Wild Coast, Elredd, City Watch Prison, night
The next morning the prisoners are escorted to an adjacent building to stand trial. A number of witnesses are presented and testify that Rondo instigated the violence. A number of incriminating facts are revealed. Almost all of the characters struck the first blow in their respective engagements. Lucian and Tellius broke into the inn. Rondo does not even have a daughter as claimed when first entering the inn. Lucien stole money from some of the rooms. The party attempt to justify their actions claiming the inn was the headquarters of slavers agents. The judge asks for proof of this claim. The party have no hard evidence. The judge points out that if the part had suspicions about the inn they should have approached the authorities. At best the parties actions are those of vigilantes.
The judge asks Aurin to respond to the claim that he practices dark magic. Aurin notably does not deny it but instead tries to engage the judge in a philosophical debate whether any magic can be considered dark or evil. This just infuriates the judge.
The judge asks those of the party who are spell casters to identify themselves. All but Tellius do so. Seeming to already know Tellius is a spell caster the judge enlists the ancient man to force the truth from Tellius using magic. Tellius resists and continues to deny being a spell caster but at the insistence of the judge the ancient man persists and eventually Tellius confesses. The judge highlights the fact that Tellius attempted to lie to the court.
Aurin is convicted of practicing dark magic and using such magics to assault occupants of the Broken Rudder. Lucien convicted of breaking into the Broken Rudder and theft. Tellius convicted of breaking into Broken Rudder and killing an occupant. Rondo convicted of inciting violence, killing numerous occupants of the Broken Rudder and attempted murder an occupant. Saab and Edgaar are convicted of killing occupants of the Broken Rudder. All are sentenced to incarceration varying from a few months several years. The judge comments that if it were not obvious that other parties were involved the sentences would have been harsher. After sentencing a naval officer of Elredd requests that the prisoners sentences be served out as rowers on Elredd naval galleys. The judge agrees. The prisoners are marched back to the city watch house prison.
The party wait out the rest of the day in the dank cells. After sundown the naval officer and half a dozen marines arrive at the cells and the party is escorted thought the dark city streets to the docks. At the docks the prisoners are taken past the naval vessels towards the common docks. In on one of the dark alleys at the waterfront the group are met by a half a dozen rough looking sailors. One of the sailors hands the naval officer a small pouch. The party is handed over to the sailors who march them onto a nearby small merchant galley.
The party are taken below deck to the slave rowing hold. The rowing hold stretches about two thirds the length of the ship. A small door leads to other compartments in the bow and stern. Running the length of the slave hold along the center is a raised platform some 5 feet high. On either side are fifteen rowing benches, two rowers to a bench. The rower closer to the center raised platform sits higher than the one closer to the hull wall allowing both to man a simgle oar slanting down towards the water. (slave galley deck plan) A half-orc overseer paces the walkway and two guards are stationed at the front of the hold.
Once the party are below a small portable forge is brought out. Under the watchful eye of half a dozen guards one by one the the prisoners are untied and manacled. The manacles are closed around the slaves ankles and wrists. A smith then comes forward with a portable brazier and anvil. Reaching into the brazier, he plucks out a cherry red rivet and hammers it through the manacle clamp. Sparks and hot metal fly from his hammer, searing the wrists and ankles of the slave. A bucket of cold sea water is dumped on the hot metal when he is done, further inflaming the burns. Each manacle includes a small metal loop. A short length of chain is permanently attached to a metal ring set into the floor at each rowing position. The free end of the chain is attached to the loop in the manacle on the left ankle of each character by a large iron padlock.
Once the characters have been secured the smith produces a conical metal helm and places it on Tellius's head. After making some crude measurements the smith secures the helm using strips of metal and red hot rivets. In the process Tellius is seared at his neck at the sides of his head. As before the hot rivets are doused with cold sea water. When he is finished the smith remarks "Don't look so glum, you're the lucky one." Tellius soon finds out what the smith means. First Aurin and then Saab are held down while their tongues are removed using pincers and a hot knife.
Soon three individuals come below deck, the old man encountered when the party was captured at the Broken Rudder, and two strangers, one a human dressed all in black and hooded the other an elf. The old man addresses the party members. "I just wanted to thank you for killing the dwarves. Now I am the leader of the slavers operations here in Elredd", he gestures to the man in black "and K here is the new leader of the guild. You played your part perfectly." He turns to the elf "Captain, they are all yours." The old man and K leave.
The captain addresses the new rowers. "The rules are simple. Row when your told to row. If you don't keep time you get the lash. Speak only when you are spoken to." The captain then points out Tellius and instructs the guards and overseer. "If you ever see that one not wearing the helmet kill him instantly!" The captain climbs the steep stairs and leaves the hold. The characters are left to absorb their predicament.