Pirates of the Aether

[Wordplay]

'Aye lass? Well never mind. Why are ye dressed so?'

From what the Oracle told me we should have found the land o' the black sands afore now...I wonder if it exists at all.

[Space Lawyer]

A gust of wind whistles by. "Because it is cold and windy at these heights. I was not raised in such a chilly environ. In my childhood, the winds were hot, and brought either life or death. The wet winds came from the south, and it would rain for days. The dry winds came from the north, and the sands they brought could scour anything left outside to the bone." Maia realizes with a start that she is talking at length, and her mouth snaps shut. She looks abashed.

[Lentrax]

One of the crewmwmbers nearby turns back to Kieran.

"Uhh, sir? I think you better see this."

Looking over the side of the ship, you can see that instead of the usual turbulent mass of clouds from the lower Aether, the skies are clear.

All the way down to the world that was.

And it is black as far as the eye can see. It must be at least a hundred leagues across, but you are still too high up to make out details, let alone see any kind of structure.

[Wordplay]

'Alright, well called'. Kieran acknowledges the deckhand.

'Beat tae quarters! Run out the guns, and get the men armed!

I want lookouts at the prow, starboard, port, stern and on the envelope, lookin' above us! Look out for ambush from below or above! And keep yer eyes peeled - there may be a chance for rich booty!'

There's a hustle and bustle as a drum sounds, rallying all the men to be battle ready.

Maia, fetch Rok and Erin up here quick! If it should come tae ship tae ship combat, I want ye tae sneak aboard, and take out any mages!

Kieran helps himself to two loaded pistols brought up from the armoury.

'I want musketmen and riflemen in the riggin', Master Folkes, get below, and tell them tae load the cannon with round shot'.

[Space Lawyer]

Maia runs below deck. Erin, Rok! To arms! The captain wants us prepared for boarding and assault! She dashes to her own quarters, grabbing her weapons and equipment.

[PersonMan]

Aimari wakes to shouting, looking around confusedly for a moment before realizing what had happened. Quickly enveloping herself in the grand cloak she makes sure to always wear outside, she exits her room, glad that nobody had come to find her. It had been years since she had fallen asleep while meditating and the thought that these foreigners could have found her like that arouses a great deal of shame, followed by anger at herself for such a lack of self-control. Still, for now there was no time to waste. Whatever was happening, the entire ship was being mobilized. This could mean combat; yet another opportunity to show the foreigners the truth.

Rushing up to the deck, Aimari realizes that she hasn't redone her hair - of course, there was no time for that when there was the possibility of attack, but that fact makes her pull her hood down lower than usual, hoping to hide the fact that her normal five-claw front braid isn't there. With a thought she extends her tattoos upwards, covering the space normally hidden behind her blood-red hair with them. After a quick glance to make sure nobody was within sight, Aimari quickly reaches into her hood and makes sure that the hair she normally makes into the front braid is securely behind one ear. Luckily the back braid was still holding.

As close to an acceptable appearance as she could get on such short notice, Aimari looks for the captain, making sure to stand such that the wind doesn't blow her hood down. Once she finds him, she approaches, nodding once she has his attention and whispering something that is almost certainly lost to the wind.

"Reporting for duty, captain,"

[Techwarrior]

Erin recieves the summons and then comes upstairs, checking to make sure the strap on his sword is loose enough to draw, and his shield is still on his back.

"Aye sir? Is there a problem?"

Erin is projecting his Senses Aura (+1 Spot, Listen, Initiative)

[Lentrax]

"Casualty report, Captain. Three serious, twelve minor injuries. All have been treated, and will be ready for duty in six hours."

All the magic users on the ship can feel something more than the usual spellstorm. You can feel that it is somehow ancient. The terrible feeling slides down your spines, leaving a tingling wariness in the pits of your stomachs.

[Space Lawyer]

Maia comes back on deck, prepared for battle. What is this feeling? Its like that last night. Not again. notagainnotagainnotagain.No, its gone, gone, gone. Tell the captain. Just kill it. Kill it. She walks up beside Kieran "Captain, something isn't right about this place. Maia takes a step back and fades from view.

[Wordplay]

Kieran feels his sight sharpen.

'Ye're doing that thing again, ain't ye Erin? Just the thing lad. Get for'ard and keep a lookout. Aimari, lass, good tae see ye. Get for'ard with Erin and cover him from any attack'.

Kieran frowns as he hears the casualty report.

'Tha's nae good. Get the walking wounded ready fer combat. Do we have a full complement of gun crews?'

Then suddenly Maia says something, and fades from view.

'Maia? Where are ye?'

Kieran glances around about the deck.

'Jus' remember what I said! Wait 'til ye can see casters, then take them out.

Where's Rok? I need tae speak with him'.

[Lentrax]

The room lays in darkness. For centuries it has been undisturbed. Only the continual ticking and whirring of gears penetrates the vast silence in the room. But this room lays not just in this plane, but also in the prison realm of Mechanus, the Clockwork Prison.

A door is opened. The grating of stone overpowers the sounds from the gears as it grinds open. A lone figure is silouetted against the sudden light. The figure glides into the room, scarlet robes sweeping the ground as the figure passes.

