Heroica RPG - Quest #51: A Shanty for Science

[CMP]

"Our cargo is well secured, thank you very damn well much. You've been taxing and delaying our trip for weeks over it, if you haven't accounted for every grain of wheat by now, that's your problem, you've had more than enough time to do so."

Ildria crosses her arms.

"No. You've kept us chained to these docks for a month, my crew is downright miserable, we're ten minutes away from finally setting sail on a decent job, and I'm not going to wait around so you can tearing through our cargo, again - if you even are Bonapartes," she adds, frowning at the heroes, evidently at their un-Bonaparte-y choice of clothes.

[-obelix-]

"No, we are not Bonapartes per se, we are just hired by them, to help out with important shipments. And as for cargo, we would still like to check it, just to be sure. We are aware we are troubling you but we have our orders too, and you know how orders are if they go unfulfilled..."

[CMP]

"...Important shipment? Hm. I was under the impression Operire sent food supplies abroad regularly..."

Illdria seems considerably less annoyed when Thalion explains they're only working for the Bonapartes.

"That I do. If that's the case, I wouldn't refuse, but my men just finished filling the entire cargo hold, I don't want to have to have them haul everything back out here. Generally, I place the morale of my crew above the paycheck of a stranger...hm. You're sellswords, I assume?"

Edited November 23, 2012 by CallMePie

[-obelix-]

"May we go to the cargo hold and check the contents then?"

[CMP]

"No, that would take hours, and we're behind schedule as it is.. Kilian's been having Bonapartes picking apart the cargo for the last week, he knows well enough what we're shipping. Why is he so concerned about checking them again?"

[-obelix-]

"I can't tell you much, because we dont know it all, but I do know that this shipment is something important. Might be even off the books for all we know, but we do know it has been checked several times, and this was supposed to be the last one. Let me put it in another way, where have you received your cargo from?"

[CMP]

"Off the books cargo? What, they think we're smuggling?"

She frowns again, then glances at the harbormaster's office, eyes narrowing.

"Operire gave us this food, we're supposed to ship it to some backwater on Babeleth...they're a reputable merchant company, I doubt they'd store anything illicit. But if they did..."

Illdria trails off, while the Hobgoblin and the dwarf load the last crates. The former taps her on the shoulder, indicating the empty pier, and she nods distractedly, turning back to Thalion.

"...If the Bonapartes didn't tell you why they want our cargo searched, I doubt they said what they'd do if they found anything illicit, did they? I'm not sure exactly how they would react, but I've dealt with them for years, I can tell you whatever it is, it won't be any good for the Magpie or its crew...all right. I think I've got something that might clear all of this up. We're leaving, now; but I'll let you all stay on board, meals provided as long as you behave. You can search every crate you like during the trip. Find anything that isn't just food, I won't drop it off. Once we get back to Eubric, you'll still get your pay, and most importantly, we'll still get ours. On the off chance you find anything that's not supposed to be there, and if the Bonapartes don't believe we weren't part of it when you give them the illicit goods, I'll at least be able to pay off the fine. Sound reasonable?"

Edited November 23, 2012 by CallMePie

[-obelix-]

OOC: Well this surpasses the authority given to me for now. Flipz, your turn....

[Flipz]

Arthur nods surreptitiously to Thalion, indicating that he's willing to go along with this plan.

[Aveal the black sheep]

the dwarf followed the others,speaking little and observing the ship and it's crew...

[-obelix-]

"Your offer sounds very good, give me just a moment to see with my companions."

Before he responds, Thalion whispers to De'kra, "Master De'kra does your compass point to anywhere other then this boat? To a warehouse perhaps..."

OOC: I'll update Thalion's the answer as soon as Tanma gives his input, we shouldn't risk failing a quest. In quest time, should be no more then a few seconds. If De'kra says yes, then we are all in agreement and will go. This is just in case I cant reply formally. Different time zones and all that.

Edited November 23, 2012 by -obelix-

[Flipz]

"'Scuse me for just a minute." Arthur scribbles a quick note, races back to Chalvo, hands over the note, and runs back, all at top speed.

Chalvo--Off to Babeleth on lead. Will be back as soon as possible. --Arthur J. Regulus VII

[Tanma]

IC: De'kra whispered softly, "If you think this best ourselves of action I will follow, but if it false lead, we will be thrown far off trail. Are you sure about this?"

[CMP]

"Excellent. We'll be off, then. Quarters are just below this deck, and the cargo hold under that. Feel free to chat with the crew, unless you want to start your search immediately."

