A Quest Unfurls

I bumped into Baderon who mentioned Emerick to me. He said Captain Hob might be able to help me get aboard the Barracuda's prison ship where he was being held. He said Captain Hob could be found at Fisherman's Bottom so I headed down there.

Captain Hob at Sunrise

I caught up with Captain Hob just before sunrise. After convincing him I wasn't joking, he agreed to sail out to the warship - apparently Y'shtola had convinced him even before I'd gotten there. As we neared the warship, two ships approached us on the horizon. I was sure they were pirates and Captain Hob seemed to agree as he hid below deck. I made my way on to the Barracuda ship to find Emerick.

I found him locked in a cargo hold. I decided to let him out so we could speak face to face. Unfortunately, Merodaulyn interrupted our arranged meeting. Oh and he was pissed! Emerick ran up to the deck and Mero chased after him - and so did I. They were locked in battle and I had to choose a side. I chose to defeat Merodaulyn and protect Emerick - who still owed me some kind of explanation (and seemed important to the Barracuda Knights as well).

Battle on Board

 Apparently Mero and Emerick were willing to let bygones be bygones but Y'shtola showed up on board. I knew she was around, but I hadn't seen her yet. She told Emerick the sahagin were coming for the "treasure" he took from Seal Rock. Emerick had some pleasant imagery to share - but let her know he threw that thing away long ago. Then she referred to it as "the key" and said the shadow eaters were after it - the Ascians!

So much was happening - so many questions! Unfortunately there was no time to talk. The sahagin ships approached and the Knights ships fell into defensive formation. It seemed like a sure victory as Barracuda broadsides plowed into the Reavers' ships - but then the two ships erected some kind of magical barrier that repelled cannonballs. The Reavers tore through two of the three Barracuda ships before the Knights were able to penetrate their shields by firing bursts over their shields that rained fire down on the decks. Through this chaos - I thought I saw an elezen man aboard the sahagin ship. Was he the shadowless man Y'shtola was looking for?

I'm not sure what happened next - Many of the ships were on fire. Things were looking bleak. The sea between the five ships began to swell and from the swollen bulb of water the sea serpent leaped into the sky - clearing the masts of the ships by several tens of feet. I'd seen this once before when it jumped clear over Captain Hobs ship the night before I arrived. The difference was I did not see the serpent land, because in his wake a huge tsunami ushered forth towards our ship. I remember fear clutching at my throat and perhaps I scrambled to get away from this massive wave about to over take us. It was then that I felt Y'shtola's soft hand on my wrist and her solemn eyes affixed mine. A spell began to form in the palm of her free hand and she spoke to me before I was sent away from this mess - "Find the key," she said.

Passed Out

The next thing I remember is waking up to the (sorry) sight of Rostnsthal (from the Astalicia). My head was swimming still and a splitting headache on top of it all. I dismissed him without really listening and drifted off to sleep right there on the docks. Only one thing was clear, I had to find the key.