2 - Gotmouth Saga

!info

Gotmouth Incident

  • The "alchemical incident" in Gotmouth was actually caused by a resurrection spell gone wrong
  • It drained life from a large area, turning living things into husks
  • The Fairweather Pirates were falsely accused of the attack
  • The true perpetrators were extremist Shadow Dancers

Fairweather Pirates

A group of diverse individuals with complex backgrounds, wrongly accused of the Gotmouth attack.

Peregrine Anatum

  • Griffon, 25, Male
  • Ex-prince of the Anatum Kingdom
  • Thin and dexterous with a yellow tuft around his neck marking royal lineage
  • Died saving his sister Maltese from their demon-possessed grandfather
  • Resurrected by Maltese, causing the Gotmouth incident
  • Sent away on a prison ship by his father, which was later intentionally broken open

Electra Pleiades

  • Kirin (half-dragon, half-fey), 28 (quite young for a Kirin, it's more like 19)
  • Former Armada officer, fresh out of officer school
    • has a friend, Oslo, who discriminated against her but eventually befriended her after she helped him in officer school
  • Orphaned young when dragons killed her father for coupling with a fey
  • Raised in Babel Tower by a foster family
  • Joined Armada to investigate her parents' deaths
  • Naïve and sheltered, but aware of it
  • Abundantly kind and concerned about protecting the weak

Ashtaspa Vishtaspzade

  • Goat, Nobleborn, 27, Magus
  • From Narekha, a world with magocratic feudalism
  • Former member of the Black-Horn movement against Esperanto influence
    • the details of this incident are sparse, but it's heavily implied to be an extremely brutal campaign that devastated the planet and both sides of the conflict
    • Armada supposidly
  • Skilled in both Arcane magic and martial combat
  • Cold and blunt outside of conflict, hot-blooded and vicious in a fight
  • Takes oaths and loyalties very seriously
  • Despite warrior exterior, can feel at home in high society settings

Aripegio del Mandolino

  • Bard from the world of Cicili. Unicorn, female, 21
  • Follows a philosophy of experiencing all facets of life
  • Highly social and approachable, with a unique worldview
  • Skilled with words and understanding others
  • Loves fashion and flair, evident in her oversized, decorated hat

Short Fuse

  • Unicorn, 22, Male
  • Alchemist from the world of Dranura.
  • often drunk, but very friendly
  • despises the cold above all else
  • somewhat of a mad genius with a lot of depth, but never seen entirely sober or focused
    • talented alchemist

Wicker Wind

  • Deer, 19 Oracle
  • Born as an Oracle who could wield divine magic. His divine magic is a Curse of Life, which causes plants to grow around him and makes him a talented magical healer
  • Lived in a sheltered village that protected him and studied The Holy Land
  • Had a young friend as a child who he lost the day he learned of The Coven, an organization that hunted Oracles down in fear of the powerful, reality bending magic they possess
  • Scared, polite, and soft

Oslo

  • Zebra, 25, male
  • Staunch supporter of Armada and Esperanto's vision
  • friends with electra, holds some fairy prejudices but not with her
  • extremely talented cook and airship pilot, not much of a fighter, often stays behind on the ship.

Additional Context

  • Commodore Darkhorns of Armada is friendly to the Fairweather Pirates despite their outlaw status
  • He covered up the true nature of the Gotmouth incident to protect the crew, especially Peregrine
  • The situation involves complex political machinations, including actions by Peregrine's father to smuggle him out of the kingdom

Highlights

These are highlights from the videos

Hanaq - Gotmouth: 1 - Crash landing!

The session begins with on a prison ship. On board are the prisoners Peregrine, Ashtaspa, and Short Fuse, the Armada Ensign Electra and her friend Vice Lieutenant Oslo.

The ship crashes after being attacked by a roc named Ahura Mazda. The PCs escape from the wreckage and find themselves on an island called Overwood. Olso is missing, and the group

They explore a nearby abandoned village called Clover Village, finding signs of strange magical rot affecting the plants. In one building, they encounter ghostly floating eyes that blind one character when light is shone on them.

The group fights some large frog creatures and defeats them. They then explore a mansion, finding some magical scrolls and evidence of Demon Dust use by the noble who lived there.

