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Post by Admin on Apr 18, 2021 6:25:05 GMT
The longhouse Lady Ruta brings Brennon and his crew into has about two dozen people already inside singing, eating, and drinking. At the head of the long table are three ancient people, two women and a man. All look to be a thousand years old but still wear their armour and hold their weapons in their hands. They could be statues in how still they sit and with the cobwebs which hang of their antlered helmets.
"The elders of our village," Ruta explains. "Their wisdom guides us still. I speak for them and in will relay what you say to their still active minds."
Brennon and the crew are given food and ale to drink. She listens to the tales Brennon spins.
"The High King came to us when all his brothers and sisters were lost in the great Chaos war. But if Gerard is now fallen, then who commands mighty Kolvir? And have you brought these weapons so we can raid Kasaba as vengeance for the loss of our High King?"
[OOC: 'hopefully he won't run into too many pitfalls' that might be overly optimistic on his part. What kind of a game wouldn't have pitfalls? Definitely not Pitfall!]
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Post by Brennon on Apr 18, 2021 20:47:36 GMT
[OOC: Brennon's an optimist. After all, nothing he's run into has killed him yet!]
Brennon shakes his head. "I know nothing of who currently rules in Kolvir. He had brothers and sisters still living, so either one of them has taken the throne, or it is still in contention." He doesn't mention it was Random, not Gerard, who ruled it last. "Whomever it is, they will need your assistance more than weregild for Kasaba, though it is true Kasaba also needs attended to, as Gerard had a large part of the fleet with him at the time, and there are few who can command forces upon the seas the way he did. That's why I never fished in those waters, myself."
"The use of the weapons must be according to your wisdom and guidance. Or perhaps, to the same fate that brought me here with them. I can take a message, or take an army, though I don't recommend that. The larger the group, the more bad things seem to happen." An idea comes to Brennon. "There is, however, another option. There are two of Amber's allies, close to warring with each other. One of them sent their First Lord's daughter to wed the young ruler of the other. He married her, but she has vanished, and rumor says he has taken her sister in her place. The First Lord is naturally worried for both his daughters. I was going to deliver my cargo to one of the sides, but selling them to either side will not help Kolvir. Finding what happened to the missing daughter might." He waits to see how any of this is received. Are they more interested in vengeance, in conquest, or in helping their legendary city?
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Post by Admin on Apr 19, 2021 4:46:45 GMT
Ruta holds her hand out to Brennon, palm forward, fingers splayed. Her eyes roll back within her head and she speaks in a voice not entirely like before, trance-like.
"Captain, we too sense that Fate, most potent of the Furies, has brought you here. You bring the weapons needed for us to fulfill an ancient vow to the High King. In our hands the weapons will be used in conquest of our mutual enemies.
"But your ship is so small; more will be needed if we are to battle our way to the Golden City."
She slumps in her chair, dazed from the force of the communion.
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Post by Brennon on Apr 24, 2021 19:08:32 GMT
"Then I am to be a messenger for you. You have several ships here, but I cannot safely bring them all to the common sea lanes. Perhaps one, but it would be alone and apart for a long time. What do you require, that I can find or steal for you? And, though it seems I'm fated to be doing charity work, what can you bring me, in return?"
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Post by Admin on Apr 25, 2021 16:33:49 GMT
Ruta waves a weakened hand towards Brennon.
"Give me a moment. Their minds are strong, and I always need a few minutes to reclaim myself from them.
"They have spoken today and told you their demands. If you are here tomorrow, they may to chose to speak to you again.
"We knew how to sail the paths long ago, but that knowledge was stolen from us. I know what they will tell you. Get us the weapons we need, and then once you have shown us the path, we can find our own way.
"The reward you look for will depend on the numbers and quality of weapons you will get for us."
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Post by Brennon on Apr 29, 2021 2:36:09 GMT
"So you need me to find some ships for you? Will you be able to repair and crew them? Or is it that you need me to take your candidates to the paths of Power for initiation? I can do either, but I cannot guarantee timeliness or success for either one."
And my initiation involved being suicidal, which isn't a good guarantee of success in the first place, he thinks to himself, but does not add.
[OOC: sorry I'm taking so long to reply. If you want to move things along with some general negotiation and sum up, that's fine with me.]
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Post by Admin on Apr 29, 2021 4:09:28 GMT
"We can get the ships, and we can find our way to Amber once you show us where the paths start from here. It's the weapons we need. So much was taken away from us, but we can call on our bannermen and raise an army to aid Amber with your steel."
[OOC: You can jump ahead to all the weapons being delivered unless you come up with something else here.]
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Post by Brennon on May 15, 2021 0:58:14 GMT
Brennon and his crew take their shore leave as Brennon argues about the price and value of the weapons he's 'acquired' and the chance of getting more or other weapons. Once everything is settled*, the crew of the Celessia turn over their cargo and take on fresh supplies, then wait for the double-prowed viking ships to launch, a matter of much less time than Celessia's own backing and turning about. A wind blows, gentle puffs taunting the sails but not filling them, and Brennon takes the helm to manoeuvre the ship through the reef of sunken galleons in the otherwise placid harbour.
