Jammers Summary: Chapter 3, Turn 36

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

Having decided to pursue the option of booking passage to Bral, the company heads over to HANALI'S SWORD and speak to her captain about passage to Bral.

The vessel is docked in Lake Crashsplash. The sword appears to be a small galleon, equipped with two medium ballistae on her stern castle and a life boat stored amidships on the main deck. She looks well used, and isn't much larger then the cog looked at earlier in the day for purchase. Some sort of odd box has been bolted to the side of the vessel just below the main deck railing.

The ship sits quietly, a young human male sleeping by the gangplank appears to be the only one aboard. He awakes to the sounds of your footsteps on the dock and squints up at your large group, "Yes?"

Seguld moves from one side of the ship to the other. "She'sGotTwoB'listasAnd SheLooksSturdy'Nuff, ButIWonderWhatThatIs.AnyIdeas?" Inquires Seguld as he points towards the odd box while pulling on Ferric's shirt.

Nilaroo stands behind Ferric, casting an eye over the ship's lines.

Kain stands with the others, if not clutching his satchel which contains the ledger and other assorted company goods, at the least holding it very tightly. He looks over the ship as his fellow members do, the strange black box attracting his attention as it does Seguld's.

The human grunts, and stands. Stretching his arms high above his body he says, "You're in luck. He's sleeping it off in his cabin. Wait here."

The sailor's bare feet slap against the deck planking as he walks over to a door to the stern castle and knocks loudly, "Captain, there's some folk here who want to see you about passage to Bral!" A loud murmur replies, which none of you can make out, then the sailor says, "They don't look like doppelgangers, no sir." More murmuring. "Nope, no dragons either."

The door opens and very attractive elf male steps out onto the deck. He's wearing a loose white shirt tucked into a broad leather belt, doe leather leggings, and a pair of calf-high black boots. His long silver hair is pulled back into a pony tail and a small gold heart hangs on a chain around his neck. He appears to be unarmed.

He walks to the railing of his vessel and looks down at the company. "Passage to Bral, eh? and who might I be transporting? Hijackers, pirates, or even worse, tax collectors?" The good natured smile on his face indicates the words are spoken in jest. "I'm Elrohir Amroth, captain of this ship. And you are?"

Raken quickly introduces the others with him.

"So, how many and any cargo?" the elf asks.

"14 and a large crate." Ferric says.

"Let's see, 12 days to Bral, 14 passengers and a large crate." He shakes his head, "Well, I suppose it would run you 120 gold. You sleep in the cargo hold, and provide your own meals. What do you think?"

"That sounds fair, hoom, Ferric. Captain, I am a Journeyman Shipwright of Bral. Would the offer of my services for the duration of the passage lower the cost to our group?" Nilaroo asks.

"If I need your services, we can discuss a refund. She's in fine shape right now." the elf answers smiling.

The deal is sealed, and the elf tells them to be at the dock by noon the next day with coin in hand.

Date/time: 2:30 pm 15th day of the 6th Month, 5049 OC

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

As the evening approaches Seguld heads off to Goluks Fine Grub and Other Sustenance with a Decided Emphasis on Fish and Other Seafood but our Stew is Good Too, and Don't Forget the Mead and Ale Either. As Seguld enters with his slight limp he notices his dinner companion Dalla already waiting at a booth off to the side. With a quick nod to the serving maid Seguld heads over and hops up onto the booth bench. "GoodDay!GoodDay!" Seguld exclaims as he energetically grabs and shakes Dalla's hand.

The next forty-five minutes is just a chaos of noise rising from the table as Seguld gives the short version of how the company appears to put their trust in the equipment manufactured by humans, grommans, and other non-creative races rather than the near genius of the gnomes. When finally there is a pause in the conversation, the serving maid rushes to the table.

