"All right. Let's get out of this smoke." Connor stated, recalling his constructs from the wreck, and looking at the two loot-filled floating craft. "Alys, Adran - you're with me and Flick on this boat. Rory, you take Elara and Roderick on the second boat. Regroup at the beach stones." He mentally sent one construct to get the longboat back to the beach. "Then we decide where we want to go before evening." Connor finished.
Flick is quiet, unnaturally so. Those that remember him from before recall his was hyper, energetic and full of life. Now, he is lifeless, withdrawn, and silent.
He is responsive, but says nothing. If asked a question, he'll nod 'yes' or 'no', often sadly.
Roderick nods his assent, helping to finish loading the second boat and then to see it to the beach again. After reaching the beach, he helps to search through the bodies of the slain lizardmen on the beach. Having gathered what they can from them, he gestures to the collective corpses and says, "Macabre as it might be, we should ensure that anyone who searches for these unfortunates do not find them. Fire of a hefty stone or two should suffice, I would think. After you've gathered your goods, cousin, we should perhaps consider making our way away from the beach."
He glances at the newcomer and his drawn face, he asks in a quiet voice to Alys and Connor, "And what of your friend? He seems to be in a state of shock, at the least. Was he always so taciturn or do we need to worry about his sanity?"
"Yeah, a fire here for the corpses." Connor agreed. "They're too heavy to move all the way to the ship." Connor mentally ordered the constructs to pick up the bag of gold, Tenfa's gemstone, and any other assorted equipment. He held his backpack open for the constructs to place items therein. As the constructs completed the order Connor then had them drag the lizardman bodies to the circle of stones, and the fire in the middle.
"Flick was, is, young. Rash. That got him in trouble a lot. He ended up with our first team because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time." Connor told Roderick. "I can't imagine what he's been through. The last we saw of him, we were on the Surface, at a Wingless frontier fort. Wingless treat Elvians, Elves...differently on the Surface. Like wild animals. Because they're not much better, it turns out. If Flick was treated that way, then yes, we need to watch his reactions."
Elara takes her boat. She restrains herself from comment on this new arrival.
The group slowly makes their way back to the city with the rowboats. It takes them quite a while, the boats aren't fast, but there's no way to get back faster while keeping the equipment found and their lost companion with them. At least Connor's conjurations can handle towing the boats, which is faster than setting the sail.
Upon return to the city, they find the city in the process of rebuilding from the damage still (it's been almost a month). The docks are full of salvaged warships, the remains of the damaged and destroyed ships having been towed into the port area.
Beyond the city, a dozen Council warships hover far in the distance, nearly four times what the warships that are now sitting in the docks were at when they were destroyed.
The group has two options (unless they come up with a third)...
A) Contact the Ruler of the City and report...
B) Bypass the city and make their way back to their base and report in to their employer.
"Welp I say we go see the harpy lady before she gets word we are back. Don't need to make unnecessary enemies right?"
"We had a partial success." Connor agreed. "And I suspect the Elephant has several anchors attached to it. We can, at least, confirm the lizardmen's location at the ruins and their loss of a very valuable ship and several crewmembers." He still looked ready to brood at the overwhelming firepower the 'free city' had.
"Aye! And we may very well get shot publicly as a reward for our efforts! I think we may very well be better off offloading the goods and taking them out at their home before they relocate or else rethink our approach!"
"From what I recall, being shot is unlikely. The citizen's and governor here seemed to have a fondness for the knife and club instead, not that that's really any sort of comfort. That said, I doubt we'll be able to evade notice for too long. She wanted the contraband, of which we might have little to none, so I'm at a bit of a loss. Perhaps we SHOULD simply try to slip in and out quickly. I can always try to talk us out of a bad situation should it arise. I suppose I throw my reluctant support in with Rory, then."
"Well we need, I need, some supplies or we'll be going into those Ruins with nothing but the clothes on our backs." Connor argued. "I'm not above sending in one or two stealthy people with a shopping list, if they can get in and out in a few hours. Those Ruins nullify everything, so no power stones, but alchemist's fire, tanglefoot bags, thunderstones - think what we can use that isn't normal."
"Ruins? I though coming back here we were done with that place. Let the crazy harpy lady handle it. We did what we set out to do. Maybe we just get our ship and run... I mean move on to the next mission."
"Did you got banged around escaping from that burning wreck, Andran? I will recall for you the massed Stalmorta fleet that was turned into scrap and floating death traps by this very city. I mislike our chances of running with the glorified scow we call our ship. Elys? And... Flick? Did you have any thoughts?"
