Season 5: Escape From Mokomoko
Ep. 1 Confluence
Deep within the emerald embrace of Mokomoko's tropical jungle, where the swift-flowing Arowana River kisses the meandering Whisperwind Stream, lies the village of Tangleknoll. Brandor's village. As the party followed the river towards the village, they saw the remnants of a wrecked ship on the opposite bank of the Arowana. A ship that very much resembled the Horizon's Edge.
When they arrived at Tangleknoll, they were met with at first cautious curiosity but then a warm welcome. They were given apples, apple pie, apple cider and comfortable lodging.
The next morning a ship arrived. The Palamino. Elowyn confidently strode towards it, smugly bidding the party farwell. Drongforth summoned a magical mist on her. There was a sound of a scuffle and Elowen emerged nursing a bruised face. A tall figure was striding forth just a silhouette in the mist.
"Hello boys"
It was Jenny Haddock, new captain of the Palamino. She told them that leaving the island was impossible die to the persistent mist that surrounded it.
The party set out in the palamino in an attempt to investigate this. Every time they entered the fog, they would eventually find themselves returning to the island. Upon returning to Tangleknoll at sunset, a blood curdling scream pierced the twilight...
Ep. 2 This was no boating accident
Along from the harbour was what the locals call the beach where smaller canoes and skiffs. A body had washed up on the shore. A small crowd was forming and the mayor was already in attendance insisting that it was a boating accident. Jenny Haddock recommended that they bring the body on board The Palamino for inspection.
The examination was difficult even for an old sea dog like Jenny Haddock. A glass of rum took the edge off. She came to a clear conclusion: "this was no boating accident"
The team split with Venrika, Alara and Grok staying with Jenny to guard the ship. The others headed up the river to investigate.
They came upon a deserted wooden fort once a place where Brandor played as a child. But now wrecked, pitted and scarred. The remains of an unfortunate kenderkin lay in the fort. Eep climbed to the top of the fort and spotted smoke rising from the village.
As they arrived back, they saw a band of lizardfolk soldiers roughing up villagers in the town square and searching through the buildings.
Drongforth used an illusion of Grok to lead away 3 of the lizardmen. Zalaskar activated the Stone of Astra and teleported to the opposite side of the square. Eep trapped a lizardman with her whip. Garet charged the lizard men and hit one with his magic sword, Eejay, which turned out to be a talking sword.
Once most of the lizardmen were felled, the remainder fled the field leaving just one trapped in the grip of Eep's whip.
Ep 2. Interrogation
The lizardman warrior, while trapped in the grip of eep's magic whip, was compelled to answer her questions. She found out that he was one of a hunting party led by Ste-a Dach Rakka, sent by King Zarn to find those who had penetrated Sanctuary.
Brandor suggested they release him and follow him. Upon doing this he headed to the harbour district. As they followed, Eep got picked off by something dashing from a side street. A few moments later the same happened to Zalascar.
They followed the lizardman onto the Palamino which was creepy and deserted. Below decks they found Venrika bound and held hostage by a large armoured lizardman and 3 lizard man warriors.
The warriors caused little problem but the captain proved more difficult. Garet took a near fatal blow that left him bleeding out on the deck. Once the captain was vanquished, drongforth used his last healing potion to revitalise him.
Ep. 3 A Day At The Regatta
Eep and Zalaskar escaped a band of lizardmen. They hid with the Harbour Street Gang and captured a lone lizardman warrior who was carrying Venrika's staff.
They met up with the rest on the Palamino and returned Venrika's staff. No sign of Grok.
The next morning a new ship arrived, The Muzzled Buzzard. The Harbour Street Gang rushed to see it dock. A taller than average Halfling strode confidently down the Gang plank. He introduced himself to the party as Dread Pirate Roberts. He was there for the Midsummer day Regatta.
After a round of rum, they all met with the Mayor to discuss the regatta. He was insisting the river was safe but conceded that it was worth trying out Roberts idea of blockading the river with fishing nets.
They needed 100gp to get Jenny to agree to them using the Palamino as part of the blockade. Zalaskar made quite an impression on the mayor and got the funding.
As they set to work putting the blockade in place, an artist was sketching Zalaskar. The next day at the opening ceremony for the Regatta, the mayor unveiled a painting of Zalaskar in a heroic pose.
