Lauriella goes up on deck and calls for Cyr as Hu Shang takes the tender back to shore. He looks at the Shou and back to her, questioningly then walks over, “Yes, Captain?”
“My office. We have some things to discuss.”
“I’m setting up for you?”
“I know we have a few hours. Besiden, I always need help with these dreadlocks. This time I want you to cut them off. Going short for a while.”
“Want me to shave your head?”
“I really do hate that custom. No. Just short. I think I need to do what I need to do in full tree of life regalia.”
“We really hate it when you go necromancer.”
“I’m still a hemet (priestess) of the Tree of Life (mage guild) even if I have not registered in the here and now and know how to act. Besiden most would here would not know the differences. Just in case I’ll need to wear the proper headdress.”
They walk downstairs to her stateroom and sit at the bar. Lauriella pours him whiskey and herself. She sits down on a stool. Cyr takes some sharp scissors and starts to undue and cut her hair. “How much?”
“Just enough to hide it under me headdress.”
“What’s up, Capt? He didn’t get you in a dress, did he?”
“Who?! Hu Shang? Not on your life. He’s samurai. I wanted his advice on something. So, I gave him a few drinks and we talked. We found out a few things about each other. I haven’t seen no paladins around to confer to and would not take the latest to a priest or priestess.”
“OK, This, sounds serious.”
Lauriella clinches her jaw, “Aye, tis. We destroyed another nest two of six. When we come back the arcanist that is our guide said something and I noticed it. She like a lieutenant in the guards, probably a fellow or something. Sleazy thing. Gave me a bad taste in me mouth. Anyway, I challenged her on what she said. She pushed me into the shadows……….so once again I must be a paranoid wreck.”
“What is it with you Sithmores?”
“From the record, me whole family disavowed me grandfather. I read about him; I did. I did not like what I read. I even tried to change me name when I married still shadow follow me. Now, I worry somehow the curse be back. I bang me head and poof, all I achieve goes with the north wind again.
I must get you to write a letter. My script too well known at the university and cannot write hieroglyphs since I’m most likely the only Mulhorandi in the university. I also be needing cover.”
“What exactly are you doing?”
“Cannot say. Call it guard duty. The arcanist name is Cassandra. She me contact. I must needs write out reports directly to her.”
He cuts off another dreadlock after unwinding it. “That’s why you wanted to talk to the Samurai. Whatever you’re doing: You think it may stain your soul.”
She nods and wipes a tear from her eye, “Aye, you getting to know me too well, lieutenant. Time to trade up.”
“Not until you get us home, ma’am. We holding you to it. Until then you stuck with me. Besides you’ll never be able to trade up, only down. So, what’s the play?”
“Cassandra……. That a Chessneria name is it not?”
“Yes, we both speak the language.”
“Here is what I figure. I go to the stocks in Sullivan. Buy a girl. When we get to the ship, we free her and offer to train her back to being a woman again. She be a cabin girl for us if she take the job. Standard fair she get ½ share or ½ wages when in port. Meanwhile she will be cover for me. Pick up letters from her Auntie Cassandra and send them via harbormaster or better yet the inn that way the moonflower she not be connected to this if it go south.”
“What if the girl doesn’t accept?”
“Her choice. She walk with her papers, but I usually know how to pick them sensible enough to understand they cannot make it alone just yet. We buy another girl. Meanwhile, you write the reports and give them to her, so my writing not recognized, and she pass them along to the harbormaster to send to the university.”
“How long you think this be taking, Capt?”
“Three or four months until the rat problem solved. Then I can be concentrating on the time problems.”
“And after?”
“Think I should offer her a five-year contract if she do well. It a simple task but dangerous still the same she needs be able to be quiet and not talk to any landlubbers. Then I can be teaching her more properly to become a well-adjusted adult.”
“I love the idea, Captain. You get to save another one.”
“It really what I do best. Of all the things I learned since me injury. Of all the magic power I learned the thing I most proud of is turning sorry stories into fine men and women humble in their work and happy in their lives.”
“And maybe she can get you into a dress.”
“Oh, stop it! Cyr! You know I don’t fraternize with the crew. Besiden, the only woman can get me in a dress is me wife…….and Alluin.”
Cyr finishes her hair. They go into the bedroom to her writing desk. Cyr sits down and brings out pen and paper. Lauriella dictates.
Dear Auntie Cassandra
It is Elenuta. Do you remember me? I’m your niece, Chariton’s daughter. I rushed to Netheril from Heptios. I was just starting my magic training when father disappeared. Bandits lay claim to him and want a ransom. You know that the men of Heptios would never pay ransom for him. I divined his whereabouts somewhere in the Netheril empire. As I travelled here I, myself was beset upon by bandits. I escaped but had to leave all my belongings.
I now work in the dockyards of Southbank until I have enough money to hunt for father. I use my magic to lift boxes and put them in their ships. When I have enough coin, I will be able to find father and help him escape his captures. Please do not come to Southbank. My situation may be a bit dreadful at the moment, but I want to accomplish this on my own.
I have already divined four possible places he could be using the hair I pulled from his pillow. Soon I will find him and seek your guidance in how to free him. I can cast dimension door now. But have read much in the halls of the syndicate. If a finder’s stone could be sent to me with a gate scroll. I could sneak into the bandit camp once I found him, and we could gate to you. It is a thought. I am not sure the spell will work with my limited abilities. What else may I do when I find Daddy to keep him safe and bring him home?
I am sleeping on various ships now, but you can send me letters at the inn in Southbank. Please let me know I’m doing the right thing.
Your loving niece,
Elenuta
Cyr finishes the letter. Lauriella takes it and seals it with wax, “After I dance tonight you have shore leave to do what you have to do. Afterward, pay a whore to deliver the letter to the harbormaster and make sure she gives it to him.”
“Aye, Capt. Just remember these things almost never work out for you.”
Lauriella sighs and looks up as if viewing the stars, “I know Cyr, I know. Let us try to get done with this business and try to save a girl. It will be the one good thing we can reap for this.”
He puts the letter in his overcoat and goes upstairs. Lauriella left alone looks in the mirror, “Tonight is going to be hard goddess. I be fenced in once again into doing things I no like or want. I have a hard duty and donna know if it is right or wrong. Seems wrong to me this time. I hope saving a girl from a life of torment makes up for it if it wrong.”
She dresses in her Moon dress and picks up a basket of flowers. Her entire countenance once again changes. She thinks of happier days and happier things. At midnight the Moonflower II lights, up with fairy lights and phantom stars surrounding it. The visage of an elven maiden in a magnificent dress, dancing along the deck: Trails of ectoplasmic energy trailing behind her fingertips and toes.
Arelush's Journal
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Winterhawk99
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Winterhawk99
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Re: Arelush's Journal
The confining cage is filthy and smells of waste. There is just enough room to lay down in it for the lanky young woman almost 6ft tall. Her black hair is filled with lice. Other creatures roam round her body where her hair growth is prominent. Those are not seen for sparse worn clothing covers them. Most would call them rags.
There is a foul-smelling bucket in the corner used as a bed pan. It is rarely changed until it almost overflows. Her deep brown eyes look up and she crawls over the cage as her current master comes by with ladle and water. He is a huge beast with green skin and tusks on his lower jaw. He puts the ladle filled with water through the bars. She drinks it thirstily even with the slight brown color and tasting sharply of iron. He speaks to her as she drinks in Mulhorandi. “You have been here too long Arelush. Soon I will have to cut my losses on you if you do not sell. I’ll take you outside the city. It will be quick. Wipe your face, perhaps that will help. She wipes her face with the smelly rags that adorn her body and looks up at him. He grunts and moves on to the next slave.
Arelush was born a slave in the great city of Skuld. The biggest port in the empire of Mulhorand. Taken from her mother and sold when she no longer needed her milk. Arelush was taught to clean and cook for her masters and her master’s family. She was not a smart girl even for a slave, but she learned submission to her masters and watched all those around her. She did pick up a sense of the world not many others have ever dived into. A thing called common sense reserved for those that quietly listened instead of speaking.
