After a few days to recover from our barbecue we returned to Pueblo di Mesas. The journey went uneventful and we decided to celebrate our recent and local fame by having a few drinks. In a gentleman's club Dougal met fine fellow with his teeth coloured yellow. His name was Paul and he instructed Dougal in the more subtle aspects of the local wine production. Enjoying their drinks and conversation they were surprised by the group of men in tight black leathers that had strode up to their table. The leader of the group pointed at Paul and speaking with a slight lisp that seemed accentuated by his hard accent commanded "Paul Goldtooth, you will come with us."
Dougal dislikes displays of dominance and felt that a set of leather clad nihilists were nothing to be afraid of. So, for once he stood up to confront the strange man. "Who are you and what is your quarrel with this man?" Dougal asked trying to cover the charm and illusion he was weaving to put the men at ease.
"I am Van Hell Sink" the lead leather replied, as they dragged off Paul. These nihilists indeed did not believe in civil behaviour and rewarded Dougals magical efforts with a dagger through the right hand.
With one last effort Dougal tried to save his drinking buddy by trapping the abductors in a web, but failed to weave the spell with his right hand disabled. So he slunk off to ask Molly for healing and vowed vengeance.
The next morning we secured a boat for the travel downriver to Saffrange. A group of boats floated down the river each other, all having set off at a similar time. One such boat flew a flag of a landlocked city in the blue lands. Boring recalled that this flag belongs with a pirate group that hires out their boats for clandestine operations. At this Dougal perked up feeling the time for his vengeance approaching. The others, feeling from his telling of the tale and having seen his injured hand, were happy to help. So under the cover of night we attacked. Dougal used his magic to conceal himself and flew over to the pirate ship. To no surprise Van Hell Sink was on board, so Dougal slunk to the waters edge. He selected a piece of the hull large enough for Grungar to fit through and turned it into salt. Then returned to fetch the rest of the group. They coordinated an attack with Grungar and Molly breaking through the salt, and Smart David and Dougal casting down a confusing array of fire from above the ship. Thulsa was, much like he spend every day the past few weeks, tripping on some new substance he had acquired from the barge crew.
Grungar managed to find and retrieve Paul Goldtooth who was tied up in the hold of the ship together with a Beatrice, a halfling Van Hell Sink was recovering for his master "Otto". During the escape he and Molly finally attracted the attention of the leather clad assassins. A set of poisoned darts hit Grungar, and a less determined person would have fallen into the water. Grungar however pulled his whits together and made it to the riverside before passing out. More distractions by David and Dougal saw Grungar safe back aboard the barge, and they managed to avoid further notice on the travel to Saffrange. There Paul was happy to host them in his establishment in thanks for saving him. The Beatrice, happy to escape her family in Pueblo di Mesas decided to stay and take the job Paul offered her at the bar.
Once settled in at Paul's club he revealed to us that he was a wine vampire, and the hexads were angry at him skimping on his protection money. Van Hell Sink, in particular, also had a problem with his kind and therefor came after him. Otto Ask the leader of the green hexad, Van Hell Sink's boss is also his nephew. Paul also suggested that we talk to the ambassador of the Redland District here in Saffrange, she may have some more information for us. The ambassador loathed Otto Ask for the rumours surrounding his hedonistic home and how he treated women. She told us to get in touch with Asaundra, the Azure Mistress, in the Red Land District. She may be able to help us out. And together with her plot to overthrow Otto and place ourselves in control of the green hexad.
After an evening of scheming we find the next fast ship to the Red Land District, the Costly Greasecraft is about to disembark and happy to take us. Their mysterious captain only nods as we come aboard and that is the last time we seem him. The crew works efficiently and quietly as the craft sets out. We make easy progress for the first three days of our five day journey. In the twilight hours of the fourth day we looking the ocean, and the ocean looks back at us!
A huge tentacle emerges from the depths and hammers the boat. Thulsa and Sir Boring are thrown into the abyss while the rest of the party defend the hapless Greasecraft. In the depths Thulsa feel like he is in a strange dream, descending he sees the massive tentacles descending down. Following them he comes eye to eye with the Kraken. The beast stirs and Thulsa understands the invitation to battle. He draws his axe, but swings at the best ineffectually. Then the Kraken opens its beak and the water draws Thulsa in. At first he tries to resist, then he goes with his intuition. Thulsa swims into the maw of the Kraken, and as he does so like a light in the darkness he find his anger. As he is stabbed by the beasts steely tongue he flies into a rage. With the rage his magic returns to him with a deep thrumming the water quakes around him and the beast spits him out. Thulsa arcs up into the air and lands on the deck in the rigging. The beast disappears into the depths.
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