Jammers: Pt 1 Turn 25, Chapter 7 Summary

The Ongoing adventures of my Spelljammer PBEM game.

Here's the Jammers web address:

http://jammers.s5.com/

Comments, questions always welcome:)

----------- = Meanwhile, elsewhere...
*********** = Later...
{} = Actions and descriptions within these brackets take place within
the psionic mindscape and are OOC knowledge for all accept the
parties directly involved.

IC:

"AHOY, MATEYS!" the voice from the dark booms, "The last beast has
fled! You've won!"

Ferric shakes his head and grimaces.  "Damnable mind benders." he
growls.  Leaving the wall he had pressed up against he advances with
his blades before him.  "Keep your guards up and if that voice is the
cutlass don't touch it." he says.  Cautiously he moves toward the
voice eyes wary for new dangers.

Sekeht frowns. "Can anyone see where it's coming from?" he asks in a
low whisper.

Ives with his sword out and now with his shield securely strapped on
his arm calls out "Where are you, you blasted hunk of magical tin?"

"I'm back here, ya scurvy giff, ya!" the voice calls back in a jovial
tone. "I'm in this nook at the opposite side of the cavern from where
ye be. Watch yer step! 'Tis slippery, it is. But the walk'll be worth
it, lads and lassie. The beasts ain't taken all of Blackjammer's
treasure, not yet.  So go slow, but don't tarry. 'Twill be about
thirty minutes or more before the one that escaped gets to the Queen
to tell 'er yer here. and another thirty or so fer her to return.
We'll be wanting to be gone then."

"I agree with that last part whole-heartedly," Sekeht proclaims.

Raken kneels next to Dhebun, and pulls out some herbs to help his
cough.  "Be at ease, Dhebun, the creature is dead.  Deep breaths,
don't try to move too soon.  My prayer should heal the worst of your
wounds."  Once Dhebun has caught his breath, Raken helps him to his
feet and makes sure he is ok before checking on the other members of
the company.

Dhebun takes a deep breath, wincing and squeezing his eyes shut, he
bites his lower lip.  "I... am grateful to you and your God for your
aid, Raken, please tell him so.  Reaching out, the dwarf takes
Raken's proffered hand and gets slowly to his feet, then smiles and
nods.  "Already the pain is less than it was, my friend.  I will be
well enough, you should see to our fellow companions, they may also
have need of your talents."

Freneth hurriedly makes his way over to the creature with his tied
off javelin in it, and yanks the javelin free.  "Can more light be
made?  This one would feel better if there was less chance of things
approaching unseen."

Allagan asks, "Cutlass, did Blackjammer leave a ship here as backup?"

"Nay, lad." the voice answers, "He'd a needed a ship to get 'ere, yes?"

Holland says loud enough for Talus to hear, "Talus, please check the
nook. Don't touch the cutlass."

Talus turns visible and pulls out a continual light coin to help light his way.

Talus flies straight over to the nook.  Talus looks over the area for
treasure and traps while the rest of the party catches up.

Holland says, "Raken, I could use some healing."

Allagan says, "I can help a little."  Allagan lays his hands on
Holland and prays to the All-Father.  Hollands wounds heal under the
Priest's ministrations.

Raken, still busy helping the dwarf catch his breath, says "Thanks,
Allagan.  Let's get everyone patched up as best as possible."

Holland says, "Thank you Allagan."

Allagan replies with a wink, "Try to move quicker next time."

Holland grins, "Next time, I will just fireball everyone.  I don't
see how you can go wrong with a little fireball now and then."

Allagan binds his own wounds after treating Hollands.

After helping the rest of the party, Raken pauses by the creature.
"Holland, should we take this with us?  Undoubtedly a sage would
desire a corpse to study, especially if this is one of the legendary
'Cold Ones'.  It could be more valuable than anything else in this
temple."

