"I've been looking for a crew. If you'll have me, I'll be happy to join."
Dantes looks to the captain with a raised eyebrow, but a slight approving nod of the head.
"Welcome to crew of the Kiss of Vengeance," Chumtooth replies to Carmelia, giving her a nod. He turns then and looks at Navasi.
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"Hey, if you're offering a ride, I'm in! I love being at sea, and things are getting a little hot around here for me anyway. I think I could even be of great benefit to you and your crew. I have skills."
A very scragly looking monkey jumps up on her shoulder. "Of course, this one will be joining me. Don't worry - he don't eat much, and makes a great lookout."
Chumtooth smirks at Navasi's vague reply. "If you want passage to Port Peril, you can pay as a passenger. If you want a share of our plunder, including this," he says pointing to the items taken from Giles, "you will join the crew. I will not press you, but you will not ride for free."
”Welcome to the crew, then,” Chumtooth says. ”Here is as good a place as any to sell Giles’ gear. He might even buy it back from the shopkeeper we sell it to. We will split the coin, spend some or not, and be out to sea by morning.”
As Navasi is likewise invited to the crew, Hap slings across Carmelia's shoulders. He points towards the monkey on the gnome's shoulders and makes some gestures.
<He looks funny.>
Carmelia chuckles and responds verbally, though no one else can understand the odd series of sound that she makes. <Be nice, Hap. Might just be malnourished. Just because you get three square meals a day doesn't mean most animals do.>
As the group travels to the market, the shaman tries to get to know the group a bit more.
"I'm still curious about this puzzle. Most pirates I have met are more interested in plundering than chasing assassins and solving puzzles. Though of course an extracurricular diversion in port can be an enjoyable jaunt. So what are you all about?"
As he leads the way back to the docks, Chumtooth addresses Carmelia's question. "We are following this trail as a favor to one of the Pirate Lords," Chumtooth replies. "Favors are hard currency among the Free Captains. We still hunt the waters of the Shackles, and take what we can when we can."
He continues until he reaches their ship's mooring. He turns and gestures to the ship. "This is the Kiss of Vengeance; taken with steel and blood." He makes his way up the gangplank, and onto the main deck. He stops in front of the Skull Rack, just outside the Captain's Cabin.
"Welcome to the crew. Prepare to cast off."
Connections to the Pirate Lords? These folks were more well-connected than Carmelia had anticipated. This could be interesting.
As Carmelia boards the Kiss of Vengeance and tastes the sea, she feels a rush of excitement. It would be good to return to the sea.
"I'll make myself useful. Repairs, rigging, navigation, steering, healing: whatever you need, I'll fit myself in."
The shaman waits for a moment for any formal orders. If none comes, then she begins walking around the ship to introduce herself to the other members of the crew and look for any tasks that need doing.
Faengrim follows his captain onboard the ship. When the order is given, he starts barking orders at the crew, including Navasi and Carmelia. "Ok. Time to see if there's any value to you." He is no more rude to them than he is to the rest of the crew and watches them closely as they perform tasks to make sure they can actually sail.
Once their skill is determined, probably hours after leaving port, he'll come to them. "From what I've seen of you, you might be better overseen by Dantes. Report to the Ship's Wizard." He looks with disapproval to Navasi, "Maybe he can find some use for you." Faengrim then moves off to yell at a group of slackers.
As Faengrim begins barking orders, Carmelia gets to work proving her sea legs. Hap clambers around alongside her, helping out where he can.
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Navasi looks at Faengrim incredulously, but then shrugs as he stalks off. Ship's wizard sounds better than swabbin' decks, that's for sure.
"Aye, aye, cap't. Er... I mean sub-captain? First mate? How do you fancy I call you?"
Barely waiting for an answer, she then asks the next closest crew member, "Where might I find this Dante?"
"Set course for Port Peril," Chumtooth orders the helmsman. "Have the lookout keep an eye out for likely prizes crossing our path."
Barely waiting for an answer, she then asks the next closest crew member, "Where might I find this Dante?"
The stout dwarf steps forward. "I am Dantes Goldforge, the captain's quartermaster. For the most part, you'll be trusted to pitch in when and where you are best able. However, you will also be responsible for learning the ropes as quartermaster, should I be unable or unavailable to do so at any point for any reason. If you are ready, we can begin." Dantes will show Navasi where things are stored and how, how to estimate supply needs, and the ledgers.
