[Lords of Creation] (Qing Jin's Library) The Dragon's Arse Tavern- Part 1.5

[Sarky]

It's early evening when the ship gets back to Petraya. The locals are quite openly surprised to see you all return, never mind return intact. The town chief is skeptical to hear you tell him that the night-time abductions are over, and is holding off any reward until they can confirm your claims by going a few nights without mysterious screams and missing people.


The owner of the Dragon's Arse Tavern (the Immaculates really don't like this town) believes you though. Trask al'Naben seeks you out quickly once you're ashore to tell you an amazing story about how his son, who disappeared in the night recently, came to him as a spirit to say a few words before passing on to the next life. He spoke of shining heroes who came to the isle of Nalon and laid low the evil that was taking innocents, and freed him and the others to re-enter the cycle of life and death.


Your excursion to Nalon was the talk of the town, so Trask had little trouble finding you. As a way of thanking you for saving his son and ending a threat to Petraya, he has offered you the finest rooms and food in his tavern at no charge for as long as you wish to stay. The Dragon's Arse, while crudely named, is actually a very nice place, and the finest rooms would be good enough for any travelling Dynast to use without causing much fuss.


If that odd lady in the odd rowing boat are to be believed, then there are about 3 weeks before the Wyld Hunt shows up here looking for you. Might as well enjoy it in relative luxury while planning your next move.

 

[Valentine1]

Yawning punctuated the glory of the Pirate King's morning, completely unable to sleep since the events prior. A fear for his mortal crew more than anything left him restless, but he'd never admit it. Obviously, the lush beds could never support his manly backside, and he was kept awake by the immaculate, silent walls. After all, a Man of the Sea needs the gentle rocking of water to sleep well.


That, or his favorite blanket, stowed away on his ship.


"I'll need something to drink," He murmured to the first employee he ran into, slumping down at a table and resting his head in his hands. "And something bland for breakfast."

 

[Feantari]

Kana woke up extra refreshed enjoying the last few bits of stretching awake in this lavish room before rising to see what the others planned to do and find some food.


Wandering downstairs, she found Radiance looking like his night had been somewhat less restful and joined him at the table.


"Mmmm, what a wonderful morning. Late night, eh," she offers towards him full of morning cheer.

 

[Sarky]

The servants swiftly bring you all an assortment of sushi, breads, fruit, light ale and wine, something for every taste.


It is indeed a wonderful morning, only a few wisps of cloud speeding across the sky, promising good winds out at sea. The talk of the tavern is how the wailing from out at sea has ceased and nobody seems to be missing. Some are skeptical, but you can see the owner smile knowingly behind the bar as he cleans a tankard.

 

[Valentine1]

"Got that right, love," He said, rubbing his temples and returning her cheer with a smile. "But the day seems to be improving as it goes. With the god punched out or whatever, it seems like things'll be quieter here. Plenty of time before the Hunt catches up with us, too. So, really, it's just finding that woman."


He took a swig of whatever was in front of him, perhaps too deeply for the alcoholic content, and let out an exhale, looking towards the ceiling, spread out unashamedly with his legs open and arms hanging over the back of the chair. "Too much responsibility without any of the rewards, if you ask me. I can't keep paying my crew doing charity work."

 

[Sarky]

Morning turns into afternoon, and it remains rather quiet outside. Petraya is an easy-going place, and most of the town's industry, if you could call it that, happens offshore. The fishermen seem to have a schedule worked out, so that there's nearly always someone travelling to or from the fishing grounds and the shore, so messages or aid can travel either way quickly. Apparently it's because of some nasty business with the Fair Folk about a year ago, the Realm's Wyld Hunt destroyed most and sent the rest running back to their lairs. When they took the opportunity to take an extra helping of tribute as a reward, the town decided to maintain its own vigil.


The town chief might be withholding thanks for the present, but more than a few people approach you with tokens of gratitude for saving them. It's mostly food and carvings (there are a obviously a couple of very talented scrimshanders living here) and enough cowrie shells to fund a good night out for the group. Some of them stick around for a bite to eat and a chat with anyone willing to chat back. There are already a dozen versions of just what you got up to on Nalon, none of them close to the truth. Apparently a Guild ship is now a day or two overdue, with its regular cargo of messages, news from the rest of the West, and mundane goods from Wavecrest. People are wondering at the delay, suggesting everything from zombie pirates to the Realm blockading the seas to the Guild deliberately delaying the ship so the island's small heroin market will willingly pay more for their hit.

 

[Feantari]

Kana enjoyed the festivities for awhile, but was soon itching to get back to Nalon and tinker. Pulling her companions aside for a moment she queried them on plans. "I do not wish to spoil your celebrations and relaxation, but I am eager to return with the materials necessary to fix the sword. It seems we have many things pulling on us now though. I think it would not be wise to ignore the lady's request, especially if she can inform us of the movements of the wyld hunt. I suggest we use the time we have free of their harrasment to gather the materials needed, and I suppose we must go visit the lady as she requested. Maybe this guild ship's troubles are inconsequential, but if we were able to give them some aid they may be able to put us in touch with the people we need to procure some of the harder to find materials on our list. What do you think?"

 

[Tabby]

Chao slept like a rock made out of sleep and was-up-way-too-damn-late.


This was perhaps less than surprising given that she had indeed been up way too damn late poring over Daric's Laws of Magic and trying - to little avail - to understand the White Treatise of Sorcery. Manipulating essence - cool. She could do that. That was the entire idea behind the powersuit, anyways; using essence to turn a really badass-looking but not particularly awesome suit into something that could help her punch through things that she wasn't be able to punch through and look good doing it. Chao was cool with the whole essence-manipulation thing.


Spells? Rituals of sorcery? Initiation tests? What the hell, man. She was not in her element there. Despite having spent the entire ship-ride home and most of the night and early morning poring over that rot, she had only made strides in her understanding of the occult, not magic specifically. That wasn't all bad, of course - more knowledge of the occult equated to better essence manipulation, and she'd had half a dozen ideas on how to modify her powersuit in the process. Soon as she found a good workshop, Chao fully intended to take it off - the powersuit, not the bodysuit underneath - and plunge headfirst into alterations.


Sorcery, though - she was stuck. She hated to admit it, since it felt like copping out, but... it was the truth. Chao knew that she was a magitechnophile and a mechanical wizard, and was obviously very humble about it, but at the same time, she was still able to admit to herself that she wasn't perfect. Yet. To pull this off, she was going to need help.


...Maybe Kana would know what to do.


Wearing all of a bodysuit and a smile intended for Azure SKy as soon as she located him, Chao bounced down the stairs in an incoherent heap. And by bounced, I mean fell. She did manage to catch herself before breaking her face on the floor - or the floor with her face; the scientist within wondered whether or not she could headbutt the floor hard enough to explode it - but realized, a touch late, that perhaps venturing forth without the powersuit hadn't been her best idea ever. Or maybe she'd been relying on it too much lately - she wasn't sure. Regardless, moving without it was - odd. Motions were so... precise. Underpowered. Too much so. She was used to having to limit her movements, a result of the powersuit's motion amplification; without it, every movement felt strange, alien, as if it wasn't actually her body.


That was the last damn time she slept in the stupid powersuit. For a few days, anyways.


Still pondering, Chao wandered into the breakfast area, drawn by the scent of food and more food and dead animals that could be eaten. Hopefully Azure would be there, but if not, maybe Kana would want company. If she didn't already have it. Probably of the male persuasion.


...Chao wasn't technically jealous of the exotic woman, but - okay, yeah, she sort of was. Why couldn't SHE be that shapely? Weren't Solars all supposed to be DD cup and made of curves or something? But nooo, she hadn't even gotten taller while Exalting. The possibility that her constant exercism regimen might be partially to blame didn't even cross her mind as she homed in on food, then Azure or Kana, whichever was closer. Chao didn't notice Azure - probably still sleeping, the bum - but tracked down Kana with little difficulty, said woman apparently being at the tail end of talking about something.


Chao shamelessly interposed herself, chirping "mrornong" with all the excitement and liveliness of a corpse.


Not really a morning person.

 

[Sarky]

Unfortunately, the serving girls really are morning people. Or possibly they've been hearing about your exploits and they're stopping just short of actually worshipping you. Hard to tell, but either way it grates a little. They manage to make up for it with large amounts of food and a steaming mug of something delicious that has a wake-you-up kick like a coffee elemental. Well, if coffee elementals existed. Maybe they do? Well, they should, how would one go about making... Ooh, bacon!


A young boy, slightly out of breath, barrels in the door, looks around, and lights up on seeing the group. He approaches and bows respectfully.


"Hallo... I mean, *ahem* Honoured visitors, the chief of Petraya requests the pleasure of... Uh, requests the pleasure..."


His face goes red as he falters.


"Uh, look, the chief wants to see you when you're ready. He gave me a posh message but there were too many big words, sorry."

 

[Tabby]

By that point, Chao was grinning like a loon, unadulterated pleasure and amusement in equal parts spread across her face. Not so much at the kid's embarassment as in having found a kindred soul, or more specifically, someone else who could stomach that dry bullshit about as long as she could. Which was to say - not at all


"It's all good man, I've never been one for that fancy talk myself. Back in Ledaa-" okay so maybe namedropping the place that had a bounty on her wasn't the best idea ever "back where I used to live, you have no idea how many assholes talked like that. It was like a damn epidemic of sucking. Because, you know. They sucked. Stuff."


Okay not making the best impression ever and maybe making a penis joke to a kid was a bad idea RETREAT


"yeah anyways uh let me go hunt down Azure, I had this great idea about coffee elementals, and he'd want to hear this anyways..."


Attention span thoroughly ruined in favor of pondering the viability of magitechnology harnessing the endless power of coffee elementals to defend Creation or at least make coffee each morning, Chao wandered off in short order, completely forgetting about her companions - and the messenger - in a half-hearted search for Azure.


Even though he was probably awake, and probably had been for the last six hours. Meditating, or whatever the crap he did when he was being weird.

 

[Feantari]

Kana observes the whole thing slightly amused at Chao's morning state, but turns to the messenger after she leaves. "You look like you were in a hurry, what did the chief want to see us about?

 

[Sarky]

"I dunno, he just told me to be quick, is all. Elders are like that around here, 'specially to kids. Maybe it's cos of you saving us all from the monsters on that island, everyone's talking about it. I bet he'll give you treasure!"


The lad is called over to another table by a fisherman. The conversation is muted, but you gather that he's hiding from his wife and wants the boy to run interference in exchange for a couple of cowries. He gladly pockets the shells and runs off into the town.


Once the place quietens down a little again, you can hear calls from the docks. Ship on the horizon. The atmosphere gets a little tense, although nobody seems particularly worried- Petraya almost never gets raided, but it pays to know where your sword is just in case. "Anything can come out of the ocean" is a popular phrase here.


Ever-Flowing Radiance yawns, stretches again, and gets to his feet. "If you'll pardon me, it's time I kicked some of my crew until their hangovers go away." With a bow and a graceful little spin that sets his hair billowing just enough to catch the eye, he ambles outside and down toward his ship.

 

[Feantari]

Suddenly alone at the table covered with food, Kana looks around for the innkeeper. Locating him she picks out a last choice piece of fruit and heads his way. "It seems we have a busy morning, if any of my companions should come looking fo me I'll either be seeing what all the hubbub about the ship is or over at the chief's place."


Stepping out, Kana heads for a place with a view of the ship, idly munching the fruit.


---------------------------------------------------------------------


Perc + aware = 9 dice


Kana rolled the following on her 9 dice:


6, 5, 7, 7, 10, 6, 4, 6, 4


Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 4 successes.

 

[Sarky]

Chao:


Your knock on the door and calling Azure's name is met with a muffled, weak voice that has forgotten most of the vowels.


"G'way. 'M hngovr. Astfglargl."


Oh dear.


