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Orator Kent |
![Rat](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/packrat.jpg)
You have two 'obvious' options: try to find a quiet place to rest out in the open, and pass an ob3 Health test, or rent a bed with an ob2 Resource test. If you fail the Heath test, nothing happens. If you fail the Resource test, you can still recover from Tired, but there will be a twist.
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Barton_the_mouse |
![Mouse](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/PZO9448-Mouse_90.jpeg)
Barton loves the great outdoors! He’ll save his meager resources and tuck in for the night in a comfortable spot.
Health: 6d6 ⇒ (1, 1, 5, 6, 6, 1) = 20
3 successes on ob3. If that makes it I’m good. If not, I’ll blow up my sixes.
Blowing up: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 2) = 8
and again because I can not cause I have to: 1d6 ⇒ 1
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Seyth the Eternally Grumpy |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
![Mouse](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/PZO9068-Mouse_90.jpeg)
Seyth goes out to his favorite bar, a place favoured by the locak fishermice and ashore sailors, a place with cheap booze, and (usually)honest, hardworking mice to share it with. after listening to one fishermouse brag about getting 5 harpoons into a trout, but just failing to haul it in., Seyth decided it's his turn to regale them with his latest adventure.
-So, there we are. one of the lads is on the ground, making sure the owl doesn't go for the labourmice, and I'm in the air, grappling with it. I break two of i's toes, and get my spear into it's belly, before I notice the other lad, complete madmouse that one, has jumped onto the damned owl's head, and is readying his sword. the thing opens it's beak wide, trying to get him, but he brings his sword down,a dn takes off half it's damned face. The thing spirals down,a nd the lad just goes to work, tears it apart for almost a minute, before it gets back onto it's feet, and tries to take to the air.
But when it does, I jump on it's back, and I ride it fro miles, stabbing it, making sure it don't get away. and it rams itself into a tree, and falls to the earth, where it get to deal the deathblow! Seyth exults, raising his glass
(will + RP)/2: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 2) = 6
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Orator Kent |
![Rat](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/packrat.jpg)
There are cheers around the table as Seyth concludes his tale. A small redfur with a chipped ear and a large stack of bills buys everyone a round as the listeners fall over themselves asking questions. When the drinks come out, the buyer delivers Seyth's mug personally. The fermented drink is no Lockhaven mead, but it is strong, earthy, and a deep red like the shore that gives Darkwater its name. Seyth is almost sure it's not blood.
"A fine example of da guard's bravery. My tanks to ye fer yer service." Like many of the mice here, his speech bears the rhythmic lilt of the north territories.
Seyth doesn't get a chance to thank the mouse, however, as the rest of the patrons lean in with their mugs to hear more, and soon after he is nowhere to be found.
Anything else? Bry? Thoughts on how you want to move forward?
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Orator Kent |
![Rat](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/packrat.jpg)
You have the choice of either securing a boat somehow, or crossing overland to Port Sumac through Lonepine, a five day trek through bullfrog infested moors which consists of two ob4 Pathfinder tests. To save two days, you can cut north along the shore by making one ob5 Pathfinder test and an ob4 Survivalist test.
It's mid-spring, and intermittently rainy. Ships crossing will be scarce, and unreliable, but if you find a fast ship you'll be there before nightfall. Getting any ship to agree to taking you along for the crossing (and guarantee they aren't pirates or green at the tiller) is an ob6 Resources test. Remember that any gear can be used as barter.
You could probably rent a ship at an ob4 Resource test and crew it with an ob4 Circles test. Alternatively, you could try the crossing yourselves with a vs Season(6) Weatherwatcher test. You could build a leafboat with an ob4 Boatcrafter test. You can also come up with a creative solution, such as commandeering a ship with Persuader or Fighter.
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Barton_the_mouse |
![Mouse](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/PZO9448-Mouse_90.jpeg)
I'm loathe to give it up, but I could use my wheatstone to barter. The overland journey is going to be REALLY rough, if we could go by sea it'd be best. If we can get someone ELSE to take us by sea, that's even better.
