[DTA] X Marks the Spot - Safire
Oct 12, 2024 19:33:42 GMT
Jaezred Vandree, Orianna Èirigh, and 1 more like this
Post by Nic on Oct 12, 2024 19:33:42 GMT
Co-written with Jaezred Vandree & Orianna Èirigh
~~~~~~~~
The bell above the door rings as Safire enters the Gossamer Threads for the first time in weeks. She looks around the room, smiling at the patrons and staff as she slowly scans the room for a familiar face.
Jaezred is sitting at one of the tables, a tiered stand of treats in front of him and a dainty cup of tea in one hand. He arches a brow when he sees Safire and beckons her over.
Safire nods with a smile and picks her way through the throng of customers. Taking a seat on the chair opposite Jaezred, she eyes the food in front of them. “You always seem to be living your best life,” she jokes. “How are you doing?”
“Well, I try…” He scratches his jaw, where a pale peach fuzz has started to show. “I am well, thank you for asking. What brings you here, Miss Safire? Is there something you seek? Apart from my lovable face, of course.”
Despite his jovial words, Safire sees a shade of sadness in his eyes. Her smile fades slightly. “Well, yes, actually. That’s exactly why I’m here.” Her brow furrows slightly as she stares at him. “Everything OK? You seemed a lot…brighter…after the whole spider incident. Has something happened?”
“Oh, I’m fine, really. No reason to be anything but cheerful! Autumn is the season of good harvest and, therefore, good food!” Jaezred forces a grin and motions at the cake stand as he slowly rises out of his chair, preparing to leave. “Please, help yourself. Try the tiny apple pies — seasonal, you see. They’ve got cinnamon in them.”
“I will…” Safire responds quietly before shaking her head and speaking up louder. “Actually! I was hoping to have a chat, about the story I heard here not so long ago. But it seems like you might need to talk first.” She leans forward and grabs his hand before he can fully stand. “You’ve helped me, let me help you.”
He looks down at her hand, surprised. “I-I, well…” he stammers, before clearing his throat, regaining his composure, and smiling at her, a little shyly. “Thank you. But you first, I insist. I need time to think on how to translate my thoughts into words anyway.”
“Fair enough.” Safire leans back in her seat, taking an apple pie from the stand and trying to catch a waiter’s eye to order her own pot of tea. “So, I was here a few weeks ago and there was this water genasi. He was telling me the tale of Admiral Tobias Fullwood. A rather dashing and brave sailor who he dressed up as for a romantic conquest… I digress…”
“Ah, and what happened to this dashing swashbuckler?”
“Well, in his time, there was a cult of warlocks, who also used the skull crab symbol and operated far from the Sword Coast. He united a fleet of both pirates and commercial sailors, and 13 ships travelled through unknown magical means to the lair of a beast. It commanded its own fleet and a fantastic sea battle ensued. The admiral himself climbed to the top of the mast and… Well, I kinda got lost at this point because the genasi wouldn’t stop talking about how his shirt was open and how amazing his abs were.”
Safire takes a bite of apple pie, just as the tea she ordered is placed in front of her by the waiter — pumpkin spiced chai in a clear pot, with matching cups. She thanks him before continuing.
“The admiral climbed to the top of the mast to oversee the battle. His ship found itself in the clutches of the beast. At a point when all seemed lost, he leapt from the mast, trident in hand, and plunged it into the creature’s central eye. He was lost, but the threat was eliminated. And the remains of the cult were hunted down by the remaining fleet before fading into obscurity.”
As she finishes the story, she pours a cup of tea for herself and looks to Jaezred. “Pretty fascinating, right?”
“Very much so,” he says, grinning as he listens to the grandiose tale. “And was it mentioned why the late admiral decided to hunt this great beast of the sea?”
Safire shrugs as she takes a drink of tea. “Nothing specific, just these warlocks were a great threat.”
“Well, in any case, this lines up with our theories so far. The warlocks survived, and may have been sacrificing entire crews to rejuvenate the oceanic godling they worship. But the question remains: why leave one survivor from each ship?” Jaezred leans back and drapes an arm over the empty chair next to him. “I don’t think I’ve told you this before, but I’ve had my fair share of adventures on the high seas. In my last one, we sailed out a few miles east of Port Ffirst to hunt down a kraken, the largest anyone’s ever seen. It was like fighting the sea itself.”
“You know you don’t have to tell me grand stories to impress me, I’m already sleeping with you!” Safire laughs.
“Oh, I’m just trying to get you to call me Captain Fullerwood,” he says, smirking.
She takes another gulp of tea. “Seriously though, I’m not sure it’s a kraken, but something equally as powerful. As for the others, the sole survivors, they’ve all been marked by it. The temple in Joran said the creature can hear through it. I have to be very careful what I tell the other crew.”
“Yes… More ancient than a kraken. More potent, if it can lend power to that many warlocks. But perhaps, through the mark — and this comes with certain risks, of course — you could try…communicating with it? Baiting it? You are, after all, the one they failed to mark, the sole anomaly.”
