GM: Sean Nittner
Players: Karen Twelves, Adrienne Mueller, Eric Fattig
System: Spell and Blade by Stras Acimovic
Our Oathbound adventurers found themselves hiding behind one monumental rock outcropping of the Southern Fangs. From their spyglass they could see the pirate flotilla and all the debauchery taking place. The Aurora had been defiled by pirates and they planned to sink it, but first they had to rescue Sodrin and the other captives…and find Stonebreaker!
Here’s the map I made in Incarnate. We had a few minis that I placed just behind the fang to represent Apa’Lana and Loka’s respective boats.
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The Plan
Disguise themselves as pirates, steal a dinghy, get onto the Aurora, rescue the captives, find Stonebreaker, lure him out to sink the Aurora, and kill Stonebreaker with Tempest Vane, the legendary blade crafted to end him! Seems simple enough, right?
Apa’Lana, eager to rescue Sodrin, go on adventures, and kill pirates (no necessarily in that order) wanted to with them. The rest of their crew Declan (tall), Rana (missing teeth), and Astra (superstitious) were content to stay on their boat and mount a rescue when needed. Tra’Gran stayed on Apa’Lana’s boat (The Venture) to do the same.
Avast, Yee!
There was a thick algae growing all around the tusk, like plaque on a rotten tooth. The adventurers swam to the rocks edge and clung to it closely to stay concealed as they made their way around it to the cove’s entrance. By the time they got made to the entrance, they were all covered in foul smelling algae and grime. They fit right in!
Two pirates rowing a dinghy with a large barrel of grog made it to the entrance where they tied off their boat, unloaded the cargo, made some boast that they were going to “Gorge the Sea!” (which sounded an awful like “Feed the Waves”, one of Kahainu’s desire, to Thōrghi) and then carried on leaving the boat behind.
Loka went underwater to where it was tied off and found a vast network of metal crossbars that formed a lattice under the surface of the entrance, such that only boats with very shallow keels could make it in, and that most of the tiger sharks and blackfins they saw swimming in the flotilla and eating the chum thrown in by the pirates, would not be able to pass through the grill. Was Stonebreaker caged within? Perhaps. Would this grill contain him? Only until he wanted to go through it! [Study, no risk, poor results]
Boat untied, disguises gooping down their faces, the not-pirates rowed their way into the flotilla. Under the blood moon the pirates flesh was scabrous, their eyes hung loose in their sockets, and their entrails trailed off as they devoured the meat of vampire asps. However, there was a storm beginning to brew and the clouds overhead blocked the moonlight in places, so our heroes took a circuitous route to avoid the light of the moon and keep their approach undetected. [Sneak, Group action. Success]
Permission to come aboard
As they approached the Aurora, however they noticed that the pirates did not move to and from it as casually as they did the rest of the flotilla. There were no “guards” per se, but just above the rope ladder there was a mean looking pirate tattooing another mean looking pirate and turning away the usual riff-raff from the flotilla.
To give themselves a plausible excuse for getting on the ship, Apa’Lana agreed to be their “captive”, just caught in the last storm. Loka happened to have a set of manacles to make it look real. [Flashback]. Apa’Lana close here eyes and told Thōrghi to giver her a shiner. Make it look real. As she braced for impact she suddenly felt something cool on her face. Thōrghi, once a cook, was rubbing some brown spice on her face, that looked a good deal like a bruise! Everyone was surprised and Zaya wanted a taste. Not bad!
There was a kernal of truth to their lie (it was Apa’Lana’s ship they were going after) and unfortunately it worked too well! The tattoo needle-wielding pirate called down curses on Apa’Lana and told her how she would brand the Tkat sailor for giving them so much trouble. Loka caught her intent in time and climbed the rope ladder first. She told Apa’Lana to get in a fight with her once she got on deck. They wrestled, Apa’Lana screaming curses and trying to choke Loka with her manacles, until eventually subdued by Zaya and Thōrghi, robbing the pirate of her opportunity to use her needle like a weapon. [[Sway, mixed result. Consequence Resisted]
The adventurers made their way to the prow of the ship, where they had formerly seen the captives being tormented by the pirates. The masts of the Aurora had been broken and the gaff sails hung down like loose sheets over a poster bed. During the day this shielded the pirates from the sun, but now, it spared the adventurers from the moonlight. Until it didn’t. When they reached the mainmast there was a spot where the moon shone and pirates with innards for outards langured.
Thōrghi watched the clouds above, waited for them to block the light, and just as some pirate behind them bellowed for them to get out of the way, they abled over the deck, protected by the clouds that just passed overhead. Thank Kahainu [Study. Full success]
At the prow, they saw a captive standing on a gang plank with sharks circling beneath. The pirates were throwing rotten fruit at them, not so much to make them fall off (it wasn’t time for that yet) as to humiliate and torment. They jeered and welcomed the offering of another victim when Apa’Lana was brought into sight.
