4-30-25 29th of Eleasis: Saving Hawk and her Crew

29th of Eleasis cont.

Saving Hawk and her Crew

Chapter 1: Finding Hawk’s Ship

Lucian explains that the water breathing potions that he gave each of us may or may not be needed, but he wants us to have them just in case. He reminds us that the stone bowl down there spawns the water elementals and that because of that he needs to remain on this island.

We head down to the storeroom and move the items that we had blocked entrances with so that we can access the ladder down. There is dim light coming from somewhere below us. Atalaya heads down first, followed by Nevil, Boz and then Inman. At the bottom of the ladder is water that appears to be very deep. (GM says 50 feet deep. The cavern’s ceiling is about 40 feet above the level of the water.) Atalaya sees some fins breaking the water’s surface. They seem to be shark fins. Across an inlet there are two boats tied to a short pier. Inman uses “mage hand” to untie one of them and drag it across the water to us.

Atalaya gets in and moves aside so that Nevil can enter the boat and take the oars in an attempt to help steady the boat while Boz and Inman get in. Atalaya reaches out and tries to steady the boat by holding onto the ladder. Atalaya and Nevil feel something bump against the bottom of the boat. A fine appears as well as teeth. Boz maneuvers himself so that Inman can get into the rowboat before him and then nimbly leaps into it without a problem. We row across to the pier while taking occasional bumps from the circling sharks. Reaching the pier, we tie the rowboat to it. There are now numerous sharks swimming nearby, watching us.

Walking along the shoreline we listen to the waves lapping along the beach and the echoing sounds they make within the cavern. We hear no other sounds. We found 4 chests along the shoreline. Boz checks them for traps and locks, but finds that there aren’t any. Atalaya guards Boz as he does so, keeping an eye on the closed door in the cavern wall. Opening the chests, we see that they are full of treasure: trinkets, jewelry, small statues/carvings, perfumes. In the first chest there is a black hilted dagger.

Inman: “Do you see that?” Is that the prow of a ship?”

Nevil: “Yeah.”

We see the prow of a ship jammed into a gap in the rocks. It has another rowboat tied to it. There is no mast. Atalaya asks if it is Hawk’s ship. The others agree that it looks like it. (ships name…. Sha______)

The ship looks like it was looted. There are rags of fabric around it, broken pieces of trunks, etc.

Inman catches a glimpse of green eyes and a small humanoid as it ducks to hide under the ship's rail. He turns to Nevil and says, “I think someone is watching from the ship.”

Nevil watches and then nudges Atalaya.

Nevil: “Inman saw a quick flash of green eyes.

Atalaya: “Did you recognize …?

Nevil: “I didn’t see. He said it was a quick look.

Boz: “It could be a member of Hawk’s crew.

Nevil: “Maybe.”

Inman: “Spying through the railing.”

Atalaya, after getting a description of the area to look at, scans that area and does in fact see something. She calls out, “You want to come out?”

A halfling child tentatively stands up.

Atalaya: “We are not going to hurt you. What’s your name?”

Rafe: “I’m not scared. My name is Rafe. The evil eelmen took my friends.”

We ask him where his friends were taken. He doesn’t know.

Rafe explains that his father had cargo aboard this ship and that he wanted to be an adventurer rather than a merchant and that he snuck aboard to pretend for a while. He was found by the crew and befriended by them. “They were nice to me.”

He explains that he was alone on the boat. He hid when the eelmen came on the boat and took everyone off. He tells us that they “scattered all of my Pa’s stuff.”

We hear screaming coming out of the caves.

Nevil asks Rafe if he can stay on the boat while we handle whatever that is.

Rafe tells us to beware the eelmen and that one of them is bigger than the rest. “Watch out for the big eelman. I’m not afraid of him, but you might be.

Atalaya tells him to “hide up there (on the boat) again and we’ll be back in a little bit. We head over to the door in the cave wall.

Chapter 2: Freeing Hawk’s Crew

Boz checks the door and tells us that it is not trapped. He asks if he should open it. He tells us that it is locked. He is able to quickly unlock it, getting a soft click. “It’s unlocked. I’m worried.”

