Empire! The Jeweled Cities Regatta

[lt_murgen]

As you arrive in the Jeweled Cities, your ship is greeted by a small flotilla of canoes, catamarans, and small rowboats. Hordes of islanders welcome the ships and the crews, passing out flyers for the events and flower necklaces. Those leaders who requested specific accommodations are lead to them, the rest are pointed to various inns and taverns with rooms for rent. Additionally, space along several beaches has been reserved for those who wish to set up their own pavilions.

Everywhere you go, there is food, drink, music and dancing. The islanders are a friendly people, and their Quill brethren are courteous and adept at keeping things from getting out of hand. The Islanders renown inability to understand the concept of personal property seems to have been muted in recent years. The acts of theft, while numerous, are usually quickly corrected by the crowds.

The trading prowess of the fleets of AQUA ships is evident everywhere- goods from every corner of Telluris crowd the shops and stalls of the cities. Their polygot nature is prevalent as well in the numerous languages being spoken. With one out of every five Islanders having been born somewhere else, it is a riot of races- human, near human, lizardfolk, dwarf, goblin, elves, ratfolk, Cloudiz, almost every race has someone who came to, or fled to, the Islands.



Welcome to the First AQUA Regatta and Naval Exercises.
If you should need anything, please talk to the people in the blue feathered hats.

Day 1 arrival
No events scheduled for the day.
Welcome dinner on the Leeward Beach, Old Man island.

Day 2
Parade of flags at Turquoise City Bay: Come show off your pretty ships and win the accolades of the crowd.
Skills Regatta: Race from the City of Turquoise around the Northern Reaches of the archipelago to the City of Amber. Then race through the confusing and treacherous Grand Banks to the City of Pearl.

Day 3
Naval Exercises off of Old Man island: Pick a side! Protect the Convoy or attempt to seize it.
Skills Regatta: Second leg of the treacherous Grand Banks, from Pearl to the City of Opal. Then, a Night Sailing race out into the southern sea and back.

Day 4
Naval Exercises off of Old Man island: Protect your Cargo, from rampaging sea monsters intent on capturing it. The Pono al a Ono have graciously accepted the role of sea monster for this exercise.
Skills Regatta: The Windward Run, from Old Man back to the City of Turquoise.

Day 5
Naval exercises off of Old Man Island: 3x3 sea battles, . Select your team and go head to head!
Farewell dinner on the Leeward Beach, Old Man island

[lt_murgen]

For any non-governmentally aligned character, roll 1D6 for skills as needed.

For each battle, you get +1 to your rolls if your nation“Ocean Faring Ships Technology” for >5rounds, +2 if >10 rounds.. This does not change if you are a regent sponsored crew or an individual, merely how long your native culture has been exposed to sailing on the ocea.


For the Parade of flags, it is your chance to show off your ship’s appearance, beauty, and smart sailing skills. Roll is 2D6 + ½ Diplomacy.

For the regatta, it is 5 legs. Make 1 roll of 2D6 for each leg. For each roll select one skill (faith, luck, military, curiosity), and add ½ the value. You can only use each skill once. Winner is chosen by who wins the most legs, and then by total score to solve ties.

For the combat exercises, roll as follows:
Convoy protection- Choose your side. Attackers make 3 rolls of 2d6+1/2 military. Defenders make 3rolls of 2d6+1/2 diplomacy (they have to negotiate with and control the convoy crews, so it takes diplomacy)

Monster protection-You are given 5 large shells (the size of a rowboat) to keep on your decks. The Pono al a Ono will attempt to take them. 5 rolls of 2d6+1/2 military against their rolls (by me) to seize them. As this is a favorite game of theirs (keep away), all rolls from me will be 2d6+5.

3x3 battles- like during the Raaneka games 2d6+1/2 military.





event
AQUA
FATS
JARRLAND
Guilds
Lyradis


Parade
14
15
7
14
12


Regatta1
8
7
13
6
9


Regatta2
5
13
12
13
11


Regatta3
15
9
11
12
12


Regatta 4
12
9
14
16
13


Regtta5
12
10
14
10
20


Regtta_final
52
48
64
57
65


convoy protection
1-0
0-1
0-1
1-0
0-0


Monster hunt
2-2-1
4-1
0-0
0-0
0-0

[QuintonBeck]

Thu Jaranda, Guildmaster of the Oldest Guild in Woodwind, daughter of the late Guildmaster Syf Jaranda, cut an imposing figure upon the deck of the The Guilded Lady. She wore expensive silks that shaped themselves to her athletic figure in suggestive but subtle ways. Her dark skin was smooth and silky, treated with Olive Oil from Solus, and her hair grew natural, wild and curled but kept back with a simple headband. A belt cinched her thin waist and was arrayed with pouches containing vials of ink, pens, papers, and scrolls. A knife, an intricate and curved blade of mithril sent to her by Earl Dagr of Vennland when her mother passed away, was the only openly visible weapon upon her but the way in which she carried herself spoke of needing no more than its small blade. Yet she was not the most impressive figure upon the ship.

Standing to her left was Guildmaster Jengo Murumbi, Guildmaster of the Oldest Guild in Genivana himself cutting the striking figure of a dark stoic warrior, the scar reaching down his left cheekbone adding to his grizzled and proud look. He had grown a short beard since she had last seen him, intended to cover the scar no doubt but only working so well. A small sliver of iron hung loosely from his lips, a toothpick forged from the remains of the sword of the first man he had killed, so the stories went. Around his neck, curled close was his pet, Doga, an Ayavan Cave Cat the Genivanan kept with him at all times. Most of Genivana used the creatures as hunters of vermin, they were generally deemed unfit for pets being unsocial and disagreeable things that avoided people as a general rule. Doga was no exception, except in regards to Jengo, who seemed to have an affinity for the animal, even able to keep it calm during the day in the bright sun and on a boat. He wore baggy loose fitting clothes, not incredibly rich in style or substance. Belted at his waist was a simple sword, a cutlass reminiscent of Jeweled Cities styling. He carried himself with the swagger of a man used to the sea but his position here among the other Guildmasters spoke to some degree of competence upon the land.

But putting all the assembled to shame was Bil Kethmik, the Guildmaster of the Oldest Guild out of Hrathan-Tuor. The woman looked fierce, a force of nature wrapped into a human shell, but equally she was the greatest expression of calm. A control over the pulsing beats of animal ferocity that prompted a quicker heartbeat from those she deemed prey. Her skin was a rich tan, her hair a thick dirty blonde, and her eyes shone green with a fierceness many older denizens claimed the Doomkhan had possessed. It was ludicrous, the girl was a distant cousin of the current Lord Chancellor Ethmorl, but had no connection to the Ignatos by blood. Further still few still lived who had seen the Doomkhan when he yet lived, but the intent of the words was not lost. This woman was a fierce leader, vicious but guileful. An ancient soul, the soul of a warrior that could not be refused. She dressed in rich black silks, two daggers hung loosely down from her hips, resting against her thighs.

"These pirates can be trusted?" Thu asked as the three Guildmasters looked out over the bow at the ship coming into dock.

"It's parley, they can be trusted," Bil answered cooly.

"Ant I tink dey mot ought be more concerned bout wheter we can be trusted mon," Jengo said grinning and causing his toothpick to point upwards.

"We shall act on the honor of the Guild and we shall not act against it unless given reason to," Bil reprimanded the Genivanan.

"Ah course mom," Jengo said spreading his hands innocently and bowing lightly towards the Hrathanese Guildmaster.

"I want you behaved Jengo, these are equals and we need this to go well if you want your business off the coast to continue to be profitable."

As the ship finished docking the three Guildmasters gathered themselves and departed their ship, making their way to the central activity hub of the Regatta, plans to meet up with their hosts when they so chose to greet them but otherwise intent to enjoy the sites and sounds of the Islands as any other well to do traveler at the event would do.


Guildmaster Thu Jaranda (f) - 28 year old Guildmaster out of Woodwind.

Guildmaster Jengo Murumbi (m) - 37 year old Guildmaster out of Genivana

(Low) Guildmaster Bil Kethmik (f) - 39 year old Guildmaster out of Hrathan-Tuor

[Reggiejam]

Valineth arrived quietly, sharing a ship with an eager Woodwind captain and his crew who were departing from Emerald City to participate in the Naval Exercises of the Regatta. She herself remained secluded in her cabin for most of the trip. The sea it seemed did not agree with her. The captain himself and the crew were unaware of Valineth's identity. She had presented herself as a Nyrothian noble and they had seemed unfit to question her further. Deception did not sit well with her, but she equally didn't want the overt fanfare being a royal. She was here with one reason, to learn about the Children of Kina. This was not a religious event, she was aware, but she hoped she might be able to learn what the growing cult was all about. It seemed it might have some connection to the visions her aunt had written of before her death and Valineth needed to know whether that was true or not.

She arrived at the islands, paid the captain and departed the ship quietly. She pulled the hood up on her light-weight black dress and began to make her way through the crowd, looking for any who might appear notably religious in regalia or appearance.

[Aedilred]

No official delegation had been sent from Horbeach, for reasons that should be obvious to anyone with an understanding of the political situation. Nevertheless a ship clearly built to Jarrland specifications arrived in the Cities, the red ensign of the Carmine Sea flying. The words on its stern marked it out as the Summers' End.

As the greeter boats got a closer look, they noticed the crew were a cosmopolitan mix of peoples: Venns, Jarrs, goblins of the Kornandon in the rigging, exiles from Tangarotha, a pair whose hair and body art suggested a Raaneki origin, long-limbed, copper-skinned Shinan from the far side of the world, even a couple of sylphids. The captain was a tall, good-looking but unsmiling man in perhaps his twenties, clean-shaven, with the sharp elfin features of Jarrland, but dressed like an islander. The exceptionally well-informed might even have known his name: Jogay Morris, a privateer and adventurer who had come to the attention of sailors south of Fiassa's Fast in the last five years.

[lt_murgen]

The First Evening
Torches staked high out of the sand illuminated the pristing white beach as the sky started to darken. Scattered across the expanse were numerous firepits roasting Woodinwind boar, local fish, goat, ground parrot, and a half dozen rare and exotic meats from around Telluris. Tables of fresh fruit, breads of all kinds, vegetables and sweets of all kinds were scattered seemingly at random. And yet, the visitors enver found themselves more than a few steps away from something to eat.

