Shipwrecked in Saltmarsh

     "Apologies, I understand your position and your concerns and I truly mean no disrespect...  And I don't like feeling like a mercenary bartering for price when lives and livelihoods are at stake.  But I must look out for myself... and my people.  Surely you can understand that?" Fianna replies, trying to calm tempers a bit.

     "Perhaps we can all get creative here and find a way forward?  We here are mostly new to the area.  We need accommodations if we are going to be staying for a prolonged time.  It seems the abandoned and "haunted" house we cleared out is empty? Perhaps that could be given to us for use?  We do not need the deed or such, just the right to stay there while in the service of the town and it's area?  Instead of raising more money for us, perhaps those who can - financially or skills wise - could donate by doing repairs and fixes to the place to make it more livable?  It would benefit the town as the town would continue to own it even after all the work you can find us is finished..."

     "But in some ways my main concern is...  A clear cut goal.  Ending piracy and smuggling... It's never-ending and vague.  We want to do it for you, want to do the job well... but if the pay comes at the end, we need a clear end?"

Molo nods along. 
“I’m in.”

Kelnan looks to Solmor.

"Yes, it would be a shame to soil your jerkin. But I agree. Use of the house would be suitable. I would still appreciate those potions though."

“400 gold per ship stopped and use of the house?” suggests Dain hopefully. 

The Council members look at each other and shrug. "The house is not in our jurisdiction," says Oweland. "Nor anyone's, I expect, other than th' King's. You have our blessing to do what you like with that house. We can help ye' hire some carpenters if you like."

Primewater adds, brightly, "We cannot help you with arcane potions and the like. I can offer you some fine candies, though! Good for the tongue and for the soul!"

Fireborn remains serious. "The job is to capture that supply ship, kill or arrest everyone aboard, and, if possible, recover any cargo. You do this, we'll help you."

"Seems fair," Katernin says.

Molo walks up to the table(?) and holds a hand out across it towards Primewater.

“Candy.” 

When the time comes, Molo will add grappling hooks, ropes, block and tackle to the list of stuff we need. Oh, and rain gear.

Primewater's eyes light up with delight at Molo's demand. "Oh! I have such wonderful candy! You won't believe it! Come - let's see - how about tomorrow night, around sunset? Come to my home. Bring your friends! I'll prepare something special for you. Lots of candy. You won't believe it!" He points out Primewater Mansion through a window - diagonally across the street, a fancy estate practically on top of the docks. (#16 on the map.)

((Fianna would argue against Butter and Farley but there's no point... She'll just off them later.))

Kelnan

After the meeting adjourns, Kelnan shrugs at the rest of the party. "Well, I tried. At least there's candy."

     "Seems there is no negotiating...  Even when they bent it was only in a vague, not going to happen way," Fianna replied.  "We could always try the next town over..."

"I don't see why you can't bend just a little," Katernin says. "After all, we have a more concrete goal now. This town is small, and most likely doesn't have the funds you're expecting for something like this."

     "We've bent... we're doing their piracy for them.  And with promises of absolutely nothing unless they deem us successful.."  Fianna shrugs.

"How are we doing piracy if we're stopping a smuggling ship?"

Primewater continues to chitchat with Molo as the ale and cakes rapidly disappear from the table. "Boorish business." He waves his hand dismissively at the council bench, jingling several of his silver bracelets.

Eda Oweland soon joins him, as she circulates among the party members. "You each will need to keep in close contact with Fireborn and the Guard," she directs, sternly. "When we get word the ship is approaching, you will need to move quickly."

"She's the boss," adds Primewater, smiling warmly and pointing his thumb at her.

With that, you are all escorted out of the Council Hall, and out onto the cold, smoky evening streets of Saltmarsh.

You have some options:
- Does Molo and/or the rest of the party care to accept Primewater's invitation tomorrow night?
- Will you accept the charge of the Council and wait for the sighting of a ship? ("Perhaps during the next new moon, which begins in about a weeks’ time, Oweland said.)
- If so, what other equipment will you request? (Molo has a shopping list started, which he has been invited to give to the Council clerks tomorrow.)
- What do you want to do in the meantime? (Same downtime activities? Something new? Any special errands?)
- If not, any new adventures you've gotten leads on, that you'd like to follow up with?

     "Well, Kat... We will be attacking a ship at sea.  Taking their cargo and personal items.  For profit," Fianna explains.  "You can argue that we're the good guys, I suppose, but we are no legal authorities. I don't recall being deputized.  And I didn't hear about the people on any ship being found guilty of anything.  No, we're being told that Farley and Butter will point us at a ship to attack...  And personally I don't trust those two to have a clue about which ship is a pirate ship and which ship is actually just a cow in a field."

     "Sorry though, I'm just grumpy.  I'm sure this is all on the up and up.  Mainly sure.  Kind of sure... Just feel a bit cornered by the council and found them unhelpful and unwilling to try to be."  Fianna shrugs.

     By "close contact" with the guard, Fianna advises Fireborn where she is staying and tells him she can often be found there but otherwise she'll be out and about who knows where about town.  "But I kind of stand out, I'm sure your guards can track me down easy enough..."

