Reckonings: Umberlee's Belly

[MatthiasStormcrow]

Cortez and the captains on the Bane converse with Ciera

"I don't think I can manage two," Cortez says, shaking his head in frustration. "It's just, it's taken a lot out of me to manage what I have so far. Maybe if Balin were here..." Cortez trails off, recognizing the futility of his line of reasoning. "But wishing here were ain't likely to make it so."

"Lass is right though," says Captain Wolffe gruffly. "Ain't the usual thing for a captain to own his own ship, leastaways not for most folks. Pirates play by their own rules, o' course, but then too it's not so much that the captain 'owns' the boat properly, as that nobody's like to take it away from him. So, let the girl or that Peregrine fellow buy the boats, and you can still be the captain." Wolffe grins, obviously pleased with himself for having found a loophole that will let their captain stay on as captain.

Cortez rubs his chin. "Well, right enough, but I'm not trying to argue ownership before the king's council. It's a blasted curse. And it's cursed you all soon long as they're my ships. You ever meet a captain that didn't refer to his boat as 'his', never mind who owned it?"

Wolffe shakes his head, slumping down defeated. "So there's no way around it then."

Cortez sighs. "None that I can see. Ciera, I've no need of your things...have you anything you don't need for yourself?"

He pauses as Kinketsu digs through their things. Cortez shakes his head at item after item -- but then holds up a hand at the small iron spheres Kinketsu haltingly explains are used for capturing prisoners. "What's a one of those worth?" he asks, and lets out a low whistle. "I can't imagine any other circumstance in which I'd pay more for that than a warship - but if you're agreed....I'll-I'll sell you the Bane for one. The other ships we'll sell to this Peregrine fellow, as agreed, as soon as you return and we can contact him."

He starts to depart and pauses abruptly as Ciera tells him about the Sea Dragon. "Aye. Bring him here if you can - and if you can't, I'll make for there right away. I'll either make for you straightaway if you need, or be waiting off the ship, so you can make the trade with me before you set foot on board it. I want the Sea Dragon, but if what Sven has is truly so hideous I'm not about to risk my men catching it."

[Nathan of the FoS]

Moriarun contacts Cortez

OOC: Okay, that's enough waiting. Time for something to happen, small though it be.

IC: As Cortez talk with his captains, the weird white "eye" of a scrying sensor appears in their midst, turning slowly as it observes the company. Captain Wolfe hears the whisper of the magic cup in his ear.

"Moriarun here. Any news for us?"

[Nathan of the FoS]

Cortez and Moriarun converse

OOC: Since the Captain is temporarily hors de combat, so to speak, I'll just run this next little bit myself--ex post facto changes will be made as necessary.


Shrugging, Wolffe directs the eye and (presumably) the viewer to Captain Vandrokar.

"Yes, there is," he says, his jaw tightening slightly as he weighs his next words. "Mor--er, Captain Moriarun, how would you and the Inquisitor Peregrine like to buy two slightly used warships? You might call it a going-out-of-business sale--act now while prices are low..."

There are forced chuckles around the table as Cortez' lieutenants ponder the phrase "going-out-of-business sale."

There is a short but noticeable pause as Moriarun considers this question, and then the whispered voice address Cortez. "Buy the ships? I'm sure...well, yes, of course, but why are you selling them?"

"Because they're mine," Cortez says. "It's a long story--well, not so long, but our time is short. I was cursed this afternoon by a woman they call the Sea Witch, and anyone on a ship I own will be unnaturally vulnerable to sickness--and there's a lot of that going around right now. I have to get rid of the ships before the curse leaves me without anyone to crew them."

"I'll talk to the Inquisitor," Moriarun replies. "I'm sure we can come up with something, but I don't know how quickly he can get there."

Nodding, Cortez says, "Well, let him know the situation, and when Ciera comes back we'll see if we can't arrange a meeting."

"I'll tell him," Moriarun says, and breaks the scrying; the "eye" disappears like a burst bubble.

[Nathan of the FoS]

Cortez aboard the Bane

Standing and stretching, Cortez says, "Speaking of which, Ciera and Anders should be back any moment now. Shall we?"

The captains go above decks into the light of the setting sun, the bizarre landscape--seascape?--of Saragoss now visible as the fog clears even beyond the radius of the orb. "I hope they find that "inquisitor Peregrine" soon," Cortez mutters, laying his hand on the rail. "Someone's got to take this thing off my hands."

