At the request of Venture-Captain Drandle Dreng, you are waiting on the docks of Absolom. The merchant ship Kinsale rests at anchor in front of you, her ragged crew ferrying the last of the cargo aboard and readying her to set sail. As you watch a barrel drops from the deck, with a splash, and moments later, what looks to be a halfling aprenctice follows it.
"And don't bother coming back you scurvy little lighthand!" A gruff, female voice from above calls.
At that moment you see Mr Dreng himself appear through the crowd, walking slowly, with an aged stoop, towards you, he leans on a stick.
"Quickly now, quickly. You have little time, and I less." he looks around to make sure you aren't being watched, and then continues in a hushed voice.
"One of my good friends, a merchant in the Varisian outcast’s haven known as Kaer Maga, sent me a very strange letter, which I need you to investigate.
The merchant—his name is Horis Collgardie—tells me that the residents of Kaer Maga are very upset about the Society’s plan to build a lodge in their city and even further upset that the agents we sent are making trouble, stirring up the delicate balance of power that exists in the so-called City of Strangers.
The trouble is, not the Decemvirate or any venture-captain I can find gave the okay to build a lodge there. We know it would be folly to do so—at least right now—and so this idea that Collgardie has that the Society is there and doing just that is worrisome. In a few weeks time, you’ll be in Korvosa. From there, book passage on a river ship for Harse, then travel overland to the road’s end at the cliffs below Kaer Maga—the so-called Twisted Door.
There you must pay the Duskwardens to escort you through the Halflight Path to reach Kaer Maga. Once inside the city, find Collgardie and find out what he’s talking about. If there are Pathfinders in the city founding a lodge, tell them I order them to stop at once. If this is some kind of ruse, get to the bottom of it and do what you can to keep our Society’s good name in Kaer Maga—we may not be completely welcome there, but neither are we unwelcome. Let’s keep it that way. Any questions?”
Can you tell me more about Callgardie? What kind of goods does she sell?
"He is a solid man. He deals in many things, but often in antiquities, which is how I came to know him. Some of the things he finds he sells to the Society. We correspond mostly, so I cannot give you a description."
Wadi strokes his chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm. This strikes me as rather...odd. Have you verified the letter and its contents are genuine, that it was sent by Horis?"
"Indeed I have, the letter cannot have come from another hand."
The quiet lady with the huge sword sits and listens. "That sounds like it could be these Apsis bastards ruining our good names. I can't wait to meet them," she mutters.
"Well, that is what I need you to find out! Now any other questions, that ship looks like it's about to sail without you." the old man replies looking past you to the boat.
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Anashaka arrives at the docks, stepping from a nearby coach while an attendant readies her traveling pack and wrapped glaive and armor. After the incident in the museum she wears a Qadiran head scarf and loose fitting clothes to match the heat of Absalom. The cleric smiles and waves before bidding farewell to the coach and shouldering her pack and heading for the ship.
"My apologies! There was a demonstration by one of the cults in God's Market. We couldn't get through for some time. I see I just barely made it." She looks around, "Oh- Alie won't be joining us this time?"
"Well, if you have no more question, that ship really does look like it's going."
Sure enough, it only take a glance to see a couple of crewmen systematically casting off lines, as the wind begins to catch the sails.
On board, you are met by a large, craggy half orc with a wooden leg, as she begins to speak, you realize this is the one you heard throwing the halfling overboard earlier.
"My name's Tevaga, Captain Tevaga. We've a trip of a couple of weeks to get you to Korvosa. I keep a tight crew, and you wont get in their way. You do, and you're off, if I'm in a good mood, I'll set you ashore. Now Kyras will show you your cabins."
A tall halfling approaches from one side. Obviously more servant to the Captain than crew member, he wears silks were they wear simple cloth. He makes a bow and indicates a set of ladders leading below decks.
"The beds are all the same I'm afraid, far too hard, and not of the quality my Mistress deserves. Food is served below and you will be well fed. The Society has ensured that. Indeed, the crew may be very jelous."
A couple of quiet weeks passes at sea. luckily for Kovar you are never out of site of land, so the real swells of the Arcadian ocean remain a thing of tales. You land in Korvosa, with a day to shop, before moving out.
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Throughout the journey Anashaka uses her time to step into the role of ship's chaplain. Through Shelyn's grace she purifies food and water for the crew at mealtimes and in her name she offers counseling to any of those on board day or night. Each sunset she offers her prayers to the Eternal Rose while the sun meets the horizon.
Still, not all crew members are looking for relationship counseling leaving her with more of the day free than not. Ana spends the evenings with a running partnered card game between any of the Pathfinders who might be interested with crew members sitting in when there happened to be an empty seat.
Throughout the journey she never did get over her aversion to Kovar's new choice of companion. The ape made her uncomfortable and she made no attempt to pretend otherwise.
On arriving in Korvosa Anashka is more than ready to get back on solid ground. "I don't know about the rest of you, but a real bath house is at the top of my list. It may be some time before we have another opportunity. Do you all want to meet up and get in one quality meal before we get back on the road?"
A few more weeks of overland journey brought you last night to the foot of the Storval Rise. This morning you were met by Duskwardens who's duty it is to see you safely to the top and Kaer Maga, a mere eight hours walk away.
The day wears slowly on, with the merchants who also accompany you obviously struggling up the steep paths and twisted stairs. Thankfully most of the path is through caverns and tunnels and out of the direct sunlight of the desert.
Anashka's first hit causes the goblin to yelp in terror, and leaves it looking a little dazed and weak. It is just about still standing though, and her second hit glances off it's armour.
The furthest goblin chants in a high pitch voice
Zaronegl sing and Zarongel dance,
Weak ones sleepy, and soon they fall,
Once they fall, Zarongel bite!
Eat them up and dance and dance!