"I'm not too picky. As long as it's new. New places, new jobs. That sort of thing."
Nalo picks up a piece and strip of the meat, chomps a bit of it, "This has a purpose." Her eyes go a round, "Yum." She smiles at the captain, "Very tasty provender, thank you."
When someone points out the approaching ship, Nalo scrambles up the mast into the rigging to try to get a better view at the other vessel.
It's midday before anything of note happens, and it happens by way of a much smaller, and quicker, craft making a direct line for the Icewine from the shore you can only just see in the distance. When it gets close enough, you can see there are four people standing aboard the deck, and all of their eyes are on anyone staring back at them.
Kilo glances at Tavene and Bellarim, "Friends of yours?"
She shares a companionable silence with Kilo for a time, also looking upwards at the moon. "It used to scare me, when I was little. Someone from my village told me the green band meant a time when monsters would come out and steal children away for rituals."
"It was during a night of the full moon that a monster came and destroyed my Grampa's home. It squished him flat and must have knocked me out when it destroyed the house. It was in the rubble that Nalo's family found me."
Panamax grins and leans forward and lowers his voice conspiratorially. "It's my first boat. And the next aneen that I ride will be my first as well."
"You must have stories aplenty."
Panamax gives Sherine a hopeful look.
Panamax watches the boat approach. "Neat," he says quietly.
To Nalo's comment about breakfast, Bellarim smiles and chews on a piece of cheese. "There's nothing like sharing a meal upon the sea." She says this in an almost sing-song way. The learned within hearing range may recognize it.
As the ship draws near, Kilo's question draws a head shake from Tavene and a nod from Bellarim.
"Oh, I know them well. They've come to collect what isn't theirs." She sounds completely unperturbed about this. She rolls the cuffs of her jacket up, and stays at the wheel, making tiny adjustments to the levers on the panel.
The ship is close enough that the men and women aboard it could fairly easily reach the Icewine. None of them make a move, however. Their ship keeps pace even as Bellarim adjusts... whatever she's adjusting at the helm.
"Good day for sailing!" The tallest of the four greets everyone aboard your ship. "Care to invite some old friends aboard for a quick visit?"
"I already have quite a few guests," Bellarim calls from the wheel. "But if they're not opposed, neither am I."
He hands it to you.
"Much as I love the sea, I prefer traveling on aneen." He responds with a quiet seriousness. "They don't smell quite as nice as a fresh ocean breeze, but you tend to run into fewer hurricanes on the back of one."
At the comment about stories, Jarris taps his nose, reaches to tap Panamax's... but seems to have learned his lesson, and refrains. "Telling stories is one of my favorite things! What kind of story do you want to hear?"
"Oh, I know them well. They've come to collect what isn't theirs." She sounds completely unperturbed about this.
..."I already have quite a few guests," Bellarim calls from the wheel. "But if they're not opposed, neither am I."
Kilo's eyebrows knit together. He glances around to see how the others are reacting.
A brief slight smile plays across his lips. Although his body remains relaxed there is a hint of an excited gleam in his eyes.
It's pretty clear she's not practiced at this kind of conversation.
A few moments pass. And then a few more, stretching out into what might be an either comfortable or awkward silence. "I'm used to working with just one or two other people at a time." After this comment, she waves a hand to gesture at the rest of the crew and guests that are still on deck. "I'm not much good in a crowd."
"Oh, I know them well. They've come to collect what isn't theirs." She sounds completely unperturbed about this. She rolls the cuffs of her jacket up, and stays at the wheel, making tiny adjustments to the levers on the panel.
Nalo climbs low enough to safely drop from the rigging. "Not theirs and not something you want to give them either?"
"I already have quite a few guests," Bellarim calls from the wheel. "But if they're not opposed, neither am I."
Nalo shrugs, "Your ship."
"I believe the part. Need air, please?"
Her head cocks to one side, "Are you talking about my brothers ganging up on us for their jollies?"
"I've read about a Hive Mind and the All-Brain. What is the Anti-Mind?"
Nalo grins, "A bit outside of Bridges. But my father isn't from there originally, so that might be what is throwing you off?"
"Maybe there was some truth to what I was told, then." She looks a little shaken by the story. "I'm sorry to hear that. It seems like every Glaive I know has a similar story. Born of rubble, born of disaster. How old were you?"
