”I’ll watch our boat. Would be bad if he stole it from under us.”
Kwin's head snaps up when he hears the wizard is still around. He stands from where he's tying up a pirate and rushes to the captain's cabin door. He slams it shut.
"Our rowers won't let them take the boat. Let's find the second way below and flush the rat toward the cabin hatch or long night's sleep." He accentuated the sleep with a thumb across his neck making sure its darker meaning.
He made his way to the front of the boat and started searching for another way below deck.
After checking the front of the boat upper deck. Badger returns to the main deck and moves to the first door. He moves to door just to the left of the stairs to the upper deck. He looks back to his companions. "Are we ready?"
"Have we checked for other rowboats that could get away from here, besides ours?
"Drusilla, just how far can they get with that spell?"
Already moving, Tarn called back "And the rowers aren't equipped to fight a mage. I am."
Under the forecastle, there are three doors left to right:
1. Ship's Galley: A crude metal stove, not lit, leans against the hull. It has an adjustable metal chimney that can be placed through a vent hole when it is opened. Next to the stove is an open metal bin containing sticks of wood kindling, and beside this is a large wood table, bolted firmly to the deck, with a thick top crisscrossed with score marks. The table has a large drawer. The drawer, which is unlocked, holds an assortment of butcher's knives, saws, and choppers. The cask contains water, while the cupboard holds a miscellany of tin mugs, small and large tin plates, wooden platters, and a metal dipper.
Hanging from hooks set into the hull above the table are two iron frying pans, two saucepans, and a skillet. Set against the bulkhead opposite is a large cask filled with clear liquid. Beside this stands a wooden cupboard. Against the bulkhead beside the forward door is a wooden upright chair, and hanging from the center of the deck above is an unlit, hooded lantern.
1.a. Galley Stores: Behind the forward door from the Galley, iron hooks are set into the ceiling hang three long strings of sausages, a large ham, and a hunk of meat. Against the hull are three sacks. Set against the bulkhead beside the door are a cask and a ceramic jar. Against the other bulkhead are set a large and a small cask and another ceramic jar. There is an opening in the latter bulkhead about three feet square and with its lower edge about three feet above the deck. The meat is salt beef; the sacks contain dried beans; the casks contain flour, salt, and ale; and the jars contain honey and olive oil. The ship's food stores are relatively fresh, though nothing is particularly appetizing.
1.a.1 Ship's Stores. The opening goes into the Ship's Stores. See 3.a.
2. Stairs down to the Crew's Quarters
3. A distinct odor about this room reminds you of a marsh or a swamp—not fetid, not oppressive, but certainly noticeable. In the center of the area is a wood table, bolted to the deck. On the table sits a silver jug half full of a red liquid; with it are three pewter mugs. Around the table are set three upright wooden chairs, and an unlit hooded lantern hangs from the ceiling above.
In the gloom, you can see three hammocks—one at each end of the cabin slung between the bulkhead and one of the ship's ribs, and the third hanging across the corner of the cabin from next to the aft door to the central bulkhead. A small chest or box of some sort lies under the most forward hammock.
A pseudodragon looks up from a small nest behind the chest. It darts forward and cuddles around Blacklock, effectively purring for a dragon.
The chest contains ten electrum ingots worth 100 ep each. Yes, it was locked and trapped with a poison needle which Argyri both managed.
3.a. Ship's Stores: Behind the forward door from the Lizardfolk Quarters, two coiled lengths of rope and three rolls of sailcloth lie on the deck alongside a large box. A large wooden cask stands next to six lengths of wood planking. Set into a wooden rack, fastened to the bulkhead by the door, are two metal-headed hammers, two wooden mallets, two saws, and an adze. There is an opening, about three feet square and with its lower edge about seven feet above the deck, in the other bulkhead. Each rope is 100 feet long. The box contains copper nails, and the cask is three-quarters full of hard, dry tar. These supplies are used to make regular repairs about the ship.
