Maidenfine's Freeport Saga

[Maidenfine]

Swagfest continues. . .

Selene’ya entered the run-down tavern and slapped two gold onto the counter. The barkeep looked up at the sound of coin.

“I’m in,” she said. The man nodded and directed her to the end of the bar where three others were ready to start a new contest. She took her place and the barkeep poured the first drinks.
She slammed back her first shot and set the glass back on the bar. This is some strong stuff. The three others proceeded to drink and set their glasses down. The barkeep refilled the glasses. Selene’ya tipped back her head to drink her next shot. She started to set her glass down before swallowing, changed her mind, then changed it again. In the process, the glass fell to the floor. She was out of the contest. One of the other men slammed his glass down too quickly losing his grip and sending it sliding to the floor. The competition had quickly narrowed to two.

Selene’ya watched for another round before losing interest. Isn’t another event set to start soon? She began to wander toward the docks.





The Harbormaster’s wife, Darla, stepped to the front of the stage. Her sea colored dress accented her pale green skin, enhancing her natural beauty. All eyes in the audience were on her.

“We all know that Drac and Francisco chased the fat rats up and down the sea lanes. Now it’s your turn.” The Harbormaster climbed onto the stage, dragging a chest behind him. Once he reached the front to the stage, he opened the chest to pull out a huge rat. All the children squealed at the sight of the three foot long creature. The women screamed, as did a few of the men who were too drunk to remain macho.
“First on to bring it back gets the treasure,” Darla announced. “And remember, he’s worth more alive than dead.” At that, the Harbormaster tossed the rat into the audience. As the women and children attempted to flee, so did the rat, and the chase was on.

 

[Maidenfine]

I'm a horrible Story Hour writer

Okay. I already have all of the rat chase written up, it just needs to be typed. The problem is, I am going to school full time and working a full time job. So my time is extremely limited. I will promise to update my Story Hour every Sunday and Wednesday. The updates probably won't be very long but they will be something.

I am actually taking the next two weeks off as far as D&D goes so if I work hard enough I might actually be able to catch up. Not that I think it's possible but I can always try.

A few teasers:

After the official Swagfest activites there's a trip to the tavern that leads to a dual and two PC kills.

One of the players gets swallowed by a demon.

The party becomes very familiar with the sewers. Especially the sewers under Councillor Verlaine's outhouse.


Hopefully, that will tide any readers over until tomorrow when I will put up a real update.

 

[Maidenfine]

The rat chase continues. . .

Kiohrin managed to keep the rat in sight despite the children crossing his path. It ran down the street and turned the corner to follow the shoreline. Kiohrin was finally clear of the crowd and took off at a run to keep up with the rat. He followed it straight into Scurvytown.

As the rat scurried into the basement window of a nearby building, Kiohrin checked out the competition. Only two women were left. One wore a riding skirt and leggings. The other wore baggy breeches. The first had bright red hair tied into two braids. The other had short brown hair cut off at her shoulders.

Kiohrin, hoping to lead the women astray, stopped near the building, panting as if to catch his breath. The redhead caught up first.

“Did you see where it went?” she asked, panting as she looked around.

“Nope. I lost it about 50 feet back. I thought I’d just keep going straight but I didn’t catch sight of it again.”

The other woman caught up. “Do you know where it is?” she asked.

“No. He lost it,” the redhead scowled. At her words, the dark-haired woman began crawling around, searching the ground. Kiohrin and the redhead exchanged glances.

“Found it!” cried the dark girl. She crawled slowly but surely over to the basement window. “It ran in here!” She turned to give Kiohrin an accusing look before climbing through the window.
As the redhead followed the other woman through the window, Kiohrin found a door on the other side of the building. As he ran down the stairs and followed the hall, the women were just opening a door.

As he entered the room, Kiohrin saw the rat, but it wouldn’t be causing him any trouble. The room was filled with webs and several large cocoons. The rat was desperately trying to gnaw its way out of the webs that held it.

