Subject: Chapter 1: Preparations 1,795 views

[Racer Xonclar]

As the two of your stroll down the correct road this time, you notice a few wagons roll by. The street steadily becomes more congested as you get closer to the docks, the sound of the docks becoming ever more prevalent. Squeak and rumble of wagon wheels, cracking of whips and reigns, shouts and groans of men all fill the air as you begin to see multiple ships being loaded and unloaded into wagons and carts.

The larger ships have been pulled up specialized ramps by several rope and pulley systems, allowing large loading doors to be used instead of narrow loading ramps. As a result, the largest ships are completely out of the water and are slightly tipped nose-first. A pair of such ramps are available, as well as a three or four of the more traditional docks.

Looking past the myriad of seagulls that are sitting along the shore, docks, and in the air...you can see another large vessel sailing towards the docks, with a smaller escort ship on either side of it.

[Black_Hawk]

Adjusting her backpack once again, as it seems she has not found the right length for its straps, she looks down over towards the docks.

"Perchance you wish to go down to the docks again? I would like to see who arrives on that vessel. He she or it may be important in the tournament to come."

[Shiv]

Bloodgaze shrugs. "Sure, I jus' feel like walking around and watching the ships come in for a bit. So I don't mind if ya' want to check for competition. Who knows? Maybe I'll run into som old contact or something. I know a few people around here", she intones,, her voice distant and her eyes already skimming the crowds, ships and buildings with a facinated glint.

[Racer Xonclar]

As Bloodgaze wanders in and among the crowd, she notices a few familiar faces from her travels, but nothing that makes a name jump out to her. Since none of them seem to flee in terror at the sight of her, it's likely they are just people she encountered and not anyone she tried to recruit.

Watching a flock of seagulls fly overhead, Bloodgaze barely misses getting sideswiped by a hurried cart. Unable to see her due to the blinders, the horse walks right in front of her and manages to step on her foot. The driver merely jerks the reigns to the side so the cart wheels do not catch her as well and continues on without a word.


As Rayne makes her way over to the newly docking ship, she sees that the ship has been pulled onto one of these docking rails by a series of several large ropes fastened to the ship's hull. Attached to a large winch of sorts, the ship has literally been cranked into place with the work of backs, sweat, and gears. Now that it has docked, large loading doors have been opened on the vessel allowing wide ramps to sit directly on solid ground instead of on the dock.

Rayne has continued to receive odd looks, but a younger man slammed into her shoulder as he tried to rush past. As he glances up to look at her, his eyes get as big as saucers. The man is clearly not out of his early 20s, but you have a hard time figuring out if the man's stare is one out of complete shock at her several peculiar traits or simply bumping into a woman with such a striking appearance. After an obviously awkward second, the man looks away quickly and tries to hide the fact he was just staring wild eyed.
Off to Rayne's right, she notices four figures that seem to be getting off the ship's main deck. One man dressed in a simple tunic and pants that are drab colors of grey and brown seems to have already walked off the ship and headed towards you. Still on the deck of the ship, Rayne makes out one man carrying a heavily laden pack, a women wearing a travelling pack that looks similar to her own, and a finely dressed man speaking to them that she presumes is the ship's captain.

[Shiv]

In half a heartbeat Bloodgazes face goes from one of amicable contentment to one of fiery wrath. "Oi! Watch where you're going you son of a waterdavian whore!", she shouts at the cart driver, her hand reflexively going for her sword before she stops herself. "Okay, think it through, do not do anything rash...." her mind tells her, so she settles for a mild approach instead. "If your mother had been bedding beholders and not grimlocks maybe you'd have eyes in that thing you call a face!", she adds tactfully and turns away from the cart, muttering to herself.

[Black_Hawk]

Rayne is puzzled by the reaction from the young man who bumped into her by seeming accident. Being the suspicious person she is, probably due to imprisonment in stone and once living in a large city, she immediately does a quick run down of her possessions before continuing onward. Once she is satisfied that everything is in its proper place, she looks on the docked ship. Looking over the massive effort used to haul the ship up, she contemplates the amount of magic or psionics needed to move the ship the same way, deciding that, while less man intensive and significantly more interesting, it would not be cost effective.

Looking onward to the ship as the passengers disgorge, she notes the person with the pack similar to hers. If my hunch is correct, which I would think it is, that is a pack similar to mine in both make and magic. Very few carry a burden seeming that light when traveling

Looking back over her shoulder at her companion Bloodgaze, she notes the sword-in-hand reaction and the ensuing curses, the latter of which make her laugh a bit. Apparently her sword is as sharp as her temper and tongue.

Rayne decides to wait at the end of the dock for the sake of perhaps chatting with a traveler from the boat and garnering more strange looks, which she is thinking of taking up as a hobby.

[Shiv]

"Banes black balls, some people", Bloodgaze grumbles and relaxes her muscles, her shoulders and spine slouching back to normal. Wandering over to Ryane whilst still cursing silently, she takes a spot beside the red-headed woman, silently observing -and admiring- the docking ships and the bustle of the streets. "Maybe I should try some seafaring", she thinks to herself. "Although being cramped up with all those swaggering sailors for several weeks would probably end up with someone getting killed", she adds ruefully.

[Racer Xonclar]

The man dressed in grey and brown pauses to look at the two of you as he shifts his pack slung over one shoulder. His eyes glances over Rayne and Bloodgaze's persons in a very calculated fashion, looking over Rayne's chainshirt and weapon with a slightly quirked eyebrow, looking over Bloodgaze's greatsword, and giving both of their stances and frames a sizing up.