"ThoughtI'dCatchYouB'ForeYouTwoGitGoingAgain. Now,TheSpecialsOfTheDay AreFriedPerchAndMixedSeafoodChowder, ThenAgainThereWillAlsoBe AMysteryMealOfferedTonightAndIfYouGuessWhatItIsYouGetItAtHalfPrice."

Seguld's eyes light up. "I'mGoingFerTheMysteryMeal."

Dalla jumps in saying, "I'llHaveTheFriedPerch,ButTellMerleToBeCarefulLastTimeHeBurnedItSoBadItTaste dLikeShoeLeather. NotThatI'veEverEatenShoeLeatherOfCourse, ButIfIHadEatenShoeLeather IExpectIt'dTasteLikeMerle'sPerch. CourseTheSeasoningWouldBe DependantOnWhereThePersonHadBeenWalking.CauseOneOf DillynsWonderful FishAttractorAndFilleteryAccidentsWillProbablyContributeMoreOfAFishFlavorTha nMerle'sPerch'sGot."

"ThanksFerTheWarning." Comments Seguld. "NowAboutYourDallaforegisortiala's Friction-GeneratedStaticElectricityCollectionAndFocusedDeliveryApperatusIWas ThinkingThereMayBeAWayToImproveTheDeliverySystem. Now,UntilYouDevelopAStorageDevice ForItYouWantToMakeTheMostOutOfYourDualGnomePoweredFlyWheelCrankCharge. MySuggestionWouldBeToMountADualBallistaWithMetallicLinesConnectedToMetalBolt s,SoYouCanShootAtADistanceAndIfTheBoltHitsTheTargetThenYouCrankIt DeliveringADirectShockEveryTimeAsLongAsTheBoltsHit. IfTheyMiss YouWillNeedToDrawBackTheLineButThenIfYouKeepYourDeliverySystemInPlaceAsWell YouCanFunnelTheChargeThroughThatUntilYouGetTheLineDrawnBackIn."

The waitress then arrives with the food and sets it down on the table. "Here'sYourGrub.Remember... atGoluksFineGrubandOtherSustenence WithADecidedEmphasisOnFishAndOtherSeafoodButOurStewIsGoodToo, AndDon'tForget TheMeadAndAleEither,MateyWeServeOnlyTheBest.Watchout,ThoseMerle'sImprovedCom binedTrayBowlPlateForkAndKnivesWereJustSharpened. Here'sYourPerchAndMerleSaysSheMadeItSpecialJustForYouDalla." So saying she places a platter on the table before Dalla which has a solid black scrap of food which Dalla eyes excitedly. In front of Seguld is placed a tall thin flute glass with a lime green jelly. Seguld smiles as he looks to the serving maid.

"ThisIsFarTooEasyMadam,SurelyAnyWellRespectedGnomeWouldRecognizeAServingOf RockToadSpleenMousse." Seguld announces.

"ButDearSirYouAreIncorrectInYourAssertion,ForYouSeeItIsNotRockToadSpleenMous se,ButRatherItIsStoneToadSpleenMousse." she responds gleefully.

Dalla smiles, "ThereThereGoodFriend,CertainlyMostWouldNotHave BeenAsCloseAsYouHaveBeen." As the maid departs he adds, "AndGoluks'HasNever AdmittedToAnyoneGettingTheirGuessCorrect.IWouldNotBeSurprisedIfYourGuessWasI ndeedAccurateAndSheJustMadeThatUpAboutTheStoneToad."

"True,True."Seguld nods in response. As Seguld is about to Operate Merle's Improved Dining contraption, Dalla quickly intercedes. "I'dPutThatAside. YouSeeMerleHasn'tQuiteFinishedWorkingOnItYet.YouCanUseMyStrawEquippedWithSol idFoodLiquificationApparatusWithAdjustableStrawLengthAndCrankPoweredSuction. " Dalla's device appears to be similar to a hand powered beater with a crazy straw attached on top. Seguld inserts the straw into his mouth and places one of the beaters into the mousse mixture. As he cranks the handle the mousse is beaten into a liquid and immediately fed through the straw into Seguld's mouth without any problems. As Seguld continues to operate the device for a few more minutes he is suddenly greeted with a harsh shock. "Owww!"

