Verru

At sea, to the south of Myste-Hass, during the final phase of Operation Pincer, the crew of the Dead Man's Raft encounter a pod of Aldani.

The Aldani crawl over the side of the ship, assaulting its crew, and screaming about a sacrifice to "Verru" to appease their suffering. An amulet is found on one that has a faint magical aura, giving it some form of connection to some unknown entity.

The Myste-Hass Calender

14/10/22

Alfred joins Father Howell looking into the open crate, lined like a coffin within.

Alfred inspects the heap of dead bodies nearby, it is withered and wrinkled, but breathing. A huge chunk of flesh has been torn from the man's neck. Father Howell sends Bear to get help. A man bursts from the pile of bodies, he had hidden in the bodies as the vampire killed the rest of the crew. Father Howell investigates the man thoroughly and finds no bites or scratches.

Bear emerges and delivers the message that there is a box without a vampire in it, but there may be many vampires.

Crassus calls the crew to action, to sweep the Dead Man's Raft for intruders.

The survivor said they picked up cargo from Brindle, and the vampire burst from the coffin. He was over 6ft tall, bald, with pallid white skin. He looked like an orc.

The man suddenly turns around, serious and powerful. He says his name is Nash and wants to make a deal, that no lives will be taken on our crew. He just wants to live. He says that what he's told us is true. The creature that came out of the box was terrifying and he doesn't know where it is.

He was fed on, then he healed and awoke. He's been on the ship for a while, waiting for someone to come by.

The vampire tries to control Father Howell's mind, but the cleric resists and screams for help. He reaches out trying to hold the vampire and fails. The other adventurers run to assist, but they are quite a distance away. Alfred deploys Igor, his iron defender.

The vampire jumps onto Father Howell draining him, and speaks directly to Elril, telling him that he expected better from him. He should know what side he is on.

Crassus leaps from the Dead Man's Raft onto The White Orc.

The vampire turns to ash in the rays of light from the broken deck above and Crassus's moonbeam.

Elril tries to neutralise any infectious part of the vampire bite on Father Howell.

The group does their final checks of the ship. Elril searches for a crate that is big enough for the large white spider to have been in. Alfred inspects the alter and the captain's quarter, finding a log book stating that there is a shipment of soil to be delivered to a certain R Cain, with further deliveries to come. It was signed for by the name Garrick.

Father Howell says some words over the dead, then most of the group make their way back to the Dead Man's Raft.

The White Orc is burned, whilst the raft heads on towards Myste-Hass as the sun sets.

During the voyage, Elril chats to Mutina, talking about gods and skirting around the topic of destiny vs choice.

The ship moves into the Southern Docks. Crassus writes a list of supplies he wants Pelis to procure - sail cloth, rope, a months worth of supplies and other essentials. Crassus looks for ballistae and rowing boats. There is a ship left over from Morthel's occupation called the Sea Tiger which is being stripped. Mert Slater is in charge of the operation. Mert is a beaded man with voluminous hair, wearing a long coat. He is looking for a greater work force for retrieval of special goods. It appears he deals with the salvage of ships that have been sunk.

He has three ballistae and two row boats, one damaged. The ballistae are 500gp a piece. The row boats are 100gp. The man is a tradesman in a number of goods, and he seems very interested in the diamonds Crassus is interested in. Crassus also procures a bunch of bolts for the balistae.

Sylleth wanders the town, casting locate object and searching for his book. He gets more and more frustrated, about the book being hidden and the betrayal of his friends.

Alfred and Father Howell make their way to The Halls. Alfred speaks to a frazzled receptionist asking about a census. It is an issue that has been raised by the Council of Myste-Hass. Goraz is speaking to Sten, they are arguing. In conversation with Goraz, Alfred is told that Goraz is not welcome in the Southern Docks. The tiefling takes Alfred into his office for a drink, and discusses what happened on The White Orc with the vampire. They speak about what happened to Father Howell, who Goraz says is a notable individual who very much has the eye of the Council of Myste-Hass.

Alfred asks about Garrick, looking for further details on this individual. They discuss R. Cain. Goraz says he is going to take on the issues, bring it before the council and put his best people on the case of this Garrick. He says he will let Alred know if there are any further findings.

