The Shattered Land_ The Dreaming Dark - Keith Baker [38]
“I am pleased to hear it,” said Pierce. Daine shot a quizzical glance in his direction, but the warforged had nothing more to say.
Soon the Kraken’s Wake pulled into the harbor, and sailors on the piers guided it to an empty slip. There were ships of many nations scattered across the bay. Daine saw a squat dwarven yacht, with a gilded sail and a jewel-encrusted dragon on the prow. There were a number of gnome merchant vessels, which seemed like delicate toys next to the larger Brelish freighters. Next was a black ship—an elven vessel from Aerenal, formed from darkwood and adorned with skulls. An actual tree sprouted in place of a mast, with a web of gossamer sails spread throughout its branches.
“Livewood,” Lei said, pointing to it. “Remember? Sustained by magic. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a dryad in it.”
“And the skulls?” Daine said.
“It’s a common tradition among the sailors of the Aerenal islands,” Lakashtai said. “Rather than rest on land, they prefer to have their bodies bound to the vessel they served on. If the proper rituals are used, the spirit can be bound to the skull, allowing the ship’s priest to speak to the sailors and ask for advice.”
“Charming,” Daine said.
Moments later, the gangplank was lowered. The travelers already had their gear prepared; Lakashtai and the captain exchanged pleasantries and gold as Lei, Daine, and Pierce made their way across the plank.
“Solid land,” Lei said, swaying slightly. “I never thought I could be so happy and so nauseous at the same time.”
Lakashtai led them onto the street, which was loosely cobbled with an odd assortment of stones. The population was even more diverse than that of Sharn, and Daine could hear shouted conversations in three different languages. A pair of ragged goblins were arguing with a perfumed gnome woman dressed in bright silks; as the travelers passed by, the goblins drew knives and a gem-tipped wand appeared in the hand of the gnome. No one else spared a glance for the encounter, and Lakashtai caught Daine’s arm even as he reached for his sword.
“This is not a place to go looking for trouble,” she said.
He ground his teeth and pulled free from her grip but kept walking. A moment later, they heard the fwoosh! of magical fire and the distinctive smell of burning goblin.
“Do we have a plan, Lakashtai,” Daine said, “or are we just walking the streets until we run afoul of the local gnomes?”
“First, we need shelter,” Lakashtai said. “Then we need a guide. As you’ve seen, the streets of Stormreach are no place for strangers. As for your affliction, that will take time. I doubt the answer lies within the city itself, but someone here may hold the key. There are a few people I planned on speaking to when I thought I was coming alone. They know much of the mysteries of the land, and this would be the best place to start.”
“Will we be staying with one of these friends of yours?” Daine said. He kept his eyes on the crowd; a tall man wrapped in a hooded black cloak caught his eye.
“None of these people are my friends,” Lakashtai said, a smile drifting across her lips, “and I think it would be most unwise to put ourselves in their debt.”
“Great,” Lei put in, “so when it comes to shelter, do you even know where you’re going?”
“I have a general idea,” Lakashtai said. “While I have never been here, others of my kind have. Through our shared link to Kashtai, I can draw on traces of their memories. I think we’ll find a reasonable inn down here.”
“Great.” Daine caught Pierce’s eye and shifted his head; the warforged nodded slightly and drifted back to take up the rear. “Good food, you think?”
“I am afraid I am not qualified to judge such things,” Lakashtai replied. “I am