12th Day of Ascending Water, RY 768
Noon

After a journey of about five days -- slowed mostly by the Tya merchantman, whose peak speed is still half as slow as the Dryad or Hammerhead -- the Cobalt Alliance approaches the coast of Abalone. The island's most defining characteristic by far is the towering Mount Hamoji, the volcano whose god holds the islanders in thrall. Whenever Hamoji threatens to erupt, the priestesses of the volcano god offer him prayers and even live sacrifices, taken primarily from imprisoned criminals and foreigners.

It's something to think about, particularly as two of the finest ships of the Wavecrest Navy approach at speed from the still-distant Seahaven harbor. These are no ordinary vessels, but merchant ships altered for battle with First Age quality hulls and sails of valuable steelsilk, armed with heavy fire cannons. Coming up from behind are four marine assault biremes, on stand-by while the captain of the lead Navy vessel addresses the Cobalt ships.

Clearly they are a rather paranoid, xenophobic sort, but Tya Rothalga had already warned them previously of just that.

"I am First Captain Buruku of the Wavecrest Navy," pronounces the captain, bellowing his words so that he is heard by all. Buruku is, for lack of any better explanation, a tall, bronzed god of a man: six foot eight with luxurious purple hair, standing confidently on the deck of his vessel with one hip jutting outward. At his belt hangs a perfect-quality sword, and his lamellar is similarly flawless, glittering as the midday sun strikes its scale-like plates. "Foreign vessels, state your identities and intent for entering our nation's waters. Failure to comply will be interpreted as an act of aggression."
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:48, Tue 02 Dec 2008.

The sight of the Wavecrest navy accosting them does not surprise Lasuri - there is a reason why the Alliance had tried to either avoid or stay out of reach of the island nation. Nonetheless, a promise is a promise, and the Captain of the Dryad will not back down on his word to see Captain Rothalga and her crew safely back to their port of choice. Confidently, Lasuri walks forward, responding to the ship that hailed them.

"Hail to you, First Captain Buruku. We come bearing the flag of peace. I am Captain Lasuri Leomaris of the Cobalt Alliance, and this is the Spring Dryad. Our only intent in approaching your waters is to escort one of your kinsmen who have run into trouble at sea - we promised to escort Captain Tya Rothalga to his port of choice, to make certain cutthroats and corsairs would not prey on him and his crew after their numbers have been diminished."

He turns first towards the Marlena, then the Hammerhead, nodding sharply. "I will let the Captains of the other Alliance ships state their names and the name of their ships, if you need their identification too."

When Lasuri finished introducing himself and his ship Zeru took his cue. "Peleps Zeru captaining the Black Marlena also of the Cobalt Alliance."

As soon as Lasuri mentions her, the blue-haired Rothalga steps apart from her crew and addresses Buruku deferentially. "Captain Buruku, I am Tya Rothalga of the merchant ship Sea's Bounty. We were headed back toward Abalone from across the Western Sea when we were beset upon by corsairs. The members of the Cobalt Alliance protected us, though we suffered a loss of over half my crew. Then they offered to escort us here, sir, which we accepted."

Buruku listens pensively, crossing his arms over his broad chest. All ten ships in the vicinity -- the six from the Navy, the three from Cobalt and the Tya ship -- should have furled their sails and come to a stop, by now. So he takes his time, pacing the deck, considering the case brought before him.

Finally he raises his head sharply. "The Black Marlena eh? And if memory serves, the remaining ship is the Coral privateer ship Hammerhead. Is the wretched scoundrel Bloodeye among your number?" As his hand strays to the hilt of his blade, Buruku's gaze turns over to the Hammerhead, obviously expecting some response.

"Treon Fireblade, captaining the Hammerhead, also of the Cobalt Alliance," his voice ringing out loud and clear above the water, moving to the front of the vessel where he is easily visible.

"Hmph..." Buruku looks over Treon with interest. "So, Fireblade. You bested the bastard in combat, then? Or were you weak-hearted enough to take the man prisoner? No captain worth his salt would give up his ship unless forced."

"If I may, First Captain," Rothalga speaks up once more. "I've kept Bloodeye's head on ice for near a week now. The proof is here, and I saw with my own eyes the body of the pirate fed to the sharks."

The Wavecrest Navy captain paces another stretch, and rubs at his chin. He almost looks displeased at this turn of events, particularly in Rothalga's readiness to speak on Cobalt's behalf, but he does not order his men to arms. "How convenient. And here I thought the crew would get some exercise, as it were. Tya Rothalga, you will be held responsible if these Cobalt Alliance men cause us any trouble at all, in our waters or our shores. You will bring your 'proof' to me and all of you will be escorted to Seahaven harbor for inspection and further questioning."

The Tya captain inclines her head deferentially. "I understand, First Captain."

That said, Buruku begins shouting orders to the Navy ships and his personal crew on the Stormchild. Unless anyone bothers to voice protest, the Dryad, Hammerhead, Marlena and Sea's Bounty are summarily escorted to the docks by the half-dozen Navy ships deployed to meet them. The harbormaster stands waiting for them on the pier reserved for Buruku's vessel, as all around him dockworkers toil on the double to receive the rest.

Jadira orders her gunnery crew to ensure the Dryad's weapons are secure and unarmed -- including, now, the large Essence cannon taken from the Hammerhead. Her men begin to throw the large canvas tarps over the ballistae, catapults and cannon to protect them from the elements (and in the cannon's case, protect it from greedy eyes).

Then she strides up to Lasuri's side, rubbing his good arm affectionately. "Not exactly the warmest welcome, huh. Well, with Rothalga speaking on our behalf we'll probably not be questioned for long... I hope."

She stands with her Captain and lover, her eyes on the Stormchild in particular. Jadira hadn't realized Wavecrest even had access to hulls of that quality. Her only thought is that the leadership in Wavecrest thought them enough of a potential threat to answer it with their best. Admittedly, there weren't all that many ships at all of the Dryad's quality on the waves today.

"Kinda worried about the corsairs Treon took in though. And Tethia. Think they'll be all right?"

Tageru approaches the  captain and Jadira and his green eyes frown angrily. "What is this? Who are these people and what do they want from us? Are we under attack?"

He looks at the captain of the newcomers and his face changes from anger to frustration "Oh, Dragons, it's that bragging idiot, Buruku!", he says, careful not to be heard by the god-blood. "Why are they bothering us? Do they claim that we did something?"

[Private to Storyteller: OOC: I hope you don't mind my assuming Tageru knows Buruku, he's practically a celebrity, and Tageru has traveled the West with the Wyld Hunt. :) If it's necessary, roll Intelligence+Lore for me, and I'll use 1 wp to remember the captain. :)]
This message was last edited by the player at 16:19, Wed 03 Dec 2008.

Treon gave the man an unfriendly stare, although it was unlikely to be visible across the water and then turns to his crew, giving them orders to start trimming sails and all other things necessary to bring a ship into harbour, helping out himself where it was needed.  Once that is well underway, careful to keep his voice pitched so it wouldn't carry over the water, he addressed them.

"I'm not going to lie to you.  This is not the friendliest port to which you've ever been brought.  Your previous captain was apparently not much loved off his ship, and perhaps for good reason.  Be that as it may," he shakes his head.  The past wasn't important now, only their new future.  "I am your Captain now, and I'm not going to let them take you for crimes you committed before.  Captain Lasuri," he gestures to the Dryad, "also believes in second chances and he too will vouch for you.  That too is the truth.  What I ask in return is that you don't give them any excuses.  They're going to be petty and vicious and all the things they will accuse you of, but I know you can rise above that.  I know you can show them what it means to be a part of the Cobalt Alliance.  Don't let me, and more importantly, don't let yourselves, down."

He didn't feel he had to add any 'or else' to the end of that.  If the previous week had taught his new crew one thing, it's that people got what they deserved, whether that be reward or punishment.