One stepped from the crowed and got very close to Thōrghi. Unliked the others who yelled and cursed, he said in a low voice “Is this another offering for the God of Sharks and Storms?” When he looked up from under his hat, Thōrghi recognized the bearded and grizzled face of Sodrin!
She had a moment of uncertainty. Had his obscenely gorgeous man with perfect lips and cheek bones become a pirate? No, he was also cautiously staying out of the blood moonlight. Could it be, this adonis was in disguise just as she was? Normally she would melt in his presence, but the disguise gave her confidence, a role to play, and so Thōrghi kept all her trembling on the inside.
Sodrin shoved Apa’Lana into the cargo hold below (whispering “sorry” as he did it) and she landed on a pile of detritus with the other prisoners below. He pulled the oathbound adventures to a private nook the forecastle and shared what he could. He told them that the cove was where the sacrifices would be made later tonight. At that point anyone could enter but during the preparations, only pirates that were “supposed to be there” were allowed in. He didn’t know the criteria, but when he tried it earlier, he had been turned away. He also told them that treasures had been taken off somewhere else to be offered to sea. This also sounded disturbingly familiar to Thōrghi, but she couldn’t place why. Finally, he told them the locations of all the captives he knew about. Six on the Aurora (now seven with Apa’Lana) and at least a few inside the cove that he had heard about. He hadn’t found his brother Gorin yet, but he prayed to Kahainu he was in there. Later, in a flashback, we would learn that Gorin should be easy to identify, as they were identical twins. The thought made Thōrghi’s head swim.
Call the Tempest
They plotted a plan for Sodrin and Apa’Lana to get the captives off the Aurora during the commotion our oathbound heroes were soon to make. Sodrin didn’t like the plan at first, but Zaya sworn an oath to him to free his brother and Sodrin would in turn, free the captives on the Aurora. Zaya didn’t know how to swear an oath out at sea, but the Tkat knew the means and they dripped their blood into the water. Something in the distance stirred.
Just before they left the Aurora, Thōrghi summoned up another gust of confidence and told Sodrin “You know, in Hollenland, where I’m from, people give each other a kiss for good luck.” She looked at him demurely and invited the option. He paused, worried that pirates might question a gesture of affection, and then gave her the most chase of kisses. In Thōrghi’s mind it was the most passionate experience she had ever had.
Zaya, Loka, and Thōrghi took the dinghy back to the cove and found the two pirates who had rowed it over before screaming a litany of curses at them. “You thieving shit stains. We needed that boat to bring over the grog!”
Zaya thought this was her moment. She had heard the pirate lingo and thought she could bluff her way past. “Call the Tempest!” she yelled at them [Flashback to Zaya overhearing some curses on the Aurora, this one she gathered meant “Bring it on” or “Give me your best shot!”]. Thōrghi, again thought this sounded much like her gods words “Defy the Storm” but twisted somehow.
Zaya and the pirate bantered until he grabbed her scruff and threatened to flay her alive. Everyone could tell this was just bravado. In a moment he would say something about not spoiling the fun and let her go. But then…moonlight shone down on the entrance and he got a good look and her. His scabrous fingers covered in necrotic flesh could not be mistaken for her fair skin. His eyes bulged and he looked at her with true hatred this time. He pulled back his rusty knife and planned to plunged it into her belly and feel the storms with her blood! [Sway. Miss. Controlled situation turned Risky]
But his blade flew from his hand an into Loka’s. She used the power of Tempest Vane to draw metal to her! She held the blade in front of increasingly wide-eyed pirate and told him “you should go!” [Scare. Success!]
His, up-till-now-quiet companion, got the drift that they were both outnumbered and surrounded by powerful warriors and suggested that they go get another barrel of grog before anyone else yelled at them for being late. The got in the boat and began rowing. His dumbstruck friend got in as well, silent at first, but started back with his litany of curses once they had some distance. He was going to be a problem.
Inside the Cove
A narrow walkway was carved out beside the watery entrance, and both led into the dark, but around the corner they could here the sounds of commotions and the faint flicker of torchlight reflecting off the wet cave walls.
When the got to the cove they spotted a massive lagoon and a dozen or more pirates setting up for some festivities. In the center of them was a much beleaguered task master trying to herd these lazy roustabouts. They had a approached in the darkness and their disguises were intact, so they hade a moment to survey the scene and learn more about what was happening.
