|
You've all been given a big-bellied four winged cargo ornithopter to use to haul salvage from the world back to Erarat. It has four blocky landing legs ending arranged in a circle around the exterior as well as four articulated cloth and clockwork bat wings. In the center is the cargo hold, with a winch that raises and lowers the floor down to the ground for loading crates and boxes. In the front end is a glass bottomed map room with the controls for steering the vehicle. In the back is the combination galley and bunkroom crammed with food stores and cookstove in the middle with hanging hammocks on the walls. On the port side of the craft is a cramped brig for chaining up up to two large creatures or four medium ones. On the starbard side is a shrine devoted to all the gods cluttering a tiny altar, with the rest of the area given over to ritual space with racks and cabinets full of components and foci and a fold out stretcher tied off up in the cieling when the ritual room needs to be used as an apothacary for patching up injured party members.
The onithopter is called the Lucky Leprichaun and is maintained by a warforged named Manifest back in Erarat. While you're free to use and abuse your ornithopter however you desire--it's effectively your lifeline back to Erarat and the world ending flood can come at any time, so take care of it or you may need to learn to swim.
With regard to salvage rights, Erarat takes the long view of things--other than the most powerful of artifacts, the salvage teams are allowed to keep whatever they find or sell it to the various businesses in the city, with the idea that as long as the goods end up somewhere in the city or with a salvage team, they are achieving their goals. People are a different matter. Anyone may be brought to visit, but citizenship being granted is increasingly rare--given only to those who display needed skills at an exceptional level of competency. It wasn't always like this, but there are fears of limited supplies and unsustainable population growth--and the city leaders have stepped forward to take a stern hand in determining the composition of the city's population. This is unpopular, since almost everyone has loved ones they want to rescue--which has led to smuggling and sedition among quite a few salvage teams.
If the views of the various districts of Erarat--each one a social experiment blending different idealogies and cultures, minaret towers, domes, bejeweled stained glass spires--if the view of those skylines is beautiful and a testament to the spirit of Erarat and the last age, the view from the edge of the city, a dropoff longer than the tallest cliff are one of fearsome wonder and a testament to a wild and dangerous world unwilling to face it's end, full of vast and savage beauty. Winds sweep up from the gulf with face-stinging chill. Green fields full of patchy sections of fields, rumpled like a winter quilt. Glassy green black strips of rivers. Towns with tiny buildings, scattered like children's toys, little white smokeclouds puffing from chimneys.
The cargo hold ratchets down on zigzag supports, Manifest working the big winch wheel with suprising speed, the loading ramp slamming to the ground. The warforged was built small but sturdy, almost like a dwarf, and waddled a bit as it walked.
"The Lucky Leprichaun is all yours," says Manifest, wiping oil from his face and hands with a cloth. "You should be able to figure out the controls--it's all pretty straightforward, wheel to steer, levers to go faster or slower and up or down" it says, pantamiming the actions as it describes them.
"You all take care of this ship though, it's a long walk home." Manifest's voice is chiding, but his flat nearly featureless face gives no hint of emotion--just round glassy eyes in a boxlike head. "Any idea where you're planning to take her? It's pretty cutthroat out there I gotta' warn you. A lot of the ruins are already picked clean, or guarded pretty closely by the teams that are salvaging them. Be careful."
Edie nods approvingly as she looks over the Lucky Leprichaun.
"Tha's practical. Don't reckon we could ask much more."
She turns to shake Manifest's hand.
"Looks like you've done good by us, and I thank you. Can't rightly say where we're going. More like look and see, I reckon. Any advice tha can give? Heard there's a spot of bother among halflings somewhere."
Manifest takes her hand and tilts his head a little to the side, his posture losing a bit of its stiff formality. "Saying goodbye is always the hard part. The ships I make and I aren't too different from one another. I get...attached. Hard to give them away. The Leprichaun, feels almost like another me that I made. A special ship. Does that make any sense?" He let's Edie's hand go, looking a little puzzled, and takes a couple of steps to the edge of the massive earthmote, looking out.
"Any advice? Stay away from Maborg's crew if you can help it. That tiefling seems to be building an army. Most salvager crews ain't motivated by selfless compassion, I get that. Everyone has an edge to them, an angle their working, some greed or ambition cooking in them. But Maborg? It's like the part of him that's devil is happy the world is dying and wants to make sure we don't get away. Scary."
"Can't say as far as the halflings go. There's a valley of them to the west--call themselves the Volar. They're split into different tribes, different jewelry and desert robes, different body paint designs, different accents--all of them seem to care more for outsiders than each other. All of them ride a breed of goat that's fast and smart and loyal but stubborn. Not unlike the halflings really. They've been tense lately is the word, quick to get angry and lash out, which isn't like them."
