The storm threw its tantrum across the vast ocean. Rolling waves turned the waters into a massive, writhing wyrm of nature. Lightning cracked, illuminating the blue black depths of the frigid water. Leaded clouds unleashed their pent up tears upon the waters, trying to drown out the memories of what clouds see.
Lights bobbed, weaved, and fought valiantly against the dark. A three masted ship, her sails rolled and stored tight on their cross spars, crested a heaving 30 foot wave. Smoke billowed from a fourth mast of metal, the inky exhaust being absorbed by the suffocating darkness. A massive water wheel sat in the aft of the ship laboring heavily to propel the ship onward.
Several Riivii Lupes manned the decks, securing rigging, and following the captains written orders. One brave Airii sat in her crows nest, glyphs of magic protection glowed around the nest where the ships Soultra mage had inscribed them. Lightning cracked, and a shield illuminated over the crows nest taking the cruel bolt.
The captain stood at the helm, a dire wolf cloak flapping madly behind him. His leopard spotted fur was drenched with rain turning his braided red mane dark vermilion. Sapphire blue eyes stared hard out at the rolling waves. The Lupinossai captain wore an ornate muzzling device that jingled in the high winds. He was an Erthrii Lupe, strong, and undaunted by the blustering storm.
Next to him, grabbing the sterns railing, a thin, white furred Soultra mage, looked utterly miserable in her rain drenched robes. Darkened goggles sat atop her head, her violet eyes seeing perfectly well in the dark. She pushed a straggly lock of wet platinum hair from her muzzle and raised her voice to speak with the captain who was just 3 feet away.
'Captain Vuu, you sure the magite compass is still accurate? We've been sailing for weeks in search of this mythic land. I can not feel the energies of Sliinkaa anymore." her voice asked, tinged with concern and fear.
Captain Vuu just grinned, and nodded to her, tapping a claw against the magite compass. The Soultra mage pulled herself over to look at the magite compass, and evoked a calibration spell. The compass was dead accurate. They were headed for this strange land their captain kept dreaming about. Being right next to him, she shouted again.
"You sure we will find your father in those lands? He has been missing for 30 years. He could be dead, or a slave." more fear crept into her voice.
Captain Vuu just laughed and touched his chest, then his furred temple. The gesture he made said he knew in his heart and mind his father lived. A shout from the crows nest caught both of their attentions.
"Weather is getting worst Captain. I can barely see anything, and the wards up here are taking a beating. We have large swells out further. The Moorawaam isn't made for this sever weather, captain!" The female Airii called out.
The Soultra mage looked to Vuu with worried violet eyes. Vuu took stock of the situation for a moment, then let his senses feel out the lay of the energy about him. The energy was upset, angry, throwing a tantrum like a spoiled puppy. He pointed to the wheel and the Soultra mage took over straining to keep the wheel steady.
Vuu stepped down from the helm's small deck and made his way to the bow. Several of the Riivii passed him to secure some of the main rigging that was working loose. Reaching the bow, Vuu looked over the deck railing at the wards on the hulls. They still glowed strongly, but he new if the Soultra mage was losing the feel of Sliinkaa, the wards were failing as her power faded. Normally the captain would ride out the storm, faith in his mage and ship were strong and unmoving, but as stated by the mage, they were in new waters. Calmer seas would help them gain better bearings.
Vuu stood up straight and stared right into the fury of the storm. Clawed fingers unclasped the muzzling device he wore. Moving his lower jaw a few times, he spoke. His voice was soft at first, then boomed loud and strong. All could hear him over roar of the storm.
"Hearken to my words, unknown energy! You are troubled and raging! Peace to thee, and be still. Know the calmness that is in my soul and my words!"
Vuu didn't glow. Nor did he make complicated gestures a mage would have performed. He carried no spell components, no mighty staff or blessed relic. He simply spoke, and as the waves rolled but lost their vehemence, the clouds starting to thin, and the wind slowing to a good headwind, the crew watched him perform his type of magic. He spoke and magic listened.
The Soultra mage left the ship's wheel in the more capable paws of a Riivii sailor and walked to the bow where Vuu stood, head bowed in exhaustion. Her paws was laid on his shoulders in a motherly grip.
"Take great care with your talents here, Captain Vuu. The energies are different and the magic exacts a higher toll on us. Come, let me get you food, water, and let you rest. We will take care of the ship." The mage easily turned him around and moved Vuu towards the captains cabin.
