With Wilfred sabotaging the rudder to some degree he was confident the ship would not be leaving that night, and the group agreed to take turns in watching the ship from a distance. The members tried to get closer, but the guards made it clear they needed no help, so your watch was from the end of the dock, and while you saw movement on and off the ship, like they were preparing slowly, the night was uneventful.

---

Morning broke with Cora and Don sharing the last shift into the hours of the morning. The last few hours there was no visible movement from the ship and even the guards were looking weary.

It was a few hours after dawn when movement came from the streets as a dwarf familiar to Cora and echo, with several soldier and a overweight human trying to keep pace. The dwarf Cora and Echo and frowned, and with a sigh, made for the group. "Ye and ye  friends are welcome ter follow, but ye step out of line and i'll throw ye in the brig like ye stupid friend."

Without waiting for an answer, he continued towards the ship where the watch spotted the group and sent word. By the time they were at the bottom of the gangplank, the tiefling captain, half orc and several soldiers were on the deck, looking down. The tiefling looked at her crew, then the Dwarf. "Commander Brankx.....you honor me." Her tone was clearly sarcastic, and the human at the dwarf's side flinched.

But it was Brankx who spoke. "Captian Kyra.....ye and ye brigands have caused much havoc in th' years - and with this new report we can consulted with the Arbiter and th' dockmaster here...." The fat human shuffled and avoided eye contact. "....and because of this we have been granted ter search ye vessel for any people not associated with ye crew."

The tiefling had her arms crossed, and though the crew had a sour look, her reaction was hard to read. She said nothing for a few moments, then smiled a forced smile. "I'm not one to argue with the laws of Emon - long have we traded with them fairly. I just hope that when this is proven false..." She looked at Cora and echo "....that all this will be put behind us, and any further dealings with us will be shown how willing we were to help."

A few of the sailors had confused looks, but the half orc had a smile as the captian indicated they could come on the ship.  She looked at the half orc. "Get all crew on deck - we will comply with the commander fully." The half orc, still wounded, snorted and nodded, going downstairs. She looked at Brankx. "You can bring whoever you like on board to search." She stood aside and crossed her arms.

Brankx frowned and looked at Cora. "Bring who ye want. Ye interfere, i'll throw ye overboard. Look only."

---

<OOC: Ok guys - this is the next step now things have settled to get things moving.

Anyone who wants to come on teh ship can make a investigation check. If you want to do something specific, let me know.>

Wilfred will follow the rest down, looking for inconsistency in the size of rooms, corridors and walls, including ceilings and floors.  If he sees anything that doesn’t look right, he will cast detect magic.

As they prepared to board the ship, Cora paused to gather the group.  "Wapi, take them to where you saw the prisoners.  Anni, you go with to translate; we can't stuff this up due to communication errors."

"The rest of us... assume they've moved the prisoners.  It's what I'd do in their situation.  So be on the lookout for it.  Work with your areas of speciality.  Those with arcane skills, look for arcane means of hiding or moving the prisoners.  Those good talking to people, try to get someone to trip up and reveal something they shouldn't.  The rest of us, look for hidden compartments, flase walls, that sort of thing.  People are counting on us."

---

ROLL: Cora Renolds rolled 18 using 1d20+5 ((13)). Perception.
ROLL: Cora Renolds rolled 21 using 1d20 ((17)).  Investigation + Guidance.
ROLL:  Cora Renolds rolled 4 using 1d4 ((4)).  Guidance.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:19, Sun 12 Nov 2023.

Fyn was a little tired and a little grumpy. He didn't like this. The captain put up no fuss or protest really. So he started wonder whether they had moved the prisoners on the ship or had a different way to get them off the ship.

...he really hoped that they hadn't like dumped the prisoners overboard or something. That would be a terrible tragedy.

But he followed the others on to the ship and looked around, also watched the crew, though he didn't have much hope of being the one to ferret anything out.

