Sixth Adventure 01: To Holtburg

*Much to the surprise of anyone watching Z snaps to a crisp salute as the Banderling nears them. Then listens to the story while swaying at one with the motions of the ship.*

Having climbed down from the rigging to listen to the Banderling's tale, Gwydo speaks up: "If I may be so bold XO?"
In a loud booming voice that only a Lugian can muster:
"Three cheers for Captain Tolmede. Hip hip, Huzzah! Hip hip, Huzzah! Hip hip, Huzzah!"

Having taken a break from his writing on the cot deck, Rory went up for a breath of fresh air. He could barely hide his silent, jovial greeting to the smell of the salty waves and big, blue ocean behind his stoic facade. Staring out at the massive blue had always been a source of calm and peace to him. As the captain walked out, telling what sounded like the beginning of a tale, he stopped to listen, but made carefully sure he niether turned nor looked in his direction.

Upon hearing the end, Rory stiffened noticeably. His eyes narrowed and his face adopted an expression more grim than his stoic display. He wasn't sure if he should keep looking at the ocean, or turn around and listen further. Whatever happened next between the Banderling and Zeiss would decide what he did.

Zeiss stays silent for a few moments after the First mate finish his story. He looks around and see the crew, and the expression on their face. He returns his attention on Tarnag.

"I died one time sir. Alone, with no one to help me. I could never forget that moment."

He pauses.

"I will not forget what you told me either."

He bows.

In response to Gwydo's surprising exuberance, several of the nearby crew take up the charge without question or hesitation. The loss of so fine a captain has clearly affected them all, even those who weren't there for the tragedy.

Tarnag looks down at Zeiss, an unreadable expression on his furred face. "We'll help you out, much as we can. Not sure how much we can do, we're just little fish in the pond too when it comes to it. There's big sharks swimmin' around these waters, and the worst part is..." he gives a macabre grin. "...you won't ever see 'em til you're in 'em."

as the Banderling walks onto the deck talking. Tab stops in his search for Fier, Rory and Higs to lesten to him speak as he dose so tab is more perplexed until he see's zeiss.

"i will have to ask Zeiss about this?"

tab spots Fier on deck and quickly heads over to talk with her.

Zeiss smiles in return.

"With you, we will have a chance."

He pauses. The he looks at the crew, who are cheering for him. He returns his attention to Tarnag.

"All of you."

Gwydo wanders around the deck of the ship, singing another shanty.

Another Shanty:

Remainder of the journey:

As the ship enters port:

Before the ship docks, Hanuel takes a moment to approach the First Mate. "Excuse me, I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?"

Tarnag is chewing on a bit of wheat when he looks down at the Fairy. "What can I do fer ya?"

"I'm thinkin', you seem at least somewhat willing to give us a hand. So I was wondering if you might know anybody who can help us get stronger. There's a lot out there that we aren't ready to face, and I don't know if we can prepare ourselves on our own."

The Banderling gives you an odd look. "My advice is to not try to stay hidden too long. It keeps you vulnerable, and it doesn't help against sharks like these." He switches the wheat to the other side of his mouth and chews a bit more. "If I were you," he says after a moment, "I'd either make somethin' of myself... get recruitin, get bigger. Or I'd hop into somethin else bigger then me, like say anyone tryin to fill the hole the Undermarket left, get positioned now." He shrugs. "That's my advice though."

"I appreciate it. It's certainly something to think about."

Snarg spends the voyage asking around about the Undermarket, which doesn't make him particularly popular but he does get a few tidbits of information. Any group that did regular shipments for the Undermarket, Blackbrine included, have basically lost all contact with them. While the Undermarket has always had a strong element across the entire continent, the loss of Stonehold has apparently crippled them for the time being. This has the possibility of creating two dangerous scenarios, at least as the crew reckons; It could create a power vacuum which someone worse, or several such groups, tries to fill, or it could simply cause the economy (which sits more on illegal trade than it thinks) to collapse.


The rest of the journey is uneventful. The First Mate gives Zeiss a name and an address in Hebian-To to send letters to the Blackbrine in general to keep in touch. The Errant Venture is of course not running colors at the moment, and all its Cannons are stowed, giving the impression of a simple merchant ship. Holtburg itself is a sight beyond sights, towering thousands of feet in the air and in all directions. The Great Wall surrounding the Wall Docks itself is larger than most entire cities, and taller then many as well. The Venture navigates the chaotic mess that is the docks with practiced ease, taking its place near the central docks, where most of the regular merchants make port. If asked, some of the crew will explain that the Maiden's Fancy, one of their cover names for the ship, has a rented dock spot both in Holtburg and in Hebian-To for how often they ran shipment between the two.

As you pull up, those of you familiar with the area are immediately surprised and worried at the severe presence of the military even here, at the merchant docks. In fact as you glance overhead you realize that there is a small Corvette-grade Airship patrolling the Docks, which has never been there before.

"You know, normally I'd be all sorts of excited to see a city this big but is that a frelling air ship?!"

"ah Fierneceal im glad i got you before we got to dock i have been thinking of a way to help hide you Higs and Rory, now Rory and Higs should be kind of simple to fix i just make there ears pointy so that the look like elf's the hard part will be convincing them this is for the best, now you the only thing i can think of is the make your skin tone something a bit more normal for the main land, what do you say?"

