A Brace of Returns

On a grey and blustery winter day a column of galleys straggles into view of the harbor watch across the choppy seas from the north and east. An alarm is raised, but as the watchers peer through the drizzle, they see the colors of the Hanse snapping from mast and prow, and as word goes through the harbor, a cheer is heard to erupt from the Gatehouse (at the Kantor). Hansemaenner run out to the piers, stoups of ale still in their hands, to watch the approach of the galleys, asking each other if Telman of Tsipa is finally come back.

Working their way down the coast from the Denyan Islands, the squadron has in its midst a few ships broader of beam as well—merchanters by the look of them, escorted on this last leg by the Hanse’s sleek galleys. As the squadron finally passes the breakwater to enter the harbor, led by the pilot ship, three cheers rise from those still watching from the pier.

‘That’s Telman’s boat! It’s Telman!’

The commander of the campaign against the Luwian pirates has returned to Cothon at long last, after almost two lunar years in the field. Delayed by storms, raids, and administrative troubles in the strongholds seized from the pirates, only now has the intrepid captain finally been able to make his way back to the Kantor whence he started. And how long will he remain? Through the rest of the winter at least, but he will no doubt be recalled to the fighting as soon as the seas are ready to bear warships again.

In the meantime, there is amaze in the eyes of Telman as he steps from his galley to the crowds on the pier. Two things stand out immediately as changes since last he was here—the windmill tower of Durham’s Ringing Anvil rises over the buildings nearby the Kantor, and riding there at the Kantor’s private docks is the infamous pirate galley Darkwing. What other changes wait to be seen? he must wonder to himself as he allows himself to be swept along by the Hansemaenner, into the Gatehouse to be plied with ale and wine—he and the crews of his galleys of course, and many are the glad reunions of friends separated by the seas, as well as solemn acknowledgments that certain friends never will return.

Within the Kantor itself, Captain General Zaytar offers a toast to this bright star of the Hanse—‘Long health to Telman of Tsipa! May his star never dim!’ Then with a shout, the men all agree, and drink to the toast, and call for the musicians to play and the girls to dance, and more ale for everyone. And despite protestations, Telman pays liberally with the moneys he has won while campaigning.

Those in the neighborhood got no sleep that night for all the raucous carousing at the Gatehouse.

Other Returns

Telman is not the only one to have returned in this squadron, of course. While he and his crew are rushed by the Hansemaenner and dragged into the Gatehouse for carousing, the merchant vessels lug into separate berths in the harbor. After the captains declare their wares to the harbormaster and pay their hawking fees and longshoremen’s wages, their ships are then swarmed by a mix of their own crew and those of the Longshoremen’s Guild, to have their goods hauled to warehouses or to prearranged merchants or stalls in the Souk.

One of these merchant captains is Halgerd Longlegs, who has come through the ports of Cothon before, and whose outgoing cargo then was financed in part by one Durham of the Ringing Anvil. Unfortunately for Durham, the other merchant he financed ended up despoiled by pirates—and Halgerd might have suffered the same fate herself, if she hadn't ended up with Telman in the end. It seems the Luwians are bold sailors, and have taken to raiding even now that winter storms are whipping Dirac's Sea to a frenzy.

Fortunately for Durham, Halgerd traded successfully up the west coast, then continued trading well east through the Denyan Isles toward Misria. She ended up with a hold full of valuable Misrian goods at a time when such things have become hard to come by, and so she is able to sell her cargo in Cothon's Souk at a good profit—an excellent profit, in fact, for Durham receives 7700 dirhams from his share of the cargo he bought (2500 originally). Such returns are unlikely in general, but circumstances certainly played a roll in such profitability.

Per usual practice, Halgerd also comes to the city with her own short list of goods for sale to persons of interest, first come first served:

Price	Item
1 gp/shell	80 iridescent shells and carapaces
100 gp/oz	11 oz. hallucinogenic pollen (1 oz = 1 dose)
50 gp/pod	7 strangler-pods
200 gp/vine	10 leechvines
80 gp/amphora	3 amphorae of passum (raisin wine; 55 pints ea.)
200 gp/amphora	4 amphorae of Misrian shajr wine (55 pints ea.)
130 gp/card	17 gilt cards w/intricate geometric designs
450 gp (entire set)	one set of 6 books, The Queen of Winds
600 gp	one ingot of zortrium

Strangler-pods emit sticky weblike strands when jostled (e.g. thrown), causing a victim to be held to the ground for 1 round after a successful ranged attack, plus one additional round if a save v. paralysis is failed

Leechvine removes poison from a body, though the blood-cleansing that they do causes 1-6 damage

Halgerd is happy to answer questions about the rest of her wares over drinks at a good tavern (spend 50 gp to ask about/haggle over any one item)