Even after the physical threat of combat is done will our heroes keep a safe skin in delicate negotiations with a hefty looking Troll Sky Raider Captain?

Grey went over to Siegfried and administered some first aid to help him recover. The smelling salts under the nose wakes him up, and he stands and starts to get his bearings. As he looks over the ship he sees a number of large Troll Sky Raiders he had not seen before having a spear enforced nap. The former crew of this Theran slaver ship are either dead or captured, and it looks like Grey and Bod are going to talk to the Captain.

Grey starts out by appealing to the Captain that his children were kidnapped by Theran slavers and he needs to know where they were most likely taken. The Captain rebuffs that the prisoners are worth a lot of money to them, and as it is part of their agreement to get the spoils of war he was not turned by his plea. Grey tries to influence the Captain further by asking far a small amount of time with the son of the Theran councillor, but he could not break through to the Captain. Bod was observing this discussion, and using his knowledge of Etiquette figured out that the Troll Captain was honourable and straightforward, and would benefit from this type of approach. Grandiosely introducing himself he explained to Captain that we would not hurt the prisoner and were after information, and would do nothing to jeopardise the Captains new investment. The Captain was impressed by the straight talking Windling, as he had met others who were not so open, and agreed to allow Grey to talk with the prisoner for half an hour, where he would then organise for his ship to ferry them back to Jerris.

While this was happening Arahan was scurrying around the ship looking for buried treasure. He applied himself strenuously and was able to uncover a crossbow and bolts that were property of the Theran Archer, a couple of thick glass spheres filled with a strange green gas near the catapults and a flight dagger, which was on the body of the Air Sailor he defeated in hand to hand combat. He handed the crossbow over to Siegfried rightfully assuming he would get better use out of it until he was able to repair the string on his bow.

Grey took the Theran Slave Airship captain aside and start to question him. After a few questions Grey finds out his name is Grimbauden Councillorson, and that his father was on the council, and had access to much money to ransom back his son and companions. Grey continued questioning and Grimbauden rather arrogantly answered all the questions, informing him that all slaves from the Barsaive region are processed through Vivane, and that he was a newly promoted Captain, and did not get into the politics or Thera at all, that was his future, at the moment it was about doing what he wanted. Grey was able to intimidate the boy at the end, when he intimated that the Troll Sky Raiders would be rough with him, even though they intended to ransom him. He was shaken but stuck to his conviction that as long as he cooperated he would be safe from mishandling.

Bod during this time sidled over to the body of the mage to rifle through his pockets. Apart from his spell component pouch he was unable to find much else.

The Captain, choosing to stay on the Theran Vedette he had liberated organised for the mate on his Drakkar to ferry the heroes back to Jerris. As the ship untangled itself from the other airship and turned back towards Jerris the party was able to see the battle still raged over the city limits. The Theran floating castle was still in position over the sky docks, but it looked as if more Crystal Raider airships were involved in the fight, and that the Jerris mining fleet had returned as well to start hitting back at the Theran raiders. Bod and the Troll mate realised it would be folly to try and dock in the shadow of the large flying castle, and Bod asked to be set down at the gate they exited the city from.

The Heroes arrived back at the start of their aerial adventure swiftly, jumping out to the point where they first took off on the ship. A young lad of 16 (Billy) was impressed by the obvious heroes and approached them reverentially, as he had seen them fight the slavers, jump onto the vedette and then return with Troll Sky Raiders. He informed them that he was trying to get the group of non-combatants out of the city to his village where they would be safe. Bod collected his Goat, who was off to the side cropping grass while Siegfried agrees to help escort a party of 28 non-combatants to a village named Keelsett. Bod convinced the lad that they actually fought about 50 slavers in the sky and Billy was suitably impressed. He helped get the group in order before setting off. Arahan and Siegfried saw a group of namegivers moving towards the City gates trying to be stealthy, but obviously due to the condition they were in thought it was wisest to get the group to safety.

Billy discussed how his master would be very happy to meet real heroes, as he is the mastersmith responsible for founding the village. His name was Ert Keelsetter and he was well known in the creation of magical airship parts. He told you that there would be food and accommodation aplenty for the travellers, and the villagers will be impressed about their exploits. It was obvious Billy was tired yet he kept soldiering on. There were little complaints from the group either, sticking silently together in Jerris fashion. Billy told them that he was in Jerris visiting his parents and had only stopped off for a beer before his return journey prior to the Jerris raid, and only thought of fleeing to the safety of the village.

