Wild:25 Unplugged

Starring: Brilla, Bo, Fuelwen, Nathaniel
Guest Starring: Acute Firebird, First Rear Admiral and his Lieutenant, Ethyl, Deenar, Kotter Stonescale, Stumphy McShatterfist
Challenge: Water Naga (negotiated); Entrance to ruins dedicated to Celestian
Location: Drn Tg
Date Played: 04 Dec 2009

Contract

Contents of the Contract

H cmmssn th fllwng mrcnr’ wr bnd t ss’st n th mltr’ n’ds f Drn Tg. Th’h wll b trtd s s nrml fr h mrcnr’ bnd. Thr shp wll fl’ th flg f th ntn drng ths tm nd th’h wll hv ttchd t thm s h mrn nt th lt Drgnblds. Th drtn f ths cntrct wll lst ntl th nd f th mmd’t cmpgn s spcfd (Oprtn Sslg - th lmntn f th thrt t Drn Tg frm Slps’sm), nt t xcd sx mnths. T th nd f ths tm, th cntrct s mmd’tl’ ndd nd cmpltd wth n chnc fr xtnsn b thr prt’. Ndvd’l m’mbrs mh ngt’t nw cntrcts f thr hn. Ssd rnks nd nt b prsrvd.

Drn Tg wll ph fr nh nd ll nds f th cmmssnd shp drng th cmpgn ccrdng t stndrd mrcnrh bllng prcdrs. Th ndrwrtng vl’tn f Swlf’s Fllh s plcd t (*s ttchmnt Qq4 - attachment Qq4 is an appraisal of the ship for 17,000 GP) gld pcs. Rnks nd slrs r s fllw:

• Brll’ – F3-S: Ltnnt – 2500 GP
• Dnr – F1-S: Nsgn – 1750 GP
• Flwn – S9-S: Mstr Chf Ptt’ – 1650 GP (clmd)
• Nthn’l – SE6-G: Stff Srgnt – (crmnl sntnc cmpltn)
• Bh – S6-U: Tchncl – 1300 GP + mtrl cmpnnts (clmd)
• Hthl – S4-G: Spclst – 1000 GP + mtrl cmpnnts

Mmbrs f shp crw mh b ssgnd phmnt frm h pl f 100 GP pr smn, dvd’d hccrdng t hgrmnt f th hffcrs. Hs mrcnrs, thh cn b cnsdrd S1-S thrgh S3-S s dmd ncssrh b Brll’. Thh r nt prt’ t ths cntrct xcpt n ph. T th vctrs g th spls.

🎲 DM Nathaniel believes that he is also paid material components in the contract.

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Fuelwen: Aware that they were ill equipped to wage a defensive battle, the military chain of command requested that we sign on as mercenaries. Practically, this meant that I formulated the defensive strategy, Brilla sold it to the Admiralty, and we left it to them to actually prepare their forces.

In retrospect, I fully think that this will be a mistake we shall regret. Sadly, short of raising our own army, I don't believe that we could change the Dwarves' approach.

My instincts told me to beware, so I sought legal counsel on the contract before we signed it. This introduced us to Acute Firebird, a tiny creature that works for a remarkably reasonable retainer.

With his help, we renegotiated and got a better contract that gives us a bit more flexibility.

Nathaniel: Apparently the role which I am to play in the dwarven army is that of observer and scribe. I am frequently called upon to take notes or make copies of documents. My term with the dwarven army will be a very interesting time, as it's the first time I've been enrolled in a military organization. Usually I'm an embedded historian in these matters.

Brilla: Evidently I was given a leadership position as a mercenary. Of note, is that our ranks are higher than those usually awarded. I'm not complaining, though, as it's a good paying job that will hopefully give our crew some more battle hardening.

We had to be careful with the contract since it was hard for us to read. We decided to get legal council on the matter and met the cuttest accessory... I meen retianer. He is a tiny little guy that for the tiny ::hehe:: sum of 100 gold he has helped us renegotiate our contract. He has stuck around with us for now, given us little hints here and there. I am thinking of taking him with us. He won't take up much room and he is easy to clean up after. He also fits perfectly in my shoulder bag.

