Four horses, their riders, and a donkey with cart travel down a well trodden path. The path had seen much activity in the past, but now was being reclaimed by nature. Few travelers had need to set out to Uskarn these days. Back at the height of it's glory, it had been the central Naval port for the royal navy. Now a days, it was all but forgot save by those that called it home, which were few indeed.
As the travelers made their way along the path, which hugged the coast line, a form on the beach which broke the mosaic of stones, beckoned their attention. The lead rider, a slender looking elf named Gealyn Gustwise, known to his companions as Maverick, raised his hand to halt the group. Pointing out to the form on the beach he announced to his companions;
"Looks like we have a body washed up on shore."
The next rider back, a tall imposing man with a shimmering armor plate, chiseled jaw, and a terrific smile (if you asked him)shot a glance over his shoulder to the traveler at the back and said;
"Plague! Go poke it with your stick. See if it's dead."
From the back of the group, a small goblin, wearing not much more than some rags, being covered in flies, and an animal skull for a cap, maneuvered his horse out from the group and began to make for the form on the beach. Behind him, a small trail of flies tried to keep pace, like they were part of a cloak made of flies, as he sped towards the body on the beach.
Upon arriving at the waterlogged form, Plague proceeded to dismount from his steed and shuffle up next to the body. With a little cackle and a few pokes of his stick, he tuned back to the group and said;
"I think he's dead"
The body sported some homespun, and threadbare pants. Otherwise, the skin was all wrinkly and pale. Small chunks were missing prom parts of his body, perhaps the result of hitting the rocks on the shore. Gealyn and the second rider, a human women named Erme Wareye, made their way on their horses over to where Plague was. Erme jumped off her horse and knelt beside the body, taking a look over it. Looking back at the group she said;
"My guess is that he died of exhaustion from swimming. I don't see any islands around here. Maybe he got swept away from Uskarn?"
The lone traveler, with the gleaming armor, who hadn't left the trail to see the body, grunted and nodded towards the direction of Uskarn.
"Make a note of it, and we'll let the towns people know. No need to sully our group with a corps."
Gealyn nodded back.
"Yes Finn"
The group remounted their horses and set back out down the path towards Uskarn.
The rest of the journey remained uneventful. The path winded the shore and eventually made its way down a small hill to the arches that denoted the entrance to the city. Urskarn was a sad looking town. Many large buildings, with many windows boarded up. A town built to house hundreds, now home to maybe a dozen or so. Large docks protruded into the ocean, capable of accommodating several large navel vessels. They were now used by only two or three small fishing ships. There was a little activity at one of the ships, as a small stack of supplies was on the dock next to it with a very skinny half-Ork taking inventory of what was present.
As the travelers approached the arch that denoted the edge of town, the lone guard leaning against it opened her eyes in amazement as the group drew closer. Now standing more upright, she spoke to them as they entered the last few feet to the arch;
"What's a group of Gunnards doing here? I haven't heard of your impending arrival." Eyeing the lot up and down she quickly added, " There's nothing in this town to even guard!"
Gealyn was the first to speak up.
"We're part of the Treasure Takers division. We're not here to protect anyone or anything."
The guard nodded.
"Well then, you'll want to speak with Merrick." she said as she reached behind the arch and hoisted a flag up so that it billowed in the breeze.
The group stood around for a moment or so before a short diminutive figure emerged from one of the buildings and made it's way towards the group. As the individual drew closer, the party could make out a Halfling man. He was gruff looking and wore what looked like a naval uniform, with some alterations to accommodate his short stature. He chuckled before speaking in a deep voice;
"Ah! Some Gunnards eh? What could possibly bring you lot to our, hm, humble town?"
Erme spoke up;
"As we were informing your guard, we're part of the Treasure Takers division. We've been sent here to locate the wreak of the Tammeraut. Perhaps you know where we might start our search?
Merrick eyed them up and down and with a little snort, beckoned them to follow him into town. The party fell in tow and followed him through the town. Much as they'd seen on their approach to the town, the buildings were all looking run down. Many of the windows had been boarded up and if it weren't for the few people moving around, one might have thought this was a ghost town. What was still in use looked well maintained.
Soon, the party arrived at a building that looked like it used to be a large store house for the naval fleet.
As with many other buildings they'd passed, several of the windows were covered in planks, but this one had a few choice windows with views of the ocean left uncovered. Merrick stopped in front of a small door with a little wooden sign affixed above that read Fog & Frog in faded gold paint. He gestured across the way to a near by wooden beam.
"You can secure your horses over there. Then please join me inside."
Gealyn dismounted first and collected the reigns of the other party members horses and tied them off as each member of the group made their way into the Fog & Frog.
Upon entering the building, the party could see that this building had been repurposed into an inn of sorts. Where there had been a few offices above, presumably for the dock master and other high ranking dock hands, they seem to have been converted into rooms. A small portion of the vast store house's space had been marked off with barrels and crates to form the perimeter of the dinning space that the party now found themselves in. Merrick walked over to a near by table, one of a few that had not had its chairs stored on the table, and pulled a chair out and sat down. Gesturing to the rest of the party to join him, each took a seat around the table.