The pseudodragon can magically communicate simple ideas, emotions, and images telepathically with any creature within 100 feet of it that can understand a language.
It's name is Bimz
"Looks like ya found yerself a friend." Badger notes when he sees the small dragon make his way to Blacklock. He looks at the dragon and makes some cutesie noises as one does to a small dog or baby.
"There are some stairs down. Shall we?"
Going down the stairs under the forecastle, you arrive in the Crew's Quarters which fill the entire forward part of this deck. Various unpleasant odors of humanoid occupation compete for recognition here. Near the stairs, more to starboard, is a door aft.
Around the perimeter of the cabin, slung between hooks on the bulkhead and on supporting poles, are eight hammocks. Judging from the way in which they hang, the hammocks seem to be unoccupied at present. Beneath each hammock is a brass-bound wooden sea chest. Most are closed, but two have open lids and appear to contain clothes. The sea chests contain clothes and other personal effects. The garments are all stained, grubby, and in poor condition. Of minor interest among the remaining items are the following:
* A pack of well-used, greasy playing cards (examination reveals the deck has two aces of spades)
* Two sets of dice, one of them loaded
* A book titled Grog Hovels, which describes taverns and inns along the coastline suitable for patronage by a pirate
In the center of the cabin stands a long, plain wooden table with a bench along each of its longer sides. They all appear to be bolted to the deck in an attempt to keep everything in place. The table is stained and cluttered and has an untidy pile of dirty tin plates and cups roughly stacked in a large tin bucket below it. Over the table, hanging from the ceiling, is another hooded, everburning lantern.
Against the starboard side, an area has been curtained off by cheap, dirty cloth hangings. The curtained area contains two large tin buckets standing side by side on the floor. Both are empty, but they are stained and dirty and emit a foul smell.
Badger notes the book about inns and taverns. "We've a future hunting pirates. Or at least bars that will serve them."
"Argyri, why don't you check out those chests. Be careful, there is no honor amongst thieves; they may have jury-rigged traps to keep out the others."
When they find the book of pirate hangouts, Kwin tucks it into his pack. Maybe some more of these bandits that prey on travelers will need to be reckoned with. He nods in agreement when Badger expresses the same sentiment.
Suspecting that they'll be hiding stuff from each other, Kwin checks the seams of the hammocks and garments.
With nothing else coming of the search, Kwin will take down the everburning lamp. He'll wait for Argyri to check out the chests, and then indicate he's ready to move on.
Kwin finally realizes that all of the lanterns on the ship are everburning and hooded. While the magic of Firebolts and Fireballs threaten these ships, the fire of oil lanterns will not.
Exiting the aft door of the Crew's Quarters, you enter the Ship's Hold. Another hooded, everburning lantern hangs from the ceiling, positioned just forward of the main mast providing bright illumination to reveal an orderly cargo hold. Through the center runs the base of the main mast; beside it, narrow wooden stairs lead up to a hatch above. Against the aft bulkhead are stacked bolts of cloth, lashed by ropes to brackets bolted to the deck so they are secure. On each side are stacked a large number of small casks, also secured by ropes to the deck.
Inventory:
* 50 bolts of silk (50 gp each)
* 40 casks of brandy (10 gp each)
* 40 casks of fine wine (7 gp each)
* 1 large crate of high-quality mining tools (200 gp)
There are five exits from the Hold:
1. Forward door to the Crew's Quarter's where you entered
2&3. Two aft doors. One on starboard side of the keel, one on port side
4. Large grated hatch to the Main Deck which is currently littered with bodies
5. large grated hatch to the Bilges below
"See, Blacklock? Told ye that ye had magic in ye. Ye made a dragon! Well, either that or they were going to sell it. Regardless, it seems to like...well split me skull on a beam, look at this!" He said with excitement. Opening up a crate he saw high-quality mining tools and gave an ear to ear smile. "Fooking expensive they are! I could only ever imagine having had something like these beauties back in the day. Ah, it's going to be a shame to give these up. But whomever gets to work with them is going to be lucky indeed." He said, with a sigh.
