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 Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 11:25 am
Brakus was still on the railing, his eyes on the distant horizon and the pipe still smoking in his tight clenched mouth when he saw a distant flash. He paused for a moment and watched intently, his eye narrowing against the glare of the sun. Then a moment later, the flashing came again. A short, swift flash of blue that only lasted a second and would have been missed if you weren’t looking for it. Brakus blinked to make sure his eyes were seeing all this correctly and then it came again. A short, swift flash and Brakus breathed hard into his pipe and a billowing of smoke arose. He continued to lean there for a moment longer before he scratched his neck with one hand and moved his chain around slightly as he waited for the flash to come again. But it didn’t and Brakus readjusted his chain and shook his head to clear his eyes and his head.
He arched his stiff back then, to stretch it, and then he felt his stomach growl. He looked down at his gut and shrugged as he put the weight of his body on his feet again and moved toward the hatch that led bellow to the galley and kitchen. He still had a few preparations to finish before dinner and he began humming an old dwarven tune about beer and rocks as he descended the rocking, creaking wooden stairs and made his was along to the galley, the blue glimmer on the horizon already gone from his mind, as he thought of what should go along with with the stew that he needed to be heated.
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Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 1:23 pm
((Essentially a continuation of last post...))
"we have been called to service on this ship by the Emperor himself. The Master Aeron Deleste has spoken deeply with Emperor Torisht in recent days, and it is quite clear what our duties are." She paused and swept the room with her eyes.
"Peregre - The Blessed Land - has been rumored as truth. We have set our sails for this new place, following the coordinates that we have obtained through trusted sources. Once there, we will establish a small colony - or base if you prefer - and explore the surrounding territory."
Her eyes narrowed as she said this, studying the reactions - however mild - of those in the room. "We will look for resources, find anything that would benefit our Empire, and bring it back with us. This is our goal, the directions laid down by Torisht. We will not fail to find Peregre, and we will not fail to bring a piece of it home."
Her voice gained an intensity that she had barred until now. Still, she was careful not to raise her voice too high. She was supposed to trust the people on the ship, but she had been taught to watch for signs of mutiny - anything but complete cooperation and unity was unacceptable.
"This Blessed Voyage will be long and tiresome, but it will be rewarding beyond anything we can imagine. All of you are included in the innermost circle of this ship's authorities, though it does not mean you are entitled to all information. What it does mean, is that we need a pledge from each of you - that you will aid the cause of our voyage with all of your strength and will. In every way possible you must swear that your actions will not hinder our progress, nor detain the orders of the Emperor.
All the hope of our nation rests on this journey, all our chances for a better and brighter future. Therefore we need allegiance from each of you. Swear this now." She said firmly, commanding each to comply. If they did not - well, that wasn't possible. She knew that they had to have confidence in each other, and this was one of the only ways to guarantee it. She just hoped she'd done it right.
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Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:13 pm
(Sorry! Technical difficulties with my computer! Sorry!)
"Rosette, this is really bad manners to be late for your first meeting!" Chrono told her sharply.
"What, I need a map for a ship like this!"
"I know my way around here already!"
"Yeah, you're a navigator, you're supposed to be like that!"
The two were bickering all the way until they reached the meeting room. Upon that, they both immediately stopped their yelling, and entered the room with a quiet, steely anger oulsing between them.
"Sory, got a little lost around here." Rosette said, inclining her head respectfully. "We miss anything- Oh, wow..."
Rosette paused, getting a good look at the Griffin in their presence. She wasn't as used to it being around as the others were.
"Please excuse her." Chrono apoligized, "She is just... overly curious of... everything."
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Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 8:12 pm
Tanyeera listened intently as the Patroness made her speech. It was about as she expected.
She was already making plans about which bits of treasure the Patroness would be allowed to discover and which possible natural resources with maybe one of the more minor secrets extracted at great cost to make it seem like the greatest secret of all.
That was when she heard "-we need a pledge from each of you..."
Tanyeera inwardly cursed as her mind raced furiously to find a way out of this while she kept her face impassively blank. Not hard to do really, the face of dragons were not very able to convey emotion. Thus, she knew her human face would not be inclined to smile, frown, or otherwise at the first opportunity.
Most unfortunately, it was her draconic heritage causing her problems now. "I should have anticipated this." she thought glumly. A dragon's word was binding; there was no way she could give that pledge.
Or was there?
Tanyeera jounced forward. “I, Tanyeera, Dragon Sentry of this ship, pledge to defend it and its crew members from all unprovoked attack. I further pledge to do all I can for this mission, for the good of my homeland."
Her papers stated her homeland was in the Empire, the Ridgeback Mountains to be precise. When she'd begged the Harbormaster to allow her on this voyage, that was where she'd said she was from. And it was true, she'd flown to the Ridgeback Mountains from her homeland before going to see the Harbormaster.
