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Lintha Sennong Bakunawa	Somewhere near the borders of Ysr, lies lands not yet conquered thanks to fears of lingering fair folk and whatever Wyld creatures may lurk in the enigmatic Dreaming Sea. Few ever settled here and yet there are those who dare even colonized such untamed coasts. A villages can be seen in the horizon. Most of the houses seem to be standing in the water as they are on bamboo stilts. As they get closer, they notice that the livelihoods of these people depend on fishing as they can see small fishing boats. From the clothing of the fishermen however, it appears to be from cultures foreign to the Southeast. As they get closer however, it seems that they also make a living by....being privateers for the Abyssal can see a small fleet of warships. Once they are at the docks, they would see a sign written in the two tongues of the Southeast saying "Docking area for visitors" Although there is another third language unfamiliar to the Abyssal in the sign but it possibly says the same words. Even at night, the small village is still lively for they have a night market where some sell fishes, alcoholic beverages and there are food stands that sell various dishes even those unfamiliar to the Dreaming Sea known as satay
The Mournful Chorus	The Sunless Orchid has arrived just after sundown. This strange vessel, covered in colorful decorations with bone-white sails resembling flower petals, certainly draws a few looks, but in comparison to the privateer's ships, it looks harmless enough. There seem to be hardly any hands on board, with the ghostly crew not being visible to the mortal eye. Only a few living humans go about their duties. After a brief encounter with whoever runs the docks, the ship's captain enters the settlement proper and makes her way towards the market, offering proper greetings to anyone she encounters. Somehow she always seems to know the right words, the appropriate gestures, to not appear as a foreigner. Two burly sailors with cutlasses trail behind her, and her monkey familiar perches on her shoulder. After tasting a few of the dishes on offer, the seafarer, who is absolutely not an Abyssal, slowly and meticulously lets her gaze wander while she continues to stroll between the market stalls, within sight of the small harbor. The goods don't interest her nearly as much - she is examining the people. Specifically those who don't look like they belong into this village.
Lintha Sennong Bakunawa	As the Abyssal strolls in the village, it seems there is someone announcing something. "The unveiling of the statue of our patron god is about to start!" A young boy tells the rest of the villagers near the port. Others who are not preoccupied follow him to the center of the village. From what the Moonshadow notices, it seems that the villagers were preparing for a festival, possibly situated in the village center. From what the Abyssal senses about the village's culture, it seems they are a people that care for free will especially as they abhor slavery. It seems that some of the villagers are from myriad nations in whatever direction they came from, as they are probably from a state or nation that kidnapped them as slaves. Even without the Abyssal using her senses, she can see that some of the villagers display....inhuman heritage. The common mutations are those that display gills and scales. Once the abyssal sees the village center, she can see a large redheaded man besides a statue covered in curtains to surprise the people. He seems to match the description of the demonblooded captain that arose to fame...and infamy in the Dreaming Sea recently
The Mournful Chorus	Upon hearing the announcement, Chorus quickly tears off the last bit of meat from her satay, then hands the empty skewer to her monkey, who immediately starts chewing on the wood. It doesn't take her long to follow the small procession to the village center. Her two crewmen flank her, shielding the small woman with their much larger bodies. Should someone block her path, they try to either move that person aside, or find another way around the obstruction for her. As Chorus makes her way through the crowd, her eyes fall on the redhead, and she immediately begins sizing him up, trying to get a feel for what kind of person he might be - without slowing down on her way to the front of the crowd. The Moonshadow has chosen her outfit for this visit with great care, trying very hard to avoid any style of clothing prevalent to cultures in the Dreaming Sea region... although with the vast number of different locales around here, one could never be certain. For this reason, she sports a garment similar to a short kimono made from purple cotton, with a beautifully shimmering sash (her cloak in disguised form) slung around her waist. Her legs are covered by loosely fitting green linen pants. She walks barefoot, as is customary for many seafarers in these climes. Instead of dripping with jewelry as she does when she is performing, she only sports a few pieces now: Earrings with teardrop-shaped opals, a shark tooth necklace, and heavy golden anklets. Instead of walking straight up to the man next to the statue, the Abyssal stops at a position that allows her to get a good look at him, watch the proceedings... and let herself be seen in return, should his attention drift her way. But for now, she simply observes.
