[All the landlubbers went ashore last time, to try and find the mystery of the sinking ships. In their search, they found that a ship recently took off for the Veil of Mists. Could it be them? Maybe. But our group won't trust a dear old helpful little guard so part of them went off for the harbor master while the other half went for the local drinking establishment.] [Virgil leads the pack, heading along the coastal reef to the harbor master's office. The office overlooks the sea on the cliffside and the waves crash against the rocks below. Best watch your step.] [Session...Begin!] * Virgil walks along, using his walking stick to keep balance. "Let's hope I can get some answers here." he mumbles to himself. * Nasira grins at Virgil. "I'm sure you'll get some sorta answer." ("Down the hall and to the right.") * Virgil blinks and looks back. "What makes you so sure?" Because who isn't going to give you something? I mean, even if it's an "I don't know", it's still an answer. You have a point. So glad that you've noticed. Yes, well, I am interested as to why you're following me. * Nasira grins. "Because maybe I can pick a fight with the harbor master." That all? Because Shan's going, and where she goes, I go. I already mentioned this. Well, then why is Shan going? Why don't you ask her? She can speak for herself. I believe I just did. * Shan continues on her way in blissful ignorance. Shan? Yes? I asked you a question. Oh, did you? As you weren't addressing me, I had assumed you meant some other Shan. * Virgil eyes Shan. "I just did address you." But you haven't asked me a question. Unless you are reconfirming my name, in which case, yes, it is still Shan. * Virgil rubs his head. "Okay. Why are you going?" I hope to ask the harbor master a few questions. * Nasira snickers. Like? Maybe I can help ask them for you, as I actually know what's going on over the seas? I simply wish to know more about the ship's destinations and manifes. * Virgil shrugs and continues. [The door to the harbor master's office looms ahead. Loom.] * Shan blinks and whispers to Nasira. "Why did he ask the question if he wasn't interested in hearing the answer?" * Nasira whispers back, "I dunno. I think I already explained the whole 'gonna get an answer' thing, though." * Virgil opens the door. "I just thought I could save you some time and ask him for you, so you could go enjoy the town or whatnot." [Virgil opens the door. This is a relatively small office. Most of the main waitroom is full of maps and sea charts as well as a hanging nautical wheel and nets. There's only one floor and the door to the actual office is wide-open. In it you can see a man, balding except for a brown goatee, sitting at his desk going over some paperwork.] ( It's JesseLman >.> ) (Nah. Since when has Jesse filed paperwork?) (Now?) ( *harborpimpmusic* ) (Hehe.) * Virgil walks in. "Hello, Harbor Master?" * Nasira walks in a bit behind Shan, whenever she enters. [The man looks up from his paper work. He's got a puffy renaissance shirt and pantaloons but mostly he speaks of Atmosphere (TM). "Hmm?"] * Shan walks in a bit before Nasira, because she has to wait for her. * Nasira doesn't seem to care if Shan's rubbing it in or not. * Shan isn't. Yes, I'd like to have access to the records on the ship 'Iron Maiden.' In particular, the information on its cargo and travel plans. The 'Iron Maiden' you say? Sounds familiar... It should. This is the last port it visited before disapearing. Hmm... [He goes to fetch some documents. Now loading...] [He comes back with a few documents and looks them over for a moment before sprawling them out for Virgil's perusal. There's probably enough room for another person looking over his shoulder but not all three at once.] * Virgil adjusts his glasses and starts looking over the documents at a rapid pace. * Shan looks over Virgil's shoulder. * Nasira taps her foot and looks around. [Shan learns, sadly, that she cannot read Maltan. ;_;] * Shan learns that she can't read Maltan, so she sticks the documents through Babelfish, and-- Oh, wait. * Shan instead says, "What do they say, Virgil?" * Virgil will tell you when he finds out from the GM. * Shan probably still wouldn't have been able to understand them even if she could put them in Babelfish. [Meanwhile, Virgil looks it over. Seems two odd things about it. The next destination on the list was back to Port Rio but obviously the ship never made it back there. The other interesting thing is no out-of-the-ordinary cargo is listed. In fact, it's all distinctively ordinary. Wheat, sail cloth, sugar, salt. Nothing even seems to stand out.] Mmm... Nothing odd about it at all. Just heading back to Port Rio, with normal cargo. Nothing fancy. Through the Veil? You say it's disappeared though? That's... * Harbor Master looks at Shan. "Through the Veil? Why go through there? There's dangerous waters there and there's not all that much danger on the route to Port Rio. That seems utterly needless." I know little of seafaring, but it seems to me that if we arrived from Port Rio and did not have to go through the Veil, ought the other ship not be likely to return by the same route? * Harbor Master gives Shan a cursory look. "Where did you get the strange idea that the ship was headed through the Veil?" It was what the guards at the entrence of town told us. * Harbor Master chuckles and shuffles his papers. "I'm not sure where he got that notion. It's ludicrious. No one in their right mind would go through the Veil of Mists unless it were necessary." I mean..I've heard some ships passing through there from time to time but never merchant ships. What if something chased 'em in? * Shan nods to Nasira. "That's what I thought." * Virgil keeps looking over the documents to make sure they say what he thought they said. "That'd be the only explaination." * Nasira grins at Shan. "Great minds and all, right?" Well, certainly the most probable. I dunno about *only*, but what she said. It's surely possible...but... * Harbor Master gestures over the list. "They have nothing of import. It wouldn't make sense to go through the trouble." Nothing on the list is of import. That is precisely my point. What about the crew? But what if what was desired was not on the list? * Shan nods to Nasira. * Nasira chuckles a little. This is true. Commonly, as much as I'd hate to admit it, the most important cargo isn't listed for its own safety. Nothing unusual about the crew that I know of. Solid captain. Quiet first-mate. I never saw the cook if you think he was important. They don't come here often when they go ashore. * Shan shrugs. "It could be any explanation. Maybe they picked up a stowaway. Maybe one of the crew members was secretly royalty. Or it could just be they were smuggling valuable goods." It's certainly possible. We get plenty of those sorts around here, though usually they are caught before long. It could also be true that they headed into the Veil to meet with another ship, and recieve the goods there. After all, few people would think to check for them there, would they? But we could spend the rest of the day coming up with theories and not get anywhere. * Harbor Master frowns. "This is..quite true. I don't like this implication." All we need to know is where they went exactly, and a piece of the hull or a personal posession of one of the crew. From there, hopefully I can pinpoint what happened. * Shan smiles at the harbor master. "Forgive me. These are merely guesses." Huh. Personal possession you say? You wouldn't happen to have one, would you? * Harbor Master blinks. "Not as such, no. You're a Sorceror?" Can't you tell? * Virgil adjusts his glasses, almost emphasising his point. * Nasira gets bored again and goes back to looking around. * Harbor Master ahehes and rubs the back of his neck. "I haven't met many. Um..well, do signed documents count?" * Virgil hmmms... "I've never tried it myself." What've you got to lose? Besides your consciousness, sanity, and maybe soul? His pride. * Virgil eyes Nasira. "I'd rather not hurt myself again over a divination, thank you very much." * Nasira grins. "Okay, that too." I already covered that, I think. And, I doubt normal documentation would work, unless it was, say... A personal letter. * Harbor Master shakes his head. "None of that I'm afraid." He thinks for a bit. "Although I did see the first mate constantly carrying around a black diary. It was rather odd, I thought. Even here." A black diary? That'd work, but I doubt he left it here. * Harbor Master shakes his head. Thanks anyways. It isn't a trouble. I hope the guild can find what they're looking for. * Shan bows to the man. "Shall we be on our way?" * Virgil nods. "Me too... So where should we search next?" He waves to the Harbor Master. Well, I suppose we could ask random workers at the docks. * Nasira half-bows to him, then exits with Shan. "We could try bars, or a market, or something. Sailors gotta go somewhere, right?" That works, too. Bars sound fine with me. * Nasira looks to Shan. She's the boss. * Shan shrugs. "You would know better where to find sailors than I." Taverns usually. You're talking about Virgil, right? Either of you would. * Nasira snickers. "Yeah, sure. Bars then." * Nasira looks for... a bar! Or somesuch. It's not like there's a city directory. * Virgil walks out and looks for a bar or something! [Assuming that they're not cowardly and afraid to ask for directions, there is a bar to be found. Seems it's the only bar in town. In the distance, there's Naiya asking for directions annd...] [...everyone also sees a group of soldiers. Their armor seems to suggest that they're from Vithril. They're also talking to what looks like two twin children. Naiya may recognize them but the rest of you don't.] * Naiya just watches, for now. Getting involved with a group of soldiers seems like a bad idea. * Nasira spots that and doesn't react much beyond nudging Shan and saying, "Hey, isn't