59. I'm on a Boat

2nd Sypheros, 999 YK

We have an OOC discussion about loot, and I realise the party is roughly 5000gp behind where they should be for the current level. We find a solution (monster parts should be worth about 4 times as much for how we're using them). After doing so, we're much closer to where they should be (only about 1000gp short!). Going forward, we will be using the Full Variant numbers as this is their main source of loot (even if they use it to trade more than to craft).
Bhaltair's player is missing today, so we'll need to move some stuff around
They're fighting an orca with legs in Ravener's Maw, a Behemoth Grampus.
The Grampus charges out of the water and bites down on Naze, gripping him in its jaws
Bhaltair gets playing another courageous anthem to bolster the crew, and then casts Haste on Valaari
Warren tries to bite the orca but its hide is too thick, slippery, and blubbery. He stabs it instead, maiming it enough that it can't move as much
Runmae does what she does best, and bonks it. A violent boop on the snoot, with her long hammer. She tries to follow it up with another hit but gets deflected by the blubber
Valaari reposition to get within melee range, then intensifies its vulnerability to them and stabs it with their spear, which is a good solid hut. This is why whalers use spears, obviously.
They continue the lesson by impaling it again!
Naze briefly debates trying to escape from its mouth, but decides to blast it from the inside. He fires a Divine Wrath down its throat, which cooks its insides and really, really pisses it off
Zaphkiel follows this up by hitting it from the outside, as Naze hits it from inside. Zaphkiel beats it on the head repeatedly until it stops thrashing Naze around (or moving generally)
Naze climbs out of the mouth and shakes himself like a dog, getting blood over everyone else
Warren wants to eat it. He starts eating the tail.
No time to do anything about that, Valaari starts harvesting. They don't have space in their spacious pouch for it, so Runmae takes it.
Naze tends to their wounds. Zaphkiel has to physically remove Warren from the carcass so that Naze can tend to him
Whilst tending to Warren, Naze makes note that his skin seems a lot thicker than usual, and his wounds seem more superficial than dangerous
They debate healing here and risking more predators, or entering the portal. Valaari is concerned that they don't know what's on the other side of the portal, they should heal more before proceeding.
They decide to proceed, rather than risk further predation
Warren feels the transition very sharply, as the effect of the plane leaves him and the disgust sets in. His stomach is full of whale fat, and he feels immediately nauseous. He's still in hybrid form.
He expresses how he's feeling to the rest of the group. He's also covered in blood, sticky and stinking.
Bhaltair starts to clean him using prestidigitation.
As Bhaltair begins, Warren turns away and violently vomits
Bhaltair cleans up the vomit too, as the smell is violent
They give Warren a bit to catch their breath and recover. After having done so, he regains the presence of mind to re-assert control of his physical form, and he turns back into Warren, rather than an actual rat man
The transformation is deeply unpleasant, both for Warren and everyone watching
Runmae does a quick medicine check and concludes he may be dying
Thankfully it's over quickly and he doesn't die, but it hurts like hell
Warren actually invokes Kalok Shash. That's how you know it's bad
Warren then tells the others that he's forgotten where they're going, or why they're here. Ravener's Maw really fucked with his head.
They explain that they're following the lead of some dwarves who are mapping Khyber, as Valaari is looking for Arak Yor.
And also to ensure the Carrion Tribes don't get their hands on it!
Yeah that rings a bell. Warren has a headache. He says when they get home he's gonna need to speak to someone, but don't worry about it. Then he does finger guns.
Now taking stock of their location, Bhaltair can detect two other portals. They know this region of Khyber connects to Vralkast and the Pinnacles Sublime. Is Vralkast through a portal? That could mean another portal
They find markings in the tunnels for the Pinnacles Sublime, Vralkast, and something called the Ossuary of Splinters
Runmae tells the others, and also that they don't like that!
Valaari gets a flash of unnatural insight. The Ossuary is a realm of bone and hunger. Let's avoid that.
They should avoid anything to do with hunger.
Runmae wants a beer
They decide to follow that tunnel, and hope it branches off again and they don't have to go to the Ossuary
Bhaltair also draws a map of the tunnels as they go, marking the portals
Then they level up, as they escaped the Maw! Bhaltair will need levelling up before next session
Several others need to discuss some level decisions too. It's chill
They spend a long time in the tunnels, which branch and wind a lot. They are all marked with possible destinations. Bhaltair maps it all.
They're in the tunnels for two days before they find anything of note. Lots and lots of tunnels.

