8th Day of Ascending Water, RY 768
Late Morning

On the deck of the Helkar's Folly, the lush, idyllic sight of the Wavecrest island of Abalone looms ever closer as the yacht sails on a favorable wind toward its destination. From here, one can make out the patches of flat, tilled land that produce food the majority of the West, and the (albiet smaller, at this distance) sprawl of low, colorful buildings that make up the bustling port city of Seahaven. Looming behind the city is the mighty Mount Hamoji, the volcano that dominates Abalone island, claiming hundreds of sacrifices from the populace whenever it threatens to erupt.

The harbor of Seahaven is naturally full of life and activity at this time of day. Ships of all shapes and sizes are docked there, from large three-masted foreign merchant ships to the faster, fleeter vessels of the Western Trade Alliance, interspersed with multitudes of single-masted fishing ships and pleasure craft. An inner harbor segregated from the public ports houses tens of vessels from Wavecrest's famed navy, seen from a distance as a forest of bireme and trireme masts.

For Captain Amonth Blackblade, the sight of Wavecrest represents adventure and opportunity. Though he is not at all lacking in wealth, he is lacking in raw power and knowledge -- the sort that might restore Cherak's ancient arsenal, and allow his homeland to stand strong against its enemies and develop into a world leader. Research has indicated several sites around Wavecrest that may be worth exploring: underwater pelagial cities, ancient, hidden workshops, and the sunken jewel any artifact hunter worth his salt has heard of: Luthe.

For Darel Arwan, the sight is a familiar one, a stirring reminder of the path he has chosen in life. Here, during a historic meeting four years past, the former Sea Lord of Coral called a meeting of major powers in the West to unite and achieve independence from entities such as the Realm and the Guild. It was during the following slaughter that he Exalted, and thereafter sought to ally himself with the Emissaries of Perfect Water, continuing to seek support for the cause of independence.

For Kiana Makohgn, escaped princess of the Crimson Isle, Wavecrest is a reprieve from a long and harrowing flight. For some weeks now she has been serving as an assistant crafter to Captain Blackblade, striving to make herself useful and secure her position on the crew. For now, there are thousands of miles of water between her and her black-hearted mother. She has allies to count on (so she hopes) and a luxurious ship in which to build her strength -- so that one day, she can finally stop running.

---

OOC: The Helkar's Folly is currently sailing toward Seahaven for resupplying, as well as for Amonth (and others?) to possibly do some research / recruiting / asking around. [Private to Amonth Blackblade: I'm pretty open right now about what you might look into first in terms of excavation sites, so I'll let you decide.] I'll have your ship dock in a moment, right now this is mostly an opportunity for you to intro your charas and the ship and all that.

The fourth new guy is already in Wavecrest, so he gets to be solo for a bit, but you guys will meet him soon! Also, you *will* meet the Cobalt Alliance before leaving Wavecrest. So you may be here a lil' while till the other threads finish up.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:35, Tue 25 Nov 2008.

Darel stood on the deck, lost in his memories - shock, fear, flight, exultation, triumph - as he gazed on the place where had stood the meeting organized by Admiral DiBernardo, a few years back...

Breaking the spell, he took his gaze from the scene, and turned to his travelling companions. "I don't feel quite comfortable here, this isle brings back too many mixed feelings... I hope we will not tarry here long."

[OOC: will I have to make invocation ceremonies, or can I have one or two demon asssistants? Something like a neomah or an eristrufa would suit the setting well... Though in the first case I'd seldom leave my cabin ;)]

Looking out over the water it was all Amonth could do not to sigh. So many things to do, so many leads to follow, and the water never looked more inviting.
"It is hard to say how long we will be here my friend. I would guess at least a few weeks. We will need to resupply and stock the ship. While she is in fine shape  it pays to take the opportunity to  do a little preventative maintenance, better now than out at sea. I know the crew has been a bit tight packed as well and will appreciate the chance to streech and take a shore leave. Not to mention  tracking down the rumors we came to look into."
Sighing out loud and looking at the sparking water, he thought for a few seconds.
"I also need to take a few days and do some summoning, I want to reinforce the sails and that ritual is bothersome to cast without someone to keep watch. Still, with all we have to do, I am hoping we can be done in a week or two."

