We have a group fund in my Bag if Holding that I figured we would use for these kinds of expenses. I've already subtracted it.
I say we go to the mansion (one last time) and clear out the corpses, and wait for a signal. We have a portable rowboat on the robe of many things so we don't have to worry about rowing the other one back and getting more exhaustion.
The group rides forth from Saltmarsh in the rain, doubling up on the horses that were lent to them from the council. As you ride, Zi shouts, attempting to communicate to the group over the sound of the hooves, "Eliandor wanted us to either sink or capture the Sea Ghost. Capturing is pretty self-explanatory, we just need to get the crew to yield authority of the ship over to us. As for sinking, well that is a little bit more complex. Unless anyone has any bright ideas or resources I don't know about, I can really only think of two ways to bring a ship down. First, we could try to set it ablaze. However, ships are pretty damp, so we will require the use of either oil or other dry combustible materials to aid us in the process. Even then it may take some time for the ship to burn down to the waterline. Second, we could attempt to sink the ship through holing. Axes or similar implements should do a nice job of opening up the hull of the ship. But this process has its own risks too, it is likely to be highly noisy and alert the crew. Whether we capture or destroy the ship--by any means already suggested or thought of in the future--it is obviously a decision we will at some point have to make. Perhaps as the evenings events begin tonight we will get a better sense of our preferred course of action, though I suggest we be ready for anything."
After a few hours of easy horseback travel, the party arrives at the Alchemist's mansion and scours the top floor for a good view of the bay. One is finally found on the eastern wing of the mansion, adjacent to the room where Ned was discovered. A storm begins to brew on the horizon as the party beds down to wait.
It is around midnight when your quarry finally enters the bay. Lightning and thunder illuminate the night sky. The storm is upon this secluded stretch of the coast. Between strikes of lightning you see a much smaller flash of light emanate from the deck of the Sea Ghost. This is likely a signal produced by opening and shutting a bullseye lantern or similar contraption. The bursts of light are as follows: long-short-short-short (pause) long-short-short-short (pause) long-short-short-short. With the signal transmitted three times from the Sea Ghost, the light from the Sea Ghost is snuffed out. Eerily this moment is also marked by lightning and followed seconds later by thunder. For a brief moment the hull of the Sea Ghost is clearly visible. Zi turns to the group, "By Procan's will it looks like events are in motion. This storm is an omen from the god, I only hope it is a good one!"
Steve, I'm a sailor and a navigator. Do I have some sort of sailor knowledge that will tell me the best place to drill a hole in the ship where it's least likely to be noticed and what kind of implements we would need to do that? Would that be an intelligence check?
At the signal, Gulin takes out the bullseye lantern he got from below, and lights it with a flick of flame from his fingers. He also pulls out the sheet of paper.
"Lets see here, lets see. Long and three shorts... 'Is it safe?' Then we should reply... yes, hmm."
Gulin points the lens towards the ship and flicks the lantern open and closed in a short-long-short-long pattern, and looks seaward. He summons Avalloc, and tells his bird companion to circle the ship, opening the window and letting the bird fly free.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Starday Night, Goodmonth 14th, 591 CY
Caspia Aspergina:
Reflecting back on your time on surface ships, you would know that the it is important for the holes or damage be dealt to a ship beneath the waterline. Typically ships are constructed with a single or double deck open to the sky. Underneath the deck will be the ships holds and quarters. The lowest level of a ship is referred to as the bilges. Bilges typically hold weights for ballast and sea water. All ships leak, and such water accumulates in the bilges. If the water in the bilge was high enough, it could be utilized to muffle the sound of holing the ship, but it may make the task more strenuous for beings unused to operating tools underwater.
The dwarf flashes the pattern of short-long-short-long back to the Sea Ghost. Moments later, the Sea Ghost responds Long-long-long. The pattern repeats three times before the signal turns off. Occasional lightning assists the party in noticing that the Sea Ghost has furled its sails and slowed to a halt in the bay.