"Nah, I think Captain Buruku's just blowing smoke, really," Jadira whispers to Tageru conspiratorially. "I think he's just paranoid because we've got Coral vessels on our side. And there's the Dryad, too, still a better ship than anything Wavecrest's got."

She grins a bit as she adds, "Who knows, he may be having a little penis...erm, I mean ship envy. Anyway, I think if we just behave it'll blow over easy. We've got a solid story after all."

The past week or so has already shaped up Treon's former corsair crew quite a bit. They're cleaner and better behaved, at least, and grumble fewer complaints. None of them look happy to be in the vicinity of Wavecrest, though, not even the more level-headed Black Reed.

The others assemble themselves as best they can for the 'inspection' Buruku mentioned. Treon notices a couple of his men, Hobnail and Nine-Fingers, looking visibly uneasy at the idea of docking in Seacrest. The crews of the Dryad and Marlena are much more accustomed to such proceedings, though, having already traveled with Lasuri and Jadira quite some distance. Cinna, standing next to Zeru, is already beaming at the idea of getting to dock for a while, peering with great interest at the sprawl of buildings with colored awnings that make up the city.

Once the ships are docked, the First Captain struts importantly from vessel to vessel, accompanied by the man he introduces almost dismissively as Harbormaster Jathin. Together they direct teams of Navy guards and inspectors to thoroughly every nook and cranny of the three Cobalt and one Tya ship. Unlike what they would do for any ordinary visitor to Wavecrest, they do not ask to board, they simply do so. It's rather invasive and brusque, but at the home turf of a Navy that can muster many times Cobalt's ships and crew, it's probably a better (or at least safer) idea to allow them their way.

Buruku demands that all crewmembers of the Dryad, Hammerhead, Marlena and Bounty are assembled on deck. He and Jathin split up, the harbormaster going to the Dryad, the Captain striding to the Hammerhead with something rather grisly in an airtight jar under his arm: the severed head of Captain Char "Bloodeye" Kossuth. (Tethia, standing with the crew of the Dryad, catches sight of it and lets out a soft strangled gasp, but remains utterly still.) A third official, a subordinate of Jathin named Khorveil, steps onto the Marlena.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:06, Thu 04 Dec 2008.

On all inspected ships, the captains are required to provide an accurate crew roster. One by one, the names of the crewmembers are called out and accounted for -- triggering a rising sense of discomfort for those few may very well not want their names known.

On the Spring Dryad II:

Jathin smiles thinly as he strides up the gangplank of the Dryad to speak personally with Lasuri, Jadira, Tageru and Tethia, while another one of his assistants takes care of the tedious roll call. "We've many rather extravagant Dragon-blooded visitors lately; one wonders at the strange coincidence of so many convening in the same place."

"As you may be aware, Wavecrest attempts to be hospitable to all, but we must still be sure to secure our borders against potential aggressors. You must understand that with such armaments as --" The dark-haired man in blue and white gestures toward the cannon taken from the Hammerhead "-- this fine specimen, we must be very careful to ascertain your intent upon entering our port."

"The preliminary inventory we have drawn up of your vessel, the... Spring Dryad II," Jathin reads after peering through his spectacles at the top sheet of his clipboard. "It includes several intriguing contraptions. Might I ask what it is the Cobalt Alliance actually does?" Apparently this is a question Lasuri has, and will continue to hear for a long time to come. "I will say that certain exploits of Cobalt have indeed reached our ears, but the general consensus is that you are pirates, and on friendly terms with Coral. Thus our alarm, as you travel with a ship captained by one of the most bloody corsairs our Navy has ever faced."

On the Hammerhead:

First Captain Buruku's confident gait carries him all the way up to the Hammerhead's deck, almost as swift as his winning smile. He is apparently a man who is used to currying -- and flaunting -- favor, and many times more daring and bold than most typical islanders. If one did not know his true heritage, one might wonder if he is a Fire Aspect himself.

Once aboard, he lifts up the jar with the severed head so that all the ex-corsairs aboard might see it clearly. One or two actually flinch, others murmuring low in tones that sound worried at best, hostile at worst. But Black Reed glares at them all for silence, and they straighten up. For the most part. Poor insomnic Hobnail seems to be quaking in his boots, and the shifty looking Nine-Fingers looks yearningly at the sea as if ready to jump ship.

"Let it be known what sort of punishment we of Wavecrest dole out to pirates such as yourselves. Can any of you rabble confirm the identity of the man in the jar?" Buruku almost seems to be relishing the idea of rousing Treon's crew to anger.

Again the whispers of unrest rise among the Hammerhead's crew. Only Reed answers firmly, "He is our former captain, Char Kossuth of Coral, sir."

On the Black Marlena:

Khorveil, a small, slight man with hair the color of seaweed, invades upon the Marlena with a spring in his step. Compared to the First Captain and the Harbormaster, he has the smallest of the ships to take inventory of, and the smallest crew to take roster for. Not a man who enjoys a great deal of work (unlike his slavedriving superior, Jathin), the official looks forward to finishing his shift just in time for lunch.

Zeru has already cleaned the Marlena of any unusual artifacts or items, so the inspection goes very swiftly, and much to Khorveil's liking. However, the crew has a single unusual characteristic to it that the junior harbormaster cannot bring himself to ignore: Cinna Argall, a woman sailor who has not tattooed herself as the Tya do. Nor is she a Dragon-blooded, the only other option any respecting Wavecrest man would consider for a female sailor to be.

So Khorveil frowns, stepping forward and examining this strange phenomenon closely. Cinna stands still, gritting her teeth at the boldness of his scrutiny, ready to slap him if he even dares push her personal boundaries any further.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:06, Thu 04 Dec 2008.

Zeru looks at the man hard. "Are there any problems sir?" he says cordially trying to snap his attention away from his first mate. Lover or not Cinna was part of his crew and he'd be damned before he let anything happen to any member of his crew. "You appear to be staring and I'd prefer you to take up questions or complaints with me." His tone is offhanded but nothing less than respectful. Should the man look at him he will hold the stare with no uncertain terms in them. Should he not he will look at Cinna comfortingly trying to silently reassure her that should this man do something inappropriate he'd find himself flying all the way to the Dryad and his superiors.

Keeping calm despite the situation, Lasuri tries his hardest to appear as solid and collected as possible, for the benefit of his crew. Like the figurehead of a ship, he would give them a strong, solid figure they can rely on, and inspire them not to fear the scrutiny the Seahaven personnel gives them.

"Mister... Jathin, was it? I'll start by saying your wanting to protect your borders and your people is completely understandable to me. I'd do the same, in your position. We just so happen not to have borders to protect, so all we have are the ships you see." He smiles lightly, peering over at the Hammerhead and Marlena before speaking again.

"I'm sure you've heard a lot of things about us, if you've heard about us at all. We tend to draw colorful comments and attention, when we do at all. I suppose some would call us pirates, although I'm not sure that fits us all that well. I guess the closest you could come would be to call us the 'home of second chances'." He pauses momentarily, mentally amused at how many times he'd had to explain this - and how many times it came up in different terms.

"We take in people who've either drifted from their homes, or people who want to make some change in their lives and fight for a different future. That's what we're about. We're not bandits, nor are we hungry for loot or resources. We're just working at giving these people a place to belong."

"Since I'm sure you can have that information confirmed anyways, I'm not going to lie to you, nor do I think I need to. We have an agreement with the people of Coral, yes. Mostly to buy and sell supplies so we can actually make a living. We're not part of the Coral navy, however, and we don't endorse what they do past our agreement. That's why we can cite neutrality in all matters of Coral beliefs and relations. We don't support any animosity they might have towards other nations - we continue to pledge our neutrality in these matters."

"Now that all of this long winded stuff is done with, I'll state again that we're here mostly because of an honor-bound promise I've made to Captain Tya Rothalga, to escort him and his crew back to their homes after the trouble they ran through at sea. In no way are we trying to spark a diplomatic incident, or are we trying to cause troubles in your nation."