After a few hours the group was slowly making its way to Keelsett. The closeness of the Liaj Jungle was unsettling Grey, as he was concerned about being attacked from concealed enemies. A few minutes later he and Bod see a small movement in the undergrowth. Grey focuses his heat sight to see that the outline is probably a quadruped, as it is longer than it is tall. Bod empties a Spell Matrix and fills it with Catseyes. After casting the spell and flying up slowly he is able to sight that a big cat was in the undergrowth looking to pick off stragglers. Grey hurries the group along, repeating that they are to stay close. When they get to the gate Billy is allowed in but the guards approach the heroes and start to greet them while drawing runes. The Heroes figure out this is an Artisan Greeting and successfully demonstrates their artisan skills. After they are greeted they enter town where food and drink are offered and the inn to be used as a resting place. Siegfried, Grey and Arahan take food and ale and settle down to a night of rest. Bod started talking with villagers trying to find out further information about the village and why they used a greeting ritual, and after impressing them he found out that they used the Artisan Greeting Rituals as the previous day they had been hounded by some namegivers? wearing the faces of their dead or missing. They let them in the town as they did not look dead or mutated, but they turned on them and the town was lucky to turn them away.

Sleep and another day dawns, the characters go through recover rituals and karma rituals. Bod leaves the inn to explore the town, meeting many people, finding a farmers market, another inn/coaching inn, a lumber yard, a general store and Ert’s Workshop. Approaching the workshop Bod impressed the worker who tried to stop him entering by pointing out they were the heroes that fought 50 slavers and brought the refugees safely to town. He met with Ert and was invited to a feast with Ert that evening, who wanted to hear about their exploits.

Bod left and met back up with Arahan and Grey, and was with them when they saw a cart being pulled by strange beast of burden (large cat bodies with eagle heads) and 4 T’skrang riding on it. Two of the T’skrang are dressed like traders, while one serious T’skrang is wearing all black and the other is flamboyantly dressed. Bod used Grey as a distraction and shield so he could sneak closer to the discussion two of them have with Ert. He finds out that they are here to purchase a keel for a rivership. They also discuss things they heard in Jerris, such as the Crystal Raiders were somewhat unhappy with their privateer contract with Jerris, and that Jerris council was honouring those involved in the battle in two days, including a group with 2 Humans and a Windling and a Troll that seemed to go off battling slavers and helping a Troll Raider bring low a Theran slave airship.

Arahan does some talking, finds out Verity Ehrinewind is not in this village. He goes to the Workshop as he wants to use a forge. He meets with Ert who ensures he is coming to the feast tonight, roast boar and ales, wines and meads aplenty. Ert gives him permission to use the forge. Arahan asks some questions about flight daggers and Verity, which Ert gives him information telling him that the smith in question lives in Sleece, a coach stop village one day north of Jerris, on the trade route to the Serpent River. He also regales him with a tale about a favourite Troubadour of his called Evie Veracruz, who was going there to Sleece to meet with another Troubadour called Tyrs for some training. She had been gone a bit and he was wondering if she was alright.

The party discuss what they want to do, agreeing on going to the presentation in Jerris, allowing them to receive their accolades and letting Grey get in contact with a few people, before travelling off to Sleece to check in with Verity for Arahan training, and hopefully knowledge of forging Air Daggers.

Go to the dinner, feast on tasty boar, and drinks flow. Bod engages the T’skrang in conversation but the one dressed in black does not seem very impressed. Arahan speaks to Ert again, who tells him that if he had decided to go to Sleece to look up Evie. At this point the guards start yelling, and the party goers are dragged toward Keelsett's two gates, the Jerris gate (Bod, Grey and Siegfried) and the Liaj gate (Arahan). Both groups of villagers and heroes see the figure of namegivers stiffly walking towards the village, not looking dead but stiff limbed. The villager confirms that the two approaching from the jungle are one missing man and another who was felled under a tree. Grey gets an idea to lump fire arrows art them and start to work with Siegfried to do this.

As the lost villagers return again to the village fear starts to take hold, what will the heroes do?

Next Week - Do the Thriller dance, go on give it a Worzel