Stranded in 1650: IC

[JbeJ275]

Sunbul listens intently, and writes a few things down on a desk, crossing other remarks out but not replying.

When asked Mama's question he does reply.
That I am afraid I can't say. For now Gazi Pasha has not sent me any official orders other than to ensure this place is secure, free from anything truly offensive and safely in our hands. That you offer no succor to our foes for what remains of this campaign. He is likely to give me more exact orders later though. He has also seen fit to send a message to the court, though we may not get a reply until winter with the necessity of avoiding the enemy vessels attacking any ship they can.

[Thundercracker]

Assuming Mama translated:
“But what do _you_ think, Sunbul?” Samuel asked.

[Toliudar]

Mama does her best to follow Sunbul's thoughts, nodding. She responds in her own tongue, enjoying the much easier task of framing her thoughts that way.

"That seems very reasonable, Sunbul. I thank you for your openness."

She glances over at Sebastian.

"My Gordon's pulled together a list of supplies what we're gonna need to get settled in here. Another plough blade, some more seed. Maybe a few of us can go back to that first town we were in, do some trading? Start to make friendly with the next door neighbours so to speak?"

[Dimers]

"That may require coin, Mama. Sunbul, will the locals accept gold and silver coins regardless of mint?" Emlin borrows the earring to hear the answer, then adds, "An unrelated question ... I didn't realize you were a student of theology. Would you be willing to take some time to teach me a bit about your religion? Not now, but soon?"

[JbeJ275]

While it is not my place, I believe being secure in the imperial peace would be your safest pathway, though I have sent official reccomendations, that you be free from certain obligations in exchange for the potential to offer other things of importance that can ensure the safety of all peoples of the empire.

Furthermore we can requisition some supply for you, if they are needed to ensure the security here. It is well within the permit of this government if needed.

And Emlin I would be able to ensure you recieve some training in theology, you are not required to adopt the faith of Mohammed, but you will be looked on better if you know it, and those who practice are further admired.

[Thundercracker]

Samuel Arvandor

“Much of our crops were left behind,” Samuel said, “if we’re going to host the garrison much longer we’ll need to secure supplies.”

“Is there a winter here?” he asked.

[JbeJ275]

Yes, the garrison will stay another week to ensure safety and security here. After that we will reduce our numbers down to twenty soldiers, a more manageable amount I should hope. We will also begin drawing on the central reserve instead of your own Granary, such supply lines do take a while to set up after all. Can you write in Arabic script with these magics?

As for winter, it does exist here but it remains warm enough for farming and other such activities, and frost or snow here is limited to the mountains.

[Thundercracker]

Yes, the garrison will stay another week to ensure safety and security here. After that we will reduce our numbers down to twenty soldiers, a more manageable amount I should hope. We will also begin drawing on the central reserve instead of your own Granary, such supply lines do take a while to set up after all. Can you write in Arabic script with these magics?

As for winter, it does exist here but it remains warm enough for farming and other such activities, and frost or snow here is limited to the mountains.

“No,” Samuel replied, “it allows understanding of spoken word only. I’m afraid we’ll need to rely on mundane methods of written communication.”

[Dimers]

Yes, the garrison will stay another week to ensure safety and security here. After that we will reduce our numbers down to twenty soldiers, a more manageable amount I should hope. We will also begin drawing on the central reserve instead of your own Granary, such supply lines do take a while to set up after all. Can you write in Arabic script with these magics?

"Will you be staying on, Sunbul?" Emlin asks. "An educated and sympathetic man would be a blessing to us. And though I'd like to learn, it would be a while before I can express myself in your script."

[JbeJ275]

"Will you be staying on, Sunbul?" Emlin asks. "An educated and sympathetic man would be a blessing to us. And though I'd like to learn, it would be a while before I can express myself in your script."

I know I will not return to the mainland until winter omes, only then will the storms keep Venetians at bay and put all of us at to great a risk to freely move men over the sea. But after that... I serve at the sultan's pleasure, and that of his government. Just as they may wish for me to remain, they may wish for me to report on all I've learned.

