The Fourgon Sail - Episode Three

==Synopsis:==
During the final leg of the voyage, the unsteady state of the Fourgon Sail left both crew and passengers uneasy. Even with the repairs that occurred on the shell of Aspidochelone, the encounter with the giant squid had taken its toll. Thanks to the donations of resources owned by colonists, however, the crew repaired some of the damage. With the leaks plugged and the end in sight, the ship sailed on.
After surviving a ghost ship, meeting Aspidochelone, hiding from a Blue Dragon, and fighting off a giant squid, all hoped that the bulk of their challenges were behind them. They weren't aware that a storm brewed on the horizon.
This is the third and final episode of the Fourgon Sail Saga.
==Client:==
Mowen
==Mercenaries:==
*Asher "Whiffle-Tongue" - Lizardfolk Wizard (Sponsor: Relenam Heavyfeet)
*Edrann - Shadar-kai Cleric (Sponsor: Carnelian Trusk)
*Grorg - Bugbear Ranger (Sponsor: Faithful Boar)
*Jayzal - Tabaxi Rogue (Sponsor: Xilon Harkus Starrati)
*Zylqirel Dalanthan - Dark Elf Fighter / Cleric
==Adventure Summary:==
===Meteor Shower===
After some days of travel, the sky lit with shooting stars and the sea began to roil. A meteor shower sent chunks of debris plummeting around the Fourgon, and the helmsman shouted that the ship ought to halt for the duration, reducing the chance that the meteors would hit it. Nevertheless, the chance of an unfortunate collision was already significantly low, so Zylqirel and the other mercenaries advocated to continue on.
For four hours, there was no incident. The journey through the storm was in its own way beautiful. Then one molten star plunged into the ocean just to the south of the Fourgon, barely missing it. This meteor was unusual in that it not only floated up to the surface, but it also glowed a faint green.
The sailors fished it out, curious. Edrann cast a ritual of Detect Magic, and to her surprise, though the meteor was magic, it was from no school that she knew of. After Zylqirel studied the magic, he realized that it seemed to be based on luck, a shifting of fate as events occurred. The magic infused him, granting him its power.
The rest of the meteor shower was uneventful, passing without incident.
===The Wrecking Hawks===
During a foggy day, Jayzal on watch in the crow's nest spotted three ships tailing the Fourgon. He called this information down, at which point Edrann granted him a Vigilant Blessing. After studying the distant ships for a moment and wracking his brain, Jayzal identified the emblem as that of the Wrecking Hawks, an organization of pirates who specialized in attacking high-value targets whom they then abducted for ransom.
Edrann immediately set to action, ordering the crew to use evasive tactics. Jayzal, Zylqirel, and Grorg lent their sailing knowledge to the Fourgon. The crew considered dumping supplies to lighten the load, but Jayzal noted that the wind was naturally spurring them west. If they altered course to match it, they might perhaps keep out of the pirates' reach.
Grorg charged straight for the wheel, pushing the helmsman aside. He had fought pirates before and knew what he was up against. With a forceful spin, he pitched the ship westward, the sails snapping full. While the Fourgon didn't pull ahead, it was able to keep pace with its pursuers, giving it time to plan and strategically slow down, getting its opponents in range of the ballistae.
Asher came up from below deck to join the fray with Edrann, Zylqirel, and Grorg, while Jayzal prepared to leave the crow's nest. The crew manned the ballistae and awaited orders from the mercenaries for targets to shoot and directions to sail.
Grorg shot first with his longbow, piercing a pirate skirmisher. The pirate slumped, stunned by the pain, but remained standing. Grorg then ordered the Fourgon to turn southward, which would guide the pirate ships to more vulnerable positions.
Jayzal leapt from the nest with the agility of a cat and stood at the edge of the ship, knowing that his psychic daggers couldn't reach any foe yet, but getting ready for it.
Asher walked to one of the ballistae and directed its handler, targeting the southern ship's helmsman. The ballista readied its shot.
Like Grorg, Zylqirel pulled his longbow and shot the northern helmsman, hitting him through the heart and sending him to the deck.
