Mishael removes a few coins and carries them over to Karsielle's interrogation of Welby. She slowly lets the coins drop from one hand to the other while eyeing Welby. "Well...looks like we've found some of what he's been paid. Fess up Welby. What is going on here?"
"As usual, it looks like we find all the bad ones. So, Welby, how are you going to help us fix this little problem? We haven't exactly had the best day, if you catch my drift."
Silas leans up against the door heavily, and slowly draws out his sword and dagger. He leaves his arms hanging at his sides for now, but sends a glare at Welby.
Bloody studies the halfling's reactions and various tones. He puts away for future preformances. He chooses to study from the background and waits until he is needed during this questioning.
"Listen, I'll tell you what you want. Anything, just promise me that you won't tell Gartold. These people...I didn't know what I was getting into. One night I'd had too much to drink at Dread's Place."
"There was some guy in there, full to the gills himself. He was talking about getting dead bodies. Fresh, newly killed dead bodies, saying he'd pay top dollar. Everyone thought it some sort of boasting, make-believe bull, just to make himself look tough, because he was out of his league. He was a feather man, never worked, did any hard labor at'ol, ye know? Anyhow, I went with his bluff, said I could get him some corpses, had big laughs all around."
"Only, turns out, the next day I was here sloppin' fish, doing me work, and two...things, appeared on my ship. Looked like skeletons, living skeletons! They said I had a deal with the man, and they aimed to make sure I'd keep it. They roughed me up pretty bad. So, I got them someone. That's where Topaz came in."
"She had always said there were some guys, customers, she'd like to get rid of. Mean men that her lady wouldn't let her say no to. She...helped me out. Took them down, and I took them out of her window and gave them to the skull faced men. They paid us, paid us a decent amount, thought we were real partners even. But...I think the killing got to Topaz. She started seeking help, that's when she started going to that dope den. It worked at first, but then she got on even worse stuff. Changed her."
"And...that's when she gave me him. You're captain you speak of. Same description, but I didn't know his name. I think he was trying to help her, but, like I said, that dust...it changes folks that take it. After that, I've been trying to get in touch with her, but no one has seen her."
"I've been holed up in here, waiting for them to come and take me. That's why I have all these bows in here, traps. I didn't make enough to leave this place, so I'm here. A sitting duck. So you say that she is dead now?"
Suny nods silently in the affirmative, her open face simple enough honesty.
"Well then, since these folks seem t'be headin' in your direction, I see the course o' action as t'bein' ready fer when they show thay selves." She grins to her friends.
"Then we's c'n have a right proper chat with 'em about certain thing, hey?" She suggests, though she does give Welby a reassuring hug. "An' you shouldn't have t'worry yerself none. We'll take good care of ye." She adds with a bright and cheery smile.
Karsielle visibly relaxes, it seems the truth is being wrested from the halfling at last. "Interesting!" as she retreats from the forefront of the group seeking quiet solitude behind them. Taking the pendant around her neck, she holds it firmly in her hands, looking up towards the blue skies, seen through the lattice hold cover. Her voice is whispered and lush as she starts an incantation of guidance to Calistra, seeking the goddess' favor, she is lost to this world as she seeks enlightenment.
It is after a minute or so, with a sudden violent movement she turns back round again to face Welby and her friends. "My lady would find favour in helping the Lady of Graves retrieve the souls of those she still seeks. Perhaps we can buy you a drink at Dread's place then Welby, to thank you for your help?" she says with a chuckle. "It gets evermore dark, these dealings and intrigue, we must be careful as we tread the path laid out before us. Your misdeeds Welby do you no good, if you missed out any detail, it may not help you cling to your life, for it would seem we are your only saviors against such evil. Friends Suny would help this misguided soul, what say the rest of you?"
Mishael listens to Welby's tale with interest. Seems like we're finally getting somewhere. This sounds pretty consistent with the note so unless our boy here knows a lot more than he's letting on...
Suny and Karsielle finish speaking and Mishael turns to her friend, "Yes, I'm in if you are. Let's see what else our snitch here knows and we can go see about tracking this guy down."