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Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 1:19 pm
When a young woman entered, and claimed herself to be the First Mate, Zeiser wasn't all that surprised. She was young, though, and he wondered at first if she would be capable of keeping up. He immediately wiped all doubt from his mind, and considered her to be the best First Mate there ever was. If she couldn't live up to the expectations, Zeiser would have to wonder why she was allowed on the ship at such an age. Time would be the only way to discern fact from fiction. He hoped the results would be good.
Zeiser, again, was not surprised when Rhiannon and not himself, was singled out as the Captain. When she was redirected, he merely nodded at Zara, letting Rhiannon go on with her speech at the end, he made the pledge openly as one was expected to. "I pledge, as Captain of the Seraphim, to do all in my power to command the crew with the good of the ship and the Empire in mind at all times." Simple, short, and sweet. One couldn't ask for much better of a pledge unless you were begging for something of more duration and finesse. Both of which Zeiser preferred to avoid. There were a lot of things to be done, and time management was a necessity in his position. It was somewhere in the middle of all this that the Captain found time to acknowledge the arrival of their navigator and mage as well as examine all those present.
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Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 9:46 pm
Luft listened to the Captain's remark and looked over as the First Mate finally arrived. Now with the Patroness starting a speech, she gives a finely detailed layout of the mission. What gets the gryphon's attention, is the mention of scouting the land called Peregre. Her ear tufts perked slightly and her feathered head tilts to the side to regard Patroness Rhiannon with interest. A pair of humans suddenly burst into the room, one male and one female. Much to the griffin's embarrassment, the female had paused and looked straight at her. Some humans were used to a larger species, but most weren't. Luft's first reaction to this is that her ear tufts lower slightly to show her embarrassment, and then her cere actually flushes a darker shade of tan. The cere is the waxy band of skin on gryphon beaks that hold the two nostrils.
Regaining her composure, the griffin listens to the bouncing woman's pledge and is surprised to know she is, in fact, a dragon.
Now this will be interesting. Sharing the sky with a dragon...hopefully there won't be any trouble.
After the Captain gives his own pledge, Luft looks to the Seraphim's Patroness as she gives her own, simple pledge.
"I will make this ship my nest and its inhabitants my nestmates."
This is a very strong saying for any flying being. The gray gryphon was pleased that she did not slur on her s's.
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Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 9:58 pm
Tanyeera looked over at the griffin with heightened respect as she gave the pledge. That was a powerful oath, even among dragons. For a moment, Tanyeera felt just slightly guilty at having to deceive these folk, but the emotion quickly passed.
Her first allegiance was to her clan and to their homeland. Humans would not despoil Peregre as they had other lands in their search for wealth. Not as long as she had flight and fire, claws and jaws. Thus had she vowed before the Elders of her clan, and thus would she ensure.
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Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 3:32 pm
"Rosette Delias..."
"Chrono Truth..."
The [air both in turn bowed deeply to those present.
"We swear to preform to the best of our abilities for the better the people aboard this vessel, and any predicaments we may encounter in this new land. " Rosette said, looking down at the floor.
"As do I." Chrono added just the same. The two stood up, and Rosette suddenly cuffed him around the shoulders and showed the Captain a wide, toothy grin. (Lucky all her teeth are there and relatively clean.)
"So, Captain, when's the casting off party?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 5:33 pm
The cook~ Amir had to find the cook, and fast, or at least get to the store-room. Amir was completely useless in his current state: famished. It had been at least three days since he’d eaten, and his meal had consisted of stolen bread and ale. It wasn’t that Amir lacked for resources (the quality of his clothe and jewelry betrayed any façade of poverty): he had just forgotten to stop for food. The maps that were now tucked safely at his waist were worth every trick and sacrifice needed to attain it. They were by no means to be completely trustworthy, but they led to something worth a risk.
Brought to the present by a sullen growl of his stomach, Amir resumed his search. The ship was glorious, and he needn’t have listened to the awe of the harbormaster to know that every inch of it was, first off, worth more than all his ancestors combined weight in gold, and secondly, suffused with magic. His traveler’s intuition was by no means perfect, but it gave him a good sense of relativity.
He cast his gaze around the helm, but found none of the crew waving about small flags conveniently labeled “Cook!” Resigning himself for another few hours of hunger, Amir fished into his pocket and drew out his invitation. He was surprised and a little proud of the fact that he was suggested. Translator: that was his official role. All the languages of Rishvell, and the surrounding countries, even their faint nuances: all of them, he knew like his first. But the rumored Peregre, that would be a challenge. At the thought of Peregre, Amir’s thoughts returned to the maps in their protective seal-skin container, and the dubious promises of riches within.
