The following pre-dawn saw the addition of replacements for the crew members who had fallen in battle. Thurl also hired a young human woman named Zelda as a second caster, to assist Pelleas in his function as ship’s sorcerer.
The Desperate Venture departed early, continuing its journey up the Fals River and on to the town of Eastgate, about twenty-five miles from Thornward. The ship reached the confluence of the Darkbourne, which it followed in a generally southwest direction before bending to the northwest. Several of the adventurers noticed that river traffic seemed to be increasing. Some also noticed that farms and ranches become more frequent as the ship nears Eastgate.
“This area has grown quite a bit over the last thirty years or so, since the wars finally ended,” explained Thurl. “These farms and ranches you see supply foodstuffs to Eastgate and Darksea, as well as to surrounding villages.”
About mid-day, the ship approached the small town of Eastgate, population about 1200, which was located at the point where the Darkbourne emerged from under the nearby mountains (the far northeastern end of the Barrier Peaks). “This town wasn’t here ten years ago,” said Thurl. “Around CY 667-668 or so, it started out as a little settlement to guard the entrance into Darksea, which had just been re-founded. It’s grown like a weed since then. Shipping traffic’s way up even over the last couple of years,” the merchant went on. “So they’re expanding the docks here.”
The adventurers could see that the Eastgate port facilities were being expanded. Construction was underway in a number of areas. Moorings and docks had been built for cargo ships, as well as a small marina for keelboats and barges. Cargo bound for Darksea was transferred from ships to smaller craft, which were then typically hauled by mule teams up the Darkbourne and into the Darksea lake for transport throughout the city. Upon reaching the lake, some cargo was initially off-loaded at the entrance district of South Gate for distribution; other goods, aboard keelboats or other vessels capable of rowing or sailing under gust of wind spells, were sent to the main city docks or other docks at various districts in the city.
There were stables in Eastgate for mules used to haul barges and other shallow-draft vessels to and from Darksea. Mule teams were available for hired, as well as necessary small vessels. Other vessels and mule teams were privately owned. “I keep a keelboat and mules here myself,” noted Thurl. “Saves a lot on hire, and they’re always available when I need them.”
“What’s going on there?” asked one of the new crewmen, pointing toward an apparent excavation into the mountains to the northeast of the Darkbourne exit. “That’s a second tunnel,” Captain Elwood replied. “It’s being dug alongside the existing waterway. When it’s completed, one tunnel will be dedicated to inbound traffic, the other to outbound traffic. That should ease the traffic going in and out.” And that traffic had become even more apparent: several ships could be seen docked at the town port, waiting to off-load goods for transport to Darksea. Another had just emerged from the tunnel, heading out of the mountains.
The Desperate Venture docked at Eastgate when dock space opened up. “OK, mateys!” Captain Elwood called out. “Time to off-load this cargo!” All hands, including the adventurers, pitched in to transfer the goods from the hold of the Desperate Venture to Thurl’s waiting keelboat, when it arrived. Once the transfer was completed, the party were given shore leave while Thurl arranged for later cargo pick-ups on the return leg of journey. The adventurers stayed at the Blue Rain Inn, the best in town (and very high quality for a town of Eastgate’s small size).
“Dinner’s on me tonight,” said Thurl. The party gladly accepted Thurl’s offer, and indulged in gourmet fare: garlic and basil leg of lamb, chicken liver pate, smoked pork, oxtails, elven wine, and Darksea pale ale. Thurl and Elwood entertained the adventurers with tales of their many trading missions. After dinner, the party retired, tired out by the day’s activities.
At dawn the next day, Thurl’s keelboat was hauled by a mule team (also owned by Thurl) that walked along a dedicated path on the right bank of the Darkbourne. Shortly, the ship and its occupants proceeded into the underground portion of the river’s course. “It should take us about eighteen hours or so to reach the Darksea lake,” Captain Elwood advised the party. “Excluding stops along the way, of course,” he added.
