The 4

Heavy is the voyage to Seatower

Session 15

The house slowly stirs, the ‘more than’ four waking, noise begins to fill the dwelling, clunking of boots and quiet groans from aching muscles. They gather to decide what to do next. Tauriel sorts through the chest and divides the money out to each member while Barnie uses his magic to send a telepathic message to General Zodge. He reports about the events of the Bath house, the assassination and their involvement in the slaying of the bearded devil in the Night Market. Zodge replies to Barnie, ordering him to report to Liara at the Seatower of Balduran. Reya stays behind, nursing her shoulder.

Valeria remembers seeing a tower across from the docks and suggests they ask sailors and fisherman to try gain passage across. Barnie walks with authority as he straightens the Deputy Flaming Fist badge on his chest and abruptly approaches the first guard he sees, with orders to bring him a boat for passage to the tower. The guard; not having patience this early in the morning, grunts and shoves past Barnie. Valeria notices a bearded fisherman begin to release his ropes and asks him if he has heard of Rubies Tub. The fisherman, well attuned to the art of bribing asks for payment for his information. Heavy in pocket, Valeria hands the man gold and a big nod from the fisherman points to the usual docking of the vessel. Lorcan leaps and darts around the wood dock chasing rats as Elmire subtlety stops every few paces and places a seed in fleeting patches of soil around the road. Barnie jokes about walking on the water across to the tower, until Tauriel boasts about having magic to do it. A bet is made. Tauriel’s sea legs take her early, thinking she miscasts her spell, but both fall off the dock. Landing with force, Barnie looks down to see his hands placed firmly on the water, support him. He joyfully bursts out loudly, smiling as he tosses a coin to Tauriel, as they both walk on water. They spend the next few moments testing the limits of the spell, chasing fish and enjoying the view of the shallow water.

Water Walk (Transmutation)

This spell grants the ability to move across any liquid surface--such as water, acid, mud, snow, quicksand, or lava--as if it were harmless solid ground.

If you target a creature submerged in a liquid, the spell carries the target to the surface of the liquid at a rate of 60 feet per round.

Water Walk (Transmutation)

This spell grants the ability to move across any liquid surface--such as water, acid, mud, snow, quicksand, or lava--as if it were harmless solid ground.

If you target a creature submerged in a liquid, the spell carries the target to the surface of the liquid at a rate of 60 feet per round.

"smiling he tosses a coin to Tauriel, as they both walk on water"

Valeria and Elmire walk ahead, taking in the morning, and scouting the docks. In the corner of her eye, Valeria notices an old beggar, slumped near a stack of old crab pots. She glances at Elmire and then to the beggar and Elmire continues walking. Valeria gently takes a seat next to him, eyes fixed ahead on the dock. She kindly askes the beggars name and how long he has slept here, at first he is reluctant, but sensing no ill intent from the Drow he soon replies ‘Jeff Jefferson’, and continues to tell her the long story of his life on the docks. Valeria listens, and finds a break to ask about Rubies Tub. Jeffs head pulls back for a moment, his eyes narrow ever so slightly, and then gets up to show her the vessel. Valeria follows the hunched old man as he points to the boat floating around the corner. Rubies Tub. Valeria thanks the old man with a handshake and fills his hand with coin in the exchange. Elmire continues to explore, her stomach grumbling, she finds a market and browses the fish for sale. She asks the stall owner if he sells any living fish, he shows her a crate just dropped off from a fisherman, ‘the freshest fish, not in the sea.’ Her hunger takes over and her teeth smash into the fish as she begins chewing its flesh. The stall owner gasps in shock as Valeria ushers Elmire to the main section of the dock to regroup.

The group gather, Valeria tells them where the boat is docked, and believes they should make a plan to commandeer the vessel. The group agree on a plan of distraction and extraction. Barnie and Tauriel walk back out on the water, being anything by stealthy. Barnie lures the guards to the edge of the platform to watch a magic show, as he casts mage hand. For his first trick, he knocks the guard into the water with his invisible magic clenched fist. Elmire takes Lorcans’ collar off and commands him to chase her towards the guards. She screams as if the creature is chasing her and slams straight into the guard, knocking him into the water. Valeria watches the chaos unfold and uses the distraction to sprint past the guards and onto the boat. She notices that the boat has a false deck and its slow rocking movements indicate it is holding something very big inside. Darkness spreads from the ring on her finger and is hidden completely while she picks the lock and unhooks the rope holding the boat to the dock.

"Valeria watches the chaos unfold and uses the distraction to sprint past the guards"

Barnie slugs the guard in the face and he pops back up in the water between them, Tauriel squats down and holds his body down until he begins to sink. Elmire seeing this calls for Lorcan, who dives quickly down grabbing the guard and dragging him back up, tossing him into a small fishing boat; saving his life.