“Leave now and I’ll let you live.” A raspy voice from the corner drew Kiohrin’s attention to a pair of eyes. And the spiderlike form visible behind them.

“Just let us have the rat and I’ll bring you something even better to eat.” The dark-haired girl seemed brave, if a bit naïve.

“How about I eat you.” The spider said, followed by a stream of web headed toward Kiohrin. Kiohrin easily dodged the web. As the dark-haired girl pulled a greatsword to attack, Kiohrin stepped off to one side to open the nearest cocoon.
As he tugged on the webbing, Kiohrin felt a tug on his mind. For a split second a chill of fear ran up his spine. Just as quickly as it came, Kiohrin pushed it away. He ripped a section off of the cocoon, revealing a face; one he recognized.

 

[Maidenfine]

Names vs. No Names

Is it confusing when I don't use names? I've been trying to keep the point of view to the character I'm writing from so if they don't know a name, I don't use it. But I also understand that it can get confusing when the people with and without names changes from one section to another (which they are going to do for this battle). Let me know if you would greatly prefer that I use names.

 

[Maidenfine]

"Am I dead?"

Kale followed the small man to a building just inside Scurvytown. This man had better be telling the truth if I'm going to be dragged into Scurvytown

"Why would Lydon's assassin be in Scurvytown? Couldn't you have moved her the 100 feet to the Docks?" Kale was irritated. He hated filth and Scurvytown was nothing if not filthy.

"She's a feisty one," said the man as he led Kale down the stairs. At the end of a short hallway, he opened a door. As he did so, his body subtly changed. "I would've enjoyed eating her. If I'd caught her."

Before he could react, Kale was trapped in webbing. He struggled to breathe as the man, now a spider, spun him into a cocoon.






Scarlett ran at the spider with her rapier. It said a few words and suddenly the dark-haired girl was staring off into space. As the tall man punched the spider, it turned to Scarlett. It shot its webbing at her, pinning her to the wall. Scarlett struggled to free herself as the spider turned its focus to the man.

The other woman snapped out of her daze and attacked the spider. As she swung her sword, she tripped over a thick strand of web. She and her sword clattered to the ground. The man continued to punch the spider.

Scarlett groaned. "Don't you have a weapon?"

"I left it at the inn," the man replied, a split second before the spider bit into his arm.

Scarlett rolled her eyes. Left it at the inn? This is Freeport, what was he thinking? "Use my rapier. Or that girl's sword. She's not using it."

The man wrenched his arm free ad picked up the fallen greatsword. As he crouched for the sword the spider missed him and succeeded in biting its own leg. The man swung upward as he lunged from the ground.

The spider lay bleeding among the webs. "You may kill me, but my brethren will eat you alive."

"Yeah. whatever." Scarlett finally managed to free herself from the webbing that held her to the wall as the man finished off the spider. Afterwards, she helped him rip the faces off of the remaining cocoons, some of which held gruesome sights.

Scarlet looked around, trying to figure out the next step. "By the way, thanks for the- Hey!" Scarlett rushed to stop the man from leaving with the rat. "Where do you think you're going?"

The man stopped to look at Scarlett. "Hold this." He held out the greatsword he had borrowed.

Scarlett took it. What am I supposed to do with this? As soon as she held it the man took off running.







Selene'ya opened her eyes. Light came from somewhere behind a golden-haired man who smiled down at her. He mouth moved but she couldn't focus on his words. she was staring at his wings; his dark blue wings.

"Am I dead?"

"Nope." As soon as the words left her mouth, she recognized him. He had been in a cocoon. Before that, he had been on stage with Captain Lydon and the others.

Selene'ya sat up. She had a blinding headache. as the winged man filled her in on the whereabouts of the redhead and the tall man, she searched the room. She retrieved her greatsword and even found a few sacks of loot in a corner. Mine now, she thought.

"Look. No offense but would you shush it and help me drag this thing back. Those two may have won the rat race, but I'm gonna steal the show."

