Chapter 3: Maulia Encounters

A dockmaster waves the Whisker toward one of the larger docks and calls out in thickly accented common, "

"Listen! Don't be pushin' dat ship any further into port, ya hear? Di space be tricky. Spin dat wheel, turn dat ship to dis spot. We be lookin' out for ya, no wantin' no mishaps in our paradise."

Jin, Tasya, and Misha are on deck with Admiral, Taresh, and Skeev. The circus members look on with longing and anticipation, noticeably scanning the port the Whisker enters for their own ship.

Tasya's small sprite companion, Petalwing, leaps from Tasya's shoulder onto the ship's rail, "Pretty-pretty." She points to a waterway that runs through the village. (It looks like Maulia is built on the mouth of a river.) "Friends of fey here. Lady Oceana too."

Regan is amazed how well the two members of the Order of the Shadow know the small vessel they navigated to Elegy Island in pursuit of the ship--that Taresh apparently boarded after abandoning the Iron Ring vessel out side of Jahore port. They were lucky to spot the large ship on the horizon and follow it, while using Veilmaster Samin's amulet to keep out of sight. Despite the disadvantage they had in their small vessel, they were still able to effectively follow the ship even when waters got rough.

Now...they are not too far behind the ship--which Regan can discern is a pirate vessel--the pirate ship pulls into a village port. Regan's vessel, still conceal by shadow force, approaches the port as well.

Cordey, already working away at Hideaway Ship Hire caulking and repairing some planks on a small boat, can't get his mind off of something that Lelay had pleaded this morning as he got out from the sheets.

"Lover, please don't go from me yet. Something's different in de air. I been dreaming the night about you being greater dan ya even know. De side of ya dat ain't human, it be callin', de voices of de ancient ones, be whisperin' dis to me."

Cordey works and her words keep playing in his head. His mind does get pulled away from her words when he notices the tall mast of a large brig sail into port. He knows every ship in port and every ship that comes through here. This is not one of them.

Packed up and curious, Cordey heads to the port. As he leaves Hideaway Ship Hire, his 'boss', Martin, a hefty non-native middle-aged man, calls from the warehouse, "Hey, you saw that too...Good. A big one, huh? See if you can find out what work they need done. If they seem like they'll be coming back through, give 'em the discounted rates."

As Cordey approaches the dock and gets a better look, the ship's colors are not flying, but his prior sailor experience tells him that the large brig is likely a pirate ship making port in this remote village. Fortunately it is not the Korta.

Cordey sees Peda, the dockmaster, a tall, strong dark-skinned man guiding the ship toward the larger dock that he stands on at the mouth of the port. (Cordey knows from experience at the local tavern that Peda can hold his liquor exceedingly well.)

On the deck of the ship he notices a lanky ginger Rakasta captain, issuing commands to the ship's crew. This captain wears some kind of tattered old naval officer’s coat. The fabric has faded in the sun but it looks like it used to be purple. His ears are pierced and his fur is ruffled and unkempt. Overall, he reminds one less of a majestic lion or a fearsome tiger and more of a scrawny alley cat. He looks like he almost certainly has fleas.

The ship, the captain, and the crew--busily jumping to their captain's orders to bring the ship to Peda's direction--certainly have the air of 'pirate'. But there is more to this ship's story than simply a crew of pirates looking for a place to hide out, drink and spend their spoils.

There is also a colorful group on deck, dressed in eclectic clothing styles; they look to be performers, a circus troupe maybe. Cordey can easily see that they are not crew members; they appear more like passengers who booked passage on this vessel. They peer over the ship's rails with anticipation. This strikes Cordey as an odd coincidence, because yesterday a drunk local in the tavern claimed he had seen a large ship with a circus tent on top of it come into port at night and then vanish into thin air. Everyone in the tavern laughed at him.

And if that all isn't interesting enough, near the captain Cordey spots a small fey creature leap on the ship's rail. So this so ship even has a sprite aboard...as well as a goblin and what appears to be a Sindhi monk.

Cordey makes it to the dock Peda stands on and directs the ship to. Peda gives Cordey a friendly nod and says in a low booming tone, "Here for dis business? No waistin' time ya be."

Pete steers the Whisker in easy and Morgan throws a line to the dockmaster, who tethers it to a post and calls for another line. Morgan yells to another pirate further down to throw a line.

Admiral sees the dockmaster, a tall, strong dark-skinned man give a nod to and address a huge husky male that walks up to the dock. He stands a good six feet, one inch tall, a massive chunk of man. He looks to be in his later twenties. His longer straight black hair has a blue-green sheen when the light hits it right. His hazel eyes always seem to be watching. There is no doubt he is Half-Sea Elf with the membrane webbing between his fingers, his gills and those long ears. He sports a cheap beard and mustache.

Regan has not learned either of the two Order of the Shadow agents' names as they kept mostly silent during the four-day journey. One of them responds to Regan's question, "We are ordered to stay with you if you request us, but I feel it would be wise for us to soon report back to Veilmaster Samin and make him aware that our search for Brother Taresh has led us to the very place Lord Dinesh Ganesha's circus ship was secretly delivered. This is an unlikely coincidence."

As it stands, Regan's boat is a few hundred feet outside the port. It may be possible to attempt to dock at an empty dock inside this relatively small port. It would also be possible move away from the port to drop an anchor in a lagoon Regan spotted slightly north of Maulia. The small vessel is still under the shadow protection of the amulet and Regan is confident that the boat and those on board are not currently visible to the natural eye. But he knows the boat still produces its own wake, its sails make sound in the wind, and its crashes on the waves are audible. Regan suspects one with sharp senses may--even if with much difficulty--discern the close presence of this small ship.

