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| Action Id: 3737 | Crisis: | Participants: Zoey, Madeleine, Mikani, Wash, Catalana, Delilah, Aethan, Evonleigh, Thea, Evander and Llewella | |
| Status: Resolved | Submitted: Jan. 15, 2020, 5:01 p.m. | Public: True | GM: Puffin |
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Social Resources: 1000 |
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Action by Zoey
After attempting to research in the library, Zoey determines the best course of action is to return to the Water Keepers. Exercising her diplomatic skills, she seeks to learn the following from them:
*What these creatures of great wisdom and age who live far beyond the surface of the sea are. (Sources indicate they may be Balean, the mirror opposite of the kraken and sacred to Mangata.)
*What the tribe's responsibility to them is.
*What the tribe can tell us of the coming danger, both in its nature and its numbers. (Sources indicate that it is Orichalcum, AKA the Horned God, herald of the Slaver.)
*What tools or abilities the Water Keepers have that can be utilized for the creatures' defense.
*What tools or abilities House Kennex must still gain access to in order to effectively assist in the creatures' defense.
Action by Catalana
Catalana has always been one of the voices for house Kennex. First Delholm, then Ford, Octavia and now Aethan. Anything that requires tact and charm has Catalana helping.
She heads to the shore and meets with the leaders of the water keepers. She will speak with them on what they need to protect in return for bending the knee. She will negotiate deals and protections with a smile and a laugh. She will view their lands with her full interest and work out what how they can help exactly.
Her goal is to return to Aethan with a new vassal and a plan to keep them safe.
Action by Delilah
Lilah, as an explorer and a talented theologian, wouldn't miss an adventure like this. While the others handle diplomacy and martial concerns, she seeks to ensure clear understanding of the dangers ahead and gather precious lore that builds out a broader picture about the Water Keepers and their charges. What are these creatures, what do they need, and what sort of tales surround them? Using her background in religion/shamanism and cultural practices, she aims to learn from the tribe about their needs. If necessary, she can help the Kennexes avoid any faux pas or giving offense. She particularly strives to learn about the threat they face and will connect the evidence to any known troubles (especially if it's Orichalcum or his allies) or other references as part of a broader exchange to try and build an accurate picture of their foremost concerns. This isn't the first time she has participated in cross-cultural exchanges.
Action by Evander
Evander will be joining the other Kennex in traveling to meet with the Water Keepers. He is, in particular, interested in any oral or written lore they may have, with an intent to transcribe everything. He will engage them in talk often, not just the leaders but various members of the tribe, expressing an ongoing interest in learning about their history and lore. In turn, he will share what lore he has that might coincide with theirs, establishing a basis for mutual understanding and hopefully fostering a better understanding of each other.
Action by Wash
From the deck of his cog, the Bounty of Cirella, Wash surveyed the sea. He was no stranger to command, and the Kennex fleet escorting Lady Zoey to a meeting with mysterious shavs was a responsibility he took solemnly. With military precision he commanded the escort ships upon arrival to set a defensive position outside the island's harbor and regular patrols surveyed the island. He would allow no mortal action to endanger a Voice of House Kennex without first circumnavigating his defenses, especially when she was engaged in such delicate and important negotiations. He knew that this was no ordinary exchange of fealty, but that Beings of Great Importance, may be watching this encounter from afar. He may not have magic to counter their will, but at sea he had learned to put his trust in Mangata when That Which Was Beyond His Ken came calling. He kept his blessed Mangata tokens close at hand and reminded his men that anything out of the ordinary should be brought to his attention, no matter how seemingly inconsequential. By the time the negotiations had come to a close, Wash knew the island's contours as well as he knew his newborn son. He had devised a plan to protect it, not just it's inhabitants, but to prevent any creature, man or fish, from entering that all-important harbor where he was told the sacred creatures took refuge.
Action by Mikani
Mikani is excited to be asked to join. As Ambassador to the Marin'alfar she sends out a missive seeing what they know of the creatures, may be Balean, and if there is anything that the Marin'alfar know about keeping them safe. In an effort to help with the Water Keepers, Mikani uses her language and investigative to study as much about the Water Keepers and the Balean as she is able to. She would help Evander and Delilah in anything they needed.
Action by Evonleigh
While not a Kennex, Evonleigh has been lending her voice, charm, and diplomatic graces to the house for a couple of years now, and is happy to assist yet again in one of their endeavors. Speaking with a tribe like this -- well, that's less common for her, but not completely out of her wheelhouse either. She will use all of the skills she has learned as a diplomat and lean on those she's learned as an actress and lady as well, to help the Kennexes in their negotiations, by speaking well of the Kennexes, especially of their loyalty and bravery.
Action by Llewella
Llewella goes at Zoey's request to help with the matter. She'll do what she can to ensure proper supplies are organized for everyone, that all the retainers brought along are kept efficiently about their duties, and other matters of stewardship that allow the diplomat and researchers to do what they need to do.
