***

The story of New Hym begins in the city of Neverwinter. Lord Dagult Neverember has once again assumed leadership over the city since the fiasco involving Forge Fitzwilliam and the Red Wizards of Thay. Despite everything the city is still very much on the fence regarding the leadership under Lord Neverember as they previously closed down the Guilds opening which is what led to Forge Fitzwilliam taking control of the city in the first place. While some really admire Lord Neverember for destroying the Guilds others complain about it as it completely disrupted the economy which hadn't fully recovered by the time Forge Fitzwilliam took over and is now in a worse state than before. Adding to this a currency crisis has struck the city as Forge Fitzwilliam shorted the silver in the city as well as other coinage when they attempted to rob everyone. Those who were smart took the spoils that rained down on the city and ran, others lived it up for a few weeks until the bubble burst and the cities ecomony collapsed. Still, Lord Neverember has made progress at recovering the city.

As these ideas and rumors floated around the city a foreign company known as Second Chance Shipping Co. opened in the city of Neverwinter and by decree from Lord Neverember the company was promoted through-out the city:

By Proclaimation of Lord Protector of Neverwinter Dagult Neverember

Second Chance Shipping Co. calls upon all noble and brave souls seeking to immortalize their name in the history books of Neverwinter, build bridges of peace abroad, and have a first claim on the bounties of a new land to contact our offices. We offer an initial retainer of to those who are without a criminal record as well as a work release program for those who seek to have their warrants and debts cleared.

The journey to Anchorome will take three months in fair weather. Upon landing colonists will be required to repair and reestablish a ruined fort now owned by Second Chance Shipping Co. Colonists will be required to pay for their passage and any supplies they purchase from Second Chance Shipping Co. either through an account of credit established by the company or independent means before the voyage, during the voyage, and by catalog upon settling. All product produced by the Colony will be the property of Second Chance Shipping Co. and will be transported at the liability of Second Chance Shipping Co. to the city of Neverwinter for exclusive sale.

It wasn't long until the tiny office front for the company was packed with those seeking employment, but almost as just as quickly as they entered left upon hearing the purpose of the company. Second Chance Shipping Co. was seeking colonist for the True World, an entire other continent several thousands of miles away. So far away that there weren't any teleportation circles that could take people there and so unexplored that the only map of it was without any landmark or city names drawn by a cartographer who used a spyglass from a Jammer to draw it and that map was framed as well as hung behind the counter.

Anchorome and Maztica, the True World, a little-known part or Toril that only just re-appeared not that long ago bringing with it the Tabaxi of Abeir. The enter continent had disappeared for some time when it merged with Abeir. Abeir was a planet much like Toril, but it no longer exists and since the merger several creatures and plants from Abeir have become native to in the True World right alongside what was already native to the region. Each brave colonist had their own reasons for signing up and the company had an obvious enough reason: profits. Lord Balduran famously made their entire fortune off one voyage to the True World and back while the nation of Amn has grown into a major economic power since the return of the True World - albeit most of Amn's profits are from the enslavement and sale of the Tabaxi who now call Maztica their native home despite their displacement of the native Payit who similarly displaced another race of people to become the natives before the Tabaxi arrived. Whatever the reason those who took the contact did and this is their story...

***

It is late in the day maybe a few hours until dusk and almost all the other passengers; as well as a party of adventurers who appear maybe a little better prepared than the rest, are starting to wonder why no one has been allowed to board the ship yet. They've been at the Port Authority in Neverwinter since almost daw and now it was going on mid-afternoon. Through the windows and past the customs counter The Second Wind, the ship destined for the voyage, stands out among the other ships in everyone's eager eye. Just then the doors to the Port Authority swing open and with a rush several royal guards run in flanking either side of the doorway as they secure the room. Not but a moment later once they are sufficiently satisfied with the security of the area one of them waves through the door giving an 'all clear' signal as they do.

After what seems like an eternity Lord Dagult Nevermeber a tall, broad-shouldered, and strikingly good-looking, with angular features hidden by a thick but graying beard, a mane of silver-flecked "pumpkin-brown" hair, and deep-set but shining dark eyes. While some chided him for destroying the Guild Association in Neverwinter, he did a lot to rebuild the city after Forge Fitzwilliam sold the city out to the Red Wizards of Thay. Behind Lord Nevermeber is another human of average height but the physic of an adventurer and gait of a noble. They have walnut colored hair, crystal blue eyes, a thick beard of a myriad of colors and are dressed in mostly gray but about their neck is a silver livery collar; which is a highly ornate and large necklace, baring the same crest as the flags on The Second Wind docked just outside the Port Authority.

Upon seeing these two enter one of the adventurers from the colony considers them wondering if they would be able to defeat anyone in a fight. The young bellicose Sea Elf named Yomanic Aimwright hailed from a barbarian tribe of sea elves who formed a band of mercenaries named the Stomping Bees. From a rough start and into the fire the Yomanic Aimwright learned the lessons in life as their father died in a political struggle to control the mercenary band and shortly thereafter, they were orphaned to another. From then on a vengeance would burn in their soul, but also a desire to fight just about anyone. However in this moment the young sea elf knew that they stood zero chance against those around them, except for maybe the janitor and so they decided to remain quiet and respectful as Lord Dagult Nevermeber began to speak.

"Good Afternoon all who have gathered to colonize the True World. They city of Neverwinter is glad that it is able to partner with the Second Chance Shipping Company on this voyage and are eager to see what treasures New Hym will be exporting back to Neverwinter next year. Good luck and I thank you for your service to this city."

Not a moment after finishing and Lord Nevermeber exits the Port Authority, his royal guard in close pursuit behind him. Just then the colonist start to notice that during his 'long winded' speech the other noble who entered behind him is now reviewing something with Chaim Cohen having seemingly ignored Lord Neverember's speech. The person they are speaking with Chaim Cohen who was the one everyone met with at the office of the Second Chance Shipping Co. and severall of the colonist have gotten up to speak with them while waiting at the Port Authority. Opposite of the noble Chaim Cohen is older in their late fifties with a long silver beard, bushy eyebrows, and is balding but with long wispy hair they tie back into a ponytail. They dress in black robes almost always and wear a skullcap which covers their baldness almost perfectly. Before anyone is able to approach or ask anything the two they leave heading down to the docks where they board The Second Wind just as the customs agent calls everyone through to start boarding. Just then the customs agent at the Port Authority calls forward each of the colonist for departure. One by one they pass through as customs riffles through their belongings looking for stolen or otherwise punishable transport. The adventurers line up as well but as they slop their baggage onto the counter for inspection each and every one of them almost loses everything as items come spilling and crashing out of their backpacks which were overflowing with supplies. The customs agent seems to be unphased by this obviously having dealt with adventurers before turns to grab some sacks and quivers to divide the spilled supplies into and takes in exchange some silver which is deposited in the Port Authority gift shop register. Eventually after everyone's personal space was sufficiently ignored these adventurers made their way out onto the docks heading for their boat.

At the end of the docks is The Second Wind a newer looking galley vessel with whitewashed hulls and ornate cravings of the wind decorating the banister and windows. As the colonist slowly walk up alongside the ship two cannons are immediately present, two on the main deck, but even more impressive is the large main mast and large sails. Shuffling down below deck each of colonist makes it to their rooms as the ship pitches slowly from side to side in port. The first of the adventurers is a Sea Elf named Odinium Odyes who had signed up after getting drunk with the plan of restoring the noble name of his house that was destroyed when his parents were slaughtered. Odinium Odyes had altered their ticket at the last moment to receive a comfortable room. Two sets of bunk beds line the right-hand wall as he entered and along the far wall is an open window letting the ocean air in. From the wall with the window there is a divider which cuts half-way through the room perpendicular to the wall with the door on it and along this side of the half-wall is an additional bunk bed. Below each bed are two small chests with iron locks and a key on a string allowing passengers to lock up their belongings. The beds are nice, and the sheets are both warm as well as breathable. They could already tell it might be a hard voyage, but they'll survive just fine.

Across the room on the other side of the divider the modest quarters started to pack out. The space was identical except for the flipped and the beds weren't as nice. Those in the modest rooms could already tell it might not be the most comfortable voyage, but their determination filled them with the will to make it work. Among those in the modest room was: Djorn Alfyer, a half-elven ranger who set out to prove his family wrong - he is worth something. Dusk In Autumn, a Tabaxian Cleric of Selune who was making the journey looking for adventure and maybe the opportunity to connect with their roots if they went south into Maztica. Malgus von Emreis, a Tiefling Warlock whose pact made him aware of the powers that magic can bring tempting them into taking this voyage with the hope of unearthing some newer stronger power unknown. Varkurael Dorel, a Eladrin Elven rogue who entered Neverwinter and immediately joined the colony in order to escape their pursuers who had been hired to hunt them down. Finally down in the lowest bowels of the ship swinging in a hammock strung up between the beams of the hull by the cook's stove was Yomanic Aimwright who was presently engaged in conversation with a Bugbear named Boris Buckley. Their conversation wasn't too long until it was interrupted by the motion of the ship getting ready to set out to sea and the captain's call above requesting everyone up, but Boris Buckley had joined to become the colonial calligrapher and to help recover and lost tomes for the Vault of Sages in Silverymoon. As the both of them made their way to the main deck Boris Buckley continued to explain all about how lucky they were to be a Vault scribe, especially as a bugbear, before telling of how they wanted to host a library in the colony.

Coming up into the sunlight of the midafternoon once again the colonist swarm onto the deck where they see both Chaim Cohen and Captain Joseph Estone standing on the top deck just above them. Captain Joseph Estone steps closer to the ships banister and looks down upon the crowd to speak:

"Welcome aboard The Second Chance. I have but a few rules. Do not disrespect the ship or the crew. Those who are working their way across the sea I expect to work. No stealing. No fighting. Generally, don't be an awful person and we'll get along. Finally, everyone must drink their ration each week. This is for your own health. Anything to add Chaim?" 

Although asked Chaim Cohen shakes their head without much else to say, but just as the two turn to leave one of the young adventurers finally speaks up to ask a question about how the colony will work and how they are to pay off their debt. Chaim Cohen turns back to the crows and speaking up says to then:

"I understand this can all be a bit daunting and how up until now none of it may have seemed real, but I assure you everything will be for the best and you will succeed at this. We all want you to succeed. Lord Heydan B. Seegil of Hym a very small fiefdom of Tethyr purchased the plot of land we are to settle from Baulder's Gate. The transaction was witnessed by Lord Neverember and in exchange for an limited time exclusive contract on all exports Second Chance Shipping Co. was allowed to establish a bank in Neverwinter. Through this bank we established the Second Chance Shipping Co. and purchased this ship which will service the colony. It will take us roughly ninety-one days to arrive at the colony in fair weather and the ship will return once every six months to collect any exports as well as deliver any imports. At this time the only teleportation circle in the True World is in Helmsport in Maztica several months to the south of where we are settling. Suffice to say you will be cut off from all civilization. Fort Flame, which is owned by Baulder's Gate, is at least a month through untamed wilderness and there is no road currently. Additionally, Fort Flame is a token military fort without much in the way of supplies. It is kept mainly to maintain their claim on the region."

Pausing for a moment Chaim Cohen let this sink in as their scanned the crowd looking over everyone's faces. He had personally told them all this before they signed and made sure they were all well aware of the dangers. No one wanted anyone to get hurt. Taking a breath Chaim Cohen continued.

"Each of you agreed to bare the responsibility of the voyage and we thank you for that. Our Lord may be well above our station, but this was costly, so he regrets that this small amount had to be charged to you all. This is also why he is not joining us. He is in negotiations to secure more funding and ensure you all receive prompt shipments of supplies. This project is a passion of his, as well as mine. It is also an experiment. Lord Seegil loves his town of Hym, but he does not feel that his nobility necessarily makes him any better than you all. Thus, he would like you each to operate and run the colony as you see fit. He will remain the 'landlord' or ceremonial leader of the colony, but he wants to inspire your personal agency to make the world what you want it to be as someone who has toiled for other people all their lives. That being understood outside your personal debt the colony already has a debt of 2,000 gold pieces which will cover the additional supplies we are providing to help you settle. Buckets, horses, ropes, and stuff like that. However, I encourage you all to make whatever you can rather than rely on shipments. The colony will regularly incur a debt which you will then need to pay off. Such is the nature of ruling. I would advise creating some form of taxation to cover the debt which will need to be paid. Outside of the debt Second Chance Shipping Co. is charging a modest percentage of ten percent of for shipping imports from Neverwinter who imposes a forty percent tariff on goods making exporting goods back to you costly. We will help as much as we can but this is just the nature of the world. Finally various organizations have agreed to pay us for samples, catalogs, maps and other less intrinsic things of value which can be exported. Feel free to see me over the coming days with questions."

With that Chaim Cohen finished speaking, the ship lurched and they left port as the colonist went back to unpacking. As the temperature dropped the humidity rose on board and the sun went down. The wind was taking them out to sea and each one knew it would be sometime until they saw land again. As dinner was served this thought lingered in the heads of everyone as it was almost surreal now. This whole experience was just not a normal one. Just then the boat rocked and a spray of water washed up on top of the main deck, a bell rang out and the Captain's voice could be heard calling for all hands. The group of adventurers among the colonist didn't hesitate and jumped right into action. Two ran up to the main deck: Dunk in Autumn almost immediately regretted it as the cat clung to the ships deck by it's claws but Yomanic Aimwright was not at all phased and immediately jumped into action leaping over the side of the ship into the ocean to combat these foes. The rest of the adventurers peered through the windows of the lower deck at the two Giant Sea Horses attacking the ship while trying to get aim on them through the windows. Swimming up through the water after their dive Yomanic Aimwright attempted to slay the Giant Sea Horse attacking the aft of the ship but failed to hit the beast due to the turbulence of the water. Instead Varkurael Dorel was left to take it down as they leaned out the window to shoot the creature in the eye with their shortbow. As they did this Malgus von Emreis assisted in putting down the thing as the red flash of an Eldritch Blast powered through the night sky and the skull of the sea creature which now floated harmlessly to the sea floor. Now with only one of the two beast left it  became clear that these things were no match, but they tried. Swimming at full speed the remaining Giant Sea Horse tried to slam into Yomanic Aimwright but instead swam harmlessly past. The Sea Elf was obviously in their natural environment. Taking cue from this Dusk In Autumn made an attempt on the creature only doing superficial damage along with the rest, but together their combined might did enough to distract the thing long enough for the crew of the Second Wind to aim and fire a cannon at it. Bubbling as it went down the creature was defeated and although there was an attempt nothing could be salvaged from it's corpse.

Days passed through the week without any other encounter and the adventurers got to know the colonist a bit. There was:

Boris Buckley, a Bugbear Calligrapher. Boris Buckley is a scribe for the Vault of Sages in Silverymoon and can procure almost any book or document in the Vault for the colony on lend. He was hired to record the journey as the record keeper and is tasked with managing the stores for the colony.

Malakos Aranzilez, a Tiefling potter. Malakos Aranzilez refused to speak to the party. They didn't really trust them.

Makkas Aranzilez, a Tiefling glassblower and sister of Malakos. Makkas Aranzilez does not want to be here as they did not want to come to the True World, but it was for their sibling who swore they could turn a profit here now that the Guilds are closed in Neverwinter. Makkas Aranzilez really does not like the church of Chauntea and believes they are extorting their sibling.

Thaddeus Sterling, a Human Cartographer. Born into the life of it Thaddeus Sterling had a long career as a sailor before settling down in Neverwinter for a while. However, the itch to move caught up with them and now they are headed to the True World to scratch it. Although they'd prefer not to talk about it Thaddeus Sterling has seen their fair share of naval warfare. Thaddeus Sterling has no idea how to draw a map much less read one. Went to prison in Neverwinter for taking part in a mutiny at sea. The captain was victorious and Thaddeus Sterling along with the co-conspirators were sentenced. (DM NOTE: The party rolled well on this one and totally ruined this mini-plot thing where they would have a cartographer who didn't know how to read a map and would get them lost. A whole side thing ruined by a natural 20 on an insight.)

Ophelia Ravenscroft, a Tiefling Tinkerer. Although it is painfully apparent that Ophelia Ravenscroft doesn't really believe in any religion they still persist to be a chaplan of at least tweleve or more. She was turned off by Makkas distaste for Chauntea and would stop talking to the adventurers while she was around.

Geoffrey Stannard, a Duergar Cook. When Geoffrey Stannard heard about the True World they were surrounded by others who were excited about it so they signed up, but no one else they were with did. Geoffrey Stannard lost their wife to illness and his cook's utensils were the only thing she left behind. He vowed to become a world renown chef afterwards. Geoffrey Stannard blames the head cook at Neverwinter castle for the death of his wife whom he alleges died of food poisoning. Although it took serious effort Geoffrey Stannard was able to get his claims against the head cook in Neverwinter castle published in one of the smaller papers in Neverwinter. (DM Note: This one has a really depressing backstory but an interesting one.)

Alexander Greyjoy, a Dwarven Mason. Alexander Greyjoy is desperately seeking to prove themselves worthy of nobility and was one of the first, if not the very first as they make claim to, sign up to settle the colony. Alexander Greyjoy doesn't approve of Lord Neveremeber and would use his nobility to change Neverwinter for the better by re-establishing the guilds. Alexander Greyjoy knows that Neverwinter has no legal claim to the colony, that it is owned by a foreign noble, but is trying to understand the relationship involved. The assume the best place to locate answers would be as a cog in their machine.

Djorn Cladhart, a Goliath Banker. Striking out on their own Djorn Cladhart decided to open a bank for the new colony backed by his connections with the bank in Neverwinter. Since Djorn Cladhart wife died there is no spark left in them. They keep a regiment and take everything very seriously. This routine and lifestyle is the only thing keeping him alive.

Airen Corinth, a half-elf Weaver. Airen Corinth came out of isolation to join this colony hoping the True World would rekindle their creative juices. Airen Corinth was once an up-and-coming fashionista in Neverwinter, but after the Guilds were closed by Lord Neveremeber they attempted to open their own business. The once flamboyant and extravagant designs were no longer affordable during the rebuilding of Neverwinter and so the business crumbled into deep debt. (DM Note: The party almost fought this one because the party has poor fashion choices ie wears common clothing, and Airen mocked them for it. They are the fashion police.)

And everyone knew each one was going to be vital to the colony in some way even the cartographer who couldn't read maps. So, they set about discussing how to best operate and organize everything as the ship slowly made its way west. By the end of the first week at sea a smell started to grow on board the ship and Captain Joseph Estone requested the help of the adventurers on board in locating the source in exchange for some goal. They agreed and took some time searching about the ship (no one took investigation... no one took investigation?) but eventually found that it was coming from the bottom deck near the aft of the ship. Preparing for the worst they opened the door to the storage space and horrified saw the dead body of a woman who they hadn't interviewed yet. She was headed to the colony just like them and was now dead. Worse, she was being eaten by ship rats who all of a sudden just noticed the interruption. No a second passed before Varkurael Dorel took action squeezing an arrow through the doorway to down one of the smaller rats in the cramped storage hold. Trying to break through those holding the door another small rat scurried past Yomanic Aimwright to attack the Tabaxi Dusk in Autumn along with a Giant Rat who looked very sickle. Although they worked in tandem the feline was their natural foe and was untouchable in this moment. Just then a blazing beam of a hellish rebuke drove it's way past everyone to burn through the stomach of one of the rats attacking Malgus von Emreis who had ran backwards to put space between themselves and the rats. These four continued to hassled with the rats who at one point had swarmed up onto and all over Yomanic Aimwright making short work of them but as almost a poetic form of justice the last gasp of one was a bite on Dusk in Autumn's shoulder which became infected almost immediately. The Tabaxi swooned and fell back against the wall of the ship. They were alive, but maybe not alright. Taking their money from the captain they rested that night and in the morning after hearing of the situation Dusk in Autumn was provided an anti-toxin to cure the effects of Withering Bite a common ailment faced by sailors who can contract it from ship rats.

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK....

Sesson Two

The weeks passed on without much interest until the first week of the second month of the Voyage. Odinium, the sea elf fighter, had been working with the Tiefling Warlock to hone their skills into a Blood Hunter. Taking a break from practicing their new trade they decided to explore the sea floor and were able to recover some sort of jug full of various liquids despite appearing completely empty. Although it appeared common enough no one was really sure of what it was and so the sea elf recorded the inscription on the device for later study as the Tabaxi, Dusk, began offering therapy to the other sea elf, Yomanic the barbarian who was swarmed by rats. They had been experiencing nightmares and hearing voices at random times since the encounter. It got so bad that eventually they took to their bed with sickness. They claimed it was sea sickness, but who has ever heard of a sea elf getting sea sickness. No, the group of adventurers knew something more was going on. 

Things continued to progress slowly as the winds came to a complete stop for two weeks into the second month and the passengers all grew anxious with worry over paying for the extended voyage costs. This was a common practice for passenger sailing vessels. An estimated cost for the travel is provided and then the actual cost is factored in after they arrive with a limit on total cost if the ship becomes completely lost. Varkurael and Malgus both busied themselves by trying to form some sort of shadow network aboard the ship, Malgus having overheard Varkulrael striking up a deal with Thaddeus to establish a fence for stolen or otherwise ill-begotten goods from the True World back to the Sword Coast; how they will manage this is anyone's guess, but Malgus seems to like the idea of it. They them spent the next weeks of still wind attempting to convince the financer Djorn. Several times they were try to talk things over privately with Djorn but the Golaith seemed to not care for their idea. Despite this they also did not rat out the two young adventurers and maybe later they might very well do as intended.

All was going well until the luck of the ship seemed to drastically change. Odinium had, as they had done every day over the past few weeks, dived below the ship while tied off by a length of rope to search the sea floor. Wind may not carry the ship but currents still do meaning there were always new regions for Odinium to search. This time they found some sort of tool gripped in the clutches of a skeleton in a partial ship wreck. While investigating the device a Hunter Shark appeared from somewhere within the wreck and made their way over to the sea elf out of curiosity. Worried Odinium cut open their hand releasing blood into the water and attempted to bind the beast with a curse using his own blood. The Hunter Shark was not amused and resisted the curse diving into a frenzy and darted forward to latch onto the side of Odinium - it's teeth gnawing away at his flesh. Yelping in pain Odinium attempted to communicate with the creature but it was of no avail the shark was already in a feeding frenzy and with his knowledge of sea life Odinium knew other sharks would begin to show up soon. He kicked and managed somehow to free himself from the Hunter Shark only to pass out on the way to the surface. Odinium's unconscious body floated up and began to bounce along the waves. A bell rang and someone shouted, "Man overboard!", as the crew began to hoist Odinium back in, evading the shark as they did so. As the sun set and Odinium was being healed the ship found itself harmlessly surrounded by sharks. So long as they were out of the water they were safe.

Morning came and thanks to the cleric and the ship's medic Odinium was looking much better. The ship began to sway as the winds started to pick up around breakfast and the rain came in shortly after. The captain knew it was going to storm and advised everyone but the crew to stay below deck. By mid-morning they were in the thick of it and the rain hammered down in sheets. It was as if a waterfall was directly over the ship and the wind that caught the mast blew so hard that at times the crew was thankful that a passing wave corrected the ships sideways pitch. Even without the sails up this storm was deadly. Below deck the nightmares and voices had stopped affecting Yomanic or at least they were in such a depressing slump that they were unable to communicate it. (DM Note: They had to go for the night and Djorn the Ranger was out for this session too.) Instead Dusk in Autumn started to become affected by them and they began to grew more and more deranged having heard them as the days in the storm passed. Each waking hour they would continue to keep a Sancturary ward up just long enough to read some passage from a holy book as they restlessly tried to find the source of their nightmares. The storm did not relent and it became life as all knew it through the week.

By the middle of the second month everyone knew they were now officially on an extended voyage and the storm grew worse. Hurricane force winds ripped water up off the tops of waves to displace it onto the hull of the ship. It was only through the experience of the crew and the skill of Captain Joseph Estone that the ship was not put down and not a crew member was lost. Below decks many had gotten used to being seasick from all the rolling and tossing and pitching and yawing and turning, but it was still not easy living. Just going from quarters to the galley or from the galley to the head was a task. During the late afternoon of the end of the second week of the storm the adventurers who accompanied the colonist left their cabin only to find that the hallway of the deck was darkened. Moreover flashes of light began to appear and disappear just out of the corner of their eyes. Malgus was the first to report it along with some clear tampering to the cannons on deck, but they thought nothing of it. No one even remarked when Varkurael kept getting cold chills, but now that the deck was dim despite the lanterns obviously being lit the party knew something was amiss. Slowly they made their way out into the main part of the lower deck trying their best to stay up right. Dusk in Autumn rolled several times across the floor, each time getting to their feet only to be tossed off them again by the violence of the never-ending storm. Digging into the deck with their claws they were able to finally make their way around safely, but upon getting to the stairwell that led up to the main deck they knew they would not be able to hold onto anything up there. Drawing mental lots among themselves Varkurael was elected to go inform the captain of the dim lighting and other weirdness occuring today. The captain had already received several complaints but the storm seemed to have them completely pre-occupied.

Rain water mixed with salt and sea water gushed down the stairwell from the main deck as Varkurael opened the door at the top of the stairwell to venture out of it. A moment later and a gust of wind blew him backwards down the stairwell followed by a geyser of water. "Secure that door.", someone from the main deck yelled and the door slammed shut as Varkurael's new friends in all this helped them to their feet. Once again they climb the stairs and this time were ready. Opening the door Varkurael stepped out on to the desk and for a brief moment paused to take account of his surroundings. Giant waves like the walls of houses rose up and dropped off from one side of the ship to the other. Lightning strikes illuminated the sky and defined the shape of each wave. To one side it looked like the ship was hanging off the edge of a cliff facing down into the water, to the other just water. He looked up the deck to find all hands were frantically trying to stay up right while handling the ship as best they could in the storm. He could just barely make out the helm in the blankets of rain and cautiously made his way there. Climbing the stairs and approaching the captain he could see a look of disapproval in their eye but told them, "Sir, the lanterns below are lit, but it is dark. People are feeling spears of cold but cannot tell from where and other strange happenings are going about."

Captain Joseph Estone was a superstitious man to say the least and while no one else may have been able to put together this as well as all the other clues Joseph was. "Aye, that be a ghost.", he uttered and looked over to his helmsman who had turned sickly white at hearing this. "I had thought we picked one up, but now I am sure. I.. I cannot do anything about that now with this storm.", Joseph added as Varkurael tried to maintain their balance, "But if you and your lads could handle it I'll be rewarding ya.", he concluded and Varkurael nodded in agreement before making their way back below deck - this time with great difficulty and nearly falling overboard.

Below deck things were of a different nature. The danger of the rain was not present but the apparition was. A Spector of light seemed to actively be haunting everyone outside their cabins on the lower deck but no one could ever quite put their eyes on it. Finally, one of them saw it float down through the floor to the subdeck and everyone made their way downward. The storm made the way down difficult and more than one almost fell down the stairs, but they all managed it just fine. The lighting on this deck was as normal and the ships cook was in the galley attempting to make dinner in the middle of the storm. They began to poke around nervously unsure of what they might find as Varkurael made their way down catching up to them. At just that moment the light from the lanterns dimmed even though the lanterns themselves did not and it grew deathly cold. Out of the corner of their eye Odinium saw the ethereal visage of a ghost hanging in the air and shrieked freezing in fear. The ships cook yelped and ran away to the upper decks but everyone else was ready and in edge. Not thinking anything of it Malgus moved into action first and released an Eldrich Blast towards the ghost which seemingly passed right through it. The ghost in turn flew over to Malgus began to attempt to take control of them. Odinium not knowing what to do stood frozen as Varkurael moved into a better position before shooting at the ghost with their bow only to see the arrow harmlessly pass through it. Dusk in Autumn scrambled away from the ghost only to fall over a table and tumble to the floor in the storm, the cat was not very agile it seems.

Understanding it had no way of entering Malgus the ghost turned it's attention to Dusk as Malgus sent another blast of eldrich power towards the creature, this time hurting it. Autumn similarly called upon the powers of Selune to burn it in their sacred flames which burst from their shield into the ghost. The once youthful woman which served as guise of the ghost fell and it now looked as she had when her body was found. Rat bites and torn flesh missing from her face and body. A truly horrifying sight. Odinium called upon his new powers to attempt to bind the creature using his blood but the fear stuck into him was still to great and he was unable to manifest enough control over his blood to curse it. Meanwhile Varkurael tried to shoot the creature again. This time the arrow stuck and hung eerily in midair where the ghost was. Then in the blink of an eye the ghost entered Dusk in Autumn who fell to the floor again and scrambled away from the table so that everyone could see them.

"Help! Please Help!", the Tabaxi started to cry unnaturally. "Sickness, the sickness. It is still here. Help!", he moaned and wailed again and again as everyone stood motionless trying to come to terms with what just happened. Then almost as suddenly as it happened the ghost left Dusk in Autumn and floated away through the wall to the bow of the ship. Although everyone else as stunned Dusk was invigorated with a purpose and ran to the aft of the ship clamoring about needing to perform a funeral rite, that they are a priest and it is their duty. Meanwhile Malgus seemed to think this was not the request of the ghost and stood there contemplating the matter privately. The ghost then reappeared and possessed Varkurael to say, "Help! Please Help! The sickness is still here.", before it again left and floated away through the wall towards the bow of the ship. The group of adventurers ignored it and started going towards the aft of the ship. Just then another thought came to the party: they realized they had no key to access the storage in the aft of the ship where the body was and that they would need to head back up to the main deck to obtain the key from the captain. They also understood in this moment that to poke around in storage and loosen up what was in there in the middle of a storm this violent would undoubtedly spell doom but bludgeoning for whomever went in there. Everyone was at a loss of what to do at this moment. There was no way to get to the body of the ghost and that was obviously no what the ghost wanted. The scratched their heads wondering how they could help the ghost and then finally one of the adventurers considered what the ghost had said realizing it was asking them for help and then offered that they should maybe do that and follow the ghost. (DM Note: Sometimes.... it is like herding cats, but I do love my cats.)

Finally, the lost adventurers went to the bow of the ship. As the door squeaked open a rotten stench seeped through it and an loud gag reflex was heard among the adventurers from somewhere. Before them covered in pustules and blisters with partial cataracts over their eyes and yellow-green slobber dripping from their teeth a giant rat could be seen chewing on the corpse of another dead colonist. It turned it's head seeing those in the door and leapt to attack. Odinium who had been stunned with fear up until now swung their sword protecting Varkurael from the leaping monster. A second later and the giant rat dropped onto the ground in two parts and the ghost ascended in a golden light disappearing from sight as the lights and temperature returned to normal. The storm outside the hull raged on as the party gathered up the corpse, Odinium expressed an interest in experimenting on it and the storm grew more violent.

TO BE CONTINUED....

 SESSION THREE

DM Note: I created a roleplay channel on the discord for the campaign so that my players could roleplay with each other between sessions and I have been awarding DM inspiration to the players who have used it to encourage a bit of downtime dialog and help bring the group together. Below is their dialog.

