Urthona taps with his finger against his forehead. "That gill's stir crazy." he remarks to his colleagues as they are in a safe distance. "Ah think this devourer ate his brain."
"Agreed. His word neither assures me, nor particularly worries me for Alidaber. He may be a fish, but I'm afraid he's still too deep in his cups."
Once we're tucked away in a nice private corner, Shagraat asks quietly, "So, we have 1300 gp each, less whatever the personal fare to Stormreach is, correct? And we've lost track of our primary patron, and our best lead. We have no clue how Alidaber has decided to travel, assuming she's doing so voluntarily, but we believe that our best lead is on an ultra-expensive airship, so he will inevitably have a substantial lead on us."
"Oh yes, and it appears we may be hunted by dark elves. Does that about cover it?"
"Agreed. His word neither assures me, nor particularly worries me for Alidaber. He may be a fish, but I'm afraid he's still too deep in his cups."
Once we're tucked away in a nice private corner, Shagraat asks quietly, "So, we have 1300 gp each, less whatever the personal fare to Stormreach is, correct? And we've lost track of our primary patron, and our best lead. We have no clue how Alidaber has decided to travel, assuming she's doing so voluntarily, but we believe that our best lead is on an ultra-expensive airship, so he will inevitably have a substantial lead on us."
"Oh yes, and it appears we may be hunted by dark elves. Does that about cover it?"
"That indeed covers it. Though what the Sahuagin said does make some sense. There is a group of islands, between here and Stormreach, though closer to the latter, that fits the description. It would not be out of the question that the Drow have taken Alidaber there, and it certainly wouldn't be out of our way to check....
"I believe haste may be appropriate though, I may not have seen alidaber in a long time, but I do know that she would notsimply disapear like this with the depth of trouble she is in...."
Did that airship feller say that they'd just cancelled a charter to Stormreach? I wonder what might've gotten Varen to chagne his plans.
Did that airship feller say that they'd just cancelled a charter to Stormreach? I wonder what might've gotten Varen to chagne his plans.
"Shall we get the booking of passage to Stormreach out of the way?"
"Shall we get the booking of passage to Stormreach out of the way?"
"Yes, let's secure ourselves some kind of transport soon... we don't want to give them too much of a head start on us."
Mirra stands up "I will start asking around about passage to Xen'drik."
Mirra and Colvare work the docks, asking around and buying a few drinks. There are several ships making the trip to Stormreach. In particular, there is a Lyrandar wind galleon, the Kraken, making the voyage there tomorrow, captained by a certain Jarl d'Lyrandar - by all accounts a highly experienced captain with a good crew of long standing.
There are several less exotic ships setting sail in the next few days. One, the Storm's Eye, has a Wheel of Wind and Water fitted to give it some edge, though the owner is not a Lyrandar himself but a gnome called Renfrew Krallpopple, and another is a soarwood vessel manned by Aerenal elves. The suspicious sailors warn Mirra away from that one - "The cap'n's a vampire , they say, and her crew are all her thralls" - which is simply referred to as the Dead Ship by the locals. Finally, there are two more ordinary vessels, the Morgata, run by an independent human captain called Garton, and the Golden Hart, part of a merchant fleet based in Sharn.
Mirra and Colvare work the docks, asking around and buying a few drinks. There are several ships making the trip to Stormreach. In particular, there is a Lyrandar wind galleon, the Kraken, making the voyage there tomorrow, captained by a certain Jarl d'Lyrandar - by all accounts a highly experienced captain with a good crew of long standing.
There are several less exotic ships setting sail in the next few days. One, the Storm's Eye, has a Wheel of Wind and Water fitted to give it some edge, though the owner is not a Lyrandar himself but a gnome called Renfrew Krallpopple, and another is a soarwood vessel manned by Aerenal elves. The suspicious sailors warn Mirra away from that one - "The cap'n's a vampire , they say, and her crew are all her thralls" - which is simply referred to as the Dead Ship by the locals. Finally, there are two more ordinary vessels, the Morgata, run by an independent human captain called Garton, and the Golden Hart, part of a merchant fleet based in Sharn.
Sitting in a close to hand bar, Colavre, orders a drink to quench the thirst the hunt in the salty air has created. "So, people, who should we approach first? The gnome is probably a solid bet, but that Jarl looks expensive..."
Sitting in a close to hand bar, Colavre, orders a drink to quench the thirst the hunt in the salty air has created. "So, people, who should we approach first? The gnome is probably a solid bet, but that Jarl looks expensive..."
"I think it's in our best interest to find a ship willing to hire us as opposed to us hiring them. We save money that way and get there just as fast. Perhaps, if the ship runs afoul of something and we are instrumental in saving it, the captain would even be inclined to award us a bonus." The changeling smiles.
