Episode 25: "The Montage Boat"

Date Played: January 13, 2016

Quest Information

 * Interlude after "The Library at Selihm"
 * 4-10 Araḫ Tišritum roughly mid-september. High 87F, low 77F. Dry season, 1% chance for light rain.
 * Start: Salihm in Jow-Hadan, hex 0708
 * End: Drok-Nir in Perskebeth, hex 1110
 * Level 5-6

Primary Cast

 * Craganor, battle cleric of Inanna
 * Daric, camel merchant
 * Ebo Darwishi, Perskebethi exile
 * Gimble, gnome evoker
 * Ket-Ramat, soldier-scout
 * Lugal, Mage of Learning
 * Samman ibn Shakhs, professional pit fighter

Secondary Cast

 * Sutanku, Priest of The Way
 * Mentew, Monk of the Open Hand

Summary
Fortunately, the Ter-Mith is calm this time of year. Most of the party are landlubbers, born and raised on a sea of grass. A sea of water, especially a sea of angry water, would have been hard on sensitive stomachs. Ahti-Wagrah captain Ken-Takka is quite able, commanding his reduced crew with firmness, efficiency, and skill. "You are fortunate", he would occasionally growl. "I left many able seamen behind, unwilling to come along on this fool's errand. If we met choppy seas, or a single enemy ship, you'd all be washing on the shore, bloated and pecked upon by spider-gulls." True enough, the only other ship they saw was a distant minotaur ship, sailing northward away from Perskebeth.

"Our captain is a cheery sort", Sutanku commented later that evening. Over the past few days, the Perskebethi cleric was gathering the party to coach them in the ways of his homeland. "Let's get to business. So, how go the language lessons?"

Samman gives his report dutifully. "The gnome has done quite well. I would say he has a proclivity for languages. In fact, other than the mage, I'm guessing the gnome is the only one who knows what 'proclivity' even means. What the mage doesn't know is how to step away from his spellbooks long enough to learn about other cultures. The scout seems to understand Perskebethi well enough, but he should do what he does best and stay silent when we're on shore. As for the camel merchant ... well, at least he has good eyes. He spotted that minotaur dreadnaught long before even the captain's top lookout. He will be better off being seen and not heard, or maybe unseen as well." Daric gives a small shrug and continues to stare out at the horizon.

"Well, there's only so much that can be expected in five days." says the cleric. "OK, so over the past week, I've told you much of Perskebeth. I've also told you much of our gods. Now it's time to tell you about our target: the Lady Av-na Lokhar. She is the cousin of my former master, the Lady Anki-nu Esketh. But while Anki-nu was adventurous and bloodthirsty, Av-na is comfortable yet pragmatic. She controls the slave stockade in Drok-Nir. She's a shrewd businessperson, a charismatic auctioneer, a smooth negotiator, and can drink most men under the table."

"If we go forward with this plan, we have a chance. When we arrive, we need to hire a wagon. We'll load Lady Anki-nu's coffin, and then head to the stockade. I will ask for an audience with Lady Av-Na, and will deliver her cousin's body, dressed as she is. I do not know Lady Av-Na personally, so I will not bring too much advantage to the conversation. If we are shrewd, and clever, we may find the location of your wizard and be on our way, without a fight."

"We all need to hope we do not have a fight. This is a fully-manned slaver stockade. It is heavily guarded, with Perskebethi commanders, centaur guards, and lizardfolk muscle. It's heavily walled, and supposedly impregnable. If this goes badly, and we find ourselves trapped in there, we're likely to all be killed, and dumped into the pits under the cells."

"So that's the plan. We have one more day to prepare, and then we dock. Think hard about what we are about to do. If you have any better ideas, we need to hear them before tomorrow."

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