Session 12

Deciding Direction & Travel Time
The group discusses our options and decide to head to Bilge City to avoid the desert. As we leave, we see the invading army fortifying and building encampments. They are burning the fields around them. We decide to go stealthily off road at a medium pace. eventually we hear a wagon, we hide as Knot goes to investigate. There seems to be quite a number of soldiers around a siege weapon. We decide to hide and avoid it, finding a safe spot to camp for the night.

We keep watch for the night and it is largely uneventful. Knot can see fires and a bustle of activity from the direction of the siege weapon camp, but this quiets after night falls. In the morning, the activity begins again. We continue to travel towards Bilge City.

We notice we haven't heard any activity in hours. We decide its likely we are now out of earshot as it was heading away from us. We stick to off road for extra safety, knowing that Chult is moving troops in from all over.

We keep watch for a second night, no fire so we dont attract attention. Nothing happens for most of the night, but on the penultimate watch, Beans hears shouting and commotion from the south. This continues for some minutes and then subsides. The next watch passes uneventfully. Knot scouts ahead to see some smoke coming from the trees in the direction of the noise last night. We decide to move onward as Suleiman is convinced they are the burned farms.

The road seems deserted as we travel on, no movement or sounds of travellers anymore. There are fewer and fewer signs of war. We camp for the night again, and the night passes peacefully.

Balmy Bilge City
We finally approach the town. It is very small, a harbour and a market, and little more. No fortifications at all.

Our Bard friend starts furiously writing symbols and words upon seeing the city and the ocean. Something about an acrid smell, beautiful sea. He is writing a song but none of us recognize sheet music.

Bilge City = big stinky. The city is not very clean and has a generally fishy air about it. There are a few Chult soldiers around and a few ships docked, but they seem to be just waiting around, and the majority of people seem to be pirates and merchants.

There are a few inns available: Rusty Cutlas, Pig and Whistle, and the Drunken Bat. We are immediately sold on Drunken Bat on name only. It is in a relatively nice condition compared to the rest of town, with only a small amount of rot. We go in and see a lot of angry, drunk faces staring into mugs. A few patrons appear wealthier than they have sense, very extravagantly dressed. The stench of mead permeates the place.

Grug/Grog/Grunk/Grok
Suleimon gets 2 drinks and approaches a random burly man. They small talk about working and ships. Gloomwatch is where pirates seem to congregate. Serrelset they avoid. Our new friend Grog/Grug is a hired thug. He likes to hit people. "Hit guys, get paid, get drunk, get laid" is his motto. We ask to talk to the man who hires him. He is a fat man with 2 bodyguards, he looks at eisen and says "We dont need muscle" and turns him away. Suleiman says he has info on Korvosa and the man is immediately interested, pulls him aside for a private talk. Suleiman comes back and says that we should talk privately outside, and we all move out of earshot. The man he spoke with, we will call him Spy for now is an information broker. He knows where they're unloading the siege weapons. Suleiman made a deal, he gives him the location of the entrances to Korvosa and the thieves guild in exchange for the location of the siege weapons. Once he verifies this is true, the broker will give us more information. Until then he will cover our Inn fees.

Traversing Town
It is now mid afternoon, we agree to go explore the city. Chult docks, Fish Mongers, Docks, Market.We choose Docks. It is just as busy as it is pungent. We explore the area where the Chult ships are docked. Suleiman approaches a guard and asks where to get a drink, the guard recommends the Pig and Whistle, but says hes only been there a couple days. During small talk the guard comments that they left Rugosa a couple days ago. The guard won't say where they're headed to next.

We check out the recommended Pig and Whistle. It is a surprisingly nice tavern, especially compared to the rest of town.

Perusing the Pig and Whistle
There is a big group of Chult soldiers that have pushed some tables together, as well as others sat separately drinking. even in their druken revelry, they are noticably more reserved.

Burly Barkeep
The barkeep is elderly, early 70s. Looks like he used to be a warrior. Long beard and grey hair. We approach him to talk. Suleiman, to barkeep, "Those soldiers remind you of how you were?"

Barkeep responds, "Uhhh somewhat, that was a long time ago though. I havent been much of a fighter in years." "I'm kind of a fighter myself," Knot says.

"So, how did you become the owner of the nicest tavern in town?" Suleiman inquires.

"Sometimes you just want to settle down and open up a nice bar. Seems like a nice place"

"Where have you gone?"

"Here or there. All over the place."

Knot asks, "Where's home?"

The barkeep doesnt answer, but instead asks, "How about you? you look like the adventuring type, from the guild?"

"We are" Suleiman responds.

"We heard about some fishmongers, what happened?" Knot asks.

"Yeah some debts sometimes dont get paid, it happens" the Barkeep does not seem concerned, "A lot of people take out loands from Carson, not all pay it off."

"So if you used to be an adventurer, what kind of things did you get up to in these parts?" Suleiman asks.

"Some things are better left not talked about."

Suleiman lowers his voice and asks if the barkeep knows anything about what the soldiers are doing in town. He turns and looks at us, "Bad business with Korvosa. As far as I know, theyre resupplying and passing through, I don't think theyre causing trouble here, but no one causes trouble here."

Suleiman is curious, "Is the reason they don't cause trouble that he puts them in their place?" In response he gets a look that says you do NOT want to go down that line of questioning.

"So before we head out, you got any advice for a younger fighty adventurer?" He turns and looks at eisen, sighs and says, "Uhhh theres more to things than coin. Dont go sticking your neck out for a pay day."

Suleiman overhears soldiers arguing whether they should reinforce Korvosa or go way up north to Elmbend. They were looking for a temple. They were very boastful, saying they were the best at what they do. We decide we will loudly talk about a temple in front of a soldier as he gets a drink.