The Second Set of Springs
Found after a fight
Possible rewards: Coiled Springs
7 scenes. Choices with a requirement only appear when you meet it.
A Winding Key
Right away1Inside the wreck you find a gunner's drill manual and a heavy brass winding key stamped with a workshop mark. A note pinned inside the cover reads: "First set of fast-loading springs installed. Second set held at the workshop until House Corwen pays its bill."
- Take the winding key and track down the gunsmith's workshop.The manual lists the gunsmith's workshop and dock number. You mark the port on your chart.
- [Gunner] Have crewmate study the drill manual and mark the workshop's location.Crew: Gunnercrewmate flips through the manual in the wreckage. "Nobody can load a cannon this fast without mechanical help." crewmate studies the techniques and marks the gunsmith's dock on your chart.+1 Gunnery skill XP
- Toss the key aside and leave House Corwen's affairs alone.You throw the key into the scrap bin and move on.The questline ends here.
The Drill Manual
Right away2The manual records the late gun captain's loading times. With the first set of recoil springs installed, his gun crews could reload in half the normal time.
Tucked into the back are unsent letters to the gunsmith: "Mistress Quill, House Corwen has refused to pay you, and I cannot cover their debt on a captain's pay." A brass claim token for the second set of springs is wedged into the spine.
Tucked into the back are unsent letters to the gunsmith: "Mistress Quill, House Corwen has refused to pay you, and I cannot cover their debt on a captain's pay." A brass claim token for the second set of springs is wedged into the spine.
- Take the claim token and head for the gunsmith's port.The brass token is stamped with a coiled spring and a claim number. You clip it to the winding key and set course.
- Drill your gun crews using the manual on the way to port.
- [Quartermaster] Have crewmate calculate the exact debt House Corwen owes the gunsmith.Crew: Quartermastercrewmate totals the unpaid invoices from the letters: three seasons of work and forty gun mounts, with not a single coin paid. Having the exact debt documented could prove useful.
The Unpaid Debt
At a port3 Find the gunsmith's workshop holding the second set of gun springs.
Gunsmith Hesper Quill has built cannon mounts for House Corwen for three seasons without seeing a coin. On her workbench sits the second set of recoil springs—capable of readying a ship's guns before the enemy can even open their gun ports.
A House Corwen lieutenant stands in her yard with six armed soldiers and a seizure warrant. "Our House frigate is at the front with half her guns firing slow," he says. "We are taking these springs."
A House Corwen lieutenant stands in her yard with six armed soldiers and a seizure warrant. "Our House frigate is at the front with half her guns firing slow," he says. "We are taking these springs."
- Defend the workshop and fight the House Corwen cutter.Quill bars the workshop gate. The lieutenant marches back to his cutter and brings it around to attack your ship!+2 heatBattle: Household ship · Close rangeIf you win:+1 The Guild standing
- Pay off House Corwen's debt yourself to claim the springs. (70 silver)Costs 70 silverYou pay the three seasons of back debt in full. Quill stamps the account settled, leaving the lieutenant's seizure warrant useless. He marches his squad away empty-handed.
- Shame the lieutenant with the itemized debt and split the bill with him. (35 silver)Costs 35 silverYou read the three-season debt aloud in front of his own soldiers. Flushed with embarrassment, the lieutenant signs a House promissory note for half the sum while you pay the rest, securing the springs for yourself.+1 The Guild standing
- Side with the lieutenant and transport the springs to the House frigate.The soldiers crate up the springs and load them into your hold. Quill glares from her workbench. "Tell their captain the bill is still unpaid."−1 heatNew job: House gun springs
- Leave it for now.You step back from the standoff and leave them arguing in the yard for now.
Six Stranded Soldiers
Right away4The fleeing cutter left the lieutenant's six soldiers stranded in the yard. Their sergeant removes his cap.
"Our frigate really is fighting at the front with half her guns damaged, mistress," he tells Quill. The gunsmith hesitates with a spring under each arm, looking from the sergeant to you. "I built these for that ship. I only wanted to be paid."
"Our frigate really is fighting at the front with half her guns damaged, mistress," he tells Quill. The gunsmith hesitates with a spring under each arm, looking from the sergeant to you. "I built these for that ship. I only wanted to be paid."
