Session9


 * 3/10/13**
 * The Competition of the 4 Pirate Emperors on Macaw Cove**

We travel the Sea of Fallen Stars with Captain Gar, and his pirate ship, The Nine Hells. An island in the distance has a foreboding storm cloud that permanently hangs over it. Gar tells us that the forces of Thay, led by Szass Tam, were waiting on that island during the Great Battle on Lyrabar. Gar and other pirate ships waged war with them there. A big battle took place between Szass Tam and The Storm Master where Szass Tam was defeated and an artifact was left there… and the ever raging storm clouds. No ship can approach the island, any who try are destroyed. He mentions that it’s not the first time Szass Tam has been defeated… last time it took years for him to make his presence known again.

Azarius talks about liches and how they become that way, being once mages who seek to extend their lives, placing their souls into items… and possibly splitting their souls into multiple items… Mali, Yuki, and Wren all seem fascinated with his story as he points out pictures in the book he’s reading.

We slowly move through shallower water scraping against some of the jagged rocks to make port at another island, a plume of smoke rises from somewhere in the dense, lush green jungle. Gangplanks, wooden buildings with thatch roofs, and a harbor of pirate ships… beautifully colored birds seem to be everywhere… in the trees, on the boats, on the buildings, feeding in flocks as bread is tossed into the air. Welcome to Macaw Cove.

There are 4 different flags flown on the pirate ships:

The demon head of Gar’s ship is also flown on another ship, his wife’s ship. Dona Agusto, a human pirate woman known as the Empress of the North. Empress of Ilmwatch, the black sheep of the family – cast out of her wealthy merchant family for being a pirate.

An orc skull with crossed cutlasses underlined by a string of elven heads. Orcs are on this ship with Rotgrim the Red, Emperor of the South.

The sleek ship with white sails has a bird of prey on their flag. A ship of elves and half-elves. Throndir Whitenedwave, Emperor of the West.

A metal ship with no sails, flying a flag with interlocking silver and brass gears. //The Nautilus//. A ship of Dwarves, gnomes, and a few halflings. Fizpot Gigglesnort, Emperor of the East… a crazy gnome.

The town is a mix of races, scurvy dogs. The pirates are rowdy and there is shanty music playing. We leave our ship in the company of Gar to meet his wife. Some of the pirates whistle at the women of our group. When an orc gets a little close and calls out to her, Yuki clings to Erevin’s arm. The orc insults him by calling out, “Nevermind that one mates… she’s into other girls!” Mali almost steps on Azarius’s cloak who is trying to keep his charisma concealed to avoid any pirate attention… lucky for him, he avoids her clumsiness.

Introductions are made with Dona Agusto who gives us each a token laying claim that we’re one of "hers" so the others will more apt to leave us alone. We are escorted by her first mate, Samuel Bellamy to an “inn” to stay for the night. He’s very gentlemanly for a pirate and kisses the girls’ hands upon introductions. Yuki is very disappointed with the sleeping arrangements of hammocks or cots on the floor where an occasional rat scurries by… Samuel tells her he has a much more luxurious bed and she’s welcome come make use of it… “That sounds much better! Oh, and maybe we can bring Wren too!” Wren laughs and takes her aside explaining that it’s more of a one person bed with the idea of using it for two… Poor naïve Yuki is shocked and declines Sam’s generous invitation.

Samuel leaves us with barrels of rum to enjoy and we do. Erevin carves on bone in a quiet corner until Yuki becomes drunk on rum and wants to go out and do something fun! "Lets go meet the elves!" Erevin agrees to take her, but offers her another glass while he “gets ready”. Yuki becomes very sleepy and falls asleep on Erevin’s cloak. He lifts her up and gallantly places her into one of the hammocks, covering her with his cloak and returns to carving. Yuki murmurs in her sleep, "...awww, Erevin..."

We are called to a meeting with Dona where we see the empress amidst a large gathering of pirates. Rotgrim, the orc emperor is speaking, “If your crew isn’t ready, then you forfeit!” Erevin takes to a knee, “M’lady… your team stands ready.” She nods to Erevin before she turns back to Rotgrim, “As I said… they would be ready to go with everyone else, they were just running a little late.” Rotgrim looks us over and declares that he doesn’t recognize any of us and there is a bit of a discussion as to proper representation of the pirate empress of the north. Gorstag Elf-Skinner, 1st mate to Rotgrim says to “let them join… just more to kill.” Throndier Whitenedwave and his first mate, Maelin Sunrose accept our team saying they've heard of the elves of Myth Coramanth and would like to see what they can do. Fizpot Gigglesnort also accepts. It is decided. Great… So what exactly did we just get volunteered for?

There is a competition, a tradition of the gathering of the 4 pirate emperors. Dona’s handpicked team fell ill coming in to the harbor, she suspects foul play by the orcs. There is a volcano in the center of the island with great treasure… whichever team brings back the most valuable treasure piece wins and all of the losers forfeit all of their gathered treasure to the winning team. It’s meant to be a friendly competition, though there have been casualties. “It looks bad if you knife someone in the back… but the jungle and volcano are dangerous and things happen.” When it seems she’s hiding the full story, we push for more information to find out about the ancient legend of Volcanis, a dragon in the volcano… supposedly the treasure there is his hoard. Be quick with your items.

Erevin suggests that we sabotage the orc team in fair trade for Dona’s team… Wren and Mali whip up a terrible concoction to feed to the orcs, and Yuki charms an orc lackey to take the present in to the orc team to make them stronger, so they will win! (She comes back smelling like an orc… ugh! That will never come off! Erevin – “Off the list!” LOL!)

