Desdemona looks over Magnus, grinning
"You should come upriver on my paddle boat! I'm sure father would give you a discount if you stood watch while we traveled. Once you get to Fort Trevins you could easily find work on one of the plantations."
She looks Magnus up and down appraisingly
"It could be a very interesting trip" she purrs
"Oh, I think we can do better than, 'interesting'?" Magnus offers, grinning with one slim eyebrow arched speculatively.
"Come along fair lass! I'll introduce you to your future passengers and guards! Although I feel I must warn you, Kessel is a shrewd negotiator." Magnus says, rising from the barstool and holding out his hand to Desdemona as if she were a fine lady at court.
Magnus knew full well that he had no authority, or even seniority, with his current group of new friends. But, He was never one to let little facts stand in the way of impressing a young lady.
"And perhaps afterwords, we can rediscover what delights our town holds for an adventuresome, daring couple such as ourselves?" He winks.
Desdemona walks back with Magnus to the others
"Hello gentlefolk! I am Desdemona Vellencario, and your friend Magnus was just telling me you were interested in perhaps traveling upriver?"
Standing slightly behind Desdemona as she introduces herself, Magnus looks at the others with an almost child-like smile and wide-eyed look of hopefulness on his elfin face as he nods rapidly for the others to agree.
Well, more of a 'Young man with a woman to impress' face, but still hopeful.
"Desdemona's family happens to own a barge service, and she mentioned possible trouble upriver with the natives. I thought that since it sounded like we might be headed that way ourselves, perhaps we could,... help each other out?" He says straight-faced.
Smirky, but straight-faced.
"Jus' happens to have a barge service? Right when we might be thinkin' of heading upriver, eh? How convenient." San finishes off his latest glass, and shakes his head a bit. Starting to feel it a bit, he thinks to himself.
"So exactly how are we helping each other out here? She offers us a ride, we fix the issue upriver, and ...?"
Kessel says nothing, continuing to strum his lute, but his dark eyes are keenly focused on the conversation in front of him.
"Sounds good to me."
"Sounds good to me."
San gives a quick, raised eyebrow glance to Felicia. "What I meant by that was, seems this lady gets all the benefit while we get the danger and risk. We make the way safer for her (and every other) business while risking life 'n limb, while all she has to do is plop us on a barge that was likely goin' that way to begin with. So I'm asking, we help out with the troubles, and then we get ... what? I can't eat or drink good wishes and pats-on-the-back."
Desdemona smiles, but her eyes cool
"That's a decent question. I am assuming just standing watch , not any actual fighting. The Opal between here and Fort Trevins is fairly tame, mostly plantation and town. I can always put the question to my father, but he'll likely not agree to any set fee. It would cut our profit margin too thin. We like having fighters traveling with us, but not enough to hire them outright. Plenty of bravos heading upstream."
Egan is certainly willing to go along. Just look for Whisperwing in the sky, and follow him to the young ranger. He'll be eager for a trip upriver through the jungle.
Magnus scratches the tip of one pointed ear.
"Well, I was thinking more along the lines of a,... cooperative venture?" He suggests amiably.
"We were thinking about exploring upriver anyway, so we need transportation. The barge is heading that way anyway, and it sounds like they might appreciate a few extra hands in case the troubles are as bad or worse than rumors say."
"I was thinking a, reduced travel fee for us? With the understanding that we'll be your primary guards for the trip of course. And any coins or the like carried by any foolishly opportunistic river pirates or lizard-folk or undead scallywags will be our pay for services rendered?" He grins.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Magnus scratches the tip of one pointed ear.
"Well, I was thinking more along the lines of a,... cooperative venture?" He suggests amiably.
"We were thinking about exploring upriver anyway, so we need transportation. The barge is heading that way anyway, and it sounds like they might appreciate a few extra hands in case the troubles are as bad or worse than rumors say."
"I was thinking a, reduced travel fee for us? With the understanding that we'll be your primary guards for the trip of course. And any coins or the like carried by any foolishly opportunistic river pirates or lizard-folk or undead scallywags will be our pay for services rendered?" He grins.
"Reduced fee? Like reduced to zero?"
