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Chapter 3 - Session 2

Zylos Bound: Preparations, Portents, and a Mysterious Past

Events and Actions

The session opened with a recap of items owed to the party from the previous session. The party was introduced to Batu Batu, a short, stocky, and slightly plump Islander (slave) who would serve as cook aboard the "Amada." His family had a long history of service in the Northern Navy's kitchens and mess halls, and though he had been posted on ships before, this was his first time as sole cook aboard a vessel this small. The rest of the "Amada"'s crew was further detailed, including Captain De Guzman, Lieutenant Blaque, sailors Tom, Ben, and Mark, and Salter (formerly of the "Advance"), a Southerner and competent sailor brought aboard in part for his skill with woodcraft and carpentry.

The party received a letter of authorization from Major Hubert intended to secure passage and support; Knick Nab alone noticed Hubert subtly marking it with three small lines before handing it over. Hubert also gave them their contact in the port of Zylos: Lieutenant Dardell.

There was a detailed description of the "Amada": a fast, agile single-masted cutter with a single deck, a movable bowsprit that swings out to carry an enormous spread of sail once clear of port, a broad beam for stability, and a shallow keel. She carries six 10-pounder cannons plus two swivel guns, kept lashed along the sides on deck rather than stowed below, since there is no lower gun deck; when not needed, her boats were sometimes towed astern rather than stowed, trading a little speed for extra working room on deck. Duties on the "Amada" were assigned: Noddy as the chief top man (lookout), Mani in charge of the guns, Riu as the ship's doctor, Werner responsible for rope maintenance, and Cosimo designated as a marine for boarding actions. With the party, Salter, Batu Batu, and Randolph the Chronicler all coming aboard, the crew — previously about ten hands — roughly doubled, which Captain De Guzman expected would put real pressure on the ship's space and stores. The existing crew was visibly wary of so many new hands joining at once, though the mood stayed short of any real hostility; Knick Nab, already a known quantity from his prior two years aboard, settled back in immediately, while the others had to earn their place. Mani wasted no time doing so, taking it upon himself to inventory the ship's small arms, cleaning and sharpening every pistol and sword in the armory without being asked.

The PCs acquired various equipment from the armory: Werner obtained a rifle with shot, a keg of powder, and three slightly mismatched harpoons; Noddy got a crate of 12 smoke bombs; and Mani an extra pistol. Riu was assured access to healing herbs — bleeding relief, concussion relief, and stun relief among them. Cosimo acquired a lute. Knick Nab arranged for Batu Batu to prepare a special first meal to boost crew morale, and Riu separately spent some off-duty time getting to know Batu Batu personally.

A concerning development was Knick Nab's recurrence of the severe fatigue and pain he had endured at the start of his previous two-year voyage. The illness resurfaced upon his return to port this time, showing it is not tied to being away from his companions.

The "Amada" set sail for Zylos, a voyage expected to take eight days but completed in six thanks to her speed. It was largely uneventful; they passed one other ship, a Northern vessel, without incident, flying Northern flags throughout since the "Amada" also carries other colours for use elsewhere. Upon approaching Zylos, Knick Nab, having been there before, described it as a large, mountainous, U-shaped island oriented north-south, long and skinny, whose bulk shelters the rest of the Channel Islands from the open sea; the port (Newport) lies on its sheltered eastern side, inside a broad, naturally sheltered bay.

They arrived at Zylos on an overcast, drizzling day and found the anchorage crowded with heavy naval ships off a port town of a few thousand people. Captain De Guzman anchored well offshore, and the party (Werner, Mani, Knick Nab, Noddy, Cosimo) decided to take a boat ashore, accompanied by Salter, who would guard the boat. They were hailed and briefly challenged by a Northern patrol ship but allowed to proceed once Lieutenant Blaque exchanged words with it. The PCs dressed to avoid drawing attention as official military personnel: Werner passed as a Northern sailor in his sealskin cloak with his harpoons, Mani presented as a well-dressed but unaffiliated civilian, and Cosimo and Noddy dressed as common sailors, with Noddy's seagull familiar drawing no particular notice.

