Vasha cast him a sidelong glance, blushing lightly. She looked away, quickly, when he winked. "Work keeps me out of trouble, but if you don't want help..." She shrugged and walked ahead of him, back to her sister. She was antsy, and wanted to get this mission under way.
If it wasn't for Vesra's beauty, Zinshadar would've been mortified at the pure pleasantness which exuded from her. Taking her flower in his hand and with a dubious bow and a fiendish grin, he introduces himself. "I am the Dread Pir...." He looks around quickly. "Er... Captain Zinshadar. And you lot must be Vielara's new toys. Lucky swine. I've been trying to get in those silks for decades. The witch is standoffish, but what can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic for powerful, beautiful women who aren't lacking above or below." His winks at Vesra as his eyesight drifts down her. Pulling in closer, he whispers in her ear, "The only flower I'm truly interested in is your own red blossom."
Withdrawing, he looks around briefly, counting heads. "It looks like you lot are already all accounted for. I'm still waiting for a small shipment of slaves for the journey, but they were supposed to arrive before you were supposed to get here, so they'll probably be here soon." Beginning to make his way up the planks, he requests, "If you would follow behind me with whatever supplies you're bringing, that would be wonderful. Unless the women want to follow in front of me. That would be just as wonderful. Etsio, you bring up the rear." The heavily pierced human curtly nods his head.
With the group and supplies aboard, they find the main deck is sparse, with hammocks tied between the ship's masts. "The hammocks are for you. Me and Etsio are the only living crew on the ship, and even then," he chuckles, "it sometimes doesn't feel like it." The backside of the ship is elevated, with stairs on either side leading up the raised platform, and a door in between the stairs leading to somewhere unknown. Near the bow of the ship, a hatch secured with a bolt leads down to whatever resides below. "Don't go below." Zinshadar warns. "My pets aren't friendly to warm-fleshlings, as Etsio no doubt has learned."
Once aboard the ship, Vasha will toss her small pack under a random hammock, not really claiming it, but just to get rid of the pack. She eyed the crow's nest, resolving to get up there before this leg of the journey was over. She'd relish in having the salty wind in her hair way up there. For now, she leaned over the railing of the ship, looking out upon the water, hoping it wouldn't take long before they got going.
After several failed attempts, Dog-Kayn gives up on trying to remain stationary in a hammock. Instead, he resigns to putting him to sleep under Kayn's own hammock. Finally able to rest, Kayn closes his eyes and tries to shut out the surroundings. The suns were beating down on the goblin, but that never bothered him. Goblins don't burn. It was like a soft warm blanket.
Vesra's eyes widened and her cheeks turned scarlet at the pirate's crude comments. Her mouth opened, but no noise came out as the vampire grabbed her around the waist and pulled her toward him. She looked around for her sister, but the much more intimidating kor twin was too occupied with a man of her own. The druid ended up standing perfectly still until he let go, and taking a deep breath before she followed him up onto the ship. She was certainly not going to walk in front of him.
It was going to be a long ride.
You'll watch out for me, right Ocean? She smiled at the water. Vesra knew that she wasn't going crazy, and she was determined to continue being her kind self to every person and thing she encountered. It had gotten her this far, after all. I believe in you.
Vesra joined her sister at the railing of the ship. "I'm not a big fan of the Captain," she signed, hoping said captain did not know kor sign. "Can we sleep in the same hammock tonight?"
Of course, Vasha signed back. What happened? Did he hurt you? I'll kill him. She turned and looked at the captain, scowling. She thought about what could happen if they angered the captain, or Vielara, and she sighed. Of course we can share a hammock. She wrapped an arm around her sister. Don't worry, Flower. I won't leave you alone with him. She looked up at the crow's nest sadly, realizing she wouldn't be going up after all.
No, of course not, Vesra shook her head. If he had tried, I would have burned his fingers off. He just gives me a bad vibe. She sighed. If her sister had been there, she was certain that Vasha would have done something in retaliation. If news had gotten back to Vielara of that... That was almost as scary a thought as being touched by the Captain again. It was for the best that she left off exactly what he had said.
