From the Journals of Bartholomew Pettibone, of the House Pettibone

A Purveyor of Enchanting Sorcery

(a play report from Phil, player of Bartholomew Pettibone, regarding the last session and thus earning Bartholomew 100 xp per level)

02 January 2021 – for lack of an accurate date, we will begin the tedious

descriptions of our adventures here.

My name is Bartholomew Pettibone, of the House Pettibone. My childhood and

tender adult years were spent under the tutelage and administration of a wise and

intelligent scholar. After it was found that I was rather quick at learning and

understanding new languages, the complexities of higher mathematics, and the

basics of human physiks – my instructors introduced me to the delicate and intricate

nature of what we call 'magic'. And so, after further, intense years of study and

mastery, I was finally able to form and redirect the ether around us in such a manner

as to induce weaker minds into a stupor of deep slumber. Not a small feat – you try

it.

Armed with years of study, this new knowledge of magic, a thirst for travel and

adventure, and a not-so-terrible inheritance, I outfitted myself, and obtained passage

to the harbor town of Cothon. Surely in such an ancient place as Cothon I would be

able to find others who could assist me in advancing my arcane talents – and perhaps

even stumble upon some vast hidden fortunes, whether they be arcane, monetary, or

artistic in nature!

Luckily, my initial foray into the general populace was 'fruitful', but also somewhat

'disturbing'. Especially to one such as myself – unacquainted with the more subtle

arts of subterfuge and skulduggery. It has never been my idea, or in my thoughts, to

associate myself with the underbelly of society – but as I got to know my newest

acquaintance, I began to wonder if that's exactly where I was headed.

I met this gentleman in one of the more prominent 'inns', Durham is his name. As of

yet, I still cannot fathom his true calling and talents. Anyway, he is apparently

'sworn' to a particular Kantor or Canton – I am still learning the new political/social

hierarchy, and their titles, pedigree, and nuances, in this strange place – and he has

been quested to uncover information that might help this particular faction increase

it's local standing. Or maybe to avert a war? I am still somewhat foggy on all of this.

We raised a few tankards of ale together, he described (loosely) his quest, and at

some point I guess I just acquiesced to assist with the task at hand.

Did I mention Durham has a 'servant', 'trainee', 'familiar'? I'm not sure what Paco is

(as that is it's name). He is somewhat of a cross between a humanoid and a dog. Is 'it'

a 'he' – a 'she'? I have no idea! Whatever Paco is, it is somewhat intelligent, can

understand some of our language, and appears to have an affinity for helping

Durham. Interestingly, I find Paco to be quite an agreeable companion, and I tend to

have more trust in Paco than Durham. Paco is odd, but nonthreatening, and quite

interesting. I must ascertain whether Paco and his kind (as I expect he is not a

singular aberration) have a language that I might be able to decipher!

Back to the quest!

So, Durham set about to hire another companion, while I procured a few

'adventuring' items: boring things like rations, wine-skins, torches, flasks of oil, etc.

The mundane needs of everyday life on the trail! Our new companion turned out to

be a quiet, but somewhat confident young woman by the name of Bridne. She claims

that her martial training has allowed her to perfect fighting maneuvers that require

nothing but her naked hands or feet – no other weapons necessary, and no armor that

I can detect! However, as of my recounting of this tale, I have not been witness to

her alleged prowess. If her claims are not fantasy, then I am wonderfully interested

to observe her in action. How does mere flesh ward against cold steel?!

With items procured, and the party prepared, we set off! To do what, exactly, you

might ask? Well, that's the kicker. I'm still not quite sure what I've embroiled myself

in. My understanding was that the Kantor wanted information as to encampment

location, identifying sigils (flags/arms/heraldry/etc.), unit types and numbers, and

things of that nature. But most importantly, they wanted 'proof of life' type of

information – either physical items, or most importantly, a living captive. Ok. Yeah.

That sounds about right – spying, looting, and kidnapping. Wait, kidnapping? What

am I doing here? My concerns were allayed by Durham – he insisted that we were

'likely' investigating a horde of pirates in the area that had been recently marauding

innocent victims. Ok. Sounds legit'. Why not.

We sojourned on! Out of town our little band strolled. As we worked our way

further through the outskirts of the city – passing the dismal wretches who dye

fabrics in pools of chemical death, and passing the shoreline gleaners working in

their cesspools of rotted fish carcasses – I realized again how much we depend on

the working class, yet tend to treat them as pariahs. I will never understand this

mentality. Without them, we have nothing. All of our riches depend upon them.

