Company of the Red Kestrel (1/8/2004 - Confrontations)

[Joshua Randall]

kestrel [ME castrel, fr. MF crecerell] (15c): a small European falcon (Falco tinnunculus) that is noted for its habit of hovering in the air against a wind and that is about a foot long, bluish gray above in the male, and reddish brown in the female; broadly: any of various small Old World falcons (Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary)

Our story begins with the PCs accepting an invitation to join the Company of the Red Kestrel, an adventuring group of moderate prestige, as junior members. Each PC met briefly with the Company's founders, a wizard by the name of Michael Dellarocca and his sister, Sara, a priestess of Ishir. Dellarocca spared little time for the PCs, as he had pressing business in Lof. He passed along a note he received from one Alessandro Simovicci requesting the Kestrels' assistance on "a matter of utmost importance." Dellarocca told the PCs that the Simoviccis were a Durenese family of minor nobility, but that was all he knew.

Their curiosity (not to mention their need for work) prompted the junior Kestrels to agree to meet with Alessandro the next day at noon "in the warehouse of the Green Scepter."

The Company of the Red Kestrel - junior members:

Quaddla, Knight of the Moon (female dwarf Pal 2 of Ishir)
Banda Blushing Crow (female Vakeros Sor 2)
Brogun Rumenheim (male dwarf Clr 2 of Kirabá) [ not present until later ]
Madrak (male human Ftr 2)
Bilt Stokeestakt (male human Rog 2)

= = =

Inquiries revealed that the Green Scepter was a shipping company with a small warehouse near the Ragadorn docks. The group approached the door of the warehouse, knocked, and heard a quavering voice call, "Enter!"

The warehouse was a two story rectangular structure. Slants of sunlight illuminated a large collection of crates, chests, and barrels stacked haphazardly about the lower floor. Along the inside of the wall ran a catwalk, providing access to the upper storage areas. Towards the back of the warehouse sat a man at a rough table, a bottle of ink and several sheets of parchment laid out before him.

Alessandro Simovicci turned out to be a short, unkempt man who smelled of sweat and alcohol. He was exceedingly nervous, especially when he discovered that the Kestrels took no special precautions to avoid being followed. "You can never be too careful in Ragadorn," Alessandro warned. He narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the group. "Tell me about yourselves. Where were you from before you ended up here?"

This query elicited only blank stares from the group. Alessandro sighed; why were adventurers always so vague about their backgrounds? Shrugging, he continued. "No one's really from Ragadorn, you see. It's just where people end up when they reach the end of the line." The little man gulped unhappily.

The Kestrels' inability to account for their lives prior to this very meeting filled Alessandro with foreboding, as did their unusual appearance. Eventually, Quaddla calmed him down; her soothing words convinced Alessandro that he could trust the group, and they promised to help him.

"It is vitally important that this message reach Edward Marrero in Port Bax." Alessandro withdrew a sealed envelop from his shirt and laid it on the table in front of him. He then reached down to retrieve a small box from under his seat. "In addition, please be sure that he receives—"

TWANG. Alessandro fell back, blood fountaining from his neck.

Banda reacted quickly. Whirling around, she spotted a man on the warehouse catwalk. "There!" yelled Banda, even as the man reloaded his hand crossbow and fired again. But his shot was hurried and it sailed high overhead.

The Kestrels sprang into action. With a mighty leap, Madrak hoisted himself up onto the catwalk and charged the sniper. Bilt flipped the table over, forming a barrier in front of the stricken Alessandro. Quaddla moved to the injured man's side. She covered Alessandro's eyes with her hands and intoned a brief prayer to Ishir. A soft, moonlit glow showed through her fingers, and the horrible neck wound closed enough to allow Alessandro to suck in a ragged breath.

The sniper got off one more shot, which embedded itself in the table near Alessandro, before Madrak was upon him. The two grappled with each other, and the lithe assassin proved a worthy foe to the muscle-bound Madrak. By this time both Banda and Bilt had loaded their crossbows, but neither wished to fire into the scuffle. Quaddla, after ensuring that Alessandro was alive, raced towards the door to cut off that avenue of escape.

