Pa-Soa hesitates as Bryndis asks the obvious question. He is not a good liar he has discovered, probably because his heart is never in the attempt, so he settles on being evasive There were people in my homeland with whom I had... disagreements then he turns the question around And why were you staying at The Black Gull?
His hesitance to answer her question does not go unnoticed by Bryndis but she doesn't push the issue. They'd soon be on a ship together with plenty of time to get to know each other. When he asks his question, she shrugs and says, "The nights are still a little cold to be camping so I splurged on a room. We move around a lot trying to help out where we can. Kell usually decides where we go."
When they find Jovun's ship and realize there's not really a crew, Bryndis looks doubtful. "I wonder if he's expecting us to help out on the ship. I've never sailed before and I'm not very strong. I guess we'll find out more about what he's thinking when we meet later."
The Spit and Spray is a small vessel that can be operated by one man, not uncommon in these waters. The Ulfen are excellent seamen and this city has some of the best.
The random sailor Pa-Soa finds has a lazy eye, and sun-burned red skin. His hair, blonde and braided, nearly reaches down to his waist.
'Bad luck, talking to shipwrecked men, you know." he says, his good eye focusing on the monk. "I'd not do it, if you wish to stay on the good side of the gods."
He does however, point to a nasty looking gin shop a few streets down and grunts, adding, "Your bad luck will find you there, stranger."
Once Pa-Soa gets directions from a random sailor, Bryndis points out,"I'm already cursed by the gods to be a tiny Ulfen so what's a little bad luck in talking to survivors. I can go if you'd rather not." She looks at the rough-looking place and resists the urge to summon Kell.
Hah, I am unlucky as well. Let us go though perhaps I should go in first there
Bryndis gives the monk the first genuine smile since their meeting. "Alright then. Let us two jinxed people go and make our fate worse. I'm sure nothing could possibly go wrong but I'll let you go first."
As the pair go up however, it looks less like a gin-shop and more like a very poor temple. It is a small round hut, made of the same gray weathered wood as the rest of the city. The old stone steps are worn smooth by many feet.
Over the door is a much battered holy symbol of Cayden Cailean, a rusty looking tankard.
An old, hunched woman sits on the steps, covered with various boils and weeping pustules. She holds a tiny wooden cup up toward Byrndis and Pa-Soa, clearly begging.
"Please?"
Rather than being repulsed by the woman's condition, Bryndis empathizes with her. There probably weren't many people who wanted to have anything to do with her and the summoner understood how isolating that could be. Taking out a couple silver coins, she drops them in the woman's cup.
The woman smiles, revealing a row of surprisingly bright white teeth. 'Oh, thank you miss. Thank you very much." she says, her voice wet and soft, the results of some long-held illness.
Pa-Soa adds a coin of his own and then enters the temple.
The woman's teeth contrast sharply with the rest of her appearance and for a moment Bryndis wonders if she's being scammed.
But considering she wouldn't take her coin back even if that's the case, she says, "May it ease some of your hardship, ma'am." She then steps lightly up the stairs as she follows Pa-Soa inside.
Bryndis doesn't detect a scam but she a feeling the woman isn't just some random beggar.
Both of them step inside the temple/gin shop. It is dark and musty inside, with only a few small windows near the ceiling. inside there are tables, chairs and beds, all clustered together around a few small sea-coal fires. Smoke hangs int he air and every surface looks dirty and stained. A few figures move around in the darkness, lying on beds, sitting on chairs. An air of utter defeat and despair rests over the place.
From behind the beggar woman stands up and blocks the door our. In her wet voice she gurgles, 'Do you seek the blessing of the temple, generous strangers?"
Ah, no Venerable one. We seek one who recently survived a disaster at sea
The woman inclines her head, 'Many such reside here." She waves a hand at the shadowy collection of lost souls. 'Those that survive from shipwreck are considered bad luck and shunned by most crews. This makes it impossible for them to get work again, and many languish here or on the streets. Sometimes, it is better to go down with your ship."
Her scarred face is sad as she adds, 'Do you know the name of the vessel?"
This time Bryndis answers the woman. "The vessel's name is...was Goldia's Pride."
