William, a taciturn quartermaster arrives, following Aethan.

1 Saik Guard, Micana arrive, following Lucita.

The Ebb and Flow is interrupted by a breathless messenger. He imparts the message, in short, that pirates have struck, daringly close to Arx. Worse, the cog that they captured, the Unsunk Cost, carried a complement of Mercies. None of which have yet been rescued.

Ian is in the Ebb and Flow, drinking, as you do. Probably at the same table as the rest of Our Heroes. He looks up as the messenger delivers the message in between breaths, and somewhere halfway through it, he knocks back the last of his drink, and bracing himself on the table, pushes to his feet. He's preparing to go before the man stops talking. "The ship we took to Stormward is still ready to sail," he says to Aethan, taking it for granted that his brother is going with him.

Catalana was in the palor at the kay when Aethan and Ian came rushing through talking about pirates. Not wasting her chance and bring stuck at home being the sensible one, she flung her book aside and ran down to the docks ready to help before they can tell her no.

Skye caught wind of the Mercies' capture as word passed quickly among those volunteering in the clinic. Skye leaves her nursing post to go home and gear up, donning her armor and weapons before heading to the inn to see how she can assist. The petite little baroness is looking fierce in her blue black armor with diamondplate plate bow and other sharp weapons. Her sharp blue eyes search the room to see who's there. Whne spying the other heroes gearing up to leave, the sweet lady gives a hopeful look that they'll take her along.

Aethan is there, too, and drinking as well, though what he is drinking is coffee. When the messenger arrives he looks up, and then stands with his brother without hesitation, already starting toward the door after he drops some silver on the table without another thought for it. "Good."

Lucita was on her way from one of the shops up near the Thrax Ward having had her dagger sharpened after a few practice drills. Having worked up a thirst and the Ebb and Flow being the closest bar, she steps in and soon has a cider in hand, sipping from it as she spots a cluster of her friends and hears Wash mention the situation and the others getting ready. Without saying a word she finishes the cider, plain, not hard, to quench her thirst and simply moves toward the group. "Need an extra person, I'll go along to help."

The messenger replies hopefully to Ian's offer: "The bosun and six crew ... members were rescued in a... dinghy off point Arv.... Arvinium. They are still on the docks." He's too out of breath to follow the volunteers down to the docks.

The messenger replies hopefully to Ian's offer: "The bosun and six crew ... members were rescued in a... dinghy off point Arv.... Arvinium. They are still on the docks." He's too out of breath to follow the volunteers down to the docks.

Ian nods to Lucita, and asks of Sky: "You got your medical stuff?" If he's realized that Catalana's here because she intends to go with them... let's be honest, he probably hasn't realized that yet.

Catalana is taking full advantage of Ian's inability to realize her intentions. She also knows exactly what Ian's boat looks like. Trying for inconspicuous, she lingers on the dock listening and inching closer to the boat.

Skye follows the group down to the docks, a gentle frown on her face as she ponders on the plight of the Mercies. She gives a nod to Ian when he asks if she's prepared, "Yes...I brought some supplies in case we need to take care of the wounded." She motions to the satchel that she's carrying.

Aethan nods to those present as they arrive. "Cat," he says, "Baroness Saik, Baroness Blackshore." The greetings are fine, though perfunctory -- obviously he has some other things on his mind at the moment, which should come as a surprise to no one.

Lucita is no medic. Concern shows in her expression at the situation. She makes her way over toward Catalana, standing at her side as she lowers her voice to say just to her. "Anything happens, please get behind me. The others will be busy dealing with it I believe and if I'm helping defend you, will ease their minds, I think.

When the party moves to go to the dock, several sailors follow along, hoping for a berth or just to see what happens. By the time the procession arrives at the docks, they are a crowd, and they add to the crowd already present, surrounding the refugees.

The refugees are all accounted for, with a trio of Mercies seeing to them. The largest of them, a bosun by the name of Jamis, is proclaiming: 'My master Thelon would reward any captain that recovered that cog. And the Mercies of course... think of the Mercies!"

There's a carriage to get them to the docks quickly. It's very belated that Ian realizes that Catalana's going with them. He doesn't seem to feel there's time to argue, so all he says to her is: "If you're told to go below, you go below."

Catalana nods to Ian, her fingers crossed behind her back and instead of sneaking on, she strides with the easy confidence that comes from being a Kennex. She shoots Lucita a reassuring look. "It'll be fine."

