1 Soul Bound
1.2 Taking Control
1.2.4 An Artful Carnivale
1.2.4.10 Captains courageous
overheard conversation at The Lobster Pot
Verrocchio: “... and I say it couldn’t have been Rutger. He may stuff his pockets, but he’s too much of a coward for this. He doesn’t like risks.”
Leggera: “Well someone’s been leaking the convoy schedules. If it wasn’t Rutger, how did the pirates plan their hit on the Speranza?”
Verrocchio: “There were 20 galleys in that convoy. It could have been just bad luck that the one they sank happened to be the one carrying copper and silver loaded at Jazdow, rather than grain and timber like the others. You know Jazdow is jinxed.”
Leggera: “Not a chance. Think back. We saw a group of three pirates coming out of a fog bank with plenty of time to intercept. We thought they’d mis-timed things and moved to engage. Then the fog grew dark, spreading like reaching tentacles, and a chill went down our spines as we saw the outline of The Scourge itself bearing down upon us.”
Verrocchio: “It was a narrow thing, fair enough. I couldn’t move a muscle until you started that strange dance of yours, clashing your swords together and shouting mighty invocations. A blazing star sped forth from your shining blades that pushed back the gloom, I raised a flag ordering the convoy to flee for port, and we only just managed to escape ourselves by raising every square meter of sail we had and rowing for our lives. I thought at one point the bosun was going to hang his spare shirt off the bowsprit as a spinnaker.”
Leggera: “It was too easy. They could have brought us to action if they’d tried harder. We weren’t their goal. While we were driven south by The Scourge, five more pirates were lurking in an inlet between the galleys and Spoleto, their nearest safe point to retreat to. They waited for half the galleys to pass them before emerging, sinking the Speranza, then sailing off. That wasn’t bad luck. That was a planned ambush, targeted at a specific ship, or I’m a Scorpioni.”
Even across the room Kafana could tell from Leggera’s posture that she was daring him to say she was wrong.
Verrocchio: “Which you certainly are not, Leggera; you’re my tenente and a bloody good one at that. But even if King Gideon did know about the Speranza’s cargo, what makes you think the information leaked from the Saints branch in Torello, rather than in Pentapolis or from one of the galley crews being indiscrete?”
Stolen novel; please report.
Leggera: “Because there’s a pattern, and Torello’s the common factor. I was talking earlier to Master Gimet of Tridella, Gimet and Mazoni. He said their brass fittings production is weeks behind schedule because he can’t obtain copper for love nor money. This isn’t the first ship carrying metals that’s been sunk recently, or even the fifth; but it is only ships whose destination is Torello. Gideon’s hoard have hit so many that captains are starting to refuse to take it on board, saying their crews think it's bad luck. Even Dionigi of the Occhiali would have a hard time of it. We’re losing their trust, Verrocchio, and that’s bad for business. If they don’t trust the Saints to keep them safe, they won’t pay us.”
Verrocchio: “Damn.”
After a pause her listening spell picked up his quiet mutter to himself: “I didn’t want it to be us. Damn.”
Verrocchio: “Look into it, tenente. Discreetly.”
Leggera: “Aye aye, Captain.”
System: [Quest available: “Find the Leak” - discover who’s leaking the convoy schedules to the pirates. Difficulty level C. This quest starts a quest chain. Do you wish to accept?]
Kafana: {Sys, is there any downside to accepting a quest? Sometimes you ask, and sometimes you don’t. Why is that?}
System: [I do not make the decision for you, friend Kafana. I just document what you decide. Sometimes your intent is obvious from what you think or have said to someone. Sometimes I’m not sure what your decision is, so I ask. Usually there is no downside, unless you lead a quest giver to depend upon you then let them down, or an opponent discovers your intentions. That would not apply in this case.]
Wellington: {I advise accepting. If we fail or don’t find time to attempt the quest, we simply won’t get in contact with Leggera.}
She made up her mind; but before she could voice her decision, Sys spoke to her.
System: [Quest accepted.]
System: [Quest advisory: you will not receive any rewards for this quest if another group hands evidence to Tenente Leggera, of the Saint’s galleass Torre Vigile, before you do.]
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Leonid had departed and the group were listening to Lazarillo telling a tall tale about whirlpools, Captain Nafaro, and naked women cavorting in the sea far from the sight of land when she dismissed her spell.
Wellington: {Well, that was interesting. Thank you Kafana.}
Bulgaria: {It worked?}
Wellington: {Extremely well. We also learned quite a bit about the pirates.}
He proceeded to update the others on what they’d heard and had started to analyse the finer points of lateen-rigging armed escort galleass, and their chances of outrunning a square-rigged galleon under different scenarios, when they were interrupted by the clamour of a ship’s bell, hung by the bar, being rung several times in a row. It sounded similar in tone to the bells that rang out the hours all through Torello, which were so familiar now that they’d faded from her consciousness, but the ring pattern was different and hastier. All eyes turned to watch.