4th Sypheros, 999 YK

As they walk, they hear voices speaking Dwarven. They can't see anything yet, probably round corners. Runmae is the only one that can understand, she hears four distinct voices, just chatting.
She gets the group to stop and informs them. "How do we want to play this?"
Warren says "sneaky beaky". He's back to his old self.
Runmae is concerned about sneaking up on them, it might make them react violently where they otherwise wouldn't?
Naze wants to talk to em
Valaari agrees, they want to go to their city. They should just walk out, unarmed, and Runmae can talk to them
Naze asks about Zaphkiel. Should he hide them?
Valaari says to unsummon him
Naze doesn't wanna do that though
He'll hide Zaphkiel for now round the corner. He can unmanifest them if needed.
Fine, Valaari agrees to that
They confidently but cautiously round the corner, lights on and weapons sheathed.
They see a small camp of dwarves, though two of them appear to be Hryngar, sat around a heatless fire (it's a crystal) and chatting
None of the group have ever seen dwarves with those features
The dwarves all stop talking and look at the group. Rigwi speaks first, "travelers in the tunnels, you good?"
Runmae introduces them as "Ghaash'kala", which gets blank stares. "From the surface?"
Blank stares
Rigwi asks if they're joking
No Sir
Surely they mean a demiplane?
Runmae doesn't know about that, but they did come through a portal
Probably a demiplane then
Valaari interrupts and asks Runmae to ask if they speak any other languages?
They speak Giant too!
Damn
Runmae asks if they (Valaari) has any questions?
Valaari asks if Runmae has asked if they can go to Vralkast?
Rigwi says they're heading there now, it's about another day's travel. "You can come with us if you're chill"
Runmae relays this
They'll be chill
Runmae tells Naze to unsummon Zaphkiel. He does so begrudgingly.
Rigwi introduces them all. Rigwi Thromwud, Thydar Solbrursk, Nuvli Stromn and Stramgurd Numn. They're members of the Everdelver's Guild of Underplunderers, the organisation responsible for expeditions into Khyber.
Runmae asks if they can share any maps, and Rigwi asks if they have any bonegeld? Runmae doesn't know what that is
Rigwi shows her some bonegeld and explains it. Valaari asks what they're talking about
Runmae explains that its money. Valaari is confused, isn't trade more efficient?
The dwarves give a rough rundown of Vralkast and what is to be expected. They need to behave, or the Wyrd Vigil will render them into chum. They'll stand out a bit, but Vralkast is full of gribbly little weirdos so they'll blend in eventually.
Runmae explains the ground rules to the party. "Don't start nothin' and you won't get nothin'. Be chill"
Valaari asks what it means to "be chill"?
"Naze, no weird guardian angel bull shit"
"Warren, no turning into a giant rat man"
Valaari asks if they're against magic? Runmae doesn't think so
Very well
Valaari asks Runmae if they were familiar with the Ghaash'kala? Runmae says no
"And they're just okay with us going to their city?"
"Yeah apparently they're very welcoming"
Valaari finds that fascinating, especially in somewhere as hostile as Khyber
"Oh and just to let you know, we're gonna get on a boat. How's everyone with sea travel?"
Most of them have never even seen the sea
Oh gods
Runmae says they're gonna be on the water for a few days, travelling. Floating. On it. Not like swimming
They'll see
Valaari is suspicious. Getting onto a large body of water with strangers is a risk
Runmae vibe checks the dwarves, and finds they seem genuinely friendly and welcoming. They're clearly experienced, and ready for a fight if they need to be, but they aren't being deceptive.
Runmae says she knows it seems weird, but they seem genuinely friendly
Valaari comments that they outnumber them, too
Runmae assuages their fears some more, and they proceed with the dwarves
They spend the next day travelling, and learn a bit more about the dwarves. They have extradimensional spaces in their clothes, "hinterpockets", which are a speciality of hintergnomes, who don't exist
Reasonable
Runmae also spends the time giving the rest of the group some basic dwarven so they can kind of manage

