Corsair

his quarry was not in the southern Moonsea either. That left only the two far corners of the Moonsea unvisited: the west end by the River Tesh and the Galennar, the wild eastern reaches of the Moonsea, where the mountains ringing Vaasa met the coast in mile after mile of spectacular cliffs. But Geran hesitated before ordering Galehand to set his course for either end. Both were desolate and unsettled, with no merchant shipping to speak of. Pirates would find no prey, no safe harbors, and no markets for their stolen goods at either end of the Moonsea. Geran worried at the puzzle for most of a rain-soaked afternoon then decided to call at the port of Mulmaster before he settled on his next move. If he heard nothing of Kraken Queen in the crowded city, he’d venture into the desolate Galennar.

It was only a few hours’ sail from the Lis to Mulmaster. Seadrake sculled slowly into Mulmaster’s narrow, fortified harbor at the end of the cool, rain-misted autumn day. Beetling ramparts and dark towers loomed over the harbor; Mulmaster climbed steeply toward the barren mountains at its back, a sprawling, grim-faced city. Under the city’s ruling nobles-or Blades, as they styled themselves-Mulmaster was a city where those with gold did anything they wanted, and those who didn’t have gold did anything they could to get it. The harbor was crowded with roundships and galleys from many different cities and trading houses, but Kraken Queen was not among them.

“I never much cared for Mulmaster,” Hamil remarked as Galehand steered the ship toward an open anchorage. “The first time I came here, I had to bribe someone just to find out the proper way to bribe someone! Hardly a friendly or forthcoming people, these Mulmasterites.”

“That’s been my experience of Mulmaster,” Geran agreed.

Kara nodded toward the stone quays as they came abreast of them. Several merchant ships rocked gently alongside, their decks illuminated with lanterns. Even at the end of the day, porters still worked to unload one of the ships, carrying casks and bundles up out of her hold in a steady stream. “The Veruna yards,” Kara said. She looked at Geran. “Seadrake may be recognized here, you know.”

Geran nodded. He was a little nervous about bringing the ship into House Veruna’s home waters too. “I doubt the Verunas would try to seize Seadrake by force,” he said. “We have enough fighting power on board to resist a merchant company’s armsmen.”

“True, but the Verunas might convince a magistrate or the High Blade to order the ship impounded. We can’t outfight Mulmaster’s navy or escape the port if they raise the harbor chain behind us.”

“We’ll choose an inconspicuous mooring,” Geran decided. “Master Galehand, steer for that one there; it’s not very close to shore.” With darkness falling, any Veruna retainers ashore who might recognize Seadrake wouldn’t see much more than one more dark hull riding at anchor out in the harbor.

“Aye, Lord Geran.” The dwarf took the helm himself and steered for the spot Geran had pointed out. Seadrake was no galley; she was slow and ungainly under oars. Geran couldn’t shake the impression that the whole city was silently watching their tedious progress to the empty mooring spot he’d selected. Finally Galehand brought the ship to a stop and ordered the crew to drop anchor.

“Master Galehand, put the longboat in the water,” Geran said. “Keep the crew at the sweeps and be ready to slip the cable and make for the open sea if anything goes amiss. Hamil and I are going ashore to see what we can learn. Kara, take command here.”

Kara nodded.

“What of me?” Sarth asked.

“I’d like you to come with Hamil and me,” Geran told the tiefling. “Your talents may prove useful ashore.”

Half an hour later, six of Seadrake’s sailors rowed the ship’s boat up to the quay along the south side of the harbor and tied up. Geran, Hamil, and Sarth clambered out of the boat and climbed the short flight of stone steps leading up to the street by the harborside. Choosing a direction more or less at random, Geran set off into the dank, foggy streets. It was still early enough that they passed many people, most of them laborers and workmen still engaged in the business of the day, but they also encountered men and women dressed for the evening’s revels and the occasional patrol of watchful soldiers.

