The Savage Tide [IC]

[HappyPersonx7]

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(1d20+9)[21]
(1d20+9)[29]

[lostsole31]

Jer'el's strange and malleable body manages to resist several pulses!

R1T16: Without averting his gaze or closing his eyes, Rabbi Cohen bravely charges down and above the basilisk and swings with his hammer, hitting it for 4 damage. He manages to resist being petrified.

R1T13: Desiria, you are 20' from the monster. What do you do? And in doing whatever you do ... do you do anything special with your normal vision, avert your gaze, or close eyes? Be sure to consult rules on targeting, LOS, LOE, and anything else that deals with casting magic in such a case .... because it is doubtful I will overlook it.

Jer'el on deck ...

[MikelaC1]

DESIRIA

Desiria averts her gaze from the basilisk, and starts off the battle with a Bless spell, which she can cast without seeing the monster.

[lostsole31]

R1T13: Desiria averts her gaze from the basilisk, and starts off the battle with a Bless spell, which she can cast without seeing the monster.

R1T11: Jer'el, you are 20' from the monster. In doing whatever you do, do you do it as normal, avert your gaze, or go blind. You cannot shoot an arrow blind, though you can attack in melee. Doing so might also keep its attention focused on yourself and Rabbi Cohen, rather than the squishier Desiria and Urol.

What do you do?

Desiria, assuming the other four can't bring down the monster in another single round, you can post your action now ... or you can wait. Your choice.

[lostsole31]

There is no time with a creature like this to allow it to keep standing. Jer'el charges 20' with Fell Point, hoping in similar luck and his pliable body to shrug off the effects as before.

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Fort save 15 to not be petrified (1d20+9)[13]

Charge Attack, bless (1d20+17)[26], damage (1d8+10)[17]

[lostsole31]

R1T11: There is no time with a creature like this to allow it to keep standing. Jer'el positions his octopoid body to spring the 20' with Fell Point, hoping in similar luck and his pliable body to shrug off the effects as before. But Jer'el doesn't understand that his body has been cumulatively fighting the effects of the petrification, and he is petrified in the form of the crouch. Desiria does not notice this.

R1T2: "Oh, no-no-no-no-no," moans Urol, "not Jer'el as well. This is terrible. I thought that surely you heroes could defeat a pesky basilisk without too much trouble. I brought stone salve like I said ... but only two doses."

He turns, averting his gaze to try to get to the closest one - Korian - but averting his gaze isn't enough. He is petrified, and is now a garden gnome (ha!) but in a running position.

With him, as well, is the jar of stone salve that you have no way of getting unless Urol is somehow reformed back into flesh.

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I had already made a K: Arcana roll for Desiria, so even if you read the description for a basilisk, you sadly don't know the simple means of helping at least a few of the petrified. The one who best had that knowledge - Celiss - was petrified before she could even register what happened.

End Round One, Begin Round Two ...

R2T17: In averting her gaze, Desiria hears a snapping sound, but cannot identify what it is.

R2T16: Rabbi Cohen speaks ... a good sign that he has not become a flying, falling stone.

"It's just you and me now, Desiria. Run. Save yourself. The Sea Wyvern needs you. You are its ship mage, its prelate, and its surgeon now. But if Moradin deems me somehow capable of felling this foe, I will continue into the tunnel to seek out some hope that the ancients of this place left a clue to saving the rest.

"But our ship cannot afford to lose us both; the loss of a healing component would be catastrophic, and you are now the last arcanist as well. Ask the captain to honor the one day we were originally given, then set out without me.

"Now, go. Consider this the last order of First Mate Rabbi-Doctor Eliezer Whuraili Cohen ben Mordechai of Clan Ironoath of Oriadeth."

You manage to just note that a shift in the rabbi's voice is due to his focus shifting to his hammer. "Gili-Nachum, meaning My Joy & Comforter, let's give this eight-legged monstrosity its what-for."

He swings down and hits it with his warhammer for 7 damage.

R2T13: Desiria, what do you do? Do you try to play the hero and join Rabbi Cohen in possibly defeating the basilisk? or, do you follow his orders to save the Sea Wyvern from possible loss of its last primary caster of both arcane and divine power? (Skald has some druidic ability, but is not a healer like yourself or Cohen.)