Making no attempt to hide this, he simply nods to you when finished and starts to walk on his way past you.

[Racer Xonclar]

((posting for Weasel since he's having weird internet issues atm...and apparently IRC cut bits out of it. dammit. well...he can fix it later if he wants to.))

The Damarian woman walks carefully down the ramp. She wears a beige, sleeveless rough-hewn shirt, and thick brown trousers rolled up just below her knee. Dressed so plainly, one could mistake her for a simple dock hand, but her movements and calculating eyes suggest otherwise. A long white ribbon wraps around the length of her long raven hair. If you were too look at the ribbon closely, you’d see simple black needlework spelling out s

The commotion causes the woman to quickly cut her eyes in your direction. Watching the tall blond woman and the disturbance she seems to be causing, her first thought is she is a simple troublemaker. She’s heard stories that in some big cities there are those who wait to rob someone as soon as they come ashore, and wonders if that is the case here. Impressed by the woman’s stature, she almost hopes it is. Seeing the sword strapped to

Only then does she notice the other sizable woman with red hair standing at the end of the ramp. Seeing her strange armor, and the spiked chain around her waist causes her to pause ever so slightly. She meets the red-headed woman’s eyes and gives a confident, almost cocky grin. She readjusts the strap of her haversack around her neck to give her more freedom.

As she steps off the ramp onto the dock, you can now see her clearly. She looks up at the two woman, and gives a slight nod of her head. You now see her bare arms are tight with muscled sinew. She is obviously in top physical condition.

[Shiv]

As the plainly dressed man sums her up with his gaze, Bloodgaze responds with a casual greeting gesture -something akin to a "yo"- and shoots the man a big grin, letting him pass without further communication but with her eyes locked in a similarity evaluating gaze. "Prospective emplooooyer?", her mind sings to her.

Her eyes leaving the man she turns towards Raye, her voice now overly sly in a mock-parody of any theatrical rouge. "Did ya' see that guy? He was lookin' for some good mercenaries, I'm sure of it, my nose for gold is never wro-", Bloodgaze is cut short as she follows Raynes gaze to the Damarian woman watching them. Bloodgazes eyes linger on her simple clothes, her muscles arms, and her overtly confident look. Noticing the little things about the Damarians posture, equipment and her general air, Bloodgaze comes to one simple conclusion.

"I hope I can beat the living crap out of her in the tournament"

Leaning close to Rayne, and speaking in hushed tones so that the newcomer won't hear, Bloodgazes voice is a mix of exaltation and mockery at the same time. "An' what do we have here?". Bloodgaze shrugs her head in the direction of the monk. "Someone for the tournament probably. Look at her, she's checking us out, sizing us up. She probably thinks she can take us on!". Bloodgaze chukles. "I'm not sayin' she's weak or anything, I mean she does have confidence and training by the looks 'a it, but I'd still love to rub that smug look from offa' her face." Pursing her lips and considering her options for a moment Bloodgaze adds. "I wonder if she's against street-challenges?"

[Black_Hawk]

Scowling a bit in thought, Rayne pauses for a moment in her observation of the disembarking passengers. "I would thinks that she would be. And from what you have said a fight without healers nearby could be... unfortunate to all those involved." Rayne looks back to Bloodgaze. "I somehow doubt that she is in my aspect of the upcoming tournament, but I would imagine I could inflict a bit of hurt on her were it to come to that."

Rayne gives a two finger wave to the woman who is observing them in kind. "As long as she was not too close at least. I am not one of the musclebound warrior woman in this particular tournament." Rayne grins a bit with that last statement, then turns to a human who has been staring too intently at her for a minute or two, giving him an eye-flashing look that advises he move his eyes elsewhere.

[Weasel]

"Ladies." she says matter of factly as she stops infront of the two women. She looks at each woman in turn, holding their gaze before looking to the other. Her stance is relaxed and her face is calm.

"Do you need something, or are you simply here to welcome me to your fine city?"

((Sorry for delay... comp crashed))

[Shiv]

Bloodgaze shoots the woman a wolfish grin. "Well as luck would have it, I do feel welcoming today." Extending her hand to the Damarian she continues. "Name's Bloodgaze, sword for hire and former captain of Bloodgazes Bloodletters. Me and my new friend here...", she gestures to Rayne, "...were sightseeing on the docks when we spotted this ship o' yours. And your arrival. You jus' caught my eye I guess, ya' don't look like a normal city dweller. Where ya' from?"

[Weasel]

"Across the sea." he says with a grin as she takes the womans hand. When she feels the increasingly tight grip she adds, "Lyrabar in fact."

After she's wrenched her hand free she continues.

"So I'm no stranger to cities... just this one. Well met, Bloodgaze. You may call me Jade."

She offers her hand to the red-headed woman.

.oO(Bloodletters? Why does that sound familiar..)

[Black_Hawk]

Rayne accepts the proffered hand, grinning a bit at the fact that she, as of yet, has not seen one of the ubiquitous odd looks. "I am called Rayne. I have my doubts you would know of me, though I have arrived here from Baldurs Gate, at least after a fashion."

After matching the grip of Jade, she withdraws her hand. Hiking up her pack onto her shoulder, deciding that she really ought to adjust it better when she gets back to the inn, she continues, glancing at the outfit of the newly introduced woman. "I assume that you are here for the tournament? All those who are... out of place, as it were, seem to be."