For the next several hours Xing Lei stumbled around the forest, Pale's map was little help at all in navigating however the mystical wood compressed space to shift travellers from one spot to another, were it not for some key landmarks the map itself would have been discarded some time ago. Glancing around the woods that didn't seem any different than any other spot Xing Lei knew he was close. While the woods obscured sight lines and paths it could not mask the rich salty sea air that wafted through the thick trees.
Before too long the rising rooftops of the high quality mansions could be seen, stopping well within the woods he leaned against a tree and rubbed his chin in thought. Before he'd gotten side tracked he had been looking for Blackheart's mansion, while these were all impressive for pirates none of them overtly screamed at him 'High Captain', logically that would mean that the guys living area should have been further into the woods, unless he was using the spatial displacement of the magic forest to hide his mansions location Xing Lei would be hard pressed to say which building was Blackheart's.
As he stood in contemplation his head suddenly cocked and he darted into the nearby bushes, a few moments later the two lieutenants strode down the path he had just come from. Neither the Panther man nor the snake woman spoke, but between them was a young lady in torn finery. Her dress was badly stained and soiled, it looks like the woman had been a guest of Blackheart for some time. Her greasy red hair was matted to her head and grime covered much of her face but a fiery look of determination still burned in her pale gray eyes despite her otherwise sorry looking state.
The pair was leading the captive young woman back towards the shanty town but Xing Lei decided to tail the pair anyways, while they were likely headed away from Blackheart they were the best lead for finding the High Captain. Still, he did his best to keep back from the pair, he had no idea how aware or sensitive the pair was so no sense rushing and playing his hand too soon. Keeping to the woods and the edge of the properties the kobold skulked along in the wake of the two and their captive.
Before too long, the rats nest of a shanty town surrounded them. Xing Lei donned his makeshift pirates outfit and slunk along, the young woman was fighting her escorts now much to the enjoyment of the thugs and brigands that lined the streets in the numerous taverns and brothels. Al-Hasan'Drel and Lady Cobra paid these sailors little mind, they focused more on guiding their captive towards the docks. Xing Lei glanced ahead noting there was many ships in port, far more than originally seen when first he hitched a ride on the high captains new ship. Something was going down here and it was going to be big.
The pantherfolk and snake woman lead their charge into a large building but from the increased guards, following them was not going to happen. Rather Xing Lei moved to the other side of the building where a line of odd individuals stood, many were finely dressed, nobles or their representatives, others wore insignias of various organizations. His eyes narrowed as he considered the large building, could it be...?
Smiling wide, the kobold shucked his disguise and appeared in the line, his simple robe had its hood up hiding his identity as he calmly waited his turn. Slowly the line moved ahead, each group being admitted in turn before Xing Lei approached the door, Captain Handover glared down at the robed midget, "Invitation?"
Xing Lei shook his head, tossing a pouch of coin to the traitorous man. Glancing inside he cast a furative gaze around before waving Xing Lei in after handing him a simple card. Xing Lei had seen similar given to the ones in front, though there were differences. Certain groups received a black card with the pirate motiff, these were likely esteemed peers who Blackheart was giving special treatment. Next was a black card with a gold ridge, from what he had seen these groups were influential powers.
In the middle there was the card he held, the crimson card. Most others he'd seen with this card were the wealthy ones, secret buyers and merchants, young nobles with all too much cash. The other two cards was yellow which seemed to belong to some of their more wealth heavy crew and last the white card, only a few of these had been seen, likely those sailors that squirreled away money and hoped to luck out. Shaking his head Xing Lei slipped into the passage which predictably sloped down into the bowels of the cove, if this was truly an auction it stood to reason even the above ground warehouse would be too small to seat these influential participants properly.
Entering an underground amphitheatre he looked around, looking much like the ruins of some ancient arena various levels of viewing boxes circled an open platform, various sailors and officers sat in the open seating closest to the stage where as his red card saw him escorted to the lowest tier booth, unlike the higher booths the red level ones were only semi private, comfortable to be sure but there was no mirrored glass or concealment illusions to protect the occupants identity. This didn't bother him overly much, sitting himself in the lone comfortable chair and being served a mug of spiced ale, a platter of cured meats were on hand to enjoy while the other participants were seated.
Time slowly crawled on and after an hour a well dressed orc strode from the lone entry to the viewing platform. Walking with measured steps the orc looked around at his pirates in the low seats then to the ones in the booths, clearing his throat he smiled, "I welcome you to the third holding of the Black Sea Market. We are most regretful for the delay in starting to our esteemed guests, some of the stock has been unruly and tried to stage an escape. Rest assured, they have been restrained, unharmed and ready to be ransomed accordingly. For some this is your first visit to my domain so here's the rules."
"First off, the only thing we take is precious metal coins. Platinum, Electrum, Gold, Silver and to a lesser extent Copper. Certain lee way can be made for precious stones and materials. We don't take trade. If there's something you want auctioned, fuck off. Ya should have registered it weeks ago."
