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Post by Shaa Rhunn on Aug 2, 2022 11:28:07 GMT -5
It was sunset on the Crescent Coast. The evening was warm with a pleasant cross wind coming up from the sea. Shaa could hear the sounds of nature all around. The sea birds flapping in the distance. The slow rhythmic sounds of the waves as they washed themselves to shore. The chittering of insects in the background behind him. I was all so picturesque, so why did he feel so sad?
He knew why. He looked at the satchel beside him on the beach. It stared back at him like an impatient child waiting for his dinner. Shaa shook his horned head back and forth slowly to try to somehow rearrange the mess he had gotten himself into.
Just a few minutes more, he didn’t have to go right now. But he knew he would have to go.
As the waves crashed on, an odd pair of travelers were approaching from down the beach….
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Post by Tatalia on Aug 2, 2022 12:46:40 GMT -5
The first of the two travelers wasn't walking so much as she was caught in a duel of life and death with a crab. It wasn't a giant crab, nor was it a magical crab. It was just a crab.
Having been struck by hunger pangs not but five minutes ago, the goblin named Tatalia had spotted a brightly-shelled crustacean skittering sideways along the beach. Her stomach demanded she strike at the clawed creature, and so the would-be huntress had obliged. But instead of grabbing a nice, big rock to smash the crab with, she'd decided she had a perfectly good dagger, and she was going to use it to catch her dinner.
What Tatalia didn't expect was for her dinner to catch her dagger.
So, there the goblin was, stumbling across the beach with her dagger held aloft, a crab clinging onto it for dear life, fending off her other hand with snips and snaps of its crimson claw. The frustrated goblin tripped over a rock on the shoreline and nearly keeled over, but caught herself and just glared at the creature with venom.
"Look, I'm GOING to eat you, you bug-eyed cretin!" snapped Tatalia to the crab.
The crab answered with a snip of its claw.
"You can't hold on forever!" insisted the goblin.
The crab continued to hold on in indefinite defiance.
Narrowing her eyes, the goblin looked around the beach searchingly for something to beat the crab with. Surely there was a nice, sturdy stick, or perhaps a rock jutting out of the ground nearby? But there didn't seem to be such a thing. There was a tree off in the distance; there was the coastline, but that didn't help; there was a minotaur down the beach; and there was another tree past him and to the left, and-
Minotaur? The goblin stumbled again, suddenly cognizant of what she'd just seen. In her surprise, the failed huntress dropped her dagger, and the crab dropped it in turn and skittered off into the waves. It fled while the goblin was distracted, victorious, never to be seen again.
What's a minotaur doing out here? wondered Tatalia to herself. And is he friendly? Certainly, he had a certain... pensive, morose air about him, staring down at a satchel as the waves beat the shore. In a way, Tatalia thought he looked almost like a contemplative philosopher - or he would have if not for his massive, seven foot height, his scarred body, and his sharp, runed horns.
Tatalia's first instinct was to find cover before she was spotted, but she considered her options and realized there wasn't much in the way of cover on the shoreline. She then considered retreat, but the young goblin decided she didn't actually have any reason to fear the minotaur... besides his powerful physique and the stories she's read about minotaurs. But then she remembered what the storybooks said about goblins, too, and decided it was probably better not to assume what was written in them as one hundred percent true.
Ultimately, Tatalia decided the most interesting option was to go talk to the bull-man.
Steeling herself for the worst, Tatalia put on her best grin, then strode forward with her most confident swagger. She perhaps wasn't very comparatively impressive in the face of such a mighty figure as the minotaur's, but Tatalia had learned long ago that confidence had a way of making others assume she had some measure of capability. She very much wanted to make sure the minotaur assumed she was capable.
With a brief murmur, the goblin explorer cast a spell on herself: a simple cantrip to let her speak whatever language the minotaur might speak in turn. After all, the storybooks (unreliable as they were) never mentioned anything about minotaurs speaking the common tongue of Charon, nor the goblin tongue at that.
