"It don't think it's for convenience, rather for expediency. We want to get there in as little time as possible."
The River Barge Docks
You find the barge that is ready to leave. It's a 75 feet long single mast vessel with a small cabin in the back end. It is loaded with crates and barrels. The captain of the barge is a man with grey hair and beard and black feather earrings wearing a red gambeson and a red cap. He introduces himself as Captain Luthweg. He also introduces his first mate, a kholdrathan named Hreskar, and the vessel's man-at-arms Rotherick.
"Horse'll be the same price as you. Consider it cheap, as it takes up more space than you."
Magnes completes his shopping walking with Kevroth and asking the occasional question about the composition of black powder. A topic Kevroth obviously was knowledgeable on to pass the time as they walk.
Magnes glances over to Sabrick and then over the the Tabby following him. "Oi, when'd you get here fuzzbutt?
"Mao" says the cat, turning from his preparations to climb the antlered one and giving a smug look.
"Yeah whatever. Anyway, Did we get everything we needed? If so hand over the remaining coin an..." Magnes trails off as he examines the prices for the boat trip in question doing a quick bit of math in his head.
"Huh, never did ask him how much the trip t that damned castle would cost. Sneaky old coot. crap"
"Got what I went to look for." Koija said to Magnes giving the remaining 10 derims of the 50 given to him earlier.
When the dwarf starts swearing he looks at him a bit puzzled.
"Do we not have sufficient funds to get to the castle?"
The dwarf quickly counts out coin and nods "Well we can, but only barely. I didn't have an appreciation for how far we were going, wasn't expecting to fare to be neary eight an one hae' Derim for each person."
Magnes sighs and looks over to the barge.
"Counting we have sixty left and the fare will take fifty and five therins to purchase for us all."
I would say that we will take ferry there and later worry how we are coming back. It is already adventure in itself if we come back later by foot. We have time then and who knows, we might find something to do along the way Bhalur speaks as he leans against the rails of the ferry
"I agree with Bhalur. The way back is something we deal with when we get back."
Magnes nods and looks ruefully back to the noble district. "Yeah, ye've got a fair point. Fortunately I've got some quality rum to dull the sting of this particular transaction." Magnes says on getting within earshot of the captain. The dwarf coughing once to get the attention of the human with feathered earrings. Magnes does his best to not laugh at the adornments. "Five an'a horse lookin' fer passage on your vessel if you've room Captain?" the dwarf asks, aware of the answer as he produces his the now quite deflated bag of coins and readies to hand over fare. Though the dwarf still grumbles lightly as he does.
"Aye. Come on board. You're in the nick of time. We'll be leaving within ten minutes." Captain Luthweg takes the derims, counts them and puts them in a belt-bag. "All good. Enjoy the trip." He then turns to a muscular, pale man with long blond hair and beard. "Hreskar. Time to leave. Untie the ropes, and let's get old Sabrine out of the dock."
Sabrine sails through a large river gate in Bhelskar's tall city walls, and the river barge docks and market district disappears behind you. The hours passes as the barge sails up the Baravos passing several small farming and fishing hamlets and villages, watermills, towers, woods and a ruined fort.
"'fraid of a little water?" Captain Luthweg asks in a teasing tone.
Magnes walks over to Sabrik and offers a cup of dark rum before tossing one back himself.
"Never been on a boat much myself, have to admit the feeling of the land under ya not being solid is disconcertin'."
"No merfolk in the Baravos, ae can assure you," Luthweg says. "What that ye be drinking, Messrs? Alcohol's not allowed on the barge, 'less it be shared with the cap'n."
Magnes turns toward the human captain "On accounta' not having been on one ah'these befer? Aye. rollin's disconcertin' fortunately I've experience wit'the world rollin' jus on dry land. Not suprised tha' giant antlered cat has concern about water. I mean jus' look at the normal one."
Magnes says as he glances to the oversized tabby currently looking very displeased next to Brunswick the horse.
"Also when tha' heck didj'ya sneak on here ya furry freeloader?" the dwarf asks the clearly displeased barn cat
"Mao" Says the cat with all the venom its seasick frame can muster.
Magnes glances over to the Captain, to his bottle of rather nice rum and back. the dhouvarr gives a shrug "Mah, fine. Feel like sharin' a tale? Might make tha' rum reappear as you talk." the Brewmaster says as he extends a offers the man a cup before offering the other one in greeting.