The assassin dropped his crossbow and drew a dagger, plunging it into Madrak's side. The big man grunted and with a mighty heave tossed the assassin over the edge of the catwalk. The Kestrels gasped in unison as the man twisted in midair and landed on his feet, unharmed. Banda and Bilt both fired, and their target staggered as two crossbow bolts slammed into him.

But the assassin refused to go down. He raced for the table behind which Alessandro was hiding, only to be cut off by Bilt and Quaddla. The three sparred ineffectually. Finally, Madrak ended the fight with a vicious elbow to the assassin's face that sent him crashing to the floor, unconscious.

"Damn," someone said. "Who is this guy?"

 

[Joshua Randall]

The Kestrels stared down at the unconscious, bleeding form of the assassin.

"I don't know who he is, but he really wanted our friend here dead," opined Quaddla, nodding at Alessandro. The latter proved reluctant to talk, but after some cajoling by Quaddla and intimidating by Madrak, Alessandro revealed the following. He'd been gambling heavily, and believed that the assassin – a member of the feared Silent Brotherhood – was sent to make an example of those who would shirk their debts to criminal society.

The group couldn't decide what to do about the Silent Brother who, true to his name, refused to utter a word. But all debate ended with the arrival of a troupe of Enforcers, the local muscle who applied was passed for law in Ragadorn. A tense stare down ensued until the Kestrels were convinced to hand over their prisoner. They did so partly out of a desire to avoid a fight, but mostly because they learned that the leader of this band of Enforcers was Lachlan, son of Killean the Overlord of Ragadorn. Lachlan and his goons departed, dragging the Silent Brother off to whatever unpleasant fate awaited him.

Alessandro, who was nervous before, was now in a full blown panic. "You must leave for Port Bax immediately!" he squeaked. "What happens to me doesn't matter, but you must deliver my message to Edward Marrero."

The Kestrels agreed in principal, but wonder what compensation they would receive for their efforts. "We bled for you," Bilt reminded Alessandro (although only Madrak had actually suffered any wounds).

Alessandro drew himself up. "I am Alessandro Simovicci. My family is of noble heritage. I shall personally guarantee you 500 Gold Crowns to undertake this task."

This monetary inducement seemed sufficient, and the Kestrels accepted Alessandro's "I owe you" in lieu of cash. Hurrying to Ragadorn's eastern gate, they were just in time to catch the coach to Port Bax.

= = =

Port Bax was a small town near the northern mouth of the Rymerift, the natural water passage that divides the Durenese peninsula from the rest of the Lastlands. The city was quiet, its stone buildings covered with a layer of dark green moss. A small castle sat on a promontory above the ocean. A few ships were in port, resupplying before continuing up the coast of Durenor or through the Rymerift and onwards to the desert empire of Vassagonia.

The Company of the Red Kestrel arrived in town after a four-day coach ride. Banda, her tall frame unfit for such cramped conditions and her Vakeros temperament unused to such conveyances, spent a miserable journey atop the coach. Wrapped in heavy furs against the winter cold, she mused upon the differences between the coniferous forests of Durenor and the lush jungles of her home in Dessi, far to the south.

Finally, the bumpy ride came to an end, and the group piled out, paid the coachman, and marched up to the gates of Port Bax. "State your business in the city and surrender your arms and armor," intoned a bored guard.

"We're here to see Edward Marrero," Quaddla announced.

"That mayor?" asked the guard, incredulous. "What business have you with him?"

"That is none of yours," replied Quaddla haughtily, her burnished shield and crescent-shaped sword gleaming with the light of Ishir. "Now let us in and direct us to the mayor's office."

The cowed guard stood aside and told the Kestrels where to find Edward Marrero. A short time later, they stood before the mayor of Port Bax, telling their story.

Marrero admitted that he and Alessandro used to be friends, but said they have not seen each other in a few years. Further, he had no idea why someone would want to kill Alessandro.

"So…" mused the bureaucrat, "Alessandro wanted you to deliver a message to me?"

