Young Rafe's page

As the group prepare to disembark, Rafe grabs Jim's sleeve and presents him with a vial of clear fluid. "Master Jim, I did it. I made some antitoxin in case Master Kaul is poisoned again. I wish I had been able to make more but it was very difficult. Anyway, I hope it will help."

Rafe gives a nervous little laugh at Kaul's weird looks and demeanor. "That's certainly not blue whinnis this time." He goes about helping Corliss with an ear twitching to catch anything Kaul adds.

Restoration ritual takes an hour

Belinna says, "We've got blades and axes aplenty, Jim, though I wouldn't call masterwork except my own family heirloom. Is Kaul going to be OK?"

Rafe has been worriedly examining the beat-up Bosun. "Master Kaul is suffering from blue whinnis poisoning. I know the signs well. My father used to give me diluted doses during the fullmoon before I could control my lycanthropy. He will come out of it in a couple hours though he could use some healing of his wounds, Corliss."

"I don't want to work with poisons. That's how my father ended up in the coils of the Aspis Consortium, but I can work on making an antitoxin if that might be of use in the future, Jim."

"But we just got here, Jim. We still have our shopping to do. Estabo and I will make sure to be back at the boat at the first sign of dark clouds. Promise."

Veric gives his characteristic shrug. "It's not that late in the day yet. I don't know if any of us can afford the docking fees if we're just doing one monument each day."

"You bet, Jim. I made two for you. Captain said that Estaban and I could come along to find some spice for Estabo and reagents for my experiments. Onzu is to come along as well to keep an eye on the boat while we're exploring the city."

Kaul and mute Onzu take the oars and follow Veric's team toward the docks near the great lighthouse. Veric has some words with a group of fishermen and is allowed to temporarily leave your boats at the fishery docks while the fleet is out. While Onzu is left to watch and exchange scowls with the fishmongers that threaten to shove you off if you're not back to clear out before the fishherman return, the rest of the crew follow Veric along the docks.

Towering just behind the fishing stalls is a pair of statues some thirty feet high depicting monstrous four-armed, armor plated sea monsters, but Veric is on a mission and you are left to wonder what event that monument might be memorializing. Just past the Shipwrights' Guild is the harbormaster and Veric quickly catches an elderly, but quick Varisian man with his gray hair pulled back into a ponytail and dressed in a rather ornate and officious looking jacket.

Rafe has been watching the discussion with concern, but speaks up. "Master Jim, um, maybe I can help. You know that my father was a pharmacist and I've been practicing some of the potions that I watched him making and maybe one could help you. He had one to help the longshoremen carry heavier loads. You could try it and at least you'd be able to wear your armor and not have trouble walking around," he offers with eyes full of hope.

Rafe gives a wan smile. "Thank you, Nuncle Kaul. Master Dibbets said I should stay aboard and keep the ship safe by providing a keen lookout while he's away. I suppose someone else will have to be the new cabin boy."

Rafe looks uncertain. "I don't know about reaving. I don't think... well, it's one thing to be defending yourself and another to go hunting people."

"Well lad... What ye make o' us? O' yer new life?"

"Well, Master Kaul. Never thought I'd end up aboard a ship, but I am appreciative as always that you all have looked to my safety. Estabo as well. I think Captain Belinna will do a fine job as captain."

"Once we get the ship repaired and all, do you have any idea where we'll go?"

Rafe rushes back up after a few minutes. "Captain, didn't smell anything, but I was able to jimmy his locker open. It's empty except some of these big black feathers!"

As if reading his mentor's mind, Rafe notes, "The moon still pulls hard a night before and after full, but I think that Masters Anatoly and Zossrov will be fine if they stay inside the ship. I can keep an eye on them and let Master Stork know if they look like they'll change. There are manacles in the hold if we need them."

The thumping stops abruptly allowing Rafe to tell his tale. "After the Captain left you on that island, we sailed all through the night. It being a full moon and all, I stayed down in the hold because, you know... I don't feel so well since that gnome did what he did. I was down there when we hit the reef right near sunrise and we grounded the ship to keep her from sinking. Funny thing, I heard the crew talking to Mistress Belinna and they said they had the reef spotted and were clear, but it was like it just rose out of nowhere to hit the ship. It is kinda spooky looking."

The boy shrugs and continues, "Anyway, the Captain wouldn't wait to fix the ship first. She took some of the officers and went to look for Redclaw's gold in that old black tower. She came back just herself last night and told all the crew that they'd found it and she wanted everyone to come bring it back. She didn't want anyone to stay behind."

"I wanted to obey, Master Dibbets. I mean she is the Captain, right? But what if you came back and no one was around. I had to wait for you so I hid again until they left."

Rafe offers a supporting arm, "Are you alright, Sir?" Dibbets' old gimp leg, long ago broken in a fall from the shrouds and more recently shark bitten and tried through stumping miles through the Mwangi Expanse, looks red and swollen. Perhaps his crisis of faith has left more tangible marks.

"I didn't want to stay when they left you, Master Dibbets. I wanted to go with Masters Nkechi and Stork, but they told me to stay with the ship and you would catch up. I am glad they were right."

A pounding sound from the locked door interrupts the tale for the moment. "That's Jenkie," Rafe says. "She locked him in there before he changed and I guess with everything, we all just forgot about him."

"MASTER DIBBETS! You found us!" Rafe rushes to his diminutive mentor's side from his hiding place on the stairs to the lower hold.