DougFungus |
The morning chill brings a thick fog. This is normal by the docks at this time of day. As soon as the sun brings enough warmth the fog will disappear and a beautiful day will follow.
As agreed, Cygar is patiently waiting for you while Captain Walren makes the final preparations aboard The Black Mist.
Lector Rhomelus |
Having arrived at the docks early, Lector stands by Cygar’s side, his pack of supplies hanging off his shoulder. Punctuality (and luxury) being of great value to him, he fishes out his pocket watch and flips it open, checking the time. There was plenty of time to spare, but he was perhaps a little eager to set off. He had been waiting for an opportunity like this for months, after all.
Kerret Malconnen |
Kerret sidles up next to Lector as the fog begins to lift and favors the man with a winning smile. Been waiting long? he asks in a chipper tone. One thing I've learned with all this adventuring is to appreciate a nice soft bed and take advantage of it while I can. So, good morning to you, and to you Cygar.
Lorant Pelus |
After spending the evening retelling the tales several times with his family, Lorant slips out in the early morning without saying a thing about their new goal in Tamran. He walks to Emily and Kaylee's house, but stops himself from waking Emily. He looks around for Kaylee, but then heads to the docks finding the Pathfinder there.
"Mr. Rhomelus. Good morning. I don't have to tell you the rest of us may be reluctant to go, but what we faced in the Crypt was horrifying. We're hardened by the experience. We will fulfill our promise to Kassan"
Kaylee Pruitt |
Kaylee wakes up to Fenris licking her nose. She leans forward and stretches with a mighty yawn. Slipping gently out of the bedroll without waking her younger siblings, she then splashes her face with some cold water and prepares herself for the coming journey. Her brother Davyd is already awake, quietly sharpening his axe for the workday.
"Lorant stopped by a few minutes ago.' he tells her. "You should probably hurry.'{/b] He smiles at her and hands Kaylee her pack. [b]"I'm glad you made it back alright, and I'm proud of what you're doing now. Take care of yourself out there."
"Thank you…" Unsure of what else to say, Kaylee takes the pack and leaves.
Guiding her donkey down to the docks wasn't to easy this early in the morning but she's glad to see that she isn't the last one to arrive. She smiles at Kerret and Lorant and bows her head politely to Mr. Rhomelus.
"Good morning gentlemen. Are we short on time? I brought wild berries and bread if anyone hasn't eaten yet."
Lector Rhomelus |
"Good morning to you all," Lector says warmly, closing his watch and slipping it back into his pocket. With a thoughtful expression, he looks to everyone's faces one by one, re-familiarizing himself with them. That just leaves... Mr. Vastar. At Lorant's words, he nods solemnly.
"I cannot claim to understand what you have been through, nor can I say that I serve the will of Kassen. But I will do what I can to ensure that you all return home as soon as possible."
DougFungus |
The Black Mist is a rectangular , small sailed barge that is 60 feet long and 20 feet wide with a cabin that occupies 1/3 of the vessel. It is currently docked but is ready for departure at anytime. From it steps Captain Walren, whom to your surprise is a Dwarven man - a true rarity among barge captains. Behind him is a heavily scarred Human Skeltic man who keeps pace with the captain.
CYGAR: "Good morning to you Walren."
CAPTAIN WALREN: "So these be the heroes o' Kassen are they? Y'all look like a tough lot I suppose, but do any o' you have experience with water travel?"
CYGAR: "They have what it takes, you can have my word on that."
CAPTAIN WALREN: "I trust ya Cygar, you havent let me down yet. I suppose introductions be in order. I am Walren, Captain o' the Black Mist. This rather handsome feller standing beside me is Ewem, my Deckhand. Ewem handles tha common tongue poorly so ye might be better off directing any concerns ta me. Don't let his appearance fool you though, Ewem is a gentle soul. He goes on "Together we'll be delivering this shipment o' ingots To Tamran, where upon arrival we'll part ways. These be dangerous waters as of late though. Lake Encarthan be filled with all manner o' sea beasts that'll be tryin' ta make a meal out o you. Molthuni privateers prowl tha waters looking for victims along with tha'ccursed faith barges o' Razmir, who force travelers to accept the faith o' the Living God, often at the point of a sword. If ya'll be traveling aboard my vessel I need assurances tha should any trouble arise, you'll be defendin' my barge."
