Campaign 15: First Frolic Scenario 00: First Frolic Dawning Episode 01: Initial Briefing
	Date: 12562-02-10, Time: 1000 Location: Desert Port, Lewawan, The Gorvij Lands Default Language: Gorvij

OOC Information

The City

The city of Desert Port is right on the western border of Lewawan.
This is the western edge of Desert Port, which is also called the
Front. The buildings here are widely spaced to make it easier to
maneuver wheeled traffic. The local buildings include the hostel,
where you are, the Flying Rabbit Tavern, the stables, 2 warehouses,
a blacksmith's shop, a wheelwright's shop, a leather shop and a
bank. Plus a few general stores. Right now everything is closed
except the tavern.

Beyond that is the Back, where the buildings are closer and more
varied. This includes the homes of the locals which are set back
from the road.

But at this time most of the shops are closed.


The Hostel

There are 11 of people and a large dog currently in residence. There
are 40 bunks in the former barracks that serves as the hostel. So
there's plenty of room. The bunks are arranged in 4 levels of 5 on
each of the two side walls. In the left front corner is a large
desk, a locker, and an extra large bunk.

The front and back walls each have a large door, but the one in the
back is chained shut. Between the bunks are iron racks that used to
hold charcoal heaters. But they have been removed. That leaves the
fireplace in the right rear corner as the only source of heat. For
light, there are 3 chandeliers. The residents get new candles once a
week. Remember a week is 10 days.

There are 6 narrow vertical windows which were originally intended
for arrow slits. There are also 4 narrow horizontal windows at the
tops of the walls, for daylight and ventilation. To operate them, it
either takes a long hooked pole which isn't kept inside, or else
someone has to lean wa-a-ay out from a top bunk.

There's a ladder built into the wall at the right front corner. It
goes up to a small platform just 175 cm below the ceiling, directly
underneath a trapdoor to the roof. To keep the weather out, the
trapdoor is tarred shut.

The left rear corner has a desk, a chair, and some shelves. The
bunks are made of wood with rope netting and thin straw mattresses.
As a special concession, a hammock has been set up in the corner for
Liraan the challit.

A makeshift curtain has been nailed up so that it covers four of the
bunks. The word HALFLINGS is crudely painted on it.

The Tags

This is the part they really hate. As unwanted travelers temporarily
staying in town, they've all been required to wear tags, loose iron
collars with flat iron plaques on them, with their names and other
information stamped on them.

Except Liraan. She has not been required to wear a collar, possibly
because of a common gorvij superstition that flajessavs are poisoned
by prolonged contact with iron.

The dargaolhuuns have small tags, about 3 fingers wide, the ones on
the hyuumins, except for the nildrer, are about twice that. These
collars are secured by twisted wire, so they can be removed with
some work. But they must be on and secure everywhere in town other
than the hostel.

The nildrer do not have that option. Their tags are the size of
cutting boards and their collars are welded on. Normally tags like
that are only seen on convicts.

Money

Coin Metal Exchange Value

Washer Iron 1
Face Copper 4 Washers 4
Shield Copper 2.5 Faces 10
Scepter Silver 5 Faces 20
Pedigree Gold 10 Scepters 200
Harmony Platinum 5 Pedigrees 1000

A washer is sometimes called a "brew". It's the price of the
cheapest drink at an inn or tavern. Unskilled laborers get 4 to 10
faces a day. Caravan guards get 3 to 5 pedigrees, plus danger pay.

The Locals

Gremaan Artrening, Chief Constable of Desert Port.

They've all met this raging royalist and heard his opinions, his
warnings, and his scathing commentary. Part of what you know, or
think you know, about the others, comes from his rants. Strangely
enough, he seems to be competent and fair at his job.

Reridav, owner of the Flying Rabbit Tavern. All business despite her
youth, she's in charge of feeding the travelers. She's also provided
them with information from time to time. But don't expect to get her
attention if there are paying customers around.

Ghravnokh, general handyperson and part time cook at the tavern. She
does nothing to dispel the stereotype of the pugnacious, easily
offended braksont. But she can fix anything from a clothespin to a
tower clock. She's the one who put the tags on everybody.

Ankarev, constable. Much friendlier than his boss. Except to Laeris,
whom he caught running a shell game one day. Laeris had already been
in the stocks once. This time he got the stocks and a cold soaking.

Kleris, constable. Very easy going and full of jokes and gossip. She
acts as escort whenever someone objects to the presence of a
foreigner. Except with Laeris.

Galeger Throkmorton, Grand Magister of Personal Services, which is a
fancy way of saying Head Vordin. While officially dargaolhuuns are
as subject to expulsion as anyone else, in practice, they're just
too convenient for the lewawanians to give up. So they've been
organized and required to keep order among themselves. Galeger has
offered to work the system on behalf of the vordins in the party if
they want to stay through Spring.

Fergus Urkhart, baker. His shop in the Back is the only bakery
currently open. That makes him the most popular vordin in town.

Frotheringhaa and Plimsool Urkhart, carters. These two young
shougilds are brother and sister. They live at the bakery and do the
deliveries. They also do errands all around town. Their cart is
wrapped in tinsel and festooned with pinwheels. The donkey that
pulls it wears a gold blanket and a gold conical helmet with wings
on it.

