Chapter 2: Looking for Captains
A couple of days later, Sitara went to meet with Captain Hanna for lunch, bringing Akash, Kasumi, and Mesi along. Though Hanna was not expecting a full party, he was a most gracious host as they discussed the crew’s encounter with the Ta Atouan slavers and the situation in Rhakosis. The others soon realized Hanna shared a long-standing business connection with their captain, as Hanna referenced some kind of debt owed by Sitara.
Hanna told her he would consider the account settled if Sitara would garner him enough support to be chosen as the new Master of the Seas, head of the Council of Captains. He believed that the support of Master Shipwright Alim, as well as that of the daughter of Musa, the former Master of the Seas, would allow him to claim that title for himself. Though uncertain of how to go about it, Sitara promised to do her best to promote Hanna. Thanking him for his hospitality, the crew departed.
Deciding to start with more familiar territory, Sitara and the crew met with Alim to discover his current position with regards to the Council of Captains. After Sitara inquired whether he would be willing to back Hanna as Master of the Seas, Alim explained that, as a master shipwright, he must remain neutral and maintain good relations with any current and potential business partners. When Alim asked her if Hanna had put her up to this, Sitara revealed he had asked her aid in seeking political backing and confessed to having a stake in the matter. Though she had no reason to doubt Hanna, Sitara admitted that, were there a reason he was unfit, or were there a more suitable leader, her own personal interest was insignificant compared to the fate of Rhakosis.
Alim indicated he felt some on the Council would be more fit than others to lead it, though he could not reveal their identities. He did promise to solicit an audience with them to discuss the state of affairs in Rhakosis on Sitara’s behalf. Alim also informed them that Musa’s daughter Nyasia, the woman for whom the continent was named, resided within the city, while her son lived on a large farm just outside of town. He suggested Sitara contact her son for a possible introduction to the most famous woman in the world.
After spending some time scouting around the city for information about the secretive Council of Captains, Sitara and Mesi uncovered the name Zayd bin Kishan Mhasalkarz. A captain specializing in foodstuffs who had many connections with farmers outside the city, the sailors they spoke with believed he was a member of the Council. According to an impressively heavy drinker by the name of Anuj, Zayd was also connected with Almawja Ataullah bin Davud El-Ghazzawy, Captain of the ship High Tide and a rumored Jinn-blooded.
...*...
Meanwhile. Akash and Kasumi took the Mon to the Temple, to see what knowledge the priesthood might have about the artifact. Meeting with one of the priests, they showed him the Mon and explained its inherently powerful, and perhaps dangerous, properties.
Very intrigued by the object, the priest agreed with Akash that it was possible it was connected with a Jinn, but could not say for certain without taking it to the High Priest for further study. He offered to share what wisdom the Jinn granted them about the Mon if they would give it to him. If what they said was true, it would be best for a potential artifact of the Jinn to be in the hands of their Chosen.
Since Kasumi, claiming ownership, was not inclined to hand over the Mon to the Temple for safekeeping, and Akash, who held a mistrust of the priesthood, was unwilling to convince his employee to relinquish it, the priest could offer no more. Leaving the Temple, Akash decided he should expand his repertoire of skills, asked Kasumi to teach him the secrets of stealth.
...*...
After spending the next day about town, the party noticed at dinner that someone appeared to be watching them: an Ash-Sh’b man who was rather ordinary save for a strong scent of sea salt. Discreetly tailing the man back to the docks, they saw him board a ship which they realized was the same High Tide they had heard of. Opting to not make a scene, the party instead returned to the Purple Lantern Inn and their ruminations.
At dinner the next evening, the crew again spotted someone, a rather tall, willowy man, watching them, and followed him back to High Tide. Deciding Akash needed as much practice as he could get, Kasumi sent him to shadow the Captain on their way back to the Purple Lantern. Sitara, deciding to have a little fun, snuck around behind Akash to tail him instead. Kasumi, who was following the both of them, caught up to Sitara to commiserate about his lackluster student. Making a chain back to the inn, the party settled in for the night, wondering what the coming days would bring.
...*...
The next morning, Akash continued his training in stealth until Kasumi decided to give him the day off. As Akash made his way through the streets of Rhakosis, he stopped when he reached into his pocket to find nothing, and he hadn’t even noticed. Anxious that his normally keen senses had betrayed him, Akash found his resolve tested. Tracking down his brother to a gambling hall called the Seven-Sided Book, he confided in Tabari about how he’d been pilfered, without having heard the slightest whisper of the Jinn in warning. Kasumi soon arrived, and returned Akash’s property, explaining he had tailed and pickpocketed Akash as a test. He apologized and expressed his concern about Akash’s uncharacteristic lapse in perception. Relieved that it had been Kasumi, Akash forgave him, and they spent the afternoon relaxing with Tabari.
After asking Tabari about his connections in the antiquities market, Akash and Kasumi took their leave. The pair made their way to see a sage Tabari knew about the Mon. Finding themselves at a door in a side alley, they were ushered into a small entrance room by a rather curious man with a stooped back and a wandering eye. Though the sage, Mahfuz by name, seemed very keen on purchasing the Mon, they agreed that the sage would keep it to study for several days and contact them when he had divined more information. Taking hold of the Mon, the sage immediately invoked it, murmuring through his closed mouth as the signs of the Mon crept across his features. Ushering the two out the door, Mahfuz assured them he would contact them soon.
...*...
Meanwhile, Sitara and Mesi went searching for Diallo. Finding him in the bazaar, they questioned him about the presence of Ta Atouan refugees in the city. Diallo revealed that there was a significant presence of Ta Atouan expatriates in Rhakosis, however, they were very distrustful of outsiders. This group was led by a man named Raptis Evangelos who, Diallo warned them, was a dangerous man that would sacrifice much in his crusade against the dictatorship in charge of Al Qura. He cautioned Mesi that the group’s approach could be extreme.
Even after hearing Diallo’s warning, Mesi decided to seek Raptis out in hopes of gaining allies against the military encroachment of her former home. The pair spent the evening making it known that Mesi sought to make contact with the man, with the understanding from Diallo that if Raptis wished to meet her, he would make his presence known.
...*...
That night, Sitara spotted her drinking companion Anuj stumbling back to his ship, and followed him to ask him to deliver a message. Upon arriving at High Tide, the tall man who had spied on them at the Purple Lantern greeted her on the dock and agreed to pass along her message to the captain that Sitara wished to meet with him.
