GM: | Welcome to TwoHeadsBarking, who has agreed to be our judge | |
"Jade, I take it that this will be enough information to prove your innocence. Once we get off this wretched isle, you'll be a free man, able to rejoin your place." Nodding to him, he next makes his way over to Gelik.
Jade nods absently, running his finger slowly down a page with rapt attention.
"The Nightvoice... Tell me again about it."
Gelik frowns.
"I wish I could tell you something more helpful. The ship's figurehead looks like a seahorse. I think I mentioned that. Boats aren't my area of expertise. Fortunately, it's hardly vital that we find it."
[sblock=Insight 19 (active or passive)]Finding the
Nightvoice is much more important to Gelik than he lets on.[/sblock]
Sasha listens to Noriaki until he goes to bed, then stays up for the first watch, chatting with Takahaan. The watch is uneventful. Jade also remains awake, reading Kinkarian's ledgers by firelight.
Castile is woken for the next watch, and finds Jade hard at work. He is grinning from ear to ear, having found some very good evidence that Kinkarian was selling goods stolen from King Itztecolotl and colluding with one of the king's close advisors.
[sblock=Castile]During your watch, you notice something very large flying overhead. It blocks out the stars as it passes under them, but its shape is very indistinct. Nothing more untoward happens.[/sblock]
Kane and Alkas are on the next watch, which passes peacefully.
[sblock=Hú Lí]The pursuers are coming, and you flee. You double back briefly to hide your tracks, but they are not fooled. You roll in cherry blossoms to disguise your scent, but still they come. Finally you come to a swift-flowing stream and jump in, swimming all the way across. On the other side, you listen. You do not hear them. You try shake the water out of your fur, but you cannot seem to get dry. Your tail drags on the ground, heavy with water. Even the blossoms still cling to you.
You see a small boy sitting at the side of the stream. He releases a toy boat.
“Why do you play with your boat in the stream?” you ask.
“The stream flows fast; it will run away with your little boat.”
“You are lying,” says the little boy.
“All foxes are liars! My boat will come back.”
“But you can see the truth with your own eyes,” you say.
“Even now the boat drifts away. Why do you not play with it on the pond, where the water is still?”
“NO!” says the boy.
“A fox’s words are never true! My boat will drift down the stream, and then the stream will bring it back!”
“But that is impossible,” you say.
“A river runs in only one direction. Is that a lie? I can say that you are a little boy. Will you disbelieve that as well?”
“I am NOT a little boy!” shouts the boy, turning so red and purple with rage that he looks like an overripe plum.
“The boat will come back!” he slaps furiously at the water with his hand, generating a wave that causes the boat to pitch violently.
“It is MY BOAT and it will come back to ME!” he slaps the water again and the boat capsizes. The boy does not see, because he is advancing toward you.
“You lying fox, I’ll have your skin!” You turn to flee, but your paws scrabble uselessly in the dirt. The boy is standing on your tail. Suddenly, you wake up to hear Aerys calling you for your watch.[/sblock]
The final watch is taken by Hú Lí and Aerys, who looks askance at Kane as he hurries off to bed without even making eye contact with her.
"What an odd fellow," Aerys says to Hú Lí, once Kane is asleep again.
"Where's he from, do you know? I can't really place him."