[Private to Amonth Blackblade; Darel Arwan: I'll let you guys have summoned one elemental / demon already, just one. If you want others then you'll have to actually roll it.]

As the Helkar's Folly eases into Seahaven port, the Exalts can see a crew of several burly dockworkers gathering at the empty pier they are approaching. With them is a better dressed figure in blue and white -- an official of some sort -- holding a logbook in hand, waiting stoically for the docking maneuver to complete.

There are also, it seems, an inordinate amount of spectators, their eyes on the beautiful foreign vessel. The Folly is definitely a cut above most of the vessels visiting here, and many of the islanders watching from the harbor must be wondering if it's a visiting lord, or a merchant with rare goods, or both. The foremen overseeing the pier shout at their workers to pay attention to their tasks, but there are other citizens that linger: mostly stout women and young men with hair dark, or blue or green, sometimes purple, carrying baskets of goods or young children in their arms.

Finally the gangplank is put down. The well-dressed official waits on the pier expectantly, flanked by his assistants and a pair of Seahaven guards with reinforced armor and chopping swords. "Hail, Helkar's Folly. Your arrival appears to be a popular one. I assume this is your first time in Seahaven?"

"I am the Harbormaster, Jathin. Let us dispense with the pleasantries and commence the dreary paperwork, yes?" He opens up his logbook to a fresh page, and nods to both Amonth and Darel, whom he seems to have picked out as the ship's officers. He isn't really sure what to make of Kiana, and thus skips over her, for now. "Your intentions for entering Seahaven, please. You will also be required to declare all crewmembers and cargo, even if the cargo will remain on board."

Then Jathin waits, gauging the reactions of the men onboard the Folly before proceeding further. Very likely he and his men will examine the cargo personally, but it's customary for the captain to grant them permission to board.

[Private to Kiana Makohgn: Among the spectators, you can pick out someone unusual: a man of average height with dark blue hair and a silver sheen to his skin. He seems to be trying to remain inconspicuous, but you definitely see him asking a dockworker some questions and glancing toward the Helkar's Folly.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:52, Wed 26 Nov 2008.

Kiana remained quiet, as was expected of an assistant.  Her skills were proficient enough to ensure her value and position on the ship, but beyond that she held no real will to chat or socialize...at least, not as of yet.

Once they had made port, her slate-gray eyes wandered about, absorbing every detail like an obsidian stone gathering heat in the sun.  Her eyes landed on one individual who was acting a little too hard to go unnoticed, and so a simple tug on the Captain's sleeve, and then a nod toward a certain man of average height, with dark blue hair and silvery sheen to his skin.  He was obviously asking a dockworker about the ship that just made port (to her eyes, anyway) and her simple nod made the captain aware of it as well.

As Kiana watches, the blue-haired man she saw moves closer, enough to be in earshot of the conversation with the harbormaster. He hesitates for a moment, as if noticing her attention, then steps forward boldly, pausing just short of the pier and waiting for the conversation to complete.

Whoever he is, doesn't seem to be a threatening man in the slightest. More a curious one -- enough so that he'll risk standing out for the others to notice. Though his hair and coloration are slightly unusual, it is quite common in the West, and he wears the garb and equipment of a craftsman of modest skill.

---

OOC: Sorry, had to alter it slightly. Xander posts in this thread now, since all the other PCs can see him clearly. Though no one else knows who he is yet, of course!
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:14, Thu 27 Nov 2008.

As the Folley moves closer to the dock and lines are tosed across the gap between dock and ship the crew expertly binds the ship to the dock. "Put out the gangplank and put everything in order, we have fresh food and firm ground tonight."
As the official with his guards and assistants aproaches the gangplank Amonth almost winces inside. The paperwork already? Ah well...
Doing his best to put a smile on his face Amonth cals out to them, "Greatings Harbormaster Jathin! Come aboard! Your paperwork should be fairly easy for once, not much to do. The Folley is a pleasure Yacht as you can see, not much room for cargo. Please, come aboard! Have a cup of tea, inspect and we will fill out that paperwork."
As Kiana tugs on his sleeve, Amonth follows the direction of her nod and sees the man with dark blue hair. Nodding back he acknowledges what she has pointed out. "Check on what he wants if you don't mind. I'll see if I can get the formalities done so we can go ashore."


