Down by the city's docks the Admiral's Office has posted an advertisement for irregulars to take on a dangerous information gathering mission. Applicants should be willing to perform undercover work, to spend considerable time at sea, to face hardship, deprivation and the risk of death, and critically must not be known to Serradic forces.
After learning the ropes of the sailor's craft aboard the Seahorse the party travel to a small corsair isle and win a spot upon the Red Raven. Hugh uses the Traitor's cloak to convince the captain that he is her new quartermaster and promptly arranges a theft from the crooks operating the isle's underground warehouse.
Aboard the Raven the party manage to capture a merchantman without too much loss of life, and fend off an attack from a pair of sea serpents, suffering only a nasty rash from the beasts' venomous spray. Finally a Serradic naval vessel arrives and rams their ship. The adventurers put up a convincing fight before surrendering to the marines. About the warship they are quizzed about their names and professions. Jonathan is knocked out for the journey once it is discovered that he is an alchemist specialising in grenades, and Hugh, who reveals he is a wayfinder only after thoroughly irritating the Serradic functionary, is dosed with an experimental draft that appears to confuse his abilities.
The group is stripped of their goods and thrown into the sea near the beach of a jungled island. As they clamber out of the waves they are forced to defend themselves with pieces of driftwood from the giant crabs that emerge from the sands. Having managed to defeat the creatures they are approached by a group of people from the forest's edge who promptly begin to cook the crabs under Irene's expert instructions. They reveal that the jungles are extremely dangerous, filled with deadly beasts and savage men but that signals are sent from the mountaintop to Serradic ships, and it is rumoured that there is another safe harbour at the mountain's base.
Hugh uses his shaping abilities to equip the group with armour and weapons and they set off inland. Making their way through the forest the group is ambushed by a number of wild animals, leaving them with unhealthy looking wounds and a persistent itch. Not long after they gather their breath they are assaulted by a group of cannibals led by a murderous chef. The fight is a difficult one and it is only thanks to the aura of the Splintered Man that no one dies, though it does threaten to wipe the party out entirely until they manage to salvage a healing philtre from the chef and get Jonathan back on his feet to treat the rest of the fallen.
At the base of the mountain the party meets with a hardier group of prisoners lead by Commodore Titus, a Serradic officer apparently exiled here by Admiral Menas, the new governor of Thys. They spot Darmer amongst Titus' men and discreetly speaking with him learn that the master of Thys' Consortium is held prisoner atop the mountain. Agreeing to launch an assault on the compound and open the way for the commodore's troop, they make their way up a narrow clifftop path where giant birds are nesting. They are careful with the chicks but eventually they become upset and the mother Roc is called down to attack them. They manage to defeat the collosal bird of prey and tie it up with the thought of perhaps harnessing it as a mount in an emergency.
Breaking into the compound from its undefended rear the group skirts around the mansion and manages to crack the gate open long enough for the Commodore's reinforcements to arrive and defeat the remaining defenders. Together the groups storm the mansion, the party managing to defeat the serradic commander and free the master from the surgeon/torturer who had been tormenting him. As they rearm a call from the lookout post notes the arrival of a small unmarked ship on the horizon. The party rush back down to the shore and begin to evacuate their intelligence assets to the naval sloop. As they do so they are assaulted by waves of cannibals as well as desperate prisoners crying out for rescue. With the diseased cannibals attacking relentlessly and a Serradic sail spotted on the horizon the group has no choice but to leave many prisoners behind.
Once the vessel makes its way back to Acryn the party are given some time to recuperate in a naval hospital, recovering from the serpent venom and whatever disease .
The party are paid 130R for recovering both Darmer, the Master of the Consortium, Commodore Titus and the Serradic prisoners.
Hugh goes to the Guild, explaining his problem and the Wayfinders are very interested to study his condition. After a week of their ministrations the sickness clears and his perceptions of the consensus return.
Hallsteinn visits the Branch household and rails at Nobody as Blake for the 'curse' that was laid upon him and the pair part acrimoniously. Later Howard tracks down the Valyydi mercenary to inquire how his sons did on their first venture out together.
Consequences
LVL 2
Expert Sailor
You have mastered all the skills of seamanship and are an asset to any crew. You have exceptionally sure footing and on any sort of marine vessel you receive 1 DODGE and 2 RESIST STRIKEDOWNs.
If you have Survivalist skills then you are always considered to be in suitable terrain whilst on a vessel, irrespective of the prevailing conditions.
LVL 3
Ocean Traveller
Either from personal experience or the tales of grizzled deckhands you have learned much of the ports of the world. You are aware of basic etiquette and unusual local customs in any coastal city and know of a welcoming tavern where foreigners won't be hassled.
Sea Lore
You gain the Journeyman Knowledge skill in one of: The Weather, Perils of the Ocean, Marine Trade or Legends of the Sea.
LVL 4
Scourge of the Waves
Your name is familiar to most who sail the seas either as a fearsome corsair or merciless pirate hunter. You gain contacts with either Pirates or the Merchant Navy and gain one FEAR call per encounter which can be used against members of the other group.