The Fourgon followed Grorg's orders and began to turn. The two ballista operators fired their shots, both directed at Asher's target. The first bolt hit the southern ship's helmsman in the arm and drew blood, but it was an anticlimactic shot. The other bolt, however, struck the pirate's chest, sending him flying off the ship and leaving a splatter of blood in his wake.
Edrann saw the effectiveness of Asher's tactic and moved alongside him, helping the other operator get an advantageous target.
The pirates, surprised by the quick actions of the Fourgon, scrambled to rally. One skirmisher stepped over the northern helmsman's body and took over the wheel while another pirate on the southern ship ignored the gore to claim his ship's wheel as well. All three of the Wrecking Hawks' ships moved closer; but the ships weren't equipped with ballistae, and the distance between the ships strained the range of crossbows and shortbows. Nevertheless, the pirates sent a volley of quarrels and arrows at the Whispering Cutlass mercenaries. One pirate ranger's double shot of quarrels struck Grorg in tandem, causing him to reel back. Another veteran got an arrow in Zylqirel.
Grorg ordered the ballistae to target the hull of the southern ship. He nocked another arrow and let fly towards the new southern helmsman, piercing him through the neck. Jayzal tossed a potshot dagger at a pirate on the northern ship, but it missed. He huffed in frustration.
While Asher once more helped an operator aim, Zylqirel covered himself in a Shield of Faith and took aim at the pirate who had hit Grorg. His arrow shot true and deeply pierced the pirate, a critical blow. Nevertheless, the pirate kept his feet. Zylqirel watched as the man yanked the arrow out and handed it to a viper perched on his shoulder. The snake crushed it in its jaws.
Just then, Grorg growled in pain. A poisoned dart stabbed him, and he felt the effects immediately. He nearly stumbled as the Fourgon lurched forward, rocking in the waves, but he tried to shake it off. At the same time, the Fourgon's ballistae both struck the southern ship, doing significant damage.
Amidst the whistle of arrows and bolts, Edrann kept her head high even as one quarrel barely missed her. She prayed to Lianda and enveloped the Fourgon in a Twilight Sanctuary. The power flooded her, bringing her vitality.
The magic did little to help Grorg at that moment, who stood helpless as one quarrel missed him, but another hit his shoulder. He doubled over, heavily wounded. Grorg cursed and ripped out all the projectiles from his flesh, ignoring the gush of blood that followed. He cupped his wounds and waited as bright light poured from his fingers, the Cure Wounds spell repairing some of the damage. Still irritated, Grorg ordered the ballistae to strike the northern ship, then yelled out that someone should take out their helmsman.
Jayzal's ears twitched, a smile lifted his lips for just a moment. He ran to Zylqirel and asked for the Potion of Water Breathing; quaffed it; and without any word of explanation, dove into the ocean. He swam towards the easternmost pirate ship, where he believed he'd seen the Wrecking Hawks' captain. If he could take out the leadership, the rest would crumble.
A pirate shot quarrels at Jayzal in the water, but missed. Likewise, a pirate dressed as a shaman sent out a Chill Touch to attack the Tabaxi. Frost coated the water just in front of Jayzal, but left him unscathed. Another pirate tried his luck, and finally the pirates hit their target. Jayzal winced as the arrow pierced him. He began to sink as if fatally wounded, in actuality feigning death. Another volley of projectiles splashed around him and crashed through the ice as the pirates tried to make sure they'd finished the job.
On the Fourgon, few realized Jayzal had intentionally dived off the ship. A cry went out that they had a sailor overboard, which was overtaken by a roar of outrage at the sight of Jayzal pierced and sinking. They would avenge their fallen friend. Zylqirel shouted that Jayzal had taken the Potion of Water Breathing, so he might be alive, but few besides the other mercenaries took heed of his message.
Asher cast a Ray of Frost in front of the northern ship, hoping to slow its progress, but his focus shifted when he heard that Jayzal had gone overboard. His aim slipped, and he chilled the ballista operator beside him. Asher apologized for his mistake, and the operator cursed and shrugged it off, though it would take them a moment to re-aim their ballista. The other ballista operator shot at the northern ship, the bolt crashing into the hull.
The southern ship continued its way towards the Fourgon, though because of the damage to the hull, its pace slowed.
