Fabled Wandering

Having learned that only those holding Joe can hear his voice and though magic is common, walking around talking to a chess piece has never gone well so you decide to wake him up and talk with him later. The docks are easy enough to find and it only takes a few minutes to find this Corwin.
An older human male, Corwin sits in a little office with a window writing something out on papers and placing these in dispatch pouches or into slots on a cupboard behind himself. In asking about for directions you learn a bit more about the the job. Mercenaries, usually in small groups, have been hired as guards while others have signed on as scouts to explore some ruins down river. They have hired an assortment of other basic laborers as well as a few basic service and craft specialist. The pay is good but anyone they take is required to sign a magic pact of secrecy so can say noting about the expedition.

In the morning you are at the docs before the suns first rays according the the instructions from Corwin. He arrives about half an hour later and points out a boat that is getting loaded under the careful eye and sharp orders of the boats captain. Walking up at the urging of Corewin you are stopped abruptly by a snapped command from the captain.
Stand out of the way or you'll end up in the drink!

A youth of 8 to 10 years tugs at your sleeves and whispers This way. Follow me and he flashes you as smile as he weaves through the boatmen hauling crates and large sacks. You follow closely behind and manage to board the boat and follow the boy to a corner at the front. Names Nel. My Da owns this boat and I'm in training. again followed by the youths big and energetic smile.

Pointing at Fable he says You look tough and then to Meek You look fluffy. Can you really fly? I wish I could fly some times but I figure it's like swimming and Ma says I'm half otter causin I swim better than any 2 other boys. and another big grin.

Fable quickly learns that as long as the play does not affect the ship, and isn't blatant or involving Nel, then Hank does not seem to notice the litle games he organizes. He learns from the men that the captain prefers card games and the like as he is a shrewd judge of character and read men without revealing anything of himself.

Meep's nausu is unsettling but Nel is quick to save his new friend,. The nxt time they pause Nell returns to the boat with an armful of branches to craft the "biirdman" a nest.
Pretend you are in a tree. when the wind blows they sway. I've seen em. The rivers the same. Meeps realizes its discomfert was more with the water than the motion. Feeling better Meep and Nel swap fishing techniques and catch enough for a nice meal of grilled fish You do cook your food dont you? Nel ask, with a touch of unease, staring at Meeps talons and beak.

By the third day trafic on the rivver has dwindled to just your craft and Hank becomes even more allert and curtails several of Fables games when he "dosn't like the way the river feels". During one such time you spy another raft headint upriver. The barge is smaller than Hanks flat bottom river boat and moves slowly up river.

Dont recognize that as one of the expedition vessels . . . Hank mutters staring keenly at the aproaching boat Get ready but dont show it he tells his men and Nel passes the instruction to you before dissapearing somewhere in the crates that fill the midle of the boat.

As your boats draw closer one of the men mutters a warning Another boat to the rear. Two now. Moving quick.

Toss it, bloody pirates on the river. Gale, grab the oar. Kornik back him up. Everyone get shields ready. As soon as the first fires on us take them. I wont start it but I aim to come out of it. and he strides to the front of the boat.
You to stay on me. The barge will likely try to stall us for the other two and not show any aggression but I ant stoppin no matter what. I need you two to keep them off my boat. This is MY boat. on here my word is law. Any of them touch it with a hand to pole and you make sure whatever they used cant be used again. You hear me. and he looks both of you in the eye.

He instructs four of the other men to speed up the boat and they lay into their long poled oars as the two larges move to the front with a couple of thick rods that they heft like clubs as they bracket the captain between them as they stand ready.

The barge ahead of you, which has 8 men aboard, suddenly lurches directly into your path. Though the men turn your boar hard you still pass too close. Hooked poles and grappling hooks land on the boat and begin pulling the boats together.
Cut us free before the other boats can close in Hank hollers as he draws his sword and hacks at the men form the other boat. The two men grip the rods, which suddenly expand into thick poles about 8 feet long, and move while swinging in an attempt to keep the boarders from crossing to your vessel.