"No complaints one keeping all of this," Otto gestures to the small island, "to ourselves for the time being. I don't mind still splitting what we've recovered and agreed on splitting. I've got plenty to show for myself to my employer. If you like I can keep track of your share of the proceeds and if you decide you need for something, just say the word. I'll see to finding someone who look into that liquid for us. I definitely want that spider contraption for a trophy..." He distributes some of his load to Harley, mostly rations and gear.
Once everything is squared he mounts his steed. "I guess we better see if that young feller Mido is still around and then head back. Obviously he'll tell everyone that'll listen about the rain stopping and he's sure to notice this shiner I'd got, so I say we tell him we encountered more of the damned man-eatin plants while we did... something to stop the rain. We don't know what did it and had to run from the plants. Probably good we left that spider behind, now that I think about it." He pauses for a moment in contemplation. "I almost hope he headed back without us - that would make our story easier to sell."
“—so you see, that’s how I stopped the rain, it’s obvious really.”
Mido’s mount is clinging to the side of the mountain looking very on edge. They ended up fighting another couple of man-eating plants that wandered up from their now sunken territory, and upon their defeat the rain stopped.
Mido’s mostly in shock, very soaked, and might think better of it after a good night’s sleep. For now though he doesn’t even register that his version of events doesn’t make much sense.
He stows a big stick he used as weapon alongside his mount, and then hops up on their back.
“Go to the Storm March they said, you’ll fit right in they said!
—
You lift off the lush island, and as you look across you can just about pick out the grey of clouds forming off the distant barren island. Maybe this’ll work out okay.
The ride to the Steading is uneventful until a little over half way back, when you spot a lone skiff bobbing about in the crisp evening air. It’s descending steadily... and there’s not a thing to land on...
There should be a crew of about six people, it’s not large at all, but all you can see is a lone figure tugging on two ropes, looking they’re they’re about to pop a blood vessel. Wait—
“I can handle it! I can handle it! I just need to...”, a young lad huffs.
The person on the skiff is a boy. He appears to have stolen it, as there are no other crewmen onboard. He’s been blown off course, and without the skill or numbers he can’t open up the sails and turn them to right the skiff.
What's useful or valuable to me?
You’re no sailor, but if you and Jiang grab one of the ropes he’s struggling with you could easily pull open the main sail.
Equipment or loot wise, there’s not much you can see. Matters are a bit pressing right now!
What here is not what it appears to be?
The boy is not a pirate. There must be a good reason he’s doing this, at least from his point of view.
Otto leans forward in his saddle, pats Hayley, and says into her right ear "Looks like we better pitch in and lend a hand old girl!" He guides her close, leaps off onto the boat and lends a hand manning a rope or two.
You land on the deck and heave at the lines he was desperately trying to hold onto, and the sails flick out in one satisfying motion. The little boat bucks and dips, then settles into a slow rise. Harley clambers up onto the fore of the skiff like an unsightly figurehead and lets out a shrill whistle of success.
The boy wipes his sweating brow, “I almost had it. But thanks. I owe you one.”
Otto, you spot a lot of good quality sky-fishing gear set up on the skiff, and a quick release trawling net on the back.
Wei, the boy looks hungry, and their hands are rougher than most kids their age. They must work around boats already.
The skiff is fine for now, and you’re slowly heading away from the Steading.
"Listen, kid," Wei says. "We aren't going anywhere unless you tell us what's going on. This ship is too much for one to handle alone, especially one young such as you. You need to tell us what's going on, or we're turning this ship around."
He looks around and then stumbles backwards into his butt when the inquisitive Jiang gets a bit too close.
“Heckers! Uh, look mister, my dad was injured when we came through the Tempest Wall, and so was my uncle Strade. They helped close up one of the shelters folks stayed in so they didn’t blow away or get hit by the massive lightning bolts! The shelters doors messed up and...”
He starts crying but looks frustrated with himself, wiping each tear away as quick as he can.
“So the other men joined other crews, and we need to fish else my sister won’t be able to get taught shooting and she’s really good at it and ma needs special elixirs for her lig-a-ments and there’s food and...”
His face is red, he squeezes his eyes shut, then he marches forward with a compass drawn.
“These are new skies, but my dad says you don’t have to know the sky, just how to fish. The fish are the same everywhere.”
He hops back and pushes a wooden tiller, which shifts a smaller sail and deflates an air bag. The craft’s course is altered slightly.
Are you going to catch some sky-fish, or take him home?
Wei looks at Otto. "I'm staying. You do as you will." He looks at the boy. "Looks like you need a crew, boy. I havent fished myself in the sky so you'll have to teach me, captain." Wei extends a hand. "Name's Wei. And yours?"
"Can't say no to helping a youngin in desperate need! I go by Otto. You can call me anything you like, just don't call me late for dinner!" Otto chuckles at his own terrible joke.
“Hello mister Wei, I’m Cleff.”, the captain says, “Hello mister Otto. Thanks for this, I’ll pay you for helping, somehow, I promise.”
He laughs along with you, but he doesn’t get the joke.
Wei! You need a course, can your Druidic senses lead your companions to a school of sky-fish? Roll+WIS to find out!
On a 10+, you come across hundreds!
On a 7-9, you find a good fifty fish. Choose one.
- You’ll need to speed up dangerously to reach them. The skiff will lose something precious to it.
- The skiff will be forced to take damage to reach them.
- Someone on board will be put in a tight spot to reach them.
On a 6-, you find them, at the cost of my choosing.
Otto! You need muscle to let loose the nets and haul it back on deck full of sky-fish. Roll+STR.
On a 10+, you do all that’s needed to catch fish, and save time.
On a 7-9, you do it, but it’s late by the time you’re through.
On a 6-, you do it, but break some gear in the process.
Though fishers tend to head out for days at a time, you’ll have to sail her home after this. You’re lacking supplies, and all skyfairing craft need to be manned day and night. A decent haul will earn the lad 100 coins or more.
Eyes closed, you take the skiff’s wheel in your hands and turn her this way and that Wei. You sense the thousand years worth of passage of sky-fish, and the boy keeps a rough note of your course on a scrap of paper.
You hit big, you find so many fish at least a hundred of them are in touching distance of the little boat. Several land on the deck, bewildered and without fear of fishermen.
There must be thousands right here from the taking! The nets are released and fill in moments!