Drink flowed as well, wines from Raaneka and other lands, ales of a wide variety, rice wine, and countless others in bottle or cask. For those not fond of alcohol, spring water flavored with sugarcane and cooled with ice from the high peaks were easily available.

Guests, politicaians, nobles, sailors and local islanders mixed and mingled talking about the events to come. Some might have found such a mix uncomfortable, or feared for their safety. But the accommodating nature of the Islands, and the general lack of clothing, made hidden weapons largely impossible.

[ooc: added 7/16]
The brightly lit central stage was the only area that seemed to have any security. Upon the raised stage were the prizes for each event.
The prize for the parade of sails was a small toy ship. It was fashioned from exotic hardwoods from Tar and other locations. Brass fittings, silk sails, and mithril ropes were part of its intricate detail. Four small torches burned on the stern and prow. It flew a small flag from the mainmast, noting that the winning colors would be made into a flag. But for all its beauty and detail, the fact that it flew in small circles, tethered to the table, was the most remarkable.
For the regatta, each leg had its own prize. The first leg featured an amber and turquoise brooch of considerable size, accented with diamonds and emeralds. The second leg featured an adamantium kukri, accented with amber, pearl, and mother of pearl inlays into the handle. The third leg was another kukri, this time with Opals instead of Amber. The fourth leg was a leviathan-skin bound, brass hammered sheet, navigation map book. The fifthh leg was a Jeilf staff and a set of hand sewn Jeilf balls. The staff was elegantly carved, with numerous threads of precious metals running in intricate patterns. The winner overall received a set of navigation tools made of gold, platinum, brass, and quartz.

For the naval combat of protecting the convoy, a wooden, bejeweled, statue of an armor plated knight carrying a tower shield stood. The sign beside it said it promises custom carved figureheads proclaiming your defensive (or offensive) prowess for each of your ships.
For the sea monster battle daggers are promised to all crew members. They are made of razor-sharp obsidian with mother-of-pearl handles and strengthened with fine mesh of adamantium. One of them floats in a bowl of water, showing off the techniques of the Pono al a Ono for crafting blades to work underwater.
For the 3x3 battles, there was no prize layed out. Instead, a piece of paper in a scroll tube sat. Beside it was a plaque which read, “to the greatest warrior of the exercises, a contract for the use of an aeromancer for one year.”
As the trio milled around enjoying the evening, a middle aged man approached them. Well, man might be a stretch, as the mawa heritage was strong in the Genimawa. It was further heightened by the layers of muscle he carried. His hair, or perhaps mane, was red, but streaked with dyed purple lines. “Ladies and gentlemen, my employer requests your presence at her private table” He said simply. He gestured to a small sand spit some 50 yards off the beach. The positioning of the torches made it hard to see who was out there, just three dark shadows seated at the table. A rowboat stood nearby.

When the three arrived on the small island, they saw the positioning was well selected -empty ocean on three sides, torches positioned to make anyone on the main beach clearly visible. It was a place both entirely exposed and entirely private- the perfect place for a meeting between uneasy allies.

Seated at the table were three people. First was Huang Pei Mei. Pei Mei was a Salterri woman, with dark hair, pale yellowish skin, and dark eyes. She wore simple pearl earrings and tri-corner hat to accent her silk blouse and pants. Her rapier, an elegant combination of mithril and star-metal, lay sheathed on the table. Huang was a decade younger than her husband, Tumberink Grumby. The guilds knew she controlled much of the pirate activity in the seas to the west of Salterri lands. http://www.annebonnypirate.com/images/annebonnypirate/ching_shih.jpg

Next was a tall Quill, known simply as Shale Vug. Dressed in Islander fashion of elegantly tailored vest, sash, short pants and tall boots, he was known to carry no weapons. However, the guilds had uncovered that he was at one time a prominent member of the Deceiver cult. The red silk-and-coin bracelet worn on his left arm was not decorative. It was a reumel; its color indicating over twenty strangulations with it. They understood that they had little to fear from the man. He was an apostate- cast out of the religion and with a death sentence placed upon him. He had turned to profiteering, running contraband into large portions of the western continent.

Lastly was none other than Martin Grant-Tremblor himself. The lucky bastard who, by virtue of sleeping with his own cousin and then passing her off to a future Salterri Qzare, managed a Governorship of lands to the east, and a prominent Guilderene princess as a wife. Again, he was dressed in Islander fashion. His Kukri, wrought to his specifications by the Mularum dwarves, lay in their cedarwood scabbards on the table, the mithril, gem studded hilts twinkling in the firelight.


>>>>>>>>FOR Reggie Jam <<<<<<<<<<
It took Valineth about a half of a day to determine a couple of things. First, the native Islander’s general lack of clothing made distinguishing profession and status nearly impossible. Second, most people were mildly religious at best, and suggested talking to the people on the Isle of Birds if she wanted a religious argument.
A simple fee of a few coins and a porter in a catamaran took her across the archipelago to the Isle of Birds. It was a tall, thin island of tall trees. True to its name, vast flocks of migratory birds wheeled above the island, or chirped merrily from the trees. The City of Amber was the port, and it was clearly more in line with what she expected for finding religious people.
A covered porch overlooked the harbor, and a group of people lounged within. She caught the term “Mother of the Night” as she approached.

>>>>>>>>FOR Aedilred <<<<<<<<<<
If he was expecting someone to recognize the boat and its captain, Jogay Morris would be disappointed. No one appeared to take any special note of his arrival. Yet the greeting parties were friendly and accommodating, taking great care to make certain the crew knew where to spend their money. Some members of the opposite sex were most happy to see the more exotic members of his crew. A few comments about “any port in a storm” and ‘hoping for a rainy night” were bandied about.
One person, wearing an ourtrageously large hat covered in blue feathers, inquired about which events the Captain planned to engage in. He politely noted that ”Summer’s End” was welcome to add its name to the list of unaligned ships for any of the multi-ship events.

[Reggiejam]

>>>>>>>>FOR Reggie Jam <<<<<<<<<<
It took Valineth about a half of a day to determine a couple of things. First, the native Islander’s general lack of clothing made distinguishing profession and status nearly impossible. Second, most people were mildly religious at best, and suggested talking to the people on the Isle of Birds if she wanted a religious argument.
A simple fee of a few coins and a porter in a catamaran took her across the archipelago to the Isle of Birds. It was a tall, thin island of tall trees. True to its name, vast flocks of migratory birds wheeled above the island, or chirped merrily from the trees. The City of Amber was the port, and it was clearly more in line with what she expected for finding religious people.
A covered porch overlooked the harbor, and a group of people lounged within. She caught the term “Mother of the Night” as she approached.


Valineth glanced up at the sky, beginning to darken as the sun grew closer to the horizon before making her way towards the covered porch nearest the harbor of her arrival where she had heard what she was listening for. She approached the group cautiously, pulling her hood back as she approached and raising a hand in greeting.

"Hello friends, do you mind if I join you here? My feet are tired and my back is sore and I was hoping I might could find harbor among you and perhaps ask you some questions that have driven me to tire myself out as I have," Valineth smiled at the gathering.

[lt_murgen]

"Hello friends, do you mind if I join you here? My feet are tired and my back is sore and I was hoping I might could find harbor among you and perhaps ask you some questions that have driven me to tire myself out as I have," Valineth smiled at the gathering.

"Sister in spirit, please be welcome!" An elderly Quill gestured for her to enter.

The enclosed porch was elegantly appointed in Islander fashion. Knitted silk curtains allowed in the breeze but kept most insects at bay. The wooden floor was covered in numerous area rugs from various locations. Valineth recognized the unique patterns of several famous weavers amongst them. Atop the rugs were overstuffed, oversized cushions and pillows, organized around small tables. Around a dozen people sat or lounged upon the pillows.

At the focal point of the oblong room stood a singularly unique statue. 8 links or so tall (2 feet), it was of a woman carved from a black marble, speckeled with white. Her skin was black and smooth, with 6 breasts and 6 arms. The figure wore no shirt, a necklace of pearls carved into the form of human skulls her sole garment. She sat with legs crossed. About her waist was a short skirt of tiger skin, represented by a clever mesh of mithril, multicolored gold, and adamantium. A belt of various colored beryls, each carved to represent male genetalia, rode above the belt. Her face had features of many human peoples, but no one race distinctively. Her mouth was open, and had large fangs, and her hair was wild and unkepempt. In one hand, the statue bore a staff wrapped in thorns and topped with a skull. Another hand was held an actual black silk cloth with weighted coins tied into it.

Valineth could not help but approach it, something compelled her to. A small plaque read “the Goddess Kina. Crafted by of Jean d’Arc, Bordeaux upone behest of Lady Fern Cascade.” As she read the plaque, she caught the faintest whiff of corruption, but quickly dismissed it as harbor smell.

Turning away, she found a seat near to the man. He was an old man, roughly in his seventies, and had the long limbs and broad chest of an Islander. However, he also had a lionesque mane of hair similar to that of the people of Cassia. When he spoke, his voice was deep and smooth, “We were discussing the nature of Kina as Khaditna, the Great Deceiver. Would you care to listen, or do you have a specific question.”

[QuintonBeck]

As the trio milled around enjoying the evening, a middle aged man approached them. Well, man might be a stretch, as the mawa heritage was strong in the Genimawa. It was further heightened by the layers of muscle he carried. His hair, or perhaps mane, was red, but streaked with dyed purple lines. “Ladies and gentlemen, my employer requests your presence at her private table” He said simply. He gestured to a small sand spit some 50 yards off the beach. The positioning of the torches made it hard to see who was out there, just three dark shadows seated at the table. A rowboat stood nearby.

When the three arrived on the small island, they saw the positioning was well selected -empty ocean on three sides, torches positioned to make anyone on the main beach clearly visible. It was a place both entirely exposed and entirely private- the perfect place for a meeting between uneasy allies.

