GoCorral

This session was attended by Throgg, Salzar, thewamp, Zigfried, and Middle_Snu. The session was held using Skype for voice and video with Roll20 as a virtual tabletop. Also, first rebellion session in a while! Here’s a recap for those who don’t want to go read Rebellion Session #9.

The rebel party is looking for pieces of a prophecy that can bring a god back to life. Zeus’s death prevents the Olympians from sorting out the problems that the dragovinians are causing, so bringing him back goes a long way to fixing the world. Note that Zeus isn’t technically dead in the sense that mortal are. Olympians never really die. A better description would be that he is in a coma caused by poison.

The prophecy pieces that the rebel party is looking for are kept by a set of animal clans spread out across Cimmeria. The animal clans have been taken over by dragovinianized versions of the animals. The group is currently going after the prophecy that the shark clan knows. The sharks live off the coast of Jovy Isle in the Caspian Sea. The group has just arranged their right to hunt the sharks with pirate Captain Peahammer who claims to own Jovy Isle.

Chum the Waters

So with the “fishing rights” worked out, how would the party actually go about contacting the sharks? Korjak deciding asking a fish while wearing the necklace of speak with animals was the best way to find where the sharks lived. The half-orc stripped down to his skivvies and the party lowered him into the water with a rope attached to yank him out if a shark showed up.

Korjak swam up to a tuna and asked him, “How’s your day going?”
The tuna replied, “Just bubbles. Swimming along, eating. Yourself?”
Korjak found that he could only speak with the fish while keeping his head underwater and that he periodically needed to bring his head up to take a breath. “I’m looking for something. Can you help me find it?”
“Of course! What are you looking for strange fish?”
“I’m looking for sharks. Do you know where I can find them?”
“Sharks! SHARKS?!? Everyone look out! Sharks are coming from that way again!” The tuna indicated the west by swimming in that direction before joining his school and retreating to the east.
“Well that answers that question,” Korjak said to himself.

The group pulled Korjak up and he told them what he’d learned. They sailed of to the west to find some sharks. Once they’d gone seven miles out the party sent a pirate down to the hold to get some chum from one of the rat traps. The pirate brought the foul smelling bucket up and Gregor ordered him to dump it in the water.

Mate Geaton asked, “What are we doing that for sir?”
“We’re shark hunting,” Gregor said.
“Shark hunting? But we don’t got no nets strong enough to hold sharks. Or harpoon lines.”
“Then I guess you’ll just have to tie some rope to a harpoon then won’t you? Or use the hook from cargo crane and attach it to the mast. DO AS I SAY!”

The chum was dumped and the blood and guts spread through the water. Soon fins could be seen swimming towards the meal. Fins with red scales along them. A dragovinian shark had arrived to feast on the blood.

Korjak agreed to get into the water and talk to the shark, but only if the party was ready to pull him out. He got in and said, “Hi there. We wanted to talk to you about something?”
The shark looked at him and its mouth opened to show a massive array of teeth. “FOOD!” The shark lunged at Korjak. The pirates on deck yanked on the rope attached to the swimmer and pulled him out, but not before the shark scrapped his leg, taking a good portion of flesh and blood off.
Korjak shouted back, “We just want to talk!”
The dragovinian shark stuck its head above water and breathed fire upon the side of the ship. Those close to the edge were badly singed and the ropes caught fire. Mate Geaton shouted, “All hands! Put out that fire! Cut the ropes off if you have to!”

The pirates grabbed buckets and dumped water on the flaming ropes. A few were cut to prevent the flames from spreading to the sails, but the fire was dealt with. The shark remained, circling the ship, occasionally bumping into it and setting the whole thing rocking as if in a storm.

The group talked amongst themselves. If they headed inland they might get to an area with shallow enough water that they could fight the shark. Only if they needed to though. They set sail to go back to the cove on the western side of Jovy Isle. Along the way to Jovy Isle they attracted a second dragovinian shark that followed the ship along with the first.