She was not treated unkindly by those first masters. There are strict rules and privileges for slaves in the land and hundreds of laws for both master and slave to uphold. Still life as a slave can be unpleasant at times. The divide between the free and those that are slaves is still vast in the land of sands.
Arelush was sold at 15 or 16 to a short fat master. This is where her journey took a turn. Though tall and not very pretty he turned her into a bed warming slave. He sold her quickly to another and that one used her and sold her to yet another until the big green orc bought her for 10 silver. A very small sum but at 19 or 20 she was considered too ugly, used or old to be a bed slave. They seemingly forgot she was trained to cook and clean house too. They were no longer interested in her. The Orc took her on a long journey to the southern part of the empire of Netheril called Sullivan Island. He put her there in the cage and left her, only coming to feed her twice a day and give her water twice as many times. Every few days he would point to the bucket, and she had to take it to him, sometimes spilling it as it was heavy. He would open the cage, take it out and give her a new bedpan. She never thought once on escaping. It never even occurred to her.
There is a foul-smelling bucket in the corner used as a bed pan. It is rarely changed until it almost overflows. Her deep brown eyes look up and she crawls over the cage as her current master comes by with ladle and water. He is a huge beast with green skin and tusks on his lower jaw. He puts the ladle filled with water through the bars. She drinks it thirstily even with the slight brown color and tasting sharply of iron. He speaks to her as she drinks in Mulhorandi. “You have been here too long Arelush. Soon I will have to cut my losses on you if you do not sell. I’ll take you outside the city. It will be quick. Wipe your face, perhaps that will help. She wipes her face with the smelly rags that adorn her body and looks up at him. He grunts and moves on to the next slave.
Arelush was born a slave in the great city of Skuld. The biggest port in the empire of Mulhorand. Taken from her mother and sold when she no longer needed her milk. Arelush was taught to clean and cook for her masters and her master’s family. She was not a smart girl even for a slave, but she learned submission to her masters and watched all those around her. She did pick up a sense of the world not many others have ever dived into. A thing called common sense reserved for those that quietly listened instead of speaking.
She was not treated unkindly by those first masters. There are strict rules and privileges for slaves in the land and hundreds of laws for both master and slave to uphold. Still life as a slave can be unpleasant at times. The divide between the free and those that are slaves is still vast in the land of sands.
Arelush was sold at 15 or 16 to a short fat master. This is where her journey took a turn. Though tall and not very pretty he turned her into a bed warming slave. He sold her quickly to another and that one used her and sold her to yet another until the big green orc bought her for 10 silver. A very small sum but at 19 or 20 she was considered too ugly, used or old to be a bed slave. They seemingly forgot she was trained to cook and clean house too. They were no longer interested in her. The Orc took her on a long journey to the southern part of the empire of Netheril called Sullivan Island. He put her there in the cage and left her, only coming to feed her twice a day and give her water twice as many times. Every few days he would point to the bucket, and she had to take it to him, sometimes spilling it as it was heavy. He would open the cage, take it out and give her a new bedpan. She never thought once on escaping. It never even occurred to her.
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Winterhawk99
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Re: Arelush's Journal
A few days later Arelush sits in her cage with her hands wrapped around her knees thinking that perhaps this day her master would cut his losses. He opened the main door and started walking through the slave pens. This time there was a woman with him.
As the master and woman walked closer Arelush suddenly has a sense of dread go through her body. She recognized the veiled headdress and robes. It was a priestess of the house of life specializing in necromance. She crawls to a corner and tries to make herself look small, for it is these people the necromancers that worked closely with the priest of Osiris to make the guardians of temples and tombs. The ones outsiders call mummies.
The pair come up to her cage and look in. Arelush holding her hands over her eyes peaks out. There can be no doubt now. She recognizes the black and red robes, The pendant of Osiris round her neck and the veiled headdress of a dreaded Hemt that can speak to the dead. She closes her fingers again and tries to turn invisible, shivering in the corner. It doesn’t work. So many of her friends had been sold to the priests of the temple and Tree of life guild to be turned into living nightmares and now it seems it was her turn.
Her master commands her, “Get up Arelush and walk to the bars. Let Hemt Sithirr see your full form.” Whimpering and shaking, she stands and approaches the edge of the cave. She has no choice. He is her master, and they are no longer in Mulhorand. She cannot bear staring at the veil and the face hidden within.
“What your name be?”
She can’t seem to answer the Hemt’s question. The orc says, “Her name is Arelush.”
“If I wanted you to be answering, I would have asked you not her. Tell me girl. Look straight into me veil and tell me your name.”
Somehow Arelush gathers her courage for a moment. She turns and looks at the veil. She says in Mulan, “Arelush… my name is Arelush.”
“An old and proper Mulhorandi name. Not provincial. You know who I be?”
Arelush goes to her knees weakly and puts her head to the ground, “You are a hemt of the House of life. A necromancer and speaker to the dead.”
“Rise and look at me again. “The woman takes her veil off.”
Arelush rises and looks at the woman’s face. Her skin is a deep brown. Her face is thin and angular somewhat weathered but still looking young. Her eyes.They are what seem so strange to Arelush. They are a brilliant copper color. She had never seen any like them before. They look so old for such a young face.
The woman studies her face very carefully. She turns to the orc. “How much?”
“A hundred Netheresse Aureus.”
“Excuse me. What you say? Aureus or denarii?”
“Aureus.”
“She stinks! She be having lice in her hair and most likely has crabs too. I'll not pay a 100 Aureus for such poor merchandise. I’ll offer 25.”
“25 is an insult. She’s young and can be cleaned up. 75.”
“She’s malnourished. 50.”
“We all know what your ilk does with slaves Hemt. If you want a guardian something more valuable than this woman, you’ll pay 60.”
“I’ll throw in 50 silver denarii. Best I can do.”
The orc things around it pacing around and frowning continually for several minutes. He even puts his hand up and points a finger to the roof while seemingly mumbling to himself. In the end he looks up at the woman and says… “Deal! I’ll get the paperwork.”
She says, “Open the cage first," while counting out coin and giving it to him. He does so and leaves with the small bag of gold and silver.”
“Step out of the cage and stand before me. You be knowing how to walk behind a hemt. Do so and remember, I be watching for any shenanigans. You will not escape me.”
The orc comes back, and they transfer ownership of Arelush.
The priestess walks out with Arelush three steps behind. “The first thing is to get you to a bathhouse to clean you up and delouse you. We get you some new clothes. Then we will talk about your options.”
“Why ma’am? You are going to turn me to something beyond life. Why do this?”
“I may wear the black robes, but I do not make undead. I study the negative and positive planes. I am a white necromancer. Have no fear of that.”
Arelush doesn’t believe her. Black robes often lie to their victims. Still, she has no choice. She follows along behind.
As the master and woman walked closer Arelush suddenly has a sense of dread go through her body. She recognized the veiled headdress and robes. It was a priestess of the house of life specializing in necromance. She crawls to a corner and tries to make herself look small, for it is these people the necromancers that worked closely with the priest of Osiris to make the guardians of temples and tombs. The ones outsiders call mummies.
The pair come up to her cage and look in. Arelush holding her hands over her eyes peaks out. There can be no doubt now. She recognizes the black and red robes, The pendant of Osiris round her neck and the veiled headdress of a dreaded Hemt that can speak to the dead. She closes her fingers again and tries to turn invisible, shivering in the corner. It doesn’t work. So many of her friends had been sold to the priests of the temple and Tree of life guild to be turned into living nightmares and now it seems it was her turn.
Her master commands her, “Get up Arelush and walk to the bars. Let Hemt Sithirr see your full form.” Whimpering and shaking, she stands and approaches the edge of the cave. She has no choice. He is her master, and they are no longer in Mulhorand. She cannot bear staring at the veil and the face hidden within.
“What your name be?”
She can’t seem to answer the Hemt’s question. The orc says, “Her name is Arelush.”
“If I wanted you to be answering, I would have asked you not her. Tell me girl. Look straight into me veil and tell me your name.”
Somehow Arelush gathers her courage for a moment. She turns and looks at the veil. She says in Mulan, “Arelush… my name is Arelush.”
“An old and proper Mulhorandi name. Not provincial. You know who I be?”