Odinium can be seen carrying a mutated rat into his quarters.
Malgus looked at him confused "Why are you bringing that rat in here, Odinium?"
DM: The stench of dead rat mixed with the salt of the sea permeates the air. Thankfully the salt somewhat mitigates the corpse rot.
Odinium looks at Malgus and says "To see what made this mutate prick tick."
"Okay. Also do you think Dusk will be okay? Since the rat encounter and ghost lady." Malgus asks.
"I get the feeling he'll be seeing a lot crazier things in his life then some rats and a ghost."
"I can say the same for us in our journey."
Varkurael smells the putrid decay and gets up. He follows his nose to see Malgus talking with Odinium while Odinium is carrying wbat appears to be... Vark raises his eyebrows a bit in intrigue, and after cocking his head to the side listening to something, he walks over to Odinium and ask, "Hey Odinium, would it bother you too much to see if there is anything there that can be used as a poison? I'll gladly take that off your hands." Being so close to the stench, he wrinkles his nose, pats Odinium on his shoulder and walks away, looking for Thaddeus.
DM: Knowing that harvesting poisons can be dangerous. Thoughts of both potential harm and benefit pass through @Odinium Odyes (Quelled) head.
Odinium places the rat on the floor beside his bed, cleans himself up, covers his entire body with clothes and armor, except for his head, and begins the first incision into the mutated rat.
Malgus looks at Odinium "Are you sure you know what you're doing? I mean don't have a problem with it. Well besides of the smell of it."
Odinium looks up towards Malgus, with certainty in his eye's " I have no ****en clue what I'm doing." And continues with the second incision.
Malgus said, "Hmmm... alright when your done with it there's something i want to show you."
Varkurael comes walking back in to the area where Malgus is and catches his attention, nodding his head towards the room to hold a private conversation.
Varkurael comes walking back in to the area where Malgus is and catches his attention, nodding his head towards the room to hold a private conversation.
Malgus turned around and saw Varkurael and walked up him "Well since that Odinium is busy. Varkurael you wanna see something i got?"
Dusk can be seen stroking his holy symbol on his wooden shield tracing the druidcrafted mistletoe wreath, a star map materialize as a globe in floating in his palm and feel guidance wash over you as a sheen of stars tickle your exposed skin Dusk in Autumn replies; may the goddess Selune guide you. And no remember my mothers a lore bard and both parents were adventurers from Waterdeep long before they had me, I have heard stories of things deep in the belly of the world that made nightmares tame in comparison, and mother sang of lands with creatures that would make even the likes of the unseelie fey cry for mommy. Seminary trained me for battle, Selune blessed me with the wisdom to endure and while Malgus and I both had our minds messed with by a ghost she was simply troubled by the abomination possessing those rats. May her spirit rest in peace. As I have performed the funeral rites on her body we know her flesh rests peacefully. I think we should research ways to combat not just physical threats but unseen spiritual ones too, that said I was contemplating silent defense in the form of traps and perhaps ballista for when we land as we do not expect the wild elves to welcome us with open arms if the former landing party is any indication, so we should all prepare to defend our landing site upon arrival. I will see what materials I can gather up for a ballista or two. I can research ways to defend against spiritual defenses as well but as it stands I need far more experience before I can create wards or the like. If you have a deity I suggest you pray to them in these strange days we face.
Varkurael nods at Malgus and follows him. After catching up, Varkurael quietly says to Malgus, "It' imperative we secure funding before we reach the True World. I was thinking maybe a gift of some kind can," Varkurael puases for a moment, "soften Djorn up so that he can listen to our proposal." (edited)
Varkurael nods at Malgus and follows him. After catching up, Varkurael quietly says to Malgus, "It' imperative we secure funding before we reach the True World. I was thinking maybe a gift of some kind can," Varkurael puases for a moment, "soften Djorn up so that he can listen to our proposal." (edited)
Malgus nodded at the agreement "I like the idea but are you sure that Djorn will agree in our proposal?"
Varkurael frowns a bit and shakes his head. "He is the only financier on this trip. We must figure out how to make our proposal appealing to him. Tfhe other guilds and networks already have an advantage on us back," Varkurael motions with his thumb towards Neverwinter," there, but if we position ourselves powerfully and properly from the beginning we will have them all coming to us for information on the True World." Varkurael cocks his head, nods and says, "...And that is no small feat." With that Varkurael motions Malgus to show him what he has."
Yomanic will wakes up and stretch, "Another day, another battle that must be had. The voyage will be tiresome, however other than Djorn, there seems not many are fit to join an merc company." Gets up and thinks for a moment. "Hopefully there will be warriors in which I can recruit to the company, thus forming a line of defense against all manners of foe while hunting down that evil company. There's only one way to find out.". Grabs his weapons and head towards the deck, "All this talk of politic is bothersome. I find like minded people on the island and recruit them to my cause."
Varkurael overhears Yomanic talking to himself while going up-deck and an idea forms suddenly. 'Maybe we pitch a mercenary company with a spy network embedded, instead of just a spy network, it might legitimize his dealings to him. ' Varkurael gives Malgus 10 gold and charges him with finding something as rare and special as can be gotten in the ship as a gift to go along with the new idea of a Mercenary company fronting a spy network.

* * *

    The intensity of the storm finally subsided, and the waters went still. It had been raining and the seas had been rough do so long that it became impossible for anyone except the sailors who operated The Second Wind to sleep. Yomanic, who had the cheapest accommodations located in the lowest deck of the ship near the restroom and cargo, was in particularly rough shape. Feeling the boat stop from tossing and pitching in the waves for just a moment led Yomanic to believe it was safe so leaving their hammock they climbed the decks to the main deck whereupon they were immediately warned to get below. All around him for as far as they could see was a wall of gray clouds and rain encircling the entire boat with happened to be dead center in the most placid looking waters he had ever seen as a sea elf. The sun beat down and it appeared to be roughly mid-day as Yomanic obeyed and ran back below to the lower decks once more knowing now they were only just in the eye of a major hurricane.

     Meanwhile the others were in much nicer accommodation and had faired better except for the unusual stench created by Odinium whilst they were dissecting the dead rat. He obviously had no idea what he was doing and Malgus wanted to help so the two of them set about carving the thing up and fabrication names for various parts they did not know the actual names of. Had it not been for the hurricane that made the work not just even more of a mess but also harder then it probably would have been a very enjoyable moment. Nonetheless the two of them made the best of it as Dusk mumbled their prayers superstitiously warding their operations. By the time the ship had reached the eye of the hurricane the science experiment had yielded two vials of some unknown substance that Odinium was positive was useless garbage. He still kept it.

     "Noooooooooooo!", came a ear shattering scream in Odinium's skull. It nearly forced them to drop the vials as Malgus then received a message mentally, "You will pay. I will scrape your bones and feast on your skin." to which he attempted to reply only to find silence. The two looked at each other as Varkurael too was hit by a mental blast, "I will boil your entrails in your blood to make my soup.", and Varkurael was the first to speak up telling everyone that they had heard something in their head. The group conferred and agreed one of them would have to tell the captain as the Hurricane picked back up and the ship began to lurch and toss once more.

     "Maybe if we tie a rope about him?", suggested Malgus and the group began tying their ropes together to for a stretch of two hundred feet. They then anchored the end to a post in their cabins as Dusk received a mental message. "Here kitty kitty.... I want to take your claws and eat your eyes.", which greatly disgusted Dusk who had received the worst of the mental harassment since the voice began.

     Not much longer than they had started the endeavor was complete and Varkurael made their way across the deck to the main deck slowly. As soon as they made it to the main deck though one of the sailors stopped them as a voice range out through the rain for them to go below. Varkurael could see nothing in the rain except the other sailor who was now trying to force them below for their own safety. Varkurael resisted and leaned forward yelling in the man's ear for the captain. The sailor ignored this and tried forcing him below again but once again he asked for the captain. Just then a wave crashed atop the ship and Varkurael instantly went down slipping in the water and only being held in place by the nearby sailor who only just then noticed the rope tied about Varkurael's waist. Helping him up the sailor decided it was useless to resist and pointed over his shoulder to the aft of the ship before they wished him luck and went about securing what they had to in the storm. Another wave came down upon Varkurael, this time it forced him down and very nearly forced him over the edge as the rope began to unspool below. Odinium seeing the rope flying wilding from it's coil by where they had tied it off grabbed hold of it and without seeing it directly saved Varkurael's life. Now tired from the sea Varkurael spat and sneezed out salt water as they again hoisted themselves up and crawled across the deck using whatever they could find to brace themselves. Just ahead the stairs to the helm appeared like a mountain in the weather but he was determined. One foot in front of the other and halfway up the stairwell another wave came. This time it knocked him just overboard, but again thankfully Odinium noticed the rope fly and gripped it tightly unknowingly saving Varkurael's life a second time. It must have taken all of their strength, but Varkurael clamored back onboard the ship from where they dangled by a life line at the end of the rope just half-way down the side of the ship nearly in the water. One a step more and then he finally met with Captain Joseph Estone.

     "Lad you're mad, get below! This is unsafe for you, even with that rope! Get below!", yelled Joseph through the ocean spray, but Varkurael persisted and told him of the voices - that they believed there to be more rats. The captain paused briefly as they considered the hurricane. He knew if he left or devoted his crew now in the middle of this they would wreck the vessel. The winds were a gale force, stronger than he'd ever seen and it took everyone working as hard and fast as they could to angle the ship properly so that it would not be crushed by the tidal forces at work. The captain then looked at Varkurael's eyes and knew he had to do something grabbing him by the collar and rushing him off the deck.

     Unlike Varkurael Captain Estone made it across the ship with expert practice even while holding on to Varkurael and hoisting him up at times. Once below he quickly took him to his cabin and said, "Same offer as before. You deal with the rats and you'll be rewarded. Just don't go on deck anymore. What is up there won't just kill one of us or us slowly. It will sink the entire ship. It is dangerous and we don't want ye hurt.", with genuine concern. The party quickly agreed and Joseph the captain left to go back and fight the storm again.

     Everyone started immediately offering ideas on what to do as the ships cook came around with food. They had been called on-deck to handle the hurricane but paused just long enough to put together enough oats and some dried fruit for everyone. It wasn't much but for many it would be about all they could keep down in the storm and for Yomanic it proved too much (DM Note: They had to go do real life stuff.)  forcing them to take to their bed.  This food jogged Odiniums memory, and he recalled seeing cheese aboard as well as the jug he had. Having poured over the writing on its surface now for many days he couldn't for the life of him figure out what this jug was, but it had now given him water, mayonnaise, and beer could it also give him poison he thought? Of course, it could and did as he both explained his plan and checked the jug at the same time. They would get some cheese from the galley and then poison it. The rats would eat it and that would be that.

     Odinium slipped down to the lowest deck and set their traps near where the other two giant rats had been found. He then struck up a conversation with Boris Buckley the Bugbear scribe for the Vault of Sages in SIlverymoon but the scholar was far to sick to be of any real conversation. So, Odinium went to see what Yomanic was up to as they kept an eye on their traps, but he too was looking worse for the wear. Thinking to himself that he was glad to not be on the lowest deck Odinium settled in for the night having found a spot to stand and watch both the traps with no one to talk to during the long watch. Upstairs in their much more accommodating cabin the rest of the party discussed the situation as they pushed themselves to stay awake as long as possible. As the hours pushed on in the nigh it became harder and harder to remain awake and eventually even the elves started to dose off. As Odinium started to nod off into his trace he was brought back to the moment by something out of the corner of his eye. Standing he went to go see what it was and as he neared the cheese he noticed it looked like something had eaten part of it. There were no other signs of any animal though which struck Odinium as odd but the sudden realization that the boat had stopped rocking finally hit him. They must not be in the storm anymore and this gave him some hope as he turned to check the other trap. Like the first one the cheese was eaten but no other signs of any creature.

      As Odinium pondered this below Malgus and the rest were alseep in their beds. Slowly something creeped up onto Malgus's bed causing them to stir, but he was no awakened by it as the creature got closer and closer to his face. As it moved across his body it wheezed and the weight and warmth of it started to awaken Malgus. The creatures mouth opened and several sharp teeth oozing with saliva prepared to take a chunk out of the sleeping victim. As the beast brought it's head down to take a bite Malgus suddenly awoke and tossed it off of them without even seeing exactly what it was. Not but a moment later it was engulfed in flames as Malgus cupped their hands and unleashed a torrent of fire from them having just become aware of the assassin. The exchange awoke the rest of the cabin, and they all began to investigate around the room. Approaching the door cautiously they looked out into the deck only to find moonlit darkness as a fog enveloped the cabin they were in. Thrusting themselves through the door they searched about the deck only to find nothing until Odinium came up having heard the commotion.

     There in the corner behind a barrel was the most disgusting thing he'd ever seen. A grotesque humanoid rat a little smaller than a gnome being held aloft by a swarm of baby rats feeding from her. Chucks of her fur were missing and she had open scars dotting her flesh. A small tiara topped her hear and her beady red eyes looked at the sea elf who had found her as she cast out her hand tossing a rat king or a tangled group of rats at them. Odinium dodged this as everyone else moved into position except Dusk who knew something else had to be near but couldn't find it no matter how hard they searched. Swinging their sword Odinium cut away at the swarm of rats that surrounded the larger half-humanoid one and their remains went flying across the deck. Not wanting to be involved in this form of melee the rat with the tiara was carried by the swarm under Odinium's legs up the wall over Malgus as around the stairwell as the whispers of spell could be heard from somewhere. From the edges of their vision a blackness like ink enveloped their vision until they could see no more. Clawing at their eyes Malgus only momentarily found fear before they used their spear as a cane to feel about the room until they had made with way to Odinium who took him by the hand to guide him. As the rat leading the swarm scurried up the stairs to the main deck the others followed except for Dusk who just knew something else was there.

     "Here kitty kitty.", came an old familiar voice in Dusk's head as they cast Faerie Fire around the stairwell. The pick mist dusted the area but there was nothing. Dusk frantically turned over baskets as they searched high and low like a cat would for a mouse, for their prey. They would find this thing! And as if to respond to their inner most wish a cackle came to the back of their mind mocking their futile search. Anger welled up in Dusk as they gave their search more vigor.

     On deck the sailors were in shock at what they were witnessing as Odinium closed the gap between the creature and himself dragging Malgus along by the wrist as they did so. The vile rodent showed it's teeth and a spray of rats leapt up from under her to cover Malgus who panicked. Spreading their leathery teifling wings they took to the air hovering alongside the ship as they frantically pulled the rats gnawing at their flesh off of them dropping them into the water. Having seen this Odinium tried to strike at the large rat who sent the swarm after their friend but missed. A crack was heard and from the helm a puff of white smoke covered the barrel of the pistol being held by Captain Joseph Estone. The rat was now hurt but clearly not out of the fight as she lifted one of their children to her mouth and ate it instantly becoming healed as the lower half of their now dead offspring hung from her gullet. Varkurael released an arrow over the should of Odinium with the hope of mitigating her healing but missed sending the shaft off into the ocean.

     Dusk saw it! A shadow with a crown just out of the corner of their eye. It ran up the stairs to the deck. Following Dusk moved as quickly as possible only to arrive up top to find a heated exchange taking place. Off the side of the ship was their friend Malgus hanging in mid-air, blinded, and now covered in rats. The boat was quickly sailing past them too so in a panic Dusk yelled and pointed to the shape they had seen below just a moment before as they ran to snatch Malgus from the sky just off the side of the ship. If the other one was ugly this one was worse. It looked like it had survived every single inhumane experiment imagined and it'd bring almost a sense of pity except for the brutally disgusting nature of the thing. It wore fine clothing, although they were dirty and stained as well as eaten through with holes from age, and it had a crown atop it's head. The crown must have been magnificent at one point, but now it was rusted, and the lining had rotted. It had dead eyes and teeth that dripped with some form of sickness unknown. It greatly disturbed everyone who saw it and Odinium felt their stomach drop with fear as it scurried past him to bolding defend his queen who swarm had begun to try to carry her away towards safety.

     As Dusk pulled Malgus back aboard another shot rang out and this time the bullet clanked off the metal of the crown the more gruesome humanoid rat was wearing. The winds drowned out the curse muttered by Joseph as Odinium sliced open their hand to bind the creature who imagined herself a queen to where she was. Inside of her the led in her blood grew heavy and in mere moments she was unable to move. Varkurael again tried another shot but the arrow flew harmlessly out to sea as Odinium tried to cut into the creature only to slice into her swarm again. Opening their mouth the kingly looking half-gnome half-rat spewed out a spray of saliva what covered Odinium, Malgus, and Varkurael in a toxic substance and while Varkurael and Odinium seemed fine Malugus was not. A poison quickly entered their blood stream and they double over in pain.

     "LAND HO!" Someone yelled and everyone turned to look. Off in the distance still some hours away was the green strand of land. Finally, after more than three months at sea they were in sight of something solid and this raised everyone's spirits just enough to redetermine them to the task at hand, but the two small beings who had proven to be dangerous foes had slipped away quietly towards one of the long boards strapped to the side of the ship. Odinium reached out to curse their quarry again, but was startled by a vicious knock against the boat which nearly overturned it. It wasn't a storm though, this time it was something else. Peering over the edge of the boat the sailors all forgot the rats as soon as they saw it. A large humpback whale was speeding head towards the ship in an attempt to ram it.

     "Hold fast!", yelled Captain Joseph just as the ship jumped from the water at nearly being struck again. "Take her with powder boys!", Captain Joseph yelled and the crew that was left immediately started to load the cannons. Two of the ships crew had gown overboard and Malgus could see one of them being dragged under the water by something as Dusk loaded a canon and Odinium aimed it. One of the other cannons fired after Varkurael helped the crew load it and both cannon balls stuck the whale issuing a spray of blood into the air. The whale escaped by going below the surface leaving nothing but a trail of blood in it's wake. The creature was hurt but not dead and those rats: King and Queen Rat. They got away too! With a boat nonetheless!

      Yet for all of that everyone was just happy to be alive and so near land at this point. Their worries melted away and they knew it was only a matter of time before they could finally touch land again, but as they got closer Captain Estone took the ship in circles for several hours just off the shoreline as they muttered something. Growing tired someone finally asked what was keeping them and the helmsman explained they have no charts for this area and the Captain is worried. If the ship gets caught there then no one will ever be leaving the True World ever again. Settling on a plan, the captain called the colonist to the main deck and explained that he would be taking a long boat out to gauge the depth of the shoreline. By nightfall a good enough for now survey had been completed and the captain informed everyone that they would make landfall before noon tomorrow. Then calling the party out from the colonist he brought them to his cabin where they met with Chaim Cohen.

      Chaim explained that he and Captain Estone had greatly appreciated all they had done on the voyage and after discussing it with Lord Seegil who was in charge of everything agreed to forgive the cost of their voyage. They also explained that they hoped these party members would go on to help be their permeant government for the colony as Chaim would not be staying for the first season. Instead he was to return with the ship after the first half-year with more supplies. Until then the party would receive a sending stone to communicate with him. He finally advised them to considered what they might want to ask so that in the morning they could discuss it as the boat pulled into shore and everything was unloaded.

It was all about to change, and little did any of them know that they would be the ones who would change the world of Toril forever in due course.

TO BE CONTINUED....

DM NOTE: They made it past the very linear first three levels adventure and are about to start the main part of the story. The whale attack was paying homage to how Baulderian died. While from my knowledge no one on Toril actually knows how Baulderian died execpt the Wild Elves who killed him because his entire expedition was killed, he was slain in a deadly attack by whales off the coast of Anchorome. There wasn't a bigger reason for the whale other than to have a whale, but maybe I'll make it a plot point later...

SESSION FOUR

     It had been so long since any of them had seen dry land that when the call went out announcing the sight of land a buzz erupted from the ship and all the colonists grew beyond excitement. The last month of the voyage had been the hardest on them all with Djorn Aflyer dying at sea from plague along with some of the other original colonists. That evening the captain opened up champagne bottles for everyone aboard and the last good meal they would have for a while was fed to the colonist. Each one at like they were the nobility on this night as the danced and sang into the midnight. At dawn the last day would only be hard on Boris Buckley the bugbear scholar whose hammock was next to Yomanic's hammock. Over the course of the journey Yomanic's condition continued to worsen until they were completely bed ridden. However, as morning came the last victim of the voyage was claimed and Yomanic's cold lifeless body was found. Only Boris Buckley mourned him and the salt of his tears mixed with the sea as all the other colonist forgot about the sea elf barbarian with so much potential.

(DM Note: Couple players were having trouble making the game so we got a few replacements.)

    It took about two hours for the Second Wind to slowly nudge its way up through the bay near as it could to the shore. Then another one for the long boats to be readied and loaded, but within that hour the first had already set off in advance of the boats which would arrive with the supplies. On this boat was Chaim Cohen, two sailors, a desk, a chair, some documents in a case, Malgus, Odinium, and two of the other colonist who were sick for the entire voyage: Darian and Diana. Both of whom were so eager to get ashore that they pushed their way onto this boat. Behind them in the distance an on-deck block and tackle system started to load down the colonies provisions onto the long boats to take to shore as their own longboat arrived along the coastline. Hopping out the sailors brought in up into the sand to secure it before the returned to lift the desk and chair out of the longboat as everyone else jumped out. The party of adventurers stood there looking out at their new home.

     There was nothing here. It was just a coastline dotted with plant life they had never seen before and no animal wildlife. One of them mumbled that they probably scared them off and they glanced around. Beyond the coast was a marshy with a river running just to the south no more than a few thousand feet away. In the distance maybe three times as far as the river was a mountain range covered in trees jetting up into the sky and all around the marshy clearing was a thick forest. They were all in amazement at finally seeing this place, but that moment was quickly shattered as Chaim sat at their desk on the beach speaking up, "You may want to explore the nearby area while we get this all unloaded. I'll ask the other colonist to set up their tents in this spot when they arrive. Any living samples of the flora and fauna you can obtain for me will pay significantly more than dead ones.", he then began reviewing paperwork as the longboats with supplies began rowing into shore.

    Looking at each other and then out into the wilderness directly before them the party started tromping about. Malgus flew high and got a decent look around spotting many root like plants growing in clusters just to the west. Slowly Odinium forced their feet through the mud up from the shore into the shrubs towards one of the plants with the rest not far behind. This area would take effort to master, but they were all sure they could do it. That day dream allowed Odinium to be caught off guard as Malgus yelled for their attention. It was too late one of the root clusters had tunneled underground at lightning speed only to appear directly in front of Odinium. In a puff a cloud of yellow pollen ejected itself onto Odiniums face causing them to spit and sputter before sneezing. For the briefest of moments he thought of walking into the root cluster but then thought the better of it electing to instead swing at it with their sword. A chuck of the planet fell from it and became brittle as it died. Almost as if this was a battle cry several of the other root like plants began to slowly grow in one direction towards Odinium. Coordinating their attacks Malgus and Darian issued a pair of Eldritch Blasts, one purple and one red, on the plant burning away bits of it with force energy as the other roots got closer. Diana pumped arrow after arrow into the writing mass as it reached out and latched onto Odinium who slapped the roots away as quickly as they got hold. Closer and closer the other roots crept slowly, so slowly that no one even took notice. Just then two roots darted down into the soil and up around Odinium releasing a cloud of pollen which they again resisted, but the cloud obfuscated their vision just enough to allow one of the roots to wrap around them. Darian uttered a blessing as the roots closed around Odinium cutting of his view and restraining his movement. By the time Diana had notched another arrow and fired it Odinium was gone, somewhere deep within the mass of roots which seemed to grow out of nowhere becoming human sized where they were once the size of a small dog.

     A muffled scream shouted through the plant life as it's digestive acids ate into Odiniums skin. Two more Eldritch blast and the thing was just weak enough for Odinium to burst through like an enraged hulk. Falling forward they leaned on the shield and sword they'd dropped to the ground upon being consumed and pushed themselves up off the floor. Falling from the sky Malgus tumbled as a root leapt from a nearby tree to cover them. A second scream went out as Darian now switched their focus to the root cluster feeding upon Malgus. Alone and frantic Odinium hacked away at the plants as they slowly backed away and even slower than that the other roots edged closer. With the acrid smell of ozone Malgus was freed from the root's maw as Darian shot a purple blast of Eldritch power from their palm. Malgus stood coughing and sputtering but took no time to steady himself. Flying at full speed and with the fury of a fiend he put himself in a position just over Odiniums shoulder, cupped his hands, and then unleashed a cone of fire on several of the root systems. Now ablaze the tides of this battle had turned and Odinium was renewed with a sense of courage.

     Leaping forwards towards the plant he'd been slicing at, Odinium attempted to grapple it. The plant welcomed the attack opening its maw as Odinium fell inside of it. Malgus was too preoccupied roasting the other roots to death at this moment and Darian all of a sudden being overcome with a sense of greed ran back to the ship to find a container for the last plant which now had Odinium inside of it. It was a run and they made it to the longboats and back with a container, but Malgus just wasn't having it and destroyed the creature before they did. Odinium was nearly dead and had it not been for Darian casting a spell to Spare his Dying they would have been. They carried Odinium back to the campsite on the shore and one of the other colonists offered their cot and extra space in their tent while they heal.

     It was late afternoon at this point and as promised Chaim gave everyone eighty gold pieces for the several dead samples as he reminded them that living samples would be worth more as would recorded samples with maps of their location. After that was all paid Chaim called for all the colonist and read out-load a proclamation.

"On this day, Flamerule 30th 1497DR, it is hereby recognized that this parcel of land is sovereign only to Sir Heydan Barnerd Seegil of Tyther, Lord of Hym. On this day his Lordship officially claims this property by sending a designated official, Chaim Cohen, to claim it in person upon his behalf. From this day forward this parcel of land shall be known as New Hym and all other claims against it are nullified. Long live Lord Heydan Barnerd Seegil", read out loud Chaim before the placed the document on the desk, signed it and then had Captain Joseph witness it.

Chaim then pulled out a second paper from his writing case and read it too, "On this day, Flamerule 30th 1497DR, it is hereby recognized that the sovereign of this parcel of land, Sir Heydan Barnerd Seegil of Tyther and Lord of Hym as well as New Hym having previously inducted Lady Sidra Forestwind into his services as a squire on Mirtul 15th 1497DR and this act been witnessed by Lord Neverember of Neverwinter on the same date recognizes her noble acts and transfers the parcel of land known as New Hym to her ownership as his vassal. Long live Lady Sidra Forestwind.", and once again Chaim placed the document down on the desk signed it. Then like before Captain Joseph witnessed it and then document was folded wax sealed and stamped.

     Without another word the remaining sailors quickly grabbed the desk and chair off the beach and returned to the longboat with it. Chaim Cohen and Captain Joseph not far behind. The colonist was all struck by the quickness of the act. Everything had taken so long. They had left Neverwinter on Mirtul 15th which was the same day Sidra was given nobility by this Tytherian noble, a fact no one seemed to notice, and now those last lines to the world they knew were leaving the shore. No one chased them. They just watched. They all knew it would be six months until they would see another boat. Six months they thought as the boat they all had grown tired of living on sailed off into the setting sun.

And although they celebrated that night it was the most alone and helpless any of them had ever felt in their lives.

TO BE CONTINUED....

SESSION FIVE

     The first morning in the True World the colonist all awoke happy and excite. Geoffery Stannard the Duergar Chef who joined the colony was so excited about being in their new home that they went to work cooking a fantastic and large breakfast for everyone well before the sun had even fully come up. Greeting each and every member of the colony on the beach where they made temporary camp, he offered them a plate and a cup of coffee. The party of adventurers being rather ill prepared slept outside under the stars instead of in tents were very grateful for the warm of the coffee and Odinium who was nearly eaten by plant life yesterday appeared to have been mostly healed thanks to the efforts of Dusk. Throughout the healing rituals and Odiniums own efforts to heal themselves Ophelia Ravenscroft butted in here or there offer her own prayers to Selune which struck Dusk as odd since they did not follow the typical liturgy but at this moment thought nothing of it. After everyone had eaten the party discussed what to do for the day with the rest of the colony and there was some discussion about it. Obviously, they could not just start working and had to figure out a plan first.

      Being a clever cat Dusk found the spyglass given to them by the Second Chance Shipping company and then darted up a nearby tree to survey the area. To the west maybe a little over a half-days journey there began the foothills of a mountain chain covered with trees that stretched all the way up to almost their tops. The gray and brown tops of the mountains hung over their green slopes and Dusk instantly knew that meant they received regular heavy snows. The tabaxi panned the spyglass around to see a major river just to the south and a large thick forest to the north however their mind began to race with the pre-occupation of winter and the snow. As Dusk slithered down the tree they mentioned the mountains suggesting at first the leave camp here and establish themselves in the mountains, urging that they do this now before the snow sets in and winter makes it impossible. Boris Buckley the bugbear calligrapher from the Vault of Sages in Silverymoon led a staunch opposition when it was voted on whether to move the colony to the mountains and eventually Dusk surrendered to the idea. Looking to their south Odinium suggested the river absently before it struck him.

     "Uh, wasn't the claim on the southern bank of the river?", asked Odinium and everyone thought about it before agreeing that is what was said, but then wrote it off as Dusk suggested nestling the colony in the forest just to the north along the shore.

     "It would be best I think to settle in the tree line. We will have much more protection from the winds come winter and I don't like being out in the open on the beach.", interrupted Dusk who was then interrupted by Odinium's brother who had finally shown their face. The enter travel they had stowed away in the lower portion of the ship having only enough money for the cheapest ticket possible. However, this suited Phillip Odyes as they saw themselves as one of the common people utterly rejecting their noble birth.

     "What would it matter which side of the river we're on?", Phillip asked.

    "I don't know, I just think it is important.", replied Odinium.

     Malgus walked up to the two brothers to add, "You know Odinium is right it was to the south. The boarder was the river, this is unclaimed land.", as Dusk continued to absently ponder how best to build the colony.

    "At least it was unclaimed remember? Chaim Cohen claimed it and then transferred the title to some new noble person what was her name?", Phillip chimed in.

     "I really think we should set the villagers to work chopping down the trees so we can put the first structures against the tree line.", mumbled Dusk to the party but mostly to themselves. They were more concerned with the here and now instead of the politics of land claims.

     Ignoring Dusk a female voice cried a name, "Sidra Forestwind!", the excitement from a normally quite person took everyone by slight surprise.

     "She's right that was their name. Sidra Forestwind. Who is she even?", asked Malgus but no one knew and at this point Dusk had strolled off to begin speaking with a blue bird. The two shared a delightful birdsong of whistles and chirps before the bird took off and flew over to a nearby multi-colored flowering plant. It made to dive at the flower, but then feinted at the last moment as a puff of pollen entered the air around it. After a moment the pollen settled and the bird landed on the stalks of the large flowering plant to nibble at the berry like seeds it produced.

     "I've never heard of her. Have you Phillip.", asked Odinium as they looked at their brother.

     "The bourgeoise are all the same to me. Lazy ruling class tyrants.", spat back Phillip and Odinium just rolled their eyes.

     "Come on we need to focus on the task at hand. Let's get everyone chopping wood.", ordered Dusk as they rejoined the group and everyone shrugged in agreement. "Please can we have your attention!", Dusk then yelled, and all the colonist gathered.

     From here Malgus and Krysia de la Valliere both experts with speechcraft assisted Dusk in persuading everyone to join them in lumbering and other tasks. Geoffry would go to work in the previously cleared field foraging for herbs, seeds, and berries as well as testing the soil to gauge how well their crops would do. The dwarven Mason Alexander whose no-nonsense work ethic would be a boon for the colonists was tasked with creating a furnace for cooking and forging. The reset save for Djorn volunteered to chop wood and both Phillip and Dusk gave them a crash course in felling trees over the course of an hour.

     "Thaddius?", came the voice of Odinium who distracted them from learning how to fell trees. "Care to hel....", Odinium started to say.

     "Brother trying to keep the common man down? We can easily do this task brother. Why not do what nobles do best and go get fat and lazy by that tree over there.", Phillip chided.

     "I can chop wood better than you.", Odinium rebutted as they snatched the axe from Thaddius and began waking away at the nearby tree Thaddius was having great difficulty felling. The three did in fact fall to Odinium's swing but not due to chopped. The sheer force of blunt trauma from a misaligned axe head eventually up-rooted the tree just enough that it began to fall over. "See!", shouted Odinium and Phillip rolled their eyes as they stomped over and swung their axe at a tree next to Thaddius while looking his brother in the eye.

    "I didn't say up root the tree.", explained Phillip as he expertly swung his axe with perfect alignment sinking it deep into the tree.

