1st Day of Ascending Water, RY 768
Early Evening

The isle of Sorrow's Veil is one of many unaffiliated islands scattered between Wavecrest and the Neck. Peaceful tribesfolk and hardy sailors alike consider the island to be haunted -- even cursed. Here, they say, a great Manse once stood, the palace of a Pirate King of immense wealth. But at the height of his power, his best friend and most trusted officer betrayed him, slaughtering all his loyal men and claiming all treasures for himself.

And it is said that with his last dying breath the Pirate King invoked the god Zhuzhiao, the High Prince of the Deep Trenches, who rose up from the waters to drown the Betrayer and bring both him and his bounty deep beneath the sea.

There is power in such stories to the people of the West, who take their superstitions seriously, and give the island a wide berth. Whether there is truth, though, is something else entirely. At the very least, the Manse itself does exist, invisible to the eye to all but he who bears its Hearthstone, and the few who hold the bearer's trust. That man is Captain Lasuri Leomaris of the Cobalt Alliance, and he has opened the Manse of Sorrow's Veil as a safe haven for the few brave pirates, explorers and savants that would dare follow his banner as a new, independent force in the West.

But it is still a fledgling Alliance, consisting of a single flagship salvaged from the faded glory of the First Age, the Spring Dryad II. For the moment the Dryad rests in a cove within the magically hidden grounds, and its myriad crew relaxes and dines within the surprisingly warm and spacious mess hall of the Manse. In honor of their prosperous future as comrades, Outcastes and hired hands alike have been presented with a feast, the best the enchantments of Sorrow's Veil can cook up with its stores of meat, fruit and grains.

Everyone has been given leave to eat, drink and mingle as they please until the Captain stands to give his evening speech. For the moment such words seem far in coming, as Lasuri is at the head of the table conversing merrily with his first mate, the Lady Jadira Thornbloom, and the booze has already begun to flow freely around the table...
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:20, Mon 24 Nov 2008.

"Ah, I love the food here" Zeru says merrily, his plate full of multiple kinds of dishes. "I am quite curious captain," he asks Lasuri when he gets a moment in the conversation with Lady Thornbloom. "As to why you would choose a stranger like me to join your crew."

Tageru sits at the table thinking, barely touching his food. He doesn't know these people too well, even though he would like to. They are pirates, yes, but they're also good people. And the Dragons know that he needs the company of good people, after so much loss that he suffered.

He looks at his glass, filled with wine and drinks it up. Not something one would expect from a monk, but he's not an ordinary monk-the power of Sextes Jylis flows through his veins, and through his soul, and his monastic training was different from that of the other monks. He laughs heartily 'Heh! I still think of myself as a monk, even after all these months! Guess it's true-old habits die hard.' he thinks, and starts to eat. 'Well, life goes on, as they say. Better to go on through it with my stomach full, I guess...'

"It is, isn't it?" he speaks across the table to Zeru after having sampled some of the food on his own plate.  He had already cast a glance over the table at the ... eclectic group of personalities gathered here.  I too would be interested in the answer to that question, he thinks as he takes note of the question just asked.

He takes a sip of his wine, and wonders.  He has heard a lot about the Alliance from a variety of people.  Some of it good, some of it bad, and almost all of it interesting.  A welcome distraction, perhaps.

As involved as he is in his current conversation, Lasuri Leomaris still pauses when prompted, taking the  time to regard the man that addressed him. Dark eyes plant themselves on the man called Zeru - for a moment regarding him carefully.

The man sometimes referred to as "The Sea Drake" is not immediately striking in physique nor particularly impressive in stature. And yet, there is a certain air about him, a certain feeling that seems to permeate his usual easy-going attitude in his actions and his words. Almost as if the ideals of freedom and liberty he so fondly speaks of had come to somewhat permeate him, in time.

The captain's features betray a weathered condition, no doubt gained with some years of traveling at the helm of a vessel. Although he never directly speaks of his lineage, a tint of azure and sea green in his otherwise fair skin betray his strong connection to the waters he calls home - perhaps the hint of a nobler lineage, despite his current position in the Alliance. dark blue hair cascade freely past his shoulders to his mid back, flowing like waves barely contained by the jet-black bandanna worn just above his eyes.

His current conversation paused, Lasuri smiles deeply at the new intervention, and leans back in his seat. He extends his smile to Treon as well when he intervenes, and shakes his head slightly.

"Oi, no need to over think things, mister Zeru." He responds, a touch of familiarity in his voice as he reaches a black-gloved hand to reach his cup. His tone makes it sound as if Zeru had been a long time acquaintance of theirs, pleasant and friendly.

"We're as much strangers to you as the other way around, after all. The honor is not greater on this side of the table - links between people are even." His smile widens, and he puts the cup to his lips, pausing for a moment before resting the cup back on the table.

"We only gave the call. You answered it, and so it's us who should be thankful, not the other way around."

Zeru smiles back, his eyes glinting blue in the light of the manse. "You called for willing privateers, I did what comes natural to me. I love the sea, I love sailing, and I love removing possessions from others." He leans back in his chair. "There's no need for thanks. I couldn't say no." A tiny mewl escapes the pocket of his coat, which is hanging off his chair. "Ah... Coral no need to be shy. You're as much part of this crew as I am." He looks back at Lasuri. "Provided they don't have a professional rat catcher." Zeru pulls the small cat out of the pocket and sets her off the table. It is a lithe white cat with distinctive aquamarine spots and circles. "This is Lucky Coral, she's a bit shy, but she's my partner in this."

"Besides," Jadira interjects, "We've got kind of a penchant for taking in people who don't fit in anywhere else. Seeing as we're kind of the same."

The brunette wears her dark green longcoat hanging partially open, revealing a fine, laced linen shirt underneath in a pale cream. The baths in the Manse mean she can keep fastidious attention to her appearance, at least for now; her freckled cheeks shine from the recent cleansing, and her still partly damp hair is braided neatly down her back.

"It's better than being stuck out there solo. You wouldn't be having this meal otherwise. Like the Captain said, it's mutually beneficial. We all want to survive, and make our mark in the world... and..." She trails off as Zeru reveals his animal companion, an uncharacteristically brilliant smile on her face. "Oh, how cute!" she can't help but say.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:00, Mon 20 Oct 2008.

The Captain cannot help but smile at the 'arrival' as well, and a soft smile crosses his lips as he lays eyes on the white feline. He glance towards Jadira, and his smile widens at her reaction, something unspoken passing between them as he looks at her."Oi, we've got a little stowaway." He says, leaning and reaching out into one of the plates to fetch a whole fish, which he puts into one of the smaller plates, then pushes towards Coral.