Zylqirel shot another arrow at the pirate with the serpent ally, getting another hit in. The Dark Elf looked at the fog hanging in the air and wondered if a wind might be able to blow it away, but it didn't seem likely.
Edrann used Bless to aid Grorg, Zylqirel, and Asher before handing a Potion of Healing to Grorg. She felt the power of her Twilight Sanctuary re-infuse her body, though to her disappointment, it felt less potent than before. Grorg downed the Potion of Healing and attacked the southern helmsman with his bow, but the force with which he yanked caused the bow to unstring, an unfortunate delay that would require a few seconds to repair.
One pirate changed tactics, attacking the ballista operators outright. Two quarrels sent one operator screaming to the deck. The veteran with a viper meanwhile struck Zylqirel with an arrow.
Asher stared at the wounded Zylqirel, then at the dead crewmate on the deck beside them. He clenched his teeth. The air around him chilled as his fingers traced out an Ice Knife, which hurtled towards the veteran on the northern ship. The blade pierced the veteran and exploded, the chunks ripping into two nearby pirates. While the veteran staggered back, the other pirates dropped dead. Zylqirel meanwhile took up his fallen comrade's ballista and shot at the shaman. The bolt seemed to shift in mid-flight as Edrann's blessing took effect, but the shaman reacted quickly, raising an arm. A Shield enveloped him, the bolt bouncing harmlessly off of it.
A pirate skirmisher tried to attack Zylqirel, but another pirate got in the way and received the shot instead.
The Fourgon continued its southwesterly direction. The remaining ballista operator attacked the southern ship, ripping out a chunk of hull that caused water to begin seeping in. Another member of the crew stepped up to take over the ballista from Zylqirel.
Seeing the viper-handling veteran staggering, Edrann clanged her holy symbol to release a Toll of the Dead. When it didn't seem to do anything, she wrinkled her nose and shifted her focus. She ordered the ballistae to keep hammering the southern ship. The operators saluted, already keen on continuing the barrage.
Two pirates shot in tandem, one at Zylqirel, the other doing a double shot at Edrann. The bolts aimed for Edrann flew past her head, but the one aimed for Zylqirel never left its ship, instead piercing a pirate.
The Wrecking Hawks' ships kept up the chase, though the southern one had slowed significantly due to the damage.
Jayzal floated under the water, waiting to make sure none thought he was alive.
In one swift motion, Grorg restrung his bow, then attacked the helmsman on the southern ship. This time, he sent a squadron of bees along with the arrow. The arrow stuck into the pirate's chest, and then the swarm of bees buffeted him back, flipping him over the ship's railing and into the water. The pirate tried to climb up, but cut his hands on the barnacles and fell once more into the ocean.
The shaman tried to Chill Touch Zylqirel, but the magic had little effect. Meanwhile one of the pirates hit by friendly fire shot back at his ally, seemingly by accident and not as revenge.
Asher and the viper veteran traded blows, Asher with a Ray of Frost, the veteran with an arrow. Each barely missed the other.
Zylqirel moved to Edrann's side, covering her, before using his longbow to attack the shaman. As he pulled back the string, a green glow like that of the meteor flooded his fingertips. He felt as if he could sense a critical error in aim and redirected accordingly. Instead of a miss, the strike was a critical success, hitting the shaman in the gut.
As if in response, a skirmisher shot Zylqirel with a poisoned dart. Zylqirel ripped it out of his flesh and shook off the nausea. The shaman also tried to Chill Touch Zylqirel, but missed.
The Fourgon's ballistae fired at the southern ship, and while one missed, the other put another hole in the ship.
While pirates scrambled to take control of the southern ship now that its helmsman was overboard, Edrann stepped up to Toll of the Dead the viper veteran once more before moving back to the cover of Zylqirel. This time, the pirate shivered against the sound of death.
The northern and eastern ships sent a flurry of projectiles at the mercenaries. Most plunged into the sea or bounced off the Fourgon's hull. One unfortunate pirate was hit by another instance of friendly fire.
Grorg called out to the ballistae, ordering a single hit on the northern and southern ships each. He shot an arrow at the shaman, who threw up another Shield spell.
Jayzal swam to the edge of the eastern ship. The ocean was very deep, but it didn't appear there were any sea creatures near him.