While Regan muses and watches the activity at the port, he notices the colorful group of performer-types, but he particularly watches the Sindhi monk standing on deck of the brig.

"We have sufficient supplies to make the voyage back," replies the shadow agent. "We can bring you close to shore in the lagoon if you wish and rest there ourselves before making the journey back to Sind."

While the dockmaster shouts to the crew and ship's Rakasta captain issues them orders, the monk-on-board's attention moves toward the sea. With the ship still being moored, the Rakasta leaps to the dock near the dockmaster where a large man--who has elven ears and long black hair that catches a blue-green sheen--is standing with him.

As the activity on the dock unfolds a foggy mist suddenly envelopes Regan's boat and mostly obscures the sight of the dock.

The ship continues to get moored up and Peda responds to Cordey's query about the circus troupe on board the brig, "I do see dem on the deck of dat ship, you know. Maybe dey taking a break right here before they be sailin' off to Ierendi island for a show. Dem accommodations on dis kinda ship lookin' kinda strange for der passage, eh?" Perda lets out a low pitched chuckle, "Hehe...Maybe dey on the hunt for dat tent boat Rafa was rantin' 'bout...dat crazy drunk always got some wild tales."

Before Cordey can respond the Rakasta captian leaps from the brig, landing lightly on the dock. He bounds over to talk with Peda and Cordey as his crew finishes securing the ship to the dock. "Ahoy there! Thanks for the help. What a pretty harbour you’ve got here! We ought to stop by Elegy more often, I reckon." He extends a hand for a handshake as he introduces himself. "Captain Admiral of the Whisker."

The trio on the dock suddenly realizes that a chilly foggy mist has quickly rolled into port, enveloping the Whisker's hull and obscuring most of the smaller docked boats.

On Cordey's invite Peda interjects,"We only got two docks big enough for a ship like yours, ya know. Your crew and passengers, they good here, no charge. Just relax in 'dis paradise, enjoy, and spread that gold 'round town. But, listen up, if another hefty ship rolls into port, we ask for a lil' sumthin' – 10 gold a day."

Admiral asks about spotting the circus ship, Peda laughs, "Dem passengers of yours, dey ought to ask crazy Rafa, y'know. If you be one for the spirits, he ain't too tough to locate – always floatin' 'round da tavern."

The fog rolls in...Peda looks uneasy and responds to Admiral question about it giving a bad feeling, "They say the mist be Donatello "The Black" warning pirates with eyes on robbin' the ol' graves their ill-fate. I'm no pirate, but dat sends a chill through me bones, aye."

"Well...our journey back would be swift, safe, and undetected by any eyes on the seas if your allowed the amulet to remain with our vessel. Otherwise we will be fine," replies the shadow agent.
...

Regan and the two agents easily bring the boat to the lagoon about a 1/2 mile north of Maulia. The lagoon, which is absent of the thick foggy mist, is truly beautiful as water droplets from rushing falls create a lingering rainbow. They are able to navigate the vessel through the deepest parts of the overall shallow waters to a spot close to the shore and anchor the boat.

A few minutes into the trek toward Maulia, Regan comes across a narrow stream that is connected to a small pool. A wide mossy old log makes a natural bridge across the pool. (Regan could go around the pool without crossing the log. )The stream itself slopes slightly upward in altitude as it stretches west into the forest. As Regan stands at the log, he makes the realization that the water seems to be flowing away from the pool instead of into it. It defies gravity and flows west and upward in altitude.

Regan hears some faint chuckling echo in the forest. He then catches a glint of a flutter shoot quickly across the backward-flowing stream further into the bush.

Peda, responding to both Cordey and Admiral, says, "I meself gotta watch ova' de dock for a few more hours, ya kno'. I ain't likin' dis change in de weatha' at all. Gonna make sure everyting be secure."

Sherwood calls from the deck of the ship, "Aye, Captain...Morgan, Pete, and I will stay. We'll be securin' everythin' on the ship and watchin' these seas." He squints at the waters now obscured by the fog, raising a suspicious brow. "I'm not likin' the looks of this weather either, aye."

The goblin Skeev steps to the rail, eyes the human village somewhat apprehensively, and says, "Um...I'll stay and watch the ship too, captain."

The circus troupe happily takes Admiral and Cordey up on the offer. Their young leader (Jin), dressed in a frilly white shirt and a purple vest, puts on a feathered purple top hat and heads up his troupe. He is followed by a fit young acrobat (Tasya), and an assortment of other colorful individuals, including a Rakasta strongman (Caspian).

The Whisker crew members follow behind them, a few pulling their coin pouch from their belts and excitedly counting coins as they walk.

Cordey notices that a few members of the crew stay close to a tattooed woman who looks like she may be a barbarian woman from the southern continent of Davanian. Those who follow her don't have the air of pirates; instead they look more like average townsfolk themselves, but actually appear rather thin and in need of a good meal and rest. If fact, how they cling to the woman makes Cordey suspect they were recently rescued from some ill fate. Maulia may do them some good.

A Sindhi monk is next to take to the dock. He calmly and collectedly looks around and gives a cordial nod to Cordey and Peda.

Surprisingly to Admiral, the figure that takes up the rear of the procession is his former firstmate Tarron. The half-elf moves laboriously, with a walking stick, as if he still recovers from wounds, but he looks relieved to be going into port.

The fog still lingers in air. Some pirates standing on the dock whisper about bad omens and storms to come. A circus member can be heard saying, "It was so beautiful here just minutes ago." Looking past the docks toward town all can see that the fog now seems to be spreading into the village itself.