Avalloc Perception Check (straight roll due to disadvantage of darkness and a storm): 14
Despite the storm, Avalloc circles the Sea Ghost. His feathers begin to weigh down with water, but the hawk is able to make a few unnoticed passes of the ship. At first half a dozen to a dozen figures or so appear to be scattered between the main deck, forecastle, poop deck, and crow's nest. As time passes after Gulin sent his signal, many of the figures appear to head beneath the deck out of the rain. The hawk is able to verify for sure that a watcher remains in the crow's nest, but the power of the storm prevents Avalloc from confirming how many crew members have remained on the Sea Ghost's multiple decks.
Gulin relays that. "Seems like we've put their exterior watch at rest... I don't see any launches from their side, so I suppose it's on us. Shall we make ready to sail?"
"The question then becomes our focus once we get there. I think it might be better to catch their watch by surprise and use the cover of the storm to capture the ship... sinking the ship might a long effort and more easily repulsed."
Zi looks over at Gulin, "I'm fine with either course of action. Even if we get the guards above decks, how do you suggest we deal with those below? As for the mansion, I don't think there is anything else for us to accomplish here, the signal has been sent and received. But how are we getting over to the Sea Ghost again? Last I heard our rowboat was left in Crabber's Cove."
Gulin motions over to Reynnar, who has the Robe of Useful Items. "Lucky we brought our own. That robe has a rowboat attached to it, in a way. Shall we head below to the cave?"
Reynnar wraps the rowboats paddles with his extra set of clothes, in the hopes that this will help mute the rowboats. The party begins slowly rowing out from the mansion's cave towards the Sea Ghost. Despite the storm overhead, the bay is doing a good job of protecting the rowboat and keeping the sea calm. As the rowboat hits the halfway point, they pull up their hoods to conceal their identity.
The following roll is a straight roll. The storm and darkness is causing disadvantage, but help for additional individuals is offsetting with advantage.
Reynnar Rowboat Group Stealth: 18
The rowboat swiftly and silently makes its way up to the Sea Ghost. Despite the crew obviously keeping an eye out for your rowboat, you are shocked how close you are able to make it to the Sea Ghost before your presence is detected. Towards the aft of the ship you can hear crew members laboring away. Visible is a rowboat being hoisted into a launch position via a wooden crane. As you approach within about twenty feet of the Sea Ghost you hear one of the crew call out towards you, his head visible over the Sea Ghost's deck railing, "Bloody hell, me vision must be failing me. How'd you get this close without us noticing! And where's the cargo! What sort of games is Sanbalet playing out now! I'd throw down the rope ladder, but you don't have anything to drop off!" As the pirate talks you look up at the Sea Ghost, it is nearly twenty feet to the top of the ship. The side of the ship is slick with salt water and rain, and the lightning is not the most conducive setting for climbing.
Zi whispers to the group,
"Well this is awkward. Knew we forgot something. We could try to convince them to drop the rope? It also looks like a few of them are about to get into a rowboat and head for the mansion. There is always scaling the ship as well."
"Oy, its a modern, magical world! Sanbalet said to get along with the times!"
Gulin holds aloft his bag of holding, waving it at the watchman. He then starts pulling boxes of rations, the ones he'd gathered the previous night, out of the bag, setting them down on the rowboat. Far too many to fit in a mundane bag that size.
"I've got a lot more hidden, but it'll all go down in the waves if you don't help us out, man!"
The voice from above responds, "Oi, that's pretty flash. Yohnnie, set down the rope ladder, Sanbalet's crew got themselves a bag-o-holding full of trade goods!"
A rope ladder is unfurled, and after lashing the rowboat to the side of the Sea Ghost you begin climbing. The side of the ship is cold and wet, but the rope ladder makes the trip trivial.
Reynnar and Caspia hear a whispered voice as the party nears the top.
Reynnar and Caspia:
"That voice didn't sound familiar, and why would Sanbalet trust his lackey's with magic, be on your guard."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Gulin whispers to his compatriots, "Right, step one done." His eyes turn milky white as he looks through Avalloc, calling out the current crew locations he can see on the top deck.
