[Exalted] Protectors of the River Province

[rhoenix]

Being momentarily shocked for the second time in so many minutes, Kolth simply shook his head vigorously for a moment. "I didn't know how much was real, and what...oh, nevermind. But yeah, that was a little far - I have a reputation to uphold, you know," he said, inclining his nose. "I don't want to get called a Republican or anything."

[LadyTevar]

"I don't think anything could ruin your reputation," Teamhair retorted dryly, before turning to look at Orduin. "... you knew already, didn't you," she said softly as she once again hid the more obvious signs of her Exalt, dulling her hair to auburn, hiding the ears and the silver tattoos.

[SirNitram]

"Knew? No. Suspected." Orduin shrugged a bit. "Not like I have a reputation to worry about. Officially, I am Exalted. Just wrong patron." A grin. "A girl coming out of my quarters is normal."

[The Nomad]

With that being said, everyone proceeded to their quarters for a well-deserved rest.

The ship they had been assigned to was resting in its berth, the sails being readied on the two masts by the crew of five helots who would accompany the Exalts on the journey. It was a long, sleek-hulled ship, which gave the impression of being cramped, every cube inch of space optimised for storage or accomodation. The two rowboats were hanging at each side from specifically designed pairs of cranes.

Yevala was summoned by port officials in order to sign all the papers, notably the name of the new ship. If he wished so, they could organize an impromptu naming ceremony for the ship.

That part being done, Yevala could finally stand at the ship's wheel, and let the ship be guided out of the Lower City's waters. There, at least, they could see the full breadth of the Yanaze River, and the Inner Sea to the West - the impossibly, breathtakingly high Imperial Mountain visible high in the sky even at thousands of miles. But then, Creation, being almost flat, was not very familiar with the concept of "horizon".

Turning their back to the prodigious sight, they could then sail along the Yanaze, to find the mysterious Black Ship's whereabouts, the Sun in their back, the Moon visible near Him, as if the two manifestations of the Incarnae encouraged their Chosen.

[Marcao]

Sleep came swiftly after he returned to his room. The sounds from the room above him had abated considerably but he paid them little mind as sleep claimed him. He had no dreams, but that in of itself was not unusual. He woke as he always did at precisely the time that he had intended. The benefits of exaltation were far too numerous to count and not all were designed to assist him to rend bone and tissue with frightening ease.

He made his way towards the dock carrying everything he would need on a pack at his side. After providing the necessary documentation in a handful of check points he found himself staring at the vessel that had been provided for them. It was more than adequate for their needs. He caught sight of the helots as they scampered through the ship met with a small smile. It seemed that they were being provided people that at least understood their way around a ship.

He approached the port officials as they called him, papers provided for him which he signed. Even in Lookshy, one could not quite outrun the needs and demands of bureaucracy. He considered the name of the ship for only a moment before giving a name that he felt was adequate. After the ship was named he made his way towards the ship’s wheel. He reached out, his fingers brushing against the wheel but doing nothing else as the ship was guided out away from the docks.

The Yanaze river welcomed them and to the west, the Imperial Mountain pierced the heavens as if seeking to touch the Unconquered Sun itself. He watched the mountain for several minutes touched by its beauty and a feeling that he had once long ago been there amongst those beautiful peaks.

He looked away, the presence of Luna and the Unconquered Sun in the sky above an auspicious sign before he enjoyed the familiar thrill of guiding a ship towards its destination. It was sensation not mean to last, a helot waved over to take the helm as he sought the others.

“We are on our way, it is a good time to consider what our plan of action will be and what our options are.â€

[LadyTevar]

It should come as no surprise that Teamhair was aboard, sharing the cabin with Orduin. Miracle of miracles, she had managed in less than an hour to get everything she wanted/needed for the trip into one trunk; the costumes and frills for her life as a courtesan left behind in storage.

Now, she stood on the deck, leaning over the gunwale to enjoy the breeze. She was still clad in ghawazee, pantaloons, and choli, but now it was of sturdier materials meant for travel, and her belt was of good leather. The patterns were more subdued as well; more natural, soft colors, smaller designs on the ghawazee, the choli and pantaloons complimentary solid shades. She bowed her head in greeting to Ysela.

"Would we find something at the last village the Black Ship hit?" she asked in return. "Or do you think our patrons have already searched there?" At this point, while she could still say 'Lookshy', she felt it may be best to begin practicing discretion.

