======= Hidden Pirate Cove =======
This time the party makes plans before sailing in. The idea is to use their sinking ship as an excuse to come in to repair. They should be able to get some pirats to tow them through the narrow harbor opening and then they will send dwarven marines and Lindal as a assault force while the rest of the party tries to seize the Stirge. This time the group even questions Ortimay in advance of the attack and learn that Captain Laskilar is a flamboyant, rakish pirate known for visiting Port Nyanzaru and even signing copies of his wanted posters slipping in and out of the town much to the guards frustration. His second a battle scarred ex gladiator named Heel was expelled from Port Nyanzaru for throwing fights and betting on his own matches. lastly there is a mad sea priest on his crew who is a bit of a wildcard rather unpredictable at times.
The party pulls off the first part of the invasion successfully. Lindal and the dwarven underwater assault team (sub-marines if you will) slip off the Blazin' Dragon with no one the wiser. Several sharks are in the water but they avoid the dwarves like the plague given some bad racial memories. Lindal steals ashore to try and disable the ballista outpost. But some minor slip ups soon have him being stalked by an Seagull Aarokokra figure but Lindal narrowly avoids capture.
Meanwhile back on the ship Eddie (as Captian Elon) bluffs the rowboat crew into pulling them into harbor. But Heel tries to talk with his girlfriend on the Dragon fang and soon realizes that she is just an Illusion and calls out an alarm setting up an epic battle. Heel singlehandedly storms the ship and immediately lays Eddie low in passing. Lindal is much to far to lend aid but Eddie misty steps up into the crows nest then proceeds to drop spells from his vantage point drawing the attention of several snipers.
Freya and Kylorin tie up Heel and lay into him with a ferocity that is almost stunning quickly leaving the gladiator fleeing for his life. He flees to the rowboat but Kylorin uses her breath weapon to lay him low and Freya cannonballs into the ship wrecking havoc with her huge sword.
Captian Ortimay yells warning and Freya dives overboard before the Blazing dragon rams the rowboat and the Stirge both. Celedon blasts a thug ir two into the water and dispenses moral boosts in a battle that is as long as it is grueling. Even Seraph gets into the action having a long fight with a pirate in a rowboat and reveals that she now has fire breath of some sort.
But this chaos had attracted attention and the Stirge had many crack marksmen who just pin-cushioned Kylorin, Celadon, and Eddie. And Lindal successfully turned the tables on the ballista terminal even turning and firing teh Ballista on someone he thought was a Captain. But soon reinforcements arrived on the in roof and facing a Dimetriodon as well as several thugs he decided to make himselv scarce even as teh inn dors wer opening up below and vomiting forth the real captain and his crew. Eddie's fireballs prove decisive in winnowing out the many archers but make him the target for remaining archers but who finally gets him is none other than Captian Laskilar and his mad priest. Eddie narrowly escapes execution and Lindal swims back to the boat at stunning speed to help neutralize the threat to his friend. The battle swings too and fro but eventually Captian Laskilar yields and with that the harbor is yours.
Inspiration
Celadon, Lindal - Given during session
Experience (challenge based) 1750 Individual => 13881 cumulative,
Rowboat - (medium) 500
Ballista outpost - (easy) 250
Tavern - (medium) 500
Ship - (medium) 500
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 - in coma
Hew Hackenstone - in coma
Musharib
6 dwarven siege experts
Treasure
Cape of the Monteback - inspiration for Celadon's cape
Stirge, Blackened (ship) - Smoldering remnants of a once fine ship. But on the bright side the repair dock is free once you get the hull out of the way.