> [!sessionhero] THE ROSE OF IGODA · SESSION NINE > ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Moonlit_Bounty_Day.jpeg|1200]] > # The Moonlit Bounty Stowaway > **SUMMER 24** · **PLAYED 30 SEPTEMBER 2026** > [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] → [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]] · aboard the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] > [!sessionnav] SESSION NAVIGATION > [[The Rose of Igoda/13 - Session Notes/Session 08 - Leaving Berran|← Session 08 — Leaving Berran]] · [[The Rose of Igoda/13 - Session Notes/Session Notes Index|All Sessions]] · **Session 09 — Latest** > **JUMP TO** · [[#ACT I — DEPARTURE|I · Departure]] · [[#ACT II — OPEN WATER|II · Open Water]] · [[#ACT III — THE STORM|III · The Storm]] · [[#Where Things Stand|End State]] > [!abstract]+ TL;DR > - The party begin aboard the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] while it is still loading at [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Medina Syms|Captain Medina Syms]] confines the unofficial passengers to cramped makeshift quarters and makes it clear they are to stay out of his crew’s way. > - Still disguised as Matilda, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] abruptly disappears through the [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|Popping]]. Moments later [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] returns from the Berran tavern, leaving the others to fake a sleeping Granny while [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] explains the new plan: sail to [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]], then continue towards [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Dekinsza|Dekinsza]] to find another Rose of Igoda. > - Votoran quickly makes herself useful. Medina recognises her connection to [[The Rose of Igoda/04 - Gods & Faiths/Kaegor|Kaegor]], tests whether she can follow orders and puts her to work hauling cargo. As the ship begins moving she prays not for calm seas, but for the people aboard to have the strength to weather whatever comes. > - Below deck, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] and Ahkai remain cautious around one another while [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] raids the stores. Ahkai explains that he values freedom so strongly because [[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Torrax|Torrax]] never really gave him any; Kephri is therefore free to make his own choices too, even if those choices involve stealing cutlery. > - Ahkai is overwhelmed by his first voyage and the openness of the sea. He repeatedly confuses the lookout [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] by ignoring instructions about the rigging, and later asks Votoran where she comes from. She finally tells him [[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Solland|Solland]] and says she left because she wanted freedom. > - Sofia’s sleep brings back a chain of memories: a ship to Reskium, contemplating the sea as an option, a woman who seems to understand; a newspaper in Reskium that clearly refers to the incident; travelling south with Marta and Ben before discovering most of her money gone; unsafe attention in Jitsu village; and finally a woodland beside a vast body of water, a distant red glow and a purple storm. When lightning strikes the glow and the blast reaches her, Sofia releases her own emotions. The woodland disappears — and so does she. > - The next morning Ahkai discovers Kephri’s hoard, including a faintly magical [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Silver Scarab|silver scarab]]. Later [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] pops into the cabin, apparently having slipped away while the group assume [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] is trying to train or strengthen her. Rose meets Kephri, renames him **Mr Shiny**, accepts a stolen napkin ring and pops away again. > - When Ahkai asks why they are still following Rose into danger, Votoran’s answer is simple: Rose is a little girl who is alone and deserves to feel safe. Ahkai tells Sofia he will listen whenever she is ready to say more. > - By the second evening Henry’s predicted storm finally arrives. When dinner fails to appear, the party head above deck and find the ship apparently abandoned in the storm — except for [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]], who has spent roughly thirty days hiding in Berran before stowing away aboard the same vessel. > - Edgar blames the party for the loss of the [[The Rose of Igoda/06 - Factions & Organisations/The Thieves Guild|Thieves’ Guild]], his friends, his family and his purpose. Votoran refuses his excuses and tells him nobody forced him to put a blade to Rose. Edgar swears to make them pay. > - A brutal fight erupts across the storm-lashed deck. Edgar uses shadow steps, a wicked rapier and wounds that continue bleeding; Votoran relentlessly hunts him with her warhammer; Ahkai uses lightning-infused arrows, Thunderwave and a three-arrow Magic Missile; Sofia struggles to hold herself together while using Hold Person and Chaos Bolt. > - Edgar throws a fire flask, setting the deck ablaze and sending Sofia into panic. Ahkai abandons his attack to smother the flames around her with his cloak and push her out of the fire. > - Panicking and trapped, Sofia casts Shatter. It hurts Edgar but also destroys the mast lashings, leaving the mast leaning dangerously and throwing several people to the deck. Edgar then takes advantage of Sofia being prone and drops her. > - Votoran revives Sofia with Cure Wounds and later heals herself. Edgar turns his Vendetta onto Ahkai and leaves him with multiple bleeding wounds. Ahkai eventually lands a devastating lightning-charged arrow that leaves Edgar bleeding from the eyes. > - Edgar declares that the fight is not over and jumps overboard into the storm. Ahkai shouts after him that **Rose lives**, immediately prompting Sofia to ask why he would tell Edgar that. > - The session ends with Edgar’s fate unknown, the Moonlit Bounty on fire, the mast failing, the storm raging, the crew mysteriously absent and only Henry audible somewhere above. The party now has to save the ship. > [!star]+ Memorable Moments > - 😂 **Funny — “You, boy, with the face.”** Ahkai tries to ask the youngest-looking sailor about the sleeping quarters, only for the sailor to keep insisting that he is **twenty-five**. Ahkai’s immediate interpretation — **“Is that how many women you’ve slept with?”** — does not improve matters. > - 🌀 **Chaos — Matilda vanishes, Votoran arrives:** Tilly pops away while still disguised as the elderly Matilda. Votoran then abruptly appears from the Berran tavern inside the locked passenger quarters, forcing Ahkai to build a fake sleeping Granny out of sacks, stores and a cloak. > - ❤️ **Character — Votoran’s prayer:** As the ship begins moving, Votoran quietly prays to [[The Rose of Igoda/04 - Gods & Faiths/Kaegor|Kaegor]]. She does not ask for calm seas; she asks for everyone aboard to have the strength to weather whatever comes. > - 😂 **Funny — Ahkai versus Henry:** Henry awkwardly digs himself into a hole over Sofia, Ahkai uses the moment as an excuse to climb into the rigging, and Henry ends the exchange still unable to decide whether Ahkai is friendly or a menace. > - ❤️ **Character — “This is real freedom.”** Under a sky full of stars, Ahkai is overwhelmed by his first voyage and the openness of the sea. His conversation with Votoran turns to home, [[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Solland|Solland]] and why she left: freedom. > - 🤯 **Revelation — Sofia’s journey:** Sofia’s memory reveals Reskium, the newspaper, Marta and Ben, losing most of her money, Jitsu village, leaving the road and finally the woodland destroyed as she releases her emotions into the same moment as the distant red blast. > - 😂 **Funny — Mr Shiny:** Rose pops into the cramped cabin, immediately falls for Kephri, renames him **Mr Shiny** and accepts a stolen napkin ring from him before disappearing again. > - 😱 **Oh Shit — Edgar in the storm:** The party climbs onto an apparently abandoned deck in a violent storm and finds Edgar waiting for them. He has spent the missing month hiding in Berran and has now stowed away aboard the same ship. > - 🔥 **Savage — Votoran refuses Edgar’s excuses:** Edgar blames the party for everything he has lost. Votoran refuses to let him rewrite what happened: nobody forced him to put a blade to Rose, and he needs to own the choice he made. > - ⚔️ **Badass — Votoran’s radiant hammer:** After Edgar repeatedly slips away from her attacks, Votoran finally connects with Divine Favour active and lands a devastating radiant hammer blow that visibly staggers him. > - 😱 **Disaster — Sofia breaks the ship:** Surrounded by fire, bleeding and panicking, Sofia casts Shatter. It damages Edgar — and tears apart the mast lashings, leaving the mast leaning dangerously while Henry cries out somewhere above. > - 🎯 **Clutch — Votoran brings Sofia back:** Edgar takes advantage of Sofia being prone and drops her. Votoran breaks off the chase, reaches her and delivers a second-level Cure Wounds like an electric shock, bringing Sofia straight back into the fight. > - ⚡ **Badass — Ahkai’s final arrow:** Bleeding heavily and marked by Edgar’s Vendetta, Ahkai deliberately moves through danger to get the shot he needs. His lightning-charged arrow lands hard enough to leave Edgar bleeding from the eyes. > - 😬 **Chaos — “Just so you know, Rose lives!”