Synopsis:

Session begins in the early morning of  November 15th.  It is mild and breezy with the wind blowing from the south.  There is a heavy sea fog that obscures everything until 8 AM.  As the fog lifts it reveals broken cloud cover with bits of blue sky showing through.

The party takes their leave from the good villagers of Fearnbeg who offered them hospitality the night before.  The party members board Rutlett’s ship and make ready to row out of loch Torridon into the sound of Sleat where they should be able to raise sail and ride the winds.  Several of the party members note the presence of extra barrels, casks and ropes on the deck of the ship.  Rutlett explains that these items are for use as emergency flotation devices if there is trouble.  Kieren checks the barrels and determines that they are in fact empty.

By 9 AM the party reaches the sound of Sleat and raises sails.  The winds and tides are favorable and the ship makes good time across the water.  As the voyage begins, several party members note that the ship is heading due west toward the shoals on the northern tip of the Raasay islands some 4 miles away.  The party had agreed to sail northwest around the Trotternish peninsula so Kieren and Rhyawdd demand to know what is going on.  They ask Malcolm, the helmsman, why they are headed west and he replies that he is following the captain’s instructions (Rutlett.)  Rutlett explains that wants to get a better look at the recent shipwreck on the shoals in case there are any survivors.  Kieren accuses him of  being greedy and wanting to salvage any treasure.  Kieren reminds Rutlett of the priest’s divination several days before.  The priest had cautioned that other ships could prove perilous on  the party’s present journey.

Rutlett dismisses Kieren’s concerns and claims that Mem has augured the potential for great rewards if the recently sunken ship is salvaged.  Malcolm iterates his warning to Rutlett the night before that new shipwrecks tend to attract all sorts of foul creatures  that desire treasure and fresh corpses.  There is further heated discussion between the party and Rutlett.  Grudgingly, Rutlett gives the order to change heading to the northwest to sail around the Trotternish peninsula.  The ships new course takes it within 400 yards of the shoals.  It is high tide, so very little of the shipwreck is visible on the rocks.  Rutlett does spy the tip of a ship’s mast jutting out of the water near some large rocks.

The rest of the morning’s journey passes without incident.  By mid-day the party reaches the northern tip of the Waternish peninsula..  The peninsula itself is notable in that much of if towers 50 to100 feet above the sea.  Instead of having sandy beaches on which to land, the coastline is terminated abruptly by shear cliffs and jagged rock towers that jut from the waters edge.  The party keeps well clear of the coastline during their passage.

As the party rounds the peninsula they enter a large gulf on the northern shore of Skye.  The gulf is formed by the Trotternish and Waternish peninsulas which project northward.  The gulf is 8-10 miles wide and deep, and in its center are a small group of flat, rocky islands.  The party is faced with a strong southerly headwind that will impede their sailing progress into the gulf.

Rutlett suggests continuing to sail west toward the islands or Waternish peninsula (MacLeod lands.)  Malcolm indicates that there are few favorable locations at either place to beach the boat for nightfall.   He suggests rowing due south to one of the sheltered inlets where the party can secure the boat overnight.

Once again there is a heated discussion between Rutlett and the other party members on   their course of action.  Kieren and the others want to secure the boat in an inlet to the south and then proceed overland into MacLeod lands to search for his daughter.  Rutlett wants to sail his boat to a port in MacLeod territory and begin searching there.  Dermid cautions that the MacLeods are not likely to welcome the party with open arms, but rather armed and openly hostile…  Ultimately, the party decides to head south and beach the boat in a sheltered inlet.

The party rows south all afternoon towards the coastline.  As night approaches they pass a small group of rocky outcrops in the water and enter an inlet with steep rocky coasts and cliffs.  Malcolm directs them to a small section of rocky beach between cliff faces.  He indicates that this is one of several secluded landings hidden in the inlet.  Fortunately for the party the high tide is nearly in and it assists them in entering the inlet that accesses the beach.  The party beaches Rutlett’s ship and pulls it ashore as far as they can.

The beach itself if no more than 150 feet across and opens to a steep wooded valley that angles upward to the southeast.  A small stream flows down the valley and empties into the inlet.  The party finds a campsite  in the woods near the beach.  Dermid and Kieren build a shielded fire from fallen wood for cooking and warmth.