11:42, Today: Fyntrallus Torryn rolled 10 using 1d20+3.  Perception.
11:42, Today: Fyntrallus Torryn rolled 7 using 1d20+1.  Investigation.
11:44, Today: Fyntrallus Torryn rolled 2 using 1d20.  Insight.

"We know that they've had access to magic strong enough to perform teleportation circles. They may use illusions to hide the captives, pocket dimensions, or the like. We may need to cast spells that will allow us to detect magic. Nothing harmful, nothing to invade their thoughts or the like, just something to help us see if there are things hidden in plain sight via magic."

cast Guidance on Cora, use the Help action on Wilfred to give them advantage
This message was last edited by the player at 19:52, Sun 12 Nov 2023.

Annica smiled and looked at the halfling [Language unknown: "Lat was eehotr li sta t usasat omou rihis hi ninoanti, Atre?"]

She keep her eyes opened when she come on the ship, a little uncomfortable on the gangplank with water around her.

Action	Look for any hints the prisoner were moved, if not found, 14 perception
Roll	Today: Annica Montresa rolled 14 using 1d20+8 with rolls of 6.  perception.

Wapi quietly followed along and directed the way to the hold.  He kept his eyes open alert for trouble.

As the Dwarf climbed up, he looked at you all and frowned, but said nothing. Following him were two soldiers, two more staying on the deck. As you made your way up you all recieved glares of barely veiled hatred from most of the sailors. One, however was relaxed - even smiling a half smile

...the captain.

You all pass as she looked at all of you, the smile almost smug in nature as you made for the lower decks. some sailors went to follow, but her voice rang out. "HOLD, you scurvy rats. Let these fools search...." She looked at Cora. "...they'll find nothing here."

You all decend, and with your skills look around. There were stores all through the ship, a main bunk area with hammocks and a large storage area. Don even found a hidden area that held a chest with some coins and what looked like scrolls and a spellbook. Even Wapi took you to the area he saw, but found the area devoid of people - just some old ropes coiled up.

Wilfred, his spellbook out, cast magic to detect the aura's of magic, but found none within the hold, and most of the ship had none except for some magical items the captain and a few crew members had.

It was almost an hour of searching when Brankx called out with a sigh. "WE BE DONE HERE!" the soldiers nodded, and Brankx looked at you all.

Dejected, you all exit the ship, when getting on deck, the smug smiles of the crew loomed over you all. As the last exited teh gangplank, the captain crossed her arms. "You'll be sure the port authorities of fort damale will hear of this."

Brankx, with a grimace, turned and looked at her. "Me apologies fer this intrusion ma'am, but ye understand we need ter make sure of all leads. Ye will be cleared ter sail when ye wish."

The captain nodded, and turned, issuing orders to the crew, as Commander Brankx looked at you all. "Ye have all been a pain in me arse, but damn me ye have frineds in high places.....follow me."

It was clear that was not a request.

---

It wans't long after you were in a meeting room in the military quarter, where brankx had you sitting around a table. The dwarf looked tired as he poured a glass of juice. The room held a central table big enough to hold twenty people, and to the side a smaller table which held a pot with hot coffee, juice and fruit.

He indicated you to hep yourself and to sit. "First and foremost, i want to tell you ye friend won't be joining ye. Her behavior since being arrested has been resistive of th' law, and she will remain here fer a yet undisclosed amount of time. She even went as far as ter beat one of me men when we returned her to her cell." He looked at his juice and shook his head. "Fool o' a woman, that one." He muttered.

He looked up. "As fer the ship, while in emon, ye will be off limits in interacting with her or her crew, though by all sounds the set sail south o' here today as they make south fer dagger bay, some o' the islands, then north and around ter wildemount"

He looks at each of you. "While they're here, ye make trouble fer them, ye join ye friend in the dungeon.....is that clear?"

