Jammers Summary: Chapter 3, Turn 34

----------- = Meanwhile, elsewhere...
*********** = Later...

With the company assembled for breakfast, Kain reaffirms his desire to see the harbormaster with a nod. "There's a.. ah.. chance we may find something there that is new," he shrugs. "If there's any.. uh.. anything interesting, I'll get in contact with someone still here at the.. err.. inn."

Offering a shy smile, Kain says, "I seem to have unlocked another part of my mind. I can now, well, converse with others mentally. I'm not sure how far.. ah.. away this will work, but I'm sure within the city would be alright."

Finishing up his breakfast, Kain straightens his sword belt and picks up the rucksack sitting on the floor at his side. "Good luck on the ship hunting all," Kain smiles as he leaves the inn.

Before Seguld and his entourage depart to look at the ships, Grigree asks Seguld, "Mind if I come? Not bother in negotiations, just see our choices."

"Sure, JustWatchOutFerThemDangerousGnomeWeapons." Seguld chuckles, then hobbles off.

Holland says to the departing group, "I am going to copy a few Scro spells into my spellbook while you all investigate the ships. Please come back and get me before the actual negotiations."

"OhMan!" Seguld shakes his head. "YerGonnaKillMyNegotiatin'Power. HowDoesItLookIfHeStartsTalkin'Deal, An'IGottaSay, LetMeGitMyCapt'nFirst." Seguld looks around and reviews the number of company members who are making the trip. Seguld continues, "I'dSayWit'Roo, 'Pate, Ferric and Myself, An'OfCourseAnyOthers WhoWantToComeAlong, WeC'nHandleTheNegotiations, ThenAgin, IfYouGetThereInTime YourPresenceWillBeGreatly'Preciated."

Holland then returns to his room and begins copying spells as the others depart.

***************

After breakfast, Raken watches the company depart. "Guess they've got all the gates covered," he mutters to himself. Shrugging, he buckles his scimitar to his side and heads into town for a little sight-seeing.

For the rest of the morning, Raken wanders the town, talking with locals and taking in the local color. He stops occasionally to chat with a local, sometimes human, sometimes a gnome. After a few minutes, he politely excuses himself and continues his wanderings.

----------------------

As the others depart, Deigatt heads to Leera's room and knocks on the door. "Leera, I would haccompany you this morning hif you do not hobject," he calls to her.

Leera emerges from the room. Her robes have been washed and mended as well as her limited abilities as a seamstress allow. She looks up at the big minotaur and nods "Sure. I'd like to explore a little. I've not had much contact with gnomes other than Seguld, and I'm interested to know more."

"So ham I," Deigatt replies. "I had difficulty hinterpreting their speech yesterday. Perhaps today we can find gnomes who har less hurried, hif such hexist."

As the pair depart, Leera asks the minotaur, "So, Deigatt, when last we spoke you were having difficulties understanding and trusting me. I hope that my actions have helped me prove myself?"

"Leera," Deigatt answers, "I must hapologize for hanything I said that hoffended you. I have since learned to be less judgmental hand more haccepting hof hothers' perspectives. Hat least, I hope that I have. I do not doubt your loyalty to the members hof the Company."

"Has to hunderstanding," he continues, "I've been told that hunderstanding humans his one hof the 'himpossibles' hof the universe."

While walking along a street, Leera motions toward a cart pulled by a giant space hamster. "Those giant rats make me nervous. Do you suppose they're really under control?"

"I've never seen hanything like them before coming here," Deigatt replies. "They har not hintelligent, har they?"

Leera mentions "Why don't we see if we can find a mages guild? It might be a good place to sell those spellbooks."

Deigatt grunts his agreement. Then he says, "Gnome wizards har hillusionists, hif I'm not mistaken. They might not be hinterested hin the spellbooks we have to hoffer."