Seated at the table were three people. First was Huang Pei Mei. Pei Mei was a Salterri woman, with dark hair, pale yellowish skin, and dark eyes. She wore simple pearl earrings and tri-corner hat to accent her silk blouse and pants. Her rapier, an elegant combination of mithril and star-metal, lay sheathed on the table. Huang was a decade younger than her husband, Tumberink Grumby. The guilds knew she controlled much of the pirate activity in the seas to the west of Salterri lands. http://www.annebonnypirate.com/images/annebonnypirate/ching_shih.jpg

Next was a tall Quill, known simply as Shale Vug. Dressed in Islander fashion of elegantly tailored vest, sash, short pants and tall boots, he was known to carry no weapons. However, the guilds had uncovered that he was at one time a prominent member of the Deceiver cult. The red silk-and-coin bracelet worn on his left arm was not decorative. It was a reumel; its color indicating over twenty strangulations with it. They understood that they had little to fear from the man. He was an apostate- cast out of the religion and with a death sentence placed upon him. He had turned to profiteering, running contraband into large portions of the western continent.

Lastly was none other than Martin Grant-Tremblor himself. The lucky bastard who, by virtue of sleeping with his own cousin and then passing her off to a future Salterri Qzare, managed a Governorship of lands to the east, and a prominent Guilderene princess as a wife. Again, he was dressed in Islander fashion. His Kukri, wrought to his specifications by the Mularum dwarves, lay in their cedarwood scabbards on the table, the mithril, gem studded hilts twinkling in the firelight.


Bil smiled politely at the three Island representatives and raised her hand alongside her companions with three fingers raised, the pinky bent down and the thumb bent at the second knuckle. Those who knew simple Guild codes and custom would recognize it as the symbol for greeting among equals, often shared between Guildmasters when visiting one or the others territory.

"Greetings to you friends," the Hrathan Guildmaster said cooly, walking forward and taking her seat opposite Pei Mei as her fellow Guildmasters drew forward and seated themselves as well after scanning the island and its surrounding once again.

"Ah be damned!" Jengo said as he situated himself in front of Martin, "If it ain't da luckiest mon to ever sail a sea! I dunno mom, wit a mon like dis we ain't got no chance a winnin anyting."

Bil turned towards Jengo, "We're not here to 'win' anything. We're here to talk."

She turned back to Pei Mei, "Which I suppose we should get to. I don't like wasting times with pleasantries, we both know who we are, and we both know why we're here. The recent activities in Emerald City have disturbed many of my clients, the Guilds are abuzz with rumors disharmonious to a stable and happy business. The pirates and smugglers of AQUA are undercutting Guild profits with their activities and a Closing is being called for by some more rash or harshly affected of my clients. I don't think a Closing is necessary though, I think we can talk and come to a mutually beneficial relationship."

"I've had to stop three squads myself from boarding a Cities ship and plotting mutiny upon the Golden to prevent a war," Thu spoke up, "But the Guild is getting restless letting profits bleed out through a greening wound."
Bil held up two fingers and her associates visibly tightened their jaws. It seemed she had given them the equivalent gesture to shut them up no questions asked.

"As you can see, distress is rampant among Guild holdings. It's simply a concern over the activities of AQUA upon the continent. While I might wager Jengo more disagreeable, your actions upon the Sea do not concern the Guild overly much. They are by ancient right your territory, but the shore upon which you dock is not yours to claim. The Guild runs that and we need to find a way to keep both our organizations happy."

[lt_murgen]

"As you can see, distress is rampant among Guild holdings. It's simply a concern over the activities of AQUA upon the continent. While I might wager Jengo more disagreeable, your actions upon the Sea do not concern the Guild overly much. They are by ancient right your territory, but the shore upon which you dock is not yours to claim. The Guild runs that and we need to find a way to keep both our organizations happy."


Huang Pei Mei spoke, nodding politely, "I apologize for any offense we may have given. The situation was thrust upon us. What we seek here is to set a new bearing.” She gestured to Martin

Martin continued, “ When my mother ran the Emerald City, we kept control of the harbor and the businesses within the inner wall. Everything else was under the control of the Imperial designate. But that was decades ago, and the growth of the city got out of hand after” he shot a glance at Shale Vug, “my mother was murdered.” The Quill looked unimpressed.

Pei Mei spoke again, a quick gesture cutting Martin off, “There are several of your politicians who press for democracy. They ignore the value of the old ways, of tradition. They seek conflict between the pirates and your guilds as a way to weaken you. My husband is not well liked by either the Regent, nor councilman LaFitte. That is why LaFitte pushed to for a trading post in the heart of your lands, exporting though my husbands city. They want a war.”

The Quill, Shale Vug, added, “We don’t. We want to make them pound sand. You claim to seek happiness. War does not satisfy either.”

[Yarghenforgen]

As night drew to a close, the Sleeping Siren quietly cut its way through the water towards the Jeweled Cities. Despite the lateness of the evening, it was quite visible. Several lanterns hung from the masts, and the underside of the hull was bathed in an eerie silver light from lanterns dragging under the water on long ropes. At a total length of 28 meters, it was quite the modestly sized ship, with a smooth hull crafted of dark wood planks. Two square sails, dyed a dark green, carried the ship towards shore. As the ship drew closer, a few voices, conversing in their native tongue, could be heard drifting on the night breeze.

The first belonged to a tall, dark green Spriggan, built thick like an oak, and garbed in silk trousers bound with a rope belt and sandals. A wild beard like tangled vines rustled slightly as he spoke. He was Captain Balbos, of the Broken Enclave's navy.

With all due respect, yer Brilliance, 'm still not sure that this is a good idea. Course, we're too far to turn back now, just sayin' it's makin' me uneasy. Our navy's still in its infancy, and 'm still not sure we should be throwin' our presence in everybody's face."

The singsong voice that responded was that of Princess Nui. Flanked by two guards, and wearing attire of questionable style acquired during her travelling. A button-down shirt with a cascade of ruffles and trousers were covered by a thick magenta coat, and high leather boots covered her legs up to the thigh. On her head was perched a large bicorne, punctuated by a large colorful feather.

"Oh, hush. You were dying to come here, and I know it. Admit it, you're just mad because I didn't want to take one of the big ugly boxes and went for this sweet little baby instead." Nui patted the railing of the ship lovingly

"Yes, well, those 'big ugly boxes' are th' pride of our navy, yer Brilliance. As it is, we're gonna be severely outclassed."

"You weren't planning on participating in the military exercises, were ya? I'm not sure that'd be a greaat idea. Besides, there's gonna be a parade, and the Siren looks pretty. To say nothing of the fact that she handles like a dream."

"She handles less like a dream when we've got a bunch of dead weight hangin' in the water, yer Brilliance." Balbos followed one of the ropes hanging over the railing into the water with his eyes, and fixated on the underwater glow.

Come on, it looks so cool. Plus, they're part of the ship too. The Siren's an underwater salvage ship, it'd be a shame to not show off its capabilities.

"We're gettin' close. I hope ye know what ye'r doing, yer Brilliance."

[lt_murgen]

Day 2 The Parade of Ships

The city of Turquoise was built along a tall spit of stone jutting out into the Sea of the Golden Sun. Docks lined both sides of the spit, and sinding roads ran up to long avenues running its length. The Parade moved from one side of the spit to the other in a simple U. The shores and docks were lined with spectators, each waving ribbons bearing the colors of their favorite ships.


It was a clear sunny day when the parade began. Being the host region, AQUA went first. Their flotilla of ships included several warships, many trading vessels, and a Kingbird carrier. With the help of the aeromancers, the ships maintained a tight line, sails taught, and flags displaying their colors. As they approached the point between the leeward and windward shore, the Kingbirds leapt from the carrier and into the air, carrying bringht streamers. [ooc roll of 14 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17774306&postcount=723)


Later came the Free Alliance of Trading Ships, captained by Huang Pei-Mei herself. They were a collection of ships and styles from around Telluris, each bearing their own flag and colors. They sailed in convoy at the start. But as they made the turn to cross the point, they suddenly moved into a perfect alignment, each mainmast parrallel with the others. The local spectators were in awe at such precision. Each ship undercut the air to the one downwind, slowing it. So to manage such a feat was truly impressive. [ooc roll of 15! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17774335&postcount=724)



Come on, it looks so cool. Plus, they're part of the ship too. The Siren's an underwater salvage ship, it'd be a shame to not show off its capabilities.

"We're gettin' close. I hope ye know what ye'r doing, yer Brilliance."

Despite the lateness, there were a couple of small boats that made their way out to The Siren as it approached the city of Turquoise. Several Islanders made their way aboard and greeted them, passing along the written agenda and some general advice.

"Hey love!" A female voice yelled from below, "You gotta see this!" In moments, several Islanders were excusing themselves to dive overboard and look at the ligts. The sailors aboard the ship, and the Princess as well, cold make out dark shapes against the underwater lights. Many swam about them underwater for 10 minutes or more. Finally one of the men surfaced. "Those are amazing! How do you keep them lit?"

[Yarghenforgen]

"Hey love!" A female voice yelled from below, "You gotta see this!" In moments, several Islanders were excusing themselves to dive overboard and look at the ligts. The sailors aboard the ship, and the Princess as well, cold make out dark shapes against the underwater lights. Many swam about them underwater for 10 minutes or more. Finally one of the men surfaced. "Those are amazing! How do you keep them lit?"

As he was still struggling with learning the foreign languages, Balbos reluctantly deferred to Nui. She laughed, the lilies that grew out of her hair shaking as she threw her head back. "We steal the light of the Sky Beneath. Perhaps borrow's a nicer word. We use the Star Nectar to light our way in the dark places."

Nui walked over to one of the lanterns hanging on the mast, and unhooked it. Unscrewing the lid, she dipped her fingers inside, and pulled them out, stretching a tendril of glowing, viscous liquid. After the display, she licked her fingers clean and replaced the lid on the lantern.

[QuintonBeck]

Huang Pei Mei spoke, nodding politely, "I apologize for any offense we may have given. The situation was thrust upon us. What we seek here is to set a new bearing.” She gestured to Martin

Martin continued, “ When my mother ran the Emerald City, we kept control of the harbor and the businesses within the inner wall. Everything else was under the control of the Imperial designate. But that was decades ago, and the growth of the city got out of hand after” he shot a glance at Shale Vug, “my mother was murdered.” The Quill looked unimpressed.

