This continues a long-form campaign, Zen and the Art of Caravan Maintenance.
Emmett & Joshua are cattle ranchers, seeking a quiet change in career for various reasons. They’ve made it from the Circle Sea all the way to the Porcelain Citadel. And now it’s time to deliver the buggalo!
Story
The pair booked in at the Filigree’d Tree, run by a half-elf, Lily-of-the-Valley. They immediately went up the hillside to find the mansion of the prince who ordered the buggalo. A flunkey (unnamed) was very surprised to see them - they’d forgotten about the order.
It turns out the buggalo were ordered due to a fad several months ago for bold cuisine, with new flavours and exotic sources. As with most fads, this has already been over in the Porcelain Citadel for a while. The household starts to get excited, considering themes. Meanwhile, Emmett and Joshua deliver the buggalo to the stables, politely refusing to sell the one birthed along the way. Looks like meat’s back on the menu, boys!
Joshua then transfers the money raised back to their aunt. A small fee ensures it arrives within the week.
Thus, the debt is repaid.
He considers his purpose and, stimulated by speaking with the dead in the Last Serai; researches how he could go further across the Barrier, and raise the dead. The best he manages is finding some documents that look like they’ve been written by the Lime Nomads. Even the librarian is at a loss.
Emmett however drinks a lot and gambles for the week. He doesn’t remember so much of it, but a vague collection of someone being very annoyed as they hand over their 30% share in the local Cherenkhov Cherry Vodka Distillery.
Meanwhile, they have an actual customer. Spiral 8-body wants a tour of the Lime Nomad Steppes for one of their bodies, from some people who can provide an “authentic experience” and stay alive at the same time.
Lessons learned
Haven’t quite “learned” a lesson on this one, but I have a nagging feeling I could have done better on events, rumours and sidequests. In fact, I think my lesson is to try a bit harder on those - I need to do more prep.