Otto, you heave and heave, but even the Lightning Fast Gunner is just one man. You manage to get the net on deck, but you snap several bits of equipment you don’t know the name of in the process. This is a weeks haul in one evening!
The kid is ecstatic!
“Yeehaw!”, he skips, punching the air.
Sky-fish look a lot like regular fish, often with longer fins, large frills and balloon like sacks. They can only survive by moving, as air rushes into their gills, and so they perish quickly on the deck. Here’s just one breed:
—
Time passes, and you return the boy home on Aurlancea by nightfall.
“By the grace of the Moon! Thank you for bringing him home! What were you thinking?”, his mother clings to him while on her knees, “I’m so glad you’re safe.”
Cleff explains the great haul you fished, and before heading in for the night his mother asks for your help covering the fish in a large sheet that is cool to the touch. It has a weak enchantment upon it that’s of no use to you adventuring types, but it’ll keep the fish fresh until they’re sold on to be gutted.
She sets up some pillows and blankets downstairs, and prays you stay the night.
His father leans against a wall half-way down the stairs as you step in.
He speaks to you Otto, “Damn fool boy. Just like me.”
He strains a smile as he clutches his ribs.
“Stay the night, you’ve both earned a rest. My thanks for bringing him back sir, it’s my fault he took off. Shite father I am, getting hurt so.”
Looks like he has broken ribs, a few broken fingers and a heavily bruised leg. When the Steading blasted through the Tempest Wall he and his brother courageous traversed the top of Aurlancea to manually lock down a shelter while the endless storm raged around them. His injuries go beyond the obvious, even his hearing is now impaired.
Projects
Time is all a bit vague when you’re roleplaying, more so when it’s Play by Post. To alleviate that somewhat I’m going to put a hard limit on the number of things you can do before the next jaunt into the unknown begins.
Projects include, but are not limited to:
- Buying and selling gear.
- Studying something you find to get some detail on it. You might need to find someone with a field of expertise for better detail.
- Recruiting a Hireling*.
- Seeking out and striking a deal with a powerful person.
- Caring for your flying mount, to remove an amount of Stress, dependant on what you can do to help at the time.
- Crafting something. Say what you’re making, and I’ll always say ‘yes, but’, then give you ingredients, materials, aid needed to get it done, and unwanted attention, a flaw in its design or other trouble afterwards.
- Intensive training, which will give you a bonus we’ll decide on at the time. +2 damage forward on your next Hack and Slash, +1 ongoing during the party to impress with your dancing...
Often just say what you’re doing, and I’ll mark it off should it be time consuming.
Number of Projects
- If there’s no rush, I’ll give each of you time to complete 2 projects.
- If your next expedition is a day away, I’ll give each of you time to complete 1 project.
- If you’re rushing, I’ll give the whole party just 1 project you can do together before you head out.
When you work on a project together you both expend 1 project, you know, because time is linear, but I’ll be sure to make it more successful for you having worked together.
If you want to set a scene just talking to each other or an NPC you know, that’s always a nebulous unrecorded amount of time. Just go for it.
Travelling around the Steading is no big deal either.
When you wake up in the morning, you each have time to complete 2 projects.
Otto wakes up and throws his bare feet over the edge of the bed he as given. He dons the worn socks he had placed next his boots on the floor the night before. He yawns as he pulls on the boots next, finally standing up and stretching to works the kinks out from his labors the day before.
Ready to face the day he find the fihserman's family and thanks them for their kindness. "Hopefully that haul will let you folks regain your feet. I'd hire someone with better skills than me, that's certain! at least until you heal up enough. From the looks of it, you should have no problem finding fish this side of the storm."
With that he meets up with Wei and Mido. "I'm ready to report back to Ma Kualu if you are. After that I gotta report back to my boss."
[OOC: I'm assuming reporting back is not one of our two projects. My first project is to report in with Syndy. My second project will depend on the outcome of the first project. We'll see where the conversation goes...]
[OOC: Nah, that’s cool. Telling her a bit but not too much is just a conversation, and they’re free. There’s no rolls involved in seeing Ma, unless you make the trouble yourself!]
Wei goes with Otto but lets him do most of the talking. Then he sees his old friend. He tells him everything but lets him know he can only write the 'official story' for now.
You approach Ma Kuala, but she holds out a hand. She throws her augury bones and peers at them for a long time.
“Barhu! Put ten coins on the new girl at the ring. She has potential!”, she laughs, clasping her hands to her heart.
She studies you both with a smile.
“And is the garden grows. That is what the Republic says when they cover new ground, yes?”, she regards you Wei, “A very nice garden by your telling druid, just trees and rivers, eh?”
Ma Kualu hands you both a... a big cookie coated in thick hard chocolate, wrapped in thin oiled paper.
Hardened Joy 1 use, 0 weight
Bite into it to heal 3 HP. Can cleanse the body of poisons.
“Don’t go telling folk I have favourites, but I like you two. Keep up the good work.”
It’s over quickly, and a large woman, her bodyguard no doubt, happens to want you to go this way, away from Ma, and you might as well.
Word soon spreads of your find, but busy as they are with Lucky Island (the first island properly scouted) no other expeditions are set to head there in the near future.
As you go about your business you catch the eye of a few interesting passers by, but after a handshake here or a tall tale there, they pay you no mind.
Mido, fresh in his best, greets you both.
“What are your plans gentlemen? I myself require the underground steam houses of Pang’s Wish, and time to look for more fitting work. I feel Ma played a trick on me, and I apologise if I was any trouble. The outdoor life is not for me.”, he sighs.
He takes a hearty breath of fresh air.
“My card.”, he beams that now familiar winning smile
MIDO WALAMAKAR Diplomat Supreme
- Language Expert
- Master of Etiquette
- Student of Laws
It’s got his address on too, so he’ll be easy to find here on Maykupuni should you find a use for him.
Otto pats himself up and down. "Seems I'm fresh out of cards myself." He smiles, apparently enjoying another one of his own jokes. "I've been known to solve problems of all sorts although my time is spoken for these days. Should you need my particular skills, talk to Aunt Syndy. THE Aunt Syndy." He figures any diplomat worth his salt should know who Syndy is. He tips is hat to Mido.
After Wei has made his goodbyes to Mido, Otto takes him aside and says, "Well young feller, I'm off to report to Auntie Syn. And then see what I can find out about that black stuff. We can meet up before the next job Kuala sends our way. My place or yours?"
