Ghosts of Saltmarsh (cbaer8) - Campaign Thread

Gerrard:

”Very well Captain.  Thank you for your dedication to the well-being of the city during these difficult times.  We will retire for the evening—you know where to find us if you have more questions,” replies Gerrard.

”Come, Mistress Boko, Master Kei, let us find some warmth and comfort this evening—what is left of it,” he concludes, preparing to walk away towards the hotel.

Dwal listens to Peri as they go, nodding here and there but saying little.

Once they arrive at the hotel and are met by Mr. Bowler, seeing the injury to his hand Dwal will ask.
"What's been goin' on here that ya got an injured hand fer?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing," Mr. Bowler apologizes. "I had a small accident while preparing the tea earlier. Nothing to be concerned about. Just a little scratch." He claps his hands and summons an old man who carries a silver tray containing small bowls of baked fruit.

Gnolly helps himself to the first one. "Oh! Now them's good vittles!" he spouts loudly to nobody in particular.

"I trust you had a pleasant evening?" inquires Mr. Bowler, still looking over your shoulders for Gerrard. He eyes the state of Dwal's clothing and Peri's face. "Can I fetch you a change of clothes? Perhaps some hot water and a towel? There's a small problem with your room, but we'll wait for Master Gerrard to clear that up." He holds two envelopes in his hand, both stamped with the hotel's insignia.

Dwal looks the man up and down.
"Out with it, what's tha issue with tha room?" he asks firmly.

Kei 

How mood flips completely at the sight of Gerrard and Boko. "I deliver that fish head to the temple, turn around and you both are gone. Where in the nine hells did you get to? Ever think I might be concerned that you'd both been sucked in by a sink hole or something worse?" His tirade continues and anyone who didn't know him would think he was angry, Gerrard though knows this is Kei's way of showing his relief and concern. 

He listens with vague interest as Gerrard speaks with the guard Captain but it's the talk of warmth, old and a bed that takes his ear. His stride, although he's exhausted, is longer than normal as they head towards the hotel. He now knows that Peri and Dwal are safe too and he fully intends to give them a piece of his mind just as he did to his current company. Upon arrival at the hotel he bursts in and rushes past any porter to scold his vertically challenged friends.

As Kei, Boko, and Gerrard trudge inside out of the deep black snow of the city streets, the five of you reunite in the lobby of the stylishly-decorated Seaton Hotel. It is past midnight, and everyone is exhausted, filthy, injured, and covered in grime. (Peri's captain's outfit is still perfectly clean and pressed, but the rest of him is far from it.) Gnolly the guard sits nearby eating bowls of baked fruit. (Pockets returned and remained with the guard captain at the substation, after being politely unimpressed by the collapsed tenement block.)

"Ah! Master Feldren!" says Mr. Bowler, brightly if nervously. "May I have a word with you?"

He pulls Gerrard aside. "First, this note came for you earlier." He hands Gerrard one of his two envelopes and continues quietly. "But more importantly, we've had a problem with your accommodations. It seems your esteemed family has firmly requested that we ask you and your friends to find new accommodations tonight. I did a little asking around, and it seems they have contacted some of the other finer hotels in the city and have asked the same, or risk immediate closure. Now, I don't want to deny you a bed tonight. If you have no other options, my laundryman has some bunks at his laundry facility by the docks. Far below your station, I know, but it's so late at night, and it's the best I could do. I'm so very sorry, Master Feldren. I wish this were not the case. I'm quite embarrassed."

Gerrard:

Greeting Dwal and Peri with relief, Gerrard says, “I am glad to see you my friends.”  Turning to the guardsman, he adds, “Thank you for seeing them safely here.”

At Mr. Bowler’s nervous greeting, he nods and enters into a private conversation.  Accepting the missive like it is a snake that threatens to bite him then and there,  he responds quietly, saying, “No, let me apologize to you for dragging you into this.  Your offer is quite generous, and I accept gladly, though I ask of you two further favors.”

Glancing at his tired friends and the distracted guard, he asks, “First, let us leave quietly and by a back way so that those who may come looking for us with ill intent may be delayed.  Second, take these coins and use them to help those poor souls displaced by the building collapse tonight.” Gerrard hands the man 25 platinum pieces, then adds another one, saying, “And this is for you, to show my gratitude for your compassion.”

Standing back and addressing his friends, Gerrard closes his coin pouch and says, “Matters are settled, my friends, though we still have a few loose ends to tie up before laying our heads down tonight.  I don’t know about the rest of you, but I missed dinner tonight.  Mister Bowler, would you happen to have any leftovers in the kitchen?”  Gerrard shoots the others a meaningful look and slightly tilts his head towards the distracted guard as he starts moving towards the kitchen area.

"Agreed" Dwal says, responding to Gerrard's statement. "Glad we're all back safe an' sound."

Taking Gerrard's meaning, Dwal will pick up his things and head his way to the kitchen.

"The kitchen, aye! Let's get some grub!" He follows Gerrard to the kitchen and asks, "But what's this that needs tied up? I plan on eatin', havin' a drink, and fallin' over into a soft bed. I'll try to catch you up on my evenin' with the murder gnome, but then it's goodnight for me!"

Bowler winces a little as he takes the bag of coins - whether from his injured hand or something else is not clear.

"Absolutely, and food we have!" But then he adds, uncertainly and quietly, "But I'm also afraid that I have to give you your bill, now, as well, for your stay with us."  He hands the second envelope to Gerrard. "I'm sorry to part on such awkward circumstances. You understand my hands are completely tied. But we can absolutely feed you." He summons his assistant again. "And let's get find good meat and ale for our brave guardsman!" he announces, nodding to Gnolly. Then he sweeps his arm in an invitation gesturing the party into the kitchen.