"Yes! Yes! Anything! Oh thank Gozreh, I may yet be saved!" little Welby exclaims through tears. "These evil men, skeletal things, I don't know where they are, they came to see me. But I do know where I drop off their...uh...cargo. Its always the same place. And I have to flash a code with my lantern before approaching. And only on certain days of the week. It has to be on Wealday or Starday, since today is Toilday they may be waiting for me to bring them someone tomorrow night. Its been almost three weeks since I've been able to provide them with anything. I know they'll be coming for me soon!"
Mishael ignores his tears for a moment wondering "Interesting. Do only the skeletal things come or does this man...or halfling...that you cut the deal with originally come too?"
Suny gives the tearful Welby a re-assuring hug.
Karsielle nodding to Misheal, lets Welby answer.
Silas wanders up to the crying Welby, prodding him with the tip of his dagger. "Answer the ladies, Welby. We can't wait forever, unless you want those things to come eat you."
Suny frowns slightly at Silas' waving around of pointy things, before looking back to Welby and giving him another quick hug. Leaving him with a grin she stands and look to her companions,
"Um...so Karsielle or uh, yon feller...did p'raps either of ye bring me duds in?" She asks hopefully.
"No, I've never seen that man since the night at the bar. And I was a little done in myself, so I can't remember exactly what he looks like. He was an older gent, pretty skinny and almost no hair left save for some grey around the side. That's...what I think I remember anyhow."
Mishael nods thinking that she's out of questions for now, "All right Welby. I think you'd better come with us to the meeting place now so that we can see where everything usually goes down."
Listening to the halflings story, Bloody thinks back to any rumors he has heard to match this corpse collecting man. "Sounds like a solid lead, I think we should follow it."
Karsielle looks at Welby and his frightened face, "So, Welby it might be good to show us the pick-up point now, so we can get the layout of the land. If we have to meet these body snatchers, we might as well arrange ourselves to our best advantage." She turns her back on the halfling and addresses Silas and BF, "Are you versed in the art of ambush?"
"Give me any place in this city, and I guarantee they won't see us coming. Blades, bows, whatever you want. Finally, we're getting to something I'm good at." Silas smiles, a touch too eagerly, before he sheaths his blades.
Welby seems overjoyed at the fact that the group of strangers are not there to kill him and may actually end up helping his situation. He agrees to take everyone to the spot he does the exchange. He has never been there by daylight or without approaching on the water, but says that he should be able to find the way on land.
He assures the guards that he is no danger, even as he gives a sidelong glance at Silas, who he is obviously unsure about.
"If you spoke with Gartold, please go there with me and vouch for me. Say that I am assisting in finding someone who killed a friend, it won't that far from the truth, and make sure I am still able to make the Saltshacks my home when I return."
He seems fairly chipper now, even flashing a smile which displays the terrible condition of his teeth.
Suny skips along with her companions, also glad that folks is getting along. When Welby presents himself to Gartold, Suny awaits her friend's comment on the Half-lings behalf, knowing that her grasp and use of the common tongue is not quite up to scratch for the task. (^_^)
Mishael walks alongside Welby and the rest. "Perhaps we should vouch for you after we see about your living skeletons? Why now?"
Karsielle nods at Mishael.
Welby looks down, then into Mishael's eyes for a few moments.
"Look, you all have the upper hand here. I'll help you anyway I can, but please give me your word that if I do so you will speak to Gartold for me."
Suny listen's to Welby's words, looks at her companions, looks back to Welby, fidgets and hops from bare brown foot to bare brown foot before...
With a shake of her blond mop she kneels and hugs Welby,
"Aye, I'll do that for ye." She leans back and offers a wistful smile, "Though, fer truth, I kent promise me gift wi' th' gabbin' in't liable t' make things more tangled then smoother sailin'." So saying she stands and looks to her companions,
"Here! If'n this place Welby be talkin' about be near th' water, p'raps it be an idea if'n I keep watch from that side? Y'know, in case they be havin' a boat or somat?' She offers as a suggestion. (^_^)
As the group moves away from Welby the scholar moves up to him and whispers, "My dear halfling you best not be thinking about betraying us because our boss would not care for that." He waits for the halfling to ask about who is master is, the scholars voice goes gruff and raspy, "Why we serve the Slaughter of the Sea, the Master of Massacre, the Bloody Flag." He gives the halfling a knowing look then moves back to the group.
