BountyOfTheSeas/Session O02
<onine> Bounty of the Seas - Session o-02
<onine> Echo. Echo. Echo. The halls had rarely heard sound for near a millenia. And now they bore sound within at long last, countless times in a matter of days. Life had been breathed into the ancient place.
<onine> And now a new presence added his living sounds to the halls, and yet they were hollow. False.
<onine> Echo. Echo. Echo. The sounds were heavy footsteps and the slight clinking of immesurably strong armour. Little groans, leather-on-leather... or perhaps something more sinister follows the footsteps.
<onine> He walks the halls, a strange sense of history compelling his merciless heart to experience the bastion of an ancient past - a past that had fallen so very far and now its nature was very much in line with his own.
<Diamond> A little behind him, and behind a countermade of imperishable glass, white cartilegenous feet creep silently in perfect time with the heavier footfalls
<onine> Billowing whisps of dust flow up, tossed about by his cape as he walks, through huge halls of bookshelves, immense works of imperishable art. It was a beauty that at the same time awed and sickened him.
<onine> Coming full circle, the Shroud of Darkness Passing arrived once more at the atrium into which he first stepped from the undersea tunnel. Above him a stern grey statue looked on, challenging the Deathknight to defy him.
<Diamond> What large, boorish beast disturbs the territory of the rat?
<onine> Lurking in the shadows a flitting shape watches the Deathknight. It does not act. It does not attack. It merely watches, acknowledging the presence and little more.
<onine> The Deathknight stands clad fully in the deepest black armour. It is designed with sweeping curves that come to savage spikes. Across its surface play ghostly shapes of wailing faces and tortured souls.
<onine> His face is completely covered by a mask of similar steel, inlaid in places with pale ivory and white jade. The face is truly beautiful. The mask is at least.
<onine> "What secrets have you for me, Ancient One?" He remarks to the silent statue, his deep voice muffled by the mask only slightly.
<onine> From his back the Abyssal draws an enormous warblade, six feet in length, its blade decorated by luminous dark runes of glowing red-jade. In a single sweep he brings the sword through the statue and sheaths it again at his back.
<onine> A slight cloud of dust erupts from the statue, but nothing seems to happen at first.
<onine> Then slowly the statue begins to slide off its lower body from a hair-thin diagonal cut. The stone statue topples and breaks upon the floor, booming and shaking the hall with the impact.
<onine> "It gives me no pleasure to destroy such a fine work of art, but it is not your form I desire - but your heart." The Abyssal remarks standing over the broken remnants of the statue's torso. From its chest he pulls a simple sphere of gold, across it is carved an elaborate criss-cross of lines and Old-Realm runes.
<onine> The sphere gleams in his black-gauntletted hand, touching essence at last after a millenia of imprisonment.
<onine> The Deathknight admires it a moment before placing the fist-sized sphere in a pouch under his cloak.
<onine> He turns and strides towards the exit, his business now complete, but halts mere yards from the tunnel and waits.
<onine> After a few seconds of silence he draws the immense daiklave from his back once more.
<onine> "I sense you, watcher... and I commend you." Shroud turns around slowly. "To hide such living energy in a place of such death... the contrast gives you away."
<onine> "Come out..." He requests sinisterly.
<Diamond> There was an archtitect named Prasenjit who designed the most beautiful domes in the east, and lived in a house far above the trees with his wife and their three dark haired daughters
<Diamond> But he was commanded to come to the west, but his wife and children could not, for they were spirits of the wood and would rot if they sailed in the ocean
<Diamond> To staunch his sorrow at leaving them, he worked himself to death, designing a dome with unsurpassed acoustics, so that every word seems to echo.
<Diamond> This came to pass 3000 years ago, but his dome is still there, and so these words echo from every direction:
<Diamond> "Would I be safer hiding in your tomb, you rotted old lawgiver?"
<onine> Shroud chuckles deeply, a rumbling noise from deep in his armour. The Deathknight paces a slow circle around the statue. He does not appear to be searching, but only a fool would believe that he was not very aware of his surroundings.
<onine> "Such spirit. Very life-affirming." He says, his bass voice likewise gaining power in the dome. "Though your pathetic adherence to the false-glory of life is being preached in the wrong place."
<Diamond> "And what are you doing with my lover's rotten old heart?"
<onine> "Seeing to awakening the dream of his circle... A perfect world." Shroud replies immediately and with conviction. "Your lover then? A Lunar Exalted...Victorious Diamond is it?"
<Diamond> "I'm getting a reputation with the wrong crowd, arn't I?"
<onine> "Your views of right and wrong are somewhat skewed, Chosen of Lunar." Shroud taunts, stopping at the entrance to the enormous halls of bunks. "Shall I educate you in truth?"
<onine> Raw dark power seems to bleed off him, amplifying the sense of still death in the Manse.
<onine> It is difficult to ignore how strong he is.
<Diamond> "I'd rather be educated in lies" she says playfully, although she's a bit nervous.
<onine> "Come out..." you can almost hear the sinister smile in his voice. "Let us talk like *civilized* beings."
<Diamond> "What sort of civilization w ere you thinking of? I don't recall any cultures known for their love of masks and murder."
<onine> "There are... parallels in all societies, Chosen of Luna." Shroud says, trying to follow the Lunar's voice in fain.
