Session 30, Arc IV

Commandeering

Played 10 October 2025 Watch the session

The party began their session aboard their newly acquired merchant ship, the Boris, organizing crew positions and responsibilities. Arri took command as captain, with Ellis serving as first mate, Steph as quartermaster and navigator, Yomidrogo as bosun and master gunner, and Cyrran handling both cooking and carpentry duties. After struggling with a child-proof container during their discussions, they departed from Arakcadia's docks, observing the devastation left behind with smoke rising from various areas of the city and flames visible on the horizon at Port Wolifer.

During their journey, they questioned Yeszana, a halfling woman they had found as a stowaway and placed in shackles. She revealed she was being transported to Stonerane to return to her homeland and knew about the island of Droshdech, where another orb was supposedly located. When Bones used his magical scythe to probe her unconscious mind, he discovered she was running from a half-elf male who knew her but was no longer close to her. The mental intrusion caused her to bleed from the nose, but Bones healed her wounds before she retreated to the ship's hold.

As they approached Port Wolifer in the darkness, Arri spotted bodies floating in the water and observed the unique city built on two sides of a river with no connecting bridge. The settlement featured hilly terrain with observatories and libraries stacked atop each other, but much of it was now burning from recent attacks. Suddenly, a large spider-like creature emerged from the water and began swimming toward their ship, prompting Yomidrogo to strike it with a powerful lightning bolt.

The spider proved resilient and climbed aboard their vessel using its chitinous legs to pierce the wooden hull. During the ensuing battle, Bones attempted an elaborate deception by claiming to serve a spider god and creating warm sensations around the creature while glowing with magical light. However, the spider's aggressive behavior continued as it bit Bones and used webbing to restrain Arraphesu. The party noticed the creature bore necrotic wounds similar to the gnawing plague they had encountered before, suggesting it was infected with the same disease.

Yomidrogo ultimately destroyed the spider with a transformed fireball spell that dealt lightning damage instead of fire, killing the creature instantly. The party then harvested valuable materials from the corpse, including poison glands and chitinous armor plating. They examined the spider's wounds more closely and confirmed the advanced stages of the gnawing plague infection throughout its body, raising concerns about the spread of this disease.

Upon reaching Port Wolifer, they discovered approximately three thousand desperate refugees crowded at the burning docks, with people climbing over each other and some falling into the water. The party used intimidation and magical force to maintain order, killing several people who tried to board without permission. They contacted Madame Tremzume, who revealed that Arakcadia had no official rescue plan for the refugees, leaving the party to devise their own solution.

Kailyn flew overhead on Brad, one of their juvenile rocs, and organized the crowd by having them separate into infected and non-infected groups. Hundreds of infected people stepped forward, creating a massive logistical challenge for evacuation. The party decided to transport the infected to Aywin Island as a quarantine measure while helping the remaining population rebuild their city. During the loading process, they encountered various challenges including a halfling woman with a concealed weapon who threatened other passengers before leaving voluntarily.

The situation deteriorated when Zilaphelian guards began executing infected civilians in the streets, causing panic among the refugees. During the emergency departure, several people fell from the ship's rigging, including a child whom Bones rescued by transforming into an eagle. The party confronted and killed one of the guards after learning about their orders to eliminate infected individuals throughout the city.

Bones successfully navigated the ship to Aywin Island with one hundred fifty infected refugees aboard. Upon arrival at the lush forested island, he used his magical abilities to create campfires, stone shelters, and infrastructure for the new community. Most importantly, he created twenty Sorrow's Wisp flowers using his Staff of Flowers and taught four farmers among the refugees how to cultivate and prepare the cure for the gnawing plague. The cure required harvesting during the dark moon period and boiling for seven hours in purified spring water, with the current timing being perfect for treatment.

After establishing the quarantine settlement with proper instructions and resources, the party returned to Port Wolifer to collect the remaining non-infected refugees. They encountered a young blue tiefling girl who, despite being infected, maintained her childlike wonder and asked touching questions about whether people could see the ocean from above the clouds after death. The second group was successfully transported to the island, where the community had already begun establishing sustainable living conditions.

With both groups of refugees safely quarantined and equipped with the knowledge and materials needed to cure themselves, the party prepared to continue their journey toward Lelse Thalas. However, Cyrran had secretly observed a mysterious ship with grey sails and chrome sides that appeared to be following them, though he chose not to alert the others yet. As they discussed plans for magical tattoos and their next destination, the party reflected on their successful rescue of hundreds of people while maintaining their larger quest to gather the remaining orbs.