The Wager - Chronological order of Events
Who will wager what when woes weaken weary wanderers.
The protagonists
| Dieter Albrecht von Mündelheim |
| Guydust |
| Husk |
| Wallace Linnaeus |
Dolac
Four journeys
This is how our four friends ended up in the capital of Dolac; Avale.
Wallace Linnaeus
Wallace starts his journey to Avale following the Fiumare river. On the way he ran into a band of Nikanish who were trying to protect a tribe of bullywugs and the druid was asked if he wanted to help and he does. Later his camp was overrun by zombies but he managed to get away with all of his belongings.
Then a town happened to be visited by a bunch Kashtin revelers when Wallace arrived and this lead to some very hedonistic days. Journeying on alone was quite the contrast but the beautiful landscapes made up for it especially the Sevso Sound. From there it took a number of bridges to the islands in the Tal delta and a ferry to get across and make it to Avale where he finds an inn, the Plucked Pheasant, in the Cegir Town neighborhood.
The city is huge and there is much to see. Wallace starts by getting a shave at Hair Me Out. Next he buys a mince mop from a street vendor. While walking and eating he nearly collides with a square-jawed, blond-haired man that steps out of an outhouse, dusting down his clothes, mumbling to himself.
A few days later in Downpark he passes by the Pursue Hickory bank and comes to a square where an expensively dressed gentleman is tending to a vagrant, pouring a potion down his throat which seems to make him feel a lot better.
During another exploration of the city, this time in the North of Grove Way neighborhood, also known as NoGWay, Wallace is lured into alley, where he is surrounded by four assailants. Things look bleak, this is an unwinnable fight and flight will also be difficult. But then an unassuming woman, short, with a cleft chin, and her dark hair in a knot, appears, and the four robbers run, saving him from an ignoble fate. The woman gives him a smile and leaves. There is no sign of her when the druid makes it back out on to the street.
The next day posters are being put up all over town saying the Admiralty is looking for able bodied men and women for an expedition of a few weeks. The pay is no less than 4 gp per day; more than enough to get Wallace to sign up.
Dieter Albrecht von Mündelheim
Starting out from Zâram-Tûm, Dieter’s journey to Banak is uneventful. But his next stretch to Martell is a different story. The caravan he was traveling with, promptly got attacked near the border with Otteun, but fortunately they managed to fight off the robbers, Dieter showing off his skill with his zweihänder to all around. Midtal was an interesting experience, he made a little money when someone asked about his perfectly tailored clothes and showed off his other skills.
Avale seemed the best possible next destination and the landsknecht took passage on a river barge. The slow journey down the river gave plenty of time to focus on certain things he had been ignoring and to get to know his fellow travelers. At one village stop, Dieter helped out one of his new friends when he was cheated on in a game of Three-Dragon Ante, managing to recover all the money.
The barge arrived at Avale disembarking everyone in Kalehaven. Two of his fellow passengers knew of a good inn in the Longsee neighborhood; The Boer Inn. And so he joined them and walked there, taking a room on the third floor. It cost a little extra but the view of the Tal estuary is worth it. The first thing he sees is a short man with a white mustache, wearing a small hat catch a girl who picked a dwarf’s pocket. He hands the money over to the victim and then takes a piece of pastry from his pocket and gives it to the child before letting her go.
The nearby fish shop, For Cod’s Sake, introduced him to all kinds of new food and then he was told about another place that he just had to go visit. Following directions he went to the Oakhurst neighborhood, where on Falanae Avenue he passed by Elassidil Villa, headquarters of Thal Lithel. At the intersection with Korb Street, a boy on crutches was brusquely told by a man in a carriage to get his ass in there. And then when the conveyance drove away he saw it; the Feywild Shroomhouse.
The next day posters are being put up all over town saying the Admiralty is looking for able bodied men and women for an expedition of a few weeks. The pay is no less than 4 gp per day; more than enough to get Dieter to sign up.
Husk & Guydust
To come.