"Secondly, once your gold changes hands all sales are out of my boys hands. We're not lending you cuffs, shackles, chains or cages. Likewise for transportation, anything left behind will likely be re claimed by the boys."
"Third, this is my port. Any you snobby pricks get it into your head to throw your influence around I'll throw ya to the sharks. Anyone can bid, highest bidder wins. You want to rob and steal from each other after, that's on you lot just don't open fire in my port. You try that shit in port don't complain if my crew takes any opportunity for themselves."
"Lastly, my word is law here. Respect it and we'll do business all civilized like, piss on my boots and I'll gut the lot of ye, now ladies, get this shit started yer costing me money!"
Laughing the orc turned and walked off as a lovely elf in a long slender and somewhat risque gown stepped out. Her boots clicked with every step across the wooden platform, to Xing Lei who had seen a fair share of elves he had to admit she was a beauty. Thin and seductive in poise despite the silver collar around her graceful throat. Waving her delicate hands her lyrical voice lifted out over the cat calls from the seating below, "Our first lot provided by the illustrious High Captain Blackheart is the first of five mundane lots..."
Tuning her out at this point Xing Lei looked around the other crimson level booths with curiosity, while there was some five black card participants there were only two pirate invite occupants. Amongst the red cards there was some dozen, mostly humans though Xing Lei was rather surprised to see in one booth a Redscale Lizardman. This individual was escorted by no less than six similar guards and seemed intent on bidding for anything. As he focused on studying this Lizardfolk a soft knock came to his door, before he could speak a slender woman entered and bowed softly.
Lady Cobra lowered her face and spoke softly, "My Master bids welcome to the other representative of the Heavenly Rose. If sir is interested, High Captain Blackheart would like a word with the illustrious Kobolicus if he would deem our Master with his company."
Sighing Xing Lei glanced to the auction, the first lot, a pile of fine dwarven blades had been purchased for some thousand silver by the Redscale representative, the next lot was a similar crate of elvish bows. Seeing nothing yet of note Xing Lei turned and lowered his hood, rising from his chair to join Lady Cobra, "Interesting, how long have you all known I was here?"
Rising and turning to lead him from his booth, her hand hovered over the handle, "Since you stowed away on our Masters new ship, we lost track of you for a time but then earlier today Al-Hasan'drel caught your scent as you tailed us. It surprised our Master that you so readily paid to access the auction thus he wishes to invoke the right of parley with such a worldly adversary."
Following her out, other guest gaped watching a kobold leave one of the red card boxes, the Redscale representative in particular nearly cracked the arms off his chair as he saw a kobold sharing a similar state of renown as himself. His reddish orange eyes narrowed even further when he saw the kobold had grayish black scales and was about to order his guards into action before remembering where he was. Gritting his teeth two plumes of smoke erupted from his nostrils as he sat back down and fumed.
Glancing their way Lady Cobra snickered softly, "It seems m'lord Kobolicus is not well loved by the brood of Texicalimar, did your great one enter conflict with theirs?"
Xing Lei smiled and shrugged, "No clue, I don't have a great one. I think it more likely he's jealous I'm being escorted to a better booth in the company of a lovely yuan-ti."
Lady Cobra covered her mouth and laughed softly, "Lord Kobolicus is such a jester, all reptilians serve a great one or another, it is only the insane or outcast that do not."
Xing Lei shrugged, "Then guess I'm a crazy outcast then. Still being escorted by a lovely yuan-ti."
Lady Cobra laughed, "Shameless, but enough we are here now." Bowing before a booth she lifted the thick curtain motioning for Xing Lei to enter. Wasting no time the kobold slipped inside and looked around with interest. High Captain Blackheart sat on a raised dais, his throne a monstrosity of gold and silver, over laid with silks and plush hides. The orc was watching the auction with amusement. Behind him stood the pantherfolk, Al-Hasan'Drel, the cat man looked Xing Leis way and his muzzle raised in a silent but toothy snarl.
Seeing his guard I'll at ease the orc turned to regard the kobold stepping aside to let Lady Cobra in, unlike the pantherfolk she moved beside the orcs throne and knelt on a simple plush cushion by his feet. "So you're the one that fool Handover couldn't produce to me, Kobolicus, an arena master turned monk doing the work of busy bodies and whores. If ye wanted work so bad I'd have paid through the nose to get ye on board my crew. Especially seeing what ye did to Maude and her captain."
Xing Lei glanced around and plopped his scaled butt onto a stool nearby, both panther folk and yuan-ti grew a bit dissatisfied with the casual disregard for their captain. "So it's going to be like that hey? Alright to business. You're here for Calissa right? Whelp I have good news and bad news for you."
Blackheart stretched in his chair and chuckled, "Good news Calissa ain't here, we sent her back a week ago. There's no need of ye busting up my port looking for her."
"The bad news is she traded her own freedom for your own."