5th Sypheros, 999 YK

A day later, they arrive at a sea cave. They're on a ledge about 30 feet above pitch black water. The Everdelvers just start climbing down, and it looks like there are pitons in the wall.
They all climb down into the boat, Bhaltair has to do so slowly as they aren't used to it
This is the first time most of them have been on a boat. The floor is moving. It's weird.
"And this thing stays on the water?"
"But if we fall in the water, we drown? How does the boat not fall down?"
How do boats work??
Runmae tries to explain buoyancy
"So it's being held up by the will of Kalok Shash?"
Yeah sure. It's magic!
Makes sense
They trust Runmae
The Everdelvers ask if everything is okay?
Runmae says they aren't used to water travel, or water in general actually
Valaari asks if Runmae asked if there are any whales?
Runmae relays the question.
Thydar laughs, and Rigwi explains there are much, much bigger than whales
For the sake of a safe and stress free journey, Runmae decides not to relay that.
"There are things bigger then whales, but no threat to us"
That's a lie
Valaari says okay and gets their spear out. Runmae starts panicking at them drawing a weapon
"What? There's large things in the water"
Naze goes to summon Zaphkiel and Runmae stops him. "Hey! I see you over there!"
There is some concern about the weight on the boat. "But Kalok Shash has no limits?"
Runmae explains they feel more comfortable with their weapons out. Rigwi says that's fine, but their weapons won't do much about a kraken
Runmae sputters and does not relay that
Rigwi checks that everyone is ready to go. Valaari is sat, holding onto the sides for dear life.
Yeah they're ready
Oars hit water, and the boat begins to move, and the party freak out
It's fucking moving! What the Khyber!
Warren, who was standing when it began to move, falls on his face
He also gets sea sick
They sail for several hours, before coming across...rain. And the sea is boiling. What the hell.
As the boat approaches, the boiling and rain cease, and Rigwi gently requests they keep their voices down so as not to disturb the creature that is letting them pass.
Everybody does so, and Nuvli explains that the weather is Olmsrain. Generated by the dragons of the sea.
Bhaltair does a quick portal check, and gets overwhelmed by the amount of information they're receiving. There are so many portals that they all blend together in their senses.
Bhaltair gets excited, and asks Runmae if any of those portals go back to Khorvaire or the surface?
Runmae relays the question
The dwarves don't know what Khorvaire or Eberron are. Sorry.
Runmae relays that
30 minutes later, they encounter a Great Olm, but we need Bhaltair so we skip it (to revisit next session)
They arrive at The Break, and are dumbfounded by the scale of it. Description below.
Runmae asks how they could've constructed such a structure? Rigwi says it was the Stoneseer's Circle, druids
Valaari asks what they could possibly be defending against? To need such a wall?
Krakens. Giant Sea Serpents. Giant Crabs. Demons. The Vermin States. Aberrations occasionally wander in from Sol Udar. The Sea of Sorrow is full of unimaginable horror
Oh shit, Sol Udar! Runmae locks in and asks about it
Oh yeah, it's all gone now. Thankfully, "those of us in Vralkast survived"
Wait, they're from Sol Udar?
Yup
Incredible
Runmae reminisces about the Mror Holds
Runmae asks about the giants. Rigwi says those are the Fomor'ren, the Wyrd Vigil. They founded the city, opened their doors to all who needed shelter. She warns that they can look "a bit gnarly", so try not to react to that too much
Runmae relays the warning, but doesn't really understand
Warren gives a thumbs up
They go through the gate, and they get inspected by a disfigured giant with an oversized right eye. They scrutinize the group and have a short conversation in Giant before letting them through.
Once they're clear of the wall, Rigwi clears her throat and says they were suspicious of Warren, who has "something of the rat about him". Rats are a sore subject for Vralkast
Rigwi gives a quick explanation of the Vermin States, who are everyone's problem. Nobody wants to be eaten by rataphracts.
Warren is having a great time, guys
Valaari asks Runmae about the water, as it seems the city extends below the waves?
"Oh yeah that's Cartilay. Home to merfolk, grindylows, the Godtenders and the Wormeries"
The what
Oh yeah farm and eat worms. Cool cool cool cool cool
As they're freaking out about that, a glowing shape detatches from the wall and swims over to their boat, before climbing on next to Valaari
She asks, in a singsong, beautiful voice, if the Everdelvers found anything good. She then interrupts them to ask who the weirdos are
Her name is in Giant, but it means Wingwasher. She's a scavenger ("Salvager! I pick apart boats, not corpses!")
Stramgurd asks if she's lured any ships to their doom. She acts dramatically offended, slipping off the boat
"My frequently recorded presence near to ships in distress is a statistical anomaly."
She tries to haggle for Runmae's hammer, but she won't sell. Shame.
She then moves to Warren, and asks about his knife, but Warren can't understand her
Runmae says as much, and Wingwasher asks "why not?"
They're not from around here!
They chat for a bit, and then a subneural warbling sound goes through them, followed by a loud crash
Wingwasher says that's her que, and then backflips into the water and disappears
Valaari shoots to their feet, weapon in hand
Thydar tries to calm them
"Don't worry! One of the gods must've found a vessel wanting, probably smuggling something dangerous into the city and smashed the boat against the wall. It's fine"
Sorry, gods?
"Yeah, the Harbour Gods!"
They have to explain what that means. Gods live in the Harbour, they defend the city.
Runmae explains that a vessel was perceived as a threat, and was destroyed by a harbour god.
"Harbour Gods?"
"Is that a translation issue?"
"I don't think so, they definitely said Gods. I double checked"
"It's not every day a god is just hanging out"
"Oh, they're not. They're strictly controlled, that's what the Godtenders are for. You seem really concerned about this?"
Runmae is dumbfounded and terrified as she takes this in. She relays this to the others. "I don't know what to do with this information so I'm just throwing it out there"
Valaari thinks maybe they mean wards? Like Maruk Dar is protected by celestial magic. It does make for a powerful stronghold.
Runmae asks, is that what they mean? Powerful magic
Lmao
"No, physical gods. Like, gods. They're all unique so it's hard to...hmm. I saw one once that looked like a crab-worm with thousands of arms."
Runmae is horrified. "No they have actual gods, contained down there and these Godtenders look after them"
Valaari says it sounds like they're controlling them? That doesn't make sense. It's a God!
Valaari wishes so much that they could speak their language
Do they do tours or something?
"I guess so? You can just go walk there I guess but why would you want to?"
"They live in the Break there. We ritually murder one of them every few tide-cycles to feed the worms"
Runmae keeps discovering new levels of horrified. She tries to describe this to the rest of the group
Valaari thinks they must have a different interpretation of what a God is. They must.
This makes no sense.
Who has enough gods hanging around that they can kill them?
Runmae says she needs a drink. Rigwi says they can sort that out!
Is it worm based?
Yes
"We'll get you a mug of Grimmy's Wormshine, you'll love it"
They dock at one of the many docks, and as they're tying up the ship, a spider-like humanoid approaches and asks if they need help unloading. They introduce themselves as Chak-Chak, there are none better, none faster. Fastest spinneret in the Sea of Sorrow.
Thydar pays her, and she begins wrapping their stuff up in silken nets and slinging them over her shoulder. The party say they don't need help, so it's just the Everdelver's loot. She nevertheless hands one of the bags to Runmae. "Chak-Chak silk is strong, take the weight. Feel the lightness, very comfortable, minimal chafing on chitinless shoulders. You will come again, yes."
Rigwi says they're gonna be heading up to Tor Udar, but if they want to explore Sowshore a bit they can wait for them. Maybe exchange some of their stuff for some bonegeld, so they have spending money.