The following day at lunch, the innkeep Ziyad Ziya delivered a message to Sitara at the Purple Lantern that the Captain of High Tide would meet her at a nearby park. Ziyad seemed unusually nervous, though when Sitara inquired, he was unwilling to speak of what troubled him. As he caught sight of Mesi entering, Ziyad suggested Sitara make haste to her meeting.
After Sitara left, Ziyad informed Mesi that a scarred man had left a message that she was to meet those she sought on the southern docks at dusk. Obviously twitchy, Ziyad cautioned Mesi not to tell anyone, as his instructions were for her to come alone and unarmed.
Shortly afterwards, Akash and Kasumi returned to the inn and upon learning of her upcoming meeting, gave Mesi suggestions for how she should go about approaching her scarred contact. Deciding to scout out the area, Akash and Kasumi headed to the docks, while Mesi set out to find the Captain.
Arriving at the small park, Sitara found a perfectly ordinary Ash-Sh’b man who introduced himself as Almawja Ataullah bin Davud El-Ghazzawy, Captain of High Tide. Sitara explained she had sought him out for his connection to the Council of Captains, expressing her intent to speak with them. In light of the rumors of recent Ta Atouan naval activities, she hoped personally sharing her crew’s experience with the slavers would help spur them towards organization and action.
Considering her plea, Ataullah agreed to help her on the condition she pass a test of the Jinn to prove her quest’s worth. If she could sail through the maelstrom known as Madkhal ‘iilaa Albahr Qaeat Allawr, the Entrance of the Sea Lords' Hall, Ataullah would introduce Sitara to the Council Captain Zayd. Naturally, Ataullah would sail with them and go through first himself to demonstrate his intentions. As Mesi arrived with Sitara’s lunch, she caught the familiar gleam of adventure in Sitara’s eyes as she agreed to Ataullah’s proposition. Deciding to set sail in about a week, the captains parted ways. Heading back to the inn, Mesi filled in Sitara on the details of the meeting that night.
Deciding that it could be useful to have access to the Mon’s power for Mesi’s upcoming meeting, Kasumi led her and Sitara to Mahfuz’s home, explaining to his perplexed companions how he and Akash had lent it to the sage to study. However, when they knocked at his door, there was no answer, and they saw no signs of activity through the dingy windows. Their attempts to call out for the sage met only with silence, the party was forced to head to their rendezvous empty handed.
...*...
The party made it to the southern docks without incident, with Akash remaining in a nearby bar and Kasumi taking to the rooftops. Avoiding the crowds, Mesi and Sitara made their way down the docks before finding themselves alone with nothing but warehouses and empty piers. After announcing their presence, the pair was confronted by a man who bore many scars and a grudge about the fact that not only did Mesi not come alone, but she also came armed.
While the pair were arguing with the man, Kasumi kept watch from a nearby rooftop and noticed a pair of figures on the next building over who seemed to be eyeing the meeting below with loaded crossbows. Realizing that this was either an ambush or possibly extra security, Kasumi steeled himself and prepared to launch into action should this meeting turn violent.
After Mesi set the man straight that he was not dealing with fools, he explained how they might prove their trustworthiness. In port, he said, there was a Ta Atouan ship by the name of Burning Brand. The scarred man instructed Mesi to steal the cargo from the ship and make certain that it never returned to its homeport. Mesi balked at the idea, leading to a tense exchange.
Fortunately for Kasumi, one of the figures on the rooftop had disappeared inside, so when the scarred man brandished a knife at Mesi and the remaining rooftop security went for his crossbow, Kasumi sprung into action. He dashed across the rooftop and swiftly knocked the crossbowman unconscious before a loud voice called out from the warehouse ordering the scarred man to stand down. Kasumi, now feeling worried about the ramifications of his actions, moved the unconscious man out of sight of the trapdoor and waited with bated breath.
A tall man with braided hair ending in claws emerged from the warehouse and invited Mesi and Sitara inside. They quickly realized that this figure was Raptis Evangelos when he identified the scarred man as Rudo. As the conversation continued inside the warehouse, they found Raptis to be much more soft spoken than his compatriot, but all the more intimidating for it.
As the women were meeting with the man they sought below, Kasumi found himself engaged by another warrior who had come to check on the man Kasumi had knocked out. This woman proved to be a much greater challenge than the crossbowman and a scuffle ensued, though Kasumi was finally able to get a solid hold on the warrior woman and send her into an unwelcome sleep.
Realizing neither of his lookouts had returned, Raptis became suspicious and sent guards to the roof. Sitara spoke up and asked that if a Minzokan man were spotted on the roof, he be escorted inside. He warned Sitara that either the Minzokan man was dead, killed by his guards, or his men were dead, in which case Sitara and Mesi would soon join them. Yelling after the guards, Sitara urged Kasumi to reveal himself. Two guards escorted Kasumi in as the others checked on their comrades, and the party waited with bated breath. When his men reported their lookouts were unconscious but otherwise unharmed, Raptis seemed surprised at this revelation, and invited Kasumi to join the conversation.
As for Sitara’s plan to unite the Council of Captains to help deal with the threat of Ta Atouan aggression, Raptis was intrigued by the idea of outsiders aiding his cause. Mesi’s impassioned call to work together to retake their homeland appeared to have some small effect on the revolutionary. Making it clear that he had no use for fools or mercy, he agreed to work with the party, though he warned them to stay out of his way when it came time to deal with his foes.
Over the course of the exchange, the two unconscious guards awoke. The stronger of the two, a woman named Iliana, seemed both irritated and impressed with Kasumi’s skills, and promised a future contest for the two of them.
Satisfied that a connection had been made, and uncertain about where it may lead, the party left the warehouse. Collecting Akash on the way back to the Purple Lantern, they brought him up to speed, discussed recent revelations, and began drawing up plans for their next move.
...*...
While Mesi, Akash and Kasumi spent the next day exploring the docks and scouting out the ship being targeted by Raptis, Sitara went out and about in the city to pursue her own investigations.
First she visited the Temple, bringing a barrel of the leviathan oil as an offering to the Jinn. After the temple received her tribute and prayers, Sitara sought guidance from one of the priests about the Mon and its implications. She described its characteristics and effects, including her own visions, wondering if it could be an artifact of a Jinn. The priest supposed it could be, and conjectured that the draining effect was perhaps a consequence of seeking its boons without the requisite offering, though there was not much he could say for certain without examining the object. While he was disappointed to learn the item was not currently in her possession, she offered to retrieve it.
