Shipwrecked in Saltmarsh

Dain hangs around, watching for trouble and a little unsure if these guys are who they say they are.  He's looking at others in the group to see how they react.  

OOC:  I think Kelnan has the roughly drawn map?  I suggest we keep it and don't hand it over.

     FinFin is just circling the new ship, eyeing everyone and everything aboard.

     Fianna is switching ships even before the latest shouted encouragement.  She didn’t grab anything as all she had found was keys which were given to others...

If Fianna is going across, Dain will dutifully follow.   He will mention to the new captain that the group found some gear that certainly looked like it was due to be delivered to the mine before it was stolen.  

Kelnan will look over the ship and its crew before boarding, in case anything look suspicious.

Insight: 7

Assuming nothing stands out, he trots on over. The map, potions, purse, spellbook, and whatever else he recovered are safely tucked away in his Bag of Holding. He won't mention anything or anyone found aside from the smuggled goods left on board.

Captain Sal pokes her head in each of the cabins before going belowdecks to examine the cargo in the hold (and to find the "secret hold" Fianna mentioned.) Sal's crew begins to dismantle what's left of the tiller.

FinFin sees nothing out of the ordinary of the other ship from the skies, nor does Kelnan pick up on any deceit or other shenanigans. None of you know enough about the waterfront activities of Saltmarsh to come to any conclusions about flags or ship identification here.

 The secret weapons shipment in its entirety is much too bulky for Molo to sneak out under the nose of Sal and her crew. (Possibly a piece or two - let me know your intentions and roll Stealth.)

The other ship has a single sailor aboard - "J.J.", an older, quiet woman with a long, drawn face and a depressed demeanor. She eyes the boarding party warily.

(What are Katernin's and Molo's moves here?)

Molo will get a weapon bundle and stuff it in his pack, and was it a shield with a lizard emblem? He’ll cover it up with a blanket and just hope for the best as he sneaks out with it.

Stealth 3 

While the others are chatting and looking around, Molo sneaks downstairs, through the hold and the late officer's cabin, and into the secret hold. Swiping a blanket off the mate's cot, he slips the shield underneath - the one emblazoned on the front with the design of a lizard with forked tongue extended - and hobbles back into the main hold... only to walk smack into Captain Sal, and falling over backward in the process.

"Whatcha got?" asks the smiling-but-intense captain, as Molo picks himself up off the floor.

“A big **** and a butt that don’t quit, but if you’re looking for some o’ that, you’ll need to buy me dinner first. This is nobody’s business but mine, so back off.” 
Molo tries to bluster his way past.

Captain Sal guffaws loudly with cackling laughter, then says something lewd enough to make even an obnoxious kobold blush and a mannered DM to censor himself in a family-friendly medium.

"I ain't takin' it; I just need to know what ye' got!"

She gestures for you to open the blanket.

Katernin keeps looking at the locked box, torn between helping the now vanished elf and leaving as ordered.

Quote from cbaer8 >>

Captain Sal guffaws loudly with cackling laughter, then says something lewd enough to make even an obnoxious kobold blush and a mannered DM to censor himself in a family-friendly medium.

"I ain't takin' it; I just need to know what ye' got!"

She gestures for you to open the blanket.

 “My shield. I left it down here.”

Deception 15 

Sal buys Molo's story, and lets him continue past with his emblazoned shield. 

Nearby, Katernin stands in the mate's cabin contemplating the locked brass box.

"You lose a shield, also?" asks Sal.

(Is everyone boarding, or planning on boarding, Sal's ship? We'll wait to resolve Katernin's actions, but does anyone have anything else they want to do before JJ departs with her new passengers?)

JJ waits quietly and sullenly for everyone to board. The ship is clearly very old - patched and rebuilt dozens of times by the look of it - but in solid condition.

Seeing Katernin looking at the brass box, Sal turns her back to Katernin in order to inspect a bolt of silk in the hold. "Ye wan' a box? Ye' kin have a box. I ain't lookin'."

Dain is sitting patiently in Sal's ship.

(Just chillin aboard the new boat waitin...)

"Oh um, thank you," Katernin says, picking the box up and going to join the others on the ship hastily.

Molo is waiting aboard the boat now, sitting on a box examining “his” new shield and kicking his feet happily.

Once everyone is aboard, Captain Sal reappears briefly on deck and signals to J.J., who then pushes off and raises the sail. 

It's a quick trip back to town with the wind at your back. J.J. is sour, silent, and sullen. The wind is stiff, the morning skies overcast.

The wind and swells abate somewhat as you enter the bay. J.J. deftly manages the ship singlehandedly, and maneuvers the vessel to the same wharf you departed on. A very large, leather-clad woman awaits you on the wharf – Captain Clay.

"Report," she commands, directing her attention mostly at Fianna.

     “We survived, despite lack of supplies and gear we were promised,” Fianna answers, as she climbs off the ship.  Boat?  She was pretty sure there was a difference and it mattered to some people... but she was on dry land again and it didn’t matter to her so she shrugged it off.

     “But... are you sure you want an official report?  The council that sent us there were big on everything being unofficial and all,” Fianna asked, curiously.  “I wouldn’t want to accidentally make you complicit.”

     Fianna looks around yo her companions and makes sure everyone got off ok.  She kind of directs them to continue on down the dock towards the local or closest place to sit and relax.  “If you want an official report I think it best be done in front of the council...  if you just want an unofficial tale, well you can join us for a drink.”

Clay looks neither tempted nor amused. 

"There will be a special Council meeting this evening at sunset which you all are to attend. I suggest you mind your mouth at that meeting. Don't leave town in the meantime, and watch your liquor."

She doesn't wait for your response, but rather approaches the boat to speak with J.J.

The nearest place to sit and have a drink is the Snapping Line, right across the street, the fishy-smelling inn and tavern where many of you have spent the night previously, run by Molo's friend Hanna.