- simultaneously focused and diffuse, decoupled from his body but hyper-aware of it as well. He is so startled he crashes back into himself. His eyes blink open and he sits up. He gulps down some water -- So thirsty! -- and lays back down, eager to find that place again. Hampered by his eagerness, it takes some time but he is able to retrace his path, this time lingering in the other state for longer.
He spends the rest of the night slipping in and out of his elevated state, until exhaustion overtakes him and he falls asleep.
Boko glances at the bag. "He did not intend it. And we are all to blame. I will give my all to rectify the situation. And he will be more useful doing the same than kept locked away or toiling with... paper." She stares at the priests, resolute.
Brinehald smiles and nods appreciatively, savoring your tale. "Dangerous sea creatures? Ha! My boy, the bountiful ocean is home to more sea serpents and dangerous creatures than there are grains of sand on our shores. Procan cares for all his children, each in its own way. Did I tell you the story about the fearsome pirate Syrgaul and his war galley, Tammeraut? Syrgaul was a mighty sorcerer, and his crew was bloodthirsty and skilled in both sailing and killing. Worse still, Syrgaul claimed allegiance to Orcus, the demon lord of the undead. Procan delivered a potent storm, capsizing Tammeraut and sending the ship to the bottom of the sea. But his crew are said to be undead now, forever marching upon the seabed, killing whatever they find. And Procan will find a way to give them peace. Need a biscuit?"
Dwal:
Dwal climbs up the Leap, and watches. The crashing surf is mesmerizing from this angle; a deep black pool rests directly below his perch, daring him to jump in. Birds wheel distantly, silhouetted in the sky. The town is quiet; the cottages at Crabbers Cove are still. He eventually wanders back down to The Dwarven Anvil to see what he can sell. (They will buy used mail and shields at half the standard PHB price.)
Peri:
Peri makes himself comfortable and finds some peace and solitude in the comfort of his room above the tavern.
Kei: (We'll assume Kei has joined Gerrard and Boko unless he tells us otherwise.)
"Ah, well, yes, I suppose..." stutters Gerrard at Brinehald's flippant dismissal of the emergence of such a deadly creature. "I suppose a biscuit would be nice, with a spot of tea...I suppose we overreacted, then? Now I feel bad about coming straight back and not picking up the prisoners from the cult on the way. If you would like to question them, I can take you to them or go fetch them for you if we can get a boat ready--I doubt my companions are raring to get back to sea anytime soon."
Gerrard is suddenly looking forward to a nice hot meal, cold ale, and warm bed at their home in Crabber's Cove (little does he know the state of affairs there) instead of feeling intense guilt and concern that a vengeful sea creature will annihilate the town in the near future. He begins to think of next steps and wonders if the others in his small group will want to continue the adventuring life given their mixed success of late.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
“You do not think massive marine abominations being released from prisons worth concern? They can upset the balance of the sea, cause enormous ecological and societal damage, threaten your other favored sea serpents?… Nothing?” Boko says, incredulously.
The old man lights up at the idea of biscuits and flags down an acolyte to bring some.
"No, no," he waves off Gerrard's suggestion with a chuckle. "I don't want any prisoners, thank you. Take them to the Tower if you feel they have wronged you, or leave them to wander the ocean and let Procan decide their fate."
"I don't mean to make light of your news," he responds to Boko, defensively. "We'll of course keep an eye on it. If it tries to take a ship, or if you hear other news of this beast, I am keen to learn more."
"Did I tell you of the Salted Glade? It is a galleon made from the base of a massive, buoyant tree. A grove of smaller trees grows from its deck, their boughs catching the winds to propel the ship. Treants serve as the ship’s main artillery. It's said to be captained by Mithina Greyheart, whose grove was destroyed by a massive tidal wave nearly twenty years ago. Mithina’s heart sank with her grove, and her mind turned to vengeance. She has since turned to piracy."
The biscuits arrive. They are very hard and very salty. Brinehald dips them into his tea to soften.