Merrick eyed the group.
"So...the Tammeraut you say?"
"Yes..." trailed off Finn, mostly for dramatic effect, "But first, perhaps we should get something to eat?" Finn raised his chin and flashed one of his signature smiles. "I don't know about the group, but I'm pretty famished after an all night caravan ride and we can't operate at our peak, eh, performance if we don't grab a bite to eat."
"Well, Skeldruff won't be up for a bit I'd wager." Chuckled Merrick. "But when he wakes up, he'll probably be able to fix you a dish. We usually eat around mid morning."
"What do you mean when he wakes up? How's an establishment such as this expected to make coin with that kind of service?" Finn replied sounding dejected.
"You may not have noticed on our walk over here, but there is barely anyone living here nowadays. Most of us have our meals together as a town, since there are so few of us left. Best I might be able to fix for you now is some of the house's specialty, Plenk's Plonk."
Finn made an expression of revulsion before responding;
"I think I'll pass. It doesn't sound marvelous enough for me to sully myself with it's consumption."
The group did a bit of a mock nod while rolling their eyes at Finn's reaction.
Gealyn cleared his throat before interjecting;
"There is also the matter of a body we found washed a shore a few miles back. You may want to send someone to collect him."
"A body?" inquired Merrick.
"Yes." replied Erme, "An older looking man, no real markings on him. Looks like he might have been out for a swim and the current swept him away. Is anyone missing from your town?"
Merrick sat back in his chair and pondered for a moment before replying;
"Not anyone in town. He might be from the hermitage on Firewatch Island."
"Well he looked like this..." Gealyn started before he stood up. His skin began to look like ripples on a pond as he then shimmered into the form of the dead body they had seen on the beach.
Merrick leapt out of his chair in surprise at what he'd just witnessed. After taking a moment to collect himself and then taking a closer look and Gealyn's new form, he grew visibly saddened. Gealyn shifted back into his previous form as he and Merrick retook their seats.
"Aye, that looks to be like old Philipert. He's an old sailor who's settled into the hermitage. Poor soul."
"What can you tell us about the hermitage?" asked Erme.
"It's on Firewatch Island, just over the horizon, beyond the port. Back when the Royal navy called this port home, the island was where they had a fort, like an early warning system. After they pulled out from the region, a group of hermits moved in and setup the hermitage. They worship some God....what's his name again?" Merrick drifted in thought for a moment.
"Ah yes! Valkur! They worship Valkur. A God of the seas."
"I'm surprised anyone worships a Deity these days" remarked Gealyn.
"Nothing good ever comes from it" grunted Finn, in his marvelous way.
"But regardless," interjected Gealyn, "we're after the wreak of the Tammeraut. What do you know of it? Our brief says it sunk around these parts roughly 10 years ago."
Merrick fixed the group in his gaze;
"I don't know much about it. Around ten years ago was when the navy pulled out of here. I've heard tales that the Tammeraut was some kind of pirate ship. It was captained by one of the fiercest pirates in these parts, uh, what was his name again...." Merrick trailed off. "...well no matter. But that's about all I know. You might be better off talking to some of the folks who were around during that time. They might know."
"And who might some of them be?" Inquired Erme.
"Well, there's old Vortamin. Little druid fellow who runs the cheese shop down the road. You might also want to talk to our book shop owner, Bells Bellweather. She knows a bit about the local legends, might even be able to tell you some juicy bits about your ship wreak. And maybe Valissia Arrowen. She's a local guild for these parts. She might know something as well."
Plague looked up a Merrick at the mention of juicy bits and in a raspy voice asked;
"What kind of juicy bits can you find in information?"
"All sorts my, erm, good lad." replied Merrick, as he reached into a basket that was resting on a crate behind his seat. He pulled something out and tossed it across the table at Plague.
"Why even in this menu you can find juicy bits of information!"
Plague eyed the menu, which wasn't bigger than a pamphlet. Her spun it around in his hands, pretending like he knew how to read, then he brought it back to it's original position, promptly taking a bite out of the corner of the menu. Chewing it for a moment while the others looked on in disgust. He then spit it out onto the floor. Not wanting to let the other know he hadn't really tasted anything juicy about the menu, he grinned and replied;
"Ah yes! Very juicy indeed!"
"Perhaps this Valissia could guide us to some food." bemoaned Finn.
Merrick chuckled again at Finn's comment. "We lad, these parts are known for some large cap mushrooms. She'll be able to easily guide you to them."
Finn wasn't amused by the advise.
"Well, if that will be all." said Merrick standing up, "Then I've got to be off. Feel free to roam the city, but don't cause any trouble." And with that, he lead the party out the door they had come in. Merrick began walking away from the harbor front where the party now stood pondering their next move.
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