Lintha Sennong Bakunawa	"People of the village of Rahuraja, hear me! I gathered most of you here today in honor of the patron god that safeguarded our escape from the dreaded city of Bluehaven in the West and into this new frontier of the Dreaming Sea. This is our 2 year anniversary to commemorate this miracle that gave us a new opportunity under the sun and above the seas. From our exploits, I commissioned a statue of our god clad in gold that shall stand in the village plaza" Once he takes off the covers from the statue, it reveals a golden figure of their deity. A warlike god sitting in a warship floating above stormy clouds where his divinity pierces the bleak skies with his light. He wields a sharp curved blade while his sitting stance is that of a bodhisattva. "Behold, an image of our deity the "Shining Savior That Pierces The Storm". He that gave us the blessing during our troubles in traversing the Wyld. I don't know what he thinks of idolatry but this statue has been erected in his honor and glory. We are in his debt" The people of the village cheer at the reveal of the statue as the festivities finally begin. It seems the Abyssal is not the only visitor, for there is a man with white hair despite his youth and his eyes glow as if they have lightning. He is clad in the clothing of the sorcererous nobles of Ysr.
The Mournful Chorus	As soon as she spots the Ysyri, Chorus takes a discreet step back, maneuvering herself half behind one of her burly crew in a position that still allows her to watch Bakunawa while he delivers his speech, but shields her from the sorcerer's direct line of sight. From the generous folds of her clothing she draws a mask, fitted to cover the upper half of her face. It's made from a strange white wood with an ivory sheen, and artfully decorated with stylized drawings of waves, benthic creatures, and Flametongue prayers to various deities of the sea in blood red and ebon black ink. Humming almost inaudibly to herself, the Moonshadow fixes her mask in place. Only after having done this does she take a look at the statue. One of her men bends down to whisper something in her ear, looking mildly concerned, but she waves him off and steps forward to mingle with the celebrants. At first, she appears to join the festivities, slowly inching closer towards the read-haired man and the sorcerer, until she sees an opening. With a few light steps, she approaches the statue of Shining Savior That Pierces The Storm. She has taken her time to observe what offerings the people give to the idol, and prepares to do the same. Maybe she is close enough to overhear whatever the big man and the sorcerer are talking about... hiding in plain sight, so to speak.
Lintha Sennong Bakunawa	"Man that speech was a pain in tje ass to memorize. Sure I'm the leader, but I'm not used to this" The Abyssal can see the demonblooded captain doing a deep sigh after that speech, he seems to be the person to not do them that much but the visiting Ysyri comforts and cheers him up that the speech was alright. "That happens but since you have the potential to be charismatic, you will do just fine in the future." From their body language, it seems that the Ysyri has connections to the captain other than mere diplomacy, as they have a strong friendship, sometimes its more than friendship as they glance at each other with a hint of a more intimate relationship. The songs of the festival sound more like pirate or sailor sea shanties. Although idolatry is discouraged but tolerated, some of the villagers give flowers to the Shining Savior, mostly flowers with colors akin to gold....such as sunflowers. Other offerings involve artwork that seems to depict symbols related to the god, such as rays of light piercing the clouds.
The Mournful Chorus	The Moonshadow hums along softly with one of the shanties while she regards the statue. With no flowers at hand, she decides to keep up appearances by giving something else: A holed cone of gold, quickly polished with a sleeve. She places it among the sunflowers near one of the statue's feet, remaining there for a bit. The perfect place to eavesdrop on the two men and steal a few quick glances to read their body language. Satisfied with what she has learned, the Chosen of the Sunless Realm bows before this Shining Savior before turning on her heel and walking towards Bakunawa and the Ysyri. The two large sailors follow a few steps behind. Both give the statue a wide berth. They attempt to mask their unease - without much success. Chorus approaches Bakunawa, stopping just out of arm's reach. She keeps a bit more distance to the sorcerer, assuming he doesn't sit exactly next to the Lintha. "Greetings to both of you, and may the Shining Savior's light always smile upon you. Please forgive my intrusion", she begins, bowing respectfully. She addresses the two in Flametongue. "I am looking for a certain Captain Bakunawa, and I believe I might have just found him." Her smile is both polite and warm, as if she is genuinely happy to meet him, but respectful of his station. "My name is Sadhrana Fading Leaf, Captain of the Sunless Orchid."
