Day 109: We are sailing

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Days 109 (1st June) 
DM Note: Bazin and Umar’s bless has reduced to +2/+2, you don’t know how long this will last (5th day).
Ensconced in a safe house for a few days at least, the party discusses what to do next. In the end it is decided to look for passage to Wilston.
Investigations at the harbour reveal that a Free Trader ship, named Fairwinds, is due to depart Westwards on the morning of the 3rd June, and so after some quick checking around on the provenance of the ship, berths are booked and the party makes some final logistical arrangements.
* A tithe offering is made to Shanah
* A note for Phinon along with a	valuable dagger is left with his corpse in the anticipation of him	being resurrected
* The mounts and tack are sold,	White Beach is obviously gearing up militarily and so go prices are	had for these
* A despatch for Gohde & Cagrun	is left at the consul
* Quercius gathers a small	collection of cuttings along with some seeds
….and then it is time to depart White Beach, with Twoo lamenting the fact that you never actually managed to stay at the Dunes.
Day 111 (3rd June)
The journey up the channel passes around 20 miles to the West of Sallahan late evening, with the Fairwinds hugging the East coast of the channel. The crew get noticeably nervous as the ship makes its way Northwest, with much fingering of religious symbols and as dusk settles, there is a noticeably sickly yellow glow on the horizon from the direction of Sallahan.
By late in the night, with Sallahan now far astern, the crew begins to relax and the Fairwinds returns to the centre of the channel. Over a friendly game of cards that night, Francis and Joshua are told the tale of the Blackeyed Gull. (Legend attached)
Day 112 (4th June)
Early morning sees the ship clear the channel and hit more open sea, Umar and especially Brokev are having a lot of difficulty finding their sea legs. With the winds blowing from the West the ship makes good time and by mid to late afternoon is pulling into the small harbor of Milvale.
Milvale is a small Dwarven mining community, there are small deposits of Iron and Copper in the hills above the village and from chatting to the locals they obviously trade with both the Free Traders and also any Nomad tribes that range up this peninsula. There is a small Centaur clan that ranges the local region and this provides the village with fresh meat and hides. There is some minor trading carried out here by the Fairwinds, but primarily the stop is used to top up food and water supplies.
Day 113 (5th June)
Setting out early the next morning the ship continues to make good time until just after noon, when the winds die down to a gentle breeze. The resultant wallowing of the Fairwinds results in Brokev spending most of the next few hours at the stern rail. As the winds pick up late afternoon, the Fairwinds picks up speed and the wallowing drops away.
It is early evening when the ship pulls in alongside the pier at Torren, the small harbor here has a large number of small fishing boats – that and the collection of nets and pots on the harborside reveal that Torren is primarily a fishing village. The inhabitants are primarily Human, though there are some Halflings, Dwarves and Ariel in residence as well.
Torren is small and pretty nondescript, it has an Inn, which appears to be the most robustly constructed building in the village. The locals are obviously used to Free Traders and other merchants calling in and you would suspect that most of them turn out that evening for a few beers and to hear the news of the wider world.
Again, the Fairwinds tops up on supplies.
Day 114 (6th June)
A relatively smooth days sailing, with the Fairwinds putting in at Havenpoint mid afternoon. Havenpoint is a small town that has grown out of the desire for the coastal traders looking to save a weeks trip down the estuary for Far Haven itself. Far Haven effectively runs Havenpoint, providing the judicial and administrative functions for the town.
The two Universal cleric passengers and their Maratasen escorts depart the Fairwinds here in order to catch a fast ferry down to the city itself. The Fairwinds itself takes on a cargo of fine leather goods, for which Far Haven is well known, these wrapped in sealed bales and stored in the hold.
Day 115 (7th June)
The entire next day is spent at sea, the Captain explains that there are villages along this coast but in general they alternate stopping off points since there is little in the way of trade opportunities.
Day 116 (8th June)
Late afternoon the boat anchors in the bay at the small Troll village of Torog. The village appears to be primarily a fishing enclave and so it is quite surprising to find out that the Captain is trading wine here for some fine silverware. The party follows the lead of the crew, none of which are showing any inclination to go ashore.
Day 117 (9th June)
The day is spent at sea, when you hear that the ship is planning to put in tomorrow at a village on the ‘Isle of the Dead’ everyone in the party raises an eyebrow. Chatting that evening with the crew you find out that the island is occupied by a number of small Human and Ariel settlements and is pretty peaceful. On the North coast of the island can be found the ruins of what was obviously a massive mausoleum, very visible from the sea. Passing ships use it as a navigation landmark and over the years it has resulted in the Island getting the nickname ‘Isle of the Dead’. Apparently numerous expeditions by explorers and sages have tried to penetrate the mystery of the mausoleum but no one has actually been able to find a way in to the actual tombs that must lie underneath.