Pei Mei spoke again, a quick gesture cutting Martin off, “There are several of your politicians who press for democracy. They ignore the value of the old ways, of tradition. They seek conflict between the pirates and your guilds as a way to weaken you. My husband is not well liked by either the Regent, nor councilman LaFitte. That is why LaFitte pushed to for a trading post in the heart of your lands, exporting though my husbands city. They want a war.”

The Quill, Shale Vug, added, “We don’t. We want to make them pound sand. You claim to seek happiness. War does not satisfy either.”


Bil's lip curled into a sneer at the mention of the democracy as did Thu's. Jengo seemed largely unfazed.

"My cousin Irvest was a moron to let that cocky revolutionary from Aloren usurp the Speaker seat. Everyone's starting to talk about elections more than I care for and the extra expense of keeping elections running smoothly is cutting severely into our profit," she leaned back as she thought on the Salterri woman's words.

"What would you propose then? The Guilds won't stand for losing income from the lucrative trade business out of the Emerald, but I wouldn't think there would be any income without your smugglers and pirates. Most are upset mainly that your people are using their own contacts to offload goods into the Triumvirate, bypassing Guild tax and offering another competing avenue my Guild cannot directly address without a war between us. Is there a way we could come to an arrangement in which your smuggled goods were sold to Guild members for distribution? We would match the price your own people pay you now for right to fence, and our activities on the sea would be in assistance rather than in opposition to you."

"Now wait a damn minute mom! My ships ah my ships, der ships are der ships and nevah da twain sha meet."

"Don't be an idiot Jengo, Guild presence on the water is just you and your ships, are you telling me you and your boys couldn't stand a larger support and more ports in the storm?"

Jengo's toothpick pointed down as he sneered, "I spose it might not be a bad ting, but I ain't takin no ordahs from nobodeh."

"As I said, we'd be happy to offer Guild ships to assist or join the Free Alliance," she glanced at Jengo who still seemed rather put off by the idea but said nothing more.

[lt_murgen]

Nui walked over to one of the lanterns hanging on the mast, and unhooked it. Unscrewing the lid, she dipped her fingers inside, and pulled them out, stretching a tendril of glowing, viscous liquid. After the display, she licked her fingers clean and replaced the lid on the lantern.

The local Islanders are suitably impressed. They comment on how great it would be to have a light source when they go diving. Of course others counter that light can only bring the krackens and behemoths out of the deep. The thought sobered the crowd a bit, and they wished the Princess and her crew a good evening. A few sailors might notice them looking anxiously in the water as they paddled away.





"As I said, we'd be happy to offer Guild ships to assist or join the Free Alliance," she glanced at Jengo who still seemed rather put off by the idea but said nothing more.



“I am more concerned with shipments passing through guild lands than into it." Shale Vug said. The guild knew he made a good portion of his profits smuggling drugs and alcohol into Ashenia and otther 'tightly wound' nations.

“ I certainly have not problem selling exclusively to guild contacts, as long as the prices reamin reasonable.” Martin answered. “Most of my activity is far to the south anyway."

"Martin illuminates an excellent point. Determining what is reasonable in the future. Might I suggest this? Appoint Jengo there the official guild liason to the emerald city. Then he and I can meet and negotiate on a regular basis. In return, we will honor the territory he chooses for his ships." Pei Mei offered.

[Aedilred]

>>>>>>>>FOR Aedilred <<<<<<<<<<
If he was expecting someone to recognize the boat and its captain, Jogay Morris would be disappointed. No one appeared to take any special note of his arrival. Yet the greeting parties were friendly and accommodating, taking great care to make certain the crew knew where to spend their money. Some members of the opposite sex were most happy to see the more exotic members of his crew. A few comments about “any port in a storm” and ‘hoping for a rainy night” were bandied about.
One person, wearing an ourtrageously large hat covered in blue feathers, inquired about which events the Captain planned to engage in. He politely noted that ”Summer’s End” was welcome to add its name to the list of unaligned ships for any of the multi-ship events.

Once the ship had anchored, the crew immediately set to work again, furling the sails, the islander members of the crew diving over the side to check for barnacles and hull damage, and some of them coming ashore with what at first glance appeared to be a large heap of wood. Soon, however, the goblins were swarming over it, and it rapidly took shape as a small outrigger boat.

"We will take part in the naval exercises," Captain Morris told the greeter, "and Damara will compete in the skills regatta." He nodded towards the young sylphid woman apparently supervising the goblin construction, and cast an eye over his own vessel. "With only one ship, it seems a bit futile to parade her, though we will show her off if you desire."

[QuintonBeck]

“I am more concerned with shipments passing through guild lands than into it." Shale Vug said. The guild knew he made a good portion of his profits smuggling drugs and alcohol into Ashenia and otther 'tightly wound' nations.

“ I certainly have not problem selling exclusively to guild contacts, as long as the prices reamin reasonable.” Martin answered. “Most of my activity is far to the south anyway."

"Martin illuminates an excellent point. Determining what is reasonable in the future. Might I suggest this? Appoint Jengo there the official guild liason to the emerald city. Then he and I can meet and negotiate on a regular basis. In return, we will honor the territory he chooses for his ships." Pei Mei offered.


"Hey mon, I like her," Jengo said pointing his toothpick at the Salterri woman.

"Very well," Bil nodded, "We strike a deal like this, all your overland shipments will come through safely on our channels and out the other side, clean and full. Ship them off to wherever needs them most," she smiled devilishly.

"Actually Martin, it's good that you're here, see the Guild has eyes on expanding south even if the Triumvirate won't just hand it to us directly anymore. Earl Dagr down in Vennland is establishing a Guild presence in Jarrland's holdings. I believe you met the man a few years back when the two of you found the Jarrland King's lost niece? He's your contact for southern transactions now."

"If such is acceptable in the terms we're agreeing to," Bil added as diplomatic salve to the harshness of the Woodwind Guildmaster's demand.

[lt_murgen]

The Regatta:

The first leg was a dash around the northern side of the Tangarotha archipelago. The archipelago itself played havoc with the winds, breaking them up and confounding them. This was tough luck for the sailors, as a south east wind would have made for an excellent broad reach running. It was slow going, with the skippers who were best at reading the fickle winds pulling ahead. It ended at the Isle of Birds, in the harbor of the city of Amber.

The second leg left Amber and headed through the northern portions of the grand banks. The tide was going out, and numerous shoals and sand banks slowly were exposed. Traversing the area was complicated by sailing southeast, with the wind nearly in irons. The City of Pearl was the finishing point for the night.

The next morning, the winds had swung around, coming almost directly out of the west. The run from the City of Amber to the main beach on Old Man took the skippers through the tangled morass of the inner portion of the Grand banks. Mangrove swamps and kelp fields littered the area. The best skippers were the ones who took the time to go around, rather than attempting to maneuver through the obstacles. Most of the afternoon was spent de-weeding the hulls of the ships in preparation for the next leg.

The Fourth leg was a night run, out into deep water. The lights on the windward side of the Old Man were extinguished, and a single ship bearing a pair of bright lamps was stationed 5 candles off shore. Broad reach winds out of the west gave the advantage to the fastest running vessels, but the darkness gave the win to those with the sharpest night eyes.

The Fifth leg was an early morning sprint from the Old Man up to New Boy harbor. The winds had shifted southerly and considerably strengthened, making for an excellent running winds. But the waves were problematic for those trying to take the shortest route and stay close to the archipelago. Wise captains traded distance for a less jarring ride.


Pierre Mason, Governor of AQUA, took the chance to show off his sailing skills. However, the other three of his crew seemed to be selected for their beauty rather than skill, and it harmed him. In leg 1, it took him far too long to get the sails trimmed and the boat moving. Leg 2 was worse, the inexperienced crew unable to react to the constant shifting and tacking.
They finally got their act together on leg 3. Pierre came up through the ranks of skippers hauling cargo to and from Pearl, and he knew every shortcut, every deep channel between Pearl and the Old Man intimately. It showed. Leg 4, the night run, was easy for him as well. Here, the youth of his buxom and well-built crew paid off, as they spotted the light early and set an excellent course.
Finally, on the Windward run, the steady winds limited the crews’ inexperience. Their sharp eyes helped Pierre find the sweet spot between distance and rough waves:
Results 8-5-15-12-12 = 50 here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17774306&postcount=723)

Teycoumsay way a Komola from Penoccident. He spent his life bouncing from ship to ship in the Salterri merchant fleet. His voracious appetite and pugilistic nature limiting his employment all too often. He found a home amongst the pirates of Huang Pei Mei. Now, she selected him to captain their three man catamaran in the regatta.
Right away, though, his voracious nature caused problems. The Komola had a all consuming desire for alcohol, and he had spent the better part of the last twenty four hours drinking heavily. His crew laughed as how his tail twitched each time he 'heaved to'. Leg 2 was better. Full bellies and a shallow draft catamaran allowed him to make good time.
The next morning, he was back to having trouble. This time, is was his stubborn refusal to let the swamps and sandbars get in his way. He fought his way through rather than sail around. Leg 4 brought him similar trouble. He had intended to rely on his keep eyesight to find the beacon, but it was too good. The light from the shore beacon affected him far longer than a human, and it took a long time for his eyes to adjust to see the dim beacon upon the dark waters.
Knowing he was way behind, he was determined to make the fastest run to the finish. He kept as close to the islands as possible, pushing for the shortest distance. But the rebounding waves made the seas very rough, and it cost him with each wave he ploughed through.
Results = 7-13-9-9-10 =48 here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17781954&postcount=732) and here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17778789&postcount=730)

[Reggiejam]

"Sister in spirit, please be welcome!" An elderly Quill gestured for her to enter.

The enclosed porch was elegantly appointed in Islander fashion. Knitted silk curtains allowed in the breeze but kept most insects at bay. The wooden floor was covered in numerous area rugs from various locations. Valineth recognized the unique patterns of several famous weavers amongst them. Atop the rugs were overstuffed, oversized cushions and pillows, organized around small tables. Around a dozen people sat or lounged upon the pillows.

At the focal point of the oblong room stood a singularly unique statue. 8 links or so tall (2 feet), it was of a woman carved from a black marble, speckeled with white. Her skin was black and smooth, with 6 breasts and 6 arms. The figure wore no shirt, a necklace of pearls carved into the form of human skulls her sole garment. She sat with legs crossed. About her waist was a short skirt of tiger skin, represented by a clever mesh of mithril, multicolored gold, and adamantium. A belt of various colored beryls, each carved to represent male genetalia, rode above the belt. Her face had features of many human peoples, but no one race distinctively. Her mouth was open, and had large fangs, and her hair was wild and unkepempt. In one hand, the statue bore a staff wrapped in thorns and topped with a skull. Another hand was held an actual black silk cloth with weighted coins tied into it.

