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Previously on Call from the Deep
Starring:
Gotwald Ironhorn, level 5 minotaur Rune Knight FighterMac, level 5 tortle Drakewarden Ranger
Savra Akkedis, level 5 lizardfolk School of Necromancy Wizard
Torrel, level 5 kenku Fathomless Warlock Pact of the Amulet/Fighter
The party had reached the lowest levels of the House of Knowledge, and found a startling secret: the flooded vaults were home to an aboleth, an eldritch, tentacled monstrosity.
And it needs the party’s help.
The aboleth is being assaulted by the undead pirates from the ghost ship, led by the revenant Captain Blackdagger.
The battle churns the 20-ft deep waters, tinged red and psychokinetically channeling the creature’s rage and utter surprise at the sudden ambush (Lair action with psychic damage!).
It’s not what the party is expecting. Except maybe Torrel, the fathomless warlock, who had been hearing this creature’s voice in his mind.
Gotwald, having drunk a potion of water breathing, embiggens and marches along the bottom, punching skeletons. He’s shocked, but at least he has ghost pirates to punch.
Savra clings to the high ceilings with her slippers of spider climbing, refusing to get into the water, preferring to drop shatter spells or witch bolts at the skeletal pirates below.
Torrel is forced to whip out his magic spear to deal with the skeletons who get in his face.
The party watches as the Captain stares down the aboleth, paralyzing the mighty creature, and ordering the others to take out these pesky reinforcements.
Though the party is battered and bruised, the skeletons are no match for their tenacity. And Savra has free reign to focus fire the Captain, laying into him with a nasty witch bolt.
The aboleth is freed from the paralyzing glare of the revenant, and reaches out to Torrel. Torrel tries to resist, but fails the WIS save, and the aboleth drains some of his life force to restore his own.
On the plus side, the aboleth destroys more skeletons, and lays into the undead captain.
When Gotwald reaches the revenant for some vicious punches, he doesn’t last long.
Like the other undead pirates, the bodies soon fade away after being destroyed.
The old priest they met earlier breaks through the previously bone-chocked tunnels with kuo-toa allies, praising the master’s survival.
Then the aboleth casually takes over his mind, and speaks through his voice.
“You came, as I knew you would. I am Kzixxaro. Of the Elder Ones. And it was through my will, my plans, that set you all on this path. Investigating a smuggler’s den. Stockpiling of weapons. An Island nation under attack. Invaders from the stars.
“And a Call from the Deep. A call of distress.
“You Fathomless one, have felt it as I have. The great Slarkrethel, ruler of the depths, Umberlee’s chosen, befallen to a parasite. The invaders wrest control of mind and body, and now they usher a new Call from the Deep. A call of unity, of war and death. Few can resist.
“But I can.
“And so they send their agents to destroy me. But I have agents of my own.”
Another shocking revelation: Kzixxaro was their mysterious benefactor, who had been paying them to investigate the house in Saltmarsh, and again to travel to Gunderlun.
The aboleth explains how his spy network had been learning of this nautical threat, which has now spilled out to the mainland, and that through Torrel’s connection to the Fathomless, he’d been keeping tabs on their progress.
He also claims to have saved Torrel’s Warlock powers, after the Fathomless was taken. The kraken, a primordial force of Faerun, is in danger and maybe dying, and the mind flayers are using its power to control vast factions across the sea.
But even Kzixxaro didn’t expect them to use undead ghost pirates to attempt to assassinate him. He’s not sure that the entire attack on Neverwinter wasn’t orchestrated just to get to him, which is also a theory the party discusses.
They have lots of questions and concerns, and the aboleth is willing to answer.
As a dweller in the city, he’s far more used to dealing with humanity, and even respects them to a point (though also frustrated by their pesky free will). He’s also pragmatic, and knows the kraken is the single most powerful creature in the ocean, and anyone who can control it could soon dominate the world.
As a sign of good faith, the aboleth bestows a reward upon Torrel, magically and permanently inscribing a tattoo along the kenku’s arm. The tattoo keeps them psychically linked, and allows Torrel to transform his arm into three tentacles (as per the tentacle rod magic item).
Kzixxaro suggest they hunt down Tentrix (which Gotwald immediately perks up at). Tentrix is a devout kraken priest in addition to a pirate lord, whether he knows about the kraken’s change or not. Finding Tentrix should lead them to where the mind flayers lair with their god-like puppet.
They must drive out the illithid and destroy or cleanse the kraken to save the world.
Figuring out who knows about, hired, or could control these undead pirates would be a good first lead.
Kzixxaro also has another quest, one that he says made him a target. He discovered the location of one of the mind flayer leaders (like in Berranzo Mine), in the island city of Orlumbor. Whatever’s going on there, it can’t be good. The last time a mind flayer was set up, they nearly wiped out an entire island nation, and build an army that could attack a major city.
The aboleth isn’t an enemy, but he admits their relationship after this is all done is nebulous. But for now their goals are aligned. The mind flayers must be stopped.
The party leaves the House of Knowledge, collapses into an Inn for a long rest, and are summoned to the Hall of Justice.
The battle had ended in bittersweet victory, with much of the harbor destroyed, ships sunk, and dozens of missing or dead.
Lord Neverember himself addresses the party, thanking them for their service, and offering them medals and gold.
He tries to extract some information from the party. Unlike the aboleth, he can’t read minds or psychically connect with anyone, and this brutal invasion caught them all off guard.
The party explains about Gunderlun, and the dangers that still persist. They notably keep their recently revealed benefactor a secret, however. Tolerance for tentacles isn’t exactly high right now.
Neverwinter has its hands full rebuilding its fleet and harbor. The Lord Protector asks the party to track down the sahuagin and rescue their missing citizens.
The party recalls their triton ally aboard their ship had said something about the sahuagin in the region recently taking over a lizardfolk lair.
They also plan on hitting up Sanbalet in the nearby Saltmarsh, to see if he knows anything of the ghost ship, or Captain Blackdagger.
Neverember regrets not being able to hire the party directly, but appreciates what they’re doing. The medals give them a discount on goods and services in the city, and he sets the party up to heal their many lingering injuries free of charge.
Neverwinter is safe, for now. The party has several quests and leads to pursue their adversaries. But for now, rest, shopping, and a level up is in their future!
MVPC – Torrel
Live post-session discussion:
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