Lady Gypsy Eyes

"She be a fine vessel! A bit rusty behind da ears, but nothing a few coats of paint n' some spit-shine won't handle!" - Hanstut

History

The Class 1S riverboat was built at the Hettle & Meyer shipyard in Gabovayaca, Balkenridge (the Badlands) in 1278AL upon request by the provincial governor to expand passenger ferrying along the Oriqucan (o-ree-q-can) River. It first launched Fall of that year under it's first tenure as a passenger ship named The Cornflower and finished it's first round trip two weeks later. It continued to run a north-south route stopping at Wellins Crest, St. Tolone, West and East Backerie, and Obs Bluff before circling back. During the seasons of war between Tactant, The Badlands, and Armeneus, the ship carried troops from the western shore and eventually included supplies, livestock, and even armaments although the latter was never equipped to the vessel. It's journey ended abruptly when hit by Armeneus sabotuers in 1283AL just months before a ceasefire was declared and the Ten Year Peace enacted.
In 1286AL, after a few years of sitting near a scrapyard in Wellins Crest, the ship was refurbished into a floating gambling parlor and was moved just north of Gabovayaca. Refurbishments included the addition of felt gambling tables, a more furbished wheelhouse, and the removal of all but the most basic of kitchen equipment. During this time it featured such infamous individuals as Bucky McCoy, Di'vhasa "Quickdraw" Crackfoot, and Bartrum Hill. It was also the scene of a botched robbery in Gabovayaca whereas the would be thieves tried to commandeer the vessel only to realize its engine wasn't equipped to move at the time. It continued it's tenure until 1292AL when a fire in the galley made the structure unsafe to habitat and it was left at it's docking to be claimed by the elements.
It was not until 1295AL that the vessel was refitted and saved from swamps it rested in for nearly three years. The galley, along with three adjoining state rooms, were rebuilt to accommodate a new owners. The commission project was paid for by Emperor Nephmir Zherakos of Tactant and was meant to ferry a guard accompaniment consisting of the Barrowfellows and an air genasi monk towards a political summit near the end of the Oriqucan River. The final repairs were overseen by the accompaniment and the addition of a martial training room in the livestock area signaled it's completion. It departed Gabovayaca the following afternoon.

Role in "Blood of the Badlands"

The Barrowfellows chose the ship for her large storage capacity and freedom of movement on the open river compared to smaller and faster tugs and rafts offered due to the latter's lack of defenses in shallow water. It was christened Lady Gypsy Eyes shortly after departure from port by the group. Their first destination after launching from Gabovayaca was the small shipyard town of Wellins Crest. The ship has since been involved in many incidents with the following directly involving or occuring on Lady Gypsy Eyes. 

• While fishing for their dinner, the group accidentally dredged up a ship sized dragon turtle and helped relive it's pain from a lodging splinter in it's mouth. This event ruined the rails along the front of the ship and doused the lower deck with water. 
• The group came to the aid of some singing barbershop grung (frogfolk) after their raft sunk into the river. A short scuffle ensued where the grung attempted to shave the hair off of Henry Goldfinch. The issue was resolved peacefully.
• A dreamlike sleep overtook the crew, resulting in a drift that set them back a few hours. The nightmare clams that caused it were steamed and eaten.
• While waiting in a queue for a lock to lower them to the other side of a dam, the dam burst which struck a wooden log through the side of the ship, leading to them limping to Wellins Crest with a partially mended hull. 
• A few stowaways jumped on board and attempted to hide from the law. After a heated standoff, the group gave them sanctuary on board their ship after hearing their plea.
• The ship was repaired in Wellins Crest by the lizardfolk company Plane and Simple Shipwrights. It was given a full repair and painted a cherry red.
• The group accepted a banished woman whose lover had been murdered by one of the town guard. After dealing with the guard in question the group was requested to leave the town as a matter of ceasing niceties with local law enforcement who gave aid but still considered the fellow boon to them after all was said and done. 
• The group gave refuge to a lycanthrope half-orc whose experiments on transformation had left them isolated and a target for a gang of mages north of the settlement of St. Tolone.

The Lady Gypsy Eyes will continue her journey so long as the Barrowfellows maintain their beloved ship further into the campaign.