Valineth could not help but approach it, something compelled her to. A small plaque read “the Goddess Kina. Crafted by of Jean d’Arc, Bordeaux upone behest of Lady Fern Cascade.” As she read the plaque, she caught the faintest whiff of corruption, but quickly dismissed it as harbor smell.

Turning away, she found a seat near to the man. He was an old man, roughly in his seventies, and had the long limbs and broad chest of an Islander. However, he also had a lionesque mane of hair similar to that of the people of Cassia. When he spoke, his voice was deep and smooth, “We were discussing the nature of Kina as Khaditna, the Great Deceiver. Would you care to listen, or do you have a specific question.”

Taking her seat Valineth folded her hands on her lap and leaned in with interest towards the old man, "I have many questions, most borne purely from ignorance, I should like to simply listen if that suits you? Then I may know what questions I need ask."

[lt_murgen]

The older man nodded and returned to the crowd, “Very well. Now we had spoken about how Kina, Mother of the Night, calls upon us to be responsible for the reasons behind our actions. She tells us we are limited beings, and cannot foresee all that might come from what we do. All we can do is be certain we understand why we act the way we do.”

His voice took on the tone of a mantra, “My Mother is consciousness, the indivisible Awareness, Reality, and truth. The night sky between the stars is her perfection, the depths of the ocean her echo. The unbounded is always cloaked in darkness, the inebriating darkness of my beloved Kina.” Then it returned to normal.

"Kina is also known as Khaditna , the Great Deceiver. she possesses the knowledge of all souls that have come to her, for all time. Each soul is rewarded or punished through its station in its new life. Those who believe they are masters of their fate, controlling the destiny of themselves and others will find their hubris thwarted. Thus, her guise as the guiding mother is subverted by the fear of having to make decisions on one’s own.

To the Children of Kina it is essential to face her Curse, the terror of death, as willingly as they accept Blessings from her beautiful, nurturing, maternal aspect. For us, wisdom means learning that no coin has only one side: as death cannot exist without life, so life cannot exist without death. Khaditna teaches that this awareness is the only true gift one can have.

Again he spoke in a mantra, “Children call upon their mother, comprehending not the difference between need and desire. The Great Deceiver will deny you your earthly delights, despoils your pleasures. What you need is found only in in the darkness beyond adversity.”
This idea should guide are decisions. Are we doing this out of fear of death, or love of life? Is what we do with the belief we are master’s of our destiny, or followers of the truth? It is these choices, these guides, that control our decisions. It is these that we shall answer for to her third aspect, Khadi, The Devourer.”

A woman raised her hand “Was Tupelo truly a martyr then, or was it hubris?”

“That, my cousin in spirit, is not for us to decide. Perhaps he truly believed as he spoke, that for the people to flourish the tyrant must go. Perhaps he truly believed death was the only option left, as he professed. Or perhaps Khaditna put before him all he desired as a trap, to test his true intentions and clarity of purpose. Only the Mother truly knows.”


Pei Mei spoke again, “I think we both could be a bit more accommodating. So here is what we propose.
We will stop selling any contraband goods or those of questionable provenance within the Triumvarite immediately. Instead, we will sell them to the guild with no greater than a 10% markdown.
Any goods we need shipped through guild territory will be subject to no more than a 2% loss. We are willing to give a little to see that the bulk gets through.
Any goods the guilds want moved out of guild lands, we get first right to bid on moving them. Again we promise no more than a 10% price variance.”

Martin added, “The exception, of course, being for Jengo’s fleet. We’ll take what they don’t want to handle.”

Pei-Mei nodded, “Yes, of course. But we have some territorial requests as well.”S

hale Vug jumped in, “First, running booze into Ashenia and somnorum out of it is still mine. I wont give that up.”

Martin put up a cautioning hand, “It IS something we are willing to negotiate.” His look was severe, clearly this was a point of contention within the pirates. “I plan on expanding my actions along Priory lands. I am willing to share any contacts I make with the guild, so they can expand influence. I believe you said you had someone down that way already.”

Pei Mei finished, “As for the Emerald City, I propose we restore the traditional ways. We will handle minor crime- small theft, protection, and so on, within the old wall. That way, we can protect our Islanders who live by the maxim “If it is not nailed down, its mine.” The rest of the city is yours.” She paused, to let all of it sink in.

[Aedilred]

Neither the sylphids of Tempestia nor the goblins of the Kornandon were particularly renowned sailors, yet they made up the entirety of the crew for the skills regatta. The advantages of this approach soon became obvious, as the goblins were small and light enough to clamber up the mast to act as lookouts. As the racing fleet entered the Grand Banks, the small cat broke away from many of the other boats, tracing its own path through the shoals and sandbanks. Initial mockery soon turned into surprise, for Damarra sailed the waters like a native, navigating the treacherous waters with relative ease. The boat was if anything even more effective on the open water, seeming to catch the slightest hint of a breeze, and finishing with a wholly respectable time.

Captain Morris even cracked a smile as the crew disembarked, and gave Damarra a hug. She grinned back at him, and handed him a sheaf of charts.

OOC: Murgen, did you forget to roll 2d6 for the FATS ship?

Edit:


Skills regatta rolls: 13-12-11-14-14 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17779643&postcount=731) (64)

[QuintonBeck]

Pei Mei spoke again, “I think we both could be a bit more accommodating. So here is what we propose.
We will stop selling any contraband goods or those of questionable provenance within the Triumvarite immediately. Instead, we will sell them to the guild with no greater than a 10% markdown.
Any goods we need shipped through guild territory will be subject to no more than a 2% loss. We are willing to give a little to see that the bulk gets through.
Any goods the guilds want moved out of guild lands, we get first right to bid on moving them. Again we promise no more than a 10% price variance.”

Martin added, “The exception, of course, being for Jengo’s fleet. We’ll take what they don’t want to handle.”

Pei-Mei nodded, “Yes, of course. But we have some territorial requests as well.”S

hale Vug jumped in, “First, running booze into Ashenia and somnorum out of it is still mine. I wont give that up.”

Martin put up a cautioning hand, “It IS something we are willing to negotiate.” His look was severe, clearly this was a point of contention within the pirates. “I plan on expanding my actions along Priory lands. I am willing to share any contacts I make with the guild, so they can expand influence. I believe you said you had someone down that way already.”

Pei Mei finished, “As for the Emerald City, I propose we restore the traditional ways. We will handle minor crime- small theft, protection, and so on, within the old wall. That way, we can protect our Islanders who live by the maxim “If it is not nailed down, its mine.” The rest of the city is yours.” She paused, to let all of it sink in.


"15%, for both imports and exports. We both need to turn a profit here," Bil said as she thought over the rest, "2% Guild tax is acceptable for overland transport. As for Ashenia, she's all yours. The pretentious officials wouldn't let a Guild caravan within 100 meters of their border and if we operated there we'd need the Network to be more active and that would put them at risk. That said, Celero is Guild territory, their colonies are too far removed and too deep in Saltie waters for the Guild, but Celero has always been a port in the storm, we can't give it up."

"As for the Emerald," Bil paused, "Old Town can be yours, the Guild will retract itself from there and move into the new portions. That said, we'll need a way to represent and carry out transactions in Old Town to make sure shipments get to the docks. We'll need some sort of headquarters there, any building will do."

"As fer southern stuff, Earl Day-ger is a fine mon, you ant me ought meet wit him after dis, let him know what's happenin," Jengo said to Martin, Maybeh da two ah us start workin togeder down der Captain Martin. Two ah da fiercest pirates roamin da seas. Come back, plop you in da throne back home ant have a new king a da pirates," Jengo laughed.

It seemed his sips from his flask were starting to get to him. Bil said nothing, preferring to see Martin's reaction than reprimand the Genivanan Guildmaster.

[lt_murgen]

OOC: Murgen, did you forget to roll 2d6 for the FATS ship?
ooc: Yes I am an idiot, so I rolled and added back in to my post above. Still didn't beat AQUA, or you. And you didn't roll for the paradeof flags....

Standings updated in second post - prizes for winning were updated in the first night'd dinner post




[It seemed his sips from his flask were starting to get to him. Bil said nothing, preferring to see Martin's reaction than reprimand the Genivanan Guildmaster.



Pei Mei indicated to the sole porter, and the gemimawa began serving dinner. "Then most, if not everything, is settled. I would prefer 13% to 15%, but 15% is a good starting point. As we settle into this new, profitable arrangement, I'm certain adjustments will be made."
She picked up a glass, "To peace, profit, and packing sand up the butts of those who would seek our demise."

[Aedilred]

The Summers' End was not a ship designed for display, favouring substance over style, and it was somewhat grudgingly that Jogay took it out to parade. The vessel was in near-perfect condition, and the helmsmanship perfectly adequate, but the lack of pageantry in its appearance garnered it little attention.



ooc: Yes I am an idiot, so I rolled and added back in to my post above. Still didn't beat AQUA, or you. And you didn't roll for the paradeof flags....


OOC: I have entered the parade of ships just to give you the satisfaction of beating someone :smalltongue: Roll of 7.

[Reggiejam]

The older man nodded and returned to the crowd, “Very well. Now we had spoken about how Kina, Mother of the Night, calls upon us to be responsible for the reasons behind our actions. She tells us we are limited beings, and cannot foresee all that might come from what we do. All we can do is be certain we understand why we act the way we do.”

His voice took on the tone of a mantra, “My Mother is consciousness, the indivisible Awareness, Reality, and truth. The night sky between the stars is her perfection, the depths of the ocean her echo. The unbounded is always cloaked in darkness, the inebriating darkness of my beloved Kina.” Then it returned to normal.

"Kina is also known as Khaditna , the Great Deceiver. she possesses the knowledge of all souls that have come to her, for all time. Each soul is rewarded or punished through its station in its new life. Those who believe they are masters of their fate, controlling the destiny of themselves and others will find their hubris thwarted. Thus, her guise as the guiding mother is subverted by the fear of having to make decisions on one’s own.