Entering the cabin, a small flood of water heralding their entrance raced out over the floor to be absorbed by a red carpet greedily. No trace of the water was seen in the pools of yellow candle light. The Soultra mage helped Vuu over to a large, stuffed, sleeping pillow. Some called it a 'bean bag', but the Lupes had been using sleeping pillows for a long time. Pushing him gently into the pillow, the mage went to a cupboard and rummaged for some rations the captain usually kept stashed for occasions just like this.
Vuu sunk into the pillow, quite weary, he held the muzzling device in his paws, too tired to put it back on. The mage returned and knelt on the rug to hand him some dried Piillmoo strips. She offered a flask of Nagrah, and Vuu started to protest the drink, but she insisted.
"The Nagrah will replenish your souls waning energy. Now eat and drink. You can not search for your father with a thin soul." she forced a strip of dried Piillmoo meat toward his muzzle.
Vuu took the meat and gnawed on it, then washed it down with Nagrah. He choked a little. The Nagrah always burned going down.
"Illstrah, I am now sure my father is here. The way this realm saps the strength of mages would explain why he has not returned to us. He would be too weak to walk the realms back to us." His voice was soft, deep, and full of kindness.
Illstrah knelt by him and thought to herself. Had she not seen him use his talents often in Lupinoss to quell the rivalry of fledgling Alphas and decrepit warlords, she would be hard to believe his voice could do any damage.
"I do hope you are right Vuu. We have risked everything setting sail to realms unknown. We may never get back. her voice held a measured note of regret.
"Oh, we will. We will find him. The prophecies all line up to him returning when the 'son looks for the father'. Have faith." Vuu's voice was getting softer. Having eaten more meat and drinking half of the flask, his eyes were closed in exhaustion.
Illstrah took the flask and the remains of the meat. She would finish the meal herself. The wards on the ship were sucking at her soul like teething pups. Making sure Vuu was comfortable, she removed the muzzling device from his clawed fingers, and laid it on the floor next to the pillow. She walked to the door of the cabin, and with a simple gesture of her paw, blew out the candles.
"Sleep well captain. I have dreams of you seeing many trials to come to fulfill the prophecies." she whispered.
The captain has come a long ways from being a lecturing teacher of the Dens.
Lights bobbed, weaved, and fought valiantly against the dark. A three masted ship, her sails rolled and stored tight on their cross spars, crested a heaving 30 foot wave. Smoke billowed from a fourth mast of metal, the inky exhaust being absorbed by the suffocating darkness. A massive water wheel sat in the aft of the ship laboring heavily to propel the ship onward.
Several Riivii Lupes manned the decks, securing rigging, and following the captains written orders. One brave Airii sat in her crows nest, glyphs of magic protection glowed around the nest where the ships Soultra mage had inscribed them. Lightning cracked, and a shield illuminated over the crows nest taking the cruel bolt.
The captain stood at the helm, a dire wolf cloak flapping madly behind him. His leopard spotted fur was drenched with rain turning his braided red mane dark vermilion. Sapphire blue eyes stared hard out at the rolling waves. The Lupinossai captain wore an ornate muzzling device that jingled in the high winds. He was an Erthrii Lupe, strong, and undaunted by the blustering storm.
Next to him, grabbing the sterns railing, a thin, white furred Soultra mage, looked utterly miserable in her rain drenched robes. Darkened goggles sat atop her head, her violet eyes seeing perfectly well in the dark. She pushed a straggly lock of wet platinum hair from her muzzle and raised her voice to speak with the captain who was just 3 feet away.
'Captain Vuu, you sure the magite compass is still accurate? We've been sailing for weeks in search of this mythic land. I can not feel the energies of Sliinkaa anymore." her voice asked, tinged with concern and fear.
Captain Vuu just grinned, and nodded to her, tapping a claw against the magite compass. The Soultra mage pulled herself over to look at the magite compass, and evoked a calibration spell. The compass was dead accurate. They were headed for this strange land their captain kept dreaming about. Being right next to him, she shouted again.
"You sure we will find your father in those lands? He has been missing for 30 years. He could be dead, or a slave." more fear crept into her voice.
Captain Vuu just laughed and touched his chest, then his furred temple. The gesture he made said he knew in his heart and mind his father lived. A shout from the crows nest caught both of their attentions.