There is an inequality in this social equation that I just cannot cipher. But aside from

the drudgery of those poor wretches (who were at least free), I noted another, more

bizarre, spectacle: human slaves, toiling in fields, guarded over by insectoid-

arthropodians (some even winged and flying)! I stood agog.

I wanted to do something. I'm not sure what. But I just don't think that's right. So

much to learn, so much. But, I was dragged back to the task at hand by steady

Durham. He coaxed me back to our quest, explaining that now might not be the best

time to jump into a nest of wasps! (I paraphrase, but you get the gist.)

After leaving the city, we presently arrived at a cavernous hole in the ground – kind

of. I guess. I had been shell-shocked about the slaves and the arthropodians that we

passed earlier. I'm sure that I walked in a stupor for some time, not paying particular

attention to our whereabouts. Anyway – it was a massive cave mouth yawning open

upon the ground. I should state here that it had been Durham leading us out of the

city, proper, and that after we entered the 'wilderness' it was Paco that helped us

maintain our trail.

Well, in we went. But only after Durham explained that there might be 'unfriendly',

magical creatures lurking in the darkness, in the water. He described something to

me that sounded suspiciously like a 'water-whisp'! Great. Spying, larceny,

kidnapping, and now 'supernatural pest control'?! Why not. Just – why the eff not!

Yep, into the cave we went. Not so bad, actually. We had a torch lit (I carried it –

my suggestion), so vision was not a serious problem. But it was spooky. Cool. Quiet.

Dark. Very, very dark. Yet Paco was unerring at getting us through the passages.

And Paco was able to point out where the magical water-whisps might be

encountered. At that location we decided on a quick, stealthy pass-through. Durham

noted that if we encountered them – run. Fast.

At the first break in the main passage we began to follow the path on the right, but

Paco dragged us back and strongly indicated that we should take the passage to the

left. And so we did. This passage had water flowing through it, which led to a hole

in the floor, through which the water fell. We could not see the bottom, and yet Paco

insisted we must go down. This was getting really weird. This odd dog-man-thing is

insisting that we drop through a dark, wet hole in a cavern floor – to find, what?

Well heck. Why not?!

We decided to drop a torch down, hopefully to illuminate the floor below. While

Brinde secured a rope for climbing, I lit an extra torch and handed it to Durham. I

then stretched out close to the opening, careful not to slip and slide through, and

dropped my torch over the side – only to see it bounce off the wall into the water,

and sputter out in the dark mist. Never to be seen again. (Gods I hate rolling a one!)

Durham had better luck. With a torch on the bottom, we could see where we were

going, so down we went.

At the bottom we moved through a smaller passage that emerged into a grand cavern

– super massive – with a beach stretching off to an opening quite a distance away

that served three apparent functions. First, it allowed seawater to penetrate

underground. Second, it allowed a fair amount of deep red sunlight to infiltrate in,

allowing sight without torches. And, third, it was large enough for triremes to enter.

Yep, triremes. Two of them! And on the beach nearby, laughing, cajoling, and

drinking around a fire (partially obscured by a rocky outcrop), was a raucous party

of what appeared to be pirates. The 'encounter' was on!

Realizing we were undetected, we doused our torches and hunkered down behind a

rock wall and devised a plan. Here's how it went down:

Paco was explicitly ordered to remain at our rally point (this passage entrance) so as

not to get hurt.

Then Durham crept slowly and carefully along the cavern wall, to a spot close

enough to listen in on the encampment. After listening for a while to the

conversations he crept back and reported that we had indeed found what we were

looking for, and that now we just needed the 'proof'.

Durham next swam quietly out to the two anchored ships in order to see if there

were any defining or descriptive marks or designs on them – something that might

help identify ownership or fealty – and then returned to us.

As Durham made his swim, Brinde and I crept close to the camp to continue our

reconnaissance, and to place me in a position where my only spell might have its

best effect. While we watched and listened, we noted several distinct voices, but one

in particular was seriously odd. Almost like a large animal harshly attempting

human speech – but, not having completely analogous mouth parts, has a difficult

time bellowing out many words. It was really weird! We also noticed that there was

a particular spot, just outside of the firelight, where the 'pirates' went to relieve

themselves. And then I had an idea!