Once that's settled Otto plans on returning to Aunt Syndy's place to report in.
He walks into the downstairs bar, sits down for a well-deserved (in his mind anyway) drink. "The usual, Becca." He places a saddle pack on the bar.
The bartender replies, "Sure thing Otto." She's in business attire which sets here apart from all of rest of the staff who typically have on much more risque clothing (accepting Syndy, who is always impeccably dressed in that latest courtly fashions). She's tall slender with green hair in a short do shaved on one side. She reaches for a bottle of Osnier vodka with her azure hand and pours out a shot.
Otto spurns convention and sip his drink instead of downing it one go. "Aunt Syndy in?"
"Sure is. She's waiting for you in her office."
"I best not keep her waiting then." Otto picks up his pack and drink and proceeds to Syndy's office behind the bar. He is greeted by her bodyguards outside her door. "Good day lads, I believe she's expecting me."
"I have returned, ma'am, And I come bearing gifts!" He flops into an exquisite wingback chair in front of Syndy's desk, crossing his legs and placing his feet on the desk. All without spilling a drop of his drink. Syndy pointedly looks at his muddy boots and arches an eyebrow. Otto quickly takes his feet off the desk. "Sorry, ma'am. Forgot myself."
"You've taken you sweet time, Otto. I don't pay by the hour. So what have you found for me to place on my wall?"
Otto places his drink on her, taking care to find a coaster for it first. He opens his pack and pulls out the Rusty Emblem that Hayley had found and places in on the desk. "I'm not sure it's grandiouse enough for the wall, but it should make a find display once cleaned up a bit." He sits back in the chair and steeples his fingers, collecting his thoughts for a moment. "Now while I think it's a fine display piece, I have no idea what the emblem is for or what purpose it may serve. Displaying it openly may attract some unwanted attention before we figure out it's purpose. I was thinkin you might want to have it looked at all discreetly like before putting it out there for all to see. It could be start of something big. I know it's probably not what you expected."
“Well, everyone needs loving.”, that could be a joke, except she’s not smiling, “But most spend their time on hate. I came out here to remove myself from competition, to leave behind the sort that’d put me and mine in the stock.”
She presses her fingers to her temple, harder than looks healthy, then drops them and gives you a wild look.
“They dead then? The folk that made this? If not, how many? Armed with what? Do they speak Modern like us? Organised? Tribal?”, she stands up and circles the desk, “How expansive do you think their territory is or was?”
Once you explain there was no sign of people, she calms down some, but keeps pondering.
“Information is a gift, Otto. So you have my thanks. Crap decoration though.”, she chides.
You earn just 50 coins, and hand over the Rusty Emblem.
[OOC: I’m busy today myself, so I’ll post again after 1800GMT. Feel free to continue the scene.]
Consider crafting as one of your projects. You could tell me what you want for your next expedition, and I’ll give you one to three things you need to do or acquire to make it.
She doesn't seem too interested in pursuing a mystery at this juncture so I'll keep the liquid to myself for now and drop the subject of pursuing the emblem's pedigree
"I'll try... no I definitely will keep a better eye out for your interests in the future, ma'am." He leans forward and takes a sip of his drink. "Of other note is one of the fellers Ma Kuala foisted on me for the expedition was one Mido Walamakar." Otto presents Mido's business card to Syndy. He's a talker of that I'm certain and he's useless in the wild when he ain't talkin. You happen to know anything about him I should be aware of?"
Wei goes to his friend, Lyre, and tells him of the expedition. He lets Lyre know what he can write about, for now. After the telling, Wei sighs. "I wanted to be a part of this to explore and discover new life. Now, I worry I am simply a part of some imperialist colonizing force, you know?" He waves his hand. "We search new worlds only to discover what may be useful, for resources, for settling, for our own good. This is not why I joined and yet, I feel I am a part of it."
[ooc: Wei would like an eyeglass, for scouting purposes. He would also be interested in organizing/supporting/starting some kind of...political party I guess? Some...organization that would protest or resist what he feels is the simple "we explore, settle and take whatever we need from the new lands" mentality that he feels he has become a part of. I don't know. It's weird but it just feels like the Storm March is kind of has this Manifest Destiny type feeling and Wei suddenly realizes he is helping it by scouting these new lands and reporting back what he finds...]
Syn opens up her considerably defended vault, and slips the emblem in without revealing much that’s in it. You know it’s got some ‘acquired’ gold, and a couple of mementos, probably.
“I’ll look into that... emblem you say? I guess it could be that, it does have patterns on it. But... We’ll see I guess.”, she muses.
She laughs when you pass her the card.
“Where does he get these made? This’ll be the second card of his, the first he gave me a year before this whole thing went down. Tries to get his fingers everywhere— He could get a job here, I’ll tell you.”, she has a real smile on her face, “He’s a fool, but trying, and I approve of that. His mother was from some insignificant tribe that bordered both our good old Republic and the Sabaan League. Died having him I hear. His father was a nasty piece of work, a lawyer, fella from the capital, same as you. I’ll spare you the sob story, but when he found out about his lineage he pulled all his strings, turned in every favour and greased the wheels with everything he owned to put a new law in place that means a newly found tribe must be appointed a representative before they’re brought into the Republic.”
Huh, she’s taken an interest in this guy.
“His mother’s home was secured by the Sabaan, as it goes, so he unsuccessfully tried to join them. Spent a year under arrest in all but name at a high chief’s hall to see if he was a spy, then after a further year as a low pay clerk he got himself on this ride. He’s a little quieter now, if you can believe it. Keeps out of trouble, for the most part.”
Wei
Lyre is laid out on a sofa.
“That’s heavy, Wei.”, Lyre says.
He swings on to his feet.
A look of conviction settles over his face, “I’m with you all the way.”
You have begun an as yet unnamed movement across the Storm March.
Lyre has joined your movement.
Take the time to look up the Recruit a Hireling move, or if you intend to make a public stand, say where you go and what you say, and I’ll make a couple custom moves for the scene!
You’re a rebel with a cause Wei!
To acquire an hourglass you could easily buy it from a shop down by the piers for 30 coins.
There’s a patrolman named Hulan next door from Lyre’s that’ll swap you an eyeglass for you leather armour.
But if you intend to make it you’ll need 1 resource, which will count for all the parts and materials, and guidance from another or a book on its design. Where you seek that out is up to you. Pang’s Wish has a grand library...
