Desnus 6, 4712
Early in the morning, Darelle meets Dr. Mordel and informs him about their adventure at the Hunters' Lodge the previous night. She describes to him the type of demon trying to break through a crystal barrier. Mordel tells her that he's not familiar with this type of demon, but without knowing more details, he still thinks that if the demon had been powerful enough it would have already broken through the barrier. It's unlikely that the demon will manage to break free any time soon. Darelle tells him that the miners seemed to just have reached the crystal, and with the rubble standing in front of the crystal even if he breaks through he will be slowed down. Just in case, however, Mordel gives Darelle a metal glove and tells her it is called a hand of banishment. He instructs her on how to use it. Darelle also asks him about her jar that she discovered. After carefully examining it, he looks impressed and tells her it is a jar of cloud.
After an early lunch, the Cooper sisters head back to the Hunters' Lodge. They peruse the building again and discover a set of keys that can be used to secure the space. They head back inside the mine through the basement, and find that the demon still hasn't broken through the crystal barrier. Daryle places the hand of banishment against the crystal. They then return to the ground floor and secure the Lodge as best they can, before returning to Fort Inevitable.
That evening, Darelle and Daryle meet with Gerald at his house for dinner. He has managed to remove most of his unwanted guests and is now sharing his house with one family of seven, which is a vast improvement on the 15 other people who moved inside his house following the devastating fire that destroyed much of Fort Inevitable. During dinner, Daryle mentions the spellbook she had seen Gerald carry away from Abernard Royst's residence. Daryle voices her suspicion that Nissa might have been impersonating him, and that if it were in fact Nissa she was stealing a book again, hoping that Gerald would get caught. Gerald is indignant that his sisters would accuse him of stealing. After all, he's nothing like Thorne (examples here, here and here).
With this issue settled, Gerald reveals what he has discovered about the missing lumber. A vast quantity of lumber has been taken by unscrupulous caravans to Mosswater, a city well known to the Coopers. The cargo wood is unloaded early in the morning, after the monsters that dwell there have retired for the day, and the caravan swiftly leaves. The next caravan that follows, a few days later, repeats the process. The wood is always removed by the time the next delivery comes. Gerald reports to his sisters that his investigation has led him to a series of ships, which ply the West Sellen river. These ships, all commanded by notorious rogues, are removing the wood and taking it down river. He has been unable to track where the wood is unloaded, however, so he has devised a plan, and Roscoe has agreed to see it through. Gerald has arranged for another cargo of wood to be delivered to Mosswater. Since the shipments have only been stopped for two weeks, it is unlikely that all ships involved in this illicit trade are aware that the Hellknights have suspended deliveries.
His investigation indicates that the Last Song, a ship owned and commanded by Elloise Drake, will pick up this wood and deliver it. He suspects that Elloise Drake is in fact the notorious Lady Wavedancer, a remorseless pirate captain. She has a well-knit crew, which means it is nigh impossible to join as a crew member. Thus, Gerald proposes that Daryle and Darelle smuggle aboard the ship on its stop prior to Mosswater in a specially designed crate. They are then to remain hidden until the wood is loaded and delivered. Gerald provides them with a letter of authority signed by Roscoe allowing Drake's arrest for piracy. Thus, the goals are two-fold. First, locate where the wood goes. Then, take custody of Drake. If possible, the Cooper sisters are to accomplish both tasks. If not possible, tracking the wood is more important.
The crate Gerald designed is large enough to accommodate both sisters. It possesses two secret doors, on either end, that can only be opened from inside. The crate contains food, drinks, blankets and pillows, reading material, a source of light, as well as a self-cleaning chamber pot. If the crate is opened, it will appear to be full of china thanks to an illusion created by Abernard Royst.
Daryle asks him how long he thinks this will take. He replies that it is his understanding that the Last Song will head down the Sellen River to Cassomir at the mouth of the river by the Inner Sea. Gerald surmises that the wood will be unloaded along the way. The sisters agree to this scheme, and immediately depart for the small village of Warren, the Last Song's last stop before Mosswater.