After stopping several gnomes Leera and Deigatt get directions to the far side of town from the port. As the pass through the city they notice a gradual change as fewer and fewer non-gnomes appear, and fewer and fewer of the gnomes appear to be typical tinker gnomes loaded down with gadgets and tools. Instead, the gnomes in these neighborhoods seem to favor green or brown homespun. The smoke and fumes which seem to cling to everything near the port fades away; many of the homes have small plots of vegetables growing on their earthen roofs.

Eventually Deigatt and Leera come to the address indicated, 7 Ley Lane, but find simply a large empty lot surrounded by a low stonewall. A gate in the wall opens onto the road and a small brass plaque by the gate just says, "Grindlethorpe Academy, 7 Ley Lane".

Deigatt sniffs the air. "Do you think this guild his concealed by han hillusion, Leera?" he asks his companion. "Hor can you see more than just the hempty lot that I see?"

Even as Deigatt says these words, his eyes begin to perceive a pleasant looking brick tower, perhaps five human stories tall, in the center of the empty lot. Assign on the towers gnome-sized door says, "If you can read me, please come and knock."

After a quick glance at Leera, Deigatt strides forward and knocks on the tiny door.

A kindly looking old white-haired gnome in blue robes opens the door. He looks up, and up, at the minotaur, then looks at the human female beside him. "Yes?"

Deigatt backs up a step and squats to the ground so that he is closer to the gnome's height. "We were told that this place his a mage's guild, hand we har mages," he tells the venerable gnome.

"Come back tomorrow." the wizened old gnomes says then shuts the door in Leera and Deigatt's face.

---------------------

Shortly after his second breakfast, Billy heads out towards what goes for a market on Ironpiece. After an hour of aimless wandering, Billy stops at the 'Flying Gopher Pub and Dentistry' for a morning drink.

"Finally! Stools that are the right size," Billy says as he sits at the bar. The bartender, a barrel-chested dwarf wiping the counter at the far end, walks over to inquire, "What'llYaHave?"

Billy blinks in surprise. "Ummm. A stout if you please." The dwarf smiles apologetically, "Sorry. Habit you know."

Billy nods in understanding and looks around. An overstuffed chair is in one corner next to a table containing a sorts of tools ranging from small picks to hammers, saws and even a hamster-sized ladder!

Billy shakes his head in disbelief. "You do dentistry? I thought that..."

The dwarf cuts Billy off, "No no no! Not me! My.. ahem.. Partner is the dentist." Just as he says that a gnome dressed in bright pink from head to toe and a gully dwarf also dressed in pink, though it is much sullied, ripped and stained, enter the pub from a back room. The gully dwarf is carrying a complicated-looking contraption and is spilling screws and gears behind him as she shuffles in.

The gnome, nudging and tweaking the device is in mid-monologue. "...AndTheGearsTurn TheCrankWhichRings TheBellAndThat'sIt!" He says excitedly. "OKOKOKOKOKOK. PutItThere." The gnome clears the tool table for the gully dwarf as she dumps the device unceremoniously and carelessly on the table. Billy notices that the gully dwarf has one eye patched up with some gauze.

"OKOKSitInTheChair," orders the gnome to the despondent dwarf. She sighs and sits gingerly in the chair. "NowWhereDidIPutHim? AHA!" The gnome fishes a scraggly looking hamster from his pocket. "MyMiniatureGiantWheelActioning LowMaintenaceXornEatingHamster!" He proclaims with pride. He proceeds to place the hamster in a wheel and it promptly starts running.

The contraption starts making a chugging sound and a steam whistle blows. Billy's mug shatters in his hand. The bartender looks apologetic and mouths "On the house," as he can't be heard over all the noise.

When Billy looks back, the gully dwarf is squirming in her chair as the device holds her down and inserts a nasty looking clamp in her mouth. Billy hardly hears her scream of pain as it rips out one of here teeth and shoves it up her nose. The gnome hops up and down clapping his hands and then picks up the hamster.