Kana:


You can hop onto a cart and climb to the roof of one of the houses overlooking the bay without trouble. A bunch of kids are doing the same, squinting out at the distant ship. They don't have your eyes though and are arguing playfully about what they think they see. You can make out Guild colours, all right, but the flags and sails are looking pretty ripped up, and the ship is definitely listing a bit to one side. The town lookouts must have noticed too, there's a lot of boats casting off at the pier and heading out to help the poor girl in to port, Radiance's ship included... Wait, no, hang on... He's sailing away, and fast! What the hell?

 

[Feantari]

Tossing her half finished fruit aside Kana rushes past the kids trying to get up for a better view and back to the inn in hopes of catching the others before they head out.

 

[Tabby]

Chao was distracted to a degree by some degree of commotion outside; unable to ascertain exactly what it was and not nearly conscious enough to deal with a hungover Azure, she opted to let her companion rest. No point in pissing him off by waking him up more than necessary or dragging him around - but she didnt' intend to stick around. Not when there were things to do, workshops to find, thinking to be done, and things to punch. Hopefully. Hence, after a moment of silence, she opted to give Azure a quick overview of what she'd be doing and where to find her.


"I'm going to go do SCIENCE! I'll be somewhere in town. Probably."


She didn't bother mentioning that she'd had about one hundred and fifty twelve new ideas on what to do with the evil energy orb, most of which involved using her newfound insights into the nature of essence to integrate the magic ball of death into her suit. Preferably hidden well enough that no one would notice it; Azure had been clear that he didn't like her carrying it around and would probably try to pry it from her COLD DEAD FINGERS if he wanted to try.


Doubling back to her room and donning her powersuit with practiced ease, Chao flooded the channels with essence to warm it up and opted to jump out the window rather than using the door like a normal human being. She had science to do. Also, figuring out what the hell the commotion was. Wandering out of the alleyway in the vague direction of the most commotion, she began to attempt to figure out what the fuck was going on.


Percep+awareness, 3perc 2awa = 5dice. 10 7 5 4 2 = 3 suxx

 

[Sarky]

Chao:


You quickly pick up some snatches of conversation that the Guild ship is inbound, but looking pretty beat up. Leaping onto a rooftop (ain't having a magical powersuit grand), you can see the ship in question, and bunch of local boats racing out to meet it.


Both of you:


Some boats start taking on some of the Guild's cargo to lighten the ship in the water. Two larger ships flank the Guild's vessel, and what must be a Water-aspected Dragon-Blood dives straight in off one ship with several large coils of rope. A few long minutes later he emerges on the other side to throw the ends to the second ship. The ropes are drawn taut, and the ship is stabilised, to much cheering. Maybe half an hour and the ship will make port.


Standing out from the crowd as you both do, you spot eachother quickly enough as Kana heads back towards the inn.

 

[Tabby]

Oh. Glorious. Dragon-blooded. Right when half the fuck-damned town would be TALKING ABOUT SOLARS.


What could possibly go wrong?


Chao facepalmed as she walked to the edge of the roof, cursing whatever jackass decided that fate should be as full of jackassery as possible. Seriously. This quickly? They'd gotten back to the damn island like a -day- ago, this was just. Ugh.


Dropping like a stone and impacting the ground a moment later, Chao pondered the timing as the suit automatically adjusted for the force of the impact, essence gradually starting to chug through the suit as the lines covering it began to flicker back to a dull, angry red. A part of her mind was vaguely pleased at the fitting color to her mood, but most of her attention was spent on the new arrivals, specifically, how they could minimize the damage. She didn't think that any of the locals actually realized they were Solars, though there were doubtless suspicions, so hopefully no one would make a beeline to informing the Dragon-blooded.


That probably wouldn't last long, though. Things like the current situation never worked out well, just interesingly. More importantly, she was beginning to wonder what cargo the guild ship might have been holding - they DID need rather a lot of materials to repair the Sword of Creation, and Dragon-blooded had a tendency to cart around Jade crap. Two birds with one stone, perhaps; take out the DB, raid the ship? Except that bastard ship captain had disappeared, which ruined any chance of transportation. Unless she and Kana repaired and hijacked the ship.


...Or invented hovercraft. Using spare parts from the ship.


HRMMMM.


