Sea Dogs Rest sits low and warm against the cold outside. Smoke curls under the beams, and the room hushes a little when Slaan enters with the Gate Keeper at her back.
Kaelith looks up from her corner table. Travel has dulled her armor, but not her watchfulness. Her eyes move from Slaan to the door, then settle with quiet relief.
Kaelith
You made it back. I was starting to think Markul had swallowed the whole trail.
The Gate Keeper lingers near the wall, coin heavy in his belt pouch, saying nothing. He keeps his posture loose, but his gaze stays on the room, ready to give the two women privacy.
Kaelith
I have news. Markul has been moving men through the lower roads, not to hunt you, to hide something. A sealed wagon, a quiet escort, and no chapel marks.
Slaan
Slaan asks if she knows where it went.
Kaelith
Toward the old high lanes. Not the main road. He is keeping it out of sight, like a shame he cannot afford to name.
Kaelith leans back, exhales through her nose, and finally lets the weariness show. The tavern noise settles around them, small and ordinary, as if it can shelter the truth for a while.
✓ Quest Accepted
Learn where the sealed wagon was taken
“" so you worken for Markul now?" I ask plainly”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +0)
Slaan
So, you work for Markul now?
Kaelith
No. If I worked for him, I would not be sitting here waiting for you to ask that plainly.
Kaelith
I am clearing my name. Markul uses roads like nets, and I am trying to cut the lines before they tighten around the wrong people.
She holds Slaan's gaze, then taps two fingers once against the table, a hard little pledge.
Kaelith
I saw the wagon. It was headed for the old high lanes, under guard, with the curtains nailed shut.
Kaelith
If you are asking whether I am on his side, no. I am on the side that keeps the lie from reaching the next village.
Gate Keeper
And she has been careful about what she says here, which is more than I can say for most who pass through.
Kaelith's mouth tightens, not with offense, but with tired acceptance. The little circle between the three of them settles into something usable, if not yet safe.
Quest Complete
Learn where the sealed wagon was taken
“"take your helmet off mate." I ask”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +0)
The Gate Keeper’s hand goes to the chin strap at once, then pauses as he looks from Slaan to Kaelith, weighing the room before he trusts the moment.
Slaan
Take your helmet off, mate.
He gives a short, tired huff, then loosens the fastenings and lifts the helmet clear, setting it by the wall with care.
Gate Keeper
There. Better? I have spent enough nights listening through iron.
Kaelith
That is more human than I expected from a gate watchman.
Gate Keeper
And you are sharper than most captains I have seen. Markul’s wagons do not move without a reason.
Kaelith glances at the empty helm, then back to Slaan, the hard line in her jaw easing into something steadier.
Kaelith
If you have another way to prove what that wagon carries, I will help you use it.
+ New Item Acquired
Gate Keeper's trust
“" Kaelith, I ment you take your helmet off"”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +0)
Slaan
Kaelith, I meant you take your helmet off.
Kaelith’s mouth twitches, then he reaches up and frees the straps with both hands. The helmet comes away in one smooth motion and he sets it beside the table, exposing a face that looks less guarded than his stance.
Kaelith
There. If we are speaking plainly, I can do that much.
Gate Keeper
Good. Two men in a room can lie, but they do it easier when they hide their eyes.
Kaelith glances toward the dark doorway, then back to Slaan, the tension in his shoulders loosening into a ready calm.
Kaelith
The wagon is not just cargo. I saw the seals, and I know enough to hate what they mean. If Markul is moving it, he is cleaning a trail.
The Gate Keeper folds his arms, watching Slaan as if measuring whether she wants facts or vows.
Kaelith
Give me the next step, and I stay with you on it.
“" I need a room, and a bath, and a day to rest then I'll worry about king's ,tyrants and chaos. Right now I need a hot bath and a bed."”
SUCCESS (Good Health, rolled +1)
Slaan
I need a room, a bath, and a day to rest. Then I will worry about kings, tyrants, and chaos.
The Gate Keeper’s hard gaze softens a fraction. Kaelith gives a small, understanding nod, like the answer fits a wound he already expected.
Gate Keeper
A room you can have. A bath too, if the water still runs hot. Rest is harder to promise, but I can give you quiet.
Kaelith
That is the smartest battle plan I have heard all day.
He slides the bench back and leans an elbow on the table, no longer guarding his words. The low lantern flame throws a warm stripe across the mugs and the two helmets.
Gate Keeper
Upstairs, end of the hall. I will keep the front and keep questions away.
Kaelith
And I will keep Markul in mind while you sleep. If you want, we can speak of the wagon after you wash.
“" sounds good"”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +3)
Slaan
Sounds good.
Slaan lets the offer settle, and the room seems to accept it with her. The table, the mugs, and the low lantern all fall into a softer hush.
Gate Keeper
Good. Then take the room at the end of the hall, and use it. If anyone comes asking after you, they answer to me.
Kaelith
I can wait below, or bring food up when you are ready. Either way, I am not leaving the wagon matter alone.
Kaelith’s calm stays in place, but his hand drifts to the table edge, tapping once near the ash-stained papers as if weighing what still needs saying.
Kaelith
Markul did not just move cargo. He moved it like someone hiding a witness. That changes who we ask first.
The Gate Keeper glances toward the stairs, then back to Slaan, his expression easing into something more protective than cautious. Upstairs, a door stands open. On the wall, his helmet rests where anyone can see it.