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Pembroke Courier & Corgi Retrieval

Submitted by dracon on Sun, 09/05/2021 - 23:22
Session Dates
In Game Start Date
Fysitag, 2nd prime post-Periastron 1054
Days in Game
3 days
Location
Gemhallow
Record Kept
Pembroke Courier & Corgi Retrieval

In Freelancers
TLDR

Dryali, Kaelani, Kalleth, and Tahu go to Arnari and are deputized to do the Pembroke courier run.  While there, if they can acquire a Corgi puppy for Hanohano of House Ha'aheao, the reward will be 800gp.  The mechanical airship for this travel is the Kenleven, captained by Cenwood Stalesong
 

  • Dryali and Tahu were talking to Kaelani in Freelancers Tavern, explaining about the lotion-makers.
  • Kalleth was also there, and the four of them went to Arnari to see if there were any errands to run.
    • Pembroke had entered conjunction!  Passage between the two skyliths would be cheap, fast, and easy for the next few days.
  • Arnari told them there was quite a long list of work from which they could pick.
    • Orderly Stones monastery would like some help with kobolds attacking people on their roads.
    • Since conjunction is in effect, she would like a competent group of people to take a courier pouch to the Gemhallow Freelancers.
      • And possibly bring back a return pouch.
    • Bloodhawks continue to attack people on the path to the Children of Āhua town Mantzur
    • Standing request to guard the stable for the Pilot's Guild
    • Investigate the Skyguard vandals
  • After this long recitation, Arnari sighed, then added reluctantly,  "If you go to Pembroke, Hanohano asks that you bring back a corgi for his mother.  He will pay 800gp for this."
  • Everyone but Kalleth sat back in surprise, then looked to Kalleth.  "Is there… corgis?"
    • Kalleth said… "They are sometimes, in Gemhallow."
    • His confidence was a counterpoint to the others.  "I am sure this will be easy."
  • Tahu turned back to Arnari.  "Is this the normal way of communicating between guildhalls?"
    • Dryali interjected, "What is Freelancers' Guild HQ?"
    • Arnari answered Dryali first: "Freelancers' is decentralized, but these [Cliffshadow and Gemhallow] are the biggest.  Our setup here with the taverns and use of couriers is normal." 
  • Dryali asked, "Does taking the pouch pay, or is this duty part of Freelancers?"
  • Arnari told him, "It's 200gp total, but no fee."
  • Arnari became more businesslike.  "What kind of ship?"
    • Dryali immediately replied, "Mechanical."
    • Kalleth asked instead, "What's best for this?  Can we get attacked?  Let's take the best one."
    • Arnari told him, "For such a short distance, all are pretty much the same."
    • Tahu suggested, "Let's take a mechanical, since we have an artificer here."
    • Dryali turned his head and looked at Tahu.  😎
  • Arnari told them, "In the morning, go to the Kenleven at the docks, you want Cenwood Stalesong, that's the captain."
    • Kalleth took the courier pouch, presumably because he knows his way around Gemhallow.

Travel to Pembroke!
TLDR

Dryali, Kaelani, Kalleth, and Tahu board the Kenleven and journey to Gemhallow on Pembroke.  On the way there, the airship is attacked by a hippogryph, and encounters some gas spores that need to be shot at range.
 

