Silent Lips, Talking Eyes
I woke up surprisingly well rested. After breakfast we went to question the survivors from the fire. We found most of them at the church. We asked them if any one knew where and how the fire started but most just said that suddenly the whole barge exploded and they were thrown into the water. When questioned closer some thought there was a flash as of lighting just before the big bang. It turned out that most of the survivors had been outside or near the exits. Very few of the ones working there had survived. The owner was missing. She had been a beautiful red headed woman. The Paradise's Gates had been a gambling hall but also a brothel. From the descriptions it seemed that the whole barge had been too high class for such a back waters place as Turtleback Ferry. Velicia told us that she was completely sure that the attack on Fort Rannick, the strange weather and the fire were all connected somehow. I asked if anyone had seen any seven pointed stars anywhere on the boat. I got no answers, but some blushed.
When the meeting was over I walked up to a girl that had blushed. She was one of the few who had worked on the barge. I took her to the side and we started talking. After a lot of convincing she showed me a tattoo she had on her butt. It was a seven pointed star like the ones we had seen before, but I didn't study it too closely as it was in a little embarrassing place. She told me that she was a member of a very exclusive club she shouldn't talk about and that was their membership symbol. Only the best of the employees could join and there were less than ten members.
Returning to the inn I saw a merchant selling perfume. I had never gotten around to buying it earlier, but this time I stopped. The merchant had a very good smell, but he called it fragrance. It was made by gnomes in ??? forest nearby. I was even cheap so I bought two bottles.
We gathered and discussed what we had learned so far over lunch at the inn. The food had been better at Pendaka and I had run out of pies. I wished that I could bring someone that could cook for me while traveling. Then I realized that Nathaniel had brought someone along to help him out and nowadays I'm a noble too. I decided to start looking for a good cook to hire.