Mists over the Musarde, Chapter Ten

[ewancummins]

It takes the better part of a week to reach Pont-a-Museau. In that time, the lookouts thrice spotted a vessel that might have been the Virago, only to lose sight of her in the darkness of the night or the haze of morning mists over the river. Captain Giles kept his boat moving, pausing only occasionally for necessary maintenance. As a consequence of this urgency, the passengers have enjoyed little time for sight-seeing in the river towns of Invidia, Arkandale, and Richemulot.


During the trip, it comes to light that a new passenger has unexpectedly joined you: the sad little gnome from the Falkovnian's command post is on board with John Strange. Mister Coake grumbles a bit about potential trouble with the Falkovnians, but Captain Giles seems not to much care. The gnome has paid coins for passage, it turns out.


Now, early on the morning of the fifth day, the Marot's Pride is moored at the timeworn, rat-infested wharves of Pont-a-Museau. A chilly drizzle hardly worthy of being called rain descends from the cloudy November sky. A strong easterly wind whips through the half-deserted streets of the River Quarter, tossing about dead leaves and whistling through cracks in the wooden houses along the riverside.


Samuel wakes any of the heroes who have been sleeping. He has a cup of warm chicory nut brew for anyone who'd like some. The cabin-boy informs the party that Captain Giles has decided not to add to the cost of their trip, and that he wishes them all good luck. The Marot's Pride won't be tarrying long in port, but will soon go back upriver. The slave boy gives John Strange a gray wool boatman's coat with brass buttons- a present from the Captain.

[steveflam]

During the boat trip, John will hang out mostly with Aurelius. During this time, he will ask the gnome
about his family, what he plans to do in Pont A Museau. He also relays his happiness to the gnome
that he is now a free man! He tells the gnome about how he was found and his memory loss.

"Do you think the Falkovnians capable of the brutality I suffered? I am almost positive after seeing
them in action that it may have been them. I have the feeling I have seen the Talons before. I tend to rely on
my hunches, my friend." John offers Aurelius a smile warm smile. "Well whatever you decide, I am glad to have met you."

At the gift, John remains speechless. He just nods at Samuel and whispers "Thanks...

He holds it in his hands and admires it. "Is there a reason for this gift, Samuel? This is a beautilful
piece of clothing my young friend."

[ewancummins]

John Strange-

before, during the boat trip


Aurelius tells you a little of his upbringing in Nova Vaasa. It doesn't sound as if gnomes are well-treated there. He would like to write to his family, but he has little desire to return to the eastern country.

The gnome agrees that many of the Falkovnians are brutal enough to do what was done to John- beating a man and burying him alive.

Your line of questioning jogs the gnome's memory. He tells you about a soldier named Jurgen, a rather shifty fellow who sometimes had gnome-watch duty. Rumor had it that Jurgen was involved in some kind of illicit, off-the-books activity. Smuggling? Aurelius isn't sure. The night before Captain Kruger was slain; Jurgen came in a bit late for his shift watching the gnome. His boots were muddy and he told the other guard that the supply clerk had given him a hard time about checking out a shovel and not returning it clean. Later, after the other man left, Jurgen took Aurelius aside and handed him a metal vial. There was a greenish, foul smelling residue in the bottom of the vial and Jurgen wanted Aurelius to identify it. The gnome is better with machines than potions, but he was afraid to admit total ignorance and promised to look into it.

He still has the vial, and will happily give it to John. The vial is a plain lead cannister, very small. It has no cork, but Aurelius has plugged it with a bit of old rag-cloth. The residue at the bottom stinks, but John is unable to identify it. The foul smell does seem familiar, somehow...

Further questioning doesn't reveal much more detail. If asked why he didn't mention any of this before Aurelius apologizes and explains that he didn't see any great significance in the events, and was not at first sure that he could trust John.

Now, moored at Pont-a-Museau's wharves

Samuel answers John's question-

"He said that he knew what it was like to be lost, and he hoped you'd find your way home in the end. That's all I know about it, Mister John."

[steveflam]

Before

John thanks Aurelius for the information and promises to find out what the liquid is. "If you like, you can stay with me for a while
until you decide what you would like to do, Aurelius. Thanks for the information, my friend. I am just glad to see you free."

Present

"Very well, Samuel. All the best in your endeavors young man. I thank you for finding me, young man. I will never forget you."

John shakes the youth's hand and then joins the others along with Aurelius.

[ewancummins]

Galandel, on the river-

You and your wife are still aboard your log-and-rope-raft, having drifted down the river for days. The weather has mostly been misty and cool, with a few warm days. On your journey, you have passed by multiple settlements of Men, large and small, but none of these proved to be the fabled city of bridges. You haven't gone far enough north, up the river.

The trip has thus far had one moment of great danger, a nighttime near-collision with a huge boat that belched clouds of smoke and steam and groaned like a banshee as it sailed downriver past your raft!

Other than that, things have gone pretty well. You've been able to catch fish on the way, and your kinsmen had given you baskets of food, some coals for the brass brazier your wife carries, a rain-gourd, and several full waterskins taken from the fallen soldiers. This thoughtful preparation has minimized the need to stop, allowing you drift with the flow of the river and avoid unwanted contact with potentially hostile natives.

Now, though, your supplies have pretty much run out. You'll have to beach the raft and go hunting, or gather berries, or something...


Your wife calls out-

"Galandel, I see a big town up ahead!"

She points to a vague mass of what look like artificial structures downriver, visible through the morning haze. If it is a town, it's a very large one. You can squint and make out the outlines of soaring bridges and swaying sails. The settlement seems to be built on several islands and both riverbanks.

[RocEter]

Hunting would be small kills, rabbits.

