Not all the glitters is Glidbem

The street is pleasant enough and you pass several others that house much finer shops or massive warehouses. The warehouses grow larger and more numerous as you approach a growing clamor that you take for the docks. Your suspicions are confirmed and you see a sprawling riverside dock with multiple piers and inlets to allow the boats to be brought inland a bit so as to be close to the some warehouses.

The rawkus noise of men shouting, beasts pulling wagons, carts, and street vendor's calling fills the air. Besides the dock hands there are the boat crews and an occasional merchant overseeing his goods. Many of the urchins here seem to alternate between playing and getting chased off or performing minor tasks while a few get chased off immediately by almost any and all who catch sight of them. Nearby you spot what looks to be a guard house, with several guards lounging in the shade it's expansive awning provides, and further down the dock you see many dockhands of various races coming and going from an open air structure with several staff that review paperwork and hand back other papers.

Having nothing but the name "Corwin" to go on you approach the nearby guards, making your way through the crown of dirty youths, clattering wagons, and sweaty and muscled men that all fail to deviate in the slightest as you try to navigate through them. Upon reaching the guards you inquire where to find him the man said to coordinate passage to Paphos.


The grizzled older man peers at you and chuckles. You joining them researchers down river? Don't see many of you on your own. Where's your escort? City streets aint safe for decent folks since the expedition started bringing back tall tales and valuables that draw the less favorable types. Anyhow you can find Corben is a small shack to the east of the dockmasters station, that busy place over there. and he points to the bustling hub you noticed earlier.

Roll me a Save Test or an Observation Test. Your Choice

As you walk you decide to investigate the pouch that replaced yours and find a ear equal amount of weight but with a mix of 10 copper coin and the rest is filled with lead weights. Obviously there was some skill in preparing for the swap. You postulate that there is some form of locla guild that regulates such matters and they decided that keeping their targets from being totally pennyless was a good idea.

Upon reaching the station you ask about Corben and are directed to a small office built into one of the nearby offices. the door is open and looking inside you see an old man who looks up at your entrance.

Looking you over the man sitss up and ask You lost miss?

I allow players to choose how they interact with NPC. You can do it all in character word for word or just sumarize intentions and add key words as needd. Remember to add rolls for actions and observations as needed.

The old man looks you over then takes you hand If you want passag that is easy enough. We have regular boats taking suplies downriver most days. Passagee is 3 gold with quarters, or 6 silver for space on the deck. The baots will also be taking on guards in the form of adventurer or mercenary. We have one leaving at first light tomorrow if that suits you.

Shaking his head Corwin sighs in exasperations and mutters something about foolish scholars before replying Well the expedition is always looking for good research assistants. I assume you can read and write? He pulls out a form and instructs you to fill it out according to the directions. The paper has a variety of questions ranging from history, philosophy, mathematics, and science. It takes you over a quarter of an hour to complete and upon completion he reviews your paper, comparing it with another he pulls from a drawer, then has you read back several of the answers, again comparing what you say against his own sheet.

Give me a test, you can use advantage due to your background, just for performing under pressure to see how well you do

Well, looks good enough that they may want you. You sign this contract and I will get you on the boat in the morning. You'll either have to convince the captain to allow you to sleep onboard or find a place to stay tonight and pay for it yourself.

He hand you a card with a basic employment contract, in both the basic script and a more detailed version in high script. Basically you will work to pay of any debt then make earning based on your skills (test taken) and performance. Once your debt is paid you can continue working for them or quit. He then give directions to find the boat and tells you to ask for the captain who goes by Hank.

The man ponders a moment before replying Well, you're small enough and the men sleep on board anyhow. How about you spend the rest of the day going over some lessons with my boy and we call it even?A small section of the boat has several crates arranged with a tarp to create shade for your lessons and shelter and privacy for later when you sleep. The boy is quite intelligent but lacking in any formal education so you spend most of the afternoon teaching him more of the basic script along with numbers by writing out stories and nursery rhymes you have read. As evening arrives the ship is fully packed and you learn you will be joined by a mercenary squad in the morning to accompany you on the boat ride downriver to Paphos.

In the morning you are awoken by sounds of the crew making preparations to shove off. A 4 man squad arrives just moments before Hank gives the orders to cast off and you begin your trek. The crew and mercenaries seem familiar with each other and you get the sense that though the crew are no push overs trips down river tend to be targeted by river pirates for supplies. Return trip tend to be safer as they are either empty or heavily guarded.


You pass the time continuing your lessons with Nelwho chats about life on the river and you learn that though he is a recent addition to the crew he previously worked on his dad's ship several months. He is now working with Hank to see how other captains run their boats. He tells that in that time they have encountered not only pirates but also had several run ins with the large beasts he refers to as "dinosaurs", large reptilian creatures that are common in the area around Paphos. He has picked up many tales of the place and informs you that though it is a research expeditions there are other groups interested in the area and clashes with goblins, kobolds, hobgoblins, bugbear, and orcs are an increasing concern. Fortunately that is not a concern until the last day.

By mid-day you are getting a bit nervous about all the stories Nel has been spinning of the area and as you chat with Hank and Nel he suggest you spar with the boy, as you are both much smaller than the guard and crew. Nel is excited at the prospect and runs to get his club before you can even reply. He returns with s short polished rod about as long as his arm with a handle and guard. A bit dejected he looks at his weapon and comments Once I prove I know what I am doing they will let me start using an axe, then later when I am bigger I can start using a spear. Don't worry we won't be hitting hard. Please will you spar with me and he looks at your, glancing at your stave, with a mix of pleading and excitement. Lets go through a short combat tutorial then I will move your story to merge it with others. While I try not to have combat dominate stories it does impact most.

The youth tries to dodge and strike back at you. Though he is more skilled in moving around on the bobbing boat his youth makes hits strategies all too easy for you to see and anticipate.

You both manage to avoid any serious contact for the first round and the boy becomes bolder and shifts to a more aggressive attack.