The ocean.

You've heard stories about it.  A lake so big you can't see the other shore.  And supposedly the water isn't fit to drink.

Well.  Not that any water is all that fit to drink if it doesn't come out of a well or spring.

Uncle thumps you on the back.  "See that town there?  That's where we'll go and catch a boat.  It will take us across the channel and around Hibernia.  My covenant is on an isle off the coast.

"We won't dawdle.  When Issac joins us, we'll head down quickly.  Keep your hood pulled up.  Don't leave my side.  And don't talk to anyone.  Understand?"

"Issac" is apparently another servant who stayed in this town and made arrangements for your trip.

“Yes, master,” He says simply and then pulls his hood up.  “It’s huge.”  He breathes deeply, enjoying the smell of the air.  Not like back home on the farm.

But then again, the farm really wasn’t ‘home’ any more.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:11, Tue 10 Jan 2023.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 2):

A couple of hours later, a short man with a large nose and curly hair comes up the hill.  He grins at your group...or at least Collin and Ferko.  He bows to Uncle, though it seems to be a nervous one.  He gives you a lopsided grin as well.

"This is Tristan.  My new apprentice.  Say hello to Isaac Tristan."

Isaac speaks a bit too loudly.  "Greetings Young Master.  Please to meet you.  I'm Isaac."  He then turns to Uncle.

"We should head down.  The Captain agreed to wait for us until midday.  So we won't have much time."

Uncle sighs.  "That will be fine.  Let's go. Collin.  Carry Tristan."

And before you know what's what, Collin has hefted you up like a sack of wheat and put you on his shoulders.  "Hang on young'un," he booms at you.  And then the adults are running.

They move quickly, Uncle perhaps faster than the others.  Isaac seems winded by the time you reach the outskirts of town.

Uncle hisses at you, "Keep your hood pulled close."

This would be the first time you've seen a port town before.  And it's bigger than the village...

Going to steal some glances around as you guys run for the harbor?

Tristan looks around, but is careful both to hang on to his human steed and to prevent his hood from coming down.  He has the feeling Uncle Master isn’t in the mood to be trifled with.

All of this is incredibly exciting.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:23, Thu 12 Jan 2023.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 4):

The race through town feels just like that...a race.  You can't help seeing some things.  Uncle never told you to keep your eyes closed.  Just your hood kept up.

Collin is running so fast you have to keep one hand up to keep your hood on.  The town is larger than you thought.  It seems to be built on a set of cliffs that run in steps down to the water.

Collin bounds through the narrow streets and down steps.  Each time his feet land, you fly up a little bit off his shoulders.  If it weren't for his strong grip on your ankles, you'd probably fly off and backwards.

Amazingly, Uncle is outpacing Collin.  You can see Uncle rushing in the lead, only Ferko outstripping him.  And you get the sense that is only because Uncle is letting him take the lead.

"W....wwww....waaait Master Cam!  I'm too old for this running!"

Uncle laughs and turns his head, continuing his breakneck pace.  "You should run more Isaac!  Even an old Jew like you needs exercise!"

The townspeople are aghast at the display.  But they seem to lose interest as you pass.  It's...odd.

The docks come into view.  Old wooden piers.  Large boats are docked to one side, much larger than the little fishing boats some of the villagers will take out onto the river back home.

There's a group of men by one of the docks.  Ferko slows down, moving to a jog.  Uncle stops, holding up a hand.  Collin comes to a stop and soon Isaac is beside you, bent over with his hands on his knees.

"This one, right?"

Isaac just nods, too busy gulping air to say an answer out loud.

Ferko approaches the men at the end of the dock.  Uncle turns to you.

"Now then.  We'll be getting on a boat.  Keep your mouth shut and stay tucked into your robe.  It'll be a long trip and there's nothing for it.  Am I understood?"

Without waiting for a reply, he turns away. <aqu>"Do what Collin tells you.  Isaac.  Come along."</aqua>

Isaac gives  you a sideways look and then struggles after Uncle.

Collin doesn't take you off his shoulders.  He gives your left foot a gentle squeeze.  "What about young master?  Still with us?"

Tristan grunts in the affirmative.

And when he is sure Uncle Master’s back is turned to him, he quickly opens and then closes his mouth.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 6):

Collin hefts you off his shoulders and sets you on the pier.  "You ever ridden in a boat before?  I grew up near the water.  When I was a boy, I'd spend more time on a boat than on land!"

He grins at you and points out at the ocean.  "We're goin' across the Celtic Sea to Hibernia.  You know about Hibernia?  It's a wonderful land.  Men slay giants.  And the women are the most beautiful in the world."

He glances at Uncle's back, and then leans over, cupping his mouth and whispering conspiratorially, "Don't tell 'is lordship I told ya this.  But he was pretty excited about the comin' ta get ya."

"Never," Tristan says in response to the boat question.  "I was on a hay wagon once."

He files away the information about Uncle Master for later use.  Tristan is starting to suspect he's more important than he'd always assumed...

Giants... beautiful women... Hyper what?  This is all a lot to process....
This message was last edited by the player at 15:36, Mon 16 Jan 2023.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 8):

Collin chuckles.  "This is gonna be a bit different than a hay wagon.