"I am responsible for its freedom, so whatever harm it might do becomes my responsibility as well. I hope to never hear from it again, but If I do, I will inform the temple of Procan," promises Gerrard.
"In general, I would prefer a sentient being be free rather than entombed in rock, though with the proliferation of ancient evil sea gods and their cultists, I am greatly concerned at releasing this creature," says Gerrard. "Yet, if you are right Father Brinehald and it is simply an immense natural creature and not an emerging ancient evil sea god, I would be greatly relieved," he adds as he accepts the tea and biscuits.
"As to the prisoners, we did promise them a fair trial and they are waiting for us to return to the island. Perhaps if we inform the council they will send a boat now that Abbey isle is clear," he muses. Taking a deep breath, he adds, "For tonight, I would eat, drink, and rest at home. Hopefully our path will be clearer in the morning. Thank you for your hospitality and counsel, Father Brinehald."
Gerrard prepares to leave and head to the house to meet up with the others unless Boko or Kei have further questions/etc. for the Procanites.
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Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
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Dwal thinks hard about the unnatural creature he just witnessed. It didn't seem like an undersea creature, but rather like something more adapted to underground living. From his studies, he knows that things like what he saw can form as a horrible byproduct when an illithid colony collapses. The resulting abominations are known for their potent psionic powers, which Gerrard may have experienced a taste of.
Boko finds no writing or markings on the bottle - it is worn completely smooth. It's empty, its stopper long gone.
The wind begins to settle down to a stiff breeze, but the sky is still black with clouds. The journey northeast into Saltmarsh is long and slow and cold and miserable. It's early afternoon by the time you turn into the wide bay. You count three widely-separated boulders on the south coast of the bay with the painted visage of somebody resembling Dwal, paintings that clearly weren't there before.
The grim, stained wharves of Saltmarsh become visible. There is no welcome party here, just a few longshoremen drinking heavily and throwing garbage in the water.
Welcome to Level 7.
Once they land Dwal will help the party ashore, lending a hand to each of them as they climb up.
"No drinkin' tonight lads an' lass." he says mustering his best fatherly tones. "I suggest we make our way ta tha cabins and take our rest there."
Dwal will do his best to guide everyone to the 2 cabins the party owns. If any of them want to go and drink their troubles away Dwal will say as kindly as he can:
"There will be enough time fer that. What is needed is rest from our short excursion." If there is too much protesting Dwal will tell them, as they walk along:
"There was more than meets tha eye back there. I'm a thinkin' it through and have a few thin's ta sort out but, that thing that came out of tha water, was there fer a long time an' I ain't sure anyone knew about it. I am pretty sure ole Pegleg didn't, though I am pretty sure he wasn't on the up an' up with us. I figure we need a good rest an' time ta breath a bit 'fore we go thinkin' this or that."
If successful, Dwal will do his best to see that everyone gets settled in then take his rest.
He will look at the little nest in his party of the cabin, a little sadness coming over him but he will say nothing. He will pat the nest, say a prayer thanking the Gods the group made it back and get some rest.
Gerrard:
As they come ashore, Gerrard does his part to secure the craft. At Dwal’s suggestion, Gerrard responds, “A most kind suggestion, Brother Fiercehammer, and I will join you as soon as I may. But first, I need to go to the temple of Procan and warn them of this new threat deep beneath the waves. I will not be able to rest until the sea priests are properly warned.”
Gerrard moves off towards the temple, but does nothing to dissuade any who wish to accompany him.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
[Sorry, double post due to slow connection]
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Boko will accompany Gerrard, quietly. She needs a primer on monsters of the deep.
The party ties up and heads east. The town is unchanged – the potent smell, the slippery gap-toothed cobbles, the semi-vacant streets, the curious old faces leering from empty windows.
Passing the old mariner's guildhall, Gerrard and Boko head up the hill to the Temple of Procan. Dwal takes the old shore road to nearby Crabbers Cove at the foot of the bluffs.
