Tales of Faerun

[josh900]

Though still half-asleep when they left the inn, the rather sudden appearance of a Thri-kreen gave Lucas the start he needed. "What...what's one of those things doing here?" He asked, not remembering the name of the species.

 

"I could guess." Azuris grunted as he watched the small Thri-kreen hold onto Rhaine.

 

Leif watched on with an arched brow, finding the entire display rather curious. "Huh.... That's a talking bug person." He observed after a pause. "Well that's.... different."

[Flipout6]

"...Blessing from Tymora herself we didn't manage to break this tluining ship since last time we went over a sea." Arland muttered. "Couldn't we just fly over the sea? Amendale can fly."

 

"I don't have anywhere near the number of spells required." Amendale raised an eyebrow. "And Argyros has made it plain he won't be ferrying us anywhere again."

 

"Stlarn." Arland grumbled as he pointedly let everyone else board before he did.

 

"I think my stomach's gotten stronger since we sailed from Westgate." Sybille said uncertainly. "I think."

 

"Well, now we get to find out." Annette chirped.

 

Marie heard something running at them, having not announced its presence, and her head snapped towards the general direction the sound was coming from. She had one of her hunting knives in her hand and dropped into a ready stance, but the suspicious glare she gave the unknown newcomer was uncertain and fearful at best.

 

"Rhaine, watch out!" She warned, but when Sybille and Annette started laughing, she paused and slipped the knife back into its sheath. "What? Who is it?"

 

"A little Tak'We, looks like." Weyland chuckled just before the Thri'Kreen all but tackled Rhaine in its enthusiasm.

 

"I thought it was him for a second." Dri communicated silently in the warrior's head, the foreign thoughts carrying a wistful tone.

 

"So did I." His tone was far less enthusiastic this time.

 

"That's not Tak'We's kid, is it?" Arland demanded.

 

"It is, actually." Dri answered. Even Amendale couldn't figure out how in the hell she spotted it so quickly.

 

"Stlarn." The Grey cursed. "I hope you're not here wanting to come with us. Tak'We already died on this damned quest and I won't see his kid bite it too, even though I bet you could toss me over the mast if you had a mind to."

 

"I'm not comfortable with the idea either, Rhaine." Weyland added, but then hastily added to Che'Tak, "But it's nothing I have against you. It's my due to a dea- departed friend."

 

"If he wants to accompany us and he knows the risks, I don't see why we shouldn't give him the chance." Amendale pitched in. "...And at this point, we can't be certain there isn't anything- or anyone- that lurks on his path back home. At this point, even turning him away to head home is problematic. It could put him in danger."

[FreemasonGamer]

By the time their party had made their way to the docks of Sultim, Rameses had little choice but to tread on foot whilst his camel struggled, dragging his hooves along the stone-paved roads. Not only were camels not accustomed to the harsh riding that had gotten the group from Rauthil to Sultim in a single day, but Jarl was particularly ornery and refused to take another step with Rameses upon his saddle once they had arrived at their destination. However, Rameses did not blame nor scold his steed, considering his labored breathing and exhausted demeanor by the time Sultim had come into view. Besides, the genasi did enjoy finally being on his feet after such a day spent riding. When they had arrived at the docks and Shalena brought forth the Sea Compass from her bag before magically reverting the vessel to its true form, Rameses whistled quietly as he examined the ship's appearance; the frigate was an admirable ship compared to the crude little boats and ships Rameses had seen in his past travels. Although, the dread associated with the prospect of sailing finally caught up with the genasi as the crew that had accompanied them began to load the ship with their steeds as the others began to board the vessel.

 

When one of the crewmen approached Rameses and asked for Jarl's reins, the genasi handed them over with a friendly warning, "Camels aren't the friendliest of creatures."

 

True to Rameses's words, Jarl struggled and groaned as the crew brought him below decks with the rest of the group's mounts. Heaving a anxious sigh, the genasi was just about to head up the boarding plank onto the Sea Compass when he heard a commotion behind him. Turning on his heel, he saw that the slight uproar was caused from the sudden arrival of an insect-like being that hugged Rhaine tightly, seemingly familiar with them. Rameses simply tilted his head and watched for a moment as his fellows quickly debated over allowing the Thri-kreen child to follow them on their journey; seeing as the child didn't have any safer alternatives, the genasi finally spoke up, "It's as safe with us as it is on its own, and it seems to have sought us out for a reason."

