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Adventure in the Open Skies: The Liralen Irregulars (Eberron, Updated 5/10)

tmaaas

First Post
DMs Note:

This encounter was designed to be a bit of action at the start of a session.

It was suppossed to be quick and easy, and that it was. Sometimes it's fun to just mow down your opponents, and Elisa was sure doing that.
 

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Black Bard

First Post
It was good to see some light over different characters, apart from Ruel and Fortunato.
I`m really enjoying this story, PhoenixAsh! Great writing.
And, once again, congratulations to the DMing-pair!!! :D
 

PhoenixAsh

First Post
Update #15: Dinner aboard The Liralen

Its been way too long since an update! Thank you for the kind words Black Bard, the next few updates will shed some light on some as of yet under-represented characters in our crew, as well as a plethora of passengers. One of the youngest members of the crew has gone without mention for a very long time in fact...

***

Ravien d’Lyrander leans back in his chair, appraising the bedraggled Lady Elaydren d’Vown Cannith, her arm freshly bound in a sling by his healers.

“So, with your contact dead, does that mean the mission is lost? Should I award our services to someone else…?”

“No! No… but I will need the Liralen to make a second stop, before Fintan was set upon by the kobolds he gave me his journal and he indicates here,” Elaydren almost frantically searches for a page and shows it to him, barely long enough for him to glance at it, before turning to another, “and here that the map to Whitehearth can be found at Rose Quarry by ‘eyes that can see’.” She holds up a rolled parchment with a confident smile. “And here is how your expedition team will see.”

Ravien nods slowly as she presents the scroll. “You will need one of our arcanists in the expedition team then, Ruel or Cynde. Very well, but you do realize this will increase our account, and I am certain the team will require extra compensation as well. Are you prepared to do that?”

There is no hesitation in Elaydren’s voice. “Yes.”

Ravien smiles slowly. “I will work up the particulars before disembarking here at Fairhaven. While I am away, Captain D’meryl will put the full services of this ship at your disposal. Why don’t you go rest and let your arm recover?”

Elaydren smiles but her shoulders slump as she leaves Ravien’s quarters. This expedition has already cost her affiliation of House Cannith a small fortune. If it should succeed, the rewards would far outstrip the costs, but should it fail it could destroy her station in Cannith and leave a perhaps fatal hole in House spending for other projects. She can only hope that her confidence in the Liralen’s crew is not misplaced, everything will rely on their abilities.

***

Following the attack at the dock and hasty explanations to the dockside guard, no doubt smoothed over by the recent actions of the Liralen’s crew, the airship leaves Fairhaven without further incident. Elisa is soon healed, Fortunato repaired and life and duties onboard ship return to normal. After some discussion and appraisal, Dox and Ruel decide to give the warforged assailant’s sword to Fortunato, as it is of finer quality than the cook’s previous blade. The rest comes to a trivial amount that is split amidst the whole group.

Dinnertime comes with the setting of the sun, and the dining hall fills with the distinguished passengers aboard the Liralen, some fresh faces that joined the airship in Fairhaven. Alexandre balances a trio of trays on his arms and maneuvers out the door, barely avoiding Ruel as he breaks from his performance routines in search of a glass of water. “Not too much different from trying to tie off a mast in a heavy storm, though I had sea water to deal with, not half-elves prancing in my way. Ah well, the food and pay is better, though this blasted uniform itches like a hornet’s nest. Now let’s see, ladies first, then the gentlemen, old before young…” Alexandre muses as he moves to set out steaming trays on one table of distinguished guests.

He decides that the only elf at the table deserves the first tray. She beams a motherly smile up to him. “Even a young elf has to be older than this lot...” Alexandre reasons silently, smiling back to her. “Elves must always end up getting served first.”

Elaydren is next, still looking pale from being attacked less than an hour ago. He slides a bowl of stew beneath her chin and listens closely as a gnome badgers her with questions.

“Rumor has it you had a rather nasty brush dockside.” The gnome, Fflewdwr Tegvan, is from the Korranberg library and he peers anxiously at Elaydren through thick circular lenses that give him a permanent owlish look.

“Yes, I had a run in with a rougher contingent of society than I am used to. Several crew members came to my aid though, and I believe the matter is now in the hands of officals in Fairhaven.”

“Ah, yes, our noble crew. They do seem to have a more adventurous spirit than most. The ship should do well for the line of work Ravien intends. I can’t wait to see it head to the Xen’drik excavations. A ship like this could do an astonishing amount of work for the library.”

“Have you secured a contract with Lord Ravien?” As Alexandre sets a dish before the gnome, he hears the elf speak. She’s a new arrival from Fairhaven, but he remembers her introducing herself when he took her bags, full of various clays and metals as well as sculpting tools, Erma.