[rhoenix]

Contrary to his private earlier fears, Kolth enjoyed life on water much more than he had thought. He didn't get seasick; in fact, the constant rolling of the ship he knew would rock him gently to sleep when he wanted to relax.

Such as now, while he was laying in a hammock, securely tied above the deck, as he enjoyed the ocean spray and breezes, keeping a casual eye looking around the ship from his position above.

At the burgeoning discussion, he added his opinion regarding where to begin looking. "Well, our patrons may have already searched the last place this Emo Ship hit, but - and I'm not trying to brag here - but they tend to miss important shit. I say we go anyway, and see what we can see."

[Marcao]

His attention moved from the lunar to Kolth before he nodded. "I agree. We should investigate the latest sighting and see what we can discover for ourselves although I warn you, this is not exactly one of my strengths."

He let the words sink in before he continued. "I have used the data that was provided for us by our...benefactors and plotted it as best as I could in one of the maps provided to us. It should help us try and predict where this ship will emerge next." He was hopeful that they could stop the black ship before it struck again.

[LadyTevar]

"I may be able to get in the good graces of the Little Gods in the area," Teamhair offered as a possiblity. "If so, they may be able to aid us."

[The Nomad]

According to Lookshyan Intelligence files, the last sighting of the Black Ship had occured two weeks upstream of Nexus on the Grey River. Yevala's skill at sailing and the power of his Charms allowed extraordinary swiftness, halving the duration of such a long journey to just over three weeks.

Near the village's site, one mile inland, the Exalts could find a cove in which to anchor their ship.

The helots would stand guard on board. According to rumor, the village was avoided even by looters, but one could never be sure.

The forest was eerily quiet, as if holding its breath. Not a leaf rustled as the Exalts strode towards the village.

[Marcao]

The Storm Herald glided atop the waters of the Yanaze. The name had been an amalgam of others and he had found the name to be rather apt. The intelligence that they had been provided had been specific on the location of the sightings involving their current target. The distance was considerable and even a vessel as well built and designed for river waters such as the Storm Herald could not quickly take them to their intended destination.

He stayed on the helm of the ship as much as he could, enjoying the pleasant sensation of being in command with water around him. It was strange however, he had been born near the sea and he loved it but ever since seeing the flying ships of Lookshy something had changed.

They can have the seas, I will take the skies.

Those words lingered in his mind before he gently pushed them away. There would be time enough for introspection later. Every day he concentrated on utilizing his gifts as best he could, calling upon his internal reserves of power to harness his gifts at the most opportune times. He did not fight the rivers, he moved with them. Around him time passed and he took the time to study his allies while he could. Kolth, Orduin, Teamhair. He watched their interactions from the wheel, and interacted with them directly when he could.

He had been pleased to discover that at least two of the helots provided to them as allies during this expedition were competent sailors when it came to guiding a ship. The times that he wished to take a break or sleep, he allowed one such helot to take the wheel and continue to lead them on their journey. During this times, he sought out the others and engaged them in conversation. For three weeks, he sought to learn more about each individual as well as politely offering a bit more of himself in turn. They had been drawn together, but it was up to them now to remain together. He wanted to know what were their ambitions and motivations. What drove them? What did his allies wish to accomplish in the world? How did they perceive the gifts that had been presented to them?

He did not get all the answers that he sought but the truth was that neither had he given all the answers they sought as well. Still, at the end of those three weeks he felt closer to the others and understanding a bit more about what drove each of them forward. He had even found a little bit more about himself. When they neared the location of the village, he took the wheel himself and guided the ship into a cover that seemed suitable to their needs. He would have preferred to have left someone behind with the ship, but he had a feeling they would need all their seperate strengths in the upcoming investigation. He knew his talents would not prove up to the task.

He left strict orders with the Helots that if more trouble came for them that they could handle, they were authorized to utilize whatever means at their disposal to destroy or evade their adversaries. The helots looked at him as if he were stating the obvious. They were from Lookshy, they had been trained well and understood their duty. With the helots guarding their ship, he and the others were able to go and explore the remains of the village.

The rumor that even looters avoided the remains was not surprising. If an entire village had been erased from the map, he would have been cautious about going near that place again. Still, there was something positive from that fear. It meant that the village or what was left of it was likely not at all disturbed. They may be able to find something after all.