Quaddla produced the envelop. It was still sealed, and the box that accompanied it has not been tampered with. Amazing, thought Marrero to himself, that a group of adventurers would not even try to open such interesting containers.

DM's note: As unbelievable as it sounds, the PCs never opened the envelop or the box, or even examined them. Either they weren’t curious enough, or they simply forgot to do so.

Marrero unsealed the envelop and extracted a message, which he read silently to himself. The quick-thinking Bilt managed to read Marrero's lips as he mouthed the words of the message, and the Kestrels learned the following:


My dear Edward,

Thank you for the loan of your spyglass, which I am returning to you, somewhat the worse for wear. Nevertheless I believe that careful examination will show it to be fully functional.

I regret that I am unable to deliver it in person, but I trust that the bearers of this note have performed their duty well. I am sure that you will compensate them for their efforts.

Yours,

Alessandro


Marrero looked puzzled, but he took a key out of the envelop and used it to unlock the box. Inside was a battered spyglass. Marrero raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

"Do you think it's trapped?" worried Banda. "Probably a bomb," Bilt replied. "What's a bomb?" Madrak asked.

Quaddla, undeterred, asked if she could examine the spyglass. Marrero passed it over, and Quaddla ran her fingers along the telescope. Opening it cautiously, she peered through the device, seeing a magnified image of Marrero's office.

While Quaddla undertook her examination, Banda stepped to the corner of the room and closed her eyes. Her normal senses folded inward, allowing Banda to attune herself to any magical essences in the vicinity. Concentrating, the sorceress focused her inner sight upon the spyglass. But it was inert, unmagical. Satisfied, Banda opened her eyes.

By this time, Quaddla had found two hidden studs on the spyglass. Pressing them both at the same time, she caused a hidden compartment to spring open. Two rolled up pieces of parchment fell out. One was obviously a letter, while the other appeared to be a map of some sort.

 

[Ruined]

Very cool, JERandall. I like hiding the messages in the spyglass. May have to borrow that myself.

 

[Joshua Randall]

I like hiding the messages in the spyglass.

Thanks! I made it a Search check, DC 25 to find the hidden studs on the spyglass. (Do-able for a 1st level PC with Int 12+ and 4 ranks in Search, as long as she Takes 20 on the Search check.)

I'll post another update in a minute here....

 

[Joshua Randall]

Both Marrero and the Kestrels stared at the two pieces of parchment. There was a moment of panic while the group worried about explosive runes or other magical traps, until Banda informed them of the negative results of her arcane investigation. Quaddla gingerly picked up the map, while Marrero retrieved the letter and read it—aloud, this time, much to Bilt's annoyance.

Edward,

I write to warn you about the latest activities of our friends. That rascal Porfirio is up to no good. He’s delivering goods to those who shouldn’t have them. When I confronted him about his latest plans, Porfirio ejected me from the group.

You must warn the Baron immediately – take whatever steps are necessary and use my name if you have to. I know that you will do this, for I know you love your country as much as I do.

I have very little time left to me, but perhaps we will meet again in a better world.

Yours,

Alessandro


The conversation degenerated into a confused babble. "Why is Alessandro sending you a map?" demanded Madrak. "Who's Porfirio?" wondered Banda. "Who's the Baron?" asked Quaddla.

Marrero raised his hand. "Calm yourselves, I beg of you," he said. "It appears I have much to explain."

It turned out that Alessandro was the leader of a group of pirates, the Sea Ghosts, who operated near Lof. Porfirio was a mage of modest ability whose magical skills were nevertheless crucial to the pirates' success. Apparently, these pirates had perfected a less violent method of seizing cargo from unwary trading vessels, smuggling the goods ashore at a secret location.

Marrero didn't know why Alessandro was "ejected" from the Sea Ghosts, nor why Porfirio had taken over. He speculated that "delivering goods to those who shouldn't have them" was a reference to running weapons to the Ice Barbarians.

