Happily Ever After (IC)

[Jade_Tarem]

http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l511/jadetarem/Ancient-Book_zps8a0fb64c.jpg

Happily Ever After: Act 1
The Rival

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Chapter 1
Going Maverick
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Midnight, 12th day of Bargenholt, Sunrule 165
Thios Cnoc, Accorded Neutral Ground

Boshi Kirkpatrick stopped at the old meeting ground, holding up a hand to bring his kinsmen to a halt. None of them said anything, choosing to wait in silence. The area was Thios Cnoc, literally 'underneath the mountain;' a poetic way of saying that it was right at the foot of the Shadow Mountain range. The spot was memorialized with a massive fountain, beautiful and terrible, starkly depicting a single skeleton of indeterminate race sitting upon a regal looking throne atop an impressionist pile of coins, surrounded by the slain forms of dwarves and orcs. Though the fountain had no words etched upon it, the meaning was clear - there were no true winners in violence and warfare, and even the Pyrrhic victor could not elude the grave forever.

He disliked the area on principle. The place positively reeked of greed, desperation, and pointless sacrifice. Legend had it that an army of dwarves had descended upon this site to do battle with an army of orcs after a thousand years of warfare, only to be confronted with this anonymously carved fountain, running red with the blood of countless generations of deceased soldiers. While Boshi didn't know whether or not the legends were true, he knew that negotiating his way through whatever complaint the dwarves had to tell him about in person was not going to be fun with that fountain looming over them.

It didn't help that nothing had grown here for centuries or more. Petrified trees, mud, and stone were all that remained Beneath the Mountain in this particular spot. The fact that far more verdant areas were within a few minutes' easy walk just made the precision desolation that much more stark. It was unhallowed ground, *wrong* ground, and he wanted to leave before that wrongness could get to his people.

Fortunately, the dwarves were punctual - he could hear their armor rattling long before he saw them, and when they appeared from the Pass, they looked as grim as he felt. It was night - a concession to the Orcs, though it was hardly a burden on the average dwarf - and the moonlight gleamed from their armor and weapons. They had arrived with the traditional honor guard, much as Boshi had, and his opposite number looked equally thrilled to be doing business at the fountain.

They exchanged the usual formalities without incident, and then, as is so often the case, something went very wrong. He saw the dwarves snap their crossbows to a ready state and knew, beyond a doubt, that this was a setup. He didn't know why, or when, but the dwarves were restarting the Shadow Mountain Wars, and as Hegrick Coldlance - he could recognize the stocky commander - gave the order to fire, a lightning fast tactical calculation completed itself in his mind. The dwarves, up on the bluff descending into the area Beneath the Mountain, had both strategic cover and the better shooting position; worse yet, there was little cover to be had near the fountain. But his men and women were swifter, he knew, and he gave the only order he could as they reflexively unsheathed weapons under the overcast sky. It wasn't a bellow nor a war cry. Boshi would sooner have said anything else. But it was loud enough, clear enough, and certainly destructive enough.

"Charge."

Sundown, 13th day of Bargenholt, Sunrule 165
Port Maverick, Hefrizian Principalities

SAAOS Local Office - Issel

The room took a few moments to stop spinning after Issel arrived. There were those who trained themselves to compensate for the disorientation that accompanied dimensional travel, but for most, transportation via violation of the laws of physics was rare enough that there was little reason to practice such dimensional agility, and even less opportunity. As her wits returned, though, Issel noted that this regional SAAOS outpost was at least decorated similarly to the headquarters back in Tameros - blues, blacks, and golds predominated, as did graceful lines and curves.

The "exit" teleportation circle was painted around her in an eye-hurting and obviously cautionary yellow and black pattern, and a similar figure could be seen on the other side of the room, the entry circle of silver dust and numerous other reagents painted with exquisite caution and carefully kept shielded from the elements and the ignorant. Neither was glowing at that moment - the circles were a marvel of arcane development, requiring both an ever-changing password and a mage of some power to activate. In this manner, SAAOS prevented unauthorized people from using the circle - at least, it prevented them from using it without first paying the toll.

There was one notable difference, though, and that difference was scale. The teleportarium at SAAOS HQ was a massive, sprawling affair, numerous circles and gateways monitored at all times by powerful and efficient arcane constructs and even more powerful and efficient wizards. It was only on the other side that one gained perspective - despite a relatively small size, Port Maverick was part of the sprawling Hefrizian Principalities and happened to be the only 'free port' in this part of the world, making it an absurdly lucrative town for the merchant lords that governed it. But even as important as it was, it still rated only this tiny outpost for a SAAOS presence - the permanent dimensional fixtures were extremely difficult to set up, and were expensive and delicate to boot. As such, and with such limited space, certain accommodations had to be made. For instance, the travel chamber was an open affair, an alcove in a bigger interior room that served as the local SAAOS supply store, the communications service, and the local SAAOS representative's office all at once, and it was there that Issel found her point of contact.

The gnome was short, even by gnomish standards, but his thick mane of bright red hair that suggested that his stature was more hereditary than due to the ravages of age. His black and blue robes with the gold-etched hems marked him as being of full Wizard rank and not part of any specialized service, though he lacked the decorative gold arm band that would name him a Senior Wizard. He peered up at Issel from his desk, running a hand through his red beard and goatee. "Welcome, welcome. You've reached Port Maverick, apprentice. I am Garmillo deVashe. I see you're dressed to travel, but I was told that you might have questions concerning your thesis, which is about...?"

Bad Day's End Tavern - Abby and Hobbes

"...an' 'e just kept laughing and laughing, an' as the guards dragged 'im away, 'e was still laughing. An' that's the story of how I became an innkeeper." The speaker was indeed the innkeeper of what was quickly becoming the most crowded tavern at the dockside, and the smell of open containers and glasses of alcohol - not to mention various and sundry body odors - had finally overpowered the usual smell of putrefaction, resin, poor sanitation, and tar that normally permeated this part of Port Maverick. Olfactory assault aside, the innkeeper - an elf with dark tan skin that showed a few lighter scars and honest-to-gods green hair, tied back in an unruly ponytail - was personable enough and knew his business well, able to make virtually any drink a patron could name and spin an interesting tale. The elf had introduced himself as Calis, and while judging his age was nearly impossible, he claimed to have seen and done everything at least once.

The elf took a minute or two to clean out some glasses and make more drinks for the nigh-endless stream of sailors and dock hands passing through his doors. When he returned, however, so did his apparent appetite for conversation. "So out of curiosity - an' you'd better believe I'm not complaining, no sir I'm not - what are you going t' do if this contact of yours never shows?"

It was a good question. Her orders were quite clear, printed as they were on the letter sitting in the bottom of her pack.

Sergeant Tredwyn,

The Lionheart Order has, at some expense, contracted two (2) warriors to join an envoy into the Shadow Mountains. While the pay is good, I want it made clear that our people are going to the Shadow Mountains. I don't care how persuasive the paladins can be, we aren't going to rescue injured halflings from Mt. Gloom or whatever the hell they were on about last time - not without being paid, anyway.

Dispatch two of your squad members - the Lionhearts requested physical and magical muscle - to Port Maverick to meet with the Lionheart crew there, specifically at the Bad Day's End Tavern. One of their pages will show up on the 10th of Bargenholt to guide them to where the envoy is waiting. I know that this leaves you a little light on personnel, but Sergeant en'Sarn will be there soon to back you up.

- Count Eckhard Matthias

Unfortunately, the Paladins were three days late and counting. The Wild Dogs had a policy for no-shows - ten days and the Dogs go home. The problem arose from the fact that, due to a series of mysterious circumstances that may or may not have involved a thief and definitely involved getting gouged on ship fare, the trip to Port Maverick had depleted most of the funds that Abigail and Hobbes were relying on to stay sheltered and fed. Hence Calis's question.

The Docks: Northeast, Third Berth - Hin

"I SAID, WHAT. IS. YOUR. NAT. ION. OF. ORIGIN?" The man was saying, and from the reactions of those nearby, he was being rather loud about it.

The Captain of the Fair Weather Friend, a rather comely half-elf under normal circumstances, currently looking a bit too disheveled and tired to be truly alluring, planted her face in her hand. Her turn to the 'customs agent' blocked the first part of her sentence, but her mouth became visible again quickly. "[...]ready, he isn't slow upstairs, he isn't hard of hearing. He's deaf. Screaming at him doesn't change anything, he just needs to read your lips."