As they are pulling into port, Gwydo is going to look around for some scrap or extra sail to try and make a tabard to go over his armour.
Once done, he'll strap his shield to his back and put the tabard on over top.
He is also going to offer to help unload any cargo before he disembarks. (Seeing as how it fits with his new background.)

ok when the ship is about to pull into dock can we have rounded up all the party below deck so that Tab, Zeiss and Z (i know that me and zeiss have sneaky backgrounds and im guessing that Z dose too) can go over everyone's gear and make sure they have nothing that will get us locked up, then the group can decide how we are going to split up?

*Z disappears from sight about a half hour before docking. If they run into anyone along the way they will mumble something like "Time to become someone new." They reappear about 20 or so minutes later or at least you assume it is them from their style of speech (or lack there of) and their body language. You hesitation comes from the fact that this figure does not have the cowl of their cloak up or a mask on. Before you stands a rather disgruntled looking young elf male. He has his white hair tied into a loose braid which goes midway down his back. He has a thin short build, but moves with a grace not often seen in one his age, which you assume to be in the late teens. He has the same piercing blue eyes and knowing manner of Z. He stands at the back of the group listening to the conversation and planning for how the group will disembark and enter Holtburg.*

After a slow and lengthy process, the entire group manages to make it off the ship and through the checkpoint. You find out to your shock that there is actually a second checkpoint further in, but to your immense relief this checkpoint is just a search, they don't check your Visa. The city itself is beyond explanation; it is sprawling, huge, gigantic, enormous. Those of you who have been here before can inform the others of its many Districts.

The North Docks: Where most common, commercial, and personal ships come and go. Also contains a small bit of local shops, warehouses, etc.

The South Docks: A bit of a misnomer as this is more like the 'middle' docks, this is where the larger companies and Magicite haulers land their goods. Has a fairly large section of warehouses dedicated just to itself. Most of the major companies have their own designated sections.

The Military Docks: Completely off-limits right now and very heavily patrolled. Obvious otherwise.

Royal District: Where the Nobility resides, also houses the High Castle and governmental offices. Fairly large region. Currently under complete lockdown. In normal circumstances people are allowed and even encouraged to peruse its streets and visit with representatives and officials. Also normally houses Lords from the other Provinces due to the nature of Aluvian politics.

Warehouse District: A truly massive area for storage on a macroscopic level. Actually reaches several hundred feet underground instead of up into the sky like most of Holtburg does. Heavily patrolled by private and commercial guardsmen for various interests.

Commerce District: A region of towers and skyscrapers, where most major companies either have their headquarters or at least a large office, and hundreds upon hundreds of goods of every and all types for sale, from the woman at an apple stall on the street to the elite Olthoi-silk spun scarf shop on the 40th floor of one of the mercantile towers. While the hours of each shop varies of course, the Commerce District in general never sleeps. The Hub for Holtburg is present in the Commerce District, in the middle of a large Plaza where no building is permitted to allow the Hub to continue to function.

Cid Shipyards: A District unto itself, this is the second largest Airship construction facility in the entire world, and was the location where the Levaithan was built piece by piece and then assembled in the air. The Shipyards work exclusively for Aluvian interests.

Base District: Even under normal circumstances this place is heavily patrolled and guarded. Military housing for family members of the military as well as most of the mundane facilities for keeping the local Army, Navy, and Airfleet personnel ready, trained, and equipped at all times exists herein.

Low Commons District: The 'cheap' residential area, though still expensive by most other cities' (or even Major cities') rates. The vast majority of the city lives here, and there are the occasional commercial buildings here or there to sell local and everyday goods, as well as quite a few nice home-run restaurants.

High Commons District: The 'medium' residential area, not nearly as large as the Low Commons but still the size of a city itself. Huge portions of this area are eaten up by large apartment complexes, which are usually rented out at a building level by the major companies or organizations that maintain facilities in Holtburg. It's actually not more expensive to live here than in the Low Commons, but you get far less room, privacy, or otherwise for obvious reasons.

High Wealth District: The smallest District in Holtburg by a wide margin, this is where the elite, ultra rich, and other nobility live. While the concept of 'nobility' is mostly out-dated in the modern era, the sad truth is most people who would be considered still blooded are in fact quite rich, and do everything they can to continue their private games against one another. It is also worth noting that a fair number of the high governmental officials and Lords from other Provinces maintain villas here.

The Gates: West, North, and South Gates aren't technically Districts but have whole sections of the city devoted to them to allow the smoothest possible transit for all coming or going traffic, as land-traffic is insane through Holtburg for obvious reasons. Naturally, these areas also check for Visas, given the amount of trans-continental traffic that moves through here.

Terenas Airship Docks: The public and commercial Airship docks for Holtburg, which actually sits outside the city Walls to the west of the city proper, though given the rate of expansion Holtburg has had lately it's entirely possible that may not always be true. It is here one can purchase a ride upon a passenger Airship (which only caters to a few locations and is incredibly expensive), where the commercial Airships dock, and where one may land one's own Airship if by some miracle you owned one.

Finally the Railway station is also outside the city proper, to the northwest of the Wall, and has a fairly large train yard dedicated to its existence as well as its own private section of warehouses and facilities.

It is currently February 11th, and the sun is just now setting.