An acolyte opens the door for you at the temple and leads you in. Old Brinehald is delighted to have company. "Hello there! Here for a gam or for services?" He looks you over. "Been asea?"
Dwal finds their cabins cold and dark, the door partially ajar, a buzzing drone audible. Opening it, he finds it black with thousands of flies, and the remains of a decomposing corpse on the floor in the center of the room.
Dwal shakes his head as Gerrard and Boko make their way to the Priests of Procan.
"May that boy learn a bit of wisdom" he says in a short prayer.
With that Dwal makes his way to the cabin, only to find the body and flies. His shoulders sink and he shakes his head.
"There must be a lesson in all this." he mutters to himself.
Exhausted, Dwal closes the door and turns, slowly making his way to find one of the local guards. He will deter any of the party from going to the cabins letting them know what he has found.
Once he finds one of the guards Dwal will say:
"Ya best come on." he tells the guard. "I just got back inta town an' opened my door ta find a dead body and a bunch of flies taken up residence."
Whether the guard follows or not, Dwal turns and slowly walks back to the cabin.
Peri:
By the time they're finally tied up and ashore Peri no longer has the desire to go out. Maybe Dwal's right -- maybe he should just get cleaned up, eat a hot meal if Armand can be persuaded to cook, and if he's going to get drunk it'd probably be best if he did it at home.
He has zero desire to talk to the old priest whose blessings don't seem to have done them much good. So he follows behind Dwal to the cabin. At the discovery of the corpse, his prior sensible choice is driven straight from his mind. "That'd better be Armand, or he's got some accountin' to do. You deal with the watch -- much good it'll do -- I'm going to get a meal, a drink or seven, and a bed that doesn't smell like death." He trudges across town toward the Goat, surprised he could despise this town more than he already did.
Gerrard:
”Greetings, Father Brinehald,” says Gerrard respectfully, “Yes, we have just returned from a sea journey and have some unsettling news. May we enter and seek Procan’s wisdom on these recent…developments?”
Turning to Boko, he adds, “This is Mistress Boko, a recent traveling companion and quickly becoming a trusted friend and ally.”
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Gerrard and Boko:
"Yes, yes, come in," patters Brinehald, flapping a hand to an assistant for tea. "What is it? A wreck?"
Peri:
Peri recrosses the town, making his way to the inn at the northern gate, the Wicker Goat. Lankus is out; his teenaged assistant is watching the empty bar and desk. Rooms and drinks are readily available. There are no customers currently.
Dwal:
Dwal finds a pair of guards loitering in town. One seems to be hitting a bottle pretty hard; the other looks at Dwal with suspicion. But they soon accept his story and begin to follow Dwal back to the cabins. However, upon learning that the cabins are in Crabbers Cove, they appear to change their minds. "We'll make a report at th' tower. Jus' drag the body into the ocean fer now," they suggest. "Keep the crabs happy 'til we sort this out," jokes the other.
It's mid-afternoon. The mid-winter shadows would be long if there were any; the unseen sun will soon set behind the thick dome of dark clouds.
Gerrard:
Not answering immediately, Gerrard waits until they have privacy, "Well, it did start with a shipwreck--two, actually. You may recall we went to find the Empress for the merchant Aubrek? Well, we found the ship and a lot more besides, but we ended up adrift on a skiff with no sail and little provision. The gods smiled on us and we saw the top of a tower just over the horizon. As it was the only landmark in view, we made for it and found it inhabited by a friendly hermit named Peleg, who gave us food, water, and directions. He told us he was magically unable to leave his island tower due to a curse put on him by evil cultists and anchored to a glass globe with a replica of the tower inside--a key that was hidden in the catacombs beneath Abbey island."
Nodding at Boko, he continues, "After a sojourn in my hometown and an attempt to rescue Mistress Boko here from an Aboleth-worshipping cult hidden there, we departed and sailed to Abbey island, where we fought cultists of Thazidun, another ancient horror worshipped those of dark intent--but apparently different than the one who prompted the gnoll attack here on Saltmarsh. After several fierce combats, we cleared the island of threats and took a few prisoners, intending to bring them here to face judgement. In addition, we found the glass globe. Rather than break it immediately as Peleg suggested, we decided to sail back to the tower to offer him a ride back to the mainland."