Fflewdwr winces, “No, actually, I haven’t yet, and I hadn’t counted on his absence from the ship. But with the prestige of the library backing me I’m sure we will be able to work something out. I do hear that others, though, have secured contracts…” Fflewdwr inclines his head towards Elaydren, “Elaydren has yet to confide what chore she has set before the Master Ravien, but it has obviously caught his fancy, while at the same time making all of us insatiably curious.”

Uncharacteristically, Elaydren remains silent, concentrating on her stew. Alexandre supposes she must still be shaken up from getting attacked on the dock. It is Erma who decides to break the silence, turning the conversation in a different direction.

“The great library of Korranberg is in Zilargo, is it not?”

“Yes, it is, Ermineth.”

“Call me Erma, please. Zilargo is a fascinating land, I’m told – I’ve never had the opportunity to travel there. Tell me, what do you know of the Trust?”

“Ha! Well, there is a lot of speculation on that topic and very little fact. Khorvaire is perched precariously after the war. There are a slew of secret organizations working to further this cause or that. Aundair has its ‘eyes’, Breland has its ‘Dark Lanterns’, and Zilargo has the ‘Trust’. It’s almost certain that the organizations exist, but I do think they are probably romanticized and their activities expanded by rumors rather than reality. Nothing seems quite as enchanting as a good spy story from time to time.”

Erma nods and smiles, then directs a comment towards a man in his late thirties whose hair is slowly receding. “And I don’t believe I’ve met you yet, sir?”

The man shrugs a little; his attention is clearly on the entertainment, not the conversation at the table. “My name’s Jasper Pauncefort, pleased to meet you ma’am.”

“Ermineth Cremix d’Phiarlan – Erma to my friends – I’m headed back home to Sharn. I had the wonderful opportunity to work on some sculpture in Fairhold. It’s been a good stay, but I’m ready to see the city of towers once more. And your business?”

“Oh, I, um, I’m headed to Sharn too. I’m looking for employees for my inn. I, um, need to find a good chef. Preferably from House Ghallanda. The good one on the island are all employed by rival inns – so I thought I’d try my luck in a larger city.”

“Very good! I have some connections in the city – look me up and I may be able to get in touch with some folks who can help you.”

“Oh thanks, I may do that – I have a brother there too – so I may be able to work things from that direction too.”

Alexandre leaves the conversation behind as he returns for more trays, skirting past Kashandi while she performs on her harp, which he and Loki had set up before dinner began. Retrieving another set of trays, he exits the kitchen to polite applause as Kashandi concludes her playing. She exits back to the kitchen as Ruel emerges, neither giving the other so much as a nod, as Ruel resumes the evening’s entertainment.

Coming to the Captain’s table, Alexandre glowers. Niall Goldsmith, an obnoxious, arrogant man and another recent arrival from Fairhaven, is leading a conversation with Lady Adsiltia, a member of the Brelish parliament. Niall had seen fit to personally direct and badger him and the rest of the crew as they loaded his belongings onboard, criticizing every bump and stumble on the way. He’s directing questions at Adsiltia that seems to be throwing her off of her good humor, and her easy, pleasant smile is tightening.

“I believe Lord Ruken is very earnest in his beliefs, my own position on what he has to say is as yet undetermined, although I can say with perfect certainty that I hope those choices are not soon set before the nation of Breland. King Boranel is well loved and his health is fine. He is a strong man, a great fighter, and a great ruler.” Adsiltia’s voice is iron, and Alexandre has no doubt of her loyalty to her king. She seems discomfited about the question though – lapsing into silence and studying the foot on her plate intently.

Niall opens his mouth to ask another question, but gets distracted by Errol, the ship’s cabin boy, who has come up quietly behind the Captain. As the cabin boy touches D’Meryl’s elbow, Niall scowls darkly at him.

“Sir, Officer Travyl sent me. The weather is lowering and the winds are growing stronger. He wished to ask if you wanted to continue on our current heading, or if he should try to go round the storm?”

“Tell him to maintain our current course, and I’ll check in with him directly after the meal.”

“Yes sir.” Errol takes his leave of the captain quickly, exiting the passenger dining area.

“Where did Lord Ravien pick up that street trash!” there is a note of outrage in Niall Goldsmith’s voice. “I expected that you would have been outfitted with a proper crew, Captain, but the more I look around…” Niall nods, none too discreetly at Alexandre, who is half tempted to ‘accidentally’ dump Niall’s stew into his lap. “I am certain that the crew here are little more than cutthroats and bandits – and that boy certainly has a poor look about him.”

D’meryl is more polite than Alexandre would be. “I know no better judge of character than Lord Ravien and I’d gladly sail with any crew he has picked. He chose well for the ultimate purpose of this ship – as you know, we will not always be carrying passengers with such refined tastes as yourselves. If we were venturing into the heart of Xen’drik on this flight perhaps our crew would seem more suitable. Errol, is from the streets of Stormhome, but the boy is learning the role he has onboard as quick as any child of better circumstance.”