You don't have to be at my side every second, Vashie, the druid signed, noting her sister's longing glancing at the crow's nest. I just don't want to sleep alone. Maybe I could even climb up with you?
Ato took note as the captain arrived, and Kayn, riding the huge human. He merely shook his head, almost to the point already that nothing the goblin mage did surprised him. The vampire certainly appeared as imposing and competent as most of his kind. Rising to his feet, he joined the procession up and onto the ship, ignoring the sexual wordplay between Vesra and the captain. Did these kor women have no shame?
He placed his own gear beneath one of the hammocks and made mental notes of the ship's layout. The bolted hatch was interesting, to be sure. No doubt there were more than just the null below decks, but he was quite confident he wasnt going to be taking the risk to find out what. As the party dispersed about the deck, Ato went up into the bow and watched the waves. Sea travel was a boring affair more often than not, but he was patient. Life would get interesting, and much more dangerous, soon enough.
It didn't take long for the slaves to arrive. Within a half hour of boarding the ship and getting themselves acquainted, a row of seven human slaves, chained together at the necks and wearing dirty rags, shuffles onto the deck. Zinshadar smiles widely, putting his arm around the merfolk slave dealer leading them on board: a man Ato recognizes as Keda Monsol, a criminal and prestigious member throughout all of Zendikar's underbelly. Across the merfolk's face is tattooed a fiendish smile, with rows of sharp teeth and flames seeming to seep out of them. They discuss something in private in a language the group doesn't recognize, their speech filled with guttural noises and the sounds of wind cutting through a narrow passage.
Seeming to come to some arrangement, the slave dealer smiles widely, revealing filed down teeth of his own, as he offers a firm handshake to Zinshadar before handing the chain off to him and leaving the boat. He doesn't seem to take note in the group as he leaves. "Ah!" Zinshadar cries out with a smile. "What a man. Knows right how to get to my heart everytime." Yanking the chain, he commands Etsio to open the latch leading below, an order Etsio quickly obeys. As the metal bolt slides through the latch, you can hear the unearthly screams of nulls beneath, as if in anticipation for a meal. One of the slaves cries out in fear, though the sound seems to be muffled or not fully developed. In Vampire, Zinshadar shouts out at the nulls as he leads the slaves down through the hatch, "These aren't for you! You'll get your fill eventually." They disappear for about two minutes, and Zinshadar returns topside onto the deck, fastening the hatch leading below.
"Now, let's get sailing!" he calls out, and both him and Etsio spring into action, getting things above ready. Looking over the railing along the side of the ship, the group sees about twenty long oars, ten on each side, protrude out of narrow sockets fastened into the side of the boat. Within minutes, the oars begin to row, causing the ship to leave port and sail into the open waters. Off in the distance, to the west, you see two small mountain ranges, and a gap between the two of them: your destination.
Once they were finally on their way, Vasha straightened up. She quickly glanced up at the crow's nest, then signed to her sister. I'm going up, if you want to join me. Then we can nap later, if you wish. Then she was off, swiftly up the mast, into the crow's nest. Once up, she stretched, finally finding somewhere she felt comfortable, up in the air. The view was spectacular, the breeze felt wonderful, and best of all, it was peaceful up here. She might have meditated if it weren't such a great feeling. She smiled, feeling somewhat happy for the moment.
Once the slaves arrived, Ato watched with detachment as the slaver and pirate captain completed their dealings. He didn't feel any sense of pity for the wretches being taken below, despite knowing that was likely in store for them when they'd outlived their usefulness. From the sounds, at least the one had most likely already had his tongue cut out - a common punishment - and he probably wasn't the only one. He suspected others were missing body parts of their own. Justice on Zendikar was harsh, and those sentenced to slavery weren't exactly high-class citizens. While his own conscience no longer let him track down and recapture the slaves who'd escaped their masters, however briefly, they usually had brought their fate upon themselves. If he was being honest, it was only by sheer luck, skill, or by Cosi's fickle grace that he wasn't in the same position himself.