They visited several different tradeyards and countinghouses near the waterfront, asking about Kraken Queen and spreading coin discreetly to help loosen tongues. Few of the Mulmasterites seemed inclined to be helpful, but in a wineshop across from the city’s chief customshouse, Hamil discovered a handful of touts and clerks from the Moonsea’s larger trading houses drinking after a long day in the merchant yards. The halfling brought a dour, gray-haired man in a House Jannarsk tunic to the table where Geran and Sarth sat, and set a flagon of good Sembian wine in front of him.

“This is Master Narm, a senior clerk who works for House Jannarsk,” Hamil said. “He’s on the Jannarsk wharves pretty much every day and deals with the Mulmasterite harbormasters. He’s not averse to supplementing his salary by answering a few harmless questions.”

Narm shrugged. “The Jannarsks care not, so long as I keep their business to myself. I’ll not speak of Jannarsk cargoes.”

Most likely that meant that Narm wouldn’t speak of Jannarsk cargoes without a more substantial bribe, but that didn’t bother Geran. He didn’t really care what House Jannarsk was sending into or out of Mulmaster. “I understand,” he said. “Have you ever seen a good-sized war galley-a ship with a black hull and the figurehead of a mermaid with a kraken’s tentacles on her bow-in the harbor here?”

The Jannarsk man shook his head. “No, no such ship’s called in Mulmaster so long as I’ve been posted here, and that’s two years now. But I’ve heard a tale about a ship like that. She’s a pirate.”

Geran allowed himself a small sigh of relief. He’d been a little afraid that Kraken Queen might be anchoring openly in Mulmaster and sailing under a letter of marque from the High Blade. If the pirates harrying Hulburg’s shipping were under Mulmaster’s protection, that would have been a daunting challenge to say the least; Hulburg had no hope of forcing the rulers of the larger city to give up the practice. “Go on,” he said.

“A merchant I did business with was ruined by a ship with a kraken figurehead. He owns a couple of cogs that ply the route between Hillsfar and Mulmaster, importing Dalelands grain, cheese, fruit, and such-a decent trade for a small shipowner. But his biggest cog was taken by two pirate ships a few miles off the Lis back before Midsummer. Both pirates flew the same banner-a black field with a crescent moon and a cutlass.” Narm lowered his voice. “The banner of the Black Moon Brotherhood.”

“The Black Moon Brotherhood?” Sarth asked.

“I’m afraid that it’s little more than a story to frighten children into good behavior,” Geran answered. “There have always been rumors of a pirate league in the Moonsea, and any time pirates appear in these waters, people begin to tell those stories again.”

Narm scowled. “It might’ve been little more than a fable a year or two ago, but it’s true enough now. I spoke with a man who survived the attack-an armsman paid to defend the cog-and he told me what he saw.”

“Pirates don’t often leave witnesses behind,” Hamil observed.

“The armsman went over the side during the fight, but was lucky enough to find a bit of flotsam to cling to until another ship picked him up.” Narm shrugged. “Believe me or not, as you will. The shipowner’s cog was certainly taken, of that I have no doubt.”

“I don’t doubt you about the pirate attack on the cog. It’s the pirate league I wonder about.” Geran rubbed his jaw, thinking. “You’re certain you haven’t seen the black galley with the kraken-maid under her bowsprit here? You haven’t heard anyone speaking of a ship named Kraken Queen?”

“No, she’s never called in Mulmaster.” The clerk shook his head. He hesitated a moment then offered, “However, I might know of someone who would know more about such matters.”

Geran nodded to Hamil, who paid off the man with a half-dozen gold crowns. Narm quickly scooped the coins into his pouch. “Sometimes we find it useful to avoid the formalities of customs,” he said in a low voice. “There’s a man named Harask who helps us arrange matters. You can find him in the storehouse across from the Bitter End, a taphouse on the southwest wharves. Be warned that he’s not above robbing a couple of strangers and dumping their bodies in the harbor.” The clerk gave the three companions a shallow bow and withdrew.

Geran waited until the man was out of earshot and leaned in close to speak to Sarth and Hamil. “What do you make of it?” he asked them.

“We could seek out the armsman who survived the attack,” Sarth said.