[Quest] I. Westward Ho! [Closed]

[Taithrosa Eldytia]

The silver eyes turned to look at the crew man and his new friend. It was odd to say the least to see a bird land on someone’s shoulders. He turned his head to captain but kept glancing at the bird and the sailor. So the town had been isolated for over five hundred years and only recently had made contact with the outside world again.

“It sounds as if the sea is the main provided for the city.” He said in his deep voice with its archaic accent. “Tell me more about this road, if the city is so inaccessible how is the road being built? It sounds like a peaceful community. I have just come from Mura were I am studying to become a full member of the Opal Order, and I have grown to love quiet places.” He gave a half smile. “Are there many healers in the town? I always like to learn about local healing practices in places I visit.”

His eyes glanced ones again at the bird.

[Marlow]

Marlow tried to affect an air of nonchalance, but he could feel the eyes of the captain and the Akalak look at the Avikki perched on his shoulder. While the Avikki was not a small bird by any definition of the term, it's weight felt comfortable on Marlow's shoulder. Familiar and comforting even. Not being able to resist, he took a look at the bird also.

Seemingly unaffected by the looks it's getting the Avikki had started preening itself and gave the harsh wailing call of its kind, as if to say 'quit moving I'm grooming here,' when Marlow jostled it upon moving his shoulder to get a better look at the it.

Upon hearing the Akalak mention the sea providing for Denval, Marlow smiled and turned back to the conversation at hand. "Begging your pardon sirs, but the sea always provides. One needs only to look and work. Laviku has been kind." he said with a knowing nod.

[Nathan Longstride]

[Have permission from Tabarnac to post here]

The peace of one's mind could provide entertainment, a second opinion, and a friend all in one. It also provided a haven from reality, an advantage that Nathan often made use of. Resting cross-legged on the deck, the young boy was doing just that, right hand on the hilt of his dagger strapped to his thigh. It was as if his mind had drifted from his body, leaving the vessel on the deck, while the spiritual part of Nathan drifted onto any topic he desired to ponder upon. His topics at the moment was the excitement, and curious, thoughts about what he would see in the destination of the ships. The boy was never deaf when in this state, and heard the names, Mura, Avanthal, and Denval mentioned. But after that, Nathan purposely pushed out the other voices.

This provided peace for a few minutes, before a bird suddenly released a torrential noise from its gullet. Opening his eyes, his blue crystals scanned the deck.A woman and blue skinned man stood off from Nathan, but no bird was with them, so he continued his search. Finally, he found the bird, perched on first-mate Marlow's shoulder. The captain and a second blue-skinned man stood with him, as if they were having a conversation. Marlow mentioned how the sea always provided, followed up by saying that Laviku has been kind. Nathan assumed that this Laviku was a god of the ocean or some sort. The boy had never been a fanatic on gods, so some of the names and their domains slipped his memories. In fact, the only god Nathan showed interest in were the twins Kelwyn. Or, maybe it was better to say that they had shown interest in him.

Standing up, Nathan straightened his green cotton shirt and brown breeches, making sure the ribbons were within reach, and the daggers attached to them were still hidden in the pockets of his pants. In fact, the only weapon Nathan carried that was visible was the assassin's dagger strapped to his thigh; the two plain daggers he carried were stuffed in his riding boots, the hilts covered by the legs of his breeches. He walked up to the right of Marlow, nodding to each member in turn, a smile on his face. "You're correct Marlow about Laviku's kindness. But, personally, I enjoy the randomness that comes with Kelwyn. I mean, I assume you didn't expect to have a bird perched on your shoulder."

Nathan chuckled at that, waiting to see what the others would say. The young man was grateful to the captain about hiring him. Now he was going to vist three cities in what was left of the year, and for ninteen years before that, he had only been out of Zeltiva once. Glancing out in the blue bay, he wondered what to expect on their journey. A silent prayer was formed, asking only for randomness, as what Nathan enjoyed. A sealed message meant for Kelwyn, but attached to it, the possibility to be caught and answered by any god. 'Tis the true form of randomness.

