The distinctive head of the chain flies forth from the curtain of bubbles, creating a hole in the oxygenated shield, the hole expands as the bubbles disappear. Zeru floats calmly with his signature grin covering his face.

[Private to GM: 18:54, Today: Peleps Zeru rolled 2 successes using 10d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 1,1,7,3,6,2,5,7,4,1. Attack. ]

The jade ball impacts solidly with the throbbing blue heart. The crystalline protector atop it shatters and snaps apart into a multitude of crystal shards, the frazzled connectors sparking and then fading... the glow of the Hearthstone fading with it.

"Mission... failed." Zeru and Jadira hear its last transmission echo in their minds before it goes still, the faceted blue gem ejecting from it's hearth chamber. It floats towards Zeru.

Niakuni and Astrid, watching from a distance, start to approach the felled guardian tentatively -- but not too closely, waiting to see whether one of the Exalts will warn them off.

The workshop platforms still await to be examined, as well.

Zeru catches the hearthstone and pockets it. He gives Niakuni and Astrid a thumbs up and swims towards the workshop.

Jadira grins, and echoes the thumbs up, looking in much better spirits despite the whole underwater claustrophobia from before. Damn, that felt satisfying. She swims to look at the body of the butterfly guardian, giving it a look-over while Zeru continues to the workshop itself. I hope wrecking it like that won't do anything terrible to the function of the manse.

There isn't very much Zeru can tell about the workshop, not being much of a crafter himself. All the tools and shelves and controls he can see are labeled in an odd pictograph language, locked away in airtight boxes that appear to have no obvious handles or hinges. It is definitely a flawless quality workshop, though.

The central pillar has a control panel on it. There are a couple of important looking buttons on it, and a lever with red lettering next to it. Again, Zeru can't read the lettering, but the hue makes him think there's something dangerous about the lever. At least one of those controls probably opens up the double doors that are embedded into the pillar.

As for the hearthstone itself, Zeru will have to take some time (hours) to attune it if he wants to learn more, but it seems to be an Air aspected stone. Strange, since the entire structure is underwater.

Jadira, looking over the broken guardian, sees that the regeneration capabilities it exhibited before are still working, even though the AI has been shut off. So the automaton will heal fully, given time, but not wake without the stone to power it.

Zeru swims up to Jadira gives her a thumbs up and moves it upwards towards the surface a few times indicating the time was coming to go back. Then he slowly swims back towards the Niakuni and Astrid.

Jadira returns a confused glance... That's it?

She finds herself a bit frustrated at the inability to talk while underwater. So she just holds a hand up to Zeru, a wait a moment signal, and goes to examine the workshop herself before they go.

I mean, what use can a workshop 300 yards underwater be to us, anyway???

But Jadira figures that if the structure is pre-Shogunate, any inscriptions on it would be in Old Realm. Maybe she can find something useful out before they head up.

Zeru pauses at Jadira's motion and follows her back to the chrysalis.

Jadira can read the inscriptions, as she was taught Old Realm at the Heptagram. Most of them are labels for tools she doesn't really know how to use, or in some cases even heard of! She also reads that the anyone attuned to the Manse (and the attunement can be shared) would be able to access the locked equipment as well as control various functions with more precision.

The panel is also of interest. She can understand pretty readily that the two buttons control the central elevator between the platforms. Of course, why would one need that if the platforms stayed underwater? One could simply swim up to the top one, assuming one could even survive this far below sea level in the first place.

A possible answer lies in the inscription next to the switch. "Pull upward for emergency surface." And next to it a caveat. "CAUTION: Hold on to provided railings for your safety." And indeed there railings all around the first floor pillar, at about waist length.

Well, this could be a shortcut upward. Or something really dangerous. How do I convey this to the others, now? Jadira beckons to Zeru and the waiting Tya, pointing at the lever, then the platform at her feet, then several times upward. Then she indicates the railings, and holds onto one, grimacing as if holding on for dear life.

Damn, what is this, charades? I feel like an idiot!

Finally she just shrugs, and puts a hand on the lever, but doesn't pull it. The question in the armswoman's eyes is: Should I?

(OOC: I'm not really sure if there ought to be some sort of roll to understand her crappy sign language. :D Maybe a Wits+Linguistics.)

Zeru and the Tya get the basic idea of what Jadira's saying at least. She seems to think the lever will lead upward (you're not sure if she means the elevator or the platforms themselves), but if she pulls it she wants everyone to be hanging on tight to something sturdy.

So... pull or not pull?

Zeru's face shows a hint of surprise that Jadira can read the letters. But almost instantly his smile grows back. His eyes are sparkling with adventure as he grips the railing and gives Jadira a thumbs up.

Jadira's face is grinning, too. She always knew she'd end up a troublemaker somehow, even in the Realm. Well... hopefully this little adventure would be more exciting than deadly.

She nods to Niakuni and Astrid to take their place at the railing, ensuring everyone is holding on before she yanks the lever upward.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:45, Fri 28 Nov 2008.