Ashore, a harbor official directed them to leave their boat at the dock for a copper coin, and Salter found a spot in a nearby tavern to watch it while he dried off. The party located the Tattered Sail, a tavern near the Admiralty building, to inquire about Lieutenant Dardell, having found the tavern reserved for officers only closed to them since none of the party could properly claim that status. Over bowls of the tavern's famous "endless stew," Werner, posing as Dardell's nephew, learned from the innkeeper that Dardell was likely at Admiralty House, had a good reputation, and had suffered some kind of accident years ago that had left him seriously impaired; the innkeeper had only known him as a boy, before it happened. Knick Nab observed the tavern patrons, noting some "working ladies" but nothing overtly suspicious.

At Admiralty House, sentries challenged the party at the door; Werner claimed a personal, family matter and named Major Hubert, and a message was carried inside. They were initially told that Lieutenant Dardell was busy and to return tomorrow. Cosimo — presenting himself to the aide as one "Emanuel Alonso," an assumed name — then produced their letter of authorization from Major Hubert. After a wait of about ten minutes, the aide returned it, saying Lieutenant Dardell would see them that same evening at 6 PM (eight bells) instead.

With five hours to wait, they returned to the tavern. An elderly man entered, known locally as "Steel Hand" for the old, scratched artificial hand he wore in place of his own, fastened by straps riveted to the metal that ran up beneath his sleeve. A serving girl (the barkeep's daughter) immediately attended to him, seeming to expect him and fussing over his comfort due to the weather. Mani asked the barkeep about him and learned that "Steel Hand" had been a fixture of the tavern for years, had no means to pay for his own keep, and was looked after out of respect for his service to the country; he drank only Grog. Mani, after a rebuffed attempt to charm information from some "working ladies," bought the old man (whose name they later learned was Ish) a cup of Grog. Upon hearing the name "De Rendal" (Werner's family name), Steel Hand's demeanor softened, and he called Werner's grandfather a "fine man." He then began to sing a Northern whaling shanty, which Werner recognized and joined in, though Steel Hand also added a verse unfamiliar to Werner.

In a fragmented conversation, punctuated by moments of lucidity and confusion, Steel Hand claimed Captain De Rendal "rode the sea serpent and was never seen again" from "The King's Ship." He described the sea serpents making "terrible sounds, the shrieking" before they come and pull their victims down into the depths. He also mentioned that "the cleric came back" from that fateful voyage. When asked about his own lost hand, he attributed it to a sea serpent, and when pressed on where it happened, he confirmed it was far to the west — his garbled answer seemed to suggest it happened in the very same event that took Captain De Rendal, implying Steel Hand himself had been aboard the King's Ship when it met its fate, though he could not or would not clarify further. Prompted by the party, he revealed an old, faded blue-black tattoo of a serpent on his arm, which coiled up and disappeared under his sleeve. He also spoke of "terrible winds" that "came and they came and they came" when asked about how ships survived sailing west before the Great Change. Pressed by Knick Nab for anything more specific — a heading, a landmark, anything that might place where the King's Ship went down — Ish could only trace a vague gesture in the air. Knick Nab, drawing on his own experience of the North, knew that sailors tell all manner of sea serpent tales, and that most are just that — stories grown from ordinary whale encounters, especially when a chased whale gets away and the disappointed whalers claim a "serpent" took it instead.

Prompted by all this, Werner told the others what he knew of his grandfather's fate: Captain De Rendal had been one of several captains chosen by the King to lead a large, multi-ship expedition west before the Great Change, selected for his renowned skill as a sailor. The expedition vanished; only a single ship ever limped back, and it sank in terrible condition within sight of the De Rendal family's castle, in water too deep for young Werner to reach when he tried diving for it as a boy. No one had ever explained why the King ordered the voyage in the first place.

The party was escorted through Admiralty House and met with Lieutenant Dardell, who stood only with visible difficulty as they entered. Werner introduced himself formally as Senior Midshipman Werner De Rendal, and Cosimo — still using his assumed name — as a Marine private, before the party laid out their mission: to sail west and learn how the South was working its wind magic. Dardell warned he could spare only a few minutes. He knew nothing of the West himself, but confirmed that both Captain Maynard and Captain Burrows had passed through Zylos years ago; Burrows, more recently, had stopped to resupply and was believed to have visited Old Port before heading further west. Old Port, on the western side of the island, was destroyed by waves during the Great Change; Dardell described the Change itself as a sudden and total upheaval in the weather, not a gradual worsening, and said Zylos's exposed western coast — where Old Port stood, fully open to the sea — bore the brunt of it while the rest of the Channel Islands were spared by the island's shelter. He mentioned rumors of past smuggling there, though he believed the blockade had curtailed most of it, and knew little else about the place. He also raised a lead of his own: a ship called the "Green Gold," which had passed through the Channel Islands about two years prior heavily loaded with rice and crewed by Southerners, though he couldn't confirm whether it had ever actually come through Zylos, and thought it might have come from one of the other Channel Islands instead.

