In the service of the Lady on the High Seas II

[Storm Munin]

A more or less true accounting of my travels as a comrade in the Hellstorm.
May the Bitch Queen have mercy on all our souls.


Grim, First Lieutenant of the Sea Wolf

[Storm Munin]

The Ballad of the Dry Deeps or Pirates lost in the dark.


Caves! She is missing!
The Captain burst out in an entirely unfathomable and too long tirade to save for the afterworld.
We must gather an expedition and rescue her from the dry deeps!


The barely sober Grim and stout Vicala tried to make the captain see common sense but to no avail. Kalma smacking Vicala in the head with a burning torch when she asked if he had bedded the poor wench probably didnt help much.
After much argument the good insane captain left after having sworn them to arrange things.


So the good captain left the first lieutenant and quartermaster with a delicate problem.

Sure, Grim had been down in the gods acursed city of duskhides though his memories was rather vague on how he got there. But he did know the trade language.
The Captain had first claimed to know the trade langauge as well but it turned out to be infernal, Grim and Vicala perhaps thoughtfully decided not to press the issue.
Also he claimed to have contacts in the city by the name of Morihyenda and perhaps that trader in brown who he had bartered with in the broken goblet was there..
Caves was bound to be found easily if they only got down there he had stated in rather vague terms.
Vicala as ever was a solid rock of common sense among the unreason, fat lot of good it did her.

After some discussion Grim and Vicala identified the problem of finding a willing guide to lead the crew into the dark and horrors. They ended up in agreement on finding an elf since Grim claimed he had heard there were some elves hunting duskhides. Maybe they could hire or snatch one of those?

Spending hours in Beregost finding no elf at all they decided to head north to the Friendly Arms, there was bound to be an elf there to ask questions werent there?
Before they went however Vicala had the sense of suggesting they change their garbs somewhat due to the prolific gatherings of pompous pricks around the Arms.
Vicala was the quicker of the two to change into something smart and turned up in a beige girldress and a brown wig she claimed to have "bought".
Grim on the other hand suffered all hells as he had to cover his tattoes and thus for the first time suited up in chain mail while cursing loudly. He entered the bar while plopping an offgreen fishing hat onto his head.

There the two argued the merits of pants and rods as the door opened!
In suspense they watched a kneehigh hin enter.. still no darn knifeear to be seen.

Nothing to do but to head north...
The trip north was rather uneventful and elffree but they did learn that fishing rods doesnt cut it when goblins attack, not at all.

Outside the walls of the friendly arms all sorts of creepy knights mustered, alas still no elf in sight.
Nervously the pair approached and passed the misled metalheads while disguising themselves as a Lady and her manservant (with a fishing rod).
Standing at the drawbridge Grim made a command decision and they entered the courtyard below the inn. The guards and merchants was there but not a breathing or not-breathing soul else. As the sky grew dark Grim wet his dry lips and suggested there might be an elf indoors, besides there were rooms to be had and Bentley was bound to be grateful for the past rescue of his wife some years back.

They climbed the stairs of the Inn, Grim sweating profusedly by this hour, and entered to find: No elf, in fact not one face not belonging to the local patrons.
Bentley proved not to be grateful at all as he poured them their tankards of stale ale.
While Bentley was preoccupied with that and finding a room key for Vicala Grim told the tale of how he had rescued Bentley's wife and carried out Black's daughter Kat out of the dragon lair while stark naked and surrounded by hoards of ungrateful and quickhanded gnomes and hins. As we all know is true silk and a black dragon's acid does not go well together.
Vicala didnt seem much impressed as he finished, no matter, Grim was used to the slight by now. No one ever believed his true story, well there might have been some rags left of his garbs at the time.

After some small talk while hoping for the appearance of an elf Vicala decided to call it a night and retired to her room after promises from Grim that he would be vigilant on guard.
It is doubtful she believed him since he was halfway into his tankard at the time.
Goodnatured as Grim is he loudly told Bentley to send any elf that came in towards Vicala's bedroom.
Vicala who had just gotten onto the stairs just as loudly called back: As long as it remembers to knock first!

After Vicala was out of the serving room Grim settled back with his tankard by the fireplace to brood.
His student of the blade and the finest barmaid that ever served in Skullport was missing, or was she?


Thus the first chapter of the Ballad of the Dry Deeps ends.