Ashdor, alchemist. This middle aged waujak has a shed behind the
blacksmith shop. It's easy to find, there's always some strange
smell coming from it. He's always looking for a volunteer to test
one of his creations on.

Bronderet, weaver. Only 14 but seemingly up to the task of guarding
the family looms while her parents are away. They're expected back
soon, with a load of early wool. Bronderet stays in the tavern's
upstairs living quarters with Reridav. During the day she brings a
smaller loom down to the main room and works on it.

Tiireen, entertainer. Head of the local chapter of the Troubadours
Guild. Spends most of her time at the tavern playing the greminok.
She's also been seen around town defacing posters that refer to Yar
the Magnificent.

The Player Characters

"Cat"

Arrived in town: at the beginning of the storm season.

General observations: She dresses in tight black leather and carries
a peculiar dargaolhuun sized polearm. It has 2 hooked blades and a
point. She calls it her axe. She's very aggressive for a vordin and
seems a little obsessed with the idea that someone might mistake her
for a servant. She's slashed at several people that apparently did
so. One took exception to her action and struck back with his boots.
Then he took the weapon and hurled it into a snow drift. It took her
3 hours to retrieve it, but she wouldn't let anyone tend to her
cracked rib until she'd thoroughly cleaned and dried it.
Fortunately, her opponent left town soon afterward.

Gremaan Artrening's comment: Uppity halfling, wearing clothes like
some comic book commando. Just as well she doesn't want to do honest
halfling work, she'd probably just break things. Fortunately she'll
likely get herself killed soon.

Bernee Spam

Arrived in town: early winter.

General observations: A silly helmet made from cloth and a turtle
shell. He has a small closed cart, a trailer really, decorated with
a beaver head and tail. He seems prone to headaches and sometimes
seems as if he's having hallucinations.

Gremaan Artrening's comment: Probably harmless but definitely a
candidate for a padded room.

Alijar Ilarik

Arrived in town: at the beginning of the storm season.

General observations: Looks impressive with his blue scale armor and
eagle axe.

Gremaan Artrening's comment: Waujaks are trouble.

Waun Chuu

Arrived in town: mid winter.

General observations: Has more expensive clothes than anyone else in
town, but wears them as if they were his every day outfit.

Gremaan Artrening's comment: Nildrer are trouble. This one claims to
have come to town by coach but no one remembers seeing one. And it
was long after the snow had closed the road. Some people claim he
fell from the sky. Whatever the truth, it's sure to involve some
deep conspiracy.

Markuutril

Arrived in town: at the beginning of the storm season.

General observations: A ragged figure whose only significant
possession is a twisty brass earring.

Gremaan Artrening's comment: The man's name means "mushroom" in
waujak. Well he certainly smells like one.

Liraan

Arrived in town: at the beginning of the storm season.

General observations: Gold silk, red moonstaff. Enigmatic like most
flajessavs. She brought a collection of little stiff brushes with
her that she's since augmented with a large scrub brush and 3
different brooms. The corner of the hostel that she uses has become
almost painfully clean.

Gremaan Artrening's comment: The golden fairies are supposed to be
creatures of light and air, but this one uses the outhouse like
everyone else. She may spend up to 3 hours cleaning it, but she uses
it.

Kootayu Ranshee

Arrived in town: before the start of the storm season.

General observations: Like the other nildrer he has lots of silk,
but he also bundles up in wool. He seems to suffer from the cold
more than the rest, even more than the challit.

Gremaan Artrening's comment: He claims to be here on business. No
imperial should be having any business here, but no doubt he'll find
plenty of mercantiles willing to sell out their country. Strange
that he put up his packhorse at the stables but stays at the hostel
instead of a boardinghouse.

Laeris Seelfaroo

Arrived in town: early winter.

General observations: Green skin, blue hair, very different looking
from any of the other hyuumin races. Barely speaks gorvij but has
managed to involve people in minor cons. Got the stocks twice and is
now barred from the Back.

Gremaan Artrening's comment: The national government sent him here
along with a report that shows him to be a bad apple. His own people
sent him away because of his crimes.

Wilnachet

Arrived in town: at the beginning of the storm season.

General observations: A heavy robe, a big sword, a heavily decorated
horse skull and a large gray dog, named Bilenkyuu. On the coldest
nights he squeezes the dog into the bunk with him.

Gremaan Artrening's comment: What's there to say? A big dumb
barbarian who knows how to behave himself. No complaints.

Niijel Buzelstumper

Arrived in town: before the start of the storm season.

General observations: New clothes and equipment, obvious sense of
mission.

Gremaan Artrening's comment: Acts as if he's on a spiritual quest,
must be some kind of ploy.

Arberiks Kroonit

Arrived in town: before the start of the storm season.

General observations: Seems well prepared for adventure but at the
same time seems more like a reader than a doer.

Gremaan Artrening's comment: Nokinervan accent, probably a spy.

Notes:

Greminok: an instrument somewhat like a harpsichord, but with brass
bars and wires instead of strings.