Meeting the Kraken
Short Summary
At the Yawning Portal, Illidan has information to eshare with the rest of the party. Apparently, Hekaton is a prisoner aboard the Morkoth, a vessel serving the Kraken Society and the Kraken Slarkrethel. The Morkoth is commanded by Captain Tholtz Daggerdark, and is roaming the seas around the Purple Rocks in the Trackless Sea. The party goes to the Maelstrom to contact Princess Serissa. She sends the group to Finback. From Finback, the party hires the Kolanth (with its crew of hobgoblins and bugbears) to take them to the Purple Rocks. At the Purple Rocks, they encounter the Morkanth.
The party tricks the crew of the Morkanth into believing that the party was sent by “Lord” Slarkrethel. King Hekaton is in a trance, bound by magical chains, in the hold. Kelderrin creates a smoky distraction and the party attacks the crew of the Morkanth. After a bloody battle, Captain Daggerdark and his crew are routed. Hekaton is released.
Then Slarkrethel arrives with its enormous tentacles. Gileas persuades Hekaton to blow the conch and to return to the Maelstrom. As Hekaton blows the horn, Boarstack, Illidan, Kelderrin and Rolann leap onto Hekaton to be teleported away. Bravely, Gileas and Nord remain behind to help the Morkoth’s crew escape. As Slarkrethel rains down lightning upon them, Gileas manages to create a teleportation circle to teleport the crew back to Waterdeep.
Long Summary
The party gathers at the Yawning Portal to discuss their plans. Illidan’s contact provides him information that Hekaton is a prisoner aboard the Morkoth, a vessel belonging to the Kraken Society and serving Slarkrethel. The Morkoth, commanded by Captain Tholtz Daggerdark, is roaming the seas around the Purple Rocks in the Trackless Sea. It is believed that the Kraken Society had been hired by Iymrith, the blue dragon (who had posed as a Storm Giant advisor) to slay King Hekaton. Instead of assassinating Hekaton, the Kraken Society broke the contract and kidnapped storm giant king.
The adventurers decide to make contact with Princess Serissa. She sends the group to Finback to contact Carter, who is in charge of the port. Carter arranges transport aboard the Kolanth, commanded by Captain Klarz and his crew of hobgoblins and bugbears.
The Kolanth takes the party to the Purple Rocks. It is not long before they encounter the Morkanth. King Hekaton is held at the bottom hold with magical chains. Kelderrin creates an image in the symbol of the Kraken Society and Gileas uses “message” to talk to the first mate. Once aboard the Morkanth, Gileas persuades Captain Daggerdark that the party are newly initiated followers of the “Lord” Slarkrethel. Once the party hears that Slarkrethel will arrive soon, Kelderrin uses his mage hand to uncork the eversmoking bottle in the hold. This creates a distraction as the crew believes it is a fire. Gileas uses a “mass suggestion” spell to cause half a dozen crew members of the Morkanth to abandon ship.
Boarstack starts swinging away at the Morkanth’s crew members. He stands his ground before half of the crew at the doorway. As bodies stack before the mighty duergar warrior, he earns the new nickname “Doorstack”.
Meanwhile, the others are fighting relentlessly. Illidan continues to quietly assassinate people while Rolann fights Captain Daggerdark and his henchmen. Nord leaps into the ocean and quickly gets out to resume the battle. Gileas unleashes bird, beast and cackling demons at the Morkanth’s crew. Kelderrin unsuccessfully attempts to persuade a crewmember to dump the captain into the ocean. Overwhelmed by the united attacks from Rolann, Illidan and Kelderrin, Captain Daggerdark falls into the ocean. Kelderrin dives into the ocean after Captain Daggerdark (realizes his mistake) and returns back to the ship. The rest of the party is busy freeing King Hekaton.
A few moments after King Hektaon’s freedom, the Kraken Slarkrethel arrives. Gileas tosses the conch to the Storm Giant and tells him to escape. Hekaton seizes the conch. He blows the conch and begins to shimmer. Boarstack, Illidan, Kelderrin and Rolann latch onto the Giant King to be teleported back to the Maelstrom. The heroic Gileas and Nord remain behind to usher the crew of the Kolanth to city. As the Kraken Slarkrethel casts lightning from the sky upon the deck of the Kolanth, Gileas inscribes a teleportation circle. As the Kraken’s tentacles grasp the Kolanth in a watery embrace, Gileas and Nord escape with the crew through the teleportation circle.