During dinner the party discusses its course of action in the coming days.  Kieren and Rhyawdd say that they wish to travel overland to the MacLeod lands and stealthily search for Kieren’s daughter so as not to draw a lot of attention.  Dermid agrees with that plan and indicates that he can lead them to any MacLeod village that they want to search. Rutlett is less than enthusiastic about the plan because it means that his ship will need to be left behind.  Needless to say he is reluctant to leave it unguarded and that means that several party members will need to stay behind.  There is no resolution to the matter and the party decides to sleep on it.

The party sets watches and rests for the night.  During the night a heavy sea fog comes in and greatly reduces visibility.  As dawn approaches the sentries are alerted by the sounds of activity at their boat nearby.  Someone is looting the ship!

The sentries wake the rest of the party who hastily arm themselves for battle.  Cedric grabs a torch and he, Malcolm, and Dermid advance along the left side to flank the boat.  Liana uses her infravision to lead Joseph down the stream directly to the boat.  The rest of the party members gather around the fire as Mem blesses them for the coming battle.  Kieren casts control vapor so that he can control the sea fog as needed.

As Liana and Joseph near the ship they can hear a strange guttural tongue and heavy slapping footfalls.  Before the ship comes into view through the fog they hear a harsh monstrous cry of alarm and heavy footfalls headed their way.  A 9 foot tall figure looms before them.  It is a troll of sorts but none like either of them has ever seen.  Its head is elongated and filled with many extra razor sharp teeth.  Its upper body and arms are smallish for a troll while its legs are stockier and its feet are webbed.  The troll  reeks of fish and the sea.

Liana yells a warning to the rest of the party and engages the troll in combat.  Joseph casts a web spell in the direction of the boat to immobilize any trolls that may be advancing.  The sea troll (Scrag) bites Liana on the shoulder with it fearsome maw and inflicts a grievous wound to her.

The rest of the party members charge in the direction of Liana’s warning cry and battle with  the scrags is joined.  Rutlett advances to the ship and flips a continual light coin on deck to illuminate the area.  Kieren, Liothien, and Joseph rush to Liana’s aid to battle the scrag that she is fighting.  Rhyawdd rushes past Liana and through the webs around the ship to engage any other scrags that may be approaching.   Cedric, Malcolm, and Dermid are set upon by a scrag that charges from the darkness. The remaining party members advance to Rutlett’s ship to see what is happening.  Mem can hear scrags  struggling in the webs at the far end of the ship so he casts a soften earth spell in their direction to slow them down further.

Kieren and Joseph are able to swiftly dispatch the scrag that is attacking Liana.  Rhyawdd engages a scrag that is struggling in the webs around the ship and deals it a serious wound.  The scrag bellows in pain, which draws the attention of a second scrag that charges from the darkness to engage Rhyawdd. Cedric, Malcolm and Dermid exchange a several series of attacks with another scrag and ultimately dispatch it after Dermid slices off one of the creatures legs with one of his short swords.

Rutlett and Rolf rush forth to guard Cedric’s flank as still another scrag advances from the darkness.  Rutlett quickly kills the beast with  several mighty blows from his great axe.

Rhyawdd, who is now faced with two fearsome trolls decides to fall back to a more defensible position. He leaps backward over the railing of Rutlett’s ship and uses his elevated position on deck to engage his attackers.  Rhyawdd realizes that he is in trouble and yells for assistance.

Cedric hears his mentor’s cry for help and runs around the far end of the ship to flank Rhyawdd’s attackers.  Unfortunately, the beach in this area has been softened by Mem’s spell  and Cedric gets stuck in the muck.

Liothien sees another scrag charging from the direction that Rhyawdd went and rushes forward to attack it.  There is a heated exchange of attacks and Lio takes the worst of it.
Joseph sees that Lio is in trouble and draws forth his wand to attack the scrag.  Joseph’s wand unleashes a wicked lightning bolt that blasts the scrag and grievously wounds it.  Unfortunately, the lightning bolt also manages to hit Liothien as well as Cedric who is in the fog well behind both Lio and the scrag.  The lightning also sets alight the webs that engulf Rutlett’s ship and they quickly burn away.  Fortunately, neither the ship nor its stores catch fire from the burning webs.  Unfortunately, Rhyawdd is singed by the burning webs

Joseph's lightning bolt terrifies the remaining scrags who attempt to flee to the safety of the sea.  Rhyawdd and the dazed Cedric manage to kill one of the creatures before it escapes.  The scrag engaging Liothien and another at the back of the ship manage to escape.