"Let's get a move on then. We check things out, we deal with the situation as it arises, and once it's all clear we give a word for Welby to Gartold. I'm fine with that."
Mishael shudders at the mention of Black Flag. The out of sight of Welby, gives Flag a wink. "You've heard of Black Flag Welby? Might be worse than your skeletons...so, where are we going?"
With a sway of her hips, Karsielle follows.
Suny skips along with every one, happy that very one is happy and seemingly not worried about things as her bare brown feet skud along the planking. (^_^)
Welby leads the group out of the Saltshacks and the run down Scurvytown-Docks area of Freeport towards the west and the Warehouse District.
"I'd take my little row boat and paddle on ter this area, right over there." the halfling says, pointing to a sparse area where some docks follow behind a long wall with no doors or windows. There is a very narrow path between the bulkhead and the long wall.
"I'd flash my lantern, two short flashes then one long one, and there would be someone in a wagon who'd do the same. I'd then paddle up to the side there and give them the goods. I'd always pack it in a barrel, just like my fish. There was always a man there who would never speak. He always wore a black scarf around his face. He would lift up the barrel and put it in the back of the covered wagon. I don't think he was the same man I met at the bar, this feller was bigger and much stronger. Then he'd throw me a bag of coins and I'd be on me way."
"Oh, and another thing. This wasn't no ordinary wagon, it was...distinguished, top of the line! It was usually pitch black out here, but one time I waited and saw it turn the corner where there was more light, and I caught a better look at it. The back was totally enclosed, with two fancy doors opened in the back. It had some fancy paint work...very shiny...and there was a big letter G on the side."
Mishael looks thoughtful for a moment. "So, do we want to try to capture our man or follow him? Welby, you've never seen these skeletons at the pickup. Just this man, correct?"
Suny peers at the place Welby is pointing out,
"How long we got till they come back?" She asks. "Cause I would be likin' t'be gettin' me pointy back from th' guards an' maybe wigglin' in't somethin' a mite more protective." She wraps bare brown arms around her bare brown self and giggles,
'Not that I dun't mind." She grins. (^_^)
"Hmm, did we forget to grab your clothes? I can't say I mind you this way, but we probably should find you something. I'll be right back." Silas goes as quickly as he can to retrieve Suny's things.
Suny laughs again a the situation, skipping over to hug Karsielle as Silas jogs off.
"Rilly, we should be explainin' an' contrastin' things a'tween people's different cultures, some times." (^_^)
"So, th' idea of a two way look out or ambush? Though I do understand it might be a mite hard to co-ordinate." She asks.
Karsielle smiles at her watery friend, "I'm sure they'll get used to it, such a port as this is used to all different cultures as they pass through." she smooths Suny's wet hair.
She then looks across the water, "This is where I could find a friend to help, we really need a body or maybe a brave soul who would feign death. Neither option is one that I would like to follow, but they may be the only ones if we want to follow carriage to its destination? I see no sense in attacking the coach and its driver. Save that my prayers be answered and he became mine to command?"
Welby looks answers Mishael, "Always the same man, every time. I never so no body else."
"Tomorrow night will be another drop night." he says to Suny.
BF looks to his friends, "What are ill-informed halfling doesn't realize is the carriage he describes is a hearse used by many mortuary's around." The scholar holds his hand up to his chin and gives off that he is in deep thought.
"Do we have time to make a side trip, I believe I know of a mortuary within the warehouse district. I'm sure Sir Welby would be able to identify the hearse if we stop by to take a look." The Scholar suggests.
"Sweet Barleybrew! You know where this carriage might be from? Let's go! I thought we were going to have to wait for the drop tomorrow night." Mishael's eyes flash as she anticipates getting to the bottom of the mysteries.
Suny tilts her head, comfy in snuggling up beside Karsielle.
"Uhm...I dun't think that be whut Flag be meanin'." She says quietly. "I think Flag be havin' a way t' meby, y'know, narrow down where it be at..." she frowns slightly and absently chews upon her bottom lip.