Atalaya readies her bow.

Boz opens the door and steps aside. Dank moldy air wafts out of the doorway. It is an unpleasant smell of sweat, mildew and fear. Atalaya and then the rest of us can make out Hawk and some of her crew tied up in small groups in the cavern. We hear the guttural sounds of eelmen and see two of them through the open door. They appear to be playing a dice game.

Boz: reacts quickly, stepping back into the doorway and shooting an arrow at the eelman (Slam) doing 24 points of damage. He then steps back to the side of the door to allow access to the rest of the group (and hoping to remain hidden).

Nevil: Quickly strolls into the room with her mace and shield and says, “Whole big damn ocean, what are the chances?” Smiles at Slam and strikes him twice with her morningstar mace and Slam goes down.

Inman: Moves inside and positions himself on the wall. He casts a “simple” firebolt spell at Slicky and hits him for 8 points of damage.

Slicky: Runs for door (to the south of the map) and opens it and moves through it.

Atalaya: Moves into the room and shoots 2 arrows at Slicky, both hit. Slicky goes down.

Hawk: (very weakly) “You have to stop them.”

Nevil: Yeah.

Atalaya: “How many more are there?”

Hawk: “I don’t know. Six? Seven? Big one, be careful.”

Boz: Moves next to Atalaya. He holds his action until he can see someone.

Nevil: Moves to the side of the open door and peers into the next room. “There are 5 or 6. Big one at the far side of the room. Is that Butcher Boy?” Nevil casts “Bless” on Atalaya, Inman and Boz.

Flotsam: Flotsam moves to the doorway.

Inman: Moves across from Flotsam (along the north wall) and activates Blade Song and casts Meteores spell in prep for next turn.

Scum: Moves to doorway. (This is a double door wide doorway)

Atalaya: Shoots at the eelmen in the doorway. First shot is a critical fail. She falls but manages to maintain her hold on her bow and turns it into a rolling fall and immediately gets back on her feet to shoot her second and third arrows (hordebreaker arrow). These both hit. Causing 7 points of damage to one and 9 points of damage to the other creature. She then continues to move another 10 feet to be out of range of anything Inman throws at the eelmen.

Floater: Moves towards the door.

_unnamed eelman_: Runs up.

Boz: Shoots at Scum. Misses and then moves between Atalaya and Nevil.

Nevil: Holds her action until after Inman.

Flotsam: Comes through the doorway and goes after Nevil. He tries to slam into her with his longknife. He does so, causing 5 points of damage from the knife and an additional 6 points of damage from the force of the slam.

Inman: Casts shatter just behind Floatsum. This affects 4 of the eelmen.

Flotsam: Saved. 8 damage

Floater: failed. 19 damage (kills him within electric explosion range of Boz and Nevil). Boz makes his save and takes only 4 points of damage as he dodges. Nevil fails her save and takes 9 points of damage.

Scum: failed. 19 damage

Spear: failed. 19 damage

Inman then directs two of his meteors at the large creature. (Scruge). Scruge fails both saving throws, taking 9 +10 points of damage.


Nevil: (taking her held action): She grabs Flotsam and flings him around the doorway and throws him forcefully into the wall behind where she was standing and quickly ducks back behind the wall. Flotsam attempts to resist, but Nevil’s righteous anger is stronger than Flotsam’s attempt to pull free and he takes 4 more points of damage. As he hits the wall, he explodes. Slime goes everywhere. Luckily Nevil manages to avoid it and the damage of the explosion by being behind the wall. Nevil's grin, backlit by the explosion, is only half hid as she turns towards the wall. The rest of us see a blinding flash of light from the room through the doorway.

Atalaya: (gets the best move of the game) Shoots her 2 Thunder Arrows at Scruge (the large eelman). Both hit. He takes 21 points of damage from the arrows. He fails one of 2 saves and takes another 6 points of thunder damage and is pushed back 5 feet and falls prone on Butcher Boy. (Unknown at the time, Effectively stopping Butcher Boy from summoning the wave elemental.)