Niakuni and Astrid look dubiously at the control panel, then at Jadira, but do not hesitate to grab on tightly.

Jadira throws all her strength onto the lever, and the platform beneath starts to shake with rising intensity, enough that the tremors travel right up the arms from their grips on the railing. Somewhere deeper below, gears and mechanisms that have likely not moved for centuries begin the laborious task of warming up, unlatching and building up whatever source of power trembles below.

Warning! Emergency sea floor detachment. All personnel, hold on to the provided railings. Sea Elevator will be primed in 15 seconds. Another voice transmits into the minds of the Exalts and the Tya, but it has the sound of a recording, rather than a true intelligence. Niakuni looks upward nervously, while Astrid appears to have her eyes shut, praying for dear life. 10... 9... 8... 7...

The shaking is strong enough to chatter their teeth together, vibrating right through to their bones. The four clinging to the railings feel like their arms are about to go numb, but they dare not let go!

3... 2... 1... Surfacing!

There is a brief moment, as the last of the latches holding the platforms to the bottom of the sea let go, and they simply... float there. Then WHOOOSHHHH!!! the entirety is traveling up, and up, and up at an impressive speed! It's enough to concentrate on breathing -- particularly for those still relying on the maruera gum -- much less attempting to see anything as the upward push of the platforms displaces the water above and leaves bubbles in its wake.

It takes 15-20 seconds to climb what took their group minutes to descend. They break the surface in a spectacular spray of water, bringing with them not only the central workshop area but a wider platform at least thirty yards in diameter, with equidistant notches scooped into it to allow for segregated spaces for ships to dock. Even more mystifying to the witnesses from the Dryad and other vessels is the deactivated automaton draped there, its jade-orichalcum-crystal wings large enough to take up nearly half of the docking platform.

"Whoo-hooooo!" Jadira actually shouts as the Chrysalis surfaces, taking a big long gulp of real air. Soaked as she is, she's elated at her and Zeru's success, and throws her arms up as soon as the platform is more or less stable. "I'm the Queen of the Western Sea!"

Then she shields her eyes from the sun (likely moving towards mid-day now?) to get a glimpse of the ships awaiting them. "Hello, the Dryad...!" she hollers, waving her arm ostentatiously, before turning to Zeru.

"Thanks for bearing with my bad attempts to communicate underwater. If you're wondering, I was schooled in the old language during my education in the Realm. I'm a Dynast... former Dynast, anyway..." A small sad smile touches Jadira's lips.

"Anyway, you have the Hearthstone don't you? Well, at least one of us will have to sit and meditate with the stone for a while and attune it to access the higher functions of the manse. Which would include controlling that... butterfly thing, I think."

Leaning against the railing of the Dryad, Lasuri shake his head softly, shouting in the direction of Jadira and the raising construction.

"Great job there, majesty! And you too, Mister Zeru!" He salutes the both of them, then motions towards Jadira.

"Her Highness should come back to dry and change, unless she wants to catch a cold of royal proportion!" he calls out, gesturing towards her. "Danaa'd might favor the bold, but she won't cover for Woodwitches who think they've got webbed feet like she does her children..." He quips playfully, before sending a shout to Mister Donnegal about bringing the ship closer.

Zeru steps out of the chrysalis top of the Manse waving back towards the crew for a moment before hopping down and walking across the surface of the water towards the ships. "If you would captain, I'd like to dock the Marlena for repairs," he produces the hearthstones. "Oh and lookie what we found..."

Jadira sticks her tongue out toward Lasuri, as soon as she thinks the Dryad is close enough for him to see it. "You would talk, Mr. Wounded and Resting. No one else would even come along. So I did my part to fill in."

She can't walk across water, so she just waits in her soaking wet clothes, shivering a bit, with her essence cannon propped up between her legs. "I'm going to smell like seawater for days," the armswoman mutters. Almost as an afterthought she fishes out the maruera gum, leaving her with a wad in her hand she isn't quite sure how to dispose.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:37, Sun 30 Nov 2008.

"Bah, that's what I get for worrying." He says, shaking his head at Jadira before turning back to Zeru. "That's great work, Mister Zeru! We should look this thing over and actually try to examine it thoroughly..."

He nods once more, and smiles. "And as for your request - sure thing. The Marlena's probably gotten hit the hardest in that last tussle, so she should take priority getting patched up... You can arrange the docking yourself, right? Let me know about anything else you'll need, and I'll arrange for you to get it."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:48, Sat 29 Nov 2008.

"Aye sir." Zeru, not even wet, walks over to the Marlena and clambers up the anchor. "Well gents, lets get our new home over to the manse then shall we." He directs everyone calmly and smoothly and once the Marlena's docked he helps the crew finish cleaning the ship. When and only when that is finished does he attempt to attune to the hearthstone to find out more about it.