The Break

The rest of the sea journey is mercifully quiet, perhaps due to the presence of the Olm. After several hours on the Sea of Sorrow, able to see nothing beyond the light of your own boats lanterns and those off in the distance. Ahead of your boat, in the direction you're travelling, is a smear of thousands of lights along in the dark, appearing much like your memories of the night sky.

The first real part of Vralkast you see is The Break. It's a titanic breakwater, perhaps the largest single structure any of you have ever seen, a mindbogglingly huge sea wall, with equally enormous, circular gates embedded into it for allowing the flow of sea traffic in and out.

Those gates are open right now, and it's a struggle to imagine how one would even close them. The scale is just something else entirely. The wall is quite well lit, but you've no idea how it could've been constructed. There are no visible bricks, no mortar. The entire wall seems to be one continuous, almost sinuous piece of stone.

There is a tower next to the largest, central gate. Its walls are similarly smooth, and it has a large light source at the top that illuminates the wall and acts as a beacon for ships both coming and going, lighting the way. It's likely none of you have ever seen one, but if you had to use a single word to describe it, you might call it a "lighthouse".

It is thanks to the light from that lighthouse that you can see the force manning the battlements at the top of this wall, keeping an eye on the ocean beyond. They're large enough that you can see them from this far away, and it dawns on you that the wall is manned by giants. Their bone-wrought armour illuminated by the lighthouse, each of them an intimidating beacon in their own right.