Looking towards the towns and squinting to see the swaying sails and soaring bridges. Leaning against the tree he studies the town. Involuntarily his feels his ear where the tip is now missing. A small price to pay to see his loved ones safe. However it still irks him, the loss of the tip of his ear, like a small loss of pride he can recover. If Galandel were younger he would consider the scar a great source of pride and a way to gain forever with the eligible women from his tribe.

He gives a small laugh at the idea, he isn't young anymore and he has the only woman he will ever need. Looking over to her, he smiles at her.

"It seems to resemble the town which my friends were traveling too. Come will cook these rabbits and continue on our way along the river until we reach it." he says to her, indicating the town with his finger.

He calls out for Baelmus in Sylvan and begins to walk back to the raft.

[VAN]

Karim spends his times mostly with Dorgio, Ben and Alain. He asks them about the life in Richmulot and their previous encounter with Van Diecks and the other 2. He wants to know more possible so will be better prepared the next time they see them. After hearing what Dorgio learnt in clockhouse Karim is now almost sure that the man that stabbed him and killed the girl is Van Diecks. He has also get in same conclusion with the others about the Slasher, that might be actually 1 and not 1 since the victims have died in very different way. Van Diecks was the 1st one, precise but not that much brutal. So maybe one of the other 2 was the one that brutally killed the other people. Karim shares his thoughts with Dorgio, Ben and Alian.

When Samuel arrives, Karim thanks the young boy for the chicory and then goes to join the others.

[ewancummins]

aboard the Marot's Pride, moored at one of Pont-a-Museau's wharves

Samuel accepts the thanks of John and Karim and then departs for the captain's cabin.

Mister Coake joins John, Karim, and the others gathered on the open deck of the riverboat.

"Well, folks, we made it to Pont-a-Museau in good time. What's next for y'all? Goin' to look for the Virago?"

He turns away and scans the nearby wharves and piers.
There is no sign of another dragonboat in this area. Pont-a-Museau is a big city with a lot of river front and several small islets; many places to moor a vessel.

The first mate shrugs.

"Her captain is a hard man- hard and clever too. Be careful of tanglin' with him. "

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

~~During the trip~~

Dorgio spends a large part of the trip discussing Richemulot with the refugees and Karim. He tells them of the various factions he's encountered, about the areas controlled by criminals, which areas to avoid after dark. He tells them of the abundance of vacant houses in the city that might prove useful when trying to establish themselves. And then he tells them what he's heard about the plague, an gives them some general tips for avoiding disease.

Later, he takes Karim aside and explains the details of the cult of Incabulos. He explains about the artifacts and their link to the strange world ruled by Wolutha. "We are not knowing how large this cult is, but there must be more than Van Diecks. Benn is thinking this plague is their doing."

[VAN]

Karim listens carfully.

"If what you said is true then maybe we need to inform the Falkovian headquarters in Invidia. They might be in danger. Is there any cure for this plague os anything we can do to acoid get it? As about Van Diecks and his companions. Do you think the brutal murderer in Invdia was one of them? Or was someone totally different man?"

[steveflam]

....During the trip.....

John will approach Dorgio and ask him about the green awful liquid inside the vial as he
hands the said item to the him.

[ewancummins]

Now, after the trip has ended and the party has arrived in Pont-a-Museau-

Mister Coake remains on deck, waiting for some response from the party.

Several crewmen are busy working with local dock-workers to unload cargo from the hold.

The morning drizzle picks up, threatening to become a respectable rain shower.

A civic official in robes boards the Marot's Pride, accompanied by an attendant who carries a pen and writing tablet. The man asks for the captain, and is led away by one of the crewmen.

Miss Sophie leaves the boat, headed into town. You all may catch a glimpse of her in a lace-fringed blue dress and matching rain-parasol as she walks down the ramp alone.

[steveflam]

"Thank you Mister Coake, for everything. This coat is very nice, thank you."

Turning to the others, he says "Well, I for one want to find out what this green thing is. Aurelius,
will you be staying with us or moving on? As for me, I wouldn't mind finding a way to get some gold
as I am dirt cheap penniless as we speak. And I will need to find some lodgings in Pont A Museau. I
wonder if I've ever been here?"

Everyone in the party is aware of John and Aurelius' conversation as he relayed it to them during the
dragonboat trip.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

~~At the Dock~~

"Captain, I cannot be thanking you enough. Few people would be willing to be taking so many so far, and asking so little. The Morninglord, may his rays be shining on you. The next time you are in this port, if I am not dead we must be having a drink!"

To Coake, he says, "The murderer, we will be finding him. Perhaps it will be harder to find him here than it was to be tracking him here in the first place--vermin always hide best in tenement shadows. But we killed him once, and I am looking forward to proving it was no fluke. "

He then turns to his comrades and the refugees. "We're making for the home of Dennys Sancerre. He was helping us track down Wolutha," he says, trying to put the refugees at ease. "Come, we can be wasting no time," he says, and turns to go

And then stops. It dawns on him that only he, Benn, and Alain are left from the original party. Buckman and Cirdan dead. And Jon and Norzak, missing, perhaps not dead, but only perhaps. He wonders what had ever happened to the elf--what had his name been?

Dorgio lights a cigarillo and shakes the thought from his head as best he can. "Let us go. There are many things we need to be telling Dennys. And to his daughter. I'd rather be getting them over with."

[ewancummins]

Benn nods at Dorgio's declaration. He mumbles his assent to Dorgio's plan to pay Denys Sancerre a visit, post-haste.

Aurelius answers John-

"I'm sticking with you, Boss. I owe you for helping me escape the Falkovnians. Until that debt is repaid, I will serve you. "