"I think it's in our best interest to find a ship willing to hire us as opposed to us hiring them. We save money that way and get there just as fast. Perhaps, if the ship runs afoul of something and we are instrumental in saving it, the captain would even be inclined to award us a bonus." The changeling smiles.
"It's an idea...."
So, we might have a choice: head to Stormreach as quick as possible, without Varen's notebook or our patroness, or else find out what's happened to either of them here, first. Or, I guess, buyin' a bunch of stuff before goin' anywhere.
I'd recommend splittin' up, sending somebody to buy stuff for us, some folks to check after Varen, and some people to find Adibar.
with an eye towards gettin' to Stormreach well-prepared, rather than fast.
"Ok Rayne, if you thing we ought to work our way across, what say you come and help me pitch it to these sailors?"
Diplomacy (1d20 4=8) This is getting silly now.....Rayne damn well better assist!
"I wanna new sword. Nice 'n Shiny. Talkin' with people is not mah strong side... lose mah temper too fast."
"Ok Rayne, if you thing we ought to work our way across, what say you come and help me pitch it to these sailors?"
Diplomacy (1d20 4=8) This is getting silly now.....Rayne damn well better assist!
"Ok Rayne, if you thing we ought to work our way across, what say you come and help me pitch it to these sailors?"
Diplomacy (1d20 4=8) This is getting silly now.....Rayne damn well better assist!
"Urthona, shall we accompany Rayne and Colvare and then head for the weapon shop from there?"
"Benedetto, where else would you search for Varen or Alidaber? This dive is our only point of contact for Alidaber, and we've already been by Varen's flat."
"Benedetto, where else would you search for Varen or Alidaber? This dive is our only point of contact for Alidaber, and we've already been by Varen's flat."
"Shagraat, I'm going to try to snoop around the airship dock again. Varen might be there, or there might be some record of his charter either leaving or being the flight that was cancelled."
The crewman, a human, looks Rayne over noncommitally. "Why, what do you want the captain for?"
To the Skytower:
And, indeed, the Skytower, first. To find Varen or what became of him.
I'm going to try to get through the tower's bureaucracy by a combination of:
- Bluffing based on Profession: bodyguard ("I'm the bodyguard requested for a young man named Varen." When pressed, I'll admit "I've arrived late, because a message to House Tharashk got intercepted and delayed; if you could direct me to young master Varen immediately, House Tharashk would be grateful to you for keeping this potential embarrassment quiet." And "No, it wasn't Varen who contracted for a guard. I don't know who it was, and honestly, that's none of my business.")
- Cloud mind on anyone I just want to talk past; this includes the punctuous man we'd met earlier.
- Chutzpah.
At the docks:
Colvare follows Rayne allowing him to take the lead and see where we get....
Docks:
"I've a business proposition for 'im that could work to both of our advantages. It'll only take a few moments."
He shows the group up the gangplank and into cabins at the rear of the ship. Inside, he leads them to a chart room. A half-elf and a gnome pore over maps at a table, but look up as they party enter.
"Yes?" says the half-elf, "Who are these people, Lorle?"
Mirra follows Rayne into the room and waits for him to work his charm.
Docks:
Benedetto arrives back at the Skytower. He re-enters the lobby area – the same people are on duty as before.
OK, make your move.
As soon as he gets to within range (30'), Benedetto triggers cloud mind twice, once for each of the half-elves, and then greets them. With any luck, neither will respond.
If that works, he'll snoop: first among the reception area (it's unlikely that there'll be anything there, but it would be foolish to ignore the possibility) and then in the rest of the tower.
If it doesn't work, then bluffing might be in order.
"Lorle, who are these idiots?" he snaps in irritation. "We don't need any protection - my machines serve us perfectly adequately. And we don't need a bunch of freeloaders to loll about on board while the rest of us work."
Docks:
** spoiler omitted **
At the skytower:
Benedetto walks up to the reception and picks up the ledger, while the receptionists continue to ignore him. He flicks over the last few day's entries. There is no entry for Varen, but there is a charter to Stormreach - the vessel is the Black Swan, captained by Lora d'Lyrandar - that left the day that the party spent in jail. The charter was in the name of Tamas ir'Jorel, and is open-ended. A huge deposit of 50,000gp was made, described as "for time, inconvenience and danger to the vessel and crew" in the ledger. There are described as being six passengers, but it doesn't say who they are.
The Docks:
"Yeah, try the next ship. I'll try t'look as usual."
At the Skydock:
Knowledge / Intelligence Check : 1d20+2: [19,2] = (21), if a knowledge field of history or psionics is germaine, it'd be higher.
The name means nothing to Benedetto. The cancellation of the other ship is also detailed in the ledger - it was due to fly to Stormhome to collect a Lyrandar scion but the trip was cancelled at short notice as another, closer ship became available.
"So you are looking for working passage as security on this trip, hmm?" ask Garton, the captain. "And what experience do you have to offer, then? Ever been part of a ship's crew before?"
Docks: