Episode One - Meeting at the Docks

[SilverBen]

Prologue: Turtle Bay, a port city with bustling trade and busy piers - except one. The city lies at the end of a trade route that leads to the wilderness of forests and mountains beyond.

A ship remains moored to the pier, yet no sailor attends to it's needs even in daylight hours. It is rumored to be cursed, haunted, or possessed by a vindictive spirit.

The Merchant Council's patience has recently reached its limit. They seek to hire a small resourceful party capable of investigating and ridding the city of the ship, which has become a blight on its reputation and economy.

The party assembles at the pier, 40 yards from the ship derisively nicknamed: The Luckless Liora.

[OOC: Players: Please complete your character by Sun, January 24. Character entrances can be posted here by describing appearance, behavior, and personality traits in character. Refer to the Harbor Area Map in the Local Info post. Characters may explore anything within the Harbor Area over the next game day, but not longer periods of time.]

Day 1, early morning.
Location: Docks of Turtle Bay, south of the House of the Merchant Council

The party has individually met with the Merchant Council on the previous night and been hired to rid the Limitless Liora, a caravel-like ship of its evil spirits or curse. The party is also offered free room and board at the city barracks over the next week. The reward for successful completion is up to 2,000gp, an enchanted weapon appropriate for the adventurer, and a magical item of minor value to assist in future adventures.

[mike_c]

aris walks out of the barracks after a good night sleep,he walks to the end of the pier that holds the target ship almost blending and disappearing in the shadows, he concentrates his attention to the ship looking and listening for any movement or clues

[SilverBen]

Nothing obvious about the Liora gives Varis a hint why this ship earned the nickname Luckless Liora. Only occasional gusts of wind send the pungent scent of newly treated wood to Varis's nostrils.

The Liora rests moored to the east side of the pier while the activity around her bustles in contrast. Each wooden pier is a wide platform approximately 50' across and 90' long that accommodates two ships of the Liora's size where shoreline reaches a sufficient depth for its draft. The platform is occupied by all manner of devices for hoisting and transporting, beasts of burden and manual laborers, clerks and crew.

All seem to proceed with their business normally but maintain their distance from the Liora as her three masts rock gently against the incoming tide. She measures 70' long and 20' wide with a bulging lower deck designed to carry a huge cargo load.

Within the immediate vicinity:

• A patrol of four City Watch observe the scene from outside the House of the Merchant Council (OOC: Location #14 on the Harbor Area map, 90' north)
• An attentive middle-aged drunk propped against a post (OOC: 60' north)
• Porters are unloading a wagon 50' across the pier (OOC: 120' south of Location #14)
• Two clerics standing to the side in a quiet discussion (OOC: 30' south)

[Jenara]

Striding to the docks Hazel flicks back her hair, it was supposed to be a simple job.. Every time she signed up for a simp!e job it ended up causing her hassle.. "Help a group get through the Mountains.." Thats what he said.. So how had she ended up here?

She could still remember the words he'd said to her, the day she arrived here.
"The jobs gone, you aren't the only one who knows those mountains.." Well forget him, still she had to live, that job would have kept her from coming to places like this for months.. A season even..

So now she'd take a ship, leave this place.. All these people.

[SilverBen]

Of the two clerics standing to the side (OOC: 30' south) in their conversation, the taller one seems to be the superior giving guidance to the shorter. The taller one lays his hand upon the shorter's shoulder in a kind gesture and returns his hand to his own heart. He does much of the talking and then allows the shorter a few moments of thought before proceeding the same way.

Meanwhile, the shorter stares out toward The Liora without changing his expression. The shorter seems deep in thought and shrugs his shoulders.

[mike_c]

Varis not seeing or hearing anything from the ship that might help gives up and heads toward the ship, taking notice of the young woman matching the description of the woman who is supposed to assist with this job and pretty sure the cleric not being given a choice by the taller cleric is also supposed to be on the job, keeping an eye on the drunk that seems to be paying too much attention to him, Varis boards the ship

[DramaLlama]

A robed figure walks towards the docks. His robes denote his as a man of the cloth, but little can be discerned of whom he follows. He scans the area, spotting the two priests, he walks towards them trying to catch their attention.

"Well met gentlemen," the figure says to the priests. "I am Brother Deephert and I am in need of assistance."

[SilverBen]

The two men break their conversation and turn towards the approaching priest with a pleasant smile on each face. First, the taller man covers his eyes with the palms of his hands, bows at the waist in silence, and removes his hands from his eyes as he rises. Next, the shorter man waits for his turn to greet Deephert similarly and responds upon arising: "I am Brother Keane and this is Brother Sagan. If our hands cannot bring you the assistance you seek, then we shall surely lead you closer. Tell us what you seek and how we may be of service, Brother Deephert."

Sagan stands slightly behind Keane with his attention clearly focused on the ship while Keane and Deephert converse. The expression on his face is one of fascination, not disinterest.

[Jenara]

Hazel shakes her head at the young man, that was foolish boarding the vessel with that little information. What had that Greystoke said. Meet him at the docks? Fair enough, if she didn't like the job.. She was out if here.

Adjusting her blade she strides to the dock, approaching the Priests with her hands beind her back, black hair whipping behind her.

[mike_c]

Varis reaches the top of the gangway and stops before stepping on board he kneels with his back bent to keep his longbow from touching the ground. his longsword can be seen sticking out of the bottom of his cloak. he lays a hand on the ship and says in both common and elvish with a sign of a tear in his eye. ( varis being a wood elf knows the spirit and life of the trees are very similar to other races that they feel and remember and he hates seeing them butchered in his eyes at least.) " my friends I am sorry that you have been cut shaped and kidnapped from your home by men for their use and convenience without regard or thought that perhaps you wanted to stay where you were. I am told that you are either cursed or have angry spirits aboard. I along with a few others are going to investigate this and will give you peace by removing the cause of your problems. I give you my word, I ask your help in the name of Corellon Larethian help us find and remove the source of the problem. I do not wish to see you left alone to rot or destroyed from their fear. after finishing he walks back down the gangway. to the drunk. greeting sir I see that you have been watching me I would know why and who you are. I am Varis a hired sword and very good at what I do. ::raises one eyebrow:: now who are you and why are you interested in me? I suggest you speak plainly, tell me everything and honestly at the end we might be friends and share a drink but if you lie I will be paying to have you buried.

[SpiderReaver]

From his room at the Tavern, Nalanilos stirs from his restful slumber, having been sent to Turtle Bay from his home on an assignment yet to be made known to him, a couple of raps on his window, fully awaken him. He looks over to the window to see a black crow with something tied to his left leg. He proceeds to the window, seeing that the bird is Chance, the pet of his master. He always chuckled at the name, wondering if perchance the bird was won in a game of chance or not.....

::Reaches for the Chance's leg to remove the note, taking it out of the very small waterproof tubing:: Thank you Chance, I'll read it and as always dispose of it so nothing can be traced back to the master.

Nalanilos prepared himself for the day's event, and as soon as he finished, he read the note to himself...

[SilverBen]

Varis reaches the top of the gangway and stops before stepping on board he kneels with his back bent to keep his longbow from touching the ground. his longsword can be seen sticking out of the bottom of his cloak. he lays a hand on the ship and says in both common and elvish with a sign of a tear in his eye. ( varis being a wood elf knows the spirit and life of the trees are very similar to other races that they feel and remember and he hates seeing them butchered in his eyes at least.) " my friends I am sorry that you have been cut shaped and kidnapped from your home by men for their use and convenience without regard or thought that perhaps you wanted to stay where you were. I am told that you are either cursed or have angry spirits aboard. I along with a few others are going to investigate this and will give you peace by removing the cause of your problems. I give you my word, I ask your help in the name of Corellon Larethian help us find and remove the source of the problem. I do not wish to see you left alone to rot or destroyed from their fear. after finishing he walks back down the gangway. to the drunk. greeting sir I see that you have been watching me I would know why and who you are. I am Varis a hired sword and very good at what I do. ::raises one eyebrow:: now who are you and why are you interested in me? I suggest you speak plainly, tell me everything and honestly at the end we might be friends and share a drink but if you lie I will be paying to have you buried.

As Varis turns to question the drunk, a nearly imperceptible noise issues from the ship behind him. (OOC: Mike_C, since Varis is not a thief, I will modify the thief's Base Score for Detect Noise with a 5% penalty to determine what he hears. Roll 1d100 and Varis hears the noise clearly if the result is 13 or less.)

The drunk man responds: "Hoyle is my name." as he continues speaking, he slowly raises his bandaged and slightly deformed hand with his gaze fixed on Varis, "That ship will be the last one these hands ever build." He lowers his hand and his face grows angry, "I still don't know how it happened, but as i was cleaning up my tools at sunset, the cargo hatch slammed down on my hand with no one else around. But it was that sickening laughter that followed made me realize there is something possessing that ship." He raises the bottom of his bottle to the sky and empties it. "I swore I'd never set foot upon it again but I'm here to see this ship burn, rot, or sink before I drink myself to death."

[SilverBen]

Adjusting her blade she strides to the dock, approaching the Priests with her hands beind her back, black hair whipping behind her.

Hazel approaches the two priests engaged in conversation with Brother Deephert. The shorter (and younger) priest speaking to Deephert is momentarily distracted by her long black hair and struggles to recapture his thoughts.

Hazel overhears the priest explaining to Deephert that they have been summoned by Greystreet to perform religious rites and bring blessings to drive out any evil spirits aboard the ship. After repeated visits over several days, they have been unable to detect the presence of any evil, undead creatures. The ship also does not radiate any magic aura. They are now prepared to bless the party Greystreet has hired to board the ship and investigate further.

[SilverBen]

Nalanilos reaches for the Chance's leg to remove the note, taking it out of the very small waterproof tubing:: Thank you Chance, I'll read it and as always dispose of it so nothing can be traced back to the master.

Nalanilos prepared himself for the day's event, and as soon as he finished, he read the note to himself...

When unrolled, the note actually turns out to be two pieces of parchment finely written. The first is a small Bill of Exchange, payable to Horace Greystreet in the amount of 2,100gp. A second is a memorandum with today's date on it, mentioning Turtle Bay docks before the first quarter of the day.

Nalanilos makes an uncomfortable realization that the time noted is nearly arrived or past! (OOC: Better grab your gear and make an appearance at the docks!)

[SpiderReaver]

Nalanilos reads the first parchment and realizes that its a cash voucher and takes care to fold it up and place it securely into his pouch. As he does this, he notices the second paper which is giving him the location in which he is suppose to be at. As he looks out the window, then back at the parchement, he realizes he is almost late.

"By the trees bark.... Does the Master know how to make me feel rushed" Nalanilos spoke under his breath as he finishes preparing, making sure to grab his cloak, wearing them over his armor, and placing his sword in its scabbard and attaching it to his belt.

Speaking to himself, as he looks around his room one last time before he leaves, he mumbles under his breath "You would think I would be use to this by now with him....Hopefully...Eventually, I will be.."

After a few minutes, Nalanilos makes his way down to the docks and wait for the rest of the group, hopefully if he is early....