Fellowship of the Dice

“Slaves, ev'ry one of ya! Any Shackles pirate's worth ten o' you poxy devils, an' ev'ry Free Captain commandin' a sloop'll keep sailin' circles around any bloated Chelish frigate you send at us. We'll go on raidin' yer sea lanes, stealin' yer silver coins with Abrogail's pouty gob stamped on them, an' we'll cart it all back home, where we'll sing an' drink 'til the sea swallows us all! I'm ready to do my dance with Besmara; no regrets for a life lived free on the waves. The worms'll be better company than you ugly, dung-eating devil's slaves anyway!”

—Last words spoken by Free Captain Wilihem Wache, moments before his public hanging in Macini for piracy

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Port Peril is the center of pirate activity in the Shackles, and the place to be for anyone seeking a life of piracy and adventure. The largest port in the Shackles and its de facto capital. It is situated on the mainland, rather than on one of the outlying islands, on the edge of the Terwa Uplands and overlooking Jeopardy Bay. The city is protected by walls, and the stronghold of Fort Hazard. All manner of vices can be found in its twisting streets, and its busy markets thrive on the sale of stolen goods. Rumour has it that the plunder from decades of piracy is hidden in sea caves beneath the city.

Tonight is like any other at the Formidably Maid, a local tavern that caters to the would be pirates of the Shackles. All manner of green recruits manage to find their way here with the promise of adventure, fame, and booty. Outside the tavern a man hangs in the stocks for some crime committed against the local law, or what passes for it. Less than a block away a dozen men roll around in the dirt fist fighting, shouting and cheering for and against one another as a circle of prostitutes looks on laughing, waiting to take the winners back to their rooms.

The sing outside the Formidably Maid swings in the salt air, a second one under it has the words scrawlled on it: "Time flies when ye arrrr having rum at the Formidably Maid!"
Inside the large tavern are scores of men and women of all types drinking and laughing. Vulgarity, debauchery, all those wholesome pirate traits are in full swing in the tavern. The ale flows freely from the taps, the buxom women serve it up to the already drunk men. A look around room shows dozens of races, and all manner of folks, from all places across Golarion.

Among the dozens a few stand out...

Maggie O'Mally stops just inside the Formidably Maid for just a moment. With her duffel bag over her shoulder, she's fresh off the Sea Mist, the ship of a minor smuggler who owed her a favor. He'd let her work for her passage to the Shackles from Ilizmagorti, the fulfilment of her dream. Not that she minded tending to the ships that sold their goods to her father, or the people that sailed those ships. But there was only so much of that a girl could take. She wanted to be on those ships, having those adventures, and more importantly, making that gold! Fencing smuggled goods made you a good living, that was for certain. But it was nothing compared to the big score you could make as a smuggler or a pirate on your own. That was her dream, and that was what her father would never have allowed. But he wasn't here now, so he couldn't stop her.

The tavern looked a lot like The Kraken at home. She wasn't allowed to go there, of course, which only meant that she snuck in there as often as she could. She'd have to see if the drinks here were watered down as much as they were back home.

Looking around, she tries to spot a place to sit. Her land legs were only just coming back after her time on board, and she wanted to give herself a little time to get used to being back on solid ground again. She could also use something fresh to eat. Salt pork, dried peas, and hard cheese were good enough when you were at sea. But here in port, she wanted to get something a bit fresher. Her coins wouldn't last her that long. But she could manage a decent meal and a place to stay tonight. Tomorrow was soon enough to find work.

Toruk Manari gained passage to Port Peril from Riddleport via the Queen's Gambit, a merchant vessel. Ultimately he is here seeking any info regarding the disappearance of his parents, crew members upon the Vile Sea Maiden.

Toruk is standing at the bar of the Formidably Maid enjoying a pint and observing the crowd. Some of the patrons have no doubt been observing Toruk himself, an Undine of blue skin, webbed hands and feet. Being part of an uncommon minority is not lost on him, but he has grown accustomed to it.

It is then when he takes pause from observing the crowd to focus upon one. A stunning red head has made her way into the Maid and seems to be looking for a place to sit.

Spotting an empty seat next to an undine, of all people, Maggie saunters over until she's standing next to him. "<Aquan> This seat taken?" she asks with a friendly smile.

Trying not to evoke his surprise that this red head has just spoken to him in his native tongue Toruk manages the following, "<Aquan> It is now...can I get you a drink?"

"<Aquan> Indeed you can," the red-head says, dropping her duffel bag under the table and taking a seat. "I'm Maggie," she says, offering her hand. "Maggie O'Mally. And I'll have one of whatever you're having."

Toruk signals to the barkeep for two more ales. "Nice to meet you Maggie O'Mally" Toruk says as he shakes her hand. "My name is Toruk Manari."

He produces a few coins as the barkeep arrives with fresh drinks.

Toruk slides one of the pint's over to Maggie, "There you go..."

Across the room a sudden shout of laughter brings the noise level of the tavern up several knots as a group of men are now officially three sheets to the wind, as they like to say.

The bartender, a rather large breasted dwarven woman, with a bit of a beard, stops to smile at the red haired woman and the undine. "Drinks?" She pours what's ask for, takes the coins, and moves on down the line.

"A pleasure to meet you as well," Maggie replies. "And here's to good luck on the high seas," she adds, lifting her mug and taking a drink. "So tell me Toruk, are there many undines here in the Shackles? I'm from Ilizmagorti originally, and we only had a very few near us, even with being a port town.

Toruk meets her gesture of good luck and takes a drink as well. A few drinks in now and he reminds himself, Take it easy with the information Toruk..."It would seem our numbers are few no matter the location. Actually I just arrived here about an hour ago. I sailed from my home in Riddleport."

Toruk thinks to himself, Well so much for that...so far everything he has said is exactly as it was.