18/01/2022 - Prolific Poaching, Sneaky Sneaking and a Boat Brawl

## Dead man’s chest

* We take a short rest above the watery chamber where we fought the sharks. There is a dead guy up here who had been stabbed in the chest.
* Leo identifies the ring we found in the chamber below. It is a ring of thunder resistance. After some debate Leo lets Blagden take it.
* Belgaer looks at the book we found – it is in orcish, so probs belonged to the dead guy next to us. Says he has been chosen to guard the secret entrance. Says he has to provide offerings to the sahuagin below in return for their protection of the island.
* Talks about his boss – seems to mention her favourably. But occasionally says things like “the captain has changed recently”. Has begun to behave more peculiarly. Since joining the prismatic pirates, she has become more focused and crueller. He is not convinced they should have joined the pirates, but will follow her.
* One of the other pirates had taken an interest in his role. He was suspicious of this.
* Leo takes a closer look at the body, likely been dead for about 2 days. Was no struggle. He was clearly surprised. Thinks this guy might have been killed by the person who stole Cleo’s brother.

## Sneaky sneaking

* There is a spidery webbed tunnel heading away. We can hear music from around the corner.
* We get to another tavern room. Many people, most wearing something purple. A few ordinary looking sailors.
* Scribbulus notices the first mate of the ship (who had been described to him by the prisoner earlier).
* Blagden turns invisible, scopes the room from the ceiling, and steals the first mate’s keys and coin bag. Blagden gives the keys to Leo and they make a copy of them using the bag of manifolding.
* Blagden goes back in and slips the fake keys back in the first mate’s pocket.
* Blagden then goes on a scoping mission to see what else he can see. Finds a dark tower and a hidden harbour with row boats.
* He tells the others this, and they tell him to go and see if the tower is locked. Scribbulus goes with him as a spider. It is, but Blagden quickly opens it. In the room are many barrels, many sacks, and a dead man.
* Scribbulus knows the man was stabbed in the back. He doesn’t have any money or weapons, but does have something recently carved into his back. A winged creature with horns wielding a large sword and cloven hooves.
* Blagden finds five barrels of gunpowder, ale, whiskey, potatoes etc. Goes back to the group.
* Scribbulus tells the others a little bit of his Iysgarth adventures. He went to the collectors’ house and snuck around. Found a similar statue in his house to the carving in the guys back. Leo recognises the description as something relating to an archdevil associated with Dispater.
* We worry about whether Cleo’s brother is somewhere hidden on the island that we can’t see. Leo uses divination to ask, and feels a gust of wind blow a leaf back towards the sea.
* This leads to a minor discussion about how God’s work.
* The group then follow the leaf (which Scribbulus pricks up) back towards the sea.
* Our rowing boat (which we left unattended) is beached on the rocks nearby. It’s slightly damaged, but should still float.
* Lysander uses minor illusion to make it a placeboat.

## Boat brawl

* We get up close to the pirate ship thanks to Scribbulus’s pass without a trace. Discuss whether to sneak on or go straight in with violence. Can’t see the Captain on the deck. Can see someone with more authority on the front of the ship.
* Blagden crawls over to underneath the guy at the front of the ship. He suggests that the guy goes below, gets the child, and throws him overboard. The spells seem to hold, but immediately drops. They guy realised a spell had been cast on him, so Blagden attacks and does much sneaky damage. Belgaer follows up with a blast from below, which kills him and knocks him off board.
* The others start climbing up onto the deck. Some of the other pirates on deck look towards the commotion, so Blagden fires a crossbow at one of them.
* A fight ensues…. Lots of shenanigans happen. We kill all but one pirate, who Leo befriends. Leo’s friend (Terry) gives us much information. The child is likely in the captain’s quarters. The captain has “scary pets” that might be bats.
* We descend into the captain’s quarters.
* There is a scroll, a globe, a map, a treasure chest. It is a spell scroll of animate dead. This is the map similar to that found on the wall in Sariel’s lair in the Birsack Mires, but with an additional “x” on Ilbidor. The globe is an alcohol storer. Rocky takes it.
* Blagden tries to open the chest, he gets poisoned. But inside is a very nice rapier, and a very nice set of boots, and a purple coat.
* Also find an odd-looking book on the shelf. Found 200 GP of spell paper, and three rubies. A bronze statue of a creature with horns, wings and satyr-like legs.
* Rocky pokes the statue…. His eyes glaze over temporarily. Everyone is very concerned. But he insists he is fine!
* Scribbulus finds a fake book on a book shelf, which reveals a hidden hatch leading to some steps going downwards.