Swift watch's the new comers but doesn't bother them as they settle in. If Gondioque walks close to her "Well. you make quite an entrance. You going to meet some important people? I am just a scot named Swift. Can't wait to get off this floating piece or wood"

Gondioque smiles and raises and eyebrow.  "...just a"? I'm thinking you have it in and on you that which can cause men's hearts to beat faster...or bleed. She looks around the boat and at each bank the boat is passing by. safe so far; I can wait for us to arrive at Massilia. That's where wI'm going. My father has tasked me to be Ambassador there to the Visigoths. ... Leavetaking can be ritualistic, but they're family and friends...and my, say, nieces and nephews are most huggable, Burgundians I bode we shall take comfort and pride in.

And, if you care to tell, where are you taking your red, red hair and brace of swords?

Haakon eventually realises that Gondioque is someone important and introduces himself.  "Haakon Pedlar ma'am.  Known as Haakon the Dressmaker.  I'm here on business and on behalf of the Lucimburic School for Foundlings."

A dressmaker, GHaakon? If you're going to be in Massillia, perhaps I'll patronize you. Have you a sample of your craft with you? I hight Gondioque Bourgogne...Gondioque will do on this trip.

Please tell me about the Lucimburic School for Foundlings. Learning and the welfare of children are interests of mine.

[What modern city is Lucimburic?]

Haakon smiles.  "I am currently working on a dress for Swift.  It will be ready before we reach Massilia."

OOC Lucimburic is Luxembourg I believe

He continues.  "The school is run by my wife, Tawna, it is to train young wereweasels for their role in Lucimburic.  Lucimburic is not strong although werewolves and werebears are mighty warriors and werefoxes and perhaps wererats expert tricksters, but it is wereweasels who can truly protect the realm."

Mystal contents herself, during the boat trip, observing those with skilled go about their assigned tasks.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:35, Sun 12 Aug 2018.

Leanna kept to herself, which mostly entailed balancing the act of keeping her eyes on her daughter Sinéai and the Princess she was tasked with protecting. Leanna had her hair pulled back into a loose fitting ponytail. She kept her axe on her hip and a shield on her back, whilst wearing a simple linnen outfit.

Sinéai look in part after her mother, having the same bright red hair as her. But with a pair of grey eyes. The young girl generally kept herself in the presence of her mother, though
beyond that she was quite inquisitive.

Interesting. Are there many wereweasel foundlings? And how come they to be good protectors?

Swift, may I see the dress when it's complete? Leanna, my aide, may want to admire also.

The boats steer towards the outer most, nearest of the harbors, the Breakwater Harbor.  It's the one most commonly used by smaller vessels coming down from Gaul.  On the river, this craft was "medium sized", but here it's on the small side.  Only the little fishing boats are smaller.

Breakwater harbor consists of a broad beach protected by a very large stone breakwater, so big it has a street running along it, complete with lamp posts and a few street vendors, and even a few merchant's and porters' stands.  The porters' stands are really just canopied resting areas where there are men for hire who will carry things for traders arriving in boats.  This can be important, because many items in Massilia can only be sold at the officially designated markets.

A swarm of children, mostly young boys, runs towards the boats.

Titus and the merchants like the Collier who have been here know who they are:  Dock Boys. They try to meet each approaching ship or boat, at least, those not known to be "local" and immediately set to work without being asked- securing ropes, helping people disembark, offloading cargo.  Generally, a handful of copper pieces will satisfy them and they'll provide some well intentioned but occasionally poorly executed work.  If they don't get paid off, they sometimes resort to stealing small, portable, easily sell-able things, whatever they can grab and disappear with quickly.

They also scatter when Orcs pass, because the Orcs don't like this kind of chaos and disorder.  But for the moment, the breakwater harbor appears to be Orc free.

Swift grins at Gondioque "Yes, you may once Haakon is done working on a dress for me if I need it, he wants to see me in something other then weapons and armor I suppose. I have been told I have some diplomatic skill and if that doesn't work, there is always my sword.