The Wrecking Hawks' ships grew ever closer. The southern ship's former helmsman clung to the hull of his ship, pounded by the waves. He tried once more to climb, but made little headway.
Finally in range, a pirate on the northern ship fired a chain grappling line at the Fourgon. The harpoon pierced the hull while the chain went taut between the two ships. Asher tried to break the chain with a Ray of Frost, but instead he merely made it so slippery that boarding pirates would slide across with ease. The viper-shouldered veteran did just that, reaching the Fourgon in the blink of an eye. He threw a javelin at Zylqirel, but missed. A pirate seeker slid across and threw a poisoned dart at the Dark Elf as well. The dart hit, though Zylqirel shrugged off the burn of poison.
Zylqirel centered himself and restored his stamina as a Second Wind lifted him. Then he cast a Toll of the Dead at the pirate with the viper, who once more twitched against the baleful tone. The pirate looked about, incredulous about where that sound could be coming from.
The Fourgon strained against the chain, but merely pulled the northern boat with it, slowing the Fourgon's pace dramatically. Both ballistae struck hull, and while the northern ship remained seaworthy, the southern one began to list, dead in the water. In such a dire state, all hands of the southern ship focused on bailing and emergency repairs.
Intent on assailing the pirate veteran with hopelessness and insanity, Edrann sent another Toll of the Dead. The pirate was prepared, however, and ignored the sound.
Pirates on the other ships continued to shoot at range, but their shots did little to inhibit the mercenaries. Those on the northern ship readied to board, though one skirmisher stayed at the helm to keep the ship level against the tug of the Fourgon.
Grorg ordered the Fourgon to turn south, then shot an arrow at the pirate veteran. Bees followed his shot, stinging the man but ignoring the viper. Grorg walked towards them, eyeing the snake. Dropping his longbow and twirling his longsword, he told the serpent that it should go to someone who'd live and appreciate it. The viper met his gaze, but didn't move.
Beneath the eastern ship, Jayzal swam under the hull to reach the far side of the aft, then swam up so that he was near the surface. His ambush was nearly ready.
A pirate seeker slid down the chain from the northern ship, then threw a poisoned dart at Grorg. It struck, and Grorg once more doubled over as the ill effects took hold of him. The shaman meanwhile cast another Chill Touch at Zylqirel, but the cleric dodged the coating of frost.
Asher slowly backed away towards the fore of the ship, keeping far away from the boarders. He kept his focus on them, however, casting a puddle of Grease beneath their feet. None of the three fell, to Asher's frustration.
The veteran hopped out of the slick puddle and charged at Grorg, slashing him with a cutlass. The two other boarders vacated the grease and threw darts at Zylqirel, both failing to hit.
Beside the southern ship, the drowning pirate was thankful that his ship was dead in the water, glad for the easier time he would have climbing it. Unfortunately, he still couldn't find purchase on the hull, beginning to panic.
Zylqirel engaged the boarding pirates, stabbing one of them with a rapier. He used them as cover, putting them between himself and the projectiles of the opposing ships. A boarder lunged at him, sword in hand, but got the blade wedged into the sea chart table.
The northern boat sent the last of its spare crew across the chain. To their surprise, however, their quick slide was met with a grease puddle under their feet. One slipped and flipped over the Fourgon's aft, landing in the lifeboat, while the other tumbled into the sea.
The Fourgon continued to strain at the chain. The ballista operators did their best to ignore the pirates breathing down their necks and took aim as directed. The northern ship took a massive blow while the southern ship got ever closer to breaking apart. One skirmisher on the southern ship even slipped up in his emergency repairs, puncturing a new hole into the hull.
Edrann once more used Toll of the Dead on the veteran, who ignored her and stabbed the weakened Grorg. Undeterred by the wounds, Grorg told the snake that he would let it go even if he killed its companion. Quarrels flitting about him yet none hitting their mark, he thrust his blade, but the pirate parried.
Jayzal meanwhile began the stealthy climb up the eastern ship. Unfortunately, though a natural climber, the hull was slicker than he expected. He scrambled quickly up before he lost his grip, popping his head over the railing to find both the captain and the shaman staring at him. Before they could react, he somersaulted over the rail and stabbed the captain twice. Both blows clanged off the armor, doing no damage. The sneak attack was unsuccessful and Jayzal knew it. He swallowed hard and cringed, preparing for the fight.