To the Children of Kina it is essential to face her Curse, the terror of death, as willingly as they accept Blessings from her beautiful, nurturing, maternal aspect. For us, wisdom means learning that no coin has only one side: as death cannot exist without life, so life cannot exist without death. Khaditna teaches that this awareness is the only true gift one can have.

Again he spoke in a mantra, “Children call upon their mother, comprehending not the difference between need and desire. The Great Deceiver will deny you your earthly delights, despoils your pleasures. What you need is found only in in the darkness beyond adversity.”
This idea should guide are decisions. Are we doing this out of fear of death, or love of life? Is what we do with the belief we are master’s of our destiny, or followers of the truth? It is these choices, these guides, that control our decisions. It is these that we shall answer for to her third aspect, Khadi, The Devourer.”

A woman raised her hand “Was Tupelo truly a martyr then, or was it hubris?”

“That, my cousin in spirit, is not for us to decide. Perhaps he truly believed as he spoke, that for the people to flourish the tyrant must go. Perhaps he truly believed death was the only option left, as he professed. Or perhaps Khaditna put before him all he desired as a trap, to test his true intentions and clarity of purpose. Only the Mother truly knows.”



"If She is the keeper of souls, is she also the taker? Is death her domain or only the treatment of the soul after death? I know those upon the Blazing Mountain believe the soul is granted to sentient life as a spark from the Lord of Fire, imbuing each man, woman, and child with life, in this metaphor Kina could conceivably operate as a collector of the ember could she not? Once the fire has burned out, she comes to take the ember and decide where it shall be rekindled, but is it she who puts the original fire out?" Valineth said, her voice heavy with interest as she spoke with the old man.

[QuintonBeck]

Pei Mei indicated to the sole porter, and the gemimawa began serving dinner. "Then most, if not everything, is settled. I would prefer 13% to 15%, but 15% is a good starting point. As we settle into this new, profitable arrangement, I'm certain adjustments will be made."
She picked up a glass, "To peace, profit, and packing sand up the butts of those who would seek our demise."


"Here here," Bil said raising her own glass.

"Ant may every pirate wake up wit a beauty ant a bag o Trivals!" Jengo raised his flask.

Thu just nodded and raised her glass in toast.


Day 2-4

The Guilded Lady was not Jengo's flagship of choice, puns in ship names were not his style, but The Sea Cat was not the most beautiful ship in the Guild owned portion of the Fleet and he had to admit it made a terrible representative to the Guild's new partners to trawl his ship through their parade at the head. Thus it was The Guilded Lady that led the Parade, flying the banners of the Triumvirate, Hrathan-Tuor, and the Guilds and though The Sea Cat joined the four other ships that composed the Guild Fleet and belonged to Jengo's own "Armada" Jengo's Pride it was by and large eclipsed by the massive luxury galleon that was The Guilded Lady. It's very presence, a sign of Guild wealth and decadence, helped place the fleet high on the list of judgement even if it did not dethrone the Cities' own true Armada.

For the Regatta itself Jengo took his flagship, The Sea Cat out into the waters, determined to win at least one leg.

The first leg of the Regatta, cut up and patchy with finicky winds eventually led to Jengo's cry to give up the ghost and let the Great Ancestor guide the ship for all he cared. It seemed the Great Ancestor didn't much care for captaining the boat anymore than Jengo did and The Cat lost much ground.

For the second leg Jengo found himself neck and neck with the ships from Jarrland each trailing behind the FATS delegation. The navigation of the treacherous sand banks and hard wind saw the captains of The Sea Cat and Summer's End often coming close enough together to avoid breeches that the two captains would yell insults back and forth as they raced towards Pearl. Eventually however Jengo pulled ahead, catching up with the FATS ship and tying them in arrival at Pearl.

The third leg saw The Sea Cat catch up on lost time by plowing through the weedy swamps but that decision cost the ship and crew just as much as the ship was forced to stop and untangle itself more than once despite the speed it managed when untangled.

The fourth leg, the night run saw Jengo shine, his sharp eyes, used to spotting prey merchants for Guild Inspection in the dead of night spotted the lamps faster than any and like any standard boarding maneuver Jengo's emphasis on sudden striking led to his ship reaching its destination first.

Relying on luck and determination to win the final leg Jengo ordered his ship to pursue the shortest route and paid for it as the rough waves buffeted the ship and threatened a beaching upon the shore more than a few times. While skill and a fair amount of blind luck kept the ship from beaching itself or being breached by a rocky outcropping much time was lost and the ship failed to pull out a win.

Day 2
After pulling into Amber well behind the winner of the first leg of the Regatta Jarrland Jengo had challenged the captain of Summer's End to a friendly game of Capture the Convoy in a bid to regain some honor. Jengo was of course, above being a pirate, a smuggler at heart and he knew how to handle keeping cargo from falling into the wrong or more often, right, hands. While the fierceness of the Jarrland ships had nearly matched him at first Jengo's experience overcame his initial cockiness and the convoy of transport ships were quickly well outside the reach of the Jarrland crews. The resultant mocking of Jarrland sea prowess by Jengo and his crew quickly led rivalry amidst the revelry shared by the two crews and captains that would carry over into the next day and leg of the Regatta.

Rolls (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17782572&postcount=735)

[lt_murgen]

The Summers' End OOC: I have entered the parade of ships just to give you the satisfaction of beating someone :smalltongue: Roll of 7.

OOC: you have no idea how much it makes me giggle like a child to see Jarrland beat the pants off their sworn enemy at their own event!




"If She is the keeper of souls, is she also the taker? Is death her domain or only the treatment of the soul after death? I know those upon the Blazing Mountain believe the soul is granted to sentient life as a spark from the Lord of Fire, imbuing each man, woman, and child with life, in this metaphor Kina could conceivably operate as a collector of the ember could she not? Once the fire has burned out, she comes to take the ember and decide where it shall be rekindled, but is it she who puts the original fire out?" Valineth said, her voice heavy with interest as she spoke with the old man.



The old man seemed impressed. "That is a very keen observation. It is not for Kina to take life, though the Deceiver may lead you down the path of your own destruction. The relationship between Kina and the Lord of Fire is one, sadly, we are still discovering. Martyr Tupelo was writing upon that issue when he was killed." He seemed sad, but quickly got back to his more conversational tone. "What we have indicates that they are like husband and wife. One is the spark, the other the fuel, for the fire of life. Which role each has is a subject of much debate. Your view is a popular one, that Kina gives the bodies and the Lord of Fire imbues the spirit. When a person dies, Kina gatheres the coals, disposing what is not useful and saving the rest for the next fire."

[lt_murgen]

Day 4 - Protect your cargo Event

The protect your cargo event was held off the coast. The ships had a certain distance to cover while the Pono al a Ono only had a certain amount of time to snatch the shells. Ships and small boats formed a loose circle around the area, packed to the crow's nest with spectators.


my rolls are here (”http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17783868&postcount=738“) and here (” http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17783881&postcount=739”)

The Jarrow’s Experience:
The southern seas must have been largely mosnster free. When the group of Pono al a Ono suddenly surfaced around the Jarrow ships, many sailors were momentarily stunned. Two shells were grabbed off the docks faster than they would have thought possible. The Pono were large, but agile. The sailors got their wits about them quickly, managing to chase one of the creatures away with long poles and sharp maneuvering. In two other cases, it turned into a tug of war between the giant whale-like creatures and the boats, with the creatures narrowly wresting the shells away. In the end, the Jarrow lost 4 of 5 shells.

The Guild Experience:
Jengo’s fleet was more prepared for the creatures. They worked the Sea of the Golden Sun for decades. Monster attacks were hardly uncommon, with Kracken and Leviathans routinely harassing ships. Still, the sheer strength of the creatures was a surprise. Two shells were snatched away quickly once again. The crews and the Pono struggled for another, with it ending up spinning over the side- neither side won. As the ships dashed for the exit, the Pono switched tactics. One would surface to port, and the sailors would rush to defend against it. Then a second surfaced to starbaord, making a quick grab for the shell. It worked once, but then Jengo caught on. He brought two ships together, so that they could not do that again and passed the exit poit. Defeated on the fifth shell, the Pono blew a long blow-hole salute over the crew in frustration. In the end, they protected one, lost 3 and tied on 1.

{ooc: feel free to elaborate if you want}

[Reggiejam]

The old man seemed impressed. "That is a very keen observation. It is not for Kina to take life, though the Deceiver may lead you down the path of your own destruction. The relationship between Kina and the Lord of Fire is one, sadly, we are still discovering. Martyr Tupelo was writing upon that issue when he was killed." He seemed sad, but quickly got back to his more conversational tone. "What we have indicates that they are like husband and wife. One is the spark, the other the fuel, for the fire of life. Which role each has is a subject of much debate. Your view is a popular one, that Kina gives the bodies and the Lord of Fire imbues the spirit. When a person dies, Kina gatheres the coals, disposing what is not useful and saving the rest for the next fire."


"But who handles death? I have not had much opportunity to study Yphinne and the Doctrine of the Frost, but she does not give me the impression of a power over death. Perhaps she is that instrument though," Valineth mused out loud, "The body does grow cold with death and little lives in the far reaches of the north where the chill holds the strongest. But who is she then in relationship to the Lord of Fire and Kina? A jealous and spurned lover? And that speaks nothing of Ashmar whom the Huroshans so revere. There must be some way they are all connected. Something tying them together."

[lt_murgen]

"But who handles death? I have not had much opportunity to study Yphinne and the Doctrine of the Frost, but she does not give me the impression of a power over death. Perhaps she is that instrument though," Valineth mused out loud, "The body does grow cold with death and little lives in the far reaches of the north where the chill holds the strongest. But who is she then in relationship to the Lord of Fire and Kina? A jealous and spurned lover? And that speaks nothing of Ashmar whom the Huroshans so revere. There must be some way they are all connected. Something tying them together."



"I cannot speak for the other gods, nor thier followers. But we believe no one handles death. Death merely is. All things exist, then cease to exist. Even the vast universe has a beginning, and will have an end. Now, can anyone else tell our story of the creation of our Mother?" He asked the crowd.

