Will squirms as Lajiri tends to his wounded hand. The index finger has been amputated below the knuckle, and whoever did it didn't take much care and took half his thumb's fingerprint too.
Mazhir meets the captain of a trading ship carrying olives to Samra. The man, a short and stout human of calishite ascent dressed in bright colours flashes a smile full of gold as he says How many of you are there? All able fighting men I expect, I offer you passage and food and expect in exchange you help defend the ship if pirates come along. You'll have to sleep on the top deck, the lower deck is for my men and the cargo.
"A tarp if it rains is all we ask, you have a deal sir." Mazhir proffers his hand to shake. "When do we leave?"
The man takes Mazhir's hand with a delicate hand, each of his nails painted a different colour We're loading the Unsinking Mermaid and should be finished in a couple hours, you're free to get aboard. Oh and Nasir el Ammar is my name he flashes again his golden smile It's bad luck to shake hands with strangers...
A WHOLE tarp? Just for us?
I better tell the captain to count his fingers after shaking hands with you!
"So instead of the swaying of a horse, it's to be the swaying of a deck.
Well, every way of travelling is good, except the kind that kills you dead."
After giving Captain el Ammar a small bow Mazhir steps out onto the street. "It seems we have a little time to kill, if anyone has a purchase they'd like to make with their share of our advance prior to departure I'd estimate we have two or three hours to do so."
The party arrives at the Unsinking Mermaid to be received by the golden smile of captain el Ammar. Welcome aboard my good friends, as agreed we acquired a tarp from a fishing vessel for you! You can make yourselves at home, food is served at dawn and at dusk, if you need more you'll have to deal with the quartermaster he points at a skinny and pale man with a nose half as wide as his face You can make yourself comfortable over there, please try not to interfere with my men's jobs he offers his hand to each of them as they board the ship.
Garborn gives the captain a hearty handshake, then he begins to look for any likely place to string up his hammock.
Should he not find one, he simply rolls out the bedroll instead and settle in for a bit of a rest.
The golden smile reappears on the captain's face as he turns towards Laijiri My lady! I wasn't informed we'd be carrying such a beauty! You can stay in my room if you want!
He looks at Will's wiry frame and mangled hand. He's not much is he? He can carry water buckets to help cleaning the deck, not that he is going to pay his travel defending our ship
Garborn laughs as he overhears the captains words.
He then grins and pounds a fist against his chest.
"Don't worry! There be safety in numbers, and I am two or three at least!"
Mazhir moves to the bow, trying to stay out of the way but gazing eagerly out across the harbor. He was still new to sea travel, his first trip only a few short months behind him, but he had enjoyed it immensely--vague discomfort over the prospect of sea monsters notwithstanding!
The captain laughs heartily These dogs would need to be paid more than our patrons are willing to get a woman to give them companionship he goes quiet when Laijiri offers to cook with spices I have a small coffer I brought from home, I wasn't going to let our cook come near it, but delicate hands like yours surely can make something of it
The ship seems ready to depart but the captain keeps delaying the order, he looks to the docks seemingly waiting for something or someone.
Noticing the captain's frequent glances out over the docks Mazhir gives the dockyard a quick scan himself. "Is anything amiss, Captain?"
The captain turns to Mazhir again with his golden smile We had another passenger but he seems to be taking his sweet time isn't he? he takes out a pipe and a bag of herbs and offers some to Mazhir He's some kind of bookworm from wwhat I saw, travelling to Iljak after somebook that was stolen from his library or something he gives a puff to his pipe Didn't pay much attention but his money was good
A young man comes running down the pier in disarray, shirt open, boots unlaced, and clutching at his haphazardly slung pack and satchel. "Captain!" he shouts, attempting to wave without dropping anything, "Captain! Don't leave - I'm here! I'm here!" He stumbles up the gangplank and comes to a breathless halt in front of Nasir, doubled over and panting. "I'm... I'm here."
Once he recovers his breath he smiles sheepishly at the Captain and his companion. "Apologies, captain; I fear I overslept. Too late a night discussing the diurnal habits of the Chondalwood short-eared owl - well, really the attempts to observe such habits, what with having to be on the lookout for walking trees, angry centaurs, murderous satyrs, and the like. Fascinating stuff. I'm sure you understand." He adjusts his pack and satchel, then holds out his hand to the stranger.
