Squire Dominic Levi Strauss III, newly anointed servant of Kolgol, stepped to the top of a sandy dune, his cloak flapping in the stiff breeze. He looked out over the horizon, eyes peeled for trouble. Even with the breeze, it was stifling hot. It was even worse that, over his plate mail, Kolgol had insisted he wear an armor-fiend cloak over it to conceal his armor. Fortunately the previous owner of the cloak had been a burly olgog, so the cloak fit comfortably over his armor. Behind him, Ar’Yahn stumbled up, wearing a matching cloak. Ar’Yahn had been the one to come with him because he had had the easiest time adjusting to a human living in the tribe. Under his cloak, he knew Ar’Yahn held a shadow cocoon filled with various trade goods. As well as that, there was also a small pouch of currency Kolgol had scraped together. These items would be used as a payment for the famed Baribur airship crafters of Dawn Spear Aerie in exchange for their talent at making things fly. The vessel which would be modified, formerly named “The Light of the Lord”, was laying at port in Unen. It had just carried a small expedition south on a different journey, and was now prepared for it’s new makeover. Of course, they would need a guide and liaison to get them there, and Kolgol had decided that a previous contact known as “Grim the Bastard” would be the perfect one for the job. This was Dominic’s first objective, and he had been given a description of Grim by Kolgol. Grim would certainly want payment as well, and he would be allowed to name his price if, and hopefully when, they located him. All church of One symbols had been scraped from Dominic’s armor, making him appear to be little more than a down-on-his-luck hedge knight who had taken a wrong turn into Olgog country. They would proceed to search all of the major towns for word of Grim or anyone who might know where he was. For now though, Dominic simply hoped he would not fail Kolgol as he had failed his last master.
A Flight of Fancy
After several weeks of trudging through sand, forests, hills, and bustling cities, Dominic was utterly tired. He had searched high and low, but as he had heard many of his former instructors say, “There’s no finding a bastard unless he wants to be found”. He had begun to realize the truth of this sentiment over the past few weeks. However, all was not lost, because although Baribur would not sell airship technology to an Olgog, they might be inclined to do so for an Earther (or at least someone who wasn’t covered in fur). Therefore Dominic decided that he himself would strike the deal. Of course the hardest part would be getting the ship itself from Unen to the Aerie, or the Baribur to come to Unen. He’d work that out with the crafters, that is if they allowed him to barter with them. He sighed, and then turned and stared into the rising sun, and began to pack up his things to travel to the Aerie. He knew roughly where it was from looking at maps of the area, and he hoped Ar’Yahn would be able to direct the finer points of the travel. The olgog had been rather quiet on the journey so far, only speaking advice here and there about places they could check, and intervening whenever a burly olgog tried to tear Dominic limb from limb. Fortunately this had not occurred too often, although several times on their return trip through the desert he had seen riders galloping as if fleeing from death itself, overshadowed by a flying beacon of some kind. Whenever Dom and Ar’Yahn tried to approach however, the riders spurred their steeds disappeared into the noonday sun. Nodding to Ar’Yahn, squire Dominic set off down the side of a hill, towards the distant Dawnspear Aerie.
It was a tiring journey through the lands of the Dawn Spear.
Dominic could see the high mountains long before Ar’Yahn could pin point which one was the aerie.
Suddenly Baribur soldiers dropped down from the sky. Their metal armor gleamed in the sun and their spears were well honed.
One stepped forward and lifted off his metal helm revealing long black hair and a bright smile, “An Olgog and an Earther walked into a trap set for Uthvelor raiders. The Earther said to the Olgog i think we found the right place and the Olgog says?”
Jogging down the trail behind the riders, Grim came bouncingly to a halt. He was whistling some odd tune (OOC: girl from Impania) . Looking around, he saw the earther youth. “Wow, you kids made decent time. Ifen I hadn’t cheat there for a bit I would have nevr caught up to you. So why were you kids looking for me?”
