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Message: <blockquote data-quote="el-remmen" data-source="post: 4465491" data-attributes="member: 11">Session #26 – “Challenges, Trials & Tests”(part 2 of 4) The remaining Signers of the Charter of Schiereiland discussed more details of what they had found in Kraken’s Cover with Esperson of Tefnut as they waited for Bleys to return.  However, the watch-mage was gone for some time, so they said goodbye to the waveservant, and walked down the sea wall towards the fortress. As they walked, Timotheus leaned over to Markos, “You set your sights too high…”“Huh?”“Charlotte.”“You are assuming Markos had prurient intent,” Telémahkos said, overhearing.  “Yeah, I meant what I said, I was just interested… you know, magically,” Markos sputtered.“Even Markos know when some is out of his league, unlike you, cousin,” Telémahkos laughed.“Uh-huh,” Timotheus gave him a nod and a wink.“You make me sick!” Markos said, getting close to Timotheus as he bristled with anger. “You are just as bad an elitist as any other noble despite your background… How dare you say I am not in her league?”“Oh yeah, that reminds me,” Timotheus replied grinning. “You are way too on the fragile and sensitive side for her…”“We should have told Esperson about Harliss,” Laarus said, changing the subject.  When Bleys caught back up with them, they had stopped at near one side of the seawall ramparts and were arguing about what information could be safely given to whom.Timotheus stepped away to catch the watch-mage up.“Laarus wants to tell Esperson about <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Harliss+Javell" target="_blank">Harliss</a> and her role in what happened at Kraken’s Cove and at the Vanderboren Manse,” Timotheus said. “Amazingly, Markos agrees with him, but Telémahkos is against it.”“And where do you stand?” Bleys asked him.“I’d rather not rat her out,” Timotheus said.  “Better the devil we know and all that… She may not be the most honorable person, but at least it was possible to negotiate with her, that may prove useful in the future if we ever run into her again… Anyway, she has a soft spot for me…”“Really?”“Sure! You could see it in her eyes,” Timotheus stood up straight, puffed out his muscled chest and grinned. “You could totally tell she wanted a big ole piece of Timotheus…”Bleys the Aubergine walked past his companion and began to listen in on the others. Markos was once again going over why he felt they should let Esperson know about Harliss and the involvement of the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Red+Lantern+Gang" target="_blank">Red Lanterns</a>, Laarus nodding.“If we rat her out she will never trust us if we are ever in a position where we need to cut a deal with her again,” Timotheus said.“What kind of a deal would we possibly want to make with her? I was reluctant the first time, I cannot imagine agreeing to it a second,” Bleys protested.“And yet, it did happen once,” Telémahkos smirked.“We should tell Esperson not only of Harliss, but what we know of the pearls that caused the change, and Vanthus’ search for more…” Laarus of Ra asserted.  “He has come offering help and is a loyal follower of a noble goddess…”The discussion began again in earnest, this time with Bleys’ input.  Suddenly, with a spontaneity and lack of reasoning that only one who venerated <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Bast" target="_blank">the cat goddess, Bast</a>, Telémahkos walked away from his companions, hustling out on the sea wall to look for Esperson and talk to him on his own.“Um, Captain?” Telémahkos said when he found Esperson still out on the wall looking out at the sea. “We were talking over what we knew and decided it was important to give you more information, that at first we thought might not be relevant… but perhaps it is…”Telémahkos went on to explain about the pearl that had affected the transformation on the people of Kraken’s Cove, and of the bullywug shaman’s warning regarding ‘the savage tide.’ [sup]1[/sup] “But we aren’t sure what that means…” Telémahkos added.  “Have you heard that term before?”“No…” Esperson answered as if trying to figure out what it might be. He shook his head and looked to Telémahkos again. “I am glad you have shared this with me…”“There is more…” Telémahkos went on to explain that the party speculated that Vanthus Vanderboren was looking for more similar pearls, and mentioned the map with the notes and pinholes.