You arrive at your friend Lavinia Vanderboren's estate for dinner.
She sits at the head of the table as dinner is served.
"As you know, my parents just passed away."
Aliyah reaches out, taking Lavinia's hand.
Lavinia gives Aliyah's hand a squeeze, and smiles at her.
"Along with this house came a sizable amount of debt my family owes to the Dawn Council, the harbormaster, and several guildhalls."
"But your families rich. I don't understand."
Lavinia sighs. "It seems my parents were not that skilled at finance, for all their success as explorers. I need to access the family vault under Castle Teraknian."
"You can't access it, can you?"
Lavinia shakes her head. "The vault is locked...keyed to my parents special signet rings."
"But with your parents deceased..." Bexellock's low voice trails off.
Lavinia looks down at Aliyah's hand in hers. "I know my mother lost hers a few months ago, and ordered a replacement made. It won't be done for another month or so."
Aliyah squeezes Lavinia's fingers again. "What about Verik's?"
"My father..." Lavinia clears her throat. "My father never wore his ring. Something about a man wearing jewelry. He kept it on his ship, the Blue Nixie."
"So go get it."
Taryk sips his wine, and puts the goblet down. "She can't."
"Why not?"
"I would imagine because of the debts owed to the harbormaster."
"He seized the ship until someone pays for the last four months mooring charges. I pulled together almost all the money I could and paid the man he put in charge of my ship, but when I went to retrieve my property, I was turned away."
Konghruul's hood is drawn up. "Whats 'is name?"
"Umm...Vark?" Lavinia looks around as if someone may know the answer.
Konghruul nods. "Soller Vark. Bit of a cad, 'e is. Runs with a bunch o' thugs, likely them that turned you away."
Lavinia nods. "They claimed I hadn't yet paid the fine. I reported them to the Harbormaster, but he doesn't believe me."
Aliyah scowls. "Keltar Islaran is a doddering old fool. His kids didn't care to follow in his footsteps, so he's let the harbor fall into disrepair. Likely Vark's taken advantage of the old man's trust."
"Have you spoken to the City Watch?"
"I have no proof of any wrongdoing." Tears well in her eyes as she bites her lip, a small sob of frustration escaping her lips.
"Vark's up ta no good. He would'na bothered keepin' you off that ship less he 'ad somethin' he did'na want you seein'. Konghruul's long nails flick a crumb of bread away.
"Will you go speak with him?" Lavinia looks hopefully at her friends.
"Of course we will."
"He don't speak that language. Diplomacy ain't in 'im."
"Are you ready to accept any repercussions our...intervention may cause?"
"Don't kill anyone...as a matter of fact, try not to resort to violence at all." Lavinia sets her jaw. "But I must have my ship back. I've paid the dues for it...it's mine by right."
"How much did you pay him?"
"A hundred platinum."
The room is silent for a moment, as everyone looks from one to another. Lavinia blushes pink.
Mendyrian lets out a low whistle.
"I'll give each of your two hundred gold once I have access to the family vault. Please. You're my friends."
Asher looks around at everyone, then nods. "Of course we'll help."
The companions arrive at the dock and rent a longboat to row out to the ship. They arrive after twenty minutes of rowing.
Bexellock balances in the boat, and yells to those on deck. "We'd like to come aboard!"
A pudgy man with a greasy grayish-blond beard comes to the rail. He snorts and spits a big greenish wad into the sea.
"Get on. Cause y'ain't gettin' on this ship."
Aliyah stands, but the boat rocks suddenly with two people standing, and she takes her seat again. "We're coming on now. This ship is the property of Lavinia Vanderboren, and we are here to reclaim it for her."
Two other sailors appear at the rail, chuckling, and mockingly repeating Aliyah's words. The first one disappears.
A cascade of sloppy material sails out, hitting Bexellock across his shoulder, and covering Mendyrian's lap.
"That was unwise."
Mendyrian lets out a yell.
With a guttural scream, she leaps for the chain, grabs onto it, and climbs to the deck.