14th of Garm-marh, 641 SC

The History of the Jandicary 600-700 SC

As recorded by Ayatollah Nabil ibn Moriad, 720 SC

The Umbar-Shard breaks the surface of the Azure Sea a stone throw from the fleet that had earlier been glimpsed streaming out from the harbour town of Shushan. Peering out the hatch the servants of the Holy Divine are surprised  to see no great armada but a ramshackle flotilla of hastily constructed rafts accompanied by a score of dhows, more seaworthy, but overcrowded with women and children and all manner of refugees.

Within hailing distance of the closest ship now, Pang Mighty Dragonborn and Maissa the Jandicary climb out the hatch on top of the Umbar-Shard and having greeted the refugees in the name of the Holy Divine, request an audience with the leader of this curious fleet. A dhow approaches and beckoned hither by its captain, Dragonborn and Jandicary both throw themselves into the sea and swim aboard the humble fishing boat.

Dark news greats them: Shysan is under siege.  A mercenary force of Dharvaki most foul calling themselves the Blackfists have surrounded the City of Sapphire and in defiance of the Holy Divine, have begun constructing trebuchets and battering rams to smash down the gates. This sorry fleet is all that escaped in the dead of night before the accursed Dharvaki swept into the harbour, burning the docks and what ships remained moored there.

With a promise in the name of the Holy Divine to deliver the people of Shushan, the vessel of Umbar dives beneath the sea and speeds off in search of safe haven leaving behind Rafiq the Highborn, Pang Dragonborn and the assurance of returning within six hours.

Watched wide eyed by the children, only the bravest darting out from behind nets and barrels to clutch at colourful dragon scales with playful giggles, Pang melts and rumbles out a story to lift the spirits of the youngest shipmates. A tale that would have delighted any brood of dragonborn hatchlings with its elaborate description of maiming and eyeball gouging, the children shrink back in terror, Rafiq’s magical cantrips all that can stop the pitiful wailing.

Bigger problems now arise aboard the flotilla as the situation rapidly deteriorates as fears begin to consume the hearts of refugees. Grumbling and scared people hoard supplies looking on Rafiq’s offer to purify water with mistrustful eyes. Bargaining and battering to get off the rafts and onto the relative safety of the dhows has begun, the poorest and weakest pushed and bustled onto leaky tubs and mere planks. Pang’s roar that had failed to comfort the children now rouses the able bodied sailors. Weather beaten and tattooed all, even the most grizzled of the old sea dogs respond to Pang’s tone and begin lashing the floating colony together with rope.

Though it feels much longer, not two hours pass before the Umbrian Shade and the young Hasari return with Maissa the Righteous. A suitable haven has been found. Natural defences from any inland attack and fresh water, but it lies almost six hours sail from the fleet at the pace of the flotilla’s fastest dhows. The Umbrian, bonded with the infernal shark spirit of the Umbar-Shard, has sensed a storm coming.

Maissa races to the tallest mast, quickly scaling up into the crow’s nest, she climbs and lifting her hands to the heavens beseeches the refugees of Shushan to work together or lose even their lives they hold so dear.

Quickly, time fleeting, Pang rouses the sailors with a giant bellow. Rafiq at last with supplies purifies precious water and stows provisions, Maissa jumps ship to ship and moving refugees up on to the dhows and off the bobbing rafts. Pulling together as at a single oar the people of Shushan lifted by the Holy Divine do the bidding of the heroes. 

Two dhows, however, hang back their sailors making not a move to help the raft people or cooperate with the flottilla.Burning with holy wrath Maissa storms along the flotilla with Pang alongside, roaring out a blast of dragon fear as guards quickly spring apart as the heroes storm aboard the black dhow. They are met by Fahim Ulamai who will not help the refugees and using dark magic confuses and removes the Dragonborn and the Jandicary from his ship. Oh Holy Divine strike Fahim the Blackheart down!

On the second dhow, a mute sailor beckons the party aboard. Youcef Ushna greets the party in his quarters with a wordless wave, tongue once wretched from his mouth leaving behind a fleshy stump. This floating den of thieves will not take on board a single refugee for any price less than 5000 gold pieces. Raouf the Impulsive steps up and with a flourish offers Youcef his services as a Hasari to the leader of the Sukout. The deal is sealed with a sip of sugared tea.

The first drops of rain are falling now and thick purple clouds have rolled across the sky. To sail! To oar! The flotilla begins to flee as lightning splits the sky and waves buffet the fleet. Above even the crashing of the sea and the sound of wood splintering, the wretched cries of the terrified and drowning pierce the stormy night. The party clings on, prayers to the Holy Divine all they can offer now.

At last the dawn and Maissa, exhausted once more must climb the tallest mast to offer prays for the lost and to comfort the living.  Press on: safety lives but a few leagues further! A little while later the Umbarian craft resurfaces, pointing towards a new home with its metallic brow.

And so the refuges set up camp besides the Azure Sea. Leaving Amir al-Moriad the stonemason, silent and devout, entrusted with the care of the people and the rebuilding of their humble lives, once more the party continues on to Shushan inside the Umbar-Shard.