(Part 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10)
We rejoin our crew having just ring-portalled into a Panjandran stronghold. As the crew wonder where Shank, the captured Glint, might be, they hear voices approaching- it's Gora and his henchmen! Everyone scrambles to hide- diving behind tables, hiding behind inactive Glint trophies, or in Squalor's case, pretending to BE a trophy. They overhear Gora making plans for an invasion, and calling his erstwhile Swindon allies "filthy swine".
As Gora prepares to leave the room, another henchman approaches with a prisoner- it's Cap'n! The henchman moves and speaks very stiffly, almost as if he were... a puppet? Gora says to put Cap'n in the Dungeon with the other prisoners. The henchman complies, staggering away with the "captive" Cap'n.
Once downstairs, Cap'n discards his unconscious would-be captor in a tomb. He has successfully infiltrated Gora's stronghold... but no sign of the others? (They were too well hidden!) He wonders, did they make it inside with the ring?
Meanwhile the others sneak after Gora. The main exit appears blocked by iron gates and watchful Panzers! The crew opt to go downstairs instead, hoping to find Shank below.
As the crew descend, they stumble into a startled Cap'n!
Pressing on into the dark Catacombs, the crew come across a prison cell and manage to unlock the gate. Inside they find Shank! Also chained up are a handful of Beer Golems, who must not have been appreciated by the dour Gora when he took over the stronghold. The crew manage to free everyone, but a gate slams shut behind them!
The same gate mechanism that blocks off the crew also sets the Beer Golems free to roam the upper halls, which they do with violent, unbridled enthusiasm!
As the crew and Shank venture deeper into the crypts, several of the Sarcophagi slide open, and an army of ancient skeletons arise to meet them...
Squalor jumps in front protect the others from skeleton archers. The rest of the crew dispatch the skirmishers behind. Griff and Cali skillfully fire through the gaps around Squalor to take out the archers...
But the skeletons keep coming! Squalor charges forward, crushing skeletons underfoot.
As each skeleton goes down, a disturbing vapor flows out from their ruined bodies, and snakes down the hallway.
The vapors reach a room where four half dead, half machine Gloom Hounds await, sucking in the vapors and reanimating. The crew rush past, hoping to escape before the Gloom Hounds can catch them...
Unfortunately Shank, the last to get out, gets bitten by a Gloom Hound that latches on with a deathlike grip.
The others reach a dead end... but Purket realizes there may be a secret exit, just like the crypts at Agrippa Island. Everyone starts pushing on walls... and Griff manages to shove something loose that, although not an exit, causes the ceiling to collapse, crushing the Gloom Hound!
Squalor, having found the correct wall, reveals a pit behind that he almost plunges into. Shank helps hold the exit open while everyone drops below.
The tunnels below are partially flooded, a distant glimmer of light at the far end a possible way out. Cali remembers the toy ship she found in the Manor, with an inscription that reads "To change size, just add water." She gingerly places it into the water and jumps back nervously.
Suddenly the crew watch as the ship grows huge, pulling them all aboard in a swirling rush. The ship is fully functional, complete with working sails and four cannon!
The crew set sail down the flooded tunnels, when Purket spots a huge white rock ahead. Wait... that's no rock, it's a Skull!
The Giant Skeleton pulls a rusting sword out of the water, and swings down at the ship! Squalor and Cali manage to blast the blade aside with a quick cannon shot.
The giant's bony hands grapple the ship, and everyone smashes their weapons into the brittle fingers until it finally lets go.
Cap'n takes the wheel and rams the prow of the ship into the giant's skull, splitting it in two. As it sinks below, the crew finally realize... that was a NORMAL sized skeleton. The ship didn't grow, they all SHRANK to fit aboard the tiny toy!
As they reach the exit, the toy boat bumps ashore, and the crew return to normal size. At least they made it out alive!
Cap'n leads the crew to retake Dr. Ossuary's balloon, and they head back to Decanter to return Shank.
The crew arrive at the dried up docks of Decanter, where Fratelli eagerly welcomes back Shank, and Dr. Ossuary eagerly welcomes back his balloon.
Also eager to see the crew again are Gaius the pack animal, and Fray, the lion!
The crew meet other friends again at the Tavern, and Cap'n strikes a deal with Mattie, a short, stocky... human?
The crew purchase supplies for the Stormstalker. There's a surprising number of Swindon refugees working the market in Decanter.
Purket manages a good deal on a variety of Bombs, before the case of explosives is brought out by an extremely shaky elder stockman....
The crew pool their resources and manage to buy the only 2 cannons in town, as a surprise for Cap'n. But Cap'n and Mattie then surprise the crew by wheeling up the dry riverbed- the Stormstalker converted into a Landship! Now they are ready to sail inland and take on the forces of Swindon in style.
ON TO PART 8!
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