The portly halfling waved a hand in the air. "Fine. Alright then, sir, if you'll look behind me you'll see [...]" The halfling spun to begin pointing out what were no doubt landmarks along a fascinating tour, while the half-elf captain looked like she was hosting an internal debate over whether to translate or just punt the agent into the harbor. The halfling turned back around. "[...]will take that as a challenge, so for gods' sakes, avoid that part of town. Any questions?"

A look at Captain Arene provided the answers needed, though. "Avoid the bad parts of town. Read the signs to find where you're going. Don't screw with any pirate gangs - you'll know who they are because they're all color coordinated for your convenience."

With that, the final paperwork was quickly settled and Hin could at last set foot in Port Maverick. To be sure, the port town was quite a sight, the sunset had not yet painted the town in shades of red and orange, and the early evening light showed a consistent architecture, but a schizophrenic building plan - chaos and order forcibly blended together to make a single city. No doubt the denizens of a self-proclaimed free port would have it no other way. Buildings stood piled right next to each other, save where room had been made for walkways or the larger canals, the boxy structures of sun-bleached wood with various sub-tropical trees poking through here and there looking like discarded children's blocks left outside to the elements.

The docks, certainly, extended out over the bay, but even a good portion of the port city itself was built up on what appeared to be stilts - if you could call them that. Thick plinths of treated hardwood and stone held up walkways of yet more hardwood, planks nailed and bound to other planks to create approximately smooth paths through the city. Canals took the place of streets and roads, at least on this side of the town, though a winding path leading off into the distance suggested that such watery transport ended a little under halfway into the settlement. Wood formed the primary construction material for most of the buildings, too. Rumor had it that an enterprising gnome from Burrelsberg had found a way to turn a local resin into a fireproof coating, and had retired in style after selling the recipe to the merchant lords - certainly, not every building could afford total fireproofing, but at least it kept the town from going up like a torch every time someone dropped a lit tindertwig or a mage had too much to drink.

More telling than the visuals, though, were the smell and feel of Port Maverick. Humidity practically rolled in waves through the bay - and spring had barely begun. The sweat stains in the armpits and chests of the dock workers and sailors a dire portent of things to come when summer arrived. The smell of the docks and the town beyond warned of the possible dangers of falling into the canals, which pulled double duty as the settlement's sanitation system and all around garbage disposal, and that included enough hastily dumped contraband and illicit magical reagents that entirely new potions were probably brewing themselves beneath the surface of the bay. It was said that the fishing ships went so far afield from Port Maverick during the day because anything caught in the harbor would glow in the dark, cooked or not.

Though certain landmarks did stand out - the gold and blue dome of the SAAOS Local Office could be spotted easily - Hin can see no trace of his own contact on the busy docks. One of the members of the extended Kirkpatrick clan was to be here, but the few true orcs awake and out on the docks this early did not look familiar to Hin. One of them, though, does approach the half-orc. "Can ah help ye, lad?" The simple pin in his headband identifies him as the docks master.

Calhoun's Curios - Poe

"All of our sorcerers get scarred if they stay in the game long enough." The eponymous Calhoun managed to say around a mouthful of the local fruit - some form of soft-rind melon the residents of the port adored. Certainly, she had a point - several nasty puckering scars were visible on whatever of the proprietor of the secondhand thrift store's skin wasn't covered by her hard-boiled leather armor, and her left eye was perfectly reflective and obviously fake, with a near-vertical scar extending above and below the socket to suggest why a replacement had been necessary. Such, it seemed, was the life of a guild enforcer for the Ninety-Nine.

Still, she moved with an easy enough grace through the shop, now lit primarily by the golden-orange slats of sunlight that poked through the blinds on the windows. Calhoun found her perch on a stool behind the counter of her "shop" and swallowed her current bite. "Just 'cause no one ever tore up your pretty face don't mean you're the best in the business. Just means you never got yours before you moved on to 'greener pastures.' Then again, you're back here, ain't cha? So maybe not." She held up a hand to forestall an argument. "An' no, no goblin sightings either, though truth be told I'm not even sure what a goblin looks like."

It was a disappointing dead end in a trail that had led from They La to Norfall, back to They La again, into the Veir, and finally to Port Maverick, going though some of the worst parts of Amerys in the process. It was never a good sign when one was forced to resort to chasing fey sightings, but as the saying goes, any port in a storm will do... even Port Maverick. Old contacts and older favors had gotten him to Calhoun's shop - it had been described as a place where you could find a replacement for almost anything of yours that had gone missing: same make, same style, possibly even the same scratches, not that anyone was implying anything. It was, beyond a doubt, a guild-owned fence, but the fence herself knew nothing.

Well, almost nothing. "There is one other place yeh could try. Calis - 'e runs the inn behind me, here," she jerked a thumb at the back wall, "he's a couple hundred years old or more, has friends in weird places and has seen some crazy sh*t. You might try him. Elf, dark skin, green hair, talks like I do, y' can't miss 'im."

Finishing her fruit, she twirled the stem idly and leaned on the counter. "Anything else yeh need?"

[Space Lawyer]

Issel
SAAOS Local Office

Issel becomes a bit conflicted at deVashe's greeting. Was there some sort of lapse in communication, was the gnome trying to be offensive, or were the formalities just so lax out here?

"Journier Issel Riq, Master deVashe,", turning to emphasize the silver-thread embroidered blue-and-black armband on her left arm. Issel had earned her degree, damn it, and no mid-level hinterlands functionary was going to take that away from her. Still, he could have been emphasizing the latter portion of his greeting. . .

"To be honest, finding out what my thesis will be is a large part of why I am here. Professor Vankorian has rejected all of my previous proposals as either too dull, too overdone, or not sufficiently related to arcane studies. He "emphatically suggested" that I do some field work in order to expand my views."

Issel stoops to grab the handle of the large trunk sitting next to her, and drags the heavy luggage off the platform. "What should I do with this?"

[Fernosaur]

Abby

She hated waiting. She hated waiting with all her heart and soul and all the blessings Sarenrae had shed upon the world. And she knew Hobbes knew, and she also knew he was having his fun while looking at her being angry and impatient because he loved poking at her when she did. As a matter of fact, she was so upset that she wanted to tell Calis to shut up and leave her be miserly by herself.

Why are the Paladins taking so long?! They're Paladins! They're supposed to be RIGHTEOUS!

No, no. No! She had to calm down, what would her Mother say if she suddenly blew up on a random guy who was being actually very attentive. Not that she wasn't accustomed to guys being attentive, idiots, but Calis was different. She could tell. Or at least she thought she could tell.

She let out a sigh, but then smiled at the innkeeper. She probably looked angry, or troubled at the very least, but she knew she had to be corteous sometimes despite her impulses to maim people for making her wait.

"Well... we have to, I don't know, keep waiting I guess. If they don't show up after some more days..."

She gave Hobbes a look. That look. The look that meant "please stop me from talking and screwing up because you always know how to get out of awkward situations in which they're suggesting we should pay money we don't have." Well, maybe that was a very long meaning for a simple look, but she knew he'd get it. He always did.

While her friend visibly readied to talk, she meticulously opened up her backpack to take another discrete look at the letter. She knew they were already in the right place, but she had a necessity to double check.

She really hated waiting.

[Whiskeyjack]

Poe

The man looks young, everywhere but in his eyes. Dressed in a form of local finery--or a convincing magical facsimile--he leans over one of the glass-topped counters, inspecting the wares as Calhoun speaks to him. Poe can't help but snort when he woman comments on sorcerers. "We all have scars, no matter what game," he finally replies, looking up at her with smiling green eyes as he tucks a pair of charcoal sketches back into a small sealskin folio and that inside some pocket of his cloak. "And Port Mav is hardly the green pastures I imagined," he agrees. "Could certainly be worse for certain friends of ours, though. Small blessings. Thanks for your help, Calhoun. And the accessories are much obliged, I think I'll keep them."

He tugs on the sleeves of his outfit, then smacks down hard gold, plus a few extras for the tip. "One other thing though. With the heat picking up, surely to be plenty of snakes slithering about in the hills. Any Dogs in town sniffing them out?" As always, being a passing-fair servant to two masters had its perks over being a masterful servant to one, but the coordination logistics could be damn exhausting. Though the Dogs wouldn't appreciate finding out he was in town and not checking in.

[Jade_Tarem]

Local SAAOS Office - Issel

"My apologies. I believe the travel arrangements were made before your rank was confirmed, and I only checked the booking. I'll fix that in our local records."

"What should I do with this?"

