Session 7: An Ocean of Choices Report
General Summary
The party makes their way back through the cave, arriving in the ice palace, where columns of ice pile up in the chill air, glistening in the sunlight.
Now that you can see properly, Joe looks to be a fairly average man. His clothing may be better than a common street vendors, but not by much. His head holds medium length brown curls of hair, and his hands look roughened by a tough work environment. Would you have seen him in any other situation, you would have simply looked upon him like yet another commoner on the street.
Joe, still over the shoulder of Sebastian, can finally see the party, and looks over them from his state. "Wow... I must have died."
"I hope not, we really need you to sail your ship." Ragia says, trotting along while Ayame nods, blinking and squinting her eyes at the sudden light.
Naomi skips over to him, booping his nose and casting cure upon him, in an atempt to let him know he hasn't quite died yet.
Eleanor nods at Ragia. "Those undead put up quite a fight down there! You must've been read d-..." she pauses for a moment, "D... desperate, but i'm just glad we got you out."
His wounds fully healed, Joe looks much better other than his worn clothing as he is booped. "Shame. This would have been the perfect kind of trip to heaven... Can I get down now?"
Ayame nods, to which Sebastian drops him like a sack of potatoes.
"Now you look less on the verge of death." says Naomi. "Don't worry Joe, if you died and became undead, I'd have done everything in my power to cleanse your soul."
Joe stands up, brushing off his clothing with a certifiable attempt at remaining nonchalant. "Well, if it involved dinner tonight, you can cleanse me anytime." he says before smiling to Naomi.
Ayame flicks him square in the forehead "We saved you because we need you"
"Yeah, get this man some food before you cleanse him of his impure thoughts" Ragia says.
Naomi frowns, taking a step back from Bigley. "U-unfortunately sir, as a Cleric I must decline. I-I uh...Have a Vow of Chastity."
"wow," says Ragia. "That must be boring. I can't imagine what that'd feel like."
Eleanor pats Naomi on the back, her eyes going to Joe, "well actually on the note of gratitude, we heard your ship was the one we were lookin for in terms of travel."
"The questgivers wern't very precise on the details, what were you doing in there?" Ragia asks Joe as well.
Naomi, having been sweating and thinking hard to herself, starts looking woozy. Ayame notices this and gives Naomi a side hug, looking confused. "All the excitement down there getting to you?"
Joe, looking a bit nervous twiddles his thumbs at Ragias question, ignoring it ant looking to Eleanor. "Well, yes I can book a trip out of Kurado, but its not very cheap.. I have ah... expenses I need to cover at the docks."
"Well if money's the problem, I can handle. let's call it our ticket price" says Ragia. "How much are we talking about ?"
Ayame remarks, "The ticket price should be him getting out of that cave."
Naomi hugs Ayame back.
Ragia looks to Ayame, "if he's gonna go to another cave trying to get the ship out of town, it'll be faster to just pay him what he owe."
"Oh...uhm...Naomi?" says Ayame.
"Y-yuh?"
She points to her cloaked friend while Joe starts talking. "Well, there is wages, and I offer my crew uhh... a gold a day on the ocean, not counting taxes of course, plus there-"
"Thats my bodyguard sebastian... he is a skeleton."
Joe stops on hearing that, and turns, looking at the large figure behind him.
"Well thats rude, he's not THAT skinny Ayame." Naomi says.
"Eh? No I mean... like... a dead guy." she says, waving dismisively to him, his cloak falling back to show a skull. "Supriiiise~"
"Eh?" Naomi says, staring blankly.
Eleanor blinks, "That... somehow makes him less weird to me now."
"Uh... Ayame." says Naomi. "What is this? This is an illusion right?"
Joe turns back to the party. "Allright uhh... what else was there... Docking fees, I can't dock here very often so I need about fifty gold on top of that. Plus food, Ill need an abundance for my crew... Overall ummm... For each person, Ill accept 100 gold."
Naomi squints at Ayame, whispering, "We're talking about this later."
