The next morning, Thurl summoned the adventurers to an early breakfast in the common room. He had good news to share. “We turned a tidy profit on the first leg of our voyage,” said the satisfied merchant. “I’ve worked out your shares. Congratulations!” He handed each adventurer a small pouch with 48 gold pieces in each. “Now, let’s get ready to leave. The ship weighs anchor promptly at 8:00 am.”
True to his word, Thurl ordered the ship to cast off at 8:00 am. The voyage proceeded smoothly throughout the morning, with a strong east wind, and on through lunchtime, which was taken on board.
Arya was curious about the ring. After examining it again, she cast detect magic on the ring. It proved to be non-magical: merely a ring with the crest of an important family, just as it appeared.
Mid-afternoon, the wind died down. The captain decided to drop anchor on the north shore of the river, and wait for the wind to pick up again.
The north shore of the Fals River was thickly wooded in this part of its course. A small side stream led north further into the woods.
“Think this might be a good time to hunt up some fresh meat?” Thurl asked Captain Elwood.
“I like a good venison steak as much as the next guy,” replied Elwood. “Sounds like a plan.” And so, a shore party was formed to hunt for some game. All four of the adventurers volunteered to join the party. Two crewmen accompanied them, assigned to bag game. All were armed with short bows.
The party proceeded north along the side stream. Suddenly, they heard movement ahead. Balefire’s keen rogue’s eyed spotted a deer. He signaled to the rest of party, then drew his bow.
The rogue moved silently through the woods, and approached within forty feet of the deer. He nocked an arrow and drew his bow. The arrow flew straight and true.
Balefire bagged the deer!
Quickly, Strife and the two crewmen began to dress the deer and prepared the meat for transport back to the ship. After about an hour, the venison was ready to go. The party divided up the portions and headed south, back toward the Fals.
Again, the party heard sounds, and spotted movement. The river bank was shaded by trees. Tall grass, reeds and cattails grew profusely.
Strife raised a hand and signaled to his companions. “There are two nixies up ahead of us!” He reported. Immediately, Kronk took the point, advanced and drew his sword.
Then the half-orc called out, “Hey little guys!” He intended to speak to the nixies. Unfortunately, the two crewmen were two of the worst hotheads onboard the ship. They both drew their bows and, without discussion, shot at the nixies!
The second crewman’s arrow struck one of the nixies. To his surprise, the nixie’s injury seemed to be much less than he had expected.
Strife smacked the aggressive crewmen on the head. “What is your damage?” he barked. He then tried to apologize to the nixies. He asked them if they wanted healing. The nixies said nothing in reply. The wounded one waved his hand, as if signaling to some hidden party.
The elven ranger’s continued diplomatic efforts proved fruitless; the nixies’ attitudes could not be changed.
Balefire, observing the wounded nixie, thought he was signaling to hidden allies. He listened carefully.
He heard rustling in the reeds behind the party. “They’re behind us!” he warned the party. He turned around to face the direction of the sound. “Strife! Turn around!” he called out to the ranger.
The second crewman felt a sudden urge to befriend the first nixie, and then the second one–th one he had wounded! He fought both urges. Arya recognized what was happening. “They’re trying to charm us!” she cried. These nixies were clearly dangerous. Abandoning all diplomatic pretense, Arya swung her heavy mace at the wounded nixie. The sprite ducked.
Suddenly, behind the party, four more nixies appeared!
Kronk advanced on the wounded nixie. His attack missed the angry sprite. The first crewman was more successful, but only marginally: his longsword did far less damage to the first nixie than he expected.
Strife shot at one of the nixie reinforcements, point-blank. The arrow struck the nixie, but, amazingly, did no damage at all. Balefire’s shot had the same effect: hit, no damage.
The original two nixies spoke mystical syllables and gestured toward the two crewmen. Suddenly, both of them knew that the nixies were actually their friends! Strife and Balefire were similarly charmed by two of the newly-arrived nixies. The other two reinforcements advanced toward the party.
Then the second nixie fled from the melee! Arya’s cause fear spell drove it away, and with the nixie’s flight, the second crewman returned to his senses.
Kronk, not charmed, attacked the first nixie. Even as it shook off most of the newly-inflicted damage, the nixie was obviously gravely wounded. The half-orc then turned to the first crewman. “Hold him!” he ordered, pointing to the second, charmed crewman.
Immediately, the first crewman grappled the second, who tried to escape, but failed.
Strife, now charmed, positioned himself to defend the third nixie. “Withdraw, please! Leave my friend alone!” he urged the uncharmed members of the party. Balefire did likewise.
The first nixie tried to charm the uncharmed crewman, but was resisted. Then, four of the nixies suddenly drew light crossbows, loaded them, and targeted the party.
Arya quickly realized that it was time to leave. She ran into the woods from the west bank of the stream. Kronk followed close behind her. The two grappling crewmen, however, remained locked
Strife, although charmed, tried to shield his fleeing fellow adventurers from the anger of the nixies. “My friends, please let them go,” he requested.
“Only the two crewmen are still fighting, and they’re fighting each other,” added Balefire. “Hold your fire, my friends, and let the others go.”
The nixies gathered to confer. After a moment’s discussion, the first nixie spoke for them. “The two crewmen must stay with us for two days, to make up for their attacks on us,” said the sprite. “The others may leave. Do not come back to trespass again.”
The adventurers (charmed and uncharmed) readily agreed to the nixies’ terms. They gathered up the meat and took it with them as they headed back to the ship.
Half an hour later, the adventurers returned to the ship. They told the captain what happened. Elwood was not pleased. “So, we’ll have to leave them, or waste two days, or return to get them. Any way you slice it, it’s a hassle,” he grumbled. “Well, at least there’s fresh meat.”
“Why not leave them a boat, then continue on our way,” Balefire suggested. “No wasted time, and two fewer mouths to feed!”
“I like the way you think,” said Elwood. He ordered a rowboat to be left at the mouth of the stream, with instructions to the two crewmen to proceed to Hadrian and wait there for the Desperate Venture’s return. “Maybe a big dock in pay’ll make those two think twice next time they act before thinking,” observed Thurl, to the agreement of all.
The adventurers offered to pitch in to take the places of the missing crewmen. Captain Elwood accepted their offer.
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