Ikvvy have a weird look on her face. As much as she knew the others left the Library after them, but arrived first. It wouldn't make any difference tough. She looks at Arean, hoping she will make the same judgment she does. "Now sounds good enough, in my opinion."
Arean turns in some self-conscious wonder at the reception given her, a wanderer in a roadworn robe, all eyes drawn to her, with bows and salutes following. She nods to the nearest, welcoming all with a soft smile.
"Captain Maridun", Arean pauses to make it an acknowledgement, not just an address, "Thank you for the welcome, aboard your ship. You may make way when you wish, once the nine of my party are aboard, six of two legs, and three of four. I'll not tell you your work, but I'll ask... two questions. Why the worry? And how is it you knew me, undeclared?"
Brad nudges Marcos with his elbow. "We have a fine looking crew here, if you get my drift." Brad grins as his eyes pass over the ladies and their exotic hair and eyes.
Furnok smirks as Braden eyes the crew. Indeed.
"True, true. Fine, strong, and well armed. Just like I like them!"
"We expected you to arrive on one of three days: the day before yesterday, yesterday, or today. With the Empire's greed for all things magical and you not having a mchawiwalinzi* yet the longer you did not show the more we worried." The Captain smiles "As to how we knew you, while most of the Mindurian may not think you are the Queen to come, your mother's mother sent skeches of you when we asked."
"So it is indeed your company hun Arean? Is everyone ready to get moving?"
Aside from that, Ikvvy gets close to Marcos and whispers to him. "I probably forgot to mention, but the women you see are all men magically disguised to appear as female. Marketing, you see." She smiles to her cousin, trying to keep him out of trouble for some at least some time, even if she needs to fool him.
Eldrian comes aboard, everything clicking into place about their apparently being expected here. Arean was some sort of princess. He stands near the back and watches the exchange with some interest, chuckling at Ikvvy's response to the other men.
"We expected you to arrive on one of three days: the day before yesterday, yesterday, or today. With the Empire's greed for all things magical and you not having a mchawiwalinzi* yet the longer you did not show the more we worried." The Captain smiles "As to how we knew you, while most of the Mindurian may not think you are the Queen to come, your mother's mother sent skeches of you when we asked."
"Mother of which mother?", Arean smiled in turn. "And of the squadron, then... gathered for defense? If, Captain, you imagined yourself speaking to an itinerant herbalist and healer, as out of her depth as if she were cast overboard, you would not be wrong. I'd ask a report, when you've time, and patience with some dozens too-simple questions. When you've time. For now, I've this duty..."
"Captain Maridun, may I present Ikvvy, near a sister as I've ever had, and Eldrian, more of a brother to her, with time and blood in heartful weave. And Marcos, Furnok, and Braden, all as deserving as I to what honors and courtesies you might have granted myself."
"Disguised, eh? That's some powerful magic, then. I'll have to keep my distance, I suppose. Although the amount of marines and the fact that everyone is armed leads me to believe this will hardly be a pleasure cruise. Pirates, you think? Or sea monsters?"
Marcos swallows the line without a doubt, immediately latching on to the more physical evidence presented.
"Your family is welcome, as are you milady. We have 2 cabins we use for first class passengers, each has a 2 double bunks. We'll cast off in a few minutes and the morning of the day after tomorrow we'll have you at Quiesse. Tonight at dinner we can talk and celebrate our family."
The Golden Princess soon casts off and later that night around 8:00 in the evening you are asked to join the Captain for dinner.
As you approach the door you think can hear voices from the other side.
A male voice responds "1500 years ago!, you can't seriously be using Iolana the archer as an example. The traditional age is 22 to allow for the proper training."
A different female voice answers "We don't have nine years to wait, Arean doesn't have nine years to wait. But I agree the girl needs a least another years training.
"Three years" says the male voice.
"As her mother I shouldn't say, but as head of the Royal Guard I believe she'll be ready in five years, she's a long way from the emotional maturity needed, and forcing that kind of growth usually requires a type of trauma I would like to avoid having to inflict."
That voice was clearly the Captain's.
She goes on "maybe it won't matter, we'll know when we introduce them if she a mchawiwalinzi or not, we can put it off tell then"
Ikvvy approaches the door pretty happy and looking forward for the feast!
perception
Arean blinks her star-filled eyes and nods as she approaches the door. When close enough, she knocks with a sleeve-wrapped hand. She smiles at her companions, her newfound kin, while waiting for the response.
"Your family is welcome, as are you milady. We have 2 cabins we use for first class passengers, each has a 2 double bunks. We'll cast off in a few minutes and the morning of the day after tomorrow we'll have you at Quiesse. Tonight at dinner we can talk and celebrate our family."