When Sitara visited the sage’s abode, however, there was no answer. After multiple attempts, she visited the shop on the upper floor to speak to the owner, a clothier by the name of Khorsheed bin Yousef Kharim. While the very fashionably-dressed man did not know of the sage’s whereabouts, Khorsheed informed her that Mahfuz rented the floor below from him, and while he thought the sage a bit odd and hermetic, he was usually prompt with the rent. After making a few purchases, she decided to check back again later to see if she could catch the sage at home.
Whilst out carousing, Sitara heard troubling tales of conscription and reports that a couple of ships had not made it back to port from abroad. Rumors had it that Ta Atouans might have been causing trouble in the shipping lanes, driving sailors closer to the Pirate Isles. Stopping by Mahfuz’s shop once more on her way back to the docks, Sitara’s knocks were once again met only with silence.
...*...
Meanwhile, Mesi sought out Raptis’ group to deliver a message. When Iliana caught up to her, Mesi declared that the party was formulating a plan but would only speak of it to Raptis. Iliana informed Mesi that she could speak with Raptis at a small local shrine once the party had a plan to present. After this tense exchange, Iliana dismissed Mesi with a slight. Mesi confronted her, and the two seemed close to blows before she dismissed Iliana in kind, and walked away.
Mesi returned to the dockside bar where the party was plotting. Finally, they decided on setting a trap for the crew of Burning Brand to get them imprisoned, and therefore out of the way of Raptis and his plans. Upon traveling to the shrine to meet with Raptis, Kasumi and Akash spotted movement on a nearby rooftop. Kasumi quickly scaled the building, reaching the top just in time to see a figure dropping off the other side. Darting across the roof, Kasumi did not see anyone unusual in the street traffic below.
Raptis soon arrived, and the party shared their plan to offer Mesi as bait for the ship’s marines in order to get them arrested for kidnapping. He agreed to give them a week to deal with the ship before he would take action. Informing the crew that they could leave a message for him at the Broken Beak, Raptis took his leave, and the crew set about preparing their work against Burning Brand.
Meeting for breakfast the next morning, the party discussed plans to lure out the marines of Burning Brand. Akash, Kasumi and Sitara then spent most of the day checking out the docks and scouting possible locations for their trap.
Akash sought out his brother for advice and was directed to the Smoking Cloud, a tavern which doubled as an incense shop. It seemed Tabari disliked the owner, one Hassan bin Nima Attar, and would have liked nothing more than to see the man’s livelihood damaged. Meanwhile, Sitara found two other prime locations, the Dented Pot restaurant and the Brackwater Inn.
Discussing their options the following morning, Akash suggested Mesi rent a room at the Smoking Cloud to lure the marines into making a scene there, promising a sympathetic guard presence in the area. His comment that the owner of the Smoking Cloud deserved the commotion, though he admitted to never having met the man himself, raised eyebrows amongst some of his companions, though in the end they decided on his recommended location.
...*...
With the matter of the trap settled, the party decided to retrieve the Mon. Once again there was no answer at the door, and Sitara went above his shop to inquire with his landlord. Finding it odd that Mahfuz was still not answering, Khorsheed attempted to open the Sage’s residence only to find that his key no longer worked. Given the circumstances, Kasumi stepped forward to offer his assistance. Sitara and Mesi exchanged a quick glance as Kasumi skillfully worked the lock until it unlatched, though Kasumi noted it was sturdier than one would expect for a Sage’s home.
Entering, the group saw no trace of the Sage, though they did find melted candle wax and spilled ink on the man’s desk. Sitara noticed that it appeared the spill had settled around something, perhaps a book. Kasumi's first thought was that the house had been broken into, but upon further investigation, it seemed that may not be the case, as they found no signs of forced entry. Akash and Kasumi noticed several tomes and objects were also missing from the shelves of the man’s library, from sections focused on various religions and mythologies. With no hints as to the whereabouts of the Sage or the Mon, the landlord Khorsheed stated he would keep the place intact for the time being and alert the crew if Mahfuz returned. If not, he would offer some of the Sage’s belongings as recompense for their lost property. Akash and Kasumi were mortified that not only had they lost the Mon, but they hadn't thought to place any lookouts or take precautions to safeguard this most precious artifact.
Deciding to speak with the neighbors in case anyone had seen something odd, the party met a pair of young men across the street who, though they appeared very stoned, indicated that they had seen Mahfuz carried out of his shop by two men late on the night of the 14th. Believing Mahfuz to have been drunk, and deep in their own gluttonies themselves, their vague recounting of the incident annoyed some members of the party, though their information seemed mostly consistent.
Relaying this news to Khorsheed, the man put little stock in the stories of the two young men, Hesham and Haamid as they were known, though he did warn the Captain that, if they were correct, Sitara should take care lest she should find herself mixed up with less than savory people. If only he knew the company Sitara was already keeping.
Finding no other leads, Akash and Kasumi sought out their own contacts to put the word out about Mahfuz’ disappearance while Sitara continued to spread the word about Mesi staying at the Smoking Cloud.
...*...
After a couple of days’ reconnaissance to try to ascertain the number of soldiers that his party might be up against, Kasumi bore witness to a crewman falling asleep on duty. When his superior caught him nodding off, he lifted the man bodily, throwing him overboard into the harbor. Berating the soldier as he hefted himself up, his superior cuffed him across the face with a heavy knotted cord, knocking him back into the water. Climbing once more back onto the deck, the sopping soldier received one last slap from the officer before resuming his position at attention. After this display, Kasumi felt a twinge of sympathy for the soldier, especially knowing what he and the crew had planned for them.
Meanwhile, as the Captain was tailing Mesi through the Grand Bazaar to keep an eye on her, Sitara caught sight of a Ta Atouan man attempting to make a deal with an Ash-Sh’b merchant for a shipment of grain. Surmising he was Burning Brand’s merchant captain, she debated momentarily whether or not to disrupt the deal and perhaps stall their departure. After silently watching their negotiations, Sitara returned to the crew, realizing they must act soon.
That evening, as Mesi dined at the Smoking Cloud, a cloaked figure bought Mesi drinks at the bar, but kept their distance, remaining anonymous.
Mesi continued to subtly advertise her presence the following day, while Sitara and Kasumi tracked the crew of Burning Brand. Reaching out through his network of Brotherhood contacts, Akash learned that no one had spotted Mahfuz anywhere around the city and that he indeed seemed to have gone missing.
At the Smoking Cloud, Mesi spotted the mysterious figure who had been buying her drinks. Once they had left, she tailed her benefactor, turning a corner to find an empty alleyway. As the party made their way around to the other end of the alley, Akash spotted a figure leaning up against the entrance. Akash walked past the man, taking up a seat in the alley and pulling out his pipe. After a brief conversation, the man asked Akash to bring him some of his pipe-weed in exchange for the substances he had to offer. Akash returned to the others, fairly certain this dealer was not their man, and the party returned to the inn to retire.
