Eron commits the event to memory wanting to be there if possible…

Fane:

The Saltmarsh Council convenes in its familiar chamber, the morning sunlight filtering through the windows and casting a golden glow over the room.  All the council members are present, save for Manistrad Copperlocks, whose duties at the mine have called her away.  The mood is lighter than usual, a rare sense of accomplishment buoying the usually fractious council.

As the party stands before them, Eda Oweland rises first, her voice warm and carrying genuine gratitude.  "Once again, Saltmarsh owes you a debt of thanks," she begins.  "Smugglers have plagued us for too long, and the destruction of this cell and their ship falling into our hands is a triumph not just for us, but for all honest folk along this coast.  Well done, all of you—and to you, Eliander, for coordinating their efforts."

Gellan Primewater leans forward with his usual charm, his smile as slick as the gold-trimmed coat he wears.  "Indeed, a magnificent achievement.  The Sea Ghost is a fine prize.  It would be a shame if such a vessel were left idle or misused.  With the right captain, it could bring new opportunities to Saltmarsh—perhaps even open up profitable ventures for the council itself."

Anders Solmor, his excitement evident, nods eagerly.  "Absolutely.  A ship like that could strengthen trade routes and bring prosperity to Saltmarsh.  Of course, it needs someone with vision to see it used to its fullest potential," he says, casting a sidelong glance at Gellan.

Eliander clears his throat, his authoritative presence quieting the room.  "While trade and profit have their place, I remind the council of our duty to defend Saltmarsh.  This ship is more than a prize—it is a tool.  With its speed, it could be invaluable for protecting our waters from further incursions.  And while I sympathize with our adventurers' desire to captain the vessel, I would propose a compromise: let it serve Saltmarsh under their command, if they are willing."

Will Stoutly, seated at Eliander's side, nods in agreement.  "Aye, I've seen firsthand what these folk can do.  They're capable, and the Sea Ghost would be better served protecting Saltmarsh than lining a merchant's coffers."

Eliander holds up a hand for silence as the murmurs of agreement and dissent ripple through the chamber.  "There is, however, another matter of concern," he says gravely, drawing the attention of all present.  "In the course of their mission, our adventurers uncovered a disturbing connection: the lizardfolk of the Hool Marshes.  They’ve been buying weapons from these smugglers—arming themselves for a conflict against a more powerful foe.  This raises questions we cannot ignore.  Who is their enemy, and what does this mean for Saltmarsh and its people?"

Gellan Primewater shifts in his seat, his smile fading as he takes on a more serious demeanor.  "Well," he begins, his voice cutting through the quiet tension in the room, "I believe I can shed some light on this matter.  I've checked some messages I received recently—merchant correspondence about certain... irregularities."  He pauses, letting the anticipation build.  "The electrum ingots the lizardfolk were using to pay the smugglers—those were stolen last month from a caravan traveling south of Burle.  It was a well-armed caravan, mind you, but it was attacked and looted by lizardfolk raiders.  The very same ingots turned up on the Sea Ghost."

Gellan leans forward, his expression dark.  "I think we all know what that means.  The lizardfolk are arming themselves for war, and their enemy isn’t some distant threat—it’s us.  Saltmarsh, Burle, and all the southern Keoish lands.  They're using our own stolen funds to purchase weapons to use against us.  They're preparing to strike, and these weapons are just the start of their plans."

His words land heavily, eliciting murmurs of concern from the council members.  Anders looks alarmed, his youthful optimism giving way to unease.  Eda frowns deeply, her hands tightening on the arms of her chair.  Even Eliander's steady gaze darkens as he processes the implications.

"If this is true," Eliander says after a moment, his tone grim, "then we face a far more immediate threat than we realized.  But we must confirm it.  Speculation will only cause panic, and we need more than circumstantial evidence to prepare a proper defense."

Will nods in agreement, his jaw clenched.  "Aye, and if they’re planning something, we’ll need to know when and where they mean to strike.  We can’t sit idle while they arm themselves under our noses."