His eyes meet hers, just for a brief instant. The hint of a smile plays across his lips as he looks back out across the waters. "I don't know. Ten maybe? It's just a guess." A brief pause as he stares off into the distance, then he turns towards her, a spark brightening his eyes and bleeding into his demeanor, "Hey. I heard you're pretty strong. Like, you have a double or something? I would like to fight you, please!"
oof
"I believe the stronger part. Need air, please?"
"Oh!" he releases her, taking a half step back, "Sorry! I, uh, didn't mean to squeeze you so hard."
Her head cocks to one side, "Are you talking about my brothers ganging up on us for their jollies?"
"Yeah." he chuckles briefly, "Exactly. You remember how I move, yes? I guess we might need to practice a little, I mean, there have been a few changes, um, size wise." he grins again. "I really am happy to see you again." A short pause while he admires her, "Hey, I heard you're gonna do something potentially dangerous somewhere." he seems excited by the prospect.
"So, how do you know Zi?"
The Captain of the Icewine shrugs. "It is my ship, but it's polite to ask guests for their opinions first, I think. What if you wanted new friends?" Bellarim looks over her ship with a fond smile. "And no, this is not their cargo to take."
She steps down from the wheel at this point to join the others on the deck.
"Ridgar Lo! Always a pleasure to see you, especially when you're turning around and heading back to whatever cave you crawled out of!" She greets the tall man like an old friend.
He chuckles. "Prauss Bellarim. I'd hoped to catch you before you made it to Keford." He looks around at the unusually busy deck. "But I didn't know you had guests! You normally travel much lighter."
"And you do know not to try and take anything of mine." Her voice hardens, but only just.
"We're a little... better prepared than the last time we met. Did some digging down in Draolis."
He cocks his head to the side. "Yes, that could be it. I'll admit I'm not as familiar with the coastal cities of Ghan as I am cities more inland. You must be at home here, then? At sea?"
He's maintaining friendly eye contact and is clearly paying attention to the conversation, but his hands have wandered to pockets inside his fabulously yellow vest, and he's pulled out a few pieces of what looks like scrapyard junk. He isn't being rude about it, but he's definitely fidgeting with whatever it is in his hands.
Tavene looks caught off guard by his enthusiasm, but composes herself and raises an eyebrow. "Here? Now?" She looks around at the deck. "We could do a little bit of sparring, if Jarris was willing to move. I'm sure he would be, since he seems to hate saying no to people. Especially strong people." She winks at her fellow Glaive.
At his question, she looks briefly out to the sea, then back to him. "The first time I visited Harmuth, maybe five years ago, I'd just finished one job and was looking for the next. Waiting in a tavern on the docks, and he approached me there. He seemed to know more about me than I was comfortable with, but offered me numenera in exchange for a bit of protection." She smiles, but this time, it's without mirth. "After working with him a few times, I'm convinced he needs no protection. Not that there weren't people trying to kill him. There were. But I think he's quite a bit stronger than he lets on."
To the second, he nods. "I had a similar impression. How about Jarris? How well do you know him?"
Nalo leans against something that won't move suddenly and watches the cross-boat byplay with avid interest.
Grumpily, "Even if you look totally different and freaked me out by stalking me through the streets."
Just a hint of suspicion, "You heard about a possible job too, but didn't come into the fancy pants inn?"
At one point in the night, there is a small thrashing from Nalo's hammock, and a quiet but urgent, "Too many legs! Get'em off!"
Her head cocks to one side, eyes shifting down the things in his hands, "How did you met Zi?"
She smiles a little. "He's worthless in a fight. That's how I met him, actually. Someone didn't like some pretty thing he said, and then he ended up on the floor. Normally I don't involve myself in affairs that don't concern me, but the guy who threw the first punch was a local, a real rubar of a man who'd caused trouble in that tavern before. Jarris thanked me, bopped my nose, got punched for it, and hired me to escort him elsewhere." She crosses her arms. "Maybe he would have hired that first guy if I'd left well enough alone."
