Screaming Moon and Ruby Meadow spend the days camping outside of town, seldom making appearances. Anyone who visits with them finds them both hard at work.
Screaming Moon is meditating over a smooth length of wood, while rubbing it with oils and curing it with smoking herbs. He occasionally also provides some advice to Ruby Meadow who can be found constantly brewing offensive smelling concoctions over the fire, trying different combinations of plants, some of them likely toxic and muttering to herself about "rediscovering the formula".
----
When the party decides to leave, Screaming Moon is ecstatic that Audrahni plans to accompany them. He and Tsu-la start dancing and chasing each other in circles around their friend as they head for the ship.
When they board, he nods respectfully and greets the captain. "Captain Sursha, we shall be glad to assist the crew when needed. If there is need, I can be of much help to your medic, and I am sure Tsu-la will be glad to chase down any vermin that may have come aboard during your dockage. Just let us know how we can best help."
He glances with interest at the man boarding after them. "Will there be many other passengers?"
"Not many," Sursha says. "Just one more lady and her handmaiden. Hopefully, they will be along shortly so that we can get underway!"
Triel, dressed in her guise as Madame Hawk, eyes the ship with more than a little suspicion. "...your terms are acceptable."
Great. No idea if my disguise will even hold up for the length of the trip.
Nodding, Screaming Moon decides to meet some of their fellow travelers and make a good first impression.
Picking up Tsu-la, so that the fox doesn't get in the way of the draft horse, he approaches the pale man. "Be received, stranger. I am Screaming Moon. Do you need any assistance getting your crate on board?"
Hope had never ridden on a ship before so she was kind of oblivious to the conversation as she gawked at the vessel. She was busy looking around her and happened to notice the man trying to get a large crate pulled aboard by a straining draft horse. Realizing the potential trouble he could have she walked over towards him and, more specifically, the horse.
When she got close Hope reached out to the horse as her eyes went black and particles of dust and sand got pulled towards her. "Have the horse stop for a moment and keep it calm." She reached out and placed her hand on the horse unleashing the most basic of chaos manipulations and causing the horse to temporarily be able to handle significantly more weight than normal. Once she was done Hope said, try now, the effect will only last for a minute.
The pale man gives Screaming Moon an indignant look. "I paid top coin for assurances that I would not be bothered. What’s the meaning of this? Where’s the captain?"
He whirls as Hope approaches the horse, her black eyes startling him. "Careful! There is delicate glassware and equipment in that crate!"
Despite his protests, Hope's magic gives the horse the extra boost it needs to bring the crate up the ramp without further difficulties. The crew of the ship hustles to lower the crate into the hold. "Hmph. Thank you," the man mutters before retreating belowdecks without further comment.
Screaming Moon shrugs, unsurprised by the man's attitude. As the man heads below, Screaming Moon comments to Hope.
"Very well done, Hope. I am sure the horse appreciates your help, even if the man's was only half-hearted. Remember, when we show people the correct way to act, instead of responding to their rudeness, we increase the amount of respect and civility in the world.
Like begets like."
He muses more about the man. "Glass and equipment? I hope that doesn't mean flammable and explosive alchemical equipment."
Elanna leaves the others to the niceties of helping the fellow passenger and heads below to claim the best bunk. She thinks about saving one for Fi as well but is still too wary of her sister to go ahead.
She puts her feet up and chills waiting to see who else will claim a bunk near her, hoping that her sister may show an unaccustomed amount of forgiveness.
Tyalee's Whim has six one-person bunks below deck, one short for all of you plus Audrahni. Somebody will have to double up or sleep on the deck.
Another hour or so passes as the crew makes the final preparations to set sail. Captaon Sursha and her first mate, a half-orc named “Elbows” Eddi, stare back at the town, concerned expressions on their faces.
"Our last passenger's still not here yet, ma'am," Eddi says, scratching his beard. "How long are we going to wait for her?"
"I don't know. She's paying us an awful lot of money. I hate to just abandon her, but we can't delay much longer," Sursha replies.