Once at the cove Korjak passed the magic necklace to Stanton who used message to contact the shark. “We have a deal to offer you. More tuna and cattle in exchange for the prophetic words passed down to you by the druids.”
The sharks responded, “We want tuna. Give us tuna and we will tell you the words.”
“Tell us the words and we will give you lots of tuna tomorrow.”
“Words first. No words until tuna.”
“Meet us here tomorrow and we will have some tuna for you.”
“Tuna, or else.”

The sharks swam off. Now how to get some tuna? Fish for it obviously! A few of the pirates knew how to fish. By the end of the day the party had tons of small fish and three tuna that a normal man could barely lift. No problem for Gregor to lift though!

Tuna or Else

The next day the party returned to just outside the cove and waited. Soon the sharks arrived, but not just two this time. Five scaly fins showed above the water.

Stanton wore the necklace and he could just barely make out a chorus of voices chanting, “Tuna, tuna, tuna or else. Tuna, tuna, tuna or else.”
Stanton told the sharks, “Remember, we give you the tuna and you give us the words.”
“Tuna first! Words later!” A shark brushed against the boat, rocking it.
The party hefted one of the larger fish over the side. The sharks ripped into it, fighting for the scraps. They swallowed none of the fish, only tearing it apart and drinking its blood. “More! More tuna!” The sharks banged against the ship, rocking it from side to side.
Mate Geaton looked extremely worried. Stanton said to the sharks, “Give us the words and we’ll give you the tuna!”
“Tuna! Tuna! Tuna!”
Another fish was dumped over the side and the sharks fought over it before it too was devoured.
“Tuna! Tuna!” The boat swayed back and forth as if ten foot waves were hitting it.
Stanton and Gregor hatched a great idea between the two of them. Stanton shouted the idea to the sharks, “We’ll give another tuna to the shark that tells us the words first!”
One shark began, “Go west to the-” before another shark tackled it.
Another started up, “Go west to the river of-” before it too was attacked by its brother. Soon all five sharks were engaged in a bloody melee. Soon the largest, a 25 footer, emerged victorious. The other four sharks swam off to the west.
“I am Earl and I am the strongest. The words are:
Go west to the river of the world,
To where the Black Kelp Plant is unfurled
Take a clipping of this seaweed
For it is the penultimate ingredient you need.”
The party threw the final large tuna to the remaining shark and thanked it for its help. The original plan had been to sail to Lordodo and journey inland towards the condor clan and the final piece of the prophecy. That’s exactly what the party did.

Out on the Town

The party avoided any trouble on the way to Lordodo by not landing on the islands enroute there. They docked at the port and got to work selling their loot from taking over the pirate ship. Lucky’s personal booty fetched a fine price and the party were also able to line up a buyer for the ship quickly. The party was in the mood to give Reggy a share of the loot and he used a portion of his to purchase his freedom. So what did the group do with all their new found booty?

Korjak and Stanton

Korjak wanted to donate a portion of his gold to a local orphanage to benefit the kids there. Unfortunately his donation was refused on account of him being a half-orc. Upset by the racism, Korjak blew a bit of his gold on getting stumbling drunk. He wandered back to the orphanage and started throwing rocks at it. The police were called and Korjak spent the night in the drunk tank. Stanton was following Korjak around attempting to keep him out of trouble and failing. It’s hard for a little halfling to stop a giant orc from doing something if the orc really wants to do it. The next day, to make up for his horrible day earlier, Korjak blew a decent sized chunk of gold on food, women, and fun.

Stanton spent the next day going gambling at the Hunter’s Best, a large casino in Lordodo. Stanton sat down at the blackjack table and played a few hands before trying to use his mental powers to gain an edge. The casino’s magic detection went off and Stanton was thrown out immediately.

Sivirdm and Draco

Sivirdm and Draco headed to the local halfling encampment outside of town and made friends with their kin. They learned the recipe for a delicious gopher stew and will probably have a place to hide out now if the law ever comes looking for them in Lordodo. Sivirdm and Draco spent their second day at the halfling encampment as well.