Spear: Leaps at Atalaya with his knife but misses.

Boz: Moves next to Atalaya, draws his sword and sneak attacks Spear. Dealing 23 points of damage he kills Spear. Spear falls onto Atalaya, getting its slime all over her before exploding. Both Atalaya and Boz make their saving throws and take just 3 points of damage.

Nevil: Heals herself as she sprints towards Butcher Boy. Boz and Atalaya hear her muttering the affirmation “all life is sacred” as she passes by and works her way around and behind Scruge.

The door behind Inman pops open. As Stanley opens the door he sees Inman and jumps on him and tries to stab him. His attack misses.

Inman: Blade dances with Stanley. Both swings of his scimitar hit causing 4 points + 6 points of damage. He throws 2 more meteors at Scourge. He takes 4+6 points of damage.

Atalaya: Shoots 2 arrows at Scuge. First hits for 18 points of damage. 2nd is a critical fail. Atalaya has a -1 to hit on her next shot.

Tidal: Smacks into Inman giving 3 points of damage with his spear plus an additional 8 points of force damage.

Boz: Shoots at Tidal. Sneak attack. Does 23 points of damage.

Nevil: Walks around Scourge to get near Butcher Boy who looks weak.

She smacks Scourge. Her first swing misses, but her second swing connects. She adds the power of Divine Smite to her blow, causing a total of 22 points of damage. Nevil can feel electricity through her arms through her weapon as she delivers the blow, taking 9 points of damage. Scourge explodes and Nevil takes 6 points of damage from the explosion. Butcher Boy would also take damage, but Nevil absorbs his damage (Paladin Aura) of 11 points.

Stanley: Attempts to stab Inman again, and misses.

Inman: Disengages from Stanley and moves away from him. He then sends his last 2 meteors at Stanley and Tidal at a point within 5 feet of both of them. (These are the last of Inman’s meteors)

1st Meteor

Stanley: fail: 6 points damage

Tidal: fail 6 points of damage

2nd Meteor

Stanley: fail: 10 points of damage

Tidal: fail: 10 points of damage

Tidal is killed.

Atalaya: Shoots at and kills Stanley. She then begins checking the area for any more eelmen. None in the alcove of the southern room. None in the storeroom from which Stanley and Tidal emerged. She does find casks of rum and chests filled with silks. Boz assists her.

Chapter 3: After the Battle

Inman begins freeing Hawk and her crew. Atalaya and Boz help once they are sure there are no more eelmen hiding.

Nevil leads Butcher Boy back to the first room.

Hawk: “Don’t do that to me again, Butcher.”

As Atalaya returns from the storeroom she asks Hawk, “The rum and silks are yours?”

Hawk says that they are.

Atalaya asks her how her boat is.

Hawk replies that it has a broken main mast, and some minor leaks, but that she thinks it can make it back to the town.

Butcher Boy tells us that they were making him summon the wave elemental. He says that you have to be able to maintain your concentration in order to control it. That if you don’t, it will turn on you.

Hawk's crew lost some brothers and sisters when the eelmen forced them to summon the wave elemental.

Hawk: “Yes, they were using my crew to summon that thing.

Nevil: I’ve never heard of creatures like these doing it.

Hawk: I don’t know. I can see why they were.

Nevil: “They were looking for something?”

Hawk: I owe you something.

After a lull in discussion, Nevil tells Hawk, "You've got one really cute stowaway.”

Hawk: “His name is Rafe Frogwater.” … The rum and silks are for his father.

Atalaya asks if the chests are from her ship. She says no, but Hawk walks over to the treasure chests on the beach and pulls out the dagger from the first chest. “This is not mine. It’s a dagger of venom.” She returns the dagger to the chest.

Nevil's brow raises and she believes Hawk is overly familiar with the dagger and chest.

Looking at her ship, the main mast is broken and missing. It is in need of repairs.

Butcher Boy asks about Lucian and whether or not he can control the water elemental. We tell him that he can.

