>>>>>>> On the  'Raining Sorrow.

  the  ships went under the bridge,  They could see kids  and   older folk fishign from shoore.... the Massive  gates were opening.. a merchant ship about twice thier  size  was  coming up on thier left  to enter, while they passed on the right...

  three 'half Bodies' hung from the bow of the  ship..

 well?  that's   3  pirates that won't  raid  anymore

Lysander was fascinated by the journey on water.  Whilst there were bigger ships, and bigger waters, this was a first for him and he looked forward to the experience.  He didn't mind being out on the deck, it gave him a view of landscapes only heard of in stories.

Being attuned to more severe weather and waves on the seas, Vilmund was completely relaxed on the river and this 'soft' craft. Lounging about the deck until called upon for any sailing to be done, he felt at ease yet kept an active eye and open ears for any unsavory activity from the sailors.

Tyri looked around in pure curiosity. She had never been on a boat before. The rocking was unfamiliar and while she easily kept her balance, she wasn't too sure on how she felt with the experience. The others seemed fine which only made her feel more out of her element. She looked to Ivy and decided to keep close to him more out of comfort.

Krwyn sees Tyri's problem to keep her balance naturally: "Tyri, it's just dancing on the music. Most rivers and the seas have their own rhythm because of the current or the waves. You must try to feel that rhythm, like listening to the music you would dance to. If you feel the rhythm, you can easily move in time. To someone so musically as you, it should come fast."

As Krwyn long ago had crossed the seas to reach the lands here, he is quick accustomed to the gait againa and moves around with his usual souplesse.

 Elandra was enjoying the boat trip down the river, she had been on boats before in her travels, she traveled a lot spreading the word of Amot, and had been on quite a few boats. She watched the scenery and she also kept a watch on the sailors as well, but she was all smiles as they traveled the river.

  Tyri lass, kree be c'rrect, j'st like yer dancin', loos'n up yer legs, feel the roll a th' deck. keep yer hips steady, and allow yer knees to take the flex. it also might help if ye don't be look'n at the h'rizen, er the r'vers banks. You'll be fine Lass. he stands with his hips and truck steady, and allows the deck of the ship to move under him, slightly bending his knees when they need to.

 Kree  stands   on the Bow  watching the  Massive gates    as the pass , each  bar 20 feet in diameter  and rise from the  bottom of the  river to   the  wall  on the ramparts., the drawbridge is closing now, ..ever  so slowly.. as the Bigger ship entered  the  City.

 As the  pass the   'man' made Isle  in the middle of the  River, Built  by rock and  stone from the Ironmound tunnels, a small fort   with  40 or so River Guards manning the  8  foot walls...3  Ballista are on the island, and a Pot of  Tar-fire is   kept Bubbling.. two   Jolly boats  are more there  for  troops to    board merchant ships  and ship from other cities.

 As the Pass the Island and wave to the lookout in the tower, Kree walks  Back to the waist to the vessel.

 ..Ivy?  when it  get dark, send up the arrow to signal are dark-loving friends..

 Hooka  looked up  at Kree, he patted her Nose   and she laid  back down.. then he moved of down to the  quarter  deck to take with the Master.

 ..This is My Deck, Elf!...

 ..Never said it was not?.. However  as a Captain, and  an Agent  for the crowd, I  took fro granted, that i would be permitted on the Deck since my people and I helped defedn it?.. If mot?..You are more then welcome to try and remove me..

 he turned away from the Master  and looked towards  the   west..there is  faint  dust in the distance, I cannot  see   from here.. the  Trade road  is much to far... But  there are people traveling there..

 The captain gets his Glass   , walks over   as he studies the   area..he hands the Galss to kree who looks through it...wagons... carriages.. horsemen... all trying to make the Next road hosue  compound before the sun goes down...

 using  his cloak , Kree wipes off  any  finger prints on the  shiny brass case of the spyglass.

 The captain Hrumphs..your Elven  eyes see more then mine..i see you car for the   Glass?

 Kree nods with a smile...I had one  once... on the other side of the Mists.. Me..Ivy..Krywn were there. We got   aboard  a Merchant ship that was attacked by pirates, they did not Know we were  aboard....The Captain of  the Merchant vessel awards  me  the spy Glass of the Pirate Captain..He and His people  loaded  all his Goods on the Pirates ship, and used that to sail to his next port..he left his master   and  a few crewmen to  get us to our  destination .. somehow the rudder  was  fouled  during the fight.. or  the Sahuagin..that attacked us  fouled it  for us.. we survived the battle , lost some of our people  and    were driven into the Mists..  we came out this  side...I lost mu spyglass in the storms, but  they are beyond Value.

