Session 24: Reaver's Deep

General Summary

Pirating the Pirates

The crew pirates the pirates, netting about 1,000 gold worth of goods from the hold: furs, walrus ivory, and casks of preserved fish. A strongbox yields more still. Thunderfox swings the Vigilance Zephyr over for a tactical discussion about which ship Nyxek will take, and wonders aloud who will pilot Chastity's Cutter.

Nyxek tries to talk the fox captain into engaging Tempest Tide as a distraction. Thunderfox agrees to stay, but only to watch, from a safe distance well behind. The question of the Cutter's pilot answers itself when the Rad-pole schlorps back into Rad Polo, just in time to mention he learned to fly a skyship back in the future. Settled. Thunderfox prepares to hang back.

A Crystal for Midori

The Claw meets to discuss strategy. Ambushing Tempest Tide would be easier with two ships, one acting as a distraction. Vutha points out that the fortress will be well prepared regardless, since Midori can track the hex crystal the same way the Claw tracks him.

Nyxek hatches a scheme: hide the crystal on the Vigilance Zephyr. Kal takes it, flies under Thunderfox's skyship, and slips it into a safe, hidden spot beneath the hull. With Midori set to follow the wrong ship, the Claw keeps heading for the fortress.

Trouble Returns

Sora notices a strange moving cloud behind them, though she is unsure of it. The Claw's danger senses tingle. They double-check the sky, and this time Kal sees it too. Nyxek orders an attack. He and Kal hurl fire into the vicinity of the mysterious invisible object and hear cries of pain. It is an invisible skyskiff full of vampirates.

Rad Polo slows the whole skiff with his magic. A vampirate mage pops up and dispels the effect, and then the voice of old Captain Trouble booms out curses as she flies her skiff just above the deck. She tosses out a fireball and drops a furious magic bear into the middle of the crew. Vutha grabs the bear and throws it back at the skiff. Kal launches into a flyby turtle kick fest on the vampirates trying to board. Nyxek rebukes them by the will of the Emperor and nearly vaporizes the lot. The mage does not survive it.

With his enemies broken, Nyxek offers surrender to Captain Trouble, especially given that her boat is now in his employ. She is furious, but she accepts.

Approach Under Cover

With Captain Trouble on their side, the Claw can approach Tempest Tide invisibly under cover of night. They no longer need to worry about Thunderfox and the Vigilance Zephyr at all, since the Zephyr is now under attack by Midori and forces of the Talon of Tiamat. The Claw presses on, carried forward by the unwitting distraction.

Before they draw close, a brass dragonborn appears on the prow of Chastity's Cutter. She introduces herself as Vox Nyxekspawn, mate of Diirhaas and mother to Nyxek's grandspawn. She asks that her Resplendent father-in-law come and speak to his son.

Nyxek says he will speak, that Diirhaas will surrender and be judged for his crimes against the Empire. Vox Nyxekspawn says that is fine. They ask only that the Claw come under a banner of truce to speak before there is any battle. Nyxek is suspicious, but he agrees.

The Pale Emissary

They come down to a neutral ice floe drifting in Reaver's Deep. There Diirhaas and Coldwing await. The Pale Emissary greets his father and reveals his past.

He had ended up beyond the Boundary Stones during a battle defending the Empire. Once outside, he knew he could never return. So he became a conqueror of the Fallacy, of a whole world. He spread the glory of the Empire and the name of his father as Clan Nyxek, rising to the position of Dragonlord of the White Wing of the Talon of Tiamat. All of this he did for his father. He will follow any command his father gives him, and deliver his troops as well, if Nyxek will accept them.

Coldwing is asked about his loyalty. The white wyrm replies that his loyalty is to the Dragonlord, who saved his life from being ended by a course of meat known as the officers of the Blackjack, whom he names as a hit list.

Everyone on the floe turns to Nyxek, awaiting his response.