In the mansion's dungeon, they free a imprisoned old and uptight Knight named Gerdhart. They also free Short Fuse who had been separated from the group earlier when someone snatched him up as well.

They find what this mysterious creature is, a large snake-like creature named Ankara with some weak mind control abilities.

The party flees into a cave system, where they are captured by a group of pirates led by someone named Arash, who knows Ashtaspa. They are imprisoned but manage to escape during the night.

As the session ends, the characters have climbed out of the cave system to the top of a mountain, where they can now see the whole island laid out before them. It has been night time for a very long time now.

Quotes

  • "I am not a pirate!" Ash to Arash on their shared rebel path
  • "My kin, your true king is here. Come with us now." Peregrine, boisterously

Hanaq - Gotmouth: 2 - Trapped in the Deadly Forest

The session begins with the group exploring a forested island after a crash, eventually reaching Blainow, a city built on a plateau. They meet another female Knight named Petra, who has just crashed to the island as she discovered that they are in an island wide dome that has trapped them all night.

They travel further to find a militant Griffin-supremacist group called Grey Dawn, who has imprisoned a number of prisoners as well as Wicker Wind, being his first appearance in the story. They break Wicker free and continue on. Wicker demonstrates odd healing and magical growth abilities he tries to hide desperately.

They continue further to find a city at the center of the island named Blaenau, which is being ruled with an iron fist by an Armada Lieutenant Palace. Electra reunites with Oslo, who informs Electra that he's been an awful commander.

They enter catacombs beneath the city, engaging in combat with spider-like monsters. This battle showcases the diverse abilities of the party members, including Peregrine's tactical skills, Ashtaspa's arcane magic, Ari's bardic abilities, Electra's spellcasting, and Short Fuse's alchemy.

As they explore the catacombs, the group discovers various interesting areas, including rooms with historical inscriptions, magical fires, and alchemical substances. They also find the "Sword of Tyrant's Bane" embedded in stone. A young Griffin girl informs them about a mysterious "tingly" stick, prompting a search that leads to the discovery of a magical wand, which becomes central to the narrative.

The latter part of the session focuses on a tense confrontation with Ankara, who is interested in the magical stick. The encounter involves attempts at deception, threats, and physical altercations, culminating in Ari throwing the stick away to distract the creature. The snake eventually flees with both the real and fake sticks, leaving the group in heated debate about their actions and the stick's importance.

After the encounter, the group hears a familiar screeching sound. Investigation reveals a massacre of Armada personnel and the approach of Ahura Mazda from last episode towards the city. Ankara is seen fleeing from this new threat.

The session concludes with the catacombs shaking violently, implying the arrival of the giant bird creature and leaving the group in a precarious situation. This cliffhanger ending sets up significant challenges and mysteries for the next session, while also revealing more about the characters' abilities and the complex world they're navigating.

Explorers of Hanaq: 3 - The Dome

The group encounters a mysterious and commanding young witch named Phoebe. Phoebe, despite her small stature, wields considerable influence over the Armada forces. She's described as having a high-pitched voice and carrying a creepy doll, adding to her unsettling presence.

Phoebe demonstrates her power by seemingly controlling or heavily influencing the Armada leadership, particularly a character named Palace. She issues orders with impunity, showing a disregard for the established chain of command. Her actions suggest she's part of a group called the Coven, which appears to have significant authority over Esperanto forces.

In one notable encounter, Phoebe attempts to interrogate Peregrine, showing particular interest in his identity and connection to some unspecified individuals she's searching for. She tries to force-feed him an elixir, which he resists. This interaction hints at a larger mystery surrounding Peregrine's background and the witch's mission.

The witch's presence creates tension and confusion among the Armada ranks. She seems to be pursuing her own agenda, which involves maintaining the magical barrier around the island and searching for specific individuals. Her actions contribute to the chaotic atmosphere in the base, further complicating the group's escape efforts.

Later, when the group returns to confront Ankara, they find that the witch has disappeared. This leaves them to deal with the aftermath of her influence, including disoriented Armada forces and the lingering mystery of her true motives and identity.

