In the year 21,306, Queen Hjeff reigns strong. From her suburbs, a Dragonborn infected by an abyssal energy in the womb and is turned into a Minotaur. Despite her affliction, Zafia excelled. She left Rei minoris and sailed the friendly tides on her ship the Cormu. She enlisted a Canus Pyromancer as her lookout, a bardic dwarf named Lars (master of his voice), a pale woman to tend to the crew named Crystal Craster and her good friend and strong ally Massam. A cowardly, yet immensely constitute frost giant Dreadnought. Later the crew was joined by the former generals Langderossa Cyanwrath and Rezmir. The crew all worked well together and efficiently. Once, whilst docked in a trading outpost, a great shadow in the water pulled every ship in the dock under the waves with ease and those who watched were haunted forever by the chaos they saw. Zafias crew were the only on the water who survived, the ship was ravaged and barely made it back to Rei minoris. Meanwhile, the lord commander of the Nameless Kingdom in Uild begins to plan a great voyage to uncover the secrets of the chaotic Nurod.
Vault of the Giants (1)
Nameless and Learned
Lord Commander Abies Nobilis and his apprentices; Krad Klim and Norman Scumbles, join the crew of the Cormu. They exchanged ship repairs for accompaniment on their planned exploratory voyage to Nurod. Captain Zafia accepted and was pleased with the repairs. The voyage began shortly after and the Cormu headed immediately west to engage in diplomatic discussions with the sea folk representatives for the friendly tides. The crew sought safe passage over the seas and were granted it. In payment, the crew pledged to return with a token of their appreciation before heading to their next envoy. The furthest charted location west was a small Dormani Embassy on the tropical island of Chult. There, the crew found a strange humanoid with legs thrice the appropriate size for his body who was guarding the registry of those who sought to head west. There was also a minor incident with a pair of giants that was quelled by Abies animating the figurehead of the ship 'Gammon', an awoken tree. This incident triggered a PTSD episode in Massam who was outcast from his tribe after accidentally killing his own brother with his ice boulder. After this, the crew sailed south and began to chart a mysterious and sinister island.
Vault of the Giants (2)
The Garden of the Abyss
Captain Zafia and a small landing party approach the island. There was little to say about it due to its changing nature. It seemed to be constructed of green stone in eldritch shapes and formless architecture ever changing to the eye. Curious the crew noticed included loud, low whistles (that seemed to be the result of air moving through the unusual structures, sightings of flames in the distance and tall humanoids and an archway. The archway was an immediate means of escape, however, it destabilised all those who used it until Zafia used it one too many times and forfeited her left hand. Krad Klim also suffered a particularly strong amnesia episode and the crew were forced to aid him in his escape from the island which was eventually achieved after Krad signalled the Cormu with a moonbeam. Massam was deeply distressed at the threat to his Captain and wasn't able to be comforted until he saw that she was recovering and Abies began his work on a prosthetic. During this time, Krad Klim satisfied his phylactery, Corrupter, with the blood of sea life. He and Abies concluded that Krads lapse in memory was due to Corrupter becoming thirstier due to the Death Curse on Chult.
Vault of the Giants (3)
Into the Vault
All were comforted after a clear and calm night under the moon. Zafia practised using her new wooden prosthetic, born from Abies' natural conjurative ability. The crew gathered for a meeting a short while after dawn and decided that the right way to proceed would be to return to Chult before re-challenging the garden of the abyss. On their journey back to Chult, they recorded seeing a flock of strange avian creatures flying west. The Dormani Embassy was looking tidier than usual. Tabaxi had set up stalls by the docks that Krad Klim restocked at, meanwhile, Abies and Massam shared hunting tips and Lars the bard, Rezmir and Langderossa engaged in a deep conversation with the long-legged book-keeper. Zafia, Massam, Krad and Abies decided to wander further than they had before and travelled to the settlement of Grovel, centre to Chult. Their journey was interrupted, however, by a feasting tyrannosaurus rex that proved most useful for revitalising Krad. In the settlement, Zafia and Massam attempted to gain information from a crowd of opium junkies. Abies used this time to investigate a gigantic and sacred tree in the city. Despite the overwhelming shadow energy over Chult, the scholars were able to use the tree to tap into the fey network and Krad (assisted by Abies sacrificing his strength) saw multiple visions that inspired them to return to the island. He saw the island, runes telling them to go back and a crowned skull with jewelled eyes. Abies had used his carpet of tripping to best the dinosaur and it proved useful still. On returning to the island, they found a gap in the incomprehensible architecture that looked like an arena. Inside was a concrete construction that guarded the path ahead. It seemed, however, that merely losing its footing was enough to render it incapacitated. The path ahead now lead downwards, and they followed it until Rezmir triggered a trap that launched a cannonball into her chest. Her ribs were visible below her armour and only a thin layer of flesh blocked vision of Rezmirs failing lungs. She was given emergency medical care and was evacuated back to the ship along with half of the landing party. Massam, Krad, Zafia and Abies continued to explore until they uncovered where they were. Carved in familiar runes on a great set of doors. The Vault of the Giants. Inside the door, before two forking corridors, a plinth supporting a ravaged tome stood. The party picked up The Book of Inevitable Truths.