Lorant Pelus |
"You don't have to worry about us, Captain. If they threaten the boat, they threaten us too. We'll fight them off with you." Lorant taps the hilt of his sword.
-Posted with Wayfinder
DougFungus |
CAPTAIN WALREN: "Thats good to hear fellers. Captainin' this Barge is my passion. It's just too bad tha its become so dangerous as of late."
"Them ingots are nothing much special. Just iron needin' ta be refined. Tha price they fetch is more than enough to keep the Black Mist afloat. Speakin' o' which, should we get this journey underway? There be no time like the present."
I placed a pic of Ewem in the CAMPAIGN INFO tab You can find existing pictures of Cygar and Captain Walren there too if you missed them.
Kaylee Pruitt |
"Why are the followers of Razmir forcing travelers to convert?" Kaylee asks the Captain. "I think we're almost ready to go. Vastar didn't come early and fall asleep somewhere onboard, did he? Captain, if there is anything else we can do to help, let us know."
DougFungus |
"Why are the followers of Razmir forcing travelers to convert?"
CAPTAIN WALREN: "People do thin's for many a different reasons. Some fer money, some fer power and some follow a god with lots o' strange teachin's. I don know why these people do wha they do but they're no good and need to be stopped. Tha Black Mist cannot deal with their treachery no longer. Not when there's cargo ta be delivered and a livin' ta be made."
"I think we're almost ready to go. Vastar didn't come early and fall asleep somewhere onboard, did he? Captain, if there is anything else we can do to help, let us know."
CAPTAIN WALREN: "Never seen nobody on board, nor heard ov 'im."
CYGAR: "Appologies Walren, it seems we're still one member shy. I'm positive he'll be along shortly."
CAPTAIN WALREN: "Ewem 'as taken care of most everythin' ta do. If you like, you may board and acquaint yerselves with the Barge. Yer friend best hurry though, I cant be waitin' all day."
Lorant Pelus |
Anyone hear from Vastar?
Lorant finds a crate to sit on, adjusting his armor and shield. "So Mr. Rhomelus, what do you know about Tamran? None of us have seen a big city. We've heard tales of thieves and conmen. Also of hundred of people and wonders we would never see here in Kassen."
Kerret Malconnen |
Speak for yourself, Lorant! Kerret retorts mockingly. I, for one, have been to Korvosa, one of the great cities! I even studied at the Acadamae for a time. Tamran's no true city any way. Just a town. Larger than Kassen to be sure, but no great shakes as far as these things go. Right Mr. Rhomelus? Kerret shakes his head and grins at Lorant. A city, oh, that's rich. It's a good thing we're getting you away from Kassen Lorant, otherwise, you might never get any culture at all!
DougFungus |
I sent Vastar a PM with a link to the new game thread. If we don't hear from him within the week I'll be moving the game along without him.
A cabin occupies the back third of the barge, and contains enough cots for the entire party, as well as the captain and his deck hand. The rest of the barge is systematically covered in shipping crates to be delivered to Tamran.
Vastar |
I stumble aboard the ship, out of breath, "Sorry, I just felt like I had to do a few things before leaving."
I smell of sweat, incense and soap; back in Kassen, Erastil's shrine is a picture of cleanliness.
DougFungus |
CAPTAIN WALREN: "Fear not my beauty, We're not leavin' anyone behind. That bein' said, with everyone here we must depart now if we are to make good time. Ewem, raise the anchor and prepare the sales."
CYGAR: "I wish all of you the best of luck in your findings. You're the Hero's of Kassen now, but just think what you might be after you find the amulets. These are merely the first steps in a much larger journey for all of us."
I'll pause here just in case anybody has anything they'd like to add. Assuming there is nothing else, I will make a post tomorrow evening for the Black Mist to set sail.
Lector Rhomelus |
"It is... certainly a city," Lector replies in spite of Kerret, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. "It is the capital after all. Though, it is not perhaps what you might expect of one." Seeing the cleric arrive just on time, Lector smiles warmly. "Ah, there you are Mr. Vastar."
"Well then, Cygar, I bid you farewell. Perhaps this will make it into the Chronicles by the end, no?"
Nodding to his companions, the detective takes his bag and boards the ship.
DougFungus |
The Black Mist sets off on her voyage and you all settle in for the weeks journey. The weather is beautiful and the journey is actually quite relaxing, more like a vacation. Captain Walren spends his days at the steering wheel guiding the barge to its destination while Ewem takes care of tasks that would draw the captain away from his position such as cooking. Both men are surprisingly quiet throughout the journey. Captain Walren frequently whistles as he navigates while Ewem makes no sound at all. Both remain on the lookout for threats the entire time but despite Captain Warren's warnings, none are ever found.