The council chamber grows silent again, the weight of the conversation palpable. All eyes turn to the adventurers, looking to see if they have anything to add?

The blue-haired half-elf stands leaned back against a wall with her arms crossed over her chest, taking in what is said and conveyed at the council meeting. There was nothing particularly suspicious having been said so far so she finds herself relaxing somewhat. She wasn't expecting to be given co-command of a ship just days after having gone under with one but she didn't mind an excuse to get out to sea again. 

"I can only speak for myself dear council, but I would be proud to serve on that ship to keep Saltmarsh safe. The potential threat of the lizardfolk does indeed seem more imminent though. Personally I'm not entirely convinced Saltmarsh is the reason the Lizardfolk are arming themselves, in fact judging from what was said on the Sea Ghost I have the impression the Lizardfolks were arming themselves to be able to defend themselves. I would still suggest this was investigated though and I volunteer to go and find out if the Lizardfolk are indeed a threat to Saltmarsh." Arlynn says with a clear and firm tone as she takes a step foward to address the council, then glancing over at Eron and Fane for their thoughts.

Eda Oweland responds.  "You may be right, Arlynn," she says, leaning forward over her seat at the table.  "The lizardfolk could very well be defending against some other threat, and if that’s the case, we’d be wouldn't want to antagonize them needlessly.  Still, the idea of a well-armed force so close to our borders, no matter their intentions, is... unsettling."  She sighs, rubbing her temple.  "I agree—this situation needs more clarity, and I commend your willingness to investigate."

Anders Solmor nods quickly, his face lighting up.  "Exactly!  I couldn't put it better, Eda.  We can’t jump to conclusions about the lizardfolk, not without understanding their side of things.  If they’re arming themselves against some other threat, maybe we could turn this into an opportunity—why, I could easily secure additional arms shipments..." He glances at Gellan as though seeking agreement but falters when Gellan merely raises an eyebrow. 

"You would sell more arms to them?" Gellan scoffs, his cool demeanor slipping for a moment as he seems legitimately shocked by the idea.  "And Eda, you speak of 'needless antagonizing'..." he shakes his head.  "They are already robbing us to fill their war coffers!" he says, pounding his fist on the table.  "At best - at best - they see us as acceptable collateral damage in this conflict.  At worst, we are their target." 

Eliander keeps his focus on Arlynn, his expression unreadable. "The idea of parleying with the lizardfolk has its merits," he says after a moment.  "But if you’re to approach them, it must be with caution.  If they are preparing for war, walking into their stronghold could be dangerous.  That said, we’d be grateful for any intelligence you can gather.  The more we know, the better prepared we’ll be—whether for peace or for battle."

"Thank you councilmembers. Just to be clear, if we do manage to make peaceful contact with the Lizardfolk, can we say that we are there on behalf of this council? While I wouldn't recommend selling them more arms perhaps there is a potential trading partner there, and if there is another threat to the Lizardfolk perhaps Saltmarsh would be threatened too and an alliance with the Lizardfolk would be advisable. An alliance could also have the benefit of the Lizardfolk trading with you rather than attacking your caravans. But I am getting ahead of myself, I do think we should aim for peaceful contact though, if possible." Arlynn explains, and again she glances over at her two companions, hoping they would agree, or at least not strongly disagree.

[Fane would have tried to cast Detect Magic before entering the council chambers if possible, looking for signs of scrying again]

At the mention of allowing them to take command of the ship, Fane gives Eron a quick look and smile. "Captain Eron" she whispers to herself, "he'll be quite pleased."

"I too am willing to contine to serve the good people of Saltmarsh" she adds. "Perhaps we should head to this Hool Marsh and see what we may uncover next?"

“I will do my best to root out any threat to Saltmarsh.  If as my friends say there is a common enemy with the Lizardfolk it may be in our best interest to learn all we can.  The marshes have been like a home to me for the past few decades and I would love to be a part of this reconnaissance.  I believe an arrival by ship may be better received than an overland arrival.  Especially if a few dedicated marines could secure it for us, as we make contact.  There is also the possibility a merfolk, Oceanus may further enlighten us if we travel by sea.  Thank you for your consideration.”