Seeing Kana, Chao waved to her companion while hurrying over, trying to get her attention. Excitement was bubbling, ill-hidden - not that she was actually trying to - and in Azure's absence, maybe the older woman would have good ideas.


"Was that a Dragonblooded? Anyways, more importantly, maybe they have Jade on the ship. Or other stuff. Stuff to do science with!"

 

[Feantari]

Seeing Chao's power suit Kana rushed over.


"I think it must have been, but maybe it has nothing to do with the," glancing around to make sure no one is listening Kana leans in closer, "with the hunt."


Kana is clearly excited at the prospects for the ship as well, "If there is a dragon there must be jade in some form right? I think we should definitely check it out. At least lets sniff around and find out the details. I'm almost leary to go speak with this chief now.. at least until we know more. That ship is going to need lots of repairs, I'm sure we can work our way onto the docks." Kana says the last with an unsuppressable grin.


Oh!, but did you see? Radiance just left port, and fast. I wonder if that pirate smelled what was coming. Why he wouldn't tell us I don't know... Either way, we are going to have to arrange for some other transport if we want to make all of our appointments.


"Enough blathering out of me though, lets go check out this ship. You have any way to hide that suit? Locals might not know much, but if that is a realm trained dragon there is a good chance it will at least recognize you are a bit out of the ordinary."


Shifting about somewhat eagerly Kana remembers how awesome it is to have someone else as interested and capable in fixing this place as she is. Losing Radiance stings at her more than she cares to admit just now, but at least there is plenty of work to do. Besides, maybe he just needed to get his ship out of sight of our new arrival, maybe he's just around the island a bit waiting until things blow over. ... He still could have said something.

 

[Tabby]

You know what they say. Enthusiasm is infectious.


Chao wasn't sure if she'd inspired Kana to ever-greater heights of scientific curiosity and hope for jade, or vice versa, but it was pretty obvious that her companion was just as optimistic as she, even if Kana was tempering her enthusiasm with pragmatism. Not that Chao was really complaining; her idea had stretched about as far as "walk over to ship, beat up everyone inside, steal jade," and even she knew that wasn't quite perfectly reasonable.


Not that silly things like "facts" and "odds of winning" would have stopped her from doing it.


"Someone was talking about Guild stuff, right? I think. I overheard someone mention it anyways. Maybe they're just with the Guild, like a... bouncer, or bodyguard or something. We should definitely go check it out though; can't hurt to look around. With the captain dude, whatshisface or whatever, gone - we need a ship. Or transportation. Possibly hovercars. Hoverships. Or a giant flying castle of world erasure. Domination. Both. Either. ...Point being, uh, okay I don't remember where I was going with that but that is not the point okay so anyways the chief can wait, I bet we could get closer."


Chao paused for a moment, trying to come up with a genius plan.


None came, but she had a bad one!


"What if we pretended to be like... engineers? If they won't let us closer. I can say my powersuit is a hazmat suit or protective gear or something. No way in hell am I going near possibly an entire ship full of Dragonblooded without it though."


She paused again, barely imperceptibly. "But, uh. I'll probably, uhm, hang back. I may have kinda sorta forgotten to mention I have a bounty on me, just a tiny itty bitty one that isn't at all important, so if they know about it."


Pausing for the umpteenth time in the last ten seconds, Chao realized how bad that probably sounded. "I didn't mean it THAT way, I didn't kill anyone or anything. I just, uh, my House is probably kinda looking for me, since I was... sort of... on the Blessed Isle when I Exalted, and uh, one thing led to another, aaand there's a really funny story about that. That we can get into. Later. When there isn't science to be done and possibly jade to be absconded with."


She wasn't nervous per se, but Chao didn't really want to spill her life story in the middle of the street. It wasn't so much that she had a problem telling Kana - she obviously didn't, given she'd just given the overview - but it really didn't seem like the time or the place, and she was getting impatient; she'd been shifting from one foot to the other. "Well, anyways, whatshisface was probably just going to get the rest of his pirate armada or something. I mean you two are friends right? So he wouldn't ditch you."


Chao: giving faulty advice about pirates since the dawn of time.