"Greetings, friend. Calamys of Candlekeep, at your service!"
Ah. Mister Calamys! Finally you're here, we were waiting for you he says flashing his golden smile before turning around he turns again at Calamys Allow me to introduce you to our hired help he moves his hand to gesture towards Garborb The big man is Garborn and his companion is Mazhir he turns to point at the martial artist And the beauty is Lady Laijiri
Mazhir turns from eager gazing out to see and offers a shallow bow. "Mazhir Ketamet, originally of Gheldaneth." He smiles politely and then turns to observe as the ship pulls away from the docks, watching the still-moored vessels go by.
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Garborn waves a hand lazily at the newcomer.
"Yeah, Garborn Herwonkir, of the Nimbral Herwonkirs."
Then he leans back against the railing and inhales deeply.
"Feels good to stretch the old sea legs again, there is something almost...romantic about the life aboard a ship.
At least til the maggots get into the food and you're forced to live on dry biscuits and half a cup of stagnant water, hahahahaha!"
Khaz listened with quiet dread. He had been silent for the most part, allowing the group to move ahead. But to be on the water? The mere thought made his stomach church. A dwarf belonged on solid ground. Staying as far away from the rails as well possible he held his head in his hands, willing himself to be brave.
The smells of the sea breeze fills the party nostrils as they leave Arrabar behind, the captain orders one of his sailors to take the helm and steps into his cabin, as he stands on his doorway he turns looking for Laijiri If you or your friends need anything, please, don't hesitate to come in
Mazhir startles to find Khaz standing beside him. "Sacred Storms, friend! Don't sneak up on me like that." Upon taking a closer look he notices the dwarf's tight jaw and grip upon the railing. "Are you unwell, Master Cloudbreaker?"
"Gheldaneth, in... Mulhorand? And Nimbral? The Nimbral?" Calamys looks up at the muscular warrior in unabashed awe. "Captain, thank you for waiting indeed!"
As the voyage gets underway, Calamys begins to politely but incessantly question Garborn about himself and his homeland, listening with great interest to any responses.
Garborn has climbed into his hammock and begun to relax, so he doesn't mind giving the newcomer a bit of fluff on his homeland.
"The Nimbral? Well, I guess so, unless there is another Nimbral floating around somewhere I wasn't aware of?
Pull up a crate or something and ask away."
Khaz looks at Mazhir, his face pale. "I, urhp, eh...the ground shouldn't be moving like this. Nay he worry. I'll...be fine..." He looked quite miserable as the ship was underway.
Garborn chuckles a little at Khaz's obvious discomfort.
"Next time, get a hammock.
That way you won't really notice the swaying of the deck since you are already being rocked gently in your bed."
As the ship clears the mouth of the harbor Mazhir looks longingly at the rigging. Mindful of his assurance that he would stay out of the way he doesn't climb them, but he wants to.
The ship sails catch a strong wind accelerating strongly it's movement. The captain comes out of his cabin almost immediately Stay clear of the coast you stupid sons of Thayans! This wind will make us run aground if we're not careful he takes a spyglass from the inside of his clothes and goes up to the stern to have a look Shit! Umberlee is not happy, and she's brought f~#+ing Talos with her! Everybody be ready! he takes a bunch of coins from his pocket and throws them overboard as he whispers something.
"Oh mighty Falcon of Storms, spare us a few days more." Mazhir whispers as he follows the captain's gaze, a cold weight settling in his stomach. Perhaps on the sea my lord must yield to the authority of Talos...no, let it not me so."
Calamys pulls up a crate as invited. "I apologize if any of my questions seem rude, but I've only read second and third hand accounts of your native land, so I'm bound to be quite misinformed. First and foremost: does your cavalry really ride flying horses?"
The bookish man listens with interest to Garborn's reply. "I see! And is the island ruled by arch-liches? Is it true it's illegal to dream there - and if so, how do the authorities know if you've done it? Are priests eaten on all major holidays, or only on the solstices? Are there talking cats? What about..."
*
At the captain's outburst, Calamys looks around curiously. "Is there something amiss?" he asks no one in particular as he peers at sea and sky.
Garborn waves Calamys apology away.
