Family Circle log 7/22
Aug. 5th, 2006 09:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
leticiaYou say "Okay, I am a lazy, lazy GM, and did not get the log up. So to summarize: Shai got a good cargo contract from someone who thought they owned her ship, by virtue of Eclipsery, Allen and Yasutora took Ten River Winds to visit tombs (and maybe eat frozen sweets), Green Cove and Yoru got bothered by thugs and decided to come find the others. And there's a DB sitting there, but he doesn't seem to be paying any attention to people, let alone the four Solars + a tagalong DB, so."
Yasutora mmms, popsicles.
You say "And I believe Green Cove and the others are looking for frozen sweets just now?"
Green Cove [to Leti]: Ayup!
The boy who guided the three boys looks cannily at Green Cove and Yoru. "Higher price for a bigger group?" he queries hopefully.
<<OOC>> Yoru says "This wasn't the boy that guided GC and I, right?"
<<OOC>> Yasutora says "Is Yoru and GC's guide still with th- right."
<<OOC>> Leti says "No. This was some ragamuffin hanging out near the docks. GC and Yoru's guide made big, big eyes at GC, and then headed back to his mother's shop."
Yoru glances at the boy and chuckles. Looking back at Yasutora and Allen he comments, "Shouldn't your chaperone be older than you?"
Yasutora gives Yoru a -hurt- look and hands the child another silver coin. "You do indeed deserve more," he rumbles, hoping his deep voice will make him sound older.
Green Cove blinks. "Chaperones are for princesses and the boys they want to kiss," she says, and peers a little more closely at Yasutora and Allen.
Yoru pats Yasutora's arm (it would've been a shoulder pat, but well, size). At Green Cove's comment he chokes back a comment and quickly puts on a straight face. "So where are we off to then? Hopefully away from our old acquaintance back there."
Yasutora will not be dignifying THAT with a response EITHER.
<<OOC>> Leti says "Shai is currently waiting for a messenger to bring her the information on what dock on the inner harbor she'll need to pick up the cargo from and when it'll be free."
The boy accepts the coin cheerfully and chirps, "Ice sweets? This is the right district for them!" He gestures at the tomb irreverently. "This way!"
Green Cove follows along with a little spring to her step, dangling Floating Leaf's leash idly from one hand. "How do they make the ice?" she asks.
"The tomb," the boy says, cheerfully, "Don't know how they did THAT, but that was a long time ago, so who cares?"
Yasutora 's ears perk up and he follows the boy. "Oooh. What flavo- I mean, that didn't aggravate the Solar's ghost?"
Yoru definitely does not smirk there. "Do you have to go far into the tomb for the ice?" he asks of the boy.
Green Cove chews for a moment on the end of Leaf's leash, thoughtfully. Salty. "Is it ghost ice, then?"
The kid shrugs. "No one goes in, of course. Too cold, anyhow. But you can freeze anything by touching it - carefully - to the outside, so. Don't think the ghost knows or cares." He peers both directions. "I mean, they use the hot tomb over in Nighthammer for smelting." He gives the foreigners a grin, waiting to see if that shocked them. "Oh, and all sorts of flavors. Lots of fruits. Apparently they can freeze the juices too, so they don't sour in any season."
The kid blinks at Green Cove. "No?"
The kid also stops and peers at the tiger. It's easy to see the 'woah, /big kitty/' thought on his face.
Yoru hrms softly and watches Green Cove confuse yet another poor soul.
Green Cove winds the leash around her wrist. "It sounds interesting. If you chip off pieces of the tomb, do they keep on freezing elsewhere, or only if they're attached?"
"Can't chip nothing off," the boy says, "'Least I'd think if you could, people would have. Bet you freeze solid if you try."
"Interesting defenses," comments Yoru softly.
Yasutora hmms, and looks curiously at Yoru, wondering-- well, nothing he can ask in front of a mortal.
<<OOC>> Leti says "The merchant told Shai the messenger would come soon, and apparently 'soon' means 'in about a half an hour,' because about a half an hour after the man left, a young man - late teensish - in something of a uniform runs up. He's followed by a younger boy, who is likewise in sturdy clothes, but with no resemblance to the uniform, who keeps staring around like a tourist."
Yoru catches Yasutora's look and says in Flametongue, "Later."
Yasutora nods and replies in the same tongue, "It may be important," he says before returning to the Very Important Task of Looking For Popsicles.
The kid shrugs. "Oh, that's nothing. The one above ground here," (As he says this, he reaches an ice seller's stand), "Is all dark and you can't even see it and no one that goes in comes out, and there's one that just kills people dead if they get too close. Then someone comes along with a rake and pulls 'em out and sells their stuff."
Yasutora blinks. Darkness? That'd be even more appropri- "How many tombs are there?" he asks curiously.
Shai breaks off a conversation with one of her crewmembers about stores when she catches sight of the newcomers, and heads over to greet them personally, glancing with discreet curiosity at the boy as she inclines her head politely to the teenager. "Captain Sarasvati, Water Strider. Are you the messenger I was expecting?"
Yoru nods and looks around at the different ices offered. "I do hope the one that kills people is guarded to keep people from just wandering too close."
Yasutora wonders if they have... raspberry.
Raspberry is indeed offered. As is blackberry, strawberry, apple, orange, and a host of more exotic fruits.
Green Cove considers the ice seller's stand very carefully, pondering the available flavors. "I bet there are guides who lead people right to it, paid by the people withe rakes," she says. She points at one of the ices she doesn't recognize. "What does that taste like?"
Yasutora makes a beeline for the raspberries, and hopes they have extra-large sizes.
Allen blinks. "That's reprehensible. Does that actually happen?" he asks their guide.
Yasutora puts a hand on Allen's shoulder. "This is Nexus, my brother."
Yoru comments, "I wouldn't be surprised." Looking at the ices he chooses a darker colored one, "I'll have one of these."
Allen shakes his head in disgust and looks the ices over.
Back at the ship, the messenger nods. "Yes, captain." He fishes in his uniform for a small folded paper, which he hands her. "The Rauna group dock is where you'll be loading, and it should be clear and free in about forty-five minutes." The paper repeats the information, and identifies the bearer for the benefit of the dockhands as to which cargo should be loaded.
Shai takes the paper, reading it over, and nods, tucking it into her tunic. "Good; we'll be there." She flashes a smile at the messenger. "Anything else?"
Their guide shrugs. "Sure. And if you wander into the wrong alleys, someone might try to break your skull to take your stuff. Same deal." He waves a hand. "There are warning signs of sorts. Skulls and stuff. Part of the tomb. Shouldn't catch anyone who's paying attention."
Ices are available in various sizes, from small and dainty to quite large. It is, after all, just a matter of the size of container. When ordered, ice flakes are scooped out of a bin, dumped in a mixing bowl, and mixed with flavoring, put into a smaller bowl and handed over with a wooden spoon. Though it is seasonably warm in Nexus as a whole, there's a cool draft from the front of the stall, the proprietor wears a coat, and a tunnel at the back leads down into the ground towards the buried tomb.
Green Cove finally points to three flavors in turn. "Those, mixed," she says. "In whatever's big." She looks down at Floating Leaf. "Did you want an ice too? I don't think they have anything bloody at this stall."
Yasutora looms over the seller and indicates the raspberry. "How large can you get it?" he asks, big, puppyish eyes shining.
The messenger shakes his head. The boy who followed him, however, steps forward. "Umm, captain?" he asks, obviously not entirely sure of himself.
Yoru orders a small of the blackberry and seems content with that now. While eating the ice he will observe the tomb.
Ices are had, and mixed, and passed over as long as coins are passed in return. The shopkeeper eyes the tiger dubiously, and comments that some cats like sweet things. He could do a milk ice, too.
Shai nods to the messenger -- and tilts her head at the boy, reflexively giving him a reassuring smile. "Yes?"
