HMS Karnak

Owned by Hythe Maritime Services, this is a relatively new appearance on the Sarodin Sea; a tour boat. They don't carry any freight (except for supplies) and cater to sailing around passengers in as much luxury as possible. The rates are such that mere mortals could never afford them.

It is doing a full circle of the sea, started by going east from Avale to GICOM. The party boarded in Stjordvik and the next major stops will be Kolinet, Tuzic Brac in Vilda, and Beljovac in Haza.

Cabin Plan

14	Leandro Minardi – boarded in Stjordvik	13	Used as linen closet
12	Players – boarded in Stjordvik	11	Players – boarded in Stjordvik
10	Dr. Linus Windlesham – boarded in Avale	9	Rosalie Otterbourne – boarded in Avale
8	Jacqueline de Bellefort – boarded in Stjordvik	7	Salome Otterbourne – boarded in Avale
6	Linnet & Simon – boarded in GICOM	5	Marie van Schuyler – boarded in GICOM
6a	Louise Bourget	5a	Mrs. Bowers
4	Major Gowen – boarded in Avale	3	Neb Jabituya – boarded in GICOM
2	-	1	Clarissa Easttocam – boarded in Stjordvik

Descriptions

Day 0 – At the docks

A short, human girl with a bob cut, dressed in a pale blue shirt and a white skirt suddenly appears next to you. “Hi there, are you mister Gnackle, the Regatta winner?” Before you have even started your answer she continues, “I’m Eranul Sweet, call me Era, everyone does. My company would like to offer you, and your three friends, free passage to Haza on one of our deluxe ships.” The perky girl looks at you expectantly.

The terms and conditions state that magic doesn't work onboard of the ship.

Day 1 – At the docks

As you arrive you are directed to the correct pier. As you approach you can see the ship has been extensively modified; the bottom sails have been removed and a new deck has been created from where the captain’s cabin used to be up to the middle mast. A new captain’s cabin and quarter deck has been built on top of the old one and a narrow walkway has been built between the middle and aft mast so sailors won’t need to walk on the new passenger deck.

At the pier two gangplanks lay extended from the ship and a sailor shows you to the one for newly boarding passengers. You see there are three people waiting in line, some of them have brought quite a bit of luggage.

The lady in front of you has a rather regal bearing and classic features. Her hair is shortish and done up in curls, she is wearing practical but high-quality clothes, the type that’s sold by Caeles Emporium. It’s hard to pinpoint her age; she could be anywhere between her mid-thirties and late forties or even early fifties. Next to her is a medium sized trunk and a valise. She nods at you as you join the line. (Olivia Williams)

At the front of the queue is a short, dark haired, clean shaven gentleman with a large nose, wearing a pince-nez. He is dressed in a rather unconventional, if not, haphazard style, none of his clothes seem to match, and his pants look to be a little on the short side. He looks to be in his forties. Next to him sits a large satchel that has seen better days. He stands there tapping his foot and then speaks to the sailor at the gangplank; “I paid a lot of money to be a passenger on this vessel, I should be able to board now, if it’s about my luggage, then I’m sure it’s fine to leave it here and have it moved aboard later.” The sailor tries not to roll his eyes, “as I said, guv’nor, boardin’ is not allow’d till I get the say so, apologies.” (Steve Coogan)

Between the other two in the line stands a beautiful young woman, she’s probably in her early twenties. She has an expensive haircut framing her face, the way the hair is styled it reveals one ear with pearl and silver earring. She is wearing a short skirt and a cotton top in a faux nautical style. Two large trunks and two valises stand next to her as she waves a fan to cool herself. (Emma Mackey)

As you stand there, waiting for boarding to start, a dwarf with a small and well-trimmed salt and pepper colored beard and moustache and hair of the same color, wearing a khaki-colored outfit and a monocle marches with ramrod straight posture down the pier and up the other gangplank, pausing just long enough for the sailor there to give him a, not even halfhearted, salute. (Peter Ustinov)

Boarding still hasn’t started and the gentleman at the front is getting more and more impatient. Then a young couple, about mid-twenties, comes walking down the pier, arms linked. The well-proportioned, handsome man has brown hair, a small moustache and wears casual but clearly well-tailored and expensive clothing. The woman looks quite stunning, her hair is not quite shoulder length and frames a beautiful face. She wears a thin, white, sleeveless summer dress with a slim belt of golden loops and carries a small parasol to cover herself from the sun’s rays. (Armie Hammer, Gal Gadot)