A wall of fire erupts before the figure. The searing heat causes the figure to flinch back momentarily, but then a hand is raised, a symbol of ancient power is gestured, and the flame parts, allowing pasage.

The figure strides forward, and columns of water blast forth, prohibiting movement again. The figure throws some powder into the water, and it freezes. One column falls to the ground, aloowing the figure past.

The floor begins to buckle and the ground itself rises up to bar the figures path again. The lone person doesn't break stride, simply thrusting a sstaff into the wall of earth. Unseen lines of force race through the wall, blasting a hole large enough to be stepped through.

Nearing the center of the room, the figure continues to move forward as a wind arises. As the figure continues to walk into the room, the wind intensifies, blowing open the scarlet robes revealing a young woman. Her face is tattoed with ancient symbols of magicks long since lost to the world. She raises her arm against the wind, and it begins to glow with magic. As the glow intensifies, the wind begins to subside. She strides forward yet again, making her way as ever to the center of this room.

She can see her destination. In the center of the room, there is a box. This box seems to be alive, but looking closer, she sees it composed of gears of its own, always in motion. The box is suspended from the ceiling high above by four chains. The box quakes as something inside it moves.

The woman draws near. A light, brilliant and white flares to life, blinding the woman with its mere presence. A single syllable, the first sound she has made since she entered this room is uttered from her ruby lips.

"Now."

Her shadow leaps forward, diving into the light. It entwines itself with the white light. The two begin to twist and fade, blending into a dull reflection of the woman. The light fades to a more suitable daylight, and the woman can once again trod forward to her goal.

She reaches out, placing one hand on the box. The box recoils at her touch, sensing her intent, her soul.

A voice booms out form the walls around her. "This room is Sacred. You dare intrude upon it?"

"I do. You cannot hide her here forever."

"We will not permit you to succeed. You know this. Countermeasures have been put into play."

"We know. The Hegemony is prepared for the game. It is time to test the wits of the divine once more."

Raising her staff, the woman thrusts it into the box. There is a mechanical clicking sound, as though a key had just been turned in a lock. The box begins to pulsate, gears shifting to form a hole. Air rushes out of the box, fetid and stale. A gasping sound comes from the box, as the gears continue to shift.

The woman removes her staff from the box, and steps back.

The box explodes. Shards of metal fly across the room in all directions, the sounds of their impact echoing back as dull thuds. The woman is implaed by three of the gears. Clutching her wounds she falls to her knees and almost misses the appearance of one of the most beautiful creatures ever to walk the realms. She stands six feet tall, with long auburn hair falling to her knees. Apart from her hair, the woman is completely and totally nude.

As the woman watches, kneeling, this new arrival walks over to her and takes the saff from her hand. Her voice is shaky.

[COLOR="darkred"]"Mistress. The Hegemony sends its regards."

The woman looks down at the girl before her. Her voice is as cold as ice, and twice as passionless. "You have freed me from my prison. Do you swear loyalty to me, and me alone?"

"I do, Mistress."

"Then rise, child, and be healed."

The woman stands up amazed to see her wounds healed. The power was so minute she didn't even feel it flow into her. Her mistress raised the staff above her head. Power, raw and beautiful flowed down, forming clothing on her naked flesh. The cloth did little to remove ones mind from what lay beneath, and in more than one area, enhanced it.

The woman stood still, staff still in the air. Then turning her head upwards she began to shout.
"I am REBORN! Let the world tremble at my coming! I am San-Jun, Destroyer of Worlds! Let all kneel before me and despair!"

Thunder rumbled from far off.

***

The long distant rumble of thunder from the spellstorm echoes across the deck of the Gambit, sending a shiver down your spines.

"Aye, sir, we have crew enough fer the guns. Orders, sir?"

[Wordplay]

Kieran glances around. The guns are manned, the men armed, and the lookouts posted. Everything's quiet...now he can make plans, and relax slightly knowing the crew are prepared.

'Make sure the guns are ready tae fire at a moment's notice, and maintain the lookouts. Burn more fuel, and gain us some height'.

I need tae ask Rok about this.

'Lookouts, keep scanning the skies above and below! Keep a watch out fer any features on the ground too'.

'Erin! I'd like tae send a party lower tae scout the land. Do ye think ye and our new engineer can rig something up from a life buoy? I dinnae wish tae take the ship low, lest we come under attack from the skies. Height is key in aether combat. My plan is tae send a small scout party down in a balloon, but nae all the way tae the surface - not at first, at least'.

Kieran looks down at the black sands below.

A barren landscape. As I thought I saw that night the Oracle spoke tae me. When I saw the girl. Now I ken it was a vision indeed.

Spoiler

Show

Spot (1d20+1)[17]

[Lentrax]

"A life buoy? I dinnae it can be done. But I do have a treat fer ye."

The engineer leads you below decks to an until recently ill frequented part of the ship. Inside is a large hole, big enough for even Rok to climb through without having to squeeze. Just beyond is a small craft tethered to the Lady's Gambit.