Liothien partially regains his composure after the lightning attack and looks around to see who blasted him.  He takes note of Joseph and his wand and advances toward him menacingly.  Harsh words are exchanged between the two as Cedric appears from the fog.  Cedric notes what is being said and joins in with Liothien to chastise Joseph for nearly killing the pair of them with his magic.  Joseph’s rebuttal is that he was only trying to help Liothien, which he did because the scrag fled.  True enough notes the pair, but that hardly appeases them.

The party regroups and checks the ship and surrounding beach for any additional scrags.  All is clear so they set about burning the scrag bodies so that they will not regenerate.  Curiously, the bodies of the scrags show no signs of regeneration prior to burning.  Perhaps they do not regenerate like their land-bound brethren.  Rutlett and his team gather up the goods that the scrags were attempting to loot from his ship.  The goods are secured in their proper places on board the ship.

Kieren and Mem tend to the wounded party members and bring all back to full health.  Kieren uses the dragon amulet to heal all of the injured party members.  Mem cast 4 orisons to heal lesser injuries of the party.

The party returns to camp, sets its sentries, and resumes resting until daybreak.

November 16.  Morning arrives late  because of the heavy sea fog which obscures the sunlight. Near dawn a cold soaking rain begins to fall.  A strong wind blows from the southwest out of the inlet where the party is camped.  The  tide is coming in, and the combination of the in-rushing tide and strong winds creates huge swells and waves which crash into the rock faces on either side of the beach where the party is camped.  The fog lingers until after 10 AM and fades to reveal dark stormy skies to the west and southwest.

Malcolm surveys the skies and the sea and tells that party that it is unlikely that they will be able to safely sail out of the inlet today.  There is discussion amongst the party members about their course of action and once again Kieren and Rhyawdd state their desire to travel overland to the MacLeod lands.  Rutlett  can hardly argue the wisdom of this given the rough seas, but he states that he has no desire to abandon his ship here on the beach.  Liana reminds the party that she has a wand that can be used to manipulate earth and stone. The party considers her proposal and formulates a plan to secure Rutlett’s ship from looters.

The plan goes as follows:  Rutlett and the party remove whatever goods and provisions that they will need from the ship and prepare them for transport overland.  Liana uses her wand to create a 15’W x 8’H x 10’D passwall in the rock cliff face next to the beach.  The passwall is opened at the waterline which is high at the moment owing to the high tide.  Liana then uses her wand to transmute the rock beyond the passwall opening into mud (a 20’W x 20’H x 60’D chamber).  The mountain of mud is pushed out of the passwall opening using dig spells cast from Liana’s wand.  The crashing waves and rising tide waters quickly dissipate and remove the mud debris from the passwall opening.  Once the opening is cleared of mud the party members float the ship through the passwall opening and into the newly created chamber beyond.  Once the passwall spells dissipate (2 hours) the ship is neatly entombed inside the rock cliff face.  Rutlett makes certain to mark the cliff face appropriately so that his ship can be retrieved when it is needed.

The party implements the plan with some difficulties along the way, but they are able to successfully entomb Rutlett’s ship in the cliff.  It is well after midday before they are ready to leave their beach encampment and head overland.  The rain has continued to pour down all day and shows no sign of abating.  It looks like it will be a wet journey…

Session ends.

Map of Party's travels:

 
 Experience point awards and character status:

Liana Ashwood - Fighter/M-U
Total EP’s                1864
Spell point total:      32 / 32
Hit point total:         38 / 38

Kieren Urquhart – Ranger
Total EP’s                1864
Spell point total:     12  /12
Hit point total:        33 / 33

Joseph Kerr – Invoker
Total EP’s                1364
Hit Point total:        36 / 36
Spell point total:     34 / 34

Rhyawdd MacPherson – Rogue
Total EP's                1064
Hit  point total:       74 / 74

Cedric – Fighter
Total EP’s                 764
Hit Point total:        46 / 46

Rutlett Trollcrusher – Fighter
Total EP’s                1664
Hit Point total:       73 / 73

Homer Goodmead – Rogue
No EP’s awarded
Hit Point total:       15 / 15

Mem Hammerworker - Priest of Loki
Total EP’s                 1114
Spell point total:      11 / 18
Hit point total:         35 / 35

Rolf Trollsbane - Fighter
Total EP’s                   764
Hit Point total:         27 / 27

Liothien Snowhawk – Fighter
Total EP’s                  764
Hit point total:         75 / 75