Keanumoreira

(Hey, is this thread officially closed?)

Abdul peeled the wood away rather violently, dwelling on unseen forces that troubled him deeply. Every shaving fell away with either rage or disillusionment. He couldn't even bear to look at Sivari as she spoke to him. It was as if his anger was a weight pressing upon his mind and this was why he couldn't turn his gaze. "Oh don't worry", he said rather indifferently, "If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get. You might actually prefer that I be drunk. It's hard to be believe, but I don't act as undignified." Abdul felt no compassion or mercy for Savari. Every insult was like poison as it lept from his mouth, burning with every word, and he wondered if she could feel it, if the Khajiit was hurting as much as he was. Each attack was just as devastating as the last and the Argonian weakened. His hand quivered as he continued, steadily losing his grip until the blade slipped and sunk into his hand. A spurt of crimson leaped forward onto his lap, but the Argonian wasn't even phased. He simply rose to his feet, almost dizzy as a sudden spell of weakness fell upon him. He felt as the Jazeera raced towards Riften, hurdling them towards whatever fate had intended for them. For all his years, Abdul was still the brash, arrogant, and unpredictable youth that he was the day that Sanguine appeared. Wisdom did nothing but keep him quiet. Keep him alone- lost from a world where he no longer belonged, but still lingered. With aging, things come and go. For people without a soul, Abdul knew, it was like time had ceased altogether. Where do they get to go? For the first time in his life, he felt the subtle pains of an elderly man in the body of youth. He faced the door to the crew's quarters, and finding sleep desirable, he made his departure slowly, "Riften is a city of change. Surely, we won't leave the same as when we entered it. I need time to prepare myself. Luckily, I have more than I know what to do with."

I don't think we'll drive ourselves to extinction, but I do foresee something truly devastating in our future. Even if civilization burns from nuclear fire or falls to some kind of super bug, people will continue to be here. Life is remarkably resilient. My prediction, however, is that if we don't find a way to get off of the planet soon, we'll exhaust the Earth's limited reserves of fossil fuels, civilization will falter, and we'll be stuck here forever. Time is against us.

Icira's question was of immediate interest. Keel'lye didn't know what to make of it, pretending not to have heard as she played with her food as a lesser cat may do with a ball of yarn. She was nervous about something, that much was obvious, and the Count knew why. "Other than the Void Nights? I can't say. The only recent events that are indeed unusual, at least for the Khajiit, is the civil war going on at the moment. You'll find them to be a very peaceful people, but they defend their beliefs and what little they have as fiercely as you and I would. Even more so, some would say. With this troubling news, coupled with what little we know, to wonder if any suspicions exist within that state is merely a matter of fact. That is their very nature you see: a people born from skepticism; they are masters of secrecy and they guard it jealously like any forbidden treasure. Nowhere is this more true than among the Khajiit themselves, who are slow to trust even their closest relatives. If they've noticed anything out of the ordinary that is not obvious to you or I, they will hesitate to share it. Indeed, many challenges await us there." Turning to Eldrin and Violet, he allowed his eyes to drift beyond the ship and among the warehouses until he spotted one in particular, "Do you see that building over there? That is where the fruits of our expedition will wait until we return. Depending on its size and contents, the earnings will be distributed fairly, equal to the number of members who are actively participating. As you can see, I am a man who lives comfortably. I do not need anymore than I currently have. I am not greedy; avarice has no hold over me. I am no tyrant or malcontent. I am fair to my guests and to those who I employ. As long as you follow the rules of the contract and those of basic civility, your time here will be well worth the trouble. This I can guarantee." It was at this moment that a mysterious figure boarded the ship. The choice of the attire, as dark as Nocturnal herself, was a strong contrast to a face so pale, that the purest soul couldn't do it justice. Of this, the Count could briefly observe. It was so difficult to identify this stranger that it only when it spoke, did the Dark Elf know that it was a man. A bag of Septiems landed before him, of which was set aside carelessly. Llau'wai listened to his story intently, and while he was disappointed of the man's intentions, he nevertheless accepted the payment and welcomed him. "If that is the case, then you are free to travel with us as long as you wish. I cannot, however, allot you any of the sums that we may acquire, nor am I responsible for any injury that you may sustain on your stay with us. A contract, however, will be waiting for you if you ever wish to sign. Adjacent to my quarters are stairs that lead below deck to a manner of rooms, any of which you may claim as your own. After Keel'lye has finished her meal, she will bring a plate down to you, should you be wanting, and will assist you further if necessary." That being said, the Count freed himself from the chair and directed his attention onward to the sea. Daylight was fleeting and it was time to push forward into the unknown. The land of mystery, yearning, waiting, for the brave few who never come; a place of discover, eager to share all that it knows- of these things, the Dark Elf wanted nothing more. It was out there, calling to them. Elsweyr was waiting.

