The first shift is awake and somewhat lazily scrubbing the deck. Two crewmen are suspended from the side of the boat by rope scraping the exterior hull clean.

GERY is summoned above decks and he and DUNN shake hands. The three of you tour the boat while the marines remain on the docks. At the end of the tour, DUNN nods at you ZEIG. "She's a fine craft indeed, and it's a pleasure to see Cornelian men on her decks again."

GERY reports that all hands are on board and awaiting orders, although one was too sick with alcohol this morning to perform his duties. He has been assigned to the most undesirable tasks for the following two weeks as punishment.

DUNN asks GERY how many of the crew are capable of competently manning the cannons. Six, including GERY. Finally he requests, in a very respectful fashion, if he could erect a wall in one end of the hold of the ship so to divide his men's sleeping area from the sailors. He claims this can be completed by the end of the day with no major structural changes.

The area would be rather small.

"I see no issues with it.  The ship is quite large, there should be ample room for everyone at this point."

Zeig then turns to Gery.

"When do you think some you might be able to spare some men?  I'd like to load up the crates of longswords and breastplates and head into town with them."

DAI lifts his hand in a start of some half-spoken retort for VIL, but he just walks inside glad for the fact that his face couldn't be seen. DAI would start walking toward where the guard said Sara would be at the moment, wondering if he should have brought something like the flowers of his visit the day everything happened. This thought stops DAI a moment, it really hadn't been so long, and yet so much had changed. Shaking his head he continues onward to meet up with Sara, not really knowing what he wanted to say in the least.

ZEIG, GERY says he can send as many men as you need. Eight are awake and working apart from GERY for this shift. More than enough to go with you. DUNN nods at your approval and says he'll have a team of naval engineers on board and off again within the day to construct the small room partition.

DAI, VIL fires a small smirk at you as you walk off silently, then turns back out towards the gardens. You find Sara with her back to the doorway reading a large, dated scroll. She doesn't seem to notice you.

JACK, you begin walking over a wide hill and at last the tops of masts start to become visible. You will arrive at the docks within 5 minutes. Your head is much clearer after your brisk walk in the mist.

"Four should be enough.  Shall we load the carts then?  I have 2 chocobos waiting outside."

He then turns back to Dunn.

"I'm looking forward to working with you commander.  If you'll excuse me, there is much to do before we can set out for Elfheim."

Zeig then proceeds below deck to rummage around a bit.  He takes a closer look at the crate filled with miscellaneous equipment and looks for the treasure map as well, hoping to find someone in town that is more familiar with cartography that might be able to read it.

The entire shift sets to work unfolding the crane, assembling carts, and opening the cargo portals. JACK arrives at the beginning of the work.

"With such an unconventional assignment as this one, I'm looking forward to it myself." DUNN tells his men to assist in whatever way they can before leaving, but after a few moments of careful observation they rightfully assume the best thing to do is to stay out of the way of the sailors and remain on the docks.

As ZEIG looks through the crate of miscellaneous items he realizes he remembers VIL still having the map and puzzle box with him. The crate has lavish fabric, already cut into squares, a large collection of fine leathers, and many sets of tools for working with both. There are also half-finished boots, shoes, and garments of all kinds.

18:34, Today: teslas, on behalf of ZEIG, rolled 14 using 1d20+2. Search.
Taking a 20, with as many things jam-packed into the crate, would have taken a while.

DAI slowly walks into the room, lightly knocking on the open door to alert Sara to his presence. "Morning, catching up on your reading I see?"

Zeig has the paintings loaded onto the cart as well and then heads out to the merchant.  As they are loading up the other carts he inspects the paintings, hoping to glean some information about them, especially their worth.

23:29, Today: ZEIG rolled 9 using 1d20+2. Appraise right mod.

After the men finish loading the crates they head out together towards the merchant.  As Zeig moves through the town he attempts to dig up info about anyone that might be interested in old paintings.

23:29, Today: ZEIG rolled 21 using 1d20+3. Gather Information.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:34, Fri 27 May 2011.

DAI, Sara relaxes her grip on the scroll and it folds up slightly. She turns with a smile on her face. "DAI, great to see you!" Sara stands up and walks over to you, putting her hands on your arms. "My father didn't tell me you were back until this morning for some reason." She frowns slightly for just a moment at the thought, then returns to a cheery demeanor, "I hear you've reclaimed a pirate ship for Cornelia. That makes two out of two successful adventures so far." She smiles warmly and releases your arms. "How is everyone else?"