Sowshore

As you pass through the main gate, there are walkways on either side. The harbour beyond the wall is just as stunning in scale as the wall itself, and if you hadn't just been out in the Sea of Sorrow proper, for some of you, it would be the largest body of water you've ever seen. Unlike the sea outside the wall, the water here is painted in turquoise hues by the presence of a whole city's worth of lights beneath the waves.

There are countless ships here, with a dizzying array of designs and visual styles. The most impressive are the Serpentkeels, giant-sized longships built from the hides of krakens and mycelial timber stretched over a frame of leviathan bone, but there aren't too many of those. The other vessels vary from relatively normal, what you'd expect of a boat, to a vessel that seems to be made of chitin, and several vessels of a similar size to the one you're in, but harnessed to giant angler fish.

It seems that there are buildings constructed on the inside wall of The Break too, mostly concentrated around the main gate that you've just entered through but covering much of the length of the wall. These aren't sized for giants, and they seem to extend under the waterline.

Standing on one of the walkways, to the right of your boat, is an enormous, disfigured individual encased in that same bone armour you saw on the giants manning the wall. They gesture to your boat, and the Everdelver's bring it to the edge and stop. The giant, whose skin is a dark purple or blue, hard to tell in the light you have, steps up to the edge of the water and leans down, peering at you with their oversized left eye that takes up roughly half the available space on their face.

"What are you bringing into the city?" the giant asks, though none of you understand it, as it scrutinizes you. The Everdelver's have a short conversation with the giant, presumably detailing the things they've found. There is a moment where the giant asks a question, and the dwarves don't seem to have an answer, but then Rigwi speaks up and the giant considers what she said. Eventually, they come to some kind of understanding, and the giant waves you through.

The Everdelver's begin rowing again, and once you're out of earshot of the wall, Rigwi clears her throat. "They're suspicious of Warren, say he's got something of the rat about him. You're gonna want to be careful around the Fomoria, you should be fine as long as you don't do anything to threaten the city, but they're gonna be looking at you often I reckon."

Wingwasher

While you're discussing, those of you facing the inside of the breakwater see a glowing shape detatch from the wall and fall into the water. You can easily follow the shape as it moves through the water, emanating light as it is, as it swims up to your boat and then gracefully climbs up the side, where it perches.

It's vaguely shaped like an aquatic, female humanoid, with bioluminescent, scaled skin. Her arms have enlarged fins that seem to function as wings, as well as smaller fins on her legs, which end in four webbed toes, each capped by a glowing bulb. She's not wearing much in the way of clothing, just a strip of seaweed across her chest, and a loin cloth similar crafted from seaweed, both garments decorated with seashells.

The creature smiles at you, revealing a dizzying array of razor sharp teeth, followed by a beautiful sound that it takes you a second to process as speech. She's speaking dwarven, though mispronouncing it, but nevertheless doing so in a way that is hard not to see as an improvement to the overall sound of the language. You think she could say anything and it would sound like music to your ears.

"You've returned, did you find anything good?"

Chak-Chak

The Everdelver's row your boat to one of the countless docks that stretch the length of the cliff. The material the docks are made of is softer than wood, more pliant. The Everdelver's would tell you it's mycelial timber, made from titancap mushrooms. It's shock absorbent!

As Thydar is tying the boat to the dock, a multi-limbed, spider-like humanoid approaches them, wearing patterned overalls and silken wraps. They speak to Thydar in Dwarven, which sounds strange coming from so alien a face.

"You need help unloading? Chak-Chak got your back. Limbs variable here, but Chak-Chak is above the curve," as they flex their 6 arms, "none better. None faster."

Thydar laughs and hands Chak-Chak a handful of bonegeld. She counts the money before dropping it into one of the pockets of her overalls, and then she leaps onto the boat with frightening agility and begins wrapping the Everdelver's haul in silken nets and slinging them over her shoulder.

As she does so, Nuvli asks why she did the sales pitch? They know her. Chak-Chak gestures to the nearest one of you with one of her numerous limbs. "New faces, new customers perhaps. Chak-Chak must always be saleswoman."

Chak-Chak then hands out the silken bundles containing the Everdelver's goods. "Chak-Chak silk is strong, take the weight. Feel the lightness, very comfortable, minimal chafing on chitinless shoulders. You will come again, yes."