Finally, with just minutes to spare, a pair of figures make their way down the dock. This last minute arrival is a beautiful, full-figured woman clad in an artfully lacquered lamellar cuirass, attended by a drab halfling woman with an eye patch and a frown on her face who drags an overstuffed suitcase behind her.
"Come along, Corla! You're making us late!" the woman scolds the halfling. The two finally make it up the gangplank, and Sursha briefly welcomes them aboard before ordering her men to weigh anchor and hoist the sails.
The woman favors you with a dazzling smile. "Greetings to you all! Allow me to introduce myself. I am Viralane Barvisai, actress extraordinare! It will be a pleasure to travel with you, I'm sure!"
Assuming, of course, you can keep yourself from getting involved with anyone in our little band. I'm certain Hope won't be as inclined to let you break her heart like Elanna did.
"Charmed." The masked Madame Hawk nods. "Looking to make your mark in Magnimar's theatre halls, I take it?"
”Oh, absolutely, darling!” Viralane says with a flutter of her eyelashes. ”And you? Are you a performer as well?”
Madame Hawk shakes her head. "I'm afraid my business takes me elsewhere."
"So, would this be the first stop of many on a tour of yours? A chanteuse of your skill would be certain to draw a crowd anywhere you'd choose to visit."
Play it safe. Feed this one's ego. We've dealt with her like before.
Indeed. Keep on good terms with her, and we can perhaps steer her the way we wish.
Viralane laughs airily. ”Perhaps, darling, perhaps. I am not quite ready to completely pull the curtain back on my upcoming plans, but let’s just say the world better be ready for my impending return to the stage! It’s going to be legendary!”
...I don't think I like the way she said 'legendary'. Vindir whispers into Triel's ear.
With his warning in mind, Triel finds herself trying to get a hunch about Ms. Barvisai...
Triel does feel that there might be something sinister to Viralane’s apparent excitement, but there’s no way to tell for sure right now. Still, Vindir agrees that the actress bears watching...
Fioralba makes her way aboard the ship with the others, keeping mostly to herself. Still feeling betrayed by everyone in the group, her mannerisms do not hold her typical exuberance. She does claim a bunk next to Elanna though, not wanting to stray too far from her sister.
---
When the actress makes her way aboard, Fioralba brightens up and moves over to engage her after Triel makes it clear she is something special. "Good day, m'lday. My name is Fioralba and if you are looking for some company aboard during your travels, I'd love to hear about your many successes."
"Oh! My darling, I would certainly love the chance to enjoy your company," Viralane purrs, reaching out to gently touch Fioralba's cheek. "A woman of your beauty and charms would certainly be a welcome distraction from the tedium of sea travel. I am told my cabin is quite spacious as well, should you be interested in sharing more than just stories..."
Fioralba slips her arm around Viralana waist and says, "I would be honored to see your luxurious cabin." With a smirk and a wink she lowers her voice slightly and says "I'm sure I can help you find ways to pass the time."
Seeing as how Fi has the actress occupied, Madame Hawk approaches the eyepatch-wearing halfling. "Would you like some assistance bringing that aboard?" She offers.
The help always seem to be neglected and overlooked by folk like these.
Viralane gently strokes Fioralba’s arm. ”Oh, do tell, darling, do tell...”
Meanwhile, Corla looks up at Triel. The halfling nods. ”Yes, thank you. Much appreciated,” she says, the faintest hint of a smile on her lips.
Audrahni silently stands at the pros of the ship as Tyalee's Whim starts its journey down the Chavali River towards the Varisian Gulf. Soon, the town of Roderic's Cove fades into the distance behind you. The journey has begun!
Elanna smiles to herself as she sees her sister return somewhat to her usual self when chatting with the actress.
This is great, maybe Fi is not as upset about the whole thing as I thought?
Still giving her sister space to enjoy herself, Elanna spends some time with Hope. The woman had been kind to her recently and she surprisingly enjoys spending time with her, even given her previous outbursts.