Sensing the group's confusion, Marrero explained. The Ice Barbarians were a savage people who lived across the ocean to the north in the frozen wastes of Kalte. They had no contact with the rest of Magnamund save through their trading post at Ljuk and through occasional raids upon Sommerlund and Durenor. Normally, the governments of those nations were willing to overlook these raids and trade with the Ice Barbarians, exchanging refined metals for valuable furs and pelts that were much in demand among the nobility.

The past year, however, saw the most vicious Ice Barbarian raid in recent memory. The Durenese city of Lof was badly damaged, with many ships and men lost. For that reason, the King had forbidden further trading of metals with Ljuk, under penalty of death. "No more shall the Ice Barbarians attack us with weapons forged from our own steel!" was the cry among the people of Durenor.

Marrero cleared his throat. "Apparently, Porfirio has taken the Sea Ghosts in a new direction. He's running weapons now, rather than just smuggling." Marrero looked at the Kestrels. "Alessandro is right: Porfirio must be stopped. Journey to Lof and meet with the Baron, impressing upon him the necessity of stamping out this threat to the safety of Durenor."

"A moment," interrupted Quaddla. "You appear to know quite a lot about the activities of a group of pirates." Staring at Marrero, realization dawned upon the Knight of the Moon. "Are you also a member of the Sea Ghosts?"

 

[Joshua Randall]

Marrero startled, aghast at the question. He slumped in his chair and cradled his head in his hands.

"It's okay, you can tell us," Madrak said. "It'll make you feel better," he prompted.

A shaken Marrero looked up at them. "I do not know how you deduced my involvement," he began. "Please understand that what I did, I did in the ignorance of youth. If word of my past life gets out, I will be ruined – my mayorship stripped from me and my personage jailed.

"Yes, I was once a member of the Sea Ghosts. Alessandro, Porfirio, and I founded the group. We were bored young noblemen with nothing better to do. The others thrived on it – the secret identities, the call of the open sea, the loot. They thought it was romantic." Marrero said the word with a mixture of sadness and bitterness.

"A few years ago, I left the Sea Ghosts. My father was becoming suspicious, and he wished me to take up the family position as mayor of Port Bax. As far as I know, Alessandro and Porfirio continued with their lives as gentlemen-pirates. I honestly do not know what caused the apparent rift between them, or what has driven Porfirio to take such desperate action. Running weapons to the Ice Barbarians! I can scarcely believe it."

Quaddla and Banda got the sense that Marrero was telling the truth. The Kestrels promised to keep his secret and further agreed that they would warn the Baron of Lof of the danger posed by the Sea Ghosts "in exchange for some cash" as Bilt put it. Marrero advanced them 100 Gold Crowns against the balance they were owed from Alessandro. Further, the mayor offered to pay their passage on a trading ship bound for Lof.

"On one condition," Marrero said, his eyes shining with excitement. "Give me that map. Alessandro sent it to me, and –"

Before he could finish, Quaddla handed over the map, her heart sick at the man's obvious greed. "Take it," she said sadly.

Bilt started to protest, but after one steely glare from Quaddla, he relented. Damned paladins, he thought to himself.

The Kestrels were reluctant to board a ship, even if Marrero was paying for it. What if the Sea Ghosts attacked? But after consideration, they agreed to a sea journey; the trip to Lof would be much faster that way than it would be by land, especially as the roads were clogged with frozen mud.

So it was that the next morning, the Company boarded the Cardonal, a trading vessel carrying a supply of winter wheat to Lof. The Cardonal was a two-masted sailing ship of some hundred feet in length with a crew of ten men.

While Bilt, Madrak, and Quaddla spent their time on the ship in seasick misery, Banda befriended the crew and delighted them with her prestidigitations. One of the crewmen taught the Vakeros sorceress to play Samor, a game similar to chess in which each player tries to maneuver an ornate keystone across a gridlike board. Banda smiled to herself. She had picked up the game rapidly, but she allowed the sailor to beat her from time to time, thus maintaining his friendship.