Seyth has a 6 in resources. If we both help, that's 8. With my wheatstone, that's 9d on a 6ob test. If Seyth cooks in tough (for the good bargaining) and Guard's Honor (to prey upon the patriotism of the crew) we're at 10d without my wheatstone.
Throwing it all in on a single test is risky, but taking two less risky tests is worse, in my opinion. Sure, we're looking at 8d against a 4ob resource test and 5d (plus guard's honor for 6d) against a 4ob circles test. Those are easier targets to hit individually, but we need to hit both to win. That makes it effectively an 8ob roll with 12d instead of a 6ob roll with 10d. Seyth'd be the one taking the brunt of the business, and he's also the one in charge, so I'll let him make the call.
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Orator Kent |
![Rat](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/packrat.jpg)
The WeatherWatcher test is vs Season(6), Bry has WeatherWatcher(3) and Alert, Barton has a compass, and Scientist/Cartographer, Seyth has Pathfinder and the old maps (roads might change, but the shore doesn't), so without a crew, you have 8 dice against 6.
It's best to focus less on avoiding failure, and more on choosing what hazards you can afford to risk. This scenario is contrived to generate plot twists. More importantly, how would Barton propose to overcome this obstacle? What does he think is the 'right' way to get the job done?
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Seyth the Eternally Grumpy |
![Mouse](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/PZO9068-Mouse_90.jpeg)
Say, Jonah, If I was looking to get a boat to sail to Port Sumac on Guard business, who would I want to talk to? Seyth asks the innkeeper as he sips his tea, the morning after his celebrations.
he takes the innmouse's advice, and goes to rent a boat. A guard is always good for his debt, after all.
Resources: 6d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 5, 2, 5, 4) = 25
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Orator Kent |
![Rat](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/packrat.jpg)
"Aye, Mr. Seyth, sir. Dughlas seems t've been taken wit' yer story. I would be startin' there were I you. 'e's got a cutter in the docks now--his personal craft, y'see--which he'll be takin' back to Port Sumac come high tide."
The patrol meets with Dughlas at the dockside money changer where he is counting out the last of five head-sized bags of coin. He deposits the bag in a metal coffer before looking up to spot the Patrol. In the time it takes you to exchange hellos, he's clocked your interests, weighed your accumulated coin with his eyes, and leads you with a smile to his cutter, The Golden Plover, which floats low in the water. Its two brilliantly yellow sails are swept back, which certainly makes it look fast.
There's no other crew as you might expect, and Dughlas doesn't wear a hat like most of the ship captains you have seen. In fact, other than his red fur and the notch in his left ear, there's not much to distinguish the smallish mouse but the way his swaying posture takes in everything around him. "I'm headed back to Port m'self, an' I don't mind bringin' a few owl slayers wit' me." He looks from Seyth to Barton with a laugh like the cut of an axe through firewood.
Any questions before you board?
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Orator Kent |
![Rat](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/packrat.jpg)
Once the Golden Plover has cleared the docks, Dughlas has Barton lower the sails. When they’re down, he sticks his snout into a tin funnel next to the steering wheel and whistles. There’s a pause, and Dughlas scans the water, concern plain on his face. Then, the boat pitches forward, the water around it swelling, and all at once the ship is soaring across the water. Seyth has to catch himself on a handrail. Dughlas barks out another laugh, standing casually at the wheel. “See? We’ll be in Port by noon.”
The gulf is placid, but the water is a foggy green that portends the recent rough weather.
You can still talk to Dughlas here, but I’ll go ahead and post the description of Port Sumac. We're approaching a conflict, so gather whatever information you can about the task ahead.
The stationary structure of Port Sumac is located on a rocky shelf, nestled under a granite outcropping and a thatch of staghorn sumac trees. The town itself sits on the shelf, while the port rests between two arms of granite, sheltered and secure. This is not, however, what Dughlas points to as he welcomes you to ‘Port’.
Clustered around the docks is a dense network of ships of all sizes. Smaller ships are tied to larger ships and boarding planks run from one deck to the next. The largest of the cluster is a beast of a ship with a metal wedge-shaped bow. The ship is so large that mice walk in and out of two distinct levels within the hull, carrying cartloads of rations and gear.