[MikelaC1]

DESIRIA

Desiria hates to leave a companion behind to face a basilisk alone, but she has been given an order by an officer and one of the things she has learned on the ship is that you always obey an order. She turns, with a silent plea to Myhriss to guide the warhammer of Rabbi Cohen, and flees down the path back towards the ship.

[lostsole31]

Myhriss had already answered with Desiria's bless, and that will have to do for now. She wastes no time in bolting. Despite managing to have come here in the first place, Urol used his own brilliant orienteering ability; there is no game trail. But Myhriss seems to guide Desiria's insight to get to the longboat. Praised be, but a lone figure fleeing through the jungle is not attacked.

The ship's are anchored a hundred yards out from shore. The extant problem now is that with an 8 STR, there is no way she can push the launch out into the water (let alone oar it alone). She could signal, but I'm interested in how she does so.

[MikelaC1]

DESIRIA

Desiria points her hand straight up in the air and intones the words of a spell, scorching ray, firing them straight up in the sky. Much more effective (and flashier) than an ordinary flare.

[lostsole31]

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That's clever. Very well done. That's an extra 250 XP for surprising the DM with something so simple.

A launch from the Blue Nixie is sent out with extra personnel and they make their way to you.

"What happened?" asks one of the sailors. "Didn't half a dozen of you set out a few hours ago?"

"This pretty bird looks right shaken, lads," says another.

The extra sailors disperse to the Wyvern's launch and will row her back as well.

Regardless of conversation with the sailors, you are brought aboard a spooked Wyvern, for you cannot hide your shaken nature.

"What happened?" asks the captain. "Where are the others?"

[MikelaC1]

DESIRIA

We hiked through the forest and came upon a ruined structure. Before we even had the chance to start checking things out, we were surprised by a basilisk. It used its petrifying gaze attacks on us, and everyone but myself and Rabbi Cohen were affected by it. He made a last stand against the creature, and ordered me to retreat. Seeing as I had to look at the basilisk to use my magic on it, and that would have likely killed me as well, I had to retreat.
He told me for you to wait for one day, if he defeats the basilisk, he will explore and return. If not, the beast will have defeated him.

[PSinger]

Darrius probably can't shoo everyone away.

"Quick, Desiria! Tell me, how long ago was it that you saw Lazer fighting the basilisk? He's not a strong dwarf, but he's canny. He's likely to attack, fly away, heal, re-attack. There's still a chance. But if he failed, then we actually have a greater chance of succeeding.

"A freshly killed basilisk's blood - if used within an hour or so of its death - can be washed over petrified creatures to save them! How long was it?!

"Ms. Venkalie, bring us into shouting range of the Nixie so I can tell Lavinia what has happened and what I intend. Give me an hour, and I can equip my melds to help in this. It's not automatically successful, but it will help.

"I need volunteers. I don't care if no one else goes, or if the lot of you. Lady Lavinia has a lot of lazy sailors that can be spared to this ship if it came to it. Who will go with me to rescue Lazer?"

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I dunno the DC, but about a 15 or so Sense Motive can probably reveal that he is throwing orders with grief and not sensibly. If it takes an hour to set up melds, how will that help? It's too washy. The only long-term adventuring companion of his remaining is Ka'Xet.

[lostsole31]

If Desiria tells him (and she probably doesn't need to), the captain will realize that if the rabbi was successful, there is no way the basilisk's blood is useful by now.

The two ships tie together. Darrius (having rolled a '20' on your Will save) you come out of shock in short order. Lady Lavinia calls you over to the Blue Nixie.

Terrible as it is, she is right and Darrius knows it. The rabbi was the best non-augmented sailor on the Sea Wyvern. Darrius only beat out Rabbi Cohen as captain at his review board because of his connection to generations of souls through his sailor's bracers. There are many competent sailors remaining on the Wyvern, but none have the capacity of captaincy like Captain Wavebreaker. With all of these losses, and Desiria not being an ABS, Lavinia already has to send over someone from her complement else the Wyvern will be poorly sailed. (The Wyvern requires a minimum of seven crew - including its captain - to sail properly.)