Several days passed in this fashion as the Cardonal glided easily through the frigid waters off Durenor. Unlike the northern Kaltersee, which freezes into impenetrable pack ice during the winter, the coasts of Durenor remain passable at all times of the year. Even in mid-winter, ships plied their trade, braving the possibility of a winter storm in return for a profitable voyage. The men of Durenor considered themselves the finest sailors in the world – and also the finest swordsmen, diplomats, and craftsmen. They would not be deterred from trading just because of some cold weather.

It was the evening of the Kestrels' fourth day at sea. A fine cold mist fell upon the Cardonal, soaking everyone to the bone. The adventurers huddled miserably under their clothes, cursing the Durenese winter.

"Ship ahoy off the port stern!" came a cry from the Cardonal's lookout. The ship's captain peered into the twilight, squinting against the fading sunlight. He could just make out the other vessel. She had two masts and stood high above the waterline, with an elevated forecastle.

"Where's the spyglass?" someone asked. Quaddla looked rueful; she had left it with Marrero.

As the other vessel closed rapidly on the Cardonal, both her sailors and her passengers noticed it lacked identifying markings of any kind. "This is damned peculiar," opined the captain. "Perhaps we should—"

 

[Joshua Randall]

At that moment a dense fog appeared as if from nowhere, almost completely enveloping the Cardonal. It was as thick as the proverbial pea soup and restricted vision to a mere five feet. Moments later, a tremendous jolt ran the length of the ship as something rammed into it. All of the Kestrels save Banda lost their balance and were knocked off their feet.

"We are the Sea Ghosts!" yelled someone from astern. "Surrender and you will not be harmed!"

Madrak swore (using several colorful words he had learned from the Cardonal's crew). "We've been sold out by that cur, Marrero," he yelled. Peering through the fog, he adopted a ready posture and hefted an enormous cudgel in his hands. Just wait for someone to show themselves, thought Madrak, and I will crack his skull open. He advanced warily along the port rail from bow to stern.

Banda had been on her way to the poop deck when the attack came. She saw three shapes looming up through the fog. Two bore cutlasses and were garbed as seamen. The third was a tall, pinched man in outlandish purple robes with a high collar. Without warning, he pointed his long index finger at Banda, and she felt a wave of magical energy wash over her. The sorceress frowned and fought off the effect. She lashed out with her spear, catching one of the pirates in the leg and opening a shallow wound.

Meanwhile, Quaddla put her back to the Cardonal's mast and readied herself. She could hear the sounds of a scuffle taking place astern. Cautiously, the Knight of the Moon edged around the mast, straining to see. She switched to darkvision, but it was to no avail; the fog obscured all types of sight.

Amidships, Bilt found himself next to the hatch leading to the cargo hold. He hefted his crossbow, but couldn't see or hear any targets nearby. Hmm, wondered the rogue, what's in the hold? Taking care not to make any noise, Bilt eased open the hatch and slipped below decks.

The purple-garbed magician frowned and pointed insistently at Banda again. Submit! a voice seemed to say to her. Banda felt her will weaken. She stared, slack-jawed, as one of the pirates advanced and trussed her up. How shameful, thought the sorceress idly, as she was forced to the deck.

Completing her circuit of the mast, Quaddla came upon the aftermath of Banda's defeat. A pirate interposed himself between Quaddla and the magician. His cutlass in a guarding position, he parried Quaddla's thrust. She frowned and pressed the attack, trying to get past the man's guard. But he was obviously trained in the ways of defensive fighting, and turned aside most of Quaddla's thrusts with ease.

Madrak made his way amidships. The fog was thinning, borne away by the wind. He could just make out a curious scene up ahead: Banda, hog-tied upon the deck. Quaddla fencing with a pirate while another moved into position on her flank. And a tall man in purple robes, making gestures in the air before him.

"Brillante!" screamed the mage. A burst of glittering colors exploded in space between Quaddla and Madrak. They were so bright, so compelling. Madrak tried to look away, but it was too late. Colors swam before his eyes until he could see nothing. Madrak cursed again and advanced, swinging his club blindly. All he had to do was connect with someone….