Niall gives a loud, somewhat obnoxious snort. “Hrrmph! Expedition ship or not – I know the first person I’d suspect if my purse were to go missing is that boy! As for the rest the crew around here – well, I’ll sleep much better once I’m off this cramped piece of wood.”

D’meryl seems to be at a loss, but is saved from immediate reply when the Princess of Aundair looks up from her food and states dryly, “The kid’s cute, anyways.”

The captain smiles at this and almost laughs – “Aye, Errol will turn the head of more than one portside lass in a few years.”

Wrel, pauses for awhile and looks back down at her plate, but looking back up and seeing the Captain’s face still tinged with genuine humor, asks, “Captain D’meryl, you have griffon riders onboard, don’t you?”

“Yes that we do. Maddy and Gemma are some of the best!”

“Could I ride one of the griffons?”

The Captain’s humor fades and he clears his throat. “Well griffons are pretty particular about their riders – it takes several years of training to keep from being unseated mid-flight. So in light of the fact that your sister would have my head if anything happened to you – I can’t let you ride one of the beasts.” The hopeful gleam in Wrel’s eye extinguishes quickly and the girl lets out a slow sigh. “But I can take you and your entourage on a tour of the stables after this storm passes; introduce you to the riders, and perhaps get them to show you a lesson or two with the overgrown birds.” Wrel shifts a little straighter in her seat. D’meryl looks the teen squarely in the eye and present his last statement with a fatherly firmness. “If I can gain your word that you won’t try anything foolhardy or against their wishes.”

Wrel nods her head in acceptance and gives the Captain the faintest hint of a smile.

Alexandre removes himself from the table, with promises to Niall Goldsmith about reprimanding the cook for overcooked meat, over-salted broth, and undercooked vegetables and heads towards the kitchen. Ruel stops him part way and whispers, “Stay away from that table, or at least keep your mind from wandering, Goldsmith is invoking Detect Thoughts and I do not think you want him catching anything snide.” Ruel departs quickly to begin another routine by the central table in the dining hall.

Upon returning to wait that same table, between maintaining correct dinner decorum, trying to keep his thoughts from wandering and from getting anywhere close to Goldsmith, while trying to recall all the dark thoughts he had of the man, Alexandre barely catches any of the conversation, except something about the Liralen going to fail because of too much red marble on board. Certain he misheard the conversation; he returns to the kitchen and leans up against the counter, dipping a finger in freshly made custard and giving it a thoughtful taste. Recalling his promise, he barks out to the head chef everyone calls ‘Meat’, “Hey Meat! Goldsmith says your stew tastes like crap!”
 

Micah

First Post
PhoenixAsh said:
He decides that the only elf at the table deserves the first tray. She beams a motherly smile up to him. “Even a young elf has to be older than this lot...” Alexandre reasons silently, smiling back to her. “Elves must always end up getting served first.”

:D That's just too funny.
 


Krafus

First Post
Wonderful writing. So Goldsmith isn't just an annoyance, he's a spellcasting annoyance. I hope some bird shits on him. Or better yet, that he accidently falls overboard on some dark stormy night.
 

Micah

First Post
Oh he is annoying that's for sure. He came on board insisting that he should be given Adal's quarters since he was there on the prince's behalf. Made quite a scene about it too since Ravien had just moved Adsiltia there. He likes to bully people about and was somewhat taken aback when Ravien and D'meryl didn't bow and cater to his whims.

Ravien placed him in the guest suite - that was the last place Adal resided on the ship (while the windows were being repaired in the royal suite). Less than two hours later Wrel and her warfoged entourage/bodyguards/babsitters showed up and there was no doubt as to who would get the royal suite. So Niall was quite out of sorts by dinner.

It was one thing to be upstaged by the Brelish noblewoman - that he could work himself into a rage about, but to be booted out of his quarters by that prank-pulling wet behind the ears niece of Aurala's was an annoyance that he couldn't show as much in public. He was, after all, supposed to be a loyal subject to the crown.

But the real fun part is when Niall ticks Elisa off. . . . :D
 


PhoenixAsh

First Post
Update

Phew, your right BlackBard I have been neglecting my readers here! Other projects, girlfriend, work, blah blah blah... excuses, I know. :)

Next update will be Thursday at the latest. And it features a good ol' fashioned bar fight!

Thanks for the compliment and the bump! ;)
 

Micah

First Post
I remember that bar fight. That's going to be a tough one to hammer out. There was a ton of stuff happening. Although I do remember some neat comments from Audric. . . and Dox was involved as well - or at least I remember him creating new drinks at the bar for some of the patrons. That may or may not have contributed to what happened in the end.

As for the distractions - we like the girlfriend. Here's to the day when the readers get to meet the Liralen's newest crew member! :)
 

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