And to Hammerdasher after considering the tattoos,

"What kind of tattoos? Can you describe them to me?"

Hammerdasher looks at Marrin when she asks about the tattoos and raises an eyebrow. “She’s covered in them is best I can describe them. All black ink. Some parts are tiny little designs but you could threaten my life and I could remember what they looked like.” Hammerdasher says. But after thinking a couple of moments longer he adds “She’s got some poerty on her neck. That one’s something we all learn as kids – ‘Endless dreams entombed in stone.’ Might have been some flames somewhere, maybe some smoke. Some sort of rune design on her arm and hand. There’s definitely more but I can’t remember.”

Ula doesn’t waste any time bringing her fellow clerics on board. And they get to work on helping the poor escapees gather up and get ready to disembark.

Ula’s parents and their friends stay on the dock, keeping watch on any approach to the ship.

Mard’s guards look fully bored, and Mard calls up “Permission to come aboard?”

Bigge looks back down at the dock and then over at the party. “Going to have to let him come up. I think he’s the city guard captain.”

But Bigge's waiting a beat or two before responding to make sure you're all on board with this.

((If any of our small crew would have reason to be wanted in Spandelyion, best have them go below deck, and keep out of sight, along with Dodds and Gertie.))

Ethel watches the dolphins.  Anyone observing her closely in the darkness might see her smile.

Then a mood takes her and she goes below deck.

Ethel just nods to Bigge.

At the return of Jan and Avaria, she greets them.  "What news from town?  Will Ula's people take the refugees?"

"Huh. Well that isn't nearly as much a clue as I had hoped. What does the 'Endless dreams trapped in stone' quote refer to?"

---

Marrin shrugs at Bigge,

"If Jan brought them here they're probably fine."

She will also try grab Ula and the clerics to point out where Xanthe and Jistelek are laying, wrapped up.

"I would like to see these two buried, and if at all possible get some notification to Xanthe's family what happened to her and where she is. The other ex-slaves know more about her and can probably get you her last name and where she was from."

She'll help carry the pair to wherever the they need after letting people know what she was doing, if needed.

Avaria helps get those that want and need off the Xanthe's Wish as much as she can.  Seeing Hammerdasher's distress and residual anger, she addresses him, "You've got quite a story, I'm sure we can help you out.  This doesn't sound like something we should just let lie."  

She looks to the others to see their thoughts on the situation.  "But first we need to get people to where they need to go and recrew this ship.  Hopefully Bigge knows where to find some trustworthy sailors here."

Once they get those off the ship, she heads over to Maise, "See anyone that makes your hairs bristle on the back of your neck?"

Hammerdasher shakes his head at Marrin's question about 'endless dreams trapped in stone.' 

"Just poetry, isn't it?" Hammerdasher says. "I don't know. Maybe someone found a seam of ore so big it would take a lifetime to mine it all."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ula assures Marrin that the temple will help the survivors of Hargrove Island get what they need and will help set them up in a new life. The church owns a tract of rich farm land that could give some of the escapees purpose.

"The Church of Istishia doesn't do the kind of funeral rites you might be used to," Ula says to Marrin. "We could find one of the smaller temples that might help with that if that's what is best here. We offer thanks to the sea and everything in it and return the dead to the deep as part of our rituals."

Bigge, satisfied that Jan has vetted Mard, invites the captain of the guard on board. Lun doesn't exactly hide when Mard comes aboard, but he does make himself busy tying down sails and stowing rope, all tasks that seemingly require him to be facing in a direction away from the guardsman.

In short order, Mard has Tammer and Slick in custody, still chained on the dock. The two don't seem to have any fight left in them, which is good as Mard is getting more fight than he wants from the person standing next to him on the dock. Adelysia Demai is very loudly and very angrily demanding to be taken to see the Lord High Mayor immediately. 

"In the morning," Mard says calmly as he gets his two guards to take Tammer and Slick to the barracks jail. "He'll already be asleep."

Before Mard departs, he takes Jan to the side.