“Stops along the way?” asked Kronk. “Oh yes,” said Thurl. “There are a number of rest stops between the entrance and South Gate, which is the entry district,” the merchant explained. “We’ll stop about half-way for dinner and a fresh mule team,” he added. “So just sit back and enjoy the ride,” said Elwood.
The ship proceeded into the underground river channel. They passed a number of ships being towed outward, and had to undo the tow lines and drop anchor to the right side of the channel to enable the ships to pass. The party also noted the mile markers along the tow path, starting with mile marker 1, which was located at a large plaza, almost a small thorp in its own right, with an inn, various travelers’ services, and a number of residences.
By dinner time, the ship reached mile marker 8. Captain Elwood ordered the mule team drivers to pull the ship alongside a small dock in front of a roadhouse: the Motley Bow Tavern. Once moored, the party and the rest of the crew debarked and entered the tavern for dinner. The tavern keeper, a human man of middle age, apparently a retired bard or other performer (from the various musical instruments that were displayed on the walls of the tavern’s common room), was friendly. “Hello, Thurl!” said the tavern keeper. “Hello, Elwood!”
“Good evening, Rastus old fellow!” replied Thurl. “I’ve got a few bags of supplies for you,” he informed the tavern keeper. He signaled to two crewmen who were waiting outside the tavern. They came in carrying the promised goods, for which Rastus promptly paid the merchant.
“Thank ye, my friend,” said the tavern keeper happily. “I’ve got a fresh mule team waiting for you over at the stables.”
On their way in, Arya and Strife had noticed something: on the top right of the entrance to the tavern, there was some kind of symbol. It appeared to be arms of some kind: per pale sable and white, a spider-eater proper. They pointed out the symbol to the other adventurers as they sat down at a table to order dinner.
As they dined, Balefire, Strife and Zelda all pricked up their ears, listening for anything interesting from the few other diners in the common room. One of the customers spoke to a companion in hushed tones. “It was like a nightmare!” said the frightened diner. He went on to mention “the Bramblewood”. Balefire remembered hearing similar rumors earlier on in their mission. He kept observing the customers, kept listening, and watched to see if they were drinking to excess. But they said nothing more of any interest.
The food at the Motley Bow was unexpectedly good. Which was fortunate for the adventurers, since they had to provide for themselves this mealtime. When they were finished, they paid up and got up to leave. On the way out of the common room, Balefire and Kronk walked by the frigtened diner. Balefire whispered to Kronk–loudly enough for the other diner to hear. “I’ve been having these weird dreams ever since we went through the Bramblewood. Something weird’s going on there.”
This perked up the diner. He got up from the table and approached Balefire. “Did you feel it too? The nightmares?” he inquired worriedly.
“Yes,” bluffed Balefire. “Haven’t slept in days. Drinking’s the only thing that seems to take the nightmares away. What happened to you?”
“You’re lucky,” said the nervous man. “Drinking hasn’t helped me.”
“Let’s see if this’ll help,” said Balefire. He ordered the frightened man a beer, which he gratefully accepted. As the man drank, the rogue asked when he experienced the nightmares. But the customer was reluctant to say more. “If I were you, I’d stay far away from that place!” he exclaimed fearfully.
Kronk, seeing the man’s agitation, tried to give him a hug. The man was unwilling, however, to be hugged by a hulking, but dim, half-orc. He pulled away. "We have to go!” he said, nodding to his table-mate. “Take my advice.”
The two customers quickly left the tavern, heading on foot for Eastgate. At the same time, Elwood entered the tavern. “Time to cast off!” he called to the adventurers and the remaining crew in the common room. The captain spoke briefly to the tavern keeper, then returned to the ship.
“I know where the Bramblewood Forest is,” said Zelda. As the adventurers left, she described it to the rest of the party. It was over a hundred miles northeast, well out of range for any kind of casual journey. It was also within the borders of Ket.
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