that Naiya?" [There seems to be an argument going on amongst them. One of the children is remaining completely calm while the other is grinning wildly. Even the kids look armed.] I believe so. I no of nobody else who would wear such... unusual armor. * Virgil stays away from the conflict too. Vithril never listen... * Shan doesn't! * Shan heads forwards, although not too close. She tries not to draw attention. * Nasira heads after Shan. She doesn't care about not drawing attention. So much for that. * Virgil still tries not to draw attention. But, maybe... * Virgil follows at a good distance. [The group don't seem to notice Shan. Heck, even you guys barely noticed she was gone until she was just over there. Nasira draws a little attention to herself but the soldiers didn't seem to notice. Did they? Who knows?] * Naiya notices Shan and Nasira. Naiya notices Shan and Nasira heading to the soldiers. This can't turn out well. * Nasira doesn't care, as stated before. [As you approach, you notice that the "children" are more in their mid-teens than actual children. Still fairly young though to be holding weapons. One of them is completely groomed and in a more formal coat and frilled shirt, his black hair in a neat ponytail. The other is wearing leather armor over his tunic and has quite a bit more of a wild look to him.] [Though the groomed one has a longsword at his side, it's hard to make out exactly what sort of weapon the other has. All you can see from this vantage point is a chain hanging from his belt.] [There's just a bit of the argument you can catch from the groomed teen. "So there's still no sign of her is there? We were so certain..." ] * Nasira stops. And looks around for Naiya while eavesdropping. [One of the soldiers (Naiya recognizes him as the irritable one who threw the mug) scoffs and says, "No. When are we going to get out of this backwater burg anyhow? It stinks."] [The boy looks back up at him, speaking as calm as ever. "Orders are orders. You above all should know better than to question. Unless you wish to answer to Lord Leon." [The other twin rubs his hands together. He never loses the grin as he speaks in a quick, ascending tone. "YesyesYES! Lord Leon'll know what to do about this. He always knows."] [The groomed boy waves them off. "Gather everyone. Tell them we're going to be headed off soon. You too, Shakra." [The other boy pouts for a second but then they all walk off, except for the groomed boy who turns right towards the rest of you without much of an expression. "Alright, you can come out now."] * Nasira grins at him, as she was standing in the open. "Out from where?" * Shan isn't hiding, she's out in the open and not paying attention to what that guy is doing. Really. * Naiya takes the cue, and steps out to where she's closer. She's looking down at the ground, trying to keep from looking at the kid directily, eye to eye. * Teen looks over Nasira calmly. "Either way, I'm certain you were trying to listen. Unless you would like me to believe in coincidence." Nope. You're right. I *was* trying to listen. So long as you intend to assist us without getting in our way, it matters not to me. * Virgil was trying to hide? * Naiya says, not in her usual voice, but rather in a not-nice voice, "You were talking loudly. If you're leaving, don't let us slow you down." * Nasira rasies an eyebrow, but doesn't lose her grin. "Why'd I wanna assist you, exactly? You've got a whole buncha nicely armed and clothed men to do it for you." I'm glad they're clothed, by the way. Wouldn't want them gettin' hurt. * Teen looks over Naiya and mentions casually, "A Zaxonite" as if someone else would say "Nice day." * Virgil walks behind Shan, finally catching up. "What's going on now?" * Teen then looks back at Nasira. "It matters not to me. The men are of little consequence. And if you do not wish to help, then I would rather not discuss matters with the uninvolved." I don't even know what you want me to help with. Making a deal's stupid when you don't know what's going on. And are you saying that the guys helping you aren't really helping, or are you saying that you don't care if they wear clothes or not? Indeed. Then I would kindly ask that you respect our business as I respect yours. * Teen doesn't seemed phased by Nasira's comment in the least. * Nasira grins. "Sure. And if you don't want people to hear you, you can not talk where people are coming and going and stopping right behind you." I will not help anyone who associates with those heathens. *she glances back at the others* I'll be at the ship. Excuse me. * Teen watches Naiya go. He doesn't crack a smile or much of, well, anything. * Naiya starts walking off, heading back to the docks. * Teen then looks at Nasira. "Perhaps you are right in that regard. Though I do not trully care if we were overheard or not. It does not matter. But is not the issue not to purposefully listen in on the conversations of others? * Virgil blinks. "As I didn't