Lake Lhesper and the talking Seadog!

1456 Date Unknown...
 
We made good time sailing down the underground river to Lake Lhesper. The strong currents of the river made for a bit of a nerve racking trip making sure the ship didn't get stuck on the sides of the tunnel. If we had gotten stuck the water would have washed over the bow and sunk us. I've sailed on Lake Lhesper before, trading and smuggling. The winds can pick up something fierce with it being such a large body of water. We're heading straight across the lake to some town, must be new or unimportant as it's not on the map, but Bombastus has provided a heading so on we go. Ilemahg has been quiet, I think this is possibly his first time aboard a boat and the swaying of the bow doesn't agree with him it seems. He's been at the rail chucking over all morning. That blink dog of his has behaved so far, still locked in that cage. Ilemahg must of bought it from that dealer at the Pet and Pawn. The beast doesn't show much affection for Ilemahg though, every time he goes near the dog it growls or turns away. Albert has yet to rise from below, still asleep no doubt.
 
The crew thus far have behaved, I was worried after taking the ship back for a second time that their allegiance wouldn't be so easily swayed but it seems it lies with the highest bidder, which at the moment is myself. I may have to look to hire new more loyal crew that isn't swayed by a purse full of coin, if i can find a port where such a crew may exist. The crossing across the lake was going swiftly until Mr Morgan on top watch started screaming. Something about a flying shark heading straight for him. By the time I looked up his chest was covered with blood, though not his back strangely enough. I climbed the rigging and steadied the man, the blood pouring from his wounds. He stumbled for a moment, looking somewhat confused before realising and admitting he may have inflicted the wounds himself. Hearing this I lost my temper somewhat and pushed him from the top watch straight over into the water below. Realising my judgement may have been in haste I called Man Over Board! and Mr Merry threw a line to retrieve the drenched and wounded deckhand. He was hauled back aboard and his wounds treated.
 
As Mr Morgan was brought back on board, Ilemahg spotted a small shadow dash below deck through the hatch. He seemed to think it was a rat, but I worried it was worse. Carefully heading down into the hold I saw Albert asleep in a hammock, below him was an open cage which previously held the pixie. It was free aboard the ship as I had worried. I called out to the pixie, telling it that we mean it no harm, and if it wants it's freedom that we will not impede it. Hearing quiet giggles and squeaks I remembered we can only speak to it using the book Albert had. I pushed him out the hammock, he hit the floor with a thud but did not wake and kept snoring away. I set about searching his person for the book, as I was rummaging about I decided to punish him for letting the pixie loose in such a drunken state. I took his magical bag and also Ilemahgs hat. As i was searching, that little mechanical servant of his approached. I thought for a moment that it was a sentry, but it just stood there meekly. I set Ilemahgs had upon it's metal brow, as i did a rat ran out and along the outstretched arm of the construct. In a flash it caught the rat and held it dangling by it's tail.
 
I opened the book and began searching for the pixie again. Speaking out to it again, stating we mean it no harm and if it wants to leave or punish Albert it's more than welcome to. As I searched the hold, the ship ground to a halt. Thinking we'd beached or hit a reef I ran topside. The pixie had summoned vines and wrapped them round the ships keel and rudder. It hovered no more than 20ft of the starboard bow giggling and laughing to itself. I pleaded with it to release the ship and leave. Upon a sudden a cannonball sailed through the air and landed at my feet. A message on the cannonball read "Is this a bad time?". A yell from Mr Anderson, "seadog off the port bow" and no sooner another cannonball flew hitting the mast. The damage was minimal, it seemed more to get our attention that an intended attack. I headed to the rail and was surprised to see a seal talking at us, yelling about some ocean going circus. It seems he was attempting to sell us some tickets. I was skeptical at first, but when I saw the pixie was enamored with the seal I decided it may be worth it to stay the pixies unpredictable magic. After some back and forth the tickets were at one platinum each. A steep price for a show, but the seal was adamant it was unlike any circus in the world.
 
I decided Albert should front the ticket money as penance for his poor judgement. I quickly went below deck and pilfered 10 platinum from his coin purse. Once paid we asked for a heading to the circus, the seals instruction was most strange. It said that the circus will find us and that it travels to the place where the most tickets have sold. The pixie, happy that it was invited to the circus released the ship from it's magic and promptly took seat upon my hat. I attempted to give it a job on the ship asking it to head to the top watch and keep look out. After a minute or so I noticed it had returned to my hat, it seems it's got a short attention span. So now onward to our destination and possibly a show.
 
JH