This continues a long-form campaign, Zen and the Art of Caravan Maintenance.
Emmett & Joshua are back in Violet City and looking for excitement. Or a boat, at least.
Story
Emmett and Joshua split up.
Emmett hangs around the Plucky Penguin, playing cards with the dwarfs, who are pleased to see both of them, but slightly more relaxed around Emmett, Joshua is a bit too scarily magical for them. He’s therefore witness to a goon come in for the “monthly protection”, which is paid without complaint. The dwarfs don’t want to talk about it, but Emmett, quietly outraged, makes his excuses, then nips out and follows the goon.
He sees the crime is clearly organised, with the goon meeting others and money being exchanged. No other criminal activity though, it’s all very clean. Aside from a emaciated kid trying to pickpocket him, of course. Emmett avoids being the victim of theft but again follows the urchin who returns to a dilapidated church. He has a subtle conversation with the Mother Superior who does not admit to organised crime but does allow as to how she could meet him later for a longer conversation. He gives alms as he leaves.
Meanwhile Joshua goes looking for news. Very rapidly he learns about a new island that’s appeared in the Circle Sea, about a half-day’s sail away. He’s instantly intrigued and tries to learn more.
What he learns is how intrigued everyone else is, and the various trips available to boat out, see it (from a distance, in overfilled barges) and return. Joshua wants to land on it though, and that’s harder. He prowls the harbour but the prices are too high or promise too little.
Emmett meets the Mother Superior as promised. Nobody else is providing for the kids in her flock, so she teaches them to provide for themselves. And to avoid drugs, eat well. It’s the best she can do with what she’s got. The Purple Haze Sisterhood are not a rich sect.
Unlike the Abyssine Association that she knows Emmett was watching. They’re a bit unusual, a gang that specialise in corporate blackmail rather than violence. She’d guess the Plucky Pengling doesn’t have property deeds, as she believes the dwarfs started the hotel from a squat.
The pair meet at a fancy tea room, to see what the upper classes are doing. Turns out, pretty much the same thing, looking at the island, and complaining about the price of whiskey since the distillery fire last month. Emmett’s Cherenkov Cherry Vodka Distillery might be able to take advantage of this. Boats are available but only by swapping the autogolem, which Joshua will not even consider temporarily.
Maybe it’s time to cash in that favour from Spiral?
Tools
Unchanged.
Lessons learned
The two players spent most of their time apart in this session, doing different things. As neither seemed that bored, I’m pleased this seemed to juggle well.
Not sure it’s a lesson I’ll actually learn but sometimes players do not do what you expect. They wanted a boat in this session, and spent ages looking at prices of boats, and then declaring that was too expensive.
What about the rogue? Maybe he can get you one?
No no, they didn’t like that idea, they’re off to persuade someone to lend them one.
Sigh.