OOC I would assune the ship might have a small cargo, perhaps ironwork or spices. Small luxuries that don't take up a lot of room but that is entirely open for the game needs. Being mostly a passenger craft I would not think it would be large.

"Do I need to include Kathleen in the manifest?" Darel murmured to Amonth with a smile, Kathleen being the nickname of his neomah demon, who spent most of her time immaterial anyway.

Kiana nodded softly at the orders given.  She was not the most diplomatic of the crew, true enough, but she was pleasant to the eyes of men, and so her approach would no doubt attract the stranger's attention.

She began to walk toward this stranger, separating from the crew naturally enough and certainly without remorse--it was a slow process learning to trust others after the torment her mother had put her through.  It was happening, however.  The fact that she was apprenticing was proof enough, or the simple fact that she was obeying an order as she was.  It was required for her passage, after all--and the orders were not so strange or difficult most of the time.  Certainly not as demeaning as those previously forced upon her.

She wore simple clothing, certainly not the dress and jewels befitting of a princess, but then, her status was not worn in a crown.  It was carved into her heart, and somewhat evident in her stature.  She stood up straight and walked with a certain grace that only royalty had time and patience to perfect--or so it seemed.  Perhaps she was simply trying to impress this man who had such interest in the recently harbored ship?  She wore a simple tunic colored of the earth, a ruddy red and brown that smacked of the mountains of the Crimson Isle, but a pleasant color none the less.  Leggings of the same color adorned her legs, somewhat baggy and certainly not hugging the young curves that no doubt lurked beneath the sea of earthen tones.

The only articles of clothing or real note on the girl was the strange white boots she wore, which were mostly hidden by the leggings, but were still noticeably large for the girl.  A brown satchel hung from her shoulder, looking heavy and, if carefully listened to, sounding with metal of some sort.  Her hair was long, to her shoulders or longer, and a slightly rough hand came to part that black sea so her neutral (yet beautiful) features confronted the man, a somewhat confrontational 6 inches between them.

"What do you want?"   She asked.  It was exactly what she was asked to do, and was simply the most efficient way to ask.  Her eyes were hard, despite their rich gray (almost blue) color, which bore holes into this stranger's own.  Though she was a young woman, easily no older than 17, she was certainly no timid thing to be doted over or cared for.

Not this one.

Xander stood quietly as she walked towards him. He noticed the way she was holding herself and placed her as probobly a disgraced or run away noble and around the rank of a lieutenant on the boat.  Still he was a little surprised at her frankness and seeming aggression but hid it well. He shrugged "I would like to talk to your captain Miss ..." He pauses for her name.

"Thank you, Captain," Jathin replies, and gestures for his guards and assistants to board the Folly and begin the cursory inspection of the cargo hold. They wouldn't dally too long, either, not unless they found some suspicious reason to stay long. "I do not have the time to sit and relax, unfortunately, so we shall make this quick. I am sure that will be satisfactory to both of you."

Jathin makes no comment about Kiana walking off on her own, though one of the harbor guards keeps a sharp eye on her and Xander's conversation, making sure no untoward disturbances occur.

The harbormaster settles into business mode almost immediately. "Again, may I ask your name, my lord, and where you hail from? Your ship is not one I readily recognize, nor does it bear the mark of a Dynastic House, so I will need to fill a new record for you." Out comes his quill pen, and an assistant to hold the ink.

"As you say, your ship is a pleasure craft. That is certainly not unusual, Seahaven is a popular destination. Am I to understand you are visiting on vacation? And if so, for how long?"

The questions just keep coming, and Jathin's patience in extracting answers is both tedious and impressive.

---

OOC: If you're not going to hide anything about your identity and such, we can just fast forward through the boring bureaucracy stuff. Just answer all of Jathin's questions or he'll probably keep pressing and get more insistent. ;) Of course if you want to omit some things go right ahead, depending on how you do it a roll may be needed. But probably not.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:41, Wed 03 Dec 2008.

Kiana turned as soon as the words entered her ears, and looked at the Captain.  He was busy being assaulted (verbally) by the port authorities concerning their port.  Not unusual, honestly.  She would have been happy to speak for him in his stead, but alas, she was not privy to the sort of information Xander no doubt wanted.

