Chapter 15

TLDR:
Orimine and Senft are awake by Argan ringing a bell after the members on the deck of the ship
notice other boats headed their way.

A storm is raging and the ship is getting tossed like a toy as these enemy ships approach and
6 enemies are able to make it on board.

The battle commences and, with the DM adding the challenge of the group needing to repair
the ship as well as ght, there are some di culties but the ship does receive a few repairs,
many of the enemies are cut down and the battle ends with the captain of the enemy ship
being taken out by his own ship’s cannon re.

Only 3 members of the enemy party survive, the 3 pirate rogues, and they head down into the
cargo bay of the ship with the Half Heroes following.

They nd out the pirate rogues were sent by the Blackthrons to capture and destroy the cargo.
As the group discusses what to do, in front of the captain, his crew and the rogues, two of the
rogues disappear, but are eventually found hanging over the side of the boat.

After a LOT of discussion, the party decides to kill everyone on board that isn’t in their party
and then sink the ship. They take a row boat to shore.

Sylus is there to greet them but then becomes angry and accusative when the party tries to
explain what happened with the ship and the cargo. But eventually Sylus is satis ed that they
are telling the truth and leaves.

The group then spots the foggy-eyed hipster at a bookstall watching them. Ori and Argan
approach him, and chat (Ori irts a bit), but he eventually departs. Argan nds a book on
vampires.

The party heads to the Roaring Heart and after drinks and an awkward check in the vampire’s
pants, the group Long Rests.

When they wake up, it’s auction day and while Zoraya, Ori, Brom and Senft head that way,
Vamiko and Argan head to the Blackthrons to provide some intel.

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 When last we left our courageous heroes (and Vamiko)…

Orimine and Senft are below deck in the captain’s quarters sleeping with Sif and Sov while the
rest of the group is above deck keeping watch. Argan, Zoraya, and Vamiko notice not one, not
two, but ve ships headed toward their own ship. Argan notices a bell nearby and begins
ringing it relentlessly.

Below deck, Sif has already been barking and Ori, trying to calm her, now hears the bell. She
jabs at Senft to get him up and they head up on deck to see a battle headed for them.

As she gets on deck, the boat is struck by a large wave, Argan and Vamiko fail their Dexterity
saving throws and lose their balance, but passing her Dexterity saving throw, Zoraya is able
to keep her footing. Lightning ashes across the sky and thunder cuts through the air.

“What’s going on???” Orimine shouts.

“I think we’re being attacked!” Argan answers.

With an 11 Perception check, Argan checks for rowboats approaching but isn’t able to see
any. Suddenly another wave crashes into the ship and Argan, succeeding his Dexterity saving
throw, is the only one able to keep his balance, even Sif and Sov are throw against a doorway.

The captain nally makes it above deck and asks what’s going on. Argan responds, “Prepare to
be boarded!”

“Fuck! Fuck!” The captain is extremely upset and the sky seems to mirror this as lightning then
strikes the ship.

“Well, the ship is sinking!” The captain shouts as he heads back below deck. “Stop them from
getting on board!” Another bolt of lightning hits the main mast of the ship and it cracks and
falls to the deck.

Then, out in the water, a horn sounds from the largest of the approaching ships and the party
can see the captain of that ship with a menacing smile on his face.

As the party discusses what they should do, several large, metal hooks latch over the railing of
the ship and men begin climbing the attached ropes and boarding the ship.

Argan and Orimine attempt to throw the hooks o the ship, with an 18 Strength check, Argan
succeeds with his rst hook, but Ori fails with a 6 Strength check. Instead, she casts Flame
Blade but misses cutting the rope and, unfortunately, catches her own ship on re.

Zoraya walks up to the railing and casts Magic Missile on the captain of the other ship—DM
states at 10 points of damage, the captain will be knocked into the water—but only causes 9
points of damage.

In the meantime, Vamiko succeeds a Strength check and cuts one of the ropes hanging over
the edge of the ship, leaving now eight hooks and ropes.