As they make their way to the gangplank the young woman in line with you suddenly speaks out; “Linnet? Is that you? Heironeous on a stick!” “Jacqueline!” the other woman replies as she hurries her way over and they air kiss each other three times. The man joins them now and Jacqueline gives him an icy “hello, Simon”, as he stands there, looking rather awkward. “What are you doing here, Jaq?” Linnet asks. “I spent the last six months here, clearing my head, you know, but I’ve had enough of Sormark and decided to go to Haza,” she answers, “but what about you? It’s so weird running into you here.” “Uh, well, we’re on our honeymoon,” Linnet explains as she looks at Simon and then back to Jacqueline, “we’re doing the full tour around the Sarodin Sea.”

“And we’re booked on the same ship?” Jacqueline says as she looks at the couple and then up at the heavens. “You know what,” she continues, “I’m in no rush, I can just take the next ship out, I can stay here a bit longer, probably for the best.” “Don’t be silly, you shouldn’t do that on our account, if anything, we should get a later ship,” Linnet replies, “please, just join us, there was always going to be a point where we’d start running into each other again, right? Simon it’s not going to be a problem, is it?” He just nods and doesn’t say anything. “That’s that then, come on, we’ll have a fun trip, to be honest it was getting a little boring, I’m glad you’re coming,” Linnet tells her, “Oh! And you can borrow Louise tonight to do you up for the grand dinner, gotta look splendid, right?”

After a few more this and that’s the couple make their way up the ship, Simon still looking anything but happy. Then Eranul comes rushing down the pier. “My deepest apologies, dear valued passengers, boarding will begin within five minutes,” she half calls out, half pants as she passes you and rushes up the gangplank before the man at the front of the queue has a chance to speak his mind to her.

A minute later someone else comes walking up to the ship. It’s a man with an olive skin, a hawkish nose, probably in his forties though it’s hard to tell. He wears orange pants that are very wide above the knees and a long-sleeved black shirt. Many differently colored pieces of fabric have been wrapped around his chest over the shirt. His dark hair has been done up in a knot and a number of small wooden sticks tipped with silver are pushed through the knot. He gives everyone a nod as he makes his way up the ship. (Fisher Stevens)

Then there’s activity at the top of your gangplank and you see Era giving a sign to the sailor at the bottom. The impatient man immediately races up the gangplank and disappears from view. One by one everyone makes their way up until you are all on board. As you set foot on the ship you feel your connection with the magic of the weave disappearing. You have arrived in what seems to be a dining room, though there’s a large mast next to one of the walls and two sets of stairs going down on either side of it. The wooden floor has been covered by thin marble tiles and potted plants stand around the room.

Standing there, waiting for everyone to get near is Era and she is flanked by a human girl and a halfling girl, dressed in the same outfit that she is. “I would like to officially welcome all of you on the HMS Karnak,” she tells the assembled group, “These are my assistants, Joy and Camelia, and together we will endeavor to make your journey as magical as possible,” she laughs at her own little joke.

“Your luggage is being brought to your cabins as we speak, so in the meantime I’ll give you a short tour of the ship,” she explains, “this is the dining room though it can also be used for other purposes.” She looks around and then back at you. “Tonight, we will be having a Grand Dinner with the captain,” the tone of her voice making it clear this is a special occasion, “everyone dresses in their finest and it’s always an enchanting evening.”

She walks over to a door, opens it and steps through. “This is our game room, we carry a large assortment of games and our tables are custom made to deal with the motion of the ship,” she explains. On parquet flooring made of two sorts of wood stand a number of tables and a cabinet holds quite a few card and board games. Potted plants stand in the corners.

She opens a door on the opposite wall, “this is our exercise room. You can, of course, exercise on deck as well, should you require any help bringing something from this room up to the deck, please let us know.” You see some exercise equipment, most look almost unused. “Behind that door there is the bathing room,” she points, “please note that due to the realities of ship life, warm water is only available at certain hours.”

