Kingmaker Solo Campaign

[Satin Knights]

"I suspect you were mixed up in this and had a price on your head long before I ever stepped on your ship. It seems that House Boraga wants to eliminate the competition for the west. If what the little lass was saying is true, the Boragas have made deals with Mr. Cato's rival which will upset the normal operations of all ships coming from Venza. Mr. Cato apparently would prefer to keep the status quo that you have enjoyed, so he is extending his protection to House Gabbiano, you and your ship."

"The coming storm is already bearing down on your ship. Those papers may be your only lifeline. Prepare for the storm and embrace the chaos. For only the buried dead enjoy a peaceful existence."

"House Boraga seems sloppy. From what I am hearing, I am sure they will make more enemies than they can handle. So, riding out the storm until they are swallowed by it is the best path, maybe the only path. So, you best be getting this ship ready to get under way."

Kellermyre Stormforge

 

[Systole]

The captain throws his hands up. "For the love of the Stonefather, all I ever wanted to do was get the hell out of Copperhead and the hell away from my family. Now you tell me there's practically a war coming? Bloody hells."

A few hours later, the ship leaves port, with only the faintest hint of daylight to guide her by. Nevertheless, the experienced captain and his experienced (although somewhat hung over) crew make it look easy. The next few weeks pass in relative ease, although the captain seems to be skipping ports where he can. The ship's biscuits get a bit stale and the water gets a bit brackish between each stops. When you do stop for supplies, the situation is the same: Captain Renlow presents Mr. Cato's letters to a runner on the dock, and within an hour, a complement of rough-looking men set up guard positions around the dock. Shore leave is severely limited, and the sailors complain somewhat, but not too loudly. At one stop, you do hear a bit of an altercation in the middle of the night, but nothing makes it so far as the ship, although there are fresh bloodstains near the gangplank in the morning.

After a full five weeks of sailing, the captain sends for you to meet him on deck. "Mister Stormforge, you've got a choice to make. We're about to cross the channel to the mainland. The Gabbiano settlement is a few days north. We can sail straight there if you want. On the other hand, if we turn south, we'll come to the Forenicci settlement in a few hours. So it'll be an extra day, but you'll be able to take a look at the competition, maybe shake a few hands, make a few deals." The captain shrugs. "Your call. We're already a few days ahead of schedule."

Peet chimes in. "We should. It couldn't hurt to get some extra support against Boraga, especially since the Boraga settlement is further south. We've got a common enemy, and they'd be a strategic buffer."

Uder shakes his head. "Waste of time, in my opinion. The enemy of my enemy usually just ends up bein' another enemy, in my experience. And given how bloody-minded House Boraga has been, I wouldn't be leavin' yer Gabbiano settlement unguarded for a second longer than ye need to."

. . Uder Gormengeist . . Wholesome Peet . . . Phineas Renlow . .

 

[Satin Knights]

Kellermyre pitches in where he can, making sure the water is clean and fresh, and purifying the food before each meal. Having a healthy crew goes a long way in ensuring the success of the travel.

When summoned, "An extra thorn in the Boraga's side is always welcome. Making sure all know of their foolish hostility will turn the tide of opinion against them wherever they may go. Warning our neighbors should bring us some good will as well. So, we will make the short stop to warn them. No R&R, just enough time to give a warning."

"Captain, which of those unused letters of safe passage gives the most details about the Boraga's being on the hostile conquest path? The word of a Gabbiano competitor may not carry much merit. While on the other hand, the words of the established Mr. Cato should carry significant weight in this region. A ship captain himself would add to the credibility of the claims. Pick carefully a letter that could be expendable. I don't want to loose it, but you never can tell what others will do when something is in their hands."

Kellermyre Stormforge

 

[Systole]

"Well, we've got four from the ports we didn't stop at, but there's no need to use one of them. Mr. Cato gave me a letter for someone at the Forenicci settlement -- it's addressed to 'V.'" He hands the letter to you. "And since you're interested, there's one for their forward man at the Gabbiano settlement." He removes a second letter which says is addressed to 'Scout.' Both letters have been sealed with wax and a shark sigil which you presume to be Mr. Cato's mark.

Peet looks over your shoulder. "Hrm ... looks like a standard Red #40 paraffin. I'm pretty sure there's a box of the same type of candles on board, so if you want to maybe take a peek inside and reseal it before delivery, that could probably be arranged." She coughs and looks shifty. "Or if you didn't like what was written and you wanted the contents altered a bit, I might know a girl who could probably make that happen."

The captain scowls and heads toward the door. "Do as you will, but I'm not going to be a party to it and I don't want to know anything. Good day."

. . Wholesome Peet . . . Phineas Renlow . .

 

[Satin Knights]

"Well, if there is already a letter prepared for them, that will work. We don't need to open it. If we are spreading the truth, we should do it with honesty as well."

Kellermyre Stormforge

 

[Systole]

"Well, right now we don't know for sure that what's written in there actually is the truth. The way I see it, we'd only be making sure that we're spreading truth and honesty and all that holy stuff." The tiefling shrugs. "But it's your call."

