Malachi looks carefully at the trapdoor, making sure the trap door isn't indeed 'a trap door'. Satisfied there are no wires or hidden blades, he opens it, revealing a ladder down into the sewers below.
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Searlas turns red in the face, and a bit downtrodden. He looks over their captive for a moment, then just mutters something in ancient Azlanti that Hariwini is a little to late to censor. "Stercus!"
He quickly punches her upside the head and slams her into the floor, then checks to make sure her vitals are stable before heading off. "I guess she'll be a prisoner to unconsciousness until we can settle everything else."
He bucks up and heads towards the sewer. "Right behind you guys... Hariwini, be helpful for a change."
Torrel lowers a rope down the hole, tied off on a bunch of furniture in the shop - leaving the ladder alone.
He manages to get into the sewer safely enough - nothing happens.
Searlas gives the girl a knock across the head, knocking her out.
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Before heading down into the sewers Malachi gathers any remaining potions from the dead pirates, and also collects the signal whistles, which he hands out to the pathfinders.
"Here. These are useful in case you get separated, yes? I will teach you, eh, nautical, signals."
Malachi then moves to the front of the group in the sewer, activates Light from his wayfinder, and looks for signs of recent passage. He says a short Druidic prayer.
"Let's see if Du Moire came this way, eh?"
Polly remains perched on Malachi's shoulder. She cocks her head and caws in his ear. "Yes, sewers again Polly! Maybe Captain Dreng is trying to tell us something, eh?"
The party descends the rope, leaving it in place pending their possible return.
***
You enter into a gloomy, greenish twilight where scattered beams of light filter down between weathered dock planks, bouncing off seaweed covered stones that jut from the dark harbor waters. A forest of pylons suspends the docks above where the scurrying feet of merchants, sailors, and longshoremen hammer like a muffled thunderstorm. Between the pylons, you spot small stone bunkers, ruins of older siege forts now crumbling and weathered from centuries of angry waves. A narrow set of docks traverses the rocks, connecting various locations. Eventually, all lead out to the shallow bay at the mouth of the maze. Nearby, you notice a fresh trail of muck-limned, wet footprints.
Up ahead you note a nearby dock and two rowboats. A pair of men are near a small bunker and guarding the boats, one quietly puffing on his pipe. They don't appear to be hostile.
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Searlas whispers to Malachi. "Well... they don't seem to want us dead... let's just hope that they are willing to help us out."
He beckons to Hariwini who lands on his shoulder and then climbs down the side of his tunic and back into the beat up pewter tankard. He keeps his head over the brim of the tankard and looks around quizzically as Searlas enhances his and his familiar's tongues with a brief pair of cantrips, then walks forward, smile on his face and hands held in the open. "Good evening friends! We're hot on the trail of a ne-er'do'well who's looking to wreak all manner of havoc around here. The pair of you seem like good chaps... you wouldn't happen to have seen a Chellish fop who fancies himself a pirate passing through recently would you?"
The men look at each other for a minute and seem to communicate in a couple of gestures and facial expressions, as though working something out - they seem to be taking an interest in your collective clothing. In the dappled light of the under docks you notice they are wearing Consortium markings.
"Well, you are at least on the right track, not sure what business you have with the Chelish pirate just come by here not long ago, nor who you all are - what we do know is that you don't have a Harbourmasters pass. Of course, that, and the whereabouts of the boat you want to find, could be established for the modest sum of a hundred gold" he goes back to smoking his pipe "For that price we'd even throw in the hire of a boat"
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Searlas squints, looks at their badges, then smiles. "Ah! Kortos Consortium representatives! Just who we were looking for... what a great coincidence. If you head back to Ludor's exports you'll find that the propriator of the business has been murdered by the crew of the Chelish pirate we are hot on the heels of. We have his associate bound and knocked out there awaiting justice. As it seems that Mr. Ludor was a hard working member of your Consortium I'm sure you'd appreciate seeing to her... um... well being. Before her trial and all."
He gives them a look that says please don't tell me the details, then looks down towards his mug where his ectoplasmic bird just silently turns his head and begins to preen.
"If there's a bounty on her head feel free to keep it... as a tip."
Searlas fishes around in his pack for some loose change to fill out the rest of the fee if necessary.
Malachi seems to have just the right understanding of the 'commercial interests' these fellows peddle in, and with the interesting tale of a captured pirate they see more opportunities, agreements are quickly made.