Yasutora sets out to immediately devour his sweet ice as soon as he has paid for it. His hungry devouring is something to be seen-- like a frenzied, gigantic, landshark. In between destroying the poor, unfortunate ice, he comments in flametongue to Yoru, "Do you *MUNCHMUNCHMUNCH* think any *CRUNCHSLURPGULPMUTILATE* of us are *CHOMP!* buried here?"
The boy bobs his head to Shai, and says, "My master sent me along to ask if you'd be willing to take him as a passenger. We're headed Great Forks way and the merchant thought it might work."
<<OOC>> Green Cove heehee.
Green Cove agrees that a sweet ice would be very nice for Leaf, and then turns to nibbling at her ice.
Shai purses her lips, consideringly. "With the cargo, crew, and passengers, it'd be a bit of a tight squeeze, but... Who's your master, boy?"
Allen is a bit more neat about devouring his ice, an enormous one with several berry flavours, but it still disappears rapidly. He raises an eyebrow at his friends speaking a language he doesn't know, and asides to Green Cove in Old Realm, "We'll have to ask them later, what they're speaking of."
Yoru is not quite as voracious as Yasutora in devouring his ice. He savors it a bit more and lets it melt in his mouth. In Flametongue he replies. "I am not sure. I could definitely see one of them as suiting me now... I am unsure how well it suited my other self." He says this quietly so hopefully it will not travel to the wrong ears.
Green Cove has acquired a wide smear of juice across her face. "If it's interesting, they'll tell us," she says. "Or we'll find out. Maybe they want to lead people to the tomb that kills everyone near it too."
Yasutora nods quietly to Yoru, and looks around to see who's nearby other than his circlemates.
Allen offers Green Cove a piece of rag torn off the fluttering assemblage over his armour. "I might believe that of Yoru," he says ruefully, "but I do not think Yasutora would. And I would stop them, if they wanted to."
The boy bobs. "His name is Nai Kan, Captain. He said a cargo ship would be acceptable accommodations."
<<OOC>> Leti says "Per+Awa roll, Yasutora. ;p"
<<DICE>> Yasutora rolls 3 dice: <2 2 6> for 0 successes.
<<OOC>> Yasutora says "nein, nil, zip!"
<<OOC>> Leti says "The only person you see near the group is the guide."
<<OOC>> Leti says "He's not letting you out of sight until he's shown you all the tombs and gotten fully paid! :p"
<<OOC>> Yoru says "Despite that lynch mob that is right behind you."
Yasutora turns to Allen and Green Cove and says in Riverspeak, "Something occurred to me." He lowers his voice in volume and continues, "I was wondering if any of these tombs were ours; Yoru, for example, might fit with either the cold or the dark."
Shai looks considering. "And what is he offering for the transport?"
Green Cove takes the rag and wipes her face clean. Three bites later, she vaguely recalls child etiquette, and drops Allen a little curtsy. (It doesn't work that well with a cloak instead of a skirt, but the effort is well.) "Thank you kindly," she says, and returns to her ice.
Yoru leans in towards the rest of the group, "I'm not sure how well cold would befit me, I just think it is a good defense."
Yoru takes a moment to see what Ten River Winds is doing, as well as to see if that other annoying DB is still in sight.
<<OOC>> Leti says "It's a reasonable price, Shai. Perhaps just a bit on the higher side of reasonable, but."
<<OOC>> Leti says "Ten River Winds is sitting there listening to you all. He counts as part of the 'group' as far as I'm concerned at the moment, since he knows what you are anyhow. :p"
<<OOC>> Shai nods. "And I'm not wrong in thinking the Strider still has space enough for one more passenger, despite crew + Circle + cargo?"
Allen smiles at Cove. "You're welcome," he says, and then tilts his head at Yasutora. "It is possible," he says quietly.
Green Cove licks melting juice off her knuckles. "Do we want to go look inside? And how would we tell if they were?"
<<OOC>> Leti says "Right. Things might get a little squishy - there's three passenger cabins, but one's only been holding Green Cove (and tiger) and they could easily squish either in with the crew - where GC was sleeping enroute to the place, anyhow - or Shai's cabin."
Yasutora says, as quietly as he can, "Perhaps on our tours, we'll be able to tell.
<<OOC>> Yoru says "Is the guide-boy still around?"
<<OOC>> Shai says "Right!"
<<OOC>> Leti says "Yes. He's watching you curiously, but doesn't seem to be able to hear."
Yoru finishes his ice and hands the bowl back to the vendor. Turning to their guide he asks, "Are there any tombs that are safe to go in? Unfinished ones, plundered ones, or just ones that seem not to care if they are disturbed."
Shai takes a moment to consider logistics, then nods. "All right, if he's willing to deal with the--limited accommodations, we can take him. We'll be docking at Rauna, and should be setting sail tomorrow morning, if all goes well with the cargo."
The kid shrugs. "If it's safe and empty, it's already occupied," he says. "There's Firewander, for stuff that's not quite as sure to kill you."
Yoru ahs softly. "So in other words, if it's empty it is a palace, inn, or whatnot, yes?"
The boy nods. "Yeah. Lots of old stuff around but most of it's moved in; why leave it empty if it's safe? The tombs can't be, so people use 'em other ways like for ice, and Firewander's all sorts of weird."
Yoru nods. "How odd is 'all sorts of weird'? I'm not looking to go there, but it is interesting to learn everything that has been done to keep the dead happy."
The servant nods. "Thank you, Captain. He'll meet you at the Rauna dock. I have to go tell him now."
Yasutora hrmphs. "I still want to see the BIG tombs first though!" he reminds Yoru.
The kid shakes his head. "Firewander's not a tomb, I mean, it's probably got tombs in it, but if it does, they're not so well known. Wyld stuff, all over."
Yoru grins at Yasutora. "Of course. But seeing is different than going in." He gives a their guide a pointed glance. We are just average people sight-seeing, yeppers.
Yoru ahs at the kid. "The Wyld of course qualifies for 'all sorts of weird'."
Green Cove says, hopefully, "Maybe we'll meet more ghosts." She's in favor of this, really. The last ghost she met gave her presents and pointed her at where to get more. With any luck, the trend might continue.
Shai nods back, and waits politely for the two messengers to start off before she heads back to the ship. Once there, she explains the situation to the crew, and sets people to work preparing to switch docks and so on. Meanwhile, she sends one of the crewmembers to arrange for a messenger to track down the rest of the Circle: essentially, "have a cargo and a possible passenger, docking at Rauna for the night, planning to sail tomorrow morning or afternoon unless something's come up with the rest of you?"
Yoru gives Green Cove a Look. "Perhaps we should go on to see the other tombs. Any you really wanted to see, big guy?" He directs this at Yasutora of course.
Green Cove hands her empty bowl back to the vendor. "The last time I was in a city," she says, "I didn't go visit any tombs. Maybe this time I'll manage to get there. I was going to, but..." She waves vaguely. "Pirates, and buildings falling down. I got distracted and forgot."
Yasutora buys another raspberry ice and then turns to the others and the guide. "Shall we head on to the next tomb?" he asks cheerfully.
When everyone's ready to go, the boy is willing enough to lead you on to the next tomb which is the Tomb of Red Hot Iron - you can't actually see the tomb - it's been built over by an iron-smelter, which uses it as a heat source. Near the heart of the industrial district, there's little of other interest to tourists. The boy cheerfully tells you that the smelter is a safety feature, really, since anything that touches the tomb directly burns up or melts if it possibly can.
Yoru idly mentions it sounds more like a tomb for a Fire Dragonblood than a Solar.
The boy shrugs. "Wouldn't know 'bout that. That was a long time ago. Bet no one really knows."
Green Cove considers the tomb. "They should have written that sort of thing down on the tomb outside," she says. "So people could know later."
Yoru shrugs too. "So there's a tomb of fire, one of ice, one of dark. Are there tombs of blinding light or ones that turn you to stone too?"
Yasutora says "I don't think they wanted people to come back afterwards. Though it might serve for a Zenith, though I know... er... right."