<onine> *vain
* Diamond slams her Dire lance againist a wall, producing loud clanging echos
<Diamond> "Yes? And what will your society be like, once its good and dead?"
<onine> Shroud stops and turns towards the sound which issues out all around him, and you can tell that he is frowning under the mask. "It will be... Perfect."
<Diamond> "I see you have a lot in common with my good husband. Would you like to meet him?"
<onine> "To which do you refer, good Lunar? For I have met both already... neither have reached my modest expectations of them, in form, philosophy and skill." He sneers. "Show yourself..."
<Diamond> "Both? How many do I have?"
<Diamond> "I should get them together and make a night of it."
<Diamond> "Take off that mask first."
<onine> "You wish to see the visage of truth, is that it Chosen of Luna? Is that your wish?" Shroud laughs, his booming chuckle echoes darkly throughout the manse.
<Diamond> "You have the visage of truth under there too? There must not be much room for your brain."
<onine> "You disappoint me. Your insults have all the weight of a clawless kitten's pawing, I expected better." Shroud sounds genuinely disappointed.
<Diamond> "Of course. They're a celebration of anger and bravado. I'm trying to build myself up, not tear anything down. You only look to wound, deathknight."
<onine> "No... No that is not it at all." The deathknight actually seems almost pleading as he speaks. "It is far more than something so simple as to wound, it is grander! Purer!"
<onine> "But your limited comprehension is holding you back... comprehension limited by the flaw of life." Shroud shakes his head.
<Diamond> "You don't smell so pure to me Deathknight. Maybe you don't really want to destroy the world, maybe you just need to throw yourself into the void?"
<onine> "You use words that you do not truly understand to attack a concept of purity that in your present form you can scarcely comprehend." He throws back. "Come out. And I will show you - consider it a heartfelt gift."
<Diamond> "Arn't you alive, deathknight? The No Moons say yours are the souls so vile death wouldn't have you. Are you sure you understand death so well?"
<onine> "Implicitely." He replies with utter belief in his words.
<Diamond> "you still havn't told me what you're doing with my husband's heart. Really, I feel it belongs to me."
<onine> "It belongs to the pursuit of pure truth, Chosen of Luna, and the right is far more mine to bear than yours... unless you would think yourself worthy enough to take it from me in battle..."
<Diamond> "Ah, little ol me?"
<Diamond> "Anyway, you've got it - get out of my house."
<onine> "This place is no longer meant for you, or the living. I have seen to that." Shroud replies.
<Diamond> "how do you mean?"
<onine> His chuckle is an omen of things to come. Sheathing his sword he turns, throwing his black cloak out behind him as he walks to the tunnel.
<onine> "Patience Lunar, soon you shall see. Soon all of Creation will see. It is only a matter of time - such as it always is..."
<Diamond> Diamond steps after him warily, sniffing the air
<Diamond> Diamond races around, looking for any flaws the dark creature might have introduced
<onine> His booming footsteps and the moans of soulsteel armour disappear up the tunnel, leaving only silence in his wake.
<onine> In the silence you are alone. Truly alone. Even the dark shape of the fallen solar does not grace you with its company... the Manse is at peace...
One week after...
<onine> The scent of herbs, spice and other fluids that do not mix well together begins to fill the room from the little pool of steaming liquid that seems to be the very center of Verdant's world. On either side of the mug placed in front of him his hands grip the edge of the table as if to anchor his spinning head and stomach to Creation.
<onine> "My father used to be a soldier in the Coral navy." Dell proclaims leaving the strange brew in front of the Twilight. "He and his fellow officers used to use this stuff to cure long nights in dockside taverns when they were moored."
<onine> "We didn't have all the herbs we needed." Falling Leaf apologises. "So we made do with a few substitutes here and there."
<onine> Salas, Neihan, Monk and a few others of the Brilliance's crew look at the brew with expressions ranging from nausea, sympathy to horror from their seats around the table. Neihan coughs and covers his nose with his forearm.
<onine> "Oh, and you'll need this Master Verdant." Dell adds with a plucky smile, placing a wooden fabric peg on the table next to the mug. "For your nose..."
<onine> The few lanterns in the meeting-room of the Brilliance cast a flickering glow on the large wooden table, providing light for maps, charts and other such lore. Outside the sky greys and darkens, the sun having set half an hour beforehand.
* Zeleny is watches the crew hover with an expression perilously close to amusement. He's been looking rather haggard himself since his recovery, and there's a hard line to his jaw. "Feeling any better?" he asks sadistically.
<onine> "He'll be right-as-rain after this Captain, you'll see." Dell assures the Zenith.
<Verdant> "Not so loud..." the Twilight grumbles weakly.
* Verdant ignores the peg and downs the vile brew. Slamming the mug back on the table, Verdant's face contorts in the familiar expression of one having ingested something their tongue asserts they should never ingest ever again.
<Zeleny> "It's own fault," the captain observes with a heartless lack of sympathy. He drums his fingers on the table. "Are we ready to begin?"
* Verdant rubs his forehead with one hand. "<THAT stuff would drive me to drink, for the Sun's sake!>"
<onine> "Aye sir." Salas Toad answers for the mortal crew present.
* Zeleny nods, flicking a finger at Niehan for him to begin.
<onine> "Sir..." Neihan nods and stands. "Okay, to begin I'll tell you what I know of Black Flag - which is at once a fair bit and nothing much at all - but I'll let you make up your mind."