Using the rowboats we get everyone over to the ladder and up into the lighthouse. Lucian comes down and meets Hawk and her crew and they discuss getting the ship across the straight with the help of the water elemental. They also agree to stay with Lucian to provide guards against any other attempts by the eelmen to take over the lighthouse.

Atalaya takes a handful of necklaces from the treasure chests, 3 bottles of perfume and the poison dagger.

Nevil suggests a goods trade in gold to avoid spending too much time at port.

Hawk pays us 400 gp for the rest of the chests.

We get back on our ship and head back to town. We arrive back around suppertime. After docking we escort Rafe back to his father. His father was very worried once he realized that Rafe was missing. He is very happy to have his son back. He is also happy about the news that we found Lucian, the lighthouse keeper and freed him from the evil eelmen. We also tell him that Hawk and her ship were found and that his cargo is safe and that it will be arriving with her ship in the next day or so once the ship is able to be moved from the island to the port. The father (Benji Frogwater) pays us the 200 gp finders fee that was promised. He also gives each of us (Atalaya, Nevil, Inman, and Boz a Mariener’s Coin. (When presented to a non-hostile sailor, it grants advantage on one Charisma check to influence him or her.) He tells us that if we show it at a port it will let people there know that we are “alright people” and we may get better help. It basically says that one of the brotherhood owes you a favor.

We gather Cirilli and Sorrow and head to a local tavern. It is just a basic tavern, but has a good stew cooking. The townsfolk have heard that we have freed Lucian by this point and are very appreciative. We do not have to pay for dinner. There are frequent toasts. Nevil uses the name of “Thera” for the night, not wanting to draw attention to the name “Nevil”. Inman is amused by this. He doesn’t actually use a different name, but at times jokes about being “Jorge or Bill.”

[End]

4-9-25 The 29th of Eleasis continued.

29th of Eleasis

Chapter 1:  Fight at the Lighthouse, an Infection of Eel Men.

One of the creatures can be seen through the open doorway and Nevil and Inman can see a humanoid creature with a head of an eel like creature.  It has weird smooth slick greyish skin.  

Nevil opens the door wider.  “They know we are here.”

Nevil calls out “Beasts!!!”  Atalaya and Boz turn towards the door.

Inman preps his blade and calls the meteors to fly around him.

GROVER: Can’t really see much outside.  He comes forward to look out the door.  We hear sounds from inside the tower and we hear him yelling something in a language that we don’t understand.

SLIPS:  Gets to the doorway.  He sees Nevil and moves towards Nevil.  He runs charging full tilt and has a long knife in his hand.  The knife attack hits for 4 points of damage and for an additional 9 points of damage for a hard hit.

Atalaya:  Uses two shots at SLIPS, hitting him in the back.  He falls into Nevil and explodes causing 3 points of electrical damage to Nevil.  

MORRAY:  Slams the door shut.  We can hear dragging sounds from inside the tower like they are moving furniture.  

Boz:  Goes around toward the side/back of the lighthouse looking for any other entrances.  He does not see anything within his line of sight.

Nevil and iNman:  Nevil tries to push the door open with Inman helping her.  The creatures have pushed something up against the door.  Their goal is to push the door open far enough that Inman can send two of his meteors into the room.  They manage to do just that.

1st Meteor:

7 points of damage to Slick

7 points of damage to Morray

3 points of damage to Grover

2nd Meteor:

5 points of damage to Slick

2 points of damage to Morray

5 points of damage to Slick

We can hear yelling in a weird language coming from inside the tower.

GROVER:  Runs out and slams into Nevil and tries to attack her with his long knife.  

Atalaya:  2 attacks with her longbow., both hit for 7+13 points of damage.  He (Grover?) goes down.

BLUNT:  Runs fos towards Atalaya attacking with his long knife.  Does 9 points of slashing damage + 4 points of damage.

Boz:  Runs back to ATalaya, sword out and swings at Blunt (using sneak attack) and hits for total of 13 points of damage.

SLICK:  Passes his turn, we can’t see what he was doing.

BLUDGEON:  Attacks Nevil doing 5 points of slashing damage.

