Chapter 10

Baron Keloss began the fight by smashing Shavariel out of the way with a Shield Bash that bloodied her nose and opened her up for a strike by his Trident. There was a crackle of electricity and a boom of thunder as Shavariel was sent flying back from the powerful blow only for me to cut out at Baron Keloss' side even as he sent Shavariel hurtling backward. Aremeg's Fury bit deep into his hip, slipping through the gaps between tassets and breastplate and carving a deep wound along Baron Keloss' waist. My second attack wasn't as successful, the Baron blocking my cut with his shield. I was swiftly forced to defend myself from the pair of Sahuagin NCOs and the single Sahuagin Officer forcing me back and away from Baron Keloss, parrying and blocking their stabbing tridents.

Fortunately, I wasn't alone here as Janessa began to chant, stretching out her hands in a series of somatic gestures before a crackle of thunder and a whiff of ozone filled the chamber, followed shortly after by a sizzling bolt of lightning. The powerful bolt carved a path through both Sahuagin NCOs and the Officer, who had locked their shields together and formed a line to press me back. The trio jerked about in place, spasming as the electricity boiled their brains from the inside out. With those three taken care of, Salina began incanting a prayer to Deneir in order to bolster us with a spell of Legion's Aid.

I felt the blessing settle on my shoulders, bolstering my hardiness even as Baron Keloss came back in at me. It was a good thing, too, because I was just a tad too slow to raise Aremeg's Wisdom in the path of his striking trident. My hair stood on end and I tasted copper for a brief moment before pain exploded in my chest and sent me flying back with a thunderous crack, smashing me into a pillar. I gasped in pain, spinning out of the way of the presumed follow-on attack, only to see Shavariel manage to take up Baron Keloss' attention as she charged him from the side. That forced Baron Keloss to lash out at her knee with the butt of his trident, the smashing blow sending her sprawling to the flagstones with the force of a thunderbolt. As a slingstone came in from the side, however, Baron Keloss swayed to the left, barely dodging.

Another incantation of prayer from Selima and a hand placed on Aremeg's Fury aligned my blade with Goodness, making it a temporarily Holy weapon. I nodded in thanks before streaking for Baron Keloss' side. The Baron was busily parrying an attempt by Shavariel to stab him from her position on the floor, slamming his shield down to bat her trident off-course. With his rear open to my cut, Aremeg's Fury slipped into his torso, sinking into his side as it plunged into his side between the breastplate and backplate. Remarkably, even with Holy Power added to the precision cut and the cauterizing steam, Baron Kelloss was still upright and ready to fight.

In came the streaking Trident, zapping me with the power of a thunderbolt as the lines slammed into me. This time, Baron Keloss kept charging, bull-rushing me back over the stone throne and causing me to bash my head on the stone. If not for my recently pilfered helmet, I likely would have split my skull open just now and been killed. As it was, I was only mostly dead. I was, however, in a bad position backed up against the Dwarven stonework of the Throne with not much room to maneuver at all.

Fortunately, I had a trick up my sleeve to play and I wouldn't even need to resort to magic to do it, all that was required was that I manage to defend myself successfully against Baron Keloss' next attack. This was accomplished via the simple expedient of leaning away from the downward stab of the trident aimed at my throat. Sparks were struck off the stone of the Throne I was backed onto even as I moved into a feint, pretending to be about to try for a shield bash, but instead cutting out with my blade at Baron Keloss' left knee, slipping my longsword successfully past his guard and carving through the joint of his left knee. My feint had succeeded and my follow-on attack literally cut his leg out from under him. Baron Keloss fell to the floor, stump hissing as it cauterized in the steam.

I towered over Baron Keloss, who was now down to one leg and lying prone on the floor. With a snarl, he thrust his trident up at me in a last act of defiance, but I had expected that. I sidestepped the thrust before darting in as if dancing a two-step to cleave his head from his shoulders. Honestly, as soon as Selima had called Deneir's blessing on my blade it was over. So long as I avoided taking another hit from Baron Keloss' trident, I would be able to carve him to pieces. It had taken me almost dying again, and Shavariel was only moderately better off than I was, but we'd won.

I turned to see that Janessa had begun casting Knock on the lock holding the manacled Orla was wearing shut. Meanwhile, Selima had been scouting out the room that Orla had been kept in while I focused on trying to identify the unidentified Trident and Breastplate the Baron had on. The Breastplate, I managed to parse, was made of dire-crab shells and was passed down to each successive Baron of the Keloss Barony. It was known in some circles as the Sea Baron's Aegis and was a Nimble, Buoyant, Dire Crab Shell Breastplate Plus Two. The Trident, however, I had to burn an Identify spell to parse. It was called the Sea Baron's Judgement and had been a gift from Chieftain Ahohek to his new ally. It was a Thundering Trident of Shocking Burst Plus Two. Not quite a thunderbolt, but a damn good magical facsimile of one.

Shavariel called dibs on the Trident, Shield, Cloak, and Breastplate, while I took his Amulet of Natural Armor, and Selima took his Ring of Protection. The Gold Arm Ring Studded with Moss Agates and Black Opals was worth nine hundred amnian Danter and went into the Bag of Holding, along with the Officer and NCO's Equipment. We also found seven scrolls, one of Alacrity, one of Honeyed Tongue, one of Hold Person, one of Unicorn Arrow, one of Fire Arrow, one of Hadte, and one of Resonating Bolt, along with a further three-thousand Amnian Danter in miscellaneous coins in two of the crates in the room where Orla had been held. A third crate had Orla's equipment in it, a Hat of Disguise a Pair of Gloves of Dexterity, and a Keen Cutlass Plus One.

