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Chapter 2 - Session 1

Volunteers for the King's Navy and a Fiery Night at the Docks

Events and Actions

The session began with the party, now Level 1, discussing their next steps after Captain Barrows' offer to join the crew of the "Advance." They debated the fate of Stick Stab, with Riu advocating for his redemption and proposing that his taken Medallion be returned to him, believing Fate had chosen Stick Stab as it had chosen them; Riu voiced concern that removing the Medallion in the first place might have interrupted Fate's design. Cosimo, while no less wary, pointed out that Stick Stab had only done what his boss ordered him to do in hunting the party down — a choice several of them might once have made themselves in his position. Others remained wary of trusting Stick Stab — Knick Nab pointedly noted that one of Stick Stab's own associates had shot him — though the party agreed that if he could not be reached, the Medallion might instead be given to Randolph the Chronicler or one of the Crow's Nest's mistresses. Mindful of Stick Stab's earlier warning that his associates would come for them regardless of his own fate, the party resolved to stay together and keep watch through the night rather than split up. Knick Nab investigated a mention of a "red-headed" associate of Stick Stab but found no leads within his former gang.

The party then turned to preparations before joining the ship, taking stock of the 44 silver and 3 gold they held in common. They were advised that a warship offered little privacy and no shortage of gambling among the crew, and that valuables were best left behind — a caution that shaped their decision to keep only essentials aboard. Mani arranged to buy spices from Burlyman as a gift for the ship's cook, hoping to win favor with the crew; Burlyman warned him that such gifts tend to end up with the officers rather than the cook, and suggested routing the gift through the captain instead. Riu planned to buy a surgeon's kit and a herb reference book. Werner De Rendal decided to procure a Midshipman's uniform and a bottle of alcohol for the Quartermaster. Cosimo planned to purchase a mandolin, while Knick Nab planned to replace the fiddle that had been stolen from him since arriving in the city. The party decided Mani would carry the original Gildenhome map, sewn into the lining of his notebook and protected within an oilskin bag, while Cosimo worked a brick loose in the mortar of the Crow's Nest common room wall to hide the paper copy of the map behind it.

That evening, the party said their farewells. Mani visited Randolph the Chronicler, who gifted him a fine dagger (a main gauche) and delivered an almost valedictory farewell, warning that Mani might not find him still posted in the Capitol even a year hence and telling him to ask after his whereabouts at the Academy if he wished to find him again. Overjoyed, Mani immediately took the blade to a corner of the room to practice his fencing, too elated to sit still. Mani had discussed arranging flowers for Mistress Clara through Burlyman, but that errand went undone; instead, he personally delivered her a sealed, wax-stamped poem asking her permission to write to her of his adventures and dedicate his future glories to her, which she granted. The poem, left for her to read afterward, read: "Clarity in dawn, leave a youth, return a man, to earn love's first kiss." Riu received a gift of herbs from Mistress Clara during the same visit.

Back at The Crow's Nest, Mani's singing captivated the common room — quieting a nearby brewing fistfight and revealing an unexpected talent — while Knick Nab slipped out unnoticed to confront a remnant of his old gang. Finding the hideout's ground-floor windows barred and shuttered and failing to pick the lock on its back door, he climbed a tree behind the neighboring butcher's yard to reach an open second-floor window — the same one through which the party had first broken in to find Nigfa — and let himself in that way. The room beyond had clearly been searched, its crates broken open and contents strewn about, evidently since the party had reported the hideout's location to the Admiralty. Descending to the basement, he found a young, frightened boy from his former gang sleeping alone; the boy startled awake and rolled off his sleeping plank in terror. Knick Nab gave his own name and warned the boy to tell his bosses that they would pay when he returned, then let him go unharmed. The excursion left Knick Nab unusually tired by the time he slipped back into the inn undetected.

The next morning, Cosimo led the party in a morning prayer, building his sermon to a flourish — weighing the trials of yesterday against the glories still to come — before breaking into tongues and manifesting an illusion of light, falling stars, and choral music. The vision astounded his companions and confirmed for Mani that their path was divinely guided; Burlyman blearily wandered out mid-vision, mistook it for the lingering effects of drink, and went back to bed without ever registering what he had nearly witnessed. Mani rushed outside afterward half-expecting to find the mysterious old woman who had once guided the party to the Crow's Nest, but the street was empty.

