Session Overview
The party descended the deteriorating ladder into the caverns beneath Skyhorn Lighthouse, discovering a flooded chamber inhabited by hunter sharks. After defeating the aquatic predators, they found the missing merchant vessel Jade Lion moored in a hidden cove alongside treasure crates on the shore. Opening a set of double doors revealed twelve sailors from the Jade Lion’s crew, tied and showing signs of torture. Two eel folk guards fled to alert reinforcements, initiating combat with multiple eel folk hunters and a more dangerous eel folk scourge. As the battle raged, a human sailor was forced to complete a summoning ritual over an alabaster bowl, causing a massive water elemental to rise from the enchanted waters.
Fionn’s Journal Entry
[Written later, after the caverns. Trying to remember how it all started before everything went sideways. Ribs still hurt from the scourge’s bite.]
The ladder down was rotting. Salt air and time. Lumina caught herself when a rung snapped—her armor’s weight makes climbing treacherous. I just jumped. Why climb when you can cannonball? Much faster. We survived. The darkness below opened into caverns, water everywhere.
[Sketch of hunter shark with notation: “15-20 feet long, blood frenzy when prey wounded”]
Hunter sharks. Three of them, maybe more. They move like wolves but underwater—pack tactics, circling. One bit my leg when I was frog-shaped. Not pleasant. Corvin’s arrows through water, Tiffany’s colors lighting the dark. Lumina flew us both out using her gem magic. Smart. I can’t swim for shit.
Shore. Four crates. Trade goods—silverware, perfumes, jewelry. Worth maybe four hundred gold? Also a purple dress. Tiffany took it, said something about altering it for Lumina. Sweet gesture. There was a dagger too. Black hilt, worn but well-made.
[Simple drawing of ship with broken mast]
The Jade Lion. Found her moored in the cove, listing in dark water. One mast snapped. Two rowboats still tied. No movement on deck. No bodies either. Where was everyone?
Behind the doors. That’s where.
Twelve sailors. Tied in groups of four. Electrical burns across their skin—the signature lightning the eel folk use. Bruises. Malnourished. One looked so young. Maybe ten? Could this be Raph, the boy we’re looking for? Benji’s son? Just a child. How long were they down here?
Two eel folk were playing some violent game with coral pieces. Looked up when Lumina opened the door. Ran. Screamed that awful shrieking language. Then more came. Hunters with spears and knives. And the big one—the scourge. Different from the others. Claws instead of weapons. Teeth like daggers.
[Shakier handwriting starts here]
Changed into ape form. Thought: strong, durable, can hit things. Reality: missed most of my attacks. Combat is not my strength. Lumina held the line. Tiffany and Corvin shot from range. The scourge bit me hard—tore through fur and muscle. Still feel it.
At the back of the chamber: alabaster bowl carved into the floor. Four feet across, filled with water. A human sailor standing over it, chanting. Hands moving in patterns. He looked terrified. The eel folk scourge kept barking orders at him. Forcing him.
The water started swirling.
[This is where my memory gets fragmented. Pain does that. Will finish this when the elemental is dealt with and everyone’s safe. If we make it out.]
Attendees & Status
Present:
- Jinks playing Fionn (he/him) - Level 6 Firbolg Druid (Circle of the Land)
- Sidney playing Lumina (she/her) - Level 6 Dragonborn Paladin
- Erik playing Tiffany (she/her) - Level 6 Warlock
- Ryan playing Corvin Hootsprint (he/him) - Level 6 Owlin Ranger
- Justin as Dungeon Master
Discovered/Known Locations
- Flooded Caverns Below Lighthouse: Accessed via deteriorating ladder from hidden floor grate in storage room; approximately 20-foot drop from ladder’s end to water surface; 60+ feet of water depth in places; cavern ceiling rises 40 feet above water; dimly lit by party’s light sources
- Cavern Shore: Sandy beach area where water meets stone; four large wooden crates discovered here (similar to merchant ship cargo containers); connects to double doors leading to ritual chamber
- Ship Mooring Cove: Natural cave formation large enough to harbor the Jade Lion; connects to open sea through twisting passage that blocks direct sunlight; jagged rock walls; inhabited by multiple hunter sharks
- The Jade Lion: Merchant sailing vessel found moored in cove; listing noticeably in water; one mast snapped and missing; two rowboats still tied to ship; shows signs of violent boarding (scorched deck visible from shore)
- Ritual Chamber: Large damp cavern accessed through double doors; clusters of stalagmites throughout; nautilus shell symbols carved into floor tiles; alabaster bowl (approximately 4 feet diameter) carved into floor at southern end, filled with water; evidence of recent eel folk occupation
Key Events
- Party descended rusty ladder into flooded caverns; Lumina and Fionn both failed dexterity saves and fell partway, taking minor damage
- Corvin flew down safely carrying Tiffany after party members entered water
- Fionn wild-shaped into giant frog and jumped directly into water (cannonball splash)
- Three hunter sharks attacked party in the water
- Combat with sharks: one attacked Fionn for 19 damage; Lumina and Fionn took electrical damage when sharks exploded upon death
- Corvin killed one shark with two arrows (8 damage total); Tiffany killed another with Eldritch Blast (22 damage total)
- Remaining sharks eventually retreated to deeper waters after one was killed
- Party reached shore and discovered four large wooden crates
- Opened crates revealing 400 gold pieces worth of trade goods (perfumes, silverware, statues, jewelry, trinkets), worn black-hilted dagger, and purple dress with gold trim
- Fionn (perception 20) spotted the Jade Lion moored in cove through the darkness
- Tiffany discovered double doors set into cavern wall
- Party opened doors revealing semicircular chamber with 12 human sailors tied together in groups of four
- Sailors showed signs of electrical burns, bruising, and malnourishment
- Two eel folk hunters were playing violent game involving coral caltrops when party entered
- Eel folk fled through another door, screaming alert in their language
