Sailing for Dread

From the Chronology:  

Setting sail from Gradsul...
(Credit: "The Sailing of the Yellow Cog"
by N.C. Wyeth, 1922)

15 Wealsun (June), 590 CY The expedition set sail from the Keoland port of Gradsul in the Sea Ghost and the Sea Lion.  

16 Wealsun (June), 590 CY In the evening, a mass of sahuagin attacked both vessels. The adventurers, sailors, and mercenaries fought back with fiercely with magic and steel, slaying most of the attackers and driving them off. Captain Sazarh of the Sea Lion was killed. 

17-18 Wealsun (June), 590 CY Sailing well, despite some fog, but slowly.

19-26 Wealsun (June), 590 CY Corvus called upon his deity, Pholtus, to bless the expedition with fairwinds and clear skies. Pholtus answered his plea and the ships sailed southwards at top speed through calm seas.

27 Wealsun (June), 590 CY Passing through the Olman Isles, a kraken and merrow attacked the expedition. They were driven off, but a sailor from the Sea Lion was killed. 

28 Wealsun (June) to 2 Richfest, 590 CY The expedition continued to sail south.

3 Richfest, 590 CY The Isle of Dread is sighted! Based on reading Rory Barbarossa's log, the band sails south along the western coast of the island.

Evil sea creatures...

Ship Rosters
Sea Ghost, PCs: Tolum (1/2 orc Paladin of Cuthbert), Torrance (Human bard), Corvus (human priest of Pholtus), Höss (human gunslinger), Rickus (human wizard), Lilianna (elf wizard), Sir Percy Cleghorn Stanley Hobar (human noble artificer), Victor (human rogue), Bob (human druid)
Sea Ghost, NPCs: Nathan (Captain), Rodrigo the Bull (1st Mate), Brunus Pumpwagon (Bosun), 6 Sailors (Ned Shakeshaft, Jack Swallow, John Copper, Abner, Bartle Shorewood, Jaques Brawn), 73 Honorbound (8 muleteers, 40 infantry, 12 knights, 4 sergeants, 6 artillerists, 3 acolytes), 10 engineers, 
Sea Ghost Cargo: 1 cannon, 4 ballistae, 4 mules

Sea Lion, PCs: Morbor (dwarven Rune Knight), Olga (Dwarven Scout), Sheila (human paladin of Pholtus),  Gozara (human barbarbian warrior), Evryhss (elvish adventurer), Cornelius (human wizard/scholar), Benedict (human cleric of St Cuthbert)
Sea Lion, NPCs: Sazarh (Captain), Edoral (1st Mate), Boone (Bosun), 8 Sailors (Gort, Brendan, Drake, Davey, Akir, Isla, Adrian, Finn), 65 Honorbound (8 muleteers, 40 infantry, 10 pistoliers, 4 sergeants, 3 acolytes), Fabian (engineer captain), 10 engineers, 
Sea Lion Cargo: 4 ballistae, 4 mules

The Narrative:

The Sea Lion and Sea Ghost left Gradsul with good weather and fair winds. The following night, both vessels were attacked by swarms of sahuagin boiling up from the sea. 

Sahuagin trapped in whirlpools by the party's magic
when they attack the Sea Lion.

Sahuagin struggle to climb through webs covering
the sides of the Sea Ghost.

For the next ten days the ships sailed south with fine winds and following seas. Corvus' called upon his deity Pholtus and his prayers for good sailing weather were answered. 

Passing through the Olman Islands on the night of 27 Wealsun, the ships were attacked by a kraken and some merrow. 

The kraken attacks the Sea Lion, killing one of its sailors.


Merrow clamber swarm the Sea Ghost while the crew tries to
bring the cannon on the stern to bear against the kraken. 

On the Sea Ghost the merrow fight was close and intense.

The kraken and its merrow allies were driven off by the swift, violent action of the party. 

The ships continued sailing southward, driven by fair winds. The skies were mostly clear, with occasional clouds providing some relief from the summer heat. 

Then, on the 3rd of Richfest, sea birds are spotted. By the end of the day the archipelago of the Isle of Dread is clearly seen to the south... 


The dotted red line shows the expedition's course.

This played out in one session - 2 November 2025.

Disclaimer: This blog recounts the fictional events of a game of Dungeons & Dragons. Views expressed by characters within the blog are those of the characters, not the players, dungeon master, nor the blog's author. All other views in this blog are my own and represent the views of no other person, organization, or institution.


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