Avalloc Perception 12
"Now, you should start climbing and sweet talking... I'll follow, and we will wait for the right opportunity to strike."
The storm has noticeably begun to pick up, but Avalloc's sight is true. You take in a clear view of the crow's nest, upper decks, and main deck.
Crows Nest: Not shown on map.
Forty feet above the main deck lies an open wooden platform, 10 feet square with wooden railings at waist height. A single crew-member occupies this area, scanning the horizon with a small telescope.
Main Deck:
Though the light is dim at best, you can see details of the ship’s main deck. In the center, forward of the mast, a jolly boat is lashed to the deck with ropes. Aft of the mast is a hatch to the belowdecks area and a rope ladder climbing to a crow’s nest above. Two human figures work a small crane in the middle of the deck, readying a small rowboat to be lowered. To fore and aft, below the upper decks, stand vague outlines of doors. You can also see ladders that lead to the upper decks, the aft one on the port side, the forward one on the starboard.
Upper Deck - Fore Forecastle:
A massive shape in the center of the deck area must be the ship’s capstan. From it, the anchor chain runs down the chain vent to port of the prow.
Upper Deck - Aft Poop Deck:
The tiller is the most prominent feature of this area, rising from the deck about six feet from the stern and having a horizontal arm some six feet long.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Caspia calls out to the crew abroad as they climb the ladder.
"Ahoy sailors, we bring goods from Sanbalet. The storm's nasty, but Sanbalet insisted we make our delivery in this blasted weather."
As they reach the side of the ship, Caspia quickly tries to take in the ship's terrain and equipment nearby without arousing suspicion. She smiles at the the sailor as she climbs abroad
Climbing to the top of the rope ladder you see the details of the ship’s main deck. In the center, forward of the mast, a jolly boat is lashed to the deck with ropes. Aft of the mast is a hatch to the belowdecks area and a rope ladder climbing to a crow’s nest above. To fore and aft, below the upper decks, stand vague outlines of doors. You can also see ladders that lead to the upper decks, the aft one on the port side, the forward one on the starboard. Two human figures who have appeared to have been working a small crane in the middle of the deck to ready the jolly boat have stopped their work and their attention is firmly affixed to you.
The first figure responds, "First a magical bag, now a triton. This is most peculiar." The second figure takes in Caspia's words before speaking. "My matey here is right. Either you show us the trade goods, are we will have trouble." You watch as both of the pirates assume a defensive posture, readying themselves for battle.
9 total
DM for Out of the Abyss | Edvord Reinholdt for Killilli's Waterdeep Dragon Heist | Sergeant Cernan for Viper's Descent
We have a group fund in my Bag if Holding that I figured we would use for these kinds of expenses. I've already subtracted it.
I say we go to the mansion (one last time) and clear out the corpses, and wait for a signal. We have a portable rowboat on the robe of many things so we don't have to worry about rowing the other one back and getting more exhaustion.
Aldrik Reinholdt in Dragon Heist
Daventry in The Candlekeep Mysteries, and her bag
I'm going to assume you said that out loud to me.
"Sounds like a plan. Let us go to the ghost mansion and wait for the signal."
Caspia paid the innkeeper and finished her breakfast before preparing for the day ahead.
Starday, Goodmonth 14th, 591 CY
The group rides forth from Saltmarsh in the rain, doubling up on the horses that were lent to them from the council. As you ride, Zi shouts, attempting to communicate to the group over the sound of the hooves, "Eliandor wanted us to either sink or capture the Sea Ghost. Capturing is pretty self-explanatory, we just need to get the crew to yield authority of the ship over to us. As for sinking, well that is a little bit more complex. Unless anyone has any bright ideas or resources I don't know about, I can really only think of two ways to bring a ship down. First, we could try to set it ablaze. However, ships are pretty damp, so we will require the use of either oil or other dry combustible materials to aid us in the process. Even then it may take some time for the ship to burn down to the waterline. Second, we could attempt to sink the ship through holing. Axes or similar implements should do a nice job of opening up the hull of the ship. But this process has its own risks too, it is likely to be highly noisy and alert the crew. Whether we capture or destroy the ship--by any means already suggested or thought of in the future--it is obviously a decision we will at some point have to make. Perhaps as the evenings events begin tonight we will get a better sense of our preferred course of action, though I suggest we be ready for anything."