- Have Quill install the springs on your own ship's guns.Quill nods and brings the springs aboard your ship, while the sergeant marches his men off to find a ferry.
- Agree to deliver the springs—and Quill's unpaid bill—to the House frigate.Quill crates the springs and nails her three-season invoice to the lid. "Make them read the bill before they sign for the cargo." The soldiers help load the crates into your hold.New job: House gun springs
Wound Tight
Right away5 Choose how to install the gun springs.
Quill brings her tools aboard and holds up the winding key. "I can fit the full set of recoil springs to your cannons so your first volley fires the instant battle starts. Or I can do a standard battery refit and sell the spare springs to split the silver with you."
- Install the full set of recoil springs on your cannons.She fits and winds a spring on every cannon mount. Your guns sit cocked and humming, ready to fire an instant opening volley in every battle.Relic: Coiled SpringsThe questline ends here.
- Take a Battery room upgrade and split the silver from selling the spare springs.She overhauls your cannon mounts and sells the spare springs to a Guild captain on the dock, handing you your share of the silver.Upgrade: Battery Deck+80 silverThe questline ends here.
- [Gunner] Have crewmate learn her winding technique while installing the full set of springs.Crew: Gunnercrewmate winds the final cannon mount under Quill's supervision without losing a finger, mastering the mechanism and earning her spare winding key.Relic: Coiled Springs+1 Gunnery skill XPThe questline ends here.
The Damaged Frigate
At the delivery port6 Deliver the gun springs to House Corwen's frigate in the next region.
House Corwen's frigate sits at the dock with a scorched hull from Hollow fire. Her master gunner is dead, and a fifteen-year-old midshipman signs for the crates without even checking the inventory.
If you kept a set of springs for yourself, the inexperienced crew wouldn't notice for a month.
If you kept a set of springs for yourself, the inexperienced crew wouldn't notice for a month.
- Deliver all the crates honestly and help install them on the frigate.Your gunners spend the day fitting the springs to her cannons while the midshipman takes notes. The purser pays double the transport fee, and by evening the frigate's captain invites you below.+30 silver+1 The Crown standing
- Steal the springs for your own ship and sign off on a fake delivery.The young midshipman signs the receipt without checking the crates. That night, your own cannons sit cocked and humming—while the frigate heads back to the front with half her guns still slow.The questline ends here.
- [Gunner] Have crewmate install the springs on the frigate and present Quill's unpaid bill.Crew: Gunnercrewmate fits the springs to the cannons and reads Quill's three-season invoice aloud on the gun deck. Ashamed in front of his crew, the captain pays the bill in full and rewards you with a spare cannon and a Battery refit.Upgrade: Battery DeckWeapon: a random weapon+1 The Guild standing+1 The Crown standingThe questline ends here.
The Frigate's Captain
Right away7The frigate's captain comes down to the gun deck, tests the winding key on a cannon, and watches it snap into firing position instantly.
"House Corwen owes you a debt, Captain—and I hear we owe the gunsmith on Crownpeak three seasons of pay as well. My ship's war chest can only settle one debt in full. Which will it be?"
"House Corwen owes you a debt, Captain—and I hear we owe the gunsmith on Crownpeak three seasons of pay as well. My ship's war chest can only settle one debt in full. Which will it be?"
- Take the reward for yourself and leave the gunsmith's bill unpaid.He pays you a purse of silver and orders his armorer to upgrade your Battery room, while Quill's workshop account remains unpaid.Upgrade: Battery Deck+40 silver+1 The Crown standingThe questline ends here.
- Tell him to pay the gunsmith's bill in full.He writes a payment draft covering all three seasons of debt and dispatches it up the Mountain under his seal. Unwilling to let you leave empty-handed, his armorer gifts you a spare ship's cannon.Weapon: a random weapon+2 The Guild standingThe questline ends here.
- [Gunnery 2] Have crewmate train the frigate's gun crews for a week in exchange for a full reward.Crew: Gunnery 2+crewmate drills the frigate's gunners until they can match their late gun captain's reload times. Grateful, the captain pays you well and has his armorer upgrade your Battery room.Upgrade: Battery Deck+60 silver+1 Gunnery skill XP+1 The Crown standingThe questline ends here.
Data from Magehold Fairwinds v1.9.26. Spotted something out of date? Discord