From the Cargo Hold, you move through the starboard side aft door into the First Mate's Quarters where the hatch from the Captain's Quarters opene This cabin occupies half the stern section on this deck, with one bulkhead running along the centerline of the ship. Along this bulkhead, leading up in the direction of the bow, is an enclosed companionway. At its foot, a door in the central bulkhead leads to the other part of the stern. On this door hangs a dark blue cloak.
A single bunk, the bed linen heaped in a pile, is set against the hull. At its foot is a brass-bound wooden sea chest, its lid closed. Under the bunk is a brass box, also closed. The sea chest is neither locked nor trapped. It contains some garments and a pair of boots, mostly quite old but reasonably clean. The brass box under the bed is locked, but Argyri opens it. The box contains 500 sp.
In the center of the cabin, a plain wooden table is bolted to the deck. On it are two books, one open and propped up against the other:
1. Principles of Navigation by Da Korma (open)
2. Legal Distinctions in Letters of Marque by Tazaar (closed)
Beside the table is a wooden chair. Hanging from the ceiling over the table is an hooded everburning lantern lantern. Just aft of the hook that holds the lantern is a hatch measuring three feet on a side.
In the aft wall you found the smuggler's cargo.
From the hatch in the First Mate's Quarters OR the port side aft door from the Cargo Hold, you enter the Bosun's Quarters. In the center of the cabin sits a plain wooden table on which stand a pewter flagon (full of a rough, high-proof cider) and a pewter mug. Beside the table is a wooden chair, and hanging over the table is an hooded, everburning lantern. Next to the hull hangs an unoccupied hammock. Beneath it is a brass-bound wooden sea chest.
Also hanging from the ceiling, at the aft end of the cabin, is a large cage that holds a parrot that immediately wakes, squawks, repeats "Pieces of eight" several times, squawks again, and then falls quiet.
The sea chest is unlocked and contains, grubby garments of no value. Concealed by the garments is a locked (but not trapped) iron box but is opened by Argyri. It contains 200 sp, a spear, a dagger, and the remains of a crossbow.
After a minute, you hear some muffled cries beyond the aft wall similarly to where you found the other secret door. With a few seconds of searching, you find another secret latch opening a secret hatch in the aft wall. A dark, cramped area only four feet wide at most, squeezed in between the ship's stern and the adjacent cabin, appears to be a holding cell. A slim sea elf cowers in the far corner, chained to the hull.
Badger looks at the cowering sea elf. "Hey there. Were no friends of those that put ya in chains. I'm Badger let's get ya out of their and see about gettin' ya safe."
After a minute, you hear some muffled cries beyond the aft wall similarly to where you found the other secret door. With a few seconds of searching, you find another secret latch opening a secret hatch in the aft wall. A dark, cramped area only four feet wide at most, squeezed in between the ship's stern and the adjacent cabin, appears to be a holding cell. A slim sea elf cowers in the far corner, chained to the hull.
Kwin will approach the cowering sea elf. He'll crouch down, making sure he gives the elf a decent amount of space.
He'll try speaking to him gently.
He'll give the elf a chance to respond before he calls Argyri over to unlock the chains. Does he seem injured?
If he doesn't respond to the elven, he'll say the same thing again in Sylvan.
The Sea Elf does not seem to understand the words of Badger or Blacklock, but he certainly understands Blacklock's actions when the brawler breaks his chains.
The Sea Elf responds well to Kwin's Elven.
He tells you that his tribe noticed from a distance, the periodic travels of this ship at night along a supposedly deserted coastal area. Suspicious of this behavior, the tribal chief ordered Oceanus to keep watch on this area, slip aboard when the ship arrived, and follow the ship back to its port of origin to discover what he could of these strange proceedings. This Oceanus did, and at the vessel's home port he witnessed the stowing aboard of a small arsenal of weaponry. He was then discovered, knocked out, and taken prisoner. He awakened some time later, chained to the ship's hull in this compartment. He is uncertain how long he has been a prisoner or what his ultimate fate would have been. He has no knowledge of the lizardfolk aboard, nor does he or any member of his tribe know for whom the arms are intended.