The party then proceeded to the docks to report to the "Advance," interacting with an officer manning a table set up dockside. Riu dictated a written note to Captain Barrows arguing that Stick Stab could be convinced to cooperate fully with the Navy, and requesting permission to see him and offer him a place aboard in exchange for his cooperation rather than a death sentence. Bosun Burton carried the note to Second Lieutenant Conrad to relay to the captain; after roughly an hour's wait, word came back that Captain Barrows had no authority over Stick Stab and that he could not be seen — a sign he was being held elsewhere, presumably the Admiralty. The party agreed that pursuing the matter further would mean petitioning the Admiralty directly, but decided their remaining time was better spent finishing preparations, and let the matter rest for now. Werner De Rendal confirmed his Midshipman status with the officer at the table, who remarked that he looked old for the rank; Werner explained he had spent his life aboard a whaling ship before earning his commission.

The party then went shopping. Werner acquired his uniform from a tailor named Abercrombie & Fitch, haggling the price down from twelve silver to ten. Riu bought his surgeon's kit, and Cosimo and Knick Nab their instruments. Because Knick Nab and Cosimo were both wanted men, they judged it too risky to enter High Town themselves, so Riu went alone to purchase his herb reference book — an excursion that left him unusually tired by the time he returned to the group. Before boarding, one of the party lingered near the High Town gate hoping the mysterious old woman might appear to see them off, recalling how she had once appeared unbidden outside the Admiralty, but she did not show.

Upon returning to the "Advance," each member was formally assigned their roles. Mani was assigned to the Marines under Master of Arms Bors, presenting himself as a swordsman trained by several masters of arms and boasting he could hit a target at a hundred metres with a musket — a claim he quietly walked back once pressed for specifics; Bors ordered that he be issued a proper sword, an order not yet fulfilled by the session's end. Riu was assigned as Surgeon's Mate to Dr. Forester and immediately put to work measuring bulk medicinal herbs into jars; he asked whether there had been any injuries aboard he might treat to prove himself, but found the ship's first day mercifully quiet — little worse than a hangnail and a bleeding nose. He later secured Dr. Forester's permission to keep his pet squid, Squidly III, in the infirmary. Werner De Rendal was assigned as Midshipman under Second Lieutenant Conrad, who tested him by having him diagnose a broken hasp on the ship's compass housing — which Werner correctly identified — before ordering him to marshal a group of idle sailors led by senior hand Hal into coiling loose rigging; on his own initiative, Werner also worked out the state of the tide to gauge the urgency of the task. Cosimo, reporting aboard, was recognized by the boarding officer from a wanted notice bearing a reward for his capture, but was processed and sent on regardless; he was assigned to assist Quartermaster Mr. Crispin with rigging and cargo, and shortly afterward leapt into action when a rope gave way and a loaded cargo platform swung out over the water — he clambered across the suspended rigging, reached the platform, directed its retrieval by crane, and re-secured the load, impressing the watching crew. Knick Nab was assigned as Captain Barrows' Cabin Boy; Barrows personally recognized him, thanked him for speaking up on his behalf at the court-martial, and called him brave before handing him off to Third Lieutenant Gunter, who toured him around the ship's officers — Sailing Master Styles, Quartermaster Crispin, First Lieutenant Clugny, Second Lieutenant Conrad, Dr. Forester, and Master of Arms Bors. Returning to the captain's cabin afterward, Knick Nab was sent off again, this time to the galley, to tell the ship's stewards that the captain would take dinner at five. That evening, Werner personally delivered his purchased bottle of alcohol to Quartermaster Crispin, formally introducing himself in the process and earning a word of approval for the gesture.

Knick Nab later sought out First Lieutenant Clugny to ask why the ship had not left on the tide as planned; Clugny explained that the ship was several hundredweight short of its expected gunpowder and that departure was now expected first thing the next morning.

As night fell, while Werner De Rendal and Noddy were on watch, two separate attempts were made to bomb the "Advance" and a nearby warship using rowboats laden with explosives — a professionally-made device rigging a barrel of gunpowder to a water-clock timer and a flintlock mechanism poised over a tray of loose powder. Noddy first spotted the rowboat drifting toward the ship out of the darkness; Werner called the alert to the officer of the watch and challenged the boat's occupant, who slipped overboard and swam off before the boat drifted alongside. Werner swam out, stripping off his jacket, hat, and sword first, boarded the rowboat, and tried to snatch the pistol free of the rigged mechanism, but found it fixed in place; failing to make sense of the device otherwise, he simply tipped the boat after a tense pause, dumping it into the harbor before pushing the sealed powder barrel ashore as evidence. A boat crew of Marines and sailors put out with oars to search for the saboteur, but he was never caught. Werner and Mani then rushed to the second rowboat as it approached the other warship; after several failed attempts to tip it, they succeeded on a last try that Mani credited to divine favor, capsizing the device and claiming the recovered boat as Werner's prize. The session concluded with the threat unresolved — no one could yet say whether further devices lay hidden elsewhere along the docks — with alarms ringing and the crews of both ships on high alert.

NPCs & Creatures

  • Captain Barrows: Captain of the "Advance"; personally welcomed Knick Nab aboard and thanked him for testifying on his behalf at the court-martial, but denied Riu's request to see Stick Stab.
  • Stick Stab: Discussed at length; remains in Navy custody beyond Captain Barrows' authority.
  • Burlyman: Proprietor of The Crow's Nest; sold spices to Mani and advised him on how best to gift them, and unwittingly slept through the tail end of Cosimo's miracle.
  • Randolph the Chronicler: Gifted Mani a dagger and bid him an almost valedictory farewell.
  • Mistress Clara: Gifted Riu herbs and accepted a sealed poem from Mani.
  • The mysterious old woman: Watched for twice, after the morning prayer and again before boarding, but did not appear either time.
  • Young former gang member: A frightened boy found sleeping in Nigfa's old, ransacked hideout; intimidated and sent off with a warning by Knick Nab.
  • Third Lieutenant Gunter: Took over the dockside table to receive Knick Nab, escorted him to Captain Barrows, and later toured him around the ship's officers.
  • Bosun Burton: Directed Mani upon boarding and carried Riu's note about Stick Stab to Second Lieutenant Conrad.
  • Master of Arms Bors: Mani was assigned to him and ordered to be issued a proper sword.
  • Dr. Forester: Ship's doctor; Riu was assigned as his mate and given permission to keep his pet squid in the infirmary.
  • Second Lieutenant Conrad: Werner De Rendal was assigned to him, tested him on the ship's compass, and had him marshal the idle sailors under Hal.
  • Hal: Senior deck hand found idling with a group of sailors; put to work coiling rope at Werner's order.
  • Mr. Crispin: Quartermaster; Cosimo was assigned to assist him and impressed him by rescuing a swinging cargo platform. Later accepted a gift of alcohol from Werner De Rendal.
  • First Lieutenant Clugny: Pointed out to Knick Nab during his tour, and later explained the gunpowder shortage delaying departure.
  • Mr. Styles: Sailing Master; pointed out to Knick Nab.
  • Squidly III: Riu's pet squid, given a home in the ship's infirmary.
  • Unnamed Officer of the Watch: Present during the rowboat attacks.
  • Unnamed saboteur(s): Attempted to bomb the ships; the first slipped into the harbor and was not caught.
  • Various unnamed sailors, Marines, and dockworkers.

Locations

  • The Crow's Nest: The party stayed overnight, sang and drank in the common room, and hid a copy of the Gildenhome map behind a loosened brick; Cosimo performed his illusion spell here.
  • Grunge Lane Hideout (Nigfa's old hideout): Visited by Knick Nab; found already ransacked.
  • The Capitol:
    • Low Town streets and shops.
    • High Town gate and two bookstores.
    • Tailor shop ("Abercrombie & Fitch").
  • The Admiralty: Discussed as the place Stick Stab was likely being held and where the party would need to go to press the matter further; they did not go there this session.
  • The Docks: Recruitment area and general activity.
  • The "Advance" (Naval Vessel): A two-masted warship, smaller than the whaling ships Werner had crewed before and without a true gun deck (her cannon sit on the open deck rather than an enclosed deck beneath). The party boarded and were assigned duties. Key areas included:
    • Main Deck, Midships, Forecastle, Poop Deck (off-limits without invitation or official business)
    • Captain's Cabin (modest rather than grand)
    • Infirmary
    • Galley
    • Orlop Deck and Hold
    • Powder Magazine (guarded area below decks, off-limits to all but assigned Marines)
    • The Fighting Top, a mast-head platform where the ship's best marksmen are posted in battle
    • Masts, sails, and rigging — fore and main masts, spanker, top sail, top gallant, shrouds, and capstan among the bewildering array of terms thrown at the newly-arrived crew
    • Berthing areas for crew, Marines, and Midshipmen.
  • Unnamed second warship: Also docked nearby and targeted by a saboteur.

Conflicts

  • Knick Nab intimidated a young boy at his former gang's hideout, delivering a warning for him to carry back to his old associates.
  • Cosimo's dangerous scramble across the ship's rigging to recover a swinging cargo platform after its rope gave way, averting the loss of the load.
  • Two attempted bombings of the "Advance" and a neighboring warship using rowboats rigged with professionally-made, timed explosive devices. These attacks were foiled by the party, primarily Werner De Rendal and Mani, though the saboteur behind the first attempt escaped into the harbor, and whether further devices remain hidden along the docks was unresolved as the session ended.

Learnings and Discussions

  • The party is now officially Level 1.
  • Cosimo's successful and dramatic illusion spellcasting demonstrated his magical abilities to the group, and confirmed for Mani that their path is divinely guided — his zeal has only grown since, and he now looks for omens in small coincidences.
  • Because both Knick Nab and Cosimo are wanted men in the Capitol, they judged it too dangerous to enter High Town themselves, a reminder of how exposed they remain even as they prepare to leave the city.
  • The party members were assigned various roles and duties aboard the "Advance," beginning their integration into naval life, and learned the names and roles of several key officers in the process.
  • The "Advance" carries a complement of roughly two dozen Marines and about six midshipmen, all more experienced than Werner despite his age — a reminder that the party, now naval personnel, remain thoroughly green.
  • The ship's posted regulations forbid gambling and unauthorized drinking among the crew, with mutiny punishable by death, underscoring the strictness of naval discipline.
  • The ship's departure was delayed from evening to the next morning due to a shortage of gunpowder.
  • Both Knick Nab and Riu experienced unusual fatigue after their respective solo excursions — into the old hideout and High Town — possibly related to their Medallions.
  • The infirmary keeps a running count of days since the ship's last injury; it stood at zero after a day of minor mishaps amid all the loading and provisioning.
  • Life on a naval vessel is hierarchical, with strict protocols and constant activity.
  • The "Advance" is being heavily provisioned with supplies, including gunpowder and livestock, indicating preparations for a significant voyage or military action.
  • The party chose to hide the paper copy of the Gildenhome map behind a loosened brick at the Crow's Nest, keeping only the original — sewn into Mani's notebook — with them aboard ship.
  • Mani speculated, without confirmation, that the dockside saboteurs might be working for the South.

Items Gained

  • Mani:
    • Spices (purchased from Burlyman for 1 gold).
    • Fine Dagger (Main Gauche, gift from Randolph the Chronicler).
    • Oilskin bag (purchased for 1 silver).
  • Riu:
    • Small tin of medical herbs (gift from Mistress Clara).
    • Surgeon's kit (purchased for 2 gold).
    • Herb reference book ("Book of Herbs," purchased for 30 silver).
  • Werner De Rendal:
    • Midshipman's uniform (purchased for 10 silver, haggled down from 12).
    • Bottle of alcohol (purchased, cost not specified, given to Quartermaster).
    • A captured rowboat, claimed as a prize after the second bombing attempt.
  • Cosimo:
    • Mandolin (purchased for 1.5 silver).
  • Knick Nab:
    • Fiddle (purchased for 1.5 silver, to replace one stolen from him).

Items Lost

  • Mani: 1 gold (spices), 1 silver (oilskin bag).
  • Riu: 2 gold (surgeon's kit), 30 silver (herb book), 1 silver (bribe to High Town guard).
  • Werner De Rendal: 10 silver (uniform), cost of alcohol.
  • Cosimo: 1.5 silver (mandolin).
  • Knick Nab: 1.5 silver (fiddle).