Crew and Passengers

Current

• Henry Goldfinch - A human farmer, soldier, and deserter from Tactant who learned of their aristocratic heritage. Joined the party in the campaign Barrows and Bounty.
• Dargoth - A traveling dragonborn warlock seeking the origin of the fire that took his home. Joined the party in the campaign Barrows and Bounty.
• Llun - A dragonborn seeking adventure through combat and cooking. Joined the party in the campaign Barrows and Bounty.
• Marcoso Yalleth - An air genasi monk with a penchant for music. They joined the party in Gabovayaca.
• Elakris Dawnsteppe - A tabaxi former court mage seeking status in a new continent. They joined the party in St. Tolone.
• Barbergrung Croaket - A barbershop quartet run by four grung quadruplets. Their initial business practices would leave customers bald as grung have no hair and don't see why anyone else needs it either. They have reformed their ways to accommodate more clientele. 
• Chasan - A fallen aasimar gunslinger seeking to lay low. He travels with his partner Velke and is currently wanted by the law.
• Velke Durmsong - A Fell elf rogue seeking his ancestor's vaults laden across the lands of Balfor. He travels with his partner Chasan and is currently wanted by the law.
• Levah Jarnosh - A human whose lover, a vedalken guard named Yellar Kipp, was killed in Wellins Crest. She wears her family's leather armor under her cloak.
• Dr. Arhein - A werewolf half-orc seeking asylum in Tactant. He undergoes a forced transformation when in the presence of crescent shaped objects. He still misses croissants.

Former

• President Conrad Stafford - A human whom the party believed was a fisherman but was in reality the President of Balkenridge shirking duties for a time before the summit. Stayed on the vessel before being returned to The Grand Rosalin, a colossal riverboat catering to many of the delegates on their journey north.

Power Generation

The ship is equipped with a first generation radiant glyph engine, utilizing the abundant solar power of the rainless region to it's advantage. The engine relies on a completed series of layered radiant glyphs leading from the "stacks" above deck to the lower bottom deck which focus through multiple panes of glass. Power is diverted to light reactive glyphs on the paddles by a series of levers in the wheelhouse which shutter or increase the amount of light these reactive glyphs are receiving.

Propulsion

Equipped along the sides of the ship are twin paddle side-wheelers enclosed in a paddlebox. Forward and reverse momentum is maintained by use of the aperture adjuster in the wheelhouse. The boat can turn albeit very slowly.

Armor and defense

The cabins are fitted with a lip along the bottom to protect from water damage encroaching into them. The windows in the galley and wheelhouse are able to withstand the force of cantrip level arcane projectiles and the bottom of the ship has a metal plating insulated with a resin between the ship to protect the wood on the bottom deck from sudden damage from below. The ship has otherwise no more protection than a standard commercial vessel.

Communication Tools & Systems

In the wheelhouse there is a switch that can be used to communicate via radiant light signals in common morse, thieves morse (a signal based cant), and steady light projection to signal vessel location on foggy days. There is also a small horn that can project a voice to the immediate deck below without strain.

Nickname

The Lady

Price

25,000g

Rarity

Uncommon

Beam

40ft (8sq.)

Length

125 (25sq.)

Height

Depth of 12ft

Speed

5mph

Cargo & Passenger Capacity

317tonnes, 122 Passengers (Max)

Trivia

• The Lady Gypsy Eyes is based on American Mississippi steamboats from the early 1800s, specifically the steamboat New Orleans which was one of the first of it's kind on the continent.
• The name "Gypsy Eyes" was inspired by the Jimi Hendrix song of the same name.
• The riverboat map measurements were directly inspired by Jhultgre's Riverboat map, which has been used in Blood of the Badlands as a battle map and ship management tool since inception. The map above is our interpretation of it through Dungeon Fog's editor with details added from our own experience and research through riverboats like The New Orleans.
• Contest Question: "What will you do if you win?" We want to use Dungeon Fog in our 5e, Pathfinder, and Cyberpunk Red campaigns too! The list of assets would be perfect and we've been in awe of the lighting system since we found it! We decided it was only right to use Dungeon Fog when making our map too.