After this a lull emerges in the conversation, Sunbul seems intruiged by the many questions to ask you but is struggling to order them proper;y, if you want to take a moment to sneak out of the village and talk to locals this would be an oppurtune moment.

[Thundercracker]

Samuel

“Well, this has certainly been enlightening, and I hope you found it helpful too, Sunbul,” Sam says, “let’s schedule a proper meeting, say, tomorrow, after lunch? I’ll note down any other questions we have and we can talk more.”

After scheduling a second session and giving Sunbul some time to get his thoughts ordered, Samuel requests the earring back and puts together a light travel pack and a horse to go visit the locals, along with however many of their group who wished to join.

[Toliudar]

Mama has Tikka saddled and her duties for the rest of the day redistributed within 30 minutes.

[Evoker]

I'll join, as I'm interested in how our new lords rule, and I can act as a backup for the earring if it is needed.

[JbeJ275]

You slip out of the village the next morning, and make haste towards the fishing village you sighted on the way in. The small garrison you sa is still present, but seem more awed by the tales they have heard of you than villing to actually prevent your free movement. Unimpeded you move into the small village square, directly next to a series of jetties with small fishing boats either beached in the pebbely sand or tied up. Only a few seem to have been taken out at this point. You see a variaty of houses, but nothing that clearly denotes a position of leadership.

[Thundercracker]

Samuel Arvandor

Sam stopped to survey they village for a moment. At a loss and not seeing anyone, he looks for an inn, or failing that, a tavern. Every village has to have a place for the locals to wet their throats.

[Toliudar]

Mama Masala

As Sam looks around the village for taverns or shops, Mama trots alongside with a slightly different goal. She looks down at the ground around them.

"Every town has a natural gathering point. If this place isn't big enough to support a public house, it might be the net mending racks down by the water, or the house of a prosperous fisherman. If we follow the literal footsteps of the folks here, we'll know where they usually walk."

Spoiler: OOC

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Mama makes a survival check to look for traffic patterns among the buildings, and goes where people usually go. (1d20+10)[24]. If it helps, Tikka has scent, but is not trained to track.

[JbeJ275]

Following the footsteps, and the more worn of the trodden paths you quickly locate a somehat shoddily built building close to the beach, a little to the west of the centre, looking through the door you see a large amount of furniture and something like a bar as well as an older woman inside. The windows lie open but the door is closed.

[Thundercracker]

Samuel

Spoiler

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assuming it's the window that we're looking through and not the closed door.

Samuel checked the beaches to see if there were many folk out and about; eventually he was sure they'd be manning the fishing boats.
He approached the window of what he supposed was a tavern.
"Hi, may we enter?" he asked, pointing to the door and then miming drinking a mug.

[JbeJ275]

The woman eyes you cautiously, then nobs. You here the sound of clinking bottles and metal, then the door is unlatched and opened.

Inside, the woman is returning to the bar. Looking over to you with some concern.

[Evoker]

Well, this does seem like a familiar tavern. Lots of drinks, and lots of people enjoying them. I assume that it'd be best to speak with the bartender. Does that match up with your experience, Mrs. Masala?

[Toliudar]

Mama Masala

Mama smiles at Samuel and waves cheerfully at the woman through the window. She looks for a place to hitch Tikka.

"Only if you want a drink, my boy. And, come to think of it, I do.

"I don't want to try out my terrible Turkish in case these folks are especially unfriendly to the newcomers. The invading newcomers, that is. Not us. Think you can convince that woman to stick the ring in her ear?"

Leaving Samuel to contemplate his approach, Mama hauls the door open and selects a table for four by a window, looks over at the barkeep and hold up four fingers. Time to find out what the local brew is like.

[Dimers]

Emlin walks right in and seats himself, looking only partly out-of-place. He's not dressed quite like a local, but not as an Ottoman, either, and he's foregone his holy radiance. This is a "normal people" moment, not a religious experience.

[Thundercracker]

Samuel thought about it for a moment.

“Alright, I’ll give it a try,” he said.

He approached the barkeep with a smile. He showed her his palm, with the two ear clasps resting on top, and affixed one to his own ear, then he held out the other in his palm and pointed to the barkeeps ear.

“Wear it please,” he said as unthreateningly as he could.

