Brude looks up from his drink and asks,

"I am already a member of Ason's crew as is Fernao, why ask us here if we are already going?

Alembos smiles as he answers..."We will be heading inland after we make the Scythian shore. I need a navigator beyond Koryos. Ason assures me that your knowledge of the stars is unmatched by anyone he knows. The tauran...he is a brute and we will rn into hostiles. So you see I need you beyond your capacities as sailors."

Nkruma nods his shaggy head. "And payment for this venture, should we choose to embark upon it?"

He grins, a lupine and somewhat feral grin, a grin that some men might call mad. "Rather say what enumeration we might receive upon our return, if we return, for I am certain now that I shall go with you. As long as we do not sail to Ophir's shore, I am free. Olukun rules the wide sea and myself as well. I will go with you. For now we merely quibble over price." He drains the last of his drink and slams the cup down on the table. "When do you wish to depart? The night before we sail, I will wish to visit the temples here."

A thought enters his mind and he turns his eye to Ason. "Master of the ship, I must ask you, is there a shrine to Olukun aboard your vessel or do you worship some other, pagan god? And what do you envision those of us who are not seamen doing during the voyage?"

When Alembos calls him a brute, Fernao smiles, but does not say anything. Neither does he eat or drink. He just sits there. Smiling.

Alembos smiles back at the Asena and continues. He reaches into his sash and produces a small bag. Throwing them on the table he says..."Each of you will receive a bag of gems like this one. While this will not set you up for life it is a good amount and you will live like a king for a while."WR+2

He leans forward onto the edge of the table..."But the real prize lies further inland than the Village of Stars. Deep into Scythian plain, across the Sea of Grass lies an ancient Atlantean ziggurat. An ancient temple that the Kurgan avoid . What lies waiting for us in this temple? It is hard to say but it has gone untouched for ages. It is likely that we will be the first to set foot upon it's paving stones in a thousand years. This is where those ell versed in the arts of sorcery will come into use most of all. What we find there we will divide evenly. The journey for mushrooms will pay for the venture but once the mushrooms are gathered we will be free to explore the ziggurat."

Thamyron leans forward, and looks Alembos squarely in the eyes. He responds in a cold, clear voice,"You say we will split things evenly. But you hint at sorcerous secrets to be revealed, magical powers gained. How will those be split with those who aren't able to use them? And on the way back, once we get you to the ship, can we go our own way? I have some things to investigate in that part of the world."

His head swings to Brude and he says in a lower voice, and a hint of pain creeps into his voice as he says, "Ahmose has Ilyria. And is trying to hide."

Alembos addresses Thamyron..."There surely will be spoils of a non magical nature found as well. I imagine we can find compensation for the non sorcerers win that."

He listens to what Thamyron tells Brude then nods his head saying..."You will be free to leave at any time but perhaps since we are already there we can help you with whatever dilemma you face?"

"We do have a shrine devoted to Olukun on the ROsy Fingered Dawn. A priest of Olukun will be most welcome! As for thos who are not seamen, they will be made into seamen!"

Brude winces when he hears what Thamyron has said to him.

"You will have my help brother. I told that bastard Ahmose, the I would have his head. It is nigh time to make good on that."

In the corner the hooded figure takes a sip from the glass before her.  There was a lot being said and if they were to travel to the lands of Scythian plain this was something that Sabetha might have a thing to say.  In all time the Seer waits to see what Sabetha might have to say.

There was a slight smile under the hood to hear of the arts of sorcery. She was a Sorceress and still coming into her own power.

Fernao's smile does not fade as he listens to the offer and Alembos's response to Thamyron. He manages to catch the exchange between the latter and Brude and rumbles, "An enemy of Broood's is an enemy of Fernao's."
This message was lightly edited by the player at 17:34, Sat 15 Feb 2014.

Conall eyes the gems and smiles.  "It looks sufficient for me!  I am in."  He watches the others as they speak, and finishes, "as for the rest, let us get to Scythia and survive, then decide what we will do after!"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:42, Sat 15 Feb 2014.