** As Edgar jumps overboard into the storm, Ahkai shouts that Rose is alive. Sofia immediately turns on him: **why would he tell Edgar that?** ## ACT I — DEPARTURE ### Aboard the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] The session picked up almost exactly where the last one ended. The [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] was still alongside the docks in [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]], the gangplank down and the crew loading the last of the cargo for the six-day voyage to [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]]. It was still morning, probably moving towards lunchtime. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] remained disguised as the elderly Matilda, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] was still playing the part of her granddaughter, and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] had already slipped away, removed his temporary disguise and boarded again as another of Granny's relatives. A fourth passage had been paid for [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]], though she was still absent after suddenly popping away the night before. With time to kill before departure, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] started looking around the ship properly. It was a fair-sized cargo vessel, busy enough that it was difficult to tell who was permanent crew and who was simply helping with the loading. He estimated somewhere around eight to twelve crew moving about the deck and dock. Behind them, stairs climbed towards the wheel. A single main mast carried three black sails, and there appeared to be two or three usable levels to the vessel. A cargo hatch in front of the mast stood open while crates and barrels were lowered below. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] paid attention to the cargo as it passed. With a strong Investigation check he managed to pick out stamps and markings on some of the containers, but nothing looked immediately suspicious. Most of it appeared to be ordinary trade goods and food stores. Whatever else the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] was, there was no obvious sign that the cargo itself was unusual. The more immediate concern was where the four of them were actually supposed to sleep. Nobody had given them any proper instructions after taking their money. Everyone on deck was busy, so [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] picked out the youngest and least confident-looking sailor he could find. The young man had youth in his face but looked older than he probably was: dark stubble, a crooked nose, deep lines around his eyes and a constant nervousness. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] opened with the extremely diplomatic, "You, boy, with the face." The sailor stopped and immediately corrected him. "Twenty-five." [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] blinked at him. "Is that how many women you've slept with?" That did not make the conversation any easier. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] explained that they were travelling to [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]] and only wanted to know where they were supposed to sleep. The young sailor decided very quickly that this was above his pay grade and called for the captain. A passing crewman wished them good luck. ### Captain and Quarters ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Characters/NPCs/Medina Syms.jpeg|1200]] [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Medina Syms|Captain Medina Syms]] eventually approached them. He was a broad man with black hair, a red bandana and tattoos across his hands. He moved with the air of someone who had already been dealing with other people's problems all morning and was not delighted to find several more waiting for him. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] apologised for bothering him and explained that Granny was tired and they were hoping to put her down somewhere to rest. He reached out to shake Medina's hand. The captain accepted, then looked at his own palm afterwards and wiped it as though reconsidering the decision. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] used the opportunity to look at the tattoos more closely. One stood out: something like a runic circle with a decorated, feather-like flourish coming away from it. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] did not recognise the symbol well enough to place it. Medina waved them along and led them towards the back of the ship, down into the living levels and through several tight turns. He was already laying down rules as they went. Do not wander into crew areas. Do not get under people's feet. Do not start exploring doors and spaces that were none of their business. They were passengers only in the loosest sense and were expected to stay where he put them. He unlocked a door and revealed what was apparently going to serve as their accommodation. It was not a passenger cabin. ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Moonlit_Bounty_Hammocks.jpeg|1200]] Rough hammocks had been strung between wooden beams wherever space allowed. The ceiling was low and much of the room was already occupied by crates and supplies. A single little lantern gave them most of their light. There was a crude toilet arrangement and a basin of water, but otherwise it felt less like proper quarters and more like spare storage that could also be used to isolate someone who was sick. Medina did not pretend otherwise. They were travelling on a cargo ship and were not really supposed to be there. They were to keep their heads down and stay out of the crew's way. The voyage would take around six days. Food would be brought to them rather than having them wandering through the ship looking for it. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] immediately asked whether that meant they were expected to stay in the cramped room for the entire journey. Six days in there sounded claustrophobic even to him. Medina grudgingly allowed short periods of fresh air on deck, perhaps ten minutes at a time, provided they stayed out of the way and did not interfere with anyone working. The cover story was already testing Medina's patience. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]], [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] were still supposedly the family of an elderly grandmother desperate to get back to [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]] and her cats. Lady Marmalade remained a surprisingly important part of the explanation. Between the cats, the assorted grandchildren, the strange family dynamic and their habit of asking questions, Medina seemed to regard them as paying nuisances rather than guests. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] Pops Away Once Medina left them to settle in, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] used magic to clean one of the hammocks. Dust and old stains lifted away until the fabric looked as clean as it was ever going to get. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] threw himself into the space with considerably less concern. The cramped quarters were strange and uncomfortable, but he was beginning to enjoy the absurdity of the situation. Matilda shifted in her hammock and admitted that she could not stay like this much longer. Then [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]]'s Popping caught up with her. Still disguised as Matilda, she disappeared. That left [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] staring at the space where their elderly grandmother had been and immediately confronting a practical problem. They had just been escorted into a locked passenger area by Medina. Matilda was the person around whom most of the cover story had been built. If someone came back and found her missing, they were going to have to explain how an elderly woman had vanished from below decks. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]]'s first response was essentially that this was going to be interesting. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] Returns The Popping solved one problem and created another almost immediately. From [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]]'s point of view, she had been back in the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] tavern. The others had been questioning [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] about her past, and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] had been on her feet during that conversation when the world changed around her. Instead of the tavern table she expected to be beside, she found nothing supporting her. The sudden change threw off her balance. She buckled forwards and landed awkwardly on the floor of the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]]'s cramped passenger quarters. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] swore, rolled onto her back and looked around. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] came over to help her up. She refused. She had no idea where she was. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] explained the situation as quickly as he could. They were no longer in the inn. They had discovered a lead to another Rose of Igoda in [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Dekinsza|Dekinsza]]. Rose herself had visited [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and had made it clear that she wanted them to find more Roses. The party had therefore decided to get out of [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]], sail to [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]] and continue towards [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Dekinsza|Dekinsza]] from there. He also explained that their rough plan had been to stay at [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]]'s aunt and uncle's tavern, the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Pewter Mug|Pewter Mug]], once they reached [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]]. The fact that [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] had now disappeared made that slightly more complicated. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] took the update remarkably well. The immediate issue was Medina. The four paid places were supposed to be Matilda and her grandchildren. Matilda had vanished, and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] had appeared in a room reached by going below deck and around several corners. There was no believable way she had simply walked in unnoticed. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] began stuffing objects into one of the hammocks and draped his newer cloak across the shape like a blanket. "There you go. Nanny's sleeping." The others were not entirely convinced the deception would survive close inspection, but nobody had a better idea. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] then asked whether [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] ever planned to return the cloak she had been using. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] took it off, dropped it on the floor in front of him and told him he might want to shake the sand out of it. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] Offers to Work [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]], quite at home, was not going to wait around in the cabin. Unlike [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]], she was accustomed to ships and comfortable with the movement, cramped corridors and constant work happening around them. Rather than hide below deck for six days, she decided to find Medina and offer to help. She made her way through the confusing interior of the ship, found the stairs and climbed back onto deck. Medina was not aboard at that moment; he was down on the harbour directing the final loading, clipboard in hand, barking orders and sending people in different directions. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] simply climbed back down to the dock and approached him. She introduced herself as one of Matilda's party and offered her services. She had been around ships before and, if he needed another pair of hands, she was happy to work. Medina looked her up and down. His suspicion was obvious. Four passages had been paid for, and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] was not one of the people he remembered bringing below deck. When he asked when she had boarded, she claimed she had not been far behind the others and that he had simply been busy. He did not look entirely convinced. Then he noticed her religious symbol and recognised it as belonging to [[The Rose of Igoda/04 - Gods & Faiths/Kaegor|Kaegor]], the Storm Father. That interested him. He asked whether she had really worked aboard ships before and what she could do. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]]'s answer was direct: whatever he needed. If he wanted muscle, she could shift cargo. Medina tested whether she really meant that. He grabbed a random sailor and told [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] to punch him. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] was perfectly willing and only paused to ask where. Before she actually hit the poor man, Medina stopped her, apparently satisfied that she could follow an order without arguing about it. He set her to work moving crates and boxes. He mostly kept her around the dock and the less sensitive loading areas, but it was honest physical work. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] loved it. She could stop thinking and simply lift, carry and follow instructions. For a while, the complicated mess involving Rose, Elaris, [[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Torrax|Torrax]], missing time and magical Popping could be pushed aside. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] Below Deck Back in the passenger quarters, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] were left alone together. The atmosphere was not quite hostile, but it was awkward. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] found [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] crude, intrusive and irritating. Knowing he came from [[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Torrax|Torrax]] only made her more cautious. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]], meanwhile, did not seem especially bothered by the silence. He settled into one of the hammocks, pulled out texts and equipment from his bag and occupied himself. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] redid her hair, played idly with her jewellery and occasionally glanced across at him. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] was mostly absorbed in whatever he was reading or working on and did not seem particularly concerned with what [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] was doing. The quiet lasted until a scuffling sound came from somewhere beneath the crates. Then metal clanged. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] immediately knew who was responsible. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] was loose. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] Goes Shopping ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Kephri_Cutlery.png|1200]] [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] wanted to know what the mongoose was doing. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] objected to her calling [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] a rodent, but that did not answer the question. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] began checking her jewellery. Nothing seemed to be missing from her. When she leaned over and looked down between the crates, however, she could make out [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] moving in a narrow gap amongst the stores. From somewhere below came the unmistakable sound of silver cutlery being collected. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] was not impressed. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] defended him. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] was free to do what he wanted. That answer led into something more personal than either of them had probably expected. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] explained that where he came from he had never really been free. Now that he was away from [[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Torrax|Torrax]], he valued being able to choose what he did with his own life. He extended the same principle to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]]. The mongoose was his companion, not a possession to be controlled. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] could understand the idea of having one’s freedom limited more than she wanted to say. She still asked that [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]]’s mongoose be quiet and preferably not steal anything from her. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] continued looting the ship somewhere beneath them. ### Final Preparations Hours passed. By around three in the afternoon the last of the loading was being completed. The final people came aboard, the gangplank was prepared to be taken in and Medina finally released [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] from her temporary work. He told her she had done well and that he might find something else for her to do later. Up above, the nervous young lookout was becoming increasingly animated about the weather. He was convinced the wind was wrong. Storms had been causing problems. Ships had supposedly gone down, people had ended up stranded on islands and there were all sorts of stories moving between sailors. Medina had heard enough. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]], as the lookout was finally identified, had apparently predicted bad weather before and been wrong more than once. Medina told him to stop frightening people. They were only heading to [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]] and would be well clear before anything serious arrived. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] remained convinced. The crew started preparing to leave. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]]'s Prayer As the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] began to move away from [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]], [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] took a moment to herself. She found a relatively quiet part of the deck and said a small prayer to [[The Rose of Igoda/04 - Gods & Faiths/Kaegor|Kaegor]], the Storm Father. