Captain. I'm fine with us making way after collecting what we can from the ship. But I wanted to speak to you about something afterwards as well.
Rythian would have gone over to the other ship, and checked for anything useful with the crew. Or anything interesting if not valuable.
Grab what supplies and items you can. We should be away from here as soon as possible. The burning ship could draw attention from the coast.
Alaric crosses over, does a quick search, then bounds back to his own ship after collecting anything that looks valuable that he can find.
"If you find anything locked I'll open it." Elisa calls. Also making a quick search of the other ship.
The knot and the sailors rummage through what is left and discover it is mainly regular short swords, spears, shortbows and a few gold coins which the sailors pocket quickly. Nothing is recovered from the knight since he sank...
Kargeld instructs the men to sail quickly out of the area lest another patrol comes around...
Well that was a fine bout! I'd say we all deserve a drink! Anything good on hand Captain?
"Why yes I do have a casket of rum we can break open." Kargeld says and orders his men to open it up and pass around wooden cups to drink. He himself drinks from his flask which appears to be of better quality liquor.
Rythian will politely take the drink, but does not drink it.
Thank you.
He will move to the sailor he noticed be affected by his channel. He makes polite conversation for a bit, then asks.
So, how did you find yourself as a sailor on this vessel?
Elisa will decline the rum.
The sailor approached by Rythian seems uncomfortable speaking to the tiefling. "I...I... I needed a job...this ...was the only one I could find." he stammers out.
Here, you can have the rest of my drink, the waters make me more uneasy than I like to admit. he gives the man a smile and offers his drink to him.
Why did you need the job? Family trouble? debts? Or did you just need some food money?
Alaric passes on the drink as well.. "Need to keep my head clear, thanks anyway."
Saulric happily drinks. So how'd you get into smuggling. It's a dangerous business.
The sailor seems uncomfortable with all of you surrounding him asking him questions. He stammers out "No jobs in my town....folks need to eat...everyone knows traders have a high crew turnover... Kargeld is always looking...I joined up. As far as his other stuff, I just look the other way... I need the money not enemies."
Kargeld keeps the boat going north and the weather begins to bite into your skin as you look for warmer clothes to put on. The captain seems agitated as he paces back and forth muttering to himself and acting short with others when spoken to. After a few days travel north Kargeld seems to be in a better mood as if he resolved his problem.
“We are a little light on fresh water I think. We are passing Seal Isle and there is a stream that feeds into the bay there. We’ll take on water there. I’ll send a party to the shore. Of course, that means we’ll spend a day in some of the richest fur seal hunting grounds all along this coast. I’m thinking of organizing a hunting expedition. Interested?”
...
Saulric attempts to engage in conversation with Kargeld and asks him about how he started in the smuggling business.
"Me brother and me started out as crew for a different smuggler in our youth. After time we discovered the tricks of the trade and then we stole this fine vessel here. After a bit of time we went our different ways. I kept the boat." he responds as if not really interested in speaking. "Now about the water and hunting...interested?"
Seal hunting does sound interesting....I will pass
Elisa also has no interest in hunting.
"Thanks, but no thanks, I've no interest in hunting seals, neither for profit nor pleasure."
I think it's best we don't waste our energy. We should instead. But good hunting my friend.
I admit, I've never been a fan of hunting animals. I would be mildly interested. However I think I'll take the time to get to know my new... friends, here. He says with a wicked grin.
"Well we need to go get water and we will hunt for seal! You all can stay here then." Kargeld announces and then preps his men to go hunting and fetch water out on the frozen landscape.
He organizes some men to fetch some fresh water and then sets up two hunting parties with him leading one of them.
The groups heave off in the morning and the boat is left in the care of the group with explicit instructions to not steal his boat or else. A few hours later off in the horizon you all see three small seal-skin canoes coming towards the Frosthammer with indigenous men aboard.
oh goodie. Locals. Rythian mutters to no one in particular. His imp once again going invisible after coming out to greet the party members after the crew left.
"This looks promising... Somehow I doubt they are here to make friends..."
"No doubt they feel the hunting grounds are theirs." Elisa sighs. "Our Captain seems to make friends where ever he goes."
