"Just outside of town." He gives you directions to the cottage.
"Many thanks." she says, leaving a sack on the table. "Know that the Dragon's Kin is always willing to share a glass and listen to helpful stories."
As they head out to scout the place, she'll whisper over to Skrelznit, "Sure you don't need an hour or two to dry out?"
Outside of town, you find a little cottage of mismatched wood. The door, little more a driftwood board, looks to be the strongest part. On the back side there is a single small window, to small for a human to fit thru.
You see what looks like a dead body inside. Arrows coming out of its back, and its head is dunked into a fish tank.
"Look around first. Somebody might be watching the cabin. I don't want to join him."
You don't see anyone around.
Zaaka looks down disappointedly as Skrelznit starts to do it the non-smashy way.
You find no traps, and open the door.
The inside is a one room layout. Bed, cookware, and a man with his face in a fish tank. The water in the tan is clouded with blood.
In the man's right hand is a carved figure of some humanoid bird.
"Well, it looks like we're too late. Let's see if we can find any notes or diaries or anything that might give us a lead."
Pulling the man's face out, you find it has been chewed to the bone. What fish in there feed on him.
Skrelznit and Sassarra can tell the arrow came from outside.
Skrelznit Sees thru the bloody water and finds a concealed compartment in the fish tank’s heavily carved wooden base.
After downing the Piranha-like fish whole, Skrelznit finds it was not as great an idea.
He takes Damage from the fish biting away at his insides. He also has a ulcers now (1 con damage). After a short while, the fish succumbs to Skrelznit's stomach.
No traps are found on the compartment. Inside is a waterproofed bag containing 40 pp, 259 gp, and a scrimshaw walrus tusk scroll case. Inside the case are several rolled up scrolls of sheet music and lyrics, part of an old Chelish opera written in Infernal.
"That sounds good." she says as Zaaka pries open the hands to examine the figure.
The figure looks like some human-bird mix. Skrelznit can tell it is tengu.
Skrelznit is able to find a guy willing to look over it.
He Quickly reads over it a few times, before turning to the party.
"I can tell you want this means for... say 50 gold."
She will pay out of the ship's fund. "Let's make it 75 for the translation and your discretion. I can be quite generous to people who understand the value of silence."
He nods.
"It looks like order for a 'Haddon' to report on the movement of ships visiting Drenchport, especially those belonging to the Master of the Gales. The orders also identify Haddon’s main contact, a woman named Roweena Kellet in Hell Harbor on Devil’s Arches."
She pays the 75 gold with a smile. "Thank you for your services and your silence." Then they will take their leave.
What do we know about Roweena?
Sassarra things for a while.
Roweena is a harbor quartermaster in the employ of Arronax Endymion, lord
of Hell Harbor and a former admiral in the Chelish navy.
She'll share that tidbit. "Looks like it's time to head back and let our patron know who far up this goes."
After a short wait in the sitting room, you patron walks in.
"You have something from me?
"It seems that the trail leads in the direction of Arronax." she says with a smile. She lays out what they learned. "While Roweena Kellet may be in this alone, I don't think it stops at her."
"I think I overheated that Roweena has been talking to a few crews, but I know nothing else for now. Track Roweena down and see where that leads."
You know that Hell Harbor is a town on the island of Devil’s Arches. With the map you can make it there with ease.
On the way to your ship, a older male human walks up to you.
"The living body holds many secrets, and as a ship's surgeon I need to protect the secrets or my services would be less valuable. Would you be up for me offering my services?"
You get the understanding that he has information that he wants to offer privately for some price.
"The services of a surgeon are always valuable," she says with a nod. "Please, come aboard and we'll discuss your rates in a more comfortable place."
Once you get in private, he pulls out a glass tube containing a human leg bone suspended in preservative solution.
“This tibia previously belonged to Vargus Brack, one of my old shipmates. Vargus was grateful to be rid of it—he’d have died of gangrene if I hadn’t amputated his leg. It’s a good thing I kept it as a specimen, since he was an officer aboard the Brine Banshee when she last sailed. Vargus and I were good friends—he came to visit me the last time the Brine Banshee was in Ollo, as he always did when he was in port. He mentioned in passing the course the Brine Banshee would be taking, and said he wouldn’t be back for some time. The Brine Banshee had an abundance of riches aboard her, and together I believe we can salvage them. Are you interested?"
"Oh, we're always interested in riches. I believe we're going that direction already."
"You can call me Fitch. All I ask is an equal share of the riches from the wreak. Not the magic stuff; I want to retire nice and quick.
To find the wreak, we need head near where it was lost. I can find the ship as long as you can keep our heading strong."
He points you in the way of Ollo.
You, once more, set sail. After a few days, you pass Ollo. Fitch leads you about one day out from ollo.
"We keep going this way and we should find it soon."
He keeps pointing his ring out to sea.