stargazer - chris a. jackson

7/25/2019 Stargazer - Chris a. Jackson

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Stargazer

by Chris A. Jackson

Chapter One: Venomous Friends

Black sails tore out of the moonless night, all but invisible as the corsair Stargazer swooped down onher prey. Even as the merchant galleon's crew recognized the danger, three ballistae cracked inperfect unison, and their steel heads bit into the planks of the ship's hull.

"Haul!" bellowed a voice, and Stargazer's capstan spun, hauling in the lines affixed to the ballistaebolts, pulling the two ships together.

The two hulls met with a crack, and thirty seasoned pirates leapt aboard the merchant ship in a waveof curses and flashing steel. One stout sailor swung a boathook, cracking a burly pirate across theface. The pirate responded with an anatomically impossible epithet and a sweeping blow of his heavyaxe that clove the sailor's skull like an overripe melon. The captain and crew of the GoldenGriffin dropped their weapons and backed against the windward rail, pleading for mercy, hands raised.

"Bosun Grogul!" The voice cut through the night like a knife, staying the burly pirate's hand as he

raised his axe above the merchant captain's head. "Stand down! Secure their weapons and start yoursearch!"

"Aye, Captain!" The half-orc pirate spat blood onto the deck. He glanced over his shoulder at hiscaptain standing on Stargazer's rail, and the rage in his eyes dimmed. "Search party with me! Youothers, secure this rabble!"

Captain Torius Vin stepped onto the deck of the merchant galleon with the preternatural agility of aborn seaman, one hand on the silver hilt of the cutlass at his hip. His confident swagger was that of aman walking across a street instead of a lurching deck as he stepped over the corpse of the deadsailor and confronted the captain of the Golden Griffin.

"Where is it, Captain Wayland?" He stroked his carefully groomed goatee, dark eyes narrowed.

"Where's what?" The merchant captain's voice sounded harsh with fear. "You're nothing but a damnedpirate!"

Torius grinned—he expected fear from his conquests, but not defiance—and drew his cutlass. The flatof the blade slapped the captain's cheek, the edge coming to rest beneath the man's ear. "A pirate Iam, Captain, and I may even be damned one day. But not today, and not by the likes of you! If youhand over the coffer you're delivering to Benrahi Ekhan of Azir, I'll spare the lives of you and yourcrew. If you lie to me again, I'll feed you to the adaro a piece at a time—your right ear first."

"Bugger yourself, pirate!" the captain spat. "You'll kill us all anyway. You vermin have no honor!"

Torius' wrist stiffened, and the razor edge of his cutlass drew a bead of blood from the captain's ear."Have it your way," he said, but a soft voice from behind him stayed his hand.

"My captain!" There was a rustle of scales against wood. "I can help, if you'll allow me."

"Celeste!" Torius lowered his sword and glanced over his shoulder to see... nothing. "Is there time?"

"There's always time, Captain Vin. It's what we do with it that matters." The voice was as hauntinglybeautiful as the night sky. "In this moment of it, I can find what you seek."



"Then by all means proceed, my dear." Torius stepped back.

Undulating coils of starlight flowed over the conjoined rails of the two ships as a huge serpent with thehead of a woman materialized from invisibility. The white waves of her hair glowed in the starlight asshe slithered to Torius's side, then smiled, her fangs glistening with venom. Torius stifled a chuckle atthe gasps of horror from the Golden Griffin's captain and crew; where they saw a monster, he sawmagnificence.

"Captain Wayland," she hissed as she bent close to the man's sweaty face. Torius heard the whisper ofher quietly murmured spell. "If not to save your own life, then for the lives of your crew: tell mewhere you have hidden the coffer destined for Benrahi Ekhan."

The man paled nearly to the naga's alabaster hue, swallowed, then answered. "In a secretcompartment under the chart table in my quarters. This is the key." He fumbled a heavy brass keyfrom a pocket, and it floated out of his grasp and into Torius's hand.

"Mister Caliel!" Torius tossed the key to his first mate. "Get that coffer, double quick! Time is of theessence!"



Celeste is an except ional w oman —in many senses.

"Aye, sir!" The tall man, a half-elf by the gentle point of his ears, gathered two men and hurried aft.

"Celeste," Torius said more quietly, "best go below now. Thank you for your help."

"Who am I to argue with the stars, my captain?" Her lips curved in a knowing smile. "I await you inyour cabin." She slithered away with astonishing alacrity, gone by the time Torius turned back to thecaptain of the Golden Griffin.

"Now, Captain, there are two possible outcomes to this night's events, and only one ends with you stillbreathing." He reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a large, flat bottle. "Outcome one is thatyou and your crew each take a single draught from this bottle, and forget the last half-hour of yourlives. Outcome two is that you all die, right now."

http://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderTales/PZO8500-Celeste.jpg



"That's a choice?" the captain scoffed, his defiance returning.

"Life or death? Yes, I do believe that is a choice, Captain." A door slammed, and Torius turned to seeCaliel with a small metal coffer, while his two companions hefted much larger bundles of finery. Hegrinned. Pirates will be pirates, he thought, then turned back to the captain. "Choose now—live or die.Quickly! If you delay, your choices get cut in half." He tapped the side of the man's neck with hiscutlass.