"Weather is getting worst Captain. I can barely see anything, and the wards up here are taking a beating. We have large swells out further. The Moorawaam isn't made for this sever weather, captain!" The female Airii called out.
The Soultra mage looked to Vuu with worried violet eyes. Vuu took stock of the situation for a moment, then let his senses feel out the lay of the energy about him. The energy was upset, angry, throwing a tantrum like a spoiled puppy. He pointed to the wheel and the Soultra mage took over straining to keep the wheel steady.
Vuu stepped down from the helm's small deck and made his way to the bow. Several of the Riivii passed him to secure some of the main rigging that was working loose. Reaching the bow, Vuu looked over the deck railing at the wards on the hulls. They still glowed strongly, but he new if the Soultra mage was losing the feel of Sliinkaa, the wards were failing as her power faded. Normally the captain would ride out the storm, faith in his mage and ship were strong and unmoving, but as stated by the mage, they were in new waters. Calmer seas would help them gain better bearings.
Vuu stood up straight and stared right into the fury of the storm. Clawed fingers unclasped the muzzling device he wore. Moving his lower jaw a few times, he spoke. His voice was soft at first, then boomed loud and strong. All could hear him over roar of the storm.
"Hearken to my words, unknown energy! You are troubled and raging! Peace to thee, and be still. Know the calmness that is in my soul and my words!"
Vuu didn't glow. Nor did he make complicated gestures a mage would have performed. He carried no spell components, no mighty staff or blessed relic. He simply spoke, and as the waves rolled but lost their vehemence, the clouds starting to thin, and the wind slowing to a good headwind, the crew watched him perform his type of magic. He spoke and magic listened.
The Soultra mage left the ship's wheel in the more capable paws of a Riivii sailor and walked to the bow where Vuu stood, head bowed in exhaustion. Her paws was laid on his shoulders in a motherly grip.
"Take great care with your talents here, Captain Vuu. The energies are different and the magic exacts a higher toll on us. Come, let me get you food, water, and let you rest. We will take care of the ship." The mage easily turned him around and moved Vuu towards the captains cabin.
Entering the cabin, a small flood of water heralding their entrance raced out over the floor to be absorbed by a red carpet greedily. No trace of the water was seen in the pools of yellow candle light. The Soultra mage helped Vuu over to a large, stuffed, sleeping pillow. Some called it a 'bean bag', but the Lupes had been using sleeping pillows for a long time. Pushing him gently into the pillow, the mage went to a cupboard and rummaged for some rations the captain usually kept stashed for occasions just like this.
Vuu sunk into the pillow, quite weary, he held the muzzling device in his paws, too tired to put it back on. The mage returned and knelt on the rug to hand him some dried Piillmoo strips. She offered a flask of Nagrah, and Vuu started to protest the drink, but she insisted.
"The Nagrah will replenish your souls waning energy. Now eat and drink. You can not search for your father with a thin soul." she forced a strip of dried Piillmoo meat toward his muzzle.
Vuu took the meat and gnawed on it, then washed it down with Nagrah. He choked a little. The Nagrah always burned going down.
"Illstrah, I am now sure my father is here. The way this realm saps the strength of mages would explain why he has not returned to us. He would be too weak to walk the realms back to us." His voice was soft, deep, and full of kindness.
Illstrah knelt by him and thought to herself. Had she not seen him use his talents often in Lupinoss to quell the rivalry of fledgling Alphas and decrepit warlords, she would be hard to believe his voice could do any damage.
"I do hope you are right Vuu. We have risked everything setting sail to realms unknown. We may never get back. her voice held a measured note of regret.
"Oh, we will. We will find him. The prophecies all line up to him returning when the 'son looks for the father'. Have faith." Vuu's voice was getting softer. Having eaten more meat and drinking half of the flask, his eyes were closed in exhaustion.
Illstrah took the flask and the remains of the meat. She would finish the meal herself. The wards on the ship were sucking at her soul like teething pups. Making sure Vuu was comfortable, she removed the muzzling device from his clawed fingers, and laid it on the floor next to the pillow. She walked to the door of the cabin, and with a simple gesture of her paw, blew out the candles.
"Sleep well captain. I have dreams of you seeing many trials to come to fulfill the prophecies." she whispered.
The captain has come a long ways from being a lecturing teacher of the Dens.