In a lonely void of space, the tyrant vessel makes a clandestine rendezvous with the Fleet's Flighty Foundling. After giving a proper space funeral for Ryeback, Saerthe and Tarto decide not to take any more chances...they come aboard, with Saethe assuming command. Popsicle, Veena, Zibbles, Miken, Wizpop, and Krik'lit are all dismissed. Evidence is handed over, statements are recorded, and the investigation rides back to Toril to be taken up by Fleet security.
Tarto grimaces at the whole situation, gnawing on her cigar and assigning you all to dull tasks. Somewhat sadly, Lazuli transfers attunement of the helm over to Saerthe. Morale takes a bit of a downturn with the crew losing the independence and comradery of the previous tenday. Clearly the officers are annoyed and frustrated with the recurring sabotage situation, and just want to get a success for a change.
The trek through wildspace to H'Catha takes many more mostly uneventful days. The strange planet's description from the library doesn't do it justice. H'Catha is a watery disk thousands of miles wide, with a towering mountain called the Spindle at its center. 1000 beholder vessels swarm the planet in the dark, and you can hear a pindrop as the tyrant merges with their flight pattern...like a school of deadly fish.
Saerthe finally maneuvers the tyrant ship so that it hovers a few feet above the surface of the water at the Spindle's edge. Nothing stirs below in the shallow water, but in the distance, some kind of alien sea birds squawk to each other...swooping and diving for food hiding in the deep.
Boatswain Tarto flicks away the stub of her smoldering cigar as she orders you to unfurl a rope ladder. She is much more terse than usual, clearly not in the mood for funny business. "Here’s the deal, see. You have one sending stone, and I have the other. When you find the meteorite, contact me and let me know, then await further instructions."
Tarto tosses you a satchel. "This here is a Bag of Holding. You can use it to contain the meteorite. The impact site is nearby. If the meteorite isn't there, search the nearby caves...it may have bounced or skidded. Saerthe and I will stay here and guard the ship."
The sun is a distant speck. Daylight on H'Catha appears to be no brighter than a starry night on Toril. Still, in this dim light, you can see a blemish in the gravelly pile of rock where something must've struck at great speed...shattering stone and leaving a huge indentation. Whatever it was, it tumbled down the mountainside towards the shore, leaving a furrow of molten rock.
ooc: Give me marching order, lighting, and any special precautions while navigating the stony shore towards the impact site AKA where the 70 billion CR 13 beholders live. Also who is carrying the Sending Stone, and who is carrying the Bag of Holding.
The Spindle is huge, about 200 miles at its base and 1000 miles high. You guys are starting at the shore, where the waters meet the rock.