Savage Tide Session 10

Prior to the voyage, Zhedd requested the party's help in tracking down some spell research reagents. This led them to a site infested with archer bushes that the local logging company wanted cleared before they could work on the site. When the party arrived, another presence made itself known - an undead dryad return to wreak revenge on those that had cut down her tree, and had seeded the archer bushes to ward the site. The logging company were indifferent to the dryads plight and paid the party only for the simple task of removing the archer bushes. Zhedd and Mendel left a nasty surprise in the company director's garden that may come back to haunt them... Mendel recieved a parcel from the church of Asterius, containing a potion of longbreath, and a note to beware becoming mixed up in a recent 'unauthorised' heist in the city. The party also analysed the map they retrieved from the pale elf in league with Bargle- it depicted a map of the region, with a strange symbol highlighted in the depths of the forest northeast of Emerond (south of Sasserine). Back in the city, the party waited on the docks for the voyage to the Isle of Dread to begin. Lavinia introduced them to the passengers and new colonists bound for Farshore, in particular those that were investing in the expedition.

Urol Furol - Gnome historian, paying for the voyage and company to the Oltec ruins of Tamoachan. Previously been to the isle of Dread, albeit briefly.
Father Feres - Ageing priest of Ixion, looking to establish a new mission on the Isle
Lirith - an Alphatian warrior, looking for a wealthy companion
Avner Meravanchi - son of a Thyatian noble family, sending him to the Isle of Dread for his own betterment. His uncle was amongst the first colonists already at Farshore who sponsored Lavinia's parents in the expedition. Accompanied by his horse Thunderstrike, and his butlers Banaby and Quenge.
Thanti Sparrow - the Cynidicean masked man the party encountered on their first voyage into Sasserine, who was following his leads further still to the Isle of Dread.

Avner immediately caused problems but demanding his horse be housed in the cargo hold, and expecting a berth to himself, but Stephanie managed to persuade him that slumming with the rest of them would add to the experience. And so, the Sea Wyvern finally left the city of Sasserine behind for open waters. The voyage to the first destination of Tamoachan was largely uneventful, save for a straneg ooze that had collected flotsam from less fortunate ships and attached itself to the Sea Wyvern's hull. This was eventually dispersed, thanks in part to Koravel's kamikaze plunge into it's sticky mass.

At Tamoachan, the party rested overnight with a lavish meal courtesy of Lavinia, held aboard the Blue Nixie. On returning to the Sea Wyvern, the party spotted the rope seat back to the Sea Wyvern had been almost cut through. Beofre they could act, they heard a spell being cast and an irate Water mephit appeared on deck crawling out of a jar of formaldehyde and vinegar hidden amongst the ropes. This was fought off, but the party could find no obvious trace of the culprit on the Sea Wyvern - although Mendel's food had been tampered with.

The next morning, the party set out for Tamoachan through the jungle on the coast. IT was a short trek, until they found the base of thr Ziggurat Urol had described - an untouched chamber revealed after a recent earthquake. The chamber was the nest of a basilisk, which fortunately only two of the party fell prey to, as Urol only had two doses of stone salve. A gibbering mouther also attacked the party as it slither from its nest. After negotiating a flame-trapped room an a massive wall of iron that blocked their path, the party found a pristine central chamber, depicting what the Oltec belived was their nercopolis. Urol was left in his element as the party explored the rest of the rooms - past a calendar stone, to find a deep black pit lined with alcoves containing bones and offerings to the dead - including a large gold idol of a flaming bat. As Stephanie peered into the depths, an strange bat-like humanoid sprang out of an alcove and breathed fire over the party. The creature was resistant to most attacks of the party, until Mendel hooked the beast into their reach and allowed Stephanie to cut it down. The party then retrieved the idol, which they identified as a magical key of some sort. WHat was most puzzling, was it was from a much more recent age than its surroundings would otherwise suggest...