FR: Quest for the Forgotten Key IC (Sequoia)

[knewsom]

Sharon gave Ark a very confused look.

"Slaves..? Ark, this is the Capital of Cormyr... Slavery has been outlawed for DECADES here. That being said... I wouldn't put it past a few of them. If my gut is right, none of the honest ones will want to take us, and of the dishonest ones, I fear none will take us because of ME."

[Ozzy_G]

Ark looks confused, and scratches the top of "his" illusory head. Slavery is illegal? But then who grows your food? Do you use magic or something? He looks at Svanna warily. And why wouldn't the honest captains want to take us to Arabel?

[knewsom]

Sharon shakes her head in exasperation.

"Farmers grow our food. People who's livelihood is to grow food. Most own their land, some lease it from local landowners. It's an honest, simple, and gratifying life. My Grandfather was a farmer, and my uncle still owns and runs the farm."

She sighed.

"And the honest captains may be too afraid to take us - there have been reports of piracy nearby, even in the Wyvern Water. Unfortunately we're so tied up with this damned invasion we haven't been able to do anything about it. Meanwhile, Pirates patrol our waters waiting like cats to pounce on any mouse leaving the safety of its nest."

[Ozzy_G]

Ark shakes "his" head in surprise. People want to work on farms? Westerners really are strange. But anyway, we should try and find a captain who is willing to brave the pirates. Maybe their won't be many, but we've got to try. Sharon, try and keep your head down and your hood up. "He" walks down towards the ships, to ask around and see if any ships are willing to take passengers to Arabel.

[dgray]

Svanna slightly distracted and not really paying attention to the conversation between Ark and Sharon walks up closer to them. I don't want to alarm you but we are being followed she whispers amongst the chatter.

[The Great Skenardo]

Teb Hokk
Teb grins lopsidedly.
"C'n I kill 'em?" he rumbles.

[Ozzy_G]

Ark doesn't look back, but keeps walking as if nothing had happened. He asks quietly What does this person look like?

[dgray]

I'm not quite sure. Svanna says in a low voice He, at least i am assuming a he, is keeping to the shadows. She says while pulling the hood of her cloak up over her head.

[The Great Skenardo]

Teb Hokk
Teb glances down at the others, a little puzzled.
Even with his room-temperature IQ, Teb got the feeling that there wasn't much point trying to walk around incognito while he, the giant half-orc with two huge axes and two huge swords, was in their company.
"So...I kill 'em?"

[Ozzy_G]

Ark grins. Nah. So someone's following us! Big deal. They probably figure we're rich. Keep an eye on your purses, eh? "He" flexes his illusory muscles. Or maybe they just can't get enough of my hot body!

[knewsom]

Sharon sighed.

"Nobody's killing anyone, Teb, unless there's no other option. Starting a fight would draw even MORE attention to ourselves."

Ark's search for a willing Captain so far has come up dry - mostly they laugh at him, if they're willing to speak with him at all. One ship, however, has city guards are posted the gangway. His inquiry only results in being politely informed that this ship is under impound. The craft itself looks rather shabby, with grey sails, and a badly faded black and green paint job. Its name was half worn off the bow, but you think it probably said, "Annabelle Lee".

[Ozzy_G]

Ark sniggers. Well, well, well. Wasn't this Jacques boat?
"He" thinks for a moment. Sharon, could you get this boat unimpounded if they'd be willing to take us to Arabel?

[knewsom]

Sharon shook her head.

"I don't know, Ark... he's a thief, a gambler, a smuggler... He's been in trouble with us before, and given me the slip more than once. They might allow it, given the circumstances, assuming you could even find him..."

[Ozzy_G]

Ark raises his eyebrows. Oh, you know him do you? Could you tell us about him?

[dgray]

It is definitely possible that the person who has been following us is Jaques. Svanna said

[knewsom]

The tall woman shifted uncomfortably.

"Yes, I know him... better than I'd like to admit. He's a scoundrel, the son of a scoundrel - the Pirate Regulus Del Mar, Scourge of the Sword Coast. He's charming and dashing, but he ultimately only cares about one person and one person alone: him. The only time you can trust him is if you've got something he wants. And I wouldn't put it past him to follow us, or have us followed. He's not unknown in these parts, and he has more than his fair share of allies."

[Ozzy_G]

Ark shrugs. I already guessed it might be him following us. But more importantly Sharon, he told us his ship mutinied. What do you know about that?

[dgray]

I agree that the Del Mar's are not to be trusted but.... He does have a ship and he has already been traveling with us. We might be able to persuade him to sail us to Arabel.

[knewsom]

At this point a clump of a boot just beside you as you discuss your situation on the dock turns all of your attention to a tall man standing almost in your conversational circle. His handsome face grins widely.

"...convince who to sail to Arabel?" Asked Jacques. "Well Ark, I guess the Priest found his way to you alright, your hand looks all healed up!" He nodded to Sharon somewhat sheepishly. "M'lady."

