"Looking a little bored there, Mr Land Grubber."
The Riverboat Captain grumbled at me while walking across his deck.
I nicknamed him, Grumbling, as his Gnomish eyes are always darting about trying to find something to grumble about.
His counternance seems to work, all of his deck hands work hard to keep him happy. Everything has been shipshape during the voyage down the Wraithholme River.
Even our security, the Pelacor Bandits, were told to fly errands for the Captain so he didn't have to dock along the way. He says this will save us a few days to reach New Beluroc.
Am I Bored? Yes, I guess I am. How many lands have I surveryed? Too many. Was it worth it? My mounting SPS trove seems to justify the effort.
Not too many can boast that they are working for the land Baron, "Two Castle" @MattClarke.
This is the last of my journeys. Just a series of 21 plots down past, New Beluroc, at the shores of the Splinter Sea.
Many rumours abound that "Two Castles" plans to get his third castle by wrangling to score himself the Southern Pandemonias. A feat that would surpass his audacious Cape Arena that justs out toward the Primordic Sea.
It happened suddenly. A quiet sound, "Pffft", and one of the deckhands fell overboard. Then another.
We were under attack! Then came the panic.
A robed person ran up beside me,
"Take cover my friend! Trouble abounds." Then, groaning in pain as a dart hit him in the stomach. He pulled back his robe to reveal an amulet. With a twist and a turn the dart flew out of his body and back towards the bank.
The Riverboat Captain stomped out onto the deck, dodging arrows and darts. A purple flame shooting from his hands to explode along the bank. A grin covering his face as the explosion resulted in many cries from those who received the barrage.
"Come on you expensive angels!", he yelled to the Pelacors, "Go and earn your coin!".
Eliad, the leader of the winged guards, spurred her flock to soar high, draw their daggers, and hurtle down to the still hidden enemy.
The robed figure beside me stumbled and fell.
"Poison!" He gasped. "I'm done for.", he lamented.
I was at a loss on what I could do to help. Keeping my head down seemed the best action. My keen eye noticed movement in my peripheral vision and I turned to see the assassins that were attacking us.
The foe crept towards the unsuspecting Riverboat Captain.
"Watch out!" I yelled in warning.
The Captain, seeing the alarm upon my face, nimbly rolled to his left and spun around to face the menacing Swamp Spitter.
Unleashing his fiery blast he knocked his opponent down.
Without waiting for the body to hit the floor, and with dagger drawn, the Captain placed the blade to the injured Spitter's throat.
"Who sent you?" The Captain pushed the blade aggressively. "Tell me who sent you!" He demanded.
The dying Spitter croaked out a wheezing answer.
"
I felt my skin crawl. They were here to kill me. The nemesis of my employer has finally played his hand.
The battle ended. The enemy left as quickly as they had come. We cleared the bodies and did our best to attend the wounded.
The poisoned passenger, could not meddle with time to stop his certain death from the poison. He offerred me his amulet and asked for it to be returned to his guild.
"They're back." One of the Pelacor's yelled but the alarm soon faded as a River Nymph had ventured forward to render assistance.
She gracefully moved beside the poisened Meddler. Applying some ointment and water magic, the Meddler eased back relieved as the poison left his system.
"Thank you." I whispered on behalf of the patient. I wasesmorised by her beauty and healing touch.
She just smiled and focused on helping the next person in need.
"Hey there, Land-A-Boy," The Captain was yelling at me, "Are you planning on sunning yourself all day? There's work to be done."
He was about to walk away and then stopped, and turned to say,
"And tell your boss that he's gotta pay for the mess he got us in. You also better tell him how we got him OUT of it, too. Bloody land Tsars, to the mines with them all."