The Restenford Journals #14 (24 JUNE 2024)

    Picking up where we left off last session standing on the beach the Jonkheers of Falcon's Rest decided to retire to the Cod's Mouth Tavern. Before retiring to the tavern for the evening they attempt to recruit the young fishermen Rory & Gibble to join them in their expedition to the Giant's Throne on the morrow but the pair decide to continue to scour the beach until sundown when they avoid the spirits of the drowned fishermen. The PCs shrug and head to the Cod's Mouth Tavern. They discover that there are no actual rooms but they can sleep in the common room in chairs or upon the floor for 5 CP. We have a bit of RP and banter then they set up watch inside a tavern because they are paranoid adventurers.

    STAY ALERT ! STAY ALIVE !

    The next morning they meet up with the fishermen whom they are chartering a ride to The Giant's Throne for 75GP. They are already heavily invested into recovery of treasure from the wreckage. They head out after a hearty breakfast with Gessie the tavern owner being quite bubbly to have such wealthy and generous folk at her small humble tavern. I've had the PCs roll various Reaction Rolls and the general populace really like having these wealthy folk from Restenford here its like a New England resort town relying on tourist coin. Davon's rolls have been especially on point. I do not think the PCs have actually referred to themselves as the Jonkheers of Falcon's Rest at all and just go about being wealthy adventuring types. I'll need to adjust my Rumor Tables with updates on the exploits of the PCs soon.

    Setting out to sea with the chartered fisherman and his Curragh style vessel. The journey to The Giant's Throne is 4 to 6 miles roughly and I describe the seas as choppy and rough getting worse as they get closer to the series of reefs. They have been laying plans to swim into the vessel and climb up on the shipwrecked vessel and I just let them go on with quite a bit of their plans. The fisherman however is able to get the Curragh much closer than the PCs had thought possible but he is a sailor and they are not. PCs would only have been able to get within 200 feet while the seasoned sailor can get much closer. While the fisherman and his crew of one rush to and fro' keeping the vessel from crashing upon the rocks the PCs toss a grappling hook to the edge of the shipwreck and secure the other end to the mast of their vessel,  the fisherman captain is not happy about this as it limits his maneuverability and increases the chance of damage  to his ship. I need to make a macro with a drop down menu of dice for ROll20 that simply states in thread "DM is ominously rolling dice" to capture that feel of the table when I just drop dice randomly. 

    From the text : "The Giant’s Throne is 60’ wide east to west, 30’ long north to south, and some 20’ feet at its highest point from the water’s surface. Large waves often crash into it and seemingly swallowing the whole formation. The wrecked ship rests here, bow to midsection thrust out of the water and hung up on rocks. The latter half, including the stern, lies submerged. Eighty feet long, the ship is an advanced form of long-ship used by Northman raiders (or similar type raiding culture) culture). These large ships have a small stern-house, and a 7’ high 50’ long cargo hold. This ship carried a crew of  twenty five." The Jonkheers plan to access the hold directly through the 6' wide gash in the side of the ship. I allow Simple DEX Checks modified by the wearing of armor. Davon suggests and applies safety tethers and the rest of the PCs do so as well. I need to note how much rope is being cut up for this but I fail to make a note but I shall bring it up next session and at least require them to purchase more rope. Tushuab ditches his armor and only carries a Shield on the exploration of the shipwreck. Everyone makes it over easy, I inquire about who is wearing their back packs..... Eldrin says he is not while Davon says he is and I make note of this.

    Exploring the hold they find a pair of bodies and lots of ruined foodstuffs, lumber and damaged crates carrying trade goods. They search and the entire hold being illuminated by Davon's Continual Light cast upon his Staff. I roll to see if there are 'bonus' encounters and  there are none. I roll for chance at Bonus loot for those searching and there is none, currently. Eldrin is looking for stairs and they are submerged. Not finding much except jewelry upon the deceased and some coins in their pockets Eldrin wearing his Ring of Water Breathing and Tushuab under the effects of a Water Breathing spell cast by Davon swim to the captains quarters. Davon remains behind but is tethered in case he has to join the PCs at the other side but choses not to, I make note of this. Swimming to the submerged stairs Tushuab finds a 10" wooden box drifting in the hold and recovers it. The stern-house is communal living arrangement and not specifically the Captains quarters and they find nothing of note, various maps are in the water ruined by the salt water and footlockers only hold normal clothing. Partially eaten human remains which upon close inspection resemble serpentine bite marks but larger and of an aquatic variety. Now this is where I make some inquiries to the Ranger about his primary region of origin. Coastal or Forest and he says Mountain Forests which works well in general but they are at sea and thus knowledge of aquatic creatures will be limited. I do allow his observation that it would be of some giant variety though. They quickly return to below decks and chose to leave the ship after I make a Wandering Monster Check.

    This is where I inform them that upon noting the ruined state of the maps and logs that carrying their back packs under water with their spell books would ruin their spell-books. Davon is glad he did not and Eldrin notes he left his back pack upon the curragh. But Davon now is worried about traversing the rope back to the fisherman's curragh. After double checking their safety tethers I require the same modified DEX checks . Everyone succeeds except for the Thief with the Highest DEX ! Naturally, but he fails three times in a row ! The jerking motion of his failure and sliding back to the center of the tethered rope results in a chance; I toss some percentile dice, that the fishermen lose control of keeping the curagh away from the rocks and I roll d4 Hull damage and a morale check for the ship's captain. HE goes to cut the rope and prevent further damage to his ship. Tushuab goes to stop him so I declare INTIATIVE and the loses so the rope is cut and Eldrin drops into the raging seas bouncing off of the reef for some minor damage. I call for a DEX check at -4 or be swept out to sea. Davon grabs a hooked fishing pole or something, I am not really familiar with nautical items. Requiring a STR check to life Eldrin to the safety of the ship which the Magic-User handily makes... odd really but it seems cinematic and the PCs have a new found respect for the sea. Or fear, which will work in well for future adventures ;) Muahahaha