Day 118 (10th June)
In the evening, the ship berths at Sandhills, a pleasant agricultural Ariel village. There is little to trade here although the ships supplies are topped up in exchange for small trade goods. The villagers are all keen to hear the news from the mainland and prove very welcoming.
Day 119 (11th June)
Another day at sea, for the first time on this trip you see Tirson having to apply some weather control to maintain a decent rate of travel. Apparently, this stretch of the journey does not have that many decent ports of call and so the Captain wants to stick to the itinerary of getting to Fillentown tomorrow evening.
Fillentown is apparently a largeish town, population a mix of Native Orcs and Humans. Whilst they do trade with the Free Traders, their primary source of income is from high quality timber which gets shipped out twice a year over to Far Haven and across to Willston. But the Free Traders will often pick up small cargos of rare hardwoods on order. The township is rough, and whilst some crewmen will visit the seafront bars, the rule of thumb is not to go anywhere that you cannot see the ship. In any event, apart from drink, there is not much to do ashore.
Day 120 (12th June)
Fairwinds pulls into Fillentown harbour in the early evening and moors at the end of the pier. Some of the bolder members of the crew go ashore, but most are content to remain on the boat. Even in the fading light of day it is obvious that Fillentown has a somewhat ramshackle appearance, although the pier is surprisingly well maintained, and the shore crew that you saw seemed efficient.
Day 121 (13th June)
The ship pulls out of Fillentown at first light having restocked with fresh supplies, plus a bundle of very dark wooden planks, around 30 in number. The crew seem really pleased to have this cargo on board and when asked offer up the fact that it is Meldorian Heartwood. Apparently the same Meldorian plant that around Far Haven and White Beach barely makes it to being a 6’ high scrubby bush, in the local forests of this area grows up to 50’ tall. The heartwood is prized by the skilled bowmakers and more recently Elves and has proven to be a lucrative cargo in the past few months.
The day is spent at sea, there is a certain air of nervousness in the crew, and you learn that Eastpoint used to be a small wrecker enclave. As ships swing around the coast there are some reefs and tricky currents, easily avoided if the ship maintains a distance from shore but that in turn loses time. Anyhow when Willston fell to the Elves, Rasten despatched a small force to take over Eastpoint as well, probably to keep the trade routes open, so Eastpoint is now occupied by Dark Elves. Apparently they are civil enough, but nobody other than the Captain and First Mate will be going ashore.
Day 122 (14th June)
Swinging around the most Northeasterly point of the North Island, most of the party members gain an understanding of what the crew were on about. Breakers reveal any number of submerged rocks closer to shore and the currents seem determined to push the ship onto them. But, after a few hours of careful sailing, the Fairwinds pulls into Eastpoint harbor and berths at the main jetty.
Two customs officials come aboard to be met by Captain Gerono and then shown around the cargo by Shola. Each of the passengers is asked for their name, port of embarkation and ultimate destination. Whilst the level of haughtiness displayed by the Dark Elves towards the crew and non-Elven passengers is somewhat excessive their behaviour is no worse than can be encountered in an overly pompous bureaucrat.
Towards Oaktesiel and his companions the Dark Elf officials temper their manner, still somewhat bureaucratic but with an element of respect or possibly deference.
There is no attempt to welcome people ashore, other than Gerono who is asked to come and sign some papers and pay the customs tariff. On his return, fresh supplies and water are loaded and the ship is prepared for an early start the next morning.
Day 123 (15th June)
Leaving Eastpoint is something of a relief, although as one crewmember is heard to remark…. “Not sure what was worse, the damn wreckers or their replacements.”
The day is spent at sea, sailing down the coast, towards the end of the day a plume of smoke is visible on the shore.
Crew: “Hmmm, pretty sure that smoke is coming from Lekton. Q’Master, should we be going to investigate?”
Tullos: “No, apparently the Captain was given warning that many of the coastal settlements along this stretch have been evacuated. Ghoulagabba is playing silly buggers again and also other strange beasties have been sighted – like those Owlbears up near White Beach. So our route instructions are to stay at sea until we get to Willston.”
Day 124 (16th June)
Another day at sea, making sure everyone is prepared for what they will find at Willston.
Day 125 (17th June)
DM Note: Umar/Bazin still blessed +2/+2 (21st Day)
The Fairwinds makes port just after noon, pulling up to the pierside with a great deal of skill and flamboyance.
Crew (under breath): “Lets show the pointy ears our stuff eh!”
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