Sarodin Sea
Those signing up weren't told much and that's because it turns out to be a pirate hunting mission. A flotilla lead by the Whiskered Admiral is going to search for a small pirate fleet that was spotted not too far away. The navy is sending four ships; the Prince Willim, a 1st charter ship, two 2nd charter ships, the Ranhem and the Crowned Griffon, and a 3rd charter ship, the Arms of Dolac.
It's early in the morning and those shanghaied wake up feeling the worse for wear, it smells of sweat and sick, there are many conversations around. Some rays of sunshine penetrate the murk, the floor beneath them is moving in all directions. People are getting up from the floor and soon a hatch opens, the sunlight suddenly very bright, and some people come down a ladder.
Standing next to the ladder are a balding halfling, he looks to be in charge, a dwarf with a short beard, a half-elf, she has a rather big nose and her hair is dyed black, quite badly. Further there’s a gnome, her face looks to be sliding down her skull, and a large half-orc, with blonde dyed hair.
The halfling speaks: “I am Bosun Miller and you are on board the majestic Crowned Griffon, the best ship in the entire navy, run expertly by Captain Drumpf and Quartermaster Onel.” At the mention of the last name some people involuntarily scrunch their noses, he apparently has quite the musk. Miller continues: “We are on a mission to take out a pirate fleet and make sure these murderers, rapists, and drug dealers will never make it to our homeland.”
“Now, most of you might not be here voluntarily but you are finally going to do something worthwhile with your lives and get paid really well for it,” he tells the crowd. “Until we get anywhere near the pirates you will be assisting with the running of the ship, Chief Mate Luktnicks here will further explain.”
The dwarf looks around, “you will be doing grunt work even a wet goblin can do, complain or shirk and you will be going overboard, try your luck with the sharks. You might have noticed your weapons and armor are missing. We don’t want any accidental stabbings or other fights, get in one and you’ll get intimately familiar with the cat o' nine tails as wielded by Karoline here,” he motions towards the half-orc. She scowls as she looks around and rumbles “leave it”.
“You’ll get your weaponry back when we near the pirates, you can even put on your armor then, if you are fool enough to want to drown with it. Until then you report to the second mate, Juliana,” he points at the half-elf, “or the third mate, Kristi,” he motions towards the gnome.
Our four friends are selected by third mate Kristi to help with pulling the sails when there is need to, she puts a sailor in charge of them. The four introduce themselves to each other and discuss the mission they have now been given. During their weeks in town they heard lots of stories any time they were in a tavern, or really anywhere a lot of people gather and gossip. It's definitely possible they heard stories about other people with the same name or looks, but this is what they all think they heard about their new friends. It might all be just poppycock of course!
Wallace learned the following: Guydust has a smoking hot sister; twice as easy on the eyes and dangerous in all the right places. She wants to be a mighty pirate queen. He heard the following about Husk: “That chip he carries? Cursed. If he ever cashes it in, someone dies. Or five people. Depends who you ask.” Dieter is said to have deserted the army.
Dieter heard these stories: “Husk used to be some kind of performer, proper fancy stages, not the tavern kind. Someone said he lost his voice for a while. Couldn’t sing a note. Came back different.” Guydust was once in deep trouble; chained and tossed into the ocean. It's said he only survived by stubbornly holding his breath for over five minutes. Wallace has been called "somewhat demented" by people.
Husk heard the following rumors: Guydust has a terrible nemesis; an undying pirate captain. Even though that fearsome "Leslough" has been slain thrice or more, he keeps coming back for vengeance. As a zombie, a ghost, once even as a haunted carnival attraction. Dieter used to run a tailor's shop with his father. And he learned that Wallace was the strange man heard shouting at the ???.
Guydust learned the following: “Husk once pulled a man out of the canal after a bad bet went worse. Didn’t want thanks, just muttered, ‘No one deserves to lose everything in one night.’ Sounded like he knew.” Wallace is supposed to be some kind of doctor. And Dieter's sword is supposedly larger than the man himself.