You may have to wait awhile if you’re set on making it.
"Sounds like you've got him pretty figured out. He seems pretty harmless. That's all I have to report, ma'am. That island is in dense jungle inhabited by lots of monkeys that vanish on a whim. Not good hunting for anyone and makes that place too dangerous to plant a flag. Nothing else to report. ma'am." With that Otto downs the rest of his drink and makes to leave, giving Syndy a chance to get in the last word.
Once he leaves he returns to his room and takes a short nap before unpacking fully. First order of business is to look for someone that has knowledge of machinery to inquire about the black liquid, and do it as discretely as possible. Second order of business is to find a buyer for the flora resources he found on the island since Otto assumes they aren't going to keep. Before heading out Otto will play with the ring and emerald to see if they are still invisible and pick them up to see if his interaction makes them invisible again. Nothing too in depth, just seeing if they're still going invisible or still are invisible. Finding a magical artificer will have to wait, as will finding a buyer for the handful of gems he found. The ring, emerald, and gems will secured in his room to the best of his ability.
Syn watches you get up, and stops you in the doorway, “This could mean real big changes in the future, Otto. You keep safe out there, got it? You’re no good to me spending the night in a cell or cracking a knee.”
She puts on a tough tone, but you can feel her smile of appreciation without having to turn to see it.
—
In the secure confines of your own room, you spend an hour looking over your finds.
When separated, the emerald and ring are invisible. Once touching, they both turn invisible, which lasts for a minute or so when you move them away from each other.
Daring to place the ring on your finger, you find it’s slightly too big for you. Tapping the emerald to the ring again causes a jolt of pain up your arm. Your hand slowly turns translucent, which creeps up to your shoulder. You can clearly see your muscles, then just your veins.
You throw the ring off, and your arm gradually returns to normal. You find the ring later when it reappears.
The magic held in the emerald and ring is either incomplete, low on power, or has a missing component. The spider defender back at the island shifted out of sight for a moment too. Perhaps these items were not meant for men at all, but part of the inner workers of a machine?
You hide them for now.
—
Elsewhere on Aurlancea there’s a little corner of warehouses and forges where a few alchemists and tinkers lurk. ‘Fritz and Fritz’ are the best known and most reliable, but they’re loud and proud. They’ll have a paper written up on the liquid and everyone’ll know all about it by the following morning. So, instead, you look for Dadaru.
You know him by name alone, often followed by, the Lonely, the Strange, That Weird One. He deals in strange concoctions and inventions that end in explosions. His warehouse doubles as his abode, and it is never lit. His kind of people live underground on an isolated island from which he is in lifelong exile from. He’s bigger than you thought.
“Sneaksome barly-biter! You be having problems? Hm?”, says a pale critter of a man, hunched over with a vial in each hand, “Addled-brained double swine! Hm! Or you want money? I owe nothing! Not to you, not to anyone!”
“Hm! Hm. Work? What sort? Ahh..”, the tinker grumbles, “I am intrigued.”
He steps over his work table and almost pounces towards you, his tattered cloak billowing behind him. He clicks his tongue, and a cheeky little lemur (or something, you’re not sure) snatches the case you brought the vial of black liquid in from your coat.
“Where did you find this? No matter. More important is what it be.”, says Dadaru.
He smiles, or bears his teeth, at least.
You’re caught off guard (you thought the lone mad tinker was frail, old, cowardly, if not all three) and so don’t muster your usual swagger. Choose two.
- He doesn’t want something from you before he’ll consider studying the liquid.
- He’ll keep his findings a secret between you two.
- You amuse him. He stops acting hostile.
He squints his one good eye at you, then let’s out a big belly laugh.
“Aye, I tell no one nothing. Not ever.”, he taps his nose, “You talk straight, I like that. I have an invention. I call it... the Cloud Watchers.”
He smiles a crazed toothy grin.
“I need, hm, two good workers. Yes. To carry my invention back into the Tempest Wall*. I think, why not see how the thing ticks? Smart idea. Hm.”
He shows you his plans, something like a hundred little iron pots with long cables attached with balloon-like sails on the end. Together (with use of scrying enchantments and alchemy) they’ll bob up and down in the endless stormy clouds and somehow relay information back to a fortune teller looking crystal orb over on a shelf.
“Get my invention out there safe and when I am done I’ll show you my results. Rrr... Maybe an old bit of kit too.”, he grumbles, gesturing devices you don’t know a thing about.
They all look a bit dangerous.
*The Steading (three islands) flew through the Tempest Wall, which is a big stretch of black cloud full of lightning. On this side it’s more grey to white, with only occasionally thunder. It reaches the heavens and down to the dusty, hazardous space below regular sky. Passing it was a modern marvel and a total one-off. The prospect of going even a mile back into it is frightening.
"You want me to fly back into that nightmare?" More rain... that's all I need. But since he's already got the sample and I want to keep this hush hush I suppose I have little choice. Otto sighs. "I have to track down some help, and that may not be easy. How quickly you lookin to get this done?" I suspect Wei's not going to be too keen on this, so I may need to seek out some hired help...
Wei definitely wants to make the eyeglass. He has 1 Resource from the materials they found, he just needs knowledge. He checks out the library.
He also sees if he can convince Lyre to write up an article in the paper, or maybe a pamphlet of some kind to distribute, to spread the idea of resistance and see if there are any others in who feel the same way.
“Hm! You’ll do it? Huh! Couldn’t even pay anyone up front to do it... It’ll take me a day to put things in order. So...”, he grumbles.
He gives you good detail on when to show up, and he’ll have bags that can be strapped to your mounts. Your projects are over, so once Wei is happy you can ask them to help, or get yourself a Hireling. It won’t be a long task, all things considered.
Wei
After much chewing of pencils, Lyre plucks up the courage to write a divisive piece on the unscrupulous behaviour of those in charge of the Steading.
Later you help Lyre make up some pamphlets debating the proper course of action to find harmony in the Storm March. They’re of middling quality, but not bad first attempts. He intends to slip them into public places discreetly and otherwise just pass them around people he trusts for now.
Wei, roll+INT to make your case via the pamphlets.
On a 10+, name one important, influential person who takes heed of your words, or name three regular folk.
On a 7-9, name one useful person who likes what you have to say.
On a 6-, the pamphlets go ignored today.
