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Alarics jaw sets and his eyes narrow as the sand-dwarf enters the room. His eyes remain fixed on the desert-dweller until Sad Rock speaks, at which point he nearly chokes on his wine and takes some time to compose himself. Remembering his courtesies, the knight-errant composes himself. "We thank you for your hospitality milord, and to your colleagues..." he says, turning once more to the dwarves with a cordial smile on his face. "Know that you are in capable hands. Isn't that right, Sir Rock?"
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"No need to worry, the missing envoys are as good as found. We'll be in Mendev right after and then all we'll have to worry about is a demon or two. But I'm sure it'll be nothing we can't handle."
I wonder if Ramli has actually faced a Demon before? A proper Demon of course, not some impish Devil, but a proper rending mass of evil...
He considers what it might mean to return to Mendev, but he agrees readily enough after he thinks on it.
"I'm sure we'll do very fine - even if there should be Demons about. I've always found my pathfinder companions to be of the very best prepared sort."
He thanks his host for the additional wine and tries not to swallow it in one go.
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"Know that you are in capable hands. Isn't that right, Sir Rock?"
Sad Rock nods slowly at Alaric, wondering if he was worried about his own performance in this mission or Sad Rock's.
"Sad never fail mission. Got Iumdae's shart back. And killed bad plantmen. Sad has mighty club."
Sad wonders if people need to see his club, but decides against getting it out. Sad looks again at Alaric.
"What your name again? You packminder too?"
Temel and the two dwarves almost join in the infectious, albeit premature celebration of success, but Temel holds up a hand.
"It will not be easy navigating past the Razmiran faith barges, and we are not even sure if the Razmirans are behind the disappearance of our fellow envoys, although their link to the Grey Revelation Inn is known."
magic functions in an abnormal way, different from that granted by other gods. A handful of sages speculate that Razmir’s claim of divinity is questionable, but there is no evidence to prove that he is anything but all-powerful.
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Sad listens to Damvorak, the smart one in the party, carefully trying to commit that jumble of information into working memory. As a non-native Common speaker, it is difficult learning.
Sad looks down at himself to make sure his pants are on, club stowed, and backpack on. Confirming that all exist, Sad is ready for next steps.
Temel and the two dwarves seem impressed by your zeal and after a few more minutes of mundane discussion, the meeting at Temel's manor concludes.
Arrangements are made to board the Abacus the next morning, and you are all assured ample provisions will be provided for the entirety of the journey from Kerse through Razmir and onto Mendev.
The Abacus and its crew (five sailors in all, including the captain) are quiet and efficient, and travel along the coast of Lake Encarthan is mostly uneventful.
Soon, you crest the mouth of the Glass River and Temel and both dwarves make their way across the main deck to greet you all as you are enjoying the light breeze and the sun.
"My friends. I hope you are finding the journey enjoyable, but we have our first important decision to make, and I leave it to you experienced Pathfinders."
As he unravels a map of the area he gestures to your present location and then taps his finger on an icon labeled 'Xer'.
"We must decide if we dock at Xer and pay whatever tolls the Razmirans invent upon us, or we attempt to evade them and continue up the river."
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He does not take well to travel by river, but the knight doesn't complain. He swaps stories with his fellow Pathfinders for much of the journey, but few of them stretch beyond the borders of his homeland. He tells of his successes in the melees and lists at court, his journey to Kyonin, and his triumphs serving for the Taldan Horse, beating those bloodthirsty Keleshites to that forsaken desert where they belong. He regards Ramli and Amauhak with barely disguised suspicion, only occasionally reminding himself that they are on the same team, and managing to be amiable.
"Seems to me that is your decision, this being your vessel, no?" Alaric says, dismissively. "We will hide below deck. The three of you meet with those foreign zealots. They'll pick you for an easy mark and ambush you upriver, I suspect."
He grins, making a fist.
"But they won't be ready for a taste of Taldan steel."
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Given an opportunity, he'd spar with Sir Alaric, or any other with an interest. He's a competent warrior, though not as strong as a fighter might be - he does fairly well overall. He has a trick where he flings his staff a short distance - as if it were a balanced throwing weapon - when he cannot reach his foes. The staff returns to his ready hand as well to complete the maneuver.
He also speaks of a deep love of all things Nethys. He does not preach or attempt to cajole worship of the divine man, and he understands why Nethys is not for all, but it is clear he is a very personal god to Damvorak.
"Excellent plan Sir Alaric. I agree - we pay their tolls and travel above board where we can. The bulk of us will stay below and we'll see what sort of people these are further up river."
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Ramli remains in great spirits throughout the adventure on the boat. He's more than happy to spar, though despite his enthusiasm, it's obvious he's mostly just flailing away with his cestus. He just shrugs and grins if his deficits are pointed, noting that they're good enough for a little scrapping, since he's got magic to get him out of any real trouble.