Arelush goes to her knees weakly and puts her head to the ground, “You are a hemt of the House of life. A necromancer and speaker to the dead.”
“Rise and look at me again. “The woman takes her veil off.”
Arelush rises and looks at the woman’s face. Her skin is a deep brown. Her face is thin and angular somewhat weathered but still looking young. Her eyes.They are what seem so strange to Arelush. They are a brilliant copper color. She had never seen any like them before. They look so old for such a young face.
The woman studies her face very carefully. She turns to the orc. “How much?”
“A hundred Netheresse Aureus.”
“Excuse me. What you say? Aureus or denarii?”
“Aureus.”
“She stinks! She be having lice in her hair and most likely has crabs too. I'll not pay a 100 Aureus for such poor merchandise. I’ll offer 25.”
“25 is an insult. She’s young and can be cleaned up. 75.”
“She’s malnourished. 50.”
“We all know what your ilk does with slaves Hemt. If you want a guardian something more valuable than this woman, you’ll pay 60.”
“I’ll throw in 50 silver denarii. Best I can do.”
The orc things around it pacing around and frowning continually for several minutes. He even puts his hand up and points a finger to the roof while seemingly mumbling to himself. In the end he looks up at the woman and says… “Deal! I’ll get the paperwork.”
She says, “Open the cage first," while counting out coin and giving it to him. He does so and leaves with the small bag of gold and silver.”
“Step out of the cage and stand before me. You be knowing how to walk behind a hemt. Do so and remember, I be watching for any shenanigans. You will not escape me.”
The orc comes back, and they transfer ownership of Arelush.
The priestess walks out with Arelush three steps behind. “The first thing is to get you to a bathhouse to clean you up and delouse you. We get you some new clothes. Then we will talk about your options.”
“Why ma’am? You are going to turn me to something beyond life. Why do this?”
“I may wear the black robes, but I do not make undead. I study the negative and positive planes. I am a white necromancer. Have no fear of that.”
Arelush doesn’t believe her. Black robes often lie to their victims. Still, she has no choice. She follows along behind.
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Winterhawk99
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Re: Arelush's Journal
Lauriella is eating her dinner this morning at her conference table when Cyr appears with his breakfast. He sits down to her right looks at his food, mumbles, gets back up and ladles himself some rum from Lauri's private stock. She looks up amused while breaking her lobster tail in half, "I know getting sick of crab and lobster meself, Cyr."
"How much you give the cook for food expense, Capt?"
"I guess he thinks not enough."
"I think he's pinching."
"Probably is. Long as it's tallied in copper and silver, I'll overlook it. Men will start complaining soon anyway and he'll have to stop of his own accord before he get thrown overboard."
He hands her a rolled set of papers. "Newspaper, Lauri."
"Thank ye, Cyr. How Arelush... Elenuta doing? Hazing begin yet?" She asks as she pushes the lobster away, unrolls the paper and lights her pipe.
Cyr looks at her but doesn't say anything."
"That would be a yes. Tell the boys to go easy on her. She been a slave all her life and this new to her. Hope she understand it all meant to become part of the family as a whole. And of course, you be knowing nothing as usual."
Cyr just stares a moment before speaking, "I don't know anything, Capt."
"I hope she short sheets everyone's bed. We girls got to stick together."
Cyr chuckles, that would stop em dead in their tracks."
"If’in, she did I would be proud of her. Will show me she's got more to her than menial tasks."
"Did you ask her patron?"
Lauri looks up, "I usually do but did not want to scare her too bad. Went over the most important things. Her tasks as a cabin girl, her pay both as a cabin girl and as to the mission at hand. That reminds me. She is not ready to be out on her own and needs to go to town to do her duty. I want you to chaperon her. No uniforms. Want you to support her while she walk’in around shopping and such before and after she does drop offs and pickups. Treat her like a friend and watch for others watching the two of you. Hold her hand like you two just married or something but not too forward with her. I don't know if she been abused or not. Probably abused a lot. Remember that.
If she turns out evil or find out she have an evil patron I will not be extending her contract. Will still teach her how to be out in the world, and her numbers and letters until then. I will not abandon her when she need us. But the months it take to finish the rat problem should be time enough to get her on her feet." She looks back down at the paper.
"You going to be teaching her hieroglyphics first?"
"I teach her common first. She no longer in Mulhorand. She here and must be needing the common writing first. By the way she have a belt and key. You suspect she have it off on board you talk to me. Do'na check yourself. If you think any of the men try to get it off by seduction or force: Make sure it that way before disciplining them. and talk to me after. I have a long talking to with them and they know they do'na wanting me talking to them about things like that."
"I do not think we'll have that problem, Lauri. You have no problems, and we got ourselves damn good men."
"I have no problems cause they think of me as their mother. Elenuta different. Just being here is like bait to the men. Just keep an eye out. I know human men all too well on these things."
"Aye, Capt. will do."
Lauriella suddenly throws the paper on the table, angry. "What is it, ma'am?!"
"Damn editor must come back from his vacation."
"Should I get the ship ready to sail?"
Lauriella closes her eyes and calms herself. She takes more than a minute to do so before speaking again, "No, Cyr, No. I have to lessen my profile while working undercover. I cannot say or do anything that would put me in the spotlight. I'll complete the mission with the university then deal with Mr. Morton. We get him aboard he'll have a hazing like no other.
She spits on the floor, "Will you look at this, ' Being the rugged, salt-of-the-earth gentleman I am, I spent some time volunteering in the fields and orchards of the Creek Farms. I was picking apricots in an orchard at one point, stripped to my muscular waist naturally.' You telling me a man that sits at a damn desk all day eating dough balls would have a muscular waist!"
Cyr tries to hold back a laugh but can't and breaks out tears in his eyes, "I know what you going to do already."
She looks back up at him most innocently, Well Those sail pulleys do need to be changed what they weigh? A hundred-fifty pounds or so? Let’s see him change a few of them out hanging fifty ft in the air at the top of a mast with the ship swinging in a cross tide. After all, it’s part of the job."
"Just make sure he has a harness on, ma'am."
"Will have to buy a cattle harness for this one, methinks."
Oh, my. I really do think this is going to be fun."
"We have to wait till I find what I looking for and deposit it at Cassandra's feet. Speaking of which something draw my concerns."
"What's that, Lauri?"
"I don't think Cassandra chose me for this on a whim. No one could know my past. None of my files been touched but me unless you borrowed or copied them. We the only ones who have the keys to my files, cargo and pay chests. How did I wind up doing the things everyone else tried to push me into? Cyr it seems like the university is grooming me for something. That worries me. I'm a ship captain first. Always been and a mage second. Cassandra got me into this mess but later when I went to get the gnomish glove from the university vault something sparked me interest.
Instead of someone going to the vault and getting me the item. Master Cresquas showed up and showed me the vault directly. Even more he showed me all the defenses. It concerned me because I am only an apprentice and low-level enforcer for the university. So, I asked him directly if the masters were grooming me for something.
Cyr, he completely avoided the question."
Cyr takes a deep breath and thinks before answering, " It is concerning, Captain. I would dare say that the University does not care what a mage or sorcerer’s proclivities are as they go up the ladder of rank. Just be careful. Wish I could watch over you, but you a much better adventurer than I. Someone has to run the ship while you making back the cargo funds and working to get us back home. And that the most important."
"Aye, agreed. My first responsibility is to the crew and to keep the crew safe. I'll get you home. I got good news on that front. I found a village seem out of phase with time. I and a small group were able to speak with them and the inventor of the machine that phases them in and out. He will let me study it. May even be able to make a contract to ship them a few hundred tons of supplies a year if they be interested. If I can figure out the machine, I believe I can fit together the last pieces of concept to my own machine."
"That is good news, Lauri. We getting closer now, seems."
"Aye. You best get out while I teach Arelush. I got me two hours with her before getting some rest. It's nothing shameful or anything like that. I just want her to be comfortable while I teach her to keep her eyes and chin up. To walk with meaning. To be able to stare down a man or another woman and socialize as an equal to others instead of a servant. It would embarrass her if anyone else in the room."
Cyr stands up and gives an ease salute, hand over his heart. "Am I relieved to do my duty captain?"
