Savage tide
You all arrive at your friend Lavinia Vanderboren's towering Gothic three-story estate in the eastern section of the merchant district for your regular evening of dinner, games and drinks. The sky is turning from a lighter blue to a darker azure as the sun moves toward the horizon.
Kora Whistlegap, the wizened halfling housekeeper, greets you as you enter. "Good evening. Her Ladyship will see you in the dining hall."
Valeros stops. "The dining hall? You mean the great hall?
Kora dips her head, gesturing with her hand towards the great hall. "That is correct."
Kyra frowns. "Why aren't we in the atrium, like normal?"
"Her Ladyship will inform you. In the great hall." Kora smiles, the tiniest hint of impertinence in her voice.
You enter the great hall. You've only ever been in this room on formal parties thrown by Lord Verik Vanderboren and his wife Lady Larissa, and then only twice.
Three chandeliers light the room from overhead. A long mahogany able fills the room. A window overlooks the manor's central courtyard and the carpet is thick and soft. Portraits of the family, both living and dead, line the rich colored walls.
Several people stand before the fire at the end of the room. A jaunty half-elf man dressed in light-colored leather armor laughs at something the dark-skinned dwarf standing next to him must have just said. The dwarf wears green and brown robes, and turns to gaze at you as you enter, his expression souring.
A footman with red hair is holding a tray with several glasses on it, serving a handsome man, who wears a polished breastplate and is seated on one end of a couch against the wall. On the other end is a haughty-looking woman dressed in dark-purple robes. She sniffs loudly upon seeing you, while the man takes a stemmed flute of white wine and throws it back in one.
Merisiel sighs under her breath and whispers "Wonderful. Who are these idiots?"
You stand in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes, broken only by the hiss of whispered conversations, and a tittered laugh from the half-elf by the fire. The red-headed footman leaves and returns with more drinks and another footman, this one with dark hair. They offer you all drinks.
Valeros tastes the wine. "Cayden's mother, that's sweet," he cringes.
"So..." Seoni asks the man in the breastplate bluntly, "who are you guys?"
Lavinia Vanderboren strides purposefully into the room, a large smile on her face.
"Kyra! Seoni!"
All heads turn towards her as she greets you.
"Come in, sit down," she says, gesturing to the table.
She hugs Merisiel. "How are you dear?"
"I'm alright," she smiles. "You?"
Lavinia smiles without answering, and seats herself at the head of the table. "Have you all been introduced?"
"We have not," she says, taking the seat next to Lavinia.
Valeros seats himself. "Some mercenaries, by my guess."
"Not some mercenaries, boy," the man in the armor smiles too-sweetly, sitting opposite Valeros. "The Jade Ravens. We're the mercenaries everyone else wants to be."
As everyone finds seats, Lavinia gestures to the butler, a slightly portly man in his fifties. "Bring in the dinner, Carson."
The servants bustle about, bringing a meal in. "The Jade Ravens work for my family. I have a favor to ask all of you today, so I invited them to dine with us as well."
Valeros looks a little dejected as he stares at his flute of wine. "No games tonight?"
Lavinia beckons the brown-haired footman over. "Get him some mead, would you Thomas?"
"Of course, milady," Thomas says, bowing his head and departing.
"Don't worry, Valeros. We'll have time for that later. But right now, I could use your assistance."
"Beg your pardon, milady," the haughty-faced woman says, "but these...children...how can they help you? Let the Jade Ravens handle it."
"Children? Really?"
"What I need you guys to do is totally safe, I assure you," Lavinia says, glowering at the woman.
"This is Liamae Teslikaria," she says, gesturing to the woman, "Zan Oldivan, Kaskus Kiel," she continues, nodding to the half-elf and dwarf, "and Tolin Kientai."
"Your Jade Ravens," the pretty man says, smiling at her.
"Yes," Lavinia says, clearing her throat, "and I need...my...Jade Ravens to go into the bay and board our ship the Southern wind and escort my parents home. We received a threat on their lives, and I want them home at all costs."
"And what cost would that be?" Kaskus says, his voice surprisingly smooth for a dwarf.
"I will pay you your normal retainer," she replies coolly. "As for the rest of you," she replies, turning towards you all, "I have been remiss in paying one of the bills while my parents were away. I am behind on the berthing payments for the Blue Nixie. The harbor-master, Lord Islaran, has had it pulled off dock, into the bay. I would like you to deliver the past due rent to the man in charge of the ship, and have it brought back into dock."
"How much is owed?"
"One-hundred platinum," Lavinia says, producing a large sack of coins. "I'll give you each one percent of that for taking care of this for me."
Zan scoffs, laughing. Lavinia scowls at him.
Valeros stands. "We can do that, no problem. Anything else?"
"No," Lavinia replies. "Thank you."
The next morning you head down to the docks and rent a skiff to get out to the Blue Nixie. Upon pulling up next to the ship, you are hailed by a sailor.
He looks at you over the rail, and then speaks to someone out of sight. He calls down to you over the waves hitting the hull of the ship. "Who goes there?"
"We are here on behalf of the Vanderboren's, owners of this ship."
The sailor disappears over the rail.
Just as you are beginning to wonder if he intends on coming back, a rope ladder is thrown over the side to your boat.
You tie up, and climb the ladder, the ship pitching under you, and scramble uneasily onto the deck.
A disagreeable-looking bald man approaches you. "Who are these people?" he yells, his crew shrinking back under his barrage. "Get them off my ship, now!"
Kyra smiles at the man. "Are you in charge of this ship for Lord..." she looks at Seoni questioningly.
"Islaran."
"...for Lord Islaran, the Harbor-master?" Kyra finishes, her voice sweet and smooth.
The dirty-man looks sideways at the lot of you. He has a long scar that runs down his left arm and is wearing studded-leather. "Might be I am. Who're you?"
"We're here to pay the fees owed on this boat and get it back to dock." Valeros says, hefting the bag of coins.
Merisiel eyes the bald man suspiciously. "And you are...?"
"Done here," he spits at their feet. "You ain't got 'nuff to pay wots owed, pretty. And it's a ship, you idjut," he sneers at Valeros.
Valeros pelts the man in the chest with the bag of coins.
The bag hits the bald man's chest, causing him to let out a "Wuff!" from the impact. The man staggers back a step in surprise. It lands on the deck with a loud thunk, and one of the crew members picks it up. "Soller, it looks like it's all here. A hundred crowns."
"Where'd you get that pretty scar from, Soller?" Valeros sneers back. "Your girlfriend can't tell the difference between shaving her legs and your arms?"
Soller draws his scimitar, and sticks it in Valeros's face. "I got it from a 'ook-handed pirate. As I gutted 'im with me scimitar."
"The debts been paid," Kyra interjects. "Take the Blue Nixie into port."
Soller clenches his jaw angrily, sheathing his sword. "You tell them Vanderboren's I'll be waiting for their payment," he snaps, snatching the bag out of the crew-man's arms. "Their full payment, or they won't get their ship back. By order of Lord Islaran." Soller turns and stalks toward his cabin. "Get them off my ship. Now!"
"What?!"
"Sir," Kyra implores, "the Vanderborens have fulfilled the required payment, as just delivered to you. Their full payment."