"Asides, in't we gon'a wait fer Silas t'come back with all'a stuff we give t' the guards at the Shalt-shacks fer safe keepin'?" She finishes, her voice not raising much with her dialogue. She does offer an answer to Flag,
"Well...the meetin' be t'morrow night. So, by that reckonin', we've whut's left of t'day an' by sounds of it most of t'morrow t'be sight seein'..." And she offers Flag a theatrical wink, "...As well as generally lollygagging abouts the place, no?" (^_~)
"I agree with you Suny. Let's go and see what we can find out now. We can always plan something at the exchange tomorrow night if we don't turn anything up."
The Scholar brushes the hair out of his eyes, "Glad you all agree with me, my dear Suny I wouldn't dare go marching off without my bodyguard Silas especially in this town." Bloody tries to hide a nervous tick he gives of slapping his fist againist his palm, he thinks to himself I hope the fear of Bloody Flag works on these necormancers. Maybe I will find something among them to further the tale of the Bloody Flag.
The scholar looks around, "Now where is that brute."
Silas jogs up after a few minutes with Suny's clothes and the rest of the gear. "Damn but those little buggers are a rough lot. They wanted to dice me for the stuff. Bastards. So, what are we looking at here?" Silas hands off the items he carries to their owners.
Suny releases Karsielle and bounces over to Silas, giving him a reward hug for his efforts. She then nimbly shucks into her shirt, buckles on her second dagger and one short sword across the middle of her back before wrapping her skirt about her thin waist.
"Right then, lets go 'lollygagging', hey?" (^_^) So saying she again loops arms with Karsielle and begins to head off in the direction indicated, looking for the hearse in particular that the party seeks.
Karsielle takes the time to dab some perfumed water on her neck, as she makes herself more desirable. Placing her hair back in place, smoothing down her clothes. She lets up a sigh of happiness seeing Suny giving Silas one of her 'bear' hugs. "Yes, Mr. Welby, lead on."
Welby looks to Karsielle with a look of confusion. "I...uh..." he says dumbly before Bloody takes the lead.
The group walks quite a bit to the north, away from the docks and into the maze of buildings and warehouses that line the streets of the Warehouse District.
After about half an hour, Bloody is able to find what he is looking for. It is narrow building of several floors, with a short bell tower on top. Next to it is an opening covered by a gate, from which straw and hay flow out into the street. It is dark inside, but a silhouette of a horse stall can be seen when one stares into it for a bit. Parked next to the horse is a covered wagon, a hearse.
The group prods Welby into walking next to the garage to get a better look at the hearse so that he can identify it. He refuses to go alone, so Silas accompanies him and they both try to walk down the street and casually get a better look. It must indeed be the one Welby saw that night, because as he strolls by and gets a better look, he loses his composure and starts to run away. Silas holds his arm and they awkwardly come back to the alley where the rest of the group watches.
"Yes! That is the one! OK, now let me go, I've done my part!!" Welby says frantically.
Suny does her best to both shield the half-ling from the view of any that might be watching from the building in which the party has a new interest, as well as calming Welby down,
"Here, luv." She addresses Welby quietly, "It'd be a bad mark on us if'n we's t' let a friend be gettin' in't trouble now, wouldn't it?"
To her friends she asks, "So...whut be th' courses fer th' rest of th' day?" (^_^) Both as a distraction and for further ideas as to their plans. Suny might also be steering Welby towards any convenient side street/alley by which he can make his way home relatively unseen.
Karsielle puts her arm on Welby's shoulder as he tries to squirm away, as she does this her perfume takes on a more pungent and sweet smell. She feels Calistra's power and it courses through her body in a moment of ecstasy, before being transmitted to Welby. "Calm now, we are here and can protect you, if you do as we ask. We shall return to the Saltshacks together." She turns to Suny and in a lowered voice continues, "If we have time we should take Welby back and clear things up with Gartold, before returning. What do you think?"
Suny nods in reply to Karsielle's question.
"Aye, he does wish us t'help make right somethings 'tween his'self and Gartold." Suny blushes slightly, "An', truth be told, I dun't think it'd be best if'n t'were me doin' th' gabbin'." Suny finishes quietly, her head dropping forwards slightly, blond mop falling over her eyes.