Hope was a bit annoyed at the man's response but at least he had tried, barely, to be polite and thank her for her help. She let his attitude go and instead just walked away. She smiled shyly at Screaming Moons words to her about at least the horse appreciated her help and said, "Yeah, I imagine it did."
Hope noticed Elanna go below decks seemingly a bit out of sorts. The woman was obviously still having problems with Fio and Hope was torn about trying to help her. On he one hand she like Ela, really liked her, but on the other it didn't seem that Ela had the same affection for her and had really hurt her. Fortunately Hope was not as upset now as she had been then, especially after seeing how much Fio's recent rejection hurt Ela.
Hope headed below decks to claim a bunk for herself, following not far behind Ela. When she got below decks and found the bunks Hope chose one in the same cabin as Ela and Fio, she figured it was best for the women to stay in the same place after all, though unlike the sisters her gaze was drawn to the strange rope contraption. She'd never seen one before but she had heard a couple of sailors talk about them one time. They called them...hummucks? She thought that was the word, and understood them to be the correct choice to sleep in on a ship.
Deciding she should get the full experience of shipboard life Hope climbed into the hummuck and stretched out. It wasn't entirely uncomfortable, it certainly beat her hole in the ground under the tree for comfort anyway, though it didn't feel closed in enough for her. scrabbling her way back out of the hummuck Hope removed her bedroll from her pack and somehow managed to unroll it on the hummuck before she grabbed several other thin blankets and things and put them in the bedroll too for more padding. Nodding once firmly to herself Hope got back into the hummuck and closed her bedroll around her then wriggled around, with much swaying of the hummuch, to situate herself and arrange it how she wanted it.
When she was finished Hope said softly, "This feels nice." As it wasn't time to go to sleep by any means Hope got back out of her hummuck and made sure to stash her pack inside of it before closing the bedroll up again. She heard the commotion up above as their last passenger arrived and considered going up there to see who it was. Before she finished making a decision she heard Fio and the new comer chatting about the newcomer "luxurious cabin".
Hope noticed Ela's expression at hearing Fio behave more like herself and waited until Fio was out of earshot before she said, "See, I told you she would get back to herself eventually Ela. It'll probably take her a while with the rest of us but at least she seems better. She probably needed someone new to come along and distract her for a bit."
The first day of travel is quiet and comfortable. You journey south along Varisia's western shoreline, enjoying a pleasant breeze from the ocean. Viralane shares a bottle of wine with Fioralba, asking the magus about herself and shamelessly flirting her all the while. Corla dutifully attends to the actress's needs.
As evening approaches, Captain Sursha invites you all into the dining cabin to sit at her table. A long table fills the ship's dining cabin, covered by a white tablecloth and set for all of the dinner's guests. The centerpiece is a wooden replica of Tyalee's Whim adorned with fresh flowers. Captain Sursha sits at the head of the table, with Audrahni seated to her left. To her right, in the seat of honor, is Viralane. Though a seat and plate is prepared for her, Corla stands near her mistress, awaiting any instruction she might be given. The chair next to Corla's empty seat is for the pale man you saw earlier. He has been ensconced in his cabin the entire day, but he arrives just before dinner begins and finds his seat.
"Ah, good, everybody is here," Sursha says with a smile. "Thank you all for dining with me this evening. Let us dedicate this meal to Gozreh--may the Wind and the Waves bless us with a calm voyage to Magnimar!"
The meal itself is simple but filling and delicious—a first course of bread and caper-stuffed olives, followed by lemon-braised lingcod and fried potatoes. Dessert consists of slices of herbed cheese served with small glasses of sweet blackberry wine.
"So then, why don't we all get to know each other a little better?" Sursha asks as you dine. "Let's go around the table and introduce ourselves and our histories. I suppose I'll start. I've been sailing on Tyalee's Whim since I was a little girl. Back then it was my father's ship--the Surety, named for my mother. Alas, she died when I was very little--a fever she contracted in the Rahadoumi port of Azir. After that, my father swore an oath never to leave Varisian waters again.