"We'reSoMuchCloserNow! ComeComeCome WeHaveChangesToMake!" The gnome scurries off to the back room trailed by a sorry looking gully dwarf, now bawling like a two year old.

"What in the multiverse is that thing," Billy asks.

"It's his tooth relocator. Supposed to yank out a crooked tooth and straighten it but all it manages to do is poke your eyes out. Do you know how much xorn meat costs? That hamster is eating us out of house and home!" the dwarf sighs.

Billy looks at the bartender and offers his best wishes. "I wish you luck. Why do you stay with him?"

"I signed a contract saying that I'm in business with him until that damned contraption works... Oh, woe is me!"

Billy leaves the pub a little disconcerted, but shrugs his shoulders. "Such is life."

----------------

As the others head off, Talus slips off by himself and heads off towards the landing field.

Talus sees that the landing fields (there are two, the docks on Lake Crashsplash and a series of landing circles on a grassy field nearby) hold perhaps two dozen vessels of varying sizes. Talus is reassured to see Vais bustling about the small raft and helm on the grass field where the STAR's remains had landed the before.

Perhaps half the vessels present are gnomish side-wheelers or yawls (yawls look like a cross between a locomotive and a tricycle). Among the others are several galleons and cogs docked on the lake, an odd shell-like vessel parked on the field, the wasp and tradesman (the tradesman is resting in an odd cradle of some sort), and a familiar looking yellow Dragonfly. A longer glance confirms it is the "The Resplendent".

Talus sees several non-gnomes lounging about the docks, or loading and unloading cargo, as well as a plethora of gnomes bustling about. The closest non-gnomes include two humans, an elf, and a giff. As he considers his next move a loud horn sounds immediately behind him.

Talus jumps to the side and watches as a large wagon moves past. Instead of being drawn by a team the wagon is powered by a pair of wheels in which two giant hamsters run, turning a series of gears which in turn power the wheels. Talus' notes that the result leaves roughly enough space for a single chest within the wagon.

Talus stares at the wagon as it rolls past. He asks himself out loud, "Wouldn't it be easier just to have the hamsters pull the wagons?" Shaking his head the half-elf walks off to talk to one of the humans in sight.

----------------

Kain finds the Harbormasters office within minutes of leaving the Inn. Or, more precisely, he finds the "Officewherethecentraladministrationofthecivilianaspectsofthismagionauticalp ortareorganizedsorted,referenced,ordered,andcollectedandwheretheGnomeincharg eofcivilianmagionauticalportadministrationandhisorhergnomesworkwhentheyareno tinspectingvesselsthataredockedatthismagionauticalportforstaysofvaryinglengt hsanduponvaryingbuisnessthatmustnotinculdemilitaryorespionagebuisnesswhichmu stinsteadbedirectedtothelocalmagionauticaldefensebasewhichistheYachtClubbutt hatistopsecretandnotforpublication."

The building is ten stories tall (since these are gnome stories it is actually about as high as a five story human building) and rather broad. Hundreds of metal rods stick out of the roof, many are attached to a bewildering number of wires running to and from the building. Gnomes in blue uniforms rush in and out of the buildings many doors.

'This was a bad idea," Kain breathes as he stares at the mayhem about the building, pressing the palms of his hands against his temples. "Oh well, here goes," he sighs. Girding his shortsword securely to his sword belt, Kain strides into the harbormaster's office, stepping lively to avoid gnomes running every which way.

Looking for a clerk, Kain approaches a number of gnomes, only to have them brush by him spouting words hundreds at a time. He appears to grow more frustrated by the minute, finally stepping directly in front of a blue-uniformed gnome.

Kain says, "Excuse me" loudly, but still struggling to be heard over the commotion. "I'm possibly interested in booking passage on a ship that may be leaving for Numeliador, Minial's Arch, or the Rock. Anything you can. .ah. let me know would be quite helpful. And please, speak slowly," Kain pleads.