Aethan doesn't add anything to what his brother says to Catalana about going below -- possibly because she has accepted what's already been said, but who knows!

Skye gives pause as they arrive at the docks, giving a glance to Catalana when Ian speaks his words. A shy smile is passed to the other lady as well as a bright look to Lucita. She gribs her satchel with her medical supplies and makes her way through the crowd to get closer to Jamis that's calling out for help. She glances over at Aethan, then Ian as if she's waiting for their call to take care of the situation.

Ian was the one being told to stay below once, and he notices Catalana's hand snaking behind her back (because he did that himself more than once) and sighs. On the ship, he ducks below long enough to exchange his cane for a basket hilted sword that's still down there for Reasons. Once he returns, he seems inclined to defer to Aethan.

A carriage gets to the docks a little faster, but not much considering the crowds both on the way and at the docks.

Once they're aboard, Aethan confers quickly with the captain, with merely a quick gesture with his hand in the direction they want to go and some words exchanged, before the captain is shouting at the crew to see them off. Once they push away from the dock he turns to his brother. "We'll see how we go," he says, "but it sounds like that time off Escuma." He doesn't ask if Ian remembers; perhaps he assumes he does.

Catalana glances back to Aethan, "What's in Escuma?" She shields her eyes from the glare on the water with one hand and stares at the vast blue sea.

Ian eyes Aethan. "I was fifteen," he protests, sounding more like a younger brother than a Lord of Kennex. "I'm not that stupid anymore."

Jamis spies what might be sympathy from a silk and he takes off his hat, crushing it between his hands. "My lady? If you can help, I know the ship's last heading."

This is directed at Skye.

Lucita gives Sky a nod and a little smile as a quick glance goes toward her medic kit. When her gaze lifts, she moves toward Catalana's side, not intrusively but ready to help protect her if needed. Instead of asking questions and wasting people's time, she just listens to what is said.

Skye gives a nod to Jamis, and tells him softly, "Oh yes, please, give us your last heading." She stands on the dock, talking to the man who might have information on their missing Mercies, "I know some skilled warriors that can possibly help."

Skye checked perception + empathy at difficulty 15, rolling 42 higher.

"Pirates on pirates," Aethan says succinctly to Catalana, before turning back to his brother with a little snort. "Well, it worked," he points out, but he doesn't argue, and instead defers to Skye for the potential heading.

Jamis bobs his head and collects a leather satchel and map tube. "I have the captain's maps. I can tell you our position on those when they attacked." He gestures. "I'm fine to sail. Just a little sunburnt. I heard the pirates give orders to turn the ship about. Also, we weren't the only dinghy that cast off when the pirates attacked. I saw a mercy on one of the others." He realizes belatedly that his excitement has overwhelmed his manners. "I'm Jamis Freedman. Second mate of the Unsunk Cost."

Lucita checked perception + manipulation at difficulty 15, rolling 24 higher.

Skye gives a kind smile to Jamis, "Well, I have a bit of aloe and shae butter lotion to take care of that sunburn." She nods to Aethan and Ian who are in charge of the expedition, "His Grace and Lord Ian can use the maps to help track down those missing Mercies." She will pass the map to Aethan if the Jamis doesn't object, "Your position and any details on the attacks would be useful." She pauses and then murmurs something to Aethan.

Ian also keeps out of Skye and Lucita's way, because he knows how good he is with people. "... Anyway," he goes on defending his actions at Escuma. "From where I was it looked like it had gone south. It made sense --" He cuts himself off when Skye addresses Aethan.

Lucita listens carefully to Jamis and studies his words, expression, coloration, movements and all the other little cues one finds in performance and misleading Lycene diplomacy. All the little indicators that might signal if one is being truthful or trying to manipulate others into a vulnerable position. "I think he is being truthful. But for some reason he wants to go along, either just loyalty to his ship and crew or someone or something there he is anxious to return to perhaps. He really wishes to go along.

Jamis clings to the mapcase like it was his most valuable possession. "I can help read the maps. I know the captain's shorthand." He eagerly points out. "I'm a capable hand on a cog as well."

Aethan's eyebrows raise when Jamis keeps such tight hold of the map, but that's the only change in his expression at all, and he leans in a little bit when Skye speaks to him. Whatever she says has him considering Jamis again with a little tip of his head, but it's only a few seconds before he says, "Very well. Come on board. We'd best be away." That said, he glances to Ian with a nod, and then to the others, apparently considering the matter settled.

