Ryder glazed over momentarily at the blasé response. Errrr Atur? Why what have the Emerald Claw and the Blood of Vol got to do with anything? We can get there if this storm front subsided but the Vagabond isnt fully operational, it’ll take us longer than normal to get there
Conspiracies within conspiracies friend Captain. Enemies on every front ready to jump from the shadows. They cavort with demons and the undead alike and seek to bring ruin to our world.
The storm should abate soon. We have been told the magic binding us here is weakening. Is there anything we can do to help with the ship?
Thank you for the offer but Chief says that she is as repaired as she is going to be until we get some time in dry dock. Let’s get aboard then so when the storm subsides we can be on our way. It takes an hour or so for the survivors to break camp and load the remaining supplies into the ship. As the sun sets you notice that the perpetual storm obscuring the horizon lessens and peters out leaving only clear skies and the first twinkling of stars. It would seem that the magic has ended, along with the final chapter in the immortal pirate queens legend. You set sail north by north west towards the continent. You see Ryder at the aft-castle slowly emptying a bottle of rum over the back of the Vagabond, paying his respects to his founding Queen.
Eoni takes off her little pirate hat out of respect to the dead queen, before swigging an entire bottle of rum and heading off to the nearest bunk to sleep it off.
A few days pass and the ocean is replaced with the rocky shore line of Q’Barra. In the distance you can see Pterasaurs drifting on hot vents of air scanning the ground for prey.
Diomedes emerges from the cabin into the sunlight, looking weary from his magical exertions. He looks over the side at the landscape.
Ah, Q'barra! What a wild and untamed land. Dinosaurs and lizardfolk and such, how exciting. I am yet to meet someone from Q'barra. They tended to take care of their own during The Last War, our clinics did not have any of them as patients.
Draskan! You are Q'barran? Goodness, my apologies. We have all been so busy since we first banded together and I now realise I know next to nothing about you. Any of you really. How rude of me.
What of your family? Are they still in Q'barra? Would you want to visit?
You finally noticed then? I thought given I’m a 7 foot dragon may have been a clue.
As for my family, I have none of my own so to speak. My parents and siblings have probably disowned me for leaving as I did. I have my reasons for leaving and as such, for me, now is not the time to go back.
Are you sure? Should we fail, your family... Forgive me, you know your own mind.
Besides, you have us! The Goddess has seen fit to bring us all together and I for one could not be happier. I shudder at the thought of having to face this shadowy cabal with your maul, rapier, pistols and magic at my side. And claws!
You must tell me friend Rollo; your claws do not give off the same faint thrum of magical energy as when m'lady Eoni manifests hers. I am most curious, have you always been able to shape your body so?
Rollo, sitting to one side with halfling joint on the go, looks up from underneath his large brimmed hat, his eyes give off the faintest red glow in a flash before disappearing..
You are right my friend, it’s no magic. It is a gift given to those worthy in the Order of the Lycan. When those of us blood hunters are deemed to be...proficient at our work, we are given certain special abilities. In my case the Order of the Lycan was my choice. It is a gift that is treasured and only used when needed, as it has been known to corrupt its uses that misuse such powers.
Goodness me. That is fascinating. Is your line of work a popular one in your homeland? The family business perhaps? The halflings of House Jorasco are many, but the ones I knew were all tinkerers, tradesmen and doctors. Very learned, the Jorasco folk.
No my friend. I am considered an outcast. I know no family. I was taken in by the blood hunters as a child after my birth. They sense the powers in a newborn and take them to be trained in their ways.
I hope that they treated you well during your training. Regardless, Draskan and I are both without family, whether through birth or circumstance. The Lady of Hearth and Home helps us find community and kinship in the strangest of places sometimes. I will have to thank Germaine someday. I do not believe she knows the gift she has given me.
And what of Eoni? What of Leowin? I am almost afraid to ask, as it seems we have all suffered many hardships before those that currently beset us.