She will honor the next-day request of Rabbi Cohen, more out of his wishes than the side-trip to Tamoachan was allotted that maximum time anyway.

The ships unrope from each other, but stay close just outside anchor range.

It is a nerve-wracking night for all ...

[lostsole31]

Reaping 22, 589 CY (New Moon, Starday)

The next morning, through the spyglass, there is no one on the far shore; not that there would be, given that Rabbi Cohen can fly.

Desiria learns that a passenger on the other ship, some creature from the far, far north by the name of Quickslayer, jumped ship last night to go ashore with no intention of returning.

Darrius, Ka'xet admits that QS came aboard last night to get a sense of how to find the temple. You and Ka'Xet are all that remain of those who swore to Quickslayer to protect Korian. Because the two of you failed, and the overall responsibility was always Quickslayer's as directed in a dream by the Frostfell Animal God himself, Quickslayer will live out his days protecting Korian's statue from further harm, almost as a shrine.

The expedition, this time from Lavinia's ship, has lost one of its most powerful warriors. Since he was technically a passenger and not crew, the choice to leave was his.

It is time .... a sad time ... for the expedition to continue south.

[PSinger]

Captain Darrius looks at the shore for several minutes. "Right," he sighs.

"All hands, weigh anchor and rig out the topsail. Mr. Kahir, check our plot south, and keep the Nixie in sight. We are the resupply for Farshore, with new colonists for a new home. Let's see them safely there, even if we give our lives for them, as we have done so far."

[lostsole31]

Tamoachan is named a thrice-cursed placed, and has done nothing but live up to its name.

One of the persons to come back aboard would be Hifestus Smithson, for now - with Korian and Jer'el both gone (as well as Celiss) - the Sea Wyvern has suffered a catastrophic loss not only to manpower but to fighting prowess as well. There will be "other" unnamed (at this time) sailors. However, certain people need to step up.

Desiria is overloaded as the ship's prelate, ship's mage, and surgeon, and STILL has to learn at least basic seamanship.

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Depending on Happy's next character, that may ease her of some duties.

Agnipati, already a skilled seaman, is promoted to deckhand.

Skald, whom people thing is the one that brought such ill on the ship, is promoted to windsinger.

Mr. Kahir is promoted to first mate, but still retains the post of ship's pilot.

Hifestus will again be ship's blacksmith and a non-qual learning seamanship.

Lirith Velidirose now includes MAA as part of her job title as well as ship's rigger.

An early afternoon memorial service is held. It is, and by sea tradition must be, brief. When too many souls die, too long a service is asking them to joing the ship. And nobody wants spirits on the ship.

It turns out that Lavinia's parents died when her brother burned down their ship ... and that Rabbi Cohen's wife and daughter were on that ship. No one except Darrius and Lavinia knew this (not even Ka'Xet) ... it was thought he was single this whole time, but he was actually seeking justice against her brother Vanthus, who time and again has proved he has fallen into darkness. He was wielder of the mighty warhammer Gili-Nachum.

Celiss Nightrom was a human woman who, it turns out, was sired by a devil-father. She signed a contract to adopt her heritage to learn secrets that would help her fight evil, but learned too late that she would be fighting a losing battle over time. Perhaps being turned to stone was a better fate for her than turning evil. She wore a special ring of the Tel-gakkar, a ring that whispered secrets of using time to aid her in combat.

Korian Hleidson was purported by his initial protector Nae'etholi, son of Galaa (aka Quickslayer) to be a scion of the god Hleid, patron of frostfell animals. He was an eccentric and increasingly powerful wolverine-man, though fallen into an advancing feral state. It is doubtful, of course, that he was any god's son, but it isn't doubtful that he had some excellent bloodline. He had no special weapon.

Jer'el, sadly, is unknown. Of truly bizarre form, courtesy of direct intervention by Procan himself, the Lord of the Ocean obviously had no dominion inland and could not protect his future champion. Jer'el was a half-elf fisherman adrift at sea. He was bequeathed with the mighty Fell-Point, a fabulous weapon that could change between trident or mighty bow with but a thought.

