Zola and Scram up from strange dream-filled sleep, accompanied now by Zola’s weasel familiar, Stilton. They sneak out the window and towards the docks of Paddlewick. On the docks, the group is almost immediately caught by arriving members of the Imperial army, the Golden Fist, but Scram thinks quickly and disguises himself as their guard friend, Gio.

They head to the tower dockmaster, Porty Orell, and employ his help in finding a vessel to take them out of Paddlewick. Scram also plants some lukewarm seeds about a serial imposter in town, hoping it’ll keep Zola’s father out of any hot water after Scram’s potion shop spree disguised as the farmer.

Zola and Scram are sent towards the Feral Free, a small ship headed towards the capital city, Auraelia. At the boat, the two overhear a back and forth between the captain of the boat, Captain Styx, and a man who’s chartered her ship, Dare Boucher. Dare Boucher is furious that they haven’t been taken further south yet, worrying they’ll miss the impending charcuterie festival happening in the capital in just a few weeks.

Captain Styx easily woos Boucher with kindness and coffee, sending him off to retrieve his things. That’s when she spots Zola. (Alone, since Scram has scampered off to collect Gio and Miranda’s promised farewell lasagna. Every episode needs a B plot!)

Zola speaks with Captain Styx, pledging her physical strength and Scram’s… many talents to the ship if she’ll provide them with further passage south. The two strike a deal, and Scram arrives just in time to hop on the ship as Captain Styx pulls away from the dock— without her charter, Dare Boucher. His running dive for the ship flops, dumping him into the sparkling blue Mare Emara, and then they are off on the open sea.

Once there, Captain Fiddle Styx reveals herself to be a yellow tiefling, a cunning pirate of fiendish heritage. This prompts Scram to drop his open disguise, realizing they’re fellow social outcasts, and Captain Styx remarks in her thick brogue: “This should be interesting.”