The Moonsails Trading Company

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Ethbaal
Dire Badger
Posts: 120
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 2:21 pm
Location: England

The Moonsails Trading Company

Post by Ethbaal »

A somber halfling sits on the docks as the sun sets over the Trackless Sea. The halfling squints his eyes at the westward horizon. He tucks a few strands of hair behind his left ear to counter the wind, its top half missing. The caravel was now three days late, and this was beginning to worry the halfing. Had something happened at sea? Had Cordell's cargo from Mazteca been siezed by pirates? Did some benthic behemoth bring down the Amnian ship?

The halfling looked back at Caftenor, a small but bustling island trading port, mostly inhabited by other halflings. It was actually a wonderful place. Yes, at times, one did feel the island fever, but for now it was the safest place for the halfling to be. The hin picked up a oversized triple hooked lure left haphazardly upon a dock by some unconcerned fisherhin. He examined it carefully. Wouldn't want to step on that. He tossed it out into the water, and turned towards the town. There was a sharp plop as the lure hit the water's surface and then sunk beneath its murky depths.

With an annoyed sigh the halfling walked up the shoreline towards the seaside town, then down an alleyway and into small warehouse, locking the door behind him. He passed by the shadows and shelves. Although most of the boxes in the little warehouse were empty, the room still smelt strongly of herbs. The halfling then went to his office in the back of the warehouse. There he had his table, a candlebra for reading, which he carefully lit.. and what was this? A letter was sitting on his desk. Tomi, one of the company's distributors must have left it there for him.

To: Pippin Tradeberry, Caftenor, Neaptide Street, Building 9
From: J'tel Cordell, Waterdeep, Adventurer's Quarter, Madam Garah's House

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"Dear Pippin,

I hope you find my family's accomodations fitting. We have a major problem in expanding imports to Waterdeep. Problems that go beyond rat tailed pickpockets, Shadow Thieves, and even the Xanathar. I really don't have enough information for you at this moment. Are you still in touch with your crew from Candlekeep? Once La Nina arrives, just hold the goods. I'll meet you at Caftenor in a tenday and we'll discuss an alternate plan.

Sincerely,

J'tel Cordell"
------------------


The halfling rolled his eyes. Once La Nina arrives, she's three days late, already. And what the hell was going on in Waterdeep?
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Ethbaal
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Posts: 120
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2004 2:21 pm
Location: England

Re: The Moonsails Trading Company

Post by Ethbaal »

Pippin arrived by ferry to Hammerstad, a port on the Northern island of Norheim. His ferry was not much smaller than La Nina, and also a simple sloop, though not of Amnian design. La Nina was Cordell and Pippin's joint enterprise. Their ship was undergoing intensive repairs since an encounter with what the, very nervous, Captain Dale described as an assault by 'undead pirates'.. what Undead may want with cargo that was obviously meant for the living, remained a mystery to Pippin. Perhaps they wanted the crew? But the hin did not doubt the Captain's words. Thankfully, the diverse group of sailors on La Nina managed to repel the zombie boarders, with only half the crew killed (or abducted) in the process, including the navigator. The hull was severely damaged in the battle, but the breaches were nailed shut, the water was pumped from the battered bilge, and the dead sailors were pushed back out to sea.

After this encounter, that the ship limped to the Moonshaes, in the following heavy storms, with it's cargo of (somehow dry) Maztecan tobacco and spices was nothing short of a miracle. From this point, the La Nina would go forth as a vessel licensed by the Moonsails Trading Company, and hopefully enter Waterdeep's harbour in safety, and none would be for the wiser as to the point of origin.
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