Urol-Forol had seen many, many adventures in his life, amassing a life of wisdom and knowledge. Not even the stunning intellect of the polymath Celiss could compare to his knowledge of the natural world. Though his body grew old, his mind ever sharpened. Amella Venkalie, who hates gnomes because one betrayed and killed her husband and projected that annoyance on Urol, berates herself silently for crying more for him than any other crewmember.

Though he didn't die when he left, Quickslayer's fate is unknown. He was Korian's initial protector, but bequeathed that responsibility upon the party. Being an 8-foot tall gangly monster, Quickslayer felt that he would be attacked or once again thrown into a cage for the arena - but as a monster to slay rather than a sapient who gets to merely fight to submission. He had some special powers similar to the captain's, but focused on wilder energies, that gave him abilities to swim. Quickslayer spent his time between the Crystal Wardens - who helped develop Ka'Xet and Korian - and living in the littoral waters just off of Sasserine. Though a barbarian in appearance and in fighting style, he was possessed of a cool wisdom when needed.

[lostsole31]

Reaping 23, 589 CY (Sunday)

A Scarlet Brotherhood coastal fort is spotted ~1600 today, but as usual, the expedition heads farther out to keep out of reach of any faster ships they may have or any magical artillery.

Desiria prays that night. Where Darrius studied warrior spirit under Korian, the captain now seeks aggressive command training from the former smuggler that used to have her own command: Ms. Venkalie. Mr. Kahir is despondent over Jer'el's loss. As fellow rangers and archers (each in their own way), they had a unique kinship. Hifestus studies his family's treatise.
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Reaping 24, 589 CY (Moonday)

The Captain spends the day communing with the spirits of his soul bracers. In the evening, in the dark of the new moon, he honors his swordsage teacher's memory by continuing his studies where he wraps shadows around himself. Hifestus, impressed by Desiria's insight, asks to be tutored in philosophy if she can. He seems better than average, but it would be a long road to see any improvement. Mr. Kahir studies some of the notes that Jer'el made on water hazards.
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Reaping 25, 589 CY (Godsday)

Desiria leads worship, and then the crew has rope yarn. Once more, another coastal fort.

The Captain leads Mr. Kahir and Hifestus through commando training exercises. Desiria studies and prays in focusing power against demons.

In the evening, Desiria works on the theory of penning magics while the others do nighttime raiding tactics.
............................................

Reaping 26, 589 CY(Waterday)
Distance from Sasserine: 1,435 mi.
Distance from Tamoachan: 500 miles.
Time from Tamoachan: 4 Days

As the expedition approaches the tip of the Tamoachan peninsula, Lavinia draws the Blue Nixie up alongside the Sea Wyvern. She informs your ship that the next several miles will be among the most dangerous of the journey, as they must now thread the needle and sail through a Scarlet Brotherhood blockade. For many years, the Brotherhood has maintained a strong presence on South Olman Isle, particularly the city of Narisban. Although their navy has grown lax in their once-strict patrols of the region, Brotherhood ships are still common in the sound between the peninsula and South Olman Isle. Lavinia suggests that, in order to to minimize their chances of being spotted, the Blue Nixie and the Sea Wyvern should sail through the sound separately, about a half hour apart, to meet up again on the southern side.

She asks for Captain Darrius' opinion on the matter. Do you make your own decisions, or do you consult your officers in this matter?

[PSinger]

I would ask, but this seems like a no-brainer to me.

I agree with Lavinia's plan, and the Sea Wyvern stands ready to take the lead.

[lostsole31]

The Sea Wyvern begins its sail through the sound. Before long, as expected, a caravel bearing the flag of the Scarlet Brother hood is on an intercept course.

From barely enough distance to hear, the ship is hailed by one Captain Helvur of the Purity's Prow, informing the Sea Wyvern he intends to board for inspection. The sinister look of Helvur's crew of thugs and cutthroats should leave little doubt that the ship is about to come under attack.

"They outnumber us by less than a handful, or at least it seems that way," says Ms. Venkalie, "though they are such a desperate looking lot, I think we can take them. I suggest we let them board. We aren't outfitted for ship-to-ship, and we'll give them one hell of a surprise once they grapple."