The session begins with the group planning their escape from a fortress where they were imprisoned. They decide to free other captives to create a distraction. As they execute this plan, they encounter the snake creature Ankara, who has been controlling and consuming people on the island.

The group formulates a strategy to confront Ankara, recognizing that she becomes weaker when she exerts herself. They prepare for battle, using various potions and spells to enhance their abilities. During their preparations, they discover the magical wand from earlier can break the dome barrier surrounding the island.

A fierce battle ensues with Ankara. The group employs a variety of tactics, including ranged attacks, spells, and alchemical bombs. Peregrine, under the influence of a substance called "demon dust," takes significant risks in combat. Ari uses bardic abilities to support the team, while Ashtaspa prepares a powerful spell called Horizon Thunder Sphere.

The tide of battle turns when Ashtaspa unleashes the Horizon Thunder Sphere, dealing massive damage to Ankara and ultimately defeating her. The group retrieves the magical wand from Ankara's remains.

With Ankara defeated, the team quickly moves to escape the island. They commandeer an airship and use the magical wand to break through the dome barrier. As they ascend, they witness the dome crumbling behind them and see the full extent of the small island they were trapped on.

The group celebrates their newfound freedom as they fly away from the island. They level up and discuss their next moves, with some members expressing a desire to return to a fortress where they might have allies.

The session ends on a high note, marking a significant turning point in the campaign as the characters transition from being confined on the island to having the freedom to explore the wider world.

Explorers of Hanaq: 4 - The snail and the spire

The party arrives in a small snowy village and encounters a giant Yuletide-themed snail climbing a tower. They escape here to narrowly avoid a pirate ship.

Peregrine notices that the island region of Hathersage has suddenly been blackened, compltely devoid of life and emanating a perpetual storm.

They meet some of the villagers, including a witch named Zia and a man named Caddock. They learn that the village has been experiencing strange occurrences, including walking corpses, since a blight affected their crops a few months ago.

The group investigates the village and discovers that Caddock's daughter-in-law, Alyssa, has locked herself in her house. They manage to convince her to come out and follow her to an underground temple. There, they fight some undead creatures and find Alyssa attempting to dig up her husband's remains.

Through diplomacy and compassion, the party convinces Alyssa to let go of her husband and return to the village. They help rebury the body and comfort Alyssa. The villagers are grateful for the party's help and offer to repair their ship's sails.

During their stay, some party members have private conversations about their pasts and motivations. Wicker Wind reveals some details about his mysterious healing powers and the toll they take on him. Peregrine discusses his family's political situation and his suspicions about being betrayed.

As the party prepares to leave for Everberg, they see the city on the horizon. However, their approach is interrupted by flaming projectiles hurled at them from above the fields near the city, setting up a cliffhanger for the next session.

Explorers of Hanaq 5 - Big Oil! Enter the Stormchasers

The party arrives in Everberg, a city experiencing fuel shortages and unrest. Grey Dawn is attacking the city.

They first visit Sir Cassel at Rook Manor, as Peregrine wanted to see his old mentor. They encounter Coven agents there, including a Kirin named Antonio, Phoebe from earlier and a mysterious robed figure. The agents are evasive about their mission but mention they're trying to save the planet and are searching for two more unnamed Kirins.

In Everberg the party discovers that Tiercel, Peregrines half-brother, is responsible for the rise of Grey Dawn. Peregrine comments that they always disliked each other, and Peregrines right to the throne one day was a major point of contention.

After leaving the manor, they learn that a group called the Storm Chasers may be responsible for disrupting oil supplies. The party decides to investigate an oil pipeline outside the city. At the pipeline, they encounter a group of pirates who are stealing oil. A fight breaks out, but the party manages to subdue or convince most of the pirates to surrender. During the battle, some party members use magical abilities like flaming spheres and calm emotions spells.

After the fight, Armada forces arrive, led by a mysterious cloaked figure. To the party's shock, this figure orders the execution of the surrendered pirates, claiming "the only justice for pirates is death." This harsh action disturbs some of the party members and even some of the Armada soldiers.

The party learns that unrest in Everberg has calmed since Armada took control, though opinions are mixed on whether this is a positive development. They also discover that Armada's actions may be more brutal than they previously realized.

