Session 2 — Sunday, March 29, 2026

The Plan

The crew had scouted the island, gathered their props, and divided their roles. The haunting would run in three acts.

Donaar would hide in the bushes and use Thaumaturgy to snuff the teenagers' torches at the right moment. His mechanical beast would linger on the west side of the island to herd anyone who strayed back toward the intended path. Scarlet Hex disguised herself as a hag and posted up inside the old fisherman's hut, ready to use magic and illusion to sell the scene. And waiting at the standing stones — the dramatic finale — Bosyn, wild-shaped into a panther, poised to chase whatever terrified teenagers survived the gauntlet.

Clean. Elegant. Foolproof.

Complications

The teens arrived earlier than anticipated. Still light out — too early for torches.

Scarlet improvised, using harmless ground tremors to set the mood. Things quickly unraveled when Selûne acolyte Mara produced her borrowed moon mirror and used it to dispel the illusion outright. Frightened, Dawn, Gunther, and Devrick turned back and began wandering the west side of the island. Mara, undeterred, pressed forward toward the shack with Zip close behind.

Distressed that her magic had been countered by the artifact, Scarlet slipped out of the cabin just in time to avoid detection. Mara and Zip pushed on toward the standing stones.

Back on the west side, Donaar and Scarlet managed to frighten poor Gunther badly enough to send him sprinting back to the boat. Meanwhile, Dawn — looking entirely too comfortable for someone alone with her best friend's boyfriend — slipped her arm through Devrick's and asked him to protect her.

Face to Face with the Panther

At the standing stones, Mara and Zip came face to face with the panther. Mara attempted to use the mirror to dispel what she assumed was a spirit — and was visibly shaken when nothing happened. Bosyn-as-panther chased them back down the island, where Mara stumbled upon Dawn and Devrick making out. Distressed for multiple reasons, she ran deeper into the brush with Zip trailing close behind. The rest of the crew used magic to conjure frightening sounds. Mara broke down in tears.

Then a scream rang out from somewhere the party hadn't planned.

Real Danger

Gunther — back at the boat — was shrieking and sprinting up the hill. Hot on his heels: four undead creatures crawling up from the shallows. Drowned Dead.

Everything changed. The crew now had to protect the kids from real danger without blowing their cover. They fought to keep an unconscious Gunther from being dragged into the depths. Mara, bravely but recklessly, tried to use the moon mirror to banish the zombies — to no avail. Zip was injured staying at her side. The two managed to fall back to the standing stones as Bosyn leapt into the fight. The rest of the party loosed arrows and crossbow bolts until the undead stopped moving.

In the chaos, Mara dropped the moon mirror. Kyra quietly recovered it.

After the fight, Kyra hid the zombie remains while Scarlet and Donaar scared Dawn and Devrick back to the boat.

The Island's Protector

At the standing stones, Mara reframed Bosyn as the island's guardian. Staying in character, Bosyn told her to never return and to warn other children away. She promised she would.

As Mara and Zip turned to leave, Bosyn transformed in an instant, healed Zip, and shifted back into a panther.

The teenagers sailed away as fast as their boat could carry them — and almost certainly will never return.

Back at the Barnacle

Mags celebrated their success, lamenting the whole time that she hadn't been there. Scaring children off the island, it turns out, was a ritual she deeply enjoyed in her younger years.

The moon mirror was returned to Father Aldric as promised. Ten gold pieces, no questions asked. A clean close on a side job well done.

Days later, the crew gathered at the mission board. Knuckles and Kyra teased Donaar mercilessly about an embarrassing letter from an older woman requesting his personal assistance. The crew also reviewed a second letter: a job offering payment for retrieving a crate — no questions asked.

While they looked over the board, the Copper Barnacle was vandalized. The Undertow — a rival crew — had made their introduction. Their leader Darro, sharp-dressed and unapologetic, and his none-too-bright brawler Wren (paint-covered hands, self-satisfied grin) fled as the party gave chase. Bosyn cut them off. A brief brawl broke out, and the party soundly roughed up the rival crew before town guard whistles scattered everyone into the night.

The session ended with the crew burning for revenge.

Notes & Loose Threads

  • The Moon Mirror — Returned to Father Aldric. The crew collected their 10 gold and closed the book on that one. Clean.
  • The Undertow — Darro and Wren made a statement. It won't be the last one.
  • Drowned Dead — Undead washing up on the island's shore wasn't part of anyone's plan. What are they doing there, and where are they coming from?

Next session: The crew takes a job. What's in the crate?