[MikelaC1]

DESIRIA

By what angle and on what spot will they try to board us? My best offensive spell is a set of scorching rays and if I can position myself to fire them into the boarding group without endangering our side, it would be best
She pauses for a moment.
Without being in front of our group, of course, I mean off to the side
As the enemy draws closer, she takes the moments of preparation to cast Mage Armour on herself.

[lostsole31]

The crew make appropriate readiness for battle, and actually stand in a well-rehearsed, spaced horseshoe shape on the deck.

The first mate wispers to the captain, "On your command sir."

The Prow pulls up alongside and several grappling hooks are tossed to bring the ships together.

Do you continue to wait?

[PSinger]

As soon as half of their visible boarding party comes across, Capain Darrius yells "NOW!"

[MikelaC1]

DESIRIA
(assuming a free round here)
As soon as the captain gives the attack order, Desiria launches her scorching ray into one of the pirates attempting to board the ship

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(1d20+4)[9] ranged touch
(4d6)[22] damage

[lostsole31]

Sea Wyvern vs Purity's Prow

Surprise Round!

S25: Agnipati tosses a spear which hits a female pirate, dropping her in one blow.

S23: Lirith grazes another female pirate along her abdomen for 3 before tossing her bow.

S21: Amella shoots a pirate in the chest for 5 before tossing her crossbow.

S20: A muscular pirate, so built so as not even to appear to have a neck, fires a heavy crossbow that thuds into Hifestus' chest for 7 damage before tossing his crossbow.

S18: Skald was hidden in the crow's nest, and with the captain's orders he pops out and fires, hitting a wounded pirate in her left elbow for 3 damage.

S17: Ka'Xet tosses a mindblade at the one Skald just hit, but it bounces off of her leather armor.

S15: Hifestus throws his chakram which hits a wounded pirate, disabling him. His chakram is now on the other ship.

S9: Darrius?

[PSinger]

With the ship's grappled, he doesn't need super-skill captaining the ship, so Darrius is dropping all essentia out of the sailor's bracers. He spits at the closest crewmember, hoping for a sneak attack.

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Attack with 3E dissolving spittle (1d20+6)[13]
Damage (4d6)[12] acid ... and possible (1d6)[2] sneak attack

[lostsole31]

Sea Wyvern vs Purity's Prow

Surprise Round!

S25: Agnipati tosses a spear which hits a female pirate, dropping her in one blow.

S23: Lirith grazes another female pirate along her abdomen for 3 before tossing her bow.

S21: Amella shoots a pirate in the chest for 5 before tossing her crossbow.

S20: A pirate not surprised, and with muscled so as not to even appear to have a neck, fires a heavy crossbow that thuds into Hifestus' chest for 7 damage before tossing his crossbow.

S18: Skald was hidden in the crow's nest, and with the captain's orders he pops out and fires, hitting a wounded pirate in her left elbow for 3 damage.

S17: Ka'Xet tosses a mindblade at the one Skald just hit, but it bounces off of her leather armor.

S15: Hifestus throws his chakram which hits a wounded pirate, disabling him. His chakram is now on the other ship.

S9: The pirate most likely to cross the dropped planked gets slammed in the chest for 14 acid. She goes down screaming into the water.

S2: As soon as the captain gives the attack order, Desiria launches her scorching ray into one of the pirates attempting to board the ship. Even with their relative shock, her ray misses.

End Surprise Round, Begin Round One ...

R1T23: Agnipati leaps to the other ship (while readying her special spear) to stab a woman pirate in the gut for 10. (Wow, a lot of desperate women turn to piracy, huh.) The woman drops.

R1T23: Lirith easily bounds across the planks, drawing her falchion, and into the pirate group. She almost cleanly guts a man were it not for his leather armor, and she does 8 damage.

R1T21: Amella begins a rousing dramatic monologue and draws Pickwing. The monologue fills everyone with courage.

R1T20: The no-neck man moves to the side of Lirith. He attacks with his scimitar, but her larger, similar sword knocks it away.

R1T19: A pirate closes in on Lirith's other side, but fails to stab her with his rapier.

R1T18: Skald fires two arrows. One misses, but the other hits an unengaged pirate in the chest for 10 damage, dropping him.