<onine> "During our... stay on the Burning Rain we made plenty of trips to the old port there. Damn good place to drop of... cargo." By cargo Neihan evidently means 'slaves' and there is a certain degree of shame in his voice.
<onine> "The thing with Black Flag is that there's ultimately no centralized leadership there - oh theres powers of course, Augustine for example and all the other gods of vice which could be pegged as the ones in charge. But in terms of running most affairs no one really took the helm."
<onine> "That's not to say that the place is chaos of course, no way. Otherwise the place wouldn't survive." Neihan says. "Theres the infrastructure there for a government, but it's since been taken over and is like a collection of small block-sized states."
<onine> "Various groups run each given their level of control - the crew of the Burning Rain for example once held a district on the north side... all gone now of course. Taken over."
<onine> "Some are run by gangs, some are run by varied crews of ships and small pirate navies - others still are run by entrepeneurs. Slavers, treasure collectors, ship and weapon conglomerates. Now, as per the unwritten rules of Black Flag you can do what you like. You dont answer to anyone but the one who leads you and your territory."
<Zeleny> "You say it's �since� been taken over. Since when?"
<onine> "Well sir, without our old Captain and most of the crew, its likely been picked up by other groups. Gangs, pirates, I dont know. Thats what I mean sir."
<onine> "Essentially if you want more land, you can go to war with a neighbouring territory, so long as you dont interrupt the vice that the hidden powers of Black Flag like the taste of. Mostly people do things quietly, take over business. Its big politics with the land-owners."
<Verdant> "In other words," Verdant says softly, "there is no heart to rip out, no head to cut off. It is a hydra."
<onine> "Master Verdant's hit it dead on sir." Neihan says.
<onine> "In order to maintain your own claim and ensure rivals dont step on your toes its up to you to maintain your territories and the people that live. Repairing roads, guarding homes, running protection, that sort of thing."
<onine> "Some do it, some dont." Neihan continues. "But you'll find that the more careless groups quickly get pushed out."
<onine> "Thats probably why its survived so long as it is." Neihan shrugs. "Greed and lust for power seems to keep things stable despite everything that the place is."
* Zeleny twirls an empty goblet in his hands thoughtfully. "Who are these hidden powers?"
<onine> "Wish I could help you on that one Captain. All we really knew for sure is that you didnt mess with what they liked - and they'd repay you by NOT turning you inside out." Neihan answers. "You can bet that Augustine was one of them, possibly the biggest. Black Flag is slaving first, everything else second."
<onine> "You'll likey have gods of murder, mugging, rape, drugs and such swarming unseen in the shadows getting themselves off on all the intemperate behaviour going on. Nice and fat they'd be getting in a place like Black Flag I'd be willin' to wager."
* Zeleny tighten on his goblet. They had been so close-
<Verdant> "Thrilling. That means we have two options if we want to shut down the place." Verdant says, staring at the mug in front of him.
* Verdant runs one finger up the side of the mug. "Take it over, piece by piece and block by block..." His finger reaches the top, and his voice trails off.
<onine> "We could set ourselves up as players, yeah." Neihan agrees. "That could work, even with the captain's rousing rhetoric it will take time."
* Verdant slowly lets his hand drop to the table in silence. He drums his fingers on the wood in front of him.
<Zeleny> "So what's the other idea?" he asks, looking at Verdant narrowly.
<onine> "We dont have enough men." Monk says, taking a mental count of the Brilliance's crew.
<Verdant> Without a word, Verdant calmly moves his hand, sweeping the mug off the table. It clatters to the floor.
<Verdant> "Destroy it."
<onine> The suggestion is met by silence.
* Verdant 's voice is barely above a whisper.
* Verdant makes no attempt to break the silence, staring at the table space in front of him.
* Zeleny stares at him for a moment, stilled. The corners of his eyes crease as he looks at him. His lips thin. "No."
<Zeleny> "No. If we must bathe in blood to set the world to rights, let it at least be saving something."
<Zeleny> He had fought with this temptation before.
<Zeleny> "We cannot kill just for the sake of murdering."
<onine> "Then we take over slowly?" Salas asks.
<Zeleny> "If we must." He looks at Monk. "You're right. We don't have the men. But even in the most decadent society, there are those with a desire for ...change." A little smile twitches on his lips. "Most often those trod on by the current regime. But they will want justice. I can train them to be strong enough to grasp it."
<Zeleny> He raises the goblet to lips, glances at it, and then sets it down as he remembers it's empty.
<onine> The mortal members of the crew smile ever so slightly at Zeleny's words, for they knew them to be true.
<onine> "Well then sir, the take-over it is." Monk grins.
<Zeleny> "Now. It's been a while, I know, Niehan, but are there any rogue pirate fleets I should know about? Vengeful exiles?"
<onine> "Well ah... off the top of my head..." Niehan looks at the ceiling and counts off on his fingers.
<onine> "There's the Red Marauders, they presently run most of the docks areas for large ships - I'm talkin' Coral battlecruiser sized ships here, not comparatively small vessels like the Brilliance or the Emancipator. We didn't have to encounter them much as we moored on the Western docks."
<onine> "They've been running the docks for as long as I can remember, and still are, saw some of their markings a few days ago. They're run by an Outcaste, Sarakahn, so I bet they'll be trouble."
