Kartakass: Chapter Six : A foreign land

[BigBadQDaddy]

"And a good day to you, Quartermaster. The name is Bill Cante. Myself, my associate and a small handful of others are in need of a good ship with a fine crew who can take us to the core lands. Preferably the South East."
William casts a glance at Jacob before returning his attention to the quartermaster.
"And we would also like to leave as soon as possible. Tell me, do you have anything that meets our needs?"

[steveflam]

The man sits back and appraises both William and Jacob with a practiced eye. They appear seaworthy enough. If their friends are as much, then perhaps this might work. They seem to be discreet and the passenger of the King's Ransom never stated he didn't want any others aboard with him. He just specified a quiet trip in anonymity. Though why the old man wants to be alone is beyond me.

This can work but I'll get some extra coin to round out my month.

The man pushes his glasses back up off his nose, Clearing his throat, he addresses William. "As it happens, Effendi Cante, there is a seaworthy vessel leaving for Martira bay in Darkon this very day. For me to secure you passage will be costly at this late hour."

Jacob smiles and reaching down to his belt, removes a pouch. He tosses it to the man, who catches it quite dexteriously. "I think you'll find that is more than enough to get us aboard this vessel, good sir."

The man opens the pouch and his eyes go wide a moment before he gathers his composure. "This will do handsomely, Effendi. Give me a moment to get your papers in order. How many are you? This will include cabins for each of you and your friends and meals served in your cabins."

Jacob looks at the man. HE had been confident that the man would find them passage. Strange how gems could arrange most things. Especially passage on a seaworthy vessel. "In all, there are six people. Make the proper arrangements, please. The ship is docked where and what is it's name?"

The man looks up from his furious writing and stamping of what look like official looking papers to tell them where to go. They had less than two hours before the ship left. Once the man handed them their papers, William had a look at them. They looked official and would do fine. The two quickly left and headed back to the others. It took them less than half of an hour to arrive back to the party.

Once it was explained what was happening the party made sure the elephants were safely hidden and headed into Tvashtri. In less than thirty minutes they were aboard the ship. It was bustling with sailors, though for the most of you that seemed to be normal. To William it brought back memories. He surveyed the ship with a practiced eye after he settled in. Strangely absent were passengers and this was definitely a passenger ship. An elderly man was up on deck, sitting in a chair and reading a book. He wore nondescript clothing. He appeared to be over sixty but younger than seventy. He looked up and observed William and offered a shy smile. Then he returned to his lecture.

[VAN]

Van looks the crew as he is heading to his cabin. They seem competent to him and that makes him feel a little better. The wizard has never made a mist travel before and this makes him nervous. He goes to William and asks in low voice:

"The ship...is ok now? I mean the travel will be safe right?"

[Ail]

Lucius climbs abord with the others, strangely uneasy. He had never sailed before, but he welcomed the experience. What did trouble him, though, was the same absence of passengers William had already noted.

He looked at the elder man, reading his book, and tried to devise what it was the man was reading.

[steveflam]

The man looks up at Lucius. He gets a better look at him than William. He wears glasses and though his clothing is nondescript and plain, he has an air of nobility about him. The man marks his place in this book and closes it. Beckong to Lucius, he sets the book down on the table in front of him. The cover is plain and beaten leather, butr has no writing on it.

"Please, join me young sir. I meet so little people that it is refreshing to see others, besides the crew here. Tell, me what brings you and your friends to the King's Ransom. You aren't Sri Rajins, that's obvious. By the looks of you all, I gather you are most from Darkon, except for that well dressed chap. He has an air of an, well to put it mildly, an outlander." The man speaks in a very clear Mordentish voice.

[Ail]

Lucius bows, but carefully. The man has a sharp eye.

"I'm afraid we have been trapped in the mists before. We seek merely to return to the main land" he answers, trying not to reveal their true story, neither confirming their Darkonian origin.

He averts his eyes from the book, not meaning to sound rude or uncouth, and sits in the chair offered to him.

"And you, sir, you too seem a bit out of place in these lands. What brings you here?"

[steveflam]

The man smiles at Lucius, eyes alert for one of his age. "Why, I am here on a hiatus of sorts. I enjoy visiting lands and experiencing other cultures and all that they have to offer me. You'd be surprised at what a person can learn of different lands by where they go and how they go about their daily activities" the man responds.

[ewancummins]

Cornelius is walking about the deck, prodding at the boards with a long stick he'd found in the jungle.

''Seems solid enough. Heh! ''

He ambles over to join the others.

[steveflam]

The old man looks at Cornelius. "Ah Herr Dwarf, please, join us! So little do I have the chance to speak with one of your race." The man beams and is about to say something else, when he stops. "Ah please, where are my manners. I've been lax in my etiquette. For personal as well as professional reasons, I can't reveal to you my real name. But you may call me Herr Doctor if it pleases you. I just ask that you return the favor by letting me ask your names."

