East Hindia TC

Summary

GM: Stephen
Season: Winter 820 WK
Night: Thursday (some Wednesdays)
Location: Zoom / New Windsor
Level: Low-Med

Party

Henric - Dwarven Mind Mage - Chris C
Mavric - Dwarven Thespian-Wicca - Lisa
Lyric - Dwarven Enchantress - Michelle
Everan - Human Necro-Researcher - Dean
Aloysious - Human Air Mage - Nick
Motlie - Human Earth Mage- Paul
Mindi - Human Fire Mage - Audrey

Employer: Luiz, an honest merchant of Ebola.; Guild Security informs you he is actually Don Luiz, Consul of Southern Trade, an important noble of Destiny. But you should all play along with the pretense he is Ebolan.

Mission: This is an infiltration/spy mission into a relatively unknown foreign civilisation. It is acknowledged that an entire party of spies skilled in societal infiltration is unreasonable to expect, we have a cover we believe you should all be able to maintain.; You are to travel to Hindia as mercenaries looking for work. Engage in such work and potentially earn some bonus income.; In parallel, discover who is behind the EHTC, what they really want, and who could be used to bring them disadvantage.; Gather general info about Hindian political and mercantile structures, and any potential perils less magically apt & robust spies will need to be aware of in the future.; For those that are skilled in the craft, some reliable contacts and informants would also be useful.

Pay: 30,000sp plus bonuses of up to 60,000sp depending on the quality of your success.

Rapid Transport to Ebola and discrete transport to Hindia will be provided.

We are advised to avoid Dakhini province as its filled with Beastmen and mad gods.

Scribe Notes

Day 0 - Guild Meeting day

We met with our 'employer' the 'Ebolan' merchant Luiz who asks us to infiltrate or spy mission on a relatively unknown foreign civilisation – namely that of Hindia. Our suggested cover is that of a band of mercenaries looking for work whereby we could then travel around 'working' and discover what we can and then report back. While there and pertaining to matters of trade which Luiz is especially interested in we are tasked to discover who is behind the EHTC (East Hindia Trading Company), what they really want, and who could be used to bring them disadvantage. Additionally we are also to gather general info about Hindian political and mercantile structures and any potential perils less magically apt & robust spies will need to be aware of in the future.
We undertake party introductions with Everan being Military Scientist & Party Leader and I being scribe after my delightful sister Mavric begged off due to composing her new screenplay based on our adventures.
We are advised to accompany the Count of Ebola on his flying ship when next he goes home and are told we can find him in the guild bar as he is none other than the famous Aryan. We go and make introductions and agree to accompany him on his vessel on the morrow and in the meantime gather supplies and keep him happy (some more so than others he means you Lyric) for the day/night.

Day 1 - Travel to Ebolo (Ebola)

A new day dawns and we take flight on the aeirship that Aryan owns and travel most expeditiously to Ebola, only almost dying a few times. We land in Ebola late afternoon outside the port town of Ebolo. We leave Aryan and plan to separate ourselves from him so walk away into some hills and then loop back around to travel along the trail into Ebolo looking like other dust covered sweaty travelers (albeit better equipped ones) and we find some accommodation to stay in which is The East Wind Inn. We stay the night and play some tunes which brings in huge crowds to see the travelling players and the Innkeeper gives us free food, drink and accommodation for the night.

Day 2 - 'One night in Ebolo'

We depart the Inn heading down to the vessel we have had organised for us and are told they are expecting us and they will be ready to depart the next day. The vessel is the Sambilaya which is a Sambuk type vessel (crew @60)which was freed from pirate possession by the Ebolan Navy during Hire-A-Hubby (See Day 31 of the adventure) and has been contracted by our employer to drop us off in Hindia to start our 'adventure. We return to The East Wind Inn and establish the same deal again with the Innkeeper. The day passes and we play to a packed house (and into the street) that night. Local royalty attends in the person of the local princess (accompanied by some guards) which pleases all concerned. Another long night and we fall to sleep easily and without incident.

Day 3 - 'sailing away'

We've agreed to the name of our Mercenary band which shall be 'Brawling Bluebell Bruisers' or the Tripe B's with everyone as fighters except for Everan who will be our Leader type and research specialist. We get up and break fast with a hearty meal and just before midday we arrive at the vessel we're taking across to Hindia, alight and take our cramped quarters after admonishments by the officer not to touch anything and keep crew interactions to a minimum. We set sail and are soon bored.

