*
Later that night, after making sure that his ship was firmly anchored for the evening, the disreputable-looking dwarven captain, Dirgen Ocean, met with Hal in his personal cabins. The dwarf was dressed in his full rigmarole, looking more like an actual naval captain rather than a civilian, save for his eye patch. Hal was dressed as he always was, in his ragtag collection of patchwork clothing. His long hair hung limply before his weary face and his shoulders were noticeably slumped.
"Are you ready?" the big man asked nervously but with a strain, his fatigue clearly showing through in his voice.
The dwarf nodded, his one aqua blue eye glittering eagerly in the cabin's dim light. "Ahr, I'm ready. Remember the deal though. The minute this stops being a rigged fight, my men'll swarm your party and toss y'all overboard."
Hal nodded slightly, absently pushing a lock of his hair back behind one ear. "Don't worry, I'll be careful." He glanced out at the night sky and saw the position of the moons in the clear night sky. "Give me a half hour or so to get ready, then come out and just... play along with what I do. Okay?"
The dwarven captain nodded and Hal slipped out of the cabin, making his way over to where the minstrel was playing for the passengers enjoying the evening.
Dirgen watched the big man walk away with a glint in his eye and a sneer on his wide, ugly lips. He reached into one of his pockets and withdrew a shiny, metallic object that he casually slipped over the knuckles of one hand. Then the dwarf smiled. "Ahr. It's not me I'm worried about, oaf." He laughed, slipping the object back into his pocket, and sat down to wait out the half hour.