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Story Hour
The Rise of Felskein [Completed]
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<blockquote data-quote="Iron Sky" data-source="post: 4565602" data-attributes="member: 60965"><p>Session 14, Part 3</p><p> </p><p>-Note: Angelo's player was the same as the Sky-monk way earlier. He'd come on leave from the Navy from time to time and play for part of a session, then be gone for six months. I really liked this character too, thought it might introduce the group to the Black City and the Fae Wood. Instead, they didn't really get to see the Black City until... well, you'll see.-</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Angelo clung to the pack straps on the creature's head and buried his rapier into it. It kept thrashing, trying to kill the orc that still fought underneath its bulk. Angelo swore and drove his rapier into it again and again, until finally the thrashing stopped and it started curling up.</p><p> </p><p>As Angelo leapt clear, he saw the orc crawling away from the thing, leaving a trail of blood in the grass. Sheathing his sword, Angelo stared at the Fae Bent creature as it twitched in its final death throes. The orc walked up beside him, spattered with blood and gore.</p><p> </p><p>“So what was that thing we just killed?” the orc said.</p><p> </p><p>“Something that wasn't supposed to exist,” Angelo replied. He turned away, mentally preparing himself for the long journey back home.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Kezzek watched the mysterious hunter walk off to the west, leaving the giant many-legged horror twitching in the burnt grass.</p><p> </p><p>Suniel walked up beside him, staring at the creature with sheer curiosity. </p><p> </p><p>“What was that?”</p><p> </p><p>Kezzek bent and picked up a colorful bit of cloth, like the many that adorned the thing's legs. “Something that wasn't supposed to exist I guess. A fey something.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fey? That's not like any fey creature I've ever heard of.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, whatever it is, it's dead now or just about.” Kezzek tossed the cloth aside and glanced back at the rowboat. Keeper and a simply dressed dwarf stood over a pile of bodies. “They all dead?”</p><p> </p><p>Suniel didn't look away from the dying fey-thing. “They shouldn't be, Keeper and I at least were trying to take capture them. I'm not sure about the dwarf.”</p><p> </p><p>Kezzek sighed, winced again, and walked towards the rowboat.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>“You killed these three? Why?” the bloody Greywarden said, staring down at Kormak.</p><p> </p><p>“Wow, that thing sure uglied you up, or is that normal for your face?” Kormak said. He glanced at the dead and unconscious dwarves, goblins, and gnomes and shrugged. “One of them put a hand on me so I tried to break it off.”</p><p> </p><p>“And you killed them with your bare hands?” the Greywarden said, eyes narrowing.</p><p> </p><p>“Why the suspicious look? The elf here took out these other ones with his bare hands - well, and some arcane whatever-you-call-it. Your machine here shot energy from its eyes and used its bare hands.”</p><p> </p><p>“The captain on the boat that we pursued these sailors from was killed by someone using their bare hands,” the half-orc said.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, so I must have been the one that done it then? You as stupid as you are ugly?”</p><p> </p><p>The Greywarden didn't react, just staring down at Kormak and tugging at one of his tusks. “Well, I suppose capability does not mean guilt. I'd like you to come with us back with us to Watersprock none-the-less.”</p><p> </p><p>“Sure, why not?” Kormak said with a nonchalant shrug. “Was heading that way anyway.”</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>“So the log here says that Captain Elorn traded in metals. Is that correct?”</p><p> </p><p>The captured dwarf, Ragnen, swallowed as he sat bound in the bottom of the sailboat, looking up at the hulking bloodied Greywarden as Keeper steered them back to the ship. “Yes, that's right.”</p><p> </p><p>“So why the sudden interest in foodstuffs after trading in metals for...” the Greywarden stopped and flipped through the Captain's log. “Six years? It's almost like he knew somehow that food was suddenly going to be worth a whole lot more than metal suddenly.”</p><p> </p><p>Ragnen looked over at the wizard and his rusty metal construct, then to the hideous dwarf that had killed Patch and Teral with his bare hands, then back to the Greywarden. “I dunno, I was just following orders.”</p><p> </p><p>“The log doesn't say you carried anything on the way to Steamport. Why was that?”