...*...
The next evening, the party took up their positions in the Smoking Cloud. Over the course of the evening, they spotted five very suspicious, cloaked Ta Atouan men enter, and one with a black eye approached Mesi with an offer of drinks. Kasumi, who was making small talk with two marines at the bar, recognized the bruised man as the soldier he had seen disciplined by his commander. Plying her with numerous drinks, the man tried to get Mesi to leave the bar with him. After deferring as long as she could, she excused herself upstairs to change.
The rest of the party watched on edge as the man followed, with two marines from the common tables close behind. Mesi readied herself in her room, but when opened the door to leave, she found herself rushed by all three men.
What followed next was a comedy of errors. As Mesi struggled with the marines in her room, Sitara and Akash stormed upstairs. The Captain barged in first, distracting the bruised man holding a knife to Mesi long enough for her to boot him out the door and into Akash. Making quite the show of being attacked, Akash allowed himself to be wounded in the exchange before buffeting the man down the hallway with a blast of wind. With the aid of her companions, the tide turned on the other two soldiers, and Mesi demanded their surrender.
Meanwhile, downstairs, Kasumi’s distraction of the Ta Atouans at the bar took a hard turn into absurdity. As his new drinking buddies attempted to push past him at the sound of the commotion upstairs, Kasumi comedically splashed a potent drink in the face of the nearest one, blinding him. Kasumi rushed after his next victim who was making for the door, shouting apologies behind him. In his affected drunken stupor. Kasumi snatched the man’s sword from its sheath and flung it across the room, striking one of the other patrons with it, after which Kasumi berated the poor marine for so clumsily losing hold of his blade. As the patrons scrambled away from the blinded man who was wildly swinging, Kasumi simply moved out of the path of his now swordless companion, accidentally tripping the man and toppling him over a table.
Making his exit, Kasumi rushed dramatically up the street, spouting the terrors of the Ta Atouan menace to alert the city guard. Having gained their attention, he strolled back, feeling rather satisfied with himself as the guards made their way towards the Smoking Cloud.
However, a trio of Ta Atouans outside entered the bar behind Kasumi, having been alerted by the commotion at the door. As they rushed upstairs, Akash attempted to blow them back downstairs, only to have his blast sliced effortlessly in half by the leader.
With the arrival of the Ta Atouan commander, the fight rapidly descended into chaos. One of the marines forced Akash out of the room and the others held him at sword point while the commander engaged Sitara, who had positioned herself squarely between him and his quarry. Mesi was struggling with one of the marines at the window, when suddenly a familiar hand smashed out the panes and yanked the man out onto the roof.
Sitara covered her as Mesi followed out the window, where she saw the marine lose his balance, nearly sliding off the roof headfirst until Kasumi grabbed his foot. Calling out for Mesi to help, they managed to pull the soldier, despite his protests, back up to safety.
As Sitara made her escape with a daring backwards dive out the window, sticking the landing in a lunge and using her blades to slow her descent to the edge of the roof, the guards finally arrived, clashing with the marines as they attempted to pursue. After a tense standoff, the marines were arrested. Between the party’s statements, their status as a crew for the illustrious shipwright Alim, Akash’s reputation as a successful local businessman, and protests from the regulars of the inn concerning the Ta Atouans’ behavior, the town guard found sufficient cause to lead the marine squad away in chains.
Just as the party took a deep breath and began to congratulate themselves on their success, a slow clap echoed from a nearby alleyway.
Stepping into view, Raptis revealed himself, apparently amused at the party’s skirmish with the marines. While he was agreeable to giving them more time to acquire Burning Brand’s cargo, Raptis was unwilling to let the issue end with the marines’ arrest.
Heading to the shipyard, the party woke Diallo to have him tend to their wounds. Kasumi related how he had distracted the marines downstairs while the others engaged the marines in battle upstairs. Amazed at their brazen confrontation, Diallo again asked that the party be careful in dealing with the Ta Atouans and Raptis, before insisting upon them getting a good night’s rest.
...*...
After breakfast, the crew went to see Alim at his shipyard. They explained that the party had gotten into a scrap the previous night fending off Ta Atouan soldiers seeking the bounty on Mesi and she relayed the events that had led to her fugitive status. Sympathetic to her honorable plight, Alim agreed to support the party. Since being an employee of a citizen afforded her protection and him restitution under Ash-sh’b law, he agreed to speak with the city guard about seizing the marines’ cargo.
After debating what to do about Burning Brand’s captain and the ship itself, the crew found themselves curious as to the nature of the crimes the marines firmly believed Mesi to be guilty of. Deciding to ask the marines directly, they went to the jail where the marines were incarcerated. Each of them approaching a different cell, they interrogated the soldiers about the reason for their presence in Rhakosis and their stance on Mesi’s crimes.
Sitara attempted to speak with the marine who had been punished by his commander and put up to baiting Mesi, however, her compassionate manner was met only with stubborn reticence.
Akash approached the man Kasumi had blinded with his drink in the bar. After an exchange in which Akash attempted to pass himself off as a potential ally in hopes of learning more information, the man, convinced that Akash could be bought, suggested that he take Mesi to the Burning Brand’s captain in exchange for a reward.
Mesi confronted the marine commander about the accusations brought against her. He accused her of colluding with the rebels of Al Qura and leading the two men under her command into an ambush. Mesi admitted that she had helped a wanted man escape, but indignantly denied killing anyone. The commander seemed convinced of Mesi’s guilt, taking her admission of assisting a wanted fugitive as confirmation of her working with the rebels.
Kasumi talked to the man who had been badly injured during the fight whom they had kept from falling off the roof. He attempted to convince the man that Mesi was not capable of committing the crime they accused her of, citing the fact Mesi had risked capture to save his life--not exactly the behavior of a traitor and a murderer. While the injured man’s cellmate soundly defied him, Kasumi could see the seeds of doubt had been planted.
Generally frustrated, the crew left the jail to consider their options against their remaining enemies. After deciding to suggest an alternate course of action, they went to meet once more with Raptis. Asserting that unifying the Council of Captains against the Ta Atouan threat would be more beneficial than making a show of setting Burning Brand alight in the harbor, Sitara proposed instead that Raptis commandeer the ship and take it to the Free Isles.
