Session 62, Dad Attacks
Paldegora
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Session 62 – 2025-11-22
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Summary
Detail is too small to require a summary.
Detail
The party spent their final hours in Port Ahn hidden in the Admiralty under heavy guard and illusion, maintaining the pretense that they were still locked in the palace dungeons. Lord Valoris listened intently as the group revealed critical secrets they had withheld until now: the canons on the ships of Captain Hawthorn, how they were being made beneath the city, where they could be found, that they were on Captain Hawthorns ships already. How Hawthorn and his superior, Silas Umbridge were involved. Valoris was visibly shocked by the existence of this new cannon technology. He immediately dispatched Fleet Mage Mathew Beck to investigate the tunnels, recover the hidden cannons, and track down Captain Archer—the one pirate captain who had escaped their earlier battle—as a potential witness who might be able to tie everything back to House Umbridge.
Captain Ambrose Percival Hurst returned the party’s equipment (delivered in a bag of holding) and confirmed that The Seeker would be ready to sail in two days after making emergency repairs to undo the refit the Admiralty was making to it. He warned everyone to stay inside until departure; the entire port believed the fleet was simply leaving to find the princess, providing the perfect cover for the party to slip away unnoticed.
Over a tense dinner, Lord Valoris shared dire news from his spies in Nox: unusual activity at the Dead Lake, strange vapors rising from the volcano island, and most alarming, sightings of an enormous black dragon—likely Styxltrix—flying between the island and the volcano. Though not yet fully grown, the dragon was terrifyingly close to maturity. Eryn told Valoris that they'd been told by Xantha that Aphobis was accelerating Styxltrix’s growth through unknown means. Valoris also mentioned that the High Council was fracturing and open war loomed, possibly before year’s end. He stressed that the mission to deal with the emperor dragons was now a desperate race against time.
That night the party fully healed, rested fully, regained spells, and distributed loot recovered earlier from Mott and Lieutenant Dan: Mace +2, Chain mail +2, Short sword +1 (set aside as backup), Potion of invisibility (taken by Eryn), Scroll of Bestow Curse (kept by the priest), Two potions of extra healing (kept in the communal stash)
Just before dusk the following evening, Mathew Beck guided them through hidden passages out of the estate and into the slums near the docks. He pointed out where to go to fund The Seeker. Moving carefully, the party reached the berth of The Seeker. Before they could board, steel clashed in the fog-shrouded night. Ahead, Captain Hurst, Seaman Gumby, and the two remaining crew were already locked in combat with five Sahn cultists led by the serpent-staff-wielding priestess Vespera.
As they joined the fight, one of the Sahn cultist cast a darkness covering a portion of the battle. Despite the blinding gloom, blind-fighting skills, keen senses, and brutal coordination allowed the party to cut down the attackers. Cal charged straight for the priestess, nearly cleaving her in two. X’or aided in finishing her. Cassandra and Eryn charged cultist. Angelique and Symon fought from a distance. In the end, they won.
Searching the bodies, they found several venom-dripping snake daggers, the serpent staff, and—most critically—a handwritten note found on the priestess:
Written to Vespera and Cell. “Hurst sails for Valoris. Possibly has a special map. Kill him, seize map!”. It is signed S. U.
Silas Umbridge had clearly marked them for death, assuming (correctly) that the map had been turned over to Lord Valoris after the trial.
Cal hurled the evil serpent staff far into the harbor where it sank into deep water. Potions of extra healing were passed to the wounded Hurst and Gumby. Angelique also healed the two fo them some more. The party dragged the cultist corpses aside, then hurried aboard The Seeker.
Hurst welcomed them gruffly, still flexing off the lingering poison. The ship had been altered by the navy during its brief seizure, but it was seaworthy. With only Hurst, Gumby, and two crew, the party immediately set to work. They began receiving training in basic ship handling. Cal, drawing on old experience, assisted, and the group spent the first day at sea learning ropes, sails, and watch rotations.
The Seeker slipped out of Port Ahn under cover of night, bound for the long and dangerous voyage ahead.
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The recording kept running but it didn't record anything after this point. The rest of this is done by memory and what I could glean from image captures. It is very summarized.
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As they sailed, the crew and the Company worked at the ships basic operations. The members of the Company took watches in shifts. Eryn and Cal took the night shift as hey were better suited to see in the dark. The first night passed without incident. The next day went well until close to dusk As ship approached rapidly. A voice range out, “Hurst, this is Captain Laroque! Heave to and surrender the orb, the map, and your life, or I'll take them all!” A battle began then. The ship approaching had 8 crewmen, “Black” Thorn, Valthar the Flamekissed, “Red” Kessa, and Captain John Laroque. Yes, Cal's father.
The opening shot was taken “Black” Thorn who uses a catapult to toss a keg with a lit fuse over. It landed on the rear deck oof the Seeker where it exploded causing injuries to Symon, Eryn, and two crew members. Fire Balls were cast by both sides while X'or twice used the Horn of Blasting to slam the from of the ship. They were sure it was taking on water after that. While the other ships sails were caught in the fire balls, they wouldn't catch fire. The Seeker wasn't so lucky. It's main sail was on fire. Cassandra managed to fire one of the ballistae but missed the ship. Cal had been firing on the mage, Valthar. He did hit the wizard. After Valthar's fireball, Cassy and Eryn shifted their target to him. Captain Laroque had taken fireball damage and two fire arrows from Eryn before she retargeted to Valthar.
The ship was moving on them but the speeds of both ships slowed the ability of them to board the Seeker. Their speed was about to lessen as their sail burned.
This is where this session ended.
Kevin needs to move the incoming ship and we need to roll initiatives.
Please start the recorder!
Exp: 0 this session.