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64th of Flowertime, 978 PD

Nearly a hundred souls are gathered at the makeshift dock, as the finishing touches are made on the ship that will carry your motley crew out beyond the water barrier and into the great sea beyond, never to return. While today is meant to be a day of sadness, you can't help but feel slightly giddy. Who knows what you'll encounter on your voyage? What awesome and terrible things you'll encounter? All but one of you have never left the island you grew up on, and even the one who has seen the world beyond has not done so in many years. The crowd cheers and claps, though you can catch many a sad face among their ranks. While many are glad to see you go, very few, if any, are glad that you won't be coming back. But that is the cardinal law of Ioco, and none would dare to break it.

Meredith Cragen, a sea elf and one of the most senior druids on the island, steps forward out of the crowd and approaches Welby. She extends a webbed hand for a handshake, leaning over so he doesn't have to stand on his toes.

"Mister Goodbarrel. I hope you're doing well. Again, I can't thank you enough for volunteering. I know it must be hard, but someone had to go, and I can't think of a better person. Er... not because you should leave, sorry, but because of your experience on water. Not sure if that was clear or not." She clears her throat awkwardly. "I trust you'll take good care of your crew, Welby. I can sense a bit of Agaara in you. The leadership skills, not the cowardice. Sorry again."

She stands and turns to Eradius, walking over to him. She gives him a curt nod and a smile.

"Eradius. A shame you decided not to stay, but it is what it is. May Thumblyrug or whatever be with you."

After addressing Eradius, she moves on to Zeflan, with a sad smile on her face.

"Zeflan. Many thanks for your aid in constructing the ship, we couldn't have done it without you. I don't think there's a single person here that won't miss you, but I understand that you want to go. You never were completely content standing on solid ground. Your family will miss you dearly."

She shakes Zeflan's hand, and finally makes her way towards Aoth.

"Thank you for volunteering, Aoth. Your parents were distraught when you decided against joining them, but we know now that Abuuraha has another task for you. You will be sorely missed, but we all know in our hearts that this is the right path."

She steps back, and looks towards the crowd.

"I've said all I need to. But others still have something to say."

First to step out of the crowd is Zeflan's grandfather. He is beaming as he steps forward and embraces his grandson.

"Zef. I can't tell you how proud I am of you. We may never see each other again, but that doesn't matter. All that matters is that you're free to live your life outside of the constraints of this little island. I want you to know that I'll personally be operating the hearth while you're gone. Me and one other, actually. I can't stay up all night, after all. Heh."

He leans in to whisper something in Zeflan's ear.

After that, he steps back, and allows Aoth's family to step forward. His parents stop a short distance back, and allow their daughter to approach him. She doesn't even waste a moment, fully embracing him and almost knocking him over. After a few moments, she steps back, giving a short laugh.

"Well... how to start... bye, I guess. Gods, I'm gonna miss you. Make sure to visit. Even if you can't cross the barrier, I can always take a boat out to it. Shit, I just realized this is pretty much the last time I'll ever be able to touch you. I...-" She doesn't finish, trading words for another embrace. She gives something somewhere between a laugh and a sob. "Tell them lots of stories, okay? Like you did to me."

She retreats, and Aoth's parents approach.

"I want you to know that we're proud of you," begins his mother, "Even though you decided not to become a druid... well, Meredith already said everything. I want you to know that we love you, no matter where you go. Goodbye, son."

(I'll allow you all to respond, then I'll continue)

Welby chuckles at Meredith's awkwardness and nods, "No hard feelin's Miss Cragen, it'll take a bit more than that to offend the likes of me," he beams a massive smile.

Once all the goodbyes have been said and the crew all appear ready to depart, Welby rubs his hands together, "Well shipmates! This'll be a grand adventure for us all. It'll take a bit for us to get used to each other, but I'm sure we'll get along in no time. If there is anythin' else you need to sort here before we depart, better do it quick."

Eradius nods back to Meredith, "Thimblerig! It's Thimblerig, and I'm sure their blessing is upon this venture. Farewell all!"

After the goodbyes and once everyone has boarded, "In all my haste I almost forgot to ask, what is the ship's name? A ship has to have a name."