The gnome appraises the various parts of the office. "Well, we do have a small dormitory here, but if the accommodations are too cramped, you could always check in at one of the many local inns. They'll charge more than SAAOS, of course, but many of them have much laxer rules. Hrm..." deVashe rubs his glorious facial hair. "Professor Vankorian, did you say? Hehehe... he's a tough one, isn't he? Three hundred years of tenure means he doesn't have to care what students do and don't graduate, he just wants you to wow him instead of coming up with some minimum-effort variation on an existing arcane theory." The wizard bounces up on to a small sliding ladder, riding it past a number of trinkets and over to a set of bookshelves, thinking out loud. "Still, you're in luck coming to this part of the world. No matter how much we invent, there's still more to find out in the big bad Prime Material Plane. You could write a paper on the ecological ramifications of all this magical runoff from the port... no, he'd never go for that." The gnome continues to rummage through the books. "You could try to find a new species of magical beast in the harbor... no, too much risk for too little gain. Ah! How do you feel about... archaeology?"

Bad Day's End Tavern - Abby and Hobbes

The elf listens sympathetically, wiping out another glass. "That's a cryin' shame, it is. I mean, what sort've world is it turnin' into when even the pallies are stiffin' people?"

Abby is saved the need to answer by the door being flung inward with tremendous force, rebounding partly off the wall and swinging freely on its hinges. The extended foot of pirate - mother had always said not to judge people by appearances, but between the eye patch, black skull-and-crossbones bandana, bandolier, sword belt, musket pistol, armored longcoat, and drawn saber, Abby felt pretty safe about this particular assessment - provides an easy answer for how this dramatic entrance had come about.

"It wasn't locked." The innkeeper comments flatly.

"Calis en'Celinshon!" The pirate bellowed, striding into the room. Two more followed him, dressed similarly save that one had better, darker facial hair and the other was a freckled, red-headed woman. "You've ducked your protection payment for the last time!"

Calis sets down the mug, giving the trio an evaluative look. "First, the name is pronounced with a bit more flourish and a lot less spittle. Second, as I explained t' your first officer and/or boyfriend, if I'm payin' that much for a form o' protection, I want t' 'ear about its acid-resistant properties."

"You're talkin' pretty big for an unarmed elf running an inn in this pissbucket port. We heard you used to be some kind of luck-incarnate adventurer back in the day, but you're a bit light on options here."

"Please, I make me own luck." Calis eyes the pair before him. "You two wanted t' make some money, aye? Help me put down these clowns and we'll talk."

At this point, Abby and Hobbes can accept or decline Calis's nonspecific offer. As with most binary choices in games, I try to avoid having an obvious answer - there are a number of consequences to saying both yes and no, for all that the pirates are the aggressors here.

Calhoun's Curios - Poe

"Now that ye mention it, I heard that a pair of Wild Dogs from Tredwyn's group arrived a couple days back. They're supposed to be gone by now, but sometimes things get held up. Where they'd be, I dunno."

[Whiskeyjack]

Poe

The sorcerer mulls over the fence's words, his shoulders slumping slightly as he contemplates yet another dead end. "Tredwyn, huh? I'd feel sorry for those kids, then, damn fool errands always keeps his squads short-staffed. Thanks for the tip and the sleeves, Calhoun. Anything you want from the mountains? Always plenty of stuff cast off along cold trails," Poe adds with no small amount of bitterness. "I need a drink, hope Calis has a good selection." He flips Calhoun a half-salute and heads out into the street. "Right behind, huh? I hope this elf has some lead to trade," Poe murmurs to himself, sauntering down the alley towards the inn when he suddenly hears the loud crack of wood and a woman's roaring voice.

"Calis en'Celinshon! You've ducked your protection payment for the last time!" The words ring out, causing the well-dressed sorcerer to pause for a brief moment and ascertain, yes, wonderful, it is coming from the exact place he needs to be.

"Port Mav, never a dull moment," Poe sighs. "Ready to have some fun, Robespierre?" he asks the tiny reptilian head poking out from one cloak pocket. The tiny creature gives a hiss and Poe hastens his steps.

[babel_matrix]

Hin

The sun baked Hin's skin as it hadn't for almost a year now, trapped in study and meditation as he had been. He relished in the sensation; those who stood robbed of certain sensations could sometimes learn to treasure the rest. His nose was forced upon scent of the sea that fought violently with the smell of day-kissed stone, wood and bodies. His eyes scanned the small river of faces guided gently along the walkways with the steady pace of eager souls. Upon his tongue hung the aftertaste of the humble breakfast of thinly sliced mutton, a quarter of a loaf and herbs he had brought specially prepared for the journey to keep his wits keen among strangers and strange settings. Behind him now was the scene with the captain and the eager halfling, likely a customs agent. Since I'm forced to guess at it, what with his manner that kept his mouth from my eyes... well-meaning, no doubt. Hin had grown up forgiving those who knew not how to approach his disability, especially on the first meeting.

But now his eyes brought before him the master of the docks, both an important figure as a local master and as a kinsman in race, if not bloodline. Hin nodded eagerly with a smile, and lifted his right hand, bearing the signet ring of the Kirkpatrick clan, a bloodied dagger hanging over a torn parchment... doing well to leave his left at his side, as it bore the signet ring of the en'Dhaeraow Elven family, an elegant hand holding the feathered backs of three arrows against bowstring held taut. Fearing that the fellow Orc may have, by virtue of city life, not memorized the clans of his people, Hin spoke in his fellow's language in his slow, trained voice, every syllable laboriously crafted to not be damaged by his deafness. "I seek a Kirkpatrick."

[Fernosaur]

Abby

Calis hadn't even asked for Abby and Hobbes to help him when she was already on her feet and reaching for Boudicca, her bardiche. She actually got herself up in a rather noisy and evidently boisterous way to make it clear she wanted to get the pirates' attention.

And she had good reason to! As soon as she had heard "protection payment" her blood had shot hot. She hated when scoundrels abused their fear-imposed authority over locals by charging these so-called protection fees so that they wouldn't loot them. She maybe even hated it more than when someone made her wait, and she was already furious enough about the latter.

"And you're talking pretty big for a bunch of dead bodies."

She wondered if that was enough to get the message across. Although, now that she thought about it, the image of a fully-armored warrior with spear and shield in hand standing between the pirates and their target would probably be pretty self-explanatory, making the taunt a bit unnecessary in the end. She had liked the sound of that, though. Hah, you're not the only one who can come up with speeches, Hobbes.

[Space Lawyer]

Issel
SAAOS Office

"I'm as much an enthusiast for the subject as anyone in our field. It is certainly a topic that be both fruitful and respected, though I'm not sure how Vankorian would feel about that. Besides, Vankorian has lived through what most consider archaeology. Still, it would be a good place to start. There are always interesting branches from any historical line of questioning."

Issel stands beneath the gnome, looking at the assortment of books. Many of the standards, from Ganger's Introduction to Magical Geometry to Arcane Biographies, were on the shelf, but there were a few odd ones. Clearly, deVashe had put some time into making his corner of the world a bit more interesting through books.

[Jade_Tarem]

SAAOS Local Office - Issel

"Good, good!" The gnome finally finds what he's looking for and hauls out a rarely used tome, judging by the lack of wear and tear on it. "And don't let that fuddy-duddy Vankorian fool you with his ancient-of-days routine. He's nothing but a particularly grumpy exclamation point at the end of the novel that is this plane's history. We all are." The gnome totters under the weight of the book, but brings it over to the journeywoman without incident. Beautiful silver or imitation-silver script names the work simply as The Traveler.

"It's a journal," deVashe clarifies hurriedly, "by an anonymous wizard who undertook a rather difficult-to-reproduce journey across many parts of the world, about two hundred years ago. Very little academic editing went into it, though, probably because this is the original copy - it was never published. As such, the writing waffles between didactic, almost encyclopedic, and more fluid and emotional. I've never managed to get through the whole thing, though, and I suspect that there are more pages of text than there are pages in the book, so you'll need to figure out how to operate the indexing and retrieval enchantments." deVashe stretches. "The real reason I'm giving it to you is because many of this wizard's writings touch on barely-known or insufficiently explored phenomena out here. If nothing else, there are some strong hints that civilization and literature extend farther back than anyone guessed. If you could verify some of the information in there, dig up an ancient civilization, or - even better - reverse engineer some of the arcana hinted at within, I'm sure that would make a fine thesis. You could even publish it, with sufficient refinement."

The Docks - Hin

The orc frowns at that for a moment. "Yer too far south for that, ye are, unless ye meant that a clansman was meetin' ye here. If that's the case, no one from the Kirkpatrick clan has been heard from in a while, though some of the traders from the north say that trouble's been brewing up in the Shadow Mountains. Is that where you're headed, by any chance?"

