The Wreck of the Onphanion

                                                 Part 1:  Recruitment

     Hearport Harbor had a bustling port, a bit too busy for Hanks tastes. He made his way deftly through the crowd, past the hucksters trying to sell things he would never need, use, or want, past the perfume saleswoman selling to those that didn't like the smell of the ocean or the smells of a city with a grossly inadequate sewer system, past the pickpocket thwarted by the magical ward Hank had on his pockets, and past the beggar that didn't know what to make of Hanks otherworldly clothes so just assumed he was wealthy. Hank hated this assignment, he viewed it as nothing more than a simple errand in the guise of a training mission and the sooner he got this done the sooner he could leave. He had made his way down to the docks now, a different kind of bustle was here, the throngs of people had been replaced by a smaller number of larger men, all busily hauling goods from ship to warehouse and vice versa, most people knew where they were going and knew to stay out of the way of the haulers who couldn't watch where they were going. A throng of people gathering around the furthest pier told Hank where he needed to go. A simple translocation spell instantly moved Hank to the front of a building near his destination and he started walking towards the back of the crowd ignoring the gasps and mutters of 'wizard' that witnesses to his spell let out. Which brought Hank to his next obstacle, the crowd its self. Hank had been to over a dozen worlds and had yet to encounter one where a man walking on water wouldn't draw some attention, this would solve his second problem and allow him to simply walk around the crowd and probably get the attention of the person he was looking for. There it was, at the end of the pier floating in the water, what he was looking for. It was a small floating shop tall and wide so that it fit right up against the dock and so the shoppers and shopkeeper were at the same height, made with enchanted wood and filled to the brim with every manner of good that the proprietress could fit in it. She noticed Hank instantly, she had long light blue hair, with deep blue eyes that could cause a sailor to dive overboard as easily as she could spot a good deal. She wore a pearl necklace that descended into her cleavage, and a low-cut top made from large fish scales that shimmered in the sunlight and blended in with the dark blue scales on her tail.

     "Well hello there," she said looking right at Hank. "It's generally considered poor form to cut in line." A grumbling of agreement rose up from the crowd at her comment.

     "I'm not interested in buying any goods." Hank replied cutting to the chase. "What I seek is information on where I can find the wreckage of a ship called the Onphanion."

     "I don't know what that is."

     Hank pulled a broach out of his pocket and tossed it to her. "You're the mermaid merchant that sold this correct?"

     She looked it over carefully. "Who wants to know?"

     "Me."

     "You?"

     "Yes me," Hank said conjuring a small coin purse into his hand and dropping it on the counter with a loud THUNK. "100 gold coins for detailed directions to the shipwreck you pulled that broach out of."

     She'd been a merchant long enough to know when a coin purse was enchanted to hold more than it's size would allow. She had also been a merchant long enough to know that somebody who could conjure one with a flick of his wrist was not somebody that you messed around with. "Well I don't remember exactly where it was, but..."

     "Could you bring me there?"

     "Well I could but the Sahuagins have claimed those waters now, it's far too dangerous to go without half a navy at your side."

     "I'll guarantee your safety," Hank said. "To the shipwreck and then back to your home or wherever."

     "First rule of being a merchant is, 'no amount of gold is worth your life'."

     "I'm a very powerful wizard, Sahuagins in any number don't concern me."

      A chuckle arose from the crowd. "Never fought Sahuagins before have you kid?" "He just wants to get the mermaid alone." "We all do." The chuckling rose to laughter.

      Hank cast a spell on himself to cause fear in anybody that he looked at. Not a powerful spell just enough to quickly disperse a crowd. "I DON'T RECALL ASKING FOR ANY OF YOUR OPINIONS!" Hank turned towards the crowd using the spell along with his steely gaze to make the crowd want to find someplace else to be.

     "Hey come back," she hollered after the dispersing crowd. When her pleas to return went unheeded she turned back to Hank. "You ass."

     "Apologies, I don't tolerate idiots very well." Hank sighed thinking fast, until he noticed something in her stall. He reached out and grabbed it and held it up to her hair. "You sell your hair."

     "Mermaid hair is highly prized among surface dwelling tailors for it's qualities. And there are far less savory ways to make money off of your body."

     "100 gold coins and a spell that will let you grow this much hair in a day." Hank could see it in her eyes, she was already trying to figure out how much she could make off her accelerated hair growth. "It's not like you don't have access to a wizard."

     "What makes you say that?"

     "The enchantment on your necklace. What's that worth an extra five, maybe ten percent on your prices?"

     "Forty," she said sheepishly. "It's not my fault they're all a bunch of perverts that can't take their eyes off my chest. OK first we go and drop of my shop, then IF and only if my wizard friend says that the spell works as you say it does, I will show you where the shipwreck I found the broach in is. If whatever you're looking for in there isn't there that's your problem." She extended her hand. "What are you looking for anyway?"

     Hank took her hand, shook it and ignored her question. "My names Hank."

     "Merlisa." She said with a smile. "And you're hauling my shop."

     Well that's part 1 of 3 or 4, let me know what you think about it so far with comments.