Safire’s mouth opens and closes a few times. “I hadn’t considered that…” She stares into middle distance for a few moments, taking in the suggestion and imagining scenarios. “The others would have to agree. It’s their mark so they would have the direct consequences. And I’m not sure I’m ready to play that hand just yet…but yes. That’s a good idea.”
She takes another drink of tea, finishing off the cup and goes to top up from the teapot. “I met a druid this week. Her name is Orianna. After we burned down an island for Matches, I gave her a brief explanation of what had happened to me and she offered to do some research at the academy to track down another shrine.”
“Hmm.” Jaezred takes a halloumi sandwich off the cake stand and nibbles on it thoughtfully. “Yes, another shrine should hopefully give you more clues, tell you more about the nature of the interactions with your artefact. Let us pray it doesn’t cause something worse than a tidal wave… If these shrines are nodes of conjuration magic, as their ability to teleport entire fleets suggests, then you must be careful of what you might summon.”
“Yes, I’m aware,” Safire replies, slumping back in her seat with a sigh. “Anyway, that’s it. The full update. Thank you again for your help, Jaezred.”
“My pleasure. And thank you for telling me this. Look, if a landlubber from the Underdark like me could take on the mother of all krakens, then what’s stopping a driven crew of mariners from conquering the sea, eh?”
“Hmf… I think the question never was if we were going to take it on, but how. Anyway…” Safire leans back in her chair and crosses her arms, and stares pointedly at the drow lord. “Care to share your updates?”
Jaezred rubs the back of his neck. “Well, I… Er… How to put this…” He lets out a sigh. “Have you ever gotten close with someone and hurt them, or got hurt by them?”
“I mean…sure. Who hasn’t! But I don’t think I’ve ever been in love.” Safire goes onto awkwardly mumble, “Probably says a lot more about me but there we are.” Raising her voice again, but with a kind tone, she asks, “Is that what’s happened? You got hurt?”
He casts his gaze to the side, visibly embarrassed. “I’m not talking about romantic love. Not exactly. I had hurt…two people. One unintentionally and one when I lost my temper. I have apologised to both, but it has not made me feel much better.”
Safire nods along as he speaks. “Yeah, that’s rough. Like, you’re humanoid, you’re going to make mistakes.”
“One of them is this kid I’d taken under my wing. They looked up to me, saw me as their foster father or something, perhaps because they’re so far away from home. And I let them down.”
“I mean, is there any other way you can make it up to them?”
“I don’t know. We’ve agreed that we need some distance for the time being. But I…” He scratches his head, a confused frown furrowing his brow. “…miss…spending time…with them?”
Safire smiles sadly at him and the silence hangs in the air for a few minutes whilst she tries to think of a response. “Listen, I’m sure there’s a tonne of context that I’m missing, and I’d rather give you no advice than bad advice. But, I’m sure that whatever happened, you did your best. Maybe…maybe distance is fine for you two right now, as long as they know the door is open? Take the time to learn, and when you’re ready…give yourself a break!”
Jaezred smiles. “Thank you, Safire. I hope they know that. I think they’ll figure things out… After a certain point, that’s all we can do, isn’t it? Hope that they’ll be alright on their own.”
She shrugs. “I guess? Like I said, leave the door open.” She smiles back at him, and finishes off the last of her tea. “But, I’ll not take up much more of your time. I’m sure you’ve got super important know-it-all-drow business to attend to.” She grins and motions to stand.
“Ah, before you go.” Lord Jaezred places a parchment letter on the table and pushes it towards Safire. It reads:
“It just occurred to me that this job would be somewhat up your alley,” he says. “And furthermore, the Archmage Aurelia is an expert in conjuration magic; she might be able to share with you some insights on those shrines. And I, for one, would like to know who she is negotiating with and how it goes.”
Safire picks up the parchment and gives it a quick read. “You know, I saw this back in Daring Heights and was thinking of going anyway. I suppose she’s also a good contact to have if a fleet of ships may be needed. I’ll keep an eye on her and find you when I get back. Or more likely, you’ll find me.”
“Ah, how fortuitous. Fair winds to you, Safire.”
~~~~~~~~
The bell above the door rings as Safire enters the Gossamer Threads for the first time in weeks. She looks around the room, smiling at the patrons and staff as she slowly scans the room for a familiar face.
Jaezred is sitting at one of the tables, a tiered stand of treats in front of him and a dainty cup of tea in one hand. He arches a brow when he sees Safire and beckons her over.
Safire nods with a smile and picks her way through the throng of customers. Taking a seat on the chair opposite Jaezred, she eyes the food in front of them. “You always seem to be living your best life,” she jokes. “How are you doing?”
“Well, I try…” He scratches his jaw, where a pale peach fuzz has started to show. “I am well, thank you for asking. What brings you here, Miss Safire? Is there something you seek? Apart from my lovable face, of course.”
Despite his jovial words, Safire sees a shade of sadness in his eyes. Her smile fades slightly. “Well, yes, actually. That’s exactly why I’m here.” Her brow furrows slightly as she stares at him. “Everything OK? You seemed a lot…brighter…after the whole spider incident. Has something happened?”