On the Hammerhead

Treon wasn't usually the one to make snap judgements, but he'd formed one all the same.  He didn't particularly like this man or his attitude.  But he was damned if he'd let the man have the satisfaction of knowing he'd affected him at all.

"Their former Captain," he agrees with Black Reed, stepping forward just a little.  But enough to place him before the crew.  "They are now my crew, Captain Buruku.  I will thank you kindly not to taunt them on my ship," he says, voice calm, the fires banked.  Mostly.

"I trust now that you have had your confirmation, the Tya Rothalga will get the reward due to him," he says, as though he was in doubt over this.

On the Dryad:

Jathin listens pensively as Lasuri gives his 'Cobalt speech'. Unlike most people he gives the pitch to, though, the harbormaster actually takes out a quill pen (held by his young assistant) and starts jotting down notes. "So you claim to be a completely neutral entity." He shakes his head, as if disbelieving. "No wonder the Tya like you. I hadn't been aware the Emissaries of Perfect Water had some competition, as it were."

"They are similar sort of group, more about unity than 'belonging', though. These types of groups come and go." Jathin shrugs dismissively. "Few years back, the Emissaries were present at the summit called by the former Sea Lord of Coral, DiBello Gerarde. The end of that event upset the Immaculate Order representatives in the city quite... violently. We don't want any more of that sort of trouble either, you understand?" The smile that follows is polite and not at all friendly.

"Anyway, I would ask that you keep your more volatile artifacts on board. If you come in peace, as you say, you've no need for such devices. And we will be keeping an eye on you."

On the Hammerhead:

"Relax, Fireblade," Buruku says lazily, and tucks the jar back under his arm, as easily as if he were carrying some firewood, or produce from the local farms. "Rothalga will get his compensation, and we'll all be merry peas in a pod, eh, friends?"

He steps up to Hobnail, who looks the most visibly nervous, actually invading in the jittery man's private space. Treon knows that Hobnail, despite his anxiety problems, is a top notch lookout. In fact if the captain didn't order him to rest, he would probably keep watch the entire time (for some reason the crow's nest is the only place he's ever really calm). However, with the tall, handsome Buruku obviously asserting authority over him, he looks ready to wet himself in fear... and probably does.

Stepping back with a wrinkled nose, he fixes his eyes on Sang, on Ormi, on Crowfoot, on Nine-Fingers. The latter freezes upon being 'caught', his hand inching toward his belt. Buruku's smile starts to widen... [Private to Cathak Garel Treon: Figure you'll want to step in here. I won't let Buruku play around too much longer, he just REALLY dislikes Coral.]

On the Marlena:

At Zeru's comment, the junior harbormaster takes a step back, putting on a very pointed smile. "Well, Captain Zeru. I've nothing of significance to report." Khorveil hands over a document stating that the Black Marlena and crew has been inspected for docking and entering the city.

"Though please do tell your ... lady friend to visit our local Tya guildhall. I'm sure Elder Tya Lazulis would be pleased to speak with her." He nods, his stance relaxing slightly, as if saying those words have put the obviously wrong situation in front of him toward the right direction. "You can disembark once the others are cleared... if they are cleared. Wait for Captain Buruku and Harbormaster Jathin's word."

As Khorveil strides out of hearing distance, Cinna mutters under her breath, "Creep!" Brogan and Curran, Antov and Sunden relax their stances noticeably when the inspector is gone, as well. "Ey, been a while since we've stopped at a big ol' city like this'un," Antov says, stretching his arms fitfully. All of them look eager for shore leave.

Zeru puts his arm around Cinna. "Don't worry lass I've got your back... Can't have my first mate getting all flustered over a little staring by an apprentice." He says with a smile. "Alright men, we'll go see the Captain to see if we have jobs here and when we get those done we might get a little bit of leave." His mood seems fairly jovial overall. Coral pokes her head out of his pocket.

"Mau!"

"Hmm..." He looks down at her. "Oh right. I should get something shiny for Marlena. Good thinking Coral."

With that he and his crew head over to the Dryad. "Captain do we have interests in this port? Anything need to be done?"

"Guess I'll be leaving my baby behind, then," Jadira mumbles to herself. Then adds a little mischievously, glancing Lasuri's way, "The other one..."

Her portable cannon is safe in the armory with the strongbow, right now. She'd had to open the Essence lock for Jathin and his inspectors, most likely, but will renew the lock before she and the crew disembark.

The armswoman doesn't go unarmed entirely, of course. For the shore leave she's packing both the Lioness' Fang and the plasma tongue repeater from Kossuth's arsenal. For now they'd have to be enough to make her feel safe against whomever might jump them in Seahaven -- if anyone.

"Oh, we're not competing with anybody, so no use starting rumors, really. We're nowhere near the kind of influence the Emissaries have, anyways." He listens intently to the rest of the Harbourmaster's lecture, his expression unwavering. The smile on his lips does not vanish either, and he nods once Jathin is done. "Sure thing. We're not really picky, really. As for being watched, well... That's a given, although for a little group like ours the type that 'come and goes', that's a pretty big thing, being famous like that all of a sudden. We're not used to that sort of attention." He pauses, his smile widening a bit.

"We're not bad folks though, and we've every intention to follow your laws and rules to the letter. Oh, and we'll leave all the devices in here, of course. Thanks for the heads up, that's really appreciated, mister Jathin." Of course, the man's words were really not much of a 'heads up' and more of a thinly veiled threat, but Lasuri's apparently sincere disposition and bright smile do not waver, apparently oblivious to it. Of course, he is all but aware of what happened, but he would not let the Harbourmaster know that part...

After all, what better way to defuse a threat than to pretend you're oblivious to it?

Turning back towards Zeru, he nods slightly, smiling softly. "We'll stop for a bit, let the crews get some shore leave for a change. Been a while since we actually stopped in a city, and they've deserved it."

Lasuri has other ideas as well, of course - like trying for some recruitment, now that they are in an area that would permit so. He would not say it quite just yet, however, with Jathin in the vicinity. Although this idea is mostly benign, there is no telling how the already hostile Wavecrest navy would interpret it, and the Alliance does not need the bad press right now.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:12, Fri 05 Dec 2008.

While the Cobalt Alliance appeases the port authorities, Xander Lucian draws near to the docks. Once again, curiosity and thirst for adventure draw him toward the excitement at the harbor.

This time, though, there is not just one ship, but three. The lead vessel appears to be exactly what the rumors said: a warship of pre-Shogunate construction. She's a breathtaking sight, with her light yet superior hull made of specially treated, water-tight wood and a unique, organic crystal that shimmers in azure, purples and hints of gold when struck by the sun. She's more compact than most merchant vessels, with but a single mast, but carries an array of five weapons -- a pair each of ballistae and catapults, and a large, rather formidable looking artifact cannon lashed and mounted to the foredeck.

The captain aboard the magnificent Spring Dryad II is currently conversing with the harbormaster anyone from the Folly would remember from four days ago. At least three of them look like obvious Dragon-blooded -- the captain a Water Aspect, accompanied by two Wood Aspects, one so strong in breeding his hair appears like long grass, with a purple flower at his temple.

Flanking the Dryad on one side is a yacht of a similar class to the Folly, though not nearly as extravagant. To the eye of an experienced sailor, she's an aged but sturdy ship that's served quite some time at sea, with a crew that took her through a great deal of battles. Her weaponry includes a sailcutter and a sleek implosion bow, and the Hammerhead's captain (currently talking to a tall, bronzed, purple-haired figure that Xander would point out as First Captain Buruku of the Wavecrest Navy) is almost certainly a Fire Aspect.

On the other side is a smaller courier ship, the Black Marlena -- dwarfed at least in sheer presence compared to the other vessels, but nonetheless clean, well-kept and in excellent repair. Whoever captains the Marlena must be a man for whom sailing is a labor of love. Its only ballista mount is occupied by a sailcutter like the Hammerhead's.

