A few seconds later I'm standing on the plank saying, "Good day gentlemen." I walk straight to the cargo hold and liberate it of its contents.(much to their displeasure! (it had a nice magic spear and some other goodies) Then I go straight to snooping them both. The first guy didn't have the ship key so I walk towards the second and he panics and runs off the ship. I guess he ran to bank the key. Well, knowing what I know about boats I walk to the rear and stand touching the tillerman. I then sail the boat across the canal to the far side so the buddy cant get back on right away.

The first guy is panicking and telling me how he just spent 14k for the ship and 15k for the stone and that I shouldn't be doing this. I tell him to relax and that It'll all be over in a minute and no one will get hurt if he keeps quiet and cooperates. =) Seeing me standing there in my Healer's Robe and sandals must have been an impressively scary site because he complied =)

Since I was commanding the ship he thought I had gotten a key somehow and at that point I knew that I was in for some cash. I told him I would leave the boat if I was paid for my, "boat moving service" which had already been rendered and the outstanding balance was 5k. He said forget it and that he would simply out-wait me and take the boat. I thought about sailing out of guard protection and doing away with him but it is not in my nature. Then I had another idea....

I sailed a little South down into Vesper's islands and parked the boat against a shore-line. I told him I was getting bored and that I was leaving. I walked off the boat and almost got off the screen and hide. (hoping he would believe I was gone. He stepped off the boat for some odd reason and I quickly jumped back on while yelling, "come about" then, "forward." Two seconds later I was sailing on the boat alone with this evil little smile on my face.

I sailed North back up near the bank where I was sure they'd be. This time I backed the boat in and stopped so I could barely see the shoreline while standing at the tillerman and they couldn't see either plank. I knew I could talk to them and arrange the payment without having one of them step onboard again. They had a band of, "Illustrious Boneheads" on the shoreline telling me I was, "marked for death." I politely thanked them for the interest and sailed away. I knew if I was gonna get 5,000 out of these guys then they needed to stew a bit more to realize their situation. I came back 5-10 minutes later and backed in the same way. Now it was just those two guys and they were sounding quite pitiful this time. They had managed to get 5k between them and announced that they had the money and for me to come on shore to get it. I told them the only way it was gonna happen was for one of them to get on the boat and hand me the money. I said I would leave and never bother them again and I assured them I was good for my word.

Well, they were not very trusting. I suppose I can understand why but I told them that they had no choice because if it was going to happen then my way was they only way! We bickered back and forth and a few minutes later I sailed away again... =) This time I came back 15 minutes later and was amazed that they were still there. By this time our friends were fully ready to do the deal my way.

I let one guy on the boat with the money and I sailed to the other side of the canal. After a few more minutes of pleading he finally dropped the gold on the deck of the ship and I placed it neatly into my pack. I thanked him and got off the boat. I stood on the shoreline and gave him all the info he needed to keep that from happening again. I told him how I did it and why it was possible. (these guys were not bad people and they didn't resort to cussing me etc..) I talked with them for 5-10 more minutes after the other guy arrived and locked the boat. After an offer to join their guild as, "Special Forces" I politely declined, (after a chuckle) wished them well and went to the bank to deposit my days revenue =)

The spear turned out to be a Massive, Eminently Accurate Spear of Force.(not bad but not great) There was some other junk in the hold and combined with the spear and the cash I figure the loot to be around 7.5k total. Not bad.. not bad at all...

Morgan the Brigand