Olluc gasped in surprise as the companions made their way back downstairs with two new fellows: A Young, unkempt man in black garments, his head bowed and hands tied firmly behind his back, and an enormous, muscled bulk of a man. At the sight of the latter fellow Cassa, the young serving girl, gave a little squeak and scurried back behind the bar, keeping Olluc between her and him - this one looked dangerous! The old bard had stopped torturing his Rebec for some moments as he kept a wary eye on the group, but with a wave and an angry frown from Olluc, he started murdering his next song.
Olluc gave a smile at the party and a brief clap, understanding the situation. "And yeh would be the captive, so bravely freed, Ah take it?" Helgkhor nodded and Aredhel came forth, pushing the black garbed fellow before him none-too-gently, "Friend Olluc, it would seem that this fellow here decided your establishment would be a suitable place to hold a hostage. Thus, I leave him to you, to re-educate him as you see fit. There WAS another, but he was... removed from the room." Balic's face whitened at this and Aredhel paused, giving a glance to Korchel, "None too tidily, I might add. But fear not; no damage has been sustained to your Inn!" Korchel huffed, but said nothing at this time to fuel the flames of an argument. This was no time to bicker amongst one another.
"I see. Cassa, fetch me some of my good rope, would you? Second chest out the back!" The girl gave a nod at this request and with a giggle ran out into the back room. "Yes," Olluc continued, "I think I know just what to do with him. As for you three," Olluc pointed out Atacuso, Korchel and Aredhel with a gnarled finger, "I owe yeh all my thanks, and some gold besides!" Plucking a well concealed purse from a fold in his tunic, Olluc counted out fifteen pieces of gold and split them between into three piles of five on the counter, "As a thank yeh, for fixing this little problem! And consider yourselves welcome to a room here any time yeh want it, no cost! As for YOu..." Olluc turned to face Helgkhor, "I d'know who yeh are, but next time yeh choose to be brained by thugs, try not to let 'em drag you into my tavern, hun'h?"
Cassa returned at this time and passed a coiled bundle of rope to Olluc, who smiled fatherly at the girl and placed it on the counter before him. He listened to Helgkhor and his questions (chuckling when the barbarian asked for a map of Soglash) and nodded with a reply, "I d'know about a fast boat, but yeh can borrow meh dinghy; she be tied up on the beam just b'low the tavern, y'see? As for a map?" Olluc chuckled once more and glanced at Cassa, who also had a large smile on her face, "Son, Yeh be in Soglash! No map of this town will be worth it's weight in gull-s**t within a month of drawing it! This place do be changing as fast and often as the tide." Olluc stopped his laughter at Helgkhor's hurt expression and he shrugged apologetically, "Aye mean no disrespect to yeh, m'lad - t'is just the way of the place. Now, as for a temple, I think Aye know what yeh be wanting. There be an old abandoned chapel to the east of here. A boat would be best to get there, yes; and if you sail no more than fifteen minutes yeh will see it sticking up against the coastline. Yeh can't miss it, son; y'see, it's the only thing in miles that's made of stone, rather than bloody timber! It is not a big thing; probably only holding three or four rooms, and as far as I knew it were abandoned some decades ago by some churchey religion thing.
Came to save Soglash, they did!" Olluc guffawed loudly, "
HAH! Soglash swallowed 'em whole! HAHAH!"
Olluc Ruse pulled three of the chunky gold coins which Helgkhor had placed down and stored them under the counter, "If yeh return me dinghy, you can reclaim all of your coin." He then picked up the rope and limped out from behind the counter, giving a friendly smile to the group, "Yeh best be off'n then, lads. I have to teach someone something about picking your place of mischief more wisely!" Cassa caught Korchel's eye, and blew the old dwarf a sneaky kiss as the owner of The Sodden Sailor ushered the group out the door then turned to Balic with a menacing smile, "Now, me boy. Shall we talk?"
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Korchel, Atacuso, Aredhel and Helgkhor made their way off the wooden walkway outside of Ruses Boozes, down a set of rotting stairs to a muddy little patch of earth beside the water, below the tavern where the bottom of the building could be seen. There rested a dinghy, tied to one of the support beams and bobbing in the water. It was a sorry looking boat, worn and faded from years of use, but it looked like it would easily hold the four. In it lay an oar and a long wooden rod used for pushing the boat away from debris and rock (Of which there was much in the shallows of Soglash.) Helgkhor chose the oar, his physique suited for a fast paddle, and Atacuso offered to take the rod, remaining standing in the boat his keen senses and good balance valuable in aiding the boat in it's course by dodging potential hazards. Korchel and Aredhel sat to one side of the Dinghy, their contempt of one another had now subsided as they put their tempers aside for the moment. As Atacuso and Helgkhor pushed off, guiding the boat from under The Sodden Sailor, A sudden sound of cranking and gears grinding was heard from above. Aredhel smiled - he knew that sound. Seconds later, a trap-door swung open downwards and a figure fell through, screaming in terror and falling halfway to the water before suddenly stopping. The figure was upside down, a rope tied to his legs and a hessian bag wrapped around his head. It was Balic. He continued screaming, his form wriggling uselessly as he hung suspended. From above, inside the trapdoor, sparse laughter could be heard, and Olluc's voice boomed down, "Why don't yeh hang around awhile, son!?" The laughter re-doubled.
The journey in the boat was uneventful, yet at the same time colorful. From this vantage point along the misty shores at night-time, Soglash could be seen in all it's glory. A massive wreckage of wood and rot and rusty iron. Though it was late, firelights could be seen often moving around in the dark. The occasional voice called, and the odd clang of iron-on-iron could be heard. The company heard one blood-curdling scream before silence reigned once more. Yes, Soglash was alive at night. The city
writhed.
Occasionally a splash could be heard near them in the water, and although it was most likely fish the companions' minds, filled with thoughts of spooks and horrors, imagined terrors from the deep waiting to pull them below.
Finally the chapel found it's place on the horizon, and the occupants of the dinghy relaxed a little; they had made it! Atacuso guided the boat to the shoreline and the companions jumped out and slogged the final couple meters to shore. Helgkhor tied the dinghy securely on a piece of jutting timber, lodged into the ground.
Soglash Chapel
The stone structure stood before them in all it's glory. Although it wasn't a massive building, it was diminuitive. The left side of the chapel was adjacent to the shore, and small waves lapped against the stone. The one entrance was visible before them, the doors closed. Dispite it's supposed abandonment, a faint light could be seen through the windows, flickering - firelight. Atacuso glanced between all the members of the party, a brow raised, "Thoughts?"
