Unknown day and time
Midday

Hera's flimsy ship has been drifting in what she hopes is a northeasterly direction for more days than she can remember counting.

The maiden voyage from her home island has seen better days. The little fishing vessel she'd embarked on with all the hopes and enthusiasm of a young woman set free for the first time is looking worse for wear. At one point Hera's ship happened upon a Wyld storm that blew them off course and claimed the lives of much of her crew. All that remain are two, and both are suffering from the lack of clean water and fresh food.

One of them, the healthier of the two, minds the ship's wheel, clutching it almost as if it is the only thing keeping him standing. The other is serving as lookout -- but dehydration and contact with the Wyld seems to have rendered him half-mad. He peers through the telescope, and every now and then exclaims, "Land ho!" only to suddenly droop with disappointment. "Never mind..."

This time, though, it seems that the lookout isn't just hallucinating. Hera can see it... just ahead due north... the promising sparkle of sunlight on sand!

---

Meanwhile, at the lagoon bordering the small Western island of Nkiru, Tomistoma sits idly upon the carved jade throne of his pyramid manse. He has learned much upon coming to this place. Somewhere to the east, he knows, is the island nation of Wavecrest, from which the few intrepid traders of Nkiru sail to and fro, bringing back goods to the more populous eastern villages.

Here on the western side, looking out toward the Deep Wyld... comparatively few people dare to thrive. The western Nkiruans are for the most part quite simpleminded, willing to worship him as a god, frightened and subdued alike by his strange reptilian appearance and the unusual powers he manifests. They are sufficient as servants, but not nearly so as stimulating companions, leaving Tomistoma rather restless more often than not.

Tomistoma's only true companion is the human that serves now as his advisor, the reborn savant known as Indrid Cold. Until their recent meeting, Indrid had been journeying on a long, mostly solitary pilgrimage, moving steadily westward from the Scavenger Lands. At times he would stop at landmarks once familiar yet utterly changed, seek the companionship of explorers or fellow savants of the age. But ultimately he would continue without them, restless to find the old world he has lost, moving increasingly toward the very edges of civilization.

And so Indrid came to Nkiru, the first of Tomistoma's honored visitors. The godblood stands to the left of the young Dragon King's throne, and the both of them look out towards the sea... where a small sail appears on the horizon.

---

OOC: A rather long-winded intro, but I wanted to give a little bit of background for everybody.

Tomistoma stands up from his throne, focusing his Essence in his eyes, peeling back the miles between him and the ship on the horizon. In moments he has counted the crew and ascertained the damaged state of the vessel and the humans on board.

Without a word to his companion, the Dragon King stomped down the steps of his pyramid-manse. As his feet splashed into the water of the half submerged edifice, he said simply to one of his nearby tribespeople, "Prepare a feast." He splashed into the water of the swampy lagoon, his broad tail waving side to side behind him as he swam powerfully toward the distant ship.

The lives of individual mortals meant little to him, but he so rarely had visitors. Besides, he could always use more worshippers...

Moving to the fore of the small ship, Hera looks closely at the distant land. She points, "It's there. I can see it. Due North."

She reaches down into the satchel her father gave her. There was no telling how far the world had fallen since the before times. There could be savages, cannibals, or brutes. Her great father had warned her of his dreams of savage wars that killed more people than she'd ever seen. She must be on guard and slides on the twin gloves of golden metal to match her arm guards. She then sits down and begins using the last remaining paddle to move them to the island.

"As it is commanded, I shall endeavor to obey," Indrid answers in the tongue of the Old Realm. He greets Tomistoma's rising with a deep bow, holding this position until the Dragon-King passes by and slides into the water. Then his back draws straight and he watches the Dragon-King swim off.

Since he started this journey what feels like years ago now, the Amiliki-King has seen many sights both wondrous and strange. Even things that almost felt like home. This island and the Dragon-King who ruled it was one such place. This place is different from Bluecrest though and Tomistoma is so different than the Dragon-Kings that he had known...

Hefting his hammer Hanuman, Indrid glides lightly down the pyramid steps and calls out to worshipers who had come to honor Tomistoma. "Rouse thy spirit, meager children of the sea. Thy lord and master bids thee make order of his home. A feast is to be prepared and, with all courtesies, places made to host visitors from afar."

Hanuman's platinum head thumps with finality against the ground and Indrid claps his hands to send the worshiper scurrying off on their orders. It is not his authority they respect, of course, only his association with Tomistoma. These strange and backwards people are a far cry from those he once ruled. Even physically, they seemed like pygmies as they rush around his tall, slender form.

Thoughtfully, he stirs a finger through the long red tassels of his earrings and looks out at the distant ship, wondering what new strangeness will await him when it comes to anchor off their shore.

As Hera begins to row, she sees a disturbance in the water coming toward the ship. It appears to be... some sort of reptilian beast. Not overly large, but something like an oversized human in shape, with a flattened crocodile-like tail that helps propel it through the water. The two mortal crewmembers gasp in alarm at the swiftness of Tomistoma's approach, looking to Hera for guidance.

She can also see the curve of the island lagoon more clearly now, and jutting from it, some sort of structure in blue and black stone--jade? People are gathered there, running back and forth excitedly.

From his vantage point at the manse, Indrid passes on the Dragon King's will, and the island villagers leap up to answer him. It's not long at all until a stone table is hefted in by the strongmen, and cooking fires are started up. The Nkiru villagers exhibit none of the chatter one might expect at such events, instead chopping, mixing and boiling in hushed silence.

Fish, shellfish, tropical fruits and vegetables are plentiful. The hunters even bring in a couple of trussed fowl, and a young pig. If there's one thing the West does not seem to lack, it is bountiful food -- which the islanders are more than willing to give up, if it means their mercurial god won't one day eat them.

---

OOC: we can assume Tomistoma reaches the vicinity of Hera's ship by his next post. :)

Tomistoma reaches a hand out of the water, placing in on the surface and climbing from beneath the waves to stand upon them in front of the approaching vessel. His attempt at a friendly expression is probably lost on the newcomers as he offers a toothy smile from his crocodilian mouth. As salt water drips from the cloak of gold-tinged leaves he wears, he declares in Old Realm, "I welcome you to my domain. A feast is being prepared to celebrate your arrival."

If he gets no response, he repeats himself in High Realm, then in Seatongue.


OOC: Not sure who can speak Old Realm, but it's Tomistoma's native tongue. And I didn't notice, is there a specific color for different languages?
This message was last edited by the player at 02:19, Wed 14 Jan 2009.