Our officers are:
- Captain Hector Salazar – a former slave with a painted face, who wields magic through his poppet.
- Boatswain & Master at Arms Ole Yardley – a crazed old sailor who looks and smells like he should be dead.
- Quartermaster Riis Byran – a well-dressed man, out of place.
- Master of Sails Tallow – a creature of the sea with skills in the martial arts.
- Master Gunner William Hathersmith – a man of means with a taste for the sweet life.
Leaving the crew aboard their ship under the first mate’s command the officers set to retrieving any missed loot from the Grindylow lair. Their desire for loot was rewarded when they found the other bracer to match a set of Lesser Bracers of Archery.
They also brought back what remained of their friend Montague to the ship and duly hung him from a beam in the captain’s quarters…
After some consultation the officers decided on a course of action – they will squib and rename the ship, recruit crew and listen for rumours at Rickety’s Squibs before setting about on a spate of piracy, with the goal of earning loot and the title of Free Captain(s?).
As they sailed towards Rickety’s Squibs the officers dreams the first night were tormenting:
- Billy dreamed of trying to impress his father with the life and wealth he’s attained, but even that not being enough.
- Yardley dreamed of returning to mortality, his aged body falling to pieces and unable to fight.
- Riis dreamed of being killed by a masked pirate who turned out to be the mother he never met.
- Tallow dreamed of being unable to breath, floundering around like a fish out of water.
- Hector dreamed of Alice, beside him in bed and then on top of him shouting. His eyes and brain crushed as she demands to know why he didn’t protect her as he promised.
As the pirates woke they found both the officer’s and captain’s cabins had unexpected visitors.
Not only were they under attack whilst at their weakest, they were separated – with Hector and Yardley both being alone at opposite ends of the ship, and several of them were unable to rouse quickly from the nightmares.
As Billy, Riis and Tallow clamber to their feet and face the creature in their cabin, Hector fends off his assailant thanks to the assistance of his remaining Lacedon, one having fled as soon as the skirmish started (having shaken off Hector’s domination) whilst Yardley rushes to the captain’s cabin to help.
In the captain’s cabin sound tactics win the day – Hector hexes and uses magic against the beast as his Lacedon engages it in melee and Yardley attacks from range thanks to the Boarding Pike of Repelling. The Lacedon’s paralysis touch affects the creature and Yardley is able to remove its head with a coupe de grace.
In the officers cabin Billy is unable to land a shot, affected by the fearsome aura of the creature. Whilst Tallow and Riis are able to hit the beast, their weapons don’t seem to be able to break the creatures mystically thick skin.
Tallow is knocked unconcscious during the melee before Yardley and Hector arrive to help out. Ole Yardley is able to run this creature through with his pike before any lasting damage is done to the party.