  • In the morning, the party followed Arnari's instructions.  Dryali and Kaelani looked around for abnormally tan people that could be Daystar cultists, but saw noone like that.
  • After talking to Captain Stalesong, who is a male half-orc, they embarked on the Kenleven.  Dryali is used to this airship style, it being preferred by Dark elves, but the others looked around in wonder.
    • The airship was 80' long from bow to stern.  [don't know how long the wings are]
    • Curved struts reached out from mighty metal rings around the center of the ship's main body.  At the ends of them are metal rings with spinning blades therein.  The rings with the blades looked like they could rotate angles.
    • A flat deck with sturdy railing could be stood upon that also runs under the mighty rings.
    • [no notes on rudders.]
  • Everyone was on deck as a team of hippogryphs hitched to the front of the airship and tugged the Kenleven away from the docks.  Once clear of the airport traffic, the team dropped off and the engines started up, with the blades spinning faster to power the ship forward.
  • On the starboard side of the airship, astern of the mighty rings, sat a harnessed peregrine gryphon, its reins tied to a ring on the deck.
  • A male Wind sagani, Kahale, was navigating.  The gryphon was his; he was the pilot.
  • The Kenleven shuddered as it crossed the Boundary [into the higher-speed winds] but took no damage.  
  • Once clear of the Boundary, Kahale [presumably] handed control back to the Captain, and emerged onto the observation deck to mount his peregrine gryphon.  That mount was fast, and the pair winged off with ease.  Watching him fly off, they realized his destination was another ship inbound for Cliffshadow.
  • Once in the higher winds, the airship shuddered as with the help of crew, the wings and propellers canted up with a large clang of the central rings rotating.  While from this vantage it became obvious just how fast Duquesne was moving, the Kenleven, impossibly, rose up and ahead.
  • A crew member pointed up and to the east, where a skylith hung above, about the size of one's thumb.  "That's Pembroke.  We'll be entering the tunnels in a few hours.  You might want to catch some sleep when you can; it will be almost Gemhallow morning when we get there."  Some few passengers went below.
  • Seemingly out of nowhere, a hippogryph swooped down on the deck, trying to snatch the crew member!   Dryali pulled out his infused crossbow and shot at it, missing in his haste.
    • Kaelani swung at it, trying to protect the crew member, but unused to being on airships, he overbalanced and fell on his ass.
      • <narrator voice>:  i.e. David rolled a 1
    • The crew member carefully backed off, pulling out a daggar.
    • The hippogryph, seeing Kaelani prone at its feet, decided the gods had presented it with a free meal, attacking him with claws and beak.
    • Tahu pulled out a healing kit and started working on stabilizing the severely injured Kaelani.
    • Kalleth threw a spear, hitting the hippogryph.
    • Dryali shot it with the infused crossbow.
    • As the crew member threw their daggar at the hippogryph, the creature decided it had had enough, and took off.  Tahu took advantage of the opening to kill it!
    • Kalleth was relieved to get his spear back.
  • By this time the Captain had come on deck, and Dryali asked him if this happens often.  The Captain told him, "Kind of… Hippogryphs are sneaky, and this one could have come from Pembroke or Duquesne."   At these words, the rest of the passengers on the observation deck go below.
  • Dryali, Tahu, and Kalleth dragged Kaelani into a passenger cabin to sleep off his injuries. 
  • After some time passes, the Captain called for any passenger with a ranged attack to please come up on deck.  Kalleth had a boomerang and spear, neither of which he wanted to lose; Dryali had the infused hand crossbow, so he went up.
  • A couple other passengers were there, with crossbows & bows.  The Captain pointed out a 10' lumpy circle floating in the winds, with stalks on top, between the airship and Pembroke, which now filled a significant portion of the sky, like a mountain across a nonexistent valley.  Higher up the trailing edge, were mighty tornadoes.
  • Redirecting Dryali's attention to the lumpy circle, he explained these are mushrooms full of poison gas, so we want to hit them as far from the ship as we can, and ideally not upwind of us.
  • Captain went back to the Kenleven's navigation cage.
  • Dryali missed, but wasn't even sure where his magic bolt went.  The other passengers hit the thing, and odd-coloured gas puffed out.  The airship groaned as it took evasive action to avoid the gas.
  • Once back on course - everyone was watching for others - the Captain noted "This is a little… busier than I expect.  Must be the closeness."
  • The passengers went back below; Dryali checked on his companions, who were asleep.  He went off to find the engineers to talk shop.
  • They chased him off as the Kenleven approached Pembroke.  Thinking this would be quite a sight, he woke up the others and they went back to the observation deck.  It was full daylight.
  • Pembroke loomed large above them, like an enormous uprooted mountain, its underbelly lit from the clouds below, the tornadoes trailing behind it.  They raced under its roots, engines thrumming, and it eclipsed the Daystar.  An occasional glint was visible from the skylith, as if the light from below hit a reflective surface.
  • The root of the mountain sloped up towards its leading edge as the crew again changed the angle of the wings, slowing the ship slightly.  A small hole was visible in the skylith above.
  • Suddenly a gryphon appeared!  Dryali almost drew his crossbow, but saw a dwarf-descended Wind sagani riding it.  He landed and dismounted, hitching the gryphon to the place where the peregrine gryphon had been before.  The captain greeted him cordially, and he took over navigating.
  • The ship shuddered, then seemed to hang still for a moment, as it crossed the Pembroke Boundary and the crew deftly cut the engine power.  Once in Pembroke [nearspace], the ship turned towards the small hole.  The observation deck was relatively dark, as all the light came from the cloudtops below.
  • As they approached the hole, it became obvious that it was actually an enormous cavern entrance.  1000 feet tall and 2000 feet wide.  The airship slowed more, and the outer edge of the engines lit with a red and green glow, as they entered the cavern.
  • The cavern walls were marked with veins of quartz, alternating flame coloured and white, from light sources unseen, allowing pilots to avoid hazards.
  • Dryali took off his goggles and rubbed his eyes and hair, becoming slightly less edgy, enjoying the view.  His eyes were disconcerting: the irises do not match, one being black as night and one pale, almost milky.  
  • The tunnels forked, switched back, and did so again.  They were going up.  At various points, enormous doors could be seen, ready to repel storms or invaders.