During his imprisonment he has been brought unpleasant food three times and a cup of brackish, stale water about six times. On each occasion the bearer has been a large bully of a person with a hook instead of a left hand (you remember killing the bosun who matches that description). These visitations aside, he has been left to his own devices.
Kwin says to the others in Common "He is Oceanus, of the tribe of Manaan. They're about twenty miles away. He had been ordered to watch this ship that had been behaving strangely."
Kwin stands, and then helps Oceanus to his feet, certain that he must be stiff and cramped from several days in this confined space. He'll help him to a chair in the quarters.
As he helps the sea elf out, he continues speaking to his friends. "He says he followed them to their home port, where he saw them load a lot of weapons aboard, but that is when he was taken prisoner. He says he never knew about the lizardfolk being on board, or where the weapons were going."
When he is seated, Kwin confirms that he he doesn't seem injured. "They've fed him three times since he's been here. The hook handed man is the only one he's seen since he's been down here."
The iron key unlocks the chains of Oceanus.
"Well we can check the bilges while we are already down here. Other than that where else we ain't been?" Badger heads to the entrance of the bilge and looks around carefully from above before sticking his head in avoiding going into the bilge and its stagnant water if he can. He calls out as he checks, "If yer still about you've na allies left and currently you are perched on the last dead sole survivor line. Leanin' heavier on the first option the more ya force the search. We've offer'd mercy afore and we'd offer again if ya can show yer for peace."
" I want his spell book and components. That way he is disarmed and crippled. That way we can turn him over to the council" Drusilla will say to Badger as she seems to relax a bit and wonder if she'll have to fight the Wozard before they day is done.
" As for our Elven friend is he really an Elf? I met a Sea Wlf once that wasn't a Sea Elf, she was something else" Drusilla says softly to Badger
When Blacklock meets the pseudodragon, Argyri's eyes go wide. "NO WAAAY!! HOW COOL IS THAT? Can I hold her?"
. . .
After opening the captain's chest, Argyri beams with pride. "Check this out: poison needle trap! Those can be nasty. Not easy to disarm either. You gotta have a cool hand and a smooth wrist."
As they look though the catch, Argyri continues to be drawn to investigate further, but–with some willpower–says, "Arright, gotta check that out more, but I'll feel easier doing it once we've found that wizard."
When they meet the Sea Elf, she listens with fascination. "When I was growin' up following my Ma from pirate ship to pirate ship, we saw Sea Elves once or twice, but I've never gotten to meet one up close."
After Kwin translates, she nods. "OK. Glad we were able to rescue him. Smuggling's one thing, but it takes a really low kind of scum to kidnap someone. Please make sure he knows he's free to go...or we can help him if he needs help getting home.
"Meantime...where else could that sneak of a wizard be?? I don't think we've found his quarters yet, have we? And then there's the crow's nest."
At Drusilla's prompting Badger regards the sea elf looking for the out of place or signs of deceit.
Badger doesn't detect any deceit from the sea elf.
From the hatchway to the Bilges, Badger can see a little of what lies in the gloom below. This area stretches the full width of the ship and, for all you can see, the full length, for no bulkheads are in view. What must be the bottom of the ship is covered with a thick layer of wet sand (presumably ballast) on top of which is an inch or so of green, greasy water.
A scuttling noise toward the stern indicates there is some life down here—perhaps living off the garbage thrown in occasionally by the lazy crew, for there are heaps of trash immediately below the hatch that have formed small islands in the fetid water. A particularly large one has accumulated at the base of the mast. As you move your light back and forth, you catch a yellow reflection in one of the garbage piles.