"Let me know first thing tomorow. Once that one starts squawking," Mard says, nodding at Adelysia, "Mayor Klein will start asking questions."

He then leaves and follows off after the guards and prisoners.

The clerics of Istishia quickly get everyone else gathered up and start making for their temple; Xanthe and Jisthelek's bodies covered and placed gently in the back of a wagon, following along.

Kriox and Brash, the goblin couple decide to stay with the ship as do Bigge, Lun and Bukril.

"We'll start looking for a couple of extra hands tomorrow." Bigge says to the group.

Once the clerics and guards are gone, Dodds and Gertrude make an appearance, both with their packs over their shoulders. Gertrude thanks all of you with genuine emotion. And even tries to give out a few hugs. 

"I never thought I'd be free of that horrible place," she says, clutching Dodds' hand tightly.

Dodds shakes your hands and also thanks you.

"Not quite where I thought we'd end up," Dodds says, looking out over Spandeliyon, "but it's a start."

Barring any questions, the pair disappear quietly into the night.

Maisie happily greets the rest of Ula's friends and then smiles at Avaria. 

"Oh half this town make my hairs bristle, dear," Maisie says to Avaria. "But the other half make it worth staying. Now, lets get you lot back to the inn and settled in for the night."

If the party is happy to go back to the Broken Ore, Maisie and Olek lead the way, parting company with Kiorna Kester and Ingo at the first cross street. Once back at the inn, and after enduring the welcoming hugs of Emma, Ula's little sister, who doesn't spare anyone her adoration, the young dwarf looks at Ethel and then at her parents. A question starts forming on her lips, but she's quickly patted on the back and sent off to bed by her mother.

The rest of you can see that there are definite similarities with the scarring on Maisie and Olek's hands and arms as those on Ethel's body.

Food, and drink quickly appear from the kitchen, and rooms are offered to everyone.

-------------------------------------------------------

Feel free to toss any questions in or intra-party discussion in, or anything else you want to do before retiring for the night.

Avaria is happy to see the goblin cooks were staying on as well as the other sailors.  She hopes it won't be too difficult for Bigge to fill out the rest of his crew.

Saying goodbye to Dodds and Gertrude actually felt good, made the entire thing with the Hargroves feel complete, finished.  She definitely did not want to see either of them again even though they were instrumental in their escape.

Giving Emma a hug as they return, she tossles her hair a bit and remarks, "You kept the place from falling down, nice job.  But yes, it is getting late."  Avaria adds as Maisie sends her up to bed.

"You have room for all of us?  Really?  That would be wonderful, thank you."  Ava dives into the food and drink, not realizing how hungry she is.  With her mouth still full she asks, "So, I couldn't help but notice.  Whatever it is that affects our friend Ethel here, is afflicting you both as well.  What is it?"  belatedly realizing her curiosity might come across as rude, she blushes, "I'm sorry, I just realized I never asked Ethel about it and now that I see it again on you two... please forgive me."

Marrin snorts,

"Poetry yes, but maybe a clue? You don't have much else to go on."

------

To Ula,

"I'm not sure if either would have wanted to be commended to the depths. A standard land lover's burial is maybe the best, if we can arrange it."

---

Marrin shakes Dodds hand,

"Thank you for your assistance getting us out."

She turns and takes Gertie's hand,

"And I think you both know you need to find a home as far from this sea as you can. Good luck."

---

Marrin greets Emma with smile and a wink,

"We can talk tomorrow!"

Marrin sets about eating the provided food, taking her time to enjoy it. She'll pick up her conversation with Hammerdasher,

"Is the prison your traitor is in one that allows visitors?"

And, after that conversation has wound down ask those around the table,

"So ladies and gentlemen, what's the plan then?"

Hammerdasher shakes his head at Marrin. 

"They don't get visitors up there," Hammerdasher says. "At least not unannounced."

--------------------------------------------------------------

Maisie and Olek look at each other when Avaria asks about the scarring, the natural joviality in both their faces disappears for a moment. They then look at Ula. She frowns at her parents.

