Open Chronicles Within the Marsh

[Harrier]

There was indubitably no point in mentioning that the navigator might on occasion have, like many career sailors, served aboard a ship whose captain and, perhaps, crew could potentially have at some point engaged in acts that some might consider...piracy.

"RRAWK!" said a colourful bird perched above the riverboat's door. "Pretty lady, pretty lady!"

"Damn your blind eyes-" The door opened. A very wide old man smiled without much in the way of teeth. "Never mind. What brings you to my berth, missy?"

Lia

 

[Lia]

Lia somehow managed to keep her face impassive as the man appeared in the doorway with as many teeth as she had fingers.

"Pirates." She answered simply.

Harrier had warned her that the man would not answer her if he knew why she had come here, and thus she quickly invented a reason for it. Lying was morally wrong, at least for some, but here it was a means to save lives.

"I've been told you may know the location of certain crews using magic to raid the shipping lanes." A smile touched her face. "

 

[Harrier]

Lia

"NO PIRATES HERE!" the bird rawked.

The gap-toothed smile beamed bright as ever, but something shifted in the old navigator's eyes.

"My sister's boy Johnny's a deckhand on a ship might fit that bill, the Recluse. I do know where she makes port, aye. Whether I tell you depends a good deal on what you'll do with it, lass, you and your fine sword."

 

[Lia]

Lia considered for a few moments, then answered with her expression as stern as possible. "My sister was killed in a pirate attack."

The lie flowed from her tongue far more easily than she would have thought. It wasn't like she was the most honest person, Rangers had to lie all the time, but she wasn't a politician or anything.

"At the hands of a mage." Her lips thinned slightly. "I intend to take vengeance, but I need to find the ship and the man."

It was a believable enough quest. Family was important in the Reach, and in truth she figured that as long as she ended up killing the mage the Allirian Navy would be more than happy with the result.

Pirates weren't her purview, just whatever mages were with them.

 

[Harrier]

Khalija Mapmaker sucked his teeth, a sound like the wind through soggy trees. The smile disappeared, but not from malice or bad humour. He folded his arms across his massive chest and equally massive belly.

"These are hard men," he said quietly. "You go after them alone, you won't walk away, lass, pretty sword or not. But they might not either, and that's the rub, innit. That's the plan." He ran a hand through thinning hair. "That's a sad story on its way and no mistake. I've heard its like any number of times and it's sure how it ends. Alright, I'll send you along. Just no harm comes to my sister's Johnny or I'll never hear the end of it. Big boy, anchor ink on his cheek."

Lia

 

[Lia]

Lia nodded her head. "No harm will come to him."

In the back of her head the Ranger was shocked at how well she had done actually negotiating passed all of this.

She intended to stick with the deals that she'd made, meaning she would likely have to go at this alone rather than with the Navy at her back, but it would still work out. Maybe if she asked a few other Rangers they would assist her.

Killing a mage or two couldn't be too hard.

Afterwards everyone would be happy, save for the pirates that lost their pet mage. "Where will the ship be?"

She asked, dropping a hint of excitement into her tone.

 

[Harrier]

Lia

"Not quite so quick, lass. I know better than to trust the word of one I met a minute past. Wait here a tick."

The big old sailor retreated into his covered riverboat. He returned a minute later with a tattered piece of silvery paper and a mapmaker's fine pencil.

"Silverslip, it's called. Made for trading favors, but plenty useful for binding promises." He placed the paper against the boat's railing and scribbled a quick message.

On pain of hex I swear that no action or inaction of mine will harm Johnny son of Crim.

"Sign here."

 

[Lia]

Lia did not know much about magic, but the words on the paper were not offensive to her. She had already planned to abide by them so what was the worst that could happen?

It could be some sort of trick, and the idea of that did cross her mind, but neither this man nor the woman that had pointed her here seemed particularly dishonest. One was trying to preserve his nephew, the other a school she was involved in.

After a few seconds of thought Lia took the pencil and signed her name "As agreed."

She did not need a piece of paper to keep her oath, but if the man thought it better, then she would not deny him such.

 

[Harrier]

When the old navigator tucked the Silverslip away, he produced another sheet of paper, this one innocuous and much cheaper. He settled into a deck chair and began sketching a good map from memory.

"The Recluse makes port in two places I know. One's Sestone - you might know it better than I. Maybe four, five thousand souls, lumber and fishing, southwest coast of the Allir Reach. Talk to a retired merchant named Marko Notarius - he's not tied up with pirates but he knows everyone worth knowing around there."

He tapped the growing map with a forefinger. "The other place's on this side of the water, but it's less public. Harder to get in safe. Sestone's just a town, but Three Nails is...well, imagine this place but with beaches, blades, brandy, and, uh, women of ill repute. Little hidden cove east of here, maybe two days' walk. Just watch your step. The Recluse ain't the only rough ship that harbours at Three Nails."

 

[Lia]

Three Nails.

Surprisingly she had actually heard of the place before. The Rangers were not often at sea, but they did patrol the coasts of the Allir Reach enough to talk with smugglers and even pirates that ended up in taverns and the like all around.

She nodded to the man as she listened carefully, already making her decision to head to Three Nails first. If she doubled back she could likely catch the Marines on their way, send one back and then take the other with her.

That way the Allirian Navy would at least know what the next step was, though knowing those fools they'd bring an entire armada to Three Nails. "Thank you."

"I'll be careful." Rangers were used to fighting against the odds, and all she needed was the mage, or mages.

 

[Harrier]

Khalija sighed heavily. "We both know you won't, lass. Off to your death you go, and may you get your revenge."

He pulled out a scrimshawed pipe carved from whaletooth and lit a bowl of something unusual, staring out over the marshlands.


While Lia spoke with the navigator on his houseboat, Harrier finished her meal and entertained some children by making the crayfish shells into minor and temporary undead.

 

[Lia]

Lia grabbed the newly drawn map and nodded her head. She did not plan on dying, though that hardly meant she wouldn't.

Pirates weren't a joke, she knew that, yet that did not change her mission. Lia would do her best to complete her task, no matter the risk to herself. With a nod she headed off the houseboat, walking back towards where she'd left the other woman.

Eventually she caught up with Harrier, observing for a second as the woman played with children. This place is strange.

Lia thought to herself as she cleared her throat.

"I want to thank you for your help." Lia said quickly. "I'll be taking my leave."

 

[Harrier]

Tiny crustacean golems danced jauntily around the firepit, to general delight. Harrier's fingers twitched in time as someone began playing a pipe.

"May you find the exact amount of success that'll benefit us both," she said. "Feel free to crash in a hammock before you take another long walk. Like I said, though, avoid the soup."

She mulled over another thought.

"There's a small cauldron in the main building. It might be to your unspecified future benefit to add a drop of blood to it before you leave. Entirely up to you."

Lia

 

[Lia]

Lia considered for a brief moment, and then shook her head. "I've had bad experienced with blood magic."

She had no idea if that was what this was, but it dealt with her blood and that was enough for her. She remembered what that Lich had been capable of doing once it had etched a single cut into her side. She could still feel the wound sometimes.

These people had been friendly, but the Ranger would not risk it.

"Thank you for the offer, though." The Ranger said as she gave a respectful bow and turned to walk away.

 

[Harrier]

Allirian Rangers, pirates, the hazardous freeport at Three Nails...these were things she couldn't control. Undead experimentation offered solace, even relaxation, a distraction from the many consequences that could spill out from this day. Harrier refocused on the crayfish.