Insight's "The Isle of Dread" - Chapter One

[JustKim]

Goldie let out a squawk of alarm and raised his wings in a threat display. Nafije put herself between Goldie and Captain Rex, like a mediator breaking up a fight, but she was not strong enough to repel the Captain with a mere outstretched arm. "Captain, this is Goldie. You remember Goldie, don't you?"

Nafije appealed to her friends. "I don't think he's listening to me.."

 

[Walking Dad]

Adam of Brightcastle

...

"Adam," she said, "how is your tiger? Did you try any of those herbs for his tummy problem?"

"Turned out that Tygro just needed to spent more time on his homeplane. That's why I don't have with me, currently. The movement and the hunt in the celestial forests is what he really needed. But I kept some herbs of yours ready in the case I needed him longer on the material plane."

Captain Rex, apparently roused from his slumber, staggers to the side room where the adventurers had been holding court. "Mr. Feathers?" he says upon seeing Nafjie's bird. The sea captain approaches, bleary-eyed and smelling of a distillery and perhaps an outhouse. "Oi, I know a certain Rory Barbarossa who'll be very glad to see you!"

"There is maybe a misunderstanding, good sir", Adam says intervening, "but perhaps we should ask the captain himself. Do you know where we can find him?"

As he speaks his eyes dart quickly o the suspect in case he uses the distraction to leave,

 

[Leif]

Questor, Halfling Chaos Sorcerer 6

Questor's lip curls in response to the Gnome's carryings-on. He looks as if he might just hurl, but he restrains himself and just covers his mouth and burps lightly. "Pardon me, please. I think I must be nearing my daily quota of Gnome."

 

[stonegod]

Skaros keeps an eye on what is going on inside.

 

[Insight]

"There is maybe a misunderstanding, good sir", Adam says intervening, "but perhaps we should ask the captain himself. Do you know where we can find him?"

As he speaks his eyes dart quickly o the suspect in case he uses the distraction to leave,

"CAPTAIN?" Rex exclaims. "Rory Barbarossa may have been a navigator, an adventurer, a scamp, a womanizer, a right old sod, and perhaps the best card player in the Sea o' Dread, but never in his godsforsaken LIFE was he ever a sea captain!"

"But as for his particular whereabouts, my lad, ain't that just the question of the day?" Captain Rex says, breathing a distillery into Adam's face and causing Goldie's feathers to ruffle. "Rory Barbarossa's a careful man and I dinna blame him. You see, there are others far more insidious than you lot who want to do terrible things to the poor ole sod. 'E's gone into hidin', hasn't he? 'E shure hasn't bothered to tell ole Rex where he went. 'E knows I'd sell his landlubbin' arse out the moment I got the chance!" The sea captain bellows quite the belly laugh at that comment.

Rex leans in, letting everyone present enjoy his rather unique scent. "You see ole Rory's run afoul of some rather unsavory types since he quit the seagoing life. And that's sayin' somethin' considerin' his choice of friends when he took to sail! You know, I may be riskin' me own neck tellin' you anything!"

The sea captain takes a seat. "Now, I might be convinced to help ya, but you gotta make it worth ole Captain Rex's while. And I dinna mean a flagon o' rum. Sell it to me, lads."

 

[Insight]

Barook chooses to ignore the urge to strangle the gnome. He decides to simply grab the annoying creature by the scruff of the neck and bring it up to his eye level. "Gnome, be useful, or be gone. Did you see the person my companion asked about?"

The gnome gulps. "You see, it is, as it were, obviously, I mean, OBVIOUSLY!" He looks straight at Barook. "How could anyone NOT see the gloriously effervescent Gorys the One-Armed... or was it One-Eyed?.... One-Legged? Anyway, YES, I saw him. What of it?"

OOC: Neither of the Perception checks bring to light any additional information. The foot traffic here is VERY busy and it would be nearly IMPOSSIBLE to track someone through it. Not without magical means to do so.

 

[Leif]

Questor, Halfling Chaos Sorcerer 6

Since nothing seems to be happening outside, Questor re-enters the tavern and re-joins his other comrades. "So what did I miss?" he asks loudly, looking at Cap'n Rex.

 

[JustKim]

"CAPTAIN?" Rex exclaims. "Rory Barbarossa may have been a navigator, an adventurer, a scamp, a womanizer, a right old sod, and perhaps the best card player in the Sea o' Dread, but never in his godsforsaken LIFE was he ever a sea captain!"

"The journal did say he only became captain briefly," Nafije said to Adam, to collaborate the story. "For only about five days."

The sea captain takes a seat. "Now, I might be convinced to help ya, but you gotta make it worth ole Captain Rex's while. And I dinna mean a flagon o' rum. Sell it to me, lads."

Nafije's eyes lit up. "Captain, you must have some idea of where Rory Barbarossa has gone, if you were to bring his bird to him." In Ylaruam, Nafije used to barter in the markets, and engage in extensive games of verbal spar all for a better deal. Here, the merchants did not accept barter; nothing was open to negotiation. But there were hidden opportunities like this, and she reveled in them.

"You were close to Rory Barbarossa, yes? You looked out for him. You know how he thinks. If we can find Rory, our voyage will be a success, and I don't need to speculate on the treasure and fame that will follow. This could be your chance."

"You can help us to help Rory, make yourself a part of the voyage, and prove your tales to these people who doubt you," Nafije said of the largely oblivious taproom crowd. "Even your own nephew," she added very softly, as though it pained her.

"All we ask is for your help locating him. What do you say?"

 

[Leif]

Questor, Halfling Chaos Sorcerer 6

Questor smiles at Nafije's words and silently THINKS to himself, "Oh yes indeed, things are much more interesting in here."

 

[Insight]

OOC: Why don't we have Nafije attempt a Diplomacy check to see if she can sway the captain? But first... Be warned that offering him basically nothing up front is going to cause your check to be against a higher DC. If you guys can think of something to add before she rolls, be my guest. If you're not sure what might interest Captain Rex, you can attempt Insight checks - no penalty if you fail, but you learn nothing useful. I would allow History or Streetwise checks as well if you can justify it. You can also Aid Another on Nafije's Diplomacy check. To do so, you will need to roll Diplomacy (I would accept Bluff as well, depending on how you word it) against a DC of 13. If you succeed, add a +2 bonus to her roll. If you fail, her roll takes a -1 penalty. I need to know your plan of action before Nafije makes the Diplomacy check.