"I've asked for years," Ula says to Avaria. "Later, dear. It's not a story for before bed, dear. Run along and do your chores, dear."

Ula, folds her arms in front of her, looking at her parents.

"Well, it's not a very nice bedtime story, dear," Maisie says to her oldest. Olek comes over and rests a hand on Maisie's shoulder.

She gathers those who are still up and has everyone come over by the fire. She settles into a chair near it and then looks around for a moment before beginning.

"Now this was a long time ago. Olek and I were young. And Ingo and Kiorna were still full of their youth. We'd traveled together all around the Sea of Fallen Stars, mostly just to see what was out there. But after awhile we got a reputation for helping people sort problems that they couldn't sort on their own. That's how we found ourselves over in the borderlands between Mulhorand and Unther. There's a small village on the River of Swords. Well I hope it's still there." Maisie says. "They were getting raided by a band of yuan-ti, coming up from the Lake of Salt. We didn't think anything of it. Of course we'd go deal with them. It was a hard slog but once you get the hang of telling the difference from regular crocodiles and werecrocs we made it to the yuan-ti camp. They were a tough group of brigands, raiding the whole river valley but, well you don't need all the details of that. Let's just say we convinced them to stop."

Olek chuckles to himself at the memory. Maisie stares into the fire for awhile.

"We were gathered around a fire, celebrating with a few bottles Ingo had brought along. The sun was setting, and we were getting ready to set up a watch for the night when an inky black darkness came sweeping down from the direction of the mountains. It blocked out all light. Before we knew it were being set upon by ghouls. We fought hard and made our way to the lake and our boat. And that's when he, she, it, showed up. A black cloaked figure, their face barely visible, but nothing but rotting flesh showing. The power they wielded was overwhelming. Olek and I faced them while Ingo and Kiorna got the boat in the water and ready. I don't really know what happened after that. I remember the searing pain, blackness, and then looking up into Ingo's face as he shouted at me while he was paddling hard. Streaks of black snaked out after us from the bank, but well, you saw Ingo. He could still probably lift a mule if he had to and he was much stronger back then. Our boat got into the current in seconds and we escaped. But not unharmed."

Finally she looks over at Ethel.

"I don't know what happened to you, dear. But whatever made these," Maisie indicates her own and Olek's scars and then gestures kindly at Ethel's face, "made those. Or at least they had the same power."

She turns to Ula and gets up and gives her daughter a hug, Olek moving in at the same time to wrap his arms around them both.

Avaria listens to the tale with rapt attention.  Thinking back to how little she knew about magic when she first left her home to stories such as this and how it can affect people.  She is about to say something until the Stonecast family folds themselves into an embrace and she looks away, letting them have their moment.

She does look over to Ethel to see how her friend is handling the story and if she needs someone to lean upon.  She never seemed to have needed it before, but Ava was ready if things had changed.

Marrin turns and listens intently, always ready to hear a good story. This story, unfortunately, isn't good despite the happy enough ending.

She looks at the scarred trio and she tries to recall if she's ever heard about  the figure or something like it.

History (?): 15

Marrin isn't sure about hearing anything directly like this, but over the years she has heard a number of ghost stories around the fire during her travels as a bard. There are a few the hint at a powerful being coming from the skies and laying waste to all in its path. The stories vary so much that she's sure there's nothing particularly useful in them to help, except that even though they are all so diverse, they all talk of an entity coming down from above and causing great suffering but also that this happened millennia ago, far too long ago to be what happened to Ula's family, or Ethel.

Before they depart, Ethel extends a firm handshake to both Dodds and Gertrude.  It is not a warm farewell, but it is earnest and professional.  They were not friends, but both sides needed each other and would not have made their respective escapes without the assistance of the other.  "May the days before you be brighter than the days behind," she offers, some old folkish words of parting she picked up on the road somewhere.

Ethel's demeanor is flat.  She listens to the tale from Maisie and Olek in silence.