</p><p> </p><p>“We had passengers, but we didn't see them much. Got off at Steamport in the dark.”</p><p> </p><p>“Passengers? Where did you pick them up from?”</p><p> </p><p>“The mouth of the Greenpath, they were just waiting there.”</p><p> </p><p>The Greywarden and the elf exchanged a glance. When they looked back their expressions were hard. “And you delivered them the night before Steamport got wiped out. Who were they?”</p><p> </p><p>“I don't know, but I saw them hand over something when they got on. Gold, several chests worth. Elorn didn't let any of us see them, but for that glance I got, hid them in his cabin. Lookit and his bunch got to the cabin first, so I don't know any more than that.”</p><p> </p><p>“And you're saying you don't know who they were? Not at all.”</p><p> </p><p>“Naw, Elorn didn't tell me much,” he said. “He kept it between him, that log there, and Witherleg.”</p><p> </p><p>“Witherleg?” the Greywarden said, one eyebrow quirking. “Elorn told me yesterday that he had only heard of Witherleg in passing. Fourth-hand information and whatnot.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don't know 'bout that, what the Captain said's between you and him.”</p><p> </p><p>“So, the Captain died how?” the wizard said.</p><p> </p><p>“Dunno,” Ragnen said. “Lookit found him dead, or so he said. I think Lookit might have done it himself.”</p><p> </p><p>“Lookit, wasn't that the goblin?” the Greywarden said.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, little backstabbing runt. He's the one that 'found' the Captain dead and said he was Captain now. I said no, I'd be the better Captain.”</p><p> </p><p>“So you had a disagreement?”</p><p> </p><p>Ragnen nodded. “It got... violent. Some sided with Lookit and pulled weapons, those of us who thought I should be Captain pulled ours in defense-like. We... disagreed a bit, then saw all those starving gnomes coming for us and decided to bolt with what we could take.”</p><p> </p><p>“So, you were the First Mate then?” the wizard said.</p><p> </p><p>The Greywarden's eyes shot down to Ragnen and his eyes narrowed. </p><p> </p><p>Ragnen's thoughts churned. <em>The Greywarden was on the dock yesterday. He talked to Elorn. How much does he know?</em></p><p> </p><p>“Well,” the Greywarden said. “Were you First Mate?”</p><p> </p><p>Ragnen swollowed hard. <em>If I lie and he knows, he might just kill me now.</em></p><p> </p><p>“No, I wasn't, Lookit was,” he said. He dropped his head.</p><p> </p><p>“Didn't think so. If I remember correctly, Elorn called Lookit the First Mate back on the docks.” There was a pause. </p><p> </p><p>“Mutiny then,” the Greywarden finally said.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Harold looked down as the others' little boat bumped up against the side of the ship.</p><p> </p><p>“What the hell is going on here? Where have you been?” he said.</p><p> </p><p>“Long story,” Kezzek said as he pulled himself up onto the ship.</p><p> </p><p>“What's the short version?” Harold said, crossing his arms as he watched them clamber aboard.</p><p> </p><p>“We're still figuring it out,” Suniel said as Kezzek and Keeper helped pull him up.</p><p> </p><p>“How about searching the Captain's cabin, some things in there that might be of interest to you,” Suniel said.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh?” Harold said, sizing up the ugly, plainly-dressed dwarf that climbed aboard after the others.</p><p> </p><p>“What you lookin' at?” the dwarf said.</p><p> </p><p>Harold stared at the dwarf for a moment then, without another word, headed towards the Captain's cabin.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Suniel rubbed his eyes in the early morning light as they climbed out onto the rocky beach.</p><p> </p><p>“Long night,” Kezzek said as they pulled the three still-bound crew members out onto the beach.</p><p> </p><p>Harold leapt over the gunwales of the boat and stormed off into Watersprock still carrying one of the Ashen Tower coin-chest he'd taken from Elorn's cabin.</p><p> </p><p>“Figured anything out about that crystal that Harold found?” Kezzek said.</p><p> </p><p>“It's cold and I have a feeling it has something to do with the whole dead-rising-in-the-streets-as-Steamport-burned thing that we heard about,” Suniel said, putting his hand in his robe to where the chill purple crystal was hidden.</p><p> </p><p>Kormak the dwarf climbed off the rowboat after them, looked up and down the shore, and whistled loudly.</p><p> </p><p>Suniel and Kezzek stared at him for a minute, then there was a bark from up the beach and a dog with a miniature set of canvas saddlebags strapped to its back came galloping down the beach. They watched the dour dwarf play with the dog in bemusement until he turned to them and said, “this here's a dog. Never seen one before, huh?”