Strange friends

Part two. Strange Friends.

The characters have rescued an unconscious Katana Wildblade but still have no sign of Fowler. Jimmy the Hand will enter the building, saying he has seen a dark figure leaving and figured it was safe to come in.

Jimmy will offer to take them to a Mockers safe house close to the Tankard Inn.

The safe house is appears to be a clothes shop called `silk touch` with many simple garbs for sale. A female Kender by the name of Applecore will welcome the characters in and usher them upstairs. There are two rough looking men both armed with clubs and wearing leather armour who will help carrying Katana upstairs. Applecore will send up food and drinks, and a healing potion for each character (2D6HP).

Applecore also brings up smelling salts to revive Katana.

Upon reviving Katana is still groggy, she demands to know where she is and who the characters are.

Katana recognises Applecore and is then aware they are in a Mockers safe house.

Katana will tell her story…

Katana was approached by Fowler as he knew she had access to the sewers near the docks. He was certain some evil he called Pantathians were infiltrating the city through the sewers from a large dark ship in the harbour. Fowler said these Pantathians seek Tieflings for some dark purpose. Both Fowler and Katana know of two Tieflings in the city, Sylvaria the Alchemist and Sarloth her sister.

Katana was to get word to these two so they could take suitable precautions. Katana will ask if Applecore or the characters know where Sarloth is as Katana got word to Sylvaria but could not find her sister Sarloth.

Applecore will say that no one knows where Sarloth is, but Sylvarias Alchemist shop is currently shut and she has taken precautions to protect herself. Rumour is that she has a pair of stone Golems guarding her in her shop.

Katana does not know why these Pantathians are after Tieflings but whatever the reason It cannot be good. While she was preparing to leave her shop a group of men came out of the basement, one was a magic user. They overcame her and had her tied before the characters saved her, something she is very grateful for.

The door bell will ring and one of the bashers will come up and inform Applecore that mistress Sylvaria is downstairs. Applecore will ask the characters to come down to speak to Sylvaria, maybe she can shed some light on what is happening.

Sylvaria is a tall thin older Tiefling lady who wears spectacles. She is nervous and often looks around to see who is around. With her are two huge figures in grey cloaks. These are two stone golems.

Sylvaria is worried about Fowler and her younger sister, Sarloth. She doesn’t know where they are but is certain those on the dark looking ship in the harbour must be able to shed some light on the subject.

Sylvaria offers the characters enchanted equipment if they are willing to sneak onto the ship and search for signs of Sarloth or Fowler.

Bracers of Agility: Bracers that +3 Dexterity, +2 Initiative and -D6 fall damage

Pendant of seeing: +D6 to any Perception, Nature or Investigation roll, +2 Missile attack

Cloak of hiding: +2D6 to Stealth roll, -D6 to any missile attack against wearer,

It is up to the characters who gets what. Once they are ready the mockers can arrange for a row boat to take them out to the dark ship that night.

The boat trip goes without a hitch, the characters can make a perception roll v 12 to realise there doesn’t appear to be any guards on the ship.

To climb up onto the ship the characters make an Acrobatics roll v 8. A fail means the character slips taking 1D4 damage.

Quarter Deck has a wheel, two chests full of pins and ropes, and a sailor slumped on the floor. A Medicine roll v 10 shows he has been struck over the head but is alive. There are two ladders going down to the Main Deck.

Main Deck This has two large ballista’s each side. There are chests with Ballista bolts in them.

A Perception roll v 10 will identify two prone sailors on the Main Deck. A medicine roll v 10 will identify one has been stabbed and is dead, the other has received a blow to the head and is unconscious.

There are double doors to the Forecastle and two single doors to the Captains cabin and Conference room. There are also stairs going down to the hold.

Forecastle Deck Here there is a large Ballista, two chests of ballista bolts. There is also a chest with rags and clay bottles. A Nature roll v 10 will reveal this is lamp oil and is very flammable.

Forecastle the door to this room is closed and nothing can be heard from within. The door is not locked.

Inside there are 6 bunks all of which are empty except one, which has what appears to be a shed snake skin. The beds smell very bad. A Nature roll v 12 will identify loose scales like reptiles scales in the beds.