Goraz also says that he will send someone to check on Father Howell, given the vampire attack. He then, very weirdly, tells Alfred to be careful before he leaves.

Father Howell finds Geoffrey and they have a terse conversation about the dangers which Father Howell has been putting himself through and the idea that Howell may have been protecting acquaintances, Cpt Percival Wainwright from the justice that must be provided by the court.

Elril goes to the secret worship spot to Fate. He speaks with Tane about Mutina, and has to stop the man from taking action himself. Elril says he wants to embrace the urge himself. He asks to undertake the ritual that confirms him to his path, marking his body.

Crassus returns to his quarters to find a massive sahuagin over the elemental bowl. He attacks with spells and changes into a crab. He shouts - "you have betrayed Verru, then tries to steal the elemental bowl. He throws the bowl from the window, then pauses to say "Verru will come for you." He leaps into the ocean. Crassus leaps in after him. He summons a tidal wave behind the bowl, throwing the bowl towards himself.

Toni and other crew members are firing arrows into the water, before Glesson shouts to hold because their captain is in the water. He grabs the bowl and then swims manically to the boat, covered by arrow fire from the crew. Crassus makes it back on board.

Alfred and Father Howell speak with Engaro at the Temple of Imogen. He casts some spells to ensure the cleric is blessed.

25/10/22

The morning breaks, and Myste-Hass is rife with rumours about three attacks from creatures - lobster-like blue creatures and green-skinned fish creatures.

Father Howell goes for a run, then returns, joining Alfred and Sylleth, after a night at the Temple of Imogen.

Cpt Percival Wainwright tries to leave the Dead Man's Raft, but Gleeson apprehends him and informs Crassus that the crew have been whispering that Percival may have summoned something overnight.

The two captains head out into town on errands.

Sylleth confronts Father Howell about the book again. Then, they head to the Western Docks where Alfred tries to go to Lotion and Libation to sell his harvested spider pincers, but its still boarded up. They then collect fishing tackle and rations.

Elril goes to Offensive Defence and hears Bow singing. The paladin wants to commission a set of plate armour with a symbol on the inside. He charges 1500gp, plus 5gp for the etching and a fair amount for his discretion. He asks for a 100gp down payment. He tells Bow he will return in 6 days. Bow refuses to mark the armour with the symbol until the full payment is made.

Elril then heads to the graveyard, nodding at a woman who passes on her way out. He then goes to the freshest grave. He uses eldritch blast to clear the top soil from a grave, then makes ten packages of dead meat. He then uses his shield to shovel the loose back into the grave, marking the body with the symbol of Fate before he does so.

Crassus and Percival head to a mapping and chart shop, Bellganta's Sea Chest, buying lots of stationary from the halfling shop owner. They then go into the Godly Tides, trying to recruit more sailors. A minor confrontation starts, where Percival drinks a troublemakers drink, then gives him a crappy bottle of wine to quell the situation.

Crassus gets two new sailors - Egstard and Giles.

Percival buys a barrel of ale from the barkeep Lexsend. The offers are a standard barrel for 12gp and some pretentious craft beer for 21gp - it has a picture of a parrot on the side of the barrel. They buy five casks of the more expensive barrel.

When most of the group return to the ship, Gleeson says they've caught a mermaid, but it's Bellatrix. When released, she pushes Gleeson down the stairs. Percival makes it look like Gleeson has soiled himself with prestidigitation.

Father Howell convinces Bellatrix to join, then Agnirik and Kames are retrieved.

Crassus rouses the crew with a speech, and a prayer to Alaie, then the Dead Man's Raft sets off.

Percival asks Sylleth for his staff back, and tension arises, the captain threatening not to help Sylleth if tension continues.

Later, after six hours of sailing, the ship runs into something. A spire of stone has caught the Dead Man's Raft, debris all around the ship. Alfred begins mending the spire of rock. Elril uses an eldritch blast to break the tip of the rock. It looks like worked stone. As a number of people climb into a boat, a rogue eldritch blasts smashes into the boat, capsizing it and knocking many people into the water.

The spire appears to be the tip of some kind of cathedral. There are markings on the rock.

