Captain Flame Cannon

**Captain Flame Cannon** is the seventeenth (and a half) episode of *Another Bad Side Quest*. Quincy talks with Captain Flamecannon in private after delivering the letter Nomzyo had asked her to take to him.

At the start of the episode there is a warning to other cast members, so there is a warning here too - DON'T READ THIS & DON'T METAGAME!

## Captain Flame Cannon

### The Conversation

As Flamecannon led Quincy around and behind the bar, they passed through a short hallway that had a few rooms full of kegs before they arrived in a nicely decorated office, with a beautiful wooden desk, a leather highback chair behind it and two sitting chairs facing the desk on the other side. Quincy hesitantly took a seat and heard the door to the room shut and lock before Flamecannon came back around and sat at his desk. As Flamecannon moved, Quincy noticed that his face shifted and changed until his elven appearance became more human with slightly older features like grey in hair.

Flamecannon tossed Quincy the letter he had recieved from them, from Nomzyo, and offered them the choice to read it or to ask their questions right away, but Quincy chose to read the letter first. The letter mentioned it was from Nomzyo Gilbrianto and explained that Nomzyo had come across someone travelling through *The Underbelly* who brought up Drygong and that he knew people who where Drygong was hiding. Nomzyo explained that he knew if someone were to tell the Navy where to find him, it would hit him where it hurts with his crew, so he recommended leaving to save them or to find another option to keep himself hidden. Quincy could tell the letter was clearly written in a hurry.

Flamecannon started to smoke from an elegant pipe as he opened the floor for Quincy's questions. Quincy began by asking if Flamecannon was really Pirate King Leslie Drygong, to which Flamecannon replied "At your service", altered his appearance back to the elven man who greeted the party at the bar, then leant back in his chair and reverted back to his real appearance. Drygong admitted it had been harder to keep up appearances and Quincy wasn't surprise as he had been missing for years, which Drygong specified about roughly 15 years. Quincy stated that Drygong attacked Pirate King Blast, which Drygong readily admitted to. He then called Blast an "unruly son of a bitch", that he dealt in the slave trade and that he unfortunately sunk Blast's ship which meant there was no evidence to prove Drygong right or wrong. He then stood up, opened a shelving unit in a bookcase to reveal a wet bar and Quincy asks for two fingers of anything he was willing to give. Quincy said that he was only a story when she started sailing, immediately said Kylan's name realizing that he must have been aware and Drygong merely said they're not supposed to talk about it. Drygong asked what stories were being told of him now, but Quincy admitted that Kylan and the crew rarely talk about him, likely out of respect. Drygong noted it was for privacy as he was hiding out in one of the most heavily fortified naval cities in the Empire. When Quincy asked why, Drygong replied it was for protection, as Blast couldn't go there to take him down. Quincy pointed out that he was either crazy or very smart and Drygong commented that he had been told both.

Drygong continued to explain that when he was leaving *Zhai* that last time, he had picked up a couple of rookies, with one who said they had almost gone with Blast, that he was dealing with the Puhan Trading Company and everyone knew Puhan only dealt in people. Drygong figured he could keep the ship from leaving without killing everyone on board and that if he could put Blast at odds with the people, he and Pirate King Ashenvalda could go against them. Unfortunately the ship sank, Blast survived, made it back to shore and started to turn the people against Drygong, which was easy for him as he was the people's vote for Pirate King. With the incoming revolt, Drygong was asked to leave and keep *Zhai* from falling into complete chaos. Quincy pointed out that without all three Pirate Kings present nothing can get done on *Zhai,* but Drygong stated that was the point, Blast can't have his way and Ashenvalda would oppose him at every turn. Drygong stated if Blast had his way *Zhai* would become a terrible place, which Quincy noted only if the Empire doesn't get to them first. Drygong said he noticed that the Empire had gotten reckless as well, citing that a lot of resources had gone to build more navy ships, more than usual, which Drygong thought meant either someone was getting ballsy or someone had an idea.

Quincy asked if Drygong heard what happened in *Kra'Kash*, but Drygong responded that he hadn't and that it took everyone by a surprise. Drygong stated his opinion that if the burning of *Kra'Kash* was a preemptive attack, it wasn't done by someone on the inside or at least no one they would be able to guess at. Drygong noted that Ashenvalda was a tactical master, but she couldn't pull that off and Quincy added that she didn't see Ashenvalda doing something so horribly destructive. Drygong said he heard word on what the Empire wanted to do about the fires, but stated with politics it was a pissing contest and the question of who's idea it would be, which Quincy added to by noting she hated politics. Drygong replied she was in it now that she found him. Quincy asked what he planned to do and Drygong admitted it was a difficult situation as a large portion of his crew now lived and worked in *Krapjess* at *The Shipyards* and his being there put them at risk, but leaving also put them at risk even if less. He asked what she thought he should do, curious on what the "new breed" believed. Quincy said that if what Drygong said about Blast was true, that she wanted nothing more than to see him burn. Quincy expressed her thought that of all people pirates would know the value of freedom. Drygong agreed, but stated that even pirates were misled sometimes. Drygong added that freedom was a great thing they had, but it was freedom by survival and that committing to survival could cause people to make reckless and unruly choices, that they all have done it and Blast was just more temptable, greedy, gluttonous and indulgent than the rest. Drygong worried that going back also means instilling a riot, noting that even if he was unruly he knew how to talk, how to get the people to believe what he wanted and was the reason Blast became the people's vote. Quincy agreed and noting that charisma made for beautiful monsters and Drygong added didn't help that he was intimidating in the first place.