Holland nods, "I had thought about that Raken, but how are we going
to keep the body fresh?  Do you have some magical means to prevent it
from rotting?  If so, then yes.  We should take it with us.  It could
be very promising."

Allagan snaps his fingers to release Nilaroo from his immobilization.

Nilaroo rolls to his feet empty handed, shaking his head. "Hoom,
there were certainly more fatal ways to stop me.  Allagan, you have
my thanks. Ferric, you have my humblest apologies," Nilaroo says as
he gathers his weapons. Passing the corpse of the creature, he gives
it a powerful kick in passing.

"Twere nothing.  The merest hint of the faintest blow."  Ferric
replies airily then flexes his back gingerly.  "Just remind me not to
get in your way next time.  My armour won't hold up to too many more
little taps like that."

Ferric continues forward toward the voice at a cautious, even pace
and pauses every few moments to look for danger.

Holland says to everyone, "Gather up all your stuff, let's get
moving."  Holland pauses at the dead creature, checking it over,
before following along in the middle of the group.

"Should we bring the canoe?" Sekeht asks.

Holland replies, "Let's leave it for the time being. It would be too
hard to transport it through the mud anyway."

Kain looking very relieved quickly checks that Holland is still OK.
Seeing that Allagan is treating the wound Ives gave him, Kain walks
back towards the canoe; collects his crossbow, from where he had
hurriedly dropped it, and after giving it a quick once over keeps it
ready and close at hand while he checks the rest of his equipment.
"Should I... um... try and check on our comrades in the... um...
ship, or... um... wait till we find a way out of this.... um....
stinking cave?"

Holland says, "Conserve your strength for now Kain.  It won't do us
much good to know how the ship is doing until we have some means of
doing something about it."

Meanwhile, Talus has reached the nook were the voice was coming from.
His light stone illuminates it clearly for the rest to see.

A series of mineral terraces rise from the mud level.  Set on the
topmost terrace, directly under a dripping stalactite, is a throne.
On the throne sits a grinning skeleton. Mineral-rich waters, falling
from the ceiling over many years, have encrusted the skeleton and
throne, hiding all but the most general features. Lying across the
skeleton's knees is a cutlass.

Stacked around the throne are three large chests, a large object
(approximately 5' long) wrapped in canvas (the canvas now appears
crystalized from the minerals), and long wooden case.  Talus looks
this stuff over carefully but he cannot find any traps. The locks all
appear to have been busted open long ago, and then the chests and
case closed again. At some point the canvas was also slit and someone
looked inside, but it was folded over again.

"Aye, Matey. Here be Blackjammer's horde." The cutlass says in it's
salty sailor voice, "Or 'tis what's left of it after them damnable
fish got at it."

As Talus carefully opens the chests and case to see the contents and
unfolds the canvas wrapped item to see what it is he asks the
cutlass, "Anything in here magical?"

As Talus is examining the loot the rest of the party arrives.

The first chest Talus opens is filled with gold pieces, silver
pieces, and electrum pieces. Just a casual glance shows the coins
belong to at least half a dozen different realms.  It is impossible
to tell without counting them, but there are several thousand coins,
at least.

The second chest is filled with gems (rubies, diamonds, emeralds),
jewelry (necklaces, rings, bracelets, crowns), and gold and silver
dishes (goblets, plates, knives, spoons). Again, just a glance shows
they vary widely in style and workmanship.  Sitting on top of this
pile is a large black pearl.

The third chest is less filled, and the items inside are more
interesting.  There is a large scroll case, a small wooden box
(3"x6"x2"), an ivory statue of a sailor, two ceramic flasks (both
very carefully stoppered and sealed with wax), a magnificent looking
hand ax with a mithril head, an ovoid cut emerald with silvery runes
dancing within, a four elven blade shortswords, a dagger with an
intricately carved hilt, a wooden case (12"x4"x4"), and a black
hooded cloak carefully folded.

