Pirates may not read, but they can count

When the dust of the last skeleton flew over the entrance, our champions were already shouting at Alast. Why killing Marghal? Gustavius tried to punch Alast's face , but only the will wasn't enough and he only hit him hard. Where only a male knows how much it can. This situation was getting far from hand when Lightning kicked Alast's face, this time much easier, as he was contortioning himself on the floor, near the pool of blood that Marghal was still pouring over the corridor.
As usual, and thankfully for Alast, the strong Telchos warrior didn't react with only Erleothir coming to the rescue of the fallen, but hasty, companion. It stopped them, after they checked his backpack which wasn't really interesting. After Alast woke up, Gustavius seemed to excuse himself as he didn't realise that his dwarven accolade was too much for a youngster. Meanwhile Mulchanor was silently looking at this unexpected turn of events.

Too much conversations made Griselda impatient, as usual, making her leave the group to walk out the dark corridor. Lightning was showing, again, signs of sickness, seemed to be Tunnel-sickness... This mage is really one of the kind.

Outside, Griselda found a Dead raccoon. Griselda was happy with a nice free raw meal for this savage woman. Soon she discovered it wasn't dead by chance, but by a bullet. Mulchanor didn't blink, but he knew this one was another of his missed hits. Alast tried a piece also, but tried to remove the balls from it.
- Bullets! corrected Lightning, but Alast wasn't talking about the uninvited piece of metal in the raccoon. More likely he was referring to the genitals of the animal. As all the company saw, mammals are not the first skill learned on a boat. It was a female.

Now all together, they checked with much less suspicion the surrounding. Walls of mountains were keeping them inside, but they could clearly see a lesser ground, hills maybe, a few meters before the steps of the mountain. After some minutes looking they decided to go back to the ship, as soon as they discovered in which direction to go. Erleothir opened the march and fall. Now his face was really proving he had known the heat of battle. A violet-blue color was now adorning his forehead and left eyes. Erleothir's pride was the most injured so, they walked back til a sound stopped them. It seemed a bird, but a big one. Immediately Griselda looked in front and spotted the boat. Too bad to sound came from behind. She turned and saw nothing, even with her accurate Telchos eyes.

Another discussion fired up, splitting the company. Griselda followed by Lightining and Erleothir while Alast was coming back to the boat. The dwarves stood, stoic, trying to be more stubborn of anyone of them. As no more sound came up from the hills, they all decided to follow Alast, the punched captain.

Amazingly, they reached the safe harbor were the little boat was waiting, with the pirate guardian. As a sign of friendship Alast offered him a portion of female raccoon. He quickly declined. But now they had a problem. A 6 men boat for 7. To not escape the rule, a discussion aroused, not involving violence this time, where they decided with quite good rapidity to send Erleothir, Alast and Griselda which raised their hand faster. When it turned out to decide whom would be rowing, only Erleothir wasn't realizing that keeping his hand up will mean more work out for the day.
Reaching finally the Albatros, Alast Inquired about what happened since they left. The sailors talked about a dragon flying to the island. Probably the big bird sound they heard... 2 mariners took the little boat back to the island to get the second part of the team. As the Albatross waited for the next group of adventurers none of them noted, the quick looks exchanged between the old sailors, taking position all over the boat.
As Lightning set his feet on the boat and Mulchanor started to take the rope ladder up, one of the mariners hailed Alast.
-Captain! Huldrak didn't pay for one more on board...
-Well, it's not my problem. Can he comes up?

All the sailors were now with their weapons ready. Erleothir also, but it was a lost battle even before it would start. Surrounded, outnumbered and badly positioned. Could be very difficult to find worse combat situation. Maybe Alast could risk a bluff...

-It depends on much you want to pay...
-Me? Paying? Why? How much do you want?
-How much do you have?
-Mulchanor mechanicaly said the truth, 102 golds!
-We'll take that as a fee for the trip.

The bluff went extremely well, just too bad Alast did not even tried to save some of the money.... Weapons were put aside. Money was given. Smiles of relief shined on everyone's faces. Except of Mulchanor. Still stoic, but with a strange look in his eyes while he looked at Alast. Only long time after being carried back to Huldrak they all realized how they were easily tricked by old sailors.