---

OOC: Here's a summary of the Cobalt ships from the outside, for the new person (possibly people) coming into this thread. :) [Private to Peleps Zeru: Were you going to take the other sailcutter from the Hammerhead?]
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:02, Sun 07 Dec 2008.

Zeru leads his men into town and lets them know to check in at the Marlena by sundown. He asks Cinna if she'd like to go shopping in whatever marketplace Wavecrest has. With or without her however Zeru heads towards the marketplace and looks at some jewelry.

[Private to Storyteller: So long as it fits Marlena's requirements. I like that though, "labor of love."]

Khorveil, seeing Zeru and his crew already disembarking and headed off, runs across the pier waving his arms in frustration. "Hey, I just said you should wait... rrrh, never mind!" Not wanting to make a spectacle of himself chasing the Cobalt men, he just waves a couple of guards in his employ to follow along at a distance.

Red-haired Cinna, wrapped in Zeru's arm as they stroll along the pier and onto more solid ground, beams at the idea of shopping. "That's just what this lass is in the mood for." The other four crewmembers grin at each other, leaving the pair to themselves. They know they're being followed but chuckle to themselves at the challenge of losing their 'escorts' in the crowd -- particularly Sunden, the most limber of them besides Zeru himself.

---

OOC: Whoa, leaving so soon! I'd rather open up a different thread for the marketplace, I think. But not for a little while cause I gotta deal with the other people's stuff in this thread. :) [Private to Peleps Zeru: Marlena wouldn't mind a sailcutter. She's just iffy about weird artifacts.]

On the Hammerhead

"I am glad to hear that about Rothalha, Buruku.  He is a good man," one who was willing to give these men a second chance too he nods, and then steps back ... a little at least.  Enough to allow for the inspection to proceed.  Until it reaches Nine-Fingers, at least.  He shoots the man a glance which is both cautioning and reassuring before he addresses the god-blood in front of him.  "You appear to have paused in your inspection, Buruku.  I hope there is no problem."  It wasn't so much a question, as a statement.

On the Dryad:

"Your gratitude is noted," Jathin replies coolly, turning away when his senior assistant hands back the results of the roll call. "And your other men are at least attentive to orders, that's something to say for sailors who claim not to be pirates."

Another set of documents trades hands, and Lasuri is asked to place his signature on several of them for proof of identity, consent for docking fees and sales tax on imported goods, authorization for the Wavecrest Navy and Coast Guard to enact further inspections if they deem necessary, and acknowledgement of such pleasant statements as "The Limited Rights of Foreigners in Seahaven." As the leader of the Cobalt Alliance he is considered ultimately responsible of the conduct of his men in Wavecrest lands.

"All right, Captain Leomaris, First Mate Thornbloom, your inspection appears to be in order." One last, terse signature from Jathin seals the deal, and he begins to wave his people off the deck of the Dryad. Despite his mistrust of Cobalt, though, the harbormaster still lets out a quiet, long-suffering sigh as he sees Buruku is still taking his time...

On the Hammerhead:

Nine-Fingers meets Buruku's gaze boldly for just a moment before lowering his eyes, and his hand. It's clear he is seething with anger, but not stupid enough to cost Treon or his fellow crewmates any further hits to their reputation.

Finally, Buruku shrugs nonchalantly and steps back from Nine-Fingers and the others. "I've seen enough. Best keep an eye on that one, though," he remarks to Treon about the man he'd nearly pushed into aggression. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's a coward and a snitch... no honor among thieves, after all."

He turns, his back to the crew as he strides back toward the gangplank. Another man -- it looks like Tonsar -- grasps Nine-Fingers' arm tight as the wiry ex-corsair nearly lunges for the First Captain while he's turned away. Just a pace away from the plank, Buruku turns back smoothly, his hair and cloak swirling in a dramatic sweep. "Fireblade, you are of nobler stock and may go as you please, but your crew will not be allowed to roam more than two districts inland. See to it that they understand that."

Brusquely, he exits the Hammerhead while his accompanying subordinates finalize the documents...

Back on the Dryad:

...then strides onto the Dryad for one last pass of the deck, nodding almost as an afterthought to Lasuri, Jadira, Tageru and Tethia, who has taken a step back, her face averted from the jar tucked under the First Captain's arm. It seems no one on Seacrest port has connected her to Kossuth, not even Buruku.

"You lucky bastards. Better not give us any reason to take this beauty away from you." Winking, he bows almost mockingly and pronounces, "Welcome to Seahaven!"

"Well, that was pleasant..." Jadira mumbles once Jathin and Buruku are a good distance away. "So let's stretch our legs out! You too, crew." The Dryad's gunnery crew lets out a uniform shout of delight and sally forth from the gangplank into the city.

"I think we've some gear to sell off, shouldn't be a problem even in the legitimate market since it's not stolen goods--just spoils from a criminal. Well. That's how they see it anyway," she adds guilty, for Tethia's sake.

"Personally I'd love to get a hold of some steelsilk... though it'd be even more helpful to find us that crafter we need. Uh, and I guess we should relax too, huh?" The armswoman ducks her head sheepishly; her first thoughts for shore leave were not of food and rest, but of commerce and repairs. "How long were we planning to stick around, anyway?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:59, Sat 06 Dec 2008.

Thus dismissed, the Cobalt officers and crew (well, most of the crew) have the leeway to disembark and partake in what Seahaven has to offer.

The options here are quite broad. Lodging and dining can be found within the city for those who'd rather not sleep and eat on board. One could follow Zeru's lead and head for the Seahaven market, or toward such establishments as the Realm Embassy, the Western Trade Alliance chapter, the local Tya guildhall and the Guild's offices in Seahaven. The Mariner's Academy and the Seahaven Explorer's League offer options for research, and for the faith-minded both the Immaculate Order and the volcano priestesses have prominent temples in the vicinity.

For diplomatic purposes, one may request an audience with the Feathered One, the elected leader of Wavecrest, whose majestic palace stands at the foot of Mount Hamoji. There are also the offices of the Wavecrest Council, presided over by Cyretha, Seahaven's lady mayor.

---

OOC: Just giving options :) If you've something to do that merits a mini-thread I'll be glad to oblige, but if you'll just summarize the shore leave in a post or two then that could be done in this thread.

If the Helkar's Folly group is just sitting around I'll have Cobalt come to them, somehow.

Xander notices one of the ships disembarking too quickly and the guards following them. "Hmm that looks interesting." He heads as well wondering what could be happening.

"Thank you," Treon said, almost like he meant it sincerely.  Then he watched Buruku as he strode off, before turning to face his crew.  "Well, you heard the man.  Don't get caught more than two districts away from the ship.  I'm sure he wants nothing more than to have you arrested and imprisoned, and to use that to cause trouble for us.  And I'd prefer if he didn't get that satisfaction.  If you want anything from beyond there, ask me and if it is reasonable, I will do my best to get it to you.  I'm sorry that your first shore-leave under me is going to be such a poor one, but we had obligations."  He looked them over, judging their reactions.

"Now, I want you all to finish stowing things away for port.  Except for you, Nine-Fingers.  Follow me, please," he says, and then leads him to his cabin.

He smiles reassuringly at the man, and then speaks.  "Would you like to explain what happened up on the deck?"

"We expected such," Black Reed says, a frown on his dark features. "Personally, I think we are fortunate to have any freedom at all. I would rather be at sea than at this port, but we are in need of supplies and rest."

The Hammerhead crew generally glowers, grumbles and mopes, but most of them still get off the ship at least to stretch their legs, sticking in groups of three or four so as not to be caught alone.

When approached by Treon and asked to accompany him, Nine-Fingers is quiet all the way to the cabin. He's no longer nervous, but simply subdued. "Sir," he says quietly when they are both in privacy. The ex-corsair fidgets as he talks, scratching at his temple with a long nail, scuffing his boots on the floor. "I was born in Seahaven. Never really lived the good life. I grew up on the streets. Got the knack for stealin' things here and there -- was just a way to survive."

