Plots · Discovery · Side-Quest
Winds and waters keep...
'Winds and waters keep, a hush more dead than any sleep' - W. Allingham, Ruined Chapel. The trade ships from Menast have failed to arrive, but why?
The colourful coastal town of Oscora is fluttering with bright pennants, the white-washed walls of wharfside cottages gleaming in the spring sunshine. Merchants from across the land have flocked to the town to await the arrival of the tall trade ships from Menast which bring their exotic cargoes of silk and spices.
The Oscoran economy relies on the five month period when these ships frequent its harbours, for it brings merchants to stay, and that means money for the local taverns and hostels.
After a week, the trade ships have still not arrived. The pennants start to look tatty and jaded. The merchants, grumbling, turn homewards. Something must be done.
A group of Oscoran vigilantes take out a caravel to see what has befallen the missing ships...
Possibilities:* There has been a terrible storm and the ships were grounded. Their cargoes were strewn along a foreign coast and commandeered by the ruler of that land. The PCs may have a hard time getting the goods back, maybe a subterfuge mission is called for...
* The ports of Menast are under embargo and the trade ships cannot leave. The PCs must somehow get the goods out from the harbour, either by stealth or by using maritime tactics to break the barricade...
* The captains have foolishly landed on the Enchanted Isles to stock up on victuals. Now their ships are anchored, unmanned, in the shallows whilst their crews sleep silently on the heather...
* Such a feeling of hatred has arisen towards the Oscoran people (because of the current political situation: maybe they're helping an enemy of Menast) the sailors have refused to sail to Oscora. When forced, they mutinied and now have control of the ships. The PCs must get the goods back off the mutineers...
* The captains thought it unwise to sail to Oscora, because of strong unexplained currents in the Menast Straits. The PCs must try and persuade the captains to sail anyway. Possible explanations for the currents:
—- The wake of a migrating leviathan.
—- The opening of a submarine abyss.
—- An angered sea-god.
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Even if you don't use the sea voyage plots, you can definintely at least use the overall happenings for your port cities to create a living world instead of another place to get supplies. Let the NPCs be worried about other things instead of the adventure the PCs are currently following. It might even put them off that they are more worried about a couple boats then the evil wizard that took over a nearby citadel. (Or something like that)
I like this too.
A good starter, or side event to an ongoing campaign. The town the players may have been planning to use to purchase/sell goods is suddenly not a very good place for this.