Chapter 3: The Darklake

Cemos' hammer crushes the duergar's head against the deck, splatting it with brutal efficiency.

The two Duergar advance on the party, one swinging at Bildaweer, one swinging at Dustin again. Both their swings go wide, missing miserably.

PCs may act now

Fang turns, gnashing at the newcomers, sinking his teeth into his hamstring and pulling viciously.

As Fang hits him, he barely keeps to his feet, stumbling only slightly. However, as he stumbles slightly, Dustin steps up and pulls his dagger across the duergar's throat, ending his days as a living being in another font of blood. Spinning, he stabs out with his shortsword stabbing the other Duergar.

As Cemos swings his hammer about, it slams into the side of the Duergar's jaw. His head snaps to the side and you can hear an audible pop as the spinal cord severs and his eyes go dull. With a thud, he slumps to the ground, blood oozing from his mouth.

Combat Over.

You all survey the boat you find yourselves on. The bodies of 5 dead duergar lie on the deck in various levels of piercedness and flattenedness. A thin veneer of blood coats most of the open deck area by the sleeping cabin. Inside the cabin, there is still a medium sized chest to the far aft.

What do you do?

Go ahead and give me a perception or an investigation check, anyone that wants to search the boat.

You all watch as Dustin diligently searches the craft, finding no other creatures, hidden or otherwise.

You are now left in possession of three craft. Two of them can carry 6 people each, the new craft "Gracklestugh's Fury" has hammocks enough to sleep 12. There are several barrels and crates along the deck, a chest in the sleeping area, and oar stations for four people. On top of the sleeping quarters is a bridge-like area that allows for some extra height (the craft in total is 10' above the water) to view upcoming threats. There is a tiller accessible from there for corrections on course without using oars. You find no charts anywhere on this craft.

Bildaweer, the chest appears to be zurkhwood with finely wrought iron hinges and reinforcements. There is a hefty looking lock built into the chest itself.

With a look, Dustin finds no traps and plunks his lockpicks into the chest. After a few moments of fiddling, he feels that resounding click and the lid pops up. As you open it, you see some bound stacks of gold coins. 14 of them in 50 gp increments. Additionally, there is what you now know to be a potion of healing in a small pocket on one wall of the chest. Additionally, you find a few books marked up in harsh dwarvish script.