The captain gazes for a long moment at the strange, fascinating light show in the depths, seemingly bewitched...
I have seen these beautiful lights here before... They are the lights from the kingdom of the mermaids under the sea...
In English: Do not look for too long at these lights... Sailors call them “fires of the sea”... Like staring too long at the moon... the “fires of the sea” have been known to lure sailors to a watery doom...
Jumps up and looks down from the air at the fire.
"Really!! how interesting"
The flies over the water at hight, his body dark to see what he can see.
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Unhappy about being woken up at the early hours of morning, Volreg makes his way to the deck after getting dressed. "What is going on? Waking one up at this ungodly hour is... Why is there light coming from under the ship?" Rushing to the side of the ship, he looks as the glowing lights for a moment before backing away. "That is pretty, but not natural. Mermaids you say Captain? I don't swim too well, so I'm not going to look longer than needed."
Mermaids? Interesting...what about mermen? Any of those swimmingvaround? Vanba says jokingly.
At Cabral's words, Altin averts his gaze from the glowing lights. "So if we ignore them, they'll go away...? Or should we prepare for some kind of conflict?"
The Sereia sails on, leaving the strange, hypnotically attractive lights behind...
At dawn of the fifth of January......a day of relatively calm seas and favorable winds, which passes without incident...
The sixth of January......brings more calm sea and steady sailing, with no notable encounters...
As the sun begins to descend into the green Atlantic to the west, the first sight of Africa comes into view to starboard!
Lord Perpireen's far-seeing sprite eyes are first to detect it as he perches on the rim of the crow's nest, trading stories with a sailor name Diogo...
"...and then she says, "you can't win a carrot growing race with no pant's on", and I said, "Will I did last time!"
They both laughed, Perpireen liked Diogo, he had a lot of tails to tell and loved a good joke. The day was warm and wind fair. Looking out over the sea there was a patch of yellow far off.
"Diogo, have a look there, does that look like land to you?"
Soon the call is coming down from the next.
"Land!"
Fingers point and others can see.
Suddenly, the caravel is arrested by the churning waves, despite the wind in her sail! The green water bubbles for a moment in a large area some 30 feet ahead of the bow, before a stately female humanoid figure emerges to stand upon the surface of the water!
She is clad in exotic fashion, draped by a shroud woven of seaweed and pearls, and her aquamarine skin is highlighted by azure eyes and silver hair... She holds a gleaming bronze trident in one hand...
In a powerful alto voice, she speaks Arabic: Hold, voyagers! What brings a ship of Europe to these waters?
The lady towers some ten feet tall, and seems to scrutinize the Sereia and her crew and passengers suspiciously...
In Arabic: We come in peace! We mean no harm! We're fishermen, come to sell our catch!
"Sell our catch my blue butt.., These mortals be spies, come to bring ruin to Mahgreb, and install their crucified demigod!
In Arabic: Fishermen? I know what ye be fishing for here, pale-skins! The souls of men, right? I have heard it a thousand times from your stupid missionary monks! Why do you send us your most stupid people to try to convert the Berber people to infidelity? Why not send someone smart, eh? Even those ignorant of Arabic can hear the disdain in the water genie's voice...
Coming up deck, Volreg stops and looks at the large blue woman, hearing her becoming irate. Looking at the Captain, then again at the woman, steps forward. First in Spanish, then in English if she doesn't respond, "I don't speak your tongue, but may I ask as to why you are upset?" Raising his hands to show that he is unarmed, the man tried to look as harmless as he can.
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He holds up a tinny hand.
"Volreg if I may"
Flys over to the tall sea woman, he hovers at eye hight so she can see him. He then bows low to the sea woman and then starts talking to her in a most respectful way.
"Greeting O fair and beautiful guardian of these wondrous seas and lands. I am Lord Perpireen McGibel of the 1st world fey. I am a curtly representative of The King under the Hill. Here with my fellows on an adventure in aid of one Mwikali of the Kunai Kingdom and her Queen thereof."
He points at Mwikali.
"What we seek is great deeds to do, money to earn, power too gain, and fame to foster. I Myself seek even less for I seek only a tale to tell when I get home to the King under the Hill. So will you let us pass, let great deeds are done and the tale goes on? for would the world be a much lesser place if all heroic tales stopped at the door."
He bows once more..
He then flies over next to Mwikali of the Kunai Kingdom and waits to see what she says.
Mwikali stands on the deck of the ship having finished her spells in the past days , notices the woman and the warning. She laughs a bit and walks forward.
"They are kind enough to escort me back to my homeland. Well me and a small group of brave souls who have come to aid my people. I am Mwikali of the Kunai Kingdom. The Caliphate knows of them. These souls seek to aid me in my bid for Queen. That is if you get the privilege of getting news from a kingdom further inland." Mwikali says in Arabic, bowing at the waist to this enchanting sea creature.She says, weaving threads of truth into her lie in hopes the creature buys her story.
Bows again when Mwikali dose. Then adds.
"As for mortal made gods, We fey have no use for them, as they have no use for us. We do fear moral gods however and give them what respect we feel fitting. As you should all things with power, such as yourself. But as For doing their direct bidding, not I, you could ask the others some may."
He nods his head at Wulfgar as if to indicate, he best say something fast as a representative of the Christians.
Sulayman chuckles heartily before saying, ”Well, unlike my companions I do not concern myself with any sort of devotion. I choose to place my faith in myself and my blade, not the whims of some uncaring deity. In any case, I’ve come to find my fortune, nothing more and nothing less.”
The Marid cannot help but smile at Lord Perpireen's fair speech and bearing...
In Arabic: Very well, I shall hear what your true object may be, but do not think me gullible! If I made binding oaths to every ship full of scallywags that came this way, I'd be stuck in a bottle or a lamp like the dumb genies in your fairytales! Speak thy true intent, and be swift about it!
