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Pathfinder-ish Campaign...

After finding the freezer lockbox and soeaking with sandy he figured he should make sure it qoupd be hard to find, especially with Garutis around. Shoving some of the larger crates around it he made it accessible only to those who could fit inbetween the small paths left to them. After that was done he went back to the sleeping quarters to open his locker. There inside his battleaxe was leaned up against the back wall and his light crossbow next to it, he grabs both along with 20 of the 100 bolts he had purchased before hand and some sharpening tools. Checking the bag in the locker he sees that all his gold pieces are still there, he was constantly worried someone would try to steal his coin that he had been saving. Locking it back up and retuning the key to the ring on his horn he leaves the sleeping quarters.

Returning to the top deck he sits down next to the Ballista and watched Drew sharpen his weapons and practice his combat methods. Eyeing his crossbow he begins to forumlate how to comstize it, primarily to carry the bolts easier for quicker access.

"If I had some small wood and a few other things I could make a holding cartridge that attached to the bottom of it...hmmm" he says outloud to himself before checking over his battleaxe. Slowly and methodically he begijs to sharpen not only his battle axe but also the tips of his crossbow bolts. Eyeing all around him periodically he too watched all around, but more to see if there was an opening for conversation. He was curious about all the members of this adventure.
 
During Drakk's the studying Silgis, he learned many interesting things despite it being a simple Travelogue. He learned of Silgisarr the dragon his people worshipped on this moon. Many thoughts started to fill his head as he debated on what he would want to do first when he got there. He was definitely intrigued by the descriptions he read of the crystals on Silgis. Nonetheless, he always kept thinking about Silgisarr and in the end headed down to Sandy's kitchen to ask her what she knew of him, or her.
 
Izema was up in the crow's nest at the time, and was therefore the first to catch sight of the moon, Silgis. From this distance, it looked like a marble in space, all greys and blacks with the occasional flash of light as something reflected in one of those dark spaces. As time passed, the moon slowly grew in size. Emerging from the underside of the hull where they'd been checking on the rudder mechanism, Tarkaz and Drew caught sight of the moon. By that time, it looked like a cartwheel hanging in the sky. A big, solid grey cartwheel, shot through with darker cracks of black. Ohmen was, at this point, on the helm. Abovedeck, Wisdom clung to a perch high in the rigging, peering at the approaching planetoid with an air of curiosity. The mage, meanwhile, found his attention pulled away from his surroundings to peer at the moon. Interesting. From this distance it looked like there were... flies surrounding it? Odd looking little buzzing things seemed to circle the planetoid. On occasion, one would pull off to intersect another. Interesting.

Drakk, however, was missing all of this. Down in the galley, he was grilling Sandy, the cook, on her homeworld and the dragon-goddess they followed. "There isn't much to tell if you've never met her in person," she reluctantly mentioned. "Silgisarr has lived on the moon for so long that we suspect she may pre-date the planet! Personally, I have never met her, but I know someone who had. She is supposed to be enormous, capable of crushing a ship in her jaws!" Pausing she thinks for a moment, then begins to rummage around in one of the mesh bags hanging from the wall. "I do have a souvenir from home that might give you an idea of how big she is." To Drakk's shock and surprise, the kobold opens the mesh bag all the way once she finds the object she sought and removes what appears to be a shield. For a human, it would be a good-sized shield for a light combatant. For a kobold, it looks like something an armored knight would use! Eighteen inches wide, almost twenty-four inches tall, and half an inch thick. It looks like it should be heavy, but Sandy has no issues hefting it. It looks a kind of pale purple-blue color, but the surface is iridescent and what little light there is in the room plays off it like the sun on a glistening oil slick. The more light that is present, the brighter the shimmering, until the surface looks like a glittering rainbow of color and light! "This is one of Silgisarr's scales," the kobold says proudly. "My grandfather was a marine in the Silgisarrian Navy, and used to carry this into battle."
 
Drakk thanked Sandy for the information and apologized for bugging her while she worked. Walking up to the top deck Drakk resolved to meet Silgisarr. Every Kobold dreamed of speaking with dragons and Drakk was a much more dragonlike Kobold due to his wings, perhaps she knew something about his past that he didn't. As he got to the main deck he saw people huddled around staring at the moon ahead. Drakk made his way to the edge to try and see what it was.
 
Stepping up to the forecastle railing, the kobold finally got a glimpse of Silgis. By now, it had grown in their vision to the size of a house. It still resembled a gigantic grey marble, but now details were resolving themselves. Those dark cracks on the surface were canyons, some of them impressively large since they were clearly visible as such from this distance! Every now and then the light from the sun would reflect off something deep within one canyon or another, setting a sparkle of light dancing in the darkness for a brief moment. By this point, everyone could see those flies flittering around the moon, and it didn't take long for everyone to realize that they weren't flies. They were spelljamming ships. Some of them were caravels like the Moonsister, but many were obviously larger. The majority though were an unusual arrow-shape with broad, flaring wings to either side of the main hull.