The Bad Day's End - Abby, Hobbes

The nominal pirate leader spares a glance at Abby and snorts. "Thaaaat's nice. Put the pig sticker down, girl, before you guuurrrrch-!" He's interrupted as Calis runs him through, the rapier he'd produced from seemingly nowhere gleaming mirror-bright, a single glowing rune visible on the hand guard. "I'm sorry, was that man bothering you?" Calis asks casually, though his face has lost the usual smirk. "Ooop- look out!"

"Blast it, Avem, ye'll owe me for this one, that's fer sure!" The luxuriously bearded pirate shoves the collapsing body of his leader aside as he draws a short, strong blade, the motion carrying Calis's sword wide. A swipe of his weapon falls short as the mercenary's reflexive twist turns the strike into a glancing strike on her chain shirt.

Outside the Bad Day's End - Poe

Sounds of fighting have broken out within, and through a window you can see one of the intruders sink to his knees, the owner's blade buried in him, but that doesn't seem to have stopped his partners. Unfortunately, the door is still around the corner...

Next post, you'll be united with Abby and Hobbes.

[Fernosaur]

Abby

"Ooop- look out!"

A high-pitched "Eep!" comes out of Abby as she sees the bearded pirate launch himself at her. She didn't really control those little noises sometimes, and obviously she couldn't really control her voice to not sound girly and small most of the time, much to her chagrin. It didn't really cross her mind at that moment, though, since there was a blade coming her way.

A swift spin on her part was enough to both dodge the blow and get a more favorable position for a retaliation, which didn't take long.

As Boudicca opened a wound on the pirate's shoulder, Abby grumbled at her lack of accuracy. What were all the years of lessons for if she couldn't land a decisive strike correctly?

"How's that for a pig sticker, plonker?"

She pulled back on Boudicca, sprinkling some blood on the floor. She couldn't help her eyes throwing a quick look at the dying man on the floor. Sure, yeah, they were trying to kill Calis and her too. And Hobbes as well, just because. But still, she didn't like it when people just died like that. She wanted to get this over with quickly to try and patch the mongrels up before they kicked it...

[Space Lawyer]

Issel

Issel breathes in the smell of old enchanted parchment. There was nothing quite like it on the Material Plane. Regular paper was fine, but the arcane tang was unmistakeable and wonderful. She flips through the pages of the book, noting what deVashe had said was unmistakably true. Whoever had written this tome, whether mad, a genius, or both, was a wizard of excellent quality, and an artist of superior skill. The handwriting was fluid and spidery, crawling across the page in neat and precise lines around richly detailed drawings. Notes in the margins showed revisions and afterthoughts, addendums to an already brilliant work. . . assuming anything in the book was actually true.

"I certainly think this will do, Master deVashe. If I can't find a decent starting point with this book, I'm not sure what will do it. Even figuring out how this book works might be a breakthrough by itself, but what is in it is certainly even more amazing."

[Whiskeyjack]

Poe

Peering through the window, Poe sees an elf he assumes is the same elf Calhoun mentioned run one pirate through with a concealed rapier, and then a girl moves to assist him, sticking another pirate with a polearm.

Welp, that clears things up a bit.

He looks at the tiny dinosaur peering up at him with large yellow eyes. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Robespierre, but it doesn't look like they really need my help. But it can't hurt to look...helpful...can it?" Poe raises a balled fist at the window and flicks his fingers at the man with the gorgeous beard who was just stabbed by the girl, uttering a jumbled nonsense-syllable--or at least something that sounds like nonsense to anyone unfamiliar with words of arcane power. A cone of rainbow light flows from Poe's fingertips, coursing over the bearded pirate.

Color Spray (http://paizo.com/prd/spells/colorSpray.html) cone hitting only The Beard.

[babel_matrix]

Hin

A lump grew in Hin's gut, but he put it down. Trouble or no, it seems my brethren haven't arrived to receive me... that is suspicious all the same. "Perhaps. Where are these traders?"

[Astro_sol]

Hobbes

It had been a particularly trying day for Hobbes. The money was gone and the Paladins weren't showing up, which was strange; they were paladins, the very definition of following laws to the letter. And their letter said they'd be there three days ago.

The real problem was how eager Abs was. It showed; she jumped to answer Calis' question, which was usually his job, but he didn't really have an answer for Calis anyway. He was sure they could catch a ride back to the crew with a little bit of convincing and flattery, possibly bartering, but that didn't solve the problem that the lack of being able to prove herself was going to really bum Abs out. The girl was like a puppy, and seeing someone usually so energetic that bummed out was the worst.

Hobbes tugged at his black silks. It wasn't his only set of clothes, but it was his favorite, and it never took long to clean it. That, and he liked silks. A big difference from the coarse cloth he'd worn as a servant. Calis had started talking without his input, and he'd finally opened his mouth to tell of his somewhat poor idea of Plan B, when suddenly everyone started yelling.

The blonde blinked; Calis appeared to have a pirate problem. Hobbes raised a hand. "Excuse me, I-"

And then Abs opened her mouth, and Hobbes noted that she had, in fact, stood. Hobbes did the same, keeping his tone level. "Now, see here-"

And then someone tried to stab Abs, which was a futile effort anyway, but Calis beat him to the punch and stabbed the man in turn. Hobbes leaned on his cane, resisting the urge to draw it. This was getting ridiculous. "Would someone listen to-"

And then a rainbow smacked the other pirate in the face.

Hobbes blinked. A few short strides later, and he was in front of the last pirate, a red-headed woman. Gender didn't matter if they were raising a hand against his charge. His arm moved in a blur, and a streak of silver later had the other pirate blooded, a slash across her stomach. Hobbes lifted the sword in a flourish, letting the tip point back at the pirate. "It'd be better for everyone if you dropped the weapon, ma'am."

[Jade_Tarem]

Bad Day's End - Poe, Hobbes, Abby

The final pirate considers Hobbes's offer for a split second before darting for the door, ducking under his reflexive swipe and making her escape as the Raja's blade sticks in the wooden door frame. Poe, from his vantage point, sees the bleeding girl dart right by him, past the mouth of the alley he took to reach the tavern.

Calis vaults gamely over the bar top and lands between the two unconscious pirates. "Always with a new brand of trouble. The last crew through knew better, y'know?" He wastes no time in beginning to tie up the bearded man, while the leader contributes to the discussion by issuing forth a spurt of blood from the wound in his neck, bad enough to suggest that he won't recover on his own...

The Docks - Hin

"They'd be at the market, I suppose, although this late in the day they'd either be packing up or heading to Treasure Canal."

Even Hin has heard - proverbially, of course - of Treasure Canal. It's reputed to be one of the must-experience locations in this part of the world, and is Port Maverick's one true concession to being part of the Hefrizian Principalities. From the descriptions Hin got on the voyage in, it was a nebulous zone that occupied, roughly, the entire southeast quarter of Port Maverick from sundown to some nebulous time about an hour before sunrise. Purportedly, almost anything could be found there, from wares normally available only in the black markets of major metropolitan cities to magic items lifted from the still-smoldering corpses of hapless wizards to even mysterious and magical creatures from the hidden parts of the world. How much was exaggeration and how much was real was difficult to tell, especially since the people who spoke of it on the ship couldn't seem to keep the description consistent, but the one thing they could all agree on was that it was probably the big highlight of shipping through or out of the otherwise dangerous, humid, and crime-infested Port Maverick.

SAAOS Local Office - Issel

"Excellent! It's a bit late in the day to start on any grand adventures, academic or otherwise, so you might want to find a place to settle in. Like I said, there are rooms here, but if you want to find a tavern and possible a lead, I'd recommend... probably the Bad Day's End. It's run by a rather talkative elf named Calis, but he's got the skills for just about any job, and even a few unusual contacts. Plus, he's got the usual elven advantages - long life, only needs four hours of rest a night - so the inn is more secure and he might actually know some of the people referenced in that book." deVashe wags his bushy red eyebrows. "But don't think I'm throwing you out! SAAOS would have my hide if you came away with that impression, and I make a mean gator stew, if you don't mind my bragging a bit, oh yes..."

[babel_matrix]

Hin

If that son or daughter of our line decided it was too late in the hour, where else might they go if not an inn or the Canal...? Given however many inns, and barfights, Hin would have to walk through to search, the Canal seemed at least the better place to start, given the addition of gossiping traders. His steel breastplate suddenly felt heavy on his shoulders, knowing now that he'd have to wear it while mashing his coin purses into its depths to avoid being pickpocketed in that place. One hand on your coin, the other on your hilt, as father would say...

