Ep. 123 Accomplices Wanted

## Watch

Accomplices Wanted | Khyber Shards #123 | D&D 5e Actual Play

—Jonas

## Synopsis

The Stryke Force stand against the sahuagin, Jonas Wylkes in tow. The creatures swam on them, stabbing with their spears and speaking in their grumbling language. Shade is pleased that she can actually shoot these ones, after having her arrows returned to her by the shadow monk. Ari grabs Jonas and books it away from the sahuagin. Jonas takes offense at Ari suggested these are his troops, and that he should have willingly left his cushiony Stormreach life. Rather than taking a hit, Ari uses Jonas as a shield. Pog's nightmares come true, as he's attacked by the terrifying fish people. He immediately takes his vengeance on them, attacking in unison with his echo, and cleaving two of them in half.

Esri, looking haggard and panicked, summons life forms from the water to replenish his cloud. He gathers it and throws it to a group of sahuagin. Shade shoots some arrows, and sends Kael to help Ari with Jonas. He only ends up ripping Jonas's clothes, much to Ari's irritation. Ari blasts a thunderwave.

The sahuagin are beaten back, and eventually grab their fallen and sink beneath the waves. Esri wades over to Ari and gives him a healing potion. Ari calls Thora for an update on the situation.

They show up at The Ship's Cat, Jonas in tow. Harysh is wary of whatever's going on, but trusts them enough to send them to a backroom for an explanation. She does not give Pog a fistbump.

*"Maybe we shouldn't have walked in with our kidnapping victim, and maybe just one of us should have asked…um, I don't love that we have now involved Harysh."
—Shade*
During a conversation on how to get the Moonspear's help, Esri breaks it to Shade that this group of people isn't going to be helpful on how to deal with social situations. Shade and Pog are doubtful.

Harysh returns with soup for the people and meat for Kael, and demands to know what's happening. Ari tells her they've taken someone away that didn't want to be, and she stops him there. He tries giving her money to compensate putting this on her, but she rejects it, saying that won't fix it anyway. They ask for a couple of hours before they can get help to deal with the situation, and Esri warns her to watch for people coming out of the shadows. Ari created a telepathic link with her, in case anything happens. She disapproves of doing that without asking first.

Once Harysh leaves, they discuss what to do with Jonas, and end up with him still tied up, but gift him with removing the bag over his head so that Esri can spoon-feed him the soup. Between bites, Jonas shares that his cousin was taken before the earthquake, and expects that he's probably dead already. Shade is intrigued when he says Sel Shadra uses people and discards them when she's done—the opposite of what he intended. They talk about their unfortunate lot in life, how Jonas was drunk when the Storm Lords were deciding their fate (which Shade is *not* pleased about), and Jonas not agreeing that the best way to deal with the assassin after him is to leave.

After a bit of a rest, Shade and Pog leave Esri in charge of Jonas, as they make the fifteen-minute walk to the Moonspears. Zenaida greets them, and Shade asks for help "escorting an unwilling participant" to Three-Barrel Cove. After confirmation that they're not in danger this moment, Zenaida says she needs to talk to Solei and some of the other tribespeople about it. Shade worries that she lied about their safety levels when Pog points out that *every shadow* could be an enemy now.

Zenaida returns with Solei. She dips her fingers in a bowl and smears a paste across Pog's wounds. It stings, but is healing. Pog plays tough. It's very obvious that it stings. Zenaida heals Shade, too. Shade quickly confesses her slip-up about the shadows. Solei offers to bring a hunting band with them if they need more help than just the two of them. They decide on just the two of them.

Ari is surprised to find Jonas still alive when he returns to The Ship's Cat. He and Esri try to figure out a way to remove a memory from his head. A spell scroll is likely their best bet, but costs over a thousand gold.

Pog, Shade, and the Moonspears arrive, and it's time to escort Jonas out.

## Locations

* The Ship's Cat
* Moonspear's camp

## Spells

* **Ari**
	+ Thunderwave
* **Esri**
	+ Guidance
* **Shade**
	+ Cure Wounds on Esri

## Quotes

"Well, so long as you know what you're getting into."
"I do not."
*—Jonas and Shade*

"Pog, we're not in any danger *now,* right? We're past the danger?"
"Well no, because anywhere there's a shadow there could be a killer guy, now."
"But there are shadows everywhere!"
"That's why we're always in danger now."
*—Shade and Pog*