Catalana glances to Ian and Aethan. She trusts the young man, but it isn't her ship and she's an almost stowaway. No point saying anything and getting kicked off before they go.

Skye gives a smile to Lucita as she backs up her assessment. Once it's decided by Aethan that they're taking Jamis along, she gets on the ship and sees to Jamis' sunburn if he'll let her assist him.

Jamis is quickly aboard ship and standing by Aethan's side as the ships is made ready to sail.

Once the ship is making ready to sail, Ian leaves off defending whatever stupid thing his fifteen year old self did at Escuma and, keeping a hand on a railing or a line at all times, starts through the usual checklist of his duties, a list of orders that he knows Aethan's going to want shouted. Which leaves the Admiral free to deal with the sunburned guy and his maps.

Lucita drops back toward Catalana and assists her aboard if permitted to do so and tries to stay near her yet out of the way of those who are doing the various tasks involved in setting sail.

Skye turns to the sails and assists with the navigation if needed since Jamis seems well enough on his own. It's clear by the way she moves about the boat that the baroness is more comfortable on sea then she is on land.

Catalana waves Lucita off, "Baroness. I am completely able. Thank you for the assistance. But I'll be fine. I basically grew up on one." After that, she goes to Jamis, "May I look at the map?"

Jamis isn't secretive with his maps, only protective, and a little possessive. He's happy to show anyone the route his captain followed once they are indoors. The map is a captain's own, a journal of the captain's life in passages between isles. The most recent destination is also the most common one, radiating the most paths both in and out: Sundowsing Isle, a barony in Thrax waters. Jamis explains that once they are at the site of the attack, he will be able to use the stars to predict what direction of travel the pirates took.

Once they're onboard and away, Aethan does look at the maps, frowning thoughtfully as he listens to what Jamis says about them. He asks a couple of clarifying questions, but once they've been answered he seems satisfied with the course ahead of them, and sends one of the crew to Ian so that he can pass it along to everyone else.

Based on Jamis' map, the journey could take 2-3 days by oar, less by sail if the winds and tides are favorable.

Ian corrects his orders for the new heading, sending the crew to the sails again. "Sundowsing Isle's a ways away," he calls to Aethan, sounding not at all like someone upset that he's accidentally landed on a multi-day field trip away from Arx. RIGHT after he got back from his last multi-day field trip. Nope. "We might have to stop there and re-provision."

Catalana asks Jamis as she looks at the maps, "What else was on board the cog? What do the pirates have in terms of goods and weapons?"

Aethan checked command + leadership at difficulty 20, rolling 33 higher.

Skye checked dexterity + sailing at difficulty 15, rolling 52 higher.

Catalana checked charm + sailing at difficulty 25, rolling 14 higher.

Ian checked command + leadership at difficulty 25, rolling 28 higher.

Skye spends her time getting familiar with Aethan's ship, learning the nuissances of the ship and making herself useful by filling in areas that are needed. She has no interest in taking command, so she will follow Aethan's commands as he sets them on the voyage. She does keep an ear out for conversations with Jamis to see if there are any additional tidbits they need to know.

The passage out is covered in good time, not record time, but faster than any oared ship would cover. The tides were not optimal for departure, but a jaunt up the coast reached favorable winds that brought the crew to the headlandss, Arvinium Point. From there, Jamis takes careful measurements of the ships speed to get them to the point where he last saw the pirates.

Ian checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 1 lower.

Lucita has sailed before on Kennex ships more than once. She finds a sheltered spot out of the way of sailors and simply watches the action going on around her. She scribbles a few notes on a sheltered piece of parchment and gazes over the waves from time to time.

Lucita checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 8 higher.

Lucita checked perception + survival at difficulty 15, rolling 43 higher.

Skye checked perception + sailing at difficulty 15, rolling 30 higher.

Catalana checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 13 higher.

Aethan checked perception + sailing at difficulty 15, rolling 28 higher.

"Well, if we have to then we have to," Aethan replies to his brother with a shrug, catching another one of the crew and dispatching him to another part of the ship. From there, and throughout the trip, he seems much more at home than he ever has on land, for any who know him.

Ian checked perception + survival at difficulty 15, rolling 18 higher.

Skye finds the time passing quickly, finding her sea legs in the first day. She seems to get brighter the further they travel, showing this young woman loves being on the sea. She even finds a little time to sketch some of the crew when she's not helping them with the sails.

