Fishing was getting very scarce in the Vesper area. The torrential rains must have something to do with it. Rivers flooded rapidly pouring silt and mud into the waters around the Vesper isles.

Fish floated on their sides and belly-up, obviously dead, littering Vesper's once quiet shores. The putrid smell caused residents to burn incense and certain reagents more than usual.

Dark clouds continued to hang in the sky. Sages carefully read Vesper history books looking for any tales of such events. Fishermen sat at the pub recalling other days of terrible weather, few if none remembering such rains and thousands of dead fish.

"I can't stand this rain! When will it stop??" Stephen the tavernkeeper of The Marsh Hall exclaimed while handing out free ale to all the patrons. "This is really hurting my business since you fishermen can't afford any ale. But the ale must flow! is my motto." Stephen wiped off another dusty bottle.

"My ship is nearly half sunk over by the docks," one fisherman said looking into his mug of ale. He talked more to himself than to the others. "And dead fish are piling up on the deck with the waves crashing in. Worthless dead fish."

Other fishermen at the bar nodded in agreement and sipped their ale. Some gulped the frothy brew and asked for another.

Porche the town crier stood up, straightened her soiled feathered hat, and looked grimly at the men and women in the pub. "Hear ye, Hear ye! Rains are expected to continue for the foreseeable future! Get yer floating vests on, 'cause the Mayor of Vesper thinks the city will flood soon!"

Everyone half-heartedly listened to Porche. She announced the same thing for the past week.

Suddenly the front door opened with a crash, letting sea water and rain douse the front hallway. In walked a dark robed figure.

"Close the darn door you idiot!" yelled out several fishermen and shop keepers.

The person in the dark robe closed the door and looked around the pub.

The dark clad figure shook the rain from his cloak as he pulled his hood back off his head, it had not been much protection against the soaking rain though and his wet hair was matted against his young face.

He stood for a long moment looking over the gloomy faces in the tavern and wondered if he had made a mistake. He was bound to his duty and knew he must attempt something or else fail trying.

"I hail from Skara, a town guard I am. Just this morning a dark and tattered ship was not more then a mile off our coast. As she came in to port the storm grew much worse and after she was gone fish floated to the top of the water in her wake." He stopped long enough to see if he had any of the crowds attention before he went on.

"I and others of the Skara guard have been sent to ask for help, who here would seek gold or adventure to find out the purpose of this dark ships intent!?"


In the corner of tavern Valmeer had been paying more attention to a pretty young bar maid then the young guard until he heard the words adventure or gold, one of the two brought him to face the young man. He did not speak though, instead he waited to see if any others were going to come to the aid of this young mans plea for help...

The pretty young bar maid was fascinated by Valmeer's attention. Well, at least until Valmeer got up from his corner table and walked over to the Skara guard who just came in.

*Just like all the rest in here* she thought. *Talk of adventure and gold leads them away.*

She wiped off Valmeer's table with a few strokes of her cloth and pushed the bread crumbs and spilled ale onto his vacant seat. She smirked in Valmeer's direction and looked at the seat. Then she went to wait on other tables and patrons.

Oppenheimer listened to the guard's story. He tried to hear what Valmeer and the guard said. Watching the barmaid clean Valmeer's table he chuckled. He was wearing what ever he could find to protect himself from the elements and the creatures of the sea. Nary a lass would give him a second look.

Oppenheimer stared at his plate of cookies and empty glass of milk. Mumbling to himself. I'm a treasure hunter and fisherman. I would be of no use to those who would go after that cursed ship. His countenance darkened as he thought of all the dead fish he had seen the last few days. Oppenheimer wondered if there is a way to remove the dead fish and bring a breath of fresh air into fishing.

Oppenheimer signals for the barmaid to refill his glass with milk. Now what should he do. He did have a few friends that are well acquainted with the art of war. Wouldn't take long to find them and ask them to help the guard and whoever would join him. Or he could just set sail for another port. But what if the cursed ship sailed by there too. Maybe using the nets he could do something right here. Oh what should he do.

With his mind made up Oppenheimer takes a cookie from his plate and dunks it in his milk before he savours the taste. He reminds himself to thank Queen Mum again for the wonderful cookies.

"More milk and cookies sire?" the bardmaid asked Oppenheimer.

Oppenheimer had been in the pub before and always wanted milk and cookies specially imported from Queen Mum's Cookie Factory.

"You best get an extra plate of cookies before the others do," she said with an eye on the other patrons. "They are rare now that the shipping lanes are full of dead fish and that blasted rain keeps falling. I don't know when the next vessel will arrive from Queen Mum's."

Oppenheimer seemed a bit lost in thought, but looked at the second plate of cookies in front of him.

As Val returned to his table he took a couple of of cookies from the plate the barmaid had produced for Oppenheimer. He winked at her as he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him.

"I saw that love...perhaps you wish to wash my pants when I sit in the ale you put in my chair" He whispered in her ear make sure his breath was long and drawn out to tickle her ear.

Then he tossed a cookie in his mouth, nodded to Oppenheimer and gave her a smack on the bottom as he made his way back to his table. As soon as his friend arrived he would have to check into this ghost ship of sorts.