"I want to make it clear at this point that it was I and I alone that insisted we do as the old man asked out of obligation for his kindness to us, so I alone am to blame for what follows. We sailed back to the sea tower this morning and visited Peleg. Once he was ready, we broke the seal imprisoning him--but it imprisoned something else much larger! We tried to escape as the tower fell down upon us, but Peleg and another were thrown into the sea. The creature that wrested itself from its rocky prison was massive, easily fifty feet high, with powerful tentacles and a piercing presence that addled my mind. It swallowed Peleg whole and dove to the depths of the sea. The only reason we survived is that it found us beneath its notice," he concludes softly.
Handing his Bag of Holding to Boko, he says, "The coin we found is in here. Make sure everyone gets a fair share."
Turning back to Father Brinehald, Gerrard bows his head and says, "Though I did not intend it, my actions released a powerful and dangerous sea creature in close proximity to Saltmarsh. I thought it urgent that the servants of Procan be informed so you can prepare for any repercussions--and perhaps even recover the prisoners. I surrender myself to you and to the town council for judgement."
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Not overly surprised at Peri's running off, Dwal makes his way to find the guards.
Dwal is more surprised by the town guard's actions and reaction to the point he says nothing. Dwal shakes his head and decides to make his way to the Mariner's Guildhall. Once there he purchase a meal and a bunk for the night. Dwal will say little to the other patrons, eat in quiet and sleep. putting off the things that may need to be done till after a rest and replenishment of his magic.
If he gets a full rest, he will wake, leave the Guildhall and make his way to a secluded spot, The Leap possibly, and will conduct his prayers and get a birds eye view of Crabber's Cove.
On Dwal's agenda:
Sell the scale mail armor and shield he has been carrying around.
Go to Hoolwatch Tower and find out why the guard are apprehensive to investigate the dead body in the cabin.
Return to the cabin and figure out who is lying dead inside and what to do about the body.
Peri:
Peri is glad Lankus isn't manning the bar; he has no desire to explain his return to the inn. He asks for a room, a bath, a mug of beer, and a bowl of stew. He downs the beer and carries his things to his room before hitting the bathtub. The water is only lukewarm, but the hot stew he eats as he soaks makes up for it. Feeling clean and fortified with food and drink, he doesn't really want to get drunk in the common room so he goes to his room to meditate. To meditate, not to sulk! he thinks.
He settles into a comfortable position on the bed and starts his process. It takes a long time -- possibly hours, though he has no objective sense of time -- but he sets aside his tumultuous feelings one by one, trying to reach a place of pure enlightenment. Suddenly he feels his awareness shift -- simultaneously focused and diffuse, decoupled from his body but hyper-aware of it as well. He is so startled he crashes back into himself. His eyes blink open and he sits up. He gulps down some water -- So thirsty! -- and lays back down, eager to find that place again. Hampered by his eagerness, it takes some time but he is able to retrace his path, this time lingering in the other state for longer.
He spends the rest of the night slipping in and out of his elevated state, until exhaustion overtakes him and he falls asleep.
Boko glances at the bag. "He did not intend it. And we are all to blame. I will give my all to rectify the situation. And he will be more useful doing the same than kept locked away or toiling with... paper." She stares at the priests, resolute.
Gerrard and Boko:
Brinehald smiles and nods appreciatively, savoring your tale. "Dangerous sea creatures? Ha! My boy, the bountiful ocean is home to more sea serpents and dangerous creatures than there are grains of sand on our shores. Procan cares for all his children, each in its own way. Did I tell you the story about the fearsome pirate Syrgaul and his war galley, Tammeraut? Syrgaul was a mighty sorcerer, and his crew was bloodthirsty and skilled in both sailing and killing. Worse still, Syrgaul claimed allegiance to Orcus, the demon lord of the undead. Procan delivered a potent storm, capsizing Tammeraut and sending the ship to the bottom of the sea. But his crew are said to be undead now, forever marching upon the seabed, killing whatever they find. And Procan will find a way to give them peace. Need a biscuit?"