Lintha Sennong Bakunawa	"Ah good evening, I assume you are another Guild member looking for a contract? Most of my visitors are from that organization. And yes, I am indeed captain Bakunawa." He greets the stranger that has just arrived in the village. "Sorry if I am preoccupied, we are busy with my village's festivities. It's two years since we had a grand celebration. This village was the result of our hard work after we came to the Dreaming Sea" The Ysyri sorcerer also greets the Moonshadow. "I did not expect other guests here. I hope you are not the type to hold ill will against a scion of Ysyr." Despite his noble demeanor, there is shyness and anxiety in his voice. "Radamantus, don't assume every visitor is some bloodthirsty Pure Way monk that wants to slay their nation's rivals on sight!" He chuckles with a jest towards the sorcerer
The Mournful Chorus	The woman who calls herself Sadhrana offers a similarly polite smile to Radamantus. Meanwhile, her monkey flashes his teeth at the two men in an almost comical attempt to imitate his mistress. He nimbly jumps from her shoulder to the ground where he sits on his haunches, sniffing the air towards Bakunawa and Radamantus. "A beautiful festival. I count myself lucky to have arrived at just the right time to witness it." With a broad gesture, she encompasses both the celebrating people and the shining idol of their deity. "Don't worry; if a Pure Way monk were headed here, I would be among the first to leave." Now it's her turn to chuckle, and she widens her smile just a bit before returning to its previous, lesser intensity. "You are most wise to assume that I would have come such a long way to meet you on behalf of a contract, captain... although I would rather discuss the details in private. When would you be free to do so?"
Lintha Sennong Bakunawa	Bakunawa is amused regarding the joke about the Pure Way monk. "Immaculates even in other forms, always such a bore. They are on my blacklist when it comes to my customers. I still remember the time I had the misfortune of meeting a missionary while I was docked in An-Teng in my early days before this" Then the demonblooded notices the woman's accent. "Ah I take it you are from Champoor? My ship docks there to await any Guild ships my contractors order to escort, whether exploratory or trading across the wyld tainted seas." Seeing as the woman prefers somewhere private, his gaze shifts around to see if this is the right time. "I can be free tomorrow or right now. There may be a party here, but it should be quiet in my private quarters"
The Mournful Chorus	The two crewmen behind her try their best to fade into the background, but a look of surprise passes between them as Bakunawa guesses at her ties to Champoor. "You have a keen ear, captain", Sadhrana chuckles, giving the other captain an appreciative nod. "Although I'm not ~from~ there. I've only spent a few years in the Nighted City, but their accent has grown on me quite a bit. Since then, my business has taken me elsewhere. Maybe it's for the best. Navigating through the treacherous currents of the Court of Secret's little game can be exhausting, as you would certainly know." She doesn't pick up the topic of Immaculates again. Instead, after pausing to contemplate for a bit, her dark eyes drift over the party. "I will leave the decision to you, of course. If you agree to lend me your ear now, I will do my best to keep it brief, so that you won't miss out on the festivities."