Drygong noted that he was at an impasse and standstill and didn't know what to do, that he had gotten comfortable and many of the efforts he had in place to escape when needed he dropped off as he felt he no longer needed them. He added that whoever had the information that he was hiding in *Krapjess,* did not give it away freely. Quincy asked if he had any ideas of who that might be and Drygong noted he was inclined to think Nomzyo due to his sociopathic behavior, but he was the one warning him of the threat. He said without that option, he thought it was someone neither of the two would even consider because anyone who knew wouldn't tell even through torture, which meant someone they didn't know was aware or someone who had it let it slip. Quincy noted she didn't know which was worse out of no longer being able to trust who you always trusted or being worried about who to trust. Drygong reassured her that he wasn't saying to not trust people, and that many people were looking for him constantly, using means to get to people who would know or that he cared for outside of *Krapjess* and finished that Blast was persistent that way.

After a moment of quiet contemplation, Quincy said that while she hated politics she did think she understood some of the weight he carried with this decision, with either choice endangering people he cared about. She believed that the stalemate was bound to break at some point, one way or another and she would rather be the one to set it off. Drygong noted that the ability to see it coming was a fair point, but added that he was tired of putting more people at risk, not only his crew but everyone in *Zhai*, everyone that both had saved or cared about. He quickly asked if Vinnie was still tattooing. Quincy happily told him yes, that the tattooer finally had his own shop rather than just a vendor stall and praised him for the work he did on her Kraken tattoo. Drygong said Vinnie had done the majority of his and Ashenvalda's crews' tattoos, then slowly became more somber and admitted he wished he could better understand what was coming and didn't want to go back to *Zhai* and fail and let everyone down because that's not what a Pirate King did.

Quincy told him that she had recently heard some wise words, that no one deserved what happened to them, but we do what we can for the people we care about. Drygong accepted the kind words as Quincy went back to his bar, poured them each another drink and they toasted to the return of Pirate King Leslie Drygong. Quincy pointed out that Blast has had years to gather support, and had played dirty, but there was nothing to say Drygong couldn't do the same. He admitted he would not be doing himself any favors walking back into *Zhai* without some support, stating that Ashenvalda wouldn't be enough even though she would certainly take on the whole city and Quincy admitted she was a wonder of a woman. Drygong wondered how she was these days, likely looking older which wasn't a problem for him and he ran through a number of appearances before Quincy complained that it was freaky to watch. Drygong noted that as a changeling he got off pretty scot-free. Drygong wondered who might still have his back, then mentioned a friend he made along the way from *Zhai* when he left, *Luntz*, who ditched his ship in *Vayilcor* before he took a ship the long way around and back up to *Krapjess*. Luntz, a gnome who lived in *Sruss,* had a strange interest in pseudodragons, nearly 30 of them that obeyed his commands, smarter than dogs and would back him in a fight. Quincy said this reminded her of a man she met in her search for *The Misty Moon,* who let her hitch a ride on his wagon, had only one arm, claimed had lost it trying to domesticate a hellhound and Flamecannon and Quincy both talked a bit about the logistics of it. Drygong said he would need support again and believed he would have the support of "The Web" but seeing as how they weren't technically supposed to exist it was more complicated. Quincy wondered why that was and Drygong explained they had the best network of connections in the Empire for getting people out, but they were pushing a little too hard these days.

Quincy then asked, more hesitantly than she has been, if Drygong might be able to help find the daughter of one of her friends. She explained that her friend had gone to sea and his wife died in childbirth leaving the child to be an orphan in *Krapjess* before she left three years ago and asked if he'd heard of an *Abigail Grey* being brought through "The Web". Drygong recognized the name, noting that her father had died at sea, but decided he would rather not open that can of worms when Quincy only agreed that he *should* be dead. Drygong recognized the name Abigail Grey and noted that he remembered when she first showed signs of being able to control the Æther when she was young, as most kids could to some degree, which meant being picked up off the street and signing your life away to the Holy Enclave. He added that as she was scared she came to Drygong for help, as he had a history of helping the local orphans, feeding them most days and allowing them to sleep in the inn when it was quiet. He asked Quincy of her own ability to control the Æther, but she admitted she did not know much about it and Drygong explained that depending on where you get the power can cause problems or how you gain it. Abigail apparently got angry one day, burned down a house, and panicked as she then ran to Vicar Espex before she came to the *Drunken Lantern*.