Spoiler

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take 10 for diplomacy for 33 minus whatever penalty for not sharing a language except body language.

[JbeJ275]

The woman looks nerwously, then smiles She does a somewhat decent job of acting charmed but it's easy to see that confusion and fear are more dominant. After only a little more encouragement she puts on the earing, then suddenly goes wide eyed as she gains the capacity to understand.

[Thundercracker]

Samuel Arvandor

"Greetings, my name is Samuel Arvandor," Sam said, "we've recently arrived, just a few miles that way, and would like to wet our throats and also introduce ourselves."
He smiled.

"Is there anything on tap, what would you recommend? We don't have any local currency but I assume silver will do?" he asked.

After introductions are made and drinks served, Samuel will inquire about the town and its leadership, and what goods they tended to trade.

"The idea is we can help each other out, since it seems we're going to be neighbors for the foreseeable future," he said.

[JbeJ275]

The woman seems very flustered still but does what you ask her. She provides some cheap sweet red wine for a few silvers, then halteringly explains some things. It seems the local leader here had taken some of the men to join in the defense of Crete, and was now trapped in the besieged city not to far off. Fishing captains informally sorted things out here, but mostly stayed quiet. There does seem to be a religious man with a good share of respect. They seem to trade mostly in fish, but be struggling as they cannot take the boats out far, and relying more on local very basic agriculture.

She seems more scared than hostile, but you get the sense that she does not like the idea of more unknown mysterious followers coming into her already so fractured community.

[Thundercracker]

The woman seems very flustered still but does what you ask her. She provides some cheap sweet red wine for a few silvers, then halteringly explains some things. It seems the local leader here had taken some of the men to join in the defense of Crete, and was now trapped in the besieged city not to far off. Fishing captains informally sorted things out here, but mostly stayed quiet. There does seem to be a religious man with a good share of respect. They seem to trade mostly in fish, but be struggling as they cannot take the boats out far, and relying more on local very basic agriculture.

She seems more scared than hostile, but you get the sense that she does not like the idea of more unknown mysterious followers coming into her already so fractured community.

"I'm afraid there's not much we can do for your leader if he's trapped in the siege. Why can't you take the boats out far, because of the conflict between the Ventians and Ottomans?" Samuel asked, "what is the name of the religious man who lives here and where could we find him?"

He glanced around to his companions.
"Anyone else wish to speak with this friendly tavern owner?" he asked.

[Toliudar]

Mama Masala

Mama Takes a gulp of the wine and nods approvingly.

"Good wine, Miss...?"

She waits for the publican to fill in her own name.

"So...what's your take on these Venetians and Ottomans? Seems like the Venetians took over here a while ago, and the other guys seem pretty firmly in charge now. What have they both been like for you, and the people in your village?"

[Dimers]

Emlin adds to Mama's question while looking down into his wine to take some social pressure off the woman. "We haven't gotten a great impression of either group, but then, we haven't spent much time with them yet. Who knows how they'll treat us long-term ..."

Spoiler: rolls if you want 'em

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Diplomacy (d20+13)[27]
Sense Motive (d20+9)[29]

[JbeJ275]

You may call me Maya, Miss. She says sadly.

It is not my place to speak of such things, they come they go, the young men and women still go to fish and I still stay here with the old stories. They come and take their silver and leave us here in peace. The Turks that garrison here seem ruder, quicker to punish and slower to forgive but they will grow lazy over summers. It has been years since the Venitians rules this land, and so I do not imagine how this return could come to pass without our village once more being burned. You ask of a time before the Venetians? Now that is an old story, the Romans last rulerd herein times long forgotten and only a few can remember before then.

She seems to freeze up for a second here, but the divine whispers of reassuring magic coax a little more out of her.

Of course my old Grandfather who built this place for the first time, he told stories of the saint's rebellion. Of a new shining republic in crete that happened generations before him. That was beaten down of course, but stories are so important to give the children hope.

i will show you to titus, our preist. I would bid you to come back here at nightfall though. It is the end of the Turk's Ramadan and so we shall at least be allowed to celebrate our feasts once more. Titus gave us service for the feast of the Holy Cross earlier and many men shall be here to celebrate this evening.