"all right, lets see what we can find out. I would prefer to be back before dinner." He said as he glanced towards the others. A few moments later, he was on dry ground and waiting for the others before they made their way towards the village in question. His armor rested reassuringly over him, the reinforced orichalcum breastplate obfuscated somewhat by a thick cloak that hung over his shoulders and fell almost completely to the ground.

The forest was quiet about them but he was not native to these parts. Was this normal or was something else at work? Had the animals themselves vacated the area surrounding the village? If so, what sort of magic or creatures could cause such a reaction? His eyes moved about as he moved, his every sense alert. He was now looking for more than signs of what had transpired, he was preparing for the possibility of an ambush.

[LadyTevar]

"The birds are gone," Teamhair stated simply.

Indeed, the only sound now was the soft ching-chi-ching of the bells and coins on her scarves and jewelry. She had mentioned wanting to try attracting the local godlings for information; now she walked towards the village clad for dancing, her ghawazee, choli, and scarves seeming far too bright and colorful for the subdued aura around the missing village. Tucked into the scarves at her waist were exquiste twin fans of bright silver, folded shut, the designs hidden. Teamhair had not mentioned it, but one could freely assume the fans were pure moonsilver.

"I hope the Little Gods did not flee with the birds."

[rhoenix]

Once the ship had made port, Kolth was one of the first off the boat, already eager to begin looking for signs, clues, or anything else his eyes could see.

Half-hearing that Teamhair was going to dance or something for the Little Gods of the area, Kolth absently nodded and kept scouring the area for even the smallest clue.

[LadyTevar]

* The Song I've chosen is Times Scar from the videogame "ChronoCross". In the video, the music starts to swell at 0.08, and the flute begins at 0.11. From that point, each paragraph happens in one count of 8, the normal unit of time for musical choreography of any kind. If I do this right, you should be able to read this post from the (*) while listening to the music and have the actions suit the music -perfectly-.

++++


They came to a clearing near a tiny stream, and Teamhair paused, looking around, before slowly nodding to herself. "Here. This is a good place to try this."

She stepped to the center of the clearing, dropping the Hide of the Cunning Hunter charm that hid her true nature. If she were to call the Little Gods, she would do so as one of Luna's Own. This was only the second time she let the disguise slip in front of anyone save Orduin (who had seen pretty much all of her during the long weeks of travel). Her hair brightened from auburn to russet, the Tell-tale Fox ears pricking up atop her head. Under the sheer choli, her moon silver tattoos danced like moonlight on water, the ancient Language of Creation spelling out her Lunar Name and detailing her life and deeds to this point. It may even be the first time Ysela had seen her true form.

"Take your ease, gentlemen, and watch," Teamhair offered politely, her hand motioning to grassy tussets along the edge of the clearing, but not along the brook. If there was a LittleGod of the brook, s/he would be given a nice view of the dance. So would the tumble of rocks in one corner, and the old, twisted tree at another end of the clearing. All could be homes to Little Gods.

She had been in deep thought over which song to use, before Teamhair decided upon one in particular. Unfortunately, there were no flutists, lutists, and drummers to aid her, but she knew the song, and had danced to it before. If she kept the tune in her mind, following its melody and drumbeat, Teamhair felt she could not err.

She carefully walked the area she had chosen, clearing any sticks or other obstacles from her path. Humps and uneven places were noted as places to avoid in her movements as she paced out the dance, judging carefully where she could pose, flourish, and display herself to where the Little Gods may be watching. Finally, she felt ready to begin.


She returned to the middle of the clearing, drawing out the moonsilver fans. "I am Teamhair Moonlight Dancing on River, an Exalted of Luna," she called to the clearing, to the water, to the rocks, to the trees. "I have come to dance for you."

(*) With that, she took up her starting position in the center of the clearing, facing the Solars. Her right foot poised slightly ahead of her left, her knees slightly bent and relaxed, as her tanned and tattooed legs could just glimpsed through the slit on the pantaloon's sides. Her left arm was raised, elbow out, hand in front of her head level with the tips of her fox ears, her palm out as she displayed the closed moonsilver fan. Her right arm was held down her right side, a perfect straight edge from shoulder to tip of the second closed fan.

