Malta Session 44: 05/09/2019 Osium Ore, Radioactive Warship, and Back to Malta

We begin this week’s session after a night of uncomfortable rest in an environment that was filled with intolerable insects, emboldened temperatures and the cries and sounds of Ta' Fraben Island predators. Around our anchored position are a shipwreck graveyard and a marine feeding grounds. Many of us wake up with a cough brought on by a night of inhaling insects, this also caused physical effect as well. We discover the insects persist and will be a constant problem. Lex has a magical necklace that protects him, Lete will hence forth use his iridescent spindle from inhaling pollutants. The crews of both ships work to protect the food and resources from the insects as we too discover eating becomes irritatingly complex.

At 6:30 am while our characters go and investigate the Monger, Jabari sends our two ships out away from the zone of insects.

After making some preparations our characters fly over to the beached Monger warship. Along the way Marco notices that on the other side of the beached ship are a five of unique creatures: Chuul- large lobster-like creatures; opposite this several wrecked ships lie in various states.

We continue to close the distance to the Monger, each moment through choking insects. Eventually some of us notice a large four-armed creature partially obscured by insects.

Then, appearing instantly next to Marco a large four-armed gorilla grapples the Inspired Blade and the both begin to fall into the ocean. Jabari swoops in on his new flying carpet and gives Marco the magic to escape the four-armed gorilla. It appears back on the Monger along with the lobster-like creatures that are now on the deck. As our characters close the distance, eventually Lex’s magic is foiled and he is deposited into the sea.

Now that we are closer we see some of the areas of the ship glow with a radiance our characters believe to be radioactive due to the Osium Ore. Eventually Lete’s fly is dispelled and the brawler falls in to the shallow swash but is able to gain access to the Monger via an open cannon port underwater. On his way up to help his friends Lete finds clues to the origins (Egyptian) to the Monger as well as evidence of things being moved about in various places seemingly with no purpose. Above on the sloping deck the crew of the Bonded Mind had engaged the Chuul...

After several rounds of combat many of us flee to fear wrought by the four-armed gorilla while Marco and Lete became paralyzed and needed Jabari’s rescue. Jabari safely stowed away Marco and Lete until their effects wore off. Our characters eventually retreat to the Bonded Mind and safer waters a mile away to discuss our next course of action.

In the meantime Carlo, Lex and Evagara were struck with hooked-larvae on their persons and required special attention. It takes all night for the first-mate and cleric Ahumm to remove the larvae pupate from Evagara's arm while Carlo uses his surgical vest and a healing kit on Lex to remove the larvae. Finally the next day Ahumm turns his attention to Carlo's infection only taking half the time.

That early afternoon our characters decide to head back to Malta and the Dingli Cliffs; a few of our characters have reason to visit Dingli. Looking about with the telescope there are several small rocks to navigate around and as our characters travel, we spy a smaller ship fleeing from another; what stand out are the full sails with pirate symbols. It does not appear that we will intersect.

Our characters arrive to the Dingli Cliffs just after dusk as a storm rolls in, bringing the Bonded Mind and The Algiers into the shipping lane. The storm however brings a lot of ships in. As we wait a couple of smaller ships capable of holding up to fifty sailors appear to want to avoid other ships. They do not appear to be friendly as we accommodate them and do not impede them. 

We gain our 9^th character level and begin next week’s session entering Dingli Cliffs.