Eleanor puts her hand on her hip while Ragia digs through her bag of coins. "No discount at all for savin yer life?"
Ragia pulls out 40 platinum coins, offering them to Joe. "Will this do?"
Ayame blinks at the obsene display of wealth from the kobold, snapping her fingers. To that, sebastian very quickly dissapears into the ground, the ground closing back around him quickly.
Joe looks Eleanor in the eyes, while he graciously accepts the 40 platinum. "If customers are willing to pay full price, Ill be happy to take full price."
"I am expecting full service to go with the full price." says Ragia.
"Again, dinner, as always, I am a gentleman." Joe replies, pocketing the coins.
Eleanor sighs, "well I won't turn down someone else payin I guess"
"A real gentleman would also offer bedside breakfast" Ragia says, also with a smile.
"Wow Ragia, you really know how to get your moneys worth..."
Now its Joe's turn to blush, as he turns around. "Lets get to the ship, Hopefully we can leave today, but if its close to dark, we will need to wait till tomorrow."
Ragia shrugs as the party starts heading back towards the city. "What can I say ? I have high standards, I'm renowned among my kind after all."
Eleanor leans down towards Ragia, tilting her head, "You are?"
Ragia shows off her wings, spreading them in their golden glory. "indeed, very few kobolds are born with our dragon heritage as strong as mine. I'm kind of a prophetic child back in my tribe."
"Huh, so your kinda like me in my village!" says Ayame excitedly.
"I guess so, to a certain extent." Ragia nods in agreement.
Eleanor pauses for a moment, looking off past Ragia in the distance as though she's noticed something.. bad. She then stands back up straight and pats her head, "uh.. that's.. great to hear that we have.. uhm." she takes a deep breath, and fixes her gaze back on Ragia, "Such a bunch of renown folks with us!"
Ragia tilts her head at Eleanor's antics. "Everything okay up there?"
Eleanor nods, "Yup! Totally fine." She nods again, "My mind just uh.. thought about all those undead in the cave and if Ayame knew more about them, but I doubt she does."
Ayame shakes her head. "Yeah, not really."
"Darn. Well-" Eleanor says, turning to the captain, "When's departure times?"
Ragia tries to look ahead, confused by all the questions.
"Tomorrow at the latest." says Joe.
"Today at the earliest?" Says Naomi.
"How can you say so that clearly ? you got some sort of magical timekeeping to know what day it is in a cave?"
"Usually how time works." Joe says with a smile to Naomi.
He looks to Ragia. "When I entered the cave, it was sunset, and Im not dead. Im assuming today was our normal leaving point, or else we would be stuck here for maybe a year."
Eleanor nods, "So like noon tomorrow. Got it."
Ayame stretches out as they walk, "I can't wait! I've never left the island before."
"Noon?" says Joe. "Daylight!"
"Daylight it is!" Eleanor spins on a heel directly pointing back into the city, "I'm gonna go check out the bars again while waitin, who's comin?"
"Ill come!" says Ayame.
"Hell yeah!" Eleanor replies.
"I guess, its the last time we get to enjoy this city so let's make it count."
Naomi tilts her head. "I'd rather stay in the room..."
Ragia turns to joe, "Can you show me where the ship is at least? we may just go sleep on it once we're done, so we don't miss the departure time."
Joe Bigley nods to Ragia. "Of course, its the largest ship on the docks last I looked but I can show you all where its at."
"We'll be able to choose our cabins too. Hopefully that'll reduce the chances taht drunk us comming back end up falling asleep on someone else's bed."
"Cabins? Well... that may be a problem. Only sleeping space is in hammocks, even for me." Joe says, scratching the back of his head.
"How long is the trip?" asks Ayame.
"You never gave a destination." Joe replies.
"Oh... I suppose so." Ayame thinks for a moment.
"Wherever there's the most dragonborns will be fine." Ragia says almost giddily.
"Eh...no we need to think it through a bit more then that.."
Eleanor is just looking antsy, stepping in place like she's raring to go, "Who cares? We don't need a special once a year boat to get anywhere else we wanna go afterwards anyways."