After 6 days of travel, Captain Walren announces you are nearing Tamran, and if they push on after dark, you'll be able to reach the city that night. He seems a bit edgy, but explanes he always is when he draws near the city.
In the dark, Tamran glitters with hundreds of tiny lights, emanating from the windows and lamps that dot the city. It has the look of a new town, built primarily of wood, though some older buildings linger here and there, many showing signs of damage from the war with Molthune to the South. Cracked walls and burnt remnants can be seen even from this
distance, fresh scars from the long conflict.
The Black Mist docks and the Captain approaches you.
CAPTAIN WALREN: "We've arrived a half o' day ahead of schedule and in the dark. The harbor will not be ready to unload my cargo until the mornin'. If it pleases ye, you're all welcome to stay tonight and sleep aboard The Black Mist so long as yer up early enough ta make way for unloadin'. If yer anxious ta get goin' on Cygars business or don't like the beds here though, I can recommend stayin' at The Gar's Last Meal. It's a hell of an INN so long as ya like the smell o' fish."
Lorant Pelus |
Lorant stumbles onto the deck. His face is pale and drawn by the light of the lanterns at night. But you know if it were daylight you'd see the greenish tinge his skin had taken the last few days. "The smell of fish might make me retch, but I'll be just as sick another hour on this boat. I've got to get some ground under me. Maybe I can even hold something down." He wipes his mouth, but his eyes show little interest in a meal.
While the first day had gone well, the next saw the young man's stomach refuse to calm down at the continuous roiling of the boat. Lorant had spent as much time with his head hanging over to the side as he has in the his room. It would seem the farrier's boy has spent little time on a boat, and it showed.
Oops, Sorry Vastar. You slipped in there before I finished.
Lorant Pelus |
Lorant hangs his head over the side for a while, groaning. Then he manages to pick himself up and head to his cabin. While the most combat-able, he doesn't seem to be in the mood to volunteer for watches.
Kaylee Pruitt |
Over the six days of travel, Kaylee spends time practicing fighting with various weapons and brewing potions for her and her companions to use. She gives Lorant and Vastar both a potion of enlarge person and a potion of mage armor for Kerret as well as one for herself.
Kaylee looked at Lorant with concern once he revealed his sea sickness. He must have been acting fine in front of her the few times they crossed paths, she thought to herself. Then again, perhaps she had been too busy brewing and training to notice it.
"Lorant, I want you to feel better. Take this." She whispers a few words of arcane and Lorant begins to feel the nausea begin to fade away. "You won't feel any sea sickness for the next half-hour. After that, you should be able to resist it on your own."
Lorant Pelus |
Lorant downs the concoction from Kaylee and makes a face. But within minutes the nausea has passed and he can feel his strength returning. "Kaylee, thank the gods! What was that? I feel like I never even set foot on a boat!"
He takes his time to recover, but soon, Lorant is striding on the deck and bearing his weapons again. "So we're spending the night here and then what? What's the plan for tomorrow?"
Kerret Malconnen |
Kerret does not wake until he is forcibly pushed away from a stack of ingots. Well, that was rude! he grumbles at the unconcerned stevedore's back while he focuses his arcane abilities and straightens his hair and clothes, and even leaves his teeth pearly white.
Good to see you up and about Lorant, and thanks for not sicking up on the boat. So, shall we see what we can learn about Razmirans in Tamran? Maybe try that inn Captain Walren mentioned, and see if the Gar's Last Meal will do for our first.
Kaylee Pruitt |
Kaylee awakens before dawn. She quietly stretches for a few moments and then meditates with Fenris sitting in her lap. After about an hour he licks her face and then bounds off as she stands up and begins preparations for the day.
"Sounds like a good plan Kerret. Lorant, I'm glad to see you're doing much better now. Shall we set off soon?"
Lector Rhomelus |
The early riser that he is, Lector spends the morning reviewing what he remembers about the city, as well as checking on all of his gear. He helps himself to a small biscuit before meeting the others.
"As good a place to start as any," Lector replies with a small chuckle, before following suit.
Oops, meant to do this earlier. For any info on the city in general.
Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Lorant Pelus |
True to Kaylee's word, Lorant wakes up and doesn't feel like dying. He straps on his armor and weapons and heads up to the deck. "Alright. I finally feel like food. Lets go find something to eat and see if we can find this cult."
-Posted with Wayfinder
DougFungus |
The Captain bids farewell and Ewem givs a court nod as you depart. Tamran itself is a mildly active city, moreso in the morning as people are rushing off to work or getting an early start to the days affairs.
Finding The Gar's Last Meal isnt an issue. You just follow your nose by the scent of cooked fish, a scent which isn't at all that unappealing assuming you actually enjoy fish. The establishment isnt located far from the harbor and getting there takes very little time. The breakfast rush is in, mostly consisting of dock workers or ships crew of all varietys.
With Rhomelus' consent, you may all want to have a peek under this spoiler tab. I'm sure this is all info that he would want to share with you.
- The Forest Bounty is a large feast hall located on the northern edge of town. It is busy for most of the day and late into the night, serving food and drink to hungry travelers, trappers, rangers, guards, and common folk. This is a favorite hangout of Reginar Lacklan whom is your contact in Tamran.
- The Gar’s Last Meal is a fine inn if you can get past the smell of fish. The innkeeper, Puglas Tamall is a grizzled veteran of the lake who asks few questions of those who stay at his establishment. Rooms at the Gar’s Last Meal cost 2 gp per night, and meals (which always contain fish) cost 3 sp apiece. Puglas lost his arm to a fish 6 years ago, and has mounted the beast that ate it, a giant gar, on the wall above the bar in the taproom. Happy to tell the tale for paying customers, Pulgas may even answer a few questions afterward.
- The temple of Razmir lies near the center of town, surrounded by a number of local businesses and wealthy residences. As such, the city guard presence here is a bit higher than in the outlying areas of town. The temple takes up an entire block; busy streets surround it on all sides, making it difficult to approach without being seen. The businesses that surround the temple vary widely, from coopers to cobblers. All of these businesses pay money to the temple for its blessings, and are careful not to speak ill of the temple, as they have no way of knowing if those asking questions are actually out-of-uniform members of the cult. Most of the businessmen readily admit that the temple has done wonders to cut down on thievery, as the cult’s members beat those caught stealing and drag them into the temple for rehabilitation. Members of the cult leave and enter the temple throughout the day and late into the night, although no set schedule determines their comings and goings. They usually travel in groups numbering around six, with most dressed in white robes, and one or two dressed in gray or black. All wear identical iron masks. The cultists often head out to the poor part of town to distribute bread and vegetables to the poor, all the while teaching them about the power of Razmir. Other groups visit local businesses to gather tithes and
investigate problems. Once per day, a group leaves the temple to give praise to Razmir in a public speech in front of the temple. During the speech, which extols the power and virtue of Razmir, four acolytes of Razmir move through the crowd to collect donations. These rather insistent brutes claim that those who fail to donate are bound to attract the ire of the Living God.
While galavanting about you may all roll Diplomacy checks to Gather Information should you choose.
Lector Rhomelus |
That would actually make things a lot easier.
On their way to the inn, Lector shares what he knows about Tamran with the rest of the party. All the while, he keeps his eyes and ears open, picking up on any snippets of relevant information that he could gather.
Gather Information: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20
Kaylee Pruitt |
Kaylee follows along. The excitement she originally felt for coming hear faded as Lector began describing the way the acolytes of Razmir operate in the area. She tries to keep on the alert as they move through the busy streets for any bits of news that may sound interesting but is often overwhelmed by all the sights to pay much attention.
Gather Information: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Lorant Pelus |
Lorant walks the streets, amazed at the various people going about their business. It seemed people were doing everything here! He gawks at the size of the fish market and the bustle of the docks. He feels slightly uncomfortable being dressed for battle, but people hardly give him a second look. They must see everything in a place like this.
Gather Information: 1d20 ⇒ 6
Kerret Malconnen |
Kerret listens intently to what Rhomelus has to share. Well, these Razminans certainly don't sound very pleasant. People shouldn't be forced to donate to a church just because it happens to be nearby... Kerret frowns briefly, but his usual smile resurfaces quickly enough. So, breakfast, then we had probably best go find your friend Lacklan, see what he has to tell us.
Kerret smiles and makes eye contact with passerby, exchanging pleasant nods and cheerful Good-morrows where appropriate and always ready to strike up a conversation if it seems useful.
gather information: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18