Make up a new NPC or use any existing one.
Plus, roll+CHA to dodge backlash.
On a 10+, folk are generally positive.
On a 7-9, no one minds your view.
On a 6-, you invite trouble. You earn a rival you’ve yet to meet.
As noon comes and goes you spend a good bit of time searching through the books in the Grand Library of Pang’s Wish. The serene monks barely notice you, and the rest of the locals are busy quietly studying, just like you. You find what you need, and request to borrow the right book for the rest of the day.
You turn to leave, set on making your own eyeglass...
[OOC: We’ll see what you roll before you walk out and make your eyeglass.]
Somewhat wilted, you get an okay price for your clump of flora. You were strapped for time, another day you’ll haggle for a better price from the right buyer. You get 12 coins.
Just a scrap of paper really. Jaff passed it Muaela for a laugh, who left it on the bar. Perra took it for a read, who gave it to her daughter Tetra to throw away, but instead Ma took it from her. Information is key out her, she knows. What she does next will cause the first divide between the islands of the Steading...
Wei
As you finish up checking out a book, you are stopped at the door of the Grand Library.
A woman clad in leather, with a coat loose over her shoulder, puts a hand on your shoulder. Her face is thin, skin pallid, and her eyes glitter with intent. She’s dressed in the same style as Otto, you think, but a touch fresher, more expensive.
She hands you a single pistol bullet, then tips her hat to you. She steps backwards down the steps out of the library, then leaps high into the air!
A screamwing, sleeker looking compared to Harley, snatches her out of the air. You catch the glint of metal on its legs and neck. She swings around and rides it off towards Aurlancea.
Posts
Once everything is squared he mounts his steed. "I guess we better see if that young feller Mido is still around and then head back. Obviously he'll tell everyone that'll listen about the rain stopping and he's sure to notice this shiner I'd got, so I say we tell him we encountered more of the damned man-eatin plants while we did... something to stop the rain. We don't know what did it and had to run from the plants. Probably good we left that spider behind, now that I think about it." He pauses for a moment in contemplation. "I almost hope he headed back without us - that would make our story easier to sell."
Oo\ Ironsizide
Mido’s mount is clinging to the side of the mountain looking very on edge. They ended up fighting another couple of man-eating plants that wandered up from their now sunken territory, and upon their defeat the rain stopped.
Mido’s mostly in shock, very soaked, and might think better of it after a good night’s sleep. For now though he doesn’t even register that his version of events doesn’t make much sense.
He stows a big stick he used as weapon alongside his mount, and then hops up on their back.
“Go to the Storm March they said, you’ll fit right in they said!
—
You lift off the lush island, and as you look across you can just about pick out the grey of clouds forming off the distant barren island. Maybe this’ll work out okay.
The ride to the Steading is uneventful until a little over half way back, when you spot a lone skiff bobbing about in the crisp evening air. It’s descending steadily... and there’s not a thing to land on...
There should be a crew of about six people, it’s not large at all, but all you can see is a lone figure tugging on two ropes, looking they’re they’re about to pop a blood vessel. Wait—
Hells bells! It’s falling!
What do you do?
what happened here recently?
What's useful or valuable to me?
What here is not what it appears to be?
Geth roll 2d6+2 discern realities
“I can handle it! I can handle it! I just need to...”, a young lad huffs.
The person on the skiff is a boy. He appears to have stolen it, as there are no other crewmen onboard. He’s been blown off course, and without the skill or numbers he can’t open up the sails and turn them to right the skiff.
What's useful or valuable to me?
You’re no sailor, but if you and Jiang grab one of the ropes he’s struggling with you could easily pull open the main sail.
Equipment or loot wise, there’s not much you can see. Matters are a bit pressing right now!
What here is not what it appears to be?
The boy is not a pirate. There must be a good reason he’s doing this, at least from his point of view.
Otto leans forward in his saddle, pats Hayley, and says into her right ear "Looks like we better pitch in and lend a hand old girl!" He guides her close, leaps off onto the boat and lends a hand manning a rope or two.
Oo\ Ironsizide
You land on the deck and heave at the lines he was desperately trying to hold onto, and the sails flick out in one satisfying motion. The little boat bucks and dips, then settles into a slow rise. Harley clambers up onto the fore of the skiff like an unsightly figurehead and lets out a shrill whistle of success.
The boy wipes his sweating brow, “I almost had it. But thanks. I owe you one.”
Otto, you spot a lot of good quality sky-fishing gear set up on the skiff, and a quick release trawling net on the back.
Wei, the boy looks hungry, and their hands are rougher than most kids their age. They must work around boats already.
The skiff is fine for now, and you’re slowly heading away from the Steading.
What do you do?
He looks around and then stumbles backwards into his butt when the inquisitive Jiang gets a bit too close.
“Heckers! Uh, look mister, my dad was injured when we came through the Tempest Wall, and so was my uncle Strade. They helped close up one of the shelters folks stayed in so they didn’t blow away or get hit by the massive lightning bolts! The shelters doors messed up and...”
He starts crying but looks frustrated with himself, wiping each tear away as quick as he can.
“So the other men joined other crews, and we need to fish else my sister won’t be able to get taught shooting and she’s really good at it and ma needs special elixirs for her lig-a-ments and there’s food and...”
His face is red, he squeezes his eyes shut, then he marches forward with a compass drawn.
“These are new skies, but my dad says you don’t have to know the sky, just how to fish. The fish are the same everywhere.”
He hops back and pushes a wooden tiller, which shifts a smaller sail and deflates an air bag. The craft’s course is altered slightly.
Are you going to catch some sky-fish, or take him home?
Oo\ Ironsizide
He laughs along with you, but he doesn’t get the joke.
Wei! You need a course, can your Druidic senses lead your companions to a school of sky-fish? Roll+WIS to find out!
On a 10+, you come across hundreds!
On a 7-9, you find a good fifty fish. Choose one.
- You’ll need to speed up dangerously to reach them. The skiff will lose something precious to it.
- The skiff will be forced to take damage to reach them.
- Someone on board will be put in a tight spot to reach them.
On a 6-, you find them, at the cost of my choosing.
Otto! You need muscle to let loose the nets and haul it back on deck full of sky-fish. Roll+STR.
On a 10+, you do all that’s needed to catch fish, and save time.
On a 7-9, you do it, but it’s late by the time you’re through.