"If you've made ship like thesen, I see no bad. You'll not like it, but I've got to ask. Can we fix her easy-like - if owt goes amiss?"
Thinking about the halflings and their mounts of choice, Edie snorts a bit.
"Can't be doing with goats. Tricksey buggers."
Manifest looks back over at the Lucky Leprichaun. "Same as any other 'forged gear. Patch up what's broken and take it easy on that bit until it has time to mend back to full strength. Make Whole ritual will do you well if you don't have the time to let it mend on it's own--if you don't mind the expense that is. Those scrolls get expensive. Fifty gold isn't nothing."
...
"Can't really say. Don't know much about goats. Must be special made goats?"
Kendall had arrived on scene a bit earlier to take care of his preparations. While not wearing his full complement of armor, he is wearing the arming jacket and has his gear in stow.
His stature is rigid and uncompromising, and undoubtedly he's going to be a pain in the rear at some point in this adventure. He approaches the first to assemble and the artificer.
"Ah, good. Miss Thwaite?" He gives a small, courteous bow, "It seems we have the day upon us, and opportunities abound." He draws out a somewhat soiled towel, wiping his hands upon it, as he speaks, "Dreadful times these, but there is still much that can be done." He shifts his gaze to Manifest, " She's cleared to go then? Good good...now we just need to discuss a course of action, gather up the rest of the members for this salvage operation, and see to our priorities."
"Edie will do."
She looks doubtfully at Kendall's towel.
"You'll not clean owt on that, Sir Kendall. Just saying. Germs and that."
Kendall humphs softly to himself, putting the towel away "A gentledwarf makes do with what he has, Miss Edie." He raises his head a bit, an assessing look in his eyes, " And erm, Knight Errant, my good lady." He gives another light bow, "Formal knightings are quite rare of late."
"Reet."
A look equally assessing meets his own, as Edie appears to sum up his suitability to be part of her flock.
"Manifest here's done well by us. Good ship this, I'm thinking. Hast thoughts on where to go?"
Kendall folds his hands together over his face for a moment, "There's a Dwarven set of ruins a few days north of here...part of Turomdur before its fall. As I understand it, they've been defiled, their once noble spirits drawn into rage and madness...Perhaps those places have already been salvaged, I know not, but it is something I'd wish to investigate."
Manifest looks around, "There was to be more of you, wasn't there? Doesn't much matter. The ship will fly for two just as easy. Tough job you've signed up for. Folks do get scared off sometimes."
He clambers over to the ropes tying the Lucky Leprichaun to the dock and begins undoing the complex knots. "May be that you'll have to make do, maybe take on hirelings when you get out there."
"Nay lad. No rush. Happen they'll be caught in town like."
Kai runs his hand through his short-cut hair, trying to catch his wind. He feared the salvage team may have left without him. Seeing the mechanical thing still docked settles his nerves... just a bit.
"Sorry, I'm late all." Kai announces it whether there are people outside or not... just assuming that you would hear him approach. He runs one last mental checklist hoping that he has left everything in order back at the academy.
Eyeing the mechanical ship, "Did anyone remember to make offerings to Janadee for her protection during our travels? I'm sure this is safe and all, but..." He climbs the ramp looking for his fellow crewmates. "Maybe we need to bring a cat aboard, I think Ragibesh keeps storms at bay if you have a cat or was it cats attract storms?? I know I have a book on it somewhere, I'll look." The last is mere mutterings, as Kai continues to inspect the ship.
"Not made offerings mesen. Not my way. I'm more practical like, but don't let that stop tha, if it makes tha feel any better."
Edie trundles up the gangplank, taking a long look at Kai.
"And who might tha be, apart from fussing for cats we don't have?"
Kendall raises an eyebrow at Kai, but astutely refrains from open questions at first. "I am willing to join in any offerings given up, but I must draw the line at animals being added to the ship...unless such things are common due to rats or other vermin?"
He looks over to Manifest for his thoughts.
"Ah, yes, cats. And not for vermin. The last reported flying vermin in these parts was made by Doc Vayl. And he's been deceased for years. No, the felines are to appease the god Ragibesh..." Kai fades a bit into lecture mode as he talks about cats and the reports of their religious significance.
He strides up the gangplank after Edie. He's dress in simple travel robes with no weapons visible. His only gear seems to be some simple bags and despite their light weight, they look like they might tip him over any minute.
He finally breaks from his lecture on cats to answer Edie question. "Instructor Kia-Sovis. Assistant Instructor. Well, junior assistant instructor. I was in charge of younglings at the Arcanix; teaching them how to call fire." He shrugs and smiles at that last part, his golden eyes glowing like embers.
