After reaching the temple, Sister Egathra left the party with a cheery “g’day.”

“Now what?” Ashja asked her companions.

“I didn’t want to alarm Sister Egathra,” said Rayus, “but I’ve heard rumors of Captain Gutmark.”

Ivy perked up.

“He’s an orc pirate,” the cleric continued. “His crew is rumored to be one of the most ruthless and bloodthirsty to sail the coast and the archipelago.”

“I say we go see what we can see,” said Ivy, mischief dancing in her eyes.

“Sounds good to me,” replied Ashja.

Less than a bell later, they wandered the docks, searching for the pirate vessel. They began at the west end of the harbor, then traversed the wharf. They dodged hoisted cargo, donkey carts, and laborers as workers moved freight to and from the ships on the piers. At the far end of the docks, they found what they were looking for.

The Scarlet Revenge stood out from the rest of the ships at anchor. Battle-scarred and crudely built, the ship measured almost twelve lengths from stem to stern. No other vessels shared the pier with the Revenge. Two orc guards kept watch at the end of the gangway, and the crow’s nest, a length above the furled sail, held a lookout armed with a cocked crossbow. The guards glared as they strode by.

Passing the pier with as much interest as they had shown any other, they walked by without comment. When they reached the end of the docks, the party turned off the wharf, following an alleyway behind the first row of shanties back to the tavern across from the ship.

The group entered the tavern and sat at an empty table near the door. They spent a bell watching the watching crew routines, then went back to the Ink Pot to discuss a strategy to get what they needed from the ship and the ship’s Captain.

~~~
As the group finished breakfast the next morning, Sister Egathra came into the inn. Ashja filled her in on their plan for the day.

“The ship seems awfully heavily guarded for anchoring to in a neutral port,” said Rayus.

“I wouldn’t know what’s normal,” said Sister Egathra. “Well, then,” she continued, “I see you’re ready to find out more about Malora. I’ll let you get to it. Please send me a message if you learn anything. I’m quite concerned.”

With that, she left. The party followed a quarter bell later.

Ashja led Rayus to the docks. Ivy and Zantu, tasked with gathering information and a way onto the ship, found their own way to the Scarlet Revenge.

“Heyla,” called Ashja from the pier.

The guard at the foot of the gangplank eyed her, his hand going to the hilt of the cutlass hanging at his side.

“Good morning,” she said, smiling.

“Sod off,” came the harsh reply.

Behind her, Ashja heard Rayus mutter a phrase. The guard’s expression changed, and his hand fell away from his weapon.

“What can I help ye with, then?” he asked.

“A friend heard your ship might have transported a passenger in the last weeks,” began Ashja.

“A ‘friend’, eh?” said another, stomping down the gangplank. This orc wore more ear ornaments than the guard. “Aye, she were here, but the skipper told her to leave. So, she left. What of it?”

From the corner of her eye, Ashja saw hands moving toward weapons aboard the Revenge. The crew looked as though readying for a fight.

“We were simply following up on a lead,” said Ashja, with a slight bow of her head to the first mate. “Sorry to have bothered you, we’ll be on our way.”

As the pair headed toward a way off the docks, Ashja felt the first mate watch her and Rayus as they walked toward the main road into the Western District.

“Now what?” asked Rayus.

“Now,” replied Ashja, “we spend the rest of the day going about our business. Zantu,” she turned to the mage, “have Caw watch the ship. He can warn you if something big happens, can’t he?”

Zantu smiled and nodded.

“I’ll spy on the boat, while you go about your day,” said Ivy.

At sunset, the group met in the Bilge Rat.

“I been watching the ship,” said Ivy. “the captain returned, then him and the mate went to a’ alehouse.” She stopped looking smug.

“And?” Zantu prompted.

“And I got close enough t’ hear ‘em talk about a wizard, and a girl.”

Zantu started at the mention of a wizard as he spotted the first mate entering the inn. They each headed out the back to the latrine, Ashja the last to leave. With the first mate at the Bilge Rat, the party headed back to the ship, asking to speak with the captain.

“Greetings Captain,” said Ashja.

“I heard someone say you had passengers come ashore when you arrived,” said Zantu.

The captain looked from one to the other. He addressed Ashja first.

“Greetings…” he left the rest hanging.

Ashja offered a small nod, nothing further.

“We are looking for the passengers you brought,” continued Zantu. “One was a young librarian named Malora, the other an elvish wizard named Laxis. We were wondering if you could help us find them.”

“The names are familiar,” said the captain.

“Ah,” said Ashja, “we know young Miss Malora was here in the last few days. Do you, by chance, know where she might be now?”

“No, I can’t say where she might have gone,” he said, scratching his head. “She did come by the ship a few days ago asking about missing time. But she had questions I couldn’t answer.”

Ashja talked to the captain as Ivy signaled the group to distract the crew.

“Ah, well, then, we’ll be on our way.“

As they prepared to leave the dock, Zantu hurled a fireball at the aft hatch, catching it on fire and trapping pirates in the crew’s quarters. The captain turned to attack Ashja as she drew her greatsword, rushing up the gangplank. She blocked a blow from the captain as Ivy scrambled aboard the ship during the commotion. One by one, Ashja cut down the deck crew continuing their fight as Rayus peppered deckhands with crossbow bolts.

Finally, only the captain remained standing. He dodged and ducked Ashja’s blows, scoring hit after hit on her armor. Ivy found the ladder to the deck below, appearing again through a hatch behind the captain. She stabbed him behind his knee as Ashja landed a killing blow.

By the time the captain fell, a crowd had gathered. Zantu and Ivy had long blended into the crowd by the time Ashja found her way through the mass of people watching the pirate ship burn. Rayus was nowhere to be seen.

Less than a bell later, they met outside the Old City walls without attracting the notice of the first mate or any of the remaining orc crew. Taking the route through the Old City, they made their way back to the Ink Pot.

Read from the beginning: Welcome to Port Freehaven