"The one drops you dead," the boy says, "And one has ghosts that kill people, and one has knives that kill people."
The boy shrugs. "They all kill people."
Yoru chuckles darkly, "So I've noticed."
The boy says, "I think that was the point. They didn't want no one getting in. They say they was built by Dragon-blooded way back when to put Solars in, but, 'course, no one what says that was there, so who knows. Maybe they're all empty. Maybe some clever thief already robbed 'em all but no one noticed outside."
Green Cove tilts her head to one side. "They built tombs that killed people. I wonder if they used to live in houses that healed people. It would make as much sense."
The kid shrugs. "You'd have to ask some scholar or something. I just know 'bout now."
The boy looks around the street outside the smelter. "So, err, the next tomb, or wanna watch this one some more?"
Yasutora looks at the others. "Any hints?" he inquires of them.
Green Cove wrinkles her nose at the forge. "This one is boring," she says. "Let's go to the one with the knives. That sounds more interesting."
Yoru will let himself be lead away from the current tomb, though he asks about it. "So do they make good weapons at that smithy? Armor? More mundane items?"
The kid shrugs. "Mostly iron ingots, I think," he says. He peers at Green Cove. "We can go to that one I guess, but it'd be skipping past the other two. " He looks at Yasutora, who's the one paying him. "What do you want to do?"
Yasutora says "Let's go through them in order. Takes less time that way."
Yoru ahs. "Just smelting there." He shakes his head. "There were some very odd builders back in the old age it seems." This is said mostly to himself.
The kid nods and points east. "This way, then!" And off he goes.
Yasutora strides after the kid and tries to not look TOO much like a tourist. "So, what do you think your workshop will look like, Green Cove?" he inquires of the princess twilight.
Yoru elbows Yasutora and glares at him and then nods towards their guide. In Flametongue he asks, "Don't you think asking that here is a bit... dangerous?"
<<OOC>> Leti says "When you get the ship across the harbor to the other dock, dockhands glance at the paper and begin carrying the cargo onboard; about ten minutes into the loading, the servant who was looking for passage comes out on the deck, following a tall red haired man."
Give me a Int+Awa roll, Shai? ^^
<<DICE>> Shai rolls 3 dice: <4 7 8> for 2 successes.
Green Cove presses her lips together. "There will be birds," she says. "And maybe fish." She thinks a little longer. "Maybe also pits full of poisoned spikes with ceilings that lower from above if you step in the wrong place, too. I'm hoping for the fish, mostly. Especially if they fly."
Yasutora shakes his head at Yoru and replies, "Who would know, precisely?"
Yasutora hmms. "Flying fish would be neat. All things considered, they'd probably be poisonous, too."
Green Cove smiles. "I hope so."
Yoru replies to Yasutora, explaining in Flametongue still, "I just worry what she will say. She does say odd things after all." Switching back to Rivertongue he grins, "Flying fish would indeed be interesting. The ceiling and spikes less so."
Green Cove shakes her head. "No, the ceiling and spikes would be interesting too. I think I would have made them interesting. Pictures on the walls of the pits, and pretty spikes."
<<OOC>> Leti says "Okay, Shai. He's got a huge red-jade daiklave on his back, so you can pretty well guess he's an essence-wielder of some kind. The reddish coloration may indicate Dragon-blooded. But it might not, too."
Shai ...does _not_ facepalm. But does give silent thanks to Sol Invictus that Yasutora learned how to make his armor go invisible. She continues directing and assisting with the loading until the presumable-DB approaches her; after all, he might just be taking a look at the ship that presumably-he will be traveling on.
The man does approach Shai. He nods politely. "Captain Sarasvati? I'm Nai Kan." If Shai has her hands free, he holds out one of his as he greets her.
<<OOC>> Leti says "Okay, the next tomb is... well. There's a large plaza. It's got an iron fence. There are some people lurking around the edges with rakes. And a great big pile of skulls in the center - three stories tall, even. You can't miss it."
Green Cove looks the pile of skulls up and down. "I hope my tomb isn't so ugly," she mutters.
"Well, that one certainly looks like a tomb," remarks Yoru. Catching sight of the people with the rakes he adds, "And there are the vultures."
Shai passes what she was doing off to someone else convenient, and does shake hands, with a polite smile. "Ah, you'd be the one looking for transport, then?" She glances at his daiklave, deliberately not trying to hide the look, before she turns back to Nai Kan. "We have a few other passengers already, so it'll be a bit tight, and the schedule might be tricky," she informs him, professionally. "But we can make the space, if you're willing to live with that. Ah, may I ask how the Strider came to your attention?"
The boy points at the fence. "Don't go over that."
Yasutora frowns for a moment, looking out at the tomb. He walks up to the edge of the fence as indicated and looks back at the others. "Anything?"
Green Cove makes an indignant little noise, and turns her back on the tomb. "It's ugly," she says.
The man nods. "I am. I'm also not particularly picky. I've sailed on cargo ships before. We can bring our own food if it's necessary, too, and stay out of your way as much as possible. There simply haven't been a lot of ships sailing towards Great Forks lately - pirate problems have been getting worse, and the good merchant had agreed to tell me when he found someone to carry his cargo."
Yoru will walk up to the fence as well to take a closer look at the building.
<<OOC>> Yoru says "Oh high and mighty ST, would Lore help here at all?"
<<OOC>> Leti says "For what in particular? Tell me what you're trying to remember or figure out and make an int+lore roll, anyhow. :)"
<<OOC>> Yoru says "To figure out why the place kills people :)"
<<OOC>> Yoru says "And if I could remember anything of this place, like say being buried there, that'd be nifty."
Shai chuckles, and nods. "That explains it. Mm, bringing your own food would help. I _can_ get you a cabin to yourself, at least..." And makes a mental note to apologize to whomever gets kicked out, before she replays the conversation and frowns slightly. "We? How many people were you hoping to bring aboard?"
<<DICE>> Yoru rolls 5 dice: <3 3 8 8 9> for 3 successes.
The man gestures behind him. "Myself and the boy," he says.
<<OOC>> Green Cove doesn't mind sharing a cabin! ...whether other people mind sharing a cabin with her and Leaf is another matter.
<<OOC>> Leti says "The crew's used to Floating Leaf, entirely. :p"
<<OOC>> Shai .oO(This, clearly, is why the Circle should stick together. So people can poke the Captain when she doesn't realize how _high_ the odds are of something going bad. (She's fully aware that this _could_ go bad, but, um, yes.) Heh.)
<<OOC>> Shai giggles! "Eh, the crew handled it on the way up, and Shai's willing to offer hers--yes, exactly." ^_^
<<OOC>> Yoru scratches Leaf behind the ears, "You're just a big, cute kitty cat aren't you." *oh look, I lost an arm*
<<OOC>> Leti says "Well, the skulls are enchanted - the way the story goes, if you go into the square during the day, you drop dead, and if your body doesn't get fished out, it turns to dust and blows away. If you go in at NIGHT, fire shoots from the eyes of the skulls and consumes you. Whatever enchantment fuels them is probably inside."
<<OOC>> Leti says "What, exactly, causes such abrupt death is probably something to do with Essence-swallowing."
Yoru shakes his head. "I don't know why it kills people, other than it is meant to. I am not skilled at sorcery after all."
<<OOC>> Leti says "...It should be noted that no one's known an Exalt or god-blooded or other essence wielder to successfully get in, either, so."
<<OOC>> Yoru .oO(I will not touch the fence and use Image of Death Technique. I will not touch the fence...)
Shai allows a flicker of relief, and nods. "Two we can handle, if you don't mind sharing the cabin." She cocks an eyebrow. "And how soon were you hoping to get to Great Forks? We should be leaving tomorrow and there's no more _planned_ detours on the way, but if something comes up with my other passengers... well." She shrugs, with a slightly rueful expression, as if to say 'you know what business is like'.
<<OOC>> Leti says "Mind, one presumes no Solars have tried, but one also assumes the mid-usurpation DBs didn't give them any DELIBERATE loopholes. ;p"
Yasutora shakes his head at Yoru. "Not precisely what I meant, but good enough." He waves cheerfully at their guide and marches on up. "Next!
Yoru shrugs and heads after the group. "Sorry folks, no show today," he calls out to those with the rakes.
Green Cove mutters to herself as she leaves, "If I wanted something boring and ugly that kills people, I could find a stick. And the stick would be more interesting."
The man nods. "I expected as much regarding the cabin. As for timing, 'As soon as convenient' would be a good description. There is no particular deadline, and if you leave tomorrow, that makes yours the first ship I've found, therefore tomorrow will be good enough."
The guide looks relieved none of you decided to get closer - he rather suspects his pay would get cut in that case - and he leads on. He warns you as you go that the next tomb is on the edges of Firewander, so, you have to kinda keep your eyes open.
Allen nods seriously. "I will keep watch," he assures the boy.
En-route, you pass an immaculate shrine, something of a embassy for the immaculate faith to the Heathens of Nexus. There are a number of monks wandering around the square outside it, trying to strike up casual conversations of conversion with passeryby. This is probably why most passerby - including you, as the boy leads you - take a detour around it.
Yoru sniffs as if smelling something foul while looking at the monks.
Shai considers, then nods. "All right. When were you planning to come aboard? I won't know for certain when we can leave till my other passengers are back, though it should be tomorrow morning or afternoon. So unless you don't mind waiting on board, it might be easiest to, oh, send a messenger over at dawn tomorrow, perhaps? At worst, I can send her back with our departure time -- and if you find someone leaving earlier, of course, I won't hold you to the deal." She grins, briefly. "Although if it turns out we can leave _sooner_ than I expect and you're not on board already, I'd need it to be worth my while to wait for you."
Yasutora restrains his urge to proselytize the monks back. He suspects it wouldn't go over so well yet. >_>
<<OOC>> Leti says "Well, that all depends on how hard you Zenith. ;)"
<<OOC>> Yoru says "Just what he needs, another way to attract attention. :p"
<<OOC>> Shai says "It could be worse! He could have Beacon of Power."
<<OOC>> Leti says "And permanent Castemark, and Known Anathema."
<<OOC>> Yoru shifty-eyes.
<<OOC>> Leti has a Dawn with all three of the above. >_>
<<OOC>> Shai says "That too!"
<<OOC>> Shai _giggles_.
The would-be passenger nods. "Fair enough. I'm staying in an inn," he names a place just a short distance from this set of docks and warehouses, "and if you're able to sail early, we should be ready to leave in a few hours and if you send someone for us after that, we probably would delay you barely at all."
Shai nods back. "That should work, then."
Yoru remains quiet as they head to the next tomb.
The next tomb is..., well, it's not going to relieve any of Green Cove's worries about ugly tombs. It is a ugly grey vault of plain stone, a crude lumpen building sticking out from a wide open space that at one time was tiled, but which, over the years, has lost more and more tiles to weather. The noise it makes is not particularly pretty either. Even before you can see it, you can hear the atonal chanting of the twenty spirits that continually circle it.
<<OOC>> Yoru says "The spirits are visible?"
<<OOC>> Leti says "Yes. This does not mean that they are necessarily material, but they can be seen. Sort of ghostly-like. *nods*"
Green Cove glowers at the tomb. "Whoever built these was no good at making things," she says, and ignores it in favor of scritching Floating Leaf.
Your guide points at the ground. "Don't want to go too close," he says, "Or they'll tear you up."
Yasutora gets a -very- interested look. "What's this one's name?" he asks while considering options.
Yoru reaches over to pat Green Cove. "But at least this one has ghosts. Doesn't that make up for the ugly tomb?"
Nai Kan nods to Shai. "I'll get out of your way, then, and go shopping for food. Thank you, Captain."
Green Cove sighs. "But they're not even interesting ghosts," she says. "I suppose it's better than just skulls."
"They call it the Tomb of Keening Spirits," the kid says, "Which is pretty apt. There's a tomb, there's spirits that won't shut up. They say it used to be a lot louder back when. That's why people live closer to it now."
Yasutora turns to look at Yoru and Shai?
<<OOC>> Yasutora says "er, Yoru and Allen."
"Thank me after you're at Great Forks." Shai grins, and waits for the presumable-DB to leave before heading back aboard. She arranges to pass by Jay with a muttered, "TWO Dragons onboard? I'm _insane_," and to send a crewmember belowdecks to clear out Cove's cabin (moving things into Shai's), before rejoining the cargo-loaders.
Yoru gives Green Cove another pat and looks at the others. "Anyone understand what they are saying?"
<<OOC>> Leti says "And this one fireblooded, if anything, Shai. ;)"
<<OOC>> Leti says "Mrph."
<<OOC>> Leti says "The spirits are - as Allen and Green Cove can translate - chanting a funeral dirge (more of an incantation to bind deep slumber and prevent restless spirit wandering, to aid passage into Lethe than some kind of mourning) in Old Realm. This is, perhaps, slightly ironic coming from ghosts, but perhaps the DBs who built it were worried about bigger and badder ghosts."
Allen nods to Yoru. "It is only a funeral dirge," he says. "To bind spirits."
Yoru hrms softly at what he learns. "I wonder if they can talk to us at all or if they are bound to this task and killing people."
Green Cove says "It must be very boring after death to be bound to one task. I would rather die all the way then go wandering around making noise."
Green Cove rubs her nose, and shifts to standing on one foot. "But then," she says, after a moment, "if one must be bound to something after death, perhaps killing people would be some sort of amusement."
Yasutora ponders. "I could -try- to send them away," he says softly. "But if it belongs to someone else, perhaps I shouldn't."
Yoru smirks, "Not to mention ruining one of the prime attractions of Nexus."
Yasutora sniffs. He doesn't have a high opinion of the city. His momma always said it was a wretched hive of scum and villainy, almost more corrupt than the Realm.
The boy watches the four Solars curiously. "It's more interesting than the one under the smelter, huh?"
Yasutora nods cheerfully. "Much more! I wonder who those poor spirits were."
Yoru moves a little closer, not much mind you, and waves at the ghosts. "Any of you up for a chat?" he calls out.
As you all hang out and talk, one of Shai's sailors - you should all recognize at this point, especially GC - wanders up, peering around. He moves quicker and heads straight for you when he sees you.
None of the spirits respond to Yoru. The boy looks nervous. "If you go much closer," he says, "They'll attack you." He points where the broken tiling starts.
Yoru glances at the boy and grins, "Don't worry. I've no wish to fight ghosts. Just curious if any were allowed to do anything else. Course, they might only understand Old Realm or whatever." Shrugging he heads back to the rest of the group.
Yasutora says "On to the next tomb then!"
Yasutora gives Yoru and GC and Allen "covert" significant nods.
The sailor comes over and tries to get Allen's attention.
Yoru is oblivious to the sailor, or seems to be. "Sounds like a plan," he replies to Yasutora.
Allen frowns for a moment, attempting to place the man's face, then nods and smiles as he recalls. "A message from Shai?" he asks the sailor.
"The Captain wanted me to tell you that she's got a cargo and a probably passenger, the ship's moved to the Rauna group's dock, and the plan is to sail tomorrow," the sailor informs Allen, "and I had to walk clear around the city looking for you folks."
<<OOC>> Leti says "Allen is a logical choice. The sailors have known Green Cove longest, but she's a bit... disconnected sometimes, and Allen second longest, so."
<<OOC>> Green Cove says "That's a very polite way of describing GC, it is."
Yasutora listens politely to the sailor, and turns back to the boy, fishing in his pockets for the rest of the payment. "I suspect we should end here, and discuss matters with our captain."
The sailor shrugs. "Ship's not going anywhere for a while, take your time. She just wanted you to know where to find it when you came back."
Green Cove swaps feet, and frowns. "But what about the one with the knives?" she asks plaintively.