“Oh, I’m fine, really. No reason to be anything but cheerful! Autumn is the season of good harvest and, therefore, good food!” Jaezred forces a grin and motions at the cake stand as he slowly rises out of his chair, preparing to leave. “Please, help yourself. Try the tiny apple pies — seasonal, you see. They’ve got cinnamon in them.”
“I will…” Safire responds quietly before shaking her head and speaking up louder. “Actually! I was hoping to have a chat, about the story I heard here not so long ago. But it seems like you might need to talk first.” She leans forward and grabs his hand before he can fully stand. “You’ve helped me, let me help you.”
He looks down at her hand, surprised. “I-I, well…” he stammers, before clearing his throat, regaining his composure, and smiling at her, a little shyly. “Thank you. But you first, I insist. I need time to think on how to translate my thoughts into words anyway.”
“Fair enough.” Safire leans back in her seat, taking an apple pie from the stand and trying to catch a waiter’s eye to order her own pot of tea. “So, I was here a few weeks ago and there was this water genasi. He was telling me the tale of Admiral Tobias Fullwood. A rather dashing and brave sailor who he dressed up as for a romantic conquest… I digress…”
“Ah, and what happened to this dashing swashbuckler?”
“Well, in his time, there was a cult of warlocks, who also used the skull crab symbol and operated far from the Sword Coast. He united a fleet of both pirates and commercial sailors, and 13 ships travelled through unknown magical means to the lair of a beast. It commanded its own fleet and a fantastic sea battle ensued. The admiral himself climbed to the top of the mast and… Well, I kinda got lost at this point because the genasi wouldn’t stop talking about how his shirt was open and how amazing his abs were.”
Safire takes a bite of apple pie, just as the tea she ordered is placed in front of her by the waiter — pumpkin spiced chai in a clear pot, with matching cups. She thanks him before continuing.
“The admiral climbed to the top of the mast to oversee the battle. His ship found itself in the clutches of the beast. At a point when all seemed lost, he leapt from the mast, trident in hand, and plunged it into the creature’s central eye. He was lost, but the threat was eliminated. And the remains of the cult were hunted down by the remaining fleet before fading into obscurity.”
As she finishes the story, she pours a cup of tea for herself and looks to Jaezred. “Pretty fascinating, right?”
“Very much so,” he says, grinning as he listens to the grandiose tale. “And was it mentioned why the late admiral decided to hunt this great beast of the sea?”
Safire shrugs as she takes a drink of tea. “Nothing specific, just these warlocks were a great threat.”
“Well, in any case, this lines up with our theories so far. The warlocks survived, and may have been sacrificing entire crews to rejuvenate the oceanic godling they worship. But the question remains: why leave one survivor from each ship?” Jaezred leans back and drapes an arm over the empty chair next to him. “I don’t think I’ve told you this before, but I’ve had my fair share of adventures on the high seas. In my last one, we sailed out a few miles east of Port Ffirst to hunt down a kraken, the largest anyone’s ever seen. It was like fighting the sea itself.”
“You know you don’t have to tell me grand stories to impress me, I’m already sleeping with you!” Safire laughs.
“Oh, I’m just trying to get you to call me Captain Fullerwood,” he says, smirking.
She takes another gulp of tea. “Seriously though, I’m not sure it’s a kraken, but something equally as powerful. As for the others, the sole survivors, they’ve all been marked by it. The temple in Joran said the creature can hear through it. I have to be very careful what I tell the other crew.”
“Yes… More ancient than a kraken. More potent, if it can lend power to that many warlocks. But perhaps, through the mark — and this comes with certain risks, of course — you could try…communicating with it? Baiting it? You are, after all, the one they failed to mark, the sole anomaly.”
Safire’s mouth opens and closes a few times. “I hadn’t considered that…” She stares into middle distance for a few moments, taking in the suggestion and imagining scenarios. “The others would have to agree. It’s their mark so they would have the direct consequences. And I’m not sure I’m ready to play that hand just yet…but yes. That’s a good idea.”
She takes another drink of tea, finishing off the cup and goes to top up from the teapot. “I met a druid this week. Her name is Orianna. After we burned down an island for Matches, I gave her a brief explanation of what had happened to me and she offered to do some research at the academy to track down another shrine.”
“Hmm.” Jaezred takes a halloumi sandwich off the cake stand and nibbles on it thoughtfully. “Yes, another shrine should hopefully give you more clues, tell you more about the nature of the interactions with your artefact. Let us pray it doesn’t cause something worse than a tidal wave… If these shrines are nodes of conjuration magic, as their ability to teleport entire fleets suggests, then you must be careful of what you might summon.”
“Yes, I’m aware,” Safire replies, slumping back in her seat with a sigh. “Anyway, that’s it. The full update. Thank you again for your help, Jaezred.”
“My pleasure. And thank you for telling me this. Look, if a landlubber from the Underdark like me could take on the mother of all krakens, then what’s stopping a driven crew of mariners from conquering the sea, eh?”
“Hmf… I think the question never was if we were going to take it on, but how. Anyway…” Safire leans back in her chair and crosses her arms, and stares pointedly at the drow lord. “Care to share your updates?”
Jaezred rubs the back of his neck. “Well, I… Er… How to put this…” He lets out a sigh. “Have you ever gotten close with someone and hurt them, or got hurt by them?”