Action by Thea
Thea is not a Kennex but Lady Zoey is somewhat family now. With Lady Kaia now being Thea's sister by marriage. She will be traveling as s medic this round, being asked personally. So of course, Thea agrees--keeping the sister safe.
Action by Madeleine
Archlector Madeleine of Mangata is here to learn and see what can be done to help.
In her own soft spoken, calm way, occasionally ditzy way, Madeleine will try to learn from the Water Keepers about both themselves and the creatures that are suspected to be sacred to Mangata. She is curious to learn first hand from the Water Keepers about their ways, beliefs in relation to Mangata. She is also very curious to know about the creatures and what they know of them
Understanding the creatures are sacred to Mangata she desires to help protect them however she may, even though they are a Shav tribe. Perhaps they can be brought into the Pantheon over time.
Action by Aethan
Aethan leaves the diplomacy-ing and investigating to others, but he does accompany the party with a contingent of the Stormward Fleet, due to dangers inherent in the waters. He will also meet with the tribe as needed/wanted.
Result
The Kennex Delegation and Friends travel to where the Water Keepers live their simple lives. The journey there is fairly easy, though they aren't far from shore when they see a light from a fire on the beach. They weigh anchor and take a rowboat in, and are informed that the time of the birthing is almost upon them. They are asked to guard the entry to the cove while the birthing commences, though Madeleine is invited ashore as the Archlector of Mangata, to help with the prayers and the sacred rites. Mikani, who has sent a missive to the Marin'alfar and has received three strange balls of something that seem like little more than seaweed in return, is also invited ashore. The rest they ask to do their best on the seas outside the cove, and to remember that the Water Keepers are under their protection now. The way it is phrased seems important, and very grave indeed.
From there, their experiences differ wildly. Aethan takes the ship and the fleet to the entrance of the cove. Under the water, they can see dark shapes fully as large as the ship itself, swimming under the water and then submerging deeper, until even the hint of them is not seen. And then there's a single ship on the horizon. It does not rise from the Bloodwater at least, so that's something? And yet that single ship seems to bring with it an ominous feel, and the fleet sets sail to engage.
They close enough to warn them off, but the answer comes back almost eerily, as though every crew member on the deck is speaking as one. "And from the Sea shall come new life, and with its death shall Our God be exalted and freed at last." And with that, the battle is on. The ship is hard to track, and harder to kill. It's almost impossible to shoot it, to fire at it. There's a feeling emanating from it, an eerie sense that it would be better to join than to resist after all.
On the deck of the flagship, Aethan is suddenly struck mute, his hand gripping the rail so tightly his knuckles are white. It is up to Wash and Evander to try to marshal their forces. Aethan is muttering a wordless denial, shaking his head over and over again while Wash and Evander take command. The ship evades them, but through their skilled sailing they are still keeping the cove safe.
"Help Aethan!" Delilah is the first to recognize what's going on, with her knowledge of the occult what it is. Zoey, Catalana, Thea, Llewella, and Evonleigh gather around and link hands with Aethan in the center. Delilah, desperate to save the situation, starts speaking. "We are free. We will not submit. We are free. We will not submit." The women pick up the chant, throwing their whole intention into it as they chant together. Until at last Aethan starts murmuring with them. "We are free. We will not submit. We are free."
And then Aethan roars. "WE WILL NOT SUBMIT. YOU CANNOT HAVE THEM." His roar stops the ship, and it is as though with intent alone the ship is pushed back, back, and back - over the horizon and into nothingness, the threat gone, as the circle of women and Aethan himself fall to the deck unconscious.
With the threat negated, Wash and Evander look to the shore and see the signal fire has been lit again, and they make their way ashore as soon as the rest awaken.
Madeleine too has a tale to tell, of how she prayed with the Water Keepers for Mangata's blessings upon them and the new Balean. Of how two of them surfaced, almost large enough to fill the cove, and on their backs born in sadness were two small Balean calves, clinging to life but almost dead. Mikani sprung into action at this, and somehow the two of them coaxed the Balean close enough to feed two of the small balls of seaweed to the calves, who slowly, so slowly started to stir, and then gradually rolled into the water as their parents vanished with them into the depths. The Water Keepers turned to them with tears in their eyes. "Always we lose some," they say with great depth of feeling. "Always, as long as we can remember. Until now. Thank you."
The rites that Madeleine participated in were little more than prayers to Mangata, or so it seemed. But something in them seemed powerful, and yet not quite powerful enough to completely counteract the taint - of poison, of the abyss, of whatever is hunting them. Until the Kennexes came to help, that is.
And so as they begin to sail home, they do so with a company of Balean under their ships for the first hour or so, their huge presence making sure the Kennexes know that what was done will not be forgotten.