“A finer sight I’ve not seen.” Dughlas sighs. “Boys, allow me to introduce The Mark of Hubris, making preparations to fish the wide sea and seek her fortune. Now that winter’s done we’re breaking Port. You’ve caught us making ready to scatter to th’ winds. Lucky you.” His eyes rest, for the first time, on the leather scroll case carrying the proposal.
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Orator Kent |
![Rat](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/packrat.jpg)
"Likewise, doc." Says Dughlas, shouldering the coffer full of coin.
The four of you disembark. Seyth knows Port Sumac's seal lies in the hands of the eight highest earners at dock each winter, but that's hard to gauge just looking at one mouse's coin. The greyfur figures he'll have the best luck starting from the middle with that huge ship.
Dughlas never leaves your side. He practically leads you to The Mark of Hubris. There, he cracks open the coffer and starts handing out coin. "Pay's in lads an' lasses! Peigi, Brian!” He tosses a bag each to two mice that are immediately lost in a teaming crowd being paid from the last bag. Two bags are left to Dughlas. “You lot keep an eye on these tree. This is Seyth, a Lockhaven Instructor, an’ his conscripts Barton of Sprucetuck and Bry of Elmoss.” He takes care to pronounce your names, drawing out the unvoiced fricative th at the end of Seyth's. “They’re here to levy a tax. Do let 'em know what we tink abou’ Gwenny dippin’ into our pay.”
The mice passing by Dughlas to be paid begin spitting on the deck in front of you. You’ve been had. Dughlas may well have been waiting for the patrol in that darkwater pub. How he knows about you, and whether he knows more is a mystery.
Seyth does know that the eight pieces of the seal aren’t necessarily each on separate boats, nor are they assigned to single mice. Duglass, Peigi, and Brian might each have one seal, and the whole crew of another ship might share one piece democratically. Before you can begin the hard sell, you’ll need to identify the players.
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Orator Kent |
![Rat](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/packrat.jpg)
How you plan to go about finding friends and information is probably more important than what you'd like to test, but here's some suggestions based on your dice pools.
Seyth sees coin has weight here beyond simply as trade for goods or services. Fortunate that Gwendolyn gives him so much of Lockhaven's... but how to use it? Pay off informants? (Resources, depending on what you're asking for. A piece of the seal is ob8... or a haggler conflict... in case you were wondering.)
It might be cheaper to find an old friend.(Circles) Would be nice if one were in possession of a piece of the seal [ooc}(ob5), but that might be asking too much. Still, it seems these days more people know him than he could ever remember himself. Maybe find a captain who needs a bird dead (ob4) a swab who knows the good of the Guard (ob3) or that mail patrol that's supposed to take the proposal south? (ob2) +1D to any circles test if you're looking for a previously named character, but you have to describe why they're here.
That Dughlas has it wrong, though, and it does burn. Seyth might be able to change his mind about your mission, but there's no telling how pigheaded the young captain might be. (Persuader vs Will)
Bry doesn't see any fruit in the carts being dragged into that ship. (Harvester? ob2, Margin of Success is how many Supply you make, and can therefore use as Resources) All of this fish and alcohol leaves the young mouse concerned for their health (Healer), and they don't know if they're headed into stormy weather!(WeatherWatcher)
Barton is already imaginging the piles of coin he could make with maps. Would that be a better way of gaining a captain's trust, or would it be easier to challenge Dughlas to a duel? These seem like hard mice with hearts for adventure and dueling...
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Bry |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
![Pipefox](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/PZO1127-Pipefox_500.jpeg)
harvester: 5d6 ⇒ (5, 2, 6, 2, 1) = 16
fish and alcohol: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 4, 6) = 19
weatherwatcher+alert: 3d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 3) + (5) = 15
Bry raises an eyebrow looking at Dughlas. Let me get this straight, you are going onto the water with fish and alcohol but no fruit? Do you want your men to get sick and die?
Also if I miraculously win against the season I kinda do want it to be bad weather...
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Barton_the_mouse |
![Mouse](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/PZO9448-Mouse_90.jpeg)
Barton approached Seyth timidly. Sir, I have an idea, but I'm not sure if it's that I'm just trying to stay relevant for this mission, or if it really is a good idea...but what if I duel Dughlas? They'll respect the challenge and I know I could beat him. But...maybe this is just a mission I sit out and let you handle it diplomatically?