A few hours later, the ship anchors off the shore of the western continent, not far from a cluster of small buildings. While there's a dock, the captain explains that using the dock would mean waiting for the tide, and he's reluctant to commit himself to that in an unknown port. Instead, he orders prepared a longboat with enough space for you and two others to head ashore.

As you're heading to land, you can see a small settlement, with space for maybe twenty or thirty people at a guess. Smoke from a handful of cookfires drifts in the onshore breeze. You can also see a handful of workmen, a handful of guardsmen in light armor, and a handful of what seem to be trappers or woodsmen moving busily around camp.

A dark-haired woman in a polished breastplate greets you as you land. Two of the guardsmen flank her, but their manner is simply cautious, not threatening. "Greetings. I am Captain-at-Arms Mai Lin, Shield Company of the Lower Guild. To what do I owe this honor?"

. . Wholesome Peet . . . . . . . Mai Lin . . . . .

 

[Satin Knights]

"Greetings. I am Kellermyre Stormforge. Servant of Tanager and one of the representatives of the House of Gabbiano that will be attempting to tame the wilderness to the north. I bring you a warning. We believe that House Boraga has hostile intentions, towards us, probably you and anyone else interested in developing this western land. As a friendly competitor, I realize my word will have little weight. I do bring a letter though, from Mr. Cato of the Western Sea Syndicate. It appears that his rival, Mr. King has thrown his hat in with the Boragas."

"So, the storm is on the horizon. As a peaceful new neighbor, I give you as much warning as I can so you can prepare."

Kellermyre hands over the sealed letter to Mai Lin.

"While this is my first crossing of the sea, my captain says that it is not normal for ships to need protection while they are in port. But, on this journey, the Western Sea Syndicate has been graciously providing protection for us. So far, blood has been shed twice. It seems that the leading edge of the storm has arrived."

Kellermyre Stormforge

 

[Systole]

"I am honored to meet you Mister Stormforge, but please allow me to correct one assumption: it is House Forenicci that is your friendly competitor. We of the Lower Guild have merely been contracted to provide security. And we suspected that House Boraga would be ... problematic, but we thank you for providing confirmation," Mai Lin replies. "We will of course be happy to coordinate against mutual threats."

She accepts the letter and glances at the outside which is addressed to "V." While she seems to be an honest person and is probably a competent fighter and leader, she is obviously not much of a card player. Her gaze involuntarily tracks to a plainly dressed half-orc sitting on a crate nearby and having lunch. "I'll make sure this makes it to Ver... to, uh, its intended recipient," she says.

The half-orc chuckles and stands up. "A good try, captain. Thank you, you're dismissed." The young woman hands the letter to the half-orc who tucks it away without opening it. The captain then discreetly retreats while the half-orc approaches you and looks at you with an appraising eye. "I'm Dame Forenicci's executor here, Mister Stormforge. I prefer to keep a low profile, but ... best laid plans and all that. The name's Vermag."

[sblock=GM]Mai Lin shanked her Bluff check rather badly. There's no way that Kellermyre could have missed the glance.

Which two NPCs do you have with you? When you're leaving the central location where all the NPCs are, please get in the habit of telling me who you're bringing with.[/sblock]

. . . . . Mai Lin . . . . . . . . . . . Vermag . . . . .

 

[Satin Knights]

"Nice to meet you Mister Vermag. I noticed you put that away without reading it. If you wouldn't mind? Curiosity and prudence both want me to verify that what was given to me by Mr. Cato's messenger is the same information that we have delivered to you. So far in this journey, I have been taking a lot of information given to me on... faith."

The dwarf beside him rolls his eyes and chuckles at the apparent understatement.

Kellermyre Stormforge Uder Gormengeist * Shari de Leye

 

[Systole]

The half orc looks at you for a moment, then nods his head and pulls the letter out of his pocket and breaks the seal. "It's not an unreasonable request, I suppose, since you could have just read it yourself if you'd wanted to. Or maybe you did? No ... no, the seal looks legitimate. Let's see ... Boraga paid agents to attack Gabbiano by way of King's Crew ... probably targeting Forenicci ships as well ... Western Sea Syndicate will be maintaining the peace." Vermag finishes skimming the letter, then looks up and shrugs. "It's no surprise to me that Boraga would pull something like this, but I would have guessed they'd take a month or two to settle in first. Of course, I also have to consider the possibility that this is a forgery -- albeit a good one -- since it would be to Gabbiano's advantage if Forenicci and Boraga were at each other's throats from the very beginning."

He pauses, then seems to reach a decision. “But let’s not assume the worst of each other quite yet, especially since we can safely assume the worst of Boraga. So since you went out of our way, I’ll share a copy of our dossier on the Boraga settlement. Deal?”

It's difficult to read the half-orc. He definitely seems to be very smart, and very cagey. But you've no clue at all whether he's trustworthy.

. . . . . Vermag . . . . .