She also stands, recognizing him, "You are relieved, Lieutenant. Remember that we are of no import to the greater scheme."
"Yet we do our duty for the gods and get what goodness we can from life."
Lauri smiles and Cyr does and about face and starts his shift. She cleans the table and stacks the dishes at the end for Elenuta to pick up, then waits for the girl to come to her class.
"How much you give the cook for food expense, Capt?"
"I guess he thinks not enough."
"I think he's pinching."
"Probably is. Long as it's tallied in copper and silver, I'll overlook it. Men will start complaining soon anyway and he'll have to stop of his own accord before he get thrown overboard."
He hands her a rolled set of papers. "Newspaper, Lauri."
"Thank ye, Cyr. How Arelush... Elenuta doing? Hazing begin yet?" She asks as she pushes the lobster away, unrolls the paper and lights her pipe.
Cyr looks at her but doesn't say anything."
"That would be a yes. Tell the boys to go easy on her. She been a slave all her life and this new to her. Hope she understand it all meant to become part of the family as a whole. And of course, you be knowing nothing as usual."
Cyr just stares a moment before speaking, "I don't know anything, Capt."
"I hope she short sheets everyone's bed. We girls got to stick together."
Cyr chuckles, that would stop em dead in their tracks."
"If’in, she did I would be proud of her. Will show me she's got more to her than menial tasks."
"Did you ask her patron?"
Lauri looks up, "I usually do but did not want to scare her too bad. Went over the most important things. Her tasks as a cabin girl, her pay both as a cabin girl and as to the mission at hand. That reminds me. She is not ready to be out on her own and needs to go to town to do her duty. I want you to chaperon her. No uniforms. Want you to support her while she walk’in around shopping and such before and after she does drop offs and pickups. Treat her like a friend and watch for others watching the two of you. Hold her hand like you two just married or something but not too forward with her. I don't know if she been abused or not. Probably abused a lot. Remember that.
If she turns out evil or find out she have an evil patron I will not be extending her contract. Will still teach her how to be out in the world, and her numbers and letters until then. I will not abandon her when she need us. But the months it take to finish the rat problem should be time enough to get her on her feet." She looks back down at the paper.
"You going to be teaching her hieroglyphics first?"
"I teach her common first. She no longer in Mulhorand. She here and must be needing the common writing first. By the way she have a belt and key. You suspect she have it off on board you talk to me. Do'na check yourself. If you think any of the men try to get it off by seduction or force: Make sure it that way before disciplining them. and talk to me after. I have a long talking to with them and they know they do'na wanting me talking to them about things like that."
"I do not think we'll have that problem, Lauri. You have no problems, and we got ourselves damn good men."
"I have no problems cause they think of me as their mother. Elenuta different. Just being here is like bait to the men. Just keep an eye out. I know human men all too well on these things."
"Aye, Capt. will do."
Lauriella suddenly throws the paper on the table, angry. "What is it, ma'am?!"
"Damn editor must come back from his vacation."
"Should I get the ship ready to sail?"
Lauriella closes her eyes and calms herself. She takes more than a minute to do so before speaking again, "No, Cyr, No. I have to lessen my profile while working undercover. I cannot say or do anything that would put me in the spotlight. I'll complete the mission with the university then deal with Mr. Morton. We get him aboard he'll have a hazing like no other.
She spits on the floor, "Will you look at this, ' Being the rugged, salt-of-the-earth gentleman I am, I spent some time volunteering in the fields and orchards of the Creek Farms. I was picking apricots in an orchard at one point, stripped to my muscular waist naturally.' You telling me a man that sits at a damn desk all day eating dough balls would have a muscular waist!"
Cyr tries to hold back a laugh but can't and breaks out tears in his eyes, "I know what you going to do already."
She looks back up at him most innocently, Well Those sail pulleys do need to be changed what they weigh? A hundred-fifty pounds or so? Let’s see him change a few of them out hanging fifty ft in the air at the top of a mast with the ship swinging in a cross tide. After all, it’s part of the job."
"Just make sure he has a harness on, ma'am."
"Will have to buy a cattle harness for this one, methinks."
Oh, my. I really do think this is going to be fun."
"We have to wait till I find what I looking for and deposit it at Cassandra's feet. Speaking of which something draw my concerns."
"What's that, Lauri?"
"I don't think Cassandra chose me for this on a whim. No one could know my past. None of my files been touched but me unless you borrowed or copied them. We the only ones who have the keys to my files, cargo and pay chests. How did I wind up doing the things everyone else tried to push me into? Cyr it seems like the university is grooming me for something. That worries me. I'm a ship captain first. Always been and a mage second. Cassandra got me into this mess but later when I went to get the gnomish glove from the university vault something sparked me interest.
Instead of someone going to the vault and getting me the item. Master Cresquas showed up and showed me the vault directly. Even more he showed me all the defenses. It concerned me because I am only an apprentice and low-level enforcer for the university. So, I asked him directly if the masters were grooming me for something.
Cyr, he completely avoided the question."
Cyr takes a deep breath and thinks before answering, " It is concerning, Captain. I would dare say that the University does not care what a mage or sorcerer’s proclivities are as they go up the ladder of rank. Just be careful. Wish I could watch over you, but you a much better adventurer than I. Someone has to run the ship while you making back the cargo funds and working to get us back home. And that the most important."
"Aye, agreed. My first responsibility is to the crew and to keep the crew safe. I'll get you home. I got good news on that front. I found a village seem out of phase with time. I and a small group were able to speak with them and the inventor of the machine that phases them in and out. He will let me study it. May even be able to make a contract to ship them a few hundred tons of supplies a year if they be interested. If I can figure out the machine, I believe I can fit together the last pieces of concept to my own machine."
"That is good news, Lauri. We getting closer now, seems."
"Aye. You best get out while I teach Arelush. I got me two hours with her before getting some rest. It's nothing shameful or anything like that. I just want her to be comfortable while I teach her to keep her eyes and chin up. To walk with meaning. To be able to stare down a man or another woman and socialize as an equal to others instead of a servant. It would embarrass her if anyone else in the room."
Cyr stands up and gives an ease salute, hand over his heart. "Am I relieved to do my duty captain?"
She also stands, recognizing him, "You are relieved, Lieutenant. Remember that we are of no import to the greater scheme."
"Yet we do our duty for the gods and get what goodness we can from life."
Lauri smiles and Cyr does and about face and starts his shift. She cleans the table and stacks the dishes at the end for Elenuta to pick up, then waits for the girl to come to her class.
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Winterhawk99
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Re: Arelush's Journal
As Midnight approaches the men work around Lauriella while she and Cyr set up chairs in a large circle on the main deck. Arelush brings up bottles of wine and whiskey. A tun of beer is tapped. When all is done Lauriella sits down on one of the chairs. Cyr another. She motions Arelush to sit next to her. They wait quietly until all the men that want to come get themselves a drink and sit down.
Tonight, most of the day crew want to rest and some of the night crew take off down to midships to eat and get some sleep. There are only six others that sit down around the circle. Lauriella isn’t paying much attention. She is silently praying to her goddess. Arelush taps her on the shoulder which startles her a moment, “What’s going on, ma’am?”
Lauri looks around. She in standard issue working clothes as she is most nights of Selune’s reflection, “Let’s tighten the circle then I’ll tell you what this is all about.”
They move all their chairs to easily speak to one another and all look to Lauriella. “Most of you know Arelush by now. She’s our cabin girl on temporary duty to see if she be fitting in with the crew. Most you know my rules about girls onboard. She wearing a belt and it up to her if she want to be seeing anyone; crew or other. Don’t want to be hearing about any misdeeds especially in our situation.
I give everyone the ability to go to Southbank in threes and so far, it be working out. You all need some R&R and we officers all understand that. I hate we have to be cooped up on the Moonflower so much meself but it is what it is.”
She turns to Arelush, “Every new moon we participate in Selune’s reflection. A lot of the crew worship Selune as a patron. I and Cyr worship Sehanine but Sehanine far as we concerned is just the elven aspect of Selune or vice versa. We give thanks to both and give both their due. I do not know who you patron is or if you have one, Arelush. I will not ask you now. If you work out and want to continue to work with us after your trial period, then I will ask. Not one man on this ship has an evil patron and long as I own her there never will be, Besiden, If Cry and I know your patron we will make allowances for you to worship proper and give ye time to do so.
