'As you wish. Follow me.' said the captain in an impossibly deep voice, following Dorznay. His accent was strong, but Soot couldn't quite place it. Maybe he was part Bair? It didn't look like it. But his physicality was definitely not the norm. Soot narrowed his eyes the the back of the captain's head, at the strange formation tattooed into his head. It resembled a rune he had seen once, but Soot couldn't be sure. His actual head was a strange shape, resembling an egg of the dark brown, and hairy persuasion. He set his mind not to pry.
When Dorznay went straight, however, the Captain turned to the left and entered a side-hallway that had four doors coming off it. 'There is only four rooms, but I'm sure you'll manage. I'll give you a moment to get settled into your rooms, then the captain would like an audience with you.' he said in his rich voice.
Dex rushed into a room, and put his bag down, as if it were growing heavier by the second. And to Dex and his overhung mind, it was. Soot followed Dex and put down his bag against the other bed.
The room was spartan in furniture, the two beds and a chair near the door. A rug had been placed over the boards of the ship, in an effort to liven up the room. It didn't work. It was obvious by the layer of dust that hung on everything that it had been a long time since the ship had had visitors.
As it was the largest, however, the group had chosen this room as their common. Lizbeth sat on the chair, Soot and Dex on their beds, Artemis and Derst on the floor, leaning against the walls.
'He wasn't the captain?' asked Lizbeth.
'No,' said Artemis 'He's the first mate. His name is Kaazad, if memory serves.'
'Then where's the captain?' asked Dex.
'He'd be in his cabin. He rarely comes out, and even audiences are granted sparingly.'
'Now, Artemis, what are we doin' here. Derst mentioned something about a rescue mission before.' the tall halfling nodded.
'How do you feel about werewolves?' asked Artemis of the group.
'Indifferent towards them as a race, though one of them is a good friend.' said Soot, Dex echoing him.
'Indifferent,' said Derst. 'although that's not saying much.'
'I think their fascinating. Their anatomy is so close to a human's, and they can change it magically. They can edit their own body. I have researched them quite thoroughly.' said Lizbeth, obviously trying hard to hold back a torrent of barely intelligible information.
'What about Benedict Plakater?'
'Thats who we're saving. I thought I saw you with him not a few weeks past.' said Derst.
'As in the lord?' asked Dex 'The big head guy who killed all those rats?'
Artemis nodded 'It is He and his friends that we are going to save, or all Avalon will fall to the rats.'
Soot frowned. 'The rats are really on the move then?'
'Yes.' said Artemis.
'How will he be essential?' asked Derst. 'Not that I don't want to save him it's just I'd like to know why we're actually doing this.'
'He and three others were taken by a wererat ambush-'
'I find that hard to believe.' said Soot and Derst, hardly a syllable out of time
'He and three others were taken captive by a wererat ambush who had a hostage. All I know is that Benedict and his friends are in the dungeon of Chu'rook castle.'
'Traitorous bastard.' spat Soot.
'So it would seem.' said Derst.
'There might be an innocent explanation for this.' said Lizbeth.
The Grey Nurse
Start from the beginning