Though he seemed initially unconvinced, some of the party heard whispers coming from behind the crates near Raptis. Eventually, he agreed to hijack the ship and give the crew a chance to defect, but declined the party’s offer of assistance. Amongst Raptis’ people, emotions seemed mixed, with Iliana threatening that if the plan failed, Mesi would regret it.
Hanna told her he would consider the account settled if Sitara would garner him enough support to be chosen as the new Master of the Seas, head of the Council of Captains. He believed that the support of Master Shipwright Alim, as well as that of the daughter of Musa, the former Master of the Seas, would allow him to claim that title for himself. Though uncertain of how to go about it, Sitara promised to do her best to promote Hanna. Thanking him for his hospitality, the crew departed.
Deciding to start with more familiar territory, Sitara and the crew met with Alim to discover his current position with regards to the Council of Captains. After Sitara inquired whether he would be willing to back Hanna as Master of the Seas, Alim explained that, as a master shipwright, he must remain neutral and maintain good relations with any current and potential business partners. When Alim asked her if Hanna had put her up to this, Sitara revealed he had asked her aid in seeking political backing and confessed to having a stake in the matter. Though she had no reason to doubt Hanna, Sitara admitted that, were there a reason he was unfit, or were there a more suitable leader, her own personal interest was insignificant compared to the fate of Rhakosis.
Alim indicated he felt some on the Council would be more fit than others to lead it, though he could not reveal their identities. He did promise to solicit an audience with them to discuss the state of affairs in Rhakosis on Sitara’s behalf. Alim also informed them that Musa’s daughter Nyasia, the woman for whom the continent was named, resided within the city, while her son lived on a large farm just outside of town. He suggested Sitara contact her son for a possible introduction to the most famous woman in the world.
After spending some time scouting around the city for information about the secretive Council of Captains, Sitara and Mesi uncovered the name Zayd bin Kishan Mhasalkarz. A captain specializing in foodstuffs who had many connections with farmers outside the city, the sailors they spoke with believed he was a member of the Council. According to an impressively heavy drinker by the name of Anuj, Zayd was also connected with Almawja Ataullah bin Davud El-Ghazzawy, Captain of the ship High Tide and a rumored Jinn-blooded.
...*...
Meanwhile. Akash and Kasumi took the Mon to the Temple, to see what knowledge the priesthood might have about the artifact. Meeting with one of the priests, they showed him the Mon and explained its inherently powerful, and perhaps dangerous, properties.
Very intrigued by the object, the priest agreed with Akash that it was possible it was connected with a Jinn, but could not say for certain without taking it to the High Priest for further study. He offered to share what wisdom the Jinn granted them about the Mon if they would give it to him. If what they said was true, it would be best for a potential artifact of the Jinn to be in the hands of their Chosen.
Since Kasumi, claiming ownership, was not inclined to hand over the Mon to the Temple for safekeeping, and Akash, who held a mistrust of the priesthood, was unwilling to convince his employee to relinquish it, the priest could offer no more. Leaving the Temple, Akash decided he should expand his repertoire of skills, asked Kasumi to teach him the secrets of stealth.
...*...
After spending the next day about town, the party noticed at dinner that someone appeared to be watching them: an Ash-Sh’b man who was rather ordinary save for a strong scent of sea salt. Discreetly tailing the man back to the docks, they saw him board a ship which they realized was the same High Tide they had heard of. Opting to not make a scene, the party instead returned to the Purple Lantern Inn and their ruminations.
At dinner the next evening, the crew again spotted someone, a rather tall, willowy man, watching them, and followed him back to High Tide. Deciding Akash needed as much practice as he could get, Kasumi sent him to shadow the Captain on their way back to the Purple Lantern. Sitara, deciding to have a little fun, snuck around behind Akash to tail him instead. Kasumi, who was following the both of them, caught up to Sitara to commiserate about his lackluster student. Making a chain back to the inn, the party settled in for the night, wondering what the coming days would bring.
...*...
The next morning, Akash continued his training in stealth until Kasumi decided to give him the day off. As Akash made his way through the streets of Rhakosis, he stopped when he reached into his pocket to find nothing, and he hadn’t even noticed. Anxious that his normally keen senses had betrayed him, Akash found his resolve tested. Tracking down his brother to a gambling hall called the Seven-Sided Book, he confided in Tabari about how he’d been pilfered, without having heard the slightest whisper of the Jinn in warning. Kasumi soon arrived, and returned Akash’s property, explaining he had tailed and pickpocketed Akash as a test. He apologized and expressed his concern about Akash’s uncharacteristic lapse in perception. Relieved that it had been Kasumi, Akash forgave him, and they spent the afternoon relaxing with Tabari.
After asking Tabari about his connections in the antiquities market, Akash and Kasumi took their leave. The pair made their way to see a sage Tabari knew about the Mon. Finding themselves at a door in a side alley, they were ushered into a small entrance room by a rather curious man with a stooped back and a wandering eye. Though the sage, Mahfuz by name, seemed very keen on purchasing the Mon, they agreed that the sage would keep it to study for several days and contact them when he had divined more information. Taking hold of the Mon, the sage immediately invoked it, murmuring through his closed mouth as the signs of the Mon crept across his features. Ushering the two out the door, Mahfuz assured them he would contact them soon.
...*...
Meanwhile, Sitara and Mesi went searching for Diallo. Finding him in the bazaar, they questioned him about the presence of Ta Atouan refugees in the city. Diallo revealed that there was a significant presence of Ta Atouan expatriates in Rhakosis, however, they were very distrustful of outsiders. This group was led by a man named Raptis Evangelos who, Diallo warned them, was a dangerous man that would sacrifice much in his crusade against the dictatorship in charge of Al Qura. He cautioned Mesi that the group’s approach could be extreme.
Even after hearing Diallo’s warning, Mesi decided to seek Raptis out in hopes of gaining allies against the military encroachment of her former home. The pair spent the evening making it known that Mesi sought to make contact with the man, with the understanding from Diallo that if Raptis wished to meet her, he would make his presence known.
...*...
That night, Sitara spotted her drinking companion Anuj stumbling back to his ship, and followed him to ask him to deliver a message. Upon arriving at High Tide, the tall man who had spied on them at the Purple Lantern greeted her on the dock and agreed to pass along her message to the captain that Sitara wished to meet with him.
The following day at lunch, the innkeep Ziyad Ziya delivered a message to Sitara at the Purple Lantern that the Captain of High Tide would meet her at a nearby park. Ziyad seemed unusually nervous, though when Sitara inquired, he was unwilling to speak of what troubled him. As he caught sight of Mesi entering, Ziyad suggested Sitara make haste to her meeting.
