Miroslav turns to Jean and says..."Yes Jean, are you aggreeable to a journey to tell Sviatoslav of this plot? I know neither you or ROderychus could ever be interested in a life of piracy but that is a decision to be made later for the rest of us...perhaps as a reward we will be given commisions in Sviatoslavs army...eh? Surely a more fitting future for mean of your bearing than a life on the sea."

He then looks at A'kos and says..."As for you, would you be able to give up your mount for months at a time? No open steppe? I have yet to meet a Magyar pirate!"

Sheathing his sword, Loukas rubs his face distractedly as he listens to the conversation, "Look, all I know is that I do not wish to return to Constantinople right now... Maybe some time in the future... After John's death."

Looking around at the others, "I do find myself in need of friends, though, and although I do not know much of any of you we have each been through something so bizarre that it will be a great bond whether we like each other or not. I am willing to make our first stop Sviatoslav as long as whatever stops that follow are agreed on by a majority of us."

"I suspect that that my fate is not on the open sea for long - but like as not we need the ships to get somewhere," shrugs the Magyar again, this time to Miroslav.

Chuckling, he continues, "A Magyar pirate...the thought amuses me!"

"It is good then...we will go to Sviatoslav in the ship left behind. Loukas and Jeleh are more than competent sailors as am I. We willb e undermanned so I ask all who will travel with us to bend their backs at an oar. There looks to be room onboard for the mounts."

He walks over to where Armin's gear has been left by the crew of the other ship. And begins to go through the bags and looks to find a goodly amount of gear.
"It looks as though Armin may have had quite a few valuable items in his gear. I know this might be as interesting to Jean and Rodyerchus it looks to be a small fortune in gold and gear."

"We also need to decide what to do with these Greek farmers...it would seems as though Michael has earned a place on the crew if he would have it...as for the others, I will let you decide their fate."

When Armin's gear is gone through the party finds:
2500 in gold
finely wrought mail shirt
small gold lion statue with some obscure writing on the underside
gold ring with a flame shaped ruby inserted into the fitting.
hammer that looks to be of Dwarven manufacture
An incredibly thick yet light cloak
scimitar of excellent quality
2 Potion of healing
a very well crafted dagger
a rather large pearl
a gold ring with inscription in Farsi
Some silk shirts and pants, all fairly small.

Plus the arms and armor of forty of the dead marauders are still in good shape and can be sold or kept.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:34, Thu 24 Sept 2009.

Loukas joins Miroslav as he looks through Armin's gear. When he sees the the gold ring has Farsi inscription he offers to read it. After he tries this he look says, "If none of you mind, I would not mind taking his dagger. It shall remind me what I have learned in all of this..."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:21, Fri 05 Nov 2010.

Miroslav shrugs his wide shoulders and says..."I have no interest in the dagger or anything else for that matter but we may have to ok it with the others before grabbing from the pot."

Jaleh also looks through the items in the bags. She chooses some fine silk shirts and pants for herself since Armin was just about the same size as her.
"A little alteration and these will fit me well and the fabric is like touching heaven!"

She looks at the dagger in Loukas's hands and says "I have my own and it suits me perfectly."

In reply to Miroslav (msg #133):

What did the Farsi on the ring say?

Handing the ring to Loukas, Miroslav says...I speak Persian but I do not read it."

PM

"We can keep the treasure in the hold, along with the arms and armor of the fallen," says A'kos, eying the small trove.  "They should bring a fair price at market - and perhaps there is among the Persian's items an enchantment."

"We must share the gold equally and find out if any of those items have any unnatural properties before dividing anything among ourselves. Armin was a travelled man and had a hand in the occult, it may well be as A'kos says."

Is Roderychus able to read the inscriptions in any of the objects?

"Let us take this stuff to the ship and get underway. There may be Imperial Naval forces nearby to 'clean' matters up after this plot. I have a device that will enable me to determine whether any of these are magical...", Loukas pauses adjusts his shield, rubs the chin of his weary and bereaved face, "I agree that we ought to be practical about these matters. Particularly right now."

"Let us put the slaves to work - they can man the oars as well," says A'kos after a moment.  "Any that aren't wounded anyway..."

Jaleh pulls a wicked long knife from her belt...presumably the blade she spoke of earlier. It has a wide flamberge style blade that has been blackened. She heads over to where the Greek farmers are tied on the beach and says "Here is your chance, you can either stay on as oarsmen or walk home."

She then starts to free the men one by one.

Only four of the Greeks wish to stay on as oarsmen for the party...counting Michael this makes five Greek farmers with some sailing experience in your crew.