 

[Maidenfine]

and the award goes to. . .

Sorry it's so late in the day but here is my Sunday update as promised.


"Congratulations, and the treasure, go to Kiohrin of the desert!" Darla handed Kiohrin a small chest. he peeked inside to see a variety of spices. He smiled to the crowd. What am I going to do with these?

"I couldn't have done it without. . ." He looked to the redhead, who suddenly stopped glaring at him.

"Scarlett RedBlood."

". . . Scarlett Red Blood. This prize belongs to her." Kiohrin handed the small chest to her as the audience cheered. As her offered his hand to help her onto the stage, he saw movement at the edge of his eyesight. He looked over to see the scruffy dark-haired girl, dragging the giant spider behind her. The crowd grew silent, and confused, as she drew near.

Darla was the first to regain her composure. "I think you may have made a mistake, lassie. you were hunting a rat." The crowd chuckled.

"This thing almost ate your stupid rat and us with it. If not for my help, the tall fellow up there wouldn't have been alive to bring back that rat." Selen'ya dropped the body of the spider in front of the stage.

"I was going to come back for you," said Kiohrin.

"Right. I'm sure you were." Selene'ya proceeded to tell her tale as the audience listened with wonder. Of course, she skipped the part where she tripped, knocking herself out and missing the end of the battle. Kiohrin gazed into the audience as she continued to speak. His attention was caught by three men, slipping away from the crowd. Now those three don't look so happy about the death of this menace. He turned his focus back to the girl just in time to applaud as she finished her exaggerated version of the story.

 

[Maidenfine]

Sorry it's a day late. My computer hated me for a day or so.


After all of the excitement died down a little, Scarlett saw her opportunity. "Kiohrin, would you like to join me for a victory drink?" Scarlett watched his eyes as he performed a few mental calculations.

"Maybe tomorrow," he offered. "I'm already a little tipsy today but tomorrow I'll be much better."

"Did I hear someone say victory drink?" Kale suddenly appeared beside her. She tried not to groan. Does he have to show up everywhere I go? Kale smiled at her. "If this fellow won't accept, I'll join you for a drink."

Suddenly, she had everyone's attention. If Kale was going, so was Selene'ya. Somehow, a gnome even got invited. But at least Kiohrin had changed his mind after a chat with some priestess. How did I get myself into this?

Scarlett sighed. "Where shall we go for drinks?"





As the group entered the Black Swan, Annette leaned over the counter in greeting. "Welcome to the Black Sawn. Hiya, Freddie! Hey Selene."

Freddie hopped up onto a barstool as the winged noble made eyes at Annette. "Is my booth open today?" Freddie asked.

"Um. actually, that guy's there again. I guess he's taken a liking to it." Annette looked apologetic. "You want your usual?"

"Yeah," Freddie sighed. "I'll be at my booth."

Kiohrin ordered an ale, Selen'ya asked for a bottle of hard spirits, and Scarlett ordered wine.

"And for you, Sir?" Annette looked expectantly to Kale.

"Uh, water, please."

"Water?" Annette looked puzzled. Freddie laughed silently.

"Yes, water."

"Water on Swagfest. Now I have heard it all," Annette mumbled to herself as she began to prepare the drinks.

Freddie invited the group to his booth. As the headed over to the booth, Freddie tried not to scowl at the sight of Malevir. Annette brought the drinks before Malevir could launch into a conversation. Frederick winked at her as she plopped his drink in front of him. She smiled. She likes me, he thought.

"And your water, Sir." Even Malevir had to hide a smirk. His wings were impressive but this noble guy certainly didn't know how to socialize with commoners.

 

[Maidenfine]

Sorry it's late

I know I promised an update every Wednesday and Sunday but I hit a couple snags that I hadn't foreseen. I had one of my players transcribing the tapes of our game. I caught up to her. I had one week of work left before taking 3 weeks off to finish out the semester and I had a paper due. So basically, I ran out of notes and didn't have time to take more. So I am going to summarize the rest of our first session. Basically, it was their evening at the tavern and part of the next day.

