Operation Watersport - Chapter One

> "*I don't get ready, I get debilitating anxiety.*"
> ― Fraya Love
>
>

**Operation Watersport - Chapter One** is the seventeenth episode of Queens of Adventure. In it, the party is given a new mission to head north to the town of Watersport.

## Synopsis

The smell of coffee and sounds of cannons awaken the four queens. Karin and Patrick are making breakfast in the suite as the morning high tide battle rages. The queens run through their morning routines. Fraya has gotten up early, singing Cher songs as she got ready. Arson does a complex skin routine. As the queens sit for breakfast with their suite mates, they find a gift basket with a note and presents for each queen (Harlotte's says Methuselah).

Butylene reads the card from Belfry. It informs them that Operation Morale Boost went well (despite alcohol damage to the carpets) and their Golden Palace Loyalty Program standing has reached level three, Silver Sponge. She instructs them to arrive at 10 am for a new assignment. The card also includes their current bill.

Arson reads the bill, which includes their armory tabs, blessings at the shrine, shots at the casino, carpet cleaning, and bartending services. Total charges: 604 gold. Credits include 150 gold for the show, to the horror of the queens for being underpaid, lobster donation for 30 gold. This leaves them owing 424 gold. Harlotte wants to leave the hotel and sleep in the woods with Ranger Richard. Butylene suggests the lava baby cave. Arson has prepared 'speak to your manager' wigs while noticing her gift. Hers has a spidersilk blindfold and a coil of 150 feet of spidersilk rope.

The others open their gifts. Butylene shreds her wrapping paper to find a blank formula book, purple leather cover, gold foil pages, with some alchemy tools and herbal supplies. Begrudgingly, Fraya opens hers, revealing a shield with the words 'Believe' in primordial, which can act as a holy symbol. The gift for Methuselah is a monogrammed box with a set of silver plated thieve's tools. They also find a luck shrine coupon for using it in the show so often. Realizing there's half an hour before the meeting, the queens tear up the kitchen to make caffeinated drinks before heading upstairs. They agree to see what Belfry wants before deciding whether to leave the palace or not.

In the penthouse office, Ramshackle is giving Belfry a pedicure. She has a job for the group. North lies the town of Watersport. In the archives there is a safe with documents, including a scroll case. Belfry needs them to retrieve these documents within three days, in exchange for 400 gold. They try to negotiate for each, but fail to intimidate her. The scroll case is the original treaty between the resort and the Glamazon inhabitants of the island, which possibly will show how to arrange mutual defense against the threat against the island. She recommends they ask the Concierge downstairs for more details on the town, and insists they repeat her orders.

As they ride the elevator, Arson wonders if Belfry might be related to Lady Edith Wunderbred or the Pomeranian. Downstairs, they ring the bell for the Concierge who appears. He apologizes for his panic the other day when he thought they might violate the treaty by crossing the island, but is relieved they have only been asked to make the one day journey to Watersport. He gives them a map and explains there are three routes there: Beach, road, or hills, each with their own perils. The road has a gorge with a missing bridge. The beach takes longer, but they might encounter seaspawn. The hills are fastest, but the wyverns nest there, and they are very territorial.

The queens notice the islands look volcanic, and half of the main island is marked in red as off limits (and they immediately want to go there). Arson wonders if the natives on the other side of the island have been taken advantage of by rich white lady Belfry. They discuss route options, leaning towards the hills and ask about wyverns. The concierge warns them about the deadly stinger tails, and hunt in the evenings. As for Watersport itself, it was the administrative seat of the tourist side of the island. Some people there fled and are at the casino, others fled by boat and are mostly seaspawn now. The town is likely uninhabited.

As they depart, they ask the Concierge his name. He says he is Richard Fitzwell. Butylene hugs him goodbye. The group discuss errands they need to run. Two dwarves approach them, impressed from last night's show, and introduce themselves as Shale and Coal. The latter asks for an autograph on his foot.

They complete their errands. Fraya goes fishing and gets some small fish, weaving a basket from palm tree fronds. Harlotte visits Sister Baccarat to use their free spin of the wheel and Rihanna gifts them blessing of the cat lord - advantage on stealth and acrobatics. Butylene sees Patrick for research help on wyverns, and jots down notes, making them more wary of wyverns and a fast trek over the hills. While the alchemist created a healing potion, Harlotte and Arson debate ways of crossing the gorge, remembering Arson has a spider ring. Arson visits Lamont at the armory to pick up a long bow and arrows and Liir in the bar to get cheap liquor for Molotov cocktails and manages to nat20 to get it for free.

Around 1:00pm, the queens gather, their preparations ready, and ready to depart. It's a less than glamorous slow-motion departure, but at least they're walking in unison.

### Characters

#### Party

* Arson Nicki - drow warlock
* Butylene O'Kipple - tiefling alchemist
* Fraya Love - water genasi cleric
* Harlotte O'Scara - human rogue

#### NPCs

* Karin and Patrick
* Belfry and Ramshackle
* Concierge
* Shale and Coal (debut)
* Sister Baccarat
* Lamont Du Pont IV

* Liir

## Episode Notes

### Lore

* Watersport was the governmental seat of the island before the seaspawn attack. It houses the treaty between the Glamazons and the tourist resorts on the west side of the island.

### Inspiration Earned

* Fraya - taking notes on puns, not the adventure

### Memorable Quotes

* "I've been waiting to get literary on your asses." - Harlotte O'Scara
* "They say if people are talking behind your back, that means you're in front." - Butylene O'Kipple's cheesy entrance line
* "I don't get ready, I get debilitating anxiety." - Fraya Love's cheesy entrance line
* "Kinda like my personality: Pretty on the outside; kind of blank on the inside." - Butylene O'Kipple
* "It's true. You could break into and kill a werewolf." - DM Matt
* "For the listeners at home, Arson's jaw has been dropped further than I've ever seen a jaw drop." - DM Matt

### References

* Anne Hathaway movies - Princess Diaries, Devil Wears Prada, Les Miz
* Anne Hathaway - William Shakespeare's wife
* Award Show Swag Bags
* Evil Dead Necronomicon
* 7-11
* Harry Potter Hippogriffs
* A Christmas Carol
* Preparation H
* Smirnoff Ice
* The Hills Have Eyes

## Behind the Queens

* This episode was sponsored by Rob Hare.
* As of the end of this episode, the queens level up to Level Four. Their last level up was back in the Nexus of She'Bae.
* Harlotte suggests the group not stay at the Golden Palace anymore, due to the cost. To date, Harlotte has not stayed there since.
* In the March 2020 renumbering and renaming of episodes, this is the only episode to retain its name as Operation Watersport became the title for the arc.

**Greetings From Fire Island**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - **The Show Must Go On**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Operation Watersport**: **Ch1** - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6 - Ch7 - **Trials**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Ghosts of the Coast**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - **The Devil's Due**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Special**: The Story So Far
**The Beautiful Place**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6 - **A Dance in the Dark**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Drama in the Deep**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6 - **Whispers From the Heart**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6
**Danger Rangers!**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6
**Mist Connections**: Ch1 - Ch2
**Unreleased**
Lost: Camp Crystal Light - Pax West 2018 --  vs the Lizard People
Live Shows: Seattle Style -- Minneapolis Style