One of the gnomes stops suddenly and looks at Kain, "OOOOkkkkaaaayyyy, IIII wwwwiiiillllllll hhhheeeellllpppp yyyyoooouuuu." The gnomes leads Kain over to a complicated looking board with a vast amount of writing (all apparently in some gnomish code) covering it.

"Oh,itlookslikethisshipherewillsuityourneedsperfectly!" the gnomes says, "OOOpppsss! SSSooorrrrrryyy! TThhiiss vveesseell, HANALI'S SWORD, has declared Bral her next stop andisleavingtommorrow. Perhapshercaptainwould bewillingtotakeonpassengers. Youcanfindhimatdock45B32C"

Scribbling furiously, Kain writes with his nose nearly touching the paper as the gnomes' speech speeds up. Looking from the board to his gnomish helper once he's finished, Kain smiles. "I..ah..thank you good gnome. The ship is HANALI'S SWORD, dock 45B32C," Kain says. "No ships bound for the Arch or Numeliador?"

"Nope." the gnome says then bounds off to wear flowered hats and drink pina coladas.

------------------------

Billy's aimless wandering through town continues until it is rudely interrupted by his grumbling tummy. He taps his tummy and frowns. "We're going to have to do something about that!" He walks a couple of more city blocks towards a quieter part of town and he spots Raken far in front of him.

"Raken!" Billy yells out. Raken looks up as if he heard his name but he fails to see Billy waving at him. Billy runs after him as Raken continues down the street. Raken looks up at an eatery called the "Friendliest Eatery" and walks in.

By the time Billy enters the eatery, Raken is already munching on some very friendly looking stew. A buxom gnome waitress beams a great big smile at Billy, (who all of a sudden seems faint, with seriously blushing cheeks) and says, "Sit yeself doon, me darrrlin' an' I'll fetcha a meal fit forrr a king!"

Billy stands blinking with his mouth open for a few moments. When he snaps back to reality he sees Raken waving at him, a big smile on his face. Billy blushes even more furiously as he takes a seat opposite his silent friend.

With a laugh, Raken returns to his seat. "Out sight-seeing too, eh?" he asks after Billy has a seat. "Figured that with everyone else off on duties, might as well check out the local color." He takes a bite of potatoes from his stew.

Soon after the waitress arrives with four steaming platters and a cold, frothy mug of ale. Billy's eyes widen as a young child's at Yule and he sets to the food. Mathilda, as the waitress is called, makes sure that Billy never runs out of ale or of bread until he is finished his meal.

Pushing himself back from the table and unbuttoning the top of his breeches, Billy sighs with satisfaction.

"Well, luv?" asks Mathilda.

Billy blurts, "Marry me!"

"Well, now. I'll be guessin' ye've enjoyed the meal, now, have ye?"

Billy smiles deeply satisfied and fishes around in his pouch for some coins. His eyes widen in embarrassment. He looks pleadingly at Raken. "Umm. Ah, Raken?"

Raken gives his friend a none-too serious scowl, then reaches into his pouch to pay for the meal. "You know, I should let you wash some dishes..." he says, but he cannot maintain his scowl and cracks into a smile. He pays for the bill and stands to leave. "Well, I'm off to see the rest of this town; care to join me or are you off again?"

"Nah...!" says Billy. "I'm too embarrassed right now. I'll give you back the 5 gold when I get my hands on some cash... Lost almost everything in the accident..."

Billy waves and heads back towards the inn.

At the inn, Billy waves at the hostler and heads for his room, flopping down on his bunk and falling into a deep and restful sleep.

------------------------

The first vessel approached is the cog. As the group follows Seguld's limping form down to the docks the ship is somewhat difficult to pick out at first, as it looks most unremarkable. 90' long and 20' wide at its greatest beam, it has a forecastle and stern castle, with a small, one room cabin underneath each. A single mast and sail, along with a side rudder, complete the rigging. A medium ballista squats on the stern castle, clearly sighted to fire aft or to either side.