The party manned the blockade while small boats with colourful sails raced up and down the river. Eep saw it first. Upstream from the blockade, fins cutting through the water straight towards the Palamino. Suddenly, a huge black beast emerged from the water, huge bat-like wings unfurling. It cruised straight overhead, looking so close that you could just reach out and touch it. A black dragon!
Eejay: A twenty footer!
Jenny: Thirty. All 6 tonnes of her!
The dragon dived on one of the boats and disappeared beneath the surface. A few seconds later it emerged flew in a wide arc and re-entered the water upstream.
The flotilla was in chaos, boats veering in panic towards the beach. As they landed, family members searched frantically for their children or husbands one by one leaving the beach until there was one lone mother left calling out for her son...
Ep. 4a Kidnapped
Grok woke in a cart being led through the jungle, his hands bound. Then was led to a clearing and dumped in front of the lizardking, Zarn, who was handed Grok's axe, Deimos. Zarn ordered that Grok "pull and carry".
Grok escaped when he felt the presence of Deimos. When he reached out to it, it flew from King Zarn's grip and into Grok's hand. When Grok hit one of the guards with the axe, both of them turned and fled in panic. Grok fled and escaped across the Whisperwind stream to the safety of the town of Tangleknoll.
Ep 4b. My Son is Dead
After a night of drinking all the beer in town, the party exited the great hall and Brandor saw a women and a man, kenderkin from Backwater slowly approaching. Brandor didn't know them well. The backwaters kept themselves to themselves but he was pretty sure it was Florence and Beetle Backwater.
Florence Backwater: Chief Shaman Brandor?
Brandor: yes
<SLAP>
Florence Backwater: you knew there was a monster in the water. You knew all these things and yet still my son is dead.
As the backwaters left, Brandor was given little time to reflect before he heard from across the Whisperwind Stream, the sound of drums.
Across the water they saw an army of lizardfolk assembling. They could hear a chant:
Mokomoko. Mokomoko...
As the drums reached a crescendo Something large shot out of the water. The black dragon! It circled once then landed gracefully in the ranks if the lizardmen.
Mokomoko. Mokomoko. MOKOMOKO!
The dragon let out a great roar.
Ep.5 Days of Future Past
Work began on building the town defences. Brandor suggests going to to the stream to see better asses the situation. As they progressed down a narrow street towards Backwater, a crossbow bolt narrowly missed Alara. They saw a hooded assassin in a window above. The next bolt hit Alara who reacted with a wild blast of scorching magic fire which damaged the building and the assassin jumped to the streeet and fled. Rubble separated the party and Zalaskar pursued the assassin followed by Garet, Eep, Alara and Venrika.They found themselves in a dark underground room. Tunnels led out to the surface where they saw a ruined city. Venrika's Stonecunning told her that the stone was similar to the type used in Aethelgard.
Out of the mist came a figure.
"What are doing out in the open! It's coming"
Another 5 figures followed at a more steady pace, shooting crossbow bolts into the mist.
A beam of energy shot from the mist and hit the first man, leaving him moving bin slow motion. Another beam hit a wall. It glowed for a second then disappeared, and the rest of the building collapsed.
Out of the mist they could now see the silhouette of a large round ball, floating, with tentacles sprouting from the top.
They ran and took cover down a side street.
"Psst. Loser. Over here."
Eep saw the assassin hiding in the rubble on the opposite sidebif the street. Now the penny dropped. It was not Elowen's mother. It was Elowen herself, but much older. They had travelled in time.
They followed Future Elowen but Eep got hit by a magic beam, slowing her. Garet came to assist her but zapped by a sleep ray. Now it was Eep who had to carry Garet. Venrika reversed the slowing effect by using time magic from her staff and they followed Elowen down a hidden hatch.
Ep. 6 It Can't be Bargained With. It Can't Be Reasoned With
The party followed Elowen through underground passages. They saw dusty, raggedy, desperate survivors in makeshift living areas, and then through into a planning room with a large map on a table.
A cry went out from the previous room. Dark clad goblins swarmed into the room.
"Hunters!"
The hunters were quickly despatched but one of them blew a whistle and more showed up. Again battle ensued. At the next whistle, part if the ceiling glowed then disappeared. Down through the hole floated the large tentacled eye.
"Run" shouted Elowen.