“I mean…sure. Who hasn’t! But I don’t think I’ve ever been in love.” Safire goes onto awkwardly mumble, “Probably says a lot more about me but there we are.” Raising her voice again, but with a kind tone, she asks, “Is that what’s happened? You got hurt?”
He casts his gaze to the side, visibly embarrassed. “I’m not talking about romantic love. Not exactly. I had hurt…two people. One unintentionally and one when I lost my temper. I have apologised to both, but it has not made me feel much better.”
Safire nods along as he speaks. “Yeah, that’s rough. Like, you’re humanoid, you’re going to make mistakes.”
“One of them is this kid I’d taken under my wing. They looked up to me, saw me as their foster father or something, perhaps because they’re so far away from home. And I let them down.”
“I mean, is there any other way you can make it up to them?”
“I don’t know. We’ve agreed that we need some distance for the time being. But I…” He scratches his head, a confused frown furrowing his brow. “…miss…spending time…with them?”
Safire smiles sadly at him and the silence hangs in the air for a few minutes whilst she tries to think of a response. “Listen, I’m sure there’s a tonne of context that I’m missing, and I’d rather give you no advice than bad advice. But, I’m sure that whatever happened, you did your best. Maybe…maybe distance is fine for you two right now, as long as they know the door is open? Take the time to learn, and when you’re ready…give yourself a break!”
Jaezred smiles. “Thank you, Safire. I hope they know that. I think they’ll figure things out… After a certain point, that’s all we can do, isn’t it? Hope that they’ll be alright on their own.”
She shrugs. “I guess? Like I said, leave the door open.” She smiles back at him, and finishes off the last of her tea. “But, I’ll not take up much more of your time. I’m sure you’ve got super important know-it-all-drow business to attend to.” She grins and motions to stand.
“Ah, before you go.” Lord Jaezred places a parchment letter on the table and pushes it towards Safire. It reads:
Dear adventurers,
I am due to attend a trade negotiation in the Plane of Water, and am looking to source an escort. Given the negotiations are about our fine adventuring community and future work that might come your way, it seems only fitting to seek an escort from your numbers.
Meet me at my home on the appointed date and we shall make our way together.
Best wishes,
Councillor Aurelia Archselon (AM Conj.)
I am due to attend a trade negotiation in the Plane of Water, and am looking to source an escort. Given the negotiations are about our fine adventuring community and future work that might come your way, it seems only fitting to seek an escort from your numbers.
Meet me at my home on the appointed date and we shall make our way together.
Best wishes,
Councillor Aurelia Archselon (AM Conj.)
“It just occurred to me that this job would be somewhat up your alley,” he says. “And furthermore, the Archmage Aurelia is an expert in conjuration magic; she might be able to share with you some insights on those shrines. And I, for one, would like to know who she is negotiating with and how it goes.”
Safire picks up the parchment and gives it a quick read. “You know, I saw this back in Daring Heights and was thinking of going anyway. I suppose she’s also a good contact to have if a fleet of ships may be needed. I’ll keep an eye on her and find you when I get back. Or more likely, you’ll find me.”
“Ah, how fortuitous. Fair winds to you, Safire.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A few days after the conversation with Jaezred, Safire finds herself back in Daring Heights, walking up the path to Orianna’s front door.
As she stands on the threshold, a wave of anxiety washes over her. Taking a deep breath, she mutters to herself, “Think like a captain,” and knocks on the door with three sharp raps.
There’s a moment where Safire swears she sees a tree shift closer as she waits but when she turns to look, it is still. It is just the anticipation, nothing else.
The large and heavy door opens and with it the smell of baking. The tall tiefling smiles as she sees Safire. “Hello, Safire. How delightful to see you. I was going to send a pigeon to find you, but this saves Wing Commander Darius the trouble.” Orianna steps back and gestures for Safire to step inside.
Safire is still side-eyeing the tree with a confused expression and takes a moment to register Orianna speaking. “Wing Commander… who…?” She shakes her head and smiles at Orianna’s greeting. “Never mind. Hi! Hope I’m not interrupting. I was hanging around thought I’d just check in.” As she steps into the house, she wipes her boots and then stands a little awkwardly in the entrance.
“You’re not at all. Please, come to the kitchen,” Orianna says, stepping away from the front foyer, past a staircase leading upstairs, and towards the kitchen. “Gerhard, my partner, is baking and I was just putting together what I found in the Academy for you.”
“Oh, you found something?” Safire says excitedly, falling into step behind Orianna.
Safire has been to the home before, but it was filled with people and excitement over Matches’ vows. Now it’s quieter, Safire looks around and takes it in properly. “Lovely home.”
Orianna smiles at the compliment. “It can be quite busy when the whole Family is here, but it would not be the same without their presence, even if they do not live here all the time. Still,” she pauses in the hallway, her eyes sweeping across the various books, relics, rocks, and antiques displayed on the shelves that line the corridor, cover every corner, and perch on any spare surface, “I love the stillness between such times. It gives one a chance to breathe.” Her gaze catches on Safire’s, and an incline of her head. “Would you like some tea or kaeth as we speak?”