"Well, you are right about the sky knights, first line of defence for the isle.
Riding mighty steeds in the air, patrolling and keeping pirates at bay."
"But everything else is something you have to take with a pinch of salt.
Nimbral is the isle of illusions, of mists and deception.
Every wizard there is a trained illusionist, every single one.
You don't NEED to be too well protected if the enemy can't even find you after all."
"And besides, lies spread only adds to the mystique."
"Hoooh! Now THIS is the kind of weather that weeds out the ones that haven't gained their sea legs yet!
Feel that spray? If it was winter, that could cut your cheeks wide open."
Black clouds cover the skies to the east, the ship keeps sailing direct towards them as the captain barks instructions. Every hand is on deck moving the sails and working the rigging.
As the ship gets into the storm the winds keep getting stronger, the sails move from one side to the other getting quickly turned by the sailors. The captain and one of the sailors barely manage to turn the rudder as the currents under the ship threaten to take it of course.
Suddenly a terrible cry from starboard attracts the adventurers attention, a sailor lies on the floor over a blood puddle as two scaly humanoids, with long fish-like tails and a piscine head stand next to it armed with tridents.
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Calamys squints at the fish-men and adjusts his glasses with one hand while steadying himself on the ship's rail with the other.
What have we here?
As Mazhir is gazing out at the distant storm on the horizon, his head feels light, and see sees the attack coming. Without turning, he sees the webbed, scaly hand grasp the railing, hears the sailor gasp--then the choked gurgle as the trident buries itself in his throat. He sees all this, and yet he cannot move, his muscles will not obey his mind. He turns slowly, much too slowly, and sees the battle play out like ghosts on the deck. He sees spells cast, blades flash, the spray of sea and of blood.
Forcing his hands to move he throws his arms wide and calls upon Anhur, the Falcon of Storms, to empower himself and those near him on the deck. He feels the thrum of power under his fingertips and he knows his god has answered.
Calamys recognizes the creatures Sahuagins! They're evil amphibious creatures that frequently attack coastal towns. They're know for being short tempered and being easily enraged which makes them dangerous but careless foes he remembers.
Wiping the throw up from his beard, Khaz looked up to see the sanghuins come aboard. Acting on pure instinct he drew his bow and fired a single shot...
In such a state his shot was not as accurate as he would have hoped.
"Oh good! A bit of action!"
Stalking a few steps forward, Garborn moves his hands through a number of mystical paces, then he a handful of colourful sand which he blows at the creatures.
"Here! Gaze into the rainbow of madness!"
"Sahuagins!" Calamys shouts, pointing at the aquatic intruders. "They're sahuagins! They're... they're... " he stumbles over his words, then finishes in a different language - "Անհոգ եւ զայրացած!"
Excited at this turn of events but not sure quite what to do, the parchment peddler looks back and forth between the sahuagins and the crew. The dwarf's arrow shot pushes him to action, and he crosses the deck to stand behind the archer, ready to help if he suffers retaliation.
As a cone of colourful lights jumps from Garborn hands one of the creatures loses consciousness and falls overboard back to the sea.
The other looks at the group having the numbers advantage but doesn't seem intimidated in the least.
"You know...looking that smug its either stupid...or a distraction..."
Laijiri strike leaves the creature stunned as its trident clangs against the floorboards.
Mazhir begins the weave his hands and murmur in his native tongue, shaping the air and bending the light. In moments he has disappeared from view, though his sandaled feet can be heard upon the deck.
Calamys watches wide-eyed as the remaining passengers erupt into magical displays and well-practiced violence. He stands his ground behind the dwarf, but is ready to move up and assist anyone who becomes wounded in the fray.
The standing sahuagin is unable to move for a few seconds giving the adventurers the chance to cat again
With his head clear now that the adrenaline of battle had kicked in, Khaz sent two much more accurate arrows flying at the still standing shark-creature. He also shouted to his party memebers "Oi! Will needs help below deck."
"Hah! I knew it! The smug bastard was a distraction!"
Spinning in place, Garborn charges towards the stairs, drawing his sword as he goes.
As Garborn gets below deck he sees Will cowering in a corner as two sahuagins carry boxes of the ships load to a hole in its hull just above water level. Standing next to the hole a four-armed sahuagin, stands taller than the rest.