During reflection we sit quietly and drink, praise the goddess and tell stories, learn from each other and of each other, speak of our past experiences and general news. I also take any complaints or grips a crew member may be having. That’s the way of it.”
Before Arelush can respond another crew member speaks up, “What news captain?”
“That damn editor of the champion in Conch back from his vacation starting his shit again. I canna do anything in the here and now being I got a mission from the university that be sensitive.” Lauriella stops suddenly, sighs, and twists her mouth in slight disapproval as another of the crew gives him several coins. He looks up to her and turns red, “I knew you would get into the shit again, Capt. You always do when you on land any amount of time.”
“I don’t know how these people find me or what about me catches their eye, but yes, you’re right Douglas. Wish it were not so but I got to do what I got to do to get us back home, and don’t be scaring Arelush about the tales I told of the Obsidian order of Arabel or the Cerulean stars. Besiden, I only have me records of me time in the Cerulean stars don’t remember any of it.
Where was I? Found out the lame god exists here. Met a girl by the name of Eliezra that worships him.”
One of the crew members shouts out, “Tell us all the sored details captain.”
Lauriella shakes her head, “Just because I put both oars in the water doesn’t mean I be looking for anyone. And yes, being married never stopped me before but this is different. Besiden, I’m getting to be an old woman. Mind you manners. Don’t even be buy’in a gigolo or whore neither. I’m fine.”
Half the crew laughs Lauri mutters, “I live with a bunch of juvenile delinquents.
Anyhow, Last thing I have to say is I solved me power problem with the device I draw up to get us back. There be a metal here that has no resistance to magic called Imodium or something to that effect but its magnetic. I have to mix it with another metal called Stallix in the right proportions I figure to connect the stones with the mythal. I’ll be studying with a dwarven mage in Covington to figure out the right mix and the magic gimbals I need be creating. You see any Chronomancy spell uses a magical gyro to work. It’s how I figured out the time stop spell. You create within your mind a gyro to fix on the time you are at and create it magically. You really do naught stop time. You move yourself through time while everyone else seems to be suspended. When I looked at the dwarves machine it too is surrounded by magical circles that work like gimbals on a gyro. My theory is that these time gyros are necessary for any chronomancy spell.
I’m very close to creating the machine. Just needs must go to a gnomish tinkerer to make the design and make sure I have enough ingots of those two metals. I have everything else. So, we much closer to getting everyone home.”
Lauri looks up at the stars a moment before continuing, “Gentlemen. Me and the Moonflower are staying here. When I send you home, I will not not calculate space because it would be too complicated. You will find yerself on the great glacier. I want you to prepare well for the journey home. If the Moonflower is teleported there she’ll crack and break up under her own weight.
As for me. You all know me tale. For some reason it seem the gods have cursed me since I remember. In the here and now is the only time I have broken that curse. Me wife Cristine and me husband Zard. They have each other. Here I may of some import to the empire though I’ll be making sure to leave no real footprints. Fact of the matter is to throw the controlling spell I must be standing outside the harmonic field. So, I cannot return with you an any rate for I will not trust any other with a spell so sensitive to calculation of numbers. It just be the way it needs to be anyway.”
The men are shocked. One stands up, “You sure about all this, Captain? What are we going to do without ye?”
“You follow Cyr to civilization. He will go home build another ship. Explain what happened to us to Christine and Zard. They will understand. From there you can sign on to another ship, retire, or stay with the company. Everyone in the company good people. You will make do and I will make sure you don’t go empty handed.”
Most of the men have their heads down now. Lauriella herself feels a bit depressed.
John Calandro, Lauri’s first mate stands, “We got time to change the captain’s mind men. You one of the best captains on the sea of fallen stars, Lauri. Ye should think it over, maybe find a way to come with us. Now not be the time for sadness being it reflection. So, I’ll be telling the story how I met me wife.”
Lauriella relaxes and listens to her men’s stories while silently drinking her whiskey the rest of the night.
Tonight, most of the day crew want to rest and some of the night crew take off down to midships to eat and get some sleep. There are only six others that sit down around the circle. Lauriella isn’t paying much attention. She is silently praying to her goddess. Arelush taps her on the shoulder which startles her a moment, “What’s going on, ma’am?”
Lauri looks around. She in standard issue working clothes as she is most nights of Selune’s reflection, “Let’s tighten the circle then I’ll tell you what this is all about.”
They move all their chairs to easily speak to one another and all look to Lauriella. “Most of you know Arelush by now. She’s our cabin girl on temporary duty to see if she be fitting in with the crew. Most you know my rules about girls onboard. She wearing a belt and it up to her if she want to be seeing anyone; crew or other. Don’t want to be hearing about any misdeeds especially in our situation.
I give everyone the ability to go to Southbank in threes and so far, it be working out. You all need some R&R and we officers all understand that. I hate we have to be cooped up on the Moonflower so much meself but it is what it is.”
She turns to Arelush, “Every new moon we participate in Selune’s reflection. A lot of the crew worship Selune as a patron. I and Cyr worship Sehanine but Sehanine far as we concerned is just the elven aspect of Selune or vice versa. We give thanks to both and give both their due. I do not know who you patron is or if you have one, Arelush. I will not ask you now. If you work out and want to continue to work with us after your trial period, then I will ask. Not one man on this ship has an evil patron and long as I own her there never will be, Besiden, If Cry and I know your patron we will make allowances for you to worship proper and give ye time to do so.
During reflection we sit quietly and drink, praise the goddess and tell stories, learn from each other and of each other, speak of our past experiences and general news. I also take any complaints or grips a crew member may be having. That’s the way of it.”
Before Arelush can respond another crew member speaks up, “What news captain?”
“That damn editor of the champion in Conch back from his vacation starting his shit again. I canna do anything in the here and now being I got a mission from the university that be sensitive.” Lauriella stops suddenly, sighs, and twists her mouth in slight disapproval as another of the crew gives him several coins. He looks up to her and turns red, “I knew you would get into the shit again, Capt. You always do when you on land any amount of time.”
“I don’t know how these people find me or what about me catches their eye, but yes, you’re right Douglas. Wish it were not so but I got to do what I got to do to get us back home, and don’t be scaring Arelush about the tales I told of the Obsidian order of Arabel or the Cerulean stars. Besiden, I only have me records of me time in the Cerulean stars don’t remember any of it.
Where was I? Found out the lame god exists here. Met a girl by the name of Eliezra that worships him.”
One of the crew members shouts out, “Tell us all the sored details captain.”
Lauriella shakes her head, “Just because I put both oars in the water doesn’t mean I be looking for anyone. And yes, being married never stopped me before but this is different. Besiden, I’m getting to be an old woman. Mind you manners. Don’t even be buy’in a gigolo or whore neither. I’m fine.”
Half the crew laughs Lauri mutters, “I live with a bunch of juvenile delinquents.
Anyhow, Last thing I have to say is I solved me power problem with the device I draw up to get us back. There be a metal here that has no resistance to magic called Imodium or something to that effect but its magnetic. I have to mix it with another metal called Stallix in the right proportions I figure to connect the stones with the mythal. I’ll be studying with a dwarven mage in Covington to figure out the right mix and the magic gimbals I need be creating. You see any Chronomancy spell uses a magical gyro to work. It’s how I figured out the time stop spell. You create within your mind a gyro to fix on the time you are at and create it magically. You really do naught stop time. You move yourself through time while everyone else seems to be suspended. When I looked at the dwarves machine it too is surrounded by magical circles that work like gimbals on a gyro. My theory is that these time gyros are necessary for any chronomancy spell.
I’m very close to creating the machine. Just needs must go to a gnomish tinkerer to make the design and make sure I have enough ingots of those two metals. I have everything else. So, we much closer to getting everyone home.”
Lauri looks up at the stars a moment before continuing, “Gentlemen. Me and the Moonflower are staying here. When I send you home, I will not not calculate space because it would be too complicated. You will find yerself on the great glacier. I want you to prepare well for the journey home. If the Moonflower is teleported there she’ll crack and break up under her own weight.
