Myra puts a finger to her lips, indicating for Evan and Downytouch to be quiet; then she sneaks over to the section of wall and quietly places an ear near the edge of the door in order to listen to what's on the other side.

It's quiet. It doesn't seem like it's two people talking far away from the wall-- it's more like one person muttering very near the wall. So far, anyway...

Myra gestures to Evan and Downy and makes a series of gestures. First, one hand opening and closing, pantomiming someone talking, then she holds up a single finger, before then pointing at the wall, toward the spot where she heard the talking. Finally, she points at herself, then pantomimes opening the secret door, before then pointing at Evan and Downytouch and sweeping her arms in toward the wall.

She looks expectantly at the two of them to see if they understood her, before putting one hand on the latch, and holding up fingers on her other hand: one... two...

Evan tenses and draws his scimitar. He looks to Myra then the wall giving her a brief nod.

...three!

Myra pulls open the secret door!

It's the size of a very small closet. Either it was meant to hide one person if the ship was ever searched, or else it was for storing contraband cargo of some sort.

But the person inside, to judge by his black robe, is one of the cultists.

He offers no threat-- he appears to be mad, or else hasn't slept in days, or both. He's just muttering to himself...

Evan has seen something like this once before-- to Myra and Downytouch, it's new...

Whispers to them both, "He is mad, perhaps we should just close the door."

Myra peers into the closet, then looks at Evan.

"Are you sure?" she asks. "Maybe he can tell us about the pirate?"

She looks at the cultist again, closely this time, and shudders.

"Or maybe not." She begins closing the door again. "Sorry to disturb you..."

The madman allows you to close his little hiding place once more.

(Welp, looks like it's time for Move Forward roll...)

With a shrug, Myra leads the way further into the ship.

OOC: Move Forward: 13:51, Today: Myra rolled 10 using 2d6 ((6,4)).

Ooh! Maybe a clue this time?

The next room forward is empty... except for a small black book, over in the corner.

It's a personal journal... of one of the cultists.

It seems that the cult leader has been increasingly acting strange... The journal-writer barely figured out that the ghost of the pirate Abraham Harkaway has been working on possessing the cult leader... As soon as he realized this, the writer made plans to escape...

Blood on the edges of the pages suggests that maybe the escape attempt wasn't successful...

(Take +1 die toward your next Move Forward roll.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:39, Sun 31 July 2022.

"That is kind of chilling. We might be fighting a possessed cultist. Any ideas ?" He looked to Myra.

Myra taps her finger on her chin. "Well, if we can find something that used to belong to him, maybe we can shock the ghost into leaving? I mean, I've heard a lot of stories about dealing with malicious possession..." She trails off and shrugs with a lopsided smile on her face. "Maybe if we keep searching we'll find something useful? Hey! Maybe he found something that might be useful!" She begins knocking gently against the wall and floor near where they found the journal, looking for secret compartments.

OOC: Might as well try to Loot the Area! 19:13, Today: Myra rolled 8 using 2d6 ((2,6)).

Evan keeps the journal for now slipping it in his pack.

(Loot The Area:
When you Loot an area (which you can't do during combat, and there's no time to do it right before combat is about to happen), make a roll, adding 1 extra die for each teammate's Insightful Stat that helps (max of 3).
--On a roll of 6, you find Loot, and at least one Minor Item, if not more/better.)

There's nothing to find here but a pile of rags.

...Well... no. There's one thing under the pile of rags.

Myra finds a Cape of Prestidigitation: a magical cape that constantly flutters in a non-existent wind. It is very impressive the first time one sees it being worn (if there's not already an actual breeze). It's a bright green cape with gold trim. (It's worth 2 loot, and gives one one extra die when making Charming rolls (if the person rolling is the one wearing it).

((So very cool. You keep it Myra that is an awesome item.))

Myra pulls out the cloak, and her face absolutely glows with delight as she holds it up.

"This. Is. FABULOUS!" she says. Then, with a flick of her wrists its flowing over her shoulders and clasped at her neck, and she strikes a heroic pose. "How do I look?"

"You look impressive and, very dramatic." Evan smiles.
He finds that he has been smiling more since she joined them.

"It is definitely you, I think you should keep that one."

