With a shrug she strips down to nothing and slips into the water.  No weapon at her side and no clothes to cover her skin.  In the moonlight, any looking at her will notice a plethora of scars.  Puncture wounds with their puckered circles, slashes with their raised welts, scars that cross one another, and others almost too perfectly spaced.

Her normally oiled black curls lay slick on her head, leaving a waving pattern, and the fine oils leave an almost rainbow sheen in the moonlit water around her as she surfaces.  Her pitch lips pull into a happy smile just before she dives back under the water's surface.

She repeats the surfacing and submerging a few more times, taking no more than five minutes before she heads back to the boat, ready to climb back on the dry boards, and chill breath of air.

To Conall the Tauran says, "The Orixa Erinle is one I most appreciate, though, I give all Gods their due."

Otherwise, when others dive into the water he does not. Hooves do now work well as flippers and while he can certainly float and swim if he wishes it is clearly something that he is hesitant about doing now.

All three take to the water...Nkruma more acrobatically but in the end all three a swimming about in a dark calm water around the Rosy Fingered Dawn.

Calmly, treading water. Nkruma watches Sabetha climb back aboard the ship. He calls over to Aias in the water nearby. "Do not be alarmed, but there is something large in the water with us. If you wish to return to the ship, now may be the time."

Turning his head to the ship, he calls out, "Ropes! Ropes and lights! Strike torches, hang lanterns. If we've one of those fancy alchemical lights to spare, someone toss it to me."

So speaking thus, he dives under the waves and is lost to sight.

She speeds her way to the ship, artfully pulling herself up.  She's shivering slightly, but not with chill.

"Something... Something brushed against me.  Large, sleek, and powerful," she explains, almost breathlessly, a bit of trembling in both her voice and in her body.

She looks down at her right leg, examining it to make sure that the large thing that struck her left no mark.  After she's examined it to her satisfaction she grabs her tunic and pulls it on over her head, the gauzy material clinging to the curves of her wet skin.  Her curls dripping and helping to soak the flimsy fabric.

Not knowing what Nkruma is going on about, Brude rushes to the rail and throws a rope over after attaching an end tot he mast. He stands ready with a spear in hand. After he hears Sabetha speak of the thing that brushed against her he calls out, "What is it? A shark? A whale?"

Despite the fact that Alembos does not seem to be a very physical man he is quicklup on deck once he hears the call of Nkruma. He tosses  glowing orb down to the Asena saying..."Tell us what you see!"
This message was last edited by the player at 11:09, Tue 04 Mar 2014.

Thamyron ties off another rope and throws it down to the swimmers, then stands by the rail, scanning the water.

Aias grabs one of the ropes as if he believes his life depends on it. He climbs back on board the ship as quickly as he can.

Conall leaps deftly to the rigging, finding a perch where he has a clear view of the swimmers.  He readies his bow, and nocks an arrow.

Despite his size, Fernao's speed is impressive. He grabs his javelins and heads to the rail next to Brude.

Nkruma grabs the orb after it hits the water. He surfaces for air and waves to the ship, then dives beneath the surface once more with the orb.

He holds the light forth beneath the waves, attempting to illuminate the giant eel.  He soon surfaces again, gasping for air. His wet fur is plastered against his skin as he begins to swim across the surface back to the ship, slowed slightly with the alchemical orb in one hand. "We are safe," he says between gulps of air. "It is a giant eel. Sent by Olukun."

He reaches the ship and grabs for one of the ropes. Once steadied, he tosses the alchemical orb to someone on deck before he begins to pull himself free of the ocean's grasp. "It is a sign," he shouts. "A good sign. Olukun blesses our passage." Before lifting himself to the deck, he braces his feet against the side of the ship and shakes free much of the salt water from his fur.

"While I do not think it wise to linger in the sea itself, I think that Olukun blesses our passage. We should not scoff at this, but take it to heart and make what time and speed we can. Leave the lanterns lit, let their light herald our passage as the rising tide hearkens the bountiful harvest of the sea. Surely, with the blessing of the Bountiful Void none can stand against us." He pulls himself up on deck and shakes himself once more. "With haste, let us chase down our fate and rest assured that Olukun lifts us all."

Hearing Nkruma's words, Fernao puts down his javelins and in a low rumble thanks Olukun for this blessing. "A good sign. A welcome sign!

Ason smiles broadly upon hearing Nkruma's words..."This is good to hear my friend!"

He turns his back to the rail and barks..."Raise the anchor...let us catch this midnight wind tot he east and Scythia!"

Inspired by the revelation of the good omen, Brude gets right to work getting underway once again. He was not overly superstitious but would not look down on the Asena's omen.

He looks up at Conall in the rigging and says,"No need for that! Cme on down and help me once again!"

Feeling the chill wind whipping over her in her soaked shirt, she shivers again and lifts her previously discarded clothes.

"Glad to hear it was a good omen.  Is there any significance in it brushing against me?"  Her teeth chatter a bit and she pulls at her shirt, temporarily freeing it from her skin before it sucks itself back into place.

Nkruma rolls his shoulders in a shrug. "The Unknowable One holds all mysteries and gives them up in his own time. Mayhaps his avatar was curious, mayhaps he intends to strengthen your devotion." Nkruma's dark eyes twinkle in the moonlight. "I will pray on this, but do not expect an answer." He shakes his head lightly, not to shed water, but to indicate the possibility of certainty. "All mysteries, like water, flow eventually to the sea, where Olukun takes them and makes them his own. Some, he casts back up in time. Perhaps when we reach shore, you shall find some meaning waiting for you."

"I can live with that," she chuckles.  "For right now, I'm going to head below decks and heat some water to wash the salt off, then I'll re-oil my hair.  Company is welcome. I can even oil some of your fur, if you care for it Nkruma."  She shivers again and looks at her leg where the eel brushed her with a vague smile.

She turns and moves off toward the stairs, tugging at the hem of her shirt, barely covering her buttocks and sticking to her skin.

The Asena, fur wet and dripping, nods. "Aye. That might be well. First, I shall help set the ship in order and then fresh water to wash Olukun's skin from my own."

The omen was indeed a good one...the Rosy Fingered Dawns makes great time through the next few days as she passes east skirting the southern coast of Tharshesh. It is then that one of the lookouts spots a pair of fast looking galleys in the distance and what looks to be a burning ship in the water. The sky is clear and visibility is good, this looks to be several miles away to the east.

Ason stands on the deck looking towards the east once he hears of the ships ahead. He does not have Brude change course..."Most likely pirates."

"Pirates," Nkruma asks. He scratches his chin. "Are we in danger, do you think? And that burning wreck. Should we give aid?"

Thamyron stands on deck, as he has been enjoying his time on the ship, helping as needed. He listens to Ason and Nkruma talk, his head swiveling to look at the wind direction in the sails and the position of the two fast galleys.

Brude says nothing but stands by in case he needs to change course, either directly towards the pirates or to avoid them. There was no doubt that with the lucky winds that the Rosy Fingered Dawn could easily out pace any galley.

Aias stand on the rigging looking out over the sea to the three ships.
"Tough luck on them but better that they met the pirates than we did. Should we really tary here and risk our necks for those who we do not know?"