"Kobold Angelships," Captain Naresh pointed out calmly. "As Silgis relies heavily on star-traffic for trade, the moon has a large naval presence. The elves," she pauses for a moment to spit over the side of the ship after saying that word, "want us to think they control shipping in this sphere, but the kobolds of Silgis have a bigger presence than anyone else in this area. Honestly, if they were inclined to conquor the sphere, they might actually succeed. Lucky for everyone they're more interested in trading and raising sheep."

angelship.gif
 
As the Moonsister sails closer to Silgis, Captain Naresh has the ship slow down. The reason for this order is soon apparent as one of the Angelships pulls alongside. As a wing pulls close to the caravel's hull, a voice calls over from the ship. "Port Authority! Prepare for inspection!"

Nodding, Naresh calls back to them. "Welcome aboard!"

She has the crew tie off a pair of ropes flung across the gap between the ships, and a moment later a trio of kobolds hop over. One is clearly a warrior of some kind, wearing glittering scale armor and carrying an odd polearm that looks like a military pick-turned-halberd! The second is an officer of some kind, wearing a surprisingly neat uniform with a barbuta helm sized for his head. He's got a dour look on his face and a pipe with oddly pleasant-smelling smoke wafting up from the bowl. Between them stands a tired-looking official, carrying a heavy book. This one has some kind of writing utensil in one hand and nods to Captain Naresh as they approach.

"Good evening, Captain Naresh," the inspector says in a reedy tone. You suspect this one is female, but it is hard to tell sometimes with kobolds. "Been a few months since you've stopped by, but this is not the Moonstrider. Something happen out in the black?"

Rolling her eyes, she snarls an angry response before forcing herself to calm down. "Ran into something nasty," she finally admits. "Moonstrider is in drydock on Zilarya at the moment for repairs, so I'm temporarily taking over Moonsister. Not ideal," she mutters bitterly, "but I need to trade to offset the cost of repairing the damages."

Glancing over at the officer, the administrator whispers something to him before turning back to the Captain. "This... something nasty," the officer says in a rasping voice, "wouldn't happen to be a Scorpion-ship, would it?"

An odd look came over the captain. "It would, yes! How did you know?"

"You're not the first to arrive recently citing that particular issue, and several of our regular trading partners have not reported in recently. The Port Authority Council is discussing the matter at the moment, but we might have to issue a Hunt Token for this one. In the meantime though, how about we run the usual customs check on your vessel so you can dock?"

"Sounds like a good plan." Leaving you to ponder the kobolds' ship and their words, she leads the Port Authority inspector and her guards down to the hold...
 
Approaching the inspector, Drakk says "Greetings inspector, its a pleasure to meet you. I apologise for my lack of knowledge on this matter, I have only recently departed my homeworld I've never been to space before. In fact, until a few days ago when I departed, I didn't even know there were ships capable of reaching the stars. Oh goodness, I'm sorry I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Drakk, and I am somewhat if an expert on the Celestial Studies. Im not entirely sure how this works, but i would greatly appreciate an audience with the Great Silgisarr. If you would be so kind, could you please direct me to the person I should talk to about arranging that?". With that word Drakk shook the inspectors hand and waited for a response.
 
Frowning, the inspector looks Drakk over and thinks. "Permit me to get back to you about that," she mutters. Heading off to do her inspection, she comes back several minutes later and nods at the Captain. "Well, Captain Naresh, everything seems to be in order like always, even if this isn't the ship I'm used to seeing you on." Turning to Drakk, she crosses her arms over her chest, letting the big book dangle in one taloned hand. "This is a rather unusual request," she admits to Drakk. "However, Sandy has vouched for your nature and manners, so I will see if I can arrange something. However, there are strict regulations to such visits! Non-kobolds are not permitted into her presence save in very special circumstances, so you would have to go alone, if she agrees to the visit."

Turning back to Captain Naresh, the kobold inspector smiles. "Well, you're cleared to land in Port Admon, dock sixteen. Check your hull for barnacles and clean it before landing, please." Having said her piece, she and her guards hop across back to their own ship and head on to their next meeting.

Giving a snort of laughter, Captain Naresh casts Drakk a sour look. "Well, you certainly made an impression, Drakk. I would advise you to be a little more discreet and not as, hmm, eager, the next time you wish to visit with someone important." Calling to the crew, she orders two of them to begin a sweep of the hull and asks Tarkaz and Drew to accompany them underside.
 