"And you all?" Without waiting for a reply, he continues to look about the small craft. "Where's my room?"
Nowt but a tup with fanciful ideas, Edie thinks indulgently as Kai's cat lecture washes over her.
"Edie Thwaite. Shepherd. We collects things and keeps them together, so seemed right and proper I'd turn me hand to wider world."
Her voice sharpens a little as Kai heads inexorably towards her cabin space.
"Not there, tha numpty. Canst see fleece unless tha's blind, which I'll be bound you're not."
Aleena saunters aboard the Lucky Leprechaun humming a jaunty tune.
Seeing the assembled crew waiting for her, she sets down her luggage and waves a merry greeting.
"Good afternoon to you all! I'm Aleena Thurman, and it's great to finally meet the wonderful people whom I'll be spending the next couple of months with!"
Despite wearing scale armour, Aleena manages to excitedly charge at each crew member and vigorously shake their hand. Even Manifest is not spared.
Her voice sharpens a little as Kai heads inexorably towards her cabin space.
"Not there, tha numpty. Canst see fleece unless tha's blind, which I'll be bound you're not."
"You reserved a bunk for me!? How very thoughtful! I just know we're going to be best friends forever!" exclaims a beaming Aleena.
"Happen."
Edie boggles slightly.
"If tha wants fleece, I've spare."
She firmly takes possession of her rightful bunk.
To say the bunkroom was cramped would be generous. To say it was a bunkroom would be generous. In the very back of the ship, up a few stairs, behind a folding wooden accordian curtain from the cargo bay was a cramped donut-shaped room. Hammocks made from silk rope nets hung from the domed back wall, four of them spaced out in a circle. All the space beneath was barrels and crates of provisions. Open arches led from the bunks and supplies into the central room, a galley hung with copper pots and pans above a simple round iron cookstove under which were a supply of mess kits for the travellers, each one folded up into a space-saving spring loaded tin box. No beds anywhere. No privacy.
Behind them they could hear the boarding rope ladder spool up and the floor of the cargo bay rachet up the ten or so feet down to the ground like a rickety elevator, and lock into place. Manifest didn't seem to be aboard, apparently content to leave the new crew to their devices and todder off to his next assignment.
"Ha. My first 15 years at the Arcanix had less privacy." Just barely... ah well. Kai tries to find the bunk that is closest to any sort of window or light, and drops his packs. He's about to start unpacking when the thought strikes him...
"--Wait. Who's flying this thing?" He then flies to what he would suspect is the control room.
"Us. Leastways, those of us as can tell left from right. Or up from down. Not good at either, mesen," admits Edie.
Round portholes circle the bunkroom around where a sleeper's head would, not quite big enough to stick a head through, barely enough to allow in a tiny sliver of thin light and a slight breeze.
Through the cargo bay and across into the front of the Lucky Leprichaun is another round room--large sections of glass in the floor and cieling seperated by a thin spiderweb of metal supports. At the very front is a wheel, much like a ship's wheel, two shiny levers on the righthand side--a bank of toggles on a metal box to the left with lights above and below each. The center of the room is dominated by a big map covered table stacked with maps and cartographic tools. The back wall is a library of tomes and map scrolls--roughly half concerned with history and lore, the other half geography.
Kendall is taken aback by Aleena's enthusiastic display of greetings. His eyes grow wide as she charges him, fearing a glomp of some kind.
"Erhm, yes well...well met. Kendall Steelshod, Knight Errant"
He assuages the crew a bit later, a collection of misfits and strangers, but all with the same goal in mind. Survival and knowledge of the past. He puts a hand to his chin in thought, then joins the others in the bunkroom.
"I daresay this is going to be a quite challenging environ, let alone any actual mission work."
He sets down his armor in its heavy canvas satchel. " While the introductions are made, we need to elaborate on our roles, as well as our thoughts for salvage. I shall start."
Kendall stands with his hands behind his back, "I have been kitted with heavy armor and am trained with military weapons and shields. As I appear to be the only one military trained, I expect to be our frontline in any combat, if we happen upon it. Also, I've heard of Dwarven ruins that lie a few days north. At last notice they are still inhabited with the sad forms of those who died there, after the area had been desecrated. I would suggest there, myself."
"Seemingly our Aleena's set with armour too, so happen she'll be dandy in fight. If Kai's speaking sooth, he calls down fire and that. Sounds useful to me. As for mesen, I've a knack of getting out of way if I has to and don't cross me when I'm grumpy. Me tongue's a terrible weapon of cursing."