"Here you go, mate." He says, at the attention of the cat. "Part of the crew, a share in the spoils. That's the rule." He smiles, then directs his attention back to Zeru and Treon.

"Miss Thornbloom is right, though. At some point in time, our compasses all pointed towards the same direction. The Alliance is as much part of you as its part of us - its something that every misfit or outcast has felt at least once. That desire to belong to something while fitting nowhere. Hopefully, you'll find what you're looking for among your like-minded peers."

Zeru scratches Coral's head as her eyes bulge in preparation for her feast. "See... and you were scared to come." He looks back up at the table. "I'm Peleps Zeru, formerly of the house of Peleps Kaizoku, currently of the House of Peleps Zeru, and proud to on board with this fine crew we have here."

"Mau!" comes the small but piercing fish filled voice.

"Hey, hey, I already introduced you, and don't talk with your mouth full. This is my partner Lucky Coral. It's good luck to have a cat on board."

"Are we like-minded?"
The tall man's voice is deep and a bit intimidating. He stands up and his green eyes look at the captain and the new recruits, like he is judging them all and like he's not very pleased with what he sees.
"I see before me a group of young, brave people, people not afraid to be outcasts as well as outcastes, people who want to dare the seas and seek riches. But what else do I see? Is there more? You are Exalted by the Dragons! To make your life all about the money is to waste your divine gifts! You can be more! I hope you want to be more! I hope this group wants to do good, instead of just plunder!"
Tageru looks at all the people around him and bows to the captain:
"With all due respect, Captain, I will not be a part of a group of murderers. If there is more to this group, a desire to do some good, some greater cause or some goal other than personal welfare, then I will stay, but I will not tarnish my Immaculate training and my Sifu's name by becoming a mere robber. One must do what one must do to survive, but killing innocents is not something I want to do for a living, and I know that deep down, neither do any of you."
He bows again and sits down again, and waits for the captain to answer.

[Private to GM: OOC: I try to roll Charisma+Performance to give them an intimacy toward being good instead of just unscrupulous robbers. You add stunt dice as you see fit and roll for me, count my Disturbing Flaw in (I roleplayed it) and I use 1 wp for 1 success. :) ]

Tageru's stirring words brings a brief pause to the feasting at the table. For a moment, all consider their reasons for joining the Alliance and the moral implications thereof.

---

OOC: Those of you with less than 4 MDV find yourself feeling more inclined towards doing good rather than being unscrupulous robbers, assuming you were considering the latter to begin with. If you really feel the need to you can use charms/stunts/etc. to resist.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:17, Sun 26 Oct 2008.

Dove frowned a little as she came in, brushing aside Tageru's persuasion with a thought, and taking a brief look around, several of the more obscure documents and tomes being cradled in one arm.

"I would imagine that we would avoid senseless murder" She chimed in.  "I was lead to believe when I was approached that your cause was noble--I would be greatly disappointed to find out that everybody in this place had recieved a different pitch upon approaching this place."

Coming into full view, wings fluttering once a little irritably, Dove settled down upon one of the unoccupied benches, placing her findings down, and opening one up to glance through it in earnest.

Jadira can't help herself, and speaks out of turn, rising swiftly from her chair to plant her hands on the table. "Cynis Tageru, you misunderstand us. Look, the Captain and I, we -- we were also raised with a deep understanding of the glory and responsibility the Dragons' blessing have given us."

"The Cobalt Alliance does not exist to be common robbers. We, too, have standards by which to live by. If it was petty crime we wished to perpetrate, the Dryad is strong enough to take on most any merchant vessel we wished to. But that is not the point."

"To build a nation takes more than just might. We must engender both the trust and respect of other nations, those who would live in peace, harmony and fair trade." She shakes her head firmly at Tageru's allegations. "No, we do not target just anyone. But for our long term goals we require a good amount of manpower -- and resources. There are plenty of vile predators at sea we can defeat and plunder for just that."

She shoots a quick glance at Lasuri, apologetic for speaking in his place, and plops back down onto her chair.

Zeru heard the monk's response and understood it, but he didn't believe that it applied to him.

"I'm fairly certain that remark was more positioned towards myself. So allow me to rephrase... I do very much enjoy relieving people of their possessions, but I would under no circumstances take from those who have nothing, or very little. My way was one of combat against the enemies of the empire." He looks directly at the monk. "and since I am no longer a believer in their doctrine, or necessity, I am not fighting their battles for them. I am here to further the cause of this Alliance, not to fight innocents. I am here to plunder from pirates, they provide a challenge and have much in the way of resources."


The smile returns to his face. "Besides I'm sure we can be noble pirates."

"Mau!"

Zeru heaves a depressed sigh that doesn't reach his eyes. "And Coral's here to help, and for food."

"I am glad, then, to have misjudged your previous statement. I apologize if I had offended any of you, it wasn't my intention to do so. If you are as you say you are, then you can count on my fists and my bow to destroy the enemies in our path."

He makes a grimace that you suppose was meant to be a...smile...

"I hope we have many safe journeys and that we come out of those that aren't safe on top!"

He raises his glass, filled with wine and drinks it all up in one breath.

Mia sat still, listening to the quick remarks and long lectures of those around her. She herself, said nothing. The woman of goddess-like beauty merely sat there, politely eating and watching carefully. She minded not, though she was amazed in many ways how this ragtag group had been assembled and more or less the truest of reasons why. As she watched a break in the conversation, she decided it was about time to throw her two cents into the ring.

I believe we all are at more of an understanding then, hopefully. Sorry for not introducing myself earlier, I am Ledaal Mia. I am anxious to see the beauty of your ship, captain. I've heard my fair share of rumors since I got here, and I thoroughly enjoy seeing every nook and cranny open to me of any ship.

She took a sip of her wine with the utmost grace, the drink never so much as floundering in its cup as she rose it to her lips and drank enough to keep her mouth wet and her throat happy.

He gives a reassuring smile to his First Mate, and the Captain lifts his chin slightly. He has remained silent for a time, listening to the words of the members still fledgling Alliance. Weighing in their statements, their desires, their hearts.

"No need to apologize for that, Mister Tageru." he finally says, lifting his gaze to meet the monk's. "In fact, that's probably the reason why you're here and not elsewhere in the West, partaking in one of the random cases of pillaging that happen so often in these parts. After all, there's plenty of lawless seadogs around, with older and better established organizations." He shakes his head, the sweeps his gaze across the faces around him.