Keen-eyed Thōrghi spotted 15 pirates. One of them everyone called Corzin (or pain-in-my-ass Corzin, or fuck-that-taskmaster-Corzin) who was trying to organize the event. Another was a heavyset man missing his right arm, wearing only a loincloth, and standing in the water, throwing chum to the sharks circling around him. This man was call Okra, and he only cared for his swimming babies. Deep in the lagoon something stirred. She suddenly smelled the salt in the water more pungently than before, Kaihanu was warning her of her oath sworn foe!
Also amongst them were two manacled prisoners. Forced to do work that the other pirates wouldn’t. That is the moment that Thōrghi learned Gorin was Sodrin’s twin! He was emaciated and haggard, but had the same piercing eyes and thoughtful brow. Deep under that thick beard she suspected he had a jaw that could cut glass. There was another woman working beside him as well, also in manacles. The chains between them were just long enough that they could work, but not run.
Zaya had a plan. “I’ll distract them, you sneak Gorin and the other captive out. On the way we’ll lure Stonebreaker with my blood. I’m sure he remembers it.” [That was factually true. It’s right in his write up that he never forgets the smell of someone’s blood].
The plan was great, until they realized that if they wanted to lure Stonebreaker to the Aurora to sink it, they’d have to lure him and move fast enough to get to ship before he devoured them. No dinghy would possibly move fast enough.
Thōrghi made a prayer to her goddess Kahainu, channeled through her blood, the bluewater to speak to her, and asked for air. Ever so faintly she heard a whale song and knew that a pair of Drillhorn Whales, Kahainu’s first Chosen, were coming to her aid. One of them she sensed was in danger but she called upon her oath to prevent them from harm [Channel. Mixed success. Used Oath to destroy Stonebreaker as armor to entreat Kahainu to protect her chosen. 5 Debt]. They guardians arrive when they were needed!
Everyone else nodded and got to their business.
Thōrghi and Loka walked further into the cove and approached Gorin, who flinched with they first approached. He was ready to defend himself from their depredations, but when Thōrghi said that Sodrin sent them to rescue him, hearing his brother’s name suddenly filled his deep brown eyes with hope. The kind of hope you could stare into for an eternity….but anyway, they were ready to run.
Zaya approached one of the barrels of grog, pulled out her goldsteel rod, and set it aflame. It burned white hot and she plunged it into the cask causing a conflagration of fire around her. [I made a fortune roll to see how flammable this was and got a six. This was overproofed rum!] The flames danced around her, but she was protected by the rod and it did not burn. What it did do, was distract everyone!
“Let’s run!” Thōrghi said, and they took off, but Gorin’s chains were too short and he stumbled. Corzin was looking for Gorin so he could command him to put out the fire and saw they captives were running. He would have rallied the pirates to stop them but Thōrghi grabbed hold of his emaciated by still strong frame and pulled him along [Scramble. Group Action. Mixed Success. Resisted the complication of detection]
Summoning Stonebreaker
Zaya, unencumbered by the flame walked away from it, calmly got into a boat (not on fire!) and rowed it to the mouth of the cove to meet her companions. Meanwhile Thōrghi watched from the cave entrance as Zaya—her disguise purged by the flames and her visage resplendent—calmly roweled toward them. Thōrghi was overcome with a sense of inferiority. She could never be a majestic in Sodrin’s eyes as Zaya was in this moment. Surely Godrin would tell him of the feat and he’d fall for her instead!
At the entrance (insecurities aside), the oathbound adventurers regrouped. The send Godrin and and the other captive on the dinghy to meet up with Loka’s boat on the other side of the Fang.
At that moment the guardians of Kahainu splashed up from the waters outside the cave, ready to help. Zaya unwrapped her bandage and dripped blood into the water. A few moments later Okra’s eyes went wide as the shadow at the bottom of the lagoon rose and Stonebreaker surged out of the cove, creating a torrent of waves that crashed over the shark-tender, and only wanted the best for his cold-bloodied babies.
They wasted no time waiting. Loka and Thōrghi each grabbed the fin of one guardian, while Zaya grabbed the horn of the second and they darted towards the Aurora. But as fast as these beautiful creatures were, Stonebreaker’s rage propelled in faster. The heard a great rending sound as the feeble metal bars were broken apart and the titanic shark powered forward to overtake them.
When the looked back they saw the curse Zaya gave it a year ago had changed Stonebreaker. In the center of his battering round was a new mouth, a whole full of teeth that twisted and turn, churning the water and anything else that entered it like a terrible machine. It moved with impossible speed and would have overtaken and devoured them, if not for Kahainu’s Song. Despite the water splashing in her face Thōrghi sang the song of her goddess to hold evil magic at bay, summoning a powerful wave that the guardians were able to surf on top of, but that pushed Stonebreaker back just enough that it couldn’t reach them. Teeth shot forward form it’s terrible maw, but the heroes stayed ahead of it’s wrath. The effort however taxed Thōrghi beyond measure and she passed out when the song was done. Thankfully Loka was there and held her fast in her net. [Kahainu’s Song. Channel. Mixed Success. Resolve Critical. Break spent. Result: Bone Weary. Not enough resists so she passed out.
