"We are Nomads." Tarnessh noted to the others. "That is enough to mark us as outlaws to the Lunar Empire. If a Lunar were to cheat or rob or murder us in our beds, they would not care. They think they're more 'civilized' then us, but really they do the same things we do, they just have more pieces of paper that they write to lie to themselves that it's not the same."

The trader and his goons stay near the rear of the boat, fluctuating between glaring at Ohanzee and looking about at the rest of the Rangers with mild trepidation. Both guards have placed their odd bows close at hand.

After a while the children begin to run about the boat, causing mischief, petting familiars and getting in the way. There are four in all, three boys and a girl varying in age from about 7 to 12 years in age. Two of the boys seem especially enamoured with Kobal, whilst the girl goes and sits next to Amara, smiling shyly. The final boy, the youngest by a good way, is soon caught by Melock investigating his gear where Taya is hidden.

"What in there?" he asks in surprisingly good Trade.

Whilst this goes on the boat winds it's way through the main channel, followed by the two boats which keep around fifty yards to the rear, whilst the one in front soon vanishes into another one of the many side tributaries.

Handsome Desi whispers to Kobal and whomever else is close "You got a plan then?"

No one who is not a Ranger is close enough to hear, though one of the scribes looks up with interest. He and his companion, keeping their packs close to hand, sit with their backs to the boat's rail, talking quietly to themselves and then occasionally to the three Black Eel women. The men look hardy and at ease on the boat, probably well used to living on the far reaches of their empire.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:23, Tue 16 Dec 2014.

One of the crew moves over to Henal, handing the brave a thin, long rope. At one end is a large hook and above it a circle of copper threaded on to the line. The sailor attaches some fish flesh to the hook and throws it into the water.

"Hold on to this end.....See the hook stays just below the water surface. Keep a tight hold, for this stretch is good for Mangrove Jack. Fast fellas, they'll be attracted to the copper flashing."

He then moves to the other side, dropping his own line over and settling down on the deck. Taking a swig from a wobbling wine flask he throws it over to Henal "Drink..."

The Rangers feel that the three crewmen are obviously waiting for the Rangers to make their move....

Indigo Hue lowers his parchment, staring over it at the two men fishing, then at his naked slave. The man has been sat totally without moving since leaving the settlement, ignoring the children whenever they came to stand in front of him.

Suddenly he gets up, retrieves a flask from a chest and pours his master a drink in a crystal tumbler also taken from the chest.

"Blue Arm" comes a sudden call in Trade, as the wizard turns to Ohanzee "Come here and tell me about your people, I am interested to know what drives you."

The slave, writings shifting about his body, translates in excellent Praxian.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:25, Tue 16 Dec 2014.

Even though he doesn't understand what he is saying, he works it out very quickly when he tries to open the bag. He shakes his head and reaches over to stop him opening it, he then slips his hand in to the bag and pulls out a few bits of dried fish and passes them to the boy and then points to the other children.

The kid, a master of subterfuge and with the canny understanding of adults that young boys often have, knows when something is afoot.

He snatches the fish, gathers his friends and explains that there is likely pirate treasure or something just as good, hidden in Melock's stuff.

Melock watches them talking and pointing and starts to get a bit nervous, "Could someone who speaks trade, ask their mums to tell them to keep out of my gear, as there are sharp things in there and I don't want them to hurt themselves" If only I hadn't left my puppets with my armour. I may have to scare them off otherwise Taya will probably scare them so much they'll jump into the water.

Amara smiled warmly to the girl that came to sit beside her. She enjoyed the weather as the boat made it's way up the stream the humidity a foreign sensation to her. She glanced at Melock before saying to the mothers in tradetongue. "Man say danger, sharp thing in bag. Get boy to leave alone or will be hurt."

Ohanzee moves down the boat towards the wizard at the summons, though he doesn't treat it as such, more an opportunity. He positions himselfso that he can keep an eye on the trader as he speaks "Knowledge is valuable to you is it not? That is what you collect yes? That and getting to see this tower of course."

"Well, I'll tell you that of my people and ways that is not hidden if you have your slave here teach me this tongue of the traders, yes?"

Then, almost as an after thought he adds "Oh, we'll have to go by foot or beast to the tower, it is not by the river. Do you wish to see it this trip or go back another time?"