As the captain of the enemy ship boards, everyone rolls for initiate.
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 DM explains the method of battle: the ship the party is on board is sinking and now also on re
(thanks Ori!) Because of this, there will be two rounds of combat before the ship sinks IF
nothing is done to x the ship. Your turn can be used to help with repairs which could extend
the amount of time the ship stays a oat. Six people manage to climb aboard, the captain, two
brute-types and three pirates.

Once the enemy captain and his men are onboard, they destroy their own ropes.

Acting rst is the enemy captain, who has a peg leg, which Argan wants. He attacks Zoraya
with his saber successfully twice, for a total of 19 points of damage. He then uses a Bonus
Action to Disengage and moves toward Argan.

Next are the two brutes. DM has Orimine and Argan roll a at D20, Orimine gets a 17 and Argan
gets a 13, this causes Orimine to be attacked, but rst she uses her reaction Halo of Spores to
deal one of the brutes 4 points of damage. Orimine is hit multiple times for a total of 29 points
of damage.

Senft is up next and he casts 3rd level Cure Wounds on Orimine for 19 points of healing.
Using his Bonus Action, he casts Healing Word on Zoraya for 8 points of healing.

Orimine then casts 3rd level Call Lightning which allows her to dowse the re on the ship and
strike the enemy captain for 30 points of damage.

Next, Vamiko attacks one of the brutes for 14 points of damage, then he Rages and bites the
same brute ripping his throat out, killing him.

Everyone watching this is a bit disturbed, but his party continues to ght.

Because Thistle and the DM have been forgetting, it is decided here to let Sif enter combat.

Orimine is also allowed to use the unused Bonus Action from recent turn here to say the magic
word (Bubblegum) for Sif’s Flame Tongue and it erupts in ame.

Si y DD then attacks the other brute with her Flame Tongue for 13 points of damage.

Zoraya then attempts casts Eldridge Blast on the enemy captain but misses. She then uses
her Bonus Action to cast Minor Illusion to scream in the enemy captain’s ear and he now gets
disadvantage on his next attack.

Then the three roguey pirates take their turn. DM asks Zoraya and Vamiko for a at D20 roll.
They roll 2 and 14 respectively. This time it is Zoraya that is the main target. Three of the four
attacks hit her for 27 points of damage and she is knocked unconscious. Then one of the
pirates attacks Vamiko for 9 points of damage. All the roguey pogey pirates use their Bonus
Action to hide. Vamiko then gets an opportunity bite attack on the pirate who attacked him for
19 damage.

Everyone standing makes a Perception check to sense where they pirogues went but with a
N20, only Vamiko is able to sense where they went.

Argan attempts to attack the enemy captain but misses. He then uses his action to Channel
Divinity: Nature’s Wrath but also misses.
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DM then advises that while the re was put out, the damage to the ship that is causing it to sink
has not been repaired and now at the top of combat, there is only one round left before the ship
sinks.

The captain turns to attack Argan with his saber but only succeeds with one hit causing 6
points of damage. He uses his Bonus Action to disengage and runs toward Orimine.

The lone brute now attacks Vamiko for 3 points of damage.

Senft casts 3rd level Cure Wounds to bring Zoraya back with 17 points of health.

Vamiko makes an insight check to see if the rest of the enemy party would run if their captain
was killed and with a N1, the DM advises they would run into the clouds.

Senft, in his Senftish way, asks if anyone else needs healing and then casts 2nd level Healing
Word on Zoraya for 12 points of health. And to nish o , Senft does his signature dab, and
everyone turns to look, some people clap, others are disgusted.

Orimine then uses her action and her magic to repair the ship. She succeeds an Arcana check
and gains the party one more round of combat. As she asks if anyone needs healing, the brute
raises his hand. Ori o ers to heal him if he turns coat, but fails her Persuasion check.

Sif then attempts to attack the enemy captain but fails.

Vamiko then Reckless Bites the brute for 39 points of damage then stabs him for 10 points of
damage.