    "What does it even matter. It fell. Job accomplished. GAH!", uttered Odinium and at that exact moment the bird which had been seen speaking to Dusk earlier returned to deliver them several berries of different colors from the flowering plant it landed on earlier. Dusk was thankful for something to do other than watch this fight between brothers erupt. Taking the berries, they crushed one up and rubbed it on the back of their left paw before slowly over the course of several hours rubbing another dot along their arm closer and closer until they finally reached their lips at which point, they tasted a berry and then spat it out. At some point Dusk had learned this method of checking for poisonous foods and now seemed like a good time to start.

     "I know how to chop wood!", came a yell.

     "No you don't.", came another.

     Dusk turned their attention from Odinium and Phillip's quarrel to see the other two tiefling siblings Makkas and Malakos fighting as well. 'This is going to be a day.', Dusk thought as he spent the rest of the hour trying to make progress in teaching the group how to cut down trees. Finally everyone seemed to get it well enough that they wouldn't kill themselves and so the party gathered again to discuss the fields of plant life before them. To their west the field had been cleared and Geoffry was out there now digging about the soil and plucking herbs. To their south and southwest however were unexplored fields which lined the banks of a river and it's delta. Odinium was extremely fearful of going forward as was everyone else. One of them had very nearly died upon landing here and so they proceeded with extreme caution despite Phillip chiding his brother for being weak.

     Many options were explored but the one that took root was the same one Baleran had when they settled Fort Flame to the south and when their expedition traveled north. They would make lots and lots of Alchemist Fire and then just burn everything down. Odinium loved this idea and was extremely vocal about their support of killing every single plant in the True World. Philip and he finally agreed on something, but this was mainly because Phillip just wanted to light something on fire. Plus, they argued, the colony could order more blasting powder for mining next summer. Malgus stopped the plan by rationalizing that the powder would get too wet before all the Alchemist Fire could be made and there were probably better ways to go about it. In response to this Phillip recommended they use the turret he had started building. It used some form of Artificial Magic to operate and could walk on little spider legs albeit slowly.

      Using the turret like a drone the party waited back as it inched up towards the southwestern field. Once in place it plopped on the ground and Krysia let loose an arrow that Phillip had tinkered with so it would issue the cries of pain Odinium had made while being healed last night. The arrow landed just next to one of the flowering plants, but nothing happened. The wind blew past as everyone waited for several minutes and then went back to fighting over the game plan. It was nearly thirty minutes later before the next order was given and the turret walked up to the plant life a little closer. This time as reaction to the torrent of flame from the barrels of the turret the flower puffed out a cloud of yellow pollen which smoldered in the air as it made contact with the flames of the turret but the plant being just outside the reach of the flames was unharmed.

      "Oh, so scary. It might kill us all Odinium.", snickered Phillip as Dusk crawled up a tree to get a good shot on the flower. With a flash of white light, a Guiding Blot sizzled through the air into the flower causing it to die immediately. Just behind him Malgus flapped their wings drawing them into the air as Diana fired off two arrows killing another flower as well as a strange balloon like plant resembling a Formian from this distance. With a loud pop the balloon plant burst spilling orange goop everywhere around it.

      "Shut up." muttered Odinium as they pushed their fear aside to run up on the flowers. Raising their sword Odinium charged only to have their quarry killed for them by another arrow from Diana. Odinium then turned to try to kill another but the turret and Phillip together accomplished that kill. Now flustered at being mocked and not having a kill of their own Odinium moved forward again only to realize they were now placing themselves in a field alone surrounded by flowers again. He raised his shield and then proceeded more cautiously as Phillip clucked like a chicken from afar. "You know what?!", Odinium stressed as their buttons were being pressed, "I don't see you up here. I just see your dumb turret."

       "And that dumb turret is doing a better job than you.", offered Phillip as he commanded it to fire on one of the flowers one to miss.

       "I don't see it killing anything either.", shot back Odinium and the party continued to slay plants for the rest of the afternoon until both fields were clear leaving one sticky and stinky orange circles of goop where the balloon flowers were. The sun now set and the days labor down the colony had enough lumber to start building their first structure and Alexander had already laid the foundation for the furnace. Obviously, he explained as the everyone reviewed his work, the furnace would be a temporary one which would burn itself out in a year, but it should work for now. And Geoffry had returned with some new ingredients to try including the berries which Dusk finally actually ate proving they were non-toxic - at least for Tabaxi who are now native to the True World since it's return from Abier.

     It would be another night on the beach outside shelter for the party as the rest of the colony slept in the tents they were wise enough to purchase before leaving the Sword Coast, but at least after today they made progress in preparing shelter as well as made the nearby fields safe.

To Be Continued...

SESSION SIX

DM NOTE: The section below is the role-play my party had between sessions over the role-play discord channel I made for them.

     Philip took a swig of his waterskin as he stared out over the vast ocean. A slight breeze rushed through his messy unkept hair, unlike his more refined brother, Philip did not see the value in keeping his appearance in check. Regardless, this was quite an eventful first full day upon the shores of this strange land. Interacting with strange monsters, and finally speaking to his even stranger crew members. Despite his dislike of having been forced to come to these lands, it would at least prove interesting, and... there was ripe opportunity to make something special out of the people here. Without the influence of those that consider themselves above the common man, this place could be turned into a place of true equality. Where everyone is treated equal regardless of their social status, Though he doubted his brother would allow such a thing to come to fruition for his goals lay in the opposite spectrum. For his brothers goals of restoring the lost legacy of House Odyes would inevitably come into clash of his own dreams of freedom. He gave a sad sigh before quickly chugging down the rest of his waterskin before sheathing it aside. Enough thinking for now, nothing will get done through simple rumination, rather.. now was the time for action.

    Odinium smiles as he looks on into the vast ocean. Thinking of how he can get into contact with that waterskin...

    Malgus then decided to go and see what Odinium is doing now as he walked up to him "Hello Odinium, what are you thinking about?"

SESSION SEVEN

DM NOTE: The section below is the role-play my party had between sessions over the role-play discord channel I made for them.

Malgus looked everyone in the camp and walked at the ocean and stretch his wings decided to test out his spells that he gained and feels like he's changing or not almost embracing it. He closes his eyes and thinking of accepting it or not and he open his eyes scream in anger and sat down on the ground.

Dusk in Autumn finds a square shaped boulder and draws a circle with holy symbols to Selune around it and meditates, pulling out his starmap he begins the pray while painting a moon and stars (Selunes tears) on the boulder consecrating it and gains a level in cleric. The start of the Temple of Selune, on this new land. The Twilight Temple.

DM NOTE: This begins the session.

    The stars twinkle in the night sky and Dusk in Autumn finally rejoins the party. Since they arrived, they have either been slowly carving a stone to serve as an altar for a temple or taken with sickness. Although Tabaxi are native to Maztica the region to the south Dusk was born along the Sword Coast which could be contributing to his condition - or at least so he suspected. However now he ambled his way over to the bone fire feeling much better as the group looked over the progress they had made. Lumber had been cut and the foundation to a building laid. Duck frowned at first learning that his desire for a domed structure was replaced by a kelm and then a bunk house afterwards. The structure was little more than a foundation, but the rain prompted the construction to take on a new design. Using their druidic magic Dusk reviewed the weather for the next day which predicted sublet winds, a slight increase in temperature and a light mid-day shower confirming that the colony had made the right choice in selecting a bunk house to build first.

    Since Dusk in Autumn was the most refreshed having only just recovered, they took the first watch after Phillip spent twenty-two minutes ritualistically setting alarms all around the camp as well as a snare by the canoe, they had made their home. Nothing much occurred during the watch, the breeze wafted up the beach and waves crashed upon the shore. Next Diana took a watch only to be greeted by the same peaceful night and she thought she really could live here during the early morning hours. Finally, Krysia took her watch and it remained quiet until an hour before the first rays of dawn. Maybe they had been there all night or maybe they just arrived, Krysia could not be sure but currently she saw to the south of the camp in the area they designated for a river crossing roughly five hundred feet away two large humanoid figures in the pale darkness. They were splashing up and down in the river but had not approached as she studied them for a few minutes.

    Not wanting to wake the camp up without cause Krysia instead resorted to looking about the brush until they found a field mouse. Reaching out into their mind using their rangers magics Krysia befriended the little critter by offering it nuts. The mouse rebuked this offer asking for cheese because it 'is not no squirrel!' but there was no cheese, so it eventually accepted the nuts in exchange for its help. Krysia's ask was simple, 'go investigate the river' and the mouse scurried off to do so taking some time due to the distance and how small it was, but it eventually arrived at the river's edge.

"Okay, I am here. Hey, it shines this water. Shiny. I like it. You said cheese, right?", intoned the mouse to Krysia telepathically, but before Krysia could respond in kind an shattering scream blasted into her head, "Ahhhh!" and their telepathic link ended.

    Krysia was a bit unnerved but knew what had happened immediately. She moved closer to where the river was pushing past the under growth and trees around the camp southwards, determined them not to be a threat and chose instead to spend the early hour waking up the camp to the pleasant sound of her lute. The sound drifted upon the breeze and the two humanoid figured began to run for the camp as the lute music awoke everyone. Krysia didn't even notice it first, Dusk in Autumn saw the two figures and then Krysia realized the threat sending the camp into defense. Figuring the best defense is a good offense Phillip ran out into the center of the camp yelling for everyone to remain in their tents and fired their pistol into the darkness at the figured. He knew it was a long shot which would never reach its mark, but hoped the sound would scare them. It didn't and as they charged forward Krysia fired at arrow into the one which was wielding a club above its head. Malgus having just taken account of the situation sored into the sky as Selune answered Dusk's plea for her blessing and sanctuary upon them all. He fired an blast of eldritch force into the club wielding troll as they ran closer. Diana landed an arrow in the next volley and deduced that these two creatures were some form of troll. Running over to Krysia to inform her of the nature of their opponent she warned that they could regenerate.

    Almost as if on queue the troll which resembled a pin cushion from the arrows stuck to his flesh ripped one out, broke it, and kept running as the wound healed before their eyes. Philip pulled out their eldritch cannon as they ran forward through the camp and fired into the trolls. Following suite Malgus thudded a blast of eldritch force into the ground missing the trolls as Krysia fired off another arrow also missing. Selune had indeed blessed Dusk this day and a shaft of star light hurled towards the earth from the heavens above like an arrow to impale the troll with the club as they came closer and closer until finally the other troll without the club was within range. With all of its might it launched a stone roughly the size of a human head into the sky striking Malgus mid-flight with the hope of sending them tumbling but the fiend friend merely shrugged off the force to remain airborne despite the extreme pain of being stoned. Kysia was instantly locked into melee with the clubbed troll who swung the club three times down upon here shattering her bones and sending her crumbling before him almost in an almost lethal charge. Seeing the state of affairs Phillip muttered to themselves and ran over to the troll, opened their Alchemist Jug, and poured acid down upon the troll. It yelped in pain but continued the attack switching to Dusk who had run up behind the troll and pulled Krysia away to safety as well as healing her. The troll swung and missed, but landed its two other hits making the cat regret coming in close. Malgus however was safe in the skies and used this position to rain down attacks upon the trolls as the field flashed red with eldritch blasts.

"We cannot keep this up. They will surely kill us!", yelled Phillip desperately trying to think up a plan.

"What?", Diana called back as she also tried to think of something.

"Get me the head!", Phillip responded and pulled out his bag of holding. By this point the clubbed troll had received a lot of damage and had fallen to their knees but ambled on anyway. With a decisive strike Diana sliced into the creature as Malgus literally blew the creature apart sending its head flying. Like a professional athlete Phillip ran with their bag of holding open and dived to catch the head but missed. Diana then ran in to grab it as the creature reformed its body and ducked down to grab at their head in the same moment. Which the other troll continued to just wail of Dusk in Autumn Diana and the troll wrestled with the head until it pop from their grasp up into the air and fell down into Phillip's open Bag of Holding. Philip then ran away as the headless troll continued to blinding thrash at Diana who similarly backpaddled their way out of the situation. Now one would think that the headless troll would have no longer posed a threat but in the blindness of being headless it fumbled around in a circle until it walked back into Diana, slapped her then lifted her into the sky and flung her over their shoulder like they were tossing a stick to send her flying through the air crashing into the mud some distance away. Dusk struggled to stand as they called upon Selune again to heal them and give them strength in their battle against the troll who still had their head. Unfortunately for them the headless troll now turned and circled around aimlessly until it ran into him. Now two trolls rained down blows upon Dusk and they were uncertain of how they could live.

"The gun powder! Get the gun powder we can shoot it with a flaming arrow!", cried Phillip having made the connection upon seeing Krysia run to the camp bonfire, ignite one of their arrows and shoot one of the trolls. The wound did not appear to heal sparking their idea and Diana seeing this as the best course of action dashed one hundred and twenty paces over to where the colonies supplies were to grab one of the two small kegs of blasting powder. This powder was originally intended to blast rock for a future mine and there are mountains to the west of the colony which could have resources which would require a mine, but right now all Philip or Diana could think of was of the trolls. By the time Diana made it back Krysia was nearly out of arrows down to under five, Dusk was bused and broken so badly that even their tail seemed to no longer work, and it appeared only Malgus was mostly unharmed. Making another made dash she ran to where one of the trolls now laid lifeless on the ground with several still flaming arrows poking out of it and turned the keg of blasting powder on the side. Using the pommel of her shortsword she cracked the keg open releasing the black granular powder inside and dropped it on the ground running back fifteen feet as another flaming arrow from Krysia streamed through the air sinking into the living troll.

     Phillip chewed their lip seeing all this happen and made a split second choice that would forever change things. Phillip ran over to the troll and keg of blasting powder on the ground and using their tinderbox lit the keg directly. Immediately the blasting powder went off in a blaze of gore and flame fifty feet in diameter. The powder was designed to be used in small amounts in enclosed spaces but here in the open even that much of a blast radius was impressive. Needless to say Phillip and the two trolls were instantly vaporized as were the two dwarven colonist huddled in their tent fearful of the fighting going outside. The colonies only mason Alexander Greyjoy and their only cook Geoffry Stannard had been dismembered and now their limbs rained down on the camp along with the shredded remains of their tent. Diana and Krysia were both on the ground out cold, but Malgus had deftly dodged the blast flying away from it as swiftly as an eagle.

    Just then Airen and Odinium emerged from their tent looking extremely hung over to the point that they could barely stand. As the limbs fell so did the only remains of Odinium's bastard brother. All that was left of Phillip, including their belongings, was now in Odinium's hands. Just their head remained, but it was now missing a jaw and one of his eyes had flash boiled in the socket. Odinium crashed to the ground sobbing. He had only just reconnected with his only family. He had just found his brother when they signed up for this adventure. Now, he was gone and Odinium was alone in this world again. The camp went quiet except for Boris who had secretly watched from his tent who was mumbling in shock something like, 'He just needed to put the troll's head into the bonfire.' and adding, 'It was already in the bag of holding, he just needed to burn it.', at random intervals. It appeared Boris the unlikely Vault Sage knew about Trolls. Everyone was shattered and now three more graves were needed as the danger of the True World hit home for everyone. Especially the battered, bloodied, and near dead adventurers who defended the camp from the trolls.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Session Eight

DM NOTE: Last week was my cousin's birthday so we skipped the session. This week proved to be one of the most interesting sessions for development and it sort of came out of nowhere which was great. The campaign is now off script sort of. They skipped the dungeons so far and well... you'll find out.

Early morning hit like a ton of bricks as the ringing in everyone's ears finally stopped. Odinium could be seen crying over the splattered remains of their brother absolutely shattered and Airen Corinth whose only friend in the world now was Odinium tended to him surprising everyone as Airen had typically been not the most favored person in the colony. Slowly he guided Odinium back to his tent, but Odinium broke free and began to cry over his dead brother more. Airen sighed heavily and went to look for a shovel, realized they did not have one, and then began to dig a grave with Odinium for his brother. No one could explain it but even in Thaddius's eyes Airen had redeemed himself as human albeit still someone Thaddius did not care to associate with. So instead, he dug a grave for Geoffry Stannard and Alexander Greyjoy the two dwarves, or dwarf and duergar, muttering to himself about the shame of it all. Thaddius was always extremely fond of dwarves as a people and had become extremely good friends with the both of them during the voyage and since settling. Now after just a week on three were dead, two were missing, and they were without a cook or a mason! To make matters worse their only carpenter Dusk in Autumn was consistently sick making it impossible for them to train anyone else or build anything themselves.

DM NOTE: Dusk in Autumn has been sick in real life so we've made them the sickly character with their permission since they have to miss sessions for medical reasons. I don't want to kick them out of the group because I like them and everyone gets sick. You know have some compassion.

Thaddius had a jump start on digging the graves and the task for Odinium was a depressing one making it take especially long since Airen was the one doing most of the digging. It was really surprising how much compassion Airen had for the right people. 'Selune knows he treats everyone else like dirt.', Thaddius thought as he headed down to the beach to follow up on Krysia's call for assistance. She had frantically inspected the food stuffs with Diana worried about all they had and then dragged the canoe down to the ocean. It was meant for rivers and lakes but it was a mostly calm day. In Krysia's shocked state it made sense. She brought a net along as she pushed the canoe out into the sea with the help of Thaddius who recommended against it. The two then fought very hard against the surf until they were at sea. There Krysia made an attempt to catch anything after tying her rope to the net but instead she just caught a rather angry octopus which she knew not how to cook. Tossing her bounty overboard the pair rowed the canoe back to shore just in time to see Makkas and Ophelia leave to go bath. Like everyone else they were still covered in dirt and possibly even some gore from the morning and had just now felt comfortable enough to actually do anything. No one thought Phillip would be so reckless. He was so intelligent after all and then Alexander and Geoffry? People loved them.

Making the effort through the pain in their chest from whatever sickness they had contracted Dusk in Autumn conducted the funeral rites over the graves they had dug before collapsing in the spot they set aside to sleep in. Today was going to be a day for grieving not work everyone thought as they returned to the center of camp to nurse their feelings. A snide voice remarked from over by the graves, "Pitty that it has been such a short time and already three are dead and your camp is in ruins." and a human with a musket on their back, a pistol and rapier at their side who had the appearance of someone who had just spent a month if not more in the wilderness approached the camp.

"Who are you?", asked Malgus as they floated back to the ground.

"Oh, call me Lancaster and I was hired as a guard for your colony. Well me and my company, but unfortunately.", Lancaster paused for dramatic effect, "I am the only one who made it." and something in the way he spoke made several of the colonist's stomach to turn as he slowly walked around everyone sizing them up.

"Wait you were hired to guard us?", asked Krysia unaware of any other guard.

"Yes.", answered this new figure curtly.

"From where?", asked Boris the Bugbear Scholar from the Vault.

"Oh, me? I am with the Flaming Fist. You see your company hired us when they signed for the land. You know you're a bit north of that plot, right?", Lancaster said in what was possibly the most arrogant and haughty sounding voice possible as he got near Diana and smirked at her, "And you my dear are you safe here? Don't you feel like my guard might be needed?" and Diana rolled her eyes gagging internally. She knew why he was here. Deep down she already knew, but she had to be sure or else she was just being paranoid. So for the time being she let him continue speaking. And so Lancaster did, "Why look at all the destruction already. My dear if only I had been here.", he narrated as he turned away from Diana.

"Yeah, I am out of here.", Diana said flatly and left the gathering only to see something out of the corner of her eye which she decided to investigate despite not knowing what it was or where it could have gone.

"The Flaming Fist? Do you have some sort of papers or anything?", asked Krysia still unsure of this man and Thaddius along with Malgus also asked the same question.

"Of course, of course.", Lancaster offered as he searched through his belongings. He had left from Baulder's Gate sometime before the Second Wind had left Neverwinter and arrived at Fort Flame which was just about a month south of the colony through untamed wilderness. Thankfully in the moments before leaving Baulder's Gate he had a stupendous idea to collect a Flaming Fist patch for this very moment now and presented it to everyone. "Here you are. My patch from the Flaming Fist. Yup. Been a Gate guard for a long time now.", he added to complete his bluff and it worked. Or it worked on everyone but Djorn Cladhart the financier who decidedly left for their tent. The Goliath had always been a loner and so no one though anything of it. Maybe some more inquiry would have occurred but just then Ophelia came running back to camp more than half naked and yelling for help as fast as she could. Everyone forgot their feelings instantly - even Odinium - and fled towards her with their weapons ready. She ushered them down to the watering spot the colony had surveyed explaining on the way that they had been bathing and something attacked them. Diana and Krysia glanced at each other as if to confirm they were not crazy and the party fanned out along the river bank.

In a swift action Lancaster ran up through the mud charging into the river while loading their musket, a new and rare weapon from the island of Loton, and firing it at the plant creature which had engulfed Makkas and previously attack Krysia and Diana. The bullet instantly slew the thing and it floated slowly down the lazy river, over the smooth stones of a slow running rapid and out to sea. As if a call to attack the death of one resulted in several others appearing from underwater. Odinium charged into the water at full speed to attack the others as Malgus and Krysia shot at them with arrows and Eldrich power. Diana having a smart idea ran around sticking her head under the water trying to spot any more lurking beneath the surface but saw only the algae green waters of the river. Again, more of these plants slowly floated down the river as they were each cut down by the party, but each time more seemed to come from somewhere under the surface. Eventually Odinium had waded out to the center of the lower second of the river just below the lazy rapid (short waterfall of 10 feet in height) only to find himself surrounded by these creatures who stung at his armor with no effect. Making great splashes with his sword he cut into these creatures like weeds sawing them in half with a single swing of his blade as again arrows and magic flew in their direction too. Finally, one was left maimed instead of dead and it chose self-preservation fleeing into the watery depth below. Deciding the chase was too much they all returned their attention to Makkas who had by this time been carried out of the water by Lancaster and Diana who decided to take this opportunity to size Lancaster up. She knew he was trouble.

Coughing up water Makkas thanked her savours before cursing them and this land she was trapped in. She hated the True World now more than ever. She never wanted to come here in the first place and if that was not clear before it was now as she ranted about it on the way back to camp clothed in only a towel Thaddius had brought to Ophelia for them both. Once at camp she returned to her tent where she and her bother Malakos fought so loudly that Odinium and Airen ended up in their tent trying to console her against her brother whom Ophelia was defending.

"Chauntea guided me here. I brought us here by her will.", Malakos surrendered and Ophelia uttered a prayer to Chauntea behind him as he spoke of her.

"You know that is a load of horse..." Makkas began to say.

"Don't you dare!" Boomed Malakos cutting her off.

"Oh! Selune they do not know what they say. Chauntea please forgive her blasphemy! Her brother loves you. By the weave of Mystra I swear he lov-", prayed Ophelia to every deity imageable like always. Thaddius had become accustomed to putting up with this as he had managed to talk her into sharing her tent with him. The two had blossomed into a budding relationship and surprisingly enough Thaddius was actually a really decent guy for her. He even ignored her overly religious fanaticism for every known deity.

"Why you...! Come here and tell me-", Makkas glared at Ophelia and in return Ophelia began to cry as Thaddius put his arm around her pulling her in close allowing her to cry into his shoulder.

"Ohhh-ahh! How could you say that. I thought we were friends!", wept Ophelia.

And with a sigh as heavy as lead Makkas said, "We are but.. Oh! I am just angry. Leave me alone. We're friends but just leave me alone."

"If we're friends then I want to help and stay." Ophelia said turning from Thaddius's shoulder to address Makkas.

"Let her help. She will show you that Chauntea led us here for a reason.", Malakos pleaded as Odinium and Airen looked at each other but remained silent.

"Yes, Chauntea will bless this land and-" Ophelia began to perk up as she prayed.

"Arg!" exclaimed Makkas in anger as she began to rise up from her seat.

"Come on now Ophelia. We should make sure you're okay.", Thaddius said as he pulled her away from the interaction. He figured that was enough and knew the two were friends and would remain friends if he could keep Ophelia away from Makkas for just a little while. Everyone gets annoyed and can lash out sometimes. Life just has a way of getting at you and Thaddius understood this.

"Oh, going off with your wee girly friend there. Not going to give us your fake sympathy too, eh?", chided Odinium in jealousy at having just realized that Thaddius had snatched up the girl he had been trying to work up the nerve to talk to. Ophelia may have been crazy for religion but she was a real looker which unfortunately at this moment brought out the worst in Odinium who was itching for a beating since his brother died this morning. Thaddius chose to ignore the remark except to let Ophelia know Odinium did not mean it and that sometimes even friends say things during their grief which they don't mean. They are just hurting is all and with that the two retired to their tent as Odinium licked the wounds of his broken heart.

"Come on. This is no good being sad in here. The both of you I have an idea. Makkas we shall show you what Odinium and I have been working on." offered Airen who surprisingly had really shown himself to be a good person despite his awful attitude most of the time. With that they all went to Airen's tent leaving Malakos. Inside Airen's tent two cots had been made up and one was clearly for Odinium with his armor strewn about it. Towards the back of the tent was a small sewing area with a mannequin for pinning patters together on. Odinium gleefully grabbed the coat they had been working on and showed it to Makkas who admired the fabric at great length. This coat was the only thing that brought Odinium happiness right now and it had the same affect on Makkas.

"Shhhh, you cannot tell the others but I brought a case of wine with me.", Airen said and opened a bottle to begin pouring glasses all around. "I never thought I would share this but you two are the only two I like here." he giggled as he continued, "Now, let us make a fashion statement. Makkas you can help me pick out fabrics from the inner lining of the jacket! Oh and then can I measure you for a dress?", Airen inquired and Makkas blushed and agreed.

Meanwhile Lancaster had decided to visit the tent of Boris and Djorn who were seated at a small table in their tent idly chatting about all that had happened. He stood at the door now and asked them, "Good day gentlemen. I wanted to ask about the camp what each one does so that I would know as our town's guard?", and Boris looked at Djorn and Djorn looked at Boris who began to speak.

"I am from Silverymoon and I am with the Vault of Sages. I am here to catalog new flora and fauna for the Vault but if you need I can arrange check outs of any books you are seeking?", Boris the unlikely Bugbear scribe chirped.

"Oh, that might come in handy. Yes. That would be handy I think. And you?", Lancaster now directed his attention to Djorn the elderly Goliath.

Shifting in their cot, below which was a large iron trunk with a very complex lock, Djorn considered the man and then the question before answering with a question, "You're with the Flaming Fist? Out of Baulder's Gate?"

"Ahh yes the Gate. Yes. Yes, I am. Have you been to Baulder's Gate? Lovely city, just lovely!", Lancaster said and Boris was fooled having only every read about the Gate in books.

However, Djorn was not but was also not dumb enough to let on that he saw through this man's obviously lie. "Oh, yes, lovely sunny city.", he countered drawing the man in.

"What I wouldn't give to stand at the edge of the docks and warm my self in the sun in Baulder's Gate again.", Lancaster continued to bluff confidently.

"So, you were with the guard? Which Gate did you work?", asked Djorn and the smoke in his voice seemed draw Lancatser in more and more.

Leaning forward confidently boasting, "I was stationed at the upper gate! Yes, the upper gate."

Nodding Djorn then added, "Where the party never stops at all hours! Foreigners will be in the upper city all night partying. I bet you saw some really strange happenings in the wee hours of the morning?"

There was no more truth in Lancaster's reply as there had been during any of his other answers but this time he decided that coin has a way of making things true and trusting his gut he tried it just now in front of the gullible bugear. "Yes, in fact all these coins I got from those stumbling party goers in the wee morning. Shameful I have no need for it now here in Anchorome.". His words hit the table as hard as the pouch of coin he tossed down did.

"Oh, my! Really you didn't invest any of that before you left? Why Djorn here was telling me all about investing and before I left I invested in his bank back in Neverwinter. See he told me money probably wouldn't be of much use here for the first few years, but I could invest it with him and once we have an economy-", Boris looked over at Djorn for assurance who nodded confirming he had it correct, "-economy I'll have more money than I put in."

"Yes, that is correct Boris. You've learned a lot about financial independence since coming to me." Djorn said as he leaned forward to take Lancaster's money, "And I think you Mr. Lancaster should do the same. Things as they are it is always best to get in on investments while they are still young. I'll make sure your money is properly handled and of course I'll be in contact should you feel the need to invest a little more in the future.". The intent was clear and Lancaster was smart enough to know the bribe was being accepted but clearly this individual would want more. What was his angle Lancaster thought as Djorn's smokey voice covertly covered Lancaster's lies up before Boris, "You see Boris this man already understands the power of capitalism and by following his example and investing more in the future you will become richer."

"Yes, but I don't have any more money right now. Maybe if I wrote the Vault?", Boris considered but he knew the Vault wouldn't help him. He was a refugee bugbear orphaned to them and the sent here because no one in the Vault save for a handful of people wanted to work with a bugbear.

"If you'll excuse me gentlemen." Lancaster said and got up to leave having gotten an understanding of the situation.

"You're excused.", Djorn said just before Lancaster left to show him who had the power in this tent and this caused Lancaster to look back at the Goliath. The thought of this man made the wheels in Lancaster's head spin. Djorn could be his biggest ally or the greatest threat to him. Either way he had all the cards and that just would not do.

Mid-afternoon had come by this point and Diana finally worked up the nerve to confront the man who twisted her stomach. It was a brief exchange but enough was said to be clear to Diana. The two were not going to be friends. Surely something could have come from their conversation. Some important information about how he had found her or if her husband had actually sent him to bring her back to him. The idea of the Sun Elf putting his squirmy hands all over her again was enough to make her scream and this man brought that here to the land she hoped to escape from him to. If she had more time maybe she could have known more or maybe she could have done something about him herself, but any attempt was quickly cut short as arrows began to fall all around them. Each one perfectly missing their target by a hair's width if not less. Within mere moments everyone was surrounded by arrows and those who ran found their footsteps had been trailed by arrows. Diana froze as Malgus fired an Eldrich Blast into the distance not even knowing where the arrows were coming from but wanting to attack something.

Lancaster followed the arrows to find that they were coming from the forest to the north, but he could not see from where. The forest was so thick it was unpassable and so he was not even sure how arrows could exit the forest as he searched down his musket sights for a spot to shoot through. Eventually he gave up hope and just shot into a dark patch only to hear the thud of a bullet hitting wood. Everyone was on the balls of their feet seeking cover and blindly firing into the forest.

"Put your weapons down and leave foreigner. This is not your home.", came a voice from behind everyone one. As they all turned they saw a very small elf no more than four foot two inches tall or roughly the height of a dwarf but much more slender. He had black eyes, long brown hair and his skin had turned olive from so much time outdoors. He wore the skins of a bear about him and for a crown the head of a bear making him like one when hunched over from a distance. This being had worn many pelts and many forms of camouflage through-out his life and although he wore one now he found he did not even need to use it. Who were these loud foreigners who spoke the language of Baulderan?

Krysia swiveled at the sound of a voice and leveled her bow at the elf only to lower it after seeing her opponent for the first time. His bow was still alive, like a living plant. Along it's frame blossomed summer flowers and the wood was green and healthy. She looked to the ground and then realized the arrows fired at them were no more than weaved vines which were also still alive and had grown together with the flights of each arrow being little more than leaves and the arrow heads seeds of acorn size or larger. This creature out matched them and she knew it.

"Put down your weapons and leave. This is not your home foreigner.", the elf commanded a second time and Krysia put down her bow as Lancaster fired a round at the elf who had his attention directed at Krysia. Without more than a glance and with a hand faster than the eye could see the elf drew an arrow, notched it, and fired it directly into the path of the bullet sending it soring off somewhere else and shattering the arrow mid-flight. "Now.", he demanded and this time Lancaster obeyed. Lancaster had seen a lot of things but someone shooting a bullet out of the sky with an arrow? Never!

"We did not mean to offend. As you can see I myself am one of nature and-", began Krysia realizing they had finally met a Wild Elf but she was stopped mid-phrase.

"Leave. The five Tribes have spoken and so shall it be. Leave in peace.", the elf again commanded.