He knew Keda Monsol by reputation, though he'd never met him or worked for him directly. A very dark and unsavory reputation. If Zinshadar was working with him, that spoke to the pirate's true nature as well, and by extension, Vielara's. This didn't surprise him though, based on what he'd learned and suspected about her already. She did whatever she needed to and worked with whoever she needed to, to accomplish her goals. He shivered a bit a that thought, despite the heat of the twin suns beating down upon him.
Finally underway, he watched as Vasha scampered up to the crows nest high above the deck. They were impressive climbers, and he had to admire the seemingly effortless grace with which she climbed, and moved in general.
It took Vesra longer to climb up to the crow's nest, but she eventually made it without incident. The druid joined her sister and smiled as the air tousled her hair. She let Ember come out of his hiding place in her bag so he could stretch in her hands and enjoy the view.
After a while in the crow's nest, Vasha noticed Vesra stifling a yawn. Come on, Flower, she signed. Let's go get a nap. Those hammocks look pretty comfy. Vesra nodded in agreement, and Vasha quickly made her way down the mast with ease. Vesra followed, a bit slower, but without incident. The girls picked a hammock, and managed to get themselves snuggled into it. Soon, Vesra was asleep. Vasha closed her eyes, but listened for any trouble.
Ellangil watches Vasha ascend to the crow's nest with some measure of disappointment. He sighs and shrugs it off, calling out to the twin sisters.
"I've got some gear here to protect you two from the weather. For the others, too, Ato and myself excluded. If you're not accustomed to it, the sun here can kill you."
He smiles up at them and shows them clothing similar to that worn by desert nomads.
"Oh, and we should distribute the water on the litter here. There's not quite enough to carry us the entire journey, but it's all I could get. I am hoping we'll have a chance to refill as we go."
When finished, he heads toward the bow and slumps down near the railing, out of the way. He quite enjoyed the feel of the beating sun on his skin and wanted to take the opportunity of of doing nothing for several hours to soak it in.
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PBP "Beregost Blues" - Dungeon Master of Gnome Slaying +5
The waters of the bay are calm as Zinshadar guides the group to the ever-growing mountains off the western horizon. Few clouds dot the sky, and cool, wet breeze accompanies every wave that the ship slices through. Etsio mostly keeps to himself, staying within his lodgings on the back of the boat, only coming out to check the surroundings from the crow's nest on occasion. Zinshadar recounts tales of his past exploits, one of them being a tale of him narrowly avoiding the deadly grasp of Lorthos while sailing through Sunder Bay [Lorthos is a gigantic octopus native to the ocean of Zendikar. The merfolk believe that he controls the tides. He is seen mostly near Murasa, swimming within the depths of Sunder Bay {a huge, open bay situated along the northeastern border of Murasa. The bay is filled with a maze of harabaz trees, which grow from the seabed and have blade-shaped prows on their seaward sides which cut through the waves... and any unfortunate ships who don't see them as they traverse the maze}].
About three hours into the journey, a thick mist begins to grow from the water, about ten miles south of the boat. Steering clear of the mist, the captain warns, "That there is the most dangerous region of this bay.. to the unknowing. Some say the undead walk above the water, devouring the souls of any unfortunate crew who set foot. Others say that the accursed village, Izeemta, is the source of the necrotic mist, and that the village is filled with necromancers and other black mana users who perform vile rituals on the crew of such ships who find themselves lost within the mist." He smiles with his devilish grin, "But I've been there. The folks are strange, but the tales are all made up to scare people and keep them away so they can live their lives in peace. They do like their slaves though..." His voice trails off as he ponders the unknown.
The rest of the journey remains peaceful as the group rests, recuperates, and soaks in the suns [a short rest and downtime for anyone who doesn't fall asleep and a long rest for those who sleep for the needed amount of time]. Just before the suns begin to set, the group reaches the shallow waters of the opposite coast, the mountain range looming into the sky, a good mile above the ground. "Etsio!!" Zinshadar calls out, "Get the anchor dropped and the rowboat prepared to get Vielara's toys to shore." Etsio bursts out of the door leading to his quarters, nodding his head and fulfilling the captain's wishes.
