Farwhendle Higglespout  

Uploaded May 3rd, 2012 by Railus

In the Formal Dining Hall: Part of the anniversary task "Lucky 13" (see this quest entry for details).

In the Tower of Frozen Shadow: Part of the third encounter within the Tower of Frozen Shadow anniversary raid (see this quest entry for raid information).

In the Barren Coast: Located at approximately -270, -120.

In addition to his tasks, he has plenty of information to share..

You say, 'Hail, Farwhendle Higglespout'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'Well hello there! Isn't this a fine day? Smell that sea air! I love that smell. Why, if I didn't get sick whenever I stepped aboard a boat I'd be out there right now watching the waves and the people that ride them. It's all so exciting! I love the sea and everything about it. In fact, if you are interested, and you don't get seasick, perhaps you could [do a few things] for me. If not, then maybe you'd like to [hear a few tales] about the Buried Sea.'

You say, 'I'd like to hear a few tales about the Buried Sea'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'Well, I know several stories. Would you like to know about our local [sea hags]? The place called [Widower's Overlook]? Or maybe you'd like to hear the story about the [Sea Spring]?'

You say, 'What about the sea hags?'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'The Sea Hags have only recently settled in on their little island, only since the Stormguard abandoned their small fortification on the island. Their story is both sad and frightening. It begins a few months ago with a brave human captain named Barnett, who had earned the nickname [Bold Barnett]. He traveled the seas his entire life on a ship he named The Fearless, only pausing long enough to fall madly in love with four different women. Maybell Stoutheart was a human seamstress and gardener in Freeport. Mina Galwhistle was a baker in Qeynos. Beata Tallwillow was a half-elven traveling merchant. And Terra Ignus was an erudite wizard's apprentice in Erudin.'

You say, 'Bold Barnett?'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'When Barnett heard rumors of the whirlpool at the center of the Buried Sea, he knew he had to investigate, despite the pirates and other dangers. So Barnett visited each of the women he loved as he wrapped up some business deals, and told each that once again he would be off to do something crazy, this time in the Buried Sea. Each of the women cried for the thought of losing him, and each was struck by an unreasoning fear that this would indeed be their lover's last journey. So each of them found their way to the edge of the Buried Sea, enduring their own fearful and hazardous journey to [arrive on the Barren Coast]. Each knew in their hearts that they would wait forever if needed for their beloved to return.'

You say, 'How did they arrive on the Barren Coast?'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'They arrived in turn, Terra first, after quitting her apprenticeship and facing the wrath of her family. She dealt with the dangers of Tox and the Kobolds of the forest. She endured the enticements and threats of a powerful heretic that wished for her to join his cause. [Beata] arrived second.'

You say, 'Beata?'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'Beata sold her business in exchange for passage on a ship to the Barren Coast. She was forced to kill a sailor that attempted to take advantage of her, and found herself put ashore on a deserted island. She found a fallen tree and used it as a raft and attempted to reach shore. She did so, but starving and dehydrated. One of the Stormguard found her and offered her help. [Mina] arrived third.'

You say, 'Mina?'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'She too abandoned her job and friends in order to sneak aboard a ship headed to Erudin. She was discovered by the captain, beaten and forced to work scrubbing the ship. She was handed over to the authorities in Erudin, who jailed her for two months. Then she too snuck through the forest of Tox to find the Barren Coast. [Maybell] arrived fourth.'

You say, 'Maybell?'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'Maybell turned herself to stealing goods from her employer to earn the money for passage to Erudin. In turn she was stolen from several times, and beaten nearly to death once while trying to contact a fence in the worse part of Freeport. In the end she earned her passage by killing a man that was trying to rob her and taking the money he had already stolen from others. She had also learned a bit about the Barren Coast, and jumped ship before the boat arrived at Erudin in order to avoid the dark forest of Toxxulia. Unfortunately she was unable to avoid other dangers, and lost a hand to a shark before being rescued by a member of the Stormguard. And so they all were here at the [same time].'

You say, 'The same time?'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'Each of them knew that the other was there, for in such a small community no arrival went unnoticed. But they were all reluctant to speak of their travels and sacrifice. So for weeks they each walked up to the top of Widower's Overlook at sunset to see if their beloved might return. They would have continued their vigil in ignorance if not for the arrival of an Erudite male one evening. His presence made all of the women uncomfortable, Terra most of all, for her training as a wizard had not failed her. The intruder simply walked up, glanced at Terra, spoke one sentence, then walked away. He said, "Barnett the Bold is [dead]."'

You say, 'Dead?'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'The women knew that he had spoken the truth. Each began to weep uncontrollably for several minutes. It was Beata that understood first. She looked at the other three women, studied them through her tear-blurred eyes, and watched them crying about the death of her [beloved].'

