Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

A thick book, with treated hard-leather cover, treated pages resistant to moisture, an expensive seal wax carrying the Wanderess's signet on its cover








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Well, I guess it's time to start a captain's log proper. I've had my first naval combat without my father or Mealir to help me out with it. I am Hoihe Dacino, Navigator of the Whistling Wanderess and her acting captain in Mealir's absence. This journal is to document the Wanderess crew's expeditions, both land and naval and social events, the like.

I could have started it earlier, when I took the helm during the Scornubel refugee crisis, but it was not time yet. Now that Soora has recovered, and the ship repairs are fast underway, it is due time I write about the comings and goings.

In case I am unavailable, I am extending the rights to write within this book to, in the following order of availability:

First Mate Soora Luelles
Merchant Officer Drake Nair
Helmsman Kurt Armstrong

If those three are unavailable, in addition to me, I don't think there's much to write in any case.

Date: 1351.9.12
Type of expedition: Naval hunt
Employer: Alsarias Lythar; Baldur's Gate
On hand:

Officers/marines:

• Hoihe Dacino
• Soora Luelles
• Drake Nair
• Vendor Xon
• Jon Smythe
• Isli Ana

Sailors

• Kurt Armstrong
• Tella Erling
• Arto Quickdraw
• Liam ((or what his name is))
• Lorrain

Guests

• Arkaine half-orcen

Missing crew otherwise considered active:

• Selena Solverson

Expenses
Preparation costs:

• 51 bottles of alchemists' fire - 10 000 gold, Captain's purse
• Bulwark reinforcement - 10 000 gold, Ship coffers
• Repairs - covered under bulwark reinforcement

post-expeditional costs:

• Repairs - 10 000 gold, ship coffers
• Sailor pay, 8th and 9th month - 4 000 gold, ship coffers
• Marine/officer pay, split 6 ways, 8-9th month - 6 000 gold, ship coffers - PENDING

Total expenses:

• Captain's Purse: 10 000 gold
• Ship coffers: 30 000 gold

Casualities

• Soora Luelles, recovery period 3-4 days, recovered.
  Cause: Hypothermia (night waters), overexertion, shrapnel
• Arkaine Half-orken, recovery period unknown, assumed recovered
  Cause: Melee
• Isli Ana, recovery period unknown, assumed recovered
  Cause: Melee
• Kurt Armstrong, recovery period unknown, recovered
  Cause: Shrapnel from explosive bombardment

Pay
Unknown, Flaming Fist offered reward in the coming days. Will fill when done. Baldur's gate harbour intact

_____________________________

Haul:
Lady Vernossa's body.

Damage sustained:

• Burned sails
• Weakened hull from ramming
• Shrapnel covering the deck
• Broken windows

Ships sank:

• Large galleon fireship, flag of Vitrous Soil credit: Soora Luelles
• Small escort, flag of vitrous soil credit: Arkaine killed Lady Vernossa, ship put to torch by crew.

Acts of valour

• Soora Luelles, taking care of the fireship at cost of great injury.
  Reward: To be discussed
• Jon Smythe, rescuing the sailors of the sunken ships by Ulgoth's beard in a daring move Reward: To be discussed

Summary of events

The Whistling Wanderess left port early in the night, and was later harboured just in the middle of the bay. After everyone but Alsarias arrived, the ship was boarded.

Alsarias was reported to have gone ahead to scout.

Just before the harbour was locked down for some ceremony regarding the Flame of Balduran, the ship left the harbour and set sail straight for the sea of swords.

Patrolled to the North-west, as the wind blew from that direction. Hypothesised the ships would come from a direction that lends itself to running.

Numerous trading vessels spotted. None of them the target.

Balduran trading convoy spotted, intercepted and parlayed with one. Learned Lady Vernossa was on one of them, not everyone of the convoy was a member of Vitrous Soil. Vitrous soil disguised as Balduran merchants.

Entered pursuit of vitrous soil ships, came within range by Ulgoth's Beard. Vitrous Soil ships changed their colours to that of the Flaming Fist, as Arkaine described. The other two ships of the convoy exploded and sank. Jon Smythe rescued them in a daring move. Deserves commendation.

Engaged Vitrous Soil ships from afar, Soora bombarding them with arrows. Not much effect.

Closed the gap, alchemical fire bombardment began in earnest. Too far for enough effect.

The Fireship's escort entered combat and moved to engage the Wanderess. Maneuvered to avoid collision after Kurt was injured by an incoming explosive and was removed to the quarters.


Great explosion ripped the Fireship apart, knocking most people down.

Fireship escort engaged and returned bombardment.

Soora was spotted in the water, Vendor went to rescue her. I took the ship and maneuvered to approach her for easier rescue.

Fireship escort rammed the Wanderess, no major damage. Fireship escort was on fire from being engaged

Soora was rescued, I abandoned the helm, Drake Nair took the helm. Soora Luelles was brought to infirmary and given first aid by me. Hypothermia, shrapnel damage and exhaustion. Stabilized in time.

Reportedly boarding melee took place. Isli Ana was critically injured. Arkaine Half-orken was moderately injured.