With the anchor dropped and the group's supplies situated on the rowboat, the captain descends from the wheel, moving down the stairs to see you all off. "It's been a boring journey." Zinshadar admits as he looks longingly to Vesra. "I would've loved to see some action myself, but my guess is you'll get your share of that in the oncoming days." He stands silent for a moment, looking at the group quizzically. "Well? Get off my ship!" he barks out.
"It looks like you have us well stocked, indeed, Ellangil. And you too, Veythe. I've no doubt that preparation will pay off. We can divide up the load before we head out later tonight. The clothing too. The heat in Affa will be nothing compared to the searing sun of the wastes. We'll all need the extra protection, I'm sure."
Ato enjoyed the sea air for a while from the bow, spray from the waves glistening off this skin. Eventually, he too moved to a hammock to get some rest while they safely could. [OOC: long rest while we can]
At the journeys end, he helps load the rowboat, and climbs aboard at Zinshadar's urging. "Safe waters to you, captain. May Ula keep the seas calm and Emeria your sails full."
Vasha gently shook Vesra to wake her. "We're here, Flower," she whispered. She pulled herself out of the hammock and stretched. It was definitely not as comfortable as she'd hoped it would be. At least she felt refreshed. She gathered her pack, making sure her things were in order, then waited for her sister to get herself up and going. Vasha was itching to cause some trouble, but this was not the time or place.
After about 6 hours into the ride, the goblin finally awoke along with dog-self. The last legs of the journey were uneventful, but he found a small stash of rations and made a quick meal of them. It was an odd ship, one crewed by null with ores, but it seemed to work well enough in the calm waters of the bay. Kayn attempts to help with loading the supplies into the small boat, but can barely lift more than a few bags before his strength fails him. It was a noble attempt though!
He says his farewell to the captain and thanks him for the calm ride before hopping down into the boat himself. The captain seemed alright. He didn't interact with him much during the ride, but he never cared much for the methods vampires used to get business done. If he weren't a pirate and a slave trader and a vampire, he might have been a decent person.
Upon reaching the shore, the goblin plops down on the hard sand and begins rubbing it in to his feet and face. It's nice to have new type of sand to use, this one untouched by civilization and worn rough by the suns. It felt like a dream. He looks to the companions as they're unloading the boat and dividng supplies and asks, "How far now?" The suns had already set and it was deep in the night. He didn't think they'd want to travel through the night, but he didn't mind not having to make that decision. They were in the wilds now, so any manner of creatures could be lurking. He was eager to meet them!
"I don' wanna," Vesra protested, hugging her sister a little tighter and attempting to keep her in the hammock. Vasha could easily overpower her, but it was the thought that counted. After a few seconds, she finally opened her eyes and sat up. "It's going to be a long adventure, isn't it Vashie?"
By the time she was above deck, she was back to her normal cheery and energetic self. She was happy to help unload, and even happier to find herself on solid ground. The druid kissed the sand and sent a silent thanks to both the ocean and the ground. The ocean had her utmost respect, but it was difficult to work through her fears of it. Fire she had always been comfortable with, and the earth had always been kind to her. She had once been afraid of the air, but she had quickly learned to love it thanks to Vasha. But water was tricky and terrifying, a fact Ember readily agreed to.
"It's probably best if we search for a place to make camp," she nodded. "Vasha and I both took a little nap, so we would be more than happy to take first watch after we find a suitable location."
Ellangil casts a broad smile at Vasha.
"Fool? Why? Oh, the kiss?"
He laughs.
"Not foolish... At least I hope you don't feel that way about it. I certainly don't. We'd be fools if we let it distract us from our work, but..."
He winks and lets the thought trail off before he changes the subject.
"Not sure how you'll help though, and no need. This is what I do."
Vasha cast him a sidelong glance, blushing lightly. She looked away, quickly, when he winked. "Work keeps me out of trouble, but if you don't want help..." She shrugged and walked ahead of him, back to her sister. She was antsy, and wanted to get this mission under way.