Below decks, Bilt saw sacks of grain heaped willy-nilly in the hold. Realizing that he had wasted his time, Bilt climbed back up on deck and moved slowly and (he hoped) quietly through the mist. There, up ahead – was that a pirate, or one of his friends? Bilt couldn't be sure. He gripped his crossbow and swore under his breath.

As suddenly as it had come, the fog was gone. Quaddla, who had avoided the effects of the glittering colors, shook off another attempt by the mage to distract her. If only she could get to him to disrupt his spellcasting. But one pirate blocked the way ahead, while another had slashed her twice in the back when her guard was down. Cowards! she thought.

A plan occurred to Quaddla. "Madrak!" she yelled. "In front of you, the wizard—"

But Madrak was already there, his cudgel sweeping clumsily from side to side. Miraculously, he connected – a solid blow the caught the wizard in the head and neck. The mage grimaced, fell back, almost lost his balance, but somehow maintained concentration on his spell. A evil-looking bird appeared in the air nearby and the wizard sent it into battle. How ironic, thought Banda: we're being attacked by a hawk.

Bilt could see now: the man ahead of him was a pirate who had snuck down from the poop deck. Bilt leveled his crossbow and fired, but the bolt skidded uselessly along the deck. Frowning, the rogue took shelter behind the hatch cover and reloaded.

By this time two more pirates had joined the fray. One of them fought with snarling fury. His left hand was missing, replaced by a stump knife. He fell upon Quaddla and began hacking away futilely at her armor. The Knight of the Moon was worried: she was beset by three foes and of her two nearest companions, one was helplessly bound while the other was blinded by magic.

"Yeeeeeargh!" roared Madrak, as his sight returned, just in time for him to avoid the screeching bird that was trying to peck his eyes out. He brought his club down in a huge overhand blow, braining one of the pirates assaulting Quaddla. The pirate fell to the deck, his head caved in. At the same time, Quaddla dropped another pirate, her crescent-shaped sword catching him under the armpit. The man's eyes grew wide in terror and then glazed over. Slowly, almost gently, Quaddla eased him to the deck and withdrew her sword from his body.

The purple-clad wizard scowled. He had not expected armed resistance. Furthermore, the brute with the huge club was liable to take his head off if the fight continued. "Withdraw immediately," Porfirio ordered. "Get underway at once."

The Kestrels managed a few parting shots as the pirates retreated, but none of them was inclined to pursue. The pirate ship disengaged from the Cardonal and tacked about, sailing off into the gloom. Quaddla glared after it. "We will battle them again. I know it," she averred.

"Damn right," Madrak agreed. "And next time, I won't be blinded." Cursing, he looked around for something to clobber.

 

[Joshua Randall]

After untying Banda and the Cardonal's crew, the Kestrels debated their future course of action. Madrak insisted upon his point of view: that they had been sold out by Edward Marrero, who had tipped off the pirates to the Company's presence on board the Cardonal. They why had the pirates withdrawn? wondered Quaddla. There were no solid answers.

The following morning the Cardonal arrived at Lof. The adventurers stared at the mighty stone walls of the fortified city, and at the equally impressive rents in those walls. Scorch marks covered most of the buildings – those that had not been burned to the ground in the most recent Ice Barbarian attack. In the harbor, three warships flying the flag of Durenor were being worked on by hundreds of shipwrights and craftsmen.

A detachment of baronial guards met the Company at the harbor and escorted them to the citadel. It was a gloomy place, drafty and damp, built more for defense than comfort. The current baron, Giosue da Silva, had only ascended to his position after the deaths of his father and two older brothers. All were slain by Ice Barbarians. The baron's only remaining family was his daughter, Olivia, whom he protected as a greedy man guards a precious gem.

The baron's chamberlain led the Kestrels through the citadel, admonishing them to behave with proper dignity in front of his lordship. As the group arrived at the throneroom, they witnessed a curious scene. A surly looking dwarf clad in fine ermine was pleading his case to the baron. "As you well know, my lord, I still haven't been paid for the latest shipment," said the dwarf, petulantly.

Baron da Silva replied icily, "You have received a letter of credit."