Day 4 - 'one day on a leaky dhow'

We are sailing, we are sailing, home again, cross the sea... (reckon we could make a song out of this Everan?)

Day 5-9 - 'landlubbers lament'

We are sailing North and then East towards the main port of Hindia.

Day 10 - 'landfall at last in Kanchi'

The morning tide sees us travel a small way up a wide river to a port on the western bank which is Kanchi.
we walk off the boat and feel the weird non moving land beneath us and being seasoned travelers we quickly recover our land legs. We seek out and are advised of some accommodation and we proceed to 'Imran's, 'place of welcome' where we take most of the rooms in the place and have some rest.

Day 11 - 'A quick tour'

Day 12-17 - 'Tourists in a foreign Land'

We continue our tour of the city guided by Dhruv and we get to meet a VÄniyÄ (merchant with a royal licence) who will act as our factor to procure mercenary work contracts for us - he is known as Manan. He will look around and come back to us in a few days with some work. He discusses the types of work usually available which are;

Guarding travelers while they undertake pilgrimages and the like
Prospecting in the Sandahara wastes to the NE of Kanchi
Herb Gathering in the Jungles of Perdia for rare and valuable herbs

Manaia says there is much wealth buried beneath the shifting sands of the wastes and in old ruins there and in the jungles now overgrown over the last few centuries.

Several days of skillcraft (Spy, Courtier, Troubadour, Merchant, Navigator) and snooping...

We ask questions about the other local trading ports and such and learn information about the 'East Hindia Trading Company' or EHTC. They are based across the river on the east bank where they have taken over the Mahratta city. Details are as follows;

there was an influx of foreigners to Mahratta around 800wk (approx the time King Don Carlos of Destiny died).
they transformed the city into a trading port with vigor and created the EHTC.
the EHTC has no complete control of the port and likely the entire Mahratta confederacy as they now control the leadership.
there are 100 'families' that rule the confederacy and those 100 families nominate a ruling class of 10 'nobles' who in turn nominate a Mahratta to rule the confederacy.
We come to understand that the Mahratta Confederacy wants to expand northwards into the decaying empire of Vijayanagara so they actively 'encourage' its decline. Perhaps through very active and pointy means!

We continue our tourist activities

NB Maps as we know them are not to be found. Master Navigator Aloysious puts together a rough map of the region based on art from various regions, travel stories and merchant schedules we gather for him. He wouldn't want to sail a ship based on these but they should be good enough for cloud-based navigation.

Day 18 - 'Off we go'

Manaia has secured us a contract to escort a treasure hunter into the Sandahara wastes and bring back some riches. We plan, pack and then go to meet our employer.

Day 19 - 'Clouding away'

Day 20 - 'More Clouds'

Day 21 - 'Clouds then some walking'

Day 22 - 'Back on Terror Firma'

We get up and start a grid pattern search around the area and just after midday come across a sand dune with a stone wall poking out which has a window space in it. We are clearing it away when a sandworm catches up with us and a one way combat ensues where we only survive as Motley commands the worm to spit out the unpleasant thing in its mouth ( me and necromancer in a bone construction sheltering from gnashing nasty teeth) and then it flees from the nasty creatures. In the meantime some of the party have got inside the structure and beaten off a number of nasty scorpions from nipping any further at our poisoned party employer. We enter, fight some undead possessed/controlled by scorpions and then we descend. We go down and clear the room below and settle in for sleep once we have sealed a room.

Day 23 - Exploring the area

We explore the tower area and the nearby buildings/structures. Its hard. We discover a complex under the sand that is half destroyed but we tunnel around looking for interesting locations. Detecting our path around we discover two things which give us concern.

a divine being trapped under the sand, next to whom we detect some of the controlled or controlling large scorpion type creatures. Given the nature of the scorpions we decide it may not be a good divine entity and so decide to leave it alone.
a greater+ish undead (lich + level)who gives Everan the heebie-jeebies and is just waiting down there, we assume trapped there and for good reason. We decide to leave it alone.

We after all this decide to depart this place and come up to the surface to find a raging storm still there. We setup a camp as best we can and wait out the storm.

