09: Skyhorn Lighthouse

   

With their recent gains counted, the group made a strategic decision: to head south on their newly acquired boat to sell their treasures and purchase more magical trinkets. Lilium, however, decided that adventuring was not the glamorous life bards sang about. She bid the group farewell, jumped ashore, and made her way back to her family in Beliard.

Sunken Keelboat

The journey to Bargewright Inn was almost a full day's travel by river. While they encountered no direct dangers, the peril on the waters was evident: they passed a sunken keelboat with a large hole in its hull, its dead sailors and cargo gone. Approaching Womford, they found the docks unusually full, with two large sailing ships anchored in the bay. A local fisherman informed them that boats were not heading south due to a sea creature attacking vessels. Most sailors had gone to Bargewright Inn, which, unlike Womford, offered lodging and drink. The group followed suit, exhausted from sailing all night but ready for new leads.

Map of Womford

Nalaskur Thaelond

At Bargewright Inn, the usually bustling markets were low on supplies, but the Inn itself was packed with sailors. Nalaskur Thaelond, the innkeeper, recognized Rowan and promised a job offer once he dealt with his customers. When the time came, Nalaskur, hinting at information from his caged "little bird," revealed that a cult had attacked Skyhorn Lighthouse, but the owner had managed to lock himself inside and was requesting help. Nalaskur also hinted at another job if they succeeded: their supply chain was choked, with deliveries from Yartar halted and now no supplies coming from the south. The Jade Lion, one of their ships, hadn't made its journey, reportedly attacked while sailing with another vessel. With a fair payment agreed upon for the lighthouse job, the group ordered their magical trinkets, took a well-earned rest in their complimentary luxury room, and prepared to leave the next day. Bessok sent a message to Constable Harburk in Red Larch, asking about a Fire Cult. Harburk replied that Red Larch was taking in refugees and had many new faces, but he knew nothing of a Fire Cult.

Sheila Coppertree

The next morning, their ordered magical trinkets were mysteriously ready, hinting at the Zhentarim's hidden capabilities. They boarded the Annabel Lee, a large, seaworthy vessel expertly captained by Sheila Coppertree. Sailing north of Goldenfields, they reached Skyhorn Lighthouse, perched on a small island where two inlets met the larger river. Despite the early hour, the lighthouse beacon was lit, desperately warning ships.

As they approached the dock, the sea ahead of them abruptly reversed its flow, rushing closer. A colossal water elemental crashed into the Annabel Lee, cracking its hull. The elemental then surged onto the deck, slamming into sailors and narrowly missing Rowan, instantly shattering bones. Joe, donning his new winged boots, took to the sky, raining arrows down on the creature. Gark cast a spell, granting everyone the ability to breathe underwater should the situation worsen. Sheila expertly maneuvered the ship towards the dock while the elemental continued its watery assault. Joe finally finished it off with two precise shots, causing an explosion of water that quickly dissipated.

Skyhorn Lighthouse Floor Plan

With the ship limping into dock, Sheila and her crew began repairs while the group proceeded to the lighthouse. Its surrounding wall had a broken gate, swinging lazily. Joe flew to the top and found the owner, Lucien Skyhorn, a short man with wild white hair, who pointed to a lower window. There, he revealed that a cult had come ashore posing as travelers before turning violent. He had barely escaped and had survived on Goodberries and summoned water. The cultists were still downstairs, waiting.

Bessok, relaying Lucien's story, shouted for the cultists to surrender. Instead, familiar Water Cultists with Shell Shields and Jagged Swords, backed by a few Bugbears, rushed out and attacked. Gark summoned a lightning storm, and Bessok called upon his ancestors' spirits. The cultists were driven back into the lighthouse, where more joined them from another room. Rowan, dodging a volley of javelins, and Bessok, backed by his ghostly dwarves, swiftly cut down the remaining cultists.

Lucien Skyhorn, relieved, warned them of more cultists in the caves below and that they had taken his Bowl of Commanding Water Elementals. He explained that his family bloodline made the elementals willing servants, but without it, they would be angered when summoned, explaining the recent attacks on ships. He led them to a hidden trapdoor in the lighthouse, revealing a rusting ladder descending to a glistening, light-filled cave below.

Map of the Caverns Below

Landing in the northwest corner, Rowan pulled up a cloak, Gark swam as a bear, Joe flew, and Bessok simply walked along the bottom. Heading east, they reached a piece of land while Joe scouted south, spotting three large sharks in the water. Bessok narrowly avoided being bitten, reaching shore before them. Joe found treasure chests and a crumbling wall with large doors. Meanwhile, the others found a room brimming with trade goods, likely from the Jade Lion, their eyes twinkling at the sight of such wealth.

Joe then spotted a dozen tied-up sailors guarded by two cultists. Remaining unseen, he rained arrows down on them, killing both with a second volley. The group reassembled in the larger room, hushing the sailors, and approached the double doors opposite.

One-Eyed Shiver

Gark, still a bear, smelled something monstrous within. Opening the doors, they faced three more cultists and a new type of cultist: one with an ice shard for an eye and mist drifting from his body. At the far end of the room, the Captain of the Jade Lion was using the Bowl, chanting furiously as the battle began.

The icy-eyed cultist, known as the Shiver, surrounded himself and his comrades in fog. Arrows flew into the cloud, drawing cries of pain, while Bessok's thunderous shield blast struck its edge. The cultists rushed out, lining up against Bessok, their hits harmlessly bouncing off his defenses. A guttural growl emerged from the fog, and a massive aquatic troll, blue-skinned with gills and webbed fingers, loped out, smashing into Bessok, but again, his defenses held.

The cultists fell one by one, and Joe's arrows inflicted massive damage on the troll. The Shiver materialized from the fog behind the group, mirrored by three identical images, making it impossible to target him. He stared at Joe, and an icy blast shot from his eye, but luck was not with him, harmlessly striking the cave roof. Joe focused fire on the Shiver, dispelling mirror image after mirror image, until the true Shiver was gravely wounded. He then breathed a terrifying cold breath, causing the remaining cultists to panic and flee. Bessok cut one down, and the troll turned and ran, Bessok dropping his axe as the cold swept over him.

With the fog dissipated, Gark charged the Captain, who was still summoning a new elemental, cutting him down swiftly. Rowan and Joe focused on the Shiver, hitting him repeatedly until he was barely able to move. With a final misty step towards Joe, the Shiver unleashed another icy blast, but missed again. Joe took aim and ended the evil cultist.

In a side cave, Bessok and the Troll regained their senses. Rowan stayed close, knocking the troll down every time it tried to recover. Bessok doused the troll with oil and set it alight, finally ending the prolonged fight.

Lucien Skyhorn

Gathering treasures and goods, they loaded everything onto the Annabel Lee. The surviving sailors were able to guide the damaged Jade Lion, and they all set course back to Bargewright. They bid farewell to Lucien Skyhorn, the grateful lighthouse owner, before departing.

Upon their return to Bargewright, the group was paid, the trade goods were passed to eager merchants, and the Jade Lion went in for repairs. Guards were dispatched to secure Skyhorn Lighthouse, and things slowly returned to normal.

With one supply route now clear, the Zhentarim presented another job: their other supply chain was still threatened. They planned to send highly visible caravans to Triboar, aiming to draw out and eliminate those attacking the routes, and for this, they needed capable protectors.