On the Run [Dude, where's my daiklave?]

[CrazyIvan]

Mordant Xane
Mordant gave the dragon-blooded woman a smile, and took her hand in his. "I am sure we shall return here one day soon. As soon as we are no longer being pursued by the hunt, I'd like to see what more we can discover from that place. Between the quarters for the terrestrials and other celestials of the time, I'd think we could glean much about that period. And I'd be quite interested in spending some time in that library as well."


He had to admit to being momentarily distracted by the flashing anima flames. Well, admit to himself at least. He wasn't mentioning it to anyone else.

Crimson Dove


Dove smiled slightly, nodding. "Perhaps. I imagine there is much there for you to learn about your past lives." She tapped the control panel thoughtfully. "If we are jumping again, it seems likely to burn out the person doing so, or nearly that. I would suggest myself - I very much doubt I will need my Essence reserves as much as our captain, or a bloody minded Lunar. Generally speaking, a teleporting first age airship belies the subtle, patient approach."


She catches Slip's glance, and notes the concern in his eyes. They would have to talk, somewhere alone.


"With your permission?" Assuming the captain assents, Crimson Dove dumps very nearly the rest of her Essence reserves into the teleportation drive, speeding them toward their next destination. Her grip on the control panel is hard, knuckles white, as her anima banner becomes more pronounced, shielding her in a fiery wreath of suggestion and promise. Groaning softly, she staggers back.


"And now...shall we find out if this vessel has living quarters?"

 

[Sherwood]

You have enough range to teleport on top of Great Forks. Do you go straight to the city in a dramatic entrance, or land off at a distance and approach more quietly? You could land upriver and sail into the dock if you want to keep the ship with you but be less conspicuous. I need to know before making the next thread of your return to the city.

 

[Arion Wind]

Jenai Orlais


Jenai doesn't even consider refusing and absently waves his assent to Dove's offer. As he is doing so, a thought strikes him, "It may be best to come into the city quietly, no? If we vanish from here, the Hunt won't know where we went, but reports of an ancient ship appearing over the city where we were last seen will get their attention." He laughs somewhat derisively, "Even blinded by dogma, they couldn't miss such a sign. Perhaps if we came in from the river?"


True, they could easily arrive by land, but Jenai has a ship again. He has no desire to travel the earth again when he has no reason to. "And while we're making decisions, I believe this ship needs a name. Whatever our differences," he pointedly looks at Mordant, "I believe one thing we agree on is that Creation is broken and we have the responsibility to fix it as best as we can . . . How does the name New Dawn ring to you all?"

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Knaff shakes his head "I agree that a more stealthy approach to the city would be best, but as for a name, since this is not just Solars working here, but we have Lunars and a Dragon-Blooded among us, how about the name 'Unity of Heaven and Earth'?"


The looks between Dove and Slip ddid not go unoticed, and Knaff realizes that he may have played his hand too much in the past couple of days. Maybe it's time to bury some of the hatchets, and turn this more subtly to his desires. Flickers from an Age long past suggested to him that his demeanor back then wasn't too different than Slip's so it behoove him to antagonize him.

 

[Zoronos]

Mordant Xane


Mordant gives a half-hearted wave to the others, "Yes, a stealthy approach would be best." The merchant lifts himself up out of the chair, "I like your idea Knaff, but maybe something a bit simpler for the name, perhaps. 'Unity'."


With that, Mordant gave the others a nod, and headed below decks, looking for a cabin to rest and recover motes.

 

[Sherwood]

Taking a more cautious approach to the city, the ship makes its second teleport to a location a few miles out of town and settles down on the river. With the flight system now turned off, the power can now shift to the water propulsion to move you up the river to the harbor. Before you make your way to Great Forks, you drop anchor to examine your new find.