[sup]2[/sup]“I want to see that map…” Holy Captain Esperson replied. “And if possible to have one of the navigator on my crew make a copy of it…”“I would have to ask my companions, but they should agree…” Telémahkos sounded unsure.“It would be a great favor to House Wetherwax, as I think these pearls and this danger to the fleet are related… I know that I would be personally grateful and would do what I could to return the favor… Perhaps arrange passage for you when you take some long journey that requires a sturdy ship?”Telémahkos hustled back to his companions and explained Esperson’s request, but expressed his own reservations. “We cannot necessarily trust House Wetherwax…”“We should let him copy the map in return for letting us copy some of his,” Markos said.“He offered passage on his or another ship which is something we know we need as opposed to maps that may or may not be helpful…” Telémahkos replied.“Maps are always helpful!” Markos protested.“It doesn’t matter… I am still not sure… What if the map falls into the hands of someone else, someone in House Wetherwax that is seeking the pearls?” Telémahkos speculated.  He and Markos fell to arguing, drowning out the suggestions of the others.“I wish you’d keep you gods-damned voice down!” Telémahkos snapped.“I wish the two of them would fnck and get it over with already,” Timotheus complained, leaning over to Bleys with a smirk. The watch-mage made no sign of acknowledging the warrior’s bawdy words.“Look!” Timotheus finally spoke up. “If Wetherwax are traitors we are screwed already, so if we have to trust someone this seems like the people to trust…”“I agree…” Bleys intoned.“If you say so…” Telémahkos turned to hurry off and bring the message of agreement to Esperson, but Bleys and Markos insisted on accompanying him.  After a brief pause, Laarus and Timotheus followed as well.“To not hand over this map would be negligent,” Esperson said, when everyone was gathered out on the wall again. A light rain began to fall, but the Waveservant of Tefnut did not seem to mind.  “It is a critical piece of information in our defense…”“Why critical?” Bleys asked.“The pearls must be the means of attack against the fleet,” Esperson said. “Imagine several of these pearls set off at once on different ships or ports… Imagine the carnage as you described in Kraken’s Cove spread out throughout <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Thricia" target="_blank">Thricia</a>…”“Yes… It makes sense…” Bleys brought one of his large calloused hands to his chin and smoothed the beard he was growing in.An agreement was made.  Markos would meet Holy Captain Esperson Wetherwax’s navigator at the RMN Spiritwind in a couple of days, and would sit with him while he made the map.  On the way back to <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Death+%26+Taxes" target="_blank">Death & Taxes</a> all the slight mage could talk about was his hope to get a look at the navigator’s maps while he was there, and perhaps copy some. If his companions listened to his hurried monologue, they gave no indication.--------------------------------------------Hours later back at the inn, a tipsy Telémahkos arrived with a buxom woman on his arm, while a drunken Timotheus made his way up the stairs to sleep it off.  Telie and the perfumed and thickly made-up woman joined Bleys where he was nursing a bowl of soup and a large mug of warmed milk.  The affable-ne’er-do-well and the watch-mage fell to talking about the latter’s sister.Telémahkos grew uncomfortable as he feared he heard points on the ends of Bleys’ words and the woman, whose name he could suddenly not even remember clutched at his arm and pawed his chest, giggling at everything he said whether it was meant to be a joke or not.  He stood up to fetch more drinks and as he came back he felt the back of his seat get slammed by someone sitting at the table behind theirs and he was awkwardly pinned there for a moment.  He squeezed out and stood, turning around.“Excuse you!” said the young man at the next table.  He spoke roughly, standing as he did so.  If he were taller than Telémahkos it was not by much, but he had dark brown curls to Telie’s golden blond, and he was paler.  He wore a wide brimmed velvet jacket over a frilled off-white shirt and brown breeches tied into tall boots. He wore a rapier at his side.  