He continues fiddling, smiling when he catches her looking. "I ran into Zi in several cities before he ever hired me for anything, actually. It was uncanny, the way he seemed to be everywhere I was." He frowns. "A little unsettling, actually. But he asked me if I wanted to make use of my 'chatty nature', and asked me to facilitate a few things on his behalf. Sale and acquisition of numenera for his collection, entertaining people for parties, that sort of thing. And..."
He unfolds his hands, where a tiny ship made out of scrap sits. It looks primary to be made of a very worn coin, an elegantly twisted wire, and a piece of glass to represent the sail. On one side of the glass sail, he's pressed a piece of cloth against it. With the imperfections in the glass, it looks as though the sail is made of water when he turns the boat this way and that. And as she watches, the cloth changes colors as the light hits it.
He offers to to Nalo.
"He sometimes asks me to make things like this for him."
"Go back the way you came, Ridgar Lo," Bellarim says, pulling off her coat. In doing so, she reveals gills on her throat and four tentacles uncoiling from her back. She still seems like she's on the Drop, but her attention is on the men and women in the ship that's currently within spitting distance, and her airy smile is missing.
"I don't think we will, Prauss." Although Bellarim seems to enjoy the title, Ridgar speaks it like an insult.
It makes sense to me to keep them as Kilo, since that was how Nalo initially introduced him. Makani was how he was known to Nalo and her family, but if everyone else call him Kilo, he is fine with that as well.
Tavene looks caught off guard by his enthusiasm, but composes herself and raises an eyebrow. "Here? Now?" She looks around at the deck. "We could do a little bit of sparring, if Jarris was willing to move. I'm sure he would be, since he seems to hate saying no to people. Especially strong people." She winks at her fellow Glaive.
"Unless you think another time is more appropriate." The spark of excitement has been visibly building, "Your choice of weapons?" Kilo takes a half step back from the rail, more fully appraising her. "I would like you at your strongest, if you don't mind."
Kilo appears outwardly unconcerned, leaning against a rail, watching events unfold.
She smiles back, "It's good to see you too, Kani."
Grumpily, "Even if you look totally different and freaked me out by stalking me through the streets."
Just a hint of suspicion, "You heard about a possible job too, but didn't come into the fancy pants inn?"
He makes a face, "I hate stuffy places." pauses, "and it was weird. Couldn't here nothin'." He smiles, "Mind if I tag along?"
"Well, we were promised pirates..." Anson mutters. Then, louder, "I don't want to alarm anyone, but there's something going on belowdecks that's likely pirate-related. So, you know, those who have swords, or ride lightning, or who had a little too much coffee this morning, now might be a good time to spring into action."
Panamax folds his arms into his sleeves and continues to watch the men and women in the other boat. His upper sleeves move oddly as he fidgets.
Right about the time Anson speaks, Nalo frowns and starts to move towards the hatch down. She nods and then to Anson, "Going to keep them honest up here?"
Panamax takes the small bird from Jarris.
"This is wonderful," he says. "Did I just watch you make it?"
Jarris taps his nose, reaches to tap Panamax's... but seems to have learned his lesson, and refrains.
Panamax smiles, and says, "You are welcome to boop my nose as you like. Especially if you have a story of a faraway place you have seen. Perhaps one where they speak other languages?"
Right about the time Anson speaks, Nalo frowns and starts to move towards the hatch down. She nods and then to Anson, "Going to keep them honest up here?"
Anson gets a who me? look on his face, but nods. "Sure. Just, you know, move quickly."
Sherine watches the pirate ship, with an almost dreamy expression on her face. She seems more focused on the ship itself than the pirates aboard her.
Right about the time Anson speaks, Nalo frowns and starts to move towards the hatch down. She nods and then to Anson, "Going to keep them honest up here?"
Kilo shoots Tavene a meaningful glance. "You've got topside." a quick head motion towards Nalo, "We'll be back soon as we can."
He follows the green skinned woman below, perhaps not with the practiced ease she displays, but swiftly and efficiently all the same.
"He talks!" Anson turns to the nearest person. "Did you know he could talk?"
"He talks!" Anson turns to the nearest person. "Did you know he could talk?"
Kilo does not even waste a glare as he moves quickly below.
"He talks!" Anson turns to the nearest person. "Did you know he could talk?"
Panamax shrugs. "I never initiated a conversation with him. I just assumed."
