While carrying back the sack Durik said:
"We found tresure! But uh.. no much fixing" lol

After returning to the ship, Durik trained a bit with his weapon, since he felt somewhat rusty.
Aftwerwards, he asked Aeshma if she could socket his turquoise gem into a ring.

About the loot, he took:
- 1 Cure Disease Potion
- 1 Water of Purify
- the Fateweave Wrapping

For the special he grabbed:
- "Spells We Are Still Trying To Make Work" and started reading it a bit (spells are quite scary for an orc), while sipping from his Happy Mug.

And finally, about the mission he said:
"Wat, we be returning to dat hatbor? Dey surely fortified the place. Ye sure it not be trap? Or maybe me paranoid after prison."

Given that Kyp is so interested in reading and learning recipes, Argy lets him read the book they found. Taking a look at the dishes' names, she warns him: "Beware o' the recipes 'ere. Some ingredients be muuch more likely to turn ye into their meal than the oth'r way round..."

Argy will loan the Book of Plots, Intrigue, and Politics and read it as thoroughly as she can. Before joining the mission, she will prepare herself an Orange Spice tea.
She will also get one of the Fate Coins and the drawing of a flower that looks different when viewed from an angle (somehow looking at it is kind of soothing for her)

Grog'tial has some questions for the admiral and/or Devin:

"Do we know..."
* "...if the carver is aware of the purpose their carvings are being put to?"
* "...if the carver is a willing participant in this scheme?"
* "...why the carver is being picked up instead of being allowed to continue carving from their current location?"
* "...if the carver is being guarded specifically? (Either for protection, or to prevent escape)"
* "...if freeing the prisoners can gain us any benefit? Or should we just ignore them and go only for the carver?" (Oh look, Grog'tial might have discovered a more positive attitude toward the crew, but otherwise his coldhearted character remains much the same.)
* "...if putting a soul into a figurehead is being done at the carver's place or at the dungeon (suggesting there's a well-travelled path between the two places), or somewhere else entirely?"

He also addresses Captain Aylar, "Do you have a reason for thinking it'd be beneficial to sail the Ship into the harbor, rather than sheltering in the west as before, and making our way over the wall from there as the Admiral proposed? Trying to tamper with the Chain is just another thing which could go wrong - and as I recall, there are very few weak spots to it - so I'd suspect that the simpler the plan, the better..."

From the loot Grog'tial requests:
- Water of Purify
- Portable Hole
- A pair of rigged dice
- A magical Handmirror (loan)

Devin returns just before the Briefing and presents Captain Aylar a small handkerchief with a bow and an amused smirk. Wrapped within are beard and hair shavings. "This Beckett be vain and fastidious. He be having himself shaved before dinner as well as mornings."

Entering the Briefing, Devin bows and places two canisters on the table before Argy. One contains cocoa powder and the other has vanilla beans. "For yer culinary delights, sweet Argy," he says as he winks at her. He proceeds up the table to slide a small note and package to Aeshma with another wink, then goes to lean nonchalantly against the hull near the admiral, listening and watching.

At Grog'tial's questions his lady looks towards him and he straightens. "The papers be not telling if the carver has full knowledge. He wouldst know he be carving magically endowed figureheads for ships, using special woods supplied to him. The orders I saw indicate he be guarded and 'encouraged' to be cooperative. It appears he be being moved to more secure facilities closer to the aboleth's domain in response to the Crew's previous escapades. It be quite possible one of the prisoners or guards may know the location of where they be sent for the soul transfers, or else who I may need to find to discuss it." He nods to Bellandra. "And I willst find them for ye, beautiful one."

Devin turns to Captain Aylar, "A bard can be seen and welcomed many places openly, should ye have need of such."

-
Of the loot, Devin will choose:
the small empty plain pouch
please give the Sage's Knot to Gilius, I'll choose something else later after others have a chance.
loan of A Chessboard , if someone would play chess with me. (Far be it from me to cast doubt upon the GM, but I know ye, Fair One. This mission cannot be as easy as it seems.)
the Wooden Cube would interest him as a curiosity.

Devin might suggest to Captain Aylar that the Dragon book mayhaps be of interest to him. "Let's just say I be having suspicions of where this be going, Captain."

Devin delivers a handkerchief with Beckett's hair and beard shavings to Captain Aylar, canisters of cocoa and vanilla to Argy and a small package with a note to Aeshma. He answers Grog'tial's questions and tells Captain Aylar he is ready to wander openly as a bard if needed. He selects the empty pouch, the wooden cube and to play chess.

