We have already fought demons. If I must choose I will ally with the drow.
"Tough choice.. navigating the games of the drow and inevitable betrayal or facing demonic wrath."
"There is a grungy pub on the bottom level which the most depraved of the Hold like to frequent, you can't really miss it. Let one of the serving wenches know you'd like a bit of euphoria to pass the time. That will get you into a back room with pesh and other hallucinogenics. Tell the man in charge of the room you need to speak with Blake, and give him the password 'grim heart' in infernal."
"At that point you are on your own though, and if you can't come up with a good reason to be seeing Blake, or silence him, you'll likely have a rough time of it. I'd be very selective and careful about using the name of Rakinkal in there, or anywhere her in the Hold really. I can offer a suggestion or two there if you'd like, but it would still be up to you to fill in the details."
Sul'tak turns to Solian, "You are right to be wary. As I said before though, if you can continue to be a help to her plans instead of a hindrance, whether intentionally or otherwise, you will likely find the rewards worth the nuisance of her manipulation. Only if you prove a hindrance will you find difficulties with her."
"Now is there anything else I may assist you with?"
"How do I say grim heart in infernal then I suppose as I don't know it." Solian asks honestly
"дили бавуљудомада. Though if you cannot speak the language you may have trouble with the inflections and might need to explain you are new to the language."
Solian practises this a few times trying to get it right
"дили бавуљудомада.. дили бавуљудомада.. дили бавуљудомада"
"Well, keep practicing." Sul'tak says with a smile at Solian. "Look me up if you care to exchange info again sometime."
Sul'tak departs, leaving the group to its privacy again.
So, what now?
No idea really, I am not really liking drow anyway
But do you like demons better?
[ooc} I like this approach. Help me understand/recall why we might want to torm Rakinkal's lair.[/b]
After a good nights rest the group gets up early in the morning, a little before dawn and heads the mile out of the Hold to get to the docks.
Out at sea can be seen several faint lights in the distance, slowly moving towards the port. Likely the Sorrin ship sailing in.
At this early hour there are few people on the streets, though several dock workers are busy cleaning up trash from the previous day, or rather pushing it into side streets or dumping it into the water to ensure the paths and walkways they will be using during the day are free of debris that might cause them to trip or stumble. Many of the workers are dwarves, tieflings, or others able to see easily in the pre-dawn dark.
At the start of the docks several lanterns illuminate the dock masters building. A weathered stone building crusted with salt.
once everyone get to the dock
so anyone got any idea ? here is my suggestion: Issa can go with a party up on the ship and inspect the manifest and talk to the captain.
I'll take mardoni and with stealth we will go and inspect the lower deck incognito
I am not much good at sneaking. Cindy admits. I am with Issa.
"I am not one for the subtle arts, I would have to stay apart from my charges. Leaving them in danger." he says with concern
I agree with this plan as I'm am absolutely not stealthy.
Says Issa with a smile.
"I'll be fine, Solian. I am fine with this plan."
It doesn't take long for the ship to get in close to the port and idle in next to the docks stretching into the bay. Ropes are thrown to dock from the ship, and dock workers pull the lines attached to the hawsers in, and lash the ship, and the anchor dropped.
Soon boarding planks are set into place and the captain begins calling orders to us his for unloading the cargo.
Cindy casts Hex Ward, Mask Dweomer, frostbite, and mage armor before arriving at the docks. She assumes the guise of a man-at-arms / body guard and stays close to Issa.
Solian shakes of any lingering dislike of the situation and when all are ready he walks up to the ship and rather loudly says while looking at it
"Ah mates this appears to be the correct ship, The Blue Eel, yes that's it,"
Solian then looks up at the ship and picks out the most likely candidate for Captain
"Hello Captain of the Blue Eel. I have a business proposition for you, would you care to come down and chat, there'll be a fair bit of gold in it for you."
He stands there looking resplendent in his Noble outfit, with various jewellery and expensive clothes
Uses Social Panache to help get the captain attention
Issa follows Solian, his friend Innulamane circling high in the sky.
Seeing that Solian takes the shady route rather than the high path, Issa follows his comrade lead.
Quite a ship, Captain. I'm sure, we will be able to find some kind of agreement as my partner said.
The captain stares at Solian for a moment in surprise. "Ah, one moment my good man, let me finish make getting things underway here and I'll be right down to speak with you." He barks out a few more orders to his crew back to work before coming down the plank with a burly man following behind him.
He calls to a one of the dock workers who seems to be in charge of things, "Pel, can I use your office for a bit?"
The other man waves "Aye, go ahead captain."
Turning back to Solian he stretches out his hand to shake. "Captain Albreque, and my first mate Dazak." he gestures to a small building nearby. "We can use the dock masters office for a bit more privacy and you can tell me what this offer is all about, and why my ship specifically?"
Mardoni attempts to quietly scurry up the hawsers.
Solian will gather the rest of the team and go with them with the Captain to the office.
Issa follows Solian and Captain Albreque inside the masters office, waiting for Solian to speak.
He was observing the Captain, trying tojudge if he was genuinely interested by their offer or on the defensive.
Cindy stays in character, ready to act in the group's defense.
Both Aerin and Mardoni scurry up the hawsers in the moment when the captain is distracted by Solian and manage to slip down into the hold unseen. Taking cover behind stacks of goods to figure out what to do next.
Below are boxes and crates of various goods which the workers resume unloading, two men per box or barrel. As they work it is observed that some of the goods are set aside, while others are taken out to be delivered to the port.
One particularly large crate takes four men, each holding a pole that has been inserted into rings one each side, to carry it out. Despite four of them, they struggle with the weight of the container and let out a few choice curses.
As they pass by you get a distinct whiff of the smell of blood.
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Closing the office door the captain turns to Solian. "So what's the proposal you have for me, and why my ship in particular?"
The captain seems genuinely interested, though skeptical.
Solian assumes a serious looking business talk pose
"I was advised that this ship and it's captain is very good at getting extremely valuable and possibly dangerous cargo to it's destination intact. This is very important as I have found that a few unsavoury types that have been want to have the cargo be lost at "sea". Was my contact correct?"
We already had bad experiences and hope that our contact gave us good advice.
"Ha, well there aren't many I'd trust with specialty cargo, more than half those who frequent here have at one time or another served on a pirate ship. Your contact was correct, assuming your cargo isn't to dangerous. I can get your cargo where it needs to go."
"What is the nature of this cargo so I can take proper precautions? And where do you need it shipped to?"
Solian looks to make sure only they can hear, playing up the noble merchant playing at intrigue. Then he leans in close and says
"I need it delivered to Akleta, a client there needs the item very badly and it is not dangerous it just can't be touched. It will come in a carry case that ideally should not be opened as that may lead to touching and the ruining on the item."
"A small package then? That makes things simple and easy to accommodate. I can also make the necessary arrangements for its transport over land for the last bit of the journey for you. I plan to sail out first thing in the morning, make a stop in Coran, and can then make my way northward towards Akleta. It's a little farther north than I'd normally travel hitting the coastal villages on my way so I'll need to charge you a bit extra for that. To whom is the package to be delivered?"
After the men carry the large crate out Aerin quickly looks around, but does not see any others like it in size or smell.
[b]"My ship leaves in the morning. You have till then to decide if you'd like to hire my services or not." says Captain Albreque.
The crew continues unloading, leaving a dozen or so crates and several barrels in the hold of the ship, no doubt bound for other ports. Staying hidden in the dim light of the hold doesn't take much effort.
The crew finishes their work loading the ship for its next destination, and save for four sailors left on deck to watch over the ship, the crew depart for a brief shore leave.