Misscliks: Pirate Edition: Chapter 2 Episode 7

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==Recap==
===Day 246, Part 2: Trusssst In Me...===
COMBAT. ISH. - The Naga's Friends. The group moves to engage the Naga... but a quick glare from it makes everyone except Lily feel much more accommodating. (EL: Charmed; effectively ending combat because noone wants to fight anymore)
The Naga inquires about the group's purpose. They talk about the gem, which the Naga seems very interested in seeing. He (?) advises that people can be sneaky, and not to let anyone get in the way. He introduces himself to Tyrant as Salavar (EL: #ServantsOfSaladBar)
Lily is of course concerned about her friends who all have made an immediate friend. She doesn't have anything to do however, and so just returns towards the town (Stone Gulch). Tyrant starts trying to pack Fe in mud to... warm up her freeze burns? (EL: I dunno.)
It's early afternoon when the group returns to town. Fe finds the town healer, looking for a remedy. This doctor offers to look over Fe for 1g a day. Tyrant sets to work whittling a figure of Salavar with his giant axe, rather ungainly.
Lily tries to Dispel the magic of the serpant's charm, but fails notably. She goes looking around for hints or stories about the Naga, and finds an old man willing to spin his tale. Seems the miners dug too deep and dug into the Naga's cavern about 6 months ago. Many men were lost. She introduces herself as Lilian; he introduces himself as Bill.
December decides it would be a good idea to get some general intel about what is going on around town. She starts in the most likely place - the tavern. She finds out that Ironrock Mountain is because the mountain... is... mostly... iron. Most of the iron is wholesale sold to Knutta. She asks him what the most interesting thing is that's happened to him in the mine, which turns out to be the events of the Naga cavern 6 months prior.
It seems the Naga is the fish story of the town. ("I saw it. It was THIS big and had sharp fangy teeth and...") the accuracy of which is left to be disputed, depending on who you speak to. Noone's really SEEN the naga though....
===Day 247: Inquiring Minds===
Fe is on bedrest, so she'll be out of it for a while. December suggests spreading out and doing more investigative work. Lily pulls everyone together again, setting aside their potions (EL: It was noted that Lily's Dispel Magic would destroy potions...), does more zappy zappy. (Dispel Magic) This time, the group snaps out of things.
They discuss what happened, Lily theorizing it was a gaze attack. December pockets the figurine Tyrant had been working on.
December starts to chat up people of the town again, with mixed success - a few noncommital responses. Eventually she trips across someone who acts defensively about information, questioning her presence here. She spins a tale as a courier who's waiting for a response to a letter. He doesn't appreciate her sugar either, and starts to leave. She tails him from the shadows. He goes a block and a half, then enters a house.
Tyrant, meanwhile, is going for a more... direct approach. Namely, he walks into someone's house, announcing his presence as he enters the door ("My name is Tyrant. I am a Minotaur, I need to ask you about a Naga.") the first few houses he enters are empty. He stands around in the empty houses for about 10 minutes, waiting for someone to show up, before moving on.
In the fourth house, someone approaches Tyrant from behind to ask him what exactly he's doing. When questioned about a Naga, he gives a fish story, claiming to have actually been there and how it was so big etc. etc., and then corrects Tyrant's manners about just wandering into the houses. Tyrant then begins knocking instead of just barging in. Tyrant continues to discuss the Naga with townsfolk in their homes.
Lily has been spending her time investigating 'moss' (EL: Mold. Mold.), but the people of the simple mining village know little of magical moss, even Bill.
December scopes out the residence she's observed the man going into, but finding nothing obvious, returns to the inn to report what she's found.
Lily spends time talking to thin air, telling noone in particular (EL: Gen talking to the audience) that she learned Summon Monster I, failed to learn Ray of Enfeeblement, and learned Water Breathing. (EL: Which, due to her accent, leads Geoff to send chat off on a merry chorus of 'water breeding' jokes). Tyrant runs off as Gen mentions the word "Roll".
(EL: Gen declares herself the "new Francis" due to water-breathing ability. Anna suggests she take on Francis as a middle name. Lady Captain Jess Lilian Francis Anemoi-Dudley, of the Halfling Kingdoms.)
