Reckonings: Umberlee's Belly

[Fuzzball]

Invictus

A meek voice rises from the muck near Ciera's feet. "Um...Mast...Captain. I have apparently missed much since I was told to keep a look-out, but if selling your ships will be of benefit to our mission I am certain that my master would be willing to purchase them from you...if this man's terms are unacceptable." The last bit seems to be added as an afterthought.

[DeepShadow of FoS]

As Peregrine and Cortez examine each other using the crystal, Sven reappears on the flying horse, this time with Kinketsu gliding beneath him on the embroidered rug. The horselord catches the motionless bundle as Sven pitches it over the side of the horse, and moments later arrives to slip Draga--already wrapped in binding bands--beneath the surface in the swamped launch. With Draga safely underwater, Ciera glides over and alights on the rug next to her bodyguard. Wordlessly he offers her the magical stone that Draga was using, and she accepts it with a gracious pat of the hand--their earlier quarrel already forgotten.

Ciera smiles warmly at Invictus as he emerges from under the waves. "We could have worse guards than one who can't get sick and never sleeps, not to mention you can watch beneath the waves as well as above. But what's this about paying for the ships? I thought your master lost...left his wealth in the Nightmare Lands. Has he managed to recover some? Have you spoken with him?"

[Fuzzball]

Invictus

Invictus finds Ciera's presense comforting and lifts himself from the water despite the stranger's arrival. "No, I have not spoken with him. He left some of his belongings on the Bane that he didn't feel the need to carry. There should be more than enough money to purchase the ships, and...if...he..." Invictus is suddenly very aware of Peregrin's watchful gaze and trails off. Something about the man makes him very nervous, though he can't quite decide what it is.

[Nathan of the FoS]

Peregrine

Peregrine's expression does not change as Invictus emerges from the sea-slime; Cortez* is struck by the impression that it is not so much that Peregrine is suppressing his reactions as that his face is no longer able to show emotion naturally.

"Who are you?" he asks flatly. "And who is your master?" Glancing at Cortez, he continues, "You may, of course, sell your ships to anyone you wish, Captain, but I would like a better idea of what you think is really necessary to ensure the curse will no longer affect your men. If this familiar spirit uses its master's possessions to "buy" the ships, to whom will they belong? Its master, who knows nothing of the transaction? The spirit, which has bought with coin not its own?

"In addition, I am not quite sure what the new owner may do with the ships; if I were to buy them, then declare you my factor and hand the management of the ships over to you, I am inclined to believe it would not have the desired effect. Do you believe you must actually give up command of the men, as well as the ships, for the curse to be rendered inoperative?"




*Cortez, because he's got 29 in Sense Motive (I doubt Ciera or Invictus have enough ranks in SM to get a read on Peregrine).

[Fuzzball]

Invictus

Peregrine had not left Invictus the time to answer his question so he pauses to see if the captain answers first. After a moment he decides that, since the first question was directed to him, he ought to be the first to answer. "My name is Invictus and my master is Starcloak Warden Tessius Lionheart. He has been separated from our group so I am currently in the service of Captain Cortez Vandrokar. I appologize for the interruption. I simply wanted to offer the suggestion so that the captain knows all the options he has available to him."

Invictus had almost forgotten Ciera's first statement and turns to her. "I am pleased that you have enough faith in me to trust me to watch over you while you sleep. If you wish it, you need only ask."

[MatthiasStormcrow]

Cortez

"His master Tessius, I would be willing to trust. I, uh, appreciate the thought, Invictus." Cortez glances briefly at the Inquisitor, who gets the impression that Cortez is momentarily concerned about being judged for his connection with the shadow.

"The...curse, however, I am more hesitant to trust." Cortez glances uncertainly at Ciera. "In truth I'm not sure how much control over my men I'm supposed to give up, and I'm not sure how much I can give up, either."

He shrugs at Peregrine. "I agree that simply accepting the ships and leaving me in charge is unlikely to do anything about this curse. But I can't hand control of my men over to you, either -- I mean, they're all volunteers. We have a formal chain of command for the sake of getting things done; and I pay them what I can because I think they more than earn it. But they choose to follow me - about the best I could honestly do is ask them to follow you, and leave the choice to them. No particular offense to any of you, but I don't think they'll like that much. Not that I do, either."

Cortez fidgets uncomfortably. "So you see...I am in an awkward position. I suppose for now we might simply attempt to exchange the ships, and not the crew, and see if it succeeds. If it doesn't...well. We'll have to figure out what to do next."