Morning comes and we are called to the competition with deep drums. Corsha Ocneia - a beautiful elven mage, a ranger, and Maelin Sunrose – 1st mate are among the elven team. A half dozen gnomes and halflings gather together riding large 200lb mechanical dogs are there to represent //the Nautilus// and the emperor of the east. Gorstag Elfskinner – 1st mate, Ner-Zul – dangerous orc shaman, and a half dz quite ill-looking orcs gather as Rotgrim’s team. Ner-Zul becomes a large, bristly, black panther.

The emperors are gathered high to watch the teams gathering. “May the true emperor’s team bring back the best booty!” We run in to the thick and lush jungle. We take to a streamlined group, led by Mali through a dry creek bed heading to the volcano.

Goblin pygmies leap out and attack us with blowguns of poisoned darts! Azarius steps out of the creek bed to stun them with his spray of color, nearly missing one of the snare traps they have set up around us. While the pygmies fall easy to our attacks, their poison starts to take its effect… things get hazy… Azarius gains large purplish black tentacles and transforms into a menacing squid-like monster! Yuki grows tall into a large hairy spider! Kale is covered in scales, grows large wings, and slitted dragon-like eyes! Mali hunches over, covered in fur, and grows massive moose-like horns with fiery smoke rolling off of her! Vines lash out of Erevin as he stands tall as a bark covered tree person with fiery breath! Wren becomes black wispy smoke, dripping a thick black tar! Azarius fights for control as Mali turns toward Wren, looking like she’s going to charge! Erevin swings his blade at Kale, who dodges out of the way. Wren takes a defensive stance, trying to convince herself that it’s all just an illusion while Yuki throws out a calming wave of warmth to soothe everyone and bring us back to our senses!

We hurry through the jungle to try and catch up in the race to the volcano and see an orc, dead on the ground and loaded with the poisonous darts. When we arrive at the volcano, the group of gnomes and halflings is already halfway up the mountain, the orcs are starting the climb at the base, and the elves are halfway between the two. Mali decides to go up quickly to give us an edge and takes the form of a bird to fly. She lands on a ledge above the highest group and softens the earth beneath their feet, causing the gnomes and halflings to slide down the side cursing at her. The lovely elf mage casts up an ice wall, trapping Mali behind it. Erevin and Kale scale the jagged side quickly while Wren uses Mali’s rope to float and pull herself up to her ledge. Azarius and Yuki bring up the rear, climbing up the wall with caution. Erevin smashes out the ice wall with his sword, breaking Mali out, while Kale uses the rope to help up Azarius and then pulls Yuki up the rest of the way. They all hurry into the volcano to see PILES of treasure everywhere near a great pool of lava.

Erevin draws his blade and goes to pick a fight with the axe out, brutish orc first mate, Elfskinner. Mali and Wren start collecting treasure while Yuki calls out the best pieces to grab. Bubbles form in the lava… time to go! Grab the last gem that Yuki called out and start heading towards an escape as a large reddish black dragon emerges from the lava, thundering out with a booming voice in draconic, “THIEVES!” Mali climbs the wall up and over, avoiding his fiery lava spewing breath, while the rest of us run down a lava tunnel barely in front of the fiery wave. Wren grabs hold of Erevin and Azarius as they leap off of the edge, she casts featherfall and floats down as they watch above. Mali emerges overhead to see heroic Kale push a slower running Yuki out of the hole to safety… Yuki spins around in the air to look back at him as the fiery lava is about to consume him! “KALE!” she casts a protection from fire over him as she falls through the air. Mali leaps out and latches onto Yuki, a muffled voice coming from her ample bosom, “Yuki! I’ve got you!” Mali uses her own featherfall to take the two down safely, as Kale is washed out of the tunnel, sailing burnt through the air to the trees below. Mali casts stabilize on his falling body. “KALE!” Wren screams, deafening Erevin and Azarius. As they land safely, she bolts in the direction of his body, quickly followed by the others. Yuki sends out a wave of healing over all of them as Wren kneels beside Kale in tears, flowing healing directly into him. Yuki joins her and heals him again, surrounding him in life giving magic, pulling him back from the edge of death. He wakes to the girls crying over him, and caresses Wren’s cheek, “My angel, why are you crying?” “Y-you almost DIED!” “You scared the hell out of me!” she squeezed him in a tight hug over his newly healed pink skin. “I’m sorry.” He smiled at her. Erevin helps him up, “That was a close one… don’t ever do that to her again…” Awww! The girls are enchanted with Erevin.

We make it back to the pirates and find that the last gem Yuki called out Mali picked up is the winning item! Dona Agusto is most pleased. There is much celebration!

Maelin Sunrose comes to Erevin in the ‘inn’. She congratulates him on winning the competition and comments on his wood carving… She says, "I saw you were another kind of carver today as well." He smiles at her, “Unfortunately that project escaped me.” She gives him a dagger of orc bane and tells him that it will better suit his needs for that project. She tells him she has a history with Elfskinner and undoing her bodice, shows him large scar across her chest. She says, “I trust you can do better?” Erevin nods to her and adds the orc’s name on a mental list. He invites her to come to Myth Coramanth to return to the elven lands, but her heart is on the sea and on her captain… Erevin helps her with the last of the buttons and tells her that the captain is a lucky man. She nods and looks wistfully toward the Captain Throndier, "...maybe someday he’ll know that…" aww! Somewhere Yuki’s matchmaker alarm goes off while she’s sleeping in her hammock…