</p><p> </p><p>Suniel and Kezzek glanced at each other and shook their heads, then turned to the three crew members on the beach.</p><p> </p><p>“So what do we do with them?” Suniel said.</p><p> </p><p>Kezzek looked at them for a long moment, then seemed to make up his mind. “The Captain's log says he and this Witherleg are... were partners. Ship belongs to Witherleg since Elorn's dead, says so in the contract. Cargo's split between the crew in shares. Figure since we only have three crew left that have returned to the ship, in a manner, that the shares of cargo are theirs. And they're guilty of mutiny.”</p><p> </p><p>Suniel had a sinking feeling at the grim matter-of-factness of how Kezzek was speaking. Kezzek stared at the three for a long moment.</p><p> </p><p>“What are you thinking Kezzek?” Suniel said. “They've already lost enough, haven't they?”</p><p> </p><p>Kezzek pulled out a coin from his pocket and looked at it for a long moment. “I'll be right back.”</p><p> </p><p>Suniel waited, unsure of what to do – and, more importantly, what Kezzek was going to do – as Kezzek disappeared into the camp. Several minutes later, he returned with an armload of wood and what looked like a small crucible. In minutes he had a hot little fire going and a gold coin melting in it. Kormak looked on in interest, the three sailors in apprehension.</p><p> </p><p>“Kezzek, what's going on?” Suniel said.</p><p> </p><p>“Justice.”</p><p> </p><p>“Justice? Justice for what?”</p><p> </p><p>“Mutiny, theft.”</p><p> </p><p>“Theft? What are you going to do?”</p><p> </p><p>“I figure they were fighting over the cargo. When I questioned the other two, what they say mostly matches with Ragnen's story. Right now, that cargo is worth more than just about anything you could pack in a ship short of gold. And in a sense, by mutinying, they were trying to steal it. Sounds like Lookit and his crew drew their weapons first, so the murder might be self defense, but the mutiny was theirs.”</p><p> </p><p>“Sound enough reasoning I'd say,” Kormak said.</p><p> </p><p>“So? Why are you melting gold coins?”</p><p> </p><p>“It seems fitting, they were motivated by greed, they wanted the wealth for themselves, willing to kill others for it. Common penalty for thievery is losing a hand.”</p><p> </p><p>“That sounds about right to me,” Kormak said.</p><p> </p><p>“What? Wait! You're going to pour molten gold onto their hands?” Suniel said, shocked.</p><p> </p><p>“More like into their hands than onto with that much gold,” Kormak said. “Probably burn right through the skin, go inside.”</p><p> </p><p>Kezzek was silent. The sailors eyes bulged.</p><p> </p><p>“You can't do this!” Suniel said.</p><p> </p><p>“What would you suggest?” Kezzek said, not turning his eyes away from the crucible.</p><p> </p><p>Suniel's mind churned. <em>Kezzek won't be able to be talked out of this. Justice is his life, </em>Suniel thought, weighing options quickly.</p><p> </p><p>“So they still have rights to the cargo, right?” he said.</p><p> </p><p>Kezzek thought for a moment. “I suppose they do.”</p><p> </p><p>“So how about they give it up to the local authorities, the people of Watersprock. Then they go free. That way they still don't get what they were killing for, they get justice.”</p><p> </p><p>“Naw, I say they just lose the hands,” Kormak said.</p><p> </p><p>Suniel shot the dwarf a dark look. When he looked at Kezzek, the Greywarden seemed to be contemplating it. Finally he lifted the crucible from the fire and walked over to the now-pale sailors still sitting bound on the beach. </p><p> </p><p>“You three are guilty of mutiny, attempted theft, maybe murder. By rights of the contract you signed with Elorn, the cargo belongs to you three. I've decided to give you a choice. You can keep your cargo, worth a large fortune considering the circumstances here, and lose the use of your hand...” he gestured towards them with the crucible. “... or you can keep your hand and surrender your cargo to the local authorities.”</p><p> </p><p>“What about the ship?” one of the sailors said. The other two glared at him.</p><p> </p><p>“Hm, good question,” Kezzek said, looking out at the ship. “The ship belonged to the partners, Witherleg and Elorn. Elorn's dead, so rightfully it's Witherlegs. I say we find him, deliver his ship. At the same time, we can see what his part in this illegal action against Steamport was.”</p><p> </p><p>He looked back down at the sailors and gestured again with the crucible. “So, what is your choice?”</p><p> </p><p>“Hand!” they all said in unison.