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Seyth the Eternally Grumpy |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
![Mouse](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/PZO9068-Mouse_90.jpeg)
If you can get him to agree to terms. if you can, make it showy, but don't beat him so thoroughly that it wounds his pride unduly, and win graciously Seyth instructs his tender-paw. this seemed a better solution than trying to get through his thick skull with words
this isn't so urgent that Seyth will insist on doing things himself.
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Barton_the_mouse |
![Mouse](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/PZO9448-Mouse_90.jpeg)
Barton was a little surprised...and very pleased. Yes sir!
He scampered off to challenge Dughlas to a duel. We could dazzle you with words, but you've set your heart already. Instead, perhaps we could settle our debate in a more...honorable fashion? Rapiers at dawn, to first blood of course. I'd never dream of depriving Port Sumac of one of its most prolific fishermice. I mean...unless you'd prefer an afternoon of lively debate about the tax plan.
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Orator Kent |
![Rat](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/packrat.jpg)
Bry is able to identify mice in the crew who are suffering a wasting related to an imbalance in diet. Dughlas watches wordlessly as Bry singles out members of his crew and sends them off with packets of dried fruit taken from his shoulder bag. He seems to recognize Bry knows what he's doing. "We don't get much beyond forage and fish in these parts, and naught of the former on the sea. We'll pay handsomely for anything else you've brought. Port doesn't take Lockhaven charity easy."
Season: 6d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 1, 5, 5, 4) = 20
"You'll be glad t' know the rains are trough, our lookouts say the skies are clear and the winds fair til the new moon."
Dughlas is about to leave when Barton stops him. He shifts the coffer on his shoulder and looks the young mouse up and down. "Yer th' owl slayer, are ye?" He considers for a moment. "Aye, if ye best me, I'll lend my seal t' yer bill, but if I win, you and your greyfur leave. I don't wager on low stakes." He barks out a laugh.
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Orator Kent |
![Rat](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/packrat.jpg)
When it comes time for the duel, the crew of the Mark of Hubris crowds around, and a few of the mice in the boats tied to starboard have crowds of mice to watch.
A stocky chocolate brown mouse hands Dughlas a hook-and-line harpoon. When the two of you come nose to nose, rather than shaking Barton's hand, he pats the younger mouse on the head. "Right then, Hunter, let's see it."
The two mice pace out and turn, readying their weapons, and a mouse in the crowd blows a whistle.
Fighter+Harpoon: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 6) = 16
Dughlas throws his harpoon to Barton's left, then uses the line to slide under the tenderpaw's initial swing. The harpoon is dislodged with a tug, but Barton parries it with a nimble twist. In a clash of metal against metal, the two exchange blows as Dughlas presses the attack, but he's losing ground to Barton's superior skill.
The mice all around cheer and chant, well entertained.
Exploding dice: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 6) = 9
The next time Dughlas throws his harpoon, Barton hops over the stave and chops at the line, hoping to disable his opponent, but the fisher is as skilled with the heavy rope alone as he is with the polearm, pulling Barton's leg from under him. The two are even-matched. Barton catches himself with the end of his blade in time to meet the retrieved harpoon and find his ground again.
The crowd explodes with excitement. The two of you have them on bated breath. This is already the most exciting thing they've seen in weeks. Seyth sees coin exchange hands as the fishermice make wagers.
Exploding dice: 1d6 ⇒ 6
The fight shifts with Dughlas now wielding the rope in one paw, and the harpoon in the other. Barton has the mouse outmatched in skill and grace, but he's got one last push left in him. He feints with the harpoon, circles with the rope, pulling the blade down to the deck, and lunges with his harpoon, cutting Barton on the cheek.
Dughlas immediately collapses, gasping for breath, and the crew cheers madly. It was a near thing, but you've lost, and will soon be asked to leave. Fortunately, everyone present is a bit more concerned with celebrating their legend. They pick him up and carry him into the cabin.
The chocolate brown mouse stays behind. "By the rules of engagement, you're to leave Port Sumac, will you be chartering a boat?"