Reggy

Reggy spent both days partying it up and enjoying his new freedom. He joined Korjak for the second day.

Gregor

Gregor headed to the slave market in Lordodo, planning on using his fold to buy some orc slaves and free them. He found the slave trader that specialized in orcs with a dozen new orcs in stock, freshly captured from the Orc Lands on the other side of the Dominarie Mountains and the Shacklack Desert. As Gregor inspected the slaves one of the dozen had a flash of recognition on his face. Had he recognized Gregor from when he was in the orc lands?

Gregor said nothing to the orc, speaking to the slave trader about price and how freeing the orcs worked instead. A price was arrived upon, but before Gregor could pay he was interrupted by a man behind him, “Aw… Buying the freedom of your poor little brothers? How cute.”

Gregor turned and saw a large human man wearing fullplate with a greatsword strapped to his back. Behind the man were two orcs and a half-orc, all wearing mithral breastplate. The half-orc carried a number of spears. One of the orcs had no weapons on him while the other had a bow and arrows easily available.

“Gonna set them free in the wild are you?”
Gregor replied, “None of your business,” as he turned back to the trader.
“I’d say it is some of my business seeing as I captured those orcs.”
Gregor spoke to the orcs behind the larger man, “And you allowed him to enslave our people?”
The large human laughed, “They helped me!”
Gregor curled his hands into fists, but restrained himself. If he struck the first blow he’d be arrested. Additionally, he could sense from how the four antagonists carried themselves that they were far more experienced than him.
“You’re a tough one aren’t you? If you ever need some work look us up. When we’re in town we’re usually at the Bounty Hunters Guild. I’m Dorius and these are Hairocon, Temet and Hetud.” Dorius indicated the half-orc with spears, the orc without weapons, and the orc with a shortbow in turn.
“Whatever,” said Gregor.
“Let’s go boys. He doesn’t want to play.” Dorius led the other three off.

Gregor completed his transaction, securing papers that signified the freedom of the twelve orcs. He spent the rest of the day finding equipment and weapons for the orcs to survive in the wild. After each of them was equipped he led them out the northern gate of the city.
Gregor spoke to the orc that had recognized him previously, “You know who I am. Go north and tell the other orcs that Gregor is not dead. I am alive and I will return soon.”
“I knew it was you!”
The orcs cheered and headed out on the path to the orc lands.

On the second day Gregor joined Reggy and Korjak in frequenting the brothels of Lordodo. At a house that specialized in elven women Gregor spotted Hetud, the orc with the shortbow, exiting the establishment as Gregor entered.
Gregor mumbled, “Hello.”
Hetud mumbled back, “Hello.”
“Anything you’d recommend?”
“I always see Anira when I come, but she’s a little worn out at the moment if you know what I mean.”
“Well I’m sure I can show her what a real orc’s passion is like.”
Hetud’s face light up as he laughed, “You’re alright! What was your name? I don’t think we caught it before.”
“Gregor.”
“I’ll remember. The captain’s not always like that you know. You really should consider coming to work with us. We’re going places and doing things you wouldn’t believe.”
“Thanks for the offer.”
“Still not interested? Ah well. If you don’t want my sloppy seconds then I’d suggest Veesati. She’s who I see when Anira has her blood.”
A grin spread across Gregor’s face as he said, “I’ll have both.”
“Haha! I’ll bet you could too.” Hetud extended his arm to Gregor. Gregor gripped it. Hetud’s hand was wet and sticky. Hetud leaned in and whispered, “A little preview of Anira for you.”
On that note Hetud made his exit.

After the second day of fun the party bought a boat ticket to Yuettencal. The boat stopped at Tetalya on the way and the party chose to spend some time there before proceeding.
Of primary importance to them was a visit to the Druids Guild to learn more about the condors in the Dominarie Mountains. They arranged a meeting with one of the druids for the next day.