After Sitara left, Ziyad informed Mesi that a scarred man had left a message that she was to meet those she sought on the southern docks at dusk. Obviously twitchy, Ziyad cautioned Mesi not to tell anyone, as his instructions were for her to come alone and unarmed.
Shortly afterwards, Akash and Kasumi returned to the inn and upon learning of her upcoming meeting, gave Mesi suggestions for how she should go about approaching her scarred contact. Deciding to scout out the area, Akash and Kasumi headed to the docks, while Mesi set out to find the Captain.
Arriving at the small park, Sitara found a perfectly ordinary Ash-Sh’b man who introduced himself as Almawja Ataullah bin Davud El-Ghazzawy, Captain of High Tide. Sitara explained she had sought him out for his connection to the Council of Captains, expressing her intent to speak with them. In light of the rumors of recent Ta Atouan naval activities, she hoped personally sharing her crew’s experience with the slavers would help spur them towards organization and action.
Considering her plea, Ataullah agreed to help her on the condition she pass a test of the Jinn to prove her quest’s worth. If she could sail through the maelstrom known as Madkhal ‘iilaa Albahr Qaeat Allawr, the Entrance of the Sea Lords' Hall, Ataullah would introduce Sitara to the Council Captain Zayd. Naturally, Ataullah would sail with them and go through first himself to demonstrate his intentions. As Mesi arrived with Sitara’s lunch, she caught the familiar gleam of adventure in Sitara’s eyes as she agreed to Ataullah’s proposition. Deciding to set sail in about a week, the captains parted ways. Heading back to the inn, Mesi filled in Sitara on the details of the meeting that night.
Deciding that it could be useful to have access to the Mon’s power for Mesi’s upcoming meeting, Kasumi led her and Sitara to Mahfuz’s home, explaining to his perplexed companions how he and Akash had lent it to the sage to study. However, when they knocked at his door, there was no answer, and they saw no signs of activity through the dingy windows. Their attempts to call out for the sage met only with silence, the party was forced to head to their rendezvous empty handed.
...*...
The party made it to the southern docks without incident, with Akash remaining in a nearby bar and Kasumi taking to the rooftops. Avoiding the crowds, Mesi and Sitara made their way down the docks before finding themselves alone with nothing but warehouses and empty piers. After announcing their presence, the pair was confronted by a man who bore many scars and a grudge about the fact that not only did Mesi not come alone, but she also came armed.
While the pair were arguing with the man, Kasumi kept watch from a nearby rooftop and noticed a pair of figures on the next building over who seemed to be eyeing the meeting below with loaded crossbows. Realizing that this was either an ambush or possibly extra security, Kasumi steeled himself and prepared to launch into action should this meeting turn violent.
After Mesi set the man straight that he was not dealing with fools, he explained how they might prove their trustworthiness. In port, he said, there was a Ta Atouan ship by the name of Burning Brand. The scarred man instructed Mesi to steal the cargo from the ship and make certain that it never returned to its homeport. Mesi balked at the idea, leading to a tense exchange.
Fortunately for Kasumi, one of the figures on the rooftop had disappeared inside, so when the scarred man brandished a knife at Mesi and the remaining rooftop security went for his crossbow, Kasumi sprung into action. He dashed across the rooftop and swiftly knocked the crossbowman unconscious before a loud voice called out from the warehouse ordering the scarred man to stand down. Kasumi, now feeling worried about the ramifications of his actions, moved the unconscious man out of sight of the trapdoor and waited with bated breath.
A tall man with braided hair ending in claws emerged from the warehouse and invited Mesi and Sitara inside. They quickly realized that this figure was Raptis Evangelos when he identified the scarred man as Rudo. As the conversation continued inside the warehouse, they found Raptis to be much more soft spoken than his compatriot, but all the more intimidating for it.
As the women were meeting with the man they sought below, Kasumi found himself engaged by another warrior who had come to check on the man Kasumi had knocked out. This woman proved to be a much greater challenge than the crossbowman and a scuffle ensued, though Kasumi was finally able to get a solid hold on the warrior woman and send her into an unwelcome sleep.
Realizing neither of his lookouts had returned, Raptis became suspicious and sent guards to the roof. Sitara spoke up and asked that if a Minzokan man were spotted on the roof, he be escorted inside. He warned Sitara that either the Minzokan man was dead, killed by his guards, or his men were dead, in which case Sitara and Mesi would soon join them. Yelling after the guards, Sitara urged Kasumi to reveal himself. Two guards escorted Kasumi in as the others checked on their comrades, and the party waited with bated breath. When his men reported their lookouts were unconscious but otherwise unharmed, Raptis seemed surprised at this revelation, and invited Kasumi to join the conversation.
As for Sitara’s plan to unite the Council of Captains to help deal with the threat of Ta Atouan aggression, Raptis was intrigued by the idea of outsiders aiding his cause. Mesi’s impassioned call to work together to retake their homeland appeared to have some small effect on the revolutionary. Making it clear that he had no use for fools or mercy, he agreed to work with the party, though he warned them to stay out of his way when it came time to deal with his foes.
Over the course of the exchange, the two unconscious guards awoke. The stronger of the two, a woman named Iliana, seemed both irritated and impressed with Kasumi’s skills, and promised a future contest for the two of them.
Satisfied that a connection had been made, and uncertain about where it may lead, the party left the warehouse. Collecting Akash on the way back to the Purple Lantern, they brought him up to speed, discussed recent revelations, and began drawing up plans for their next move.
...*...
While Mesi, Akash and Kasumi spent the next day exploring the docks and scouting out the ship being targeted by Raptis, Sitara went out and about in the city to pursue her own investigations.
First she visited the Temple, bringing a barrel of the leviathan oil as an offering to the Jinn. After the temple received her tribute and prayers, Sitara sought guidance from one of the priests about the Mon and its implications. She described its characteristics and effects, including her own visions, wondering if it could be an artifact of a Jinn. The priest supposed it could be, and conjectured that the draining effect was perhaps a consequence of seeking its boons without the requisite offering, though there was not much he could say for certain without examining the object. While he was disappointed to learn the item was not currently in her possession, she offered to retrieve it.
When Sitara visited the sage’s abode, however, there was no answer. After multiple attempts, she visited the shop on the upper floor to speak to the owner, a clothier by the name of Khorsheed bin Yousef Kharim. While the very fashionably-dressed man did not know of the sage’s whereabouts, Khorsheed informed her that Mahfuz rented the floor below from him, and while he thought the sage a bit odd and hermetic, he was usually prompt with the rent. After making a few purchases, she decided to check back again later to see if she could catch the sage at home.