"As I grew up, there there was never any doubt that I'd follow in my father's footsteps. On my twenty-first birthday, he presented me with this custom-made armor--sea-foam green and embossed with dancing fish. A year later, a Tian merchant took a shine to me. While I let him down gently when he proposed marriage, I did accept his gift of a magical katana forged in his distant homeland." She pats the scabbard at her waist. "You don't say no to an exquisite weapon like that!"
Sursha's smile fades slightly as she continues her story. "Things were great for a long time. But a few years ago, a sudden storm caught the Surety when we were returning from Arsmeril. A rogue wave swamped the ship, and the crew was barely able to save her. It wasn't until after we were safe again that we realized my father had been washed overboard. We never found his body."
The half-elf is silent for a few moments, but then she perks up again. "After that, I inherited command of the ship. We've had quite a few exciting adventures since then, but I think I've talked enough for the time being. Would one of you like to go next?"
Hmm. Either recent history is too embarrassing or too painful for her to speak of at the moment.
"Most people call me Madame Hawk. I've been in Roderic's Cove for a few months, telling fortunes for coin. Otherwise, there's little else I can tell you that you wouldn't immediately find boring." She lies.
"Ah, is that so?" Sursha says dryly. She seems a bit disappointed by Triel's terseness, but she turns to the pale man. "How about you, Mister Roos?"
At length, the man speaks in a hushed whisper, as though imparting secrets reluctantly. "I am Beckwood Roos. I am a native of Versex, in Ustalav, from a small village whose name you have no reason to have heard. I was a student for a time at the Sincomakti School of Sciences, but I left my studies to travel. I gladly shook the dust of Ustalav from my shoes and will never return."
Roos seems unwilling to elaborate further.
Ustalav native. Of course.
"Really? Huh." Madame Hawk shrugs. "Could've sworn your accent was a bit Nidalese."
"I've been wrong before."
Beckwood grows flustered and florid, angrily sputtering at Triel. “I may have grown up in Nisroch, but I’ve left Nidal behind. Matters of my childhood upbringing are my own business—a business I’ve worked my whole life to put behind me!”
Madame Hawk blinks behind her mask.
"Of course. I meant no offence, sir."
Far be it from me to criticize someone for their childhood.
Beckwood nods curtly, content to let the matter drop.
Sursha clears her throat. "Who would like to share their story next?"
Sitting with Tsu-la on his lap so the fox won't get in the way in the closed confines of the captain's dining room, Screaming Moon switches between restless fidgeting and rapt fascination at observing the others.
Idly scratching him behind the ears and feeding him the occasional scrap of food, he eats very little himself, still unsure of his stomach on the boat.
"Ustalav? Nidal? These sound like exotic places. I would love to know more about your culture and history, but no more than you are comfortable speaking about."
He looks around nervously. "These, um, cabins? ... are quite enclosed, aren't they? And so many people.... Um, yes. I am Screaming Moon of the Shriikirri-Quah. I am training to be a shaman. That is, my training is done now and I am taking time to broaden my horizons and learn more of the world.
I am well versed in healing, and my figurative tent flaps will remain open to anyone who wishes to talk or needs assistance."
Sitting uncomfortably next to him, Ruby Meadow bears a suspicious scowl for everyone. "I'm Ruby Meadow. I'm with him."
Sursha turns to Audrahni. ”Your turn to share, my friend.”
Audrahni holds up a hand. "Oh, I’m really not all that interesting. Maybe somebody else would like to speak now?"
Viralane clucks her tongue. "Oh, come now. Everybody else is telling their story. I, for one, would like to hear yours."
Audrahni is quiet for a few moments, then sighs. "A story. Very well, I will tell you a story of the priestess Saint Sazzleru, and her defeat of the Misbegotten Prince." The elf then recounts the legend :
In the ancient past, long before the rise of Azlant, during the near-mythical era known to scholars as the Age of Creation, two powerful demons met for the first time and descended to a world in the Material Plane to enjoy a short-lived but violently ardent dalliance in the mortal realm. The planet itself heaved and buckled before their blasphemous passions, thrusting upward to create a rasp-like ridge. The result of this vile union quickened much more quickly than a normal pregnancy, and the spawn of the two demons was birthed even as they continued their frolic. When the demons left the world, they left behind a landscape scarred by their coupling, and a just-whelped fiend of tremendous power and potential that slithered into a deep cave in the ridge to hide and grow.
