Thunderbolt and lightning, very very frightening (in real life).
The party is at the lighthouse, on the Stale Whale, a vaguely ship-like entity made out of wood. Captained by Captain Captain Stonefoot, who has against all odds and laws of physics, kept the party safe and sound through the dangerous waters. The island is about a mile off the coast of Neverwinter and about 3 days north of Neverwinter. Or, if you're Captain Stonefoot, within a day's travel somehow. Because the wood is made of lighter wood, which is totally how this works. The party has the three smugglers, Bell Maire and her two assistants Minard and Chalkie.
Captain Stonebeard asks for the next port of call, and the party suggests Neverwinter, only to be asked by the smugglers if their quest to rescue the crewmen from Captain Argrash was somehow forgotten. But the one quest is on the way to the next quest, so Claire relents, so long as her rapid aging syndrome is still taken care of in time. The smugglers suggest the party be presented as new smugglers so they can then assassinate Captain Argrash. The party takes a long rest
Meanwhile… The quest did not go as expected. The Sauhuagin raid does not go as plan, and Jim does what Jim does, and Jim-bob is dragged into the depths and the ship is sinking. Stranded at sea for about a day, a “ship” appears upon the horizon. The high elf and warforged are rescued, and Thorfin gets very disparaging about Acquisitions Incorporated's chance of success and fatality rate.
The party continues on a little bit more. The Captain is asked for some tales of the deep sea. He regales the party with a tale of how he was transporting a group of adventurers to Neverwinter, and a ship appears on the horizon, and it turns out he is describing the party's recent adventure. Thorfin asks, barring this trip, how long he has been on the sea. “Barring this trip, I've been on the sea almost all my life.” Thorfin is suspicious. “A couple years ago, I was told I had an incurable disease, and I found a new lease on life. Or possibly a new lease on a boat. I've been boating about three years, every third Sunday, and most recently been boating every day since I was kicked out of my home (for the past three months).”
Over the horizon, another ship appears. It looks to be a very large raft - a building on top of a raft with very large barrels. It has a sign on top, “The Magic Mystical Magnificent Magnificum McCormick.” Stonefoot drops the anchor rock, and a very thin man with a wide mustache and hat appears out of the door. “HellooOOoooo, and welcome to my shop. I sell many a wide wond'rous thing.” He has a chest of mystery, it produces items from a realm of chaos and randomness.
Boom B0-X takes part and find a nice pair of boots inside. Boots of the Ringmaster.
Wraq goes next, and it somehow turns into two boxes. Inside the one she picks is a quarterstaff of charred burnt wood. Quarterstaff of Embers.
Our new elf goes next, and a lance is produced - a Lance of Sparks.
Thorfin pulls out a crossbow - a Slowing Light Crossbow of Triumph.
Nalla tries his luck and… womp womp, just a regular light crossbow.
Claire pulls out a chain shirt that has a tag stating it is a “Shitfuck” which then disappears. Claire then pulls out a pair of gloves, “The Stout Fortitude Gloves.”
Stonefoot also tries his luck, and OOH, he pulls out a club, “Vampire Club.”
Also, everyone gets a healing potion - be sure to tell your friends about this!
The party approaches the caravel, the Tortured Tortle. The party is put on a lifeboat which SOMEHOW exists, and approaches. Aboard the ship, Captain Argrash interrogates who the new people are, and refuses to delegate hiring decisions. So, the party starts a mutiny. Nalla goes down a few times, and Sister Foam is killed in short order. Agrash is killed and falls over the ledge, so Thorfin jumps overboard and brings the captain back up and attempts to intimidate the smugglers, who are nonplussed. Eventually, the party wins, and the smugglers are grateful. They provide a map to the cave. Claire still very much wants to go to Neverwinter to be re-youthened.
The party decides that Captain Stonefoot should keep control of the Stale Whale and forego captainship of the Tortured Tortle. The party proceeds to Neverwinter. The temple is in an area under renovation from when a volcano erupted long ago. Claire searches for someone to cast Greater Restoration. Grand Scribe Liethennson will be available, and Claire is given directions and Boom B-0X follows. The rest of the party reads books, including a mythology book, a book in forgotten languages (labelled “Webster's English Dictionary”, a story on the exotic animal of foxes, and a guidebook to hidden tunnels and areas of Neverwinter. Thorfinn finds out about a secret tunnel from Waterdeep to Neverwinter that was closed one day when a wizard cast Meteor Swarm on a lark. Sadly, this killed the wizard, and his student tour group.
The party heads to a tavern, The Stable Quiver, and Boom B0-X offers to sing a song.
There once was a chicken so lost and alone She searched for a place to call her own home She searched and she searched and she searched all day long, When such an amazing sight came along. “That's such a big hen house” she exclaimed with glee. “That's such a big hen house, I hope it's for me”
Claire tries to say this is drawing up interest in ordering chicken in the bar. The barkeep, Squid says that his bar sadly does not serve chicken. Nalla then starts talking about the glory of Captain Stonefoot, and Boom B-0x joins in.
The barkeep has not heard of Opal, and does not pick up on the keywords, but is hiding something. So Wraq persuades the bartender to spill the beans. Opal was picked up for a crime she didn't commit, murder of an orc.