Catalana is the least at home on the sea, while she isn't seasick, she doesn't have the same ease or confidence the other Kennexs have. She spends most of her time charting courses and asking Jamis questions about the pirates and his cog.

Ian takes the helm when Aethan's not in control (ie, the boring shifts and the middle of the night). It being the boring shifts and the night shifts, most of his job is making sure none of the sailors fall asleep and they don't meander off course. The rest of the time, he doesn't have much to do but keep an eye on the horizon.

Lucita's brow creases and she squints. "Hey, Lord Ian? Lord Aethan? Over there. What's that? Isn't it a dingy or something. I see...boards.. and some smoke. Is that what we are looking for?

When attention is drawn to the wreckage, the smoke is discernible against the cliffs behind it, but only barely. The cove where the dinghy wrecked is nearly inaccessible.

Lucita says, "It is over there, near the headland there... Do you see it too?"

Ian looks up when Lucita speaks, and is immediately swarming up the mast to have a look from higher up, hanging onto the mast as it sways in giant figure 8s with the motion of the ship. "We're going to have an abyss of a time landing there," he calls down to Aethan.

Skye looks to where Lucita is pointing and gives a gasp of concern. She shakes her head as she looks at where the wreckage is, "It's nearly impossible to reach..." She bites her bottom lip and looks over at their leader for direction.

When Lucita calls out to him, Aethan does look over that way, and his eyes narrow as he studies it, nodding once. "I see it," he says, and he takes a moment of thought before he says, "We'll sail around the back to see if there's another access point."

Ian climbs back down. "I think I could make that swim, but if I ran into trouble on the beach, I'd be screwed."

A wellcrewed dinghy could get in and out again. Or a larger vessel could be portaged across during low tide from a larger cove. A cog isn't going to find any harbor along this coastline, not only is there a twenty foot cliff all along the shore but the coast is rife with hull killing rocks.

Lucita leaves the sailing and decisions to the experts. She says softly. "I'm only mediocre with swimming." Other than that she keeps her mouth shut, tucks notes away and stands, holding to the rail and watching.

Ian climbs down from the mast. "If we got in close, I could swim out there and get a sense of the situation," he offers to Aethan. "Signal you if it's urgent. If it's a trap, I doubt they'll spring it for one person."

Skye gives a concerned look to Ian, "I don't think that's wise to go out there by yourself. Why don't we take a small group on a dinghy and figure out the lay of the land?"

Ian looks to Skye. "I'll be fine. If we take the dinghy and it capsizes on the rocks, Lady Catalana goes into the water and then I won't be fine, because Wash will murder me."

When Ian speaks, Aethan looks from one to the other, his eyes settling on his brother. There's just a moment or two of thought, before he calls to the front, "Get in as close as can safely be managed. Ian will swim the rest of the way." Whether it's the right course or not, it's the one that's been set.

Jamis comes to see for himself what has caught everyone's attention. "Well, it's one of ours, for sure. That's the sailcloth of the Unsunk Cost."

Catalana narrows her eyes at Ian, "I will be perfectly fine." She glances to Jamis, "Wish to row the dingy with me?"

Jamis looks to the captain in startlement at Catalana's offer. "Maybe we could have it in readiness Captain? Admiral?"

Skye gives a nod to Aethan, deferring to his leadership. She bites her bottom lip and gives a concerned look to Ian. However, Skye does nothing further to interfere with the plan. Instead she tries to find a good spot to spy on Ian's swim to make sure he gets there okay.

"Let Ian go first," Aethan says with a quick look to Catalana. "We'll ready it in case we need it, yes," he says with a nod to Jamis, before he calls the same order off to a couple of the crew, who begin to do just that.

While the ship is brought in closer, Ian goes about stripping down to just his pants, leaving even his boots (especially his boots -- those braces are heavy) behind. He goes over the signals with Aethan, big arm movements for 'urgent', 'not urgent', and 'holy fuck that's a lot of pirates with swords'. "I'd like it if the launch was ready to go," he agrees. "I can make it there, but I don't know what I'm going to find." He doesn't take his sword, but he does take his diving knife.

Lucita is ready to help when directed how she can be most useful but since not a sailor and only average in athletics, she waits instructions, or suggestions, or hints. "You be careful Lord Ian, or we'll all face the wrath of Lady Zoey."