 ..only a select few can travel through the Mists  and Back

 ..we went chasing Slavers.. we only caught a few.. the lands  we went to? Were a mixed bag.. Ivy  and I became ..'harpers".. it suited our tasks.... when we came back..well.. I figured the sisters  wanted us here.

Tyri smiled warmly at Krwyn and Vilmund and moved up to each, bestowing a kiss upon the cheek. “Thank you...this is definitely a new experience. I am...trying.” Falling into the rhythm was easy enough, feeling that rocking and going with it. In a way, it reminded her of the gypsy wagons that she had ridden in a number of times. Once she had her ‘sea legs,’ she dared to move up to the railing and look out over the water, that curiosity clear in her icy gaze.

Lysander finds the gentle rocking of the boat much like being in a tree in a breeze.  He hearkens back to the days of his youth, when such frivolities were tolerated by his parents.

  After the kiss, and watching her to move the railing, looking out over the water and the river's edga, he sees she has relaxed and drifted off to another place. Th' best part o' rid'n the water, it tak's yee to 'ther places. mak's yee t'ink o' t'ings. M'kes fer restf'll slumb'rs as well. He pats her on the shoulder, Yee be ok lass, ok yee be. yee sleep w'll t'night fer s're. He walks towards a ladder and sits to the side, so as not to be in anyones way if they climb or descend.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:45, Tue 25 Aug 2020.

 Elandra just relaxed by the rail watching and learning as they went, she said prayers to Amot for a Peaceful journey. She waved to the guards in the man made fort, and then just watched the water as they traveled down the river.

   Kree watched  from the quarter  deck  witht eh Captain as they pointed at things to the  west.. they could barely see where the  'line' cut through the  forested  part of the  mountains, that was the Furman's Trail.

  ...

 Ivy  looked out over the River and he said aloud, but almost to himself...see  how calm the water looks....but  under the  wave  there  are life  and death struggles. serpents, fish, water   lizards...there might even be sea folk down there..

 The Tall Man Bumped  Ivy  hard  as he  carried a Coil of Rope... Ivy  caught  himself on the railign   as the Man said,..wadda ye know  'bout   the water, Elf....

 Ivy  Grabbed  the Coil of  rope , pullign the Much taller man off  balance.. he   turns   and  shover the MAin to the Railing,  and the hiss of  an Elving was now at the Man's throat  as he   was   bent over the railing.

 I know this?... when we  feed  slavers, Red Isle Halflings, or  pirates to the serpents... we know they  do not , just 'appear'.... They   are out there, and that is a fact... shoudl i try to swim from  here to the   eastern shore.. i have  1 in 3 chances to make it...but,, a little bit of blood... he  nicks the man's neck as   lets a few drops  go into the water,,,

 ..then the serpents come.... slow at first..little ones that are close to the surface.. then bigger ones... if the bodies  make enough  noise and the little ones tear off  enough flesh... Then the real Hunters  come, sometimes eating thier own  kind, in a frenzy...

 ..we have tied, many a  slaver to a over hanging    Tree, and let the blood  drip into the  water, before  dropping him or her  in, a foot at a time...we even  managed  some good meals out of it... hitting a nice sized serpent, for  our camp fires.....

 behind the  ship, there is  only a slight  roiling in the  water, a dark chuckle from the  Blue eyed  elf as he wipes his bales on the man's pant leg,.its   funny as you see the  Body jerk  witht he impact of  each bite.. they scream and beg, thinking they might  yet live?... but? once the biting  starts...its all over...

 ..so?... we may not know  the waters  as a goodly sailor..but we know how to use it as a weapon...now?.. get back to work...

 The other sailors looked at Ivy with some anger, some with  a bit of  fear...

....

  Standing with the Master, Kree said,..you should have brought your own people.. you already  are short one  of  whom you signed up...

 The Master   gave a dark Chuckle,..I live through this?  Me own folks are waitin' in the city, enjoyin' thier time, one or two have a woman waitin' they  with them...but  I have heard of your travels,,and  i know you lose alot of people..

  with a  comic  frown, Kree replies.....I never lose  anyone... i knoe  excalty where they died...

Lysander sees the altercation with the loud-mouthed oaf and takes more to watching the so-called sailors than the shoreline,  for now.

As Lysander moves , ever so slightly, Vilmund picks up on his body language and spys where he  is looking. noticing the sailors' attention towards Ivy, Vilmund also makes slight  adjustment to his stance and balance, ready for anything that may happen.

 Elandra saw the tall man bump Ivy and she waited and then Ivy had him on the rail, she saw the blood and she was about to see if the stupid tall man needed assistance but she could tell it was only a scratch to prove a point. She smiled at the tall man as he went back to his duties,  she said to him," May Peace be with you."

