(Prologue) It was a dark and stormy night......

[Rod the Worm]

Rogan nods back at Aurum.  "Yes, it's been too long.  We should have ample time to catch up on this trip.  Did you ever kill that bear you always talked about?"

At the priest's explanation smiles back easily.  "What little payment you can offer will be enough for my part.  I'm always happy to help those in service to the gods."

[Balgin Stondraeg]

Naedath Kelden, the sage, indicates that he would be "willing to pay each of you fifteen gold pieces each" and people fall to talking. After a few minutes Raoul gets up to stretch his legs (and maybe fetch another pint from the bar). As he leaves the backroom he feels a tug at his sleeve and recognises the unmistakable reek of an exess of brandy. Turning he sees a shortish burly looking sea salt who walks with a sailor's swagger (either that, or it's the drink) clutching at a nearly empty bottle of brandy.

"Aye aye shipmate," grins the sailor, "now I jus' couldn't help overhearing as 'ow you be a sailin' ter the isle o' Guardian". The best way to describe his voice would be a deep gravelly irish growl with a hint of the stereotypical Bristol/pirate accent of making all the sounds rounder and bolder so as to carry across the sounds of a storm.

"Now then, Iy'ff got a proposishun for yew tha' yew jus' might want ter hear of." And with that Raoul sense that there's proffit involved. The sailor raises his brandy bottle and taking a large swig, eyes his audience cautiously before preparing to continue.

[Fabian]

Alarian folds hia arms and looks round the room, before addressing the priest, "For myself, I also am eager to be a part of this venture. I cannot speak for any other."

[Balgin Stondraeg]

Back in the bar the sailor addresses Raoul, "now yew lissen, an' yew lissen gud. Iye wuz wanderin' iff yew'd liyke to meakk a littul pauffit. Ye'see, now, I hear'd as how you're ter be sailin' aboard th' Grey Gull ter that island wot the munks are so fond of. Noiy then, 'f truth be told, th' Merry Maid of Elkia use' ta do tha' run."

"That's my cappan's ship, tha' is," he adds with a grin, " or at least it wuz. Yasee, oiy had a littul buysiness on Guardian as wuz left unfinished as it wurr. Can't talk here, too many ears," casting his eyes about nervously he continues, "meet me outsidein theeyalley an' Oi'll tell yew all habout it. Alone mind," raising a warning finger he staggers towards the door.

Looking after him part of Raoul knows the drunk's too innebriated to cause him any serious harm but what little his conscience and common sense he has is patheticaly attempting to warn his greed and impulsive nature to leave well alone. He waits for a minute or two after the drunk leaves and then decides wether to follow him or not.

[Mr Teufel]

Kaiaphas, bored with the talk of gold, sees Raul leave. He's not sure, but he thinks he remembers Raul from his street gang days before he was Chosen by Gurthor. So he follows him to the bar.
"Buy you a drink there, friend?"

[Keeper]

"You can buy me a drink in a few minutes, if that is OK with you.  Kiaphas, isn't it?"  Raul looks him deep in the eyes.  "We've met before, haven't we?  I don't think either of us wants to mention where or why that might be, but it looks like we've both changed direction, now."

"Listen, I know you'll understand if I ask you to keep this between us for a little while.  I've just had a drunk sailor tell me he's got some information about these priests.  I think they've stiffed his captain in the past and he asked to speak to me outside, alone, but he might just want to try and turn me over.  If you could happen to come out into the alley outside in five minutes, or if you hear shouting, and you have my word that I'll tell you everything I know afterwards.  I'll even buy that drink.  Watch my purse, just in case." he presses his belt pouch into Kiaphas' hand.

Raul's belt pouch contains half of his current cash.

Raul looks back up unto Kiaphas' eyes, looking for a response based on this history of a life he left behind, but one he is sure he spent with men like Kiaphas.  He looks only for a second, his face one of trust, not even giving Kiaphas a chance to respond before letting go of his hand and turning and leaving the bar, unconciously checking his sword and daggar are readily to hand if needed, determined to find out what the drunk wants, even if it is just a fight.

[Mr Teufel]

"May Gurthor's rain protect you," Kiaphas rumbles quietly to Raul's departing back. He then orders a drink, and stands nursing it by the door, apparently lost in the storm again, actually, listening for signs of trouble.

[Balgin Stondraeg]

Raoul passes out of the door and around the corner into the alley where he spies the brandy addled sailor hunched up under the eaves trying to escape the rain. Upon seeing him the old sea dog beckons him over and speaks in a loud whisper.

"So ye came, so yer came. Well moy name is Fynlass, Thran Fynlass. Hnoy then, my cappan use' ta do the Guardian run, so 'e did. Las' tiyme 'e come back, they says to 'im, as 'ow they won't be needin' his services no more. Found 'nother cappan as'll do it cheaper, so they says. 'course there wuz talk o' cutbacks an' finances an' th' church roof repair fund an' stuff, but I reckons as 'ow they jus' didden luyke 'im.

"Anyroad, this happens er inconvenience me graetlee. Y'see, Iy have a friend on Guardian, goes by the name of Barrick, now he and I have unfinished business like. Naturaly I tried to enroll on the crew of the good ship Grey Gull but their cappan Ableford sez 'e won't ha' me. Sez I'm a good fer nuffink knave wi' a bad reputation." At this he chuckles before continuing," so, me an' Barrick, well jus' me really, poor Barrick won't know 'till the Grey Gull pulls into dock 'stead o' the Merry Maid of Elkia. So me, I wuz wanderin' if you could help us out here."