    The Jonkheers return to the beach and are greeted shortly after by Rory & Gibble curious to what riches the shipwreck held and admire the old fisherman's ability to get so close to the wobbling wreck. The pair believe that the vast amount of treasure still exists despite the PCs telling them it was a bust and vow to comb the beach late into the night after getting torches to find what the sea took from the shipwreck. Surely some great wealth will wash up on the beach ! There is some joking from the PCs that those two are certainly dead men walking and they warn them of the webbed footprints they found along the beach in previous sessions. They return to the Cod's Mouth Tavern and there is discussion on abandoning the town to return to their Mountain Fortress and seek other adventure. This has been costly and they are not sure the value of some of the loot. Gessie & the old fisherman recommend  talking to Bowstaff owner of the only general store in Har's Point. Treasure is appraised and divided evenly with the fisherman getting his small fortune and cheerfully departs. 

    Rory & Gibble disappear and are not heard from again, the PCs decide to set up on the beach with campfires and await the spirits. There is more discussion of departing but Tushuab believes it is the moral obligation to aid the townsfolk. Davon concurs and they set up on the beach but no sightings happen. I check my event list and note what happens next, seems the PCs are one step behind their foes ! A fishing boat is seen washing up on shore with the morning tide. Investigating the PCs and fishermen note there are nets and a full catch of fish but no fisherman. It is recognized as the boat of a local fisherman named McAuld. HE is known to fish later into the evening unlike most of there other fisherman. There is allot of discussion on how to track these fiends with Eldrin wading into the sea sans his backpack but confident in his Ring of Water Breathing but is pulled out to sea a bit but manages to return to shore nearly exhausted from fighting the current. He found not tracks and was unable to ascertain which direction the raiders had gone. I know, shocker right.

    The Jonkheers return to the Cod's Mouth Tavern and sleep in the barn as it is early and debate on what to do. Plans to lay in wait on the Beach are discussed as is returning to the Mountain Fortress again. Returning to the Tavern for dinner and after checking my notes and time tables they spy a beautiful auburn haired stranger nervously sitting alone in the corner of the Tavern. She is approached by Davon and he makes advances and kisses the strangers hand while rolling box cars on his NPC reaction roll for a total of 13. She is smitten... this makes the rest of the investigative style adventure pretty much a push over. She tells them she is afraid to return to her sea cave because the Sea Devils have left large sharks at her old home. She has been hiding in an abandoned hut near the hamlet of Har's Point. She offers aid and requests their help but does not know why they are pursuing her so viciously. They are fiends of the Sea feared by all intelligent aquatic folk, besides having an odd laugh they do not have many other questions and journey to the hut spend the night and then journey further while making a stop while Yelola takes a moment to retrieve items of aid from her other sea cave and strips nude upon the beach in full view of the party then transforms into a Seal. They have made the acquaintance of a Selkie ! She gifts the PCs with two 4 use Potions of Water Breathing and so they continue their journey towards her sea cave. But another 1/4 mile they come upon cliffs that fall into the sea easily scalable by those not in armor but the combine some rope, secure it and drop in to the sea and descend into the water with Tushuab & Davon under the effects of a Potion of Water Breathing plummets to the depths while the others swim downwards, they note they leave their back packs with their spell books at the top of the Cliff with Yelola. 

    The combat with the large bull sharks is short but violent and the PCs are triumphant. They enter the sea cave and find it has passage in the ceiling that leads up to a dry cave that has been torn apart and all furniture items destroyed. They search for secret doors and find none, Eldrin returns to get Yelola and she reenters her former lair. Noting an overturned small chest Yelola says it is but a diversion and asks if she can trust the Jonkheers, looking fondly at Davon. Assured by their assurances they give her. She opens a secret door which leads to a dead end passage where she digs up an urn revealing her personal treasure. As she counts her coin and finds her precious shiniest treasures recovered from the bottom of the sea she reveals her latest find a red and white corral crown topping a gold skull cap. "You don't think this is what the Sea Devils are looking for do you ?" She gifts it to Davon who invites her back to their mountain fortress but she must remain near the sea or become dry and old losing her beauty she laments. 

    I think Davon begins planning multiple homes with different concubines and lovers' across the Isle of Lenard. Donning the Crown he fills a tingle of magical power and recognizes it is not crafted by human hands but something, alien and definitely unhuman. This is a perfect spot to end out session, a mild bit of suspense. Can Yelola find allies amongst the Aquatic races along the Coastal Road Coast ? What are the plans of the Sea Devils and why do they seek this valuable looking (5000 GP value) crown ? How powerful is it and why did she give it away so freely ? Is everyone gonna drown ?

    I forgot to fill out the hand outs for the Tomes gained last session and have decided to expand the relic into a full blown more powerful item working on the basics provided by the adventure I used. I recommend if you are using printed material or pdfs modify everything you use for your table. This works in well as an adventure hook to other adventure hooks I have supplied the PCs about missing fishermen in Restenford as well. Shipping is reduced so will there be a delay in their ordered items from abroad ? Probably, and what about the missing folks from the light house further up the coast, this particular area is avoided by ships because of the reef The Giant's Throne and rumors revealed there were missing people from that isolated light house. What of the other light houses along the Coast leading to Lo Reltarma the capitol of the Isle of Lenard as well as the seat of the Council of Seven.

    Tune back in and find out ! LuLz anywho Game Well, Game Often Y'all