Myra's smile grows bigger, and she gives a little bow. "Onward and inward! Lead the way, good sir!"

OOC: Feel free to roll our next Move Forward, Evan! (with +1 from the journal)

Evan nods and leads them on deeper into the bowls of the ship.


08:25, Today: Evan rolled 8 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,1,4.  Moving ahead with Myra and help from journal.

quote:

Move Forward:
When you move to a new area of the dungeon, make a roll, adding 1 extra die for each teammate's Insightful Stat that helps (max of 3).

--On a 4 or 5, the GM chooses one thing from the following list:

· There is a person, some persons, a monster, or some monsters here! On a 6, you spot them first. On a 4 or 5, they spot you first. On a 3 or lower, they spot you first and will always attack!

The GM will narrate the results.

The next area is bright, actually, thanks to yet another hole in the side of the ship.

When the party's eyes adjust... they see some dead cultists' bodies lying on the ground...

But there's one man still standing. "Arrrrrr," he says. "What have we here...?"

His eyes glow red with eldritch menace.

(It's Final Boss time!

(You might want to look at the Loot Record and see if there's any magic items you'd like to use...?))

Evan will Stand a bit away from Myra so her cloak can flow dramatically.
He saw she wished to try a different tactic then simply beating on the ghost.
Using the resources they had he went ahead and started.

"Well hello Sir, glad to see you. Though it is also a shame to see you are still trapped here. We would like to help you move on to the next life. Who knows what treasures and wonder ley beyond that veil. What keeps you trapped here on this mortal plane ?"

Tries to use charm and conversation to resolve this rather then sword and spell.


14:11, Today: Evan rolled 17 using 4d6 with rolls of 6,1,6,4.  Evan w Myra potion friendliness and cloak.

"Yes, Mr. Harkaway," Myra added, her face absolutely filled with concern and compassion, "let us help you! I'm sure there are new seas out there for you to sail... new places to make your mark... if you're brave enough and strong enough to move on and find them."

She paused, and glanced at Evan and Downytouch before adding, "And I'd be happy to share your story with the world, if you'd be willing to share it with me."

The possessed cult leader raises back his arm and a ball of cold spectral fire appears in his hand, ready to toss at the adventurers...

...He blinks. "...What?" he says, the words of the party members finally registering in his mind.

This was not how he had expected this meeting to go.

His eyes keep watching the beautiful cape fluttering, fluttering in the nonexistent wind...

"Arrrrrr..." he says, stalling. "I... I do... I do suppose that there be no harm in tellin' ye..." He lowers his arm. (The bluish ball of cold fire dims, shrinks, but doesn't disappear.) "Aye... aye, why not?! Since ye asked so nicely... Aye, ye've guessed it. I plan to use my dark powers, once they're strong enough, to get off these rocks, and sail the nine seas, gettin' me revenge against all the pirate crews that defied me in life, an' plundering all the towns I plundered in life, too, startin' with the one nearby. An' you three give me an idea... Ye shall join my crew of the damned, an' we'll get a bard, too, t' sing of our fearsome voyage, that all may know... Maybe I'll get these other ships sailing again, and have a fleet of accursed ships... Aye, grand it'll be...! Ye can each be a captain...! (Servin' under me, o'course...!)"

He raises up his arm with the blue fire again, about to blast the party... but his eyes are distracted by that cloak moving on its own...

(There's time to try more Charm, or to try to get the jump on him Violence-wise... what'll it be...?)

"But how will your name be widely known, if we're traveling with you as you plunder?" Myra countered, striking a different pose. "If you return as a ghost pirate, then sure: folks along the coasts and people who sail will be wary of meeting you. But if you move on, and we spread your tale... everyone will know your name -- even in the deserts and desolate wastes beyond, where the ocean's shining waves are only a children's story. What's the better revenge: killing your enemies and plundering their towns? Or making sure that they all -- every one of them -- live the rest of their lives (and their children's lives) in the shadow of the ever-growing legend... of the Great Dread Pirate Harkaway?"

"They can rebuilt towns. They can sink ships. Maybe they can even banish ghosts. But they can't kill a good story!"

OOC: Would Myra's specialty apply here?
This message was last edited by the player at 00:13, Mon 29 Aug 2022.