Gilius greets Aylar as he returns to the ship and listens to his narration of his voyage.

After the briefing, he decides to take the Sage's Knot and a Repel Zombie Potion from the loot.

He takes the book Surveillance Techniques That Don't Work.

He also takes 1 stake from the table.

After that, he goes to see Refyx and ask him an Oil of Spiderclimb if he is available.

Finally, he goes to see Aeshma and asks her for a Potion of Acid Resistance if she's available.

"Aye Devin! I be playing a game with ye. I be used a more "3D" version o' these. But I make do with standard old flat chess one."

BenKii also looks through the special loot and sees a book of interest. "The Great Extraplanar Hoax". Might be a bit light reading while waiting for the mission.

BenKii plays a game of chess with Devin. BenKii chooses the "The Great Extraplanar Hoax" book and gives it a read.

The admiral nods to Durik. "Aye, Durik, it be good to be cautious but we cannot let them keep the carver or the figureheads to rebuild their fleet if we can help it. They should not know Devin got the information, but I agree they have most likely increased the guards and security measures at the towers and harbor entrances. They do not know we have Bellandra's kin and Captain Jac's ships as allies however, nor that Captain Aylar can now glamour the Ship."

Cliodhna waits until Devin has finished his answer and adds her own to Grog'tial. "Devin be correct that we may get valuable information from the prisoners or perhaps a senior guard. However consider there be also the fact that these prisoners are especially valuable to the aboleth, selected to become enslaved living ships, and I will not abandon them to such fate nor leave the enemy with such prisoners. We be having no idea how many figureheads may already be waiting at the destination and by leaving these prisoners they still could be used to reinforce the enemy's fleet. We leave the aboleth nothing but ruin if we can, and Beckett nothing but his shallow excuses and stuttering apologies for another failure."

Gilius, Refyx reminds you that you will need to use gloves with the Spiderclimb Oil. Luckily there are still several pair between those found in the previous vampirate loot, and some new items from the rescue of Durik. If you speak to Cliodhna she would offer you a choice of a pair of black silk gloves, a pair of soft tan leather gloves, a pair of supple black leather gloves, a pair of fur lined gray leather gloves, a pair of sturdy brown cloth gloves, several pairs of wool gloves and some dainty white lace gloves. Please choose.

Kyp, ye will also need to choose gloves to use with the Spiderclimb Oil. Please see choices above.

Cliodhna raises an eyebrow as she sees Argy borrowing the Book of Plots, Intrigue, and Politics, and reading it thoroughly. It be a sound choice, but she can't help but wonder ... be Grog'tial rubbing off on ye?

Devin I would tell ye to hush, but it be completely in character for what ye would now assume Aylar to know or soon be knowing ... but I not be beyond doing more than just shrinking yer breeches! :P

Cliodhna answers Durik and Grog'tial. Refyx reminds Gilius he will need gloves for the Spiderclimb Oil and if Gilius speaks to the admiral she finds many pair available for him to choose from.

"When going into a job, always prepare at least three plans, and if they can turn into each other at any moment, all the better." Grog'tial gets in response at his inquiry. "After all, if we have only one plan, our entire heist is viable to come to a halt if it be derailed or foiled completely at some stage. Now, see here," Aylar regards the map.

"Aye, as per initial idea, Zephyr be able to carry us across the wall, that be true, but ye know well that he would require several a trip. Not too bad when we be sneaking in initially - and maybe I be able to fashion a quick one-rune necklace just to help him with going back and forth unnoticed, but- once we be getting the carver and Bellandra's kin out, that would be likely his main focus, nae getting us back group by group.

Admiral be adamant that we be needing to spring free prisoners - that be meaning that one, we be looking at separating our forces further, and two, we likely be having more people to get out of this town. We know that Denuvo and vampirates are free to come and go in the area and the latter had their servants in the local guards, so we nae solving that problem by having them scatter in hostile territory under high chance of potential recapture. Now, I be aware that Cap'n Jac be intending to send some of her folk to start some ruckus in select establishments, so that would keep the guards even busier and potentially open us an easy route to the tunnel.

Either way, by the time it be time to leave, all hell be potentially breaking loose at that point, and we be needing an alternate escape route ready to go. Therefore it likely be beneficial to have the Ship moved during some point of the operation from the shelter spot to the smuggler's dock over here, close to both points of interest. I'll Work me best to make sure that it would nae spring any suspicion."

