20071126
Any Port In A Storm
05.22 - 05.25.1562 Founder's Reckoning
You stand on a high rocky hill overlooking the Silent Sea and the town of Greymere Cove. You've left the main highways of Eldweil behind and the only approach to the town is a steep rocky trail, deeply rutted from passing wagons. ark thunderheads and a solid wall of rain, lit occasionally by flashes of lightning, sweeps in from the north and west. The horses shy nervously. Before you reach the safety of the town, you're definitely going to get wet. There are numerous small fishing boats in the cove and one larger, twin-masted vessel. It appears to be damaged.
Ali and Xandessa ride ahead, leaving Horace, Eriola, and Sedge to face the storm alone. Eriola wisely gives the puppies to Ali before she rides off. A and X ride like the wind and beat the storm to town. They ask a sullen looking townsfolk to point them to the nearest tavern/inn. Unsurprisingly, it's on the other side of town, near the cove. They are informed that it's "going to be a hummdinger of a storm".
They make it to the Port in a Storm Tavern just as the storm blots out the afternoon sun. The building is more tavern than inn and seems rather full at the moment, so the Innkeeper tells one of his Boys to stable the horses at the Port Office and take storm lantern to go look for the rest of the party who are still out in the storm. He sends another Boy to arrange lodging in a private residence or two.
Meanwhile, the storm has spooked the horses of the rest of the group who have had to dismount and lead them, except for Sedge whose horse threw him, bolted, and fell down the steep incline toward town. Sedge finds his injured and frightened horse and wrestles it by sheer force upright and toward town. Ali comes in over the Collars and tells them to cover the horses' eyes.
Eventually, the Boy finds the trio in the storm (Sedge thinks it's a Willowisp at first) and leads them to the tavern. They arrive just as Ali and Xandessa have finished a tasty meal of fish chowder, boiled crab, and biscuits. Mayor (and Portmaster) Gordunn arrives. Eriola jokes with sailors and everyone realizes that they are Captain Haglund's crew. Eriola asks about Smitty. Mayor Gordunn buys some wine for everyone.
Haglund arrives. He's been waiting for passengers. Unfortunately, his ship was damaged crossing the Dragon's Teeth into the Silent Sea. He'll need a new mast and that could take weeks. The only mast big enough nearby is the Earl of Greymere's yacht which is berthed under guard in a nearby cove. Ali decides not to steal it and going to Greymere to haggle with the Earl could take days.
Horace asks if there are any even keeled ships long enough to supply a keel as a mast. Haglund can't quite recall where he remembers the group from, Sedge starts to talk, "You took us to Freeport from Xartalca!!" Ali manages to interrupt him before the whole room hears. Eriola meets up with Smitty and finagles a proposal and sex.
The next morning, the storm has passed. Haglund and the Mayor haggle over the price of a keel (Eriola helps). A few coins for the fishemen who won't be able to work the ship and 2 horses covers the cost of the mast. Work continues on the ship.
Horace meets a butcher and his Pig-boy "Perch" Percy, arranges to practice surgery on a pig and finishes off the animal with the Carved Bird to get a Healing Egg. Sedge distracts the squeamish pig-boy by talking about brains and nasal surgery. Eriola distracts him further by taking his (sort-of) virginity several times. Eriola is proposed to for the second time in 24 hours.
Ali arranges to sell horses to the Earl using the Mayor as an intermediary. The Mayor handles it personally and leaves that afternoon for Greymere.
Work continues on the boat and finishes by the end of the second day. The Mayor returns with money. Provisions are taken on and the ship makes ready to sail 2 hours before dawn.
Quotes
- Horace - How do we convince Haglund to let us bring a goat on board and not ask questions when it vanishes?
- Eriola - Just blame it on me, you can blame anything on a pregnant woman!