Tales of the Mud Road #4a
The party prise open the slimy chest that had been inside the late Captain Billy. A threadbare carpet of loose coin struggles to cover the bottom of the box, which also contains a brace of tarnished silver pistols and a carefully folded scrap of papyrus. Dravis examines the parchment and realises it is part of a treasure map. Dravis recalls an old story that his father used to tell, concerning four legendary pirates who consolidated their individual fortunes into one enormous cache. Each pirate possessed a piece of the map, but all four fragments were required to find the treasure. The names of the four legendary pirates were; William Wugg, Buckler Swash, Sabine Vega & Kurzt Bulkizz. Dravis commits this piece of the map to memory, wondering if he will ever find the other three.
Davernoch walks among the dead, contemplating his own sorry state of mortal ambiguity. He hears a pained groan and finds that Eaymor Mudd was not killed after all, although both his legs have been blown off at the knees. Eya weeps when she is reunited with her crippled father, simultaneously overjoyed that he is alive, yet horrified by his gruesome stumps.
The heroes return to the trading post and find Captain Faehorn’s skiff moored beside the Mudlark. Algernon has arranged passage south to Stormsong Firth, while Guard Owun will accompany the party back to Knightsbridge, to confirm the success of their mission and relay the sad news of Guard Davis’ disintegration. During the voyage, the party rest and recover from their injuries.
Soon, the thorny banks of the marsh are left behind as the Mudlark sails toward civilization. Dane leaves to check in with his underworld contacts, while the rest of the party head to the sheriff’s office to collect their reward. Impressed by Guard Owun’s report, Sheriff Truman asks the heroes to help prevent a gang war in Knightsbridge. He leads the group to a warehouse on the waterfront.
“If you’ve got a weak stomach, might be best you wait out here,” the lawman warns, “This ain’t a pretty sight.”
Davernoch doesn’t have a stomach (or any other internal organs), he follows the sheriff inside. Bloody, partially eaten bodies litter the floor; most of them dwarves. Davernoch examines the corpses and observes that they were killed by a large swarm of vicious rodents. Sheriff Truman directs the wizard’s attention to a particularly disfigured specimen, identifying the deceased as Bart Barrelard, second in command of the Blackpowder Boys.
“Bart was a real piece of work and I ain’t gonna’ miss the bastard,” Truman said, “But his brother Bort is gonna’ tear this town apart looking for someone to blame for what happened here. Hell, I don’t even know what happened here! If you can figure that out and put a stop to it, might be I’ll make it worth your trouble.”
While the heroes ponder where to begin their investigation, they are approached by an urchin handing out coupons for Moon’s Most Marvellous Mobile Magical Marketorium, offering a free (magical) balloon with every (magical) purchase. The party go shopping! A crowd has gathered outside the Marketorium, enchanted by the wondrous displays in the shop window. Suddenly, a mother cries out in alarm as her young child is lifted off the ground by the (magical) balloon clutched in his tiny hand. The heroes leap into action and rescue the airborne infant before he drifts off into the sunset. Ringo Moon, proprietor of the sorcerous supermarket thanks the heroes for helping him avoid another nasty lawsuit and welcomes them to his store. Dravis spends all his gold on a jewel encrusted scabbard granting him the Quick Edge, while Elfie exchanges his coin for an Eavesdroppers Hood that enhances his innate ability to intrude on other people's private conversations. Yi eyes up a golden Helm of Heroism (free re-roll on failed saves against fear) but cannot afford the asking price. Davernoch buys the helm as a gift to the penniless monk.
“Thank-you for your business!” Ringo hoots, ushering the party onto the street, “All transactions are, of course, final. No refunds, returns, rebates, reimbursement, restitution, remuneration or regrets! I do hope to see you again soon!”
Slamming the door behind them, the shop disappears in a cloud of noxious blue smoke, leaving behind an empty lot sandwiched between two other buildings.