Her owner is an unshaven, one-eyed human named Lipoec. As he points out the vessel's strengths he puffs on a thick, rolled wad of dried leaves. "I know she looks like every other groundling sail out there." Lipoec says, "But that's the point. If you plan to visit groundling worlds, this is what you need. Makes it easy to keep a low profile."

Seguld looks at his companions. "'RooYerOnConstruction, 'PateCheckTheSails, FerricTakeALookAtTheQuartersAn'Bridge. KeepDeig'sInMind. HeGetsRatherViolent AtTimes...." Seguld then turns to Lipoec. "DeigsIsOurMinotaurCompanion. He'sGotANastyDispositionAn'AReallySharpAxe. An'OfCourseHe'sGotOneHeckuvaMemory. NothingLikeAMinotaurWhoFeelsHe'sBeenTreatedDishonorably." Seguld smiles as he looks away from Lipoec and lets the words sink in.

Lipoec gives Seguld a dirty look, then follows Ferric on board. "Aside from the cabins under the fore and stern she doesn't have any quarters. There's plenty of room in the hold though, and this baby has a good amount of cargo space." He puffs at his herb roll, "You land on most groundling worlds with one of those fancy ships, you're just shouting 'I have a great deal of magic waiting to be stolen'. With this baby, you land out of sight and sail in like normal. Folks think you're just normal sailors."

"I'llCheckOutWeapon." Seguld announces as he scratches his chin.

After examining the ballista and having Ferric discourage him from loading it. Seguld awaits the reports from the others. The ship is in decent condition, battered, but the seams are well caulked and the rigging is strong. It looks like a solid little vessel.

Seguld then turns to the man. "It'sAFineVesselFerGRoundlings, WhatKindaPrice'ReYouAskin'?"

Lipoec ignores the gnome and turns to Ferric, "She's a fine ship, no? I'm asking 25,000."

Pate sidles back after a brief jaunt around the ship. "Yep..... It's got sails."

Seguld steps between Ferric and Lipoec. "Let'sSee... MinimalQuarters, CrewRequirementIs10, OnlyABalllistaFerWeaponry. It'sASlowShipWithVeryLittle ManeuverabilityAndTheCargoCapacityAin'tAllThatMuch.Heck, OnBralI'dGetItFerHalfThatPrice. I'dBeAFoolToPayMoreThan16ForIt."

Nodding thoughtfully Ferric says to Liopec, "My out spoken little friend does have a point, this type of ship isn't exactly the queen of the sky or sea. While you are right about being unnoticed on a groundling world I think for the price we'd be better off looking to Bral or another shipyard. 25,000 is just more than we can afford for a ship not suited to our needs."

"I can go as low as 18,000." the man says, "Think it over and let me know tomorrow."

--------------------

Next is the wasp, parked on the grassy landing field not too far from where the STAR's remains are resting under Vais' guard. She looks for the most part like a standard waspship, hunch-backed and dangerous looking. In this case the illusion is furthered by a long metal pole sticking out from the fore deck.

Her owner, a short, ancient looking gnome named Dalla, explains, "She'sbeenfittedwithaDallaforegisortiala'sfriction-generatedstaticelectricit ycollectionandfocuseddeliveryapperatus. You'llneverneedawizardagainasthisbabywillsendlighteningintoyourfoes'shipcaus ingtheirhelmtocrashandfeettoburn!"

"Don'tThinkHolland'dLikeItMuch. ThoughIBetVais'dGetAChargeOutOfIt." Seguld slaps his knee and then rolls on the ground laughing. Seeing no more than a smirk from his companions he quickly stands up again. "SeriouslyThough - DoesItHaveAPool?"