"Ahoy there!" the little green explorer called out to the minotaur, her scarf dancing about in the sea air. "And good evening! I hope all is well for you, but I daresay you've a troubled look on your face!"
Tatalia grinned across at the minotaur, her yellow eyes gleaming in the sunset. Inwardly, she prayed to the possibly non-existent gods that she wasn't going to get trampled or gored.
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Post by Zak on Aug 3, 2022 0:31:48 GMT -5
Approaching from the other direction, a figure became visible in the near distance. The tall human strolled barefoot along the beach gazing out to sea, his boots draped across his shoulder. A grin spread across his face as two gulls called to each other, an image of his friend’s pet raven coming to mind. The mage never went anywhere without his bird, and Zak couldn’t help but believe that the bird had more intelligence than some so-called higher beings he had met. “Awk,” the gull yelled out, and Zak laughed. “Sorry, Mister Gull, you do not qualify as any kind of pet.”
Someday…, Zak told himself as he had many times before, …a noble beast will join me on my travels, ...a loyal companion ...a familiar. At that thought, a wolf appeared in his mind’s eye. A beautiful gray with sharp green eyes. A wolf?, he thought as the epiphany became clear. Not a bird. A wolf! Perhaps even this wolf. He’d only seen that particular wolf three times in his life, each time at the edges of the Kingwood. That stare calling to him. Not aggressive but silent. Exquisite creature.
Zak's brow furrowed in thought, and after a few moments his expression relaxed into a bright smile, green eyes sparkling. Decision made, Zak waved at the gulls. No birds for this guy. Next time Zak went back home to the plains, the wolf would be there waiting. For some reason, he was certain of it. It felt meant to be. Thank you Ginma. Zak’s musing came to a halt when he noticed two figures several meters ahead. Was that a minotaur? Zak had met many a minotaur in Sunset Plains where he grew up, both as comrades and as enemies. Images of his friend, Huna, flashed in his mind. Zak grinned. Those wrestling matches… Wait. Was that a goblin beside him? What an odd pair. Zak slowed his pace, but kept walking, watching them talk but not hearing their words. Not one to lose an opportunity to meet fellow travelers, especially those that might prove intriguing, Zak moved closer and waited for them to pause in their conversation.
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Post by Shaa Rhunn on Aug 3, 2022 9:24:26 GMT -5
Shaa shook his head brusquely and chided himself for allowing strangers to get on both sides of himself so easily. He stood up and addressed the surprisingly friendly goblin. Hello little one said Shaa with a half hearted smile. After a thought, he picked up the satchel and swung it over his shoulder, out of reach from any potential “sticky fingers.” Shaa’s experience with goblins had taught him painfully to be wary but, admittedly, this one seemed different from ones he had met before.
He turned and looked over at the barefoot man who had stopped just a bit away and was staring at them, as if waiting to speak. Apparently it’s story time. Shaa motioned over to the pair to sit down on a nearby rock. The goblin did eagerly while the man casually strolled over.
Well met strangers. Although it is odd to call anyone stranger here Shaa motions up and down the beach. My name is Shaa Rhunn, and I have a problem of my own making…Perhaps I should start from the beginning…
Shaa took a deep breath and began to recount his situation.
As you may know, getting messages across Charon can be tricky to say the least. Many times, people hire reliable adventurers, such as myself to deliver important messages all across the land. It is especially tricky here due to the sea voyage as well as the…animated wildlife.
Over a year ago, I met a man from Starlight City who was interested in retaining my delivery services. He would send several messages at a time and paid me to deliver them and return any replies. After a couple times, I noticed something odd. The recipients of the bottles were always young eligible ladies.
He shifted uncomfortably in his spot.
Normally I would never dream of opening someone else’s bottle but the road CAN get extremely boring sometimes and so….I happened to read one of the bottles in my boredom. The goblin sat up riveted by the story. The man looked over skeptically.
