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The Calm Before the Storm Mini-Event
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| 🜙 By the Sea | |
| With the return of life to the bay the waters are once more shimmering, flashing, rippling and splashing with all manner of sea life. Dolphins perform acrobatic leaps and dances out in the deeper waters, fish dart in and out of the waves, following them to the shore and retreating with them. Near the Sunset Gate leading out into the Glass Sea the waving sail fins of small sea serpents or hunting flying fish can be seen breaking the surface before disappearing into or out of the bay.
The docks of Didymos are loud with cheerful songs and shouts as fishermen and merchants work together to load or unload the Didymos fleet of fishing ships, and the sudden influx of fish causes the previously quiet, hungry city to erupt back into vibrant life practically overnight. As Didymos dives back into renewed daily life, spectators observe the city from the edges of the bay, sneaking closer to shore in the hours of dusk and dawn, studying the people and the boats but not interfering unless specifically engaged. If those who encounter them react with hostility, the merfolk respond in kind, attacking with water magic, spears, or weighted nets and throwing weapons made of lashed-together shark teeth. If they do not sense hostility, however, they quietly and curiously mimic the actions, facial expressions, and rough sounds of those who make eye contact or try to speak to them. | |
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| 🜙 Return to Einjar Preparations | |
| After the volunteers have taken the oath, King Sitka introduces a tall, dark-haired elf to the group as Ser Medraut, Expedition Leader and Lead Commander of the Krimnos Knights. Medraut and Sitka explain what happened on the last trip to Einjar and caution that they do not know what to expect with this excursion, only that things have gotten more dangerous in the mountains since the last trip and they need to get to the root of the problem before whatever happened to Einjar happens to Preciposte or Krimnos.
Following the briefing, the volunteers are given rooms in a currently unused inner wall barracks, should they wish to take them. They can temporarily live together in this space and be provided with food, armor, weaponry, clothing, small personal rooms, warm showers, and anything they might request to bring along on the mission, as well as the opportunity to get to know the others who will be with them. The knights do not remain in the same area, returning to their own barracks on the other side of the gate. Those under oath are able to discuss the mission or anything else freely with each other and can find maps and the plans to the new airships at their disposal. | |
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| 🜙 The Travelers | |
| On the night of the full moon the moon rises an unsettling pinkish-red in the sky. Normally this offset hue isn't paid much heed but with the call of more werewolves in the air, the color only adds to the general air of unsettled discomfort permeating every corner and cabin in and around the city. Once again Koroc is no where to be seen, and once again the defenders keep the unified pack of attacking werewolves at bay.
In the days following the full moon, the surrounding wildlands and the city streets are disturbingly quiet. Many residents of the city forego their day to day activities in favor of hiding in their homes and the Defenders seem to be the only ones patrolling the streets. Until a few days after the full moon when a large caravan of boats arrives from the North floating down the river into the canal streets. The boats are covered in colorful canopies and the people who emerge from them are a mixture mainly of humans, beastfolk, arboreons, satyrs, and tieflings with a few dwarves and kobolds tagging along. They wouldn't normally be an unusual sight, their garb giving off the familiar impression of the traveling merchants, except that the city is meant to be closed off to anyone entering during this crisis and the traveling merchants don't usually arrive for spring trading until May. The Defenders seem confused by their sudden appearance. Their attempts to bar the strangers from entering the city are met with passive responses as towering arboreons lift them up to set them aside or dwarves duck under their arms and weapons to continue on without breaking step or their current conversations. They speak with thick mountain accents and wear brightly colored clothing. The unusual group makes their way toward the still standing fixture of the Immortal Duke carrying large barrels and casks they proudly proclaim to be wines or ale. Gifts from the North. As they pass through the streets windows and doors open and the eyes of the city follow their paths. The boats in the canals are left tied and unguarded and curious winged cats quickly overtake the colorful playgrounds. They are soon joined by inquisitive children and brave city dwellers wanting to learn more about the guests who seem so unperturbed by the city's unwelcoming display. During the night a large, central section of the warcamp