Lt. Dardell showed them a map of Zylos: a mountainous, crescent-shaped island marked with a lighthouse at each tip and scattered small fishing villages, but no roads. He agreed to search the archives for any charts of the West. Pressed about the risk of Southern spies in Zylos, he said he was more concerned about ships leaving the port carrying information out than about ships arriving, and had heard nothing of specific southern agents within the Admiralty itself; at the party's request, he agreed to keep note of the names of any ships that left Zylos over the following days, in case they proved useful later. He promised discretion about the party's visit, given the sensitivity implied by their letter.

Returning to the tavern, the party asked Steel Hand about Old Port. He recalled that the King's Ship had stopped there because "the cleric and the censure" (a Divinity of Two inquisitor) needed to go ashore, and that the pair rejoined the ship before it sailed on to its final, fateful voyage.

The party returned to the "Amada." Cosimo, using his engineering knowledge, judged Newport too recent to be an old settlement, though he guessed a smaller settlement may have stood on the site before it was built up. They discussed how to reach Old Port with Captain De Guzman, who advised against taking the "Amada" there directly — the waters around Old Port are treacherous and would put his ship at real risk — and suggested instead sailing north along the eastern coast to find a landing point, then attempting an overland crossing of roughly twelve miles. The Chronicler, when consulted, had little specific information about Old Port beyond confirming its abandonment after the Great Change, but thought a church had likely stood there, since any settlement of its age would have one; asked to clarify, he pointed out an actual Divinity of Two church nearby, distinguished by its two spires, as the kind of building he meant.

The session concluded with the "Amada" sailing north along Zylos's eastern coast, passing a few small settlements along the way. They identified a small fishing village of three or four buildings as the most promising overland crossing point to Old Port. Mindful that questions about Old Port asked openly back in Newport could reach the wrong ears, the party had deliberately avoided pressing anyone else in port about it once they'd learned what they needed from Dardell and Ish. The party discussed their approach for the days ahead: pack several days' worth of food, weapons, and coin; try to recruit a local guide, possibly with the help of a bottle of good drink as a gift; approach Old Port under cover of darkness if conditions allowed for stealth, and otherwise pose as smugglers scouting the ruined port for business, a story consistent with its reputation. They also planned to have Captain De Guzman keep the "Amada" watching nearby once they went ashore, ready to intercept any boat that tried to slip away from Old Port and warn others of their presence. They reasoned that whatever had once been valuable at Old Port had likely long since been picked over, but that information — about the cleric, the censure, and Captain Burrows's visit — might not have been, and resolved to search the ruined church there first.

NPCs & Creatures

  • Batu Batu (Islander cook, slave)
  • Captain Otto "Cut Close" De Guzman (Captain of the "Amada")
  • Lieutenant Blaque (Lieutenant of the "Amada")
  • Tom (Sailor on the "Amada")
  • Ben (Sailor on the "Amada")
  • Mark (Sailor on the "Amada")
  • Salter (Sailor, formerly of the "Advance", now on "Amada")
  • Major Hubert (Northern Navy officer)
  • Lieutenant Dardell (Northern Navy contact in Zylos, has difficulty standing)
  • Aide to Lieutenant Dardell
  • Sentries at Admiralty House (Zylos)
  • Innkeeper at Zylos tavern
  • "Working ladies" (prostitutes in Zylos tavern)
  • "Steel Hand" (Ish, elderly former sailor in Zylos)
  • Serving girl (barkeep's daughter in Zylos tavern)
  • Randolph the Chronicler

Locations

  • The "Amada" (cutter ship)
  • Port of Zylos (Newport, population of a few thousand)
    • Docks
    • Tattered Sail (tavern near Admiralty House, frequented by Steel Hand; serves an "endless stew")
    • Officers' Mess (a tavern near Admiralty House, restricted to Northern Navy officers)
    • Admiralty House
    • Church of the Divinity of Two (marked by twin spires)
  • Old Port (abandoned port on the western side of Zylos, destroyed during the Great Change; their next destination)
  • Fishing village (small settlement on Zylos's northern east coast, identified as the best overland crossing point to Old Port)

Conflicts

  • Knick Nab experienced a relapse of his debilitating fatigue and pain.
  • Mani's initial attempt to charm information from the "working ladies" in the Zylos tavern was rebuffed, one of them telling him to come back when he was a little older.
  • The party faced a brief delay in meeting Lieutenant Dardell, which was resolved by presenting their letter of authorization.