On a 6-, you do it, but break some gear in the process.
Though fishers tend to head out for days at a time, you’ll have to sail her home after this. You’re lacking supplies, and all skyfairing craft need to be manned day and night. A decent haul will earn the lad 100 coins or more.
I'm not built for this kind of work.
Geth roll 2d6-1 for STR
When it comes time to explain why the one of the pulleys is now in pieces on the deck, Otto can only meekly say, "Sorry, kid."
Oo\ Ironsizide
Geth roll 2d6+2 Find Fish
You hit big, you find so many fish at least a hundred of them are in touching distance of the little boat. Several land on the deck, bewildered and without fear of fishermen.
There must be thousands right here from the taking! The nets are released and fill in moments!
Otto, you heave and heave, but even the Lightning Fast Gunner is just one man. You manage to get the net on deck, but you snap several bits of equipment you don’t know the name of in the process. This is a weeks haul in one evening!
The kid is ecstatic!
“Yeehaw!”, he skips, punching the air.
Sky-fish look a lot like regular fish, often with longer fins, large frills and balloon like sacks. They can only survive by moving, as air rushes into their gills, and so they perish quickly on the deck. Here’s just one breed:
—
Time passes, and you return the boy home on Aurlancea by nightfall.
“By the grace of the Moon! Thank you for bringing him home! What were you thinking?”, his mother clings to him while on her knees, “I’m so glad you’re safe.”
Cleff explains the great haul you fished, and before heading in for the night his mother asks for your help covering the fish in a large sheet that is cool to the touch. It has a weak enchantment upon it that’s of no use to you adventuring types, but it’ll keep the fish fresh until they’re sold on to be gutted.
She sets up some pillows and blankets downstairs, and prays you stay the night.
His father leans against a wall half-way down the stairs as you step in.
He speaks to you Otto, “Damn fool boy. Just like me.”
He strains a smile as he clutches his ribs.
“Stay the night, you’ve both earned a rest. My thanks for bringing him back sir, it’s my fault he took off. Shite father I am, getting hurt so.”
Looks like he has broken ribs, a few broken fingers and a heavily bruised leg. When the Steading blasted through the Tempest Wall he and his brother courageous traversed the top of Aurlancea to manually lock down a shelter while the endless storm raged around them. His injuries go beyond the obvious, even his hearing is now impaired.
Your first expedition is complete.
Projects
Time is all a bit vague when you’re roleplaying, more so when it’s Play by Post. To alleviate that somewhat I’m going to put a hard limit on the number of things you can do before the next jaunt into the unknown begins.
Projects include, but are not limited to:
- Buying and selling gear.
- Studying something you find to get some detail on it. You might need to find someone with a field of expertise for better detail.
- Recruiting a Hireling*.
- Seeking out and striking a deal with a powerful person.
- Caring for your flying mount, to remove an amount of Stress, dependant on what you can do to help at the time.
- Crafting something. Say what you’re making, and I’ll always say ‘yes, but’, then give you ingredients, materials, aid needed to get it done, and unwanted attention, a flaw in its design or other trouble afterwards.
- Intensive training, which will give you a bonus we’ll decide on at the time. +2 damage forward on your next Hack and Slash, +1 ongoing during the party to impress with your dancing...
Often just say what you’re doing, and I’ll mark it off should it be time consuming.
Number of Projects
- If there’s no rush, I’ll give each of you time to complete 2 projects.
- If your next expedition is a day away, I’ll give each of you time to complete 1 project.
- If you’re rushing, I’ll give the whole party just 1 project you can do together before you head out.
When you work on a project together you both expend 1 project, you know, because time is linear, but I’ll be sure to make it more successful for you having worked together.
If you want to set a scene just talking to each other or an NPC you know, that’s always a nebulous unrecorded amount of time. Just go for it.
Travelling around the Steading is no big deal either.
When you wake up in the morning, you each have time to complete 2 projects.
Ready to face the day he find the fihserman's family and thanks them for their kindness. "Hopefully that haul will let you folks regain your feet. I'd hire someone with better skills than me, that's certain! at least until you heal up enough. From the looks of it, you should have no problem finding fish this side of the storm."
With that he meets up with Wei and Mido. "I'm ready to report back to Ma Kualu if you are. After that I gotta report back to my boss."
[OOC: I'm assuming reporting back is not one of our two projects. My first project is to report in with Syndy. My second project will depend on the outcome of the first project. We'll see where the conversation goes...]
Oo\ Ironsizide
[Ooc: sorry. At family, cant write much]
“Barhu! Put ten coins on the new girl at the ring. She has potential!”, she laughs, clasping her hands to her heart.
She studies you both with a smile.
“And is the garden grows. That is what the Republic says when they cover new ground, yes?”, she regards you Wei, “A very nice garden by your telling druid, just trees and rivers, eh?”
Ma Kualu hands you both a... a big cookie coated in thick hard chocolate, wrapped in thin oiled paper.
Hardened Joy
1 use, 0 weight
Bite into it to heal 3 HP. Can cleanse the body of poisons.
“Don’t go telling folk I have favourites, but I like you two. Keep up the good work.”
It’s over quickly, and a large woman, her bodyguard no doubt, happens to want you to go this way, away from Ma, and you might as well.
Word soon spreads of your find, but busy as they are with Lucky Island (the first island properly scouted) no other expeditions are set to head there in the near future.
As you go about your business you catch the eye of a few interesting passers by, but after a handshake here or a tall tale there, they pay you no mind.
Mido, fresh in his best, greets you both.
“What are your plans gentlemen? I myself require the underground steam houses of Pang’s Wish, and time to look for more fitting work. I feel Ma played a trick on me, and I apologise if I was any trouble. The outdoor life is not for me.”, he sighs.
He takes a hearty breath of fresh air.
“My card.”, he beams that now familiar winning smile
MIDO WALAMAKAR
Diplomat Supreme
- Language Expert
- Master of Etiquette
- Student of Laws
It’s got his address on too, so he’ll be easy to find here on Maykupuni should you find a use for him.
—
So, what do you do?
After Wei has made his goodbyes to Mido, Otto takes him aside and says, "Well young feller, I'm off to report to Auntie Syn. And then see what I can find out about that black stuff. We can meet up before the next job Kuala sends our way. My place or yours?"
Once that's settled Otto plans on returning to Aunt Syndy's place to report in.