So, Durham returned with some excellent information – a fine description of each of

the triremes – something which I have n doubt will help his guild. The prow of each

trireme was quite distinctive – one being like a nautilus with it's tentacles stretched

out and twisted into a ramming prow. The other I do not recall, except that it's upper

sides and deck were black, and her oars were black – giving the impression, I would

imagine, of a black dragon if seen from above. He also noted that the party we were

watching over had at least eight members, but that one of them appeared to be some

massively tall feline humanoid. He also noted that they all seemed to be armed to the

teeth. Yay!

Our adventure played out as follows:

Durham crept quietly up to a point near the encampment, but where he was still

protected by the rock wall. He was prepared to defend against any foe. Brinde and I

stayed farther back, deeper in the shadows, and waited until we saw who we had

ascertained to be the scrawniest of the pirates come out to the darkness to relieve

himself. When he did, I quietly spoke ancient words and quickly twisted the fingers

of my hand into a sigil. My actions briefly bound the material with the immaterial,

and I was able to direct all of my arcane energy into dropping the drunken pirate into

a slumbering heap. And down he went, in the middle of his pisser.

By luck, darkness, and the amazing talent of Durham in 'throwing' his voice, we

were able to extract the drunken, passed-out pirate to our rally point without being

detected. More amazingly, we did not awaken our captive! As the fellow was being

gagged, disarmed, and bound, he began to awaken. As he came to the realization of

his predicament, we used the sharp end of a blade to reinforce that if he attempted

escape, or to do anything without our consent, he would be gutted and fed to Paco.

Paco 'grinned'. And the chap never once proved to be a serious burden. I like Paco.

Well, our trail back was quiet and unhindered. Honestly, nothing really to describe.

Other than once again, my mind was bent. It began as I mentioned my serious

misgivings about walking a bound person into town, with a sword to his back. You

know, just like “Hey folks! You don't know us, but we're just gonna drag this bound

and gagged wretch around at sword-point through your town, and deliver him to a

secret cabal! Yeah, don't mind us! Nothing to see here!” That kind of misgiving

went through my mind. Once again, what am I doing?! Spying, larceny, kidnapping,

supernatural pest control, AND B-movie vigilante?! Sure. And not why – but, why

not?!

We delivered our captive, collected a nice reward, and each of us trotted off in

different directions. I need to find a place to lay low for a few days, and to figure out

what's going on in this town. Meanwhile, I figure I'll set myself up as a translator –

someone to ostensibly help merchants from different language groups converse and

negotiate deals. But keeping in mind that being a 'linguistic connector' essentially

makes you a potential trader in privy information.

So, ta-ta! Let's see where these adventures get us!

Research & Investigations (2/2)

 The Disappearance of Teucer Ultho

Seeking rumors of further strange items and artefacts such as the Survivors of the Tel and others of the new adventuring-class have discovered in the Tel and its surroundings, Gan the physician despaired of hearing anything more credible than that the Old Pale Worm in the Weirding Caves was hoarding such wonders as the panoply of Stephen the Rock, or the dreaded Norrock-Kai.

Then finally, fortune: Althalos, the human barkeep of the common room Under-Star, hearing of Gan's inquiries (and aware of Gan's friendship with Torkol, whom Althalos holds in high regard), mentions an old account he'd heard, reported by a torchbearer who was the only survivor on a bad expedition into the Weirding Caves. With the further help of the librarian Kenawi, Gan is able to locate a written report of this account by the torchbearer Kalb of the disappearance of Teucer Ultho.

Why should this interest Gan? Teucer, a former alchemist-apprentice Under-Star was known to carry a strange weapon, a kind of cylindrical hilts from one end of which could be projected a beam of light, to be used either as a weapon or as a source of light. Where he had discovered it he would not tell, but he wore it proudly, as one might wear a sword, and trusted in it--perhaps too much!

Kalb's account is sketchy at best--given by a torchbearing slave who had just witnessed the destruction of a party of hired men-at-arms led by his own master--but there are enough details that one might be able to discover the site of the disaster for oneself. Perhaps the hilts might even remain ...

According to Kalb, Teucer led the party into the caves intending to rediscover a rich bed of certain alchemically and psychically useful fungi that grow prolifically in the presence of frollock colonies. But when they found the colony, and had begun to gather the fungus, Teucer glimpsed something intriguing at the back of the cavern--a crack that opened into a narrow passage that led to unknowns beyond. Apparently unable to resist the adventurous call, Teucer summoned his men to explore the passage; but their way was blocked by a growth of organic material and twisted reaching fronds. It seemed to react to the party's approach, and Teucer stabbed into it with his light-beam--and the thing began to glow, and then suddenly reacted by blasting Teucer and his men-at-arms with something like a stroke of lightning! Only Kalb survived ...