Hardships make you stronger though ...or at least that’s what I was told over and over.Eoni then coughs nervously, I was raised as an orphan in a temple who worshipped The Dark Six ...The Traveller to be specific. They were not good people and sought to use my gifts for their own gain and had no mercy for those that opposed their beliefs.
Eoni slowly turns into an old woman, her tale ageing her,I was subjected to unimaginable tortures if I did not do their bidding, which gave way to people calling me mad or some such. I escaped the cult and I’ve been on the run ever since. Every time I have begun to settle, I have been accused of worshipping The Dark Six, being a witch or some other evil being and I have had to leave or face being killed. I settled in Sharn, hoping a big city would help me hide away and go about my business in the shadows...
Eoni sighs, rolling her eyes and in the blink of an eye transforms back to her usual self, a mischievous look on her face, But clearly that didn’t work out, else I wouldn’t be here with you lot would I?
The wheels of fate move in mysterious ways m'lady. Your life shaped by The Traveller, mine by Boldrei. And both with a hand in the destiny of Captain Lhazaar.
Did the cult find you again? You know, we can protect you. Either ourselves or by entreating House Jorasco. Their reach extends far and through cunning artifice I am sure they could cloak your presence from prying eyes. You would be most impressed, they are really something.
Sadly, no matter how hard we try, works carried out in the shadows will eventually spill into the light. I'm sure Leowin could attest to that.
Eoni shakes her head, Not yet they haven’t, being a skinshifter has its perks y’know? But one day they will find me, I have no doubt in that and what awaits me when they do is something I don’t like to dwell on... so might as well enjoy myself and make merry wherever it might be had!
She smirks at Diomedes, the little pirate hat reappearing on her head so as to make a point.
A fine sentiment m'lady. Who knows how much time we really have.
And what of our nimblest companion? It would be positively uncouth of me not to ask fair Leowin about his family. I know you a part elven, but I confess I do not know which part!
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Ryder glazed over momentarily at the blasé response. Errrr Atur? Why what have the Emerald Claw and the Blood of Vol got to do with anything? We can get there if this storm front subsided but the Vagabond isnt fully operational, it’ll take us longer than normal to get there
Conspiracies within conspiracies friend Captain. Enemies on every front ready to jump from the shadows. They cavort with demons and the undead alike and seek to bring ruin to our world.
The storm should abate soon. We have been told the magic binding us here is weakening. Is there anything we can do to help with the ship?
Thank you for the offer but Chief says that she is as repaired as she is going to be until we get some time in dry dock. Let’s get aboard then so when the storm subsides we can be on our way. It takes an hour or so for the survivors to break camp and load the remaining supplies into the ship. As the sun sets you notice that the perpetual storm obscuring the horizon lessens and peters out leaving only clear skies and the first twinkling of stars. It would seem that the magic has ended, along with the final chapter in the immortal pirate queens legend. You set sail north by north west towards the continent. You see Ryder at the aft-castle slowly emptying a bottle of rum over the back of the Vagabond, paying his respects to his founding Queen.
Diomedes offers up a prayer to Boldrei to accompany the rum pouring, thanking her for her mercy and foresight.
He spends some time helping the crew get the journey started then finds a quiet cabin inside to work some magic
Eoni takes off her little pirate hat out of respect to the dead queen, before swigging an entire bottle of rum and heading off to the nearest bunk to sleep it off.
A few days pass and the ocean is replaced with the rocky shore line of Q’Barra. In the distance you can see Pterasaurs drifting on hot vents of air scanning the ground for prey.
Diomedes emerges from the cabin into the sunlight, looking weary from his magical exertions. He looks over the side at the landscape.
Ah, Q'barra! What a wild and untamed land. Dinosaurs and lizardfolk and such, how exciting. I am yet to meet someone from Q'barra. They tended to take care of their own during The Last War, our clinics did not have any of them as patients.
Ryder looks over at Draskan with a confused look. So you never needed to heal your Q’Barran friend here eh Diomedes? He must be quite the fighter
Draskan! You are Q'barran? Goodness, my apologies. We have all been so busy since we first banded together and I now realise I know next to nothing about you. Any of you really. How rude of me.
