Replying to Shiro’s gesture with a muted nod, Ohmen follows. Shortly after Wisdom follows, swooping past back into the air before perching atop a collection of railings to watch. With a sigh, Ohmen too enters back out into the fresh air and hollow light. Unbothered to change form, he paces forward and angles a stern gaze towards the harbourmaster. The feeling of heavy eyes saying more than words.
After a quick inspecting, the Dockmaster, rather annoyed, walks back to Drakk. "Lucky for you, the damage is minimal, so there is no charge," he says in a bitter tone, "but next time you get supplies delivered, have someone haul them over with a hand-truck instead of rolling them into the dock!" Everyone else approaching the docks, you arrive just as the Dockmaster is leaving.
In the meantime, an issue has arrived. You took a moment to look over the map that the Master Trader gave you, and apparently weren't listening too well. The map will take you to Salk'nath, a lizardman settlement in Sakhara. At the moment you have these options: 1: Talk to Eugene, get directions to Kithmali. 2: Use the Master Trader's map and go to Salk'nath. 3: Blunder around the asteroid belt looking for the orc base of operations. 4: Go to another island on Vyapor and see what you can find. 5: Other.
Walking over only to see the harbourmaster leaving, Ohmen turns to Drakk and the others who still stood beside the dock. And with a notion, backed up by the sound of Wisdom’s flapping wings as the raven headed back to the boat He speaks with a deep breath. ‘Now that we are all here, I suggest that we hold a meeting or such on the ship, else problems and issues like this one, they are fated.’ Returning to the deck and the ship's interior, Ohmen clears the cold central table of its dust and neglect… the commotion and sound of several feet on wooden boards sure enough to drive Bing Bang from his hiding places. And having Waited for the others to arrive, Ohmen speaks in a strange blend of somewhat soothing, flowing yet purposeful tones. ‘I am in favour of getting a destination in mind, lest we sit here squirming in the mud. And as Shiro suggested, turn ourselves to organisation and roles. The blood of any well-working crew.’ Meanwhile, Wisdom perches on the table’s edge ‘Curiously’ inspecting Big bangs scrawled out notes and pouch made heavy with weight of gold.
While all of this is going on, Drew was examining the ship, strategizing where to put a light ballista.
Shiro leans forwards on the table, both hands palm down as he surveys those assembled. "I see two votes that need to be taken, or accords to be made," looking at Drakk he awaits a nod of assent before continuing, "we should allocate duties betweens Helsmen and look-outs. Once we get a ballista we need a gunner rotation, but for now those are the two functions we must have. I vote that the three casters, meaning Ohmen, Drakk and myself rotate as helmsmen and the other three rotate as look-outs." "In terms of destination, my vote is to head to the goblin settlement following the map we were given and the note to the master diplomat of the lizard people as the master trader said she would help us find the settlement and take us one step closer to ending the threat of the Scro." With that he seats himself and awaits responses from his fellows.
Turning from Wisdom and the glint of gold, Ohmen begins, talking with slowly with subtle, inconclusive hand gestures. "I am indeed willing to be a helmsman.… We should rotate daily. But, if certain situations arise, Consider the magics which we possess and to what end they are trained…As for the lookouts, Wisdom too has eyes, and I am sure she has no issue with helping to look out if not by my side." At that moment Wisdom flicks her head to the side. The raven clacking its beak and looking at Ohmen a few seconds before leaping up, catching the thrown berry in its beak. "As for Destination… If not for pay, I do not care about the Scro so long as they stay out of my way… And thus if we are to travel, I propose we make the selling of the jewels a priority meaning Kithmaili would be the place to head… there too we can search for someone willing to pay us to attack the Scro... Rather than seek to make trivial justice and nothing more in matters I care not for.." Ohmen stops for a second, before Wisdom interrupts, the raven’s beak still dripping from the berries…Perhaps speaking of thoughts Ohmen considered... ‘JuStice. A H-Hollow concept balanced on flimsy desires. A-Another ChaiN by which Man is bound.’ Swiftly moving on from Wisdoms comment, Ohmen turns to Drakk. ‘How long do you think it will take you to get the Gems worked?’
Drakk pauses for a minute before grabbing his bag at the side of his belt and looking through the gems. Then he looks up and says "I think it could take a decent bit of time, a couple weeks? However we were told that Payment could be arranged if we killed the Scro menace here on Vyapor. So perhaps we take a little stop by the home of the Scro and 'pay them a little visit'. Also I think in the meantime I will get to work writing us all a contract. Don't worry Ohmen on no way will it bind any of us to service, just account for liability, basic ship rules, and most importantly, PAYMENT!"
From the Geonomicon: Travels in the Arcane Inner Flow... Tayrik: From a distance, Tayrik is an unassuming planet, appearing just like any other earth-type world one may have seen in their travels. Lots of oceans, about a third of the planet covered in land, different climate zones, and so forth. But as you approach this absolute behemoth of a world, the truth becomes apparent. This is an earth-type world the size of the biggest air-world giant I have ever seen! There is a sense of size, of immensity, that comes over you when approaching a planet of any kind, but I have never experienced a feeling like that of approaching Tayrik! Big does not begin to describe it! You could fit the surface area of most other planets on Tayrik fourteen or fifteen times over! Tayrik has, last I heard, sixteen continents!