The Hamdi Codex

Razo, meanwhile, was engaged in attempting to break the cypher of the codex recovered on a recent expedition to certain caves further north along the headlands than Ocean's Throat. Assisted by the Alkari Hry-Haya Yehat, whose single-minded interest helped focus the deciphering-effort, the first elements of the cypher soon yielded, and after a week the pair were able to ascertain much of the first section of the codex.

It quickly became clear that the codex was a kind of periplus, an account of "sailing around" with its starting place near to Cothon, and further entries describing places farther and farther away from Cothon as the text continues. Razo and Hry-Haya feel that they are able to identify six major entries--more interesting locations, presumably?--connected by linking-sections describing perhaps the distances and directions sailed.

Though the fulness of the text remains occluded behind its cypher, the pair of researchers are confident that the initial entry has yielded up its secrets to them. Briefly:

After a list of coastal and geographical features by which to navigate west from Cothon, Hamdi the Voyager, at the helm of his blue-painted galley Zourqa' , came upon the island Dar Breni within which was secreted the hidden fortress Haut of the warrior-sorceress Bren Grewind. A kind of pirate queen who had gone reaving all through the northern seas, ultimately Grewind had fled south and established a new stronghold within the island, hiding her fastness behind veils of enchantment. But Hamdi was able to penetrate the veil, and being an amorous adventurer, he was feted for some time by the Bren (a foreign title claimed by the lovely Grewind) and feasted, and wondered by the great stores of riches Grewind and her followers had acquired on their own adventures. One item of particular note to Hamdi was the device that Grewind claimed allowed her to hide and to shield her mind from the probes and far-castings of other sorcerers--and by its use was she secure against those who would hunt her ...

Mormaera Yrasi, Sorceress of the Azure Veil

Interested in the possibility of expanding his repertoire of arcane skills and knowledge, Bartholomew Pettibone asked around the local taverns about the masters of sorcerous traditions local to the Dual-Cities. Several names were offered, chiefly Rjak of the Grey Hand, or Zaynab the Enchantress, but the one who stood out as perhaps more accessible to him at the moment was that of Mormaera Yrasi, an enchantress somewhat associated with the Hanse and the Kantor Kabljauhof, though she maintains a household in Cothon rather separate from the Kantor.

There she maintains a minor court as if she is some kind of princess or sultana, feasting her friends and sycophants in symposia where conversations fly from the heights of philosophical discourse, to courtly poetry of love or romance, to mere witty banter--all while masked, for the Mormaera herself never reveals her face, but keeps it hidden behind a veil of azure silk, while she commands that all in her presence also wear masques or veils.

A number of individuals at the Kantor have attended these symposia, including Stahlkor of Reywind, the captain of mercenaries employed to defend the Kantor.

Undoubtedly, the Mormaera possesses a great library of arcane knowledge, though she is also undoubtedly jealous of her secrets. Nevertheless, she is known sometimes to take on an apprentice, or even allow one who has piqued her interest the favor of perusing her libraries.

 It is understood that the quickest way to catch her attention, were one to secure an invitation into her "court", would be to spend lavishly on a unique mask or cowl, and work it thematically into an entire costume. Though once her attention is caught by the mask, one must prove to her that the person behind the mask is all the more interesting ...

Research & Investigations (1/2)

Kantor, Hanse, and Mormaers -- Masterminds?

Kantor-associate Durham has heard rumors that somewhere in the hierarchy of the Hanse merchant-companies that operate the Kantor Kabljauhof are those who are able to read minds or detect thoughts. Curious as to the veracity of such reports, but not ready to tip his hand by simply asking, he therefore went about gathering circumstantial evidence that could point to the real possibility of such powers.

Gathering information about recent expeditions into the Tel didn't suggest anything one way or the other; parties setting out from the Kantor in recent weeks seem in fact to often return with less treasure than those that have set out from the tavern of Cothon-Under-Star.