Later, Peregrine has another conversation with Sir Cassel, learning more about his arrest and his father's possible involvement. Cassel advises Peregrine to leave the city for now, but suggests they may meet again at the palace in a few weeks.

Explorers of Hanaq: 6 - The Shortest Straw! Taxes

The party arrives in Sud Nord, a town near Fortress Anatum. They visit the Noose and Anchor, a unique tavern with multiple levels designed for flying patrons. Peregrine attempts to reach an upper level table but falls, causing a commotion. The group eventually settles in and orders food, with Electra splurging on an expensive dish called roasted Oingo.

During their visit, Ari encounters a mysterious robed figure who offers to sell her magical items, including a ghost-touch sword. The robed figure takes a keen interest in Ari. The figure seems to know about the party and disappears after their conversation. Meanwhile, another cloaked musician plays ominous music, creating an unsettling atmosphere.

The party does a small side mission for some farmers dealing with an unreasonably demanding local knight. Ari charms the knight and pacifies him.

The next day, the group prepares to travel to Fortress Anatom with the very fat and slightly fairy-loathing Count Liafrick. They fly their own ship alongside the count's, ascending the steep mountain. As they approach the fortress, they observe the impressive defenses and the surrounding settlements.

Upon arriving at the fortress, the party is escorted to the throne room along with Liafrick and Marika. They witness a tense interaction between King Corvus, Vice Admiral Theseus (a tall, imposing figure), and other officials. Theseus confronts the king about recent events in Overwood and demands permission to conduct searches, which the king reluctantly grants.

The situation escalates when Theseus recognizes Ashtaspa, Peregrine, and Short Fuse from wanted posters. Ari attempts to charm Theseus but fails. Theseus accuses Electra and Oslo of desertion, and the king orders the arrest of those with bounties on their heads.

As Ashtaspa and Short Fuse are being led away, Ash attempts to cast Heat Metal on Theseus' medals, but Theseus easily resists the spell. This leads to a confrontation where Theseus challenges Ashtaspa to a duel, returning their confiscated sword.

In the ensuing fight, Ashtaspa struggles to land hits on Theseus, who easily dodges their attacks. Short Fuse intervenes to protect Ash, taking a powerful blow meant for them. "It's over, just stop" he wearily says before going unconscious. The session ends with the party split - some arrested, some free - and facing a formidable opponent. Additionally, Peregrine's disguise is wearing off, threatening to reveal his true identity. He reunites with his parents once more.

Explorers of Hanaq: 7 - Family Matters. Two pronged attack!

The party is split - Short Fuse, Ashtaspa, Oslo, and Electra were captured and held in an Esperanto embassy right outside Fortress Anatum, while the others were investigating the situation. Short Fuse is getting healed back up. Electra explains the mismanagement of Captain Palace on Overwood and the Coven dome incident. Commodore Darkhorns agrees to release the party. On the way out, Ashtaspa plays a prank on an Armada grunt by swapping his Lemon Lime Soda for Orange, frustrating the stallion.

Back in the Fortress Anatum royal palace, the party meets Maltese (after Ari used some "bardic hocus pocus" to calm her). She introduces her as a proud Princess of the Anatum Family who swears by Peregrines innocence and is delighted to meet him again. Maltese confirms that Peregrine had indeed killed his grandfather Lanner and "returned his body to White Talon". The group then met with the Anatum family in a bathhouse for a heartfelt conversation, where Peregrine had to confront the truth about killing his grandfather. Peregrine cannot remember the details, but finds out that he did it to protect Maltese.

Peregrines father King Corvus, and his sister Maltese explain to Peregrine they sent the Ahura Mazda the roc to destroy the prison ship and free peregrine. But did not expect The Coven to appear and create the dome over Overwood. Worse yet, after Ahura Mazda attacked the ship, they lost control of it, and it fell under the influence of Grey Dawn thanks to Tiercel, peregrines lifelong half-brother rival. A mysterious property of Gotmouth is that Ahura Mazda can only be controlled by the Anatum Royal family, and Tiercel had enough royal blood to command the roc and wrestle it away from King Corvus.