As for me. You all know me tale. For some reason it seem the gods have cursed me since I remember. In the here and now is the only time I have broken that curse. Me wife Cristine and me husband Zard. They have each other. Here I may of some import to the empire though I’ll be making sure to leave no real footprints. Fact of the matter is to throw the controlling spell I must be standing outside the harmonic field. So, I cannot return with you an any rate for I will not trust any other with a spell so sensitive to calculation of numbers. It just be the way it needs to be anyway.”
The men are shocked. One stands up, “You sure about all this, Captain? What are we going to do without ye?”
“You follow Cyr to civilization. He will go home build another ship. Explain what happened to us to Christine and Zard. They will understand. From there you can sign on to another ship, retire, or stay with the company. Everyone in the company good people. You will make do and I will make sure you don’t go empty handed.”
Most of the men have their heads down now. Lauriella herself feels a bit depressed.
John Calandro, Lauri’s first mate stands, “We got time to change the captain’s mind men. You one of the best captains on the sea of fallen stars, Lauri. Ye should think it over, maybe find a way to come with us. Now not be the time for sadness being it reflection. So, I’ll be telling the story how I met me wife.”
Lauriella relaxes and listens to her men’s stories while silently drinking her whiskey the rest of the night.
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Winterhawk99
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Re: Arelush's Journal
Lauriella is at the wheel when Cyr comes up from below. John is at the navigation table doing his best to navigate. Cyr comes over to the navigators table and relieves John. He gets several newly preset sextets out and measures the stars in several constellations. Looking at the current chart he does a double take, "How in the nine hells we getting twenty knots?"
Lauriella smiles and holds up a book, "Look aft and learn something."
He looks back to see a large cloud following the ship then feels the strong wind. "An air elemental?"
"Aye Cyr. This be a book of air. With it I can summon a large one or several smaller ones."
"Shar's Tit!"
Lauriella looks over at him and thinks to herself 'Damn it Cyr we don't need that here.' "Watch what you be saying, Cyr. We all swear, and we all know it but that name isn't mentioned on this ship. Bad tidings it be liken calling on the storm queen."
"My apologies, Capt."
"Aye, we make the run in five days stead of ten since we will always have wind at our backs."
"Ye save up any offensive or defensive spells?"
"Only a few, Cyr we making twenty knots. Nothing can catch us and Jax be patrolling giving us more room. I got me a question for ye though?"
"What is it, ma'am"
"There an Ilythiir living in Conch upper district. That lovitarian looks like she be retaining him. She was parading him around outside the wall and I caught him on me patrol of the city in the upper district. I pretty sure after the conversation we have he's part of her house now. Was going to go to the council about it but I figure all I need to do is wait for him to do something wrong then arrest him. What you say?"
She watches the surprise, and disgusted reaction he has while he's thinking about it. When he answers it surprises her that she did not think about that first. " In the very least the Elders of Nualla'n need to be informed of the situation."
"Aye that in the least I should do. Thank you, lieutenant."
"Aye. I'm ready to take the wheel now got the heading what's the drift compensation?
"Drift not so bad 2 degrees 27 minutes every 1/2 hour to port. I believe we running a deep canyon or channel.
"Then I am ready. I relieve you captain."
She moves from the wheel, "I stand relieved, Mr. Stafford."
She rings the ship bell with two short bursts then a long ring then shouts out. YE GOT ONE HOUR TILL MIDSHIPS GENTLEMEN! THEN THE HATCHES AND DOORS BE LOCKED!"
She goes down to her stateroom. Arelush is there with her gown out. "It's beautiful. ma'am"
"It's sacred Arelush. It time for you to leave for a while. You'll have to stay with the men for a couple of hours. I'll belay my lessons tomorrow so you may have some extra sleep."
"Yes, ma'am." She turns to go to the galley when she suddenly spins around. "I received a letter from Auntie Cassandra Just before we left port."
Again, Lauriella looks surprised. She takes the letter out of Arelush's hands and immediately opens it. "Good, she would like to meet me. But now I'm in a fix."
The girl looks at her quizzically. Lauriella responds, "I want you to wash my necromancer robes before we make home port along with my head wrappings. also polish my necklace with Osiris's symbol engraved on it."
Arelush nods but Lauri sees a touch of fear in her eyes. "Most the tales of the necromancers in the guild of the tree of life larger than life Arelush. They make it so everyone else has a bit of fear in them. I'm not making temple or tomb guardians and most likely never will. Relax. Remember what I told you: Governments, Sacred and Secret Orders and Newspapers like to feed upon superstition."
Arelush puts her hand over her heart and bows slightly. Lauriella smiles, "Good, now off with you to the galley and make sure you stay there a few hours.
The young woman turns and walks quickly out the door. Lauriella goes to her writing desk and writes a letter to be sent as soon as she returns to Southbank. After that she dresses in her gown. Her eyes soften. Her lips twitch in anticipation. She walks back up on deck. The lanterns are set. The moonflowers are spread out on the deck. Cyr is at the wheel. She notices he has his harness on even though the waves are only eight feet.
Lauriella spends her cantrips while walking to the middle of the ring of flowers. She lifts her arms up to the moon. At the stroke of midnight, she begins to dance.
Lauriella smiles and holds up a book, "Look aft and learn something."
He looks back to see a large cloud following the ship then feels the strong wind. "An air elemental?"
"Aye Cyr. This be a book of air. With it I can summon a large one or several smaller ones."
"Shar's Tit!"
Lauriella looks over at him and thinks to herself 'Damn it Cyr we don't need that here.' "Watch what you be saying, Cyr. We all swear, and we all know it but that name isn't mentioned on this ship. Bad tidings it be liken calling on the storm queen."
"My apologies, Capt."
"Aye, we make the run in five days stead of ten since we will always have wind at our backs."
"Ye save up any offensive or defensive spells?"
"Only a few, Cyr we making twenty knots. Nothing can catch us and Jax be patrolling giving us more room. I got me a question for ye though?"
"What is it, ma'am"
"There an Ilythiir living in Conch upper district. That lovitarian looks like she be retaining him. She was parading him around outside the wall and I caught him on me patrol of the city in the upper district. I pretty sure after the conversation we have he's part of her house now. Was going to go to the council about it but I figure all I need to do is wait for him to do something wrong then arrest him. What you say?"
She watches the surprise, and disgusted reaction he has while he's thinking about it. When he answers it surprises her that she did not think about that first. " In the very least the Elders of Nualla'n need to be informed of the situation."
"Aye that in the least I should do. Thank you, lieutenant."
"Aye. I'm ready to take the wheel now got the heading what's the drift compensation?
"Drift not so bad 2 degrees 27 minutes every 1/2 hour to port. I believe we running a deep canyon or channel.
"Then I am ready. I relieve you captain."
She moves from the wheel, "I stand relieved, Mr. Stafford."
She rings the ship bell with two short bursts then a long ring then shouts out. YE GOT ONE HOUR TILL MIDSHIPS GENTLEMEN! THEN THE HATCHES AND DOORS BE LOCKED!"
She goes down to her stateroom. Arelush is there with her gown out. "It's beautiful. ma'am"
"It's sacred Arelush. It time for you to leave for a while. You'll have to stay with the men for a couple of hours. I'll belay my lessons tomorrow so you may have some extra sleep."
"Yes, ma'am." She turns to go to the galley when she suddenly spins around. "I received a letter from Auntie Cassandra Just before we left port."
Again, Lauriella looks surprised. She takes the letter out of Arelush's hands and immediately opens it. "Good, she would like to meet me. But now I'm in a fix."
The girl looks at her quizzically. Lauriella responds, "I want you to wash my necromancer robes before we make home port along with my head wrappings. also polish my necklace with Osiris's symbol engraved on it."
Arelush nods but Lauri sees a touch of fear in her eyes. "Most the tales of the necromancers in the guild of the tree of life larger than life Arelush. They make it so everyone else has a bit of fear in them. I'm not making temple or tomb guardians and most likely never will. Relax. Remember what I told you: Governments, Sacred and Secret Orders and Newspapers like to feed upon superstition."