Captains Cabin is not locked. Inside there is a messy cabin with a single bunk. Sea charts can be found on the wall and a chest at the foot of the bed is open. Inside are 6 bags of precious stones, A sack of 200 gold coins and 24 bags of 10 silver coins. There is a book with a serpent on the front that gives off a sense of wrongness (like the one from Katanas).

The conference room door is unlocked. Inside there is a large ornate table with 8 chairs. There is a crate with wine bottles and 8 metal goblets. There are some letters on the table written in a language the characters cannot read.

The Hold there is a narrow stair down to the main hold. If the characters enter here they will hear a mighty crash of timber, a loud roar and some shouting voices. A Perception roll v 10 will reveal there might be 6 or more voices.

There is a crash of weapons. If the characters rush down they will see a man dressed in black robes attempting to fight off 4 men. He has a sword, they have cutlasses. There is also a big man with wild hair and a creatures claw instead of his left hand. He wears a long black jacket, long black boots, dark blue trousers and stripped shirt. This is Captain Claw Carver.

If the characters do not enter the hold straight away the clash of weapons stops suddenly and there is a cheer. A rough mans voice can be heard telling the crew to drag the swab upstairs so they can see what they have caught, and to search the ship for any other swabs.

The characters can hide by making a Stealth roll v 10.

If the characters join the fight there are 4 sailors attacking the man in black and a further 6 sailors to attack the characters. The man in black will be subdued after 3 rounds at which time Claw Carver will shout for the characters surrender.

Sailor – Attack +3, Damage 1D6, HP 15, AC 14.

Claw Carver will not attack, but he will shout encouragement to his men.

Claw Carver – Attack +4, Damage 1D8, HP 30, AC 16

If the fight goes badly, Claw will retreat downstairs into the lower hold then lock himself into the Brigg.

In the hold there are lots of crates containing foods, water, weapons. There are bed down areas where the sailors sleep. If the area is searched roll 1D12 up to 6 times.

1- D6 copper coins

2- D6 silver coins

3- 1 gold doubloon with a sun face on both sides

4- Silver chain (worth D6 silver)

5- A Jewelled dagger (worth D6 gold pieces)

6- A bottle of rum (half full)

7- A pouch of knuckle bones (dice)

8- A rusty cutlass (damage D6)

9- A wooden pin

10- A box of tar and brush

11- A grubby old linen shirt

12- A length of rope (2D6 yards)

There are stairs down to the lower hold. There is a door to Lower forecastle there are doors to three bunk rooms at the Quarter deck end, these are for the first mate and officers. All are empty.

Lower Hold The lower hold has a large number of barrels full of salted food for long journeys. There are secure doors to the brig at the Forecastle end and door to the Rum Store at the Fore end of the ship.

Rum store door is locked (strength roll v 12 to force open, up to two people can attempt at once). Inside there are barrels of water and rum.

Brig There is a metal door with slide open hatch. If Claw Carver fled, he will be in here and will have barred the door from his side. Claw is open to offers of money or freedom and will share what info he has for his freedom.

If the characters surrender they will be placed in the Brig with the man in black.

The man in black will regain consciousness and reveal himself as none other than Nedrick. He will say that the Snakes are the enemies of the Seekers for new gods, and he was here to thwart them rather than harm the ship or its crew. He will say to the characters, it seems we have a common enemy for a change. He will ask what the characters know of the Pantathians.

After listening to this Claw Carver will speak to the characters either from a position of strength or weakness depending on who is in the Brig. He will let the characters know the following information. Carver was paid 200 gold to transport the snakes as he calls them from a cove off the New Sea near the Dire Woods. He was to bring them to Haven then wait in the harbour for further instructions. Carver refers to himself as `an honest pirate` and expresses dislike of the snakes and whatever nefarious task they have before them.

The snakes had books that felt just wrong, most of which they took with them, though Carver admits to taking one, he cannot read it. The snakes spoke about a summoning ritual on the night of the Nuitari full moon. Whatever it was it was going to involve murder thinks Carver as the snakes had wicked knives that gave off smoke when they wielded them.