"Inquisitor...Peregrine?" he hears from behind him. Turning, he sees one of the Nightwalkers--his name escapes him for the moment, but Angus mentioned he was a Vaasan. He stares at Cortez, his face blank. He says nothing more; Cortez is about to ask him what he wants, when he realizes that the Nightwalker is not confused, nor bashful--he is terrified.

"The Devilwolf is coming here?" he asks, finally, his eyes beseeching Cortez to say it isn't true.

[Fuzzball]

[OOC: Just going along with the "Time for something to happen, small though it be. " I hope everyone’s troubles clear up soon.]

Invictus Eavesdropping

Having been keeping an eye out for trouble, Invictus has no idea what has been going on above. He drifts in the water near the boats, looking for anything out of place. After a while he hovers up into the deck to spend some time spying on the Nightwalkers.

He peeks out of a shadowy corner at the sound of boots on the stairs. Ducking away again, he follows the sound across the deck and listens as Cortez makes his remark to no one in particular. The other man’s comment does nothing to assuage his concern, and he suppresses the urge to float out of the deck and ask…Perhaps when there are fewer people around.


*Listen 9+(d20)12=21 There is no rule for listening while you’re inside of an object so how does through a door (+5) sound? With a 21 that would leave 160ft across which to hear normal talking, or 20ft to hear a whisper…

[Nathan of the FoS]

Peregrine aboard the Liberte

The eye of the scrying sensor appears in the air above Peregrine; looking up and seeing it, he stands and says, "Captain Moriarun. What news?"

"I've just spoken with Captain Cortez," the whispered voice says. "He...well, he needs us to do something for him."

After a moment, Peregrine prompts, "Yes?"

"We need to buy his ships."

Peregrine considers this in silence for several seconds; the voice continues, "He said that he's been cursed, and that his ships' crews will be plague-rid until the ships are no longer his."

Peregrine nods, still silent. Finally he says, "He needs to transfer command. That is a very grievous blow to him, I am sure, and I would suppose to his men as well." Turning to stare across the sea-wrack to where he supposes Cortez' ships lie, as if the ships were there for his inspection, he continues, "He can transfer the ships into my hands, if that is the solution he has resolved on. As leader of the Church Militant I can accept warships as donations in kind, and I can declare their crews to be in service under the Blood Chrism and responsible to me. Write that down--the wording is important--and ask him if that is an acceptable solution. We can discuss it when we meet tomorrow if he has questions or reservations."

"Very well, Shepherd," Moriarun's voice whispers. "Can accept...warships as donations in kind...crews declared to be under the blood chrism and responsible to the Inquisitor...I'll tell him. The Pteryons will be at the ship soon. I'll tell you when they've arrived with the prince."

"Very good," Peregrine replies, nodding in dismissal. The sensor disappears and Peregrine seats himself again, staring out to the empty horizon toward the men for whose lives he is about to become responsible.

[Nathan of the FoS]

Peregrine's memories

"Lieutenant Epsilon Three, you are hereby promoted to Lance Leader Tau. Tau is a newly formed company drawn from veterans and untrained recruits in the usual proportions. You must be battle-ready in time for the spring offensive. Who will you take for your second?"

"Squad Leader One Epsilon Three, sir."

"Very well. I am pleased you have given the matter some thought, Lance Leader. Decisiveness is a very great asset to an officer. Have you any questions for me at this time?"

"No, sir."

"Dismissed."

[Nathan of the FoS]

Peregrine's memories

"Lance Leader Tau, you have been accused of cowardice in the face of the enemy. What is your plea?"

"Not guilty, High Marshall Tejen."

I am accused of being alive when my men are dead.

I am guilty.

"Lance Leader Tau, you have been found not guilty of cowardice in the face of the enemy. Given the charges against you and your re-classification as Combat Type Two-Beta, we find it undesirable that you be given command or placed in combat situations. We therefore transfer you from service beneath the Sword to service beneath the Dagger. You are to begin training as a Dagger operative, class III, novice, immediately."

They have placed me beneath the Triple Eye. I am to be a torturer.

[Nathan of the FoS]

Cortez talks to the Nightwalker

"Is something the matter with bringing the Inquisitor here?" Cortez asks calmly.

"He...I...I don't mean to tell you your business, Captain, but, please, Captain, just let us get off the ship first." The Nightwalker squints and swallows, his hands gesturing in a fruitless attempt to describe the depth of his feeling. "He'll kill us, Captain."

Struck by the intensity of the Nightwalker's feeling, Cortez says quietly, "You'd better explain, man. Why do you think he'd want to? And, hells, why do you think he can? I'm not going to hand you over to him, and that's certain."