<onine> "Lets see... you already tangled with a group simply called the Consortium. God-bloods, some gods themselves and fae have their hands in that one. They run *most* of the slave dealing. And I say most."
<onine> "Theres about six or so pirate groups of 2-5 ships that run territories, but they fluctuate a lot so I cant say how many and which ones will be present. Every now and then one falls prey to a Coral Warship and loses its claim."
<onine> "Then theres the countless gangs, crime families and merchants of questionable scruples that litter the port."
* Zeleny rests his chin on his folded hands as he listens. "What are relations like with Coral, then?"
* Verdant looks thoughtful.
<onine> "Slim to none. The only relations with Coral is the occasional scrap when a group gets cocky enough to start preying on Coral protected territories." Niehan answers. "The reason Coral doesnt whipe Black Flag off the map is the same reason we're having so much trouble now."
<Verdant> "The Hydra problem?"
<onine> "Yep. Its just too much bother when compared to what is for all intents and purposes a mere niussance to their navy." Niehan nods. "Its also possible that some of the more 'influencial' Coral merchants may have a stake here which has stayed the nation's hand, though I cant say if thats true for sure. A hunch."
<onine> "And they dont really want to give the pirates here a reason to band together. If every group had a good enough reason to join under one banner..." Niehan lets the silence explain the rest.
<Verdant> "A problem we ourselves could run up against."
<Zeleny> "Are there any disaffected individuals I should know about? Any prominent exiles?"
<onine> "Well, I guess there's that pirate group under that dragon-blood... er... Rho I think. They dont look like they're gonna die anytime soon. Word is she got the boot from the Peleps navy when all that political manuvering in the Realm started happening."
<onine> "Still bitter about it from what *I* heard, but she's also a Realmer and a Dragonblood, which means she wont like you or Master Verdant altogether much."
<onine> "That could go either way." Salas grumbles.
* Verdant looks up. "Out of curiousity, am I the only one who likes the idea of one of those 'Coral battleships' under more...effective management?"
* Zeleny laughs. "Only one?"
* Verdant shrugs. "Have to start somewhere."
<onine> There is a chorus of chuckles from the mortal crewmembers
<Zeleny> "One more question, then. There is infrastructure from a time before, you said. Before the pirates came to Black Flag. What did the city used to be?"
<onine> "Cant say for sure sir." Niehan shakes his head sadly. "Probably a few centuries before my time. From what I can tell, it was probably once a very nice place. Got stone construction in the older areas, temples, ampitheaters, bath-houses, parks and the like."
<onine> "Though pretty much everything has been changed to a shadow of what it once was. Temples are now houses of debauchery, ampitheaters are used for strip-shows or arena fights, and you can use your imagination for what the bath-houses have become.
<onine> "If this place had a god he or she is long since dead or is a twisted mockery of what it once was."
* Verdant looks at Zeleny. "I wonder if that's what that shadow was.
* Zeleny grimaces, remembering it. "No." Though Augustine- again, in his mind, he can see the cancerous bloat slip away like blood spilt in the sea. A nest of snakes writhes in his stomach. "No, the shadow is..was- something else."
<Zeleny> Outside, the moon has risen, and it shines a pale light into the stateroom. "There's a pirate fleet chasing us. No real idea of why. Let's turn the tables. Pick out one, seperate it from the pack, and pounce. We need to know what happened back on that island."
<onine> "Fortunately the pursuit has gotten less frequent and less coordinated. Dont really know why, though I welcome it." Toad reports.
* Sunset limps in. "Zeleny, I have news from the watch."
<Zeleny> "What news?"
<Sunset> "There's a ship approaching from the stern - no lights."
<onine> "And then you opened your big mouth..." Niehan mutters.
<Sunset> "But - as I heard what he said... this does serve the purpose. They simply do the service of seperating themselves for us!"
<Verdant> "Unless they're playing possum."
<onine> "Lets go have a look at our guests then." Monk stands.
* Zeleny narrows his eyes into slits. "A close look. Verdant, the Ruler has been patiently following us for some time without company..."
<Verdant> "You want me to take a close look with it or to give it some course corrections?"
<Zeleny> "Get a close look. Ruler should be able to notice any other 'friends' nearby, if this is a trap..."
* Verdant nods and stands up. For a moment, he wobbles, one hand grabbing his head. Then he shakes it off and walks out of the room.
<Sunset> "I shall rouse Sarasvati. If this is indeed a fight, I fear I shall be of little use in my own person."
<onine> Monk goes about and quietly orders the dousing of any and all light on deck or in cabins. There is little if any that is not hidden by curtain or silk, but to be sure they are doused anyway.
<onine> The night is cold, a chill wind blows across the lightly rolling black ocean, cutting through clothing and biting at exposed skin. A very fine mist slinks about the water, rarely coming high enough to spill onto the deck. The moonlight seems to make the mist glow a luminous pale grey.
<onine> It is as if there are two levels of ocean, one black and one ghost silver.
<onine> The deck is littered with the ghostly pale sailors, their skin gleaming in the silvery moonlight, matched only by the reflections of unsheathed swords. All eyes are aft at the dark shape approaching through the miss, silent as a ghost.
<onine> Wicked Meiklan stands facing the rear of the ship while another sailor mans the wheel, darting glances over his shoulder at the ship in pursuit.
<onine> "Cap'n." Meiklan nods. "Temmak spotted her less than a minute ago. Came up from the port side at first, but now she's passed our midline since and is now on the starbord."