Drygong told her to run and that the only place safe enough for her to be would be outside the Empire, that she wouldn't make it past the posts and gate into Pathu to the north, but if she could make it south to *Ki'Kasesh*, to the *Rainbow River*, that he had a friend named Charger who could take her to the far western side of Puhan and then into the Southern *Maltrop Strip*. He added that there she could go to the town of *Eveed* which was a outpost and hunting camp mainly, where the people enjoyed certain liberties because they hunted monsters, that she could talk to Tank, who ran the armory for *Eveed*, and he would train her to better understand her abilities. Drygong admitted he didn't know if she made it there or where she might be now, but Quincy assured him that if she was anything like *him*, she would be fine.

Drygong was sure she would be, having seen her punch a couple of 13 year olds when she was only nine, just down the street from the bar though he knew you shouldn't encourage that kind of behavior. Quincy noted she was fairly certain she got into her first fistfight in the *Drunken Lantern* herself, though she used a chair and was fairly certain that was against the rules of bare knuckle boxing. Drygong seemed to remember the night and said he lost money to Kylan when he bet against her and she happily recalled when Kylan bought Quincy her first drink that night at the age of 15. Drygong noted that the bareknuckle boxing had gotten out of hand these days though, as *The Shipyards* were shut. Quincy asked why that was and Drygong explained they were shut at night as people had gone missing over the last two to three months. He noted that *The Shipyards* used to work at all hours, but during some of the night shifts people had gone missing and their body parts turned up. He added that it spiralled the city into a bit of a recession and more people come to box or bet on it in hopes of winning a little extra money. He also added it had been drumming up business, but was getting out of hand, with some who people come back from attempting to deal with the situation saying they heard a haunting song and turn tailed and those who didn't run didn't come back.

Quincy recognized the description as the work of sirens, but noted it was unusual for them to come in this close to land as they preferred to be in deeper, more secluded waters and also knew that if they charmed someone, they would pull them into the water and give "The Drowned Kiss" which filled their lungs with water and caused their victim to drown. Quincy mentioned that she had heard stories and Drygong shared a story of his own when he watched them take some people and admitted he didn't want to encounter it himself. He also told Quincy that the sirens were a serious problem for the city and would put she and whoever helped in a position of benefit. Quincy commented that the people she walked in with a "bunch of do-gooders" and Drygong called her a hypocrite amicably.

Quincy said it sounded like they both had things to do and Drygong agreed and reminisced for a moment on that it was Quincy to bring him this information of his possible reveal. He noted how he remembered when Kylan first picked her up at 15 and was taking her to *Zhai*, called it a "big place, small world" and Quincy added that there were similar stories lines as well. Drygong noted they would cross again, especially if he intended to return as all pirates would need to be present for it. Quincy noted that she didn't know how much it would mean, but offered her support to his cause, which he appreciated. When he mentioned he would probably need more, Quincy mentioned Kylan was in the docks and Drygong said he would have to stop by before *The Misty* *Moon* left. Drygong thanked her for her support, then reminded her that fixing the siren issue would put a lot of people in her debt and said to talk to Lonnie, his old first mate down at the docks, noting he might be able to get them back on the water, but it would take time.

After learning from Quincy that she had the letter for two weeks now, Drygong said he would probably leave in a few days. Quincy offered her help and the group's help if there was anything they could do, which he appreciated but said that the less people knew the better. He in turn asked if there was anything else he can do and Quincy asked for a drink for the road, knowing her companions would likely interrogate her the moment she got back to them. They toasted to the coming shit storm and before she left Drygong offered her one last thing and tossed a proper pirates hat onto the desk that he said used to be his. She took it with a laugh, put it on and tipped it his way. Drygong then said she ought to get back to her friends and their questions and Quincy sighed that she was never prepared for the questions. Drygong smiled and said

*"You're never prepared for the questions that you don't except and sometimes..."*

as he started to shift his features back to the elven face of Flamecannon

*"...sometimes you do the best so that people don't ask any questions."*

Quincy agreed it was a good philosophy. Drygong added that what some people didn't know, didn't hurt them, except unless it risked their lives, then tell them. The statement didn't seem to sit well with Quincy right away, but she followed him to the door as he opened it to let her out. They joked a moment longer about the bare knuckle boxing and Quincy recommended that he bet on Yashani as they headed out of the hall, back to the bar and departed to the party's rented room.

1. ↑ The letter was a favor for Nomzyo as a part of "The Web" in *"Aquaintances in the Underbelly".*
2. ↑ This implies that Drygong is a Changeling, which was later confirmed by his own words.
3. ↑ Said by Vicar Espex Gonth in "*Krapjess"*