1x11: Braddick Shoal

The Saints found themselves headed for Stilben after the burning of the Barge of Bonds, and were ambushed by the Myriad and Waterwatch who had been paid off by Shoal. These new foes were killed by the party with the help of their party member Red, returned just in time. The party left one guard alive, who they sent off to roam the swamps in the north following an interrogation. They brought the rescued young girl back to her family, where they were told that the item the bronzesmiths were looking for is owned by her father, who is trying to establish a museum in town. They rested in the Sunset Stride, and awoke to the innkeeper distraught and furious that his son had been kidnapped early in the morning by shoal. He was talked down, and assured that his son would be rescued after he almost attacked Lupin for bringing trouble into his life. They later saw the innkeeper speaking with several paladins of the Veil, who were hatching a plan to rescue him in the morning when their reinforcements arrived. The Saints then tracked down a drunken local member of the Black Mast, and convinced him to take them as initiates into the pirate guild. He led them to his small boat, then died once the party arrived on the island belonging to Shoal. They met Blaine Hitch, an ally of Lupin’s who gave them the details of the situation. Holly and Iselda invisibly snuck into the ship to rescue the son of Vart the innkeeper, while Tannin, Frovroth, Red, and Lupin caused a massive explosion in the Black Mast’s warehouse. Almost immediately afterwards, while they ran to relative safety, the other two, escaped hostage in hand, detonated a barrel of gunpowder on the ship. An all out battle ensued with pirates, summoned demons, adventurers and Braddick Shoal himself. During the battle, Lorne Rothwell was convinced to fight his captain alongside the Saints, but was almost immediately cut down by Shoal for his betrayal. During the battle, Shoal lost his hat, a magical item that disguised him as a fancily-dressed human, and revealed his identity as a githyanki pirate captain. He was eventually crippled by Frovroth in a terrific strike and killed by Lupin, who shot him point-blank with the scattergun given to him by Garette. In the aftermath, as the flagship was being claimed, the magical amulet that had been the focus of Shoal’s quest for years was reformed and an illusion of a terrible gemstone-clad draconic creature appeared. The artifacts of Drassig, crown and sword, both of which vanished in smoke, caused its attention to rest on Frovroth was knocked unconscious by psionic energy, and became cursed with black gemstones protruding from his scales. The party revived him, and made for Stilben. The ship docked at the Bellamy Wharf, near Hazir’s ship, Lupin returned the innkeeper’s son, and Tannin took a single bloodstone ring and pressed the gem into the small divot in the amulet.