Well whomever they are, they have seen us. Since we just destroyer a ship not to long ago, they should be destroyed as well. No witnesses
Szordrin stares out across the water at the new arrivals
Let them get close enough so that we can determine what they want.
These men are from the Yatuk barbarian tribe that lives in the cold north. They are mostly uncaring of the politics to the warmer lands and only interact with Southerners for trading or if their lands are threatened. They especially favor iron and steel weapons and tools due to the lack of such materials in the frozen lands. Wood is also cherished.
As the boats get closer one of the men raises his hands to show he has no weapons and motions as if asking to get closer.
Elisa
"Yatuk tribesmen." Elisa informs the others. "They may be looking for trade and not actively hostile. A nice change."
Trade? Out here...
"Might as well see what we can get from them... perhaps we can barter for something of value... ambergris maybe? I have little to offer them, but I'm sure there must be metals on board we could trade away... I don't care if they 'go missing' under our watch."
The young Yatuk tribesman motions once more to get closer...
Sounds good to me.
As long as they don't want the goods we are transporting. I'd be willing to listen to them. perhaps he could even convince them to aid us later.
"Aye, I'm not terribly fond of the idea of lying to them outright, but letting them approach and making a bargain with them might be beneficial."
If worse comes to worse we will end them. I cannot afford to fall before I see my beloved again.
The group decides to let the tribesmen come closer in their boats. Three come closer in animal skin single person kayaks and four come in a larger version called an umiak. The brave tribesman is in the four person boat. As they get up to the boat their leader motions to an elder tribesman who yells up in broken common "We trade? Yes?"
"Negotiations are not my forte," Alaric says to his friends... "One of you should take the lead here, but aye, we should tell them we're interested...Find out what they have to trade anyway."
If we are going to negotiate Elisa will do it.
"Trade yes!" Elisa calls back.
"Bring up some Daggers, Spears, Bow and Arrows." She instructs the crew, going for what she thinks will be of most value to members of a hunter/gatherer community.
"We trade...good..." the older tribesman says as a statement and the boats paddle up to the Frosthammer and a few of them climb aboard. They carry some seal skin leather bundles and a large fur wrapped object.
They empty the leather bags and reveal a few bone and ivory handi-crafts, a couple of ornate bone tools and arrowheads, bone and ivory jewelry and untouched raw pieces of bone and ivory in addition to 15 walrus tusks. They also unwrap an 8 feet long straight piece of grooved ivory.
Szordrin's eyebrows raise ever so slightly at the sight of the long ivory piece.
Now that looks interesting
Elisa
Elisa nods agreeably at their offerings, obviously the Narwhal horn is the prize of the show.
She offers them a good amount of Handaxes, spears and daggers for it.
While the bargaining is taking place she also provides some hot tea and chats about the area, asking if they have seen any other strangers recently?
The group consensus is that the narwhal ivory horn is worth around 2,000 gp and the walrus tusks are worth 1,200 gp while the carvings are worth at most 10 gp each. You sense they value, in order- spears, daggers, hand axes, arrows and will trade 20 gp worth of ivory for 1 spear, or 3 daggers, or 2 hand axes or 20 arrows. You notice the elder tribesman is eyeing a machete lumped in the weapons pile.
As far as conversation goes the men talk amongst themselves and do tell you they saw the large sun haired sailor go hunt seals and hit his men when they miss, there are some dire polar bears in the area the tribesmen avoid, strange lights came from one of the bad luck snow caves, and the Red Tusk clan is infringing on their territory. They offer the group some seal jerky as well.
Ryhtian will leave the bargaining to the others, but will aid where he can. He will speak to the leader hoping his grasp of the common tounge is good enough.
Perhaps, you would be open to future trades and... other deals with us?
Rythian discovers the leader is in fact the younger man in the group and the only one that speaks passable common is the elder shaman negotiating the trade.
Elisa will offer 80 spears, 30 Daggers and the Machete for the Narwhal horn. That's her opening offer.
The shaman discusses the offer with the young leader. After a bit they counter offer 60 spears, 30 daggers, 20 hand axes, 200 arrows and the machete for the narwhal horn/staff.
Elisa whispers to Szordrin "Is that Machete they're so interested in magic?"