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
Three 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
After quite some adventures on Threepwood Isle the duo arrive at the docks in Avale. New to the city, they find an inn in the Proviso Place neighborhood. From there they start to explore the city and one evening when coming to a road in Gill Gardens they startle a man and a woman in an intimate embrace. She hides her head behind the man as they leave. A minute later Husk and Guydust almost gets trampled by a horde of girls all yelling and chasing after a man with salt and pepper hair.
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 both of them to sign up.
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.
The next morning our friends wake, and while they might still feel sea sick, their recent experiences have unlocked new abilities inside themselves. [They reached second level.] Guydust seems to be in quite a bit of pain. He asks the others to hide him from view as a hand crossbow made of bones is expelled from his body quite gruesomely. Dieter manages to cure his wounds and the rogue quickly hides the weapon under his clothes. The four get to know each other a little better and are put to work when needed.
At some point Dieter looks over the railing and sees a shark swimming just under the surface. But this is very strange, it looks like there is a sort of metal cage around its head. He calls over the others but it's gone when they arrive. Wallace has never heard of anything like that and starts to list of numerous sea creatures which it could have been. Later that day a whale breaches not too far away from the ship to the delight of all.
Guydust approaches Bosun Miller and tries to persuade him to do some entertainment for Captain Drumpf or others, explaining that that is where his expertise lies. But the halfling is not swayed being a person devoid of any sense of whimsy.
Then, during the night, a massive storm hits the flotilla. Our friends are asleep in the hold when they get tossed all over as the waves pummel the ship. A huge hole in the hull makes the ship list to the side. In nautical circles this is what is known as a ‘bad sign’. Before the party even knows it, for that is what they are now, they find themselves in the water. Huge waves spell their doom but fortunately half of a loading trapdoor floats nearby and they manage to cling on to it. Guydust loses his hold due to the storm but Dieter manages to grab his arm and pulls him back onto the trapdoor.
Tiny Island
After floating on a calmer sea for many hours they eventually wash ashore on a tiny island, about an hour before dusk. They have nothing but the clothes on their backs and maybe one trinket or other item they kept close. The island is not a bounty one; one rock spur sticks about eight meters up in the air, the beach is more pebble than sand. There’s one small tree, not doing too well, other than that just some shrub bushes that don’t grow much in the way of food. One can walk a full circle around the island in about ten minutes.
There are some things that washed up on the shore with them. A single coconut lays on the beach, still intact and filled with delicious victuals. Husk spots a vial containing a troll's finger. And Wallace manages to find a single gold doubloon.
Our friends search the island for food and other useful things, finding just a few berries and mushrooms but near the shore Husk finds a Marid's Tail, which can function as an improvised dagger, once. Meanwhile Dieter has gone up to the one tree and found a branch that could serve as a weapon. He manages to remove it in one piece and then uses anything around to sharpen it into a spear.
Considering their condition they feel an early long rest is in order and they wake up early the next morning. They try and catch some fish using some interesting techniques as Husk plays with a deck of cards that he someone managed to keep hold of. Then Wallace decides that he'll put his shirt onto the top of the rock spur as a flag. He wild shapes into a goat and clambers up there, holding the shirt in his mouth.
Dieter follows, reckoning that when the gnome changes back to himself to attach his flag, he might well come sliding down the rocks. But as the landsknecht makes his way he falls through a thin sheet of rock into a shaft below, debris flying everywhere. The others have fortunately noticed this; Guydust and Husk walk up to the hole and Wallace wild shapes into a large spider now, making his way down.
There is a force field at the bottom of a 30' shaft that has slowed down Dieter's fall and he ends up on the floor without hurting himself. A magic mouth on the wall starts speaking in an unknown language, sounding quite serious, as he gets his bearings. The bedrock has been carved out to create a room, the ceiling is about 15’ high, the shaft in the middle of it. It is pretty barren, on a stone shelf lies a book that has been totally overgrown with mold. A corridor leads away, there is a tiny bit of light coming from around corner.
Spider Wallace climbs down the shaft and goes through the force field and sees that Dieter is fine. He then climbs back up the shaft and surprises Husk as he exits, causing the gambler to startle and fall right into the shaft. Fortunately the force field also arrests his fall and he manages to land safely in the room below. Wallace tries to indicate it's safe and Guydust follows so all four end up in the room.
The gambler and the entertainer then manage to very carefully remove a single page from the book as the rest disintegrates completely. The voice speaks again and our friends go down the one corridor. Here they find a natural cave that has been carved in places to heighten the ceiling to about 8’. There are signs of combat, scorch marks on the walls, a broken arrow lies just inside the corridor.
To the back of the cave is a dark opening, about three meters in diameter, maybe it’s their imagination but the inside of it seemed to move a bit, throb? It is almost entirely blocked by a stone wall that is crumbling, Wallace is well versed in Arcana and recognize it as one made by the Wall of Stone spell. Almost a foot of water has seeped into the cave and in the murky water they can just about make out four small mounds of stuff. In the left back corner of the room lies a ball of something rubber-like wrapped around itself.
Three of the four mounds contain a dead body, very well preserved, and also a number of items. Going through all the items takes time but will likely lead to some good finds so most of our friends go through it carefully, whereas Wallace, still in spider form goes over to the rubbery thing. It slowly starts moving a little, waking up? The druid tries to help with the unwrapping, using his spider limbs.
Then incorporeal spiders come slithering through the walls, floor, and ceiling from the other room and they start to attack. The rubbery thing attacks with just a single appendage at first and hits hard; doing not just hit point damage but also giving Exhaustion when it hits Wallace. Every round the golem attacks with one more appendage and escape becomes a necessity.
Dieter has been using his improvised spear to try and pull the wall down but without much success at first. But eventually he levers up and a huge chunk of wall comes down, enough for them to enter the strange tunnel that looks a lot like the inside of an esophagus, peristaltic contractions and all, a place the snakes and golem don't seem to want to enter. Husk can't resist grabbing just one more item on the way out and they all barely make it to safety with two of them having multiple levers of exhaustion.
As they walk down the sloped tunnel they heal themselves as best they can. The tunnel is long and continues downward, only after a long walk they arrive in another cave, slick with water. The tunnel looks about the same at this end as the other, very strange. Things look to be safe so our friends decide to have a long rest and look at all the items they managed to grab.
Dieter found a potion of Stupendous Healing (3d10+level) and someone knows these are very rare and not for sale, it might be worth a nice amount. He also found a rather curious Doomed Dagger. Guydust found the Spent Spear which he gave to Dieter. He also found a bracelet made of gold, set with turquoise stones. Husk found one exactly the same, each bracelet should be worth about a hundred gold pieces. Other items the gambler managed to recover are a helmet carved out of hardwood, shaped like a dragon’s head, boots made of dark leather that have turned very soft and floppy, and a really strange tiny, red stinger; Phlegethos’ Pick.
[Room with the mounds of stuff and some of the items there with thanks to Dale Friezen.]