The Sandahara Saga Volume I

Beneath the blue Ebolan skies

Bold adventurers, fierce and proud

See the giant sand wyrm rise

And capture two between its jaws.

Valorous Lyric stands in front

And runs it through, one two,

One two and yet another punt

'Til the wyrm does turn and run.

The fierce storm doth rage around

Stripping skin from bone.

Shelter sought in stones bound

By dust of ages past.

Deep lies the temple beneath the sand

Guarded by venom, claw and pincer

All guided by a spectral hand,

To defeat the seekers eight.

Battles pitched and swords ablaze

The mighty rout rages through.

The seekers find the hidden ways,

And treasure held below.

Shifting sands reveal a spire

A store of power from long ago.

The Sandahara sun sets afire

The distant warning beacon.

Victorious all the explorers sing

Fighters strong and brave

Watched by that one unchanging thing

A grain of desert sand.

Days 24, 25 and 26 - 7 people in a tent covered by Sand in a sandstorm

Day and night passes awaiting the storm to blow over.

Days 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31- 7 people fly SE towards 'civilisation'

Day and night pass flying southeast and the camping the night in a safe location.

Day 32 - arrive back at civilisation

We return to Kamchi, let our grateful employer sing our praises once we split the loot and we go looking for a new job. We find one and await the response while we go sleeping.
<night passes>

Days 33,34,35 and 36 - Spend time Troubadouring our reputation up around Kamchi

Telling tales, being feted by the nobility, amusing small children etc etc etc.

Day 37 - Get a new Job

Get a new job sabotaging a wedding across the delta in the EHTC controlled city. Make plans, get disguised and fly over the river in the night.
<night passes>

Day 38 - Enter EHTC city

Enter the city very subtley and scout the locations. Do some stuff with Marriage brokers and gather more information.
Plan to break into the brokers for more info (discussion in a dark alley) when discovered by local from Sanctuary named Lario de Lark (Larry the Lark) who we quickly subdue and send him on his way after interrogating him and discovering EHTC info we'd been seeking. Details such as:

there are 12 masters who are known by codes names
there are plans to expand into the empire to the NW
there are main offices here in town which may be a good place to raid (subtley) to gain more info
EHTC controls the docks, shipyards etc
they came here 10 or so years ago

We decide to hit the offices but find it too well defended so we swallow our pride and depart - back to Kamchi.
<night passes>

Day 39 - In Kamchi

Complain to factor and hunt for another job. The day and night pass.

Day 40 and 41-44 (14th Snow)- New Job and more flying

We get a new job and immediately depart for Bania. The job is protecting the Royal Family from Assassination by Mahartans. We fly on Cloud # 84 to Bania.

Day 45 (Solstice) - Arrive Bania

Arrive, meet employers and are made to feel needed but inferior. We are to protect people who have gaping security holes that we aren't allowed to plug as we're not noble enough for their sensibilities. We scheme and feel undervalued and not allowed in the royal Quarters - hard to defend people who won't let us near them. <night passes>

Day 46 - 48

We look around, make plans and find some surprises.

Day 49 (days of Chaos #1)

The day we feared has come but we are not unprepared. We plan and act to save the sickened guards when we can while heading to deal with an attacking force. We are successful and the attack is thwarted and the enemy beaten back, however as part of our defense we have to enter the royal quarters aiding the hard pressed royal guards thus saving their lives and the royals who had forbid us from doing so. Once the enemy are thrown back and sent fleeing then we report in our disheveled state who refuses to acknowledge our presence until he has dealt with other tasks and his troops depart his immediate presence. Once alone he tells us (in our capacity as mercenaries) by speaking over our heads and not looking at us that some foreigners were seen in the royal quarters and when things have calmed down they are to be killed but he hasn't the time to do so just now but he'll see to it in a few hours - he then walks off leaving us in his debt. We quickly return to our rooms and accidentally recover some valuables left on the floor and in pieces (such as the broken and burnt throne) which we clean up. We then make haste and flee the area on cloud to Jaia. At Jaia we send word to the Guard Captain about some of our findings via magical words and then continue flight SW.

Day 50-55 (upon a cloud heading SW

Day 56 - 69 In Kamchi laying low

We return to Kamchi and lay low avoiding notice and awaiting some transport heading to Ebola but no luck. We decide to however hijack a Maharata Pirate ship which we do with panache and little unnecessary bloodshed. We take the captured ship and head West.

