The Dwarven Wedding Session 7
Session #7 of The Dwarven Wedding.
Date: November 6th, 2016
Summary
After a quick fight in the pre-city of Skraff, our heroes arrive in Skraff, proper, in search of a river boat to take them toward Marsh in their journey to Thain-win.
At the riverfront, Tolnor finds a handful of ship captains who offer their services:
- Small Ships - 5 days to Marsh - Manned by 20-30 men, these boats are powered by water elementals1 along with traditional sails. They are typically used for moving passengers and goods up and down the river quickly.
- Barges - 8 days to Marsh - Large ships powered solely by water elementals. These ships move large quantities of goods along the river but have been known to carry a handful of passengers. These ships are also heavily guarded and the slowest moving.
- Riverboat Cruise - 6 days to Marsh - A cruise liner typically powered by Gnomish steam engines. These boats act as transport and as entertainment venues for friends and family looking to enjoy their trip on the river. Heavy amounts of night life and pre-planned games and music are traditional.
Tolnor meets a human (with a Russian accent) named Argyle Volstav who offers to transport the group for the price of 50gp. His ship is named Mighty Seahorse and holds 28 humans as staff (16 arcanists, 12 brutes) who tend to the ship and the elemental. They agree to leave for Marsh in the morning.
Killing time in Skraff, Verity makes her way to Birtin the Costumer's shop, Hidden Treasures, to buy costumes for Luana (who is hiding from the Tytherion Boys). On her way out, she finds a Saloon Girl outfit and she buys it immediately.
Later at a tavern/inn, Luana reveals her history with the Gnomes and why she's being hunted.
Her story begins in the "old world" of the Gnomes--Goshi, a now desolate, desert land sapped of resources. Luana had been a loner in an oasis within the largest desert on the continent named Z'thra. She was found by the Gnomes and taken in to be a friend to the child of a family (Melilth) related to the royal family (Farmek). She was taken to the flying fortress of the Melilth family and in her abduction was drawn to a shield. This was a shield with magical properties and was originally from the oasis she had grown up in. Feeling the connection, Luana stole the shield and freed herself from the Melilth--never meeting the boy she was to be friends with. In the months that followed, she ran from, what she later discovered was, Bay's Edge, and met Verity and Remnant.
The next morning, our heroes boarded Mighty Seahorse and the ship left the docks of Skraff. They were each given rooms and told that they need not lift a finger if any kind of action were to befall the ship.
On the first day of travel, Remnant met three dwarves who were on their way to Riverbend to a major poker championship, the winner of said championship would win 100,000gp after a 1000gp entry fee. Remnant learns to play their strange card game (Omaha Hold 'Em) and becomes extremely good at playing the game. After a few hours of play, the Dwarves offer to pay the 1000gp entry fee at Riverbend if Remnant plays in the tournament and splits the winnings 50/50. After some quick mental debate, Remnant declines.
The day passes, and at night Luana stays on deck as the ship sails through the night. Just as all was looking calm, a man in the crows nest called out, "Pirates!" And the ship was in motion. Cannons were raised from below deck, men ran up from below deck, and a fight began as pirates traveled across metal-laced ropes from their boat to Mighty Seahorse. In moments, Luana, Tolnor, and Verity joined the fight with the sailors, including Argyle Volstav. Remnant sat in his chair as he was told to "not lift a finger." Within minutes the pirate ship was sunk and the pirates defeated, but they left one alive and unconscious.
As the fight rounded down, one shipmate had died, and Luana gave goodberries to those who were unconscious. Although the group had helped capture a pirate and defeat the ship, the captain, in a fury, asked for a word...
Notes
- 1 - Elementals are sentient beings who make deals with ship captains to function as their engines. The deal is mutually beneficial to both parties, but each deal varies in scope and outcome. Some elementals work for captains for hundreds of years (provided the captain lives that long). If a new captain is takes over a ship, a new deal must be made with the elemental. Typically, water and air elementals are neutral beings.
- In Skraff, riverboats typically leave twice a day.
- Due to increasing issues with piracy, riverboat fares from Skraff to Marsh have increased from 5gp to 50gp
- Remnant: "What is home?"
- Riverbend is a party city (similar to Las Vegas)
- Remnant can't wink, he just blinks
- The river (Ursu) that leads from Skraff to Marsh is approximately 900ft wide at its widest and 130ft wide at its thinnest.
- Barges are typically 70ft wide
- Riverboats are typically 60ft wide, with three floors above deck
- Small ships (like Mighty Seahorse) are typically 60 ft wide
