Session 14 (The Pirates of Atlas)

 

"Session 14"
The Pirates of Atlas episode
Episode no.	Episode 14
Original air date	November 5, 2023 (2023-11-05)

"Session 14" is the fourteenth session of the campaign The Pirates of Atlas.

Synopsis

As the crew continues their fight on the ship, Lockwood, on horseback, slays the last of her enemies. Vidro watches in horror as Durgl appears lifeless on the ship deck. Time suddenly stops as Death returns and says there has been change of plans. Death informs the crew that Pravuil, Vidro, and Lockwood must be whisked off and explains that he received these directives from the angels above. They are struck by a sleeping spell. Vidro pretends to sleep as he is immune to such spell but must pretend under threat of Death. Three days pass.

Vidro is the first to come back to his senses after the three days elapse. During this time, he was counting how many seconds were passing. He finds himself in the medical bay. He sees that Pravuil is also in the medical bay, this time not as a doctor but as a patient himself. He notices that Reyen is holding one of Pravuil's medical books. In Pravuil's slumber, he has a vision. Pravuil hears a chant, soft in the distance, a holy choir that fills his soul with purpose, with warm feeling of relief, a weight lifted off of his shoulders. As he slowly gains vision, he sees within a town filled with residents. He sees an obscure building, at first blurry in its sight, but as the holy music gets louder, it becomes clear in its view and finds a midnight blue sky, torches lit up in the church. He notices robed men walking about with scepters. He then hears a voice, "Come find me." He then wakes up.

Reyen, holding a syringe, sees Pravuil is awake and gives him the syringe, greeting him. Pravuil immediately plunges the syringe into his own chest. Unfortunately, the syringe is filled with poison. Pravuil quickly rummages through the cabinets for an antidote. Lockwood wakes up as well, briefly believing she has met her death. Reyen brings them all back up to speed as to what has transpired. They have been at sea for three days.

Vidro steps outside to the mess hall and sees the other members of the crew. Cannoneer sees him and welcomes him. The crew assembles over for lunch. Reyen gives her an onyx-emblazoned letter. She opens it up and at first, it is empty but then scarlet-lit glyphs begin to appear. She hears a voice in her head. It is Fae from the Ruby Court. Lockwood is to be assigned a mission. The Ruby Queen wants Lockwood to talk with the Blairwinds but warns her that it will be a dangerous mission as they can be ruthless. They live in the town of Parakis, a town next to Winestead. Lockwood accepts the mission. She convinces them that they must go to Parakis due to Ruby Queen's orders. Reyen teleports them to a teleportation circle in Atlas. They are then whisked to a teleportation circle in the Library of Atlas.

As they walk around the library, they notice a group of wizards reading and carrying books. Vidro goes to the bathroom to put on a disguise. Lockwood goes to talk to the receptionist and she finds a new person, Mortima, at the front desk. Vidro changes into his disguise and notices that there are light footsteps coming into the stall he is in next to him. Vidro readies one of his weapons but continues to change. Suddenly, a voice whispers. "Are you Ryul?" He asks who is the person asking. The person asks him if he has heard "Tulip". He gets his weapon ready but the voice tells him to stop because they have been posted here for three days and they have been on the lookout for them. However, someone else informed them to simply give Vidro a letter and to leave him alone. They listened to her and decided to not harm Vidro. They then leave the letter and leave. Vidro takes a moment to ease his nerves. He then goes into the stall which the voice was in and discovers the enveloped letter which has no visible glyphs or marks in it. He opens it and uncovers just one word: "Parakis", and a white feather falls out onto his hand.

He steps out of the stall and sees a fat janitor tell him if Vidro was the one stinking up the restroom. Vidro denies it and leaves. He returns with his crew and they step out of the library, into the streets of Atlas. Vidro tells Lockwood that he also now has business in Parakis. As they continue, they notice a rowdy crowd and people acting in a panicked manner. They hear Markello cry out as child thieves steal his goods from his shop. Lockwood intervenes and grabs the crates away. Vidro notices that there is a larger presence of guards in the area and that there are a dozens of guards patrolling in the alley adjacent to theirs. He notices that the guards here appear to be more confrontational and aggressive.

Lockwood catches up with Markello, returning his wares and he welcomes her. She asks how he has been and he says, not good, and invites her in to explain why. As they go inside and he places the wares back and offers her a cup of hot chocolate, he asks how Lara has been. Lockwood lets him know that she is doing well. She asks how the boy she had placed under Markello's care has been and says he has been sent off to the Navy to fight in the war against the Blight. Lockwood explains her business back in Atlas as they are seeking for a wizard who is capable of sending them closer to Parakis. Markello tells her a place where she could find some wizards but warns them about the checkpoints throughout the city by the military. Markello tells her that in Atlas, a new martial law has been declared where all wares are to be bought by the Army at their prices. Businesses can only make even when they sell their goods to the military. With the new restrictions, it can only be bypassed if they are considered a citizen. Markello says that the Parliament has passed a new law to distinguish civilians from citizens. Civilians have lesser rights than citizens. Those who wish to be citizens are to be compelled and conscripted into military service. Days after this law, rebels began to attack, thus necessitating stricter security lockdown measures by the Navy. Lockwood decides to investigate and figure more about this rebel organization.

