TUW: Out of the Maelstrom

[Tellerian Hawke]

"...Seeing the manipulation of Way Lines in such grandiose display and used for such benevolence leaves them in awe. The Ansylins begin to defer to the Seekers as legendary beings, worthy of such respect."

Tor chuckles, saying: "We are not gods, nor legendary beings, but I do believe that there ARE gods in the realm above us, and that they have chosen my friends and I, along with others we've met in our travels, to wield powerful gifts, for the betterment and improvement of mortal kin. Our talents are blessings, and as such, it would be an abomination to use them as the savage tribes do, for personal glory and self-serving greediness, at the cost of hurting others. We use our talents to perform honorable deeds, including helping others, and that is why the Magisters are doomed to failure. We seek to grow and build, while they can only waste and destroy. The same is true for the savage tribes; they are a dying breed, a sickness to be sought out and purified. Their way of life is coming to an end, sooner, rather than later."

 

[Kwargrow]

San-Bolo pretend they do not hear the hero-worship and speak to everyone as equals. Bolo will search the downed eagle with Way and collect whatever parts are useful.

 

[MacConnell]

Before the Centurion sets out on his journey, Merin will ask him the following:

Merin asks, "Do you believe that they will take you back into their fold, without causing you harm? Surely you realize that you are risking your life...? And if they do take you back, how do you propose to communicate with us? Or do you simply intend to undermine their authority where you can, little by little? We'd like to help, if there is any way that we could possibly do so."

The Centurion faces Merindell and nods his assent. "I am a ranking officer. They will take me back, especially when I inform them that I was allowed to leave and report the mission's utter failure. I will report that the army was decimated and a few prisoners of war were taken. I will report that Southroad Fair was aided by Boga City and a Maldrog village of which none of us is familiar. All of this is completely true."

"Once I have returned to my post, I see no need nor the possibility of having further communication with you. I figure it to be most likely that I will be given command over the troops that accompany the harvesters that travel to the Western Jungle, to be out of sight, out of mind, and forgotten."

"I am a good soldier but merely a soldier. I can command men and fight a danger that I can see before me. I am not a campaign strategist nor a particularly clever man. Whatever is to come between you and the Magisters, I should be long out of the way at my forgotten post."

Tor chuckles, saying, "We are not gods..."

The Ansylins listen to Torvald's monologue, then look at each other, shaking their heads in confusion. The grandiose speech confirms the suspicion that the Seekers are some different kind of peoples, altogether. One of them mumbles, "Everyone knows that the gods are both cruel beings that have to be appeased. These people must know something special that the Maelstrom did not kill them."

 

[MacConnell]

... Bolo will search the downed eagle with Way and collect whatever parts are useful.

Sheldon and Indigo assist Bolo in harvesting useful material from the giant eagle.

Though the eagle has a suitable wingspan and enough power to carry off a colt or full grown burro, the bird appears to be all skin, sinew, and feathers, no meat. The talons are each as long as the forearm of a normal person. Of the ten, one thumb talon appears to harbor some proclivity of Way Lines.

As Sheldon is butchering the beast he mentions to the others that he thinks he can salvage the skin with its feathers. "I think Raven and Fallen Leaf could make a fantastic armored cloak or some such out of this. What say you? Should we keep it?"

Sifting through the guts, Indigo finds that its crop contains some stones that may prove useful, and the animal's heart blood. "The heart is the only part of this thing that will be edible for us. We can leave the carcass for the wild beasts. Bolo, you should give the liver to Turtle. He would probably like it. This thing's crop has a fist full of stones, but some of them may prove valuable."

 

[Kwargrow]

San-Bolo agree to bring back the intact bird skin to Southroad Fair.
Sannit will pass the time during the trip telling the stories of the Seekers adventures, including their previous dealings with Asylim. He will use the increase of prestige after the bird attack to introduce concepts to the soldiers that people should be evaluated for who they are and what they contribute rather than how they are born or where they are from. He uses the Seekers as an example, not of superior beings, but of a group that allowed it's members to find their own way.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

One of them mumbles, "Everyone knows that the gods are both cruel beings that have to be appeased. These people must know something special that the Maelstrom did not kill them."