An Arcana roll v 16 will identify the next Nuitari full moon is three nights time.

While Carver and the characters are talking – whoever is in the Brig at the time – There is a crash and a scream from the hold above the brig followed by the smell of flames and sounds of fighting.

One of the sailors’ rushes in shouting `Its snakes cap`n! They`re killin and torchin everything!`

At this Carver will curse, if he is in the Brig he will demand to be freed so he can defend his ship

If the characters are in the Brig he will offer them a chance to fight a mutual enemy for their freedom.

Entering the Hold the characters will see three dead sailors, two sailors fighting against two Pantathians, another sailor trying to beat out flames and a further three Pantathians with torches setting fire to anything they can reach.

Carver will rush to the Rum Store to get buckets and water.

The characters can attack the Pantathians, these will not use magic in this conflict. Once reduced to 10HP they will disappear in a puff of smoke.

Pantathians Initiative +2, Attack +4, Damage 1D6+1D4, HP 35, AC 14

After round 2 one sailor will be struck down, the Pantathian fighting him will attack the sailor attempting to fight the fire.

After round 4 the remaining two sailors will fall and the two Pantathians will attack Claw Carver.

Fire!

Each round roll 1D10 for the fire damage. First roll is at -2, second at -1 third +1, fourth +2 etc.

For every person fighting the fire reduce the score by 1. For every Pantathian adding to the fire add +1.

1 – Fire reduces slightly, reduce next fire roll by 2

2 – Smoke billows causing visibility to be reduced, everyone’s Attack is reduced by 1, reduce next fire roll by 1

3 – Smoke billows causing visibility to be reduced, everyone’s Attack is reduced by 2

4 – The fire neither spreads nor diminishes

5 – A bucket of water strikes one of the combatants! Roll 1 D6 for the three characters and three Pantathians. Whoever gets hit is drenched and suffers -2 Attack and -2 AC next round

6 - There is an explosion! Everyone in conflict roll 1D6, on a roll of 1 that participant takes 1D4 damage from flying debris

7 – Fire roars causing potential fire injuries. Everyone in combat roll 1D6, on a roll of 1 that participant takes 1D6 damage from the fire

8 – Fire is getting dangerously out of control, boards crack and the floor tips. Everyone in combat roll 1D6, on a 1 participant falls and fights at -2 Attack and -2AC for 1D3 rounds

9 – Ship starts to take on water! Reduce next fire roll by 1, all combatants fight at -D4 Attack next round

10 – A mighty explosion and woosh of flames engulfs the Fore end of the ship. The ship lurches to port and tips to its side. Carver shouts out `Abandon Ship!` The Pantathians all disappear in a cloud of smoke.

Escape to the deck

Carver makes for the stairs as do any remaining sailors, the characters will likely follow. For each character attempting to escape roll 1D6 (on repeat roll, roll again)

1 – Character escapes to the deck as the ship lists further

2 – Character slips while climbing the stairs to the deck, take 1 damage but manages to escape to the deck

3 – Character is struck by a falling beam taking 1D4 damage and roll again with -1 to the dice roll

4 – Character is caught by flying debris taking 1D4 damage and roll again

5 – Character is caught by fire taking 1D6 damage and roll again

6 – Character is caught by fire taking 1D6 damage. Their armour is damaged reducing their AC by 1D4 until it is repaired. Roll again

Once on deck there is a rowboat in the water and Carver along with any sailors are in it, Carver will call the characters over to it and they will all make their escape back to Haven.

Carver will be heard to say `Someone`s gonna pay for this, or my name aint Claw Carver, mark my words…`

Experience points:

Staying at the safe house – 50XP

Speaking to Sylvaria – 50XP

Accepting Sylvarias quest and receiving enchanted items – 100XP

Exploring the ship – 100XP

Finding unconscious sailors – 25XP

Fighting Claw Carvers Cut Throats – 150XP

Defeating the sailors – 300XP

Surrendering to Carver – 100XP

Speaking with Nedrick – 100XP

Fighting the Pantathians – 250XP