A younger man raised his hand, then spoke. "At the beginning, all gods stood together to create the world. All the gods we know, and all we have forgotten. Dark gods and demons as well. Creation and destruction was woven into the fabric of the universe. But the dark gods proved stronger. Destruction is often easier than creation. There was a war. Every time a demon was killed, it split into two. The gods of creation were losing. To fight them, the other gods each gave a small portion of themselves to the Lord of Fire. He crafted Kina, and gifted her with some of his own fire. She didn't kill the demons, but grabbed them, one in each of her six arms, and ate them. When she was done, she slept."

The old man nodded, "Very good. And why is how the Mother came to be so important?"The teen didn't know, staring back blankly.

The man turned to Valineth, "Can you guess the import of the story, and what it might mean to your own questions?"

[Reggiejam]

"I cannot speak for the other gods, nor thier followers. But we believe no one handles death. Death merely is. All things exist, then cease to exist. Even the vast universe has a beginning, and will have an end. Now, can anyone else tell our story of the creation of our Mother?" He asked the crowd.

A younger man raised his hand, then spoke. "At the beginning, all gods stood together to create the world. All the gods we know, and all we have forgotten. Dark gods and demons as well. Creation and destruction was woven into the fabric of the universe. But the dark gods proved stronger. Destruction is often easier than creation. There was a war. Every time a demon was killed, it split into two. The gods of creation were losing. To fight them, the other gods each gave a small portion of themselves to the Lord of Fire. He crafted Kina, and gifted her with some of his own fire. She didn't kill the demons, but grabbed them, one in each of her six arms, and ate them. When she was done, she slept."

The old man nodded, "Very good. And why is how the Mother came to be so important?"The teen didn't know, staring back blankly.

The man turned to Valineth, "Can you guess the import of the story, and what it might mean to your own questions?"


Valineth thought for a moment, furrowing her brow.

"It tells us she has some evil inside her, that in order to overcome the demons the gods were made to create something that could ingest evil and yet live and not succumb to it. She is not then an agent of death or destruction, but an escort through it. One who understands, but is not." Valineth looked at the old man, curiosity to his response in her eyes.

[lt_murgen]

Valineth thought for a moment, furrowing her brow.

"It tells us she has some evil inside her, that in order to overcome the demons the gods were made to create something that could ingest evil and yet live and not succumb to it. She is not then an agent of death or destruction, but an escort through it. One who understands, but is not." Valineth looked at the old man, curiosity to his response in her eyes.



"I have not heard it put that way, yet you are quite astute." The old man complimented her. "In a way, the Mother of the Night was an empty vessel. Into her, the gods put portions of themselves. Then, into her came evil as well. So we believe that are souls have portions of the designs of the gods, as well as seeds of our destruction. That is why she requires us to look inside, to worry more about why we do things rather than the consequences. Is it the god spark, or the demon spark, that motivates us?"

"But then why does Khadi the Destroyer judge?" Asked another listener.

The old man seemed to prevaricate a little, "It is something upon we all should ponder. The Martyr Tupelo never finished his writing. Some believe it is her job to contain evil. But then why does she let a small portion of it out within each soul? It is hard to comprehend."

Someone else offered, "There is the Year of the Skulls."

The crowd grew very quiet. A small breeze blew through the portico, carrying with it the stench of decaying fish.

[Reggiejam]

"I have not heard it put that way, yet you are quite astute." The old man complimented her. "In a way, the Mother of the Night was an empty vessel. Into her, the gods put portions of themselves. Then, into her came evil as well. So we believe that are souls have portions of the designs of the gods, as well as seeds of our destruction. That is why she requires us to look inside, to worry more about why we do things rather than the consequences. Is it the god spark, or the demon spark, that motivates us?"

"But then why does Khadi the Destroyer judge?" Asked another listener.

The old man seemed to prevaricate a little, "It is something upon we all should ponder. The Martyr Tupelo never finished his writing. Some believe it is her job to contain evil. But then why does she let a small portion of it out within each soul? It is hard to comprehend."

Someone else offered, "There is the Year of the Skulls."

The crowd grew very quiet. A small breeze blew through the portico, carrying with it the stench of decaying fish.


Valineth looked around at the hushed faces, her eyes concerned. She didn't want to ask, she almost didn't', but she was compelled,

"What is the Year of the Skulls?" she couldn't manage any polite apologies for her ignorance, any diplomatic words seemed to fail her, she could only ask.

OOC: I'm throwing a round of help to you for your Pearl expansion project. Seems peaceful and I figure it's the least I could do as a thank you for taking the time to talk pseudotheology with me :)

[lt_murgen]

Valineth looked around at the hushed faces, her eyes concerned. She didn't want to ask, she almost didn't', but she was compelled,

"What is the Year of the Skulls?" she couldn't manage any polite apologies for her ignorance, any diplomatic words seemed to fail her, she could only ask.

OOC: I'm throwing a round of help to you for your Pearl expansion project. Seems peaceful and I figure it's the least I could do as a thank you for taking the time to talk pseudotheology with me :)



OOC: don't worry about it. No one else is posting at the moment anyway.
IC:
There was a great moment of silence. The old man looked uncomfortable, but he couldn't avoid a question once asked, that would be improper. "It is our belief that each soul can become more god-like or demon-like through their own power, more 'good' or'evil' if those words have meaning to you. As each soul returns to the Mother, they bring with them the blessings or taint from thier lives. A certain sect of our religion believes that when the number of tainted souls returning to the Mother grows too great, it will cause her to re-awaken and return to Telluris as Khadi the Destroyer. In her wrath, she will destroy the world in an act called the Year of the Skulls. From the ruins, a new, better, world will be rebuilt."

He attempted to change the subject, "The cyclical nature of souls for good or evil is one of the most discussed portions of our beliefs. It is fascinating to think that the Mother of the Night is still attempting to destroy the demons she consumed- through the good actions of each soul in their lifetime."

[Reggiejam]

OOC: don't worry about it. No one else is posting at the moment anyway.
IC:
There was a great moment of silence. The old man looked uncomfortable, but he couldn't avoid a question once asked, that would be improper. "It is our belief that each soul can become more god-like or demon-like through their own power, more 'good' or'evil' if those words have meaning to you. As each soul returns to the Mother, they bring with them the blessings or taint from thier lives. A certain sect of our religion believes that when the number of tainted souls returning to the Mother grows too great, it will cause her to re-awaken and return to Telluris as Khadi the Destroyer. In her wrath, she will destroy the world in an act called the Year of the Skulls. From the ruins, a new, better, world will be rebuilt."

He attempted to change the subject, "The cyclical nature of souls for good or evil is one of the most discussed portions of our beliefs. It is fascinating to think that the Mother of the Night is still attempting to destroy the demons she consumed- through the good actions of each soul in their lifetime."


Valineth was silent as the old man spoke. Another religion with a belief in an apocalypse to be rendered upon the unworthy, much like Yphinne and the Year of Frost. Fire had nearly burned the world mere decades ago and almost every sect she spoke with regarding other gods seemed to hold a belief in their own god or goddess' destructive power. It was an intriguing aspect, one she would need to discuss with the spiritual minded men and women of Yorukuni when she returned home.

"It is intriguing," Valineth agreed, "Though I would be inclined to think the natural balance of good and evil was one of equal measure, most notably if encompassing the entirety of the world. Good beings and bad beings seem to arrive upon the scenes of history in equal measure and always in opposition. I cannot envision a world in which evil would become so rampant as to warrant destruction of all life."

[lt_murgen]

Valineth was silent as the old man spoke. Another religion with a belief in an apocalypse to be rendered upon the unworthy, much like Yphinne and the Year of Frost. Fire had nearly burned the world mere decades ago and almost every sect she spoke with regarding other gods seemed to hold a belief in their own god or goddess' destructive power. It was an intriguing aspect, one she would need to discuss with the spiritual minded men and women of Yorukuni when she returned home.

"It is intriguing," Valineth agreed, "Though I would be inclined to think the natural balance of good and evil was one of equal measure, most notably if encompassing the entirety of the world. Good beings and bad beings seem to arrive upon the scenes of history in equal measure and always in opposition. I cannot envision a world in which evil would become so rampant as to warrant destruction of all life."



"Not all life" a woman spoke up. She was exceptionally beautiful, with a naturally youthful appearance. SHe might be twelve or twenty two, it was hard to tell. She had spoken before, and Valineth old man regarded her warily as she spoke now. "That sect, the Deceivers, are said to believe that only the wicked and their wicked works will be destroyed. So that the just can grow and expand. Like tearing up the weed-filled grass to plant a garden." As she spoke, she tugged at a white band about her wrist. Valineth realized that almost everyone present had one, in a wide variety of colors and patterns. At least she finally figured out how to identify one of their faith, she mused.

"You shouldn't pay attention to such things, they border on blasphemy." The old man cautioned. "Some accused Tupelo of being a Deceiver, but the War wiped them out. Regent Pertrichor hunted them to extinction." He turned back to Valineth, "So, traveller, cousin in spirit, what has prompted your many questions? Please tell us, for we can learn much from the spiritual journeys of others."

[Reggiejam]

"Not all life" a woman spoke up. She was exceptionally beautiful, with a naturally youthful appearance. SHe might be twelve or twenty two, it was hard to tell. She had spoken before, and Valineth old man regarded her warily as she spoke now. "That sect, the Deceivers, are said to believe that only the wicked and their wicked works will be destroyed. So that the just can grow and expand. Like tearing up the weed-filled grass to plant a garden." As she spoke, she tugged at a white band about her wrist. Valineth realized that almost everyone present had one, in a wide variety of colors and patterns. At least she finally figured out how to identify one of their faith, she mused.

"You shouldn't pay attention to such things, they border on blasphemy." The old man cautioned. "Some accused Tupelo of being a Deceiver, but the War wiped them out. Regent Pertrichor hunted them to extinction." He turned back to Valineth, "So, traveller, cousin in spirit, what has prompted your many questions? Please tell us, for we can learn much from the spiritual journeys of others."


Valineth looked back at the old man, shaking her transfixion from the young woman.

"I'm-" she paused, "a traveler from a land in need of faith. I have traveled to the Blazing Temple, I have traveled to Kasumor, I have now traveled here. It's my hope to see Yphinerra and Miji Mkuu as well, that I might can return to my lands with the knowledge of all the greatest religions of the north so that I might know which one my land need."

