Astrianna smiles and thanks the Commandant. "Wonderful. Next time we meet, we'll have your man..."
She accepts the bill of sale and turns to the others. "We'll get everything transferred over tomorrow morning, and the docking fees paid. The harbormaster gave us a day. Thankfully there isn't much to transfer..."
*I came up with a quick map for Featherton's. It is run by a quirky little gnome. Notice the books and instruments on the tables.
Ptahh watches the negotiations and smirks admiring the banter between Astrianna and the Commandant. As the two finally strike a deal, he grins widely if only for a brief moment before his stoic look returns. Never thought I'd own a ship... or at least part of a ship. Hope she's a good one.
"Do you plan to rename the Baron?" He asks half disinterested.
"Make sure you enchant the decks with your fiddle." He stands up to conclude business. "I don't want to keep you from your purchase. good evening."
Fast and light, the Baron of the Tide is neither built nor armed for direct assaults on larger ships. The vessel’s strengths lie in its maneuverability and in the talents of its crew. You can envision that under the hands of stalwart Captain and capable crew this vessel, your vessel, will make an an effective hit-and-run fighter. Your minds race with the possibilities of grandeur and riches.
The Baron of the Tide is a two-masted brigantine that measures 85 feet from bow to stern with a beam of 20 feet. The Baron is 20 feet high plus a poop deck. Originally crafted with darkwood to make her lighter and swifter freighter and eventually for smuggling. +4 sailing checks.
*I added a bilge which was not included on the map.
On the way back from the fort, Shouldn't make such promises, Astrianna. Better to under promise and over deliver, no matter how eager you are too please.
What if we can't find Thul, what if we find him but can't bring him in for any one of a myriad of reasons. No promises or deals with devils.
Ptahh looks sideways at Sorrin. He hadn't considered the fact that they might not find or be able to capture the thief.
This thief, we are to catch. What happens if he has an, um... accident on the way out of the sewers? Does this guy, I mean the Commandant, want him alive or is dead just as well?
I don't think he cares... much.
But, I suspect it's more important than the thief himself. I may be his knowledge of gaining access to Hargrove's private property, the item itself or something else he's seen or heard.
Ptah chuckles. I suppose he would prefer to live.
"I think he'll want him alive for questioning. Best to not risk it and just take him that way. Especially if he has the item hidden away somewhere that only he knows about."
Astrianna considers renaming the Braon... "If we do, we have not yet thought of a name... but she may be reborn yet."
Leaving the Fort:
Astrianna shrugs. "It wasn't eagerness to please, simply a boastful assurance, a show of confidence. I'm almost certain we will find and capture Thul tomorrow night, and if not, then we keep looking until we do."
She turns to Ptahh. "The Commandant is offering 3,000 gold pieces for Thul to be taken in alive. If he's dead we get no monetary award, but Bonedeuce has offered an exchange of information for the services rendered." A grin crosses her face. "Try not to hit him too hard, I'd rather have the coin."
The bard begins to explain why she is so confident. "Tomorrow night, when the tide is right, the Pirate King of the Sewers himself, Lester, will be acting as our guide as we descend into the bowels of Shaw. With his expert guidance we will find Thul."
Aye, I would prefer the coin as well. But I can't make any promises." Ptahh's grin grows even larger.
Astrianna laughs. "I have some arrows that may knock Thul out, but if he mucks around in the sewers all the time he'll probably shrug off poison like a cold."
What was this Sewer King's... demeanor? Affectation, disposition?
Why do we or you trust him?
"Lester is friendly, jovial, and has expensive tastes... Certainly loves his brandy and coin. I trust him because he's the most pious Cleric of Quell I have ever witnessed. Religiously speaking, he's much more intense than Chell. He won't betray us, though he definitely does not like the Dragoons, Commandant, or the Council and he's charging us a premium because of it. 100 gold pieces per person, half of which gets donated to Father Zalen for the Church. So everyone have your coin purses ready tomorrow."
A bell rings as Chell enters Featherton's sitting at table pouring over some ancient tome is a gnome, he looks a bit pale and sickly, "W..w..was I ex...ex.exxpecting you? Hmmmm, I d..d...don't think so...n..n..no." He has one brown and one green eye, his is missing the eyelashes one of his eyes.
Seeing as there was still some time left before night, Chell decides to stop by this so-called Divinity shop. Maybe they could craft the item she had in mind. She enters the shop with a smile in the hopes of making a good first impression. "Excuse me, I was..." The smile disappears as she looks around the shop. The first thing she noticed was the table in the middle with numerous tools and belts. A book was open on another that showed a human head and other body parts. And at one table sat a gnome with fresh blood across a blade on the table. She had seen such a set up in a surgeons tent but he had the wherewithal to curtain that area off. What in Quell's name was going on here? What kind of Divinity shop was this?
The gnome hops of the raised stool and walks towards the startled visitor. "H..how can I be of s..s..service. W..Walter Featherton here." he pulls off bloody latex gloves and drops them on the table, his fingers start to move as if he is counting on one hand.