Zeflan endured the proceedings as best as he could. He never was one to stand on ceremony but he understood that this occasion was unprecedented, historical even, and that called for pomp and decor. Even the scale mail he wore, modeled after the overlapping scales of a fish, had been polished a bit to give his presence a bit more splendour. But that did not matter. Only the ship mattered. The ship and the mission.

He shook lady Cragen's hand but her words did not sink in until he saw his grandfather Zinnan approach and felt two old, hard arms embrace him. Suddenly the notion that he would never see his family again hit him hard and tears welled up in his eyes. Zeflan returned his grandfather's embrace.

'I will, grandpa. I'll lead our people back home.' He whispered back to his grandfather. 'I'll make you proud.'

Zeflan released his grandfather from his arms and raised a bluish webbed hand to his face. Tears, the only salt water he had known. That was all about to change. He rubbed his eyes dry and watched the rest of the proceedings. When all was said and done, he grabbed his belongings and boarded the ship. The others came on board as well and Zeflan heard the walking, talking tortoise pose a question.

'Per tradition, ships are named by their captain.' Zeflan replied in a dry, matter-of-fact voice.

Hugging his sister tight, Aoth whispers to her with a faint smile. "No worries El, I'll make sure of it. Don't worry about me, I always find a way to survive."

Letting her go, Aoth looks up and grins his lopsided, carefree grin at his mother. "Meredith always says everything, mom. That's her job." He turns to walk towards the ship, then doubles back, reaching for the key on his neck. "Give this to El, alright? It's the key to my chest - she'll be able to find all my stories there." With that, Aoth turns away, and walks towards the ship.

As Aoth climbs up onto the ship, he grins, and says to the others, "Well shipmates, here begins our adventure. We don't want to be stuck with a ship without name, do we, Captain?"

Welby thinks for a moment, scratching his chin as he stands on deck. "Hmm, any ideas? I'm open to suggestions. I had thought maybe 'The Pike' or 'The Sea Scout'?"

"Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Before any naming ceremony, the people of Ioco have a few gifts to present you with. Would Mister Goldenbrew please step forward?"

Dolandir Goldenbrew, a hearty dwarf and the island's best smith by far, steps out of the crowd, carrying a large sack. He sets it down before you, panting heavily, and begins fishing around in it.

"Jos' barely fin'shed in time. I gots me some weapons an' armor an' whatnot for all o' ye's. First off, Welby, my boy, I've got fer ye this beaut of a rapier, an' a wee li'l dagger to go wit 'er. 'Fraid tha's all I got for ye, but there's muir ta come from others. Erry, ye get this 'ere walloper, as well as some protection. A coat o' scales an' a shield, ta be exact. Zef, yer next. I ent got any armor fer ye, on account o' ye already havin' it cos the DM forgot ta mention that ye don't have most o' yer equipment yet, but it is what it is. Instead I gots plenty o' weapons fer ye. A hammer an' an axe, fer bashin' an' slashin', as well as a fishin' trident repurposed for muir than just stabbin' fishies. Finally, Aoth, I en't forgotten ye! I was plannin' on givin' ye muir, but I sorta ran outta time, and yer not really one fer weaponry anyways. I got two twin daggers, but tha's it. Now, ye'll notice I ent given ye any names fer the weapons. That's cos I ent named them yet. Partially cos I didn't have the time, but also cos they're yers ta give names when ye feel they've earned 'em. Put 'em ta good use, willya? Oh, one muir thing. We don't got a lot of gold here on Ioco, but I forged what I could into some coins for ye."

After Dolandir finishes giving out his items, a few others come forward an present you with gifts, though none speak as much as the dwarf. Elian Mehtwa, an elven tanner, gives everyone backpacks full of many other items gifted by other inhabitants of Ioco, and additionally he presents Welby with some leather armor. Morv Humblebun, a gnomish woodworker, presents everyone but Welby with some form of bow, cross, long, or short, and some arrows. Other people come and give other things, but I'm too lazy to type them all out. You all have your equipment now.

Finally, Zeflan's grandfather returns again, with an ornate box, which he presents to Eradius.

