Captain Raleigh leads those that remain past a series of warehouses and cheap grog shops where merchant and pirate crews mingle in a haze of rum-soaked debauchery and blood. Taverns and shops have grimed windows and peeling paint hinting at a prosperity that no longer exists. All around can be heard the sound of pipes, concertinas, and tambourines and bodhran’s accompanying the singing of sea shanties and forecastle songs. There are also the shouts and cursing of drunken sailors and bar wenches. The reek of offal, smoke, sweat, rum and ale is almost overpowering, though a bit mitigated by the salty tang of the fog-laden and chilly breeze that sweeps in from the gulf.
In a residential quarter of hidden alleys and comfortable row houses, where the street outside is recently paved with relatively fewer broken cobblestones, the Captain leads the group to a single story, stone-walled building with a reinforced wooden door. Above the door, an engraved sign reading The Captain's Chambers rests. The group finds the stone foundation of this establishment, a rarity considering the previous buildings you've passed, a comforting feature.
Inside, a small serpent's skull hangs over the hearth, and the Captain, evidently not a stranger to this establishment, is met quickly by Mina, a young, but overworked server, and Wynaa, an elderly but cheerful woman.
- Mina.png (32.81 KiB) Viewed 1159 times
- Wynna.png (25.82 KiB) Viewed 1159 times
The pair of women quickly bring four tables, constucted of dwarf-wrought iron, together in order to accomodate the party of twelve. Once the appropriate seating has been made available, Mina briefly converses with Raleigh before disappearing into the kitchen, while Wynaa surries back and forth with pitches of water for each table, promising that future beverages more worthy.
An abundance of oil-burning lanterns keeps this common room well lit despite its scarcity of windows and natural sunlight. The group also notices a half-dozen hammocks hang in this common room.
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No menu is presented, but food is quickly brought out from the kitchen. Each guest is served a bowl of steaming vegetable stew, a plate of steaming shellfish and a side of peas. Additionally, a large platter of cured sausage and a loaf of hazelnut bread is also served at each table.
After the group has had a chance to partake in the feast, a tall, sturdy-looking man with a well-trimmed beard filled with white hairs approaches the table. He and Raleigh exchange powerful handshakes. The Captain turns and introduces Hury Parre to the rest of his group, noting that the two used to sail together.
- Hury Parre.png (35.04 KiB) Viewed 1159 times
"So, what brings you to Riddleport?"
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Note:
The numbers referenced above (e.g. #7) will match a corresponding number found on the appropriate map in the new, 'Local Geography' topic.
