Closed Remember That One Time?

[Kirvan Deepseeker]

90th of Winter, 512 AV The Docks "Thanks for the catch," said one of the fishmongers as he handed Kirvan some mizas. "It will sell well, I can get a decent price for it." "Easier than selling it myself," the svefra replied. The two nodded in mutual agreement and thanks, the seafarer grateful for having someone he could easily drop off his catch to and the fishmonger grateful he'd found a svefra that didn't just pick up any random thing that crossed their path. Nearly an entire season of selling at the docks had taught Kirvan a bit about the concept of ownership, even if it still seemed inconvenient, and he was better at not picking up every trinket that caught his eye. Walking back towards the pier where he'd docked his boat, the svefra took a moment to feel the salty wind in his hair, sunlight glinting off the water as Syna neared her zenith. It was one of those days when he just felt inexplicably good, when things seemed to go right. He'd found the pair of tuna easy enough, swimming near the surface just before his casinor, and he'd found the fishmonger in a mood where he readily accepted the catch. Whether it was just coincidence or a series of luck happenings, Kirvan didn't know, but just in case he thought of offering something to the gods anyway. In fact, while he was here he should probably visit somewhere that was dedicated to the gods. He made his daily little sacrifices to Laviku, but he wasn't sure how to honor any of the other gods, though he really wanted to learn. He still wasn't quite confident about exploring the city on his own however, only having been in a few times. He was getting better, but still he was far from comfortable in there. So he paced back and forth in front of the entrance to the city from the docks, wondering what to do, whether to ask a random stranger for directions to a guide. Hopefully he'd be able to find Orion, maybe he could help out. OOCSorry for the delay, got caught up in stuff. Little uninspired, hopefully you can help pick up the slack.

[Crypt]

OOCNo problem. I was taking a nap, so no harm done. I don't think I'll be able to pick up the slack - my post's a little insipid. I'm free now - or as free as I can be. I guess it's time to be leaving Syliras; maybe I'll return. Maybe. But for now, Syliras is not the place to be. Heaving a sigh, Crypt walked through the gates of the city that led to the docks. He would find a Svefra willing to take him to another place - anywhere, except near Ravok. Perhaps he would find something to do that would earn a few mizas or at least pay for part of the ferrying fee. Taking another look at the walls of Syliras, he shrugged slightly and turned his face towards the docks. He could already smell the saltwater and hear the cries of the seagulls. Smiling faintly, he jogged down a few steps, before stopping in his tracks. Frowning, Crypt contemplated the familiar-looking Svefra about twenty feet away from him for a few seconds, before he grinned. A Svefra, injured and unable to do much. Aye, that's Kirvan alright! Damn, haven't seen him for about two years now. Raising his hand, Crypt shouted in an attempt to attract the Svefra's attention. "What ho, Kirvan Deepseaker! What brings you to Syliras?"

[Kirvan Deepseeker]

Should he go for it? Kirvan had made his way to the Soothing Waters before only by listening to the directions of others, he could probably do it again. But he had been lucky last time that happened, and he wasn't looking forward to getting lost again. He was willing to risk it last time for his passenger, but now that there was no urgent need he was having second thoughts about heading into the city. Just then, before he came to a decision, someone called his name in greeting. He turned around to see a raised hand and a grin pointed in his direction. Kirvan didn't recognize the dark-haired man at first, for it had been a while since they had last seen each other. As soon as he did though, he grinned himself. The last he'd seen of the man was two years ago, in the temple in the southern sea. He rushed forward, the name on his lips and out before he arrived. "Crypt," he chuckled. "I'm here because this is where I sell my catch, I fish and sell either here or in the Anchorage. But I should be asking what are you doing here? With that horse of yours, Maras, I thought you'd be getting your Drykas hide back to Cyphrus as soon as possible. What's with the change in scenery?" OOCSuppose it must be hard not knowing exactly what happened beforehand.

[Crypt]

OOCYeah. Hope everyone posts on that thread promptly so that it's finished! It's been long enough. Grinning widely, Crypt stepped forward and gave the Svefra a hug. Correction: a MANLY hug. Releasing him after a few moments, Crypt spoke again. “So you've been visiting here frequently? Damn, if I had taken the time to come here, I might have met you earlier. I don't quite like seafood - no offence to your catches, I'm sure they're of top quality - so I never really had a reason to come here until now. I've been in Syliras for over a season now, but I'm departing soon. I went back home after that fiasco with the Balnag and the Sea Father. Remember how furious the priestess was back then? I've been traveling since then - from Endrykas, to Alvadas, to Avanthal, to Ravok, to Mura and finally Syliras. I've heard a great deal about the Syliran Knights, and wanted to see them with my own eyes.” Upon hearing his Strider's name, Crypt faltered briefly. “Maras is... Well... gone. He's not coming back. I'm leaving Syliras because of this.”

[Kirvan Deepseeker]

Kirvan returned the brief hug wholeheartedly, not the least bit worried or embarrassed. This man had saved his life, and there was no way he was going to be treated like a stranger. "Quite frequently," Kirvan responded. "Have to eat, and it's also good for raking in mizas. And I understand, the sea can't be home to us all." He listened as Crypt briefly summarized his great chronicles, or at least they could be if someone wrote them down. It sounded like the drykas had been all over Mizahar, and made the journey in only two years? Definitely doable, but certainly incredible nonetheless. "Yes, I do remember, she was quite fiery wasn't she?" Kirvan grinned. "Sounds like you've been very busy, moving very quickly. I've only heard of half those places, the others are just names and little more. Endrykas, Avanthal, Ravok? Hearsay is all I have, and I've heard they are very far away. Must have been running like a madman to scramble all over the place." Instantly, the svefra noticed the change in tone and knew he'd come across something terrible. Last time he tried to comfort someone though, it didn't go so well. Petch it, he was going to speak his mind anyway. "Sorry," Kirvan apologized. "Maras was a good horse. Saved my sorry hide that day two years ago. I'd be drowning beneath an island if it weren't for him." A moment passed when both were quiet, Kirvan letting the moment stretch out a bit longer than he maybe should have. "Where are you headed?" he asked suddenly, trying to change the mood. "If it's seaward, I can probably take you there, or at least to the Anchorage where you will probably find someone willing to go all the way."