Once the harbour is cleared and they begin travelling back down the fjord, Brennon and Celessia scan the waters for a Way that will lead towards Amber. IF they don't sense something by the time they reach a league of open sea, Brennon will begin to make a path of his own, headed for one of the major sea lanes from the colder northern waters of the Golden Circle, as most of the trade routes use the warmer southern routes of the more major ports of the Golden Circle.
*[ooc: I figure that the actual details don't need mentioned unless they come up later..]
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Post by Admin on May 15, 2021 3:32:15 GMT
There is a shadowpath that Brennon can see; a long-disused way by the look of it but still viable. The Vikings land at a nearby islet and begin to construct a cairn to mark the way.
Ruta beams in pleasure.
"So this is the last path, captain? With this and our legends, we will be able to find our way to Amber! Sail on while we prepare for war!"
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Post by Brennon on May 16, 2021 22:26:22 GMT
"It is the Way you spoke of, Ruta. Perhaps we can do business in the future. Since there is already a path, the trials that follow me will not be as severe along it. Celessia and I will follow it until I recognize the area. This should strengthen it for your people, a bit, but I would give us a day or so head start, so that whatever lies in wait along it will miss you. Or so that you can come to our aid if something goes seriously amiss. A day or three is something we can outlast, unless it's truly calamitous. I'll leave a sign when I leave the path, so you don't run amiss."
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Post by Admin on May 17, 2021 15:47:59 GMT
"It is not so simple.captain. We need more time to prepare our fleet for such a voyage, and we will need more of your weapons to arm our soldiers. With luck, by the time you return with more, we will have readied ourselves."
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Post by Brennon on Jun 19, 2021 0:35:02 GMT
Brennon will leave Ruta there, waiting long enough for them to set their marker but also thinking of ways to find more weapons. Ways that don't involve going past Kashfa or Begma. The more chaotic lanes of travel will be likely to have more weapons, or at least more inventive ways of easily getting a small number at a time, but the return would also take longer. The dangers in that direction tended to be more environmental than political though, and a vacation from politics is something Brennon wants, however briefly, and however interesting his travels will end up being. Celessia could handle most water-like substances against her hull, and goods from the Amber end of things, in fact most of his more mundane cargo, would fetch a much higher price in that direction.
Not to mention, if things in Amber were really heading as terribly as he feared, he would be needing more fire whiskey.
Celessia heads out to navigate the more chaotic currents, tides, and watery surfaces to pick up weapons for the Vikings of Fortune's Sound. In small bundles, occasional crates, and often from the bodies of the dead, Celessia's hold is slowly changed from containing luxury goods and batches of local Amberite productions, to being filled with the implements of war.
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Post by Admin on Jun 20, 2021 2:44:54 GMT
There are the usual difficulties and challenges Brennon experiences while moving through Shadow along with the usual nautical concerns of shoals, contrary winds, and pirates but he does find a way to fill the Celessia's hold with weapons. He also hears about Princess Flora's gala planned in AMber castle in one week. Brennon calculates that with fortunate winds he could reach Amber in 4 days, the full week if the wind doesn't co-operate.
[OOC: not pressuring you to head to Amber, just an option if you want it.]
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Post by Brennon on Jun 25, 2021 0:39:02 GMT
Brennon has found that it's always best to assume the weather will not cooperate, when travelling shadow. Things are tricky along the borders of shadow, and weather is the easiest to upset. Besides, the Hell Ways demand their due, and the weather is often the easiest Trouble to live through.
One week, Amber time...
The last two major events in Amber have been marked by misfortune, and death.
Brennon pushes as hard as he can for Fortune's Sound. Hopefully Ruta and her people will be waiting, and ready. Amber may not have much time before a third Event, and it will be needing Ruta's vikings. For once, he might get to play the hero. Probably not much money in it, though. That would have to be acquired in the long game.
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Post by Admin on Jun 25, 2021 19:52:17 GMT
Brennon sees a difference in the land once he exits the shadowpath: what was a difficult feat of navigation through the sounds and straights of the island-think, fog-smothered, and fjord-wrinkled shore, is now easily traversed by sighting on the thick column of smoke rising from the village.
Sailing closer, they see the place is not as before. Once a thriving small city nestled at the base of tree-clad slopes, it has now tripled in size; new buildings were quickly thrown up piles of mud, stone, whalebone, and turf. The mountainside has almost completely been cleared of trees and the wood used in the manufacture of ships and to burn in the furnaces of huge factories and workshops. More disconcerting are the newcomers to the place; all are dressed in rags, most bearing wounds of sorts, chained together and slaving away for the village elders.
Ruta approaches with a large grin on her face. Most of a grin as she now sports a scar running from the left temple, through her eye, across her nose and down to the right corner of her mouth.
"Captain Brennon! she cheers as she approaches the Celessia, "Welcome back to Fortune's Sound! We have been busy since you left us. Preparing for war against our common foes! We have even begun to craft our own steel weapons, yet they remain inferior to yours - have you brought more for us as promised?"
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