     Additionally, Fianna engages a bit with FIreborn about the searches the guards have been doing upon townsfolk. "Do you believe that it is indeed someone in town or were the searches just precautionary?  Do you have any prime suspects?  I could perhaps track and spy upon them more subtly than searches..."  

     Finally she would question him on Farley and Butter. "I don't want to undeservingly disparage anybody, but are these two really the best for this job?  They seemed, at best, disinterested in the search of the house, before we were done searching they both excused themselves, and Butter slept at least half the time..."

     Fianna will pass on the Primewater invitation - She's not much of a candy connoisseur.

Equipment Fianna requests:

• 6 small pouches
• 2 large sacks
• 24 white mice
• 2 blank books, 3 pens, 4 bottles of ink
• 4-6 flasks of Alchemists Fire
• About 50gp worth of Charcoal, Incense and Herbs
• 6 candles - 2 white, two purple and two black
• Thieve's Tools
• Use of a horse to get around town - Speed will be of the essence when summoned
• A fine deck of cards
• A dried out toad
• A few chips of mica
• petrified eye of newt - 3
• A skunk's tail
• A random assortment of glass vials, jars and containers
• A sickle
• A lock of hair from each council member
• chalk
• a whistle
• A bag of ashes from the hearth of a happy family
• String.  Fish hooks.
• A feather from five different birds
• A tin whistle (or a flute, if the tin whistle cannot be found)
• Maps.  Of the town, of the greater area and of the waterways...

     In the meantime between the end of the council meeting and being summoned to piracy, Fianna plans to do the following:

• Check out Sharkfin Bridge in person.  She wants to go to the bridge, walk around it, search the area, try to get any sense she can of what the uneasy feeling is all about.
• FinFin is going to follow (at a distance) Farley and Butter several days.  Fianna is interested in just how useless these two are.  Are they actually watching for this ship? Who are they meeting? What are they doing?
• While out and about Fianna will keep her eyes open for... stuff.  Random stuff.  Four leaf clovers, odd looking rocks, just basically a pocketful or two of random miscellaneous stuff.
• Find out if there are any permits or such required to set up during Market Day.  She'll also look into getting a table, table cloth, perhaps a rudimentary stall that she could work out of... Something easy enough to set up and tear down by herself... And perhaps have a sign painted.
• Essentially, Fianna is looking to set up a little "Fortune Teller" booth on market day.  Fortunes Told and Changed!  She will use her performance, persuasion and deception skills, as well as FinFin and liberal uses of Prestidigitation to do card readings, read palms, etc...  She goes for the spooky vibe but generally does her best to keep things fun and easy.  No harm in a little false hope in order to make some coin...
• Go meet Captain Xendros at the Faithful Quartermasters of Iuz.  She now has a little coin in her pocket but still doubts she can afford any of their wares... Still, good to see what they have and to make their acquaintance if nothing else.
• Fianna will also hit up Kester again, inquiring about if they have any locations on creatures whose hide's they like?  General area type stuff, I assume no precise location...  

Molo will accept Primwater’s invitation. 

I think he’d also ask Hannah about the jackalwere. 

He’d also like to check around for someplace their smuggler friend might’ve gone to. Asking at a seedier tavern, perhaps. 

Can a component pouch be added to the list from the council?

Molo will continue his performances.

Before the meeting breaks up, Fianna is able to catch Fireborn's attention for a moment. He is polite and pleasant, but unwilling to share anything about the recent home searches. "Come make an appointment to see me, if you'd like to help," he adds, earnestly. As to Butter and Farley, he notes, "Farley won't be with you. Fossie will. I think you'll appreciate her skill set. As to Mr. Butterton, I agree he has his quirks, but I think you'll find he is an excellent shot."

Back at the tavern, Molo asks Hanna about the jackalwere ("Ambushed and nearly killed one of Jilar's carpenters. Old Brinehanded killed it") and about where smugglers gather ("Kreb's place - the Empty Net. Rough place. Be careful there," she says, referring to the tavern at #8 on the map.)

***

Another night passes. 

In the morning, Molo and Fianna stop by the Council offices with their list of equipment. A very nice, elderly, one-eyed woman named "Al" attends to you.

grappling hooks, ropes, block and tackle. Oh, and rain gear. A component pouch.

Not a problem, the clerk says. Equipment will be located, stowed aboard the Guard ship, and will be expected to be returned at the end of your mission.

6 small pouches
2 large sacks

Not a problem, Al says. Equipment will be located, stowed aboard the Guard ship, and will be expected to be returned at the end of your mission.

24 white mice
2 blank books, 3 pens, 4 bottles of ink
4-6 flasks of Alchemists Fire
About 50gp worth of Charcoal, Incense and Herbs
6 candles - 2 white, two purple and two black
...

At this point Al's smile begins to fade and her eyes start to water. But she dutifully takes down the whole list.

"We'll do our best," says Al, with a polite wince.

--

Next up: Fianna's to-do list, the Primewater Mansion candy party, and other party business (got any?)

Molo will head to the Empty Net for a bit to look for the smuggler before going to the candy party.