Arean uses a corner of one cabin for storage of her effects, but appears to be preparing to spend the night on deck, under the stars.
Furnok leans over and whispers to everyone what he heard.
He looks at Arean, sure that she just heard the same thing, This could get interesting he then looked at Ikvvy with a look that seemed to say 'more surprises'.
"It seems they want to give you a mawi... chawi ... chewi ... whatchamacallit, Arean."
Braden is dressed in robes that resemble the style of Tien monks, though his features are obviously not Tien. It was the closest thing he could muster to fancy dress for a special occasion.
"It seems they want to give you a mawi... chawi ... chewi ... whatchamacallit, Arean."
Braden is dressed in robes that resemble the style of Tien monks, though his features are obviously not Tien. It was the closest thing he could muster to fancy dress for a special occasion.
"Aye", Arean whispers, "But it's a child they intend, at risk for me... I'll hear more of that before enough."
Arean is wearing her traveler's robe, dropped from her shoulders to fall over its belt, baring the daring dancer's drapery, chased through with scarves that at once conceal and also promise to show more... eventually.
"Come in and have a seat at the table and be welcome." Captain Maridun invites you all in. "We will eat and drink and let this be a celerbation of family found and hope for the times to come. I'm sure you have many questions. Lets not spoil the meal with talk of weighty things. We can save the questions for afterwards."
The meal proceeds and the food is good. All talk of issues more serious than the weather is carefuly deflected by the Captain. At the end of the meal, just as the desert dishes are being cleared away, the young girl who was on the deck with the dog when you came abourd enters, the dog still at her side.
"I've finished translating that passage on Tuma that Elyas the wizard wrote in Thassilon, Mother."
"Good. Be sure to leave it on your tutor's desk, and get to the Galley. Cookie's saving you a plate, but shake hands with our kinswoman Arean before you go."
The captain says "Milady Arean this is my daughter Isdi. Isdi, Milady".
Isdi starts to reach out her hand, but then drops it suddenly to her side.
"Don't be rude Isdi, shake her hand."
"But mother,can't you see that her hands hurt her, and that when she touches things it just causes her more pain?"
"No"responds Maridun, her tone slightly off."I didn't know that. Well just hold your palm out upward and let her touch as lightly as she wishes and thus you shall show your kinship and your bond."
Arean lighty places a fingertip on the girl's palm.
The girl looks startled and then quickly leaves.
"Well now we know." Says Maridun with resignation in her voice. "Please Milady don't take her yet she's not ready."
"Nor am I. But neither of our mothers would ever think we were, when first we thought we were.", Arean smiles warmly, and adds "That's the nature of motherin', and of childerin'."
"But I can't judge ready. Not yet. You've had her life, and others if I reckon right, to find a peace with all this. I've had the day. Not that I'm complaining; like my pains, I'll bear it. But I don't yet understand it." Looking about at the rest of her Six, Arean jokes, "And I doubt that it's the oddest thing, we'll find, on our oddysee. So, Captain, if you could explain, as if to a..." Arean gestures to her clothing. "...half-naked dancer?"
Ikvvy looks somehow confused, but she disguises it as she waits until the talk is finished. They could update later.
"To a half-naked dancer?"
"The Maridun Clan is old. Older than this Empire that is in power now, older than the Horse Clans that we've been a part of for so long. We've remained who we are by maintaining our traditions. Whether we lived on the plains with horses, or in the desert with camels, or even on the sea in ships, we kept our traditions the foods we would eat, the clothes we would wear, the words we used. The most important of which were the oracles and their Hands."
The oracles protected us with their powers and they ruled us, but protecting and ruling was also service. That pairing of service and protection was and in is a foundation of our society to this day. Leading to a saying that translates loosely into common as 'Those that serve shall be protected'. It also applied to the oracles themselves, as they served and protected us, we served and protected them. The first line of that protection was an oracle's Hand, or in the case of a particularly powerful oracle Hands.
A Hand was an oracle's bound and chosen companions. Guardians, servants, lovers, best friends, there is no one word in common that encompasses everything that the members of a Hand were to an oracle. An oracle selected the members of her Hand more carefully than a woman her husband. One of the reasons they were called Hands is that they came in fives like fingers on a hand. One or two mchawiwalinzi, wizard-warriors, always chosen first and were selected for their ability to lead and to advise. Two to three rohohjaulinzi, spirit warriors, selected for martial ability and devotion. Finally one or two walaghailinzi, the trickster warriors who see the world at angles that others do not.
