Prelude: Adrift at Sea
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.