Glancing around, he seemed to finally notice the Baribur. Puffing on his cigar, he nods at them “Well, if it ain’t the Winged Guard. What you boys out hunting this time, Uth or CAmbions?”
Dominic looked up in surprise as the Baribur descended on he and Ar’Yahn. He instinctively reached for the longsword buckled to his left hip, but paused when he saw the look the Olgog gave him. He looked at the new comers in indecision, frozen equally in admiration for their prowess, and fear because of the reputation they had in battle. He was about to say something when yet another person came up from behind them. Dominic spun and faced the stranger and raised his eyebrows in shock. There stood the very figure who he had searched for unsuccessfully for weeks had appeared as if from no-where! He checked the charcoal sketch that Kolgol had made on a piece of bark. Yes, there was no mistaking it, this was just the one he was looking for. He glanced back at the Baribur and spoke to Grim.
“You are Grim the bastard correct? I have come to ask you to barter a very special arrangement with our friends here.”
He turns and addresses the whole group
“We represent a certain…alliance…who is in the market for the technologies your people specialize in. We have obtained a ship that we believe could be made to fly using your skills. This would be paid for in any manner you choose, whether it be material, weapon, or traditional ghaz currency. Grim, you also will be compensated in whichever way you choose, should you choose to accept this task. The ship lays at moor in Unen port, but we could probably work something out with the crafters, that is if we may enter the Aerie.”
Seeing his joke had been ignored the smiling Baribur stopped grinning and when the topic turned to airships his face became almost stern, "None who bear the blood of Earth or of Refuge are welcome in the dawn spear aerie. Only those whom have blood of the Falosini.
But there is a suburb where the Airship crafters meet with outsiders such as yourselves."
He looked at Grim and send “Welcome Grim of the Tunnel Rat Corps. Your legend has come even to us.”
Then he said “I am but Telios, a Ziphor Skyknight of the Dawn Spear Aerie and my band and I hunt the Uthvelor Raiders.
You will all follow me and do not deviate or you will never be allowed back into the Airship yards of Yodrim’s Crossing.”
Telios lead them across the unforgiving terrain, until they entered the bottom of a canyon near the Dawn Spear aerie.
The walls of the canyon were covered with drydocks built into the canyon walls. Expertly carved stone and wood marked every inch of the walls. Every mooring hook was finest bronze and rippling wrought iron.
The cords were woven grasses strengthened by thick metallic k’iou hair, and extended a long ways out across the expanse of the canyon. They joined to tie off cables on twenty different styles of airships.
The largest was shaped like a spur and took up the mooring spaces of four normal airships. Its wooden interior was sheathed in metal armor plates and its hull was studded with holes which held brass capdomes that crackled with energy.
The smallest barely larger than the rider and shaped from wood. These floated in trios sharing a single airship berth.
The heroes were led onto a platform which took them up into the highest deck where an older Baribur with a long beard as white as his wings.
The old baribur looked very upset when he saw the Olgog along with them.
“I am Aeromancer Anz Hillyl, you may call me Foreman Hillyl.
Since you have come here you are obviously looking for an airship.
What size craft were you looking to purchase and what method of payment?”
He looked closely to see if the Olgog answered or the Earther, or the Bastard.
Knowing that the Aeromancer was certainly testing them to see who would ask, the squire cursed himself for not having given Grim a description of the order on the way up. He cleared his throat and stepped forward to do business.
“Greetings Foreman Hillyl, I am called…Dominic, and these are my companions Ar’Yahn and Grim the Bastard, respectively. You are correct, in that we have come to purchase a large airship, or at the very least get a quote on the price and scope of such a thing. We have brought several methods of payment, of which you may take your pick. We have trade goods, mainly stone, wood, and obsidian which we have in abundance, as well as a few other items. I must confess I know little about the price of airships these days, so I will trust in you to set a price. You have it on my honor as a…” He paused, as he normally would have said “squire” or “paladin” or some other common church term. Instead he awkwardly inserted “as a knight” and left it at that.
He glanced at Ar’Yahn, who nodded silently, and then leaned back to wait for Foreman Hillyl’s answer.