"Understood, Commander," Cora said simply.  Bureaucracies.  Bloody useless.  By the time they moved, it was always too late.  Already, her mind was working to figure out the next angle, like a dog with a bone.  "Our next point of investigation is south.  We'll need to stock provisions, mounts, and supplies for the journey.  Arbiter Goldhand implied we could requisition funds from the Arms for such a purpose while we were engaged in the search for the missing people."

"May we speak to your quartermaster?"

---

ROLL: Cora Renolds rolled 5 using 1d20 ((5)). Deception.

Echo sighs deeply. "Yep. She's not bright, but damn if she wasn't cute." She shrugs. "She made choices. Moving on, I guess."  She makes a brief guilty look back towards the prison and then focuses on the task at hand.

Echo turns to Cora. "I am much more interested in this mystery now that it's an actual mystery. Yes. Quartermaster. We need supplies."

The dwarf grimaced at the mention of the arbiter and supplies. "I can help ye with that, but things are limited. Ye can be supplied a covered cart with two horses on loan. Ye lose them or they die, ye replace them.  We can also supply a weeks rations and any basic supplies ye need."

Cora sighed.  "Dagger Bay is eleven days away by horse -- a ship will take there in four or five days, but we don't have the coin necessary to hire one."  Looking to the rest of the group, Cora said, "Gather your things -- any supplies you need for the road.  We should leave as soon as possible; we're already going to be almost a week behind them; let's not keep the captives waiting any longer than we have to."

---

OOC: Roll for Guilt Trip?  ;)

"I would like to know how they hid them on that ship!"  Maybe somemore sabotage before we leave, to slow them down?"

"You heard them commander," Cora replied.  "We're not to interfere with the ship while in Emon."

“Then, maybe we should go just outside Emon?

Cora eyed commander Brankx, who was still in the room.  Openly discussing ways to circumvent his edict in front of the dwarf had the possibility to backfire on them spectacularly.  "Let's discuss our next course of action later."

To Brankx, she said, "I still believe the captives -- this a no longer a missing persons case, are being taken to Dagger Bay.  That's our next port of call.  Assuming we can gather our supplies with speed, we could be one the road by midday.  If we find anything untoward, it's a long way back.  Is there a faster way to get a message to you if we need to?"

The dwarf sat listening with crossed arms, not moving. When Cora spoke of not interfering while in Emon, he actually smiled.

"There's a big storm Southwest o' here which should slow th' ship - may biy ye a day. If ye going dagger Bay, and ye leave th' next few hours, ye may gain another day headstart."

He looked at Cora and sighed, and pulled out a stone. "This is a stone o' messaging - was gonna be a gift fer me cousin ter return to cragmaw,  but it can wait. Ye find any information and let me know - only meself and th' arbiter will know ye destination....unless ye blad or followed."

He slid the unassuming rock over. "I be wanting that back lass - I had ter pay a bit at Gilmore's fer that."

He sighed, then looked at them all. "What ye waiting fer - a written Invitation! get ye assessed moving. I'll have a Cart with a week's rations fer each o' you waiting at the west gate in two hours. Now, get outa here!"

He stood up and made for the door, mumbling about troublemakers.

OOC: Added a sending stone to Cora's inventory.

Tucking the stone into her ammo pouch, Cora stood up.  "Thanks for your time," she said to Brankx, then turned and headed for the door.  "Everyone gather what you need -- quickly, and meet at the Western Gate in two hours."

"Cora, let me take a quick look at your corp-issue before we split up. I've got a nice little modification for you that I don't reckon I'm gonna have much need for. I think I've finally got this armor mod working, and I've always been better with my hands than I was with slingin anyway."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:46, Tue 14 Nov 2023.

Fyn frowned as things unfolded. How had they gotten rid of the prisoners? He didn't know. No one knew. But they were gone. And now it was journey to a new place to try and find them, or find out more. He let out a sigh.

"I need to go make sure my mother will be alright for a bit. Wasn't expecting to leave the city."

He shook his head and walked away.