It was over quickly. The shaman moved over to him and summoned Spirit Guardians to assail his foe. A pirate threw a poisoned dart and hit him. The captain's armor glowed red as he sacrificed his blood to it for a quicker strike—though the shaman comboed with blood magic to grant the captain renewed stamina. The captain slashed across Jayzal's collarbone and bashed him in the nose with the pommel, sending the Tabaxi reeling over the railing, unconscious before he hit the waves. Though the Potion of Water Breathing kept him alive, his inert body began to sink out of view.
From the Fourgon, Asher saw the shaman summon spirits and decided that it was the last straw. He ordered the ballistae to attack the shaman and then blasted the vipered veteran with a Ray of Frost. The veteran finally fell.
Behind the southern ship, the waterlogged pirate, at the edge of his strength, made one last effort to escape the sea. He failed and finally succumbed to the depths.
Zylqirel dispatched one of his combatants and watched as the skirmisher in the lifeboat tried to jump into the ship. The man instead hit the hull hard and plummeted into the water. Zylqirel nearly laughed, though a bolt passing by his head pushed him back into focus.
At that moment, the Fourgon finally ripped out of the tow, leaving the northern ship behind. The ballistae shot at the shaman, and while one went wide, the other struck him. His concentration suddenly broken, the spirits dissipated.
Edrann tried to Toll of the Dead the pirate still engaged with Zylqirel, but failed. Meanwhile, the pirates on the southern ship rallied. The bailing picked up the pace and most of the holes filled in. But just when they thought they would be successful, the ship lurched, rumbled, and splintered. It slid into the water, causing a massive undertow that pulled most of the pirates down. Those who escaped drowned soon after.
One of the pirates in the water near the Fourgon swam to it and tried to climb back on, but failed.
Seeing that the veteran was dead, Grorg shouted to everyone to leave the snake alone. It remained sitting on the corpse of its companion, looking at Grorg curiously. The Bugbear then engaged the final pirate on the Fourgon and dispatched him with the longsword before running back to grab his bow.
Jayzal, unconscious and near death, disappeared into the depths, falling ten feet deeper. His eyes fluttered, but he remained unconscious.
The shaman wanted to do nasty things to the ballistae and began a potent spell, but realized that the Fourgon was still too far. He cursed and fumbled through a few more spell ideas before sending out the frost of a Chill Touch, dropping an operator.
Asher moved to the center of the ship and aimed at where one of the pirates had slipped off the ship, readying a Ray of Frost in case they resurfaced. Zylqirel took over the unmanned ballista and fired at the shaman. Due to Edrann's blessing, the bolt flew too fast for the shaman to effectively raise a shield, so the projectile sliced into him. One skirmisher tried to shoot Zylqirel, but Zylqirel dodged. Unfortunately, a veteran's arrow struck Zylqirel in the back, making him cringe, but not toppling him.
The Fourgon continued to move, a new operator taking over the ballista. Edrann went beside Asher and used a Toll of the Dead on one of the floundering pirates near the Fourgon. The pirate heard the sound and panicked further. The other one climbed back into the ship, only to be greeted by frost and grease. Asher's Ray of Frost slammed into him, the grease pulled his feet from under him, and he fell back out.
Grorg shot at the shaman with his longbow and missed. He polled the crew, asking if they wanted to get closer. The crew, having seen Jayzal in the water and assuming he had drowned, were eager to engage, but there was a split amongst the Whispering Cutlass members. Asher and Edrann didn't think it was wise to get too close, given the advantage their distance had given them, so Grorg withheld the order.
In the ocean, Jayzal pushed closer to death, nearing critical condition. Suddenly, he felt the touch of Lianda, a boon he had received during his first journey to the Westernlands. Though he continued to slip away, it wasn't as severe, offering him a chance to survive.
