==== Summary 174: The Last Laugh (2017-09-05) ====
[[Giraine]] [[summaries-2017|Summaries]]
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Hey,

You returned to Gothalos on the aeropod. Fortunately, its Xiola Umbar healing magics helped all of you recover from the Fiend's venom. Unfortunately, Ahappi's healing came at the cost of Uz priestesses/spirits(??) in his unconscious healing-visions altering his Magasta gift so that he was now not immune to fear IF he was in darkness. Maugis continued to pray to just be home, or anywhere holy. He tried to help Ahappi (once recovered) figure out what his crystal-bedecked necklace did but only could ascertain that something blocked his magic. Miguel found that his crystal was a self-recharging "Triolini's Tear" dead crystal; blood of a forgotten mermen god. Syrr Kogag privately conferred with Fraud Shaven and bestowed upon him a lead troll-scroll with Seshnegi script on it, that Fraud later translated to indicate that it was the formula for an "Unmask Chaos" sorcery spell that he could learn (4 wks; it acts as 'teacher'); but he must keep it private as a secret Black Arkati spell.

You were deposited back on the Shadow's deck with a terse, unemotional trollish farewell from Syrr Kogag. He explained that he was off to Jruztela to seek the Uz witch-mystics' help in divining what that magic device you got from the ogres did; he now has it. He'd meet you back at Aria's Well by year's end. And you were now free to go home-with Ahappi again Captain of the Shadow! Ahappi learned from Amur, casually, that there was a Ludoch merman in the hold; a warrior named Milnim Sharkblood, who'd loyally served Bar'ran for many years. Ahappi visited the Ludoch, who had a tiny room with a saltwater tub all to himself. He seemed content there but remembered Ahappi after some tales were told of his monster-killing exploits and the ship's history. He wouldn't pledge his life to Ahappi, but he'd watch and see how the new Captain measured up to the old.

Ahappi and you had unfinished business. Kogag had seen a monster lurking in the "Harbinger's Harbour" depths, and that was all you needed to know. You were well enough to go confront it and so you did. You eventually retraced your way to the harbour, and Amur & crew held the Shadow still while you magicked up and dove into the black waters.

Miguel and Maugis stayed behind; Maugis was vomiting in the hold, whereas Miguel used his Mark spell to good effect in support-from-a-safe-distance (and well he did!). Miguel had seen numerous javelin-wielding Myrmidon timinints scrambling around the interior of the fort, and they did not seem friendly (ungrateful wretches!) so you kept your distance.

Entering the waters, things quickly went awry (and Luck points with them!). The booming laughter that issued from the bottom of the harbour evoked fits of madness. Ahappi floated in a daze, haunted by visions of those Uz matriarchs. Fraud turned back to the surface and spent a couple of rounds there pleading to get back on board the Shadow; terrified. So it was left to poor Boamund to sink like a stone into the magically dark depths, where even his Night-Sight and Glow spell could not show what awaited there.

It grabbed him in a great beak around his torso, giving him a wound that Miguel was able to heal. It soon grabbed his spear, too, in a tentacle-thing; but he had a spare. Boamund bravely held his own against whatever this dread, chuckling monstrosity was, for several rounds until Fraud and Ahappi came to their senses. Then, together they distracted and wore it down until it fell still. You swam up (or dragged Boamund up) and hoisted the huge beast up, too, in time. It was an ugly thing: like a naked turtle with a grinning parody of a bird's beaked head, and stubby clawed legs; armour-plated muddy brown skin and a freakish tail that was more like a suckered octopus tentacle.

Milnim eviscerated it and presented Ahappi with a prize: in its belly was a crystal on the end of a twisted bronze rod. With experimentation and Maugis's oversight, you learned that the "wand" could accept 2MP to produce a crystal, which then, if held in one's bare palm, would burst to a 2D image of its holder (captured at the time of donating MPs) and anything around/behind them (like a hologramic "selfie" projected into the air) would be shown again; for some uncertain duration. Maugis found it fascinating and not at all blasphemous so he kept it, at Ahappi's invitation. Of course, Ahappi entertained the notion that it could be used to capture images of his monster kills-but it must have other potential, too!

You sailed northwards around Gothalos and toward Seshnela/Giraine. Following a circuitous route, the Shadow was about to hit the open ocean when, from the island's edge, a longship came sailing at great speed toward you, propelled by icy winds that caught you in a frigid squall. It was not the Icewind itself (from Gothalos; Captain Frel's ship you'd visited) but its snarling wolf-prow left no question whom it was-a Wolf Pirate raiding crew. They beat their shields in eager anticipation of the battle to come, and magics blazed from your and their ships.

You were slightly outnumbered and both ships sought to ram. But Ahappi's clever skills turned the ship at the right moment, and Fraud evoked the Foestopper fan to create winds that turned away winds from the pirate ship that tried to quickly pivot it into a broadside ramming position. The tusked prow of the Shadow crunched loudly into the hull of the longship, staving it in below the waterline. Arrows (including flaming ones from Miguel) launched into the pirate ship's sails, too. Boarding would soon commence!

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