“A knight?” Chirped Foreman Hillyl, “How are you a knight boy? You have no wings?”
The baribur looked genuinely confused until Telios leaned in to say “The Earthers have soldiers called knights.”
Foreman Hillyl said, “How cute the wingeless ones think riding a horse at an enemy is as dangerous as dropping from the sky upon their unprotected heads open to attack from allsides. Barely sticking in the blade before pulling up on your wings. Knowing if you missed the dismount of the spear your wings would get torn off from air pressure. So…Knight… were you searching for a Warship? Or a ship for exploration? Or a pleasure ship?”
Looking mildly concerned at Hillyl’s statement, Dominic re-marshaled his thoughts and spoke.
“We would be interested in either a Warship or Exploration ship. What exactly is the difference between them? Are they made of different materials or have different armaments? I apologize for my ignorance of such things, I ask your patience while I try to learn of your crafts.”
Foreman Hillyl gathered his thoughts and said, "Warships are more costly as they have artificed weapons and armor attached to the hull. They also have less environmental defenses because they are designed exclusively for the atmosphere of Refuge. Fly one to the flames of Kyrpos and it would burn up first time you moored it in the lava sea.
Explorer vessels dont have weapons but do have a complex array of artificings to protect them from the environments of distant dimensions.
Breathable air and ability to float on lava, extra sustaining artifacts to keep the crew alive if food and water run out."
“If you give me an idea what you would like to trade, i will put together what type of warship or explorer airship we could develope for you.”
Dominic blinked for a moment, wondering if he had just fallen asleep when the Foreman spoke to him. Shaking his surprise off, he answered,
“I’d imagine we would want an exploratory vessel for our use. We have an abundance of natural resources available for trade, and I am sure you would make good use of some of them. There is a possibility of the tribe I represent receiving an influx of fine metal weapons, and I know that the Aerie often has need of such things. We have harvesters who gather fruits and vegetables in the south, as well as horses that live in our region. All of these things are valuable to you, are they not?”
(OCC Lurtor is here per the discussion between Kolgol and Lalder. Trying to do the least disruptive entrance :-p )
Lurtor, riding in the lead of the 3 Lur Union Fighters was heading to the Daw Spear Aerie. The fighters each had a pilot and co pilot/gunner flying them. They were to meetup with the Earth Dominic, but not to mention the Lur Union or UtR unless needed.
He had been waiting for a chance to make this trip. The Aerie is one of the few places he could go to improve his troubadour leyas and learn some new songs.
Also this place could be a great source of trade now that the Herd of Auf Lal’al was making flying ships. They could hopefully trade for other information about making ships, or even trade ships.
The 3 Lur Union fighters would fly in a tight formation to a spot where they could dock. And attempt to do it in style. They would follow any escort that came to them and follow instructions on where to land.
Dominic should already be aware of their coming.
Lurtor was dressed to impress in his EEF armor, pistol in holster, and a sword on his back. At least all weapons are holstered and if required peace bonded.
Once the ships land, Lurtor will jump out while the pilots would rope the ships to the docks. Lurtor steps up to the greeter/guards and say “My name is Lurtor. I am here with the hope of trade in ships, resources, and knowledge. I am also here to back a friend, Dominic and help in any trade deals he is working on.”
Foreman Hillyl turned to the young earther surprised by his business acumen.
He replied, "The Aerie can always use fruit and veg. I have seen shipments from the Falling star of fungii and mushrooms but that is never as vicerally satisfying as a fresh fruit. I know the distillers could use nanye pears and binber fruit for making wine.
In exchange for exclusive trade for the next six months in fruit and veg i could design for you a smaller assault airship for a crew of eight and passenger capacity of an additional eight. Armed with lightning cannons and poison gas dispensers.
Alternately i could offer an explorer vessel carrying forty crew through the most inhospitable of environments."
The new arrival was escorted in by forty Dawn Spear skyknights. It was only his EEF markings that presented them with a diplomatic connundrum and prevented them from hurling the aircraft from the sky.
