"I would agree, checking docks and areas near the river is likely our best option." Rubin says.

Tyde agrees, "Let's head to the docks then."

Tyde will have his snowy owl fly above and use his senses to get a 360 degree view of the area right around the group.

(Perception check: 20 if needed?)

Tyde, your owl sees a shadier looking boat than the rest.  The crew looks more like trained thugs than sailors, and the ship looks to have some sort of hidden cargo in it based on how it’s riding in the water.

"There looks to be a ship that fits the description of a smuggler's vessel."

Tyde leads the others to where they need to go on the docks to find this ship.

Quote from Mehmen >>

After that whole display with Kethra, Xanranzan just about open his mouth to comment on it. Yet after a moment's hesitation and a glance to the other party members, who seemed content to sweep it under the rug, he closes his trap without another word, and just tries to find a moment to pat her on the shoulder. "Well, consider'n he is what he is, and we're close to the waterfront-..." Xanranzan shudders in displeasure at the last word.

The hooded girl suddenly slips to the side so that when he tries to pat her shoulder, the chiseled man finds his hand on top of her head instead. She looks up at him with a mischievous little laugh and a smile. When he shudders at the word "waterfront" she blinks back in confusion.

"You don't like water?"

Quote from DragonDenn >>

"I would agree, checking docks and areas near the river is likely our best option." Rubin says.

"I thought you were scared of water too? Did you bravely conquer your fear, Rubin?"

This objection spouts from the pale eyed girl in the back of the traveling party, who (for now) seems to have secured the hand of the dual-wielding swordsman to stay put on her head with one hand of her own.

Quote from Brian_Avery >>

Tyde leads the others to where they need to go on the docks to find this ship.

"Want me to go back into town and yell yell yell at where they are?" Kethra suggests. "If a fight breaks out with no witnesses, it's just our word against theirs, and I bet you 5 gold coins they are paying off some high up trusted authority person here already. And if your owl is a guy, can I call him...Allistair?"

While Kethra still has her thinking ability, the continuous pressure kept down on her head seems to be affecting her vocabulary as she mumbles the name.

"Yes, for as long as I have him you can call him Allistair."

"What we really need to do is sneak aboard and check their cargo... or catch them red-handed at it. But remember our goal is to find this Quill and question them."

Although initially taken aback by the reaction, he grinned backed back before carrying on with the suggestion. At the question after, Xanranzan looked up to the sky for a moment and hmm'd a bit, before finally answering. "Ever heard the expression sink like a stone?" Xanranzan replied. "Ain't saying I don't like water, mind you. But when yer raised to have a healthy respect fer the element, even if its not exactly as prominent where I was born, you're bound to garner a few idio... idia.... habits. Ya start form'n habits when it comes to it." He explained. "Not that I can't swim, mind ya. But, it takes a bit more effort than it would some like you or the rest of the folk you know."

At that, he had a thought to take the hand back, what with not wanting to be too over familiar only... to have it held in place. Seeing that, apart from briefly cocking his head to the side and quirking a brow, he eventually just shrugged it off as another 'human thing' and carried on loosely walking side-by-side.  "He does gotta point there, Kethra. 'n worse case scenario, Rubin can do his whole disappearing trick or, uh, Allistair can fly to flag down some help or somethin'. Question is... how we're gonna go 'bout sneaking on board? Or should one or two of us stay topside to try distract'em?" 

"When did you get the idea I was afraid of water?" Rubin asks with a frown over his shoulder. "I recall I was one of the ones swimming through ghoul-infested waters scouting for the group..."

"Yeah, thanks for doing that by the way."

Tyde thinks for a minute, "What if we ask around and try to find out if they're hiring any workers? If we can't get work on the ship itself maybe we'll have some luck in getting work on the docks unloading and loading."

(What did you all decide on doing?)

We're going to the docks to find the ship I saw from above.

Is the ship being unloaded or loaded?

Quote from DragonDenn >>

"When did you get the idea I was afraid of water?" Rubin asks with a frown over his shoulder. "I recall I was one of the ones swimming through ghoul-infested waters scouting for the group..."

Quote from Brian_Avery >>

"Yeah, thanks for doing that by the way."

Kethra unhands Xanranzan to hide behind Mr. Tyde, or more specificially, Mr. Tyde's owl.

"Yeah, sorry...I was actually just going to suggest we look for tracks, maybe wagon tracks that are deeper than normal because smugglers are trying to smuggle things heavier than normal, then cut them off on land?

"But if you're okay with water now...I mean, if you've always been okay with water then we can totally go with Mr. Tyde's plan."

"Let's move down and check out this ship." Rubin says with a shrug.

Kethra's face lights up at Rubin's suggestion.

"Hey, and if our feathered friend here saw boxes, then maybe we should swing by the blacksmith and pick up a couple of crowbars for you two? Rubin you can use your sneakiness and Mr. Tyde, you can find the best hiding places with the help of mmm--listair!"

She barely finished the sentence when she suddenly buries her face in the owl's fluffy wing. With a look of contentment she drifts off, and continues after a few seconds.

"Once we leave the blacksmith I'll go with Xanranzan so he won't be by himself. If anything goes wrong Xan is good at making noise...or you guys can clang clang your crowbars together if you guys run into trouble."

(so how are you approaching again?  Are you trying stealth, are you going by water?)

(Also, I feel like I should mention the fact that you’ve gotten clues leading to 3 other locations as well—Feathergale Spire, Sacred Stone Monastery and Scarlet Moon Keep.)

(lol, are you hinting that this upcoming encounter is too strong for us or do we need to go and find out for ourselves?)

"Should we spy on this ship? Follow some people who leave it and try questioning them about where this Quill fellow might be?"

"For now let's try to go undiscovered."

Tyde's Stealth check: 13 

Rubin agrees that stealth is best. Stealth: 23

Yes we have other leads, but we are here and this is the closest lead we currently have. Rubin would want to head to the spire next, if given a choice, as that was one of their earlier items of interest.

Quote from konpk >>

(lol, are you hinting that this upcoming encounter is too strong for us or do we need to go and find out for ourselves?)

 (No, I just thought someone mentioned not having any clues to go off of.  This encounter if anything was "meant" to happen earlier, before Rivergard.)

(Need stealth from Xan and Kethra, or are just the two of you going?)