The bottle contained a beautiful proclamation of love to the woman. Words so eloquent, they might as well have been poetry. I was very happy for the man who had obviously found love. Happy….until I read the other bottles. Each one contained similar professions of love but with different girls. To make things worse, he also asked for money to help the man supposedly with travel expenses. Travel, I don’t believe will ever actually happen. The goblin took on a look of shock, covering her mouth. The man looked on nonplussed.
So you see my dilemma. The man has already paid me for the delivery. If I don’t deliver them, it will hurt my reputation and worst off all, he will figure out I read them. If I do deliver them, I will be helping fleece theses unsuspecting young ladies of their solars.
what do you think I should do?
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Post by Tatalia on Aug 3, 2022 10:24:17 GMT -5
The dilemma that the minotaur face was not the dilemma that Tatalia had expected when she approached him. She'd expected some sort of battle-related regret, or some story about tragic loss, or... something like that. The tale she was told massively broke her expectations over its metaphorical knee, leaving them shattered in a heap of confused debris. At one point, she reached up to cover her mouth politely... to disguise a giggle, because in the face of how the man was deceiving noblewomen and how gravely the minotaur was treating the matter, it was, perhaps, a bit rude to laugh.
As the sunset continued to slowly wane, the goblin tapped her chin in thought. It seemed only fitting that the one who hired the minotaur get some sort of comeuppance. But the minotaur had to deliver the letters...
And then Tatalia's eyes twinkled with mischievous intent.
"Well, you should deliver them of course!" suggested the goblin, folding her hands together save for her index fingers. Those she pressed against her lips, a wicked little smile curling up her face. "Why, it's only your duty, after all! But, you know, such a busy messenger as yourself surely shall make mistakes, no?
"You certainly could not be blamed if, perhaps, after such a long journey, you gave the first woman the second woman's letter, or the second woman the third woman's letter. And you surely would be delivering all the messages still! And if they started writing back to the man demanding to know why he was courting some other woman... well, you couldn't be faulted for that, no?"
The goblin couldn't help but chuckle at the idea, rubbing her hands together at the idea of the scheme. She regarded the minotaur with an even bigger smile. Then she glanced over at the human, raising an eyebrow as she spoke.
"Dooming the man's scheme with his own letters - why, I'd call that poetic justice! Wouldn't you agree?"
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Post by Zak on Aug 4, 2022 21:30:18 GMT -5
“Hello little one.”
Zak opened his mouth to introduce himself when the minotaur looked his way, but quickly closed it again when the horned giant didn’t wait for any introduction, and instead began a tale of woe. Story time? Zak thought, perplexed. He hadn’t even met the minotaur yet. Zak shrugged, moving over to a rock and putting his boots back on. It wouldn’t hurt to listen. Quickly though, Zak found his mind wandering, losing interest in the shenanigans of some cheating miscreant and letters or some such.
“...Wouldn't you agree?"
Those yellow eyes staring at him with enthusiasm, eyebrows raised! Zak couldn’t help but smile. A friendly goblin --well, at least for the moment-- was a prize to behold. The goblin had been proposing a solution, most of it Zak had caught. Her idea was, uh, interesting, to say the least, Highly improbable of having any success though. The whole thing was a fool’s errand. Good luck, he thought wryly.
“Brilliant,” Zak agreed, not meaning a word of it. “On the other hand, perhaps you shouldn’t do a thing about it at all. Not really your concern, is it, eh?”
He paused, deciding it was past time to introduce himself to the pair. “By the way. My name is Z'Khrta of the Putok clan, …Zak to most.,” he said, with a bow of his head. Zak's voice had deepened as he proudly declared his given nomadic tribal name, emphasizing the consonants with clipped, guttural sounds. "And who might I have the pleasure?" he asked.
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Post by Shaa Rhunn on Aug 5, 2022 1:01:21 GMT -5
The little goblin looked crestfallen as the human stranger callously dismissed her plan. While it was true that Shaa had never been particularly fond of goblins, this one seemed to genuinely take interest in his plight. That was enough to at least give her the benefit of the doubt for now.
