Blades In The Heart Of Hollowatch
Cadamune, a world crafted by gods, was once a harmonious masterpiece of varied domains, but as centuries passed and divine races were born, discord and cataclysm reshaped its fate, setting the stage for our unfolding story 300 years later.
Season 2
Meet the SF1 section of the Blades, an elite group of operatives personally chosen by Captain Kreck, a no-nonsense commander who rose through the ranks from humble beginnings. Known for his unwavering honour and justice, Captain Kreck commands the utmost respect from all who know him.
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Inside the Blades' headquarters, SF1 assembles for their morning briefing. The ragtag team forms a semblance of a lineup: some stand with military discipline, eagerly awaiting their orders, while others lounge with their legs dangling off the stage or gaze at the clouds, naming animals they see.
A large bell rings in the distance, signalling the top of the hour. One Blade, perched on the stage, leaps off and swiftly joins the lineup. As the final bell chimes, the door to the side of the stage bursts open with a forceful slam, a trademark of the always punctual Captain Kreck. He strides purposefully, his uniform immaculate, walking in a perfectly straight line before making a sharp turn to the podium. With a final four steps, he reaches the podium and clicks his heels together, the sound echoing through the hall.
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Captain Kreck surveys SF1, draws a deep breath, and begins his briefing. "Good morning, SF1. I see you're as tidy as usual. I’ve heard some rumours that you weren’t playing nice with the regulars this weekend." A few Blades grin, but Captain Kreck's stern gaze quickly quells their amusement. "Since this information can't be proven, we’ll let it lie. Your orders are to patrol the dockside this week, focusing on the cargo and fishing areas. Intelligence suggests that a group of importers has been bribed to smuggle items with false import stamps. Find out what’s being imported, identify who’s behind it, and report back to me." He turns to the sergeant. "Sergeant, keep them in check this week. No incidents, understood? Dismissed."
The sergeant, understanding the gravity of the task, leads the squad out of the headquarters towards the harbour.
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Gameplay
The Blades made their way to the shipyard and docks, intending to speak with the harbour master, a well-dressed halfling known for his exceptionally long top hat. Approaching his office, they noticed him on the quayside, conversing with a group of rough-looking men. The harbour master appeared nervous. To avoid startling them, the Blades deployed their rogue to stealthily eavesdrop on the conversation. Despite a successful acrobatic leap onto the roof, a low stealth roll prevented the rogue from hearing the entire discussion. They did catch the ending: "The shipments are due soon. The last boat you recommended failed us. They've been dealt with and will arrive soon. Strange things happen at sea, especially on the journey here. Do not fail us again."
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After the men left, the Blades approached the harbour master, who denied any knowledge of illicit activities and sent a runner to fetch the import/export manifesto. When the runner returned, he whispered something that visibly frightened the harbour master. Trying to cover his fear, the harbour master handed over the large book and attempted to leave. Sensing his unease, the Blades conducted an insight check and, with a high roll, discerned that he was scared and lying to them.
Meanwhile, a commotion was growing at the far jetty as an unusual number of people gathered. The Blades joined the crowd and noticed that a ship was docking without following standard customs procedures. As the ship drew closer, they realised the sail was not canvas but the sewn-together skin of the crew, designed to appear like a sail from a distance. The ship was secured, and a goliath Blade tried to pull it to the jetty but instead tore a piece of the jetty towards the ship.
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Investigating the ship, the Blades found standard cargo on the top deck, but in one box, they discovered a young child stuffed inside. The child revealed that his mother, a crew member, hid him there before another ship boarded them. A high perception roll confirmed the boy's story. Upon seeing his parents' remains used as the sail, the child became too distressed to answer further questions.
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Searching the upper deck, the Blades found a skeleton key and the captain's log hidden in the steering wheel. They proceeded to the captain's quarters, finding only sawdust. Below, they discovered the deceased crew propped up around the captain’s table. The captain's last note read, "Thy shall not cross the port, for pain and suffering is the punishment." Counting the crew, they noted that five were unaccounted for, including the boy.
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Descending to the second-lowest deck, the Blades encountered a magical darkness concealing several bullywugs. The druid transformed into a bullywug and attempted to communicate, managing to convince two of the four and a grotesque animal to leave. The ensuing battle was swift, with the Blades emerging victorious.
Season 3
The Blades found themselves back on the ship where they had left off. With the bullywugs defeated, they continued their search, heading to the lowest deck. This deck was split in two: the bow contained storage for more expensive and water-sensitive goods, while the stern housed accommodation, which was locked. Remembering the skeleton key, they opened the door and discovered a group of well-armed people taking cover in the galley. Initially confused and almost coming to blows, both groups soon realised that the Blades were law enforcement from Hollowatch, and the armed individuals were survivors.
The Blades questioned the survivors, who explained that they were not crew members but passengers en route to Hollowatch to visit family. They had been left tied up and locked in the accommodation when the masked assailants ran out of time. The survivors eventually freed themselves but couldn't escape due to the reinforced door. An insight check confirmed their story, except for their reason for visiting. Subsequent low rolls on insight checks made further interrogation futile, so the Blades abandoned it.
The Blades ordered the survivors to stay with them. Meanwhile, reinforcements from Blades HQ arrived, having seen the ship come in and dispatched a team to investigate. It was decided to bring the survivors back to HQ, but the boy who had been found earlier was missing. SF1 left another team of Blades on the ship and started back to HQ.
On their way, they noticed a ship being loaded with unusual-looking boxes by people who clearly did not work for the harbour. When the Blades approached to ask what was happening, they were instantly attacked. Four attackers were on the jetty, and more seemed to be on the ship. Instead of fighting, most of the attackers threw the boxes into the sea, prioritising this over preserving their own lives. Only after the boxes were in the water did they fight back. Meanwhile, the people on the ship began freeing it from the jetty ropes to make a quick escape.
Some of the Blades used their abilities to save the boxes from the water, hoping to preserve evidence. One Blade attempted to break open a box with a great axe but found it well-made and resistant to damage. A few Blades fought their way onto the ship and reached the control deck, only to find it empty. The ship was being remotely controlled by magic. Despite efforts to change its direction, the ship sailed 100 metres before stopping abruptly, with all magic ceasing.
Had this been a diversion, or had the Blades successfully stopped the ship? The answer remained unclear.
Session 4
The Blades were perplexed by the sudden stoppage of the ship. With all foes either dead or escaped, they began searching for evidence or clues about what had happened.
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Suddenly, a massive explosion rocked the ship and jetty, as all the boxes detonated in a fiery inferno. The blast threw the Blades and survivors to the ground, leaving some severely injured and one unconscious.
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Reacting quickly, the Blades on the jetty decided it was best to bring the small ship back into the harbour to reunite the team. One of the survivors swam out and tied a rope to the ship, allowing the stronger members on the jetty to pull it back in. There was some confusion from a Blade with a -5 intelligence modifier, who didn’t understand that everyone needed to pull the same rope. Fortunately, a death saving throw for the unconscious survivor was successful.
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Once reunited, a commander from another section of the Blades arrived with more reinforcements and clerics. He informed SF1 that the city was under attack and they needed to return to base to regroup. The clerics fully healed the Blades, and they set off towards HQ.
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The path ahead was chaotic, filled with people running for their lives, helping others, pillaging, rioting, and some causing havoc—likely the attackers. Several conflicts erupted on the way back, with attack dogs used by the enemy to injure the Blades. The Blades employed a fire elemental to create fire barriers for protection.
After leaving a trail of bodies behind them, they finally arrived back at HQ, a little battered but all alive.