She posed for a full count of eight then the right-hand fan snapped open as if by itself, drawing her head down to look at it and drawing the audience's attention to the movement thereby. Her right elbow bent, and like a swan lifting its head from water her arm gracefully rose, the fan displayed to show the scene decorating the spread wands as she continued to use her head and eyes to direct audience attention. When her arm was level with her shoulder, Teamhair's wrist twisted, rotating, showing those watching on that side both sides of the fan before stopping with it facing out and up towards the trees.

Right hand out, fan upright and spread, arm straight, her head then turned to the left, the left wrist rotating the closed fan in a full circle as her arm slowly dropped, the fan snapping open with the second rotation as she continued to flourish both sides of the fan, her arm falling like a feather on the breeze until it too was level with her shoulder, out and up, towards the rockslide.

Continuing the slow, delicate theme of the music, Teamhair turned both her hands inward, fans displayed, and slowly brought her arms together in front of her, still held level with her shoulders, straight and supple as a willow's branches, showing the Solars the fans.

The fans touched in front of her briefly, and the scenes upon both seemed to merge for a split second, before parting again as she rotated them outwards, still displayed to her male audience.

Gracefully, the right hand dropped, her eyes and head following it as her arm swooped down and behind her, right foot taking a step backwards, body twisting with barely a whisper of bells as she followed the fan until her right arm rose level with her shoulder again. Her whole body now fully turned to the right, arms outspread, the right wrist twisted the fan inward, her arm coming to a stop straight out in front of her yet again, facing the trees.

The left fan then started its own swoop backwards, Teamhair's left foot crossing behind her right as she twisted, reversing her position smoothly with only the barest sound of bells. Her right fan snapped closed, arm dropping to her side as her full attention was to the left fan displayed at arms-length, wrist twisting to show both sides to the creek.

In her mind the song hit the next stanza, and her left arm swooped down, her whole body following it, bowing as the left arm reached nadir and swept up again, joined by the right, one fan open, one closed as they rose to the sky with the right arm leading, her body again facing a new direction. One might compare the image of her arms to a long necked bird in flight, the closed right fan the beak, the open left fan the wing, her arms the neck and body to the rockslide.

The fans both snapped, open one closing, closing one opening as she repeated the swooping bow with the same slow, delicate grace, right hand trailing the left this time to reverse her position exactly, once again facing the trees.

Both hands fell gracefully, the right fan hiding her lower face as her elbow pulled it across her body, level with her collarbone. Her left fan snapped open, her left arm bending as the right arm moved, folding like a flower tucking closed for the night as she rotated in place. The tips of both fans were nearly touching in front of her face, elbows out to either side, her golden eyes glimmering hotly as she gazed at the Solars watching her.

The fans snapped shut as the music within her mind exploded into full rhythm, hands shooting down to her sides to emphasize the sudden movement of her hips: -right left right- -boom boom boom- the coins and bells on her scarves breaking into full glittering song.

The fans were now used merely as framework, directing the eyes to where she wanted them to go as her hips shimmied and shook, sending bells and coins jingling as she sidestepped to the left then spun a quarter circle right, her hands snapping the fans open and closed to accent the beats of the music inside her head.

In the new direction she again sidestepped left, left hip leading, fans snapping and clicking, bells jiggling, before again spinning a quarter circle.

A step forward, her whole body rippling like a wave upon the sea as she did so, leg, hip, belly, breasts, shoulders as one arm rose in front of her in accent and the left hand fell behind.

A step backwards, the body wave again displaying her accents as her hands dropped the fans to frame herself as her hips added an additional flat circular motion that send the bells chiming.

Pivoting on the ball of her left foot, she stepped to the right, leg and hip leading, right arm waving out like a bird unfurling one wing, the open fan lending to the illusion. She turned a quarter turn and repeated the motion, displaying to the next side of the clearing.

Again, she pivoted a quarter turn, this time saluting the creek with the outstretched fan and fancy hip thrust, before the last turn had her back to the Solars.

She spun to the left then, the fans displayed as she circled her arms up and over her head as Teamhair turned a full circle in place, the scarves and bottom of the ghawazee flared outwards. Her arms rose like doves to hold the open fans over her head as her hips shimmied and shook the bells and coins joyfully.

Another circle, arms falling as gracefully as they'd risen, fans lowered again to frame the hips this time as they hit the drumbeats that were inside Teamhair's mind.