It was not made clear before the duel whether you would be leaving the boat or the port. This mouse seems set on muscling you out of town.
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Barton_the_mouse |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
![Mouse](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/PZO9448-Mouse_90.jpeg)
I don’t want to get all rules lawyerly, but I can’t find anything that supports npcs exploding sixes, it doesn’t appear in the chapter on fate or on vs tests. Additionally, NPCs don’t have fate points (but are otherwise stated identically to PCs suggesting that the fate point is intended as a special ability of the PC. Compare Blades in the Dark’s consequence refusal system (the player can expend a resource to reduce the effect of a bad roll but the GM cannot) vs Edge of the Empire or Deadlands (where the player and the GM can manipulate events by spending a resource that is equally limited for both). Unless I’m missing something, by RAW I won. If this is a grey area, perhaps we can compromise on a technical loss with a successful outcome and a minor condition (tired perhaps?) Ofcourse if I’m wrong I’ll take my licks and move on.
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Orator Kent |
![Rat](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/packrat.jpg)
This was clarified by Luke Crane on the Burning Wheel forums, and in 2e, NPCs can only use wises to help themselves if they have fate, though it is still not explicitly stated in the rulebook that you can give NPCs Fate or Persona. In 1e, the templates for NPCs list traits, but no rules are stated for how the GM might use them. Luke clarified that, like with Burning Wheel, NPCs can be generated with Fate or Persona, and use them along with their traits during conflicts and vs tests exactly as if they were PCs. He even suggests for GMs to track beliefs and goals for their major NPCs and award them points. He did warn, however, that a weasel with Persona is a TPK waiting to happen. This is why we have not had a named weasel on-screen.
What I have been doing is give all of the recurring characters 1 Fate, and the 'bosses' have had 1 Persona. It may have been better for me to keep you informed on which characters are or are not 'elites', but part of Dughlas' thing is that he's underestimated. I can stop using Fate and Persona if you'd prefer. This was supposed to be a bluff, with Dughlas' Fighter(2), but it rolled out differently.
I'd really like this to be fun for everyone even when failure happens, so I do not mind adjusting how I play to make sure you don't feel cheated out of character. That, to me, is much more important.
~~~
That said, I should clarify that most mice watching know Dughlas won by luck, and that his stakes were intentionally unclear. What happened is unfair, and there are a few things you can do to get out of leaving. You're not kicked out of town yet, and you aren't leaving this fight without winning someone over... just not Dughlas. Persuader should work on this big guy, but I don't like dictating your decisions for you, which is why I've been pulling away from giving recommendations. There are a number of other opportunities I can think of.
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Barton_the_mouse |
![Mouse](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/PZO9448-Mouse_90.jpeg)
Fair enough. That clarification makes sense.
Barton panted and wheezed. Good shot, old man, but you won’t be rid of us that easily. I promised that we’d settle our debate by blade and having lost (barely at that), we’ll leave your ship and seek more reasonable ears. If you insist on enforcing your purposefully deceptive interpretation of the agreement and make us leave the city, we will...we’re mice of honor, after all...but you left several loopholes that I can take advantage of, loopholes that will hurt you far more than leaving us in Sumac. It’s certainly up to you.
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Orator Kent |
![Rat](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/packrat.jpg)
The large mouse blinks slowly. The deck is getting sparse now, and it looks like he thought he'd have someone to defer to given this hiccup. If he's done this before, he's never encountered resistance, and he's evidently not sure what to do.
This would be persuader or will vs persuader(2), and this guy has no Fate. You can roll your full will because you're just saying no to something he's asking you to do.
Barton's cut is largely superficial, but it will scar without careful treatment.
The deck of one of the ships below is still full of onlookers waiting to witness the patrol's fate. From the name lovingly painted on the hull, it's The Torrid Boar.
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Orator Kent |
![Rat](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/packrat.jpg)
Yup.
2d6 ⇒ (6, 5) = 11
"Just, uh, don't be around when Dug comes back, alright? He's all bravado, and can be petty at times. Steer clear of The Salty Swallow. The Captain's old Guard, but they're in Dug's pocket. Stick to the Bay Leaf Fleet and Turtleback Crossing. Go ashore if you like."