She then walks to a set of large double doors that stand open in the wall of the game room and steps through. “This is the drawing room,” she tells you as she makes a sweeping motion. You see a floor covered with a number of thick carpets, each with a unique design, three comfortable looking couches, large chairs, a few tables, and a fireplace, of all things. There is an almost full bookcase up against the wall, potted plants around the room, in one corner of the room stands a piano, another holds a well-stocked bar. “It’s a perfect place to relax and be comfortable and talk with your fellow passengers,” Era tells you. All the rooms you’ve seen so far have paintings hanging on the walls and they all seem to be bucolic landscape works.

Seated on one of the couches are two ladies, both reading a book. One looks to be in her sixties at least, though her hair is still mostly dark with a few grey locks that have been expertly teased out. She is wearing tasteful but understated clothes; they are quite expensive though most people wouldn’t be able to tell. The same goes for her necklace and matching earrings of what only look to be semi-precious stones. Next to her sits a woman, probably in her fifties, her black hair is straight and frames her face, her fringe almost reaches her eyes. Her clothes are practical and of good quality and she wears a simple necklace. (Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French)

“And these are two of our passengers,” Era, tells the group, “Ms. Van Schuyler, and her nurse, Mrs. Bowers.” They both give a friendly nod but then return to their books. “One more quick stop to go,” says your guide as she opens the far door and a mild wind blows into the room. Beyond the door is the ship’s deck, sailors are busy loading supplies and getting the ship ready for the coming journey. Next to the railing is a set of stairs which Era walks up.

“This is the Panorama Deck, exclusive for our passengers,” she explains as she motions around. You see a number of lounge chairs and some low tables. “There at the end, called the ‘aft’ on a ship, is the captain’s cabin and on top of that the quarter deck with the steering wheel, those aren’t accessible to passengers,” she explains. Two of the loungers are occupied at the moment.

You see what you think are a mother and daughter, both half-elves, both attractive. It’s hard to guess their ages but were they human you would say mid-fifties and early twenties. The elder of the two is wearing very short shorts and a sleeveless top that shows quite some cleavage. The younger is wearing a skirt that comes to her knees and a short sleeved, buttoned up blouse. (Sophie Okonedo, Letitia Wright)

“These are another two of our passengers,” Era tells you, “Ms. Salome Otterbourne, the famed novelist and her daughter, Rosalie.” Salome puts down her fruity drink and looks at the group, “it’s so nice to meet some new travelling companions,” she says as her eyes slowly glide from person to person, “ooh, and a half-orc, how marvelous! I must say, aren’t we lucky, so tall, those rippling muscles, those thick brows, I hope you’ll be spending a lot of time on deck here.” “Mother!” the daughter exclaims and shakes her head in what seems to be a much practiced move.

“Well, that’s the tour, let’s get you all to your cabins and settled in,” Era says smoothly as she guides everyone back down and to the dining room. The stairs down are carpeted and so is the corridor that holds the cabins. Next to the mast is a small desk, Joy is sitting behind it. “There will always be someone here should you require anything,” Era explains. Keys are laying on the desk and she hands them out to each of you. “You will find the daily schedule and an itinerary of events in your cabins,” she says, “please come and see me here if there’s anything you need.” With that she leads everyone to their cabins. The beds in your cabins are the most comfortable you have ever slept in and the towels are the fluffiest you have ever seen. A large fruit basket is set out on the table, next to a saucer of sweets, bottles of different drinks are available in a cabinet, and a bell pull allows you to call for assistance from the desk.

Day 1 – Grand Dinner

What to wear? Arrive early, on time, late? - A little of each.

As you leave your cabin you see a pretty halfling girl come from cabin 6a and knock on the door of cabin 8. “Madam, it’s Louise, I’m here to help you prepare for the dinner,” she calls out. Her reddish hair is very short, keeping both ears free, you see modest earrings in both. She’s wearing a simple light blue dress with a slightly darker blue vest over top of it. (Rose Leslie)

Tables set together to form one large table, name plates, new passengers sit close to the captain. The ceiling is too low for chandeliers.

