Maldrek jerks violently in surprise when the woman next him begins speaking.

"Holy Shi-! You talk!" He scrambles to sit up and look at her, eyes wide.

"Uh. Hey. I'm Maldrek Wintermelon, that's my sis, Bree. That's quite the accent you have there,  Miss..Uh..Ya-Yasei? Am I pronouncing that right? Where ya from?" He scratches the back of his head, not really believing that the girl next to him actually spoke.

Bree

Not ready to cramp her brother's style, Bree waves at Yasei but makes her way over to where Clayton and Shariel are coming down off their adrenaline high. "Hey Bacon, introduce me?" Without waiting she goes on, extending her hand to Shariel, "My name's Bree, and you're wicked." Pause. "Fast. Wicked fast." She drops cleanly back into her bubbly persona, "I think you two would make a great couple, except Bacon here has a loving home life we should all be jealous of. What do we think of grim and dark over there?" she points at Edgerin Darkmoon. Obviously. Arm extended. And flowers pop out the end, fluttering to land at Edge's feet, where they dissipate.

OOC > Arcane foci are the best. She would have been hauling out a little bit of wooly sheepskin like ten times already without it.

Clayton taps the knife at his throat and waves, “Yep, name’s Clayton, pleasure to meet you, Ms. Zephyr. If you could remove that knife from my throat, I’d be grateful. Anyway, Mr. Darkmoon seems like a fine enough guy, maybe a little melodramatic. I’m sure Syndra chose some fine folks for this. Like Ms. Zephyr and her knife, which is still uncomfortably near my throat by the way.”

The elf smiles and removes the knife, slipping it back into its sheathe, "Shariel the Zephyr, Foll- er. Yes, just Shariel for now. It's not so much speed as...well, something I don't fully understand yet. It's like I see the first line of trees in a great forest. There's more out there. I just need to find it. As for our friend here," she gives a nudge to Clayton's shoulder, "I'm sure he and I will get along very well, but I wouldn't bank any long-term prospects if he were still an untamed buck. No one can hold the wind for long."

Shariel looks across the room to Edge, "He reminds me of someone from...long ago. Yes," Shariel pauses for a moment, melancholy, "Long ago."

Bree

"Miss Zephyr?! Didn't we know a Miss Zephyr," she glances back at Mal, decides not to bug him. "I'm sure we did, no relation, I'd bet, she was the thin lady, you know, 'so thin a little gust of wind could knock her over?' but she disappeared right after a storm in Brandygulch... or during, more likely... So, you're a... what is it you do, exactly?"

"No we knew a Mrs. Zaphyr. Same name different spelling. A cobbler's wife remember. The Blast Barrel incident with the snakes." Maldrek calls back to Bree.

Bree

"Oh!" her eyes go wide. "Yes, I remember now. We didn't know her long."

With a smile at the whimsy, Shariel steps back to the table for wine while listening, "I am many things to our Lady Syndra. Defender, scout, informant, the list goes on. Sometimes she gets a job with money from a customer, other times she needs a favor anf repays with information."

Yasei to Maldrek: "Yasei.  Yah-say no oh-kito.  I was born in Kyoto, but my father kept his court in Muromachi.  I spent most of my childhood in Muromachi.  One day, I shall return."  Her eyes brighten at the mention of Muromachi, and the hint of a smile appears at the edge of her mouth.  That quickly dissipates, however, and she lowers her head in sorrow and begins to stare intently at the floor.

Bree

"Ohh..." she says slowly. "You sound useful Miss Zephyr."

“Right...” Clayton dusts some confetti off his shoulder and strides over to the gnome, “So, are you gonna teleport a knife to my neck as well? Or should I be expecting something new?”

Bree

Looking around for her glass, she sees it empty by Maldrek. "I should have known," she swats him playfully on the back of the head as she picks it up and returns to where Shariel was filling hers, holding it up.

To Clayton, "No, no, knife tricks are old hat, though Miss Zephyr's a fair hand at it. I like your thingybob though, never seen one before. What do you call it?"

OOC:  Sorry for the delay, I've posted Edge's backstory to the character sheet.  Do you want it on here also?  Will get caught up then post in character soon...

Quote from Mingofaust >>

Bree

Looking around for her glass, she sees it empty by Maldrek. "I should have known," she swats him playfully on the back of the head as she picks it up and returns to where Shariel was filling hers, holding it up.

To Clayton, "No, no, knife tricks are old hat, though Miss Zephyr's a fair hand at it. I like your thingybob though, never seen one before. What do you call it?"

Edge reaches for the flowers just as they dissipate.

"You say your name is Bree?  I knew a Bree once."  Edge pauses at this and offers a silent toast.  He's spent all this time observing the group, occasionally giving a cautious laugh or subconsious smile. 

“That’s actually kind of funny. They knew a Zephyr, you remind Zephyr of someone, and you knew a Bree. It’s like a triangle of nostalgia.”

