Heroes of Mystara - Chapter 11
by Jesper AndersenPearls for the merchant prince
The party learned that they had made their way to the village of Mauiputaaka on the west coast of Utter Island. They stayed at the Singing Mermaid for two days to rest and recover their strength.
The Singing Mermaid was named after the mermaid diva Laspeera, who entertained with her song in the evenings. During the daytime she lived in a water filled cave beneath the inn, which connected to the sea via a tunnel. In the evening, the stunningly beautiful sea creature came up into the inn via a pool in the middle of the centre room and sat on a rock in the water and sang her songs. The others were surprised to see that even Whitemane shed a tear during her act but the stubborn old dwarf insisted that he had simply had too much spice on his poi - the traditional pounded paste of the taro root of every Ierendi supper.
The next day Eveil and Wulfgar went looking for a ship in the harbour to take them to Ierendi's main island. Unfortunately, the only ship going in that direction within the next week was the Moon - a small Minrothad sailing ship owned by the elven merchant prince Ravos Calanthar. To get passage onboard his ship to Ierendi, he wanted them to follow an old treasure map, he had come by, showing the location of the treasure of the wizard-pirate Dardreth somewhere in the jungles of Utter Island.
The party were free to keep anything they found except the legendary pearls of Dardreth - Ravos wanted those as payment for passage to Ierendi City. The party briefly considered the alternatives before they agreed. They told Thomas, Madame Sorelli, Signor Luigi and the bodyguard to wait for them at the Singing Mermaid, bought rations, packs, rope, torches and other necessities and headed into the jungle.