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
If it wasn't for Vesra's beauty, Zinshadar would've been mortified at the pure pleasantness which exuded from her. Taking her flower in his hand and with a dubious bow and a fiendish grin, he introduces himself. "I am the Dread Pir...." He looks around quickly. "Er... Captain Zinshadar. And you lot must be Vielara's new toys. Lucky swine. I've been trying to get in those silks for decades. The witch is standoffish, but what can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic for powerful, beautiful women who aren't lacking above or below." His winks at Vesra as his eyesight drifts down her. Pulling in closer, he whispers in her ear, "The only flower I'm truly interested in is your own red blossom."
Withdrawing, he looks around briefly, counting heads. "It looks like you lot are already all accounted for. I'm still waiting for a small shipment of slaves for the journey, but they were supposed to arrive before you were supposed to get here, so they'll probably be here soon." Beginning to make his way up the planks, he requests, "If you would follow behind me with whatever supplies you're bringing, that would be wonderful. Unless the women want to follow in front of me. That would be just as wonderful. Etsio, you bring up the rear." The heavily pierced human curtly nods his head.
With the group and supplies aboard, they find the main deck is sparse, with hammocks tied between the ship's masts. "The hammocks are for you. Me and Etsio are the only living crew on the ship, and even then," he chuckles, "it sometimes doesn't feel like it." The backside of the ship is elevated, with stairs on either side leading up the raised platform, and a door in between the stairs leading to somewhere unknown. Near the bow of the ship, a hatch secured with a bolt leads down to whatever resides below. "Don't go below." Zinshadar warns. "My pets aren't friendly to warm-fleshlings, as Etsio no doubt has learned."
"Once the slaves arrive, we can depart."
Once aboard the ship, Vasha will toss her small pack under a random hammock, not really claiming it, but just to get rid of the pack. She eyed the crow's nest, resolving to get up there before this leg of the journey was over. She'd relish in having the salty wind in her hair way up there. For now, she leaned over the railing of the ship, looking out upon the water, hoping it wouldn't take long before they got going.
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
After several failed attempts, Dog-Kayn gives up on trying to remain stationary in a hammock. Instead, he resigns to putting him to sleep under Kayn's own hammock. Finally able to rest, Kayn closes his eyes and tries to shut out the surroundings. The suns were beating down on the goblin, but that never bothered him. Goblins don't burn. It was like a soft warm blanket.
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Vesra's eyes widened and her cheeks turned scarlet at the pirate's crude comments. Her mouth opened, but no noise came out as the vampire grabbed her around the waist and pulled her toward him. She looked around for her sister, but the much more intimidating kor twin was too occupied with a man of her own. The druid ended up standing perfectly still until he let go, and taking a deep breath before she followed him up onto the ship. She was certainly not going to walk in front of him.
It was going to be a long ride.
You'll watch out for me, right Ocean? She smiled at the water. Vesra knew that she wasn't going crazy, and she was determined to continue being her kind self to every person and thing she encountered. It had gotten her this far, after all. I believe in you.
Vesra joined her sister at the railing of the ship. "I'm not a big fan of the Captain," she signed, hoping said captain did not know kor sign. "Can we sleep in the same hammock tonight?"
PBP: DM of Titans of Tomorrow
PBP: Lera Zahuv in Whispers of Dissent
PBP: Evaine Brae in Innistrad: Dark Ascension
PBP: Cor'avin in Tomb of Annihilation
Of course, Vasha signed back. What happened? Did he hurt you? I'll kill him. She turned and looked at the captain, scowling. She thought about what could happen if they angered the captain, or Vielara, and she sighed. Of course we can share a hammock. She wrapped an arm around her sister. Don't worry, Flower. I won't leave you alone with him. She looked up at the crow's nest sadly, realizing she wouldn't be going up after all.
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
No, of course not, Vesra shook her head. If he had tried, I would have burned his fingers off. He just gives me a bad vibe. She sighed. If her sister had been there, she was certain that Vasha would have done something in retaliation. If news had gotten back to Vielara of that... That was almost as scary a thought as being touched by the Captain again. It was for the best that she left off exactly what he had said.
You don't have to be at my side every second, Vashie, the druid signed, noting her sister's longing glancing at the crow's nest. I just don't want to sleep alone. Maybe I could even climb up with you?
PBP: DM of Titans of Tomorrow
PBP: Lera Zahuv in Whispers of Dissent
PBP: Evaine Brae in Innistrad: Dark Ascension
PBP: Cor'avin in Tomb of Annihilation
Ato took note as the captain arrived, and Kayn, riding the huge human. He merely shook his head, almost to the point already that nothing the goblin mage did surprised him. The vampire certainly appeared as imposing and competent as most of his kind. Rising to his feet, he joined the procession up and onto the ship, ignoring the sexual wordplay between Vesra and the captain. Did these kor women have no shame?
He placed his own gear beneath one of the hammocks and made mental notes of the ship's layout. The bolted hatch was interesting, to be sure. No doubt there were more than just the null below decks, but he was quite confident he wasnt going to be taking the risk to find out what. As the party dispersed about the deck, Ato went up into the bow and watched the waves. Sea travel was a boring affair more often than not, but he was patient. Life would get interesting, and much more dangerous, soon enough.
It didn't take long for the slaves to arrive. Within a half hour of boarding the ship and getting themselves acquainted, a row of seven human slaves, chained together at the necks and wearing dirty rags, shuffles onto the deck. Zinshadar smiles widely, putting his arm around the merfolk slave dealer leading them on board: a man Ato recognizes as Keda Monsol, a criminal and prestigious member throughout all of Zendikar's underbelly. Across the merfolk's face is tattooed a fiendish smile, with rows of sharp teeth and flames seeming to seep out of them. They discuss something in private in a language the group doesn't recognize, their speech filled with guttural noises and the sounds of wind cutting through a narrow passage.
Seeming to come to some arrangement, the slave dealer smiles widely, revealing filed down teeth of his own, as he offers a firm handshake to Zinshadar before handing the chain off to him and leaving the boat. He doesn't seem to take note in the group as he leaves. "Ah!" Zinshadar cries out with a smile. "What a man. Knows right how to get to my heart everytime." Yanking the chain, he commands Etsio to open the latch leading below, an order Etsio quickly obeys. As the metal bolt slides through the latch, you can hear the unearthly screams of nulls beneath, as if in anticipation for a meal. One of the slaves cries out in fear, though the sound seems to be muffled or not fully developed. In Vampire, Zinshadar shouts out at the nulls as he leads the slaves down through the hatch, "These aren't for you! You'll get your fill eventually." They disappear for about two minutes, and Zinshadar returns topside onto the deck, fastening the hatch leading below.
"Now, let's get sailing!" he calls out, and both him and Etsio spring into action, getting things above ready. Looking over the railing along the side of the ship, the group sees about twenty long oars, ten on each side, protrude out of narrow sockets fastened into the side of the boat. Within minutes, the oars begin to row, causing the ship to leave port and sail into the open waters. Off in the distance, to the west, you see two small mountain ranges, and a gap between the two of them: your destination.
Once they were finally on their way, Vasha straightened up. She quickly glanced up at the crow's nest, then signed to her sister. I'm going up, if you want to join me. Then we can nap later, if you wish. Then she was off, swiftly up the mast, into the crow's nest. Once up, she stretched, finally finding somewhere she felt comfortable, up in the air. The view was spectacular, the breeze felt wonderful, and best of all, it was peaceful up here. She might have meditated if it weren't such a great feeling. She smiled, feeling somewhat happy for the moment.
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
Once the slaves arrived, Ato watched with detachment as the slaver and pirate captain completed their dealings. He didn't feel any sense of pity for the wretches being taken below, despite knowing that was likely in store for them when they'd outlived their usefulness. From the sounds, at least the one had most likely already had his tongue cut out - a common punishment - and he probably wasn't the only one. He suspected others were missing body parts of their own. Justice on Zendikar was harsh, and those sentenced to slavery weren't exactly high-class citizens. While his own conscience no longer let him track down and recapture the slaves who'd escaped their masters, however briefly, they usually had brought their fate upon themselves. If he was being honest, it was only by sheer luck, skill, or by Cosi's fickle grace that he wasn't in the same position himself.
