Last session saw the Seven associates capture a pirate ship, the infamous Stirge. Now back in Port Nyanzaru, Flyzus and Varis went to the open market in Tiriky’s Anchorage to spend some hard-earned money. And soon after, this campaign have a much-needed step up…

Characters

• Flyzus, Wood Elf Ranger (hunter), Outlander; sole survivor of his tribe after an orc invasion
• Varis, Drow Rogue (thief), Far traveller; exiled scion of a noble family on the losing side of a feud
• Droidoc, Halfling Druid (circle of the moon), Outlander; was there when Camp Righteous fell, quite insane now

Prelude: We’ve been waiting for you…

Combat: 6 thugs

Enemies were waiting for them: Bridgerunners. The gang members wanted revenge against the two elves for raiding their den in Malar’s Throat. Outnumbered 3 to 1, the situation seemed dire for the adventurers as the thugs approached on two sides. However Varis, ever the sly one, spotted Purple Stranglers nearby (members of a rival gang affiliated to dye works). He convinced them easily of the outrage(!) that the presence of these rivals in this part of town meant…

Also, for some undisclosed reason, one-time partner Droidoc was following the Purple Stranglers and quickly joined the fun. The Bridgerunners should have taken the cue, but… they sure didn’t.  The fight was  a one-sided and bloody affair. The two elves and halfling were rather merciless, shooting the fleeing thugs in the back and finishing another helpless entangled  one.

River Journey

Mission

Having seen firtshand their martial prowesses and ruthlessness in display, the local leader of the Purple Stranglers offered the PCs a job. Their boss, Jessamine, had a lucrative deal with a tribe of Gripplis. In exchange for their high quality pottery and rare jungle herbs, she provided the Gripplis with goods they didn’t produce (i.e iron knives). But now, the last shipment was two weeks overdue. Would the PCs like to go see what the f*** is going on?

(Payment (1) includes 400gp each and 25% discount on herbal decoctions on Jessamine’s stock) Upon agreeing, the PCs have to go up the Tiriki river for a weeklong journey before arriving into Grippli territory.

Saving the Little Mermaid (2)

Combat: 2 thugs, 1 veteran

A canoe was prepaid for them at the anchorage but once they got there the PCs saw an unusual scene: 3 Flaming Fists were harassing a captured female merfolk.

The PCs immediately proceeded to attack the mercenary scumbags, a Spike growth softening them up before Flyzus and Droidoc got into brutal melee (with the sneaky drow shooting his crossbow from the side). They killed and looted the mercenaries, untied the emotional and grateful merfolk and then happily got aboard their canoe.

Something Fishy

Combat: 3 sahuagins

The PCs had been on the river (the bay at this point) for a few hours when they saw a derelict fishing boat farther away. Upon closing in they could see a limp arm dangling from the side of the boat. Still closer (they’ve decided to inspect), they could see obvious signs of a struggle, the arm was in fact severed, the sail was all ripped, blood smears everywhere and 2 shark teeth oddly embedded in the mast.

They didn’t have time to reflect on this as 3 sahuagins surprise-ambushed them (still on their canoe). 2 sahuagins embarked on the fishing boat, one holding a spear, the other a shark tooth sword. The third one stayed underwater and shook the PCs’s canoe violently, sending an unbalanced Flyzus in the water. Droidoc shapeshifted into a giant octopus (3) and went against the other sahuagins while Varis helped Flyzus get back onboard. Overcoming the initial surprise, Flyzus and Varis killed on opponent with their combined projectiles as Octopus/Droidoc turned the waters red with another. The surviving sahuagin tried to flee but the Octo-Doom quickly overcame him too.

Loot: obsidian knife, shark tooth sword, 4 silver earrings, seashell necklace

One less War Canoe

Combat: 4 witherlings, 13 gnolls, 1 Gnoll Pack Lord

The PCs had heard from local rumors in town about a gnoll camp being erected on the eastern side of the river, and sure enough they saw it, bustling with activity, and worst still, they could smell the horrible emanations of putrescent meat, dejections, etc. , as they passed by and away. What they didn’t expect was to come head to head with an incoming war canoe as they got out of the bay in the river proper. The leader, a Gnoll Pack Lord, shouted some orders and set his crew on an interception trajectory, tireless witherlings rowing in cadence (4).

Far from panicking from the sight of ravenous gnolls approaching, the PCs quickly planned a lethal strategy that started with the halfling casting a spike growth directly on the war canoe (5). Droidoc then got busy, jumping underwater and shapeshifting once more into a giant barksinned octopus while the elves rowed to the shore, so they could defend themselves more efficiently. Some gnolls were good archers and Varis was severely wounded as a result. The 4 witherlings got destroyed by the magical thorns while they rowed. the Pack Lord have had enough and ordered his crew to abandon ship and swim for the shore. Do I have to say that it gave great pleasure to the Eight-Armed Droidoc? He spotted the Pack Lord and completely owned him while his clueless packmates were being shot by the elves as they swam.

Only 6 gnolls got ashore but it could still have meant the end for the two Elves but they managed to prevail with brilliant swordplay (6). Two gnolls managed to flee (7).

Loot: Ivory Armband, bag of precious stones, dinosaur meat

Tej House

Social

The PCs reached their first planned stop, a well-protected tej house. The clients, mostly chultan fishermen, were happy to learn of the gnoll’s débâcle and offered free drinks and a few good tips to the would-be explorers.

TBC…

DM’s notes

1. Varis’s player could have bargained a much better reward, he messed up with his maths… Ha! ha!
2. Saw that image on pinterest and immediately thought about putting it in play
3. I later said half-jokingly that the giant octopus was the star of the day! This rarely seen beast-form performed AMAZINGLY well.
4. For this planned encounter, I was guessing that the PCs would flee (with quick-thinking and a few athletics checks) the 18 strong war canoe… But no! Ultra Chaotic Droidoc went full aggro as soon as he could!
5. I was somewhat lenient with the spell, ruling that the gnolls couldn’t properly manoeuver their war canoe without « moving » so about half of them took damage each round.
6. Flyzus hunter’s feature: horde breaker,  is very good in a fight like this one
7. They are on the wrong side of the river if they wish to get back at their camp so there’s no short-term menace.