In the Age of Anguish, the spawn emerged to conquer the Varisians even as they were beginning to recover from their slavery under Thassilon's rule and the devastation of Earthfall. This fiend was Uvaglor, the Misbegotten Prince, a vrock who possessed a singular third eye in his brow that could see brief glimpses into the future. Uvaglor ruled the Varisians for many years until the desperate indigenous people called upon Lamashtu's aid in defeating the demon. The Mother of Monsters seemed eager to comply with this request, but as the battle against Uvaglor went on, her minions turned on the Varisians and attempted to destroy them as well.
The Varisian would have been annihilated if not for the heroics of a priestess of the Empyreal Lord Ashava, a woman named Sazzleru. Blessed by the True Spark, she wielded a blade of purest moonlight, and her graceful dances soothed the hearts of even the demons' foul minions. She freed the Varisians from Lamashtu's influence and banished the Misbegotten Prince into a nameless prison adrift deep in the Maelstrom.
The tale complete, the elf falls silent again. Sursha claps her hands. "Well told, Audrahni. Who would like to go next?"
With so much strangeness to focus on and the uncomfortable confines, Screaming Moon only vaguely notes that Audrahni wasn't speaking of her own history.
Hope listened to the stories being told and found that Audrahni's was perhaps the most interesting so far. Why the elf told that as her story Hope did not know. It sounded very much like someone else's story than her's. It wasn't for her to say though so Hope didn't comment.
As the captain pressed for another to tell their tale Hope desperately wanted to avoid telling her's. She knew that most people were at best scared of crazy people and sailors were very superstitious. For them to know her questionable mental state could be very bad for her.
As the wait for someone to speak grew Hope couldn't handle the nervousness anymore and rose from her chair. "Thank you for dinner Captain, if you'll excuse me." She didn't wait for permission but rather took off, practically fleeing the cabin and not realizing the kind of questions that might bring.
Hope quickly headed towards the cabin she was sharing with Ela and Fio and climbed into her hummuck. She pulled the bedroll closed around her and burrowed into her padding before reaching into her pack and pulling out a small, raggedy looking, rag doll. She clutched the doll tight, something she'd obviously done many times in the past given it's raggedy state, and tried to calm herself down while the others enjoyed sharing stories.
Hmm... she seems quite wistful. Perhaps--
Before Madame Hawk can complete her train of thought, Hope bolts from the table like a scared spider.
--DAMMIT! Now I have no idea what she was thinking!
As usual, Elanna fills up more on the alcohol than the food, nibbling a little before pushing the rest around on her plate whilst listening to the entertainment for the evening.
As Hope excuses herself, Elanna chips in. "I suppose it's our turn then Fi." Happy that the attention turns to them.
"Up until recently we were two young women on a quest for our talents to be recognised in the City of Monuments! The journey was all part of the plan of course and we were going from town to town to show off our talents along the way. We stopped in Roderic's Cove for a while as it was such a fantastic place to develop some contacts before moving onto Magnimar." She lies confidently before looking to her sister.
Fioralba has been busy flirting with Viralane and had only been paying partial attention to the others sharing stories. When Hope gets up and leaves however, Fi watches her go with a frown. As soon as her sister is done lying about their past, she reaches out and puts a hand on Ela's shoulder.
"Why don't you go check on Hope, Ela." she says with a smile, "Make sure she's okay?"
She pats Ela's shoulder twice before turning back to the table and speaking. "As my sister said, we had intended only to pass through Roderic's Cove after some business had been concluded, but we had to put all of that on hold for the greater good."