The priestess nods and points to a long table alongside the wall. Around it are hunched two men, looking sunburned and salt-stained. The pox-ridden woman walks over (revealing a gait not as crippled as one might expect). She whispers a few words and one of the lost looking sailors looks up.
"Why are you asking about the Goldia?" He says, voice slurred with drink, "She is lost."
The reason she is lost is what concerns us, honoured sir Pa-Soa says We've been, ah, asked, to stop it from happening again
Bryndis would have offered to buy them drink but they seem to be pretty deep into their cups as it is. "May we buy you some food for your trouble in answering our questions?"
She takes a seat. "I know it's probably something you don't want to relive but can you tell us what happened to shipwreck the Goldia?"
At Bryndis's words the priestess nods and soon brings a loaf of dark brown bread, the cheap bread of the poor. It does seem good and wholesome though.
The sailor takes a few bites and answers, "I don't have much to say. It was night and I was sleeping below decks. We were going in off a long north cruise, hold full of oil. We had sightings of a weird black shape in the water the last few nights. The Captain had even held a meeting about the thing but the sea is a strange place, and I slept soundly enough." he shrugs, "I wasn't invited to that gathering so I don't know what was shared but I imagine he wrote it down somewhere."
'Then there was a huge crash and I fell out of my hammock." A small smile, 'That is no mean feat, I've been out to sea since I was a lad and slept through hurricanes and storms aplenty. This tough rattled the whole ship from stern to mast. Even as I ran up, I could feel her sinking. The whole ship reeled as I made it on deck."
The sailor shakes his head, " It was dark and the sea was high, but I could see well enough. We had been thrown up on some high rocks, and she was stuck fast, a huge hole in her side. Then the water bulge a huge shape loomed out of it." he lowers his voice . 'It was Old Czar."
Another sailor, a table away starts to laugh, "Sure, and mermaids too?"
The shipwrecked man grunts and says, "I swear it by my father's face. It was Old Czar or I'm a blushing virgin!"
Ah sorry, I do not know what this Old Czar is. Pa-Soa says apologetically.
"A made-up story?" The heckling man suggests.
"An Emperor Walrus." their informant says, ignoring the other man. "A massive beast over 20 feet long and weighing over 15 tons! Imagien the tusks on it!"
The other man laughs again, harshly, 'Just a story the harpooners tell themselves when a walrus gets away. Nothing more. Your Captain was drunk and ran aground on some rocks. That's all and happens often enough."
Then many Captains are being drunk in the last little while Pa-Soa says to the heckler. Is there a scholar or master who would know about this Czar?
No one says anything but the priestess adds, gently "No scholar or master would bother with such a thing. It isn't true, and there has never been any proof." She raises a hand as the sailor starts to speak and he grows quiet.
"It is just a legend to amuse children, and as Urik said, to dazzle new harpooners."
Pa-Soa bows to the priestess and to the unfortunate one Would the ship still be there on those high rocks? Would you be able to locate it on a map? If we could read what your captain wrote then that would be of much help.
The sailor stretches his chin and slowly chews a bit of bread, 'We got away in a small boat, but yes, the Golinda was stills tuck on the rocks when he left. Unless a storm washed her free, she should still be there."
I think we will not find out anything more then. Thank you for your assistance. Pa-Soa bows to the unfortunate survivor as well as the priestess All we can ask for now is a blessing from the Drunken Master for we are to go to the Islet to hunt this Czar.
The priestess shakes her head but smiles, "They say my God has a special place in his heart for fools, which you surely are. Old Czar doesn't exist but.." She raised a pale hand in benediction, "May Cayden himself guide your fumbling steps and head toward wisdom." She nods, "Thank you for your donation to this temple and your patience."
Bryndis smiles and thanks the priestess for her words before they leave.
Outside she turns to Pa-Soa and says, "So now we can add fools to our list of unfortunate names. But maybe we should keep that from Jovun when we meet up again. He'll find it concerning enough when he meets Kell. Hopefully he'll still want to take us. In fact, we may want to keep talk of Old Czar for after we get out on to the water. He'll probably just laugh us off anyways, like the others did that sailor."
News of this ship wreck on the rocks should be enough to convince him that we have some clue to follow. Back to the ship?