The boy looks between them all, and says, "That's in Bastion, and it's halfway to the docks anyhow. The Nexus docks, not the Nighthammer ones."
Yasutora ponders. "Shall we, then?" he asks his compatriots cheerfully.
Yoru says "I have no objection."
*ST note: I retconned a few lines of fastforwarding here for the start of the next session.
Yasutora mmms, popsicles.
You say "And I believe Green Cove and the others are looking for frozen sweets just now?"
Green Cove [to Leti]: Ayup!
The boy who guided the three boys looks cannily at Green Cove and Yoru. "Higher price for a bigger group?" he queries hopefully.
<<OOC>> Yoru says "This wasn't the boy that guided GC and I, right?"
<<OOC>> Yasutora says "Is Yoru and GC's guide still with th- right."
<<OOC>> Leti says "No. This was some ragamuffin hanging out near the docks. GC and Yoru's guide made big, big eyes at GC, and then headed back to his mother's shop."
Yoru glances at the boy and chuckles. Looking back at Yasutora and Allen he comments, "Shouldn't your chaperone be older than you?"
Yasutora gives Yoru a -hurt- look and hands the child another silver coin. "You do indeed deserve more," he rumbles, hoping his deep voice will make him sound older.
Green Cove blinks. "Chaperones are for princesses and the boys they want to kiss," she says, and peers a little more closely at Yasutora and Allen.
Yoru pats Yasutora's arm (it would've been a shoulder pat, but well, size). At Green Cove's comment he chokes back a comment and quickly puts on a straight face. "So where are we off to then? Hopefully away from our old acquaintance back there."
Yasutora will not be dignifying THAT with a response EITHER.
<<OOC>> Leti says "Shai is currently waiting for a messenger to bring her the information on what dock on the inner harbor she'll need to pick up the cargo from and when it'll be free."
The boy accepts the coin cheerfully and chirps, "Ice sweets? This is the right district for them!" He gestures at the tomb irreverently. "This way!"
Green Cove follows along with a little spring to her step, dangling Floating Leaf's leash idly from one hand. "How do they make the ice?" she asks.
"The tomb," the boy says, cheerfully, "Don't know how they did THAT, but that was a long time ago, so who cares?"
Yasutora 's ears perk up and he follows the boy. "Oooh. What flavo- I mean, that didn't aggravate the Solar's ghost?"
Yoru definitely does not smirk there. "Do you have to go far into the tomb for the ice?" he asks of the boy.
Green Cove chews for a moment on the end of Leaf's leash, thoughtfully. Salty. "Is it ghost ice, then?"
The kid shrugs. "No one goes in, of course. Too cold, anyhow. But you can freeze anything by touching it - carefully - to the outside, so. Don't think the ghost knows or cares." He peers both directions. "I mean, they use the hot tomb over in Nighthammer for smelting." He gives the foreigners a grin, waiting to see if that shocked them. "Oh, and all sorts of flavors. Lots of fruits. Apparently they can freeze the juices too, so they don't sour in any season."
The kid blinks at Green Cove. "No?"
The kid also stops and peers at the tiger. It's easy to see the 'woah, /big kitty/' thought on his face.
Yoru hrms softly and watches Green Cove confuse yet another poor soul.
Green Cove winds the leash around her wrist. "It sounds interesting. If you chip off pieces of the tomb, do they keep on freezing elsewhere, or only if they're attached?"
"Can't chip nothing off," the boy says, "'Least I'd think if you could, people would have. Bet you freeze solid if you try."
"Interesting defenses," comments Yoru softly.
Yasutora hmms, and looks curiously at Yoru, wondering-- well, nothing he can ask in front of a mortal.
<<OOC>> Leti says "The merchant told Shai the messenger would come soon, and apparently 'soon' means 'in about a half an hour,' because about a half an hour after the man left, a young man - late teensish - in something of a uniform runs up. He's followed by a younger boy, who is likewise in sturdy clothes, but with no resemblance to the uniform, who keeps staring around like a tourist."
Yoru catches Yasutora's look and says in Flametongue, "Later."
Yasutora nods and replies in the same tongue, "It may be important," he says before returning to the Very Important Task of Looking For Popsicles.
The kid shrugs. "Oh, that's nothing. The one above ground here," (As he says this, he reaches an ice seller's stand), "Is all dark and you can't even see it and no one that goes in comes out, and there's one that just kills people dead if they get too close. Then someone comes along with a rake and pulls 'em out and sells their stuff."
Yasutora blinks. Darkness? That'd be even more appropri- "How many tombs are there?" he asks curiously.
Shai breaks off a conversation with one of her crewmembers about stores when she catches sight of the newcomers, and heads over to greet them personally, glancing with discreet curiosity at the boy as she inclines her head politely to the teenager. "Captain Sarasvati, Water Strider. Are you the messenger I was expecting?"
Yoru nods and looks around at the different ices offered. "I do hope the one that kills people is guarded to keep people from just wandering too close."
Yasutora wonders if they have... raspberry.
Raspberry is indeed offered. As is blackberry, strawberry, apple, orange, and a host of more exotic fruits.
Green Cove considers the ice seller's stand very carefully, pondering the available flavors. "I bet there are guides who lead people right to it, paid by the people withe rakes," she says. She points at one of the ices she doesn't recognize. "What does that taste like?"
Yasutora makes a beeline for the raspberries, and hopes they have extra-large sizes.
Allen blinks. "That's reprehensible. Does that actually happen?" he asks their guide.
Yasutora puts a hand on Allen's shoulder. "This is Nexus, my brother."
Yoru comments, "I wouldn't be surprised." Looking at the ices he chooses a darker colored one, "I'll have one of these."
Allen shakes his head in disgust and looks the ices over.
Back at the ship, the messenger nods. "Yes, captain." He fishes in his uniform for a small folded paper, which he hands her. "The Rauna group dock is where you'll be loading, and it should be clear and free in about forty-five minutes." The paper repeats the information, and identifies the bearer for the benefit of the dockhands as to which cargo should be loaded.
Shai takes the paper, reading it over, and nods, tucking it into her tunic. "Good; we'll be there." She flashes a smile at the messenger. "Anything else?"
Their guide shrugs. "Sure. And if you wander into the wrong alleys, someone might try to break your skull to take your stuff. Same deal." He waves a hand. "There are warning signs of sorts. Skulls and stuff. Part of the tomb. Shouldn't catch anyone who's paying attention."
Ices are available in various sizes, from small and dainty to quite large. It is, after all, just a matter of the size of container. When ordered, ice flakes are scooped out of a bin, dumped in a mixing bowl, and mixed with flavoring, put into a smaller bowl and handed over with a wooden spoon. Though it is seasonably warm in Nexus as a whole, there's a cool draft from the front of the stall, the proprietor wears a coat, and a tunnel at the back leads down into the ground towards the buried tomb.
Green Cove finally points to three flavors in turn. "Those, mixed," she says. "In whatever's big." She looks down at Floating Leaf. "Did you want an ice too? I don't think they have anything bloody at this stall."
Yasutora looms over the seller and indicates the raspberry. "How large can you get it?" he asks, big, puppyish eyes shining.
The messenger shakes his head. The boy who followed him, however, steps forward. "Umm, captain?" he asks, obviously not entirely sure of himself.
Yoru orders a small of the blackberry and seems content with that now. While eating the ice he will observe the tomb.
Ices are had, and mixed, and passed over as long as coins are passed in return. The shopkeeper eyes the tiger dubiously, and comments that some cats like sweet things. He could do a milk ice, too.
Shai nods to the messenger -- and tilts her head at the boy, reflexively giving him a reassuring smile. "Yes?"
Yasutora sets out to immediately devour his sweet ice as soon as he has paid for it. His hungry devouring is something to be seen-- like a frenzied, gigantic, landshark. In between destroying the poor, unfortunate ice, he comments in flametongue to Yoru, "Do you *MUNCHMUNCHMUNCH* think any *CRUNCHSLURPGULPMUTILATE* of us are *CHOMP!* buried here?"