Dalla looks up from chewing on his shingle of perch and smiles. "NowYouSeeWhere IGotTheIdeaForDallaforegisortiala'sFriction-GeneratedStaticElectricityCollec tionAndFocusedDeliveryApperatus."

Seguld smiles back, "MostEnlightening."

The two gnomes then return their chatter to Seguld's ideas for delivery devices and when finally the establishment is empty. Seguld and Dalla conclude their evening and retire for the evening.

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

Late this evening several members of the Company of the Silent Star sit in the inn's common room, nursing their drinks and listening to a bard play mournful tune on his yartar. The room is filled with many of the non-gnomes on Bral (though some gnomes are present as well), scattered throughout the room at tables and in booths. Several games of cards or chess are underway and the remains of the evening meal have just been cleared, leaving small bowls of hard bread for munching through the evening's drinking.

Lipoec, the seller of the cog, can be seen sitting with a strawberry blonde halfling female in a corner booth. At another both sit five human sailors, at least two are recognizable as crew members of the SWORD.

The main doors burst open and five men come laughing into the room. The first is handsome and dark-haired, dressed flamboyantly in Bralian noble style with a rapier swinging from his baldric. He is immediately recognizable as Crynar Randal, captain of the RESPLENDENT. The others are obviously his crew: Phil and Garril, the young men from Oerth who helped pilot the FLOW GHOST back to Bral and the bald, fierce-looking gentleman with the curved dagger and Jamila-style clothing who accompanied Crynar aboard the ship during the initial boarding. The fifth man is half-elven and also dressed colorfully. He is unarmed.

Kain stares blankly at the trio of newcomers for a few moments, a fork and knife held in either hand, before recognition becomes apparent to his features. "One of the few fights I managed to.. ah.. keep myself off the deck," he mutters as he looks back down to his meal.

Crynar's gaze searches the room until he finds the Company members at their table. He smiles broadly and saunters over, calling "A round for the house, barkeep!"

As the roar of approval from the other patrons dies down, Crynar smiles down at the party. "It's the SILENT STAR crew! You seem to have misplaced your ship!"

Talus sighs and murmurs quietly, "I think I will have to go and spread a few rumours about our bravery in the face of a fleet of scro ships, and how we disguised our ship as a wreck to avoid attention."

Italapate grins as he walks up to the other crew, offering to grasp hands with Phil and Garrill, and any others who accept. "Phil, Garrill, good to see you," he says. "Captain, always a pleasure." Then he laughs.... "Lost our ship? No, we know right where it is. It's that piece of coyote dung we call a raft sitting down on the docks!!!!" he laughs out loud, and hopefully entices the RESPLENDENT crew to laugh as well. "Come, sit with us and I will tell you the tale as well as reciprocate your generosity with a round of drinks!" He gestures toward the Silent Star's table. "And when I have finished, perhaps you would grace us with a tale of your exploits as well?"

Holland, who had remained at the inn for the day studying his new spells, listens to Italapate's reply from his seat at the table and then turns his head towards Crynar.

Crynar laughs loudly, "It is an eye-catching vessel!" He glances about the room, then pulls up a chair, "Does the story begin, a gnome, a minotaur, and halfling are flying through space...?"

Billy laughs at Crynar's quick wit.

Shaking his head ruefully Ferric says, "So you've already heard then have you? Actually we went two on one against a couple of Viper ships. Thanks to some quick thinking by a couple of our number and a little smokepowder we blew up one of the ships as we boarded the other. We managed to kill all the scro on board the ship we attacked but weren't quick enough to keep the helmsman from blowing their helm. A shame really. The way those things outflew us it would have been nice to capture one for ourselves. As it is we are now in the market for a new vessel."

