Swamped

As you stand up and gather your bearings, the first thing to catch your eye is the pile of underlings in nets.

That immediately makes you realize that the Lady needs to be similarly restrained, in case she wakes up. You grab another net and approach the muckbeast...

Which roars in an irritated manner. Maybe it thinks you want to catch it. Well, if she wakes up, she'll be right on top of the beast and hopefully it can take care of her.

It does make you realize that whichever thing you focus on will be easier if you have help. You can't see Black, so you start by giving Sunflower a good shake.

"Oof," he mutters. Then he stares at the woman frozen in mid-leap. "I think I missed something important. Did you do that?"

"No. Well, I might have caused it indirectly. I'm worrying about several other things right now, foremost among them where Black is so he can help us with whatever else we prioritize."

Sunflower doesn't say anything and just looks around.

"Oh dear."

You follow him over to the disturbed fish pile. Black is just behind it, getting up... except he's not moving a muscle.

"Same thing that happened to me?" Sunflower asks hopefully.

You shake your head.

"No, I think it's what happened to her." You don't detect any ether, not even time magic.

"I suppose it's just the two of us, then. Unless you can persuade those creatures to help us. Or perhaps you think some of the conspirators would be willing to lend a hand?"

"No, but perhaps you have some idea about something I noticed while restraining them." You lead Sunflower over, and show him the tattoo. "What do you make of this?"

"Well, the symbol's one I've seen on a few intercepted Guild messages. Usually high-level stuff. I thought it was meant to be somewhat secret, but it's just right out there in the open here." Sunflower muses on this. "Although, this lettering is a bit strange. It looks like Kroskan at a glance, but all the letters are just a little bit off, and the word isn't one I recognize. And I've read a lot of Kroskan, I don't mind telling you."

"You sound like you're going somewhere with this," you note.

"Well, I've got familiarity with a lot of the major languages, since people from all over come here. If this is a word I don't recognize, maybe it comes from a smaller place, or an old one that doesn't exist any more. Maybe the symbol does, too. And maybe that's where the Guild originated. But that's just a guess."

Hmm. And if it looks like Kroskan writing, it might be somewhere near there. You vaguely remember a few of the sailors being from a small town near Kroska, and several of them tended to get into fights with Kroskans. But you didn't pay much attention to the details.

"I'm sorry that wasn't more illuminating," Sunflower says. "It's just my best guess."

"No, I think it's a fairly good one. I just don't see much more I can do with it."

"Perhaps it's best we turn our attention to something else, then," Sunflower suggests. "I'd be particularly happy if we could get Black moving again, if you happen to have any thoughts on that."