Arelush puts her hand over her heart and bows slightly. Lauriella smiles, "Good, now off with you to the galley and make sure you stay there a few hours.
The young woman turns and walks quickly out the door. Lauriella goes to her writing desk and writes a letter to be sent as soon as she returns to Southbank. After that she dresses in her gown. Her eyes soften. Her lips twitch in anticipation. She walks back up on deck. The lanterns are set. The moonflowers are spread out on the deck. Cyr is at the wheel. She notices he has his harness on even though the waves are only eight feet.
Lauriella spends her cantrips while walking to the middle of the ring of flowers. She lifts her arms up to the moon. At the stroke of midnight, she begins to dance.
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Winterhawk99
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Re: Arelush's Journal
After the Anchor is lifted and the sails unfurl with the Moonflower making way to Harborage on a link to Ascore. Lauriella is at the back end of the stateroom for Arelush her lessons.
“I don’t understand how triangles can be circles?”
“It’s not that triangles are circles. It’s that we use triangles to know what circles are like. Remember that number I gave you? 3.14. It’s a very important number for navigation of the stars and for knowing how circles work. It’s added to the calculations of triangles to know the diameter and radius of a circle.”
“I still don’t understand, ma’am”
“Well, let’s take navigation. The world is a giant sphere. To……….”
“Everyone knows the world is flat. Besides if it was a sphere, we would all fall off eventually, wouldn’t we?”
Lauriella bangs her head on the nearest ship rib. “Ok, Toril isn’t flat. I don’t know how we don’t all fall off, but every star navigator eventually figures out that Toril is a sphere, or the math would not work.”
Lauri makes an imaginary sphere with her hands. “Just imagine that it is a sphere, Arelush. A navigator to find his exact position on Toril measures at least two stars that they know are in a certain position then they make a triangle with the two stars and the point that we do not know. Like the algebra I taught you we call that x. We read the sextet and the angles from us to the stars. We then can calculate x by the angles on we measure. It’s called geometry. There is more to it. You also have to know the exact time to the 1/10 of a second……… and……….”
Arelush looks at the captain suddenly going into a daze and gets worried. The other men have told her more than once that it is the Lady Captain's decisions that make them profitable or not that help them survive the rigors of the sea. She’s not sure what to do and is about to try to help her when Lauriella snaps too.
“That’s it: star movement over time! That’s what I’m missing! Get Cyr to me side!”
While Arelush rushes to get the lieutenant Lauri frantically takes out her old star charts and the new ones she has been making with Cyr. When they come down Lauri has several spread out over the big table. They both approach interested.
“I always wondered how I was going to give the spell the right calculations to move things through time. It’s the stars Cyr. It’s the damn stars. Remember when we first got here. You said the stars were wrong?”
“Aye. What’s this about, Lauri?”
Lauri notes the positions on several stars. “Here is what we do. We take the prestidigitation cantrip I use on a cloudy night when I dance. We permanently wrap a more powerful spell like it around the ‘move through time gyro’ not the here is ‘where we start gyro’. This will be our map.
We keep a measurement of how the stars that move the furthest from where we been and where we are now. Just like in regular navigation but not it’s through time. Now we can set the time in the invocation on how far the stars move to the time we want to go to. Three thousand five hundred years. We need to find the stars the moved the most in that number of years then. Then we have a time star chart with the right calculations and can lend the calculations into the spell invocation.”
Cyr suddenly surprised and delighted says, “Pure genius. I see it.”
Lauriella nods to him. Arelush seems more confused than ever.
“I don’t understand how triangles can be circles?”
“It’s not that triangles are circles. It’s that we use triangles to know what circles are like. Remember that number I gave you? 3.14. It’s a very important number for navigation of the stars and for knowing how circles work. It’s added to the calculations of triangles to know the diameter and radius of a circle.”
“I still don’t understand, ma’am”
“Well, let’s take navigation. The world is a giant sphere. To……….”
“Everyone knows the world is flat. Besides if it was a sphere, we would all fall off eventually, wouldn’t we?”
Lauriella bangs her head on the nearest ship rib. “Ok, Toril isn’t flat. I don’t know how we don’t all fall off, but every star navigator eventually figures out that Toril is a sphere, or the math would not work.”
Lauri makes an imaginary sphere with her hands. “Just imagine that it is a sphere, Arelush. A navigator to find his exact position on Toril measures at least two stars that they know are in a certain position then they make a triangle with the two stars and the point that we do not know. Like the algebra I taught you we call that x. We read the sextet and the angles from us to the stars. We then can calculate x by the angles on we measure. It’s called geometry. There is more to it. You also have to know the exact time to the 1/10 of a second……… and……….”
Arelush looks at the captain suddenly going into a daze and gets worried. The other men have told her more than once that it is the Lady Captain's decisions that make them profitable or not that help them survive the rigors of the sea. She’s not sure what to do and is about to try to help her when Lauriella snaps too.
“That’s it: star movement over time! That’s what I’m missing! Get Cyr to me side!”
While Arelush rushes to get the lieutenant Lauri frantically takes out her old star charts and the new ones she has been making with Cyr. When they come down Lauri has several spread out over the big table. They both approach interested.
“I always wondered how I was going to give the spell the right calculations to move things through time. It’s the stars Cyr. It’s the damn stars. Remember when we first got here. You said the stars were wrong?”
“Aye. What’s this about, Lauri?”
Lauri notes the positions on several stars. “Here is what we do. We take the prestidigitation cantrip I use on a cloudy night when I dance. We permanently wrap a more powerful spell like it around the ‘move through time gyro’ not the here is ‘where we start gyro’. This will be our map.
We keep a measurement of how the stars that move the furthest from where we been and where we are now. Just like in regular navigation but not it’s through time. Now we can set the time in the invocation on how far the stars move to the time we want to go to. Three thousand five hundred years. We need to find the stars the moved the most in that number of years then. Then we have a time star chart with the right calculations and can lend the calculations into the spell invocation.”
Cyr suddenly surprised and delighted says, “Pure genius. I see it.”
Lauriella nods to him. Arelush seems more confused than ever.
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Winterhawk99
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Re: Arelush's Journal
Lauriella walks up on top deck in her short clothes at two in the afternoon. She's digging at her belly and asking her lieutenant why she was called?
"Glass the port of Harborage, ma'am"
"She takes the glass from him and looks at the port. It's large enough but the town is smallish with just a few warehouses near the docks. Then she looks at the waterline pole near the docks. "12 and some. We cannot make it. Have to do it the hard way ship to ship." She yells out, GET THE MID BOOMS OUT AND ASSEMBLE THEM MEN. WAKE UP MY CREW AND HAVE THEM HELP!"
Cyr comments, "I'll take the tender out and make the stamp the deal and see who at the docks wants an easy day profits. It's going to cut into ours though."
"Aye. To be noted at this port of call. small and not worthy of our time less its harvesting season. We should be about three weeks too late for that. Take two of your crew. It going to take some time for us to assemble the ship booms. Get a feel for the town and stop by the inn to know when best shipping season is." She hands him a small bag of silver to grease the bartender.
They separate. Cyr to take the Tender Lauriella to her cabin to get her work clothes on. Arelush passes her as she goes to midships. "Captain what's wrong."
Lauriella turns. "What ye mean?
"Your belly is bright red?"
She looks down, "ummm. Seems one of the rat bites gave me something. been a bit itchy there of last few days. Don't worry Arelush, I have a ring that heals me. I'll see someone when we be getting back. Now off with your chores. Don't worry bout yer old, captain."
Arelush bows Mulhorandi style which slightly ticks Lauriella off but she shows patience to the girl. "Remember you a free woman now Salute do not bow. I know it take some time. You gett’in it though."
"Oh, while you were upstairs a letter mysteriously formed on your desk. Must be one of your magic friends."
"Or a sneaky stowaway." Lauri suddenly looks around. Not finding anything she places true seeing on herself. She sees nothing. Slipping the letter under her bosom to relieve the itch on her stomach. They part. Lauriella goes to her cabin and takes out a work uniform.