<onine> In the distance you can see the ship cutting silently in the Brilliance's direction.
<onine> Meiklan supresses a shiver. Despite the cold, the old cut-throat still only wears his loose-fitting red silks, which appear a washed out purple in the moonlight.
* Zeleny stands at the railing, wrapping his hands around it, watching the hunter come closer like a wolf watching a lamb. "Extinguish the lights," he says softly. "Jaro, cover a lamp, and stand ready with the archers for fire volleys."
<onine> "Aye sir." The man murmers and gives a few quick directions with his hands to the crew.
<onine> "Damn.." Salas Toad mutters. "I can barely see her. Its truly good fortune that Temmak spotted her at all in this mess."
<onine> Straining his eyes in the darkness Zeleny can see that the ship doesn't appear to be on a direct course for the Brilliance. Indeed it is headed at a slight angle to the starbord of the solars' ship, crossing her wake.
* Zeleny nods. "Aye," he agrees softly, watching the distant shape come slowly closer. "They'll have cannons, the way they're positioning themselves." He grabs Dell's shoulder, and gives him quick orders to relay to the crew below.
<onine> The young cabin boy nods and scampers off below.
<Zeleny> They'd need to be quick with the boards and the nails, if the ship out there intended to sink them.
<onine> The Ruler of Cerulean Waves' cockpit closes comfortably around Verdant, and the twilight feels a slight vibration through the great Warstrider's structure as it prepares to move at the Exalt's command.
<onine> The ocean outside is murky, cold and dark. Through the poor moonlight you can only just make out the black blot of the Brilliance's underside on the water's surface.
<onine> <Greeting/Affirmation of presence>
<onine> The Warstrider's thoughts echo as if with Verdant's own.
* Verdant pauses a moment, finding the warstrider's mental presence...comforting somehow. To it, the past few days...the nightmares within, simply had not happened. A moment's solace borrowed, Verdant smiles. "Greetings to you too as well, Ruler, let's check out that ship that thinks it can sneak up on us, shall we?"
<onine> <Agreement/Preparedness> the warstrider's empathic reply ripples through your mind.
<onine> The Ruler slips silently and neatly through the murky water, some enchantment on its visual senses brightens the sea around your so that you can sea with greater ease.
<onine> Within a minute you can see the dark shape of the pursuing vessel above on the water's surface.
<Verdant> "A lone ship against the Brilliance?" Verdant looks about. "Is it just me, or does that seem foolish..."
<onine> <ConflictBountyOfTheSeas/Anticipation of combat> the Ruler says.
<Verdant> "...in fact, it's something Zeleny would do...but only if he thought he could...overpower...wait, what was that Ruler?"
<onine> <Attack/Reconnaissance?> The Ruler clarifies its query.
<Verdant> "Recon," Verdant replies. "Something's up with this boat. Either it's pulling some stunt in an attempt to surprise us, they know something we don't, or they're dumber than they think. I for one want to know which."
<onine> <Support/Acceptance of intent> The Ruler replies.
* Verdant squints, peering beyond the physical as he looks over the darkened boat.
<onine> The world of essence becomes open to you, it is like a canvas of black splattered with the crazed pastel brushstrokes of a mad painter, currents and waves zip past the ruler's form. You dim those visuals and look forth to the ship and beyond its simple form.
<onine> Within you can see the essence of the crew... glowing shapes moving about their duties... however something is strange.
<onine> You may not know a lot about war and naval strategy, but you've been in conflicts with Zeleny and his crew to know where the crew would be when pursuing a ship.
<onine> The crew are sort of... random.
<onine> They move aimlessly about, slowly here and there. Some dont even move at all - and these arent crew on the helm or crows-nest. The unmoving crew are in the hold, bunks, and other chambers.
<Verdant> "What? Even Zeleny would have all hands on deck if he was going into a fight..."
<onine> <Query/Curiosity at expressed confusion> the Ruler responds empathically.
<Verdant> "I'm seeing the essence patterns of the crew, Ruler, but they're just wandering about. There's no sense that they're preparing for battle.
<onine> <CarelessnessBountyOfTheSeas/Not anticipating conflict?> Ruler suggests.
<Verdant> "Just running without any lights on deck at random while we're running from a pirate fleet? I doubt that. I also doubt we're going to get anything more from observing their underbelly. If they're chasing us, I doubt they're thinking too hard about watching their own stern."
<Verdant> "How quietly can you surface behind them?"
<onine> <Agreement> Ruler responds. <Extreme silence/Comparative>
<onine> <Sufficience> Ruler assures you.
<Verdant> "Let's do it."
<onine> <Readiness/Compliance> Ruler replies, and you feel the slight sinking feeling in your stomach that indicates that the Ruler is preparing to surface.
<onine> Water seems to stream down your vision as the Warstrider breaks through the wake of the mysterious vessel in pursuit.
<onine> From behind you see the same thing as before, the crew's essence moving about aimlessly. Though the painting of essence on your vision you can see the rear of the ship. The glass windows on the rear of the captain's quarters have been smashed in a few places. Above, some of the sails are not secure, and a few are in tatters.
<onine> It is doubtful that anyone would see the Ruler in the wake of the ship through the mist, even with the Moonsilver gleaming in Luna's light.
<Verdant> "Ruler, is it just me, or is this getting stranger by the minute?"