Fane:

The council listens intently as the adventurers present their case, exchanging glances and murmuring among themselves as Arlynn, Fane, and Eron outline their plans and suggestions. 

Eda Oweland leans forward, her expression contemplative as she addresses Arlynn first.  "You raise an excellent point," Eda begins.  "If this council sends you, it is only right you have the authority to act in Saltmarsh’s interest.  While I cannot speak for everyone just yet, I see no harm in granting you the power to approach the lizardfolk as our representatives.  Peaceful contact should always be the goal, and should there be room for trade, well..."  She glances at Gellan, who frowns slightly but says nothing. "...that could benefit all of us."

Anders chimes in eagerly.  "A peaceful trade relationship would be incredible.  Imagine what we could achieve working with these savages instead of against them!  If they have some mysterious common enemy, it’s only logical we pool our efforts."   He glances nervously at Eliander and Gellan.  "But, um, as Arlynn said, that’s all speculative for now.  The first step is to make peaceful contact."

Eliander nods, his voice steady and practical.  "You’ll have my blessing to investigate this matter on the council’s behalf.  If you find hostility, we’ll need that intelligence immediately.  And if you find allies?  Well... these are strange days."  He then turns his attention to Eron. "Your suggestion to approach by ship is wise.  It’s less intrusive and allows for a controlled retreat if things turn sour.  I don't know how many marines we can spare," he says casting an eye to Will, "But I will put out the word that the ship needs a crew."

The council continues its discussion, weighing the party’s words carefully.  When Eda calls for a vote, the decision to empower the party to act as emissaries on Saltmarsh’s behalf is unanimous.

On the subject of the ship, the debate grows more heated.  Eliander is the first to voice his support for granting the Sea Ghost to Eron and his companions.  "The ship was taken through their efforts.  They have the skill to command it, and it would be a boon to Saltmarsh’s defense if we have adventurers like them patrolling the waters."  Will agrees, adding, "A well-used blade is better than one kept hanging on the wall.  Let them sail it, and they’ll keep it sharp."

Anders counters, his voice rising with a hint of frustration.  "This ship could be repurposed for trade, benefiting the entire town.  Think of the goods we could bring in!  That's jobs... coin... food on people's tables.  It’s shortsighted to hand it over to a single group."

Gellan nods in agreement, his tone smooth and calculating.  "Exactly.  It should not be given away... but sold.   What of its value?  Even stripped down, the ship could be sold for a hefty sum, bolstering Saltmarsh’s coffers.  Handing it over without thought is a waste."  After a pointed pause, he adds, "... And though Eron has dwelt in the wilderness nearby for some years, the rest of these adventurers are foreigners."

Eda listens patiently to both sides before raising her hand to quiet the room.  "Enough," she says firmly.  "I see the merits of both arguments, but I will not see this council torn apart over a single ship.  The Sea Ghost is yours," she announces, turning to the adventurers.

Anders rises to protest, his face flushed.  "Eda, please.  You can’t be serious—"

"The matter is decided," she interrupts sharply.  "Saltmarsh gains nothing from us bickering like spoiled children.  If they have the ship, they have responsibility for it.  Use it well," she says to the party, her tone making it clear she expects them to honor the trust placed in them.

Final Details

The council informs the party that while the Sea Ghost is now theirs, its contents are not.  The stolen goods—brandy, mining equipment, and other cargo—will be turned over to Keoish customs, and the electrum ingots will be returned to Burle.

Finally, the party receives their personal reward: 250 gold pieces each, presented in simple but elegant pouches emblazoned with the seal of Saltmarsh.