</p><p> </p><p>“Aw,” Kormak said, his expression falling. Suniel glared at him. “What? I've never seen molten metal... you know.”</p><p> </p><p>Kezzek cut the three sailors free. “Your shares in the cargo are forfeit. You can come or go as you please. Justice is served.”</p><p> </p><p>Ragnen rubbed his wrists and looked up at Kezzek, a calculating look already on his face. “Say, I heard you might be needing some sailors to man a ship you just acquired.”</p><p> </p><p>“Not acquired, commandeered until its rightful owner can be found,” Kezzek said.</p><p> </p><p>“Ok, commandeered. I know a dwarf who'd make a right good first mate, and I'll bet he can find you a crew out of this sorry refuge camp in no time.”</p><p> </p><p>“Cheeky, aren't they?” Kormak said, apparently talking to his dog.</p><p> </p><p>Kezzek cast a questioning glance at Suniel, who just shook his head and walked away. “Come on Keeper, let's get some rest.”</p><p> </p><p>They were half-way back to the carriage when he heard Kezzek finally reply to Ragnen's offer.</p><p> </p><p>“Done.”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Iron Sky, post: 4565602, member: 60965"] Session 14, Part 3 -Note: Angelo's player was the same as the Sky-monk way earlier. He'd come on leave from the Navy from time to time and play for part of a session, then be gone for six months. I really liked this character too, thought it might introduce the group to the Black City and the Fae Wood. Instead, they didn't really get to see the Black City until... well, you'll see.- Angelo clung to the pack straps on the creature's head and buried his rapier into it. It kept thrashing, trying to kill the orc that still fought underneath its bulk. Angelo swore and drove his rapier into it again and again, until finally the thrashing stopped and it started curling up. As Angelo leapt clear, he saw the orc crawling away from the thing, leaving a trail of blood in the grass. Sheathing his sword, Angelo stared at the Fae Bent creature as it twitched in its final death throes. The orc walked up beside him, spattered with blood and gore. “So what was that thing we just killed?” the orc said. “Something that wasn't supposed to exist,” Angelo replied. He turned away, mentally preparing himself for the long journey back home. *** Kezzek watched the mysterious hunter walk off to the west, leaving the giant many-legged horror twitching in the burnt grass. Suniel walked up beside him, staring at the creature with sheer curiosity. “What was that?” Kezzek bent and picked up a colorful bit of cloth, like the many that adorned the thing's legs. “Something that wasn't supposed to exist I guess. A fey something.” “Fey? That's not like any fey creature I've ever heard of.” “Well, whatever it is, it's dead now or just about.” Kezzek tossed the cloth aside and glanced back at the rowboat. Keeper and a simply dressed dwarf stood over a pile of bodies. “They all dead?” Suniel didn't look away from the dying fey-thing. “They shouldn't be, Keeper and I at least were trying to take capture them. I'm not sure about the dwarf.” Kezzek sighed, winced again, and walked towards the rowboat. *** “You killed these three? Why?” the bloody Greywarden said, staring down at Kormak. “Wow, that thing sure uglied you up, or is that normal for your face?” Kormak said. He glanced at the dead and unconscious dwarves, goblins, and gnomes and shrugged. “One of them put a hand on me so I tried to break it off.” “And you killed them with your bare hands?” the Greywarden said, eyes narrowing. “Why the suspicious look? The elf here took out these other ones with his bare hands - well, and some arcane whatever-you-call-it. Your machine here shot energy from its eyes and used its bare hands.” “The captain on the boat that we pursued these sailors from was killed by someone using their bare hands,” the half-orc said. “Oh, so I must have been the one that done it then? You as stupid as you are ugly?” The Greywarden didn't react, just staring down at Kormak and tugging at one of his tusks. “Well, I suppose capability does not mean guilt. I'd like you to come with us back with us to Watersprock none-the-less.” “Sure, why not?” Kormak said with a nonchalant shrug. “Was heading that way anyway.” *** “So the log here says that Captain Elorn traded in metals. Is that correct?” The captured dwarf, Ragnen, swallowed as he sat bound in the bottom of the sailboat, looking up at the hulking bloodied Greywarden as Keeper steered them back to the ship. “Yes, that's right.” “So why the sudden interest in foodstuffs after trading in metals for...” the Greywarden stopped and flipped through the Captain's log. “Six years? It's almost like he knew somehow that food was suddenly going to be worth a whole lot more than metal suddenly.” Ragnen looked