They ran down more corridors. Elowen spoke into a mirror in a creepy voice.
"Zalaskar..."
A misty image of a face of a gnarled, blue scaled dragon born appeared in the mirror.
"We are at Drongforth Station. We need to see her."
A magic doorway appeared. Going through they found themselves in a well appointed chamber decorated with artwork and a expensive looking woven rug. Zalaskar sat wearily on a grand looking chair. Elowen took then through to another chamber, this one with a crystal throne on which sat future Venrika.
Someone asked what they should do about the dragon.
"Having knowledge of the future can be extremely dangerous," said future Venrika. "Elowen I expressly forbade you from travelling back in time. You cannot rewrite history, not one sentence!"
"I'll tell you what to do then" said Elowen. But as she spoke, Venrika gestured and silence fell. Elowen's mouth moved by no sound was emitted. Eep managed to lip read it as "You fucking time witch! Who made you queen? I'll rip your <remaining transcript censored>"
"Take her out of here."
Out of the shadows appeared a large orc with a scar on his face and an eye patch. He grabbed Elowen and removed her from the chamber.
Future Venrika held her staff and concentrated. the gem glowed bright green and reality melted away...
They found themselves back in the warehouse in Tangleknoll. Drongforth burst in.
"I'm here" he said, clearly out of breath. "and not a moment too soon." He dramatically ignited flame from his hands and stood in an action pose.
Ep. 7 Who I am is where I stand
A boat arrived from across the Whisperwind Stream. On board was a squad of especially large Lizardmen, clad in dark armour. Accompanying them was Grimwald the Gaunt. He brought an ultimatum from King Zarn. Surrender by the crack of dawn, or die.
Grimwald and the Lizardmen returned to the far side of the river. Captain Jenny stood on a crate and delivered speech in favour of leaving.
"...To charge it now, with our brave hearts, would not be heroism; it would be a **sacrificial folly**. A glorious end, perhaps, for a few, but an utter, devastating loss for all we hold dear."
Alara had a different opinion:
"I do what I do because it's right. Because its decent. and above all because its kind... If we leave now people are going to die... Who I am is where and stand. and where I stand is where I fall. Stand with me."
The group was split but eventually a sort of plan was formulated: infiltrate the lizardman camp and assassinate King Zarn".
Ep.8 How Not To Be Seen
The Dread Pirate Roberts had got two boats ready. Alara produced a small crystal sphere and conjured a thick fog. The party crossed the river, heading for the far right of the lizardmen camp.
Brandor cast Pass Without Trace, and the party approached the camp, travelling through difficult jungle terrain.
They bypassed a lookout in a tree and entered the camp.
Two small huts contained sleeping lizardmen warriors. A larger hut was guarded by two armed guards who dozed at their posts.
Zalaskar and Brandor entered the hut without waking the guards and found more sleeping warriors as well as a large lizardman who slept in a significantly more comfortably furnished area.
Behind them they heard Alara's voice. She dashed into the hut with the two warriors following her, their razor sharp spears at the ready...
Ep.9 Off To See The Lizard
Alara responded with a magical incantation. Coloured lights danced above her, hypnotising rather weak willed lizardmen. And Brandor too.
There were still two more lizardmen unaffected by the spell. Grok and Garet barged in, engaging the waking lizardmen. Venrika raised her staff and warped time, slowing the lizardmen.
The party engaged in battle with Eep and Drongforth sniping any enemies that approached the hut. Zalaskar, disguised as a lizardman, managed to magically implant a suggestion in King Zarn's mind that hee was there to rescue him.
Brandor found treasure.
Grok found a girl.
With the guards subdued, Zarn under Zalaskar's spell and Brandor with pockets full of booty, the party exited the hut...
Ep.10 We're on the Wrong Side of the River
Upon leaving the main hut, the party was confronted by a posse of lizardmen warriors plus one Shaman. Venrika again used Chronomancy to slow them. As the party fled, this left 2 of the warriors far behind. Despite Drongforth's conjured fog cloud, the remaining lizardmen managed to track the party as they struggled through the jungle.
As the party were about to disembark, the shaman and a warrior emerged from the jungle. The Shaman paralysed Zalaskar with a curse.
Garet charged into battle... and promptly got paralysed too. But under the blessing of Brandor, the party hurled ranged attacks at the enemy and Garet managed to overcome the spell and finished them off.