But in following rumors about these expeditions through the taverns, Durham did consistently hear from those drinking within--and especially from sailors, seamen, and merchants' servants--that it is widely known that the ships of the Hanse have a remarkable ability to respond quickly to changes in local marketplaces. Almost as if the fleet itself is able to react en masse, even though spread across the entirety of Dirac's Sea, to suddenly arrive with holds of dna-grain as a city is nearly threatened with famine, for instance, or to come and buy up large quantities of goods or raw materials just when they seem to glut the market to be sold for mere copper and brass.

Veteran merchant-captains should, of course, know the seasons, and when best to buy garum in volume, or when the dna harvests are ready; but many an appearance by the Hanse's galleys has an uncanny timing to it, as of coming to port just at the right time--is it coincidence?

All of this is circumstantial of course, but all throughout the taverns a person could listen to any merchant-captain expound about the point-eared Mormaers--the lords of the North--and how they're working their weird magic, reading minds, directing their ships by thought alone, perhaps even manipulating events and people so that they always buy high from the Hanse, then turn around and sell low--though not even the greatest of sorcerers are said to be able to extend their influence across such great distances!

Durham also hears of an intriguing personage likely with some more direct knowledge, but who also holds herself aloof from the Kantor--the Mormaera Yrasi, who maintains an estate of her own in Cothon, away from the Kantor Kabljauhof. Rumors about--is she an exiled princess? A disaffected noblewoman? Another pair of eyes for the Hanse, when she attends feasts and symposia in the upper city of Gadeed? The only certain thing is that though aloof from the Hanse, she retains the traditional title of Mormaera ...

Lady Khadra Qamari -- A Patroness

In seeking a buyer for certain gems she happened to come by, Ravna of Cothon-Under-Star ultimately received an invitation to an audience before a certain Lady Khadra; when the servants came to guide Ravna to the Lady's abode, they came clad in livery of green, silver, and black, and hid their faces behind veils of green silk. Up from the harbor they led her, through myriad streets and into the upper city of Cothon, almost to the Processional Gate to the road between the Long Walls.

There, one of the old Klackon towers that had formed the old wall stands now inside the city, and into that spire of mixed human and Klackon architecture the servants led Ravna. Inside were a series of halls, subtly alien, yet hung with lavish tapestries and adorned with various other ornaments. Not least, glimpsed briefly down a side passage, what seemed to be a private altar set before a strange many-armed and many-faced idol ...

But in a well-appointed audience hall, Ravna was seated on comfortable cushions on the floor, given the option of tea, coffee, wine, or hookah, and allowed to marvel at various curiosities that adorned the walls of the room--wtsai swords, strange bird-faced masks, the shell of a great sea creature, a peculiar black spherical helm that seemed to have no visor ... perusing these oddities, Ravna was almost surprised by the sudden appearance of the Lady Khadra herself, radiantly beautiful, with nightblack hair and flashing eyes of green--quite unusual!

She allowed Ravna to marvel some at her collection, offering explanations here or there of certain curiosities of especial interest. When it finally came to talk business, she looked the gems over carefully, and ultimately offered Ravna 1300 gold for the set of seven. "They'll look marvelous set into a carcanet, don't you think?" she asked, and held several up at her throat to demonstrate how they might enhance her beauty. "And do come back if you find more such beauties--or, better yet, curiosities like these," she says, sweeping her arm to indicate the ornaments along the walls.

Ravna now has Lady Khadra as a patroness, and will no longer need to "find a buyer" in order to buy these certain items, as the Lady Khadra will buy them herself:

• gems or jewelry of especial value or conspicuousness
• strange artefacts recovered from the Tel, even if they have no obvious use or function
• but especially keen on anything that might be related to the Fortress Moon

Ravna is also now at level 1, "purveyor" on a custom "relationship clock" with the Lady Khadra that she would be able to advance by cultivating a relationship with her; higher levels of friendship/intimacy may require special extra steps to achieve, but would come with correspondingly more interesting favors, etc. that could be returned.

The Spire-Klackons

Given his Surivor-companions' expeditions into the Great Spire of the Klackons on the north slope of the Tel al Safina, Torkol finds himself intrigued: just who are these Klackons who dwell apart? A tribe of their people live within Cothon-Gadeed, having helped to build up its fortifications, and now helping to patrol them--and so why do these Spire-Klackons remain aloof?

To this end, Torkol asks a number of questions of Tki'it, a Klackon drone who works as half of the barkeeping team Under-Star; and also manages to find a text in the library, Ximenes' The Constitution of the Xolda, which includes a primer on the history of both the Xolda and Attine Klackons.

