"Belay those weapons!" shouts the captain. "We don't know what they're about yet" He walks cautiously up to the rail and surrupticiously leans over it. He begins speaking in some watery, gutteral language. From the tones, it seems to be a question.
An answer is heard from below. The captain nods to a crewman and a rope ladder is hung over the side. At your questioning gazes he says, "...don't want thier claws scratching up my ship."
A nightmare creature covered in pale blue scales emerges over the side of the ship. Razor-sharp needle-like teech fill it's maw and it's eyes are black like the heart of the abyss. Wicked three inch claws tip the creature's hands an it's gills flare in the pouring rain as it gazes at you all in turn. A crude leather harness holds a pair of javelins and a trident and it wears a shortsword strapped to it's thigh. It opens its mouth and speaks in that strangly gutteral language again.
The captain replies and then turns to a crewman. "In my cabin is a small chest made of red-laquered wood. Bring it to me." The crewman runs off and the captain turns to you. "This is Kr... Kyr.. Kyl... Arg! I can't really say his name in common, but he's from the Redclaw tribe and these are thier ancestral waters. We're going to offer him some 'tribute' and his chieftain might decide to grant us safe passage."
The crewman returns shortly with a small 12'x9"x9" chest. The captain opens it and withdraws an ornate, and ancient looking, kukri from the box. The blade is as dark as slate and the pommal wrapped in red leather. A yellow jewel is set into the pommel as a counterweight. The captain swings it a few times and it begins to glow and spark. He tosses it to the sauagin who deftly catches it and gives it a few experemental swings. Apparantly he thinks it's good enough as he jabs it into his harness and dives over the side. He croaks something loudly and one-by-one the sahuagin disappear.
"He thinks that his king will appreciate the fine gift we've given him and has advised us to leave these waters as soon as me we can, lest his king desire more 'tribute.' Sahuagin eat flesh... it is good that he did not ask for one of you."
* * *
That night, the sounds of distant battle can be heard over the constant drizzle. The owls cannot fly as the clouds are too low and the rain too persistant. The captain sequesters himself within his cabin with his mysterious guest for the rest of the evening.
Come morning, he remarks that the sahuagin apparantly did not appreciate the gift that the Kaarnathi gave them.
Two days later the rain finally breaks... but the wind dies as well. The captin breaks out a laquered box and opens it. Inside are two wands. "Each ship carries a couple of these." he says. Pointing one at the sails and intoning some eldritch words in a strangely familiar language, a blast of wind gathers itself and fills the sail. You can see tiny figures on the other ships doing the same. "It's only good for about 10 hours, so hopefully the wind will come back soon."
Unfortunately, the wind does not come back soon and the captain is forced to use 6 more charges before the Osprey reports that its wand has died. The Wavedancer reports that it's wand is good for one maybe two more uses before it too dies. So the ships stay there, becalmed, for another day and an half before a weak breeze finally ruffles the sails again.
The crew, in a jovial mood, throws a party that evening to celebrate thier returned luck. Salted pork, fresh fish (you're sick of this by now) in an orange sauce, and red wine make for a fine meal.
