Episode 137

This is **Episode 137** of *Dice, Camera, Action*.

(ProJared) Diath - Human Rogue

(Nathan) Paultin - Human Bard

(Anna) Evelyn - Human Paladin of Lathander

The heroes just defeated the goristro. There is a big "huzzah!" from the other side of the building. Paultin's lute falls apart. It has strummed its last strum.

#### I, Strahd von Chairovich

The group returns to their home. The top two floors are still a blackened, charred mess. Strix shows the group her new combined staff. Martem Trec is nearby, looking nervous. Strahd von Chairovich is missing, save for one chair leg. Martem explains that there was a knock on the door, and the people came in through the side door, which was unlocked. The intruders grabbed the chair and broke off one leg. Simon recognized them as carnies from the Sea Maiden's Faire.

Simon said he was going to go get it back, and he recruited the kids and Waffles to go with him. The bad guys said they wanted to trade the stone for the chair.

The group goes over why they need the stone, and decide it would be best not to hold on to the stone for long. The heroes need to get the kids. Paultin is very hurt from the battle with the goristro, so the heroes decide to take a short rest.

Once rested, the heroes head out to the docks. They use some *locate object* spells to try to find where the kids are. The Sea Maiden's Faire is spread out on three boats, one of which is anchored out in the bay.

The group is pretty sure that the kids are spread out on more than one ship. Strix gives Paultin her staff, converting it to a flying broom. It leaves a trail of black smoke. Paultin decides to try to spell his name in the sky. He is able to pull it off with an acrobatics check of 24.

Paultin looks at *The Eyecatcher*, the ship anchored out in the bay. He reaches out with his *locate object* spell and detects Simon underneath the ship. Paultin flies into the water. The broom jets out of his grasp and he ends up floating in the water. He doesn't see the broom anywhere. He does spot the lights of a submersible vessel underneath the ship.

Strix *polymorphs* into a seal.

Paultin finds the broom floating on the water. The crew of *The Eyecatcher* throw a life preserver to him. He comes on board and is escorted down below. A crewmember gets their hands on the broom, but Evelyn flies over and snatches it back. Diath and Strix are far away, on the docks. Diath does not want to be a seal. Strix *polymorphs* him into one anyway.

Paultin and Evelyn go into the submersible vessel and meet with Jarlaxle. Jarlaxle wants the stone. Evelyn explains that the group doesn't have the stone. "Well then you'll have to get it."

Evelyn is disappointed to see that Jarlaxle doesn't actually care about anything other than what he wants. He insults Simon, calling him a wretched child. Evelyn strikes him and goes to look for Simon and the chair. Evelyn heads into a large room where there are a number of floats, including one in the form of a gold dragon. A number of colorful giant spiders lurch forward and aggressively approach the adventurer. They hit her with webbing, but she misty steps out of the webs and explores other areas of the ship.

Paultin and Strix dive underwater and enter the submarine. They find Nat and Squiddly, both of which are bound and gagged.

Jarlaxle points out that the kids are safer on this ship than at the Waffle House. He also says that Paultin cares more about that chair than Evelyn.

Evelyn finds Jarlaxle's room. Paultin joins her. Together, they go through the room. Paultin finds a lock of Evelyn's hair that Jarlaxle apparently snatched at one point, along with a note she wrote him.

Diath and Strix explore a bit more and find Simon and Jenks, who are tied up but not gagged. Strix smashes something. An alarm rings out. Jenks cries, he lost Ferdinand. Simon says they have Waffles on one of the other ships. Evelyn says that the submarine is evidence in a kidnapping and they should probably take it to the city.

Strix heads into a control center, where there are a number of gnomes and 2 drow guards. Strix says, "Don't anyone move. We're pirates!"

End of Session.