Prologue I: Departure

Act 1, Scene 1: Departure

Flag is Grey-Slate Blue with two concentric dark-grey circle
Odd Party, Act 1, Scene 2: Meeting People Odd Party, Act 1, Scene 3: Pirate Attack Odd Party, Act 1, Scene 4: Taking the Pirate Ship

Three odd figures make their way along the docks to the waiting vessel.
odd Narrative Stopping at the base of the gangplank, a catfolk and a goblin and a fighting man gaze up towards the ship above. They gaze up at the sleek passenger ship called the Greyswift, as if gazing on their world for the last time. Above, three capable mates ready the ship for departure. It will sail across the wide Lupine Ocean, to a City called Tellarus. They say it is the seat of a great Empire, the largest most sprawling city in all of Summer's Tale. In any case, the three heroes slowly walk up the plank to ship and step down onto the deck. All three turn and gaze back at the port town of Azure. There is a reluctance, for Tellarus lies very, very far away. The confidence and poise of the captain, as he introduces himself, make them more comfortable. He goes by the name of Old Trizz, and he greets the heroes, taking their coin for passage and introducing them to their quarters below. It seems there are a few other passengers on this trip. A half hour passes, and the ship is ready to leave harbor on its way. Lupine Way--a slate-grey ocean of relative calm this time of year--will be the first leg of the journey. Old Tizz explains the rout to our heroes: Due north to the cliffs of Burrant, then south along the Hillshores of Tovvens to the great city of Tellarus, Empire of Aligoria. Old Tizz explains, the circuitous route will avoid Lupine pirate activity, although his solid confidence seems to slip, almost imperceptably, this.



ACT ONE, SCENE TWO, THE VOYAGE AND THE PEOPLE: See Adventures of the Odd Part, Act 1, Scene 2

The curtain goes up on Act 1 of our tale, a scene in the shipping town of Azure, along the rock-strewn northern coast of the Loose Federation of Zephyran Clans, usually refered to simply as Zephyra. There is a mild bustle on the docks, with the haul of boxes and sacks and goods, and dockhands calling out to each other in their staccato common tongue of Zephyra. Three heroes shoulder their bags and make their way to the Greyswift, a passenger ship soon boudn across the Lupine Ocean to the great city of Tellarus. The ship itself seems a portal to purpose and adventure.
Tellarus, they say, is the largest city on all of summer's tale, a place of uending curioisty and intrigue, a place to find things you never knew you were looking for. Yes, it is said the megalopolis of Tellarus sprawls up into (its) the _____ valley like a invitation to the finest dram of Groggincubby, and then some.
To reach Tellarus, the Captain Tizz explains, the ship will sail straight north from Azure into the misty waters off the banks of Brohd Zellor, then head east along its shores to the cliff of Burrant, then south from there. along the coast of Tovvens, very carefully through the waters out of Jack City, and finally to the harbor of Telllarus. The hope is to hug the shore, as to avoid open water piracy, and Imperial presence. [show map]
The Greyswift rocks gently, its moorings creaking. On this voyage, the ship will carry nine people, an odd party: three ship-hands, one captain, a catfolk, a goblin, and a fighting man. A grizzled man sitIt is an odd party, and it will be even moreso before the voyage ends.
The voyagers pay their fare for passage and settle in for an 11 day journey. The captain reviews the map with the passengers. The three Greyswift's sailors release the moorings, and ready the sails. Soon the Greyswift is out on the steel-blue sea. The salt wind is cool without being cold, and it blows adventure and curiosity across the ocean. The sails fill, and the journey east begins.
<Sitting on a barrel on the deick, a grizzled man with a sober face whittles drifttwood with his dagger. He looks up from the task and nods to our heroes in acknowledgement. He looks as though he's been through a bit, been around the clock a few times or more. There is a wisdom in his eyes, and a softness somehow.>
The ship is off, and the ship-board jour, ney begins. What adventure lies ahead? What adventure will our heroes seek or find? The answer may blow in the salty breeze, or among the steely swells, or the grey skies, or perhaps in the land across the ocean. Things remain to be seen for these, our heroes, an odd bunch indeed...

CHARACTERS
Captain Tizzy Mates Del, Frens, and Quopp (Quopp half elf) Derren Falsani, retiring warrior Old Lady Goblin Oracle, Burgga Krugg

VOYAGE WILL BE

• about 540 miles total (roughly 11 days),
• up-straight across 410 miles (Roughly 8 days,
• and around down the Cliffcoast of Tovvens, roughly 130 miles (roughly 3 days), reaching
• Tellarus on NOVEMBAR 25: "December's Dawn"
• Starting datae, NOVEMBAR 14

_____ receives a letter of old, water-stained parchment, looks like it comes from very far away, folded and creased, with writing faded. Was delivered the message to his personal quarters in Azure. The letter is from someone he has never met, has not even heard of. Indeed it turns out the letter comes from Aligoria, a continent across the Lupine Sea. It goes like this (written in Amarruns, the catfolk language):
Dear Cousin _______,
I hope this finds you in keen whiskers and a sharp claw. An unfortunate event has come to pass. Great-uncle Parsiff Charlica has passed away after long illness. As your distant cousin, and Parsiff's great grandson, it falls to me to break this news. What's more, Parsiff has left a good portion of his robust fortune to your great-grandmother Kordatha. As you may not know, Kordatha was the last of your line to survive. Except for you...
And so, dear Cousin, your family's inheritance awaits you here in Aligoria. The modest den of Charlica lies in Cat Country, far to the southeast of the Eastlands, beyond the city of Aligoria.
We will do our best to hold your fortune safe until your return. We have buried it inconspicuously and will help you retrieve it upon your return.
We remain your kin ad cousins and will look forward to your return.
May your paws pad softly, and all the best, Forreena Chalica