New World IC, Group 1

[Kon Lesh]

Mika jogs back to the boat with everyone else. carrying a bit of the loot as well. Sigh, already planning on drinking. I just want a good night's rest off without any swaying from a ship.

[ZeltArruin]

Huril looked over the food and took a fistful of the salted meat, shrugging as he stuffed them in his backpack before taking his share of the loot to the boat. "I could use a drink, too," he muttered.

[Starbuck_II]

Yeah, I definately need sometime to chill and work on my gun.

Tyr said as he grabbed a few wagon supplies (mostly beef) he could carry and left for the boat.

[stack]

Jon shrugs as the others men grab the supplies and instead helps the unconscious boy into the craft. He then turns and chivalrously offers his hand to the women to help them step from the dock and into the boat after loading the scavenged gear. Somewhat more reluctantly he helps load and stow the foodstuffs.

"We have been here long and too long. Let's go quickly, I would end my night with a warm bed, not with more blood. We have had little of the former and an excess of the later."

[Bhaakon]

Your mission accomplished, you pile into the longboat and kick off, letting the gentle current take you back down to the waterfront. You've managed to haul a couple barrels of salted meat aboard, as well as a small keg of less than top shelf whiskey.

Once again you remain unseen, the dark night and low mist hiding the boat from prying eyes. Peter awakes a few hundred yards from your destination, and groggily asks "what happened?"

[stack]

Jon grabs the youth by the arm. He leans over, in an insistent whisper "It's done. We need to go now. Details can wait till we are heading down-river." as he herds the boy to the boat.

[Bhaakon]

@stack

Spoiler

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you are heading down river

[ZeltArruin]

"Jus' a bit of bad luck, kid. Watch yer head, a drink might help with th' pain, but you're a bit young..." Huril said as the boy came too. He trailed off, scratching at his now clean shaven face, as though remembering the fuzz it all to recently had.

[Lost Demiurge]

"A couple of guards caught you." Says Genevieve. "Bit messy. Had to kill one to get you back. Still, we weren't compromised and the goal's achieved, so your boss should be happy."

[Starbuck_II]

Glad to have you back in the land of the living. Wouldn't want to lose someone on our first mission here, bad luck I think.
Tyr said smiling.

[Bhaakon]

The boy nods slowly, then seems to realize something a tries to stand up suddenly, but nearly faints again and falls back to the deck. "The bird," he mumbles, "forgot to send the bird."

[Kon Lesh]

"The bird? Oh yeah, he had a caged pigeon on him. Is the bird still in the boat?" Mika begins to look around the boat for the pigeon.

[Lost Demiurge]

"The bird? Oh yeah, he had a caged pigeon on him. Is the bird still in the boat?" Mika begins to look around the boat for the pigeon.

Genevieve's eyes narrow.

"Let us read the message on that bird's leg, I think. Before we send it. Just in case."

[stack]

Jon shrugs at Genevieve's suspicions. "Seems to me if our employer meant us ill, he'd have more direct methods. Still, I', not gonna stop you if you want to read it. I've had enough sneaking and snooping."

He stand and steps to the side of the boat, then discards his disguise, knotting the poncho and mask around a rock he had grabbed for the purpose before tossing the bundle over-board. He returns to his seat and again re-loads his revolver. He looks up, tired, but weary beyond just the late hour, the weight of the nights violence heavy on his shoulders. He nods to the "salvaged" goods. "There a tap on that barrel?"

[Bhaakon]

"No, no" Peter continues, "I had the bird when the jumped me, I hadn't sent the message. It's probably still in its cage by the slave pen."

The long boat is nearing the dock where you originally launched from. It's still dark out, but the eastern horizon is just beginning to lighten with the approaching dawn.

[stack]

Jon scowls, his head falling back and his hands coming to cover his face. . "The message will be more trouble if any one finds it. Volunteers to sneak back and fetch it? I'll go along, but sneaking is not my specialty, despite what this night has called for. Also, I seem to be prematurely without a disguise. Bah, always the little things!"

