Wild:25 Unplugged

Starring: Brilla, Bo, Fuelwen, Nathaniel
Guest Starring: Acute Firebird, First Rear Admiral and his Lieutenant, Ethyl, Deenar, Kotter Stonescale
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
• Nthn’l – SE6-G: Stff Srgnt – (crmnl sntnc cmpltn)
• Bh – S6-U: Tchncl – 1300 GP + mtrl cmpnnts
• 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.

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.

🎲 DM Brilla gave her +5 Vorpal to a dwarven research team.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)