Verse 13
I was greeted by a bunch of happy elves as I climbed back aboard the ship, receiving hearty slaps on the back by the crew and warm greetings from Binkley as I got out of the rowboat I used to scare the pirates off with a disguise of having the plague. The elves wasting no time, continued our journey forth towards NorthHaven and by weeks end we had arrived without additional problems. We anchored out for the night about what the elves called 3 leagues from shore. While Gregol hung over the side of the ship most of the night, Binkley and I talked a little about our expectations within the city, until the stranger shipwrecked by the storm awoke below deck. I went downstairs to find out some more information about him, and surprisingly found him propped up in his bed looking around. For somebody who was in a coma for 2 weeks he was full of questions and vigor. By answering a few questions I was able to learn a little more about him and what happened to him on the ship. I learned that his name was Elendar Silverfern, a guitar player who had signed on to a cargo ship bound for NorthHaven. I let him get some sleep then, and went to bed myself for the night.
In the morning the ship was greeted by a customs official, who after inspecting the ship's wares, escorted us to port. We all quickly filed off of the ship, Gregol leading the pack with great speed as the strong odor of something horrible Binkley called fish accosted my nose. Gregol then began some sort of strange ritual of hugging the ground most affectionately while I took my new wobbly sea legs out for a walk to find a descent inn large enough to fit the party into. The city looks to be a bit drab for the largest city in the land of Coranus, but knowing full well that looks are always deceiving, and being a pro at deceiving at that, I knew that something would break the drabness sooner or later probably while we were still in town of course. Eventually after comparing prices, size, quality, and cuisine; I selected The Grizzly's Paw, an inn in the merchants' district along Tafts Road. Entering behind me , Elendar seemed to be in better health coughing only slightly as he took a seat at one of the tables. I finished securing rooms for 8 and joined him for a drink and a meal.
As we talking a little, Gregol and Binkley entered. Gregol looking for a meal and Binkley excitedly finishing scribing a new recipe in his book. Seeing the 2, I motioned them over to join us and introduced them to Elendar. They greeting each other warmly, then Elendar excused himself as the rigors of his ordeal began to overtake him again.
After Elendar left, I mentioned to Gregol my worries about the moon approaching fullness and the fact that we were in a town this time and not in the middle of the woods. Although he said he felt fine I was not at all assured that would be the case in 3 days or so when the full was at its fullest and with Cahir busy doing something odd, I wasn't sure how well we would be able to keep him under control, especially if he did act up.
I changed the subject back towards Binkley on a topic of almost important note: What did he get for a recipe this time ( who knows I could have wanted it too, since I am a cook after all ). He told me that it was a recipe for fish stew, which I was not at all interested in learning the recipe for so I changed the subject and quietly reminded Binkley that it was about that time of month where Gregol's affliction was going to flare up again. Before he could give me an answer though the room went as silent as the grave and as tense as a gnomish fighter battling a horde of Mind Flayers. A tall dark skinned man, dressed in dark blue silk pantaloons, and a coal black turban entered the room and took a seat in the corner of the inn. Our curiosity of course was immediately peaked as we all wondered who this strange man was and why everybody went quiet and actively avoided looking in his direction, or did it with very short glances. We debated asking some of the sailors about him, but with the tension in the room we decided against it until he actually left. Unfortunately though it was Gregol that caused us to bid a hasty retreat to our rooms as I noticed the first signs of the affliction setting in. It was first the sniffing of the air, which I dismissed as a lingering smell he probably picked up, then it was the slight shivers as if he was cold, which tipped me off to what was going on, then finally as I stood to get him to his room, it was the low throaty sound that made me REALLY hurry him to his room. Some how I knew, it was being near the turbaned man caused this flare up, but its exact cause as to why or how remains a mystery.
Settling down in Gregol's room, Gregol seemed to be more relaxed as me and Binkley were unsure what was going on around here ( although I think we docked at what could be our next nightmare in life, but that is yet to be seen ). It was then that we heard footsteps in the hall, and the dark skinned one walked past our room pausing at our door for but a moment. He looked in and we noticed that he had a dark scar running beneath both his eyes, which flushed a dark red as he half smiled and bowed to us before walking off to the farthest room in the hall with his hand resting on the hilt of his long curved sword that I think I remember a dwarf once calling a scimitar.
With the stranger in his room Binkley went downstairs to discover any information that he could about the turbaned man, while I watched Gregol in his room before he got to sleep. The following is a recap of what he found out after I met up with him again.
It seems that this man's name is Ajiir, captain of an enchanted pirate ship named the Myridon Tess. He is called a Reg., a native of Regilia, a desert country to the west. It seems that one of the sailors had an encounter with the ship and in an attempt to escape his captain ordered the Myridon Tess's sails set ablaze with 3 buckets of oil, burning them down. The ship though it was a blaze and its sails burned asunder kept moving, while its captain, Ajiir calm stood in the burning blaze. The sailor, who told Binkley the story also told him that the ship was equipped with a ram and flew the Jolly Roger, much like the ship that attacked us. Their ship though is run, or so the sailor says, by witch sailors, mages all adorned with tattoos that resemble runes, which they use to control the wind itself. The sailor also told Binkley that Ajiir their captain was the most powerful of them all, able to turn men to stone with his gaze if he so desired, though the sailor never actually saw this happen.
It seems though if I recall right, that Elendar in his fevered sleep, spoke of the Myridon Tess. If that is true that they attacked his cargo ship, it could account for the strange living cloud that attacked his ship, and the island that it went to could very well be Ajiir's base. But for now this verse ends here, as my quill is drying up and the night is pulling my eye lids shut, and I must shift my concentration towards my neighbor in the room next door lest he decide to cause trouble tonight.