Session One Hundred and Twenty-One (Graveyard of Empires Summary)
Session 121 September 7, 2016
11pm 28th of Jourilden, aboard the Bitter Horse
Cannis and Bellisonte start the night’s activities by healing Thorfus of his wounds. Captain Evenwode has organized the sailors to rescue the X Ship into land and boat parties. With Edan levitating the beached end, Cannis smoothing the path into a smooth sloped ramp, and Thorfus & his monkeys excavating more stone from under its keel, the x-ship is freed on the first attempt.
Evenwode plans to get under way in the morning. During the night, Edan identifies Ronin’s ring of swimming, the mirror frame of teleportation and Sword of Dagon. Unfortunately he learns nothing of Cannis’ enchanted rope. The fleet sets off for Midmark the next morning, a journey that should take three days since he plans to lay at anchor every night.
When we notice Admiral Dyconson is staying on board the experimental ship and that several vats of holy water were transferred to it, Chuq, Edan and Thorfus shadow step on board to investigate what’s happening. After some pleasantries and Thorfus determines there aren’t any electrical autonotoms on board, he and Chuq leave Edan there and return to the Bitterhorse for the rest of the trip to Midmark. Edan reports his activities daily via the Broachie Talkie while Thorfus begins Ronin’s Hero training.
Each day brings new sights on the waves. We pass near a monstrously big Manta Ray that the Night Court assures Chuq is a mindless vastly distant cousin. A magical display of eerily calm seas draws our attention when we see feminine watery spirits cavorting in the air above the dead calm. Evenwode expresses intense disinterest demanding the fleet has one duty, to return the experimental vessel to Midmark safely. The fleet sail on, our curiosity left unsated.
It’s Evenwodes singularity of purpose that prompts Thorfus and Chuq to shadow step spontaneously to an abandoned open boat bobbing in the water the next day. They discover three adult bodies and a cowering little boy in the fishing boat.
The boy’s name is Hughe, son of Hughe. The bodies are of his Uncles, slain by a “Mirror Man” that wore the false face of Hughe’s Father, undoubtedly another damn Imperial Inquisitor! Terrified that the Dwarf and Monk are also Mirror Men, the two convince the lad he is safe. Evenwode has dutifully ignored the goings on the little boat, so is surprised and somewhat miffed when the two Boys return to the Bitterhorse with an actual little boy. The crew are sympathetic to the lad’s plight and show him proper sea faring decorum. Evenwode agrees to send word to Hughe’s home island about his survival and the fate of the fishing boat once the fleet has returned to Midmark. Seems not a single vessel can be spared…
The fleet arrives late evening, all ships save the Javelin are moored at the navy military dock with little fanfare. That is until a longboat arrives from the City. Naval brass and several Grey Cloaks, including Perrette board the Bitterhorse, congratulating the Captain and her crew. The mood is jovial and somewhat festive. Perette confers with the Boys privately on the Bitterhorse’s deck. He offers a personal invitation from Judge Thornton who plans to host a banquet in our honor the next evening. Never one to turn his back on free drinks, Cannis voices his acceptance before everyone else has a chance. Accepting Perette’s invitation to return to the City via the longboat he arrived in, everything and everyone except the Sword of Dagon and Hughe are piled in. Perette arranges a Grey Cloak guard for the sword before we leave.
During the trip he tells of the New Town troubles, the lowering price and supposed haunting of the Grell estate, the new harbor master’s Devil Fish Bounty of 500gp per tail, Silver Throne’s open call for adventurers to explore a collapsed section of the tunnels below Xen Khel, apparent Harbor Triad victory in Vargen, Em’s good fortune and the literary summation of the Talon pulp fiction series where the brave hero sacrifices his live to save his Bride’s life. Edan is inspired by that one…Perette parts with us when the boat ships at Midmark, leaving us with a written invitation for Thorton’s banquet.
We make our way to the Cock and Bull for round on Thorfus. Our hirelings are sent to stow our gear before they can carouse in the common room. Thorfus speaks at length with Alanon Bartley, learning the man’s hands were mangled by Grey Cloaks for suspicion of printing anticolonial literature. Alanon witnessed a man that matches the description of Jarden the Imperial Inqusitor before the explosion of Desric’s lab. The rumor mill tells of islander disenfranchised after the last elections since their candidate was disqualified, a flying serpent (not dragon) seen over the forest north of the city, that the man in the houseboat in Midmark bay is surrounded by devil fish & fishmen and that the cult of Fishwick religion is growing his camp in the swamp is swamped with new adherents. The night ends late with full bellies and swollen heads. It’s good to be among friends and not shark men….