In short, this is what he gleans:

After Tsurr al Qadeem was already ruin, the countryside laid waste by roving Kzinti, and the citadel of Gadeed had yet to be built up and surrounded by the Mother of Cities, a column of Klackons marched down out of the north-east and encamped on the plain before the ruined city.

The men of Gadeed despaired, remembering the Immortal Columns of the Duulil, which only Dalan II.'s great armies were able to turn; but these new Klackons declared themselves to the Shaikh of the Citadel as the Xolda, and they too had been ravaged by war in their homeland. Now they were come in hope to forge an alliance, to unite man and mantis in a new Accord, and together to be strong as a skein of many strands, rather than weak like a single thread.

With this alliance, the foundations of Cothon-Gadeed were laid, literally and figuratively--the Klackons helped build the great walls that ultimately encircled both city and harbor, and linked them together via the Long Walls when the Kzinti came to ravage the country again.

But lo, there are factions even among the eusocial and communistic Klackons--the Xolda had gathered into themselves remnant tribes of local others, who called themselves Attine, and the six "houses" or clades of the Attines balked at the demands of the Xolda that all accede the primacy of their own Queen; for the Attines had always maintained a loose confederacy of Princesses, each head of her own house within the tribe.

These Attines thus ultimately rebelled, leaving the city together en masse, and they settled themselves on the headlands north of the Dual-Cities in various spires; but ultimately, they were forced by Kzinti predation to regroup and built the Great Spire as their own defence, joining together in their own Accord.

Of the six "houses" the so-called Sixth House, or Kza'ith Ir were the most intellectually curious and independent-minded of the Attines (and more so than the Xolda as well). Their dores plumbed the depths of philosophy, turning questions over and again; their alchemists and smiths sought deeply into the secrets of metallurgy and selective breeding; and the greatest artistic accomplishments of all local Klackons are undoubtedly almost all born of their fertile minds.

The Kza'ith Ir are said to have:

1. ... entered into some kind of agreement concerning the secrets of metallurgy with the Barcidae, the Bulrathi family who are the traditional keepers of the Migdol of the Dyers and Fish Fermenters
2. ... maintained close relations with some of the noble Houses of Gadeed, supplying them fine silks and matchless swords; one such is Bayt al Rasheed
3. ... delved into the Tel al Safina themselves or paid mercenaries to do so, seeking ancient wonders and secrets contained therein

(this topic remains open, especially given its open-ended nature)

Session #10: A Pirate's Life

 With an eye to confirming what he suspected about the presence of a pirates' hideout in the sea caves of Ocean's Throat (and collecting the bounty of confirmation offered by Zaytar at the Kantor Kabljauhof), adventurer Durham sought out through the lesser watering holes along the harbor front for a couple less conspicuous types willing to go sneaking about in the cavern system.

To his luck, he discovered one Bartholomew Pettibone, another new-comer to the Mother of Cities, and willing and able to serve in the capacity of fellow-scout/burglar. Durham was also able to secure the interest of likely-lass Bridne Murcada, who still claims her hands are deadly weapons. Rounding out the party was Pako, Durham's renyu mog-servant.

Once they had gathered everything they deemed necessary for their expedition to the sea caves north of the city, the party set out through the Fishermen's Gate to wend their way past the vats of fermentation under the Migdol of the Dyers and Fish Fermenters to seek the stair that grants access to the headlands above ...

• Durham (fighter 2)
  accompanied by Pako (renyu) and Bridne Murcada (likely-lass)
  
• Bartholomew Pettibone (magic-user 1)

The four returned through the same gate, increased by one, though that last figure was bound, gagged, and rather bruised and bloodied. Passing the longshoremen along the quays by the gate, many a jeer was heard: "Caught an escaped slave, eh? I'll give him a lickin' for free, if you want!"

Leading this defeated fellow through the streets unto the Kantor, the party disappears into its inner courts for a time, and then return to the common room of the public guesthouse to count out their lucre and split it between themselves and Bridne.

On receiving his cut, Bartholomew sets about securing himself a room at the tavern and advertising himself as an interpreter for those in town needing to parley across language-barriers. He is also heard to have remarked how strange it was to see humans enslaved by insectoids around the Great Spire on the north slope of the Tel: "Where I'm from, we eat crustaceans, we don't get enslaved by them!"