"The Alliance has been called many names. We've been called privateers, of course, but also pirates, brigands, thieves, traitors, renegades... Of course, words are words. There's a certain power in names, but a name alone doesn't give power to anything. It all comes from heart, and sweat, and tears and blood. It all comes from good ol' dedication."

"That all said - we're not just a bunch of rogues and brigands trying to make their luck at the expense of others. We don't just pillage from some people so we can live a life of comfort. In fact, I'll say it right here and now - if anyone seeks an easy life of comfort, then this here's the wrong door." He pauses, then smiles. "We're not in it for fame or riches or glory. We're in it because we're trying to build something. A place for everyone like us to call home. Right now, it's just this little Alliance trying to provide shelter and a sense of usefulness to people who don't fit anywhere else. But one day... Who knows? Maybe all of you who were called dregs and unwanted in your places of birth will help build up a Nation. That is what we do."

"And so..." He casts his glance across the table, watching everyone intently, one after the other. "Mister Zeru. Mister Treon. Mister Tageru. Miss Dove. Miss Mia. If you can accept these precepts, and you can share your part of this burden... Then, by all means, welcome to the Cobalt Alliance."

He raises his glass, smiling at them before taking a swig of the liquid within. He swallos, and his expression almost immediately changes, becoming much more thoughtful as he turns towards Jadira. "I used to be the quiet one. When in Malfeas did I become so damn wordy?" He pauses, tilting his head to one side as a playful smile crosses his lips. "I blame you at least partly for that."

"Here here" Zeru says raising his glass and swallowing.
"Mau!" Coral says simultaneously, raising a bit of fish and biting into it.

Treon had been contemplative through the speeches, considering just why he was here, although he had masked it with drinking of the excellent wine and sampling some of the food.  It wasn't that the monk's words had made him doubt his purpose here, so much as like any words about purpose, they made him consider how he had gotten here...

Still, it seems to be the right place, he thought as he raised up his glass, his lips forming themselves into a smile, a genuine one.

"I think I can, yes," he said once the speech was over, the tone in which he spoke a contrast to the more flippant words.

Jadira raises her own wine glass and drinks it down. Not quite as good as what her mother's vineyards produced... but good enough. They took what pleasures they could get, in this life.

"All you needed was a purpose to bring out those rousing speeches in you, Captain," she says fondly, though with a wistful smile on her face. "It's not enough to just be a free spirit, for you or for me. We're always sailing towards that horizon... seeking something greater to justify our existence."

"We never started out wanting to be labeled pirates, or criminals, or anything like that." Jadira looks down the table now, at every face present there, right down to the crewmembers at the very end -- the men and women who, lacking the Second Breath, still kept the sails mended, the decks clean, the catapults loaded. "But you can't always predict the path life will lead you. A grievous error barred us from one future, and now we will forge another... one, in time, we can be proud of." As usual she speaks of her past vaguely, but with unspoken sorrow.

"In any case..." The armswoman's tone is dismissive of the seriousness of her past statements, as she pours herself another glass and lifts it towards Mia. "You and everyone will have a chance to see the Dryad for yourselves in the light of morning. In the meantime, enjoy the food and the company while you still can."

The Captain nods and smiles, pouring himself another glass as well before passing the bottle towards the others. He turns towards Mia, nodding emphatically towards her. "Oh, you'll get to see her, of course. The Dryad is going to be enjoying the attention, I'm sure." He grins, then takes a sip of his cup.

"We got her when she was already wounded and gutted of all her weapons. She's not what she used to be - of course, we only ever saw her in her current state, so we don't know exactly what she was like before. But you can kinda guess. Even broken down and battered, she still holds herself like the finest lady." He speaks fondly, then nods.

"Make no mistake though. Even stripped down and beaten up, she still holds up remarkably well. She might not be as pretty as she was in her hayday, but she still has teeth. She more than makes it up with her raw guts. Kinda like you people, in way. Even when losing a lot, life's not managed to keep you down."

He smiles, then takes another swig. "And like us all, work and effort and chance willing, she'll be restored to glory one day. Never the same as before, but new and different. Free."

Zeru continues enjoying his food and wine, and feels like getting more and more talkative.

"Pardon me miss... Dove, I believe it was" He says to the beautiful snow-white haired woman. "I wish to thank you for rushing to our defense, after my particularly... ill-chosen phrasing of my occupation. I will return the favor someday." He says bowing his head slightly in promise.

"But I digress I believe, seeing that this is a celebration, that we should talk about happier things. Have you traveled a lot?" Zeru's eyes are soft and warm, like the sandy shores on a summer day. His smile is genuine, and a little lopsided, like one-side has gotten more practice than the other. "Both aboard the Ship of Peleps Kaizoku, and in my wanderings I've seen numerous places around Creation. I wandered for quite some time, but I enjowed it. I think the most beautiful sight... present company excluded of course..." he says nodding to all three of the women, "Was the Colored Shores of the Coral Archipelago at sunrise." He leans back in his chair. "The archipleago is named for the many formations of coral they have there, and the colors sometimes reach out of the water to grab your eyes and hold fast. The variations of color were so numerous. It was a breathtaking sight to be sure. I hope our cerrent home will get the chance to see it someday."

Dove started to chuckle at something or other, and looked up at Zeru, adjusting her spectacles slightly.  "Peleps.. Kaizoku, correct?"  She began, grinning a bit.  "I'm not entirely sure if they're aware of the irony or not--but there's a rather subtle western dialect of which the term 'Kaizoku' directly translates to 'Pirate' ...  Aside from that, I do appreciate the compliment--I don't frequently gain them thanks to these things..."  She pointed to the wings at her back.  "Frankly, it's more often something along the lines of 'Mutant!'  or something along similar lines..."

Sighing slightly, she took another glance down at her books.  "Admittedly, while they are natural, they're not quite common down around here either"

"Well I think that they are a perfect expression of freedom, and the sharp contrast accentuates your hair quite nicely." He stammers slightly. "Pardon if I'm being too bold. Also you have yet to answer my question and I am eagerly awaiting it."

Toc stopped staring off in the distance, his sour face evidently displeased as he brought the edge of his cup to his lips lazily. He'd kept his mouth shut, admirably, thus far, and he silently commended himself on it.

A palm slid across his bald head, wiping away whatever seat or substance had been there. The hand slid down his face and stopped at his goatee, and stayed there to tug on the red hair that sprouted from his dark skin. It looked almost contemplative, which was likely exactly opposite of how Toc normally was.

"I'm in too."

