After plundering the sunken temple, the Feathered Cockerels sail Solaar towards an unknown destiny in an entirely shipboard adventure.
The Mutineer
Morale on the crew is low; despite a successful leadership
check, some of the sailors are still unnerved by Cake’s necromantic experiments
belowdecks. Cake’s invisible imp familiar spies on the crew and learns that a
deckhand named Goram is stirring up shit. When confronted, Goram bravely speaks
up against the presence of undead aboard the ship. “It ain’t right.”
Capt. Teach gestures to the sea. “If you don’t like it, you’re
welcome to leave.”
Compelled by a Suggestion spell, Goram steps
overboard… and drowns. Mutiny canceled.
V.D.
A friendly eel points the party towards an unusual
phenomenon: an elderly human male, standing right on top of the water. Curious,
they sail closer and hail the strange man.
“How y’all doing?” the man calls. “Name’s Verithraxis Dominus. V.D. for short. I’m a brass dragon.” He asks to come aboard for a visit. Verithraxis likes to chat with folks that he meets at sea but hates it when people are rude to him.
Unnerved, the PCs invite V.D. aboard.
He’s a friendly and curious fellow who just likes to mingle
with mortals. “Y’all are so fascinating, and you just keep making more all the
time.” In exchange for a little treasure, V.D. gives the pirates a tip: a damaged
merchant ship full of cargo is limping to the nearest port not far from here.
The ship, Sivilus, encountered the dragon yesterday, and they were rude to him –
so he punched a hole in their hull. He also offers a cryptic prophecy: “The
next creature you meet is not as they seem.”
Verithaxis transforms into his true form – a resplendent
ancient brass dragon – and with a snap of his wings, lifts off into the sky.
Catching Sivilus
Smelling blood in the water, Solaar pursues the stricken merchant
ship Sivilus. The ship lists drunkenly to one side, for the dragon’s lightning
breath weapon has breached their hull.
Solaar smashes up against the crippled ship and the pirates
commence a boarding action. After a stiff fight against the ships’ officers and
a handful of formidable Imperator knights, the players take the ship.
Belowdecks, they discover 2 plunder points worth of salvageable cargo, a bunch
of cowering sailors, and one VIP passenger: the esteemed Lucius Haelstrom of
the wealthy Haelstrom trade dynasty. After transferring their loot, Capt. Teach
uses his magic anchor tattoo to punch yet another hole in the merchant ship.
The party takes Lucius (and his mute manservant Mantagar)
aboard, but leaves the sinking Sivilus in their wake. The sailors flail and
scream in the water as the ship sinks, so Teach – in an act of true infamy –
sings the doomed seamen a lullaby. Magical sleep overcomes the crew, and they
sink beneath the waves, their souls consigned to the deep.