The captain cursed, but took the bottle, removed the cork and tilted it into his mouth, then passed itto the next man in line. Torius watched carefully, making sure each sailor took a mouthful of theprecious potion and swallowed. It had cost him plenty, but he gauged it worth the lives of fifteen men,given that he'd already taken from them a prize fifty times the potion's value. When the last man inline drank, he took the bottle back and smiled; the captain's eyes were already glassy withforgetfulness.

"Bosun Grogul! Anyone else aboard?"

"No, sir! Searched from stem to stern."

"Good! We're leaving. Gather your men and get aboard Stargazer ."

"Aye, Captain!" The boatswain and his men, burdened with more armfuls of carefully selected spoils,returned to the corsair.

"Farewell, Captain." Torius gave a fluid salute that ended with his cutlass snapping into the scabbardat his hip. He leapt to the rail of his ship and doffed his hat in a sweeping bow as his men cast off andthe ships parted. "May we do business again soon!"

As Stargazer heeled away, black sails vanishing into the cloak of night, Torius strode through hisgrinning crew of pirates and shouted down the open main hatchway. "All secure below, Snick?"

"Secure as a half-orc's virginity, Captain!" a high-pitched feminine voice called back up.

The joke elicited a round of giddy laughter from the crew, and a growl from the bosun, which wasprobably what the gnome was aiming for. Others, however, seemed in a less humorous mood.

"Besmara's boots, Captain, that was close," Caliel grumbled. "You put a lot of faith in that wizard'sconcoction, expecting it to keep our identity a secret."

"Aye, we could'a took her like a cheap doxy, Captain," Grogul said as he wiped his gore-streaked axewith a rag. "Dead men don't talk, and it would'a saved the cost of that potion and gained us a hold fullof fine Qadiran silk."

The bosun's boldness loosened the tongues of some of the other crew, and Torius heard a rush of darkmuttering. He shook his head dismissively.

"The potion was crafted by a priest, actually, Caliel, and I tested it personally. Besides, this way we'refree to plunder the Golden Griffin at a later date. Set course for Katapesh, and don't spare the canvas.I want twenty miles between us and the Golden Griffin before sunrise!" Torius pointed to the coffer."Grogul, bring that to my cabin. Now. It's worth more than a dozen holds full of the finest silks inGolarion."

"Aye, sir!" The boatswain scooped up the coffer and followed.



In Torius's dimly lit cabin, they were greeted by the disconcerting sight of several navigationalinstruments, including an elaborate astrolabe, floating about the sinuous coils of Stargazer's navigator.She lay beneath the open skylight, but turned from her celestial observations as they entered, the tipof her tail twitching in delight.

"My Captain, I see that we're underway. I'll take my instruments up to the quarterdeck presently toget a proper fix and plot our course. Ah, Grogul, you bear the coffer of Gods' Tears." She cocked herhead in concern. "And you're injured."

"Bah! Just a bloody lip, Miss Celeste." The half-orc put the box down and nodded. "I'll leave you to yersnake charmin', Captain." He ducked out of the cabin with a tusky grin.

"Pass the word for Snick to come by when she's through mothering the ballistae, Grogul. I'll need herto open this thing."

"Aye, sir." The door clicked closed.

"You take a great risk in this endeavor, Torius." Celeste turned to the astrolabe, rotating the discsmore accurately with her magic than most could with two hands. "Such a valuable prize will not go

unmissed."

"Not such a great risk, Celeste. The Sword of Man himself would thank me for keeping such a relic outof Rahadoum. The Gods' Tears will vanish in the markets of Katapesh, and there'll be no trail leading

back to us." He unbuckled his sword and hung it on a peg near his bunk. "Which was another reasonfor the potion. Better to obliterate their memories than kill the crew of the Golden Griffin. Contrary towhat Grogul thinks, dead men do occasionally talk."

He stepped to where Celeste lay coiled, her torso swaying easily with the roll of the ship as she gazedat a particularly bright star through her telescope. A stylus on the chart table scratched down a seriesof numbers. Beneath the charts lay several scrolls, mostly zodiacs of various cultures and lengthyscholars' notes of celestial observations. He stood next to her and stared up at the star-filled sky; thisfar from the lights of any city, they were so clear he felt as if he could reach out and touch them.

"It's a beautiful night." He brushed a hand through her silvery hair.

"Isn't it?" The tip of her tail shuddered as she turned to him. "And speaking of potions."

A thin drawer beneath the chart table opened and a small vial floated out. The stopper twisted freeand she quaffed the contents in a single gulp. Her shape shifted with the potion's magic, her tailmorphing into two long legs, two pale arms sprouting from supple shoulders. In the time it took himto draw a deep breath, she stood before him as a tall, willowy human woman with skin the luster ofpearl and eyes of midnight, her face and hair unchanged. He reached for a cloak and draped it overher shoulders, though she was unabashed by her lack of raiment. Her fingers fumbled with thebuttons of his shirt, unaccustomed as she was to having digits.

"Celeste, Snick will be coming by to open the coffer any minute."

"And the potion will only last a few minutes also." With a glance from her, the door's bolt clickedclosed. "Time enough."

"Oh, hell," he murmured as her hands explored beneath his shirt.

"Besides," she breathed, nuzzling his neck, "it's been far too long since I've had arms to hold you."



He felt the prick of her fangs, then the familiar rush of weakness from her venom and the oddeuphoria that accompanied it. He knew the weakness would fade quickly; he'd become accustomed toCeleste's venom. In fact, he'd become quite fond of it... and her.

"And legs," he reminded her. "Don't forget your legs..."

Neither of them noticed the soft click at the door, or the shadow that passed below the lintel.