Free Time

Fuelwen: Thus employed, however, meant we were committed to help in the defense. Knowing their initial plans, it was necessary to throw myself entirely into the effort to formulate an effective plan. I spent most of my time working on this plan.

Nathaniel: Knowing full well that it was unlikely that any dwarf would fight to defend me, I sought to create myself another protector. Scouring the city I was pointed in the direction of a huge centipede carcass. After considering the matter for a moment I decided that it would make an excellent zombie. Thus Doomipede was crafted.

I sought to armor it in leather and was told that there was not enough leather in all the city. Now the Doomipede appears as a giant zombie pillow of doom, as I was niggardly and had padded armor crafted for it.

Brilla: I gave my +5 Vorpal scimitar to a dwarven research team. I made a condition that they will return it to me upon my exiting the island. Once I figure out more about the item, unless they are very well versed in removing the stoned condition, I will send them word and the data so they have more research.

Bo First chance to write in a while, please eat this sea bass. Seems quite plump. Returned from the land of dreams with all hopes dashed. No chance of dreaming Igoriana back to life. Dwarves of Dirnantog did not appreciate the news of the great ship. Learned how dwarves play with dragons. It is a form of immortality for the daring. Found temple of Celestian in weeds about the island. More lessons in exploration; asphyxiation, draining the ocean, falling to death, and always belay.

Meet the Dragonbloods

Brilla: I went out to Kotter Stonescale, leader of the Dragonbloods that are still on the island. He seems to be a capable leader.

There is a possible conflict that I am keeping my eye on. There is a Dragonbllod named Stumphy McShatterfist that has not taken a liking to Nathaniel. I just hope they can keep a civil, working relationship.

War Council

Fuelwen: Of course, a CPO couldn't present the plan. I left that work to Brilla, and passed her notes while she worked the crowd over. The king's plan was even worse than the original plan from the admiralty, and to show their distaste, no flag officer was present to present it. The highest ranking officer in the room was a line officer. Telling.

Politics aside, Brilla laid the better plan before them, defended it and fielded questions. When the Flags showed up for briefing, they accepted the plan without modification. All in all, an excellent bit of work- assuming the plan works.

Brilla: Not being one for suicide, I'm glad Fuelwen and I worked on making a better plan in the wings during our free time. At first it was not well recieved, but they grew on the plan the more I went on. We are distributing the ships into sectors to prevent mass flockig of sea vessals in case of a decoy, we are using the water vegetation as a natural barrier, we are adding seige weapons the the shore to prevent a flaming drift from crashing against the city so that the other ships can concentrate on the main threat, and we have access to the zoo that contains some griffins (that the King holds more dear than his troops).

I pray that these changes will save many lives and keep us victorious. Perhaps with victory I will also be beilding toward my grand title so that I may help lend my strength to my family once I pass.

Exploring Underwater

Fuelwen: The plan included a chain across the harbor, but there already is one, after a fashion- the overgrowth ringing the island. That growth is a squeaky tactic. And, vile though they may be, if they were part of the terrain, they could be leveraged to our benefit. Better they die in a meat grinder than anyone important.

Knowing now that everyone could operate underwater, I was initially excited that we could finally do some exploring on real terrain. Alas, I forgot one key feature: they're utterly useless under water. While backup struck me as a good idea, they were an anchor about my neck.

I attempted to question a shark about the conditions, but, as expected, it knew nothing. Still, it was a pleasant chance to talk in their tongue. I get so little opportunity.

Nathaniel: Journeying beneath the waves, I took my new creation, Doomipede, with me. While we both swam slowly, it was a bigger target. As I watched Fuelwen swim around with ease, I remembered the story of a druid who told me of swimming in the sea with the dolphins as a young man. He used the power of nature to grant him movement in the ocean as if he were a part of it. I needed to seek out a druid (or a scroll), to learn that magic.

Brilla: This is one of the few times I've joined with Focalor for a long period of times below the waves. I'm not used to being in the water, and it shows compaired to Fuelwen. Then again, I think he walks funny on lands, so there is no room to talk.

