"I see. And if your clutch were returned as well?"
"Don't waste my time with fantasy. The sahaugin surely ate them. Now go, leave me human."
Kal frowns at the woman. "You are being foolish. Perhaps the sahuagin did maim you, even ate your legs in front of you. I can see that being disturbing. However, it does absolutely no good for you to remain here sulking when offered the chance to return and prevent the demise of your tribe. Is it not so? Have I spoken falsely?"
He falls silent for a moment, his cheeks flush with irritation. "As it happens, your clutch remains in their nursery with naught but a fish-woman as its guard. Do you still wish me to leave?"
The locathah turns to face away from Kal.
"Don't lie to me."
"Fool. What would it profit me to lie to you?"
Kal turns and swims out of the room. When the others return, he explains that they'll need to either kill the matron or convince her to give up the eggs. "It may be better to just kill her. They won't easily forget that we have slain their chieftain, and if they retain their eggs, they will simply raise more of themselves and make trouble later."
"It might be worth leaving her alive if we can get those eggs from her. Someone needs to pass on the tale of how we entered their lair and slew their chieftain so there's no doubt that we're not to be tangled with in the future."
"True... hmm. I could ask a few of my friends over and have one subdue her while the other takes the eggs. Would that suit?"
Bjorkus nods.
"Let's do it quickly. There's no telling how much longer the bulk of the tribe will be away."
Maybe Chubs sneak in and steal eggs and stuff?
"I suppose we can just tell the matron that we will leave her eggs alone if she hands over the others..."
"Let's try that, Opal."
Kal hops back into the water and swims toward the nursery.
Kal returns to see the matron having ushered the spawn and the eggs to one side of the room, is taking up a defensive position near the doorway.
"Come any nearer and I'll tear you apart human!"
"Yes, yes, just like your chieftain did, right? You fish-faces are all very arrogant, but the fact is we've just killed your chieftain and the rest of your tribe, and will do the same to you unless you hand over the locathah eggs."
The monstrous matron visibly shakes before the young sailor's wrath.
"And you swear you will spare the eggs of my people?"
"For this day, at least, I will not harm them."
The matron looks to Kal, her charges, and then back to the young human.
She quickly swims over and scoops up all ten of the translucent grapefruit-sized eggs in her flabby arms and swims back to the party.
"Take them and leave this place. May Kelizandri drown you and see your bones scattered across the seas."
You shut up fish face before Chubs razor teeth kill you dead!
Kal takes the eggs with a smirk. "And good day to you, too."
He turns and returns to the prisoner's room.
The female locathah doesn't react at first when Kal approaches.
"I told you to go away human..."
She half turns and stares in shock at the sight of her eggs.
Without a word she begins to feverishly tear at the chain binding her waist.
You sure no thankful for Kal's kindness! We no hurt you. We help!
Kal nods at Chubwart and motions to the chain. "Could you assist with the lock on that, Captain?"
Blood begins to ooze from her fingertips as she madly tears at the metal bindings.
"Calm yourself! You'll do no good to anyone dead!"
Kal approaches to assist.
Chubs pulls out his tools and works on the bindings.
Leave me alone. Get me out. You crazy lady!
The goblin's nimble fingers makes short work of the rotting lock and soon the maimed female is free. With surprising quickness, for one missing her legs, the locathah grabs the eggs from Kal and swims towards the exit.
Kal motions the others back, doubting that anyone will try to stop her anyway. After she's gone and they've returned to the surface, he shrugs. "Well, at least we've caused the sahuagin some extra trouble. Shall we return to our ships?"
The goblin's nimble fingers makes short work of the rotting lock and soon the maimed female is free. With surprising quickness, for one missing her legs, the locathah grabs the eggs from Kal and swims towards the exit.
Good thing you swim good with arms. Chubs was afraid you people end up calling you bob! Chubs punches Kal. Get it? Bob?
The party returns to the ships and with the help of the crew, gets the chests up onto the deck.
Without another glance, the Raging Storm and the Sanbalot are wheeled about and turn for the exit, only to find another ship blocking their path! It's the ship that was present when the sahaugin attacked Tidewater Rock - marked as the Thresher.
With no place to go, the Thresher easily closes and throws lines across to board.
As the enemy crew spills onto both ships, a huge bear of a taldan with patchy red hair roars a challenge. He's dressed in a dinged-up ill-fitting breastplate and baggy pantaloons. His crude features suggest parentage that isn't entirely human.
"Who's the captain of this ship. Face me like a man and spare your crew a world of hurt!"
Kal lays one hand on Luthor's shoulder as they arrive back at the ships. "Here, let me see if I can help with those wounds a bit more."
Kal glances over at Chubwart, then Luthor, as if waiting for some kind of signal. In the meantime, he moves closer to the Taldan and unslings his bow from his shoulder.
"I'm the acting captain of the Sanbalot. What are the terms?" Luthor then leans over to Kal. "If it turns south, unleash everything on him. Let the others know too."
The big man pauses when Luthor answers his challenge.
”When I beat you, Wolfe’s treasure, your ship, and your women are mine”, the pirates on the thresher hoot and cheer at the big taldan’s bravado.
”If you should somehow beat me, my ship, what’s in her hold, and me and my officers are yours.”
"No other rules? Are you sure?"
”What other terms do I need?”
”I’ll tell you what little man, I’ll even let you choose the weapons.”
His crew laughs as their captain's boast.
"Just checking. Gimme that new trident. I'm gonna test it out on this fool."
Kal frowns deeply. "Captain, may I have a word with you in private?"
"Fine. I'll be back to teach you a lesson. Don't go anywhere."
As they get below deck, Kal's faux frown disappears, though his visage remains grim. "I hope you know what you're doing."
Retrieving a few scrolls from his pouch, he sorts through them and picks two to use.
"I never know what I'm doing. Hasn't stopped me yet."
Kal grins at the other man. "Alright, let's get back out there before they suspect anything. Remember, I'm very upset about this."
Holding his bow and skull totem, Kal emerges from belowdeck, his scowl once again present.
"Yep and I'm the arrogant captain who doesn't care." Luthor makes his way back to the deck. "Are you ready whelp? Let's do this on your ship. Think of it as a mini tour before I take it from you." He grabs the newly acquired trident.
Kal approaches the others, shooting a disapproving glance toward Luthor. "Let's stay close... we may need to intervene."