"Then wait here.  He will be done shortly."    She said.  Then, without any other words, she simply turned around and walked toward the captain.  She would take her place beside him (she was an assistant, after all) and when there was a break in the prodding authority figure's line of questions, she would relate that Xander requested an audience.

Doing his best to avoid sighing and wincing at the barrage of questions Amonth smiles and does his best to answer. "Ah , my appologies good Harbormaster. This fine ship is Helkar's Folley originally out of Cherak. I am her owner and captain. I am Feren Amonth, called Blackblade by some. As for our reasons for coming, there are several. Mostly it would be pleasure, with some research into the history of the area. A hobby of mine that I am lucky enough to be able to indulge in. As a minor part of the trip, while it is far from Cherak, if I were to find business interests that might benifit my family I would of course let them know of the possibilities."

As soon as the answers start coming, Jathin is fairly amenable and efficient, filling out the needed information and requesting the Captain's signature. Of the individuals on board, the name 'Kathleen' is assumed to be a concubine of some sort and passes without comment. He does not list Kiana as crew, either, and nods approvingly when she is pointed out as a crafter's assistant. For women in Wavecrest, blacksmithing is a viable profession -- as is the service of pleasure -- but sailing is definitely not.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Captain Amonth. Indeed I am familiar with the ruling family of Cherak, though we do not receive many visitors from House Ferem in the West. I hope you find what you seek in our fine city."

That said, he begins to rattle off some destinations of interest. "You may be interested to visit the Realm Embassy building in the governmental district -- presided over by Satrap Mnemon Dithrem." Jathin's face is impassive, though Amonth and Darel can catch a slight hint of unhappiness in the tone. Very, very slight. "Perhaps you may offer petition to the Feathered One, in his grand palace at the foot of Mount Hamoji, as well." He omits the temples of the volcano priestesses, something Darel finds odd, but probably because Jathin is unsure whether Amonth is an Immaculate believer.

"As for trade, lord of Cherak, you may find the most potential within metallurgy -- ores, as well as precious metals." The harbormaster gives a few names: master shipbuilders, blacksmiths and jewelers in the area. Local reputable factors and traders, associates of the Western Trade Alliance. Many potential paths there, though it would be more difficult to strike a bargain without product to show. "And research, I recommend the libraries of the Mariner's Academy or the Seahaven Explorer's League."

Lastly Jathin demands a small docking fee as well as a 1% tax on the spices and other luxuries the Helkar's Folly carries, if Amonth is bringing them for sale. (These fees hardly dent the Fire Aspect's extensive wealth, though.) He stamps and signs a last series of documents, hands Amonth a copy and inclines his head in welcome.

"If that would be all, Captain, you and your crew and passengers are free to enter Seahaven. Good day." The harbormaster begins to gather his men to accost the next docking vessel, leaving Amonth and Darel free to acknowledge Kiana and the stranger she has met.

---

OOC: you don't have to pursue every one of Jathin's suggestions, just giving you some possibilities. You've all got the entire day, so... can find lodging, visit market, start on research or more diplomatic ventures or whatnot. Just gimme a direction once you're all together and ready and we'll do something with it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:38, Sat 06 Dec 2008.

Xander smiles as the girl walks away slightly bemused. He was not quite sure what to make of her and as an extension the ship she was on. "One thing is certain though it is not merely a pleasure ship." he thought. He had a whole speech rehearsed in head and her abruptness left him without anyone to tell it to. Dangers of being a chosen of Mela things don't always go as you plan. "Glad I learned to improvise." He waits quietly for the captain to finish.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:41, Fri 28 Nov 2008.

Once he has finished with the Harbormaster, Amonth waves over Bosun Harune. "It would seem we are clear to enjoy the port's delites. Standard firewatch and guards, shore leave for the rest as you see fit."

Looking out over the gangplank at the waiting man Amonth waves to him to come aboard. "Kiana tells me you wanted to talk to us? "

Xander waves back walking over to the ship then up the gang plank. "Yes." He responds smiling a little and looking around the ship. "My name is Xander Lucian and I'm a craftsman of modest skill.  Your ship is one of the finest I've ever seen certainly finer than any they will let me work on in this city."

Darel stayed back, listening distantly to the conversation. He smiled upon hearing the man's introduction - what makes him think the captain will let him work on his ship?