Desdemona sighs and looks over at San
"Sir, I don't mean to be rude, but have you any idea what it takes to keep a Hyrkmirian paddlewheeler on the river? I mean, we have a bound Elemental to feed in the boiler! "
She looks wistfully at Magnus
"I'd love to have you along, but I font think I can sell my father on half a dozen comp trips to Fort Trevins"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Desdemona sighs and looks over at San
"Sir, I don't mean to be rude, but have you any idea what it takes to keep a Hyrkmirian paddlewheeler on the river? I mean, we have a bound Elemental to feed in the boiler! "
She looks wistfully at Magnus
"I'd love to have you along, but I font think I can sell my father on half a dozen comp trips to Fort Trevins"
San almost snorts as he laughs. "Rude? Darlin', I couldn't care less if ya spat in my face. Business is business. Yours is barge trips, ours is solvin' problems. How 'bout this? We take a ride, at your regular price. If we get to the destination free 'n clear, we pay in full. But each time we have to defend your boat, you knock off a third. We have to fight a fourth time or more, you start payin' us."
San looks around at the others (with a quick wink at Citlali). "Course, that's only if you all agree too."
Desdemona looks wistfully at Magnus
"I'd love to have you along, but I dont think I can sell my father on half a dozen comp trips to Fort Trevins"
Magnus returns the wistful look, gazing at Desdemona's,... hair.
"I wouldn't think that you could. And rightfully so! We all have to earn a living! Tell me though lovely lady, is your craft limited by anything except size? Obviously you can only fit so much cargo and passengers aboard. What if your passengers were also your guards? Would that possibly free up any space that could be used for MORE paying passengers?" Magnus asks.
"Also, as experienced adventurers, we are used to,... how shall we say, less than stellar accommodations? In fact, you could sling me in a hammock over the side of your craft, within reach of the crocodiles, and it would STILL be better by far than our last quarters." Magnus explains, wrinkling his nose at the memory of the bilge.
Magnus gives a single, brief shudder. He still swears he can smell the bilge even now, after only thinking of it a moment.
"Between making room for more passengers, and San's not-entirely impossible proposal, Surely we can work out some sort of arrangement." Magnus grins.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Desdemona looks wistfully at Magnus
"I'd love to have you along, but I dont think I can sell my father on half a dozen comp trips to Fort Trevins"
Desdemona grins at Magnus
"You know what? All Papa can say is no. Why not? Let's see what he says"
She saunters by Citlali
"I'm glad you are in as well, darling!"
Desdemona grins at Magnus"You know what? All Papa can say is no. Why not? Let's see what he says"
She saunters by Citlali
"I'm glad you are in as well, darling!"
Magnus' grin threatens to reach his pointed ears.
"If I let the fear of hearing 'No' stop me, well,... I wouldn't have had NEARLY as much fun in life as I have so far!"
The dandy chugs the rest of his drink and offers Desdemona his arm.
"May I escort you through town?" he asks with a sweep of his large-feathered, wide-brimmed hat.
Kassel casually strums his lute.
"You'll forgive me if I don't give an opinion as to the finances of this particular adventure, I'm afraid I don't have enough information to properly bargain, and as a bard trained for royal service I must say that I still don't quite care for handling money. It's more of a minstrel thing to scrounge and pinch coin, but regardless once this ugly matter of payment is done, I'd like to know what the situation is first hand my lady, as of now we've heard but rumors, and I've often found that first hand accounts are by far more reliable, by which I mean somewhat reliable, certainly some details will be useful, but only something set in stone, or, for the lack of chisels, something put into the strict iambic pentameter and rhyming pattern of a proper verse can keep the details fresh in one's mind."
The party accompanies Desdemona down to the banks of the River Opal. The river is a wide brown ribbon at this juncture, slow-moving and full of soil from the jungle uplands. The docks here are bustling, much like their seaward counterparts. The ships are a lot shallower in draft, many of them with large paddlewheels attached to their sterns.
Desdemona walks up to a large paddlewheeler, painted a crisp white with red trim with the name Waverunner embossed on its bow. Sailors swarm it, scrubbing, splicing, and hauling. The gangplanks are down, and passengers and animals are climbing into the ship, many of them sweating in Dragoran-style woolen clothing.
The sailors hail Desdemona as she approaches, and she motions for the party to follow her up the gangplank. She takes them to the pilothouse, where a burly middle-aged man talks to several sailors. She waves and the man ambles over. He is a tall burly type, with several scars evident on his well-tanned skin and a large cutlass at his hip. He looks at the group, and his eyes narrow.
"Daddy, this is Magnus, and his adventuring group. They are headed upriver, and I thought that perhaps we could find them employment."
The man frowns.
"Dezzie, what have I told you about strays?"
He looks them up and down.
"Any of you have sailing experience, or a magewright rating? Or are you looking for 'guard duty?'"
Magnus' eyes twinkle mischievously.