He walks into the downstairs bar, sits down for a well-deserved (in his mind anyway) drink. "The usual, Becca." He places a saddle pack on the bar.
The bartender replies, "Sure thing Otto." She's in business attire which sets here apart from all of rest of the staff who typically have on much more risque clothing (accepting Syndy, who is always impeccably dressed in that latest courtly fashions). She's tall slender with green hair in a short do shaved on one side. She reaches for a bottle of Osnier vodka with her azure hand and pours out a shot.
Otto spurns convention and sip his drink instead of downing it one go. "Aunt Syndy in?"
"Sure is. She's waiting for you in her office."
"I best not keep her waiting then." Otto picks up his pack and drink and proceeds to Syndy's office behind the bar. He is greeted by her bodyguards outside her door. "Good day lads, I believe she's expecting me."
"I have returned, ma'am, And I come bearing gifts!" He flops into an exquisite wingback chair in front of Syndy's desk, crossing his legs and placing his feet on the desk. All without spilling a drop of his drink. Syndy pointedly looks at his muddy boots and arches an eyebrow. Otto quickly takes his feet off the desk. "Sorry, ma'am. Forgot myself."
"You've taken you sweet time, Otto. I don't pay by the hour. So what have you found for me to place on my wall?"
Otto places his drink on her, taking care to find a coaster for it first. He opens his pack and pulls out the Rusty Emblem that Hayley had found and places in on the desk. "I'm not sure it's grandiouse enough for the wall, but it should make a find display once cleaned up a bit." He sits back in the chair and steeples his fingers, collecting his thoughts for a moment. "Now while I think it's a fine display piece, I have no idea what the emblem is for or what purpose it may serve. Displaying it openly may attract some unwanted attention before we figure out it's purpose. I was thinkin you might want to have it looked at all discreetly like before putting it out there for all to see. It could be start of something big. I know it's probably not what you expected."
Otto waits for her response.
Oo\ Ironsizide
She presses her fingers to her temple, harder than looks healthy, then drops them and gives you a wild look.
“They dead then? The folk that made this? If not, how many? Armed with what? Do they speak Modern like us? Organised? Tribal?”, she stands up and circles the desk, “How expansive do you think their territory is or was?”
Once you explain there was no sign of people, she calms down some, but keeps pondering.
“Information is a gift, Otto. So you have my thanks. Crap decoration though.”, she chides.
You earn just 50 coins, and hand over the Rusty Emblem.
[OOC: I’m busy today myself, so I’ll post again after 1800GMT. Feel free to continue the scene.]
Consider crafting as one of your projects. You could tell me what you want for your next expedition, and I’ll give you one to three things you need to do or acquire to make it.
"I'll try... no I definitely will keep a better eye out for your interests in the future, ma'am." He leans forward and takes a sip of his drink. "Of other note is one of the fellers Ma Kuala foisted on me for the expedition was one Mido Walamakar." Otto presents Mido's business card to Syndy. He's a talker of that I'm certain and he's useless in the wild when he ain't talkin. You happen to know anything about him I should be aware of?"
Oo\ Ironsizide
[ooc: Wei would like an eyeglass, for scouting purposes. He would also be interested in organizing/supporting/starting some kind of...political party I guess? Some...organization that would protest or resist what he feels is the simple "we explore, settle and take whatever we need from the new lands" mentality that he feels he has become a part of. I don't know. It's weird but it just feels like the Storm March is kind of has this Manifest Destiny type feeling and Wei suddenly realizes he is helping it by scouting these new lands and reporting back what he finds...]
Syn opens up her considerably defended vault, and slips the emblem in without revealing much that’s in it. You know it’s got some ‘acquired’ gold, and a couple of mementos, probably.
“I’ll look into that... emblem you say? I guess it could be that, it does have patterns on it. But... We’ll see I guess.”, she muses.
She laughs when you pass her the card.
“Where does he get these made? This’ll be the second card of his, the first he gave me a year before this whole thing went down. Tries to get his fingers everywhere— He could get a job here, I’ll tell you.”, she has a real smile on her face, “He’s a fool, but trying, and I approve of that. His mother was from some insignificant tribe that bordered both our good old Republic and the Sabaan League. Died having him I hear. His father was a nasty piece of work, a lawyer, fella from the capital, same as you. I’ll spare you the sob story, but when he found out about his lineage he pulled all his strings, turned in every favour and greased the wheels with everything he owned to put a new law in place that means a newly found tribe must be appointed a representative before they’re brought into the Republic.”
Huh, she’s taken an interest in this guy.
“His mother’s home was secured by the Sabaan, as it goes, so he unsuccessfully tried to join them. Spent a year under arrest in all but name at a high chief’s hall to see if he was a spy, then after a further year as a low pay clerk he got himself on this ride. He’s a little quieter now, if you can believe it. Keeps out of trouble, for the most part.”
Wei
Lyre is laid out on a sofa.
“That’s heavy, Wei.”, Lyre says.
He swings on to his feet.
A look of conviction settles over his face, “I’m with you all the way.”
You have begun an as yet unnamed movement across the Storm March.
Lyre has joined your movement.
Take the time to look up the Recruit a Hireling move, or if you intend to make a public stand, say where you go and what you say, and I’ll make a couple custom moves for the scene!
You’re a rebel with a cause Wei!
To acquire an hourglass you could easily buy it from a shop down by the piers for 30 coins.
There’s a patrolman named Hulan next door from Lyre’s that’ll swap you an eyeglass for you leather armour.
But if you intend to make it you’ll need 1 resource, which will count for all the parts and materials, and guidance from another or a book on its design. Where you seek that out is up to you. Pang’s Wish has a grand library...
You may have to wait awhile if you’re set on making it.
Once he leaves he returns to his room and takes a short nap before unpacking fully. First order of business is to look for someone that has knowledge of machinery to inquire about the black liquid, and do it as discretely as possible. Second order of business is to find a buyer for the flora resources he found on the island since Otto assumes they aren't going to keep. Before heading out Otto will play with the ring and emerald to see if they are still invisible and pick them up to see if his interaction makes them invisible again. Nothing too in depth, just seeing if they're still going invisible or still are invisible. Finding a magical artificer will have to wait, as will finding a buyer for the handful of gems he found. The ring, emerald, and gems will secured in his room to the best of his ability.
