Shipwrecked in Saltmarsh

     "Ahh, I thought I misheard, or they misspoke...," Fianna explains. (I actually thought a typo or spellcheck issues...). "I look forward to meeting this Fossie."  Fianna will add nothing more about Butter but will indeed make an appointment with Fireborn if he seems earnest in possibly sharing more in private.  If he seems like he is just trying to brush her off, Fianna will let it pass.  Perception 8

     Regarding the equipment list:  "I'm sorry Al, but that just won't exactly work for me...  Much of these items are needed for preparation BEFORE the encounter.  And much of it will get consumed in such preparation and in it's use during the proceedings.  The council hired a witch...  Surely they are smart and wise enough of people to understand the bargain they made when the offered to equip said witch for the mission they were sending her on.  But if the deal is being broken..." Fianna smiles and shrugs.  "Well that'll be the council's problem I would think."

     Party Business: Fianna will arrange with the others to check in each day.  Or rather, FinFIn will spend about an hour checking in on everyone each day.  Basically just flying to each, saying "Anything up? Anything new?" and just making sure all is copacetic. Otherwise, I assume everyone has their own things to do...

Katernin doesn't seem to believe much of Fianna's given explanation, but let's her go. She also goes to request additional equipment, though she snorts at Fianna's reaction, "And I'm sure they'd be better off without you," Katernin snaps, fed up with her attitude about this whole thing. "I'm sure they'd rather have people who are actually interested in helping this town rather then the profit you'll be making from it." She leaves without another word, not even bothering with the stuff she came to ask for in the moment.

The things Katernin wishes to do (but I don't have time to write out in rp cause i've got to go somewhere):

- She'll go with Molo to Primewater's, wanting to be polite

- Visit Ferrin Kastilar's grove at some point during the downtime. She's interested in the things he talk about and wants to see more of what he does.

- When FinFin does appear, she's polite but short, seeming to be done with Fianna for the foreseeable future (Sorry FIanna, I promise she will probably get over it, and it's not your fault)

-... I think that's it

Dain is going to keep a low profile through this next few days.  He will offer to work in the smithy during the day, just for something to do and to keep up his skill set.  He'll also spend some time going through some fighting routines with his maul, getting back into the swing of things.  He is happy to be part of a strike force to hit pirates and smugglers and prefers things to be nice and simple.   He will make sure that the party and the authorities know where he is at any given time and will be ready to act when he gets the call.

Kelnan will definitely join in at Primewater's. Despite living the life of a toiling professor more recently, his youth was spent amongst, if not part of, high society and he finds it comfortable. Otherwise he would like to continue his research, and will petition Fireborn for any supplies he might have on hand that could be donated (and save him some money) transcribing spells.

To the party, "Didn't we find some notes about signaling the ship back in the house? Who on earth has those? Probably me... Anyway, I imagine this goes much smoother if we can convince them the coast is safe. At sea I maintained a lantern for the job, maybe we can request one."

     "I'm sorry FinFin, but it doesn't matter if she likes you or not, you still have to check in on her each day..." Fianna says softly to her pseudo-dragon.  "I'm sure it's nothing personal.  Maybe she just doesn't like things that can fly?  Some childhood trauma or jealousy or something?"

     FinFin mopes around, saddened that they get short shrift from Katernin.  Fianna gives them extra pets and scratches and treats but nothing seems to help...

The party members go each their own way during the short, cold day.

Fianna visits Hoolwatch Tower, itself guarded by a motley crew of elderly men sneaking drinks. Fireborn is very busy, but stops to talk to Fianna long enough to offer her a job with the Guard - however short term - at 1 gold per day, plus a room and board at the barracks. She spots a flyer on a notice board offering a 100 gold piece reward for a missing patrol from Burle, last seen in the Drowned Forest. Fireborn remains tight-lipped about the recently-tempered crackdown of smuggling within Saltmarsh, at least until she agrees to join the Guard.

Kelnan remembers who has that smuggler's note involving a code of some sort - Katernin has it. She was starting to read the notes when an angered Seth tried to kick down the "Danger" door in the cellar.