"Well good sir. I can assure you that this team has had plenty of experience on ships recently. Why we only JUST returned today from our last voyage. We are all very experienced in our specialties. Which include magics. AND so far as sailing experience goes, I can honestly say that we thoroughly explored our last ship from the top of the mast, to the holds, and the depths of the bilge itself." Magnus replies cheerfully.
The man sighs
"Well, I have a hunch that it might be a rough go of things, so I'll tell you what. You can have deck space and meals and free passage up. All I ask is you stay out of trouble and stand watch with my crew in case we have any issues. Fair enough?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
San smiles to himself and thinks, looks like the daughter is the cheap one! Nevertheless, he avoids one of his characteristic sarcastic responses, choosing instead to remain silent and let the 'faces' do the bargaining.
"It is a generous offer." Kessel says, he hints that he might say more, but he leaves his short statement hang.
"Perhaps it will ease your mind a bit that I'm part of this crew. Names Egan Coyle, and I've been serving as a guide on this river for years. Know it like the back of my hand. If it's OK with you I'll tie one of my canoes to the stern, and use if for scouting from time to time"?
Magnus smiles at Kessel's short statement, and positively grins with a look that says, 'See? I told you!' at Egan's introduction.
The dandy bows and sweeps his hat from his head fluidly.
"It IS a generous offer. And sounds fair to me good sir! If there are no objections?" he asks, turning to the others.
"Perhaps it will ease your mind a bit that I'm part of this crew. Names Egan Coyle, and I've been serving as a guide on this river for years. Know it like the back of my hand. If it's OK with you I'll tie one of my canoes to the stern, and use if for scouting from time to time"?
The captain looks happy for the first time
"Always good to have a scout with us! I'm glad to have you aboard! Do you do soundings as well?"
He sticks out a hand
"Petrucchio Vellancario"
After shaking Egan's hand he nods to the others
"I'm sure Dezzie can see to your gear and sleeping arrangements. I have some things to take care of. Egan if you'd like to follow me i can show you where I have a davit over on the starboard you can rig your skiff up to."
He gestures Egan over to the right side of the paddle wheeler
Magnus smiles and gives Egan a thumbs-up as the owner shows Egan where to tie up his small craft. The elf turns back to the others.
"So,... 'Dezzie'?,..." Magnus grins.
Kessel leaves with the others but waits till they're away from Petucchio and his daughter before commenting to any remaining memebers of the group.
"Things seem bad up river," he notes, "I wouldn't characterize him as desperate, but he did agree to take us for free rather quickly. With luck this will be something that we can put our rather unique set of skills to use on or else we may be stranded upriver or worse."
Desdemona looks thoughtful
"I had thought Daddy would put up more of a stink. But that's all to the good"
She aims a smile at the group
"There's some covered sleeping spots on the deck you can stretch your gear out in. I'll show you"
She leans in to whisper to Magnus
"If you like there's a slightly more comfortable berth up in my quarters"
"Wow he sure has a way with the ladies dont he?" Felicia quietly to the rest of the group.
Kessel leaves with the others but waits till they're away from Petucchio and his daughter before commenting to any remaining memebers of the group.
"Things seem bad up river," he notes, "I wouldn't characterize him as desperate, but he did agree to take us for free rather quickly. With luck this will be something that we can put our rather unique set of skills to use on or else we may be stranded upriver or worse."
"Yes. It isn't unusual for undead activity to rise, and for humanoid tribes to become active once in a while. But both at the same time? I'd be surprised if they weren't related in some way or another." Magnus comments idly, proving that he was at least paying a modicum of attention back in the guild house tap room.
Desdemona looks thoughtful
"I had thought Daddy would put up more of a stink. But that's all to the good"
Magnus looks pleasantly surprised. "Yes. So was I, actually." He shrugs, accepting the good luck as his due.
She aims a smile at the group"There's some covered sleeping spots on the deck you can stretch your gear out in. I'll show you"
She leans in to whisper to Magnus
"If you like there's a slightly more comfortable berth up in my quarters"
Magnus grins. "Consider me your, personal, security detail." He whispers back.
He watches as Desdemona saunters across the deck, checking that things on the vessel are as they should be.Magnus turns to the others. In his defense, he tries not to look too smug. He succeeds. Mostly.
"Ah well. Duty calls!" He says airily as he picks up his own pack.
Smiling, Citlali leans in to San. "I just hope Magnus doesn't get us all tossed in the river with his own 'sleeping arrangements' she whispers with a giggle.
She had learned over time to use a softer voice is she didn't want things to carry.