Oo\ Ironsizide
She puts on a tough tone, but you can feel her smile of appreciation without having to turn to see it.
—
In the secure confines of your own room, you spend an hour looking over your finds.
When separated, the emerald and ring are invisible. Once touching, they both turn invisible, which lasts for a minute or so when you move them away from each other.
Daring to place the ring on your finger, you find it’s slightly too big for you. Tapping the emerald to the ring again causes a jolt of pain up your arm. Your hand slowly turns translucent, which creeps up to your shoulder. You can clearly see your muscles, then just your veins.
You throw the ring off, and your arm gradually returns to normal. You find the ring later when it reappears.
The magic held in the emerald and ring is either incomplete, low on power, or has a missing component. The spider defender back at the island shifted out of sight for a moment too. Perhaps these items were not meant for men at all, but part of the inner workers of a machine?
You hide them for now.
—
Elsewhere on Aurlancea there’s a little corner of warehouses and forges where a few alchemists and tinkers lurk. ‘Fritz and Fritz’ are the best known and most reliable, but they’re loud and proud. They’ll have a paper written up on the liquid and everyone’ll know all about it by the following morning. So, instead, you look for Dadaru.
You know him by name alone, often followed by, the Lonely, the Strange, That Weird One. He deals in strange concoctions and inventions that end in explosions. His warehouse doubles as his abode, and it is never lit. His kind of people live underground on an isolated island from which he is in lifelong exile from. He’s bigger than you thought.
“Sneaksome barly-biter! You be having problems? Hm?”, says a pale critter of a man, hunched over with a vial in each hand, “Addled-brained double swine! Hm! Or you want money? I owe nothing! Not to you, not to anyone!”
Otto, Defy Danger with CHA to get him onboard.
Oo\ Ironsizide
He steps over his work table and almost pounces towards you, his tattered cloak billowing behind him. He clicks his tongue, and a cheeky little lemur (or something, you’re not sure) snatches the case you brought the vial of black liquid in from your coat.
“Where did you find this? No matter. More important is what it be.”, says Dadaru.
He smiles, or bears his teeth, at least.
You’re caught off guard (you thought the lone mad tinker was frail, old, cowardly, if not all three) and so don’t muster your usual swagger. Choose two.
- He doesn’t want something from you before he’ll consider studying the liquid.
- He’ll keep his findings a secret between you two.
- You amuse him. He stops acting hostile.
- He’ll keep his findings a secret between you two.
- You amuse him. He stops acting hostile.
(Doing something for someone is Otto's bread and butter!)
"I was kinda hoping hoping you could tell me that. I'll assume you know to keep this under your hat. What's you price?"
Oo\ Ironsizide
“Aye, I tell no one nothing. Not ever.”, he taps his nose, “You talk straight, I like that. I have an invention. I call it... the Cloud Watchers.”
He smiles a crazed toothy grin.
“I need, hm, two good workers. Yes. To carry my invention back into the Tempest Wall*. I think, why not see how the thing ticks? Smart idea. Hm.”
He shows you his plans, something like a hundred little iron pots with long cables attached with balloon-like sails on the end. Together (with use of scrying enchantments and alchemy) they’ll bob up and down in the endless stormy clouds and somehow relay information back to a fortune teller looking crystal orb over on a shelf.
“Get my invention out there safe and when I am done I’ll show you my results. Rrr... Maybe an old bit of kit too.”, he grumbles, gesturing devices you don’t know a thing about.
They all look a bit dangerous.
*The Steading (three islands) flew through the Tempest Wall, which is a big stretch of black cloud full of lightning. On this side it’s more grey to white, with only occasionally thunder. It reaches the heavens and down to the dusty, hazardous space below regular sky. Passing it was a modern marvel and a total one-off. The prospect of going even a mile back into it is frightening.
Oo\ Ironsizide
He also sees if he can convince Lyre to write up an article in the paper, or maybe a pamphlet of some kind to distribute, to spread the idea of resistance and see if there are any others in who feel the same way.
“Hm! You’ll do it? Huh! Couldn’t even pay anyone up front to do it... It’ll take me a day to put things in order. So...”, he grumbles.
He gives you good detail on when to show up, and he’ll have bags that can be strapped to your mounts. Your projects are over, so once Wei is happy you can ask them to help, or get yourself a Hireling. It won’t be a long task, all things considered.
Wei
After much chewing of pencils, Lyre plucks up the courage to write a divisive piece on the unscrupulous behaviour of those in charge of the Steading.
Later you help Lyre make up some pamphlets debating the proper course of action to find harmony in the Storm March. They’re of middling quality, but not bad first attempts. He intends to slip them into public places discreetly and otherwise just pass them around people he trusts for now.
Wei, roll+INT to make your case via the pamphlets.
On a 10+, name one important, influential person who takes heed of your words, or name three regular folk.
On a 7-9, name one useful person who likes what you have to say.
On a 6-, the pamphlets go ignored today.
Make up a new NPC or use any existing one.
Plus, roll+CHA to dodge backlash.
On a 10+, folk are generally positive.
On a 7-9, no one minds your view.
On a 6-, you invite trouble. You earn a rival you’ve yet to meet.
As noon comes and goes you spend a good bit of time searching through the books in the Grand Library of Pang’s Wish. The serene monks barely notice you, and the rest of the locals are busy quietly studying, just like you. You find what you need, and request to borrow the right book for the rest of the day.
You turn to leave, set on making your own eyeglass...
[OOC: We’ll see what you roll before you walk out and make your eyeglass.]
Otto
Somewhat wilted, you get an okay price for your clump of flora. You were strapped for time, another day you’ll haggle for a better price from the right buyer. You get 12 coins.
Maybe Ma Kuala herself finds the pamphlets interesting...?
geth roll 2d6-1 cha
Wei
As you finish up checking out a book, you are stopped at the door of the Grand Library.
A woman clad in leather, with a coat loose over her shoulder, puts a hand on your shoulder. Her face is thin, skin pallid, and her eyes glitter with intent. She’s dressed in the same style as Otto, you think, but a touch fresher, more expensive.
She hands you a single pistol bullet, then tips her hat to you. She steps backwards down the steps out of the library, then leaps high into the air!
A screamwing, sleeker looking compared to Harley, snatches her out of the air. You catch the glint of metal on its legs and neck. She swings around and rides it off towards Aurlancea.
Time to find the companion, the eyeglass could wait.