Upstream
One thing about gnomes: they tend to be early risers.
It isn't hard to find Gantry's company. There are only two groups of people at the North River Docks up at this time of morning. One is a group of bargemen who are being arrested for drunk and disorderly by a large contingent of city guard at one end of the docks.
You head for the other group.
Four days ago you had met Gantry Natterson at a tavern on the other end of the city. He was a merchant, down from the Greenspan Duchy...the 'Blue Duke's Lands' as you've heard them called...and having done his trade, he's heading back home with a full cargo.
"I won't quibble on the price with ya. Ten silver flat fee. Three silver each day, five if there's any fightin'. You stick around until we get to Green Bluff, I'll give ya a bonus dependin' on how we did. I won't give ya a retainer. No one's gonna give anyone a retainer in this town. But I will pay your room an' board until we disembark. Nothin' fancy. But you'll get a roof at night and two meals."
It hadn't been anything fancy. A boarding house. But the dwarf who ran it made good food.
Now's the day to disembark. You have to be at the slip no later than the fourth bell before dawn. Gantry stressed that. You're showing up by the third, so at least that's not an issue.
As you get closer, you see a long river barge tied to the dock. Workers are loading goods onto it. You can see Gantry standing on board, directing them about what to stack where.
Gantry had said you would need to find someone named Sellows. Sellows is apparently going to be in charge of security, which you would be considered part of. Looking at the others standing on the dock, outside of the various worker bees, you see a few distinct individuals.
Three gnomes are standing by the gangplank, off to one side, and seem to be arguing. One is holding a sheet of paper and stabbing it with a finger while the other two are just shaking their heads in unison.
There's a couple of gryx packing some armor into a crate. Both of them are armed with shields slung over their backs.
There's a halfling in black leathers filling quivers with arrows. He's big for a halfling, not that that says much.
There are two dwarven ladies standing to one side. They are wearing dresses with fur lined cloaks slung over their shoulders. They seem to be dressed to fancily for a merchant trip up the Azwhen. But who are you to judge?
Sitting on top of a crate at the farthest end of all this, looking bored like she has nothing better to do, is a beautiful human woman with blonde hair. She kicks her legs against the side of the crate and seems to be humming. At least that's your guess.
Which one of them is 'Sellows' is anyone's guess.