The shaman sent a Chill Touch that froze over Grorg, chilling him to the bone. Asher stood tall beside the ballistae and directed their aim to a weak spot he'd noticed in the shaman's Shield technique. But it was unnecessary: Zylqirel shot at the shaman, who raised a Shield, but the blessing of Edrann guided it straight into the weak point. The magical force shattered as the arrow blew through it and pierced the shaman between the eyes. He fell back, dead.
The Fourgon crew cheered. Zylqirel redirected their fire to attack the captain, and Asher wasted no time switching his ballista operator's focus to a shoulder joint. The bolt hit its mark, sinking deeply into flesh. The other hit as well, crushing through the armor.
Edrann sent out one more Toll of the Dead at the drowning skirmisher, who went still. The eastern ship's veteran shot at Zylqirel while Grorg shot at the captain, but both missed.
Jayzal continued to sink, falling ever further into Lianda's embrace.
Asher continued to help the operators while the captain of the eastern ship started to turn their ship away. Zylqirel fired at him and made a glancing blow, then ordered the Fourgon to turn about, not wanting the pirates to escape.
The ballistae launched. The one whom Asher helped bounced off the armor, but the other ripped off a chunk of the captain's arm.
Edrann moved alongside the grease and tried to Toll of the Dead a pirate seeker, who was unperturbed. Grorg urged the Fourgon to give chase and shot at the captain, piercing him. One bee also was able to sting the man.
Jayzal reached around forty feet below the water. His spirits began to rally, but he still was on the brink of death, still was sinking.
The pirates seethed, unable to do much as they began to flee. One took a potshot at Asher, but it wasn't close. Zylqirel joined Asher in aiding the operators, and once more the ballistae fired. They left the captain a bloody stump, his armored torso tossed against the mast. Another pirate immediately took the helm, sweating.
Edrann tried to Toll of the Dead a pirate, though they were unaffected.
The wind picked up, the eastern ship's sails snapped, and the ship pulled forward. The remaining veteran was finally in range of getting a clear shot at Asher. The veteran pulled the string taut—
—and realized that the movement was an illusion built by his desperate mind, the Fourgon still quite far away. He roared in anger and pulled with all his might. The bow strained, and then finally splintered, leaving the veteran with a broken bow in his hands.
Grorg ordered the Fourgon to turn to starboard, then yelled at the enemy ship to halt. If they surrendered, the Fourgon would leave them the damaged northern ship. Grorg then aimed his bow at the helmsman added that, if not, they could all die. He released, hitting the helmsman in the throat, killing him.
Now some sixty feet below the surface, Jayzal ended his struggle against death. The intense bleeding from the slice across his chest stopped as he stabilized. That said, he continued to sink, leaving death as a firm possibility. He had less than an hour left until he was unable to breathe water.
The few remaining Wrecking Hawks on the eastern ship put up no more fight, dropping anchor and arms. They attached a boarding plank to the northern ship and began to walk over.
Seeing that Grorg had this in-hand, Asher immediately dove into the water, intent on the rapidly melting patch of frost that marked Jayzal's disappearance below the barrage of bolts and arrows. Zylqirel lowered the lifeboat and began rowing, joining the rescue mission. Edrann cast another minute of Bless upon Asher, Grorg, and Zylqirel, praying for their success.
Grorg kept his bow trained on the pirates and ordered them to pull up so the Fourgon could anchor and board. He then whistled. Jayzal's tressym, Xael, pranced up from below deck. Grorg asked the flying cat to join the search for Jayzal. Xael quickly left the ship, soaring to meet up with Zylqirel.
Asher pushed himself, swimming as fast as he could to where Jayzal's body should have been. But looking around, he saw no sign of it. Knowing that Jayzal had taken the water-breathing potion and assuming that he must have had a plan, Asher continued towards where the eastern ship had been during most of Jayzal's disappearance, thinking that he might have gone to sneak attack the leadership. Zylqirel rowed hard to keep up with Asher.
Edrann stood at the edge of the Fourgon, antsily watching the eastern ship. She stepped forward into the open air as if planning to jump the thirty-five feet to the other ship. After a moment, however, she thought better of it and waited.
Grorg paused to look at the viper. He gestured with his head towards the Wrecking Hawks. "You could go with them," he said, "or you could go with us. When we get to land, you can go wherever you want."