[The Great Skenardo]

Teb Hokk
Teb's fist rises reflexively as the pirate enters the conversation so suddenly, But he glances at Ark for approval before actually letting fly.

[Ozzy_G]

Jacques! Ark grins, her voice sounding slightly strange as she tries to keep it deep and manly. We were just talking about you. You're a sailor, right? Well, we need to get to Arabel. Maybe you could sort it out? Oh, and while we're here... Ark opens "his" backpack, sorting through it to the money. Since we didn't get any loot in the end really, here's your pay. How much did we agree?

[knewsom]

Spoiler

Show

So you guys know, I had to edit in a change to the Ship's name... I forgot that I had given it a different name, and when I initially wrote that post, I kinda pulled "Siren" out of my ass, so I replaced it with the proper name, "Annabelle Lee"

Jacques regarded Ark quizzically for a moment before replying.

"Are you feeling alright Ark? You sound under the weather... odd, considering you've just been healed.... Anyhow, my prices are 10 gold a day, and three days' worth would be thirty gold."

He looked up at the Annabelle Lee wistfully.

"As for your current problem, mateys, I'd be happy to help - I'm the bravest captain in these waters... were my ship not currently under lock and key by the government of Cormyr due to entirely fictitious charges."

As he said this last remark he looked squarely at Sharon, who rolled her eyes and clenched her jaw.

[dgray]

Sharon, is there any way we could get his ship released since he has agree to take us to Arabel. Svanna asked before any more tension could build between these two.

[Ozzy_G]

Ark hands over 30 gold. Yeah, there was some funny side-effects of the cure. The priest said it wouldn't last long. He turns to Sharon. I know we can trust Jacques, he's proved himself, he even helped save you. Maybe you could have his ship let go so he can help us leave?

[knewsom]

you want to make a diplomacy check for that maybe?

[knewsom]

Sharon sighed.

"Gods, I could lose my job for this... Well it isn't only up to me. We'll have to convince the Docks Warden, and probably the Captain of the Guard as well. But what about a crew, Jacques? Ark said yours mutinied!"

Jacques rolled his eyes.

"No no no, there was no mutiny. A couple conniving bastards went behind my back, and it cost me my ship and my shipment. The rest of the crew should still be loyal, and they're... well, they've got to be here somewhere, most of them anyways. Look, you get me my ship back, I'll get us a crew. Just look around. There's enough drunken sailors to man an armada. Whoever I'm missing I'll just recruit. I'm sure most of these lads would be happy just to get out of port! I'm sure their shore money is all but dried up now, and they'll be surly and in sour need of grog."

[Ozzy_G]

So, you're saying the guys on the ship, says Ark, gesturing towards it, are the ones who screwed you over, but your other sailors should be around? Because in that case, couldn't Sharon just sieze the ship?

[knewsom]

Jacques shook his head.

"No, nobody is on the ship. Of the three bastards who decided to smuggle Dragon Eggs amongst my legitimate cargo, two are unaccounted for, one is dead, and it serves him right for letting me take the fall for his damned scheming."

"Legitimate cargo, Jacques? A Legitimate cargo that was the exact same items in precisely the same quantity as was being carried by a sanctioned merchant ship from Chondath?"

"...a merchant ship that I found stranded, sinking, and abandoned, and felt personally obligated to salvage and deliver what I could of her cargo."

"Oh, a likely story."

"Well, believe what you will, you've got nothing on me; the Dragon Eggs weren't mine, the cargo was salvaged, and you need my help, so how about you trot that shapely skeptical rump of yours over to the Dock Warden, tell him what happened, and convince him to grant us access to my ship?"

As their conversation grew more intense, the two of them grew closer and closer together, and Jacques' last words were uttered with particular emphasis only inches from Sharon's now beet red and incredibly furious looking face.

With a blur, Sharon's hand shot up and slapped Jacques hard across the face. She turned and started to walk off in a huff towards a shanty at the end of the docks, stopped, turned back around, walked up to Jacques, grabbed him by the shirt, kissed him hard on the mouth, then left again without a word, heading towards the same shack she was the first time.

Jacques grinned and chuckled quietly before looking at the others.

"Looks like we may be on our way sooner rather than later."

[dgray]

Svanna slightly shocked by the recent turn of events just stood there watching the altercation between Sharon and Jaques turn into a fit of passion. It is amazing the things that happen in the heat of the moment. She says while shaking her head and smiling at Jaques

[The Great Skenardo]

Teb Hokk
Teb scratches himself, idly.
"Yeah. You see dat a lot back home. She grab you by the shirt like that, she's gonna bite yer nose off or kiss you. Don't mean she ain't gonna kill you later, though." he chuckles.
"Yeah, was this one time Gugna got in a big row wit' Junko, an' she went an' took him to bed. Next day there's an extra head on the fence by her lodge. He-heh."
Brushing his nose with a mottled thumb, he sniffs.
"But that mighta been her big man that did that to Junko. I ain't too sure. Uh."
Teb squats down on the pavement and drums his palms on the street, obviously bored already.