<onine> They disappear into the darkness of the captain's quarters for a few moments, then appear through another window, looking down at the wake again.
<onine> They are joined by another pair.
<Verdant> "Make that by the second."
<onine> A third pair attatched to the dark shadow of a head bobs over the railings of the deck above.
<onine> A shadow drops from behind one of the sails and soon joins the one on the rear deck, occasionally peeking over the rails at the Warstrider in the ship's wake.
<onine> Within thirty seconds there are five pairs of glowing yellow eyes peering over the rear-deck's railings and three pairs taking turns at the broken windows of the old captain's quarters, with more joining them as time passes.
<Verdant> "Ruler? How fast can you get us back to the Brilliance?"
<onine> <Very> The strider responds simply. <Commense?>
<onine> At this stage there is a swarming mass of shadows and bright pinpoint eyes swarming to look at you from the decks and portholes. By now more of the Captain's quarters windows have been broken and shadowy claws beckon and reach out futily for the Ruler of Cerulean Waves
<Verdant> "Yes, immediately."
<onine> The Warstrider dives into the almost comforting dark abyss of the sea and surges back towards the Brilliance, surfacing beside her.
<onine> The construct rolls lazily onto his back so that you can climb out easilly.
<Verdant> "Thanks, Ruler, I suspect I'll be back soon."
* Verdant climbs out of the cockpit and jumps his way to the Brilliance's deck.
<onine> <Anticipation/understanding> It responds.
<onine> Meanwhile the crew on the deck of the Brilliance have been watching the dark shape continue its course to the starbord of their ship.
<onine> There is a palpable air of anticipation and nervousness on the ship, not helped by the strange behaviour of the tailing vessel.
* Verdant heads to the stern to find Zeleny.
<onine> Zeleny, Sunset and Sarasvati stand, facing the pursuer discussing plans and strategies in hushed voices with Monk, Niehan and Toad.
* Verdant strides up to them. "If that ship ever changes course, I'd be very surprised."
<Sunset> "Why do you say that?"
<Verdant> Surprisingly, Verdant answers Sunset's question without rancor, though he doesn't turn to face the fae. "Because it's apparently 'crewed'--and I use the term loosely--entirely by hungry ghosts."
<Zeleny> "What?"
<Sunset> "He said it was full of hungry ghosts, Zeleny."
<onine> "A ghostship?" Toad murmers.
<Verdant> "Some of the sails are loose...others in tatters, and from what I saw that's fairly indicative of the state of disrepair the ship's in."
<Zeleny> "I heard what he said." Zeleny looks back at the ship. "I don't understand how it's possible. Is there anyone..directing them aboard?"
<onine> "I could be wrong, Cap'n," Niehan says. "But it looks to me like she's on a direct course away from Black Flag."
<Verdant> "Didn't look like it. Zeleny, they didn't seem to be organizing for battle in any form or fashion. That was my first clue that something wasn't right."
<Zeleny> "Hell."
* Verdant turns to Niehan. "In that case, that would be another reason to investigate. Perhaps something on the ship remains that might shed light on Black Flag's situation."
<onine> "Investigate?" Salas Toad queries. "You sure thats a wise idea?"
<Sunset> "Beg pardon, Verdant, but you said it was full of hungry ghosts. We did not seem to fare too well last time."
<Zeleny> "We'll wait until dawn," Zeleny says. "They will hide in their corpses during the day, and can be safetly burnt. Until then...we follow them."
<onine> "Aye sir." Toad confirms and nods to the helmsman who spins the wheel in his hand to bring the Brilliance on a parallel course.
<onine> "Shall we slow as well sir?" Monk asks.
<Zeleny> "We don't want to outpace them."
<onine> The orders are given, and despite the reduced threat the rumours of a ghostship do little to calm the uneasiness of the crew. Many likely heard sea-tales about ghostships in their early days of sailing, huddled around their bunks sipping tea or rum, listening to a grizzled bearded one-eyed old salt recount the tail in a scratchy voice.
<onine> But none of them truly expected to encounter one.
<onine> The ghost ship begins to close and come alongside the Brilliance in the dead-cold night, skimming through the mist like a black dagger. It creaks a little as it's bow cuts through the gentle waves and sidles past the Solars' ship.
<onine> The crew watches it pass in utter silence.
<onine> The deck looks a shambles, much of the rigging has been torn, ripped or cut down. Only half the sails are secured, the rest either hang down over the deck in tatters or flap uselessly in the steady night wind.
<onine> Portholes along the side are broken, the cannon hatches are open or broken off at random. No one mans the helm, but hungry yellow eyes glare from the darkness of the cabins below.
<onine> A few skulk around on the deck, gazing hatefully out over railings or from the holes in ripped and ruined sails.
<onine> Hands reach out and gesture at the crew of the Brilliance to come and join them along with hungry moans and groans.
* Zeleny stays on deck, watching them calmly. There's a hiss, as a creature clinging from the crow's nest shrieks, and jumps at the Brilliance, sailing across the gap like a flying squirrel on flaps of mutilated skin that hangs from its bony arms.
<onine> One crawls nimbly down a mast like a spider to the deck to get closer to the life twenty yards distant over a gulf of sea and mist.
<Zeleny> Zeleny raises a hand, and there's a arc of dazzling sunlight.
<Zeleny> It burns.
