As the scouts make their way to the cabin, they may notice some things about the crew and the ship.

The crew are about sixty to seventy percent human. There's also a goodly number of half-elves. There are several half-orcs, speaking to each other in heavily-accented common. They all have the look of sailors about them. A few look up from what they're doing to stare at the scouts, and some even wave.

The ship is the largest in the port. In fact, it's the largest ship any of the scouts have ever seen. One or two of them, if they've done much sailing or come from Endrok, would have seen it before it was refitted into an airship. The main differences are the sigils carved into the timbers, and the new arrangement of the sails.

There are a pair of fairly large metal tubes on the foc's'le, as well as what look like giant crowsbows. There are crewmembers tending to these as well, polishing them up and cleaning them.

[dice]d20+2 = 844834508 = Fixed[/dice]

Bedge recognizes the ballistas, and, though he's never actually seen one before, he knows that the tubes are bombards, siege engines that use smokepowder to fire stone balls at enemy ships.

[dice]d20+2 = 1992279622 = Fixed[/dice]
[dice]d20+2 = 785290959 = Fixed[/dice]

None of the scouts know anything about the captain they're about to meet, except that his name is Strombady. They have been told he was one of the best captains in the East, but not very much else.

When they reach the cabin, a tall human man opens the door. He's got long, black hair and a flowing beard, with two piercing blue eyes. He wears a heavy blue greatcoat and a black bicorne hat. He grins in a comradely way to the group. "Ah, so you're the scouts, are you? Come in, we've got some things to discuss. I'm Derno Strombady, captain of this vessel." He ushers the scouts into his cabin.

In the cabin, they see a number of charts and maps on the walls, as well a few of the captain's personal belongings. There's a bed along the far wall.

"Now, lads, and lass," he said, flashing a brilliant smile at Silja, "First thing's first. You're to need some to take the ship's coin if you're to serve with us." He walks over to a fancy brass and green glass lantern. From beside it, he takes a stack of copper coins. "These'll let you through when we have the alarm up. Keep these with you at all times, or else you'll set the alarm off." He hands one to each of the players.

"Now, I saw that you already met two members of our happy family. Don't let either of 'em fool you. Arnes may be a scallywag, but he's not stupid enough to steal from other crewmembers. He was just trying to figure you out to see which of you has gold, and which of you he can seperate from it. Don't play him at cards or dice and you'll be fine. Thistle... He may be a ass at times, but he's damn' good at what he does, which is navigation. We'll all be glad of him before this voyage is out, I'm sure." He looked at the group, and seemed to be looking each one of them in the eyes. "So, tell me about yourselves. I've been told a bit, of course, but I'd like to know just what you have for us. And tell me why you've signed on, if you would.