Chapter Two: Stealing the Stars

"Don't put us downwind of the slave markets, Caliel." Torius scanned Katapesh's busy docks, lookingfor ships that he might prefer to avoid. The list had become quite long.

The mate sneered. "Squeamish, Captain?"

"It's the smell, that's all." Torius tended to steer clear of the slave markets for other reasons, too, buthis crew need not know all the details of their captain's past.

"Smells like half-orc day at Trillia's Bathhouse!" Snick chimed from beside him, her sea-green hairfluttering in the breeze. The crew chuckled and Grogul growled low in his throat.

"All secure below, Snick?"

"Well, of course, sir! All my babies're off to bed." Snick's ‘babies' were the twelve ballistaethat Stargazer bore. When in Katapesh, his home port, he ordered the huge crossbows dismantled andhidden in the smuggling niches crafted into the spaces between the ship's decks. The gnome lookedindignant at the suggestion that she might be slacking. "We're nothin' but a merchant ship now."

"Except for that ruddy great reptile in his cabin," a crewman muttered.

"Good." Torius ignored the comment. Celeste's magical talents and her value as a navigator andastrologer far outweighed the risks of having her aboard, and every member of the crew knew it.

He scanned the crew and nodded his approval. Though they still bore weapons, they looked little likepirates. Their dark leathers and bandanas had been replaced by loose vests, colorful pantaloons, andvaried desert headdresses. As captain, Torius wore a dazzling white kaftan that was subtly enchantedto keep him cool in the blistering heat. Only Grogul still looked menacing, stripped to the waist andshowing his impressive array of scars. He'd traded his axe for a pair of long kukris tucked crosswiseunder his sash at the small of his back.

"Might need a trip to Jexler and Young's, though," the gnome continued. "Those swimmer bolts justdon't seem to be quite—"

"First things first, Snick." Torius ruffled her hair, smiling when she grimaced and slapped his handaway. "And the first thing is to conclude our business."

When the ship was docked and all secure, Torius turned to his first mate. "Caliel, deal with the feesand bribes to the dockmaster and see to provisions and repairs. Grogul, you're with me."

The pirate captain crossed the gangplank and headed uptown as if he hadn't a care, for all the world amerchant and his bodyguard out for a stroll. The burlap sack over Grogul's shoulder was nondescriptenough to be holding laundry, but inside their prize lay nestled in a padded leather pouch, a fortunefor the selling. Torius had long ago learned that the most effective means of stealth is often to appearas if you have nothing to hide at all.



∗∗∗

"May Abadar smile on your every endeavor, Master Alchemist." Torius bowed low and backed out ofthe shop's opulent back room, smiling through the bitter taste of both the dark tea he'd been forced todrink as a matter of custom and the poor deal he'd just struck.

"That took too long," Grogul said with a scowl.

Torius handed over a small bag heavy with gems and nodded to the door, but once outside hegrumbled, "And they call me a pirate!"

"What happened?"

"Oh, just haggling," he said, then lowered his voice. "We've been paid, Grogul, but not what we werepromised. I should have expected it, really, but there's nothing we can do."

"You said we had a contract."

"We did, but that thief caught me broadside. If I threatened to take our business elsewhere, we'd

soon have Benrahi Ekhan himself on our tails." He shook his head ruefully, then cocked a wry grin andclapped the burly half-orc on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Grogul. We still made out well, just not aswell as I'd wanted." He glanced at the angle of the shadows. "Come on; we've got to hurry to make itto the Immaculate Repository before dusk."

"Bankers..." Grogul muttered, matching his captain's long stride. "Now there's a band of pirates!"



Grogul is a bosun w ho gets things done.

They were met with aplomb at the Repository, and the certificates of appraisal that accompanied the

gems were quickly verified, their value deposited in his account with a scribbled number on a leger.Torius withdrew a sum in gold for the crew's shares and all the expenses associated withmaintaining Stargazer , and they headed back to the ship. Dusk in Katapesh reminded him of twilighton a tropical reef —the time of day when predators began to hunt—but two well-armed men cognizantof their surroundings had little to fear from common thugs. They arrived at the docks just as the sun'sglow faded behind the city's gilded domes, but the welcome they received was more chilling even thanthe coming desert night.

"Captain!" A crewman named Joss ran up as they crossed the gangplank. "You're free! Where's MisterCaliel?"

"What do you mean, ‘free'? Why wouldn't I be?" The chill slithered down Torius' spine.

"But the slavers, sir! We got word a gang of Duenas took you, the filthy hyenas, and Mister Caliel—"

"Where is Caliel, Joss?" He scanned the worried faces and shivered.

http://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderTales/PZO8500-Grogul.jpg

http://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderTales/PZO8500-Grogul.jpg



"Mister Caliel took half a dozen men and went to rescue you. This feller said he knew where you was,but that it'd take some doin' to get you back. He, uh..." The man balked, biting his lower lip. "Theytook yer navigator with 'em."

"Celeste?" The chill clutched his heart like the hand of a lich. Torius gripped Joss's vest, jerking him offhis feet. "Where?"

"We don't know, sir! That feller, he just spoke to Mister Caliel. The mate said they'd need yernavigator's help to get you back. She took that potion that makes her human and left with 'em, allcloaked and secret-like. Then Snick followed 'em. Told me somethin' weren't right and she'd find out."