"I...Captain, the stories they tell of him. Whole villages he's burnt to the ground to..."purify" them. He destroyed a whole town in my homeland, hundreds of people, Captain, all by himself, and when the Sons of Bane--a ten-fist, fifty men strong in the Faith--went to prevent him from doing more harm he summoned up a fiend from Hell and killed them all, except one he left alive to carry the story. You're a reef, sure enough, Captain, and a mighty strong one, but you've never seen a hurricane like the one he's like to bring."

[Nathan of the FoS]

Sariel and Anders go back to the Bane

"This one...this one...this might be interesting...take those four, and that'll do, I suppose," Sariel says, handing books to Anders for storage in his haversack. "Fine. Ready?"

"Just waiting on...oh, there you are."

Cal appears from a crack in the ship's timbers, scuttling like a largish blue spider along the wall, then leaping to Ander's shoulder. Nodding, Anders turns to Sariel. "I guess it's time," he says.

"All right," Sariel replies, crouching and extending his neck. "All aboard that's coming aboard."

Anders steps up and seats himself across the dragon's shoulders, Cal hiding himself at the back of Ander's neck. With a great leap Sariel is airborne, flailing the air with his great golden wings; he and his passengers and the silver raven streak back across the darkening sky toward the Bane.

[Nathan of the FoS]

Sariel and Anders at the Bane

The wind of their passage makes communication difficult and conversation more or less impossible; Sariel isn't much inclined to conversation at the moment regardless. It's been a long, long day, and the flying is taking its toll.

It will be good to get some sleep tonight, he thinks. I wonder what Balin is doing. At that prosaic thought Sariel feels a stab of something like homesickness--a desire for the familiar face of his master and the familiar sky of Toril. This is a horrible place, he thinks, surprised at the intensity of the thought. A horrible place. I hope we find the royal family soon; I don't want to stay here a minute longer than we have to.

At last Cortez' ships come into sight; giving a sigh of relief, Sariel angles downward, backing expertly to bring himself to the deck and letting Anders slide off. Cortez is involved in an animated discussion--actually, he is listening to an animated monologue--from one of the Nightwalkers; shrugging slightly, Sariel turns to Anders and says, "I forgot to ask earlier; how did your interview with the wizard go?"

[DeepShadow of FoS]

Ciera, Sven, Draga and Ashkar

Sven hefted the listless and mumbling body over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes. His mistress had strictly forbidden him from hurting the wereshark or even removing the stone circling the creature's empty head, but he caught the shadow of her satisfied smile as he spat in the creature's eyes and rubbed it in. Draga was in his human form now, but Sven couldn't think of him as anything but a mad dog chained to its own hate. Even blighted as he was by Draga's hand, Sven could barely comprehend that any deity would soil itself by accepting the worship of something so wretched.

For her part, Ciera was anxious to be on her way, but she couldn't leave without checking in on the sea-witch. Y'Gina was a craven, misanthropic shrew, yet Ciera felt a twinge of pity for this woman caught up in forces she couldn't comprehend. Old women were always so set in their ways. Her tiny hands held Y'Gina's limp hand as a Sea Gypsy with tar under his eyes tried to coax the old woman's teeth apart. The blood-flecked foam had returned as Y'Gina's breathing had turned to groans and gasps, and though the chirugeon feared to speak honestly in front of guests, she plucked the truth from his mind: Y'Gina had swallowed her own tongue, and would perish within the minute, if some miracle did not awaken her first. The only one who could save her now was the daughter who had fled this place hours ago.

As the bleak situation turned to bitter anger in the man's mind, Ciera realized this was her last chance to take Draga without a fight. As she and Sven backed out of the room, she made one last sweep of the man's thoughts to make sure he was still occupied by his dying mistress.

That's when she caught the thought about Ashkar.

He was here on the Mallochio, or had been moments ago when the fighting broke out. Nephys hadn't mentioned names when Draga had been gathering his liuetenants, but now she knew who must have teleported in at the last minute, and what trouble he might have run into. Was thie conflict with Anders genuine? Had his offer of information turned out to be a trap? She made her way to the deck and pulled out a stone of summoning. Gypsies shrieked and fled as the black horse erupted from deck in a puff of brimstone.

"All three of you?" the nightmare-steed snorted, brandishing his flame-colored mane from side to side. "You need a pack mule, child, not a destrier!"

"You know who I am," Ciera said, slapping horse on the nose. "And if I choose for it to be four, you'd carry us and be glad of the company!"

She waits for the horse's grudging nod of obeisance before reopening the scrying field to Cortez.