After a few hours of easy horseback travel, the party arrives at the Alchemist's mansion and scours the top floor for a good view of the bay. One is finally found on the eastern wing of the mansion, adjacent to the room where Ned was discovered. A storm begins to brew on the horizon as the party beds down to wait.
It is around midnight when your quarry finally enters the bay. Lightning and thunder illuminate the night sky. The storm is upon this secluded stretch of the coast. Between strikes of lightning you see a much smaller flash of light emanate from the deck of the Sea Ghost. This is likely a signal produced by opening and shutting a bullseye lantern or similar contraption. The bursts of light are as follows: long-short-short-short (pause) long-short-short-short (pause) long-short-short-short. With the signal transmitted three times from the Sea Ghost, the light from the Sea Ghost is snuffed out. Eerily this moment is also marked by lightning and followed seconds later by thunder. For a brief moment the hull of the Sea Ghost is clearly visible. Zi turns to the group, "By Procan's will it looks like events are in motion. This storm is an omen from the god, I only hope it is a good one!"
DM for Out of the Abyss | Edvord Reinholdt for Killilli's Waterdeep Dragon Heist | Sergeant Cernan for Viper's Descent
Steve, I'm a sailor and a navigator. Do I have some sort of sailor knowledge that will tell me the best place to drill a hole in the ship where it's least likely to be noticed and what kind of implements we would need to do that? Would that be an intelligence check?
At the signal, Gulin takes out the bullseye lantern he got from below, and lights it with a flick of flame from his fingers. He also pulls out the sheet of paper.
"Lets see here, lets see. Long and three shorts... 'Is it safe?' Then we should reply... yes, hmm."
Gulin points the lens towards the ship and flicks the lantern open and closed in a short-long-short-long pattern, and looks seaward. He summons Avalloc, and tells his bird companion to circle the ship, opening the window and letting the bird fly free.
Aldrik Reinholdt in Dragon Heist
Daventry in The Candlekeep Mysteries, and her bag
Starday Night, Goodmonth 14th, 591 CY
Caspia Aspergina:
Reflecting back on your time on surface ships, you would know that the it is important for the holes or damage be dealt to a ship beneath the waterline. Typically ships are constructed with a single or double deck open to the sky. Underneath the deck will be the ships holds and quarters. The lowest level of a ship is referred to as the bilges. Bilges typically hold weights for ballast and sea water. All ships leak, and such water accumulates in the bilges. If the water in the bilge was high enough, it could be utilized to muffle the sound of holing the ship, but it may make the task more strenuous for beings unused to operating tools underwater.
The dwarf flashes the pattern of short-long-short-long back to the Sea Ghost. Moments later, the Sea Ghost responds Long-long-long. The pattern repeats three times before the signal turns off. Occasional lightning assists the party in noticing that the Sea Ghost has furled its sails and slowed to a halt in the bay.
Avalloc Perception Check (straight roll due to disadvantage of darkness and a storm): 14
Despite the storm, Avalloc circles the Sea Ghost. His feathers begin to weigh down with water, but the hawk is able to make a few unnoticed passes of the ship. At first half a dozen to a dozen figures or so appear to be scattered between the main deck, forecastle, poop deck, and crow's nest. As time passes after Gulin sent his signal, many of the figures appear to head beneath the deck out of the rain. The hawk is able to verify for sure that a watcher remains in the crow's nest, but the power of the storm prevents Avalloc from confirming how many crew members have remained on the Sea Ghost's multiple decks.
