======= In the hold of the Brazen prince =======
Blood-of-the-Earth: (In Dwarven) so Freya you found us. We helped provision this ship and planted the idea in Norton's head to use the ship. So what are you going to do. Answer carefully girl. We have a cask of Dwarven alchemical fire so if we go you are going to die with us.
Freya: *smirks and walks over to the dwarven fire and fills her alchemical cauldron subtly using it to burn off the alcohol but cool the beverage back down to room temperature before taking a sip*
(meanwhile Eddie hears the sound of dwarves sickened by the waves coming down from above and noticing the secret door the party left open)
Eddie goes up and casts an illusion and pretends that he was joking around making it look like there was a door when really it was just another of his illusions.
Seasick dwarves: Ugh this eddie can't he tell we are not in the mood right now with this infernal swaying? I need a bucket... ****Blurrrechhht***
(meanwhile back downstairs)
Blood-of-the-Earth: (In Dwarven) Well ok, Freya so you caught my little lie. But we know we can't trust you to keep our secret safe. What is your stake here? More potions? Money? I swear girl you have too much of our blood in you. But I think we are going to have to keep one of your allies here as hostage. Probably the mage, the little fellows eyes are weird and it creeps me out.
Eddie: *tries to cast a spell to help Freya convince dwarves to help against pirates and dragon*
Dark-Dwarf-In-Back-ranks: *clearly jumpy* (In Dwarven) He is casting something! Its a betrayal!
Blood-of-the-Earth: (In Dwarven) Kill them all!
A chaotic melee takes place Eddie smoothly changes his comprehend languages into fireball and torches several archers in the back room. Lindal darts in and out poking holes in various dwarves while Freya smites Blood-o-Earth a mighty blow but then comes back to protect her friends from being surrounded. Upstairs Kylorin and Celadon hear the explosions and come running.
The dwarves prove to be able to turn invisible as well as grow large and their crossbow bolts hit like small ballista bolts. Their hammer blows woudl have even been more fearsome but tactics, positioning, and overwhelming magic power win the day.
====== Armag ========
Party sees Dragon turtle napping after lunching on a Plesiosaur. It awakens and looks angry but with the magic sails hoisted the ship easily outruns the dragon.
========= Dragon fang ==========
The party fail several easy spot checks and round teh corner of teh bay only to almost ram the Dragonfang. (pirate ship). (Was opposed perception and party failed drastically)
The dragon fang had more two more ballista than the Brazen Prince and is absolutely crawling with pirates. It was already brandishing the jolly rogers as it closed on the Prince.
Ortimay: what use the plan, fight, run? They normally boats to loot so if we're don't appear to fight we can get them close where their ballista are less of an advantage. But that only works if you think we can take that many pirates. There are a lot more of them than there are of us so you will need to do most of the heavy lifting if it comes to a fight.
Looking at the dragon fang you think the Captain is flat faced Chultian scurrying around bullying people into place. It looks like someone chopped the tip of his nose off in a fight. He snorts and spits as he barks orders at his crew lashing out with his fists at anyone who isn't moving quickly enough to suit his tastes.
A wild hair woman in the bow is walking between a pair of ballista lovingly caressing them.
Currently at the helm is a woman who appears to be made from wood. She steers the boat in your direction as the captain gets his men ready to board.
Captain Jarwan: milk them dry. If and if any fight back kill them all. You don't mess with the dragonfang.
*** on fight start ***
Captain Jarwan: All hand on deck. We got ourselves a feisty bunch. Kill them all but keep one alive to let others know what happens to those who fight. meanwhile the wild haired lady screams yes and runs to a ballista and fires it off wildly impailing Hew and knocking him back several feet.
The lady at the helm smiles grimly and says "burn them all" as she summons a flickering ball of flame to her hand even while steering the boat on a collision course.
Of the top Celadon enchants several pirates stopping two ballistas and tying up the the captain of the Dragonfang.
Seraph begs Kylorin for potion of dragons breath Kylorin gives it to her and then moves ot help head off boarders.
Mad Katya runs back and forth maniacally shooting ballista but missing every shot in her eagerness. The dryad/druid pilot gets scorched by Eddie and runs in to blast Freya, Hew and Kylorin with a wave of lightning only to have Seraph use her fire breath to set her on fire and burn her to ash alongside several other boarders.
Lindal runs off to engage Mad Katya of the wild hair but got bogged down in a running battle with a thug whom whollops Lindal soundly a few times even as Lindal gives better than he gets. Katya shakes off a curse from Celadon and abandons her beloved Ballistas to go slap some sense into Captain Jarwan who then proves to be a wereboar. Lindal decides it isn't a great time to be deep in enemy territory turns and runs to hide behind Freya. But Jarwan puts his head down and charges barreling through everyone in the way. Eddie twists the fates to keep Lindal from being Gored but Jarwan still clouts Lindal upside the head ringing his bell. Bonnie draws a silver arrow and tries to get a bead on the Captian but Celadon beats her to it and uses enchantment to bind Jarwan in place even as he strains and struggles. Lindal seeing the change stands and draws a silver dagger. Seeing her true love has things under control she instead picks off one of the pirates who was giving Hew a sound thrashing.
Lindal puts his silver dagger into Jarwan's eye and when that does not kill him Seraph turns the pirate to ash with another of his breath attacks.
Inspiration
Eddie - using quick thinking to hide the secret hatch from the light dwarves.
Celadon - singlehandedly controlling the captain of the Dragonfang for most of the battle
Kylorin - Giving Seraph her day as a real dragon.
Freya - Solving the dark dwarven plot line once and for all.
Experience (challenge based) 1500 Individual => 9881 cumulative,
Dwarf Fight - (hard) 750
Dragonfang - (hard) 750
Challenge based XP notes from - https://dmdavid.com/tag/using-experience-points-to-make-your-dd-game-more-compelling/
Allies
Ortimay, Grigg, Bonnie and several deck hands
Seraph
Undril Silvertusk
Hew Hackenstone
Musharib
6 seasick dwarves intended to man the siege weaponry
Treasure
From Dwarves :
hogshead of whisky,
letters (dwarven encoded)
armor (heavy) weapons (11 mauls, 5 silver daggers) and 11 heavy crossbows.
Loose coinage: (190 cp 34 sp 12 gp)
Several gold and silver bars
2 gold (50gp each)
3 silver (5gp each)
5 copper (0.5gp each)
4 gemstones (50 gp × 4):
Bloodstone (opaque dark gray with red flecks), ×2.
Zircon (transparent pale blue-green), ×2
Magic Item :
9 vials for negotiations (3 eye, 5 muscle, one droplet)
Potion of Fire Breath
Letters (Freya decodes pretty easily)
Freya's description as well as her companions including Sister Linora and the cook.
Letter congratulations Blood-o-Earth on having identified her location. And informing him a crate of his to be used as leverage will arrive shortly. Additional funding for project "hold my stout" incoming.
Manifest of Crate contents : 10 bars of 3 different types of metal for a total of 30 bars to fund their endeavors. ten flasks of blood. Magically worked to awaken only some of her abilities. Give a taste but not give them to her easily. Can't have her hair turn white on us. Alternately you can use them to show that we have her family as hostages. Try the carrot first then stick. Vial with blood drop vial should work for checking on direct relations and for tracking her via magic. (Arcana:18 Because it's only blood from a direct ancestor that can work in a concoction like this to partially awaken someone's heritage)
Pirates : (only a pittance of personal coinage in evidence mostly on the three ship officers)
4 pp, 19 gp, 14ep, 22 sp, 57 copper