Pravuil heads into a wareshop. He notices that the prices have been drastically gouged. He asks why the prices have increased and the shopkeeper explains and rants about the political and economic circumstances have caused this.

Vidro notices a family being searched by soldiers under command of the First Lord. Vidro decides to imbue a pebble with a strongly-scented odor and leaves behind a smoke bomb into the streets. He throws the pebble. People panic and disperses, trampling over one another. The guards, holding onto the father, are distracted by the sight of the dispersing crowds, but continue to restrain him. Vidro, now invisible, casts heat on one of the guards. The guard starts noticing his breastplate heating up and panics, taking it off. The other guard tries to help him. The family, unhanded, run away into the alleyway. Vidro decides to follow them. He notices that they head off into a latched basement door and the father does a special knock as they go inside. Vidro tries to memorize the sequence of the knock. After they head in, the doors slam lock.

Lockwood inquires how to obtain citizenship and is informed she must head to the city towers.

Pravuil and Lockwood notices the smoke bomb. Vidro sees them both and decides to cast a message to Pravuil. He informs him to meet him northwest in an alleyway. The crowds grow more and more panicked. They meet up and start catching up after Lockwood. As they make their way further down, they notice the crowds are getting less rowdy. They meet up and discuss about the situation in Atlas, including the apparent resistance.

Vidro tells them that he believes he knows where the alleged rebels may be located. He tells Pravuil to follow him. Lockwood says she will meet them up later as she must go on to the towers to investigate and obtain citizenship.

As Lockwood approaches the towers, she notices it is heavily fortified and filled with guards. These guards however, are not dressed in the typical Atlantean uniform, but are in fact, dressed clad in metal, black feathers, and red robes. She notices two commanders and immediately is able to tell that there are high in the chain of command, and recognizes one of them as a guest at the Ruby Queen's banquet, and remembered that he had a confrontation with Vidro. She sees a line of citizens walking forward towards the military formation, angered.

Vidro and Pravuil push through the crowd and make their way to the alleyway. They hear the crowds chanting and marching. They see people wounded and even killed, and the commoners are furious. Pravuil notices people trying to tend to one another's wounds. Pravuil, with a sense of duty, decides to assist as he is a doctor. Vidro decides to also help and sets up a makeshift tent for patients.

Lockwood demands to speak to the First Lord. A voice addresses her as a civilian to back up and will be arrested if she does not leave. She defies the order, steps back, and then prepares to activate one of her weathering spell. Suddenly a voice pierces through her head and a set of eyes in her vision. The voice says that if she is willing to fight, he is willing to cast bloodshed of the innocents. He tells her if she is able to have the civilians stand down and back up, then she may have an audience with him. She decides to accept this offer.

Pravuil and Vidro continue tending the wound and the healed thank them. Pravuil tells them to thank the Lord who had sent him to care for them.

Lockwood grabs the crowd's attention and implores them to stand down to avoid bloodshed but that she shares their anger. The crowd roars with mixed feelings. Among the crowd is an Atlantean guard who says that the mercenaries before them are not Atlantean and that he did not sign up for them to lord over them. She is able to persuade the crowd to stand down as she continues her impassioned plea.

Vidro and Pravuil, as they are helping the wounded, meet a harengon who asks if he may assist. They accept. Shortly after, a blonde-haired woman approaches them and says she is a cleric and asks if she may help as well. They accept and they form a larger group to help the wounded.

Lockwood demands her audience with the commander and she is allowed through. As she walks past them, she notices the soldiers shoulder-to-shoulder.

Vidro ignores the harengon who tries to make small talk with him. Pravuil and the cleric experience a moment of difference over theology as she notices his magic is red and he tells her which god he serves. When she tells her she belongs to a henotheistic faith of a large pantheon, Pravuil accuses her as a heretic and a heathen. Suddenly, Pravuil and Vidro are tapped on the shoulder by a thick-coated, eyepatched monster hunter. He tells them that his people would like a word with them and that his people will tend them. He informs them that their leader would like a word with them. They are led through a tunnel filled with all classes of people mingling about. They see three people who seem to be relatively important in status and two others.

One of them, an iron-clad woman with a large warhammer slams down the table and argues with one of the others. The old monk tells them they must be wise and careful when they fight. The headhunter introduces Vidro and Pravuil to them. They hear as the group continues to debate tactics and strategy. They explain the Grand Admiral is absent to fight the war in the Blight while the Queen has been suppressed, leaving the First Lord and his sycophants in Parliament in power. They need to obtain the secret ledger that contains the names of all of the members of Parliament who initiated the new regime and martial law. Vidro gives them valuable information on a family in Flairwind that may help them gather intel in Atlas.

They learn that there are rebel groups not just in Atlas, but ones in Apolis, Flairwind, and Parakis. The orc says they need to unite these rebel groups as one but the main issue is that Atlas has been on lockdown, making communication with these groups hard to do. The group further explains the hardship the people of Atlas have suffered since the martial law was imposed.