At least the Mariners decided to prepare a feast of a meal for the company during the way back. But Griselda did not felt like eating; her wound still hurting her, she decided to go to the cabin and rest a while. Meanwhile the company happily discussed on how surprisingly easy that small trip was but they had the sad feeling of failure after Marghal was killed even before some informations could be gathered. Then someone remembered the black scroll they had found on the tabe in the crypt, Lightning had it in his backpack. It was sill sealed and they could not decide to open it and have a look at it by themselves. Lightning noticed that the seal was unbreakable for them and handed over the scroll to Erleothir for safekeeping. Their chatter turned to what they would do once they return to Huldrak and if the company would continue on working together. As Gustavius stated: it was not clear to him what gathered such strange fellow on a hunt for a Necromancer and for what purpose at all. He just knew that through some twist of fate Erleothir and himself were following the same target and that - the now dead - Marghal possibly had information for them. But what about the Alast ? was he just a captain on rent ? and the sick Lightning ? what use could someone have from a magician tuning sick regularly ? what was the Telcos amazon doing so far away from her home country ? Gustavius quickly explained that he was beeing sent on behalf of the Kingdom of Bor to investigate and gather information reguarding a certain artefact. Alast just shrugged and replied he was only there for the money, making it clear that he would intend to stay with the company as long as it would be ludicrous for him. Mulchanor did not said much and as the group turned to Lightning he just replied that someone "found him in a tavern". Gustavius was about to point how prospeterous a mage in a tavern would be when suddenly...

From fear or sea sickness, Lightning couldn't retain himself and eased right on the spot. He ran to jump in the sea but he was stopped by Griselda, right on time. She tried to clean herself while Lightning took another robe he had in his bag pack. There is a lot to learn in the Magnamund... After the trip back, they decided, in a quiet manner for a change, to visit the garrison, first Erleothir, requesting a free pass for the pirate (he though he may be searched for one or another crime in other lands).

At last, Erleothir requested to enter the garrison. Soldiers opened the doors for him where Imrol, waited, surprised by his fast return. Words flew fluent while Erleothir sought to let his new friends to get in, including the pirate. Hopefully the pirate had none misdeed known by Imrol, if he ever had one. It was with great pleasure that Imrol invited them all for a splendid diner, where the food and the drinks were coming from all the 4 doors of the garrison diner table. Only Imrol and some guards posted on duty in the shadows of the doors could listen to the conversation. Some servants, disgusted took the mage robe for a proper cleaning, it would take them all night to make it something usable again. Imrol was quite impressed by Alast killing of the Necromancer, blaming more Lady Luck than the courage of the pirate he gave him his blessing, even allowing him to use in name if in trouble (which he definitely thought Alast will).

There the company learned that the island was in fact property of Huldrak's family generations ago. Imrol grinned when explaining to our heroes that while they killed Marghal, they unintentionally restored Huldrak's heir and with it, a new island in the territory of Sommerlund. "You see, Huldrak is more than any benefactor to Sommerlund and the Sommerlund Knights, in fact he just you as a 'muscle' to get rid of an old annoyance"

Another farewell, as Imrol was now preparing his own trip to the island with his troops.
Griselda wanted some privacy with him before his leave, which he gave. Imrol looked at her amused and curious. Surely, not the first Telchos he met. Talking to her, he caressed many time his big scar on his face. Words and looks exchanged. Griselda and Imrol went both to they own way. Tomorrow was another day.
Leaving the garrison Lightning remembered he forgot his robe. He slammed the door over and over, but no one was there to open. Will he recovers his robe one day?

The path to Huldrak's Manor was now easy to travel back, each one of them thinking of their own missions. Once inside, Huldrak was awaiting them from his balcony, they quickly entered, following the same path that they did, the day before. As soon as they standed in front of him, where they accepted their first quest, Lightning turned white again and left for the place he knew the best in Huldrak's place. Avoiding all the questions from his friends, he just talked about a sickness related to the manor. Mage are some time not easy to understand for the commoners.
Huldrak requested them presence to check the scroll. Strangely Huldrak trusted their words. After a quick reading of the scroll, he understood he had mistaken Marghal for someone more important than he was. He was merely a messenger.
But even a messenger can be an important piece in this deadly game. Two choices were now at the grap of Huldrak. Checking the Tyso Dark Lord peons hide out or their contact in Ljuk, the cold city of Kalte. No more questions were asked, but they will have 2 days to prepare their trip. While that, Huldrak will gather as much information as possible, leading our heroes to a perilous but rewarding mission. Perhaps they will find what they are seeking.

Alast surprised all when he claimed money. It seems Alast has some skills after all... Pirates may not read, but they can count...