A human man pops his head around the corner, half of his shoulder length dark brown hair is tied back off his face with a smudge of batter on his face. “And can I interest you in some semolina cakes as well?” he asks.
“Oh! Umm… hi!” She waves surprised at the human man. “Tea and cake sound great, thank you.” Safire takes one last look around the various items dotted around the house before turning her full attention to Orianna. “So, you found something?”
“I did. My notes and the references I found are upstairs. Would you be okay to wait here,” Orianna gestures to the kitchen, “or would you want to sit in the front room?” She gestures back down the hall to a room they passed with sofas and a fireplace.
“Well the walk from Port Ffirst was quite long so I’d appreciate the sofa. Take your time.”
Orianna nods to her, smiles at the man in a loving way and joins him in the kitchen.
Safire heads back to the lounge and sinks down into the comfiest looking sofa. After a minute or so she properly relaxes and leans back, waiting for Orianna to return.
There’s a sound of Orianna’s cloven feet coming down the hall but then retreating up the stairs. Then silence… until the sound of claws digging into fabric and a soft mrph from a cat that leaps up beside her.
“That’s Maurice,” the man says coming around the corner. He wears an apron covered in polka dot hearts and the words “kiss the cook” embroidered on it over his simple slacks and linen shirt. He carries a tray with teacups, a pot of tea, a small pile of square cakes, and all the extra condiments needed. The cat who has taken to sitting down beside Safire and is licking his side, is a lean, tough looking tabby, clearly well fed but with a hint of the hunter’s eye to him. Despite his cleaning he watches the man set out the tea and cakes on a small table. “He likes to make himself known to guests, but he might not stay if-”
Around the corner comes a bolt of crystal scales and wings, followed by Orianna, who says a word in a language Safire doesn’t understand, which makes the creature stop mid crouch when clearly she was about to leap up at the man. He chuckles a little, whilst the creature, a dragon Safire notes, curls her tail around her legs to sit and lie down on the floor by the fireplace, moping.
“Apologies, Safire. Valethra sometimes likes to make a show of entering a room. But she knows better, especially when we have guests,” Orianna says, this last part directed at the young dragon, her voice stern like a mothers. Then she turns to the man and her tone softens. “Thank you, imi-ib.”
“If you need anything…” he says. Orianna nods, and he smiles, squeezing her hand and brushing a kiss to her cheek before he departs back to the kitchen.
Sitting down, the Archivist passes over an elegantly stringed together three sheets of paper. The top one is like a cover of a book, a simple but elegant scrawling of For Safire on it.
“I was able to find one of the shrines you are looking for. That,” she nods to the papers in Safire’s hands, “have all the relative notes, collated advice, brief history, and a map.” She grins, the sparkle of delight clear in her eyes. “It even includes an ‘X’ to mark the spot.”
Safire chuckles a little to herself as the variety of the house inhabitants make themselves known, and also remembering how Orianna herself described the house as currently 'still'. Her eyes light up as Orianna passes her the documents as she leans forward on the sofa and begins poring over the notes.
“Orianna this… is… incredible.” Her eyes widen as a word catches her attention. “GRUNG! We sailed right past them only a few months ago!”
“So you are familiar with the place you will be heading to?” she asks.
“Sort of,” Safire replies, eyes still fixed on the documents. “We sailed past some Grung on the way to the temple of Talos and Umberlee. Didn’t think much of it at the time. Damn it, I should have paid more attention!”
Safire reads and rereads the research several times, tea completely forgotten about and going cold. After a while she looks up to Orianna. “Thank you! We now have our heading. How did you find this?”
Orianna blushes as she sets down the tea cup she’s just taken a sip from. “By following the clues. I first started by looking for any reference to a shrine or portals or tears that have been said to allow great fleets to cross vast distances. I was keeping an eye out for any mention or reference to the Wavemother. I found a note — I’ve copied it there,” she points to a bullet point note on the summary page of the research, “that mentioned a trial for another devotee of Umbrlee in the past. I am… familiar with such things, set by those of a higher power.” She takes a sip of tea.
Safire looks up at Orianna. “Still, it’s very impressive. And what higher power?” There’s a pause as it takes a second for Safire to register and a brief embarrassed expression crosses her face. “Oh wait! The dragon thing! Of course.” She attempts to laugh off the faux pas.
“You know,” Safire continues “I’ve always had a healthy respect for Umberlee growing up near the sea. I mean she isn’t called ‘The Sea Bitch’ for nothing! I guess if this is what I have to do to find the godspawn, I need to do it.” Safire thinks for a second and reaches over to her now lukewarm tea. “How do you keep your… dragon… happy?” There’s a higher pitch in Safire’s voice as she says dragon, not sure what other word to use but also knowing ‘dragon’ is probably incorrect.
“Valethra isn’t mine,” Orianna says, looking over to the young dragon curled up, nose to tail, picking up her cup of tea again. At the mention of her name though she raises her head, looking expectantly at Orianna. “She is… like a child to me. Someone who has a growing mind and will of her own, who needs guidance and to be taught the ways of folk, both dragon kin and otherwise…”
There’s a moment of silence. Then Orianna closes her eyes and smiles, looking back to Safire. “Her parent asked me to look after her whilst she was young. It was their dying wish, though I would have done it regardless…”
“Oh that’s sweet but not what I meant. What’s the word… the big dragon, like Matches and Elarris have. Henri mentioned his too… archworm? That might be it?”
