7th Sea Recap

Recapping the first real adventure for the mystery ship – The Leviathan –

Using his superior knowledge of routes and maps and locations, Esteban provided Captain Rene with the information that he needed to sail into the port of Bristol – the largest port in Avalon. 

Very quickly the unmarked ship of no-known nation was approached and nearly interdicted by the local harbormaster a Mr. Chapel.  Chapel was ready and eager to receive a bribe to register the ship as an Avalonian vessel hailing from Bristol and he came aboard prepared for just this contingency.  He agreeably marked the vessel in the Bristol Port Ledger and was about to make his way off the ship when he spotted Reggie.

One of the rescued madmen from the Island of Frogs, Reggie had proven to be the least capable and most damaged of all the evacuees.  He had single handedly ruined poor Khamal’s chances at the tournament of Captaincy and had been generally a nuisance in the weeks spent aboard the vessel – what with his advanced state of brain damage.  Strangely Reggie seemed to be highly regarded and known to Mr. Chapel, the Bristol Harbormaster and upon arriving at the port proper it turned out that Reggie/Reginald was a much missed local and the crew of the Leviathan gained in recognition and fame when it was explicit that they had rescued poor Reggie.

In port the dutiful, ambitious Captain Rene stayed to the ship and worked tirelessly to upgrade and outfit it, attempting to communicate and barter with the local trade houses and carpenters.   Thankful for his rescue from the Island of Frogs – Stephan, the famed shipbuilder (who immediately found a high paying job in Bristol) promised his support in finishing the Leviathan’s outfitting and in finding a more able bodied crew.

Niklas – wasting no time – immediately fell upon the brothels and inns of Bristol like a ravenous wolf, taking his fill of food and entertainment. 

Meanwhile – Khamal, in his bird form, explored the bustling city and returned periodically to report news and information that he had gathered in his spy-mode.

Gunnar – being stoic in the face of even the temptations of good food and company – remained aboard ship to guard the treasures of the Leviathan. 

Esteban being an intrepid spy quickly went beyond the city’s bustling port-district and entered into the landsmen’s quarters.  There, he discovered a much different city where the Crew of the Leviathan was not celebrated as heroic for returning Reginald, but rather doubted as charlatans and liars – ‘common criminals in the vein of all sailing men’

Within a week of arrival with only a few crewmen joined to the roster but the notoriety of the Leviathan now growing into a minor legend, the crew was invited to the presence of the Count of Bristol.  Believing that they were to be feted and honored for their rescue of the lost sailors and of Reginald – they accepted the invitation with an arrogant presentiment usually reserved for nobility. 

Upon arrival in the heavily fortified palace they were seated and immediately introduced to the count.  An angry, impatient man (played by Christopher Eccelston) he demanded to know what they had done to his elder brother Reginald.  Without waiting for an answer he demanded to know how they had gotten put into the Bristol Port books and then he made his ultimatum:  The crew could merely walk away from the ship and leave it and all of its goods to him, or they could be executed immediately.  His armed cohort seemed quite ready to bloody the rugs of the formal dining room.  No less ready was Captain Rene – who, not having it, despite not understanding a word of Avalonian – fired his concealed pistol under the heavy table, maiming the Count.  A quick skirmish ensued in which the several guards present in the room were dispatched but not without getting in their own licks – and not without summoning many, many reinforcements.  The Captain – taking the Count prisoner leapt from the shattered second story window in the company of Niklas and Esteban – while their sudden departure was heralded by hails of bullets and clouds of musket-smoke. 

Leaping to certain death is only a wise move if it is the alternative to being shot to death – or – if one can count upon the ingenuity and preparedness of one’s crew.  For saving the day at the last minute were Gunnar and Khamal – who’d been sent by the distraught Harbor Master to try and rescue the three unfortunate guests of the Count. 

It so happened that the current Count had been much hated by the guilds of the Harbor who had all been much pleased to find Reginald returned.  Acclaiming him ‘The True Count’ the harbor-men had already been in the stages of plotting a coup – to which they were too slow in recruiting the Leviathan’s crew. But warned of the trouble, they’d sent Gunnar and Khamal to save their crewmates – the two giants arrived in time to seize a hay-wagon that has cushioned the fall of the Count’s captors. 

Now they are rushing down the long path back to the Harbor – replete with the Count’s own loyalists and pray that their hay-wagon can somehow outrun their pursuers!