Edie scowls at the map, furtively trying to work out left from right.
"Hear tell there's trouble with halflings. Could look there too. Can't be doing with rampant goat-riders getting uppity."
Kai only half listens to the exchange about armor wearing and who does what...
He peruses the volumes in the control room making a mental note of each - creating a reading list and rearranging a few of them so that they are properly ordered. Once satisfied, takes a look at the actual controls and then finally returns to the bunkroom entrance to discuss possible courses.
Kai-Sovis was fairly friendly and jovial, but all of that has burned away when the question of getting down to business arises. "There is a village to the northeast called Donte. Based on their proximity to the Nightlands, they should be overrun by the undead by now. However, they've managed to curtain the advance with the aide of a village champion. I would very much like to meet this champion..." He pauses, maybe leaving something more unsaid... "Plus, I would assume the area to be fairly free of competitor salvage teams."
What sort of rolls/checks does it look like it will take to pilot this craft?
Also, can I start making knowledge checks on each of our rumors that have been presented? Maybe history or religion checks? Just to see if any course of action would be better suited.
"Seemingly our Aleena's set with armour too, so happen she'll be dandy in fight. If Kai's speaking sooth, he calls down fire and that. Sounds useful to me. As for mesen, I've a knack of getting out of way if I has to and don't cross me when I'm grumpy. Me tongue's a terrible weapon of cursing."
"Friends, you're both right. Kendall's the one with military experience and so is naturally suited for the frontline, but this armour," she points to herself, "allows me to enjoy a good scrap too!"
"I remember Mother Grain, Mistress of Improvised Combat Using Common Kitchen Utensils, used to say, 'We must be ready to help the noble knights, wherever we find ourselves.'" Aleena reminisces.
The cleric wanders off to join Kai in the control room. She leisurely gazes out the viewport, remarking, "The view up here is amazing! I wanted to pay someone in the north west a visit, but barring any food and fuel considerations, I don't see why we can't take the scenic route!"
Kendall manages a brusque humph of agreement, an eyebrow raise at Aleena, then looks over the group in general "Then it appears we have a plan of frontline and backline. Well enough.". He takes a moment to run a hand down his beard, his voice rising a bit for those who seem to have wandered into the next room... "If I may be so bold as to suggest that this village Kai mentioned may be the best sort, as it has a time-sensitive feel to it. As much as I'd wish to put previous souls to rest, the mission itself would lean towards Donte."
"Don't doubt we'll find ways to see all our wishes sorted. Scenic-like. Don't fancy what our Kai's telling us and we'd best take a look."
Edie nods agreement and stays firmly away from the dashboard. She turns to Aleena.
"This Mother Grain of yours, did she have owt to say about carding combs? Not rightly kitchen as such, but capable of good damage I've found."
As for the skill rolls, it seems folks agree with your call, but more lore on the different leads can be had as a History check. The better you do, the more info you get.
Oh and the books in the map room have mint condition covers, the corners not bent in the least. The pages are perfectly colored and smell like fresh ink, and the books each creak open with the sound of a tome first being opened. The system of organization leaves much to be deserved and after a few minutes work you are able to rearrange it to give yourself a +1 on your next History roll using the books here.
People seem set to travel. The maps are set out, freshly drawn by cartographers on thick new vellum and watercolored to match the terrain and landmarks. Donte is there, so are the dwarven ruins and halfling lands, with Erarat as the center of the world.
Looking over the ornithopter controls, they are simplifies in the extreme, a switch to turn on the engines, one to start the wings, and one to retract the landing legs, all with little pictograms beneath them explaining their function. Likewise the two levers are for moving up or down, and speeding or slowing and are labeled with abbreviations. The ship's wheel seems to be for turning the ship left and right, but is nonetheless labeled "steering" engraved into the bronze inlay at the front of the wheel, with a rose in the neutral position and ornimental arrows every few inches either way along the wheel, leading to inscriptions "hard left" or "hard right" if you turn the wheel all the way to one side or the other. It would seem anyone could fly this vessel fairly easily, which must have taken some work to pull off.
It's just a matter of someone stepping forward to flip some toggles and throw the lever to up.
Well...not counting whatever religious appeasements people think best in order to inaugurate their voyage.
Edie grits her teeth and draws a deep breath.
"Not going to be beaten by bit of metal," she mutters.
Furtively checking the marks on her own hands, she takes the wheel, closes her eyes and hopes for the best. Nothing terrible seems to happen apart from a shuffle upwards. The Leprichaun is definitely airborne.
"Easier than I thought!"
It's noticeable that her hands are still shaking.
