Sneaking up from behind, "Swimsuit edition?" Jaleh echoes. "I much prefer the skinny-dipping of whatever it is you're talking about."

"That's my girl," grins A'kos, before leaning forward to rest his forearms upon the oars.

Calling forward he cries, "Ready when you are, 'Slav!"

Miroslav smiles broadly at A'kos and waves his hand toward Oleg and Barmak who untie the mooring ropes and push off from the dock with a pair of oars.

Cuivi appears on the other end of the dock just as they cast off. With near superhuman effort he runs and leaps onto the ship at the last possible moment defying his advanced age. Miroslav catches the older mans hand and helps him to steady himself after the leap.

When Cuivi makes his dramatic entrance Loukas laughs, "Father Cuivi begins every trip with a little calisthenics! Welcome, Father!"

Dyanna grins at the antics of the cleric, "Perhaps next time you will rise earlier for your prayers?"

The first day of the journey is a rough one, storm clouds appear on the horizon just minute after the departure and the Heart of Oak and her crew must battle to stay afloat as it is battered by the high winds and rains. The mounts are agitated as the ship rolls with the waves.

The normally serene Euxine sea shows her violent side as the storms continue.

"Bloody hell, the is worse than trying to tame a wild stallion," bellows A'kos over the pounding surf.  "Let us find a stable to bed this beast, and find some peace from the roiling waves!"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:03, Sat 02 July 2011.

"The sea is not something to be tamed, my friend. We may, however, ride out this storm as we have been doing, rather than seeking cover. What say you, Miroslav?"

"It was my plan to go directly towards our destination but since we are still close to shore, it may be in our best interest to stay closer to the coast...unfortunately there are no suitable natural harbors for some time. Perhaps the storms will die down enough for us to continue but for now we must weather the gale and stay nearer to the shore." Miroslav says before he turns and barks orders to the Varangian at his side.

"Lovely," grimaces A'kos, his pallor a sickly shade of green as he looks sidelong at Jaleh.

In truth Sir Jean was not enjoying the weather any more than A'kos but he managed to hide his reaction as he concentrated on calming the horses. The Franks uncanny knack for caring for the animals was tested to the limit by the boats rocking motions.

Within the hour, the weather turns more agreeable and Miroslav stops hugging the coast and orders Oleg to pilot the vessels back into deep waters towards their destination. They travel opposite the setting sun and soon the dark enshrouds them under a new moon.

By morning, land is nowhere in sight. Oleg, who has piloted the ship throughout the night turns over the duty to Barmak.

Once the weather clears Loukas oars as required and otherwise contemplates and meditates. He seems much more at peace and he also shows an interest in the weather and nature, such as it is aboard a ship at sea, than on prior trips. Indeed, when the weather breaks sufficiently and his rowing is not required he goes back to where Jean is with the horses and speaks quietly to them. His commiseration seems to have some effect...
This message was last edited by the player at 18:48, Sun 03 July 2011.

The previous night, Balthazar decides to try out his scrying mirror on Nicephorus.  Just for kicks.  He does this in full view of the party so everyone can see.

A brief back post...

Sir Jean seems to have the mounts under control, with the aid of Loukas, the situation is calmed.

Meanwhile as the ship finally finds some calm waters Balthazar sets up the scrying mirror and takes a look at the parties old friend Nicephorus, who seems to be safe at home in Constantinople.

The mirror slowly goes from reflecting what is before it, to revealing what Balthazar seeks. The paunchy Greek sits before the fire in his bedroom, his face lined from worry. An empty goblet lolls from his hand, he does not look like he has been sleeping well. Slowly he falls to sleep,the goblet drops from his hand and spills what little wine it contained.

Loukas had never met Nicephorus, though he knew that it was he who had brought everyone else together, so while he watched Balthazar's show he did not have quite the invested interest that others might have had. "Were I a pet of the Emperor's I suspect that I would need wine to ease me into sleep as well."

A'kos looks at the mirror dubiously, says, "Life lived chained to someone else's yoke rarely ends well."

Finished pontificating he goes back to checking gear for rust and wear and damage from the sea's salt.

"So this if the nefarious Nicophourus that I have heard speak of. He dos not look the demon I have heard him made out to be, but most demons hide thrir natures well." she says as she toys with a particularly unruly curl of hair hanging into her eyes.

Loukas smiles, "Before us we see the wages of 'Demonism'... Sad and pathetic when alone, but such does not mean that they are not effectively bad when putting their schemes into action."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:16, Sat 09 July 2011.

Miroslav nods his head as Loukas speaks..."All too true my once young friend! This Greek was an effective liar, that could rival any in the world. At the time of our betrayal, I burned with hatred for this man but now, perhaps some of us owe him a debt of gratitude...bah, he is a liar and a demon in his own right...I owe him nothing but a cracked skull!" He laughs half in embarrassment and half at the thought of cracking the paunchy Greek's skull.

"Yes, well, I am uncertain that 'debt' is the right word for what you owe him, though I think you make a good point. Through him the gods brought us together and since then we have each benefited in more ways than one. What he is owed despite what we have managed to make out of his fiendishness is at least a cracked skull, but it seems that his misery is not such a bad repayment..."

Loukas's face goes blank for a moment and he strokes his vaguely-bearded chin and grins, "What do you mean by 'once young'?"

The unnaturally wide Rus slaps a big meaty paw on Loukas's shoulder and says..."When I first met you on the docks of Byzantium, you were like a mere beardless child, now in just a short time, I have seen you mature well beyond what I would have thought possibly is such a short time...and I am not just talking about the beard, but that is part of it."

"Yes. You are probably right. And I probably would not like you to call me a bearded-child either, so I suppose I ought to shut my mouth! Thank you, Captain!"

Moving on...

Days pass and the Heart of Oak sails on favorable winds. The oars are left untouched for most of the journey. Miroslav is clearly happy that the ship is making such good time and everyone who normally mans the oars are in good spirits as well.

Soon the coastline of Colchis is in view and the mouth of the River Phasis. By all estimates the party should reach the river mouth by midday.

Miroslav leans on the rail and stares toward the growing shoreline. He looks back to the others, Balthazar and Loukas in particular and says..."So, what do we know of this Phasis? Will he give us the key to the tower or must we wrench it from his watery hands? I have no desire to battle a god but will if we have to."

He thinks for a moment and says..."Perhaps Phasis is more like the river and lake spirits form my homeland int he Karpatos? Truly formidable but far from a full fledged god or even godling, more like Vikhor or the Efreeti."