Panamax shrugs. "I never initiated a conversation with him. I just assumed."
"I introduced myself!" Anson says, then turns to the pirates. "Although I should probably pay more attention to the impending battle on the high seas."
Ridgar only looks momentarily concerned when people begin moving below-deck, but sweeps a strange looking, collapsible staff from underneath his jacket. "Very well," he says simply, sounding excited.
A second crew member kicks over a piece of metal that grows spikes as it falls, lodging themselves into the wood of the Icewine. He, too, pulls a collapsible staff.
The final two (visible) crew mates wield swords.
At Kilo's comment, Tavene gives a half smile and a small salute, readying her own sword.
"Well, we were promised pirates..."
"Well, we were promised pirates..."
"Are we sure these are pirates and not some personal matter gone awry?"
Panamax calls out to the other boat.
If they attempt to board, Panamax will defend the ship using Onslaught Of Flesh
Intellect Edge of 1 if relevant.
Armor of +1 due to my Healing Ward esotery (if relevant).
At the second comment, Jarris looks as though Panamax has just offered him several moons. And the Nano finds his nose booped with much joy.
"I will tell you about visiting the edge of my known world, then." He takes a moment to gather his thoughts.
"A hard trip through Tremble Pass that splits the Black Riage range. South further still through the Ba-Adenu forest, where voices from the past speak out to keep travelers within its borders. Further still, to the Imoros Strait, where a membrane stretches between the shores, powering the ruler of Astaria." He holds his hands up. "Ormakal the Mind, ruler of Astaria, a mechanical mind without a body, ruling from a centralized pillar in town." At this, he drops his hands and the dramatic overtones. "Honestly, I was lucky to escape. Almost everyone in Astaria is under gentle thrall. They serve Ormakal without question, and anyone who does question him are likely to be removed."
He smiles then. "It was worth visiting, even for the risk I didn't know I was about to stumble into when I got there. Tremble Pass is horrible, but Ba-Adenu was fascinating. Old. It's easy to imagine the forest has stood much the same for the last few thousand years. And seeing the membrane open to allow ships to pass through? The locals make a bit of a celebration of it when it happens. It's probably the only thing they have to look forward to. Like most everywhere else, villagers speak the Truth. But while I was there, I heard what may have been a language specifically for hivers. It was a strange language, comprised of words and something akin to bird song."
"Well, we were promised pirates...""Are we sure these are pirates and not some personal matter gone awry?"
Panamax calls out to the other boat.
"You could always ask 'em... oh, you're asking them. All right, then."
He's trained in jumping.
"Voices from the past?" he asks. "How did you know they were from the past? Were they from your past?"
"A membrane stretching from shore to shore? What did it look like? Could anything pass through other than water?"
"Words and bird song? Wow. That sounds like an amazing experience. Thank you for the telling."
While sliding down the steps and plunging headlong into the bowels of the ship Nalo pulls a small vial from a pocket and drinks the virulently purple liquid within.
- gain speed edge 1
Spend 1 Speed effort - lose 2 from speed pool (i think?)
<- not sure if i should call this straight speed or like a acrobatic skill - but since untrained either way
Sherine seems to have found what she was looking for. Playing with the rings on her fingers, she concentrates on the and unleashes an Onslaught of force on it.
The man salutes good naturedly and moves his things to Bellarim's side of the deck. He's very quick to get out of the way, without looking panicked.
Tavene seems to be concentrating, and if he pays attention, Kilo notices that the doppelganger is moving in concert with the original. Not exactly the same movements, but it's like an elaborate marionette that's tied to her. When she bows, the doppelganger bows too, with the same half smile on her face.
"Shall we begin?" They both ask.
"I don't know the exact science of the membrane, but it looked like a transparent blanket. It only allows water to pass through, as it's designed to gather the salt from the Strait. The townspeople use the salt to power most of what runs the town. And as far as I saw, no, just water passes through. They lift the membrane once a day to allow boats and ships to pass, and with them, a surge of fish and other riverlife."
At the last comment, Jarris smiles and bows his head. "It was an amazing experience. If it weren't for the mind control, I might have enjoyed staying longer. How about you? Why don't you tell me about something that amazed you, or frightened you?" Now that he's done fidgeting with pocket junk, he's speaking as much with his hands as he is his words. He's the type who, when storytelling in a tavern, might knock over all the drinks on the table.