[Crypt]

“Aye. You Svefra may dominate the Sea, but we Drykas rule the Sea of Grass - or rather, most of it.” Crypt smirked for a few moments. “Moving rather quickly? I took my time, walking so slowly that I had to take most of a season just to get from Avanthal to Sylira. Aye, two years is a short time to be travelling to so many places though.” After the moment of silence for Maras, Crypt spoke again. “I'm trying to see if any Svefra captain is willing to pick me up for his crew or just as a passenger, if the first option doesn't work. I've been spending quite a lot of time on land, and well,” Crypt shrugged, “I thought a change of scenery would do me some good. I don't really have any place I want to go now. Perhaps Alvadas, but not so soon.” OOCI don't know where Anchor will set the infiltration to occur at, or I'd try to make Crypt's destination closer there. EDIT: Anchor said that he'd meet Evil Hagrid in Syliras, so perhaps make it a fishing trip for a few days, if you're up for it? Teach Crypt the ropes and all that?

[Kirvan Deepseeker]

Kirvan smiled at the name. "One rules an ocean of water, the other an ocean of plants. Quite fitting really. Maybe our people are more alike than either of us thought." It was a point worth thinking on, he didn't know much about the Drykas culture as a whole but he doubted they settled in towns with the world in the state it was. "You know what I meant," Kirvan protested, jokingly delivering a gentle punch to the other man's arm. "Even if it took you a while to get from place to place, to be able to go to all those places within two years, it just sounds incredible. Never settling for long, just picking up and going where the fancy strikes you. I can sympathise - I'm a svefra for crying out loud - but our home is considerably faster to travel across." For a moment, Kirvan thought about what Crypt was saying. Then he began to think aloud, pitching ideas for the Drykas to think about in turn. "Well, the Anchorage is only about a day away, headed back towards Alvadas. If you like, I could take you there at least, and then you can decide whether to find passage elsewhere or just wait for it to get close to Alvadas. It'll be a good season of travel for the Flotilla, plenty of time to find something interesting worth doing."

[Crypt]

"Quite so, Kirvan. But we don't all worship one god - we worship quite a few. Most of the Svefra revere Laviku, the Sea Father, but we Drykas are more... varied. I myself pay respects to a few. Do you still remember our encounter with Him?" Crypt's voice faltered for a moment as he recalled the sheer power behind the facade of an old man. "I've traveled as much as I liked, taking in the sights and having a few adventures along the way. Still, I haven't really been on the Suvan Sea, so I may as well try it out." Nodding in agreement, with Kirvan's suggestion, Crypt waited until the Svefra had finished before speaking again. "Sounds good to me. I've never seen the Anchorage before - is it true that it's made up of quite a few ships tied together? Well, I have nothing better to do, so I'll go there then. It'll be an interesting experience, if nothing else. The clean sea air should do me some good."

[Kirvan Deepseeker]

"That is true, though we do worship other gods besides our Sea Father, just not as fervently. We live and die at his whim, so we must all pay our respects. I assume it must be very different for you Drykas, as the land is no one god's and only the wilderness dictates your lives." Kirvan did not answer in regards to Crypt's allusion to their meeting with Laviku two years back. That day he had committed a crime against the Sea Father which had stained him with a shame he was still trying to remove. He'd been devoutly fighting and praying for Laviku's glory since that day, but he still had yet to hear from the god whether he had atoned for his foolishness. When the Crypt accepted his suggestion, Kirvan grinned. "It sounds like you've been everywhere else, so you may as well pay the Suvan a visit. You could say it's made up of quite a few ships, but it's the kind of thing you need to see to believe. Fresh air and salt water is what you need Crypt, we'll see if we can't find something for you to do in the meantime. C'mon, my casinor's over here." Turning, he lead the drykas down the side of the docks and out onto one of the piers, passing by sailors who were just coming back from their fishing haul. He stopped beside his boat, smaller than a lot of the other ships but still big enough to fit two easily, more if necessary. The foot long manalim tooth stuck into the wood above the entrance to the cabin made for an imposing sight to city folk, as if warning them to stay away or fear the owner. "Home sweet home," he said aloud, gesturing to the ship. "She's recently stocked thanks to my hauls, and I've got enough seasoned food to last us a while if for some strange reason the ocean runs out of fish during our travel."

[Crypt]

"That's an impressive catch you have there." Crypt ran his left palm over the manalim tooth, feeling its texture and marvelling at its sheer size. It was all the more imposing, due to the casinor's small size compared to the other ships Crypt had seen throughout his travels. "Seasoned food? I hope that includes salted fish. I've already stated my... well, dislike is too strong a word - perhaps distaste? Yes, I distaste seafood, but salted fish's alright with me - less of that fishy flavour. I still have my own supplies though, so we should be fine. Hopefully Zulrav is kind to us during our journey. If a storm brews up... Well, I hope your skills will be up to the task then." Moving about the Deepseeker's ship, Crypt peered curiously at the sails, unable to understand their function. "We Drykas love our complicated knots, but even these bamboozle me. Tell me, Kirvan, how the petch do you even sail this ship, what with all that complex knot-work? How do you man this ship single-handedly?"