Printing presses were rare in Old Rose Harbor. Few of the denizens of the harbor town could read, and many would avoid doing so if they could. However, there was one language everyone understood very well.

The crude woodcut of Briny Joe Billows' face had been pasted up all over town. Underneath his portrait, there was a number. Fifteen hundred birds! It was more money than most of the citizens had seen in a whole lifetime. For one man.

Overnight, Old Rose was turned inside out. Many businesses were closed, because the owners were out searching for the missing pirate captain. There seemed to be little talk of anything else.

It seemed that Angel had some competition...

"By the gods in high heavens! Those thrice cursed sons of a banders! How dare they do this to me!?" A high shriek pierced the air as Angel feverishly ripped apart several wanted posters. How was she supposed to find the old salt with all of Old Rose looking for him? Information was hard to come be before there was a clocking reward on his head.

((Edited: Maybe I'll just find a new day to jump in on. ))

Vik rubbed his sore shoulders from the long night of hammering the previous evening. He'd returned from a curiously long stay in Vienda, much of which he had trouble remembering. He recalled a fire but couldn't recall much after that, he'd awaken in an alley covered in soot.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts, that didn't matter. He was home now, he'd worked most of the night to catch up on his orders. A brisk morning walk to the baker's for some freshly baked bread had already raised his spirits.

Rounding a corner Vik noticed a poster on a nearby red brick wall. Wanted posters always caught his interest, he'd even collected a few that had amused him or were of particular interest. This was one of the latter. Fifteen Hundred Birds, that was extremely interesting. His problems with Ue's debt would be over and done.

Vik didn't remember seeing Mr. Billows' face before but he had a very convincing reason to start. He just hoped "Parrots" weren't involved.