"I'm sure you know how they work already, but I've linked this hearthstone to the hearth I'll be operating. As long as nothing happens to us, you'll be able to find your way back home. If the signal goes out... gods help us all. Zef, I've also linked yours, that way if you lose that one you'll still have a backup."

He steps back, and Meredith speaks again.

"Now that we're done with that, go ahead and name your ship, and we can go."

Welby looks over his new equipment, nods in way of thanks and stows it away. He then turns to the others. "Any ideas on a name, or did you like one of my thoughts?"

'Pike is lame.' Zeflan said with a flat voice, making it unclear whether he meant it or was just trying to provoke the halfling captain. 'I like the sea one.' The corners of his mouth curled up a little as he continued. 'Perhaps we should give the ship a lady's name. Could use some levity on a boat with four blokes.'

Eradius stows his equipment aboard ship also and bobs his head a little, "I wasn't asking the about the ship's name as a way to gain a say in naming her. I was just curious is all."

Looking around at the others, "If the tradition is that the captain name the ship I think we should stick to that."

"We could go with a lady's name... I remember a horse called Elanor that I liked..." Welby's voice trails off, then he comes back, "I think we run the risk of someone havin' a bad ex or somethin'." He chuckles. "How 'bout we stick with The Sea Scout?"

'Way to be authoritative there... captain.' Zeflan added the last bit with a mischievous grin. He hoisted his belongings on his back and began making his way below deck. 'If it's up for a vote, I throw my lot in with Sea Scout.' He shouted over his shoulder as he stepped down the wooden stairs.

OOC: do we have a schematic of the ship we're about to entrust our lives to?

Aoth grins at the others. "Make that two votes for Sea Scout." Aoth moves to follow after Zeflan, intent on stowing whatever gear he wouldn't need immediately. As he makes his way towards the stairs leading to below deck, he calls over his shoulder jokingly, "Hey, who was in charge of laying these planks? I think I just heard one creak!"

Eradius begins laughing at the what he thinks is a joke by the captain, "Is Elanor the lady or the horse?"

Slapping his knee and almost doubling over, in between laughs, "To avoid... confusion... I too vote for... Sea Scout."

Moving over to the rail Eradius will take a last, sobering, wistful look at Ioco's shores before turning his attention back toward the ship and his crew mates.

Welby laughs, "Eleanor was the name of the horse, but it was that horse that everyone wanted."

(OOC - was trying to think of a woman's name for a boat and for some reason thought of Gone in 60 Seconds haha)

He nods as the consensus seems to be met, "The Sea Scout it is!" He waves to the people on shore, then turns to look out over the vast waters before them, "Whatever is out there, it waits for us to find it, my new friends."

Zeflan found a footlocker he decided was his and dumped most of his things in it, keeping only the trident and a roll of rope on his person for now. His ears turned when he heard Aoth's remark on the creaking ship planks.

'The finest builders Ioco has to offer.' Zeflan dully replied. He used the butt of his trident to tap on the wood a couple of times. 'Considering we had to work with a design none of us had ever seen, I'd say it turned out rather well.'

He walked up to the side of Aoth and laid a hand on his fellow crew member's shoulder. 'Please don't break the ship.' He said with a serious face. 'I want to get a feeling for her first before I need to do any repairs... Or improvements.' Zeflan's eyes twinkled at the notion of the latter. He let go of Aoth's shoulder and made his way back up. He did not want to miss the moment the ship would cross the barrier between Ioco's waters and the endless sea beyond.

Eradius, seeing Zeflan rejoin them on deck comments, "Although it's a beginning to our adventures at sea it is also an ending to our time here on Ioco. Feels bittersweet somehow doesn't it?"

"True, bittersweet," Welby joins the others with a sombre tone, but lightens up quickly, "However, some of the best stories are born from the unknown. An' try to remember, just because we're leaving, doesn't mean we won't find a way back here to Ioco."

Breathing in the sweet air a moment, Welby then clambers up to look over the side of the ship, his halfling legs dangling as he hangs over the side. "I'm sure she'll be sturdy enough. Nicely built!" He jumps back down and heads around the ship to do the same at several points, before making his way to the helm, placing his hand on it, ready to embark.

"Are we ready?" Asks Meredith.