Nine-Fingers wipes his nose with the back of his four-fingered hand. "Well, I got pretty good at it. Thieving. Got cocky... thought maybe could get the attention of the Obsidian Blades, y'know? Instead, I got caught. Cut my pinky -- so I'd always be marked for what I am. But Cap'n Kossuth, he got me afore they could put me behind bars."

"Was a long time ago, but some might remember. And that Buruku, he wants our blood! Don't trust 'im at all."

Unnoticed by the others, Xander heads after the pair of guards trailing after Zeru's group. (Xander/Zeru continue in the market thread.)

Good at thievery, eh? Treon filed that piece of information away for later.  Never know when someone skilled at a bit of underhand stuff would come in.

"Thank you for being honest with me," he says with a nod.  "As for Buruku, I have my opinion of the man, and he's done little to disabuse me of it.  He won't get you for anything you didn't do, I promise you that.  All I ask as that you don't give him an excuse."

He nods at the man to let him know he can go when he wishes, and then when he has, he settles down to record things in the ship's log, before he decides to go and visit the Dryad.  He's looking for Jadira, to ask something of the sorceress, and perhaps also to find Tethia.

Jadira is still aboard the Dryad, as is Captain Leomaris and Tethia. Tageru has already stalked off with his typically aggressive expression to explore the city inland.

Tethia's expression is a rather bleak one. She seems uneasy with the idea of disembarking -- or perhaps about Buruku. Neither would be surprising considering the treatment of the ex-corsairs so far. The dark-haired woman turns at Treon's approach, saying nothing but watching the Fire Aspect guardedly.

Treon approached her respectfully, smiling when he got close.  "Greetings Miss Tethia," he says, his voice warm.  "How have you been?" he enquires, politely, his demeanor non-threatening.

"What do you think of the Cobalt Alliance so far, at least from your brief experience of us?"

"Ah, you know how that is with these things." Lasuri replies to Jadira, shaking his head softly, a small smile on his lips. "Even if I give an amount of time, something's gonna happen that's gonna push it forward or backwards. Especially here... We're not really considered friendlies at this point in time, so who knows when they'll ask us to leave and for what reason, for example. So yeah, better off just doing what we do best: play it by ear." He grins to the brown-haired woman, not bothering to extrapolate further. From the look he gives her, one would likely find a goldmine should one manage to learn about all the anecdotes they seem to have to have gone through together.

"Good point about the selling though. That's definitely something we should take care of while we're here. Might as well get some of our unwanted stuff out and split the shares. We might be at sea for a while longer after this."

Seeing Treon's arrival, Lasuri salutes him, greeting him with a warm and friendly smile, but not stepping into the conversation. He instead takes a respectful step back, letting it play out as Treon intends.

"'Course it's a good point, you've got to have me around for something." Jadira winks and nearly nudges Lasuri's ribs until she remembers that he's still sore from the previous battle. "Sorry, Captain," she says soothingly -- and mischievously, stealing a kiss on his cheek before turning to smile at Treon briefly.

"Well, I've already taken stock of everything we took from our last... venture," she continues, minding her business with Lasuri for now. "There should be enough to trade here to give the crew a decent bonus. So, will we take care of it today, or give it a rest for now? Not that there's much crew at all left to haul the goods..." She laughs and shrugs, leaning close to whisper something in the Dryad captain's ear.

[Private to Lasuri Leomaris: "How about we head to a nice place, with a proper bath, and a bed? They must have wonderful hot springs here with the volcano so near..."] Treon and Tethia here snippets of what the armswoman murmurs, something involving 'hot springs'... likely a private matter.

"Good afternoon, mister Fireblade," Tethia returns in a neutral tone, relaxing only slightly at Treon's friendly stance. She is in slightly better shape, aided in her healing by Tageru's medical care as well as much needed bed rest. No matter her pain or discomfort, though, she stands with a proud, if somewhat stiff stance, as if to make certain people do not assume her weak without a weapon.

"That is a question I've answered more frequently than not, lately. The Alliance has treated me well enough, and I believe I will stay aboard for at least a few more weeks." Her aquamarine eyes meet the Fire Aspect's gaze boldly, now, as if sizing up his intent. "May I ask what you wish of me?"

Treon had acknowledged the salute with a nod, and smile from Jadira with one of his own, a look in his eyes suggesting a desire for a slightly longer talk than just that, at least if she wasn't busy.

"I am glad to hear that," he continues on in the same, warm tone.  "What I wish from you is ... well, not a wish at all."

"Merely an offer.  If you would like to return to the Hammerhead ... although not to your old cabin, I would be more than happy to have you aboard.  If you prefer the Dryad--and I really cannot say I blame you--then you still have some of your personal belongings on the ship.  I can arrange to have them moved over here, if that was your wish."

"Ah..." Tethia looks a little forlorn for a moment, dropping her guard for just a second before the aloofness returns to her expression. "Well, sir, I thank you for your offer. I would like to consider returning, after I am better healed, if you do not mind."

"In the meantime I'd like it if you sent my belongings." She nods, and pauses, watching Treon's expression with the intense scrutiny she often gives people she hasn't yet 'figured out'. "So, do you enjoy the cabin? I suppose it's just another place to sleep, for you."

Out on the docks, workers and passersby have begun to disperse from their gawking at the Dryad, perhaps seeing that despite all its majesty and formidable armament, it's still just another ship. A few others are still coming out from the city limits, though, having just recently heard the news of a ship that could put the Wavecrest Navy's best to shame (though none would say it to First Captain Buruku's face.)

---

OOC: Helkar's Folly people could come in at any time, really! The long desc. of the Dryad, Hammerhead and Marlena is further back on this thread.

Treon gives the woman a sympathetic smile at the forlorn look, but doesn't do any more.  He nods easily, "When you are better healed, of course."

"I will send people over with the chests when I return then," he says.  Done.  "It is a pleasant enough cabin.  One obviously previously inhabited by two different people, who were still close to each other," he says, sympathy in his tone and an almost involuntary movement to caress one of the long braids in his hair, the white one.  He knew about loss, although he didn't have the luxury of blaming anyone else.

Making his way through the crowds of sailers, longshoremen, and merchants, Amonth heads out into the harbor area. To those that know him it is obvious that he is greatly interested in the flotilla that has been described to him. As he heads for the docks he does take the time to listen to the rumers but does not delay for long.
As he finally gets close enough to see the rumored ships he stops dead in his tracks for a moment. "Magnificent!"
Moving forward after a moment he walks down the dock to where he can take a better look. Taking in the lines of the ships, where they show where and how they are armed, he examins them for a few moments. Finally he walks closer to the First Age ship staring in open admiration. "Look at the lines, the way they come togetter there where the lower hull fades into the support for the forward platform! Form and function meshed, beautiful!"
Shaking free of the awe for a moment he starts towards the gangplank to the anchient ship.

Jadira touches Lasuri's shoulder lightly, as she notices the man in bright colors and feathered hat coming toward the gangplank. "Looks like we've got a visitor," she murmurs before stepping apart from him... for now. "What'll we do?"

The brunette lifts a hand to silently hail Amonth and anyone else coming toward the ship. Just to let them know they've been seen.

Walking twenty paces behind Amonth, Darel closes the distance between them. "Nice work," he commented, "I would have thought such designs were solely fielded by the Realm..."

Darel waved back at the woman onboard the ship.

"Thank you," Tethia says, some of the guardedness dissolving as she nods tersely to Treon. "I appreciate it, and your understanding. In a few days, I would see for myself what you've done with the ship and crew... it is yours now, and at least Reed has accepted you. He will serve you well." She does not mention anything about resuming her position as first mate, though she has considered it, quietly. Just... not yet. Not this soon.

The dark-haired woman's gaze flicks towards Amonth and Darel, and she frowns slightly, clenching her fists. Unlike Jadira she is not a particularly welcoming personality, as her first instinct is generally to mistrust.

"Welcome him, of course. Would be bad form not to play hosts in that case, wouldn't it?." He smiles, taking a few steps towards the railing before also waving towards the incoming visitors.