<Zeleny> It ignites, engulfed it fire. The glowing creature is like a massive horrific fireball about to torch the Brilliance, but the fire burns hotter, it screams, and only ashes sprinkle the deck of the ship.
<Zeleny> The other ghosts draw back, hissing. Hungry...but wary now too.
<onine> The ship slowly passes the Brilliance. On the stern of the ship is the name 'Sanctuary'
<onine> "So now we wait." Monk says grimly.
<Zeleny> "We wait," Zeleny agrees. "Increase speed!" he calls to the helm. "Stay to their starboard, a good distance away."
<onine> The crew complies and the Brilliance keeps a distant pace with the Sanctuary.
<onine> Daybreak.
<onine> The sea is calm, silent. Like death. The dawn light seems hotter than usual, chasing away the night mists easilly and brushing harshly on the pristine water.
<onine> Two ships sail a single path in the middle of the empty ocean, both silent but for different reasons. Only the shouts of orders break the unnatural silence of the sea. The wash of the water breaking against the bow, the wake of the stern and the creak of the masts is the only other sound.
<onine> The mortal sailors do not confirm their orders with shouts. They comply silently, every now and then sparing a glance at the vessel 'Sanctuary' ahead of the Brilliance.
<onine> There is little wind, and the sails billow only a fraction.
<Zeleny> "We'll swim. I want as little contact with this thing as possible," Zeleny says, eyes narrowed as he examines the ship in the distance. He turns to the Fair Folk lingering in the background. "Do you intend to join us, Saravasti?"
<Sarasvati> "Yes."
* Verdant grips Glory's Halo and prepares to swim to the Sanctuary with the others.
* Zeleny nods. "Then you, Verdant, and I. Toad, Niehan- I want the full crew ready with swords in hand. If this is some kind of obscure trap, we'll be ready for them. Keep the archers to hand, and two pairs of eyes on every direction.."
<onine> "Aye sir. As ordered." Toad responds.
* Zeleny nods, strips to the waist, takes a breath, and dives into the water.After a few seconds of thrashing about, he swims in strong strokes to the deathship on the horizon.
<onine> The three dive into the calm water and swim slowly to the Sanctuary. Not a thing stirs on the deck. No arrows loose themselves from drawn bows to skewer you as you traverse the gulf between the two ships.
<onine> A sail sagging from the side droops into the water, it would make the climb aboard easy...
* Zeleny grabs onto the sail, and uses it as a rope to climb up the side of the ship. It's be dragged through many storms, and is still wet with. It's slippery in his hands and blackened from the mold, and Zeleny's nose wrinkles as he heaves himself aboard at last.
<onine> The deck of the Sanctuary, as you saw from the Brilliance, is in disarray. Ropes lay strewn across the deck, rigging pulled from the masts covers the wood, blackened with spilt blood.
* Verdant follows Zeleny up the sail, tucking Glory's Halo in his tunic as he climbs.
<onine> Littered here and there are the bodies of the crew. They are bloated and stinking under the sun but they are not old corpses by any stretch.
* Sartasvati nimbly climbs up after the Exalts.
<onine> Indeed, this crew was killed mere days prior by the state of them. Most bear horrified expressions of terror frozen upon their faces and the raking clawmarks of hungry ghosts.
<onine> Some have been killed by blades, likely fellow crew mad with fear saw to that.
<onine> Flies buzz about in mad little swarms.
* Zeleny curses quietly and methodically, and does not stop for some minutes. "Sun have mercy," he says at last. Pirates all, they might have been his own crew, to look at them. He frowns at the sight of a man with a neatly slit throat. "A full crew. Whoever did this, did this at sea."
<onine> There is a man impaled against a mast by a cutlass.
* Sartasvati makes a face... the emotions here were strong enough that even now, the air seems tinged.
* Zeleny grabs the cutlass, and pulls it from the body with a sickening squelching sound. The body slumps back against the dock with a thud. "We need to find the captain," Zeleny says, staring at the cutlass in his hands.
<onine> The Sanctuary is a smaller ship, swift and agile, splendid for hit and run missions, slipping into guarded territories and slipping out.
* Verdant nods. "What's left of him, anyway. Captain's chambers appeared to be near the stern from Ruler's perspective.
* Zeleny nods with turning away from the slaughtered crewmen before him. He kneels, touching the dead man on the forehead. "Go to your reward, spirit," he says, and at the touch, the man becomes a pyrre, and the scent of decay is mixed with the smell of clean smoke.
<onine> The two doors to the captain's quarters have been bashed in, the marks of claws are all over the wooden doors. Immediately inside is the body of a saber-wielding crewman, killed within seconds of the breach.
<onine> Within are the bodies of seven sailors in total, one dressed in a large elaborate overcoat with gold braid.
<onine> In his white knuckled hands are a finely made cutlass and a stilletto dagger. His face looks like it has mostly been chewed off by human-sized mouths.
<Zeleny> "I suppose he went down with his ship," Zeleny observes mordantly. He brushes the saber-wielder, turning him into fire and smoke, and steps inside. It was hard to look at the massacre, but with a grim methodicalness, Zeleny begins a search of the room, looking for evidence of...how this came to be.
<Zeleny> Each man, when he is done with them, is consigned to the flames. The captain is last.
<onine> It looks as if this has happened very fast. Within a few short engagements the ships entire crew has been whiped out. There's no way of telling how many attackers were involved in the slaughter.
