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Message: <blockquote data-quote="fissionessence" data-source="post: 4794829" data-attributes="member: 63357">Scene 1 — Song of the Sea The sun beat down on the Star Bearing, just like it did every day. With little more than grunts appropriate of their heavy work load, the crew continued their daily maintenance of the ship, pulling and tying off ropes, adjusting sails and swabbing the poop deck. With the lazy adventurer passengers still in their beds, members of the crew were the only ones out actually working this morning, and they were no more pleased about it than usual. However, one crew member found himself humming . . . then another. A strange tune had come up and across the boat, drowning out the crashing of the waves against the boat's sides, and putting a certain cheer in the step of the overworked crew. Soon, they danced cheerfully as they worked, and not at all embarrassed of their new-found reverie.Rinian had only recently rolled out of bed when the singing started. With a room in the tavern portion of the ship, Rinian had a view to the aft of the boat. He peered out to see the crew dancing and whistling as they worked . . . not a common sight on board the Star Bearing. He used to have to get up early with the rest of the crew, as he was responsible for much of the cleaning, so he knew their demeanor—it wasn't this. Since his transformation, though, he was in charge of navigation by the stars, which kept him up later at night. He tended to keep the same awkward hours as the adventurers now, and he had even been able to convince Captain Tradaro to let him have a room near theirs, in the tavern portion of the ship that came up like a building in the middle of the boat.  Scouring out his window for any source of this music that seemed to pervade the entire ship, Rinian was unable to spot any source. He left his room, listening around the hallway; the music seemed to be just as loud no matter where he went. Nonetheless, Rinian searched.Rinian saw a blue-green-skinned scaly creature ahead, strumming an elaborate gold harp. It's voice soothed him as its music rang out across the ship, but Rinian was too curious to just dance or sing along.  "I haven't seen you aboard," he said. The creature seemed startled to be interrupted from its music. "I have not finished my song," it replied. "Yes, well, I'm sorry, but how did you get on board?"  The creature began strumming again on its harp, though its music was no longer accompanied by its singing. "I have climbed aboard in order to bring you my master's song of alliance.""Recently," it continued, "mindless hordes of sea creatures have begun attacking my people. Normally we live in harmony with the creatures of the sea, but some psychic force is corrupting them and interfering with my master's own psychic power. We have come to your ship in peace, as we know what great powers ride along your vessel, and we require your assistance." "These hordes have been attacking us as well, you know." "Yes, and we have seen how well you have dispatched them. We have not had as much luck, and we have suffered many casualties." Rinian realized that having powerful adventurers aboard surely has had a positive effect on the Star Bearing's ability to defend itself. He's also noticed that the attacks only started about as recently as they visited that blizzard island, so he asks. "These attacks, do they have anything to do with the blizzard that recently struck a nearby island?" The merrow looked solemnly at Rinian. "Yes," it said. "My master fears that some ancient being that dwelt on that island has recently awoken, causing the cold. It now lurks in the sea with untold intentions, causing havoc." "So what is it you think we can do to help?" Rinian asked. "Why did you come to the Star Bearing?" "My master believes there is help to be found among you." "Well," Rinian began, "what help are you looking for?" The merrow glared deeply at Rinian, its eyes slightly narrowing, evaluating him fully. "It is you I came for. Did you not wonder why my music held entranced all but you?" Indeed, the merrow was still strumming its harp; in their conversation, Rinian had ceased to notice.                      "Oh," Rinian replied bluntly. "The stars have changed recently, does this have anything to do with it?" "Of course. Now come; all this strumming has loosened one of my finger scales."                      The merrow stowed its harp and reached for Rinian. Reluctantly, the misshapen boy took the fish creature's hand. And when he did, the world went white. * * * * *Re-reading just the story part of my original post, I made a few slight changes, but there's still some stuff that probably seems totally out of place or unexplained . . . there are details in my original thread that unfortunately never quite made it to the prose portion of my writing. So, you'll just have to play along <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> (Or, you could read the full version in the thread linked in my original post, but only if you have plenty of time on your hands <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />)~ fissionessence</blockquote>

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