San leans back, and simply mouths the words without sound, "Well, I have a feeling he'd have to do something worse'n that to get us all tossed. He accepted us so quickly, I think things'r pretty bad up river. But yeah, we should all keep an eye on 'im." San's smirk suggests he doubts they'll be able to keep the elf in check, though.
Desdemona leads them to small covered spaces on the deck with roll down netting and hooks for hammocks.
"You can take any of these ones here that don't already have someone's hammock strung up."
The deck is crowded with boxes and bales of all sorts of goods. Sailors lash the various crates down with hempen ropes. A crowd of passengers, many of them wide-eyed immigrants, are settling into the larger bays that make up the first level of the craft. A solid mahogany rail encircles the deck with a few life boats on davits hanging off the side.
"We'll be setting off in about three hours time." Desdemona says "If you want to get anything in town, now is the time."
She turns to Magnus.
"Would you like to take a walk with me?"
Desdemona turns to Magnus.
"Would you like to take a walk with me?"
"Follow you anywhere ma'am!" Magnus replies with a grin and drawling accent.
Desdemona brings Magnus up to a room on the third tier of the paddle boat. Roomy, teak-paneled with silk hangings and a low-slung bed covered in pillows.
"You can stow you're gear here, if you still have a mind to "
She unclasps her sword belt and turns to the elf. She advances to him, eyes wide
Kessel finds a spot on the raft nearer to the center with a bit of cover, and relaxes himself into sleep, they were about to embark on an adventure up stream and there was no knowing when he might get the chance to sleep again.
The paddlewheel's twin stacks begin belching smoke and its sailors cast away its mooring ropes as the craft noses out into the wide brown slow-moving Opal River. This close to the sea the mouth of the river is a good kilometer across, and thronged with hundreds of different boats.
Waverunner begins its journey upriver, hitting a steam whistle in farewell as it leaves the Opalline docks. A swarm of immigrants throng the deckrail, staring off at the river and the other boats with wide eyes. Many already have stripped their heavy woolen clothes off, revealing various pasty shades of skin.
Desdemona brings Magnus up to a room on the third tier of the paddle boat. Roomy, teak-paneled with silk hangings and a low-slung bed covered in pillows.
"You can stow you're gear here, if you still have a mind to "
She unclasps her sword belt and turns to the elf. She advances to him, eyes wide
"Oh I've a mind lady, if YOU don't mind!"
Smiling, Magnus divests himself of his weapons, all three of them, using the bow to push the silk hangings closed,...
San will spend most of the time lying in his hammock (which he strategically locates as close to Citlali's as possible) and sipping from a bottle of whiskey (but will, surprisingly, keep from getting drunk). He tries to keep an eye on Magnus, just to make sure he doesn't do anything to annoy our hosts ...
Magnus is, surprisingly, fairly well behaved. Most of the time.
While he will never be accused of being subtle, he manages to not flaunt his time with Desdemona in front of the others, (his team or the skiff's crew) And he enjoys new sights and challenges to much to laze the days away completely. He climbs the rigging as often for fun as to do any work that may be required. And he is the first to volunteer for night watch, claiming his elvish eyes make him the most logical first choice.
He does learn some fishing tips & tricks from Egan along the way. Something he claims he never had the patience to learn previously.
Erick peered out onto the huge lazy river as the paddlewheeler chuffed and churned through its chocolate waters. Ft. Trevins lay upstream, a four-day journey, and where he hoped to find some adventure, or at the least some decent employment. Opal had been getting tired, and the Jungle of Skulls seemed like the proper place for a man to make his mark.
He stared at the throng that milled about, staring at the variety of people. He saw a lot of immigrants, most of them Woolbacks*, likely headed for the plantations along the reaches of the upper Opal. A few old plantation hands shepherd these folks, dressed in Dino leather high boots, linen, and broad-brimmed hat.
A half orc who looks like he knows his business lounges nearby also watching the crowd. He looks more the adventuring type. A tall thin elf, foppushly handsome, does prestidigitation tricks for some of the immigrant children. A striking woman chats easily with a hard-bitten looking man whose bloodshot eyes scan the crowd restlessly
Meanwhile
Blake smells the rich earthy smell of the river, so different from the bracing salt tang of the sea. This river was enormous though, and there were as many boats here among the brown waters as Opal Harbor had. A change of venue was always good, and there was much to be done in the undead-haunted jungles upriver.
Blake sees a gentleman and a hat carrying a pistol watching the crowd. He sees a few other interesting folks as well
*