"It's really cute. You look good with them... and your tail, too. Do you still purr, sometimes?" She asks, trying to find something nice to think about aside from imminent landfall, and of course the rocking of the boat making her sick.
Return to Mareth (In Game)
- Thread starter Ecnalab
- Start date
As they watched, the shoreline got closer and closer. With each passing moment, the city of Tel'Kara became more and more clear. A thriving coastal city, the docks and warehouses, gave way to dwellings that ran the gamut of architectural designs as they climbed steadily up the rising hillside to meet a large keep at the top. Two towers sat at opposite ends of the docks, which spanned the length of the city, one was obviously a lighthouse and rose over a hundred feet into the air to cast its guiding light out over the bay. The other stretched even higher up, and was crowned by a circular arrangement of curved metal spikes set around a dome which was topped by a thin golden spire.
As they got closer to the docks, they began to pass other ships. Most of them were fishing vessels, going out, or returning from their favorite spots. A few others, however, were clearly patrol ships armed with small cannons and reinforced keels for ramming.
As they got closer to the docks, they began to pass other ships. Most of them were fishing vessels, going out, or returning from their favorite spots. A few others, however, were clearly patrol ships armed with small cannons and reinforced keels for ramming.
Castella watched the city get closer with awe in her eyes. "Amazing... such a city still thrives in a world that has fallen to a demon lord... words fail to explain the beauty of it. But Isaac, what is that spikey tower with the gold spire?"
"Wicked! I wonder if we're ever gonna see it in action! The sea looks much better from the view of the shore, anyway!" Elliana adds, looking over the thriving coastal community. "And there's gotta be all kinds of weird-looking people here!"
"Hey now, careful who you're calling weird," came a voice from the water just below Elianna. Looking down, she saw a thickly bearded man's head poking out of the water. His hair was a bright blond, no doubt from many long hours in the sun, and her smiled up at her.
"Oh dear, I'm so sorry! I haven't been in this land for very long, and I didn't mean it in a bad way. Just seems most people I've met look very different from humans, that's all!" She quickly apologises, feeling a little bad for not choosing her words carefully. "Speaking of which, who are you?"
"Midas, you old sea-dog, get up here!" cried Isaac, upon seeing the man in the water.
Without a word, Midas moved to the side of the boat and began climbing; but not with his arms. As Elianna watched, the man just seemed to rise up over the rail, until she saw his legs. Eight long tentacles, complete with suction cups on the undersides, slithered and pulled Midas over the rail. Once he was on deck, it became obvious that the man was anything but human. From the waist up he was a barrel-chested man with a thickly muscled figure. From the waist down, however, were the thick, rubbery, brown legs of an octopus. "Who you callin' old, sprat?" he asked, as Isaac moved up to great him.
Without a word, Midas moved to the side of the boat and began climbing; but not with his arms. As Elianna watched, the man just seemed to rise up over the rail, until she saw his legs. Eight long tentacles, complete with suction cups on the undersides, slithered and pulled Midas over the rail. Once he was on deck, it became obvious that the man was anything but human. From the waist up he was a barrel-chested man with a thickly muscled figure. From the waist down, however, were the thick, rubbery, brown legs of an octopus. "Who you callin' old, sprat?" he asked, as Isaac moved up to great him.
"Nice to meet you!" Mia says before heading to the front of the boat and looking at the approaching city. "I'm glad we finally found a little bit of civilisation out here."
"Know him?" asked Midas. "I taught this sprat everything he knows about sailing."
"Midas here is a friend of the family," replied Isaac. "Good to see you, again."
"You as well," replied Midas. "So, what do we have here? Some refugees that didn't make it during the exodus?"
Isaac's face suddenly broke out into a large grin. "Humans, Midas. Real humans."
Midas' eyes widened and he took a closer look at the party. "Are you serious, boy?"
"Dead serious," replied Isaac.
"Well then, somebody better go tell the council," said Midas. In an instant, he slipped over the railing and plunged back into the sea, only to speed away toward shore.
"Midas here is a friend of the family," replied Isaac. "Good to see you, again."
"You as well," replied Midas. "So, what do we have here? Some refugees that didn't make it during the exodus?"
Isaac's face suddenly broke out into a large grin. "Humans, Midas. Real humans."