The pair watch as a darkness engulfed boat, begins drifting out to sea.

Valeria pulls open a hatch on the deck and discovers that the weight of the boat is copious amounts of metal. Barnie and Tauriel run on the water to the slow drifting boat and climb up, as Elmire and Lorcan pull themselves up the other side. The group sail towards the megalithic fortress reigning.

Rubies Tub knocks its bow on the dock, as Valeria fastens its ropes. Barnie steps off the boat as the dock keep approaches, her nose in her ledger, hand outstretched awaiting fare. Barnie tries to bargain but fails and tells the woman he will only pay full fare if the boat could be painted and given a new name. The dock keep gets agitated. Tauriel nudges Barnie to just pay the owed fare, he agrees but storms off.

Valeria, Elmire and Tauriel begin to build repour with the frustrated woman and they leave with a paid boat repaint and rename. The dock keeper smiling as Captain Hard-Oar is crossed off her ledger, replaced with The Three Ladies.

The ladies catchup with Barnie, joining him as they stare upward. Tiny hairs stand on the back of Elmire’s neck as Lorcan growls. The Seatower stands as an unwavering sentinel, looming ominously against the skyline. Dark steel and stone. The fortress stands alone, consuming its rocky island, accessible only by a stone bridge to the mainland. Barnie looks down at his Deputy badge, lifts his chest and purposefully begins to walk towards the tower. Valeria lingers for a moment, internally checking off the locations of her weapons, and joins him. Elmire tucks Lorcan away in her pouch and her and Tauriel join the group. Once the heavy steel doors open, they approach a high desk, flanked stationed guards. All weapons are be removed and stored. As the guards are overrun with hangings today the entrance hall is very busy, and they don’t notice when Tauriel manages to smuggle in her long sword across her back and Valeria with a remaining dagger in her boot.

Liara Portyr, served in the flaming fists for most of her life. She was given command of Fort Beluarian on the island of Chult for many years. Her return to Baldur's Gate has been soured by the current crisis and the death of her uncle the Duke Dillard Portyr.

Liara Portyr, served in the flaming fists for most of her life. She was given command of Fort Beluarian on the island of Chult for many years. Her return to Baldur's Gate has been soured by the current crisis and the death of her uncle the Duke Dillard Portyr.

The air is thick with an unsettling silence as they pass prisoners’ shuffling in a ragged line, their shackles clinking with each slow and hesitant step. Each prisoner, dressed in tattered garments, bearing the weight of despair on their faces, a haunting reflection of the fate that awaits them. Shadows dance on the stone as flame torches line the walls. The hall stretches long and narrow, overhead beams arch in grandeur. Lining the walls are sturdy oak desks, adorned with ink wells and stacks of parchment. A door opens, almost anticipating their arrival and out walking to greet them is General Zodge. Barnie hits the General on the shoulder (a bit hard) in a chuff moment, receiving a warning glare in return.

The group is quickly ushered into the largest office. In this room candles burn on every wall, casting an amber glow that fills the stone room. Carpets trail along the floor, highlighting a scribe sitting in the corner readying to take notes. Liara stands in the back of the room, the woman fitted with authority, as she wears a military suit. Behind her is a small table, topped with bottles and fine glasses. She gestures for the group to take a seat, pointing an open hand to the array of chairs. Valeria grabs the first chair and turns it around, taking a seat in a straddle. Barnie eyes the heaviest chair and drags it across the room, its legs screeching along the floor. Elmire quietly find a seat & Tauriel leans against a wall, glancing at the spirit bottles on the table. Liara stands with authority and asks for a detailed update; tucking her grey hair behind her ear. The scribes quill bobs frantically as the group tell Liara about their recent conquests with the Fists of Bane, the bathhouse, the assassination and the night market Devil. Liara’s expression remains stern but is impressed, and is curious about the group of unlikely companions’ motivations. Valeria asks Liara if she knows the evil and corruption of The Underdark. Liara declines. Valeria stands but continues ‘then you do not know how truly far evil and corruption can spread, Baldurs Gate may be tainted but I have to see it through, that at its core its good.’

Barnie stays quiet, he reflects on the events she asks about and smirks to himself, knowing his motivations are the enjoyment of adventure and company. Elmire looks around the room and passionately tells Liara that this unlikely group are her family, and that family stick together. Tauriel remains silent, still leaning with one leg up on the wall.

"then you do not know how truly far evil and corruption can spread"

Liara is grateful and offers the entire group payment- in full. Before the group have a moment to admire their very handsome earnings, Liara requests another quest be fulfilled. A task that will pay equally as handsome (and then some) but is of upmost importance. ‘I want you to kill the Vanthampur’s.’ she pauses, allowing the weight of her words settle. ‘Kill the 3 Vanthampur brothers. Kill their mother, and rid Baldurs Gate of the Vanthampur’s once and for all.’

To be continued..