Journal of Rollo Lavius 2

Entry #414 - The Black Cat

(G414 13/06/2020 via Roll20 - AP(GM), JF) LR20

[Back to my chronicles of my own battle - against the Unseen.]

DAY 479 (24th Kythorn)(June) cont ...

Before I went to bed tonight I got Sylvia to do Sendings.

Firstly to my wife Lavinia:
'We have defeated baddies and captured Anubus. Now think its the Unseen (dopplegangers etc) behind it all. All ok? Anything/Anyone odd?'

The reply came:
'It's waterdeep. Everyone and everything's very odd. They have started locking down the streets for this disease. Get some chocolate prawns since you're out. Cheers.'

The second one went to my old pal Nobby the Gnomish Cleric:
'Hello! Lots of trouble here with baddies (regarding Blue Phage etc). How are you? At Sasserine yet? Or where?'

The reply came:
'Getting there. Squids and pirates everywhere (as usual), but no real problems so far. Should be there in a couple of days.'

DAY 480 (25th Kythorn)(June)

Today we hired some sailors for the 'Black Cat' as we are now calling the Anubus.

These were:

4 sailor gnomes
1 sailor half-orc
1 sailor elf

Myself, Jiggles and Molly can all sail a little bit.
I think I'll act as the Captain with Jiggles as the First Mate.

We have separated the crew into two watches. I am taking the Night Watch while Jiggles takes the Day Watch.

I have assigned these roles to the non-sailors:
- Ship's Cook - Molly
- Ship's Surgeon - Sylvia
- Ship's Carpenter - Corum
- Ship's Steward - Irritator
- Ship's Rat - Rolanda

This morning we set sail for Waterdeep and so far it seems to be going well enough.
I have seen ships of this size sailed with as little as four crew all the way up to thirty. There are eight sailors and a couple of others that can lead a hand, so we are low on bodies, but it is just about managable.

She is lighter and faster than the Sea Wyvern. The Wyvern is a caravel, an ocean going trading vessel. The Black Cat is built to a more modern design and more for coastal running. And as she can be Invisible and Silent - the perfect pirate ship!

Not that I would of course.

DAY 480 (26th Kythorn)(June)

Fine weather. Good sailing.

Saw three whales.

DAY 481 (27th Kythorn)(June)

Fine weather. Good sailing.

Saw six dolphins and a blue footed booby.

Decided to rework the figurehead today to make it more like a black cat.

DAY 482 (28th Kythorn)(June)

Arrived at Waterdeep this afternoon. It is with a slight sense of impending dread. I think it is the fear of the unknown, combined with how relaxing the sea journey had been down the coast.

How nice it was to think of just keeping going, going all the way down to Chult and visiting Sasarine and Farshore again and forgetting all this ghastliness.

Regardless of my feelings though we had things to do. Not least of which was to deliver some chocolate covered prawns to my pregnant wife.

Waterdeep was effectively under curfew, and only those wearing the protective sigils were allowed to be on the streets. I had one though, so I could get about without being arrested.

After meeting Lavinia at the OJB we went on to the Temple of Mystra to see 'Reasonable'
Bob. We talked for a while and we told him about what we knew about the Unseen. He said he would pass it up the chain and also arrange to give us eight more sigils to protect against the Blue Phage.

We spent the rest of the day quietly trying to find out anything that we could about the Unseen. There was not much news. Corum asked around for word of Eno (who you may remember from some time back as the madman who shadowed Corum and Fenrir for a while and was a bitter enemy of the Unseen) but he could not be found.

Eventually Corum dug up an old contact, a dwarf lady called Kunarv. All she could tell us though was that the Unseen had effectively left the city after Midpoint Island had arrived.

I will think on it tonight, but I see no other option but to go back to the Island.

DAY 483 (29th Kythorn)(June)

Set Sail for Midway Island.

Pretty much all of us are going. All of those that set off from Neverwinter, plus Lavinia.

DAY 484 (30th Kythorn)(June)

Fine sailing weather. Making good time.

DAY 485 (1st Flamerule) (July)

Fine sailing weather.

Saw three swordfish.

DAY 486 (2nd Flamerule) (July)

Spotted six mermaids. They dived under the water when they saw me watching them.

DAY 487 (3rd Flamerule) (July)

Saw two wyverns, flying high in the clear blue sky.

DAY 488 (4th Flamerule) (July)

Arrived at Midpoint Island today.

The blockade was still there, but 'The Black Cat' is a stealthy ship and we easily slipped past and anchored in a secluded bay.

Myself, Sylvia, Corum, Jiggles and Irritator went up to the cave while Molly, Stephen, Lavinia and Rolanda stayed with the ship. We took two of the spare amulets with us.

After much careful scouting and tracking, with much trepidation, we entered the cave.