"Again, we didn't mean you any disrespect.", Krysia said.

The elf glared at her, "You have disrespected nature and destroyed it. Leave."

Malgus now found his courage and spoke, "Those plants attacked us in the river!"

"The N-dam-keno-wet have nested in that spot. You disrespected their nature and so they attacked. Your women should not bath around the N-dam-keno-wet. If you had respected nature then their death could have been avoided. Now, leave.", explained the short but terrifying elf. Although this was still a command his exterior had seemed to soften and the others decided to press it.

DM NOTE: I made a bunch of homebrew monsters based off Native American legends from the American Northeast. From what I have gathered as a non-native the N-dam-keno-wet is the spirit of a man who died in lust for a woman whom he could not have and drown himself. They have long hair which appears as river grass and like to watch women bath picking them off if they are alone or in few numbers by appearing as plants and letting the current drift them over to their victim. They do not attack men there are other creatures from Native American folk lore which do. Low CR creature with a 5ft swim speed and a special attack which stings limbs putting them to sleep ie disadvantage on skill checks such as athletics to stay afloat.

"What of the vines that tried to eat me here?" interjected Odinium.

"You could have avoided them. The Gas Rose and Toxic Pollinators don't move, you can walk around them.", blinked the elf.

And Odinium got excited and exclaimed, "Ah-ha, but there were also these roots th-".

"Snake root? They barely move and can be persuaded with some other food source. You are ignorant of our land and disrespect it. Leave the Tribes have spoken and sent me.", the elf rebutted but also almost pleaded. This Wild Elf wasn't he supposed to be a cannable?

"I am afraid we have no way back no lad. Not for another six months at least. Our boat left and -", Odinium started to explain but the elf appeared to ignore this as they walked around the camp and took some of the food from the camp fire that the colonist had made. He tasted it and spat it out. Without their cook some of the food was over seasoned to the point that it was nearly uneatable while other portions with without any seasoning due to the over seasoned portions. Then he saw it about Ophelia's neck a beaded prayer necklace. "Give me that.", the elf said and pointed at the necklace.

Not knowing what to do or how to respond Ophelia agreed mostly out of terror but then because she hoped her deities would show this elf they were good people and then they could stay. Taking the necklace the elf strutted through camp back the way they had come as everyone stared at him frozen. He stopped by the last tent at the perimeter of the camp and picked up a spare blanket laying at it's opening. "I speak to the other Tribes with these.", the Wild Elf said turning back to the colony while holding up the beaded necklace to show them before turning back around and prodding off silently into the wilderness. As weird as it was not a one of the colonists could see where the Wild Elf disappeared to after only a few steps. He walked behind a bush and then was gone. Not even a foot print left behind.

TO BE CONTINUED...

SESSION NINE

DM Note: Between sessions each player character had a dream sequence comprised of their character's greatest fear and aspirations. Below are those dreams:

Diana

Releasing the string your arrow flies true striking the bullseye of the target you were aiming at. It is now covered with arrows like a porcupine and all hit the bullseye. "Good you're improving.", says a wild Elf - the one you met earlier today. You smile at him and inside you feel as if he has taught you over several years. You developed a relationship and had children. Maybe you were never able to contact your own family but in Anchorome you have built your own. That doesn't stop you from trying and a knock comes to your door. A letter. It tells you the scouts Lord Seegil sent on your behalf to find your family found them. You must return to the Sword Coast. The Wild Elf offers to go with you but you refuse him. It has been so long since your true husband has made any attempt to find you. Lord Seegil had his goons killed off after all. You take a ship back and find yourself in port at Neverwinter. You rented an inn room and in the middle of the night you awake to hot breath on your ear. "Your still mine.", comes the voice of your Elven overseer and true husband. And you turn quickly to look up only to see the grinning face of Lancaster looking back at you with a pipe dangling from his twisted arrogant self-satisfying grin.

You then snap awake. It is earlier morning, and your heart is racing. You feel like you have been grossly violated but it slowly comes to you that it was all just a dream.

Krysia

You fall fast asleep and find yourself back at home in the Feywilde and everyone is celebrating. You are handed wine and the other Satyres are challenging you to drinking contests - all of which you win. Your entire tribe is chanting your name for you have done them well by establishing a portal and trade to the colony on the Prime Material plane. Shipment after shipment arrive and everyone is so happy... then.... a shipment arrives and from it spreads a plague. Every plague. The entire Feywilde is infected, and you awake drenched in sweat screaming after seeing your tribe one by one slowly die from boils and pox from the plague you are personally responsible for bringing to them. and your watch begins.

Malgus

You see yourself uncover an ancient tomb written in a language you are not familiar with currently but you know that in this dream you can understand it or at least you must because from it you gain such power that you see yourself defeat the Devil who holds you under a pact and absorb his power. You lead the colony to great power and see yourself as it's leader lauded by the citizens and it has become a major power as large as Neverwinter even! However the cost of this growth came at a price. You see yourself ordering your guards to round up rebels in the night. Anyone who would speak out against your rule is killed along with their entire family. One who is being taken to die looks up at you from the court yard of your castle below and is weeping for their child's life. "Please just let my baby live. I was quoting the person who spoke out against you, I love you! Spare my child. I'll do anything! Anything!" cries the poor villager as your guard shoves their son forward through your castle courtyard below you to their death. You hold up your hand and stop the boy and their father then with a ritual of magic you slay the boy's father in front of them draining his boy of it's blood and then you bind the child to a pact under your service. Just as you wake up you see yourself cackling mad with power and your horns... they appear sharper more sinister. Sitting up in a cold sweat you snarl and glare at nothing in particular for a moment before realizing where you are. It was just a dream.

As you wake up the very first thing you saw was the dead tree that was lit on fire previously. Charred and burned, withered and dying it still appears to be alive in some sickly twisted manner. While the dream is fleeting and fades quickly, seeing the tree upon waking up from such a dream is something you know will sit with you for a long time put an uneasy pit in your stomach and deep down inside you imagine something is extremely satisfied by your discomfort.

Odinium

Odinium, after suffering through the passing of his brother, went on a walk outside of camp. Mindless in his wondering and unable to see where he's going through the tears in his eyes, seems to lose his way. Hours pass as he wanders through thick woods, unable to find his way. It's at this point he falls to the ground at the foot of a great stone, seemingly accepting and succumbing to the sadness that fills his heart. Making their way back to camp Odinium returns to the tent of Arien who has secretly been feeding him the alcohol he stashed for himself on the way over. Tonight, he shares it with Odinium and Makkas who both lament about their situation until all three pass out drunk in his tent. During the night a dream takes you. You walk outside of Arien's tent and see your brother Phillip. He smiles and waves for you to follow him and so you do, and he walks over to the river where you were and smiles. He points at the water where you were swarmed the day prior by the N-Dam-Keno-Wet (plant creature) and his gensture feels like a command, so you follow it into the water. You locate a cave deep under the water and instead of it a crack in the middle of the floor of the flooded cave. Golden light beams up from it and you feel the urge to dig so you do and just then you are blinded by light.

"You have lost much, but all heros must be tested. You will lose much more in fulfilling your destiny. A destiny of legend for all the ages. So is my word and so will be my gift." says a female voice which you cannot see. When morning comes you feel different. Like the power that you somehow were able to tap into out of the rage of losing your brother yesterday is now fully under your control and across the underside of your right wrist is a birthmark which you did not have before. It forms the symbol of Azuth the servant and Champion of Mystra.

As you look over your wrist and the new mark you hear the voice of your brother, "I will always be with you because you're absolute rubbish without me." and you have a feeling that he was able to ascend to a higher level of existance somewhere in the afterlife. "Trust the Cohen.", comes one final whisper as reality snaps back into focus.

Elliot (a.k.a. Robin D. Bank)

You see yourself covered in the finest luxury at some party. A drink is handed to your taster who tests the wine. Moments later they die. Your funds have allowed you to keep such staff on hand and while you're sure to need a new taster the loss is not a great one. You have money to hire others. So, you go back to your party and enjoying yourself as your name is called out. You wake up and you're still in Anchorome. How long were you out? Why is Diana chained up next to you in this tent? It starts to slowly come back to you as you get up and exit the tent. You have been dragging her through the forest for over a month now. Of course her friends came for her but after you shot out both of Odinium's eyes they stopped their pursuit and she was yours. Less than a day from where you are is the gate of Fort Flame and soon home. You are ready to leave and Diana only made travel that much harder and your stay here that much more annoying. Waking Diana up you make her pack everything and then continue to drag her along until you finally get to Fort Flame. The ship hasn't arrived yet and so you wait. The Fort rents you a jail cell for Diana and a room for the night while you wait. Then a night turns into a week. Then a month. You try to contact the Sun Elf who hired you since your boat never arrived, but it is impossible and oddly enough even Fort Flame is has yet to receive a boat from Baulder's Gate. You continue to wait as winter encloses upon the Fort and your funds are starting to dwindle. By mid-winter you are broke. You tried to stay indoors by hawking your musket and pistol but in the end, you just didn't have enough money and the ship to take you home never came. As you slog off south towards New Waterdeep and Helmsport in Maztica hoping to find passage back to the Sword Coast there a sense of homelessness sets in. The snow makes travel hard and hunting impossible. Diana eventually escapes and you follow her tracks north before you lose them.

Finally the cold takes you and you fail to wake up, but then you actually wake up and it is early morning. You are in the Colony and none of that happened. You thank your maker as your guns catch your attention.

DM NOTE: And like normal the players had their Roleplay in the Discord over the week.

Lancaster sat upon his make-shift hammock running a cloth over the barrel of his musket, scraping and rubbing the dirt that had encrusted itself to it upon the encounter with the local population. It was a shame that he had to waste a bullet on what proved to be a fruitless shot upon that wild elf, but it should at least show the elves that he was not going to go down without a fight in the event that they did prove to attempt an assault upon that camp... not that he intended to stay long enough to truly deal with any full elf assault in the event that it came to it. No, he has an assignment and he fully intended to complete it and to get the hell out of this accursed land way before any such thing were to come to pass. He pasued breifly from polishing his rifle and looked up glancing at the rest of the colonists and his cohorts. What fools they were to come on a clearly doomed mission. They had neither the fire power nor the training to establish a full foot hold upon this territory, and at least to him, they were doomed to die brutally and painfully akin to the previous expedition.

Diana wakes up in a cold sweat, tears still fresh on her face, and her heart pounding fast Trying her best to breathe she looks around the campsite trying her best to ground herself in reality. For while Dana is no stranger to nightmares never before were they as vivid and real as this. As she looks around her eyes lock onto Landcaster, her body almost instantly fills with disgust an dread as she looks at him. As she's is staring Diana slowly gets up and trying her best to not draw his attention.

Elliot would take notice quickly to his fellow early riser, it seemed that our poor half-orc was having quite the horrible morning. He in a way could relate to his own dreams being less than pleasant but in his line of work, unpleasant dreams were just an occupational hazard. "Did somebody have a bad dream? I suppose those are going to be more common lately with the elves having chosen us in particular to harass. Tis a shame that you can't run back to mommy being a continent away after all." A cheerful grin swept across the face of the man, though it would be clear to Diana that it was more a smug sneer rather than any true semblance of sincerity.

Diana's body becomes tense as her eyes narrowed at you She takes a quick look around the campsite and to her party memebers,making sure that they're all still asleep She then looks straight at you, her fist tightening as she sees you still wearing that obnoxious smug grin on your face She let's out sigh as she takes a step towards you and says in a hushed tone
"I know why your really here,I'm almost certain of it now..so tell me..."
She takes another step towards you, as she does you can clearly hear her voice begin to shake a bit as she ask
"How..how did he find me.."

Elliot paused for a moment raising his eyebrow. Quite interesting for her to already associate his appearance with her own past, this was clearly a bluff, for she lacked any evidence of the sort and was likely just attempting to get a raise out of him. No, he was not going to reveal his mission anytime soon... It was just not the time for it. He placed his weapon aside before lighting his pipe and taking a short puff from it.: "I am afraid that I have not the faintest idea of what you mean my darling friend. I am but a humble town guard here to serve and protect this blossoming community in it's time of need. I get as to why you folk have your suspicions, having traveled all this way seeing the same faces every day and night, and to suddenly meet someone new in this wild land." He paused for a moment if only to take another long puff of his pipe before blowing out a long plume of smoke. "I know not who this he is. But I can assure you, I likely do not know them. I typically only mingled with fellow guardsmen and the occasional noble back in baldur's gate, and judging by your appearance. No offence of course, but I don't take you for one who mingles with that crowd."

Diana continues to stare at you, as you can tell she isnt convinced "Don't play dumb with me, we both know that's a lie, so once again" She takes another step closer to you
"How did he find me"

He stares back with the simple grin that he has held since he first arrived within this dammed colony. It seemed that she had already come to a conclusion within her mind as to what the true story of his arrival was, be it wrong or write. Though she approached he doubted that she would actually do anything drastic. "As I said before darling, I have not the faintest idea as to what you are talking about. Perhaps if you put a name to this he, then it may ring a bell. You cannot expect me to answer such a broad question, for all I know you may be talking about your father, a brother, or a past lover or friend? There are many people that fall under the word he." He leaned in closer staring her dead in the eye before exhaling sending a plume of smoke directly toward her face. His shit-eating grin spread across his face all the while. "So Friend... Who is this He?"

Diana appears to be unaffected by the smoke and just give you a look of absolute contempt, however you also notice a look of uncertainty flash across Diana's face for a brief second before she turns away clearly frustrated. She then begins to walk away, but before she does she turns back to look, her eyes piercing "..this isn't over" She then turns back and continues walking, once out of your line of sight you begin to hear the faint sounds of coughing.

Odinium walks into Makkas' tent, announcing himself before entering. "Makkas, I was wondering if you had the ability to make glass flasks at all?". As he hugs her in a greeting-like way.

Impaired from drinking with Airen and Odinium Makkas shakes her head in disagreement, "No, I am sorry I work with clay. Glass is another beast entirely."**she then washes down her embrassement of not being able to do something with a sio of wine.* "I can make pots though!", she adds and something in the back of your mind reminds you Chaim said he would bring more colonists when he returns.

DM Note: And so the actual session begins. Malgus was late so we said he woke up late.

It is midmorning and everyone seems to have slept in. The trauma from losing so many with in the first week mixed with the missing smell of warm breakfast and for Airen, Makkas, and Odinium a strong hang over kept everyone in bed most the day. For whatever reason, everyone had experienced nightmares too which were now being discussed as Odinium attempted to make breakfast for everyone. It took more skill than he had thought however, and his breakfast was barely edible but in the wilderness that was now their home it would have to do. It got them all up at any rate and after breakfast Odinium organized a crew to help build the framing for the structure they had been working on taking a break every hour to recast the spell summoning his unseen servant as a ritual each time. He thanked the spirit of his brother for granting him such powers now as they helped him work more efficiently.

While Odinium and the rest were busy working in the colony Krysia and Diana went on a hunting expedition to the south fording the river at the crossing they designated. They would need to build a bridge, but they could still make their way across even without one during this season. Come the rain season in the spring and both knew they would need something to assist with the crossing. The pushed into the marshy river delta beyond weaving between stands of trees and across muddy islands in-between the flooded bogs that wedged themselves between them. Dipping down into a slightly lower valley the humidity held the fog in this region between a couple of tree stands and up ahead they saw two large turtles. Diana stopped to consider them as prey but determined the fight would not be worth it. As she explained to Krysia, turtles might not be strong when it comes to attacking but their shells would make them difficult. Especially now that Krysia was nearly out of arrows and Diana had almost gone through half of hers. The continued on passing by the turtles who were well aware of them but lacked any motivation beyond bathing in the sun on rocks and logs. After a few more hours they came across was looked like a crocodile, but it wasn't. Of course, it was Dire, but that wasn't what separated it from a crocodile it was something else they couldn't put their finger on.

This creature they decided was good prey just as it started to charge at them through the water and up onto the land. Both Krysia and Diana prayed to the powers of nature to help them in this fight just as the beast got within melee range. Krysia brought her sickle down into the creature's head but it barely made a dent in it's scales and the damage was superficial at best. Angered by this the beast opened it's toothy jaw and snapped it shut around Krysia's leg. She could hear the bones in her leg snap and crackle through her other bones and the pain nearly caused her to blackout as the creature twisted attempting to death roll her as she was swept off her feat from the attack. Diana raised her short sword and attempted to strike the creature but it was rolling with Krysia locked in it's jaw when she did cause her to miss. The attack distracted the creature just enough that Krysia was able to slide her leg through the jaw of the creature taking muscle and broken bone along with it as she tore herself free. Kyrisa scrambled away backwards on her hands and one leg into a pool of muddy water stricken by fear and wanting nothing more than to escape yelling, "Don't kill it. Don't kill it. Run!", while she did so. This creature had no clue what any of that meant and seized the opportunity to attack when Diana stopped her attack to try and flee. It leapt into the air and attached itself to her arm as she turned to run. Blood began to drench the ground and she was pulled downward so that she was now doubled over with her arm stuck in the things jaw. Thinking of nothing else for the pain Diana jammed her short sword into the creature but it did not release it's grip.

While everyone else as having breakfast and waking up Elliot Lancaster decided to sneak out of the camp after overhearing Krysia and Diana's plans to go hunting. No one had seen him leave and all assumed he was asleep still. Thankfully he decided to stalk Diana because he happened to be in just the right place to help. Running through the mud he came within range of his pistol and chose to fire his musket instead before reloading it and surged into action firing a second shot in record time only to have his musket jam. Without thinking he dropped his musket to draw his pistol and fired it from his hip. None of this distracted the creature who swatted Krysia with it's tail knocking her off her feet and nearly giving her a concussion in the process. Elliot began to reload their pistol as Diana madly jabbed her short sword into their quarry only to miss due to poor edge alignment. Krysia similarly tried to free her new found friend by swinging her sickle wildly at the beast while still prone in the muddle. Both did nothing to abate the attack and Elliot's pistol fire missed leaving a hopeless situation.

Krysia knew she was almost out of arrows but knew there was no other way. She notched one on her bow string as she rolled on to her back and released it without even seeing her target. The arrow flew true and their attacker now started to second guess the choice in food it had fleeing back towards the water. "Oh no you don't.", quipped Elliot as he walked up and shot one more bullet into the creature killing it but also damaging his pistol in the process. He would need to fix both weapons at the colony but right now he had questions to answer.

"What are you doing here?!", screamed Diana at Elliot as she tried to put herself together.

"Calm down. You going to be alright? I just wanted to make sure you were okay.", said Elliot in a kind and warm voice.

"Where did you come from?", asked Krysia not buying Elliot's kindness either.

However, she was interrupted by Diana who shot at Elliot herself by saying, "We didn't ask you to come. Are you stalking me?"

"No, no, you have it all wrong you see. I was worried about you both when I saw you leaving camp and decided to tag along. I'd been trying to catch up to you this entire time.", remarked Elliot as he leaned over the dead animal the size of three people. It wasn't a crocodile it was larger like most other dire animals but something else was different. It was almost like another species but looked exactly the same.

DM Note: It was an alligator they just failed their knowledge nature checks and D&D doesn't have them in the MM. Like Beaver. There are no beaver homebrew or otherwise and that is sort of messed up cause a beaver building a dam which would cut off a city from water or flooding a forest sounds like a great low level adventure.

Elliot looked the two girls up and down as they tried their best to bandage them up. It was no use without a healing kit or cleric or potions. So, he just told them to go home, "Why don't the two of you go back to the colony and I'll butcher this up to get it back.", and the two girls agreed heading home as they were too ill for the ware to do anything else.

Once back in the colony everyone flocked to Krysia and Diana as each in turn attempted to address their wounds but were unable to. Someone tried to get Dusk in Autumn who was the only cleric in the colony, but the feline was facing similar health problems and had near death since arriving. No one could diagnose either Dusk in Autumn or the two girls as the person who was able to do this was Dusk. It was a bad situation and Ophelia's prayers to Tymora were not helping. Seeing this all Thaddius whispered something to Ophelia why agreed saying, "What a delightful idea my love. Oh, did I just say it. I am sorry.", she grimaced unsure of herself.

"Awww, honey I love you too. Girls Ophelia and I will take you hammocks and you can have our tent while you heal.", he offered before giving Ophelia a peck on the check. Odinium rolled his eyes at this and started to help Diana and Krysia to the tent. Now all they could do was pray and hope they survived. Ophelia was especially worried as she had taken a liking to Krysia as had Thaddius. No one wanted to see anyone else die and they had only been here for a week and a day now. This colony would have everyone dead by the end of the month at this rate.

Just this Elliot arrived in the center of the colony where they dropped off the corpse of the creature they killed. Malgus was now awake and informed Elliot of Diana and Kyrsia's condition as he checked in on them in the tent. Both were in a daze from their injuries but shouted at Elliot to leave so he did taking Malgus with him by asking for his help recovering the rest of the hunt. The two would not return until nightfall and only with the tail of the creature as something else ran off with the rest leaving the colony the being's head as a trophy along with it's torso and tail for food. Odinium had ended his work on framing the structure he was building when the girls showed up and only completed half of it. Deciding to make up for this he went to work building a smoker to make jerky and cooked steaks from the creature for everyone. This time his cooking was much better and after a stomach full of food the girls felt much better.

"I should probably report this to Chaim.", said Malgus to everyone. Instead of sitting by the bonfire as typical everyone gathered around Ophelia's tent so Krysia and Diana could be with them. Someone agreed and Malgus began to search his pockets only to find the sending stone was missing. "Hey, what?", questioned Malgus mostly to himself. "It isn't here!", exclaimed Malgus as he dashed over to where he had been sleeping to search through the bushes.

"What isn't here?", asked Elliot.

"The Sending Stone Chaim gave me. I haven't seen it since I asked about you and I know I had it when I went to sleep yesterday.", Malgus explained as they searched and searched. Without it there would be no way to communicate what supplies they would need of who this Elliot Lancaster was. "We have to find it.", added Malgus.

"Well it is no use now. It is dark. We'll find it in the morning.", said Elliot and the lot of them determined who would take which watch.

During the first watch nothing much happened but during the second watch Malgus continued to search at first but them his dream tempted him away from the task. He meandered over to the tree they had burned and summoned his familiar. It was an imp and, in the moonlight, sparkled with an ethereal glow. Communicating to his familiar telepathically he sent it into a small hole he had discovered at the base of the tree. This hole was too small for him being just large enough for a small creature to squeeze through. Beyond the hole it opened into a slightly larger tunnel still no larger than a small creature. He sent his familiar down the tunnel about forty feet until it reached a larger chamber big enough for a medium sized creature to hunch over inside of. This chamber had several tunnels branching off in all directions and Malgus sent his familiar down another where it met a dead end. Returning to the main chamber it went down another until it stopped at a T-junction. Having no distance left to send his familiar further Malgus called it back to him. He then stood and looked into the darkenss of the hole. Something was calling him to it and in the back of his mind he heard the voice of his devil patron mocking him, "Go ahead, locate that power. It won't matter. If you do I'll still own you. It doesn't matter how strong you are. Don't forget that.", Malgus returned to camp and Odinium took the last watch making another horrible breakfast for everyone as he did.

The next was no different. The air was still and dry and the temperature had dropped only a few degrees if at all. Krysia pushed herself to try to help but barely could resulting in her returning to the tent where Diana was to rest. The two were extremely pent up from being stuck in such a way but their wounds were healing and they both felt confident they would survive. The rest started searching for the Sending Stone and no one found it. This brought down everyone's spirits but they pushed on as Odinium and Malgus split up those left in the colony to finish a trench for their wall and the first structure of the settlement. During this time Diana and Krysia hatched a plan sending an Unseen Servant to where Elliot had been sleeping. It located a sealed letter of some form with the insignia of a noble but decided it best not to open it. At just that moment something with Elliot's disguise went amiss and he found his presence being questioned.

"We had the stone until you showed up.", stated Diana matter-of-factly. She knew who Elliot was or had guessed it and Krysia had been made privy to it while they rested together.

"Yeah!", chimed in Krysia.

"I told you I am a guard.", answered Elliot.

"If you were a guard, how come we didn't see you on the ship.", asked Malgus now feeling something was wrong.

"I was in the upper quatres with the sailors.", replied Elliot.

Knowing this was wrong Odinium said, "It wasn't that big of ship mate."

"Just tell us the truth. Who are you?", Malgus questioned trying to sound reasonable.

"I told you I am...", Elliot started to say but Diana and Krysia cut him off in unison.

"No you're not. Stop lying." they said.

Elliot looked a bit nervous and finally said, "Fine, fine, I'll come clean. I came here to avoid paying taxes. You see I thought if I was a guard I wouldn't need to so I came to be a guard."

"And what defraud us of our money in taxes? Like you make your living off our taxes and now are telling us you dodge them?", Krysia immediately shot back.

"Yes, well, we all have to make a living don't we.", Elliot responded.

"That makes no sense and it isn't true.", Diana said seeing through the lie.

"You're right it isn't true. My real name is Robin D. Bank. I thought if I told you all then you would think less of me.", Elliot confessed.

"That still sounds like a lie buddy.", Odinium offered sarcastically.

"I, uh.." Robin started to come up with a new excuse as Boris and Djorn exited their tent to join the fuss happening by Ophelia's tent. "I, uh, have proof. I have a letter. Yes, a letter.", Robin finished and went to get a sealed letter from their belonging just as the servant Krysia sent had put it back. Although it was in a new location Robin did not seem to notice and he quickly broken the seal on the letter in from of everyone. Had Diana seen it the ruse would have been up as it was the crest of her husband. Robin showed everyone the letter and it conveniently aligned with his story a fact that surprised even Robin who had no idea what would happen when he opened it. The man who hired him had warned it would help in a situation just as this.

Odinium snatched the letter and it appeared real but offered it to Boris who was their calligrapher and thus was certified to examine such items. Boris nodded that it was real as Djorn grabbed it and read it. "Seems legit and makes sense with everything. See this mark here.", Djorn said holding up the letter and pointing to a watermark on the paper. "It means it is official. Let's see Robin D. Bank is released and so on. Looks like you were in prison for tax evasion Mr. Bank and got out on the release program the colony offered. Is that so? Well, them we should definitely look into setting you up with a proper life insurance policy. Never know what might happen. Come by my tent later and we'll discuss it.", Djorn concluded and returned to his tent.

Although few had spoken to Djorn his age as the oldest member of the colony along with reserved demeanor helped cement the Goliath as an authority to be respected. This ended the questioning and whether or not someone agreed with the result no longer mattered. They were done with the topic for now. It was nearly afternoon as now Robin went around talking to everyone. Odinium got his attention first, "If you're our town guard you need a uniform", he said as he brought Robin into Airen's tent. Airen and him had made roughly five outfits in various stages of completion and now Robin would be the first to wear one. The most completed outfit was an outlandish attire better worn at a ball than during guard duty. Although Airen loved it Robin disagreed with the choice and selected the outfit that had the least amount of work done:a simple gray cloak and trousers. "Perfect, I expect you to wear that every day as our town guard, so everyone knows you are the guard." and with that Robin left muttering under their breath as Airen mocked him for having such poor fashion taste. Once Robin had left Odinium consuled his friend, "He didn't mean it mate. Your outfits are lovely. His just being nasty because he hates himself. That is why he lied to us after all. He hates himself." and Airen was happier for it.

Next on Robin's rounds was a discussion with Djorn which went about as he expected. "The life insurance was how much, one hundred gold was it?", Robin asked as he entered Djorn's tent. "How about we make a deal instead?"

"I would but I prefer money to empty agreements.", Djorn countered.

"It isn't an empty agreement. You help me and I'll get you in good with a noble. You know that can help you in your line of work.", Robin attempted to persaude.

"No need for favors from a noble out here. Money or no deal.", Djorn said with a serious and hard tone.

"Look, fine but I need your help first.", Robin dropped his kindness act.

"With?", asked Djorn.

Looking out the tent opening over at Ophelia's and back at Djorn Robin said, "Help me get someone to Fort Flame without the others knowing. We'll take her by the canoe up the river."

"We have no idea where that river goes. This is a foolish plan. Let me see that letter again?", Djorn countered as he reached for the letter and began examining it.

"I need to get here out of here and then you can have everything. Come now three hundred gold now and three hundred more when I get back to the Sword Coast.", Robin begged.

"Six hundred now and I'll help you get her into the boat no more.", Djorn responded with flatly.

"Arg, I cannot do that. Come on help me out." and Robin was now pleading.

"This letter is interesting. I haven't seen something like this in a long time. I wonder what the trigger was.", Djorn absently mused turning the page over in his hands.

"What does that have to do with anything? The elf gave it to me. Give it back.", and Robin snatched it away.

"You'll have ten days to get them away now. Then that enchantment ends. I had something like that once a long time ago. The enchantment only lasts ten days and then we'll all know what that paper actually says.", Djorn explained forcing Robin to look down at it. Across the surface was all anyone would need to know. It was a detailed contract for the recovery of Diana by her husband. "Ten days and I just have to wait. So, six hundred now."

"I could just kill you.", Robin said as he gripped his weapon. He had spent last night cleaning and repairing them.

"You could and then you'll have no one else can help you without giving yourself up. Ten days and you'll be discovered I've already made arrangements if I disappear. So, buy the life insurance policy.", Djorn had the upper hand and Robin hated it. Out of everyone Djorn he hated more than anyone because he knew and here, he was toying with him. Who even was he here to do all this and know all this? The former head of the Thieves Guild?

"Five hundred.", Robin spat back.

"Five hundred and I'll get them into the boat, but after that you're on your own. I am not fighting them either so you'll need to bind them or something before getting me.", Djorn said and both knew this was the final agreement.

Robin left cursing Djorn in his head along with Diana but only because Diana forced him to meet Djorn. He respected Djorn for sure. The old Goliath knew the game. Obviously better than he did, but it was precisely because of that which made him hate Djorn all the more. This anger he kept quietly inside when he bumped into Boris as he left.

"Oh, hey! Ha-ha, didn't see you there.", Boris the bugbear scribe said.

"Yeah, yeah, hi Boris. Excuse me.", Robin apologized and pushed through the bugbear.

"So, did you go with the gold package? I wanted the gold package but I can only afford silver.", Boris was entirely too chip for Robin's liking.

"What?", he asked before putting it together, "Oh, the life insurance. No, I am still considering it.", mumbled Robin pre-occupied.

Nodding Boris said, "You should get it. They latch your coffin shut so necromancers cannot raise you if you get the gold package. I want a gold package. No necromancers going to use my body for their weird rituals.", and Boris entered the tent leaving Robin.

"I am going to blow both of them up just like Odiniums brother did to himself.", Robin muttered under their breath so angry he could hardly keep it in check, but then he saw it across the way in the supplies area. The other keg of blasting powder brought to help them set up a mine if needed. The wheels in Robin's mind were turning.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Session Ten

DM Notes: Below are the entries from our Role-Play channel on Discord where my players interact with each other between sessions.

Diana sits in the tent with Krysia quietly singing poetry along to the melody she plays as she thinks back to everything that's happened thus far.
Mostly she thinks back to everything involving landcaster, now named robin and to the letter he showed,it should've be decent evidence of his intentions, however something in her gut tells her otherwise.
No,she knows why he's really here,but the question is now what can she do?
For as nice as everyone is,that doesn't mean she can trust them,after all whos to say they wouldn't just give her to him to claim the prize first or do it just to done with the problem.
At this point she wouldn't blame them, after all ever since arriving she's almost gotten Krysia killed twice an not to mention the..gunpowder incident.
By this point the singing has stopped.
However Krysia continues playing
"..you know your really good,how'd you learn to play?" Diana asks both out of genuine curiosity an as a attempt distract her self from her whirlwind of emotions

Krysia plays a cheerful yet melancholic melody, one that shows that while there might be hardship and might be dissonance, there is always something to look forward to. Never discourage and never ready to wane she plays and says "In my tribe we were all given vague ways to keep us busy as children. From drawing building and music to crafting foraging and hunting. And as we grew and helped the tribe many choose whichever job they felt was most right for them. There are even those who stay doing all the jobs they did as a child because they feel that that is their calling. For me as long as I can remember I've always been drawn to music and at any chance I got I would go down to the village center to look and play with the instruments. This administration stayed even in my early years as an adult because to me music has power." She pauses her song to look over Diana and carry her viol over to her. "You might want to try music can bring out emotions not known to a person that is why I chose to be a performer and hunter" she places the viol near Diana." It matters not if you know how just the feel of trying to play can show you things you don't understand but they say that instruments can spill your soul." Krysia pick her lyre back up and plays a somber tone that quickly turns into a song of perseverance and drive. Playing just loud enough to hear Diana.