Day 70 - 84 Travel aboard ship back to Ebolo

We travel uneventfully on our captured ship to Ebolo.

Day x - x

The Henrikson Scale (TM)

A guide to quality accommodation found throughout the realms

Each Entry here will consist of

The Establishment's Name,
The Establishment's Location,
The Establishment's Cost (Inclusive per night all up) exc drinking costs,
The Establishment's Beverage score aka Stein (out of 10 with 0 being the worst and 10 the best),
The Establishment's Accommodation score aka Shield (out of 10 with 0 being the worst and 10 the best),
The Establishment's Food Score aka Bread (out of 10 with 0 being the worst and 10 the best),
Notes about the Establishment.

The Aim of this guide is to promote quality establishments and detail less than desirable establishments for avoidance or frequenting (depending on your taste and needs) for adventurers to begin with and then others in the future when this is turned into a very successful travel guide ;-)

Name	Locale	Cost	Stein	Shield	Bread	Notes
East Wind	Ebolo (Ebola)	Cost	6	5	5	Innkeeper 'Dave' who runs a reasonable establishment with OK food and accommodation. The Innkeeper knows to keep traveling troupes happy to entertain the clientele. He keeps the good stuff for quality people and revenue making entertainers.
Imran's	Kanchi	Cost	Stein Score	Shield Score	Bread Score	Imran's 'My place of welcome'. seems nice enough and he has a plenty of 'cousins'
Name	Locale	Cost	Stein Score	Shield Score	Bread Score	Note
Name	Locale	Cost	Stein Score	Shield Score	Bread Score	Note
Name	Locale	Cost	Stein Score	Shield Score	Bread Score	Note
Name	Locale	Cost	Stein Score	Shield Score	Bread Score	Note
Name	Locale	Cost	Stein Score	Shield Score	Bread Score	Note
Name	Locale	Cost	Stein Score	Shield Score	Bread Score	Note

Logistics

Buffs & Mil Sci

Long Term (assumed always on)

Magic (caster)	Rk	Effects	Duration
Strength of Stone (Mo)	?	+? EN	? hours
Vapor Breathing (Al)	10		10.5 hours
Defense spell? (?)	??	?	??

Short Term

Magic (caster)	Rk	Effects	Duration	He	Ma	Ly	Ev	Al	Mo	Mi
Mind Speech (He)	10	+ 11 targets within 330ft	110 min	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Weapon spell? (??)	??	??	??
xx	xx	??	??

In combat close to Everan (10') if fighting Evil/Unholy/Undead/Demonic: +30% MR, +4 Spell Armour, +4 Willpower, +2 FT Armour.
Mil Sci Raise Morale: +4 WP

Watch Order

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Aloysious		Everan				Motley				Aloysious
Henric			Mavric			Lyric			Mindi

Marching Order:

Skirmish Formations (Front)
Default 1 2 3 4 6 7	Double File 1 2 3 4 5 6 7	Single File 1 2 3 4 6 7

Loot and Expenses

Calendar

Winter: Frost 820 (7)
	Moonday		Duesday		W'ansday		Th'rsday		Frysday		Reapsday		Sunday
		Samhain	1	Guild Meeting Seagate	2	Flying South	3	Ebolo	4	Sailing North	5	Sailing North	6	Sailing North
	7	Sheltering from Storm	8	Sailing East	9	Sailing East	10	Sailing SE	11	Kanchi	12	Kanchi	13	Kanchi
	14	Kanchi	15	Kanchi	16	Kanchi	17	Kanchi	18		19		20
	21		22		23		24		25		26		27
	28		29		30		1		2		3		4
Winter: Snow 820 (8)
	5		6		7		8		9		10		11
	12		13		14		15	Solstice	16		17	The Duke of Carzala's Winter Ball	18	Yuletide
	19	Days of Chaos	20	DoC2	21	DoC3	22	DoC4	23	DoC5	24	DoC6	25	DoC7
	26	DoC8	27	DoC9	28	DoC10	29	DoC11	30	Twelfth Night	1		2
Winter: Ice 820 (9)
	3		4		5		6	First Plough	7		8		9
	10		11		12		13		14		15		16
	17		18		19		20		21		22		23
	24		25		26		27		28		29		30