The whole room cheers at Skrelznit's statement.
"I can only hope that my name becomes as feared as the rest of you!" she says as she hoists an ale.
After some time, the party rounds down.
|
Skrelznit is first in line for an ale at the Riptide Alehouse, telling stories of how he singlehandedly (almost) destroyed a lobstereel as big as his ship (conveniently forgetting to mention that his ship at the time was a piece of flotsam he was clinging to for dear life) and later ate it for dinner.
Sassarra and Zaaka will also head over for their free drinks.
The bar looks 2/3's full as you walk in. The bartender sends over yo ale as you sit down.
Some sailors start listing to Skrelznit's stories. While many focus on telling their own tales to each other.
While perhaps not as keen as Skrelznit, both Sassarra and Zaaka know that a dockside bar is only a spilled drink away from a battlefield.
Skrelznit's eyes land on a familiar face, Captain Barnabas Harrigan’s cabin girl; “Caulky” Tarroon. She seems to be adding something to a few sailors’ drinks.
A man with a eye patch, and a winning smile, sits at Sassarra's table and start flirting with her.
That draws the eyes of Caulky. Seeing the party she tries to make for the door.... but all hell breaks out.
One of the sailors notices the poison in her drank; throwing the drank to her left; into another sailor. That sailor swings a punch, but hits someone else.
Everyone starts brawling, but not weapons are pulled.
|
|
Looseal, not one for bar brawls, flies to the rafters to observe.
Skrelznit alerts Sassarra and Zaaka.
Hey, it's Caulky!
Seeing a brawl breaking out, he can't help but giggle as he casts a spell that should make things interesting.
Skrelznit moves closer to Caulky.
Zaaka slips between people to the wall. Unfastening the rope holding the chandelier, he lets it crash to the ground, pulling him up to the ceiling! "Wheeeeee-haw!"
Sassarra leaps into the air with a rush of winds. At the top she hangs there, floating above the crowd with lightning crackling over her scales. A shrill blast from her whistle cuts the din as she calls out to the crowd, "A hundred gold to whoever brings me that syphilitic whore Caulky Taroon." She points out her prey with a storm in her eyes. "Whole or in pieces!"
Using the chandelier, Zaaka gets ahead of Caulky. she quickly shows her empty hands. "I have done nothing to you."
A few Brawlers looks to be heading for the party, but Skrelznit's fog stops them in their tracks.
The man with a eye patch, yells up to Sassarra. "I know a way out back. Best for you all to not be here when the militia comes to break up the fight."
She laughs at Caulky's protestation, "Silly girl, you can't take sides and claim innocence at the same time."
You feel that Mr. Eyepatch is trying to aid you.
Caulky ducks a thrown bottle. "Would you mind moving this talking to someone more silent."
Mr. Eyepatch flips a man onto a table; breaking the table in half. He waves from the now clear path behind the bar.
Sassarra nods, and flies over behind the bar. She uses their link to tell her impulsive cousin to stand down and he'll make his way there as well. But Zaaka watches Caulky the whole time.
Mr. Eyepatch leads you and Caulky out the back. From down the street you can see the militia heading into the bar.
Eyepatch looks to Sassarra."If a lovely lady like you is ever in need of Captain Pierce, you must only ask." He waves his hat and walks away.
After Pierce leaves, Caulky. "So what did you hunt me down for?"
She looks at her, "Because I saw what you were doing in there. Slipping something from that little flask of yours into people's drinks. I'm not about to let my crew drink poison."
"1st, it was just going to knock out some people; to find new crew. 2nd, I was not targeting your crew; I even tried to leave after seeing you."
"That sounds honest enough. But you still haven't given me a reason to let you walk away. It seems like I'd be doing the Shackles a favor by keeping you from doing this to any more unfortunate souls." She pauses, giving Caulky a chance to plead her case.
"A lot of ships do the same thing. If not me, then someone else would be sent. Things have not been easy on me after you took Captain Harrigan's ship. He is as angry and dangerous as a stingray and has been riding everyone hard."
She points to her covered eye.
"I even lost a eye; in a knife fight. It hurt like hell. But till I can find a new ship and Captain, he is all I got; so I do my job."