Shaa turned to the goblin.
I like where your head is at little friend. Shaa pats her gently on the head, careful not to jostle her. Perhaps there is a way to save these young ladies, give the man his comeuppance and keep my reputation in tact. I think I could use someone clever as yourself. If you are willing to help, my name is Shaa Rhunn but you can just call me Shaa. One moment please.
Shaa’s face grows serious and he gives a short but meaningful snort. He turns purposefully toward Zak.
You are correct sir. I should have introduced myself earlier. Allow me to do so now.
With a brutal strike of his fist, Shaa completely obliterates the rock next to the rock the pair was sitting on. The strike leaves a small pile of rocks in its place.
You see, I typically solve my problems like that. Shaa points to the rock pile. You would be surprised at the number of problems that can be resolved….you know…directly. My current problem is causing me issues because I can’t just go smash it in the face. No matter how fun it would be. This needs to be done…subtly.
Shaa steps back and addresses the both of them.
There are three women in this, hopefully my last, run. Shaa gently shakes the satchel and the clinking of the glass jars can be heard. If you care to help me, the first of these maids is relatively close, just over at Stargazer City. The second is farther off in Sol City. The last one is the trickiest. She is part of the Nomadic tribes of Kings Valley. Shaa looks directly at Zak. Who knows, maybe you’re related?
Honestly, you have no reason to help a stranger and the solars I have will be eaten up in travel. But if you do help, the blessings of Ginma will be upon you. And the one thing I guarantee. Travel with me is AlWAYS interesting.
What do you say? Shaa says with a wide grin.
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Post by Tatalia on Aug 5, 2022 8:50:40 GMT -5
The goblin was pinching her chin, wild eyes gleaming as she listened to the others speak. The human - Z'khrta, or Zak - introduced himself and suggested that perhaps the best thing to do was to do nothing at all. He was smiling as he answered her question, but she couldn't help but get the sense he didn't actually believe it would work.
Well, it will work! the goblin thought to herself. My plans always do! Especially the petty ones!
But before she could say as much, the minotaur began talking again, and he ruffled her hair while he was at it. Tatalia felt just a teensy bit unnerved by that; not because she didn't trust him, but because the massive hand that ruffled her hair felt strong enough to crush a bou-
BOOM. The minotaur demonstrated he could, in fact, crush a boulder with his bare hands. That confirmed the goblin's suspicions. She made a mental note not to make any snarky comments at the powerful bull-man's expense while within arm's reach.
Still, the point was clear: the minotaur, Shaa Ruun, was a strong man. He solved problems by strong means. He did not solve problems subtly. He needed someone with subtlety. He promised the blessing of Ginma if she and the human helped him, and that the journey would be interesting.
"What do you say?" asked the minotaur with a grin.
"Weeeell..." Tatalia drew that word out with a breath, furrowing her brow with serious consideration. There were definitely a few logistical problems she could foresee with the suggestion.
"It's not exactly easy for me to walk into most big cities, you should know," the goblin explained slowly. "I mean, to put it bluntly, I've got this skin condition called being green that makes it surprisingly hard to get inside places like Sol City! Apparently, goblins are considered a 'nuisance' and a 'menace' or something." Emphasizing her words with air quotes, Tatalia irritably blew hair out of her face after finishing her sentence. The loose strands of hair fell right back where they'd been before, only with a few extra friends, and she was too lazy to actually move them out of the way.
"Still, I suppose I am on my way to Stargazer City already. I'm sure I could keep out of sight long enough to get past the gates!" she offered cheerily. "And it DOES sound like you need an expert on subterfuge to handle this matter for you, and I am such a master of subterfuge. Hmmm!
"Alright! I, Tatalia the Explorer, agree to help you with your noble plight," the goblin declared dramatically. "At least for now! No promises on going to Sol City; I value my head and my ears too much, and there's a definitively non-zero chance of losing some or all of those things if I actually go there!" With a grin, the goblin hopped off the rock she was seated on and brushed herself off. "Still, how could I say no to such a worthy cause?"