Diana stares for a moment at the viol,
hesitantly picking it up trying to be as gentle as possible as to not damage the instrument Turning to Kriysia for approval ,she slowly she beings to play. As she does it becomes pretty apparent that she's far from proficient in this instrument, yet she continues as she does the melody that follows beings itself sounding similar to a classical piece,with its nature sounds strangely..elvish? However as she continues the melody soon begins to shift Into a more slow an melancholy tune. And immediately the song sounds alot less refined as before, As though the first part was at least practiced before. Despite the slight drop in quality she continues to play along with you. You notice her eyes occasionally glancing at your injured leg.each time giving a look of pure guilt. "..how does your leg feel?" Diana warily asks

"Not the best I'll admit however it isn't anything that can't be healed with time I'd say maybe another week with some healing magic and I'd be able to move it"
Krysia pause a bit to look at Diana and continues to play shifting to accompany her music "You know if I hadn't know better I'd say you have a splash of musical knowledge in you. Did you learn it from your hometown?" Krysia says hopefully as she's revealed her homelike and hope to hear more of Diana's

Diana pauses for a moment,staring down at the viol "uh.." you see her shift uncomfortably at the question "not..exactly" she says,it's pretty apparent to you that's she's omitting many details "... but I do know a few dances" she adds, as you see a look of nostalgia wash over dianas face "during heavy weather my parents would teach us different dances,it was a good way to keep us entertained"

Krysia takes note of Diana's discomfort and starts to change the tune to one of remembrance. "Any you care to show? Or can should I say" she chuckles a bit staring at you arm. You see a more serious face come over Krysia's face "you don't have to share what you don't want.... I know it seems foolish after what happed with so called Robbin but we all have secrets and understandably we are all new to eachother so it's hard to help eachother when we don't know the demons within the others posses but" Krysia looks back with a smile "..it doesn't mean that others can't learn to understand" you see Krysia yellow eyes start to glow with a purple hue and you notice her sickle glows a bit when she does

Diana pauses for a moment, you see her eyes momentarily glance over to the direction of "robin" She remains silent for a moment,as you can almost see her debating with herself, Finally diana breaks her silence and carefully asks "..how important is money to you" Her eyes focus straight at you as she asks, you can tell this seems to be a important question

Krysia is slightly taken aback but she starts to mull over your question "i suppose to me personally it isnt quite important most of us in the tribe only use it when we are in major towns and citys however when in those towns i see it as one of the most important things." she pauses and stares out of the tent " in the major towns its necessary to a fault you need it to feed yourself and loved ones shelter yourself find aid in medicine... heh.. hire guards. Overall for me and my tribe its a means to an end but i understand that to others the need it for their way of life"

Diana give you a concerned look as you say this,you can tell that wasn't the answer she'd wanted to hear "..what lengths would you cross to get alot money" diana warily asks, at this point you can tell there's a reason for theses questions,the exact reason your not sure

" i guess depends how much i need it." she pauses "...if i need money to save a loved one i wont say that i wouldn't give a life to obtain it whether it'd be mine or another's i wont take shame in saying that"

"Ah,I see..I suppose that understandable" there slight a undertone of..dispointment in her voice as she says this Quickly Diana's attention turns to your bow "Say what got you interested in archery?" Diana asks in a obvious attempt to chance the subject.

" Much like with music it was a task that was giving in childhood the freedom of being in the wild being able to bring back a fresh kill to feed the family felt great. Though i suppose it was their way of handling my more feral side... i will say as a child they said i would get into fights and have nearly killed many pets so i guess it was there way from stopping me from killing needlessly and learn to appreciate the hunt"

"Heh,that reminds me a bit of what my family used to do though instead of fighting pets it was eachother" diana remarks with fondest "It sounds like you haves a great relationship with them, so if I can ask what brought you here? You don't have to say if you dont want to of course"

"Mostly obligations, in the tribe the elder sometimes sends out someone to help the neighboring towns and city's to gain protection and this time I was selected to help. I'm quite surprised to be honest I'm the youngest adult in the tribe and I will say I'm probably the most immature when it comes to it"

"Well..you don't seem immature to me" Diana says as she begins to play the viol again, still playing that melancholy melody,still very rough,but could be worse "I think they made the right choice"

Krysia smiles "Thank you I just don't want to disappoint them or anyone"

"I'm sure you wont" diana says with certainty as she continues to play along with you in the borrowed tent.

Malgus was still looking at the burned tree still thinking about that ancient tome and what he will find in it and he growl in a devilish sound as he still believes it wasn't just a dream he had but a vision of what's about to come to him. Malgus deep inside of him wants that power and craves for it but other side of him doesn't want to and go into this dark path he's trying to go at. "Damn it all."

After a while of playing music Krysia takes about some papers and begins to write 4 letters two of them slightly different lengths then the first two. Once completed she leaves them on the desk next to her and hands one over to Diana on the cover of the letter it states those with the past of beguilement and treachery are sealed within open if you wish to uncover

Diana pauses her playing an raises a eyebrow as you hand over the letter to her, clearly confused she carefully opens the letter and begins to read

DM Note: To begin it is a night for celebration for me and I am very happy to spend it with my friends. I won't get into why but it was great and I had like this really awesome feast while DMing with was great full of wine, some stewed fish, and bread. I even had a bit of this apple pie glazed with honey afterwards that just. Man, there is telling a story and then there is telling a story while eating a feast! Honestly this is how D&D should be played. Anyway, Odinium is out sick with the flu and Lancaster is on vacation but that only meant things got even more wild!

Oh, we also modified the time for each session a bit. I accelerated the building speed and we're making each session a week of time with the session being the week's highlights so that the season in game match with the seasons out of game seeing as we are meeting weekly. Some recon being done but honestly it works better.

Waking in the morning everyone staggers out of their tents to eat their cold breakfast. Since Geoffery had died no one can remember the last time they had eaten something that was not burnt or cold. It had started to ware on the colony and as they looked over the timber frame of the only building they had started moral dampened. Odinium had been the person who had really worked to raise everyone's spirits. He and Airen had taken heavily to drinking in the evenings from Airen's private supply but during the day Odinium had been on site working as hard if not harder than the other colonist to build their first structure. That was until he was hurt recently. A beam had come loose and swung free flinging itself into Odiniums back putting him in a really bad way. As a result he had been laid up to rest in Airen's tent while the rest of the colony went about business as normal.

Meanwhile Krysia and Diana had healed after resting for a week in Ophelia's tent which had not become Thaddius's tent due to their relationship. Those two were happy to have shelter again as the first cold spike reached the colony. It had remained roughly around 80 degrees Fahrenheit/25 degrees Celsius but was now dropping as the season changed to fall. Who knows how the rest would do in winter, especially without shelter. Now over breakfast they all shared their concern and excitement over the weather change until Djorn spoke up noticing something, "The canoe is gone and so is that Robin guy. He had said he would but I didn't know he meant..."

"Mean what?", asked Krysia as Diana appeared to be both aware as well as angry about the situation.

"That he was going now.", answered Djorn.

"Where was he going to? What did he tell you?", Kyrsia pressed.

"Just that he was going to go scouting. He had bought a life insurance policy before he left to.", Djorn said.

Before the conversation could continue Malgus, who had been more focused on the tree they'd tried to burn down blurted out, "We should look into the tree over there. I sent my familiar down into one of the holes around the roots and I think there is a cave under there.", to Djorn's relief.

"Yes, lets go look under there.", said Diana glad to change the topic and avoid any discussion which might lead to why Lancaster was actually here looking for her. And with that the topic was done for now as Malgus, Diana and Krysia made their way over to the tree leaving instructions for everyone to continue digging the trench Odinium instructed them to dig previously. Once at the tree the saw the depths of a tiny hole too small for any of them to fit in and decided it would be best to ask to colonist for help. Pulling Thaddius and Makkas from their task they expanded the hole large enough to premit them access into the underground cavern before dismissing them back to their labours at the trench. Krysia  went first followed by Diana and then Malgus into the cavern. There was no light inside except for that which came from the opening they had created but thankfully all three had Darkvision allowing them to see. The cavern was mostly compact dirt with stone and rock mixed in here or there. They were unable to determine the age of the tunnels they would be exploring and would have to hunch over if not crawl through them as they moved forward. Kyrisa in the lead took them from the small central chamber they descended into around a tree root to a junction leading to the north and then east only to take the eastern branch. Bending around a large hard section of earth she continued to walk hunched over with Diana and Malgus directly behind her. Then all of a sudden a faint pop was heard by Krysia as a spray from somewhere in the tunnel converged on Malgus's eyes. Diana had thankfully just barely been missed but Malgus was now completely blind! There was no pain, only darkness and Diana attempted to treat the situation from with in the tunnel wiping away some of what covered his eyes. It was  no use as Malgus was now blinded but the party chose to progress on with Krysia at the lead. After some more difficult paces forward them came to a dead end in a chamber large enough to stand in and took an actual assestment of Malgus's situation.

After some discussion the party agreed to head to the surface where they waited for Malgus to regain his sight. After which point Malgus summoned their familiar. This small imp with wings appeared at the end of their ritual and Malgus sent it into the hole only to feel it's presence dissipate as a torrent of acid sprayed out of the hole much like water being blown out of a whale's spout when they come to the surface. Something was down there they all thought and that night there was an uneasy feeling at the camp as the party took watched. Diana once again saw something from the corner of her eye and chased it only to see it disappear between the tents. It was a ghost or a rodent or a ghost rodent of some kind. She was not sure and although she shared this information in the morning everyone was more concerned about building the trench or exploring the cave. Which they decided to do and once again the party headed down into the cave below the tree but this time Malgus and the newly summoned familiar he called for after breakfast this morning took lead. Once below the ground they noticed almost instantly something had done something new here as already used glyph was inscribed just under the opening to the caves. After some study no one could determine what the glyph stood for or did but it was clear that Malgus's familiar had disturbed it. Pushing forward the party moved past the eastern tunnel they previously explored and there appeared to be fresh marking around the tunnel walls as if something had gone that direction recently. They continued either hunched over or crawling north until they reached a junction leading north and then east. Pausing here Malgus sent his familiar east only to have another trap sprung by it. The familiar became so afraid of whatever might be in the darkness ahead that it literally peeled the flesh from it's own bones forcing it to dispel itself as Krysia similarly was overcome by fear. Crawling over Diana, who was smashed in to the dirt as she did so, Krysia made her way out of the caves to the surface where she collapsed into the fetal position and began to cry, "Destroyed. Destoryed."

Moments later Malgus and Diana exited the caves to see Krysia in this state and consoled her until she finally was okay nearly an hour later. Malgus frowned and explained that he could only summon one more familiar at this point after Krysia was feeling better. Diana and Krysia looked at him like he was crazy not understanding why he wanted to explore these caves so badly. Malgus then explained that he was stuck in a Pact with a Devil and had seen these caves in a dream. Just then Krysia's weapon vibrated in her hand and she was overcome by the urge to kill Malgus as she explained her own Pact with her weapon which thirst for blood. Things became heated and Diana seeing all of this happen so fast froze not sure of how to react, but in the background the rest of the colony had also seen this did. Thaddius was the only one of them not frozen solid with fear of a fight between Malgus and Krysia went into his tent and grab his pistol. With Phillip dead and Elliot gone he was not the only person who could use this strange weapon and so he did. He left the tent, took to a knee, steadied his aim with his other hand and took his shot at Kyrsia who now loomed over Malgus with this sickle in her hand and eyes glowing a yellow gold. The sound of the firearm could be heard for miles off and the smoke briefly obscured Thaddius as Krysia was snapped from her patron's will and quickly tossed aside the blade worried of what she would do to Malgus.

It was a very strange night that night. Malgus had the colony bury the entry to the caves by the tree more afraid than anything else of what was down there. Krysia avoided everyone by taking Ophelia fishing. Ophelia wanted to be closer to her new boyfriend Thaddius who was a sailor and asked to learn when she saw Krysia leave the colony to put some space between her and Malgus. It was difficult but she seemed to gain a bit of knowledge from the experience. Meanwhile Diana reviewed the supplies only to discover that half of their food was not spoiled or missing. She then had Thaddius confirm all of this information before informing everyone that night. The watch was silent that night except for the worries each one had over the stability of their new home and ability to feed themselves. This cold snap was proof that winter was coming.

Session Eleven

DM Notes: Below is the player's own role-play through-out the week between the sessions. I did engage as the DM for a bit too though.

Odinium gathers his belongings before exiting the tent, walking towards the supplies to get a dried snack then heading to the campfire. Eating every once and a while well he sharpens his sword.

A pit of hunger develops in your stomach @Odinium Odyes as you see a lot of the food in storage has been removed leaving the colony with less than enough to winter on. In passing one of the other colonist tells you the others: Diana  Thistleton, Krysia de la Vallière & Malgus von Emreis discovered more than half of the food was either spoiled or missing. What is left is all that remains.

Upon realizing this, Odinium goes to Malakos and Makkas tent. I'll wake them up if they're asleep.

They are awake.

"Malakos, Makkas, we have a problem, come with me to Airen's tent. There is an urgent matter we must discuss."

Makkas agrees, but Malakos doesn't instead choosing to go back to sleep having written you off as a drunk. Last time he saw you three together you were getting drunk in Airen's tent. Something about his tone leaves you to believe this is not a matter open for negotiation as Malakos falls back asleep.

"This interest matters to you as well friend. Your very survival is at stake, get up and come with me."

They ignore you are already asleep and not Makkas is unsure if she should go. You're acting crazy. [We are not in session. There are no rolls. If you feel like the topic is important enough to attempt something that would implicate a roll such as convincing someone to go somewhere with you then save it for session.]

"Wait here." Odinium calmly say to Makkas as he grasps her hand in friendship. Leaving the tent, he goes to Airen's tent, grabs him by the arm and leads him into Makkas tent. After closing the entrance, Odinium says quietly, "Somebody stole a large amount of food from the stockpile."

At having his sleep disrupted with everyone entering his tent Malakos rolls over and says, "We all know. Ask Diana Thistlethorn or Krysia de la Vallière about it. They discovered most of it was rotted.", and then goes back to sleep. The others look at you nodding as if they were also already aware.

Odinium takes his crossbow and bolts and throws it to the side of Makkas, "From now on we take turns watching over the supplies. I'll show you two how to use that in the morning. Simply put, we're not going to die if we stick together. If you're by yourself, you have no friends to count on when Hell gets worse..." Pausing in between words to stare into their eyes, "... and believe me. This is Hell."

Makkas eyes the crossbow along with Airen who picks it up and gives it back to Odinium Odyes saying, "I think you have a good plan, but like this be something we should all discuss together. Let's talk about it in the morning with the entire colony.", and Makkas nods in agreement.

Malgus looked up in the side rethinking about this situation that he's in and with his companions in this problem and he touched the water for a bit and look at himself in the reflection of the ocean and grew anger and craving for power but doesn't want to. "Damn the hells. Shit. I wish this power never come to me. I wish none of this as happen to me and friends." and Malgus growl in devilish way and calm down.

"Makkas, that is for you and your brother. I have no need of it. I have ample arms to defend you all with what I have.", He turns to Airen and says "Apologies for disturbing you.", he looks to Makkas and Malakos, "And to you as well. Now that I have you, is there anything y'all might want me to grab if I just so happen to come across in on our expeditions? We need all the resources we can get and it'll be easier to keep an eye out between trash and treasure."

DM NOTE: There were a couple of dreams. I do these as private messages in our Discord through-out the week. These ones were shared during the session so I will add them here, but others are still private and once the session is over or if a character dies and is no longer relevant I'll reveal their dreams. The dream is a major part of this adventure. One of the BBEGs who the part already knows about uses them to haunt the party, but also at least out west dreams are a large part of Native American traditions and while this setting is Anchorome which is to my knowledge modeled off the American/Canadian Northeast. I asked Ed Greedwood's YT and they said they'd add it to the list of places to talk about, but from what I gathered Anchorome is more this whereas Maztica is more like Florida and Central America. Anyway, Dungeons and Dragons is missing some of the really cool Native American legends and I wanted to incorporate that because some it is really awesome. Oh man I cannot wait until winter for something special >:) and the ethereal woodchuck or Agaskw has been unbeknownst to the party very kind as a grandmother would be. Although it is D&D and these people are from the Sword Coast so it isn't a "wood chuck" it is a large unidentified rodent of some sort. Anyway the point is dream are important in this adventure.

Malgus has a dream. Lady Sitri buries you alive as you beg for her to stop, but she doesn't. Between the shovel full loads of dirt the withered and dead branches of the tree near by your camp. She looks very angry and once you are completely buried alive you blink.. Before your eyes you are now in a gigantic cold stale library. All around you are fiends and other devils filing about their work in the library. Lady Sitri sits at a desk in front of you and without motivation you cross the room towards her. "I told you to get the book and you buried it. Your library card is revoked and you now have seen the institution of your afterlife.", she seethes with as much contempt in her voice as possible as she waves at one of the several tiefling librarians toiling about organizing stacks of books too heavy for them to even lift. High above you feel the presense of some power above even Lady Sitri watching and their anger burns into you through Lady Sitri's lethal gaze. You awake, cold, clammy, shivering, terrified and feeling nauseous. You no longer have access to you Warlock powers or spells from the Warlock class until you restore your favor with your patron.

Odinium has a dream.

Surrounded by white light you find yourself stand with Phillip in front of you. He puts his hand on you shoulder and looks you straight in the eye implying what he is saying is of the most serious nature.

"Malgus is a threat. Do not let him obtain what he is looking for."

Phillip continues to look you dead in the eye as he lets the silence fill the moment. Then you wake up.

Krysia had a dream. - DM Note: She fled the dungeon from the effects of fear last session so this was the excuse for her not being able to be at this session.

You see yourself creeping around the tents in the middle of the night. You're on watch and the sun hasn't come up yet. There is some sort of sound from where Dusk in Autumn set up their hammock behind Boris and Djorn's tent. As you slowly approach you draw an arrow and notch it to you bow. Then as you come around behind the tent you see Dusk in Autumn dead and swarmed with plague rats. Although you are a sleep the sight and smell makes you gasp for air and shut your eyes briefly.

When you open your eyes again you see the same sight but instead of Dusk In Autumn it is the chief of your Satyr tribe being eaten. You try to fire your arrow to save them as the gasp for help, but it turns into a snake and leaps from the bow into your face. Smacking it away you backpeddle until you cannot anymore.

Behind you a deep chasm had opened or was always there. The depth of which are unknown. The snake moves forward towards you and you try to grab for another arrow but you are out of arrows! You start to panic and your breathing quickens.

You wake up.

DM NOTE: And so begins the session...

It was a cold wet morning when everyone awoke at the colony. Odinium was feeling better, but still panicking about the food. He had woken up before the sun and counted the supplies only to discover that they only had roughly three months supplies left instead of the ten they should have. He awoke everyone with cold food at half the portions they've been eating and explained the shortage which prompted a meeting. Diana tried to rouse Krysia for this meeting but Krysia seemed to be almost comatose with fear dropping in and out of slumber as she tried to gain some amount of rest. Despite the damp from the light misty rain and the stillness of the cold day everyone felt physically fine but demoralized. It still felt like there was little progress on the colony even though the first actual structure was nearly completed except for the doors and windows which would go in to day allowing some of the colony to sleep indoors. Now they were running out of food and this cold snap was the first signs of fall in a land where the environment was unknown. Dusk in Autumn had warned of a hard winter before he died and that fear started to eat at everyone.

Huddled in the cabin out of the cold damp the party discussed their situation as Thaddius and Airen hung the front door and windows, Airen of course made the finest curtains for them to help keep the cold out. Unfortunately, no one alive was a carpenter or mason so a wind still blew through tiny gaps in the walls and between the bricks of the fireplace. Djorn was especially concerned about the roof and chose to continue to live in his tent which was winterized.

"Makkas, that crossbow on the table is for you. I said you could have it.", Odinium said as he pointed to the crossbow and his remaining fifteen crossbow bolts on the table in the cabin. He had been out of it on the colonies limited supply of pain killers over the past week from a back injury due to a construction accident on this very hovel. Accidents happen when no one is trained. "You'll need to be prepared for the worst. We've lost some already and out food is now under attack by something."

"I do.. don't know how to use it. You're bother had only just started training me with a pistol.", Makkas said defensively although she was holding the crossbow as she said it making it appear that she wanted to but was nervous.

"You'll be fine. I'll train ye when the rain clears.", Odinium said and turned his attention to Diana who had started to speak.

"I doubt it but it could be this ghostly looking rodent I keep seeing at night.", Diana offered a possible lead.

Malgus brooded about something in the corner as shock over took Odinium, "Wait, ghost? Rodent? What?"

"No, I don't it is stealing our food. It left us stuff, but I have seen it a few times. Always out of the corner of my eye until recently, but it has been around for months now.", Diana explained as she showed Odinium the Dust of Disappearance she found under her hammock that she believe it left for her. "Krysia got some Bracers of Archery too."

Malgus butted in, "And I got an Orb of Direction."

Odinium had to sit down and took the open seat next to the table just as Malakos was coming around the table to take a seat there. Without knowing it Malakos stopped just behind Odinium as he sat down rolled his eyes and went to the next chair where Thaddus had sat down moments before to work on something at the table. "This is all so much.", he exasperated and then paused before looking over at Malugs, "Oh, and Malgus we need to talk too. I saw my brother in a dream and he told me you were a danger. That you are seeking something which we shouldn't?"

A pit dropped into Malgus's stomach. He knew the party knew he was a Tiefling and had a pact with something as a Warlock, but now he'd have to tell them everything. "Uh, yes, see I am a warlock and a long time ago I traded my soul to my patron, a devil named Lady Sitri, in exchange for my powers and untold arcane knowledge. She commanded me to dig up something under that withered tree and so we did and under it was a cave network."

"It was super hard to crawl around down there too.", Diana interjected.

'Who is this Lady Sitri?", Odinium asked with a half scowl.

"She is my patron and a fiend of the Nine Hells.", Malgus said not knowing who she served or really all that much about her other than the exact terms of his agreement with her as well as everything it entailed along with everything he'd be giving up so that he was fully aware of the ramifications of the agreement he sought her out to form.

'Well she doesn't seem like the sort we need to have influencing the colony and my dead brother who ascended to become a Celestial warned me of what you are seeking. We must leave whatever it is buried.", Odinium relaxed a little seeing Malgus half-agree as he spoke.

"I know, I know, but...", Malgus paused and bit his lip, "She has my soul and I'll be forced to live out my afterlife in an immense cold library shelving stacks of books I cannot even lift to carry! Please, you don't understand Odinium. We need a solution because over her shoulder way up high in the library is someone stronger than her and his eye is now on me too.", and the fear Malgus felt for his soul hung upon the air.

"We just cannot Malgus. Whomever you made this agreement with will destroy us all.", Odinium stated flatly cutting the tension.

Malgus nodded and again reiterated, "Yes, I know, I know, but you see. Well, the thing is.", he paused to sigh and then continued, "I don't even have my powers now. She took them from me. I cannot cast as spell or invoke any power I had. I am about as useful as Thaddius!", Malgus ended tossing his arms into the air in frustration.

"Hey, I've been pretty useful. I built this table Malgus. Okay.", Thaddius said.

Odinium decidedly did not like Thaddius since he stole Ophelia from him just by asking her out when Odinium didn't have the courage to and spoke up, "You also lied to get here Thaddius. Malgus we just cannot go back down there. Krysia is messed up, we've almost died ourselves several times, and now my brother who was chosen to ascend by some deity I didn't even know about and he didn't even believe in is telling us not to. It is too dangerous."

"Oh jeez, I know but..", Malgus started to say but understood he was defeated as it wasn't something he even wanted to do. He was now being torn between his lust for power and his service to the devil who owned his soul or this colony and his friends - even Thaddius. "You're right. We'll leave it closed.", he uttered and the topic was closed.

"So, what about the food?", Diana inquired.

Odinium thought about it and asked, "Can you train an animal Diana?"

She nodded, "I think I might be able to."

"Oh, I like that.", Malgus added already thinking along the same lines as Odinium.

Nodding Odinium explained, "It would be impossible to guard our supplies all the time. We don't have the people for it. So, I say we go look for an animal like a dog or something to train to guard our stash?"

Diana smirk at the idea, "I like it!", and the three set off out the door only briefly stopping just before leaving to tell the rest of the colony they were doing excellent work on the cabin.

* * *

Diana explained as they left the colony that she and Krysia had hunted towards the south previously and suggested they go north having had a very bad encounter with a large crocodile. (DM NOTE: Alligators are North American so I had to homebrew one and describe it as an unknown creature sort of like a crocodile and this is the hardest part of running this campaign: trying to figure out what is the old world equivalent to American beasts.) So, the parted headed north and after only a short way realized the beach gave way to a cliff and mountain side, then a rocky shoreline some way later up the shoreline. They decided to double-back a bit so that they could make their way up to the top of the cliffs without climbing only to learn that the forest which enveloped much of the cliff and region to the north of the colony was so dense that it was impassible. Brambles, thrones, and even trees grew so close together that they formed a wall and several times the three of them would spot an opening in the forest line from a distance with their spyglass only to cross a half-mile of rugged rocked cliff wall where footing was unstable only to see that it was actually too dense to enter the forest from that spot forcing them to turn back and navigate another way north.

By about mid-day they had found a valley between two ridges of the cliffs where loose boulders lined the shoreline and evidence of prior mudslides between the cliffs was present. High up in a large tree was a gigantic Eagle with wings that were easily the size of one of the party members if not two of them. Diana had some prior knowledge of eagles from the Sword Coast and knew they knew common. She thusly tried to communicate with the Eagle first by saying, "He-hello? We're not going to hurt you."

The Eagle looked over at her and cocked it's head to the side trying to gauge whether or not they were a threat. "Yes, hello, we're not going to hurt you. I have some food. We want to trade with you.", Odinium said following Diana's example and pulling out some dried jerky. The Eagle which would normally eat something only slightly smaller than the party themselves was not interested and although it shifted in it's nest it did not move from it. Instead it again rotated it's head and moved it from side to side as if gauging the ones speaking. The party continued to try to talk with the Eagle, "We'll give you food every week to guard our supplies.", Odinium countered but the Eagle remained in it's nest.

"Maybe we should go up there?", Malgus suggested looking at the net Odinium had brought with them.

"It can fly Malgus.", Diana shot an arrow into his plan as Malgus processed the fact that although he could fly he had no powers and wasn't nearly as fast as that Eagle probably was.

"Plus it'd be a climb. Let's just keep looking.", Odinium said and they left.

* * *

Just around mid-afternoon the party made their way into a low ridge near the top of a cliff as the rain lifted to a mist and gray clouds. By surprise the party was encircled by six large dire wolves who appeared hungry. Diana was the first under threat as the one who creeped up behind her nipped at her left forearm at the same time as another who had hidden in a nearby bush came running out to jump up on her chest in an attempt to bring her to the ground as it tried to chew at her neck. Diana instantly responded as she screamed pulling out her short sword and thrusting it into the beast on her chest. The wolf whimpered and circled for another attack as Odinium drew his sword, pulled it across his hand invigorating his blade with his blood or crimson might transforming it into a spell focus before drawing his shield as well. The wolves ignored Diana and Odinium mostly in favor of Malgus who was quickly encircled by four all of whom ate at him. Malgus screamed a death whimper and flew up as fast as he could sixty feet into the air as his own blood raided down under him. These wolves nearly killed him.

DM NOTE: Yeah, six dire wolves... CR 1? The encounter builder put it as an easy battle but they get pack tactics and junk so they are vicious.

Diana ran backwards and drew her bow not wanting to engage with the wolves whom had nearly just killed her also. She shot an arrow into one and it yelped but ignored her as Odinium brought his shield around to bash it before slicing into another. The wolves following their alpha all descended on Odinium and all put their teeth to him at what felt like the same moment. With all the fighting some of the links in his chain must have loosened because three of the wolves made purchase and two now were affixed to his right and left arms by their jaws. Odinium growled and pushed through the pain as Malgus frantically tried to figure out what to do. He tried to cast a spell making the hand motions but it did not work and he instantly kicked himself for trying. Malgus then searched through his gear while hovering high above. What could he do he thought and then he saw his two daggers. He took the first one and chucked it straight down into the shoulder of one of the wolves around Odinium.

Not wasting any time Diana loaded and fired another shot distracting the wolves which had Odiniums ankle in it's maw. This gave Odinium the chance to disengage and he ran through the mud and difficult rocky terrain thirty feet before forcing his muscles into action to surge him forward an additional fifteen feet. "Don't kill them I have a plan.", he shouted as he did so.

The wolves were split between two targets again and some now realized the threat Diana imposed running over to her as the rest chased after Odinium. Malgus still hung in the air with his last dagger and brutally demoralizing himself for not taking Odinium's crossbow and bolts when he gave it to Makkas earlier in the day. He was sixty feet up and thirty feet away from both Diana and Odinium. Odinium was in bad shape but had armor whereas Diana was just about dead and did not have nearly the same level of protection Odinium did in his chainmail. He panicked though and instead of flying down to grab either one of them as he had contemplated, he insead tossed his last dagger losing it to the mud below him in a miss.

Diana put away her bow, grabbed her short sword and invoked the name of some forgotten wolf spirit as she gestured allowing her to communicate with this pack, "Please we want to feed you and make an agreement.", and although these wolves were still ready to eat the meal before them they paused just long enough for Odinium to speak.

Odinium pulled out all his dried food which was mostly dried meat and tossed it to the wolf he assumed was the alpha pleading, "Take it we have more. We wanted to trade for your protection.", hoping her spell allowed him to also communicate. It didn't but the promise of easy to eat food immediately before the wolf tempted it away from attacking just now. And all but one of the other wolves followed him in this act. The one who didn't attacked Diana biting her knee and she sliced at it with her sword. A moment later and Malgus swooped down almost within reach of Diana. The sudden violence against the one wolf and the movement from the sky irritated the pack and they began to attack again.

Diana chose not to fight and instead ran away as fast as she could tossing her own food out behind her. Odinium tried to do the same but only made it so far before he realized it was over and he'd have to fight. Three of the wolves encircled Odinium and one bit through his armor causing him great pain. Just then Malgus closed the distance and grabbed Odinium flying away with him with great struggle. They flew as Diana ran but the wolves did not chase them. Nonetheless, they ran and flew until Malgus could no longer carry Odinium. Then after he dropped Odinium on the ground they ran and flew some more until they were at the colony. These wolves did not give chase but the party ran as fast as they could as a howl filled the air behind them.

Once back in town Diana had a sort of a mental breakdown after being nearly killed on ever expedition outside of the colony right in front of the tents. Ophelia and Thaddius noticed as they were moving their belongings from their tent into the newly build cabin and felt horrible for her. So, they offered her their tent explaining they already helped Krysia move inside of it. Thaddius had secured his placement in the first cabin when they drew lots this morning and everyone sort of just agreed Ophelia should be allowed also since she would be sharing his bed. Boris took a bed in a back room he converted into a small office to help him manage their records. (DM NOTE: Boris is sort of the voice of this story. These post should all be his journal entries which get published at the Vault of Sages in Silverymoon. So if you're running a campaign through there and want to have a newpaper article in town about this crazy colony or something that would be the place to get the facts while Neverwinter, Baulder's Gate, or maybe parts of Tethyr would have gossip.) Airen had also moved into the cabin refusing to create curtains which he knew would be the only insulation in the cabin if he wasn't given a spot inside. Everyone agreed because Airen could be miserable if he did not get his way and now Odinium was given his old tent. Malgus was the only person left out in the rain that night as Djorn refused to share his tent unless he paid rent as Boris had.

