Gainful Excursions

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venis
Posts: 297
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2014 2:09 pm
Guild: Warlocks
Temple: Dread
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Gainful Excursions

Post by venis »


With nearly ten having gone before them on reconnaissance expeditions, they took their leave from the "Wealthy Pursuits" onto the shore via the ship's access ramp. The island upon which they disembarked was one of what seemed to be three or four in something of an isolated cove.


This ought to be interesting, there appear to be some sort of buildings and structures in the distance; though we've no insight into inhabitants or lifestyles at this juncture, this doesn't look to be a primitive settlement.

A series of scouting reports were returned to him by those that had went ahead. If we're to be assured that at least there's no imminent aggression apparent, then I see no cause not to press forward. He was only half-listening to the exchange with Mireilla and the scout, as she seemed far more interested in some aspects that were of no immediate concern to him.

And soon it was that he and Mireilla arrived at what seemed to be a dilapidated square. A fountain worked from its pinnacle to recesses in spider's silk was the central aesthetic of what appeared to once be a gathering place for economy and commerce. From the fountain were many roads of crushed stone setting forth in any number of directions to various buildings casting elongated, gloomy shadows. Exploration efforts persisted.

What, or rather, who have we here?

They stopped at a weathered bronze statue portraying what would seem some proper character--the figure depicted was well-dressed and toting some fashion of book or ledger in hand. Although there were a few smaller sculptures set about the more prominent one, this one piqued his interest. He lowered a hand to wipe from a plaque the dust which obscured the letters until he read aloud, "Erran Eldar Morinthian IV".

He withdrew from the plaque, wearing a prideful smirk, "Well isn't that something. We should see what sort of literature, treatises or tomes we can unearth. Only then can we know which parts the realm of Twilight has a use for and which parts we should…
keep for reasons of our own design."

--


It seemed like perhaps the light never touched this island. The mist was heavy and very wet, nearly oppressive. Due to the way the gray clouds obscured the sun; visibility was poor. Only basic shapes and shadows could be seen in the distance.


When the pair of scouts that had been sent ahead returned to her, Mireilla was anxious to hear what they had to report. She was certain that through the mists she had spied a wharf. A wharf! That means trade. That means civilization. That means…
enterprise.

She was not disappointed by the scouts' report. Not only was it confirmed a wharf, but there were multiple berths and piers. There were ships moored within.

Mireilla nodded her head as she listened to the report, half-listening, a ridiculous grin plastered on her face. We're going to be able to *do this*.

"…it looked as though one of the ships had recently sailed." She snapped to attention as one of the scouts finished his recount.

"Recently sailed? How could that be? This island appears… deserted."

"We did not board the vessel, ma'am, but it seemed as though the ship was in working order and more than sea worthy. Movement was spied along the deck, however, we did not feel it wise to engage before reporting."

"Very well, thank you for your report," she replied with a wave of her hand. "Please escort Venis and myself back to the ship upon our return from the … I think I heard 'village'? I must see this for myself."

Mireilla turned to Venis who had already begun walking in the direction given by his scouts. He's on a mission. When they reached what appeared to be a settlement, Mireilla took his hand.

"What have we come across, my love?" she asked. The excitement in her voice was masked only by the way she softly spoke. She squeezed his hand tightly and allowed him to take the lead.
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mireilla
Posts: 59
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2014 2:08 pm

These Ain't No Pleasure Crews

Post by mireilla »

Mireilla and Venis, led by the scouts, headed toward the reported wharf. They couldn't see the ships nor piers, but Mireilla had faith that the scouts knew better than to lead her astray; the crew was still deathly afraid of the consequences of betraying The Realm. Venis and Mireilla would use this fear to their advantage for as long as they could.

As they approached the location, the ghostly silhouettes of three ships began to appear. Of the group, a single ship stood out for being grander than the others; growing taller and taller as they closed the distance.


"This is the place, ma'am," one of the scouts, a round-faced young man, announced with a flourish of his arm. He gestured toward the wharf before them; Warehouses, piers, work benches… Everything one might expect from a shipping hub except for one thing -- it was deserted.

Confidently the group approached the docks to take inventory of the ships. One ship, obviously a cargo ship, was a bit wider at the hull; deeper and shorter than a long ship, and it appeared to be able to carry large amounts of cargo with a relatively small crew.

As they boarded the vessel, it was eerily silent. The ship swayed gently with the rolling waves that lapped against the shore. A misty layer of marine fog creeped along the decks, interrupted only occasionally by a ray of light from the sun.

One such ray of light broke through the marine layer and reflected off the deck, creating an attention getting glint. A glint is almost always good.

"Did you see that?" Mireilla asked as she turned to Venis. He seemed distracted. The scouts simply stood at attention, awaiting orders.

She approached the source of the glimmering light. A scimitar lay atop a pile of bones. Humanoid bones? The Warlock looked around the deck and saw more of the same. Some of the bone piles had ropes or various tools, all appeared sun-bleached and lifeless.

"Venis, seriously. Where is your mind right now? Are you thinking what I'm thinking? … It's a
skeleton crew. Maybe it has something to do with this rune?" She looked to Venis and then back to an intricately painted rune painted upon the deck. She knew a thing or two about runes and their placement. It couldn't be a coincidence.

"Maybe they'll animate and kill me," she said in an attempt to gain her audience's attention.

--

By the time they had made it onto the vessel, taking inventory and otherwise going about with the chores before them, his mind was elsewhere--back with the village and the mentioning of the Morinthian family name.

What is this place? He couldn't help himself, consumed with the one discovery and perhaps putting it before the present one.

"Maybe they'll animate and kill me," he heard her utter, which in turn provoked a cold glare in response. She had gotten his attention, if she wanted it, and for the moment he let go of the other recent discoveries on the cove. After all, perhaps this was also Morinthian property. Snapping out of it he inquired warmly, "Who will, cherished one? You can't actually believe I'd let--"

He paused mid-sentence, as his ordinary observational talents befell him. Thus, he set about surveying those items that had piqued Mireilla's interest--the rune which appeared still in-tact on the deck and the
ghastly vestiges of a crew, "Oh, them. Well, one should hope they're not wont to reanimate themselves. Although, that rune…"

I could swear I've seen that design before. He contemplated for a moment and subsequently inquired of Mireilla, "Is that not the same rune that we witnessed in the library?"

Mireilla responded, "I've seen this rune more than once now, that's for certain." She appeared pensive; absently chewing on her thumbnail as she gazed in Venis' general direction.

"I'm all for harnessing power, but I'm not certain this is in anyone's best interest," he declared with something of unease playing in his tone before continuing, "Of course, I've never been able to stop you before, so… if you're thinking about connecting the dots here, or the bones as it were, please be careful."

"I'm a model of temperance, naturally," Mireilla spoke with a virtuous smile.

Before turning to the exit ramp, he softly squeezed her hand and gave her a look that was equal parts admonishment and adoration, then spoke, "If you must do what I think you're weighing as an option, just give me time to remove our living crew from the ship as to negate rumor mongering."

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