Drakk turns to the captain acknowledging her advice. After this, Drakk races down to Sandy and says "The inspector seemed to consider my request! Quick question, and yes I know I've been a bother lately with my constant stream of them. Are there any customs of your people I should be aware of? How do you greet people? What language should I speak to Silgisarr? Draconic? Is there a certain way I should dress? Should I bring a gift?". The questions poured out of Drakk as he desperately wanted to make a good impression.
 
"Righto!" Tarkaz lets out a loud response to the captain, louder than he expected. Before following the crew members he looks at the captain, "Barnacles? From the planet? What threat do they pose to a space port" Curiousity getting the better of him.
 
As the planet grew ever larger before them, Captain Naresh took a moment to answer a few questions. "Space barnacles, alas, Mister Tarkaz. Jammer leeches, or worse, immature krajen, are just two of the things that could attach themselves to the hull of the ship. You'll know them when you see them." Turning back to the others, she nods. "Shore leave is a given. We'll be planetside for a week. It'll take that long to unload the marble blocks in the hold and load up new cargo. I've got a contact to take on a load of fine wool cloth for delivery to Vyapor, and it'll take a while to get situated in the hold properly."

"Yes-yes, also time I need-want to trade flavor-spices!" the kenku piped in happily. "Pepper-berries and nutmeg-nuts and cinnamon-bark I have to sell-trade! Many plants-herbs I have as well, and potions, too! Much work for poor Kia!"

Down in the hold, Sandy carefully lays out basic information for Drakk. "Draconic, yes. Be on your best manners! Do not bury her under questions and remember she could squash you in the blink of an eye!"
 
Drakk thanks Sandy for her help and heads back up to the deck. He walks to his room to grab his bag and Staff. With his staff in his hand, and his back hanging on his belt, he waits for the ship to land on Silgis. While he is standing there he hears Captain Naresh mention that they will be on Silgis for a week. Although Drakk wishes he would have more time, he knows he should atleast be able to do most of the things he wanted to.
 
A survey of the hull finds nothing unusual - at least for Drew and Tarkaz. One of the halfling crew members though finds an odd little stony lump about the size of a walnut. Placing a stone chisel at the point where lump and hull meet, he has Tarkaz strike the chisel with a hammer. When the lump pops out, a small wriggling thing pokes a pink tentacle out through a hole in the rock and waves about in an agitated state. It is placed into a metal bucket the halfling hands to Drew, and after the inspection is done he leads the way to the galley. The contents of the bucket are dumped unceremoniously into the cooking fire in the galley's stove. A high-pitched shrieking sound follows, but quickly dies off.

"Before you show any remose for that thing," the halfling says in a calm tone, "you should know what that was."

"Immature krajen," the cook pipes in from her perch a few feet away. "Nasty things. They'll grow to about the size of my biggest cauldron eventually, eating away at the hull as they go. Once they get big enough, they break away from the ship."

"Newly hatched krajen are only about eight to ten feet long once they leave their shell, but they grow fast," the halfling adds bitterly, "and can grow, well..."

"I've heard of some bigger than the biggest ships," Sandy says with a frown. "They attack ships - and anything else - smaller than they are. Ships get crushed and then devoured, as does anything else they grab hold of. They're supposed to be akin to something called a 'giant squid,' according to what I've heard."

"I've seen one rip apart a Hammership," the halfling - who turns out to be named Samjin - adds in a sour tone. "Given that I was on the ship at the time, it wasn't an experience I'd care to repeat. Only reason I'm still alive is because we were part of a merchant fleet, and the other ships picked up the survivors after driving the thing away with ballista and catapult shot." Using a long metal meat-fork, he removes the now burnt krajen shell from the flames. "Buggers don't need air to breathe, and they leave their eggs just floating through space. You can pick 'em up anywhere. I've heard tell of them latching onto anything big enough, including other krajen."
 
From the top of the crow's nest, Izema caught an excellent view of the planet as Moonsister approached port. The top surface of the planet, the grey parts visible from space, was mostly barren rock, pockmarked with craters and cracks. The same barren rock continued around the opening of the canyon the ship sank into. About three or four meters below the lip of the canyon, the terrain suddenly changed. As Moonsister sank lower, an almost tangible sense of atmosphere suddenly surrounded the ship. Above that point, bare rock. Below it, moss-covered canyon replete with fir and spruce trees! The quick of you to look notice that any tree close enough to the edge of the atmosphere cuts off abruptly in jagged rends above that invisible line, as if something had chewed the wood away.