Drusilla goes to search the wizard's quarters. This seems to be one of the master cabins. The furnishings and fittings are of good quality, and the place is tidy. A single bunk, made up with bed linen, has its head against a bulkhead running along the centerline of the ship.
A polished wood table stands in the center of the room, bolted to the deck. On the table is a silver bowl containing an assortment of fruit, a silver carafe half full of a light red liquid, and a silver goblet. Set at the table are two upright wooden chairs and a padded leather chair.
On the deck toward the stern is a wooden, brass-bound chest. Beside the chest is a pair of highly polished black leather boots. From the center of the ceiling, over the table, hangs an hooded everburning lantern.
The chest is locked and can be opened by Argyri using thieves' tools after she disarmed the poisonous gas trap. The chest holds items of clothing, a leather purse containing 50 gp, a spell scroll of gust of wind, and his spellbook with the following spells: disguise self, fog cloud, mage armor, witch bolt, gust of wind, Melf's acid arrow, misty step.
Badger shines a light at the sound of life.
"If that yellow shine is just pee running from the mast . . . so help me."
Badger notices rats scurrying in the bilges.
With a pole of some kind, he pokes the yellow and watches lots (two swarms) of rot grubs swarm around the garbage island around the mast.
"Yuck. No going in the bilges. Full of hee-bee jee-bees. Deadly ones at that."
"Aye, aint our problem. We won't need to go down there to get this thing back to town. It'll be someone else's. Preferably after we get showered with praise and reward for a job well done!" Captain Tarn said, a smile on his face. A thought hit him as he started to look through the corpses to see if there was a captain's hat presentable enough to wear. If they were going to sail this back to town, he wanted to look the part of the victorious sea captain. He'd already forgotten about the wizard they were supposed to search for, such was his fantasy of fame and wealth.
Argyri shakes her head, then points up at the crow's nest. "Maybe?"
She leads the climb up there, looking to see if the wizard might be lurking there.
"Might this wizard be invisible?" Bader bites his lip like a kid drawing keeps their hand steady deep in thought. "Did we see an sacks of flour among the cargo?"
Argyri finds the crow's nest empty, because she pockets the set of dice she finds.
After some careful investigation, Blacklock does not find anyone hanging on the figurehead.
Badger remembers some flour in the galley, not a lot. Humidity spoils it fast.
Kwin will check out the rowboat on the deck. It looks like it is stowed upside down. He'll take his sword out and swing it under the edge. If he doesn't hit anything, he'll ask someone to help him flip it over to make sure there's nothing (or no one) stashed in it.
Argyri agrees to help Kwin.
Kwin and Argyri return to the main deck where Tarn has been keeping watch over the jolly boat which brought you to the ship and almost dozen bodies dead or unconscious and tied up.
When Kwin swings his sword under the rowboat, you hear a "yelp!" After some encouragement, a smuggler climbs out from under the rowboat with his hands raised. "Don't kill me."
He doesn't look like the wizard who was bald, dark-complexion. He's looks like a smuggler: blonde hair, blue eyes, leather armor, etc.
While Argyri is in the nest he calls up. "While you're up top take a look. Maybe there is a boat he fled to."
As Badger pulls out the flour. He bemoans, [b]"Well its not enough to get everywhere I figured we could lay it down and see if there are tracks not our own.
At Badger's suggestion, Argyri takes a look around for anything interesting before coming down from the crow's nest.
When the smuggler comes out–and Blacklock manhandles him–Argyri says, "Hold on! He may not be the wizard...but he might know where he'd hide. What do you say? Maybe you're just a hired hand here, and can help us catch the wizard? If you can, things will go much easier on you."
If he agrees, Argyri describes what happened, and where they've searched so far.
"Should we get our escorts and the rowboat up so we can bring this ship in." Badger looks at Tarn.
Drusilla begins to look about trying to ready herself for more adverse magical attacks from a mysterious assailant. As the others rush around she breaths and fingers the hilt of this Scimitar. She wonders what exactly she will do next??