Hin asked for some brief directions to head into the Treasure Canal, and departed, keeping his eyes keen and following his patriarch's advice to the letter.

[Space Lawyer]

Issel
SAAOS Office

Issel pales a bit at the mention of gator stew. She could hardly stomach the stuff since the trip to the Lower Olveda. Most people used normal things like garlic and peppers to spice gator stew, but the tribesmen down there preferred more exotic ingredients such as giant centipede venom. They claimed it gave the stew a depth and complexity unmatched by any other recipe, but all it had done for Issel is given her a night shivering in the bushes.

"I think I'll stay at the inn. I -ah- could certainly use any leads. Besides, the point of this whole experience is to expose to the world outside, I believe. No place better for that than a tavern in a freeport."

[Fernosaur]

Abby

"Hey! Get back here!"

Stupid as it might be, the girl didn't think twice before launching herself forward to chase after the pirate, running past the door and almost shoving Hobbes to the side to not lose any speed.

She didn't really consider that Hobbes could make himself faster, or that he had those weird tricks he sometimes pulled off that could have helped catch the woman with ease, no. She needed some action, since she had been waiting for three bloody days and nothing had happened.

[Whiskeyjack]

Poe

The commotion in the inn seems to be at an end, with the bearded pirate being tied up and the injured one continuing to bleed out. Poe is just about to vault heroically through the window when a person wearing pirate-y clothes suddenly explodes out of the doorway near the mouth of the alley and dashes off, chased by the girl with the polearm. "Huh," Poe says, stepping out of the alley and raising his crossbow. "Guessing they wouldn't want you just getting away. Spritely git, you are. I really need to learn a spell with better range." He raises the crossbow and lets a bolt fly at the pirate.

[Astro_sol]

Hobbes

White ears twitched in irritation as the woman began to run. He sighed; he'd asked her to drop the weapon, not run. While running was usually fine, they'd pointed their weapons at his charge, and that just wouldn't do. Abby was already running after her, and it probably wasn't the best idea to let the woman get away with word of what happened, not without figuring out just what was going on.

He tugged his sword out of the doorway with a "shunk"-ing noise, tapping his boots. "One, done, time to run." The words themselves didn't usually matter, but the intent did; he'd learned a long time ago how to enchant his feet. It had used to only last for around ten seconds, but now he could manage two minutes. Plenty of time to deal with this.

He darted through the doorway with a quick "milady" to Abby, going so far as to give her a small bow before darting ahead of the red-headed pirate and skidding to a halt, his sword aimed in the general direction of her throat.

"Alright, ma'am, one more chance. Drop it. You can't outrun me."

[Jade_Tarem]

Dockside Central - Abby, Hobbes, Poe

Jenni does not stop for warnings nor even crossbow bolts, despite Poe scoring a definite hit. She changes direction when Hobbes steps in front of her, vaulting past his attempt to hold her in place and instead leaping off the pier and into the waters of the bay...

Unlike a console RPG, there's no 'niener niener they got away and there's nothing you can do' point unless it's actually supported by the rules. Your characters are fully capable of jumping into the bay as well... if you want to chance it.

Treasure Canal - Hin

Treasure Canal is just awakening at this time of night, and tonight it seems to be occupying an uneven five-sided space, of which Calis's little inn formed one corner and the SAAOS Local Office formed another. Hin's route took him directly into the merchant row-

Hin: Successful Hidden Will Save

- Hin's path followed a rough spiral, heading deeper into the canal, which was bizarre, because he could have sworn that he was trying to head straight in. Instead, here he was outside the SAAOS Local Office and had not the faintest idea why. The door pops open to admit an elf with a journeywoman's badge, apparently packed for traveling, with a gnome deeper within wishing her luck...

SAAOS Local Office - Issel

"Well then, I will simply wish you luck. Remember that you can return at any time for magical supplies or reagents... up to a point. I mean, we're not exactly Central Supply here, but you never know what might turn up in Port Maverick, heehee..."

Issel's exit from the SAAOS building, however, is blocked by a massive half orc, to say nothing of the crowd gathering for what appears to be some kind of street festival...

[Fernosaur]

Abby

"What's the point in being magically fast if you can't cut her off?!" The girl shouts angrily at Hobbes -specially after he had mocked her with his enhanced speed and his ludicrous bow- as she keeps running past him and after the woman.

Until she noticed the pirate had jumped off the water. And at that moment, she stopped dead in her tracks for a second. The water was definitely not a place she thrived in.

Oh, but cursed be all, she was already too involved with this mess.

"Hobbes, do something!" She ordered, unsure if he actually had any trick that could help them out with this. Regardless, she made a jump for the water, adamant about chasing the woman and bringing her back.

[Whiskeyjack]

Poe

The sorcerer just follows his target's movement--being chased by one armed and armored girl; the man, clearly trained in some magical art, cutting her off only for the pirate to sidestep and plunge off the pier, with the girl following him.

"Probably wasn't the best idea, girl," he says to himself, slinging his crossbow back and stepping into the tavern. "Calis, right?" Poe offers a polite bow to the innkeeper, making his way to the bar. "Your inn comes highly recommended and I'll say, it definitely broke up the boredom of my morning. You carry Illen pale ale? Good knot there, sir," he adds, noting the hogtied pirate still suffering from the Color Spray spell.

The other man, well, he hardly looks like he's doing well, evidenced by the growing pool of blood spreading out from under him. Not my problem, Poe thinks. I'm not getting bloody for charity.

[Astro_sol]

Hobbes

Tiger ears twitched as Hobbes looked out after the retreating red-head. He sheathed his sword with a sigh, appearing behind Abigail in an instant; he actually didn't know if she was going to go after her, but the girl had...what was the word...well, he was going with spirit, but it wasn't quite what he had in mind. He grabbed a hold of one the armor near her neck, with more strength than he looked like he should have.

"The girl dodged me twice and is still running with an arrow in her. Three tries is enough, Abs. I say she earned her getaway. Let's go back inside."

[Space Lawyer]

Issel
Treasure Canal

Issel gives a small "eep!" of surprise when she almost collides with the half-orc. He may have been an inch shorter than her, but easily had an extra thirty pounds of muscle and scars. Not really the kind of person Issel wanted to bump into. Such individuals always seemed to be ruffians of one kind or another. Especially, if Issel had surmised correctly from the ears, he was of elven descent. Someone like that would have been on the outskirts of society for a long time.

The wizard continues to drag her luggage down the street, the bindings thankfully holding despite grinding against the uneven cobblestones. She surveys the area around her, at least glad that seems to have come to this city at the right time. Street festivals were always great fun, and excellent exhibitions of the local culture.

The clapboard for the Bad Day's End swings and clacks in the sea breeze. Huffing and puffing, Issel pushes open the door, only to be greeted by the sight of one bloody corpse on the floor, and another man tied up and looking dazed. Was this some kind of joke, deVashe?

[babel_matrix]

Hin

The visual chaos of the market was getting to him, or so he had to surmise; still, it was good to know the nearest SAAOS office location. While he hardly had contacts there, he was at least aware that there were problems only a proper mage, like his mother or many members of his Elven family, could solve.

He turns on his heel, taking care not to bump into anything... and nearly does exactly that, almost shoulder-tackling the Elven mage who came out of the SAAOS office. "Pardon." His apology is cut short, however, by a sight he would've missed entirely had he not turned about: a woman in leathers and cottons not dissimilar from the hundred sailors he had seen that day, bleeding from a crossbow bolt wound and leaping into the sea, open wound and all. He reached a hand, thought to help her... but remembered where he was. Perhaps this is merely daily ritual for their lot... What if he was interfering, even aiding a criminal? His eyes scanned for her pursuers... and found two who could not possibly qualify as official authorities. Another traveler, armored and wearing a scarf that fluttered wildly as she struggled, in vain, against the sure grip of her partner: a well-to-do, albeit feline, humanoid whose race he couldn't immediately place. Potentially, still considered normal... He said nothing to those involved in this sordid affair, instead walking to the marketplace... and seeing, through the half-opened passage way of the inn, a man bleeding to death.

The sight of preventable death, and no one preventing it, raised bile in Hin's throat. Angrily, he dashed from his original path. Traditional or not...! Hin marched up to the inn, ready to attempt what he had been practicing for the last year.

[Jade_Tarem]

The Bad Day's End - The Pileup

Calis doesn't sit idle at Issel's consternation. "Not to worry, my dear! Just a little financial misunderstanding. Have a seat anywhere and take your time ordering if you like; I can make any drink you can name." He offers a wink, but no actual explanation for the bodies. Before any possible action can be taken, though, Poe breezes through the door.

