The Sailor who first spoke gathered all the cards and began to shuffle.
One of the other sailors stood up, “Here you can have my seat, I’m going to see what the chow situation is on this ship”
The dealer, shuffling looked up at Mako and began to explain the rules (I posted a link in the sign-ups so I’m not going to write them out here) “so I’m north, you’ll be east, then on your left will be south, and on my right is west.”
Tharos waited 10 minutes. “ok, apparently none of you are ready to vote. Most likely because you don’t know each other’s motivations.” He sighed before adding sarcastically. “If only someone had thought of that”.
Tharos lowered his hand. Then stood. “Meeting adjourned. We’ll reconvene in 3 days time to reexamine the issue.”
The tensest of sighs escaped Dolphus’ lips. Was it loud enough for others to hear? He didn’t think so, but he didn’t really know. Thoughts of self doubt were taking precedence over pondering the sequence of events.
Had it been his slip-up that had cost her the vote? Perhaps she didn’t really want the position after all? Maybe Tharos’ magic glowing eyes thing he did and conveniently denied shortly after had some effect over the rest of the party, swaying their vote away from Alexis? Or had he simply failed to read the room?
No one else had voted. No one else had even tried to interject. No thoughts had been presented, aside from the rather useless retort of Nico, who also hadn’t bothered to vote. And now there was nothing left to do but go.
With no response, Dolphus slowly stood, pushed in his chair, glanced apprehensively at Tharos’ eyes once more, and quietly turned to the door.
Just off the coast of Emberhold was a small island that appeared on no maps or charts. Due to a combination of impassible terrain and shoals it was only truly visible from the air. The perfect location for a secret fortress.
Unless one could fly, only a very carefully picked safe path through the treacherous waters could bring you here. This is precisely what Hethila was waiting for her Agent to navigate. Standing a few feet from the beach, she leaned up against a tree watching as a small rowboat entered the shallows. @DuneToa
Karl Benz rowed calmly, waves hissing against the hull of the rowboat. The rocks jutting on either side looked like jagged teeth, reminding him to steer carefully. He could see a figure on the island. His contact. He wondered what the mission would be. It must be risky if the Armada had contacted him for a job. Not something a government agent could handle. Possibly illegal, like most things in his line of work. The rowboat scraped onto the sandy shore, and he climbed out, tying the boat to a spur of rock jutting into the breakers.
“I have arrived,” he said. “How may I be of service to you?”
“Unfortunately less than thrilling work, expense reports for the coin counters. Just need you to sign and seal some documents stating funds spent on your services. For tax reasons of course.” Hethila said this with a smile. She enjoyed this back and forth, and she thought he did too. Just a precaution of course. Even here there were ears everywhere. “come, walk with me”
Karl nodded, his excitement growing. Here was something of importance, if the appearance of business must be kept up, even on a deserted island. It was rare for a Sunblessed to hire someone like himself, at least to his knowledge. Doubtlessly there had been times before where they had needed a mercenary, but then, everyone would need assistance at some point.
“I see I must be behind in my payments,” he said. “I hope that they aren’t as high as I fear… after my last trip, my business suffered a bit of a slump. A lawsuit over some missing payments. But it turned out that the prosecution had no evidence of fraud or wrongdoing on my part. Quite the opposite. But I’m afraid I’m rambling.”
He joined Hethila, feeling a little odd standing beside a person of such importance. Strange, that even now I can’t overcome such prejudices against myself, he thought. In the end, all can die. It’s the great leveler, the crowning of the poor and the lowering of the kings.
Hethila walked deeper into the woods. “On your last trip for us, you charged 90 ember for 5 replacement darts. However just 3 days before that you only charged us 30 for six. Now I’m sure it was just a matter of materials being readily available, merchant markup, all that. However we’re going to need a signed statement regardless.”
As they walked they reached a break in the trees. Here a small cottage lay nestled. Hethila walked right through the front door, across the hall and through another door. Then she descended down a set of stone stairs. As she flung open the door she was greeted by her usual sight of the Sun Temple entry hall. Stately construction of stone, with broad pillars bearing the weight of the soil and cottage on top.
Typically this area was earmarked for dealings with low level external mercenaries. Just secret enough to be credible, without potentially revealing too much to shifty characters. Hethila’s eyes passed right over the door to her office. As she walked towards a large set of double doors at the end of the hall.