Gemhallow
TLDR

The Cliffshadow Freelancers deliver the courier pouch to Einkil Logehr, male Rocklit dwarf, leader of the Gemhallow Freelancers, and collect their fee of 200gp.  They locate a dog breeder, Ina Lang, and agree on a puppy for Hanohano.  Kalleth visits clan, while Dryali and Tahu acquire a cask of Coldstream ice wine from a merchant in the Gemhallow Market.  Einkil gives them a courier pouch for Arnari, and arranges passage pack on the elemental airship Pandion, captained by Nolan Mountainbond.
 

  • Finally they emerged northward into an absolutely enormous cavern.  The edges were not marked like in the tunnels, but the outlines were delineated by glowing veins of quartz in the floor.  Dryali could see docks ahead, and the city streets east of them were lined with it, glowing softly with the light reflected from the clouds below.
  • The cavern was not symmetrical or regular.  Its roof had some lichens, some of which were bioluminescent.  The result was a dampening of the whuff-whuff-whuff of the airship engines.
  • A team of owl-gryphons towed the Kenleven to the docks and they debarked.  The city was fairly quiet, most people were not yet awake.
  • Walked east to the Freelancers Tavern.  The glow in the sidewalks was increasing as they walked.
    • Kalleth explained he was from the south part of Gemhallow, his family [some sort of copper extraction]
    • Kalleth explained the ruling clan, Otilia, is in the northeast part of town.  He pointed in that direction, and Dryali could see an elaborate holding there that almost resembled a castle built into the cliff wall.
  • Freelancers Tavern is a similar setup to Cliffshadow, as Arnari had said.  Kind of quiet.  The party showed their badges and asked for the Gemhallow leader.
    • Shown in to Einkil Logehr, male Rocklit dwarf, who had recently arisen for the day.
    • Kalleth presented the courier bag from Arnari.
    • Einkil thanked everyone and produced 200gp  → 50gp each!
    • "Enjoy Freelancers Tavern here!  We have an excellent selection of dwarven ale," Einkil declared.  He glanced at Dryali, slouching in a chair.  "Also, Elvish ice wine from Coldstream!"
    • Dryali sat up straighter.  "Wait, is there trade to Cliffshadow of these items?"
    • Einkil tilted his head, and replied, "Not from us!"  Dryali and Tahu glanced at each other speculatively.
    • Kalleth, bursting with the need to dispose of his share of the gold, excused himself and ran to the quartermaster.
    • Dryali asked, "Where would we find… corgis?"
    • Einkil was dismissive.  "O yah, corgis are everywhere."  Tahu, Dryali, and Kaelani must have all had similar looks on their faces, because he added, "If you want a fancy corgi with a pedigree… dunno breeders."
    • Everyone took their leave and went to the tavern.
  • The tavern by now had a few Freelancers in it.  Dryali, Tahu, and Kaelani consulted each other quickly, and decided Hanohano probably wanted a pedigreed corgi, and surely local Freelancers would know someone.
    • Dryali bought an ice wine from the bartender, for 1gp!  At the bar was also Morys, a male Rocklit dwarf.  Morys, upon being asked, is not a Dog Person.
    • Kaelani talked to a male Rock sagani, Sighard.  Sighard told of a dog breeder, a male Rock sagani Ina Lang, who breeds corgis, mastiffs, and "tunnel dogs," a crossbreed of the two.
    • Ina Lang lives in the nicest part of the not-nice section of Gemhallow.
    • At this point Kalleth showed back up from the quartermaster.  [what was different about him?]
  • The party made its uneventful way to Ina Lang's house.  By now the sidewalks were glowing much more brightly, but still not as bright as the daytime on the surface.
    • House was built into a natural tunnel wall.  Standing at the door, knocking, the party was actually standing on a smoky-quartz sidewalk, glowing underfoot.
    • A youngish voice called out, "What do you want?!  The pups are out back!"  The door opened to reveal a short, 15yr old male Rock sagani, and the sounds of puppies barking.
    • Kalleth replied politely, "We are interested in seeing your dogs!"
    • The young sagani waved them in.  "Come on in!  It's MY turn to play with the puppies."  After escorting the party to a waiting room, he announced "Will send Ina out to you soon!" and ran off.