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Seyth the Eternally Grumpy |
![Mouse](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/PZO9068-Mouse_90.jpeg)
I think, Perhaps, we'll see who's who more clearly. Seyth sasy, noting the late hour You lads ever had Cod? I know ye haven't, cause you've not had Port Sumac Cod. let's get dinner.
Circles to know a restaurant owner or similar, who might give us a better idea of the area and the players: 5d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 1, 4, 3) = 16
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Orator Kent |
![Rat](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/packrat.jpg)
Cooked food is in high demand, and with the factions abound, two restaurants serving the same food can get along very well packed into the basalt cranny of shoreside Port Sumac. A laborer with little power who would be helpful is an ob4 test.
However, Seyth under-estimates his own choice of venue, because even after ordering a taste platter of baked cod with a thick mushroom and garlic glaze over a bed of roasted tubers for the table he still feels Hungry for something a bit more substantial. He'll have to consider stopping for a real meal when he gets a chance. -or spending two Checks to recover during the GM Turn.
Portcall Wise: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 3) = 11
The server at Galavan's fish shack is talkative. You know exactly who holds all eight pieces of the seal before you've made your order. You do get the sense that there are some key details being left out.
Dughlass and his crew came in with a windfall last winter, and late to the portcall. He was able to scoop up three pieces and gave the other two to Peigi, a mouthy weather watcher with flaxen fur, and Brian, a hulking chocolate brown mouse and Dughlass' childhood friend. Pieter, Dug's ex-guard friend and captain of the Salty Swallow almost got his own seal, and the plan was to corner a simple majority, but Turtleback quietly posted second place at portcall--a surprise to everyone--putting Pieter in a sore seventh. Turtleback Crossing has two pieces of the seal.
Most of the rest of the seals went to older captains who have held the seals before. The seven captains of the Bay Leaf Fleet used to take first position at portcall every year. That was before the Mark of Hubris was built. They bicker a lot, but they've agreed to pass the seal around each day.
Fifth place went to Sally o'Galavan, captain of the Torrid Boar. Hers is a tow and rescue outfit, so she's rarely far from port. Her da owns most of the shops shoreside.
Sixth place went to the crew of the Mayfair, but they're not here. They almost didn't make it to portcall. They lost their captain in an accident last fall.
It's all very interesting, and Seyth and Bry may ask any questions they like, but Barton is distracted from the exchange when he sees Rolly sitting at another table. A new sky blue cloak rests across his shoulders.
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Orator Kent |
![Rat](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/packrat.jpg)
"Oh, Barton! You’re early. Good to see you." Rolly paws at his cloak. "Thank you. It was a near thing. You know Deirdre didn't promote me, but my pa pulled some strings. Still, I wish I had gotten it at the ceremony." He seems a little embarrassed about it. Who is Rolly’s father, or do you know? My thought is Tiegh, but I’m not sure if that makes too small a circle.
"I'm here on priority mail duty with Squall. It's no delicate negotiation, but it is my first time out alone. You know Trubba’s on the other end of this in Barkstone. I guess Miss Gwendolyn wanted to get the troup back together. Like a relay race? That or Quinn thought our synergy quantity was extra turgid or something. It’ll be good to see him again too. I haven’t heard from him since last spring."
He looks over Barton's shoulder. "Is that Bry of Elmoss? I may be a Healer, but that jumper's a Healer. I heard he mopped the floor with Midach in front of a bunch of petitioners. That sadistic weevil deserved it.”
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Orator Kent |
![Rat](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/packrat.jpg)
You're right, Teigh sees the guard as military and police, so he'd probably believe in the meritocracy of the old guard... Probably means it's someone Gwendolyn owes or likes... or something altogether more sinister.
"Wish I had the guts for that-" Something connects in Rolly's head, and his eyes go wide. "-or for taking on owls! Which one of you is the one everyone at port is talking about? Town's got a thing for Hunters- and meat. I've had to keep an eye on Squall for fear they'll dice her up." The plate in front of Rolly has a half-eaten grilled mushroom in a thin brown sauce and a small bun. He must have paid extra to avoid the fish - though, why then he's at a 'fish shack' is a mystery.