* * *

The next morning everyone awoke and Malgus explained he had another dream in which he was going the wrong way and it was really making his patron Lady Sitri. Odinium and he discussed his contract over breakfast thinking of how to get Malgus out of it or convert him to following Phillip as a patron but the deal was struck and there were no loopholes that they could find. After a long time Malgus sighed and said, "That does it. I just don't see any other way to get my powers back and without them I am useless. I am a danger to the colony without my powers because as we saw yesterday I cannot protect any of you with out them."

(DM NOTE: I've tried to express the need to prepare before leaving the safety of their little colony. I grew up playing old school D&D so I tend to make adventures harder and something you have to spend time planning through. It comes from those old nearly useless mages who'd only have like one spell for an entire dungeon. It is a slower game but so much rewarding. I've also been trying to get them to interact and plan as a party more. Odinium chose a celestial patron knowing Malgus had a devil, there was always going to be this conflict. So, I was happy they started to try to sort out their characters themselves through role-play here.)

"Maybe we can go down there and then I can get whatever it is away from you before it ends up with your patron? Then you'll at least get your powers back.", Odinium confronted the situation trying to sort out what to do. Winter was coming, peoples lives were at serious risk, Diana is tried of nearly dying, Krysia is crying in fear from nightmares, Robin left with the canoe, and now Malgus was dead weight without his powers. He had no choice but to agree.

The colony would re-open the hole below the tree and so the rest of that morning they dug under the tree as the colonist began working on a wall around where they planned to build a dock later. It would be the entrance to their colony. As soon as the party break through the surface into the cave system below it began to pour down rain and the temperature dropped again. This motivated them underground where it was warmer and Odinium slid down into the hole first followed by Diana and then finally Malgus. It was dark but all three had dark vision allowing them to see in the narrow tunnels in black and white. Everyone was hunched over or kneeling as they entered and both Diana and Malgus noticed the chamber they enter was slightly bigger now and there was not a new tunnel leading to the south which was not there when they were down here before. Following Odinium they made their way north past the first junction which offered a branch leading west. Krysia had previously gone down this branch only to be overcome by fear, so they continued north. Odinium must had stepped on something because slowly as he crawled through a narrow section a mist of vapor filled the narrow tunnel. He crawled on and then stood half-upright to waddle hunched over through the cavity as Diana entered the mist behind him along with Malgus. None of them could see each other as each started to cough. Spitting up a mixture of their own blood and some acidic substance both Diana and Malgus became poisoned while Odinium staved off the effect by running further up the tunnel carrying the mist with him as it wafted in the along in the air current his passing created.

(DM NOTE: DMs delayed saving throws on traps are great. I already reset this trap because the party has to exit this dungeon but it was two traps one with a Ray of Sickness effect and one with Obscuring Mist to make a poisonous mist. I then put the Constitution Save at the top of the next turn so they would realize they'd been poisoned after Odinium had safely entered the mist fooling them into thinking it was safe.)

Diana made her way throw stepping up into a hunched waddle from a crawl when she was able and Malgus who was the furthest behind decided it was too much and turned back. Odinium came to a four way intersection just at the other side of the mist and listened. From the north came the sound of rodents chittering so he ducked off towards the north. Not long after Diana came bolting out of the mist wafting it further along the corridor behind her and Odinium waved to her to follow. Neither knew what happened to Malgus and gave up after waiting a few moments. Malgus decided to try the other tunnel Krysia was afraid of and in a similar way was scared off. The fear that he would not just die underground here but not even have an afterlife gripped him and he ran for the exit falling over himself as he did.

Odinium peered around the corner and saw a swarm of rats on what looked like a pile of garbage. How was there garbage here he would have thought but the larger rat in the corner eating a black and rotted apple distracted him. Odinium ducked back around the corner and cut his hand on his sword to invoke his crimson rite again then popped around the corner just long enough to send a blood red eldritch blast down the tunnel at the giant rat. Diana nervously got herself ready as she saw this and not but a moment later two giant half-rat, mostly rat, sort of things came crawling around the corner along the floor and ceiling while a swarm of much smaller rats flooded the tunnel enveloping Odinium. Diana took a swing at the giant rat that crawled between Odinium's legs and a boil on it's back burst sending puss back at her and across her armor. Diana recoiled in disgust but continued to aid her friend. Malgus meanwhile was trying to overcome his fear and was still running for the entrance.

Odinium swung his sword at the same rat Diana had and the two put it down only to hear and soon after see another giant one take it's place. As the swarm bit at Odinium the larger second rat squeezed through a gap between Odinium's shoulder and the tunnel ceiling to leap at Diana, crawl around behind her and bit her in the leg. Diana instantly felt the infection in the bit and got woozy. She some how felt as if she would never heal from this wound unless it was treated. Malgus was halfway out of the hole and on the surface but the rain brought him out of his fear and he returned to the caves only to feel his powers flooding back to him. Lady Sitri restored him and in the back of his mind he knew he would not be allowed to flee here with his powers. This was a journey he'd have to complete. So, he ducked back underground and ran for the mists in the north.

It had become a bloody mess at this point as Odinium was getting eaten through the smallest gaps in his armor by a swarm of rats who were now literally under his clothing and in his private areas. He swang his sword into the swarm killing several of the small critters but getting seemingly no where then in a surge he forced himself into action swinging his sword at the giant rat in front of him. This rat bit him back and the chainmail about his wrist gave way under the teeth. Much like Diana he could feel an infection set in and knew this wound would not heal easy. Diana behind him put down another large rat as a second swarm of smaller rats made their way around the bend towards Odinium. Malgus now raced through the toxic mist coughing and sputtering as he did.

This gave Odinium hope as he put down the giant rat in front of him only for Diana to finish off the last of the swarm upon him just to have a second swarm overtake him. He felt like he was being washed over by the tide of the great oceans but instead of water it was rats and that grossed him out almost as much as each puss filled blister his sword popped or the gunk from lesions it brought away with it as he swung it through these disgusting little things. By this point Malgus had returned through the mist and cupping his hands he unleashed a torrent of flames burning all the tiny rats off Odinium. The three paused trying to breathe through the heated ozone of filth before moving forward into the trash lined room the rats were in. It didn't take long for them to notice it but once they did, they knew they had to plan this out better. All the trash in this room was theirs. It had all come from their supplies and not all of it was food. Something below them was living off the colony like a cancer growing in their trash.

They made their way to the surface as night came and almost silently ate in the cabin with everyone else trying to figure out what to say, who to tell, and what to do.

TO BE CONTINUED...

DM NOTE: Krysia and Robin should be back next week. Robin had a one on one adventure with me while they were out to explain what they were doing. I'll post that once everyone knows what happened which may be after the next adventure or like way later on. Robin D. Bank or Elliot Lancaster's motivations may have changed significantly and so he may be different or not care about a prior goal. I am honestly not sure because he did something I did not expected. Even I am curious to see what will happen. Oh, and there are some things happening with the Second Wind, Chaim Cohen, Lord Heydan B. Seegil, and all those background characters which are going to start to develop shortly. The Second Wind should make port in Neverwinter at the end next session. Like the dreams and all that stuff I'll only add those segments to the story as the party becomes aware of it, but something happened early on which may have had a major impact on the diplomatic affairs of the Sword Coast.

SESSION TWELVE

DM NOTE: Since Elliot Lancaster a.k.a. Robin D. Bank was out for two weeks on vacation we came up with a bit of a side adventure for him. He had made an agreement with Djorn to kidnap Diana, but Djorn told him to scout the river before just absconding down it with Diana. This was the excuse for his absence whereas for the rest of the Party Djorn told them Robin D. Bank cut some deal with him using fake gold and ran off with the canoe and that he would have stopped Robin D. Bank but Robin is so much stronger. This is important later in the session, but for now this is what Elliot Lancaster a.k.a. Robin D. Bank experienced while away.

Elliot Lancaster was glad to be away from the colony and his fake name. 'Robin D. Bank', he thought to himself as he paddled away into the night along the river further inland. 'Those fools really bought that fake name?', he continued to think as the cool mourning air passed over him waking him up as he went. 'The must be fools to have come out here to die. Diana should be thankful really. I'm saving her from this awful place. Well, thankfully it will be done soon enough.', the thoughts of home and him finishing the mission poured through his head as he continued onwards for some time. He rested when he needed and often came ashore from the river to get scout out ahead when the land was higher than the river. After about day of travel he had made it around the forest and into the foothills of the mountains. He was less sure of his plan now having come this far as the river did not seem to be flowing the way he wanted, but he hoped to make it into the mountains by tomorrow where he could take in his surroundings from a nice elevation.

Mourning came and he took the canoe as high up as he could go before the river either turned into dead end springs and streams or rapids to strong from him to fight. After struggling to make it this far he took pause at one of the springs that ended up getting him nowhere. The pool of water gentle flowed through a stream from the spring into the river and all around it's edges were trees and jagged mountains. Elliot thought this would be a nice place to make a mid-day meal and then took a nap. When he awoke the canoe was missing and something had changed. He was no longer at the spring. Instead, he was on top of a mountain and about to roll off. He panicked and reached out touching the sky, but it wasn't the sky it was solid ground. The land shifted into a rainbow of colors so fast that it nearly made him vomit and then he was back where he was at his camp but maybe a few hours later from when he took his nap. The canoe was still missing though, and he decided it was nothing as he packed up the camp and headed back down the stream, he paddled up hoping the canoe was taken by the current and arrested somewhere along its edge.

Again, the ground gave way to sky before him, and he fell to the ground feeling out in all directions until the vision of the missing ground vanished. Now on edge Elliot progressed much slower until he came across a narrow spot, he could have sworn was an open ridge with a lethal drop to one side. Not trusting his eyes anymore, he took the musket off his back and used it as a cane revealing that half the path was in fact not really there. 'Ah-Ha! See you thought you got me there. Oh, but I! Yes, I have got you figured out.", Elliot yelled to no one. The rest of the afternoon continued like this as Elliot tried to make his way through the maze of a mountain which was now consistently changing and almost there was some lethal hidden trap in the illusion. Just before nightfall it happened. Everything went black for Elliot as something hit him from behind. When he awoke, he was bound to a stick and being carried by several small little wild elves. Many danced around him poking him with their arrows and spears trying to drive fear into his heart and they took him into a cave and through a series of twisting tunnels leading upwards into the mountain.

After what felt like forever the wild elves stopped having come to a slightly larger chamber with a cooking fire and several knives and other objects clearly intended for cannibalization. They rested the pole Elliot was bound to by the fire so that the flames nearly burned him making him uncomfortable. Our of the smoke which seemed attracted to Elliot's face came a wild elf with black hair and eyes and as he came forward someone spoke what was clearly this elf's name, "Hešucka Ho-Chuck", followed by a lot of other stuff Elliot did not understand. (DM NOTE: The name Hešucka Ho-Chuck is a combination of a tribe name and one of their evil spirits or monsters. The tribe isn't evil or anything I just thought it would work well to have the Red Horn strongly identified with them since it is their legend.) As Elliot begged for his life the other wild elves snickered and laughed some licking their teeth as this Hešucka Ho-Chuck came close to examine him. It was all a show as Hešucka Ho-Chuck prodded Elliot and continually whispered some eerie song that Elliot could not understand. All the while somewhere behind him drums were being pounded to a rhythm which unsettled Elliot. Hešucka Ho-Chuck bent closer and touched Elliot's temple and then from it pulled a silver strand from Elliot's mind. With the strand went a part of Elliot's memory and each time this Hešucka Ho-Chuck would put this strand into his own mind before pulling it back out and feeding it back to Elliot.

This went on for days and after a certain point Elliot was not entirely sure what parts of his memory were real or what was missing until he tried to think of that memory. Sometimes everything about a memory would be there by one key moment. Even more disorientating was that some of the memories fed back to him had been altered to communicate to Elliot. These wild elves could not speak to him otherwise but also, they seemed to enjoy torturing him in this manner. The message in the memories was:

Elliot saw himself looking over the cargo at the colony.

Elliot saw himself taking the food.

Elliot saw himself in the canoe.

Elliot saw himself coming to a pool near where he was captured.

Elliot saw himself giving someone food.

Elliot saw several Wild Elves of the Naki Tribe.

Elliot saw the rain of arrows on the colony.

Elliot saw the Naki Tribe carrying Elliot away, but it wasn't Elliot it was Diana.

Elliot saw himself at Fort Flame with Diana.

It was an uncomfortable experience being communicated to in this manner. They had learned everything Elliot knew and even some stuff he forgot on purpose. His mind was not just being read it was being unwoven and then sewn back together a single silver strand at a time. By the end of nearly two weeks, they grew satisfied with everything and released Elliot even though he had refused to bring the tribe the food from the colony. Just before Elliot was released at the base of the mountains Hešucka Ho-Chuck whispered something in Elliot's ear which made sense even though it was said roughly in his own language but by someone foreign to it. "Walk to your camp and bring us your food.", and without a thought Elliot did so trying to fight this urge the entire time as he made his way back to the colony in the freezing rain.

DM NOTE: Encode Thoughts is a cantrip. It is a brutal cantrip in the right hands. The Player who plays Elliot was a bit miffed I did rail road a bit on this because I already revealed the tribe of wild elves so it wasn't like I could redo it. I gave him the option to roll other character but in the end he stuck with Lancaster whose motivations have completely changed and I like it. Elliot Lancaster was a bad guy or at least amoral but he wasn't the "evil" guy. Hešucka Ho-Chuck is an evil guy, but also a total badass because he does stuff like steal your memories. Okay as always, the in-between session role-playing.

Odinium leaves his tent and walks towards Malakos and Makkas tent. Announcing himself before entering.

Hearing Odinium Odyes Makkas welcomes him in. Her brother and her have the tent pretty well divided between them but they appear happy with the set up. Near Malakos's bed there is a small shrine to Chanutae and various sma bags of sand and dirt are strewn out by Makkas's bed.

"Malakos, Makkas, how are things?", asked Odinium.

The two seem to be as they ever were. "We're fine. How are you after diving into that hole under the tree? You all came out exhausted and sick.", Makkas inquires.

"I'm fine, just another day of keeping the colony safe. Work never stops.", responded Odinium.

They both nod in agreement. Malakos begins wrapping up his day by sitting before his shrine to Chauntae and offering a prayer. "I know, but at least we finally got something done. I just wish this rain would let up. It isn't even real rain it is just damp.", frowns Makkas in reply.

"Perhaps we should pray on it like your brother, how bout it Malakos. Mind if we join you in prayer?", said Odinium.

Hearing this Makkas just shakes her head in disappointment and disapproval. "Afraid I don't have the coin to afford to pray. Ask my brother he'll tell you.", Makkas says as she stands and pats her brother Malakos on the shoulder. She then glides between her brother and Odinium adding, "I am going to go see how Airen is doing. Have fun in service Odinium.", she chides obviously not one for religion.

Odinium looks at Makkas until she walks out, then turns to Malakos, "What shall we pray on then, what's on your mind?"

Malakos nods to Odinium Odyes and says, "I have been praying that our land here is fertile enough to support seed. Chaim did say they would return with seed for spring when I asked him. If Chauntae blesses the land then we'll have a decent crop. Ophelia has been joining me in pray regularly."

Odinium kneels beside Malakos and says a prayer to his celestial patron. He then turns his head over to Malakos, "Beyond fertile soil, where do you see yourself in this new colony of ours...?"

Once he has completed his prayers Malakos turns towards @Odinium Odyes, "I am a potter by trade and there is decent clay here. I figure I will do that.", he answers.

Odiniums looks at Malakos with a small smile, "I've been meaning to talk to you about that, I've had an idea that would give us the ability to put an easy weapon in any colonists hands, a claynade... it functions as a clay vessel with gunpowder on the inside and a fuse which simply needs to be lit. What are your thoughts..."

Malakos blinks at the proposal. "Sounds like the same sort of plan that got your brother killed. No offense or anything. I mean it is plausible, but probably not safe.", Malakos says thinking over the idea.

"Understood, now that I've said my bit on buisness, might I ask a more personal question?", asked Odinium.

Malakos shrugs and nods. "Sure, what is it?"

Odinium tilts his head in contemplation, "Why is it you don't like me, I seem to get along with your sister, what's with the animosity?"

In a considerate and polite tone Malakos responds, "You're a narcissist. You've gone around the colony trying to sink your oar in every ocean hoping to push water. First Ophelia and now my sister..." Malakos then puts a hand on the shoulder of @Odinium Odyes and says, "You know it is alright and all being a stud, but buddy you frankly aren't that. Thaddius is which is why my sister is jealous of Ophelia. And you know how I knew he was a stud from the moment I saw him?" Not waiting from a reply Malakos continues as he crosses the tent to pour some tea for the two of them. "He never asked anyone out or grew salty when someone else did hook up. He was cool." The water for the tea had been set to boil before the short prayer Malakos said to Chauntea had just begin to boil over the small fire in the tent and Malakos returned to @Odinium Odyes with a cup as he said, "If you really were interested in my sister then I am happy for it. I just felt a bit disrespected and felt like you had disrespected Makkas seeing you lust after Ophelia and then my sister."

Odinium looks at him with a serious and stern face, "That's ironic you calling me a narcissist. First off, I've never tried to make moves on your sister. She is a friend just as Airen is and I hope you will be. Second, Thaddeus Sterling is no stud. He's a weakling and a true narcissist who lied about his skills and knowledge to get on the boat and come to these new lands. Now he struts around this colony as if he owns it when a dog would be more helpful then him. At least a dog knows how to fight." A small grin starts to form on Odiniums face. "I have no ill will towards you Malakos and I understand I can come off as selfish and obtuse. Everything I have done since coming on these shores has been to sacrifice myself and my possessions for the continued survival of you and everyone else in this colony. I nearly died twice since we've maid landfall defending you all so don't come telling me that I'm the narcissist." Odinium begins to raise his voice calmly, "Thirdly, I don't lust over Ophelia, I feel sorry for her. She's falling in love with a narcissist and she'll be heartbroken by him in the long run. I'm not some child who hates simply because I don't have what I want to have. I AM ODINIUM ODYES, of house Odyes, and you may think of me as you will. I know who I am. All I ask is that you come to understand me better."

Raising an eyebrow Malakos looks at Odinium Odyes and says, "Stop it Odinium. Thaddius has been nothing but the best man to Ophelia. Let their love grow and stop being bitter." to put an end to the subject he then quickly added, "Oh looks like my tea is empty, well I really should get to bed Odinium. You have a good night."

Odinium gets up from his meditating pose and walks towards the entrance, stopping before turning his head towards Malakos, "Perhaps I may be misjudging him. But he hasn't exactly been too friendly with me. I don't believe we've even had a conversation since the first days of landfall. Sleep well Malakos, I'll be on guard duty later in the night if you need anything..". Then he turns and leaves the tent, going to his own tent to meditate before his shift.

Malgus yawned a bit and then he looked around to see Odinium going to his tent and chuckled a bit and Malgus looked up in the night sky to enjoy the moment for now and he smiled a bit and little while he got up and decided to go and check on Odinium in his tent. " Hey Odinium, what are doing right now?"

Odinium gets up from his bed and looks toward the entrance of the tent, "Going to bed before my guard duty, you need something?"

"Oh, nothing really. I just saw you leave out of Malako's tent and i guess you two were talking about something. You still think that Thaddeus is wrong person to be with Ophelia?"

Odinium will get up from his bed, go to the entrance of the tent, grab Malgus by the neck and pull him into the tent, "Were you spying on me ?!?"

Malgus looked at him "No, of course not I just overheard it near by the tent where sleep near and look why not tell Ophelia how you feel about her and I mean she's just blinded on what Thaddeus is and why not just tell her in person and expose Thaddeus of what he is."

Odinium looks it him well contemplating, "Firstly, the last thing we need among the colonists is bitterness for getting involved in their private life. I have plans for Thaddeus that will require his loyalty to me. So getting between him and Ophelia is fruitless for my future plans. Secondly, it's because I have these feelings for Ophelia that I won't tell her how I feel. However she chooses to live her life, I will honor it and her."

Malgus sighed a bit. "Okay then. But it's never too late to say how you feel and if you're afraid to say it. It's okay but will still need to protect her just like us are protecting everyone. Last thing too we need to ask Robin or whatever is damns name it is. He still can't be trusted after being gone for while."

Odinium quiets his voice, "It is our duty to die for all these people including each other. That goes without saying. However, that Lancaster fellow made some sort of agreement with Djorn. I'm sure of it. Probably forged those id documents."

"Okay, when he comes back here me and you try to keep an eye on him later and hope we can find that sending stone as well"

"More then that, if he comes back we bind him under the impression of theft and simply go through his things."

Diana cant sleep Despite her best efforts the pain caused both the rats and the dire wolfs quickly proved to be to much for her to ignore. After giving a short sigh,she slowly picks herself up from the floor of the tent,doing her best as to not disturb Krysia. After leaving her tent she slowly begins to walk around the camp As she walking she can hear the sounds of both malgus an odinium talking, and although its hard to hear what there talking about she is able to make out the name landcaster. Hearing the name diana both curious an slightly concerned makes her way towards the tents entrance "Is everything alright in here?" She asks her voice still slightly sore

Odinium pops head out of the tent to see Diana standing there, he supposed he should've been quieter before ushering her into the tent. "Yes, we're talking about Lancaster and what to do when he arrives."

Diana quickly enters the tent once inside she turns her addention back to odinium "Ah i see..so whats the current plan?"

"To arrest him and search him for anything he may have stolen other then the canoe..."

DM NOTE: And so begins the actual session.

It was a cold morning the colony awoke to and Malgus was beyond exhausted having been the only member of the colony without shelter. He pushed on though and forced himself out of bed and to greet the others who gathered in Odiniums tent gifted to him by Airen. "So, should we go back down into the caves?", Malgus asked clearly eager to complete the task his patron had left for him.

"I don't know. Should we without a guard? We've been down there twice and it is leaving us vulnerable each time we flee. What if Robin returns?", Odinium rationalized.

"I don't want to be stuck down there with him above us.", Diana added and Krysia confirmed it so they then set about trying to determine who would be the best guard as the other colonist began to line up through the camp bringing supplies from the stockpile outside into the cabin that was finally done. The colonist making about their work without being commanded by the adventurers drew them to the goings on.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Kysia asked Makkas as she walked through the cold light rain towards her.

"Boris said we should get the supplies inside. He wants to take an accurate count and have us start building another shelter tomorrow. He said he wasn't sure why we've been wasting time digging a trench for a wall and that we'll die in winter if we don't finish the shelters.", Makkas explained and something in Odinium was all of a sudden hurt because the wall was his idea.

"Yeah, well tell Boris if we get attacked then that wall will save us all.", Odinium defended his work, but then Malakos just looked at Makkas and shook his head as if to express that it wouldn't.

"Stop it Malakos. Odinium is trying. But Odinium Boris might be right.", Makkas added before going back to moving the supplies.

"He's trying to take over the colony. I hate Boris!", Odinium fumed. It had been months since anyone had a decently cooked meal and it was now cold, wet, and everything was out to kill someone. It put everyone on edge and Odinium had enough. He began to storm towards the cabin but paused as out in the open was Robin D. Bank slowly dragging his poor body through the mud and rain towards the colony. He look like he'd been outside for days and moved at first as if he was a zombie with each step being compelled but as he got closer something in him switched and all of a sudden Robin began to walk normally.

"You!", yelled Robin as he marched up to Diana pushing past everyone else. "You awful...", he ruminated as he pulled his pistol from his holster and pointed it directly at Diana between her eyes. No one moved. "I am only here in this cursed vile land because of you. I mean sure I knew these damned freaky elves were bad cannibals or whatever, but no one said anything about these damned mind games.", and Robin D. Bank did a little crazy person dance. Odinium shifted to try to take the gun but Robin leveled it back on Diana, "Oh, no you don't. See I don't care about the bounty. I just don't care any more. No amount of money is worth dealing with those..", Robin seethed, "savages." and cursed them with his breath.

"Uh, what?", Malgus started to ask but Robin continued.

"Oh you don't know about our savage neighbors and they taste for our memories.", Robin laughed out in an unhinged manner as he pointed the gun at Malgus, but then Diana moved so he swung it back on her, "Oh no you don't. I am not done. You see I don't care anymore. Those savages are not worth the money."

"What money?", Diana coyly said.

"You damn well know what money.", Robin snapped back.

"Robin we want to hel..", Krysia tried to clam him down but Robin went into another frenzy.

"Robin?! You dumb ignorant! Did you really think my name was Robin.", he chuckled in an insane manner, "Fools, I made that up. Come on Robin D. Bank?! Must I spell it out for you?! Oh but of course only idiots would be dumb enough to sigh on to a contract to come out here."

"You mean like you did when you came here to find me.", Diana shot back.

"You know what. You know I should Diana, but you see I just don't give a damn any more. I want off this continent.", Elliot exasperated having gone back to using his real name.

"And just who is after Diana?", Odinium asked.

"She knows and the bounty on her was very large.", Elliot explained.

"How large?", Diana asked.

"You should know Diana.", Elliot avoided her question. In truth two of the memories stolen by the wild elves were who hired him to kidnap Diana and how much they would pay him. Elliot knew he could obtain this information again, but it would not be easy, and the wild elves wanted to try to force him into stealing the food not kill him. This just made Elliot hate these wild elves even more.

"I still want to know who wants Diana.", Odinium meekly said.

"Yeah, me too." Malgus pipped up.

DM NOTE: Okay, so I was being lazy this weekend. Diana pointed out that she did ask to speak to Elliot privately before revealing who was after her. I had to edit this part in.

"Someone who held me prisoner.", Diana told them and then asked, "Odinium may we use your tent? I would like to speak to Elliot privately?", and Odinium nodded in agreement. Elliot followed Diana into the tent which was now cleared of almost all of Airen's belongings. All that remained was the mannequin supporting the outfit he was nearly done making for Odinium. It was an outlandish piece which would garner awe at any fashion event. The fabric was dyed a shade of blue from a local berry not found anywhere else and it bore the crest of Odinium's house etched in actual strands of silver and gold.

"I just don't care. Diana you can stay here. I just do not care. I have a score to settle with someone and then I am headed to Fort Flame.", Elliot foretold his journey but as he said it he remembered the letter he had for a bounty on Diana was magically altered to provide a reasonable excuse for him to go where he needed. When he showed it to the Flaming Fist it said he was a member of the Flaming Fist out to capture a criminal. He wouldn't be able to board the ship in Fort Flame without Diana. He would have to try to sneak on-board now.

"Who?" asked Diana.

"Who what?" Elliot replied.

"Who do you have a score to settle with?", Diana pressed.

"Djorn", Elliot said flatly.

"You don't like Djorn?", Diana asked.

"No. He blackmailed me.", Elliot narrowed his eyes. "Tell you what, how about we make an agreement?", he tempted.

"What sort of agreement?", Diana was open to hear Elliot out.

"Let me take care of Djorn and I will hunt down the person who sent me to kill you?", Elliot put his hand out to strike the deal.

Diana didn't grab it instead she asked, "You do know who it is right?"

Shifting place Elliot admitted, "Not exactly, well I know where to look but those damned savages. That is what they did. They stole it from my mind. Once I am back in Baulder's Gate I'll be able to track down who it was."

"My husband Lycan Sol.", Diana told him and the memories he had left of the person started to flood back only just not what he actually looked like. This Elliot kept to himself.

"Then he is as good as dead.", Elliot amended the deal as his hang hung in the air.

Diana took his hand in agreement and asked, "So what are you going to do with Djorn then?", and at just that moment Djorn left his tent to hear his name from the tent next to his.

"Surprised you're back here.", Djorn greeted Elliot and entered the tent.

"You con-artist! You'll be paying me back on that life insurance policy.", Elliot steamed.

Cooly Djorn replied with a matter-of-fact tone, "No I won't. The policy is voided if you engage in criminal behavior. You're here illegally and you tried to kidnap Diana."

"Which you helped him with.", Krysia from just beyond the tent entrance, apparently everyone was listening, said having secretly witnessed their dialog through her Unseen Servant.

"If you remember I told you he swindled me and the best way I could think of to deal with him was to send him off to die in the forest. He is much stronger than me.", Djorn provided as an excuse, and it was true he did rat out Elliot, but Djorn was also suspicious in his own ways.

"Thaddius!", called Krysia and he came running over from the supplies to the tent.

"Yes?", Thaddis said upon arriving.

"Gather everyone we need to speak." Kyrsia said and by this time most the supplies were inside so everyone agreed because it was a good time for a break. Once inside the cabin Krysia began to explain how Djorn was guilty, "Djorn made an agreement to assist in kidnapping Diana.", Krysia boldly said.

But then Elliot spoke, "Yes, he did and swindled me.", incriminating himself, but Krysia did not care she was out for both him and Djorn.

Diana having come to a back-room agreement while in the tent with Elliot defended Elliot, "But Elliot isn't going to kidnap me."

"And then I am not going to help him will I?", Djorn jested and continued, "This man Elliot did try to make a deal with me that is true and I told him to go get lost in the forest."

"You told me to scout it!", Elliot roared.

"Exactly, get lost in the forest. The man could kill me. I am not an adventurer what did you expect? I used my brain.", Djorn defended his actions.

Everyone started to murmur and Odinium who was sitting between his friends Makkas and Airen all agreed Djorn was guilty while Boris, Malakos, Ophelia and Thaddius did not. Soft spoken fighting turned to loud discussion. 

"Enough!" Boris yelled through the nasal of his dulcet, "This is not justice. This is a mob and no one has even discussed Elliot's hand in this. We cannot run a colony like this lynching just anyone.", Being Djorns friend Boris called this discussion a farse and so the colony began to formed it's first court.

DM NOTE: This is when Dungeons & Dragons transformed into Court Rooms & Judges as the session became an episode of Legal Eagle. We had to split the trial up so next session we will continue but in this session rules for how the court will work were formed.

"We'll need a judge. I think I should be the judge unless anyone else knows how the law operates?", Boris said leading the operation and no one except Thaddius raised their hand.

"Urh, well, yur. I do. I mean not in the way you'd think but I do.", Thaddius said with his dead turned down and his gaze avoiding Ophelia's.

Odinium just couldn't resist the urge to tear into Thaddius in an attempt to gain Ophelia's heart and chided him, "Oh and just how is that Thaddius? Were you a judge?"

Thaddius met Odiniums eye and admitted, "Well, no, not quite that. Lets just say I had my dealings and leave it at that."

"You're a criminal aren't you Thaddius.", Odinium sent a dagger of words flying at Thaddius who turned to Ophelia and met her eyes.

"Nothing major though. Just done some vandalism, public intoxication, lude behavior, and...", Thaddius muttered and looked towards the ground then back at Ophelia, "I participated in a mutiny. This colony was my chance out of prison. I am sorry I didn't tell you."

"See the man is a criminal! He cannot be a judge.", Odinium said.

Ophelia's heart swelled and she ran to Thaddius, "My man, you over threw a captain?! How bold, brave and daring.", and she kissed him leaving Odinium ignored as everyone smiled and Boris began to usher Thaddius towards the front of the room by the fireplace.

"But he is a criminal.", Odinium continued.