The fans snapped shut, held down to her hips as the song hit a sudden slowdown, a chance to show off. Like water rising in a fountain, her body twisted in an erotic spiral; her hips traced a large horizonatal circle, followed by her waist, then her ribcage, then her shoulders then her head, before the spiral was reversed, traveling down her body in the same erotically graceful manner.

The rest of the dance was again wild and joyous, as she stepped forward, stepped back, turned to the next side, and stepped forward again, her hips shimmying as her hands wove the fans in dizzying patterns around her, moonsilver flashing in the light as the fans opened and closed with frenzied snaps as the music inside Teamhair's mind sped towards its climax.

And with a final spin, it was over, leaving her posed exactly as she had been at the beginning of the dance, with only the faint sound of bells as the wind from her movement touched them one last time. A faint sheen glistened on her skin, her chest heaved gently from her deep breaths as she calmed down and waited for the applause...

... and to see if more than just the Solars had been watching and enjoying the dance and wished to talk.

[The Nomad]

For a few heartbeats, even the noise of the bells disappeared, leaving only utter silence.

Then, from the nearby undergrowth, a first clap, soon followed by many, many more as the rustle of the leaves rose, and finally a thunder of applause surrounded her. Pairs of glowing, crocodilian yet intelligent eyes observed her from under the water, while dryads tentatively spied at her from behind their trees.

Finally, a giant man emerged from the forest, an immense spear at his side. He stepped in the clearing, and looked at Teamhair with an amused look on his face. "A show the likes of which I have seldom seen in centuries, Chosen of Luna," the spirit said. "What brings you..." he then seemed to realize the presence of the three Solars "...and your friends near my forest?"

[rhoenix]

To be chosen by the Sun to be of the Night was a seeming paradox, and one of the more amusing of its sort in creation. As of to symbolize this, there was a large part of Kolth that was awed and impressed by Teamhair's dancing, especially her showing herself as she was - a Child of Luna, adorned in moonsilver. Kolth had only met a few Lunars in passing, and none he'd met had shown their true form; not like this.

The other half of Kolth's mind, however, was moving his physical form as if he were an intangible wraith, leaving nothing but the barest breeze as sign of his passing as he scoured the surrounding area for even the smallest clues. His senses were being used to their fullest extent, his intuitive awareness and logical investigation skills being used in a way that was more than the sum of their parts.

He finished and returned to his place near the others near the end of Teamhair's dance, clapping with the others as she finished, looking as if he'd never moved from the spot. He nodded to her, impressed.

[The Nomad]

The forest who at first had been worryingly silent now seemed to be blossoming with activity, as if both fascinated and reassured by Teamhair's dance. Otherwise, Kolth could not see anything odd... Except a single mark on a tree, which seemed to be rotting. To Kolth, it was not an animal mark, nor something a lumberjack would normally do. It looked more like a weapon's mark.

[Marcao]

He did not quite stare at the Chosen of Luna as she began her dance but it took a great deal of self control for that not to occur. Instead he settled on watching the chosen as she began her dance and did not take a breath until she had ended. He had seen many women in a wide variety of dances since he had started his travels in a wide variety of situations and none of them compared to the supple grace that the chosen of Luna displayed now. He wanted to turn and glance towards Orduin, wishing to see the Chosen’s reaction to the performance but was unable or unwilling to look away from the spectacle. Each second seamlessly blended into another as Teamhair continued her performance until finally, she slowed and then stopped. He hesitated for only a moment as the forest itself held its breath before his hands found themselves coming together.

He was a chosen of the Sun and even the Sun itself would have been pleased by the performance that the Chosen of Luna had offered them. He clapped as any living thing capable of appreciating beauty in form and movement would have done so at that very moment.

Orduin, you are lucky. I had known such joy once.

The thought danced to the top of his mind and then disappeared into the darkness confusing him enough to cease his clapping. It mattered little for all around them it seemed that sounds had erupted; it sounded like dozens of claps had suddenly manifested around the forest. His head turned as he looked around taking notice as the many pairs of eyes observed them from all about them. The giant manifested from the forest and immense spear on his side and naturally he evaluated the level of threat that the spirit offered. His reserve proved to be unfounded as it spoke to Teamhair and then addressed the others.

He said nothing. Teamhair herself had called the spirit here and awakened the forest around them with her dance. He saw no need to intervene; the chosen of Luna herself should bask in the limelight and reap the benefits of her own abilities. He waited for the Luna to ask her questions and represent them in their search for answers. His attention only then glancing towards Kolth and Orduin as if seeking to gauge their reactions to what had transpired moments before.