Adds nothing to Wulfgar's words but waits to see what the others say.
Mwikali nods at the slavery part."It is true all of us seek in one way or another to free our people out of bondage under the regime who profits from it. The Porteguese who own this vessel have been kind to aid us in our journey back to my motherland. I won't lie I do seek to bring my people back to the more traditional ways. Away from the influence of Islam, making the people once again listening to the voice of Mother Africa. I hoped to let them in on this later. Your persistence on our means has unfortunately made me have to reveal it early than I had wished. I do not, however, wish to offend such a powerful spirit of the sea such as you. Forgive me" She says bowing deeply in a curtsy. She hoped her honesty would show her earnestness. She also hoped her companions wouldn't hold her aspirations against her too much.
The Marid is pleased by the sincere appeals of the adventurers, and the churning waves seem to loosen their grip on the Sereia...
Your cause seems just... Go about your affairs...But beware the scourge of the Slave Lords of the Maghreb!
The sea genie sinks back into the briny depths with a wave of her trident...
Captain Cabral and his crew give thanks to God that the genuine righteousness of their cause was recognized by the powerful genie, through the diplomacy of Lord Perpireen and his mortal companions.
The Portuguese sailors commend and celebrate the little Fey Lord’s golden tongue with libations, Captain Cabral unsealing a leg of good Italian wine and pouring drinks into everyone’s mouths..
"Well that went well, so lets get into port"
"Yes, Port. Then into the wild to save those from shackled oppression" She says raising her hand with the bottle before she took a bit of a swig.
In Portuguese: Welcome to Africa, my friends! Tread carefully, and may God bless you on your quest! It has been a pleasure to be your captain for this voyage, and when you are ready to depart from Africa, I hope that the Sereia and her crew can be of service to you again. Good luck!
The anchor is dropped, the sail is folded up, and the Sereia is tied to the dock. The gangplank drops, and the adventurers disembark...
A wide smile spreads across Altin's face as the Sereia approaches Anfa. Time to get off this tub and back to solid land! More than just a desire to be off a ship, though, he envisions all the human activity that's going on in the port city, that he can shortly immerse himself in. Ending the slave trade is all well and good, but this is what I'm here for - to see new lands, to be among different people with different ways, to be a part of life. While I've no fondness for ships, the Sereia has brought me here, which I love it for.
"Well, Wulfgar, are you ready for Africa?"
An Arabian bazaar backs the quay, where a complicated bouquet of aromas wafts from a multicolored spectacle of tents and vending carts, to a cacophony of haggling, vendor calls, and snake charmer melodies played on long, brassy flute-horns...
Stepping off of the ship, Volreg was glad to be on steady ground once more. The days of feeling nauseous and vomiting were hopefully for a while. Waving to the Captain before departing and turning about, the sights and smells surprised him. 'This is more chaotic than when I went to Seville to trade, and yet, it seems more orderly as well. There will be much more to learn while traveling, to which I can use the knowledge to help the farm grow.' Breathing deep, taking in the smells, excitement rose through his body before answering Altin instead of Wulfgar. "I'm ready!"
Altin slaps Volreg on the back with a grin. "That's the spirit!"
She leans down and lets her hand grip the sand and pull it up. She smiles and whispers in her native tongue
She raises after talking and looks at the others satisfied."Welcome to Africa, land of wonder and unrivaled beauty!" She says with a smile knowing full well the various wonders here, both geographical and mystical.
This isn't too bad...so far...shall we get an animal and such and head out? Or maybe wait around a day and explore what this place has to offer...like wine...I could skewer a baby for some good wine right now... Vanna sats as she looks about for a wine stall.
A crowd surrounds a man offering gold to whoever can identify which of three shells covers a pebble...
Spying pale skinned strangers with coin purses, he grins and waves the adventurers over...
In Arabic: Salutations, worthy travelers! Perhaps today is a day of good fortune for you! Would you care to try your luck? Only one copper rupee to play!
In Portuguese: Welcome to Africa, my friends! Tread carefully, and may God bless you on your quest! It has been a pleasure to be your captain for this voyage, and when you are ready to depart from Africa, I hope that the Sereia and her crew can be of service to you again. Good luck!
Lord McGibel nods to the good captain.
"If ever you meet fey again, good captain, tell them you are known to me and the King under the Hill. You may find saying such names may help"
And with that he leaves the ship.
A crowd surrounds a man offering gold to whoever can identify which of three shells covers a pebble...
Spying pale skinned strangers with coin purses, he grins and waves the adventurers over...
In Arabic: Salutations, worthy travelers! Perhaps today is a day of good fortune for you! Would you care to try your luck? Only one copper rupee to play!
Altin murmurs to Wulfgar, "Watch my purse..." before approaching the shell man. Though he's sure it's a con, he can't help but take the bait, and anyway, it's only one copper.
"I have a copper bit, but it's not a rupee. Will you take this coin?" he asks in Turkish, proffering a Portuguese copper.
No this doesn't sound like a setup at all... Giovanna scans the crowd, knowing there is a chtpurse around...
The man takes Altin’s copper bit and grins, showing him the pebble, before ceremoniously placing one of three shells over it upon the table he sits at...
Watch the shell carefully, good sir...
The man moves the three shells around in a dizzying display of manual dexterity...
Flies down and lands on Giovanna shoulder.
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"Arr the Shell game, it's been a while, O Look at his hands go. Would you like me to tell you how this works because if its a full team, there should be 2 or more spotters, a pick up man, a sap, with two or three dabs working the crowed."
He looks around to see where the dabs are.
Indeed, Lord McGibel quickly identifies a few possible accomplices, swarthy youths paying more attention to the adventurers than to the shell game...