You see a middle-aged gnome with a neatly coiffed beard and dark rimmed glasses. He is wearing silk pants and a jacket, both black and embroidered with black thread in a rose motif. Under the jacket he wears a puffy shirt with ruffled collars that extend from under the shorter sleeved jacket and a high collar that extends over the jacket’s collar. (Russell Brand)

When he sees the four of you arrive he immediately makes his way over. “So nice to meet all of you, you’re the adventurers and regatta winners, right? It’s such a pleasure to have such characters of substance, and I mean that in all possible ways, to join us on this trip. I’m Dr. Linus Windlesham, you might have heard of me.”

The lady who was just ahead of you in line (Clarissa Easttocam) has changed into a beautiful but modest blue dress with a fur collar and matching blue hat. She wears a bronze broach just under the collar.

The dwarf (Major Gowen) wears something that looks a lot like military parade dress, including epaulets and a large dagger in a sheath on his right leg. He’s a few glasses in already.

Marie van Schuyler has changed to a classic full-length evening gown of dark red ponson velvet, her jewelry is very tasteful and understated except for a ring she wears on her left hand. It’s not overly big but it’s a platinum band set with a large number of small, flawless diamonds. Poets might say it blinds any who look directly at it.

Mrs. Bowers is wearing a high collared dark orange dress and a very nice set of necklace and earrings.

Salome Otterbourne is wearing a short-sleeved black and gold dress with a matching extravagant hat. She made her face up so her eyelids are a light green and her lips a light rose red.

Rosalie Otterbourne is wearing a sleeveless black dress woven with a silver thread. She wears her hair up and has leaf-shaped, silver earrings in.

The captain is a tall man with a large, bald head who is wearing a rather elaborate white uniform with gold buttons and markings, he looks rather uncomfortable as he stands near one of the walls and looks at the gathering.

The impatient gentleman from the queue (Leandro Minardi) has changed into another rather improbable outfit. They aren’t all that suited to the occasion, the pants look quite the worse for wear and the jacket is at least one size too short.

Jacqueline wears a sleeveless satin red dress with large ruffled shoulders and a drooping neckline, showing quite a bit of cleavage. Her hair has been styled and done up and she wears two small golden earrings in each ear.

Last to arrive are Simon & Linnet. Simon wears black evening dress in the latest GICOM style. Linnet wears a sleeveless silver dress with two sets of straps, one set over her shoulder, the other set over those, going behind her neck, the shoulder straps run down to a deep cleavage. Her hair has been coiffed and braided at the back and her earrings are sapphires dangling from a short silver chain. Everyone to introduce themselves; start with Era, end with Captain Neuben.

After dinner dancing:

Tiny declines Salome. Major Gowen tries to ask Rosalie but she gives him a withering look. He then asks Teresa.

After dinner conversations:

Dr. Linus: “My newest creation, I call it Windlesham Wonder Water, is the best yet. It uses virdanium leaves, they’re extremely powerful, mixed with shavings of mandrake root, and a tincture of orchid. It works wonders for a variety of maladies such as lung diseases, gout, flu, back pain and other aches, women’s, uh, issues. There’s a huge market out there, more demand then we could ever satisfy. The only problem is that virdanium only grows on the flanks of Mator’s Spikes and it’s quite expensive to transport here. If I had a partner who could fund this then I’d be more than happy to split the profits, say 80/20.”

Jacqueline and Linnet in their cups are recalling things from their past. “You were such a little sneak, I don’t think there was a door you couldn’t open. Remember that time you opened the door to your father’s study that one night?” “We said we’d never talk about that again. And I’m not the one who stole the pears from the orchard every year.” “Remember when we tricked cook into baking that wax pie?” Both almost fall down giggling. “The smoke! The smoke!” “Stop it, I can’t breath!” “Oh, Minny Boulé!” “Oh gods, Minny!” Gales of laughter. “I haven’t thought about that for so long, poor girl. I almost feel guilty.” Drying her tears. “We used to be real little shits, didn’t we?” “I can’t believe we got away with all of that.”

Day 2 – Game Night

The 'Arrive with something surprising' task is won by Jacqueline who has used makeup to make her head look like a skull.

The teams:

Team Salomaint – Tiny, Rosalie, Neb

Team Speed und Power! – Teresa, Major Gowen, Linnet

Team Key – Eldron, Leandro, Clarissa Team Tux – Maybell, Simon, Linus

Team Tux – Maybell, Simon, Linus