On a successful Insight check, Zoraya learns that it’s probably possible to fully x the ship in
order for it to not sink, however, the party would probably need to not be in combat to make
that happen. She then discovers the three pirogues—Thistle is just now realizing that she
means this word to be pronounced as Pie-rogue, as in pirate-rogue, but this spelling is an
actual word and upon looking it up, a pirogue is the generic word for small, native-built boats, in
regions that were colonized by France or Spain…for our purposes here, though, please use the
former pronunciation/de nition, the party is not ghting literal boats—are actually huddled
together, hiding behind a barrel. Zoraya casts Maximillian’s Earthen Grasp, but all three
pirogues succeed on a Strength saving throw and are not grasped but take 2 points of
damage each.

The three pirogues Bonus Action and regular Action to dash-dash below deck.

Argan attacks the enemy captain, using Divine Smite on his second attack, for 30 points of
damage total and, as a Bonus Action, casts Ensnaring Strike on him.

The captain starts his turn by taking 5 points of damage from Argan’s Ensnaring Strike—the
group then takes a moment to check on the DM as he sounds a little under the weather, he
mentions having not slept in a while—then he pulls out his horn and toots it (Harz’s word, not
mine) and a barrage of canon and gun re rains down onto the ship. Everyone makes a
Dexterity saving throw with the captain, the brute, Ori, Zoe and Vamiko taking 10 points of
damage. Argan was dealt 20 points of damage but uses his reaction Stone’s Endurance to
reduce the damage to 11 points. The captain and the brute both killed. The brute is simply
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 shot by a stray bullet, but the captain is walloped by a canon all , which decimates his torso
into a cloud of bodily matter, leaving nothing but legs. Argan scoops up the peg leg, wipes it
down, and puts it in his satchel.

Senft, with a look on his face that can only be described as Senft’s face, attempts to repair the
ship…grumpily…but he fails.

Orimine also tried to heal the ship and succeeds on an Arcana check. She then also casts
Healing Word on herself for 6 points of health.

Combat o cially ends. The enemy ships begin retreating since their captain is now dead.
Argan tries to throw a javelin at one of the retreating ships but misses and loses his javelin.
Argan barely manages to succeed in an Athletics check to put the mast back in place but
failing a Slight of Hand check, manages to use his rope only to tie his hands together, rather
then tying the rope around the mast to hold it in place. Orimine walks over and unties him,
telling him maybe he needs to start asking for help.

Everyone heads below deck to the cargo bay where they nd this ship’s captain and his
remaining men, as well as the rogues who seem set on taking the cargo or the entire ship.

Argan fails an Athletics check trying to grapple one of the rogues (the rogue manages to tie
Argan up in the process), while Ori succeeds on an attack role, hitting the rogue in the head
with her mace. Zoraya casts Shocking Grasp on the third rogue and Vamiko attacks the rogue
that tied Argan up for 7 points of damage. Orimine unties Argan. Again.

The rogue that had been knocked to the oor gets up. “Easy friends, easy. We surrender.”

“Who are you working for?” Orimine asks.

The pirogue then says he could tell her and she could be killed or he could refuse to tell her
and save her life.

Vamiko then suggests, “How about you tell us and then we kill you and we save our own
lives?”

Argan adds, “Your captain is dead, the ships have ed, you have no power here.”

Zoraya demand they say who they are working for or she will turn them all into ice cube and
with a wildly successful Intimidation check, they all become terri ed.

Finally, the pirogue admits they are working for the Blackthrons. This pirate also says there is a
snitch among the Shadow Hand and in learning about this cargo meant for the Shadow Hand,
the Blackthrons sent the ships to intercept and destroy the cargo. Argan tries searching the
pirogue’s pockets but with a failed Slight of Hand check, only nds a single copper piece. It’s
nice! Zoraya then asks him to empty his pockets and he shows that he only has a small pouch
of 8 gold and a dagger.

The group then discusses opening the boxes of cargo but ultimately decides to leave the
boxes alone. They also chat for a WHILE about what to do about the pirogues and the
“friendly” captain and his crew, and the ship. Because the group had mentioned they were
working for the Blackthrons to feed them information IN FRONT OF the captain, they now don’t
feel it’s a good idea to leave them alive, but they are also not actually working for the
Blackthrons and feel obligated to kill the pirogues because of the group’s commitment to the
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 Shadow Hand. Many good points are brought up and discussed. As a decision is being made,
DM has everyone roll a Perception check, with only Argan passing, he notices the pirogues
have escaped. The group also realizes the ship has still been sinking this whole time. Orimine
runs up on deck to try to spot the rogues, but fails her Perception check. Vamiko follows her
and uses his Blood Sense to nd the pirogues hanging o the side of the ship. The group
decide to round up the pirogues, tie them up, and stu them in a barrel. They don’t all t, but
the party sure tries.