What of your family? Are they still in Q'barra? Would you want to visit?
You finally noticed then? I thought given I’m a 7 foot dragon may have been a clue.
As for my family, I have none of my own so to speak. My parents and siblings have probably disowned me for leaving as I did. I have my reasons for leaving and as such, for me, now is not the time to go back.
Are you sure? Should we fail, your family... Forgive me, you know your own mind.
Besides, you have us! The Goddess has seen fit to bring us all together and I for one could not be happier. I shudder at the thought of having to face this shadowy cabal with your maul, rapier, pistols and magic at my side. And claws!
You must tell me friend Rollo; your claws do not give off the same faint thrum of magical energy as when m'lady Eoni manifests hers. I am most curious, have you always been able to shape your body so?
Heh, m’lady... Eoni repeats under a murmur, chuckling to herself and looking quite pleased at being called such.
Rollo, sitting to one side with halfling joint on the go, looks up from underneath his large brimmed hat, his eyes give off the faintest red glow in a flash before disappearing..
You are right my friend, it’s no magic. It is a gift given to those worthy in the Order of the Lycan. When those of us blood hunters are deemed to be...proficient at our work, we are given certain special abilities. In my case the Order of the Lycan was my choice. It is a gift that is treasured and only used when needed, as it has been known to corrupt its uses that misuse such powers.
Goodness me. That is fascinating. Is your line of work a popular one in your homeland? The family business perhaps? The halflings of House Jorasco are many, but the ones I knew were all tinkerers, tradesmen and doctors. Very learned, the Jorasco folk.
No my friend. I am considered an outcast. I know no family. I was taken in by the blood hunters as a child after my birth. They sense the powers in a newborn and take them to be trained in their ways.
I hope that they treated you well during your training. Regardless, Draskan and I are both without family, whether through birth or circumstance. The Lady of Hearth and Home helps us find community and kinship in the strangest of places sometimes. I will have to thank Germaine someday. I do not believe she knows the gift she has given me.
And what of Eoni? What of Leowin? I am almost afraid to ask, as it seems we have all suffered many hardships before those that currently beset us.
Hardships make you stronger though ...or at least that’s what I was told over and over. Eoni then coughs nervously, I was raised as an orphan in a temple who worshipped The Dark Six ...The Traveller to be specific. They were not good people and sought to use my gifts for their own gain and had no mercy for those that opposed their beliefs.
Eoni slowly turns into an old woman, her tale ageing her, I was subjected to unimaginable tortures if I did not do their bidding, which gave way to people calling me mad or some such. I escaped the cult and I’ve been on the run ever since. Every time I have begun to settle, I have been accused of worshipping The Dark Six, being a witch or some other evil being and I have had to leave or face being killed. I settled in Sharn, hoping a big city would help me hide away and go about my business in the shadows...
Eoni sighs, rolling her eyes and in the blink of an eye transforms back to her usual self, a mischievous look on her face, But clearly that didn’t work out, else I wouldn’t be here with you lot would I?
The wheels of fate move in mysterious ways m'lady. Your life shaped by The Traveller, mine by Boldrei. And both with a hand in the destiny of Captain Lhazaar.
Did the cult find you again? You know, we can protect you. Either ourselves or by entreating House Jorasco. Their reach extends far and through cunning artifice I am sure they could cloak your presence from prying eyes. You would be most impressed, they are really something.
Sadly, no matter how hard we try, works carried out in the shadows will eventually spill into the light. I'm sure Leowin could attest to that.
Eoni shakes her head, Not yet they haven’t, being a skinshifter has its perks y’know? But one day they will find me, I have no doubt in that and what awaits me when they do is something I don’t like to dwell on... so might as well enjoy myself and make merry wherever it might be had!
She smirks at Diomedes, the little pirate hat reappearing on her head so as to make a point.
A fine sentiment m'lady. Who knows how much time we really have.
And what of our nimblest companion? It would be positively uncouth of me not to ask fair Leowin about his family. I know you a part elven, but I confess I do not know which part!