When it is clear that Aethan's ship is not simply passing by, someone emerges from the wreckage and waves. It's a young man, wearing the garb of a Mercy. He waves frantically as if he did not already have the crew's attention.

Skye sits up from her position and calls down to the others, "There's someone there on shore, waving to us. I think it's a Mercy." She describes the young man to Jamis to see if he recognizes him.

Ian breathes in and out at a fast, bizarre pace for several breaths, then takes a deep breath of air followed by a couple of gulping breaths added on. Then slips into the water on the far side of the ship, and disappears under the surface.

Lucita absently pulls out one of the knives from the cluster of them in her belt. She starts spinning it in her grip.. point up, point down, point up, point down. "As many have been hurt by sharks I worry about him meeting one along the way, but don't spot any fins.

Ian checked strength + athletics at difficulty 40, rolling 21 higher.

Jamis shrugs. "One of the three was a man. The youngest of them."

Catalana watches from the side of the boat. A frown upon her face as Ian heads towards the shore alone.

It's not easy to tell how well Ian's doing swimming between the shoals, because he mostly swims underwater, where the currents don't batter him around quite as much. And where he's not visible from land. His head pops up every now and again, long enough for a breath and to check out the beach from closer and closer distances.

The surf is not unbeatable. And when the young mercy sees his rescue coming by sea he struggles out into the water to help him to his feet, not that Ian needs such a rescue. They talk for a short moment, before the Mercy is dragging a wounded sailor out from their makeshift shelter and gesturing to the ship.

Ian doesn't actually try all that hard to get to his feet, preferring to ride a wave onto the beach. Without his boots, it's questionable how well he could stand. But either way, he gets to the shore SOMEHOW, and shakes out his sopping hair like a dog.

Skye glances at Aethan, a look of concern on her face, "Lord Ian's not going to be able to get the wounded back to the ship like that." She leans on the railing and tries to figure out if there's a way to get a small craft there based on the path that Ian swam.

Aethan doesn't say anything while Ian swims, but he does watch, standing stoically at the railing and squinting to make his brother out against the water. He does look at Skye then, though, and agrees, "He won't. We'll have to go in, but he can tell us whether we can wait for the tide or not. Between the two of us, though, we ought to be able to make it if we can't." He gestures to her, and then the dinghy.

Catalana proposes to Skye, "we could row the dingy out and bring him back to the ship, if he's stable."

Skye gives another glance at the dinghy and back to Aethan, "I think I could get one in there if we need to move quicker. By watching Ian swim over there, I followed his path." She lightly taps her fingers on the rail as she thinks.

Ian is helped to his feet by the Mercy long enough for him to wave the signal back to the ship that the situation isn't urgent, and a larger ship with better supplies would be better.

Lucita continues to keep watch, not just over Ian and the beach but the other side, bow and stern of the ship, turning her head and watching frequently. "Just tell me how I can help when you need it. I'm not sure how big the dingy is and how much room you need to bring them back, so unsure if you wish me to go try to help or remain behind. I want to help but not be in the way.

When Aethan sees the signal from Ian, he nods once, looking to Skye before he turns to Lucita and Catalana as well. "We'll wait," he says. "Once the tide comes in we'll sail in closer and bring supplies. It means waiting but better than risking it and having to carry back several more wounded." Or drowned.

A dinghy is large enough for 8 people, at the most. Anyone with gooidn command and leadership could take a crew of four sailors out, and bring the people in immediately, with some difficulty. If Aethan's ship (what is the name of this ship again?) maintains position, in six hours, the away boat can be dropped and safely bring everyone out without rolling at all.

Catalana tightens her lips the faintest bit. Annoyed clearly, but she nods to Aethan. He's captain and his word is rule

Skye glances back out to Ian, a worried look is given but Skye respects Aethan's decision on the matter. She goes instead to check with the physician on board to see what supplies they have to treat the wounded.

By nightfall, the mercy and his patient are safely on board again. He is grateful for the rescue and effusive in his praise of the pirate hunters. He tells them that they were on their way to Sundowsing, but now he has no idea how where the pirates took the ship and his fellows.

Ian can be seen on the beach producing his ever-present flask for the injured man and pointing out where the launch will come in, and even making truly heroic attempts at small talk. (The Mercy and sailor will come back to the ship knowing all about that one time when a swordfish ate Porter's pants.) Once back on the ship, the first thing he does is put his boots on, lacing them tight. The feet he put in those boots looked oddly shriveled, tilted at the ankles in a way that was not quite right.