So they escorted Lurtor from the landing site to the Foreman who was showing Dominic schematics drawn in charcoal on mal’ie hide sheets.
The Foreman looked up at Lurtor and said, “Normally Olgogs are not welcome at this shipyard. No offense of course simply our rules prevent us from arming one tribe against the others. But if you are here on EEF business I dont want to start trouble with them.”
“What business brings EEF agents to the Dawn spear? Not more warships i hope. Already we have delivered the ten purchased to Unen and i do not know if we can build another ten so soon.”
It was news to Lurtor that any such deal had been made. As far as VLAD told him, the EEF didnt buy airships they made their own…
Lurtor was a bit surprised by that news. He would have to check in on that.
Lurtor said "My role right now is to keep an eye on things in these lands. There is much going on. I think your rules may need updating for the state on the ground has been changing. A certain set of threats has already got the tribes organizing and even forming nations, nations that cross the traditional tribal boundaries.
The tribes are even building their own airships. I bartered those 3 of them with the loan of some pilots for today. They are called Lur Union Fighters, but are used for multiple purposes. Fighters of course, but also as transport for small supplies and troops. They are pretty agile in the air and have been effective against the warmonger’s deads ships. Each ship is uniquely designed by the Artificer in charge of making it.
All I have to do invite you to talk with their council or to see if you would meet with them. They do not need your weapons, but could use the exploration equipment, trade, or anything that could help them rebuild the cities. But most of all, they want to have good relations with their neighbors. After all, your policy of throwing them off the Dock doesn’t allow them to approach you.
On to my business. I am here in search of a songmancer who would be willing to further my education, teach me some songs. I have things I can trade for this."
Lurtor figured giving them this to think on would be the UtR best chance to get relations going. Once they figured out that the UtR didn’t need them for weapons, this place might relax their stance toward the UtR. UtR really needed help building infrastructure and the recognition of other nations. Not more weapons.
At the talk of Songmancers the baribur foreman seemed to grow sad for a moment.
"No Archwing leads the Dawn Spear and until a new one is chosen most have refused any singing outside of battle against our enemies.
There are a few who ignore this time of introspection.
The Choir of Skyknight Payne is a small group north of here. They hold evening religious ceremonies devoted to honoring the self sacrifice of Lord Falos. But they are currently besieged by the Yyan of the Cloud Keep. If you were to help them im sure the Choir would help you learn much. But it would mean firmly planting a sword in the ground before the armies of Cloud Keep and few want the Sword Giants as enemies."
(The Choir of Payne mission will be posted tonight)
Waiting politely for the conversation to finish, Squire Dominic shifted from foot to foot as they concluded. Nodding to Lurtor as he left, Dominic spoke up,
“Yes, we would be interested in that arrangement for the purchase of an exploratory ship. We will have the fruits and veggies shipped to you weekly for the duration of six months. There are also some more fruits from an orchard in the south we would throw in if you could teach a small crew how to fly it aptly.”
Foreman Hillyl looked at Dominic and pursed his lips for a few moments, then he said, “I would agree but seeing your familiarity with the Olgogs i worry you are asking me to break some very venerable guidlines.
Once you recieve the Explorer airship you can crew it with whomever you deem fit.
But I cannot circumvent the ban on commerce with the Olgogs so I could teach you, Earther but i could not teach a crew of Olgogs.
If you would accept this, I can have one of our finest Bosuns come to teach you the art of piloting an airship inside and outside of combat.”
Dominic was mildly surprised, he hadnt expected to be allowed to learn to fly the craft. It filled him with excitement to be able to learn how to use such a creation. He ignored Ar’Yahn’s glare as he nodded eagerly at the Foreman.
“Yes! We have a deal. I would like to learn how to use this craft as soon as possible. Ar’Yahn, return to our employers and tell them we have made a deal, have the goods delivered here.”
((Fruits and veggies that are being gathered at the Axefalls are now going to be shipped to Dawnspear Aerie instead of being surplus in Ka’Rhug.))