"Glass the port of Harborage, ma'am"
"She takes the glass from him and looks at the port. It's large enough but the town is smallish with just a few warehouses near the docks. Then she looks at the waterline pole near the docks. "12 and some. We cannot make it. Have to do it the hard way ship to ship." She yells out, GET THE MID BOOMS OUT AND ASSEMBLE THEM MEN. WAKE UP MY CREW AND HAVE THEM HELP!"
Cyr comments, "I'll take the tender out and make the stamp the deal and see who at the docks wants an easy day profits. It's going to cut into ours though."
"Aye. To be noted at this port of call. small and not worthy of our time less its harvesting season. We should be about three weeks too late for that. Take two of your crew. It going to take some time for us to assemble the ship booms. Get a feel for the town and stop by the inn to know when best shipping season is." She hands him a small bag of silver to grease the bartender.
They separate. Cyr to take the Tender Lauriella to her cabin to get her work clothes on. Arelush passes her as she goes to midships. "Captain what's wrong."
Lauriella turns. "What ye mean?
"Your belly is bright red?"
She looks down, "ummm. Seems one of the rat bites gave me something. been a bit itchy there of last few days. Don't worry Arelush, I have a ring that heals me. I'll see someone when we be getting back. Now off with your chores. Don't worry bout yer old, captain."
Arelush bows Mulhorandi style which slightly ticks Lauriella off but she shows patience to the girl. "Remember you a free woman now Salute do not bow. I know it take some time. You gett’in it though."
"Oh, while you were upstairs a letter mysteriously formed on your desk. Must be one of your magic friends."
"Or a sneaky stowaway." Lauri suddenly looks around. Not finding anything she places true seeing on herself. She sees nothing. Slipping the letter under her bosom to relieve the itch on her stomach. They part. Lauriella goes to her cabin and takes out a work uniform.
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Winterhawk99
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Re: Arelush's Journal
Lauriella comes aboard the Moonflower. John Calandro, her first mate hands her the manifest. She looks it over while reading it out loud, “Twenty-ton Oak, ten-ton duskwood, ten-ton maple five-ton dry goods, five-ton blacksmithing supplies, one charcoal forge. How much did Lieutenant Stafford pay?"
"Right here, Ma'am fifty thousand"
"Wood green or dry?"
"Dry as a bone, ma'am and straight as an arrow."
Lauriella makes some quick calculations in her head and writes a note down on the paper, "We want no less than ten thousand net if the wood right as you say. if we can get to the full 20%, I say we be doing ok on this run."
"Aye, Captain."
"Likely a short trip but good to get depth of the shoreline from here and make a new chart. Have the men plum every shift. We keep to within five thousand feet of shore on our westward then be free on the return. She looks at the rising sun and mentions, "Stay on for an hour for me John. Cyr sometimes has a time out of harbor on a hard tack and wind coming into shore from the north. Watch to make sure he navigating the river ok. There a few tight spots for us."
"Aye, Captain."
"Dismissed. I'll take me leave to the cabin."
John places his fist over his heart while Lauriella goes down to her cabin.
When she comes down Arelush is cleaning the stateroom. Surprised by the five black dots trailing after Laurielle's eye makeup, she puts her hand over her heart and puts her head down in a bow "Hemet-Netjer!"(Archmage) Lauriella sputters off as she goes to her mage desk, "Chin up! I work as hard as you do! Remember that a fancy title means shit on a ship!"
Arelush pouts, a moment but puts her arm down once Lauri recognizes her and goes back to her work. Meanwhile Lauri goes to her mage desk and unseals several scrolls with mathematical equations, symbols, and notes she made while interrogating Pearl and squeezing as much information about how the shadow stalkers think from her.
"Right here, Ma'am fifty thousand"
"Wood green or dry?"
"Dry as a bone, ma'am and straight as an arrow."
Lauriella makes some quick calculations in her head and writes a note down on the paper, "We want no less than ten thousand net if the wood right as you say. if we can get to the full 20%, I say we be doing ok on this run."
"Aye, Captain."
"Likely a short trip but good to get depth of the shoreline from here and make a new chart. Have the men plum every shift. We keep to within five thousand feet of shore on our westward then be free on the return. She looks at the rising sun and mentions, "Stay on for an hour for me John. Cyr sometimes has a time out of harbor on a hard tack and wind coming into shore from the north. Watch to make sure he navigating the river ok. There a few tight spots for us."
"Aye, Captain."
"Dismissed. I'll take me leave to the cabin."
John places his fist over his heart while Lauriella goes down to her cabin.
When she comes down Arelush is cleaning the stateroom. Surprised by the five black dots trailing after Laurielle's eye makeup, she puts her hand over her heart and puts her head down in a bow "Hemet-Netjer!"(Archmage) Lauriella sputters off as she goes to her mage desk, "Chin up! I work as hard as you do! Remember that a fancy title means shit on a ship!"
Arelush pouts, a moment but puts her arm down once Lauri recognizes her and goes back to her work. Meanwhile Lauri goes to her mage desk and unseals several scrolls with mathematical equations, symbols, and notes she made while interrogating Pearl and squeezing as much information about how the shadow stalkers think from her.
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Winterhawk99
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Re: Arelush's Journal
At dawn the very next day, Lauriella ends her shift. The crews exchange and she goes down to her cabin. She looks at her hands with some distaste. They have gone back to her working hands. Calluses have formed and her fingers will not bend straight anymore. She calls for Arelush. When she comes, she tells her to get her a razor knife and some sperm oil from the galley.
She directs the cabin girl that the cook keeps the whale oil in a small compartment on the side. While she is fetching her needs Lauriella washes her face and arms in a bowl of clean water. She then opens her records safe and pulls out a six-inch brass tube. it is very thin and light with a screw off cap.
When Arelush comes back with the items Lauriella gently takes them from her. She pours the sperm oil into a bowl and puts it on the state table. She then takes the razor knife and cuts off as much of the calluses as she can. Arelush winces every time she goes a spot too deep and blood trickles out of a wound. Lauriella pays little attention to it. She watches to make sure she regenerates without the bumps reforming.
When finished she soaks her hands in the whale oil for near half an hour. "For your knowledge the oil from a sperm whale can make the hands more supple. If you choose to become a sailor someday you will need it. Especially when age starts to show. You may go now. No lessons today. I am too tired."
Arelush places her fist over her heart and leaves for the galley. Lauriella brings her hands out of the bowl and uses a towel to clean them off. She then takes the tube and goes to her writing desk. She pulls out a small scroll and inks a message. She then rolls it up carefully and places it inside the brass holder. she screws the cap tightly. "Jax! to my back!"
Her familiar (A Mulhorandi fruit bat) flies down from the rafters and attaches itself to her back. She goes back up on deck. Taking her arm, she reaches back. Jax crawls up her shoulder and places himself upside down on his perch. She ties the tube to his leg. "Find Cassandra. and deliver the letter."
She directs the cabin girl that the cook keeps the whale oil in a small compartment on the side. While she is fetching her needs Lauriella washes her face and arms in a bowl of clean water. She then opens her records safe and pulls out a six-inch brass tube. it is very thin and light with a screw off cap.
When Arelush comes back with the items Lauriella gently takes them from her. She pours the sperm oil into a bowl and puts it on the state table. She then takes the razor knife and cuts off as much of the calluses as she can. Arelush winces every time she goes a spot too deep and blood trickles out of a wound. Lauriella pays little attention to it. She watches to make sure she regenerates without the bumps reforming.
When finished she soaks her hands in the whale oil for near half an hour. "For your knowledge the oil from a sperm whale can make the hands more supple. If you choose to become a sailor someday you will need it. Especially when age starts to show. You may go now. No lessons today. I am too tired."
Arelush places her fist over her heart and leaves for the galley. Lauriella brings her hands out of the bowl and uses a towel to clean them off. She then takes the tube and goes to her writing desk. She pulls out a small scroll and inks a message. She then rolls it up carefully and places it inside the brass holder. she screws the cap tightly. "Jax! to my back!"
Her familiar (A Mulhorandi fruit bat) flies down from the rafters and attaches itself to her back. She goes back up on deck. Taking her arm, she reaches back. Jax crawls up her shoulder and places himself upside down on his perch. She ties the tube to his leg. "Find Cassandra. and deliver the letter."