The Right Stuff? (13-26 Harvester 586 OY, 7/12/98 RL) After some recuperation, Elmarth and Camen are ordered by their superior, Capt. Larik Canteel, to go to work at Prymp's Naval shipyards. They report to new positions on the 19th. Numerous troops can be seen moving through Prymp, headed south. At the shipyards, Oolsen the Wanderer shows them around. He has been arrested, while traveling from Greyhawk to Irongate, for belonging to a forbidden cult. His "punishment" is to working on some secret project, the same one Elmarth and Camen are on. The project is testing the helm, the strange chair taken out of the urn-ship. It has been installed in the Dragonelle, an old galleon. Naval Captain Mulligan and Sage Yoohil of Garastreth are in charge of the project. Over the next few nights they take short test flights in the harbor, enjoying sumptuous breakfasts each morning at Mulligan's insistence. Camen loses money playing "shark's teeth" with a big sailor named Obsidian. At some point Elmarth runs in to the still living Lizard. Lizard tries to get Elmarth to help steal the helm, claiming it is worth 100,000 g.p.! Elmarth leads him on, but never really agrees.

On the 24th, the project is visited by Graf Reydrich, leader of the entire South Province. He is accompanied by his bearded devil bodyguards, Admiral Llarnen, Mayor Bellweather, Major Redre, and Bishop Rakderoft of Pholtus. They take a test flight in broad daylight, during which Rakderoft takes the helm for a while and almost crashes. The VIPs are left unimpressed with the air-ship concept, especially its pathetic speed. Later that day, most of the Prymp naval fleet sails off.

The next morning, the project crew watches as a wall of golden-white light approaches from the north-west at immense speed. As it passes them, a clear but soft chiming is heard. The meaning is unclear, thought rumors of the end of the world circulate.

Early on the morning of the 26th, the project is clearly languishing. No flight was taken that night, and Elmarth, Camen, Oolsen and some soldiers are just guarding the ship. A small fishing galley, previously seen puttering about the harbor, rises out of the water and approaches the Dragonelle. They claim to be the Red Turtle, commanded by self-proclaimed wizard Red Bannock. Bannock threatens to fireball the Dragonelle if the helm is not turned over immediately. After some dangerous acrobatics and artillery work from the Dragonelle, negotiations ensue. The PCs agree to turn over the helm and accept Bannock's offer of a free trip to someplace called the Rock of Bral. They figure going there would be better than facing the repercussions of losing the helm, and they are concerned that they are working for a bunch of depraved devil worshipers.
 
Last modified: Wed Jul 21 17:03:54 MDT