"Damn!" Torius released the man and began to pace Stargazer 's deck, his mind awhirl. "And nobodyrecognized this man? Did Caliel call him by name?"

"Oh, aye! Called him Vemmy. I heard him."

"Vemmy..." The name meant nothing to Torius. He glanced at Grogul, who knew every sneak andinformant on the docks, but the boatswain shook his head.

"Never heard of him, but I know someone who might."

"Let's go." Torius turned back to Joss. "Keep the ship secure. Nobody, and I mean nobody , comesaboard. If Caliel or Snick come back, they stay put. Understand?"

"Aye, sir!"

∗∗∗

Nowhere in Katapesh is the night darker than beneath the Night Ramp, with its seedy cluster of tentswhere informants and black marketers ply their trade. Grogul led Torius past clusters of men sittingaround small charcoal fires cooking meat of dubious origin on metal skewers to a canvas-shroudedstall near the Obsidian Wall. There, an old woman sat smoking a pesh pipe, her knobby, misshapen

feet propped up on a stool.

Grogul didn't bother with formalities or introductions. "Need to find someone, Hound."

"Nice to smell you, too, Grogul. Who's your friend?" She sniffed, then blinked, the lamplight glintingon the haze of her unseeing eyes. "Don't think I know his scent."

"I'm Captain Vin of the Stargazer ." Torius stepped forward. "We're looking for a man named Vemmy."

"And what are you willing to pay for this, Captain Vin?" The old woman puffed on her pipe, drawingthe acrid smoke deep into her lungs and holding it there before exhaling. She smiled, thin lips pullingback over elongated canines. Her name, it seemed, was apropos.

"Gold or steel," Torius said, a hand on his sword hilt. "Gold if you tell us the truth. Steel if you lie."

"I never lie, Captain. There's no profit in it." She took another puff from her pipe. "Twenty scarabs."

"Ten," he countered.

"Seventeen."



"Fifteen." He was in no mood to haggle, but if he didn't, he risked being marked as moneyed prey.

"Sixteen, then, if you insist."

"Done." He counted out the coins, but kept them in his palm. "Where do we find Vemmy?"

"Street of the Seven Suns, north of The Block. He works for whoever pays him, and isn't particular."

He handed over the money. "Thank you."

"You already have, Captain." She laughed and jingled the money in her hand before slipping it into apocket.

"Come on." Torius grabbed Grogul's arm and turned him north.

A quarter of an hour and dozens of twisting streets later, they entered the Street of the Seven Suns.Most of the stalls in the bazaar were closed, but the alehouses and pesh pits were open for business.A few questions and some judiciously applied silver pointed them toward a narrow alley and a darksecond story flat.

"Round the back," Torius instructed his boatswain in a whisper. "If he bolts..."

Grogul nodded and vanished around the corner, stealthier than his bulk would suggest possible. Toriusgave him a moment to get situated, then climbed the rickety stair, the boards creaking under hisweight. There was a click as the door opened, and the glint of starlight on metal. Torius dodged as thecrossbow fired, and felt the bolt tug at the sleeve of his robe. He drew his sword and dashed up thestairs before the man could reload.

The door splintered under his onslaught, but he only caught a glimpse of the man's boots vanishingout of a small window. He heard a crash, then a grunt and a scream. He leaned over the sill.

"Grogul?"

"Got him, sir." The half-orc was bent over a prone form.

"Dead?"

"Not yet."

Torius ran back down the stairs and around the corner. Grogul bore a cut along his cheekbone, andthe tip of his pointed ear was missing, but that was nothing compared with the man he was pulling tohis feet. One of the bosun's kukris transfixed the man's shoulder from back to front, six inches ofbloody steel sticking out of his filthy robes.

"You okay, Grogul?"

"Bah! Just a scratch."

"You must be Vemmy." Torius peered into the man's pockmarked face. "Not a good night for you."

The man spat an epithet, then screamed again as Grogul whacked the hilt of the kukri. Torius winced.



"Now Vemmy, let me be clear. You tell us where Caliel took my navigator, or you're tomorrow's dinnerspecial at Chargut."

"Don't know where," the man said through clenched teeth. "He just paid me to bring the message andwatch his back. Then that blasted gnome came along."

"Snick? Where is she?"

"Dead."

Torius felt the blood drain from his face, and he whacked the kukri himself. Vemmy's scream wasgratifying.

"Show us where. Now!"

Grogul arranged Vemmy's cloak to hide the knife and frogmarched the man through the dark streets.In minutes they reached an alley and Vemmy pointed.

"In there. I stashed the corpse behind the bins."

Torius's gorge rose in his throat. The building was an abattoir, and the rats had massed for theirnightly feast. He kicked the rats away, and found Snick's body reasonably unchewed; apparently thebutcher's offal ranked higher than gnome on the rat culinary scale. He pulled her into the faint

starlight, and saw the mark of a garrote around her throat. She was dead, her limbs stiffened and herface fixed in a ghastly expression.

"Grogul, pick her up. We need to—"

Vemmy gasped in shock as the half-orc retrieved his kukri. Grogul hadn't simply pulled the blade out,

but twisted it and slashed down through bone and sinew. Blood quickly darkened the man's robes, andhe crumpled to the refuse-strewn ground. Grogul wiped the blade on Vemmy's cloak and sheathed it.

"You were sayin', Captain?"

"I was saying, we need to get her to Gozreh's temple."

"Why?" He picked up the gnome's corpse and tucked it under his arm.

"Because, Grogul," Torius said, leading the way into the night, "the dead can talk."