The boy bobs his head to Shai, and says, "My master sent me along to ask if you'd be willing to take him as a passenger. We're headed Great Forks way and the merchant thought it might work."
<<OOC>> Green Cove heehee.
Green Cove agrees that a sweet ice would be very nice for Leaf, and then turns to nibbling at her ice.
Shai purses her lips, consideringly. "With the cargo, crew, and passengers, it'd be a bit of a tight squeeze, but... Who's your master, boy?"
Allen is a bit more neat about devouring his ice, an enormous one with several berry flavours, but it still disappears rapidly. He raises an eyebrow at his friends speaking a language he doesn't know, and asides to Green Cove in Old Realm, "We'll have to ask them later, what they're speaking of."
Yoru is not quite as voracious as Yasutora in devouring his ice. He savors it a bit more and lets it melt in his mouth. In Flametongue he replies. "I am not sure. I could definitely see one of them as suiting me now... I am unsure how well it suited my other self." He says this quietly so hopefully it will not travel to the wrong ears.
Green Cove has acquired a wide smear of juice across her face. "If it's interesting, they'll tell us," she says. "Or we'll find out. Maybe they want to lead people to the tomb that kills everyone near it too."
Yasutora nods quietly to Yoru, and looks around to see who's nearby other than his circlemates.
Allen offers Green Cove a piece of rag torn off the fluttering assemblage over his armour. "I might believe that of Yoru," he says ruefully, "but I do not think Yasutora would. And I would stop them, if they wanted to."
The boy bobs. "His name is Nai Kan, Captain. He said a cargo ship would be acceptable accommodations."
<<OOC>> Leti says "Per+Awa roll, Yasutora. ;p"
<<DICE>> Yasutora rolls 3 dice: <2 2 6> for 0 successes.
<<OOC>> Yasutora says "nein, nil, zip!"
<<OOC>> Leti says "The only person you see near the group is the guide."
<<OOC>> Leti says "He's not letting you out of sight until he's shown you all the tombs and gotten fully paid! :p"
<<OOC>> Yoru says "Despite that lynch mob that is right behind you."
Yasutora turns to Allen and Green Cove and says in Riverspeak, "Something occurred to me." He lowers his voice in volume and continues, "I was wondering if any of these tombs were ours; Yoru, for example, might fit with either the cold or the dark."
Shai looks considering. "And what is he offering for the transport?"
Green Cove takes the rag and wipes her face clean. Three bites later, she vaguely recalls child etiquette, and drops Allen a little curtsy. (It doesn't work that well with a cloak instead of a skirt, but the effort is well.) "Thank you kindly," she says, and returns to her ice.
Yoru leans in towards the rest of the group, "I'm not sure how well cold would befit me, I just think it is a good defense."
Yoru takes a moment to see what Ten River Winds is doing, as well as to see if that other annoying DB is still in sight.
<<OOC>> Leti says "It's a reasonable price, Shai. Perhaps just a bit on the higher side of reasonable, but."
<<OOC>> Leti says "Ten River Winds is sitting there listening to you all. He counts as part of the 'group' as far as I'm concerned at the moment, since he knows what you are anyhow. :p"
<<OOC>> Shai nods. "And I'm not wrong in thinking the Strider still has space enough for one more passenger, despite crew + Circle + cargo?"
Allen smiles at Cove. "You're welcome," he says, and then tilts his head at Yasutora. "It is possible," he says quietly.
Green Cove licks melting juice off her knuckles. "Do we want to go look inside? And how would we tell if they were?"
<<OOC>> Leti says "Right. Things might get a little squishy - there's three passenger cabins, but one's only been holding Green Cove (and tiger) and they could easily squish either in with the crew - where GC was sleeping enroute to the place, anyhow - or Shai's cabin."
Yasutora says, as quietly as he can, "Perhaps on our tours, we'll be able to tell.
<<OOC>> Yoru says "Is the guide-boy still around?"
<<OOC>> Shai says "Right!"
<<OOC>> Leti says "Yes. He's watching you curiously, but doesn't seem to be able to hear."
Yoru finishes his ice and hands the bowl back to the vendor. Turning to their guide he asks, "Are there any tombs that are safe to go in? Unfinished ones, plundered ones, or just ones that seem not to care if they are disturbed."
Shai takes a moment to consider logistics, then nods. "All right, if he's willing to deal with the--limited accommodations, we can take him. We'll be docking at Rauna, and should be setting sail tomorrow morning, if all goes well with the cargo."
The kid shrugs. "If it's safe and empty, it's already occupied," he says. "There's Firewander, for stuff that's not quite as sure to kill you."
Yoru ahs softly. "So in other words, if it's empty it is a palace, inn, or whatnot, yes?"
The boy nods. "Yeah. Lots of old stuff around but most of it's moved in; why leave it empty if it's safe? The tombs can't be, so people use 'em other ways like for ice, and Firewander's all sorts of weird."
Yoru nods. "How odd is 'all sorts of weird'? I'm not looking to go there, but it is interesting to learn everything that has been done to keep the dead happy."
The servant nods. "Thank you, Captain. He'll meet you at the Rauna dock. I have to go tell him now."
Yasutora hrmphs. "I still want to see the BIG tombs first though!" he reminds Yoru.
The kid shakes his head. "Firewander's not a tomb, I mean, it's probably got tombs in it, but if it does, they're not so well known. Wyld stuff, all over."
Yoru grins at Yasutora. "Of course. But seeing is different than going in." He gives a their guide a pointed glance. We are just average people sight-seeing, yeppers.
Yoru ahs at the kid. "The Wyld of course qualifies for 'all sorts of weird'."
Green Cove says, hopefully, "Maybe we'll meet more ghosts." She's in favor of this, really. The last ghost she met gave her presents and pointed her at where to get more. With any luck, the trend might continue.
Shai nods back, and waits politely for the two messengers to start off before she heads back to the ship. Once there, she explains the situation to the crew, and sets people to work preparing to switch docks and so on. Meanwhile, she sends one of the crewmembers to arrange for a messenger to track down the rest of the Circle: essentially, "have a cargo and a possible passenger, docking at Rauna for the night, planning to sail tomorrow morning or afternoon unless something's come up with the rest of you?"
Yoru gives Green Cove a Look. "Perhaps we should go on to see the other tombs. Any you really wanted to see, big guy?" He directs this at Yasutora of course.
Green Cove hands her empty bowl back to the vendor. "The last time I was in a city," she says, "I didn't go visit any tombs. Maybe this time I'll manage to get there. I was going to, but..." She waves vaguely. "Pirates, and buildings falling down. I got distracted and forgot."
Yasutora buys another raspberry ice and then turns to the others and the guide. "Shall we head on to the next tomb?" he asks cheerfully.
When everyone's ready to go, the boy is willing enough to lead you on to the next tomb which is the Tomb of Red Hot Iron - you can't actually see the tomb - it's been built over by an iron-smelter, which uses it as a heat source. Near the heart of the industrial district, there's little of other interest to tourists. The boy cheerfully tells you that the smelter is a safety feature, really, since anything that touches the tomb directly burns up or melts if it possibly can.
Yoru idly mentions it sounds more like a tomb for a Fire Dragonblood than a Solar.
The boy shrugs. "Wouldn't know 'bout that. That was a long time ago. Bet no one really knows."
Green Cove considers the tomb. "They should have written that sort of thing down on the tomb outside," she says. "So people could know later."
Yoru shrugs too. "So there's a tomb of fire, one of ice, one of dark. Are there tombs of blinding light or ones that turn you to stone too?"
Yasutora says "I don't think they wanted people to come back afterwards. Though it might serve for a Zenith, though I know... er... right."
"The one drops you dead," the boy says, "And one has ghosts that kill people, and one has knives that kill people."
The boy shrugs. "They all kill people."
Yoru chuckles darkly, "So I've noticed."
