The feel of crossing through the magical canvas is a lot more like stepping through a doorway than the group expects. The sudden change in surroundings from the cacophony of open conflict to the serene ocean scene comes as something of a surprise.
The sun has set only recently, and the western sky still retains a deep, effusive, blue radiance that softly illuminates the clifftop. To the west, beyond perhaps a mile of open sea, a coastline sprawls to the north and south as far as the eye can see, and a small city slowly lighting up from within, nestles around its own natural harbor. Closer to the cliff, an old galleon rests at anchor, silhouetted against the reflections of twinkling stars.
The refreshing smell of fresh pine in warm air comes from behind. A forest covers a gentle rise leading up into the interior. Close by, a menhir (read standing stone) perhaps twenty five feet tall and rough hewn, stands unimpressed by the new arrivals. To the north, a cliffside path wends its way down to a beachhead that is illuminated by a distant bonfire.
Our heroes choose to investigate the bonfire, and make their way cautiosly down to the beach. The bonfire is 'guarded' by a single sailor who is quite obviously into his cups. With little pressure, you learn that Peter is a member of the crew of yonder ship. A ship captained by Captain Branagan, a fellow that Trollish knows to be something of a rogue. He tries to share his trove of rum as he tells you that the rest of the crew have headed off to the haunted fortress to seek treasure.
Our band of heroes split up, Torkaboo and Shekan take one of the launches and head off to explore the galleon. The rest of the gang head with Peter up into the island to discover the whereabouts of the crew, a crew that has been 'missing' for three days.
Talkabou and Shekan board the galleon and begin their search. The captain's cabin seems like a good place to start. They hammer their way through the lock and Shekan enters. Disturbing images, have been scribed, painted, scrawled on the walls. floors. ceilings, furniture and any other visible surface. The images have an unpleasant effect on the Desertling and he quickly runs from the room, his mind filled with horrific demonic visions. After some mental bolstering the gnome and the desertling manage to go into the room without screaming in terror. Between them they discover that the captain, or the painter, had some idea that there was something important on this island, a weapon, an object of power, fabulous treasure of some kind. The images also seem to have something to do with the plague demon and his sweeping dominion over Ekulon, Flamekeep and the land's to the north. Shekan sees the demon being slowed, even held back by someone holding out their hand. Torqabew goes and investigates the ship's holds. She discovers enough weapons, armor and supplies to maintain an army. She also discovers some interesting treasures, a box full of shuriken, a dissassembled set of nunchaku, and a six foot long burrowing millipede that quickly goes on the attack.
Shikan and Torkabou do manage to thwart the slithering beast but only after slicing up much of the rigging on the forward mainmast. Feeling that they have learned enough or done enough damage, they go back to shore to find their companions.
Meanwhile, the rest of the group make their way up the vale and to the ancient elven fortress. It becomes quickly evident that many of the crew met a quick and brutal death. As they move deeper into the grounds of the castle, they are unsuccessfully ambushed by a band of skeletons. Euthic uses his holy powers to force them to his will. They approach the main keep. As they do so, the ruins of the upper floors of the keep shift as if something underground stirs. They see the remains of most of the rest of the crew; these bodies are strewn about the dark entrance of the castle and look like they have been mauled by huge claws. A cautious approach brings on a sweeping attack by a huge skeletal clawed paw. The heroes realise that whatever is in the keep must enter from somewhere else. They leave Peter to keep the attention of the creature by throwing rocks and go in search of another way in.
Circling the keep , they come to the edge of a steeply sloped dune. They slide down and find the expected large entrance into the lower levels of the keep. The edges of the hole look as if they have been burrowed away to allow something to gain entrance. They make their way down to the passage and soon see the shifting tail of the creature. Its spiked and scaled bones suggest that it is some kind of undead lizard, perhaps even a dragon of some size. After careful deliberation and some testing, the group come up with an ingenious plan. They send one of Euthic's skeletal servants to douse the heart of this creature with the 'holy' blood of Illiana. It works, the bloods pure and chaotic effects seem to cause the undead creature to go into some kind of seizure. The creature shakes and then vibrates until it comes flying apart at the joints. Bone shards strike the slower of the group, but no one comes to any serious harm.
With the beast dead, the group goes hunting around the beast's burrow for loot. This creature has obviously had many years, perhaps even centuries to collect these treasures. There are large amounts of gold here and magical artefacts as well. As our band of heroes go about exploring and studying their new found wealth, Peter comes sliding down from the keep entrance, he tells them that he remembers now that his last name is Branagan. Soon after, Tockabuu and Shekan rejoin the group.
The heroes may have found the tools to complete their heroic quest and perhaps a base of operations, and a ship too.
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