Illdria waves to the dwarf, who pulls the gangplank aboard and unties the ship from the pier before going back down belowdecks. She and the Hobgoblin remain as the Magpie's sails unfurl, and the entire vessel makes its away out of Eubric, and soon enough begins to hit the somewhat rougher waters of the Crystalline Sea. The hobgoblin fiddles with a compass, map, and sextant for a moment, while the captain sems to be steering the ship in the direction he indicates. Once they're on the right path, he leaves Illdria to it, idly casting out a fishing rod.

[Flipz]

Arthur quietly and casually walks up next to the hobgoblin. "I don't suppose you'd like me to charge that rod with Ether, would you?" he says by means of starting a conversation.

[CMP]

The hobgoblin blinks.

"Ecuf me? Mo, fifh if am ohmimahy fihig ohm. I wou be happy 'o ehm i' o' you foh a bi' foh whemy coimf."

[-obelix-]

"Thank you captain, I think we may chat for a bit, you know, get to know each other since we are going in the same direction. We can check the cargo later. Tell me, do you do much traffic through Bonaparte's ports?"

Thalion tries to understand what the hobgoblin is saying, but he barely understood the mention of a fishing rod.

[CMP]

"A bit. Eubric, obviously, is the main worry, and they're mostly patrolling the sea surrounding the Free Islands. Point is, if we get on the Bonapartes' bad side, we can't go to Eubric, and if we can't go to Eubric...well, it'd be like a bunch of heroes trying to find work outside of Heroica Hall."

[Flipz]

"Perhaps in a bit," Arthur says, "Once we've gotten better acquainted with you and the rest of the crew. Unless the seas are extraordinarily unkind to us, I think that 20 gold would not be an unreasonable price to borrow that fishing rod." Arthur slightly emphasizes his words, so as to make the translation clear to the rest of the party. Arthur's ears perked up at the Captain's mention of the Bonaparte trade monopoly--wasn't that one of the reasons for the riots in the Hovels?--but he decided to let Thalion keep talking without his interference. He returns his attention to the hobgoblin. "If I may ask, how did you come to join the crew of the Magpie?"

[CMP]

He seems pleasantly surprised to being questioned about his past, as well as the fact that Arthur has a clue what he's saying.

"Weww, I haiu fwom Goboia. Ef oo make my fowue, bu I've fou omig bu mifowue fih fhem....bu my pwobemf awe mof fewawy mawf youwf, fogive my wambigf. I waf fwamem im Eubwic, am mawy hewe ifwik my wafe, am mis impemimenf make ih mo bemmer. Momefhewef, Illwia fimef my kiwwf in mavimafun quife ufefuw, o af wog af I comimue o puw my weighf, I am wewcome am I am pai weww. Uf faw I have foum mo reafom 'o abamom hew o' fhe Magpie."

[Flipz]

A stray thought crosses Arthur's mind. Hmm...it would require QUITE the maneuvering, but it would be a valuable operation for Lord Knyghton, and for the Ji Pei as well...this will require some more thought.

[-obelix-]

Thalion continues speaking with the captain, "Yes, they do seem to be having a major hold of who or what goes out of their ports. Rumor has it that recent troubles in the Hovels happened because of them. It seems to be getting increasingly troublesome to work for them. Tell me have you had any, how should I put this, "unusual requests" from them? Fees running more then normal, troubles sailing out of port, special requests for shipping something for them, that sort of things..."

Edited November 23, 2012 by -obelix-

[CMP]

"Doesn't surprise me. I grew up in the Hovels, they hate the Bonapartes and pretty much everything to do with them, took a hell of a lot for me to get a job on a ship at all. Unusual requests? More than you can imagine. Seems like every time we dock there's a new tax, or a new reason to search and seize whatever they claim is...what is it they say...? Oh, right, 'potentially harmful to the people or to the security of Eubric'. And recently, that list has been expanding. We've been sitting next to that pier since, what, third week of September?"

Edited November 23, 2012 by CallMePie

[-obelix-]

"Hah! That sounds convenient, and every time time they find something "harmful" they simply take it, right? We've heard that too. We too, seem to be getting less and less explanation each time we go about our orders, more then half of time it looks like we working blindfolded. Do you know who were you hired by to make a shipment this time?"

[CMP]

"Exactly."

"Well, we were hired by a group called the Operire Foreign Supplier. Lesser known merchant company - but who isn't, other than the Hinckwells or Shadeuax? - that ships food and other generic goods to smaller ports and towns across Olegaia. We're headed to a place called Dim Haven; on the coast of the Babeleth Darklands. And that's why I don't intend to stay there long."

Edited November 23, 2012 by CallMePie