Molo takes an afternoon field trip over to the Empty Net. The Empty Net is hard to miss. It's a rickety, dirty-looking tavern partially supported by stilts driven into the harbor waters. A semi-conscious man slumps outside. As you approach the open doorway, a wiry and wary man in leather spots you. His eyes open wide and dart around rapidly. "Well, well! Look what the tide brought in." More figures are seen inside, staring at you. It's a pretty sketchy-looking, low-class dive. The jumpy man who greeted you seems to be in charge. Somebody inside is playing a fiddle, terribly. The interior is a cramped, drab, and musty-smelling. An open door leads to a rickety porch over the harbor. A set of mismatched stools are scattered around, mostly occupied, filled with half-inebriated human goons of all sizes and shapes - about 6 or 8 in total, plus the host, together with a musician with the look and demeanor of a scarecrow - the same guy you saw playing at the Weekly Market yesterday. There's an (occupied) card table and a low wooden bar (or crude resemblance of one.) There's a lot of booze evident. Red splotches cover the floor (which don't quite look like blood, but who knows.) They all stop conversing to stare at the kobold, although the "music" continues, unabated. A bald and beefy gorilla-like guy leers maliciously at Molo as a scrawny mustachioed man whispers in his ear. Without prompting, the host/bartender pours a cloudy mug of liquid smelling of fish and alcohol, and pushes it toward Molo. "One silver," he says. "You lost?"

Katernin wanders along the the old road on the east side of the river, past a farm or two, to a grove of healthy-looking trees, where Ferrin Kastilar said he kept a shrine in a grove. You follow a well-worn path deep into a sizable grove of mature oak trees somewhat stunted by the harsh ocean winds. You soon come to a clearing in the center, but no sign of any structures. A massive, oblong, lichen-covered boulder lay half-buried in the dead leaves. Under it is a cave of sorts – an ancient, open, low hole. Laying halfway out of it is the body of a thin, aged halfling in a brown-and-red cloak, face-up in the dirt. Near his head is a massive bullfrog watching you closely. You begin to worry that this halfling has passed along to another world, but then his eyes roll back and he speaks. "What?" he says flatly, without moving. It's indeed Kastilar, whom you had met the other day.

Does Dain have a new after-hours project planned at the Dwarven Forge?

(And I haven't forgotten: The Candy Party, and Fianna's to-do list). 

"Oh, hi," Katernin says, "doing well?"

Molo ignores the drink and glares at the gorilla, speaking to the bartender.

”No, I’m not lost. My friend is lost. We met in a handy cellar the other day. Offered me a much better drink than this one, and charged me a lot less. See, that’s how I could tell he was my friend. Chubby fella’. Real friendly. Likes to find homes for imported stuff. A real businessman. Not some mangy turd.” 
Molo gives the gorilla an up-down like he’s not impressed. 

     "I'm flattered that you'd invite me to join the guard," Fianna tells Fireborn.  "And also a bit flabbergasted.  I'm not really guard material, I wouldn't think.  I'm like the complete opposite of brute force and I can barely handle my daggers.  I'm more of a sit in the back and throw a little magic around type..."

     Fianna find the idea intriguing, and a bit amusing.  She's seen what's required of other guards so she isn't all that worried about her ability to do (or not do) what they do...  "So long as you're not expecting little old me to be kicking down doors or throwing drunks around...  I think we can see how it goes for a little bit?"

Quote from BaconExpert982 >>

"Oh, hi," Katernin says, "doing well?"

 "No," says Kastilar, sitting up. "I think it's my gall bladder."

The bullfrog eventually loses interest and begins to hunt insects.

"And aboleths. I fear it's inevitable that the aboleth slaves will come for us. Or we'll all be enslaved one day. This ocean is full of 'em."

Katernin thinks on her nightmare, "What do they look like?"

Dain is just going to help the smiths doing whatever they are doing for now.  His focus is on fitting into the city as a normal resident as much as possible.  All he wants to do is earn enough money to pay for his time in the inn (is there a more expensive one anywhere?) and wait to get called up.