over at the wizard and his rusty metal construct, then to the hideous dwarf that had killed Patch and Teral with his bare hands, then back to the Greywarden. “I dunno, I was just following orders.” “The log doesn't say you carried anything on the way to Steamport. Why was that?” “We had passengers, but we didn't see them much. Got off at Steamport in the dark.” “Passengers? Where did you pick them up from?” “The mouth of the Greenpath, they were just waiting there.” The Greywarden and the elf exchanged a glance. When they looked back their expressions were hard. “And you delivered them the night before Steamport got wiped out. Who were they?” “I don't know, but I saw them hand over something when they got on. Gold, several chests worth. Elorn didn't let any of us see them, but for that glance I got, hid them in his cabin. Lookit and his bunch got to the cabin first, so I don't know any more than that.” “And you're saying you don't know who they were? Not at all.” “Naw, Elorn didn't tell me much,” he said. “He kept it between him, that log there, and Witherleg.” “Witherleg?” the Greywarden said, one eyebrow quirking. “Elorn told me yesterday that he had only heard of Witherleg in passing. Fourth-hand information and whatnot.” “I don't know 'bout that, what the Captain said's between you and him.” “So, the Captain died how?” the wizard said. “Dunno,” Ragnen said. “Lookit found him dead, or so he said. I think Lookit might have done it himself.” “Lookit, wasn't that the goblin?” the Greywarden said. “Yeah, little backstabbing runt. He's the one that 'found' the Captain dead and said he was Captain now. I said no, I'd be the better Captain.” “So you had a disagreement?” Ragnen nodded. “It got... violent. Some sided with Lookit and pulled weapons, those of us who thought I should be Captain pulled ours in defense-like. We... disagreed a bit, then saw all those starving gnomes coming for us and decided to bolt with what we could take.” “So, you were the First Mate then?” the wizard said. The Greywarden's eyes shot down to Ragnen and his eyes narrowed. Ragnen's thoughts churned. [I]The Greywarden was on the dock yesterday. He talked to Elorn. How much does he know?[/I] “Well,” the Greywarden said. “Were you First Mate?” Ragnen swollowed hard. [I]If I lie and he knows, he might just kill me now.[/I] “No, I wasn't, Lookit was,” he said. He dropped his head. “Didn't think so. If I remember correctly, Elorn called Lookit the First Mate back on the docks.” There was a pause. “Mutiny then,” the Greywarden finally said. *** Harold looked down as the others' little boat bumped up against the side of the ship. “What the hell is going on here? Where have you been?” he said. “Long story,” Kezzek said as he pulled himself up onto the ship. “What's the short version?” Harold said, crossing his arms as he watched them clamber aboard. “We're still figuring it out,” Suniel said as Kezzek and Keeper helped pull him up. “How about searching the Captain's cabin, some things in there that might be of interest to you,” Suniel said. “Oh?” Harold said, sizing up the ugly, plainly-dressed dwarf that climbed aboard after the others. “What you lookin' at?” the dwarf said. Harold stared at the dwarf for a moment then, without another word, headed towards the Captain's cabin. *** Suniel rubbed his eyes in the early morning light as they climbed out onto the rocky beach. “Long night,” Kezzek said as they pulled the three still-bound crew members out onto the beach. Harold leapt over the gunwales of the boat and stormed off into Watersprock still carrying one of the Ashen Tower coin-chest he'd taken from Elorn's cabin. “Figured anything out about that crystal that Harold found?” Kezzek said. “It's cold and I have a feeling it has something to do with the whole dead-rising-in-the-streets-as-Steamport-burned thing that we heard about,” Suniel said, putting his hand in his robe to where the chill purple crystal was hidden. Kormak the dwarf climbed off the rowboat after them, looked up and down the shore, and whistled loudly. Suniel and Kezzek stared at him for a minute, then there was a bark from up the beach and a dog with a miniature set of canvas saddlebags strapped to its back came galloping down the beach. They watched the dour dwarf play with the dog in bemusement until he turned to them and said, “this here's a dog. Never seen one before, huh?” Suniel and Kezzek glanced at each other and shook their heads, then turned to the three crew members on the beach. “So what do we do with them?” Suniel said. Kezzek looked at them for a long moment, then seemed to make up his mind. “The Captain's log says he and this Witherleg are... were partners. Ship belongs to Witherleg since Elorn's dead, says