The Duskwatch Shipping Ledger

Stub-class article · First seen: s06 · Last seen: s20

The Duskwatch Shipping Ledger is the set of forged shipping papers the party took from Maelis Dirn’s desk room in the Maze of the Minotaur in session 6, recording the export of biogloom toxin through Duskwatch to Velkris [12]. The Broker told the party in session 7 that the counterfeit-documents organisation in Velkris, Silent Intake, would pay for them, and Hugo has carried them ever since. The party set Velkris aside at the end of session 16, named it as its next destination in session 19 [8], and has not yet redeemed the papers.

Overview

The ledger is a set of papers about shipping and dock work found on Maelis Dirn’s desk in the Maze of the Minotaur [11], forged to show that she exported biogloom toxin through Duskwatch to Velkris. The Broker judged them fakes “as anyone could see”, but good enough to persuade “the right kind of person” [12]. Hugo has kept them since session 6, and the party has meant to sell them in Velkris ever since.

Description

A sheaf of letters and shipping records. The DM described them in session 6 as showing that “Maelis has been shipping something through Duskwatch”, though “upon further investigation that the letters don’t quite make sense” [13]. In session 7 the Broker read them: “These documents tell of her exporting Biogloom toxin over through Duskwatch and into Velkris. Of course, these are fakes, as anyone could see” [12].

Mechanics (as played)

The papers have no game effect. Their worth is as a sale.

  • The buyer. The Broker said that handing them to “the organization that stands for counterfeit documents in Velkris” might earn a reward, and that it might even hire the party as “personal fixers” [12]. He named it: Silent Intake, “near the entrance to Velkris. Look for the Talking Skulls.” [14].
  • What they show. Examined in the sewers in session 16, they show Maelis “mainly transporting stuff to Duskwatch”, and most of her cargo went out through Dock 13 in Umbrafall and landed in Duskwatch; what happened after that the party could not tell [15][16].
  • Carrying them. Hugo asked to hold the papers in session 6, because the Broker was the man they had made the original deal with and he might be more forthcoming with a native of Umbrafall [17]. He has carried them since.

Open questions

  • What Maelis was really shipping. The papers are forged and the DM said the letters “don’t quite make sense” [13], so what moved through Duskwatch is not known.
  • Dock 13. It is where most of her cargo left Umbrafall [18], and also where Mira Hale was sent [19]. Nobody has said whether the two are connected.
  • Whether Silent Intake would still pay. The Broker called the papers “relatively old” in session 7 [12], and the sale has waited many sessions.

History in the campaign

Session 6: Maze of the Minotaur and the Titan

Main article: Session 6

In Maelis’s desk room Harvo noticed a pile of papers about “shipping. And dock work” [20]. The DM said that “the main gist is that Maelis has been shipping something through Duskwatch”, but that the letters did not quite make sense [13]. Hugo suggested that the Broker would know more, and asked to hold them; Harvo handed them over [21]. At the same desk Hugo had pocketed Maelis’s notes on the Titan, telling the party of her changes but keeping the original experiment to himself [22].

Session 7: Maelis Falls, Vasquez Captured

Main article: Session 7

Hugo showed the Broker the “dock orders paperwork” [23]. The Broker called them fakes, but ones that “could be enough to be, you know, persuasive to the right kind of person” [12], and said the counterfeit-documents organisation in Velkris might reward the party, perhaps with work as fixers [12]. He then named the buyer and its marker: Silent Intake, near the entrance to Velkris, “Look for the Talking Skulls.” [14].

Session 10: Ruin Joins, the Aurelian Conspiracy, the Plate Armour

Main article: Session 10

When the party declined a contract at the Broker’s stall, he asked it to let him know if it ever dealt with its business in Velkris [24], and told it that Velkris, “the city of money”, would pay for what it knew [25]. The party said that if the Eldwythe errand led that way, Velkris “will definitely be our next priority” [26].

Session 14: The Gummy Mummy and Aurelian Eldwythe

Main article: Session 14

With the Aurelians in Eldwythe, the party talked over what to do next. Hugo pointed out that the papers taken from Maelis might earn “a nice reward”, and that the place to hand them in was Velkris, back through Umbrafall [4]. The party chose to rest first.