"I call 'er Protecter's Eyes. She's fas' an' nimble. Only problem is we havna' been able to try 'er ou' jus' yet."

[Wordplay]

Kieran's somewhat surprised.

'When did ye...ah never mind, good job. How many crew can she carry?'

[Lentrax]

"Three. Well, two if one o' em is tha' big fellar o' yers."

[Wordplay]

'Have ye had a chance tae test whether its safe?' Kieran asks the engineer.

Then 'Alright, I need three volunteers tae take this out'.

[Techwarrior]

"I'll go. I've seen some of the work this man here has done with it. I want to see it in action."

[Space Lawyer]

Maia comes back into view, right next to Kieran. I would like to volunteer as well.

[Lentrax]

"Safe? I dinnae. Ne'er been tested afore."

[Wordplay]

'Alright, that's two. Thinkin' 'bout it, I dinnae wish tae send out another caster - especially with Arryl and Lynn laid up'.

'The two of ye will do, I'll keep Aimari aboard so we have spell support'.

'Get ready tae take her out. Scout the land below. Look fer buildings, disturbances, and owt that ye can tell about the black sands'.

'One more thing ye should ken, and ken it well - the King o' Serzai gave me a warning about this place. As I recall he said

Step nae on the golden sands.
Turn nae away from the path, nae tae the left, nae the right.
Guard yer eyes from falsehoods. Truth be narrow as a blade'.

'I ken this place has corrupted wizards before. Take care'.

[Techwarrior]

"Aye sir. I'll make sure to keep my eyes peeled."
Erin pointedly doesn't look at Maia while saying this. Afterwards however, he stops avoiding her eyes.

[Wordplay]

'Good. Safe journey, and take care. We're countin' on ye'.

Kieran heads up to the main deck.

'Aimari, lass, meet me on deck, and stick close. We're relying on ye fer spells'.

[PersonMan]

Aimari nods, not really interested in the idea of flying off in a small craft of untested safety anyways. Let the foreigners risk their lives with things like that, she would wait until it wasn't a potential suicide to try it out, if she ever did.

[Wordplay]

Kieran beckons Aimari to come and stand next to him.

'Well lass, it's up tae ye. We're dependin' on ye fer all our spellcastin' now'.

Kieran smiles.

'Does that please ye, or perhaps frighten ye a little?'

[PersonMan]

Aimari nods, stepping so that she's within a few feet of the captain, without getting too close. His question catches her off guard, and she takes a moment to consider it before responding.

"I don't know. The others have different hate than I do," She says quietly, with a slight shrug. From his angle, it was clear that Aimari didn't have her front braid, which she otherwise always had her hair done into.

[Wordplay]

Hate? Not what I was expectin.

Kieran thinks for a moment.

I suppose they do in their way. Maia certainly, and me, also.

Kieran looks at his twin cutlasses. 'Love' and 'Revenge' the two things that move me. Hah, maybe I should have named my ropes 'Responsibility'.

I wonder what made Maia hate so. People like her like tae spite the world. Erin, well, he's a young man, and so quick tae anger in his righteousness. Aye, but the lad has a pure heart, and I like him fer that. Now Rok hides it well, but a man like that, forced tae hide his own nature? Aye, he'd be a paragon if he didnae feel some hate. He's a good lad too, though. A good friend.

Kieran looks at Aimari, and says in hushed tones,

'I'm nae a stranger tae hate lass. At times I've found it useful. Feelin' in a dark put o' despair, where hate was the only thing that held me together.

I willnae pry intae yer hate if ye dinnae wish me tae do so. Yet, if ye wish, ye may tell me who or what caused yer hate, and we can help ye tae try and see it satisfied'.

[Lentrax]

"Ya ready? Jus' remember, we dinnae how she'll do. An' one last thing." The dwarf says, as he starts untethering the small craft.

"Ne'er pull tha' lever. Unless your life be in peril, do nae pull on tha' lever."

The last tether comes free, and the small craft begins to glide on its own.

[PersonMan]

Aimari looks up at the captain and smiles. It's obvious that something he said has amused her. "You are a silly man, captain. You might as well ask what makes my heart beat," she says, her voice a bit stronger than normal.

"It's probably hard for you to understand, being a foreigner and all. Part of the reason I decided to travel was to see what you people are actually like," Aimari stops for a moment, a near-silent chuckle going through her before she continues. "A certain someone definitely wanted me to stay, but I think it's nice to see what life is like out here. It's still hard to believe you can all appear so lively without accepting the Truth," She says. At this point, she realizes that this has probably been the most she's said at a time on the ship. All while her front hair was unbraided, even. Turning a bit away from the captain, Aimari holds her hood with one hand, letting the wind blow into it.

[Lentrax]

Down and down the little craft sails, carrying its two passengers toward the ground below. Realizing you never asked how to fly the thing, you start trying to operate the ships controls.

Spoiler

Show

Erin and Maia, I need a profession(sail) or a pilot or a straight ol' intelligence check please.

[Snowbluff]

Barty Scrounger

Barty looks up at the shadow, and points it out to Larry.

"Well, what do you make of that?"