He threw a wink Lasuri's way, since he hadn't been included in the agreement. His leg rose so that his foot sat upon the chair as well, bending at the knee so his thigh sat against his chest so that his knee could provide support for the arm that continued to tuck at the tuft of red hair at the bottom of Toc's chin.

Jadira nods toward Chihultoc, emerald eyes regarding the previously silent man. "Of course you are, and we welcome you just the same," she says emphatically, oblivious to any reason Lasuri would have to exclude him. Simply an error, since 'Toc had been so quiet, is her guess.

"You were quiet, though. Something on your mind? Maybe you've a story to tell us, to liven up this table a bit." The brunette grins casually as she gestures to include anyone else who might be paying attention. Sometimes alcohol did loosen tongues...

"Anyone? I'd love to hear of your previous exploits... if you're willing to share."

He smiles towards the man then, and leans back in his seat. "And you're just as welcome. You see, we can't force anyone in - every contribution has to be completely voluntary. That's the core of our Alliance, after all. It's about Choice. So, even though there are those that call me 'Captain'... I can't really talk in place of anyone here." He nods, then takes his cup back in his hand.

"You're no less welcome and included, though, know that. Your contribution is just as appreciated as anyone else's, Mister Chihultoc. Never forget that. There's a place here for everyone, loud or quiet. And believe me, I understand the 'quiet' side."

He raises his cup to the bald man, then looks around the table. "I've babbled enough, though. Now's the perfect time for all of you you to get to know each other, so go right ahead if you have anything you want to say." He smiles once more, shifting to a more comfortable position in his seat.

"You had a question?"  Dove said, blinking quizzically a few times.  "My apologies, I must not have noticed it...  What was it again?"

She blinked innocently a few times then

"Have you traveled much?" He says, his grin not even flinching.

Some people waste no time, he thought with a smile as he noticed the conversation Zeru was trying to strike up with Platinum Dove, before he turned his attention to the conversation between the previously quiet Chihultoc and Jadira.

"A story you say, Lady Thornbloom?" he questions with a smile.  "What kind of a story did you have in mind?" he sips his wine.  "I might know a tale or two, but which one to tell is always the question ..." he looks contemplative, as if he were giving the choice of story some serious thought.  "One of derring-do, perhaps, since one of a more tragic note hardly seems auspicious on a first meeting."

He takes another sip of his wine to wet his throat, and then he begins.  "It was ... of course ... a dark and stormy night," he speaks with a grin, holding up his hands against the protests.  "Which is more more common than one might think, around Bluehaven, at least.  The sea was heaving, threatening to swamp even the good ship Temeraire, and a fine ship she was, a vessel quite like the Spring Dryad II, if those rumours are to be believed, along with a small fleet of the Imperial Navy's finest ships.  What, you might ask, were those vessels doing out there, on such a night? Well ..."
And with that, Treon begins to spin a tale of demonic Lintha pirates, unscrupulous Guild traders and the proud Imperial Navy.  The Lintha, you see, had been trying to sell certain goods only they could produce to the Guild, for eventual sale in An-Teng.  It ends up with the Lintha pirates sent scurrying back to Bluehaven after a pitched battle, several of the Realm ships in rather urgent need of repair, and perhaps most importantly, several crates of goods of malfean construction consigned to the flames.

"Or so an old soak in an An-Teng bar told me," he says, after the tale winds to its conclusion, gesturing magnanimously for someone else to take the floor, as it were.

"I was in An-Teng once, when we fought the Lunar Anathema Tyros. It was a long hunt, and we were beset by hordes of beastmen and other horrible things, but our commander was smarter. We lured them out of the jungle one night, pretending to be asleep and drunk, and when they came, we were ready. None of them survived. We set our ambush deep, so that even those who tried to escape would run into our well-placed pikemen. The Lunar herself escaped, unfortunately, but we did manage to drive her beastmen back and keep the civilized folk safe. We lost one of our Exalted brethren, but he was buried as a hero, and he will surely be reborn as a Dragon-Blooded of good breeding."

There is a certain look of pride on Tageru's face as he tells his story, and his green eyes light up like two brilliant green orbs. He turns to the head of the table.

"But, I wanted to ask our Captain something:
Where to first? Do we have a plan and a course of action, or do we just sail where our, well... your gut leads us?"

"Oh!  Yes, quite a bit in my time actually"  Dove said after thinking for a moment.  "Mostly throughout the North mind you--it's a much more open sort of place around there, I was quite happy...  Sadly, in the interests of maintaining my studies, it behooves me to move along to another part of Creation--and at the time, coming to the West was most appropriate...  Unfortunately, the ship I had secured passage on wound up sunk--and I was fortunate to stumble upon the alliance here--it was rather fortuitous, all things considerere."

"I thank you for your grace in answering my question... And now if you'll excuse me a call for stories has been given, and I have a tale I'd like to spin." Zeru regards the entire table with his grin, his eyes sparkling with light that almost dances.

"I'm not sure you all are aware of the activities of Peleps Kaizoku. With all regards to the Imperial Navy" He nods towards Treon. "And the Immaculate monks" He nods towards Tageru. "There are just some places that they cannot go, due to political reasons. Like sending in the Navy to secure supplies from a country that the Empire was supposed to be Allied with, but have broken ties to. Rather than lose face, they send in the bastard child of the navy, the forces of Peleps Kaizoku. The Empire has deniability and they get the resources they need anyway." He gets into it slightly, leaning forward with his hands on the edges of the chair. His voice raising in volume, but remaining clear.

"As such Kaizoku's forces are hunted by their enemies. This is one such instance. My father, and I were supposed to be scouting the area for enemies. But we were surrounded and attacked. One ship was foolish enough to try to board us. The forces we had weren't nearly as numerous but they were better trained and we repelled the assault. They had sorcerers aboard their ships which made the seas around us stormy. Lightning was striking and several crewmembers saw the light of death. Almost in response to this devilish act the sea itself arose and fell. A massive whirlpool started sucking in the ships towards the center. Our ship skirted the outside rim, dipping inside to gain speed before flying out of it again. The ship flew, for what felt like an eternity before falling back into the sea, and sailing away. The remains of that fleet were floating in shards when we arrived the next day with reinforcements."

He leans back in his chair. "This is the power of the sea..."

"Sailors who don't respect the power of the Sea don't have long careers - or lives. She doesn't forgive. You either learn to respect and fear that power... Or you end up one of the many to spend an eternity in the bottomless darkness."

Lasuri has been listening to the tales intently, regaling himself with every single one - enjoying the differences and nuances, the different tones and colors everyone brings to tale. The captain, however, is merely content with listening rather than contributing to the collection of stories, seemingly enjoying the way everyone brings some light into their past and experiences with tales of courage, fear, glory and loss. When all is said and done, he leans back in his chair slightly, turning back towards the monk who addressed him.