hear it, I'll be off now. I'll meet you two back at the ship." He walks off to the ship. If you don't care, why are you even talking to me about this? Either you care and can't admit you were stupid, or you just don't have anything better to do. * Nasira thinks. "And if a conversation's going on next to me, why can't I listen to it? I'm missing an eye, not an ear." * Shan rubs her head. I believe there are other possibilities. Would you too listen in on people speaking in a tavern and profess no wrong doing as you lean towards their table with a hand cupped over your ear? * Nasira grins. "Maybe I would. But it's not like I had a hand cupped over my ear, or that I invaded your personal space." I merely wished to inform you. No more, no less. If you can't be of any assistance, then I shall have to bid you farewell. Yeah, thanks a lot for the information. You're a strange kid. Shihra. Huh? I'm not a "strange kid." I have a name. It's Shihra. * Nasira looks at him oddly for a moment, then snickers. "How about we compromise. You're a strange kid *and* your name's Shihra." As you wish. * Shan goes up to Nasira. "Why don't we just go now?" * Shihra gives Nasira a bow and swivels on his feet, heading towards where the soldiers went. Naaah, I wanted to pick a fight with those guys in too much clothing. Damn, they left. (Honestly? I wouldn't be surprised if that WAS her intent.) Yes, that is my point. * Nasira huffs and turns to Shan. "The hell kind of kid goes around talking like that, anyway? He sounds like he's forty or something. Forty with no sense of humor." He talked nonsense. Or perhaps he was lonely. Okay, if I turn forty, I'll try to at least be funny when I talk about nonsense. For a child so insistent that he have his privacy, he certainly seemed eager to converse with you. * Nasira snickers. Now, I suppose we should find that tavern. Or bar. Yeah. Isn't that the point I just made? Maybe I should've insulted him more. Or place with beer. Or wherever it is that sailors go. * Nasira laughs. "They like getting drunk. I think." * Nasira looks around. I mean, who doesn't like getting drunk? [There is a sign nearby that has a beer stein picture on it. Supposedly that's the place where that sort of stuff is.] * Nasira points. "Can't read Maltan, but that picture says 'beer'." * Shan nods. Then we should go inside. * Shan does that, too. * Nasira heads after. [Shan and Nasira enter the tavern-type place. It sure looks like the place of beer. It's fairly crowded actually and quite a bit more settled. No one seems to notice you.] * Nasira grins. "See, I was right." She looks for sailor-y types. And a bartender. [Most of the people in the corners seem to be sailor-y types. And there is a bartender.] Quite. Now if we can find some dock workers who are still sober... If they're drunk, they'll talk more! But you don't get drunk 'till you're done questioning. After's okay. I can carry you back. * Shan eyes Nasira, then heads deeper into the tavern towards the sailors. * Nasira is one step behind her. [The sailors seem engrossed in their drinks and don't look up at Shan. "...An' then I says to him. I says..."] * Shan takes initiative, then. "Excuse me, gentlemen." She tries not to think about what she's saying so she doesn't laugh. * Nasira just stands behind her, folds her arms, and smiles. Her? Imtimidating? Never! [The sailor looks up from his mug and tries to focus on Shan. A very cheesy (and somewhat toothless) grin comes on his teeth. "What can I do for you, sweets?" I'd like to ask you a few questions about seafaring. [The sailor's grin gets even wider. "Sure, sweets. The pointy end of the ship faces forward." The rest of the sailors can't help but drunkenly snicker at that. Some sailors. Maybe we should look somewhere else. Yes, I'd imagined that that was the case. The pointed end allows the water to flow past the ship, decreasing resistance. But the physics of you craft is not what I wanted to discus. Have you ever been to the Veil? [The sailor blinks at her curiously (though no two eyes can close at the same moment it seems), and gives her a thoughtful, "Huh?" After they all snicker at him, one of the sailors from behind Shan and Nasira pipes up gruffly. "I have."] * Nasira turns around and grins at whoever approached. * Shan does as well. Really? [The sailor looks a little worse for wear. Make that a lot. His shirt is ragged and his pants are torn. He looks like he hasn't had a proper shave in a good week as well. Still he seems more polite than those you just talked to. "You're not planning on going there, are you? No one plans on going there."] We may be, depending. On? * Shan approaches the man. "Have you heard of a ship called the Iron Maiden?" * Gruff Sailor blinks at the approach and leans back a little. "Iron Maiden? And here I thought the captain had more sense than that." * Shan blinks curiously. "What do you mean?" * Nasira heads after Shan and lets her do the talking. It ain't a good idea to