After their escapades at Sunport, the heroes find themselves returning to everyday duties on board the Vigilant. As the ship faces unfavorable wind conditions, they begin to make their long trek north. A few days into their journey, our heroes find themselves finally drawing the short straw and forced to take the night watch. The calm seas and the quiet feeling that had come over the ship allowed our heroes to relax and try and enjoy their relatively mundane duties, knowing they were expected to do their normal daily duties despite virtually no sleep.

Gradix was the first to see the trouble coming, a ship off in the distant, only detectable by the shifter's keen eye-sight. At first it was just a spot on the horizon, however, it began to quickly take form. Knowing they were not to disturb anyone for anything but a dire emergency, the heroes waited and assessed the situation.

The ship appeared to be getting closer, it's sails tattered. Testing the readied danger, Deanavier's, who was at the helm, adjusted course, hoping that the now creepier looking ship would stay the course. When the ship altered course to match, the heroes knew they were in for trouble. As if things could not get worse, Lady Er'im decided at that point in time that she wanted to take a "lovely evening stroll." No one questioned that her lovely evening stroll was in the middle of the night.

As Zerith tried his best to persuade her ladyship that there was imminent danger (she just seemed more interested) the rest of our heroes prepared for the dangers. Gradix's keen eyes catches the tattered and now abandoned-looking ship, seeing that it is somehow gaining speed on them, when suddenly flashes of light crossed under the water's surface past the ship's bow.

Gradix sent out a warning to the rest of the team as Zerith used his mental powers and hoped to awaken the second mate, warning him of the impending danger. Our heroes waited in the night as the obvious ghost ship made its way closer and closer. It was Astarte who would hear the strange scratching noises coming from the side of the ship. She investigated, and the ship found itself being boarded by the forces of some undead crew. Skeletons and wraiths boarded the ship.

Combat Encounter: All Skeleton's on Deck!

After the boarder's have been defeated, the heroes realize that the ghost ship has arrived next to the Vigilant. Er'im comments that they heroes need to stop. That she had been the one to call the ghost ship. Confused by her words, the heroes, alongside the Captain who has now arrived, try to question why. The undead boarders reappear, their apparent leader, confirming that they had earned the right to board, and that the Captain is waiting.

The crew witnesses a brief interaction between Captain Goldbeard and Er'im, the Captain worried for her safety, not only onboard the ship but in general if she should continue to pursue this course of action. Er'im replies harshly, commenting that she has to do this; that is the whole reason he has even allowed her on his ship, and that he very well knows this is the only course of action left to them.

Defeated, the Captain relents to her request, but adding that she must be accompanied. Overlooking their victory over the undead pirates, the Captain orders his officer’s squad to board the ship. However, the ship denies them passage and sends a couple of their members into the cold waters. Realizing that their defeat of the ghost crew was the price for boarding the ship, Astarte convinces the Captain that they are the only ones who can accompany Er'im.

Testing her theory, the heroes begin to board the ship, encountering no disaster or blistering cold baths. Zerith, staying close to Er'im, catches her quiet prayer for forgiveness from Tiamat. As they reach the deck of the ship, the quickly find it's form changing in front of them, becoming a shadowed and distressed version of the Vigilant. They are informed by the ghostly crew that the Captain is waiting for them, if they can find him. And that he is in a foul mood.

Heeding the warning, the heroes begin to descend into the ship, heading straight for the Captain's quarters as it would be on their ship. The discover a room in ruins, outside a storm that did not rage above deck, can be seen and felt from the Captain's quarters, the broken window letting the sharp cold wind reach them. Zerith and Astarte both become very aware that they are sensing the aura of the Veil of Io all around them, as if they were very near it.

Unawares of the party's movements, or perhaps not caring, Jaa'lik did not enter the Captain's quarter's, staring at one of the many closed doors that lined the hallway they used. Since being convinced that boarding the ship meant treasure, he felt it necessary to get his share. Carefully opening one of the fairly well preserved looking doors; Jaa'lik peers inside, discovering what he had hoped. Inside the dusty and cobwebbed filled room floated a single frosted vial, its exquisite fancy silver toppers and strange single point of light inside, drawing Jaa'lik's greedy instinct.

The heroes, while observing the room, notice and feel a sudden and brief change in the room. Unsure what caused it, Jaa'liks return is noticed, as well as his unusually chipper countenance. After some interrogation and coercion, Jaa;lik finally reveals what he did and what he found. Hoping for a similar reaction, the heroes raid the other five rooms, discovering other items, all sharing a similar feature. They all had points of light.

Upon returning to the Captain's quarters they discover that each piece collected rebuilt some of the room, filling it with furniture, light and various objects one would expect to find. However, what drew the attention of everyone was the man who faced away from party, out of his still broken window to the raging sea.

The man turned and the party could see the draconic figure was not all there, his undead status still readily apparent on his face. Er'im approached to speak to the man, calling him by name, Captain Black. However her words were met with harsh sounding gibberish as an apparently confused Captain Black railed and yelled at them. Eventually, seemingly able to take control, his broken words insulted the black dragon Er'im, and confused the heroes as he warned about their ignorance of the whole, of the sum.

Puzzle Encounter: Painful Sacrifice

Able to deduce the clues the Captain was trying to give them, the heroes are able to release the Captain temporarily from his curse and learn of the reason for their journey onto this ghost ship. Er'im shares that she is on a pilgrimage, and that she must know where the points of light are. They learn that Captain Black had discovered the first of the points of light and hid it. He gave them clues to its location, but warned that if they take this path they will be hated and hunted. A fate it seems Er'im has already resigned herself to.

Sensing the magicks on the ship fading, the heroes quickly try to leave the ship, but discover once they are back on deck, that the Vigilant is gone, and the storm they witnessed from the Captain's quarters now raged all about them, tossing the ship around. Captain Black reappears, but this time he seems changed, angry. Sensing the magicks around them raging, the heroes brace themselves for the Captain's attack, the curse retaking his mind.

Combat Encounter: Blackest Night

Defeating Captain Black, the heroes realize the ship they are on is being torn apart, but there is no sign of the Vigilant. Er'im however, allows her draconic wings to appear as she flies right off the ship, and vanishes. Suspecting the Vigilant is hidden somehow; the heroes trust their instinct and make a leap towards where the Vigilant should be.

Landing safely on the ship, they turn around in time to see the now original looking ghost ship being torn about by dark energies, and eventually sinking into the sea. Er'im and Captain Goldbeard retreat to his quarters where they were heard arguing.

Eventually, our heroes are called into the Captain's quarters where they are reminded of the Captain's true form, as he unleashes his draconic aura to make them cower. He bullies them into agreeing to keep silent about all they saw and heard. Despite his anger at the events, he pulls back his aura and reassigns the squad again, this time they are to be personally responsible for Er'im's safety and continued presence onboard the Vigilant. The heroes fail in getting any more information about what is going on, but they are rewarded for their new found responsibilities.

Before sleep overtakes them, Zerith risks an encounter with Lady Er'im in private. The enigmatic encounter eventually leads to Zerith being reminded about Er'im true form, but he escapes the situation unharmed.

With a truer course in mind, the Vigilant makes its way to Frosttip, the Water Genasi Capitol and the main port for the Isle of the Twins. It is here that while on a resupply run that our heroes spot 3 silver dragons, which land and take on the form of Council Operatives. One approaches them, as they are informed that the Council has some questions for them.