Ari once again sees the mysterious cloaked figure, revealing herself to be Crazy Eights, a bardic jester serving Princess Maltese. They talk some more and Ari states Eights is as "crazy as she initially imagined"

After relaxing in the royal bathhouse (where Wicker got very drunk for the first time in his life), the party set out for the East Fossan Peninsula to investigate Armada personnel disappearances for Darkhorns. En route, they encountered and fought a Rimmerazz, a dragon centipede creature. Ashtaspa was swallowed but managed to defeat it from the inside, Ashtaspa obtaining "Timbs of pony kind" as loot.

In a small town on the peninsula, they found oddly enthusiastic residents acting like "action heroes" and scared Armada personnel who believed ghosts were haunting them. The party stayed overnight to investigate and discovered villagers being lured by mysterious music.

They ultimately confronted a group of pirates, including a blue Bard and a war criminal from Narehka named Parvis. The fight was tough and got even harder when Gray Dawn forces arrived. Though several party members nearly died, they prevailed and took control of the city for the Anatums.

The session ended with the party returning to Fortress Anatum, where they learned that Admiral Theseus had been killed and Armada was withdrawing from the planet, leaving behind some troops and embassy staff, including Commodore Darkhorns. Worse yet, Grey Dawn forces are gaining an advantage in the civil war.

Explorers of Hanaq: 8 - Darkness. The Path to Hathersage

King Corvus Anatum, Peregrines father, is revealed to have refused any further investigation by Armada after Theseus's death causing them to officially withdraw all support for

The party travels through tunnels to the completely devastated and hollowed out Hathersage, that royal guards show them in Serenity Hollow. They encounter some strange fossils embedded in the tunnel walls and experience an ominous rumbling.

After about two days of travel, they emerge into a cellar and then into a desolate, fog-covered town. The area has a strong smell of death and appears completely lifeless. They investigate some buildings, finding shriveled corpses that seem to reanimate when disturbed.

Wicker finds that plants dont grow near him as usual, frightening him.

The group battles some undead creatures, including zombies and a large undead owl bear. They use various spells and abilities to defeat the enemies, with Peregrine landing some critical hits with his pistols and ghost charges.

After the battle, they encounter a mysterious kirin named Jinx who walks away into the fog. Peregrine impulsively shoots at her, but she retaliates with a powerful divine magic spell that briefly knocks him unconscious and causes him to experience strange visions.

The party flees as more undead creatures begin emerging from the fog and tunnels behind them. They escape up a hill and come upon a massive mausoleum in the center of a ruined city, surrounded by a desolate wasteland.

As they approach the mausoleum, they see it has an enormous door with five slots, each bearing a family crest. One slot is glowing, corresponding to the Ren duchy. Peregrine's family symbol begins to glow as well, activating a second slot on the door when he approaches.

The group realizes they may need to collect other family crests to fully activate the door. They also notice black tendrils creeping up the sides of buildings in the area, though these appear motionless.

Ari spots another potential entrance on the far side of the mausoleum, about a 10-minute walk away. The session ends as the party considers their options for entering the structure and uncovering the mysteries of this necropolis.

Explorers of Hanaq: 9 - The Mutated Library

The session begins with the party exploring a strange library filled with corrupted books, demons, and oozing substances. Ari spies on two kirin in the demonic Library, one of them being Jinx, the kirin from earlier, apparently searching for a staff which Wicker had found earlier.

Peregrine recounts that this was the library of Athas the Wise, who was "holy". Despite this, Peregrine knew that his kingdom did magical research for the kingdom. Divine Magic is still as foreign to the party as the fact that wicker is afraid that plants grow around him

The party descends to the very bottom of the library in a locked up chamber. There they encounter a mysterious woman named Duchess Freya, who initially seems friendly but is revealed to be possessed by a demonic entity. A tense confrontation ensues, with Freya attempting to manipulate Wicker into staying behind.

The party engages in combat with Freya and her demonic minions. The battle is fierce, with several party members taking significant damage. The party ultimately wins Wicker uses his healing abilities to great effect, even drawing the ire of the enemies. Peregrine manages to damage a strange fetus-like creature in a water tank, which seems to be a power source for the area.

