Did our intrepid band of adventurers meet their match in solving mysteries and problems on Giraine? We shall see. They certainly had their hands full by the end of this episode… —
You hiked it from the tower toward Fort Mudlark, aiming to beat nightfall, but a storm that seemed to blow in from the dark Fosnoir strait to the north/west slowed you down. First, it beset you with a cool, dry, dusty wind that soon became thick with a cloud of bloated biting flies. They got blown onward but most of you were bitten (except Miguel hiding in a pond, Boamund in his ring of fire, and Ciddar(?) near him. Next, darkness fell as you sped yourselves with magicks. The Baronet had stumbled into a quicksand mire and was dragged out, grumbling about purple leaves or something incoherent, by Miguel.
The darkness was followed by thunder and driving rain, but Miguel guided you to a sturdy mangrove grove for shelter, where Boamund set off a Glow spell to give you light. Well he did, as that seemed to keep a group of angry Giranois ghosts at bay, who the storm had blown here seeking vengeance for past wrongs by the usual suspects (say it with me: sorcerors; in league with Yomil). You argued with them from your illuminated safety while Miguel set a fire. The serpentine Baronet fared poorly with this argument, being seen as a demon, but the Captain and friends soon brought reason to the restless spirits, delaying them long enough for the winds to blow them on (the ghosts showed interest in the Evracian monks, but the storm seemed to carry them for Fort Mudlark, and later you heard of trouble there).
You came to Mudlark bedraggled and tired, but the fort was little better off- the storm had damaged its western wall/walkway area inside, and the Baronet (perhaps more sober than usual) was in a frenzy directing efforts to repair it. However, Wendel “Wyvernsbait” had been waiting by the main gate with two armed guards, hoping to meet with Maugis on his return trip, and so the two scholar-wizards reunited. Wendel told tales of a wyvern, or maybe a hundred of them, seen near St Granno's Mountain on the end of Giraine, by passing ships. The Captain was pretty sure that his sketches were of vilgars, the obscene scavenger-pets of past ages' Vadeli, which you'd seen in that area once before. Was it a sign of more Vadeli, perhaps the Red kind? You offered to rid him of this threat (as he saw it; he thought they'd come for him) and Maugis got Wendel to awkwardly, very reluctantly agree to teach him a “Sense Sorcery” magick in return for an Intuition one, which would take them 1 whole season at some future time here in the fort.
Cyroosta soon rejoined you, but not until an unexpected “friend” showed up: the ever-jolly Ciddar, but acting happier than ever and unusually glad to see the Captain, whom he tried to make cheery small talk with to little effect. He'd taken one of the Baron's merchant ships up here from St Thosos, trying to catch up on the excitement. So your reunited band spent the night in the Baronet's villa, occasionally awakened by the pacing, mumbling Mudlark lord, who still was sure that these troubles were all the work of The Grand Swamp Conspiracy…
You planned to make haste for St Thosos, meet the Baronet's potential suitors along the way as you'd originally intended, but then take The Shadow back northeast to Pterodactyl Point to investigate these vilgar rumours. But then, en route to New Arvonesse, another event presented itself. Ciddar fell face first into sticky mud, face-to-face with a feeble zombie peasant woman, whom Maugis speedily felled with deft blows of his staff to its head. The corpse was fresh and relatively unmarked: was this a new victim of the presumed necromancer from the tower, or Yomil, or what? You presumed the former and tracked the zombie (thanks to the skills of Maugis and Boamund) for a full day back toward that place, but soon decided to turn around - the direction was meandering and uncertain, but did seem to make more sense to you to be coming from the tower rather than the feared Wizardwood (“Maggotweald” as the Giranois now called it).
You sped back toward New Arv after a night spent in a dry cave, hearing tantalizing sounds that might have been a zombie, or a big frog, or whatever. The Baronet and friends pursued them to no avail. You reached New Arv and also found it in a ruckuss, like that of Fort Mudlark but instead caused by a speedy pirate raid, not a storm. The guards recognized you but let you in without delay, distracted by the town's preparations for what was presumed to be an imminent second raid. Even the Baronet Hirapetis was around, coordinating efforts with the unseen Captain Gulos, the Church, and others.
You were free to wander the town until nightfall, and most of you settled into the Eccelsiin, a fine bathhouse/tavern where you could relax and recuperate. Ciddar hit the bar, true to form, and found some additional tidbits about the unconventional pirates, who just hit soft targets along the harbourfront, avoided melees, used unusual watery/blasting magicks, and sped off over the reefs after grabbing a few easily reachable valuables out of a warehouse, a few shacks and ships. Were the pirates just scouting for a larger raid, or looking for something, or what? No one had a clue.
But the Captain had another idea, to visit the nasty Ophidi Inn on the bad side of town, after seeking Captain Gulos's location but finding this difficult to ascertain (he'd been at the Ship of Life Church, where the Baronet Hirapetis was now, but seemed so busy no one could keep track of him or let him be bothered?). Amidst the drunks and foul sailors of that Inn, Ahappi met an odd ship's guard named Djehut, who was an Esrolian that had travelled to the West seeking something; maybe a “higher power” he spoke of (Brithini masters?); but serving various ships along the way, including some knowledge of pirate actions around Alatan/Smelch. He spoke of a magisaur pirate “king” who'd ruled Smelch some 10 years ago and how the pirates there had learned tricks from prior residents (Vadeli?!?) on that island.
This swarthy man had interesting, twisting serpent tattoos on his bare forearms and projected an air of casual confidence that put the Captain on edge- was this some hero or famed lord travelling incognito? An agent of a cult or even a demigod? Djehut spoke in measured words but showed respect for and interest in the Captain, and the two parted agreeing to speak again once their paths crossed again, which Ahappi smirked about with grim certainty…
So now many choices presented themselves: pursue the pirates, with a reluctant local populace and leaders? Investigate the wizard-tower more? (probably not yet) Or return to the Baron and then chase vilgar/wyverns around the treacherous waters of Giraine's horn? It seemed the latter was the course of action, especially once dawn came and no pirate raid had preceded it. New Arv was settling back down, warily, into its usual business, under heavy patrols. And there was still a big swamp between you and home.
Next game: Friday night! -John
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