Panamax calls out to the other boat. "Are you pirates or is this just a tiff?"
"Prauss here owes me a debt, and if she won't pay, I'll take what I'm owed." Ridgar says this with smooth confidence as he, and three others, walk between the ships. Bellarim smiles then, and dives over the side of her ship into the water below.
As soon as all four of the strangers make their way onto the Icewine, Anson gracefully leaps aboard the ship they've left behind.
"You should be frightened," one of the pirates boldly calls out as the second of the Icewine's passengers jumps from it.
For his trouble, however, he's hit full in the face by a burst of healing energy from Panamax's hands. The man drops his weapon, clutching his face and crying out in pain. Additional fingers begin sprouting between his originals, and you're pretty certain you see at least one additional eyeball on his chin. He drops to the deck and rolls away from combat, suddenly uninterested in fighting.
Sherine seems distanced from the fight, but with a dreamy smile and focused thought, you all hear the distinct crack of damage being done to something wooden. The mast on the other ship doesn't topple fully, but the wood does splinter and it begins to sag away from the Icewine. Standing very close to the mast, Anson hears and sees this damage up close.
Tavene leaps forward to engage one of the pirates.
Her sword swings in a smooth arc, cutting deeply past the pirate's defenses. The pirate cries out as her blood stains the beastskin armor she wears.
Ridgar sees the damage the two Nanos have done to his ship and his crewmate and bellows in anger as he attacks Panamax. Strange runes carved through the metal of the staff glow as it swings through the air. It connects solidly with Panamax's arm.
The pirate defending herself against Tavene lashes out with her sword, catching the Glaive in the side, then she pulls back to clutch at her own deep wound.
The third pirate, uninjured and looking cocky, rushes towards Sherine. His staff catches the woman in the stomach.
While sliding down the steps and plunging headlong into the bowels of the ship, Nalo pulls a small vial from a pocket and drinks the virulently purple liquid within. She seems determined to turn into the lightning she's so familiar with, and Kilo can barely keep up with the Nano as she grabs her whip and makes her way to the noise belowdecks. He has not yet pulled his weapon when they both make it to the part of the hold they heard the noise coming from.
A large hole has opened up in the wall of the ship. Oddly enough, no water seeps in, even though water is visible around the apparently invisible tube that the hole opens up to. Two pirates are carrying boxes from the cargo hold, dropping them when Nalo and Kilo appear. They hastily draw their swords.
Ridgar: 8/8 HP
Pirate 1: 2/6 HP, fingers and eyeballs growing out of his face
Pirate 2: 2/6 HP, weakened from stomach wound
Pirate 3: 6/6 HP
Pirate 4: 6/6 HP
Pirate 5: 6/6 HP
"Only two?" Kilo sounds almost disappointed.
1. (if acting before Nalo - He targets the first one he can reach with a flying kick, his right foot striking a half second after the first, propelling his opponent into the solid hardwood of the ships hull.)
2. (or more likely, if acting second and Nalo's opponent is damaged but not out of the fight - Kilo swings around the main mast and hits both opponents with a powerful split kick. The first shot directly into the damaged opponent's chest sends him careening into the ships hull, the second is hit directly in the windpipe, leaving the last intruder standing below-decks gasping for air.
"This is an appropriate time as any!" She closes her eyes, pulling out dual swords. A moment later, another version of herself appears next to Tavene, wearing very basic clothing. Tavene hands her doppelganger one of the swords. ... Tavene seems to be concentrating, and if he pays attention, Kilo notices that the doppelganger is moving in concert with the original. Not exactly the same movements, but it's like an elaborate marionette that's tied to her. When she bows, the doppelganger bows too, with the same half smile on her face.
"Shall we begin?" They both ask
Kilo's eyebrows furrow slightly, "Zanzo-ken? No, Nishin-no-ken...maybe." Instead of unsheathing the big sword across his back, two knives slide from the belt behind his waist, held in reverse along his forearms and he beings to weave in a defensive stance. He grins with perhaps a touch to much enthusiasm. "Hajime!" he agrees with a brief nod, never taking his eyes off his opponents for a moment.