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.