I took the scrolls of Alacrity and Honeyed Tongue while Janessa took the other scrolls. We handed Orla her gear back and scooped everything else into our various bags. Then once we were done, we headed back out of the Fortress, now completely deserted and picked clean. When we got back to the group of freed slaves in the town below, I realized they'd apparently completely ransacked the remainder of the town. I saw them equipped in a hodgepodge of scavenged Armor and Weapons, all were now at least as well-armed as the average militiaman, if not drilled on their gear. Of course, I had no right to criticize looting.

Assuming we could sell off all the loot for a reasonable price when we got to Jannathstaad, we would make just north of one-hundred-thousand Amnian Danter from all this. Split eight ways between my party, Cap'n Bernardo, First Mate Orla, the Freed Slaves, and the Crew of the Speedy Drake, that was roughly twelve-thousand-five-hundred-sixty-seven Gold Danter and five Silver Taran per share. And it only took us instigating a slave revolt and almost dying a couple of times to get to that point. Of course, now even our bags of Holding and Handy Haversacks were full to bursting, so as soon as we had the Freed Slaves Rounded up, we led them topside.

Unfortunately, even hot bunking and sleeping on deck, we wouldn't have enough room on the Speedy Drake to house all the refugees. Cap'n Bernardo must have realized that, because as we led the column of Freed Slaves Turned Refugees toward the ship, his eyes practically bugged out of his head entirely at the sight.

"The bloody hell have you done now?" He demanded.

"We went in, freed the Sahuagin's Slaves, wiped out their town, and looted their fortress." I responded.

"Aye, the Shark Men's Baron's dead, and so are most of his helpers if what I've seen is accurate. Best we be heading on now, afore any of the other Shark Men smell the blood in the Water." Intoned Orla.

"What about this lot?" Demanded Cap'n Bernardo.

"Shavariel can fight and Selima's a Glyph scribe of Deneir. They can more than pay for passage with action." Huffed Janessa.

"Aye, that I don't doubt, but the rest of this lot. . ." Mused Cap'n Bernardo.

"Are Refugees. Former slaves in need of help." Intoned Selima.

"Aye, that's all well and good, but the Drake's not the largest of ships." Scoffed Orla.

"Your God may provide for you, Priestess, but unless Deneir's got another crewed sloop he's willing to send down from on-high, we'll have to use every inch of space, and even then some of those folk are gonna wind up sitting in the Ship's Boat under tow." Informed Cap'n Bernardo.

"Fear not. As a member of the Alu'Tel'Quessir, I will be able to check on those under tow as easily as you would patrol the deck of your ship." Informed Shavariel.

"And what of provisions for the new arrivals?" Demanded Cap'n Bernardo.

"I think Selima has that covered." Insisted Janessa.

"Indeed. I am able to create food and water, as well as purify food and drink thanks to Deneir's teachings." Informed Selima.

"So you see, Cap'n, there's no real reason not to take them." I insisted.

After that, Cap'n Bernardo seemed to just give up and resign himself to a few days of hot bunking for everyone on the Speedy Drake. Instead of continuing to argue, he just shook his head and sighed.

"All right. We take them to Jannathsdaad, but no further. After that,t all of you poor bastards are on your own." He groused.

"Thank you, Cap'n. Trust me, your share of the loot sale will more than cover it." I nodded.

"I'd better. Now let's get these sorry sacks of bilge stowed away, aye? I don't want to be here longer than I have to." Sighed Cap'n Bernardo.

Soon enough, we had everyone aboard the Speedy Drake, or at least aboard the Ship's Boat under tow. It was a tight squeeze even then, and spending a few days like this wasn't anyone's idea of a good time. Selima was able to stretch our rations by using her Clerical Magic, though, so nobody really had an actionable excuse to do more than grumble. Fortunately, there were no more attacks as we transited the rest of the way through the Jaws of Sekolah. I didn't know what would happen if the crew took casualties on top of being this annoyed and uncomfortable. Probably nothing good, I'd imagine. Thankfully, we managed to avoid any further skirmish outside the Jaws of Sekolah as well.

Three days after fully transiting the Jaws of Sekolah, the Speedy Drake put into port at Jannathstaad. The Harbor was packed with various ships, most armed for war. With the recent seizure of Caer Jannath and Cadfael Island by a Conspiracy of Umberlants, I didn't blame them, however. The Speedy Drake pulled up alongside a Northlander Drekkar-style Fifty-bench Longship and tied up to the mooring. It would be time to try and meet with Magnus Ullrsson soon enough, but for now, I had other business to attend to. Namely, selling off all this excess loot to divide amongst us all.

As the gangplank of the Speedy Drake was finally lowered, I stepped off the ship, ready to start the next phase of my journey. . .

XXXX

AN: All right, so here we get the last part of the Sahuagin Sidequest. The Keloss Barony is effectively done for and stamping it out proved pretty damned profitable for Robar and Company. Of course, most of that money is in looted equipment and artwork that needs to be fenced or otherwise sold off to actually see any money from it. Fortunately, Jannathstaad is a major raider, adventurer, and naval mercenary port, so there are plenty of people willing to buy. It might not be the best price, though even with Bard Powers helping. Northlanders don't play when it comes to loot, after all.

At any rate, the next chapter will be our first proper look at Jannathsdaad. I'll also have updated character sheets and a few more images out before then, as there's some new equipment and learned spells from scrolls that people have.

Stay tuned. . .