"I'll be in the air momentarily, Dra--Cap--Cortez," Ciera says, barely acknowledging her own distractedness. "Before I go, I'd like whatever we know about Ashkar Aun. He may be here on the ship, and I'd like to know how and whether to approach him."

Even before Cortez responds, word spreads among the Sea Gypsies that Ciera wants to see the slimerake Ashkar, and few are slow to oblige.

[Presumably Ashkar hears that Ciera is seeking him, and reacts as he wishes. They have only a few minutes before Y'Gina dies and the Sea Gypsies call for Draga's blood. For now they are content to let Ciera take him, as she's the wronged party so far.]

[DeepShadow of FoS]

Ciera, Sven and Draga leaving the Mallochio

Ciera listens to the captain's summary of Anders' debacle with Ashkar, but shakes her head at his offer to fetch the psion for a full report.

"That's enough for now. I've got to get into the air before things get any worse here. Look for us in the east, and let me know where we should land. Balin's shackles might help contain him after my spells wear off, except he breathes water most of the time, even in human form. Right now he's being kept alive by an ioun stone, which won't work around those shackles."

She ignores the horse's grumbling as Sven swings Draga over the saddle, then holds out a hand to lift her up. With a final wave of thanks to the shocked Sea Gypsies, they gallop into the air and speed east on flaming hooves.

[While in the air, Ciera will be open for discussion with Cortez. The following post will cover the rafts of new information being gathered from many sources.]

[DeepShadow of FoS]

Random conversational bits, offered by Ciera and others:

* Draga is trying to "break" the newcomers for Saragoss, so that they can't threaten the balance of power. His servants might continue to carry out his orders, which include standard elements of a Saragossan "breaking:"

--Don't let them sleep
--Spread their wealth around, preferably to Draga's allies
--Weaken them with disease, starvation and addiction
--Spread them thin
--Remove unique elements. In this case, that would include the Smiling Serpent, Cortez's healing and Cutter as a means of transportation

* Draga had a number of stolen items he intended as magical foci. Ciera recovered all of them except Shadross's throwing dagger.

* Ciera's picked up a considerable amount of Saragossan slang and some customs she'll never forget. While some of these vary from crew to crew, she can get you all started on a Saragossan lexicon. Toby might be able to help as well.

* At Duke Arbrund's gentle urging, Toby seeks out the captain with a warning: Harrin will be paying all of you a visit soon. Toby's not certain whether the ghost would prefer to free his master or just get out while the getting's good, but everything Toby knows about his nemesis suggests Harrin will arrive soon. Toby believes he'll try to take control of a large portion of a crew, possibly the Serpent so as to flee into the Mists while his reins are loose. Arbrund has encouraged Toby to come forward with this in the hopes of setting a trap for Harrin and eliminating the ghost once and for all.

* Wolffe suggests that Ciera first put Draga down on a lifeboat still owned by Cortez, thereby subjecting him to the curse and--hopefully--the disease he hoped to spread to the crew. Ciera admits it's tempting: cackle fever will hamper Draga's ability to cast spells long after Ciera's magics have worn off.

* Viggo, on the subject of the Inquisitor: "He's Ezra's left hand, exterminating anyone who does not confess her supremacy, and purging her ranks of all the weak and unfit; he burned an entire village alive because they observed a holiday from their old religion! At times he's allied himself with infidels--even tyrants such as the Black Rose of Sithicus--as long as they serve Ezra's purposes, but anyone free of Ezra's yoke should sleep with one eye open while he's around."

* Anders on his confrontation with Ashkar: "He said he wanted to escape with us, and that he needed our help removing a curse that prevented him from drinking human blood. In exchange he'd provide us with valuable information on Draga and his forces, including Arcadius's spellbooks; if I refused, he'd be "forced to detain me for his master." It was that last part that really got to me--both his gall in threatening a potential ally and the sheer hubris in the threat itself. I pointed out several flaws in his plan that would best be remedied by staging a realistic fight; I wanted to test how much he was really willing to give up to get out of here. All in all, he seems a coward at heart: he'll help us as long as we seem to be the strongest ones here, and as long as it's in his best interests. As soon as either of those are compromised, he'll switch sides again."

[Nathan of the FoS]

"Captain Vandrokar," the whispered voice of Moriarun interrupts Viggo's increasingly animated recounting of the Grand Inquisitor's crimes. "I've discussed your request with the Inquisitor, and he's agreed. He has certain terms..."

OOC: Breaking off here because I suspect the Captain might not want to have the rest of this conversation in front of Viggo and would probably interrupt at about this point.