Taking a sip of wine, she makes eye contact with Viralane while she licks a small dribble that had run out of mouth. "As for me, I enjoy a good book, dabbling in the magical arts, perfecting my swordplay and making my partners call out my name for more."
Swirling the wine around in her glass, she slowly lifts it and takes another sip before adding with a smirk "Perhaps not in that order."
Looking over to see Elanna hasn't left yet, she says "Ela, weren't you checking on Hope?"
Elanna swallows her uneasy feelings as she gets up from the table and pushes in her chair.
She's just interested in Viraline, and wants to be with her. Thats all.
Picking up her wine glass she leaves and follows after Hope, hoping she isn't going to get an earful of crazy.
She knocks on the doorframe as she takes a few steps in and smiles slightly, trying to gauge the woman's mood.
"Shame I didn't get to hear a story from your past Hope. I was quite looking forward to it." She offers, before relaxing in her own hammock and looking over at the woman. She clutches carefully onto her glass of wine doing her best to not spill it with the unusual movement of the ship.
Hope heard Ela knock and enter the cabin but didn't respond at first. Once she heard what Ela said Hope rustled around a bit but didn't peak out from inside her bedroll cocoon. That Ela was showing some interest in her confused Hope, she didn't really understand this woman and what she wanted but she knew that, despite being hurt by her, she still wanted Ela to like her, to be with her, and she couldn't understand why.
Finally Hope squirmed around in her bedroll to face where she thought Ela was and then pealed back one corner of the bedroll to look out from within it. "I don't think telling them my story would be smart, they'll think I'm crazy...I am crazy I guess...and they'll throw me overboard so I don't bring them bad luck." From the sound of her voice and the way she was acting one might almost think Hope was far younger than she obviously was, and it wouldn't be the first time that she'd exhibited such behavior either.
"Well you've proved to us that you are a very talented woman, Hope. Perhaps you could have told them part of that story, they may have found it interesting." Elanna suggests, trying to encourage the woman to open up if just a little.
"You missed my story too and how would you not want to listen to that!" She adds playfully, with a wink, trying to hide any of the uncomfortableness she is feeling in the situation.
"Well, this wine is a delight. To Cayden!" She toasts, as she finishes the glass in one and reaches down to place it on the floor, forgetting her precarious perch and topples out of the hammock. She laughs at herself a little before giving up and staying sat on the floor. "You look comfortable in there. Too comfortable to come and join me down here?"
Hope smiled a bit at the way Ela talked about her, she blushed too though the way she was peeking out made it hard to tell. When Ela fell out of the hummuck Hope couldn't help but giggle a bit at the woman's antics. After a moment or two of thought Hope said, "Alright." She squirmed around some more, hiding away the ragdoll, and then flipped open her bedroll. She quickly crawled out of it and sat on the floor facing the other woman.
Viralane remains fully fixated on Fioralba, drinking in her every word and expression.
Meanwhile, Sursha turns to Corla. "Corla, maybe you have a tale to tell as well?"
The halfling bows. "Apologies, Captain, but my history pales in comparison to that of my illustrious mistress. I will thank you for the delicious food, but I'll defer in lieu of Miss Barvisai."
"You are too kind, Corla. Indeed, I have many tales of my performances I could share," Viralane says. "Before I had really made a name for myself, I was in Oppara, portraying the maidservant girl of Duchess Amalaya in a production of A Soldier of Zimar. A Druman kalistocrat was so taken by my performance in this relatively minor role one evening that he promised me my weight in gemstones if I would consent to be his wife. I've never been so delighted to be on the heavier side of the scale. Alas, the man had the most vexing habit of breathing with his mouth open and he had the oiliest beard, so I was not tempted in the least by his offer. And of course, there was the matter of his wife. He would first have to have the poor thing murdered, which he seemed perfectly willing to arrange. Told me he'd have one of his footmen strangle her that very night with a scarf I had gifted him from my costume—he said I needed only give him a kiss on his cheek and the deed was done. Of course I let her know of her husband's opinion of her soon thereafter, but can you believe the gall of some men? Positively dreadful."