As the blue haired newcomer speaks Amonth looks him over more carefully trying to take his measure. How he stands, his clothing, the condition of his hands-the callouses and scars tell a tale. Smiling and nodding at Xander's words.
"True, the Folly is as fine a ship as I have ever sailed. Done in the Western fashion, though with a Northern sensability. She is a treat to sail. So you are a shipbuilder? A craftsman? Where where you trained and in what styles? "
With a slight smile and a wave at himself,
"I do have some skill myself, though my choice of media is metal and crystal for the most part."

Xander nods amiably "She is indeed. I'm something of a craftsmen. I would like to build ships but my circumstances deny me most opportunities. You see here it is the women who are the craftsmen and men who are the sailors.  Its not that I dislike sailing on the contrary but I've always had a passion for crafting. I am mostly self taught as few are willing to teach me. I'm looked down upon as a man not just doing a woman's job but wanting to do it." He frowns and looks back at the town.  "Still I'm a fair hand at working with about anything that grows. I can make fair clothes, patch a hull, and other things. I'm also a fair hand in a fight and.." He trails off suddenly. "But I'm getting ahead of myself. Please excuse me. What brings you to our fine city and if you excuse my boldness would you be in need of an extra hand?"

"If nothing else, we will have need of someone who knows the local ways and to guide us about the island. What say we start with that and go from there? If you do well I think we can find a place for you. Does that sound of intrest to you?"
Looking at the crew and ship for a moment he then looks back to Xander.
"Our first need will be lodgings. After that we will need to run several trips. The Realm Embasy, the Guild's local Hall, a few other things. "

"I believe I can help you with that captain." He bows. "So on a ship like this you must have had plenty of adventures sailing these pirate infested waters." Xander's face changes to a look of rage for a split second at the word pirate but it is gone so fast you may have been imagining it.

Now that the harbormaster is done breathing down Amonth's neck, at least for now, the Captain and others can disembark at their leisure. It seems the excitement of the moment has started to fade, and many of the spectators have run off to return to their various chores and duties. Certainly there would be rumors circling, though, and word passed on from mouth to mouth about the Helkar's Folly and its exotic crew.

Lodging is simple enough to find, depending of course on the quality desired. One assumes that a man with Amonth's means would desire the best. After some scouting about, Xander finds his newfound crew a clean, spacious and comfortable inn located in an ideal location, a reasonable distance from various important city establishments: the Realm Embassy, the Western Trade Alliance chapter, the Guild Hall of Seahaven, the Mariner's Academy and so forth. The women running the Ocean Mist Inn are hospitable as well as discreet, and are accustomed to accomodating for Dragon-blooded -- particularly those from the Realm, with the Embassy so near.

---

OOC: Tomorrow evening/night (in Eastern U.S. time) we'll start skipping forward, so ... last call to post what you'll be up to in the next four game days (8th-12th Ascending Water).

The Cobalt crew will be looking into finding crafter-sailors, so, that will likely be your hook in that respect.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:15, Mon 22 Dec 2008.

[OOC: Darel will relax for a few days, all the while observing the activity of the nearby embassy, and gauging any Dynast in the inn.]

Kiana was suspicious of men, due to her past experiences--but given that she was one of the few women on the crew, it made it difficult for her to trust just anyone.  As such, Xander was treated as she would treat anyone new--coldly, but politely.  She wasn't some young thing to woo, and if pressed upon, she was always very quick to show them the error in their thinking.

After the formalities were done with, and after Xander was given a temporary token of admission into the crew, Kiana would inspect their lodging, and then afterwards she would simply being to wander the city.  She was more than capable of taking care of herself (as the Captain would well know from her crafting prowess alone).  She tired of the sea and loved the earth passionately due to her aspect--so the girl would simply walk the earth and watch the people.

And sometimes, envy them for their simple lives.

Xander shows them around the town answering their questions and and genrally being helpful. He treats them all with respect listening when they talk and giving his oppinion. He notices Kiana's coldness but ignores it. He treats her like he treats the rest of the crew letting her have her distance if thats what she wants.  After awhile he'll start asking questions about the crew. First talking about his own family and asking about theirs. He'll tell them a bit about being a craftsman in this city where it is the women who craft and ask them about their adventures.  Whenever a chance arises he ask about the captain or Kiana or Darel trying to piece together who they are and what they've been doing though its always under the guise of wanting to know about their adventures. It helps that he is honestly curios about them andlongs for a little adventure of his own.