"The contract stated that I paid my debt to society when I took to settlin' here and I know the most of the how the goins on of this should be. It appears to be decided Odinium, but I would be pleased if ye'd act as the bailiff?", Thaddius said taking to the role of judge immediately and Odinium agreed as Boris escorted him so that he stood beside a long table. There was an empty area before the fireplace where Thaddius was presiding as a judge from atop a throne of supply crates. Opposite the empty area and judge's throne was the long table which was divided into two sides both facing the judge. Boris who represented Djorn and by extension Elliot sat on the judge's left-hand side while Krysia who had taken up the role of prosecution sat on their right. Odinium stood next to the row of crates and other makeshift chairs along the left side of the empty area or the judge's immediate left so that everyone else in the colony who were now the jury were just in front of the table but out of the way. It took some doing but once settled things began.

"What we have is two people who planned a kidnapping. One we know was collecting a legal bounty.", Krysia was halted by Boris.

"OBJECTION!", Boris yelled obviously way more excited about being an attorney than they hand any right to. "You honor we don't know if that bounty was legal."

"In Baulder's Gate or Neverwinter bounty hunting is approved.", Krysia explained.

Boris shook his head, "True, but is not a colony of Neverwinter or Baulder's Gate."

""Chaim Cohen read a proclamation establishing it as Lord Heydan B. Seegil's before we were let off the boats and then before he left, he turned it over to Lady Sidra Forestwind who was vassalized by Lord Heydan B. Seegil."", Krysia rebutled.

Boris shook his head again, "And he is a Tethyrian noble. The company and we come from Neverwinter and the plot was purchased from Baulder's Gate but he is from Tethyr."

"Actually, we landed north of that plot. Shouldn't we be independent", Odinium interjected.

Boris nodded, "I was just about to say, we are allowed to make our own rules. Chaim Cohen said our Lord Heydan B. Seegil wanted to see how we'd run ourselves. So we are independent or mostly independent but not because we landed north of the plot purchased from Baulder's Gate but because our Lord willed it as such when we landed.", but before he finished Boris added, "Us not being on a plot of land purchased from Baulder's Gate only means we claimed previously unclaimed territory for our Lord.", and Odinium eyed Boris. He understood but he didn't like Boris asserting himself and wanted to re-establish his noble house here who cares about some foreign noble.

"Sustained, we have not discussed whether bounty hunting be legal or not Krysia.", Thaddius ruled.

Frustrated Krysia continued, "As I was saying Elliot came to capture Diana for a bounty and in the process made a deal with Djorn who conned him."

"OBJECTION!", Boris again yelled, "Slander, Djorn has not been found guilty of being a con-artist. She cannot say he conned anyone."

"Besides he conned me. I'm the one who got fake gold.", Djorn said.

"Oh, whatever!" Malgus chided from the jury box. Malgus was not allowed to sleep in Djorns tent and was now sick with a cold because of it. He would not miss Djorn should he hang.

"He did.", Djorn said.

"Order! Order!", Thaddius yelled before adding once it was quite, "Overruled. Boris we're here to determine if Djorn be a con-artist as well as other factors. I'll allow it."

And Krysia continued on confidently, "As I was saying he conned Elliot who was going to kidnap Diana. Elliot paid Djorn an amount of money in agreement for his aid and Djorn accepted it."

"We should be seeing about that payment come to mind. Djorn would you consent to a search?", Thaddious asked the witness and Djorn nodded.

"Bailiff go about fetching Djorns things so we can see about them.", Thaddius ordered and Odinium left. In Djorns tent he found nothing of much interest. The iron bound and locked journal Djorn kept was missing but his large iron chest with a hefty lock on it was still there and this is what Djorn brought back to the court room. The journal was in Elliot's pocket, he had stolen it in the commotion as everyone went to the cabin to discuss this all. With a thud the chest was dropped in the empty area and Djorn was escorted by Odinium to this space. Djorn pulled out a key, said something to it then kissed the key and unlocked the chest.

The room filled with a gasp and then silence as everyone stared down into the chest. Inside were several stacks of platinum bars. Enough to start a major bank if the colony chose to. Only wasn't the company which owned colony itself a bank? Some serious questions began to arise as Thaddius spoke, "We be needin time to think about this. No one knew ye had this Djorn and this court was formed so fast. Everyone I adjourn this court until next week. Prepare you defenses and prosecution." and Thaddius allowed Djorn to lock up the chest.

DM NOTE: I posted this all-last night but made some edits and decided to type up what part of the legal proceedings were done. There were several insight checks and persuasion etc. It was fun but Malgus the entire time was just like can we do the dungeon so I like to imagine that he is in the back just angry about jury duty.

Session Thirteen

DM Notes: Below is what occurred over our Role-play channel in the Discord between sessions. Two people were out last session, so we didn't play last week.

Throughout the week, well waiting for the trial to take place the following weekend, Odinium orders the colonists to start chopping down and clearing a new section for a bunkhouse. Depending on how well the colonist does this task, he will also alot any extra lumber received from clearing and separate them for future use in building the docks. During one of the day's working with the Colonists, he'd attempt to find a time where he and Thaddeus were alone to strike up a conversation, "Thaddeus, how have things been?"

Thaddius shifts from side to side as he takes a long glance at @Odinium Odyes then responds, "I am be alright, just tryin' ta survive. What can I do for ya?"

Odinium looks into Thaddius's eyes, " In the old land, you were a criminal... What do you wish to make for yourself in these new lands.."

Thaddius appears somewhat annoyed at being called a criminal but replies, "I was absolved of my prior actions and I don't reckon I know exactly Odinium, but Ophelia and I plan to start a family here."

"I sense your annoyance, I ask you this because I want to get the measure of you. We are strangers that wondered into each others lives and are surviving in a new world. You, despite your past, have contributed much to the colony. I ask you this because I'm wondering if you want to do more."

"What are you really after Odinium?", Thaddius skeptically shot back.

"I'm after a corp of volunteers that will act as the guardians of the colony and the evil of these lands. I am looking for fellow witchers"

Thaddius narrows his eyes at @Odinium Odyes but in a jest as they shake their head and chuckle, "If ya haven't noticed. The weather is a changing. I think ya better wait on that plan until after we're a real settlement." He then pats Odinium on the back and goes back to shaving logs down into planks for another structure.

DM NOTE: Below is where the session began.

It still felt early although it was almost mid-day when everyone packed into the one cabin the colony had built. There was a mist coming down which would turn into a medium rain as the day pressed on. There was no wind, but it was cold. Fall had come and winter was on its way.

"Here! Here! Court is in session!", Thaddius roared as he banged a rock on the table next to him as a makeshift gavel. "Last session we reviewed the claims as well as Djorns belongings to discover he had a sizable fortune hidden in his tent all along."

"Which proves I was not trying to swindle Lancaster. I just wanted to get rid of him and thought sending him into the forest to die was the best way to handle it.", Djorn defended himself.

"You are a liar and a con-artist sir!", boomed Elliot Lancaster in rebuttal.

"Order! Order!", Thaddius interrupted their squabble. "Krysia has the floor."

Krysia looked over the table at the others then to the chest of platinum bars. Each one was worth seventy-seven platinum and just one could make most rich for a least a little while. None of this concerned Krysia. She was concerned about the colony, and this was dumb. Everyone thought it was dumb. They are going to die out here if they don't build and find a stable food source, but the colony had lost moral, and the colonist were starting to lose faith in the adventurers who joined them. Krysia saw their lack of trust and now wondered how she should handle it. "Actually, your honor may we take a break?", she asked, and Thaddius agreed to a fifteen-minute break.

While the colonist all remained in-doors the adventures went outside into the rain and started to discuss what they were going to do. "So, we're not going into the dungeon?", Malgus asked, and everyone sort of just ignored the question. He had asked every day for the past week but every day there was something more pressing and every day the colonist grew more and more apart from the adventurers which was eating at Krysia.

"We have to do something if we don't then we'll lose the colony.", Krysia explained.

"I just think we should get Lancaster out of here.", Diana said as Lancaster prodded along the side of the building away from the group and door.

"They already don't trust us and now you want to just up and leave?" Krysia asked as she followed Diana and Malgus away from the cabin towards the tents. "Even if they were okay with that, we'd never make it after. Winter is coming and we are clearly not ready."

Diana just looked at Krysia as Odinium followed them all. "I don't think you understand. I need to get Lancaster to Fort Flame.", Diana said without explaining why. Everyone knew why but no one had said it and she had not told anyone that she made and agreement to kill her husband with Lancaster.

"We'll die if we do. We don't have the supplies and we don't have anything built to survive the winter as it is. The colonist don't trust us and then you're just going to leave them to die? Diana we cannot do this to th...", Pleaded Krysia until she was cut off by the loud crack of a gun shot and shattered glass. Elliot Lancaster had enough of all of this and instead of talking with the others he had silently crept along the front of the building until he reached a window. Then he brazenly aimed his musket at Djorn through it before firing it. The bullet went straight through the glass and pieced Djorn through the neck. Boris who was sitting next to him inside hunched over Djorn as he went down and immediately started to try and stop the bleeding. Thaddius threw his rock gavel through the broken window at Lancaster who had run off yelling something about not messing with a Lancaster only to miss. He then sped out through the door drawing his pistol from his belt in pursuit of Lancaster.

The rest of the adventurers heard the attack and were divided by it. As Makkas and Malakos flew through the backdoor of the cabin to try and cut off Lancaster Krysia ran up, jumped over the trench they'd dug for a wall near the cabin and took a shot at Lancaster. The arrow drove into his shoulder, and he grunted as he dipped around the corner of the cabin to stop suddenly roughly fifteen feet from Malakos and Makkas then turn and start running the other way towards the south. Malus flew forward behind Krysia and then high up into the air trying to determine who to attack and Odinium who was stunned momentarily with confusion ran south after Diana who had bolted towards the south as soon as Lancaster shot Djorn. She made some gesture about following her, but in the heat of the moment she wasn't sure Lancaster had seen it.

Now coming back around the cabin Lancaster had missed the signal from Diana instead he was distracted by the shot Thaddius took at him with his pistol. The bullet missed but Thaddius was already reloading. Not giving him any chance Lancaster ran up and pummeled Thaddius in the skill to knock him out then turned only to be confronted by the Tiefling siblings again. Another arrow from Kyrisa was sent towards Lancaster and it struck him in the leg just as he pulled out a pistol to shoot Makkas in the knee followed by another pistol which he used to shoot her brother Malakos in the knee before turning to flee towards the south. Meanwhile from up high Malgus attempted to make it appear like he was trying to kill Lancaster but it was obvious to at least a couple that he intentionally killed Thaddius by sending a blast of Eldrich power into his body on the ground. If there was any chance of recovery for Thaddius it no longer existed and Lancaster used the distraction to bowl over Makkas and Malakos and away. "I wasn't going to kill him.", Elliot Lancaster said under his breath as he made his get away.

Diana was far ahead of Odinium and everyone else. Odinium decided she wasn't the threat and doubled back to try and put down Lancaster. Running at full speed he made it by Krysia who immediately rushed to Makkas and started to provide aid by wrapping her leg as Lancaster rolled and stood up from falling through the teiflings before jumping over Krysia and through the broken window into the house. Inside was something no one thought they'd ever seen. Boris the meek bugbear had finally shown his true instincts and the rage at losing the only friend he had here took over. He grabbed one of the chairs and jump up on the table he was sitting at before the judge when everything had happened. The chair left his hand and shattered against the wall as Lancaster opened the chest of platinum which had once belonged to the now dead Djorn, took as many platinum bars as he could grasp in one go and then turned to flee again. Boris was not going to allow that. Instead, he jumped down from the table to grab another chair and this time tried to beat Lancaster with it. However, Ophelia who had fled to the back room of the cabin with Airen decided she wasn't going to be the victim and tossed a random book Boris had brought into the cabin at Lancaster. The book struck him square on the forehead which gave him just enough pause for Boris to smash the chair across him. This force sent Lancaster sprawling into the wall under the window which he jumped though as quick as a cat only to be followed by Boris and Ophelia who ran towards the front door.

Krysia had gotten Makkas bandaged up and she jumped up functioning on the heat of the moment without even feeling the gunshot wound. She made for Lancaster with tears in her eyes and blood pouring out of her leg only to fall short as he ran past. Krysia grabbed Makkas and told her to look after her brother then notched another arrow and shot it at Lancaster as she ran forward after him. The force of this arrow forced Lancaster forward fifteen feet and he kept on running. By this time Boris had made it outside and rushed past Odinium who was still a bit confused about everything but now understood Lancaster was a threat. A blast of Eldrich forces his Lancaster from Odinium as Malgus just watched without any real desire to go into this battle. He just didn't like Thaddius and honestly, he just wanted to see what them was below in what he called the dungeon.

Ophelia having ran through the door only saw Thaddius for a moment before she picked up speed after Lancaster. Something came over her like no one had ever seen and she seemed to move with more speed than anyone else as she tossed up mud behind her in the rain. "Hurry!", Diana screamed at Lancaster seeing the look in Ophelia's eyes and with a huff and a puff he made it to her just as another arrow from Krysia and blast of Odinium took the rest of the wind from his lungs. Something about Odiniums Eldrich blast made it impossible to move and the blood in his body seemed to stiffen. Without a moment to lose Diana grabbed and dragged Lancaster down the embankment into the river and started to swim across with him.

Not long after the rest in pursuit caught up and Ophelia dived into the river after Lancaster as Krysia shot him one last time to put him down. Odinium having seen Ophelia jump into the water went after her. The current in the rain was dangerous as she was struggled to stay above the water but as soon as he was in the water, he understood it was a mistake. The current was now taking him along with her. As the two floated down Diana pulled Lancaster nearly dead body back into the forest on the opposite side of the river and before long the two were lost in the wilderness. She would care for him later and they would have to make for Fort Flame after. There was no option now. She made her choice.

The rest had returned to camp realizing there was no point in giving chase after Krysia and Malgus hoisted them to shore using a rope they'd thrown out after them. The dynamic had changed, and everyone knew it. Diana was gone. More than half the colony was not dead, and winter was coming. Odinium and Krysia dug new graves as Boris went to inspect the chest in the cabin. The last thing Djorn had done before he died as give Boris a note with a key in it. The note entitled Boris to everything Djorn had, and the key unlocked his journal, which Elliot Lancaster had, and the chest.

Ophelia on the other hand curled up in the bed she and Thaddius made together and cried.

"No more criminals with us I guess.", Malgus absently said to no one in particular as he walked into the cabin.

Ophelia glared at him through the water in her eyes. "You know what Thaddius did? You know what his mutiny was about? He took a job on a ship and when they collected the cargo, he realized it was a slave ship. So, he and the others took it over and freed the slaves."

"Yeah, but wasn't slavery legal where he signed on to the ship from? Wouldn't that still make him a criminal", Malgus analyzed.

Ophelia hunched back over in the bed she and Thaddius shoved into the corner of this shared cabin and sobbed into her pillow.

Session Zero - Party #2

DM Note: The campaign sort of ended due to problems scheduling with the first party. Instead of playing online this time we are meeting weekly in person to play over dinner somewhere in Manhattan and currently it looks like there are three of us, but I have a LFP post if anyone else wants to drop in.

Chaim Cohen had been back in port for nearly no time before he set towards preparing things to leave again. Fall was beginning to look like winter as Captain Estone let the crew out for shore leave as the pair eagerly awaited the delivery of the goods they ordered for the colony. The entire voyage back there had been no word from New Hym and so when the Second Wind made port in Neverwinter Chaim assumed what they would need and placed the orders. He now dearly hoped everything was alright as he sent a message to his Lord in Hym requesting a dispatch of soldiers to handle any possible threat they may face returning to the colony. Nonetheless this still had to happen and so after the message was sent by secure carrier, he sent the papers establishing Lady Sidra's new status as a noble to the Crown in Zarasspur praying as they all had it would still be approved as the Queen had promised. The two of them deserved each other in a way that would make others break the rules for them. Then he opened the doors to the tiny little office along the docks of Neverwinter to the Second Chance Shipping Co.

The first adventurer to arrive came within the first couple days after Chaim approved Lord Neverember's parolees to the colony. A short halfling wizard from Silverymoon found her way to Neverwinter and eagerly waited for the Second Wind to return so that she could sign up. Apparently, she knew Boris Buckley from the Vault of Sages and prattled on about why she was there obviously quite angry at the situation. Boris was never well liked and often thought of as nothing more than a social obligation now that the social experiment a few of the Sages decided to use him for was completed. The thought that someone within the Vault would even want to do what they did disturbed her. He might be a bugbear, but he is still a person she thought, and she was worried about him. Boris had no ability with magic and although he is a bugbear he was never trained in combat. The rumor that he attacked the Sages who refused to let him get ahead were just pure racism and not at all how Boris was, right? All she knew is that he was given basically a suicide mission and now those in charge of the Vault were laughing about it. Boris had mentioned something about this company, and he left her a book about something he was looking for. She wasn't quite sure yet, but Boris had found something in the Vault while organizing the volumes and ever since he had become completely obsessed. Whatever it was she would find both him and it through Chaim and after a long boat ride to the True World.

The soldiers would arrive a month later after several other colonists had signed aboard the Second Wind headed for New Hym. Not many could be spared as the Ogres who occupied Muraan to the west of Hym along the Tethyrian and Amnish boarder typically conducted raids in the winter if they did poorly during the summer, but five soldiers were sent to Neverwinter to help Chaim sort out what was going on. Each had been trained personally by the now Lady Sidra a couple years back and survived more than one onslaught of Ogres outside Hym but only recently were they trained and outfitted with muskets and pistols as well as sabers. This would be their first clash with these new weapons should it come to that and each one hoped it wouldn't. Chaim for the time being paid for them to hold up at a nearby inn as the supplies for the journey back slowly filtered in.

The next adventurer to sign up was a human, or at least a creature known as a changeling attempting to be human, seeking a way to get out of town and lay low for a while. Lord Seegil had many more connections than Lord Neverember and leveraged the country bumpkin stereotype of nobles of his statue to his advantage to hide such a fact. Chaim being his right hand was privy to those connections after the man agreed to the contract he looked into his file. The man had been in Neverwinter for several months. He broke into the house of one of the aristocrats from high society, tied him up and assumed his identity. The redeeming quality was that while he impersonated this man, he utilized his network to create a charity which ultimately helped many of the needy in Neverwinter. Too bad it was a money pit and now his funds as well as those who invested were all broke. Chaim would have stepped in to free the aristocrat but as it happens the man had once attempted to cheat Lord Seegil and although he had never been convicted it the man was well known for brutally taking advantage of children. No one felt bad that he had ended up behind bars due to another's crime.

Just before the Second wind was to leave port again Chaim received the new sending stone from Arithesuss a Mystic Theurge who befriended Lord Seegil. Chaim didn't much care for Arithesuss finding the High Elf obsessive, but he believed the man was more than useful and Ao had a plan for him. This time the sending stone was a medium sized statue just big and heavy enough to ensure it would not be lost of Lord Seegil and Lady Sidra commemorating the establishment of New Hym. With this everything was ready and now Chaim would be traveling back to New Hym with Joseph. It was important that he keep his presence in the Colony as well as Neverwinter. Lord Seegil was busy attempting to keep the royalty in Zarasspur happy long enough for Lady Sidra to fully be recognized as a noble so the two could marry and Lady Sidra was deep somewhere unknown in the Wealdath trying to do the same among her people who could be even more xenophobic than the lesser likely nobles of the Tethyrian court.

Chaim was about to close for the night and make ready to leave in the morning when a final adventurer signed on-board along with a couple others. The three worked together on a boat prior. The Triton seemed alright to Chaim but he felt like the man made a bad choice of friends. A shifter who was part wereseal was definitely either drunk or on something as well as overly pleasing. A stablemaster like him could serve useful in New Hym as the export of livestock from the True World could prove lucrative. That is if this man could sober up is what passed through his mind when the Triton introduced him. This was obviously the Triton's plan Chaim thought as he pulled out another contract for the third member of this trio a shifter who was part wereshark. This man Chaim knew was bad news, but it is 'Second Chance' Shipping Co, and we have actual paroled prisoners on-board. Surely this man cannot be worse is how Chaim made himself feel better about this person, but something was definitely off about him. Once finished with them he informed them the boat would leave tomorrow and they seemed to be extremely relieved by this for some reason, but Chaim chose not to press the matter. Ignorance really could be bliss and everyone deserves a second chance, right?

When morning came the Colonist all filtered into the office at the Port Authority where their belongings were reviewed by customs and they then waited until Lord Neverember had time to wish them well. One of the things Lord Seegil insisted upon was that he be there to send the Colonist off along with Lord Neverember who wasn't pleased by this condition but agreed. As with the prior group of Colonist Lord Seegil merely showed up and then spoke to Chaim privately which Lord Neverember gave an extremely short speech. Adric the Changeling Rogue kept the human appearance Chaim knew him as from when he signed up and so couldn't help but think up ways to steal from Lord Seegil after seeing his shining livery collar knowing he could change again but the chances of him being able to were extremely slim and he would then have to fabricate another identity. Instead, he caught Chaim as they were boarding holding him back as Lord Seegil pressed forward towards the ship to speak to Captain Estone privately. The two bartered there on the docks and Chaim agreed upgrade him to a better hammock near one of the stoves and a window giving him respite from the murky underbelly of the ship as well as warmth during the winter voyage to the colony.

Session One - Party #2

DM Note: Adric the rogue from session zero was sick but we picked up two new players who had help before the session rolling up their characters. I gave them a brief recap of the opening, but I didn't do the one-on-one character rolling, so it is assumed Raziel signed up at some point. Harley on the other hand has her own story.

Not but a few days out to sea and the calm of the ocean and flowing winds was broken by an announcement on deck. A stow away had been located by one of the sailors and the regiment of soldiers were called to apprehend the individual. A female in rather fine-looking clothing, albeit slightly dirtied and smudged from the condition of her passage was forced across the deck in front of everyone aboard and brought before Captain Joseph Estone and Chaim Cohen who addressed her with great suspect.

"Please, you don't understand I am supposed to be here I have a letter of passage!", she cried in her defense but the soldiers ignored her as the held her by the shoulders.

"A letter? Well, let me see it!", Joseph mockingly exclaimed and the woman quickly produced it. Taking a look at it the document appeared to Joseph accurate enough but he still had an odd feeling about it since he had never seen her before so he passed it to Chaim Cohen who eyed it in kind.

Distracting them, "I am here on research for my university.", the stowaway provided as an excuse and Torry the Wizard from the Vault of Sages grew curious drawing closer.

"Hrm, you say you're here on research?", Chaim asked with a tone that would lead many to believe he believed her but the way he eyed the document made it appear as if he did not. "Well, hrm... Captain might I have a moment?", Chaim added and the two moved out of earshot to discuss things while looking out over the open ocean.

"Yes, I believe she came from as an adjunct researcher to the Vault, didn't you...?" Torry said walking over to the woman.

Chaim chortled out, "Makes perfect sense. Well then come by my quarters later today and we'll find the paperwork you signed at the office.", and then left to return to his business elsewhere.

"You!", Joseph pointed to one of the sailors and added, "Show her to one of the hammocks in the stowage.", and just like Chaim he returned to his prior business. Slowly the crowd on the deck dispersed and over the next week everything was calm without any excitement other than the temperature dropping slightly. By the middle of the second week at sea everyone had become mostly accustomed to the boredom spending their time drinking when able or gambling away what little they had. Just before weeks end there was a bell call from on deck and a cry from the crow's nest. A ship had been spotted and as the Second Wind steered closer it became apparent the ship had run aground on some rogue reef in this section of water. Not wanting to risk his own ship Joseph called for the party who adopted the stowaway: Torry the Halfing wizard, Harley the stowaway, Papapesto the Triton Warlock, and Raziel the Half-elf Ranger; Adric the rogue was sick from the sea and unable to join. "If ye be wanting to make your keep as the adventurers hired to protect the colony then I'd be willing to give ye twenty gold pieces to take one of those dinghys out to rescue the poor souls aboard that ship yonder.", to which the party agreed.

It took about five minutes for everyone to get in the small boat and away from the second wind. Harley elected to row and was quite capable of it but the waves were strong making the voyage to the wreckage take an additional five minutes. Once beside the wreck the party climbed aboard to address the crew and their captain, "We can ferry you across, hurry.", Torry said as Papapesto started to look around for anything of value.

"Why don't you take them back and I'll remain here to see if we can help recovery their supplies. There won't be enough room for all of us in that boat anyway.", Papapesto remarked as the boat started to fill out.

"I'll stay with him. Go, we should be safe.", Raziel added and stepped back onto the sinking boat and their captain nodded in agreement with the plan. Harley rowed the dinghy away and back to the Second Wind as Raziel and Papapesto clamored below deck. The water was rushing in much faster than they first thought and it caused them to panic missing most of what was there but the crates and one large chest looked worth while. The two nodded and decided to take it without a word between them hoisting it up between them due to it's size and onto the deck. It was not heavy but just bulky and due to this they had some trouble with it. Once it was safe on deck Papapesto took another look below deck but it was readily apparent that this ship was sinking fast. Raziel looked over to the Second Wind as he saw Papapesto go back to the chest and said, "They are almost done loading them up now. I think we'll be okay."

Nodding in agreement Papapesto said, "It is coming up fast but you're probably right.", he was mostly unconcerned being a Triton and also distracted by how to open the chest. He did not have the key but the wood of the chest felt loose and weak. With a crash he stomped his leg into the top of the chest breaking through it and quickly rummaged out what was inside. A staff of some sort was too hard to hide but the sack of gold and five vials of liquid were easy enough.

"You'll split those with us right?", Raziel said as Papapesto started to hide everything he just found but Papapesto did not reply.

Instead, the water started to come up on deck distracting them both from their conversation and they both waded through the water to the main mast. Not far off in the distance the dinghy was already headed back as the undertow from the ship sinking made staying above water near impossible for the two they left behind. Then much to the dismay of both Raziel and Papapesto a swarm of jellyfish began to emerge from the water around the ship and float towards the two. Worried now having some knowledge of the paralyzing sting from the fish Raziel stabbed at one slaughtering it in one swipe and then swam away towards the dinghy using all his strength. Papapesto used his spear to flay another one and the flicked it off the end into the air. A few of the jellyfish circled closer but their tendrils were mostly thwarted by the current of the ocean as Harley rowed harder and harder. More jellyfish started to arrive on the surface and worried Torry cast a spell sending a skeletal spectral hand through the water at one of the jellyfish just next to Raziel. The cold grasp of her arcane hand splattered the jellyfish in it's grip leaving a frost plum hanging in mid-air. The dinghy pulled closer as Raziel climbed in with the help of Harley and Torry and Papapesto killed another jellyfish only to this time keep it to eat later. "Their good on toast.", Papapesto told the party as he climbed into the small boat and not long later they too were safe aboard the Second Wind.

There was a brief announcement by Captain Estone to the ship that those they saved would be joining everyone for the full journey before returning with them back to Neverwinter. Once finished the captain rewarded the party of adventurers with fifty gold pieces and a spot at the captain's table in the officers dinning lodge that night. The crew of the sunken vessel was escorted to the lower decks but their captain remained behind seeing the staff on Papapesto's back, "So, I take it your recovered some goods?"

"Yeah, just this staff. I figured it was a fitting reward for saving you.", Papapesto cooly replied.

Nodding in reply, "Of course the staff yours it is a trinket, but nothing else was recovered?", to which Papapesto again just shook his head. Once out of earshot Raziel pressed Papapesto to split the remained of the spoils stolen from the hold of the now sunken ship.

Just past night fall dinner was served in the captain's dinning lodge. Chaim was there along with Captain Joseph Estone, the First Mate, and the captain of the sunken vessel. Conversation during dinner was light and yielded no real information about anyone at the table. The food however was decadent and heavy by comparison to what the adventurers had been eating in the lower-class arrangements. The food heated their insides and the chill of the slowly dropping temperature marking the change in seasons seemed to affect them less afterwards. Once dinner was done the captain delighted the group with brandy as they smoked their pipes and began to speak more intimately.

"Tell us of yourself Captain Estone? How did you become captain of this ship?", Harley asked as she drew brandy from her glass.

Smiling Joseph replied, "Ah, well ye see I had just returned from navigating my way out of the Nine Hells and this man Chaim approached me saying something about how I be the best navigator on the waters. He gave me this ship new and a crew and I agreed to it."

"The Nine Hells?!", Harley exclaimed along with many others in the room.

Again, nodding Joseph replied, "Aye. I was a hired crew on a ship for some adventurers and one of them 'accidentally' opened a portal which swallowed the ship. The rest of the crew died but I managed to survive somehow and made it out without trading my soul unlike the adventurers who hired me.", Joseph grimaced and added, "I vowed to never sail for adventurers again and this is a company ship not an adventuring ship."

In shock Torry asked, "Is that true Chaim?"

"Yes, well yes, it is. Captain Estone is very good at his job. He had never been a captain before but we had heard of him and wanted the best navigator for making the voyage.", Chaim stated proudly.

"And you what is your story?" Torry asked the other captain changing the topic.

"We were exploring. Not much out this way and all of us knew each other from way back. It was meant to be a bonding experience.", the other captain said.

"Some bonding experience this be.", Joseph jested.

Chuckling the other captain agreed, "Isn't it though?"

"So, you just took a boat out into the middle of the sea?", Raziel asked.

Again, agreeing the other captain said, "Yes, just seeing what is out here. If you'll excuse me, it is late, and I'd like to speak to my crew before bed. Thank you all so much again. We were doomed." and left. The party gathered together finished their drinks and made their way out also talking about the strangeness of the other ship on the way down below deck.

"I don't trust that other captain.", Harley said.

"Me too. Like who has a random bird calling staff? What purpose would it serve this far out to sea?", Torry added.

Shrugging Raziel said, "It is strange."

They continued to discuss the strangeness of the circumstance for a little while longer before going to bed. In the morning, they were all awakened by Captain Joseph Estone coming down below to make an announcement, "There has been a robbery. Anyone who comes forward with information will be rewarded. Return the items now and there will be no questions asked. This is your one chance." and just as suddenly as he had entered did, he leave.

"I bet it was those we rescued.", Harley said incriminating them over breakfast below deck.

Swaying naturally with the ship as he took his seat Papapesto and Raziel said, "We should investigate. Maybe one of the sailors will know more?"

All of the agreed and eagerly finished their breakfast then headed to the upper deck seeking out Captain Estone but were stopped by his First Mate. "Oy, no one is allowed to go seeing the cap'in now right? He be busy see."

"We just wanted to ask about the robbery and get some information.", Torry explained.

Feeling useful the First Mate gave them the details, 'Ah right then. Well, it was one of them ladies from the single cabins Laurel Peterson. She had her mirror and a necklace nicked." and the First Mate pointed to the stairs leading below, "She was still eating breakfast last I saw her. I'll let the Cap'in know ya came by." 

With that the party headed back below deck to the mid-deck where those who had more finances had cabins. It was nicer and the humidity was more bearable. Unlike the breakfast of oats, honey, and tack those in these arrangements were fed waffles, fruits, and actual coffee. The party found Laurel eating her late breakfast and sat down across from her to ask some questions.

"Excuse us Laurel?", Harley asked seating herself first after seeing Laurel nod in recognition. "We heard you were robbed and wanted to get the details so we can find what was taken. Do you have a moment?"

Setting down her fork and finishing her bite of waffle Laurel answered, "Of course. They weren't important items and not really worth much. It is the premise that bothers me, and I had felt so safe. You know I never even locked my cabin."

"Might want to start doing that.", Papapesto chided and Torry slapped him on the chest as a sign to knock it off.

"Is there anything important that you do have aboard that we should be aware of?", Torry inquired.

Laurel nodded after taking a sip of coffee and said, "Just my smithing tools, but they are down in the stowage with the other colonial supplies. Without those I won't be able to smith things for the colony."

The party agreed they knew were to check next but wanted to do a little more digging so Torry asked, "Can we see your room? We'd like to check for clues."

"Of course, like I said I leave it unlocked.", Laurel said pointing down the hall of the deck towards her cabin door. "What about you boys? Care to join me for a game of cards while your friends go and search?"