Crassus swims for Alfred who is sinking. Bellatrix rights the boat. A shark swims directly for the group, but descends into the water when it takes a fair amount of damage.

Percival then brings a bunch of the wreckage to the boat, to be lifted. One contains alcohol, another spoiled grain. The row boat heads over to a tiny row boat with a chest inside. They secure the chest. Crassus fills the lock with water and turns it to ice, cracking it open.

Percival uses prestidigitation to form some of the symbols on the rock. Elril and Sylleth can understand the language as abyssal.

Meanwhile, there is another, far larger ship, sighted on the horizon, to the rear of the Dead Man's Raft. Crassus turns the raft into the wind, hoping to gain on the larger ship. But, the other ship starts gaining, storm clouds forming above. It is the Eruption, indicated by the crucified bodies affixed to the front of their ship.

A hail of ballista bolts slam into the raft. Crassus directs the ship into the fog, losing the wind. There are voices in the mist. Sylleth uses Kira to scout above the fog, spotting the Eruption skirting the edge of the fog bank. Ahead is a large tree, leafless-branches high above the sea. There is a slight movement ahead, a feathered wing perhaps.

Sylleth uses a dispel magic, clearing the fog all over the ship and fifteen feet all around. A soft voice on the air says - "Do not worry, we are here to help you. Follow my voice. I will bring you forward to safety."

The voice becomes more melodic, and Bellatrix seizes up, but Sylleth saves her. She takes hold of the ballista, firing bolts into the harpies.

A harpy lands, carrying away the sailor, Giles, in the crow's nest. Then a swarm of harpies descends on the crew.

During the fight, the swarmed crew see a bolt of black light hit the water not far from the Dead Man's Raft.

Then a white-skinned, featureless, creature appears, surrounded utterly by silence. It looks like some kind of devil. It carries with it an aura of dread.

Sylleth, unconscious, sees the creature pulling his soul toward it. Then, he is healed and his soul returns to his body. When he wakes, he can see the creature is real, and the harpies are frightened of it.

The creature moves towards the captain's cabin, looking at Sylleth, then fades away.

Most of the harpies flee, but Elril holds concentration on a hunter's mark on one of the harpies. Crassus jumps from the side in crab form, chasing after a crew member that was thrown off the edge by a harpy.

10/11/22

Crassus starts swimming, pursuing the scent of those taken. He loses the smell though, and turns back to the ship, with darkness to his back.

The rest of the crew take stock of those that have been taken. Pelis calls Johnny and Nonda to help retrieve the ballista from the walls of the captain's cabin.

Alfred takes some feathers from the dead harpies.

Gleeson tells Crassus that Percival has been ordering around others, with Pelis cosying up to him.

Crassus orders Mutina to prepare the dead for the funeral rights, removing the extra gold for Xeru. She is concerned about the creature that arrived on the ship.

There is no wind, but the ship seems to be getting closer to the tree ahead. It looks like several trunks all wound together, gripping this singular outcropping of rock in a very unnatural way, with just a few leaves and purple fruit hanging from its distorted branches.

Pelis used to be in charge of a boat, where they just rowed along the coast of Myste-Hass doing tours.

Toni has been put in charge of the anchor.

Alfred and a number of the crew hear a voice on the air. "Come closer, please. I need help," is whispered in the air. The voice identifies as the tree, asking the group to come closer. Toni starts talking to the tree blatantly. The tree is limited, rooted to one spot and desperate for the sky.

Percival messages the tree, Sirama, and the tree says it is divine, created by Imogen and Alaie. It needs help to clear this fog. It can feel that there are priests among the group, and the tree needs sunlight. It should be filled with leaves for absorbing the light. The fruit is healing. The tree said this area wasn't always water logged. It used to be land, but the tree is all that is left. The tree says they are safe in the fog, nothing comes in.

Gleeson always keeps ear plugs in case of sirens.

Sylleth speaks with the tree, saying that Sirama has been here for a very long time. She says that there are many trees like her, created by Imogen. Sylleth hears another voice as well, just before the tree speaks, almost guiding the tree. Its a tree that no one has ever seen before. Sylleth has seen this tree in his book