Meanwhile, Bridne Murcada takes her earnings to drink dark wine at the Herm & Stone, known haunt of Heroes and warriors. Though she affects proud severity, the facade soon breaks after a few glasses, belied by her youthful inexperience, and a tale of adventure soon spills from her lips: she tells of a descent down a waterfall in the dark, a passage through darkness past strange creatures-in-the-water, and finally emerging into a great cavern distantly lit by the great red sun--but also by an underground castle of pirates! Their two black galleys lay on the waters within, and she and her companions were able to surprise an encampment of the buccaneers and capture one of their number! Soon afterward, realizing her drunkenness, Bridne was seen stumbling home to her apartments in her fighting-school.

Treasure

• 41 gp, 16 ep, 79 sp
• silver armlet worked in foreign design, hacked in two (50 gp)
• 500 gold for a live captive, delivered to Zaytar at the Kantor Kabljauhof
• 300 gold for identifying ships to Zaytar (150 ea. for the Xarquid and the Darkwing)

Experience

• 907 from treasure
• 226 xp for Kzin x1 (200 + hp)
• 377 xp for pirates x7 (50 + hp ea.)
• 54 xp for creepy snake x1 (50 + hp)

The Cut

• 424 gp, 8 ep, 39 sp, 5 cp per player-character (43 gold to Bridne)
• 782 xp per player-character

As per usual, any play reports, maps, in-character reactions, art, etc that represent what occurred during the expedition will earn a player-character 100 xp per level.

A Hiatus: Stillest Night

As the Long Wake draws to its central nights, the processions to the Necropolis cease, the paeans to the dead fall silent, and the unutterable quietude of the tomb falls over the Dual-City. The Stillest Night when even the tomb-watchers and the professional mourning-societies refuse to warble the death-songs of the ancients; a memory of ancient wars between Man and Kzin, when the poet Nguen hla Rii stood watch over his master, heroically dead, outside the walls of ancient Tsurr, silently composing his warrior-master's death-song while evading the peltasts and others of the enemy, to sing the elegaic-epic as the dawn came and the warriors of Man retook the field against their transgressors ...

After this night, the keening of the women and paeans of the mourners will resume. But for the moment, the city halts; even foreigners respect its holiness; and all business ceases ... No new projects may begin this week, this week of Stillest Night, while projects already begun come to whatever fruition may have started beforehand ...

(i.e. no downtime actually happens last week, week-ending 12/26; I'll catch up with week-ending 12/19 soon--it involved a fair amount of writing--and thereafter I'll collect downtimes for week-ending 1/2 and try to be more timely)

Call to Adventure!

Word is out on the streets of Cothon the harbor-town: Telman of Tsipa has finally formalized his charter with the Soufets of Cothon-Gadeed, and the Hunt for the Denyan Akho will surely be underway within the next few weeks.

Two galleys lie in the slipways of the Kantor Kabljauhof taking in supplies and being fitted with catapult and ballistae with the intent to seek the sea-going beast that does great injury to the trading interests of both the Ten Cities League and the foreign Hanse of the Kantor; hence the charter of the Soufets, and the bounty offered by the Kantor ... Adventurers who join the effort will surely be well-rewarded!

Placards are carried to every tavern in Cothon, major and minor alike, their contents read aloud, and then the placards themselves nailed up for others to peruse their contents and judge for themselves whether the bounty is worth the risk of an akho's steely embrace:

If ye seek the prestige and wealth of adventure then seek ye Captain Telman of Tsipa! The brave and strong are invited to the hunt of a lifetime. We shall set forth from Cothon as hunter-seekers under charter of the Soufets, and strike to the hunting grounds of the Denyen Akho that has been terrorizing and looting trade ships. Not the least of which was the Peregrine Kyni, one of the treasure-galleys of the League of Ten Cities said to be carrying a vast fortune worth more than 20,000 gold! The wealth of which will all be ours to retain upon the beasts death as per the hunter-seeker charter! Not to mention the boon its death would have upon Cothon-Gadeed, and the fame therein.

Adventurers of experience can either receive a signing bonus for the expedition or be allowed first pick of any strange or unique items that are found, in addition to a negotiable share of the treasure. Inquire with Captain Telman at the docks.

The Hunter-Seeker Charter of Telman of Tsipa is a call for a kind of unique adventure outside the "usual" limits of the Tel al Safina and its surroundings. An adventure into the wider world, a scenario promising great potential profit--and fame! I would like to have up to six players join the Hunt--message me or comment if you are interested--and be aware! there is potentially a "premium" for those who sign first/earlier.

