Lords of Norwold ... exciting and new ...
by Jeff DalySummary to be handed out at tonight's game:
Imperial Prince Zandor arrived in the court of King Ericall, through a permanent one-way gate built at a strategic pass. He was arrogant, insulting the king and his retainers through often blunt jibes.
King Ericall took the slander toward himself rather well, and was unfailingly polite. But when Zandor made the suggestion that "some of the lords, being from Thyatis, might have agendas that are not favourable to the Empress", it took the quick wit of Queen Christina Marie Alanira to save him from making a dreadful mistake.
In fact, the queen was able to swindle Zandor into funding a tour of Alphatia for a few of the Norwold lords, including an extravagant trip aboard the famed "Skyship of Love". After several adventures along the Isle of Dawn, from the fish markets of Helskir to the tombs of ancient Thothia, the heroes arrived at Rainbow Park...
Rainbow Park
Customs took only an hour at Gaiety, a surprisingly swift amount of time considering the other docks they had experienced. The dock was a large affair, 40 feet wide at least, with a large galley on the other side. Many passengers were disembarking from it and moving toward the music and revelry that was coming from the town proper. Indeed, entering the town, they found a settlement that seemed made for revelry. Stalls sold various local concoctions and souvenirs, with happy hawkers shouting their wares to the lords and laughingly beckoning them closer. Jugglers, and tumblers were a common sight, often paired in order to do flips from each others backs. there were several stages set up with dancers executing complex steps, and grinning as if they were doing what truly fulfilled their lives. The origin of the music was hidden in the mass of people and 1-story buildings. Dominating this, was the peak of the hill upon which the town had been built. There, a fat tower rose a good 5 or so floors above all other buildings. At the very top, a ship was docked, resting on air as easily as most ships rested on water. A stairway ran around the outside of the tower and connected to the ship via a wide plank.
Just before the lords arrived at the plank, a lupin with close-cut fur, and wearing a smart shiny uniform, saluted the dwarf at the other end of the plank and barked, "Gophie here sir, Captain Stubby, sir! Requesting permission to come aboard!"
The dwarf rolled his eyes in exasperation and replied, "Permission granted."
Seeing the lords and other guests ready to come aboard, he smiled and proclaimed, "Friends, it is my happy pride and honour to welcome you aboard the Skyship of Love. It is not merely our duty to see that you arrive safely in Haven aboard the best darned vessel in the sky, it is also our privilege to see that you enjoy yourselves...and maybe find a little love."
He winked slyly, though his nose reddened considerably, "As you approach each crewmember, each will introduce himself and hope that you will return the honour."
"What should we call you?" Diego asked.
"Ah, well my name is Captain Starbing...but oh, what the heck! Call me Captain Stubby!"
"And I am your entertainment director," speaks a lovely blonde elf, "Julia. Next to me is Isaacar, your bartender."
She gestured to a rakasta, who pointed at each lord and grinned a huge, open smile.
The lords then went on to meet Yolaf, their assistant waiter, Hilon the head waiter, Mufasa the table waiter, Gophie the porter, Collin the cabin boy, and Martok the firstmate. Standing nearby, whom they also met, was Veeti, the captain's oversexed 12-year old daughter.
Okay, I'm not going to get into all the particulars of the voyage. Its still ongoing...but here are some highlights:
The adventure is basically the one that comes directly out of the DotE, except the PCs are not working on the ship, they are guests presented with the same situations.
As the PCs enjoyed themselves at various points on the ship, Eowyn, on deck and sipping an umbrella drink, rejected the advances of Martok the barbarian. She muttered that he was "arrogant" and then demanded of the DM whether all males were either cute and arrogant or ugly and gross like Egelbreth. Now, understand, in our group, I am the right-wing fundamentalist, and she is the hippie peacenik. Try to imagine Stan's lines as spoken by Luke Perry...rather, as someone making fun of Luke Perry...
Me: Well, you do see one fellow standing off to himself, and unlike everyone else, he is not looking down at the townspeople and waving farewell, he is gazing off into the sky.
Eowyn: I walk up to him.
At this point, I scrunch my eyes like Luke Perry often does (on those rare occasions I have had to experience him) and I look off to the upper left of the room.
Eowyn: Hello, beautiful sky isn't it?
Me (as Stan): I suppose.
Eowyn: Enjoying the cruise so far?
Me (as Stan): I don't much go for these things. Some friends set me up with it, so what the heck?
Eowyn: Me too.
That was pretty much it there...but later they are talking again, I'm going back and forth between several groups...but at some point Eowyn mentioned that she was a forester from a town with a lot of elves.
Me (as Stan): Elves.
(Remember now, this is being said with Luke Perry's moody voice...)
Eowyn: You don't like elves?
Me (as Stan): I don't like what we've done to the elves. Raped the land, pushed them out of their habitat. Then we just...chop down trees and...build homes...and stuff. Its criminal.
Of course, at this point everyone is laughing, because Eowyn is so impressed with the guy, and because I am playing a tree hugger...
Now I just have to decide whether the guy is for real, or some evil dude sucking Eowyn into a vile plot.
Aligorum had a little thingy too. I've never been able to describe a rakasta so that she was interested in him...I put more effort into this one.
Aligorum: I go out on deck, take out my shrew, and play with him. I'll do it right where everyone is walking.
Me: Someone runs into you. You turn and glare, seeing that it was a grey-haired rakasta with one ear bent at a funny angle.
"Excuse me," he says, "I didn't mean to bump into you."
Aligorum shrugs and says, "Do you want a drink?"
He looks a little away, shrugs, and says, "Sure."
"Do you want to come to my room and have some tea?"
He pauses for a long time and says, "Okay".
Aligorum glares at him (perhaps annoyed at the pause), "Look, I didn't offer anything but tea."
He looks at her then and says, "I didn't accept anything but tea."
Ah! The DMs rakasta actually won a round!
The rest of this meeting consisted of the two drinking tea and ignoring each other. The NPC rakasta got up at one point, roamed around the room, and eventually left. I figure this was sort of a "first date". While any human would be discouraged, the NPC will likely return...
Other highlights: Brimstone danced with Aderianne the Gold, wife to Pofinior the Great (in the adventure, the PCs are supposed to keep Aderieanne's advances secret until the two can get reconciled), and Brimstone dances with Veetie the 12-year old daughter of the captain...
Sliv the lupin is touched by Peligrita's request to kill her, and tells her that he will...if she will sleep with him first. She is annoyed by this vociferous behaviour and leaves.
Eowyn catches up with her, and begs her to reconsider. She is planning on having one of her fellow heroes actually have a romance with her...she is hoping that somehow this will bring her out of her funk.
Someone, possibly Eowyn, invited Egelbreth to breakfast with the party. I need to play up the "fixables" regarding his appearance.
That's about it. We'll see where
this goes tonight!