Lintha Sennong Bakunawa	"It is a city of intrigues and crime after all, where you could not even trust a waiter giving you their tea." He comments regarding the treacherous nature of the city and believes Sadhrana's claim she is truly not from there. "I take your word for it and I assume you adapt fast socially. I barely can even change my accent since most people in the Dreaming Sea find my Western accent strange. And of course right this way miss Sadhrana" Radamantus nods as he leaves the two alone to deal with private matters while he himself partake in the festivities. Bakunawa leds the guest to a cabin that's finely woodcrafted with a balcony with the view of the sea's horizon. Not as large as a mansion, but the luxuries he collected thanks to his job makes up for it. "It should be quiet here and no ears besides our own, so you can speak to me why this matter is private
The Mournful Chorus	Captain Sadhrana lets Bakunawa's words stand without comment, but her firm nod assures him that she feels much the same about the Nighted City. On their way to the cabin, they are inevitably trailed by the two burly sailors. Thankfully, their captain orders them to wait outside before she takes a long, deep breath of the fresh night air and follows him inside. Meanwhile, the monkey clambers up the building's side to perch on the roof just above the balcony. Sadhrana runs her fingertips along the exquisite woodwork, whistling appreciatively. "Thank you, captain. I hope our Ysyrian friend doesn't feel left out. If you trust him with matters of discretion, I'm sure you could let him in on the matter I wish to discuss with you." She closes in to stand beside him and tilts her head slightly to the side as she looks up at the considerably larger man. "First things first: I'm not with the Guild. Is this going to be an issue?" She keeps her voice even as she asks, watching his reaction very closely. Her smile is gone for now, replaced with an expression of businesslike seriousness.
Lintha Sennong Bakunawa	"That's not a problem since they are simply my regular customers. I also take jobs from Ysyr even if I silently disagree with their customs regarding those that lack sorcery. But my friend Radamantus is a good person despite being a sorcerer prince of that nation" The demonblood says as he takes a wine bottle from a cabinet and pours it into his glass. It seems that the Guild usually hires him due to his prowess with dealing with pirates, whatever monsters and spirits especially fae when traveling in the Dreaming Sea. It is unknown whether this is simply due to his demonblooded capabilities or something else"I also had other customers unaligned with organizations and nations anyway so it's not a big deal" He sips from his glass of wine while looking through a window to see the night sky. "The Guild are my usual customers since they don't usually whine about the type of person they hire as mercenaries or what methods of battle they use in their jobs. Like me whose veins run with the blood of demons. On top of that, I have some knowledge in sorcery but mostly when it comes to conjuring demons. A really zealous Immaculate dynast would screech at that fact as they are won't hire a man that violate their beliefs unless they are one of those more...."dirty" houses from what I heard like the Ragaras or whatever"
The Mournful Chorus	While Bakunawa talks, the Moonshadow pours for herself, as seems to be customary around these parts, and smells the wine before taking a small sip. At his words, Sadhrana lets out a delighted laugh, which rings surprisingly deep for such a small person. "The rumors are true, then... and I'm glad for it. Otherwise, I would have thanked you for your hospitality and taken my leave, to safe us both time and breath. As things stand, I've found exactly the mercenary I was hoping for." He receives a vicious grin. Maybe captain Sadhrana is just that kind of person... or maybe it's the Abyssal, letting the other, invisible mask slip for a bit. Either way, it's hard to tell. "So. About that contract", she says, making firm eye contact, all business again. "Listen closely. In a fortnight from now, a merchant vessel, the Turmaline Dawn, is going to depart from Y'danna, sailing eastward." She leans in, lowering her voice. "It's bound for an unknown location, to meet with traders from the Orchid Court. In it's hold, it will carry several different kinds of valuable cargo, but only one of them matters, as far as I'm concerned." Sadhrana takes a long sip from her wine before she continues, all without breaking eye contact to the demon-blooded mercenary. "Two dozen children, all slaves. Your job, Bakunawa, is to intercept the ship before it reaches that location, and deliver these children to me. Do with the crew as you please, and keep the cargo as bounty. In addition, you will receive a front payment, plus a handsome compensation upon safe delivery of the slaves." While she speaks, she reaches into a large pocket on the inside of her short kimono, and hands the Lintha two small scrolls: One contains the details of the contract neatly laid out, including a sizeable sum as compensation for his troubles. The other is a crude, but recognizable map of the coast west of Y'danna, indicating the meeting point. "Do you accept?"
Lintha Sennong Bakunawa	Bakunawa carefully reads the contract and listens to the visitor. Once he breaks his silence, he has reached a verdict on the decision. "Slaves on the ship you want to target huh?" He raises his interest on the proposed mission and finally reaches the conclusion. "I'll take it and I'll make sure the children on the ship will be safe and sound once me and my men take the ship." He then stands and signs the contract with his signature. "I accept and it's a pleasure working with you miss Sadhrana"