    • The carpet in the waiting room had seen better days.
  • After 5 minutes, Ina bustled in, a stocky male Rock sagani clearly of dwarvish ancestry.  "I hear you want a puppy!"
    • Kalleth repeated, "We're interested."
    • Ina wiped his hands on his thighs.  "When, now?"
    • Tahu asked, "What do you have?"
    • Ina explained there were 8 week, 12 week, and 1 year old dogs, and the older ones were already trained for hunting.
    • That caught Dryali's interest: "In tunnels?!"
    • Kalleth cut him off, since it was irrelevant to this discussion.  "How much?"
    • Ina offered that the mastiffs were less expensive.  15gp for a puppy, and 25gp for one trained/ready for riding.
    • Kalleth was taken aback, for all he was from Pembroke.  "Riding?!"  Ina explained these were often provided for mounts for the halflings "up top" of Pembroke.
    • Ina continued, "For pedigreed corgis, 50gp for year-old, 35gp for a 12-week old puppy.  A breeding pair [price missing from notes]"
  • Tahu looked around and (perhaps thinking about the trip back) asked about how the dogs would deal with being outside in the fresh air.  Ina explained, the puppies will adjust, the older dogs might need some socialism to adjust.
    • <narrator voice> Not a typo.
    • Ina added, he was in possession of a Royal Writ as a corgi dealer.
  • Group got a pedigreed Buff & Tan 12 week old corgi puppy from Ina's T2 litter.  Puppy's name was Arnold of Pembroke Lang.
    • Tahu immediately started addressing the puppy as Sir Arnold.
    • Ina also produced a flyer of How To Puppy for new dog owners.
    • ...and the pedigree itself, with the attached Royal Writ, etc 
    • Given time of day related to Duquesne, asked Ina if he could hold the puppy for a day, will get him in the morning.  Ina agreed.
  • The party made its uneventful way back to Freelancers, and asked Einkil about passage back.
    • <narrator voice:> apparently also about courier back, but I'm lacking the notes.
    • Einkil became more businesslike.  "What kind of ship?  Yours already went back."
    • Tahu ventured, "Maybe elemental?"
    • Dryali said wryly, "Whatever has the least chance of the puppy going overboard."
    • Einkil ventured, "Elemental and mechanical ships have similar formfactor."
    • Tahu replied, "As long as there is a below-deck cabin."
    • Einkil declared, "I can arrange that.  Tomorrow mid-morning, you want the Pandion.  Nolan Mountainbond is the captain.  That way you can get your puppy first."
  • The party stood up to take their leave, and Dryali hesitated, then asked, eyes narrowed, "Have there been reports… of people ...worshiping the Daystar?"
    • Einkil was incredulous.  "What?  Who would worship the Daystar?"
    • Dryali replied a little sullenly, "...thought I would ask…"
    • Einkil expanded, "Vandals keep covering up the lights, they are maybe the Dvergar."
    • Party left.
  • Kaelani, who hadn't slept off all the hippogrpyh's damage, found a bunk in the barracks and passed out.  Perhaps he Lay on Hands first.
    • <narrator voice> Best not to ask.
  • Tahu and Dryali headed to the central Market northeast of the Tavern, which by now had become very busy.  Kalleth went with them, but Kalleth's ultimate destination was his family's [clan/s?] home in the south of Gemhallow.
  • Kalleth got bored and left by the time Tahu and Dryali located a Holder Dwarf stall selling a cask of Coldstream ice wine for 100gp.  Tahu and Dryali split the cost, and brought this back to Freelancers, thinking this would be an excellent and profitable addition to Cliffshadow Freelancers.
  • By now the glow was diminishing from the quartz veins as Gemhallow moved into Pembroke nightward.
  • Kaelani woke up to find Dryali possibly messing with his gear.  Kaelani was like, "What is wrong with you?"  Dryali hiccoughed in reply, playing it off like he'd drunk too much ice wine.
    • <narrator voice>: Perhaps he had.  Dryali is pretty liteweight.
  • Notes on Gemhallow food:
    • Llamas for meat
    • Mushroom dishes
    • Wok-fried glowworm noodles.  They glow even after cooking
    • Unsure if this is what Kalleth eats w/family or others eat for dinner.
  • Long rest.
    • Kalleth and Kaelani Level 2!