The blue-haired half-elf watches with a discreet amused smile as the impressively strong woman of the council abruptly ended the discussion, Saltmarsh was truly blessed to have her at the helm. Arlynn didn't quite see the Sea Ghost as a blessing for her and her companions though. While she liked the idea of sailing once more, using the ship seemed to be under the condition that they kept serving Saltmarsh, and while this seemed like a good idea now Eron at least seemed to be interested in crusading against demonic forces that didn't seem to be an immediate threat to Saltmarsh. But that would be a problem for another time. "Thank you council members, I believe we are ready to set sail as soon as the Sea Ghost has a crew." Arlynn says with a polite and graceful bow.

Eron immediately goes to the harbormaster to hire a couple laborers to replace the ballast in the bilge, and scrub out the kitchen mess and storage…

He expresses an interest to both Fane & Arlynn to try out one of the magic hats…

Was there material for sail cloth repair?

One more stop at the temple to Procan Eron gives a sizable donation.  (40gp)  Asking father Brinehand’s blessing.

Fane will tell Eron and Arlynn what she knows about Polly.

"The parrot is connected to a powerful being, looking to make a pact. It is offering secrets and power in exchange for something. I am not intersted in this, at least not now. If any of you are interested in it, the bird is yours. If not, we'll keep it for now and see what unfolds on our adventures."

While we wait for the boat to be ready, Fane will attempt to meet with Eda Oweland alone from other council members. [Group members are welcome to join] 

"Two times now" she starts, "I have noticed signs of magical divination in the council room, which I assume, is someone listening in on the meetings. I wanted to bring this to your attention. Whether this scrying is related to what is going on with the pirates and lizardmen, is unknown. But what is clear, is someone is listening to your meetings. Perhaps the next time we meet it can be someplace different, and on short notice? Or we purposely discuss a false plan? If I detect this scrying again, I can give you a sign so you know it is present." [an elaborate stretch of her fingers]

"If there is any thing you can think of for us to do to track down the spy, let us know."

Fane:

Eda listens carefully as Fane explains her discovery, her expression shifting from concern to understanding as the wizard finishes speaking.  She places a reassuring hand on Fane’s shoulder and offers a warm, calm smile.

"I appreciate your vigilance, Fane," Eda begins, her tone measured.  "It’s good to see that you’re attuned to the nuances of magic around us—Saltmarsh needs eyes like yours."  She pauses for a moment before continuing.

"The magic you sensed was no cause for alarm.  That would be Keledek, our local wizard," Eda explains, leaning in slightly as if to emphasize the confidentiality of her words.  "Years ago, he petitioned to join the council, arguing that as one of Saltmarsh's most knowledgeable and influential figures, he deserved a voice in matters of governance.  There was... some resistance, let’s say.  While Keledek is invaluable to this town, his methods and demeanor don’t always sit well with everyone."

She chuckles softly, shaking her head.  "Eventually, after much back and forth, we agreed to grant him access to council discussions—but only as an observer.  He has no vote and no official power here, but we allow him to use his... unique methods to stay informed.  It saves us the trouble of transcribing copies of all of our meeting records, and it keeps him from feeling slighted.  A fair compromise, wouldn’t you agree?"

Eda leans back, her expression growing serious.  "I know it may feel invasive, but I assure you, there’s no ill intent.  Keledek may be a strange one, but he has no reason to harm Saltmarsh—this is his home now, too.  If anything, his insights have helped us on more than one occasion.  That said," she adds, her tone firm, "if you ever sense magic that feels malicious or out of place, I trust you to bring it to my attention immediately."

She smiles again, softer now.  "Your diligence speaks well of you, Fane. I hope this puts your mind at ease."

"Hm, not sure I'm ready to make any pacts, sounds dangerous, but I might see if I can find out anything more about the parrot if you are both okay with that?" Arlynn suggests as they are presented with the peculiar parrot.

Arlynn would certainly agree to come along to see Eda Oweland. The person scrying on the council meetings seeming to be aware of when they are held suggests it is someone local doing the scrying, and the blue-haired half-elf is not surprised to hear it is in fact the local wizard. She is somehwat more surprised about the arrangement but that is another piece of valuable information at least. The council didn't seem to be bothered by Keledek being able to scry on them, and everyone had secrets, some darker than others...