 

Hoping to get his predicted suffering over with as soon as possible, the genasi then strode up the plank and onto the deck of the party's frigate, unaccustomed to the slight swaying to and fro as the waves gently plashed against the ship's hull. To any fire genasi, gaining one's sea legs would be a task similar to those faced by the damned in the depths of the Nine Hells. However, Rameses valued the companionship and purpose he found whilst travelling with these adventurers more than he feared and disliked the idea of sailing. As expected, his endurance was quickly tested as he tried to maintain his balance. Watching the distant sunset, Rameses couldn't chase his thoughts away from the sensation of swaying back and forth gently, the ship moving slightly beneath him. The scent of the sea and the stench of the docks seemed to jab at him worse than they did moments before, and he soon found himself staggering about before soon leaning against the rails of the Sea Compass. Of all the sensations that tested his mettle, Rameses did enjoy the gentle, cool breeze that rode off the water and across his face. Groaning quietly, the genasi continued to lean against the rails as he watched the sunset, his szuldar smoldering intensely.

 

"Give me strength, Tempus." Rameses muttered quietly under his breath in a halfhearted tone.

[AurianaValoria1]

Rhaine did not even see the flash of golden chitin until it was right on top of her...literally. The young thri-kreen slammed into the Doomguide and knocked her right over onto the wooden planking of the docks with a loud crash of armor and a yelp. If it weren't for said armor, her ribs would have likely suffered under the crushing embrace she was given by the little one...

 

Winged Pointy-ear?

 

"We'tak?" Rhaine managed to cough out once the thri-kreen rolled off of her and promptly passed out. She sat up and looked him over; judging from the silver medallion that hung around his neck, it was indeed We'tak...Tak'we's son.

 

Conall glanced to Leif, "Thri-kreen, actually. Beast race native to the Shaar. Not too fond of wemics. His father traveled with us before, and like the others say, he lost his life fighting for our cause. Though, I agree with Amendale and Rameses. Turning his son away after he's managed to survive long enough to follow us could just as easily be his undoing as him coming with us."

 

"Considering his enthusiasm," Zorica added with a smirk, "I doubt us turning him away would do any good. He'd find a way to follow us, regardless. Better to have him in the open than tagging along in our shadow, I say."

 

Abby leaned over the small Thri-kreen with her eyes as wide as saucers and breathed, "Wow. He looks so...amazing! Awesome! And would you look at that, he's got...four arms! Wow..."

 

Rhaine brushed herself off and stood up, retrieving Kaliste from where the mare had danced skittishly away upon sighting the blur that was the scampering We'tak, "He is welcome to come along, if that is what he desires. I am of the same mind as Rameses; he must have come here for a reason. I cannot imagine how much effort it must have taken for him to find us. It would be a shame for that effort to be a waste."

 

With that, she led her horse aboard the Sea Compass and waited for the others to follow her.

 

=========================================

Shadovar Citadel

 

Quarylene was rather enjoying the company of this strange woman who had stolen her away to this shadowy fortress. Once she got to know her "rescuer", she found they thought in very similar ways. The drow vampiress even went so far as to surmise that the woman would make an excellent matron if she were drow.

 

But she was not, and so she was inferior. But only slightly so.

 

Quarylene was contemplating how her plans would have to change to accommodate this new turn of events when her hostess broke her solitude once again. The drow raised her head only slightly from where she had it propped on the arm of the tall-backed chair in which she sat, "Do you need something?"

 

"I only wish to talk...for now," the darkly garbed woman sat across from her with wispy grace, "on the subject of that powerful cancer mage whom your friend Ravenna recruited not long before we...met."

 

Quarylene's lip curled, "Silithus, I think was his name. What of him?"

 

The dark woman smiled, her ruby lips the only part of her face visible under the shadow of her hood, "My agents inform me that he has had an...unfortunate...accident with a werewolf. A werewolf who associates with the members of a party you know well. This party is comprised of foes of mine as well as yours, and Silithus's...rabid...tendency to doggedly hound them," she chuckled at her string of aptly chosen words before continuing, "will most certainly botch my plans for them. Our plans."

 

The drow's mouth widened into a vicious grin, "And you want me to take care of this problem for you, yes?"

 

The shadowy woman merely smiled back, and it was far more disturbing...

[GrueMaster]

We'tak regained consciousness quickly, aware of movement around him (yet unaware of the discussion about him that just occurred). Looking up, he saw a strange-looking figure standing above him and looking at him with awe... and returned the expression in equal measure. *CHEE!?* "A horned hatchling ssoftskin?!" the young thri-kreen exclaimed as he rose excitedly. However, his body was still exhausted, so he swayed slightly as he stood, sending his animal companion into a fit of concern again.

