Dark Paths and Wandered Roads: Mysterious Tides #3

2023-07-25

Mysterious Tides #3 - Nilas

A retelling of Bay of Spirits #3 from Callast Nilas Orkan's point of view. On-going GURPS adventures set in the beautiful and evocative Bay of Spirits setting by Randy M. at Roan Studios.

GURPS: Mysterious Tides
Session 003 - Nilas

From Nilas' Point of View

230710

The four companions, Brother Robert D'Nagien, Ragnar, Jens Marko and Callast Nilas Orkan had finished with their business speaking with the widow Naaj and an informative neighbor, Ingmar.

After some discussion amongst themselves, the group had decided to allow Ragnar to try and track down where the dark-clothed men came from in the woods. He is a tracker and would be best put to use in that capacity. Jens would go get his ship ready for their journey, thus giving Brother Bob and Nilas time to investigate in town.

Callast Nilas and his new friend Brother Robert D'Nagien made their way back to the Windbreak Inn. The Inn was busier over the lunch crowd and they started to look around. Nilas was disappointed by not seeing anyone fitting the description given to them by Ingmar.

Brother Robert D'Nagien found an open barrel with two small stools by it. Nilas chuckled a bit how easily Bob started conversation with a new barmaid working at the Windbreak Inn. Maricia was busier than Nilas had ever seen her yet. But the new young maiden approached them and introduced herself as Carmel, a servant of Enibria. Bob and Carmel started up conversation naturally, but with the Inn being so busy this time of day, the young lady had work to attend to. Nilas thought at first his interrupting Bob led to a social mishap there, but the Inn was just really busy. Carmel shared that she was a survivor of a shipwreck. Boy lots of that going on around here, Nilas contemplated.

Bob did get some information from Carmel, who said something about some southern individuals who were the leatherworker Svent Varem a few weeks ago. Definitely something to look into next. Nilas was still processing that they needed to find Liam and this tale of sunken treasure while trying to help Ragnar and the death of his father Rogan and the other 'Rogan'.

While eating some light fare and a quick beverage, Nilas and Bob heard someone calling out and yelling. A cry came from somewhere outside, "It's beached! It's washed ashore. The serpent! It's beached!"

Nilasd got a tough feeling in the pit of his stomach. He looked at Brother Bob and said: "Oh this can't be good".

As everyone in the Windbreak jumped up and rushed outside, the cries and calls grew louder. Nilas rushed outside after grabbing his gear and was surprised by what he came to see. Probably a hundred yards or so down the beach, a huge black eel-like creature, well over 100 feet long, washed up upon the shore. A black liquid was oozing from the creature into the water.

Nilas rushed over, Bob following him and Carmel following Bob. Everyone parted out of the way when they saw Nilas approach and asked him for help. Nilas looked at Bob and asked him; "What do you make of this?"

Bro' Bob shrugs, "Seems like an ill omen, but this one's squarely in your purview, not mine" The fishermen and townsfolk looked to each other, not knowing what to do.

Nilas frowned, knowing that Brother Bob was right. "Okay, let's see what Calla's will is today". Nilas walks up closer, "I am a Callast of Calla.....I am here to help".

Nilas attempted to cast an Aura spell and after a bit, got the process correct. The creature was dead, or near dead. It's giant, black eye is glassy and unmoving. Its mouth hanging open slightly, and it had a powerful stench of death. Nilas had never seen or heard of anything like this before, though the sea holds much wonder and mystery.

Nilas says, "Calla, show me why this creature appears before us now"

Nilas called out to the crowd, "Stay back, It is not completely safe to approach yet" Then he proceeded with his divination, Calla shows me that the creature barely clings to life, but I sense danger from it still"

Nilas sees an oily black substance seeming to come from the creature's skin, mixing with the tide.

Nilas recalled a tale from Mattie, the sailor woman who shared the story of a large serpent that had bumped into ships and turned them around, but was not aggressive towards the sailors. As Nilas made his way around the creature, he heard more shouts and screams coming from the other side of the large serpent's massive head.

