Session 4: Axis Island

Date: Feb 19th, 2025

Summary

The tale began aboard the Coal Tongue ship, where the party assisted Geoff Messard in stabilizing a dangerous boiler system. Through a complex array of levers and switches resembling a pipe organ, they managed to vent excess heat through the ship's figurehead, resulting in a spectacular 200-yard flame blast. Most of the crowd believed this display was part of the festivities, unaware of the near-disaster they had just averted. In the aftermath, Delft Stover discovered a ritual circle hidden under a rug in the Duchess's room, complete with diamond-pattern holes cut into the floor for inter-deck communication. Principal Minister Harkover conducted a thorough debriefing with the party, followed by a surprise visit from King Aodhan himself. The elderly but still powerful king personally thanked them for saving his life, sharing poignant thoughts about family and loyalty. King Aodhan later addressed thousands in Flint, announcing his plans for peace with Danor and his intention to marry a Danoran. The Duchess's failed assassination attempt actually helped garner public support for peace, though some nobles who defended her actions were forced to flee to Shale. During this period, the party was assigned to paperwork and grunt work as the investigation continued. The story took a new turn when Constable Langford summoned the party to meet with Lya Jierre, Danor's Minister of Outsiders. A beautiful tiefling woman in her late twenties, Lya tested the party with a magical puzzle involving ivory towers and colored rings. She revealed that the Duchess had captured Axis Island, a strategic Danoran territory housing important military and industrial facilities. Aboard the RNS Impossible, the fastest ship in the Risuri fleet, the party journeyed 500 miles in under two days with the aid of a sky seer and druid. They met their infiltration team: Tanya, Letmus, Seven Foot Dan, and Burton. However, disaster struck during the underwater cave infiltration when a strange wave and flash of light resulted in the deaths of most team members, leaving only Burton alive with a crushed leg. The party rescued Burton from beneath fallen rocks while fending off a shark attracted by the blood. They proceeded into a complex sea cave system featuring multiple wooden platforms and docks. There, they encountered a white-haired Danoran who accused them of killing his men and attacked with an air elemental and shadow creature. The confrontation escalated as Fredriche created an eldritch cannon and Archie employed various spells including Light and Spiritual Weapon. An earth elemental joined the fray, hurling oil barrels at Reggie. The situation reached a crucial moment when Reggie attempted to negotiate with the miner, explaining their true mission and connection to Lya Jierre. The combat paused as both sides considered their next moves.

Scenes

Debriefing with Officials

The party is debriefed by Principal Minister Harkover and receives a surprise visit from King Aodhan.

Aftermath of the Boiler Crisis

The party helps Geoff Messard stabilize the ship's boiler system after defeating the fire elemental.

King's Peace Speech

King Aodhan announces plans for peace with Danor to a crowd of thousands in Flint.

Meeting with Minister Lya Jierre

The party meets with Danor's Minister of Outsiders Lya Jierre in Delft's office to discuss a mission to Access Island.

Journey to Axis Island

The party travels aboard RNS Impossible with help from magical aids.

Underwater Cave Disaster

The infiltration team meets disaster in the underwater cave tunnel.

Cave Combat

The party encounters resistance in the mine's sea cave system.

Npcs

King Aodhan

The elderly but still powerful king of Risur, in his seventies. Despite his age, maintains a strong presence. Pushing for peace with Danor and plans to marry a Danoran. Personally thanked the party for saving his life from his sister's assassination attempt.

Principal Minister Harkover

A high-ranking official who debriefs the party about the ship incident. Takes a calm and methodical approach to gathering information. Created special scrolls for the Axis Island mission.

Geoff Messard

A Danoran engineer who helps stabilize the ship's boiler system using complex machinery and controls. Demonstrates technical expertise with the ship's systems.

The Duchess

The King's sister who attempted assassination and opposed peace with Danor. Against industrial revolution and modernization. Branded a traitor and has now captured Axis Island with her forces.

Lya Jierre

Danor's Minister of Outsiders, a beautiful tiefling woman in her late twenties. Niece of Danor's sovereign and graduate of the Denorin Academy of War. Wears a fencer's coat and carries a modified rapier. Concerned about her cousin Nathan's safety.

Constable Langford

Head of another RHC cell called Poor Episcus. A Urasol veteran swordsman who wears half plate armor and is close to Chief Inspector Saxby. Helped recognize the party's achievements.