Ship safely returned to port.

Lady Vernossa's body deposited at the Fist.

Soora Luelles brought to a luxurious inn room, provided care.

Other injured delivered to either their homes or to a temple for care.

Soora Luelles regained conciousness 1351-09-13. Still in need of rest and care.

Ship repairs began in earnest.

Soora Luelles recovered fully 1351-09-16

Ship repairs still ongoing. 1301-09-18

Ship repaired _________

((Assume Ship isn't so close to the beach))




Date: 1351.12.12
Type of expedition: Cargo run
Employer: War Council
On hand:

Officers/marines:

• Hoihe Dacino
• Aidan Thatcher (first voyage)
• Vendor Xon

Sailors

• Kurt Armstrong
• Tella Erling
• Arto Quickdraw
• Liam
• Lorrain

Guests

• Koryneer
• Terri Lalani
• Elyssa
• Nel
• Thistle

Missing crew otherwise considered active:

• Selena Solverson(moved to MIA)
• Soora Luelles (Known active, presumed busy)
• Drake Nair (presumed busy)
• Jon Smythe (presumed busy)

Expenses
Preparation costs:

• 3 days' supplies, 300 gold/list]
  
  post-expeditional costs:
  • Maintenance, 50 gold
  
  
  Total expenses:
  • Ship coffers: 350 gold
  
  
  Casualities
  
  • None
  
  
  Pay
  None requested
  
  Haul:
  None
  
  Damage sustained:
  • None
  
  
  Ships sank:
  • None
  
  
  Acts of valour
  • None

Summary of events

Whistling Wanderess left port in the night.

Uneventful voyage along the coast, rain and good winds.

Reefs encountered, maneuvered around without damage.

Goods loaded after confirming identity with caravan guards. Uneventful.

Hauled in a couple of corpses. Cause of death: poisoning, not drowning. Possible Origin: Baldur's Gate or Chiontar. Identity: Unknown.

Uneventful voyage back to the Gate

Unloading.

Date: 1352/05/07







Captain's notes:

Fair weather, we cannot make full use of the wind due to our heading. We're tacking every second hour to maintain course.

Date: 1352/05/08





Captain's notes:

First day of voyage has passed uneventfully. I've taken to the crow's nest as we passed the F11 archipelago, but no pirates came to meet us. The Wanderess flag is flying high.

Date: 1352/05/09




Captain's notes:

There appears to be a large disparity between the theoretical distance from Baldur's Gate and the empirical data based on constellations. I will need to identify a new origin to compare our location to soon at this rate before the inaccuracy makes dead reckoning too difficult, and once we sail past the Nelanther Isles, Dead Reckoning will be very important to ensure our safe arrival in Mennon.

Thankfully the open seas have blessed us with good wind, and we're far enough from the coast to avoid having to sail into the wind. Our new heading also allows us to achieve a close reach in accordance to the wind, starboard side. It certainly is an improvement over having to tack every few hours.

Date: 1352/05/10






Captain's notes: I have called for extended watch for the last day and into the next as we are making our closest pass of the Nelanther Isles. To solve the issues of Dead Reckoning and the build up of inaccurate measurements, I've triangulated our exact position in comparison to Carcathen and Ieryin and if all things go well, we won't need to reassign the origin of our voyage to any new point.

Once we pass the Nelanther Isles the ship will be in safe enough waters even for me to take a moment and teleport back to Baldur's Gate, leaving it in the trusted hands of Kurt while I bow to my duties and requests up north.

But for now, we need to keep vigilant as many a merchant vessel fell prey to these brutes.

Date: 1352/05/11


Noon:


Captain's notes:

We encountered pirates in the depth of the knight and had to take evasive maneuvres. No losses, but we were steered wildly off course. Thankfully, these isles have some strong winds for us to tack and jibe with.

Date: 1352/05/11

Midnight:


Captain's notes:

We've made good speed and are back on track. We should arrive in Menmon in time for us to have a break and teleport up north and back.

Date: 1352/05/12


Captain's notes:

Menmon is soon within distance for us. I have a feeling I might need to have either Kurt, Aidan or Drake handle things for me, as I doubt old Calimshan changed one bit since the last time I visited a decade ago to claim the bounty on that desert witch.

Date: 1352/05/13



Captain's notes:

Menmon is just over the horizon. Once we come in range, we'll drop anchor and I will dispatch Lorrain with the task of arranging us somewhere to dock in the mercantile district. I am sending Lorrain to allow him time to examine the local cuisine and to maintain Kurt on board in case I need to teleport away, or Aidan has to.

Date: 1352/05/14

Heading: nul
Speed: Anchored
Estimated distance from menmon: in harbour
Mathematical distance from Menmon: in harbour
Mathematical distance from Baldur's Gate: 1400 miles



Captain's notes: I have dispatched Lorrain and informed the crew to remain on deck, except for the officers with duties waiting on them elsewhere, thus giving leave to teleport off deck.

I shall offer Aidan a teleport back to Baldur's Gate. ((http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/teleportGreater.htm))