Bree

The gnome looks at Edge curiously, cocking her head. "You're... more interesting than I expected. Course, you're starting at wooden bludgeoning post, so..." she laughs to take the sting out, and offers him a drink. "All right, Miss Silvane, let me get my brother to fetch our luggage, and I think we'll be ready to go."

After he leaves (OOC > and Shy goes), Bree looks up suddenly, "Oh, bollypops, hey Mal?" and runs out after him.

Edge stops a moment, and you can tell selecting the moniker "Edge" from the given name "Edgerin" may be the single cleverest thing he's ever done.  After thinking it over a bit he responds "I guess so, but it's not the same Bree.  She's taller.  And dead.  So, what's your mark?"  Edge pulls up his sleeve to reveal the tattoo which appeared when he was summoned, a skull with a halo of gemstones.  "Any idea what that is?"

CHAPTER TWO - PORT NYANZARU

CHULT, DR 1493

You appear in a tropical city under the blazing sun. The familiar sounds of a harbor - creaking ropes, slapping waves, heavy barrels rolling across cobblestones - mingle with voices shouting and cursing in an unfamiliar language filled with clicks, inhalations, and singsongy words that make it sound almost musical. The aroma of unfamiliar spices and tropical fruit mixes with the wharfside smells of fish, tar, and canvas.

Beyond all that, Port Nyanzaru is an explosion of color. Buildings are painted in bright shades of blue, green, orange, and salmon pink, or their walls are adorned with murals portraying giant repiles and mythical heroes. Every building sports baskets and clay urns of colorful flowers or is draped in leafy, flowering vines. Minstrels in bright clothing adorned with feathers and shells perform on street corners. Multicolored pennants and sun awnings flutter atop the city walls. A crowd of children dressed in feathered hats and capes races past you, squealing in delighted terror as a street performer costumed as a big-toothed lizard stomps and roars behind them. The whole city seems to be bustling, sweating, laughing, swearing, and singing.

"Welcome to Port Nyanzaru, my friends.." Syndra says. "We are now on the Island of Chult."

The teleportation spell leaves you a bit woozy for a moment, but quickly fades. Weren't you guys just settling in and getting acquainted a moment ago? Syndra doesn't mess around.

As you take a moment and absorb the new environment, Syndra has some information for you all.

"I recommend that you all secure rooms for yourselves at either the Thundering Lizard if you're looking for a raucous time, or Kaya's House of Repose if you'd like a good night's sleep. The choice is yours! (Both inns are located near the Red Bazaar, Area 18.) I, on the other hand, will be staying with my friend here, his name is Wakanga O'tamu. He's one of the seven merchant princes that rule this port. He's one of the nicer ones. I will remain there during your journey. Come see me if you have questions."

THINGS YOU NOTICE:

- Medium and large dinosaurs are used as beasts of burden to haul two-wheeled carts, to hoist heavy loads on cranes, and to tow boats along the canals.
- Dinosaurs compete in weekly races through the streets. These brightly painted racing dinosaurs are fast, vicious, and barely under the rider's control.
- Flowers, green plants, and vines grow everywhere, seeming to spring out of the building stones themselves. The profusion of greenery needs constant tending to prevent roots and shoots from damaging buildings or tile roofs.
- The city's defensive walls and towers are topped with colorful awnings to shield guard from the sun and rain.
- All streets within the city walls are paved with cobblestones or flagstones, and they have deep rain gutters as much as 2 feet wide. Residents of Port Nyanzaru pay little attention to any but the heaviest deluge.
- Tabaxi minstrels wander the streets, performing for anyone who tosses them a few coins.
- Walls divide the city into districts, and the open archways above the streets are painted with murals of dinosaurs, mountains, and mythic heroes.
- Crumbling ancient buildings covered with vines and lichens indicate the city's great age.

PLACES TO VISIT: 

Reference the Map of Port Nyanzaru.

OLD CITY DISTRICT:

1. Beggars' Palaces - Shops
2. Executioner's Run - Dinosaur sport
3. Refuse Pit - Enormous sinkhole

MERCHANTS WARD:

4. Goldenthrone - Meeting palace.
5. Merchant Prince's Villa - Homes of the Princes
6. Grand Souk - Shops
7. Temple of Savras - Temple
8. Temple of Gond - Temple
9. Temple of Sune - Temple
10. Jewel Market - Shops

HARBOR WARD:

11. Royal Docks - Docks
12. Statue - A statue
13. Harbomaster's Office - Office
14. Lighthouse - Nyanzaru's lighthouse
15. Fort Nyanzaru - Harbor
16. Warehouse District - Boat warehouse
17. Dry Dock - For the boats

MARKET WARD:

18. Red Bazaar - Shops
19. Fish Market - Yum
20. Grand Coliseum - Sports
21. Hall of Gold - Temple
22. Public Bathhouse - Bath
23. Dye Works - Dye shop 

“Can’t say I do. Mine was... a bit more extreme. Imagine a good-sized ranch house, fairly spacious. Now, imagine it lined with magical carrier pigeons. Every single one of them had the same message! It took half the day to clean up!”

Clayton realizes they are in a new place, “Huh. You know I expected more build up if I’m gonna be honest.”