Nevil:  Swings her Morningstar at Bludgeon and hits doing 12 points of damage.  The wound doesn’t look as bad as she thinks it should.  Her second attack on Bludgeon does 7 points of damage.

Inman:  Moves up to the side of the open door.  He also attacks Bludgeon.  His first scimitar attack hits and does 9 points of damage and his second attack does 5 points of damage.  Bludgeon is still standing and snarling.

Inman then sends 2 more meteors between Morray and Slick.  Both creatures fail their first save taking 4 points of damage each.  Morray also fails his second save taking 5 points of damage.  Slick makes his save and takes only 2 points of damage. 

(Morray: 4+5=9 total damage)

(Slick:    4+2=7 total damage)

Atalaya:  Not having the distance to use her longbow switches to her sword and swings at Blunt.  He falls to the ground.  Atalaya runs over Bludgeon.

Boz:  Moves to the doorway, pulling out his shortbow.  He shoots and kills Morray.  He sneaks into the tower and hides by the table. (Hiding from Slick)

SLICK:  Goes into the open door inside the room.  He seems to be retreating. 

BLUDGEON:  Is really pissed at this point.  He attacks Inman with a spear and misses X2.

Nevil:  Attempts to manhandle Bludgeon and throw him down on the rocks.  (contested strength rolls:  Nevil 18, Bludgeon 3)

Nevil throws Bludgeon in a judo move, knocks him down and on top Grover.  … critical failure… knocked prone.

SLIME:  Runs out of the (inner) door and rushes up to where Boz is hiding.

Inman:  Throws a meteor on the other side of Bludgeon.  He takes 5 points of damage.   2nd Meteor:  He blows up.  

Inman then enters the tower to slice on SLIME:  Both attacks with his scimitar miss.

SKIDS:  See another one coming out the door and runs at Inman.  He misses his attack.

Atalaya:  Moves into the tower to the back of the room.  She takes 2 shots at SLIME, killing him.  Uses Horde Breaker shot at SKIDS and does 11 points of damage.

STRIKER:  Runs out to attack Boz.  Boz dodges, but still takes 5 points of damage.

Boz:  attacks at STRIKER, but misses.  He disengages and moves back by Atalaya.

EXLAX:  Comes through the inner door, leaps over the table and slashes at Inman.  He hits Inman for 6 points of damage.

SLICK:  Comes back into the main room of the tower and attacks Atalaya.  He trips on the slime on the floor and falls down in front of Atalaya.  

LASH:  Runs out of the door into the main room.

Nevil moves up to EXLAX and wacks on him.  He takes 9 points of damage on the first hit and 12 points of damage on the second hit.  He goes down.

Inman:  Attacks SKIDS.  He takes 10 points of damage and goes down.  Inman takes 7 points of damage from the explosion when SKIDS goes down.  Nevil takes 4 points of damage from the explosion.

Atalaya: using her longsword swings and kills SLICK.  She takes 4 points of damage from the explosion.  

Atalaya moves up to STRICKER and hits him for 5 points of damage.  Atalaya moves out his range.  STRICKER fumbles his attack of oppertunity on Atalaya and falls prone and drops his weapon.

Boz:  shoots an arrow at STRICKER, doing total of 22 points of damage.

LASH:  tries to attack with his spear and misses both attacks.

Nevil: runs up, leaps onto the table and with her shield jumps to bodyslam STRIKER.  She hits him, knocking him down, but his skin is slimy and her shield slides down his body and Nevil also ends up on the floor.

Inman:  Runs back to the far side of the room.

Atalaya:  2 attacks on Lash.  Both hit.  1st does 13 points of damage and the second does 9 points of damage.

STRIKER:  Gets up, grabs his weapon and goes after Nevil.  He atatcks with his spear, but misses Nevil.

Boz:  Moves up to STRIKER, using his sword he hits STRIKER doing 18 points of damage.

LASH:  Attacks Atalaya.  He charges and makes 2 attacks with his spear.  Both miss.