"Don't compliment her too much, or she'll get an inflated ego." He utters to Amonth and Darel's attention, a warm smile on his lips. "She's got her little pride, you know how that is." He takes another step, then leans over the railing.

"I'm Captain Lasuri Leomaris, and this is the Spring Dryad II. Is there anything I can help you with?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:29, Wed 10 Dec 2008.

"As you wish it," Jadira answers Lasuri merrily, and turns on her best smile toward the newcomers, sketching a short bow. She is dressed rather masculinely, in a dark green coat and snug leather pants, but she does not bear any of the tattoos of the Tya. She is one of the exceptions Wavecrest accepts concerning female sailors, being a Wood Aspect of noticeable bearing.

"I am the Dryad's first mate, Jadira Thornbloom," the armswoman introduces herself, then pauses to see how these men will answer Lasuri's inquiry.

Kiana walked with the captain and Darel, but spoke precious little despite knowing that the ships were not, in fact, from the Crimson Isle.  She didn't recognize any of the sailors, and Kiana's eyes were nothing if not sharp.

She didn't return the wave, though did give eye contact to the other women when she got close enough.  Kiana, too, was initially filled with mistrust--however, the Captain was wise enough, and he had yet to lead them into hardship, so she trusted him more than most.

She stayed beside the two, looking more like a silent slave than an important member of the crew.

Treon nods.  "You will be welcome on that vessel whenever you choose to visit," he says, voice warm with encouragement.  He smiles a little ten.  "It is heartening to hear ones own judgements echoed by another, so thank you," he says softly to her words on Black Reed.  "It appears, though, that we have visitors," he says, by way of apology for cutting their conversation short.

He walks over to the railing, only coincidently--perhaps--moving himself in such a way that anyone of the visitors moving to Tethia would move past him first.  He smiles at them friendlily though.  "Treon Fireblade," he introduces himself.  "Captain of the Hammerhead," gesturing to the sleek, although second age, yacht moored just beyond the much smaller courier.

Amonth smiles and returns the wave of the striking brunette and walks forward onto the gangplank.
"Greetings good Captains, and to you as well First Mate. I am Ferem Amonth, Captain of Helkar's Folley."
Amonth points over a few docks to where the Folly is docked.
"I heard rumors of this ship in town and had to come see for myself. Magnificent! I have studied for years and have never had the opportunity to see a ship like this before. I would like to invite you and your ships officers to join me for a dinner, though I warn you, I will surely pick your brains for details on your ship. "

Darel cleared his throat, then added: "My name is Darel Arwan," he said. "I have joined the Captain in his journeys. I, too, have studied a lot, and I would like to discuss with those who have unearthed or are maintaining these wonders of old. My curiosity is... quite aroused."

Jadira returns Kiana's gaze kindly, and a little curiously.

She can't really be a slave decked in those jade boots... I think. I wonder what her story is.

Listening to the others introduce themselves, Jadira is rather surprised that a man from House Ferem has sailed so far west. No need to ask unnecessary questions, though. After all, she is far away from home, as well, and with no hope of returning. Not to mention that little outstanding bounty back in Lookshy...

"Pleasure to meet you," the brunette replies, putting aside her musings, "and I wouldn't mind obliging your questions about the Dryad if you like. Of course, it's ultimately up to her Captain."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:14, Thu 11 Dec 2008.

He smiles warmly, and peers back at the Dryad with a kind look in his eyes. "She has a tendency to turn heads so don't be sorry." He pats the railing fondly, then turns towards the newly arrivals. "We're not really used to people being so hospitable, to be honest, so that's a good change of pace. And just 'cause of that, that makes me want to take you up on that dinner offer." He grins, then leans back slightly.

"You can ask what you want, of course. And you can also come aboard for a bit, if that's what you'd like. Between sailors, there's no reason why we can't accommodate each other, right?"

He also makes certain to acknowledge Kiana with a welcoming smile, not wanting her to feel excluded. No matter what her station, Lasuri would want her to feel welcome as well.

"Right," Darel said. "You realise, of course, that you are bound to recount us the tale of how you came into ownership of such treasures around a casket of ale, don't you?" he smiled.

Jadira chuckles, a mischievous sparkle in her emerald eyes as she turns to Lasuri. "Look at that, Captain... They want to hear the story."

"Well, I'm sure we can oblige. Both to the story-telling and the ale." The mischief is gone now, but not her warmth and friendliness. It may be seen as a sign of foolishness for she and her captain to show such kindness to strangers unusually interested in their unique relic of a ship. But time and circumstance has taught her that the best armor against those who might deceive her is to appear oblivious of it.

"The obvious question of course, is... when?"

Tethia raises her eyebrows slightly at Treon's subtle show of protectiveness, but so far has said nothing more, not even a name to introduce herself. Much like Kiana, she remains silent and guarded.

Her glance toward the other young woman is impassive, but not dismissive. She folds her arms in front of her, waiting for the others to be done with her conversation. Though the Water Aspect does not express it, her wounds still leave her aching and weary, even after the few days' rest she's had so far.

"Don't they all?" He adds, grinning widely at her. Just like his first mate, however, he soon turns back towards their 'guests', and nods with a warm smile.

"We're not usually making stops in Seahaven, so I'm afraid we're pretty much the equivalent of tourists here. So name a time and place, and we'll do our best to find our way there." He chuckles, then leans back as he folds his arms on top of his chest.

"My only real condition is that we get to also talk about the Helkar's Folly as well. I admit you've sparked my curiosity as to what could bring a group like yours to these parts. That, and I don't do so well when I hog the spotlight."

"You should've seen him when he was young," Jadira comments, unable to keep another bemused smile from surfacing. "He was the shy, awkward one... don't think anyone would've pegged him as the leader figure."

"Oh, but here I am ruining the grandeur of the 'Sea Drake'. I should apologize." But she doesn't look apologetic in the slightest, not with that look on her face.

Despite her stony disposition, what with her crossed hands and her slate-like face, it was a moment of surprise when laughter escaped her lips.  Almost as surprised as the others, a hand quickly came to her lips and quieted the mirthful noise almost as quickly as it had erupted.  Apparently poking fun at the 'Sea Drake' had struck her as funny.

The laugh seemed to break at least a small amount of the tension the girl held in check.  Her arms unfolded and rested behind her back as her stance widened as well--a much more comfortable position, though almost slightly trained, if not military.  She looked at all of them, old and new alike, her eyes lingering on Jadira and Tethia most of all, seeing as they were the only other women there.

Then, amazingly, she answered a question.  "It would be our pleasure, Captain."  She said, her eyes focused on the 'Sea Drake', but then sneaking off to look at Jadira and Tethia.  An opportunity to talk with others like her?  It would be a welcome chance to vent her fears and anxiety without fear of men-thoughts getting in the way.

"I must confess I'm curious to hear 'the' story too," Treon pipes up from his position on the rail, after a glance to the couple which headed the ship and the Alliance.  His face is a grin.

"You'll have to watch him though," he 'confided' to the visiting Captain.  "He's been promising us the story for weeks and it never quite seems to be told."

"You see how it goes?" He says in mock exasperation, smiling at the guests as he does so. "Believe me, the reputation the 'Sea Drake' has managed to garner has happened despite me. And despite my crew and fellow Alliance members too, it seems." He smiles warmly at Jadira and Treon, and then shakes his head softly.

"As for that story... It's age, you see? We start to lose details when that happens, and we forget specifics. Blame time, not me!"

Darel laughed at the Captain's comments. "You mentioned an Alliance. I gather it is the name of your flottilla, is it not? Forgive my curiosity, but I have a vested interest for what happens in the West, as any good patriot does, and you seem to be a force to be reckoned with."

"Oh right... See, miss Thornbloom is right in saying that I wasn't always thrust into the leader's shoes. I even forget to introduce ourselves properly." He shakes his head, the waves his hand towards the cobalt flag the ship flies.