The boy says, "I think that was the point. They didn't want no one getting in. They say they was built by Dragon-blooded way back when to put Solars in, but, 'course, no one what says that was there, so who knows. Maybe they're all empty. Maybe some clever thief already robbed 'em all but no one noticed outside."
Green Cove tilts her head to one side. "They built tombs that killed people. I wonder if they used to live in houses that healed people. It would make as much sense."
The kid shrugs. "You'd have to ask some scholar or something. I just know 'bout now."
The boy looks around the street outside the smelter. "So, err, the next tomb, or wanna watch this one some more?"
Yasutora looks at the others. "Any hints?" he inquires of them.
Green Cove wrinkles her nose at the forge. "This one is boring," she says. "Let's go to the one with the knives. That sounds more interesting."
Yoru will let himself be lead away from the current tomb, though he asks about it. "So do they make good weapons at that smithy? Armor? More mundane items?"
The kid shrugs. "Mostly iron ingots, I think," he says. He peers at Green Cove. "We can go to that one I guess, but it'd be skipping past the other two. " He looks at Yasutora, who's the one paying him. "What do you want to do?"
Yasutora says "Let's go through them in order. Takes less time that way."
Yoru ahs. "Just smelting there." He shakes his head. "There were some very odd builders back in the old age it seems." This is said mostly to himself.
The kid nods and points east. "This way, then!" And off he goes.
Yasutora strides after the kid and tries to not look TOO much like a tourist. "So, what do you think your workshop will look like, Green Cove?" he inquires of the princess twilight.
Yoru elbows Yasutora and glares at him and then nods towards their guide. In Flametongue he asks, "Don't you think asking that here is a bit... dangerous?"
<<OOC>> Leti says "When you get the ship across the harbor to the other dock, dockhands glance at the paper and begin carrying the cargo onboard; about ten minutes into the loading, the servant who was looking for passage comes out on the deck, following a tall red haired man."
Give me a Int+Awa roll, Shai? ^^
<<DICE>> Shai rolls 3 dice: <4 7 8> for 2 successes.
Green Cove presses her lips together. "There will be birds," she says. "And maybe fish." She thinks a little longer. "Maybe also pits full of poisoned spikes with ceilings that lower from above if you step in the wrong place, too. I'm hoping for the fish, mostly. Especially if they fly."
Yasutora shakes his head at Yoru and replies, "Who would know, precisely?"
Yasutora hmms. "Flying fish would be neat. All things considered, they'd probably be poisonous, too."
Green Cove smiles. "I hope so."
Yoru replies to Yasutora, explaining in Flametongue still, "I just worry what she will say. She does say odd things after all." Switching back to Rivertongue he grins, "Flying fish would indeed be interesting. The ceiling and spikes less so."
Green Cove shakes her head. "No, the ceiling and spikes would be interesting too. I think I would have made them interesting. Pictures on the walls of the pits, and pretty spikes."
<<OOC>> Leti says "Okay, Shai. He's got a huge red-jade daiklave on his back, so you can pretty well guess he's an essence-wielder of some kind. The reddish coloration may indicate Dragon-blooded. But it might not, too."
Shai ...does _not_ facepalm. But does give silent thanks to Sol Invictus that Yasutora learned how to make his armor go invisible. She continues directing and assisting with the loading until the presumable-DB approaches her; after all, he might just be taking a look at the ship that presumably-he will be traveling on.
The man does approach Shai. He nods politely. "Captain Sarasvati? I'm Nai Kan." If Shai has her hands free, he holds out one of his as he greets her.
<<OOC>> Leti says "Okay, the next tomb is... well. There's a large plaza. It's got an iron fence. There are some people lurking around the edges with rakes. And a great big pile of skulls in the center - three stories tall, even. You can't miss it."
Green Cove looks the pile of skulls up and down. "I hope my tomb isn't so ugly," she mutters.
"Well, that one certainly looks like a tomb," remarks Yoru. Catching sight of the people with the rakes he adds, "And there are the vultures."
Shai passes what she was doing off to someone else convenient, and does shake hands, with a polite smile. "Ah, you'd be the one looking for transport, then?" She glances at his daiklave, deliberately not trying to hide the look, before she turns back to Nai Kan. "We have a few other passengers already, so it'll be a bit tight, and the schedule might be tricky," she informs him, professionally. "But we can make the space, if you're willing to live with that. Ah, may I ask how the Strider came to your attention?"
The boy points at the fence. "Don't go over that."
Yasutora frowns for a moment, looking out at the tomb. He walks up to the edge of the fence as indicated and looks back at the others. "Anything?"
Green Cove makes an indignant little noise, and turns her back on the tomb. "It's ugly," she says.
The man nods. "I am. I'm also not particularly picky. I've sailed on cargo ships before. We can bring our own food if it's necessary, too, and stay out of your way as much as possible. There simply haven't been a lot of ships sailing towards Great Forks lately - pirate problems have been getting worse, and the good merchant had agreed to tell me when he found someone to carry his cargo."
Yoru will walk up to the fence as well to take a closer look at the building.
<<OOC>> Yoru says "Oh high and mighty ST, would Lore help here at all?"
<<OOC>> Leti says "For what in particular? Tell me what you're trying to remember or figure out and make an int+lore roll, anyhow. :)"
<<OOC>> Yoru says "To figure out why the place kills people :)"
<<OOC>> Yoru says "And if I could remember anything of this place, like say being buried there, that'd be nifty."
Shai chuckles, and nods. "That explains it. Mm, bringing your own food would help. I _can_ get you a cabin to yourself, at least..." And makes a mental note to apologize to whomever gets kicked out, before she replays the conversation and frowns slightly. "We? How many people were you hoping to bring aboard?"
<<DICE>> Yoru rolls 5 dice: <3 3 8 8 9> for 3 successes.
The man gestures behind him. "Myself and the boy," he says.
<<OOC>> Green Cove doesn't mind sharing a cabin! ...whether other people mind sharing a cabin with her and Leaf is another matter.
<<OOC>> Leti says "The crew's used to Floating Leaf, entirely. :p"
<<OOC>> Shai .oO(This, clearly, is why the Circle should stick together. So people can poke the Captain when she doesn't realize how _high_ the odds are of something going bad. (She's fully aware that this _could_ go bad, but, um, yes.) Heh.)
<<OOC>> Shai giggles! "Eh, the crew handled it on the way up, and Shai's willing to offer hers--yes, exactly." ^_^
<<OOC>> Yoru scratches Leaf behind the ears, "You're just a big, cute kitty cat aren't you." *oh look, I lost an arm*
<<OOC>> Leti says "Well, the skulls are enchanted - the way the story goes, if you go into the square during the day, you drop dead, and if your body doesn't get fished out, it turns to dust and blows away. If you go in at NIGHT, fire shoots from the eyes of the skulls and consumes you. Whatever enchantment fuels them is probably inside."
<<OOC>> Leti says "What, exactly, causes such abrupt death is probably something to do with Essence-swallowing."
Yoru shakes his head. "I don't know why it kills people, other than it is meant to. I am not skilled at sorcery after all."
<<OOC>> Leti says "...It should be noted that no one's known an Exalt or god-blooded or other essence wielder to successfully get in, either, so."
<<OOC>> Yoru .oO(I will not touch the fence and use Image of Death Technique. I will not touch the fence...)
Shai allows a flicker of relief, and nods. "Two we can handle, if you don't mind sharing the cabin." She cocks an eyebrow. "And how soon were you hoping to get to Great Forks? We should be leaving tomorrow and there's no more _planned_ detours on the way, but if something comes up with my other passengers... well." She shrugs, with a slightly rueful expression, as if to say 'you know what business is like'.
<<OOC>> Leti says "Mind, one presumes no Solars have tried, but one also assumes the mid-usurpation DBs didn't give them any DELIBERATE loopholes. ;p"
Yasutora shakes his head at Yoru. "Not precisely what I meant, but good enough." He waves cheerfully at their guide and marches on up. "Next!
Yoru shrugs and heads after the group. "Sorry folks, no show today," he calls out to those with the rakes.