When the oracles all died so did all the mchawiwalinzi, except for those just entering training. There hasn't been any new ones born for 200 years, until 13 years ago. A Maridun Oracle must have a hand, especially one who aspires to bye Queen, its one of the requirements. The first selection of a hand must be a mchawiwalinzi and there is only one but she's not ready.
"So I ask you to wait to seek the throne that is yours by right. To wait before forming your hand."
Nodding, Arean says, "I think the hand already exists. But I agree not to clench it into a fist. Until we all have need, of me having the throne."
Brad chimes in. "Hey, so if Arean's the real Queen of your people, who's the pretender sitting there now? And what's she like?" Brad wasn't sure how much he cared for such intrigue, but it seemed better than chatting about the weather.
"There's no queen, Braden. There's tradition, a ship's captain be held a queen, and a ship be held as territory, and by proper rites, it's like as not, they've kept the nation, reduced but alive. And afloat?"
"It's folk of such will we'll need. I'm glad we've met them."
Ikvvy adresses everyone:
"So that gives us some time to wander around and make some connections. Perhaps you could update us on the late news about the empire, captain?"
Ikvvy is interested in hearing about potential problems in their trip, but without saying the details of it. So she starts with the general idea, focusing on whatever she thinks relevant.
The Captain answers Braden and Ikvvy."Arean's right, when the Oracles died we could no longer hold the throne of the city state and another Clan took control of the city state. Our people dispersed into separate factions the largest two being the sea bourne Maridun and the land dwelling Mindurian. For reasons they've not seen fit to share with us the Mindurain do not see Arean as the Queen to be, but we the Maridun do."
"As to the events going on in the Empire. Rumors continue to grow about the ill health of the Emperor. There's been a wave of assassinations in Marthos as the Great Houses jockey for position in whatever government forms after Gregor's death. There's been a rise in strange magical phenomena - spells and wards that have lasted for centuries suddenly failing, and unusual creatures appearing. I heard that the Medjai have sent a delegation north out of the deep desert, where they are heading or their purpose. I don't know."
"Weird. To send a group out to the desert like that... They must know something, or nothing. Do you know of any of these ancient spells nearby? Something we could come up and investigate? I do believe if they are failing they will show us the signs, and maybe we can understand what is happening. A place where creatures are appearing would also be good to know. Preferably close to Quiesce or Stormheim."
The Captian says "I don't know of anything in particular near Quiesce or Stormheim but on an island in the harbor of Ostia Antica, the port city east of Marthos, their is a mage's tower that has stood for hundreds of years. The tower itself and it's grounds have always been rumored to be cursed and protected by powerful magics. No one goes near it. The rest of the island is known for the unusual flora and was popular with botanists. It's semi-secluded nature made it popular for lover's trysts. I've heard that strange and dangerous animals have started appearing on the island. Even that some of the animals have made it off the island and onto the mainland."
"Ought this tower be our first stop, then? Is knowing what we might otherwise not learn enough of a lure from what waits for us? I have to ask; I cannot trust my own scales, so heavy and swinging,fleet and family and folk, all at once..."
"It sounds as good a place as any to test our strength. And we wouldn't have to deal with any lords getting in the way."
-Posted with Wayfinder
"I'm sorry, I think I've mis-heard, or others have. This tower, is it on our path? And the desert folk, they've travelled out of their desert, yes? Where they might be going, that's a tempting question. I don't just weight questions for conversation. As I've said, I've a library I might wander, in a state like dream. If you true scholars, you true sailors, you true wisdoms among us might guide my wanderings in those burning stacks of books, or guide my eye by night, when they fill with whispering stars... please, do. None of us, is as strong, as all of us."
Captain Maridun waits a moment for anyone else to say anything then answers Arean "I don't know your eventually destination, but I gather that after Quiesce you're heading to the City of the Storm King. The mage's tower I mentioned is in the harbor of Marthos's port city quite some distance to east and south of the City of Storms. As to Medjay group they did come north out of thier deserts along the old caravan route that runs by the Grand Oracle."
At this point a crew woman opens the door to the cabin and gets the Captain's attention. The Captain nods and the sailor says "Captian that foul odor is coming from the blige again and this time several crew have taken ill, nauseated."
"Have the bosun put together a work squad of four; crew and marines together who have strong stomachs. I want an end to this mystery, have them wait on the quarter deck for me I'll be right there."
The Captain stands up and says "Excuse me please continue to enjoy the food. I'll be back shortly." As she's about to leave the cabin she hesitates and then takes a scimitar down from the bulkhead by the door. "I probably won't be needing this". Then she exits the room.