[Starbuck_II]

I reckon I can do it. I could take off my armor, it makes an occassional noise but then again we don't know if it is safe so I'll keep it on. Surprised I missed the cage the first time.

Tyr said as he pondered.

[Kon Lesh]

"I will head back as well. I can cast more expeditious retreats on myself and I can cast mage armor that can reinforce people if they want to take off their armor."

@Baahkon

Spoiler

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How long has it been since the beginning of the first combat? Mage armor stays up for 3 hours and I want to know if I will be needing to recast it on myself.

[ZeltArruin]

Huril looked at the others as they spoke. "We really need this bird, I guess. I'll come along too, no sense in leaving anythin' up to chance more 'n we need to," he said with a shrug.

[Lost Demiurge]

"If you wish." Says Genevieve, eyeing the sun's rise. "But time is short. We may be out of luck. I am no sneak but I can cover your back, and I still have my disguise."

[Starbuck_II]

I still got my disguise, it will help if I unload my chain shirt and get that mage armor, better sneaking then.

Said as he took ofd his chain shirt and put his mask back on.

[Bhaakon]

@Mika

Spoiler

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by the time you get back there, it will have been 3 hours

You ply the oars harder than before, pushing to reach the slave pen before sunrise, but it's a losing battle. The sun hasn't yet peaked over the horizon when reach the site, but the sky is already bright enough to read by. A few scraggly roosters are crowing amid the shacks as the slum's residents begin to stir, but that's not the most troubling sign.

A dozen or more town guards, their bright livery clearly visible in the pre-dawn glow, are patrolling near the site of your recent battle. One officer in particularly fine armor is pacing before a line of dirty, bedraggled men and woman, the escaped guard from the wagon stands among them. Occasionally the officer stops to speak with one of the poor souls, and once or twice threatens them with his whip.

A woman in an elaborately embroidered blue robe observes the interviews from a short distance away, a perfumed handkerchief held to her nose.

[stack]

Jon's eye widen. "Too late. I'll not kill the guards without cause, trying would be suicide anyway. But what of those people they are questioning?...I think we should go, our employer will know more than we can discern here."

This is what comes of sneaking and killing in the night.

[ZeltArruin]

"Yeah, I'm not to keen on getting interrogated right now, either," Huril agrees, ready to push back to the city again.

[Lost Demiurge]

"We may have to leave town for a bit." Says Genevieve. "Well, no matter. First we tell our employer, perhaps the message was not incriminating to him."

[Starbuck_II]

Yeah, we did our best, and we can always come back afte a good night's rest if really neccesary.

Tyr said as he put his armor back on, and helped row.

[Kon Lesh]

"Good think that I didn't waste any spells. Alright lets head back."

[Bhaakon]

By the time you get back to the warehouse you set out from, the sun is well clear of the horizon and the waterfront is buzzing. Though you pass several other vessels plying the river on the way back, none offer more conversation than a simple greeting. Peter disappears as you moor the boat, only to return a moment later with a pair of doughty stevedores. "These men will take your cargo back to the Lubber," says Peter, "the boss should give you a fair price for it, food is pretty dear in Anchor's End. Don't worry about paying them, it's the least I could do after your help last night."

[stack]

Jon shakes the boys hand. "It's a good job done."

He turns to help the others unload their gear, being careful to keep his newly 'acquired' blunderbuss out of casual view, just in case. When everyone is out, he addresses them. "Well, I saw we check-in with our employer, though some food and sleep are both long over-due. Say we go directly?"

His relief at the mission ending is tempered by the doubt regarding the abandoned bird.

[Kon Lesh]

"A bit of sleep and food will help everyone, but checking in first will be for the best. I agree with you Jon. Even though bed would be so nice."

Oh, well at least I can do this again.

As you begin to feel a soft breeze moving from Mika's body.

Spoiler

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Breeze in constant activation once again until further notice.