Chapter Three: Blood and Information

It was late, and the doors of Gozreh's temple were closed, but it was not so late that a bit of judiciousknocking didn't get a response. A young acolyte cracked the door and squinted at Torius dubiously.

"Yes?"

"We need to speak to the high priest immediately!" Torius gestured to the stiff form in Grogul's arms."My friend..."

"The high priest is eating his supper." The acolyte seemed unmoved by the plea. "Perhaps tomorrow."

"We are faithful to Gozreh!" He produced the small golden leaf on a chain from the neck of his robes."And we are not without resources." A handful of gold reinforced the plea, and gained them entry.



Like all temples to Gozreh that Torius had seen, this one was open to the sky, its walls of joineddriftwood servin...g only to keep out the unfaithful, not the elements. In its center sat the traditionallarge pool of water, surrounded by native plant life. Katapesh being Katapesh, however, this particulartemple was far from the humble hermitages and shrines one might find on a distant coast or otherwise

uninhabited island. The head priest wore fine robes, and looked as if it had been some time since helast slept out under the open sky. He sat at a beautiful wooden table next to the reflecting pool, andlooked none too pleased at being interrupted.

"It's late, Captain." The aged priest wiped the grease of his curried goat stew from his long beard. Hesquinted down at Snick's corpse as if it somehow offended him. "And there is no hurry. Perhaps in themorning."

"I've donated enough to your coffers in years past to buy this temple thrice over," Torius seethed, onehand clenching the hilt of his cutlass. "We urgently require information that our friend may havelearned just prior to her death. I'm willing to pay whatever you deem fair."

"Oh. Well, information comes easier than treatment of her... um... condition. For a generous donationto the temple, we may be able to accommodate you."

"How generous?" Grogul growled, his flinty eyes narrow.

"And before you answer, consider my longstanding, and potential future support of this temple."Torius reached for his belt pouch.

After some haggling, they came to an agreement, and the priest led them across the garden and overto a stone slab, deeply engraved with the Gozreh's leaf symbol.

"Place her there."

When Grogul complied, the priest produced a matching leaf pendant from his robes and began acareful incantation. The symbol glowed with a deep blue light, and Snick's morbid features suddenlystirred. Sightless eyes blinked, and her mouth twitched, but her color remained the ashen hue ofdeath. Grogul muttered an oath and took a step back.

"Ask your questions," the priest instructed.

"Snick!" He stepped forward. "Snick, I need to know where they took Celeste!"

"Celeste..." The gnome's voice was raspy, undoubtedly the result of being garroted. "They took her...Don't know where."

"I need to know about Caliel. What did he do with Celeste?"

"Caliel!" Her sightless eyes flung wide, pale lips drawn back in a rictus snarl, she hissed, "Traitor! Hesold her to a man."

Torius' blood ran cold in his veins. "To who? Who paid him?"

"Don't know... Didn't see his face... Wizard."

"Blast!" Torius clenched his fists and thought furiously. "Do you know where Caliel's gone to?"

"No. South... Told his men Grand Arch at dawn."



"Good! Thank you, Snick." He rested a hand on her cool shoulder. "You rest now."

The spell faded, and Snick's pale features stilled.

"It will be expensive to bring her back, Captain," the priest warned.

"I don't care. I'll pay it." Torius looked up at the heavens and a shiver wracked his body. Could Celestesee the stars she so loved? Would she ever observe the night sky again? He knew what she wouldbecome if that was denied her for too long. He turned away without another glance at the priest."Come on, Grogul. We've got to get back to the ship. We've got an appointment at the Grand Arch atdawn."

∗∗∗

The crewmembers of the Stargazer were with him. Pirates they might be, but loyalty to one anotherwas the key to their success and survival, and avarice was in their blood. Consequently, theopportunities to repay the treason of fellow crewmembers and reap a share of Caliel's payment for thesale of their navigator were serious incentives.

Well before dawn, Torius, Grogul and a dozen pirates were hidden among the simple homes along theroad between Twilight Gate and the Grand Arch Bridge. Just as the sun peeked over the sea, sevendesert-cloaked riders exited the gate astride fine mounts and headed toward the bridge.

"Horses," Grogul muttered with a note of disdain. "Figured that and brung a little surprise." He delvedinto a large bag and withdrew a heavy bola.

"Where'd you learn to use a thing like that?" Torius eyed the ungainly device dubiously.

"Wasn't always a pirate, Captain," the bosun replied with a grin.

"Fine. Just don't tip our hand." He watched the riders closely; they wore dust cloths across their faces,but he knew Caliel when he came close enough. When they were in position, he gave a high-pitched

whistle and stepped into the street in front of the horses. Half his sailors stepped out beside him, andthe rest filled the street behind the riders. Every pirate bore a loaded crossbow.

"That's as far as you go, you mutinous piece of dog meat!" Torius drew his sword and the riders pulledtheir mounts to a halt.

"Vin! How in the depths of Hell—"

"The shipmate you murdered gave us just enough information to find you, Caliel. Snick isn't here to

cut her due out of your traitorous hide, but I'll wager you got enough from selling my navigator to paya cleric for her return."

"Snick's dead?" Honest surprise registered in the half-elf's eyes. "Nosey gnome. I didn't mean for that

to happen, Torius. She killed herself with her own damned curiosity."

