Calliope laughed, a rich dark sounding laugh that conveyed a languid amusement. Markus cabin was larger than heres and better appointed by far but no accommodations aboard a  ship the size of the Weather Witch were what one might describe as luxurious. Calliope’s own cabin was maybe half the size of Markus’ and intended for two officers to share besides. Its only furnishings were a single sea bed and a large table. Calliope had gathered a number of things from Roderick to make her voyage more tolerable. He had been willing to lavish gifts upon her, in part out of genuine affection and in part because he was enjoying the opportunity to demonstrate conspicuous consumption. Giving her aid now expressed a certain friendly condescension for her situation. Still Roderick had retrieved the gemstones she has pawned and provided her with a number of very expensive books, spell ingredients and a few esoteric grimoires as well as fine sand, quills, in and other paraphernalia of writing. He had included foodstuffs too, candied plums and licorice as well as several casks of excellent wine and expensive brandy. Best of all he had gifted her a handsome chest with a magical lock that could only be opened by her voice. 

“I suspect he wanted many things. Things a man normally wants and some other things as well. I suspect he is under pressure to find a wife and thinks that appearing to dally with me will relieve the pressure. Perhaps he wishes to tell Sebastian that of course he met with his old friend but he sent her away without sanctuary. Possibly all of these things at once,” she explained. It was unlikely that Markus, a simple man of violence, would understand all the political nuances but then she didn’t understand half of what he did about the sea and there was no point treating someone like an idiot if you needed to work with them.

“He did have one favor he asked me though. Jim!” she called. The cabin boy, with the assistance of the massive Gnoll whose name she had momentarily forgotten carried in a large wooden chest sealed with a padlock.

“He requested I bring this aboard,” she said as the two crew men set the chest down. It seemed like the gnoll was only tolerating Jim’s help as the boy seemed more of an impediment than an aid. He looked at Calliope turned red and then found something very interesting about his boots to study.

“What is it?” Markus asked scarcely bothering to look up from his map.

“I’ve no idea, I was supposed to keep it sealed till we cleared the harbor.” She drew a small brass key from a pouch and fited it to the lock before turning it with a click. The gnoll pulled back the lid, one hand on an impressive knife tucked into his colorful red sash. Calliope had no idea what would be inside, but was still dumbfounded by what the chest contained. Bound in tight hempen cords, and wearing a gag was a tiny woman. Not a woman Calliope realised, it was a gnome. About the size of a human child of ten the gnome woman was more heavily muscled and developed in her breast and hips than any child. She wore expensive looking sailors clothing and her hair was a shocking shade of pink that could only have been a die, two large blue eyes glared up at them and there was a note pinned to her chest. Calliope, the first to recover from this shocking sight, reached down a plucked the note free. SHe read it aloud. 

Dearest Calli,

This is an old associate of mine who was recently arrested for piracy. As I cant be seen to have a soft hand when it comes to pirates I sentenced her to death. I had been puzzling over what to do about her when you showed up in need of a crew. I trust she will be more useful having managed a daring escape than she would be on the gallows.

R

Calliope reached down and pulled the gag from the gnomes mouth.

“I’ll kill you all you lumbering ox fuckers!” the gnome snapped though she didnt bother to flex against her bonds. Calliope pulled a knife and the the gnome stilled but the former tyrant merely slashed the ropes that held her. The gnome sat up quickly rubbing at her arms furiously. Calliope looked her over.

“I take it you are a gunner?” she asked, arching a dark eyebrow.

“Aye that I am whoever-the-fuck-you-are,” the fiesty Gnome snapped.

“You using some sort of fancy mind reading spell?” 

Calliope smirked.

“It would be more likely that Roderick simply told me, but no, as it happens I saw the powder burns on your for arms.” The gnome held out her arms, revealing dozens of small discolorations from close proximity to firearms and burning black powder.

“Ah, well yes as it happens, I’m Grimey Hurinson,” the little Gnome declared, glaring around belligerently at her taller opponents.

“I was on my way to an old fort I knew about to recover some guns when I ran into a whee bit of trouble with the Stormcrest navy, could have happened to anyone!”