[Tabarnac]

"Indeed, the sea provides," he said, politely if not exactly piously. "The Road is the purview of miners and geomancers, Master Eldytia. Mine the sea lanes. But you shall surely see the Road when we arrive, piercing the rockfall, driving toward Sultros. There's an Opal Clinic in town, manned by one of your brethren of the Order, as well as local healers and chirurgeons, herbalists and the like. There is always plenty of work in that arena no matter where one travels." His eyes kept shifting back to the bird and to Marlow as well, the young sailor with the sea-blue eyes. Much of his crew had settled for the time being in Zeltiva and so he had taken on many new crew members who were not Denvali, Marlow being one, and the approaching Nathan another. It was not appropriate to strip applying sailors down to their skin to search out holy markings. "If you will excuse me, gentlemen, I have a bit of business to attend to. My crew is at your disposal for the time being, Master Eldytia." He gave a significant glance to Marlow and Longstride, who would be allowed to slack for a while if the passenger wished to speak to them, but they would not be allowed to lollygag if there was work to be done. He strode away with purposeful strides, nodding to the Zeltivan professors and those with whom they spoke, making his way up to the aftcastle where the first mate met him, buzzing with nervous anticipation. Captain Augus doffed his leather greatcoat and pulled his linen shirt up over his head while the mate collected them. Upon his back was an intricate tattoo of swirling, stylized winds, but as he concentrated, they began to move and the healthy back breeze began to strengthen as if to answer his call. The mate took out a horn and blew a long signal, the crew moving to let out the sails to catch the winds that their captain called. Working together like some clockwork engine, they had the sails prepared even as the winds were truly picking up steam, catching and pulling the Star of Denval east like a quarrel shot from a crossbow.

[Marlow]

Marlow chuckled at Nathan's remark. "No Mister Longstride. I certainly did not anticipate my feathered guest."

When the captain stripped off his great coat and shirt, Marlow blinked in surprise at the markings on his back. "Are those Stormwarden marks I wonder?" he muttered. When the markings started to swirl and the wind to pick up as if in response to it he got his answer.

The Avikki on his shoulder gave a short harsh cry as if mirroring Marlow's thoughts.

"Will you be needing anything else sir?" Marlow addressed the Akalak. "Mister Longstride and I stand ready to assist you." he continued, nodding in the direction of Nathan.

[Taithrosa Eldytia]

Taithrosa looked at the two crew men as they offered there help. He was not actually all that surprise to see the captian with tattoes on his back, he was sure that it was some kind of gnosis that was on his back. The silver eyes narrowed noting the pattern and making a mental note to see if he could find out about more about it.

He turned to the two sailors with him. "I am curious about this ship. What can you tell me about it. I have only lived in Mura for about a year. Were I come from it was land locked." He didn't really count Riverfall, since he spent so little time there. "As it appears we will be on this ship for a while and I would appreciate an understanding of how it works." He also thought it looked like an excellent way to stay in shape, he was sure climbing some of those ropes was a work out.

"Since we will be around each other for a while I am curious to know if you have ever heard of the Ethaefel?" The deep voice son of Leth said with his archaic accent.

[Nathan Longstride]

Nathan listened to the captain answer the blue-skinned man's supposeded question. The young man didn't know what was asked, and probably wouldn't have been in the situation at all if not for the bird. In fact, Nathan had hoped not to reveal himself much during the trip, hoping only to do the minimum needed as a sailor until they got to Denval. But if someone had called Nathan lazy because of his earlier notion, they were mistaken. A natural- born thief would never be comfortable working as a clerk, and a man who had never sailed in his life couldn't say that they were truly comfortable on a ship. But due to his eagerness to mention Kelwyn, he was now caught up.