Tor laughs heartily at the statement.

"You've been in Asylim too long, listening to lies. You think there are only two gods? No... and you think they are set upon causing misery for the world of men? Think again."

"Men do plenty of malevolence all by themselves, and spread suffering to one another all on their own, without any outside influence whatsoever. The gods DO meddle in the affairs of men, but more often, the misfortunes of men are the results of other men, who use the gods as a convenient excuse."

"Don't be so naive. Open your eyes; and by the way, some of the gods are kind and benevolent. The Burning Sun, as you call him, scorches the earth of the desert, but the frozen tundra far to the north, that same sun is simply called The Light and his warmth sustains life. That sun is a representation, not a god. Others can be indifferent and uncaring. The gods' behavior is as widely varied as our own. Benevolent gods bestow blessings upon men, so that they may resist the will of the malevolent gods."

Merin nods in agreement.

Merin adds, "The reason that the Maelstrom didn't kill us is because we never got close enough in the first place. We escaped our bonds, took over the ship, and sailed away, before the ship got sucked in. That's our big secret. Pure, blind luck. And perhaps, a blessing or two from the kinder gods, as well."

 

[Kwargrow]

Unable to resist the philosophical subject, Sannit says, "Anything men choose to worship can be a god, even other men. I think if there is any being worthy of being called 'god' then it made this world full of good things and bad. Now it watches us, seeing where we go in our lives and what we do. At the end, if it likes us and what we did, it can reward us, and if it doesn't, it can punish us. It alone can truly reward or punish because it is watches us all."

Bolo silently watches the Asylim soldiers to see if any of them are angered by her mates words.

 

[MacConnell]

Day 134: Safe Harbor

OOC: All characters receive 10 Dp. All companions receive 5.

After the course of several philosophical discussions, several of the Ansylins begin to see life in a different manner than the sum of their rearing. One of them exclaims, "Hmm.. The sun is not the god, only an impression. It should have made such sense all along, but I can see it plain as day. Southroad Fair is not a desert. This jungle we are skirting is not a desert."

Another addresses Sanit's comment. "If I understand you, we should tend our daily activity as we see fit and quit worrying so much if it is going to please or offend some god we do not know and have never seen."

Moving along the beach proves to be difficult on the horses and on pulling the wagons. The sand is quite soft in places and impedes the ease of travel. Upon nearing the river mouth, the group can no longer see the ship that was anchored outside the reef. Squinting, it appears that men are out on the reef in skiffs, fishing. Up head on the beach, spikes have been driven into the sand and mounted with the heads of pigs, sharks, and even some people.

The totems cause the some confusion and concern for the Seekers. As the group halts its progress, a loud whistle is heard from across the bay, an arrow plunks into the sand from some hidden inland source, and a loud voice calls in Ansylin. "Turn back the way you came. Asylim has no rule here. You will be killed if you do not."

Having no fear that they will be slaughtered, the Seekers begin to fan out among the soldiers. Before an altercation ensues, Sheldon yells back, "We are the Southroad Seekers. We have returned with new recruits."

Upon hearing the groups name, the lone archer emerges from hiding and others come from the development itself. The pirates are surprised by the addition of former Ansylin Regulars, but are more than pleased by the manpower and supplies.

The Seekers are impressed b the progress. The pirates have managed to move the ship through the reef and moor it within the river. Simple living structures have been constructed as well as fishing skiffs. Trees have been felled and pinned to make beams for additional ships.

Bulywif greets the Seekers and the new recruits. He expresses his thanks for the supplies and begins to explain the developments. "With these swords we can adapt more tools. The jungle has provided excellent wood for constructing new ships. With these new hands, things should move even faster. The one thing we cannot make for ourselves is sails. If we could find some supply for bolts of fabric, we could have a haranguing fleet ready within the year."