Freya's ghost provides crucial information about the events that led to the current situation. She mentions the involvement of a group called the Shadow Dancers. She also discusses the staff the two kirins had been looking for, and a curse affecting the royal family. Peregrines grandfather was turned into a Demon after a failed attempt to resurrect him. The royal family wanted to bring him back to prevent a war with Grey Dawn. However, the resurrections went wrong

The ghost of Freya also reveals that Peregrine had been revived successfully. However, the price of this that the Anatum family found out the hard way was that when the revival was fully successful, it drained the land of life, causing the state it's in now. This event would lead to the civil war between the Anatums and Grey Dawn. Peregrine is devastated.

The party learns that their only hope of restoring the land might lie in finding the mythical Holy Land. Freya warns them of the dangers but ultimately provides a clue, suggesting they search for a map of some kind in Dranura. As Freya's ghost fades away, she leaves behind a map and some final words of encouragement.

The party has a brief, tense interaction with them before they leave. Shortly after, the ghost of the real Duchess Freya appears, thanking the party for freeing her soul.

Wicker wind reveals the extent of his Divine Magic and that he wants to find the Holy Land his entire life.

The session ends with the party leaving Hathersage emerging from the foggy area of Serenity Hollow, greeted by cheering crowds who had thought them dead. Peregrine attempts to disguise himself as "John," successfully fooling the locals.

Explorers of Hanaq: 10 - Outvalley

The session begins with the party arriving in Outvalley, a snowy region known for its salt production. They encounter some colorful local characters, including a group of boastful Griffins arguing over autograph prices. The party learns that the town is celebrating "Mayor's Day," which apparently occurs every day of the year (around 24:30).

As night falls, the group witnesses villagers dancing around a fire, reminiscent of a previous encounter with mind-controlled townsfolk. They intervene to break the spell, and in the aftermath, encounter a mysterious cloaked Griffin seeking shelter. The party offers her a place on their ship for the night.

The next morning, Electra discovers that 20 gold pieces and her spyglass are missing, likely stolen by their new guest who has vanished (around 44:50). The party decides to investigate further by traveling to BlackRock, a pirate haven located in a canyon.

Upon arriving at BlackRock, the group encounters various pirate characters and engages in some roleplay, including a brief musical duel between Ari and a the blue bard who made the towns go temporarily mad while the stormchasers looted them. Here name is revealed to be Soraya. The arrival of Magnus, a large hippogriff pirate captain, and leader of the Stormchaser Pirates, interrupts their activities (around 3:29:00).

Peregrine negotiates with Magnus, offering the pirates a deal to legitimize their presence in exchange for ceasing raids on the mainland. The party then learns of ongoing slave trade activities in the region, which conflicts with the kingdom's official stance against slavery.

The group travels to Keld, a fortified city centered around salt production. They meet with the young Duke Mallow and discover signs of political intrigue and resource exploitation. Peregrine reunites with his sister Maltese, who reveals some troubling information about the region's activities. The Anatum kingdom is forcing prisoners of the war with Grey Dawn to mine a terribly dangerous substance (around 4:55:00).

The session concludes with a tense scene involving the discovery of abyssium, a dangerous substance being mined and transported. Maltese falls ill after exposure, and the party obtains documents revealing connections to mysterious figures known as the Shadow Dancers. The group is left to grapple with this new information and decide their next course of action.

11 - Shady Business

The session begins with the party arriving back at Fortress Anatum after their adventures in Outvalley. They are concerned about Maltese, who is suffering from a mysterious curse. The group splits up, with Peregrine and Wicker tending to Maltese while the others investigate. Ash attempts to speak with Marika about information found in Hathersage, but Marika avoids the conversation, claiming stomach issues.

Electra, using invisibility, follows Marika and discovers her heading towards the Spymaster's room. The party then decides to investigate the Spymaster's room together. They find it mysteriously elongated and empty, with a strange deck of cards at the far end. When Peregrine attempts to take the cards, the room begins to collapse, forcing the group to flee.