Nkruma reaches out and picks up one of the gems. He lifts it, eyeing it appraisingly, turning it to and fro to catch the light. "Hm. Will you provide any of this before the journey as well? Buying a sacrificial lamb or some sacred oil to sacrifice to Olukun before our journey would not be remiss."

After setting the gem down, he fingers the bronze chestplate under his cloak. "I might be interested in picking up a new shield or the like as well before we depart."

You will receive your payment once e get back to the ship aftye the Scythian plains but I do intend to outfit this party with whatever it needs. My resources are not limitless but I am rather well to do. So please outfit yourselves as you see fit. Do not worry about mounts, we will get them once we reach the Village of Stars. Also note that I am an alchemist by trade so there will be some elixirs and potions available to us while we are traveling. I also have a small lab set up on board the ship."

He looks around the small tavern and smiles..."This place is one of my whims...it is rarely open to the public but it makes quite a profit when it is."

"We will leave the day after next at dawn so go to the temple if you need to. THere is time enough for most anything."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:24, Sat 15 Feb 2014.

While all the chatting had proceeded around her, she sat silent, listening and watching.  Her gold-flecked emerald eyes flitting from person to person.

When the bag of gems fell to the table she gave it a long, appraising look before looking back up at the face of the older Atlantean man, her potential employer.

She reaches forward and plucks another piece of cheese from the platter before ripping off a hunk of bread.  She settles back and takes a small bite.  She chews thoughtfully before leaning forward, one hand on the table, the other still on her lap.

"You know my... talents," she says, half statement and half question, to her potential employer.  "Why do you want me along?  Or am I the new chef for your ship?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:41, Sat 15 Feb 2014.

Alembos smiles at Sabetha..."Yes Sabetha, i know of your telents. You have been well scouted. Let us just say that your skills fill in some of the holes we have as a group."

Thamyron nods to Fernao in respectful acknowledgement of his statement.

He looks back to Alembos and says, "Ilyria is my lover, and she, Brude, and I fought together in the time of the Red Tide. Ahmes Ahmose was a brute from Acheron who we kept running into and making look bad, however we never managed to kill him.  He vowed to kill us all, but has been up to now rather inept. I've sent back the assassins he's sent after me in pieces. However, he appears to have changed tactics. I heard from some of Ilyria's crewmen that Ahmose had kidnapped her. The rumor was he was heading through Scythia back to Khem, but his trail seems to have dried up. I have been trying to find more information, but have been unsuccessful so far."

She glances up at the tall and handsome Alembos and her eyes seem to sparkle with amusement.  She nods and shrugs.


She listens to Thamyron speak, but says nothing.

With a twitch of an ear, Nkruma turns towards Koryos. "Alembos says that you will be our guide when we arrive in Scythia. You know the lands well? What sort of dangers might we face? What can you tell us of the place?" He barks a short laugh. "I am sure I will be plying you with many questions while we are aboard ship. I prefer to be well-prepared."

Koryos steps forward..."The plains if Scythia are my home, I know them well. The greatest danger for us will most likely be the Kurgan raiders. Not everyone who lives in Scythia is a kurgan horseman, many are but some are farmers, some are fishermen. My own people are from the mountains, a tribe called the Hippomelgi."

"we must also be wary of packs of griffins. They are drawn to horses...I know the area the ziggurat is located in. It is a cursed place and said to be haunted but by what I have no idea. We will have to deal with what scares the locals when we get there."

Conall avails himself of the food, and grunts through a mouthful.  "Is there anything else we should know?  If our employer is tending to the arrangements for travel, a day is more than I need, I'm ready to go now." 

Alembos looks at Conall and answers him..."I think we have convered most everything. I am encouraged by your enthusiasm Cimmerian!

He looks up..."So far only Nkruma the Asena and the Cimmerian here has confirmed they are going.  What about the rest of you?"

The young man who had been quiet up until now stands and says, "You can count me in. I am known as Aias of Hellas."

Far in the back the form in the hooded cloak stands and moves closer.

"I will be going along with you as well.  I'm known as The Seer. her voice was a soft young girl.

Thamyron nods his head and says, "As long as you understand the constraints I am under, I will accompany you."