FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21ST - DAGGERHEART : SESSION 1 PART 2
Topaz looked up at the ghastly image of a horrifying woman in spectral form. Her friends Seventh and Holly were shocked by what they saw, but were determined not to let their friend be harmed. The Ribbet cast the spell Entangle in the hopes of binding the spirit in place. To his horror, the creature passed through the grasping vines as if they did not exist. It was at that moment that the frightful visage of the creature washed over the three companions and for a moment they all felt scared, but we’re able to shake off the feeling of fright.
Topaz who just a day before did not believe in spirits, was starting to reassess her beliefs. She decided if spells did not affect this creature perhaps they should try a different tactic. Instead of drawing her weapon, she decided to speak to the creature. She reasoned with it explaining to them that they were not here to fight or to steal the treasure, but rather trying to break the curse that held the Roberts family in its grasp. The creature paused for a moment and seemed to take them in for the first time. It spoke in a rasping dry voice.
“Will you pay the tribute?” it asked them.
The companions looked at one another as topaz made her way back to her feet. They asked what the tribute was, and the creature responded. It was what was due to the goddess Rán. The party asked several questions trying to determine what it was exactly that this tribute might be, but the creature simply stated it is what is due the goddess.
Fearing a trap of some sort, or taking on the curse themselves, the party decided it would be best to simply return the treasure from where Captain Roberts had taken it. The spirit told them if they returned the chest back to the temple from where Roberts had taken it the curse would be ended, and the spirits of the family free to depart. After a quick discussion, the party agreed. The spirit sank back into the brackish water below and was gone.
Working together, the three companions were able to drag the chest back out onto the beach from the cave. They found it in. As they watched a dinghy made its way from the water towards the shore, but had no one aboard it. As they moved closer to investigate they saw the ocean 100 feet from them begin to boil and churn. As they watched a ship rose from the ocean, covered in barnacles and seaweed. They climbed aboard the dinghy and rowed towards this ghostly ship. As they approached, a rope ladder fell from the top deck, allowing them access. Coming aboard, they found the ship was crude by phantoms who moved about the ship, performing their duties and ignoring the party. Working together and using rope they found on the deck they haul the chest up from the dinghy onto the deck.
Once the chest was a board, the anchor was raised in the ship sailed east. Try as they might the party could not get the ghostly crew to interact with them. Each of them said about trying to occupy their time and explore the ship to familiarize themselves with their temporary home. For six days the ship sailed ever further eastward. On the evening of the sixth day, storm clouds rolled in and the ship sailed directly into a terrible storm. Battling sea sickness, and trying not to be washed overboard the three companions held onto one another and whatever they could find to prevent themselves from being cast away at sea. For several days, the ship tossed and turned in the violent storm before finally on dawn of the fourth day. The ship was greeted by clear skies in a calm Sea. Nearby an island rose from the ocean like a dark fang, a tall volcano rising from the center of the island.
Using Captain Roberts journal. They made their way back into the dinghy and rowed towards the ocean with the chest. Finding a beach, they pulled the boat up onto the beach and set about exploring. They found a fresh source of water in a small strain, allowing them to refill their canteen. They collected some coconuts and fresh fruit to make a meal. As the sunset, they gather Driftwood and started a fire on the beach to discuss plans on how to proceed with trying to find this lost temple. Holly decided to head off into the woods in search of game to supplement their meal. After searching for some time, the Faerie came across what she at first thought to be a wild boar, but was in reality a Prickleboar, a strange creature that is vegetation in truth with a green, leafy hide and sharp, thorny branches for tusks. The fairy let fly with her small bow, striking the creature and taking it by surprise. It let out a startled cry, but before it could search for its attacker, Holly shot a second arrow, dropping the creature where it stood.
Going back to the beach, Holly had her friends come back to the jungle to help her fetch their prize. As they started to dress the animal, they found that it was more of a sort of plant than creature. The flash tasted like vegetables, but it was tasty and helped to fill their bellies. The three companions talked over their small fire about what the next morning would hold for them.
As the sun rose the next day, they got back into the dinghy and continued to row around the island until they found a small hidden Cove. Rowing into the cove at the end of it, they found the temple carved out of the side of the volcano. The entrance to the temple had been carved to resemble the open maw of a great shark. Working together, the three companions drug the heavy chest up the steps and into that dark, gaping maw. Making their way inside, they saw carved reliefs along the walls, tributes to the goddess Rán, scenes of great beasts rising from the ocean to pull down ships, storms tearing at islands, and of the goddess herself, rising proud above the waves.
