"The Maul and Bull"
The day saved, Jaquie headed to the rear cabins to attend to the wounded, leaving the party in the front of the train with 3.5 million gold. M noted that the emergency responder had been triggered, and estimated that Sharn's Air Group (SAG) would be here in just under an hour. After much deliberation, the group decided what to do. Three of them (Tiz, M, and Parg) would stay behind, and explain what happened (minus the fact that half of the group had taken the airship and some of the gold, about 1%) while the other three (Kiiba, Rhonne, and Hessth would head to Wroat to get a crew and then meet back up with them in Sharn.
Group 2 boarded the airship, taking the donkeys and the cart, along with 28 gold bars into the storage area, and directed the ship to Wroat. The journey was short, and when they arrived Hessth had some difficulty landing the ship, as he was unable to suppress the elemental. The dock-hands called an off duty pilot from his drinking and the unhappy captain docked their ship. Chronicle in hand, Hessth set off with Kiiba to interview the crew. They first visited Ari, finding his flamboyance and going rate to be a bit to much. They then visited Falko, who was loosing himself in some liquor at a bar. After a brief interview, Falko revealed himself to be a skilled, and more importantly, cheap pilot, before heading upstairs to pass out. Kiiba and Hessth discussed it briefly, and returned to the bar to acquire his services.
Group 1 waited for the SAG to arrive, allowing themselves to be restrained and taken aboard the flagship for interrogation. Parg did the talking (Tiz was gagged to prevent spellcasting), and managed to convince Admrial Skyreach that three of his team mates had died during the battle, and that the airship had been destroyed. The missing gold was the result of a gnoll that had been stuffing his pockets and took an unlucky stumble off the side and to his death. Skyreach looked the group up and down and, seeming convinced, commended their efforts and offered them a ride to Sharn.
Meanwhile, Hessth and Kiiba headed upstairs to find Falko passed out in his own sick. Sighing, Hessth slung the drunk over his shoulder, heading out to find the rest of his crew. They were directed to a tavern called "The Crash and Burn," and quickly found themselves surrounded by a good thirty deckhands, all looking for work. From the rabble picked a hobgoblin named Rukk out of the group, mostly because he was the most intimidating of the group. The three headed back to the airship tower, where Hessth hired a pair of dwarven crewmembers, instructing them to train Rukk.
Both dwarves worked extra hard, fearful of being fired, while Rukk picked his teeth and scrubbed occasionally. Regardless, Hessth agreed to hire all three hands, and to pay them 3 silver a week. After a few hours, Falko had flown them to Sharn, where the crew disembarked and the party reformed. Rukk took Tiz and Kiiba to a "legally ambiguous" merchant so they could unload their ill-gotten-gains, while Hessth, M, and Parg headed to speak with Gray Ironsides.
Tiz and Kiiba were led into the underbelly of Sharn, to a small dank room with an ancient and blind hobgoblin, who instructed them to leave the gold on the table and come back in 2 hours. They returned to find the gold still on the table, but four huge bags of coin on the floor. Seizing the opportunity, the old hob showed them his wares, selling Kiiba a well stitched pair of Gloves of Dexterity.
M explained what had happened involving the Emerald Claw and possible Vol agents in Xandrar to Ironsides, who took the news well, screaming in anger only a handful of times in response. M also passed over a sample of the strange powder, and Ironsides assured them he'd look into it personally, telling them he'd contact them in a week.
The party decided to retire to the town for a few days, and enjoy their rest for as long as it might last. They dispersed, each taking care of some business individually. M headed back to his old workshop, and asked to use a table. The foreman showed him to a workspace, where he began construction on his very first Homunculus. Tizish browsed a half-giant's magical wares, picking up a deadly sword. Hessth found himself a dwarven armorsmith, whom he commissioned to make a mithril breastplate. Lastly, Kiiba pulled the tattered slip of ancient paper from his only pocket, "Lt. Reynolds." He had a house call to make.
Rewards: 44,100 gp, 575 XP, The Maul and Bull, Homunculus (M), Gloves of Dexterity +2 (Kiiba), +1 Alchemy Blade (Tiz), Mithril Breastplate (Hessth); Hired crew for the Maul and Bull.