The next 2 days were filled with work as the city prepared for its favorite holiday. The harbor was rapidly filled with docked seaships and even a few skyships had docked where space was available.
"This is incredible," Dolph gasped as Jack led him through the bustling streets, "it's so lively here. Why have I never heard of this festival? What gods does it honor?"
"Oh it's not for any gods," Jack explained. Seeing Dolph's inquisitive expression, he expanded on his answer. "It's celebrating the founding of the city."
"Seems like an awful lot of trouble for a city founding," Dolph raised an eyebrow.
"Heh, not if you know the story of the city's founding."
"Well don't leave me in the dark, tell me."
"Well, it all began a long time ago. The heavy merchant ship, The Windjammer, was being persued by the dark armada of the lich-captain Zotarn."
"The festival was named after a ship? I thought it was for sailing ships in general."
"Do you want to hear the story or not?"
"Yes."
"Then don't interrupt, I don't want to loose me thoughts." Dolph grimaced, but mumbled an apology. "Now, they had been on the run for a week, barely out of range of the acid cannons of the fleet. A harsh storm was brewing on the horizon and the captain of the Windjammer, Falk Helmsmasher, decided to risk shelter in a small inlet in the sheer cliff faces." Jack gestured to the surrounding area of the city, "back then it was much smaller than it is now, about an eighth the size it is now, but it was able to give them a respite from the persuit. The dark armada was unable to make it into the inlet and had to pull back from the rocks to avoid being smashed upon the cliffs. However they stayed near to wait for the storm to pass.
Captain Falk Helmsmasher, knowing the danger facing them outside their sanctuary, had hit upon a desperate plan and set his people to work. Besides the large amount of cargo the ship carried a host of passengers, mostly dwarves and humans were also present, they were on their way to a newly founded mining village see. Anyway they were ordered to dig into the cliff side a small nook for the people to hide. As it turns out, the inlet was the home to a small group of merfolk who were curious about their new guests. The refugees made friends with them and those that couldn't fit into the passage were allowed to take shelter in water, air being supplied by the merfolk.
When the storm passed the Windjammer sailed out under a smokescreen with only Falk onboard. The armada caught up with the ship easily and crowded around the ship with plans to board en mass. As the ship was being boarded, the captain sent a blast of wind from a wand to blow away the concealing cloud and dived overboard and into the waiting arms of a young mermaid. Back on the shore, the Captain's first mate readied a bastila that was taken from the ship and fired a flaming bolt towards the Windjammer. The bolt broke through the ship and struck the ship's cargo. 800 tonnes worth of alchemist fire and flash powder," Jack said with a wide grin. "The resulting explosion spread to the other ships and caused their own cargo and flammable ammunition and various other magic explosives to activate at once. Though the ship was miles out to sea, the explosion shook the very bones of the Windjammer's crew and passengers. The shockwave rocked the cliffs and threatened to bring them down on the people. When the smoke cleared, the armada was no more and the seas were safe again. The people decided to settle in the place that saved their lives, with the permission of the merfolk of course, and named it after the valiant captain." Jack finished his tale and looked around. Only now really noticing the crowd that had gathered to hear the story.
"What happened to Falk," a young girl asked.
"Well, after returning to land and helping the people get settled, he decided to join the mermaid that had saved him. He went to the sea and married her."
"So he transformed into a merfolk," Dolph asked curiously.
"So the story goes," Jack shrugged.
"That sounds amazing. To defeat an entire fleet of pirates and a lich," Dolph said excitedly.
The crowd dispersed as they realized the story was through and Jack and Dolph headed off to enjoy the various games, merchants, and vendors of the Windjammer Festival.