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"You know, that isn't a bad idea Bee. So far with the schools, I've met quite a few interesting folk. Besides, the tales of the many ventures that they go on should keep you excited!" Cath says with a twinkle in her eye. Following Bitty and Bee to the docks, she takes in the sights and smells while letting her mind roam back to her trip to Absalom.
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Venture Captain Callisro Benarry suddenly appears at the docks.
"Permission to come aboard?!" she bellows at the Glorious Payoff. When you are settled aboard, the lines are cast off and she deftly steers her ship through a hidden channel, carefully navigating through the barely visible rock and coral that protrude slightly from the water’s surface. Behind the Payoff, a slightly smaller ship—the Sea Sparkle—follows, making every effort to follow Benarry’s course as closely as possible. Off the port hull, the deep green of the Garundi coast is illuminated by the late afternoon sun.
After about a couple of days at sea, Benarry calls you on deck. Only now does she explain what she wants you to do.
"See those gulls?" Benarry shouts over the flapping of the sails, "that’s the sandbar we’ll be dropping you off at. Barely sticks up over the waves, but the seabirds flock over it to feast on crab. As my note said, Vidrian — you might have known it as Sargava not that long ago—needs explorers to chart the trade routes to the south that they couldn’t use back when it was ruled by Cheliax. Simple enough bit of adventuring, but the new nation’s been having trouble with the Free Captains of late. Turns out when Vidrian broke free of Cheliax, the locals stopped paying the pirates protection money, and now they’re the number-one plunder target in the Shackles. What’s more, the pirates have set up a blockade preventing our ships from making it down to Vidrian to assist."
"Thankfully, we’ve got someone on the inside. Stella Fane, a Free Captain with ties to the Firebrands and the Pirate Council, has been in contact with the Society. She and members of the Society’s leadership have put together a fairly clever plan to help the Society’s ships pass through the pirate blockades unharmed. The Wind and the Waves willing, the Payoff and the Sparkle can sail to Vidrian, no problem. While we’re doing that, I’ve arranged transport for you to Port Peril to meet with Fane and get her to sign this contract making the whole thing official—she may be a pirate, but she’s the kind that holds to her word. You’ll need to avoid drawing too much attention until after the deal is done. Once she’s signed the contract her friends in the Pirate Council will ratify it and there won’t be much the lesser captains can do. Be careful. Anyone looking to put a stop to this need only ensure that contract never gets signed."
"It’s a long-term trade agreement; we tell her where we’ve had reports of slavers—she hates them and it’s no skin off Society members' backs to let her know—and she approaches us first with any information she receives regarding archaeological sites and historical discoveries. Our obligation requires us to make the information exchange each time one of our ships passes through the Shackles, so attacking a Pathfinder ship is the same as attacking Stella and her allies on the Pirate Council. Smartest deal we’ve made, if you ask me."
"Careful with that contract, by the way. It’s all magicked shut, so only Fane can read and sign it. Now if there isn't anything else, you can all jump overboard and swim to the sandbar."
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Bee spends his time on the ship as they sail looking over the rails at the scenery as much as he can. Only leaving when one of the crew gets annoyed with his presence to shoo him away or he is called to do some task or other. And when he isn't at the rails, he is running through fencing routines with his sword. He tries to challenge some of the sailors to a match, but none of them seem interested. Probably too busy with their chores on the ship.
When their mission is finally explained to them, Bee listens carefully. He whisles slowly at the mention of slavers. "Yeah, no skin off of my anything to take down slavers."
And he is following along quite happily until that last sentence. "Seriously? Not even a skiff that we could use? Maybe even a couple barrels lashed together? No? Fine." Bee looks to the others. "Anyone have any problems swimming?"
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Leaning on the rails and taking in the sights, Cath is reminded of her first trip to Absalom, and of her childhood in Korvosa. The docks were a favorite of hers there as well, watching the ship-hands at work, as well as the city militia making their rounds. Shaking her head before noticing Bee trying to practice his fencing techniques with the crew before being called in for the meeting.
During the meeting, Cath nods solemnly at the mention of slavers, "Growing up where I did, I'd rather slavers would meet their justice before arriving to the ports that would protect them."
Laughing at the others' remarks, ties her length of rope around her waist and speaks up, "If this bit of water is too much, perhaps we could find some way to drag you to shore! I have some rope you can hand onto, but I'm going in!" Finishing the knot, and checking her weapons, the woman smiles, "Isn't this what adventurers do? The risks make the tales!" She then rushes towards the rails and leaps into the sea to head for the sandbar in the distance with a trail of rope following her into the water.
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I ... do not ... swim
Bee nods at the statement. "OK. We will have to see what we can do about that. And quickly. The longer we wait the farther that sandbar will be."