She looks at Haakon "Yes, I have been told the werfoxes are wonderful myself" she says with a grin.

Gondioque's eyes half-close as she considers. Smile first, sword next—useful alternatives. They open and she gestures toward her aide. At your convenience, perhaps you and Leanna have worthwhile things to discuss. Should you find conversing with her fruitful, I'll be open to discussing your diplomatic skills in detail.

Haakon smiles.  "Wereweasels protect a realm because they have the skills to see a threat coming before it even knows it is a threat.  Also because they make such excellent diplomats.  As for the Foundlings... capital eff ... not all are actual foundlings but a school is a beautiful cover don't you think?  On our recent trip down the Danube, Tawna and I took along eight younglings and all graduated with honours."

He winks at Swift.  "As for werefoxes, yes they are rather marvellous and will tell you so themselves.  The one I travelled with was married to a sylph and she thought the sky of him."

[I did something that caused this particular thread to bleed right rather than word wrap the lines. How do I fix this?]

The Danube? I thought the Huns migrated that way. What was the trip like, and did you go so far as the Eastern Empire?

Haakon smiles, "I never met any Huns along the way although I did meet a Hag, some dragons, and in the end, saw Kyiv... but as for the Eastern Empire, I never even made it as far as Varna.  We had to go to the Carpathians before the Wereelk we were travelling with reached the Black Sea.  I'm sure he got to Byzantium though.  It's a shame.  I was planning to set up trade routes via the Danube and Basilia to Byzantium and beyond to India and Serica.  Perhaps another time."

There may be a reason for the current lack of Orcs at Breakwater Harbor.

From time to time, the Orcs here do Orc things, assembling to hear some semi-coherent speech about glory, doing some battle training, or actually marching off for some glorious combat.

This generally commences with Orc warhorns blaring from The Pharo, telling them to go to their appointed places of assembly.  Orcs who are late are often abused, and so the lowest ranking Orcs have developed effective networks of passing on critical information about when their will be such a call.  As a result, almost without fail, they begin to gather before the call goes out.

This is what has happened.  Orcs have gone to the forts, and to the parade field, and now the horns sound from The Pharo.

For the locals, the sound is actually welcome.  It means that for at least as long as it takes the Orc commanders to say what they wish to say, Massilia will be remarkably Orc free.

My father, King Gundobad, agrees with that sentiment. It wouldn't surprise us if the Eastern empire expanded along the Danube.

Swift smiles at Haakon "Yes, werefoxs are marvelous people. So beautiful and charming?"

She looks at Gondioque "Yes, I can do that. I suppose if I am not dressed like a fighter, the orcs might underestimate me more. Though that of course depends on how long the dress takes to make"" she winks at Haakon

08:25, Today: Haakon Pedlar rolled 15 using 1d20+9.  Profession Tailor.

Haakon smiles.  "Well Swift, I've been cutting as we travel.  Now all that remains is the sewing, so a day, perhaps two.  At present it's held together by pins rather than thread but it might be possible to try it on if you like.  As we discussed, it goes outside your armour and hides your sword and whatever knives you have while allowing access to weapons and still being flattering.  Obviously, you can't wear a bow underneath."

Gondioque looks at Swift inquiringly. Why should you want them to estimate you as a fighter...over, under, or accurately?

Swift grins at Gondioque "I am a scout, not that much of a fighter but I can defend myself.

She looks at Haakon "Lets not worry about hiding the armor. I am not sure that would work. So lets just worry about hiding weapons OK?" she says with a smile.

OOC: Ben, I'm assuming that Titus has Gian, and Felix the sighthound with him. Let me know if I'm wrong and I'll edit.

Dockboys may be an annoyance to some, but Titus sees them as important informants. After all, they know about the area and may something useful aside from the extra help they offer to a docking ship. He sends Gian out with enough copper to share with the boys and tells the youth to chat them up, "I want to know any news of the docks. You know what I mean, who are the bosses such. If any of them seems to be smarter than the others bring them to meet me."