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] was not eloquent and did not try to make the words impressive. She also did not ask for calm weather. Storms were part of the sea. Instead, she asked that the people aboard the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] be given the strength to weather whatever came. It was the kind of prayer she habitually offered every morning while aboard a ship. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]]'s First Departure [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] could hear the preparations even from below decks. Ropes tightened, feet moved overhead and the whole ship felt as though it was coming alive. He could not stay in the passenger quarters. He made his way up just as the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] began to move. For someone who had never been on a ship before, the reaction was almost childlike. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] stood on deck with a broad smile, looking from the water to the rigging to the widening space between the ship and the harbour. The movement under his feet was unfamiliar. He grabbed ropes or railings when he needed to steady himself, but the lack of confidence did nothing to lessen his excitement. Open water stretched ahead of him. To [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]], it felt like freedom. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] and the Rigging ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Henry_Deck_Scene.png|1200]] Naturally, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] immediately wanted to climb higher. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] noticed. “Can’t do that.” [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] asked why. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] explained that the rigging was where he worked. If [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] climbed into his area, he would interfere with the lookout. They could crash, hit an island, miss a storm or become stranded somewhere. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] continued climbing. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] became increasingly desperate. Eventually, after a word from [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]], [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] did come back down, but not before introducing himself. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] gave his own name in return and seemed genuinely confused by the interaction. “I don’t know if you’re nice or not.” [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] assured him that he was. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] was not convinced. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] told him he would see him tomorrow. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] seemed uncertain whether that was a promise or a threat. ## ACT II — OPEN WATER ### At Sea The [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] moved away from [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] and into waters scattered with islands. Some were little more than rocky outcrops. Others were large enough to hold visible structures and what looked like temples or settlements. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] stayed on deck for as long as he could get away with it, sat on a crate, fascinated by almost everything. He watched the crew work, listened to their insults and arguments and tried to absorb the rhythm of life aboard ship. Most of the sailors behaved exactly as he had imagined sailors would: constant back-and-forth, complaints about how someone else was doing a job, rough jokes and insults that seemed to mean less than they sounded. Some of the comments about women bothered him, but the general camaraderie appealed to him. By late afternoon the islands became less frequent. Eventually even they dropped away and there was nothing around them but open sea. When night came properly, the difference from the city was dramatic. Away from streets, lanterns and buildings, the stars filled the sky. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] Talk ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Ahkai_Votoran_Stars.png|1200]] [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] had remained on deck for much of the day as well, joining in with some of the crew’s rough humour without forcing herself into their business. As things quietened, she came over to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]]. He had settled enough that the movement no longer occupied all of his attention. He told her he was enjoying listening to the crew, even if he did not much like the way some of them spoke about women. More than anything, he was struck by the stars. > [!pullquote] AHKAI > “This is real freedom. I’ve never seen so many stars.” The conversation drifted towards [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] herself. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] had now told the party where he came from, and the fact that almost everyone else seemed determined to conceal even their homeland irritated him. He asked where [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] was from. At first she answered vaguely: all over. Ships had been home for a long time. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] kept going. Eventually [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] gave him the answer. [[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Solland|Solland]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] knew very little about the far west beyond broad stories and geography. [[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Solland|Solland]], Gilyen, Nuanstar and the other western lands were remote from the world in which he had grown up. [[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Torrax|Torrax]] had always dominated the horizon of his life. He understood one thing immediately: [[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Solland|Solland]] was a very long way away. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] said it was not really home anymore. It was simply where she had once lived. When [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] asked why she left, her first answer was that it had not been her speed. She corrected herself. What she had wanted was freedom. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] liked that. Freedom, to him, was a very good reason. ### The Storm Argument ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Moonlit_Bounty_Night.jpeg|1200]] [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] spoke about storms with an enthusiasm [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] did not entirely share. To her, they could be exhilarating. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] looked towards the sky and called up to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]]. "Are there any storms coming?" [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] said yes. Then he admitted he had predicted storms several times recently and had been wrong. This time was different. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] wanted to know why. Did [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] feel something? Did his little finger tingle? Did he have some sort of sign? [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] finally offered one. His feet got sweaty. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] pointed out that it could simply be hot. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] was rapidly losing control of the conversation when Medina arrived and told him to shut up. Medina also reminded [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] that he was supposed to stay out of the crew's way and ordered both passengers away from the working area. As they left, however, Medina softened slightly. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] meant well. He also seemed to have hit his head more than once. That explained some things. ### Dinner [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] followed the smell of food towards the galley. They did not get very far. Medina stopped them and reminded them of the arrangement. Their food would be brought to the passenger quarters. He did not want Granny and her grandchildren wandering around amongst his crew. By the time they returned below, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] had already been eating for around twenty minutes. The meal was a fish-and-vegetable broth with thick bread. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] found the seasoning strange. It had a sweeter, more aniseed-heavy flavour than the food he was used to. His own tastes leaned towards stronger spices, lamb, flatbreads and the flavours he associated with home. So [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] pulled a small pouch of spices from his bag and added his own. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] immediately noticed. She wanted some. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] teased that she could have them if she was nice to him. He offered some to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] first. She tried the food both ways and found [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]]'s spices had considerably more of a kick than the flavours she was used to, so he was careful not to overdo it for her. Then he handed the pouch to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] knew enough about spices to recognise several and began smelling and testing them. It was one of the first genuinely easy exchanges the two had managed. She did not say it aloud, but some of the spices reminded her of home. There was also an extra bowl that would originally have gone to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] called [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] over and gave it to him instead. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] had not properly met the mongoose yet. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] introduced him and warned her that [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] was extremely light-fingered. More accurately, he was a kleptomaniac. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] happily ate while surrounded by the evidence of his ongoing theft spree. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]]'s Dream ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Sofia_Horizon.jpg|1200]] That night the ship settled into a gentler rhythm, but [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]]'s sleep did not. The movement of the vessel pulled her back into memories of the journey that had brought her here. First came another ship: the voyage to Reskium. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] remembered standing at the railing, looking down at the sea and contemplating it as an option. Another woman saw her there. She seemed to understand what [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] was thinking without [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] having to say it. Best to keep moving. The memory shifted to Reskium itself. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] remembered seeing a newspaper carrying word of the incident. The report was vague, but there was no doubt in her mind that it was talking about her. Better keep moving. Then came Marta and Ben, an older couple travelling south with a horse and covered cart. They had been kind to her. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] travelled with them for days. When the time came to say goodbye, she discovered that most of her coin was gone. Got to keep moving. Next was Jitsu village. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] quickly learned that being a pretty young woman alone, with very little money and nobody visibly protecting her, could put her in serious danger. Nobody laid a hand on her, but she saw the looks. People were weighing her up, being a little too kind and deciding what they thought they could get away with. Need to keep moving. Eventually [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] stopped trusting the road entirely. Her emotions were becoming harder and harder to contain, and she left the main route for a small woodland. Beyond the trees was a huge body of water. Far away, at its centre, a red glow burned against the horizon. Above it, a purple storm raged. Lightning struck the red glow. It exploded outwards. As the blast washed towards [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]], everything she had been carrying finally broke loose as well. Fear, anger, panic and everything she had spent so long forcing down came out at once. The woodland was gone. And then so was [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]]. ### Morning - [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]]'s Collection The next morning, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] woke early. Being on a ship seemed to suit her enough that she had even slept in her armour. She headed towards the deck to determine the time and begin the sort of morning routine she associated with life at sea. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] woke after a more restless night's sleep and followed eventually. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] had a different priority. He rolled out of his hammock, crawled towards the gaps beneath the crates and asked [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] what he had found. The answer was impressive. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] had accumulated a great deal of cutlery. Somewhere amongst it he also produced a small [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Silver Scarab|silver scarab]], possibly a pin, ornament or some other trinket. It carried a faint magical aura, but [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] could not tell what it actually did without examining it properly. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] held out his hand and asked [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] for it. The mongoose stared back at him. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] stared back. For a moment neither moved, the two of them locked in a ridiculous little challenge over ownership of the shiny object. "Give." [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] finally relented and dropped the scarab into [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]]'s palm. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] considered identifying it immediately but decided it could wait. He pocketed the scarab to investigate properly later. He did at least tell [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] that the cutlery would eventually have to be returned. "These people cannot eat soup with their hands, you know." [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] did not seem especially moved by the argument. ### Breakfast with [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Characters/NPCs/Henry.jpeg|1200]] By around eight in the morning [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] was back on deck. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] was there. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]]’s first question was where breakfast had gone. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] replied that there was no breakfast because a storm was coming. Someone elsewhere immediately shouted for [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] to shut up. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] arrived in time to see the exchange and was introduced to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]]’s new friend. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] objected to being called [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]]’s friend. Then he managed to create a completely new problem for himself by suggesting that [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] could go into part of the rigging [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] had been forbidden from using. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] asked why. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]]’s attempted explanation only made the implication worse. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] challenged him as well. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]]’s face changed as he realised what he had just said. He fell back out of view embarrassed. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] decided this was the perfect opportunity to climb up. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] Finally Climbs the Rigging [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] made the climb quickly and reached [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]]’s position above the deck. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] was horrified. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] was delighted by the view. He immediately began asking questions. Did [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] sleep up there? Who watched for storms while [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] slept? Was anyone actually watching when he was not? [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] admitted, perhaps unwisely, that sometimes he slept there and was not always awake. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] told him that did not seem like a good system. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] told him he was not supposed to be up there. The conversation became increasingly circular. At one point [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] made a half-hearted attempt to physically hurry him away, which [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] interpreted as [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] trying to kill him. “[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]], I thought we were friends.” “I don’t know what we are. I’m so confused by you.” [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] eventually agreed to leave. From below, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] watched the entire interaction and actually smiled. It was funny enough to break through her usual composure. ### Forgotten Breakfast With the crew apparently having forgotten their meal entirely, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] went looking for the galley. They found the remains of breakfast being cleared away by two galley hands, Lenny and Kenny. Their reaction made it fairly obvious that the passengers had simply been forgotten. There was a brief scramble to find something for them, after which [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] were handed bread and cheese and sent on their way. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] took extra back for Granny, maintaining the cover story despite the fact that Granny was currently somewhere else in existence. Back in the passenger room, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] returned to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]]'s spice pouch and made a mixture of her own. She recognised several of the flavours and deliberately kept it mild enough for [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]]. The meal itself was hardly exciting, but the shared interest in food and seasoning made the atmosphere between [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] easier than it had been the day before. ### Rose Pops In Suddenly, Rose appeared. *pop* ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Rose_Pops_In.png|1200]] [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] immediately moved towards her, turning the child around and checking that she was all right. When they asked why she was there, Rose said she had something she wanted to tell [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]]. She walked straight over to him and whispered the secret into his ear, keeping whatever it was from the others. Rose seemed fine and cheerful enough, but the conversation quickly returned to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] did not like Rose leaving whenever she wanted, and Rose did not like being restricted. Rose's explanation was muddled, but the group came away assuming that [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] had been trying to train her, give her tasks and make her stronger. Rose was not interested in spending all her time being trained. She wanted to explore and have fun. Rose also brought up Trekor and, with all the subtlety expected of Rose, announced that he had been talking about [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] and wanted to kiss her. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and the others told Rose where they were: on the ocean, travelling towards [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]] before heading onwards to find more Roses of Igoda. Rose seemed pleased that they were actually going to do it. Then her attention moved to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]]. ### Mr Shiny Rose immediately liked the mongoose. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] was introduced properly. Rose decided that his name could also be "Mr Shiny." [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] encouraged the idea by asking whether [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] had something shiny he could bring her. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] disappeared into the stolen hoard and returned with a shiny napkin ring. Rose put it onto a finger even though it was far too large. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] immediately pointed out that it could be magical. The others suggested that perhaps [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] could have a look at it later. Before they could get much further, Rose popped away again, presumably returning to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] asked whether Rose did this often. The answer was essentially yes. ### Why They Help After Rose popped away, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] asked [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] the question he had already pushed too hard once. Why were they doing this? They were sailing towards dangerous places because a child had asked them to find magical Roses connected to a corruption that had existed for generations. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] had told them his own reason for being involved. He wanted to understand theirs. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] did not give him a long history. She gave him the part that mattered. Rose was a little girl. She was alone. She deserved to feel safe. For [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]], that was enough reason to help. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] accepted the answer. He did not push [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] again. Instead he joked that he did not want another rain cloud appearing in the cabin, then told her more sincerely that whenever she was ready to say more, he would be there to listen. ### Another Day at Sea The day settled back into the rhythms of the ship. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] continued helping the crew whenever they gave her something to do. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] repeatedly followed her out and attempted to help as well. The captain repeatedly caught him, told him he was a passenger and sent him back down. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] waited. Then he came back out again. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] mostly remained out of the way, watching [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] come and go with amusement. By late afternoon or early evening, the motion beneath them began to change. ## ACT III — THE STORM ### The Storm The first obvious sign was the way the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] started moving. The gentle sway became heavy enough to shift loose items around the cramped passenger room. Wind and rain could be heard outside even through several levels of timber. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] had been right. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] looked worried. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] tried to reassure her. Rough weather was normal at sea. She said it whether or not she entirely believed it. The movement continued to worsen. By around half past seven or eight, another detail started to matter: dinner had not arrived. That was unusual enough to justify checking. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] headed out, with [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] following towards the source of the food smell. The moment the door opened they realised how violent the motion had become. Even below deck they struggled to keep their footing. The galley door was closed. They climbed higher. With every level the storm became louder. ### The Empty Deck When they emerged onto the main deck, rain and wind hit them full force. Lightning gave them brief flashes of visibility. No crew were working the deck. Nobody came running when the passengers appeared. The deck looked almost abandoned. Except for one familiar figure standing in the rain. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]'s Return ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Edgar_Storm.jpg|1200]] [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] stood drenched in the storm, long hair hanging wet around his face, seemingly almost indifferent to the rain. He had been in [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] for roughly thirty days. After the events at the Bardic Mansion, where he believed he had killed Rose, the Thieves' Guild had cast him out and the guards had been set on him. He had spent the missing month hiding in the city. Eventually, with no Guild and nowhere else to go, he had stowed away on the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]]. Now the people he blamed for everything were standing in front of him again. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] said he did not believe in coincidences or fate. He had lost the Guild. He had lost his friends, his purpose and what he considered his family. Those things were all he had ever known. As far as he was concerned, the party had taken them from him. He insisted that he was not a monster. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] rejected that immediately. Nobody had forced [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] to draw a blade on Rose. Nobody had put the weapon into his hand or made his choice. If his life had fallen apart because of what he did, then that consequence belonged to him. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] accused them of putting the child in front of him. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] told him to have the strength to stand by his own decision. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] did. In the worst possible way. He swore that he would make all of them pay for what they had made him become, even if it was the last thing he ever did. ### Combat Begins [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] was the first to act. He stepped into a line of sight around the mast and drew his bow. “You say you aren’t a monster. That’s quite a monstrous threat you make.” The etched markings along the bow began glowing blue. The same light ran into the arrowhead as [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] released the shot with a crackle of lightning. It missed. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] immediately declared that it had been a warning shot and ducked back towards cover. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] raised a hand and cast Hold Person. Blue rope-like magic began wrapping around [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] as he moved. For a moment it looked as though she had him. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] clenched a fist and invoked something that sounded like, “Rosetta’s gift. Not today.” The magic broke. Then [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] shadow-stepped across the rain-darkened deck. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] Engages [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] charged him. Her first warhammer swing missed. So did the second strike she called upon through her priestly training. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] was extraordinarily quick and slipped around both blows. He answered with his wicked rapier. The blade found a tiny gap in [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]]’s armour. The wound itself seemed almost trivial at first, only a small cut. Then the blood kept coming. Whatever [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]’s rapier was doing, the injury did not behave like an ordinary nick. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] moved away again without giving [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] the usual chance to punish the retreat. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]]'s Thunderwave [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] moved around the mast until he could get close enough to try something different. He scratched a rapid sigil onto the deck, more like a rough scribble than careful carving. Then he punched the mark. Thunderwave erupted outwards. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] failed to resist the blast properly, taking the impact, but some other effect prevented [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] from throwing him backwards as intended. The attack still hurt him. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] withdrew again, continuing to fight in short bursts from around the mast rather than staying exposed. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] Tries to Stay Calm [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] was already struggling with the chaos of the fight. She tried Chaos Bolt. The spell manifested as a warping burst of psychic energy but sailed out across the sea without finding [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] retreated towards the mast and forced herself to breathe. Calm. Do not explode. Do not blow up the ship. Given what happened later, the thought was unfortunately prophetic. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] Finally Connects [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] was furious with [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] and invoked Divine Favour, radiant power gathering around her weapon. This time she got close enough. The hammer landed with devastating force. The radiant strike dealt a huge amount of damage and visibly staggered [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]. He looked at [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] differently after that. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] marked her with a supernatural Vendetta, making it clear she had become his chosen target. The cut from his earlier rapier strike continued to bleed. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]]'s Three Arrows [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] saw that [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] was beginning to weaken. He stepped closer to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] for a moment and checked whether she was all right. She said she was. Neither of them was particularly impressed with how little they had managed to hit [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] so far. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] changed approach. He pulled three arrows at once. Without even properly looking at them, he murmured over the shafts. Blue light spread across each one. Then he fired. The three arrows curved unerringly through the storm like Magic Missiles and slammed into [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] one after another. There was no dodging them. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] Hits Back [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] tried Chaos Bolt again, this time committing more power to it. She used luck to correct the cast before it was lost. The result manifested as lightning. A blue bolt tore from [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]]’s hand and struck [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] as lightning flashed above them at almost the same moment. For a second [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]’s ribs and bones were visible through the light beneath his skin. He screamed that they would all die. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] was not impressed by the threat. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] Hunts Him [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] kept trying to keep distance between himself and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] kept following. She shouted after him to stop running away and called him a coward. Another hammer blow connected. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] was now visibly struggling. He stumbled and looked close to collapse. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]], however, was paying for every second she ignored her own wounds. The bleeding from [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]’s rapier continued to worsen. ### The Fire Bomb [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] realised he needed to change the fight. He reached to his belt, pulled free a small object shaped something like a flask or sphere with a neck, and threw it towards [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]]. The object flared. Then it exploded. Fire burst across the deck. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] managed to avoid the worst of the blast. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] did not. She took the full force and immediately started to panic. The fight had stopped being a difficult duel on a stormy deck. The ship itself was now burning. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] Protects [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] stopped attacking [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]. He tore off his cloak and threw it over [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]], trying to smother the flames and get her out of the burning area. He kept telling her it would be fine. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] was very clear that it was not fine. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] tried to keep her breathing and moving, pushing her towards a safer part of the deck while beating at the fire with the cloak. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] used the distraction. He struck [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] with the rapier. Another bleeding wound opened. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] Panics Fire was behind [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] was in front of her. She was hurt, bleeding and fully panicking. She tried to get away but the positions on deck made it difficult without exposing herself to another strike. Instead of disengaging, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] made an impulsive decision. She cast Shatter. ### Shatter Breaks the Mast The concussive spell hit [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]. He resisted some of the damage. The ship did not. The spell tore through the fittings and lashings around the mast. Bindings snapped. The mast lurched. Then it began leaning at an angle that made everyone on deck immediately realise something had gone badly wrong. The entire [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] shifted beneath them. Everyone had to fight for their footing. Several of them went down. Somewhere above came a horrified sound from [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] had managed to damage [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] and the ship at the same time. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] Drops [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] ended up prone on the deck. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] saw the opening. He drove the rapier into her again. The new wound added to the bleeding she was already suffering. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] collapsed. For a moment she was completely down. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] stood over the result and warned again that they would all die tonight. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] Brings [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] Back [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] immediately turned away from chasing [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] and came back down the deck. She reached [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] and cast Cure Wounds with far more power than a minor patch-up. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]]’s healing did not look soft or delicate. One hand went to the [[The Rose of Igoda/04 - Gods & Faiths/Kaegor|Kaegor]]’s emblem at her chest. The other pressed against [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]]. The divine energy hit almost like an electric shock. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]]’s eyes opened. She came back with a substantial amount of strength restored. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] immediately turned her attention back to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]. ### Everyone Is Bleeding By this point the fight was becoming difficult to track even for the people inside it. The deck was burning. The mast was damaged and leaning. The storm continued to hammer the ship. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] was still bleeding from multiple cuts. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] had only just regained consciousness. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] was barely holding himself together but remained incredibly mobile. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] tried to reach him and could not. With no clear path, she used Cure Wounds on herself instead, finally stemming some of the blood loss. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] changed his supernatural Vendetta. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] became the new target. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] Turns on [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] surged forwards with unnatural speed. His rapier caught [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] near the shoulder, dangerously close to a major artery. The injury was small in size but bled immediately and heavily. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] needed distance if he wanted to keep using his bow effectively. He chose to move anyway, fully aware that it would give [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] another chance to hit him. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] took it. A second wound opened. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] now carried two stacks of the same unnatural bleeding that had caused so much trouble for [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]]. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]]'s Final Shot [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] got where he needed to be. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] was close enough to threaten [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]], giving [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] the opening he wanted. He drew another lightning-charged arrow. This time it hit. The impact did not end with the arrow striking flesh. Lightning surged through [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] afterwards in a second violent jolt. His body shuddered. His face was bloodied. Around his eyes, the damage was severe enough that blood began running from them as well. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] stumbled away. For the first time, he looked finished. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] Jumps [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] turned his back for a moment. Then he looked over his shoulder. “This isn’t over.” He threw himself over the side of the ship. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] shouted after him. “Just so you know, Rose lives!” [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] immediately stared at him. Why would he tell [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] that? [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]]’s answer was that the man was haunted. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] shouted only one thing after [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] as he disappeared into the storm. “Coward.” ### After [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] Nobody saw [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] die. They had driven him off the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]], but whether he drowned, escaped by magic or somehow survived was unknown. There was also no time to search for him. Their immediate surroundings were disastrous. The ship was on fire. The mast was leaning badly after [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]]’s Shatter destroyed its lashings. The storm was still raging. And, despite the explosion, thunderous magic, collapsing mast and extended fight, none of the crew had come onto the deck to help them. The only sign of another person nearby was [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]], somewhere above them, whimpering. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Ahkai|Ahkai]] turned to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]]. > [!pullquote] AHKAI > “How do we fix this?” That was where the session ended. > [!newthissession]+ New This Session > **PEOPLE** > [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Medina Syms|Captain Medina Syms]] · [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] > > **ITEMS & DISCOVERIES** > [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Silver Scarab|Silver Scarab]] > > **SPELLCRAFT** > - **Ahkai — Magic Missile:** Ahkai draws the bow with no physical arrow nocked. Three luminous arrows form across the bow and curve independently through the storm, striking one after another. > - **Votoran — Divine Favour:** Radiant power gathers around Votoran’s warhammer, turning a successful strike into a burst of brilliant divine force at the point of impact. > - **Sofia — Shatter:** Sofia releases a concussive burst of destructive magic. In the storm it tears through Edgar and the ship’s fittings alike, ripping apart the mast lashings. > [!question]- Theories / Unconfirmed > - [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]’s fate is unknown. Nobody saw him die after he jumped overboard, and assuming he is dead would be unsafe. > - The absence of the Moonlit Bounty’s crew from the main deck during the storm and confrontation remains unexplained. > - The [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Silver Scarab|silver scarab]] in Kephri’s hoard has a faint magical aura, but Ahkai has not identified it. > - The party **assume** Cassa is training or otherwise trying to make Rose stronger; Rose’s garbled explanation did not establish exactly what Cassa is doing. > - Rose whispered something privately to Ahkai when she arrived aboard ship; the content was not established for the session record. > - Sofia’s memory sequence reveals more of her journey through Reskium and Jitsu village, but the exact nature of the original incident described in the newspaper remains unrevealed. > - Henry had predicted storms before and repeatedly been wrong. This time he was right. > - The mast is badly damaged and the deck is burning at session end. The immediate survival of the Moonlit Bounty remains unresolved. > [!success]+ Where Things Stand > - **Location:** aboard the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] at sea between [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]], in the middle of a violent storm. > - **Party present:** Ahkai, Sofia and Votoran. Tilly is currently absent through the [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|Popping]]. > - **Rose:** still able to pop to the party independently. She appeared aboard the ship and left again. The party still intends to find another Rose of Igoda in [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Dekinsza|Dekinsza]]. > - **Moonlit Bounty:** deck on fire; mast lashings destroyed and mast leaning dangerously; crew absent from the main deck; Henry still somewhere above. > - **Edgar:** badly wounded, jumped overboard and disappeared into the storm. His survival or death is **unconfirmed**. > - **Ahkai:** wounded and bleeding after Edgar’s Vendetta and rapier attacks. He has also told Edgar that Rose survived. > - **Sofia:** was dropped by Edgar, revived by Votoran and is conscious again, though badly shaken. Her Shatter caused major structural damage to the mast. > - **Votoran:** suffered multiple bleeding wounds but used healing magic on both Sofia and herself. Her shipboard experience is immediately important to the group’s survival. > - **Kephri:** still loose aboard the ship. His hoard included stolen cutlery and a faintly magical silver scarab, now taken by Ahkai for later investigation. > - **Immediate priority:** save the Moonlit Bounty — extinguish the fire, stabilise the mast, find out where the crew are and survive the storm. > - **Longer-term objective:** reach New Haven, then continue towards Dekinsza and the preserved Rose of Igoda. > [!sessionfooter] CONTINUE EXPLORING > - **← PREVIOUS SESSION** > [[The Rose of Igoda/13 - Session Notes/Session 08 - Leaving Berran|Session 08 — Leaving Berran]] > - **SESSION ARCHIVE** > [[The Rose of Igoda/13 - Session Notes/Session Notes Index|Browse all sessions]] > - **CAMPAIGN HOME** > [[The Rose of Igoda/00 - Home & Navigation/Campaign Home|The Rose of Igoda]]