The ship has three decks to it. The top is filled with the control room and a small conference room and bedroom reserved for the captain. The second deck has the living quarters that consist of six small private bedrooms, most likely reserved for the needed Essence users on board. Next is the main dining room and kitchen, and farther aft is four more bunkrooms that hold up to four people each for the rest of the ship's crew. The bottom deck is all cargo space, with enough room for two common warstriders curled up in a ball or a full talon of infantry. There is also removable walls to set up a series of guest bedrooms instead of cargo if you so choose.

 

[Zoronos]

Mordant Xane


Mordant is going to be incredibly presumptuous and go crash in the aforementioned captain's room (at least for now), because he needs to recover motes.

 

[Feantari]

Slip


Slip kept watch on deck. Leaning at the railing he pondered the others that might have done the same. Mortals and exalts. Slip didn't know any stories about ships that could move as this one did. The Old Bird was stingy with his tales. "Go and see for yourself," he said, "How else will you truly learn?"


What was he supposed to see now... A few hours in that manse and his close traveling companions had shown more of themselves than the last months combined. Curious. Good to know, but hardly earth shattering. Power affected people, and they had plenty at their fingertips. Slip had seen as much in his power hungry brothers. But these brothers could not stand apart. The call to aid creation would keep them together, but more was needed to really work as a team.


He looked out across the river and watched while they waited for the anima fires to die out.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Knaff joins Slip at the railing, once his anima subsides enough that only the caste mark glitters. "You and I never did get a chance to have a talk about our nature. Maybe we can exchange info, for the good of us both? I find that some tricks given to us by Our Lady seem to be eluding me, and mayhap you can help me find them."

 

[Feantari]

Slip


Slip turned to Knaff with a smile, "Haha, of course, but you've got a few neat tricks of your own. What did you want to learn brother?"

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Knaff bows his head at Slip's comment, with a slight blush "Well, for a start, I would love to hear of your Exaltation story. But after that, if you could show me how to bend my essence to expand my perceptions, or how to do the Sacred Hunt on humans, I would be in your debt. And will willingly teach you any trick of mine you wish to learn."

 

[CrazyIvan]

Crimson Dove


Dove stands at the threshold of the captain's room, her aura still flickering brightly with the expenditure of Essence. She tilts her head slightly, looking at Mordant.


"Do you wish to sleep Lawgiver? I have few talents that might be of use on the run from the Wyld Hunt, but there was a time when I was well regarded for facilitating other ways to regain Essence. And in that, I was quite talented."

 

[Zoronos]

Mordant Xane


Mordant, looking momentarily slightly confused, quickly regains himself. He sits up and gives the Dragonblood a smile, "If you wish, please feel free to come in. I can't say I was particularly attached to the idea of sleeping, so long as we are ready once we reach Grand Forks. And please, just Mordant. There is no need for titles like Lawgiver."


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


This can only end terribly, which makes it hilarious. I'm pretty sure Knaff will now be plotting with Jenai to pitch Mordant over the next available balcony.

 

[CrazyIvan]

Spoiler

Posting in this thread as it seems more appropriate


Crimson Dove


She nods slightly. "Mordant then. An old habit, using titles - most seemed to prefer them."


Entering the room, she eases the door to the captain's cabin closed with her foot. Perching on the bed beside the merchant, she puts a hand on his chest, guiding him firmly but gently onto his back, deft, clever hands massaging the muscles of his neck, shoulders and back. She felt strangely at home here, doing what she often wondered was her calling, the cabin illuminated by flickering anima banners.


She mused softly, wondering what she would do if he tried to take further liberties with her. It was an unstable situation to be in, yet she had done more, for less, and given herself freely. Shaking her head, dismissing that as a battle-to-come, she moved down to the muscles across his upper back.


"Tell me of yourself..."

 

[Feantari]

Slip


"Hmmm, my story isn't long to tell, at least not the exaltation. I was taken by surprise by a group of assassins. I fought with them, but one of them managed to strike a telling blow and then another..." Slip's hand traces the points where the blades struck. "I knew I couldn't win against them after that so I dove into the river. But the current was strong and they had been using poisoned blades. I fought for every breath and as I struggled I saw Her in a vision. She uh.. well.. I hadn't really been, erm.. applying myself, in my past. But She knew I could or had some plan.. I'm not sure.. who can say what She indends. I found then that I could swim and escaped to the far side of the river as on otter."