willingly go into the Veil of Mists. Of course, there's people who've come back and they have stories. But it's more than just bandit territory. I can't see many people heading there willingly. * Nasira gives up on the let Shan do the talking plan. "Yeah? What's there?" Well, besides fog so thick you can't see a thing half the time. That in itself is enough to scare most proper sailors off. If ya hit a reef like that, you might as well kiss your ship goodbye. But there's all sorts of critters in there. I've heard there's a sea monster that roams around there too. Not to mention the sirens. Some say they ain't just legends, y'know. Forgive my forwardness, but you sound as if you knew the Iron Maiden was headed there...? And why. * Gruff Sailor chuckles slightly. "Well, the first mate mentioned something about it but I thought it was a joke. I mean...I told him all about it. That shoulda been enough to keep him off that fool's errand. * Nasira grins. "I dunno. Sounds like fun to me." Seemed to think someone was after him though. And that little black book he carried around with him too. Silly fella. Wouldn't part with it." * Shan nods, glancing at Nasira once. * Gruff Sailor chuckles and rubs the back of his head. "Guess he thought it'd still be a good place to hang out, though I don't know how he'd convince the cap'n of running such a fool's errand." I see... If one was to go there, is there perhaps a safe route to take? * Nasira nods. "Since you've been there and all." Bah. It's perfectly safe getting there. It don't matter anyhow. It's once you get inside that the weird stuff starts happening. Weird like the monsters? And fog? Sirens? Ghosts? Pirates? I hope we get pirates. Well...it's just all around creepy in there. Ghosts? Are there ghosts? * Gruff Sailor then eyes Nasira. "Is she for real? There, might be ghosts. I hadn't stayed long enough to check." Well... It certainly sounds dangerous. I suppose we'll simply have to find a way around it. * Nasira blinks at him, then pinches herself. "Yeah, pretty sure I am. Though I guess I could be a ghost, too, and haunt this tavern. It's not a bad place to haunt, come to think of it." If you were heading to Port Rio from here via the Veil, where would you meerge? * Shan sideglances at Nasira. "There's no such thing as ghosts. Stop talking nonsense." * Gruff Sailor looks at Shan for a moment, then laughs. "Port Rio via the Veil? That's the funniest thing I've ever heard!" * Nasira grins at Shan. "Could be." If most certainly could not. Could so. But if you're right, I guess it doesn't matter. Precisely. The Veil heads you to the NORTH. Port Rio's to the WEST. You'd be dozens of knots off-course." * Nasira keeps grinning. "But what if you're wrong?" She looks at the sailor. "Really? Then how the hell would he convince the captain to go in?" Indeed, but the Iron Maiden was supposed to go to Port Rio. No clue. * The sailor then looks at Shan and psshaws. "Who says?" That was their destination, according to the harbor master. Is that not where they went? And you believe everything someone tells the harbor master? If I suspected someone were after me, I wouldn't give 'em my real destination either. Yeah. About that. Any idea who was chasing them? They wouldn't be Vithril, would they? Mmm. Don't think so. Though you never can tell who those filthy bilge-rats have their sights on. So where did they go, then? Did they mention anything? * Nasira stretches. * Gruff Sailor shakes his head. "I may have known the guy, but he didn't trust me all THAT much." He looks up for a moment and reaches into his pocket. "Oh yeah. He did give me this though." * Nasira blinks, then looks at Shan when he mentions that. * Shan waits to see what "this" is. * The sailor pulls out a silver ring. It has a rather intricate engraving on it. "He said that if anyone came looking for him from the guild to give 'em this. He didn't mention anyone specific to give it to; maybe he had a girl or something." How strange. * Nasira nods. "It'd help a lot, though. I think I know just who it goes to." * Shan holds out her hand. "May I? We're from the guild. * The sailor puts the ring in Shan's hand. "Doesn't bother me if you're not. I'm just glad to get rid of the thing." Why? * The sailor rubs the back of his head and shrugs. "Bad memories I guess. I don't wanna be tied to anything like that anymore." * Shan nods. "I understand." * Nasira looks at Shan. "Anything else? Maybe the ring's haunted, too!" Don't be ridiculous. It could be. Bad memories, right? * Shan bows to the stranger. "I thank you for-" She eyes Nasira. "-for taking the time to speak with us." * Nasira snickers and tries a Maltan wave. "Yeah, you've been a big help." * The sailor grins. Despite his appearance, he actually DOES have teeth. "Think of it as a way to get you away from those idiots at the very least." * Shan smiles. "It is most appreciated." Then she leaves! Yeah, she meant that. * Nasira hurries after her. [Session End.]