Truth be told, she wasn't undertaking the journey purely out of the goodness of her heart. The goblin also just thought it sounded... well, interesting. And she felt a need to prove that, yes, her plan would work, contrary to anyone's beliefs! And while Tatalia didn't actually believe in Ginma or the other gods all that much, not that she was going to say so much either the minotaur nor the man, on the off-chance Ginma was real, it wouldn't hurt to have his blessing, would it?
"When do we set off?"
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Post by Zak on Aug 6, 2022 0:21:22 GMT -5
It was plain to see that neither of them were interested in his advice, not that it mattered to Zak one way or the other. The minotaur, Shaa was his name, appeared to be a good enough bloke, he supposed. Wanting to right a wrong. As for the goblin, her quick acceptance of the scheme piqued his interest as well. As it happened, Zak had already had plans to set off tomorrow to deliver some tanned skins to a merchant in Stargazer Village. Perhaps the journey would prove more interesting with these two as companions. A minotaur, a goblin, and a human on the road together. What could go wrong?
“Hells,” Zak cursed under his breath, shaking his head. What was he getting himself into? “I’ll come along. …but only as far as Stargazer Village. Have somewhere to be after that.”
The sun had fell below the horizon while they had been talking, the chittering of insects growing louder in the twilight. Zak gathered his pack and stood. “It’s getting dark. Should we meet back here first thing in the morning to get on our way?”
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Post by Shaa Rhunn on Aug 6, 2022 8:42:05 GMT -5
The Minotaur clapped is hands together with a loud slap, Fantastic! He chuffed. We can leave tomorrow morning however we need to get across the sea. I have a boat coming to pick me up tomorrow at a small dock a couple miles up the beach. As it happens, the boat carries cargo as well as passengers so it should be able to handle any other items you may need to bring. If you are serious about helping me, meet me there at daybreak.
Shaa turned up the beach and started walking. As a seasoned traveler/adventurer, running into new people was just business as usual. But there was a big difference in traveling with well known companions and traveling with strangers. He really did not know what to expect with these two.
That goblin. What had she called herself? Tatalia the explorer? Shaa chuckled a bit. Any other goblin, he probably would have just picked up and given a flying toss into the ocean by now. But what was it about her energy that made it so admittedly infectious? Maybe it was her quick willingness to be genuinely helpful rather than, you know, stab you in the face and steal your socks. Maybe it was the fact that she was alone and not with a pack of loin cloth wearing miscreants holding crude weapons. Heck, even just wearing a full set of clothes in general gave her a leg up on most goblins he knew. Tatalia. Yup, there was definitely something unusual about her. This would be an interesting trip.
And the other one, Z’Thrta. Shaa considered Kings Valley his home even though he was a wanderer. In those wanderings and his time in Thunderhoof Village, the only city in Kings Valley, he had met a number of tribesman. The Putok clan. He couldn’t say that he was familiar with them. Shaa was frankly surprised that he even agreed to come along considering the randomness of the encounter. Or was it random. Shaa looked back down the beach. He was too far away now to see what they were doing but he grew worried that something else may be going on. He would have to be careful.
It was dark before Shaa reached the dock. He found his friend Miles who ran the boat and explained the situation. Miles was a halfling with almond eyes and curly brown hair. Miles had come to crescent isles years ago to make his fortune as a boat captain. He had found himself a small niche business in acting as ferryman back and forth to the mainland.
A female goblin and a tribesman you say? Miles rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Sure, got plenty of room this trip, shouldn’t be an issue. Just make sure you are ready at dawn, we need to leave with the tide. As they spoke, Shaa noticed a tall man sitting in the corner, drinking an ale. The man stared at him not blinking. Ohh don’t mind him Shaa. He’s already paid his fare and will be joining us tomorrow.