[Nathan of the FoS]

Peregrine says, "Huh," and looks back at the ships before turning again to Cortez. "So, their allegiance is to you personally, rather than being a formal military structure...that is indeed awkward. I had anticipated great difficulties from a simple transfer of command, but if there is no 'command', in the ordinary sense, to be transferred..."

Peregrine falls silent and looks toward the ships again. "You are outlanders--Arcadius told me. If your men are so devoted as to be willing to follow you into the Mists, they might well prefer to die with you than to see another in your place--especially with you well and present before them."

[DeepShadow of FoS]

Ciera regard Cortez somberly. "You've three captains the men already listen to, and a first mate who served admirably in your absence. If we purchase the ships and hire these four as our captains, that ought to stay the curse. I agree, however, the sailors will turn to you for confirmation of any orders. For the sake of the distraction alone, you might want to spend most of your time out here."

To Peregrine: "Good Shepherd, as Ezra's servant, might you pray on our behalf?. Whether this curse continues or not, we have great need of healing. The natives fear to speak well of any other deity by Umberlee for fear of provoking her wrath, but I'd rather thank a dog for not biting me. And speaking of Ezra's gifts, I'd like a turn with your crystal, if you don't mind."

[MatthiasStormcrow]

Cortez shakes his head. "You're missing the point, Ciera. Sure, Uraun did a fine job in my absence - because he knew I'd be coming back. Shadross waited here while I went off - unhappily I might add - only because I asked him too, and 'cause he knew I'd be coming back. Ships, ships don't object to being sold. And crews don't much care who offically owns the ship, so long as they respect the man giving orders. My captains know I've got to sell the ships. They were fine with that - hells, Wolffe suggested having Moriarun or Peregrine here buy 'em with Arcadius's money. But they weren't happy at the possibility of a change of command - and that was when we were talking about it as just a formality, not me running off and abandoning them."

"See, that's the rub. There is no sum of wealth on this earth that could persuade them to follow you instead of me. Tarr, Wolffe - Shadross! You think they'll accept your money? The only way they'll follow you at all, is if I tell them to. Even if I disappear completely, so long as they know I'm alive, in their minds, I will remain their commander. If this curse requires that I no longer have any sway over them - I fear the curse will remain unbroken. Just as the only thing that persuades me to even think about abandoning them is knowing they'll all suffer or die if I don't, they aren't likely to abandon me for anything short of my death."

"Peregrine has the heart of it. I say that I could tell my captains to listen to you, and then I could stay away - but honestly I'm not sure even that would work. Four crews of men who'd rather be following me? All you'd really be 'buying' is a mutiny waiting to happen. At best. At worst, they'd think I'd abandoned them," a trace of anger creeps into Cortez's voice at the thought, "and it would certainly be disastrous for the already fragile morale around here."

Cortez looks over at Peregrine. "You're a man of faith, Peregrine. Which is worse for a sailor in these conditions? A diseased body or a broken spirit?"

[Nathan of the FoS]

"When you express the matter in such a way, Captain, the question answers itself. A man whose body is diseased may overcome such and do great work in whatever causes he assigns himself, but a man of broken spirit can do nothing, though the strength of all the world resided in his hands."

Peregrine pauses and turns toward the ships again, then back to Cortez. "I can put forward only one solution which may answer your present difficulty. If your own lieutenants can buy the ships, you might declare them independent actors and withdraw yourself..."

Falling silent, Peregrine finally makes his odd rolling shrug and finishes, "I am willing to buy a ship, or three ships, but as long as your men's hearts remain with you it may avail us little. I am certain that transfer of command to any authority figure not already well known to and accepted by your men, such as I am, will be much worse than useless...from Mistress Ciera's words I take it the same applies to her."

Turning now to the witch-child, Peregrine says, "I am willing to extend what I can of Ezra's grace to this company, always minding the fact that my first duty is to pursue the aims I have been instructed to further here and my second to those of my co-religionists who I find in need in this place. Such claims being addressed, I will do such good offices as lie in my power to perform."

Peregrine here pauses very slightly, then reaches for his haversack again, bringing the soul searcher out and handing it wordlessly to Ciera.

[DeepShadow of FoS]

With respectful trepidation, Ciera's tiny fingers close around the Inquisitor's medallion and hold it before her eyes. Seconds pass as the swirling colors congeal into recognizable shapes, and she begins a thorough examination of the world around her.