“Oh! Ah, hmm, I think-” Orianna sets down her cup. “Perhaps there is some confusion. We, as in myself and the other members of our Family, do not do things to appease the Archwyrms. They are divine, in the sense that they have Asgorath’s spark within them… But they are not gods.”
“Ah… nevermind then. They seemed pretty divine when I saw them. I guess that makes them more like… godspawn…” The very thought makes Safire shudder and she takes a large gulp of tea, finishing the cup.
The tiefling frowns, holding back contradicting the statement. Instead she asks, “What exactly is this godspawn you hunt? For you are hunting it, yes?” as she pours Safire more tea.
Safire smiles as Orianna tops up her cup, but the smile doesn’t reach her eyes. “Yes, I am. As are a pub full of people who’ve also been unlucky enough to call themselves sole survivors. It’s something akin to a kraken… I think… maybe… Our stories start similarly. A thick fog appears, followed by a large ship. The others were boarded, their crew mates killed and they washed up on the shore, naked and branded with a skull and crab symbol.”
Safire leans back on the sofa and sighs. “When that ship appeared in the fog, I out ran it for an hour. And when the horn sounded and something massive attacked us from below, breaking the ship apart, I reacted on instinct and leapt overboard.” Safire looks everywhere but Orianna’s direction, the guilt evident on her face. “The only thing I saw from the water was the flag of the attackers, the same symbol the others have been branded with. Washed up in Kantas afterwards.”
“So there is a ship and a creature, both working in tandem?” Orianna asks.
“That’s my current working theory. And we believe the shrines lead to an island where they hide out. Thanks to you, we now have two out of three.”
“Hmm,” she intones, nodding. “I am glad I could help you, Safire. You are quite an exhilarating person. I am glad Matches has found a friend in you.”
“Exhilarating is certainly one of the more unique words that has been used to describe me!” She chuckles, turning back to Orianna. “And yeah, I’m glad for Matches too. I find our particular brands of chaos quite complimentary.”
That elicits a warm laugh from Orianna. “Indeed. Though it can be difficult to see who you are through all the fire and lighting at times, I think, at your core, you are both a similar type of person.” Her glowing violet eyes linger on Safire’s in a way that feels like the druid sees more than just the charismatic storm wielding captain sitting across from her. “Knowing when to stay the course and when to take a leap of faith… can be hard to understand, in the moment, if it was the right thing to do.”
Safire’s eyes linger on Orianna for a moment as she considers her comments. “I know what you’re trying to say. But… I was lucky.”
Safire takes in the room once more, the large empty sofas, set out for large gatherings of people. Trinkets and decorations from adventures undertaken together. Smells wafting from the kitchen as food is prepared for many.
“I had this, you know. Just this time last year. My ‘found family’. Now, they are all gone — dead or thralls to some incomprehensible creature. My home is now a wreck somewhere on the sea bed.” Safire turns to Orianna once more, her face hardened. “Whether right or not, my course is set.”
Orianna inclines her head, eyes falling to some middle distance as she says, “Yes, I suppose it is.”
“I will keep everyone who sails with me as safe as I can, if that makes you feel better."”
“You do not need to worry about reassuring me, Safire,” Orianna says with a wan smile. “It is more important that you are on a heading that is true to yourself.”
Safire nods and goes to rise, picking up the documents and a cake as she does so. “I don’t know how I can repay you for this. But if there’s anything I can do to help with this herald business or otherwise, please let me know.”
“I will keep your offer in mind.” Orianna stands too, gesturing for Safire to take more of the cakes if she wishes. “And my home is open to you, too, Safire. If ever you wish to have a reprieve, you are welcome.”
Safire stands fully at Orianna’s gesture and picks up another cake. There’s a moment as she shrugs and takes a third which she stuffs in her pocket. “Thank you for the offer. I’m sure we’ll see each other soon enough.”
And with a friendly salute and a wink, Safire walks to the door and lets herself out. Keeping her eyes on that bloody tree all the way down the garden path.
As she stands on the threshold, a wave of anxiety washes over her. Taking a deep breath, she mutters to herself, “Think like a captain,” and knocks on the door with three sharp raps.
There’s a moment where Safire swears she sees a tree shift closer as she waits but when she turns to look, it is still. It is just the anticipation, nothing else.
The large and heavy door opens and with it the smell of baking. The tall tiefling smiles as she sees Safire. “Hello, Safire. How delightful to see you. I was going to send a pigeon to find you, but this saves Wing Commander Darius the trouble.” Orianna steps back and gestures for Safire to step inside.
Safire is still side-eyeing the tree with a confused expression and takes a moment to register Orianna speaking. “Wing Commander… who…?” She shakes her head and smiles at Orianna’s greeting. “Never mind. Hi! Hope I’m not interrupting. I was hanging around thought I’d just check in.” As she steps into the house, she wipes her boots and then stands a little awkwardly in the entrance.
