Session 1

[Bynw]

20:27 <~bynw> ***************************************
20:27 <~bynw> ******      Imperial Dreams      ******
20:27 <~bynw> **   Tolsin, Abronn, Adanac Empire   **
20:27 <~bynw> ***************************************
20:27 <~bynw> It is a day of celebration. As this
20:27 <~bynw> warm summer days marks the 5th
20:27 <~bynw> anniversary of the Liberation against
20:27 <~bynw> the Mohadine. And the Empire prospers
20:27 <~bynw> once more. Abronn, West Abronn and
20:27 <~bynw> Mariabronn itself are all now part of
20:27 <~bynw> the Empire. All the peoples of the
20:27 <~bynw> Quarte once again united as one.
20:27 <~bynw> .
20:27 <~bynw> The Toslin harbor is filled with people
20:27 <~bynw> from across the region and the Empire,
20:27 <~bynw> many are dirty from making their life
20:27 <~bynw> at sea.
20:27 <~bynw> .
20:27 <~bynw> The smell of fish and salt water hangs
20:27 <~bynw> in the air. Stirred by a light summer
20:27 <~bynw> breeze rising off the ocean.
20:27 <~bynw> .
20:27 <~bynw> Taverns are full of ale for the
20:27 <~bynw> celebration. And this day the ale flows
20:27 <~bynw> freely to all takers. Crowds are
20:27 <~bynw> gathered on the docks, in the squares,
20:27 <~bynw> and in the taverns and inns themselves
20:27 <~bynw> all across the city. A joyous
20:27 <~bynw> celebration on this first day of the
20:27 <~bynw> summer seasons.
20:27 <~bynw> .
20:27 <~bynw> The slips at the docks themselves are
20:27 <~bynw> full to capacity. Sloops, schooners,
20:27 <~bynw> corvettes and frigates. Most are armed
20:27 <~bynw> with cannons in case of a Mohadine
20:27 <~bynw> sighting on the seas, others are not.
20:27 <~bynw> ***************************************
20:27 <~bynw> ***************************************
20:30  * Alianna walks down the gangplank of her freshly docked schooner, the Aenor, followed by her first mate, Tylan d'Ril.  Her red hair, sea-tousled and salt-encrusted, flies in her scarred face.  She looks around the dock area, always alert.
20:32 <~bynw> ::a harbor master waits at the end of the gangplank with a book to record the ship's particulars and to pick up the docking fee
20:33 < Alianna> "Ho, Tylan, hurry up.  The harbor master here'll want payin'."
20:34 <~bynw> :: "Welcome to Toslin" ::the man says with smile while Tylan joins his mistress and records the ship's particluars with him and pays him the docking fees::
20:35 < Alianna> :: to the harbor master and Tylan ::  "Looks like a busy day at the taverns."
20:36 <~bynw> ::harbor master:: "Aye. The celebration is in full swing already. You just took the last slip available."
20:37  * Alianna grins.  "Excellent.  I need to hire some new crewmembers, so I guess I timed my trip into port well."
20:38 < Alderic> ::A flash, a pop of sound, and a man appears above about ten feet above the water. He immediately falls into the brine just above his head, a few feet left of the dock:: "Fu, Ahhhhh!"
20:40  * Alianna regards Alderic.  "Well, he seems adventurous enough." She turns to Tylan.  "Shall we fish him out and see if he wants to join our crew?"
20:40 <~bynw> :: a number of people turn and look to the sound of someone teleporting in. many raise weapons in the direction of the splash::
20:40  * Alianna doesn't wait for a reply from Tylan, rather heading toward the edge of the dock where Alderic fell in the water.
20:40 < Alderic> ::Comes to the surface:: "..ck."
20:41  * Alianna extends both suntanned, muscled arms down to Alderic.  "Need a little help, mate?"
20:45 <~bynw> ::Tylan shakes his head:: "It would be better if we split up. I have some errands to do, so I'll be off" ::he says without waiting for Alianna to respond before he walks into the crowds::
20:45 < Alderic> ::Looks up, aggrivated and wet. Takes the hand and pulls himself onto the dock, trying to retain as much dignity as possible::
20:46 <~bynw> ::several people still have an assortment of weapons pointed at Alderic looking him over, only lowering them when they are sure he is not a Mohadine::
20:46  * Alianna is amused but trying hard to hide a smile.