The long wooden case contains a longbow of obviously elven design
made from some sort of white wood and carved with a design depicting
an evergreen forest. Lying next to it in the case are three arrows
carved of the same wood, fletched with snowy white feathers.

The object inside  the crystallized canvas is a ship's figurehead
carved from wood. It depicts a warrior with a large, round hoplon
shield and breastplate of the style favored in Greatspace.

"Aye, most of it!" the cutlass answers, "Blackjammer be leaving a
goodly share of his loot here, in case he was ever in need. 'Ole
Cutlass here be happy to tell ya what is what." The cutlass pauses,
"'Course, ye'll be taking me with ya? I've been trapped here for six
years with none but them fish to talk ta!"

Talus smiles, "I am sure the Cap'n is anxious to get his hands on
you."  Talus asks, indicating the items and figurehead, "So what do
these things do?"

"Not a straight answer ye gave, no it wasn't. 'Can I trust 'em?' says
I? 'How ye be.?' says you." the Cutlass chuckles, 'But I'm running
afore a stellar storm without helm, so ask away lad. what do ye want
to know about first? Or, wouldn't it be better to have this
discussion elsewhere, before the sea-hag who leads those barnacle
eaters returns with more?"

Taking a quick glance at the weapons Ives rolls his eyes and mutters
"magical weapons, phuh".  Glancing at the large black pearl Ives asks
"Is the 'great pearl' magical cutlass?"

"Nay, I think not. But it was added by the fish heads, twasn't part
of Blackjammer's hoard." the Cutlass answers.

Ives says in a slightly quieter voice "Lets gather things up and get
going.  As for you Cutlass, I'm lashing you to my glaive. We shan't
let you corrupt our minds like you did to Rory Barbarossa and lure us
into becoming pirates."

"That's a damn lie and no mistake!" the Cutlass cries, "Cap'n
Barbarossa never were no pirate, and them's that says he was are
black-hearted curs!"

After a moments thought Kain asks, "Um... If... um.... Blackjammer
was just storing stuff here who's this?" pointing at the skeleton,
"and how'd he get here with no ship? If it is um... Blackjammer he
must have had a real... Um... loyal crew to leave him and all this...
um... stuff and then sail off in their... um... ship.

"Off hand I would say we have found Rory. The log says they fled when
he didn't come back out."  Ferric says. "As for Blackjammer's men
leaving the loot most common pirates can't navigate themselves off a
wharf let alone through the flow to a hidden sphere.  I doubt even
navigators could get here without the chart and I'm sure that was
closely guarded."

"Aye, 'tis true. But I've a trim hand with a chart meself. When good
Cap'n. Barbarossa saved me from the Flow, I promised 'em a treasure
as a reward. So I led 'em here. Blackjammer didn't die here, 'course
not! He was killed by them damnable elves! I was wi'em then! But
Cap'n Barbarossa," the Cutlass' voice grows sad, one could almost see
its head shaking. If it had a head. "Cap'n Barbarossa he's the sad
soul on that throne there. I had led him, him and his men, here to
this place for the hoard.  Blackjammer was long dead, as who better
than I knew? So the hoard was just a rotting here. But an earth quake
hit, and it killed 'em all, all save Barbarossa."

After a short pause the Cutlass continues, "He lived nigh on four
weeks more  before hunger and dispair finally claimed him. There was
no way out, do ye see? he was trapped. An I couldna' help 'em. I
talked to him but I couldn't make food appear nor cut through the
stone. He finally just sat on that there throne and died."

Talus says to the others, "Let's get this stuff packed, we don't have
much time."

<continued in part 2>
--
"...And nobody is to be killed at all, if it can be helped. Keep your
tempers and hold your hands until the last possible moment!"
"But if there are many of these ruffians," said Merry, "it will
certainly mean fighting. You won't rescue Lotho, or the Shire, just
by being shocked and sad, my dear Frodo."

Paul Westermeyer,  pwestermeyer@????????.??.com