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[syvarris]

In the interest of fairness, Syv, you complete the mission by waylaying the ship or destroying its cargo.  If they dump it somewhere, you complete the job.

Doesn't this kinda imply that we do know they are carrying contraband?  If our mission is specifically to stop them from trading contraband, as shown by both waylaying and dumping being valid completion tactics, then that implies we actually do know.  Unless I heavily misinterpreted this statement.

In any case, yes, we should talk to the harbormaster if attempting such won't cost an action.  Otherwise, sure, go with Burnt Whale's suggestion of killing cap.  His actions seem to be oddly lucky, and I'm drawing a blank.

[Egan_BW]

I suppose it's possible that our employer has bad intel? Like, our mission is to destroy contraband, but there is no contraband. Sounds like just the sort of trick Dev might pull.

[Devastator]

Here's what you've been told about the ship:

There's a ship in the docks, a coastal junk from Ashisan Island called the Swallow's Fortune.  She is carrying a load of pepper, and will sail north in about two weeks.

You need to wreck it or destroy it's cargo so that it never makes Kwellan."

I didn't include it, but delaying the arrival of the cargo by at least two weeks is also a success.

[Devastator]

In any case, yes, we should talk to the harbormaster if attempting such won't cost an action.  Otherwise, sure, go with Burnt Whale's suggestion of killing cap.  His actions seem to be oddly lucky, and I'm drawing a blank.

You go and see the harbourmaster again.  This time, when you enter, he's expecting you and you're just waved past.

The harbourmaster starts out all forward and tries to be sneaky, asking you who told you there was contraband on that ship.  He then breaks down a bit and says that you shouldn't get involved with that ship, it's likely political, and that politics can kill you.  He eventually reveals that the ship is carrying both a load of pepper, and a load of rare sandalwood that's supposed to go for some big project up north.

The man then looks over you carefully, and says:
"Stay away from that ship.  It's carrying a legal cargo, and nothing is being done that's not proper."

With that, you're almost forcefully removed from the office.

Three actions remain.

[Egan_BW]

Bluh. Get some flammable oil, firestarter, and sneak onto the ship at night.

I'm betting the wood is the real target here. We can just go in, burn that into unusability, get out, done.

[DolosusDoleus]

Or, you know, set the ship itself on fire. The real target might not even be the cargo we know about, so its better to be sure that we get it, whatever it is.

Plus, it would be much easier to set the ship on fire than to sneak in and out undetected. We might want a disguise though.

[syvarris]

Could we at least spend an action watching the ship and getting an idea of their schedules before acting?  Sneaking in without knowing anything about their nighttime behavior is just foolish.

[Devastator]

Could we at least spend an action watching the ship and getting an idea of their schedules before acting?  Sneaking in without knowing anything about their nighttime behavior is just foolish.

For the record, you have already done this.  That was action one this week.

[Egan_BW]

I fear that the cost of the materiel required to burn down a whole damn ship would far exceed any possible payment.

[Devastator]

Bluh. Get some flammable oil, firestarter, and sneak onto the ship at night.

I'm betting the wood is the real target here. We can just go in, burn that into unusability, get out, done.

That's two actions, one for the supplies, one to sneak on.

First, you're going to need more oil than what you've got lying around, and if you're going to sneak on board, it can't be more than you can carry.  After some thinking, you decide to get a small amphora of about three litres, which you can strap to your back.  It'll be enough to start a small fire, and if given time, should be enough to grow into a more serious fire.  You also bring along a tinderbox with sulfur matches.  The tough part is going to be the sneaking, which you decide would be better done at night.

(-1 silver, gained lamp oil)

That night, you look at the ship again, and decide to board it by the further end of it, as the watchman's lamp is by the near side.  You can see several people up on the bow, playing cards by lamplight.  There are several more people up on deck near the stern, but they appear to be snoozing.

The clincher, though, is the small rowboat you see ashore nearby.  You can get into it, row out to the far end of the pier, and climb aboard the ship from there without entering the circle of lamplight.  You do so, and the slow, easy snoring continues undisturbed.


You know there are at least two ways belowdecks.  There is a large cargo hatch in the middle, but it's now closed.  There is also a smaller hatch for the ladder near the stern, which is out of the light and seems ideal for going below.  There is also a cabin door into the stern, below the poop deck on which you are standing.  There are many sailors sleeping on the poop, perhaps a half dozen.

What do you do next?

Spoiler: Status (click to show/hide)

Assets and Abilities:
Prestige = 2
38 silver.
Ancient bronze short jian.
Lamp oil.
fine map of the Empire
poor maps of the countries across the sea.
plan for travelling across the sea by ship.

Skills:
Gather information, +1
Shopping, +1
Urban Navigation, +1
Weapon handling I
Jian skill +2/+2

Allies:
Min Li, spirit reader, 2 prestige, 1 favor
Huan Zhang, diplomat, 2 prestige, 0 favors

Job to waylay the costal trade ship the Swallow's Fortune, or damage her cargo.  It's due to leave about end of week 18.
Spirit reading with Min Li scheduled for week 19

[Egan_BW]

Quickly move to the stern and descend, talking anything that looks particularly shiny and unsecured along the way.

[syvarris]

With sword readied, in case we stumble into someone who'd raise an alarm.

[Devastator]

You open the hatch and climb down to a lower deck.

It's very dark down here, and you can barely make out anything.  You see faint shapes that are hammocks with more crewmembers in them to port and starboard.  You dimly make out that there are doors towards the bow and stern.  Remembering that the bulk hatch was towards the bow from here, you go through that door.

The door towards the bow opens, onto a pool of inky darkness too dark to see anything.  Your eyes are not yet adjusted to the darkness, however.

[Egan_BW]

Hide in the corner like the creeper we are and wait for eyes to adjust.

[syvarris]

With sword still readied.  If we make it through without killing anyone, I'll bite my foot.