<onine> From what you can tell they were getting underway from a dock when they were interrupted. Likely they were just out of the harbour and setting off when whatever it was attacked.
<onine> The preparations look rushed.
* Zeleny 's face is cold and set as he finishes. His hands are blackened with grime and filth, and his ceremony for the captain, is harsh and without sympathy. He couldn't read but for a few words, but even he knew the coiled-braid like squiggle which meant �slavery�. He had seen it on the manifests.
<Zeleny> "Verdant," he says slowly, staring around the ash-filled room. "I hope you will not accuse me of ego when I say I think we are...somehow...the cause of this."
<Verdant> "It's a possibility I will not rule out...but personally we have nothing to work with as far as identifying their attackers."
<Verdant> "Besides...given those manifests, I doubt they were people who'd be our friends. Which boggles the mind as to who or what would attack them like this....and then leave the ship afterwards."
<Zeleny> "I have some ideas," Zeleny says, face hard. "Who do we know who revels in slaughter?" He shakes his head. "I'll finish the decks, and then...we return to Black Flag."
<Verdant> "You're talking about those <False Exalts>, aren't you?"
<Zeleny> "Yes."
<onine> Deck by deck reveals the same scene over and over again. Dead men, torn apart by tooth and claw. There are no slaves murdered in the holds thankfully, however there is a curious crate about 4x4 feet in size and 3 feet high.
<onine> It is literally covered by claw, bite and punch marks.
<onine> There is little other cargo about.
* Verdant looks at the crate, his eyes glazing over.
<Verdant> "There's...something...no, someone inside this box."
<Verdant> "Can't make out anything more than a figure though."
* Zeleny glances at Verdant, gesturing to the other side of the box. Once they're positioned on either side of it he taps it twice with the hilt of his khatars, warning whatever was in side, and then ripping one whole side of the crate into splinters.
<Zeleny> "Hello,"
<onine> "Nononono! Bang and racket all ye want, ye'll never get Old Gulltooth in 'ere ghostie!" Comes a scratchy wimpering voice from within.
<onine> In Verdant's vision the figures arms grip something on the inside of the lid to hold it closed.
<Verdant> "Well, that was surprisingly less hostile than I'd anticipated." Verdant comments. Murmuring to himself he adds, "Maybe I'm getting paranoid."
<Zeleny> "We're not ghosts," says Zeleny, squatting down. "It's past dawn. You can come out."
<onine> "Old Gulltooth wont fall for your ghostie tricks and get bit, no he wont!" The voice from inside the box assures you.
<Zeleny> "Suppose I'm not a ghost," Zeleny says patiently. "Suppose I were a man who happened upon a ghost. What would it take to convince you?"
<onine> "...nononono... you canna be a real person, must be a ghostie... Old Gulltooth hears 'em all, heard every trick in the book - been at sea for decades ghostie, how many have you? Hmmm? Three days? Five? Gotta get up pretty early to put the crafty moves on Old Gulltooth, ghostie!"
<onine> You doubt greatly that 'Old Gulltooth' would have the strength to hold the lid of the box down if you were to try to pull it off.
* Zeleny sighs, the little sigh of one who has had to put up with more than any man should rightfully bear. He stands, positioning himself carefully, and then, in a surge of essence, Zeleny strikes, seeming to move in all directions at once. The four sides of the crate fall in perfect synch, clattering slightly as they hit the cargohold, revealing a skinny old man clutching a lid over his head. "Hello," says Zeleny again.
<onine> "Aieeeeeeee!!!!" Old Gulltooth seems to fit his name to a tee. A withered old salt in tattered pirate clothing. He wears no weapon and his long scraggly beard is matted. His head is covered by a green bandana and his mouth houses only one tooth. Top, direct center.
<onine> He scrambles back kicking his gangly legs out to propel himself. "Get away ghostie! Ye wont get Old Gulltooth without a fight!"
* Zeleny exchanges a glance with Verdant, and drags the old man to his feet by his shoulders. "I am not a ghost," he says with that forced, steady calm of one clinging to his last nerve. "If I were a ghost, I would have EATEN you by now. Now come up on deck."
<onine> "Back!" He drops the lid and swings an ineffective boney fist in your direction. "Back lest boney Old Gulltooth puts ye back in yer grave!"
* Zeleny abandons diplomacy for the ugly language of brute muscle. He picks the old man up, ignoring the boney fists battering at his back, and carries him up the stares into the light. "�There� is the sun, �there� is my ship, and I want some answers from you, skinny old Gulltooth Ghost-Ridden."
<onine> He stares open mouthed at the Brilliance with one clear eye (the other is milky white) then looks at Zeleny warilly. "Ye...Ye're not goin' te et me?"
<Zeleny> "No," says Zeleny, in a clipped voice. "You're too stringy to tempt a cannibal,"
<onine> Old Gulltooth goes slack in your hands and starts weeping uncontrollably.
* Zeleny sighs. "Is there anything from the ship you want to keep?" he asks more gently, after a moment.
<onine> "Nonononono... death...." Old Gulltooth whimpers. "Death 'as come to Black Flag, and 'e wants his pound o' flesh for all the sins! Take it e' will, and no one escapes... not even Sanctuary..."
* Zeleny goes white. "We're going to back," he tells Verdant. "Now. It seems...someone liked your other idea...."