"Even so far though the task has proved arduous, all have their place within the construct and while Radurja speaks to include all I have read they give almost equal weight to the simplest of spirits as they do to the greatest of gods and I do not know that my people would accept such a belief."

[lt_murgen]

OOC:Stats Updated,
including Wombats rolls for the Parade and Regatta (”http://wwwgiantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17784163&postcount=70"). Lyradis pulls off a stunning leg 5 run, to take the overall win!

Convoy protection, AQUA versus the Pirates.
The crows anxiously awaited this battle. It was the official home fleet against the independent traders and explorers. Both sides had their local supporters, and numerous scuffles broke out aboard the viewing ships, with not a few tossed overboard to cool off.

The independent traders managed to cut one of the convoy ships out of the group in short order. But the defending AQUA ships closed ranks around the other two. Fighting was fierce as the two groups moved and maneuvered to keep the other off balance. In the end, howver, AQUA managed to guide two of the three ships out of the combat zone for the win.

Monster Hunt, AQUA’s turn
The AQUA sailors were well versed with dealing with the rampaging “Monsters”. In the end, it was 2 wins, 2 losses and a tie.

Monster Hunt, FATS turn
When the traders went up against the huge cetacians, they did even better. It was clear that the pirates had been developing tactics to fight against the creatures, and managed to successfully defend four of the five shells. Clever observers noted that their tactics would be equally effective to counter the AQUA tactics which stymied them the day before. This was the subject of rampant speculation in the taverns that night. Was another council battle imminent?
rolls here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17785386&postcount=741”)




Valineth looked back at the old man, shaking her transfixion from the young woman.

"I'm-" she paused, "a traveler from a land in need of faith. I have traveled to the Blazing Temple, I have traveled to Kasumor, I have now traveled here. It's my hope to see Yphinerra and Miji Mkuu as well, that I might can return to my lands with the knowledge of all the greatest religions of the north so that I might know which one my land need."

"Even so far though the task has proved arduous, all have their place within the construct and while Radurja speaks to include all I have read they give almost equal weight to the simplest of spirits as they do to the greatest of gods and I do not know that my people would accept such a belief."


The old man reached behind him and produced a leather-bound tome. It was festooned with ribbons and stuffed with bits of loose parchment. "Here, take my copy of the Tome of the Mother. I can easily procure another one when I travel to the sacred grove in Tar. May the writings, and my musings upon them, be helpful in your quest, my lady."

[Aedilred]

OOC:Stats Updated,
including Wombats rolls for the Parade and Regatta (”http://wwwgiantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17784163&postcount=70"). Lyradis pulls off a stunning leg 5 run, to take the overall win!
So... a +1 "secret bonus"?

I know the regatta's just for fun, like the Raaneki Games, etc. but all the same I thought general practice was that if you're claiming a bonus from a tech or the like you have to reveal what it's from. Otherwise everyone could just claim a secret bonus for everything and especially without any secret actions any more there's nobody to verify that. Not to mention that there aren't any additional eligible bonuses listed in the minigame rules...

(Also, I think we still won more legs than Lyradis.)

(Albeit also also, in the spirit of fair play, I realise now I claimed a +2 that I shouldn't have done for one roll, since I didn't differentiate attributes and Diplomacy wasn't used, so there's that).

[lt_murgen]

So... a +1 "secret bonus"?

I know the regatta's just for fun, like the Raaneki Games, etc. but all the same I thought general practice was that if you're claiming a bonus from a tech or the like you have to reveal what it's from. Otherwise everyone could just claim a secret bonus for everything and especially without any secret actions any more there's nobody to verify that. Not to mention that there aren't any additional eligible bonuses listed in the minigame rules...

(Also, I think we still won more legs than Lyradis.)

(Albeit also also, in the spirit of fair play, I realise now I claimed a +2 that I shouldn't have done for one roll, since I didn't differentiate attributes and Diplomacy wasn't used, so there's that).

OOC- Wombat and I texchanged PM, and I agreed to the "+1 secret bonus" for a technology / trick he has had for a while, but no one really paid any attention to up to now. He did promise to post a fluff piece, so the observers and other crews can get a chance to take a guess about this mysterious thing.

If he doesn't by the end of the round, then In Character, I'll accuse him of cheating and disqualify his results.

[Aedilred]

Day Four, evening

The captain was angrily sharpening his sword, generally a signal he was annoyed, so the crew were giving him a wide berth. That was not helping to improve his mood: the absence of most of the crew from the ship had been a contributory factor to his annoyance. On arrival he had considered ordering the crew to sleep on the ship, but had been talked out of it, and now he was ruing the consequences. The various pleasures the Jewelled Cities had to offer had been common knowledge among the crew even before the welcoming parties had yelled them up to the ship, and it was unsurprising that each morning he'd had to go and round up the majority of them from whatever tavern or local's bed they'd ended up in. Only the goblins had proven themselves responsible, and their performance in the convoy raid had been frankly embarrassing for a privateer crew, especially for a captain who prided himself on professionalism.

The monster attack had if anything been even worse. Even the islanders in the crew had spent so long in southern waters they had largely forgotten how to deal with them, and Jogay had been reduced to bellowing impotently at his crew as the Pono snatched most of their cargo. At least Damara was, from what he gathered, performing well in the regatta. He had drawn the charts largely from memory; he could probably have sailed the route himself blindfolded, but that would have meant leaving the crew to their own devices and they'd be lucky if they'd even got round to entering the events, let alone performing well in them. Not that they could have performed much worse.

He had been planning to have the hull of the Summers' End checked for damage from the Pono, but since his islander crew were off doing gods-know-what, he would have to do it himself or not at all. He was not as good underwater as a full-blood islander, but had inherited enough of their physiology from his mother to manage well enough. Tomorrow was the combat exercises and he was damned if his crew would be disgraced again. He put down the whetstone and stood to hang his greatsword back on the cabin wall. Kasumori swords were not the most practical weapons aboard ship, but it scared the daylights out of most merchant captains, and he'd been training with it at least as long as he'd been sailing; besides, using a cutlass or kukri would feel like a betrayal of the family or something.

As he emerged into the open air, the light was starting to fade, which would make checking the hull difficult, but then he caught sight of the Sleeping Siren and its lanterns. He smiled to himself, though his lips never moved. He whistled for attention, and a number of the goblins turned towards him expectantly.

"I've got a quarter-pound of silver if you can get one of those lanterns back here without the crew noticing."

Nothing got a crew moving quite like the promise of silver. Or, to be fair, an increase in the booze ration or the prospect of companionship, but since they were docked in the Jewelled Cities (and given some of the natures and normal proclivities of the crew in any case) neither of those was currently in particularly short supply. He watched them scrambling with some satisfaction. Perhaps tomorrow would be less of a shambles after all.

[Reggiejam]

The old man reached behind him and produced a leather-bound tome. It was festooned with ribbons and stuffed with bits of loose parchment. "Here, take my copy of the Tome of the Mother. I can easily procure another one when I travel to the sacred grove in Tar. May the writings, and my musings upon them, be helpful in your quest, my lady."


Valineth took the tome gingerly,

"I thank you, you honor me with this gift. I shall see your kindness and teachings are repaid in time," she smiled at the old man, "I shall read this deeply in my journey back to my land and find the truths contained within."

She stood up, "Thank you all for your time, it has been an enlightening experience, but I must now depart. I wish you all well, you have helped me and my people more than you could know."

With a bow Valineth made her way towards the exit of the pavilion her mind swirling with spiritual thoughts.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

OOC- Wombat and I texchanged PM, and I agreed to the "+1 secret bonus" for a technology / trick he has had for a while, but no one really paid any attention to up to now. He did promise to post a fluff piece, so the observers and other crews can get a chance to take a guess about this mysterious thing.

If he doesn't by the end of the round, then In Character, I'll accuse him of cheating and disqualify his results.

OOC - Ooooh, that might even be a more interesting way to do it...tempting. Nah, working on something right now. :smallcool:


DAY 2! The Parade!

The classic shape of a Lyradissian Wind Galley is a familiar sight - it's been the design of the Empire's faster ships for the better part of 75 years. Emperor Girard stood at the front of the ship, hand on his hips and smiling into the wind. He stood with confidence as the ship sailed its swaying path, and he looked delighted to be out on the water.

Lyradissian Wind Galleys were larger ships with two main masts and a series of sails made up the gibb component. It was an impressive look, the tanned sails a darker brown than the usual sail within the parade. Likely, the canvas was prepared somewhat differently than others, or perhaps there was a difference in materials used in preparation. Either way, there didn't appear to be much difference in their function, so it was more of an astetical note. Since Requiem had joined the Empire of Dawn, the Naval ships had been made out of iron wood, a darker, harder wood than most ships. In essence, the ship appeared a shade darker than the customary ship. Long had the ships been manned only by those within the Kingdom of Serendel, keeping the secrets of the ship safe. "Let's give them a taste. Just a little one..." Girard said to himself. He turned to his crew, raised his hand, and spread his fingers. A small toot came from below deck, and a great clattering came from below as the order was responded to.

The name "wind galley" itself was a strange thing. Galley ships were a well known feature of Tellurius, but usually galleys consisted of one sail and a shallow bow, so that a group of rowers might be able to better propell the boat. The Wind Galleys were a different beast all together. Aside from the double masts and wider design, the ship had a closed bow with an under deck and hull. The underdeck was the oar room, making the ship a galley. The oar room too up considerably more space than most ships, and the oars that were being used even while the ship sailed were massive, and guided with precision. These oars were larger around than a man could grip, and the holes they extended from did not reveal details of the interior of the room. Even despite the shipo having the wind, the oars gave the ship bursts of speed. The sails were adjusted so they would not billow as the ship went faster than the wind blew, and soon the ship had to manuver in a snake like trail so as not to overcome the other ships in the parade. The certain oars assisted the ship in turning, dipping into the water and dragging as it turned, creating additional "rudders". Overall, the oars provided the ship with more manuverability, and speed. A feat normal oars from a common galley could have had no hope of matching.

Girard smiled proudly, walked back to the helm, and began to steer his ship, wondering what others thought of the ship's name. "Gareth's Wisdom. Such an iiiiiiiiiiiiiiinteresting name," he chuckled.