“You’re not at all. Please, come to the kitchen,” Orianna says, stepping away from the front foyer, past a staircase leading upstairs, and towards the kitchen. “Gerhard, my partner, is baking and I was just putting together what I found in the Academy for you.”
“Oh, you found something?” Safire says excitedly, falling into step behind Orianna.
Safire has been to the home before, but it was filled with people and excitement over Matches’ vows. Now it’s quieter, Safire looks around and takes it in properly. “Lovely home.”
Orianna smiles at the compliment. “It can be quite busy when the whole Family is here, but it would not be the same without their presence, even if they do not live here all the time. Still,” she pauses in the hallway, her eyes sweeping across the various books, relics, rocks, and antiques displayed on the shelves that line the corridor, cover every corner, and perch on any spare surface, “I love the stillness between such times. It gives one a chance to breathe.” Her gaze catches on Safire’s, and an incline of her head. “Would you like some tea or kaeth as we speak?”
A human man pops his head around the corner, half of his shoulder length dark brown hair is tied back off his face with a smudge of batter on his face. “And can I interest you in some semolina cakes as well?” he asks.
“Oh! Umm… hi!” She waves surprised at the human man. “Tea and cake sound great, thank you.” Safire takes one last look around the various items dotted around the house before turning her full attention to Orianna. “So, you found something?”
“I did. My notes and the references I found are upstairs. Would you be okay to wait here,” Orianna gestures to the kitchen, “or would you want to sit in the front room?” She gestures back down the hall to a room they passed with sofas and a fireplace.
“Well the walk from Port Ffirst was quite long so I’d appreciate the sofa. Take your time.”
Orianna nods to her, smiles at the man in a loving way and joins him in the kitchen.
Safire heads back to the lounge and sinks down into the comfiest looking sofa. After a minute or so she properly relaxes and leans back, waiting for Orianna to return.
There’s a sound of Orianna’s cloven feet coming down the hall but then retreating up the stairs. Then silence… until the sound of claws digging into fabric and a soft mrph from a cat that leaps up beside her.
“That’s Maurice,” the man says coming around the corner. He wears an apron covered in polka dot hearts and the words “kiss the cook” embroidered on it over his simple slacks and linen shirt. He carries a tray with teacups, a pot of tea, a small pile of square cakes, and all the extra condiments needed. The cat who has taken to sitting down beside Safire and is licking his side, is a lean, tough looking tabby, clearly well fed but with a hint of the hunter’s eye to him. Despite his cleaning he watches the man set out the tea and cakes on a small table. “He likes to make himself known to guests, but he might not stay if-”
Around the corner comes a bolt of crystal scales and wings, followed by Orianna, who says a word in a language Safire doesn’t understand, which makes the creature stop mid crouch when clearly she was about to leap up at the man. He chuckles a little, whilst the creature, a dragon Safire notes, curls her tail around her legs to sit and lie down on the floor by the fireplace, moping.
“Apologies, Safire. Valethra sometimes likes to make a show of entering a room. But she knows better, especially when we have guests,” Orianna says, this last part directed at the young dragon, her voice stern like a mothers. Then she turns to the man and her tone softens. “Thank you, imi-ib.”
“If you need anything…” he says. Orianna nods, and he smiles, squeezing her hand and brushing a kiss to her cheek before he departs back to the kitchen.
Sitting down, the Archivist passes over an elegantly stringed together three sheets of paper. The top one is like a cover of a book, a simple but elegant scrawling of For Safire on it.
“I was able to find one of the shrines you are looking for. That,” she nods to the papers in Safire’s hands, “have all the relative notes, collated advice, brief history, and a map.” She grins, the sparkle of delight clear in her eyes. “It even includes an ‘X’ to mark the spot.”
Safire chuckles a little to herself as the variety of the house inhabitants make themselves known, and also remembering how Orianna herself described the house as currently 'still'. Her eyes light up as Orianna passes her the documents as she leans forward on the sofa and begins poring over the notes.
“Orianna this… is… incredible.” Her eyes widen as a word catches her attention. “GRUNG! We sailed right past them only a few months ago!”
“So you are familiar with the place you will be heading to?” she asks.
“Sort of,” Safire replies, eyes still fixed on the documents. “We sailed past some Grung on the way to the temple of Talos and Umberlee. Didn’t think much of it at the time. Damn it, I should have paid more attention!”
Safire reads and rereads the research several times, tea completely forgotten about and going cold. After a while she looks up to Orianna. “Thank you! We now have our heading. How did you find this?”
Orianna blushes as she sets down the tea cup she’s just taken a sip from. “By following the clues. I first started by looking for any reference to a shrine or portals or tears that have been said to allow great fleets to cross vast distances. I was keeping an eye out for any mention or reference to the Wavemother. I found a note — I’ve copied it there,” she points to a bullet point note on the summary page of the research, “that mentioned a trial for another devotee of Umbrlee in the past. I am… familiar with such things, set by those of a higher power.” She takes a sip of tea.
Safire looks up at Orianna. “Still, it’s very impressive. And what higher power?” There’s a pause as it takes a second for Safire to register and a brief embarrassed expression crosses her face. “Oh wait! The dragon thing! Of course.” She attempts to laugh off the faux pas.