"Thinking of it a bit more, What is the name of your group?" Joe says, eying everyone.
"The WRECKED!" Eleanor says enthusiastically, "Do not let us live up to that name though!"
"Yeah, once is enough." Ragia grumbles. Ayame giggles.
Eleanor rubs her chin, "I'll do that myself at the bar."
"UH, I mean, technically yes. But I dont know if I want to call myself 'Wrecked.' My mom might get the wrong idea if she heard that..." Naomi says almost nervously.
Eleanor snirks, "I bet yer mom had her own nights where she got wrecked, you said she was an adventurer or somethin right? Don't get through going around doin that kinda stuff without at least trying a few drinks... or twenty."
"I prefer to get wrecked after the bar myself, preferably with someone of draconic descent." Ragia says, tapping her fingers together in glee.
"Why not both!" Eleanor exclaims.
"Fair point." nods the Kobold.
Eleanor grabs Ragia by her hand, "Lets go do that now in fact!"
Ragia lifts her arms up, barely lifting Ele's hand in the process. "Let's go!" she says before pausing, turning to Naomi. "Think you can check out the ship on your own and pick us up at some point?"
"Yea 'Mimi, we can check out the ship later" Eleanor nods enthusiastically, "I super want to see the bar that was more rowdy last night though before that!"
Eleanor bites her lip and hugs her staff. "I-i'm just gonna go enjoy the sweets back at our room one last time..."
Eleanor gasps, "Wait!" she says letting go of Ragia, running up to Naomi and grabbing her hands, "We can drink then have a BUNCH of sweets again!"
Naomi Eeps!
"Bready sweets DO help a hangover!" Eleanor says with a smile on her face.
"U-uh...Sure then...I guess I can go..." Naomi says, scratching her cheek before looking away from Eleanor, blushing.
"Hell yeah!" Eleanor exclaims, pumping her fist in the air.
Throughout the conversation, Joe Bigley managed to walk everyone back into the city, leading them to the docks and pointing out his ship to the party. "Its nearly dark now, the Red Lounge should open up soon, so good luck, and have fun. Be on the ship by dawn."
Eleanor nods, "Can we just pass out on the ship later tonight?? I'm fine with hammocks!"
"That works just fine!" he says, walking his way to the ship, the woman that hired the party before running out from the ship and hugging Joe before slapping him.
Ragia waves after joe, holding Naomi's hand, wincing at the slap along with everyone else.
Eleanor mutters, "Oof, couples fight."
From there, the party approaches the quiet red lounge, a building that looks like a miniature gothic castle even from a distance. Right now, scores of people are gathered around the entrance, many in more, revealing clothing than some would find comfortable to walk around in. Above the door, a sign, lit up by black candles it says "Metalstep Night." just underneath the flashy red sign of the "Red Lounge." Night is nearly upon everyone.
While waiting for the night club to open, they spend time counting out the coin they recived from selling what they earned on their way to the docks, and dividing it evenly. Ragia keeping the gloves they found, Eleanor keeping the claw, and everyone but Ragia getting a share of the coin.
Just as the last coin exchanges hands for the Wrecked, the sun dips below the skyline, and music begins to play. The music from the night before is much louder than it was before, and the party can clearly hear aggressive demonic like music clearly from outside.
The gathered croud of people starts cheering as the doors are opened, a dark pink skinned woman with demonic horns and bat wings opens the doors, wearing a sultry outfit. "Come on in and DANCE!" she shouts just barely loud enough for people to hear as they all charge into the door, the woman dipping out of the way as the croud rushes inside.
Ragia cheers and rushes inside, pocketing her gold as they rush into the croud, intrigued on the magical instruments they are using to make these crazy sounds.
Ayame blinks, confused at the new sound, not ever hearing anything like it from her time at the shrine, but she excitedly goes into the tavern with the crowd, followed closely by Eleanor and nervously Naomi.
