As the long ship entered the cavern, Mandras was delighted to see that Konrad had caught up to the party. Mandras had exchanged his Battle Axe for the Sword of Sylaes and a sturdy shield. After a short discussion, the party began to explore the tunnel running east. After a few rooms that carried signs of recent life, they headed down a set of stairs.
Mandras opened a door that gave onto a large chamber. A voice called out: ‘they know you’re here, they’re waiting for you’. While Mandras and Hats checked a series of doors to the right, heard voices and opted not to open them. Konrad went to the other side and peeked around a corner. He saw tables and benches and 4 cells. He let out the prisoner who had called out to the party as well as two more men. Mandras moved east to help Konrad.
As he did so, a large hooded figure, wearing a bloody apron and wielding a large axe charged him from the shadows. Mandras struck his opponent a mighty blow, but the torturer kept coming. At the sound of combat the doors on the west side opened and over 20 sailors poured out, led by a woman and some scruffy fellow. Konrad rushed to help Hats and the others. Simon quickly cast sleep, putting 6 sailors out of action. The fight continued. Mandras missed his mark twice and took increasing damage. Konrad slew some foes but was wounded himself. Although Simon slept another 13 sailors, the scruffy mate was parrying and fighting Konrad with amazing speed and the woman was also holding her own. Hats managed to slay the scruffy fighter.
Seeing that Konrad and Mandras were likely to die, Konrad called parlay. The woman pirate, Captain Cabrila accepted. Both parties stepped back, exhausted and bleeding. It transpired that Cabrila was not an ally of Gaspard and even sought to barricade their own lair from him and the fish worshipping cult that she said was evolving around him. The story rang true and was ominous to hear. After some bargaining to ransom the surviving prisoners, one of which was a silkie water witch, the party left Captain Cabrila’s lair and headed back to Yonne. They took the furtive chap found in the first cell with them – he wanted to join the party but there was a sense of chaos or similar about him, so he was sent on his way once in town.
- Yonne was in a state of alarm, refugees were flooding in from the east. Prices had risen on all goods. There was chaos everywhere. Into this, the 3 dwarves went seeking healing in different places of rest, hoping to find and recruit a healer to join the party – without success. As evening set in, the heroes were delighted to see Rarder riding into the city with his troops.