Four other farmers decide to stay behind to care for the 9 badly wounded men on the beach.

One more of Thorfinn's crew jumps ship as it sails away..a soggy young man named Oleg makes his way to the ship carrying a small sea chest with him. His blonde hair and beard are littered with seaweed from his short swim.

Miroslav barks out orders to Oleg and the Greeks and very soon the Persians bags and every ones gear is stowed on the new smaller galley...the horses are packed rather tight but they seem to be a bit safer on this ship since there is less room to move about.

It looks like the crew for the ship will be:
Five Greek sailors/farmers
Oleg
Miroslav acting as navigator
Loukas
Jaleh
A'kos
Roderychus

[Have not heard from Jean or Balthazar...it is the weekend so we might not hear from anyone else...if need be we will assume they are ocming along and toss em on the boat!]

"Seems appropriate to sing a sailor's song - Jaleh, Loukas...lead us in verse!"

Exultant after battle, A'kos' eyes gleam with the joy of the journey.

"'Tis but a different plain we ride upon, friends!"

Loukas felt anything but exultant. Certainly, despite his years he was not naive. He knew that the world was full of treachery, murder, indeed, worse. But learning of his uncle's murder... The man who had shown more interest and, well, love to him than any other, even his own father, was dead. When he left Constantinople he was proud to be setting off without a mentor and that sense of liberty was like a drug. After today's events he was arguably even freer than he'd been then, but for the first time in his life he found himself without any sort of mentor. Indeed, despite being on their newly gained vessel he could not help but feel somewhat adrift as if he had been thrown overboard and left to swim or drown.

When he heard A'kos's voice, though, something snapped. Regardless of everything he had to be angry and sad about and fearful of he looked around their ship and realized that despite it all he was still not alone. No, indeed, not alone at all, and by the circumstances and situation they found themselves in today he realized that he was closer to these disparate souls than anyone else in the world. Loukas could not help but note that the peculiarity of the situation was both profound and absurd. Something tells me that you would appreciate this if you were here, Uncle!, he thinks to himself.

Settling in at his oar he remembers a song his uncle taught him years ago on his first journey, "I've got one and I sing it for all who've died today and as a warning for those who'll stand against us in the future!"

In a rather raw and uneven baritone he begins to sing,

Come cheer up my lads,
It's to glory we steer
To add something more
To this wonderful year
To honour we call you,
As free men, not slaves
For who are so free
As the sons of the waves

Heart of oak are our ships
Heart of oak are our men
We always are ready
Steady, boys, steady
We'll fight and we'll conquer,
Again and again

Our worthy forefathers,
Let's give them a cheer
To climates unknown
Did courageously steer
Through oceans to deserts,
For freedom they came
And dying, bequeathed us
Their freedom and fame

Heart of oak are our ships
Heart of oak are our men
We always are ready
Steady, boys, steady
We'll fight and we'll conquer,
Again and again

OOC: Erm, okay, I found this song on the internets and realize that it's 19th century British/Canadianness is rather anachronistic, but there must've been some 10 century song similar... Right? ;)

Miroslav grins broadly at Loukas's song. When the young man the Rus stands and heads over tot he rail of the ship and draws forth his dagger and begins carving the words "Heart of Oak" into the ship..."Heart of oak! A fine name for a ship!"

"Ha, ye've a heart of oak, and the heart of a Nordic skald, Young Loukas!" laughs A'kos.  "I'm proud to call you shipmate!"

I just caught up on reading the last 2 pages of posts and Balthazar is surely aboard ... but boy do I have a lot of questions!  I will have to wait until later to pose them, however, as I have to run.

Balthazar puts his hands on the railing and stares out to sea.  "If going to Sviatoslav can hold off this conflict, I'm all for it.  I detest war."  He is silent for some time, then adds, "Nicephorus is a fool.  If the Emperor is in on it too, then he is a fool as well.  Did he really think that a bunch of farmers could defeat our combined might?  Now Nicephorus has made powerful enemies, and I swear, by the Elder of my institution Lazarus, that I will have my revenge."  He is quiet for a short while some more, then adds, "No, my magical skills are not yet where they should be to take on the Emperor.  After our visit to Sviatoslav, we must seek out new lands, new civilizations.  Boldly go where no man has gone before!  Then we will be ready."  He turns to face Loukas, and adds, "Oh, and sorry to hear about your uncle."

Loukas's face reflects the bewilderment in his brain. Mages..., he thinks. When Bathazar mentions his father he nods his thanks and returns to his oaring.

New thread..."To Sviatoslav!"