Riven seemed at ease on the vessel but kept somewhat near to where Kree was, always keeping a vigilant eye upon him and any potential danger that could be around.

  The ships  went down  river.even with a fair  breeze, it  would take the  a few days to reach Olant..Kree    still mulled  over the thoughts of  disembarking before that.

 another  Ship, a Bark was anchored  about   50 yards off the western  bank  some people  were sitting in the  ship's boat be  Rowed towards the  Ship as they waved to people by some wagons, who were waving back..

 the Captain Hands his spyglass to Kree pointing at the ship...river captains  call that 'quick coin'... you  are sailign  down River or up river and someone hails  you from the shoreline, you send  you boat to shore, and if the  people look right. you take them as passengers, adding them to you manifest as passengers... The people don't have to stand in line at the Gates, and we get   quick coin without havign to feed them....

 Kree studied the passengers, then swung the glass to  the River Bank......small time merchants..maybe  some folk hoping to make a living in the city...

 Aye..maybe..or thieves hopin' to find more coin in the streets , then the highways...its not all good though, like everythin' elese.. you got bad captains who take on Slavers and such, to get the same coin,but help them transport priosners?... alot of them will Hail ships going  down River  and   sail for Olant..... I hate the town with a passion, but we make good coin hauling Goods   from there to   'The Mound" and  visa versa...

 There  was a stern thin smile as he  watched the  people in the  boat,..those  folks look happy enough..saving time in entering Iron mound  is  always good... Once more he wipes the brass tubing  down with his  cloak, handing  it back to  the Captain as he says...

 where  darkness  Comes,  Ivy will send a signal arrow towards  the  East.... if it is answered, we will have   an 'odd guest'..no matter what your people  think of the Guest... no one is to harm him or her...regardless of  anything , in thier bones that they feel...I will  cut  down  anyone who tried to bring the Visitor  harm. myself....It is not
 the kind of folk, most folk deal with, but it has  aided us , many times over.

While it was still light out, Lysander saw that things have moved into a routine flow on board.  He took another look at the shore and, not seeing anything really change, he decided to get some sleep there on the bow.  Who knew what the night would bring, and he wanted to be ready.  The rest could watch for now.

With her growing comfort on the ship, Tyri danced to over to where Ivy was and stopped, waiting for the altercation to come to an end before moving up to him and wrapping her arms around his waist from behind. "Well aren't you all full of morbid...ness," she purred, nuzzling his neck. It wasn't out of the desire to bed him (even though she never minded that!) but more just those signs of affection she bestowed upon those that took her fancy.

  Hooka was down in the Hold sleeping, the hold  was  crowed  with  crates and barrels, with only the hammocks  for the crew that would be   pulled out across the beam of the ship, for those  off  watch to sleep.

   Mik  was   splicing Lines  with  quick nibble movements of  his fingers  and the tools he used. a pot of tar near him to cover the splicing.

 Ivy grinned,,,the best way to look at something, is clear... once  you can see clearly, you can act, Too many folk act on what they think they should  do, or what they think others  will do? Many  folk  were surprised  by a blade in thier chest  or  shaft  deep in thier   innards... other thigns   are for BArds to write and sing about.

  Ironmound  was  growing smaller, as the captain steered to the deeper  water of the Middle. From the Brig's  Mails mast   was carrying the wind, while the  Fore  MAst  had lighter   canvas up... from the MAin mast one of the sailors called  down..

 sail... south  by south west.. three  Masts... cannot see the  flag yet...

 The Captain Nodded to  kree  and  Kree called out to his people,Ready your  weapons,  try and act  like you are lazing about,,, a good  spotter  will tell we are not Sailors, but if that  ship has three masts, it means they have people whose   tacks  are to board  and fight.

  if we keep this wind,  we'll pass  meet them in 2 hours...

"That's almost 2 more hours of sleep."

 Elandra was relaxing and watching the shore and enjoying the peacefulness of the trip so far. When the call of another ship and Kree said get your weapons ready, Elandra smiled and prayed to Amot for her power and guidance, her hands glowed slightly with her divine magic. She did get her hand x-bow ready as well. Yes it would be 2 hours away but Elandra wanted to be ready, she also made sure she had healing spells at the ready as well.

She listened quietly, a smile on her lips as she looked out over the water. “Mmhmm...I think I will just blame the water,” she teased, letting out a soft, wistful sigh. As she stood there, her arms still around Ivy, she could hear what Kree called out and sighed a bit, enjoying the moment and the different scenery. “I suppose duty calls...”

Riven remained where she was, having already taken up such a farce. Her bow remained up against her leg thought mostly hidden to others thanks to the place where she chose to sit and recline though she kept Kree within her line of sight.