un: white pawn; video

[chosenbylight]

[Anduin appears on the deck of the Pariah, toying with the blue amulet the priests have given him as he frowns in thought.]

As I am certain you are aware by now, both of our ships appear to be in the midst of a haunting.

The priests the captain has brought along with him have given their guidance as to how we might deal with these ghosts. They have also provided some of us with these.

[Anduin holds up his amulet.]

The amulets allow us to see and communicate with the spirits. I have used it to do so, and the conversation we had is why I come to you now.

The spirit I spoke to had much to say, but most notably — he claimed that there is something within the Pariah which is drawing them here. Something similar to whatever it is that is keeping them below, within the sea.

Earlier in our voyage, I had another conversation with a member of Captain Vane's group by the name of Mr Briggs. He had mentioned at the time that his position with the crew is transportation logistics of cargo, and that he is now on loan to Captain Quicksilver in that capacity. I did not think much of it at the time, but now...

[Anduin's expression is tight and drawn.]

Now I cannot help but wonder what it is that we are traveling with. And therefore I must ask of you —

Has anyone heard more about what it is we are carrying? In light of the news I have shared, what else have we learned of our voyage from members of the crew?

At the very least we may yet come to understand the dangers we are facing, here.

((ooc: dated to during the priest's plot; for the purposes of sharing any current plot information, feel free to threadjack away!!))

Comments

un : dappled peals of the parted seas (voice)

[beitangmoran]

Well, given what we have seen before, I wouldn't be surprised if they had one of those mirrors on board of one of the ships.

All I've heard about for certain is drugs, but if they do have a mirror, I doubt anyone would speak of it openly.

un: white pawn; voice

[chosenbylight]

You are right. It would not be that much of a stretch to assume so, considering how often we seem to be encountering them these days.

It seems a fairly powerful artifact for a pirate ship to be carrying about, however.

[beitangmoran]

It's not the first time we've had one of those on a ship.

When our second contingent arrived in Sa-Hareth, it was aboard a ship that was carrying such a mirror. And our new companions told us they were subjected to it and it made them lose their abilities and memories.

And come to think of it, that ship also was surrounded by rather aggressive mermaids.

[chosenbylight]

The mermaids near the lighthouse were also interested in the mirrors as well, as I recall.

Those that I have encountered thus far here in the Crossing seem mostly intent on enchanting us to walk the plank overboard, but that is not to say it might not be for want of any such a mirror on board as well. Particularly if we were to sink ourselves...

un: absterge

[downswing]

A summons' instrument?

un: white pawn; voice

[chosenbylight]

Whatever it is, it is certainly summoning them to us.

They seek to find it. Though I do not know for certain what their goal is with it, if they do manage to locate it.

[downswing]

The dead go to that which gives succour.

un: yiling laozu

[weifinder]

Nothing specific, not at this point. If we believe something's here on the Pariah, I may be able to investigate with care.

Or Five.

un: white pawn

[chosenbylight]

I do believe that something has to be there. The spirits have no reason to lie to us, not anymore.

[weifinder]

Oh, they might lie if it were fun, but ask Lan Zhan or Sizhui to play and they'd be obliged to be honest. Not to say I think they lie. I think you're correct, they've no loyalty to this ship, or the living. Only a wish to be appeased.

Which means we should start looking, ah?

@samsa, text

[enucleation]

I don't know anything regarding the cargo, but I spoke to Caladan-san.

He compared me to Quicksilver-san. [ which could mean a lot, but perhaps it mostly means he is dangerous and threading around the undead ] He also said Quicksilver-san might have gone too far to stay alive.

But Caladan-san added that this is Quicksilver-san last voyage and after all of this, he will retire and both the Pariah and the Queen Zanyra will be Caladan's.

un: starburst

[valeas]

Caladan spoke of Quicksilver to me as well, albeit just a little.

He said the two have known each other for a decade, and that for much of it, Quicksilver would not have deigned to offer Caladan an invitation to join his crew and ship. Caladan said that all changed two years ago, as he's now become Quicksilver's most cherished escort.

Most cryptically, he said Quicksilver makes offers intelligent men can't refuse.

un: white pawn; yes alright fine he will text haha

[chosenbylight]

Mr Briggs had said a similar thing as well. That they do not usually relish the overlap of their business. That it might draw even further attention and thus competition, which neither of them enjoy.

Yet they are clearly working together now.

It worries me, what Kaneki has said. Going too far to stay alive. If it is something the spirits are after... Is it an item that aided in the Captain's revival? Is it keeping him alive, as the spirits have compared to whatever is keeping them tied to the ocean below?

[enucleation]

Becoming captain of two ships sounds like a proposal most pirates would not refused.

However, it could be that he is aware he'd be in danger if he refused Quicksilver's offer. Caladan-san doesn't seem to fear him, but he seems to keep his space, and he doesn't seem to want to be involved in whatever Quicksilver is doing.

un: white pawn; voice

[chosenbylight]

Compared you to Captain Quicksilver.

Do you have any idea what he might have meant by such a thing?

[Anduin does not want to make any conjecture. And yet -- he has seen some of the things that Kaneki can do...]

[enucleation]

I think it's related to the undead.

Caladan-san brought up Quicksilver's sins, and I think they are related to the dead and the undead. Or perhaps it's related to the living, who will end up in that state.

un: starbust (audio)

[valeas]

( Emilia's voice is sobering, restrained. )

The spirit I was able to communicate with mentioned Quicksilver has been here before already, with the vessel Storm at Sea. They spoke, too, of a great power many seek in the region. He could not tell me what this power actually was — a weapon, endless gold, or dominion over the sea — only that governments and pirates alike have gone to great lengths in their effort to secure it.

I have yet to learn anything of suspicious cargo myself, but it strikes me as something we must prioritise.

( To find it before it somehow finds them, unawares. )

un: white pawn; voice

[chosenbylight]

I agree. If nothing else, it seems to be painting a target on our backs, here in the Crossing.

But I think it may be more than that.

If such an item was personal to him, it would make sense he did not mention it to you at the time.

[valeas]

It would, but all the more reason to be disquieted.

Especially if what Kaneki has learned is true.

( If Quicksilver has indeed paid some dear and terrible price to keep himself alive — alive being a relative term, here. )

audio;

[reparo]

A part of me wanted to say something like 'can we never catch a break', but it's starting to really bother me that every time we've gone in the direction that the Merchant has told us to go, we've found undead armies, mirror shards and whatnot.

audio;

[chosenbylight]

[Anduin lets out what might be construed as a bitter laugh.]

Did you know that this passage was arranged by the Merchant even before our fate was decided in Ke-Waihu? Before the beacon there had failed, before the business with the volcano, everything, he had already sent our companion Subaru off on a mission to acquire us passage with Quicksilver and his crew.

If ever we needed proof that we are but pawns in that man's game...

audio;

[reparo]

What would be easier, to be a pawn and not know it, or to know it and yet feel as if your only reasonable way home is to play along in his game?

@taken for granite | private

[rumorate]

Do you think the ghosts might know?

[Because she doesn't, and the whispers she's heard haven't been particularly concrete, but maybe her little volcano adventure doesn't have to be a complete frustration and could actually be useful.]

un: white pawn | private

[chosenbylight]

I do not think they know. At least the one that I spoke to did not seem aware of what they were looking for. Just that they seemed drawn to it, compelled to seek it out. Something similar to that which is keeping them below.

He could not tell me more.

[rumorate]

Is it a "they'll know it when they see it" kind of situation? Because I ... ever since the volcano I've been hearing them. Maybe if we start going through the cargo they can ... tell me when I'm warm?