20:46 < Alderic> "Where is this?"
20:47 < Alianna> "You, my friend, are in Tolsin, in Abronn."
20:47 < Alianna> "In the harbor, to get specific."
20:49  * Alianna fails at hiding a grin.  "Quite literally in the harbor, a minute ago."
20:50 < Alderic> "Fuck! That's not even close!"
20:50 < Alianna> "Where were you shooting for?"
20:51 < Alderic> "Let me tell you, Fallon's book on spacial symmetry in relation to time is complete....crap!"
20:52 < Alianna> "Well, where were you trying to go?  I have a ship and for a modest fee, I can get you to it, or the nearest port if it be landlocked."
20:55 < Alderic> "An island in the northern sea somewhere west of Adan, hidden by eldrich magic." ::Deadpan look::
20:56  * Alianna laughs, a full rich belly laugh.  "Spectral?"
20:58 < Alderic> ::Looks offended:: "No."
20:59 <~bynw> ::harbor master:: "Just watch yourself. Some cities have wards to prevent unauthorized teleportations within them. you are lucky you didn't end up in a cell"
20:59 <~bynw> ::the harbor master goes about his business::
21:00 < Alderic> ::Sneers at the harbor master, but says nothing.
21:03 < Alderic> ::Gives a soggy bow to Alianna:: "Thank you. My name is Alderic."
21:08  * Alianna smiles at Alderic.  "I am Alianna Rudhira, mistress of the Aenor."  She gestures up the dock to the ship, a battered schooner, fully armed but on the small side.
21:12 <~bynw> ::the ship has several crewmen working on the riggings and the deck::
21:13 < Alderic> "Good to meet you Alianna." ::Looks about:: "What's going on? A celebration?"
21:14 < Alianna> "It's Liberation Day, so yes, to say the least."
21:14  * Alianna throws him a clumsy caricature of a curtsey, which looks particularly ridiculous as Alianna is wearing battered, salt-stained men's clothing.
21:15  * Alianna cuts Alderic an odd look.  "Where have you been that you don't know?"
21:17 < Alderic> "Living in the realm between rea....." ::Seems to pause and rethink his answer:: "I'm not from around here."
21:17  * Alianna raises one wild red eyebrow.  "Evidently not."
21:18 < Alderic> ::Smiles::
21:18 < Alianna> "But you speak Cana very well."
21:20 < Alderic> ::Bows at the neck:: "Thank you. So your here for the celebration?"
21:20 < Alianna> "In part.
21:20 < Alianna> "
21:20 < Alianna> "I need some more crew.  Adventurous men--well, people."
21:21 < Alianna> "If you'd like to see the world...we could go get a drink and talk about it."
21:24 < Alderic> "A drink sounds nice. What happened to the old crew?"
21:25 < Alderic> ::Looks Alianna up and down appraisingly::
21:25 < Alianna> "Well, take a look at the Aenor and tell me what you think she does."
21:25 < Alianna> "Some are retiring from the sea."
21:30 < Alderic> ::Looks at the boat a bit confused. Sudden realization hits him as his face drops::
21:31 < Alderic> "oh." ::looks to Alianna again, a bit more wary::
21:31  * Alianna smiles knowingly.  "Shall we get that drink?  The rum or ale is not a contract."
21:36 < Alderic> ::shrugs:: "Why not, doesn't every story that ends with blacking out, a tattoo, and waking up two days out to sea start with a dusky woman fresh to port?"
21:37 < Alderic> "Lead the way."
21:37  * Alianna throws back her head, laughing.  "Let's go to the Mermaid; she's right here at the docks, and the drinks aren't watered down."
21:37  * Alianna leads the way a short distance to the Mermaid.
21:40  * Alianna enters the tavern, stands still a moment to let her eyes get used to the interior, which is signficantly darker than the sunny day outdoors, then finds a vacant table and maneuvers her way through the crowd of sailors, ship captains, and dock workers to the table.
