(G9 30/05/08 BC)
DAY 8
Has it really been only eight days since I arrived here? So much has happened already. Also,
pleasantly, I can feel myself growing in Druidic power. My tutors told me this would happen
once I was out in the world. My experiences would help me grow magically and increase the
amount of spells I can cast. Well, that's certainly been happening lately anyway. Even Raz,
after his experiences fighting those cultists, seems even more stern and steelie eyed than
before. Combat, and life and death experiences must do that to you. I think I would rather
gain my wisdom from study rather than fighting to be honest.
Anyway, we started the day talking with Taeghen Calaudra and Bhula Jalamba (the butcher),
sorting things out for the business. Incidently, I decided we should call this new venture
'Paradise Pies.'
(Or 'Pies of Paradise' which was Nobbys alternative suggestion.)
After that we wandered into town and had a look at the 'Blue Nixie' the ship that belongs
to Lady Vanderboren.
It was moored about thirty yards out from the big peer not far from the Bent Goblin. Shifty
stayed to watch it, I went to talk to Padesh and Nobby went to see her cousin. I think Raz
went shopping.
We then decided to go and visit the harbour master but we couldn't find him. We did find one
of his assistants, a dreary fellow called Helek, drowning his sorrows in a tavern nearby.
Nobby and myself talked to him for a while and gleamed some more information on the
situation from him.
It appears the harbour master is neglecting his duties and as a result of this, some
unscrupulous third party money lenders have been running the debt collections at the docks,
but with less than satisfactory results.
Well, from what this chap said, and what Padesh had already told me, it sounded like the
whole harbour area was pretty lawless.
We all met back after that and started to think of a plan. At first I thought we should just
go straight to the ship and demand the ruffians leave at once. But, well, from what I know
of the city already I could see how that might end.
So if there was to be bloodshed involved with evicting them, then we decided to sneak up
on them in the dead of night, using a row boat we hired for the purpose.
As evening arrived we popped along to Lady Vanderboren to tell her of what we planned. She
seemed dismayed that we wanted to wait until the small hours so we decided to merely wait
until it was dark, at around eight at night.
So, off we went and everything was going well until Raz dropped his clanger. Shifty had
already climbed up the anchor chain in his usual stealthy fashion and the barbarian was
next. But that great galloot was not built for stealth and banged his axe against the
chain making a sound like a temple bell ringing in the silence of the night.
All hell broke loose after that. There were several of them on deck and the fighting was
swift and deadly. Raz did most of the damage, swinging his axe around with lethal efficiency.
I leapt down onto the deck and used a 'Wood Shape' spell to open up the deck below one
of the ruffians feet! She disappeared into the dark ships interior with a startled squeak!
Mr Badgerington also leapt from the poop deck at one of them, but nearly threw himself
over the rail! He held on though and scrabbled up after a few seconds clawing at the
woodwork.
More of the villains appeared from below decks, but most of them chose to leap overboard
rather than stand and fight when they saw the carnage that was being dealt out.
Just as we were thinking that that was that, someone, who looked like a leader stepped out
of a cabin door and stabbed me in the arm. Honestly, how many times have I been stabbed
now? Three, four times? I'm averaging being stabbed every two days I think! Lucky I have
healing magic to hand.
Well, I swung at him and Mr Badgerington took a nibble of his ankle, but it looked like
this criminal might deal me another nasty blow until Raz's axe swung down on his head
and filleted him as neatly as fishwife dealing with a haddock.
One final attacker who had been lurking out of sight shouted 'Set fire to everything!' and
leapt overboard.
Myself and Raz leapt through the hole I had created to see the last of the rogues
attempting, and failing, to fire the vessel.
This part of the hold was filled with cages containing all manner of exotic beasts! But
I had no time to examine them, because a huge insect thing, panicked by the smoke, broke
its bonds and in a trice used its massive mandibles to kill the final villain.
It then charged at Raz, who fended it off for a moment or two, but was soon grabbed
into its massive maw. I tried to help as best I could with healing while Raz tried
to bring his axe into play, but the beast was ultimately dispatched by Shifty who had
snuck behind it and transfixed it on the end of his rapier.
So, that was certainly the end of that and we set about searching the ship. I found the
money that must have been paid for the debt and Shifty found the ring.
Raz was pretty chewed up by this time, so Nobby helped him out with some of her devine
healing magic.