The Argonian wasn't with the others, choosing not to witness the execution of the dragon. For a moment, he glared at Savari bitterly. She had declined to do it herself, as he hoped, but this alone was not enough to bring him solace. He might as well have been looking at a complete stranger. When Sivari turned to them with her offer, he stepped forward rathet abruptly, "I'll do it!", letting the words fall out, angry and broken. He almost wished he hadn't. Collecting himself, Abdul strained to be calm, something which was new to him, "Aphina and I used to play pranks in the towns we visted. We pretended to be a whole variety of people and dressed to play our parts. Suffice to say, our acting landed us into a lot of trouble. Anyway, I can do it. If I am somebody that you wouldn't mind losing that is..." This part he directed rather cooly, crossing his arms suggestively before a careless shrug of his shoulders, "just saying." He pulled a crate underneath him and sat, catching a glimpse of the bloody ballista. Gathering a splinter of wood dislodged during the attack, he carefully widdled it with his ponaird, watching the shavings disperse into the wind as he waited.

My character's waiting at this moment. Go ahead.

(Oh excellent, another player. Welcome aboard! Hopefully, we'll be moving forward soon.)

(Alright, let's go ahead and get this thing going) The Count returned sometime later with a small chest in his hands. He dropped it in the middle of the table rather imprudently, seemingly more interested in what was inside than if he shattered a plate or two. Carefully, as one might expect from a man of his ambitions, the Count retrieved the contracts and laid them at the table where each of his guests would be seated. He frowned at how many were empty and tucked the remaining documents back into the chest. With a sudden air of confidence, he jerked up and took his seat at the head of the table, ready to engage his guests: "Everyone, please take your seats. Everything will be explained to you." Keel'lye approached him from the side, almost submissively, "I hope the food is to your liking captain." The Count sampled his dish, sensing the Khajiit's nervous gaze from over his shoulders, "It's exquisite as always. Hot and delicious, as if it were just prepared. How did you manage to preserve it so well?" Keel'lye dipped her head, looking out towards the waters of Lake Rumare, "This one used a type of salt that is native to the deserts of Elsweyr. It keeps the food hot and delectable, even in such conditions as these. It is very difficult to acquire, and this one went through much lengths to obtain but an adequate sample, but she knows how much it is important to you." The Count was somewhat taken aback by this news, evident in a brief but dramatic pause, "Keel'lye...you didn't have to do that for me." For a moment, she said nothing, what seemed like words stirring but expressed incomprehensibly, "I know how much you try to pull your weight around this ship, and I know that you worry that you don't do as much as you should. But the truth is that you do and that I would be lost without you. No one on board the Madeira, including her handsome and devilishly intelligent captain, is more fit to ride these waves." They laughed, exchanging glances, "But it is the truth and I want you to know that. So please, don't overextend yourself. Take a seat, next to me, and let us enjoy the splendid gifts that an afternoon can offer." Keel'lye nodded graciously, touched by her Captain's benevolence, and as she moved to take her seat, he remembered that they weren't alone and blinked at his company. He noticed that some were seated, others standing, but nevertheless, he felt that the time was right, "Ah, yes, please forgive me. The memory of a man of this age is waning." He gathered the chest by his side as he addressed his guests, "The contracts you find before you detail the points and purposes of our voyage, appropriately named "The Elsweyr Expedition." You'll agree that no one is held liable for any fatalities that may occur on our voyage. Your life is your responsibility and yours alone. Each of us should work together to benefit the other; remember, we are a team, and we need to work as one if we're going to survive. Immediately following everyone's signatures, we'll make our may to Senchal in the southern kingdom of Pelletine and begin our journey from there. Forts, ruins, settlements- the aim is to find as much treasure as we can. I know reliable and trustworthy people in each of the cities who can pick up what we find and transport it back to a warehouse I've purchased here in the Imperial City. Following the end of our expedition, we will return here and collect payment. We'll be on our way and that will be the end of our terms of agreement." He leaned back, taking a sip of his wine and allowing it to wash about daringly; after a moment, he looked up from his glass, "any questions?"