"Calis, right? Your inn comes highly recommended and I'll say, it definitely broke up the boredom of my morning. You carry Illen pale ale? Good knot there, sir."

"Hrrglbfrurph." The bound pirate retorts.

The barkeep's response is more helpful. "Aha! Always glad to be of service. You'll find I can-"

The doors swing open to reveal Hobbes dragging a visibly pouting Abby back through, though they come up short in the tight corner of the room behind Poe and Issel. "-back inside."

"Ah, you're back! That part of the room's gettin' a bit crowded, so if we could just-"

The clapboards swung violently open again, a stocky half-orc with a clear amount of elf blood in him surveying the room with the stern eye of an ancient patriarch.

"Oh, dear, knew I should have hired help for this shift. Excuse me, sir, if you could just take a number I'll get right with you. In the meantime... ah, you're here about..." he waves at the bound figures on the floor, "this mess, aye?"

[Space Lawyer]

Issel
Bad Day's End Common Room

Issel had seen corpses before, of course, but the vast majority of them had been sterile, cold and laid out on a slab for examination. She had rarely been around those so little removed from violent deaths, and never so close.

With a long, slow, deep breath, she steadies herself. Prof. Vankorian had given that irritating snicker when he said Issel would have a whole new realm of experiences on this journey, and he was certainly right. Best to get used to it now. Issel couldn't let these kinds of people see her feelings; they wouldn't respect her, and that was the start of all danger.

She moves to the bar, only then noticing the rag hastily stuffed into the floor-man's wound. It certainly wasn't quality work, but it had stopped the bleeding. Perhaps the man wasn't dead after all. Issel immediately felt a bit more comfortable in this inn; the proprietor wasn't the sort of man who would let another, even an antagonist, bleed out on his floor. That had to count for something.

Ok, what are you going to drink? The water here will probably kill you. Buying a decent wine will probably mark you as both rich and some weak upper-class dandy. On the other hand, you can't handle the rotgut these folks probably enjoy. You're in a port, maybe they have some sort of juice. A mixer would kill some of the flavor. Vodka. That will do.

She searches her memory for something drinkable. "I'll take a vodka salty dog, please."

[babel_matrix]

Hin

Hin quickly looked the bloodied man over, trying to gauge the wounds... and finding a wad of blood-soaked cloth where he had been oozing his life all over the common room planks. It is difficult to gauge, but... to risk it, and let a stranger die, not knowing who he is or if he deserved this... There was honor to consider. Hin got on one knee, and shook his hands, loosening his fingers before making the motions that came most naturally, matching his intent and his vision: of fusing skin and sealing organs, of final breaths interrupted by a steady stream of life. He cast the healing orison without a single syllable uttered, his eyes focusing on the victim... and somewhere, far away, that alien sensation came to Hin, entirely foreign save that he had learned to channel it time and again these last few years.

A gentle humming from a deep, male voice. The deaf man heard humming, and felt power seep into the form beneath his fingers.

Hin looked up from his task, satisfied that the man would live now if not before, and surveyed the room. Someone spilled blood here without a trace left of themselves, by the looks of it... Hin had not missed all of the barkeep's words, and finally took the time to show manners to the proprietor. "Hail, and thank you." He knew he was hardly there first, and politely waited for the others who rushed in to be served. Hin could be patient... on the presumption that the barkeep, if anyone, might have seen his brethren.

[Whiskeyjack]

Poe

The sorcerer turns to regard the rag-tag crew coming in, recognizing the cat-eared man and the girl from his view through the window. The elf and the...'human plus exotic mix' man, now they were new. One clearly was on her first trip outside of whatever ivory forest palace elves liked to live in, the other...Poe can't quite place it, and he visibly blinks in astonishment as the man takes a knee and starts tending to the dying pirate with what appears to be a supernatural power.

"Now that's quite the polite thing to do, for a stranger," Poe says quietly to Hin as the half-orc looks up from his work, and gives him a wink. "I don't take it he's a friend of yours though, so why----oh, hell, why not. I'll buy the good samaritan a drink," he calls to the bartender.

At the same time, he slides a stool out with one foot, and winks again at the mysteriously-pointy-eared half-orc. "Not from around here, I take it?" Poe asks to none in particular. Surely someone will bite that hook.

[Astro_sol]

Hobbes

The tiger-boy dropped his charge on a stool, catching a whiff of her hair among the varied smells in the-

Oh, blood. Lots of blood. That's right, Calis had stabbed one of those men. And a rainbow had killed another. And there were a lot of new smells, and faces. A man with obvious Orc-blood in him, a fancy-looking elf lady, and assorted passerby who must have come after all the shouting stopped. By this point, Hobbes' spell was wearing off, so he slowly strolled next to Calis, leaning on the bar counter, his sword back in his cane.

"Mind telling me what that was all about? Should we expect trouble from the girl who ran off?" He let his voice sound casual, but a possible threat to himself and Abigail was unacceptable.

[babel_matrix]

Hin

Hin's eyes focused on the moving lips of the talkative stranger. A promise for a drink, and the man turns away, telling the bartender something Hin can't read. Polite. The value of brotherhood run such strange trails through this land...

"Not from around here, I take it?"

"No." Hin stood from the cared-for pirate, watching as the bartender puts a mug by an empty chair. The offered drink, no doubt. Hin approached, saying his words with careful, practiced precision, his voice a high baritone. "I thank you for the drink... but I cannot stay for long." Sitting at the bar, doing his best to keep his eye on the human and the bartending elf, he raised the mug to his lips as yet another, a man with feline features unlike anything Hin had ever seen, came and asked something missed.

[Fernosaur]

Abby

"She wouldn't have run off if you hadn't stopped me!"

It was incredible how bad that day had been. First of all, waiting for the incredibly delayed paladins had been such a nerve-cracking ordeal, then pirates. But, oh no, the fact that Hobbes had actually stopped her from catching the woman was so incredibly infuriating to her that she could only sit on the stool with arms crossed, hugging Boudicca by her side, the blade of the weapon still stained by the other pirate's blood. She was so immersed in her seething that she didn't really notice the lanky elf girl or the not-very-lanky half orc sitting by her side.

She blows air up from her mouth, the locks falling on her forehead rising only to fall back in place. "Plus, they were pirates, Hobbes. Of course we can expect trouble from her. Except the trouble is probably going to befall Calis instead, because he was the one with undisclosed issues and you just let a messenger go back with the death letter. At least her comrades were..." She trails off, looking at the tied man and the other, who was-- healed? Her anger was suddenly distracted by the view, looking at the unconscious pirate with a certain amount of surprise. A faint smile could briefly be seen on her face, if only for a second. "...captured."

After all, she didn't like it when they died.

[Astro_sol]

Hobbes

Hobbes sighed. "Excuse me for a moment, I'm so sorry," he said, giving Calis his winning smile, before turning his gaze on Abigail, his eyes hard. He kneeled down to look her in the eyes, his voice soft.

"Abby, I'm sure that's not all of the pirates. They'd send more after Calis anyway if their mates never came back. The pirate was swimming and not nearly as armored as you, so she'd probably outrun you, and none of my...abilities would really help. So, a pirate in the water, their natural territory, and we have no idea if you'd keep chasing her until she runs into the rest of their crew. In which case you would die. And that's simply not happening."

He was not going to lose her. It had been bad enough overhearing people plotting her death back home. To see her rush into the unknown...she was so headstrong, which made her strong, brilliant, shining above the rest, but he was so worried that it would get her killed.

"I know you're strong. Hells, you could maybe take them. But what if they had stronger members, or archers who'd shoot you from the safety of a ship in the water? What if they had mages?" He put a hand on her shoulder, a bit more personal than he would have liked, but this was a point that struck close to home. "I know you can take care of yourself, but I'm not going to watch you die." Dying with her was another story, but this wasn't the time or place for that sort of thing.

He turned back to Calis, rising back up and removing his hand. "You were saying?"

[Whiskeyjack]

Poe

The man nods back to the half-orc, turning to face him more. "You came in here like you were walking with a purpose. I take it you saw that guy from outside and decided to save him. That's just interesting. And you can't say? My my, sir, you seem to have all the trappings of a mysterious adventure about you," he laughs, toasting Hin and taking a drink.

