Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir Part #5 - Wherein the wreck of the Vigilant is explored and suspiscious evidence found

Part 5: Wherein the wreck of the Vigilant is explored and suspiscious evidence found

: Uuuuuugh why are we up so eeeeeeearly the sun isn't even up yeeeeeet.

: I'm sorry, if it wasn't a matter of life and death we could sleep in, but if we want to find evidence of sabotage or criminality in the Vigilant's wreck we really need to check it out as soon as possible.

: Beef don't care about criminals, want breakfast! Hate jungle too!

: Honestly, it's like herding unruly children.

: Something for which I have precious little patience. Onward! The sooner the job is done the sooner our 'rescuer' might release use from her service and we can be on our way.

: Strange, it's not as far as I remember.

: That is probably because we were exhausted and lost in a strange land before. Now we have direction.

: We also don't have fool guards pushing us along, a definite advantage.

: Well, still wrecked. Good job team.

: Here's some of the cargo. Looks like… ore.

: We're coming all this way to salvage rocks?

: I admit, I am not overly enthused to risk my life for raw minerals.

: I'll be turning out your pockets when we're done here, little Pick! Don't think to try and skim off the best rocks for yourself!

: Dinosaur!

: Beef, no! Get back here!

: How many times must I say it? Look with your eyes, not your hands.

: Beef just want his own pet dinosaur.

: More of Sa'Sani's cargo. Too much to carry, we shall simply have to flag it for retrieval.

: Riveting.

: This man did not die naturally.

: No shit.

: What was your first clue? The crashed ship? The batari horde?

: No, I mean that he died before even that - poisoned.

: Agda hates poisoning - it's cheating! We will avenge you, dead blue guy!

: Batari scavengers!

: To arms, quickly! We're the only ones who get to scavenge this beach!

: These are no warriors. I believe we may have killed the strongest of their tribe already.

: I suddenly feel less comfortable about that than I expected.

: What is this monster doing so close to us? What are we paying those idiots for?

: Are we paying them? I thought Sir Pasquale carried the money-

: Good point, they should be paying us! Well, me.

: Apologies, Mr. Naplam. We shall endeavour to cover you better in the future.

: Bleeding! And… *ack* Poisoned!

: Hey, just like the dead guy! Maybe it's the same kind?

: I should think not. That man was poisoned while still on the ship, whereas-

: Less talking more treatment!

: There is their camp. Time to put an end to their menace for good.

: I'm not sure they're menacing anymore. It's actually kind of sad.

: Gonna be sad once I'm done kicking 'em! Woooooo charge!

: Beef squash puny goblin!

: I signed up on this trip for something to do with my idle hands, I never thought I'd end up fighting giant lizards.

: Don't worry! I save little man from bad dinos!

: I am simultaneously relieved and terrified.

: Well done, we managed to clear out that nest without risking any harm to my own-

: AAAAH A GIANT BUG SAVE ME SAVE ME SAVE MEEEEEEEE!

: Beef big hero today! Magic man saved!

: Tell… my mother… I loathed her!

: Oh don't be so melodramatic. We'll bandage you right up.

: Agda and Beef have the cargo! Lots of rocks, this time! Worth every drop of Napalm they cost!

: Can you penetrate the wards to their lair, master Cent?

: Unfortunately, no. However it does appear the Batari have also sealed themselves in, so the beach should be safe enough for now.

: Acceptable.

: Turning back to our business, I think it would be worth our time to more closely examine the wreck.

: More evidence - and hard to deny, this time.

: Unless it was just Pasquale dribbling all over the ship! That goop you stick up your nose probably eats through wood faster than alchemists' fire!

: Enemy survivors - upon which to unleash my frustration!

: Yeesh. Overkill much?

: I can only cast so many spells a day, any that go unused are wasted!

: Well, at least we've found the last of the cargo. Let me check out this rigging…

: Yup. Sabotaged.

: Agda's noticing a trend…

:…Like this spear! It's totally broken.

: Yes, because-

: Hold on, let her work it out for herself.

: Agda doesn't remember anyone breaking a spear when we were fighting. The sailors didn't suck at fighting either. Why would the goblins break the spear? Unless it was already broken? In the crash? No… the spear is too far from the boat. Wait… unless someone was breaking all of the weapons on the ship before it crashed!

: There we go.

: Hey guys! Agda thinks the weapons on the Vigilant might've been sabotaged!

: Right, so what did we learn? Bottom-line it for me.

: The Vigilant was indeed sabotaged by someone onboard. There was damage to the-

: So we have the evidence the lady wanted, let's run it back to her and get out of this miserable place.

: And go where? Samargol's the only major city, and this country doesn't seem very friendly besides.

: Agda wants to find out who sabotaged our ship and tried to kill us, then kick their shins in!

: I guess that gives us the rest of the day off! I'm going to put my feet up at the inn.

: Just a moment, we need to see about that cargo we salvaged.

: So I suppose we're traders now. Goodie.

: I am surprised you are not happy for this new opportunity to profit?

: Trade is far too much like work. If I'd wanted to work for money I could have stayed in Luskan. But never mind that now, we have the rest of the day until Sa'Sani is done with that evidence. Beef! With me! I have a job for you.

: Yaaay! Beef get picked first for team.

: Quite. But first, a quick stop.

: Fancy!

: We're finally making some money out of this operation, and I intend to look the part. Speaking of money, let's get a move on.

: Bah! How can I disabuse these superstitious locals of their foolish misconceptions when they're so painfully inconsistent?

: This bard is awful.

: Yeah, not even any drums! Agda knew a bard on the Sword Coast called Finch - Finch could play any instrument! Even ones that hadn't been invented yet!

: If they hadn't been invented yet… how did you know he could play them?

: Pick's pretty clever! Agda could've used your help back on the Sword Coast.

: Why, what were you doing?

: Adventuring, obviously! What was Pick doing?

: Uh, yeah, adventuring - lots of that. Nothing but dungeons and legally-acquired loot.

: It must be so much easier following the goddess Waukeen. Go forth and be profitable, a simple standard to live by. Is there any chance your temple is accepting Paladins at this time? No? Oh, well, never mind then. Hoar is working out well for me. No, H-o-a-r. Yes, it is a common enough mistake.

: I always enjoy the chance to talk to you temple types. Such conversationalists.

: Found it at last, it's beginning to get dark.

: Beef afraid of the dark!

: Are you afraid of boars?

: Uh… no.

: Then we shouldn't have a problem.

: Wow, you really had him going there! Did you want that co-author credit to impress your peers at the university?

: What? Of course not! Geddarm's books are dross, far from an academic source. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to get Beef Manfist's name on one of them as an author - he won't be able to show his face on the lecturer circuit again!