"I have already discussed further payment, here on Vyapor, With the harbourmaster. There will be no more other than this very ship. Not here, not now. The town was stricken of that ability. Their priorities turned to repair and recovery. A thirst for payback unable to be quenched, gold found lacking. " "Simply put. We have no reason to rush ourselves to this cause so quickly. Why waste a ripe potential from which so much more can be reaped… Do not let a thirst cloud your judgment. I think we are underestimating the Scro… And as they say," Ohmen looks to wisdom, who returns his gaze before speaking. ‘O-Ovverconfidence, it is a slow and insidiouss killer.’ "I say Let us first sell the Gems, see what payments we can arrange for the Scro, and look into at minimum a light ballista using said gold... It is not that I lack faith in our capabilities. Just consider this, The Scro, they would not be where they are now if anyone with a ship and a sword can break their knee. Yes, we have means. But we lack speed, and we lack weaponry. And we lack reason if you still insist to drive to your doom without preparation or caution."
Drakk nods to Ohmen before replying "I agree with that. I say we head to Kithmali, we could ask Eugene for directions. Anyways after we decide, I'm going to start the work on our contract, in order to continue service on this vessel I will expect everyone to sign it. Don't worry like I said it's nothing crazy, just making sure people get paid and can't exploit us. You will all be able to review the terms of course before you sign."
Shiro huffs slightly to himself. "I am loathe to leave the Scro to their activities with no retribution upon them." He shrugs, "But I can see the logic in heading to Kithmali and to see this. You have, after all, before I arrived struck a blow to the Scro in both damages to their ship and cutting down their numbers. This is relevant and makes my soul more at ease in leaving. I would agree to a trip to Kithmali."
Tayrik, cont: A quick check with a scientifically minded elf I know in Mirial's Rock proved the answer I wanted. Tayrik is over 200,000 miles in circumference! That is over eight times the circumference of my own home world! Truly, an earth-type planet of monumental proportions! While I was there, my elf friend also warned me that Tayrik is something called a Nexus-World. Apparently, gates to other planes and worlds open up upon the planet with alarming frequency! As a result, there are hundreds of different cultures and races scattered across the planet! Were the planet any smaller, wars among the differing cultures would crop up constantly! I spent a year exploring Tayrik, just to see what I could find. Kirsanthia in the center of one continent reminded me of Byzantium back home. Kithmail and the surrounding kingdoms were a blend of Persian and Greek culture. Mirial's Rock was about as magic-centric as you could get, complete with a stunningly large Academy of Magic and Science! Everywhere I went I found new things to look at, new cultures, and such an astonishing variety of kingdoms, countries, and people! Were I to spend an elf's lifetime exploring this planet, I doubt I could see everything it has to offer!
‘Good judgment’ Ohmnen gives shiro a nod, before turning to Drakk with somewhat of a glare and a quick response. ‘Though like I said and previously mentioned Drakk. Do not expect me to sign anything. My promises can be put into words, not paper. And no, no scrawl of ink will prevent me from ‘Continuing service on this vessel.’ His voice slowing down a little, his arms opening out, Ohmen gestures to everyone with the palm of his rusted gauntlets open. “Besides, I think we should all have an equal say in this… and after I have seen it, I am fine with agreeing in voice and I'm sure everyone else is too.”
As the party discusses where to go, Shiro sits head in hand. The arguments had merit both ways, he could see his desire to exterminate the Scro could have clouded his mind. A cold spike of fear ran through him, was this the influence of the other upon his soul? Was this the beginning of his road to damnation. Gritting his teeth, he turned his attention back to the conversation. Something... giggles at the back of his mind. He couldn’t put his finger on it. So,thing that Eugene had said earlier... something the Kobolds had said... something implied by the master trader... it was if a puzzle rotated before him and if he could just put the last piece in the whole would be revealed to him. Maybe Eugene could help, especially considering his knowledge of Kithmali, Standing, he addressed the other crew members. “Friends, before we decide on our course of action, we should take advantage of the fact that we have an experienced traveller of Kithmali still here in port, I will ask Eugene to join us so he can share his wisdom.” Shiro leaves the vessel to bring Eugene.
Tayrik, cont: The issue with Tayrik, the biggest issue, is the sheer size. No one country has, to my knowledge, ever controlled more than about ten percent of the available land. That was the Elven Kingdom of Aurithicia, about five thousand years ago, and no country has come close since. As a result, trying to keep track of what country you're about to visit - or which ones embrace Spelljamming and have viable ports - can be a little difficult, especially if it has been a few years since your last visit! ***** It doesn't take you long to return to Spinrifter, Shiro. At the moment, a group of kobolds are loading crates of ore onto the ship using a crude A-frame crane and a large winch. Despite the machinery being utilized, the work is going fairly quickly. Eugene is sitting on the docks, using one of the crates as a chair as you approach. He's got his pipe out again and is currently enjoying a smoke. <Oh, hello Shiro! What can I do for you?> he asks as you step up to him.
Shiro bows. Even with their limited time together Eugene had still done enough to qualify him for deep respect from the ex-paladin. "Eugene. Greetings and may your mind meld with the cosmos. My friends and I are debating our next move, now that we have earned our own ship through their previous actions." He gestures to the Dragonfly Class Ship. "Would you be willing to come aboard and share your knowledge of Kithmali with us?"
But to your surprise, the illithid shakes his head. <I am sorry, Shiro, that I cannot do. I have to be here, for the next several hours, as my presence as Captain of the Spinrifter is required for cargo loading. If you and your friends wish to come here, I can speak with all of you, but the earliest I could stop by your ship is tomorrow.>
"Of course, you are clearly loading. I will ask them to come." Shiro travels back to the Payback, gathers the rest of the party (apart from Big Bang who seems to have gone to grond after his brush with local law enforcement) and brings them back to Eugene. "We would appreciate whatever you can tell us."
Bang still hiding away finds a box of "cereal" He nabs it and starts crunching away, and as he eats he peeks out for air and to see if anyone has come in