He knew Keda Monsol by reputation, though he'd never met him or worked for him directly. A very dark and unsavory reputation. If Zinshadar was working with him, that spoke to the pirate's true nature as well, and by extension, Vielara's. This didn't surprise him though, based on what he'd learned and suspected about her already. She did whatever she needed to and worked with whoever she needed to, to accomplish her goals. He shivered a bit a that thought, despite the heat of the twin suns beating down upon him.
Finally underway, he watched as Vasha scampered up to the crows nest high above the deck. They were impressive climbers, and he had to admire the seemingly effortless grace with which she climbed, and moved in general.
It took Vesra longer to climb up to the crow's nest, but she eventually made it without incident. The druid joined her sister and smiled as the air tousled her hair. She let Ember come out of his hiding place in her bag so he could stretch in her hands and enjoy the view.
PBP: DM of Titans of Tomorrow
PBP: Lera Zahuv in Whispers of Dissent
PBP: Evaine Brae in Innistrad: Dark Ascension
PBP: Cor'avin in Tomb of Annihilation
After a while in the crow's nest, Vasha noticed Vesra stifling a yawn. Come on, Flower, she signed. Let's go get a nap. Those hammocks look pretty comfy. Vesra nodded in agreement, and Vasha quickly made her way down the mast with ease. Vesra followed, a bit slower, but without incident. The girls picked a hammock, and managed to get themselves snuggled into it. Soon, Vesra was asleep. Vasha closed her eyes, but listened for any trouble.
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
Ellangil watches Vasha ascend to the crow's nest with some measure of disappointment. He sighs and shrugs it off, calling out to the twin sisters.
"I've got some gear here to protect you two from the weather. For the others, too, Ato and myself excluded. If you're not accustomed to it, the sun here can kill you."
He smiles up at them and shows them clothing similar to that worn by desert nomads.
"Oh, and we should distribute the water on the litter here. There's not quite enough to carry us the entire journey, but it's all I could get. I am hoping we'll have a chance to refill as we go."
When finished, he heads toward the bow and slumps down near the railing, out of the way. He quite enjoyed the feel of the beating sun on his skin and wanted to take the opportunity of of doing nothing for several hours to soak it in.
Part Two: Through Wastes, Bloom, and Corruption
The waters of the bay are calm as Zinshadar guides the group to the ever-growing mountains off the western horizon. Few clouds dot the sky, and cool, wet breeze accompanies every wave that the ship slices through. Etsio mostly keeps to himself, staying within his lodgings on the back of the boat, only coming out to check the surroundings from the crow's nest on occasion. Zinshadar recounts tales of his past exploits, one of them being a tale of him narrowly avoiding the deadly grasp of Lorthos while sailing through Sunder Bay [Lorthos is a gigantic octopus native to the ocean of Zendikar. The merfolk believe that he controls the tides. He is seen mostly near Murasa, swimming within the depths of Sunder Bay {a huge, open bay situated along the northeastern border of Murasa. The bay is filled with a maze of harabaz trees, which grow from the seabed and have blade-shaped prows on their seaward sides which cut through the waves... and any unfortunate ships who don't see them as they traverse the maze}].
About three hours into the journey, a thick mist begins to grow from the water, about ten miles south of the boat. Steering clear of the mist, the captain warns, "That there is the most dangerous region of this bay.. to the unknowing. Some say the undead walk above the water, devouring the souls of any unfortunate crew who set foot. Others say that the accursed village, Izeemta, is the source of the necrotic mist, and that the village is filled with necromancers and other black mana users who perform vile rituals on the crew of such ships who find themselves lost within the mist." He smiles with his devilish grin, "But I've been there. The folks are strange, but the tales are all made up to scare people and keep them away so they can live their lives in peace. They do like their slaves though..." His voice trails off as he ponders the unknown.