"I have some ideas, but where the Dryad sets sails to is not something I should decide all by myself. Tomorrow, we'll all go to the map room, and plan our next move... Together." He nods and smiles, scratching his chin absent-mindedly with a gloved hand. "We can talk about everyone's opinions and thoughts on the subject then. If you really want my thoughts on it now though... I was thinking of sailing towards An-Teng. The how and why will take a bit of explaining, but we'll get to that in time."

"If not An-Teng, then we may wish to sail towards Coral, but again, there'll be the morn to speak of that," Jadira says, pleased to hear the stories of her comrades.

She glances with new respect toward Tageru in particular, stating, "I have yet to face and defeat an Anathema in battle. Though I will say now... we are not unfriendly toward the Realm, but we do not attack known Anathema on sight, unless their actions give us a reason to."

"We've tussled with the Lintha before, though -- cannibals and cultists, greedy and vile -- they're not hard to hate, those bastards. We've survived Fair Folk, appeased angry sea spirits, but most our opponents so far were just pirates more cutthroat than we. Even Coral -- the nation," she corrects in case Lucky Coral reacts to her name, "has its standards, and they do not frown on taking down privateers that have gone out of control."

"So you see, there is much to do. Tomorrow." Grinning, Jadira returns to her meal with gusto, intent on enjoying every last morsel and sleeping well that night.

The feast goes on. Plates are passed around, glasses filled and refilled, stories told and sea shanties sung. Some of the mortal crewmembers grow increasingly amorous as the night goes on -- couples pair off, here and there, and a few women emboldened by drink [Private to Cathak Garel Treon: and a quiet man, who seems... intrigued by Treon in particular] make moon-eyes at Zeru or Treon (keeping a wide berth from Mia, whose radiant beauty would draw attention away from them!)

Eventually the mess hall begins to clear, waved off by a Captain rather interested in keeping Jadira to himself, and jovially warning the crew that hangovers in the morning won't be an excuse to skimp on work. This leaves the new comrades more or less to their own devices, the Outcastes each with their own private rooms to be personalized, in time, to their liking.

(OOC - Finish up conversations and/or post what you'll do for the rest of the evening. The amenities of Sorrow's Veil are all open to you. If you're a workaholic you could have slipped out for some last minute training or studying instead of staying till the end of the feast... whatever you like!)
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:13, Thu 23 Oct 2008.

Zeru is enjoying the attention he's recieving from the ladies. "Enough, enough" He says stepping between two. "I shall be around a while longer ladies, there is no need to fight. I find you both radient..." He starts to chuckle hoping to lighten their moods. "I can't have you making all this ruckus before we set sail. It is bad luck to leave on ill terms with others. If you need me I shall be in the bath for a quick soak before I sleep." Now you'll know where to find me. My door shall be unlocked." He gives them a wink before slipping off. With a slight whistle to Coral who moved a little sluggishly from the table from her large feast. He stooped to pick her up before heading to the bath, quickly shedding his clothes and stepping in; a towel nearby.

"Ahh... nothing like a hot bath, eh Coral?" The cat was dog paddling around the bath, the steam hiding her fairly effectively.

"Mau!" came the appreciative answer.

Tageru finishes the meal and gets up from the table before the feast had ended.
"If you'll excuse me", he speaks to the captain "I must go rest for a while and do my meditations. I'll see you in the morning"

He bows to the captain and goes to his room. He sits on the floor and meditates for half an hour, ignoring the background noise of the party, and then goes to sleep.

'Well, it wasn't bad, as first nights go. We shall yet see what this crew will be like. I hope I don't have to look for another one soon...'

With that thought, he goes to sleep.

"An-Teng, you say?  It's been a while since I was there.  An interesting choice," he notes to Lasuri's announcement.  Then he is more than content to make conversation with the crew around him, both male and female, although it could be noted that he was significantly more flirtatious with the women around him.  Which was not to say his remarks of that nature were solely directed at those of the fairer sex, just mainly.  Those paying particularly close attention might notice it was almost as if he was doing this, at least in part, for someone else's benefit although whose might be harder to determine.

Eventually though, Treon seems to have had enough, and he rises from his seat, looking to those around him.  "I bid you all good night," he say to no-one in particular, and all those he had been flirting with.  "I will see you all on the morrow," he smiled.  "Unless you really can't bear to be parted that long," he whispered in one of the women's ears, causing a little blush to rise.  But still, he walked off alone. He found his quarters and settled down to sleep, after taking the time to unbind the three ribboned braids and brush out his hair and other such ablutions before bed.
[Private to GM: I'd like to try and gauge what curious guy is curious about.  (Hmm. Curious mortal is curious? lolmortalz?) so I made a Per+Soc roll!  If you think I rate a stunt for trying to divine this via chatting everyone else up, feel free to roll it for me.
11:37, Today: Secret Roll: Cathak Garel Treon rolled 4 successes using 6d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7. Per+Soc.  Why is curious mortal curious?
]

Zeru's bath is made slightly more... interesting by the arrival of a woman with dark red hair whose name he recalls as Cinna. Whatever happens is something only the two of them (and Coral, perhaps) need know.

Treon is left to himself, though, as the dark haired woman he made blush has just enough hold on her dignity not to throw herself at a gentleman at the first opportunity. Still, she does pass by his door, briefly, lingering just a short while without knocking before moving on.

[Private to Cathak Garel Treon: +1 stunt, got no more sux though. Still good enough to figure that the man's interest seemed to be a slight... attraction. Though when he saw Treon paying attention to the ladies he politely shifted his attention elsewhere.]

Tageru finds the rooms are either removed enough from the mess hall or insulated enough against outside sound that both his meditations and sleep are undisturbed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:38, Fri 24 Oct 2008.

Morning comes, and the crew is roused to assemble on the deck of the Spring Dryad II.

Despite the wear and tear of centuries, the vessel still echoes magnificently the wonders once produced at the height of the First Age. The Dryad is a light warship, much like those still employed in the Imperial Navy or Lookshy, though bearing no colors or markings of either. The sleek hull is constructed of a lightweight blend of specially treated wood and organic crystal that gives it a partially transparent look, despite the surface being much sturdier than any ordinary material could hope to achieve. In the shadows of the cove, the ship appears a dark shade of cobalt, but when struck directly by light the crystalline surface takes on color much like an oil slick, with pale blue, purples, dark pinks, even a hint of gold.