Poe leans back, looking at the tied-up bearded pirate. "I don't know who these guys were specifically, I just saw some people in trouble and decided to help. And after all," he turns to look at Abby and Hobbes, "The last thing I want is company scuttlebutt getting around, saying just because I wasn't on muster here means I'd let a couple Dogs take a beating without stepping in to help. Not that you two were taking a beating, of course, just if you had, that's not something I need in my file." Poe points to his own Wild Dogs badge, this worn on an (easily-concealable) fold of fabric near one shoulder.

[Space Lawyer]

Issel

Issel quietly muses to herself. So, at least three of them seem to mercenaries. The human girl and her crossbred friend appear to be able combatants. The male human is more flamboyant and talkative than most gnomes, but he seems to be with these same "Dogs". Maybe they keep him around as some sort of comedic relief, or he is their negotiatior.

She belatedly realizes the half-orc who came in is the same she had nearly collided with outside of the office. Are you following me? Did mother send you to make sure I was safe? No, she wouldn't do that. She knows I'll be fine. Unless she knows I won't be, in which case she would've applied considerably more force to the situation. So, most likely just a coincidence. This is the nearest tavern that wasn't embroiled in a brawl, so he probably just happened to pick this one."

The flamboyant man seems to be open to talking though. "I am also not from around here. I've come quite far, in fact. This part of the world seems so lively."

[babel_matrix]

Hin

Most of the chatter flew by, pieces missed here and there from the strangers who hadn't bought him a brew. Hin matched the toast as he "listened" with his eyes. Pirates, then, and somehow these people got tied into that sordid mess... The blood on the lass' sword finished the question of the bleeding man, or so Hin believed. He missed most of the cat said, focusing instead on the words of his generous new acquaintance.

"Yes," Hin started, letting his tankard come to rest, already half-emptied, on the polished wood of the bar, "I've some purpose still in this city. I seek my brothers in the Kirkpatrick clan." Knowing the barman to be busy with the bloodied couple, he showed the signet ring on his right fist. "I follow a trail of their descriptions, ever more worrisome at not finding they themselves. Do you recognize this insignia? Have you seen my clansmen?" Hin listened for the answer, and contemplated it quietly as he joined the others in conversation.

[Jade_Tarem]

Bad Day's End

Calis pours Issel's salty dog with a dubious look, but no comment. His first response, among the flurry of introductions and questions, is to Hobbes.

"There won't be any trouble from that girl, no..."

The clapboards bang open once again, the new presence being heard before being seen. "CALIS EN'CELINSHON!"

Calis blinks at the newcomer. "Wow, that's what the Selanais call déjà vu."

The woman in the doorway is clearly intent on making an entrance - and between the armored longcoat, the cutlass on her hip, the guns on her other hip, the gun belt, the boots, the other gun belt, the vivid white and gunmetal grey of her blouse and trousers, respectively, the red sash, and the positively magnificent captain's tricorn, she was managing fairly well. "You've dodged your protection payment for the last time!"

"I could swear, we just did this..."

With that, the unnamed interloper throws - overhand - a small satchel directly at the barkeep, hitting him directly in the forehead. It bounces off with a muted *clink* sound, then hits the bar top with a louder noise.

"Ow..." Calis rubs at his forehead and grumbles. "Now that's just uncalled for. You're mean to money." With a deft motion, he scoops up the coin purse and nuzzles it. "Don't worry, sweeties, you're safe now."

"I wouldn't be if you weren't so damn hard to track down." The intruder, only then, seems to notice the bodies. "Oi! What have you been doing to my crew?"

[Fernosaur]

Abby

She just stayed quiet as Hobbes spoke, having an impulse to slap his hand away from her shoulder as an instinctive reaction, but she managed to control it. She managed because she knew what Hobbes was saying was true, and that was the reason she had to keep him at his side. In the end, if she died fighting some stupid pirates, what was gonna happen to her Kingdom?

Her head slowly went down as the tiger-man poured his words over her, her pouting becoming more and more pronounced. She didn't want to be there anymore, not for now at least. She just stood up without saying a word and made a beeline for the door, shooting a faint smile at the other Dogs member. But before she could even be in the vicinity of the actual exit, the door just popped open once more, and she could swear things were happening twice.

The exchange this time was... different, though. Very different. Why had that woman handed him money? Wasn't it supposed to be the other way around? Abby squints her eyes at Calis. "I thought you owed them?"

[Space Lawyer]

Issel
Bad Day's End - Bar

With great trepidation, Issel takes a sip of her drink. It was surprisingly decent, if a bit watered down. Then again, one didn't stay in business by serving at full-strength.

She searches through her memory, trying to recall what she can of Port Maverick, Calis, and this flashy woman.

[Whiskeyjack]

Poe

"I've some purpose still in this city. I seek my brothers in the Kirkpatrick clan. I follow a trail of their descriptions, ever more worrisome at not finding they themselves. Do you recognize this insignia? Have you seen my clansmen?"

Poe takes a drink of the dark, hoppy beer and peers closer at the signet ring. "Ah, sorry. I think I know the sign, but I don't know where your House enclave might be in the city, if there even is one. I've passed through Port Mav my fair share of times, but never under the Kirkpatrick banner, and actually I'm recently arrived from the east, across the sea," the comment comes across very tiredly, "And haven't had much chance to just go around strolling, at any rate. But I'll keep my ear to the---" he flashes a smile at the departing Wild Dogs girl and gives her a twi-finger salute...right as the door crashes open.

"CALIS EN'CELINSHON!"

"Really?" Poe sighs as he sees the newest pirate, setting down his drink and cracking his knuckles. Then things start to get strange. He settles himself back on the stool, seeing how all of this plays out.

[Jade_Tarem]

The Bad Day's End

The elf revitalizes his perma-smirk as the newcomer quickly grabs the nearest bar stool. "I'm not sure, meself, Naomi. Do I owe you?"

The pirate shoots him a dirty look. "You might," she growls, "What happened to Avem?"

Calis begins to generate a new drink without being prompted. "Well, he an' 'is backup dancers barged in mere minutes ago, bellowin' somethin' about protection payments, an' seemed to be under the impression - brought on by Ellis, most likely - that I was payin' them."

'Naomi' plants her face in her hand. "This is why we can't have nice things." She takes in the mercenaries, missionary, and academic again. "And these are...?"

"Me new friends!" Calis throws his arms out warmly, somehow not spilling the drink in the process. "An' all of 'em are lookin' for someone, 'cept maybe the elf, there. Turns out that the Kirkpatrick clan and the Lionheart Order are harder to find than I am, these days."

"Ah, that's too bad." Naomi takes a long pull from her newly acquired quart mug while looking down at the still bound and gagged forms of Avem and the Beard. "Say, what happened to Jenni?"

"Jumped in the bay, I believe."

Naomi winces. "A bad move, that. Especially with open wounds."

A long pause ensues, before Calis clears his throat. Naomi looks up. "What?"

"Well, I was hopin' to introduce you, or t' be more specific, I was hopin' you'd introduce yourself." He taps his temple. "It's that whole 'making a name for yourself' and 'winning hearts and minds' thing we talked about, remember?"

"Fine." The captain rolls her eyes, but doesn't seem too ruffled. A moment later, she's on her feet and sketching a bow. "Captain Naomi Osang of the Medias Res, at your service. Well, as long as the service isn't too long, or doesn't pay well, or has to happen before noon. Dread Piracy a specialty." She straightens. "Most of the captains that visit the port send Calis finders fees for any leads that pan out, plus 'protection money' for whatever it is he does that keeps the local druid grove from ransacking the place. He's got quite a racket going, really."

"Ach! You wound me, lass. A racket implies that the odds 're bad for the customer. You know me better 'n that!" His grin turns a little bit sinister. "For instance, I think they can help you with your little problem."

She gives him an arch, amused look. "You think so, do you?" Her attention returns to the group. "Ah, and you think I can offer information in exchange?"

The barkeep puts on his best innocent face. "That and transport, I should hope. It'd be terribly ungrateful of you otherwise."

"Alright." She takes a moment, ostensibly to gather her thoughts, and covers it with another long pull from the mug. "I may have heard a few things about the Kirkpatricks and the Lionhearts, but you should know there's nothing free about a free port. How good are you at SAR?"

[Whiskeyjack]

Poe

The sorcerer looks back and forth between the pirate captain and the bartender. "Wait," he says, as they continue their conversation. "Wait, what?" They keep talking. "No, really, what? These guys weren't shaking you down?" he asks Calis. "And you pay him to...promote your dread-pirate-ness?" He turns to Naomi, then looks at all of the others seated at the bar. "Does this sound as weird to everyone else as it does to me?!"