Vamiko then nds the captain making repairs in the ship and questions what the captain heard
of their conversation below deck. He states he didn’t hear anything about the group also
working for the Blackthrons, but with a 16 Insight check, Vam can tell he’s lying. Vamiko asks
what the captain plans to tell the Shadow Hand about what he heard. The captain says he’ll
just tell them what happened.

DM states here, because Vamiko wants to attack the captain but speci cally not kill him, that if
a player would like to knock someone unconscious instead of kill them at anytime during play,
they can simply say so.

Ok, time out. Let’s take a moment and be clear about what’s happening. Balthazar needs the
crystal. He suggested to the group a while back that they join the Shadow Hand in order to get
information on who or what organization has the crystal, the Shadow Hand or the Blackthrons.
The group now knows that the Blackthrons have the crystal which is why they are working for
the Blackthrons, and have joined the Shadow Hand, in order to get information back to the
Blackthrons in order to receive the crystal and return. At this moment in time, on board the ship,
if the captain and his crew are left alive, they will tell the Shadow Hand that the Half Heroes are
working for the Blackthrons. If the pirogues are left alive, they will tell the Blackthrons that the
Half Heroes intercepted their ships who were trying to steal the cargo. Ok, time in.

The ultimate decision is made: sink the ship, kill everyone, and get the party back alive. Zoraya
and Vamiko go o to kill everyone. Argan knocks the mast down again. Orimine nds a row
boat for the Half Heroes to escape. Argan rows the party to shore. It’s slow, there’s a storm, but
they make it…all the while watching the ship sink into the ocean.

As the party makes it to shore, there is a familiar face waiting for them at the dock. Sylus
seems to have a cheerful look on his face until he realizes the party doesn’t have the cargo with
them.

“Where’s the ship? Where’s the cargo? Where’s…everything???”

“It’s out in the water,” Orimine o ers.

“Vampires, bro,” Zoraya adds.

Orimine fails her Deception check. Sylus looks her dead in the eye. “So that’s what really
happened?”

“Did you not know the Blackthrons would come after us? Five ships!”

Sylus then wonders out loud how the Blackthrons could know about the ship with the cargo
unless there was a snitch. And points out that Orimine had spoken of the Blackthrons when he
gave the group this assignment. She con rms she did because the group had been kidnapped
by the biters, tied to chairs, and asked for information the group didn’t have. Sylus continues to
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 question the party and their story, the group points out that the Blackthrons even killed their
own captain during the ght. And reminded Sylus again that he told them to run in the event
they came across any biters.

“And there were biters, were there?” Sylus asks.

“There was was at least one biter on that ship,” Vamiko responds.

Sylus eyes Vamiko. He asks Vamiko if he’s the biter. Argan makes an Insight check to see if
Sylus is here alone and with a 21, Argan learns Sylus never goes anywhere alone.

Orimine, changing the subject back to their mission, explains that the cargo is undamaged, it’s
simply underwater, and if Sylus can get out to where the ship was and get the cargo out of the
water, it’s all his. Sylus goes on to say that the cargo isn’t really the issue. The issue now is that
they are lying about their story about working for the Blackthrons, and that there is a biter
among them. Sylus then asks for proof that Vamiko is not a biter, which would prove they aren’t
working for the Blackthrons. Finally Sylus asks Argan, a paladin, to ash his holy symbol at
Vamiko. Passing a Stealth check, Orimine silently casts Blindness on Vamiko as Argan
ashes his amulet at Vamiko who has no issues casting his eyes on it.

“Ok, apologies if I was a little hasty—“ Sylus begins.

Argan interjects, “We don’t want apologies pal.”

“What do you want?”

“How about payment?” Orimine says.

The group earns 750GP, everyone earns 105GP each.

Sylus then tells them he’ll be in contact with the group tomorrow.