“You know,” Safire continues “I’ve always had a healthy respect for Umberlee growing up near the sea. I mean she isn’t called ‘The Sea Bitch’ for nothing! I guess if this is what I have to do to find the godspawn, I need to do it.” Safire thinks for a second and reaches over to her now lukewarm tea. “How do you keep your… dragon… happy?” There’s a higher pitch in Safire’s voice as she says dragon, not sure what other word to use but also knowing ‘dragon’ is probably incorrect.
“Valethra isn’t mine,” Orianna says, looking over to the young dragon curled up, nose to tail, picking up her cup of tea again. At the mention of her name though she raises her head, looking expectantly at Orianna. “She is… like a child to me. Someone who has a growing mind and will of her own, who needs guidance and to be taught the ways of folk, both dragon kin and otherwise…”
There’s a moment of silence. Then Orianna closes her eyes and smiles, looking back to Safire. “Her parent asked me to look after her whilst she was young. It was their dying wish, though I would have done it regardless…”
“Oh that’s sweet but not what I meant. What’s the word… the big dragon, like Matches and Elarris have. Henri mentioned his too… archworm? That might be it?”
“Oh! Ah, hmm, I think-” Orianna sets down her cup. “Perhaps there is some confusion. We, as in myself and the other members of our Family, do not do things to appease the Archwyrms. They are divine, in the sense that they have Asgorath’s spark within them… But they are not gods.”
“Ah… nevermind then. They seemed pretty divine when I saw them. I guess that makes them more like… godspawn…” The very thought makes Safire shudder and she takes a large gulp of tea, finishing the cup.
The tiefling frowns, holding back contradicting the statement. Instead she asks, “What exactly is this godspawn you hunt? For you are hunting it, yes?” as she pours Safire more tea.
Safire smiles as Orianna tops up her cup, but the smile doesn’t reach her eyes. “Yes, I am. As are a pub full of people who’ve also been unlucky enough to call themselves sole survivors. It’s something akin to a kraken… I think… maybe… Our stories start similarly. A thick fog appears, followed by a large ship. The others were boarded, their crew mates killed and they washed up on the shore, naked and branded with a skull and crab symbol.”
Safire leans back on the sofa and sighs. “When that ship appeared in the fog, I out ran it for an hour. And when the horn sounded and something massive attacked us from below, breaking the ship apart, I reacted on instinct and leapt overboard.” Safire looks everywhere but Orianna’s direction, the guilt evident on her face. “The only thing I saw from the water was the flag of the attackers, the same symbol the others have been branded with. Washed up in Kantas afterwards.”
“So there is a ship and a creature, both working in tandem?” Orianna asks.
“That’s my current working theory. And we believe the shrines lead to an island where they hide out. Thanks to you, we now have two out of three.”
“Hmm,” she intones, nodding. “I am glad I could help you, Safire. You are quite an exhilarating person. I am glad Matches has found a friend in you.”
“Exhilarating is certainly one of the more unique words that has been used to describe me!” She chuckles, turning back to Orianna. “And yeah, I’m glad for Matches too. I find our particular brands of chaos quite complimentary.”
That elicits a warm laugh from Orianna. “Indeed. Though it can be difficult to see who you are through all the fire and lighting at times, I think, at your core, you are both a similar type of person.” Her glowing violet eyes linger on Safire’s in a way that feels like the druid sees more than just the charismatic storm wielding captain sitting across from her. “Knowing when to stay the course and when to take a leap of faith… can be hard to understand, in the moment, if it was the right thing to do.”
Safire’s eyes linger on Orianna for a moment as she considers her comments. “I know what you’re trying to say. But… I was lucky.”
Safire takes in the room once more, the large empty sofas, set out for large gatherings of people. Trinkets and decorations from adventures undertaken together. Smells wafting from the kitchen as food is prepared for many.
“I had this, you know. Just this time last year. My ‘found family’. Now, they are all gone — dead or thralls to some incomprehensible creature. My home is now a wreck somewhere on the sea bed.” Safire turns to Orianna once more, her face hardened. “Whether right or not, my course is set.”
Orianna inclines her head, eyes falling to some middle distance as she says, “Yes, I suppose it is.”
“I will keep everyone who sails with me as safe as I can, if that makes you feel better."”
“You do not need to worry about reassuring me, Safire,” Orianna says with a wan smile. “It is more important that you are on a heading that is true to yourself.”
Safire nods and goes to rise, picking up the documents and a cake as she does so. “I don’t know how I can repay you for this. But if there’s anything I can do to help with this herald business or otherwise, please let me know.”
“I will keep your offer in mind.” Orianna stands too, gesturing for Safire to take more of the cakes if she wishes. “And my home is open to you, too, Safire. If ever you wish to have a reprieve, you are welcome.”
Safire stands fully at Orianna’s gesture and picks up another cake. There’s a moment as she shrugs and takes a third which she stuffs in her pocket. “Thank you for the offer. I’m sure we’ll see each other soon enough.”
And with a friendly salute and a wink, Safire walks to the door and lets herself out. Keeping her eyes on that bloody tree all the way down the garden path.