Upon exiting, they overhear Duke Lark discussing plans to frame Sir Cassel as a traitor. The party confronts Cassel at the Armada embassy, where he reveals he's been trying to broker peace talks with Armada to prevent starvation in the kingdom. This leads to a tense conversation about the kingdom's food situation and the illegal mining operations.

Later that night, a bizarre encounter occurs with the mysterious jester Crazy Eights. She behaves erratically, changing personalities rapidly and making cryptic statements about the fate of the kingdom. She also mentions a meeting in the throne room the next day where Peregrine will "finally get [his] kingdom."

The next morning, the party gathers in the throne room where they are confronted by Eights and another figure called Double. Double reveals he is an Oracle just like wicker, only far stronger. Double tells Wicker he wants to find the Holy Land

It's revealed that Eights and Double are both part of a group called the Shadow Dancers, who want to liberate the universe from Esperanto. They offer Peregrine the chance to become king if he serves the Shadow Dancers, leading to a tense standoff.

During this confrontation, a young deer named Wicker is revealed to have divine healing powers. Eights manipulates the situation, forcing Wicker to publicly use his powers to heal Maltese in front of a crowd, exposing him as a divine magic user. This causes panic among the onlookers, as divine magic is feared and misunderstood in this world.

Ari is taken away with Eights. Eights promises to tell Ari about Scarlet, someone important to her past that went missing. Instead she turns Ari into a vampire and leaves.

The session ends with the Shadow Dancers disappearing, leaving the party to deal with the aftermath of Wicker's exposed powers and Ari's mysteriously weakened state. The group vows to hunt down the Shadow Dancers and put an end to their schemes.

12 - The Deal

The session begins with the party discussing the aftermath of their encounter with the Shadow Dancers. Peregrine explains his reasoning for considering their offer to become a kingdom that serves the Shadow Dancers, citing the need to secure food and trade for his kingdom. This leads to a debate among the party members about the ethics and consequences of such a deal. Ari argues that if Peregrine forgives the Shadow Dancers, she will reveal the extent of Eights and Doubles evil in manipulating the Gotmouth royalty to bring Peregrine back. She states that Esperanto is deeply flawed, but their fight against its tyranny can be done as team together from now on. The tensions are high, but ultimately Ari's argument wins out.

Peregrine says the kingdom will no longer work with the Shadow Dancers, and allows Commodore Darkhorns to work on a peace deal to reintegrate Gotmouth... for now.

Ari reveals that Eights, one of the Shadow Dancers, turned her into a vampire. The party helps Ari recover by providing her with blood. This prompts a discussion about Ari's new condition and its implications. At one point, Short Fuse offers Ari some of his alchemical elixirs, saying "Maybe this can help" (around 1:37:42).

The group then meets with Cassel, who has developed a military strategy to defend against Grey Dawn. They discuss various tactical options, including creating diversions and exploiting weak points in the enemy's defenses. Cassel emphasizes the gravity of the situation, stating "We're going all in" (around 4:55:19).

Peregrine and some party members give rousing speeches to inspire the troops. Ash recites a modified version of a speech from her homeland, while Ari provides musical accompaniment. Cassel demonstrates his prowess by firing a powerful shot that destroys a distant mountain peak, greatly boosting morale.

The party then embarks on a mission through underground tunnels to infiltrate Grey Dawn's stronghold. They navigate various challenges, including avoiding patrols, crossing collapsed bridges, and dealing with cannon fire. Throughout this sequence, the party uses their unique abilities to overcome obstacles and evade capture.

Upon reaching their destination, the group finds themselves in a series of strange, identical rooms that seem to defy logic. They begin to suspect some form of magical trickery is at play. Electra notes the high concentration of magical energy, saying "This whole place has a magical aura" (around 6:03:12).

The session ends on a cliffhanger as the party realizes they are in some sort of descending magical construct. Gerhart ominously states, "If we keep falling like this, we'll eventually hit the other side of the island" (around 6:09:51), leaving the group's fate uncertain as they continue to fall.

Explorers of Hanaq - Season Finale 1

The session begins with the party confronting Tiercel, Peregrine's half-brother who was a major figure responsible for the rise of Grey Dawn, in a final showdown. The group faces off against Tiercel and his forces, including powerful bear-like creatures and archers. The battle is intense, with the party struggling against difficult odds and some unlucky dice rolls.