The Lure
The guardians moved deftly through the pirate flotilla as stonebreaker plowed forward, destroying everything in it’s path. One pirate was yelling indignantly “I told you someone was in the cove up to no good!” but it mattered not. There were no defenses that could be mounted against Stonebreakers savagery, and any ship that was in his path was smashed to flinders.
Finally they got to the Aurora and signaled to the guardians to dive and go under, but at at the last moment Zaya lost her grip. [Scramble. Miss]
She would have been crushed between the ship and Stonebreakers great ramming head, but for her last goldseel rod. She bound all the mana that she had and channeled the fragment of her master’s spark of True Fire that was stored in the metal into white hot fire that burned a whole through the ship in front of her as Stonebreaker great head hammered through though the ship behind her, using the starfish on her neck to give her the surge of strength needed to push herself forward just ahead of it. She burst forth, cut and battered, but alive [Channel. Mixed Result. Serious Physical Critical resisted down to normal Critical. Break spent. Not as bad as it looks result]
Ending the Curse…for good this time.
Stonebreaker, just as suspected, crashed through the Aurora, shattering the great ship’s spine and sending the pirates on board to their deaths. The force of hammerhead striking the ship created a surge that push everything else away, leaving the great shark momentarily stunned from the impact. This was Loka’s moment.
Holding onto the drillhorn whales great horn she placed her legendary blade tempest vane in it’s mouth and ushered it forth to dive beneath Stonebreaker, it’s horn cutting at the rotting ropes that held it’s once-hewn halves together. When the guardian was on the other side she instructed it to let go the blade and used her recall ability to bring it back. As she channeled mana into into the blade she was struck by a vision from the Age of Legends, when a great hero, taller than a house wielded the epic blade that Tempest Vane was but a shard of. As the then-living Stonebreaker flung itself out of the water, the giant hero deftly stepped aside and brought the great blade down, severing stonebreaker in twain.
When Loka’s mind returned the present she was holding Tempest Vane in her hand, covered ichor and blood. She had not seen what transpired, but her her friends had. For a brief moment the blade remembered it’s former majesty and grew enormous as it flew through the air. As it struck Stonebreaker it was twenty feet long and it once more cut the legendary beast in half. For a moment all was still and then Stonebreaker shook itself apart and sunk to the bottom of the Southern Fangs, never to trouble the people of Mkesh again! [Skirmish. Critical!]
Thoughts on this game
Hot damn, that was a lot of fun. We struggled with two parts (I’ll mention them below), but that didn’t take away from our delight. There was also mention of the cult leader Nor’Razki Blackpool brought back from the dead, but we saw in a cut scene it was merely a pretender, using his name and status to serve his ends. A man of no importance now that the great beast was gone.
The heroes showered each other with deeds of might, honor, cunning, and passion. And though we did not see a final scene with Sodrin and Thōrghi, I like to think he would have given her a much less chaste kiss when he saw her again!
I wish I had a better sense of what the pirates were like. I used a very Pirates of the Caribbean vibe but if I spent more time interrogating the world I’m sure I would have come up with something more true to Spell & Blade.
Areas where we struggled a bit:
- When Thōrghi Channeled to call the wave she got a mixed success. Given the amount of energy needed to push back Stonebreaker I said the strain would result in a Resolve Critical. She tried to resist, but got no success and had 0 vigor to buy one. So she took the crit. She used a break to add +10 to the roll and got a Bone Weary result, which caused her to mark 3 resists, but she only had 2 resists left (I should have remembered that she could have pushed Marked to mark one of those resists sideways and still be away). The result was that she passed out. It all worked, but it ended up being a lot of steps to come to the same outcome.
- When Zaya failed the scramble roll to go under the Aurora, even though it was a group action, we elected that the failure laded just on her and she alone was pulled off. That was a desperate roll with death on the line from a foe whose blows cannot be resisted, at least not by mundane means. As a table we spent a lot of time trying to figure out a way out. Using magic, using the blue star, all seemed like possibilities but it took some time to find an idea that justified her survival (resisting down from death to a critical). I’m not sure we landed on something that maintained fidelity to the world but we were all in a mood to see what kind of heroics our characters could pull off, not how they were mashed to bits. I wish I had done a better job framing the action so it was more clear that death was on the line before the roll, as I felt pretty bad about the idea of ruling she had no way out after the fact. I’m pleased with the outcome, but I could have done better.
Here’s pics from the game