A little bit later in the day:

ZEIG, you take the 45 minute walk back to the south gate. You have no idea how much the paintings might be worth, but by a stroke of luck you catch a lesser nobleman leaving town for a nearby villa. He takes a quick look at a few of them and jots down the address of two art dealers in the northwestern district of town. "The first one is an odd one, very odd. He's kicked my wife out of his store before because of the color of her hair didn't go well with the paiting she was trying to purchase... though that may not be a problem for you." He darts his eyes at your head and then back to his note. "The second man, if you have to see him, will attempt to rip you off. Good luck. I don't envy a man in the art trade." He bows slightly and then continues on his way.

JACK, are you with ZEIG and the four sailors he brought along with him or did you stay at the shipyards?

LOGG, what the hell are you up to?

Jack goes along with Zeig. This whole hair thing is annoying. I wonder if I should get a wig.

"Tell me about it.  My braid used to be 2' long!"

Zeig rubs the peach fuzz starting to accumulate on his head.

LOGG looks over at ZEIG "How did that happen anyway?"

"Giant lizard loogie."

ZEIG/JACK/LOGG are about 1.25 hours ahead of DAI/VIL, and we won't get too much further ahead than that.

ZEIG, JACK, LOGG, and the four sailors tow the carts up to the armorer. He hands you a Cornelian bank writ for the amount agreed upon after examining several more pieces. He seems satisfied with his purchase. This is standard practice to avoid lugging around cumbersome chests of gold. Assume that you will exchange it for currency before leaving. No need to RP it out. For selling enough equipment to outfit a small to moderately large town's guard with excellently crafted weapons and armor, you gain 10,800gp.

The two carts, now only lugging one crate between them, and their entourage make their way to the first address on the list. Despite two of you, up until recently, spending your entire lives in Cornelia, you've never had a reason to go into this shop, nor meet the proprietor.

You arrive in front of a small, free-standing, well-manicured building with a small door. There is no sign on, above, or around the door as is commonplace for shops in what you assume to be the entire world. You are sure this is the correct address, and the apparently intelligent, well-spoken man who gave it to you seemed to be quite confident of it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:54, Fri 27 May 2011.

LOGG flinches "That sounds.... very unpleasant."

Zeig approaches the door and knocks three times.

Very. Jack takes a look around the corners of the building while waiting
This message was last edited by the player at 04:55, Fri 27 May 2011.

LOGG follows along "Sounds like you guys sure do get around though, think I'll have a lot of fun traveling with you guys."

JACK, you see nothing out of the ordinary. A courrier chocobo with an adolescent girl is riding around delivering packages. The sound of the district's large fountain can be heard from down the street and around the corner. There aren't too many people on the streets due to the light misting still falling from the sky.

ZEIG, you hear footsteps coming up to the door the instant that you knock. The door flings open quickly enough to have the change in air pressure make you shift your balance slightly.

A man with eyes open wider than any of you thought humanly (and halflingly) possible takes a step forward into the doorway. He has jet black hair which has been greased and slicked back in some places. In others it shoots straight up or out to the side. He stands there, motionless, for an uncomfortable amount of time, never blinking. Right as you are about to say something he lets out a bark of a word, "And?"

Zeig is caught off guard for a moment, but then simply gestures to the crate on the back of the cart.

"Artistry, my good sir."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:17, Fri 27 May 2011.

He stares at you for another several, several seconds. His face does not move. He darts his eyes to LOGG, then JACK, to the sailors, and back to you. "Bring something to me. A sample. Be fast."

The art in the crate ranges in subject, size, and scope. There are four paintings "on top" that can easily be removed without having to worry about shuffling anything around. One is of a small girl smelling a flower with a gigantic mountainscape behind her. Another is a chocobo kicking and pecking at two wolves who are trying to bring it to the ground, a third is an old cottage nestled halfway between a frozen brook and a burning tree, the light from which is abstract and casting odd shadows. The final piece is a very small painting consisting of what appears to be interlocking mechanisms of some kind.

Zeig quickly collects the painting of the cottage between frozen lake and burning tree and the one of the chocobo and wolves.  He presents the painting of the cottage to the man and holds the other with the picture facing towards himself.

"Hm. The other." He juts the first painting back at you.

Zeig exchanges the paintings with the strange man.

"I'm interested. Bring them in two at a time. Only you." He pivots around directly after completing the last syllable of his statement, not pausing at all, and walks deeper into the house disappearing from view with the painting of the chocobo and the wolves in hand.