Matt B Blogging

13. Downtime in Highbridge

Housekeeping

Switching from Mythic to GEMulator for now - I like its Campaign - Adventure - Scene structure with downtime mechanics between adventures.

I know I said I'd describe my world building, but no, I wont. I'll just add more flavour during these session journals. I have nations, religions, gods, cults and various factions! I created these using Worlds Without Number, following the GEMulator creator's WWN worldbuilding blog journal as a guide: Randomized Roleplay C1: Worlds Without Number

Also, despite the introduction of Krow and Iambere, I will concentrate on Rae for now. This game started with her after all, but I think I'll play those two as a side-campaign every now and then?

Back to the show

It's slow going to Highbridge, dragging the bodies of their fallen on their roughly made sledges. They have to camp the night beside the road, before continuing on the next day. Nahisse is very quiet the whole trip, glancing at the body of her sister often. Rae is likewise silent, and full of guilt and self-doubt. She promised Westy and Phalax easy money, and that she'd protect them if any monsters appeared, but they were dead before she even had her wits about her. And then she was knocked out so easily! She thought she was Queen-Shit, back in Highbridge, but she's a nobody. For some reason Enwa, the god of fate, spared her? She barely says two words to her saviours the whole trip back.

Krow and Iambere talk quietly of Lena, and the dagger, and the horrible visions they had while under its thrall.

They arrive at Highbridge just after noon on Feastday, four days since Rae had left (Feastday, 20th of the month of Thabasie, the 107th year of The Republic), and just as a light rain comes in from the sea to the west.

Guards rush out to question them, but when they recognise Rae, and Krow's group from two days ago, they then help with the bodies. The Magistrate herself comes out to meet the group. She's a broad-shouldered woman with short-cropped black hair by the name of Sir Redgrave. Iambere, the most eloquent of the four adventurers tells the tale of the Tomb, and the fate of local lad, Thaeteron, as well as that of Elferen, Antari and Phrost.

Sir Redgrave, frowning, turns to Rae as she explains the fate of two more locals, Phalax and Westy. Redgrave murmurs a prayer to Enwa over the bodies. "Maferagul - your family are worried about you. You should go home at once. I'll give the news to the families of Phalax and Westingham..."

"No! No, thank you Sir, but it should come from me".

Redgrave nods approvingly, puts a calloused hand on Rae's shoulder. "Thank you, thank you all. With the Tomb cleared of that evil presence, hopefully that will put an end to the disappearances".

Rae, head down, doesn't look at the Magistrate, or Krow's party, but heads to the market square, and manages to sell the circlet for 900gp.

Phalax's mum does not take the news well. Her husband was killed by bandits the year before, and her youngest lost at sea the year before that. Rae gives her 50 gold - with a promise to watch over the family.

Westy only had an older sister in Highbridge. He was staying with her and her husband and their two kids. Westy's sister, Tarnae is quite upset, but unsurprised, and hugs Rae. It's the first comfort Rae has received since it all went down, and she sobs along with Tarnae. Embarrassed and raw, Rae leaves 50gp, and heads to the Maferagul shipyard, north of town.

Rolled up some family - only child, some uncles and aunts and an ommer
(a gender-neutral aunt/uncle term)

Also, we're officially in downtime, so I decided on some factions:

- Dusk Razor Gang, led by Ren Rajeorn - who Rae owes money to
- Lena's Patron Faction - The Cult of Behlor
- Maferagul Shipwrights - Rae's family's business

Rolled event for The Cult of Behlor 
  Entertainment "relaxed atmosphere hides tension"
  Failure to get the dagger intact was a big setback, but they act
  like it wasn't

Rolled event for Dusk Razor Gang
  Assets "improvised tool proves itself useful"
  Let's say they find Rae and the Maferagul debt very useful
  
  Q. Did gang tell Maferagul's about Rae's debt? Yes

Rolled event for Maferagul Shipwrights
  Entertainment "restrictive laws require creative means
  of entertainment"

Because of Rae's extended absence Ren, the leader of the Dusk Razor Gang, told the Maferagul's that Rae is probably dead, and that the Shipwrights owe Ren 500 gold. While they've been waiting, they've have taken up residence in a nearly completed ship, commissioned by a local merchant.

Her family are very happy to see Rae alive, but very angry about the secret debt and their "guests". Rae goes aboard the drydocked ship to see Ren and pays off the loan. Ren is all "I'm very happy to see you alive!", like they're the best of friends. Agrees to leave the ship and the Maferagul's alone, if Rae does a little task for them. Then they'll be square.

After the gang leaves, Rae gets chewed out by her family. She gives 100gp to hopefully help with damages the gang have done to the ship, and spends some downtime working at the shipyard.

It seems that her rescuers Krow, Iambere and Nahisse bought a wagon and horses, and left for Giroll early the next morning.

Later that day she goes go to the services for Thaeteron, Westy and Phalax, and the joint wake at the good tavern. At the wake everyone sees that Raeba has changed. There's no boasting, no tall tales, no ribbing. Instead she's subdued and prickly. She gets quickly and quietly plastered by herself at a corner of the bar, and stumbles back home early to the Shipyard.

The rest of the week, other than commissioning a set of plate armour for herself, is spent working to exhaustion helping to set the frame for a small coastal ketch that's been ordered.

She's hoping Ren's forgotten about the favour she asked for, but a messenger from the gang leader comes late the following week, to meet on Feastday at their headquarters in Highbridge - a full week since Rae arrived back. She's told she'll be protecting a caravan, gone for a week at most, and to pack accordingly.