<div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Kathyan</div><div class="spoiler_body">It makes sense that Gerdi would be referring to the Council of Alchemists. The Toy-Makers, as they're collouquially known (especially among those that don't believe the rumours of their powers), are known for being rich, and for using their money (and their supposed powers) for protecting their own.<br/>If Gerdi is adding a personal menace, it's subsumed in this one, and not clear from her tone. After all, she is one of the Toy-Makers, as well as rich: that much is quite obvious by the house.</div></div><br/>Less than half an hour later, Ezra and Felice are reunited, and Gerdi leads them out of the house.<strong><br/>"If captain Drago hasn't sailed, you should book a passage to Almada...though still, have a cabin. That said, it wasn't a given that he'd sail to Almada - he has a timber load, and is wondering where it would give him the better returns. Still, you might check...ah, but whatever you do, don't tell him I sent you. We had disagreements over a business deal".</strong><br/>She shakes each of their hands formally, and closes the door.<br/>Almada the magnificent - the city of beautiful gardens, opulent homes and clothes, protected by a desrt invasion by the Weeping Blades order more than its trebuchets - awaits.<br/>But right now, you're on the streets of Skivefarum, in the chill early morning, and snow looks at least likely. It would be a quarter of hour to retrace your steps back to the harbour. And then you'd have to book a last-minute passage on a ship to Almada...which isn't going to be cheap.<br/>Only then could you enjoy the foreign city that your host told you about last night.<br/><br/>On the docks themselves, porters carrying bags and crates that are to be sold South, loading them in the heavily-set, square-rigged knarr "Golden Harvest".<br/>A grim slaver is loading his cargo in a clinker-built, steepsided, flatbottomed kog "Obedient Maiden". The long chain of lean, tall men and women of the North are marching naked or nearly so in the chill weather, under the watchful eyes of a handful of guards...well-clothed, warmed, and armed. Any attempt at escape would end in blood.<br/>Further on the docks, you see three whaling vessels...but those aren't going to go south.<br/>After that, you see a square-rigged hulk ship, named "Sea Spider". Its oars, raised up to dry until they are needed, really give it a resemblance to the arachnid.<br/>There are, doubtlessly, other ships as well. Time is, however, of the essence, and searching too many of them could land you with no transport for today.<br/>Though there's no doubt that Gerdi would accept you for yet another night,you'd risk the next day's winds being unfavourable.