Learnings and Discussions

  • The party received a letter of authorization from Major Hubert, which bore three subtle, deliberately made lines.
  • Their primary contact in Zylos is Lieutenant Dardell, who has difficulty standing.
  • The "Amada" is a very fast and agile single-decked ship armed with six 10-pounder cannons and two swivel guns, kept lashed on deck since there is no lower gun deck; specific duties were assigned to each PC.
  • Knick Nab's recurring illness is not linked to separation from his companions, as it returned while he was with them in port.
  • The immediate mission is to go to Zylos, contact Lt. Dardell, and then investigate Old Port.
  • Old Port on Zylos was destroyed by waves during the Great Change. Captain Burrows visited Old Port before his last voyage west, and Captain Maynard also passed through Zylos years ago.
  • "Steel Hand" (Ish) recounted that Werner's grandfather, Captain De Rendal, sailed on "The King's Ship" and "rode the sea serpent and was never seen again." He also stated, "the cleric came back" from this voyage.
  • Captain De Rendal was one of several captains chosen by the King to lead a large, multi-ship expedition west before the Great Change; the fleet vanished, and only one ship limped back before sinking within sight of the De Rendal family's castle.
  • A "censure" (an inquisitor of the Divinity of Two) and a cleric went ashore at Old Port from "The King's Ship" and rejoined it before it sailed on to its final voyage.
  • "Steel Hand" has a prominent serpent tattoo on his arm.
  • "Steel Hand" (Ish) lost his own hand far to the west; his fragmented answer suggested it happened in the same event that took Captain De Rendal, implying he was aboard "The King's Ship" when it met its fate.
  • Lieutenant Dardell described the Great Change as a sudden, total upheaval in the weather rather than a gradual worsening, and said Zylos's exposed western coast — where Old Port stood — bore the brunt of it while the rest of the Channel Islands were sheltered by the island itself.
  • A ship called the "Green Gold," crewed by Southerners and heavily loaded with rice, passed through the Channel Islands about two years ago; Lieutenant Dardell could not confirm whether it had called at Zylos itself.
  • Lieutenant Dardell will search the Zylos Admiralty archives for any maps or records pertaining to lands west of the Channel Islands, and agreed to note the names of any ships leaving Zylos over the following days.
  • The party discussed various strategies for approaching Old Port, considering overland travel from the eastern side of Zylos versus a direct sea approach; they settled on landing overland and having the "Amada" stand by to intercept anyone who might try to slip away from Old Port and raise the alarm.
  • The "Amada"'s crew, previously about ten hands, roughly doubled with the party, Salter, Batu Batu, and Randolph the Chronicler aboard — a change Captain De Guzman expects will strain the ship's space and stores. The existing crew was wary but not hostile toward the newcomers; Knick Nab, already known from his prior two years aboard, fit back in immediately.
  • Northern sailors' talk of sea serpents is, by Knick Nab's reckoning, mostly just talk — many such tales trace back to ordinary whale encounters, particularly when a chased whale escapes and disappointed whalers blame a "serpent" instead.

Items Gained

  • Letter of Authorization from Major Hubert.
  • Contact in Zylos: Lieutenant Dardell.
  • Werner De Rendal: Rifle, ammunition (shot), a keg of powder, and three harpoons (total of three, slightly mismatched).
  • Noddy: A crate containing 12 smoke bombs.
  • Mani: An additional pistol.
  • Cosimo: A lute.
  • Riu: A stock of healing herbs — bleeding relief, concussion relief (double healing), and stun relief.
  • General "away team" supplies: an axe, rope, a grappling hook, a medical bag, torches, a tinderbox, two lanterns with oil, waterskins for everyone, and three backpacks.
  • Information about "Steel Hand," Old Port, "The King's Ship," the involvement of a cleric and a censure, and Captain De Rendal's fate.
  • A verbal commitment from Lt. Dardell to search for charts of the West.

Items Lost

  • Various food supplies and spices used for the special first meal aboard the "Amada."
  • A few copper coins (given by Werner to a dock attendant and to Salter).
  • Cost of grog and stew purchased for "Steel Hand" (Ish) in the tavern.