Day 23 — Trade negotiations

KahuPachinkoRyutoOona Katoa

Chapter summary

Weapons negotiations with the Ranti expose missing captives and lead the crew into a harpy-haunted swamp.

Connections

Session notes

We are trying to decide who to buy the weapons from. The options are:

Mr Captain Jackdog, who will give us something expensive from the Albians
Punx, who might find us a deal with the Varangians. Lower quality.

Punx is happy to see us. Punx remembers everything.

Punx is an admiral of a non-existent navy.

Ryuto is taking care of organizing the sale of lemon crates. In total, we make 420g:

Ryuto -> 80g

Oona -> 170g

Common pot -> 166g

The value of lemon truffles is going up so future sales will be more profitable. We go back to the snake people.

We head back to the migrant fleet. We’ve been sailing for 6 weeks. The people of the isles now know that the Elephant Isles are open for business and there’s a gold rush brewing. The general that pacifies barbarians, the ironclad that’s been in between Moa’Tor and the Elephant isles. People think it’s a show of force. There’s been a fight between the fleet and an Albian ship that resulted in bloodshed. There’s a pamphlet that’s been going around and numbers the snakes, if you complete the collection there’s a high value. There’s a special one that Miros possesses.

Now that we know that the celestials are prowling, we’ll use superior maneuvering. However, we fail and we’re intercepted by the ironclad. However, it just passes by as they already know us.

We make it back to the fleet. There’s two Albian frigates by the fleet and they have been many balls. The frigates were part of a survelining squadron and they were hailed by the ironclad. But the royal navy would not surrender so they ran for it and could not outrace the ironclad. The ironclad fired a warning shot that hit one of the frigates, and then more warning shots were fired back and forth, but the frigates got the worst of it. One frigate was sunk and the ironclad did not pursue them further.

We switch ships to head to the port town of the snakefolk. We are at Serpent’s Repose. There’s more activity than before, more frog people.

Pachinko fishes a pristine fish out of the marsh and is hailed a hero by the boggarts who are hailing the cargo. We meet E’longa again. He is been anticipating us, it seems. He seems uncomfortably excited. Behind him there’s a big snake. A pure blood. E’longa is nervous it sems, he’s been waiting for us. Ryuto says we’ve brought the weapons as agreed.

We do a weapons demonstration with Pachinko taking a shot in the face. Only a flesh wound.

The snakes bring out the slaves who are looking very dejected and haggard. They are malnourished. Not too worst for wear. Kahu recognizes them and they are conscious. They are only 10 though. But E’longa explains that only 10 of the 20 promised made through the journey back.

He is trying to arguing that they tried to escape during the journey and that’s why they are not here. The snake behind agrees to telling the tale it seems. E’longa says that when they made it to the village, half of them managed to run and tried to escape.

We’re now negotiating with E’longa so he comes with us to search for the missing migrants in exchange for the rest of the weapons and a payment in goal. Before E’longa has a chance to retort, the snake in the back snaps some order and E’longa agrees to the plan.

Kahu is now talking to the prisoner migrants. Pachinko meanwhile is trying to unchain them. The prisoners talk how it was easier to escape once they got to the town. They tell the story of the main city, they were locked up without sunlight, they were people that were there for years. The humans do not do any work, all the boggarts do the work. The humans were not touched. The city is incredible, there were pyramids of gold, snakes everywhere. Horrifying and beautiful.

They think they have a celebration every ten days. Some died of fever. One person bashed their head against the wall.

We set out and find a trail of the people missing. E’longa seems always concerned and says his stomach muscle hurts. The boggarts are scared. Ryuto detects some Boggarts trying to steal the food under him. He also hears some singing in the distance, very melodic.

Next watch shift is Oona, who distributes some food to the Boggarts. She also hears some singing from a specific direction.

Next shift is Pachinko who hears nothing but also gives the boggarts some ramen.

Last shift is Kahu, who loses a staring contest with the Boggarts and gives them more ramen. Kahu is not caught by surprise as our camp is surrounded by the former compatriots, who approach with sticks. Kahu tries to talk to them as they approach and identifies himself. They have a glaze in their eyes as they attack.