409 - AUG 5
BEGINS
Titus Vorenus, a Dwarf Paladin of Vulcan who also had blacksmithing skills was assigned to join the party on its mission to Gaul.
At dawn on the 5th August, the party rode off to Hull (about 34 miles from Eboracum) to meet the ship that was to take them to Gaul.
Hull proved to be a miserable little fishing village of a few hundred people. Ordo's ship turned out to be a small merchant ship called the "White Gull". It had a crew of 30 who seemed to be old sea dogs. The captain advised that it would be a few hours before the tide had risen enough to leave. The party took in the limited sights of Hull.
Tarryn managed to find a wineshop and, in a few hours, drank himself into a semi-stupor. At 1500 the ship set sail. The weather was sunny with little cloud cover. A mild breeze blew and the sea had a gentle swell. Tarryn vanished below decks to sleep off his debauch. Some of the PCs, notwithstanding the mild conditions, began to feel queasy.
Six miles out from Hull a ship was spotted bearing down on the merchant ship from the north east. Sailors on the "White Gull" recognised it as a Saxon Pirate ship. The captain of the White Gull attempted to outrun the pirate vessel (a longship with a sail), but the Saxons closed the gap.
Suddenly an enormous squid appeared alongside the merchant ship. On the deck of the longship a curious figure clad in blue-green armour could be seen capering about and chanting. Aicen thought it was some kind of weird ocean-type Druid. Aicen plunged overboard, transforming herself into a shark and swam towards the enemy ship. The squid slammed into the side of the merchant ship and began attacking the occupants with its huge tentacles. At one point it tried to tip the ship over on its side.
A battle ensued. Aicen cast Call Lightning and proceeded to blast the enemy Druid. He returned the favour by casting the same spell at the occupants of the merchant ship. The squid was eventually vanquished, but not until 11 of the White Gull's crew had been slain by the squid. Meanwhile the enemy ship smashed into the side of the White Gull. Grappling hooks sailed through the air and a horde of around 20 Saxon pirates attempted a boarding action. The melee was fierce. Alaricus managed to deliver a vicious Mind Thrust on the enemy Druid. That, coupled with lightning bolts from Aicen and Magic Missiles from Scorpius, slew the Druid. The rest of the party steadily cut the pirates down who fought with savage courage.
Alaricus summoned a construct to take on the captain of the enemy ship. He despatched the creature in a matter of seconds with a flurry of blows from his scimitar. Seeing his pirates being slaughtered, he looted the body of his Druid companion then jumped over the side. Aicen rushed at him and delivered a vicious bite. The Saxon, who seemed to move with remarkable grace and flexibility in the water looked pleased to see the shark and slashed at it. After taking two nasty wounds the shark wisely disengaged.
The party searched the longship and found nothing but food and water. The captain of the White Gull was very grateful for the party saving his ship. He said the pirates had been commanded by a powerful barbarian warrior named Ulf (OOC - over 10th level) and his Druid companion Ostus. The Druid had been stripped but his armour remained. It was non-magical but was made of curious blue-green scales that seemed to have come from some sort of sea creature. It counts as Scale Mail.
The merchant ship captain put a few sailors on board the longship and the two vessels completed their voyage to Gaul. The came to Lugdun Batavocum, a town of about 15,000 people with a good harbour and dominated by a Roman Castellum. Banners of the 6th Legion flew from its battlements. The party were met by a distinguished looking Roman called Marcus Populus. He thanked the party for its heroic efforts in defeating the pirates while noting that Ulf would seek revenge. He bought the captured longship off the party for 5,000gp. Dell made a donation of 50gp to the captain of the White Gull to help meet repair costs for his ship. The party were taken to the Castellum to rest.
Session ended at 2100, 5 August.
Titus Vorenus, a Dwarf Paladin of Vulcan who also had blacksmithing skills was assigned to join the party on its mission to Gaul.
At dawn on the 5th August, the party rode off to Hull (about 34 miles from Eboracum) to meet the ship that was to take them to Gaul.
Hull proved to be a miserable little fishing village of a few hundred people. Ordo's ship turned out to be a small merchant ship called the "White Gull". It had a crew of 30 who seemed to be old sea dogs. The captain advised that it would be a few hours before the tide had risen enough to leave. The party took in the limited sights of Hull.
Tarryn managed to find a wineshop and, in a few hours, drank himself into a semi-stupor. At 1500 the ship set sail. The weather was sunny with little cloud cover. A mild breeze blew and the sea had a gentle swell. Tarryn vanished below decks to sleep off his debauch. Some of the PCs, notwithstanding the mild conditions, began to feel queasy.
Six miles out from Hull a ship was spotted bearing down on the merchant ship from the north east. Sailors on the "White Gull" recognised it as a Saxon Pirate ship. The captain of the White Gull attempted to outrun the pirate vessel (a longship with a sail), but the Saxons closed the gap.
Suddenly an enormous squid appeared alongside the merchant ship. On the deck of the longship a curious figure clad in blue-green armour could be seen capering about and chanting. Aicen thought it was some kind of weird ocean-type Druid. Aicen plunged overboard, transforming herself into a shark and swam towards the enemy ship. The squid slammed into the side of the merchant ship and began attacking the occupants with its huge tentacles. At one point it tried to tip the ship over on its side.
A battle ensued. Aicen cast Call Lightning and proceeded to blast the enemy Druid. He returned the favour by casting the same spell at the occupants of the merchant ship. The squid was eventually vanquished, but not until 11 of the White Gull's crew had been slain by the squid. Meanwhile the enemy ship smashed into the side of the White Gull. Grappling hooks sailed through the air and a horde of around 20 Saxon pirates attempted a boarding action. The melee was fierce. Alaricus managed to deliver a vicious Mind Thrust on the enemy Druid. That, coupled with lightning bolts from Aicen and Magic Missiles from Scorpius, slew the Druid. The rest of the party steadily cut the pirates down who fought with savage courage.
Alaricus summoned a construct to take on the captain of the enemy ship. He despatched the creature in a matter of seconds with a flurry of blows from his scimitar. Seeing his pirates being slaughtered, he looted the body of his Druid companion then jumped over the side. Aicen rushed at him and delivered a vicious bite. The Saxon, who seemed to move with remarkable grace and flexibility in the water looked pleased to see the shark and slashed at it. After taking two nasty wounds the shark wisely disengaged.
The party searched the longship and found nothing but food and water. The captain of the White Gull was very grateful for the party saving his ship. He said the pirates had been commanded by a powerful barbarian warrior named Ulf (OOC - over 10th level) and his Druid companion Ostus. The Druid had been stripped but his armour remained. It was non-magical but was made of curious blue-green scales that seemed to have come from some sort of sea creature. It counts as Scale Mail.
The merchant ship captain put a few sailors on board the longship and the two vessels completed their voyage to Gaul. The came to Lugdun Batavocum, a town of about 15,000 people with a good harbour and dominated by a Roman Castellum. Banners of the 6th Legion flew from its battlements. The party were met by a distinguished looking Roman called Marcus Populus. He thanked the party for its heroic efforts in defeating the pirates while noting that Ulf would seek revenge. He bought the captured longship off the party for 5,000gp. Dell made a donation of 50gp to the captain of the White Gull to help meet repair costs for his ship. The party were taken to the Castellum to rest.
Session ended at 2100, 5 August.