"Apoolofwhat?IfyoumeanapoolofavailablepowerfortheDallaforegisortiala'sfricti on-generatedstaticelectricitycollectionandfocuseddeliveryapperatusthentheans werisnotyet.I'mworkingonastoragedevicebutfornowtwognomesmustcranktheflywheel toproducethechargewhichisthenappliedtothehowmanyofmyplayersareactuallyreadin gthis?rodwhichasecondpairofgnomesmanipulateintotouchingthetargetvesselreleas ingthesparkanddestroyingthetarget."

Seguld then turns to the others. "Ok, Let'sCheck'ErOut!" As Seguld begins to move towards the weapon he places a hand on Dalla's back. "TellMeMore'BoutThisWeaponYaGot."

Dalla goes of on a long stint about the weapons abilities.

Aside from the gnomish weapon, the wasp appears to be in good shape.

When the team reassembles Seguld is found with Dalla side by side at the "stinger". "GuysThisThing'sGreat! ItCanGenerateACharge'QuivalentToA PairOfHamstersRunnin'AStaticWheelWithDualGearBoxesPowerin'ACoalFedSteamEngin e."

Seguld then asks the elder gnome, "HowMuchIsSheGoin'For?"

"Ineedfundsforfurtherresearchandcouldn'tlethergoforlessthen15,000." Dalla answers, "That'sastealconsideringthemilitarycapabilitieshere!"

Seguld responds, "I'veGotMyHundredthComin'Up,How'sAboutYa GiveMeADiscountFerABirthdayPresent?"

"Okay,letmeworkthatout." The gnome moves to a large box, about the size of a large trunk, with several knobs and dials. He fiddles with it for a bit then returns beaming, "Withatenpercentbirthdaydiscountthetotalcomesto20,000. Iusedmypatentednumbercrunching2000forthat,youinterested inbuyingone?"

Pate scratches his head, scrunches up his face, and mutters, "uhm.... no. How's that again without the discount?"

"15,000" the gnome says.

Seguld shakes his head. "YouKnowWhat... MyHundredthIsStillAFewYearsAway. WhyDon'tWeApplyThe DiscountToMyNextPurchase?"

Seguld then turns to the others, "IThinkWe'reDoneNow - Let'sBuyThisOne!" He winks at 'Pate. "OfCourseYouGuysDon'tMindIfWeSkipTheLastOne, DoYa?"

"Oh, no," Pate shakes his head. "I think we have a really good deal with that last ship we checked, and with the next one... well, we have to be really careful with our funds.... Gotta find the best deal, you know. And wasps... hmmmm, I don't know, Insects are so.... natahej injiko.... you know?"

Seguld nods in agreement and kicks at the dirt. "Well... " He turns back to Dalla. "YouSeeMyCrewIsALittleHesitantOnThisOne, ButILikeIt! IMightBeAbleTo PersuadeThemIfYouCouldDoTheDealForMaybe13,000. AndWe'llEvenConsider Puttin'YourNameOnHer. YourNameWillLiveOnForever." Seguld places his arm around the gnome. "Can'tYouJustSeeIt... Dallaforegisortiala'sSilentStar CompleteWithFriction-GeneratedStaticElectricityCollectionAndFocusedDelivery Apparatus." Seguld spreads his hands as if to show the words painted on the tail length of the vessel. Suddenly he turns, "NowThatWeHaveThatSettled, WhyDon'tYouAndIMeetForDinnerOfCourseI'llBuyAndYouCanTellMeAllAboutYourOther Research."

"Ineed16,000atleasttopurchasethematerialsformynextinvention." The gnome answers, "Letmeknowlaterwhatyoudecide."

After they leave the ship, Pate steps next to Seguld. He shakes his head. "You know, I am just a novice here, and I am interested in learning everything I can from you... but my parents had a business as well, and I learned some things from them too. So I am really curious about your strategy back there, and hope you can help me out. How did we strengthen our position by your falling all over yourself and practically drooling all over the deck? I know you have some idea here, some secret stratagem, but shouldn't you at least _feign_ disinterest at the start of a negotiation? This is all very interesting."

