Sixth Session (7 page pdf) – “Arrival at Elf Island” (Warning, adult content) – A wereshark attack enlivens the voyage as the Champagne Morning and captured slave ship approach Dolenta Island. And then a hag coven attack. As they approach the island an irate whale sinks their yacht! And then bestial natives attack!
This is an action packed and chaotic session, where the PCs are trying to juggle two ships, a druggie wereshark stowaway, freed slaves, captive slavers, hostile castaways, angry fauna… It’s quite an effort just to get to Dolentla Island. They finally drag their broken yacht ashore after three combats already in the session.
And then it gets worse. They get attacked by the hawani, which are what people get turned into once they’ve fallen under the thrall of the resident, let’s be honest, tentacle-sex monster the elves imprisoned here. “This gaunt, feral humanoid has blood red eyes, leathery skin and wicked claws. It moves with a simian gait and has a mouth full of oversized, pointed teeth. Despite its monstrous appearance, it is not unimaginable that the creature may have been human at one time.” They are “monstrous creatures devoid of inhibition and possessing only the weakest self-determination. In simplest terms, a hawani is an impulsive being of pure violence and id” and only care about sex and violence, basically. And their bite can put you to sleep and expose you to the monster’s “Dark Dreams.” They try to carry off crew members, and are mostly thwarted except they get away with Melella! (Who also nearly died to the wereshark stowaway, it’s just not her week.)
Part of the group pursues. Part is left on the beach with three dreaming party members. Part is on board the Iron Bastion still. This division of their forces leads to even more severe problems next session.
Here we have a couple of our major end-campaign themes being brought up. The elves that dwelt on Hot Springs Island (where a lot of the end campaign will happen) were decadent druggies. This is one of their outposts. Oh, sure a Studio 54 lifestyle seems all glam but once it’s no longer tended, not so much. While this campaign is no stranger to adult themes, this marks a turning point where “sex and drugs” (and not so much the elves, who are all gone) is actually a significant villain. Though a villain they will work with from time to time…