Karl followed, his eyes shifting over the impressive building hidden under the cottage. This was no mean feat to build. The size of the main lobby alone would have taken a year or so to construct with the latest building techniques, and the stones would have had to be imported… He snapped back to the conversation as his client mentioned the charges for darts.
“Yes, at the time of the first order I was in the middle of a desert. No suitable plants for miles. It was much easier to acquire some wood on the second order, since it was in the middle of a town.” I wonder what I’ll be doing this time? It’s got to be something big if I’m seeing this much of her headquarters, he thought. He followed Hethila into her office, still looking at the impressive stonework surrounding them. It didn’t look like the castles and homes of his other clients. This was something that must have been built over a great period of time, probably at great expense. Interesting…
Hethila walks right past her office. Looking back at Karl with a smile. “Oh we’re not going there, you’re moving up in the world. We’re going to meet my boss.”
Hethila pushes open the double doors and enters. Standing right in front of the door is a figure wearing golden armour. The figure was stock still, grasping a spear as it examined the pair from behind a Golden Bascinet. The figure seemed to shimmer with flames depending on which direction it was looked at. Closer inspection revealed this was due to intricate details etched into the plate.
Behind the guard, a large hall stretched out. It seemed like it must stretch under the entire island. More gold armoured figures stood closer to the far end. Gathered around a further two who were sparring. Trading blows with such ferocity they appeared to be aiming to kill.
As Hethila walked past she shared a nod with the Guard. Then walked out and around him. Hethila walked straight towards a door on the left side of the hall. Directly in the middle lengthwise. After a moments hesitation she knocked.
“How do you mean that?” Asked the Sailor politely. “Tell you what I’ll answer them all. I’m here below decks because the wind doesn’t blow our cards around. We’re playing cards because we’re on break.”
He paused briefly, “I’m on the mission because Tharwyn selected me from the ranks of honoured dead”
Here there was definitely a long pause,“I’m honoured dead because… I was scared” this last sentence was almost a whisper.
The other sailors try and pretend they hadn’t heard the exchange. Playing their turns in silence.
Hmmmm. This was definitely going to be tricky. Already, Jade could clearly notice the tension sitting in the air, as thick and as viscous as rigging tar. She scanned the area once more. Her eyes flicked across the room, taking in the motley and varied assortment of faces spread about the cabin.
On one side, the dangerous-looking younger man with the arm cape and the Caelin had had a quick conversation regarding some magic, nothing too much of note but interesting enough to keep in mind for later.
Meanwhile, across the room the man with the white gloves and “Rook” had not yet spoken but Jade had no doubt that both of them were indeed sizing up the current situation. Again, a tricky spot. Anyways, it was time to vote.
Or not. Apparently we’re all too pragmatic for our own good. Jade couldn’t suppress a sly smile at the thought, though to be honest the reprieve was a welcome one. She still hadn’t fully explored this ship nor gotten to know its omnium-gatherum of passengers, for better or for worse. More likely the latter, Jade thought, sitting up straighter and letting out a wry chuckle.
Rustling her cloak and making sure her satchel was still by her side and no one unfriendly had rifled through it, Jade looked around.
Now that their captaincy meeting had been temporarily adjourned, and not that she had bothered to wait for permission for much of her life, Jade stood up and set off for the nearest door. Hopefully I’ll find something interesting.
The sailor nodded, next few turns proceeded in silence.
After a while one of the Sailors drew the last card.
“Well lads, no fleet this time. Let’s tally up the points”
The dealer did a quick count, “Ah Beginners luck, looks like you’ve won! Guess that makes our new friend the dealer”
He gathered up the cards and went to pass them to Mako. As the deck touched his hand it made a small shock, then jumped out of his hand. Spreading across the table.
The sailors stared in shock at the pattern that appeared. The King High sat in the middle of a circle of cards. At the top and bottom relative to the King, was Mariner High, and Low. With Sailors filling in the gaps. The spacing between the cards was perfect.
“I have no clue” the sailor pulls out a piece of parchment, and begins to make a rough sketch of the layout. “here friend, I think this will mean more to you than to us.” He hands Mako the drawing.
Karl’s eyes widened, growing wider still as he saw the extent of the halls under the cottage. This was no mere castle or fortress. This was a temple, and a massive one at that.
“How… how do you have all of this… down here? It’s amazing!”
He followed Hethila, his eyes constantly wandering, staring at the glistening walls and the beautiful, though ancient, inscriptions engraved upon their surface.