The lounge is filled with scores of people, dancing away on the large square floor taking up the majority of the space before you. Above the dance floor, there are cages with scantily clad women, wearing various shades of red clothing and bat like wings dancing to the music permiating throughout the building. The stage itself is on the far side of the dance floor, with several musicians are gathered, singing, dancing and fooling around on the stage to a gathered crowd of voratious dancers.
To the left of the stage when you enter is the bar, straddled beneath a set of stairs going to the upper floor, with three bartenders, all female, and all in similar outfits to the women in cages above the dance floor. One of them looks different from the others, a dark pink skinned woman with demonic horns and bat wings, which flutter behind her captivating figure as she serves drinks to the awaiting hordes of dancers, occassionally flirting with them as well.
The musicians on the stage seem to have highly enchanted gear, making them extremely loud. All of the instruments seem to have demonic imagery emblazoned proudly upon them.
Ayame blushes at the sights, unsure what to do, she moves quickly to the bar to get a drink, alongside Eleanor.
Naomi nervously follows along with them, unsure of what to do with herself, but eventually, the party starts drinking more and more, save for Ayame, who drinks slow and sparingly, talking to a few sailors who's luck has turned south. Ragia dissapeared into the crowd, and lost herself to the music, and 'party favors' she purchased from a random man.
After much flirting, dancing, partying, and a night of debauchery, the party eventually finds themselves waking up back on the ship.
Eleanor is the first to awaken, in a hammock on the boat, still wearing her clothing, but awoken by the smell of fresh pastries from the hostess of the Bittern Inn standing above her.
"You sent someone to me to deliver these." The hostess says, handing Eleanor a large pile of pastries, but looking awkardly beyond Eleanor, to Naomi who is also beginning to stir. She quickly exits the ship as Eleanor looks to Naomi, who awakens, to find herself in a hammock, spooning an entire ham which is wearing a dress and lipstick. Unlike her clothed companion, it seems that her clothing has been replaced with ropes.
Eleanor looks at the display, eating a pastry and handing one to Naomi as she starts to awaken.
"W-wuh." Naomi says, still lost at what exactly happened.
Ragia is the next to awaken, accidentally bumped by the hostess on her way off the ship, having slept the deck of the ship, holding a bronze statue that looks to be wearing the exact same outfit that Ragia is, but also had 10 pairs of undergarments from various races and genders tied around its waist.
Eleanor, still holding the pile of pastries, stands up, looking unphased by Naomi, or the state of her hangover as she munches on one of the pastries.
Naomi, seeing this, blushes a deep maroon in realization on what is going on. "E-Eleanor, can you help me remove this?" she says standing up as the ham drops to the floor.
Eleanor tilts her head, "The ropes? It's a cute look though! That ham also looks pretty tasty."
"E-Eleanor!! Please!" Naomi says, struggling to find a knot to get herself out of the bindings.
Ragia rubs her head, hearing the commotion below deck, and pockets the stack of underwear that was tied around the statue before making her way to the rest of the party, seeing their shenanigans this morning.
Ayame, finally awake from the comotion, stretching in her hammock and crying out "GOOOOOD MOOORNIIING!~" She yells at the hungover trio.
The rest of the party winces, but Eleanor waves back excitedly, shouting "MORNIN! Do you want a ham?" Eleanor points to the dressed pork particulate.
Naomi hides her face in her hands, embarrassed as Eleanor gestures to her. "This bound one's got plenty it seems!"
"Uhm..." Ayame ponders. "No... not after what happened to it last night~"
"OH!" Eleanor exclaims, holding out the pile, "We have pastries!"
Ayame oohs, and grabs a pastry, happilly chowing down.
Naomi starts running around the cabin looking for her normal clothing. "W-what happened to the ham I was spooning?!" she says as flustered as she has ever been.
Ayame nods sagely. "I think it best I keep that secret to myself... for everyone's sake."
"W-Wuht!?" Naomi says, still panicking.
Eleanor stumbles over to Naomi, grabbing at the ropes. "Lemme help you out of those hun before you hurt yourself."
