The party return to
Port Peril and report to
Tessa Fairwind who is most pleased with their efforts.
Since the party have been away investigations as to a possible traitor on the Pirate Council have been narrowed
down to two candidates, the former Tanturak Admiral, Arronax Endymion, and the party's nemesis, Captain Barnabas
Harrigan of the Black Dog. Tessa has been convinced of Arronax's innocence and has arranged a meeting between him
and the party so that they can help clear his name.
The party meet Arronax Endymion and he explains he believes he has been targeted in a smear campaign by
Rahadoum spies. The three actors who run The Theatre of Cruelty from a converted tavern in Port Peril are his
chief suspects. He thinks a raid on their premises stands a good chance of uncovering the plot. The party
break into the Theatre at night but the owners were waiting for them. Furthermore they turned out to be Vampire Spawn, a daunting prospect for the party. The party are duly undaunted and quickly work out that the key to
success in fighting them is to suppress their ability to regenerate by the use of radiant energy (Aya) and necrotic
energy (Tirambar). The fight is still a tough one but the party are victorious and stake their claim (geddit) to
be known henceforth as 'vampire hunters'.
The party discover that there was an invisible imp on the roof which was no doubt how their presence was discovered but the creature flies off too quickly for Aya's bat to see where it went. Searching through the Theatre the party find incriminating documents in the actors personal quarters which prove that the actors were working as spies and deliberately spreading false rumours about the Admiral. The party also find a satisfying amount of loot.
Both Tessa and the Admiral are pleased with their efforts and the party now have an additional ally on the Pirate Council.
Tessa now has a new mission for the party. When a Rahadoum fleet last attacked The Shackles they set up a base
on a island on the fringe of the archipelago, the
Island of Empty Eyes. Tessa wishes to know whether there are any Rahadoum
forces there now. In addition she has another reason for suggesting that the party explore the island as it would
make a fine home base for a new member of the Pirate Council should Grok ever be elevated to that status.
The party approach the island cautiously given its chequered history and do not set anchor in the main bay
but off the island's western coast. They are dropped off on the western beach and set Aya's bat to scout
the western ridge. The bat reports a cave high on the ridge which they approach with some caution with Gurr leading
the way. He approaches stealthily but his demeanour changes as he nears the cave and hears enchanting singing.
The rest of the party realise something is amiss and when Aya catches up with those in front she uses her aura
to break the enchantment.
Seeing their singing has failed to work its magic three giant harpies emerge from the cave and attack the party.
As they can fly (and do flyby attacks) the harpies have some strategic advantage over the party. The party, however, have now some pretty good ranged attacks, including the use of the Moonbeam spell by Dru and some fancy
archery by Arreng. The harpies are defeated and the party continue over the ridge towards the former Rahadoum
settlement.
The gate to the settlement has been broken and many of the buildings have damaged walls and roofs. The party decide to methodically search the buildings one by one. On entering one of the buildings Gurr who is leading the way
is attacked by what appear to be giant disembodied hands. Although they are a bizarre and disturbing sight in the
end the party overpowers them. Gurr and Areng then attampt to explore a partially demolished building and fall through the
weakened floor into a basement. Handily there is a promising looking chest there and after dusting themselves off they raise it to the surface
in order to help themselves to the valuable contents.
Gurr cautiously enters the next building only to exit swiftly when he sees some oversize spiders. The party
peer through the windows hoping to assess their foes when the (phase) spiders appear behind them initiating
a tough melee which the party survive. The next building is empty but the commander's office which they
explore after that contains a set of stairs leading up that is trapped providing quite a shock for Gurr. Proceeding
carefully he allows Unseen Servants created by Urugu to set off the next two traps which include a locked
door. Behind the door is a rather paranoid man who refuses to let anyone in until the party offer him a bottle
of wine. Gurr then talks to him and finds out that he is regularly possessed by a ghost who wants him to recover a
mysterious artefact the Dreamstone.
The party offer the man, Endsleigh, help in escaping the island but he is possessed before they can finalise their plans.
The 'ghost' tells them he wants to meet them face to face in the basement of the main tower. The party accept the
invitation and go there to find a translucent being who informs them he is the lost pirate captain, Bikendi, and is not a ghost but is trapped between two dimensions. He says he will negotiate with them but he needs them to slay
the great female phase spider who resides at the top of the tower first, which the party agree to do and accomplish.
Bikendi informs the party that he stole the a great artefact, the Dreamstone, from the cyclops on the island in order
to perform a ritual which would send him to a dimension where he would be immortal. The cyclops, however, interrupted the ritual and took back the great jewel leaving him trapped in his current state. They also slew
all his crew who now haunt the fort unable to find rest unless the ritual is completed. When Endsleigh was marooned on the island Bikendi saw an opportunity to regain the jewel by
possessing him. He has spent the last 20 years trying to get him to reach the cyclops settlement but the possession always fails before Endsleigh can achieve that.
Bikendi offers them all his treasure on the Material Plane if they could return the Dreamstone to him
and he would also allow them to escort Endsleigh off the island. The catch is they need to return when they are more
powerful and he needs some assurance that they will. He performs a ritual using some drops of blood from Gurr
which binds him to returning with the party when Bikendi summons them. As a down payment on the deal Bikendi
gives Gurr a Giant Slaying longsword. This comes in handy as just as the party leave the fort they are attacked
by two cyclops who are slain only after a tough battle.
The party then take the grateful Endsleigh back to their ship but spend some time the next day exploring the rest
of the island. They meet some triceratops and some Treants who are both hostile to the cyclops and hear from
the friendly nereid Safina that there is also a colony of pterodactyls on the island whose nests the cyclops raid.
Having obtained much useful information the party then sail back to
Port Peril.