Now he becomes serious and seems to sober up a bit, "you won't believe what's stashed away on that thurr island. There's gold to be had I tell 'ee. Gold. Why, there'streasures there as'd make a man rich, so they would. An' those there munks 'a been diggin' it all up in quiet like. So me an' my friend Barrick, we decided to relieve them of some of this great mound o' wealth as it were. They been a diggin' up gemstones on Guardian an' I don't mean raw stones right outta th' ground neither. I mean stones wot the elvesis has cut and crafted into things o' real beauty, big as a fist shipmate, oh yes.

"So my man, Ballick, he's going to arrange for some o' th' stones ter go missin' like, jus' afore the good ship the Merry Maid of Elkia is due to pull in wi' supplies, only it won't be the Merry Maid see, it'll be that blasted Grey Gull, an' me not a foot on deck with it. Now mark you this, an' mark yew well: there be an old hollow tree 'pon the cliffs above the beach on the east o' the island where the ship's a due to dock fer me to collect like. Now you'll know it 'cause there's an' old shrine o' sorts by th' tree as well.

"Now those bloody munks is gunna be watchin' him once the stones go disappearin' like, probably search him when he boards the ship too, so we need someone else ter go an' pick 'em up, ain't that so eh? Well, now that won't be me, that damned cappan Ableford's put pay to that. But yew, yew'll tekk a littul stroll up the cliffs like an' find some pretty bird's eggs in an ole hollow tree by a shrine, if yer catch moiy drift like." At this he chuckles heartily.

"Now yew jus' bring 'em back ter port here in Medhera luyke an' we knows a good jeweler who'll pay well for 'em an' we can all be rich. What d'yer say shipmate? Are yew in, or are yer not?"

And with that he extends a hand to shake on the deal.

[Alex]

Ivor starts to scribble down a copy of the map in his book, while day-dreaming about elven ruins. He hasn't had much first-hand experience of elven architecture, but there were a few tomes in the University library he read one winter holiday. All very exciting indeed!

[Keeper]

Raul keeps his back to the wall, next to Thran, but at arms length distance, trusting his hat and gear to keep the worst of the rain off him.

"You make an interesting offer there Thran, but I think it is only fair that I share some information about myself with you, too.  My name is Carlos, and I am not as green as my clothes."

It really is Carlos, check my character sheet :)

Raul pauses for a few seconds to try and make Thran Fynlass a little uncomforable.

"You tell a good tale, and one with things that could tempt a man. I didn't get dragged up with the last catch to be hauled aboard.  I don't do little jobs.  Well, not any more."

"But a man in this world has a number of complex loyalties and issues that need to be balanced.  Sometimes that balancing is done with gold.  Neither of us would want to find ourselves crossing the wrong people, now, would we?"

"All you said was 'rich' and I need to know first if you're working this alone with your island man, or do you represent other interests?  I also need to have an idea of how much 'rich' is likely to be, and what I'm supposed to do on my return here, once we have made this agreement."

"Once we agree, I might even have some information about your man.  Ballick, wasn't it?"

Raul keeps his hands at his side, and his eyes on Thran Fynlass, waiting for an answer.  But his ears are aware that this might still be a trap.

[Balgin Stondraeg]

"Aye, it jus' be us two, meself an' Ballick in on this. None others. We jus' need a hand in gettin' the stones off the island like." Thran grins at the prospect of the money he'll be making. "I don't know how much they's worth yet but from what my man Ballick's told ter me, I know it's a fortune, an' I know 'im well enough ter know when he's fibbin' too."

[Keeper]

"Good.  Then it sounds like we're pretty close to an agreement, then  But there is something that you should know first."  Raul puts on his 'serious' face, and modifies his accent just a little to try and be a bit more intimate with Thran.

"I just saw a letter from Abbot Olemaren, only saw it for a bit, but I'm pretty good at readin'.  I were a scribe once.  Amongst some other borin' bits, it seems he's done with Ballick and is sending him home on the next ship, although it weren't clear from the letter exactly why."

"So, for us, these means one of two things.  Either, you still want me to get you some jew-jaws off of the island.  Or, for a lesser cost to you, I can just tell him to bring them out himself.  Since this ain't my job, I don't want you to think I'd rip you off by doin' stuff he can do for himself.  That'd be dishonourable, and we ain't dishonourable men, are we?" :)

[Balgin Stondraeg]

"Aye, so he may be," chuckles the sailor, "but the Grey Gull is that very same next ship. Supply ships only come to the isle every three or four months. As I sed, the munks'll be watchin' him so you need ter be doin' the collectshun".

[Keeper]

"Then I think we've got a deal.  I'll need to share with my colleague, the wild looking guy with the black hair that looks like he lives in a hedge, so as I've got someone watching me back.  He ain't quite what he seems.  But I'll pay him from what you pay me when we're all back and done. If that's good with you, then we can shake on the deal."

Raul holds out his hand to shake.

[Balgin Stondraeg]

And so the deal is made, Raoul returns to the bar and Thran Fynlass slinks off into the night.