Midas' eyes widened and he took a closer look at the party. "Are you serious, boy?"
"Dead serious," replied Isaac.
"Well then, somebody better go tell the council," said Midas. In an instant, he slipped over the railing and plunged back into the sea, only to speed away toward shore.
A short time later, they made port, pulling up to one of the unoccupied docks and dropping anchor. Stepping off the boat, they got their first look at Tel'Kara. Sure enough, the people walking along the docks were a sight to behold. Most of them seemed to be fusions of human and animal; canines being the most prominent. Others, however, were completely unique; possessing combinations of features from a multitude of animals, or resembling nothing that any of the companions had ever seen before.
"Well, welcome to Tel'Kara," said Isaac, once they were all off.
"Well, welcome to Tel'Kara," said Isaac, once they were all off.
"It's like something from a fairy tail where fantastic people of all sorts of appearances wonder around. Such a thing is a one time experience to be sure." She says, having a bit of trouble keeping pace with them. "i assume... the council is our first stop?"
"That is correct!" came a strong female voice from down the street. Making their way through the crowd was a group of ten people in uniform leather armor and green cloaks, with swords at their hips, and purpose in their eyes. At the head of the pack was an anthropomorphic grey fox woman with a halberd slung across her back.
"Captain Urta!" Isaac exclaimed, suddenly snapping to attention. "Petty officer Isaac, of the first scouting division, reporting, ma'am."
Urta paused to regard Isaac before motioning to the rest of the party. "Are these the 'humans' I was told were entering the city?" she asked.
"Yes ma'am." Isaac replied.
"Then, by order of the city guard, you are all to disarm and accompany us to City hall, to present yourselves to the High council," Urta demanded, turning back to the companions.
"Captain Urta!" Isaac exclaimed, suddenly snapping to attention. "Petty officer Isaac, of the first scouting division, reporting, ma'am."
Urta paused to regard Isaac before motioning to the rest of the party. "Are these the 'humans' I was told were entering the city?" she asked.
"Yes ma'am." Isaac replied.
"Then, by order of the city guard, you are all to disarm and accompany us to City hall, to present yourselves to the High council," Urta demanded, turning back to the companions.
"I'm afraid I can't do that. Even if I wanted to I couldn't." Mia's tail flicks nervously at the sight of the canine people, instincts obviously not fully under control yet.
Well.... it's a special sword that chose me as its wielder. If it was seperated from me it would be very..... bad." She doesn't say it in a threatening way, just stating the facts. "If it means I can't see the council I will trust my companions to talk with them."
She looks between Mia and the captain "Good Captain Urta, Mia does not mean any offence I can assure you. She is a very timid person at heart and very disciplined in the art of being a solider. Just special circumstances would be appreciated."
"Yeah, Mia's a really sweet girl! I mean, I've only been with her for like... 3 weeks, but I know she's good for it! And oh my gods above, you look so fluffy and soft!" She practically squees over this fox-woman. "And... also deadly as hell, but mostly the former!"
Urta manages to keep a straight face, but a small blush can be seen through the fur on her muzzle, and at least one of the big canine guards behind her can't help but snicker. Meanwhile Isaac blushes even harder at the child-like outburst as his eyes quickly shift between Elliana and the captain.
Urta gave Mia a long hard look before finally speaking. "While I have certainly heard of stranger things than a bonded weapon, it doesn't change the fact that all humans are to be brought before the council, and none are to have weapons in easy reach. So, I will leave the alternative up to you, Ms. Mia, either your sword will be peace bound, or your hands cuffed; your choice."
[In case anyone doesn't know, peace bound means that a weapon is tied with leather strips so it can't be drawn from its sheath, without cutting the leather first.]
Urta gave Mia a long hard look before finally speaking. "While I have certainly heard of stranger things than a bonded weapon, it doesn't change the fact that all humans are to be brought before the council, and none are to have weapons in easy reach. So, I will leave the alternative up to you, Ms. Mia, either your sword will be peace bound, or your hands cuffed; your choice."
[In case anyone doesn't know, peace bound means that a weapon is tied with leather strips so it can't be drawn from its sheath, without cutting the leather first.]
"Peace bound it is." Mia takes the sword in its sheath off her belt and hands them to Urta. "I'm guessing you would want to do it and make sure it won't come out?'