Kain looks up as Italapate begins his tale, and nods at Ferric's brusque explanation, plainly agreeing. "Another near death experience," Kain says laconically, sighing at the finish.

Italapate shoots Ferric a positively scathing look. He frowns and sighs. "That's no way to tell a tale......"

Ignoring the look, Ferric takes his drink from the server as she arrives at the table. "So, Captain, where are you headed?"

"Into a warm bed with a willing lady." he answers and flashes Leera a charming smile.

Italapate laughs genuinely, though he shakes his head a little at the crass humor. "In any case, my story would have started, ironically enough, with a gnome and a minotaur and a halfling flying through space..... Seggy, Deig, and Billy respectively.....," he sighs.... "Coyote spare me from any more such drab displays of bard-ness......"

Crynar laughs again, as do his companions who have seated themselves about the table no as well. ""Tis several hours before I'll feel the need for flesh or sleep. A game of cards?"

"I am sorry Crynar but after our recent mishap I can't afford to donate my coin to you and yours," Ferric says smiling. "Perhaps another time when I am fatter of purse I will let you try to fleece me." Ferric stands to make room at the table for other players. "I think I will take a walk. Good evening gentlemen." Ferric makes his way out the door and out into the street.

"Hoom, captain, I would try my luck," Nilaroo volunteers, raising his ale to his simian lips.

"At least with you I'll know you've no cards up your sleeve!" Cyrnar says, pulling a deck from his pocket. "Who else is in?"

Billy's eyes sparkle at the suggestion. "I'm in! Blind Orc Double-Pass? Schweebo? Davidaz Roll-Out? Knights and Dragons? Pokir? What's your game gentlemen?" Billy cracks his knuckles in anticipation.

Grigree, who's been sitting quietly at the table watching the newcomers, holds up his hand and shakes his head "no".

"I'm.. ah.. up for watching, how about you Talus?" Kain asks his long time friend. "Care to take the Captain's purse at the.. ah.. gaming table?"

The half-elf shakes his head, "No thanks." He whispers to Kain, "I don't think we are that desperate for money yet, and I don't want to make any more enemies."

Billy turns to his two shipmates, "If I could impose upon you to lend me a few gold? Our recent mishap has unfortunately liberated me of all of my funds." Billy turns towards Crynar. "Of course if you'll accept crossbow quarrels I could use those instead..."

Italapate pulls 25 gold from his pouch and slides the coins to Billy. "Here ya go, Billy," he smiles. "Don't worry about payin' me back... I plan on winning them back from you tonight anyway...."

Meanwhile, "Cards sound good." the bald man says in answer to Crynar's question..

The other three of Crynar's crewmen shake their heads and stand up, "I've lost enough to you this past voyage. I'm off to pry a catchy tune from the bard." Garril says with a smile.

Crynar glances at the other members of the Company of the Silent Star. "Any other takers?"

Pate grins as he removes his jacket revealing a bare chest and arms. "Well, Coyote is a patron of gambling, but I promise to lose for the first hour." He tosses a pouch of coins on the table. "What's the name of the game?"

"Knights and Dragons." Crynar names a game popular in Bralian taverns. "Fear not, you've made me a rich man and I've no need to take all your money."

Italapate says "And, while we play, I can relate the story of our lost ship in a manner that will properly awe and inspire..... I dare say, after you hear the tale, you will be impressed that we salvaged as much of the ship as we did... and we will toast poor.... Galan.... who could not be with us to revel in victory."

Soon, the players are engrossed in their game while Italapate entertains them with his stories.

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

As Crynar enters, Raken is finishing his meal. He scrutinizes the group, and then returns to his ale. As the other's begin their game, he feels a tug at his elbow. Turning, he sees nothing, but instinctive looks down to see a fairly tall female gnome in fatigues. "Can I help you with something?"

