Malta 56

We start the morning with most of the group joining the fire chief for breakfast. It was decided that here forth we would refer to the fire chief by his nick name, Belo, for the sake of brevity. Jabari was still enjoying the tender ministrations of the grateful Kakakombi and would join the group late in the breakfast.

As they sit down, the group sees an unusual pair at the bar. A dark skinned swarthy warrior with an impressive bastard sword sat next to and ate with another paler man. The warrior seemed apprehensive, reaching for his sword, but relaxed visibly and quickly, and the pair left without incident. We would meet them and discover their identities later that evening. Breakfast is friendly, and news and concerns are discussed. Lex expresses concern about Zimo and his band of gnolls, based on Tabu's reports of their increased numbers and fervor. Belo seemed unimpressed and unconcerned , though he did say he was generally not in favor of just eradicating any particular group. Belo mentioned that night watches had reported a big increase in sightings of ratmen in Buggibas harbor the past several nights, with no real conclusions about their activities or motivations. He also mentioned some reports of "troubles" at a tower west of town, well out of his usual jurisdiction. The tower, he believed, harbored refugees of the Paola incident. We decide to spend the day viewing and collecting a pair of ships from the other side of the harbor and investigate the tower either late that night or the next day.  Lex received a message from Pennyworth that Nemo would be at his his door later in the evening, to talk and offer what assistance he could.

The two ships are easily located among the abandoned vessels. An Italian galleon named the Blood Prince proves a real treasure. Not only is she easily capable of being armed with cannons for war, she is outfitted with a certain level of luxury that recalls to Marco the vibrant dreams of his youth, complete with wild visions of high adventure upon the open seas. It's counterpart, a Greek galleon called the Dread Cyclops, appealed to Jabari in a reminiscent sense. It was perfect fixer upper that hailed to an era of classic ship building best described as old school Greece. She also was capable of bearing arms of war, but in need of a good crew and some TLC. Farther inland, a much smaller ship, the Tender, and her captain Kedrith Wynn, were hired to accompany our growing convoy as a satellite ship, to provide ship-to-ship communication and transport. We come to terms with a 6 month contract, at 200 gp per month. Jabari pays his first month up front, in silver, and arranges for him to take half of our current crews out to the two new ships later that evening, and join them in sailing over to the Buggiba harbor.

Later, as the time for Lex's meeting approaches, the rest of the party goes to his room separately, invisibly, and stealthily to await the meeting hidden in a rope trick inside the small chamber. At about ten o'clock a knock on the door opens to Nemo , the pale man from the bar at breakfast, saying he is here to provide him escape. Lex hesitates, saying he was expecting Ossum. Nemo assures Lex that Ossum is close by, produces a scroll in one hand, reaches out the other, and says to take his hand so that they may go. Sensing an impending teleport, Lex leaps into action, scoring a hit with a phase locking short sword, and the rest of the group follows suit, spilling forth from the hidden rope trick. Evagarra spots the invisible Ossum in the hall, the other, darker man from breakfast   She would track his eventual escape, just before Nemo accepts his defeat when the teleporting Ossum disappears with the scroll as the phase-locked Nemo is left behind. Questioning ensues, as Carlo and Marco offer his life and meager provenance for the truth , and the whole truth behind their plots and plans. He accepts, and begins a couple hours worth of tales, albeit truthful. He reveals a new name, Sarru-Dairi, the Egyptian family of minor nobility that is most aggrieved by our inadvertent plundering of the the merchants Ingoll. When pressed, he admits to their plans to sink our two ships, the Algiers and the Bonded Mind. We decide to walk him to the docks, but are met by our crew in the courtyard, who confirmed his gloatful tale, and report that the Algiers is sunk in the harbor. Living up to our word, he is spared with his life, a dagger and 100 gold. His equipment is forfeit (and will be detailed later) and we hasten to the docks. Lete was able to prevent the attack on the Bonded Mind, but the Algiers was subject to a passwall spell that allowed the waters that sank her into the hull. Carlo would not allow her to sit in the harbor, however, and used his prodigious talents to lift her, spilling the waters from the same hole. The paswall was dispelled, and she was gently sat back upon the waters, in need of repairs from exposure, but afloat.