Filling the canyon below you was verdant pine forest, surrounding a long, winding river of sparkling, clear water. Rocks that seemed to glimmer in the sunlight reflected the illumination in different directions. Wide meadows of vibrant, purple-streaked grasses surrounded calmer spots along the waterway, sheep grazing on the greenery. As the ship glided along the length of the canyon, it opened up wider and wider, until at its widest point it had to be five or six miles in breadth! It was here, at a spot where the river widened into a moderate-sized lake, that the kobolds built Port Admon. Buildings crafted from a mix of stone and local timber rose up along the cliff wall at one edge of the lake, climbing almost a hundred feet upwards along the rock wall! Balconies, walkways, unusual stairways, odd towers, it made the town look like a pile of toy blocks shoved up against a wall.

And here, where town met lake, was the port. A rock waterbreak lined the shore edge, with wooden docks running from the waterbreak out to berths for sailing ships and other spelljamming vessels. Moonsister came in for a landing out in the center of the lake. As the ship settled into the water, a bubble of air beneath her displaced the water. That water slowly began to push its way in through the edge of the gravity plane, the same way it had spilled out before. When the bottom of the air envelope was full, Captain Naresh gave the order for everyone to brace themselves, then had Ohmen shut down the helm. The moment the helm was released, planetary gravity took over. The ship gave a lurch and a shudder, before beginning to rock with the gentle waves in the lake. Nodding to herself, the captain gave the the orders to sail her into the nearest berth.

As Moonsister drew up alongside the dock, a dozen kobolds threw lines out to the crew. They pulled the ship in as close as they dared, bringing it to rest against large mesh bollard-sacks that hung from the sides of the pier. Once the ship was tied off, a gangplank was laid out. "Okay everyone," she called out to her crew, "shore leave until morning! I need to meet with my contact before we can unload the stone, so everyone gets the evening off!" Having said her piece, she walked over to chat with her opposite number in the Port Authority. The town stretches out before you, waiting to welcome you. To some extent, anyway. Several inns line the waterbreak at the end of the pier, and at least one of those has a common room or tavern.

Before you can leave the docks though, Captain Naresh stops you. Pulling a purse out from a pocket in the sash at her waist, she counts out a stack of coins - gold, not silver as you'd expected - and hands each of you fifteen coins. Except for Garutis. She hands his pay to Tarkaz, after telling Garutis that the minotaur will hold his 'shiny rocks' for him. "This is your first weeks' pay. Try not to spend it all on booze, and beware a drink called dismakhah. It is a kind of rum made from an oddly sweet mushroom, and packs a serious whallop." That said, she turns her back on you and returns to chatting with the dock crew.
 
Drakk takes the coins and sets out eagerly into the city. His people truly were more advanced then he had realized and the sight of the looming city caused great joy for him. He felt a sense of joy like never before because these were truly his people, not the Kobolds on his home planet, Drakk doubted he would ever return there. Making his way through the town he decided to stop by the market to explore what goods his people traded, as well as to hunt for some books on Celestial Studies, new star charts or catalogues. Drakk got a few stares due to his odd scale color and wings, but for the most part fit in. Unfortunately, after he arrived he noticed the merchants were closing up shop, his shopping would have to wait until tomorrow.

Drakk searched for a place to stay the night, he wondered how the others would find anything as it was almost all written in Draconic. Luckily he found a fairly upscale tavern called the Wægn ûhtfloga sêað, which meant Dragon's Eye in Draconic. He entered to see many Kobolds sitting around at circular tables. The tavern even had some musicians playing on a small stage set up on the right side of the room. A large roaring fireplace blazed near the bar as Kobolds ordered meals and wine before gathering around the musicians to listen. Drakk slowly made his way to the bar to be greeted by the Bartender who said:
"Wilcumian n¯æman ðone as nicor scræf! of−gân nâteðæshwôn sîene êower lýtesnâ hêr ðam, êower bêga ingenga?"
(Welcome to the Dragon's Eye! I haven't seen you around here before, are you a visitor?)
Drakk sat down on a barstool before replying:
"Sôðlic yfel rûmmôdlic! innan, to bêgra fêawlic dæghwîl yfel nâwa efenlic forcýðan hê mihtig mightyûpâhebban weargbr¯æde s¯æbât innan ruma! êow stihtan ðêana memêsan hwæðre drincan? yfel nîwian of tôhwon tungol hwæðere nearwe âcnâwan yfel efen."
( Indeed I am good sir! In fact, until a few days ago I never even know it was possible to fly a ship into space! What would you advise for me to eat and drink? I am new to this planet and don't exactly know what I would like.)

After this, the bartender laughed and patted Drakk on the back before stepping into the kitchen for a few minutes before bringing out a large platter of various different meats, cheeses, and vegetables, as well as a glass of a strange wine. Drakk instantly fell in love with the food, it was the best food he had ever tasted! Drakk sat back and listened to the music as he ate.

After he had eaten his fill and payed the bartender, Drakk ordered a room and went up to settle down. As he fell asleep thoughts of the day swarmed over him as the cool curtain of sleep took him.
 
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