Being underway I felt my heart lighten despite this idiot boatman nearly spoiling the whole thing by delaying the departure. Worse yet he stole whatever I had just legitimately obtained. I couldn't even zap him owing to the fact that I couldn't steer a barge.  At least he seemed to have prevented us from being eaten by a giant killer turtle, which I guess was something.

"I am Lady Emmaline Von Morganstern," I replied hautily, using the thickest Andread accent I could manage. I lifted my chin with aristocratic disdain.

"And you are mistaken, I have traveled to many place and on many conveyances," I told him, playing the role of the world weary adventureress. I shifted the strap of the fusil on my shoulder to emphasise my point. I could feel the Dre Costan mercenaries on me, measuring me up. They looked like a rough crowd and I knew I was no match for them with either my sword or the fusil. Truthfully I could hardly use either, they were just props I had used to trick my marks into assuming I was the sort of person who might actually have a map of treasures in unknown jungles.

"I can see you know the rivers, that is good," I said, more to keep talking than from any real interest.

"You can get us safely up river I trust?"