Dwal:
Dwal climbs up the Leap, and watches. The crashing surf is mesmerizing from this angle; a deep black pool rests directly below his perch, daring him to jump in. Birds wheel distantly, silhouetted in the sky. The town is quiet; the cottages at Crabbers Cove are still. He eventually wanders back down to The Dwarven Anvil to see what he can sell. (They will buy used mail and shields at half the standard PHB price.)
Peri:
Peri makes himself comfortable and finds some peace and solitude in the comfort of his room above the tavern.
Kei:
(We'll assume Kei has joined Gerrard and Boko unless he tells us otherwise.)
Gerrard:
"Ah, well, yes, I suppose..." stutters Gerrard at Brinehald's flippant dismissal of the emergence of such a deadly creature. "I suppose a biscuit would be nice, with a spot of tea...I suppose we overreacted, then? Now I feel bad about coming straight back and not picking up the prisoners from the cult on the way. If you would like to question them, I can take you to them or go fetch them for you if we can get a boat ready--I doubt my companions are raring to get back to sea anytime soon."
Gerrard is suddenly looking forward to a nice hot meal, cold ale, and warm bed at their home in Crabber's Cove (little does he know the state of affairs there) instead of feeling intense guilt and concern that a vengeful sea creature will annihilate the town in the near future. He begins to think of next steps and wonders if the others in his small group will want to continue the adventuring life given their mixed success of late.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
“You do not think massive marine abominations being released from prisons worth concern? They can upset the balance of the sea, cause enormous ecological and societal damage, threaten your other favored sea serpents?… Nothing?” Boko says, incredulously.
Gerrard and Boko:
The old man lights up at the idea of biscuits and flags down an acolyte to bring some.
"No, no," he waves off Gerrard's suggestion with a chuckle. "I don't want any prisoners, thank you. Take them to the Tower if you feel they have wronged you, or leave them to wander the ocean and let Procan decide their fate."
"I don't mean to make light of your news," he responds to Boko, defensively. "We'll of course keep an eye on it. If it tries to take a ship, or if you hear other news of this beast, I am keen to learn more."
"Did I tell you of the Salted Glade? It is a galleon made from the base of a massive, buoyant tree. A grove of smaller trees grows from its deck, their boughs catching the winds to propel the ship. Treants serve as the ship’s main artillery. It's said to be captained by Mithina Greyheart, whose grove was destroyed by a massive tidal wave nearly twenty years ago. Mithina’s heart sank with her grove, and her mind turned to vengeance. She has since turned to piracy."
The biscuits arrive. They are very hard and very salty. Brinehald dips them into his tea to soften.
Dwal makes a trip to the Anvil and sells the armor and shield. He then goes to the Tower to report the body and ask a few questions.
Gerrard:
"I am responsible for its freedom, so whatever harm it might do becomes my responsibility as well. I hope to never hear from it again, but If I do, I will inform the temple of Procan," promises Gerrard.
"In general, I would prefer a sentient being be free rather than entombed in rock, though with the proliferation of ancient evil sea gods and their cultists, I am greatly concerned at releasing this creature," says Gerrard. "Yet, if you are right Father Brinehald and it is simply an immense natural creature and not an emerging ancient evil sea god, I would be greatly relieved," he adds as he accepts the tea and biscuits.
"As to the prisoners, we did promise them a fair trial and they are waiting for us to return to the island. Perhaps if we inform the council they will send a boat now that Abbey isle is clear," he muses. Taking a deep breath, he adds, "For tonight, I would eat, drink, and rest at home. Hopefully our path will be clearer in the morning. Thank you for your hospitality and counsel, Father Brinehald."
Gerrard prepares to leave and head to the house to meet up with the others unless Boko or Kei have further questions/etc. for the Procanites.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"