Return to Duquesne
TLDR

Dryali, Kaelani, Kalleth, and Tahu, with puppy, ice wine, and courier pouch, board the Pandion and journey to Cliffshadow on Duquesne.  On the way there, the airship is attacked by a flock of albatross, and the Freelancers help fight them off.  Back in Cliffshadow, they deliver the courier pouch to Arnari and collect their fee of 200gp.  They deliver the puppy to Hanohano and collect 800gp.  Dryali and Tahu sell the ice wine to Freelancers Tavern for 50% profit.  Kaelani spotted one of the Daystar cultists.
 

  • Next morning, Kalleth returned to Freelancers Tavern.  The party left to acquire the puppy, and on the way to Ina's, picked up a leash, collar, and puppy crate for 5sp.
    • Kalleth carried the ice wine cask, and Tahu carried Sir Arnold in his crate.
  • After heading back to the docks, they found the Pandion, and boarded.   In the back, behind the rudder assembly, was a metal basket-like contraption, with what appeared to be a banked fire within.  Oddly enough, the fire radiated boredom.
    • The Pandion is lighter than the Kenleven, but cannot hover.  Once a pilot landed and tied up his gryphon on deck, a group of hippogryphs tugged it out to the tunnels, at which point the basket lit up with fire, propelling the airship forward.  The elemental still radiated boredom along with heat and flame.
    • [not sure where steering is.  Pilot is with them from leaving the docks.]
    • Dryali wasn't sure if they were going the same way they came, in the tunnels, and asked Kalleth what he knew about it.  Kalleth was cross.  "I'm carrying a big box!  What are you trying to figure out?  Why do we care?"
    • Dryali sighed.
  • Dryali put his goggles back on as they emerged from the tunnels in Pembroke's shadow, the skylith looming over them like a giant mountain with its underside lit up.
  • The Pandion picked up speed as it approached the Boundary, crossing it far more smoothly than the Kenleven had.    The pilot took off thereafter, falling back as the airship picked up speed.
  • The party went down to their cabin with the puppy.  Making sure the door was secure, they brought out Sir Arnold and made sure he had water.  Kalleth took first puppy watch, and the others went back up on deck.   
    • Dryali was fascinated by the elemental and its flames.
    • Tahu, enjoying the feel of the wind, even attenuated by the airship's Boundary, spotted birds.   "Birds, yo!"
    • On second thought, he hailed Captain Nolan and pointed out the birds.  "You normally do what, for this?"
    • Nolan looked at the birds through his spyglass, then asked, "Can you help?"
    • Kaelani went below to retrieve Kalleth, while Tahu and Dryali watched the birds come in as a flock, wondering how they go so fast.  They appeared to glide on the wind.  10 Albatrossen!
    • The captain directs the party to the bow of the airship with two crew members, as the flock split, 5 attacking the bow, 5 attacking the stern.
  • Tahu shot the lead albatross with his light crossbow.
    • The crew members also shoot, but miss.
    • They were too far for Dryali's hand crossbow, so he just waited for them to come into range.
    • Kalleth stepped up to the railing on the observation deck, pulled out his axe, and also waited for them to come into range.