"You might sell that to the dung collectors, but not to me, Caliel. I'll make you a deal. If you drop thegold you made from selling my navigator and tell me who you sold her to, I'll let you be on yourcowardly way. Otherwise..." He gestured to the bowmen.

"Your navigator is a scaly monster, Vin!" The man hefted a long spear. "And you're the coward! Nostomach to be a real pirate! We could have made twice what we got on that last take if you had any



stones! A hold full of silks and fifteen new slaves would have paid well, and nobody would have beenthe wiser!"

"I told you when you came aboard that I don't deal in people," Torius said, his voice low anddangerous as he hefted his silver-hilted cutlass. "And there wasn't time to take anything more. Youknow that."

"Because you don't have the balls to kill a bunch of bloody merchants!" Caliel hawked and spat. "Didthat scaly witch of yours chew off your manhood, Captain Vin? Is that why you're so craven?"

"Tell me who you sold her to, Caliel, or I swear by Gozreh, I'll take your head."

"You mean you'll try!" The riders kicked their mounts into a charge, spears set like lances.

"Fire all!" Torius shouted, and the crossbows cracked.

Three men fell, but Caliel and the others rode on. There was not a faint heart among his crew, butpirates are unaccustomed to facing a cavalry charge. They dove out of the way; only Grogul remained,his tusks bared as he threw his bola. One of the horses went down screaming, its rider pitching

forward to land with a sickening crunch.

Torius stood his ground, reaching for a pouch at his hip. He focused on the gleaming tip of Caliel'sspear and threw the pouch down hard, right in the horse's path.

It was just a simple firecracker, but the sound spooked the horse, which threw off Caliel's aim enoughto save Torius's life. The tip of the spear creased the captain's shoulder, but his cutlass caught thetraitorous first mate squarely in the stomach. Caliel fell from the saddle and landed in a bloody heap.

Another horse screamed in agony, and Torius heard Grogul bellow, but his attention was fixed onCaliel. He dashed to where the man lay clutching the slithering mass of his eviscerated abdomen.

He put the tip of his cutlass to his first mate's throat and said, "Who'd you sell her to? Tell me!"

"Or what?" Caliel spat, his lips flecked with blood. "You'll kill me?" He laughed horribly, then coughed,choking on his own blood.

"Or by Gozreh, your soul gets bound and sold to the foulest necromancer I can find." He withdrew anornate crystal vial from his belt—nothing but an empty perfume bottle, but Caliel didn't know that—and pressed the tip of his cutlass into Caliel's neck. "There are things worse than death, my friend."

"A poison-crafter named Brojanni. Offered me enough for my own ship... The money's on my horse."Caliel grinned through the blood. "You said you'd let me live."

"I lied." Torius allowed the man a moment's realization before he ended his life in one quick slash. Itwas better than he deserved.

"Captain!"

Torius turned to see Grogul standing over a dead horse and rider. Blood dripped from both his axe andthe spear that transfixed his thigh. The boatswain reached down and snapped the spearhead off, thenyanked the shaft free. Torius swallowed.

"One got away." The half-orc pointed to the bridge where the last of the traitorous pirates was ridingat full gallop.



"I got what I needed, Grogul." He cleaned his sword and sheathed it. "Have the men round up thehorses, and bind up that leg. Our traitorous first mate just supplied us with sufficient funds to bringSnick back and heal your hairy carcass up in the bargain."

"Bah! Just a poke with a stick!" the boatswain claimed, barely limping as he shouted orders at thepirate crew.

∗∗∗



Not even death fazes Snick.

"This isn't good, Captain." Snick huddled in a blanket, her face flushed a living hue as she recoveredfrom her brush with death. "Not only is Brojanni a wizard, he's an alchemist specializing in poisons,which explains why he wanted Celeste! And he's alchemist guild. The Pactmasters won't like it if westorm his fancy home."

"I'm guild, too, and he stole my navigator!"

http://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderTales/PZO8500-Snick.jpg



"You're guild?" Grogul asked, taking another swig of his medicinal fish oil whiskey. The smell of itnearly made Torius retch.

"Merchantmen's guild," Torius explained. "Can't sell anything in this city without it."

"That's not going to do you much good, Captain, because technically, he didn't steal Celeste.

He bought her, which is perfectly legal." Snick shivered and clutched her blanket closer. "The maskswon't like it if you kill him."

"I don't want to kill him, Snick. I just want Celeste back." Torius suppressed a shiver of his own, andbegan to wonder why he was feeling like he'd just woken up from a two-day binge.

"So we go in quick, take her, and give him a swig of that memory-enema potion," Grogul suggested,taking another deep draught.

Torius swallowed hard and tried to think. Grogul's idea wasn't half bad, but they would have to makesure it happened like that, quick and without repercussions. The last thing he needed was to tanglewith the Pactmasters. Katapesh was his home port; if he lost his standing here, he'd be cast adrift.

"Okay, we do like Grogul suggested. Quick in and out, and the good Master Brojanni doesn't evenremember that we were there." He shivered again.

"You okay, Captain?" Grogul squinted at him.

"I'm fine." He reached for a bottle of spiced rum that he kept for his own medicinal purposes. "Snick, Ithink we'll need to bring your babies out of bed for this one, and I'll need to make a trip to theRepository. We'll need gold to do this right."

"How much gold?" Grogul's eyes narrowed in worry.

"All of it, I think." Torius suppressed another shiver. "When you confront a spellcaster, it's best tohave a few tricks on hand."

