Ramona: Looming Betrayal

We have gotten ourselves a pirate ship.

As these things often do, it comes with its very own untrustworthy pirate captain, a man named Thorson. For the rather exorbitant rate of 30% of our take, he's agreed to take us to the home of the next Aboleth on the Paladins' hit list.

I can only assume that the percentage he asked for was intended to be bargained down, but it was not my voyage, and I don't anticipate our relationship lasting to the point where we have to pay him.

A part of me wonders if his absurd rate is part of his trick. Perhaps he hopes to make his prey think that if he's already receiving such a large percentage, why would he drop them off the side of the ship and take the whole thing?

So far, he's cautious. He doesn't want to do his fighting for himself, and his greed hasn't blinded him to the likely disastrous consequences of trying to kill me on his ship.

But how long will it hold? Even if he intends, now, to honor his deal, will he still plan to when he sees the take he could have all of? And how long will it take before his good sense is overwhelmed by greed, and he makes his move?

I give him a day, if that.

With luck, I'll be able to convince Arcadius of that. If I can, then we can send the earnings back to Stone Keep by teleportation and send some of us back with Thorson. Without the goods staring him in the face, perhaps he will keep his honor.

Or, more likely, he will not. And we shall never have to pay him his ridiculous percentage.