Delft Stover

RHC superior officer who briefs the party on their mission to Axis Island. Provides mission supplies and coordinates with Minister Jierre.

Nathan Jierre

Cousin of Lya Jierre and nephew of Danor's sovereign. A tiefling teenager who was on Axis Island when the duchess attacked. His status unknown.

Captain Rutter Smith

Captain of the RNS Impossible who previously engaged in philosophical debates about dwarven defeatism and elven elitism on the Coaltongue.

Infiltration Team Members

Tanya (half-elf druid leader, deceased), Letmus (accent-faking mage, missing), Seven Foot Dan (gladiator, deceased), and Burton (goblin spy, survived with crushed leg). Elite team from Slate tasked with infiltrating Axis Island.

White-haired Danoran

Hostile mine worker encountered in the sea cave, armed with a crossbow. Initially mistook the party for enemies who killed his men. Commands an earth elemental and has access to oil barrels.

Locations

Coal Tongue Ship

A large vessel where the initial crisis took place, featuring multiple decks including engineering and gunnery decks, with a complex boiler system and ritual circle found in the Duchess's room.

Flint

The city where King Aodhan delivers his peace speech to thousands of citizens, and location of the RHC headquarters where the party meets with officials.

Axis Island

A strategic Danoran island featuring mines, shipyards, steelworks and a coastal fort. Located near a wild magic zone causing strange effects. Currently occupied by the duchess and her forces. Site of a battle 9 years ago where troops reported supernatural occurrences.

RNS Impossible

A 220-foot long clipper, the fastest ship in the Risuri fleet, used to transport the party to Axis Island. Aided by sky seer and druid for navigation.

Sea Cave Complex

An 80-foot diameter, 60-foot high cave system with a 200-foot underwater entrance tunnel. Features wooden platforms at various heights, ladders, and a central pillar with ancient marble carvings and pictograms. Contains both submerged and dry areas.

Spells

Water Breathing

Spell allowing underwater breathing and speech for one hour, used via potions by the party and cast directly by Letmus for the infiltration team.

Sending

3rd level evocation spell allowing 25-word messages with replies, used through sending stones for communication attempts with the infiltration team.

Cure Wounds

Healing spell cast by Archie to stabilize Burton's crushed leg, healing 8+3 damage.

Light

Cantrip cast by Archie on a copper coin to illuminate the dark platforms in the cave, creating 20 feet of bright light and 20 feet of dim light.

Spiritual Weapon

Cast by Archie, manifesting as a massive spectral book that can make melee attacks against enemies. Lasts for one minute.

Speak with Dead

Mentioned as backup interrogation method if duchess doesn't survive, to be performed by Kaia the ghost talker.

Prestidigitation

Continuous cleaning effect from Burton's amulet, keeping him perpetually clean after his traumatic latrine experience.

Inflict Wounds

Attempted by Archie against the shadow creature but missed.

Items

Ship's Boiler System

A complex contraption resembling a pipe organ built with glass and brass, featuring numerous levers and switches. Capable of venting excess heat through the ship's figurehead in a 200-yard flame blast.

Ritual Circle

A magical circle discovered under a rug in the Duchess's room, with diamond-pattern holes cut into the floor for communication between decks.

Puzzle Towers

Three ivory towers with steel bases, accompanied by three stone rings (red, green, blue) with magnetic threads, used by Lya to test the party.

Modified Rapier

Lya Jierre's weapon, wider than a typical rapier with some sort of mechanical device attached to the hilt.

Mission Equipment

Standard issue supplies including manacles, mage cuffs, potions of water breathing, greater healing potions (4d4+4 healing), sun rods (30ft bright light for 6 hours), and specially prepared scrolls of fairy fire, silence, and pass wall usable by non-spellcasters.

Sending Stones

Magical communication devices that allow casting the sending spell once per day between paired stones, with 25-word messages and replies.

Guide Rope

500-foot length of rope used by infiltration team to mark safe passage through underwater cave, found severed after incident.

Ancient Pillar

A large pillar in the sea cave with a dramatic 5-foot wide white marble splinter containing ancient pictogram carvings, rising 17 feet above the water.

Oil Barrels

Multiple barrels of oil stored on the upper platforms of the cave system, used as weapons by the earth elemental.