DM for Out of the Abyss | Edvord Reinholdt for Killilli's Waterdeep Dragon Heist | Sergeant Cernan for Viper's Descent
Gulin relays that. "Seems like we've put their exterior watch at rest... I don't see any launches from their side, so I suppose it's on us. Shall we make ready to sail?"
"The question then becomes our focus once we get there. I think it might be better to catch their watch by surprise and use the cover of the storm to capture the ship... sinking the ship might a long effort and more easily repulsed."
Aldrik Reinholdt in Dragon Heist
Daventry in The Candlekeep Mysteries, and her bag
Starday Night, Goodmonth 14th, 591 CY
Zi looks over at Gulin, "I'm fine with either course of action. Even if we get the guards above decks, how do you suggest we deal with those below? As for the mansion, I don't think there is anything else for us to accomplish here, the signal has been sent and received. But how are we getting over to the Sea Ghost again? Last I heard our rowboat was left in Crabber's Cove."
DM for Out of the Abyss | Edvord Reinholdt for Killilli's Waterdeep Dragon Heist | Sergeant Cernan for Viper's Descent
Gulin motions over to Reynnar, who has the Robe of Useful Items. "Lucky we brought our own. That robe has a rowboat attached to it, in a way. Shall we head below to the cave?"
Aldrik Reinholdt in Dragon Heist
Daventry in The Candlekeep Mysteries, and her bag
"Surprise is always the way I like to go, this plan sounds good to me." He says, while heading down towards the water.
With a flourish, Reynnar tears a patch off of his robe and tosses it in the water, and it forms into a rowboat. He then hops in
Caspia follows Reynnar and joins him in the rowboat.
Off we go!
Aldrik Reinholdt in Dragon Heist
Daventry in The Candlekeep Mysteries, and her bag
Starday Night, Goodmonth 14th, 591 CY
Incorporated the stuff from discord also.
Reynnar wraps the rowboats paddles with his extra set of clothes, in the hopes that this will help mute the rowboats. The party begins slowly rowing out from the mansion's cave towards the Sea Ghost. Despite the storm overhead, the bay is doing a good job of protecting the rowboat and keeping the sea calm. As the rowboat hits the halfway point, they pull up their hoods to conceal their identity.
The following roll is a straight roll. The storm and darkness is causing disadvantage, but help for additional individuals is offsetting with advantage.
Reynnar Rowboat Group Stealth: 18
The rowboat swiftly and silently makes its way up to the Sea Ghost. Despite the crew obviously keeping an eye out for your rowboat, you are shocked how close you are able to make it to the Sea Ghost before your presence is detected. Towards the aft of the ship you can hear crew members laboring away. Visible is a rowboat being hoisted into a launch position via a wooden crane. As you approach within about twenty feet of the Sea Ghost you hear one of the crew call out towards you, his head visible over the Sea Ghost's deck railing, "Bloody hell, me vision must be failing me. How'd you get this close without us noticing! And where's the cargo! What sort of games is Sanbalet playing out now! I'd throw down the rope ladder, but you don't have anything to drop off!" As the pirate talks you look up at the Sea Ghost, it is nearly twenty feet to the top of the ship. The side of the ship is slick with salt water and rain, and the lightning is not the most conducive setting for climbing.
Zi whispers to the group,
"Well this is awkward. Knew we forgot something. We could try to convince them to drop the rope? It also looks like a few of them are about to get into a rowboat and head for the mansion. There is always scaling the ship as well."
DM for Out of the Abyss | Edvord Reinholdt for Killilli's Waterdeep Dragon Heist | Sergeant Cernan for Viper's Descent
"Oy, its a modern, magical world! Sanbalet said to get along with the times!"
Gulin holds aloft his bag of holding, waving it at the watchman. He then starts pulling boxes of rations, the ones he'd gathered the previous night, out of the bag, setting them down on the rowboat. Far too many to fit in a mundane bag that size.
"I've got a lot more hidden, but it'll all go down in the waves if you don't help us out, man!"