The deck itself is less crystalline and more of the water-tight wood, still plenty sturdy enough to weather tempestuous storms and enemy cannon barrages alike. Close up, the surface does show some wear, or patches that have been filled in with other types of wood, as it's much more difficult to replicate the methods by which the ship was built. The Dryad's single mast is currently retracted and stored in its dorsal chamber, and its four turrets have been covered by waterproof canvas to protect them from the elements. Due to the characteristics of the mast, one would assume that the paddlewheels at either side of the rudder provide another means of propulsion besides the sails.

[Private to Cathak Garel Treon; Chihultoc Thafur; Ledaal Mia; Peleps Zeru; Platinum Dove: You recognize the ship's make enough to know that the paddlewheels are typically Essence-powered and give a speed burst superior to most ordinary ships, though with limited use.] [Private to Mia; Platinum Dove: You also recognize that the paddlewheels are damaged enough at the moment that they do not function properly, though not so much they would hinder natural propulsion.]

The last most prominent feature of the ship is the figurehead on the prow, carved into the shape of a lady with flowing hair clad in flowering vines, her hand held outward as if blowing a kiss into the wind. This would be where the spirit of the Dryad normally lingers, if one believes in such things.

At a shout from Captain Lasuri, the rest of the crew scurries to fulfill their usual deck duties while he and Jadira commence a brief tour of the ship's facilities to their new comrades. The bridge consists of a pilot's room and a navigation room. The quarterdeck holds the dining area and accomodations for the Outcastes, who rank as ships' officers, with the large cabin at the stern reserved for the Captain. Below deck is where the galley, the sick bay, the armory, and the common crew quarters can be found, and below that the cargo holds and the bilge. Finally, the group is led back above to the navigation room, where a detailed map of the West has been spread out on a wide table with pins marking various locations of importance.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:08, Sat 25 Oct 2008.

The next morning Zeru wakes up from his hammock above where the bed was supposed to be. The bed was a little too confortable, Coral currently resting on it. He quckly changes from his kitty sleepwear into a set of seaworthy clothes he had prepared. The last thing he does is gently lift Coral into his pocket and tie his chain around his chest.

Upon seeing the ship Zeru is amazed, his father's ships were nothing like this. After noting the figurehead, with a bit of a smile, he stops at the bottom of the gangplank. "Peleps Zeru, Permission to come aboard?!" He yells to the deck. He was one for superstition, and he hopes that introducing himself to the ship would help more than simply asking the captain for permission he already has.

There's no obvious response to Zeru's call, besides a few crewmen peering his way... then a slight breeze shifts through his hair, carrying a floral fragrance. Someone's perfume? Who can really say?

On the deck, an older, stocky man with a grey-streaked beard calls out to Zeru. "Git on board already, young sir, she won't bite ya." Chuckling, the man Zeru has heard referred to as 'Mister Donnegal' starts yelling more commands at the crew while Lasuri accompanies the Outcastes.

Zeru can still hurry to join the others before the tour ends.

Tageru appears as soon as the call was issued, already dressed in his armor and his clothes. He carries little beside his gear, only a single bag, probably his clothes. In daylight, his true appearance is visible:

An incredibly muscular man, with an arm the width of an average man's leg, and in his jade armor, Tageru looks a bit...scary... His vibrant green eyes glow in the sunlight and he approaches the deck. He bows to the ship, and enters, without much more ceremony.

"You should not ask permission from the small god of the ship, it is not it's choice to make. Only the captain has the authority to deny you entrance, and I'm pretty certain he won't do so, since you're officially a part of the crew. You're a Dynast, you should know better than to ask a small god for such a thing. That can only embolden the little god to misbehave." Tageru says to Zeru when he sees his act.

Zeru smiles at the figurehead. "Sultry Minx, I think I will enjoy living on this ship." and with that he rushes on board to get back in line with the Outcastes. As he passes Mister Donnegal, he says in a cheery tone. "'tis best to be polite with a ship sir. Without a sense of respect, she'll toss ya a soon as any horse will." Then he joins up with the group.

"Sorry I'm late," he apologizes rubbing the back of his head. "I had a long night." He says cheerily for just having woken up.

(OOC: Here's the links to two maps of the West, so you can all follow along while plans are exchanged: http://darksiren.net/stuff/West-Map.jpg and http://darksiren.net/stuff/West-Map-Full.jpg . The second one has Sorrow's Veil's location pinpointed on it, for future reference.)

Hands resting on the map table, Lasuri raises his head at people's arrival, granting them a small, if sincere smile as they approach. "Oi, come on in, no need to be shy - this is going to be our planning room for a while, so might as well get comfortable with it." The captain takes a moment to let people catch their breaths, and gestures towards the impressive-sized map covering the table at the center of the room. Pins and marks indicate places of interest to the alliance, marking every important location with color coded symbols. Cobalt marks Alliance bases or hideouts, azure allied nations and cities or groups, and red marks enemies and dangerous areas. For now, there seems to be quite a bit of red spread across the map...

"Allright, listen up." Lasuri begins, his tone becoming more business-like. "I'd rather not eat all your time with boring expositions, so let me get straight to the point. As it currently stands, the Alliance has taken to a triangular pattern in its travels. Sorrow's veil is one of the points, Coral is another, and An-Teng is the last. Why the pattern, you might ask? Well, the answer is actually a no-brainer. We've haven't got the manpower to fan all over the West as it stands, so the best thing for us to do with our limited resources is to move between allied nations and Alliance holdings while we patrol. So we move from our allies in Coral to Sorrow's Veil to Dreamer's Idyll in An-Teng. All the while, we keep an eye out for allies and threats, both to ourselves and the West in general. Defeating other people's enemies can give us strong allies eventually, so that's always a plus for us."

"Now. The trips to Coral are shorter usually, and we're in the habit of making those when we've got cargo to sell or supplies to buy. Coral's our main base of trade, right now. We could potentially build more trade lines in the future, but for now they're the ones most willing to take our stuff with little questions asked, and the ones who will sell us what we need without giving us a huge over cost due to bad rep. We're not dangerously low on supplies right now, but having more never hurts."

"On the An-Teng way, we've got plenty of threats - new pirate groups wanting to make a name from themselves, dead things near the Isle of Shadows, and of course, the Lintha. So there's plenty of threats to tangle it this way and try to clean out. That's also the way we head to when we want to get info on the Realm. Miss Thornbloom has contacts in the area, so that's how we get the pulse the Mainland."

"Anyways. That's a lot to digest right now, but that's the gist of it. Ask away if you have any questions, and throw in your suggestions - our next move won't be dictated by me alone."