He then approaches Gondioque, who he has met before and who would know not only his relation to Vocaphil Mercator, but that he was once in King Gundobad's service. In fact, when the two Kings met, Titus returned the Shield of Burgundy, which he has been given when first taking on the role, but had never been able to safely return since leaving His service.

He absentmindedly pets the golden sighthound at his side as he bows his head to her, "Well met, Your Highness."

OOC: Please note that I've removed Bardas, who is not along for this adventure.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:10, Thu 16 Aug 2018.

Godioque replies to Swift. My father highly esteems scouts for their daring, loyalty, and skills. How are you at...scouting...in cities?

If I may, I suggest you carry arms, larger ones anyway, openly. Concealed arms invite suspicion.

Gondioque eyes light up at Hiras' approach. Advisor and Ambassador...she smiles and extends her arm for a Roman forearm handshake (not a hand to be kissed) ...Well met, Hiras! Tête-à-tête, simply "Gondioque" is my preference. Voca and Hiras asked me to pass on their best wishes for you continued success and to tell you that all is well with Iccios and their family. I think in Massillia I'll have to juggle being a princess and being an ambassador. My primary mission is to further, if not friendly, correct peaceful relations between the two realms, three if you count our Dwarven allies.

Does your sighthound have a name?

Titus pats the hounds head with a smile, "Indeed! This is Felix. Present yourself to the Lady, lad!"

As his master order Felix moves his forelegs forward in a bow bringing his chest to the boards with his neck and muzzle flat on the ground. Sitting up he barks with his right paw in the air.

"Queen Aelasuria always thinks it is a bit over done, but our boy here has figured out how to get himself a treat.

Accepting her hand and shaking firmly his smile does not fade,<red>"May Mercury bless our travels, Gondioque.

"You will certainly find interest in your mission from the Merchant Houses such as Mercator, who already understand the value of peace. As representative of Theodoric, you may say that I too represent more than one realm as our Elven, Lycanthrope, and Halfling allies are all concerned with matters here in the South.

Gian makes the rounds of the docks.  He is young, and he’s spent some time here, but.. in spite of that, and even through all the adventures he’s been through in Europa, he is clearly not one of the local “Dock Boys”, and in their eyes, one of those lucky kids who are wards of the rich.

But they have no reason to be hostile to him.   Gian learns the most interesting recent news, at least, from the point of view of the Dock Boys.  A ship just came in from a port somewhere to the west, with some very exotic slaves.  They looked like humans but with strange glows around them, and not a lot of clothing.  Naturally they were offloaded immediately and brought to the slave market where they are now on display, for sale tomorrow.

The rest of the ship is still being offloaded now, but its been a slow port day and they have all they help they need and are shooing away more, so the excess Dock Boys came here, when these boats arrived.

The Dock Boys that are here are still looking for work offloading and carrying things.

Gondioque goes to one knee and looks at Felix with head somewhat averted, friendly, not challenging. She holds out one fist slowly so Felix may smell her. If that goes well, she straightens her hand and puts it under, but not touching, Felix's outstretched paw. If he rests his paw on her palm, she says Hello, Felix, a pleasure to meet you. I have no treat now but will give you one with your master's permission.

When she stands again, she responds to Titus' comments. I'll certainly do what I can to improve the general prosperity. While I have a friendly tie with House Mercator and hope to meet them socially on intimate terms, I'm not to favor one house over another...though I'll buy from the best seller: Price, Quality, Service.

She looks Titus in the eyes. I suggest we meet often. Here, we are Belgica and Burgundy, comrades as it were. Let no cross-purposes come between us. And that applies to the dwarves. Let us be a steadfast trio, remembering The Father, His Sons, and The Bundle of Sticks.

[I'm making this up; Ben may veto.]

Talking to Swift and Titus (maybe others)....

When we reach Massilia, it's arranged for my goods to be taken to a Mercator warehouse. My personal goods will go with our party. We'll be in a carriage. A suite in Cabreus House Inn is reserved for me. If any of you are going there, we have room to ride. If your destination is elsewhere, perhaps we can detour and drop you off. We'll see some of the city that way.