The captain exited their company, walking towards his first-mate. Marlow began to speak, but Nathan barely heard his agreement as the captain pulled off his shirt. A tattoo was on his back, designed to look like wind, and it was moving. Now, years ago, that would had startled the young man, but he had learned since that fateful night. As he watched, he continued to hold his left forearm near his side. Unknowing to others around, a juggler performed a never-ending show, throwing up seven balls in a complex motion. A mark of Kelwyn. A mark that Nathan didn't usually show others. How can one consider random their theme if they revealed secrets of their own that was truly random? Marlow muttered something inaudible to himself, and Nathan felt ready to hit himself over the head for missing what he said. Nathan's fellow crewmember went on in a louder tone about how they would assist him.

Nathan focused on the taller man for the first time, noticing his silver eyes. At first thought, Nathan bit his tongue, so he wouldn't burst in laughter. For some reason, asking the rhetoric question "If you choke this man, what color would he turn?" was hysterical, and hard to put down. But the freckled man calmed himself to hear the man's question about the ship, and if either of them had heard of the Ethaefel. To explain Nathan's next thoughts, somone would have to look over a blank sheet of parchment, as both questions ranged far into topics that he was horrible in. Nathan couldn't tell him the tail from the front, let alone how it worked. He was almost tempted to blurt out that the wind carried it, and the wheel turned it, but he would sound too ignorant to be a sailor. As for the second question, he couldn't even come up with a dumb answer.

Clearing his throat, Nathan began, "Yes, we will be together for a while, and I do believe we will both learn things about this ship we didn't know." The man could almost laugh at how he answered that. But it was the truth, so he continued. "As for your Ethaefel, you have struck me dumb. I am only a youth, and many topics have slipped my understanding, Master Eldytia. But since we will be together for a while, a first-name basis might be nice. I am Nathan Longstride." A slight bow followed, along with his attention on the blue-skinned man, waiting for an answer.

[Marlow]

"Ethaefel? I feel that I should now what that term is, but nothing comes immediately to mind, sir." Marlow replied, confusion plain on his face.

The Avikki tapped its beak lightly on the side of Marlow's head beneath his tricorne as if to say that there was something wrong with it.

"I'm called Marlow and I would be glad to show you around the ship and explain things. I can't take you up into the rigging or down into the bilge though seeing as you are a passenger. The captain would have my hide if anything were to happen to you if I do. And that's not a figure of speech either, sir. Disciplinary action on a ship is necessarily harsh. Is there anything in particular you wish to know first or should I start anywhere, sir?"

Marlow glanced in Nathan's direction. "You should pay heed also Nathan. I hear from the boatswainThis is pronounced 'bosun' that you are new."

[Tabarnac]

Those who looked back to the aftcastle could see their bare-chested captain seemingly holding a conversation with the winds, his holy mark whorling about his back as he turned back toward the winds at their wake, and disappearing as he turned, mouth working silent words, toward the billowing sails. Many of the University folk were paying close attention to this, and rumor had quickly spread that they had several magi among them. Such things didn't sit well with some people, but most of those on this voyage had at least a little sense of adventure, else they would not be leaving a seat of civilization for parts hardly known. The seabird, its feathers going a bit awry in the tailwind, squawked at Marlow repeatedly, hassling his hair and his ear almost as if it were trying to communicate him and he was being purposefully dense. Its frustration was growing palpable. "He lights up like a burning bush when he speaks to the wind, does our Stormwarden captain," noted a female voice over the winds. A blowsy, middle aged blonde in clothes that fit just a bit too large for her had sneaked up on them. Her eyes were kind, wreathed in crows' feet, and saw a great deal. "And you," she said to Marlow, "you must be our lucky charm."

[Marlow]

"Quit that!" Marlow hissed at the Avikki. "What else do you want? If it's food it'll have to wait until I'm back in the crow's nest."

Much as he wanted to just shoo the bird off something told him that that would not be politic, so Marlow settled for coaxing the bird onto his left forearm instead. The Avikki had just hopped on to the proffered perch when Marlow heard the woman. How she managed to sneak up on them was quickly overtaken by the impact of her words.

"Begging your pardon ma'am? I do not quite understand what you meant by 'lucky charm.' Perhaps you meant that for Mr. Longstride? He is a devotee of Kelwyn after all."