The Dryad arrives first, with Donnegal manning the helm. The slower merchantman pulls up soon afterward, as Rothalga surfaces from the lower deck and gazes at the open chrysalis in awe. "This is... it's a treasure that many men would kill for. I do hope you've a way to submerge it again, Dragons? Or it would be swiftly taken away as soon as you depart from here."

The Tya captain has towels passed along for Niakuni, Astrid and Jadira. Ciaran is already on board the Sea's Bounty, wrapped in a towel of her own.

Meanwhile, Platinum Dove makes herself available as mastercrafter at least for the time being. The winged woman has decided to depart from the Cobalt Alliance after all, but will remain long enough to complete at least the repairs for the couriers and other ships. Unfortunately, though, either retrofitting the Hammerhead or repairing the Dryad's paddlewheel will take time and materials. The former could be spared, but the latter not.

It's more or less agreed upon by all that the group will need to attract another crafter to join Cobalt, as well as stop at a major port for the needed supplies. Tya Rothalga suggests the port of Seahaven on Abalone, the Wavecrest Navy is situated there and many shipbuilders make their home in the city. As the group is headed to Wavecrest as escort anyway, it's not a bad idea. Rothalga does, however, warn that the ex-corsairs would be better off staying on board the Hammerhead, as Wavecrest would not look kindly upon them. Neither do the Tya, though she puts a strong effort toward maintaining at least a hesitant tolerance between her crew and Treon's.

Also, any or all of the Cobalt members can meditate with the stone Zeru found (there's only one, actually). Only one person can actually socket the stone in an artifact, but anyone who attunes themselves to the chrysalis workshop-manse will gain access and control over its tools and functions -- this does include submerging, as well as waking the butterfly guardian to shield the manse again. It's AI will not awake completely unless the hearthstone is placed in it, though.

---

OOC: If you'd like to continue conversations etc., go ahead. Once people are done here we can do dinner with Tethia, and Chapter 2 start. Assume that all ships, including the second courier (Vengeful Riza) that the uncooperative corsairs will be given, will be completely repaired.

Oh, and the HS itself is a level 3 stone, "Stone of Easy Breath". If you want it, can either mention it IC, or PM me.

Once everything is set up Zeru seeks out Jadira. "Pardon miss Thornbloom, I believe that you are the most deserving of this hearthstone. It was you who smashed the guardian into tiny bits after all." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the clear stone. "I figured you'd be the one who should decide whether or not you want it."

By now Jadira is on the deck of the Dryad and in drier clothes now, a towel still hanging from her shoulders. She looks at Zeru in surprise. "Well... if you won't take it, I can at least keep it, for now. If we do meet a suitable crafter it might be better to give him or her primary access to the manse."

The brunette thanks Zeru accepts the stone, weighing it in her palm, then scrutinizing it carefully as she begins to meditate quietly upon its facets. Better that more than one of them assert control over the manse, she figures.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:36, Sun 30 Nov 2008.

In the wake of the Crysallis rising, Treon returns to the Hammerhead, the better to prepare her for docking and repairs.  He explains briefly to the crew about the change of weaponry that will be involved, what this means for them.  He then addresses all of the corsairs, captured and not, explaining what has happened to Tethia, keeping his reservations to himself for the moment, and then going on to say that the Vengeful Riza would soon be repaired for them travelling on.

Repairing the Vengeful Riza and patching up damage on the other vessels takes a couple days, using the expertise of Platinum Dove, the flawless workshop and crewmen working as laborers. Soon afterward, she makes her terse goodbyes and soars away, perhaps having had more than enough of the pirates' life after Cobalt's last major battle.

The Riza's repair is made a priority, so Treon is able to send the ten or so unhappy corsairs off on their remaining courier after a single day. This particular parting is a rather unhappy one, as the corsairs jeer and spit at their 'traitorous' ex-colleagues, though in the end they go swiftly -- preferring their freedom over a longer period bound and imprisoned, or better yet being put to the gallows in Wavecrest. The Riza's sail disappears quickly toward the northeast, and that's one less problem the Cobalt Alliance needs to deal with... for now.

Dove also leaves the group with plans for retrofitting both the Hammerhead and even the Marlena, if desired. (OOC: The former would take Resources 3 worth of material, the latter Resources 2, +1 or more if using artifact grade materials. The actual work requires a crafter of appropriate skill, a repair team of at least Followers = Resources, and succeeds with Resources x 2 successes on an extended action of 1 week interval.) As it's a time consuming task and the group currently lacks the materials, though, the plans are left for a later date. This process can potentially increase the hull strength and durability of the fleet's mundane ships.

By the 7th day of Ascending Water, the Dryad is ready to escort the Sea's Bounty home. Jadira, still claiming the Chrysalis hearthstone for the moment, orders the workshop-manse both sealed by the guardian's wings and submerged, and the location is carefully marked on Cobalt's master map before departure. Finally, Wavecrest awaits!

---

OOC: Thread end... Chapter 2 thread will be posted tomorrow-ish.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:01, Tue 02 Dec 2008.