He turns back to the Venture Captain. "OK. Hand me this sealed contract and we'll..."
Dar Lek nods to the Captain and jumps overboard, sinking rapidly out of sight into the water.
Bee notices Dar Lek jump over the railing. "Didn't he just say..." He quickly grabs the contract and runs over to the railing and looks over. After several seconds of not seeing Dar Lek resurface, he comments, "I sure hope he knows what he is doing."
Then Cath jumps over the side as well. "Well, I'm not about to be the last one in the water." Bee jumps in as well.
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After Dar and Cath both jump, he replies to Bee, "Does not seem like it, our heaviest and our most armored friends went for a swim, so I suppose the lighter ones would not mind." smirking a shrug. Ashun takes off his cape and bundles it inside his backpack and tying its straps a bit tighter to his shoulders, "Any of you three not fond of water? Bea is really good at swimming today, he can help if you are not sure, right Bea?"
ㅤ
mlem
"Well, when we get to the shore, I can dry ourselves up, so, do not worry much." he smiles towards the three, nods and does the same as Cath, getting on the taffrails and jumping towards the water just behind Bee, swimming to the sandbanks.
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Bitty waves to Rinshu, who is still frowning at them from the ship. "Rinshu, Rinshu, over here! You can follow Dar Lek's rope, and we'll pull you in!"
Then Bitty waves away the drying from Ashun, and asks, "Can Bea play in the water with me while we're waiting? I've never swum with a dinosaur before!" Bitty dives under the water and blows bubbles, and then splashes Bea (and anyone else who will let her.)
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Bee finally manages to splash his way to the sandbar. When he gets there he sees Dar Lek pulling himself out of the water and Bee gives him a questioning look.
I walked ... along the bottom and then ... climbed the ... sandbar. It was not ... difficult
"Apparently not... Though, I think I'll avoid trying it myself."
Bee shakes his head vigorously trying to get the water out of it. When he stops, his hair is in big tangle on the top of his head and pointing in nearly every direction at once. When Ashun offers to use magic to dry him off he gladly accepts.
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Foot catching the edge of the rail of the ship Cath tumbles into the water, limbs flailing while screaming before a loud splash is heard. Disoriented, with her face and pride stinging from the impact, makes her way to the sandbar.
"Owwwww," she says, rubbing face before looking for the others. "Remind me to not boast about anything before doing it. is everyone here?"
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You all go overboard (albeit terrified at varying levels) and swim to the sandbar. To your surprise, the water, while a bit cold, is not really deep and not very choppy. You pull yourselves onto the sandbar. It's a narrow spit of land in the middle of the ocean.
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Bee checks over his gear once he is settled on the sandbar. He trusts that the magic sealing the contract is also protecting it from water damage - or else having them all swim to shore wouldn't have been on the plan. But he is a bit worried that he may have dropped something important while swimming.
After reassuring himself that everything is where it is supposed to be, he takes a look around. Hearing Rinshu say something, he figures it must be important. He checks where Rinshu is indicating and finally notices the edge of the crate sticking up. "Huh. Maybe this is a common smuggling drop off point." Bee makes no immediate effort to open the crate though - he will leave that to those stronger and more interested in such things.
Instead, Bee looks farther afield. "Somehow I doubt that this little spit of sand is Port Peril. Does anyone remember how we were supposed to get from here to there?"
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She said she arranged a transport for us. replies the Shisk looking at the crate with curiosity. He knows he's not the strongest so he lets someone stronger, or would be stronger, to try to open it.
His clothes will be dry soon with the sun and he looks around to see the small ship which should come to pick them to Port Peril.
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She said she arranged a transport for us.
"Oh," Bee sighs. "So we have some time to kill here."
He looks around the tiny sand bar one more time. "I think I would rather kill spiders again." He thinks about that for a few seconds. "Nah, probably not. Not really."
"Anyone have any good tall tales to tell while we wait?"
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Ashun thinks for a few seconds as if trying to remember something before speaking, "I have none of mine, but I once met a guy with half his body in burn scars and covered in chains. Silent type, but very respectful, said something about the chains sealing his curse. While trying to recover a relic from a lab, he got attacked with a mind blast or something from an alien with tentacles for a face. The relic overcharged and started melting his body, if not for one of his friend's quick action, he would have turned into a pile of goo. Today, he said he learned how to control the black goo power, but the chains keep him stable. Very interesting person, not sure how real it is though." and he shrugs with a doubtful look.
"As a wanderer, I have quite a few, right Bea?" as he looks towards the blue lizard, which responds by spouting water from their mouth.
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Bitty pulls out her Thievery tools to see if she can use guile rather than brute force to open the crate. "Yep, I knew I had a crow bar. Let me slip it in here, and slowly wiggle it..." Her tongue slips out of her mouth as she concentrates, her draconic tail poking up like a question mark.