 

*Sssss* Should have eaten something... he thought regretfully as he calmed Pekwe absentmindedly, but such thoughts were soon forgotten, as curiosity overwhelmed his mind. "Greetingss! I'm We'tak!" he exclaimed cheerfully, before focusing his attention on the strange female hatchling. *CHEE!* "You smell like a softskin, yet also like a lizard..." We'tak said while studying the female, bending down to look at her more closely, even daring to poke at one horn gingerly. *CHEE!* "They're real! How different!"

 

Not realizing he was possibly being rude, We'tak quickly began greeting everyone in the group personally in this same manner, very excited to meet his father's old clutchmates, yet moving on to the next as soon as he had introduced himself, despite his starved state and *chee-ing* the entire time. Then he moved on to the great wooden wonder, seeing Winged Pointy-ear going onto it, and continued in his antics. "What is thiss called? It's a 'bot,' right? I have never been on a bot before!" Such a scene would have continued, if not for the very sudden (and very loud) growling coming from the thri-kreen's stomach, having a rather sobering effect on the hatchling.

 

"Oh... I forgot... " We'tak paused finally with a forlorn expression on his face. "Doess anyone have some food?"

Edited June 28, 2015 by GrueMaster

[FreemasonGamer]

His stomach knotted worse than the tangled nets strewn across the deck of the Sea Compass, the fire genasi barely heeded the thri-kreen's momentary lapse in consciousness, and a weak sigh of relief left the genasi's lungs when the insect-child quickly awoke. Despite the churning sickness in Rameses's mind and spirit, he grinned weakly as he listened to Abby and We'Tak admire one another out of sheer curiosity; never would he have guessed that a half-dragon halfling and a thri-kreen would be so wondrously engrossed in one another's appearance; We'Tak's bizarre composition of names of the 'softskins' of their party also bewildered Rameses slightly. Although, what relief the fire genasi found in his amusement was swept away at the mentioning of food; groaning quietly, the genasi waved a hand in the air dismissively,

 

"I'm sure one of you could possibly feed him...?"

Edited June 29, 2015 by FreemasonGamer

[Flipout6]

"Here." Sybille handed We'Tak a sizable bundle from her pack. "A whole big pile of meat jerky. Sure, it's dry and tough, but it tastes good."

 

"If you give me a few minute, I can conjure up enough food to feed half the people on this ship." Amendale shrugged. He made his way down to the galley and closed his eyes, beginning the incantations to a spell.

 

"One of his handier spells, that." Weyland commented. "Wonder what he's making?"

 

He got his answer a few minutes later when one of the tables was piled high with meats, bread, various cheeses and the odd apple.

 

"Sandwiches it is." Weyland shrugged and went towards the table to prepare his lunch.

 

With lunch on the table, the Sea Compass set sail on what were, for the moment, thankfully-smooth waters. Amendale disappeared to the open deck, keeping an eye on the skies not for storms, but for Silithus, should he decide to attack. The Greys, unsurprisingly, tucked in to eat, while Annette escorted Marie to what would become her room for the duration of the voyage. Sybille had more trouble with the rocking motion of the boat than her brothers did, but still hungrily wolfed down almost half-a-dozen sandwiches. Arland used the fiery enchantment on one of his blades as a make-shift toaster and grill.

[AurianaValoria1]

Three days into the journey, it was quite obvious that the weather was not going to cooperate with them; under normal circumstances, the Sea Compass would have been mistress of the winds and conqueror of the waves, but not this time. There were hardly any breezes to push the ship across the water, the air completely stagnant on occasion, and so it had taken them this long to even reach the Alaor island off the coast of Mulhorand. It seemed they would be looking at a prolonged, hot voyage on the eastern portion of the Sea of Fallen Stars, baking on the top deck if they dared to go outside, with little air circulation to cool their skin. The crew seemed to be managing all right, but they were used to such harsh conditions.

 

The first time Conall had come back below-decks lobster-pink from the blistering sun, Rhaine had ordered him to stay inside for the remainder of the voyage; sun poisoning would do no good for his tender, slowly-healing flesh. Thus, he spent most of his time in his cabin, entertaining Aodh and coaxing the little pseudodragon to interact with the others more often. Meanwhile, Abby flitted back and forth between We'tak and Argyros wherever they happened to be, jabbering away with both the silver dragon and the thri-kreen, seemingly without a care in the world. Argyros himself remained in his elven guise, enjoying watching the crew members as they expertly managed the Sea Compass and her ropes. Zorica spent most of her time with Amendale, occasionally going above-decks long enough to get some fresh air, but always returning below before the sun could do any damage.