December follows Tyrant to find out what is going on. He says he's not asked about Moss. He knocks on several doors, interrupting one guy's dinner. A series of confusing conversations later, Tyrant is no more educated about moss, and goes to find somewhere to sleep. December meanwhile goes to surveil the house in question, but sees nothing.
===Day 248: The Fiery Gem===
Sleep (for all but December, who is still monitoring the house) is interrupted by the sound of an explosion on the outskirts of town. Fe and Lily spring from bed and make their way outdoors, where most of the town is rousing and looking towards the explosion. Soon after, people are running past, screaming. The innkeeper points out a spreading fire at the edge of town.
December waits to see her target's reaction before returning to the inn to intercept her friends. Tyrant makes straight for the explosion.
Tyrant begins to try and put out the fire. Someone comes up to him and tells him to stop, the houses need to burn to get rid of mold that is hurting people.
Meanwhile, around the other side of the blaze, Lily and Fe have come up on a bucket brigade, which they begin to help with. Similarly, people come up to tell them that there's fungus inside the houses and not to stop the burn. Fe, a bit suspicious, throws a bucket of water into the fire and uses the douse to peek inside the house. It looks normal. Lily suspects the fire is a cover-up for something going on in the mountain, and so the two head south.
As they move, they witness a man commit murder with a pickaxe to stop another from throwing water on the fire.
December, having missed her friends at the inn, arrives at the fire. Tyrant observes the fire spread to another house, and when his questions arnt answered clearly, he bursts into the house to look for people to evacuate them. The house is empty.
As the party reunites, they spot a group of six pickaxe-armed people walking down the street, with Salavar slithering along behind them. The pickaxe wielders are the ones telling them not to douse the fires. The group decides to play along, pretending to agree with the #ServantsOfSaladBar.
Lily throws a Dispel Magic at the group in question, but it seems to have no effect. Seeing no good options for conflict with Salavar, the group retreats towards the mountain, escorting any non-charmed civilians away from the fire as they go.
Upon entering the mountain (and securing a new lantern, their old ones having been left at the inn), the group soon encounters a man leaning against the tunnel wall, wondering what they were doing here. Lily tries to bluff at being a miner, but that goes absolutely nowhere. December likewise starts to bluff, but when hers doesn't get a favorable result either she draws her crossbow and levels it at him.
He begins to balk at discussing the contents of the mine, but threats of death quickly change his mind and he agrees to join the crew in exchange for a cut of the Gem's cost. (He negotiates for 10% cut)
When they reach the entrance to the Gem Cavern, the man (Who's name is Ivan) stops the party to discuss what lies ahead; a pit boss, 3 guards, and a couple of workers. He states they've been unable to move the gem at all. They move around the corner, into a sculpted room; the gem is on a pedestal, supported by an iron tripod.
Combat: Fire Under The Mountain. Lily leads off by putting the boss (Jake) and the civilians to sleep. She also reveals Summon Monster I to the party, by summoning 3 giant rats (EL: R.O.U.S. Also this was a 3d4 roll that got all 1's. Anna reverts her luck from earlier rolling a natural 20 for her initial attack.)
With the guards disposed of, the Gem is next on the list of important items. December questions Ivan for how to get at the gem. He says there's some magic protecting it, so they haven't been able to get at it.
TIL: Minotaurs just have mating partners, rather than long-term relationships.
Discussing Lily's magical options, the group decides to try an Unseen Servant heist. She summons the servant, which lifts the gem up inside the column of force. Unfortunately, the column is as tall as the ceiling, so the gem cannot pass through it.
The pedestal begins to turn. December senses for traps (EL: At this point, i'd think a trap was fairly obvious...). And in concern, Lily puts the gem back into its holder...which doesn't stop the pedestal, which is rising slowly as it turns.
Lily hits upon the idea of casting Rope Trick above the servant, letting the gem rise into the interdimensional space. So, a climb later, Lily sits in the interdimensional space, Unseen Servant's the gem again, and lifts it up... easily pulling the gem out of the area. As soon as Lily begins to descend with her prize, the pedestal stops. December notices a large, foot wide, 3 foot tall opening in the pedestal. She hears hissing coming from within and below. A maroon claw begins to hook it's way onto the edge of the opening, and the party decides now would be a good time to not be where they currently are.
