“Do the Malenti – or the shaman for that matter – have any distinguishing features? Yeah, I know, malenti look like sea elves, but what if there’s more than one?”
"There are descriptions in the packet, and longer ones available at the bounty house."
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Tessik looks at you as though you are a dullard, then looks out the window at the docks, where you can see dozens of masts, and even a few elementally powered ships. It is a good indicator, you are on your own for transportation.
"Fair enough, I can't guarantee you'll survive, let alone succeed. Now please, I am getting tired, and need to be on a boat in a few hours, so ask any other questions you have and be on your way." If you have more questions, go ahead and ask, otherwise he indicates a packet on the table nearby, in which is contained a map, a Kundarak voucher for 500gp, and descriptions and names of several Sahuagin, notable the malenti 'Parasi' and the Shaman 'Nohuul'. I expect more questions so don't feel put out. For Beren:
Spoiler: When eventually the group turns to leave, "Shifter, stay a moment." When everyone else has left. "To you shifter I owe a special thanks, it is you and your missing race brother that truely came to my aid, and without you I would have perished and the Devourer's pets' hands. Here, take this, it is all I have left to give you." He hands you a potion bracer with three potions of cure light wounds in it.
"Ever been in the teeth girl? Lots of rocks, some above the surface, some below... Their village was on a shelf, the high side was above the water, the rest was below. I doubt they are still there, but that is your problem now. So is breathing. Maybe the Cannith witch-weavers could make you something."
"The toe fuzz what?" he responds initialy, but your incredulous look changes his tune. "I brought the heads I captured to Tohas, everyone did, but I wasn't the one that took so many as to bankrupt the vengeful fool." "And don't be dispariging me, if they can be drug into the Stormreach harbor, they will be held accountible by what passes for the law here, and not just for my legs, but for the whole attack on the ' Wench"
"Straight to the grit, I like shifters. The vig will be five hundred Gold Galifars now, which is on top of your medical bills, and another two thousand if you bring the sea devils in. The bonuses is where it gets interesting, They just put a bounty on the head of Nohuul, the lightning chucking shaman. If you can bring him in, dead or alive, you'll get five thousand gold pieces. And the twisted devil, his bounty is at ten-thousand gold, so he is worth another five thousand to you, and five thousand to me." He cocks an eyebrow at you, as if challenging you to negotiate.
The Jorasco Infirmary takes up most of the first two floors of their enclave here in Stormreach. Continuous magical breezes, and arcanely powered lights keep away the smell and the gloom, and help the innumerable flowers healthy. Meeting with Tessik is delayed slightly, as he is seeing doctors, and a gnome is already waiting to see him. You mill about restlessly for half an hour or so, watching patients come and go, before one of the Halfling nurses comes, and guides you to Tessik’s room, a small but private chamber on the second floor of the infirmary, with a commanding view of the harbor side of the city. The ever-present smell of the sea is here, though miraculously the thin pain of glass seems to hold back the sounds of the city even though it is slightly open. Tessik lies in the bed, plain white sheets covering him. It is apparent that his legs did not survive the night on the Tethered Wench, no matter how well the rest of him faired. He stares at you for a moment, eyes slightly narrowed, then turns to the side, and addresses the gnome, who at first you did not realize was still here. “Will you recognize them?” The gnome nods, finishes gathering his things, and just before leaving, “Thank you for your business, Tessik, please let me or any of Sivis know if we can be of further help?” Then the gnome leaves, a miniscule leather case tucked under his arm. “Well, what a motley bunch,” he says to you collectively, “I know you,” he nods towards Beren, “were here with me for a time, but I thought it was another of your kind that pulled me from the water. Him I owe my life, and for all of you I have a job.” He waits patiently while you explain the few details you know of Raustikin’s disappearance, then nodding. “No matter, I still need the work done, and I won’t be on my feet again soon. I have arranged for transport to Sharn where I will have access to special therapy to undo this,” he wave his bandage swaddled left arm at the bottom half of the bed. “The gnome, Sabas, the one who just left is a member of their barrister’s guild. Among other things he will be overseeing my affairs while I am in Sharn, including seeing to your payment.” “The task I set upon you is simple. Those thrice-damn sea devils took my legs, and I want justice. And no, before any of you get holier-than-thou I don’t mean revenge, though that would be satisfying enough to me, but I can’t exactly bring the monsters to a court can I. Devourer worshiping dogs that they are, I don’t think the codes and laws of Galifar hold much weight with them.” “Anyway, as you may, or may not know, I am a bounty hunter. One of their twisted people, a malenti, a Sahuagin mutant born in the shape of a sea going elf, had taken to a life of crime here in the city. I tracked him back to his clan at sea, and tried to take him in for the price on his head. Apparently his family took greater issue than I though with that. This was the result,” he says giving an undignified thump to the space where his thigh should be. “So, the deal is this, I will give you the location of their old village, though I am sure they have moved on. If you can find the ones who attacked the boat, and capture them alive, the Stormreach court will hear the case. As an added bonus, if you catch the malenti, we’ll split the bounty on his head fifty-fifty.” He then pauses, weighing you all with his eyes, and waiting for questions.
On 1: In the water between Ruuz and the shifter surf and turf platter, a man bobs up out of the water. "Ahhh, help me, help me someone..." He dips below the surface again, coming up spluttering, "My legs"
"No, please, don't leave me to die!" Badly wounded but alive, the man remains pinned under the mast which has crushed his legs. |