*I knew that there was some reason I keep you around. It probably has something to do with the bird.* There's a quick wink to Skrelznit to show that she's kidding.
She nods in sympathy at hearing about her eye. "I suspect that the fighting is a symptom of having crew that doesn't want to be there. I won't have anybody on my crew that's not there by choice. They can walk away at any time if they have a problem. But if they stand with me, I'll stand with them. They know that I'll dive into a sahaugin lair to retrieve crew because I've done exactly that."
Having set the groundwork, she waits to see if Chalky is ready to ask for help.
Caulky Looked surprised by what Sassarra said. After looking to the setting sun, she turns back to Sassarra.
"Even if I rushed back now, I don't think I will make it before sail. Even if I do make it, I would be punished for failing my mission.
I would like to sail under your flag. Harrigan hates you, so his feelings to you won't change for stealing away one of his crew.
So, you have a open spot for me? "
"Oh, I'm always ready to piss in that man's rum." she says with a smile. "Especially when he's short on hands." She holds out her hand, "Welcome to the Dragon's Kin."
She will ask for her vial of sleepy sauce, just in case.
Back at the ship, she'll introduce Chalky to the crew. "Gather round, all. We've got a new sailor, Chalky. Some of you might remember her from our time on Harrigan's joyful ship. Now some of you might be feeling something of a grudge from what came before. I can understand that. If you're feeling that way, then come to me and we'll figure things out like civilized folk. You all know that I won't stand taking things into your own hands."
A hour before dawn the next day, a messenger shows up.
"Tessa Fairwind, Mistress of the city of Quent, inviting you to a early diner at her townhouse in Port Peril this following evening. Tales of your exploits have impressed her, and she wishes to recruit them for a sensitive task.
Tessa is the captain of the sloop-of-war 'Luck of the Draw' and one of the most powerful and popular pirate lords on the Pirate Council of the Shackles. Rumor is that Tessa is next in line for the Hurricane Crown—either by the acclaim of the Free Captains, or by taking it from Kerdak Bonefist herself.
She'll send the messenger back with their acceptance and silver for his trouble.
On hearing about the puffy shirt, "But keep the armor on underneath. This could be a step up, or somebody trying to stop the up-and-comers. We'll need to be ready for anything."
You arrive at Tessa’s townhouse. A retainer waiting, leads you into the dining hall. A large window goes the length of the hall overlooking the harbor.
A woman turns away from the window, and waves to chairs before sitting herself.
"While it is not my home port, the view is awesome. You have my congratulates for becoming free Captains now. What do you know of the political situation under Kerdak lead has got the Shackles into?"
Sassarra nods at this. "Well, it may be just me, but I've seen more Chelish vessels around than I care for. The kind with more cannon than I care see pointed at me."
"Yes, and Chelish actively is being overlooked by Bonefist. Bonefist is trying to keep in control, and will not take action.
If this is a new Chelish invasion then we will need to act. I need proof of why and what Chelish ships are doing here. I am to well know; but you, being new, can move more easily.
I do not want it known that I am investigating these rumors, or my alliance with you for now. You have the spark of leadership that could one day lead to joining the Pirate Council.
I hope to aid you in this, and offer you to join my fleet. Not as a active ship under my command or any share of your work, but a sign of allegiance."
"It sounds like we want the same things, which is a good start to a friendship." she says, raising a glass. "I think that we can definitely help each other out."
She in turn raises her own glass.
After eating. She speaks up again. "“I am convinced that Cheliax has spies and informants working in the Shackles, and I can think of only two places that might have some knowledge of these traitorous informers in our midst. The first is the House of Stolen Kisses in Quent, a temple of Calistria and one of the best information brokerages in the Shackles. Use this note to obtain an audience with the
temple’s high priestess, Dindreann.
She pushes forword a letter.
“The second is the Temple of the Hidden Name, a secret temple of Norgorber said to operate in the town of Beachcomber on Bag Island. If anyone knows of these spies, it would be the followers of the Reaper of Reputation. I have no contacts with the priests of that temple, so I hope you can convince them to reveal what they know."