Chapter Four: A Matter of Commerce

A nondescript wagon creaked down a dark street of the Inner City, the back piled high with canvas-covered wares and the caravaneers perched on the seat and rails. A single horseman rode beside thewagon, looking ill at ease in the saddle. The wagon stopped just before entering a wide, curvedavenue, across which loomed an impressive stone mansion. To the casual eye, it looked just like oneof the dozens or hundreds of wagons that passed through Katapesh each day.

It wasn't.

"If the wizard I paid was any good, Celeste's up there." Torius pointed to the tower atop the mansion.

"Looks like Brojanni's still up," Snick said from the driver's seat, nodding up at the lights blazingthrough the upper windows.

"That can't be helped." It had taken four days to set this up; Torius was not going to let Celesteremain prisoner one night longer.

A spiked wrought iron fence encircled the place, inside which strode four human guards, each bearinga loaded crossbow and the leashes of two snarling hyenas.

"Don't like dogs," the pirate beside Snick complained.



"Shouldn't have to deal with them." Torius nodded to the nearest guard. "Him, however, you'll have totake out, or he'll shoot me and you'll need a new captain."

"And the downside of that would be..." Snick said with a grin.

"Just get us set up, Snick!" Torius wiped his brow and checked his bag of tricks. His hands were

shaking again, blast it, and he couldn't stop sweating. He'd finally realized the source of hissymptoms: the absence of his navigator, or more precisely, her venom, to which he apparently hadbecome both inured and addicted.

"Here." Snick passed him a small bottle. "Drink it."

"What is it?"

"Pesh brandy; it'll help the shakes."

He wondered how much she knew about the origin of his shakes, then unstoppered the bottle andtook a pull, feeling its sweet warmth set his stomach afire. "Thanks."

"Get ready." She glanced at the hourglass that synchronized them with three similar wagons onparallel streets. "It's almost time."

Torius doffed his kaftan, revealing a stout harness over studded leather armor. He took a bottle from

his belt and downed the contents; Brojanni was a poison master, so a preemptive cure seemed a goodprecaution.

The crewmen pulled the canvas off of Snick's baby, already loaded with a special stone-biter bolt. Along, light rope was threaded through the bolt's eye; one end they clipped to the horse's saddle, theother to a heavy ring in the front of Torius's harness. A second line, which was wound around aspring-tensioned drum bolted to the wagon, they clipped to the back of his harness. This was atensioning line; without it he would be dragged right into the menacing fence.

"You're sure about all this, Snick?" He took a deep, calming breath.

"Trust me, Captain." She gave him another grin, holding up the glass and gripping the ballista's tripcord. "I triple-checked everything. Ready?"

"Hell no!"

"Too bad." Snick pulled the cord. The ballista cracked sharply as it shot the bolt into the night. Fromadjacent streets, three more bolts shot toward the mansion. Three of the four hit their marks, lodgingdeep in the stone above the tower's highest window; one glanced off an embrasure and fell. Theirassault force had just been reduced by one quarter.

Torius said a short prayer and snapped, "Go!" to the horseman.

The man applied his spurs and the horse bolted back down the street, pulling the line though thebolt's eye and yanking Torius from the wagon. He felt like he was being torn in half; one rope pulledhim forward while the tensioning line pulled him back to keep the angle of his ascent above the deadlyfence. As he cleared the tines, he saw a guard below raise his crossbow, but a hail of bolts cut himdown before he could fire and Torius allowed himself to breathe. Glancing to his left, he saw Groguland Joss also ascending toward the window.



When his feet were firmly planted against the window's narrow ledge, he unclipped the tensioning line.Grogul and Joss arrived, the former grinning his tusky grin, the latter looking pale but ready.

He had no doubt that Brojanni had some type of ward on his tower windows, but this was whereanother of his preparations came into play. Torius slipped out the wand he had purchased for thisventure—at a cost that made him nauseous when he thought about it—pointed it at the window frameand whispered, "Negate."

Nothing happened.

Three possibilities flashed into Torius' mind: the wand was a fake and he would have to hunt downand kill the merchant he'd purchased it from, the window had no enchantment for the wand to dispeland he had just wasted a charge, or the wand had worked and it was safe. Only one out of the threewould get him killed, which wasn't bad odds considering the stupidity of attacking a spellcaster in hisown home. He glanced at Grogul and shrugged.

"Bah!" The boatswain kicked in the ornate leaded glass and swung through the opening. Toriusfollowed, and Joss came last.

As they rolled to their feet, he heard the sound he had been dreading; the chanting of a wizard castingmagic. He swept his wand in an arc, looking for the source. There were myriad tables, cages, boxes,barrels, shelves and alchemical apparatuses, but no wizard. Then he realized his mistake, anddischarged the wand in the direction of the wizard's voice.

Too late.



Brojanni learned a valuable lesson about d eal ing w ith pirates. Or perhaps not.

http://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderTales/PZO8500_EvilWizard.jpg



Lightning cracked out of thin air, blasting Grogul against the wall. Torius leapt to the attack, wand inone hand, sword in the other, as Brojanni winked into visibility. Before he could close the gap, thewizard cast a handful of dust before him and began another spell, but Torius was ready this time.

"Negate!"

Nothing happened.

Torius grinned and advanced.

The wizard threw a vial at his assailants' feet, and it burst into a noxious cloud. The acrid vapor stungTorius' eyes and nose, but he felt no other ill effects. Chalk one up for the pre-emptive cure, hethought triumphantly.