"Magnes, travelin' brewmastr' n' general vagabond."
Captain Luthweg shakes Magnes' hand and smiles, brandishing a couple of golden teeth.
"Luthweg Gerdson. Been sailing the Baravos for thirty years. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Brewmaster Magnes."
He then takes the cup of rum offered to him and takes a sip. "Arhh. That's some good stuff ye got. Made it yeself?"
Magnes grins back at the fellow and glances to the rum. "Nah, got this'n from the fellow in charge of the Gleemaster's Goblet. Marion Balin, traded him some Shine that I did make fer' this an a some skins of mead. Mostly a god trade as 'Shine ain't somethin' fer sharin' lightly t'wil knock ya right on yer ass and taste like the backside of a mule. Though If ya feel lik' tryin' such a brew I might see if I can rustle up a bit by the time I get back from my buisness down river" The Brewmaster replies with only a small puff of pride when speaking of his own liquor.
Bhalur is having a blast of his life as he is taking all of this inside. Sabrik squatting next to Brunswick and the tubby cat next to him. Captain "pirating" the liquor from Magnes.
Well, certainly it is a good day for a river trip Bhalur thinks to himself as he watches the landscape and farms passing.
Looking for a Koiji before walking to him If you dont mind, we could start with me learning the draconic? We got plenty of time so might as well use it produ- prodict.. grrrrr, well, pass the time and learn something new Bhalur struggles with the words
"Aye. The Gleemaster's Goblet. A fine place. About trying ye brew, I'd be more than happy." The captain replies smilingly.
"So, what brings such an odd group together and what are ye traveling to Nelphent for, if ye don't mind me asking?"
"Perhaps you are right."
Koija turned to Shaer, speaking to it in draconic.
The dwarf gives a short laugh "Goin'ta res'cue a princess all proper fairy tale and such. Can't ya tell I'm tha'fairy godmotha' an tha'fellow over there with tha'gold eyes? Well e's prince charmin aye?"
The dwarf says dripping amusment before gibing a small bark of laughter.
"But more seriously were off to retrieve some lass who's father desperately wants 'er back home. One of tha' nobles been huntin' fer a group ta do it fer a little while now."
"A week an' a half, maybe two weeks ago, I sailed a young and strikingly beautiful noblewoman and a young man with hair as white as snow to Nelphent. If I remember correctly, their names were Elisia and Grevos. Didn't talk much. Perhaps that's the lass ye're looking for."
"It'd be a shame to separate those two. Looked to me like they were deeply in love.. And true love's a rare thing." The captain looks a tad sad for a moment, then he drinks down the rest of his rum. "Arhhh. Warms the throat. Better get back to Hreskar. Let me know if ye need anything."
Some simple words are most likely to good for the start. Meat, Sleep, Danger, Enemy, Friend. Numbers too, actually make that definetely. Who have heard of a dragon who can not count. I am even a bit shamed of him due to his lack of greed for gold and Shaer sighs, resembling more of low hiss of frustration Need to seriously fix that attitude of his. Who will like a man if he does not have money as her tail whips around in irritation
Koija will try to teach Bhalur the basic numbers in Draconic.
Magnes nods "Thought as much, the father's convinced the white haired one bewitched his daughter with magic. So our own Weaver he picked up a spell to detect if someone is charmed y'see. Gonna talk to em first if we can, find out what the truth is and deal with it from there. Charms are hard ta spot so its possible but I'm just within reach of bein' damned sure this is jus' an elopement not somethin' more sinister." The dwarf responds as the captain walks off
Don't need him telling those two while we travel the river to have to chase them all over damned creation to find out the answer to what's what here. Curse my damned consistence, if this turns out like I think we won't get a damned copper out of it much what we were promised.
It's evening when the Sabrine reaches the town of Largo and the sky is dark blue. The town lights up in the darkness. The Sabrine docks, and captain Luthweg says: "There's a tavern here called the Crazy Kelpie. You might want to get a drink there, but be sure to return to the barge before morning. We'll set out again at sunrise."
"Alrigh' sounds fine. see you in the morning."
Magnes brews up a proper Shine that night
Bhalur takes first steps on the riverdock in Largo and takes a look around. I guess there is not much to do now. I guess I will just take a short look around if you want to come with me Bhalur speaks to others
Going to camp nearby or even in the boat if there is not a better place to stay