2 watchful Blackshore guards have been dismissed.

Lucita keeps watch ever so helpfully, she does not even annoy Catalana and Aethan with keen observations like 'There's a wave, and there'a another wave and Oh, look, it's a wave, or That's a seabird, right, not a crow, just a seagull or something.'

Catalana has rarely seen Ian out of his boots. She looks to his feet and then looks away. Not a word said. Instead she busies herself with some work.

Once they're on their way again with the injured man on board, Aethan goes back to conversing with Jamis about the maps, giving orders, and generally doing all the things an admiral should do on a trip like this, which he totally knows how to do and is very good at.

The ship is another two days of sailing before it becomes apparent that the cog is long gone. Jamis breaks out his maps again, and using the stars as a guide, he pinpoints the only possible course within sailing distance of the pirate's ship. A tiny shav island not worth much, too craggy. It's another three day sail from here.

Ian more or less dries off and puts his clothes back on. He doesn't use the ship's precious freshwater to wash the salt from his hair or off his skin. They're all being hit with salt spray, anyway. It's not like he got that much more. His instinct is to second-guess Jamis' suggestion about the island (or at the very least, to look at the maps for himself). Years and years of hunting pirates has taught him to trust his instincts about where the pirates might have gone, and especially Aethan's.

Lucita says, "You alright, my friend?" She asks of Ian in a low tone once she moves close enough for him to hear her easily. And she checks on Catalana who is already advancing well into another week of her pregnancy. "When are you due?" Course plotting and time and supply estimates she leaves to Aethan and Ian and those who have some expertize in sailing."

Catalana is becoming more and more uncomfortable. Usually dressed in silks and bathed in milk, she's not use to this. Pants. Blegh. Salt. Double Blegh. Her skin darkens each day she remains out at sea. Though it's trying for the most lady-like of the house, Catalana smiles throughout aiding the crew where she can. Sharing unknown exploits of Wash's onshore adventures with the crew

Finally to Lucita, Catalana give a shrug. "Sometime in spring I suppose."

The shav island is too small to even have a name. Picas they call such things, small islands. The shavs that inhabit it are smart enough not to build their village where it can be seen from land. They still keep watch however. And on the approachable side of the island is an undeveloped beach, suitable for careening a ship. As the cog comes in view, two mercies are present, standing on the beach which is the only place a cog could anchor safely.

The consultation with the map, his brother, Jamis, and Baroness Skye ultimately decides Aethan to pursue the course set for them by Jamis, and once they've arrived and they see the mercies on the beach, another frown touches his face. "Hm," he says. "I don't love the look of this." Too easy, maybe.

Ian shakes his head. "I don't, either. What are they doing out on the beach, alone?"

Jonas, the rescued Mercy can't help but exclaim to find them alive. "That's them! That's totally them!" He runs to the railing to wave at them. They return the wave, if with more reserve.

Ian checked perception + survival at difficulty 15, rolling 47 higher.

Lucita checked perception + investigation at difficulty 15, rolling 24 higher.

Catalana checked perception + empathy at difficulty 15, rolling 26 higher.

Ian shades his eyes against the sun, and then steps away. "Shavs in the trees, men and women." He has the sense not to point as he explains this to Aethan. "I don't think they're armed. I don't know what the game is, here."

Lucita gives Catalana a concerned glance but only says gently. "At least not much longer to wait!" She then listens to the others long enough to hear their reserve about the situation and starts to look over the little island and the ocean around it. "What are we looking for? More people or...." She squints, leans over the rail and says. "hmmmm, They have on extra clothes, see how the robes are poofed out and lumpy like worn over something? And there at the neck...that looks like some of the linen the Shav's wear, doesn't it, and the robes... sort of faded like washed a lot and I don't see blood or muddy patches, just maybe some fraying around the hems... like walking through scrubby growth.

"Hm." Aethan's frown deepens at Ian's words, and he looks from his brother to Lucita when they speak, then to Catalana, in case she has something else to add. He lifts a hand to Jamis and Jonas, staying them for the moment.

Catalana ignores Lucita's comment as she looks out to the beach. She squints for a moment before noting, "The mercies, they want us to land. Look. They're waving."

Ian looks back at the others. "Are we... totally sure these are really the Mercies?"

Jonas, the third member of their party, assures them: "That's Trista and Meria for sure." He says. "I'll go with the rowing party, if there is anything amiss we can row back without ever touching shore."