With the deal made, one of the men takes Malachi inside their small bunker and opens a
wooden box holding keys and a wooden and brass coin about the diameter of an apple and inscribed with the insignia of the Kortos Consortium - "This coin serves as a harbormaster’s pass - pretty valuable thing to hold in these parts"
On the wall of the bunker is a chalkboard with a chart labelled 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 harbour 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 harbour. "That'll be where she is for now, you can take yourself a rowboat to get out there"
The men wave you on, happy with the day's trade.
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"I think the plan was to get on the ship and beat the tar out of Mr. Du Moire and his crew. Well, the willing crew at least. If he's still got slaves from his last few raids I'd like to make it a point to liberate them."
As Korug readies himself for some strenuous labor, Searlas strokes a patch of fuzz that is his poor excuse for a goatee and ponders out loud. "A stealth approach would be preferred so we can get our bearings once we board the Hydra's Fang, but on the flip side hitting fast and hard can have the same effect. I can have Hariwini circle ahead of us and give us a heads up on the number and position of any crew on watch duty, then hopefully we can make a quick and quiet approach."
He seems a little ill at ease and looks down at the tankard on his belt.
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"Eh, it's been a pleasure doing business with you kind sirs, yes!"
"You can keep your monies, my friends, the Exchange has this covered, yes! That was very good business sense too Searlas, yes!"
"Now this seems to be just the place to try out my jolly boat, yes!
Rather than take one of the boats from the jetty, Malachi takes his tricorne and tosses it onto the water, speaking a command word. The hat becomes a small boat, complete with oars and sails. Malachi hops in. "Eh, welcome to the Besmara's Grace, me trumps! Thank you kindly for doing the honours there Korug, yes! Let us send our little friends to look ahead now, yes."
With enough room for everyone on the magical boat, you endure the quizzical and curious looks of the Kortos agents and start moving off.
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 travelling 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 harbour where dozens of galleons and merchant ships bounce softly on their moorings in the water.
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Searlas whispers quietly. "I'll scan for thoughts, everyone keep quiet. We may not be a band of thieves but whatever we can do to gain the upper hand we should try for."
He takes a spot at the front of the boat and keeps his own type of watch. The whites of his eyes turn jet black and he keeps facing straight forward, quiet as can be.
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"Captain" Malachi is clearly in his element aboard ship. He takes the rudder, and directs Korug and Torrel at the oars and sail, steering towards the location of the Hydra's Fang as it was indicated in the bunker.
"Eh, I know it is hard to believe, yes, but I was once a member of a pirate crew. Of course, that was a long time ago, yes. What we need now, friends, is a mutiny, yes. Any good pirate will gladly work for a new Captain if he gets a better share of booty, yes! So what we really need to know is, what does the dog Du Moire pay his men, yes? Then it will be a simple matter to outbid him, and turn his crew against him, yes!
Eh, or we could storm the ship and kill everyone."
Assuming it is not a lengthy trip across the harbour, Malachi casts Longstrider on himself. Landspeed +10', duration 4 hours.
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"Retired? I did join the pathfinders didn't I?"
He hushes for a moment as he focuses to keep the cone above water, having detected an awful lot of fish.
"Ok, not really a pirate... just didn't have much money to get to Absalom from Quantium. Hard to distinguish between a-"
He jerks his head forward and up again.
"-cheap ride and a pirate ship."
Sailing out seems to be going alright, and you are making good progress across the harbour, passing the various ships at anchor who pay you little regard as you avoid venturing too close. Eventually, you start your move into position to start the trek out to the Hydras Fang
Searlas gets a sinking feeling as Hariwini experiences a an emotion of fear. The Psychic has but a moment to yell a warning to his fellows.
R1
Korug
Malachi
Searlas
Polly collects the wand, then starts flying, making a fuss moments after flying above the boat - but not gesturing very well whilst carrying a wand.
Searlas activates his wand
Malachi has his hammer gripped.
Korug draws his weapon...
The boat is hit solidly from underneath and lurches dangerously!
The boat tips on its side... and the party is deposited into the water!
The culprits are revealed to be five scaly humanoids - each has a long, fish-like tail. Its arms and legs end in webbed claws, and its piscine head features a toothy maw.
R1
Torrel
R2
Korug
Malachi
Searlas
ENEMY