Ugh, next time I'm here I'm gonna have to request dossiers on this BS from the Thieves... Robespierre responds by nudging his tankard against his hand. "Yeah, buddy, you've got the right of it," he mutters, and drinks.

[Jade_Tarem]

Bad Day's End

Naomi raises an eyebrow. "Promote me? That's a good one. Like I need the help." She finishes off her quart mug and taps the bar, which Calis apparently takes as a sign to refill it. "Calis's last venture before settling down in Port Maverick had him in need of a fast, heavily armed ship that wasn't going to be all uptight about keeping a record of the fact that he'd been on it. I put the Medias Res at his disposal, and as things went from there, we took something of a liking to each other."

Calis clears his throat. "Ah, 'Shaking Down' does happen in Port Maverick, but my deal with most of the captains is that I serve as an intermediary between them, an' between the port an' things outside the port that might want t' shut it down."

"And he makes a killing in the process. Does that help?"

[Astro_sol]

Hobbes

Hobbes took a deep breath. Of course Abby was pissed, that was kind of a public expression of something that could have been brought up in private. But there never would have been a good time, and now was as good as any.

The whole situation, though, was a lot to take in. Calis...seemed to be telling the truth. As far as he could tell, at least; he figured that the two had met before, and they had some sort of good business-like rapport going on. But things were still a bit vague.

"Well," he started, nodding in Abby's direction as he turned back to Calis, "I'll just come out and say that weird isn't exactly what I would call the situation. Perhaps a bit far-fetched, but you seem the type to do good business." He eyed the Captain. "We're quite good at SAR. I handle the magic, Abigail the muscle. I'm not too shabby at defending myself, and I can be quick on my feet. But whether I can help you depends on the nature of your problem, and how much of a threat that and any other problems you have could make against myself and my comrade."

[babel_matrix]

Hin

Hin remained silent for a time, the mug no longer gracing his lips. This woman alleged to know of her brethren... and bartered for services with that information. But can I afford to hope they may turn up later? He understood the mercenary nature of free port denizens, but... this was all but breath-taking. Finding an opportune moment to interrupt, he did so, hoping he had not accidentally cut off anyone out of sight. In any case, the others were already biting at the lead, and he could not afford to lose what may end up being his only lead on the mysterious vanishing of Kirkpatrick family members. "I need to know of my kin, and I cannot leave without first seeking them out properly. What is this... S-A-R, as you call it, that you would have us do?"

[Space Lawyer]

Issel

Well now, this is getting interesting. Issel rummages around in her bag, and pulls out a leather-bound booklet and writing supplies. Though she might not yet be on the trail of deVashe's mysterious book, this whole episode would certainly prove to be an interesting anecdote. Perhaps she could sell her travel journal and make a decent profit off this exercise. The gods knew that being a journeywoman certainly didn't pay very well.

Her pens scratch against the new paper as her thin, spidery handwriting copies the details of what she has heard, and she makes rough sketches of those around her. It wouldn't do to just leave it at "I heard about this thing and then they left," though. "I would request to be allowed to join you all on this endeavor, should you be inclined. I am Issel Riq, Journeywoman of SAAOS.

[Fernosaur]

Abby

She let out a sigh. Hobbes was right, just jumping into helping a pirate in exchange of information wasn't the most prudent action. Yet again, she did have information on the Lionhearts... which would be able to explain why they were so late. And their mission was to contact them and take them to the Shadow Mountains.

She was not flunking her job.

"She means Search and Rescue," she clarifies to the half-orc

She eyed the group. An elf, a mix, and a-- another member of the Wild Dogs, actually. He would probably be able to understand their predicament better than the rest, and maybe give her some support should Hobbes get stubborn.

"We're sitting ducks unless we listen to her, Hobbes," she looks the tigerman in the eyes with a more serious look, and then eyes the captain. "What did you lose?"

[Whiskeyjack]

Poe

SAAOS...that generally means stodgy book-mage, if I'm not mistaken. Robespierre chirps his amusement at the thought before licking at a droplet of beer on the rim of the tankard. Poe just nods and makes a seated bow in the elf's direction. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Issel," he sweeps up her nearest hand to offer it a polite kiss. "Poe, of the Wild Dogs. And you two," he motions at Hobbes and Abby, "Are from Tredwyn's platoon, if I'm not mistaken. Best we three at least stick together, isn't it?" He winks at Hobbes.

[Jade_Tarem]

Bad Day's End

Naomi looks over the group. "Alright, then." She settles back down on her stool with her new drink. "Five days ago, the key to my ship's safe went missing, but as far as we can tell, the safe itself was not opened. Normally I would make a few inquiries in the port, then either find it or give up, sail to the next port, and get a locksmith to change the locks. But I haven't had any luck with the inquiries and leaving isn't an option, because four days ago my navigator went on shore leave and never came back." Naomi tosses back a large gulp. "Again, not insurmountable, except for two things. He had all my good maps, and it would cost a small fortune to get them replaced. More importantly, I don't leave crew behind when or if they get in trouble. So now I'm stuck here, leaving increasingly bored pirates on guard duty on the Medias Res and looking for a key and a navigator that seem to have disappeared off the face of the planet."

She taps a finger on the bar counter, thinking. "So now you know what I need you for. More eyes, ears, skills, and spells. To reciprocate, I'm willing to do a couple of things for you. I'll tell you what I know about the Kirkpatricks and the Lionhearts you're looking to meet, and I'll take you anywhere in the world you want, for free, one time. As long as it isn't landlocked, that is."

Calis clears his throat.

"Ah, right. There is another option. Calis can badger all of his contacts until one of them turns something up. That might get you what you want, but then you'll have to make a trip inland - and if you think shipping with a known pirate is bad, wait until you see what the Ameryssian Badlands are like this time of year." Naomi shrugs - her preference is obvious, but her unstated caveat is that there's no guarantee that Calis's route is any more difficult than hers, and he'd get started helping the group right away, no less.

"Or you could go wandering in random directions - even disperse if you want - but I doubt that'll impress your various superiors much, eh?"

[Space Lawyer]

Issel

This was turning out to be rather beneficial. Either way, Issel would receive transportation and the protection of a group that had already proven themselves skilled in combat. ""My superiors" do not much care where I travel, as long as I return with a suitable body of work. I appreciate the efficacy in any task of suitable companions, though, so I shall journey where the dictates of your individual needs may guide you."

Hopefully though, those needs would coincide with something interesting from the book. She would have to ask Calis about it later though; no telling what sort of troublemakers these others were. In fact, as only Calis and Naomi could be reasonably assumed to be devious and factored into plans, it was safer to deal with them than the others. However, the bartender came with a recommendation.

[babel_matrix]

Hin

Hin held his chin, feeling the coarse, but still subtle stubble his thumb and forefinger found there. His eyes flicked to and fro, and at last he spoke. "You speak of directing our search inland, to find these contacts as pry them for this quartermaster and key... yet what guarantee is there that the boats in these very docks do not hold your bounty?"

[Whiskeyjack]

Poe

"Lionhearts?" Poe frowns, then looks at the other Dogs. Tredwyn. Right. Probably a mission thing. Not my problem in the long term.

The notion of helping a pirate doesn't really register as either good or bad, but the promise of a better information network is always a plus. The interior might have clues, but it might not. Would he, either of them, just be hanging out along the roads or in the bushes. Ha, maybe, but...

Poe shakes his head for a moment, clearing his thoughts. "So you're missing your navigator and your safe key. I don't suppose your navigator usually holds onto that?"

[babel_matrix]

Hin

The oracle, still young, still not influential, walked away from the mess in the pub. He had to find his brethren... and into the mists of obscurity, he went seeking them.

[Jade_Tarem]

Bad Day's End

"No, the safe key is usually held onto by my ship's purser." Naomi shrugs. "And maybe the boats here do have the prize, but I doubt their respective captains and crews would appreciate me charging around demanding entry and search. If I'm going to make an enemy, here, I'd prefer that it be the right one."

[Space Lawyer]

Issel

"If you would care to get started, I believe we should begin our search as soon as possible. Finding this key and this man will be easier the less time they have to get lost. Captain, what exactly do both of the objects of our efforts look like?"

[Jade_Tarem]

Bad Day's End

Naomi stops leaning on the bar, stretching briefly. "The key is pretty distinctive. It's alabaster white, about yea big," she says, holding her hands about seven inches apart, "with several uneven teeth." She grins. "My navigator's hair is alabaster white, he's about yea big," this time she holds up one hand at the level of her nose, "and he has several uneven teeth. He also has a number of scars, an actual peg-leg, and some grizzled hair on his face no matter how much he shaves."