Whilst out carousing, Sitara heard troubling tales of conscription and reports that a couple of ships had not made it back to port from abroad. Rumors had it that Ta Atouans might have been causing trouble in the shipping lanes, driving sailors closer to the Pirate Isles. Stopping by Mahfuz’s shop once more on her way back to the docks, Sitara’s knocks were once again met only with silence.
...*...
Meanwhile, Mesi sought out Raptis’ group to deliver a message. When Iliana caught up to her, Mesi declared that the party was formulating a plan but would only speak of it to Raptis. Iliana informed Mesi that she could speak with Raptis at a small local shrine once the party had a plan to present. After this tense exchange, Iliana dismissed Mesi with a slight. Mesi confronted her, and the two seemed close to blows before she dismissed Iliana in kind, and walked away.
Mesi returned to the dockside bar where the party was plotting. Finally, they decided on setting a trap for the crew of Burning Brand to get them imprisoned, and therefore out of the way of Raptis and his plans. Upon traveling to the shrine to meet with Raptis, Kasumi and Akash spotted movement on a nearby rooftop. Kasumi quickly scaled the building, reaching the top just in time to see a figure dropping off the other side. Darting across the roof, Kasumi did not see anyone unusual in the street traffic below.
Raptis soon arrived, and the party shared their plan to offer Mesi as bait for the ship’s marines in order to get them arrested for kidnapping. He agreed to give them a week to deal with the ship before he would take action. Informing the crew that they could leave a message for him at the Broken Beak, Raptis took his leave, and the crew set about preparing their work against Burning Brand.
Meeting for breakfast the next morning, the party discussed plans to lure out the marines of Burning Brand. Akash, Kasumi and Sitara then spent most of the day checking out the docks and scouting possible locations for their trap.
Akash sought out his brother for advice and was directed to the Smoking Cloud, a tavern which doubled as an incense shop. It seemed Tabari disliked the owner, one Hassan bin Nima Attar, and would have liked nothing more than to see the man’s livelihood damaged. Meanwhile, Sitara found two other prime locations, the Dented Pot restaurant and the Brackwater Inn.
Discussing their options the following morning, Akash suggested Mesi rent a room at the Smoking Cloud to lure the marines into making a scene there, promising a sympathetic guard presence in the area. His comment that the owner of the Smoking Cloud deserved the commotion, though he admitted to never having met the man himself, raised eyebrows amongst some of his companions, though in the end they decided on his recommended location.
...*...
With the matter of the trap settled, the party decided to retrieve the Mon. Once again there was no answer at the door, and Sitara went above his shop to inquire with his landlord. Finding it odd that Mahfuz was still not answering, Khorsheed attempted to open the Sage’s residence only to find that his key no longer worked. Given the circumstances, Kasumi stepped forward to offer his assistance. Sitara and Mesi exchanged a quick glance as Kasumi skillfully worked the lock until it unlatched, though Kasumi noted it was sturdier than one would expect for a Sage’s home.
Entering, the group saw no trace of the Sage, though they did find melted candle wax and spilled ink on the man’s desk. Sitara noticed that it appeared the spill had settled around something, perhaps a book. Kasumi's first thought was that the house had been broken into, but upon further investigation, it seemed that may not be the case, as they found no signs of forced entry. Akash and Kasumi noticed several tomes and objects were also missing from the shelves of the man’s library, from sections focused on various religions and mythologies. With no hints as to the whereabouts of the Sage or the Mon, the landlord Khorsheed stated he would keep the place intact for the time being and alert the crew if Mahfuz returned. If not, he would offer some of the Sage’s belongings as recompense for their lost property. Akash and Kasumi were mortified that not only had they lost the Mon, but they hadn't thought to place any lookouts or take precautions to safeguard this most precious artifact.
Deciding to speak with the neighbors in case anyone had seen something odd, the party met a pair of young men across the street who, though they appeared very stoned, indicated that they had seen Mahfuz carried out of his shop by two men late on the night of the 14th. Believing Mahfuz to have been drunk, and deep in their own gluttonies themselves, their vague recounting of the incident annoyed some members of the party, though their information seemed mostly consistent.
Relaying this news to Khorsheed, the man put little stock in the stories of the two young men, Hesham and Haamid as they were known, though he did warn the Captain that, if they were correct, Sitara should take care lest she should find herself mixed up with less than savory people. If only he knew the company Sitara was already keeping.
Finding no other leads, Akash and Kasumi sought out their own contacts to put the word out about Mahfuz’ disappearance while Sitara continued to spread the word about Mesi staying at the Smoking Cloud.
...*...
After a couple of days’ reconnaissance to try to ascertain the number of soldiers that his party might be up against, Kasumi bore witness to a crewman falling asleep on duty. When his superior caught him nodding off, he lifted the man bodily, throwing him overboard into the harbor. Berating the soldier as he hefted himself up, his superior cuffed him across the face with a heavy knotted cord, knocking him back into the water. Climbing once more back onto the deck, the sopping soldier received one last slap from the officer before resuming his position at attention. After this display, Kasumi felt a twinge of sympathy for the soldier, especially knowing what he and the crew had planned for them.
Meanwhile, as the Captain was tailing Mesi through the Grand Bazaar to keep an eye on her, Sitara caught sight of a Ta Atouan man attempting to make a deal with an Ash-Sh’b merchant for a shipment of grain. Surmising he was Burning Brand’s merchant captain, she debated momentarily whether or not to disrupt the deal and perhaps stall their departure. After silently watching their negotiations, Sitara returned to the crew, realizing they must act soon.
That evening, as Mesi dined at the Smoking Cloud, a cloaked figure bought Mesi drinks at the bar, but kept their distance, remaining anonymous.
Mesi continued to subtly advertise her presence the following day, while Sitara and Kasumi tracked the crew of Burning Brand. Reaching out through his network of Brotherhood contacts, Akash learned that no one had spotted Mahfuz anywhere around the city and that he indeed seemed to have gone missing.
At the Smoking Cloud, Mesi spotted the mysterious figure who had been buying her drinks. Once they had left, she tailed her benefactor, turning a corner to find an empty alleyway. As the party made their way around to the other end of the alley, Akash spotted a figure leaning up against the entrance. Akash walked past the man, taking up a seat in the alley and pulling out his pipe. After a brief conversation, the man asked Akash to bring him some of his pipe-weed in exchange for the substances he had to offer. Akash returned to the others, fairly certain this dealer was not their man, and the party returned to the inn to retire.