A machine... just think of it as another form of magic, just another form of magic... never mind that it is too heavy to stay aloft, and it is an incomprehensible -even for me- distance to fall, and no natural creature that flies is shaped this way -STOP THAT! it's just another form of magic... it's just another form of magic...
Kai seems to be mumbling a bit to himself and standing as rigid as possible. Fighting back the nervousness in his voice, "I will gladly navigate to Donte for you, Lady Edie."
Without moving from his position, Kai looks over to the maps and begins making note of their current position and destination. Kai takes a deep breath, centers himself, and begins to recall all he can remember of Donte, Nightlands, and the regions to the northeast.
The ivory toggles flip one by one, first the engines start, overhead and behind them, with a whining and chattering like being inside the innards of a massive clock. The next toggle flips a sound like a massive bellows, as the great cloth wings begin to swoop up and down. The legs switch probably best to flip once they're up.
The up lever slides easily and the great wings outside sweep to a different angle and like a leaf blown up by an updraft the ground begins to drop away. Stomachs swish as gravity loses her hold. The speed lever gets them going forward. Looking down on the wheel there's a compass just beneath and to one side of it that shows they're facing north. The wheel turns with a racheting chain sound and the buffeting wind outside changes tempo, the ship leans and heads off toward Donte. Very intuitive. Terrifying. But intuitive.
Edie clings on ferociously, inadvertently sending the ship into nausea-inducing parabolas.
"Think I'm getting hang of this . . . it's up and down that has me flummoxed now. Is this way we're wanting to go?"
We're not falling, we're flying... yes, flying. It's just a form of arcane flight. Yup. Get it together Sovis!
Through clenched teeth, "Bear slightly east... no, east is currently to your right... your other right."
"And, though years of being targeted by Master Travix's translocation spells has steeled me from being nauseated, I am not sure the rest of the crew has had similar exposure. Lady Edie, you may try to keep you hand off the vertical control lever." Nearly all of that comes out in one breath as Kai struggles to keep his cool. Well, as cool as he can as he attempts to stay as still as possible.
Don't complain! Do not distract her - At least she is at the controls, I don't think I can move from this spot...
Kendall sternly watches, white knuckling at this pile of nuts and bolts. Good thing he has gloves on.
"If we do manage to provide a good round of salvage, I propose we hire a pilot." His words are carefully measured, but his alarmed response belies his feelings.
Kai marvels at the dwarfs resolve. Curse the dwarves and their genetic stability. I bet if we went upside down he wouldn't be phased -- wait, can this thing flip upside-down??!
Rather flatly, "I'm telling you we should've brought cats on board."
Kendall responds flatly, " I daresay any more chaos aboard would be most unwelcome."
From looking at the charts and making some calculations you can fly all night and get to Donte the next morning, driving in shifts for the twenty hour trip (one Dungeoneering roll per fresh pilot) but everyone will arrive terrorized and abused by the brutal conditions of onithopter travel (lose a healing surge). The town of Brothersford looks to be about seven hours flight, a nice midway point--past there it's all mountains and no listed towns until you get into the vampire infested lands on the other side.
Green to the gills, Edie hangs on grimly, determined to prove her piloting skills.
Dungeoneering=
"We know almost nothing about Donte, it would be worth it to see what the locals know of the area, best to be forewarned."
Kendall responds flatly, " I daresay any more chaos aboard would be most unwelcome."
Although Aleena loves many creatures great and small, she pales at the thought of having to pull out of a dive whilst fending off an irate feline digging its claws into her face.
"Any special requests before I bring her in?" she offers as they approach Brothersford.
"I can do a barrel roll, an Immelmann turn, or maybe Pugachev's Cobra!"
"Don't crash."
Kai visibly relaxes as he shifts into his familiar instructor mode.
"Donte, also known as Warrentown, is a chaotic assortment of buildings, designs, and people. While there is a titular city government, Donte is run by the local thieves' guild... and with populace of bandits outnumbering the honest folk of Warrentown, that fact is of little wonder. Though, it has led to interesting local rumors, including one on a series of murders being blamed on one of the original founders of the town or some such local superstition.
Despite all of that, Donte is probably best known to outsiders for its eclectic arrangement of buildings. It is a maze of twisted structures of various heights and easy to get lost in. Or easy for some to get lost within... It also boasts a sprawling subterranean dungeon and undercity of sewer labyrinths that rivals some of the grandest cities in the land.
For a salvage team, this could be a significant find."
Then as an afterthought, "Oh. And of course, there are the undead. Donte should have been swallowed by the undead of the Nightlands by now. There may not be teams of them roaming the streets, but be prepared. I do believe that I have a source of radiant energy that I could bring to bear if called upon, but I cannot focus it often."