"And why this tower, are you not interested in the old ruins in the mouth of the river?"

Kobal looks at the boys sternly, before giving them a brief smile, and tousling the taller boy's hair.

At the same time, he sends a command to his Manul kitten.  "Haaro, make your way towards the front of the boat.  When the fighting starts, I'd rather those thugs can't get their hands on you."



"I told you before: shut your mouth," Kobal raises his voice.  He kicks the chained man for good measure, tries to aim for a fleshy part of his thigh, to minimise any real pain.

He starts to walk slowly up and down the sides of the boat, as if on sentry duty for potential threats, but sees Ohanzee talking to the wizard, and decides to wait before moving towards the thugs.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:21, Wed 17 Dec 2014.

"Hmmmm....No Grim here is not a teacher, he is my most important possession, not be wasted on the likes of you. We have several days before reaching the tower, so I thought to spend it learning something about my new land. If you wish to learn the language, stay in my service and I will teach it to you.

The Tower? I most certainly do wish to see it now. New Pavis will will wait, my appointment there does not start for a season or two. You seem to know of the place already, is it a special place for your people? As for the ruins by the river, a mere speck compared to what I hear is waiting for me inside Pavis' giant built walls.

The Tower...Hmmm. Let me say it and it's builder have interested me for a while."

The Skipper, taking a break from the tiller,  mentions to Kobal that if they wish to head to the Shallow Water settlement as was mentioned to him by Sandy, the boat will have to leave the main channel in the next half hour.

"We can always turn back, once the dead is done" he whispers, scowling at Desi for show.

The women look at Amara with little understanding and seeing their confusion one of the scribes translates for her. This results in apologies and the children warned off.

Of course this makes the children more interested than before...

"My name is Miles and my companion is Sicarius, both Ontori of Irrippi Ontor." He watches Amara to see if she knows the god.

"The God of Knowledge...We are going to Pavis to work at the temple there. He laughs "Glad to be out of that shit hole Corflu, pardon my Sartarite.

So you are one of our guards, you like your job?"

He's staring at Amara's hair a nice smile on his handsome face.

Melock listens to the different languages being spoken with a bemused look on his face, I really need to learn that trade tongue they keep speaking. If we mange to take them with us, that kid can teach us.
He nods his thanks to Amara, then turns to look out at the passing trees, hiding his smile after he's seen the way the scribe is looking at Amara, I suppose red is also the colour of their demon goddess.

"You maybe needed to keep the little ones in line Taya, but your not to hurt them, no matter what. Understand?" He mutters as quietly as he can to Taya, while resting his hand on the bag

In reply to Melock (msg # 48):

The bag shifts slightly under Melocks hand, "That shouldn't be too hard to do. I need some entertainment, I've been so bored hiding these last few days. What about the river folk?" she growls quietly back.

"Good point, Ok, you can be the last surprise, if all else fails" He replies, slightly embarrassed that his familiar has a better memory than he does.

A smile crosses the brave’s face ”A season or two. Well, in that case might I suggest that you come with us after the tower. The best way to learn our customs and ways is to experience and witness them first hand rather than hear about them. That way when we guide you back to Pavis you will have far greater knowledge about us and our ways than probably most of the foreigners in that place. A season or two is time enough to learn a language, I could even teach you ours.”

He grins and as what he thinks might be a sweetener adds ”You know there are others like you but not like you in the Wastes? Man and a half or Agamori as some call them, they live more like our people than you, but have no mounts.”

He awaits a response to that proposition before continuing ”The tower, no I have never seen it though one amongst us has. It is not important to most of us, but I have seen a picture of it that intrigued me. That picture showed it with a black feather over it and that I find fascinating.”

Ohanzee looks directly at the slave ”Grim, speak this next quietly to him or use a language that the other do not hear or know.”

Then turning his gaze back to Indigo he continues “We’ll get you to the Tower as quickly as possible then! For this we’ll have to go ashore and transfer to mount and foot shortly.”

“Some of the other passengers aboard will likely complain about this and three in particular, the three at the back of the boat who are the ones who tried to kill me. Things might get a bit messy, but it’s either that or wait till we get all the way up to Pavis and then journey back again. That will take many days each way.”

The Wizard gives Ohanzee's idea some consideration.

"We will have to see. I believe that the tower will keep me occupied for some time. I have heard that there were groups of my people here and would be interested in meeting them.