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Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 11:20 pm
[Bleh, I'm sorry. School 'n stuff (and a club xd ) have kept me preoccupied this past week. *Thus, trying to make up for it*]
Siduri did not fancy the real world as much, and hence was not shy from trailing off from it in her mind even when elements of it turned fantastic. The gryphon caught her attention again for awhile, even as it was so close!, as well as the marvelous array of gold strewn upon the First Mate. Actually, her nose scrunched in a bit in disdain for being outmatched in jewelry. Yet, this older woman's collection was simpler than hers- no little crystals to accentuate, the gypsy's wears were far more bedazzling. In her compensating view, anyway. But the woman had a fresh sack of gold, and that should be noted for later....
As the Patroness spoke and the assembled gave their vows, she knew that this was the reason she had come to this gathering and it deserved her full attention. She smiled as it was her turn to swear, and did so with the embellishment of an elegant curtsy.
"You have a Mutoryah's word that only the best will be granted this voyage."
Wonderfully vague, wasn't it? She had picked up well on how to sway hearts with half-truths, as her delivery was as wholesome and proud as it could sound. She made her point to not mention which Mutoryah's word was given, or what benefit the voyage could gain. To honor the homeland, better it even? Rishvell could burn to the ground as far as she was concerned, once she had safely reached Peregre. That was to be her new home....and the drive for why she had taken such great measures to be aboard this ship. She wanted as far away from the country as possible, and made no plans of returning with the majestic ship when it left to bring the passengers and crew back here. And if a soul dared to question the authenticity of her vow, Siduri was well-equipped to take offense.
Looking up and about the room again after her promise, an abnormal painting caught the corners of her eyes. The eyes of the painting seemed, real- as if it were watching the proceedings of the meeting. Hmm hmm hmm....
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Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 11:30 pm
((Hey, fey_girl, just wanted to check, what species is your char? And why isn't your profile on the front page?))
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Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 10:25 am
((Amir is a human, and the profile, though run by Immortal_Goldfish, hasn't been posted.... I was a little leery of posting anything before it was put up, but he assured me that you all were in a meeting so to kind of chill on deck... So I'm chillin'. ^_^)
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Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 2:32 pm
((Cool. 3nodding Kinda bored now coz I can't think of anything to write till the Captain or I.G. accepts all our pledges and say something else.))
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Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 2:47 pm
((Kinda got busy with school, so I havent been online for a long enough time to post anything. But I'm back now!))
Zara had remained silent until now. She was still slightly embarresd at adressing the wrong captain, and was wary about attracting anymore attention then nesscary to herself. People around her began to make pledges of allegience at the request of the patroness.
Zara twisted her hands nervously behind her back listening to her bracelets bounce lightly on her wrists. 'This could pose a problem.' She could tell that she wasnt the only one in the audience around her who was reluctant to make a potentially binding pledge. However, at this point, there didn't seem to be any choice in the matter. It was at last her turn to make her oath and she hesitaed slightly, making sure to choose her words carefully.
"I, Zara Hedgecroft, First mate of the vesel 'The Seraphim, do hereby swear to uphold my duties to this ship to the best of my abilities."
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Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 3:23 pm
((I too have been busy! That and waiting for pledges to come in xD. But they're all there now, except for me. Whoo! Oh, and fey girl's profile is on the front page now... I forgot to put it up when I talked to you, sorry!))
As every pledge came in, Rhiannon felt a growing pride, and a confidence that she hadn't known since hearing of the voyage. Each seemed honest in their words - though all said different things. Some of them, especially Siduri, were fairly vague. Rhi would have to watch them, make sure any loopholes didn't provide a way for mutinous behaviour. There were always loopholes. Zara was last to swear, and Rhi gave her a nod as she finished. Now, since she began this, she must finish it.
"And I, Rhiannon Deleste, Patroness of The Seraphim swear to do all in my power to aid our voyage, to uphold our goals for the good our of Empire, and to do all that needs to be done for the furthering of our mission."
She let her words fade, leaving silence for them to sink in. For all of them to realize the weight of their words.
"All these pedges we have spoken are binding. If you do not honor your alliance, the penalty is improsonment aboard the ship - or in the worst case - death." Again, silence followed for a few moments. "I charge you all to perform the required tasks about the ship as you have been assigned. Remember that in this circle all information is private and sacred. Anything we talk of in this room shall not leave it's doors, or punishment shall fall on the accused."
She closed her hand over the handle of an axe, running her finger thoughtfully over the finely carved wood. Then she looked up with a dark shine in her eyes.
"And I warn every one of you - I do not make empty threats."
((A little long winded isn't she? Ah well. This post isn't really meant to be responded to... the meeting is adjorned right after this. But, for the sake of moving along and giving you freedom to post... I am going to now do that time skipping thingy...))
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