During the morning, Zeru has some time to himself to commune with the spirit of the Black Marlena, if he wishes. He figures the Marlena's figurehead is a good place to start -- it appears to be a raven-winged maiden bearing a sword, aligned with the prow as if (were it animated) she might soar right off it.

[Private to Peleps Zeru: As I said, the roll is Cha+Performance, a prayer to get the attention of the spirit. You can stunt/spend WP/channel appropriate virtues, and if you can come up with something creative for a prayer offering or some other pleasing ritual (for example, tidying up the ship, arranging for that hole in its deck to be repaired...) it may shave some off the difficulty of the roll. :) You might also consider asking someone better versed in prayer or occult to help.]

[Private to Peleps Zeru; Platinum Dove: BTW, I'm going to assume Dove just gave the artifact Assistant back to Zeru at this point, so Zeru has it in his possession good as new. :)]

Zeru wakes up early, he wanted to help the Tya dive but there was something important he wanted to take care of. He strolls across the Black Marlena slowly, his hand across the banister. He takes a look at the hole in the deck and winces. Feeling the ship's pain. He walks twice around the mast for good luck before grabbing some bread and heading to the bow of the ship. Captain Lasuri offered this ship to him, but he could not accept without first being sure of the ship's intent towards him.

He sits on his knees at the prow and closes his eyes. Zeru sighs... he was never quite sure how to address the ship. "Oh spirit of the black marlena, come forth and break bread with me. We have much to discuss, including your past, the present, and the difference between your future and our future. The crew that you had are gone, and their captain preferred to take you with him to the Depths of the Sea. They deserved their fate, but I do not believe that you deserved to share it.

 I wish to discuss the arrangement of your entering the fleet of the Cobalt Alliance and taking a crew under me. But I would not do so without you permission." Zeru Kowtows, dipping his head until it touches the deck, "I ask humbly once more, will you come and break bread with me."


[OOC: Channeling Conviction. Shall I write the prayer out? For stunt? Stoopid Diceroller...]

EDIT: Added prayer, will wait for confirmation.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:11, Mon 17 Nov 2008.

The Marlena is silent, at least initially. Though he can almost feel that she is listening...

[Private to Peleps Zeru: Go ahead and write out a prayer, I'll let you roll again for the actual prayer and add stunt if applicable.]

[Private to Peleps Zeru: Ok, roll it again with +2 stunt!]
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:29, Mon 17 Nov 2008.

14:32, Today: Peleps Zeru rolled 7 successes using 10d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 8,7,9,2,3,3,10,5,6,10. Prayer to Marlena.

[OOC:Umm... thank you?]

Marlena appears then, materializing on the bowsprit. Her humanoid form is like a slender woman with windswept black hair and a dour face, a sword sheathed at her belt. She balances there, gazing down at Zeru with red eyes that seem dulled, rather than blazing...

She also has a wound on her stomach. The ship's wounds, perhaps, manifested on her body. It does not bleed, but still gapes open, though her insides are nothing like a normal human's. There is no blood, and she seems to be entirely black on the interior: not black like rot, but black like a starless night.

"Human... I hear your voice. You are not like the others. They cared not to hear my pleas, to know what I desired. They used me like all men have used me."

Her footsteps cross the bowsprit nimbly and she leaps down, level with Zeru as she crouches there, clutching at her wound. Close up, Marlena's hair does not seem like hair at all, so much as black feathers clustered in the manner of hair. She does not yet reach for the bread, but demands: "Continue. Tell me how you what you offer is different."
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:15, Tue 18 Nov 2008.

"I would of course like to prove how my offer is different my lady." Zeru says with a humble gesture, "but I know not the other men who so cruelly used you. Maybe a small history of me is what you seek?" He looks up at the spirit. "I have grown up around ships my entire life milady, I was born on one, and was raised on one. I have known sailors both kind and cruel. I have known pirates and navymen, but none were so caring of a ship as my father. My father is Peleps Kaizoku, he has sailed on the Marianna's Ghost for longer than I have been alive. He taught me the proper etiquette for dealing with a home more than a ship. He taught me how to listen, how to let the ship guide me as much as I guided the ship." With this his eyes begin to almost shine. "I ask you spirit, to let me captain this vessel, to patch your hurts, and I ask your help in defending the fine sailors of the Cobalt Alliance and the Sailors of the Tya merchant vessel. I am also well versed in the ways of business and I would offer something in return, were I to know what you desire."

"You are better spoken than the men that sailed with me last," says Marlena. "They would not so much as notice me. My figurehead is neglected... my deck in disarray, my body sullied. These men, they were filthy and rude, they took what they wanted and gave none back!"

"And the man who took my cabin, he was worst of all! Used me as his secret storage -- put my vessel in danger with his crazy experiments!"

The feathers layering the courier-spirit's hair split and stretch out, revealing themselves to be black wings framing her head. An indignant spark lights her crimson eyes as she rises once more, and surveys her domain with a severe frown on her face. Then she gazes down at Zeru once more -- not hostile, but still considering.

"So you spoke of the one who wished to destroy me with his wicked artifacts... he is dead now, yes, and his men? Did you and your Alliance kill them?"

"He is gone milady, tried to take you with him. I removed him from your decks and he fell into the water with his Siakal goddess," he pauses with a slight smile. "And an active explosive..." his lopsided smile has returned in full force. "The beast and his minions are gone. I do not wish to use you as they have done, I wish for a home as well as a vessel my lady, and I would not let my home fall into disrepair." His eyes reveal both sincerity and a playfulness. At this moment Coral decides to poker her head out of Zeru's pocket.