Devin be free to act as a rogue card on the field in his locations of choice; and if he already has some additional bright ideas lined up based on above information, share 'im with the Crew. Aylar will narrow his eyes in thought at the very particular suggestion of reading material, but will indeed pick up that book on "Wyverns, Wyrms, Drakes and Dragons" - it would nae be wise or fair to disregard other's instincts when it came to such matters - and a Book on Dancing for a supplementary choice. He will also get a Hero's Knot and a lockpick just in case.

[Aylar outlines some more plan details - with carver's retrieval and prisoners' escape being priority, there be a high chance that the Crew might nae be able to come back the same way as going in. However, the Ship might be able to pick everyone up instead, and Captain Jac intends to run distraction... ]

Count will take Heal Potion, Fool's Knot and Mint Tea.

(Prepping for tomorrow's mission got me listening to the XCOM loadout theme.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeLC55FOUCI

Grog'tial muses idly - possibly even half-seriously - if we should just assault the tower again to get things started. They'd very much not be expecting that, we know the lay of the land, we know we can get to the dungeon from there (and won't have to worry about finding and guarding the other entrance to the tunnel when at the dungeon), and it'd give us an established way of disabling the chain. A griffin can probably land on top of the tower more easily than an albatross, too... (probably necessary, since it's unlikely for the key to hang within reach again...)
Also, the embarrassment of losing control of the tower twice might have some beneficial repercussions on the enemy's confidence.

"Remind me, folks, how many people this beast can fly? If one group shall take the tower, the other squad should already be on position around the carver's place. Carver and figureheads have the highest priority, we don't wanna risk any alarms before we get there, giving them time to evacuate him or double the guards. That woods north of his workshop look like good place to land 'n' wait until the "tower squad" arrives, then start both operations simultaneously. Ideally not detected. And to whomever shall deal with the prisoners, remember what Admiral said: they be better off dead than in enemy's hands."

Count will also buy 1 Flash Powder from Refyx.
He also examines a locket and a gnomish lamp, thinking maybe he could pawn some for a few coins, but the child picture is weirding him out and the canary appears to be broken, so he chose book on beholders instead.

"If ye all decide to split into two groups then I shall be fer the group going to thee carver's house."

BenKii then quickly gets his orders in for Refyx and Aeshma. "Mr. Refyx, one Flash Powder if ye will. And Ms. Aeshma, one Sleep Potion to put out our carver if he don't come quietly.

BenKii orders Flash Powder and Sleep Potion from Refyx and Aeshma respectively.

For the Oil, Gilius will take the pair of supple black leather gloves.

Cliodhna reminds everyone that Zephyr can carry the equivalent of a half-orc, dwarf, and two humanoids or two dwarves, two humanoids and the halfling in one flight. It will leave the decision up to them, but it should be able to take the ones going in two maybe three flights total, depending how they break up the teams.

Refyx listens to discussion, nodding thoughtfully while taking down the orders coming his way. Then he clears his throat and speaks. "It's too bad our dragonborn friend had to leave, but I think I can help with the harbor chain." The gnome looks at Kyp then back to Captain Aylar. "I should be able to make enough of an extremely strong acid to give to both Kyp here, and Pearl to carry. If Aeshma here can give it a boost with a nudge of her witchcraft, it should react with the seawater to eat away at that bigger chain that holds the top and completely crumble any lesser lower chain if there are any. I'll make it thick, so it doesn't wash away and they paint it on. It will need a little time to work, but should weaken those links enough to snap if they put pressure on that chain, or a well aimed cannon ball." Refyx looks back at Kyp and continues, " It shouldn't dissolve anything but metals, but you'll want to be careful not to get it on yourself anyway, and keep it away from that rapier of yours."

The orders are delivered by the next morning. When Aeshma delivers Captain BenKii's she makes sure to tell him that this formula is strong and should put a humanoid out for several hours. If he himself ever needs a sleeping brew, he should be sure to see her for a much lighter and more pleasant mix.

Cliodhna smiles and gives Gilius the supple black leather gloves. "These should work very well for ye, and very dashing too."

-----
GM Note: For those crew with books and trinkets: Just including a small mention of reading or looking/using those items will slowly acquire a permanent bonus up to 10% against the book items and a +1 stat bonus for the trinkets. You'll be told when these are achieved.