[LadyTevar]

Teamhair bowed to the audience of little gods, and then to the giant before her. "Many thanks, oh Lord of the Forest... It was my honor and pleasure." Her golden eyes looked to her companions, given them a slight nod before turning on all her charm (Activate Third Charisma Excellency) as she spoke flatteringly and floweringly. "My companions and I come to you seeking knowledge, God of the Land. Disturbing stories have reached our ears, of villages that vanish in a single night with no trace of their passage. Lord of the Forest, you and yours see what mortals cannot -- please tell us what stalks the river and steals away the mortals, so that we may fulfill our roles as Guardians and Champions."

[The Nomad]

At Teamhair's words, the spirit's face darkened, and he replied in a low tone: "Yes, over a Lunar cycle ago... I did not feel anything at first, only a chill down my spine, until some of my subjects rushed in my throne glade to report to me that one of our own had been murdered." He pointed a finger at a nearby tree, and a gorgeous young woman, her hair made of vines and her skin covered in bark, stepped out of it, bowed nervously to the Exalts, and indicated a nearby tree - which Kolth had already noticed - and with deep emotion in her voice she told them the tale of Nyhglaewyn, one of her dryad sisters, who had always had a soft spot for the villagers, even blessing with fertility the unions of those who mated under her leaves, and who was the only one to intervene when the dark ship came.

"At first, it was like a dread fog coming out of the river at night, something cold and smelling of rotten bark and ashes, and a great trireme of black wood came from it. Those who did not avert their senses from such a dreadful apparition said that a single creature, clad in an even darker metal and surrounded by a bonfire of dark and grey Essence, leapt aground, and stepped towards the village, where it started to play a tune from a set of panpipes, cast from the same dark metal as his armor. The villagers were entranced, mindless, and it started leading them towards the river."

Her voice trailed off, lost in grief.

"That is when Nyhglaewyn intervened. Her tree was near the procession, and she lunged at the creature, intent on taking the pipes from its hands." Tears streamed down her cheeks, as other dryads ventured out of their trees to offer her support. "The creature raised a heinous black sword, swung it down, and a arc of dark Essence engulfed her and slashed at her tree - and she, she started dissolving, vanishing, she called for help and none of us could move a finger!" she cried. "We were so very afraid, because this creature could kill us forever, could strike at our very souls!"

The walker in the woods motioned for her to stop her retelling. "When I transported here and rushed out of the spirit world, the ship was already leaving, the murderer playing his chilling tune, and the villagers were massing aboard the vessel, which disappeared into the fog... Not a minute later, the fog disappeared, and the ship with it..."

He stared at Teamhair intently: "I care little for humans, but this village respected my forest, and I cannot stand by idly while one of my subject is so thoroughly annihilated. Yet I am powerless outside of my domain. I have contacted other spirits like myself, and they will stand vigil, and you can be sure that I will warn you should the vessel come back near their domain. Alas, none of the spirits of the woods will help you directly, for word has spread that a being capable of killing us definitely is roaming the river, and fear will prevail in most of them."

[Marcao]

He listened in silence as the spirit exchanged words with their Lunar ally. As the story about their adversary shifted and the wood spirit added to the story he frowned. It seemed that it was one of the so called death knights that was behind their problems. He was not new to the term, there had been several prominent death knights in the seas of the West but he had not until now have been put into a position where he was to actively hunt one down and defeat it.

He did not feel fear, the grace and might of the Unconquered Sun flowed through him but he felt apprehension. It was a test that he had never before truly endured and his information on what their adversary could do was remarkably thin. It seemed clear that the tune was magical in nature, possibly containing an ability to sap the will of mortals and bring them into a trance. The ability to harm spirits was an impressive one, the spirits lack of desire for dealing with their adversary expected under those circumstances.

They now possessed more information than they had before. He doubted that going to the actual village would provide any relevant information. The death knight seemed to have gone only close enough to allow his melody to reach the ears of those that had resided within. What need did the death knight have for the people that it had taken?

The creation of soul steel?