Early the next morning, Shaa, Miles and the new guy who’s name turned out to be Rory, prepared the boat for launch. From the boats deck, Shaa looked around for his new companions, wondering if they would show.
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Post by Tatalia on Aug 6, 2022 10:37:34 GMT -5
Boats were an alien thing to Tatalia. They were strange, foreign, and potentially dangerous. They forced you away from dry, dependable land and out onto the ocean, where any of a hundred thousand awful things could happen. A boat could tip over or spring a leak. A boat could catch fire, and then you'd only have water for safety, where you'd drown. Or a boat could lose its sail and be stuck out at sea, or dire seagulls could attack, or maybe a wild drake, and you'd have nowhere to run because you decided to hop onto a big, hollow block of wood hewn into some bouncy shape on the water.
All-in-all, Tatalia didn't like boats.
The goblin had been on a boat trip exactly once before. She'd been excited then, eager to begin a new adventure! What a fool she'd been. She spent the whole trip ten shades greener than usual, and it'd been particularly harsh on her because she'd been a stowaway. It was hard to hide from the sailors when they'd realized nasty stuff was piling up in the cargo hold, and they could only blame so much on the ship's cat. Only luck and grim determination had kept Tatalia hidden during that ordeal, and she had vowed never to ride a boat again.
Unfortunately, Crescent Isle was... well, an island. That vow was going to have to be broken so soon after it had been made, and the ferry was the only realistic option to get away. Tatalia was there at the appointed hour the next morning, but she didn't seem happy about it, not in the least. She started arguing almost immediately:
"You know, on second thought, I think tomorrow would be a much better day to set off. The weather looks a bit too choppy for my tastes; I think it'll send the ferryboat off-course or something. You know, I'll bet there's an alternative route to take! Wasn't there a nest of giant eagles on a mountain nearby? We could try and tame a few of those birds instead, and...!"
Unfortunately, Tatalia didn't think she was going to make much headway with that line of dialogue. She was considering making up some story about how Ginma didn't like boats, but she didn't want to risk getting punched by those giant, bovine-man hands.
If they had to take a boat, Tatalia would take the boat. She'd just grumble the whole way. And she'd probably puke over the side of the boat a lot.
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Post by Zak on Aug 6, 2022 19:35:45 GMT -5
Zak strode up to the dock, Tatalia’s complaints growing louder the closer he got. She knew about the boat trip last night, right? Why was she prattling on about it today? I knew I shouldn’t have agreed to go along with their crazy scheme. Unfortunately, his mother’s words rang in his head when he had considered not showing up this morning, her lessons and sage advice remaining with him throughout the many years since her passing. Your word is sacred. Obligations matter. So here he was, committed due to his impulsiveness, and ready to embark on a fool’s errand.
Raising his hand in greeting to Shaa and the halfling beside him on the boat’s deck, Zak reached the goblin’s side as she was ending her tirade. Leaning down, Zak slapped an arm around Tatalia’s shoulder. “I’ll protect you, little one,” he said warmly but sternly. “If I’m going, you’re going.” He pushed gently against her back to guide her toward the boat. “Come on. Move along,” he ordered as if he was in charge.
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Post by Shaa Rhunn on Aug 7, 2022 14:21:42 GMT -5
The group was soon off on their way. They managed to leave on time headed towards the coast closest to Stargazer Village. Shaa was not a sailor per se, but he did love the smell of the ocean and the freedom of sailing on the sea.
As he looked over the group, Shaa thought that Tatalia looked a bit greener than usual.
Shaa walked over to Rory who was working on sone knots. We haven’t had a chance to talk really. Shaa said. Where are you off to?
Rory looked up for a moment, rubbed his nose and then went back to knots. Shaa raised an eyebrow and walked back to the bow of the ship. How could he be surrounded by so many people and still feel so alone.
Miles pulled up beside him, pointing at the clouds. We are still a ways out. I have been watching those clouds and even though they look pretty nasty, I am pretty sure we are going to be able to make it to shore in time. A rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance.