"We're members of the Cobalt Alliance - the few, but the proud. We're basically a neutral entity within the confines of the Western waters. We've got a treaty with Coral, so we can trade, but we're claiming a neutral stance in all matters. We're basically a place where those that don't feel they belong anywhere else can come and make a place for themselves. At least, that's the basic philosophy behind it all."

He turns towards Tethia then, then lifts an eyebrow playfully. "I told you you're far from the only one that asked this question, see? You'd think I'd have a ready-made answer by now, but it always ends up coming out all seat-of-the-pants." He turns his attention back to the visitors, and smiles.

"Least it's honest, if it's not the best speech you'll ever hear."

Chuckling at Lasuri's words and modest style, Amonth smiles. Taking in the group of ships and the interactions of the crew they seem both interesting and formidable.
"We have quarters in the city. If it is convenient you can join us this evening? In the mean time I will gladly take your offer of a chance to look around."
Moving forward along the gangplank he stops for a moment before actually stepping onto the deck and reaches out to touch the railing for a moment, then steps forward eagarly.

Tethia snorts at Lasuri's comment, a sound that could be interpreted as amused or sardonic. She gives the three visitors a sideways glance. "The Alliance is benign but rather insidious," she deadpans. "They may very well convert you too."

Meanwhile, Amonth steps up onto the deck of the Dryad. It's not a terribly large ship, dwarfed by the largest of merchantmen and triremes, but it is superior in both armament and luxury. Of particular interest on the outside are the formidable front-mounted cannon (with a three-yard barrel of white jade and alchemical steel), the telescoping mast (currently folded back in a compact, storage position in its dorsal compartment), the raised bridge and quarterdeck behind the mast, and the pair of paddlewheels mounted on either side of the stern.

Though not immediately obvious at a casual glance, Amonth's crafter instinct notices something wrong with the paddlewheels. A closer glance down at them makes him absolutely certain that they are broken to the point of non-function, though they still appear whole. Likely the problem is something that would require some close, hands-on work to diagnose.

---

OOC: I'll let Jadira and/or Lasuri write a tour of the interior if they want.

"Evening sounds perfect, at least to me," Jadira replies warmly to Amonth, a striking contrast to Tethia's acerbity. "We're going to be here for a while longer, so all our 'chores' can wait till tomorrow."

"Come on... I'll start showing you around inside." She beckons Darel and Kiana to come as well, if they wish.

The brunette starts by ascending to the bridge and showing them the navigation room and pilot station, where the esoteric panels and controls for the paddlewheel drive are found. Then she leads them downstairs from the interior of the bridge, showing them the comfortably furnished officers' meeting and dining room, and strolling along the half-circle hallway beneath the quarterdeck where the officers' cabins are found.

Below deck is probably the most 'ordinary' the Dryad gets, as far as naval standards are concerned. Jadira takes the visitors through the galley, crew's quarters, the sick bay and the armory (though she does not let them inside, explaining that the lock is Essence sealed and requires her to expend energy to reset.) The lowermost deck is, not surprisingly, reserved for the storage of cargo.

Finally she brings them up through the stairway opening up to the main deck. "And here's where I work." Grinning, she indicating the ballistae, catapults and cannon. "I'm the head of the gunnery crew--on top of my other duties."

(OOC: Hope that wasn't too much at once. Figured we shouldn't dwell too long here.)
This message was last edited by the player at 16:58, Tue 16 Dec 2008.

"My, how lucky you are," Darel said, "I know a few people who would be delighted to work on such beauties... though I'm more of a theoretician myself."

"I'm a little bit of both," Jadira admits, smiling at Darel. "I am a sorceress by training. I wasn't always handling heavy machinery, or roughing it out with sailors." There's a touch of wistfulness in her green eyes, then, but she shrugs it off.

"Anyway, I suppose I've monopolized your time enough. If we're going to dine, I definitely need to freshen up." She chuckles wryly to lighten the mood, brushing a lock of hair back from her freckled face. "You know how it is, at sea. Even more of a pain when you're a woman..."

The armswoman starts to head toward the quarterdeck, turning back at the foot of the stairs. "We'll meet up again soon. Unless there's something else?"

"She's more delighted than she wishes to admit to play with her pow-pows." He adds playfully, at Darel's attention. "But seriously, I think we do consider ourselves lucky to even have the Dryad at all. She's been with us for years, and she's taken us through the best and worst of our lives. That's not something you can take for granted, for sure."

He pats the railing of the boat fondly, for a moment looking around as if gazing at a treasured friend. "Well, enough with all the sappy stuff. Jadira's right, we should probably prepare for that dinner, unless you need anything else from us before then." He smiles, gazing at the assembled people one by one.

"I look forward to the meal later, Darel," he says in farewell to the Dragonblood and his odd crew.  He was curious about them, but sure it would become clear in time.

"If I might have a quick word with you, Lady Thornbloom," Treon says, as the Wood Aspect turns back to face those on the deck before she goes downstairs to prepare herself for going out about the city.

"About the supplies for the Hammerhead, amongst other things."

Jadira tweaks Lasuri's ear when he comes near. "I'll 'pow-pow' you," she says mischievously, and grins to herself as if she'd said some sort of incredibly amusing joke. (Not that anyone ELSE can figure out what's so funny.)

The mirth dies down a bit when Treon addresses her, though her eyes still sparkle when she smiles at the Fire Aspect.

"Oh? Sure, we can speak a bit. I'm not in that much of a hurry. What do you think the Hammerhead will need in terms of supplies? Or if you prefer, we can go together to the market the next day."

[Private to Cathak Garel Treon: We won't necessarily play out the market part, at this point, but Jadira's offering anyway. :)]

"Mm."  Was all that Kiana said at the conclusion of the tour.  It was a nice ship, by all means, but being of the Earth, Kiana had a natural dislike for boats.  After all, boats belonged on water, and water was the last place an Earth Aspect was apt to go--which was exactly why Kiana was here.

With the tour over, however, that left Kiana with little to do.  The dinner was yet a ways off, and with this ship not belonging to her mother, that left her little tirade earlier all for naught.  She learned a long time ago that it was better to be seen than heard, especially when one sought to learn.  However, she couldn't just hang around the ship and eavesdrop, now could she?

That being the case, Kiana began to walk back toward their assigned sleeping quarters in the city, and once there, she would begin to meditate and, after that, begin to practice her forms.  Mastery of an Immaculate Martial Art was not easy, after all, and it was not from natural talent alone that she had acquired the ancient form of combat.  Especially not the modified version that she knew.

"I have a fair idea about what is needed," he says, a list penned briefly in a functional hand (no prizes for scroll work here) offered to Jadira.  "I was wondering more about how such things will be paid for, and what is to be done with the contents of the Hammerhead's holds."

"I'd also like to ask your advice on a more sensitive matter," he continues on.
[Private to Jadira Thornbloom: I know that that stuff has been sorted OOC, and so please don't feel an elaborate post is needed to answer the supplies stuff.  I just want to establish IC that Treon cares about such things.]

Jadira watches Kiana leaving the ship, a little disappointed she hadn't been able to speak a word to her directly. Then she accepts the list from Treon and scans it briefly. "This should be manageable enough. Cobalt's coffers are actually doing well at the moment, if I do say so myself."

"You and the other officers will be getting a cut of what we will sell of the spoils." She talks in a low voice, particularly as she reaches the word 'spoils'. "It should take care of most of your basic needs, but if you find yourself needing more I will be able to back you up to a talent--in annual income, anyway. More reasonably it'd be closer to 4 or 5 shekels..." She goes on, specifying an amount that would (OOC) give Treon an amount equivalent to Resources 2 for general purchases, above and beyond what he already owns himself. The 'extra' Jadira would cover equals Resources 3.

"If you ever do need the extra money, let me or Lasuri know what you are needing it for beforehand, since it would be going on the Alliance's tab, not yours."

That taken care of, the brunette tilts her head and gazes at Treon with concern. "What else is on your mind?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:57, Mon 22 Dec 2008.