[FreemasonGamer]

Those days following their initial departure from Sultim were shockingly smooth, as Rameses had originally expected swollen surf to constantly bash against the hull of the Sea Compass throughout the voyage. Although, the peacefulness of their seafaring journey seemingly came at a cost when hardly any wind came to provide the necessary means of propelling the ship over the water. Without any wind, the heat of the unchallenged sun also dominated the world around them, and it was a heat Rameses could barely withstand. Having spent nearly a year travelling from one edge of Faerun to another, the genasi was familiar with the warmth of deserts, grasslands, and mountains even. However, he had always endured such heat and even enjoyed it whenever it was countered with an invigorating breeze to keep the air cool and refreshing in his lungs and across his skin. The heat baking the Sea Compass and her crew, on the other hand, was stagnant and oppressive upon the fire genasi.

 

To add to his personal torment, Rameses found little sanctuary or relief aboard the ship from his seasickness and anxiety resulted from sailing. Being above decks did not ease Rameses's stress, for the endless sight of blue surrounding the Sea Compass often caused his stomach to knot or his mind to reel; residing below decks was equally discomforting as the stuffy, cramped atmosphere below often smoldered Rameses. Arguably worst of all was his struggle to keep any food in his stomach, and doing so was a constant battle of will for the genasi following every meal. Despite his distress, Rameses found at least a small amount of comfort napping in his hammock and visiting Jarl where the livestock were kept.

 

Upon the third day as Rameses spent the afternoon wandering aimlessly throughout the ship, the genasi noticed Argyros above decks, watching the crew intently as they scurried about their business. The dragon's demeanor, even in his elvish guise, was oddly majestic in comparison to the other elves of the party. Hoping that a conversation would be a good distraction from his boredom and discomfort, the genasi made his way to the silver's side. Once he did, Rameses felt a familiar spike of unease before he instinctively leaned onto the railing for support. Releasing a small sigh, Rameses collected himself before looking to Argyros.

 

"You seem at home on the water," The genasi said, partially asking, "Do dragons like you enjoy the sea?"

Edited July 1, 2015 by FreemasonGamer

[GrueMaster]

*CHEE!* We'tak nearly shrieked with ecstatic joy when the strong female softskin handed him a large bundle of meat. "Thank you!!" The young thri-kreen gave Sybille's extended arm a quick hug of affection with his upper arms, before quickly snatching up the proffered food with his lower ones, setting about devouring it as quickly as possible (while sharing a bite or two with Pekwe, being about feeding time for him as well). "Thiss is very good!" *Wee* "Did Big Female Softskin make this?" This excitement, however, paled in comparison to when the pointy-ear Amendale seemingly created food from the air.

 

By Mother Moon! "Pointy-ear is spirit-blessed?!" We'tak exclaimed, surprise very clear from his posture (and a small amount of saliva beginning to run down his mandibles). *Chee!* Clutch-father made a very good clutch! The hatchling thought absent-mindedly, before (nearly) diving into the conjured food...

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

We'tak adapted quickly to life aboard the softskin "bot" (as he still called it) over the next three days. Having calmed down a fair amount since their initial meeting, the young thri-kreen explored as much of the place as possible, watching the softskins move quickly about using the craft. Such clever creatures... he mused. Clearly Mother Moon has gifted them much cunning! Although... they do sleep an awfully long time... he noted in an humorous tone, having observed the softskins' unusual resting habits he had observed his first night and finding it amazing any creature could rest so long.

 

He also spent a very large amount of time chattering away with anyone within speaking distance that wasn't busy. In particular, We'tak spoke often with the horned female hatchling Abby and the fireskin Rameses, being the ones that piqued his curiosity the most. Seeing Rameses speaking with Argyros at the moment, though, he elected to spend more time with Abby. "Sso, how did Horned Hatchling come to be?" the thri-kreen asked, head tilted to one side. "I have never seen or heard of anyone like you before. You have scaless, like Pekwe, so I thought maybe you have snake blood," We'tak thought out loud, "but you alsso have horns, and snakes do not have horns, so obviously that is not right... *ssss* right? Much smarter, too, I bet."

 

*N'rak!* "Pekwe!" he nearly screeched, disapproval in that cry as the owner of that name tried biting his hand in protest of the comparison in intellects. "Okay, ssorry..." We'tak apologized, before launching into a new topic that he found thrilling. "Anyway, how old is Horned Hatchling? It will be my first birthmoon tomorrow, myself, so I am very excited!" *CHEE!*

 

"Although..." he said, a sad tone in his voice. "Since it is my first moon, I do not know what to do... Oh, I know! Abby?" *Tic-Tic!* he asked, suddenly perking up when an idea sparked into life in mind. "What do softskins do for their first moon?"

Edited July 3, 2015 by GrueMaster