Last update June 4th, 2008.

To Do:

• Write review

Game Summary

Previously...

mp080510

Previously, on Mediterranean Plotluck...

Overview

Episode 11

Date: May 24th, 2008

The party retreats from the regenerating seaweed after their ill-conceived plan to blast their way through to the center of the sargasso island. They spend the next week fighting off wave after wave of seaweed-humanoids that assault their ship while Ghamor feverishly studies his new-found tome in an effort to acquire the power to overcome the regeneration of the seaweed.

Completing his studies at last, the party makes their way back towards the center of the island and Ghamor proceeds to blast apart every vine and seaweed-creature in their way with his newly-augmented power.

Reaching the center of the island, the party finds a cavern, apparently carved from a massive hulk of ship-hulls fused together. Investigating the cavern, the party eventually reaches a circular chamber wherein they find a beautifully-carved figurehead of a sailing ship and a deep pit. All along the walls are the remains of the men dragged off over the previous week, some still barely alive, while other are completely drained of life.

When Ghamor approaches the figurehead, he is blown back by a powerful spell and a shimmering field of energy envelops the figurehead. From out of the pit climbs a hideous creature, a mass of writhing seaweed with five skull-like visages on the end of wriggling stalks. Fierce melee ensues, with Ghamor being taken out of action by repeated magical assault from the figurehead.

Ackrak successfully dispatches the hideous vine-creature, which plummets to the bottom of the pit. An apparition appears in his sight, the same maiden that has been haunting his dreams, warning of the vine-creature's regenerative abilities and foretelling his doom should he be unable to slay the beast.

Alone, Ackrak descends into the pit and is surprised to find the form of a beautiful woman, identical to the apparition and also the figurehead. She begs him not to kill her and tells him that she is entrapped by a spell on the figurehead. She implores him to destroy not her, but the figurehead. Ackrak calls up to Seikius to destroy the figurehead, and Seikius does so.

Aleska, as the woman is called, explains that she was abducted from her homelands in the far North and held captive aboard a ship. Trapped by a spell, she overcame the ship's crew with her druidic magic, but her magic was altered and caused her transformation into the terrible beast. The figurehead was apparently the focus of the trapping spell, carved in her likeness to make it more potent. The sargasso sea grew around the ship she was on, and she quickly ensnared the other ships with vines in her unholy rage.

After Aleska heals the companions, they all escape as the magic holding the sargasso sea fades and the vines began to recede. Aleska decides to stay on with the party until they reach land, whereupon she will decide whether to remain with them.

Ghamor spends the coming weeks studying his tome, and concocts potent acid to use as weaponry. At the end of four weeks' time, the ship reaches the island of Lemnos, the party's destination.

Quotes

DON

We've done so much and we don't even have any gold.

NICK

At least you've got your lives!

JACK

Meh.

NICK, to Brian

If you call your penis a holy artifact again, I swear...

NICK

If you can't take the heat, stop shagging the balrog.

Put your Spellcraft where I can see it!

You can have my Spellcraft when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers.

36 damage from LAME STRIKE!

Game Review

This game session marked the end of the sargasso sea story-arc. Aleska joined the party after being rescued.

EXP by Player

AKRAK

• Saved the party (again)
• Spared Yunalesca (despite his earlier intentions)

GHAMOR

• Died (-12 hp) but, uhm, didn't. 'Cause we said so.

SEIKIUS

• Managed to break through barrier around figurehead (on the roll of a natural 20)
• Knocked on death's door, but remained conscious (for the first time!)
• Needed a natural 1 to miss the enemy, but needed a natural 20 to actually *be* hit

EXP by GM

...

Next Session

Date: May 31st, 2008

Link: mp080531