After the first day, the echo in his voice ceases, as if he got bored of maintaining the minor magic that caused it.
Ramli looks disappointed at Alaric's suggestion, but grins as he concludes.
"And a little sorcery to boot. We'll put the flame to any boarders and send 'em scurrying right back home to their god, by Kurgess!" he swears enthusiastically.
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Sad stoically handles the rigor of ship travel though it is clear how uncomfortable he is. He didn't like the boat when he came to this side of Golarion, nor he like it now. He has, however, gotten more used to boat travel during his frequent trips to and fro Absalom.
We'll spend a lot of time looking at birds, enjoying the scenery, and polishing his mighty club.
In general, he likes being out of doors and if he can find a quiet place for relax and be alone for a while, that makes him happy as well...he can sob in peace and quiet, still missing his true home.
Sad listens to Sir Alaric's plan with a nod.
"You want Sad Rock to help talky-talk?" Sad asks earnestly, willing to help with whatever.
Passad pales a bit at the mention of boarding parties, Taldan Steel and flame.
He looks towards the two dwarves for wisdom as he speaks.
"It is true the Abacus is my vessel, but you are the expertise we have hired to navigate us safely to Mendev and to rescue the missing diplomats."
Reaching into a pouch on his waist, he produces a few platinum coins.
"I am a man of no small means and I have no issue with behaving as a proper merchant and docking at Xer and paying all of our tolls with my own coin. If we were to abide by local custom and perhaps include an extra gratuity to the inspector, we'd obtain the proper papers to present to any of their accursed faith barges we may later meet..."
Mettela grins at Ramli and Alaric and voices her thoughts.
"Ah like th' way these folk think. Avoid Xer n' take our chances with th' faith barges. Stoppin' there gives 'em a chance to find us as we cannae control how thorough they may be n' their tarrifin'."
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"Ugnoth, that is true and it is a risk, but we know - going in - about the risk and can be prepared. That said, are we prepared enough? We could side step the official gate keepers. I'm OK with either choice, but I think I lean toward the avoiding the legal approach, if it means ambush."
"I say we follow Ugnoth's advice, skip the town, and try our chances."
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"Afraid of getting our feet wet?" the knight jeers, nudging the Shoanti barbarian jokingly. "In truth, I am eager to see this enemy up close, but perhaps this is the more prudent course. My only worry is that we find no sign of our quarry at this Inn and lose our trail and we're left trawling up and down Lake Encarthan for weeks." Alaric, sticking to his guns, leans in close, tracing his fingers atop a nearby barrel he elaborates his plan.
"If we can lure them into ambushing us undermanned, the dogs will be easily beaten back, the survivors will lead us straight to our dwarves, and Cayden's your uncle we're home in time for Crystalhue!" he says, clapping his gauntleted hands together and looking earnestly to the others. "... of course, I'm not the experienced Pathfinder here." with a smirk, he turns to the oread. Sad Rock is scratching his head indecisively, still sounding out the details in his shaky common.
"I say we let Sad Rock decide."
Passad gives Ramli one more glance before turning his attention back to the oread, knowing that if Sad Rock agrees with Damvorak, that their decision is made.
Mettela leans in for the final decision, clearly eager to avoid Xer.
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"Yeah, uh...wut?" Sad looks around at the faces looking at him. His stoney hand goes to the back of his grimy neck. "Uh...you want Sad to decide? Uh...okay...uhm..."
Sad thinks back to all the things that had been said and the two options in front of him. He realizes that this is the biggest decision he's ever made as a Pathfinder (or Packminder for that matter).
Sad looks at Ugnoth, squinting his eyes to better see the man.
Sad turns to look at Damvorak, his companion from another mission.
Then to Ramli, his other companion, then back at Alaric. He fondly wishes Young Harlot were here to help him decide, and Sad Rock briefly looks around to see if that halfperson was around, hiding.
Finally out of delaying tactics, Sad makes a very very strategic decision....
"Uh..we pay toll, then get ambushed, right? Let's do that. Follow steps not get lost."
Metella frowns at the decision to stop at Xer, throws up her hands and storms off across the deck.
"Bah! We should'a avoided tha' town!"
Passad lingers for a moment to ensure he understood the decision correctly.
The city of Xer occupies the north bank of the Glass River, and its dozens of docks remain busy as ships headed both east and west call at the port. Grubby men and women in bulky jackets patrol the docks, and few smiling faces are to be seen.
The captain of the Abacus selects an isolated berth sheltered on both sides by tall warehouses and calls to one of the sailors, who tosses a robe to one of Xer's dockworkers, who begins to moor the boat to a nearby post.