    • The bird that got shot flew off.  The others attacked, one each on Dryali, Tahu, the crew members, and Kalleth.
    • Dryali shot his, and Kalleth beheaded the bird attacking him.
    • The bird attacking Tahu missed.
    • The bird attacking the crew member struck him with its beak.
    • Kaelani swung and missed the bird attacking Tahu.
    • Tahu killed it anyhow.
    • The crew members whiffed the attack on their bird.
    • Dryali drew his rapier and whiffed on his, too.
    • Kalleth swung at the bird attacking the crew, but overbalanced and fell over.  He got back up very quickly.
      • <narrator voice>:  Matt rolled a 1
    • The albatross ignored Kalleth and attacked the crew member with a sword.
    • The albatross attacking Dryali got through his guard and hit him!
    • Kaelani killed the one attacking the crew members.
    • Tahu killed the bird attacking Dryali.
  • The group turned towards the rear of the airship, just as the rest of the crew defeated the other albatrossen.
  • Leaving cleanup to the crew, the party went back below decks to check the puppy, which was fine.
  • Tahu went back to the observation deck, but the rest of the trip was uneventful.
  • Airship overshot Cliffshadow and approached from the east.  For Duquesne, it was still full dark, although as they approached they could see the underside lit up.
    • Once debarked and back to Freelancers, were advised to wait til morning to arouse Arnari.
  • In the morning, in Arnari's office, give the sealed courier pouch to Arnari.
    • Arnari thanked everyone and produced 200gp  → 50gp each!
    • She looked at crate in Tahu's arms.  "Is that… a puppy?"
    • Tahu replied, "Look, it's alive!"
    • Arnari emerged from behind her desk, "pupppppppy" and started touseling Sir Arnold's ears.  She said, "You can probably take the puppy to the side gate, and keep it under wraps from Lady Ha’aheo."
    • Since Arnari was already out from behind her desk, Dryali and Tahu reveal their other acquisition for her to inspect.  "What is this, from… Coldstream?   From Pembroke?!"
    • Dryali and Tahu informed her, "Ice wine."
    • Arnari's eyes widened.  "ooooOOOooo!"  She considered.  "I will give you 50% over your price!"  Dryali and Tahu were very pleased.  Possibly not as much as Arnari was.
  • Party left and went to House Ha'aheo with no incident.
    • The stablehand at the side door was Hina, who recognized Kalleth, and fetched Hanohano.
    • Hanohano was enamoured of the puppy and dished out 800gp (in a mix of gold and platinum coins).
    • Tahu handed him the papers for the puppy, and noted, "Breeding pairs are available."
    • Hanohano was hesitant.  "Wait 'til we see what Mom says."
  • On the way back to Freelancers Tavern, Kaelani recognized someone from the park meeting of Daystar worshippers.  Not one of the yellow-vests, but an attendee.
  • Corgi acquisition gold: 800gp
    • 80gp to Arnari
    • 35gp for corgi
    • 5sp for leash etc.
    • 684.5gp /4 = 171.15 → 171gp1sp5cp each
  • Ice wine gold 75gp from Arnari each to Tahu and Dryali
Loot
  • Mission pay:  400gp from Freelancers + 800gp (10% to Freelancers)
Tags
airship travel
courier
playtest
alcohol
Log Entry Type
Mission Log
Storyline
House Ha'aheo