"Someday you'll have to teach me how you take that hybrid form of yours. It seems like it would be useful."


"I'd be happy to help you learn, but .. the hunt for humans.. it does require the same blood as every other hunt. Are you ready to take that step?"

 

[Zoronos]

Mordant Xane


Mordant nodded at her comment about titles, "I like to remember that who I am is more important than what I am."


Mordant was slightly confused by the woman, but did as she suggested with a shrug. He had to admit, her hands made the muscles in his back and neck feel a lot better.


"Tell you of myself? Well, what would you like to know? I grew up in the Thousand Kingdoms. My father was a merchant, and my only home was his cart. It doesn't sound like much, but I had family and things to do, so it was enough. My father passed a few years ago, and left the business to me. Technically, I was a member of the Guild, but I refused to trade in mercenaries, drugs, or slaves so the Guild and I didn't really have much to do with each other, though I carried their symbol." Mordant shrugged, which already felt significantly better after Dove's work.


"I smuggled and sold food to peasants in a kingdom where the local lord had embargoed incoming trade, I guess to force obeisance from the locals. I got caught by some guards, turned all shiny yellow, and fought back."


"I met up with this lot a few months ago. We ran into each other in the course of being pursued by the Wyld Hunt. I guess we've all been on the run since, looking for something that would let us stop running. The cache was supposed to be that; a way to stand and fight."


Mordant rolled his shoulders again and boy did they feel a lot better. Dove was good. "What about you; where are you from? I guess I'm curious what your story is.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Slip
"Hmmm, my story isn't long to tell, at least not the exaltation. I was taken by surprise by a group of assassins. I fought with them, but one of them managed to strike a telling blow and then another..." Slip's hand traces the points where the blades struck. "I knew I couldn't win against them after that so I dove into the river. But the current was strong and they had been using poisoned blades. I fought for every breath and as I struggled I saw Her in a vision. She uh.. well.. I hadn't really been, erm.. applying myself, in my past. But She knew I could or had some plan.. I'm not sure.. who can say what She indends. I found then that I could swim and escaped to the far side of the river as on otter."


"Someday you'll have to teach me how you take that hybrid form of yours. It seems like it would be useful."


"I'd be happy to help you learn, but .. the hunt for humans.. it does require the same blood as every other hunt. Are you ready to take that step?"

"The Hybrid form? It's something I just recently managed to master, though the Lunars who tattooed me did seem to be quite adept at it. I'd be more than happy to teach you that trick, as it seems pretty well suited for war, and makes me feel more alive, faster, and stronger, so It's very useful, guess that's why they referred to it War-Form."


"Yes, the trick with hunting humans seem to be very useful, as it would allow us to infiltrate the Wyld Hunt, or those they are questioning, to throw them off."

 

[Feantari]

Slip


Slip frown slightly and rubbed at his stubble. "I'm not sure how it would work on an essence user. I doubt it would change your anima and such... Still, it could be useful, and dangerous. It might take some research to be able to pull off that disguise. As for the people they question, surely there is some better way to provide misleading information."


"I.. if the need was great enough, but to kill a person with the potential they carry.. it is not an easy thing. My other form.. I still find myself regretting it at times. My mentor sent me on a task.. I think he wanted to see how I would deal with my tattoos. I needed to work with some people without them knowing my nature. I didn't know you could learn to hide your tattoos with essence. I hardly thought keeping my face hidden would be workable. So, I hunted a trapper. I didn't know much about him, just stumbled upon his trail. I thought it would be like any other hunt. I was actually eager for the rush of a new form and the thrill of hunting did nothing to temper that. But, it was different." Slip gave Knaff something of a pained look. "We can't see the whole of a man's future, but we must weigh that against the benefit the form can provide us. Those the world is better without, perhaps they would make easier targets. That too can be hard to judge."