Making their way further inside, cleverly evading traps, the three friends found themselves inside of a partially flooded chamber. A black ziggurat rose from the center steps, climbing at steep side, ending in a flat surface where they could see what appear to be a table of some sort. Pushing in polling with all of their might the three friends brought the chest up the steep side of the structure and placed it at the very top. They anticipated that returning the chest would trigger some sort of event, but we’re disappointed when nothing happened.
Looking at one another and wondering what was left to be done topaz reached into her tunic and drew out the large iron key. She placed it into the lock of the chest and and tried to turn it, but nothing happened. Turning back to her companions, she saw behind them rising from the pool and image of the goddess Rán.
Seeing the look on the face of their Infernus friend, Holly and Seventh turn to see what she was looking at. And all and horror they looked up upon the figure towering over the water.
“ You have returned that which belongs to me and for that I am thankful.” She said in a voice that sounded like waves washing up on shore. “ What is it that you seek?”
“To end the curse on the Roberts family,” Seventh replied.
A smile spread across the face of the dark woman. “Done.”
With that, she sank back into the water and the party looked at one another in disbelief, wondering if what they had just seen had actually taken place.
Topaz heard a rasping sound behind her and turned to see the iron key, turning of its own volition in the lock of the chest. With a shrill noise of rusty hinges the lid opened, revealing coins, gems, and jewelry filling the chest to the very brim. Topaz looked in surprise as a smile started to creep onto her face. The richer she be held were more than a king’s ransom. She called out to her friends, and they turned to see the chest, but as they watched water started to overflow from the top of the chest in a quickening rush. Assume the water started to spread across the top of the ziggurat and roll down the sides like violent waterfalls. Soon water was fountaining straight up in a geyser from the chest, and the three friends stared at one another, knowing that this place was flooding before their eyes. Turning the half ran half fell down the steep stairs to the water below as they did, they saw the fences of watery creatures start to appear and circle. The three companions swam as quickly as they could making their way back to the tunnels.
The three friends ran pulling and pushing one another encouraging each other to run as quickly as they could, and not look back. Looking forward, they saw the tunnel’s mouth, the great gaping jaws of the shark were beginning to close. They left over debris, past traps that they triggered as they ran, and Seventh fell, tripping on a broken piece of statuary. Scooping up her smaller friend Topaz ran carrying him her legs aching with the effort. Just as the opening began to vanish the three friends threw themselves past the jagged teeth as they slammed closed.
Fearing that the entire island might sink, the three ran down the stairs to where the dinghy still awaited. Climbing a board they rowed with all of their strength back out to see, hoping that the ship had not vanished leaving them stranded on this island. To their relief, they saw the ship still anchored where they had left it. Making their way aboard the crew quietly raised an anchor and sailed back to the west.
After a weeks time, the party saw the familiar shoreline of their home. Making their way down to the dinghy they rode back towards the beach, and as they turn to watch the ship sank back into the waves carrying with it. It’s silent crew. The three friends Made their way up the narrow carved stairs of the cliff face back to the mansion above. They entered the home and went back to Captain Roberts study. There they found the spectral images of the family, waiting for them. As they watched Lady Roberts and the two children turned and walked out onto the balcony vanishing in the noonday sunlight. The captain turned to follow them, then looked back over his shoulder at the three companions. He nodded at them, a smile breaking that stoic visage.
“Thank you for freeing us,” he said. “The house and all within it is now yours.”
With that the former ships, captain turned and followed his family into the light vanishing forever. A rolled scroll with a red seal of wax on. It appeared on the captain‘s desk before their eyes. Opening it, they found the deed to the home and the land that it sat upon.
The three friends looked at one another and smiled. Knowing that they had broken the curse and freed this land from angry vengeful spirits. Now they had a home of their own from which to stage their next adventures. What lies ahead for these three companions? Who is to say? Stay tuned for the next recap of our next session to see what sort of trouble these three strange friends get into.
Thank you for staying with the recap this long and reading all the way through. We hope you enjoyed it and will stay with us and continue to support the website and our little corner of the Internet.