"Uh," Chell stumbles for a moment. Caught off guard all...this. Why does the counting make me uncomfortable? "Um. Chell Silves. Sam suggested this place for magic items related to divine spells. I can get wands and scrolls from the Chapter house but I had an idea for an item that could be useful to relieve the work load there. I know there is an item called the Cauldron of plenty that can feed several people a day with no need for water, heat, or ingredients. I was hoping to find a cheaper version. One that fed more but only the simplest of foods with no magical properties. The hungry appreciate anything you can offer." Then after a slight pause. "I am no novice at non-magical treatment but isn't this a little much to have in a shop where customers can see? Wouldn't that harm business?"
He half cocks his head and answers the last question first. "If I can make or ob..obb...obtain the item y..y..you desire would you buy it? I..if so how did that hurt b...b...business?" He keeps tapping each finger with his thumb.
Sorrin suggests letting Donovan, Jenkie and crew know.
"Well, if I didn't use those tools on a regular basis and recognize the book I'd think something awful was going on here and probably leave."
He sniffles, "T...then you'd l..lo..lose out." He mumbles. "Tell m...mmmme what you want i...it to do."
Astrianna shrugs. "The harbormaster gave us a day, we can tell the crew in the morning to start moving everything over. I'd rather have a drink with Captain Razor's Crew."
When you get back to the harbor you notice that the Rabid Weasel and The Mother's Blessing have each left the docks and put out to sea.
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"If we speak with the Harbormaster, I'd certainly want to inform the crew and at least get someone over there watching her. Now that the, uh... Commandant doesn't own it, I'm not certain that it would be under his protection or that of the dragoons. I mean, an unwatched ship is a, uh... target, isn't it?"
Chell looks at the little gnome curiously. She was wondering what caused the stutter but figured it impolite to ask. He seemed healthy so it was probably something from birth. "Dozens of people, poor, homeless, and wounded, go to the Chapter House for food and healing because it is the only place here they can get it for free. Times have been...harder than usual for us so I was hoping to provide something to alleviate the strain. And they don't need anything fancy, just enough to survive for the day. The Cauldron of Plenty is nice but expensive to make. I feel like reduced function could make it cheaper. Or better yet, something that can convert positive energy into food. Then the amount of food could vary. Would that be possible? My recent, I guess job, has had a healthy return. I have 3000 to spend today to get started."
Astrianna, we own the Baron of the Tides, now... we need to secure it. And until we vacate the Dragon's Tail... we can be held responsible for it.
It's closure, and good business.
He nods approvingly, "I can make something like that...help feed p...p...people h...hu...huh?" He sort of smiles. He tells you to put the money on the table. "t..t...day after t...t...tomorrow....it'll be ready."
Astrianna picks at her nails. "The Dragoons guarding the Baron won't even know we've bought it yet. Boris is going to have to move his own men onto the Dragon's Tail, and it's late. I don't see why this can't wait until tomorrow. I'd rather not blow off Captain Razor's crew."
"I need a place to stay tonight and figure the Baron is as good a place as any."
Chell perks up immediately at the news. "Really? Um. Thank you." She leaves the 3000, most of what was left from their venture into the swamp. It left her with little left but that didn't matter. It was going towards a good cause and their jobs had been quite lucrative so far. "I assume its more than this though. I will probably have something by then but I don't know how much."
Ptahh and I will run the errands, you two keep our date.
We'll catch up.
While Chell is off conducting her own business the group walks on the wharf, relieved to be owners of fast sleek new ship. Excitedly they walk past the empty moorings where the Mother's Blessing and the Rabid Weasel where previously docked. Astri and Bri in their excitement decide not to go by their new ship but rather walk down to the Quell's Whore to enjoy a few beverages.
Meanwhile Sorrin and Ptahh head to...?
Sorrin and Ptahh need the paperwork from Astrianna.
Quickest path, if Dragon Tail is encountered first... Grab some sailors to come with, send others to inform Donovan on Vintage if he's not on Dragon Tail.
Otherwise, Harbormaster.
Astrianna sighs lightly. "All right, let's clear the legal issues first. We can stop by the harbormaster, but I'm going to the Quell's Whore afterwards."
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"So.... Quell's Whore... is a ship... not a brothel, right? Ptahh says looking just a bit distracted.
Astrianna bursts out laughing. "Ah, yes Ptahh, it's a ship. Captained by Bethany Razor, one of the only true privateers in port. She's... very capable."
Ptahh nods. Damn, that's disappointing.
"So, uh... they're friendly, I mean... you cozy up..." he looks sideways at Embrianna. Get it together, Ptahh! "That is, you aren't enemies or anything like that... with her... the Captain... the Whore... "
Ptahh turns to Sorrin and shrugs.
"Though I am sure there are plenty of brothels scattered around town if that is what you want to go do in your free time. This is a port full of sailors after all."
"NO!" his voice cracking. With a loud clearing of his voice, he continues, "More important things to do tonight, and tomorrow as well," Ptahh says in a deeper voice.