Dwal will speak up:
"I'll cover that bill lad."

Gerrard:

As they are swept into the kitchen and out of sight of the guardsman, Gerrard answers gratefully, “Thank you Brother Fiercehammer, you are too kind,” as he passes the unopened bill to the dwarf.

With the party alone in the kitchen except for Mr Bowler, Gerrard adds to the man, ”Ah, yes, food and a guide to our…new accommodations would be most welcome.”

”It seems I have worn out my welcome in Seaton,” he says, addressing the group as he holds up the as yet unopened sealed missive addressed to him.  “We are no longer welcome at this hotel—not by any ill will from our host, but due to my family’s predilections.  Let us eat and give our official escort time to leave the premises, then we can go to the kind Mister Bowler’s backup accommodations.”

Gerrard finds food and drink while he opens the letter from his family and forces himself to read it.

Mr. Bowler rouses a cook and quickly provides an impressive spread, albeit at a crude kitchen table. "I've sent for the laundryman. He'll be here shortly. If anyone besides the laundryman asks, though, could you leave our name out of this? I don't think we were supposed to do this. But I couldn't just turn you out in the snow. But please understand these are not proper accommodations. At all. Again, I apologize profusely." The cook sets out a wide variety of fruits and nuts, candied delicacies, baked goods, and fries up some good-smelling steaks.

Gerrard opens the note. It's on crude, military-grade parchment. It is addressed to Gerrard. "We have a Halfling in custody who was found carrying a large number of gemstones. He claims to be an associate of yours." It goes on to give the address of the substation they just left.

Dwal opens the bill: 400 gold pieces.

The laundryman arrives, or rather his young daughter, maybe ten years old. "Follow me!" she nearly shouts.

Dwal, a bit shocked, will pay the bill immediately.

Peri:

Peri tries to eat, but the excellent food turns to mud and ashes on his tongue, and he doesn't even glance at the wine. He has a hard time looking at his companions, knowing they're being turned out of their fine accommodations because of his drunken antics. Finally the guilt overwhelms him. "I'm sorry, Gerrard -- Lord Feldren. I've never had so much coin in my pockets nor such a fine place to spend it in, and it went to my head. You don't think if I just went to your family's house and apologized and promised to shove off outta town, they might let you folks stay? I'd tell 'em I'm real sorry, and you're a fine leader and better friend, and it weren't any fault of yours I went out and made a fool of myself. And it was defendin' their honor, after all -- well, your honor, so kinda theirs by extension -- that's what got the fight started after all. But I know it don't matter, I still besmirched the family, so I'll leave with the tide. But maybe they'll let the rest of you enjoy some shore leave here and you can still show 'em you're not a lout like your halfling, half-wit crewman."

Gerrard:

Smiling at Peri, Gerrard hands him the letter and says, “A souvenir, if you like, to go with my letter of thanks to you I penned not so long ago in Saltmarsh.”

”Your actions may have played some small part in our lack of welcome here, Master Fenwader, but I suspect this has far more to do with my mother disapproving of my life as an adventurer instead of coming back to the manor and playing the dutiful fourth son—a life of ease and boredom with no real significance,” he continues, “and I regret that this maneuver by my family has made you all less welcome in the city by extension.  Let us go rest tonight and sail with the tide in the morning, Master Fenwader, and keep our promises to help those we can.”

When everyone is ready, Gerrard follows the girl out into the cold night to find their rest for the evening.

Mr. Bowler thanks and apologizes to Dwal with sincere appreciation for his prompt payment, then apologizes again to Gerrard. He fills your arms with bags of pastries and fruit, and bids you farewell. 

The girl leads you out the back door of the kitchen, through a back alley shortcut, then down a tangle of dark, snowy lanes to a low, grim, industrial building. You meet no one along the way. She talks loudly about her pet rabbit most of the way. (Her name is Liddy; her pet rabbit's name, as you soon all learn well, is "Bunny".)

She opens a nondescript door off a dark lane and leads you down a dark hallway into a large, stone room. It's quite hot inside - a welcome change from the bitter cold of the midnight streets - and it smells of chemicals. A large, low wooden platform is built along one wall, piled with blankets and pillows. Across a walkway are a series of still-steaming vats. A thin, bearded man greets you and invites you all to sleep on the platform. He doesn't have a lot to say about the matter. He's still busy wrapping up his day's work, carrying baskets of wet laundry to hang in the next room. 

It looks comfortable enough to sleep on, but in vast contrast to the lavish accommodations of the Seaton Hotel.

Dwal will find a spot and have a seat.
"What shift do ya want me ta take?" he asks. "Since I figure we ain't in tha land of milk an' honey, we best be on our guard." 

Gerrard:

”Is there a place we can wash up a bit?” asks Gerrard if the thin man, cleaning his face and clothing as best he can, then settling down in a swirl of blankets.  Looking at the Dwal, he says, “I hope a watch is unnecessary, but I will stay up for one if needed.”

Looking at Peri, he says, “Do you wish to tell your tale now, or perhaps after we depart on the morning tide to make the hours on the sea go by the quicker, Master Fenwader?”

Boko asks Liddy if she is keeping the rabbit to toy with before eating it. She’s confused by whatever answer she gets.

When she arrives at the destination she asks Kei about that dome he manifested before, if it would be possible in this place.