"Some people feel sick when they get on a boat for the first time.  It's cos of the motion of the waves.  If you start to feel green...like you're gonna toss up what you had for breakfast...throw up over the side of the boat.  And don't feel bad about it.  Also...stick close ta me, 'kay?"

Let's see if you get sea sick.  Roll a Stam check please.  You need to make at least a 3 or you get nausea.  This is a stress test, so remember to reroll 1s and 0s.

Thanks

23:50, Today: Tristan rolled -1 using 1d10-3.  Sta check.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 10):

Uncle waves at the two of you and Collin gently pushes you along into the boat.

The wooden floor of the boat sways ominously under your feet.  It's a long, open craft.  Oars are set along the sides.

Collin points to the front of the boat.  "We'll hunker down there.  C'mon."

After a bit, the sailors on the boat begin to get busy.  Soon the ship starts to pull away from the dock.

You watch the land get farther away.  Other boats pass your ship by, heading towards the land instead of away from it.  The sailors and fisherman on those boats call out to your ship, making loud, raunchy jokes and hooting at the crew.

Everyone seems to be in a good mood.  Though you notice that a lot of the sailors are shooting looks your way.  Uncle walks up and lays down beside you.

"Best to get some sleep if you can Tristan."

And with that, he closes his eyes and seems to drift off.

You don't get that lucky.  After a while, the motion of the water beneath the boat sort of works it's way up into your stomach.  You start to feel ill.

Collin chuckles.  "You gonna hurl?  Hang over the side of the boat now."

You are sea sick.  YOu can try to power through it by making another Stam check (it would be a stress test).  Or you can just put your head over the side and chuck away.

Your call

Tristan aims his face over the side and lets his complaining stomach have free reign.  He's been sick before, and every time he has thrown up in the past, he's felt better when he was done.  But even as he vomits, he takes care to keep his face concealed.  Uncle Master seemed to think that was highly important and he was sure there was a good reason for it.

When he finishes, he wipes his mouth off and then settles down, trying to rest for a while.  But he knows full well he's far too excited to sleep.  And not just because of the motion of this little wooden dagger passing through the water.

How many people ever got to live this way?  Very, very few.  Even if he failed miserably, it was an incredible chance.

He tried to hide his excitement, not wanting his uncle to see too readily into him.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 12):

The boat's rocking doesn't get any better.  Excitement struggles with nausea.  Fortunately, you have nothing left in your stomach.  Collin laughs and tells you stories about his fights.  You can only listen with half an ear.

Uncle stays asleep.

The sun descends and the stars begin to wink into view.  The night sky on the ocean is a whole different sky than when watching it from the fields back on the farm.

"Up there..."  Uncle's voice probably surprises you.  He's seated next to, watching the sky with you, waving his hand to indicate it all.

"That is not just the sky.  Or the stars.  It is the lunar sphere.  That is how it is referred to in the Order.  Magic is incredibly powerful. But it has it's limits.  The sky is one of those limits.  No magi has ever been able to rise high enough to touch the sky.  Nor can our magic affect those stars or the moon or the sun."

He goes quiet, continuing to look up at the sky.  "Wouldn't it be nice to touch the sky?"

"I don't know," Tristan replies, looking up.  "Nobody ever touched it before.  It might not be nice at all."

And he isn't sure he'd even want to.  Why dream about the stars when there were so many things to do with magic down here?  Or so he tended to assume.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:12, Mon 23 Jan 2023.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 14):

Uncle shrugs.  "That's not a good argument.  It might not be nice at all.  But it could be wonderful.

"If not above, what about below?"  He gestures towards the sea.  "Have you wondered what might live below the waves?  Or who might live below them?"

“No… because I’ve never seen it before.” He gazes out across the vast waters.  “What does live under there, master?”

Now that he thinks about it, he does find his curiosity and imagination sparked.  What lurks in those cold, bottomless depths?
This message was last edited by the player at 17:56, Thu 26 Jan 2023.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 16):

Uncle smiles.  It's friendly but at the same time...it's not.

"Would you like to see?"

The boy’s heart swells with fear, and he can practically taste the beating organ as it seems to jump up his throat into his mouth.  But he doesn’t dare let Uncle Master see his terror.  “Sure.”

In reply to Tristan (msg # 18):

Uncle chuckles.  He points at the water.  "Lean over the rail here.  So you can see the bottom as best you can."

Tristan hesitates for a second, and then complies.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 20):

The water looks black as the night sky as you lean over the rail.  You feel Uncle's hand grip your shoulder.

There's a sharp pain in the back of your head.  His other hand clamps down on the back of your neck, keeping you from turning around.

"Don't look back. Keep looking at the water."

Uncle mutters something.  Funny words.  You can't tell what he's doing but the hand on his shoulder lets go.

Then you are being pushed over the railing and into the water.

"Ha ha!  Swim around Tristan!  Take a look at what there is to see!"

You feel weird.  Your hands are gone.  And...you aren't you any longer...

You have been turned into a dolphin.  I'll let you narrate the sensations if you wish.  Or whatever you wish to narrate.