Four days pass peacefully for the four Outcastes. Kiana finds that no one disturbs her on her quiet walks through the street, as it's much more ordinary for women to be walking freely on land than on ship. Xander, too, has ample time to ask after the crew members' adventures, or simply relax.

He does find out that Amonth is deeply interested in exploring the ruins of the West, as that is primarily what he spends his time researching. The captain of the Folly is a scholar as well as a crafter, and knows well of the pelagials -- the hideously mutated half-human, half manatees that scavenge the bottom of the sea and control one of the largest undersea domains, the City of the Shining Reefs. Of the City itself he knows no exact location, but reading and cross referencing various documents makes clear to him the location of two or three supposedly abandoned pelagial outposts.

One is of greatest interest to him -- known by the name of Black Rock Chasm -- being the site where a group of explorers from the Realm mysteriously vanished. Led by a savant by the name of Cynis Megara, she has apparently disappeared beneath the sea never to return. None have attempted an excavation since.

As for mercantile interests, again, Amonth discovers the great desire for metals and ores in the city. He knows that most any pelagial outpost would likely provide a surplus of ore, would he and whatever team he gathers survive to excavate it. Another, perhaps less dangerous option is Tofanis, one of the smaller, peaceful islands of the Wavecrest Archipelago -- he has heard that the sailors there have brought black jade samples to market in the last year or so.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:16, Mon 12 Jan 2009.

Darel keeps an eye on the Embassy, but finds very little activity of interest about. It seems that the Realm's eye is straying more and more from its distant satrapies, particularly after disasters such as the Battle of Futile Blood and the Battle of Mishaka. The Bull of the North and the Mask of Winters are much closer threats, compared to a nation of island heathens.

Similarly, Wavecrest itself is more concerned about the Coral Archipelago than any of the threats to or power struggles in the Realm. The Emissaries of Perfect Water are still a minority, after all, and have had more success with smaller island nations, who have much less to lose. The Feathered One is mostly concerned with keeping a low profile on the Realm's radar until the Empress's successor is readily apparent. As for the people of Seahaven, they seem content to be ignored, and look alarmed at the very idea that they could one day earn the ire of the Realm by declaring freedom.

In terms of the succession, though, Darel does hear a few snippets of information from local Dynasts and related individuals. Right now, as far as he can tell, the most likely candidates are Mnemon and Cainan (the Embassy, of course, tends to favor Mnemon, as the presiding satrap is also of House Mnemon). They've still a puppet regent on the throne in the meantime, some fool of House Tepet, and the Sesus and V'neef are rumored to be arranging for a suitable successor as well.

Other than the secular Dynasts Darel observes, there is also the enduring presence of the Immaculate Order. The natives seem much more vocal and unhappy about the Immaculate minority than the Realm as a whole, as they continue to preach against the heresy of venerating the volcano gods -- and in turn rouse the ire of those very gods, causing them to demand greater numbers of human sacrifice.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:45, Thu 04 Dec 2008.

Finally, on the 12th day of Ascending Water, the captain and crew of the Helkar's Folly hear some rather exciting -- but confusingly reported -- news coming from the Seahaven harbor.

Some claim it is an assault upon Seahaven by Coral pirates with a massive vessel with three masts and six First Age cannons, or some other similarly exaggerated number. Others insist that a retinue of powerful Dynasts have just entered port and are being intercepted by First Captain Buruku himself on behalf of the Feathered One. And a few speak vaguely of an organization called "Cobalt", who come in goodwill and have defended one of Seahaven's own vessels against corsair attack.

Two facts are constant despite the wildly varying interpretations: one, the newcomers have sailed in with a First Age vessel among their number, and two, they number several Dragon-blooded in their ranks. Xander in particular feels something of a sense of deja vu, for just four days previously it was the Folly everyone talked about, prompting his desire to join its rather untalkative crew. Now, apparently, a new and apparently impressive force has arrived on the horizon... for what end, no one can say for sure.

Will Amonth, Darel, Kiana and Xander want to see for themselves, or mind their own business some more?

---

OOC: Whew, finally. It was wordy because I wanted to incorporate everything people were searching for, and make it involved enough to have taken four days to discover.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:07, Thu 04 Dec 2008.