"Mau!" the cat says meekly, by way of introduction.

"Aye milady this would be part of the crew I spoke of. Lucky Coral may be a little shy, but she's the fastest rat-catcher on the seas." Zeru adds.

"That is a relief," Marlena says, visibly pleased by the deaths of the previous crew.

"I am willing to lend my vessel to your cause, Peleps Zeru. But you and only you will pilot me and command my crew. You may have your own leaders and hierarchy to answer to, but I will cooperate with you before anyone else."

"Understand that I am offering you a favor, not the other way around. I am not subservient to you," the courier-spirit proclaims, sniffing proudly as her head-wings rearrange themselves to drape down her shoulders. "In return, I would ask that the vessel remain clean and in good repair. I want the last of that vile man's artifacts removed from my cargo, unless they can strengthen my hull or my armaments... and only if you know what you're doing with those contraptions!"

"I am not a war-machine! I am built for speed, and I am happiest when the wind is in my sails! So please be careful with me, or I will make your life at sea difficult! You have awoken me, and so I will remember you -- for good or for ill." She kneels, then, laboriously because of her wound, to touch the bread offered her. The spirit does not eat it, or even tear it, but over half of it simply disappears into smoke, leaving Zeru a smaller slice.

Zeru claps his flattened hands together and bows. "I will accept your terms, and if you would listen I shall have my crew ask permission to board. So you may recognize them" Zeru straightens. "The artifacts will be removed, and the ship cleaned and repaired, I cannot promise however that I shall be the one cleaning and repairing. Whilst modest repairs are no problem your wounds run deep and more clever hands than mine would be better suited to repair them." His face grows serious. "We are after a great treasure that lies somewhere underneath this sea, and I am part of a group to retrieve it. I am a child of Da'naad and the water will not harm me. We are also heading towards a manse which is said to hold ship repair supplies. So I can assure you that your repairs will be thorough. I thank you for your acceptance of my lady, and for breaking bread with me." He bows his head reverently.

"You're reverent. I like that." Marlena actually smiles this time, though it's a small one, her expression more accustomed to scowling.

"So those are the other ships, hmm? The Hammerhead, she's a bitch, that one. Used to a great deal of battle, and that mad captain of hers provided it. She'll get antsy if she's left at port too long, or without a battle."

"My sister, Riza--I'll be glad to see her off. We never got along anyway." Looking away from the second courier dismissively, she peers toward the Dryad and lets out a derisive snort. "And your flagship is a queen among ships. But I could outrun her while her paddlewheels are all stuck like that, no problem! Ha!"

"Well, see you keep your promises, man. I am tired, and will sleep again. Next time wake me in the evening, I like the dusk. And bring me a shinier gift!"

---

OOC: If Zeru has anything else to say, say it :) then Marlena will fade off and he can return to the main thread to join the expedition.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:05, Wed 19 Nov 2008.

"Yes madam..." and With that final word Zeru steps off the Marlena looking for his crew. When he locates them. "Alright men you have a mission for today. The Black Marlena has accepted me as her captain, She would need to be cleaned well as the last crew to board her were apparently swine in disguise. I'm sure the party going underwater will have need of me with the captain under bandage." He sighs. But looks back at them. Also before you board introduce yourselves. She can be a mite touchy, so do your best to keep her clean as this'll be our home for some time. On my return we will discuss the living arrangements, are we clear?"

Zeru's five stand up in a rush when he addresses them. Brogan and Curran nod readily, "We'll get on it right away," they chorus, both of them used to heavy labor of all sorts, and used to not complaining. They'd nearly been slaves if not for the Alliance, after all.

"Congrats cap'n," Antov adds with a satisfied grunt. He's got his upper arm bandaged from the wound he took during the last battle. "If ye say we should introduce ourselves, let's do it. Better she not think us swine like the last ones, eh?"

Cinna on the other hand grumbles at the idea of being reduced to a cleaning maid, but nods, "Yeah yeah sure... captain," she adds with a saucy grin. "Ya think you'd like a chick for a first mate? Sure seems popular with the boys nowadays..."

Sunden, mute as ever, just smiles, and walks up the plank to the Marlena. Without a tongue to speak, he kneels reverently on the deck and writes into the dust with a fingertip. He scribes a short greeting followed by his name in very neat pictograph letters (Old Realm to anyone who would recognize it): Sunden Kyril.

"What's he doin' drawing all that mess on the ground?" Antov raises an eyebrow critically.

"They're... some kinda letters, Andy. C'mon. Let's do this already or our new Captain'll do another ten turns 'round the mast. On his hands!" Cinna winks and salutes Zeru before striding on board. "Hello miss Marlena, I'm Cinna Argall, your new firs-- ow! Don't push, Antov!"

Withdrawing his elbow, Antov says, "Dragomir Antov, reportin'", followed by the lumbering brothers, who simply give one name. "Brogan. Curran. At your service."
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:25, Wed 19 Nov 2008.

The letters Sunden wrote into the dust disappear as if blown away by a gust of wind... or the sweep of a broom. Perhaps a hint?

Having presented themselves to the Marlena (who has by now impassively retreated into spirit-space) the crew starts on the sizable cleaning work that needs done, as well as moving off the dangerous artifacts from the ship.

---

OOC: End of thread, Zeru gets a lil' more xp.