"We're supposed to eliminate these smugglers and several of them escaped. They'll likely be going back to their hideout. I don't like the idea of facing them there, it nullified Connor's powers and made it very difficult to maintain my soulbolt... I'd prefer to see if we can help Flick recover first but we're not out of this yet, we need a new plan."
"Knocked around? Nope I'm fine." He looks over his body.
"Yeah see fine. I didn't get hurt that much. I think because I'm small no one listens. I said go see the harpy lady finish our business and high tell it out of here. We don't need her or this place hunting us. From my low perspective it is all you tall people that don't pay attention." He goes back to whistling and skipping along.
"Well, if we go to the harpy mayor and give a detailed report on the Ruins, including the fact that they're nullifying psionics, then we could state it's out of our hands. Connor mused. "I hate going hat-in-hand, asking for government artillery support raiding the Ruins. None of that gives her a reason to give us back our ship, is the problem. It would be better if we had a plan to take out the lizardmen ourselves. Barring filling one of these boats with gunpowder and alchemists' fire and dropping it on them from several hundred feet up, my ideas are thin, right now."
"Perhaps a message by astral construct bird, along with a shopping trip inside, would get us some government support later, and an excuse if we get caught inside." Connor stated. "Let me see what we got from the smugglers." He started rummaging around in his backpack.
"What did we come back to the city for. I recomended going to the ruins and killing them as they make a break for it. We have given them time now. No way they will stay there knowing we know where they are and what they have after taking out their ship. Sure lets shot and recoup and then go pick over what they leave behind as they tuck tail and run. I guess we may find some stuff to help persuade the harpy lady to giving back out boat, but if those lizard remain then that only proves their body's have evolved while their brain remains as tiny as the lizards they came from."
"We've got some armor but no weapons." Connor rebuffed. "I'd like some masterwork light crossbows and some swords before we go into that null psionics maze again. And it gave time for Flick to heal up. I'm sure he wants a longbow. Masterwork."
"We do have the weapons that the lizardmen were using to great effect. I can imagine they'd do well in the close confines of the tunnels assuming we can use them. If we need supplies, and Connor has made a fair argument for needing further gear, then let's simply go and do our shopping as quickly as we can and leave. If need be, we can explain to the harpy that they're holed up and we needed supplies for a frontal assault. If they're gone, we can cross the bridge when we come to it."
Adran bends over in laughter.
"You guys really are not that seasoned at this whole criminal thing huh. You really think the lizards will be there after all this time. Crazy. Well get what you think you will need or want. I'm going to go get our ship back. Meet you at the ship. At least if we are going to go we should be quicker with our ship. If I'm not their well guess the crazy harpy lady killed me or locks me up. See you in a few."
Adran heads off to see the Harpy.
Flick, withdrawn and silent, does give a weak smile at the mention of getting him a bow. He'll follow along whomever is going to acquire the weapons.
The group begins to head into the city, planning on splitting up when their paths depart from each other, but before they have flown half-way, a pair of halvavians in leather armor wing in next to them.
"Youse guys been summoned..." The first one says in a heavy street accent.
"Yeah, Summoned, like an Eye-Do-Lawn, but with less choices..." The other halvavian says, making both of them laugh.
The two lead the group (both vetching about how slow the boats are) to a three story building that looks like all the ones around it.
Landing on a third story landing ledge, they step in and as the group docks the boats and make their way in, they find the same massively tall guard who led them out the first time, white hair tied back again.
[bigger]"Well, seems like you're all alive... and you have a prisoner? Looks like a surfacer."
Shrugging as Adran takes off, Roderick jumps aloft and begins to follow after saying, "I'm fairly sure it would be best if I accompany him. I represented us before and my negotiating skills may be required."
Roderick nods to the man politely, if coolly, "Yes, we're alive master Rathborne. Not a prisoner of ours, no, but one previously held by the Stalmorta smugglers we'd agreed to hunt down for your mistress. He's not spoken, so I'm not entirely sure what there is to know about him. Either way, we'd like to speak with your employer."
Adran chuckles as the tall guard says still alive.
"Yeah still alive. Did we cost you some money? You seem like the type that would bet against us. Hell looking at us I probably would have too. So where is the harpy lady? She is the one that summoned us right?"
He walks about the room before finding a cozy box to hop up and sit on.
Alys turns to subtly place a wing between Flick and the guard.