Seguld looks at 'Pate. "YouAreNewAtThisAren'tYou." Seguld walks a few more steps then begins his lesson.

"Seguld'sTwentySeventhRuleOfHaggling, DoNotLetYourselfBehaveInAMannerUnnaturalToYourNormalStateOrElseYou'llCauseTh eMerchantWithWhomYouAreDealingToBecomeSuspicious."

Seguld ponders a moment and then lights up with a thought, "It'sKindOfLikeLeera'sMagicEnchantments. ItIsAllAnIllusionButIfItDoesn'tFitRightThenItDoesn'tWork. WhenWasTheLastTimeYouSawAGnomeNotGetExcitedOverAnFrictionGeneratedStaticElec tricitCollectionAndFocusedDeliveryApperatus? IfIWasn'tInterestedHeWouldKnowIReallyWas. ThisWayHeDoesn'tKnowHowInterestedIAmInTheShip, 'CauseIBehavedLikeAnAverageGnome. MakeSense?"

"Now... AsFerTheDiscountDeal, Seguld'sRuleOfHagglingNumberForty-SevenIs... WhenAskingAboutADiscountBePrepared'CauseADiscountIsLikeATwinSteamEngineWithD ualInterlockingGearsPoweredByHeftyHamsters, IfThey'ReMovingInOppositeDirectionsYouGoNowhere, ButIfYouGetThemMovingTogetherThenYouMoving, NowIt'sNotAlwaysInTheRightDirectionButYou'reMoving."

Pate scratches his head, taking mental notes. "True, true....I guess you're right. Coyote would approve of such trickery disguised as incompetence.... Spirits know he was good enough at both. Trickery and incompetence that is. Did I ever tell you the tale of his race with Rabbit?"

He listens to Seguld's discourse on discounts then sighs. "Well, I really like the Wasp, especially after seeing it. That still gets my vote unless the next guy is _giving_ the Tradesman away. Still, when we go back, maybe we should act like you really like the device, but we are doing her a favor in taking the ship with it?"

-----------------------

The tradesman is resting in a cradle on the landing field, with a gangplank leading up on deck. The ship's owner, a swashbuckling warrior who introduces himself as Dirck of Wildspace, leads the party up onto the main deck, which appears very similar to that of the FLOWFISH.

After a cursory examination, however, it's apparent the forward catapult has been replaced. In its stead is a large gunpowder contraption with twelve barrels, six on top and six on the bottom, each about the size of a large musket. Dirck notices the stares directed that way, "I call it the gnomepipes. Not any use at range, but it works better then most gnome weapons when boarding."

Seguld's eyes practically light up when he sees the gun. "She'sABeauty! MindIfITakeACloserLook?" Seguld is hobbling along towards the weapon without awaiting a response. At least twice he is instructed not to load the weapon, to which Seguld responds by crossing his arms and pouting.

Again, the vessel appears to be in good shape, if a little used.

Seguld looks to the man. "Don'tKnowMuch'BoutTheseThings." He motions to the ship, "HowMuchDoesOneOfTheseThingsGoForAnyway?"

"35,000" the man answers. "She's worth that and more!"

"35,000ForATradesman!" Seguld exclaims as he puts his hand over his chest and melodramatically falls into Grigree. Standing himself up straight he pants heavily and regains his composure. "PardonMeFriend, ButANewtradesman'dCostAroundTwentyFive, NowSinceYoursIsSlightlyUsedWe'dSayTwentyOrMaybeTwentyTwoAndWithTheFancyGunWe 'reBackToTwentyFive. NowTellMeHowYouCouldLiveWithYourselfAfterTurningDownTwentyFive?"

"Nope, I sure couldn't." the man nods, "Twenty five sounds fair to me."

"We'll get back to you." ferric says, and the group returns to the Inn to inform their fellows of their progress.

Date/time: 1:00 pm 15th day of the 6th Month, 5049 OC