Xander excuses himself and slips out to see the ship. After four days of people not talking to him he's begaining to distrust his first instinct. He disregarded most of the rumors but if there was even a small chance there was a first age ship he was not going to miss it.

Darel sulked in a corner of an inn near the embassy. The Realm's infolding was good news - in a way, but even he had to admit that it had had some role in curbing down Lintha influence.

That was when he heard the news of the ship sporting First Age weaponry. Worthy of consideration, especially if there are more where she came from...

Immediately, he set off to meet Captain Amonth, and discuss this possibility with him. Certainly, a connoisseur of First Age antiques and treasures would relish the opportunity to study it.

Standing in front of a table spread with charts old and current Amonth writes a few notes in a journal. Carefully rolling up and storing the maps and charts he returns tham to the shelves where he got them. Deciding that he has done enough for the morning and is hungry he starts to head out to see what looks good at the corner foodstall whan he sees Darel heading his way. Pausing he waits to see what the other Outcast needs of him since he looks concerned.

The city was peaceful enough, and for that Kiana was thankful.  It wasn't so long ago that she had left her home in a blind flight of fear.  Now within the the safety of Sea Haven, she wandered the streets alone (whenever she could get away from the rest of the crew, and with Blackblade's blessing.)

She walked the streets complacently, stopping at a few shops to admire some of the more finer works that the men and women of Sea Haven made.  Some of them were works she could easily mimic, while others were precious bits of art that would be more at home in her Mother's chambers than the shops they were housed in.  Eventually, after hours of browsing, she eventually realized that the peaceful feeling she had was not reproduced by the shop keepers (as they had little patience for the constant window shopping) and decided to return to the ship.

Along the way she heard the rumors of the ships coming into Harbor--and the irrational fear of her troubled past clutched her heart in a death grip.  Mother has given chase!  She thought, and began toward the captain's room in the inn, and provided it wasn't barred shut, she would slam the door open, her eyes wild with fear that Amonth has not seen since he first found her weeks ago.

"She has followed us!"  She all but shouted, her eyes darting too and fro, quiet possibly mad.

Darel accosted Amonth: "Hello Captain, have you heard the news? A flotilla of corsairs or somesuch has arrived in Seahaven, and it is rumored some of them have First Age weaponry... I figured you would be interested in contacting them, work out an arrangement, and perhaps glean some clues on where to look for more First Age magitech..."

As Kiana comes rushing up Amonth can easyly see that something has disturbes her. Her normally cool and reserved aspect is no more and she looks to be close to panic.
"Slow down Kiana, slow down. Who's followed us? What has happened to upset you so?
While he is trying to calm Kiana, Darel's arrival is almost unnoticed until he speaks up.
"A flotilla? Armed with First Age weaponry? Is this what has you upset Kiana? Do you know who they are?
Shaking his head and trying to make sense of it all Amonth comes to a decision.
"All right, I think we need to investigate this flotilla. If there is a problem we need to know right away, if there is not, well if half of what you have said is true I would want to be checking them out anyway."

"I would think so..." Darel winked. "In the meantime... Are you all right, Kiana? You should sit down and take a drink. Do you wish to stay here while we investigate?"

Despite how far she had ran, she was not out of breath, such was her endurance.  And though her shoulders were not raising and falling with the effort of the run, her eyes were still very much ablaze with the fear that was slowly slipping out of her veins.  Oh, it was still there, make no doubt, but her sense of self reason kicked in.  After all, they didn't know who she was, only what she had told them--and while she was in no hurry to admit she had not been completely honest with them, she certainly had some explaining to do here, didn't she?

"I...no.  I don't.  I thought..." She paused to gather her thoughts (catch her breath?).  "I was being foolish, Captain.  I'm sorry."  She said slowly, looking back and fourth between the two.  "I just had a bad feeling is all.  I thought, for a moment, that something was catching up to me.  Silliness."

She really did feel silly now, standing here with the two men, away from the rumors and the uneasy feeling in her stomach when she heard the stories.

"I'll come with you to examine the ships, if you would like."  She said.

"Then let us go," Darel whispered, walking quietly out of Helkar's Folly.

OOC: Closing thread now, continue in "Chapter 2, Phase 1 - Seahaven, Wavecrest".