Orimine, ever curious, makes a Perception check to see if the foggy-eyed hipster is here with
Sylus, but she fails.

On a 14 Insight check, Argan wants to know if Sylus believes the groups story, which he does,
though he does not trust Ori.

With that, Sylus turns and leaves. Vamiko’s vision returns. The group decides they want to
return to the Heart. With an 18 Perception check to see if they are being tailed, Orimine now
notices the hipster, standing at a bookstall. Ori sees he’s looking through the small dark-
fantasy-romance section. Argan is excited by the books and heads to the stall to look for
books on Vampire lore, which, with a N20, nds a somewhat well known book about Vampires
by a ranger that Argan recognizes immediately. (Orimine looks directly at the hipster and he
meets her gaze.) Originally the book is priced at 250GP, Argan is able to talk the vendor down
to 229GP, since the vendor didn’t have the companion book on Werewolves.

Orimine is still focused on Sylus’ hipster and Argan, noticing this, walks over and asks him
about the book he’s holding, which is still the dark fantasy romance book. Argan says he’s also
a connoisseur of romance novels.

“Me too,” Orimine pipes up, still gazing at the hipster, who turns his eyes back to her.
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 Argan asks if he’s thinking about buying the book and the hipsters says, “I was but I’m think
I’ve changed my mind.”

“But it’s a good one!” Orimine o ers, “We could talk about it later…” Failing a Persuasion
check, the hipster turns to leave, “As much as I would love that, I have other business to
attend to. But it was pleasure taking to you all and I hope to be seeing you all soon.”

“Oh I’m sure you will,” Orimine coos.

Argan tells him to contact them if he ever wants to join their book club and the hipster nods as
he leaves.

The group nally leaves for the Heart. On the way, Argan shows Vamiko the book he bought
and tells Vamiko that he’s gonna look through the book to see if vampires can survive without
their limbs. As he reads, he learns it is possible for vampires to lose their limbs and survive, for
lesser vampires it’s quite painful, but higher vampires regenerate limbs. Zoraya also asks
Vamiko for his hammock and she refashions it into a cloak for Vamiko. It’s also now that the
sun begins to come up and Vamiko seems ne in the sun.

Finally at the Heart, Orimine enters, heads straight to the bar and asks Brom is he’s procured
any Scotch yet, which he has. He gives Orimine a bottle and she says, “May the Gods bless
you.” Zoraya orders a bottle of whiskey. Argan asks for something other water and Orimine
suggests apple juice, which Argan doesn’t want as the orphans he grew up with used to pelt
him with Apples. Brom o ers to make Argan orange juice and it turns out it’s pretty solid
orange juice, 18/20! Vamiko orders red wine.

The party rolls for their share of the bar, they earn 40GP, which is 8GP a piece.

Brom lets the group know the rooms upstairs have been completed and Orimine heads up rst
with Sif.

Argan and Vamiko then engage in some tests of Vamiko’s vampness. First, Argan pulls out his
amulet again and it’s annoying to Vam but doesn’t hurt him. Then Argan presses it against
Vamiko’s skin. Still nothing. Then Vamiko turns himself into a bat. Then he turns back into
Vamiko and Argan casts Turn to Faith on him and he runs out of the room. He quickly returns
and tells Argan to warn him next time. Vamiko then turns into Argan. Argan gets excited and
asks Vamargan to check his pants real quick. Argan insists on seeing his dick to make sure his
shape-shifting abilities are truly accurate. They are. Every single inch. Vamiko shifts a few more
times and lands back in his elf self.

Argan heads up to his room and falls asleep reading a book. Orimine spends a little time
teaching Sif the command Search before they fall asleep. Zoraya heads to the stables to check
on Spotted Chief and then hangs up her hammock there to sleep. Senft hangs out at the bar
with Brom for a bit. Senft dabs for Brom and Brom nds it sexy so he starts dabbing too. Then
Senft heads to bed. The whole party Long Rests uninterrupted.

When the party wakes up, they decide on what they are going to do. Zoraya for sure is heading
to the auction, along with Brom, Senft, and Orimine while Argan and Vamiko head o to the
Blackthrons to give them some intel…
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