so in the contract. Cargo's split between the crew in shares. Figure since we only have three crew left that have returned to the ship, in a manner, that the shares of cargo are theirs. And they're guilty of mutiny.” Suniel had a sinking feeling at the grim matter-of-factness of how Kezzek was speaking. Kezzek stared at the three for a long moment. “What are you thinking Kezzek?” Suniel said. “They've already lost enough, haven't they?” Kezzek pulled out a coin from his pocket and looked at it for a long moment. “I'll be right back.” Suniel waited, unsure of what to do – and, more importantly, what Kezzek was going to do – as Kezzek disappeared into the camp. Several minutes later, he returned with an armload of wood and what looked like a small crucible. In minutes he had a hot little fire going and a gold coin melting in it. Kormak looked on in interest, the three sailors in apprehension. “Kezzek, what's going on?” Suniel said. “Justice.” “Justice? Justice for what?” “Mutiny, theft.” “Theft? What are you going to do?” “I figure they were fighting over the cargo. When I questioned the other two, what they say mostly matches with Ragnen's story. Right now, that cargo is worth more than just about anything you could pack in a ship short of gold. And in a sense, by mutinying, they were trying to steal it. Sounds like Lookit and his crew drew their weapons first, so the murder might be self defense, but the mutiny was theirs.” “Sound enough reasoning I'd say,” Kormak said. “So? Why are you melting gold coins?” “It seems fitting, they were motivated by greed, they wanted the wealth for themselves, willing to kill others for it. Common penalty for thievery is losing a hand.” “That sounds about right to me,” Kormak said. “What? Wait! You're going to pour molten gold onto their hands?” Suniel said, shocked. “More like into their hands than onto with that much gold,” Kormak said. “Probably burn right through the skin, go inside.” Kezzek was silent. The sailors eyes bulged. “You can't do this!” Suniel said. “What would you suggest?” Kezzek said, not turning his eyes away from the crucible. Suniel's mind churned. [I]Kezzek won't be able to be talked out of this. Justice is his life, [/I]Suniel thought, weighing options quickly. “So they still have rights to the cargo, right?” he said. Kezzek thought for a moment. “I suppose they do.” “So how about they give it up to the local authorities, the people of Watersprock. Then they go free. That way they still don't get what they were killing for, they get justice.” “Naw, I say they just lose the hands,” Kormak said. Suniel shot the dwarf a dark look. When he looked at Kezzek, the Greywarden seemed to be contemplating it. Finally he lifted the crucible from the fire and walked over to the now-pale sailors still sitting bound on the beach. “You three are guilty of mutiny, attempted theft, maybe murder. By rights of the contract you signed with Elorn, the cargo belongs to you three. I've decided to give you a choice. You can keep your cargo, worth a large fortune considering the circumstances here, and lose the use of your hand...” he gestured towards them with the crucible. “... or you can keep your hand and surrender your cargo to the local authorities.” “What about the ship?” one of the sailors said. The other two glared at him. “Hm, good question,” Kezzek said, looking out at the ship. “The ship belonged to the partners, Witherleg and Elorn. Elorn's dead, so rightfully it's Witherlegs. I say we find him, deliver his ship. At the same time, we can see what his part in this illegal action against Steamport was.” He looked back down at the sailors and gestured again with the crucible. “So, what is your choice?” “Hand!” they all said in unison. “Aw,” Kormak said, his expression falling. Suniel glared at him. “What? I've never seen molten metal... you know.” Kezzek cut the three sailors free. “Your shares in the cargo are forfeit. You can come or go as you please. Justice is served.” Ragnen rubbed his wrists and looked up at Kezzek, a calculating look already on his face. “Say, I heard you might be needing some sailors to man a ship you just acquired.” “Not acquired, commandeered until its rightful owner can be found,” Kezzek said. “Ok, commandeered. I know a dwarf who'd make a right good first mate, and I'll bet he can find you a crew out of this sorry refuge camp in no time.” “Cheeky, aren't they?” Kormak said, apparently talking to his dog. Kezzek cast a questioning glance at Suniel, who just shook his head and walked away. “Come on Keeper, let's get some rest.” They were half-way back to the carriage when he heard Kezzek finally reply to Ragnen's offer. “Done.” [/QUOTE]
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