"Credit? Bah, ain't gonna feed my family with credit..."
He seems unimpressed with your offer.
|
"The magpie that picks up a ring misses the worm - and goes hungry." notes Oggil.
He stares at the blank expressions on the faces of those around him.
"Look, there are two thugs tied up at the top of the ladder, and the woman who was with them. They probably have coins on them, and if you go fast you'll be able to get to them before anyone else.."
With that, they both dive into the water and try to swim away.
Meanwhile, Thran checks inside, where he finds oars leaning against the wall behind the door. There is also a wooden box, which he opens and finds that it holds keys and a wooden and brass coin about the diameter of an apple and inscribed with the insignia of the Kortos Consortium.
On the wall of the bunker is a chalkboard with a chart labeled with 20 numbers each followed by a set of initials. One side of the chart reads mooring, the other side reads ship. Pinned to the adjacent wall hangs a map of the outer harbor marking the locations of the numbered moorings. The initials next to #14 read “HF”. The map shows mooring 14 located in the northwestern part of the outer harbor. In addition,a leather bound manifest log details the comings and goings of hundreds of ships over the past few months in a similar simplified code of numerals and letters.
|
|
"Interesting...." says Oggil.
"As the sun rise to show us the world, maybe this log book will show us the history of the Fang."
He spends a moment looking at the log book to see if there are other mentions of the Fang in it.
After a moment he also grabs the large coin. "As the sun rises in the east each day, we can return this later. I rather imagine it is here for a reason."
Based on the simplified nature of the log, it is hard to say if the Fang has been here before or not, but there might be a few entries that look promising. However, the others seem eager (to various extents) to leave, and get into the rowboats. You find the keys in the wooden box do unlock the locks on these two boats.
Exiting the Underdocks, you enter the Shallows, a wide rocky bay only a few feet deep and closed off by immense seawalls that funnel all traffic into the maze. Strung between them, a host of steep maze walls crusted with seaweed, barnacles, and small shellfish create narrow passages just wide enough for rowboats or rafts. Lashed along the sides are free-floating docks which allow longshoremen to help pull boats through or to the side for quick inspections. Every so often, a series of rusted spikes forms a crude ladder leading to the upper maze, where guards keep watch amidst strange shadows cast by weathered devices such as giant winches and claw-like crane arms.
Water splashes softly throughout, creating an eerie echo, and the entire structure groans with ominous creaks and strains as if you were traveling through the belly of a great beast. Thankfully, navigating out of the maze is far easier than navigating in, and the ever-watchful eyes of Enforcers on the walls fall almost entirely on the cargos of incoming merchants.
As you draw closer to the end, the sounds of angry waves slam against the outer walls and echo like hordes of chanting goblins. As you reach the outer locks, a grizzled longshoreman calls down to you from above, telling you to hold tight. The first gate opens with a lazy moan, and he ushers you to move your craft into the small chamber ahead. Once inside, he lowers the gate behind you, then he bids you good luck as he slowly cranks apart the front doors to the open harbor where dozens of galleons and merchant ships bounce softly on their moorings in the water.
|
"We're headed towards a rather indefensible situation. Getting on board isn't going to be easy. Once we get close, I'm going to cast a short spell that will protect me a bit more, but we should be ready for the worst."
I'll cast shield once close, but otherwise I've got little to offer.
"If you gentlemen are okay with ...preemptive violence, I don't mind opening fire from a distance..."
|
|
"Du Moire appears to have done foul murder, which is in line with his reputation." notes the dwarf.
"In the words of the Emerald Sage though, does the keeper not remove the bees before opening the hive? A ship may have many people aboard. We may find ourselves rapidly outnumbered and outmanourvered should we strike from range. Perhaps subterfuge is called for? We have this sign of the Kortos consortium"
He gestures to the coin.
"Let us go aboard to inspect the ship."
|
Tanna will abscond the log book and slip it in her pack muttering ... "Torag doesn't approve of those who knowingly shun their duties! "
She then clumsily enters the boat and locks in her oar and looks to the others to give the word to row...
-Posted with Wayfinder
Colleen gets you situated and rowing out toward the location marked on the map, when suddenly the water around the boat churns and splashes.
(darkvision)
(Low Light Vision)
Oggil and Thanalas see a couple of aquatic humanoids swimming straight for the small craft, and warn you in time for everyone to act first.
|
|
Oggil calls out a warning to the others in the boat.
"As a leave falls from a tree to the ground, so are the foul minions of Du Miore attracted to us. Prepare to receive borders!"
Pointing to the creatures he calls out again
"Stay back, your master will pay for his crimes."
He readies an action to hit one of them if they get in range.
As danger approachs, Thanalas takes quick action, firing off a bolt of magical force that slams into one of the creatures. Oggil waits until the creatures close, but misses with his attack due to the rocking motion of the boat, while Tanna ties herself to it and loads her crossbow.
The two sahuagin do come straight for the boat, and attempt to turn it over. As they do so, Colleen pokes her rapier at one, but fails to connect. Oggil also reaches down to swing at one, but hits nothing but waves.
The feint, and therefore the attack, are successful (although clearly not the confirmation). Still, the green aquatic fellow continues to fight.
Seeing that the melee attacks are not in the groups favor, Thranalas lashes out with a magic force, knocking the wind, and basically the fight, out it the green creature.
|
|
Tanna will loose her readied heavy x-bow attack at the closest enemy
Heavy Crossbow, crit 19-20/x2
-Posted with Wayfinder
Between the cover provided by the water and the sahuagin's think skin, the bolt is harmlessly deflected.
The red creature again tries to capsize the boat, but just can't get under it. The other one dives to escape, limping away .
Tanna and Oggil try to help, but there attacks just aren't accurate enough to get the creature from inside the boat.
This time, the creature is able to turn over the boat, dumping you all into the water.
The creature gurgles back at you, "Is that what you told Myraxus Threeshadow? Before you slaughtered him!"
"It matters not, as we blame all of DuMoire's crew!"
|
|
"Myraxus was our ally. As an arrow to the heart, we seek those who killed him. We too seek DuMoire and his crew. Join us in our assault upon the Fang! When Myraxus was killed by MuMoire's crew, they also took tablets we were looking to buy from him. We want them, you may have the satisfaction of killing DuMoire if you wish it."