Welcome to Calimport

"Ahahahaha! Welcome to Calimport, my dear friend." The fat man spread his arms and let out a hearty laugh.

As he laughed, the fat all over his body jiggled up and down, waves of flesh rolling one after another without stopping.

Raymond simply could not imagine how recklessly someone had to gorge himself to eat himself into such a state.

Bernard quickly stepped off the ship and hugged the man, saying apologetically, "Sorry, Chief Aipuke. I ran into some trouble at sea, so I arrived a little later than planned."

"Trouble?" The bald, fat man called Aipuke froze for a moment, then swiftly turned his gaze toward another pirate ship docked at a nearby berth. A look of realization soon crossed his face. "You ran into pirates!"

"Yes. My ship and I were unfortunately targeted by Captain Harlett Bloodhand. But fortunately, it was only a scare. I still managed to deliver this important cargo to you."

As he spoke, Bernard waved for the first mate and several sailors to carry over a huge sealed crate. He then used a crowbar to pry loose several planks, revealing the true cargo inside.

It was a row of steel crossbows used to equip Amn's army, along with specialized armor-piercing bolts of tremendous penetrating power.

The sharp diamond-shaped arrowheads reflected a faint, cold gleam. Just looking at them was enough to make one uneasy.

There was no need to ask. These were unquestionably contraband.

At least openly, Amn's authorities prohibited their export and would never allow them to enter the civilian market.

The reason was simple!

These were not swords, armor, bows, or ordinary arrows.

They were "great weapons of destruction" that only needed a few dozen units and a single volley to wipe out an entire squad of fully armed soldiers.

Moreover, using a heavy crossbow did not require the long training needed for archery.

All one needed was enough strength to draw the string, place a bolt in the groove, aim at the enemy, and pull the trigger.

In fact, in most cities across Faerûn, crossbows were typical contraband. They certainly were not sold openly by merchants and peddlers as they were in games.

The moment Aipuke saw the heavy crossbows and armor-piercing bolts, his eyes lit up. He swiftly took one from the crate, pulled back the string with force, loaded an armor-piercing bolt, aimed at the ship's rail, and pulled the trigger.

Whoosh!

Bang!

The bolt buried itself completely in the wood, piercing straight through the thick, hard plank.

"Excellent! This is exactly what I need. How many did you bring this time?" Aipuke asked bluntly as he placed the heavy crossbow back into the crate.

Without hesitation, Bernard replied, "Five hundred crossbows, ten thousand armor-piercing bolts, and another thirty thousand ordinary arrows. That's enough for you to launch several Guild Wars, or sell them to other cities in Calimshan for a handsome profit."

Satisfaction appeared on Aipuke's fleshy face. "That quantity does sound reassuring. As agreed, I'll pay you a suitably generous reward. But there are too many eyes at the docks right now. The transaction will have to wait until after dark."

"No problem. After dark, money for goods. Also, the ship is carrying a great many specialties from Athkatla to serve as cover, and I need to find buyers at the market. Can I leave the safety of the ships in your hands?" Bernard took the opportunity to make a request.

He had already fallen out with the sailors and did not dare trust them to guard the cargo.

Besides, Calimport's docks had so many thieves it was practically insane. A moment of carelessness, and some of the cargo aboard would mysteriously disappear.

"Fine. I'll send men to watch both ships later. But if I'm not mistaken, that other vessel is not a merchant ship. It's a warship, isn't it?"

Aipuke stared at the pirate ship that had once belonged to Harlett, his gaze full of amusement.

As the leader of a Thieves' Guild, he had always maintained close ties with pirates active around the Nelanther Isles.

After all, when those pirates needed to fence stolen goods or purchase weapons and supplies, they often relied on the Thieves' Guild's channels.

And the leaders of the Thieves' Guild occasionally needed pirates to help eliminate troublesome enemies.

The business between the two sides was extraordinarily close.

But before Bernard could explain, Aipuke saw Harlett, his upper body bound like a dumpling, being escorted up from below deck by a panther.

In an instant!

The bald fat man's mouth fell open in shock. He hurriedly rubbed his eyes, as though he could not believe what he was seeing.

Several seconds passed before he finally asked uncertainly, "You... you defeated and captured Captain Bloodhand?!"

"No, not me. It was Lord Soros," Bernard quickly corrected him.

"Soros? You mean that young Fighter in chainmail?" Aipuke pointed at the soldier standing on the deck not far away.

Bernard gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "Wrong. It was the boy beside him who looked around ten years old."

"What? Are you joking? Captain Bloodhand, who had ruled the seas for so many years, was brought down by a child?"

Aipuke felt as though his entire worldview was collapsing.

"Don't be fooled by Lord Soros's appearance.

He is no child.

He is a cunning, cold, and cruel Necromancer.

I saw with my own eyes how he used Trickery to poison Harlett's pirates in droves, then raised them one by one as Zombies, drowning the enemy alive beneath hundreds of Undead."

As he spoke, the merchant's eyes revealed intense awe.

Unlike most Amnians, who hated and rejected magic.

Bernard had traveled to northern Luskan and Waterdeep in his youth to open trade routes, and had met quite a few Wizards and Sorcerers.

He knew full well what it meant to be able to transform and control so many Undead in such a short time.

What the merchant did not know was that Raymond actually lacked the ability to control more than two hundred Zombies. He had merely used a magical ritual to direct them toward the nearest target.

That was why he had not appeared until the Zombies had nearly been wiped out.

If he had appeared too early, those Undead would most likely have attacked him as well.

"An Undead Mage?" Aipuke's pupils suddenly widened, as though he had realized something. "You mean..."

"Shh! Don't say it! Lord Soros does not like people commenting on his current appearance," Bernard warned in a lowered voice.

"So that's how it is! No wonder you escaped Captain Bloodhand's pursuit unharmed. You were lucky enough to encounter a powerful Undead Mage. It looks like Harlett is going to bleed heavily this time." Aipuke grinned, wearing a gleefully malicious expression.

"More than bleed heavily. He nearly lost his life."

"What do you think about me going over to greet Harlett? He should be very happy to see an old friend like me, right?"

"Perhaps. Look, he's coming this way."

As the two finished their hushed conversation, Raymond finally packed up his belongings. With the panther, the soldier, and his prisoner in tow, he prepared to go ashore.

The long, turbulent life at sea had nearly shaken his brains smooth.

Though he had not gotten seasick, he desperately wanted a truly lavish and delicious meal, followed by some fresh fruit to replenish his vitamins, and finally a good night's sleep in a soft bed that did not sway.

As for everything else, it could wait.