Bryndis raises an eyebrow and gives Pa-Soa a half-smile. "I'm not so much concerned about convincing Jovun that there's a problem. I'm more concerned with convincing him to go because there's a problem. I'm not sure how willing I'd be to go with my ship that is my livelihood when there's a good chance it'll be destroyed."
She then gives Pa-Soa an appraising look. "What do you think of all this? The fact that this creature lives in the water worries me. After all, it can obviously breathe under the water or else hold its breath a lot longer than I can. Nor am I a very strong swimmer."
It takes them awhile, peering into various shops and stalls to find what Bryndis wants. They start glancing at the sun, worried that they will run out of time. Helpfully, at the seemingly last moment, they find a slick looking halfling, with a cart full of magical items.
Sensing their rush, he asks double the usual price for the item.
Bryndis sighs, obviously disappointed. She looks at the halfling, raises her hands helplessly and smiles apologetically. "I can't afford that. You could have had a sale had you asked for the usual price but I can't pay that much. Sorry to have wasted your time." She begins to walk away and says to Pa-Soa, "And your time as well. Sorry for leading us on this wild goose chase. Let's get back to the ship."
Pa-Soa is a bit irritated and the obvious gouging and cracks his kunckles Perhaps you can reconsider this?
Bryndis puts her hand on Pa-Soa's arm. "It's ok. I'm sure he's just trying to make an honest living. It's not his fault I can't pay the price he's asking for." Bryndis smiles at the halfling, "Right?"
The halfling is dismayed at Bryndis starts to walk away and actually flinches when Pa-Sao cracks his knuckles.
The little man smiles and bows, before saying in a sleek voice, 'Well, since you put it like that, I suppose I can offer you a sale, one honest person to another." Still eyeing the muscular monk, he offers the potion for the fair, usual price.
Bryndis smiles sweetly and hands over the money. "Thank you, kind sir." She then stows the potion with her other belongings.
With her potion in hand, the pair head back to the docks finding the Spit and Spray easily. At the dockside is Jovun, messing with some ropes. Looking up he grins saying, I wondered if you would simply try and run. I expected ti to be honest." A critical eye on Bryndis. 'You don't seem made of the sternest stuff, to be honest."
Pa-Soa touches the still healing claw slash on his shoulder and shakes his head at Jovun.
We found out The Goldia floundered on some rocks near Orlov's Islet. We thought perhaps if we find ship we may find clues. he says in any case.
Bryndis returns Jovun's gaze, "Nor did I ever claim to be made of the sternest stuff. But I will work hard and do what I can. My talents lie elsewhere."
She rubs her hands together, "Now, I suspect that you would like to meet Kell before you make your final decision." The summoner begins to concentrate on her friend and channels arcane magics to call him to her. After about a minute, the eidolon appears behind her. His head swings towards Jovun and his eyes give the captain an appraising look.
At the news of the Goldia Jovun frowns, 'Shipwrecks are bad luck...but good plunder."
He is still considering that when Bryndis summons Kell. The large dragon shaped creature blinks into existence.
The battered sailor nearly falls into the water with shock. Grabbing the side of his boat, he stammers, 'What in the name of Gozreh is that? You didn't say you were a wizard." Bryndis notes the man grabs a holy symbol around his neck with scarred, weathered hands.
I think Pa-Soa says with a bow you did not ask
Bryndis cocks her head to the side, "It's not a what but a who. This is Kell. And I'm not a wizard exactly but I can wield certain magics. Will this be a problem?"
Kell nods at Jovun having ascertained he was a decent man. In his deep voice he states rather than asks, "You will take us to where we need to go."
The sailor stares hard at Kell, then he slowly starts to laugh. It is a deep, unexpected sound from the thin, wiry sealer.
'Well, I can't argue with that. Besides, if we are out after phantoms and shipwrecks, having a few tricks will help." He pauses,s hakes his head and speaks to the two humans, 'Either of ever sail on board ship before?"
Bryndis relaxes as Jovun's laughter fills the air. His acceptance of Kell puts her at ease, at least for now.
When he asks about sailing, she raises her eyebrows, "I think we both know the answer to that, at least in my case. If you need something more definitive than that, then no. No, I haven't sailed before. I've been in a boat, but never a ship." But not to be too discouraging she adds, "However I'm a quick learner and I'm ready for my first lesson."