[Anyone who cares to make an insight check or who's passive insight beats a 6... so that's everyone.  Nevermind.]

It is obvious Ethel is trying to hold back her emotions and failing.  Without warning, she wheels and walks briskly out of the Broken Ore and into the darkness of nighttime in Spandeliyon.

Marrin's pondering on old, clearly not useful stories ends as Ethel leaves.

She looks after the woman with pity but doesn't move to pursue her.

Jan gives Dodds and Gertie a brief embrace, debating whether it was worth the trouble to try to lift anything from either of them, but ultimately deciding against it.

"We'll take the Mayor's bounty on the two we turned over.", Jan tells Mard before they part ways.

Back at Ula's parent's inn, she winces a bit at Ava's blunt asking, but she'd noticed the similarity in scars earlier, and didn't bother mentioning it to her companion.

She watches Ethel depart, and rising, takes on a different face before slipping out of the inn and following at a distance.

((She's not looking to intrude on Ethel, merely keeping tabs on her as unseen as possible. Despite not having any issues in the coming to shore and handing off prisoners, she's still feeling cautious, and doesn't like the thought of Ethel being off on her own.))

Tact is not something Avaria is good at, as evident when she asked Maisie and Olek about their scars.  She sees Ethel abruptly leave and it really bothers her.  She gets up and follows her without any discretion.

Once she is outside she asks her friend, "Ethel?  Did you want to talk about it?  I'm sorry if bringing it up hurt you, I truly didn't mean it.  Can I help in any way?  Cookie always told me I was a good listener for an angry one.  But I can leave you if you'd rather be alone, I do understand that."

Marrin watches as Ava and Jan leave after Ethel then takes in the Stonecaster family hugging before turning back to her empty plate.

She says quietly to Hammerdasher and Geffroi (if they are there),

"Well, that was a surprisingly impactful story. I guess we can plan tomorrow. Good night gentlemen."

She'll then head up to her room.

Ethlehyn has just made it to the edge of the bridge outside the Broken Ore when Avaria catches up with her.  She is breathing hard and won't turn around to face the young barbarian.  A few times it seems as if the about to speak, but instead she just rasps out another heavy sigh.

At last, she says, "We were crossing the Golden Plains, making for Ormpetarr."  Her breathing is still ragged.  She continues.

"We had tagged along with a larger caravan.  It was slower, but cheaper than hiring our own guards, and safer too."  She pauses for a long time then, though whether it was due to indecision over whether to continue, or searching for words, it is hard to tell.

She gasps out the next part in a few long breaths.  "It was hot and so, so bright the day we saw them.  You could hardly look up to scan the horizon, it was so bright.  There were three of them, sick.  Dying by the roadside.  The rest of the caravan passed them by.  I heard it said they had an 'evil' look.  Covered in black sores, but... they were crying.  Begging for water.  I wanted to pass along, too.  Jack said we had to stop and offer a drink.  That we had to show the girls... to show the girls it was important to help people."

She begins taking shallower and shallower breaths, almost coughing out the words.  "Fever came the next night.  We laughed it off and put the girls to bed early.  By morning we could barely rise.  Everything hurt.  Sores started on the hands and feet.  Worked in from there.  By midday Jack couldn't hold the reins...'.  She stops, coughing for real this time, a sharp, barking cough that hurts the lungs of the listener.

When she gets her breathing under control again, she turns and speaks directly to Avaria, tears running from tired eyes.  "Go back inside.  I'll be along in my own time.  But not now."

***

If Jan continues to watch, she sees Ethel doesn't move from that spot near the bridge, looking out at the darkling sea, for nearly an hour, before she rises, returns to the Broken Ore, and goes quietly to her room.

A non-descript fisherman tends to some busywork with his nets, occasionally peering from under the brim of his hat in the direction of the bridge, observing the sad woman from a distance and watching her return to the inn before he stands up, brushes his hands off and heads into the inn himself. He makes no move to engage with the woman who preceded him in, leaving her to her own thoughts.