We took some time to explore the wall of vegetation. Fuelwen says it is the work of "squeekies." He asked a shark to confirm this, but it appeared to be more interested in feeding than talking. He eventually lured it away, and we continued on our course.

Water Naga

Fuelwen: We ventured into the overgrowth, and I sensed we were being stalked. A water naga lurked, watching us. We prepared for a battle and by preparing nearly caused one. The naga had no interest in us beyond holding her hunting territory, and we had no interest in her save for knowing more about the area. I sent the party back and scared prey into her territory. She answered a few questions about the area, and provided one key clue: there was a ruin beyond the local shelf.

Nathaniel: With Rake gone, diplomacy can actually be attempted and successful.

Brilla: As we mucked through the bottom of the ocean, Fuelwen stayed our course as he saw a possible threat ahead. Bo cleared a path, but the naga was gone. I believe that the naga turned invisible, and called for Fuelwen to pick me up so I could scan for the naga. I found it, and Fuelwen was eventually able to negotiate safe passage for us.

The Ruins

Fuelwen: A squeaky city, long abandoned. Time had nearly erased it, save for one thing: a temple to Celestian. The building was sealed. We did some basic investigation and returned to the island to get leave from our "superiors" to explore the city, and perhaps find a cause of the overgrowth, a method of turning it to our aid, or some other feature of the terrain to use to our advantage.

I, of course, was excited by the temple, for obvious reasons. Ethyl magicked me in, and in retrospect, this was reckless. I soon discovered that there was no air in the temple. There was a pit, and a gateway, like the one on Wild Tentacles. Quick investigation revealed that the pit was a portal- and who knew to where?

After a few moments, the party broke the seal enough that water enough came in for me to breathe with. A few more, and I was secured against the coming deluge. I did my best to communicate a warning for them to stand off. When the water rushed in, I didn't want anyone going through a portal to oblivion.

They opened the seal, water rushed in and poured through the portal. There was some concern among the party about draining the ocean, and I pointed out that the ocean was huge. We could leave the portal open for a few days with no noticeable impact on the ocean. In fact, an urgent message from Seawolves' Folly (delivered via the anchor) called us to the surface, and rendered the concern fairly moot.

A gigantic waterfall poured down on the middle of Drn Tg.

Nathaniel: For the first time in decades, I laughed heartily as I saw the water pouring forth on the city.

Brilla: After some more exploring we came upon some ruins from an ancient sea-elf empire. It was beautiful to behold as I've never seen any buildings on the surface like it. I will never tell Fuelwen this.

We eventually came upon a temple to Celestia. It was sealed, and we couldn't figure a way inside it through mundane ways. Ethyl had a way in, and decided to take Fuelwen since he has the most vested in the temple.

There was some frantic pounding on the other side when Fuelwen was teleported over by Ethyl. We could only assume there was trouble so we begun to do what we could to put a hole in the wall. The hole started out small, but it quickly grew to where we would be drug in. Luckually Doomipede provided a good plug that let the water flow at a more even pace for the rest of us.

Inside there appeared to be a portal that was draining the water somewhere. Though I knew that keeping it open for a short period of time would not harm much, it is something we would have to deal with. Before we could put much thought into the problem there was a summons for us to return to the surface from the Seawolf's Folly.

Upon reaching the surface we saw a waterfall from nowhere coming down on the city. Now I know where adventurers get their bad names from. This is a good place to keep in mind, though, in case the city does catch fire during the attack.

Rewards

• Copy of a dwarven law book regarding mercenaries It's framed like a British common law/precedents/case history history.
• +200 GP Brilla (Acute Firebird)
• +200 GP Brilla (Lord Venta)
• +1 skill point in a NEW profession, craft or perform skill for Fuelwen. (recap)
• +1 skill point in a NEW profession, craft or perform skill for Nathaniel. (recap)
• +200 GP Nathaniel (Uriah)
• +200 GP Nathaniel (Manfreyde)
• +1 skill point in a NEW profession, craft or perform skill for Brilla. (recap)