Suddenly, as the men stood watching over the side, a giant fin, half the length of the boat, emerged from the water.
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Post by Tatalia on Aug 7, 2022 15:48:00 GMT -5
The sea was not kind to Tatalia in the least.
Having been gently but firmly forced aboard the vessel despite her protests, Tatalia began to exhibit the signs of seasickness almost immediately. She spent the whole trip even greener than usual, and a good portion of it groaning on her hammock. When she was up and about, it was generally to either regurgitate her breakfast over the side of the ferry boat or to stare angrily out at the waves. The latter usually led to the former.
Perhaps that is why the goblin did not show any great fear or shock at the sight of the giant fin piercing the waves. The goblin stared at it with a slack brow and let out a quiet murmur before speaking.
"So my time has come," the goblin croaked morosely as she regarded the fin. "The merciful eye of death is upon me. Sweet is the release."
That the lines were actually bits of old prose from an old drama play didn't lessen the bitterness with which they were spoken. The weary goblin stumbled in a sickly haze toward the front of the boat as the creature made laps around the ferry, doing her best to assess the threat. She groggily seemed to recall something useful.
"I've read a book on sea monsters. That's either a dire shark or a sea hydra," Tatalia mused as she gripped the side of the boat for dear life. Perhaps someone overheard her through the storm, or perhaps not. "If it's the former, it shouldn't go after us unless it's hungry, and it can be chased off with a good, strong hit to the head. If it's the latter... mmm..." Tatalia tried to remember, then nodded and said, "If it's a sea hydra, they're scared of bad storms. They get irritable during them. Violent. It's particularly weak to-... t-... T-"
Tatalia never got to finish explaining what she was saying because she was thrown into the midst of a horrible fit of vomiting, bent over the ship so everything would hit the water. And as that happened, whatever sort of monster was in the water began to move closer to the ship!
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Post by Zak on Aug 9, 2022 17:19:15 GMT -5
Zak stood alone at the railing, gazing out to sea at the storm that was brewing on the horizon. Zak enjoyed the sea. It’s expansiveness called to him, infinity spreading out before him. Hearing a groan coming from the railing a few feet away, he turned. Sure enough, it was Tatalia upchucking over the railing. It had been a regular occurrence, and Zak felt helpless as to how to comfort the tiny goblin. Tatalia was a strong little one though, he supposed she’d make it through. Moving closer to the goblin, he heard her murmuring. Did she just say ‘her time had come’? Tatalia seemed even more anxious than usual, so Zak quickly moved up to join her at the rail. “ Sea monsters?” he thought, wondering what she was rambling about, and then he saw it. A large fin rose above the waves circling the boat. Before he could register what he saw, the beast changed directions and began to come right at them. Without thinking, his hand folded around his necklace, and he shouted to the beast as it drew close. “ We mean you no harm. Why do you threaten us?” Speaking with animals was always an inconsistent pursuit. Most times, beasts simply ignored Zak’s attempts to communicate and went about their business. But other times… Today seemed to be his lucky day as he felt the beast's presence in his mind, attempting to link with him. A probing. A nudge. Pod. Nest, he heard –no, not heard, felt–. Zak quickly looked around trying to locate Miles, finding him at the helm. “ Change course quickly, Captain. We’ve trespassed on the beast’s pod area. We’re too close to their offspring.” Zak yelled, hoping his words would not be questioned. Who was he kidding? No one would believe that he could communicate with the beast. Instead of heeding his words, Miles and his crew were arming themselves preparing to attack. His gaze moved back and forth between the tense crew, and the beast who continued moving toward them. Zak began to dash forward, determined to take the wheel and move the boat away from the pod nest if the captain didn't. While he sprinted, his eyes on Miles, he whispered, "Miles, quick. Change course, pleeeeaaase." Zak's words echoed in the halfling's mind as he approached.
[Necklace of Animal Speech] [Message]
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