House Boromar

Dawn was breaking when Devlin entered Angela's office. He saw the Lieutenant Commander seated on her table going thru various reports that were littering her desk. There was a plate of half eaten bread and fruits on top of her table.

"You haven't left for the island yet?" She asked as she continued to shift thru the various reports.

"I received a message from the Boromar Lord a few hours ago," Devlin replied as he picked a grape from Angela's plate. "Something that might interest you."

Angela lowered her stack of paper. "What does Popora want?"

"I told him about your willingness to help look for her daughter," Devlin answered as he ate the grape. "He is offering a small gift, as token of gratitude."

"What gift?"

"Several barrels of medicinal spices to help cure the sick," Devlin replied.

The Lieutenant Commander's eyes flared and Devlin quickly found her standing in front of him. "You mean to tell me you had medicine stored in your ship all this time?" She shouted at him.

Devlin pretended to stammer. "It is Popora's property, not mine. He wanted to use it as a bargaining chip with the Lyrandar fleet."

Angela backed off. "So the Boromar is offering medicine, in exchange for her daughter?"

"You know how crafty the old halfling is. Popora is willing to offer more, if the Lyrandar fleet is going to actively look for Mica," Devlin stated. "I'll have Gian unload the barrels to the Resolute's dock."

Angela took a couple of deep breaths. "So the halfling will give us more medicine if we help her look for Mica?"

"That's what he told me," Devlin replied. "I'll be leaving for the island in an hour. If you want more medicine, make sure you send some men to help us scout the other places."

The Ravenstorm is not that big a ship so each available space it it must be essential to the function of the vessel and its crew. That's why there's the map room. Well, actually it's more of a library or reading room of sorts. Located near the observation deck, the room is filled with various maps of Eberron as of the other continents as well other books the crew members have gathered and added to the collection.

I begged off wheel duty for the day expecting there will be some trouble up ahead. So here I am, surrounded by various maps and books trying to search for something that could help us in our task. Ever since Routhaide took a trip thru the void, she’s been working with the Captain and me to figure out the exact location of the Boromar heir. The problem with searching thru the void is that distance and point of reference may not be the same as that of the real world. Still, the various visions that the elf disciple had have been helpful. We were able to narrow the location to that of a mining community, but as to which mining community it is we still dunno. It seems there are around a dozen mining communities in Greentarn.

That’s where my navigation duty comes in. Or at least, map duty. I’ve been trying to collect information of the communities to narrow our search pattern down. But even with all the books and maps we have in the ship’s library we can’t come up with any lead. Even with Coreen’s exceptional ability to mentally process numerical data, we’re still coming out with nothing. If we’re to find any answers I think they’re out there somewhere and not here in the ship or with the fleet but down on the island.

That’s giving some sense of dread though. During the Last War, I’ve seen cities being quarantined because of the diseases. The Karnns and their necromancers have a taste of using that as a tactic. It wasn’t pretty. Hundred of people trapped within walls and all of them trying to find an escape. A flying ship landing in the middle of a quarantined island is a a prime target for there. Hopefully, the Captain has some idea on how we’re to proceed.

Sometimes I don’t get Captain Devlin. I mean we have a cargo hold full of medicinal spice to serve as bargaining chip with the fleet and yet he tries to use diplomacy as a tool. I guess I can’t really blame him if he gets the desired result with just words as investment and still keep the spice for trade or sale later; ever the businessman.

Angela shook her head, try hard to control her fuming temper. "I thought we agreed about this," she muttered. "You still want to go down there?"

Devlin kept quiet and waited as the lieutenant commander shimmered down. This has aways been their game, to quarrel and argue. She would get mad and he would shut up. Without any one to spar with her, Angela would be forced to relax and calm down.

"I got new information about Mica," Devlin finally answered. Angela took a deep breath, removed her gloves and dropped it on top of her office table. "She's in the island, but not in the city."

Angela leaned towards her desk and gave the Ravenstorm captain a fierce look. "Can you tell me where you got that information?"

"My quartermaster, Rothaide," Devlin replied. "She's a priestess of the hearth mother."

"You don't expect me to believe that Boldrei gives a damn about the princess of a criminal overlord?"

Devlin merely shrugged. "Hey, the Sovereigns work in mysterious ways."

Angela began to tap her fingers on the table. "I heard about this Rothaide," she stated. "Isn't she the one who killed off the entire crew of the Eglantine?"

"No," Devlin protested. "She's the ship's sole survivor."

Angela shook her head. "Devlin," she muttered with a hint of pity. "Why are you doing this to yourself?"

"What?"

"Associating with criminals and killers," Angela replied. "You could have stayed with the House and got a decent commission."

Devlin coolly answered. "I have my own ship and crew that is loyal to me."

Angela took another deep breath and sat in front of her table. "Very well," she answered. "I'll write up an official document, allowing you to go down to the island. You have one day to look for her. After that I’m sending a ship after you."

=============================

the reproach brought back the faces of the dead, those who died at the englantine. from the deep recesses of her mind, they revealed themselves once more to rothaide.

"how come you survived, and we all died?" her captain, a long time friend, bellowed.

"you brought this curse upon us didnt you!! DIDNT YOUuu!!!" the other crew members point at her. their voices echoed as like in deep cave. cold and grim.

the ghosts of her past were mocking her. there was cursing. a lot of it. when she got off the ship unscathed, people immediately blamed her. it has happened so fast. she couldn't explain her survival. nor what happened.

it took everything in her power not to retaliate at the insult. those were her friends back there who died. her eyes pleaded, but caught hold of herself another second. she eyed angela intensely without speaking another word. she was not about to dignify an obvious provocation.

“For the last time,” the woman in the projected illusion explains. She looks tired. The exhaustion is visible in her eyes even thro there is some white crust forming on the corner of it. The same white crust is evident on the corners of her mouth.

“There are no halflings in Regalport. I do not know where any halflings would be. I have enough problems with riots and dead in the street so if you have nothing for us, then just let us get back to our work.”

With that image suddenly vanishes leaving both Devlin and Angela in the silence of the communications room. It was the fourth outpost they have tried to call - the only one which responded.

It was Angela who spoke first. “I guess that confirms it. The Boromar is not in the city. You better just go Devlin. There’s no reason for me to allow you to go down there.”

Devlin shifted his weight and stared intently at Angela. The woman accused her of being brash, but she hasn't changed much as well. Angela was still the same stubborn, stiff woman he made years ago. He knew this conversation would be the start of another long argument. Like the other debates they had when they were living together. No wonder things ended badly between them. They were like oil and water, a bad combination to begin with.

"I don't expect you to hand over Regalport," Devlin feigned a smile, trying to defuse the tension between them. "I just want to get into the island and look for the halfling."

Angela looked at him, trying to analyze the situation and second guess the Ravenstorm Captain.

"If you want, I can leave the Ravenstorm under your command," Devlin replied. "While my team go down and look for Mika."

The Lieutenant commander snorted. "Your floating junk?" she laughed jokingly. "I've got several faster and well-armed ships in my command."

Devlin smiled back. At least she's calming down, he thought. "The Ravenstorm might be outdated, but she's still a sturdy vessel. She can help ferry troops and supplies. Plus I'll be leaving Gian and Coreen in charge of the skyship."

Angela shook her and sighed. "So what are you planning to do once you're down there?"

"First thing's first," Devlin answered. "I need to contact a group of Dragonshard miners. They might have some idea as to where our halfling princess is hiding."