It was tied in a peace knot as local ordinance demanded. [sup]3[/sup]“I think you mean ‘excuse me,” Telémahkos corrected him.“No, it is you that needs the excuse,” the young man’s grew flush.  “For you are a sorry excuse for a swordsman from what I hear!”  His hand dropped down to the hilt of this blade and Telémahkos took half a step and made ready to pull his own.  The man let out a nervous laugh of derision. “Listen here, boy… Perhaps you should run along before you get entangled with a noble from House…” Telémahkos began to bluster with bravado.“Tenbrook?” The man suggested.“No, Briareus… You?”The young man relaxed and smiled when he heard the answer. “I am of House Kilgante!” He announced proudly.“House Kilgante? Should I know this name? I know no such house…”“The man who ran Kraven’s Cove,” Bleys said, calmly.  He had pushed his chair back to keep the angry young man in his vision, but continued eating his soup.  The common room was growing crowded and people were looking over at the commotion.  “The man whose sword you carry…”“And by what right do you carry that sword?” The young swordsman’s voice grew louder, and a bit shrill.“Because I found it,” Telémahkos was dismissive.“I am Danser Von Huet Blued! I was Kilgante’s last and only student, and as such heir to that blade,” Young Danser explained.  “Will you hand it over to me?”“I have won it by right of salvage and by virtue of surviving the horrors of the massacre at the cove,” Telémahkos explained.“Give it up or duel for it,” Danser replied, his voice finally coming to an even tone.“Go back to <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Lilly+City" target="_blank">Lilly City</a>!” The voice was a heckler from the crowded common room.  Everyone was paying attention now and discussing the situation.  “Take your duels elsewhere or you’ll get the bum’s rush!”“I ask you again, are you prepared to hand over <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Magical+Item+-+The+Steel+Whip" target="_blank">the Steel Whip</a>, or shall we duel for it?” Danser asked again.“Let us go, now… Outside the city…” Telémahkos suggested.“No! We will duel in Lilly City,” Danser said. “I know you and your friends have pull here and I am not going to be tricked into entanglements with the local law.  It will be Lilly City.”“I don’t have time for these games,” again Telémahkos had a dismissive tone.“Then give me the sword.”“You know I will not do that,” Telémahkos said. “And I will not go to Lilly City…”“Then everyone shall know of your cowardice,” Danser replied.“I am a signed member of a chartered group,” Telémahkos explained. “I cannot simply get up and go where I please…”“That is of no concern of mine.”“Bleys?” Telémahkos turned to the watch-mage. “Do you think we could take a quick trip over to Lilly City, for… business…?”“I do not see why not,” Bleys replied.“Fine.  Lilly City it is,” Telémahkos said to Danser.  The young man smiled, showing a gold tooth.“Seek me out there within a fortnight at the Silver Harbor, and it shall be arranged,” the swordsman replied. He picked up his drink and finished it, and then took up his floppy hat from the table and put it on.“It shall be no great feat to take the sword from a weakling such as you,” Danser gave on final jab.“Leave, for if you continue to insult me we shall have to fight here and now,” Telémahkos barked.  Danser flashed his tooth and skipped out of Death & Taxes.“Lilly City’s local laws being as they are…” Bleys said to Telémahkos as the swordsman left. “If you end up killing him the consequences will be somewhat mitigated there…” [sup]4[/sup]…to be continued…-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Notes:(1) See Sessions #6 through #8.(2) Lavinia Vanderboren found this map among her brother’s things in the Vanderboren Quillton Manse.  <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Map+-+Vanthus%27+Map" target="_blank">Click here</a> to view it.(3) In Sluetelot all weapons are to be worn with peace-knots at all times. However, as nobles, this law is never enforced on the Signers of the Charter of Schiereiland.(4) The laws of Lilly City are such that duels are allowed as a legitimate means to settle disputes, and have even been used as means to enforce laws or enact punishment by more traditional legitimate authorities, like judges, priests of Ra and watch-mages.</blockquote>

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