Nilas exclaimed, "By Calla's Breath!"

He saw what appeared to be three fishermen laying upon the wet sand and water writing and groaning, small black, crab-like creatures swarming over their bodies. Then the bodies stopped moving. Nilas was going to prepare an Air Jet spell as a precaution.

Nilas fumbled his attempt at casting, startled by the sight before him. The sailors stood up, shambling and looking at him, their bodies all gaut and desiccated, looking more like dried out zombies! Nilas could only conclude that the crab-like creatures must have infected the men and turned the into zombies, as he did not see the swarm-creatures anymore.

Calling out to everyone, Nilas yelled, "Gah! The men......are undead!"

Nilas called for everyone to stay back. "The men have been infected by something, they are monsters now!"

Nilas heard Brother Bob call out behind him for Bowmen and torches. Well it was time now for Nilas to be the Callast he is and protect the people of Piper's Quay.

One of the zombies lumbered towards Nilas, while another one passesd n front of the eel in Bob's direction, and the third headed down the beach toward a group of fishermen still standing around watching.

Nilas caught a glimpse of Brother Bob readying his bow. Nilas called for Calla's aid and cast a shield spell to protect himself as he went into battle. Spear at the ready, Nilas stepped up. The Zombie swung its arms wildly but missed. Nilas prepared a lightning spell, his fingertips glowing and sparking in a blue-white light and the smell of ozone in the air.

Nilas reached out, arcing the lightning along the length of his spear, as a conductor, the blast impacting the zombie and causing it to explode in a blast of gore and guts!

Nilas heard Bob and Carmel behind him. They were atop a six foot rocky ridge. Nilas figured that the two of them should be able to handle a zombie on their own. Nilas heard the fishermen down the shoreline yelling. He knew what he had to do. Gripping his spear tight, Nilas ran down the rise, jumping over the exploded zombie and calling out for the other creature to meet Calla's blessing. Nilas did notice some of the crab-bug creatures all burnt up from the zombie he blasted with the lightning. Hmmm, he thought, fire and lightning should work.

Nilas trusted that Bob and Carmel would be fine and could hear them fighting with the zombie. His focus was on trying to save the fishermen from the zombie attack. Nilas caught up to the zombie as the fishermen were trying to jump into their small craft. The zombie turned around and struck out at Nilas.

Nilas got his spear ready in both hands, but the Zombie managed to catch him with a heavy hit under his guard and nearly knocked the wind out of him. Nilas called another lightning bolt to his hand. His hand glowing and sparking, Nilas heard Bob yell out behind him, "move to the right".

The zombie struck at him again and Nilas reeled back from the hit, but managed to keep his lightning ready in his hand. Nilas stepped aside and hurled his blast of lightning into the creature and his aim was true, as blue-white lightning blasted the zombie and dropped it to the ground where it was shaking wildly. Brother Bob sent an arrow into the creature's head and it stopped moving.

Right away, Nilas sees several tiny crablike bugs crawling out of its mouth and coming toward him. At the same time, Carmel yelled that he bugs were coming after her as well. The blast worked and scattered the crab-bugs.

Nilas calls an Air Jet to his hand. He recalled how Callast Xale taught him that air jets could knock things back but could do solid physical damage to swarms and spirits. The immediate danger was stopped but more of the crab swarm undead-making bugs were coming out of the large eel carcass. Nilas knew that this was beyond their capabilities.

Nilas was able to quickly heal himself with a minor healing spell and then was prepared to blast another air jet if needed, as they all retreated back to the town, hoping the townsfolk would have torches ready to purge the rest of the swarms. Nilas said to Brother Bob and Sister Carmel, "we need to fall back and regroup, this is bad....really bad". All three fall back toward the village where fire is being prepared.

Session Notes

Here is an in-character retelling of the events from our 3nd session of the campaign. I offer players bonus points for writing up in-character session logs, and here is the first one of the campaign! Thanks Mike!