To The Island!

[hedgeknight]

Fitz kinda shrugs. "I made the 1000 gold offer to Captain Quark and I thought he was gonna have a cow! Maybe we shouldn't go back there. But you're right > we do need some up front coin to get this project started."
Fitz looks around, then at the leaning tower, then back around. "Not sure where to put it. Maybe on solid ground? Or at least ground that ain't too sandy? Erm...that might be hard on an island."

[OGRE MAGE]

“I figgerd we’d start high, an come down if we need to. I ain’t doing it fer less than 700 gold. It’d be more work than it’s worth at that price.”

Drakkar points further inland.

“I noticed a few suitable spots that might work. Anywhere up past this softer sand should be fine if we build up a strong foundation.”

“Should we go see the captain, then?”

[hedgeknight]

Fitz shrugs.
"Okay, but I'm telling you, he ain't gonna be happy about the increase in offer."
With that, Fitz takes off walking toward the docks, looking for Captain Quark.

[OGRE MAGE]

Walking back to the dock, the pair can no longer see their friends in the jolly boat far off in the distance.

The captains response to the offer of 1,000 gold is pretty much what Fitz expected. The old salt just grumbles his reply. “Fer that ammount I’ll juss let er tip over. I only hope poor Clinton isn’t killed in the eventual collapse.”

The captain appears to be in the process of going through the remainder of his delivered cargo, scratching his thick stubble as he peers over the last few crates. “Say, I don’t suppose either of you knows a man by the name of Monocar Jemara, do ye? Or at least of his wearabouts?”

[hedgeknight]

Fitz scratches his head and looks around somewhat distracted.
"No, Captain. I've never heard of this man. I guess I could ask around town for ya. What do you need him for anyway?"

[OGRE MAGE]

“We got a rather large shipping crate we brung here with his name on it, but nobody I’ve asked seems know who the man is.”

The captain looks at the cargo again.

“Say! I don’t suppose I could talk the two of you inta finding him and deliverin this crate to him, could I? There’d be a bit o’ coin fer ya that comes with the job! How’s about ten gold each?”

[hedgeknight]

Fitz throws up his hands. "Works for me. I ain't got nothing else to do."
He doesn't even look at Drakkar.
Because frankly, Fitz doesn't care what the dwarf thinks; he's ready to DO something.

"What's in the crate anyway, Captain?"

[OGRE MAGE]

Drakkar turns his nose up at the idea initially, but then agrees to help once Fitz does.

The captain looks around the deck and then down the long, empty dock. “I’m not really sure what’s inside, mister Fitz. Should we grab a crowbar and take us a look?”

[hedgeknight]

"Sure thing, Captain! Crack that sucker open!"

Fitz jumps around looking for a crowbar.

[OGRE MAGE]

Quark produces a heavy pry bar and quickly has the lid of the crate open.

The full contents of the crate are completely wrapped in a heavy canvas tarp.

There is a letter on top of the tarp in a wax sealed envelope that reads: From The Jemara's of Hochoch, To Monocar Jemara of Big Shiny Island.

[hedgeknight]

Fitz looks up at Drakkar and then to Quark, and then back again.
He waits for a few seconds for one of the men to act, and when they don't, he grabs a corner of the tarp and begins to unwrap whatever it is covering.

[OGRE MAGE]

Fitz and the captain reach for the crate at the same time, the gnome pulls off the tarp while the sailor goes for the envelope.

Inside, Fitz finds mallets, axes, saws, hatchets, and a few other heavily used woodworking tools. There are also a pair of huge well worn, massive saw blades, at least as wide as the gnome is tall.

The captain growls. “Humph. Not what I was hoping fer, but o well. Can I count on the two of ye ta get this ta shore and in the right hands? If’n ye cant find this Monocar fella, perhaps Nallissa might be of some help? She runs the local general store called the Hi-Lo.”

The old salt pulls out some coins and jingles them around in his hands.

[hedgeknight]

As soon as the captain reaches for his purse, Fitz's hand shoots out, palm up, in the "receiving position." He smiles and waits until the captain counts out his share as promised.
"So...can you point me in the direction of the Hi-Lo? I guess we could start there. Oh, and how are we supposed to carry all of this stuff? We might need a wagon."

[OGRE MAGE]

Drakker grabs his ten gold coins before Fitz is even done talking. The stout dwarf puts his back to the crate, grabs the ropes tied around it, and squat lifts it a few inches off the deck.

“Shouldn’t need a wagon, just a push down the dock.”

Quark hands out the 10gp to Fitz, along with the waxed envelope. “Give this ta Nallissa as well. She’ll know what to do with it.” The Captain points out the building to the dwarf and he starts waddling his way back off the ship.

[hedgeknight]

Fitz

"Nalissa...got it. Thanks Captain."

Fitz pockets the gold and tucks the letter inside his shirt and follows Drakkar.
"So...what do you think about all this? Sealed letters...mysterious cargo crates...angry dwarves...erm, no offense! But, what kind of business are we dealing with here?"

[OGRE MAGE]

Drakkar doesn’t answer the question, instead grunting and groaning all the way down the dock.

Once the pair reaches the building with the sign reading Hi-Lo, the exhausted dwarf finally drops the crate from his back with a thud.

“Didn’t seem like ye was helpin much at all.”

“Ya know, I think we made a mistake coming here. This place ain’t no town. It’s barely even civilization. How we supposed to survive round here where people can barely feed themselves?”

The surly dwarf seems even more upset than usual.

“Help me get this crate inside so we can be done with this business. Maybe this Nallissa person will know who Mono whatever his name is.”

[hedgeknight]

"Sure thing, buddy!"

Fitz heaves and hos as much as his little frame will allow, helping Drakkar inside with the crate. Once inside, the gnome cracks his back and looks around.

"I owe you a beer, Drakkar. You've done all the heavy lifting so far. And before you up and hitch the next ship back to the mainland, let's think about this. If we can make this island attractive and a desirable port, others will come. We can get fresh foods, do some farming and raising chickens and such. Plus, there's bound to be wildlife on the island. And there's plenty of seafood!"

Fitz wanders off as he talks, very loudly, looking for someone in charge. If he can't notice anyone right off, he just hollers, "Anybody seen Nahlissa?!?"

[OGRE MAGE]

The rugged dwarf just stares back at Fitz while he speaks of farming and fishing. He only replies with 2 words. "Raise....chickens?"

Drakkar and Fitz struggle to get the crate up the wooden steps, banging it loudly and bringing the stores proprietor outside to see what all the noise is on her stoop. The woman is youngish, probably about 30 years old or so. She is taller and more plump than most of the other humans around here, and her skin color is a golden brown. She has a stern look on her face when she exits the store, but her demeanor isnt an unpleasant one.

"I am Nallissa! And what do we have here gentlefolk? A delivery of some kind? That looks like one of Quarks crates. Is that so?

[hedgeknight]

Fitz wipes the sweat off his head (not from the lifting, but from the humidity) and gives a slight bow.

"I am Fitzenbell and this is my companion Drakkar. We were tasked to deliver this crate to Monocar Jemara. Would you happen to know if he is about, my lady?"

[OGRE MAGE]

Nallissa gives the dwarf an extra look, never seeing either of you around before.

“I know of him, yes. But I would still like you to answer my question, Mr. Fitzenbell.”