"But my lord," the dwarf rejoined, "I have expenses, suppliers, laborers. I cannot pay them with a letter of credit."

"How dare you question me!" thundered the baron, nearly coming out of his seat. He glared at the dwarf, who glared back with ill concealed rage. "You may cash your letter of credit only after the shipment is recovered. Not before. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly," the dwarf snarled. With that, he spun on his heel and stomped out of the throneroom, brushing past the adventurers without so much as a passing glance.

There was an uncomfortable silence. A guardsman shifted his position behind the throne, his armor creaking loudly. Another stared at the floor, engrossed with the laces of his boots. Finally, the chamberlain cleared his throat and announced the party. "My lord, I present to you The Company of the Red Kestrel." He glanced markedly at the group, urging them forward.

"His Lordship, Baron Giosue da Silva, Ruler of Lof!" cried the chamberlain in a surprisingly loud voice.

After introducing themselves, taking care to follow the proper rules of Durenese decorum, the Kestrels got a good look at the baron. He was a man of medium built in fighting trim – indeed, he had a reputation as a fine warrior. A long scar covered the left side of his face from temple to chin, and the baron wore a patch over the hole where his left eye had been. His hands were enormous, almost freakishly so, and they gripped the arms of the throne tightly, as if the baron wished he still carried a sword.

"Pirates less than a day from Lof!" he roared, rising to his feet. "Damn it all!" Quaddla took a step backwards, unsure if the baron would blame the Kestrels for the attack on the Cardonal. "My lord," she offered, "we did our best to fight them, but—"

"And a fine job you did, too," said the baron, sinking back into his throne. "Just like Dellarocca did with the rest of the Sea Ghosts." Da Silva smiled grimly at some private joke.

"You've seen Michael Dellarocca?" asked Madrak. "When?" he demanded, forgetting his place. But the baron ignored the slight.

"About a week ago," da Silva replied. "Dellarocca and his Company asked my permission to investigate an abandoned house outside the city. Following up some rumor an old alchemist who lived there years ago – turning lead to gold, if you can believe the tales."

The baron paused, then leaned forward and continued with vigor. "But instead of finding any alchemist, he found a gods-damned nest of Sea Ghosts. Wiped them out without breaking a sweat, too. My men tell me that whole house is covered in scorch marks from the fight." The baron nodded knowingly to himself: Dellarocca favored electrical evocations.

"Then who were the Sea Ghosts who attacked us?" wondered Bilt aloud.

The baron continued his tale. Apparently, the pirates' operation was split into two halves: the seaborne half which had boarded the Cardonal, and a landborne half which received and disposed of the loot. A secret cave system under the abandoned house served as the land-based pirates' lair. The pirates kept in contact with the ship through an elaborate signaling system, which Dellarocca had been kind enough to decipher for the baron.

Now da Silva intended to turn the tables on the pirates. "Six of my men are encamped in the caves," he told the Kestrels. "When the Sea Ghost ship arrives, they'll signal it, then go and board it." The baron narrowed his eyes and started at the adventurers as if sizing them up.

"You will join my men. Assume command of the boarding operation. Capture the ship. Take the mage alive. You may kill the others."

 

[Joshua Randall]

If anyone is curious, I've also got a Rogues Gallery thread for some of the PCs and NPCs.

= = =

Quaddla was aghast at the thought of needless bloodshed, but the others relished the opportunity to get revenge for their humiliation aboard the Cardonal. Bilt negotiated another advance on Alessandro's "I owe you," netting the Kestrels another 150 Crowns. The group ventured into Lof proper, finding it a dreary place. Most of the citizens were in a sullen mood, and the shopkeepers were utterly unwilling to haggle. Nevertheless, Banda purchased several vial of Laumspur (an herb with healing properties). Madrak and Quaddla pooled their resources to trade up to better armor. Madrak chose a used but serviceable breastplate, while Quaddla bought a simple suit of chainmail. Bilt was content with his gear, saying he had all that he needed.