"We are happy to serve Saltmarsh, you have a good community, worth protecting. Forgive me for saying so but I have had the feeling your fellow council members have their own agendas, which would be quite normal I suppose, even though council members like yourself seeing to the good of the town are better suited to govern in my humble opinion. Now, is there anything we should be aware of regarding politics here in Saltmarsh. If we are to stay in your service we hope of course to navigate your political arena as well as the Azure Sea." The blue-haired half-elf says with a polite and pleasant smile. 

Fane has no issues with Arlynn investigating and exploring the bird further, and gives Polly to her.

"I see" Fane says to the explanation regarding Keledak. "Well that explains it. If that is your arrangement, then so be it. One less mystery to solve!" she adds with an amused smile.

Examining the two pirate hats, Fane eventually learns they are:

• Maroon Pirate Hat - Requires Attunement
  • This hat allows the wearer to cast charm person once per day with DC 13.  The spell ends if the hat is removed.  The hat has one charge, which resets at dawn.
• Black Pirate Hat - Requires Attunement
  • This hat allows the wearer to cast cause fear once per day with DC 13.  The spell ends if the hat is removed.  The hat has one charge, which resets at dawn.

[If you decide on who wants to keep each, let me know and I will add it to your character sheet.]

Additionally with more time Arlynn is are able to unlock the last chest [the other locked chest was taken as it was found to contain more of those electrum bars].  The chest contained dirty clothing and two unusual items - a set of fish scale armor and a broken trident.  At a guess, these items likely once belonged to the merman, Oceanus.

Coins and items you discovered/seized on the Sea Ghost are yours to keep.  The electrum ingots and the cargo from the hold (wine and brandy barrels, cloth, mining equipment, etc) was all taken by the council to run through customs/be returned as salvage to its rightful owners.

The ship does indeed have material for repairing sails.  It was well stocked with nails, sailcloth, and other tools and repair material.  Where it lacked, was good food and provisions.

Finally, examining the maps from the captain's quarters on the ship, one seems relevant to your current mission.  It appears to indicate that the rendezvous point between the smugglers and the lizardfolk is at a small promontory beside a river in the tidal marshes, ten miles southwest of the town of Saltmarsh.

Arlynn thinks the pirate hats are kind of cute but is not overly interested in any of them.

She suggests holding on to Oceanus' gear to, hopefully, return it to him if and when they meet him again.

She is more excited about the maps found, studying them thoroughly and trying to commit much to memory.

Apart from relaxing and recuperating in town, if time allows she would let Zzplorff do some more investigative work.
Also, she is getting curious about the Shuttered Hotel/Casino, trying to find out if the building is for sale and if it would be feasible to get it up and running again once she has the funds for that project.

(Did Eda Oweland have any response to Arlynn's question above, just checking? :-)

Eron would like to take the black pirate hat.

He would like to interview any crew hiring onto the ship, using hunter's sense to verify new crew are not something other then they appear to be.  He will converse with the cook about stocking the larder and give a reasonable sum to do so, including some extra bonus items such as wine whiskey and dessert ingredients... (100gp ?)

Eron is not against keeping the name the Sea Ghost but prior to the dedication he will ask Fane and Arlynn what they think about the name Saradie (his mother's name) 'Lady Saradie'

Arlynn would happily agree to the renaming suggested by Eron.

At some point she would use her thought detection on the crew as they are gathered for inspection, just checking up on any irregularities.

Fane has no issues with renaming the ship to Lady Saradie.

 Fane will take and attune to the purple pirate hat, Eron has the black one.

In addition to the 250 gp we got as our reward, we can split the 100 gp in coin we got on board the Ghost as follows. LMK if you want to change anything.

• 30 gp each - Arlynn, Fane, Eron
• 5 gp each - The two marines.

There's still a few random things like the peg leg, fine boots/cloak, broken compass, loaded die, etc. They are on the loot doc.