Session 9

Set sail for adventure!

Session 9
Campaign	2
Session	9
Date	25 January 2022
Preceded by	Session 8
Followed by	Session 10
Moon Phase	Full Moon

Synopsis

Part 1: In which the party visit the keep and have an enlightening conversation

After an night of preparation and reflection, the newly incorporated Multiple Sarcasms headed off to the Mereton's Keep to try and speak to the Duc about their capture of Massander Forchantey. The group enter the keep and speak to Dafydd, one of the guards. He explains that the Duc has left and stamps the party's accreditation. He also gives them a coin purse containing 20 platinum, a gift from someone anonymous.

On the wall of the room are crests of every adventuring party that the city have approved, some with gold sashes, some with red and different coloured ribbons on the left-hand side. Dafydd takes the paperwork and pins it to the wall alongside the crests.

In conversation, Dafydd reveals that he is from Dwardle and has a message that he'd like passed on to his mother, Wintala. He also explains that the river has some fast rapids, passed the Drowned Man Bouy and to avoid taking a boat under power through the rapids. Sailors should also watch out for the Golden Post - the limit of the rapids. The Dwardleford Mountains themselves are more like hills, but are filled with strange weather and sideways snow - enough to chill a man to the bone. Valleys are cold, dense and foggy with a biting wind.

Part 2: A warehouse of cauliflower and a hairy meeting

The group agree it's time to board the boat and there is a hive of activity on the scene. A wooden boat with an oak cabin on it, approx 70 feet in length and 17 feet wide. Two traditional looking masts help the vessel move, however the most impressive feat of the boat is the two side loaded water-wheels powered with a pair of live Oxen within. The cabin contained the usual maps and documents, including a document authorising the Sarcasms to board and protect the vessel. Looking pristine in the calm waters, the boat is being loaded with cargo in the form of vegetables - The Sarcasms collectively agree that this is an odd cargo and why are vegetables so important to protect? The boat has 3 members of crew that the Sarcasms meet.

Roberta Bex - An older lady with a tricorn hat visibly carrying a rapier - Roberta is in charge of the shipping operation. Sanarth - A smaller podgy elf with a very prominent and lopsided smile. The appearance of Sanarth has Zeed suspicious - A deck hand of the crew Hiccup - A mousy haired girl with eyepatch and tabby cat. Her real name is Ruth but has coined the nickname 'Hiccup' due to the amount of accidents/hiccups that happen with her work

Part 3: In which the party learn the inherent dangers in sailing through bandit territory

The Sarcasms board the boat and set off towards Dwardle in the direction of a singular river that runs between the two locations. As the boat leaves dock it makes use of a well masoned dwarven built bridge with large bastions on each side as the River flows through the tall mountains.

The group goes through the process of taking it in turns to keep watch, with no Benjimaru and IO who have taken sick the group had to spread themselves thinly. Eventually on a watch with Hrolf, Shadow and Luna with thanks to some bad perception the ship, the sarcasms and it's crew are taken by suprise as a group of river bandits assault the boat. The fight breaks out initially with Bugo, Zeed and Berwick still asleep in the cabin. Eventually the Sarcasms awake and a very vicious fight takes place knocking Hrolf unconscious and knocked off the boat. (This wasn't helped by the fact Bugo threw an ice Dagger at Hrolf in order to damage all of the bandits that had him surrounded at the time).

Bugo has an encounter in the cabin with one of the River Bandits who had rushed into the cabin and was searching the draws of the table within frantically. Bugo buys time running around the table away from the bandit. Eventually managing to stop this particular bandit who had found 'A metalic case' (a bit bigger than a glasses case and was sealed shut) from taking off with the item. The Riverbandits proclaim that they wont hurt anyone if we hand over the case. The group continues to fight as the sheer numbers of the River Bandits dwindle and eventually are retreated.

The Sarcasms are left with a damaged ship and bodies as the session draws to a close, battered and bruised - What will the Sarcasms do?

Characters

• Berwick Andersmith
• Luna Redmore
• Shadow of a star
• Benjimaru
• Bugo
• Hrolf Amarok
• Io
• Zeed

NPCs

• Dafydd
• Roberta Becks - Captain
• Sarnthanir - Bosun
• Ruth 'Hiccup' Becks - Cabin girl
• Xavier Moonbeam

Locations

• The Rusty Bellows

Questions

• Why are the Riverboat Boys attacking?
• What is going on at Tor Wessenir?
• What is in the small box being taken to Dwardle?
• Who is buying rotten cauliflowers and cabbages?