"HiMyNameIsRatcheteDaughterOfThromosTheGreatAndMighty CaptainOfTheFighting StirgenAShipInTheIronpieceDefensiveNavy." She takes a breath, I'veServedAboardTheFightingStirgenAndWonHonorsInTheBattleAgainstTheScroDurin gTheBattleOfIronpiece,AndBecauseOfThatBattleICameUpWithANewBoardGameCalledTh eGame ThatRe-FightsThatHistoricalAndValorousBattleToDefendTheGnomishWorldOfIronpie ce."

She takes another breath, and Raken cuts her off. "You want me to play you're game? Excuse my rudeness, but why? I would assume such a game would be better understood by other gnomes."

"YesButFewOtherGnomesHaveExperienceFightingScroAndIHeardYou'veFoughtThemBefo reAndIWantSomeoneToTellMeIfI'veAccuratelyCapturedTheirFightingTechniques," She swiftly responds.

Raken is much slower in responding, his mind trying to catch up. "Um, well, I was on the helm at the time, and a foul scro put me under for a few hours before the battle was over, but I suppose a game wouldn't hurt. Where do you want to play?"

"WonderfulHere'sTheGame," she says as she takes a seat next to Raken. She pulls out a small pouch out of her front pocket. She fumbles with the tie string, and it tumbles open, spilling the contents onto the table. Several bits of scrap metal and nuts roll across the table, but Raken manages to catch several that threaten to roll off the table edge.

"SorryAboutThatNowTheRulesRunAsFollows," she says, spending the next few minutes explaining the rules to Raken. After asking her to repeat them twice, he feels confident enough to begin the game. For the next hour or two the pair move the bits and nuts around a black cloth map, occasionally removing those that are 'killed'. Occasionally, Raken makes comments, which Ratchete jots down in a little notebook. Finally, the last of Raken's 'pieces' is removed and 'destroyed.'

"Interesting," he comments at the end. "The scro don't seem vicious enough, though. And hull points? What an odd concept."

"ThanksForTheInputI'llKeepYourCommentsOnHand. SeeYouAroundGottaGo, NeedToBe HomeByMidnightToFeedMyMiniatureGiantSpaceHampsterPet." With quick hands, she bundles the nuts and bits and departs the tavern.

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

As the game wears on, Pate wraps up his tale of the adventure, and victory, over the Scro. "So, Captain Crynar? Where are you heading? We are looking to get back to Bral and find ourselves a better ship than the one we got... not that four planks of wood, spit, and wire aren't a good ship, mind you, but we feel we deserve a mite better. If you were going that way, we would certainly pull our weight should you be interested in taking on temporary crew... or passengers." He looks at his cards and grins...... "Maybe we could wager passage on this hand.......?"

Crynar looks at the pot, up to about ten gold, and smiles, "How about we raise the stakes a bit? You still have your helm, yes? Your helm versus my ship and helm. Winner takes all. What do you say?"

"I would ask to clarify the bet, good sir," Pate grins wolfishly. "Are you wagering your ship? Or just the ride? A helm for a ship is a fair bet, a helm for passenger fare for a dozen people is not."

"My helm and ship versus your helm." Crynar smiles.

Billy throws a quick glance to Italapate. "Umm... I ah.... Don't think that we can place that bet... Could you imagine the scalping we'd get if we lost!" Billy looks at the small pile of coins in front of him. Obviously he is not having much luck.

"Imagine the cheers if you win." Crynar counters.

"Hoom, Italapate does not have the right to bargain the helm away. It belongs to our sponsor," Nilaroo answers.

"Not necessarily," Italapate grins. "Our contract is over, remember? If the helm were not ours to utilize as we saw fit, then I would be feeling a bit queasy now, simply for thinking of the wager. Besides, ole' Moune would tell you, 'you gotta spend money to make money.....',"

"I swore an oath, hoom, that needs no magic to make it binding to me, Coyote." Nilaroo answers softly.

Date/time: 10:00 pm 15th day of the 6th Month, 5049 OC