"Ha, plenty people prefer to just be told where to go, though," Jadira says dryly. The brunette leans against one of the side tables in her dark green longcoat (buttoned now) and sable pants. "Choice is easy enough though. North towards Coral or south, southeast-ish towards An-Teng. North is the shorter way, unless we stop off at Abalone... we might have Coral's letter of marque, but we're our own allegiance, so Wavecrest tends to be... friendlier. Usually."

"I'll put my vote in for An-Teng myself, I've not checked on the Idyll in a couple months," she concludes. "And we've not much loot to foist off right now anyway. Always a chance the Lintha will give us a good fight."

Treon had woken early and refreshed, heading for a soak in the baths before dressing to go and visit the ship, carefully braiding his hair with the ribbons and pulling on his long charcoal coat, this time strapping his Daiklaive, sheathed, at his side.

When he reached the vessel he gave the dryad, for it could be no other spirit, on the prow an elaborate bow before he boarded.  After boarding, he wandered the deck for a few minutes, keeping out of the way of the crew as he did, waiting for the others to arrive and the tour to begin.  As each person arrived, he bid them good morning and gave a little bow.

"A beautiful vessel, Captain Leomaris, Lady Thornbloom," he says as the tour finishes.  "And one that has been well cared for."

"My own personal reccomendation..."  Dove began, looking over the map for a moment, and thinking on this.  "Would be to secure some proper working materials--I've noted some of the damages to the ship--and I believe with a certain degree of effort and resources, that I may be able to get the paddlewheel functional--that alone will give us considerable leverage against any possible peers we may come against--As such, I would reccomend any earlier targets to be ones who would conceviably have the tools and materials we would need...  Or, we could simply warm up against some lesser crews"

"You noticed that, eh? We've lacked the expertise until now to fix it," Jadira says helplessly to Dove, "but the Dryad is still one of the better ships in these waters defensively. We're lucky for that."

"Proper materials -- other than harvesting or making the stuff ourselves, our best bet would be to try to cannibalize it off of other ships of similar make. Most every sizable force has at least one such vessel, but again we have to choose our enemies carefully."

"If we manage to capture enough loot, we could possibly trade for some material, too. It'd be pricey. But... a lot of wealth from unexpected places ends up in Coral, as you all must know. Even from Skullstone. After all, they are allies." Jadira shudders just a bit at the thought; she isn't all that fond of the island nation of the dead, though wouldn't dare challenge them openly with one ship.

"I like the idea of going to Coral, I haven't been in years, and I wanna see the sunrise again. But the tradeoff is that Coral is a common port of trade and any pirates would be looking for ships coming from there to pick off so to speak. We're more likely to get attacked after coming from Coral then going straight to An-Teng." He rubs the back of his head again, he usually wasn't involved in the planning stages of missions, just the execution part. "Well that's what I would do anyways." Zeru says.

All of you consider the possibilities...

[Private to Platinum Dove: Of the major Western forces, you know Wavecrest has several artifact ships but rarely use them, the Guild has many and the Realm has double that. The other sources of such material you've read about are in or around shadowlands, or deep underwater: The Isle of Shadows, Skullstone, or in the sunken cities rumored to be in the deep Southwest past Wavecrest. However, one could possibly count on encountering pirates who have captured artifact vessels, such as the Lintha, or unscrupulous privateers. As for *making* material, the books in Sorrow's Veil provide the theory but you'll need a facility specialized for such craft. Make an Int+Lore or Occult roll if you want to think further along those lines.]

[Private to Cathak Garel Treon; Chihultoc Thafur; Cynis Tageru: You know the Realm employs the most artifact ships in all Creation. The Guild also owns a sizable amount. Wavecrest has a handful of small First Age ships, but only bring them out in defense of their homeland. Coral is not known to have artifact vessels, instead employing large numbers of exceptional Second Age ships. However, one could possibly count on encountering pirates who have captured artifact vessels, such as the Lintha, or unscrupulous privateers.]

[Private to Ledaal Mia; Peleps Zeru; Lasuri Leomaris: You know the Realm employs artifact ships of similar make to the Dryad in the West, and some even larger ones. You also know the Guild owns many such ships, but Coral close to none.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:07, Sat 25 Oct 2008.

"Actually..."  Dove begins.  "While I was looking through the collection at Sorrow's Veil--I managed to find some interesting charts of the area...  Specifically, back in the Shogunate, there was apparently a secured harbour right about..."  She took a careful look at the sea-chart, glancing around a few times, then pointing at a spot roughly two-hundred miles to the southeast.  "Accounting for time and whatnot--but it was meant to service the ships of the day, and was sufficiently secured from external threats that they didn't believe it could be access by unauthorized individuals.  There's a chart on how we can get down there...  Admittedly, it cuts through several hot-zones for various other pirates, from Lintha to the more traditional sort--but if we can secure that place, we'll not only have a safe haven here, but we'll have a place where we can manufacture improvements and upgrades to our fleet as it grows."

"That's cetainly an idea" Zeru says, thinking. "But you talk as if it's uninhabited, do we know that's the case?"

"Hrrm, well, that wouldn't take us more than a couple days to reach, assuming fair weather, of course!"

Jadira grins at Zeru. "There's no way we can really know til' we get there. Well, we've got a heading, it's on our way... we'll just have to do a little reconnaissance once we're close. We've got some stealthy folk, don't we?"

She glances towards the Captain, prompting Lasuri's opinion on the plan.

"Great work, miss Dove. That's certainly something we should check out. Until we get more ships on our side - I would assume some of you might want to commandeer a vessel of your own eventually - the Dryad is our main fighting lady, and she's not as good as she could be. She was up for repair when we caught her, and we just didn't have the skill or knowledge to restore her fully..."

He turns towards Platinum Dove, then nods. "Until now, that is. I'll admit I'm awfully interested in that information you just provided, miss Dove. Having another potential hideout in that area would be pretty useful, actually - the more checkpoints we build between our other strongholds, the better. That, and we'd gain a facility where we can repair both the Dryad and other potential captured First Age ships, as well."

He nods, his eyes still turned towards the map, before lifting his head and regarding the others in the room. "I'm all for checking this place out, and secure it - if we find out we can take whatever resistance is out there. If we can't by  pure force, there's still the possibility of taking it by guile. We've certainly got good talent on our side... So it's all a matter of using it properly."

"Well, that decides it, then. We'll prepare for sailing southwards towards miss Dove's coordinates, and see this place for ourselves." He nods, then looks at the faces around him, waiting to see if anyone else has anything to add.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:17, Sat 25 Oct 2008.