"A potent little device, Inquisitor. It's the only thing I've found that's unaffected by this world's strange...restrictions. Most of them, at least; it still doesn't show my true age. I'm mostly concerned with how it reveals curses. I see Cortez's curse to be at war with nature, like a stormcloud raining blood all around him. I see your curses, Inquisitor, as if you were caught in some kind of web, with the woman at your side fending off spiders. What did Arcadius' curse look like, Inquisitor? Perhaps with more details, we might sidestep it as we're trying to do with Cortez's.

"I deeply appreciate your rescue of the boy prince Dhardos; you've assumed the mantle of Arcadius' mission dutifully. No one knows the magnitude of that mission greater than we who share it. I know we've just met, but if you'd tell us a little of your own mission, perhaps we can reciprocate. Iron sharpens iron, as the saying goes."

[OOC: I hear you on Peregrine's taciturnity, Nathan, but as I see it, we can role-play Peregrine being tight-lipped or we can just list what he says and what he doesn't--do you expect that if we go the long way, the others can pull more info out of him? Does anyone else have another way to avoid a long review of everything? I'll offer up Ciera's subjects of conversation as a start, but I'm open to other ideas.

Ciera's open topics include altered magic, Draga's agenda, Y'Gina's death, the spirit world, sahuagin, and Miola. Closed topics include her relationships with Anders and Kinketsu. If anyone thinks of a topic she knows about that isn't listed, let me know and I'll add it to the list.]

[Nathan of the FoS]

OOC: It would be more fun to role-play discussion, but you're right; it will take a long time, and this game does NOT need any more encouragement to take a long time doing things. Peregrine's "topics of discussion" are given in the Overlook thread--if the newcomers have questions about Ravenloft in general they can ask away.


IC: Peregrine looks sharply at the girl-witch as she mentions her true age; when she finishes he asks, "How do you then conceal your age, Mistress Ciera? A magic which is sufficient to deceive the soul searcher must be of the greatest magnitude, and possibly the greatest danger to us; do you know how it might be detected, if not through the searcher?

"Master Arcadius' curse was apparent to me as a moon*, which revolved about him, waxing and waning, at terrific speed; from his words I believe he thought the Mists themselves were responsible for the curse under which he labored. I am glad to have furthered, however incidentally, Master Arcadius' mission and yours, but I cannot claim to have taken up his mantle. As our situation and that of those who will oppose us here becomes clearer I am sure we will get a better understanding of how we may help one another to achieve our several purposes."


*Am I remembering this correctly, or was it the face of a watch?

[DeepShadow of FoS]

In the still afterglow, the faint buzzing of ephemeral wings heralds a tiny visitor.
"So, this the new forum? Not quite as cozy as Cortez's quarters, but it has its merits."

[You're correct about the moon-image with Arcadius. I'll let Lostvoices answer for Ciera.

Cal the psicrystal introduces himself to Peregrine, joins the conversation, and explains Anders' conflict with Ashkar. Cal can relay messages from Sariel and Anders, who are currently going over the books stolen from Ashkar.

Cal's open topics include the stolen/recovered books, altered psionics, the fight with Ashkar, and Anders' growing contempt for the dog-eat-dog Saragossan mindset. Closed topics include Anders' personal life and the childhood roots of his contept. If anyone thinks of a topic he knows about that isn't listed, let me know and I'll add it to the list.

I'd also like to get a list of topics from Cortez and Invictus, so we can get everything on the table. Once we've got them, then I'll declare a two-hour passage of time, during which people can press for details on any listed topics--just act as if the topic has just been introduced, or came up recently.]

[Nathan of the FoS]

I'd also like to get a list of topics from Cortez and Invictus, so we can get everything on the table. Once we've got them, then I'll declare a two-hour passage of time, during which people can press for details on any listed topics--just act as if the topic has just been introduced, or came up recently.]

OOC: Good enough. Please note, though, that since Peregrine will apparently NOT be taking command of the ships at present, he intends to go back to the Liberte almost immediately, preferably with some item or items which will allow communication between the outlanders and himself. If any of the epic levelers (Anders?) wants to come with him he'd probably be amenable, although he certainly won't ask for that.

[Fuzzball]

[OOC: I did that almost immediately but I can be more descriptive about it if you like.]

Invictus hovers above the muck and slime listening to the others speak. He makes no move to join the conversation unless asked a direct question. The shadow seems nervous, never having had the chance to talk with a group before, and his voice gives him away. He wonders to himself why he came out the darkness...

It must have been Ciera. He was so happy to see her that he forgot his natural instincts.

It doesn't matter...all he really has to tell them is that he was floating through the water keeping an eye out for danger. That was his assignment after all.