Screaming Moon can't help but pay attention to the songstress's story. At first he cringes internally at her nonchalant dismissal of Corla, then has to concentrate so as not to roll his eyes at the narcissistic story.
As she reaches the end of the story, his face pales in horror, as he is not sure whether she was upset that the man wanted to kill his wife or that he intended to dirty the scarf in the act.
Quickly pushing back his chair, he makes excuses. "My apologies, Captain, but I don't believe I am accustomed to the boat yet. I need some fresh air."
Turning, he quickly strides out of the room and up to the deck. Ruby Meadow looks longingly at the unfinished plate of food and follows after him.
Happy that the woman joined her, Elanna shrugs her shoulders. "So what do you think we can do for fun on a boat like this with no inn to speak of?" She says, showing her lack of imagination for excitement. She usually has two answers for a good time, and at least she realises that neither are called for in the current situation.
With the Shoantis' departure, only Fioralba and Triel remain at the dinner table with the other guests. Sursha asks Viralane for a song, but the actress demurs, instead picking up her flirtations with Fio again.
With everybody having had a chance to speak, the conversation turns to small talk as you finish your dessert. Sursha gently prods Viralane to sing a few more times, and once all the wine is gone, the actress finally relents. "Okay, you've twisted my arm enough! I prefer the acoustics of the open sea, though. Let us adjourn to the main deck."
Viralane leads the way to the ship's main mast, Corla dutifully attending to her fluttering skirts. The actress clears her throat. "From the Taldan opera, Daughter of Orlos, the final aria of its tragic heroine, Miriam." Viralane closes her eyes briefly, and her enchanting smile is replaced by a face that reflects desperate, heart-wrenching sorrow. She sings, slowly opening her eyes and throwing her left arm out in a graceful motion.
"Father! Thy grasping has cost you the most precious of your possessions. Hear me now, for my words are a gift at parting!" Viralane turns to the rigging and climbs as high as the crow's nest thirty feet above, singing a haunting melody as she ascends. When she reaches the top, she sings the words, "Avarice! Thy price is the empty dark!"
Elanna shrugs her shoulders again and looks at Hope for a moment, considering whether she should tell the truth or make up one of her fanciful stories.
Getting a feeling that Hope wouldn't appreciate or necessarilly believe her anyway, she settles for the truth. "Well to be honest Hope, Fi and I didn't really get up to much before the troubles back at Roderic's Cove. We were bored out of our minds in our town which was just a bunch of dead ends and thought we'd try our luck elsewhere." Grimacing slightly, she concludes; "Not sure it was worth it until we have caught onto the whole current investigation. It wasn't exactly what we had planned to do to try and make a name for ourselves, but I guess I guess its not far off....and I thought it'd keep Fioralba interested."
Not in the mood to share much else, she leans back against a wooden crate. "This boat ride could sure do with some spicing up and more liquor."
Viralane throws her arms wide and leaps from the crow's nest to a collective gasp from the gathering as she plummets towards the deck! The shock swiftly passes as she completes her character's beautiful aria of sacrificial suicide, "Full Purse, Empty Heart," while descending in slow motion--the effects of a feather fall spell. She lands gently on the deck, releasing a large crimson cloth she'd hidden in her complex outfit to symbolize the character's brutal arrival on the ground (certainly indicating Viralane had planned this dramatic performance all along, despite her many protestations about singing during dinner).
There is stunned silence for a few moments, then Beckwood begins a slow clap. Sursha, Eddi, and the other sailors on deck quickly join the clap as it intensifies, and Viralane smiles and bows graciously to the sound of their fervent applause.
Admittedly, Viralane's performance wasn't something Triel was expecting. Her singing was quite nice, and it's clear that put a lot of effort and talent into her acting...
...but when she started climbing up into the crow's nest, something about the way she drew their attention caused Vindir to stir in her mind.
Don't be careless. Whose eyes are on her now?
The question causes her to look about as Viralane ascends.
By the time she floats down to the deck and completes her performance, Triel is clapping along with the others, but not as vehemently.