During the fight, Tearsal demonstrates powerful abilities, including creating mirror images of himself and unleashing psychic attacks that knock party members prone. The group perseveres, using a combination of spells, attacks, and clever tactics to whittle down Tiercel's defenses. Ari creates an illusory wall to provide cover, while Ashtaspa and Peregrine focus their attacks on Tearsal.

As the battle progresses, more enemies arrive, including a large armored foe. The party continues to fight, with Wicker providing crucial healing support. Peregrine manages to land the final blow on Tearsal, seemingly ending the conflict. However, the victory is short-lived as a new, terrifying threat emerges.

The giant roc Ahura Mazda, which had flown away earlier, returns with glowing red eyes. A demonic entity reveals itself, explaining that it had possessed Tearsal and manipulated events. The demon, identifying itself as Hud, demon of Wrath, declares its intention to use Ahura Mazda to create a devastating storm that will destroy the entire planet within 24 hours.

The revelation shocks the party, especially when it's revealed that Maltese's attempt to resurrect Peregrine inadvertently caused the planet's current state. The demon taunts the group before departing, leaving them to face the rapidly worsening weather conditions.

With time running out, the party quickly formulates a plan to pursue the demon. They secure a ship and prepare to chase after Ahura Mazda, knowing they have only 24 hours to prevent global catastrophe. The session ends with the group setting off on their desperate mission.

Throughout the session, there were several memorable quotes:

  • At 3:45:54, Tearsal taunts the party: "This Land Is Ours!"
  • Around 4:44:00, the demon Hud reveals itself: "I am Hud, demon of Wrath."
  • At 4:47:38, Hud explains its plan: "Ahura Mazda can control the weather of Gotmuth, and I'm going to create a storm that buries the entire planet by tomorrow."
  • Near the end, Ashtaspa confronts Tiercel (4:54:42): "See, you bleed like any other mortal, and you will die like one too."

Explorers of Hanaq - Season Finale 2

In the finale the party travels back to Hathersage as the storm that Hod created that threatens to destroy Gotmouth looms over them all. Maltese reveals to Peregrine that she is responsible for trying to revive Peregrine and their father Tiercel. She was working with the Shadow Dancers in an attempt to wean off the kingdom from Armadas Tyrannical influence due to the corruption of Esperanto in this area. Peregrine is upset, but forgives her and vows to make things as right as they can by finding The Holy Land

They run into the Mausoleum and charge inside, encountering unsettling almost organ-like architecture. Halfway through they encounters the two kirins from earlier Jinx and Misty, who threaten to take the staff from Wicker. However, before they can be attacked, the Coven Agents from earlier, including Phoebe and Antonio, as well as a hooded figure who seems to recognize Electra, letting the party move forward and fight Hod.

Ahura Mazda is possessed by Hud, and the party fights the possessed creature. Once they strike Ahura Mazda down, Hod appears as a ghostly apparition and attacks the party, nearly felling them before Wicker heals the now unpossessed Ahura Mazda and Peregrine commands it to finish Hod off. Wicker sends Hod back to a dimension simply referred to as "The Bad Place".

The Masoleum Crumbles and and the party sees the Soulwinds of those sacrificed in the peregrines resurrection, now free from demonic torment and passing on to their next life in the cycle.

The party starts to travel back to Fortress Anatum make peace with the pain and trauma of the months events, vowing to find The Holy Land so that Ari may find a cure to her vampirism, Peregrine heals the devastated land of Gotmouth, and Wicker to find out why he has the magic that has cursed him to a life eternally on the run from the Coven. Electra, Ashtaspa, Short Fuse, Oslo, and Ari have found family in this group, and they decide to escape Gotmouth together, even if that means being hunted by Esperanto as escaped criminals and deserters.

The party leaves Gotmouth, Maltese is set to rise to the throne. As they fly out, characters from throughout the saga see their ship flying away from Gotmouth into the sunset, Ahura Mazda flying with them to say goodbye. Gotmouth is hurt, but rebuilding, and the new formed Fairweather Crew set off to Drana to find the map to the Holy Land