The rest of the journey remains peaceful as the group rests, recuperates, and soaks in the suns [a short rest and downtime for anyone who doesn't fall asleep and a long rest for those who sleep for the needed amount of time]. Just before the suns begin to set, the group reaches the shallow waters of the opposite coast, the mountain range looming into the sky, a good mile above the ground. "Etsio!!" Zinshadar calls out, "Get the anchor dropped and the rowboat prepared to get Vielara's toys to shore." Etsio bursts out of the door leading to his quarters, nodding his head and fulfilling the captain's wishes.
With the anchor dropped and the group's supplies situated on the rowboat, the captain descends from the wheel, moving down the stairs to see you all off. "It's been a boring journey." Zinshadar admits as he looks longingly to Vesra. "I would've loved to see some action myself, but my guess is you'll get your share of that in the oncoming days." He stands silent for a moment, looking at the group quizzically. "Well? Get off my ship!" he barks out.
"It looks like you have us well stocked, indeed, Ellangil. And you too, Veythe. I've no doubt that preparation will pay off. We can divide up the load before we head out later tonight. The clothing too. The heat in Affa will be nothing compared to the searing sun of the wastes. We'll all need the extra protection, I'm sure."
Ato enjoyed the sea air for a while from the bow, spray from the waves glistening off this skin. Eventually, he too moved to a hammock to get some rest while they safely could. [OOC: long rest while we can]
At the journeys end, he helps load the rowboat, and climbs aboard at Zinshadar's urging. "Safe waters to you, captain. May Ula keep the seas calm and Emeria your sails full."
Vasha gently shook Vesra to wake her. "We're here, Flower," she whispered. She pulled herself out of the hammock and stretched. It was definitely not as comfortable as she'd hoped it would be. At least she felt refreshed. She gathered her pack, making sure her things were in order, then waited for her sister to get herself up and going. Vasha was itching to cause some trouble, but this was not the time or place.
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
After about 6 hours into the ride, the goblin finally awoke along with dog-self. The last legs of the journey were uneventful, but he found a small stash of rations and made a quick meal of them. It was an odd ship, one crewed by null with ores, but it seemed to work well enough in the calm waters of the bay. Kayn attempts to help with loading the supplies into the small boat, but can barely lift more than a few bags before his strength fails him. It was a noble attempt though!
He says his farewell to the captain and thanks him for the calm ride before hopping down into the boat himself. The captain seemed alright. He didn't interact with him much during the ride, but he never cared much for the methods vampires used to get business done. If he weren't a pirate and a slave trader and a vampire, he might have been a decent person.
Upon reaching the shore, the goblin plops down on the hard sand and begins rubbing it in to his feet and face. It's nice to have new type of sand to use, this one untouched by civilization and worn rough by the suns. It felt like a dream. He looks to the companions as they're unloading the boat and dividng supplies and asks, "How far now?" The suns had already set and it was deep in the night. He didn't think they'd want to travel through the night, but he didn't mind not having to make that decision. They were in the wilds now, so any manner of creatures could be lurking. He was eager to meet them!
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"I don' wanna," Vesra protested, hugging her sister a little tighter and attempting to keep her in the hammock. Vasha could easily overpower her, but it was the thought that counted. After a few seconds, she finally opened her eyes and sat up. "It's going to be a long adventure, isn't it Vashie?"
By the time she was above deck, she was back to her normal cheery and energetic self. She was happy to help unload, and even happier to find herself on solid ground. The druid kissed the sand and sent a silent thanks to both the ocean and the ground. The ocean had her utmost respect, but it was difficult to work through her fears of it. Fire she had always been comfortable with, and the earth had always been kind to her. She had once been afraid of the air, but she had quickly learned to love it thanks to Vasha. But water was tricky and terrifying, a fact Ember readily agreed to.
"It's probably best if we search for a place to make camp," she nodded. "Vasha and I both took a little nap, so we would be more than happy to take first watch after we find a suitable location."
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