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"Excellent! Nice to meet you, Mr. Goldforge. I am ready, willing and able!"
Navasi does her best to learn the ropes. But she does ask a lot of questions.
In her off time, she wanders about the deck of the ship, also watching the crew in their duties to learn as much as she can about each crew member and their jobs. She also tries to pick up any information anyone may have on the destination, Port Peril.
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Port Peril: Port Peril is the largest port in the Shackles and its de facto capital. It is situated on the mainland, rather than on one of the outlying islands, on the edge of the Terwa Uplands and overlooking Jeopardy Bay. The city is protected by walls and the stronghold of Fort Hazard. All manner of vices can be found in its twisting streets, and its busy markets thrive on the sale of stolen goods. Rumor has it that the plunder from decades of piracy is hidden in sea caves beneath the city.
Despite being the capital of the Shackles Pirates, merchant ships sometimes dock here to trade. Those flying the flags of Inner Sea region nations are not welcome and gain no protection, but unaligned vessels are permitted to dock.
The city is ruled by Captain Kerdak Bonefist, the Hurricane King, lord of the Shackles Pirates. During his frequent absences, the affairs of the city are jointly overseen by Sabas Odabio, harbourmaster Tsojmin Kreidoros and master merchant Pherias Jakar.
"It's been a while since I've been to the mainland," Carmelia says idly to Navasi as they learn their new tasks aboard the ship under Dantes' watchful eye. As the two newest members of the crew, and especially since the gnome seems relatively green to working life aboard a ship, she takes to literally showing her the ropes. Different knots for different purposes, how to avoid getting yourself or someone else killed with the wrong ones, and other tips and tricks to ensure that Navasi proves herself useful on the open seas.
"I hope you don't mind my noticing. You're picking things up quickly enough, but you're new to this. What's bringing you along? You said things were...hot in Drenchport." Carmelia smirks, wincing slightly. "And I don't think you meant the weather."
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"No, no - not the weather," she says with a wink. "But the weather wasn't so good either. Let's just say that I gave some men exactly what I promised, but they didn't agree with my interpretation of the instructions. People should learn to think through what they say before entering into an agreement..."
"I appreciate the knowledge on these knots. I never realized you could get so creative with a rope."
"Oh there are plenty more ways to be creative with rope," Carmelia says, "Especially with intransigent people like the ones you were dealing with."
Her little octopus meanders up from his own attempts at helping around the ship, giving Navasi a wide berth before clambering up to rest around Carmelia's neck.
"So one of these anywhere-is-better-than-here deals, it sounds like. I've been to Port Peril once or twice, but not enough to really be able to say I know the place. It will be interesting."
"What will be interesting is if you don't get that knot right." Faengrim interjects harshly. He then shows the shark-like teeth that are his racial birthright. "But Port Peril is always a good time. Just don't go getting into trouble without your crew close by."
Carmelia looks up at Faengrim and smiles in return, showing a second row of sharp, jagged teeth of her own.
"Duly noted."
Chumtooth spends most of the journey to Port Peril on the quarterdeck, near the ship's wheel. "The back-trail is long, and growing cold," he mutters to no one in particular. "This hunt had better yield meat."
"It is a...phrase, saying of my people, the Kuru," Chumtooth replies. "Meat is the prize, the reward at the end of the hunt."
"Yes. Let's hope that Port Peril brings us to the end of our chase."
Faengrim is gruff and intimidating, but he does know how to carouse and wench.
Carmelia disembarks and watches as her new companions scatter off to seek information, presumably for a couple of hours. People could be loose-lipped given the right price, but Carmelia had never put much stock in peoples' memories. Nor much practice in sorting through them in person. No, when Carmelia had needed information in the past, she went directly to the source.
The sea witch cracks her neck and wanders towards the nearest tavern where it looks like she won't be immediately murdered or keel over from drinking whatever swill they're serving. She scans the area around for a chip of a brick, leans against an alley wall, and tells Hap to keep a lookout. With that and a few esoteric hand gestures, her eyes go white and she is transported.
Each round for the duration of the spell, the target can attempt a Diplomacy check to gather information as though she had spent 1d4 hours talking to local people. Since the information gathering doesn’t involve actual interaction with people, only observation, the target can use her Perception skill instead of her Diplomacy skill. While thus concentrating, the target is effectively blind and deaf.