Then she smiles as the crate opens. "Okay, let's see what's inside."
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When Bee asks for a story, Bitty thinks. "I can tell you the story of how my grandparents met, or... I could tell you about one of my first missions, where Egg and I got to rescue a bunch of baby dinosaurs!" Bitty's eyes go starry at the mention of the baby dinosaurs. "They were so cuuuuute!"
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Bitty manages to open the box. Inside you see a bottle of liquor stamped with a stylized dragon turtle.
You also notice a bottle of Lesser Bravos Brew. All other items inside the crate are cracked and broken bottles.
As you look over your loot, a small boat appears, sailed by an elderly dwarven woman. She anchors the boat at the sandbar and begins moving around sacks of shellfish and crab traps to make room in the cramped vessel. She looks over at you.
"So you younguns are jus' gonna watch an old woman move all this without helping? I figgered you younglings would at least help out an old lady. If you wanna get going to Port Peril now, get over here and help move this stuff around to make some room! Hlar's the name, by the way."
"Y'know, Calisro Benarry made me come out here earlier than normal so you might as well help me row!"
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After Bitty opens the crate and everyone inspects the contents, "Fascinating, does this bottle interest any of you? I might be able to distill and learn how to replicate it given enough time.", he says as he grabs and swirls the Bravos Brew while curiously looking at it.
When the boat comes closer and the dwarf woman expresses her discontent for the lack of helping, Ashun gets closer to stay helping with the smaller stuff, given he's not the strongest, making small talk while moving the sacks and boxes, "The name is Ash. May I ask yours, and what can you tell us about Port Peril? My first time going there."
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Hlar looks at Ash with a scowl. "You harda hearin'? Said m'name's Hlar. Young 'uns all different nowadays. Anyway, Port Peril's a place I avoid unless I need to sell my catch. Better ya find out fer yerselves."
Hlar sails her boat in a meandering path to shore along the submerged rock formations. Occasionally, she would suddenly jump overboard and dive to the bottom of the ocean and returns with an oyster, sea urchin, or squid.
"Gotta make a livin' y'know?"
Eventually, Hlar’s boat arrives in Port Peril around sunset. As you drift into Crescent Harbor, sailors disembarking for shore leave remain clearly visible, singing rowdily as they work. Hlar soon lands at a smaller dock to unload her catch and gestures at Fane’s ship in one of the docks—the Risen Albatross.
"Stella has a penchant for riotous nights on the town once she’s returned to port are well known. But I don't know where the kids go these days. You can talk to the harbormaster, Tsojmin Kreidoros. He might have a better idea of where Fane disappeared to."
Tsojmin, a dwarf, is close by, checking off tasks written in a ledger. Hlar points him out to you and sends you on your way.
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Bitty's tail perks up. "Oh, I recognize this. It's Southern Squall Rum, and it's pretty expensive stuff. Someone gave some of this to Grandpa Ifekube as tribute a while back."
"Oh yes, ma'am!" Bitty replies in dwarven to her elder, Hlar. "I'll be honored to help an elder such as yourself." Bitty happily dives and moves crates as needed.
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When Bitty gets the crate open, Bee takes a quick glance at the contents - but quickly loses interest.
"Fascinating, does this bottle interest any of you? I might be able to distill and learn how to replicate it given enough time."
"Nah, I've never been a big fan of alcohol. I've seen what drunks do and..." he takes a closer look at the small bottle that Ashun is holding. "That's not actually aclohol is it?"
"So you younguns are jus' gonna watch an old woman move all this without helping? I figgered you younglings would at least help out an old lady."
"Sorry, sorry. Was waiting for permission to board."
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Once he sees the boat with the dwarf onboard he simply says: We told you.
"Yes, you did. And an excellent boat it is."
Upon arrival, he'll clomp on over to the Harbour Master.
Excuse me sir ... do you know ... where I can find ... Stella Fane?
"We're trying to show our friend here how to party and figure watching Stella would be a good place to start."
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Bitty looks up at the harbor master with wide eyes. "Yes, please, can you tell us where to party with Stella Fane? My good friend Egg told me that you were the best person to ask, and as you can see, our other friend Dar Lek is a little stiff. He could use a good party!"
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Cath helps Hlar unload and tie her small boat to the docks before thanking her and following the others. This port, seemed slightly roudier than back home, which did put her on edge. Fights between drunken sailors were commonplace in Korvosa at the docks, and this place seemed less governed.
Following Bitty and the others, Cath lets the gnome work her charms on the Dwarven Harbor Master, while keeping guard of the group, yet smirks at the quips about Dar, "I'm sure a drink or five might limber him up, though he might still be a bit stiff. A drink does sound good though."