Everyone was laughing at Kale for ordering water. Kale and Frederick for some reason made a bet to see who could bed Annette first. The money was given to Kiohrin for safekeeping. Then the unofficial drinking contest began as we pulled out our old 2nd edition alcohol guide.

Frederick and Kale ordered a drink that required a save not to die immediately. They both survived. Then Selene'ya got into the act (not quite knowing about the Annette bet) and ordered some Whimsy wine, which has random effects.

Selene'ya became irresistible to the opposite gender for seven days. Scarlett became offensively odorous. And Malevir shot through the ceiling, although he was unharmed.

At some point, Frederick realized he was losing and challenged Kale to a duel on the Field of Honor. A large crowd traveled to the Field of Honor and back for the duel. The winner was unimportant, although I believe it was Frederick. Either way, Frederick was still bitter. After that most everyone went home. The bet money was unclaimed, although Kale did pick up a couple girls on his way back home.

The next day, Scarlett (wearing a LOT of perfume) asked Kiohrin to escort her to a dinner party that her father was hosting for the Sea Lord due to Captain Lydon's untimely demise (he was a candidate for a political seat).

Otto tells Frederick that he needs Freddie to take his place at a dinner party. Frederick is introduced to his date, Arianis, and her bodyguard, Mobius. Arianis and Frederick had met earlier that morning when she was running away and hid under Frederick's table. She was rude to him so Frederick told her bodyguard where she was.

Finn asks Selene'ya (who you'll recall is irresistible) to escort him to a dinner party that he has been invited to in the merchant district. He pays for her dress.

Kale is invited by Milton RedBlood to attend a dinner party being held in honor of the Sea Lord and the near completion of his lighthouse. Kale knows that Milton is trying to secure Lydon's vacant spot as a candidate for an empty Captain's Council seat. Kale heads across town to the Black Swan. He invites Annette to the dinner party and takes her out in a coach for lunch. He buys her a dress while they are out. Still no winner on the bet, but Kale is most definitely in the lead.



I am planning on listening to the tapes from here. I remember most of the dinner party stuff but I don't quite remember everything that happens after that. Hopefully, since I'm not working this week, I will have something by Wednesday but if not I'll have something for next Sunday. I would guess that within the next few weeks, I'll finish up the tapes and once I hit the notes, this story hour will fly to catch up to the current game.

 

[Maidenfine]

I swear I will post by Wednesday

Two major problems have contributed to the recent lack of updates. #1. Our computer basically died. We ended up having to reformat the whole thing and reinstall windows and everything. So, needless to say, redoing my papers that are due is a bit of a priority. #2. Somehow, the tapes of the first few sessions are missing. I had them in my bookbag for weeks and now, they are nowhere to be found. I have some cleaning to do in my bedroom so hopefully I'll find them but either way, I'll have something to put up by Wednesday, even if it is just a summary of what was on the tapes. Once I get past the tapes, the notes are much easier to write from.

So basically, by Wednesday I will update.

 

[Maidenfine]

I'm baaack!

Okay. I grovel at the feet of anyone who was actually putting up with my random posts. I took 3 weeks off work so I could finish up my classes and now I'm back to work but I don't have school. I have been working on a script with my brothers but that's almost over so I'll be back on here. I finally finished listening to the tapes that I had so I should be able to get caught up. In the game we have actually gotten to a point where we are going to have a year of downtime. So hopefully I can get caught up within the next few weeks while we take care of the downtime, do one short adventure and then take a week off while I go out of town.
So expect something good by Wednesday. It will include politics, good food, and attempted assassination, and 2 PC kills. Absolute mayhem.

PS. Have I mentioned that tape recording our sessions was a really bad idea? It took 3 tapes to get through a little over 1 battle. We're not so good with the staying on topic thing.