 

[Feantari]

Kana raises an eyebrow at her eager companion. "That.. must be quite a tale, I've never been to the isle myself. Hmm, but a bounty, it is good to know. Maybe we can find some excuse for some robes quick like or something... if not, sure, we can just go in as repair people and if they ask anything you can just say your suit lets you, um, work in the water better, or something?"


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Perc+Awareness (to find some readily available excuse for robes?) maybe I should roll something else here? investigation? dunno

 

[Sarky]

There is an abundance of robe-like clothing on various washing lines outside houses, although nothing flashy, all peasant clothing. And nobody's really paying attention to their washing with a half-destroyed Guild ship about to dock. Half the locals have practically given you the shirts off their backs already anyway, nobody's going to complain even if you are seen.


Looking suitably drab and uninteresting in your new attire, you can push your way to the pier where quite a crowd has gathered. After maybe 20 minutes, the Guild ship docks safely, to a small cheer from the crowd. Now it's right in front of you, you can see the damage is pretty nasty- There are gaping holes in the sides, as if from a ballista or battering ram, and the hull is lined with deep gouge marks with an oddly familiar pattern to them.


The Dragon-Blooded- He's faintly glowing and his long dark hair swishes about oddly as if it were still underwater- Takes a cheeky bow at the cheering and leaps over the railing onto the dock. He scans the crowd quickly before almost leaping forward and clasping the hand of the harbourmaster with apparent glee. Behind him the gangplanks lower and the mortal crew gather expectantly at the railing of the ship.


"Herrad, ya tight-fisted wanker! I suppose you'll charge me extra for bringing in such an eyesore to your idyllic little kingdom!"


That... Isn't typical behaviour for a Dynast, anyway.


"You're damned right I will, she looks sorrier than a siaka's arse. Takeo, what in the name of all the gods happened your ship?"


"Had a bit of a run in with some... Skullstone diplomat. Things are getting rough out there. Guild ships used to be safe, but they're all getting bolder. Interesting times coming, I'm afraid."


He claps his hands together, and a grin appears on his face once more. "Now! As I recall you still owe me for that little diving wager we had last time I was here. I'm sure you'll be only too glad to buy me a tankard or two to make up for your poor judgement."


Turning to his ship, he shouts "Right lads, good work, you done me proud on this trip! Once the cargo's unloaded, there'll be shore leave for everyone until our lovely lady is seaworthy again, and if I hear you causin' trouble for these fine people during that time I swear to the Ocean Father Himself I'll gut you like fish and throw you to Siakal!" A violent threat, to be sure, but it meets with good-natured laughter among the crew, as they get the cargo ready to unload. Takeo then drapes a friendly arm around Herrad, steering him (although Herrad doesn't appear to be resisting) towards the nearest bar, insulting eachother horribly and laughing as they go...

 

[Feantari]

Kana whispers to Chao out of the side of her mouth, "Continue with the sneaky plan or try to play things straight with this guy? Doesn't seem like a dynast to me, but maybe you would know better."


Kana watches part of the crowd trail off to follow the captain to the bar, likely looking to take advantage of any free rounds. Turning back to the ship she studies over the gashes trying to remember why them seem familiar.

 

[Sarky]

The ship is close enough to touch. Tracing the gouges with a finger, the perspective suddenly clicks: They're in parallel groups of five, fairly evenly spaced. Hand sized. These are claw marks from something humanoid, although the fact that they sink two or three inches into the hard wooden hull (Ironwood, at a guess. Not easy to get outside the East, and a small fortune to repair properly) suggests quite inhuman strength.


A crewman leans over the railing, noticing you. Slightly better dressed than the rest. First mate or quartermaster, probably.


"Ladies, gotta ask ye to stand back I'm afraid. Lot of heavy stuff being hauled out right now, if one o' these worthless bilge rats were to drop somethin' over the side and hit ye we'd be in a world o' trouble."

 

[Feantari]

Doing her best innocent bystander impression, Kana looks up with a sheepish grin, "What did this to your beautiful ship?"


See, Radiance hadn't taught her nothing, complement a sailor's ship and you are sure to at least not start out on the wrong footing.