You say, 'Her beloved?'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'They say that the fight these four women had was fiercer than any battle between orc and elf. They struggled, punched, clawed and threw each other all over the overlook until all four were nearly spent. In one final fury they all collided and stumbled off the edge of the cliff to their deaths. Though [not their final death].'

You say, 'Not their final death?'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'The story ends with the heretic that visited them on that peak. For along with his simple sentence he also laid upon these women a curse. They would live forever. Only one of them would be freed, and that would be the first of them to lay eyes upon their beloved Barnett again. Most believe that Barnett is indeed dead, probably killed by pirates or, if he was truly as bold as they say, smashed to death at the bottom of the great whirlpool in the middle of the Buried Sea. [Nobody believes] that the sea hags, once known as Terra, Beata, Mina and Maybell, will ever be free of their curse.'

You say, 'Nobody believes it?'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'As for the sea hags, they agree that men have ruined their lives. They work together to destroy any man or ship that they can, unless of course it is the Fearless or their Bold Barnett.'

You say, 'Tell me about Widower's Overlook'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'Ah, the overlook. For years men and women have gone there to mourn the loss of loved ones. It seems that the local tradition is to toss leaves into the ocean in memory of those lost at sea. According to the legend, a leaf throw from this sea cliff will drift to departed sailors of remind them of dry land, thereby enticing them to find their way back to shore. The overlook is reportedly named after a long-forgotten Erudite who lost his wife in a sea storm. Unfortunately I have not been able to learn his name or story. But the tradition certainly is fascinating!'

You say, 'Tell me about Sea Spring'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'The Sea Spring was built in Freeport ten years ago. It was intended to be the last of a small fleet built for a wealthy merchant called Belofar Grym. But this merchant, like so many of the men that sail the seas, had a superstition about purchasing things. He always gave away the last of anything he bought, fearing that greed might bring about a curse of gluttony. Of course his daily shopping for household items was done by someone else, and they always claimed to have given away the last of each item (the twelfth egg, the last apple) to someone in need. But when Belofar purchased things for his business he was always the one making the deal and taking receipt of the items. So when he went to collect the last of his four new ships, he stopped at the Grub and Grog to find the first sailor he could locate with captain's experience. He found [Tubb Ballard] and brought him to the dockyard.'

You say, 'Who is Tubb Ballard?'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'Tubb was shocked that a man was giving him such a fine ship. He worried that there was a curse upon the ship that Belofar was not telling him about. He worried that it was stolen or paid for with tricks that would unravel and Tubb would be blamed. He worried about many, many things - but he did not turn down a free ship. Tubb Ballard, however, was broke. He could not hire a crew, at least not by telling the truth. So he began to lie. He found the most gullible and desperate sailors in the bars of Freeport and built a crew of them. He sold a few items from the ship, such as spare sail cloth, and purchased three new outfits, one for himself, and one each for his purser and bosun's mate. All dressed up, he went [looking for fares].'

You say, 'Looking for fares?'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'Tubb turned out to be an inventive and creative captain for the Sea Spring. He made enough money moving people and goods from place to place to retire after five years. In keeping with the tradition that worked so well for him, he found a down on his luck captain and gave Sea Spring to him. His name was [Porthus Allweather].'

You say, 'Porthus Allweather?'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'Porthus captained the Sea Spring for three years. At that time he met a woman and wanted to move on to a new life. Prothus, however, did not believe Tubb's superstition about giving the ship away, and he wanted more money to start a family, so he sold the ship to a rich captain looking to add a second ship to his routes. For Captain [Jafar Edelspar] this would turn out to be a poor decision. Prothus, by the way, died one year to the day after he sold the ship - he was hit by a falling crate while on his way to meet a friend in the Grub in Grog.'

You say, 'Captain Jafar Edelspar?'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'Jafar suffered for two long years as captain of the Sea Spring. Immediately after purchase of the Spring his other ship was lost at sea. He was always sea sick, and he had never had been sea sick in his life before the Spring. He lost an eye in a pirate attack, not to pirates but before they ever got close a spar swung over and a loose nail popped out his left eye. He invariably had poor winds and was always late with deliveries. Food cargo would spoil in the hold. Passengers were frequently sick, or dangerous to the crew or themselves. The ship was often in need of costly repairs brought on by stupid mishaps and freak accidents. [Nothing went right] for Jafar on the Sea Spring.'

You say, 'Nothing went right?'

Farwhendle Higglespout says 'A few weeks before the second anniversary of his purchase of the Sea Spring Jafar decided to sell the ship to pay of some of his accumulated debt and find work on land. It was the next morning that his crew attempted a mutiny. Jafar was killed, but that didn't stop him from defeating the mutineers and crashing the Sea Spring on the rocks off the Barren Coast. He now roams the shores looking for someone to finish what he started. He knows that he can only be free if all of the mutineers are killed and given to the sea to be with the Sea Spring. For their part, the mutineers have no place else to go. They don't dare go out on the sea, and they are not welcome in Erudin, so they are hold up on the beach.'