Torius and Joss stepped forward, swords poised to strike.

Brojanni backed against the door. "How dare you invade my home, you damned pirate!"

"How dare you steal my navigator, you trite bastard!" Torius shot back. "Tell us where she is and you

live."

"I didn't steal your pet naga, Captain. Your own first mate did that for me. I am not going to handover my property to a common thief, and my guild will have your head if you kill me."

"And my guild will have your head for arranging her kidnapping!" Torius placed the tip of his cutlassagainst the man's chest. "Now, hand her over."

Brojanni's face abruptly softened from a sneer to a smile.

"Captain, please, we're both businessmen. The naga's venom is all I want. When mixed with refinedpesh, it makes an interesting poison. I expect to make a fortune from it. A fortune we could share."He raised his hands in submission. "This is simply a misunderstanding in a delicate matter of

commerce. I see no reason why we can't reach a mutually beneficial agreement with no guildinvolvement."

"Like what?"

"Sell me her venom! If you sign a contract to bring me regular shipments, I'll give you the naga."

Torius opened his mouth to tell the wizard what he could do with his contract, then heard distantshouts from beyond the door.

"Those are my guards, Captain, and I daresay there are more than you can oppose. Decide quickly!"

Torius's mind raced. "Five hundred gold per ounce, six ounces per month, guaranteed."

"Three hundred and ten ounces per month."

"Four hundred and eight per month."

"Done!"

Torius lowered his sword. "Where is she?"



"Just behind that wall, Captain." Brojanni produced a key from his sleeve.

"Joss, see to Grogul. We just made a deal."

"Aye, sir!"

"This way, Captain." Brojanni stepped to the shelf-lined wall. He moved a pot and fit the key into ahole. Silently, the entire wall swung out.

Inside, Celeste lay restrained by an iron collar chained to two bolts in the walls. The room wascrowded with other devices and a table laden with vials of pearly white liquid.

She rose on her coils, her dark eyes wide. "My captain!"

"Release her!" Torius's hand began to sweat on his sword hilt.

"Captain, please. The monster is dangerous without the enspelled collar. Let me place a charm on itfor our protection."

"Fine. Do it now."

Torius tensed as the wizard cast his spell, then stepped over and touched the iron collar; it glowedbriefly and fell away. "Your owner has come for you, Celeste. You can go with him as soon as we signa simple contract."

"Of course," she said, slithering submissively after them.

Back in the outer room, Brojanni bent over his desk to gather paper and quill. Torius sidled over nextto Celeste and aimed his wand.

"Negate!" he whispered

This time, something happened.

Celeste coiled and struck, sinking her fangs into Brojanni's neck. He reeled, and again she bit him,hissing with rage. The wizard fell against the desk, and she sunk her fangs into his chest, flexing herpowerful body before releasing him. Brojanni slumped to the floor, gasping for breath, his skin nearlyas pale as Celeste's. Once more, she reared back, ready to strike.

"Celeste! Enough!" Torius stepped forward, but she turned and hissed at him.

"This man..." she seethed, "this beast chained me and kept me from seeing the stars! He forced me totrade my venom for a mere glimpse of the sky! I'll have him dead!"

"Wait, Celeste! Please. It's complicated. We can't kill him. It'll start a guild war." He stepped betweenthem and turned to give her a secret wink. "In fact, I'll need to give him the antidote to your venomright away." He turned to Brojanni and handed him a large flask. "Drink this. It'll ease the poison.Quickly!"

The wizard took the flask and drank greedily, then slumped back. His hand dropped to the floor,releasing the flask as his eyes glazed over with forgetfulness.



Celeste hissed angrily. "You...you mean to let him live? After what he did to me?" She lashed her tail.He'd seen her agitated before when she'd been too long from the stars, but never this bad.

"At least he won't remember it." Torius looked down at the man's slack face. "Trust me, if I could killhim, I would. Do you have any idea how much that elixir he just gargled was worth?"

"We gotta go, Captain!" Grogul rumbled. He and Joss were busy barricading the door.

"Grogul! You okay?"

"Bah! Nothin' but a little burn." He brushed charred leather away from the healing scar on his chest."Joss fixed me up. But we better get before this door gives way."

"We've got to go, Celeste. Now! I'll make it up to you." He pulled out a potion vial and held it whileshe drank. He heard Joss gasp as she morphed into a beautiful nude woman, but he didn't have timeto deal with that right now. He draped a cloak across her shoulders and the four of them dashed forthe window.

∗ ∗ ∗

The stars shone like jewels overhead as Stargazer sailed beyond the glow of Katapesh. Torius steppedout onto the deck, his hands behind his back. Celeste was coiled at the rail, gazing up and swayingsinuously with the roll of the ship while the crew tended to their duties around her.

"For you." Torius held out an exquisite sextant wrought in bright silver.

Celeste's smile gleamed as she floated it out of his hands. She peered through the lens and hissedwith delight. Leaning close, she nipped his neck; the faint rush of weakness and euphoria was like abreath of sea breeze, and Torius sighed.

"You must have done well with the sale of the Gods' Tears to afford such an instrument," she said.

Torius looked around guiltily to ensure that none of the crew stood within hearing, then whispered,"Actually, after paying the crew and buying that, the money's mostly gone. We've got to find a richmerchant ship if we're to keep in provisions."

"Then I will find one for you," Celeste agreed, turning her face to the night sky. "And the stars will beour guide!"

stargazer - chris a. jackson

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