Desnus 7, 4712
The sisters arrive in Warren early in the afternoon, in time to hide in the container before it is delivered and loaded aboard the Last Song. As Gerald expected, the container is opened, but the crew is tricked by Abernard's illusion. Along the way, Daryle plans on stopping in Daggermark if time allows. Over the course of the evening, Darelle and Daryle are able to ascertain that the ship possesses a crew of thirty humans. They also notice Drake and her tall bodyguard and second in command. A monk in appearance, he presents a fearsome figure and is likely to make ranged combat difficult, if not impossible.
The remaining cargo aboard the Last Song consists of fine clothes, barrels of Zelnaux wine, and seven boxes labelled "nails." A large empty space sits below the hatch doors. This seems to be the space where the wood will be placed as it is loaded aboard the ship. That night, in a plot reminiscent of their encounter with the giants, the Coopers decide to poison the crew's food the next night, and repeat the process over the next couple of nights so that the crew is not sick enough to be unable to sail, but miserable and tired enough to not put up much of a resistance if the need arises for the sisters to commandeer the ship.
At night, once everyone but the night watch has been sleeping, Darelle, disguised as Short Mike, one of the sailors she saw earlier in the day, leaves the safety of the crate. She explores the kitchen and poisons the gruel by dropping a powdered substance of her own concoction in it. In the storeroom she discovers that there is a large quantity of liquor on board. She reports her findings to her sister, and Daryle speculates that the ship probably also acts as a floating casino along the river.
Desnus 8, 4712
Midday, some of the crew begins to show digestive issues as the frequency of trips to the heads increase. That night, Darelle repeats the poisoning process in the gruel.
Desnus 9, 4712
The ship pulls alongside the main dock in Mosswater mid morning, and the crew begins to load the wood aboard the ship. Darelle takes her potion of invisibility and climbs to the deck to see who is loading the wood in Mosswater. Only the crew is present, confirming what Gerald said. It takes three hours to load up the cargo, and the crew appears very skilled, as if they have done this very thing a number of times. During the loading, Darelle disembarks the Last Song. She finds a abandoned building with a small courtyard. She plants a sapling of the rainbow star flower she harvested in the Pleasure Gardens.
That night, Daryle comes out of the container and marks the wood "Property of Fort Inevitable." Darelle ventures out to the galley and poisons the gruel.
Desnus 11, 4712
The Last Song docks in Daggermark in the afternoon. Some cargo is unloaded after customs inspectors visit the ship, and new cargo is taken aboard. The wood is not moved and remains on board. Throughout the night the Coopers see a steady stream of civilians come down to the crew room and gamble the night away. Daryle was right in her speculations. Unfortunately, Darelle is unable to poison the gruel that night.
Desnus 12, 4712
The last of the gamblers depart the ship at dawn, leaving their earnings behind. The Last Song sails from Daggermark soon afterwards. Darelle poisons the gruel.
Desnus 15, 4712
The Coopers are awaken by the sounds of hushed rushing. The crew is in a hurry and all men are carrying weapons. Darelle comes out of the container and looks out a porthole. The Last Song is hot on the trail of another ship, and soon the sounds of cannons reverberate. The Last Song closes in and the crew boards the other ship. Quickly the other ship is pillaged, and new cargo is lowered into the hold, blocking most of the paths. The containers are labeled Albury of Woodsedge, which happens to be the Last Song's next stop. Daryle surmises that this might become awkward if a customs agent searches the ship when they pull into the harbor.
That night, along with poisoning the gruel, the Coopers discreetly rearrange the cargo so there is more room for them to move around the hold.
Desnus 17, 4712
The Last Song arrives in Woodsedge. Evidently a bribe is exchanged because the customs inspector does not come to examine the cargo hold. A few items are unloaded, then the ship quickly departs. The sisters reason that the delivery point must be getting closer. Darelle ups the dosage and poison of the gruel.
