Mako, Cregan Bandash, Vaarkhos, Zaya, and Nerkui hired on as crew aboard the Ace of Hearts. As the ship wouldn't sail until morning AND the group was already in the Drunken Kraken, Vaarkhos challenged his new companions to a drinking contest. It was not long before Cregan had drunk Mako, Nerkui, and Vaarkhos under the table, leaving Zaya to keep them all from being mugged.
In the morning, Cregan and Nerkui showed little ill effects from their drinking binge. Once aboard ship, the Captain assigned Zaya to navigation, Cregan to lookout, and the rest to other duties. Cregan looked for some refreshment to take with him to the crow's nest, which led him to the supplies below deck. He found a nasty surprise when the second barrel he opened spilled out an ooze-like liquid that waylaid him. He shouted an alarm, and the group were the first of the laggard crew to respond. In all, three of the ooze creatures emerged. Mako kept two from reaching the main deck, and although Mako and Vaarkhos were injured, the creatures were dealt with.
Once out of the harbor, Zaya navigated the Ace of Hearts through the worst of a storm towards an isle marked on the Captain's chart. He claimed his ship had chased its last prey onto the shore of an island where it broke up. As the ship approached the island, it hit uncharted rocks and started taking on water. The Captain sent his five newest crew to start hauling the valuables out of the wreck.
On the island, the group found many, tiny crabs scavenging for shiny bits to decorate their shells. One even had a knife in its claw. Nerkui found where something or someone had been dragged into the forest. Cregan found a large locked chest inside the hull of the wreck. After determining it was safe, he called Nerkui over to pick the lock. As Cregan retreated, Nerkui tried to open the chest, but instead discovered it was attached to the back of a much, much larger crab. Nerkui narrowly avoided the creature's pincers, shaking off one hit and retreating. He found himself swarmed by a group of smaller crabs. Another cast of crabs led by the knife-wielding one swarmed Cregan.
In the ensuing fight, Cregan, Nerkui, and Zaya were all injured, but with some luck and cleverness, the large crab was slain and the two swarms of smaller crabs were dispersed. To avoid death, Nerkui exhausted every trick he had, including an illusion spell and a bag of ball bearings. Cregan and Vaarkhos handled one of the crab swarms. Everyone scored hits on the giant crab and the other crab swarm. Zaya struck the final blow to the giant crab.
Before the group could catch their breath, Nerkui spotted something large coming through forest. The group hastily stowed the large chest with the four barrels they had loaded before the crab attack. Then, they pushed off and rowed for the Ace of Hearts. Their overloaded scuttle was taking on water when the massive lizard emerged onto the beach. It spotted them and headed into the sea to pursue them. They barely made it to the ship where they struggled to get the chest aboard. By the time they did, the giant lizard was perilously close. Nerkui and Cregan frantically tied one barrel up, and the crew of the Ace of Hearts pulled it and the two daredevils to safety as the sails caught the wind and pushed the ship out of reach of the giant lizard.
Everyone returned to Seaspire to live to sail another day.
