Eight bells at the Gate of Iron Sails
A sky-harbour, a stolen ship, and a debt that has come due at the worst hour.
Setting
The Gate of Iron Sails, a harbour built into a cliff face where the air-ships dock at eight levels of stone quay. Trade law here is enforced by the Harbour Court, which has never lost a case. You are the new quartermaster of a ship whose previous quartermaster left in a hurry and did not settle up.
Main character
- Captain Odile Ferran
Knew about the debt. Did not mention it. Would still walk into fire for the crew.
How it opens
The bell for the eighth hour is still ringing when the Court's clerk comes up the gangplank with a folded writ and an apologetic face.
"Eleven hundred marks," she says, "or the ship, by the twelfth bell. I'm sorry, I know you've only been aboard four days." Behind her, on the quay, two harbour-wardens are already measuring your mooring lines.
A branch can end when
- The debt is settled before the twelfth bell.
- The ship flies out of the Gate with the Court behind it.
- You discover who really ran up the debt, and hand them over.