Rory, certainly not pleased by the direction this particular venture has gone, chooses ot be silent except from the occasional barely audible grumbles.
"All right, the 'fast and legal' way it is." Connor said, agreeing with Adran.
---------------------
Connor was unapologetic about the speed of the flying boats. "We've got wounded." he muttered under his breath. He mentally kept the astral constructs tugging the boats along with the flyers. He gave Flick another look-over, because the Elfavian still hadn't talked a word since they found him.
---------------------
Connor left the constructs with the boats, giving loose orders to stay put.
Seeing Captain Rathborne, Connor relaxed a hair. Better him than the harpy, or the advisor. He let Roderick do the talking, since his cousin already knew the 'free city' administrators. "Adran!" he admonished the smaller Halvavian, only half-joking. "Try to keep Captain Rathborne's paperwork to a minimum. It should help us keep our heads." Connor sighed and looked around, hoping they weren't waiting for an official execution order's ink to dry.
Rathborne chuckles. He takes a seat, and motions for everyone to take a seat as well. He says with some amusement.
Adran hops up on the box he is siting on with some excitement ready to give a full report when he pauses and thinks then looks to Connor.
Maybe he should do the talking. Yeah don't want to end up behind bars again.
He then sits back down with a thud and lowers his head waiting on Connor to give the report.
"Well." Connor started, steeling himself, forcing himself to remember the details. He shrugged off his backpack, moving to one of the seats. Connor reached for his scrivener's kit and map-maker's kit as he talked.
"The Ruins were as described. We sent in a scout first," Connor started, nodding at Adran and Alys, "who were naturally spotted, but we had them believe we were also magic-item smugglers. The lizardmen were unusually intelligent and prepared. The Ruins are both anti-magical and anti-psionic - our powers faded before we entered the corridors. Extremely strong. Inside, twenty lizardmen, plus a Strix. Simple wooden spears for weapons. The Ruins had at least four rooms, a greatroom - more than enough space for a large force. More on that later. I'll make a map."
"We managed to bluff our way to a rendezvous outside the Ruins to sell more magical items." the young Humavian continued, looking at Roderick, "At the inner sea, we prepared an ambush for our 'buyers'. The lizardmen decided to show up in a third-generation skyship. One with elemental engines, looking well-kept and shipshape. They also landed in the inner sea, rather than above our beach rendezvous point."
"The ship had different lizardmen, dark blue-black scales with a spiny crest. The Strix was not there. There was a Humavian - Adran and Alys can give you details - he's dead now. The skyship tried to take off, but it, ah, crashed into another section of the beach, and the damage was sufficient to cause a reaction in the elemental engines. So no more smuggler skyship. We only managed to recover a single prisoner in the hold and a few random items, none magical I might add, before we had to regroup and let the remnant burn."
"Given that we suffered major injuries among our crew, with two lizardmen still in the jungle, we came back to Anshrin." Connor finished. He didn't summarize their achievements, giving the others a chance to talk. Connor started making a map from the chalkboard he had, writing on a sheet of parchment.
Roderick declines the seat and remains standing, allowing Connor first opportunity to speak. The simple truth, which doesn't leave a great deal of wiggle room with the truth, but we crippled them fairly badly so that may serve well enough. He nods his agreement with Connor, generally, though he interjects, "To clarify, that field is hideously powerful and may be an existential threat to the island, if it was ever to destabilize. It's almost certainly an artifact from before the Arising. Those ruins must be taken by force of arms, not psionics or magical trickery. And even then care has to be taken with any explosives."
He continues to listen, adding to Connor's story about the battle on the beach, "Our efforts directly led to the destruction of the skyship, though against a numerically superior foe we regrettably could not take it to be brought back. Given the lack of further explosions, it's safe to say they had no magic items of interest in their hold. This should cripple their ability to smuggle any goods around, as they're now stuck footslogging through weeks of jungle not only to move their goods but also to gather supplies."
Wrathborne listens patiently, nodding at some points, frowning at others. When Connor finishes, he motions with his hand at the rest of the group, obviously wanting them to put in their two coppers worth before he responds.
He listens as Roderick adds some more information, nodding along in apparent agreement to his comments on the ruins.
Adran hops back up.
"Connor forgot to mention my heroics. I stayed and drew fire giving Alys time to escape. I let myself be captured so I could get on the inside. Right when I was going to make my break and take them down these guys showed up to save me. I would believe they have abandoned that place by now out of fear of the harpy sending forces against them to take all they have. I got to think they are smart enough to assume we would sell them out, but they are dumb lizards."