Asher continued to dive lower, hoping to get a wide view of the ocean. As he neared the eastern ship's former location, he saw a figure sinking, though couldn't make out who it was. He anxiously swam towards it while Zylqirel anchored the rowboat above, Xael landing on the edge of the boat and staring into the water. After a few seconds, Asher could see that it was Jayzal—unconscious or dead, he was not sure—by now eighty feet under the sea. Given Asher's pace, he would reach the Tabaxi soon.
The Fourgon reached the other ships. Edrann grinned and stepped into the air, then vanished. In an instant, she reappeared on the eastern ship and crossed its far edge, looking out for the rescue party. She saw Zylqirel's intent rowing and dropping anchor, but little else. She remained alert.
Grorg pulled himself over onto the eastern ship, then crossed to the northern ship and faced the remaining pirates. "Good choice, gentlemen," he said. "You can have enough supplies to keep you going and fix your boat. Unless," he added with a gleam in his eye and a show of his fangs, "you want to join my crew."
The pirates were surprised by the offer. They asked what lay ahead in the waters.
"Our destination hopefully," Grorg said, "which shouldn't be too far off. There'll be some danger, too."
The pirates asked if the Fourgon had heard the rumors of the empty city in the Westernlands, a whole treasure trove ready for the plundering.
Grorg cleared his throat and Edrann kept her eyes on the water. "Yep, we've heard of it," Grorg said.
The pirates wanted to pillage the area, so if that was Grorg's plan, they were all aboard. Grorg immediately shut that down. "We're trying to start a life there. You can have some of the junk, maybe even some land. But we're there to live, not to pillage. Can you manage that?"
The remaining pirates looked to each other. They decided it was a good deal, so they agreed to join.
The pirates taught Grorg and some of the crew how to sail the Wrecking Hawks' ships, which was quite a different process than sailing the Fourgon. The Fourgon crew began to aid the former pirates in repairing their ship.
Asher reached Jayzal and went beneath him, then swam upwards, pushing Jayzal ahead of him. He did not focus on stealth. Below him, a sea serpent lunged, jaw snapping. The fangs scraped across the scales of Asher's back and tore some of them off, but failed to draw blood or do any real damage. Asher continued swimming, knowing that there was little he could do but endure the blows and hope that the creature kept its attention on him and not on Jayzal.
The serpent attacked one more time. The jaw snapped, the teeth clashed.
Above the waters, Zylqirel and Xael waited, tense. Edrann kept watching, mouthing a wordless prayer.
Jayzal's back and Asher's face broke the surface. The serpent couldn't get hold of Asher, decided that the Lizardfolk was too tough a meal for its taste, and gave up.
Zylqirel helped lug Jayzal into the boat, then helped Asher in as well. Asher confirmed that Jayzal was, in fact, merely unconscious. Zylqirel's hands glowed in preparation to heal his ally, but Edrann shouted a Healing Word. Jayzal sputtered, suddenly conscious, and cursed. He didn't expect that mage.
Asher let out a sigh of relief, glad that Jayzal had survived. He nodded and grinned at Edrann and Zylqirel. Zylqirel began the slow row back to the Fourgon.
===Aftermath===
After returning to the Fourgon and learning about the deal with the pirates, Zylqirel asked if it was wise to let those people on the ship. Asher stepped forward and said that he understood Zylqirel's concern—it was quite a valid one—but he was pleased that Grorg had been willing to offer opportunities to these pirates, giving them a chance to build a new life. Of course they were not to be trusted yet, and there may be justice for their actions; but the road to a new life could only begin with the opportunity to work towards it. He was glad the pirates had accepted the mercy.
Grorg went straight to the pirate captain's legless torso and claimed his cursed armor, and also grabbed the captain's warhammer and hat. Zylqirel eyed the armor, which would have been a large upgrade compared to his current equipment; but Grorg was firm in his resolve to own it. The Bugbear did offer Zylqirel his chain shirt, which was still an improvement for the cleric. Zylqirel gave it a moment's thought, then agreed.