The man picks his book up and opens it to a blank page. He looks up from his book. "Ah forgive me" even as a pen and ink vial seem to have appeared in his hand and on the table. He scribbles a few words, and satisfied, continues "I take notes on most things. Having lived as long as I have it comes in handy for when you forget things. This will be a profitable voyage I think. Maybe we can all dine together and spend the rest of the trip exchanging tales? An old man like myself has nothing better to do than tell tales and learn of others' experiences!"

[ewancummins]

Cornelius plops down his pack and sits on top oif it. He takes out his pipe, packs it, and lights it. A couple of puffs, and he's got a good smoke going.

''Tales, eh? Sure. I've a tale for you all, if you wish to hear it. It's about dwarf-folk.''

[steveflam]

The man looks at Cornelius with interest even as he grips his pen. His dips it in the vial, then motions for the dwarf to go on. "Please, Herr Dwarf, go on. I'll reward you with some information I'm sure you could use in your travels, I assure you."

[ewancummins]

Cornelius looks about at his companions, to check for any objections, then begins his little tale;


''In the days of our longfathers, our folk dwelt in a faraway land beyond the mists. It was a place of cold mountains, high enough to scrape the vault of heaven. Valleys and canyons cut deep into the massif, and in the deepest vales we lived in towns built of stone. We kept sheep and goats, and grew earth-apples in our gardens. From the earth we took metals and precious stones, and our crafters turned these into the finest of weapons, armor, and jewelled ornaments.

We were not alone in that country, for there were men and elves who lived in some of the vales. With them we traded, only fighting if our honor had been slighted. Other valleys were home to boar-men and grimfangs, those we fought without mercy, a war to the death. The glaciers and high peaks were haunted by the most dangerous of our foes- the shaggy ice-giants- dreadful creatures without the power of speech, but possessed of a terrible cruelty and animal cunning.

More than concern over raids by the grimfangs or the boar-men, it was fear of the ice-giants that kept the clans from fighting overmuch. You see, if we became too few in numbers through feuding, then the giants might descend upon our weakened villages like an avalanche. They ate any flesh- dwarf, goat , man, it made no difference.''

Cornelius pauses to puff on his pipe, then goes on,

''The dwarf-folk hunted the ice-giants in those days. We fought them with fire and steel, for the could not abide the touch of either. They hunted us in turn, using all of their great strength and base cunning to murder any dwarf they could catch. The giants would send rocks and snow down upon us, or seek to ambush us when blizzards obscured our vision. ''

Cornelius takes his lizard out of his pack and lays it on the deck to soak up the warm Rajian sun.

''We learned from our years of fighting the icewalkers. We learned to make traps to catch them with rockfall traps and pits. We dug tunnels and built our villages underground, where we could protect our people from raids. Ah, and we learned to fight giants by dodging about, rolling on the ground, getting underfoot without being squashed flat!

In time, our people had to leave our homeland, when the Fimbulwinter blew, and the sun itself was eaten by the Night-wolf. Everything died from the chill, except the hungry giants. A way through the mists was found, though that is a tale for another day.

We've never forgotten our old foes, the ice giants, and to this day we practice our skills of battle against their kind. Who knows if they followed us through the mists?''




''

[lostboy]

Draven leans against the rail staring out into the crowd at the port. Why was there was always a crowd at a port? He muses perhaps some would rather be alone with their thoughts.

Pulling his hood lower over his face and hugging the cloak around his thin frame he scans the crowd, as if looking for recognition of something. After a few minutes he sighs deeply and turns away, nothing is here, nothing yet anyway.

Feelign generally miserable at the lack of answers in this land, a land that promised so much for a brief moment, he wanders the decks aimlessly, before alighting on the others talkign to the old man.

Coming to lean nearby, with a polite nod ot all concerned, he listens to the conversation whilst keeping one eye on who or what comes up the gangplank.

[steveflam]

The old man looks up from his scribblings after Cornelius finishes his tale. "Very good, Mein Herr. I rather enjoyed that. In my room I have a book for you which you might find helpful in your pursuits. It's nothing much, but I think the thought counts. Give me a few moments."

The man gets up from his chair, taking his items with him. He returns several minutes later with a small leather covered book. It is in better condition than his earlier book. No title adorns it. He hands it over to Cornelius. "I hope this might help you in your travels, mein Dwarf. I bid you all a good afternoon. Shall we reconvene in the dining room for supper?"

When he gets an answer he leaves and heads back to his cabin, which as yours, is down below.

[ewancummins]

''Thank you kindly sir.''