Aldrik Reinholdt in Dragon Heist
Daventry in The Candlekeep Mysteries, and her bag
Starday Night, Goodmonth 14th, 591 CY
The voice from above responds, "Oi, that's pretty flash. Yohnnie, set down the rope ladder, Sanbalet's crew got themselves a bag-o-holding full of trade goods!"
A rope ladder is unfurled, and after lashing the rowboat to the side of the Sea Ghost you begin climbing. The side of the ship is cold and wet, but the rope ladder makes the trip trivial.
Reynnar and Caspia hear a whispered voice as the party nears the top.
Reynnar and Caspia:
"That voice didn't sound familiar, and why would Sanbalet trust his lackey's with magic, be on your guard."
DM for Out of the Abyss | Edvord Reinholdt for Killilli's Waterdeep Dragon Heist | Sergeant Cernan for Viper's Descent
Gulin whispers to his compatriots, "Right, step one done." His eyes turn milky white as he looks through Avalloc, calling out the current crew locations he can see on the top deck.
Avalloc Perception 12
"Now, you should start climbing and sweet talking... I'll follow, and we will wait for the right opportunity to strike."
Aldrik Reinholdt in Dragon Heist
Daventry in The Candlekeep Mysteries, and her bag
Starday Night, Goodmonth 14th, 591 CY
Gulin Runehammer:
The storm has noticeably begun to pick up, but Avalloc's sight is true. You take in a clear view of the crow's nest, upper decks, and main deck.
Crows Nest: Not shown on map.
Forty feet above the main deck lies an open wooden platform, 10 feet square with wooden railings at waist height. A single crew-member occupies this area, scanning the horizon with a small telescope.
Main Deck:
Though the light is dim at best, you can see details of the ship’s main deck. In the center, forward of the mast, a jolly boat is lashed to the deck with ropes. Aft of the mast is a hatch to the belowdecks area and a rope ladder climbing to a crow’s nest above. Two human figures work a small crane in the middle of the deck, readying a small rowboat to be lowered. To fore and aft, below the upper decks, stand vague outlines of doors. You can also see ladders that lead to the upper decks, the aft one on the port side, the forward one on the starboard.
Upper Deck - Fore Forecastle:
A massive shape in the center of the deck area must be the ship’s capstan. From it, the anchor chain runs down the chain vent to port of the prow.
Upper Deck - Aft Poop Deck:
The tiller is the most prominent feature of this area, rising from the deck about six feet from the stern and having a horizontal arm some six feet long.
DM for Out of the Abyss | Edvord Reinholdt for Killilli's Waterdeep Dragon Heist | Sergeant Cernan for Viper's Descent
Caspia calls out to the crew abroad as they climb the ladder.
"Ahoy sailors, we bring goods from Sanbalet. The storm's nasty, but Sanbalet insisted we make our delivery in this blasted weather."
As they reach the side of the ship, Caspia quickly tries to take in the ship's terrain and equipment nearby without arousing suspicion. She smiles at the the sailor as she climbs abroad
Persuasion roll: 14
Starday Night, Goodmonth 14th, 591 CY
Climbing to the top of the rope ladder you see the details of the ship’s main deck. In the center, forward of the mast, a jolly boat is lashed to the deck with ropes. Aft of the mast is a hatch to the belowdecks area and a rope ladder climbing to a crow’s nest above. To fore and aft, below the upper decks, stand vague outlines of doors. You can also see ladders that lead to the upper decks, the aft one on the port side, the forward one on the starboard. Two human figures who have appeared to have been working a small crane in the middle of the deck to ready the jolly boat have stopped their work and their attention is firmly affixed to you.
The first figure responds, "First a magical bag, now a triton. This is most peculiar." The second figure takes in Caspia's words before speaking. "My matey here is right. Either you show us the trade goods, are we will have trouble." You watch as both of the pirates assume a defensive posture, readying themselves for battle.
DM for Out of the Abyss | Edvord Reinholdt for Killilli's Waterdeep Dragon Heist | Sergeant Cernan for Viper's Descent