Green Cove mutters to herself as she leaves, "If I wanted something boring and ugly that kills people, I could find a stick. And the stick would be more interesting."
The man nods. "I expected as much regarding the cabin. As for timing, 'As soon as convenient' would be a good description. There is no particular deadline, and if you leave tomorrow, that makes yours the first ship I've found, therefore tomorrow will be good enough."
The guide looks relieved none of you decided to get closer - he rather suspects his pay would get cut in that case - and he leads on. He warns you as you go that the next tomb is on the edges of Firewander, so, you have to kinda keep your eyes open.
Allen nods seriously. "I will keep watch," he assures the boy.
En-route, you pass an immaculate shrine, something of a embassy for the immaculate faith to the Heathens of Nexus. There are a number of monks wandering around the square outside it, trying to strike up casual conversations of conversion with passeryby. This is probably why most passerby - including you, as the boy leads you - take a detour around it.
Yoru sniffs as if smelling something foul while looking at the monks.
Shai considers, then nods. "All right. When were you planning to come aboard? I won't know for certain when we can leave till my other passengers are back, though it should be tomorrow morning or afternoon. So unless you don't mind waiting on board, it might be easiest to, oh, send a messenger over at dawn tomorrow, perhaps? At worst, I can send her back with our departure time -- and if you find someone leaving earlier, of course, I won't hold you to the deal." She grins, briefly. "Although if it turns out we can leave _sooner_ than I expect and you're not on board already, I'd need it to be worth my while to wait for you."
Yasutora restrains his urge to proselytize the monks back. He suspects it wouldn't go over so well yet. >_>
<<OOC>> Leti says "Well, that all depends on how hard you Zenith. ;)"
<<OOC>> Yoru says "Just what he needs, another way to attract attention. :p"
<<OOC>> Shai says "It could be worse! He could have Beacon of Power."
<<OOC>> Leti says "And permanent Castemark, and Known Anathema."
<<OOC>> Yoru shifty-eyes.
<<OOC>> Leti has a Dawn with all three of the above. >_>
<<OOC>> Shai says "That too!"
<<OOC>> Shai _giggles_.
The would-be passenger nods. "Fair enough. I'm staying in an inn," he names a place just a short distance from this set of docks and warehouses, "and if you're able to sail early, we should be ready to leave in a few hours and if you send someone for us after that, we probably would delay you barely at all."
Shai nods back. "That should work, then."
Yoru remains quiet as they head to the next tomb.
The next tomb is..., well, it's not going to relieve any of Green Cove's worries about ugly tombs. It is a ugly grey vault of plain stone, a crude lumpen building sticking out from a wide open space that at one time was tiled, but which, over the years, has lost more and more tiles to weather. The noise it makes is not particularly pretty either. Even before you can see it, you can hear the atonal chanting of the twenty spirits that continually circle it.
<<OOC>> Yoru says "The spirits are visible?"
<<OOC>> Leti says "Yes. This does not mean that they are necessarily material, but they can be seen. Sort of ghostly-like. *nods*"
Green Cove glowers at the tomb. "Whoever built these was no good at making things," she says, and ignores it in favor of scritching Floating Leaf.
Your guide points at the ground. "Don't want to go too close," he says, "Or they'll tear you up."
Yasutora gets a -very- interested look. "What's this one's name?" he asks while considering options.
Yoru reaches over to pat Green Cove. "But at least this one has ghosts. Doesn't that make up for the ugly tomb?"
Nai Kan nods to Shai. "I'll get out of your way, then, and go shopping for food. Thank you, Captain."
Green Cove sighs. "But they're not even interesting ghosts," she says. "I suppose it's better than just skulls."
"They call it the Tomb of Keening Spirits," the kid says, "Which is pretty apt. There's a tomb, there's spirits that won't shut up. They say it used to be a lot louder back when. That's why people live closer to it now."
Yasutora turns to look at Yoru and Shai?
<<OOC>> Yasutora says "er, Yoru and Allen."
"Thank me after you're at Great Forks." Shai grins, and waits for the presumable-DB to leave before heading back aboard. She arranges to pass by Jay with a muttered, "TWO Dragons onboard? I'm _insane_," and to send a crewmember belowdecks to clear out Cove's cabin (moving things into Shai's), before rejoining the cargo-loaders.
Yoru gives Green Cove another pat and looks at the others. "Anyone understand what they are saying?"
<<OOC>> Leti says "And this one fireblooded, if anything, Shai. ;)"
<<OOC>> Leti says "Mrph."
<<OOC>> Leti says "The spirits are - as Allen and Green Cove can translate - chanting a funeral dirge (more of an incantation to bind deep slumber and prevent restless spirit wandering, to aid passage into Lethe than some kind of mourning) in Old Realm. This is, perhaps, slightly ironic coming from ghosts, but perhaps the DBs who built it were worried about bigger and badder ghosts."
Allen nods to Yoru. "It is only a funeral dirge," he says. "To bind spirits."
Yoru hrms softly at what he learns. "I wonder if they can talk to us at all or if they are bound to this task and killing people."
Green Cove says "It must be very boring after death to be bound to one task. I would rather die all the way then go wandering around making noise."
Green Cove rubs her nose, and shifts to standing on one foot. "But then," she says, after a moment, "if one must be bound to something after death, perhaps killing people would be some sort of amusement."
Yasutora ponders. "I could -try- to send them away," he says softly. "But if it belongs to someone else, perhaps I shouldn't."
Yoru smirks, "Not to mention ruining one of the prime attractions of Nexus."
Yasutora sniffs. He doesn't have a high opinion of the city. His momma always said it was a wretched hive of scum and villainy, almost more corrupt than the Realm.
The boy watches the four Solars curiously. "It's more interesting than the one under the smelter, huh?"
Yasutora nods cheerfully. "Much more! I wonder who those poor spirits were."
Yoru moves a little closer, not much mind you, and waves at the ghosts. "Any of you up for a chat?" he calls out.
As you all hang out and talk, one of Shai's sailors - you should all recognize at this point, especially GC - wanders up, peering around. He moves quicker and heads straight for you when he sees you.
None of the spirits respond to Yoru. The boy looks nervous. "If you go much closer," he says, "They'll attack you." He points where the broken tiling starts.
Yoru glances at the boy and grins, "Don't worry. I've no wish to fight ghosts. Just curious if any were allowed to do anything else. Course, they might only understand Old Realm or whatever." Shrugging he heads back to the rest of the group.
Yasutora says "On to the next tomb then!"
Yasutora gives Yoru and GC and Allen "covert" significant nods.
The sailor comes over and tries to get Allen's attention.
Yoru is oblivious to the sailor, or seems to be. "Sounds like a plan," he replies to Yasutora.
Allen frowns for a moment, attempting to place the man's face, then nods and smiles as he recalls. "A message from Shai?" he asks the sailor.
"The Captain wanted me to tell you that she's got a cargo and a probably passenger, the ship's moved to the Rauna group's dock, and the plan is to sail tomorrow," the sailor informs Allen, "and I had to walk clear around the city looking for you folks."
<<OOC>> Leti says "Allen is a logical choice. The sailors have known Green Cove longest, but she's a bit... disconnected sometimes, and Allen second longest, so."
<<OOC>> Green Cove says "That's a very polite way of describing GC, it is."
Yasutora listens politely to the sailor, and turns back to the boy, fishing in his pockets for the rest of the payment. "I suspect we should end here, and discuss matters with our captain."
The sailor shrugs. "Ship's not going anywhere for a while, take your time. She just wanted you to know where to find it when you came back."
Green Cove swaps feet, and frowns. "But what about the one with the knives?" she asks plaintively.
The boy looks between them all, and says, "That's in Bastion, and it's halfway to the docks anyhow. The Nexus docks, not the Nighthammer ones."
Yasutora ponders. "Shall we, then?" he asks his compatriots cheerfully.
Yoru says "I have no objection."
*ST note: I retconned a few lines of fastforwarding here for the start of the next session.