Raziel and Papapesto agreed giving Harley and Torry the time to search away from them. As soon as the mention of cards was made another colonist Rory Misletoe immediately asked to join, "May I join Laurel? I'd love another chance to beat you at cards."

"Sure, but we've never played cards. How did you know my name Mr.?", Laurel asked as the man sat with them. Harley and Torry were already in the room at this point and Laurel immediately began dealing the table as Raziel and Papapesto listened to the two with interest.

"My friends call me Rory." Rory beamed at Laurel with smitten eyes, "Call me Rory."

"You know Laurel Rory?", Raziel asked.

Narrowing his eyes at Raziel Rory spat back, "Call me Mr. Mistletoe please." and accepted his hand from Laurel.

"I swear we have never met sir, but you're welcome to play cards with us none the less.", Laurel said as she eyed her hand. The game played out in Raziel's favor as Rory continued to insist that he and Laurel knew each other but Laurel clearly did not know him. Back in the cabin Harley and Torry had noticed a few strange things. Nothing else was taken besides the small items. Her coins on her nightstand were left alone and it appeared as if the window had been opened from the outside. It would be possible for someone small enough to creep through it but very difficult. Outside of this there were no other clues, so they returned to the table to see Papapesto now the winner of a hand. Ending the card game the group left Laurel and Rory to their discussion and headed down to the stowage to check on Laurel's smithing supplies.

Torry asked one of the sailors to see the lower stowage, but they explained that part of the ship was sealed until the make land fall showing them how the other crates and supplies were tied down and sitting atop the door to the lower stowage. Spotting the sailors they rescued, the party crossed the lower deck to talk to them. "Any chance you know anything about the robbery?", Torrey asked only to receive a headshake as an answer.

"I thought there was one more of you?", Harley asked.

"George? Haven't seen him all morning.", one of the two sailors said.

Frustrated Papapesto exasperated, "Any idea where they could be?"

Shaking his head, "Nope. I am not the man's keeper. Only just met him at port."

"Only just met him I thought you all knew each other from childhood?" Torry asked remembering their captain's story from last night.

The other sailor answered this time shaking his head, "Nope. We met at a bar in port. He just needed some deck hands, so we signed up."

"Thanks." Torry said and led the party away to discuss what they just found out. After a brief discourse they all agreed to speak with the captain of the other ship and were able to find him just after lunch time.

'Hi there captain!" Raziel opened as the party cornered him on the deck. "We were hoping to ask you some questions?"

"Sure, what can I answer?", the captain of the sunken vessel answered.

"We just wanted to know if you knew anything of the robbery?" Raziel inquired.

The captain looked as baffled as he could and said, "As I told Captain Estone and Chaim all this morning, I know nothing about it. You all were with me last night and they woke me up this morning."

"What about Gregory. Have you seen him?", Harley asked.

"Cannot say I have.", the captain shot back.

"Oh, I thought you two were close?", Harley quipped back nonchalantly.

"No, not at all. I only just met him in port and hired him as a deck hand.", he responded.

Torry cut in saying, "That is not what you told up last night."

"I have no memory of that. We were drinking though. Now if you all will excuse me.", he said and hurried off deck to his cabin.

For the rest of the day the party planned a way to investigate this captain further. Harley made a disguise to match the crew of the other ship and Torry studied their appearance in order to copy them exactly for her Disguise Self spell. After their dinner they put their plan into action. Both Riziel and Papapesto split up to cover either stairwell agreeing to make bird calls should the sailors start to head up towards the mid-deck where their captain was at. During the course of their preparations, they had learned the staff they recovered was a Staff of Birdcalls which could mimic the call of most birds. Papapesto chose to annoy Torry immediately after learning the nature of the staff by making several bird calls, but it was clear he understood the plan.

The door to the sunken vessel's captain's cabin opened with a creak and instantly Harley and Torry knew their disguise had worked as he invited them in as soon as Harley asked, "Have you seen Gregory?"

"No, come in.", the captain said and ushered them into his cabin closing the door behind them. "Listen if anyone asks about it play dumb about the robbery. I had nothing to do with it but it is better to keep our heads down."

"Oh yeah?", Harley said with a smirk knowing the disguise was good.

"Quit smirking. That Chaim is trouble. He may know we had nothing to do with the robbery, but he is a clever one. If we aren't careful, he'll figure out our plan.", the captain explained.

"Do we have to worry? What did Chaim learn about the plan?", Torry tried to probe for more information.

"Nothing. He'll learn nothing to. I showed him the papers and they believed it but he is smart enough to put it together if we're not careful." the captain was trying to appear calm but was clearly upset as he sat on his bed and packed a bowl to smoke. "Just keep your mouths shut. We got to let them drop these idiots off to die in the wilderness and then he'll take us to Neverwinter. From there the plan is the same. We can still make it to Luskan we'll just go by land instead."

"Right." Harley said slowly, "Luskan."

"Just keep your heads down and mouths shut until the job is done.", the captain said as he finished packing the bowl to his pipe and lit it.

"Will do captain." Torry said and pulled on Harley's sleeve indicating her spell was almost about to wear off.

"Aye. Aye." Harley saluted and the two backed out of the room as the captain puffed out a cloud of smoke.

Almost as soon as the door shut Torry's spell ran out and Harley quickly discarded her disguise before they met back with Raziel and Papapesto to review what they had learned. That night no one slept as their minds raced trying to unfold this mystery.

Session Two - Party #2

DM NOTE: Everyone was here this session and it has been about a week since we played but it was all around a really good session.

The weather had turned from a slightly warm fall into a moderately cool beginning to winter made colder by a constant light rain and ocean mist. The cabins were all outfitted with warmers but the lowest deck where the majority of passengers were beginning to grow dank and cold except for around the communal warmer in the center of the hold. The Second Wind continued to make it's way towards New Hym without any incident until about two months and a week into their journey when a second robbery had been reported. This time the colonist who had been robbed were one of the passengers on the lower decks and the theft was for them would be ruinous.

"Anyone who reports anything about the person who is responsible for this theft will be highly rewarded. Chaim has agreed to it. That is all.", Captain Joseph Estone sneered out across the lower deck just after gathering everyone who resided in that passage during breakfast. The party already trying to track down whomever it was doing all of this were in heated discussion as they ate their moderate portions of oats and honey formed into a hard tack along with coffee as soon as the Captain left. There was something suspicious about the other mariners who they rescued but it sounded like they had an entirely different heist to pull off. Once sated the party agreed to speak to the couple who were robbed, Garret and Surfet Trusken. Garret was not at all composed crying out loud in his hammock with his portion of tack and coffee sitting untouched on the plate by atop their trunk. His wife Surfet was almost the opposite. She wore her grief with enough modesty to answer the parties questions.

"What happened? What did they take?", Torry asked Surfet.

"We were robbed of my brewer's tools and all out gold. We didn't have much left but enough to make our new life." she told Torry only pausing as Garret cried out and then sobbed into his hammock. "We were going to start an inn. My husband is a chef and I am a brewer. Without my tools we won't be able to do that until the next ship after we arrive, and we don't have enough money for new tools even if we could wait it out!"

"Those blood thirsty thieves are no better than vampires! LEECHES UPON SOCIETY! LEEEECHESSSS!", Garret cried out and yelled before his wife shot him an eye and he returned to sobbing.

"Hrm, and so you both had experience with running a restaurant? That will be nice to have in the colony.", Harley interjected and asked.

Garret excitedly nodded cutting off his wife and butting back into the conversation, "We did in Neverwinter, but it was looted in the riot after the economy collapsed. "

"Cursed Forge Fitzwilliam and the Thay!", seethed Surfet.

Garret started shaking his head, "I heard it was the Harpers.. they were the ones who rained the gold down on the city causing the inflation."

Surfet eyed her husband again and he notably grimaced as she told him, "Stop it! You know we had a trial and Forge was found guilty. Stop it with your conspiracy theories about the Harpers."

Garret sat back down in his hammock and mumbling, "The Harpers are the cabal that runs the world and you know it..... I read about it..."

"Ignore my husband. We did have a place but it was destroyed. We decided to take everything and try out luck in the True World.", Surfet exasperated, "Plus, it'll give the boys a vacation spot!"

"The boys?", Papapesto asked.

Nodding, "Yes, my old regular patrons. After the place was destroyed, they found another tavern but if they come over then they'll have a place.", Surfet responded.

"My wife organized them into a troupe to defend the place. We were outnumbered five to one but we fought them back.", Garret piped out as he grabbed his now cold coffee and took a sip. The face he made was something indescribable but he continued to drink it nonetheless.

"You did?!", exclaimed Adric who had recovered from his initial bout of sea sickness.

Again, Surfet nodded, "I did but the place was still wrecked and Garret had heard about this colony."

"I felt violated. We lived in the tavern and some of those who tried to loot us were also customers in the neighborhood.", Garret explained.

Having felt like they had gathered all the information they could at this moment the party thanked the couple and went to speak to the Captain again. Heading up through the middle deck they were stopped by a short blonde hill dwarf with green eyes who introduced herself as Astronixi, "There is a thumping against the ship over there.", and she pointed back to where Laural's room was. The party found Laural at the table playing cards as she typically did after breakfast and she told them her door was unlocked so they could just go in. Headed back down the hall to her cabin Raziel and Adric joked about her lack of security after being robbed already catching Adric up on the situation. Once inside Laural's cabin they looked about and spotted something they missed before. There was a rope outside the ship trailing down into the water.

Heading toward the upper deck Astronixi nagged them about the thief, "A robberies and now these noises? Don't trust that couple they are faking it only Laural was robbed."

Papapesto took the bait, "Wait, what?"

"Yes, I used to go to their tavern. Garret is a show off and needs to be at the center of everything. Surfet just enables them and they brew isn't even the best.", Astronixi said.

Torrey had stopped to listen as well and asked, "Why were you at their tavern are you one of the people who attacked it?"

Shaking her head Astronixi replied, "No! I was testing their ale. I am also a brewer."

This raised suspicion from Torrey who pressed, "Two brewers? Why did you decide to be a colonist?"

Cooly and confidently Astronixi explained, "I come from the Mithiril Hall and we dwarves know a thing or two about brewing. I was good and could have a place there, but with all the other dwarven micro-breweries.", she paused briefly then added, "I was never going to stand out. I thought maybe I might tour the human cities and pick up inspiration, but their brews were worse than elven wine!", she chuckled. "I bet I can find some really rare ingredients in the True World and then sell what I brew as export to my suppliers back home."

The excuse seemed reasonable enough and Raziel responded by grabbing Papapesto and Torrey's attention, "We were going to check out that noise. Come on!", before he darted up the stairs to the top deck. On deck the party was greeted by a mist making the deck slightly slippery as they walked over towards the edge to spy down along the hull into the water. There was in fact a rope tied to Laural's window banging against her cabin hull. The group began to talk about how they would retrieve the rope only to be apprehended by Papapesto jumping into the water. While the rest were trying to figure out a plan, he had quickly tied a line to the deck railing and then dived in. The pace of the ship rapidly started to pull the rope he held tight, but he quickly caught up to what the ship was towing. There was in the water a decayed corpse ravaged by the salt water and a slight trial of blood. Papapesto untied the cadaver and started to swim back towards the Second Wind with the rope in one hand and the body in the other a small stream on blood behind him.

Suddenly he saw it. A big shark was swimming up from the depths below in a feeding frenzy. He knew he had no chance alone. Maybe with others, but alone. Never! Struggling now with the rope and the body Papapesto swam harder and harder, but it was no use the shark unhindered caught up to him in the water and took a bite out of his calf. Blood poured into the water as Papapesto yelped out a bubble and lost grip of the rope. With fish like reflexes he reached out and grabbed back onto the rope but the cold sweat the situation induced did not leave him. It was all quiet up on deck as the rope Papapesto was holding on to began to jerk against the railing as Papapesto tugged and tugged swimming alongside the ship with the body with all his strength and not wounded. Then suddenly someone noticed the rope and everyone in the party grabbed on to it hoisting Papapesto out of the water. Just behind him came the shark who cleared a good five feet of air as it raced after a meal.

"You...", out of breath Papapesto sputtered, "Couldn't pull me up sooner?", and rolled over the corpse rolling onto the deck along with blood from his leg wound. Thankfully Chaim was trained in first aid. It was not but a few minutes until the wound was patched and the party took a break for lunch. After lunch the examined the body. It was the body of Gregory, the missing sailor from the other ship.

"Well, there goes that lead.", Harley jested.

"Yeah, no kidding right?", Raziel joined in and they all had a chuckle except for Torrey who was turning the situation over in her mind.

"So, if Gregory is dead. Then he couldn't have done it. It takes time for the sea to do this much decomposition.", Torrey pondered out loud and Papapesto nodded in agreement briefly before something caught his eye. Outside the small room they had laid the body out on a table in to examine it Moyst Makkar was pacing obviously nervous about something. Papapesto knew him from a prior ship and excused himself without a sound to talk to him.

"I, uh, I need to tell you something.", Moyst said in a hushed tone before Papapesto could say anything. Papapesto responded with a curious look and Moyst continued, "Look, you know me. Sometimes I get heated.", the shifter-part-wereshark started to explain, "That guy and me got into it. He said something and I....".

Papapesto nodded, "Like at the bar?" and without saying anything Moyst nodded in agreement. The two had been deckhands together on a few occasions including immediately before signing up to colonize the True World. Papapesto, Moyst, and Mariners were now all fleeing a murder Moyst had made in a fit of rage at port in Neverwinter. "Don't worry. I got it.", Papapesto said confidently and Moyst instantly relaxed.

"Thank you.", Moyst appeared truly appricative.

"You know I got your back.", Papapesto assured him and then headed back into the room where the party was still discussing the murder. "I wouldn't worry about this. Someone got in a fight, and they dueled. This man lost.", tried to convince the party to ignore the muder.

"Wouldn't worry?", Torrey and Raziel said together.

"Yeah. Don't worry about it.", Papapesto tried to explain again. "Rules of the sea."

Harley was swayed and backed him up, "Rules of the sea if they dueled then it is fair.", she knew there was more here but would wait until she could use it as leverage if she needed to.

"Okay, well, who did he duel?", Torrey was not letting it go.

"It's not important. What is important is these thefts.", Papapesto said.

Flustered Torrey pressed on, "How do we know it isn't related?"

"Because its not.", Papapesto shot back ending it as he hobbled out still healing from the shark attack.

Astronixi halted him by the door as she abruptly bumped into him, "Oh, my! I am glad I found you the thief is down there I just saw them." and she pointed toward her cabin. Something was off about her voice but it was not noticed right away. Instead, the party exited the room at full speed into Astronixi's cabin on the middle deck only to see her in her room with the door open. "Can I help you?", she said in her real voice. Adric responded first sending his dog after the person who fooled them.

"I knew their voice sounded different.", Raziel said as he voluted after Adric, his dog, and the suspect. They gave chase until the made it up to the deck. The mist made it harder for the dog to pick up the scent but after some time it found something at one of the forward deck hatches. The party opened the hatch as the mist turned into a light rain and under an anchor well was a small bed, a pillow, the stolen mirror, some brewer supplies, and gold along with a storage of food from the upper galley. With everything recovered Adric gave the pillow to his dog to try and gain the scent. Even though the rain had made things harder the dog was able to tell something was off about a nearby sailor.

Now uncovered the sailor said nothing as the real version of his copy came up on deck for his shift. The suspect winked and the ran from the party who again gave chase. He slithered over the side of the deck and then swung himself through the narrow windows of one of the middle deck cabins as the party stood at the railing looking down. "How the....", was all Harley could say.

"We need to tell Joseph.", Raziel said and everyone agreed. Once they found him Captain Joseph Estone agreed to have everyone except for two sailors and his First Mate present themselves at the same time to the party for inspection after they explained that there was a Changling on-board. The three left to operate the ship would be inspected later. And so everyone made themselves present in the lowest deck. If the thief was going anywhere, they could only go up. Two of the party members were posted at each of the stairwells leading up and Adric gave the pillow to his dog to catch a scent, but the rain and time had washed it clean.

The party had lost their lead.

Session Three - Party #2

DM Note: This is the last session the party is at sea and having run the module twice using two encounter sets from the tables I designed for the "guided adventure" part of the campaign spanning levels 1-3 are pretty solid with some room for minor tweaking depending on the party. I am looking for someone who can make maps so I can try to publish and so dear reader if you are so inclined please reach out! Finally, the party got the better of me on this one. I had so much rolled from one of my tables but then they bypassed all of it. Classic!

The cold became colder as the Second Wind rolled over the waves ever closer to the untamed shores of Anchorome. Some of the sailors now familiar with the route tossed cards and debated with the soldiers from the village of Hym in the Kingdom of Tethyr over the name of the region they were sailing to. The soldiers had never been to sea much less this far away from their homeland. Baulder's Gate named the region first as Anchorome during the first expedition, but Amn named the southern portion and most inhabited portion of the continent Maztica. Both regions were considered the same continent and most of Baulder's stories from his preliminary expedition were of the frozen north he called Anchorome and this was the name for the region on charts purchased in the Sword Coast; however, the nation of Amn in their pride produced several maps which claimed the region they were sailing to was part of Maztica with Anchorome being situated only in the far north where there is only ice and snow. The regional variety in cartography perplexed Chaim Cohen who was hoping to produce maps. What would the Tethyrian publishers call the region they were to settle?

As the galley was filled with this and other discussions around a warm drink and coal brazier the party discussed their next steps in hunting down their thief. Captain Joseph Estone had promised them the Officer's Dinning Lodge to use to interview witnesses and Chaim agreed to their plan of using his office should they need to interview to people at the same time or hold someone. The ship did have a brig, but it was makeshift, and this thief proved more and more elusive. Originally, they suspected that the culprit could not change their voice but after interviewing several people already and being ditched during a pursuit more than once over the past month they learned that whomever this is stealing everything they were getting better at it. Once full of their daily lunch they all climbed back on deck through the frosted rain and into the Officer's Dinning Lodge which they had converted into their investigation room. Harley made an effort to create a clue board with strings leading between different suspects and Papapesto had arranged the chairs so that those in the "hot seat" would naturally feel intimidated.

The weather had kept the sailors off-limits for interviewing and every time they gathered everyone else up it was all clear without the thief being present. Moreover, his hiding spot was now cold due to being uncovered during their investigation. If the weather had not sapped them then being demoralized by being outwitted had and Torrey had developed a cold. No one was feeling alright about the situation, and everyone was exhausted from being at sea for so long. Nonetheless they continued to interview people and check the ship for clues. Fido, Adric's dog, was even in on the hunt but all it ever found was food to eat leaving Adric unamused. In an attempt to make good use of his time Adric began training his dog on how to properly sniff out and track prey. It was slow goings though and more often than not Adric was left deflated but unashamed of his love for his useless dog.

It was roughly midafternoon when Raziel decided to check the lower hold. They hadn't yet because the lock always appeared locked, but having no other idea on where to look he gathered the party, and they proceeded below leaving Fido to guard the only entrance into the lower hold. Even though there was daylight outside in this section of the ship there was no light. The lower hold was indented for cargo and ballast sitting below the waterline and reinforced with timber so that the ship might still float and limp along into port if the hold was punctured. While Raziel was able to see others were not and some one of them light a lantern as Raziel pressed himself into a narrow corridor between stacks of crates in cargo netting to hold them in place. Although there was netting this was still a very dangerous place as at any moment the crates could shift position crushing them easily. Ultimately this was the cause of their earlier apprehension to clamor down into the lower hold but now that they were here this fear became real. Creeping behind Raziel the party formed single file letting the single lantern light dance between the gaps between crates and barrels.

Abruptly Raziel stopped and gasped seeing something on top of a crate. It was gray and shapeless, but still humanoid in form. It had found a cleaver little spot to hide but instantly recognized it had been discovered when Raziel spotted it. Stabbing at him with a shortsword the wound to his shoulder instantly felt infected by some form of poison and blood began to pour down along Raziel's arm. Torrey climbed on top of a stack of barrels and tried to make heads or tails of what it was they were even attacking though the darkness cut by strands of lantern light. Harley had the same plan gliding atop a crate and crawled closer as Papapesto pushed around Raziel only to be greeted by another attack from the being. This time their shortsword angled downwards into his thigh and he nearly yelped in pain as the wound seared with the pain of an infection.

Slithering down from on top of the crate it formed itself into a perfect duplicate of Raziel mimicking his gasping expression as it grabbed him and the two wrestled in place between the crates. The light from the lantern drifted into the corridor between the crates and painted the battle but only after it was too late. Both of them looked exactly the same and sounded the same. Raziel suffered from a cold sweat as the sudden realization that they had all discussed in detail choosing a safe word to identify themselves in case something like this happened, but they never actually chose a word. Instead, Harley was so worried about someone eavesdropping that they spent the whole day soundproofing the Officer's Dinning Lodge. He pushed the creature off of him and stopped attacking.

"I won't attack! I am not the thief. I am not a threat.", Raziel said.

In the same exact voice came, "The thief would say that!"

Torrey took another long look at the two and if there was any magic duplicating Raziel she could not determine it. "How about neither attack and we can sort it out properly?", Torrey said. The thief knowing he'd lose if the fight dragged on agreed along with the real Raziel and cleverly Harley added in that they should be bound just in case. They dragged both of them up to the Officer's Dinning Lodge where they waited for Captain Joseph Estone and Chaim Cohen to arrive. Once they did the short trial began.

"Tell us something only Raziel would know?", Adric asked and the two bound Raziel pondered this.

Papapesto blurted out the perfect question, "On the ship we rescued the others on. You stayed behind with me. Did we go below?"

And the creature realized it had been caught as the real Raziel answered correctly. Instead of going down easy it of course resisted and even slipped from its bounds running out onto the deck. However, the Captain had enough of this creatures' games, pulled out one of his pistols, and shot the thing in the back of the head just as it passed through the threshold of the doorway to the cabin. "Swabby! Clean that up and toss 'em overboard." Captain Estone yelled out to the deck and then he turned to the party to add, "Ya'll may have whatever ye find on their corpse and Chaim? I believe they be deserved ta be paid?", Chaim nodded in response and dropped a sack of coins on the table. The party collected their loot and sought out the ships doctor to treat their wounds. Whatever was on the sword of the Changling they found was gone now although it sure did hurt. 

The final two weeks of the voyage were easy. the weather had cleared up but it was still cold and gray and winter had come. Most of the passengers were used to the conditions of the voyage but as soon as the announcement that they had reached land fall was called out they all jumped for joy and eagerly awaited the time it took to come into port. Chaim was cautious and ordered that only the party and the soldiers their had brought from Hym should go ashore. He had not heard from the colony despite leaving them a sending stone he explained. They all gathered up into one long boat and rowed it to shore through the fridged waters then slogged up the beach and across the snowfall along the coast to a small cabin where the colonist had been left previously. Chaim was shocked as they came closer. He couldn't understand why nothing was built except for this one shoddy cabin of poor craftsmanship and hung back with one of the soldiers as the rest moved up.

Papapesto opened the door to the cabin to a cloud of smoke erupting as a bullet ricocheted off the doorframe into the sky beyond. Everyone cleared the doorway as Chaim approached with the soldier in a manner which kept him away from any line of fire. "Hello? He-hello there? I am Chaim Cohen appointed by Lord Seegil to handle the colonization of Lady Forestwind's land. We intend you no harm but will defend ourselves.", Chaim shouted through the door from around its edge.

"Chaim?! Chaim?!" Shouted the person inside and the tone was one of relief coaxing the party to let down their guard and enter. The cabin was small but large enough to bed three people or at least at one time it had. Currently there was only one very terrified overweight Tiefling cowering in the corner behind a desk. Their blue skin was dirty, and they looked more like a skeleton than a living person. Chaim got some tack from one of the soldiers and offered it to Malakos who sat themselves at the small table in the room and ate the tack greedily nearly cracking their teeth on it as the munched it down without even soaking it to soften first. "The Royalty. They did this.", Malakos said through a plumb of cracker dust.

"Royalty?", Chaim was very curious at hearing this. Amn was run by merchants. It could be Calimshan, but no the likely answer is the Sword Coast. Baulder's Gate has a Ballif now and no Royalty.

Nodding Malakos continued, "Yes, Royalty they came from Faerun. Their Knights ate all of our food."

"And you all starved to death?" Papapesto concluded out-loud.

"No.", Malakos shook their head, "Not all of us. First was Philip Odinium's brother. He blew himself and the two dwarves up."

Chaim frowned, "Alexander was their cook and specialized in survival foods. He was one of the dwarves."

"We didn't know what to eat after him so we started eating what we came over with and that is when we noticed a lot of our food was missing.", Malakos continued.

"The Knights?", Torrey interjected.

Malakos nodded and continued, "We found they built a kingdom here faster than we could build our colony and the party tried to stop them but...", Malakos let their voice linger as they tried to push past a hard memory. "Lancaster came." Chaim wore an expression of 'who the?' as they listened to Malakos continue. "Lancaster was hired to capture Diana. We didn't know that and thought you sent him Chaim. We let them stay and eat our food. Then he shot Djorn and Thaddius.", at the mention of Thaddius Malakos began to cry out loud.

Whispering to the party Chaim explained, "Diana and Djorn both were colonist as was Thaddius, but he was one of those who came over on the prison release program. I am surprised they cared about him."

"We all did! Thaddius was the only person who actually cared and after he died.", Malakos stood up and looked out the window at the graves in the snow. " Ophelia just stopped. She died of depression. Odinium had a crush on her and he along with Malgus we to fight the Royalty along with Boris. Boris didn't want to go but they made him. Boris said he was afraid of the dark, but they gave him a torch and forced him to go. Then my sister and Krysia went hunting to try to get us more food once we ran out but they never returned."

"How did you survive?", Adric asked.

Without looking back Malakos blankly responded, "The wood chuck.", and everyone just shrugged not knowing what a wood chuck even is.

Chaim got one of the soldiers to grab one of the blankets from the beds and take Malakos back to the Second Wind figuring they had had enough for the day.  Once that was settled, he explained they would remain here through tomorrow but since everything felt secure the captain and he agreed to begin offloading the supplies. He then left the party in the cabin and proceeded out towards the beach where the sailors had already set up his desk in the snow-covered sands along with a fur across the back of his chair and a large coal brazier from the ship to keep the nearby area warm while he worked. Slowly the other colonist and supplies made their way over in the long boats from the ship including a very large statue of Lord Heydan B. Seegil and Lady Sidra Forestwind commemorating the founding of New Hym.

DM NOTE: We had two sessions for this write up but one was completely shopping almost. I give the party an allotment of gold for colonial supplies. In this case it was 1,000 gold pieces and they have access to any common item or common enchanted items, animals too but no NPC retainers. This will be all they have in the area for the next six months until the Second Wind returns and so this time around the party actually really took to planning so I think they have a good chance at survival.

The desolation of winter did not set in until just after the Second Wind left. The colony supplies had been unloaded from the ship and into the only structure the colony was able to build over the past six months. Thankfully one of the new party to take over command of the colony purchased a lock and they appointed a rotating shift from the other colonist to protect their storage from would be food thieves. They weren't taking Malakos's warning lightly. The rest they appointed to foraging what they could, fishing, and logging after setting up winterized tents around the small shack now full of supplies a little distance from the shore. There would be two people per tent with one tent for one person, but the party knowing they only had enough rations to feed everyone for three months of food; six if they stretched out their supplies, took three tents for Astronixi and themselves.

Standing on a small hill just beyond the tents the party discussed which direction they could go with Malakos who decided they would stay with the colony but would not go hunting with them. Instead Astronix was chosen as she was a trained cartographer who once traveled with Lord Nevember a fact she was relentless about letting everyone know. First, they discussed going north but Malakos warned against it explaining that the forest to the north was impenetrable. Then Papapesto pressed to make their way west towards the mountains where Lancaster, with whom the party weas now familiar of after spending a night with Malakos, lost the colony's canoe. Papapesto was overruled when Malakos mentioned that Krysia and Diana had some luck being attacked by a giant lizard of some sort. Something as large as what was being described needed food to survive and lots of it. There must be something in the south even in the dead of winter they rationalized. With that being the decision, the party set about equipping themselves with five days of rations, tents, ropes, and equipment to butcher their prey in the field. Led by Raviel the ranger they trekked south passing inland to the west a way to find a river crossing where they felt it was sufficiently frozen and then once across, they made their way back towards the coast in order to help them navigate in this uncharted wilderness. Merely a handful of hours into the hunt Astronix fell over wheezing and puffing on the ground. "I can't go on!", the overweight Tiefling with bad skin was clearly fine but had never once in their life worked out making it clear that this hike was pushing her to her limits.

"Come on really?", Papapesto stopped and looked back at her on the ground.

Exasperated she puffed back, "Yes, you will need to carry me."

"We're not going to carry you, come on, you wanted to come!", Torrey interjected seeing Papapesto start to remove his pack to carry her.

"I cannot go on!", Astronix said and rolled onto her back.

Looking back towards the colony which was just beyond the horizon Harley said, "We could go back and drop her off?"

"It would take us the rest of the day. We should really press on. Come on Astronix.", Raziel said and walked over to help pull her to her feet with Papapesto.

"You should carry me.", Astronix wheezed, "You need my maps after all."

"Uhhhh, not that badly.", Torrey quipped, "Leave her here. She'll be bait for the lizards.", and kept walking forward. Feeling Astronix resisting being hoisted up Raziel quickly gave up and followed Torrey along with Harley who just shrugged it off and kept going as well.

"Carry me?", Astronix mewed at Papapesto making big doll eyes at him.

"Sorry." Papapesto muttered and turned to keep going. After a few moments the realization that the party was not stopping for her Astronix stood up and followed them. Her persistent wheezing was always behind the party letting them know their cartographer was still with them. They kept going until nightfall and then found a spot to make camp. It was cold and wet with a damp which hung about the frozen ground. In the summer this would all be marsh lands with thick underbrush and forest. Finding dry wood was hard to come by but Raziel was able to. They were near the shore and the cold wind whipped up from the beach making the fire necessary and an enjoyable respite from the cold. After a meal of rations they went to sleep leaving one awake for the first watch which was quiet. During the second watch two wolves hungry from the winter appeared on either side of the camp and a cry went out to alter everyone. Raziel was without their armor and acted first driving an arrow into one of the wolves sending in fleeing into the forest. Raziel gave chase disappearing into the black bands of trees in the night. Meanwhile Torrey tossed a spell at the other wolf as Papapesto ran naked through the night spear held high to thrust into the beast! Harley gave chase after Raziel and was the first to see that the wolf had tricked them. It was just about to pounce on Raziel but at just the last moment Raziel saw it stabbing it in the neck. Now wounded the wolf gave up, yelped and ran off. The yelp was just enough to distract Papapesto who received a nasty wound to their leg before it also ran off into the night. Wounded the party decided not to give chance. Instead, the finished resting through thte night, healed their wounds, and awoke for another day of hunting.

(To Be Continued)

For those who were reading I am sorry. I know I had a small following here but I got off track while writing a research paper and forgot what all happened over the past several sessions. I can give broad strokes and catch up but I started doing this to build up stamina to write an actual novel and I think I am nearly ready. We are still playing I just cannot keep up and do my other projects.

So, I am going to put together and publish via the DMs Guild the level 1-3 adventurer for the sailing portion of this campaign and then start to try and write my first book. I've gotten short stories and poems along with lyrics and research papers published before. It was never an issue with getting published but being able to either stay drunk long enough to write an entire novel (lawlz Hemingway jokes) or return to a story and continue it. Doing these sessions sort of helped me build a habit I think will work.

I'll post to this thread when I published the levels 1-3 part of adventurer for others to use. I have at least 5 small story arcs for the ship that can be used but will try to make more. My hope is DMs can use it as a means to open a campaign at level 1, teach new players how to play, and be useful in multiple adventurers by changing a few small things.