Arc of Zimra, Day 13 LA 99
Pausing in the late afternoon sun, his gnarled hands stretching a heavy net on the dock, the fisherman Ebil felt a shiver run down his back. Above, seagulls flocked and shrieked, fighting over the entrails of the fish Ebil had just cleaned. The stench of fish and tar wafted across the docks with the hot wind of late summer. Ebil's eyes scanned the rotting docks with its unkempt hanging nets and innumerable small fishing boats. Many fishermen were returning from their work on the Pellurian Sea, sullenly glaring at the human tithemasters waiting to collect their bounty on the docks. Ebil had seen this scence uncountable times before, but tonight something was different. Something dangerours stalked the docks. Without meeting eye contact, Ebil eyed the Shadow warriors: Blood Mother orcs with elaborate tattoos, mohawk-shaved heads, and cruel vardatches. Frightening and cruel, Ebil had lived with them all his life. No, something else was different. No. Wait. There! An orc. Tall and rangily built, and guiding a small skiff with a pushpole, no less. Not a Blood Mother, either. Even the other orcs on the docks moved away when the other orc passed by. Dressed in dark leather with a its long, black hair tied in a topknot, the large orc was looking for something. No, not looking. Hunting. Momentarily Ebil's eyes made contact with the orc's black orbs. Again, Ebil's blood ran cold. The eyes were not those of a mindless orc. Instead, they held a calculating, cold intelligence. This creature was more dangerous than any orc Ebil had ever before seen in Baden's Bluff.
The small skiffs skimmed the dark waters under cover of night. The hot wind of Zimra still blew, even at this late hour. Ahead, the rocky promontory of the Erenlander city of Baden's Bluff crouched darkly against the blue-black night sky. The journey across the Pelluria had taken almost thirty days. Bardin had made sure the Heroes were active, helping the other gnomes and the Erenlander Geoffrey maintain the barge. Little did they see in their journey, actively avoiding islands and other ships to maintain their secrecy as well as avoid any hidden dangers.
Now, only miles away from the Pellurian city, the barge was held fast in deeper water and out of sight of the shore as the Heroes were rowed toward the northeastern docks of Baden's Bluff. The Worm Docks, as Geoffrey called them. Almost two miles of rotting docks, stinking nets, dank alleyways, and dilapidated warehouses, taverns, and homes, all crowded together as if seeking refuge from the Shadow. Tonight the Heroes would enter Baden's Bluff while Bardin and Geoffrey would continue west along the southern coast of the Pelluria before returning north before the coming of winter.
The small skiffs pulled in next to the cliffside shores, lurking in the shadows out of site of the lights gleaming from windows in houses and taverns along the docks not more than one hundred feet away. Above and to the south, the city of Baden's Bluff climbed from the seaside docks around the hill and bluff from which the city got its name, lights gleaming and sparkling in the warm air.
Quickly. Geoffrey hissed. Fell lurk in these waters. We cannot stay here long. Hidden under the water not more than a foot is an old stone quay, now sunken and long fogotten. Hold to it straight to the Worm Docks. But be swift, else the dark things in the water will claim you. See the tavern with its bright lights? Follow the alleyway to its left. It is narrow and treacherous, but help can be found there. Don't worry about orcs, they fear the fell that sometimes walk the docks as well.
Bardin reaches out, clasping each Heroes hand, but lingering long with Kaela's. I wish our parting did not leave behind such unknowns. Unfortunately, my crew is accounted for and I cannot have Geoffrey quide you into the city. The punishment for missing crewmembers is swift and harsh. The gray-haired gnomes winces in the dark. May Aryth herself bless you all and the child that you protect. Go! Now! With that, Geoffrey steps from the skiff into the water and onto the invisible, submerged quay, his hands held out to assist others.
Pausing in the late afternoon sun, his gnarled hands stretching a heavy net on the dock, the fisherman Ebil felt a shiver run down his back. Above, seagulls flocked and shrieked, fighting over the entrails of the fish Ebil had just cleaned. The stench of fish and tar wafted across the docks with the hot wind of late summer. Ebil's eyes scanned the rotting docks with its unkempt hanging nets and innumerable small fishing boats. Many fishermen were returning from their work on the Pellurian Sea, sullenly glaring at the human tithemasters waiting to collect their bounty on the docks. Ebil had seen this scence uncountable times before, but tonight something was different. Something dangerours stalked the docks. Without meeting eye contact, Ebil eyed the Shadow warriors: Blood Mother orcs with elaborate tattoos, mohawk-shaved heads, and cruel vardatches. Frightening and cruel, Ebil had lived with them all his life. No, something else was different. No. Wait. There! An orc. Tall and rangily built, and guiding a small skiff with a pushpole, no less. Not a Blood Mother, either. Even the other orcs on the docks moved away when the other orc passed by. Dressed in dark leather with a its long, black hair tied in a topknot, the large orc was looking for something. No, not looking. Hunting. Momentarily Ebil's eyes made contact with the orc's black orbs. Again, Ebil's blood ran cold. The eyes were not those of a mindless orc. Instead, they held a calculating, cold intelligence. This creature was more dangerous than any orc Ebil had ever before seen in Baden's Bluff.
The small skiffs skimmed the dark waters under cover of night. The hot wind of Zimra still blew, even at this late hour. Ahead, the rocky promontory of the Erenlander city of Baden's Bluff crouched darkly against the blue-black night sky. The journey across the Pelluria had taken almost thirty days. Bardin had made sure the Heroes were active, helping the other gnomes and the Erenlander Geoffrey maintain the barge. Little did they see in their journey, actively avoiding islands and other ships to maintain their secrecy as well as avoid any hidden dangers.
Now, only miles away from the Pellurian city, the barge was held fast in deeper water and out of sight of the shore as the Heroes were rowed toward the northeastern docks of Baden's Bluff. The Worm Docks, as Geoffrey called them. Almost two miles of rotting docks, stinking nets, dank alleyways, and dilapidated warehouses, taverns, and homes, all crowded together as if seeking refuge from the Shadow. Tonight the Heroes would enter Baden's Bluff while Bardin and Geoffrey would continue west along the southern coast of the Pelluria before returning north before the coming of winter.
The small skiffs pulled in next to the cliffside shores, lurking in the shadows out of site of the lights gleaming from windows in houses and taverns along the docks not more than one hundred feet away. Above and to the south, the city of Baden's Bluff climbed from the seaside docks around the hill and bluff from which the city got its name, lights gleaming and sparkling in the warm air.
Quickly. Geoffrey hissed. Fell lurk in these waters. We cannot stay here long. Hidden under the water not more than a foot is an old stone quay, now sunken and long fogotten. Hold to it straight to the Worm Docks. But be swift, else the dark things in the water will claim you. See the tavern with its bright lights? Follow the alleyway to its left. It is narrow and treacherous, but help can be found there. Don't worry about orcs, they fear the fell that sometimes walk the docks as well.
Bardin reaches out, clasping each Heroes hand, but lingering long with Kaela's. I wish our parting did not leave behind such unknowns. Unfortunately, my crew is accounted for and I cannot have Geoffrey quide you into the city. The punishment for missing crewmembers is swift and harsh. The gray-haired gnomes winces in the dark. May Aryth herself bless you all and the child that you protect. Go! Now! With that, Geoffrey steps from the skiff into the water and onto the invisible, submerged quay, his hands held out to assist others.
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