C3 Session 4: Midnight Under Seige

The party found themselves in the midst of a tense moment as glowing sigils surrounded Karvax. As the light from the ritual circle grew brighter, the phantom crew faded away as light pierced through them. Karvax, fear and realization overcoming him, began to melt away. Massive tentacles emerged from the circle, wrapping around the captain and pulling him through the floor, screams coming from his ghostly form. Blossom and Kit, both wanting the pearl, scrambled and reached for it, but Kit got to it first, gaining the ability to control water one a day. 

In the aftermath, the group recovered valuable items. Mello found the Dagger of the Drowned, Porthos retrieved the Captain’s Cutlass, while a barnacle-covered chest revealed 500 gold for Blossom. A strange necklace with a blue stone was also discovered by Kit, granting the ability to speak with sea creatures.

As they returned to their own ship, the fog rolled in, and the enemy vessel vanished beneath the waves. Some claimed to have seen a tentacle rise and pull the ship under. With quick navigation, they steered their ship through the treacherous cliffs and fog, setting their course for Shal'toka.

During the journey, meditation and martial training were pursued by Kit, along with studying books on deities. He also connected with the sea’s pulse during meditation, hearing a faint whisper inviting him to seek secrets hidden in the depths. This odd experience left him curious as they emerged to see Cuervo firing shots into the water as he tested out his revolver. 

Their voyage took an unexpected turn when strong winds pushed them off course, adding five days to their journey. During this time, the crew bonded over stories of home and family. Attempts to gather information from dolphins proved fruitless, but the necklace’s power worked as intended.

Mello conducted a ritual to connect with the Timekeeper, receiving a message about using their powers for good and a cryptic mention of the importance of midnight.

As they continued toward their destination, tensions rose during a dinner discussion, with Cuervo acting particularly strange but not letting on as to what was bothering him as he stared into the candle flames. The captain made sure all hands were on deck, especially as knowledge of tropical jungles and volcanoes on the islands of Shal'Toka circulated about their next stop.

That night, Mello went to the main deck once midnight hit. Soon a Rifter ship appeared on the horizon. The ship was heading towards the Sea Hags Quarry and began shooting arrows at them as Mello rings the ship bell and uses the sending stone to warn Cuervo.

The ships launch into battle with both attacking with ballistae, cannons and arrows. The Sea Hag's Quarry decimates the Rifter ship with their cannons as a group begins to board. Freeya notices a group with the Rifters aboard their ship. Dressed in black with hoods and veils covering their face, they seem to be elvish, either high, wood or drow, with very light freckles and swirls covering their skin. They remind Freeya of a legend of a species called the Far Elves, elves that lived in ages past who left Aurterria for the Scia (the Astral Plane where the more chaotic deities reside) after one of the Archs was separated from the others. 

The Rifters and one of the Elves board the Sea Hag and the group goes to defend it, with Kit and Mello both getting knocked unconscious and teetering dangerously close to death. In his state of unconsciousness, Kit hears a whispering and feels a cold, wet hand grasping his arm. They are both healed by their friends. Mello uses her new Sword of the Drowned to cause two of the Rifters to suffocate on water that filled their lungs. The ships keep attacking, but with the quick thinking of Porthos, he adds some of Mellos inventions of alchemists fire and explosions to the ammo and the Rifter ship goes up in flames. One Rifter who made it to the lower deck is attacked by the Sea Hag's crew. The elvish female is grappled by Cuervo and he flies her out of the ship and 50 feet up into the air. He asks her what they want. She tells him that nothing can stop what is coming. She struggles out of his grasp and falls 50 feet to her death in the water.