The thought came unbidden to the forefront of his mind and he considered it for a moment. It was a possibility, he preferred the idea that somehow the humans were still alive but such naivete ill suited him. He had to deal with the probabilities. If they stumbled upon the black ship, would the possibility of humans being within the holds prevent him from ordering an attack? No. It would not. He admitted that and yet they did not need to destroy the ship outright. They could cripple her and then board it, making certain that there were no people to save before taking steps to deal with the death knight.

He had never fought a Death Knight before but there was a first time for everything. It was only with those thoughts in his mind that he glanced towards Teamhair, Kolth and Orduin. He waited for his turn, allowing Teamhair an opportunity to continue her conversation with the spirits that she had summoned before he offered his thoughts.

"This Black Ship and its apparent master are of interest to us. I can assure you that we will do everything we can to stop any further incursions into this forest and the villages that rest within its sphere of influence. I can also say that we will do what we can to help and return the villagers that were taken from here if they are found." It was little enough to promise but he felt compelled to do so. There was no guarantee that they had been sacrificed or used up just yet but time was against them.

[LadyTevar]

Teamhair had been about to reply to the Lord of the Forest, when Ysela broke in with his earnest reply. As it was no more than she herself had been going to say, abet in more flowery words, Teamhair bowed slightly towards Ysela, then turned back to the Forest God.

"As our captain has said, so swear we all: to return those taken by the Black ship and its master, and vengence for those that he has harmed." The last was said with a look towards the damaged tree and to the teary dyrads about it. "Great Lord, would you speak with the other spirits like yourself on our behalf? Would you tell them of our vow and quest, and ask that they aid us in ridding the river of this Black Ship?" Teamhair asked the forest god, hoping for more aid. "We have heard of only a few towns attacked in this manner -- would the Gods of the Land tell us where they are and when they were attacked, so that we might catch the Ship? Like an animal, we may be able to predict his moves once we have seen his past trail."

[The Nomad]

"I appreciate your concern, Prince of the Earth," he replied to Yevala without elaborating further.

"I know not why or how, but word has come to a forest god named Orkie Kiam, through channels unknown, that his territory, between Yua Ta Creek and the Twin Shattered Swords Rivers, might be the next targeted by this... vessel." By consulting the charts onboard the Storm Herald, it would be easy to follow such indications. Three weeks downriver for a normal vessel, but probably less than that for someone of Yevala's prowess.

"The attacks follow no pattern that evokes anything to us, nothing of mystical significance, or relating to spirit court politics," he added. "To the best of my knowledge, at least."

[Marcao]

He said nothing as the Spirit offered his appreciation for their concern. He saw no need to press the issue and he had achieved his objective, the spirit was made aware of their intentions in the matter at hand. His attention moved towards Teamhair as she spoke in turn and the spirit answered her questions to the best of its ability. Yua Ta Creek and the Twin Shattered Swords Rivers caught his attention. He had felt an obligation to learn as much of the rivers and aquatic pathways of the East as possible during this trip. If he was to be an effective Captain, he needed to have such information. Lookshy had been generous in providing excellent maps and charts with the hope of assisting the Chosen in this particular trip.

"Yua Ta Creek and the Twin Shattered Swords..." He muttered before he continued a moment later. "That is what three weeks from here give or take a day or two." At least it would be that long of a trip for a mortal without any gifts to employ at chipping away at such a distance. His eyes focused on the leader of the assembled spirits for a moment before he glanced at his companions.

"If we have nothing more to discuss, I would like to get started on our journey downriver. This lead that we have been graciously offered is too valuable to be squandered." Most importantly of all, they had no idea as to the abilities of their prey. Was this Death Knight as good as he was in the rivers of the East? Was he better? If so, they could hardly afford to take any chances.

[LadyTevar]

Teamhair wished Ysela wasn't in such a rush. It was a little rude. She bowed low to the Forest God in thanks, appreciation, and apology. "Oh Lord of the Forest, our captain is eager to face our foe. Our deepest thanks for your aid this day -- my simple dance seems too small a gift in return."

She straightened, taking one step back towards the Solars. "If the Stars will it, and if the River gods allow us, we will catch this ship before he reaches the land of Orkie Kiam and put a stop to the Black Ship's raiding." She turned and looked at the Dryads where they gathered. "And I will punish the Black Piper for his insult myself," she promised them, her moonsilver tattoos gleaming as she made the vow.

She looked back to the Forest God, bowing again. "By your leave and goodwill, Lord of the Forest, we will return to our vessel and set sail."