Episode 6: Shipping Up to Benswith

**Shipping Up to Benswith** is the sixth episode of the series.

Our heroes bid farewell to the Blue Fin and head to Benswith, a city where you can always find what you need—if what you need is a sword and a stiff drink. Malachi goes to church, Regin places bets, and Fin appreciates some art.

## Plot Synopsis

Malachi, Fin, and Regin say goodbye to Ashila, Nicala, and Eliester before leaving the Blue Fin Tropical Resort on the ship *Sally's Sister* to Benswith. Ashila and Nicala gift them a wooden dolphin with a crest of two roses and extend an invitation to visit them in Aibhann. Before leaving, Malachi has Eliester send a response to the General's message.

The journey to Benswith takes a few days. Fin uses the time writes letters home to both the Lurker and his foster parents and hang out with Nirgil, who teaches him magic tricks. Regin blends in with the ship's crew and Malachi is seasick for most of the trip. However, Regin does notice more dragon scales growing on his lower back, which he tries to hide. When Malachi begins to feel better, he follows Regin around to observe what he does as a sailor. Malachi also attempts to speak to his rock and on the last day of the trip, the rock gets hot in his hand, the lines on it become more pronounced, and he hears a faint voice say his name and ask, "do you promise to kindle the light?" and "do you promise to protect the light?" as he has a vision of people huddled in the woods lighting a fire. After practicing magic with Nirgil, Fin casts Find Familiar for the first time, summoning a seagull. The seagull's eyes glow and it speaks to him in a deep voice, telling him it is the Lurker speaking to him through this bird.

The *Sally's Sister* docks at Benswith and the party disembarks. Regin heads almost immediately for the tavern John's Dock, while Nirgil says goodbye and tells them they can visit at his friend Solaris's house. Malachi and Fin fetch Regin from the tavern, where he is betting on a beta fish fight. Malachi confiscates their reward money from the resort so he won't waste it, sticking half of Regin's portion in the cracks of his stone skin for safekeeping. The three of them head out to the shops to restock on the supplies they lost in the shipwreck. Malachi gets a flail, two javelins, and explorers pack. Regin gets a light hammer, a necklace cord to hang his lizard fang and hagstone on, gets his spear engraved, and commissions brass knuckles. Fin gets two daggers, an explorers pack, a net for aesthetic purposes, ice cream for him and Nirgull, and sends money home to Gillsbury. In the shops, Malachi finds a music box with a song he recognizes from childhood, *The Gift of Lady Shale*, and purchases it.

After shopping, the boys continue exploring the city on their own. Malachi visits the Temple of Erathsus and as he stands before each of the shrines to different gods, he tries to sense if his rock pulls him any certain direction. It seems like the statue of Evandra pointed him in the direction of Melora's shrine, and he leaves a silver coin for each goddess. Fin visits the Nerean League embassy and mills about in the lobby, chatting with the receptionist and admiring the artwork. Regin visits the fighting pit and signs up to enter in the no holds barred fight at 9pm. The three meet up again and when Malachi is cagey about visiting the embassy, Regin needles him. Malachi accidentally casts Speak with Animals and talks with Nirgull, who tells him he's actually hundreds of years old. After speaking with Nirgull, Malachi turns his attention to arguing with Regin about entering the fight that night and leads the group back to the fighting pit to get Regin out of the fight, which is unsuccessful. The woman organizing the fights tries to convince Malachi and Fin to sign up as well, but Malachi shoots her down. Fin wanders back to the embassy, and Malachi goes to fetch him. While at the embassy he chats with the receptionist about the League and government in Benswith. While Malachi is talking, Fin wanders back to the pit, but still doesn't want to sign up to fight.

They decide to stop by Solaris's house for dinner. While discussing their plans, Malachi accuses Regin of trying to getting himself killed during the fight with the Maelstrom Cultists. Regin shoots back that he wasn't trying to let the cultists win, but lets it slip that he has magic but won't be using it. While Regin and Malachi were confronting each other, Fin visited the temple and got free ice cream from a follower of the god of mirth. Malachi and Regin admonish him for taking ice cream from strangers, but let him have it anyways after checking for poison. With plans for the evening solidified, they head off to Solaris's house.

## Trivia

* The party levels up to Level 3 on the ship to Benswith.