She first turns her attention to the most important matters at hand: the apothecary and Giles' poison-hawking benefactor.
The apothecary seems relatively easy to find some information on, but Zarskia herself is a bit more elusive.
Then, ever curious, she seeks information about the three names they found on Giles' list: his victims, and especially what their movements in this city might have been, or at least why they were marked for death.
Finally, unless there were important bits of information to follow up from either of her first five investigations, she seeks further information on the names that Navasi mentioned during their trip. Friends, foes, involved in the current plot, or just people in power to be tip-toed around?
The whole process takes under a minute. But the images and voices and all the sensations are...a lot. As she comes out of her trance, she stumbles a bit, and then walks into the tavern to begin jotting down some notes over a drink. Got to get it all out.
Diplomacy
Chumtooth decides to distract any curious inquiries into his crew’s investigations by making himself visible and vocal. He waits at a dockside tavern, bragging about the exploits of the Kiss of Vengeance and telling the stories of each shrunken head adorning his belt.
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Okay, between everyone (except Dantes, sorry), you can learn the following:
* “You can find the place on the corner of Fiddler’s Lane and Anchor Way.”
* “Zarskia Galembar runs the apothecary; she bought the old mansion and set up shop about three years ago. It’s been closed the last couple of times I’ve gone past.”
* “The apothecary employs a number of ex-pirates as guards and sells more than just poultices and medicinal remedies. They say you can buy poison and other contraband goods there as well.”
* “The shop has been closed to the public recently, but I hear you can still get in if you know the right people.”
* “Zarskia’s been selling her poisons for bargain prices recently; you should get a good price if she’s still got any left.”
* “Just bang on the door and say you want to 'buy three jugs of terrap sap' and they’ll let you in.”
* Haddon Pike was known as a beachcomber, fisherman, and occasional smuggler.
* Roweena was a harbor quartermaster in the employ of Arronax Endymion, lord of Hell Harbor and a former admiral in the Chelish navy.
* Corlan was a tengu smuggler.
* All that you learn about the others is that they are not to be trifled with and are probably not directly involved in the plot.
"We know where the place is, and know the secret words. It is possible this is a trap for those who ask too many questions, so we should move with caution. Nevertheless, we should move. Let us visit Zarskia," Chumtooth says to his officers.
Faengrim is ready. "Aye aye, Captain!
Carmelia is ready as ever, as she adds in her pieces of reconnaissance, but pauses before they all rush in.
"Well is it 'two pounds of powdered thileu bark' or 'three jugs of terrap sap'? One of those could be the right password, and the other a trap."
Dantes waves for Navasi to follow him, and he heads below. He introduces her to an older sailor who is down in the kitchen. "Ambrose Kroop, this is Navasi. She'll be helping me with supplies and inventory. In addition to preparing good food for the crew, Kroop has been a wealth of information for me as well." Navasi may notice that Dantes' demeanor around Kroop changes. His cold, calculating eyes soften, and a genuine fondness shows on his face. While he is telling Kroop about what happened and that they are setting off again, the dwarf also busies himself getting ingredients out for whatever Kroop is working on. When Dantes picks up a knife and starts helping clean and cut potatoes, he smiles and shrugs at Navasi, sort of to say you can head back up if you want...
"If the assassin wanted to strike at us, now that he is safely away, a false pass-word would be the way to do so," Chumtooth says, considering. "But, it is also possible the phrases mean different things: the first could be for assassins looking for contracts. The second might be for purchasing poisons or other illegal things."
Carmelia shrugs. "I suppose so."
She clacks the tips of her fingers together and looks at her new captain. "So are we taking prisoners, killing everyone, or trying to be surreptitious?" In truth, she was ready for any of those options.
"Prisoners can be questioned."
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Navasi watches Dante with a wry smile. Interesting dynamic between these two... I will need to dig deeper when we are back on the ship!
She helps getting ingredients as anyone shouts out what is needed, but refrains from cutting.
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"Sometimes, the dead can also be questioned," Navasi says with a grin. "But it is often easier to question them before the life runs out."
Faengrim looks down at Navasi and nods appreciatively. "You might be useful after all."
Carmelia raises an eyebrow in response to the gnome's statement. "Fair enough. I'll try to avoid killing."
She checks her equipment to be sure that she's prepared and then prepares to approach the apothecary with the crew.