is set on fire by a volley of arrows from outside the city and the resultant spread and destruction of fire through the warcamp absorbs much of the Defenders' forces and attention. During the resulting chaos the Duke's front doors are flung open and the sound of raucous laughter and merriment spill out of the old building's creaking doors and windows, drawing in even more spectators and curious folk. A smaller group of Defenders rally to seemingly storm the Duke armed with torches and weapons, but despite shouted demands for them to set the building alight for harboring the rebellion they make no move to attack it, enchanted by magic older than the rebuilt city that prevents those with intent to kill the patrons or destroy the Duke from lifting a hand or claw against the once favored drinking grounds of King Ioanrí. Eventually, Dervish arrives and orders the Defenders back to the warcamp to help with the fires Inside the Immortal Duke the casks and barrels are nowhere to be seen but it seems Lorna is footing the bill for any and all drinks, food, or beds claimed by any patrons of the old tavernkeep for the evening. She can be seen having a cheerful conversation with a dwarf woman at one of the upper-level tables, but neither move to join the festivities below. An unusual satyr with striped legs carrying an unfamiliar instrument and an avian beastfolk with very colorful plumage sing unfamiliar songs by the fire. The strangers seem eager to talk to anyone willing to listen. If asked where they come from their response is vague but forthcoming: Either Over the mountains. or Far, Far Away | |
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no subject
When it's heavy enough that rocket is having a hard time holding onto it he takes a look down the river and then back to Daud, making a decision he is sure he is going to regret.]
Drop the rope.
[If tying the makeshift anchor to it doesn't work they're going to need more help than the two of them can provide alone anyway, but if he can help it get lodged in the riverbed with Lylla's assistance at least it will hold as long as his rope does. That should give them time to get the idiot kids that followed him back to shore.]
no subject
I'll take these. <small.[ Daud fills Rocket in, briefly, before picking up two children faster than they can think to squall in distress and vanishing out of sight again, materializing on the shore. There are plenty more still to fish out, but that's two less to worry about, at least. ]
no subject
Stop whining, you're not dying. You- [He grumbles, shoving the squirming sack into the arms of one of the taller kids.] If I can swim to shore so can you. I bet you can wade half the way there. Come on. Hold hands like your parents are making you daisy chain through the market. Don't let go and keep moving for the shore. No splashing around like you ain't ever learned to swim. You live by a river.
[He catches on to Daud's movements pretty quickly though, having Lylla escort the ones getting into the water while he keeps the ones who actually can't swim in one spot at the center of the boat.]
Don't squirm around or he might drop you into the nothing between. [His comment is not helpful in that it makes a few kids wail, but at least they huddle in one place instead of stumbling over each other.]
no subject
The makeshift anchor doesn't hold the boat too solidly, though it's slow enough to make it easier for Daud to finish his tasks. And then it's down to Rocket and one last sniffling child, and the tiefling raises a brow, holding a hand out in silent invitation.
It's up to Rocket whether he takes him up on it or not. ]
no subject
Rocket shoos all the kids off with a few more shouts and parentally judgmental comments before collapsing onto his ass on the bank, shaking out his upper torso and staring at his arms with a muttered grumble about idiot children]
I hope you're proud of yourself. [It might seem like he's talking to Daud at first but he's staring at the river and an otter's head pokes up above the surface, chittering back a response at him and going back in to hunt for fish.]
Useless water stoat. [Looking up at Daud he considers saying some kind of thanks and settles on,]
You have convenient timing.
no subject
It was hard to miss all the noise. [ Is what he says, by way of explanation. He looks out where the otter's slipped back into the water, and shakes his head. ]
New travelers in town. At a time like this. Funny sense of timing, isn't it.
no subject
I don't trust it, or them. [Which isn't surprising. The people Rocket did trust could be counted on his hands, and even then that trust came with caveats and specific situations.]
You think they're up to somethin? [It probably says more about Rocket than the strangers that he always assumes other people have motives.]
took me a long moment to remember this was back in the koroc days of the plot
[ Daud's lips purse. ]
They won't say where they're from. The only answer I can get is 'far away.' I don 't know what they're up to, but they're worth keeping an eye on.
[ Daud, too, is a paranoid bastard. His tone drops though, quieter, aware they're not somewhere so private. ]
... though the bigger problem's still that orc.