Darel returned to the inn, preparing himself for the dinner.

[OOC: did we convene on an hour?]

Treon nodded in response to the information about the financial aspects of it all, considering the amounts she mentioned and comparing that to his own funds, as well as what would be needed. "That sounds reasonable," he agreed with a smile.

"One of my new crew-members, Hobnail, is afflicted with quite horrible nightmares, by all accounts and has been for years.  That doesn't seem natural to me, and I was wondering if you had any experience of dreams or what might cause them like that...," he concludes.

"Good," Jadira replies promptly to Treon, then pauses to consider his next question. A look of confusion furrows her brow. "I have heard of sorcery which may affect a dreamer. Or perhaps some fae or vengeful spirit..."

The Wood Aspect seems ambivalent about coming up with a specific cause, though, until she says tentatively, "It... could be a ghost haunting. If you can afford a small supply of ghost flower tea, enough for once a week over a season, that would allow Hobnail to communicate with the ghost that troubles him." By now Jadira has gained confidence in her theory, and nods more assertively. "If he is watched and kept comfortable on the nights he takes doses, he should be able to resolve the conflict he has with this spirit."

"If you like I can think on it further. Maybe even conduct some research while we are here."

Tethia, seeing that the focus has long since shifted from her, exits quietly below deck. As her wounds were the most serious of all the Cobalt members, she takes what rest she can whenever she can.

On the other hand, the Water Aspect also dislikes the idea of being considered too slothful or weak. Pride and curiosity both may very well make her pique her interest enough to attend this dinner meeting. But if no one invites her she will assume it to be best that she keep to herself.

The Exalts have a couple of hours to spare to freshen up or take care of other business before convening at the Ocean Mist Inn.

---

OOC: Finish up conversations here, then post in "Chapter 2, Phase 1 Intermission - Ocean Mist Inn". However, if I see no significant interest in the dinner scene by the beginning of January, then we'll just fast forward through the entirety and continue from here.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:33, Tue 23 Dec 2008.

"I would appreciate that, yes," he says with a nod at the mention of further research.  "Though were it a ghost, wouldn't that be be visible, at least to those who can see spirits?" he says, after a moments thought.  "Perhaps I will have to speak with Tageru.  The Immaculate training covers such things, does it not?"  He doesn't seem entirely pleased about having to talk with the fierce faced Dragonblood, but he didn't think the man was malicious, just perhaps a little bit direct.  "If that doesn't work, there is the ghost flower tea to consider."

"It would be visible to spirit-sight," Jadira confirms, "if my theory holds some truth to it. But don't worry. I will take some time during the shore leave to look into the possibilities, whether it is a haunting or... something more." She actually appears quite thrilled at the idea of exploring the libraries of the city, so Treon is at least assured it is far from a chore for her.

"If there is nothing else though, I should excuse myself to prepare." An armswoman she may be, but even Jadira is not without her vanities. With that in mind, she inclines her head apologetically and continues her way to the quarterdeck cabins.

The remaining members of the Cobalt Alliance part ways, whether to join the dinner at the Inn, explore the city, or simply rest.

The general consensus is that the Alliance vessels and the Helkar's Folly will remain in Seahaven for a week's time. Until then, their respective crewmembers are free to do as they wish: heal their wounds, train their skills, stock up on supplies or conduct research as needed.

---

OOC: If you wish, summarize here what your character does until the 19th of Ascending Water. This is the last call for accomplishing anything in Seahaven. (The Ocean Mist Inn thread will remain open for those participating in the dinner on the evening of the 12th.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:58, Sun 04 Jan 2009.

After the dinner, Jadira spends the next day to trade goods so she may distribute the crew's salary. She replenishes ammunition and food stores as needed, enough to last the Dryad should they travel all the way to Coral or An-Teng by sea. It isn't the best fare, of course, but rations rarely are. She does manage to secure fruits as well, both fresh and dried, to be distributed evenly so that scurvy is kept at bay.

The only large purchase she hopes to make are for steelsilk sails, inspired perhaps by those the First Captain Buruku had on his custom warship. For that purpose she will attempt to trade the second essence capacitor found on the Marlena. She knows that the capacitor would power most implosion bows and is even rarer in the West than the sails themselves.

The rest of Jadira's week goes into study. With the presence of the Realm in Seahaven, she expects that a great deal of knowledge will be restricted, but at the very least she reads up on Western lore concerning nightmares, hauntings and possessions, as she promised Treon she would do. Another priority on her mind is spell research, though in this case she avoids Dynastic-funded libraries completely, limiting her search to caches of scrolls and books kept by local thaumaturges and priestesses.

Fortunately, she has sorcery and talent on her side, using both to alter her appearance during her research excursions. To others she appears as an Outcaste thaumaturge born in the West, traveling the islands to broaden her occult knowledge and learn from the practices of cultures beside her own. With this disguise she hopes to evade any suspicion about the topics she studies.

After ensuring that Tethia's belongings were transfered over to the Dryad, and making sure all of previous captain's were stored in the holds, Treon had spent the rest of the day getting to know Wavecrest itself.  He'd also gone out with Jadira to shop for the supplies for the Hammerhead, mostly to re-familiarize himself with such tasks, especially when approached from the civilian point of view.

He had also taken the time to compose a letter, entrusting it to a ship that was sailing back to the Realm, although it might take a few weeks to get there.  It might also just be burned when it reached the intended recipient, but he had to have some hope.  It mentioned, in vague detail, his exploits over the preceding few weeks, including joining the Cobalt Alliance and the capture of the Hammerhead, although it omitted mention of the manse that had been found and gave no names for the other members of the Alliance.  It was signed with his bare name, devoid of any claim to a House.

Once that detail had been taken care of, he had resumed his explorations of the city, mostly keeping to the districts his own crew were restricted to, although he made it known to them that if they wished items that could only be found further afield, he would be willing to arrange delivery of such items.

Jadira purchase of the steelsilk sails goes through, though not without having to pay extra beyond the capacitor from her pocket. Fortunately it's not much in terms of leaving a dent in her funds, but it goes to show just how unwilling Westerners are to part with their unique craft.

Afterwards, during her study sessions, she finds that her relatively simple disguise is efficient enough to evade casual scrutiny. She isn't quite as sure it works with the Dynasts she passes, and she has to deal a couple times with Immaculates who attempt to 'bring her back into the fold' or visiting Dynasts who look at her with anywhere from curiosity to disgust for her 'slumming'.

To the natives the disguise is pretty much flawless, though, and she is able to study as long and as much as she wishes. She discovers from her research that the ghost flower tea is definitely a bad idea, and would more likely kill than help. What plagues Hobnail is a true haunting, invariably tied to something personal in his past. Jadira comes out of her studies with the knowledge to bind and exorcise the ghost as needed, but first she and Hobnail will have to speak personally and get to the heart of what he is hiding.

As for spells, she is able to gain knowledge about two new Terrestrial Circle spells, but she cannot use them until she takes the time to meditate upon and practice what she has read and learned.

Treon's time in Seahaven is not quite so involved, but no less fruitful, as he tends to the needs of the Hammerhead and his crew. His letter leaves the shores of Wavecrest on the 15th of Ascending Water.

Fortunately for him, the ex-corsairs don't ask for much, though they do grouse and complain plenty (mostly out of earshot of the guards) about the poor treatment they get in the city. The worst Treon has to face is urging the men not to indulge too much in wine and spirits, and keeping their tempers cooled.

By the time the end of their stay draws near, Black Reed and the others look more than willing to be on their way. So is Tethia, who has healed considerably during the week of shore leave. She splits her time between staying aboard the Dryad and crossing over to the Hammerhead, continuing to observe in her quiet yet intensely focused fashion the progress Treon has made with winning the trust of the men.

There is little for her to be disappointed at -- though she still keeps her opinion to herself. For now.

---

OOC: Thread is now closed!
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:21, Thu 08 Jan 2009.