Nevil: stands up.  SWings her MOrningstar but fumbles in the slimy floor and falls to the ground and hits her head and is knocked unconscious for 2 rounds.

Inman:  Stops laughing and casts a Firebolt at STRIKER, who goes up in flames.   He then explodes and does 7 points of damage.  

Atalaya:  She one shots LASH.  He explodes but no one is near him.  Atalaya runs over to Nevil.  She checks her for pulse/breathing and calls to her.  Finally Nevil revives.

Inman:  uses prestidigitation to clean up Nevil.

Boz:  “This is disgusting.  Nevil, are you alright?”  Nevil and Boz talk.

Boz:  Inman, please clear that room.  (the room all the creatures came out of)  Boz then places his ear to the other door that remained closed throughout the fight.

Inman:  Looks like a barricks.  No one is here.

Nevil:  Tells Inman to search the room.

Atalaya: searches the creatures that were killed.  She finds:

8 long daggers

20 GP

Coral and shell trinkets worth about 24 gold

3 spears

Boz is fully healed

Atalaya partially healed (8 points)

Boz has heard nothing at the closed door.  It is locked.  He doesn’t think that it is trapped.  He uses his thieves tools and pops open the lock.

Nothing comes out of the room and we don’t hear anything.  It appears to be a storeroom.  There is moldy food and _____________.  Boz investigates and finds a grate in the floor after he pushes some of the debris away.  

We hear sea sounds coming through the down shaft.  Atalaya looks and sees a ladder in the wall.  There are echoing and water sounds coming from the hole.  Far below we hear water lapping.  Boz pulls the crate back over the grate.

Meeting Lucien

We take the stairs up to the next level.  Marching order:  Atalaya, Boz, Nevil Inman.  

The stairs are of creaky metal construction.  There is a metal door at the top of the stairs.  It is closed.  Atalaya allows Boz to move up to the door to check it out.  

Boz investigates the door.  He finds no traps; it is a normal door.  He doesn’t hear anything beyond the door. 

He slips his lockpick into the keyhole and suddenly he is calling out, “Hot!  Hot!” as the lockpick clatters on the floor.  

Checking the door it is radiating a lot of heat.  Boz has a burned his fingers.

We hear someone from inside the room yelling, “Who the hell is out there!!”

Nevil:  Someone who speaks Common.  Someone who was sent to find you.”

Nevil responds to the voice’s question by saying, “The light went out and people are worried about you.”

The door opens and we start talking to a disheveled & gaunt old man.  He introduces himself and Lucien.

Lucien:  That is an elemental.  (Was asked about the wave that Hawk’s ship encountered)

Lucien:  Did I hurt you with the heat metal spell?  It’s how I kept them away.

Lucien:  I’ve been living off Good Berries.

Lucien:  (The creatures) have discovered…. Waves conjured to acquire boats… 

Lucien:  My family watches.

Lucien:  Something in the basement conjures elementals and takes boats.

Lucien:  Whoever conjures the elemental has control of it as long as they keep control of the spell.)

Lucien:  The tower is very old, my family has been here for a very long time.

Lucien:  Can’t leave

Lucien:  If I have access to the bowl I can control (the water elemental)

Lucien:  I wasn’t expecting eel folk.  They came from the deeps.  Whey?  I don’t know.

Nevil:  How long?

Lucien:  I’ve been up here for about a month.

Nevil:  Performs Divine Sense to check out Lucien.  Her take on him is that he is a good guy.

Lucien:  My family used the bowl to help ships.  We use it for good.  These creatures didn’t use it for good. 

_________:  Wave thing came up yesterday and stole a boat.

Lucien:  Not good at all.  I saw them take a boat and take it to the back of the island.

Lucien:  …. Goes down to the tunnels.

Lucien offers to heal anyone still in need of healing.  Atalaya takes him up on that.  

Lucien passes out potions of water breathing to everyone.  

We ask if Lucien would like us to take him to the village so that he can get more supplies. 

Lucien:  I have transport for supply…. With the tower secure I can fly.  … I’m a coastal druid.

Game Ends