He waves his hand, and three masked Razmirans nod in acknowledgement at your arrival. One can be seen to be holding the leash to a large dog, perhaps a wolf.
Temel calls out to you all ) that you have a moment or two before the Razmiran inspectors arrive at the Abacus.
He pats his coin pouch and asserts to you all, "these two platinum should be enough to satiate their thirst for our coin, or at least so I hope..."
The official with the leashed dog makes his way down the main dock towards the Abacus, while his companion circles around the vessel along a shorter pier to get a better look at your vessel.
The dockworkers return to their business while Temel gives Alaric a knowing nod and presses his two platinum coins into the half-elf's hand.
The Razmiran authority at the end of gang plank looks up at the the vessel and from beyond his faceless mask, you have a hard time gauging his expression.
"You!" he calls out in less-than-friendly voice as his oversized dog whines with anticipation and sniffs a few crates at the end of the dock.
"What is your business in Xer? And how many passengers have you to declare?"
His eyes, barely visible beyond the mask, come to rest on Alaric.
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"This plan is a bit dull," he mutters to himself.
"It certainly is at that. Perhaps things will pick up soon?"
Damvorak strains to hear what's going on abovedecks while he waits below.
"Sounds like they're talking about business. The cap'n should just bribe him and move along I think. We'll get into trouble if we talk too much. I always do anyway."
Taking his own advice, Damvorak clams up and waits.
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"I'm a soldier, not a spokesperson. Shouldn't you be the one to-..." Alaric hisses through gritted teeth, interrupted as the port authority calls out to him. Sighing inwardly, Alaric meets the masked man's gaze, scowling at his tone. In the interests of subterfuge he has shed his Taldan colours, and swallowing his pride, he calls out his reply in the twang of a Nirmathi sellsword.
"Four, milord." he shouts, stepping down onto the dock. "No goods to declare. We's just passing through on our way upriver. Dwarves have business in Mendev, see? But we's 'ungry for a hot meal." he says, giving the man a glimpse of silver as he twirls the platinum coins between his fingers. "Per'aps yew know of an Inn upriver we could stop fer a bit of kip?" Alaric says, taking note of the man's expression as he mentions the Grey Revelation ( ). "The Cap's a generous tipper, an' I'm sure he'd be mighty 'ppre-cia-tive."
The gleam of the platinum coins between Alaric's fingers catches the Razmiran authority's eye and his attention suddenly becomes more rapt.
He wastes no time calling out to his companion on the far dock.
"Oh ho! We have wealthy travelers this day, Zantos! They pay in platinum and not the usual coppers or silvers we see!"
The Razmiran tightens his leash on his oversized dog and gestures to the dockworker to finish setting the gangplank up.
"Looks like I'll need to board and see what kind of treasures you lot are hauling so I can properly assess the fees today."
With a *thud*, the gangplank finishes being set in place and the Razmiran moves closer to board the Abacus.
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Sad Rock keeps swinging his stony feets from upon the bench on which he sits.
"My feet are free like the wind blows!" Sad says to himself, his feet dangling and swaying in imaginary breezes...it is clear that he doesn't mind being inspected.
*whoooossh!!* The wind blows and Sad bends his legs one way!
*whoooossh!!* The wind blows and Sad bends them another way!!
*whoooossh!!* The wind blows and Sad bends his legs yet, another, third way!!!
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Alaric frowns and closes his fist around the coins. "Don't think you're understanding the situation."
"Do you know who that there is on deck? He's one of those big-wig Kalistocrats. Interfering with their agents abroad. Now, I don't think the Kalistocracy would be too happy about that. Might spark yourselves an in-ter-national incident, you might. Don't much think your bosses would be too happy with that, no sir."
He plants a foot on the gangplank and flashes the coin again. "One each, and you just skip along home now."
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"Sounds like they've left. Shall we head back up, my friend?"
"If they left, shouldn't we be moving on again? I dunno. Let's wait a moment before bursting forth. They may be in quiet negotiations on the dock or something."
Damvorak waits impatiently with Ramli, but not for long. He likes the idea of going on deck and seeing what's up, but he doesn't want to be 'that guy' who always blunders in and messes everything up.
Not again.
Alaric watches as the reflections of sun from the two coins reflect against the man's mask as he attempts one last time to find a way to prevent a full search of the Abacus.
Unfortunately, the masked man shakes his head, unslings his crossbow and levels it at Alaric.
"The Kalistocracy can wipe my arse once they're in Razmir waters, especially once I levy today's fine if you're rich enough to be offerin' to pay in platinum."
Whistling at his wolf, he begins to lead the beast up the gangplank with his crossbow aimed at Alaric.
"Now, let's see what kind of treasures you have in your hold..."
Below deck, you can hear the heavy thuds of someone walking up the gangplank to board the ship.