Desnus 21, 4712
The Last Song arrives in Bellis, transfers some cargo, and departs the same day. Daryle discover that this area's favorite drink is known as the Forester's Special. The sisters are getting sick of this trip, and they have now read every book aboard the container.
Desnus 24, 4712
The Last Song arrives in Cassomir and unloads much of its cargo, except for the wood and the Coopers' container. No other cargo is loaded. The crew moves noticeably slower and their efficiency has been reduced dramatically due to the poisoning. Many civilians come on board that night to play in the ship's casino.
Desnus 25, 4712
The Last Song departs Cassomir at high tide. Gerald had intimated that Cassomir was the last stop on the ship's route before returning north, but clearly this is not the case as it enters the Inner Sea and continues to head in a southwesterly direction.
Desnus 27, 4712
Out at sea, the weather has deteriorated. The sea gets choppier and the sisters are soon sick. A bell rings, and the crew activates, as much as possible with most of the members still sick with food poisoning. Darelle smuggles out of the container. A large warship looms in the distance, and the Last Song is closing fast. Darelle is worried that the crew might try to attack the unsuspecting warship.
This proves not to be the case, however, as the Last Song approaches then ties in with the other ship. Soon the crew begins to transfer the lymber from the Last Song to the warship. Darelle uses her potion of invisibility to sneak around the ship. The warship is named Unbroken, and she spots Hellknights on the bridge, including one who served in Fort Inevitable last year. Darelle manages to board Unbroken and stealthily reaches the captain's quarters. There, the Hellknights are discussing the lumber's arrival and what it portends. They have heard the rumors that lumber would no longer forthcoming from Fort Inevitable, and they were about to give up their vigil. Now they plan on remaining here for another two weeks and see if more lumber arrive. In two weeks, they will sail back to their homeport of Westcrown. They also discuss the news of Duke Mosley's injuries, and they worry aloud that were he to die it would be a dire news for Cheliax.
As the lumber is transferred over, it is clear to Darelle that this ship could hold the equivalent of four times the lumber carried in the Last Song. Meanwhile, back on the merchant ship, Daryle secures everything in the crate and packs their bags in case the sisters must perform a hasty exit. Darelle returns to the ship and reunites with her sister, filling her in on developments aboard the Unbroken. Darelle sends one of the birds of the tree token to notify Gerald of what has happened.
In the evening, the ships separate and the Last Song turns arounds and heads north. At night, Daryle rummages through the clothes and finds several sets of fine clothes and appropriates them. Darelle takes food and places everything inside the chamber pot portable hole. The sisters then leave the Last Song by riding a piece of cloud from the jar of cloud. They hover above the Unbroken for the night, but when it is clear the ship will not move, they depart at dawn, and head east towards Westcrown.
Sarenith 10, 4712
For two weeks the sisters float eastward in their cloud castle. At dusk, they arrive above Westcrown. A short investigation does not reveal any information about the Unbroken or the ultimate location of the lumber delivery, but the Coopers do come across several signs that tensions are brewing in the former capital of Cheliax, and that a civil war is possible in the near future.
During the Coopers' absence, Dr. Mordel discovered that the poison dropped in Fort Inevitable's water supply was an alchemy blend of dark reaver powder, paraffin and extract of hoya carnosa. This poison, when diluted, affects a person's Constitution and can cause death. Those who do not die suffer as if they have a a terrible flu but manage to recover within a week. They can, however, contract another bout if drinking contaminated water.
Sarenith 11, 4712
The Cooper sisters employ Darelle's blue pegagus and accomplish what took them nearly a month and a half by ship and cloud in a single day. month-long trip from to Fort Inevitable. Daryle and Darelle think that the time has come to create a new Hellknight command structure. They will talk to Roscoe about it tomorrow.
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