Session 16: Through the Sewers, Onto the Skiff

Main article: Session 16

In the sewers under Eldwythe, Hugo passed the papers to Terry to see whether they related to anywhere the party was going [27]. The DM said that Maelis was “mainly transporting stuff to Duskwatch” and that most of her cargo went out “through dock 13 in Umbrafall” [15][18]. At the end of the session he offered “follow Maelis’ trail” to Velkris among the party’s choices [6]; the party sailed for the White Lantern Shrine.

Session 19: A Penitent Priest, an Unmade Leash, and the Pixie in the Dark

Main article: Session 19

With the Aurelian raid set aside, the party tried to remember what its Velkris errand was; Terry called it “the ledger notes” and Hugo agreed it was to turn them in [7]. He then set the heading: “we’ll be going to Velkris probably to redeem the shipping order stuff” [8]. Asked by Father Thomas what the party meant to do there, Caelumn said “We need to hand over some documents.” [9].

Session 20: The Man Who Was Always Here

Main article: Session 20

In the opening recap Caelumn said that the party had given up on Aurelia and would go back through Eldwythe, Umbrafall and Mirestrand, “and we’re going to end up in Velkris”, where it had something to do [28]. The DM reminded it that it had a fake ledger, and Caelumn said that it came from the underground part of Umbrafall and that Hugo carried it [29]. Later that session the party signed on as guards for a caravan bound for Umbrafall, the next stage of that route [30].

Status

As of session 23. Unredeemed. Last mentioned in session 20, when it was still with Hugo and the party still meant to end up in Velkris [10]; it has not reached the city.

See also

References

  1. ^ Session 6, line 1258-1277: Harvo finds papers about shipping and dock work on Maelis's desk; the DM says she has been shipping something through Duskwatch; Hugo takes them to ask the Broker.
  2. ^ Session 7, line 733-745: The Broker reads the papers as forgeries recording biogloom toxin exported through Duskwatch into Velkris, and names Silent Intake and the Talking Skulls.
  3. ^ Session 10, line 1243-1262: The Broker asks the party to tell him if it ever deals with its business in Velkris; the party says Velkris will be its next priority if Eldwythe leads that way.
  4. ^ Session 14, line 1632: Hugo reminds the party that Maelis's papers might earn a reward in Velkris.
  5. ^ Session 16, line 243-282: Terry reads the papers; the DM says most of Maelis's cargo went out through Dock 13 and landed in Duskwatch.
  6. ^ Session 16, line 1626: The DM offers "follow Maelis' trail" to Velkris as one of the party's choices.
  7. ^ Session 19, line 158-159: The party recalls that the Velkris errand is to turn in "the ledger notes".
  8. ^ Session 19, line 271: Hugo sets Velkris as the next stop, to redeem the shipping order.
  9. ^ Session 19, line 864: Caelumn tells Father Thomas the party must hand over documents in Velkris.
  10. ^ Session 20, line 47-49: Caelumn says the party will go on to Velkris, where it has something to do; the DM reminds it that it has a fake ledger, which Hugo carries.
  11. ^ Session 6, line 1258-1263: Inline citation.
  12. ^ Session 7, line 736: Inline citation.
  13. ^ Session 6, line 1263: Inline citation.
  14. ^ Session 7, line 745: Inline citation.
  15. ^ Session 16, line 266: Inline citation.
  16. ^ Session 16, line 280-282: Inline citation.
  17. ^ Session 6, line 1276: Inline citation.
  18. ^ Session 16, line 280: Inline citation.
  19. ^ Session 10, line 688-694: Inline citation.
  20. ^ Session 6, line 1258: Inline citation.
  21. ^ Session 6, line 1275-1277: Inline citation.
  22. ^ Session 6, line 1230-1231: Inline citation.
  23. ^ Session 7, line 733: Inline citation.
  24. ^ Session 10, line 1243-1247: Inline citation.
  25. ^ Session 10, line 1251-1256: Inline citation.
  26. ^ Session 10, line 1259-1262: Inline citation.
  27. ^ Session 16, line 248-256: Inline citation.
  28. ^ Session 20, line 47: Inline citation.
  29. ^ Session 20, line 48-49: Inline citation.
  30. ^ Session 20, line 478: Inline citation.
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