After some agonising hours (at least from the dwarfs point of view) the walled seaport town of Newsandport comes into view. High walls of stone surround a modest sized settlement and grisly desiccated corpses of some kind of non human decorate gibbets placed a bow-shot from the walls.

Part of the delay was the Captains insistence on waiting on a pilot boat from within the harbour. Many of the senior guild-members insisted that they sail right on in but the crusty sea captain simply stared them down and pointed to the two huge arbalests mounted either side of the harbours breakwaters. Shuddering you see his point; a hit from one of those things would stave a hole the size of a cow in the side of your ship.

Bormir hanging grimly from the side gazed at the walls and roofs of the town critically. Mostly very new construction he thought. Not even as old as he was, hastily done too as so much of human architecture seems to a dwarfs practised eye.  His attention is dragged away from there architectural  critique by Senior Guild-member Leonardus calling the apprentices over.

“As you can see, and much to your relief no doubt, we’ll be making port within the hour. The Idlewind itself will be in port about a day maybe two replenishing the water stores and doing abit of minor trading.  Soon after that we’ll be off again heading for Kingsport on the far side of the Island for our own missions.  I have been here once or twice and while no metropolis it has the basics for your comfort! A decent pub as well as a blacksmith and even boasts a small library for those so inclined.

“One thing you especially need to know, the folks here abouts have little sense of humour, especially with non humans you’ll be largely ignored I guess, at least the stouter members of your squad initially. Think nothing of this, these people are still hurting from when an invasion of Lizard folk sacked there older settlement down the coast some fifty years ago. There is a bounty on Lizard folk tails of about 5 gold a piece if you get the opportunity. Gaining a few of these may go a long way to winning you some genuine respect and co operations with the locals in general perhaps.

“Our information is that a the group you have been assigned to track and bring to justice, disembarked here and almost immediately got into a dispute with each other about something. It is likely they split up, but some may be still hanging around nearby either under there own names or under alias’s. Once you get the locals to talk to you you can find out more I surmise. I presume by now you have each studied the Warrants entrusted to you and have some idea of whom your looking out for? If not, do so immediately!

“There is a small but powerful church here of a sect called the Church of the Eternal flame. Don’t know what there about they seem to be a purely local religious group. Still they have real power so their god or demon or whatever it is has some authority. Try not to antagonise them, its from them the bounty on Lizard-man tails gets paid I should point out. Get in good with them and they may help you further.

“Now any questions before we hit port?” he concludes, looking each of you in the eye in turn.”