Naomi just stands still, letting Eleanor help her, her embarrassment at record highs.
It was at that point that Naomi sees one of her garments poking out of Ragia's pocket. She stares daggers at the kobold. "R-Ragia... What's that in your pocket?" she says pointing at it.
Ragia looks away from Naomi. "Nothing..."
Eleanor gasps, "Ragia you know you can't get pregnant off of Naomi!"
"Ragia," Naomi asks politely, "Do you have my clothing?"
"Unless..." Eleanor ponders.
Naomi looks to Eleanor. "Unless what?!"
Eleanor stares back at Eleanor for a moment in thought, "No, yeah, I stick with my point. Clerics can't do that... I think."
Flustered again, Naomi ignores eleanor, looking back to Ragia. "Ragia. Do you. Have. My Clothes?!"
Ragia whines slightly, but pulls out Naomi's panties, handing them to her.
Naomi quickly snatches them up and tries to hide them, unsuccessfully due to her nudity before quickly putting them on.
"Very cute." Ayame says, finishing of a pastry.
"SUPER cute!" Eleanor says with a smile.
Naomi covers her face. "W-why did I drink so much last night..."
Light just barely starts to flood the exit of the ships hold before the door below decks opens again, the sound of heels clicking against the wood tapping through the cabin, as the Hostess from last night holds a pile of clothing, and Naomi's quarterstaff. "I heard you were all leaving tonight, wanted to make sure you got your stuff back." she says, offering the clothing to Naomi. She looks over to Eleanor with a smirk however. "Shame you couldn't continue our flirting last night~"
Naomi instantly grabs her clothing and dresses herself.
Eleanor gasps. "The HOT ONE!" she says with a point at the hostess.
"I had to pry you off of her last night" Ayame says with a pout.
Eleanor giggles, "Well thanks for that, last thing I need to be is soulless on top of everything else. Maybe if you're ever willing to go without that whole eatin portion but that'll have to wait til next time I'm in down!"
"I have lost every shred of my dignity..." Naomi says dishearted.
Eleanor snaps her head towards Naomi, "Whateya talkin about?? You were great last night!"
"W-What?!" Naomi says in shock.
"I think!" Eleanor says, pondering.
"What do you mean? L-like..Uhm...D-dancing?" Naomi twirls a lock of her hair in between her fingers bashfully.
Eleanor nods with enthusiasm as the hostess perks up. "Oh its ok, You wern't nearly as bad as she was, worst you did was toss your under ware on stage, glad you got those back."
Naomi passes out at this revelation as Eleanor catches her. "Would've been even better if the bartender lady wasn't in need of a drink, we coulda had so much fun!"
The bartender smirks, moving to Eleanor and kissing her cheek. "This one said she wanted to practice her tongue on the prettiest girl at the bar~"
Naomi recovers from her fainting spell. "W-what happened? Last thing I remember was asking you about dancing..."
Eleanor chuckles, smiling to the hostess, "Well maybe next time."
The hostess nods. "Well, you enjoy your adventure, sounds like the captain will be here soon." she says as the party hears some footsteps on deck, before leaving the party to their desires.
With a breakfast of ham and pastries, aplenty, the captain enters the cabin. "Allright, we are ready to set sail. Only thing I need to know." he says throwing down a parchment on the floor and unrolling it. "Where do you want to go?"
After a small deliberation, the party decides that Rynasen is the first stop, and going to Orzhov is a good second option.
"Rynasen then? I can't go into the city, but I can take you to the border, to the south of it. Its in the forest, but still doable. We will have to travel along the coast to get there."
After another round of Confirmation, Joe Bigey rolls up the map and makes his way to the deck. "Allright crew, we make our way to northern Gwillith!"
And with that, the ship sets sail, and our adventurers leave the nation of Kurado.
Rewards Granted
A 200gp Bronze Statue.
Missions/Quests Completed
Saving Joe Bigley
Character(s) interacted with
Joe Bigley
Hostess of the Red Lounge