Lockwood ascends the spiral staircase and notices guard upon guard upon guard as she makes her way up towards the commander's chamber. She is met by a guard who informs her she must surrender her weapons and be handcuffed to avoid casting any spell. She agrees to surrender her weapons but does not wish to comply with the demand to be handcuffed. She questions why the First Lord would be so worried about his own safety against her and to renege on his honor to allow her to meet him at equal standing. They insist it is for matters of safety and that she will have to make do with a blade next to her neck. They then escort her in where she meets the First Lord Tarren himself.

Lockwood demands to know what is the meaning of all the carnage in Atlas. He explains that he wishes for Atlas to stop fighting and that it is in the middle of a two-front war with the Blight and the Stormlord. He says it is his duty as the First Lord to recruit people to die in a war he does not know even exists. He says he knows full well the guilt as he tells parents that their sent-off sons and daughters are still alive. He continues to comply nonetheless at the order of Parliament and to protect the walls. He however has questioned why he is sending civilians off to their deaths. He is skeptical of the Blight and the purpose of any war. He says he imposed martial law to give purpose to "war" and to bring people back to the city. He disagrees with the commandship of his fellow Second Lord Haru. Lockwood is baffled by the seeming sheer incompetence at the high level of Atlantean leadership.

First Lord Tarren continues to explain his rationale behind martial law and his desire for the people of Atlas to live. He says all he may control is order, not policy. He disagrees with the policy but he is doing what he is allowed to do to save lives. He says he does not have authority to recall soldiers back to avoid their almost certain deaths. The spartans outside are not the First Lord's men and are contracted by an outside army with Parliament.

Lockwood and the First Lord have a heated discussion as there seems to be a misunderstanding between them.

The private army outnumber Atlas 20-to-1 and those who remain are untrained, while the rest of the Atlantean military are far-off in distant lands. Lockwood tries to suggest a solution in her perspective but the First Lord disagrees, saying her plans are suicidal.

The First Lord explains he has been the one ensuring the resistance is not to be snuffed out in order to prevent more deaths. After they have said their peace, the meeting is over.

Lockwood is then escorted out and as she makes her way out of the streets, she is met by the headhunter from the resistance, who leads them to her crewmates.

There, they are in agreement to join the resistance and to go after the Parliament. They agree to assemble an all-star team composed of different squads for each major town in the Atlantean Empire. They are to reach out to each of the towns' resistance groups. They have one week to execute the mission or the group will storm the gates of Atlas to take hands into their own hands from Parliament. They form the resistance group formally, name pending.

Pravuil and Vidro then are teleported to Parakis to reach out to the resistance group there. They are led through a tunnel to a teleportation circle. They notice they are underneath the bustling streets of Atlas and as they walk, Vidro understands mentally to keep track of the distance of how far they go through the tunnel, he knows that they are near the harbor. As they descend further down, they notice low-quality armored guards. They go through a trapdoor and hear the sounds of a tavern above. They are introduced to the group's court mage. Their escort asks if they need anything before they depart to Parakis. They say they do not. They then enter the tavern and the butcher greets them in the Salty Shores Tavern and are instructed to sit by a corner table with a red napkin there.

As they sit, a server places down plates of food and tells them that the food is on the house. Vidro inspects the food and purifies it, and determines that it is not poisonous. Pravuil prays during Vidro's purification process. After eleven minutes, they start to eat. A caned gentleman sits next to them and then they hear a voice in their heads. This man tells them that they cannot see the court mage but they can see them. He tells them that they are to be agents sent to Parakis. He informs them that the resistance group is located in a church there and that although the crew has their back, they cannot help them immediately, but if they do this, the Queen will be them. He tells them that the Queen has been secretly imprisoned and that Parliament is responsible for this. He tells them that Parakis is a remote village, relatively isolated. However, it is Atlas's breadbasket, responsible for most of the empire's agriculture. He tells them that one of his old teachers, Zetis, is a point of contact they must meet when they arrive to Parakis. Vidro requests the man to cast a sending to Reyen Goldscribe, to let him know and the rest of the crew that Pravuil and Vidro are safe. The man then sends the casting. Reyen indirectly responds back that they may do what they must do, reminding them that they are still months from the Wildlands. They are then informed to hold hands, click a ring given to them, and be ready to be teleported. A bright blue light flashes and they are then teleported to Parakis.

They then smell the scent of grain and earthy dirt. They find themselves surrounded by beautiful forestry with wildlife in abundance, including birds and deer. They see in the distance a quaint village with white-colored walled buildings and merchants milling about. They take a moment to appreciate the landscape's beauty before they head towards the village of Parakis. Vidro casts Phantom Seed and suddenly, a black phantom horse is summoned. They then ride the horse. Pravuil casts a Death Ward on Vidro as a safety measure.

Featured characters

Player characters

• Akula (absent)
• Anradeem Pravuil
• Durgl (absent)
• Jué Zosteif (absent)
• Ryul Vidro
• Serena Lockwood
• Maren (absent)
• Willem (absent)