Morning came sharp and cold. A layer of frost covered everything as the party marched out to the old alchemist's house. They were met by two men in the baron's livery who escorted them through the decrepit mansion. The floorboards creaked ominously, causing Madrak to step gingerly for fear of plunging through them. But the soldiers negotiated a safe path to the basement, where the Kestrels were surprised to find a barracks area, and beyond that, a small series of caverns. Twisting their way through the tunnels, the group at least reached a cave open to the sea. It commanded a view of the ocean and was abutted by a small sandy beach, upon which a small boat was drawn up.

A man in an officer's uniform approached. "I am sergeant Tomás Estutlé," he announced grandly in a drawling voice. "I understand his lordship wants you to assist in this operation."

"That's not how we heard it," Bilt said. "The baron put us in charge."

Quaddla shook her head and sighed, motioning for Bilt to be quiet. "Of course we will assist you, Tomás. What is your plan?"

The sergeant pointed out to sea. "When the pirate ship arrives tonight, we will signal it to begin unloading its cargo. Then we will row out in that boat" – he pointed at the dinghy – "and order them to surrender."

There was a moment of stunned silence while the Kestrels absorbed the plan. "That's it?" Madrak scoffed. "Just row out there and ask them to turn themselves in?"

Tomás blinked. "Have you a better idea?" he drawled.

The group debated tactics for the better part of the morning. Banda was quite worried about the "potent spells" of the pirate mage, Porfirio. (Note: these awe-inspiring spells consisted of daze and glitterdust.) Quaddla was dubious about rowing up to the ship openly, until Tomás pointed out that they could row around behind the Sea Ghost ship, thereby taking them unawares.

There was just one problem: the dinghy could only accommodate six passengers – and there were ten people present between the Kestrels and the baron’s men. As if to compound their space issues, at that moment Tomás' two guards returned, leading a stout, well-armed dwarf into the sea cave.

"Brogun! I wondered when you would show up," said Quaddla. The other dwarf grinned at Quaddla. "I had some church business to attend to in Hammerdal," he replied, "but I heard the Kestrels were in this area, so here I am."

After proper introductions had been made, the group continued debating tactics. Tomás finally agreed to send for another boat, as well as several crossbows: Quaddla wanted to have the advantage of ranged weapons. At last, their preparations made, the Kestrels settled down to rest before nightfall.

= = =

Note: there was some disruption in the group, so I will fast-forward through the boarding of the Sea Ghost vessel.

The Kestrel's plan was for Tomás and his men to serve as a decoy, signaling the pirate ship while approaching it slowly from shore. Meanwhile, the Kestrels would row around behind the ship and board it by stealth. Their plan worked out fairly well: Bilt spotted an open porthole in the stern of the ship and was able to clamber aboard into an empty cabin. After the other Kestrels joined him, they peaked out the cabin door, spotting a couple of pirates standing near the rail.

Quaddla and Brogun charged the pirates and knocked them into the ocean. Madrak, Banda, and Bilt raced out of the cabin and each engaged in his own small skirmish. After a lengthy battle (Note: 18 rounds!) the Kestrels were victorious. The captured the pirate captain, Sigurd, and found the mage Porfirio hiding in the crow's nest. Tomás and his men arrived to take the pirates into custody, and the Kestrels congratulated themselves on a job well done.

Searching the ship, they found a prisoner in a secret compartment. Judging him to be some sort of aquatic creature, they set him free, being unable to communicate with him. Strangely, the Kestrels then ceased their search, and so missed out on finding the secret cache of weapons, or on looting the ship's valuables.

The next morning, Baron da Silva summoned the Kestrels. His men had worked all night, tearing the Sea Ghost vessel apart to discover its secrets: the weapons cache as well as some curious semi-literate documents requesting "an additional shipment at the agreed terms." Da Silva believed the Sea Ghosts were running weapons to the Ice Barbarians who, according to a map found on the ship, must be camped at a spot up the coast. Before the Baron could order the Kestrels to investigate this, a messenger burst into the room.

"There's been a cave-in in Nosop!"

 

[Jodo Kast]

Cool stuff! Seems like a well-realized world. I'm looking forward to seeing how things develop.