21:42  * Alianna sits down on the wooden bench.  "I don't believe in involuntary conscription, so you need not fear that I'll get you drunk and you'll find yourself two days out on the Aenor."
21:46 < Alderic> ::Smirks:: "I don't do well at sea anyways, probably for the better." ::Waives at the waitress and holds up two fingers::
21:47 <~bynw> ::she comes over and brings to ale's with her and puts them on the table and smiles::
21:48  * Alianna takes a sip of ale.
21:48 < Alianna> "Mm.  This is great after months at sea with nothing but grog."
21:52 < Alderic> ::Hands a few coins to the waitress:: "What exactly is, grog?"
21:53 < Alianna> "Rum, watered down to stretch it for the full voyage."
21:55 < Alianna> "With some oranges in it, to keep us from getting sick."
21:55 <~bynw> ::she looks at the coins and pockets them and walks away::
21:56 < Alianna> "It doesn't taste bad, but you get tired of it after a while."
21:56 < Alderic> ::Raises an eyebrow, then a thought hits him and he checks his pockets for missing items::
21:56 < Alianna> "And getting to land and drinking non-watered ale is...pleasant."
21:57 < Alderic> "Oh the joys of the sea. Talk like that must bring new crew in by the droves."
21:57  * Alianna gives Alderic a look.  "The wench isn't a pickpocket, you know."
21:58  * Alianna smiles again.  "You asked.  I might sail outside the law, but I'm not a liar."
21:59 < Alderic> ::Looks as if he got caught in the act of something, he stops searching his pockets:: "Uh, yeah."
21:59 < Alianna> "And sailing with me has its perks.  Everything I take gets split evenly amongst my crew, my officers, and me, and you can retire at any port you like."
22:00 < Alianna> "The guys who are retiring are retiring with enough to buy a house of their own and start a business."
22:02 < Alderic> ::Smiles disarmingly:: "I've no need for more coin."
22:02 < Alianna> "And we sail under the protection of the Empire; as long as I leave imperial ships alone, I can do as I please, and if I take a Mohadine ship, I get a reward from the Emperor."
22:02 < Alianna> "Have you a taste for adventure?"
22:03 < Alianna> "Because sailing aboard the Aenor is certainly not boring."
22:04 < Alderic> "I've come to investigate the deaths caused by a mysterious plague spread through portals. Have you heard of it?"
22:05 < Alianna> "Yes, I have.  I don't make a lot of noise about it, but I am Deryni."
22:09 < Alianna> "You're not a Spectral.  Are you an Anadari knight?"
22:10 < Anrhinil> ::Elsewhere in the bar, Anrhinil looks up from his drink at the word "Deryni", and begins to listen in more closely.
22:12 < Alderic> ::Leans back and takes a sip on his ale to stall for a moment, he watches Alianna. He leans forward slowly to answer, lowering his voice:: "Are you truely in your business for the adventure Alianna Rudhira?"
22:15 < Alianna> "I love the sea.  Have all my life.  The adventure is what keeps me coming back.  You never know what the sea is going to throw at you, and the money ain't bad either."
22:18 <~bynw> ::the waitress comes around puts down another couple of ales before walking on to another table and doing the same::
22:18  * Alianna tips the waitress before she walks away.
22:19 < Alderic> "I am not an Anadari, my father is though. I need someone who knows their way around Adan. You should leave your ship and come with me."
22:20 <~bynw> ::the waitress again pockets the coins::
22:22 < Alianna> "I know my way around the sea and the ports, but I can't say I know much about the landlocked parts."
22:22 < Alianna> "And I'm the captain.  I can't just bail out on my crew..."
22:27 < Alderic> ::Sighs and extends his hand:: "I am Alderic Gibran, Prince of Torr, Heir to the Earl of Tennes, Heir to the Baron de Kes, and Sorcerer; and I promise you you will not be bored nor poor if you join me."
22:29  * Alianna takes his hand and smiles.  "Pleased to meet you, Alderic Gibran.  But what am I supposed to do with my ship and my crew?"