King Zarn still continued to trust Zalaskar and went along with the party as they embarked and departed for safety of the far side of the river.
Ep. 11 Feed Me
Zakaskar's firm lead crumbled into a state on indecision. He did manage through the power of persuasion that they were helping the King but had to scamper after him after he stalked off towards the town centre asking to see the town leader.
The king demanded food. Drongforth and Zalaskar tried feeding him but all they offered was apples which the king found disgusting. Meanwhile, Brandor found the mayor loading valuables into a small boat down by the docks. Brandor took the golden apple, the symbol of the mayor's executive power.
Brandor returned to the great hall to find a very dissatisfied lizardking. Zarn overturned the table and attempted to bite Brandor.
A fight broke out. Grok was slammed across the hall and then later tripped by a tail lash. Venrika was bitten on her arm leaving a bloody wound.
After Alara blasted him with a lightning bolt, Drongforth breathed fire thanks to a Venrika enchantment, and Venrika fired magic missiles, King Zarn finally succumbed and collapsed, smashing a wooden table as he fell.
Ep. 12 Hail Garet
With the king shackled, Garet proposed a plan that involved Zalaskar returning to the Lizardman camp to pose as the king. Everyone thought this sounded risky, overly complicated and poorly thought through. Before a conclusion was reached, a halfling townsmen arrived telling them to come quickly.
They arrived at the backwater dockyard to see halfling warriors surrendered under the watchful eye of a group of heavily armoured lizardmen, the legendary Kido Butai. Upon seeing the shackled king, they asked who defeated him. Garet said that he had done it.
"What is your name?"
"Don't tell them, Garet!"
"Hail Garet! Saviour of Tangleknoll!"
The captain of the Kido Butai took King Zarn's trident and presented it to Garet.
"Hail Garet, first of his name. By right of conquest I name thee King of the Vurmar!"
Based on words supplied by Venrika, Garet announced that "From this day forth my every tribe of Mokomoko live in peace and harmony " and ordered that free elections be held for a new king.
Despite the reconciliatory words, Eep immediately assassinated the king, her whip snapping his neck...
Brandor designated Roberts as the new town mayor. Mayor Roberts invited them all to stay but as Captain Jenny put it.
"No thanks. I'm a Fair Port city girl. Its a little too quiet around here for me."
Ep.13 Farewell Mokomoko
As the party were about to board, a crowd gathered to see them off.
The Dread Pirate Roberts approached Venrika. "This is for your cause," and he kissed on the right cheek. "This is for your people," and he kissed her on her left cheek. "And this. This is for you." He kissed her firmly on her lips. He gave her a gift. An old spyglass.
Zalaskar was presented with a rolled up carpet with a spiral pattern "An inspiration rug for a inspiring hero."
Three kids stepped forward. "We represent the harbour street gang." They presented Garet with a gift of a Conch shell which when you listen to carefully you can "hear the sound of the Arowna".
They boarded the Palamino and headed away from the island. Everyone was settled and happy about their recent success except Alara. Venrika tried to understand but all she got was classic Alara dream logic. "Maybe I will never be all the things that I want to be. Now is not the time to cry, now’s the time to find out why."
There was a dull thud that reverberated thorough the whole ship. Had they hit something. Rushing onto deck, it was Zalaskar's keen eyes that saw something in the water pursuing the ship. Something long and large just beneath the surface.
Alara brought out her magic orb and conjured a mighty wind, propelling the ship ahead of the subaquatic threat. Out of the water shot a large black dragon, its wings unfurling as it rose.
As the dragon hurtled towards the ship, Venrika conveyed a message of friendship and somehow it worked. The dragon gently landed catlike on the deck of the ship. It agreed not to attack in exchange for food and a gift.
Venrika donated her lucky charm and Grok found two barrels of meat. But the dragon wanted fresh meat. It gave them a minute to choose someone and took off, circling the ship.
Garet grabbed a crew person at random. It happened to be a cabin boy. After a painfully long moment of indecision, Zalaskar grabbed the body, threw him in the middle of the deck and dived clear just in time as the dragon swooped down and snatched the boy.
The dragon arced in the sky with a cry if "Kee-haaar!" And flew back to the island.
Captain Jenny steered the ship away from the island and through the fog.
When the fog cleared there was no sign of the island. They were free!
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