On the corpse of the shaman was a flask in which multiple black mists swirled. Faces peeked out of the mists. Edrann detected necromancy magic emanating from it, and Asher confirmed that it was a Flask of Tormented Souls. The Lizardfolk wrinkled his nose and asked the clerics if releasing the souls would free them from their torment. That seemed to be the case. Asher asked if he might claim the vial. Edrann said she wanted no part of it and asked Asher if he was sure he wanted to get involved with that, then left with her hands raised, not wanting to engage. When Asher admitted his intent to empty the vial, Zylqirel agreed. They poured it out, giving the souls their rest.
Jayzal took Asher aside and thanked him for the rescue, saying that there had to be a way to repay that service. Asher was glad for the gratitude, but stated that they were allies; they helped each other on a daily basis, so there was no debt between them.
Jayzal persisted, stating that while Asher hadn't gotten blessed by the Great Tortoise, Jayzal could use the blessing for Asher. He could, for example, try to learn about that book House Zattari had found, which had been given to Asher to open.
Asher stiffened. He grabbed Jayzal's shoulders and pulled their heads close. He said that if Jayzal perceived a debt, this is how he could repay it: never mention that book ever again. Do not let anyone know that Asher had ever had it.
Jayzal, understanding how some seemingly innocuous matters could in actuality require much delicacy, instantly agreed, acting as if the close contact was a hug of thanks, the book completely inconsequential and dropped from the conversation.
===A Final Surprise (or Two)===
After an uneventful stretch of travel, the Fourgon and two trailing Wrecking Hawks ships reached the Westernlands. The city was in view.
Suddenly, a blinding light burst from somewhere near the city. A shockwave rippled the waters, nearly capsizing the boats. But none could focus on that. All eyes were on the cackling and grinning demons who flooded the sky. Nearly a hundred of them rushed about in all directions, some even going out to sea to harass the Fourgon. The more damaged of the Wrecking Hawks ships was lost in the assault.
As soon as the remaining ships pulled into the harbor, however, the attack ceased. The demons seemed unable to cross the threshold into the city, as if some barrier prevented their passage.
Jayzal in the crow's nest spied into the city. There, in the center of town, were seven mercenaries, along with a building burnt down. It was Nwalmë and the others who had delved into the Shadowlands.
From a tavern, fiddle music poured into the streets.
==Outcome:==
A messenger ship would be sent back to Abishot to report on all that had happened, including the demon invasion. Any of the mercenaries who wished to return to A'lune would accompany that ship.
Asher had grown much from the journey, from meeting his Giant Tortoise to gaining more mastery of his power. He wished to return to A'lune and tell his sponsor all about it, and then to continue his training, much more confident in his abilities and finally patient enough to learn at his own pace. When he heard that Nwalmë and the now-rescued Tarmak planned to join him, he was overjoyed.
A bard named Darius, part of Nwalmë's crew, asked the Fourgon crew and the former pirates if they had heard of a place called Kind's Keep. None of them had. Darius then stated his intent to return to A'lune and search for the keep. Erthish Nescoria debated this decision with him, but when he remained firm, she told him that she would remain in the Westernlands and look for hints of the keep there. She asked Darius to send for her if he found the keep, and she would send him tales of what went on in the Westernlands, as Darius' words and songs were so proficient in painting the world.
Grorg planned to remain in the Westernlands. He wanted to make sure that the White Bear would forget all about him and what he had done. Edrann scoffed at the thought of returning to A'lune. The demon invasion was obviously what the vision from her Goddess was about; she would remain to quell the threat, Lianda her guide. Zylqirel, too, intended to stay, already inspecting his plot of land.
Jayzal wasn't sure whether he wanted to stay or go, but knew his time to decide was limited. He stared into his Knife of Reflection, checking out how the bottom of the sea was looking. Lialeth Nightpetal, one of the civilian colonists, mentioned that after such a journey, she seriously considered switching professions to a marine biologist. But no, she was a field biologist through and through.
The viper slithered off as soon as it hit land. Grorg waved goodbye to it, intending to part amicably. The viper looked back, seemed to think about it, and went to Grorg's side. The Bugbear picked up his new ally and perched it on his shoulder, happy for the company.
==Adventure Rewards:==
*Total of 9 gold, 16 silver per mercenary who joined the Fourgon Sail Saga.
*A small plot of land for each mercenary remaining in the Westernlands.
Fourgon Sail - 03