- Combat initiated with multiple eel folk forces entering from northern chamber
- Enemy forces: several eel folk hunters (spear/knife wielders), one eel folk scourge (claws/teeth, more dangerous), human sailor under duress
- Fionn wild-shaped into giant ape for combat
- Party engaged in multi-round combat with eel folk forces
- Eel folk demonstrated coordinated tactics, attempting to surround and gang up on strongest party members
- Eel folk exploded with electrical discharge upon death (10-foot radius, Dex save for half damage)
- Human sailor at back of chamber continued chanting over alabaster bowl throughout combat, clearly acting under coercion from eel folk scourge
- Session ended with water elemental rising from alabaster bowl as summoning ritual completed
Character History & Reveals
- Fionn: Demonstrated poor swimming ability despite being a druid (“I’ve learned from the dogs”); fell during ladder descent; wild-shaped into giant frog then giant ape; took significant damage from scourge’s bite attack; missed several attacks in ape form, acknowledging combat is not his strength
- Lumina: Fell during ladder descent due to heavy armor; used Gem Flight ability to fly herself and Fionn (as frog) out of shark-infested water; continued using Thunderous Smite in combat; maintained position near captured sailors, showing protective instincts
- Tiffany: Carried safely by Corvin during descent; maintained tactical positioning throughout; her Eldritch Blasts described as “vibrant 1960s Technicolor colors”; taking purple dress to alter as gift for Lumina (ongoing crafting project); proved most effective at range combat
- Corvin: Used flight ability extensively for tactical advantage; carried Tiffany down safely; killed sharks with precise archery; used Slayer’s Prey ability to mark priority targets; demonstrated understanding of hunter shark behavior and ecology
Important NPC Interactions
- Twelve Captured Sailors: Human crew members from the Jade Lion; tied together in groups of four using rope; showed clear signs of torture (electrical burns, bruising, malnourishment); appeared to have been captive for several days; one appeared very young (approximately 10 years old, likely cabin boy); remained bound and terrified throughout combat initiation
- Two Eel Folk Guards: Hunter-class eel folk found playing violent game with coral caltrops when party entered; immediately fled through northern door screaming alerts to allies; did not engage in direct combat with party
- Eel Folk Scourge: Larger and more dangerous than standard hunters; distinctive features include natural claws and prominent fangs instead of manufactured weapons; demonstrated leadership role, barking orders at human sailor; aggressive combat tactics including multi-attack (bite + two claws)
- Human Sailor (Ritual Caster): Young adult male forced to perform summoning ritual over alabaster bowl; showed visible signs of duress and fear; continued chanting despite combat occurring around him; successfully completed water elemental summoning spell at end of session
Loot Acquired
Party Treasure
- 400 gold pieces worth of fine trade goods from four wooden crates: bottle perfumes, silverware, statues, jewelry, various trinkets
Personal Acquisitions
- Tiffany: Purple dress with gold trim (one shoulder style, shawl-like design); plans to alter to fit Lumina as gift project
Notable Item Details
- Worn Black-Hilted Dagger: Found in crates; appears well-made but shows age/use; no obvious magical properties detected
- Trade Goods: Standard merchant vessel cargo; likely belongs to Jade Lion’s manifest; crates show signs of having been moved to shore (possibly by eel folk or waves)
Notable Quotes
Lumina: “I’m starting to wonder what those eel folk tasted like.” (Idle culinary thought expressed to party while examining defeated enemies; quickly discouraged by others)
Corvin: “How does such… curious is how much such monstrous creatures live in such a small pool of water. And multiple of them, no doubt. Curious.” (Observing the hunter shark population in the confined mooring cove with naturalist interest after combat)
Tiffany: “I found a door.” (Dry announcement after discovering the double doors while rest of party examined treasure crates)
Fionn: “We’re not alone.” (Warning party after spotting the Jade Lion and observing recent footprints in the sand leading between ship and doors)
Next Time
- Resolution of water elemental combat encounter
- Addressing the eel folk scourge and any remaining hunters
- Freeing the twelve captured sailors from the Jade Lion
- Investigating the alabaster bowl ritual site and nautilus shell symbols
- Determining fate of human sailor forced to perform summoning
- Searching the Jade Lion for Elder Forgoth’s package
- Discovering what happened to ship’s captain and why vessel was pulled to lighthouse
- Planning evacuation of rescued sailors through shark-infested waters
- Potential interrogation of survivors about eel folk activities and nautilus cult
Meta-Session Information
- Combat Status: Multi-round combat in progress when session ended; water elemental summoned as cliffhanger; party has defeated some eel folk but scourge and potentially other enemies remain
- Hunter Shark Mechanics: CR 2 beasts; 15-20 feet long; Blood Frenzy ability (advantage on melee attacks against wounded creatures); explained by DM after Corvin’s nature check (natural 20)
- Eel Folk Tactics: Demonstrated organized military structure; attempt to gang up on strongest-looking party members (targeted Lumina); explode with electrical damage upon death (10-foot radius, Dexterity save DC unknown, approximately 6-10 lightning damage)
- Environmental Hazards: Swimming without swim speed costs double movement; water is murky with limited visibility; electrical explosions don’t seem to harm other eel folk
- Wild Shape Usage: Fionn used both giant frog (for water mobility) and giant ape (for combat strength/durability) forms during session
- Rescue Mission Progress: Located Jade Lion and its crew; rescue objective in sight but not yet completed
- Table Notes: Session featured environmental exploration, underwater combat, and began major combat encounter that will continue next session; party now has clear objective (free sailors) but faces significant opposition