Quote from nschrock >>

Molo ignores the drink and glares at the gorilla, speaking to the bartender.

”No, I’m not lost. My friend is lost. We met in a handy cellar the other day. Offered me a much better drink than this one, and charged me a lot less. See, that’s how I could tell he was my friend. Chubby fella’. Real friendly. Likes to find homes for imported stuff. A real businessman. Not some mangy turd.” 
Molo gives the gorilla an up-down like he’s not impressed. 

The bartender glares at Molo and holds his hand out for a silver. "Sounds like you are lost." 

The gorilla-like guy calls out, "Look at th' lil' talking lizard! Ugly little thing." He stands and looks at the mustachioed guy. "Ye' think it swims?"

“This is a private conversation, monkey man.” Molo turns back to the bartender and holds up two silver coins. “My friend first. Then there’s coin.”

Quote from Kaemgen >>

     "I'm flattered that you'd invite me to join the guard," Fianna tells Fireborn.  "And also a bit flabbergasted.  I'm not really guard material, I wouldn't think.  I'm like the complete opposite of brute force and I can barely handle my daggers.  I'm more of a sit in the back and throw a little magic around type..."

     Fianna find the idea intriguing, and a bit amusing.  She's seen what's required of other guards so she isn't all that worried about her ability to do (or not do) what they do...  "So long as you're not expecting little old me to be kicking down doors or throwing drunks around...  I think we can see how it goes for a little bit?"

"Brute strength is not what's needed, at least most of the time. But a  sharp mind and a quick tongue can be very effective weapons, and it's clear you have both," says Fireborn, tapping his temple. "I have work to do now, but I'm delighted to have your service. Report to Commander Clay at sunset, here. She'll give you the oath and assign you."

     "Sure thing, boss," Fianna says and snaps to attention and then walks out...  She'll report back at sunset.

Quote from BaconExpert982 >>

Katernin thinks on her nightmare, "What do they look like?"

 "Well," says Kastilar to Katernin, "Nobody knows for sure. Mucous and tentacles. Highly intelligent. Dwells deep under the ocean. Their touch is disease. Their glance is enslavement. Primordial things. Enemies of the gods. They have servants in the cities. Skum. Aberrations. Not natural. As the gods die, the aboleths will return to power."

He grinds his heel into the ground, making meaningless marks. 

"I've heard that some cities are overrun with their servants, controlling their leaders, holding powerful positions. Aberrations are in the wild, too. I have contacts with the elves of the Dreadwood, and they send word to me when creature such as these escapes from that forest and heads in this direction. We had a mad beholder come through here five years ago. Horrid, nightmarish thing."

Quote from Blakey >>

Dain is just going to help the smiths doing whatever they are doing for now.  His focus is on fitting into the city as a normal resident as much as possible.  All he wants to do is earn enough money to pay for his time in the inn (is there a more expensive one anywhere?) and wait to get called up.

 There is another inn, the Wicker Goat. It caters to guards and loyalists and dwarven miners, mostly. No more expensive, but much less fishy, and more dwarf-friendly.

Mafera has a long list of jobs for Dain. She also has a gift: 14 gold pieces for the kite shield he forged.

Quote from nschrock >>

“This is a private conversation, monkey man.” Molo turns back to the bartender and holds up two silver coins. “My friend first. Then there’s coin.”

The jumpy bartender wrinkles his brow and gives Molo a wide-eyed glance. "Even assuming I knew anything about your friend, you really think one silver would loosen my tongue? Hey! Cut it out!"

These last statements were not directed at you, but rather over your shoulder, where you see Gorilla charging you with open arms, aided by Mustache, evidently preparing to tackle or grapple you. The inebriated crowd lights up with the prospect of cheap entertainment.

Initiative:
Molo: 14
Gorilla: 13
Mustache: 17

Gorilla tries to grab you in a big bear hug.  (Grapple attempt.)  Strength check: 5

(Molo may contest this beefy goon's check with his own Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check - you choose. If you fail, Molo will be grappled.)

Then Molo may act.

"Oh dear," Katernin says, "that doesn't sound fun."