You say you have seen the tower in a picture, with a black feather. Where was this?" He sits up straight at this bit of information.

The slave does he as he is told, switching to a strange sounding speech. Indigo nods and strokes his beard.

"Hmmmm I have no interest in the petty squabbles of barbarians. Do what you must. I wish to go to the Tower first, the means of how I get there is of no concern to me. Nor is the lives of those you speak of. Hmmmm.

He looks about the boat as if imagining what may follow.

"Take me to this tower safely is all I ask and then I shall release you from your bind" Long fingers move to stroke Ohanzee's arm.

He chuckles

"It suits you Blue Arm"

At the side of the boat the crew man fishing gives a shout as he pulls a large, thrashing fish on to the deck

"It seems we have lunch" adds the Wizard.

Henal starts fishing hearing a message from Rikki, his familiar. First one you catch is mine

He sits concentrating and then manages to pull out a small fish which he kills a d guts trying to use the peaceful cut, before feeding it to Rikki.

It's not long before Henal and the crew member begin hauling lots of fish onto the deck, the sailor hadn't been wrong when saying it was a good stretch.

On two occasions the lines go slack as the fish are taken from the hook.

"Mudsharks" comes the shout and there following the boat can be seen several of the creatures.

"No worries" says the Skipper, a middle aged man with a heavily scarred face, partially hidden by a beard streaked in grey. "We'll likely loose them round the next bend. I'll need two volunteers to help me crew with poling through the shallows mind..."

One of his men frees several long poles from the side of the boat as the children point at the mud sharks following.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:36, Wed 17 Dec 2014.

Ohanzee instinctively tenses as Indigo moves to touch his arm, but he controls the action and does not draw it away ”Yes, it grows on me. Once the debt is paid off I might keep it anyway, a reminder and such a striking feature is always eye catching and that can’t be bad for an entertainer.” He rises from his cross legged sit to stand ”The picture? There’ll be time to talk of that, first I’ll make arrangements now then.”

He turns to the others ”Amara, Melock, Hoskar, make sure the paper scratchers and women and children stay safe. Everyone else let’s go feed the mudsharks.”

It is a pleasant feeling knowing that this time around it is the Lunar trader and his men who don’t understand the language. Approaching, shield on arm and axe drawn he stops a pace or two away and spits “accidentally” onto the cloth. If this doesn’t provoke things he strikes at the crossbow wielder.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:22, Wed 17 Dec 2014.

As Ohanzee approaches armed and ready, both thugs raise their crossbows pointing them at the brave.

At the spit the Trader starts screaming abuse in his own language aimed at the Raven brave, waving his hands in the air, his face turning crimson from rage.

Meanwhile behind the boat the two other vessels can still be seen, some fifty metres away.

All eyes on their own boat are now on the small group at the rear....

And with a barely heard splash one of the children falls over board.

Tarnessh was unable to break his agreement to defend the boat...but he hadn't specified which passengers he could concentrate on. Instead of trying to stop Ohanzee, then, he went after the child who had fallen overboard. He took one of the sticks and stuck it out towards the child to grab onto.

Now that's something I can do. Chance to do something right and keep my contract to protect. My thanks, Ohanzee.

He heads away from the likely confrontation at the stern with a placid look on his face, and gentle tone in his voice. I am thinking the water back there will be dangerous - stay close up here.

So relieved and absorbed is he that he doesn't even hear the splash, so he's slow to react till he sees Tarnessh grab at a pole. Hoping his comrade will save whoever's overboard, he whips out his sling and readies a rending charm in case any aquatic carnivores take an interest and need a reminder that people aren't good food.

Tarnessh in his haste to help the child fumbles the pole, watching helplessly as it slips out of his grasp and into the water.

Women scream as do the children.

Languid reptilian tails swish into action.

Shouts from the crew alert the boats behind, the Ranger's own vessel suddenly banking to starboard violently as the Skipper does his best to bring them around.

This manoeuvre makes everyone stumble, and most importantly the two crossbows pointing at Ohanzee to veer crazily off target.

The child in the water is twirled in the current, as both tide and river battle for control...

Henal has to cling onto the boat while Rikki runs to see a hiding place. He looks down towards Ohanzee and the thugs getting ready to enter the fight with a thrown javelin followed by his sword.