A week or so later, but I've decided to homeport my ship in RR for a while while everyone's in Duskruin. If i'm around and anyone needs a spellup, throw a think in my direction. If i'm not busy smiting pirate ships, i'll help you all out. I was going to crosspost the night i posted my little story, but there was a small matter of a Windows 10 update breaking my laptop, and the video card on my 15 year old desktop machine decided to eat itself. So without further ado, enjoy the following:


The following takes place shortly after the meeting with Amos,


Who says you can't go home again? Hapenlok thought.

It had been years since he spent any substantial amount of time on the Rest. The last time he was here, it was to track down a woman who he thought had been kidnapped, in the service of the Whenimer's Landing Militia. Turned out, the woman was a plant for the Bayrunners, or was it the Silver Kings? Hard to tell, and it really didn't matter. All he knew was, that he was accosted by one of the heads of that Smuggling Troupe, and barely made it back alive. Prior to that? he was a wanted man. Wanted for desertion and murder, stemming from his time in the service of Count Claybourne. In all that time prior and subsequent to his time in the Royal Torren Guard, he was a resident here, but he never really considered himself to be a River Rat. He was never fully trusted by the seedier elements that resided here, due to his service with the Royal Torren Guard, there was also the small matter of never paying tribute to the Bayrunners and their damned tax. but he got by, he had a ship. he had a crew. Until they betrayed him and marooned him in the Western Sea.


In the middle of the night, Hapenlok docked his ship at the Maelstrom docks, and disembarked, He muttered a few words, and gestured....and glanced around.
He was very much aware of the cloaked figures that were tailing him as he visited the dockmaster and arranged for his cargo to be off-loaded and repairs to his ship to be made. Nothing substantial, but he decided to keep up his cannon practice on the way into the Bay.

He made his way to the River's Rest Inn. Sight of his last confrontation with the Bay Runners. He looked over his shoulder. He was still being followed. A Giantman, and a humans. Wearing dark cloaks.

Entering the inn, there were very few people present. He rented his room, and made his way to the dining room. The figures followed in, and bookended him as he sat as his table.

The giantman just stared daggers, as the human spoke,

"Don' recall seein' ya here before, mate. Seems like you don't know the rules for commerce here in the Rest." the human said. "Any cargo that lands here gets Taxed, friend, and you seem to have forgotten to visit us, before visiting the Master."

Hapenlok turned to face the human, and regarded him cooly. Taking a closer look he saw what was a rather young human, barely out of his teens, with two daggers sheathed at his hip and a wide confident smile, as he confronted the old Halfling that had just came into town. On a ship, with no crew.
He stole a glance over his shoulder at the Giantman, who was more visibly armed, with the hilt of a large club strapped to his shoulder. and glowered at him.

He turned to face the human. Gave him a cold smile, and spoke,

"Leave it alone boy. I'm not just another mark. Just leave it be." Hapenlok said.

The young human gave a snort of disbelief, the smile left his face briefly as he stammered a bit. "I don't think you understand, friend. We do our collectin' one way. or another. And you just talked yourself up to a 25,000 silver tax. Or maybe i'll let Grog take it out of your worthless Halfling hide."

He turned towards the Giantman, Grog, who had his hand on the table. as he was preparing to stand up.

So much for diplomacy. Quick as a flash, He drew his dagger, the only keepsake he kept to remind himself of his time served in the Torren Guard and jammed it with all of his might into the hand of the Giantman, nailing his hand to the table, and turned to face the human, as he grabbed his stave

The human drew his daggers, and took a swing towards Hapenlok, who rolled back and turned to face the human.

"One last time, friend. I'm not here for you. Leave. It. Alone."


The human was frightened now. This was not how he expected this encounter to go. Most of the ship's captains that travelled through here wanted no trouble. But he had bluster. and he had backup, and his backup had pulled the dagger from his hand, and bellowed in a rage.

Hapenlok watched the Giantkin pull the dagger from his hand. Watched him glance at his hand. Watched him slowly turn his head towards him. Watched him let out a frenzied howl of rage and pain. Watched him draw what he initially thought was a club, but in actuality was the largest two handed claidhmore he had ever seen.

Hapenlok held out a hand, as he stared at the blade. The blade grew red hot, and the flesh started to sizzle. and the Hands of the Giant literally melted to the bone as the howl of rage, became one of extreme pain. as the flesh was rended from his hands up to the wrist.

The human was mid stride, daggers drawn as this occured, ready to plunge the blades into his back, as Hapenlok turned towards him, his right palm out, a ball of fire at the end of it.

The human whimpered. Dropped his daggers.
The Giantkin continued to howl in pain. Hapenlok launched the ball of fire into the Giantkin, which silenced him.

Out of mid air, a giant stone hand appeared and grabbed the human and held him aloft in the air.

"P-Please, Don-"

Hapenlok gave a wicked smile, as he bent to retrieve his dagger, making sure to wipe the blood and bone from it.

"I'm only here because i've got bigger fish to fry, boy. Savvy me? My name is Hapenlok. Captain Hapenlok, formerly of the smuggling vessel, the Mistake. and i didn't gain my fortune by paying a Tax on everything i stole. and I'm here for one reason, and one reason only. are you listening to me, Boy?"

The boy, immobilized as much by fear as he was by the giant Stone fist that was clenching him tightly, could only stammer and nod.

Hapenlok pulled a large sack from his belt, full of coin. and tied it to the human's belt.

"I apologize for your friend ....Grog was it? ....but some lessons have to be learned the hard way. You tell your boss, that i'm here looking for information. Not a fight. I want the Knave. and I want the pylon dealer, Amos. and there's more of that where it came from if he delivers what i want. Savvy?"

The boy, resigned to whatever fate had in store for him, nodded weakly. A stream of liquid running down his legs by now.

Hapenlok made a shoving motion, pushing the boy to the ground, as he placed his Torren dagger back into his gloves.

"Get. Out. of. my. sight, and bring your garbage with you." as he gestured towards the body of the Giantkin.

It took some time, but with adrenaline and fear, the Human was able to drag his fallen comrade out of the Inn.

He walked back to the front desk. Left a smaller sack of coins and his key at the desk.
"Sorry about the mess. I think i'll sleep aboard ship tonight."

He went back to the Maelstrom docks, and climbed aboard his sloop, he climbed the Crow's nest and started to write a letter to Leafiara.

It didn't say much,

"L-

Made contact with Bayrunners. Starting my own line of inquiry.
Wish me luck. I'm gonna need it. The last time i did something like this, i almost didn't make it out of here."
~H
(a small sketch of a falling meteor)

He tied the message to his crow, and sent it in the general Direction of Leafiara's ship.
With a little luck, the stupid bird should make it to the Landing in a week.
He had no faith in creatures that weren't his famillar.