[sblock=Character Statistics]
Sheldon: full health
Tunic: 60 - 2 - 2 = 56
Torvald: full health
Surcoat: 70 - 12 = 58
Merindell: full health
Surcoat: 80 - 6 - 6 = 68
Indigo: full health
Vest: 30 - 4 - 4= 22
Sannit: full health
Stone Bolts: 10
Tunic: 60 - 24 - 8 = 28
Bolo: full health
Turtle: full health
Vadin: full health
Tunic: 60 - 6 - 6 = 48[/sblock]
[sblock=Purchasing Power]

OOC: Store Credit in Southroad Fair: 23 clams 10 Gold Ingots (200 clams) 40 Dublins: (gold coin, 800 clams) 42 Rupees: (silver coin, 420 clams) 76 Ocrin: (tin coin, 76 clams) 20% Southroad Fair Olive Trade Proceeds

[/sblock]
[sblock=Current Party Holdings]

OOC: 2 Windrunner Stallions 8 Windrunner Mares 2 decorative saddles (San-Bolo) 5 standard saddles (Tor, Sheldon, Indigo, Merin, Vadin) 4 Windrunner Colts (with pack rigs) 2 Harnin Mining Mauls 2 Harnin Mining Spikes 2 Harnin Pick Axes 10 Iron Bricks drawing of Assassins' Guild symbol parchment containing known message

[/sblock]
[sblock=Current Inventory]

OOC: Animal: Giant Eagle Hide: 100% cover (soak: 10, deflect: 10) Giant Eagle Skull Giant Eagle Talons: 10 Spider Fangs: 5 pair: (+ Cohesion){-Mind / -Will x2} Metal: Zinc Ingots: 14 (+ Health) {Mend x2} Tin Ingots: 10 (+ Persona) {Muddle x2, - Persona x2} Lead: 2 {Rend x2, -Health x2} Iron Ingots: 3 (+ Confluence) {Mend x2} Aluminum Ingots: 7 (+ Motility) {Thump x2} Chromium Ingots: 1 (+ Strength) {Rejuvenate x2} Magnesium: 5 (+ Will) {Soothe x2, Mend x2, +Health x2} Copper: 2 (+ Persona) {-Persona x2, Shock x2} Molybdenum: 9 (+ Motility) Palladium: 2 {sound x3} Silver: 1 (+Will) {-Will x3} Plant: nothing here at this time Stone: Slate: 5 (Thump x2) Bloodstone: 4 (+ Health) {Mend x2} Sunstone: 1 (+ Persona) {Charm x2} Heartstone: 3 (+ Confluence) {Mend x2} Carbone Bricks: 1 (Heat x2) Lodestone: 1: {Thump x2} Slickstone: 1: {Cool x2} Livestone: 3 (+ Strength) {Restoration x2} Milkstone: 1 (+ Will) {Harmony x2} Emberstone: 1 (+ Cohesion) {Charm x2} Waterstone: 1 (+Motility) Nightstone: 1 (+Adhesion) {darken x3} Ruddystone: 1 (+Health) .

[/sblock]
[sblock=Unknown Items]

OOC: Bird Skull (Heron): 1

[/sblock]
[sblock=Party Discoveries]

OOC: Hidden Valley in the Western Jungle Secluded Lake in Western Jungle with Mysterious Island

[/sblock]

 

[Kwargrow]

San-Bolo greet the sailors and Bulywif, telling them the story of how these soldiers came to be here and the thwarted attack against Southroad Fair.

In response to the sails, Sannit says, "You already know how to build ships so that's one thing off our list. We know of some tribes that sail the Lunaedriac. We will travel to them and see if they have any sails that they will trade for."

Bolo will go hunting and search for useful plants.

Turtle plunges into the water for some fresh fish. He tries to leave some for the rest of them.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Merin suddenly snaps awake; he was obviously daydreaming.

Merin says, "Enough standing around and talking. Let's go buy these fellas some sails."

Tor nods in agreement.

[sblock=Merin's Daydream]
Merin begins to ponder the possibility of building a lock on the river... such a fortification might prove useful. The lock that he had in mind was a simple, wooden gate that would span the river, two doors that could be pulled together and closed by workmen with ropes. Each door would be mounted to a stone wall, on either side of the river.

Behind the gates, on either river bank, would be two winches, which could be used to pull larger ships past the shallow part of the river.

[sblock=Merin's idea]

​

[/sblock]

Merin approaches Sheldon and asks him to share his thoughts on the matter.
[/sblock]