Ivan questions why they're running, but Lily just urges him to keep running, piggy backed onto Fe. The sounds of hissing echo behind them, eventually fading as they make their way out of the mountain.
Turns out when you stop people putting fires out, fire keeps spreading. The entire town of Stone Gulch is now more of a bonfire than a mining village. The entire thing's ablaze. December is heartbroken that she left her horse in the town. Along with most of the money she carried. And the lanterns, tools, etc.
As their eyes adjust, they notice almost a dozen men standing outside the town, looking towards the mountain. Lily immediately throws up a wall of fog for cover, and leads the group southwest. Fe pockets the gem. (EL: What pockets???)
20 minutes later, a loud, shrill shriek calls out over the plains; but the group ignores it, continuing to run, headed towards Sithram.
===Day 251: The End Of The Plains===
3 days of wilderness survival later (magic hunting rabbits for food, drinking blood or some such...), the party stumbles onto a road. They've gone too far south, but they don't realize it. They head East.
===Day 253: I Once Met A Man On The Road To Dragon Lake..===
Along the road, the group encounters a religious pilgrim of Astair. He offers to share water with the weary traveller. December tries to pickpocket his food, but fails to do so. Meanwhile, the pilgrim tells the party that he's on his way back from Dragon Glass Lake. Tyrant is less than impressed by the description of the lake. He points out that Sithram is actually in the OTHER direction. Lily offers to protect the pilgrim on his way back, but he says he doesn't need protection. He wouldn't mind company though. Tyrant somewhat reluctantly lets Lily ride on his back, after some awkward conversation. The pilgrim's name is Meril. December, in her spare time during the journey, pickpockets Meril repeatedly, because she's bored. A few coins, a religious symbol (of Martha)
===Day 256: Inappropriate Mourning===
The group reaches Sithram. December reveals what she stole to the party, and gives the symbol to Tyrant, who wears it on his wrist. It seems however that both Brand and Guy succumbed to their injuries, passing away while the party is gone. December, still rather upset about her horse, demands a refund from Eyecye. He politely, if firmly, insists that the party owes him for the funeral costs of the men. When she walks off, he comes after her, making the mistake of touching her shoulder. He continues to say that the costs have to be paid. When she walks off again, he calls for guards. She threatens him with the crossbow, and he yells louder, claiming to be being mugged. So December shoots him. dropping him.
As the calls for guards echo louder from passersby, December runs towards the party. Lily throws up a wall of fog to obscure her from the pursuing quartet of guards. December ducks down an alley. When Lily drops some Grease to further slow them down, a bystander points out Lily as the magic caster. She responds with Fog Cloud and the rest of the party takes off.
South of town, everyone regroups, having left the guards in the dust. They discuss what happened, agreeing to cross Sithram off the map when they get back to the ship. Speaking of the ship, they decide it would be a good idea to get back.
===Day 258: Fitting In===
In Rograg, Ivan is observed stealing a beer. Seems to be fitting in with the whole 'You're a pirate now' thing. Pretty calm.
Lily notes that the holy symbol on Tyrant's wrist is not magical, however the gem certainly is.
===Day 263: The Ship. Where's The Ship?===
The group arrives in Northal; the ship is not present, however. So they go to visit the harbormaster, with whom the crew should have left a note.
He does indeed turn over a note, left by a "Captain Jefferson". (EL: This immediately sets off alarms in December's head.) Which reads: "Dear Captains Anemoi. Your crew was not very happy with you. They've decided to be with me. Enjoy life on the land. -Jefferson"
Fe questions what happened to the Orc they hired as a mercenary to guard the ship.
TIL: Tyrant was a minotaur bookkeeper.
The harbormaster noted that there was an argument on deck before the ship left a week and a half ago (Roughly the same time the group met Meril). He points out a tavern where the person who left was hanging out. Turns out Baslik the Orc argued his way off ship. After a lot of back-and-forth about what should have been done. (EL: Somehow, Baslik's story puts the argument in the tavern, when the Harbormaster said it was on deck. Odd...) He slams a bag full of money back on the table.
So here we are. No Ship, No Loot, but still Hope. The ladies standing around in a tavern in Northal, moderately broke, shipless, and planning revenge. Here is where we draw to a close for this week.
* Recap from EtoileLion on reddit. Editorial notes are theirs.
Category:Misscliks Pirate Edition Episodes