...*...
The next evening, the party took up their positions in the Smoking Cloud. Over the course of the evening, they spotted five very suspicious, cloaked Ta Atouan men enter, and one with a black eye approached Mesi with an offer of drinks. Kasumi, who was making small talk with two marines at the bar, recognized the bruised man as the soldier he had seen disciplined by his commander. Plying her with numerous drinks, the man tried to get Mesi to leave the bar with him. After deferring as long as she could, she excused herself upstairs to change.
The rest of the party watched on edge as the man followed, with two marines from the common tables close behind. Mesi readied herself in her room, but when opened the door to leave, she found herself rushed by all three men.
What followed next was a comedy of errors. As Mesi struggled with the marines in her room, Sitara and Akash stormed upstairs. The Captain barged in first, distracting the bruised man holding a knife to Mesi long enough for her to boot him out the door and into Akash. Making quite the show of being attacked, Akash allowed himself to be wounded in the exchange before buffeting the man down the hallway with a blast of wind. With the aid of her companions, the tide turned on the other two soldiers, and Mesi demanded their surrender.
Meanwhile, downstairs, Kasumi’s distraction of the Ta Atouans at the bar took a hard turn into absurdity. As his new drinking buddies attempted to push past him at the sound of the commotion upstairs, Kasumi comedically splashed a potent drink in the face of the nearest one, blinding him. Kasumi rushed after his next victim who was making for the door, shouting apologies behind him. In his affected drunken stupor. Kasumi snatched the man’s sword from its sheath and flung it across the room, striking one of the other patrons with it, after which Kasumi berated the poor marine for so clumsily losing hold of his blade. As the patrons scrambled away from the blinded man who was wildly swinging, Kasumi simply moved out of the path of his now swordless companion, accidentally tripping the man and toppling him over a table.
Making his exit, Kasumi rushed dramatically up the street, spouting the terrors of the Ta Atouan menace to alert the city guard. Having gained their attention, he strolled back, feeling rather satisfied with himself as the guards made their way towards the Smoking Cloud.
However, a trio of Ta Atouans outside entered the bar behind Kasumi, having been alerted by the commotion at the door. As they rushed upstairs, Akash attempted to blow them back downstairs, only to have his blast sliced effortlessly in half by the leader.
With the arrival of the Ta Atouan commander, the fight rapidly descended into chaos. One of the marines forced Akash out of the room and the others held him at sword point while the commander engaged Sitara, who had positioned herself squarely between him and his quarry. Mesi was struggling with one of the marines at the window, when suddenly a familiar hand smashed out the panes and yanked the man out onto the roof.
Sitara covered her as Mesi followed out the window, where she saw the marine lose his balance, nearly sliding off the roof headfirst until Kasumi grabbed his foot. Calling out for Mesi to help, they managed to pull the soldier, despite his protests, back up to safety.
As Sitara made her escape with a daring backwards dive out the window, sticking the landing in a lunge and using her blades to slow her descent to the edge of the roof, the guards finally arrived, clashing with the marines as they attempted to pursue. After a tense standoff, the marines were arrested. Between the party’s statements, their status as a crew for the illustrious shipwright Alim, Akash’s reputation as a successful local businessman, and protests from the regulars of the inn concerning the Ta Atouans’ behavior, the town guard found sufficient cause to lead the marine squad away in chains.
Just as the party took a deep breath and began to congratulate themselves on their success, a slow clap echoed from a nearby alleyway.
Stepping into view, Raptis revealed himself, apparently amused at the party’s skirmish with the marines. While he was agreeable to giving them more time to acquire Burning Brand’s cargo, Raptis was unwilling to let the issue end with the marines’ arrest.
Heading to the shipyard, the party woke Diallo to have him tend to their wounds. Kasumi related how he had distracted the marines downstairs while the others engaged the marines in battle upstairs. Amazed at their brazen confrontation, Diallo again asked that the party be careful in dealing with the Ta Atouans and Raptis, before insisting upon them getting a good night’s rest.
...*...
After breakfast, the crew went to see Alim at his shipyard. They explained that the party had gotten into a scrap the previous night fending off Ta Atouan soldiers seeking the bounty on Mesi and she relayed the events that had led to her fugitive status. Sympathetic to her honorable plight, Alim agreed to support the party. Since being an employee of a citizen afforded her protection and him restitution under Ash-sh’b law, he agreed to speak with the city guard about seizing the marines’ cargo.
After debating what to do about Burning Brand’s captain and the ship itself, the crew found themselves curious as to the nature of the crimes the marines firmly believed Mesi to be guilty of. Deciding to ask the marines directly, they went to the jail where the marines were incarcerated. Each of them approaching a different cell, they interrogated the soldiers about the reason for their presence in Rhakosis and their stance on Mesi’s crimes.
Sitara attempted to speak with the marine who had been punished by his commander and put up to baiting Mesi, however, her compassionate manner was met only with stubborn reticence.
Akash approached the man Kasumi had blinded with his drink in the bar. After an exchange in which Akash attempted to pass himself off as a potential ally in hopes of learning more information, the man, convinced that Akash could be bought, suggested that he take Mesi to the Burning Brand’s captain in exchange for a reward.
Mesi confronted the marine commander about the accusations brought against her. He accused her of colluding with the rebels of Al Qura and leading the two men under her command into an ambush. Mesi admitted that she had helped a wanted man escape, but indignantly denied killing anyone. The commander seemed convinced of Mesi’s guilt, taking her admission of assisting a wanted fugitive as confirmation of her working with the rebels.
Kasumi talked to the man who had been badly injured during the fight whom they had kept from falling off the roof. He attempted to convince the man that Mesi was not capable of committing the crime they accused her of, citing the fact Mesi had risked capture to save his life--not exactly the behavior of a traitor and a murderer. While the injured man’s cellmate soundly defied him, Kasumi could see the seeds of doubt had been planted.
Generally frustrated, the crew left the jail to consider their options against their remaining enemies. After deciding to suggest an alternate course of action, they went to meet once more with Raptis. Asserting that unifying the Council of Captains against the Ta Atouan threat would be more beneficial than making a show of setting Burning Brand alight in the harbor, Sitara proposed instead that Raptis commandeer the ship and take it to the Free Isles.
Though he seemed initially unconvinced, some of the party heard whispers coming from behind the crates near Raptis. Eventually, he agreed to hijack the ship and give the crew a chance to defect, but declined the party’s offer of assistance. Amongst Raptis’ people, emotions seemed mixed, with Iliana threatening that if the plan failed, Mesi would regret it.
