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Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 10:24 pm Post subject: Scene 2.2 - Sea Travel to Begma

Before the sun has risen, Altair, Preston and Daniel are gathered in the main courtyard, along with the mounted rangers and small contingent that the King has provided for their expedition to Greymoor.

Altair is quickly put in charge and given the charts and maps from the night before. They begin marching to the docks and the travel happens fairly uneventfully. By dawn's light, they are gathered before a group of five ships, ready to embark, where the young Amberites meet with Amber's Admiral, Gerard. He seems grumpy although he is polite enough when he asks, "Where the hell is Kade?"

Ruger · Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Posts: 58

Altair is in fresh spirits. The smell of the sea seems to renew him, leaving him with a wild grin on his face. He has inspected the troops and, although disappointed by their number, has found them to be fitting. He has changed little from the night before, and it is rather uncertain whether or not he actually slept.

He is rather delighted to see Gerard and greets him readily. Upon his comment about Kade he answers quickly, "Kade has chosen to go with the scouting expedition. He left last night with Finn and the others via Hellride."

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 9:18 pm Post subject:

"Bad time of year for hellrides..." he grumbles. "In any case, go ahead and get loaded up. 'The White Rose' is yours to command, Captain Altair. I myself will be aboard the 'Cavalier' and open passage until you reach Begman waters."

Once given the signal, soldiers and dockers begin loading the additional equipment as well as three two-wheel carts. As the ship is being loaded, Gerard takes the time to greet Altair, Preston and Daniel properly.

"I don't reckon you've traveled by sea since the Black Road showed up, have you?" he asks the lot of them.

Darin Walker · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Posts: 7

Daniel had been looking around at everything he could, though his eyes keep returning to the sea itself. He brings his eyes back to Gerard as he speaks, pulling his hood off and running a hand through his hair.

"I...have rarely sailed." he said. "Will there be trouble with the Black Road's presence?" His eyes draw back off to check out the ships, and all that water.

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:10 am Post subject:

"There most certainly will. There are paths of black sludge on the water's surface that sometimes behave like the Black Road. Trouble with them is that they are fluid and can move into one's path and slow mobility..." Gerard shrugs, "There are, of course, other side effects, as you can imagine."

Ruger · Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Posts: 58

Altair's ears twitch at Gerard's last statement. He gives a glance to his two companions before speaking, "What are these side effects? How worried should we be? I assume that you know how to survive this obstacle and there is no real need to worry."

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:00 pm Post subject:

"Oh, I'm not worried about your lot, Altair. I'd be worried about your beasts and men, rather. This is a two week sea voyage and no pleasant dreams come this close to the Black Road... or whatever you want to call its water-bound sister. There are things below the surface, but nothing organized like there is near the road, just sea beasts, strange dark creatures."

Gerard sighs, "And fishing is not so good from what I've heard... I just hope the King's plan works the way he hopes it will. It's no small task and I hope you are all taking it quite seriously. The lives of many depend on you."

Ruger · Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Posts: 58

Altair gives Gerard a stern nod. "I assure you, there is no task that I consider more dire than the safety of Amber and of Shadow. When are we to begin our journey?"

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 3:01 am Post subject:

"We can leave with the tide, in about two hours," he answers.

Just then a sergeant of Arden's group approaches and asks to have a private word with 'the Admiral'. Gerard nods in the general direction of Altair, eying the others briefly as he walks away.

The sea breeze is sharp and smells wonderfully salty. The equipment is loaded with zeal and there is a sort of excited enthusiasm about the whole expedition, at least in the attitude of the soldiers as they help the dockers get things underway.
A group of seagulls fight over something at the end of another peer and the wind carries their cries easily.

Ruger · Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Posts: 58

Altair takes in the air with a deep breath. His hand mindlessly prepares a cigarette to pass the time. He surveys the scene through the smokey veil, making eye contact with no one. It's a start he thinks. He shakes his head but its not enough.

He takes to talking with the soldiers, swapping stories and gauging their reactions to the situation.

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 7:52 pm Post subject:

The soldiers and navy officers seem quite confident about the voyage. Altair can feel the enthusiasm of men about the expedition rub off on everyone. Even Arden's rangers are optimistic about doing some good outside of the greatest forest as they coax their horses onto ramps and into the belly of the ship.

There is a great sense of adventure and the potential to do good in the name of Amber, to the point where Altair wonders what these men were told.

Ruger · Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Posts: 58

Altair shrugs off any suspicion, only encouraging the men more. He smiles around them, and helps in any way he can.

He is eager to help work until they take to sea at last.

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 7:06 pm Post subject:

Done early, the dockers and soldiers have gathered in small groups around the ships. Gerard sounds his horn and cheers can be heard as the men part ways.

With everyone on board, the sails partially dropped and the anchors raised, the frigates leave port with a southern wind and the tide waves. There is no escort and as soon as they can, the sails are fully dropped, filled with a strong and steady wind that is a bit warmer than expected for this time of year.

They follow the course set by Gerard and Altair has no trouble recalling his years at sea with Amber's navy even though decades have passed.
The men on board the White Rose enjoy the freeing feeling of traveling by sea after campaigning in woods and marching through Shadow. There is something truly appeasing about the voyage, if it weren't for the pace at which the ships were moving and maneuvering, Gerard clearly influencing the weather and water conditions as Amber waters are left behind.
Dolphins follow the ships for a time.

After two days, they see it.
A large expanse of dark water through which only low waves rise. It looks as if a large gooey substance is floating on the surface, like a thick oil.
Whispers are shared on the ship and the men progressively grow quiet despite their relative distance from the thing: it is at least 20 leagues away.

The ships continue to move confidently and steadily through Shadow.

That night, the men are restless with nightmares and gloomy thoughts. Something that the amberites also experience individually.

Altair, for instance, dreams of his Kingdom of Rien where he is elected by an order of tentacled creatures as court jester and stripped of his crown. There he lingers for what seems an eternity, tormented by demonic albino creatures in a corrupted version of his land. The farce continues as he ages more and more rapidly, then sent away to an asylum where the remainder of the Amberite family rots, one more insane than the other.
When he awakens, a bit of that insanity lingers as he recovers from the chilling prospect of such a vivid and seemingly realistic dream. He is sweating and shivering, realizing that most bunked around him whimper and moan quietly.

Ruger · Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Posts: 58

Altair does not recover quickly from the dream. He arises and heads to the deck with hopes of fresh air. The salt air is refreshing, but he feels as if he can almost smell the thing they are quickly approaching.

He sits on the deck, his back against the wall, and concentrates on breathing. His fingers trace lines in the wood idly. He searches for his pocket for some tobacco, but quickly realizes there is none. Miserable, tired, and unnerved Altair stands to lean off the side of the ship.

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 11:56 pm Post subject:

As the sobering effects of the sea air chase away the murky clouds in his mind, he notices something lurking beneath the surface of the water. It is large, a whale perhaps, and it crosses the Black Tide freely.