He plops back down on his box feeling proud of himself.
"I was going to leave out the part where you got captured and imprisoned." Connor muttered under his breath.
Wrathborne listens to the story, asks a couple of questions (which I assume you answer honestly) and nods. He chuckles. He nods decisively.
Adran hops up.
"Alright! I knew you were a reasonable guy. Can't wait to get out of this place. Uh about the survivor. He is with us. He was our inside man. Good plan right? So yeah he is our crew. His name is FLick, but the torture messed him up. He's not talking right now."
The Elfavian mutely turns his back to Wrathborne and shows him the mutilated stumps of his wings. No words are spoken, just silence.
Connor kept his poker face on as Wrathborne gives them their ship back. "What Adran said about 'the survivor' was correct. Our group lost Flick on the Surface several months ago. We'll get him the help he needs. We do take care of our own." he assured the warrior.
"Now for our ship, it was damaged in the battle beforehand between your city and the Strix. So once we get it airworthy with some repairs, we'll be out of your jurisdiction. We also need to resupply after that exploration. I have no idea yet how long that will take." Connor told Wrathborne.
The man looks from Flick to Connor and back. Then he shrugs.
He nods at the guards, who back off Flick.
Roderick fights to hold back a breath of relief (unsuccessfully) as the captain clarifies that the work they've done fulfilled the harpy's terms. His relief is short lived, as he learns Wrathborne's plans for 'Flick'. He glances at Adran, then Conner in turn, then slowly nods his agreement, mutely. "We appreciate your advice, Captain. It's understandable that prices are wildly inflated, given the uncertainty in the city. Perhaps we will be able to negotiate trades which may be more equitable. If there's nothing else for us, we should see to our business and you to your paperwork. Or your lieutenants, perhaps."
Adran gives the man a halfhearted salute.
"Well big guy if we never see each other again it will be too soon. You know what I mean? Give the the bird lady our thanks for the ship."
He then hops off his box and starts heading toward the door before looking back.
"The rest of you guys coming?"
Connor also, did little to show his relief at Captain Wrathborne's conclusion and additional statements. "War does strange things to commodities and marketable goods alike." he agreed with Roderick. Standing after Adran's comment, Connor finalized "You know Atalanta will also receive our reports, Captain. Not only on the smugglers, but on the conflict here on Anrive. We don't want a situation to develop the Surface-dwellers could take advantage of. For now, we'll just be merchants and tourists on their way out of the city."
With that, Connor allowed everyone else to leave ahead of him.
1) Breastplate Armor 200 gp 380gp
2) Half-plate Armor 600 gp 1320gp
4) Falchion 75 gp 165gp
5) Splint mail Armor 200 gp 360gp
7) Kukri 8 gp 14gp 4sp
9) Guitar, common 5 gp 4gp 2sp 5cp
10) Shuriken (5) 1 gp 1gp 8sp
11) Power stone of Energy Cone (Sonic) 375gp Kineticist Only - 750gp
A) A masterwork set of torturer's tools. 85gp
9 MW short spears SELL 632gp 1sp per, 5,688gp 9sp for all
"Well that was lucrative. What do say we take to the air and get out of this place while the gettin is good. We can use some of our new funds somewhere else to pick up some essentials."
Connor went with everyone to the local equivalent of Smiths' Street in Anshrin. A few hours later, they had sold the bulk of the loot from the lizardmen smugglers. Connor wanted to store the rest for later onboard the ship.
--------------
After the selling, Connor took Flick to the nearest healer's area. "Now to find out why you won't speak, Flick." he told his newly-rediscovered friend.
----------------
-----------------
Connor finds out there's nothing wrong with Flick's voice box, he's just not speaking. As to repairing the wings, that's a major undertaking. Artificial wings are easiest, but also expensive. Actual healing is doable, but would require a high level healer.
"Who knows what else they did to him if they mutilated him like that, he must be traumatized." Alys says, "We might need more than to restore his body."
Connor takes Flick to a healer, and while he leans that the once quick flier's vocal chords/box are fine, his mind is not.
Near as the healer can tell, the loss of his wings has badly traumatized Flick. His wings were his whole identity, and with them gone, he's nothing. He has no idea who he is any more.
Thus, he's silent, likely for as long as it takes to heal his wings, or find some sort of suitable replacement.
While shopping, he does tests several bows, and while he doesn't smile, he does seem a bit brighter while trying out his signature weapon. He finally settles on one of exquisite craftsmanship which he purchases.