"How many of us still believe in chance?", Arean asks as the door closes. She rises from her chair. "What it is, we'll want to see. Let's hope it's not some broken crew set aside, for some thing, to take it's place...", she says, startled at her own words. Leaving the cabin, she whistles for her hounds.
Something lurking in the hold? I guess we need to shake the cobwebs out if something has crawled in. Furnok gets up as well.
"Finally some action! I was beginning to develop rust spots. "
"You and me both, Marcos. Time to take out the garbage."
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Chance is just destiny working toward its goals. It might be magic, though, so we should go after the captain and help him with that. But before, I would like you to know what we have ahead of us." Now that the family is alone Ikvvy draws a map and puts it over the table, pointing at specific places. "The blue triangle is where we want to get to. We're at the white triangle, in this Island. But we have two ways to get there, after Stormheim, the city of the Storm King. One is taking an airship toward Marthos, but I would not like to go there just now. It is too dangerous, I believe, so I would suggest we kept a low profile and traveled east of Stormheim to get to the Imperial Highway. We will pass right beside the Silver Leaf village, where the Villa I inherited is located, in this purple triangle. There's not much to do there right now, but we may gather some knowledge." She is deadly serious, as much as you can tell.
"Maybe it's just selfish of me to want to go there, but if it was left for us there may be something we can learn. Instead, if you want to take an Airship to Marthos, after the city we would pass just beside this Mage's Tower, if you really want to go there. So?" She waits for answers.
She waits an eternity for answers...
"Low profile and access to a villa sounds good. Besides, airships are notoriously dangerous, right?"
"I see - it seems like a sensible plan to go to your villa. What is that Rune of Haviel nearby? Does anyone know?"
She waits an eternity for answers...
"I see - it seems like a sensible plan to go to your villa. What is that Rune of Haviel nearby? Does anyone know?"
"Rune of Haviel...", Arean ponders.
"I wonder...", she says. Slowly drawing a breath, she stares at the space before her, her eyes shining.
Heading to the villa sounds fine to me.
Alumanax’s armies consisted mainly of undead, while Bane’s of demons and devils.
You are among that band and you watch as your leader holds up his sword and says in a voice much like Rowan’s “No farther may you come I Bar the way.” A brilliant white light brighter than lightning sweeps outward and holds steady. Demons, devils, and undead that cross into the light burst into flame or crumble to dust, while all around you are renewed, restored and encouraged.
Only one creature of darkness comes into the light. She seems human enough until you see the blood dripping down her fangs. Small bolts of lightning dance across her fingertips and up and down her arms. Her flesh constantly chars and then renews as she steps into the light stopping about thirty feet from you. She looks remarkably like Tassira.
“Hello Darling, still protecting the cattle I see.”
“Alonna, there’s no cattle here, just people trying to live their lives.”
“They’re flies, here one day, gone the next, even you, my sweetie, last no longer than the flash of a bolt of lightning to my eyes. I watched Tuma be banished at my Lord’s side per his desires and was there when the gates of Grey Port fell. No one will remember Haviel in time, Rodger, just as no one remembers lost Arcadia, or Perun, or Arth. Except for me that is. Have you thought about my offer?”
“Have you given thought to mine? Sarenrae brings not only light but redemption. She can help you choose to help, and to heal. You don’t have to live in darkness. No one is forced to live in darkness you can choose to be free. Alumananx is not a god nor will he become one.”
“He’s given me more power than you could ever believe. I think today at least I choose not to seek the path you lay at my feet. Take your flies and go from here Rodger. My troops and I shall see that Bane’s beasts do not interfere. Till we meet again my love.”
A bolt of lightning and the vision fades away.
Furnok wipes some jam off the map. Ruins of Havel.
Elf city that was destroyed ages ago..
The war that came before the Empire was formed was the cause of it
"HavIel, Furnok. And yes, you recall it well. The war that led to the formation of the Empire was what destroyed the Elven city. The major battle happened between the forces of Lord Bane, mainly composed of Devils and Demons, and the forces of Alumanax the Vile, composed by undead."
"Haviel was a center for elvish arts and artistic expression including magic. It had libraries and museums thousands of years old and art schools taught magic, sword play, and archery. I'm not sure how close that is to the Silver Leaf Village, but I would bet they are the survivors of such event, keeping a low profile and a simple life in the woods."
"Rowan's ancestor faced Tassira's there, when the dead fought the damned, and he drew a line none could cross, by sacred blade. But Alanna did, she whose line comes to Tassira. And she conjured lightning, and it struck..."
Arean's eyes dim in their shine, and she blinks, and says, "...and that was all I saw."
"The memory of it is kept among my people, it was an incredible place I have been told. I would certainly be one willing to go there and see what we can find."