R1T17: Seeing Lirith getting flanked, he takes an open shot on one to hit him in the elbow for 6.

R1T15: Hifestus is a little cannier, he moves to the gunwale while drawing a hammer and tosses it at the one unengaged, unwounded pirate. It is a clumsy throw, but between his great skill and Amella's performance, it still connects, cracking the man's neck and killing him outright.

R1T12: A pirate man stumbles out of combat and drops to his bum, too disabled to fight, and not wanting to give his life for this.

R1T9: Darrius? There is only the thick-necked man and three pirates still fighting. All three of those pirates are badly wounded. What do you do?

[PSinger]

"Captain of the Purity's Prow!" calls Captain Darrius. "In the opening salvo, your crew was decimated in about 10 seconds. Except for you, I'm assuming the muscular man, not a one of your crew is unharmed, and most of them badly so. You can't even crew your own ship. We will send over our own planks and grappling hooks. If you try to cut yours with our two crewmembers aboard, they will cut you down while our excellent archers drop every last one of you as well.

"Drop your weapons," and with a wry smile Darrius says, "and prepare to be boarded for an 'inspection.'"

If they don't surrender, we'll tear them apart without mercy. They're pirates.

But if they do surrender, and they're cowards ... they're pirates ... we'll plank the ships and tie the remaining standing up. He'll ask Desiria to just go around stabilizing as she goes along (except for the cracked-neck guy who is obviously dead), and he'll leave his acid-chest victim for the sharks, wherever she is. We'll strip them of everything useful: armor, weapons, jewelry, whatever.

We'll search their ship quickly, without Taking 10 or 20 or anything, transfer any major booty we can move quickly, drop the pirate prisoners into one of their own launches while giving a weak one a knife to be able to cut the others out. Set that launch adrift. Then, scuttle the Purity's Prow.

Continue on our merry, pirate-beating way.

[lostsole31]

There is no way in hell the pirates are fighting back. The remaining three red-bandanas all have 3 or less hp. Four are stabilized. And two are (left for) dead: the one with the broken neck and the woman whose chest was blasted before she fell into the sea.

The captain's name is Lars "No-Neck" Hulver. He cries that he and his crew will likely face execution if they come back empty-handed, and that even the pitiful amount they have in their hold won't be enough.

Given how you intended to treat them in the first place, I'm assuming you won't change your mind. They tried to kill (or enslave) you and take your ship. They can face the music, and maybe even be resourceful enough to somehow live.

Everyone grabs any ammunition they expended (chakram, hammer, spear, etc.).

Booty

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Desiria is easily able to identify that the first concoction is a potion of CMW.
The other two aren't potions, but rather elixirs of fire breath.

Masterwork Scimitar
Heavy Crossbow w/ 9 bolts
Light Crossbow (8) w/ 80 bolts

Masterwork Studded Leather Armor
* Ms Venkalie traded this in to get the +1 studded leather No-Neck owned.
Leather armor (8 suits)
Buckler (9)

Gold ring (120 gp)
Earrings (8), each worth 15 gp

The hold includes a single large trunk of 1150 gp (consisting of coins, a few flawed gems, and several pieces of jewelry)

A week's worth of food for the crew, but most of it spoiled or infested with weevils.

There is joyous celebration! Your sister ship rendevous and it turns out they also defeated a Brotherhood ship, the Nightshark, though they burned that one down to the waterline.

The Farshore Expedition is now, officially, a bane to pirates south of the Amedio Peninsula!

Darrius, since Desiria has powerful healing magic, where do you want the healing potion to go? How about the elixirs of fire breath?

Desiria, do you want to claim one of the elixirs?

[MikelaC1]

The fire breath potions are a close combat item, and Desiria doesnt want to get into that sort of fight, so she will pass on the elixers.

[PSinger]

I'm kind of merit-based, unless I see a glaring issue. I understand Desiria not taking a potion.

The captain takes an elixir for himself, gives the other to Hifestus. (I think that's perfect considering that fire race of his. Forgot the name.)

The healing potion we'll give to Lirith.

Be careful with watches, get good distance from S Olman Isle, but break out the grog!