Once a "crew" has been established, and a proper departure-time set, the hunter-seeker galleys will depart from the harbor of Cothon no later than 9 January (our time), and return "all tides well" within two weeks of that date.

Session #9: Damn Dirty Apes! *Updated With Veda's Short Recap*

June, masked newcomer to the Mother of Cities, hiding her face behind a porcelain theater mask, found herself in the raucous tavern Herm & Stone following rumor of an easy-to-collect bounty--namely, 5 gold offered per hand of ape-men to be cut off and collected in the Weirding Caves. Her previous endeavor netting her little profit, she thought perhaps that this would be an easier way to weigh down her pockets with coin ...

Marked from the street by its eponymous herm, a great pillar of stone carved with the bust of an heroic ancient and his great erect phallus at appropriate height, the Herm & Stone is known as the more raucous of the great taverns, frequented by Kzin Heroes, and associated with the adventurous Guild of Miners and Prospectors. Inside its common room, in a slightly darkened corner, a huge crystalline pillar looms in the shadow, lending the tavern's secondary appellation.

Avoiding the musk-scented side where several Heroes lounged on great cushions, attended by subservient Kzinretti and human slave-women, June rather sought information near the bar, and found some luck in the presence of another adventurous newcomer to Cothon-Gadeed, one Veda, a fellow adept in the psychical and magical arts. After confirming with the barkeep that the Guild would honor the return of any hand of a chnelh ape-man with 5 gold (10 for a pair); and that the bounty was pursuant to a recent increase in the population of the troops that haunt the Weirding Caves on the north-east side of the Tel al Safina; the pair endeavoured to secure the services of a hireling each from among the hangers-on around the taverns.

So it was that this small party of four ventured forth from the Gate of Fishermen up the coast to climb the stair of the headland, and then make their way around the northern slope of Tel to its north-eastern side:

• June (magic-user 1)
  accompanied by Kogus the Bodyguard (Bulrathi 1)
• Veda (magic-user 1)
  accompanied by Abu Kuruku (a beggar, replacing Mad Matho on the list of hirelings)

The four returned later in the day, as the great red sun was just touching the western horizon and lighting Dirac's Sea ablaze. They proffered a bloodied sack of 10-pair of hands at the bar, receiving a toast from those patrons familiar with the bounty, and were paid out equitably for their somewhat gruesome trophies.

Kogus, his great ursine visage laconic as ever, took his portion of the earnings perfunctorily, grunted approval of his service with June, and then departed (with a wary eye at the lounging Kzinti Heroes). 

Abu Kuruku, meanwhile, was more than happy to take his beggar's pittance and then hang around to milk the good will of the regular patrons, spinning yarns about running into "dozens of bandits" encamped north of the Tel, and of how "Kogus' presence and Veda's artful offerings" assuaged their mercenary hunger. Also, he speaks of how the group narrowly avoided a run-in with a draconic serudla in the great depths of the Weirding Caves, and then ambushed a troop of chattering chnelh even as the ape-men were preparing to ambush them!

(Per Veda's Player Renee, earning Veda 100 xp per level):

Veda was very proud of Abu and his torch carrying. The road back was filled with talk not of their battle, but of how skillfully Abu held the torch. "Did you see the way he tilted the torch right when we needed it?!" (I also assume that his torch skills were not actually all that amazing, Veda just really wanted him to feel special)

(the scribes take this moment to point out that small personalizing details of an expedition are happily worthy of xp, even if the scribes tend to be "long on ink" and write too much themselves!)

Treasure

• 100 gold from the bounty (5 gp x 20 hands)
• 6 gold from the chnelh
• a quartz-like stone cut onto a leathern thong taken from one of the chnelh (10 gold)

Experience

• 116 from treasure
• 648 from bandits x 12 (50+hp ea.)
• 306 from Chnelh x 11 (25+hp ea.)
• 100 to each character for exploring a new "upper level" of the Tel

The Cut

• 43 gold per character (25 to Kogus, 5 to Abu Kuruku)
• 635 xp per character (317 to Kogus)

As always, anything representing what was done during the session, e.g write-ups, art, etc., will earn a character 100 xp per level, send it to me and I will post it here for all to read; and I will try to touch base with everyone about downtime activities for this last week and this upcoming week.