"Aye sir, I'm a fair hand at any part of the ship, any duties that need doin?" Zeru asks. "I'd like to get a feel for the lady here." He stops, thinking about what he just said. "Ah... I meant the Dryad... No disrespect ladies."

"Well I was going to throw my vote in for An Teng, and I think I still will," Treon says as he considers what Platinum Dove has told them.  "Once we have checked out the dockyard, at least.  I agree another base of operations would be most useful, but until the Alliance has more ships, we will find it hard to hold more bases against pirates, Lintha and other such undesirables.  Not to mention the attentions of more worthy nations who would simply like a functioning Shogunate-era docks for themselves."

"This means we will need to be prepared to defend the place against some fairly serious players, at least once it is known that we have captured it.  Whilst I'm sure as Platinum Dove said," he nodded. "It will have automated defences, at least if it is to be a prize still worth claiming in this day and age, we have to consider that these defences are necessarily ones we can defeat.  And so others can too, especially when emboldened by our success."

"This isn't intended to discourage you, Captain and the rest" his gesture encompasses all there.  "But to give you something to think about."

"None taken!" Jadira says merrily to Zeru, before listening seriously to Treon...

"Well, that's why we're going to look before we leap, so to speak. At least we can see whether it's worth taking now or later," she points out, taking a nearby quill pen and marking the spot Dove had just indicated. "Besides, having the best workshop in the world doesn't mean we'll have all the materials we need. Or the time."

"Anyway, we'll point our nose toward An-Teng afterward. Zeru, how good are you with navigation? Or if you'd rather be out there sweating..." She points out the windows towards the team Mister Donnegal has tasked to hoist the telescoping mast and assemble the sails. "As for me, I'll be polishing the weapons. Ha ha! I'm pretty sure we'll have use for 'em!"

Jadira turns to Lasuri, sparkling emerald eyes a contrast to her sharp salute. "By your leave, Captain!" With that she starts her way downstairs from the bridge toward the foredeck.

"I'm pretty good at Navigation." Zeru says, "Although I've never tested the extent of my prowess I can get us to where we need to be."

[Private to GM: How do you want to handle this? I couldn't find any rules regarding sailing in the core rules.]

The crew makes quick work of readying the Spring Dryad II for its next journey at sea. With commands from Captain Lasuri and Mister Donnegal serving as bosun, the mast is raised, the sails unfurled, the plank and the anchor raised.

Jadira is in her own world, giving the ships' weapons her brand of tender loving care with the help of her gunnery crew. They take stock of the current stores of ammunition, which is plentiful.

The rest of the crew may aid the preparations in whatever way they wish, roam the ship's decks or simply rest as the journey begins.

Finally Captain Lasuri takes the helm, with Zeru as navigator. Jadira flares briefly emerald as she raises the wind in the sails to give them a boost on their way...

---

OOC: All right, here's how it'll be done... According to Ex2 Core, the Sail skill covers both navigation and sailing.

Navigation is actually plotting the course. Zeru gets to sit there with the map and the compass and judge by the wind and the position of the sun and whatnot which way Lasuri should point the ship. That Navigation roll is a Int+Sail. Lasuri gets to roll a Wits+Sail for actually *piloting* the ship; the result determines how well he follows the course and possibly deals with bad weather along the way.

So, just remember, if I want navigation it's Int+Sail; actual maneuvering the ship, Wits+Sail. Zeru - roll your navigation, Lasuri - roll for piloting, and everyone make their last post(s) if any before the end of the thread.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:16, Sun 26 Oct 2008.

Zeru settles down near the help with a map in his hand. He licks his finger and holds it into the wind gets confused, and reaches into his pocket. He pulls out some lint and tosses it into the air, noting which way the wind carried it. He tilts his tri-corner hat down before unfurling the map and making some calculations with the compass. He jumps to his feet. "Alrighty cap'n you just turn the girl about a quarter turn port and we should be heading in the right direction. Providin' the wind doesn't change of course."

[Private to Storyteller: 21:18, Today: Peleps Zeru rolled 5 successes using 7d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7. Navigation. ]

He inclines his head to Lady Thornbloom "Of course we should find out what is there, yes."

Treon is quite content to leave the navigation to other people for the day, quirking a grin at Zeru's careful adjustment of his hat before settling down to actually perform the calculations involved.  Instead of lazing around however, Treon elects to join Mister Donnegal on the decks, doffing his coat and placing it out of the way before joining in with the raising of the mast and the setting of the sails.

Tageru starts the journey and the day with some exercises, push-ups and gymnastics. He's rather agile for a man of his size, and also strong. He didn't say anything at the meeting-he didn't care too much which way they would go. As long as it's not back home to the Realm, he was fine with it.

When he finishes his workout, he comes to the captain: "Well, since I don't know anything about sailing, I must ask you whether there are any things that need to be done on the ship that I might do. I don't want to feel useless while traveling, and even though this ship is fully manned, I'm sure there's something I can do to be useful and to entertain myself. I'm mostly a warrior, but I'm also a good healer so I can be the ship's doctor, if we don't already have one..."

Enjoying the first steps of a new journey, Lasuri, smiles and nods towards Zeru, adjusting the wheel precisely to the new indications. The Captain spends a few seconds readjusting his initial heading, obviously trying to follow the man's directions as faithfully as possible before the journey begins...

Satisfied with his adjustment, he nods back to Zeru. "Thanks for the good work, mister Zeru. You'll be the responsible of guiding us, so keep a sharp eye and let me know of any adjustment we'd have to make." He smiles, then turns towards Tageru.

"The ship doesn't have an assigned doctor right now - we have a few people who can take care of First Aid in in pinch, but I'm sure you'll agree that's not the same as having an actual healer on board. So the position's yours, valid... Right away." He smiles again, then turns his gaze towards their heading.

"Don't worry though, your warrior abilities're gonna be more than welcome sooner or later. There's a lot of different ships sailing banners we're not friendly with in these waters, so we have to be ready to defend the ship at the drop of a hat... And that's when I'll also count on all of you as well."

[Private to Storyteller: You rolled 6 successes using 9d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 ((4,3,8,8,10,4,1,7,8)).]
This message was last edited by the player at 18:28, Sun 26 Oct 2008.

The Dryad is well on her way, with few if any mishaps. The winds remain favorable, and their heading stays true.

The two days of sailing are spent with no events of note, leaving the crew ample time for training or leisure.

---

OOC: I will be posting beginning of Phase 2 shortly. Total XP up to this point will be posted very shortly. You have 2 days training time, post if you will be using that time to train anything.